Strip away your pride and die to yourself......

I too have been reading the book "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan. There is so much to absorb. I have just completed chapter 2, and I just want to dig deeper in. You can go to this website (http://crazylovebook.com/) to find out more about this book. There is a video that goes with every chapter of the book.
I just want to say, where is our humbleness? How much do we truly care about other people or reaching people for Christ. I sat down with my kids last night and asked them this question, what have you done to help someone else today? Not that I want them to brag or be prideful, but I want to change their way of thinking. Tonight when I ask them this same question, they will probably say they forgot. If continue to ask them and encourage them to be servants to other people, I hope that their stories about what they did for someone today will ever increase. We are only promised now, we are not promised tomorrow, we can't change yesterday, but I can focus on one day at time. If I ask them this question and I expect them to answer in a servant hearted manner, I need to be prepared to share my own stories. I need to be prepared to be a good example to my kids.
If someone came up to you right now and said, what can you do to help someone else, what would your answer be? Better yet, what if you were in neeed, and everyone else was more wrapped up in nice clothes, cable tv, new cars, and video games. What if your child was starving, and the people around you abounded in much and never took the time, or was willing to give up their luxieries to help you with the necessities. It's time to stop thinking you are something, and become nothing. God does not care about your social status. God does not care if you think you have finally arrived.
He does care if you shed your pride, God hates pride, and if it's in you, you need to get rid of it. Pride is having fancy phones, more of a house than what we need, expensive clothes, and just thinking that you are more important than anyone else. God does not care if you are the Pastor of 5000, or if you are a homeless guy on the side of the road. If you are not humble and seeking his will, and doing whatever you can do to change lives and show the love of Christ, then what is the purpose of what you are doing?
When are we as a church going to become all things to all people? When are we as Christ followers going to shed our pride and quit caring about being tired, and start focusing on meeting the needs of the people around us. Lazy people are my pet peeve. Every church has a list of things people can do, but too many people want to just sit in the pew. The church will never become all that God needs it to be, unless we get up off our behinds, and make it our home (as my dad would say).
We need more fuel cells. We cannot meet the needs of 150 people in five fuel cells. It doesn't matter who you are, but your goal should be to become disciples of Christ. So if you are going to fuel church, I pray that first you pray about whether or not fuel church is your home, if it is I pray that you join. If you are a member of fuel church, the first need you need to meet, is that of your family. They need to be in a fuel cell. This is the place where we truly become family and begin to meet the needs of each other. If you are a member and in a fuel cell, be in prayer about starting one at your home. If you can at least open up the doors to your home, we can have someone come and teach the class in your home until you are comfortable to do it on your own.
Like Ryan said on Sunday, it's time to start planning your life around a fuel cell. My husband and I both have a 40 hour a week work schedule, and we truly understand being tired. But being a part of a fuel cell or teaching a fuel cell, should not be a chore, it should a time of refreshing. A time to get together with other christ followers, who become a family to you. Being able to open up and have people open up to you. I miss people when they don't show up, we call each other in the middle of the week, we babysit for each other, we check on each other when things are going on in our lives. (being all things to all people) They are such an important part of our lives, and I am blessed to be able to share my life with these people. If you are teaching a fuel cell or you are thinking about teaching a fuel cell, and your schedule is pretty open, pick a night that best fits the people your fuel cell may attract. Be all things to all people. Josh's group has about 40 people on Sunday Nights. We have several people in our church that work nights in the week, or travel out of town for work and Sunday Night is the only night they can attend a fuel cell. Be in prayer for our fuel cells.
We love you all, and we are so blessed to have an awesome church family. You have stepped up in so many ways. I can't begin to tell you how much everything seen and unseen is appreciated, and you are touching lives in everything you do.
Have a blessed week.