There is only one thing you can manage.

There is only one thing you can manage, and that is yourself.

Often, I spend minutes, hours, and even days worrying about circumstances, perceptions, and outcomes. From this, I have learned WORRY DOESN’T WORK.

So, if I can’t manage my circumstances, perceptions, and outcomes, what can I manage?

Yourself.

That’s right; you can always manage who you are becoming. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 talks about how seasons come and go. Circumstances change. Relationships change. Perceptions change. Outcomes change. But here is what won’t change if you dont manage yourself…

You.

Matthew 6:33 says, in all things, seek the Kingdom of God first. The language of seek is similar to a bow hunter waiting to hit the target, his prey. What is the target? Paul makes it pretty clear in two places.

12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Romans 12:1-2, NIV

If you want to discern and understand

God’s will

in everything, start with managing yourself. Offer yourself as a living sacrifice so the Spirit can transform you by renewing your mind. Paul is convinced that in all circumstances, our minds need to be managed. The best way to do that is to surrender to the work of the Spirit through spiritual formation. You are positioning yourself through the spiritual practices of Jesus before the Spirit and allowing the Spirit to transform you by renewing your mind. Click the link spiritual practices to find out more about offering your body as a living sacrifice through spiritual disciplines.

Start with you and God. Watch what happens. You will have a better sense of God’s will, and you will have the fruits of the Spirit grow from you—no better way to be.

See you in groups or on Sunday,

Michael

Through the doors of the ER

“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert” Isaiah 43:19

We are in the wilderness. We are living in the midst of a pandemic and there are so many unknowns. Fear, anxiety, isolation, and panic are widespread. The world is battling this disease and its having huge ramifications on our daily lives. It can feel like a spiritual desert.

I walked into a spiritual desert the moment I opened the doors to the Emergency Room in downtown LA. “Are you the Bryant family? We need to talk to you.” Everything changed and I felt my body almost melt into the floor. They brought us into a small waiting room and I knew it was bad. The doctor came in and told us my mom had a heart attack and had gone without oxygen. They didn’t have a lot of answers and were very vague. This was just the beginning of lots of waiting, praying, crying, yelling, and more waiting. We spent days, weeks, and months waiting. It was excruciatingly painful and in the midst of a life crisis I had to just sit and wait. 

When crisis hits it makes us assess our lives. When we are forced to stay home, slow down, and not attend work, school, and all other social events we take a hard look at our lives. Where do we find our identity? What consumes us? What defines us? What matters most? 

Wherever you are on your faith journey I want to encourage you to use this time to take a good hard look at yourself. 

In a crisis people assess their lives, take a look within, and seek answers to BIG questions. Crisis reminds us how temporal this life on earth really is. There has to be more. And there is more. For those that follow Jesus we get the incredible opportunity to start living an eternal life now. 

I pray you are not paralyzed with fear, but moved to draw nearer to the maker of heaven and earth. I pray you seek him now more than ever and that you share that love with others. 

Church- let’s be the body of Christ. Let us stay connected to one another and love our neighbor like never before. 

Church- let’s press into him, open up our Bibles, pray, and fast. 

Church- by leaning on Jesus and others we can have peace, joy, and love, and bring God’s glory in the midst of the wilderness!

Jesus is the way through the wilderness.

See you online tomorrow at greatneighbors.net,

Mindi

Even in the darkest hour.

"The waters which were flowing down from above stood and rose up in one heap, a great distance away at a town called Adam." Joshua 3:16 

Can you imagine being there when God split the Red Sea? Can you imagine the incredible joy and freedom the Israelites felt in that moment? All the waiting, praying, hoping, dreaming, and all the time suffering in the desert. The parting of the sea is the crescendo, the climax, the promise fulfilled. Are you in the desert? Are you waiting for a breakthrough? Are you waiting to see God tangibly move in your life? 

In Priscilla Shirer's devotional Awaken she writes, "Imagine the joy, then, that began to sweep through Israel as someone on the northernmost part of the formation caught sight of the stunning development of the river. Squeals of delight and excitement would have rippled through the ranks, as the promised word they'd been told but hadn't yet seen was suddenly becoming visible reality." 

6 years ago Michael and I set out on a journey to plant a church. God gave us a vision, showed us His heart for His people, and we stepped out on mission. We've been through the desert, the valleys, dark storms, and moments we thought we wouldn't make it. We've battled darkness, cried out to God, and clung to the hope that we have in Jesus. Even in our darkest hours when we felt hopeless God was there. He showed up. He was and is always working. Romans 8:28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." He is always working to refine us, make us more like Jesus, and to grow His kingdom. 

Today I pause and rejoice for all he has done and is doing in our lives and at Cross Culture Church! 1 Peter 1:8, "Though you have not seen him, you love him; though not seeing him now, you believe in him, and you rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy." In the silence, in the darkness, in the unknown He is faithful. He is moving. Today I cry out in gratitude to a God that is glorious, to a God that fulfills his promises, and to my Lord that is always at work whether I see it or not. "The vision is yet for the appointed time; it hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; for it will certainly come, it will not delay."  Habakkuk 2:3  Watching the vision of CCC come alive, seeing us grow, seeing the vision come to fruition is like watching the Red seas part. I can't contain the inexpressible joy I have in my heart. 

God is moving in your life. You will walk in victory, in exuberant joy, and He will fulfill his promises. Even though you may not see it now hold on to the hope you have in Him. He will part the seas in your life if you seek him first. 

Let's boldly walk forward through the sea, rejoicing, and giving him all the glory!

See you Sunday,

Mindi Winakur

Cross Culture Church

Extraction Prayer

What types of prayers do you pray? My prayers range from a shopping list to complete surrender. One type of prayer I have lacked in is what I like to call, “Extraction Prayer.” It requires letting go and sometimes being prepared to get out of the way.

Psalms 139 talks about a prayer that asks God to search us and remove anything that is getting in the way.

23 Search me, God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
    and lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 139:23-24, NIV

Last year I prayed a prayer similar to the extraction prayer. I prayed that God would remove anything that would get in the way of the vision of Cross Culture Church. Be careful. What would take place the following week was a whirlwind and refining for me. Yet the fruit, like the Psalmist says, has been nothing but the power of eternity/kingdom coming into Cross Culture Church. God removed people, processes and parts of me which were painful but it was worth it.

Good times to pray the extraction prayer would be if you feel stuck, sense sin in your life, are in a complicated situation, or feel led to refine something to become better for the sake of the Kingdom. If your marriage isnt working, don’t pray God remove your husband, pray that God remove anything that is getting in the way of the growth of your marriage. If you are stuck in a career, pray that God remove anything getting in the way of your career. If your child isnt growing or walking in the Lord, pray that God will remove anything getting in the way. WARNING! It’s likely that God will remove things in you or maybe remove you from a situation that you are getting in the way of eternity in your life or a situation. Remember, no matter how hard or painful the extraction, the power of eternity is around the corner.

Join me in praying the, “Extraction Prayer,” once a month. The beautiful thing about the prayer is it leads to as the inspired authors of the bible say, “Silver and Gold.”

See you Sunday,

Michael