Commitment to Blogging - Round 2

I'm not sure why I go through such dry spells with this whole blogging thing, but since my last blog entry I have taken students on mission trips to Cleveland and Kenya, and now I'm planning another mission trip back to Africa this March as well. I have loads of stories and pictures, but not quite the time to share them with you now. 

However, I have recently commandeered a macbook pro which I'm pretty stoked about. I'm hoping it will increase my presence on social media, blogs, and all around connectivity because my previous lap top was a complete waste of electronic space. So hopefully my facebook, twitter, pinterest, and this blog will stay "fresh" - haha - time shall tell. 

But until my next post, thanks to the few of you who read this thing, and I hope to be in touch soon. 

Over and out,

ZB

A blogging drought

So....I haven't blogged since April. The easy excuse for this would be "I've just been too busy." However, the real answer is that I just haven't made time for it. The real bummer about that excuse is that nobody will challenge me on it. As a matter of fact, what happens when you say "I've just been too busy" is most people respond with, "Dude, I totally understand - it's been the same for me." So what happens is that we essentially enable each other and live with no accountability - because as long as you can use the "Ah gosh, I've just been too busy" excuse, you can effectively dodge every responsibility be it relational, spiritual, professional, or educational.

So here is a challenge to us "busy" people (and I totally include myself in that "us"); make a list of three things that you have been too busy for that you want to commit to doing. Then share that list with at least one other person and ask them to hold you accountable to it. So here's my three

1) Pray with my wife at least once a day - because I don't want to get three years into my marriage and realize I don't know what Carly is asking God for - because I want to intercede with and for my wife and our marriage - because a cord of three strands is not easily broken (Ecclesiastes 4:12).

2) At least once a week, learn a story from the Bible well enough to be able to tell it without notes - because I want to be able to share the person of Christ, the love of God, and the presense of the Holy Spirit in a way that sticks and in a way that is easily reproducible (in essense be a witness and make disciples; Matthew 28:19 & Acts 1:8) - because the Word of God will not return to Him void, and I want to help make it portable and tangible with stories - because a guy by the name of Tim Holcomb had a great influence on my life

3) Blog at least once a week -  because it helps me slow down and reflect - because by being still and knowing that He is God give me rest for my soul and helps me keep my eyes on the horizon and my heart toward the nations (Psalm 46:10 - the ENTIRE verse.)

So what are you're three? Feel free to comment on this post and share your three with me.

Thanks for reading and until next time,

ZB

Just a short thought...

In my attempts to stay "fresh", "cool", and "hip" I have been dabbling in the twitter world. Following friends, tweeting, accumulating followers, and trying to stay caught up in our fast paced world that moves at the speed of light.

This afternoon as I was crafting a tweet of my own, I came across one from Louie Giglio. For a dude with gray hair, he is about as "hip" as it gets. His church, Passion City Church" in Atlanta GA, is on the cutting edge of our culture training up college students and young professionals to become world changers in their circle of influence. Louie is an incredible speaker and has made a number of powerful videos teaching about the greatness, vastness, and majesty of God.

And today, Louie tweeted this, "If we only knew what was actually happening when we pray, we would never cease to pray." ....let that sink in.........

Just think about that for a minute... communicating with the creator...heaven standing at attention - for what? for who? Yes, even for you...even for me.

In Psalm 40, David wrote, "He inclined to me and heard my cry....Many O, Lord my God, are the wonders which you have done, and Your thoughts toward us, there is none to compare with you. If I would declare and speak of them, they would be too numerous to count."

I hope you know that He hears your cry, and that your prayers move heaven to action. Many are His thoughts towards you...may the thought of communicating with the creator stir your heart today...i know it has stirred mine.

-ZB

Thirsty?

I read the following quote on facebook this afternoon. It is from one of my favorite authors - A.W. Tozer. It caught me off guard and it kinda "heart-checked" me (similar to a body-check). It left me in a bit of a reflective mood...so I thought I would share. Here ya go:

“O God, I have tasted Thy goodness, and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more. I am painfully conscious of my need for further grace. I am ashamed of my lack of desire. O God, the Triune God, I want to want Thee; I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made more thirsty still. Show me Thy glory, I pray Thee, so that I may know Thee indeed. Begin in mercy a new work of love within me. Say to my soul, ‘Rise up my love, my fair one, and come away.’ Then give me grace to rise and follow Thee up from this misty lowland where I have wandered so long.” ― A.W. Tozer

May we ever be satisfied in His grace, and may the only beckoning our souls respond to be that of our Maker.

-ZB

Discipline....the other "D" word

I've never been one to call myself a blogger, and as I look at my blogging history, it is pretty apparent that I am not exactly consistent. Even this past month, as I fought to get focused and blog more during the season of lent, I found it difficult to buckle down (as is evident by my lack of blogs).

But isn't that the way it is with any discipline?...Whether it is exercise, heathly eating, or just trying to learn a new skill, I have such a hard time slowing down my world long enough to actually integrate any new habit into my schedule. Who's with me?! We buck the word discipline - we want to live our lives free of commitments, schedules, and deadlines - right?!

I was reading the book "Spiritual Leadership" by Henry and Richard Blackaby last night and was challenged as the authors wrote about a leader's time management. Their bottom line was this, "Good leaders know when to say 'no.'" I may be the only person that struggles with the "Yes Man" disease, but I can't seem to say "no" to anything, and according to this book, it's a pride issue. My desire to have my hand in absolutely everything means one of two things.

1) I'm just that ignorantly kind-hearted and want to give give give of myself until there is nothing left. 2) I don't think it(the event, the lesson, the organization) will be as good without me.

Neither one of those options seem very attractive to me, but truth be told, there is a goodness of my heart in the desire to be involved, but I would be lying if I told you #2 wasn't a reality as well. I've always prided myself in how little sleep I can run on, how much energy I have, and how many hats I can wear at one time....however, that often results in me getting attention, praise, and honor and very little of that getting passed on to who really deserves it.

Jesus was a man who knew how to set boundaries. He knew when to teach, when to be in public, and when to retreat into the wilderness and be alone with His Father. It was all about priorities. He knew he was nothing apart from His father. I need that same awareness.

I need to know when to say no, when to retreat, and when to slow down and even when to blog. Even in the past 15 minutes as I've sat here at my computer and typed all this out...I feel like it's begining to sink in. As I move forward toward Easter, I praise God that his love for me is not based on my performance or my ability to blog consistently....

I'm a son of the King, and that is a truth I can rest in.

Rushing Wind

Today has been an absolutely crammed full day. I had to be at the church before 8am this morning, and wasn't out of there until nearly 2pm this afternoon, then FUSE from 6-8 and debrief with leaders following from 9-11. But ya know what?....I wouldn't change a thing. It is such a priveledge to serve on a church staff full time and be able to have Sunday be such a full day for me. (Thanks River Ridge and GCM!)

Tonight, the blog title is "Rushing Wind"...and surprisingly enough, tonight's blog will not have anything to do with the sermon I heard at church this morning or the teaching I gave tonight at FUSE.

"Rushing Wind" is the name of a song by the singer/song-writer, Keith Green. Keith Green was one of the first contemporary Christian musicians to mix things up musically. His lyrics were very direct and pointed. His style was upbeat and catchy. He lived out the call that Christ has put on his life, however, in 1982, he was killed in a place crash, and now all we have is his legacy. His wife still maintains a phenominal website - www.lastdaysministries.org where you can find his bio, music, videos from his life, and testimonies of how his life changed the world of thsoe around him.

In Keith's song, "Rushing Wind," the first lines go like this:

Rushing wind, blow through this temple
Blowing out the dust within;
Come and breathe your breath upon me:
I've been born again.

Now, there are at least 5 different sermons/blog posts in that one stanza, but I want to focus on the "blowing out the dust within" part. Here, Keith is crying out for God to move in his life in a such a way that will blow out or eliminate the "dust" or things of this world from his heart. He is aware that he isn't perfect, and if he isn't perfect, then there must be some things going on in his heart that need some tinkering. So this lyric seems to just cry out to God for help in the removing of that which may miss in his own relfection time.

Often times, when in the middle of a season of reflection or repentance, we tend to tackle the major issues in our life. For guys it is almost always something lust related, and for girls it is nearly always something related to self-image. However, the prayer this lyric seems to be praying isn't one of "God help me with the big things." It is one of , "Father, help me remove even the smallest fleck of dust that would clutter my temple (body/heart) or hinder me from loving and serving you completely."

So as we spend time in reflection and repentance this lenten season, may we not only focus on the obvious or blantant issues, but also allow God to "blow out the dust within" and help us sweep up our attitudes, our thoughts, our fears, and other issues that may make an effort to keep our hearts and souls "dusty".

Father, thank you for the freshenss of the Holy Spirit. I ask that your spirit would blow through our lives in a way that reveals anything behind a curtian or hidden. Jesus thank you that you arleady know everything we are hiding, but you love us still. May we walk in the knowledge of your love and will, and may we continue to walk in step with the Holy Spirit and not allow ourselves to get "dusty." --Amen

-ZB

A thought from Psalm 119

Psalm 119 is one of the most well known Psalms, and of all the chapters of that book, 119 is the longest. One of the most popular verses from Psalm 119 is verse 105, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." Growing up I sang churchy songs about this verse and probably had to memorize it in every Sunday school class that I had as a child (which I appreciate greatly!). However, I never really read the verses around it. I just took it at face value. I took it to mean that God's Word, the Bible, will guide my steps and teach me how to be a better person. It will teach me how I should walk, talk, think, feel, and act....right? Isn't that what Christianity and the Bible is for?

That line of thinking has lead individuals away from their faith and for others it has created a spirit of legalism and comparison theology - always sizing ourselves up against others to help ourselves feel better. If we look just above the verse and check out 119:103, we a see a totally different attitude towards the scriptures. "How sweet are Thy words to my taste. Yes, much sweeter than honey to my mouth."

Far too often, do I open the Bible looking for it to tell me that I need to work harder at being nice, patient, forgiving, and loving. At times I have a 15 minute quiet time hoping to learn something or have God give me a theological point to ponder for the day. Rarely do I open the Bible and simply ask God for refreshment. I don't expect the words to be sweet. I expect them to be informative, historical, educational, or challenging. But according to verse 103, the author finds them sweeter than honey.

I think we approach God the same way...expecting to be taught, chastised, scolded, or just tolerated. We have pictured God as a distant deity that tolerates us and gave us a book about how to appease Him.

As I continue asking God to examine my heart, this issue came up. All too often do I see the Bible as a text book or a source of curriculum, and I see God as some intimidating professor grading my work and my life and loving me based on how well I preform.

I pray that this Lent season, I will begin to see God's Word as sweeter than honey, as a refreshment, a breath of fresh air, and as hope, love, and the clearest venue through which God has shared His heart with man.

So Father, soften my heart. Help me to not come to you with an agenda or out of obligation, but may I seek you to know you more, to be intimate with you, and to taste the sweetness of your word and the freshness of your spirit. Thank you, Lord. -- Amen