intentions

Whats your intent? Whats my intent?

I find that soooo many times when there is a gray area in morals people say its about the heart behind thesituation.

This really means whats the person intent.

Finding that intent affects how stuff plays out is a huge way to change the actions one does for the better.

Whats the intent for the blogposts? self praise? or acknowledgements to what the Holy one is teaching, and how to apply, and sometimes fun things about malone people.  Whats my true intent?

I find that i'd love to say its all to bring God more glory, I really wish i could, but sometimes i think maybe i am even writing this own post so that people will think that i myself am humble...

Whats my intent? whats your intent?

Back by popular demand

My 3rd Malone Stereotype
The Malone Scene Kid

I'll begin w/ the list beginning on the bottom going up

1. Slip on shoes

2. Skinny Jeans/Mesh Shorts

3. Guitar with them constantly

4. Metal/Noise band shirt

5. V-Neck

6. Bicep Tattoos, prolly a verse of a song

7. Chest Piece (someting meaningful)

8. Thick Beard (the coolest type of beard)

9. 1/2" to 1" plugs

10. Thick Rim Glasses

11. Beanie

12. Usually a joke haircut underneath the beanie, IE mullet, or a super small mohawk.

The Malone Scene Kid tends to thrive on Lower Gurney

These kids tend to thrive on their bromantic love for each other, and have a brotherhood that will accept anyone.  There are many unique styles of music loved by these kids from the people who tend ot only like metal and get made fun of for listening ot king diamond, to the ones who love original hardcore and get made fun of for liking strength within, to the Folk lover, who is just too trendy for his own good.  This spreads to the kids who loves ALL TIME LOW way too much.  THere's one of them that wears a stupid patch jacket... he should grow up.   Each of these kids speak of other genres and the kids that follow them as if they have supreme knowledge of every type of music scene that exists out there, but really its just their way of covering up insecurities of not knowing much about other cultures, thus belittling them to make the culture they love the most, no matter how trendy that culture may currently be, be the "top" culture.

These kids do not date that often, however when they do, usually, this is the surprising part from a Malone Student.  It is because they truely like someone and wish to spend more time with them, and believe it or not they date girls with personality who are enjoyable to be around instead of these constant cloned girls that keep coming out of this college group.  

Tattoos are a huge part of the Malone Scene kid's life, if they dont have a bunch of tattoos, they know the tattoos they want to have soon.  They will defend each of their own tattoos til death, however when one person does somethign deviating from what they think a tattoo should be like, he will be talked down.  This is sad but true.

In the long run the majority of these kids are either Youth ministry majors, Music production majors, or business majors because those ones actually want a job when they graduate.

Acts 14: 22 and 23

This book about the acts of the apostles is phenomenal, In fact it is probably my 2nd favorite book of the Bible, first being Ephesians.

But God spoke tonight.

Verses 22 and 23 go. strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," they said.  Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each churc hand, with prayer and fasting committed them to the Lord in whom they had put their trust.

There is alot to be thought about in these 2 verses.  The beginning is about being strengthened by each other.  This relates to the verse, "As iron sharpens iron."  This is what man is designed to do.  Help each other grow in the Lord, to be a stone that makes another man stronger in the word, and in the Lord.  A community of growth would happen if this is how people viewed friendships.

Actually, as I want to say more about these verses, I'm ending here.
Because somehting just clicked in my head.
A new challenge, that i definately felt from God.

How can you (me, anyone reading this) view each friendship you have as a chance of God to sharped you through them, and GOd to sharpen them through you?
This is another challenge this week.
Look at your friendships.  See how they sharpen or dull you? and how do u sharpen or dull them?
ANd how can u improve this?
the final challenge is Doing it. Go make each encounter with a person a chance to be sharpened!

Something once said to me by a bright young fellow that still resonates in my mind

About a year ago, Zeke Miller was struggling w/ a recent removal from his church, and finding out exactly where God wanted him to be with his life, at that moment.

Zeke had been struggling with the adjustment from home to school, the losses of many people he really cared about, his mind telling him God was fake, and he had many fears refering to back home.  With then Zeke was then leaving his church, as previously mentioned.  He had found that more often than not, that church had continually hurt him, and had not actually helped his walk with the Lord, but pushed him away, adn that this particular group of people was not helping his family at all in a time of need.

This troubled zeke.
The people who were supposed to be there for him, were not.

What a surprise, imperfect people werent perfect. (this now makes obvious sense to me).

On this i was struggling one day and a great friend at that time, who i have sadly not seen as much lately, Jon King, stopped and talked to me about it all.

He said somethign that at the time was a little insignificant sentence among many other sentences that all revolved around one point that I entirely forget besides this phrase,
"Be the church you wish existed"

Be the church?!
Be a Group of people meeting to talk about the Lord.
This didnt make sense in my mind (yeah i transitioned from talking in 3rd person about myself to just saying I).
I found this statement to be stuck in my mind later that night.
WHy am I so angry w/ the church?
Why dont I just live out what I believe a CHristfollower should Act like, and forgive these people, and show them through actions, not words there is a better way of living?
THoughts on this sprang into my head all night, as i wondered how to better my life to be the church.

This is when Zeke started transitioning back into a Business Major b/c thats where God wants him.
This is something that doesnt make sense to me at all. I am majoring in an economy that is tearing itself apart daily.

However, God is in control. there IS a reason I am majoring in this.
When i realize one of the biggest flaws each christian has, including me relates to money, I realize that majoring in somehting that revolves around money, is a way to learn to manage money so that I can GIVE as much as possible, when I am at a point in my life where I can do this.

This habbit of giving is somehting I need to get myself into.

So here's my challenge in this post.
Give somethign, even if small, or jsut your time, to someone this week. Do someone a service, or listen when you think you have too much going on to hearout whats going on in a friend's life.


Toodles.

acts 13

There were 2 big things that stuck out to me in this passage. one that hit like a brick of joy *that analogy doesnt make sense i know, but owell*  and one that made me think alot

The first is acts 13:38-40
In this Paul is proclaiming foregivness to these people for their sins through/because of CHrist Jesus... No matter ow much wrong they have done they are forgived.
It brings about the idea that there is no amount of wrong that Jesus'  sacrifice couldnt have covered, in fact saying "man i've done alot of wrong things" sorta comes off as are you saying you can outwrong Jesus sacrifice and love for us? Thats almost an insult to my savior.

The second part is the last few verses.
The Jewish leaders did not agree w/ paul, and is shown throughout the passage, however  in the end it shows them doing something that i have found myself doing.

Much gossip and spread of word about Paul had gone on to sort of hurt his reputation. Where as we often call it venting now. its not hte proper way to deal with it. Its gossipping, but it should be prayer.

I wanna explain more but my brain is dead
Goodnight
Zekeasaurus REX!

First day back...

I have been back at Malone for one day, and i already find myself back in the patterns i was once such a part of, that I have been straying from for so long.  I find myself not reflecting to God on all the little things that creep up on the day.  This is where i need prayer.  I come to myself finding a slight bitterness at conversations, and having trouble being completely accepting, but most of all i find myself putting what me, and my body wants first.

These are problems in my mind.

I need to be focused on God, Focused on prayer.

God is the creator of all things, and thus he knows everything mcuh better than we do, why cant i jsut trust him with these struggles? and trust him with what I am SUPPOSed to do, and trust him with my future?! why do i take these things into my own hands, when i know nothing.

There's not much to this note, besides the fact that one day back, and i'm already falling short.
My mentality coming back was to stay positive, and that has already stopped, I hope that this is a night to prove that this was just for today.

Lord, I pray that you will bring me to you, and humble me consistently Lord, discipline me in ways that I do not know I need to be disciplinned in, and every other way possible.  Help me to reach to my family and show them love where I have not so many times before.

Lord help me stay young, while growing up.

You are in control.  All things are for a purpose.  All things are for you.

new year, new look, new mentality(sorta), same old messin up i've always done.

I think about my life, who I am, what I do, alot of I's, its very selfish thoughts when i self relfect haha.  Who my friends are, how they each affect me.
I've grown alot the past 2 years, and I come to realize i have these sins that continually creep up on me, and no matter how hard i work on them, or think about not doing them, i am giving sin the attention, and sooner or later falling back into them again.

There's some thoughts about this that enter my mind.
I forget which theologian said this but i think it was augustine or athanassias said, Love God, and do as you please.

To truely love something, makes me think of Agape love, love NO MATTER FREAKING WHAT!  This love for God is hard to achieve especially when i find myself in situations that make me mentally hate God, even though deep down i still am truely worshipping im and asking him for help through whatever is going on in my current life.  This love, puts what you love first.  It'd be putting God above myself, so when i hate kids, or i look at something too long, or when i find myself ready to just give up or cuss someone out, I have to put God above myself, and remind myself that my body is not my own, but lent to me from God. (It is by his grace that ihave a body and am able to experience positives and negatives of life.)  I remind myself that overcoming these battles is not something of my own pure strength, but something God needs to take over my life to win.  I need to focus on the fact that the world is HIS, and not somethign i have any control over.

This all wraps up in this.... This year, a new start, is God's i need to lose my negative attitude, my worrying, my glaring/staring eyes, my introvertive thoughts, my expectations for music, and everything, to just give this year to God, and God alone. Trade it for his positivity, and love, his control of situations, his eyes that see people for who they are are, and their best, his thoughts of the best, a sound that is glorifying ot the Lord.  This year, I want to realize that sins are what my BODY wants, and not what God wants.

Love the Unloved.

A thought on death

This is a short one, but a powerful one.

Acts 9: 32 - 43 tells the story of this disciples named Dorcas (Tabitha depending on the translation). and how she lived a life serving the Lord, and people, One day she became very ill and died.  Then Peter came along to her, and through the power of the Lord raised her from the dead.

As I read this i have been asking God to give me a heart of peace in knowing that someday many people i hold dear will be gone, gone forever.

And God slowly grips my heart and reminds me, to stop worrying about these people. Love God, and do as you will.  He reminds me that death has no power over him, and that losing anyone on this earth who loves God, is simply a see ya later.

He says Zeke, there's a much bigger picture going on the death, and the loss of loved ones.  There's a world in constant motion, that is breaking for a savior.  He reminds that death is of no power compared to him, and He has control over everything.

Lord, break narrow/selfish mindedness I have had lately. Break it for me, break it for everyone.

GOodnight all.

New years resolutions part 2!

This is a differnt list thats better than the last.
1. Read my Bible every day.
2. Post 2 times a week, at least one serious one.
3. No fried foods, all year.
4. No pop (besides at work, but thats just b/c the pop keeps me awake)
5. Stay positive, this is one of the most important ones.
6. Begin reading for fun
7. Do something fun outside every day.
8. Hold to 1 through 7