The Wired Christian

The K-LOVE site is more than just graphics and wallpapers, but I wanted to take a second to highlight those. For anyone looking for an absolutely beautiful graphic for your desktop wallpaper (computers) that has encouraging scripture as well, this is a great source. There are about 32 various wallpapers to choose from and each comes in several different resolutions (sizes) ranging from 640×480 to 1920×1200. You can see the wallpapers at http://www.klove.com/Interact/Graphics.aspx. Stick around and see what else they have to offer as well, while you are there (podcast, blog, prayer requests and more). Here are a few more samples to get you nice and interested.

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This site is a directory of Christian radio and Christian TV stations, programs, on demand, MP3 music download, and podcasting links found on the internet. If you are surfing the web and would like to listen to some Christian tunes you can just head on over and find a new station that you might like. The front page is very well laid out and you can pretty much see what you want at a glance. Plus if you don’t see what you are looking for there is a simple search form at the top of the page. It also has a link right beneath that for more detailed searching via the Advanced Search which will let you specify such things as the genre, location, language, type (see or hear), etc.

As you are browsing the site and finding the actual listings you will notice that there are icons to the left of the listing. These let you know what type of feed you will be getting whether it is a Windows Media Player feed, a WinAmp feed, Real Player, MP3 Download, etc. This is very useful information to know before you go clicking on links.

All in all I found that they had quite an extensive listing covering a fairly broad range of genres and topics. Head on over and check it out at ChristianTuner.com!

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Ever want to know where Jericho was on the map, but was afraid to ask? Well, now you can see on a really cool Google Maps implementation just where the places are that you read about in the Bible. BibleMap.org has a really nifty user interface that’s extremely easy to use. Just select the book of the Bible and the Chapter that you are interested in and the map automatically updates with any of the pertinent locations within the selected verses. Head on over and give it a whirl! http://www.biblemap.org

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WorshipTogether.com has a 50 Worship Anthems CD set for sale on their site. These are some of the most powerful and life changing songs from both the UK and the US. Below is an abbreviated list of songs. If you click through to the site they have the full song list as well as links to audio samples. Check it out!

• Here I Am To Worship
• Our Love Is Loud
• Shout To The Lord
• Beautiful Savior
• The Power Of The Cross
• Better Is One Day
• etc…

* Note: This is not a paid advertisement or affiliate link. I just think people should listen to great worship music!

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Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.

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I’ve been out of full-time salaried work since June 1, 2007. It’s been hard to say the least. The money well has all but dried up. The creditors call daily now, I’m juggling cutoff notices from the utilities and it’s pressing just to be able to live. My wife has gone to work waiting tables so that we can survive during this time.

Now I don’t know about you, but we receive a LOT of credit card offers in the mail. At least three a week come in with promises of zero percent interest, balance transfers and all the big life that living in debt has to offer. The other day I actually opened one and read the terms and conditions of the offer. Why? Desperation. As the main earner for our family this has been extremely hard for me to be in a position where I’m not “bringing home the bacon.” Not only that but it is a blow to my integrity when I cannot pay my financial obligations on time. I actually considered sending off this credit card offer to be able to get some relief. Is it really relief though? Or is it just postponing the pain and adding to it in the long run?

The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. Proverbs 22:7 [NIV]

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love on another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. Romans 13:8 [NIV]

After coming to my senses I ripped the offer in pieces and discarded it’s remains into the trash. I am already a slave/servant to several debtors. I am actively trying to pay my way out of that bondage. Why in the world would I want to take on more debt and gain yet one more master? I have to remember that God is allowing us to go through this time for a purpose. I truly believe that no matter how angry and depressed I get some days. I also have to remember that He is my provision and certain help in time of need.

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 [NIV]

Of course since this trial, God has shown Himself to us in many ways and is taking care of our needs. I will continue to depend on Him no matter how hard it is. I know that He will deliver us into a time of blessing that we could not even imagine. And even if He does not… it should be enough that He sent His only Son to die for me.

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Try this: go to Google and try searching for “scripture” or “bible” or “bible verse”. What is the first listing that you see? That’s right, BibleGateway.com is the top dog. Not only because they have great SEO (search engine optimization), but because the site is a great research tool. The title says it all, “A searchable online Bible in over 50 versions and 35 languages.”

Research

There are three different ways you have to lookup scripture on BibleGateway: 1) by passage 2) by keyword and 3) by topic. Passage is just what it sounds like. You enter the book, chapter and verse or appropriate ranges and you get back what you asked for. The keyword is more of search based of a word or multiple words and/or phrases that you are looking for within the scripture. Then the topical search does a keyword search through either Nave’s Topical Bible or Torrey’s New Topical Textbook. These three methods in addition to the many different translations and languages gives you an extremely wide variety of ways to look at God’s word.

Under the Additional Resources heading there are also listed Audio Bibles, Commentaries, eBooks, Dictionaries, Study Tools and Reading Plans.

Web Authors

Web authors and bloggers also have tools at there disposal to integrate scripture into their sites now! BibleGateway gives you several options to use under the Use On Your Website header. There are instructions for linking to BibleGateway when quoting scripture so that when a reference is made someone could click on the link and read further into the passage if they wanted to. You can also add a BibleGateway search form on your website. They also provide a Verse of the Day in several delivery options including a plain HTML code method, an RSS feed, a Web Service call or an embedded Flash object.

Conclusion

BibleGateway has been around since 1995 (and the site design shows it). Sorry. It’s not a Web 2.0 site. It’s not flashy. It’s not glamorous. What it is… God’s word delivered in a very easy to retrieve manner. So go on over and get your verse on!

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Isn’t technology great? When you call the bank you don’t have to talk to anyone; you just have to wade through a gazillion menu items and either say or press one. If you opt to go to the bank you can use the automated teller and not even have to deal with a person then. Now the robots have infiltrated our grocery stores as well! Self-checkout lines. What a phenomenal idea… we can’t hire anybody for minimum wage with a decent attitude so we’ll just let you get your stuff, ring up your groceries and bag it all yourself too!

Yes, I know sarcasm isn’t very Christian-like, but I have some real issues with these so called improvements. For one, they are supposed to be a convenience right? Wrong! Most of the time the lines are taken up with people that are not… how shall I say… tech savvy. That or they have two or three buggies full as if they are stocking up for the next world war. The only time I use these lines is if all other lines are full and I only have a few items.

Ok, soap-box over with… let’s continue.

On one particular occasion through the self-checkout line I had a diet soda and two other items. A few days later I was faithfully entering the receipt into my financial software and noticed that I had been charged twice for the soda. Why that incompetent cashier! Oh, wait… right there on the receipt were the words, “Self-Checkout.” DOH! I was the incompetent cashier. See what I mean? That’s why I usually let them do that job.

Then it occurred to me, if I made the mistake of charging myself twice for that item I could just as easily have made the mistake of not charging myself for the item. Take it one step further and I could purposely not charge myself for one of the items in my bundle of goods. After all at those self-checkout lanes the employees aren’t really paying any attention to what is going on. They will come and help you out if the light dings because something is wrong with the process, but that’s it. They don’t double check your receipt for accuracy. I’ve never once been stopped and asked to see the contents of my bag. Why shoplift? Now you can just pick out your high dollar item and put it in with a few cheap items that you actually purchase at the self-checkout. Cameras in full view and everything it wouldn’t be hard at all.

So what’s to stop you? Well for one, it goes against one of The Big Ten: “Thou shalt not steal” Exodus 20:15 [KJV]. This is where the you have to let the Holy Spirit speak into your life about right and wrong. You have to let your conscience do what it does best. It’s a matter of character. What would I have done if I had discovered that I had made a mistake in the other direction? What if I had accidentally not charged myself for the soda? Would I have gone back and paid for it? Would I have written it off because it was an insignificant amount of money? To be honest I’m not real sure. I can only pray that in times like that I will look to God and let Him be the voice of truth to cut through the nonsense that will try to tell me it’s ok to let things slip.

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