Free and low cost Software and Resources

Posted on by biblicaleschatology
Reply

This is about good stewardship, not about being anti big business or anti Microsoft or Adobe. Those are good companies and products, but there is more out there that is just as good for a whole lot less. If you are a Christian in ministry, or lead a church, you must remember good stewardship with God’s resources.  

Office Software 

Open Office, http://www.openoffice.org/  You do not need to pay $200 to over $400 per computer for an office suite or $100 per year via cloud subscription. Unless you do compacted macros, this does it all and more that you would think and does pdf and dox files too.  

Libre Office http://www.libreoffice.org/is the best free power-packed open source personal productivity suite for Windows, Macintosh and Linux, that gives you six feature-rich applications for all … 

Email Reader 

Mozilla Thunderbird https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/ an excellent alternative to Outlook and does more and is more stable. The company is created by a global non-profit dedicated to putting individuals in control and shaping the future of the web for the public good. 

Graphics, why spend $700+ when you can get just a good to do it all for much less? 

GIPM http://www.gimp.org/ Just as good as Photoshop. The GNU Image Manipulation Program, for X Windows systems. Official site, including download area, documentation, FAQs, and a plugin registry.

Xara http://www.xara.com/us/ is renowned for making quality website and graphic design software for professionals and novices at a price which won’t break the bank.

Printing , save hundreds of $$ over the Office Stores or Kinko’s for the same quality!  

Next Day Flyers, Flyers, brochures, banners, http://www.nextdayflyers.com/Online printing company, Next Day Flyers, prints over 1 million pieces a day. 100% money back guarantee on printed business cards, brochures, flyers & more!

Visa Print, http://www.vistaprint.com , save a lot over the Office stores and Kinko’s.  

Labels, http://www.surething.com/, Easily create cd/dvd labels with easy to use cd label software, supervibrant cd/dvd labels, jewel case inserts, dvd case insert to make your projects pop. 

Sermons and audio podcast recording  

Audacity, http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ Audio editor for recording, slicing, and mixing audio. Site includes help, downloads, and developer information. (C++) [Cross-platform] 

Management Software, so many churches get duped in paying thousands for programs they will never use or be able to train its staff to use when there is better for much less! 

Power Church, http://www.powerchurch.com/ Church Management Software, has never been so affordable or easy to use! Plus makes it easy to manage your membership, non-profit …

Forms for serious websites, http://www.simfatic.com/ Illustrates how Simfatic Forms could be used to add form validations without you writing any code.

Used computers, you do not need new, http://www.geeks.com/  and http://www.internetauctionlist.com/

Operating System that works, http://www.opensuse.org/en/, tired of windows crashing….

More free and low cost best of the best comp software,  

http://www.pcworld.com/category/software/

 

Bible Study Tools and Aids

Free 

http://www.intothyword.org/pages.asp?pageid=53515 

www.BibleGateway.com

Christian Classics Ethereal Library www.ccel.org 

www.preceptaustin.org/ 

www.freebiblesoftware.com/ 

www.e-sword.net/ 

www.Bible.org 

Low cost 

www.olivetree.com 

www.logos.com/ 

BibleDatabase 

Bible Explorer 

BibleWorks 

BibleSoft 

Bible Software Review 

Bits & Bytes 

The Composite Bible 

CrossWire 

Discount Christian 

e-Sword 

GramCord 

ehemiah Bible Software 

Online BibleQuickVerse   

Rejoice Christian Software   

SwordSearcher 

YouVersion Bible Studies

Best places to have a website built, http://netministry.com/ and www.itwgroup.org

First Things First PIV

Posted on by biblicaleschatology
Reply

Matthew 6:31-34

Seek first the Kingdom of God Means to place God first and foremost! Not look for Him like he is lost. This refers to our quintessential quest in life, seeking Christ as Savior and Lord. By Lord, we mean He is ruling our hearts, minds, and actions, including our motivations and desires. So, we seek what is best, as He has our best at hand. When we just look to ourselves, we miss His golden opportunities and goodness.

To seek God’s Will is our highest priority outside of our salvation. The Will of God is not just a task, or an ends to find, nor is it just a set of goals; rather, it is a hunt, and a journey. The action of seeking Him and His plan is His Will! This is the hunt and the journey that produces the principles that grow and mold us in faith and maturity. It never ends; it is always continuing until we are called home (See our channel on God’s Will at http://www.intothyword.org/pages.asp?pageid=53501) (1 Pet. 5).

God’s Will is for us to have a right relationship with Him. So, we are to recognize His sovereignty over the universe, and our lives.

When we are operating under good stewardship, our focus will be on His Righteousness, character, and virtue and these things will be the main objects in our quest. These are the jewels that we take with us into eternity!

Righteousness, character, and virtue must be our essence that spills onto others. If not, we are definitely not in His Will.

When we worry, we cannot grow in righteousness, character, or virtue, because it takes over our lives, leaving no room for growth or maturity. Worry will cut us off from our faith and growth, because it blocks our focus and concentration upon our Lord (Heb. 11:10).

We have to understand that when we worry about trivial things, lust after goods and riches, even things we need, it will choke from us the life we could have had in Christ. It is our relationship with Him that is important, and that we are to seek. We are to seek His provisions for every aspect of our lives, and work all we can to help fulfill it. If we do not pay attention to Jesus’ teachings because we are too busy worrying, we may go through life on earth without His help.

Do not let Jesus be a concept, let Him be your LORD (Matt. 13:22)!

Questions to Ponder

So, why do you worry? How has it “distracted” you?

What is the balance between your trust in Christ to guide and provide for you, and your call to work, using your talents, abilities, and gifts?

Why is it when we just look to ourselves, we miss His golden opportunities and goodness?

 

First Things First PIII

Posted on by biblicaleschatology
Reply

Matthew 6:31-34

Have you considered that how we deal with stress is an act of worship and stewardship? Stewardship is not just about money and time and talents, it is also about managing who and how we are to be. 

Ask yourself this: How can worry help you? Now read the passage! When we have worry at our side, we will doubt the capability, goodness, care, love, and power of our God We cannot obtain the goals He has for us. We are not seeking Him or trusting in Him. Instead, worry has our attention (Rom. 8:31-39).

How can we counteract worry? As the previous passage taught us–by laying up treasure in heaven (Matt. 19:21; Luke 12:33-34; 1 Tim. 6:17-19).

What does this mean? We have to know that the Christian life is not always safe. There are dangers, and we will have problems and setbacks. We have to be willing to risk it all for His glory, as our life is not here, but our work is! Worry countermands risk, and the fulfilling of our call. We need to see God as the great Creator and Sustainer–as He is. As He created and sustains the universe, He can also sustain us!

How can I apply this? Have faith in God’s providence! If God, through His providence, provides for the needs of the birds, will He not do the same for you (Matt. 10:29-31)? How are you more valuable than birds and flowers?

How can you prevent worry? By knowing that:

We are created in the image of God!

We are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb–His Son!

Worrying about things does nothing to help provide for you! In fact, it will take you further away from help and solutions, as your energies will be so wrapped up in worry, you will accomplish nothing toward providing for yourself!

God has the ability and willingness to provide! Is He not able and willing to do so for you?

If we take to heart what Jesus says, then our lives will be like the house built upon a rock. We are not capable of handling tomorrow’s worries, because we have no control over the future. Worrying about the future will only distract us from the duties in the present. Trust in God! People without God naturally have a real need to worry about these things. However, if you have received His grace, and He is ruling in your heart, you do not need to worry (Matt. 7:24-25)!

Questions to Ponder

We all worry, but, when you think it through, why do we worry?

What is it that is so important when compared to our purpose, call, Christ’s care and love, and our place in eternity?

Make a list of all the things that cause you to worry. Then, brainstorm on how to rid yourself of these, or what you can do to control your worrying.

First Things First PII

Posted on by biblicaleschatology
Reply

Matthew 6: 25-34

Jesus calls us to “do not worry!” So why do you worry? Have you ever considered that worry is also a matter of stewardship, that of your attitude, emotions, time and effectiveness? This was a popular teaching and saying in Jesus time, He is pointing them once again to some of their good insights, while challenging them to not see it as academic, but something to practice!

Conceder these biblical thoughts:

  • God is sovereign, and He watches over and sustains all of His creation, including the personal needs of humanity. (Psalm 104:27). Thus, if God is caring for His minor creatures…
  •  “How much more” for you, this was a contemporary Jewish argument to understand that God is in control.
  • God delights in meeting our needs! He is not a killjoy, seeking our suffering and sacrifice for His pleasure or entertainment (Matt. 6:8).
  • Worry is a lack of trust! It shows a pointless disregard to our Lord who cares and provides for us (Prov. 16:33)!
  • The word worry means “distracted.” Do not let stress about food and clothing distract you from the more important things in life (Martha vs. Mary in Luke 10: 38-42).
  • Stature from the Greek is a figure of speech meaning our lifespan, thus that is in God’s control and not ours (Luke 12:25-26).
  • Neither, adult birds are not idle. They do not plant or cultivate what they eat, nor, do they sit around waiting for their food as the baby birds do. Birds do not worry. They are diligent, working to gather food, preparing nests, caring for their young, entraining my cat, and other bird things. So, the inference to us is, we are still to do all we can to work using our talents, abilities, and gifts, trusting that He will guide and provide.

Most scholars believe the flowers that Jesus is pointing to are the purple anemones, where they got the purple dye for royal robes. And, these same flowers, when dried, along with weeds were used in fireplaces to heat their homes. This is an image of our mortality and even the best of goods are being merely temporary, eventually rotting and decaying (Psalm 103:15-16; Isa. 40:6-8).

If we act as baby birds and do not work, we are as the fool spoken of in Proverbs (Prov. 10:8-23)! But they do not gather more than they need or can use, like the rich fool (Luke 12:16-21)

Jesus reminds His listeners then, as well as we who live now, that we can trust in God. He will provide.

The cultures around the Jews would gratify themselves with as much pleasure as they could find and endure. And, they would pray to their gods, seeking favors by making contracts of services to them in turn, thinking they would get what they wanted. Yet, as with people who do this today, just create more dysfunction and misery to themselves and those around them.

What we need to know: The Christian is called to seek God and His Will, not our gratification, which will lead us nowhere. We do not need to bargain with God, or make promises that we know we cannot or will not keep. All we need to do is trust Him, and seek His Will, which is what is best for us.

How can we counteract worry? How can you prevent worry?

First Things First PI

Posted on by biblicaleschatology
Reply

Matthew 6: 25-34 

Here Jesus gives us another warning on how possessions can divide our mind so that they control our direction in life. In so doing, they capture our hearts, and then control our will and aspirations (Matt. 6:19-23). Good stewardship points our mind and attitude to be careful with material things and pursuits that will cause us to worry, and worry will take the place of all else in our life, including Christ. The results of being control by possessions will create worry, as our attention, our heart, and the identity of who we are become wrapped up in them.  

What do I need to do if this happens to me? 

The solution is simple. Put Christ and His will first, everything else, secondary. When we have our hearts centered upon what is really important, our real purposes and plans begin to function correctly, as our perspectives are in line with God’s. The secret to a life of contentment is having the right perspective of our place in the kingdom. 

As a Christian, we have to have the perspective that all things in life, all that we have, see, and use, do not belong to us. It all belongs to God-period! This is what good biblical stewardship is all about. We did not create anything, nor do we really own anything; we are merely the stewards entrusted to care for, develop, and use whatever we have control over wisely. All that we have or can have is meant to be lifted up, all to His glory, and to progress with His call and His Kingdom upon our hearts and the world. 

Jesus calls us to “do not worry!” Yet, we all worry, but, when we think it through, why do we worry? What is it that is so important when compared to our purpose, call, Christ’s care and love, or our place in eternity? 

People throughout history and most people in the world today, have little beyond their basic needs of food, shelter, and a couple pairs of clothing. They also depended upon the help of others, seasons, and weather, especially, rain to irrigate the crops. Thus, the attainment of goods depended on the environment, weather conditions, and the cooperation of others around them. There were no stores, no supermarkets just around the corner. So, they would have had cause to worry, but Jesus addresses them not to do so! Now, consider all that we have today–much more than King Solomon would have had! After all, he did not have the food, material goods, or entrainment we have today. 

When we think we have ownership, we are deluding ourselves, creating worry and needless stress. We then get ourselves off His plan and Will, because we seek possession and not His Kingdome! 

Questions to Ponder 

How have you seen possessions control people and capture their attention, heart, and identify? Have you observed any difference among Christians?

 

If the solution is so simple to our worries (seek Him first), why is it so hard for us to do it?

 

Jesus tells us that pursuing material things will cause us to worry, and worry will take the place of all else in our life. How have you seen this true in your life?

 

How do possessions divide our minds so that they control our direction in life? What can you do to prevent this from happening?

 

© 2002, 2012, R. J. Krejcir, Ph.D., Into Thy Word Ministries www.intothyword.org