Supporting Ministries - Christian Bands

Those 2 words - "Christian Band" seem to spark different mental images for different people. For me it is a refreshing sound to my ears, that Christians would form a band with the sole purpose of making music that glorifies God.

There are some other reactions as well, and I am also guilty of having mixed feelings when I hear those 2 words used together. I guess you could label me as bi-polar when it comes to Christian Bands, but more broadly Contemporary Christian Music as a whole. If you have read any of my other posts then you probably know that music is a topic that I discuss frequently. I've realized why lately as I have made posts on Facebook with the heading "Be careful what you consume" for the posts.

The mentality behind being careful what we consume sprung forth over 5 years ago as I wrote about it in this posting - The Purity Of What We Consume. Over the past 5 years God has matured this thought path in me and usually my examples show up frequently when I have conversations with other people. The path started at my conversion, which is when God took all of the secular music from me, quite miraculously. I loved the music of the world, I always had, especially after being introduced to my particularly favorite flavor/ style at church camp, of all places. The genre had bands like Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Dio, Def Leppard, Motley Crue and a whole plethora of other bands ranging from hair bands to grunge to the predecessors of death metal. I also delved into the early hardcore rap with NWA, Ice T and others. I also saw nothing wrong with this music, even though I professed to be a Christian since I was 8 years old and made excuses that I "just listened to the music" and that "the lyrics have no affect on me". Wrong on both accounts.

When I was first truly converted God replaced my love for the world's music with a desire for God centered music. I started gobbling up anything that had the label of "Christian" on it. Not too long afterwards God began working on me once again. He started opening up the "Christian bands" music and I saw that most had the same lyrics, the same focus as the world's music. So, once again I began to shed artists that were not truly glorifying God. I will not list the bands and artists in this post, but feel free to search through my blog as I'm sure you will run across several posts that address the topic.

Music affects us and we usually don't even realize it. Just take a day and listen to the soundtrack of that day. Pay attention to the places you go and the music that is being played. Listen carefully to the soundtrack in the TV programs and movies that you watch. Music is used everywhere to illicit emotions from cheerful in a grocery store to a pounding score in an action movie that quickens your pulse rate. Music does affect you more than you probably realize. Likewise a hymn or contemporary Christian song can increase focus on God too. Music is a great gift from God to us and He really desires us to glorify Him through it. We are even commanded to sing praise TO THE LORD (Psalm 30:4). As a matter of fact - What are psalms? They are songs.

God has developed a desire in me that the music I listen to praise and honor Him. I still like the crunching, distortion laden guitars and pounding bass drums, but I also love the smooth sounds of Southern Gospel. I have a varied taste in music, but the one constant is that "It must glorify God". But it goes beyond the veneer, because the bands have an agenda too and some in CCM have an agenda contrary to pointing to God, even though they may mention His Name every now and then. I heavily suggest checking out the theology behind the artists you listen to. As we have learned recently with the Gungor flap, which I wrote about yeaterday, not everyone believes the orthodox view of Scripture or of Christ, for that matter (ie Philips, Craig and Dean). So be very careful and be very diligent to test your music choices to the Bible (1 Thessalonians 5:21).

I have said all of this to point you, whoever God brings to this post and who is still reading, to point you to one of the most Biblical and God honoring bands that I know of - Attalus. I was first introduced to Attalus by a simple post from Matt Papa , another Godly focused Christian artist. Papa just linked to Attalus' video for "Broken Cisterns" and I was instantly hooked and quickly snatched up all of the musical offerings that I could find from this band. Attalus grew to be my favorite band very quickly. I played their songs constantly and I sang praises to the Lord using the soundtrack that God had graced me with.

I have prayed for these brothers, I have supported these brothers in anyway that I have been able to. The brothers that make up this band seek to glorify God through their music, which is how it should be, but sadly not how it always is. I ask that you, also, lend your support to this God honoring band as they are still in the production process of releasing a new CD, "Into The Sea".

You can become a partner with them in their ministry by taking advantage of the several "perks" at Indiegogo ranging from digital downloads to custom built guitar pedals to participating in "gang vocals" for the new CD. If the genre or style of their music doesn't suit your personal tastes you can still simply make a donation as well. Most of all pray for these brothers through this process. Making a CD and having shows is very labor intensive. They need God to sustain them and keep them focused on Christ and His glory.

So please partner with Attalus from this point forward. Listen to their music. Sing praises t God while listening to their music. Contact them and let them know that you are praying for them. Choose a perk at Indiegogo and get the remainder of the process funded for the CD. Be the Body and support the Body, in whatever way God leads you.

The Heart Of Your Treasures

This is a first for me. My good friend Whitt from Treasuring Christ asked if I would like to be a monthly contributor to the TC website. Apparently he has read my posts here before, but that didn't stop him from asking anyway. I was honored to have been asked and this week my first endeaver there was posted. Below is the first part of it, so please visit the Treasuring Christ website to read the rest of it. WHile there please sign up for the many and valuable resources there, including men's and women's ministry pages, the Emergency study that I have recommended here before and several other studies. There are just too many for me to list here, so please bookmark the site and dive in.

The Heart Of Your Treasures: Posted on the Treasuring Christ website

What you are reading is the 3rd incarnation of this article. The first two? Well, let’s just say they got a little wordy and I tried to get all “expositional” on the whole chapter of Matthew 13. And I realized; “Jeff, this is not about breaking down each verse word by word. This is about Christ and the Treasure He is to you”.

So, here I am, after sleeping another night with the verse on my mind and weighing on my heart. Waking with it being the first thing on my mind: “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”

I cannot read this verse without it bringing to mind, Luke 12:34 (and Matthew 6:21) “For where your treasure is, there will be your heart also”. These verses have caused me to really look inward to where exactly is my heart. What is my treasure? Is my treasure Christ? Am I willing to sell everything I have to pursue Him?

(Continuing Reading at Treasuring Christ)

God's Amazing Grace

If I were to have started this blog today, instead of years ago I would probably have titled it “That Grace May Abound”. Not that I wasn't aware of God's grace(s) at that time, but He was showing me so much truth from His Word and about what I had been living for the bulk of my life. Today, my 44^th Birthday, as I reflect back over the past years of my life I see the signs and evidences of God's grace throughout. Yes, even when I was lost and in rebellion to my Lord, He was still pouring His grace and His love out in my life. Grace is often attributed as "unmerited favor" or a reprieve of guilt and with those I totally agree with, but it is also the natural extension of God's love to His children. 

I think about my childhood, about how He put me in a church, to learn the bible stories that showed His power and how He worked in people's lives like David, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, Noah, Moses and many others in the Bible. I never really learned, though, why these stories were in the bible, that they all actually pointed to Christ, but nonetheless, they were laying groundwork in my life to point me to Him later in life. I think of my “rebellious” years, which were actually all my years until He saved me. But the ones that stick out are when I openly flung my fist in the air and said, “I'm doing this my way, I'll do what I want – when I want”. All the time thinking that I was saved because of a profession as an 8 year old in that same church's youth group.

The years passed and I can honestly only think of only a single night that, as I lay down to sleep, I did not pray to the god I had created in my own mind. The reason? I dozed off drunk. I would always pray for forgiveness, for the same sins, for the life that I lived and for the multitude of sins I committed each day. God was still graceful to me, He kept me safe, He kept those around me safe, He still allowed me the days until I would finally and truly know Him.

I see the signs of God working my life through the years. Even though, at the time, I didn't realize it was Him. The things I prayed for that never came to pass, the things I did pray for that actually did. The staying of His wrath against me as I defiled His Name by professing to know Him, all the while living in open sin to and with those I was making the profession to. I know first hand the deception of a false convert, which is again by His grace. I attribute this to my “zeal” for truth. I just so greatly want others that live in deception to be awakened from their slumber and meet the One True God.

I have in my recent past, since God saved me, seen His grace in many ways. Today He has shown me that a lot of times His grace is shown through people He has put in my life. I think about people that for many different reasons should have had their anger heightened toward me, in my zeal (misdirected zeal) said and did things that I should have actually stopped to think about beforehand. But God in His richness of Grace allowed these people to react with the grace that I lacked. These occurrences have made a huge impact on me and I now see that these, too, were an act of God's grace in my life. God has used these people in many ways and without that grace shown I would not be where I am today. I still have the “zeal” for His truth, but also have a fresh zeal for His Grace. It is through His grace that I have a better understanding of how to interact with others better. Not perfectly by a long shot, but better.

In 2010, on my birthday, I set out on a year long journey on this blog titled “A Year In MY Life ThroughPictures”. It seemed like a good idea at first, but soon became somewhat tedious. I do not regret doing the series, but it did leave a sense of antipathy ($2 word alert) to me, I just didn't want to write any longer. I was burned out and I was spent. I needed a break. So, since finishing the year long series in 2011, on my birthday, I have been sporadic, at best, with my postings. A few things here and there have sparked me to bang something out, but no real inspiration. Until now. Why? I have no idea, but I feel the need to start posting again.

Let me say something again that I have said from the get-go on this blog. I AM NOT A WRITER. I hated English class in high school. I hated diagramming sentences. I can't spell. I do not properly punctuate. I make up words. I ramble on and on. I lack sentence structure. I lack any sense of writing ability that would characterize someone that anyone else would want to read. But I think of Moses, who had a speech impediment, whom God used anyway. I think of Jeremiah who tried to talk God into not using him:

Jeremiah 1:4-9 

4 The word of the Lord came to me: 5 I chose you before I formed you in the womb; I set you apart before you were born. I appointed you a prophet to the nations. 6 But I protested, “Oh no, Lord, God! Look, I don’t know how to speak since I am only a youth.” 

7 Then the Lord said to me:

Do not say, “I am only a youth,”

for you will go to everyone I send you to

and speak whatever I tell you.

8 Do not be afraid of anyone,

for I will be with you to deliver you.

This is the Lord’s declaration.

9 Then the Lord reached out His hand, touched my mouth, and told me:

I have now filled your mouth with My words.

Not that I should be compared to Moses or Jeremiah, but God is still God and I am still feeble. Moses and Jeremiah tried to talk God out of using them and I have done that too. But I see that God can use whoever He pleases, however He pleases, whenever He pleases and I don't want to miss that. I want to be aware when He is using me and actually, willingly and openly be used of Him in whatever capacity that is. I don't want to miss God like I did 38 years of my life.

So I ask anyone who ventures upon this blog site to be graceful of my mistakes, I make them often. Please do not hesitate to correct me grammatically or if I have something wrong spiritually. I would actually prefer that you correct me, so I do not continue in error. But some things you may be in error in as well and I ask that you seek correction too. God is still graceful to the humble, but not the prideful. I have learned that the hard way, through my stubbornness and through my lack of grace to others. God has been very good to me and has corrected me through His grace and through His grace through others.

What better way to describe grace than this:

Ephesians 2:4-9

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

I'll Do Better...... Tomorrow

It seems I've fallen into a trap. A self placed trap of laziness, of procrastination. I have largely shucked my "duties" of keeping this blog active for any length of time, other than the "Year in my life through pictures" series that I started on my birthday in 2010 and completed on the day after my birthday in 2011. The "Year in my life" series started out as a great idea, to chronicle a year of my life from a personal level, one picture at a time. It is a great concept, on the idea level, but on the practical level it became very tedious to me and I felt it as a chore rather than something edifying. I would not change the fact that I did it, but in doing it I was kind of jaded at writing (attempting to write) a blog with any consistent pace. So, I stopped pretty much, except for the occasional post here or there to vent or if some world event was unfolding. I became something I really never have been, a procrastinator.

I've usually fared well with tasks at hand. Maybe that is why it became an issue, it was a task to write a post, so I just put it off until later. Sadly the "later" never really materialized and I became a blogger backslider and forsook the very site that I know God has used to His glory. It has to be His work, because I lack many things that are normally required of writers:
1.) Knowing how to actually write
2.) Knowing proper sentence structure
3.) Being entertaining
4.) Ability to spell words correctly
5.) Knowledge to share

See, the only thing I had going into this blog was the desire to see God glorified, to edify brothers and sisters in Christ, to challenge the lost and to vent on occasion to what I saw going on in my world around me. Through the blog I planned on chronicling the quest for a new church home that never really panned out because God saw fit to place my family in the perfect church family. Then over the years I got apathetic and clammed up for not any one reason or another. For that I am sorry, to anyone who has ever read a post here, to myself for stopping and mostly to God for developing a spirit of procrastination.

I am going to look at this "revelation" as another way for me to seek God. It seems like these seemingly "small" issues are what God uses in my life as catalysts to ready me for "bigger" things. I will seek Him for what to clunk out on the keyboard and when. I will seek to glorify Him in what I write. I will seek Him in all aspects of my life on a higher level. These "small" things need tending to in "big" ways. I simply want to tell of the love the Father has for me, for you and for the world. I want to see the false teachers silenced. I want to see sinners repent. I want to see God glorified above all, in all and through all I ever do.

So please partner with me in prayer as I seek the Lord on how to proceed. I know it will be with regular postings as that is a current burden, but other than that I will not speculate. Well, and a new look to the blog which is easier to read. I also ask that if I write anything that goes against the Word of God that you call me out on it, be Bereans and question me. I am nothing apart from Christ and I am probably the most fallible person in the blogosphere, so please help me if you see I need it. I will readily apologize if I am wrong and correct anything that is wrong. I have done this several times and have gained much from doing so.

I cherish your prayers. I cherish your opinions. I cherish your input. Please send them all my way. -Jeff

In Search Of Christmas

Over the past couple of years there has been a struggle inside of me around this time of year. What is that? About Christmas. Why is that? The commercialization? Not really, but that does play part of my thought process during the Holiday Season.

I had a great talk today with dear brother in Christ, Whitt Madden, about an article that I posted on Facebook yesterday about Christmas. This article pretty much summed up a lot of what has been going on within me lately. To put it frankly, I am torn. I am battling 43 years of instilled holiday cheer with Christmas as it really is, where it is rooted and what it has become.

To sum up the battle in a few words - Christmas did not start out as a “Christian Holiday” (Holy Day), it began as a pagan festival in recognition of the sun’s position during the winter solstice. The Roman Catholic church did not like this and began to “Christianize” the festival and pull the congregation back from the worship of Saturn, the sun god. I will not rehash what is common on the web with all that was added or “Christianized” in the process, but much of it is still seen this day in same or slightly changed forms (Yule log, tree, etc.) Fast forward to our day and society has thrown Christmas back to pagan rituals with worship of money, giving gifts, receiving gifts, decorations, family get togethers, and so many more rituals that now begin even before Halloween.

So, what is Christmas this day and age? It is not a reverence to a sun god, but it is definitely still not reverence to the Son of God and His birth either. It is a mish-mash of Roman Catholic traditions (Christ-Mas, being the most obvious) and the love of “me” (what can I do to make me feel better (give gifts,, etc), what will I get this year, how pretty can I make my tree, how many people can I feed, how many people will come to my house, and on and on). But Christ is nowhere to be found.

Am I ready to throw in the towel for Christmas? Not entirely, but to continue in how the world “celebrates” Christmas, yes. I have seen both sides of this argument played out last year and starting to see it this year. In the one camp are the staunch “You better not be celebrating Christmas - it is pagan and you definitely can’t be a Christian and celebrate Christmas - you are a heretic” contrasted with the other camp “I love Christmas time of year, family, fun, giving, singing, mistletoe, Christmas tree up before Halloween, spiced cider. Oh, and Jesus too” camp that thinks the other camp is nuts for calling them nuts and back and forth. Ughhhhh. Alas, I fit into neither camp, but somewhere in between.

I am so thankful for brothers like Whitt that God has placed in my life. He has had very similar convictions as I have (as well as others around me too). After speaking with him today I think he had the most Christ centered reaction to Christmas I have ever heard - let it be about Christ and His glory. How novel is that? Instead of giving electronics or toys that will be forgotten or broken in a few days or weeks, give that money to Cure International and watch God work through that gift to show Christ to someone in need of medical attention. Do not give a gift that does not point to Christ, either directly or that will bring people together in the Name of Christ. Some things could be bibles, hand made devotionals, donations to Cure, donation to World Vision to buy livestock for families in impoverished areas, donation to Heart Cry Missionary Society to support indigenous missionaries across the world, donations to your local Church or ministry, giving your time to Christ based missions to show the love of Christ to others. So many ways that can make an eternal impact FOR the Kingdom rather than temporary splashes that will be gone tomorrow and have no impact whatsoever.

At Whitt’s website, Be The Domino, he is a few days in to a series called “Give This Christmas Away”. I highly suggest that you check out this series and let the heart of this series impact you. Go to God and pray how He would use you to give Him away this Christmas season instead of an iTunes gift card or blu-ray player or even a baby doll. Give a gift in someone’s name to a Christ based ministry, give that person a card and inscribe in it how that the money normally spent on the superficial is now being placed in the hands of God to do the Supernatural in someone’s life. Who knows what eternal impacts can be made from Christ focused giving this year and years to come.

I know that my focus on Christmas has evolved and is continuing to be sanctified and brought into a more Christ focused view. I will not, however, be calling anyone a heretic that continues to “celebrate” as I always did nor will I be confused over the other extreme in pointing the finger back and calling people “scrooge” for shunning the “pagan rituals” of this land. As all other aspects of my life I wish to glorify the Lord in this, especially since the Holiday was given His Name.

Fashion Statement Or Witnessing Opportunity?

Day 345 in my "Year In My Life Through Pictures" blog series

I saw these bracelets and have some mixed emotions about them. Actually, I'm not really sure if I like them or if I don't. I'm still on the fence about them and a trip to a website describing them doesn't help out any either.

The premise is that when worn properly, these bracelets are to be a reminder of the scars on Jesus' wrists, His sacrifice for our sins. While I appreciate that we need to be reminded (sadly) of Jesus constantly, is this a way to do it? Therein lies my dilemma. Are these reverent to the Lord?

What further muddles this bracelet for me is the "Mission" that proceeds from these bracelets support. Here is a copy/ paste:

THE MISSION:
Over one billion people do not have access to clean drinking water. This ongoing issue threatens life on a devastating scale. We can mend that. In an effort to advocate the message of love on a global level, a portion of proceeds from every sale will go directly to Living Water International. To learn more about LWI, the world water crisis and what is being done to combat it visit: www.water.cc

I see that giving fresh water to areas that need it as very valuable. The Living Waters International ministry seems like a great thing too. I do not know anything about the organization than the little I read on their website. I take them at their word, which they have no reason to mislead. They use the supplying of water to communities in foreign lands to be a catalyst to spread the love of Christ. Wonderful! I pray that the latter is the focus and the former is just the means to get an audience. I can see where some ministries get things flopped around and just tack Jesus on to the physical needs. I am not making any type of judgment call against this group and I pray that the Lord uses them to add many to the Kingdom.

Back to the bracelets. My first thought was, "How much are these things?" Then my second thought was, "I bet these would make great ice breakers when someone asked what they are." These could be the conversation starter in order to tell of the love of Christ to someone, to share the gospel. Sort of like a tract without paper.... and that you are wearing it and don't pass anything out. So, it's not like a tract after all, but it could still be a great conversation starter. But that does take me back to if it is reverent or not. Should we be trying to portray the marks of our forgiveness, the scars of Christ? Sort of like removable leather stigmata.

Like I said, I am still on the fence. I can see the good from them and I can see a little "bad" with them. So, maybe one of you can share your opinion with a comment or three and let me know your take. I post 99.9% of the comments left here, even if they disagree with my viewpoint, just as long as there is no cursing and no blatant attacks. Other than that I post them all. I appreciate dialog and I gain much from it. SO please, leave a comment if you have a different take or if you agree with me.

In A Jam

Day 335 in my "Year In My Life Through Pictures" blog series

The sermon jam that I "created" has been posted by Real Truth Matters. I worked a lot of hours to put this together. Along the way I had many "learning experiences" and have a better understanding of how After Effects works. It was a learning experience for sure and I believe that other sermon jams will follow, hopefully not with the length of production time this one had, but will be released quicker and quicker each time.

I told Bro. Michael (Durham), my pastor, that my main goal in this is to have a sermon jam released the same week as the sermon he preached it from. Sort of as a "commercial" (for lack of better words) to drive people to the website in order to download the full sermon or watch it streaming from the Real Truth Matters Vimeo or youtube page. I think it is an attainable goal in the future..... right now, not so much. I do know the more time I invest in learning the nuances of this great software from Adobe, the more proficient I will become. Who knows, if I am ever able to upgrade to a newer version of After Effects/ Premiere/ Photoshop it may shave some valuable time off as well. So, Adobe or Adobe representatives - Give me a deal on the CS5.5 software.

I thought of all the procedures within the video that the audio/ music choice would be the hardest for me. It actually tuned out to be the part with the least effort as God supplied the need of royalty free music from Incompetech' Kevin MacLeod. I am very grateful for his music and his willingness to share with anyone that needs use of it. I actually used 2 of his songs mixed with other sounds to create the music section of the jam. The sermon part was "chopped" in series from the original sermon "The Problem With Good Deeds", which too fell into place. The lengthy part was doing all of the typography associated with the video and also creating all of the effects of books with words flying off the covers, finding the right pictures to use, synchronizing the video of the sermon with the audio and then doing it all again because of the multiple mistakes I made.

In the end I think it turned out well for a first effort. I see things that I now think should have been done differently. Also from a technical standpoint I now know how to better utilize time in editing the video and audio portion. I now feel much more comfortable with the software and know that the next project will be "easier" to make. That is unless I start trying to do some really eye catching effects.

Also, the opening and closing of the logo crumbling I submitted to RTM for use. The full time staff really liked it and started using it immediately for the web based videos being released.That part still impresses me in how good it turned out. For that effect I have some other ideas that may be used in future productions, so stay tuned.

I just ask whoever reads this to pray for the ministry of Real Truth Matters. They have 2 full time on staff now and have many financial obligations to meet. The quality of releases has grown by leaps and bounds over the years that RTM has been "officially" in existence. I recommend that you look through the whole website and see how God has used this ministry. The "History of the Modern Gospel" series is about to wrap up with the final installment, so I ask that you check out the sessions that are currently out there. You can watch them on Vimeo in Hi-Def and also on Lane Chaplin's webpage, who has been a great friend and supporter of the ministry.

Thank you for reading through this. I mentioned in an earlier posting that I would post the sermon jam when it was completed, so here it is. Please feel free to send me any comments and critique. Also feel free to donate the newest Windows version of the CS5.5 Adobe Production Premium Suite if you so feel led :).

Problem of Good Deeds - Sermon Jam from Michael Durham from Real Truth Matters on Vimeo.

Duly Noted

Day 312 in my "Year In My Life Through Pictures" blog series

These are the notes I have been using for the past few weeks while working on a "sermon jam" for Real Truth Matters. Admittedly I have not advanced as fast as I would have liked, but I am gaining momentum as the process ends its completion. It is a very labor intensive process, but it is really fun to do and is also a challenge, since I had no idea what I was doing at first. Well, now is not much better either but I have learned a few things.

My notes are not really notes, but actually a transcript of the audio portion of the video, the "sermon" part of the "sermon jam". The audio I thought would be the most challenging part to do and actually fell in place with ease. The video portion, not so much. It would help if I didn't have a job and we didn't have the flooding recently as it has taken up quite a bit of my time. But, I do what I can, when I can, trying not to alienate my wife too much while I log the hours in my office.

I have set the goal to finish by Friday. I am really shooting for tomorrow and pray that God guides me in the idea department to finish up. It's amazing how a 4 minute video is so hard to fill with different, interesting and pertinent footage and "things". As I have said, it is a learning process that will advance me in knowledge that will be used in future projects. I have told my pastor that I have the ultimate goal of getting a video together within a couple of days of the message so it will be posted on the RTM website and Facebook. This will spark interest (hopefully) in that week's message and point people to the website to download or stream the entire message.

I ask that you join me in prayer that this goal is realized and that God is glorified through my efforts.

Time Is Ticking Away

Day 307 in my "Year In My Life Through Pictures" blog series

It was bound to happen. After 306 days of writing a daily post I almost missed a posting. I was about to call it a night and hit the hay when I looked at the clock, 11:55 PM. That is really late, especially when I have to get up at 5:30AM, but it makes it even later when I have only 5 minutes to make a post.

I've been working on a "sermon jam" for Real Truth Matters and time gets away quickly when I get engrossed in the project. Granted, I should have been finished with the project a couple of weeks ago, but a lot has been going on in my neck of the woods these days. I will probably be finished with it this weekend, so keep your eyes out for it on Facebook and also on the Real Truth Matters website. I think it is turning out fairly decent for my first go at it.

This is a real learning experience. I am learning a lot about these programs and I am learning a lot about patience as I sometimes mess up an hours worth of work in a single keystroke. It is also frustrating because I can see how I want to do something in my head, but translating that through After Effects is another thing all together.

I must go now so I can post this before my time limit for the day is up. Please check out the Real Truth Matters website and all of the free resources available. I highly recommend the "History Of The Modern Gospel" video series that has been produced by my dear brothers at RTM.

Hidden Amongst The Busch

If you saw my post from yesterday in my "Year in my life through pictures" series you saw a picture of the beer aisle at Wal Mart. What you may not have seen was a Million Dollar Bill tract that I left on top of the Natural Light cases. Have another look at yesterday's picture, then look at the picture from this post where I cropped where the MDB tract is.

I highly recommend that everyone get at least a small supply of solid gospel tracts to hand out and to pass out. I have written several times on the great ministry of using tracts to witness to people. Me, being of a quiet disposition, really appreciates the door opening nature (or ice breaker as Way of the Master calls it) that tracts afford. I keep a constant supply of money themed tracts, because they catch attention very quickly. I leave these everywhere, and I mean everywhere, from the gas pumps, to the beer aisle at Wal Mart, to the restroom, to leaving with a tip at a restaurant, I look for opportunities to leave these.

A good, solid, Biblically based tract is a very good tool to quickly convey the gospel. Even when a person may not want to talk to you, they will take something handed to them and possibly read later. Will it lead to their conversion? Who knows but the Lord, but you have sown a seed. I would recommend any one of the fine organizations below to get tracts from. Bezeugen Tract Club is a great way to break into handing tracts out as well. They will send you monthly 30 tracts for you to pass out, one per day, for FREE. Yes, FREE. They have an awesome ministry and I encourage you to partner with them in the distribution of tracts. They also have tracts available for purchase, which the money goes back into the ministry to help fund the free tracts sent out. Please check out the following websites and pray about which tract God will have you to use. Who knows, you may feel guidance to get a pack of each. Also, Real Truth Matters can design tracts for you and have them professionally printed or take your design and have them printed, with your organization's contact information.

Bezeugen Tract Club
Way of the Master/ Living Waters
One Million Tracts
Custom Tract Source
Real Truth Matters

Also, the guys at Custom Tract Source have written a great little article detailing "why" Christians should use tracts and many ways to pass them out.

Day 102: ESV MacArthur Study Bible For Free?

I love freebies. There is nothing like getting something for nothing, especially when it is the new ESV MacArthur Study Bible. I wanted one of these since I heard they were going to be released, and low and behold I get one for free directly from Grace To You. I like to think that Johnny Mac or Phil Johnson packaged mine up and sent it from their California headquarters. Nah, probably not.

What a great ministry this is from Grace To You. I receive several offers for "free" items throughout the year. This is only the second I actually requested, the first was "The Gospel According To Jesus" last year. I did make a donation that covered the price of the book and shipping, so it was not really free to me, but also felt that GTY should be reimbursed for their time and book. I do assume that there are others that are not able to send a donation to GTY for the products they offer, which is why t is a ministry and not really a full fledged business.

This is usually the point in my blog where I segue to a spiritual application, but I think I already made the spiritual application already. A ministry is not in "it" for the revenue, they are in it to further the Kingdom and to glorify the Lord. They may have to run things somewhat like a business, but don't think that the folks at Grace To You, Real Truth Matters or Desiring God forget who their Boss is for one second.

It is refreshing to see ministries put things online for free, including full books and audio messages. There are many out there that are in "it" for profit, to line their own pockets. This is a sad reality within professing Christians. I see it almost everywhere, especially on some un-named TV stations that have the letters TB and N or TC and another T in their names. Most of the time it is marketed as "planting a seed of faith" which is theoretically code for send me your money and you'll get more back. While this is a biblical principle, it is being grossly misrepresented to the public. No wonder so many are disillusioned about Christianity. Just today in a comments thread of a local news outlet I saw Al Mohler likened to Jim Jones, lumped in with the wackos from Westboro, called illiterate and told he needed to repent of being judgmental just because he cautioned professing Christians about participating in YOGA. Most of those comments were from professing Christians themselves, who must not know anything about Mohler. But it just shows how even solid biblical leaders can be lumped in with the filth and garbage that the world gladly accepts as "Christian", just because they say they are.

Judge a ministry by their fruits. Do not support the downright wacky ones, but also make sure you are discerning enough to also pick out the ones that seem to walk the wall, occasionally dipping a toe in biblical things, but also dipping another toe in the world and emotionalism. There are many established ministries that could use your financial support and more importantly you prayer support. Do not think that just because you cannot send them money that you cannot send the Father your prayers for them, the One that supplies their needs anyway.