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Using a smartphone – VI

November 3rd, 2010 No comments

I’m loving my HTC Desire more and more. The last app I want to mention is X3Watch.

It wasn’t long before I realised that my smartphone could do stacks more than be a phone. One of the applications I’ve got running on my laptop and desktop is Covenant Eyes, an accountability program for internet usage. That’s a polite way of saying, having a mate watching over your should so you don’t look at porn. It tracks what sites I go to and every fortnight sends a report to a mate and, if necessary, flags potentially inappropriate content. This is a fantastic tool because there is something about human accountability that sometimes is more motivating that knowing God is watching. More than that, it isn’t a filter and doesn’t just give present a big warning sign on the computer. Rather, it encourages conversation with a real person, which is a much better way to confess and deal with sin as it arises.

Since installing Covenant Eyes I have only had problems when downloading Ubuntu (a Linux platform) which was easy to explain. More encouraging though was that the process works, my mate called and asked me what it was.

Covenant Eyes isn’t available for Android, only iPhones. X3Watch does. In fact, it has a free version for PC, Mac and iPhone. I had to pay for the Android version. However, I consider this a small price to pay for accountability it brings me. In the notification bar at the top of the screen is ‘X3′, a continual reminder of it’s presence on my phone.

It’s deliberately hard to uninstall and bypass, though if you were determined enough to, I’m sure it’s possible. It reflects the depravity of our hearts. I want to encourage you as strongly as I can, to deliberately choose to get something like this, to help reduce the temptation of pornography.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)

Categories: Resources, Self-care Tags: , , , , ,

Using a smartphone – V

November 2nd, 2010 No comments

So I’ve got a smartphone, an HTC Desire. The last thing I wanted to mention was two particular apps I’ve installed. Today, the Bible software I use, CadreBible.

Unlike the iPhone, there isn’t an ESV app, which is a shame, since that’s the translation we use at Evening Church. There is an app called ‘YouVersion’ which came with an ESV. Olive Tree reader is a common app supporting multiple platforms.

However, in the end I went with CadreBible which is an Android specific Bible. Why? Cost, and I didn’t just want an ESV. I was hoping to get a Hebrew Old Testament and Greek New Testament also. YouVersion didn’t have it. Olive Tree would charge me $17 for ESV, $46 for BHS (Hebrew) and $36 for NA27 (Greek). ie $99 all up. CadreBible has the ESV for $10 and a public domain version of Hebrew and Greek, which it offers for free.

So, was it worth it? Of course. The physical ESV I carry around cost me $10, so it’s not unreasonable to pay the same for an electronic copy. Plus, I also have access to Greek and Hebrew, if really necessary, whenever I have my phone with  me.

One last thing, I’ll still carry around a physical Bible for a couple of reasons.

  1. I still feel a little uncomfortable pulling out my phone during a sermon, even if I know I’m doing the right thing. I can’t turn the pages in a real book and get distracted by some app or email or …
  2. I want to encourage others to have a physical Bible on them at all times, so I’ve got to set the example. What if I’m meeting someone who doesn’t have a Bible app of some description? We can both look at a book together, but both staring at a phone seems a little odd to me.
  3. The most important reason is that I want to have  a Bible ready to give away whenever the opportunity arises. The reason I bought lots of the same $10 Bibles is that they are easily replaceable. If I give one away, I can get another off the shelf at home. Since it’s the same version, I can find particular passages or verses easily, especially since sometimes my memory is, it’s on the left or right hand side of the page.

God has made himself known to us. We don’t need to strive to find or understand him. God’s word can be near us, even on our phones. (Another reason, by the way, to be thankful for the Reformation. That the Bible is in everyday language we can understand is a privilege others died for, that I too often take for granted.)

[11] “For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. [12] It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ [13] Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ [14] But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it. (Deuteronomy 30:11-14 ESV)
Categories: Resources, Time management Tags: , , , , ,

Bible Works 8.0

July 8th, 2009 No comments

I use some PC software called Bible Works which is a fantastic resource and almost indespensible when I’m preparing sermons and Bible studies.

Here’s a chance for you to win a copy of it and easily search many Bible versions for words and phrases. Subscribe to this blog, find out more about Bible Works and fill in the form to win.

Categories: Resources Tags: , ,