What is a Hackintosh? It’s a desktop computer built from Mac-compatible PC parts (“hacked”) that will allow the Mac OS X operating system to be installed on it and operate as a normal Mac would.

Today I purchased the parts for the new Hackintosh rig. For this Part 1 of this series I am simply sharing the list of the items I purchased. Part 2 will be putting the physical parts together and will include photos. Part 3 will be installing the required software (the bootloader) and the Mac OS, of course.

By the way…building a computer from scratch isn’t for the faint-hearted, but with some Christian patience and planning it can be an enjoyable experience and save you considerable cost as well. Note: Building your own Mac is not supported by Apple and is in violation of their End User License Agreement (unless it is for personal, experimental purposes — in other words, it is illegal to build Hackintoshs for the purpose of selling to make a profit). Don’t expect to get technical support from Apple for a Hackintosh.

The List

The links go to the item on Amazon.com.

• NZXT ATX Full Tower Steel Chassis — Phantom White
• ASUS P8Z68-V LX LGA 1155 Z68 Motherboard
• D-Link WiFi PCIe Wireless Network Card
• Lite-On DVD Burner
• G.Skill Ripjaws 8 GB RAM (2 x 4 GB)
• Seagate 2TB SATA Hard Drive
• Belkin Mini Bluetooth Adapter
• Corsair 650-Watt Power Supply
• Intel Core i7-2600 Processor 3.4 GHz with 8 MB Cache (“Growr!”)
• ASUS 24″ LED Monitor

That’s it. I’m using my existing Apple Magic Mouse and Apple Keyboard. If you want a more “Mac-like” experience, getting those will help — not to mention they are great products — but you can use your existing USB or Bluetooth mouse and keyboard if you desire.

Here are optional items, but items I will be adding to my rig in a few months:

• Syba PCIe Firewire 800 & 400 Card
• OCZ Technology 120 GB Solid State Drive (SSD)
• EVGA GeForce GTX 560 Superclocked 2 Gb PCIc Graphics Card (“Vroom!”)

The “Syba” PCIe Card will add the ability to use external “Firewire” devices such as hard drives and cameras that need such an interface. The “OCZ” solid state drive is a RAM-based drive. Because it is a memory-based drive and not a physical hard drive it tremendously speeds-up read/write time. Keep the Seagate hard drive mentioned in the previous list to for back-ups just in case the RAM drive ever fails (those things happen). The “EVGA GeForce” graphics card will greatly speed-up your on-screen rendering. Since the motherboard I chose in the first list has an on-board graphics system you might not need it, unless you do intense graphics work (as I do) or want to add more than 2 monitors for a multiple display system.

If the computer chassis (case) I chose above is not your style then I recommend the following:

• Antec Sonata III 500 Quiet Super Mid Tower ATX Case (Black)

Purchasing the “Antec” case will eliminate the need to purchase the “Corsair” power supply in the first list because the “Antec” case already comes with a good power supply.

Other Optional Items You Might Enjoy

• Apple Magic Mouse
• Apple Magic Trackpad
• Apple Wireless Keyboard
• Apple Keyboard (Wired)

Note: You’ll need the Bluetooth adapter mentioned in the top list to make use of the wireless products listed above.

See you in Part 2!

From Forgiven to Forgiving: Learning to Forgive One Another God’s Way

What do the following statements about forgiveness have in common?

Forgiveness is obtained through apologizing. The best thing you can do is, “forgive and forget.” You aren’t forgiven until you feel forgiven.

In this book, Dr. Jay Adams carefully explores all dimensions of the process of forgiveness. He can help you understand biblical forgiveness from beginning to end and apply that understanding to everyday situations ranging from forgiving your straying spouse or prodigal child — and being forgiven by them as well.

Come boldly to [the Throne of Grace],
Ye wretched sinners come;
And lay your load at Jesus’ feet,
And plead what he has done.

“How can I come?” Some soul may say,
“I’m lame and cannot walk;
My guilt and sin have stopped my mouth;
I sigh, but dare not talk.”

Come boldly to the throne of grace,
Though lost, and blind, and lame;
Jehovah is the sinner’s Friend,
And ever was the same.

He makes the dead to hear his voice;
He makes the blind to see;
The sinner lost he came to save,
And set the prisoner free.

Come boldly to the throne of grace,
For Jesus fills the throne;
And those he kills he makes alive;
He hears the sigh or groan.

Poor bankrupt souls, who feel and know
The hell of sin within,
Come boldly to the throne of grace;
The Lord will take you in.

- D. Herbert, printed in the Gadsby Hymnal, 1838, #675
Ed.: bracketed text changed by me from “a throne of grace” since there is only one such Throne.

Hear a beautiful rendition of this hymn on the recording “Come Boldly” by the Steve Pettit Evangelistic Team: “Come Boldly” Digital Download (MP3) at Amazon.com

It is often difficult to come to the end of a thing: a life, a tenure, a large responsibility, residence in one location before moving to another, and so on. Scripture is filled with many “last things” that we can learn from and apply to our lives. How should we react when the end of a road in life comes? Obviously my family has been considering this as our last day at Berean Baptist Church has occurred and our time there has come to an end. It was a sad day for us. We spent the last 3 and a half years growing with them, laughing, crying and praying. We will miss serving there dearly.

In consideration of this it is interesting to note how many “Final Thoughts” there are in the Word:

1. The End of A Good Debate

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 — “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”

Ecclesiastes was written as part of a cultural debate between King Solomon and leaders/”wise men” in other cultures and countries. The conclusion to his book, and his final argument, is the appropriate conclusion of life for the believer: The only answer that makes sense in life is to fear God and obey Him. The phrase, “for this is the whole duty of man,” is translated from a single Hebrew word: Adam. That’s right, just like the first man. The ancient Hebrew would have read and understood it this way: This is what it means to be a man, or, This is why I (God) created you!

2. The End of A Good Fight

2 Timothy 4:5-8 — “But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.”

Paul’s last words to Timothy were some of the last inspired words penned by the Apostle. He knew that he could face his Savior with integrity knowing that he had given his best in his service to Christ.

3. The End of A Good Life

Deuteronomy 34:5-12 — “So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD. And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day. And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated. And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days: so the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended. And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the LORD commanded Moses. And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, In all the signs and the wonders, which the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land, And in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses shewed in the sight of all Israel.”

Even though Moses wasn’t allowed to enter into the Promised Land the Lord allowed him to view it from atop Mt. Nebo. What an incredible legacy he left behind. There is inadequate space here to mention it all.

4. The End of A Good Book

Revelation 22:17 — “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”

The end of Revelation and the entirety of “The Good Book” is an invitation: Come thirsty soul and be filled.

So what is the end of “our matter?” What is it we should all want to be remembered by?

It’s humbling to think that one of the greatest prophets, John the Baptist, humbled himself thusly:

John 3:30 — “He (Jesus) must increase, but I must decrease.”

In God’s economy perhaps the greatest legacy is the life lived to simply point to Christ. Did you notice that in each of the verses mentioned above that there is a passing of responsibility? Solomon in Ecclesiastes asks the reader (us) to Fear God and keep His Commandments. Paul encouraged Timothy to be diligent in ministry. Moses prayed over Joshua and charged him with the responsibility of leading Israel. Revelation ends by giving us the responsibility to respond to His gracious invitation to come and be filled with the water of life.

These are only 4 “ends” we find in Scripture, but there are many, many more. How will you respond to these four invitations, dear reader?