This week Free Stuff Friday is sponsored by Thomas Nelson Bibles. They are giving away five copies of the Timeless Truths Bible.
About the Timeless Truths Bible:
The Christian faith is founded upon unchanging, timeless truth. From the days of the early church until the day of Christ’s return, all of Christianity proclaims that “Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:11). This is our unchanging and unceasing confession upon which all our hope and all our joy rests.
The Timeless Truths Bible encourages you through the always timely wisdom of those who came before us. Devotional notes and commentary from trusted theologians and pastors from the second century up to the twentieth will stir your affections. The ancient creeds and confessions of the faith will grow your understanding of what we believe—and have always believed. And artwork created throughout the history of Christianity will deepen your worship of the one we call Lord.
Features include:

Devotional and theological commentary for every chapter of the Bible from notable figures throughout church history including Irenaeus, Augustine, Martin Luther, Charles Spurgeon, and John Calvin
46 full-page biographies of church leaders
Text from some of the creeds and confessions of the Christian faith that have shaped our beliefs for generations, including the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, the Athanasian Creed, and the Westminster Catechism
Full-color tip-in pages of artwork from the history of Christianity

Experience timeless wisdom for life today that is entrusted to you for tomorrow.
Enter for your chance to win one of five copies here.
Entries accepted from February 2, 2024, at 9 AM Eastern until February 9, 2024, at 11:59 PM Eastern. Open to US residents only. Visit thomasnelsonbibles.com/challies-sweepstakes to enter and read all sweepstakes rules.  

I made it home safe and sound and, of course, moderately jet-lagged, from my trip to Poland. I’m thankful for traveling mercies (perhaps especially after being in a country with a speed limit of 140 km/h).

There are a few new Kindle deals for the collectors.
Kate Forbes: Would a Christian be permitted to lead Scotland?
“With a Hindu as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and a Muslim as the mayor of London, it would seem that the UK is at last fulfilling the promise of a multi-cultural society. Yet events in Scotland suggest that there is one group who are in effect banned from meaningful political leadership – Christians who actually believe what Jesus says!”
The Devil Is Real
“Recently, the devil visited the Grammys. From the amount of press coverage, it seems he won an award. If you haven’t seen Sam Smith and Kim Petras’s controversial live performance of the song ‘Unholy,’ don’t bother. It’s not worth your time. However, the celebration of this performance does bring up two points that are worth our attention.” Jonathan Noyes explains what they are.
The Respiration of Internet Culture
Chris Martin has an interesting look at the history of the internet here.
Unguarded Advice
“Have you ever considered advice to be a dangerous gift?” Tolkien did, and perhaps we should as well.
What Does Faith Do? It Depends
“Theology is much like putting a jigsaw puzzle together. There are all these different pieces. They do fit, but we don’t always right away realize how. The key is to pay attention to the clues. These are given to us in Scripture.”
I’ll See You in Heaven
We have such hope through the gospel…
Flashback: Homesick
My eyes strain to see it, my ears to hear it, my hands to grasp it. Home, sweet home. Home where my God is. Home where my heart is. Home where my father is. Home where my son is. Simply, wonderfully, eternally home.

The fear of God is a profound respect for His holiness, which includes a fear of the consequences of disobeying Him. —Randy Alcorn

God has graciously chosen to initiate relationship with human beings who, left to themselves, deny his power and even his very existence. He does this through revelation—through revealing himself to us.
But what is it that he reveals about himself? According to Erwin Lutzer, it is his character, his nature, and his will. I’ve heard it said that character is who you are when no one is looking. God reveals himself as someone who existed long before there was anyone looking, and then as now, his character was marked by love. He has always existed in a loving relationship of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We might say his nature is his attributes, or the qualities of his “godness.” And his will includes his desires for humanity. As the one who created us, he is the one who has the right to tell us how we ought to live.
How does God reveal all of this? Through what we call general revelation and special revelation. General revelation is what God reveals to all of humanity through what has been made and can be observed by all. Special revelation is what God reveals through special means—most notably through Scripture and its revelation of Jesus Christ. Praise God that, in his grace, he has chosen to reveal himself to us!