This week’s sponsor of Free Stuff Fridays is CBD Reformed. This how CBD introduces their site: “In order to serve an important segment of our customers more fully, we have developed a more focused website with author, publisher, and product selections reflective of the topics, issues, and concerns of discerning readers from a reformed perspective. We intentionally feature new and classic titles you're looking for, authors you appreciate, and viewpoints you value.”

They are offering up 5 of the following prize packs (5 winners will each receive all 3 books):

• Historical Theology: An Introduction to Christian Doctrine by Gregg Allison - Retail price $44.99
• A Reader's Guide to Calvin's Institutes by Anthony Lane - Retail Price $14.99
• Think by John Piper - retail $19.99

Allison’s Historical Theology is an interesting new book and one that will be in great demand, I’m sure. “Most historical theology texts follow Christian beliefs chronologically, discussing notable doctrinal developments for all areas of theology according to their historical appearance. And while this may be good history, it can make for confusing theology, with the classic theological loci scattered throughout various time periods, movements, and controversies. In Historical Theology, Gregg Allison offers students the opportunity to study the historical development of theology according to a topical-chronological arrangement, setting out the history of Christian doctrine one theological element at a time. Such an approach allows readers to concentrate on one tenet of Christianity and its formulation in the early church, through the Middle Ages, Reformation, and post-Reformation era, and into the modern period.”

In addition, CBD Reformed is offering a 4-day sale (April 29 - May 2) on the following three products:

• Forgotten God by Francis Chan - retail $14.99 / sale $8.99
• Do Hard Things by Alex & Brett Harris - retail $17.99 / sale $9.49
• The Reason For God by Timothy Keller - retail $16.00 / sale $7.99

Again, there are 5 prize packages to win, so go ahead and enter…

Giveaway Rules: You may only enter the draw once. Simply fill out your name and email address to enter the draw. As soon as the winners have been chosen, all names and addresses will be immediately and permanently erased. Winners will be notified by email. The giveaway closes Saturday at noon.

Note: If you are reading via RSS or email, you may need to click through to see the form.

I was thinking today about being a people pleaser—a tendency all of us having to varying degrees. Lou Priolo has written a book on the subject and one that made quite an impression on me when I read it several years ago. In one of the chapters, Priolo looks at clothing ourselves in humility and he offers some wisdom on the subject of forgiveness.

As the father of three young children, and as the owner of a proud and sinful heart, I have endless opportunities to teach about forgiveness and to practice both forgiveness and repentance in my own life. I've had to tell my children that true repentance doesn't involve the word "but" ("I'm sorry I smacked you but you shouldn't have said that to me..."). But then I've seen that I can fall into the same sin. I've had to tell my children that true repentance doesn't drag up the past and use forgiven sin against others. But then I've seen that I can do the same thing. Though I'm many years older than they are, I’m still learning lessons about forgiveness.

In Pleasing People Priolo portrays the heart of forgiveness as being a promise. Here is what he says: "Forgiveness is fundamentally a promise. As God promises to not hold our sins against us, so we also must promise not to hold the sins of those we've forgiven against them." This is, of course, the foundation of the forgiveness God promises to us: that he will never hold our sins against us. On the day of judgment we can have confidence that he will not suddenly charge us with sins that have been forgiven us through the blood of Jesus. We have faith in God and trust in this promise. Without this promise our faith is hopeless. Praise God that he offers us this manner of forgiveness! And I mean that. Praise him!

The promise of forgiveness, says Priolo, can be broken into three parts. First, you promise not to bring up the offense to the forgiven person so as to use it against him. Second, you promise not to discuss with others the sin you have forgiven. Third, you promise not to dwell on the forgiven offense but to remind yourself that you have forgiven the offender in the same way that God has forgiven you for a multitude of far greater sins. Thus when you ask forgiveness you secure these promises for yourself.

Seeking forgiveness cannot be confused with apologizing. An apology is not the means to reconciliation (which is to say that "I'm sorry" and "Please forgive me" are not the same thing). If I apologize to a person I've offended and he subsequently apologizes to me, we still have not taken responsibility and truly humbled ourselves. We haven't tied up loose ends and, to use Priolo's term, the ball is still up in the air. Apologies are not enough. We must seek forgiveness and its fruit--reconciliation.

According to Priolo, true forgiveness looks something like this:

Several weeks ago I introduced you to a series of short films that focus on Christ's appearances in the Old Testament as the Angel of the Lord. Every Wednesday for 10 weeks I will be posting a new episode right here at the blog. This will allow you to view the series in its entirety. Do note, though, that each episode will be available for only one week.

After the week is up you will need to purchase the series. Here's how you can do that. The DVD and Study Guide (sample here) are available now. You can also buy the digital download of the whole series here for $5. Or visit Ligonier's online store for the download or physical copies of the DVD and Study Guide.

This episode is titled "Give Me Your Son."

David Murray is Professor of Old Testament and Practical Theology at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He was a pastor in Scotland for 12 years before coming to Grand Rapids in 2007 with his wife Shona and their four children. He blogs regularly at Head Heart Hand.

Airport Security - “At the Bangkok airport they took my scissors. This was the second time they took my scissors in Bangkok. I should have learned my lesson. They were safety scissors, the kind you’d give to a child, about two-and-a-half inches long with rounded tips.” There’s a lesson in there about airport security.

Pride and Prejudice and Porn - Here’s a fantastic article that looks at today’s pornified, hook-up culture and then compares it to a different age.

Meet Brent - I enjoyed meeting Brent Kassian at The Gospel Coalition conference. Here’s an article about the guy.

Talents for a Season - This article from Boundless is worth the read. “I recently attended the baby shower of a young woman in our church who I don’t know very well. As part of the shower (which was for men and women), the host had guests affirm the soon-to-be (fourth-time) parents. Many of the people present lauded the young woman’s amazing cooking skills and hospitality.”

Never Going to Get to It - A useful tip for actually getting things done—those things that so easily fall off the mental to-do list.

Advocating for the Unborn - “For the past year or so, some friends and I have stood outside Lovejoy Surgicenter praying, holding signs, and seeking to offer alternatives to men and women who choose to abort their babies.  It's a difficult place to go to and I never look forward to it. But once I'm there, it becomes a powerful time of intercession and opportunities.”

Race and Economics - This looks like a really interesting book and one that should upset many fallacies about race and economics. Thomas Sowell gives it a look.

Stuff We Don’t Need - “What recession? Despite the fact that most Americans are still struggling in the worst economy since the Great Depression, a ‘non-scientific study’ from the Wall Street Journal says that U.S. citizens now spend $1.2 trillion annually on nonessential goods. For context, that’s more than 11 percent of overall consumer spending.”

The Christian faith is not true because it works; it works because it is true. —Os Guinness