Truth & Compassion in Action. “Gay activists prepared to protest FIRE Church in Concord, North Carolina. Their event leader posted their plan on Facebook…We are going to STAND TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY to show that our love is stronger than their hate…” When the (gay activist) protestors arrived, they were warmly greeted by church leaders who offered them water and snacks, shared the truth with them, and invited them to join the service. Within a short time, the protestors dispersed, explaining the church members were too kind and loving to protest….”

You Never Marry the Right Person. “In generations past, there was far less talk about “compatibility” and finding the ideal soul-mate. Today we are looking for someone who accepts us as we are and fulfills our desires, and this creates an unrealistic set of expectations that frustrates both the searchers and the searched for.”

A Good Mentor Slows You Down. I resonated with and appreciated this greatly.

Come & Die. “Have you ever seen a military recruitment poster or TV ad that showed wounded soldiers? Ever seen one that showed soldiers taking bullets, medics administering morphine to blood-gushing comrades, or an array of battle-hardened quadriplegics? No, you have not…” But Jesus has a different way to obtain recruits.

Ten Effects of Romans 9. These are so, so good. Number four is worth thinking on: “Romans 9 helps to keep me amazed at my own salvation. John Newton was really amazed that he was saved. We get amazed by a lot of things. We need to ask ourselves periodically if we are amazed that we are saved. Are we blown away that we are included in the eternal family of the living God, especially in view of all our remaining sin.”

Who Represent True Islam? A thoughtful article with some strong points. “Maher blames Islam proper for the thousands of murders in the past few years. Is he fair to do so?  Is cruelty and terror a latent feature of the religion itself? Howard Dean disagrees completely. He asserts that none of the terrorist organizations or individuals are actually Muslim. He says we shouldn’t even use that word to describe them.” Who is right?

Older Men, Younger Men Need You. “As a younger man myself, I have tried to identify how exactly older guys can love, exhort, and invest in younger men around them — men like me. On behalf of other younger men, with humility and boldness, we plead with our older brothers for five things.”

What Not to Ask When Someone is Suffering. Filled with wisdom on both what not to say and what to say. “The minute I said it I wished I hadn’t. I should know better. But it’s just what came out. Maybe it’s what comes out when you talk to grieving people too. Here’s what I said. Or more accurately, what I asked…”

R.C. Sproul’s Childhood Struggle With Happines & Pleasure. A great story, a great struggle, a great point: “May our holy God give us the faith and fuel to pursue holiness with all our might, to love God with all our heart, and so discover joy’s juices flowing through our veins again.”

Baptizing Babies? Kevin DeYoung recently wrote about why he baptizes babies and Sam Storms responded with a piece about why he only baptizes believers. They both are good reads to get a basic grasp on the differences on the two camps.

The Focus of Pastoral Ministry. As you read this ask, “Do my pastors think or practice this?”

iPod Preachers & the Local Church. “A few years ago my iPod was filled with sermons from the usual gospelly suspects, and I listened to them fairly regularly. But I realized something wasn’t quite right. I was even more critical than usual. I was subconsciously grading my pastor’s sermons. My enjoyment of worshipping at church diminished. So I quit listening to sermons from famous guys.”

You Are a Child of God Forever if You Say This. “When a man once says that, in his heart and not merely with his lips, then no matter what his guilt may be, no matter how far he is beyond any human pale, not matter how little opportunity he has for making good the evil that he has done, he is a ransomed soul, a child of God forever.”

How to Read the Bible for Yourself. This is amazing and amazingly short.

Your Mom Needs Theology. “Moms, theology isn’t just for pastors, teachers, and professors; it’s for you too. And it’s not for another stage of life. It’s vital for you right here, right now, in the trenches of your daily life as a mom.”

A Dog Eats a Lemon. It doesn’t get more internet-humor than this. Still good for a LOL.