The Hardening of the Heart

"The hardening here mentioned is to the utmost, -- utter obduration; sin tends to it, and every distemper and lust will make at least some progress towards it. Thou that was tender, and didst use to melt under the word, under afflictions, wilt grow a some have profanely spoken, "sermon-proof and sickness-proof." Thou that didst tremble at the presence of God, thoughts of death, and appearance before him, when thou hadst more assurance of his love than now thou hast, shalt not be at all concerned, but shalt be able to pass over duties, praying, hearing, reading, and thy heart not in the least affected. Sin will grow a light thing to thee; thou wilt pass it by as a thing of nought; this it will grow to. And what will be the end of such a condition? Can a sadder thing befall thee? Is it not enough to make any heart to tremble, to think of being brought into that estate wherein he should have slight thoughts of sin? Slight thoughts of grace, of mercy, of the blood of Christ, of the law, heaven, and hell, come all in at the same season. Take heed, this is that thy lust is working towards, -- the hardening of the heart, searing of the conscience, blinding of the mind, stupifying of the affections, and deceiving of the whole soul."

-John Owen

photo credit: andrew gallo

Prayer for Rifqa Bary

Have you ever looked up to someone who happened to be younger than yourself? I know I have recently ... her name is Rifqa and she is in need of the prayers of the saints. Her life has been (and still is) in danger because she converted to Christianity from Islam, yet her unwavering testimony and faith is being refined through her trials. I am forwarding a message from Jamal Jivanjee, who has been fighting for the name of God among the muslim community for years:


To all concerned intercessors, 

If there is one thing that I have learned recently, it has been this; God chooses to accomplish His sovereign victory through the prayers of His people! (Thank you John Piper) It has been very encouraging to see this play out in fresh and new ways these last few months. I want to take a quick minute to humbly ask that all intercessors be mobilized to pray for the next few days regarding a few different points that I will illustrate here. I am convinced that the Lord is on the move, and His kingdom is greatly advancing! Prayer is needed now, more than ever. 

Prayer for Rifqa Bary 

In Ephesians 6, the apostle Paul illustrates that our real struggle is not against people, rather spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Scripture is also very clear that there are strongholds, or places on this earth that are greatly affected by demonic entities that are assigned to geographic areas. The Old Testament book of Daniel gives us insight into this biblical reality, and I have discovered this reality to be true regarding places that I have traveled to as well. 

As you know, there was a huge legal battle by Rifqa’s oppressors and family to have the case moved from Florida to Ohio. I am convinced that the real reason for this is entirely spiritual. Spiritually speaking, the spiritual differences between Ohio and some parts of Florida are like night and day. Simply put, the spiritual climate in Ohio is much more conducive to Rifqa’s oppressors than was Florida. As a result of this, Rifqa really needs our prayers for peace, strength, encouragement, protection, and physical health while this court battle plays out. Since her time back in Ohio, these areas of her life have come under increased attack by our spiritual enemy. I can tell you that the Lord has used the prayers of the saints to keep her going. She needs your prayers now more than ever! Your prayers are God’s chosen instruments of His victory in this situation! In addition to praying for Rifqa personally, here are some other points of prayer that urgently need intercession: 

1. Pray for public disclosure 

When this ordeal with Rifqa Bary began to unfold several months ago, I sensed the Lord giving me this scripture for Rifqa: “Now no one after lighting a lamp covers it over with a container, or puts it under a bed; but he puts it on a lampstand, so that those who come in may see the light.” (Luke 8:16) 

Rifqa Bary is someone who has been ‘lit’ so to speak by the Lord. While she has lived a secret Christian life for the last several years, God is now bringing her and her life’s story out into public light so that her testimony and life may sine brightly before men and glorify her Father in heaven. It goes without saying that satan would love to put a ‘container’ back over her life to keep a sleeping American church from being affected by her life, and also so that she can be sent back to danger without anyone being aware of it. Since she has been back in Ohio, that is exactly what the enemy has been trying to do! 

Apparently, there have already been a number of undisclosed hearings that the media was not allowed to be present during. This is a clear departure from the proceedings in Florida which were very transparent. The media in Ohio has been very quiet regarding Rifqa’s situation, as has been the church in Ohio. On human terms, this lack of public accountability puts Rifqa in greater risk, but it also prevents people from hearing her all important testimony. We need to pray for a greater public awareness! Please pray that the rally for Rifqa Bary on Monday, Nov. 16’th, would be used by the Lord to accomplish this task. 

2. Pray that what is hidden would be brought to light. 

The very next verse in Luke 8:17 is the other scripture that I sensed the Lord giving me for Rifqa’s situation as well. Because of this lamp that is being put out on a lampstand, It says this: “For nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light.” 

Rifqa’s case is shedding light nationally on the evil ideology of Islam & sharia law that has been subjugating Muslims to bondage and fear for over a thousand years now. Because the Lord loves Muslim people, I believe that He is uncovering the depths of bondage and fear contained in Islam for the church to be aware of. The church needs to be aware of this because it is the Muslim people’s time to be set free by the truth! Many western Christians have been woefully ignorant of this demonic ideology, and its methods of enslavement. I am praying that will soon change. 

Rifqa’s case is also part of a broader narrative occurring across our nation today in which we are seeing a wave of Islamic violence and influence begin to be unleashed in greater and unprecedented ways at the highest levels of our government, down to honor killings and brutal shootings at Fort Hood in Texas. The Lord is using the testimony of Rifqa, and others like her, to bring to light the darkness that has been hidden for far too long. Shedding light on this darkness is one of the goals of the rally for Rifqa on Monday. Please pray for this to occur then, and after that as well. Keep in mind that not all of those attending the rally on Monday will be Christians, but I am praying that many intercessors will be there to pray and publicly stand for the truth. Ultimately, I believe that it is the church’s genuine love for Muslims that will give us the boldness to speak out regarding the evils of Islam. 

If you’re in the Columbus area, and you are able to make it out to the rally on Monday from 11am to 2pm, we’d love to see you there. For more specific information regarding the rally’s location and other details, please visit www.rifqabary.com 

Thank you so much for praying. Your prayers are needed now more than ever! Ultimately I am praying, and I strongly believe, that Rifqa’s life and testimony will eventually be the spark that sets a sleeping church a flame for His glory! Will you join many others in focused intercession for the next couple of days for this end? 

For this awakening, 

Jamal Jivanjee 
www.illuminate-us.com 

To learn more about Rifqa and her situation, you can visit www.rifqabary.com

Would it not be an encouragement to a subject, to hear his prince say to him, You will honour and please me very much, if you will go to yonder mine of gold, and dig as much gold for yourself as you can carry away? So, for God to say, Go to the ordinances, get as much grace as you can, dig out as much salvation as you can; and the more happiness you have, the more I shall count myself glorified.

_thomas watson




I took this from a post on Of First Importance (http://firstimportance.org/). you would not regret subscribing to this blog. one Gospel truth quote posted each day. brilliant. :)

The Precious Blood

Blessed Lord Jesus,
Before Thy cross I kneel and see
the heinousness of my sin,
my iniquity that caused thee to be 'made a curse',
the evil that excites the severity of divine wrath.
Show me the enormity of my guilt by
the crown of thorns,
the pierced hands and feet,
the bruised body,
the dying cries.
Thy blood is the blood of incarnate God,
its worth infinite, its value beyond all thought.
Infinite must be the evil and guilt that demands such a price.
Sin is my malady, my monster, my foe, my viper,
born in my birth,
alive in my life,
strong in my character,
dominating my faculties,
following me as a shadow,
intermingling with my every thought,
my chain that holds me captive in the empire of my soul.
Sinner that I am, why should the sun give me light,
the air supply breath,
the earth bear my tread,
its fruits nourish me,
its creatures subserve my ends?
Yet thy compassions yearn over me,
thy heart hastens to my rescue,
thy love endured my curse,
thy mercy bore my deserved stripes.
Let me walk humbly in the lowest depths of humiliation,
bathed in thy blood,
tender of conscience,
triumphing gloriously as an heir of salvation.

|The Valley of Vision

The Five Solas - Basic Reformed Theology

There was a point in church history where it seemed that the true faith had been swallowed up by the abuse and distorted teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. But such was not always the case. A few centuries after the resurrection of Christ, history records the Roman Catholic Church defending truth against heretics and false teachers. Athanasius bravely and boldly defended the truth that Christ was God. He defeated Arius with sound reasoning from the Scripture and the church continued on in the faith.

Not too long after that, St. Augustine rose up to defeat the heretic and false teacher Pelagius. Pelagius denied the doctrine of original sin, which teaches us that since Adam’s sin we are all born with a sin nature and prove it by sinning. Pelagius believed that we were born innocent and in the same state that Adam and Eve were created in. Thus, he believed that we could attain salvation by our perfect works. Of course, if that were true then we wouldn’t need a Savior. St. Augustine contended for the doctrine of original sin and man’s total depravity and showed just how sinful we are and why we need a Savior. Pelagius was condemned as a heretic and the church continued on in the faith.

But something changed over time. Some of the doctrines that the church once condemned as heresy, or false teaching, began to find their way into the minds, vocabulary and teaching of its leaders. Compromises were made. The church turned from the truth ever so slowly to the point that it soon became a false church. It came in the name of Christ but was completely anti-Christ, which is why many Christians have believed that the seat of the pope is the seat of the anti-Christ. Whether that is true or not is debatable. I mention this as historical information only.

As the Roman Catholic Church turned from the truth, here is what happened: Scripture was no longer the only rule of doctrine and practice for God’s people—what the pope said, what tradition said and what councils said were also binding on the people. Salvation was no longer by God’s grace alone—you also had to contribute some effort and works like keeping the commandments and being baptized. Justification was no longer a declaration from God that through faith in Christ you are righteous because you are clothed with His perfect works—rather justification, or being pronounced righteous, was something that you earned by actually being a good person. Thus, Christ alone was no longer the Savior--we end up being contributors to our salvation and therefore have reason to boast and receive glory. Thus, we cannot say, “To God alone be the glory for our salvation,” because we had something to do with it.

These five major departures from truth are the things that a few bold and faithful Christians sought to reform from the 1300’s to the 1600’s. Today these heresies still abound in many forms. These faithful men of God wanted the Roman Catholic Church to reform her ways. They loved the church. They loved the people. But they could not stand by and watch false teaching lead people away from God and to hell. So they protested—which is why Christians are called protestants. Eventually, their protests led to some of their deaths and banishment from the church. But it was God--working through their effort--that revitalized the church and brought many people to salvation.

Sadly, if you understand the conflict during these centuries, you will see that the Christian Church at large is on a slippery slope that leads right back to where the Roman Catholic Church has been for all these centuries. As a side note, one of the reasons we call ourselves a Reformed Church is because we want to see the Christian church called back to the same truths that the Reformers sought to re-instill in the Roman Catholic Church. Our love for the church should be expressed in calling them back to believe the truth so that God is glorified.

Now, if you had to summarize the teachings that the Reformers wanted to see take place, you would define them like this: Sola Scriptura, Sola Fide, Sola Gratia, Solus Christus and Soli Deo Gloria. They are five Latin phrases that simply mean: Scripture Alone, Faith Alone, Grace Alone, Christ Alone, God’s Glory Alone. What’s interesting about these five doctrines is that most churches acknowledge these things to be true. But when you examine their practices and theology, you find that it’s only lip service that is given to these doctrines. There is a massive disconnect between what they say they believe and what they actually teach and practice.

Over the next five posts, I will try to explain each one in a little more detail. I also hope to give personal illustrations and examples from my life of what it looks like to deny the “Five Solas.” About six years ago, I would have agreed with these five statements, but when I actually examined what I was teaching and what I was living, I saw a contradiction between my creeds and my deeds--my beliefs and my practices. And one thing is for sure: what you practice is really what you believe. I discovered that I really didn’t believe in the “Five Solas.” That alarmed me and sent me on a radical pursuit to get back to the heart of what Christians truly believe. I hope to share more of that with you as God allows us all to mature in the faith together.

The Righteousness Of God - Upheld

"God does not compromise his righteousness by grading on a curve - rather he punctuates his righteousness by crushing his son on the cross."

-erik raymond (via twitter)

photo credit: Josh Sczebel

He prayed for them.

As our Lord was being crucified, the unspeakable pain did not distract his attention from others, including those who were causing his pain. Even his enemies, those who were abusing him and cursing him, were not outside the orbit of his love. How did Jesus love his enemies? He prayed for them. 'And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do"' (Luke23.34). J.C. Ryle remarks, 'The fruits of this wonderful prayer will never be fully seen until the day when the books are opened, and the secrets of all our hearts are revealed.'

|brian.borgman.Feelings and Faith.p160


Oh, Father, help us love like Jesus.