If a person desires to make changes in their life and obey the call of the Scriptures to Christ-likeness then it won’t be long before they are engaged in a war for their heart and subsequently confronted with hidden idols of the heart. In fact, I believe that if one does not deal with their varying heart treasures (Matt 6:19-21) then they will never experience true biblical change. In Gospel Treason by Pastor Brad Bigney he aids the reader in addressing their own heart and the potential idols that may exist. He talks openly of his own battles with his heart idols, specifically noting how at one point in his life he had set up something as good as pastoral ministry as an idol in his own life.
Bigney challenges the reader throughout to not listen to their heart because our heart is another voice that often times can contradict God’s voice in our life. He flies against the grain of culture by exhorting the reader to be careful to lead one’s heart to godliness instead of idly follow our heart. The book is in large part an extension of God’s voice in Jeremiah 17:9 that gives a divine description of the danger of our own hearts. Practically speaking this book comes out of a sermon series by the same title that Pastor Bigney did at his church (you can listen to or watch at www.bradbigney.com). Brad has also done us a favor by creating a free downloadable study guide to go along with the book which can help take us from just information to application in our desire to let the Word of Christ dwell in us.
I cannot recommend this book enough to the individual who wants not only to deal with their sin but then also deal with the sins and idols that lie underneath the surface of those sins. I leave you with one word of caution; it is a great book, but it is also a painful book to read. Consider yourself warned!
Book Link: http://amzn.to/2y4BkQZ
Review By: Jeremy Stephens
Cross Hope 
Sounds very interesting. I constantly counsel people not to listen to their hearts, but rather to listen to Scripture. Does he elaborate between hearing the Holy Spirit’s direction, versus listening to your heart?
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He doesn’t seem to deal as much with the difference between hearing the HS and listening to you heart, but he does deal with how to find your way out of idolatry. In the last chapter Brad talks about being saturated with God’s Word so that one can tell the difference between God’s word and what our hearts are capable of speaking. The point he seems to make is that we need to be so familiar with God’s Word (since that is how God primarily speaks) that we are able to recognize the “other voices”, especially when that other voice is our own heart.
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