@jaredcwilson

Signs You Haven't Experienced Gospel Wakefulness

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GwakeFrom Jared Wilson's new book, Gospel Wakefulness, here are 11 signs (pgs 72-73) you haven't experienced gospel wakefulness...

  1. The gospel doesn't interest you--or it does, but not as much as other religious subjects.
  2. You take nearly everything personally.
  3. You frequently worry about what other people think.
  4. You treat inconveniences like minor (or major) tragedies.
  5. You are impatient with people.
  6. In general, you have trouble seeing the fruit of the Spirit in your life (Gal 5:22-23).
  7. The Word of God holds little interest.
  8. You have great difficulty forgiving.
  9. You are told frequently by a spouse, close friend, or other family members that you are too "clingy" or too controlling. 
  10. You think someone besides yourself is the worst sinner you know.
  11. The idea of gospel centrality makes no sense to you.

Blaspheme Your Idols

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Dear john cropped

Gospel wakened people feel swept off their feet by their romancing God. (If you're a man, and this sort of "church as feminine" language bothers you, you will have to get over it. This is how God draws our character. You will have to nail your machismo to the cross and stop thinking you're more of a man than your Groom.) When the power of the gospel saps the power of idols from our veins, when we have really tasted and seen that the Lord is good, we are so smitten we can't help but ditch every back door Johnny we ever messed around with. How pathetic they are! And how pathetic we were for ever giving in to their two-bit come-ons.

A bride joined to her groom forsakes all others. She writes the spiritual equivalent of Dear John letters to her idols. When God's love captivates you, you go around spurning all your other lovers. I call this "blaspheming" your idols.

Blaspheme them. Tell them they have no appeal to you anymore. Tell them you don't need their damage, their pain, their anti-glories. Tell them you have no desires to use and abuse them anymore. Tell them your heart, mind, soul, and strength belong wholly to God now. And then don't speak as a love to them ever again. Sinful relationships must end.

From Jared Wilson's Gospel Wakefulness, p 70, bold emphasis mine.