Admonishment

Lord, what should be the one sentence description of the main benefit of our muse product?

Saving grace is …

Lord I’m trying to hear you. Will you reveal to me what the main benefit description is for our muse product?

Never lose sight of the end.

Are you revealing the benefit or are you speaking to me more generally?

Clearly, generally.

Lord, are you saying that there is potential for me to put aside all that our relationship has become? Are you saying that I may become engrossed in myself if I were to have more time on my hands?

Yes, Michael. It’s a very real possibility.

What must I do to make sure that doesn’t happen?

It’s a matter of the heart, Michael. You can’t establish a plan or routine and expect your heart to follow. Your heart leads.

So how do I make sure my heart stays true to you?

This blog is your evidence Michael. Our relationship is very real. I am leading you toward holiness. But there is risk inherent in the direction you are going. A mind freed is a heart at risk.

I don’t understand. I thought you said that the heart leads. Doesn’t that imply that the heart has a will?

The ‘heart’ as I’m describing does have will.

Will you explain more please?

The will of your heart is deeply seeded. It is formed by key distinct moments or periods in your life. This is much different than the will of your mind. Your mind works differently, and is much more self-centered.

Is the will of a person’s heart always pointed toward you?

Yes, Michael. That’s good. Otherwise, the will of the heart could end up pointing away and leading a person into destruction. The will of the heart is the undercurrent of your life, which is always flowing in a specific direction (toward me). The question is, how does a person respond to that undercurrent. You said before that my voice can feel like a nuisance tugging you in a direction your mind doesn’t want to go. That is exactly the issue. Most minds fight the current. They do not want to submit to the current, and so work against it, causing them much wasted energy and sorrow in the end. The current is true; but you must submit to it. Get your mind’s will out of the way and let go of the oars.

This is amazing Lord. It’s just so amazing to me and such a testament that this prayer is so real that I can begin a prayer with absolutely no agenda, and be revealed such wisdom. I know this is not of me, half the time I don’t even understand what you’re telling me at first. It’s truly humbling.

Michael, accept and submit to it. Respect and love me by trusting and obeying me. Now back to my original words – don’t forget the end.

What is the end?

Do I have to tell you? See if you can answer your own question.

The end is walking hand-in-hand with you, my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The end is holiness and ruling in your name with you in your kingdom on earth.

It’s the latter. The former (walking together) is how we get to the end. Walking together will bring you to holiness. This experience is a stage in that process. One that is essential. We are building our relationship on your trust and obedience in my word. Now you are on the verge of something very significant, and I’m admonishing you to keep the end in sight.

I just looked up the word admonish – I’m assuming you are intending that as ‘to urge to duty: remind’ as opposed to ‘to reprove or scold’.

Yes, but it could turn from the former to the latter based on your focus – the will of your mind. It will become easier to subject your mind to your heart over time. You are still young in this process, so there are some key challenges to overcome.

Like success?

Yes Michael. But success in many ways. Call it blessings. When I bless a person, it is either the mind or the heart that recognizes that blessing. The mind will claim ownership and say that it was responsible for the success. The heart will relinquish ownership and acknowledge that it was the source of the ‘current’ of their life that allowed that success to be realized. In order to stay in my will, you must be subjected to the current. In order to be subjected to the current, we must be in close relation with each other. To be in close relation with each other, you must be obedient. In order to be obedient, you must keep the end in mind.

Can you help me understand that progression better? Is that really what it boils down to, or is there more to it? It seems to me that with all the Christian scholars of the world, having relationship with you is very difficult or complex. There are mountains and mountains of books on every subject conceivable to help people get to where I feel I am already with you, simply in hearing your will and wisdom and walking with you.

And most of those books are read by people who hardly ever even pray to me, let alone talk with me. Prayer to me is wonderful, it is a step in releasing the control of the mind over the will of the heart. But there is more available, as you have experienced and this blog attests.

So, you said earlier that a mind freed is a heart at risk. What exactly does that mean, given all that you’ve just shared?

Your heart wants to ride the current. The mind wants stimulation, excitement, etc. For some, it’s learning, for some it’s travel, for some it’s drama (sports, tv, personal relationships, etc), etc. When a mind is ‘freed’ or all of a sudden has much more time available, it seeks to fill that time with stimulation, excitement, etc. These can very easily become distractions from subjecting yourself to the current – following your heart’s true will.

I think I understand. That helps. So are you saying that if / when I am blessed with success of freeing my mind to focus on the important that I need to keep the end in mind?

Yes Michael. The pleasures of the mind mean absolutely nothing in relation to what’s truly important. Staying focused on the end will help you to keep yourself subjected to my will, obedient, and in close personal relation with me. That is what is ultimately most important. In fact, when I bless you with this mental freedom, I expect more devotion from you. I am not blessing you so that you will spend more time with me, I am blessing you because I expect that you will spend more time with me.

Isn’t that the same thing?

No. Again, figure this one out for yourself.

You don’t want me to devote more time with you because of your blessing; you want to bless because that is inherently what I will do?

That’s right Michael. You’re smarter than you look.

Ha ha, a joke from God? I didn’t expect that.

I have much more in store for you that you won’t expect.

So, thinking back to your wisdom that ‘the heart leads’, I want to make sure I understand correctly, using the analogy of the current / stream. So the heart has a will of its own, and its will is for the person to subject him/herself to the current, that comes from you – the Source. The mind, however, is constantly looking for stimulation and excitement, and sees the current as letting go of the possibility for those things and so fights against the current?

You’re almost right. The mind sabotages the heart’s will – it wants complete control. The mind and the heart are in battle constantly. In the vast majority of people, the mind is clearly the winner, and the heart isn’t even acknowledged as an opponent – like it doesn’t even exist. Yet in some people, the heart is acknowledged, recognized, and heard, and ultimately the person learns to subject themselves to the current leading them to me.

This makes me wonder about the question of whether there are multiple ‘paths’ to holiness / heaven.

Michael, the Bible holds the answer to that question. It is not for you to address here.

I’m starting to get it, I think. When the Bible addresses a question or issue, and the issue is not directly personal or pressing for me, then you point me to the Bible. But when the issue or question is of more practical and pressing importance for me personally, then you address it directly with me?

That’s a pretty good observation. You’re pretty much right on with that. I will bring you back to Biblical truth if the issue is of pressing personal importance, as I will do with anyone else in communion with me.

So you said earlier that the will of the heart is deep-seeded, based upon life experience. Will you share more about that?

The current, and me as its source, is revealed in each person’s life, throughout their life. Those revelations, regardless of how startling or seemingly insignificant, leave an impression on the heart. That impression becomes known to that person as their heart’s will. When those impressions become significant enough, that person is reminded of their heart’s will (to subject themselves to the current and me as its source) and will repeatedly return to let go of their mind’s will in favor of following their heart’s will. This happens in ebbs and flows throughout life, the question is what is dominating your life (mind or heart), and do you follow your heart’s will to the point where you truly subject yourself to me and approach and reach holiness. Satan is a master of distraction and deception; he has the key to your mind. But he can never reach your heart.

Wow, this is amazing to me.

Michael, you are amazing to me.

Hmm.. thank you, but you know that I react poorly to comments like that. I guess I’ve learned to think that those kind of words are empty.

I know Michael, but you need to just take a deep breath, release your pride, and accept that statement for what it is. You are truly amazing. You don’t have to do anything else, be anything else, achieve anything, say anything, think anything, etc. You simply are.. truly amazing.

This is so weird, writing this in a journal that other people will read.

Michael, I have created each person in my image. My image is truly amazing. Again, release your pride. I’m not telling you that you’re better than anyone, but you are uniquely special. I’m not telling you that you’re more capable than anyone, yet you are truly amazing.

I am truly amazing – you’re right! Wow, I never thought of it like that! I just think about the body itself and the complexities that keep me alive, and that’s just my physical nature. My spiritual nature, therefore, is.. truly amazing. That also means that everyone else around me is uniquely special and also truly amazing. Wow, how little I recognize that… Is that disrespectful to you that I didn’t recognize that sooner?

It will be now. Recognize it – this is another key to your growth. Love me and love others around you – those are the greatest commandments. See others for what they really are. Then see the potential relationship each could have with me.

Thank you Lord. I cherish this time with you.

Rest well Michael.

After reviewing this post, it’s interesting when I think about the notion of God as the source and the end of the ‘current’, as well as the notion that Christ is the ‘living water’, and ‘the way, the truth, and the life’. Is Christ the current? Is trusting Christ in this analogy trusting the current, with God as its source and end?