When I Journal He Speaks, by Dr. Michelle Miner

[Note: This book was provided free of charge by Author Blog Tours in exchange for an honest review.]

Often in my discussions with a particularly disagreeable antinominan in various post-WCG internet forums [1], I would debate with a woman who claimed some sort of mystical direct experience with what she viewed as an angel of God (though I, of course, thought differently) who believed that her mystical and emotional connection with God allowed her insight that contradicted certain aspects of God’s ways (most particularly His laws). I have since wondered where exactly she, and those who believe and practice like she does, get their supposed direct insight from God, and this book provides at least some of that answer.

Among those who profess a belief in Jesus Christ, there are a variety of different approaches that are taken to adversity and to security. This book follows the approach of Darby [2] or PM Dawn [3] in seeking to resolve the tension of the two faces of God’s approach to man in justice or mercy by showing a beautiful and compassionate response that emphasizes eternal security, peace, and stillness. Even so, the occasional digs that this book makes towards Christian romance novels suggests that there is at least some judgment here to be found, even if the book focuses nearly exclusively on feelings and making sure that we do not condemn ourselves when God has not condemned us. There is a school of thought that seeks to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable, and this book certainly seeks to comfort the afflicted and provide reassurance to those who have lived lives full of the abuse and wickedness of others against us that no scars or damage can keep us from the love of God. This is a worthwhile message to hear.

To be sure, this book over and over again says that those words that contradict the Word of God are not to be believed, but this “word” is left unspecified, and would seem to refer to the promises of security and peace, rather than to the content of the laws of God that are to form the reflection of believers who seek to be transformed into His image and likeness and to live according to His ways. While the author provides some very good tips on how to deal with those who are estranged from us (advice I have sought to follow, with varying and uneven degrees of success), the book also states that we are to judge a message based on whether it sounds accusatory or encouraging, rather than noting that there is a difference between a satanic accusation and a godly rebuke. By relying on subjective feelings to determine one’s spiritual state (including wishing a removal of all weights, including the crosses that we are all to carry as believers, or the burden that all believers have—see, for example, Galatians 6:1-5), this book seems to neglect the godly place for spiritual intervention even while remaining gentle and tender with the wounds of many believers who have suffered greatly in this wicked world.

Nevertheless, also this book cannot be considered as a balanced approach to God’s way (certainly not with regards to the ethical requirements for believers, which this book seems to regard as a form of perfectionism), it does serve several valuable purposes. For one, it provides an elegant means of the use of journaling to have directed reflections on God’s promises of comfort and security and intimacy with him (and other believers). For another, it provides an example of the way in which believers seek mystical communication with God while dealing with the understanding that not all spirits are in alignment with God or God’s ways. The book manages to do that in seven chapters with 40 days worth of journaling topics. The book also deals with a serious question: how do we comfort the heart and rely on the heart even given its self-deception and other weaknesses? This book suggests that this comfort spring from the promises of God, even if it is not sufficiently balanced in recognizing the full extent of the lies and deceptions which the heart can fall into, even with a fervent and passionate devotion to Jesus Christ.

[1] This book, as it happens, has a positive reference to Benny Hinn, who is best known in post-WCG circles as one of the people who has profited from the breakup of Worldwide Church of God through his purchase of assets once belonging to the apostate Grace Communion Fellowship, including the Ambassador Auditorium.

[2] https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2011/11/03/book-review-spirit-of-antichrist/

[3] See, for example:

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2013/09/21/i-hope-you-look-at-me-through-patient-eyes/

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2011/10/04/pm-dawn-and-the-gnostic-revival/