DEVELOPING THE CHRISTIAN MIND SYNCHRONIZING WITH GOD S WILL

DEVELOPING THE CHRISTIAN MIND. SYNCHRONIZING WITH GOD’S WILL Adriana Schalkwijk-Ribeiro Adapted from Dr. Rev. F. L. Schalkwijk DCM - Winter 2009 1

Integration DEVELOPING THE CHRISTIAN MIND. SYNCHRONIZING WITH GOD’S WILL Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Prov. 4: 23 Adapted from a lecture given by Rev. Dr. Frans Leonard Schalkwijk 2 to the Lewis’ DCM February 16, 2008 AD

Overview 1. FRAMEWORK OF ACTION a. SOCIAL b. PERSONAL c. Our Tools (faculties) 2. God’s Will 3. Our Will 4. God’s Checkpoints i. Spiritual ii. Mind iii. Body 3

1) OUR SOCIETAL FRAMEWORK FOR ACTION 4

1) Social Framework: A Godly Framework for Action Church Heavenly versus Hellish The Hierarchy in Society Positive and negative influence of both kingdoms in the Family, Church, Society, State The active Church Community through Liturgia (public worship), as Prophets, Kings and Priests in society 5

1) Societal Framework: Grow in Grace at Your Base “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” 2 Pet 3: 18 PS: Peter wrote his letters to be “reminders to 6 stimulate you to wholesome thinking” 2 Pet 3: 1

A. SOCIAL 7

A. Social integration: God’s ‘Plumb Line’ for the A Plumb Line 1. Family house rules (Eph 5 & 6) a. b. Love Respect 2. Church (1 Pe 5: 1 -5) In a. b. c. ‘Koinoinia ‘ (sharing in common, communion) and ‘Liturgia’ Didascalia (prophet: teacher) Poimenia (king: shepherd) Diaconia (priest: service) Missiologia 3. Society (Eph 6: 5 -9) College too! 4. State (Heb 13: 1 -7) 8

A. Social integration: Are You a Blessing? To what Degree? + or -? More paradise or hell? You make a difference in your (small or wide) societal circle! www. freesoftwaremagazine. com Hieronymus Bosch 9

David’s Prayer of Action “May those who hope in you not be disgraced because of me, O Lord, the LORD Almighty; may those who seek you not be put to shame because of me, O God of Israel” Ps 69: 6 10

Resources Our faculties: body, mind and spirit B. PERSONAL 11

B. PERSONAL: Our Faculties What faculties do we have? (1 Thes 5: 23, 24) a) spiritual: heart, Pr 23: 26! John Calvin’s seal (1550) (Ef 6: 6) doing His will from the heart • • doing the right thing the right way the right time for the right reason 12

B. PERSONAL: Our Faculties b) Mind – intellect, thinking (2 Cor 10: 5) – feeling, emotions (Phil 4: 6, 7) – Will (Ps 40: 8) c) Physical (body) – Eyes (1 Jo 2: 16) – Ears (Ps 40: 6) – Hands (Ps 90: 17) – Feet (Gen 5: 24; 1 Jo 1: 7) 13

2) GOD’S WILL 14

2) His Will: To Act Only to know? No! It is to do the will of God “Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground. ” Ps 143: 10 15

2) His Will: Gods Will, Basic Laws 1. Time and Place are created together (Gen 1: 1) Two focal points of an ellipse “now” and “here” ‘Serve in you here and now’ X X 2. Natural Law: No 2 objects in same place Pride? entering into orbit? 3. Moral law our norm: Paradise = Ex 20 = Mat 5 -7 = Mat 22: 37 -40 = Rom 13: 10. 16

Do you need specific guidance at intersection of your pilgrim road? Male Female “Who, then, is the man “I will instruct you and that fears the LORD teach you in the way ? He will instruct you should go; I will him in the way counsel you and chosen for him. ” watch over you. “ Ps 25: 12 Ps. 32: 8 17

3) OUR (MY) WILL 18

3) Our Will: Is Like Driving a Car… • Gear shift stick or automatic? Order requires obedience (from head, hands to feet) “To obey is better than sacrifice” In 1 Sam 15: 22 the forbidden areas ‘adiaphora’ are ordered • Steering ‘normal’ tendency to deviate (individuals, groups) A warning: Mt 16: 12 “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it. " Is 30: 21 19

3) Our Will: Recognize Weak Points • Lust? cut now (surgery better than tragedy!) (Gen 39: 9, 1 John 2: 16) • Greed? give tenth’s, give extra for the poor (Lev 25: 25) • Pride? balloon-itis (acute or chronic)? needle of Holy Spirit (1 Cor 4: 7). “Do not follow • Engage most ‘soldiers’ in your weak points the crutch (cane) of crowd in • Use the doing wrong” God’s Word Exodus 23: 2 20

3) Our Will: My Life Text Ruanda Revival: Galatians 2: 20 Warnings: • Bitter root (Heb 12: 15) • Knowledge only? Rather: Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground” Ps 143: 10 21

“Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; continue in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and your hearers. ” 1 Timothy 4: 16 22

4) HIS CHECK POINT: CONSCIENCE 23

4) His Check Point: Conscience a) Where? - Voice of God? echo (in the right spot? ) In the heart, but can be read on all levels (Rom - Indicator (1 Tim 1: 5) 2: 15) 1. heart = motor 2. conscience = gauge b) What? 3. faith = gasoline ‘con-science (with - Compass (need to knowledge)’: ‘cocheck it) knowledge’, ‘to know with’ (the will of God) 24

4) His Check Point: Conscience c) Conscience Checkup (1 Tim 1: 19) Faith: shipwrecked? Enter the workshop of the Holy Spirit! 1. Weak (1 Cor 8: 7) Does not fight evil Strengthen: pass magnet of God’s Word (Ps 119: 11) 2. Dirty (1 Cor 8: 7) ‘defiled’ Wash up (Heb 9: 14) Florence Nightingale 3. Contaminated (1 Cor 8: 7) Not sick but close! Low Immunity? You need an injection of God’s Word (Gen 39: 9) 4. Half dead? (1 Tim 4: 2) The devil branded skin? You need a skin transplant (heart) (Prov 23: 26). 25

4) His Check Point: Conscience d) Diagnosis, treatment? 1. Psalm 139: 23, 24; 143: 10 Say ‘yes’, act ‘yes’ (Mat 9: 9; Jam 2: 12) 2. Integrated Christian mind (Prov 23: 26; 4: 23) Cur meum… (Calvin) Our Lamb has conquered. Let us follow Him! (Moravian seal, 1728) 26

Joy = ‘Jesus and you and nothing in between’ Rejoice Phil 4: 4 -7 27

Shalom, Pax Domini "I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. “ Jo 16: 33 28