DEVELOPING THE CHRISTIAN MIND.
SYNCHRONIZING WITH GOD’S WILL
Adriana Schalkwijk-Ribeiro
Adapted from Dr. Rev. F. L. Schalkwijk
DCM - Winter 2009
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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
to the Lewis’ DCM February 16, 20082 AD
Overview
1. FRAMEWORK OF
ACTION
a. SOCIAL
b. PERSONAL
c. Our Tools (faculties)
i.
ii.
iii.
2. God’s Will
3. Our Will
4. God’s Checkpoints
Spiritual
Mind
Body
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1) OUR SOCIETAL FRAMEWORK FOR
ACTION
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1) Social Framework:
A
Godly
Framework
for
Action
Heavenly versus Hellish
The Church
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
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1) Societal Framework:
Grow in Grace at Your Base
“Grow in the grace
and knowledge of
our Lord and
Savior Jesus
Christ”
2Pet 3:18
PS: Peter wrote his letters to be “reminders to
stimulate you to wholesome thinking” 2Pet3:16
A. SOCIAL
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A. Social integration:
God’s ‘Plumb Line’ for the
1.
Family house rules (Eph 5 & 6)
a.
b.
2.
Love
Respect
Church (1Pe 5:1-5) In
a.
b.
c.
3.
A Plumb Line
‘Koinoinia ‘ (sharing in common,
communion) and ‘Liturgia’
Didascalia (prophet: teacher)
Poimenia (king: shepherd)
Diaconia (priest: service)
Missiologia
Society (Eph 6:5-9)
College too!
4.
State (Heb 13:1-7)
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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
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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
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Resources
Our faculties: body, mind and spirit
B. PERSONAL
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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
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B. PERSONAL: Our Faculties
b) Mind
– intellect, thinking (2Cor 10:5)
– feeling, emotions (Phil 4:6,7)
– Will (Ps 40:8)
c) Physical (body)
– Eyes (1Jo 2:16)
– Ears (Ps 40:6)
– Hands (Ps 90:17)
– Feet (Gen 5:24; 1Jo 1:7)
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2) GOD’S WILL
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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
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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.
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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
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3) OUR (MY) WILL
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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
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3) Our Will: Recognize Weak Points
• Lust? cut now (surgery
better than tragedy!)
(Gen 39:9, 1John 2:16)
• Greed? give tenth’s,
give extra for the poor
(Lev 25:25)
• Pride? balloon-itis
(acute or chronic)?
needle of Holy Spirit
(1Cor 4:7).
• Engage
“Do not
mostfollow
‘soldiers’
in your weak points
the
crowd
in
• Use the crutch (cane)
doingWord
wrong”
of God’s
Exodus 23:2
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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
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“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
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4) HIS CHECK POINT: CONSCIENCE
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4) His Check Point: Conscience
a) Where?
In the heart, but can be
read on all levels (Rom
2:15)
b) What?
‘con-science (with
knowledge)’: ‘coknowledge’, ‘to know
with’ (the will of God)
- Voice of God? echo (in
the right spot?)
- Indicator (1Tim 1:5)
1. heart = motor
2. conscience = gauge
3. faith = gasoline
- Compass (need to
check it)
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4) His Check Point: Conscience
c) Conscience Checkup
(1Tim 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? (1Tim 4:2)
The devil branded skin?
You need a skin transplant
(heart) (Prov 23:26).
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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)
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Joy = ‘Jesus and you and nothing
in between’
Rejoice
Phil 4:4-7
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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
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