Restorin g Your Mind Family Worship Center Pastor Mark Schwarzbauer, Ph.D.

Romans 12:1-2 1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

Romans 12:1-2 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Part One: The Location For Change

Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinks in his heart so is he.

The Human Brain

Brain Functions

The Reticular Activating System RAS from the Reticular Formation

The brain- Mystery of matter and mind, US News Books, "Gatekeeper to consciousness, spark of the mind, the reticular formation connects with major nerves in the spinal column and brain. It sorts the 100 million impulses that assault the brain each second, deflecting the trivial, letting the vital through to alert the mind. The mind cannot function without this catalytic bundle of cells. Damage to them results in coma - the loss of consciousness."

So here is Bruner's “inhibitory system,” the centralized, indefatigable, quintessential sentinel and manager of the brain, the Reticular Activating System (or what theologians should recognize as the “heart”), as it says in the illustration above, “deflecting the trivial, letting the vital through to alert the mind.” LeDoux, Joseph, Synaptic Self: How Our Brains Become Who We Are Penguin Books 2003

…the RAS will only allow you to perceive accurately those things that satisfy ALL THREE criteria: 1. “Is it my responsibility?” 2. “Is it important?” 3. “Does it match my version of the truth?” God in your goals, Rick Seymour.

The Greek word for “repentance” is metanoevw (metanoeo), which means to “change your mind.”

So when God tells you to repent He’s telling you to change the way you think about something so you change the actions that result from your thinking.

How to Change Your Life Accept appropriate responsibility Define what is important Distinguish and deepen your beliefs

Last Week: Changing Minds Changing Lives

Part Two: Restoring Your Mind

System restore screen

Programmed in Childhood Your Family Picture Goes Here

The Faith Filter

Hebrews 11:1 faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen.

Proverbs 3:5&6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

The Thank s Filter

I Thessalonians 5:18 “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

The Love Filter

The Self Denial Filter

Luke 9: Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 24 “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. 25 “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?

Changing your life requires changing your filters