Resilient Fatih: Discernment

Young people are looking to their devices to make sense of the world around them. As we’ve pointed out, they are using the screens in their pockets as their counselors, their entertainers, their instructors, and even their sex educators, among many other digital-Sherpa roles. Why make the effort to talk to your parents or teachers when you can privately ask the smartphone in your hand? The problem we want to identify is the challenge of trying to find real, livable wisdom in an accelerated, complex culture.
Kinnaman, David; Matlock, Mark; Hawkins, Aly. Faith for Exiles 

How do we build resilient faith?

Last Week:
To form a resilient faith, identity is found & experienced in with Jesus.

Life is…
Complex

Anxious 

There is more to think about, more to worry about, more to concern yourself with—and that’s just on your Facebook feed on Tuesday morning. Previously unimaginable complexity is creating an epidemic of anxiety in our homes and heads that is ratcheted up in the hearts of the next generation.
Kinnaman, David; Matlock, Mark; Hawkins, Aly. Faith for Exiles 

There is more to think about, more to worry about, more to concern yourself with—and that’s just on your Facebook feed on Tuesday morning. Previously unimaginable complexity is creating an epidemic of anxiety in our homes and heads that is ratcheted up in the hearts of the next generation.
Kinnaman, David; Matlock, Mark; Hawkins, Aly. Faith for Exiles 

What’s the solution?

To form a resilient faith, we must learn .

Discernment starts with to the right voice.

Spiritual Discernment
“The heart of spiritual discernment is being able to distinguish the voice of the world from the voice of God.”

John 10:1-4 (NIV)
10 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 

VS

Jeremiah 3:15

And I will give you shepherds after my own heart,    who will guide you with knowledge and understanding.

Isaiah 56:11

Like greedy dogs, they are never satisfied.They are ignorant shepherds,    all following their own path    and intent on personal gain.

How did they get to me?

Whose voice are you to?

Cultural Discernment

How should I live?

John 10:1-4 (NIV)3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.

5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.

Spiritual discernment brings , which leads to cultural discernment.

7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

The enemy’s goal is to keep you and distracted.

Why cultural discernment?

Education by Search Engine
The Tyranny of Now
Passing The Time
Filtering Reality

How can we live in a deeper, truer narrative about ourselves, about our world, about God’s nature and his design for flourishing human life?

The Resilience of Wisdom

Our heart cry should be…
“I want to find a way to follow Jesus that blesses the world I live in”

Your habits matter…



Your mindset matters…



Philippians 4:4-94 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.