What is real? How can I tell? episode artwork

EPISODE · Jan 11, 2026 · 32 MIN

What is real? How can I tell?

from The Weekly Word from Burns · host Burns Church

Not everything is as it seems. Whether it’s a $27.50 Magna Carta that turned out to be priceless or a "trustworthy" person who turns out to be false, we are facing a crisis of discernment. Gullibility isn't a spiritual gift. Discernment is! So how do we move beyond naivety and learn to see things as they really are? This sermon looks at... The Harvard Mistake: Why even experts struggle to distinguish the real from the fake. The Flaw of Intuition: Why "feeling right" is a dangerous way to judge truth, news, or religious messages. Solomon’s Actual Prayer: Looking at 1 Kings 3, we see that Solomon asked for something more specific than just generic "wisdom." The Training Plan: Discernment isn't just a gift you’re born with; according to Hebrews 5:14, it is a skill honed by constant practice and righteousness, a gift given by God, and a gift given by our faith community. Key Scripture: Hebrews 5:14, 1 Kings 3:9, Isaiah 11:3-5

Not everything is as it seems. Whether it’s a $27.50 Magna Carta that turned out to be priceless or a "trustworthy" person who turns out to be false, we are facing a crisis of discernment. Gullibility isn't a spiritual gift. Discernment is! So how do we move beyond naivety and learn to see things as they really are? This sermon looks at... The Harvard Mistake: Why even experts struggle to distinguish the real from the fake. The Flaw of Intuition: Why "feeling right" is a dangerous way to judge truth, news, or religious messages. Solomon’s Actual Prayer: Looking at 1 Kings 3, we see that Solomon asked for something more specific than just generic "wisdom." The Training Plan: Discernment isn't just a gift you’re born with; according to Hebrews 5:14, it is a skill honed by constant practice and righteousness, a gift given by God, and a gift given by our faith community. Key Scripture: Hebrews 5:14, 1 Kings 3:9, Isaiah 11:3-5

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What is real? How can I tell?

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This episode was published on January 11, 2026.

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Not everything is as it seems. Whether it’s a $27.50 Magna Carta that turned out to be priceless or a "trustworthy" person who turns out to be false, we are facing a crisis of discernment. Gullibility isn't a spiritual gift. Discernment is! So how...

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