My God and My Neighbor

There’s nothing new about this commonly asked question about God and religion. From prophets in the Old Testament to martyrs in the Revelation, saints of God have struggled to understand the answer to the simple question: “Why?”In this episode, we will delve into verses that provide a basis for understanding this puzzling dilemma of mankind—If God is all-powerful and if He is perfect in love, then why does He permit evil and suffering? As we think on these passages, we’ll gain strength and patience to endure in a world that, as the great Old Testament character Job described it, is “full of trouble.”Read about this subjectScripture: Genesis 3; Deuteronomy 8; Hebrew 12:1-11God at a DistanceListen to more on this subject My God & My Neighbor “Why, Lord?” Series

4/15/26 • 30:41

This question ranks at the top of the list of the most commonly asked questions in internet searches. This episode is a simple approach to this issue. Sometimes we defend the existence of God with technical words and drawn-out reasoning. There is a place for these discussions, but the truth is the average person doesn’t understand those words and needs something more direct. How would you say God would answer this question? What does God point to as proof that He exists? To see His answer, just read the Bible. It’s not that the Bible spends a lot of time making the case for the existence of God. It’s that the Bible points us to something every person on earth can see. The episode explains how.Read about this subjectScripture: Psalm 19:1-3; Psalm 14:1; Acts 14:15-17; Acts 17:16-31; Romans 1:18-32Pillars of the FaithListen to more on this subject Bible Doctrine, “God”

4/8/26 • 30:55

Jesus said, “You shall know the truth” (John 8:32). That settles the matter. So why is it that many believers think we can never be sure about our faith until we get to heaven? Some call it a “leap of faith”— an expression that is not in the Bible. Others think certain verses in the Bible teach that we can’t know the truth; we can only hope that we do. This thinking is becoming more common. Our age is called the period of postmodernism of which skepticism is a key element. It is in public education, especially on the university level. Young people are being taught that nothing is absolute and everything is relative. The church has been influenced by this teaching. So if you’ve wondered why the faith of some has grown cold, this is one of the reasons. But this episode will show that God didn’t leave us in the dark. He made us and He revealed Himself to us so that we can know Him and His will.Read about this subjectScripture: I Timothy 2:4; Hebrews 11:1; II Corinthians 5:7God at a DistanceListen to more on this subject “Bible Interpretation”

4/1/26 • 29:13

Left, right or straight ahead? How many times have you faced that decision on the road? This episode is about direction in life. Sometimes the course to take is clear because God’s Word tells you what to do. At other times it is not. For Christians, that is where trust in God comes into play. Proverbs 3:6 tells us how to leverage the providential hand of God. It is about the simple recognition Jesus spoke of in the model prayer: “Your will be done.”Read about this subjectScripture: Proverbs 3:6, Proverbs 16:9; Hosea 4:6“Peace and Contentment”Listen to more on this subject America Through the Eyes of Isaiah, Lesson 23, “God’s Ways or Our Ways?”

3/25/26 • 31:02

Christians will quickly tell you they believe God exists. But if you ask them if they trust God, they may hesitate. Trust can be a difficult concept to grasp, not because it’s hard to understand, but because it’s hard to do. God gives us the ability to stand on our own and make decisions for ourselves. Putting our trust in Him and letting Him have control of our hearts and lives can be a challenge. But if we really think about what we are saying when we acknowledge that He is, trusting Him should be natural. After all, He is the all-knowing, all-powerful God who never changes and will always do what is best for us. In this episode on Proverbs 3:5, you’ll be challenged and encouraged to give your heart fully to Him.Read about this subjectScripture: Proverbs 3:5; Psalm 118:8; Proverbs 28:26“Where Our Hearts Truly Belong”Listen to more on this subject 10 n 10 - 10 Proverbs in 10 Minutes

3/18/26 • 30:55

When you face a really hard trial of life, it’s hard to see how anything good could come out of it. Your mind is so fixated on surviving the pain of the present that you don’t think about it. And if the hardship lasts for months or years, you get into such a habit of thinking negative thoughts that it’s difficult to have positive ones. We don’t know how these tragic times in our Christian lives work out for good, but God does. So it’s no surprise that Romans 8:28 is one of the most read Bible verses in our time (and perhaps in any age). The outlook of this verse is not desperate hope. It is a promise from God Himself who knows the future and intervenes to bring good out of bad (and even the worst) situations. In this episode, we will see many encouraging stories in the Scriptures that illuminate this text and teach us not to lose hope.Read about this subjectScripture: Romans 8:28; Genesis 45:5-8; Genesis 50:19-20; Philippians 1:12-18“Long, Hard Lessons of Life”Listen to more on this subject My God & My Neighbor, “Why, Lord? Series”

3/11/26 • 30:23

People today have a personal interest in the Bible because they want to know if God has a personal interest in them. They want to know if God has a plan for their life, a plan for their future.Does God have a plan just for you? If He does, can we know what it is? Jeremiah 29:11 is a popular verse today because in it God said He had “thought” or “plans” for His people. The real question is: What did He mean? In this episode we will look at Scriptures that give direction and boundaries to the study of this verse. At that same, we will gain encouragement and hope.Read about this subjectScripture: Jeremiah 29:11; Isaiah 55:8-9; Philemon 15“Bright Expectations”Listen to more on this subject America Through the Eyes of Isaiah Track 20: “The Hidden God”

3/4/26 • 31:04

This episode kicks off a new series on Bible verses that are Googled most. At the top of the list is John 3:16. Millions know it by heart. Countless sermons have been preached on it. This one verse contains many of the most important themes in the Bible: God, Christ, salvation, love, faith, salvation and the hereafter. Yet the “Golden Text” of the Bible is one of the least understood. Church traditions have obscured the meaning of Jesus’ famous words and religions such as Judaism and Islam deny one of the foundational tenets of Christianity taught by it—the role of Jesus Christ in salvation. As a result, it remains little more than a tee shirt slogan or a tattoo for many.This episode takes you step-by-step through the words of this rich passage of Scripture that is a promise of hope to a world in darkness.Read about this subjectScripture: John 3:16; I John 4:9-10; John 1:1“Jesus and Nicodemus,” Annual Lesson Commentary, Fourth Quarter, 1949Listen to more on this subject RENEW 2014 – “God’s Amazing Grace”

2/25/26 • 31:01

The U.S. military bombs Islamic terrorist locations in Nigeria. New York City elects the first Muslim Mayor. A Congressional hearing is held to discuss whether sharia is compatible with the American system of government. These recent developments have called attention once more to the growing presence of Islam in America.This episode is not a primer about what Muslims believe and how they worship. It is a discussion of a question that is being increasingly debated: Is Islam a violent ideology or a peaceful religion? There is only one way to get to the bottom of this issue, and that is to consult the most authoritative sources in Islam. Read about this subjectScripture: Matthew 7:15; Ephesians 6:10-17How God Speaks and How You Can KnowView more on this subject “Jesus, Muhammad, and Peaceful Coexistence”

2/18/26 • 30:56

The wealthiest and wisest man who ever lived said the problem of mankind is that people are not satisfied. His name was Solomon. In the book of Ecclesiastes, he wrote about the emptiness inside us that can drive us to seek satisfaction through selfish pleasures. But he said that just will not work. The more we try to find fulfillment through pleasures, the more empty we will feel. He knew that by revelation, and he had learned it by experience. What were his final words about the the solution to the restless feeling many have inside? “Fear God and keep His commandments” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).The apostle Paul was not a free man when he wrote to the Christians at Philippi. He had been through good times and bad times in life, and he had learned from them. He learned by experience to be content. This episode caps off a series on living a selfless, giving life. Read about this subjectScripture: Philippians 4:11-13; I Timothy 6:7-8; Hebrews 13:5“Christian Contentment” in Annual Lesson Commentary, 1950, Fourth Quarter, Lesson 2Listen to more on this subject "America Through the Eyes of Isaiah", track 22 “The Furnace of Affliction”

2/11/26 • 30:52

It’s no surprise that Philippians 4:6-8 is one of the top internet searches related to the Bible. Stress, anxiety and depression are worldwide problems. People are looking for peace with others and peace inside. This is a powerful passage on the subject that deserves special attention.Many Christians are like Martha who was “worried and troubled about many things” (Luke 10:41). People in Bible times struggled with worry too. That’s why God’s teaching in this 2,000-year-old passage is so important. Christians today need it and can benefit from it as much as the Philippian Christians did. Follow this episode carefully and commit to training your heart and mind to pray and be thankful instead of worrying.Read about this subjectScripture: Philippians 4:6-8; Matthew 6:25-34; Proverbs 3:5-6“God’s Promises”Listen to more on this subject RENEW 2019 – “…stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding…” (1 Cor. 15:58)

2/4/26 • 30:39

For hundreds of years before Jesus came, Greek philosophers debated all kinds of philosophical questions. They rarely agreed on anything. But there was one thing many of them were united on: the highest goal in life, the greatest good, is happiness. But the tragedy was that they couldn’t agree on what happiness is or how to get it.Today 2000 years later, the situation hasn't changed. People want to be happy, but they don't know what real happiness is or how to have it.In this lesson, we come to one of the most memorable things Paul said about joy. “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, Rejoice!”Read about this subjectScripture: Philippians 4:4; Matthew 5:10-12; II Cor. 7:4; Prov. 17:22“Bright Expectations”Listen to more on this subject “10 N 10”, 10 Proverbs in 10 Minutes Devotional Series - Proverbs 17

1/28/26 • 30:41

Your past can be a friend or an enemy, a teacher or a tormentor. Memories can make you happy or sad. The apostle Paul had, as we would say, “a past.” But not everything in his life before he became a Christian was evil. Much of it was good, even impressive, in his time. He was a successful man in the Jewish community who was on the verge of becoming more successful. He also did something that still astounds Bible readers: he persecuted Christians. But he left that life behind and kept it there. Learn how as you sit at the feet of this great man of God.Read about this subjectScripture: Philippians 3:5-14Listen to more on this subject Bible Commentary, Ephesians 1:18-2:22 (track 8)Bible Commentary, Ephesians 2:16-3:21 (track 12)

1/21/26 • 30:40

They weren’t related by blood, but they had the same heart. Both of them had an unselfish, giving spirit. Bible readers usually recognize one of their names, but they don’t know much about the second. Yet Paul paid to each of these men some of the highest compliments he ever gave anyone outside of the Lord Himself. They stand out in the New Testament among the saints, but not because they were smarter than others. Not because they were better preachers. Not because they had more spiritual gifts than others. What stood out to Paul about them was their care for others and their willingness to sacrifice for the work of the Lord. They truly practiced what Paul said earlier in Philippians 2:4—“Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”Timothy and Epaphroditus raised the bar high by their selfless service to the Lord. Best of all, they did so gladly. This episode will challenge you not just to learn more about these men but also to learn more about yourself and grow in the giving nature these men had.Read about this subjectScriptures: Philippians 2:19-30; Matthew 22:1-5"Present Your Bodies"Listen to more on this subjectBible Commentary I-II Corinthians, Lesson 27

1/14/26 • 30:42

Don’t let the title fool you. If you’ve read your Bible a lot, you’re probably thinking this is a lesson from Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount. But this is different. Jesus talked about letting your light shine by doing good. In this episode, Paul shows us that we let our light shine by what we don’t do.The book of Philippians is about how to face trials and tribulations. It is a book about how Christians should have optimism and joy in spite of these troubles. That optimism will show. Others will see it even when when we’re not talking about it.Read about this subjectScriptures: Philippians 2:14-17; Numbers 11“Peace and Contentment”Listen to more on this subject Bible Commentary I-II Corinthians, Lesson 39

1/7/26 • 30:15

Today we look backward and forward at the same time. This episode will help you do both. We’ve pulled an episode from the archives that fits this time of the year perfectly. We’re going back 100 years to America in the 1920s. Why? To see how we arrived at this point in our beliefs and morals. To learn how to appreciate what we have. To understand verses like Ecclesiastes 1:9—“That which has been is what will be, that which is done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.” You’ll notice a calmness that comes over you as you think about the life that then was. They had good times and hard times just like we have. And we survived as a people. But more than that, you’ll realize that every generation has spiritual battles, and by the grace of God we can endure to the end.Read More About This SubjectScriptures: Ecclesiastes 1:9-11; Galatians 6:7-8Right From the Beginning, Chapter 1

12/31/25 • 30:16

We decided to air an episode from the archives this week. If there’s one thing everybody wrestles with, it’s anxiety. Holidays are wonderful—at least they should be. But the real world is full of heartaches and trials, and they hit at the worst possible time. In this episode you’ll hear from generations who lived through the struggles of life and made it through them. More importantly, you’ll hear from the Master on this subject. One of the most common problems anywhere in the world is worry. Some have a harder time dealing with it than others. But at different stages of life, and in certain circumstances, we all wrestle with this challenge. Anxiety is not a problem that is unique to our modern age. Some stress may be due to advances we have made in communication and travel, but the human race has always dealt with worry. In this section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches us a lesson about worry that is far more profound than any motivational or self-help book will give you today. His teaching is the only instruction that will truly help us. In this episode, you will be reminded not only to listen to what the Bible says about this problem but also to learn from nature not to be anxious.Read More About This SubjectScriptures: Matthew 6:25-34; Philippians 4:6-8; I Peter 5:7“Bright Expectations”Listen to More On This Subject “Understanding the Times” Renew 2024

12/24/25 • 31:11

Being a Christian is a group matter because you are part of a family of other Christians. But it’s an individual matter because there are things you must do yourself. That’s the lesson of this episode from Philippians 2:12.This discussion helps us avoid two common extremes: being so independent that we think we can do it without others and being so dependent on others that we blame them if something goes wrong. It also steers us away from another popular but false idea: believing that if we are saved by grace there is nothing for us to do. Read about this subjectScripture: Philippians 2:12; II Peter 1:5-11; Hebrews 12:18-29“Ability + Opportunity = Responsibility”Listen to more on this subjectBible Commentary: James, track #10-12

12/17/25 • 30:21

You could say the verses we’ll look at today are the pinnacle of Christian sacrifice and service. This entire book teaches us to think of others and not be selfish. There is no greater example of this than Jesus. In this passage Paul tells us to have the same “mind” or frame of mind Jesus had. He left heaven and came to the earth to serve to die. No other founder of any of the major world religions can come close to His example. Muhammad, who founded the Islamic religion, spent his life taking life, but Jesus gave His. The Buddhist and Hindu religions have no divine sacrifice for sin like we find in Christianity. But Jesus was God in the flesh. He willingly gave Himself for us, and that is the ultimate example of putting the needs of others ahead of your own.Read about this subjectScripture: Philippians 2:1-11“The Golden Rule”Listen to more on this subject10 N 10 Ten Proverbs in 10 Minutes

12/10/25 • 31:05

Does the Bible only say it’s wrong to get drunk—that it’s not wrong to drink? Many say this. In fact, the idea that “It’s okay to drink in moderation” is almost gospel to some Christians.In this episode, we will address this burning issue of our time. We will look at the question: Does the word ‘wine’ in the Bible always mean alcoholic wine? And, we will examine the famous story of Jesus turning the water into wine.Read about this subjectScriptures: Proverbs 23:29-35; Habakkuk 2:15; I Peter 4:3; Isaiah 16:10; 65:8Chapter 11, “Alcohol” in Pillars of the FaithListen to more on this subjectI Peter Bible Commentary

12/3/25 • 30:52

In this special Thanksgiving episode of My God & My Neighbor, we pause our study of Philippians to reflect on the blessings God gives every day. Kerry Duke shares Scriptures on gratitude, reads from the original 1863 Thanksgiving Proclamation, and reminds us why thankfulness is far more than a holiday tradition—it’s a Christian way of life. Whether this season brings joy or hardship, this episode encourages a heart grounded in God’s goodness, His mercy, and His indescribable gift of salvation.Read about this subjectScripture: Acts 17:25, James 1:17, Matthew 5:45, Philippians 4:6–7, 2 Corinthians 9:15"Everyday is a Day of Thanksgiving"“Season of Thanksgiving”

11/26/25 • 10:20

Have you ever been in a good dilemma—one where both alternatives were good, and it was hard to say which one was best? That’s how Paul looked at living or dying! Most people would say that’s an easy call because living is good and dying is bad. But Paul said both are good to a Christian. Either way, the future is bright. The one thing that tips the scales is what is needed, not what we want. In this passage of Philippians, Paul teaches us again to think unselfishly.Are you ready to die? It’s only when you can honestly say yes to that question that you can be ready to live. In this episode we’ll look at the only true philosophy of life and death, and our teacher will be a man who faced the danger of death on more than one occasion and finally departed from this life. Read about this subject:Scriptures: Philippians 1:19-30“Living for Jesus”Listen to more on this subject:II Corinthians Bible Commentary

11/19/25 • 30:24

Paul was a prisoner. He was under house arrest in Rome. The Jews had tried to kill him but they failed. What could the great apostle to the Gentiles do? Why would God allow him to be kept from traveling so that he could convert lost souls and build up churches?We see so little. We look at troubles through thick lenses of pessimism and doubt that distort our thinking. Paul teaches us in this episode that the things we might think are for the worst are actually for the better. Read about this subject:Scriptures: Philippians 1:12-18; Genesis 50:19-20; Romans 8:28“Bright Expectations”Listen to more on this subject:America Through the Eyes of Isaiah - “The Furnace of Affliction”

11/12/25 • 30:43

What does the word fellowship in the Bible mean? Most people think of getting together at a meal and maybe in worship. But it means much more. It comes from a Greek word which means sharing. What is shared depends on the verse you’re reading. In the book of Philippians, Paul says the Christians in Philippi shared with him in some very important ways we need to imitate. And, one reward of this fellowship—again, not simply associating, even though that is priceless—is the joy and peace and fulfillment it gives us.Paul, a prisoner under house arrest in Rome, writes to these Christians. And as you read it, you’ll see that the troubles he had couldn’t sever the bond between him and these saints. In this episode, we will learn how to truly connect with other Christians and have joy that is beyond anything the things of this world can give.Read about this subject:Scriptures: Philippians 1:1-11“Peace”Listen to more on this subject:10 N 10 "Ten Proverbs in 10 Minutes" Devotional Series

11/5/25 • 30:52

It only takes a few minutes to read it. You probably know by heart some of the verses in it. But when you read it as a whole and take time to absorb it, you’ll be amazed at how helpful it is. It’s a short book in the Bible that is packed with meaningful direction for our lives. In this episode, we’ll look at three areas of our life we often struggle with. Then in the next episode we’ll begin to look at this short little book of the Bible. See if you can guess what it is as you listen to today’s podcast.Read about this subject:Scriptures: Hebrews 10, 11, 12; II Corinthians 7:4; Romans 8:28“Too Tired?”Listen to more on this subject:Bible Commentary - Hebrews

10/29/25 • 30:18

When things go awry, it’s time to go back to the basics. This is true in education, in business, in sports or any other area of life. It is certainly true in morals. Our world is very mixed up. The only way to have clarity in a world or confusion is to begin at the beginning. In the study of right and wring, that means going back to the first book of the Bible—the book of Genesis. There we find the true foundation of morality: God. This episode shows that the only way for a nation or an individual to change is to put God in their lives, and that begins by putting Him in our hearts.Read about this subject:Scriptures: Genesis 1; Romans 1:20-32; Psalm 8:3-5Right From the Beginning in a World of Wrong"This Nation Under God"Listen to more on this subject:What Happened to America? TBC Free Course

10/22/25 • 22:05

Ask anyone today how life is going and soon you’ll hear about money. It is a big part of life. No wonder the Bible says so much about it, Sometimes we can sympathize with Agur the son of Jakeh. He prayed, “Give me neither poverty nor riches—feed me with the food allotted to me; Lest I be full and deny You, and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or lest I be poor and steal, and profane the name of my God.” A verse that has puzzled Bible readers for centuries is what Jesus said to the rich young ruler. We may not be as wealthy as he was, but we can learn a great deal about money and the distractions and temptations it can bring. This episode will use other passages in the Bible to illuminate this interesting discussion.Read about this subject:Scriptures: Matthew 19:16-24; Deuteronomy 8:1-18; Luke 12:13-21"Here to Make Money"Listen to more on this subject:America Through the Eyes of Isaiah10 n 10—10 Proverbs in 10 Minutes

10/15/25 • 30:18

There are few topics where religion and politics come together like they do in the case of Israel. Should they? Does the Bible have anything special to say about the nation of Israel that it doesn’t say about every other country?In this episode we will look at the highly controversial issue of the nation of Israel today and its relationship, if any, to prophecies in the Old Testament.This is also one of the most common biblical subjects of our time. Millions of churchgoing people all over the world look at the Jewish people as heirs of a future empire on earth that will surpass any civilization in history. What does the Bible say about this question?Read about this subject:Scriptures: Genesis 12:1-3; Isaiah 2:1-4; Matthew 21:43Unfulfilled Prophecy a Discussion on Prophetic Themes by H. Leo Boles and R.H. BollListen to more on this subject:Bible Doctrine - The Old Testament, “Israel in the Bible”

10/8/25 • 31:54

When Covid turned the world upside down in 2020, we lost a lot of trust in what we’d been told—by the government, by the medical profession, and by all types of media and “experts.” Who can we trust anymore?The dilemma is not all that complicated in regard to our spiritual life. There are only two choices: we can either trust God or trust man. Most people make the mistake of trusting in human beings. We all need encouragement and reassurance and teaching, so it’s understandable that we have confidence in people who help us. But we must keep that respect in perspective. It’s not a matter of being prideful or independent. It’s a matter of being honest with ourselves. No man is right all the time, but God is always right.This episode challenges us to “test all things” (I Thess. 5:21) by the Word of God that never fails.Read about this subject:Scriptures: Psalm 118:8; Daniel 4; Matthew 10:34-37Perilous TimesListen to more on this subject:RENEW 2019 “…stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding…” (1 Cor. 15:58)

10/1/25 • 30:49

News of the assassination of Charlie Kirk sent another shock wave throughout the country. Now that the reality of the crime has sunk in, attention has shifted to what should be done with the alleged shooter. The tragedy occurred in Utah, and Utah is one of 27 states that have the death penalty. President Trump is calling for it. Anti-capital punishment groups on the other side are complaining that killing the killer is absurd and counterproductive. Where do Christians stand in this controversy? We must know what the Bible says about it. This episode will explore the subject from the Old Testament to the New and apply relevant verses to this burning issue of today.Read about this subject:Scriptures: Genesis 9:6; Acts 25:11; Romans 13:1-4 Right From the Beginning, chapter 10: “The Death Penalty”Listen to more on this subject:Bible Doctrine, Government: Capital Punishment

9/24/25 • 31:30