My God and My Neighbor

The Most Googled Questions About God — Episode 8: Can I Know God Personally?

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 20 May 2026 00:00:00 -0500

We can know that God is. Even nature teaches us that. David said, “The heavens declare the glory of God” (Psalm 19:1). But knowing God is different. It’s like the difference between knowing who someone is and knowing him on a personal level.

People all over the world sense that there is more to this life than what they see. And they yearn to know the One who created all this. But can they? And if so, how can we know God?

Loneliness is common today. Because of the internet, never before have people been connected to so many and at the same time felt so lonely. We are social creatures. That’s how God made us. We long for relationships with others and we need above all else the right relationship with God. This episode explores what knowing God means and how the Bible answers this commonly Googled question.

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Scripture: Psalm 139; Psalm 8; I Timothy 2:5; John 17:1-3
“Living for Jesus”

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2018 RENEW Lectureship, “Who is Like Unto Thee?”, “Delighting in Mercy”

The Most Googled Questions About God — Episode 7: Is Christianity Exclusive?

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 13 May 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Is Jesus the only way? The world needs a straight answer. When the church began, the Roman world was full of all idolatry, superstition and witchcraft. Beliefs were like a buffet where each person chose the religion he liked. But when the apostles preached, they didn’t present Jesus as just another religion. They preached that He was THE WAY. That message is just as needed today.

This is not arrogant. It is not biased. The truth is, Christianity is inclusive. It opens the door to the rich and the poor and all races and nationalities. Jesus died for all.

But it does exclude. This episode helps us see why Christianity is different from every other religion and how we can teach it to others.

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Scripture: John 14:6; John 3:5; I Timothy 1:3; I Corinthians 6:9-11
“Christianity is NOT Muslim!”

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“Salvation”, Bible Doctrine

The Most Googled Questions About God — Episode 6: Will the Bible Survive?

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 06 May 2026 00:00:00 -0500

One of the top Internet searches today is this: “Is the Bible the Word of God?” But it’s more than just questions that people are asking. Some are making some serious charges against it.

The religious landscape of America is markedly different now from what it was 75 or 100 years ago. Then there was a general consensus in this country that the Bible is the Word of God. They disagreed about what it meant, but they agreed on what it was. People back then were asking what the Bible taught. Now they’re asking who wrote it.

This is a special episode for two reasons. First, it was the pilot episode for My God and My Neighbor when it began two years ago. The title of that episode was “Will the Bible Survive?” But there’s another, more important reason. This episode explains where some of the strange questions and accusations against the Bible come from. It will show you how to answer them. It will give you confidence that the Bible you read is the Word of God.

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Scripture: Matthew 24:35; I Peter 1:25; II Timothy 3:16
Pillars of the Faith God, Christ and the Bible

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Beyond the Basics, Prophecy Series

The Most Googled Questions About God — Episode 5: Who Is Jesus?

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0500

There have been more books written about Jesus than any other person who ever walked the earth. Yet there is still debate about who He was. Some of the most common questions people ask about God and religion today include “Is Jesus God?” and “Was Jesus God and man?”

It’s ironic that Jesus asked His disciples what people were saying about Him in Matthew chapter 16. They all saw the same miracles He did. They had the same prophecies in their Old Testament. But they came to different conclusions about who He was.

This episode will give clarity to this question by pointing to some of the great evidences of Jesus in the Scriptures.

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Scripture: John 1:1-3; Hebrews 1:1-8; Isaiah 53; Psalm 22
Pillars of the Faith, Part Two

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Jesus, the Son of God: TBC Free Course

The Most Googled Questions About God — Episode 4: Does Life Have a Purpose?

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0500

It’s one of the top five questions most frequently entered on Internet searches about God and religion. That shouldn’t be surprising. We live in a world that is so fast-paced and information-driven that people have either forgotten or don’t know where they came from, where they are headed, and why they are here. In this episode, we’ll look at the gloomy approach to this question first—the mentality that says there is no meaning to life. It just is. Then we will look at an old sermon that was preached in Athens, Greece many years ago by the apostle Paul. He was talking to an audience who were mostly skeptics, and he taught them that life—their life—does have a purpose: a purpose that transcends their own interests, ideas and plans.

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Scripture: Acts 17:16-34; Ecclesiastes 2:1-11; 12:13-14
Right From the Beginning in a World of Wrong

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My God & My Neighbor “My God and My Money"

The Most Googled Questions About God — Episode 3: Why Does God Allow Evil and Suffering?

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0500

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.”

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Scripture: Genesis 3; Deuteronomy 8; Hebrew 12:1-11
God at a Distance

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My God & My Neighbor “Why, Lord?” Series

The Most Googled Questions About God — Episode 2: Can I Know God Exists?

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0500

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.

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Scripture: Psalm 19:1-3; Psalm 14:1; Acts 14:15-17; Acts 17:16-31; Romans 1:18-32
Pillars of the Faith

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Bible Doctrine, “God”

The Most Googled Questions About God — Episode 1: Can I Be Sure?

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0500

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.

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Scripture: I Timothy 2:4; Hebrews 11:1; II Corinthians 5:7
God at a Distance

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“Bible Interpretation”

The Most Googled Bible Verses — Episode 5: Who Directs Your Way? (Proverbs 3:5–6)

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0500

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.”

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Scripture: Proverbs 3:6, Proverbs 16:9; Hosea 4:6
“Peace and Contentment”

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America Through the Eyes of Isaiah, Lesson 23, “God’s Ways or Our Ways?”

The Most Googled Bible Verses — Episode 4: Trust in the Lord with All Your Heart (Proverbs 3:5)

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0500

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.

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Scripture: Proverbs 3:5; Psalm 118:8; Proverbs 28:26
“Where Our Hearts Truly Belong”

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10 n 10 - 10 Proverbs in 10 Minutes

The Most Googled Bible Verses — Episode 3: All Things Work Together for Good (Romans 8:28)

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0500

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.

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Scripture: Romans 8:28; Genesis 45:5-8; Genesis 50:19-20; Philippians 1:12-18
“Long, Hard Lessons of Life”

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My God & My Neighbor, “Why, Lord? Series”

The Most Googled Bible Verses — Episode 2: Does God Have a Plan for Me? (Jeremiah 29:11)

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0600

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.

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Scripture: Jeremiah 29:11; Isaiah 55:8-9; Philemon 15
“Bright Expectations”

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America Through the Eyes of Isaiah Track 20: “The Hidden God”

The Most Googled Bible Verses — Episode 1: The Golden Verse of the Bible

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0600

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.

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Scripture: John 3:16; I John 4:9-10; John 1:1
“Jesus and Nicodemus,” Annual Lesson Commentary, Fourth Quarter, 1949

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RENEW 2014 – “God’s Amazing Grace”

What is Islam—Really?

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 07:22:49 -0600

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.

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Scripture: Matthew 7:15; Ephesians 6:10-17
How God Speaks and How You Can Know

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“Jesus, Muhammad, and Peaceful Coexistence”

Are You Content?

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0600

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.

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Scripture: Philippians 4:11-13; I Timothy 6:7-8; Hebrews 13:5
“Christian Contentment” in Annual Lesson Commentary, 1950, Fourth Quarter, Lesson 2

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"America Through the Eyes of Isaiah", track 22 “The Furnace of Affliction”

Don’t Worry, Pray!

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0600

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.

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Scripture: Philippians 4:6-8; Matthew 6:25-34; Proverbs 3:5-6
“God’s Promises”

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RENEW 2019 – “…stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding…” (1 Cor. 15:58)

Deep, Lasting Joy

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0600

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!”

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Scripture: Philippians 4:4; Matthew 5:10-12; II Cor. 7:4; Prov. 17:22
“Bright Expectations”

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“10 N 10”, 10 Proverbs in 10 Minutes Devotional Series - Proverbs 17

Look Ahead, Not Behind

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0600

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.

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Scripture: Philippians 3:5-14

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Twin Givers

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0600

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.

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Scriptures: Philippians 2:19-30; Matthew 22:1-5
"Present Your Bodies"

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Bible Commentary I-II Corinthians, Lesson 27

Shine Without Complaining

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 07 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0600

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.

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Scriptures: Philippians 2:14-17; Numbers 11
“Peace and Contentment”

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Bible Commentary I-II Corinthians, Lesson 39

Stop and Look Back—Way Back!

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0600

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.

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Scriptures: Ecclesiastes 1:9-11; Galatians 6:7-8
Right From the Beginning, Chapter 1

A Christmas Eve Cure for Worry

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 24 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0600

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.

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.

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Scriptures: Matthew 6:25-34; Philippians 4:6-8; I Peter 5:7
“Bright Expectations”

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“Understanding the Times” Renew 2024

Work Out Your Own Salvation

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0600

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.

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Scripture: Philippians 2:12; II Peter 1:5-11; Hebrews 12:18-29
“Ability + Opportunity = Responsibility”

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Bible Commentary: James, track #10-12

Looking Out for Others

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0600

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.

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Scripture: Philippians 2:1-11
“The Golden Rule”

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10 N 10 Ten Proverbs in 10 Minutes

The Sin of Drinking

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0600

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.

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Scriptures: Proverbs 23:29-35; Habakkuk 2:15; I Peter 4:3; Isaiah 16:10; 65:8
Chapter 11, “Alcohol” in Pillars of the Faith

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I Peter Bible Commentary

A Heart of Thanksgiving

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0600

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.

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Scripture: 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”

Live or Die—For Him!

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0600

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.

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Scriptures: Philippians 1:19-30
“Living for Jesus”

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II Corinthians Bible Commentary

Good From Bad Situations

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0600

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.

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Scriptures: Philippians 1:12-18; Genesis 50:19-20; Romans 8:28
“Bright Expectations”

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America Through the Eyes of Isaiah - “The Furnace of Affliction”

True Joy is in Real Fellowship

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0600

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.

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Scriptures: Philippians 1:1-11
“Peace”

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10 N 10 "Ten Proverbs in 10 Minutes" Devotional Series

A Little Book for Big Needs

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0500

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.

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Scriptures: Hebrews 10, 11, 12; II Corinthians 7:4; Romans 8:28
“Too Tired?”

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Bible Commentary - Hebrews

Genesis, God and Goodness

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0500

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.

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Scriptures: Genesis 1; Romans 1:20-32; Psalm 8:3-5
Right From the Beginning in a World of Wrong
"This Nation Under God"

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What Happened to America? TBC Free Course

Wealth and a Needle’s Eye

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 15 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0500

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.

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Scriptures: Matthew 19:16-24; Deuteronomy 8:1-18; Luke 12:13-21
"Here to Make Money"

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Israel in the Bible, Not the News

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 08 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0500

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?

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Scriptures: Genesis 12:1-3; Isaiah 2:1-4; Matthew 21:43
Unfulfilled Prophecy a Discussion on Prophetic Themes by H. Leo Boles and R.H. Boll

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Bible Doctrine - The Old Testament, “Israel in the Bible”

Who Do You Trust Most?

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0500

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.

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Scriptures: Psalm 118:8; Daniel 4; Matthew 10:34-37
Perilous Times

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RENEW 2019 “…stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding…” (1 Cor. 15:58)

Is Capital Punishment the Answer?

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 24 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0500

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.

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Scriptures: Genesis 9:6; Acts 25:11; Romans 13:1-4
Right From the Beginning, chapter 10: “The Death Penalty”

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Bible Doctrine, Government: Capital Punishment

Is Homosexuality a Choice?

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 17 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0500

There is a strong, clear message in the Bible from beginning to end: we are responsible for what we do. Our society is bent on denying this simple fact. Other people make us act the way we do. Conditions in our body determine how we behave. We are just products of heredity and environment.

God cuts through all of these rationalizations. He gives us free will and we decide what we do with it. It’s strange that we agree yet disagree with this. If we do something great, we want to be recognized. We say, “I did it.” But when we do something wrong, we blame someone or something else.

The question in this episode is a hotly debated issue. Instead of asking people what they think, we will ask what God says about it.

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Scripture: I Corinthians 6:9-11; 10:13
Right From the Beginning in a World of Wrong, chapter four: “Gender.”

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"Things No Man Can Destroy" RENEW 2022

School Shootings: A Christian Response

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 10 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0500

When historians in the future list the worst tragedies of our time, what will they mention? Covid? Terrorism? Katrina? Somewhere on that list will probably be school shootings. We have asked the question “Why?” repeatedly in this series. If anything defies our ability to make sense out of human behavior, this crime does.

This is one of those subjects people almost unanimously agree on in one sense and completely divide on in another. They agree that the deaths of innocent people, especially children, is a terrible thing. But they disagree about who is really responsible and what actually causes this atrocity.

This episode challenges us to look deeper than typical mainstream and social media narratives about this lingering problem in society.

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Scripture: I John 3:12; Ezekiel 18:14; Matthew 15:19
Will It Survive?

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“Understanding the Times” - RENEW 2024

What Causes—and Cures—Depression?

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 03 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Studies show that depression is a common problem worldwide. There are many reasons for it. In poor countries the cause may be poverty. In America, ironically, the reason may be wealth. In the Bible we read of many people who struggled with depression—some because of their own choices and others for no fault of their own. All of us must deal with it.

The book of Ecclesiastes is about depression we can do something about by changing the way we think—not by learning ways to beat the blues with human wisdom, but by restructuring our priorities and adjusting our perspective.

Some books of the Bible tell you what they’re about early in the book. Others indicate the theme in the middle. This book makes you wait until the end before it puts the whole problem into perspective.

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Scripture: Ecclesiastes 6-12
Without Hope

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“10 N 10” 10 Proverbs in 10 Minutes

A King’s Take on Evil

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 27 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0500

He had it all – money, power, fame, and wisdom. He didn't have to worry about having enough money to pay for anything. He never had to ask anyone's permission to do something. He was the king of Israel in its heyday. But he also saw a lot of injustice in life. And with all his power, money and wisdom, there was often nothing he could do about the unfairness of life. He saw others being treated unfairly. And the most seemingly unfair event in life was something that even he could not avoid. That “one event” is death.

So what advice does Solomon give? How did he deal with the problem of evil? What was his conclusion about the injustice and suffering in this life? The book of Ecclesiastes is one of the most remarkable books in the Bible on this topic. This episode is part one of a look at the counsel at Solomon gives.

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Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1-5
Rich Without Money

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“10 N 10” 10 Proverbs in 10 Minutes

The Trials of Jeremiah

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 20 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Prophets of God were human too. They struggled with their feelings. They felt like giving up at times. They wrestled with the unfairness of life. Jeremiah, sometimes called “The Weeping Prophet,” shows this side of himself in the book that bears his name.

This man of God asked God “Why?’ and “How long?” But God didn’t give him the answer we might expect. This is a hard lesson to learn, but this episode shows that God expects us to be adults and face our trials with resolve and not self-pity. We see this determination in Jeremiah as he fought against negative feelings and pushed forward. We also see that the hardships he faced activated strength and faith deep within his soul. That faith came from the Word of God in his heart.

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Scripture: Jeremiah
Teacher’s Annual Lesson Commentary on Uniform Bible Lessons for the Churches of Christ 1947

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RENEW 2021 – “Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled”

Not That Way, Lord

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 00:30:00 -0500

What if God did speak directly from heaven and answer our old question: “Why, Lord?” One Old Testament prophet kept crying out to God. He asked why evil was everywhere around him and how long God was going to tolerate it. When God answered him, He told the prophet that He was about to put an end to these evil people and their wicked ways. That should have satisfied the prophet and ended the conversation.

But it didn’t. The man of God asked “Why?’ again: But why are you doing it that way? So even if God were to answer our “Why?” questions, we would just have more.

This Old Testament prophet was Habakkuk. The book named after him is a tremendous study in the problem of sin and suffering. It is short in length and seldom read, but its benefits are invaluable.

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Scripture: Habakkuk
Without Hope?

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America Through the Eyes of Isaiah, “A Drop of a Bucket” track 19

A Man Who Almost Lost His Faith

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 06 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0500

If you are a Christian, it is scary to think about losing your faith. How does this happen? It happens when we are pulled away from God. It occurs when we are distracted. When we look at the world instead of listening to God, we are vulnerable.

One of the great things about the Bible is its honesty about good and great men. It does not pull punches. Even the greatest men of the Bible were human. They were tempted and sinned. If it were otherwise, how could we relate to them?

In this episode we will look at one of the lesser known writers of the Bible. His name was Asaph. His story is like a chapter in his autobiography. He confesses his innermost feelings. He almost lost his faith because evil people had a good life—a life that seemed better than the life that good people had.

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Scripture: Psalm 73
“This is Not the Answer”

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America Through the Eyes of Isaiah

God’s Answer to “Why?”

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0500

How do you respond to a child or teenager who is complaining about something he doesn’t understand? You might try to explain, but he may not be ready for that. If he’s a teenager and is convinced he’s right, you’ll probably ask him some questions to show him he doesn’t know as much as he thinks he does. That’s what God did with Job. This final section to the greatest book ever written on the problem of evil ends with God responding to Job. God doesn’t give an explanation. He doesn’t tell Job he’ll learn better when he’s even older. He doesn’t tell him to read books on this profound issue of life. He points him to something he already had right before him: nature, the creation of God. This is the simple but overlooked key to this whole problem. Read these chapters closely and prayerfully and behold God’s creation around and above you with a different perspective and the problem of sin and suffering won’t seem so unbearable.

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Why? To Prevent Something Worse?

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 23 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0500

The argument had come to a standstill and God wasn’t speaking. That’s how the debate ended between Job and his three friends. They said their peace (and then some) and reverted back to the silence we see in chapter two. But unknown to the first-time reader of this book when Job chapter 31 ends was someone else. A younger man had been there listening to them argue. By the time they finished, he was about ready to explode with his view of this matter.

His name was Elihu. Up to this point he had refrained from speaking out of respect for his elders. But he was deeply convicted in what he was about to say. And when he spoke, he had a different point of view about this whole discussion.

Elihu’s words are very much worthy of our consideration. We could call him the man God didn’t rebuke because that is what happened in the end.

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Scripture: Job 32-37
Teacher’s Annual Lesson Commentary on Uniform Bible Lessons for the Churches of Christ 1951

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I Peter Bible Commentary

Job Challenges God to a Debate

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 00:30:00 -0500

It is very easy to get things out of perspective when we're stressed and hurting. We pull into ourselves in a self-protective mode. In a sense this is a natural response to suffering. It's part of the healing process. But we must not allow self-protection to become self-pity. And, when life has been very unfair to us, we naturally want to defend and justify ourselves. But we can go too far. We can be so determined to vindicate ourselves that we forget about the injustices that others face. We can even become angry with God. This happened to Job. And if it happened to one of the greatest men in the Bible, it can happen to us.

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Scripture:Job 22-31
“Do Trials Make Us Patient?”

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“Delighting in Mercy”, James McGill RENEW 2018 “Who is like unto Thee” (Exod. 15:11)

When No One Says a Comforting Word

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 00:30:00 -0500

We can only go so long without encouragement before we feel like we’re going to break. Christians are children of God, but we are human. We need encouragement from likeminded people. We need the support of others, especially when we’re down. “Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad” (Prov. 12:25).

But sometimes we must face trials without encouragement for a while. This is what Job experienced. He felt all alone. Elijah the prophet felt the same way in I Kings 19 when he was on the run for his life. But there were many others who would have supported him had they been with him. In Job’s case, his friends are with him, but all they can do is criticize him, and his relatives and other acquaintances have turned their back on him. But Job held on to his faith—even though he felt that God had forsaken him as well! Learn from this great man’s example of perseverance as we delve deeper into this story.

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Scriptures: Job 6-21
“Alone”

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RENEW 2021 Lectureship “Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled”

Is Wanting to Die a Sin?

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 00:30:00 -0500

Do you remember the great prophets in the Bible who reached the point where they wanted to die? Moses did. Elijah did. And now we are seeing that Job felt the same way. But there are some interesting differences between his situation and the circumstances of Moses and Elijah. Moses and Elijah were not suffering physical pain. Moses was feeling extremely stressed, and Elijah was both stressed and afraid. Job felt intense emotional pain and excruciating physical pain at the same time. When Moses and Elijah asked God if they could die, they were talking directly to Him. No one else heard them. In Job's case, his friends heard what he said and it made them upset. That's when a friendly visit turned in to an ugly argument. But at least we can say that, even though things did not turn out for the best initially, the whole matter was resolved in the end. And had it not been for this disagreement, we would not have the book of Job as it is written.

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Scripture: Job chapter 3-5
Ox in the Ditch by Kerry Duke

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10n10 10 Proverbs in 10 Minutes

Hell’s Fury Unleashed on a Good Man

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 00:30:00 -0500

There are times we feel like the devil has us in his grip and is doing everything he can to torment us. That was Job's situation, but the difference is that Job didn't think the devil was doing this to him. He thought God was torturing him, and it was almost driving him crazy because he couldn't figure out why.

Sometimes the troubles of life—one right after another or at the same time—cause so much pain that we wonder if there are any limits as to how much we can take. More than that, we wonder if God even cares how much we're suffering and why he doesn't do something to stop it. This is the problem of evil in human life, and we're beginning to see more about it in this great Old Testament book.

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Scripture: Job 2
God at a Distance, Kerry Duke

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“Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh”, II Corinthians, Bible Commentary

What if I Lose Everything?

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 00:30:00 -0500

There's nothing wrong with saving and protecting what you have. There's nothing wrong with planning ahead in case a catastrophe strikes. That's why we have insurance.

Jesus tells Christians not to worry about the necessities of life in the Sermon on the Mount. But sometimes we wonder, "What if…?” What if the worst does happen? How would we deal with it? Would we keep our faith or lose it? Would we praise God or blame Him?

This episode looks at a piercing question. If we were to lose every good thing we have, would we still love God? Do we serve Him only because of what He gives us? That was the debate between God and Satan about Job.

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Scriptures: Job 1:13-22; Habakkuk 3:17-18
“The Power of Satan” in chapter nine “Spiritual Environment” in God at a Distance

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Bible Doctrine, “The Devil”, “Our War With Him”

When Satan Challenged God

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 00:30:00 -0500

The book of Job has been recognized as a great work of literature for centuries. But it is much more than that. It is an incomparably profound book on the most perplexing of human questions. It shows not only that bad things happen to good people, but that the worst of things can happen to the best of people.

We will never fully relate to the sufferings of this man. But we do know something he did not, at least not in the book itself. The Lord reveals in Job chapters one and two a discussion between God and the devil. This is where the story began. God said that Job was an honest and sincere man, and the devil said he was not.

Sometimes it is shamefully easy for us to read this book and analyze Job. We can sit in a comfortable chair in the best of health and read about his trauma. But although we may never experience the level of pain and loss he endured, we can learn some things before trials come that will help us when the storms of life arrive.

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Scripture: Job 1
“Meet the Devil but Keep Your Distance”

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Bible Doctrine, “The Devil”, “Our War With Him”

Is Suffering Punishment for Sin?

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 00:30:00 -0500

People have debated this question for thousands of years. We read about it many times in the Bible. We seem to be agreed on the general principle but divided as to how it applies to specific situations.

This is not just some abstract, philosophical discussion. It is very practical. It is very personal. And we will learn important lessons in the examples we will look at in this episode.

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Scriptures: John 9:1-3; Luke 13:1-3; Job 4:7-8
“Seven Ways Men Fight Against God”

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Luke 12:54-13:9, Bible Commentary

Wrong Ways to Deal With the Problem

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 28 May 2025 00:30:00 -0500

When God told Abraham to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice, Abraham faced a dilemma. On the one hand, he loved his son. On the other, God told him to do it. So he worked out away in his mind to fit these seemingly incongruent elements together. He concluded that after he offered his son, God would raise him back to life again. That's what we read about his thinking in Hebrews 11:17–19. But he left out a possibility—that God would stop him before he ever went through with the offering.

The problem of evil is very difficult for us as mortals to harmonize. There are several ways that people use to try to resolve the difficulties of this age-old, worldwide question. But many of these are invalid approaches to the problem of evil. We must do our best to think clearly although that can be hard to do. We must not come up with a "solution" that denies the nature of God, the word of God, or the reality of evil itself. This episode will introduce us to some of these incorrect approaches.

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Scriptures: Isaiah 45:7; Isaiah 14; Romans 11:22
God at a Distance, Kerry Duke

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“Are We Born in Sin?”

Atheism is No Answer

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 21 May 2025 00:30:00 -0500

We do strange things when we’re desperate. Pain can cause us to deny the obvious if we convince ourselves it will give relief. This is why some turn to atheism. The thought of an all-powerful, all-loving God is a heavy weight to bear in a world of suffering and sin. For these atheists, the only way to live with this problem is to deny that such a God exists. But as we will see in this episode, that is no way to live. Atheism doesn’t give answers. It doesn’t give hope. It certainly doesn’t bring happiness. Instead, unbelief causes bitterness and unbearable emptiness. And, we will see that for all its claims to rationality and intellectualism, atheism is a simplistic response to a problem that is way over their heads. Every time atheists charge that God cannot exist because of evil in the world, they contradict themselves. We’ll explain how in this episode.

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Scriptures: Acts 17:24-28; Romans 1:18-20; Psalm 14:1; Psalm 19:1-3
Pillars of the Faith

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Bible Doctrine

Ask Yourself Why

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 14 May 2025 00:30:00 -0500

Much of the trouble we have in living the Christian life comes from not looking at ourselves. We examine and cross examine others and even God Himself but fail to ask ourselves the same questions. This is true of the problem of evil. We want to know why when that same question is staring at us in the mirror.

In this episode we find God turning the tables and asking man this question. Sometimes we are like children who need to be reprimanded with the question, “Why did you do that?” If the problem of evil in God’s sight is a deep question, the question of sin in our lives can be just as perplexing.

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Scriptures: I Samuel 15; II Samuel 12; Lamentations 3
“The Potter and The Clay”

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Free Bible Course: What Happened to America?

Why Did God Create the World?

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 07 May 2025 00:30:00 -0500

We need to tread carefully when we ask questions like this. After all, we are talking about God’s intentions, and we must not be guilty of putting words in God’s mouth. Thankfully, there is a passage in the Bible that talks about why God made the world and placed us in it.

There is a reason why we are here. Many live their lives not knowing what this purpose is. Some even say there is no purpose, so forget about looking for an answer because there isn’t one. But there is, and when we understand it, it will give us light in a world of darkness. It will give direction in a hectic world.

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Scriptures: Acts 17:27; Joshua 24:15; Ezekiel 18
“God and Evil”—chapter five in Pillars of the Faith

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“Calvinism and Free Will”

How Did Evil Begin?

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 00:30:00 -0500

“Why, Lord?”Series

When you're dealing with a difficult problem, it helps to go back to the basics. That's true with the problem of evil which is the most perplexing question man can ever consider. In this lesson, we will look at two different kinds of evil in the world. One is moral evil which is sin. The other is sometimes called natural evil. This is suffering. If we are too understand this subject, we must know and remember the opening chapters of the book of Genesis. That is where evil began in this world. The simple fundamental facts of the creation and the change in the earth after man sinned will help us to understand why there is so much sin and suffering.

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Scriptures: Genesis 1-3
Right From the Beginning

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Bible Doctrine, Creation—“The World”

Why, Lord?

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 00:30:00 -0500

The Mother of All Questions: Why?

You're not the only one who has asked this question. In fact, many great prophets and holy men in the Bible struggled with it. That's one of the benefits of reading the Bible. We are not alone facing hardships and not being able to understand why they happen. As we begin this study of the problem of evil, we will notice two questions that have at times tormented good people: why and how long?

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Scriptures: Numbers 11; Job 3; Jeremiah 12:1-3; Habakkuk 1:1-5; Revelation 6:9-10
God at a Distance, Kerry Duke

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“Is There a God?” Bible Doctrine audio

Signs of a Collapsed Culture

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 00:30:00 -0500

G. Campbell Morgan said no man is an accurate interpreter of his own generation. We are too busy trying to get through the challenges of the day to be able to see the overall picture, to connect the dots and to determine what caused the situation and where it will end. We have to wait until the smoke clears, and that takes time. Still there are indicators that are hard to miss. The decline of a culture takes place gradually, but some marks are indisputable. As we grow older we see more of them and we see them more clearly.

But this cycle is thousands of years old. In this lesson we will look at a fascinating passage in Isaiah that corresponds closely to many of the things we are seeing unfold before our eyes!

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Scripture: Isaiah 3:1-26

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America Through the Eyes of Isaiah

Now That You Have Heard

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 00:30:00 -0500

Sometimes people ask what will happen to those who have never heard the gospel. Sometimes they need to think about the reverse. What will happen to those who have heard but don’t obey? That’s what Jesus talks about at the end of the famous Sermon on the Mount. He began early in this sermon saying that the Jews had heard much teaching from the scribes and the Pharisees. At the close He’s saying: Now that you’ve heard My teaching, make sure you do it! Millions have heard or read the Sermon on the Mount. Millions can quote verses in it. But Jesus said the world needs living sermons of His teaching!

You can now study the entire Living the Sermon series from the My God and My Neighbor podcast on our website! This powerful series takes you through Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, emphasizing not just hearing His words—but living them. From the opening beatitudes to the final warning about building on the rock, each episode brings the sermon to life in practical, personal ways. Whether you're catching up or diving in for the first time, all episodes are now linked in one place for easy access and study.

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Scriptures: Matthew 7:24-27; James 1:22-25; Ezekiel 33:30-33
Sermons We See

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RENEW 2015-“Is Your Religion As Good As You Sing It?”, “Blessed Assurance”

Lord, Lord

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 00:30:00 -0500

“Talk is cheap.” There's a lot of empty chatter today. We hear it in politics. We hear it in business. Most tragically, we hear it in religion. In an age of bells and whistles, we long to see Christians who back up what they say with how they live—not for show, but out of love and faith. Jesus said it will take more than talk to enter heaven. As He nears the end of this famous sermon, He warns and admonishes us about putting His words into practice. These powerful and piercing words need to be taught more often in congregations today.

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Scriptures: Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46; Matthew 23:3
“The Two Builders” (First Quarter)

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I John Bible Commentary

How to Spot a False Teacher

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 00:30:00 -0500

What do you think of when you hear the words “false teacher”? Jim Jones? Joseph Smith? Muhammad? Jesus said false prophets are not as obvious as people might assume. They appear to be just the opposite of what they are. But if they are that deceptive, how can we know what they really are? In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus explains this. There is a way to see through all the charisma, eloquence and enthusiasm of men who are not what they claim to be. It takes more than just listening to how they talk. It means we must focus on what they say. It means we cannot be naïve and accept their claims to be loving servants of God. We must go by what they do, not what they say. The Lord used a simple illustration from nature to teach this powerful lesson.

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Scriptures: Matthew 7:15-20; II Peter 2:1-22; Jeremiah 14; Jeremiah 23; I Kings 18
“The Faith Under Fire”

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II Peter Bible Commentary

Which Road Are You On?

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 00:30:00 -0500

We often talk about the path life takes us on. It’s true that there are unexpected things on life’s journey, but the truth is that, in regard to eternity, we choose the path we’re on. Jesus talks about these two roads in the Sermon on the Mount and utters some startling words to modern ears about how many choose the wrong road. These are roads that lead to our eternal destiny, not paths to success in this world.

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Scriptures: Matthew 7:13-14; Proverbs 16:25
“An Easier Way?”

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Better Than Gold

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 00:30:00 -0500

Those who serve in the military talk about having a code. Businesses have standards they expect employees to follow. Communities have rules and customs they want everyone to respect. Anywhere you go, you will find basic beliefs about how you should treat others.

Jesus said one rule of life summarizes the Old Testament. We call it the Golden Rule. If this one verse in the Sermon on the Mount were practiced in homes, schools, and communities, you would see a change in this country the likes of which you can’t imagine.

But change begins with me—one person at a time. Ponder this verse and apply it to your heart and life as we study one of the most well-known but often neglected teachings of the Master.

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Scriptures: Matthew 7:12; Romans 13:8-10; Luke 10:25-37
How to Treat Everyone

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Preaching From the Overflow

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 05 Mar 2025 00:30:00 -0600

In this special episode of My God and My Neighbor, we feature a powerful lesson from Glenn Ramsey, who has preached the gospel for 70 years and taught at Tennessee Bible College for 45. Speaking at TBC’s 50th Annual Lectureship, Brother Ramsey delivered an unforgettable message on Treasure in Earthen Vessels from II Corinthians 4. But what made this lesson truly special was the wisdom and personal reflections he shared—preaching from the overflow of a lifetime dedicated to the gospel. Tune in to hear a rare glimpse into the heart and history of a seasoned preacher, and be encouraged by the rich treasure of faith he has to offer.

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Scriptures: II Corinthians 4, Matthew 28:19-20, Mark 16:15-16, Romans 10:14-15, II Timothy 2:2, John 8:32

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RENEW 2025 Audio Lessons

Seek and You Shall Find

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 00:30:00 -0600

God blesses, but we must seek those blessings. God will do His part if we do ours. The Creator put mankind here “so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us” (Acts 17:27). When we find Him by becoming Christians, we still seek His blessings. We strive to do better. We ask Him for help and strength. Jesus made a promise about this in the Sermon on the Mount. God our Father in heaven is like earthly fathers. He wants to give us good things. But we must seek and ask.

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Scriptures: Matthew 7:7-11; Luke 11:1-13
“God Wants US to Pray”

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Galatians Bible Commentary

Dogs, Hogs and Evangelism

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:30:00 -0600

There are some people you can't teach. Even Jesus was not successful every time He taught people. This is a hard lesson to learn when you love others and try to help them to be saved. After all, Jesus said to go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation in Mark 16:15–16. But it is a fact that some people are so hardened against God and against his Word that they will only berate you if you try to teach them. Jesus used strong and very straightforward language to talk about people like this. He compared them to two repulsive animals in Jewish culture: dogs and hogs. In this lesson from the Sermon on the Mount, we will hear Jesus teaching us how to avoid unnecessary and unproductive arguments with people. This one verse will help us to be wiser and more patient as we spread the gospel.

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Scriptures: Matthew 7:6, Acts 13:46; Proverbs 23:9

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Proverbs 23

“We’re Not Supposed to Judge”

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 12 Feb 2025 00:30:00 -0600

How do you feel when someone criticizes you? We don’t like it, especially if the criticism is unfair and harsh. That is understandable. But not all criticism is bad. Sometimes it is for our good.

Today there is an idea among Bible readers that is not scriptural. It is the belief that any and all types of judging are wrong. One of the reasons this happens is because society frowns on saying that anything is wrong. Some even say that if you tell someone he has sinned, then you don’t love people like Christians should. And many misquote Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:1 to support this idea.

This episode challenges us to read Jesus’ oft-misquoted words in their context of the Sermon on the Mount and in the context of the Bible as a whole.

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Scriptures: Matthew 7:1-5; John 7:24
Inspecting Fruit

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Luke 6 in "Bible Commentary"

Worried?

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 00:30:00 -0600

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.

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Scriptures: Matthew 6:25-34; Philippians 4:6-8; I Peter 5:7
“Bright Expectations.”

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Understanding the Times - RENEW 2024

My God and My Money

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 29 Jan 2025 00:30:00 -0600

The number one issue on the minds of Americans for years has been the economy. In other words, money. Part of this concern is understandable because we need money to buy food and clothes and medical care and shelter. But it is easy to take this concern too far and become obsessed with money and things. This is an age-old problem. The love of money has infected the souls of people for thousands of years. It is also a challenge to Christians. That's why Jesus teaches us about our attitude toward money in the Sermon on the Mount. If we would only remember what Jesus says in this section, we would not only keep our Christian priorities straight, but we would also enjoy life more and have much less stress. Even if you can afford to put some of your income away in investments for the future on this earth, you cannot afford to neglect Jesus’ financial advice in this passage.

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Scriptures: Matthew 6:19-24; I Timothy 6:7-10
Christians and Their Money

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“America Through the Eyes of Isaiah”

Jesus Teaches Us How to Pray

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 22 Jan 2025 00:30:00 -0600

People all over the world pray. They pray to different gods about different things. Some pray without really knowing whom they’re praying to. They most often pray when they’re hurting or afraid. Regardless of differences in prayer, it is a universally understood practice.

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus taught a lesson about prayer. It’s a general guide for how we should pray. Christians know that they should pray, but we sometimes need the Savior to help us to know how to pray.

The words of this section, sometimes called “The Lord’s Prayer,” were for generations ingrained in the hearts of people across America. Now there are some who have never heard this section of Scripture. But Christians need to revisit the Lord’s teaching on this subject as well. This lesson takes us inside the things Jesus mentioned that should be in our prayers.

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Scriptures: Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 11:1-13
Teachers Annual Lesson Commentary 1953, Lesson 10, June 7: Prayer—Matthew 6:9-15

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“Persistence in Prayer”—Luke 18:1-8

Religion From the Heart

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 15 Jan 2025 00:30:00 -0600

God sees our heart. He knows why we do bad things and even why we do good things. That is why Jesus talks so much about our motive for doing right. Christianity is not just doing the right things. It is doing the right things for the right reason. But why would anyone go to the trouble of doing something good for a wrong reason? Often it is to draw attention, to win praise from others. Jewish leaders were notorious for this in Jesus’ day. Religious leaders are often just as guilty today. The section of Scripture for this lesson talks about not letting your left hand know what your right hand is doing instead of sounding a trumpet. The important observer is God, not people.

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Scriptures: Matthew 6:1-18; Luke 11:1-13; Luke 16:15
“God Wants Us To Pray For All”

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Luke 11:1-13, Bible Commentary

Love Your Enemies?

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 08 Jan 2025 00:30:00 -0600

We understand that we should love our family and friends, but love our enemies? How is that possible? Books have been written about hard sayings of Jesus. If there is one command that has puzzled Bible readers for centuries, this is it. How are we to understand these words? As always, the key is to let the Bible interpret itself. This lesson will uncover principles in the Scriptures that will enable you to know what these words mean and what they do not mean. This is one of the teachings of Jesus that set Him apart from the founders of other religions. It points to a moral standard above human standards because people just don’t normally think like this. That source is God.

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Scriptures: Matthew 5:43-48; Exodus 23:4-5; Proverbs 25:21-22; Luke 23:34
Right From the Beginning in a World of Wrong

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Proverbs 25, 10N10 Episodes

Turn the Other Cheek?

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:30:00 -0600

The world can be a dangerous place. Christians and non-Christians both agree on this point. But they disagree about how to respond to the problem of violence. Even Christians disagree on this point some believe in self-defense and others do not. The Sermon on the Mount has been somewhat of a battleground on this issue for centuries. Did Jesus teach non-resistance or does he approve of self-defense? The Second Amendment says that we have the right to bear arms. That addresses the legal aspect of this issue, but the moral aspect can only be determined by the Scriptures. In this lesson, we will look at what Jesus said and what He did not say about the issue of self-defense.

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Scriptures: Matthew 5:38-42; Luke 22:36-38; Exod. 22:2
The Sermon on the Mount and the Civil State

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“Capital Punishment”, Bible Doctrine

Is a Promise Really a Promise?

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 00:30:00 -0600

How many people do you know that do what they say they will do? Times haven’t changed. An honest, dependable person was hard to find in Bible times. The even sadder fact was that the very people who were supposed to be teaching people the Bible made the situation worse by their traditions. Jesus confronted this problem in the Sermon on the Mount. The Old Testament taught that if a Jew took an oath he was to keep his word, not break it. But the scribes and Pharisees misused that teaching to control the people and to make themselves wealthy. There is more to what Jesus said than just their abuse of Scripture, however. This section of Scripture teaches us the simple and yet rare virtue of honesty. When we’re honest, a simple yes or know will do.

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Scriptures: Matthew 5:33-37; Leviticus 19:12; Numbers 30:2; Ecclesiastes 5:2-5
“Laws Governing Vows,” Annual Lesson Commentary, 1948. Second Quarter: Lesson 9, May 30, 1948

What Does Jesus Say About Divorce?

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 00:30:00 -0600

How many people in America would you say were divorced in the year 1900? One in one thousand. Eighty years later that number had jumped to over 22 women out of every one thousand. This is just one indication that the more people drift from God and the Bible the worse their morals become. But that is just America in recent years. When we go back to Jesus’ day we find that divorce and remarriage was a common problem among Jews and Gentiles. Jesus specifically addressed this issue in the Sermon on the Mount. Popular religious rabbis were lax in their teaching on this subject then just as some preachers are today. These are critical verses on a serious subject and they deserve our attention.

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Scriptures: Matthew 5:31-32; Deuteronomy 24:1; Matthew 19:3-12
What God Rejoins

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Bible Doctrine, “The Home, Part 2”

Did Jesus Say It’s Wrong to Look?

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 00:30:00 -0600

We live in a visual age. As with all progress, there is a good and a bad side to the amazing potential of the screens we use every day. But we must remember that there is nothing really new (Ecc. 1:9). Behind the world of images is the same old human nature. In this lesson, we will look at what Jesus said about men looking at women in the wrong way. This topic could not be more timely and needed. Pornography is the pandemic of our time. It has been called “every man’s battle.” Some surveys reveal that two-thirds of men claiming to be Christians view these images. Jesus makes no excuses for men. He calls it what it is and tells us to take severe measures to avoid going to hell.

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Scriptures: Matthew 5:27-28; II Samuel 11:2-5; Job 31:1; Proverbs 6:25; II Peter 2:14
“Warning: Danger,” Living Oracles, vol. 38, no. 3
“A Battle in Every Age,” Living Oracles, vol. 35, no. 3
“The History of Pornography in the Twentieth Century” by James Latham

Murder is Not the Only Sin

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 00:30:00 -0600

If you ask people to give an example of something really evil, chances are they will mention murder. There is something so horrific about taking the life of an innocent person that virtually any nation on earth has a law against it. The Bible certainly condemns it. But most people would be surprised to learn that hate is a form of spiritual murder. That means that someone who has never been convicted of first-degree murder can be nonetheless guilty of the sin of hate.

It is easy to justify ourselves because we don’t do what others do, especially if they commit crimes like murder. But in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus challenges us to look at our hearts. In this episode, we will begin to study His words, “You have heard…But I say.” The Lord holds a mirror to us in this sermon. Are you ready to look into it?

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Scriptures: Matthew 5:21-26; I John 3:15; Leviticus 19:17-18

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I John 3:15, Bible Commentary

A Religion That Excels

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0600

One of the dividing lines between churches today is how we should look at the Old Testament. Should we keep its laws? Should we study it? Is the Sabbath for us? Jesus lived under the Old Testament law. In this lesson, He shows us how to view it. We should neither observe its rituals nor ignore its moral principles.

The scribes and Pharisees were the popular teachers in Jesus’ day. But they only used parts of the law to judge others while they omitted other parts. Jesus teaches us in this section not to be partial with the Bible. We must respect all that God says, not just the parts we like or happen to agree with already.

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Scriptures: Matthew 5:17-20; Colossians 2:14-17

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The Powerful Influence of a Christian Life

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 13 Nov 2024 00:30:00 -0600

Episode Description

Of all the people in your life, who has had the greatest influence on you? That question is usually easier to answer than the next: Of all the people around you, whom would you say you have influenced the most? Sometimes people tell us the impression we have made, but many times they don’t. That’s where faith comes in. The Bible assures us that our lives for Christ are not spent in vain. Jesus said Christians are the “salt of the earth” and the “light of the world.” Those simple yet profound figures should encourage us. Whether we realize it or not, people are watching and listening. This is all part of Jesus’ teaching—not that others should praise the good we do, but that they see the good in us and glorify the One who saved us and made us whole!

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Scriptures: Matthew 5:13-16; I Peter 2:12; Philippians 2:14-15
“Sermons We See”

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“Understanding the Times: The Culture" RENEW 2024

Christians Will Be Persecuted!

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 06 Nov 2024 00:30:00 -0600

Persecution is on the rise around the globe. North Korea and Muslim countries like Yemen and Saudi Arabia are some of the most dangerous places for believers in Christ. But other “free” nations are becoming less tolerant of Christian beliefs and practices. That includes the United States which used to be called a “Christian nation.”

This episode reminds us that persecution is nothing new. In fact, it is to be expected. Jesus said, “If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute me you” (John 15:20).

But Jesus didn’t tell us to feel sorry for ourselves. He said we are blessed if we are persecuted for Him and told us to rejoice!

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Scriptures: Matthew 5:10-12; II Timothy 3:12; I Peter 4:12-16
“Feeling the Tension?”

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Why Can’t We Just Get Along?

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 00:30:00 -0500

It can be an elusive goal or an idealistic dream. Peace is hard to find. Everywhere we turn there is arguing and fighting. Is there any hope in this world of chaos and strife? In this episode, we’ll learn first that there is a good kind of peace and a bad kind of peace. Jesus said “Blessed are the peacemakers,” but He also said that sometimes making peace is not good. We will learn what Jesus means and what He doesn’t mean in this famous beatitude. We will also see great examples in the Bible and powerful verses that will motivate us to be the peacemakers Jesus wants us to be.

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Scriptures: Matthew 5:9; Matthew 10:34-37; Genesis 13:1-9

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“Children Obey Your Parents” One Gospel Minute Podcast

Pure Gold and Pure Hearts

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 23 Oct 2024 00:30:00 -0500

“He seems sincere.” “She is a genuine person.” It can be rare to find someone who fits that description. This episode is about Jesus’ teaching on being pure in heart. From the beginning of the Christian life we are to strive to keep our hearts pure. This means having the right motivation—doing the right things for the right reason. It also means keeping impurities out of our souls—greed, lust, pride and other things that defile us. We will also look at one of the greatest moral challenges in our time—the plague of pornography. But this is not just a discussion about the problem of impurities. You will learn practical ways to keep your heart pure.

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Scriptures: Matthew 5:8; II Timothy 1:5; Matthew 5:27-28

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“Moral Purity” — TBC RENEW Lectureship 2016 – “Revisiting the Battle…”

What Are You Hungry For?

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 00:30:00 -0500

Are you hungry in a spiritual sense? We know what it’s like to be hungry for food to nourish our body. Do we feel a craving for spiritual food? Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.” We live in a time when people have all they want to eat. They constantly entertain themselves. They are restless and go from one pleasure to the next. Yet they feel empty and depressed because there is something missing inside—deep inside. We are made in the image of God which means we have a spirit that is not material. Nothing material can satisfy the needs of the soul. Jesus said there is a way—the only way—to fill that void.

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Scriptures: Matthew 5:6; I Peter 2:2; Job 23:12; Matthew 6:33
“Do You Understand the Bible?”

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Luke 7:36-8:25, “Bible Commentary: Luke”

What is a Meek Christian?

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 00:30:00 -0500

LIVING THE SERMON SERIES

“The best commentary on the Bible is the Bible.” That is the most important guideline in Bible interpretation, and it is the key to understanding Jesus’ words, “Blessed are the meek.” Many today think Jesus tolerated just about any lifestyle because He was meek, but the Jesus we read about in the New Testament never compromised. To be meek does not mean to be weak. But there is more to understanding this beatitude than knowing what it doesn’t mean. We will look at two well-known characters in the Bible—one in the Old Testament and the other in the New—to show what it means to have this characteristic in our lives.

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Scriptures: Matthew 5:5; Numbers 12:3; Matthew 11:28-30

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Ephesians 4:1-3 Bible Commentary

The First Words of the Greatest Sermon

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 02 Oct 2024 00:30:00 -0500

LIVING THE SERMON SERIES

Millions have read it. Christians in all ages have loved it. Even non-Christians have praised its moral teaching. The Sermon on the Mount is one of the most famous and beloved sections of in all of Scripture. It is about how those in the kingdom of heaven should live. Rather than starting with the outside, Jesus literally goes straight to the heart of the matter in the Beatitudes. He teaches us to get our hearts right first. In this episode, we will see the difference between self-confidence and trusting God. We will also learn that some tears are good and others are not. Each of these “Be Attitudes” begins with the word “Blessed.” If we want to be blessed by God, this is where it begins.

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Scriptures: Matthew 4:1-4; Isaiah 66:2; Psalm 30:5; II Corinthians 1:3
Teacher’s Annual Lesson Commentary 1949, First Quarter, Lesson Three: “The Beatitudes”

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Luke 6:21-26 Bible Commentary

We Want Change!

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 00:30:00 -0500

I was reading a book written over 400 years ago that talked about “jumping out of the frying pan into the fire.” That mistake is about as older than the saying. We overreact to a bad situation and end up making things worse. There is perhaps no area of life where people have made this tragic mistake more often than in government. There is a story in the Old Testament that illustrates this lesson. Sometimes people are so intent on change that they refuse to listen to good advice. God Himself tried to reason with the people of Israel, but they wouldn’t listen. They paid the price of their stubbornness for hundreds of years. This story is greatly needed in our day of uncertainty in politics and society.

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Scriptures: I Samuel 8; Hoseas 13:11
“History Repeats Itself—Do We Learn?”

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America Through the Eyes of Isaiah

God Knows America’s Future

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 18 Sep 2024 00:30:00 -0500

As the election draws near Americans feel anxious. We want to know something we cannot know: the future. Turning to popular social media doesn’t help. It makes it worse. Politicians make promises but give no clear answers. Preachers who try to be prophets are proven wrong every time. But when we read the Bible the situation is clear. We don’t know the future but God does. God doesn’t just foresee what will happen. He intervenes. His eye is on the future and His hand is in the future. In this episode, we will look at an incredible passage of Scripture that reminds us of how little we see and how great God’s power and foreknowledge are.

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Scriptures: Genesis 15:13-16; Proverbs 3:5-6
“How Will It All End?”

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“Are Prophecies Just Coincidences?”

What Was—and Is—9/11 About?

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 00:30:00 -0500

Nothing is more effective for rulers than the element of surprise. It is very old. In this episode, we’ll see how one ancient army conquered the most powerful city on earth because no one saw them coming. Then we’ll look at two subversive movements that are working endlessly to change America from within. One of these is a militaristic and political ideology that masquerades as a religion under the protection of the First Amendment. Since this method of conquest is very old, what can we learn from Scripture that will enable us to be wise and keep our focus?

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Scriptures: Matthew 10:28; I Timothy 6:15; Daniel 4:17
“The Rise of Mohammedism” in The Eternal Kingdom by F.W. Mattox

From Spanish Flu to Covid-19

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 00:30:00 -0500

The end of this century of American history was as eventful as its beginning. World War I and the Spanish flu ended as the 1920s began, and 100 years later Covid-19 turned the world upside down. The decade of 2010-2020 proved to be a time of moral decay as same-sex marriage was legalized in 2015 and an American President lectured the public to accept homosexual and transgender perversion. But in the midst of this chaos there were Christian people who stood strong and in fact grew stronger. As we end this study of 100 years of American history, we come full circle to the words of Ecclesiastes 1:9: “There is no new thing under the sun.”

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Scriptures: Daniel 4:17, Judges 21:25, Isaiah 29:16
Church, State, and Disease by Kerry Duke

Millennials in the New Millennium: 2000-2010

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 28 Aug 2024 00:30:00 -0500

“You do not know what a day may bring forth” (Prov. 27:1). The 1990s ended with a soaring stock market and fear of a Y2K meltdown. But no one imagined the changes that the next decade would bring. The 1990s were a “time to gain” and the new millennium began with a “time to lose” (Ecc. 3:6) when the tech bubble burst. The emergency numbers 9/11 took on a whole new meaning when the Pentagon was attacked and the famous Twin Towers fell. Americans were vaguely familiar with the word “terrorism,” but after that fateful September day we grew painfully aware of it. The United States felt the wrath of an enemy with no regard for rules of conventional warfare. And while politicians and the media blamed the attack on radicals in the Islamic religion, those who took the time to look into the Quran and the life of Muhammed began to see that this religion is actually a militaristic movement masquerading under the protection of the First Amendment. This decade was full of surprises and it is packed with lessons.

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Scriptures: I Timothy 6:17; Matthew 10:28
“How Did 9/11 Happen?”

Armageddon or Y2K? No End to Guessing the End—The 1990s

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 00:30:00 -0500

From the end of television to the end of the world—this was the talk in the 1990s. We entered this decade in a conflict known as the Gulf War. Many preachers said it was Armageddon. Then we saw one crisis after another—violent riots in Los Angeles in 1992, the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, a school shooting in Columbine, Colorado in 1999, and finally the Y2K scare as the next millennium approached. This was an age when Silicon Valley became more powerful than many governments, a time when the stock market soared with high-tech companies leading the way. But what were the moral and spiritual issues of the 1990s? What changes and challenges did we see?

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Scriptures: Acts 17:16-34; II Peter 3:10; Jeremiah 6:15

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The End of Time: Bible Teaching vs. Man’s Teaching

The Millennial Generation Arrives

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 00:30:00 -0500

Pac Man. VCRs. AIDS. Chernobyl. The 1980s was a time of change and challenges to the home, the church, the country and the world as a whole. But as Christians, we must remember that what makes the news is usually not what makes a difference in the long run. And, what is news to us was already seen by the foreknowledge of God. Two moral issues stand out in this decade: abortion and divorce. Both reached an all-time high in this period. The rebellion of the 60s and 70s had taken its toll, but the Bible and Bible believers stood firm.

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Scriptures: I Corinthians 5:1-13; Matthew 18:15-17
My Sister’s Keeper

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America Through the Eyes of Isaiah, tracks 4-9

The Amazing but Tragic Seventies

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 00:30:00 -0500

Classic music, muscle cars, great sports—all these and more defined the special decade known as the 70s. It was a relaxed time of newfound freedom. It was also a turning point in our history as a people. Abortion was legalized. Premarital sex and divorce skyrocketed. Drugs seemed to be everywhere. Television and movie standards changed for the worse. Moral and religious convictions began to fade. We could say that the Baby Boomers declared a culture war in the 60s and enjoyed the spoils in the 70s. Travel back to that time in this episode as we look at the 1970s through the lenses of Scripture.

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Scriptures: Luke 8:14; Romans 1:25; Luke 1:36
The Day America Declared War, Kerry Duke

The Rebellion of the 60s

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 31 Jul 2024 00:30:00 -0500

If you're going to understand how the morals of this country have turned upside down, you must understand what happened in America in the 1960s. A President was assassinated. A Civil Rights leader was killed. Thousands of young men were sent to Vietnam. Drugs poured into our streets and schools. The cover of TIME magazine read “God is Dead.” “Sex, drugs, and rock and roll” became the theme of American youth. Many feared nuclear war after World War II, but the moral explosion of the 1960s devastated our culture. We have never recovered. Whether you are old enough to remember this decade or too young to know much about it, this episode will help you to see how we got to this point and how we can survive morally and spiritually.

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Scriptures: Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:4; Psalm 14:1
Right from the Beginning in a World of Wrong, Kerry Duke

The Test and Growth of Faith in the Fifties

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 00:30:00 -0500

“Present homosexuality, degeneracy, and promiscuity as normal, natural, healthy.” Does that sound like something a left-wing group promotes today? It’s actually from a movement that worked hard to change America in the 1950s. This was a decade of strong family values and regular church attendance, but the devil was plotting against the church and the home. This episode uncovers some of the cracks in the moral foundation of American culture and helps us to understand how we arrived at where we are now.

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Scriptures: Matthew 19:3-9; II Tim. 3:13
The Naked Communist, Cleon Skousen
Firm Foundation, 1950s

If God Created Man, Who Made Hitler?

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 17 Jul 2024 00:30:00 -0500

Episode Description

This episode is like everyday discussions in the halls and classrooms of Tennessee Bible College. We look at the philosophies that shape politics, religion, and culture. In the 1940s fear gripped the hearts of people everywhere because of a madman who wanted to rule the world. But there were intellectuals before this decade that influenced the unconscionable atrocities of Hitler’s Nazis in World War II. And although this movement is not the threat it once was, the philosophies that gave it a rationalization are now popular in American education. In this episode you will learn how the U.S. changed its moral direction during the crisis of the 1940s.

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Scriptures: Judges 21:25; Proverbs 23:7
Right From the Beginning, Kerry Duke
The Warren-Flew Debate
The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, William L. Shirer

The Trying Thirties

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 00:30:00 -0500

Imagine a time when the economy was devastated but morality was strong, a decade when one out of four people were unemployed and bedroom scenes and nudity were not allowed in movies. This was life in America in the 1930s. Times were hard, but those trials built character. Financially it was the age of the Great Depression; spiritually it was a time of great revival. Learn how the “Roaring Twenties” led to the “Trying Thirties” and see how the church not only survived but flourished in this era of American history in this episode.

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Scriptures: Ecclesiastes 7:10; Romans 15:4
Gospel Advocate, 1930

The 1920s

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 03 Jul 2024 00:30:00 -0500

It couldn't have happened all at once. It isn’t a recent generational change. The radical shift in American morals goes back further than the cultural revolution of the 1960s and 1970s. This ethical landslide began in the “Roaring Twenties.” This episode is the first of a ten-part, decade-by-decade look at how and why this country is so different today. It is not just another American history series, however. It is a biblical view of what causes these changes in our or any other nation past or present.

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Scriptures: Ecclesiastes 1:9-10, Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. Judges 21:25
Gospel Advocate 1921
Right From the Beginning, Kerry Duke
Only Yesterday, Frederick Lewis Allen. Chapter five: “The Revolution in Manners and Morals.”

A Bible Within the Bible

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 26 Jun 2024 00:30:00 -0500

What’s your favorite Bible verse? There’s nothing wrong with memorizing special sayings in the Bible, but we shouldn’t play favorites with the Scriptures. This is a mistake many Bible readers make. It is easy to look at only one or two favorite verses and neglect reading other verses that have a bearing on the subject we’re studying. When this happens, the “Bible” people know is only a few sentences long. This episode challenges us to see the context of the Bible as a whole.

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Scriptures: II Timothy 2:15; II Peter 3:15-16
“Ox in the Ditch” by Kerry Duke

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Bible Commentary

Near Death Leads to a New Life

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 19 Jun 2024 00:30:00 -0500

He almost killed himself. It was a normal day at work for this prison guard until two men were arrested that were unlike any prisoners he had ever seen. At first he was not impressed by them. But when an earthquake struck one night he started to commit suicide because he thought the prisoners had escaped. One of those two men assured him that all the prisoners were still there. That man was the apostle Paul. The fearless guard came out with a light trembling. He asked the most important question anyone could ask: “What must I do to be saved?” That night a man who came very close to leaving this world in a lost condition was baptized. This is the story of the Philippian jailor in Acts 16.

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Scriptures: Acts 16:25-34; Acts 22:16, Acts 2:38, Mark 16:16, I Peter 3:21
Reading: “A Jailer Converted”—(Teacher’s Annual Lesson Commentary, Lesson 11, June 11, 1967)

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Salvation - "The Plan of Salvation"

Is it Wrong to Talk About Right and Wrong?

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 00:30:00 -0500

“Beyond Good and Evil” is a book written by the German philosopher Nietzsche. He didn’t believe in moral absolutes. Not surprisingly, Adolf Hitler was one of his fans. Are we beyond good and evil today? Do we think these words have lost meaning? There was a time in Israel when “every man did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). Centuries later the Roman historian Tacitus said that the ancient city of Rome was so immoral that it was like a common sewer into which the filth of the nations flowed. Are we seeing this same experiment today when men test the God of heaven by denying moral boundaries? One of the most revealing sections of the Bible on moral anarchy is found in the epistle to the saints in that ancient city. The first two chapters of the book of Romans show that men are still making the same mistakes. It also shows us the only hope in a world full of darkness and confusion.

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Scriptures: Romans 1:18-32; 2:14-15
Right From the Beginning in a World of Wrong

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Salvation - Sin Series

Timely Issues in I Timothy

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 00:30:00 -0500

How can an old book like the Bible address today’s problems? Spend just a few minutes in the book of First Timothy and you’ll be amazed at how current the Bible is. This epistle deals with issues people discuss every day—homosexuality, a Christian’s relationship to government, the role of women in the church, exercise, drinking, money, and much more!

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Scriptures: The book of I Timothy

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Bible Commentary: I Timothy

Does God Care About What’s Happening?

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 29 May 2024 00:30:00 -0500

In a world of war and killing, it might appear that God doesn’t know or doesn’t care what is happening. Even some prophets of God in the Bible couldn’t understand why God didn’t put an end to evil. But God has reasons. He does things in His own time. He takes into account everyone in all ages. Yes, God sees and He cares. More importantly, He is at work in the world in ways we cannot see—even in great and powerful governments. He sets up kings and puts down kings (Dan. 2:21). He rules in the kingdoms of men (Dan. 4:17). And He does this not to toy with nations but to accomplish His purposes, the most important of which is the greatest kingdom of all—the church.

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Scriptures: The books of Daniel and Isaiah

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American Through the Eyes of Isaiah

Partisan Politics and the Biblical View of Things

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 22 May 2024 00:30:00 -0500

“God Looks on Your Inside, Not Your Outside”

Have you ever heard that “Man looks on the outward appearance but the Lord looks on the heart”? We’ll talk about this statement in I Samuel 16:7 and discuss what it means for our lives. We’ll also look at some interesting evidence for the divine inspiration of the Bible and consider “partisan politics” from a very different viewpoint than most discussions of politics today.

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Scriptures: I Peter 3:15; Daniel 4:17; Isaiah 48:10; II Corinthians 1:3-10
“Church, State, and Disease” by Kerry Duke, chapter nine, “The Divine Dimension.”

Life Before and After Death

Tennessee Bible College — Tue, 14 May 2024 00:30:00 -0500

Do you have a plan for the day you die? Not a will. Not a life insurance policy. Not your things or your business or your savings. Those things are on earth. But you won’t be here. But you will exist after your mortal life ends. Some educated people laughed at the apostle Paul when he taught this almost two thousand years ago, and some today sneer at the suggestion of the afterlife. In this episode we will look at skepticism then and now as well as other pertinent topics.

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Scriptures: Acts 17:16-34; Mark 16:9-20
Pillars of the Faith, Kerry Duke

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tn-biblecollege.edu/endtimes, “Life After Death” series

Teaching Children Right from Wrong

Tennessee Bible College — Tue, 07 May 2024 23:30:00 -0500

How can you teach your children about right and wrong in a mixed-up world? This episode begins with Jewish training in the home according to Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and Psalm 78:4-8. Next, we look at moral values in American history in an old school book called the “Blueback Speller” by Noah Webster. Then Paul’s words in I Timothy 5 about family responsibilities round out our discussion on this urgent topic!

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“Right From the Beginning in a World of Wrong” by Kerry Duke — https://www.tn-biblecollege.edu/bookstore/
“Children—The Future” by David Hill — https://www.tn-biblecollege.edu/07/children-the-future/

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tn-biblecollege.edu/thehome

Where Did We Go Wrong in this Country?

Tennessee Bible College — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 23:30:00 -0500

Episode Description

Was it the government’s fault? Maybe too much entertainment? Or have churches, schools and parents failed us? We need to dig deeper if we want the answer. In this episode we’ll look at a voice from long ago that explains our situation. That source is Romans 1:18-32. This amazing passage describes how a culture goes from admitting God to denying Him and the moral collapse that follows. This is definitely a perspective on history you won’t hear often.

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Scriptures: Romans 1:18-32; Psalm 19:1-4
Pillars of the Faith, Kerry Duke

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tn-biblecollege.edu/creation (“Man” subcategory)

Signs of the End

Tennessee Bible College — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 23:30:00 -0500

Does all the trouble in the world mean the end of the world is near? Many think so. But in this episode we’ll see that people have guessed wrong about this many times before our generation. What does God Himself say about this question? Be ready to open your Bible to Matthew 24 and other passages for the answer!

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Scriptures: Mark 13:32; II Peter 3:10; I Thessalonians 5:1-3; Matthew 24 1-35

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tn-biblecollege.edu/endtimes

Israel and the Promised Land

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Did God promise the land in Israel to the Jewish people—permanently? We hear this discussed from all sides today except God’s side. It all goes back to the promise God made to Abraham in Genesis 12. Was that promise an unconditional guarantee that this land would always belong to the nation of Israel?

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Scriptures: Gen. 12:1-7; Genesis 13:15; Deuteronomy 28; II Kings 17; II Kings 24; Deuteronomy 30; Nehemiah 1:8-10; Matthew 21:43; Galatians 3:26-29

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tn-biblecollege.edu/oldtestament

Will the Bible Survive?

Tennessee Bible College — Wed, 10 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0500

A survey from the Cultural Research Center of Arizona Christian University found that only 46% of American adults trust the Bible as the Word of God. Faith in the book, once quoted by politicians and read in schools, is declining. Why? Decades of criticism have taken their toll. Will the book called the "Holy Bible" survive? This episode looks at the sources of criticism of the Bible and the kinds of attacks made against it. You will see that these assaults on the Bible are not new. The Scriptures have withstood intense trials and are still the most widely read in history!

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Main Scriptures: Jeremiah 36 and I Peter 1:25
Pillars of the Faith, Kerry Duke

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http://tn-biblecollege.edu/bible

Welcome to My God and My Neighbor

Tennessee Bible College — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 13:43:49 -0500

Tennessee Bible College presents the My God and My Neighbor Podcast, hosted by Kerry Duke. We see the Bible as more than just another book; it is The Book. Our discussions address modern issues through a biblical perspective, emphasizing the importance of the Bible in guiding us. My God and My Neighbor is guided by Psalm 119:105, "Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."