Romans 13:8-10

Dear brethren,

Love among brethren is an amazing thing, if it is practiced. It is easy to say that we love one another, but if our actions do not show the love, then do we really love one another?

Speaking personally, I would not be surprised to learn that some people may question my love for them due to my inactivity at times. I can say I love them, but if do not show the love, then how do they know I love them?

Another interesting quality of love is that love does no harm. At this point, we are no longer talking about inactivity, but activity that does no harm. We should consider how we deal with our fellow Christians. We need to ask ourselves if what we are about to say or do will cause the brother harm? If the answer is yes, then we must refrain. Remember, in all things, love does no harm.

Here is Romans 13:8-10 for your consideration.

Romans 13:8-10

8 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.

9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

In Love,

John Duvall

1 Timothy 2:1-7

Dear brethren,

Prayer within the life of a Christian is very important. Prayer is the means through which Christians communicate with the heavenly Father. It is through prayer that Christians will ask God for things, ask God to watch out for others, and tell God thank you for the many blessings.

Before you start or day or end your day, remember to pray. Your life may be going well or your life may be falling apart. In either case, prayer to the heavenly Father. If you know someone who needs prayers, then pray for them as well.

Here is 1 Timothy 2:1-7 for your consideration.

1 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,

2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.

3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,

4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,

6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,

7 for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle—I am speaking the truth in Christ and not lying—a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

In Love,

John Duvall

Matthew 13:18-23

Dear brethren,

It is my hope and prayer that this message finds you doing well.

The parable of the sower strikes me as a parable with a two fold meaning. The primary meaning is from the perspective of the one who hears the word. The secondary meaning is from the perspective of the one who throws the seed. There will be times in our lives when we will be the hearers of the word. We will listen to God's word and will have to make the decision to listen and obey. At other times, we will be the one throwing the seed. We will learn not to be discouraged when the seed falls upon unreceptive hearts. We will rejoice over the hearers who obey and stay faithful to the Lord. Consider this as you go about your day. Will you listen to and obey God's word? Will you continue to throw the seed, God's word, upon every ground you see?

Here is Matthew 13:18-23 presented for your consideration.


18 “Therefore hear the parable of the sower:

19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.

20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;

21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.

22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.

23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

In Love,

John Duvall

Matthew 5:13-16

Dear brethren,

As I sit here writing this message, I can easily see through window that the sun has not yet risen. I see a street light off in the distance, but it's light does not illumate my back yard. The fact that the sun has not risen does not worry me for I know that the sun is constant. The sun will surely rise and, like every day before, will shine its light upon this side of the world.

Are we as constant as the sun? Every day that we rise from our night's slumber, does our light shine upon those whom we encounter? The people who live in the dark would should see the light of the Lord within our lives. They should look at us and see righteousness and godly behavior. From our mouths, they should only hear things which edify.

Before we leave our homes and face the darkness of the world, let us remind ourselves of our responsibility to let our light shine before people. Here is Mathew 5:13-16 presented for your consideration.

Matthew 5:13-16

13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.

15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

In Love,

John Duvall

Mark 10:17-22

Dear brethren,

Good Morning!!

Did you know that God has the same expectation of every Christian? Our heavenly Father excepts every saint to "drop everything" and follow Him.

We may be tempted at times to count all the good things that we do and pat ourselves on the back. However, there are times when we need to honestly ask ourselves, "What do I still lack?" We need to examine our lives and see if we can do better in our service to our Father. We all may find that we can do better.

The passage for today shows us an example of one who believed he had done all required of him. He was mistaken. Here is Mark 10:17-22 presented for your consideration.

Mark 10:17-22

17 Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?"

18 So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.

19 You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Do not defraud,' 'Honor your father and your mother.' "

20 And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth."

21 Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."

22 But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

In Love,

John Duvall

Mark 4:35-41

Dear brethren,

Good morning my brethren. It is my hope and prayer that this morning passage finds you doing well. Here in Oklahoma, I awoke to the sound of thunder, wind, and rain. However, it seems that the short lived storm has passed on to another area.

As I listened to the rain, I was reminded of the story of Jesus sleeping during a great storm while His disciples were frightened. Within the story I saw several lessons, too numerous to address in this post. However, I will share with you one main lesson to remember as you begin your day.

Jesus slept during the storm. Jesus knew that the storm was nothing over which He should worry. However, His disciples believed otherwise. During our lives, we will face many storms. Before we begin to fret and worry, causing extra hardship upon ourselves, let us consider the storm. Will it pass? Surely all storms pass. Will it really harm us? Most storms leave us shaken, but unharmed. But, even if the storm of life is devasting, it truly has no power over us. We must turn to our Lord and Savior and trust Him to deliver us through the stormy nights of our lives. Listen to and trust His words, "Peace, be still!"

Here is Mark 4:35-41 presented for your reading and your consideration.

35 On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side."

36 Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him.

37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.

38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"

39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.

40 But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?"

41 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!"

In Love,

John Duvall

Matthew 6:25-35

Dear brethren,

Good morning! I hope that this Lord's day finds you doing well and able to attend the worship services.

The passage for this morning should provoke within us a trust for the Lord. I realize that trust is a very subjective concept. Trust can be easy or difficult depending upon the situation and the object of your trust. It does not take great effort to trust a person to help you lift a fifty pound box. However, trusting someone to help lift you up off the floor when you are hurt may require greater effort and a different person in whom you can trust. It is easy to trust when life is good. It is a greater challenge to trust when you need the most help.

Thankfully, the One in whom we should all trust is our Father in Heaven. No matter what we are facing in life, He will never leave us nor forsake us. Our heavenly Father will always take care of us.

Consider Matthew 6:25-35.

25 "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?

26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

28 "So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;

29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

31 "Therefore do not worry, saying, `What shall we eat?' or `What shall we drink?' or `What shall we wear?'

32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

In Love,

John Duvall