1 Samuel 17:45-51

Dear brethren,

Good Saturday Morning!

When challenges and obstacles appear larger than we can handle, the temptation is to run away with fear. However, in reality, the challenges and obstacles may not be as big or as difficult as what we perceive. Consider the story of David and Goliath. In the story of David and Goliath, all of King Saul's army was afraid of Goliath. No man of the army of Israel was willing to answer Goliath's challenge. Unlike King Saul's cowardly soldiers, David did not percieve Goliath as a threat.

How often have you faced what seemed to be an insurmountable challenge only to later realize that you overestimated the greatness of the challenge? I know that I have been guilty of fearing obstacles, only to learn later that I was capable of overcoming such obstacles. Often times, we do not realize that we can tackle a challenge until we "jump in both feet first."

One of the most challenging areas of our lives can be in our spirituality. Quite often, the "giants" of our lives threaten our spiritual focus. Look within your life and see what "giants" you face every day. How often do you find yourself surrendering to these "giants"? How often do you find yourself defeating these "giants"? Anything or anyone that tempts you or draws you away from serving the Father in heaven could be considered your "giant." You and I must be like David and rely upon God's help to defeat these "giants." Look to the word of God and let it guide you in all areas of your life. By using the word of God as your "sling and stone", you will be able to defeat the "giants" within your life.

I now present 1 Samuel 17:45-51 for your consideration.

1 Sameul 17:45-51

45 Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

46 This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

47 Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give you into our hands.”

48 So it was, when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, that David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.

49 Then David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone; and he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth.

50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David.

51 Therefore David ran and stood over the Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it.
And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.

In Love,

John Duvall

Romans 8:31-39

Dear brethren,

Good Morning!

Here is a great way to start every day of your life. Ask the following question with meaning and belief, "If God is for me, who can be against me?" Now, ask the question again, "If God is for me, who can be against me?!" The answer of course is, "No one can stand against you!"

Within our lives as Christians, there will be times when the right decision may cause other people to challenge you because of your faith. Depending upon your circle of friends, the type of job you work, the type of person you marry, etc. you may not have many people within your life who would challenge you because of your faith. However, rest assured that in every Christian's life, someone, at somepoint, will challenge their faith.

When we face those cross-roads of right and wrong, we must never be afraid of what people will say or do. As hard as it may seem to do, we must never be afraid of losing our jobs, our loved ones, our friends, etc. for the cause of Jesus Christ. Our love and service to God must also come first. No matter what others may do to us because of our right choice, they will never be able to separate us from God's wonderful love. As the apostle Paul wrote, "If God is for us, who can be against us?"

In Romans 8:31-39, the apostle Paul reminded the brethren of God's wonderful love for His people. If within our lives, someone forces us to choose between them and God, we must always choose God. Loosing a loved one, a friend, our jobs, etc. will hurt. But that hurt will not compare to the comfort we have in knowing that we are secure in God's love for us.

Here is Romans 8:31-39 presented for your consideration.

Romans 8:31-39

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.

34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

36 As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,

39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

In Love,

John Duvall

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Dear brethren,

Good morning!

Speaking very personally, as a young person I seldom liked being alone. I did have those few times when I preferred solitude, but in general, I chose not to walk alone.

I learned that maintaining a friendship is not always an easy task. To expect a friend never to make you mad is to be unrealistic as a friend. The very nature of a good friendship involves a closeness that can invite irritation and agitation. At the same time, a good friendship allows one to look past the faults of the other. When I look for a friend, I look for one with whom I can laugh and cry, but who will be forgiving of my shortcomings. I must be the same type of friend. A friendship should never be based upon perfection, but upon mutual respect and love.

In order to have a friend, you must first be willing to be a friend. True friendship is not a one-way street where you reap the benefits of the friendship without being beneficial to the other party. To have friends, you must be willing to be a friend. If you are not willing to do your part in the friendship, then the friendships within you life may fail.

Some friendships are born over a long span of time while other friendships are born over night. However, this is where we must exercise caution. A quickly established friendship may not have the foundation necessary to survive the various perils of the friendship. Whereas a friendship that slowly grows and develops will be better equipped to survive the complications of a good friendship.

Here is Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 presented for your consideration.

9 Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor.

10 For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up.

11 Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone?

12 Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

In Love,

John Duvall

Psalms 119:33-40

Dear brethren,

Good Wednesday morning!

Do you need help in your pursuit of righteousness? If you are like me, then you need help. The Bible teaches us that we cannot by ourselves find and maintain righteousness. (cf. Jeremiah 10:23) However, with a lot of help, we can know the way of righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ. (cf. Romans 3:21-23)

In Psalms 119:33-40, the writer petitioned the Lord for help. All of the verses are petitions for help. Here is what you will see: "Teach me," "Give me," "Make me walk," "Incline my heart," "Turn away my eyes," "revive me," "Establish Your word," "Turn away my reproach," and again "revive me." The writer clearly understood that serving Jehovah God could not be accomplised without God's help. We must be of the same understanding within our lives.

As you read this wonderful segment of scriptures, consider carefully the requests. Are you making the same requests within your own life? If the writer of Psalms 119 was King David, then we all know what troubles he had in his life. We also see his desire to serve the Lord. Let us make the same requests of our Lord and Savior, including the request found in verse 40, "Revive me in Your righteousness."

Here is Psalms 119:33-40 presented for your consideration.

33 Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes, And I shall keep it to the end.

34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law; Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart.

35 Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, For I delight in it.

36 Incline my heart to Your testimonies, And not to covetousness.

37 Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, And revive me in Your way.

38 Establish Your word to Your servant, Who is devoted to fearing You.

39 Turn away my reproach which I dread, For Your judgments are good.

40 Behold, I long for Your precepts; Revive me in Your righteousness.

In Love,

John Duvall

John 10:1-18

Dear brethren,

Good Morning!!

We like to think of ourselves as being smarter than sheep. Yet, like sheep being led to a slaughter, human beings are often willing to blindly follow a leader without considering the consequences. A well trained man can step into a person's life, entice that person with eloquent words, and lead that person wherever he desires, especially if the person is willing to blindly follow the man. This is especially true within the realm of religion.

How do we protect ourselves from being led astray? The answer is simple: We must follow Jesus Christ, the true shepherd. In John 10:1-18, Jesus used a parable illustrating the need to follow only Him. With this parable and His explanation, Jesus taught the people that only He can be the true Shepherd. There will always be those religious leaders who will attempt to lead those who would follow Jesus. However, these religious leaders are simply robbers and they do not care for Jesus' sheep.

Who will you allow to lead your life? We may have spouses who greatly influence us. We may have friends who we admire and want to imitate. We may have parents whose footsteps we want to follow. However, in all this, in matters of religion, morality, right and wrong, etc. we must only follow Jesus Christ and His teachings. We must follow the true Shepherd.

Here is John 10:1-18 presented for your consideration.

1 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.

5 Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”

6 Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them. Jesus the Good Shepherd

7 Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.

8 All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.

9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.

10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.

12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.

13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.

14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.

15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.

16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.

17 “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.

18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”

In Love,

John Duvall

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Dear brethren,

Good Monday Morning!

I would suspect that most Christians have that one favorite Bible passage they like to read. For many Christians, one such favorite passage could be 1 Corinthians 13.

1 Corinthians 13 is a treasure chest filled with instructions regarding love. The first three verses show us that no matter what we do in life, if we do not have love, our actions are basically without meaning. Verses 4 - 8 show us the quality and characteristics of love. Verses 9 - 12 simply build upon the second half of verse 8. Verse 13 teaches us that of faith, hope, and love, the greatest is love.

As you travel your journey for today, give thought to your life and the quality of love you have for other people. Let us not be distracted by whether or not others love us. Let us keep our focus on our love for others.

Here is 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 presented for your consideration.

1 Corinthians 13

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;

5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;

6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;

7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.

9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part.

10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

In Love,

John Duvall

James 1:2-8

Dear brethren,

Good morning!!

When I was in school, I did not like tests very much. The only tests I did not mind doing were the easy tests for which I had studied. The same is true with life. I do not mind the easy trials of life. But, I have learned that the trials of life are rarely easy.


The one comfort I have when I face the trials comes from knowing that every time I face a trial, this testing of my faith produces patience. For every trial I face, I should become stronger and more patient. If I will allow this patience to work in my life, then I will grow to maturity as a Christian.

To help face the trials of life, I must always pray for wisdom. I know that if I ask the Lord for wisdom to face the trials of life, then He will give me the wisdom.

Here is James 1:2-8 for your consideration.

James 1:2-8

2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,

3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.

7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;

8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

In Love,

John Duvall