NorMel House Devotions

Some days, the words just flow through my fingers and onto the page. I feel like a conduit, not a writer. But then there are days when the words just don't seem to come; when there's so much on my heart, but I just can't seem to put it into words. Grief can have that effect sometimes. There are no words that will truly express my thoughts and feelings right now, so I'll let God's Word speak for itself: No more shall there be in it     an infant who lives but a few days,     or an old man who does not fill out his days Isaiah 65:20 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. Revelation 21:4 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.                           ...

Waiting is hard, waiting for something you long for, even more so. There are so many things we wait for in life, but waiting for someone to fulfill their promises can be frustrating and make us impatient. As Christians, our waiting should look a little different; the Bible teaches us that even in our waiting, we must remain faithful to God and be patient. God is faithful and trustworthy; He always keeps His promises. Are you willing to wait patiently? Could you remain faithful, steadfast, and patient even if it took 45 years for someone to fulfill their promise? Or an entire lifetime? Turning to the book of Joshua, we can see an example of true faith and patience. Caleb, of the tribe of Judah, son of Jephunneh, was chosen to be sent out as a spy into the land of Canaan. God had brought His people out of the land of Egypt, as He had promised He would. When they drew near to the land of Canaan, the Lord commanded Moses , “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to ...

  Have you ever thought, “Wow, it’s a good thing others can’t hear my thoughts right now!” I know I definitely have, more often than I’d care to admit. So often, throughout the day, my thoughts are not in line with what the Bible teaches us they should be. As Paul says in Romans 7:15, “For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” It’s a constant struggle and battle to control not only our actions but also our thoughts! By the Spirit, we may be able to hold our tongues and keep our thoughts to ourselves, but our thoughts matter to God! I am a Christian, not because I am perfect, I’m not. I am a Christian because I know I need Christ! Part of knowing my need for God is recognizing how important it is to have a living, active relationship with Him. Prayers are a vitally important part of living out your faith and being a Christian. Prayer is part of how we commune with our heavenly Father, and therefore, vital to our relat...

Right now you’re struggling, but I see you. More importantly, God sees you. Turn to the Bible           “Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!”  Psalm 34:8 When your body has taken so much of your freedom, and you feel like you’ve lost another one, it’s easy to feel sad and disappointed. Maybe today just sucks, but you will be ok when you find your refuge in Him, in His Word.           “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:26 You feel like your body has betrayed you, let you down. But remember, God is good, and His plan for us is good. Right now, it may be hard to feel that, to hear the words that should bring comfort. Read them once, and then again, and again until His Words echo in your mind.           “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for ...

What then shall we do? The Bible is filled with verses that teach us how to live our lives and how to use the many blessings and gifts God gives us. Many of us don’t like to be told how to spend our money or use our time, and it can be uncomfortable to hear that we may not be living as God requires. But it is wiser to learn to use our blessings, be it talents, money, or possessions, as God tells us to. Proverbs 11:24-25 says, One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. This seems contradictory; the world will tell you to hold on to as much as possible, after all, didn’t you work hard to get what you have? God has every right to tell us what to do with ourselves and our possessions; we are His, and all good things we have are gifts He has given us. So, what does God tell us about giving? We are to give freely, generously, and even sel...

  Matthew 28:6 ESV