NorMel House Devotions

  Read 1 John 5:13-21 At the time John wrote this letter, Christianity was under attack. People were going through uncertainties and either leaving the church or trying to change the gospel. As we come to the conclusion of the letter, we can see that not only was it a response to Gnosticism, but it was also meant to reassure the reader of several things. By using the phrase "we know," John gave the reader several certainties for Christians to be confident in as he summarized and concluded his letter. Our first confidence, and concurrently the purpose of the letter, is found in verse 13. John wrote the letter that the reader might be certain of eternal life. His desire is that they might know that Jesus is the true Son of God, and knowing this, believe in the gospel promises and therefore have eternal life. He goes on to tell us of the confidence we have that our prayers are not only heard but will be answered. Do not make the mistake of thinking prayer is a way to control God...

Read 1 John 5:1-12 We come to the last chapter of 1 John, and here again, we see the main point John has been trying to get across to his readers: Jesus is Christ, the Son of God. Just as love is a sign of being born again, so also, is faith in Jesus as the Christ. At the time John wrote this letter, family members were all considered a unit under the father of the household. This is why John uses the illustration of a family to show that if someone loves the Father, then they must also love the Son and vice versa.  Another way to show love for God is obedience to His commands. Obedience to God and showing love for God is also evidence of love for His children. John tells us that God's commands are not "burdensome" (verse 3) because we have been born again. By faith, one who has been born again of God is then enabled by the Holy Spirit to obey. It's easy to be obedient to God's commands because God overcame the world and gave us His Spirit to dwell in us. It is th...

  Read 1 John 4 At first glance, chapter 4 may appear to be a repetition of things John had previously said. However, there is more to learn here. While John had warned against false prophets and teachers, he now tells us to "test the spirits to see whether they are from God." (1 John 4:1). He gives the reader a way to discern and recognize false teaching; those who deny that Christ came in the flesh are anti-christs. John also tells the reader that the world will follow its own, but God is greater than the world. True prophets speak from God and co fess that Jesus Christ was a true man and, at the same time, true God. John was not the only one to warn against false prophets. Paul also warned against them in 1 Timothy 4:1-2a, where he wrote, "The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars..." So how do we discern the truth? John says, ...

Read 1 John 3:11-24 The Bible tells us we are to love one another, and our text today is like a road map to doing so. In fact, it tells us that right from the beginning, we have been told to love one another. In the beginning, when God gave the law, He said, "Do not hate your brother in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in his guilt. Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself."(Levitcus 19:17-18). From these passages, we learn that acting out of hatred, or revenge, or bearing a grudge are not showing love. They are, in fact, the opposite of love! 1 John 3 even gives us an example when it tells us not to murder, like Cain, who was evil and jealous of his brother (1 John 3:12). What comes next is a reminder that the world will hate us for this (1 John 3:13). Jesus, Himself, said, "If you belong to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I hav...

  Read 1 John 2:28 – 3:10 and Romans 6:1 – 14 When you meet someone, how do you identify yourself? Do you say, “I’m a mom of…” or “I’m so and so’s wife…” How do you define yourself? Do you ever say, “I’m a child of God”? For, as John says in 1 John 3:1, “that is what we are!” We are children of God! But how is that possible? We are lawless sinners, but Jesus came to take our sin away (1 John 3: 5). Because He is sinless, we too, are made sinless in God’s eyes. John isn’t saying that the believer’s life is sinless in and of themselves, but rather, the believer’s life is made distinctive by doing what is right. In Christ we have the Holy Spirit who helps us. Satan cannot control believers but will be overcome and destroyed by Christ’s work. Sin is of the devil and Jesus came to destroy “the devil’s work” (1 John 3: 8). As God’s children, we are “born of God” and therefore have His seed (1 John 3:9). Just as children inherit the traits of their parents, so, we too will be like our H...

Read 1 John 2:18-27 Our Bible passage today comes under the heading, "Warning against the anti-christs." John warns the readers that there are already anti-christs in the world. A sense of urgency is apparent through the repeated use of the word "last." Twice in verse 18, he says it is the "last hour." John believed the end of days was already there. He wanted the readers to be alert and prepared so they wouldn't be led astray by false prophets and anti-christs. John called the early Gnostics anti-christs because they denied Christ's humanity. In 2 Thessalonians 2:3, Paul also warns against them when he refers to the "man of lawlessness." He warns that there will be a falling away from faith; an active rebellion leading the forces of evil. In Matthew 24:24, Jesus said, "For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect - if that were possible." Jesus said this while e...

Read 1 John 2:1-17 To "walk in the light" might seem like a strange expression, but John explains what it means in today's text. It's not a literal light, but the light of God and His Word. What is walking in the light? Well, the text tells us that to walk in the light is not to sin but to strive to be obedient to God's Word. You must strive to know God. How does one get to know God? By reading His Word! When we read His Word, we learn that it also means we must strive to live Christ-like lives. The Word of God must live in us; we must not be liars or haters. When we do walk in the light, John tells us that our sins are forgiven because Jesus intercedes for us before the Father. Just as one has an advocate before the judge in court, we have Jesus to go before our heavenly judge. Our love for God will be seen in obedience to Him, and "God's love is truly made complete." John is telling the reader that true light is the gospel of Jesus Christ and the s...

Read 1 John 1:5-10 John writes that God is light. In the beginning, God spoke, and there was light (see Genesis 1:3). He even sent His Son to be a light in this dark world. We sinned and brought the darkness. In John 8:12, Jesus calls Himself the light of the world. Logically speaking, we know you can not be both light and dark. Either light is shining on you, or you are in darkness. John tells us that God is light and we can not have fellowship with Him if we walk in darkness. Ephesians 5:8 says, "For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light." We know that God is light but Psalm 119:105 tells us that God's Word is also light. "Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." Our text tells us that walking in the light, as He is, gives us fellowship with one another and gives us the blood of Christ to purify us from sin. Sin is darkness. If we claim to be without sin, we are, as our text says, liars, and ...

Read 1 John 1:1-4 John dives right into the heart of the matter. He starts his letter off by refuting the teachings of the Gnostics. The Gnostics believed that the body, and all physical matter, is evil. Only the Spirit can be good. They denied Christ's humanity, saying that Christ only seemed to be human or that the divine Christ came and was temporarily joined with the man for a short part of His time on earth. John refutes this right away by witnessing Christ's body and life. He tells the reader, "That which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched - this we proclaim concerning the Word of Life." John calls Christ the Word of Life because He is the source of life and the Supreme ruler over life. John also says this in the book of John, chapter 1: 1-2, where he writes, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning." He goes on to a...