NorMel House Devotions

For many, this week is "March break," and there are lots of planned activities and holidays. Many children don't have school this week, and their parents are often looking for ways to keep their children occupied. What if this year's March break looked a little different? What if we pointed our kids towards Bible study, engaging them in fun and creative activities meant to direct their thoughts to learning to live as the Bible teaches us? What greater activity is there for our children than learning how Christ lived and died for us, and how we ought to express our thankfulness to Him? With Good Friday and Easter Monday coming up, why not prepare your children by teaching them what those days are really meant to celebrate? Knowing what we do about Jesus Christ's death and resurrection, how do we prepare ourselves and our families to celebrate Good Friday and Easter Monday? The people in that time were not aware of what was to come and what it would mean for them an...

  Bless the Lord, O My Soul Of David. Psalm 103  Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! 2  Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, 3  who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, 4  who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, 5  who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. 6  The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. 7  He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel. 8  The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 9  He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. 10  He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. 11  For as hig...

So we’ve now learned that God’s grace is the undeserved gift of salvation that all people need. We could not earn it ourselves, but rather, by the working of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, we are given faith to accept this gracious gift. We’ve learned that God’s grace is limitless and all-sufficient. So, what else can we say about grace? Romans 6:14 says, “For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.” So, we who sinned and could not do any good, who “were once slaves of sin” (Romans 6:17), now, “Having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness” (Romans 6:18). So we see that grace transforms us! We go from being slaves to sin to being slaves of righteousness.  Titus 2:11-12 tells us, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age.” When God gives us His grace, He also gives...

Titus 2:15 “These, then, are all the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.” If we look back to Titus 2:1, it says, “You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine.” Paul starts with a command and then gives instructions for following it. He tells Titus what and how to teach the various groups of people. In verses 11-14, Paul tells us why we are to live as he has instructed; God gives us grace so that we can live this way while we await “the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” (Titus 2:13). Christ redeemed us and continually purifies us so that we are His people and will seek to do what is good. This brings us to our text today, in which Paul reiterates his point. All the things Titus has been told to teach must be taught with encouragement but also rebuke when necessary. Paul reminds Titus that God is our authority. By the working of the Holy Spirit, he is to share the word of God....

Read Ephesians 6: 5-9 Today's text is a difficult subject. Slavery was not part of God's intended design, so why do we see it in the Bible? Paul does not condone slavery; however, because of the socioeconomic situation of the Roman occupation, it was an embedded institution. The Christians Paul wrote to were subject to Roman laws, and therefore, many Jews were either slaves or masters.  Paul wrote a lot about our attitudes and how we should live our lives in the various roles we are placed in. This is why he wrote to slaves and masters. As with so many of his instructions, Paul addresses both perspectives and points them to God. No matter your station or status in this life, we are equal, in Christ, before God. Although we do not have slavery in our society here now, we can compare this relationship to that of an employer and employee. We can look at what Paul instructs and use it in whatever our job is here and now. What, then, should we ascertain from today's passage? Thr...

Read Ephesians 5:22-33 and 1 Corinthians 11:3 There's a very distinct hierarchy given in our passage today. Christ is the head of the church, and the church submits to Christ. This relationship is compared to the relationship between a man and his wife. Just as the church submits to Christ, so also, wives should submit to their husbands. Our society balks at this idea because they don't understand what it means. The relationship between a husband and wife is a beautiful thing. As a wife, it is easy for me to submit to my husband because I've been blessed with a loving and good man. This doesn't mean he's perfect; only Christ was perfect, and He loved us so much He was willing to suffer and die for us. He "gave Himself up for her (the church) to make her holy" (Verse 25).  The love of a husband should be Christ-like. In all he does, a husband should love his wife more than he loves himself. He should feed and care for her, "just as Christ does the chur...

  Read Colossians 1 - 2:7 Paul wrote the letter to the Colossians to refute heresy in the area. Some were saying that Christ's work was not enough to obtain salvation. They were saying that believers have to follow a strict list of ceremonies, abstinence from foods, and several traditions in order to be saved. Paul refutes this by exalting Christ as the image of God (Col. 1:15), through whom all things were created (Col. 1:16), as the head of the church, first born from the dead (Col. 1:18). Paul wants them to know that Christ is completely adequate as the only source of our salvation. In our text, Paul is telling them that they received Christ and ought to live that way, "rooted and built-up in Him." How does one live in Christ? Paul is telling them to walk daily as Christians saved by grace through faith, not relying on traditions or "hollow and deceptive philosophy" (Col. 2:8).  We need to live as we are, dependent wholy on Christ Jesus.  Paul compares them t...

Read Colossians 1:1‭-‬10 Our passage has much to teach us but I think I an important thing to note is that Paul prayed without ceasing for God's people. In several of his letters, Paul makes the point of thanking God for the people and/or praying for them for various reasons. In Romans 1, he thanks God for them because their faith is talked about all of the world. He remembers them in his prayers at all times. In 1 Corinthians 1 verse 4, Paul thanks God for them because of God’s grace given them in Jesus Christ.  In  Philippians 1 verse 3, he tells them how he thanks God for them with joy. Then, in Colossians 1 verse 3, Paul thanks God for them because of their faith in Christ and love for the saints.  He goes on in verse 9 to say he does not stop praying for them and asking that they be filled with spiritual wisdom and understanding.  In 1 Thessalonians 1:2, Paul again says that he always thanks God for them; remembering their work produced by faith, labor prompted ...

 What does God’s word teach about Dealing with Problems? 5.       “Go to Other Believers and Pray with Them”  James 5: 13-16 "Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord and the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."             Sickness and sin are an obvious part of the world we live in. In Christ we bring them all before God’s throne. In Christ we are victorious over death, that is eternal death. Yet God in His wisdom does not leave us as lonely individuals. He gives us other believers to aid, help, and assist and espec...