NorMel House Devotions

Read Psalm 1 Sometimes it seems as though the wicked prosper and the Christian suffers, but have you ever thought about what happens in the end? The Bible tells us many truths and if we look at Psalm 1 we can be comforted by the Godly wisdom we’re given and also find the answer to our question; will the wicked always prosper? Psalm 1 tells us of two ways of living and what will happen if we live either way. There is the “way of the sinner” and the “way of the righteous”. We start with a look at the righteous, then we’ll see the downfall of sinners, and end, as we always should, with reason to praise the Lord. Psalm 1 starts with a look at the man who is blessed because of righteousness; how then, must we live to be one of the blessed? Our text reminds us that the people of God must be characterized by righteousness; sinners have no place among God’s people. Those who serve the Lord and do His will are blessed. The very first verse tells us not to “walk in the counsel of the wicked.” Pr...

  Read 1 Samuel 1 Do you long for a child? Do you find yourself on your knees time and again asking God to give you a child? Sometimes, this desire can be so strong it physically hurts. It can feel like a big, gaping hole in your chest, a hollow empty chasm that never heals over; although it may feel like it, I promise you, you’re not alone. So far, we’ve looked at the doubting Sarah and the volte-face doubting and trusting of Abraham. Today, however, I want to call your attention to Hannah, the wife of Elkanah in 1 Samuel 1. Hannah was one of Elkanah’s two wives, and right away in verse 2 we see there’s a problem because of this. “Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.” (1 Samuel 1:2). Year after year Elkanah took his family to Shiloh to worship and bring sacrifices to God. Although Peninnah gave him children, Elkanah favored Hannah. He gave her a double portion of meat because he loved her, and because “The LORD had closed her womb.” Now it’s no wonder Peninnah was jea...

Read Genesis 22:1-19 Have you ever prayed about something and left it with God, only to take it back again? I know I have. I often try to leave my worries and desires with God only to be worrying and wanting again soon after. Sometimes I wonder if Abraham struggled with this. So many times, the LORD told him about his offspring, and yet, he wasn't patient enough to wait for the Lord to give him a child; like his wife he tried to force God's hand. When faced with the most high God he basically told the LORD that He wasn't keeping His promise. In Genesis 15:2-3, "Abram said, 'O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?' And Abram said, 'You have given me no children; so, a servant in my household will be my heir'." Can you imagine being faced with our amazing and powerful God and showing such an arrogant and supercilious attitude? I cringe to think of it. And yet, des...

Read Genesis 16, and Genesis 18:1-15 The desire for children is something many struggle with. Some struggle to get pregnant, some struggle with the loss of pregnancies, and some struggle with the lack of control over having children. These are not new difficulties but have been the struggles of many women dating all the way back to Biblical times. While I personally never struggled with getting pregnant, I wrestled with the desire for and the loss of children. I know the constant anxiety of wondering if each month was the one I'd get pregnant in; many times, I cried out to God to let me have a child to hold and keep. Nine times I prayed that God would let each child live. Nine times I was denied, and my child was called to our heavenly home. The desire for children is something most people eventually feel at some point but most take for granted that it will all go as they expect. We simply don't think of all that can go wrong, until it does. You're not alone in your strugg...

The Bible tells us that this life will not be easy. Christians, especially, can count on going through hurdles, trials and tribulation. Even Jesus had to endure through sorrow, rejection, pain and temptation. Jesus wept upon seeing Mary's grief after Lazarus died. He was rejected three times by someone who claimed to love Him. He was beaten and mocked by the authorities and had to deal with Satan actively trying to get Him to turn from God. How did Jesus deal with all this? How did He persevere when life got difficult? If we turn to John 11 we can see how He dealt with His grief, "And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, 'Father I thank You that You have heard Me. I knew that You always hear Me, but I said this on account of the people standing around that they may believe that You sent Me.'' (John 11:41b-42). So we see that prayer is where we start. In Matthew 4 we can read about how Satan actively pursued Jesus and tried to tempt Jesus to turn from God. Jesus quash...

As a child, I often liked to play outside. Like many kids, I liked making mud pies and playing with dirt. There's several ways children will play; some get right down on their hands and knees or even sit right in the mud. They're not afraid to get dirty. Some, like me, liked to play with the mud but didn't really want to get filthy. I would crouch down and use sticks and occasionally use my hands. I wanted to have fun but didn't really want to get messy. Then, there are still other children who don't want to play with mud or have anything to do with getting dirty. But you can never truly avoid all puddles, especially when it's raining. In a way, you can compare the mud to sin. Some people wallow in their sin, loving every minute and not caring how dirty they get. Others want to have the fun and pleasure sin can bring but don't want to get too dirty. It's just a little fun. And then there are those who, by God's grace, strive to live a life apart from...

  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...