The Open Sofa

"The end of all things is near.  Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.  Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins,.  Offer hospitality to one another with out grumbling.  Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.  If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God.  If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ." -  1 Peter 7-11 There is not much to say here.  It is packed with great reminders of how to live and what we need to do in our own lives.  For these very reasons we need to be reading the Word everyday.  We so easily forget or slip into our own attitudes and plan for our lives, that reading a passage like this reminds us of what really is important. I have to continually remind ...

“Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the work, they may be won over without words but by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives….Your beauty should come from your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.  For this is the way the holy woman of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful.” -  1 Peter 3:1-5 It is interesting that this was the verse that I read today.  I was just talking with a friend about what we had observed with wives and how they treat their husbands.  Or how we treat our own for that matter.  The Bible is very clear that wives are to be submissive to their husbands.  I know woman don’t like to hear this and can be turned off by this verse.  When you look at what it means for the woman to be submissive here, the NIV study Bible says,  “Inferi...

As Christmas approaches, I am reminded of family and all the things that come along with everyone being together.  One could say, just say drama.  We all know what I am talking about.  Who’s house to go to and who not to be around.  Reminders of things past, positive and negative.  No wonder Christmas is the best time of year.  Avoidance….denial….reminders…good times…and unwanted memories are to come.  We all have a past.  Family just brings it all back up to either haunt us or encourage us.  Sadly with all this looming over our heads, we can lose the true focus of what Christmas is truly about.  Put every though away regarding past and what is to come when you see family and think about the reality of the season.  Stop and remember that God is what matters.  Christmas isn’t a here for our torture or flood of memories.  Christmas is about one thing, the fact that God loved us enough to send his son to earth for us....

"Therefore, prepare your minds for action;  be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus christ is revealed.  As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.  But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.'" -  1 Peter 1:13-16 Peter was encouraging the readers to be ready when Christ came back.  He encouraged people to be prepared, be self-controlled and full of grace.  They had no idea when Christ was coming back but Peter still wanted everyone to be prepared.  Are things different today?  No, just because we are in a different time and we don't know when Jesus is coming back does not mean we should not be prepared.  Just as Peter said prepare your minds for action, be obedient children.  Am I preparing my mind?  Am I being obedient to what God has called me to? Am I livin...

"Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming.  See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains.  You too, be patient and stand firm...Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.  As you know, we consider blessed all those who have persevered.  You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about.  The Lord is full of compassion and mercy." -  James 5:7-11 The concepts of patience and perseverance have been frequent concepts swarming in my mind as of late.  They are both two different concepts that readily need to put hand in hand.  We can believe we are being patient when no answers come to our situations, while still having a negative attitude and being stressed beyond belief.  But when we put patience and perseverance together we get a whole different pictu...

"Submit yourselves, then, to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  Come near to God and will come near to you.  Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.  Grieve, mourn and wail.  Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.  Humble yourself before the Lord, and will lift you up." -  James 4:7-10 In the NIV chapter four in the book of James is entitled, Submit Yourselves to God.  The footnotes for verses 7-10 state, "These verses contain ten commands, each of which is so stated in Greek that it calls for immediate action in rooting out the sinful attitude of pride." If we count the ten commands we have:  submit, resist the devil, come near to God, purify yourselves, grieve, mourn, wail, change laughter into mourning, change joy into gloom and humble yourself. Some of these sound much easier then others.  Submitting, resisting the devil, drawing near to God, purifying yourself a...

"All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue.  It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.  With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness.  Out of the same mouth come praise and curing.  My brothers, this should not be." -  James 3:7-10 Such truth is spoken here.  It is amazing the damage that can be done with just our words.  James talks about the tongue as a restless evil, full of deadly poison.  When I think about this, I see how it is true.  One one hand we praise God and on the other we gossip and talk about someone else.  On the one hand we pray and thank God and on the other we discourage and tear down others.  In verse 10, James says this should not be.  No, it should not be.  So, what am I going to do about it.  How am I going to purposefully focus ...

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." -  James 1:2-4 I have read this verse so many times and have to continue to remind myself that when I am under trials that I must persevere.  We will be tested, we will have trials and how are we going to get to the other side.  Are we going to worry, complain, bring others down with us or are we going to take the situation and choose to look at it differently.  Trials lead to testing of faith which can lead to perseverance which can complete and mature us.  Will be allow for the whole process or stop in the beginning or middle when the trial comes and our faith is tested? Thought for the Day:  Can we look at our trials as a way to grow and mature?   

Very excited about reading the book of James.  I have been reading 1 and 2 Corinthians which have been wonderful but I have always loved the book of James.  It is challenging and gives great insight into how to live our lives. Just a little history lesson. The book of James was not written by Jesus disciple James but rather his brother.  I thought this was interesting. If you haven't read James or it has been a while, I would encourage you to read it.

"Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.  But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so that Christ's power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.  For when I am weak, then I am strong." -  2 Corinthians 12:8-10 Paul was sharing with the Corinthian church some of his experiences.  He shared that to keep from being conceited he was given a thorn in his side, a messenger from Satan.  The verse above goes on to explain how he pleaded with God to take it from him. Paul was going through a hard time.  I mean he pleaded with God to take the thorn from his side.  I don't know about you but when I think of pleading, I think there has to be a pretty extreme reason why you are pleading.  Pleading is not something yo...

"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed...In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." - Proverbs 16:3+9 Commit to the Lord your plans making sure its in accordance with God's and you will succeed.  We can make plans and say we commit everything to God but if we are leaning on ourselves and what we think is right, it may not turn out like this verse says.  Context is key.  Its the Lords plans we need to follow and committing to that brings success and I believe happiness. Thought for the day:  Are you committing to the Lord whatever you do, or are you focused on your own plans?

" The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.     We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." - 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 Paul gives a great reminder that we are not a part of this world.  We live here but should not live like this is our permeant home.  Once again I am amazed at the awesome power that God has given us to do what he has called us to.  He gives us weapons to fight with that can demolish strongholds.  The second part of the verse though shows that there is also action.  It talks of taking responsibility and demolishing anything that sets its self up against the knowledge of God and taking captive every thought.  The weapons are no good if there is no action.  If you are not willing to do what is necessary to use them, they wont protect ...

"Remember this:  Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.  Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.  And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work....You will be rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion" 2 Corinthians 9:6-8+11 In reality this whole chapter is great.  Paul shares how the Corinthian church has been eagerly serving and ready to give.  He shares how God blesses this attitude. It is always amazing to me how quickly I am able to forget what life is all about.  How easily I forget that all I have is not mine but God's and how willing he is to bless when I remember this truth.  Why is it so difficult to remember to be generous when we have the knowledg...

"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand if the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.  But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.  He is like a tress planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf doe snot wither.  Whatever he does prospers." - Psalm 1:1-3 I have heard and read this verse countless times and could even recite it.  Without rushing through and really taking a look at what its saying, gives perspective.  Its a good reminded to delight in the law of the Lord (Bible) and mediate on it day and night.  It even says that whatever this person does will prosper.  If you are delighting in what the Lord is telling you and doing what God called you to, how could you not prosper? Thought for the day:  Am I delighting in God's word and being conscience of it day and night?  Do I feel I am prospering in life?  If not,...

"'Two things I ask of you, O Lord; do not refuse me before I die: keep falsehood and lies from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.  Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'who is the Lord?'  Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.'" -  Proverbs 30:7-9 This chapter in Proverbs in entitled Sayings of Agur.  Study notes in the NIV study Bible say that he was probably a wise man and associated with the Ishmealite people.  This is a very different chapter then most in the book or Proverbs. The two things that this man prays for are very simple: dont refuse me, keep falsehood and lies from me and give me neither poverty of riches only my daily bread.  Do I remember the last time I asked God to give me just enough?  No more, no less.  When I pray am I asking God to remember me and do I daily ask that God will keep falsehood and lies from me?  Such simple basic requ...

"You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts." - 2 Corinthians 3:3 Paul here is writing to the Corinthian church and differentiating for the church the old law and the new covenant.  The difference between what was written into law and what is now written in our spirits due to Christ. It was not the differentiation between the old and new laws that stood out to me but when Paul stated "the result of our ministry."  Paul said, "you show you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry."  That says something to me.  It shows how important ministry is and what leaders create in the lives of others.  To help make a person a living letter from Christ, wow.  But the thing is, Paul was willing to minister and as a result, people were able to fulfill their calling to be in Christ. Am I willing to give my life...

So, I decided that I would join the technological world and start blogging.  Yes, I may be a little behind but at least now I am trying it!  I never wrote a blog before because I never really thought I had anything that interesting to say.  That is probably still true now but the topic I am writing about is worth sharing.  My husband named my blog for me without anything other then my telling him that I wanted to do a blog on my devotions.  He told me I could rename it if I wanted to but I thought the title was fitting. My daily walk with Jesus is just the way I see my relationship with him.  And as I read and do devotions, I get to know him more and get to hear what he is staying to me. So, my plan is to post my devotions and what I have learned from them for the day.  Its not some super-spiritual thing, its just what I feel God is saying through the verses I read.  I figure it is a great way to stay accountable and write down what God is sayin...