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...