Awake to Righteousness

"Billy, wakie wakie, eggs and bacie!"

"What's going on Trevor?"

"Reveille is sounding man and the Sarge is on his way. You better jump to attention before you get in trouble."

"What's the rush, we have all the time in the world."

"That's where you're wrong buddy. You had better get your head on straight, Billy! Don't you remember our mission for today?"

"Mission, what mission?"

"You have got to be kidding me! Just the most important mission we have ever known. We are going to....."

ATTENTION!!!

How many of you would like to be in Billy's shoes right now? He has over slept, he is ignorant of what lies ahead, and he seems not to care one bit. He has let Trevor down. He has put his entire unit behind the eight ball. He has failed to live up to the expectations of his Sergeant. The mission is at risk and it is all his fault.

Many of the redeemed, Christians, are just like Billy. They are asleep when they ought to be awake. They are sadly ignorant of their Commander and his mission. What is even worse, they live day to day in a manner that screams, none of it matters. Just like Billy, it is time to get our head on straight.

The church at Corinth had a lot of problems. The Apostle Paul sent them a letter addressing all their issues. He didn't pull any punches and he didn't beat around the bush. As he nears the end of his letter, he pens the following, "Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame"-1 Corinthians 15:34.

Friends, it is time that we wake up and that we wake up on the right side of the bed! There is a right and there is a wrong and it is our duty to "wake up" to "righteousness". Billy's unit was supposed to be going on the most important mission they had ever known. We have the most important mission the world has ever known and we can't let sin sidetrack us from that mission.

It is hard to believe that there were Christians in Corinth that didn't have the knowledge of God. What is even harder to believe is that there are Christians today that don't have the knowledge of God. The bible is the best selling book of all time so how could this be true? The bottom line is we don't hunger and thirst for it like we should. Billy wasn't informed therefore, he was completely lost. Don't let that be you.

The apostle Paul goes on to say that this was to their shame. It is easy for us to see that Billy should be ashamed of himself, but what about us? Are we sleeping when we ought to be awake? Are we ignorant of God and the mission that he has given us? Have we put our souls at risk along with the souls of so many lost people in the world?

Man of Constant Sorrow

One of my favorite movies of all time is, “O Brother, Where Art Thou”. No matter how many times I’ve seen it, I will watch it again. I like the actors, I like the story line, I like the humor and yes, I like the music too. My favorite song in the film is, “Man of Constant Sorrow”. It’s a sad song with a happy ending, but it is pure joy from start to finish when performed by the Soggy Bottom Boys! One of the lines in the song says, “For six long years I’ve been in trouble, no pleasures here on earth I found”. I don’t know about you, but there have been times in my life that those lyrics rang true.

The apostle Paul was no stranger to troubles and trials. In 2 Corinthians 11:22-28, Paul gives us a snapshot into some of the things he was called upon to endure.

Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness— besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.

The truth is, Paul like us endured many things that were beyond his control. The key is how to deal with the stress of life without letting it steal our peace and joy.

We see one such time in Romans 9:1-5.

I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh, who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises; of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.

Paul had great sorrow and continual grief in his heart over the fact that his countrymen, the Jews, had by and large rejected Jesus Christ. He had done his dead level best to teach them, but they didn’t listen. He would have gladly been accursed from Christ if had meant their salvation. At the end of the day, he had taught them and shown them by his example as well as prayed for them. In the final analysis, he had done all he could do and his conscience was clear.

However, just like the Soggy Bottom Boys, we all to often bring grief on ourself. Paul didn’t want that for “his own son in the faith”, Timothy. God doesn’t want that for us either. In 1 Timothy 6:6-10, Paul gives us a warning.

Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

“Godliness with contentment is great gain”. In context, Paul tells us to be content with food and clothing. Well, what about a home, what about a car, what about a phone, what about… We bring many sorrows on ourselves when we seek to find contentment outside of God.

I guess it all comes down to having a good conscience, being content with what we have, and doing both in Christ. Paul had all the world could offer and he gave it all up to follow Jesus. Stress and sorrow are going to come. The question is, how will we respond when it does? Let us follow the example of Paul as he followed the example of Christ and let us all “meet on God’s golden shore”.

When Difficulties Descend

Life is difficult. I guess it always has been. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. I am simply stating a fact that we all live with every day. There is no doubt that I am blessed beyond measure and have absolutely nothing to gripe about. All I am saying is that life is difficult and I know that is necessary for us to grow and get better.

Speaking of better, that is what the book of Hebrews is all about. The writer was attempting to get his readers to realize that everything is better in Jesus Christ. There is a passage in Hebrews that I would like for us to ponder for just a few moments. Just prior to chapter 4 and verse 14, my bible has the heading, “Our Compassionate High Priest”. When encircled with difficulties, it sure is nice to know that there is a compassionate Somebody out there who cares.

Verse 14 reads,”Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession”. The idea of “holding fast” encompasses using strength in order to seize or retain something. Well, what is it that we are to seize or retain? Our confession, our profession, our faith in Jesus as our Lord and Savior is what we need to grab on to with both hands and never let go. Our difficulties will try to divide us from Him, but we must never let that happen.

Jesus, as it turns out, is the perfect place to turn when those difficulties descend. in verse 15, The Hebrews writer states,”For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin”. Jesus can sympathize because He has been there and done that. When He says He knows how we feel, He means it. The cool thing is that He isn’y just a sympathizer, He is our standard bearer. He has walked in out shoes and has never sinned. He has never missed God’s mark. We would all do well to carefully follow His holy footsteps.

The best part is that in view of the fact that He has been there and done that and has done it to perfection, He empowers us with something very amazing for the times in life that we are struggling. Notice verse 16, “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need”. Because of Jesus, we can boldly come before the throne! And it’s not just any throne. It is God’s throne of grace and mercy.. God knows that we will have times of need. Thankfullly, He loves us and wants what is best for us. Our loving Father wants to help His beloved children.

I don’t know about you, but I am thankful for my sympathizing Savior. I am thankful for my Prince that opened an avenue of prayer that I can boldly enter. I am thankful for a God that showers me with grace and mercy. Difficulties will come and go, troubles will rise and fall but God is steadfast and sure and He is in our corner as long as we are in His. Hold on to the mighty hand of God and watch all of those descending difficulties disappear into the background. God has it all under control. He always has and He always will.

Healing the Brokenhearted

Healing the Brokenhearted

It’s Thanksgiving week and my heart hurts. I wonder how many folks out there feel the same way I do. When I feel like this I hope and pray that God doesn’t see it as being ungrateful for His overwhelming blessings. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, I logically know that I am blessed so far beyond anything I deserve. Mentally and emotionally, however, It is a different story.

I miss the folks that have gone on to glory. For the first time, I won’t see Baby J and Lane for the holidays. We are in the midst of making a major move and will be leaving a church family that means the world to us. Members of my family are struggling to overcome difficulties that have made their way hard to bear and I feel helpless as I watch them struggle.

I don’t list those things to gain sympathy from anyone. I list them because I want you to know that myself and many others can empathize on some level with what you may be going through and feeling. My prayer is that through my writing this blog and through your reading it, we will find some solace and comfort.

Jesus spent the first three decades of His life in Nazareth. I wonder what everyone in town thought when He left home and began His earthly ministry? I bet there was a lot of hubbub when they began to hear about His preaching and miracles. You would think He would be welcomed home with hearts wide open, but that won’t prove to be so. Before this homecoming is over, the folks Jesus grew up with will be seeking to throw Him to His death.

Everything was fine until Jesus stood up on the Sabbath and read from the prophet Isaiah. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has appointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”(Luke 4:18,19 NKJV).

Jesus has gotten everybody’s attention. All eyes are on Him. Jesus begins to speak,”Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”(Luke 4:21 NKJV). They of all people should have been able to see it but they are spiritually blind. Their outrage rises as Jesus talks about the widow of Zarephath in the days of Elijah. Their wrath reaches a boiling point when He mentions Naaman the Syrian in the days of Elisha. Who does He think He is? “Is this not Joseph’s son?”(Luke 4:22 NKJV).

They tried to murder the Messiah! They wanted to snuff out the Savior! Didn’t they hear what He said? Didn’t they want the Christ to come more than anything? They knew Him better than anyone, why couldn’t they see it? They heard His words but didn’t hear them. They wanted the Christ but He didn’t fit their idea of what He was supposed to be. They didn’t see it because they didn’t want to see it.

Friends, I hope and pray I never fall prey to what held them back that day. It’s Thanksgiving week and my heart hurts. Thank God Jesus came to heal the brokenhearted! Praise God that He was sent to give sight to the blind, especially the spiritually blind! I am thankful for the liberty I enjoy as a citizen of the United States of America. But, that doesn’t even come close to the liberty that I have been given in Christ Jesus!

Yes, my heart hurts. But at the same time, my heart overflows with thanksgiving for the blessings of Almighty God. Jesus will later tell His disciples,”Let not your heart be troubled.”(John 14:1 NKJV). It may look bleak from where you stand right now. Just remember that Jesus is right there with you. He is there through the good and the bad, the happy and the sad. Hold on to Jesus and His words and have a Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

My Soap Journey

My Soap Journey

Soap has been around as long as history itself. The first soap recipe may have been recorded for us in Numbers chapter 19. The Israelites were instructed to make “Water of Purification”. A close examination of the instructions outlines all the ingredients of a very effective soap recipe. From that point we have records that show the Babylonians from 2800 BC and the Phoenicians from around 600 BC both used soaps, possibly to clean textiles before weaving them into cloth. The Romans perfected the soap making using animal fats and wood ashes. Soap making became an established craft in Europe and fragrances were added. Only the rich could afford soap and it was heavily taxed. The Europeans brought soap making to North America. It became part of homesteading activities and occurred yearly or semiannually, usually in the spring when raw materials were available.

My personal soap journey began a couple of years ago while standing in a grocery store buying supplies for a beach trip. I caught a whif of an amazing smell and I followed my nose to the adjacent isle and found a display of French Soaps. The lavender and floral scents were intoxicating! Then I saw the price tag and I was over it! When I arrived home from my trip I had a thought. If I could smell those soaps in a big grocery store, how good would they make my bathroom smell? Could I save money on air fresheners and justify the cost of the soap? Would they make me smell good too? Could I make this soap myself and save some money?

 I watched a few YouTube videos, and I was hooked! It was like cooking but, without the calories. I had so much fun experimenting with oils, scents, colors, natural additives and design. I loved the way the soaps smelled and the way they made my skin feel. I shared my soaps with others and enjoyed using them as special gifts for friends, family, and visitors at church. After about a year of playing around, my family were all pushing for me to take it to the next step. My son in- law bought me a soap cutter and helped push me to make my first sale. The whole family has been supportive and I love making soap with my grandbabies. I hope you can all see the love and joy in each bar. I hope you are blessed by my soap in some small way. I pray that you all can find a hobby that helps you get Closer Home.  

Closer Home Introduction

Welcome to Closer Home. We are thankful that you have taken the time to visit our website. If you aren’t familiar with our history and mission, let us take a minute to fill you in.

Closer Home is an idea, a mission and a dream that sprang from our desire to work as a family to walk each day with Christ and work together to encourage others to join us on our walk as we grow closer to Him and closer to our heavenly home. The Closer Home project is a family wide effort which attempts to maximize the talents of each family member to help us reach and encourage as many people as possible. 

Jeff is a local minister who is using his weekly radio program and podcast to teach others about Christ. He wants to teach the Gospel by his example as a minister, husband, father and grandfather as his daily walks with God.

Kim is married to Jeff and strives to be a blessing to others as she balances the demands of a full time job, running a small business, and being mom and mimi to 8 children and 6 grandchildren.  

Josh is the second son of Jeff and Kim and has spent his career as a minister and a youth director. He has a beautiful wife and family that support all his efforts. He has developed a love for the outdoors and wants to use his talents to teach others outdoor skills and remind us that God is everywhere and in everything. 

These are just a few of the family members involved. Everyone has helped. Chris has been a blessing with the technical support. Evan and Kristin have helped with supplies and marketing. Jessica has provided advice and support. The youngest children have tolerated stacks of soap in every corner of the house and endless dishes in the sink. Each and every member of the family has been supportive and encouraging.

Thank you for choosing the Closer Home Family. If we can assist you in anyway, please contact us. Our website is a work in progress so your patience is appreciated.

There's No Place Like Home

There's No Place Like Home

Summer time is upon us and that means vacation time! We just can't seem to wait to put work, school, and the routines of life in our rear view mirror. New places and new adventures await! Will it be the mountains this year or the beach? Maybe it will be a thrilling adventure at the theme park of your choice. It might just be that cruise you have always wanted to take.

No matter where that vacation leads you, there is one thing that is certain, there's no place like home. There is nothing quite like that feeling when you take that last turn onto your street and you see that wonderful little place that you call home. No more motel beds. Tonight you will sleep in your own bed! No more restaurant food. We just can't wait to get that first home cooked meal!

For the Christian, there is certainly no place like home. We know we are just strangers and pilgrims in this old world(Hebrews 11:13-16). We know that The Lord himself has prepared a home beyond anything mortal tongue can describe(John 14:1-4). We understand what the Apostle Paul meant when he said, "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain". It meant going home. It meant heaven.

Heaven is home to me because of those that reside there. God the Father is there sitting upon His throne(Matthew 5:34-35). Seated at His right hand is Jesus, "the author and finisher of our faith"(Hebrews 12:1-2). Surrounding that throne will be all the saints. Abel, Enoch, and Noah;Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; Peter, John, and Paul will all be there. If we live a life of faith as these did, we can be there too.

Heaven is also home to me because of the rest that we will enjoy there. In Revelation 14:13, John tells us that those that die in The Lord will rest from their labors.There will be no hospitals in heaven. Pain will be gone. There will be no funerals in heaven. Death will be no more.

I have seen the beauty of the Smoky Mountains and felt the warmth of a sandy Florida beach beneath my feet. I have experienced the thrill of a twisting and turning roller coaster and maybe one of these days I will get to take that cruise to far away places. However, this world holds nothing in comparison to the things which God has prepared for those that love him(1Corinthians 2:9). There is no place like heaven, my home.