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Until next time May The Good Lord Bless And Keep You: All Y'all!



Bobby Cohoon
North Carolina, USA
bobby@bobbycohoon.com

URBI ET ORBI

HERE IN THE REAL WORLD IS MOVING. PLEASE CHANGE YOUR BOOKMARKS AND READERS TO WWW.BOBBYCOHOON.COM


I live in what was once a small county: everyone pretty much knew everyone. That has changed somewhat in the last few years as more and more people have moved in. And it seems that as more have moved in the social degree of the county has dropped off some. People don't seem to know their neighbors as much as they did in years past. The world has become fast paced. When people get off of work they have time to eat then run somewhere else; Often times the are eating on the run. They make time for everything imaginable. But guess what the one thing they rarely make time for is: The commission of Jesus Christ.

Jesus said, Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:19-20). In this world of networking we have the "go" down to a fine art. Yet, too often we neglect the only command in the Great Commission of Matthew: Make Disciples! We are great in our comfort zones. Meeting for an hour on Sunday is always done. We may meet for a small group Bible study with a group full of believers. But, what do we do to make disciples?

In our neighborhoods and the general areas that we travel daily there are plenty of people who don't know the one true and living God. Sadly we don't have time in our busy lives to share that message. We pass them daily. We may even take a minute to speak to them. Yet, we never seem to turn the conversation to Jesus. If they are poor we may even make a charitable donation or give some old clothes to try and alleviate their living conditions. And, that is great, but it is not what we are called to do: We are called to make disciples.

We network daily and nightly on the internet, not just with our city, but with the world. Maybe we become involved in e-mail chess. Maybe we are interacting with others trying to learn, or even trying to teach, about our favorite sport or pastime. We enter chat rooms and e-groups with people from all over the world. In the course of a day's time we go from the city to the world. And remember Jesus said, "You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8b). We are to be witnesses to our city and to the world. And, yet in our cities and to the ends of the earth we can't seem to find time to work Christ into the conversation.

Every day we go from the city to the world. And, sadly while we are there we fail to mention the one who made the cities and the world. Is today the day you take Christ to the city and to the world.

Don't forget to check out the new site for Here In The Real World. Please update your bookmarks to the new URL. Also click the widget at the top of the new page for the new RSS feed and add your email in the box to have Here In The Real World delivered to your inbox. Let me know what you think about the new format.

Until next time May The Good Lord Bless And Keep You: All Y'all!



Bobby Cohoon
North Carolina, USA
bobby@bobbycohoon.com

Living In The Dash

Just in my life span the pace of life has picked up greatly. It seems everything now is done in a hurry to get to the next thing on the list. I remember as a child most stores were not open every night and now they are open every night with some being open all night long. We are now really living life on the run. We are living on the dash. But, we are also living IN the dash.

Visit any cemetery and one thing you will notice is every tombstone has two dates on them and they are separated by a “DASH:” Born-Died. That dash between the two dates is where we are now. There is nothing we can do to change or have any effect on the first date, but we can have some effect on the second one. It’s true that it is appoint that man die once (Hebrews 9:27) but the life we choose to live in the “dash” can have an effect on when that time will be. Of course it can have a positive as well as a negative effect.

In the times we live rushing and stress have become common place for everyone. And, with the current economic problems (I promise no “the economy is bad jokes” here you have to visit my face book for those) people are stressing and turning everywhere for help. Yet, the one place where we all should be turning is the last place so many people turn. Jesus said, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Right now in the “dash” while the economy seems to crumble all around people turn to bankers, to stock brokers or even the government. They are turning looking for whatever relief they can get. Yet, many aren’t finding the relief that they need.

A few weeks ago I was told the story of someone who had taken some type of pills and wash them down with some type of liquor. All this was done because he had fallen victim to these bad economic times and lost his job. He was trying to have a negative impact on the date to the right of the “dash.” The rest he needed wasn’t to be found in a bottle or in a pill. It was to be found in Matthew 11:28. Maybe no one had taken time to tell him about that rest.

In these trying times while everyone is living “on” the dash while living in the “dash” we need to be there and ready to help those who are looking for rest. Our doors need to be opened and ready to help someone who is at the point of changing the size of their “dash.” This is a most important time for the church. We have to be prepared for a world that is in search. We can help others have a better life in the “dash” and and even better one in the life past the date on the right side of the dash.


Until next time May The Good Lord Bless And Keep You: All Y'all!



Bobby Cohoon
North Carolina, USA
cohoon@embarqmail.com

STROKE

It was a blessing in the midst of a storm to have a class study Christology during a week when my life has been turned upside down by my mom having a stroke. It is because Christ is that beacon of hope flashing during the darkest times of our lives. And, when we are down at our weakest is when we see Christ the strongest. Paul wrote, “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 12:10). To be strong when we are weak is a result of Christ living in us. Paul said it was not him that lived but, Christ that lived in him (Galatians 2:20). And, that is where we get the strength to live when it seems the pressures and trials of this world are overwhelming. “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

When Paul was suffering with the “thorn” he prayed. The answer that God have him was that God’s grace was sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9). And when we suffer we know that we have that grace. The old Hymn, Amazing Grace says
Through many dangers, toils and snares...
we have already come.
T'was Grace that brought us safe thus far...
and Grace will lead us home.

That very same grace that Paul wrote of is the grace that has led me through the last few weeks. No matter what my situation, how dire it may seem, with Christ I can get through it. “I can do everything through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:30). How anyone can get through this life without Christ is beyond me.


Until next time May The Good Lord Bless And Keep You: All Y'all!



Bobby Cohoon
North Carolina, USA
cohoon@embarqmail.com

The Inevitabilty of Death

Last year an entire family was wiped from our neighborhood. Not all at once mind you, but over the course of a few months. The father who was old and had been in bad health left this world first leaving his two sons. The older of the sons had been in bad health for years and the younger was taking care of him (as well as the father before his death).

Then one night a fire hit the house where the two brothers lived. I was told early that morning that on of the brothers had departed this world from smoke inhalation. Knowing that the older brother had suffered breathing troubles I was prepared to face his near certain death. It was only later that I learned that the brother who could barely breath had survived. The healthy brother had left this world. After a few weeks the older brother joined his family.

The writer of Hebrews tells us in verse 27 of chapter nine, "man is destined to die once" (NIV). And like each of the family members above we have no clue when we will meet that destination. Most people would have figured the father to have gone years before he left. All knew that the older sick brother was living on borrowed time as he had been near death and revived many times in the hospital. The younger healthy brother, age 40, everyone thought would have been around for many more years.

While we are destined to die, we don't know when that time will come (unless by some twist of fate a judge tells us). We don't know what day we will stand to give account of our lives before God. Each second that tics on the clock brings us one second closer to the end. There are people all around us who for whatever reason have never obeyed the Gospel. Maybe they think they are healthy and have a good many years left.

There is on time like the present time to make things right with God. We don't know when our hour will come. And as the above story shows our degree of health, or lack there of, has little to do with it. A world around us is hurting. We are now living in some of the worst of times. Let today be the day you share what you know with someone.



Until next time May The Good Lord Bless And Keep You: All Y'all!



Bobby Cohoon
North Carolina, USA
cohoon@embarqmail.com

A COLONY LOST

I have been privileged this summer to be able to be around some of our brightest young actors while working with the Lost Colony. Paul Greene's outdoor drama, The Lost Colony, tells the story of the first attempt at a permanent English settlement in the new world.







Greene shows how they were brought here by Portuguese seaman, sailing for England, Simon Fernando (portrayed at on the left by born again Christian Micah Lyons).








He shows how they came to a new land only to meet with hostile natives.

But each step of the way Green shows that the colonist approached each new adventure with prayer and faith in the Almighty Father. Though the colony became lost, we know what was not lost: Their faith. The last word of act one is, "Amen." Act two ends after a rousing speech that culminates with the words, "Into Thy hands......" Followed by, "Amen."

Today American is on the verge of becoming a colony lost of its faith. Where the Lost Colony carried their faith through their every move and looked to God for strength, we seldom have time to look to God. We have for the most part removed a God that was very real to our forefathers from most aspects of our everyday life. In many instances we have relegated an hour on Sunday morning to the Father (with most of us giving up on that). The colonist knew that no matter what their situation, be it starvation, disease, cold winters, attacks by native Americans, that they "could do all things through Christ which strengthened [them]" (Philippians 4:13). Yet, in our busy world the simple "strengthening" of the Father is over looked.


We look to this easy way, or that foolproof way when all we have to do is look to the Father that gives us life. We have become engrossed in all the "self help" methods so our conscious is always turned to "self" and not to the God who can help. Isn't it about time we stop depending on self and becoming a colony lost and start depending on Him and becoming a colony found?

Thank you Lord for allowing me to be among some of our fine young people this summer. Some Christian (my niece Alex Cohoon-kight a drama major and Josh Schauder a drama major both born again Christians pictured at the left) some still searching. I was able to see that while it seems we are becoming a Colony Lost, we don't have to be. Their are still some keepers of the dream.





My brother Micah Lyons is a theatre major in Texas. He is starting a film company that will produce Christian movies. Please keep Micah in your prayers as he endeavors to do the work of Lord. Drop him a line of encouragement at mjlyons40@yahoo.com
and stop by and see his website for Breath Of Life Productions.


Until next time May The Good Lord Bless And Keep You: All Y'all!



Bobby Cohoon
North Carolina, USA
cohoon@embarqmail.com

Beast of Burden

Beasts of burden come in many different varieties. There are the riding animals. You know the ones that you throw a saddle over and they carry you where you need to go. Much like the caring mothers who have their babes in arms or on hips or in laps. Those mothers who carry their babies with them where ever they go. They look after them tending to their every need.

Then there are the pack animals. Much like the mounts they carry everything needed. You know the type. They are mothers who are prepared for whatever lay in store. Maybe it is a diaper bag packed with extra food for the trip. Extra clothes. Extra everything!

Let us not forget the harness animals. You know the ones that are harnessed to something to pull it. Much like mothers that are harnessed to the every need of the family. They are harnessed to a soccer field. They are harnessed to homework. They are harnessed to a stove. And when things aren’t going as well as should be, they are harnessed to a family and are the glue that holds it together.

Is it any wonder that God said, “Honour thy father and thy mother” (Exodus 20:12). They look out for our every need. Mothers are true beast of burden. But whereas a real beast of burden my only do one task (harness, or riding, or pack), a mother does it all. Even when they aren’t sure what lies ahead they are willing to do what needs to be done. Their families are put first. Look at Mary’s words, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word” (Luke 1:38). Mary didn’t understand all that was about to happen, yet putting herself second she rose to the occasion. Following the lead of Mary our mothers don’t always know what lies ahead in motherhood, yet they rise to the occasion.

Biology doesn’t make a mother; Love makes a mother. Love turns a woman into a beast of burden. To all the mothers out Happy mother’s day! To all the children we must remember that from the cross Christ made sure his mother was looked after; let us see that our mothers are cared for also.

Until next time May The Good Lord Bless And Keep You: All Y'all!

Bobby

Bobby Cohoon
North Carolina, USA
cohoon@embarqmail.com