HERE IN THE REAL WORLD

Where It’s Dark As a Dungeon

Posted by bobbycohoon on January 22, 2006
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WHERE IT’S DARK AS A DUNGEON

WAY DOWN IN THE MINE

For the second time in as many weeks America has been sadden by accidents in coal mines. Families lost sons; wives lost husbands; children lost parents. Men who got up early to go to work without a care except to do their job never returned home. The state of almost Heaven West Virginia, as well as the United States as a whole, mourns.

“It’s dark as a dungeon and damp as the dew,
Where danger is double and pleasures are few”

James wrote, “For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away” (James 4:14). If we measured the lives of each of these miners and could convert it to miles, compared to the eternity they will spend their earthly lives would scarcely make a sixteenth of an inch on a road that goes on for ever. “The eternal God is thy refuge” (Deuteronomy 32:27).

As Christians “we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (2 Corinthians 5:1). Though we mourn the loss of our loved ones, we know that they are now clothed with immortality. Paul went on to write, “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8). As our physical bodies strive for inertia in this earthly run, our spirit strives for eternal life: “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself” (Philippians 3:20-21).

“Where the rain never falls and the sun never shines
It’s dark as a dungeon way down in the mine.”

For those apart from Christ their lives are dark as a dungeon way down in the mine. Throughout life they walk in darkness, almost like the miners of olden times with the little light on top of their hats illuminating only a few feet ahead of them, while the Christian walks in the pure light. The Psalmist wrote, “The LORD is my light and my salvation;” (Psalm 27:1). John wrote of Jesus, “In him was life; and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4). That life is the eternal life that we are all aiming for. Jesus is the light. He stands as light in our darkened lives. As a
miner stands deep in the tunnels of the mine and looks up and sees the light of day at the entrance, we stand in our sin darkened lives and see the light that is Christ. Only He is the truth the life and the way (John 14:6).

“Then I’ll look from the door of my heavenly home,
And pity the miner a-diggin‘ my bones.”

Mourning is only natural: Jesus wept (John 11:35). But, there is also rejoicing as another member of the family is welcomed home. As you come before the Lord today with thanksgiving, remember those in West Virginia who have lost a loved one. Pray for peace in their lives: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).

Bobby Cohoon

North Carolina, USA

Little_sorrel@yahoo.com

You Can’t Go Home, But You Can Go Home

Posted by bobbycohoon on January 14, 2006
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YOU CAN’T GO HOME,

BUT YOU CAN GO HOME

It had been years since I visited the town where I grew up. I couldn’t wait to again be on the street where I lived. The house was still standing, though the neighbors had all changed. None of the old ones lived there anymore. Main Street didn’t look the same. Fancy named stores had replaced the old five and dimes. The old white painted post that bore the names of the streets were gone giving way to metal signs that lacked the charm of the small town of a few thousand that had now swelled to 20-30 thousand. I looked for all the old familiar places but they were not to be found. The small three hall school had taken on the appearance of a college. The old crowd had gone, giving way to a new “old crowd.” The fields had all turned brown.

It is true that we can never go back to the place we left and expect it to be unchanged. Yet, as Christians we have a home that is unchanging. To the Philippians Paul wrote, “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20). Though we use the word “conversation” today to mean speaking with someone, Paul used it in a sense of meaning citizenship. The NIV translates this verse as “Our citizenship is in Heaven.”

Many today claim to be Christians, yet they still focus mainly on the affairs of this life. Instead of focusing on the one true God, they make gods out of the things of this world. Be it money, food, or their favorite performer, they forsake the God of their salvation in favor of man made gods. They know about God, but they don’t know God. Paul wrote, “I want to know Christ” (Philippians 3:10 NIV).

To gain our citizenship in Heaven it’s not enough to know about Christ, we have to know Christ. Jesus said, “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you” (John 15:14). This implies something deeper than just knowing about Jesus; this implies knowing Jesus. Jesus explanation for calling them friends was “for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you” (John 15:15).

Paul wrote that not only did he want to KNOW Jesus, he wanted to know “the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death” (Philippians 3:10). Through obedience to Christ commands we gain that citizenship. “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father” (Romans 6:4). Through baptism we partake in His death and are raised from the water into his resurrection. We are raised into eternal life; we know the power of his resurrection! Paul wrote, “For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection” (Romans 6:5). We become citizens of Heaven. We “walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). And, though, we can never go back home to our earthly homes, we can go and abide forever in our unchanging Heavenly home in that land where no cabins fall.

Bobby Cohoon
North Carolina, USA
http://littlesorrel.blogspot.com

Mother Mary Comforts Me

Posted by bobbycohoon on January 06, 2006
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MOTHER MARY COMFORTS ME

From his earliest days his mother was there to comfort him. She saw that his needs were met. In sickness she sat up with him. Hours sitting up with a sick child she spent doing the things a mother does to try and comfort a child. In wellness she would put herself second and let the wants and needs of her child come first: Ballgames, concerts, and places she would probably not have been too had it not been for the devotion to her son. He went to Sunday school whether he needed it or not.

School was always a must as education was seen as very important. Hot meals were always ready when he returned home from school or play. When times were financially tight, his needs would take precedence over hers. She would offer advice, give discipline, and do whatever it took to raise her son in a Godly way. Through the years as her health begin to be not as good as it had been in her earlier years and he looked out for her needs. The example she set came from Mary, the mother of Jesus.

Mary didn?t understand all that the angel Gabriel was telling her as she asked, ?How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?? (Luke 1:34). But, out of faith in God she accepted what he had to say: ?Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word? (Luke 1:39). The first act Mary did in regards to her son was an act of faith.

With the birth of the savior, Mary?s mind turned to His immediate needs. They turned on her maternal instincts: ?And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn? (Luke 2:7). She had no means to make him comfortable and warm in a room in the inn, so she provided the best that she was able to do.

Mary recognized that her Son should be brought up according to God?s word: And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb (Luke 2:21); they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord (Luke 1:22).

She educated him. When he was a child of 12 he was found in the temple: they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers (Luke 1:46-47).

She followed him from the cradle to the grave. And, as Jesus hung on the cross about to leave this life his thoughts turned to her needs after he would be gone. Speaking to the Apostle John, Jesus said, ?Behold thy mother!? and from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home (John 19:27).

From the Cradle to the grave, Mary served as an example of a Mother. Mary showed that there is more to being a mother than just going through some normal biological functions. Biology doesn?t make a mother, love does. It is no wonder that ?henceforth all generations shall call [Mary] blessed? (Luke 1:48). May all mothers that follow Mary?s example be blessed.

6 January 2006

Bobby Cohoon
North Carolina, USA
http://littlesorrel.blogspot.com

MY LAST POST

Posted by bobbycohoon on January 01, 2006
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MY LAST POST

Now the end is near and I face the final curtain. As I look forward my mind can?t help but look back. In each adventure whether it ended in failure or triumph, I can?t help but believe that I at the very least I set out to do it His way. And, maybe there were more failures than triumphs, God knows the heart and he knows it was always aimed at Him. Lord, I have tried to ?walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful? (Psalm1:1). For my last meal I took my favorite; fried chicken from the Chinese restaurant. After giving thanks and eating, I opened the fortune cookie. It read ?be a servant to many.?

Jesus told Satan ?Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve? (Matthew 4:10). Luke recorded Jesus saying ?No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other? (Luke 16:13). As Christians we are to serve God and God alone. Yet, in our service to the one true and living God we serve the many.

James wrote that we are to ?To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction? (James 1:27). The International Standard Version translates ?visit? as ?care for.? So as we serve the one true God our service to Him entails serving others. For the Christian serving God is being a servant to many.

Jesus said ?Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost? (Matthew 28:20). In our service to Him, Jesus sent us to ALL NATIONS.

As I wrap up my last post (of this year) I pray that nest year we all find more time to serve our God and in turn serve of brothers and sisters. In 2006 let us be ?doers of the word, and not hearers only? (James 1:22). By so doing we will serve the one true God

Bobby Cohoon

North Carolina, US

http://littlesorrel.blogspot.com