HERE IN THE REAL WORLD

Everybody must get stoned. Well, at least that’s what Dylan said. And, I guess a little stoning “doth” the Spirit good.  I mean we have Jesus already so a little stoning can’t hurt. And, of course by saying a “little” I only mean like daily. Think about before you decide against it. Stephen was “a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6″5) and even Stephen got stoned!

Every day we meet countless opportunities to share our faith, but so many times we shy away because we don’t know how that sharing will be taken. We sometimes shrink low when should fly high. But when faced with death Stephen didn’t shrink low Stephen rose to the occasion and testified on behalf of God. Yes, Stephen got stoned. Why do we find it so hard to share our faith when death will probably never be a consequence, but people like Stephen could share theirs in the face of death?

While most of us will never face a stoning, each time we defend our faith to people that are hostile towards God we get stoned. But, that power of God gives us the strength to continue.  There is a lost world all around us. We can’t pick and choose who we try to evangelize. We have to take the opportunities as they present themselves to us. And, all will not respond to our evangelism. Some will respond well, others, well, not so well. But, I guess everybody must get stoned!

If you are in the area come see me at the ROANOKE ACRES CHURCH OF CHRIST

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

Bobby Cohoon
North Carolina, USA
bobby@bobbycohoon.com

No, I am not talking about Barak Obama, Hilary Clinton, or John McCain. It’s that time of year again when the nests of our homes are going to become empty. In the next few weeks most of our colleges will graduate their seniors and in the few weeks after that most of the high schools will graduate their seniors. In both cases those who graduate will set out to make their mark on the world. Hopefully the schools have given them the education needed for the quest. But, more than that, I hope homes have grounded them well in God for the life quests that the face.

David said to Solomon, “Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed; for Jehovah God, even my God, is with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until all the work for the service of the house of Jehovah be finished” (I Chronicles 28:20). For the newly graduated, by they high school or college, the world is a new wide open adventure. There will be every type of temtptation known to man waiting for those who have their first taste of freedom. But if they are well grounded in the faith those temptations can be met and defeated.

Of course their will be failures along the way. If not their wouldn’t be growth. But with each temptation it can be met with strength and good courage. Each temtptation should be met with courage because God is with them. Our future leaders can grow daily and change this world for the good if they keep their focus on God. David said, “[God] will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” But their work has to be done with a focus on God.

It starts with one. God is only one. But, through that one focused on God this world can change. Because just as sin seems to be contagious, righteousness can be just as contagious. James wrote, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). While he is fleeing we need to be pushing forward to the everlasting arms.

Many people have asked if they can subscribe to Here In The Real World via email; I have fixed it that you can. There is an email subscription box in the upper right hand side of the page. Just put in your email and follow the instructions.

Until next time May The Good Lord Bless and Keep You: All Y’all!

Bobby
Bobby Cohoon
North Carolina, USA
cohoon@embarqmail.com