OUR BEST FRIEND

When I was really young I remember visiting my Aunt who lived just through the woods. We walked there quite often with our grandmother. She had a dog named Clete. I don’t know what kind of dog he was but my sister and I liked him a lot, and I guess he liked us, too. We played with him every time we would visit. Then one day she told us that he once belonged to her brother, who was our uncle. His name was Marvin.

Later, we learned a couple of interesting things about Uncle Marvin and Clete. First, Marvin was our uncle’s middle name. His first name was actually Cletus. He named the dog after himself and just called him Clete for short. Cletus is a strange enough name to me, but Clete doesn’t even sound like a name at all. I’m glad I found out where the name came from.

The second interesting thing we found out was that Uncle Marvin had given Clete to me and my sister, and our aunt was just keeping him for us. I never did find out why. Maybe we were too young. I don’t know. Eventually, though, we got to take him home. We had to keep him tied on a chain in our side yard, but we played with him every day. He was like a member of our family. He was our best friend.

We moved several times over the next few years and our buddy went with us. We grew up and he was still there, just as loyal and loving as ever. Then one day he got sick. We got medicine for him and he seemed to get better, but eventually, he died.

I’ll never forget the pain I felt knowing he was sick and there was nothing I could do to make him better. I wanted to hold him and pet him and comfort him, but we couldn’t even touch him. I’ll also never forget the pain I felt when he died. All my sisters and I could do was cry. We were all heartbroken. He was our best friend for so many years, and we loved him very much.

We missed our best friend after he died, but we still had each other and we were glad for that. At least we didn’t have to miss him alone. Our grandmother was there for us, to hug us, and hold us, and tell us it would be okay. We also had Jesus to help us through that tough time. Our grandmother had told us all about him early on, and how much he loves us, and the animal he created. She told us about death and why everything has to die. It’s because of sin.

When God created our world, everything was perfect and he gave everything to Adam to take care of. Then Satan came along, and Adam, by disobeying God, forfeited his governorship to the father of lies. Then Jesus came and lived a sinless life and died, and was resurrected, and he took the kingdom back from Satan.

Yes, death is still here, but it has no power over those who trust and obey God. One day Jesus will physically return, and destroy death and sin once and for all, and those who have been born again will live with him forever. I’m looking forward to that day. I can’t wait to see Jesus. I’ll also get to see my grandmother, my dad, and my sister all again. I don’t know about Clete. The Bible doesn’t say whether or not we will have our animal friends back, but I certainly think it’s possible. I know that God is powerful enough to do anything. I’d like to see Clete again, and all our animal friends we have had over the years as well as our family.

It’s a blessing to have family and friends in our lives, whether they are humans or animals. It’s also a blessing to be part of God’s family and to know that Jesus is there for us, no matter what we have to go through in life. He’s our friend, and he loves us. He wants to be our best friend. If he’s not your friend then, you don’t know what you’re missing. Get to know him, today.

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THE 12 DISCIPLES AND THE 12 APOSTLES

The twelve disciples are mentioned four times in the gospels. Matthew referred to them in the first verse of chapter 10 and again in the first verse of chapter 11. Mark wrote about them in verse 17 of chapter 20, while Luke mentioned them in Luke 9:1. Did Jesus have only twelve disciples? Some people think that’s the case, but Bible students understand this is not the case at all?

Jesus chose twelve men to be with him daily, to be close to him, to learn from him, and to help him in his ministry. These twelve are referred to as disciples but they were also called Apostles by Jesus (Luke 6:13). They were the twelve pillars of the new testament church, Jesus being the foundation. They are called Apostles in fifty-nine verses of the new testament, but four of those verses refer to them specifically as the twelve Apostles. According to Strong’s Concordance, an Apostle is an Ambassador, or a Delegate, a Special Messenger.

Although the Bible does refer to the twelve Apostles as the twelve disciples a few times, they were not the only disciples of Jesus. In the word of God, all of Christ’s followers were called disciples, not just twelve of them. He had thousands of disciples when he was here on earth and millions more since he went back to heaven. If you’ve been born again, then you’re his disciple, as well.

We often say the word disciple means follower, but it actually has a deeper meaning than what we think of today when we hear the word. In the Greek language, it means learner or student. The true disciples of Jesus will spend time with him every day and learn from him through prayer and Bible study. Then they will practice what they learn and become more like Jesus every day. At least, that’s how should be.

James, the Lord’s brother, tells us to be doers of God’s word and not hearers only (James 1:22). He said we will be blessed if we follow God’s instructions. If we want to truly follow Jesus we must be doers and not just hearers. So let’s be students of Jesus. Let’s listen, and learn from him. Let’s read, study, and obey his word, and claim the blessings that come from being a disciple of the One who created the universe and everything in it.

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LESSONS ON THEJOURNEY - PART 1

It was a day like any other day in Cedar Creek. At least, like any other day for the last several weeks. Two months ago Herbert Brown and his family moved from the big city of River-Port, Mississippi to the quiet peaceful little town of Cedar Creek, more than two hundred miles away.  

As a child, growing up in River-Port, Herbert had made the long, tiring trip to Cedar Creek, with his family every summer to visit his aunt Bonnie for a week or two. He continued the tradition well into adulthood until last year when his aunt passed away. He and his family made the trip again to see her one last time.  

To Herbert’s surprise, he was told that his aunt had left him her home and property in her will. Herbert and his wife Charlotte decided that they would like to live there, out in the beautiful country, surrounded by nature, far from the hassles of city life that they had known for so many years. So with much prayer and preparation, they sold their house in Riverport and set out to make Cedar Creek, their new home.  

Now, two months after moving, they are starting to doubt whether or not they made the right decision. Well, at least Herbert is. After a long hard day, not at work, but looking for work, he walks up the steps to the door of the house he now calls home. He takes a deep breath and enters.

“Charlotte? Honey, I’m home”, he says. His wife of fourteen years enters the room and knows without even asking that the search for a new job will continue the following day.

As she walks toward him to give him a reassuring hug she says “Oh, honey. No luck?” “No, not today,” Herbert answers. Charlotte quickly says, “Don’t get discouraged, Dear. God is taking care of us. He’ll give you the right job at the right time. He’s got this.”

Herbert kisses his wife and smiles. Then he says, “You always know the right thing to say, sweetheart, and you’re right. God’s in control. Everything will be alright.”

He takes off his jacket, and as he puts it in the closet he says, “I saw Joe Kimble from church. He said he knows a guy who has been looking for a business partner. I’m supposed to meet him Monday morning. His name is Bob, uh, something or other.”

“That’s great dear. You can tell me about it over dinner. It’s almost ready,” Charlotte said. As she walks back into the kitchen her voice grows louder as she asks, “Will you call the kids? Billy’s in the backyard and Cindy is in her room. Mark is already in the dining room.”

As the brown family gathers to eat their evening meal, they pray, as always. They thank God for the food and the many other blessings he has showered upon them, and they ask him to bless others who are less fortunate than they themselves. Then they dig in. ---

Click the to read "Lessons On The Journey" Part 2

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© 2009 Teddy Lynn – All Rights Reserved

My books are available in paperback and digital format on Amazon @ 
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