It's possible to be a follower of Jesus without being a disciple; to be a camp-follower without being a soldier of the king; to be a hanger-on in some great work without pulling one's weight. Once someone was talking to a great scholar about a younger man. He said, "So and so tells me that he was one of your students." The teacher answered devastatingly, "He may have attended my lectures, but he was not one of my students." There is a world of difference between attending lectures and being a student. It is one of the supreme handicaps of the Church that in the Church there are so many distant followers of Jesus and so few real disciples.

There is a difference in going to church and being in church. One can attend the services and not be involved. A lost person can go to church, but that does not make him saved. Christ desire for one is to become so involved that it is a part of their life. But like Peter in Lu 22:54 Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the high priest's house. And Peter followed afar off. Many are following Christ but they follow afar off. God's desires us to get as close as we can, for that is where we are the safest. God through out the Bible gives us the illustration of the Shepherd and the sheep. The Shepherd wants the sheep close to him so he can keep an eye on them, that he can protect them from the danger of the wolfs. Lu 2:8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. I can remember at a young age that my neighbor raised chickens. We was always wanting to play with the little chicks. But every time we would get close to them, they would run to the mother hen and get up under her wings. Of course it did not take long to realize that you do not mess with the mother hen that was close by. She was always close by to protect those chicks. We should always remember to stay as close to God as we can, because he is our safety. God bless you is our prayer. Please come and visit us at Monterey First Free Will Baptist Church. Don't forget to see our website at: www.tnaccess.com/users/montereyfwb, Please visit our new page called "Story's for the Soul". You can also email us at (montereyfwb@tnaccess.com) or write us at First Free Will Baptist. Box 115 Monterey TN. 38574. Let us know if you enjoy our articles.