Convenient Fires

 "And Peter followed Him afar off, even into the palace of the high priest; and he sat with the servants, and warmed himself at the fire." Mark 14:54...."The enemy always has a convenient fire for saints who are about to slip." Vance Havner

You likely know the story of Peter's betrayal of Christ in the courtyard of the high priest. He had followed Jesus here to His trial. He was drawn to the fire burning in the yard and warmed himself there. His companions were servants of that high priest. They wished for what their master wished for; the removal, one way or another, of Jesus.

While he stood at the fire, he was recognized as one of Jesus' followers, but he denied it three times, the third time with a curse. Scripture says that after doing so, he saw Jesus being led by guards, and Christ looked directly into his eyes (and his heart). Jesus knew, and Peter knew that He knew. I don't believe Christ's look was one of anger, or even disappointment. I believe it was one of deep sadness. Sadness for the man He loved so deeply.

If you know Scripture, you know Peter was the disciple who proclaimed he would follow Jesus even to His and his own death. Now, here he was denying Him. How? It began with fear. None of the disciples, even Peter, ever clearly understood what Christ had been telling them, that He must suffer and die. His arrest threw them into fear and confusion. It began there. It deepened when Peter "followed Him from afar off." He'd told Jesus he'd be right with Him, but he now kept his distance. Nothing good will ever come from trying to play it safe with Christ. Following Him at a distance isn't really following Him at all. 

Peter's actions had weakened him emotionally, physically, mentally, and especially, spiritually. He lacked the strength, the faith, to resist the fire of the enemy. As Havner says, the enemy specializes in kindling fires to seduce wavering followers of the King. Has He kindled any for us? What fires of the enemy have we found ourselves at in our own profession of faith in Him? What convenient fires might we be found at right now?

Peter's faith was compromised by his circumstances and his fears. Compromise will always cripple our faith. Where is there compromise in our lives right now? To what fire of the enemy has it brought you to?

Will it bring you, me, to the same place it brought Peter, to a denial of Christ Himself?

Scripture says, "Let him who thinks he stands beware, lest he should fall." Peter didn't think it could happen, but it did. We don't either, but it can. We can be sure our enemy has prepared a fire for us to go to in the slippiest places of our faith walk. The question for each of us is, will we end up there?

Blessings,
Pastor O