“Warming By the Fires of the World”
Mark 14:53-54
And they led Jesus away to the high priest; and with him were assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes. 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.
*Peter’s denial of Jesus came while he warmed himself by a worldly fire.
*The enemy will build of fire of deception at the times in our lives where coldness and uncertainty are the most likely.
1. A worldly fire is ATTRACTIVE
And the servants and officers stood there, who had made a fire of coals; for it was cold; and they warmed themselves; and Peter stood with them, and warmed himself. John 18:18
A fire will always look or feel good when you are cold.
A fire will always attract a crowd and it is very easy to be among the crowd.
The closer a person gets to a fire the more they are in danger of being burned. Anytime that we move closer to the fires of the world that the enemy has set to attract us we are in danger of being taken down a path we don’t want to be on.
We need to guard our hearts so that the lust of our flesh does not win out against the passion in our spirits!
Walk in the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Galatians 5:16
SIN WILL TAKE YOU FARTHER THAN YOU INTENDED TO GO.
2. A worldly fire is ADDICTIVE
But a certain maid beheld him (Peter) as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, “This man was also with him.” And he denied him, saying, “Woman, I know him not.” And after a little while another saw him, and said, “Thou art also of them.” And Peter said, “Man, I am not.” Luke 22:56-58
There is no written record of Peter walking away from the fire even after his first denial of Jesus.
The addiction happens when although you know that what you are doing isn’t good and is causing you to deny your Savior, you continue to hang around that fire.
SIN WILL KEEP YOU LONGER THAN YOU INTENDED TO STAY.
3. A worldly fire is ANNIHILATING
And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, “Before the cock crow, you will deny me thrice.”
Luke 22:61
A fire will always be destructive, often destroying those things that you love the most.
This fire that Peter just had to hang around had brought destruction to his relationship with Jesus.
The fires of the world will draw and deceive with the intention of destroying you and your life. (John 10:10)
But your sins have separated you from your God. Isaiah 59:2
SIN WILL COST YOU MORE THAN YOU INTENDED TO PAY.
4. A worldly fire’s destruction can be AMENDED
And Peter went out and wept bitterly. Luke 22:62
We do not have to remain in the place of destruction. Because of what Jesus has done for us, our relationship with God can be restored through repentance.
Repentance is the great fire fighter.
If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
1 John 2:1
We must be careful, however, that we do not falsely assume we can go about doing whatever we want and having God be ok with it.
5. A worldly fire can be AVOIDED
Flee also youthful lusts. 2 Timothy 2:22
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
James 4:7
The best way to avoid the fires of the world is to keep the fire in your spirit blazing for God.
We are naturally going to be attracted to the hottest thing in our lives.
If God’s people would learn lasting contentment in Him, they wouldn’t feel the need to look for temporary satisfaction elsewhere.
