“Jesus was arrested and led away to the house of the high priest, while Peter followed at a distance. Some people built a fire in the middle of the courtyard and were sitting around it. Peter sat there with them, and a servant girl saw him. Then after she had looked at him carefully, she said, “This man was with Jesus!” Peter said, “Woman, I don’t even know that man!” A little later someone else saw Peter and said, “You are one of them!” “No, I’m not!” Peter replied. About an hour later another man insisted, “This man must have been with Jesus. They both come from Galilee.” Peter replied, “I don’t know what you are talking about!” Right then, while Peter was still speaking, a rooster crowed.” (Luke 22:54-60 Contemporary English Version)
Sitting down by a kindled fire in the middle of the courtyard when Jesus, after His arrest, was taken to the house of the high priest, Peter denied Jesus. He was recognized after a servant girl carefully, cautiously perhaps, looked at Peter and with certainty states, “This man was with Jesus.” As you read, calling to remembrance what you really already know, Peter went on to deny being one of Jesus disciples three times. Now, if you go a couple of verses after what I have used in the opening passage, you will see that Peter went out and wept bitterly. It all started around the fire.
If the Lord sees fit to bless you with another day or many days in the new year, you will find yourself in one of the fires of life. While the fires of life can be looked at from a positive perspective, representing power, passion, spiritual awakening, spiritual energy, transformation, and true connection with God, the fires of life can be also be viewed from a negative perspective, referring to times of testing, times where temptation rises to a high temperature in your being, times where your faith is placed on full-blown trial status, times where your most significant relationships are going up in smoke, and times where your happiness in life has been nearly disintegrated by the happenings in life, and is scorched by several disheartening or disappointing circumstances.
I have some recommendations for you that will help you excel as a person of faith when you are in the midst of the fires of life and keep you from weeping bitterly because you did not handle being around the fire and the flames as you should, child of God. Recommendations: First, don’t deny in your mind or your manifested behaviors that the Lord, He is your God and He will work everything out for good when the unfolding of your story takes place. Second, don’t suppress or hide your salt of the earth attributes. This means you have to stay consciously active in doing kingdom work, preserving, purifying, protecting, and perfecting the world around you. Third, remember you have help. Yes, you do! God is a very present help in times of trouble. Fourth, just like the three Hebrew boys thrown into the fiery furnace, keep steadfast in your faith, knowing that the Lord, He is able! Fifth, remember the Lord will be with you.
Finally, let me suggest that your behavior reflects your relationship with the Lord Jesus in the fires of life, and when asked about whether you were with Him, as they asked Peter in the passage above, you fight off the temptation to deny the Lord by word or actions, and let these words be heard, “Yes! I am one of His!” May God be with you, my friend, through all the days of the new year, regardless of the fires that you will face. Keep trusting in God. Stay God-conscious. Remain Christ-centered! Be blessed!
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you.” (Isaiah 43:2 NASB)
Committed to the climb,
Mark L. King