THE FIRE TRIANGLE
"Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out:........" Proverbs 26:20
A member of a certain church, who previously had been attending services regularly, stopped going. After a few weeks, the pastor decided to visit him. It was a cold evening. The pastor found the man at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire. Guessing the reason for his pastor’s visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a comfortable chair near the fireplace and waited. The pastor made himself at home but said nothing. In the grave silence, he contemplated the dance of the flames around the burning woods. After some minutes, the pastor took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning wood and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone. Then he sat back in his chair, still silent. The host watched all this in quiet contemplation. As the one lone wood’s flame flickered and diminished, there was a momentary glow and then its fire was no more. Soon it was cold and dead. Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting. The Pastor glanced at his watch and realized it was time to leave, he slowly stood up, picked up the cold, dead wood and placed it back in the middle of the fire. Immediately it began to glow, once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it. As the pastor reached the door to leave, his host said with a tear running down his cheek, “Thank you so much for your visit and especially for the fiery sermon. I shall be back in church next Sunday.”
For any fire to keep burning, at least three essential elements are required. These three elements known as Fire Tetrahedron or Fire Triangle are Fuel, Oxygen and Heat. If you removed one of these elements, the fire would be extinguished. According to the above scripture, one of the easiest way to put out a glowing fire is to remove the wood which is the fuel source from the fire. So, when an individual is separated or disconnected from his/her fuel source, the fire of God's mercy, glory and, honour burning around the fellow gradually dies off. For example, when King Asa allowed ego, pride and stubbornness to remove his wood from the fire, the flies of infirmity perched on his life and he never recovered (2 Chronicles 16:12). Also when Jeshurun allowed the tongs of worldly pleasure and comfort to pull him out of regular walk and fellowship with God, his blazing flame of greatness was quenched and God deleted him (Deuteronomy 32:15).
Today, many of us are like Asa and Jeshurun. We have turned our back on God because of worldly pursuit, pleasure, pride, ego, unfulfilled desires etc. Friends, why will you allow your comfortable bed, cars, gargets and lovely family (which are all blessings from God) to make you turn your back on your creator? Don't you think that sound very absurd. Haven't you realised that your wood is no longer glowing. Don't you know that your wood is getting cold every minutes and may become lifeless and useless very soon.
Beloved, when was the last time you attended bible study, prayer meeting, Sunday school, house fellowship, holy communium? Although, you still exhibit some traces of brilliance and smartness, but very soon it will become obvious that your fire has been put out. Why not humble yourself like the man in the above story and go back to God and His church this week. I am very sure that God and of course your Pastor will be very glad that you did. A word is enough for the wise.
Good day and do have a glorious week. God bless you in Jesus name. Amen
Maranatha!
© Bro. Okanlawon Taiwo
"Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out:........" Proverbs 26:20
A member of a certain church, who previously had been attending services regularly, stopped going. After a few weeks, the pastor decided to visit him. It was a cold evening. The pastor found the man at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire. Guessing the reason for his pastor’s visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a comfortable chair near the fireplace and waited. The pastor made himself at home but said nothing. In the grave silence, he contemplated the dance of the flames around the burning woods. After some minutes, the pastor took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning wood and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone. Then he sat back in his chair, still silent. The host watched all this in quiet contemplation. As the one lone wood’s flame flickered and diminished, there was a momentary glow and then its fire was no more. Soon it was cold and dead. Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting. The Pastor glanced at his watch and realized it was time to leave, he slowly stood up, picked up the cold, dead wood and placed it back in the middle of the fire. Immediately it began to glow, once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it. As the pastor reached the door to leave, his host said with a tear running down his cheek, “Thank you so much for your visit and especially for the fiery sermon. I shall be back in church next Sunday.”
For any fire to keep burning, at least three essential elements are required. These three elements known as Fire Tetrahedron or Fire Triangle are Fuel, Oxygen and Heat. If you removed one of these elements, the fire would be extinguished. According to the above scripture, one of the easiest way to put out a glowing fire is to remove the wood which is the fuel source from the fire. So, when an individual is separated or disconnected from his/her fuel source, the fire of God's mercy, glory and, honour burning around the fellow gradually dies off. For example, when King Asa allowed ego, pride and stubbornness to remove his wood from the fire, the flies of infirmity perched on his life and he never recovered (2 Chronicles 16:12). Also when Jeshurun allowed the tongs of worldly pleasure and comfort to pull him out of regular walk and fellowship with God, his blazing flame of greatness was quenched and God deleted him (Deuteronomy 32:15).
Today, many of us are like Asa and Jeshurun. We have turned our back on God because of worldly pursuit, pleasure, pride, ego, unfulfilled desires etc. Friends, why will you allow your comfortable bed, cars, gargets and lovely family (which are all blessings from God) to make you turn your back on your creator? Don't you think that sound very absurd. Haven't you realised that your wood is no longer glowing. Don't you know that your wood is getting cold every minutes and may become lifeless and useless very soon.
Beloved, when was the last time you attended bible study, prayer meeting, Sunday school, house fellowship, holy communium? Although, you still exhibit some traces of brilliance and smartness, but very soon it will become obvious that your fire has been put out. Why not humble yourself like the man in the above story and go back to God and His church this week. I am very sure that God and of course your Pastor will be very glad that you did. A word is enough for the wise.
Good day and do have a glorious week. God bless you in Jesus name. Amen
Maranatha!
© Bro. Okanlawon Taiwo
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