October 21

Jer 37:1-38:28 | PS 89:38-52 | Prov 25:28 | 1 Tim 6:1-21

For almost 20 years television audiences have been drawn to "Survivor" in one of it's many variations. Drawing on one's strength, ingenuity, ability to play off others, etc. the lone survivor wins. In the movies it is no difference, for instance in Hunger Games there can be only one winner, that who is able to survive above all the others. Most movies elevate these same characteristics such as any of the Superhero movies, Rambo, Terminator, Gladiator, etc. How many would be interested in watching a show called "Submitter"? How many would be drawn to the movies to follow those who didn't rise to the top based on their superior skills but in their ability to follow God? Yet this is the true difference that exists in the lives of all of us. For most, the one on the throne is themselves. They follow their own instincts, their own reasoning abilities, etc to try to succeed in this game called life. But God calls us to something entirely different. God calls us to a life in which we are conquerors already, but our victory lies in what our Savior did, and not on what we do. Many try to play the 90/10 game. 90% on their own desires and strength, and perhaps 10% or less to throw a little prayer in here and there. But it does not work that way. A choice must be made as to Who we will choose to follow: God or ourselves.

Yesterday we read of one contestant in Survivor, King Jehoiakim. When presented with the word of God, we read in Jeremiah 36:23, "And it happened, when Jehudi had read three of four columns, that the king cut it with the scribe's knife and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the scroll was consumed in the fire...". He despised the Word of God, but it did not turn out well for this king. Next, we meet King Zedekiah who was slightly different. We read in 37:2, "But neither he" (King Zedekiah)"nor his servants nor the people of the land gave heed to the words of the Lord which He spoke by the prophet Jeremiah." As opposed to Jehoiakim, Zedekiah had a curiosity about God, but never acted on this curiosity. We read in 37:3, "And Zedekiah sent...to the prophet Jeremiah, saying, "Pray now to the Lord our God for us." A little later we read in 37:17, "then Zedekiah the king sent and took him out. Then asked him secretly in his house, and said, "Is there any word from the Lord?" Though these interactions occurred, they were out of curiosity only, with the prayers and words never being acted on. We read of the sorrowful outcome to King Zedekiah who was captured only to watch everyone near and dear to him be murdered, before the King of Babylon gouged out his eyes. Then we read of little known Ebed-Melech, the Ethiopian, one of the eunuchs, who rather than submitting to the public or the king, submitted to God, placing his own life in danger in order to save the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 38:7-13). But notice who won this game of survivor as we read in 39:15-18, as Jerusalem fell, "Meanwhile the word of the Lord had come to Jeremiah while he was shut up in the court of the prison, saying, "Go and speak to Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian, saying, 'Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: "Behold, I will bring My words upon the city for adversity and not for good, and they shall be performed in that day before you. But I will deliver you in that day," says the Lord, "and you shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid. For I will surely deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword; but your life shall be a prize to you, because you have put your trust in Me," says the Lord.'" The unlikely winner in this real life episode of "Survivor" was not those who seemed poised to win, but to the lone "Submitter".

It is really no different for all of us now. First to whom do we fear and trust? We read in Matthew 10:28, "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." Simply asking for prayer with no desire to follow the answer to that prayer if it is in conflict to your own desires helps no one. We read in James 1:5-8, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." Jesus turns the construct of what we are to strive to be on it's head in the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:3-12. Every character trait mentioned and elevated is exactly the opposite of what the world elevates. Each Beatitude elevates submission to Him and His authority. Jesus concludes the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7:24-27, by contrasting two builders, one who "hears these sayings of Mine, and does them" and one who "hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them,". The outcomes are totally different likened to one placing their trust on "the rock" or "the sand". We each have that same decision to make. Who is on the throne of our lives: ourselves or God. Whose advice do we seek and follow: the world's and ourselves or God's. The answer to this question will determine whether or not we are a "submitter" or not. For it is only the "submitter" who will be victorious and receive the prize and privilege of spending eternity with God forever.

Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley:

Marj Lancaster