When God becomes whatever we want Him to be 

Broken People Faithful God

Do you choose convenience over faithfulness?
Do you choose comfort over obedience?

Judges
Rebellion – Defeat – Conviction – Deliverance – Peace – Rebellion…

Rebellion
The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight.
In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes. -Judges 17:6 (NLT)

Epilogue of Judges
Bible scholars believe these stories were added:
-To highlight the spiritual confusion and sinful condition of Israel.
-Not necessarily in chronological order

Micah’s Idols & Tribe of Dan (Judges 17 & 18)
The Levite & His Concubines (Judges 16)
Israel’s War with the Tribe of Benjamin (Judges 20 & 21)
Boaz & Ruth (The Book of Ruth)
In the days when the judges ruled in Israel, a severe famine came upon the land -Ruth 1:1a

Micah’s Idols & Tribe of Dan (Judges 17 & 18)

When God becomes whatever we want Him to be 
-It’s possible to be sincere, but completely mistaken
–‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’ -Matthew 15:8-9

Tribe of Dan
As for the tribe of Dan, the Amorites forced them back into the hill country and would not let them come down into the plains. -Judges 1:34a

Now in those days Israel had no king. And the tribe of Dan was trying to find a place where they could settle, for they had not yet moved into the land assigned to them when the land was divided among the tribes of Israel. –Judges 18:1

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding. –Proverbs 3:5

Micah’s House
“Ask God whether or not our journey will be successful” -Judges 18:5b
“Go in peace”, the priest replied. “For the Lord is watching over your journey.” -Judges 18:6
-Asking for God’s Blessing is not the same as seeking His Will
“Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take” -Proverbs 3:6

Steal the Idols from Micah’s House
“What do you mean, ‘What’s the matter?’” Micah replied. “You’ve taken away all the gods I have made, and my priest, and I have nothing left!”  -Judges 18:24

Prayer of Confidence
“Lord, you are my strength and fortress, my refuge in the day of trouble!
Nations from around the world will come to you and say,
Our ancestors left us a foolish heritage, for they worshiped worthless idols. Can people make their own gods? These are not real gods at all!” -Jeremiah 16:19-20)

When God becomes whatever we want Him to be
“What is an idol? It is anything more important to you than God, and anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, anything you seek to give you what only God can give … An idol is whatever you look at and say in your heart of hearts: ‘If I have that, then I’ll feel my life has meaning, then I’ll know I have value, then I’ll feel significant and secure.‘ There are many ways to desire that kind of relationship to something, but perhaps the best one is worship.” -Tim Keller, Counterfeit Gods

What do I find my strength in?
What do I depend on to feel safe & secure?
What receives most of my time, energy & attention?

Isolation opens the door for the Enemy to attack. -Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Do you choose convenience over faithfulness?
Do you choose comfort over obedience?