Ill-Gotten Gain

The old preacher used to say…”if he isn’t Lord OF all…..he isn’t Lord AT all!”

I find myself wrestling with what Brandon preached on last night…and accepting the ‘fire insurance’ without giving up ‘lordship’. Its so true and its kinda like what the Danites have done here in Judges 18. They say they are following God, but they have no clue what that even looks like.

They are merely going through the motions, doing things in the “name of God” and seeking his favor after the fact.

Judges 18:10 When you get there, you will find an unsuspecting people and a spacious land that God has put into your hands, a land that lacks nothing whatever."

I think of the term, “ill-gotten gain”.
The Danites relied on their own military might, not the will and direction and hand of God. They picked out and EASY military target, attacked them unsuspectingly, and of course won…and rebuilt the city, and placed their newfound idols, and put their priest in place..and worshipped there. Then;

31 They continued to use the idols Micah had made, all the time the house of God was in Shiloh.

Shiloh is where they were suppose to worship God. The Danites set up their own gods, place of worship and priest to make it easier. I have heard this repeated by sincere people time after time….I don’t need to go to church to worship God. I can worship God while fishing, working in the yard, hunting….which is all true…but when you find yourself not wanting to be ‘in community’ with God’s people, I find that you are not wanting to submit yourself to God’s lordship.