- We Are Devoted “Cloud by day, fire by night”
Exodus 40:1–33 – Moses obeys every detail of God’s instructions and sets up the tabernacle - Exodus 40 describes the final assembly and consecration of the Tabernacle. Moses sets up the structure exactly as God commanded, anoints it with oil to make it holy, and installs Aaron and his sons as priests. Once completed, the glory of the Lord fills the Tabernacle, and God’s presence visibly leads the Israelites with a cloud by day and fire by night.
- This connects to the theme “We Are Devoted” because it shows Israel fully obeying God’s instructions to establish a dwelling place for His presence, showing that true devotion is complete obedience, consecration, and a life centered around hosting the glory of God.
- Years ago, The seahawks were HOT in the PNW. It was a fever. I was in. DVR Games, rush home to watch. Such a great season of football. One church in Bothell. Eastlake led by Ryan Meeks, canceled Sunday service and served beer and watch the playoffs. World loved it. Church people defended it. It was and is wrong. Adjusting the things of God for culture is bad. He deconstructed. Left the faith. Now counsels others to leave and take psychadelics. Got cancer
- Our lives, are to be completely consumed with devotion and worship to our God. It’s our life.
- I’m not going to make provision for anything. Sports, Kids, Family, events, weather, Diseases etc
- Matthew 22:37 Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.”
- Devotion is worship and active worship is a whole-life expression of love, submission, and truth lived daily before God. Its worshipping God on Sunday in the assembly, and living life
- When we say “we are devoted” we say our lives are an expression of worshipping and loving God in all aspects of our life all day every day in every circumstance no matter what.
- For some people and churches, they see Jesus as an “add-on” not an all consuming fire.
- Another church- not even mega church. ‘make room for life’. They did. That church died.
- 1. We are Christians 100% of the time
- From the inception of Faith and Victory, the message and the focus has always been to produce fully submitted followers of Jesus Christ. True believers and followers, not merely attenders.
- There’s many a church that exists that is filled with attenders. Its not difficult.
- Great muscians/singers/ambiance. Great programs. Encouraging easy sermons. Service projects
- It’s not hard. You Make it easy, comfortable and convenient to be a part of a church.
- We don’t want that here. We are devoted. We love the Lord and live our WHOLE lives to him.
- Rom 12:1 present your bodies a living sacrifice 1 Cor 10:31 whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Gal 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; Phil 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
- Luke 9:23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”
- I’ve never thought that Christianity was something to be done part time.
- I was raised in part-time religion as a child. Jesus didn’t make it past the drive home Sunday
- And my conversion experience was a demand for an all or nothing walk with Jesus
- It changed me. I knew the truth, the stories, the plan, but when I truly submitted, truly lived.
- So here? We preach complete repentance, full submission, death to self, absolute devotion.
- Luke 14:33 So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.
- 2. Devotion Is Expressed Through Obedient Worship
Exodus 40:16 Thus Moses did; according to all that the Lord had commanded him, so he did. - Moses didn’t improvise—he obeyed exactly what God said. Worship is not about what we feel, but about how we follow. This is what the Bible calls worship: submission to God’s will.
- The Bible actually describes what gathered public worship should look and sound like
- John 4:24 those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. Ps 100:1–2 Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness;… come before His presence with singing. Ps 95:6 let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. Heb 13:15 let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. Col 3:16–17 teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs… Ps 141:2 Let my prayer be set before You as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. Psa 134:2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord.
- We are devoted- We don’t watch a worship performance. We don’t sit and watch. We don’t just merely sing a song about Jesus. WE ARE OBEDIENT to how we worship God bc we are DEVOTED
- We take worship SERIOUSLY as a time of connection and WORSHIP of a HOLY GOD. WE STAND
- Neh 9:5 And the Levites… said: “Stand up and bless the Lord your God forever and ever!”Neh 8:5 And Ezra opened the book and when he opened it, all the people stood up.2 Chro 20:13 Now all Judah…stood before the Lord. Mark 11:25 whenever you stand praying
- This is why our worship is LOUD. Joyful Shout, bow down, kneel, raise hands, stand, sing, clap
- Psalm 47:1 Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph!
- There’s a time for quiet reflective worship, but there’s POWER in a congregation of praise!
- You’re not just singing to God—you’re surrendering to Him.
- Moses didn’t cut corners and neither do we. We don’t approach a holy God casually.
- We stand, we lift our hands, we shout, we bow, we sing, we obey because we are devoted.
- Like Moses, we follow God’s instructions exactly, because anything less isn’t worship it’s rebellion. (at pastors event- most everyone disengaged, coffee, hands in pockets)
- Obedient worship invites the glory. Anything else just entertains people.
- And its uncomfortable for the unregenerate. But Church services aren’t for the lost.
- This is a very important distinction- we do not gather to reach lost people, we gather because we were lost and are now found. So we don’t restrict ourselves to make them more comfortable
- You’re welcome here, but if you feel like an outsider, its because you are. Get saved!
- 3. Devotion Is Rooted in tangible repeatable acts.
Any relationship has a rhythm, connection and activities. - There’s Rhythms to Crystal and I’s relationship. Every night- I make the coffee “Hebrews”
- It’s a preparation for a morning sacrifice where my bride rises to an aroma that’s says I love her
- With God, and people say that they are ‘christian’ or ‘follow God’ but there’s no action?
- Devotion to God isn’t an idea its activity beyond the singing. Sundays is great, but its not ALL that we are and ALL that we do. Its 24-7 365 devotion with no bounds (still married anywhere)
- Obedience to God’s Commands 1 Sa 15:22 Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. John 14:15 If you love Me, keep My commandments.
Worship includes doing what He says, not just singing about who He is. The dos and donts - Living a Holy Life Ro 12:1 Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. Its only reasonable that we’d offer our bodies.
Holiness is not optional it’s worship. Sidenote- Getting high, drunk, porn, fighting etc. - Prayer and Intercession Psalm 141:2 Let my prayer be set before You as incense.
1 Thes 5:17 Pray without ceasing. Prayer is a continual form of worship, showing dependence and trust. When we pray- we worship. We place got up high and adore him in words/thoughts - Giving financially Proverbs 3:9 Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase. 2 Corinthians 9:7 God loves a cheerful giver.
Financial obedience is a tangible act of worship. Not dues. Worship with our tithe - Serving Others Heb 13:16 do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
Serving people is worship when it’s done unto the Lord. “I’m doing this for you Lord” (cats) - Sharing the Gospel Romans 10:15 How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace. Matthew 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples…
Evangelism is a form of worship—it declares the worth of Christ to the world. FOR HIM - Enduring Suffering Faithfully 1 Peter 4:16 If anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.
Faithful suffering is worship when it glorifies God. Its ok to go through some stuff. - Thanksgiving and Gratitude Hebrews 13:15 – Offer the sacrifice of praise… giving thanks to His name. Psalm 50:23 – Whoever offers praise glorifies Me.
Thankfulness is not a feeling—it’s an act of worship. Do it all day throughout the day - Studying and Honoring God’s Word Psalm 119:15–16 – I will meditate on Your precepts… I will not forget Your word. 2 Timothy 2:15 – Be diligent to present yourself approved to God…
Bible study isn’t just knowledge—it’s reverent worship. - Repentance and Humility Psalm 51:17 – The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart.
Repentance is worship—it acknowledges God’s holiness and our need for mercy.
- That’s what Exodus 40 shows us. Moses didn’t halfway obey. He didn’t improvise, delay, or question. He did everything exactly as God commanded. He didn’t just build a place for God. He prepared it, arranged it, consecrated it, and kept it holy.
- Tangible. Repeatable. Devoted. That’s worship.
- Many of you in this church live this out beautifully. You don’t just show up on Sundays. You live it on Mondays. You serve. You give. You worship loud. You repent fast. You honor the Word. You love people. That’s real worship. That’s the kind of devotion where the presence of God dwells.
- But let’s be real. Some of you are still on the sidelines. You like the songs, but you haven’t built the altar. You want the cloud and the fire, but you wont carry the wood Worship isn’t vibes. It’s not emotional energy. It’s obedience. It’s structure. It’s blood on the altar-all in every day.
- Like Crystal knows I love her when she wakes up to that fresh-brewed Hebrews coffee, God knows we’re devoted when our lives carry a fragrance of sacrifice. When our rhythms are holy. When our routines are built around Him. Its devotion. We’re devoted- pricetag is full submission
- You don’t build a Tabernacle once and say you’re done. You keep the incense burning. You keep offering yourself. You keep lifting your hands, checking your heart, showing up, staying humble.
- That’s devotion. That’s worship. That’s where the glory falls. That’s who we are.
- 4. Devotion welcomes the spirit through grounded truth.
John 4:24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. - Exodus 40 doesn’t end with a checklist. It ends with a glory encounter. After Moses completed all the steps exactly as God commanded, verse 34 says, “Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.”
- That moment shows us something essential. God was not responding to ceremony. He was responding to obedience. The form mattered, but the presence confirmed that it was real. This wasn’t dead ritual. It was holy surrender. The Spirit of God filled the space because their worship was true.
- still how it works today. God doesn’t inhabit passive attendance or casual singing. He inhabits full-hearted devotion. When we obey, when we honor Him with reverence and sacrifice, His glory shows up. Not because we performed something, but because we welcomed Someone.
- Do you know why I hound you about attending church on vacation? Consistency/seeing others
- There are a ton of dead churches out there that are performative not spiritual. Dead. Contrast
- Jesus says we must worship in spirit and truth. That word “must” is the Greek word “dei” – meaning it is necessary, it ought to be, it is binding.
- The Holy Spirit enables us to worship in spirit. The Word of God anchors us to worship in truth.
- Amos 5:21-24 – God rejects false, performative worship
- Do you know why we have Amanda lead? Not because of musical perfection, but because she has a spirit filled heart of devotion to lead our church. Best we’ve ever had. Biblically grounded
- She protects our church from hyped up emotional experiences, biblical lyrics, vertical worship
- We are church that worships in spirit and truth! Amanda leads, but Michal, James, Faith same.
- Here’s how you do it- You live for Jesus all week long living a life of worship, and then you come to church repeatedly, and you control your mind to sing and believe the songs we sing unto HIM
- And here’s what happens- Devotion Creates a Dwelling Place for God
- Ex 40:34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle
- We walk in obedience, we give God the glory and he blesses us with his presence
- When Moses followed every command, God showed up
- When we walk in obedience- The presence of God shows up individually and corporately.
- Psalm 22:3 He inhabits the praises of His people
- And its glorious. We’ve had some visitations here. Some powerful worship experiences
- Usually after retreats- you know why? 2 days of spiritual preparation.
- Normal week- just getting by and coming by to get filled up.
- We are devoted! Because when it’s true, and when it’s Spirit-led, it creates a dwelling place.
- That’s what Exodus 40 shows us. The glory didn’t fall on Moses’ feelings. It fell on his faithfulness. The presence of God comes where there is truth, where there is reverence, where there is order, and where there is surrender.
- We don’t chase a feeling. We build a life of fire and faithfulness so the presence of God will rest on us like a cloud that never lifts.
- Let the world play church. We build Tabernacles, because we are the people who carry the fire.
- Faith and Victory- we are Devoted.
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