Praying

God is Good: All the Time

Worship is declaring loud for all to hear the things of God

Age is no barrier

Moses didn’t start his most powerful ministry until he was well into his old age

Abraham was old when God called him to be a father of many nations

God can start something new in you at any point

Young people don’t feel left out. God uses the young as well

David was likely a young teen when he slew Goliath

Samuel was likely a young boy when God spoke to him the first time

Most of the disciples were likely in their late teens to early twenty's

Jesus didn’t start his public ministry until he was in his thirty's

No matter the age, God wants to use you

The same Holy Spirit that lives in me lives in you.

It is God who wills and acts according to His good purpose to good things through you

whether you are a kid or retired, your prayers hold the same authority in Christ.

So kids and teens: never let anyone look down on you because you are young

Working adults, never think you are too busy to used by God, make room for him.

Retired adults, God is ready to start something new in you if you allow him to work

So as we start today’s service, I want to remind you of the mic we have by the map.

We are admonished in scripture to eagerly desire the greater gifts.

Start praying now for God to speak to you

Pray for Him to speak Through you today

Beyond that, eagerly desire God’s presence.

We worship together, but God speaks to us individually

Show some passion today for what God has done for you by sending His son to die on the cross

shake off any tiredness

shake off your weariness

don’t let your health be a hindrance

do not allow excuses to stop you from pursuing God with all that you have

Without worrying what everyone else is doing,

Show God what it means to give your all

He deserves your all

sing loud

move your body

I encourage you to come to the altar to worship this morning so that you aren’t distracted by anyone else around you or in front of you

lift your hands in worship

Lets show some excitement this morning for the presence of God

Let’s allow our passion to show today

Intro: Back to the Basics

Kobe Bryant is now known as one of the best Basketball players of all time.

Those who have witnessed how Kobe Bryant kept in shape, prepared, and motivated for the rigors of an 82-game season throughout the 20 years he played in the NBA have been blown away.

Kobe took his dedication to another level with a near-psychotic approach to improving his game in every way possible

and has left an impression on many with a work ethic that seems almost inhuman.

In 2007, Nike sent Stein out to Los Angeles to work the first-ever Kobe Bryant Skills Academy.

At that point in time, Bryant was arguably in the prime of his career with the Lakers

and determined to win another ring without Shaquille O’Neal

Stein was intrigued by all the talk about how insane Bryant’s individual workouts were and wanted to see for himself.

He asked Kobe if he could watch one of these infamous workouts

and the then-Lakers guard told him he’d be starting his workout at 4 a.m.

Stein, who set his alarm for 3 a.m., wanted to beat Bryant to the gym but was unsuccessful.

Kobe was already dripping in sweat with a warm up before his workout was in full swing by the time he arrived.

Although Stein was seemingly impressed by Bryant’s dedication,

he was bored to death.

Kobe was practicing the basics for 45 minutes.

Later that day Stein asked Bryant why he was practicing the basics and Kobe’s response was golden:

“Why do you think I’m the best player in the world? Because I never ever get bored with the basics.”

We need to have a similar approach to our Faith

We must never get bored with the basics

I’m sure there are many aspiring Basketball players that try to jump to more advance skills before mastering the basics.

God has not called us to be idle

Being a follower of Christ takes work

It takes practice

and active participation

When I was in Basketball, I didn’t really want to be there

many of the other members of my team would practice at home

they would shoot free throws, and practice dribbling and passing

and I would get slightly annoyed that I wasn’t as good as some of them

I showed up to the same amount of practices as them

I was at all of the same games

listened to all of the same lectures

Yet, I was never a starter.

I had one coach who would basically put me in to take out some of the other middle schoolers

my natural height meant that I regularly would elbow other kids in the nose when I got a rebound

I didn’t do it on purpose, and I would always feel bad

but this coach in particular would praise me for it

to him, fouls were a resource to be used, instead of a penalty for breaking the rules

Every person in here has the potential to be a starter on God’s team.

But we have to put the time in practicing the basics in order to excel

If you want to be a world shaker and a history maker

then you can never get bored with the basics of your Faith

So in the coming weeks, I am going to cover seven practices of our Faith that I hope we never get bored of practicing:

Being Faithful and fervent in prayer

Reading God’s word daily and studying it with others weekly

Sharing the Love and message of Christ with nonbelievers

Depending on the Spirit of God in daily life, expecting the miraculous

Continuing to grow as a follower of Jesus and discipling others

supporting missions to help fulfill the Great Commission

Serving the poor and suffering with the compassion of Jesus’

Praying

My main point today is that you should be praying regularly, everyday.

We do so by making it a priority.

Kobe woke up in the absurdly early hours of the morning to make time to practice the basics

Tent of meeting

Exodus 33:1–11 NASB95

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, “Depart, go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought up from the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘To your descendants I will give it.’ “I will send an angel before you and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite. “Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in your midst, because you are an obstinate people, and I might destroy you on the way.” When the people heard this sad word, they went into mourning, and none of them put on his ornaments. For the Lord had said to Moses, “Say to the sons of Israel, ‘You are an obstinate people; should I go up in your midst for one moment, I would destroy you. Now therefore, put off your ornaments from you, that I may know what I shall do with you.’ ” So the sons of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments, from Mount Horeb onward. Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, a good distance from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the Lord would go out to the tent of meeting which was outside the camp. And it came about, whenever Moses went out to the tent, that all the people would arise and stand, each at the entrance of his tent, and gaze after Moses until he entered the tent. Whenever Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent; and the Lord would speak with Moses. When all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would arise and worship, each at the entrance of his tent. Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses returned to the camp, his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.

When considering the location of the “tent of meeting”,

There is confusion because translations mistakenly interchange these two things

The Hebrew word for “tent of meeting” is ohel (אֹ֫הֶל)

and this word, depending on the context, can either mean a tent for dwelling or it could mean a tabernacle.

This can become a bit confusing because the

Hebrew word for Tabernacle is miskan (מִשְׁכָּן),

and both the “tent of meeting” and the Tabernacle were identified as tent structures.

So, within the Exodus narrative, one must be able to identify the clear separation between the two tents.

This distinction is evident in Exodus 25-31,

where the detailed plans for the Tabernacle were established for a future point in Israel’s wilderness wanderings.

In the meantime, we are told that Moses interfaces with the Lord in this “tent of meeting”,

especially given the fact that up to this point, the Tabernacle has not yet been built

(its construction takes place in Exodus 40).

Therefore, it is clear to see that the “tent of meeting” and the Tabernacle are not the same,

yet they function in a similar way.

This smaller tent (the tent of meeting) is used as a meeting place for:

1.     Moses to meet God “face to face” (regarding friendship), 2.     A place for the people to worship the Lord, 3.     And a place for God to descend and dwell with the people and lead them day by day.

Eventually, this small, portable tent, or tent of meeting (ohel), would be replaced by the Tabernacle,

where the Lord would dwell semi-permanently in their midst.

The Exodus narrative clarifies that the Lord desired to dwell among the people

and would do so within the physical structure known as the Tabernacle. Exodus 25:7 says the following:

Exodus 25:8

Exodus 25:8 NASB95

“Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them.

The word sanctuary in Hebrew is miqdas (מִקְדָּשׁ)

which means a consecrated place where deity dwells.

So, this is the place (known as the Tabernacle) where the Lord desired to dwell among the people (Ex.25:8),

and this structure would be established at the center of the Israelite camp (Numbers 2:2).

However, as noted earlier, the Tabernacle (Ohel Moed Tabernacle) has not yet been built.

Therefore the means of Moses’ interaction with the Lord would occur in a different temporary structure.

Many commentators and scholars have debated as to which “tent” this was.

Was it Moses’ personal tent or a separate tent that he would use to interact with Yahweh?

However, when you examine the original language in Exodus 33:8 it becomes clear that this tent is not one that is dwelling in the center of the Israelite camp.

We are told in Exodus 33:7 that Moses would go outside the camp to “pitch the tent”.

Moreover, the word for the phrase “used to take” is the Hebrew word lqh (לקח).

This word is in the imperfect tense

which means that every time Moses went to consult the Lord,

or the Lord desired to speak to Moses,

that Moses would leave the camp to commune with the Lord,

face to face (Ex.33:8).

Remember, that the prompting of this removal of the tent at a far distance from the camp

is sparked by the Israelite's sin of idolatry regarding the golden calf (Exodus 32).

It is from their sin that the Lord’s anger brews to the point that He mentions He would not dwell in their midst,

speaking about the Tabernacle (Ohel Moed Tabernacle),

which was to be in the middle of the camp at a later point.

It is important to note that the Lord threatening the removal of His presence from the midst of the camp was not a permanent removal,

but rather Him manifesting His presence at a distance as He had done with the temporary tent Moses carried.

Ultimately, what we see happening from the Exodus narrative,

from Mt. Sinai to the point of the Tabernacle’s erection (Exodus 40),

is the Lord dealing with the people’s sin of idolatry

and His presence being manifested, due to their sin, at a distance –

which prompts Moses’ interaction with the Lord to be done at a distance in an effort,

and a demonstration of mercy,

to prevent them from dying because of His Holiness.

Because God cannot dwell where there is sin,

fellowship would be broken,

therefore causing the people to have to seek the Lord “outside” of the camp instead of in their midst.

Layout of the camp of Israel

notice the foreshadowing of the cross

Numbers 2:1–2 NASB95

Now the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, “The sons of Israel shall camp, each by his own standard, with the banners of their fathers’ households; they shall camp around the tent of meeting at a distance.

Tabernacle is to be at the center of the camp

Numbers 2:17 KJV 1900

Then the tabernacle of the congregation shall set forward with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camp: as they encamp, so shall they set forward, every man in his place by their standards.

Specific instructions on the construction of the tabernacle and the ark of the covenant, which represented the seat of God’s presence

Exodus 25:8–9 NASB95

“Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them. “According to all that I am going to show you, as the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furniture, just so you shall construct it.

The new covenant through Jesus doesn’t have any physical representation of the presence of God like the tabernacle or the temple

Instead, the Bible says that we have become the sanctuary

1 Corinthians 6:18–20 NASB95

Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

My point in all of this is that we need to erect our own tent of meeting

Our special guest last week talked about how we carry the presence of God with us everywhere

I want to emphasize that we need to be meeting with God regularly on our own

Matthew 6:6 NASB95

“But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

We should want to be like Joshua who arguably spent MORE time seeking the presence of God than the active leader

Exodus 33:11 NASB95

Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses returned to the camp, his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.

Practical application

I have preached extensively about the depths and practices of prayer, but it starts by just setting aside time, and to do it regularly

I now have an alarm go off on my watch three times a day to remind me to pray throughout the day, and not just in the morning and at night

noon

3:30

6:30

I am sometimes busy and forget, but I am still praying more now by taking these extra ten minutes at a time throughout the day.

Set aside sacred spaces for yourself:

for me it is my shower

no one can bug me, and there is no way for me to be distracted by people or technology

For some, it may be a prayer closet

the car during your commute

your bed first thing in the morning or at night

I’ve known people who set up a special short table to hold their Bible

with a pillow to kneel at while they pray

The first basic that you must master is prayer,

I challenge you to never grow bored of it

Altar Call: Make Room

open prayer time.