COME EXPECTING...WHAT IF?

This week, I am posting (by permission) an article written by my friend and choir member, Brent Sheffield. I 100% agree with what is on his heart! I hope you do to.

Come Expecting…What If?

I'm still in a sense of awe and complete humility at the presence of God that we experienced last night. I am only now starting to be capable of forming complete sentences so give me some patience in reading my rambling.

There is a move of God taking place in the life of our church that is beyond mortal understanding with the breadth and depth we may never really grasp until the other side of eternity. I'm stunned and crushed at the passion with which our students and their leaders are pursuing real Godliness and His renown. I've seen spiritual highs in youth groups before, but nothing like this intensity and intentionality. Some mighty men and women of God are being raised up in our presence, and yet so many are unaware.
I wonder, could a fire for God truly spread throughout the church as a whole? I ask myself, is it something that is possible? The answer is a resounding and unquestionable YES!! God is calling us to rise in our desire to follow Him and to truly experience and celebrate His greatest gift of grace and salvation that He bought for us. What kind of power would we see if, as a church body, we determined that we would COME EXPECTING? We come expecting to see great wonders occur right before our eyes. We come expecting to raise the name of Jesus to heights we can only reach in praise. We come expecting to hear from God. We come expecting to answer Him. We come expecting to be sent out. We come expecting to see people saved. We come expecting lives to be broken and mended in worship. We come expecting to see repentance take place. We come expecting to repent as God reveals our sin to us. What if we COME EXPECTING GOD!?!

We read in scripture that people came to listen to Jesus because they had heard about awesome things happening. What if our church "marketing plan" was just to pave the way for God to work so mightily that people could not help but come expecting to see what God is doing in our presence? If we come expecting God, then God has promised that He will send His Spirit and fill us beyond all measure and understanding. I know that a couple of months ago, Bro. George mentioned that he was feeling something has been blocking the invitation time. Since then, I have gone to the altar every service to pray for the invitation. I have been praying in the name of Jesus to cast out all demons of distraction and that the Holy Spirit would be strong in drawing people down the aisle to seek salvation. What if the invitation time began not only with people walking to the stage to prepare the music, but also with people coming to the altar to pray for the invitation time!?! What if even before we step out of our cars on Sunday morning to walk across the parking lot, we stop to pray that God will be glorified, magnified, and worshiped with all our hearts? What if we all come expecting to see God do something amazing?

Would God be honored by our expectant hearts? Yes!
Has He promised to do great works among those who seek Him with their all? Yes!
Would it be obedient for us to come expecting Him in our worship? Yes!
Is He worth the extra passion and true desire that it would take to be real in our expectation? Yes!
Does God desire to use His people to shine His message to all? Yes!
Will you come expecting?

Brent Sheffield