Consider for a moment your heart, thoughts, attitude, and expectations when you come to the Lord’s house for services. Do you come with a heart and an attitude of rejoicing and thanksgiving? Do you come with an expectation of witnessing someone being saved, or someone being obedient unto the Lord in submitting themselves unto scriptural baptism, or someone desiring to unite with our church, or someone surrendering to God’s call unto His service, or someone rededicating their life unto the Lord? If you don’t come with the right heart, thoughts, attitude, and expectations – is it because there is unconfessed sin in your life; could it be that you have allowed yourself to become so encumbered by the events of your life that you have allowed these events to rob your joy in the Lord; could it be that you are spiritually backslidden and you have forsaken offering up prayers of repentance, praise and thanksgiving unto the Lord; or could it be that you have allowed your heart, thoughts, attitude, and expectations to align themselves on worldly things instead of on eternal things?
Let us all be reminded here that every service should be brought before the Lord in prayer – prior to the start of the service. Prayer should be offered unto the Lord for the Sunday School teachers, the congregational singing, and for those who will render special music. Prayer should be offered unto the Lord for the pastor; that he might preach the message that God intends for him to preach. Prayer should be offered for each one in attendance; that each one will receive and respond to the Lord’s message.
When we pray as God would have us to for each service, we can come to the service with the right heart, thoughts, attitude, in expectation of witnessing the Lord working in the hearts of [all] who are in attendance – and then the response of the hearers. Consider what our services would consistently be if we would come with the right heart, thoughts, attitude, and expectations – through embracing the following Scriptures.
Psalms 100:4,
“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.”
Proverbs 11:30,
“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.”
Romans 1:16,
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
Romans 2:4,
“Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?”
Luke 15:10,
“Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”
Luke 10:20b,
“…but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.”
Acts 2:41-42,
“Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”
James 5:20,
“Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.”
Isaiah 6:8,
“Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.”
Psalms 126:5-6,
“They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”
My prayer is that as you came to our service today, you did so with the right heart, thoughts, attitude, and with expectation; especially to be able to witness a lost soul repent of their sin and trust in Jesus Christ unto salvation. Likewise, my prayer is that you came to our service today in expectation of responding to the Lord’s message as His Spirit so directs you. If you did not come in this manner today, please consider righting your heart – so that you can once again rejoice in the Lord.
1 John 1:9 states,
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
So, how did you come to the Lord’s house today?
