| Good Meetings | A Meeting with God |
| Efforts in advance are focused on promotion | Efforts in advance are focused on preparation |
| We are determined to make sure that the people come | We are determined to make sure that God comes |
| There comes a point when “enough of a good thing is enough” | There is never a point when you can get “enough of a God thing” |
| We are determined to follow our schedule (we control the order of service) | We are determined to follow God’s sovereignty (He controls the order of service) |
| Ultimate goal is to have decisions | Ultimate goal is to have changed lives |
| We depend upon the speaker to manipulate the hearts of the people | We depend upon the Spirit to move the hearts of the people |
| The altar will end up being full of people | The people will end up being full of God |
| The impact upon lives is often short-lived and temporary | The impact upon lives is always long-term and permanent |
| When the meetings end, the work of God is finished | When the meetings end the work of God is just getting started |
| Impact of the messages is sometimes the result of the personality and the performance of the speaker | Impact of the messages is always the result of the power and presence of God |
| Much attention is focused on the needs and sins of others (leads to pride) | Much attention is focused on the needs and sins of self (leads to humility) |
| Services end when the clock and the calendar say we are done | Services end when the Spirit of God says we are done |
| People want to come because of a great program (a desire to have fun) | People want to come because of great preaching (a desire to hear from God) |
| Emphasis is often placed upon what we can do for God | Emphasis is always placed upon what God can do through us |
| Have a tendency to make people feel more comfortable | Have a tendency to cause people to experience conviction |
When our best efforts in revival are only an attempt to manipulate people, manage situations, and manufacture results, we have little or no reason to expect anything extraordinary from God.
