What Does God Want From Me?

Arranged by:  M. Allen

 

FILING INFORMATION:

98011

2/15/98 - Rapid City, SD

 

I.  Introduction.

A.    Mankind has always needed to know what God expects of us.

1.    God has revealed what He desires in His Word.

2.    God expects each man in the world to heed the contents of the Bible.

3.    Yet many do not.

B.    Many ignore the Word of God & attempt to live life on their own terms guided by what they want to do without any thought of the consequences.

1.     Often what God wants/expects of us gets lost in darkness of human wisdom & striving.

2.     Some only reminded of what God wants of them in a time of crisis, human suffering, or death.  Unfortunately this is the only thing that "wakes people up" from time to time.

C.   However, others search for what God wants in the wrong place.  We must turn to the word of God.

1.    Micah 6:6-8

2.    Lord has shown us what is good in pages of His word.

D.   Purpose of lesson simple.  Look at this lesson and see what God wants from us/you/me to do.  If we take these things seriously & do them, we will be blessed throughout eternity.

E.    Hope you enjoy the lesson.

 

II.  God Wants Your Attention.

A.    People forget God!  Perhaps we are all guilty of this!

1.    Israelites warned of tendency to forget God - Deut. 8:11-14, 17

2.    We must remember this!

3.    Look at country around us:

a.    Strongest nation in the world.

b.    Strong economy

c.     Powerful military.

d.    Yet moral decadence.  Denial of God. Horrible things going on around us. Leaders leading corrupt moral lives and the consequences are minimized.  Perhaps many in our nation have FORGOTTEN GOD.

4.    Look at our own lives.

a.    Perhaps we are having a "good life."  No big worries.  No big problems.

b.    Problem of Rich man in Lk. 12:16-21 - how many are in danger of their soul being required of them?

5.    Psa. 50:22 - A warning from God.  Are we listening?

B.    Perhaps some remember His name, His existence…but in practice they forget Him.

1.    Back to Deut. 8:11.

2.    A simple recognition/acknowledgement of God is simply not enough.

3.    Even the demons recognize the presence of God - Js. 2:19 - are they saved?

4.    We MUST Obey Him.  God will save only those who believe in Him.  See Heb. 5:8-9

C.   We need to listen to God!

1.    This is explained further in Mt. 4:4.  Here we see an important need of EVERY man - to live by the Word of God.

2.    Mt. 17:5 - the transfiguration - notice the words HEAR HIM!

3.    We must listen to the Words of God and make correction in our lives where necessary.

D.   To forget God is to ask for spiritual disaster.

 

III.  He Wants Your Love.

A.     This is a fact.  Puzzling.  Why would God want my (one little human being's) love?  On the scheme of things in the universe, each human is small - perhaps seemingly insignificant.

1.    David wondered this.  See Psa. 8:3-5

B.    God wants our undivided, unreserved love!

1.    Deut. 8:5

2.    Mt. 22:37

C.    Most men do not demonstrate their love/any love toward God.

1.    May say we love God - but this must be shown by our actions.

2.    1 Jhn. 3:18.

3.    When one loves God as Jesus said in Mt. 22:37 - He will act upon the love by doing all he can for God.

 

IV.  He Wants Your Obedience.

A.    Obedience grows naturally from our love.

1.    An important point of understanding.

a.    Psa. 51:16-19

b.    Must have a proper attitude/motives behind our obedience or it will count as nothing.

2.    Mk. 12:33 - Love is the underpinning for our obedience.

3.    Did God command sacrifices/offerings in the OT?

a.    Certainly.  But obedience without our heart, willingness, understanding is not the kind of obedience He wanted.

b.    Obedience without conviction, commitment, concurrence is simple cold "ceremony"…going through the motions.

c.     This not pleasing to the Lord.

4.    Rom. 6:17 - Romans obeyed because they loved the Lord enough to please Him.

B.    God wants your…

1.    belief in Christ - Jhn. 3:16

2.    repentance of sin - 2 Pet. 3:9

3.    burial with Christ in baptism - Col. 2:12

C.   Are these "things" expressions of our love for God?  The Scriptures explain:

D.   1 Jhn. 5:3

 

V.  He Wants Your Life.

A.    God should control our lives.  Remember the attitude of Paul?

1.    Gal. 2:20 - Can you say this about yourself?

2.    Col. 3:1-4 - are you prepared to meet with Him in glory?

3.    Paul was TOTALLY devoted to God.

B.    God does not want an on/off again relationship.  Some only hand their lives over to God during times of crisis.

C.   God does not want a nominal relationship..He wants all of us.

1.    Lk. 9:57-62

2.    Mt. 6:24

D.   How do we give over our life?

1.    Rom. 6:22 - by sacrificing ways of the world and living faithfully.

2.    Eph. 4:22-24 - put on the new man - created by God!

3.    Phil. 3:13-14 - look forward to the prize of heaven by living in obedience.

 

VI.  He Wants Your "Company."

A.    God wants you to spend eternal life with Him in heaven.

1.    Amazement of this.  Why would God want little old me there?

2.    Scripture supports this.

B.    Look at what God has for us…

1.    Jhn. 14:1-2

2.    Rev. 21:1-4

3.    God wants our death to be just the beginning, not the beginning of eternal death…  Psa. 116:15

C.   NOTICE that, this homecoming is for people who have responded to what God wants them to do! 

1.    Rev. 14:12-13

2.    Would you rest from your labors or would you meet the fate of those in the previous verse.  Read v. 11

 

VII.  Conclusion.

A.     Purpose of the thoughts in this lesson simple.  Thoughts are simple enough for all of us to understand.

B.     Have you acted upon what God wants you to do?

C.    If you are not a Christian, you need to be.  If not why not?

D.    If you are a Christian, and not living faithfully, then take opportunity to do that which is right. 

E.     Repent of your sin, ask for forgiveness, and make a commitment to do that, which is right.

F.     I N V I T A T I O N