WHAT DOES GOD WANT OF ME? “So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do” (Acts 9:6).

WHAT DOES GOD WANT OF ME? He Wants Us To Seek Him

He Wants Us To Seek Him 1) Paul’s message at Athens. “God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us” (Acts 17:24-27).

He Wants Us To Seek Him 1) Paul’s message at Athens. “God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us” (Acts 17:24-27).

He Wants Us To Seek Him 2) Definition of the word “seek.” “to seek [i. e. in order to find out] by thinking, meditating, reasoning, to inquire into: to follow up the traces of divine majesty and power, Acts 17:27 (univ. to seek the knowledge of God)” (Thayer).

He Wants Us To Seek Him 3) The evidence. “The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork” (Psalm 19:1). “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20).

WHAT DOES GOD WANT OF ME? He Wants Us To Seek Him He Wants Us To Honor Him

He Wants Us To Honor Him 1) Must glorify Him and be thankful. “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Romans 1:18-21).

He Wants Us To Honor Him 1) Must glorify Him and be thankful. “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Romans 1:18-21).

He Wants Us To Honor Him 2) Ingratitude is such a terrible sin. “Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” (Luke 17:12-19).

He Wants Us To Honor Him 3) Hearts should be filled with praise. “Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased” (Hebrews 13:15,16).

WHAT DOES GOD WANT OF ME? He Wants Us To Seek Him He Wants Us To Honor Him He Wants Us To Love Him

He Wants Us To Love Him 1) This is the greatest commandment. “But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:34-40).

He Wants Us To Love Him 1) This is the greatest commandment. “But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:34-40).

He Wants Us To Love Him 2) To love Him is to obey Him. “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3). “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15).

He Wants Us To Love Him 3) Christ is an example of loving the Father. “Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come-- In the volume of the book it is written of Me-- To do Your will, O God.’ ” (Hebrews 10:5-7).

WHAT DOES GOD WANT OF ME? He Wants Us To Seek Him He Wants Us To Honor Him He Wants Us To Love Him He Wants Us To Do Good

He Wants Us To Choose To Do Good 1) We are creatures of choice. “And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).

He Wants Us To Choose To Do Good 2) Notice what He wants us to choose. “He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8).

He Wants Us To Choose To Do Good 2) Notice what He wants us to choose. “He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8).

He Wants Us To Choose To Do Good 3) How we treat our neighbor. “Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:8-10). “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10).

He Wants Us To Choose To Do Good 4) Good and evil are before us. “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil…I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them” (Deuteronomy 30:15,19,20).

WHAT DOES GOD WANT OF ME? He Wants Us To Seek Him He Wants Us To Honor Him He Wants Us To Love Him He Wants Us To Do Good He Wants Us To Be Like Him

He Wants Us To Be Like Him 1) Must be partaker of the divine nature. “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Peter 1:2-4).

He Wants Us To Be Like Him 1) Must be partaker of the divine nature. “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Peter 1:2-4).

He Wants Us To Be Like Him 2) It begins by being forgiven of sin. “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7). “and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith” (Acts 15:9).

He Wants Us To Be Like Him 3) Divine characteristics. (a) God is pure (1 John 3:3) – He wants us to be pure (1 Timothy 5:22). (b) God is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16) – He wants us to be holy (1 Peter 1:15-16). (c) God is light (1 John 1:5) – He wants us to be light (Matthew 5:14-16). (d) God is love (1 John 4:8) – He wants us to love (John 13:34-35).

WHAT DOES GOD WANT OF ME? He Wants Us To Seek Him He Wants Us To Honor Him He Wants Us To Love Him He Wants Us To Do Good He Wants Us To Be Like Him