What God Truly Wants From Us
Amidst life’s complexities, God’s core desire remains stunningly simple: He wants our surrendered love that naturally overflows into Christlike living.
The Heart of God’s Requirements
| Biblical Question | God’s Answer | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| “What does God want?” (Micah 6:7) | Love God wholly, love others authentically | Mark 12:30-31 |
| “How can we please God?” | Faith in Christ transforming our nature | Romans 8:8; Hebrews 11:6 |
God’s Threefold Desire for Every Person
- Salvation Through Christ
- Repentance and faith (2 Peter 3:9)
- Personal relationship (John 1:12)
- Jesus as the only way (John 14:6,9)
- Transformation Into Christlikeness
- Conformed to Jesus’ image (Romans 8:29)
- Holy living (1 Peter 1:15-16)
- Obedience from the heart (John 14:15)
- Love-Motivated Service
- Outflow of relationship (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)
- Spirit-empowered ministry (Galatians 5:22-23)
- Glorifying God in all things (1 Corinthians 10:31)
Contrast: Religion vs. Relationship
| External Religion | Authentic Relationship |
|---|---|
| Focus on rituals (Luke 11:42) | Focus on heart transformation |
| Pride in performance | Humility in dependence |
| Legalistic obedience | Loving response |
| Human effort | Spiritual overflow |
The Path to Pleasing God
- Start with Love – “We love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19)
- Surrender Daily – “Present your bodies as living sacrifices” (Romans 12:1)
- Stay Connected – “Apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5)
- Serve from Overflow – “The Spirit will produce…” (Galatians 5:22-23)
The Joy of Wholehearted Devotion
“Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4). When we make knowing and loving God our supreme delight, every other requirement falls beautifully into place as the natural fruit of abiding in Him.
