What Does God Want?

I. God Calls People To Acknowledge Him

A. God is the ultimate authority above all other authorities, and when He says we should come to Him with thanksgiving, the only option is to do so. “Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.” (Psalm 95:2-3)

B. No other authority amounts to much; all of life’s other claims pale in comparison. “Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works. All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name. For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.” (Psalm 86:8-10)

C. The maker has an indisputable right to be acknowledged. “O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.” (Psalm 95:6) “But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.” (Jeremiah 10:10)

II. That Call Is Personal for the Redeemed

A. God finds the worship of His people beautiful. “So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him.” (Psalm 45:11)

B. God is speaking to the elect—people redeemed with the blood of Jesus. “The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17)

C. God redeemed people to glorify Him; worship is central to that process. “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” (Ephesians 5:26-27)

D. As people draw near to God and He draws near to them, two propositions emerge in believers. “And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.” (John 20:28)

III. God Does Not Share

A. God states that He is jealous and prohibits fraternization with other gods. “But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves: For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:” (Exodus 34:13-14)

B. Everything which contributes to displacing God in the human heart is abominable and must be excised. “The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an abomination to the LORD thy God. Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing.” (Deuteronomy 7:25-26)

C. Jesus acknowledged the centrality of God in His dispute with Satan at the start of His earthly ministry. “Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” (Matthew 4:10)

D. The right focus on God alone can impact 1,000 generations. “And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.” (Exodus 34:5-7)

E. When people get the right focus on God, He draws them to Him; what incentive could be more powerful? “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” (Isaiah 57:15) “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14:1-3)