What does JESUS want from us?

I have this plan on my mind to write one article for this blog every week. This is the fourth week and I need to write another article. So, today, I asked the LORD JESUS what to write, and He told me to write about the things He wants from us. Listed below are the things He wants from us.

1. He wants our faith.

Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as the confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. It means we should completely believe in the LORD JESUS as our one true living GOD (Matthew 4: 5-7 & 1 John 5:20) even if we do not see Him. We should as well believe and accept His Words in the Bible because they are all true (Check John 17:17). Also, even if we are still on the process of knowing the LORD JESUS, we should have faith that He is good, loving, and kind and we should obey Him as well. If we do that, He will reveal Himself to us and prove us that the things He said in the Bible are all true. I have proven it myself. Remember the LORD JESUS said in the Bible that He will give us His peace? And, every time I am confused, troubled, and sad I just pray to Him and He gives me insurmountable peace and comfort. See, we should first believe in all the things He said in the Bible and He will reveal and prove to us that all the things He said are true and He is real, truthful, and forever faithful to us. In addition, without faith, we cannot please JESUS (Hebrews 11:6). Since the LORD wants a healthy, faithful, and loving relationship with us, it is important that we should have faith in Him first. Therefore let us cultivate our faith. Let us feed our mind with His Words in the Bible and continue believing in it and do what He says we should do. If you haven't accepted JESUS as your LORD and SAVIOR, kindly pray this sinner's prayer sincerely:

• LORD JESUS, I love You. I believe that You are our One and Only True Living GOD. Thank You for dying on the cross to save me from sin and hell. Please forgive me from all my sins and cleanse me from all my unrighteousness. I repented my sins. Please come into my heart and be my LORD and SAVIOR. I love You. Amen.

2. He wants our love and affection.

It is clear that the LORD JESUS wants our love when He commanded in Matthew 22:37-38 that we should love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Here is the whole verse, “Jesus replied: ‘Love the LORD your GOD with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment.” The LORD JESUS also reminded us of what He wants from us in Hosea 6:6 when He says this, “For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” Based on my experience with the LORD JESUS, I have discovered that He has feelings too like us. He is happy when you tell Him you love Him. He cries when you are hurt. He laughs when He tracks a joke and He misses us too. So, like us humans, He needs interaction, attention, and love too because that is the main reason why He made us. He made us so that we will glorify Him or make Him happy with our presence, company, love, service, and devotion. Now, since the LORD wants our love, maybe it is helpful for us to define love. According to the dictionary, love is a great interest and pleasure in something. It means we should always appreciate and be interested in the LORD JESUS or in matters related to Him. Starting now, we should shift our focus and interest in the LORD JESUS not on earthly things like money and careers or people that would hinder us from loving Him. Also, the Bible said that we should not love according to words but to actions. Therefore, we should not only listen and read His Words in the Bible but act according to it. Love is an action word and it is best proven with our obedience to His commands. He said in John 14:15 this, “If you love me, keep my commands.” Therefore, it is important for us to read our Bible night and day so that we will know the LORD and be familiar with His commands. And, if we know His commands and do it, He will be happy and He will make us happy too. More importantly, since the LORD wants our love, He is implying that He wants a healthy, loving, and faithful relationship with us. A relationship cannot exist without communication. So the LORD wants us to communicate with Him always and every waking hour of our lives. He wants to intervene in all our undertakings. He wants us to include Him in all our plans and activities. So, communicate with Him frequently through prayer. Don't worry because the LORD answers us when we call Him that is His promise in Jeremiah 33:3. So, from now on, call unto Him, His name is JESUS and talk to Him about anything then pause and listen and wait for His reply. He answers and He will reveal Himself to you and become your most trusted GOD and friend. We can also express our love for Him by praising Him or singing songs of praise to Him and worshiping Him or telling others how great He is or them of the great things He has done for you. Let us make our thoughts always be toward Him.

3. He wants our devotion and commitment.

He wants us to devote ourselves and time to Him since He has devoted much of His time in keeping us alive, loved, safe, secure, and happy. That is how great He is. He also wants us to fully commit ourselves to serve and love Him. Therefore, we should make a conscious decision to love and obey Him as our GOD and Master. Let us consider this verse in Psalm 37:5 which say, “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him, and He will act.”

4. He wants us to get to know Him.

The LORD JESUS says this in Hosea 6:6, “For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” Notice He said the knowledge of GOD. It means we should know Him because we cannot love someone we do not know, right? That is why the LORD wants us to spend time knowing Him. We know Him by reading His Words in the Bible and spending time talking to Him in prayer. Do it frequently and you'll live a joyful easy life.

5. He wants our sincerity.

He wants us to deal with Him seriously and not halfheartedly. In fact, He commanded that we should love Him with all our heart, all our mind, all our strength, and all our soul. Notice, He wants our all, all our heart and soul and mind not just a part of it. It means we should make loving Him and glorifying Him our priority. He wants us to express our sincerity when we say something to Him or we tell Him we surrender our all to Him and are ready to accept, love, and serve Him. He always wants us to be sober and mindful of our thoughts and actions so that we will not be tempted. He wants our full dedication to Him.

6. He wants us to repent, change our wicked ways, and obey Him.

Since the LORD JESUS wants us to be saved, He wants all of us to change from our old wicked ways, accept Him in our hearts, and repent. Nothing can make the LORD JESUS happier than seeing one sinner turning from His sins and turning to Him. He is more glad in someone who acknowledges that He has sinned and humbly asking for forgiveness and making the LORD JESUS his Master and GOD than in someone who denies that He has sinned. That kind of person is lying to JESUS and to himself. Now, repentance means turning away from sin completely, turning to JESUS and obeying or following Him wholeheartedly.

7. He wants us to love others and share the gospel to them.

It is the LORD JESUS' second commandment that we should love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:39). We can show our love for our others by being loving, kind, helpful, generous, encouraging, forgiving, humble, gentle, supportive, sympathetic, considerate, by sharing the gospel of salvation to them and leading them to CHRIST by teaching them.

8. He wants all of us to be saved.

1 Timothy 2:4 says this, “who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” It is the LORD JESUS' ultimate will to save us and give us His kingdom- heaven when our time comes. Having that as His main goal, He offered Himself to us by dying on the cross as a propitiation for our sins so that we will again be united with Him and give us His inheritance which is everlasting life in heaven. Therefore, let us love and obey Him so that we will inherit His kingdom.

9. He wants our service.

The LORD JESUS does not only want our faith but our action or service. He wants us to serve Him by preaching the gospel and leading unbelievers to Him so that they will also be saved. He wants us to actively participate and help in all the work our church requires. He also wants us to serve others by loving and helping them in every way possible. He wants us to become the lights of the world encouraging and helping others so that they will glorify Him. He wants us to volunteer in helping our church, our ministry, and our society. Let us love one another and make each other's burdens light by helping each other.

10. He wants us to glorify and honor Him.

The LORD clearly states in Isaiah 43:7 that He made us for His glory. That is our purpose to bring CHRIST glory or make Him happy. We bring Him glory by loving, worshiping, praising, and obeying Him. He has given us a reminder in 1 Corinthians 10:31 which says, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” Do good so JESUS will be glorified. Also, let us honor the LORD. Let us meditate on this verse in 1 Peter 3:15 which say, “But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.”

11. He wants us to pray always.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 says that we should pray without ceasing. In so doing, we are establishing a permanent connection with CHRIST and we are making Him happy for He desires to talk to us, tell us marvelous things, and most of all help us by answering our prayers.

All in all, the LORD wants our sincere faith, love, commitment, renewed selves, salvation, service, glorifying acts, and prayer. Let us be reminded with this verse found in Ephesians 5:15-17 which say, "So be careful how you live. Don't live like ignorant people, but likewise people. Make good use of every opportunity you have because these are evil days. Don't be fools then but try to find out what the LORD wants you to do." The things I have listed above are the things the LORD wants us to do so do it and the LORD will be happy and will give you happiness, peace, and success. Thank You so much LORD JESUS for helping me write this piece. I love You. All honor, glory, highest praises, and thanksgiving all belong to You. May GOD bless you, my dear reader. I love you with the love of the LORD JESUS.