How To Develop A Passion For Jesus - Soul Choice Ministries

How do we develop a desire to have Jesus as our number one priority and to keep Him foremost in our thoughts?

I remember when I was dating my wife. All I could think was, “I cannot wait to see her.” She occupied my mind almost continuously. I had to stay in the Word of God to remember that He is first. I am just being honest. What caused that desire for her?

I can tell you. Each day I spent with her, I saw her exceptional character: her kindness, her consideration of others, her generosity, her love for her parents, her desire to learn, her wisdom, her talents and abilities, her love for God, and her fear of the Lord. This was a rare girl, and I knew she was for me. She did not know that yet, but I did, and I recognized a godly woman.

In addition to all her qualities, to look at her beauty was mesmerizing. She was, and still is, devastatingly beautiful, exquisite, and absolutely stunning. What more could a guy want?

My point is this: so it is with the Lord.

The more we read the Bible and spend time with Him, the more we come to understand how merciful, gracious, good, faithful, powerful, and loving He is. With God, this is not a romantic love, but a reverence, awe, and respect for Him.

When we understand how much He loves us, what He has done for us, and when we discover His will for our lives, we increasingly want to know His ways and obey Him. We want to know how He thinks, what pleases Him, and how to hear from Him. Our obedience to His Word proves our love for Him.

In John 14:15, Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”

Some Christians claim to love Jesus and have a passion for Him, yet they do not obey what He instructs us through the pages of the Bible. They usually do not spend much time reading Scripture and instead follow their emotions rather than the Word of God.

Our love and respect grow when we spend time with a person and see their character. We observe how they respond in difficult situations or under pressure. Will they keep their word even when it hurts? Will they tell the truth or lie? Are they selfish or giving? Forgiving or unforgiving? Quick to condemn others or slow to judge? We learn what is important to them and what is not.

It takes time to learn these things, but the more time spent with a quality person, the deeper our love and respect grow. God is of the highest quality, perfect in character and absolutely flawless in every way. He is the God of the universe, the Creator who has given us breath. He is therefore deserving of our respect, attention, obedience, love, and worship.

Many of us have a deep desire to live a life of purpose and meaning. Some may aspire to become an outstanding athlete, earn a high level of education, have a wonderful family, attain wealth, or enjoy better health. These may be worthy goals and desires.

I remember when I was a teenager, I had a passion for surfing. It became almost an obsession. If the surf was up, we would skip school no matter the cost. When I was seventeen, I drove with some friends from Florida to California to spend the summer surfing. I did not even ask permission from my parents, whom I loved and had always obeyed. I knew they would not allow me to go, but I went anyway.

Even though I had never disobeyed them before, my passion for surfing led me to treat them poorly. I deeply regretted this. When you are young, you sometimes do foolish things. I also later regretted neglecting my studies and giving up other interests, such as karate and playing the guitar. I should have taken school more seriously. I had a misguided passion.

Jesus Christ also had a passion, and it was to redeem and reconcile the world back to God. He gave all He had, which was His life. He left His heavenly home and became a man with a physical body, and He will remain both God and man for all eternity. He considers us the pearl of great price, as described in Matthew chapter thirteen.

“I lay down My life for the sheep.” John 10:15
“You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me.” John 17:23

Jesus said that God loves us as much as He loves His own Son. He is passionate about each one of us.

We must ask ourselves, is God really first in my life?

Jesus said in Luke 14:26, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.” What He means is that we are to love God so much that, in comparison, our love for family seems like hate. That is a strong statement. Are any of us truly at that level of love for Him?

If we truly love Him, our desire will be to please and obey Him. One thing that pleases Him is when we share with others what He did for us on the cross. He loves people and does not want them to go to hell, but He works through believers. Will we speak for Him?

“We speak, not as pleasing men, but God, who tests our hearts.” 1 Thessalonians 2:4

He proved His love for us by suffering a horrible death on the cross so that we could be reconciled to God and become part of His eternal family.

“While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8
“Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, He was buried, and He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” 1 Corinthians 15:3–4
“Now Christ is risen from the dead.” q Corinthians 15:20
“This is now the third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He was raised from the dead.” John 21:14

Some people will endure years of pain and sacrifice while training as an athlete, giving up time with loved ones, following strict diets, and surrendering comfort for a goal. But who would completely surrender their will to God’s plan and endure the agony Jesus did, even for those who hated Him?

If Jesus had not paid the price for our sin, we would all end up in hell. We cannot enter a perfect place called heaven because we are not perfect. Humanity falls so far below God’s standard that Scripture describes us as filthy rags, abominable, and as those who drink iniquity like water. Knowing the Lord Jesus will take an eternity. Our earthly journey includes many character tests, challenges, trials, as well as joy, excitement, and peace.

I challenge you to truly get to know the Lord Jesus. Take time in His presence. Study His Word. Listen to sound biblical teaching. Grow in your faith. As you do, you will develop a genuine passion for Jesus, one that includes reaching the lost.