One key thing that I have learned in my walk with God which I believe will be helpful to you in offering Him high quality praises is to know that God does not only hear but He sees as well! Indeed it would be strange for God to create eyes that see if He Himself could not see. The Bible confirms this: "The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the LORD has made them both (Proverbs 20:12)." Plus, we find in Psalm 34:15 that: "The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry." You are therefore not limited by your words, grammar or degree of eloquence, when communicating with God.

In fact with your body language and expressions, just like in the natural, you can greatly enhance your communication and offer high quality praises to God. Glory! Is it not wonderful to know that even when words seem inadequate, you can dance, bow your knees, or just prostrate in humility before God and know that He is pleased with your worship?

Here is a graphical illustration that God sees your actions – and that with the right actions you can greatly please Him and induce His favour:

Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, "Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who lives in Samaria. There he is, in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone down to take possession of it. You shall speak to him, saying, "Thus says the LORD: "Have you murdered and also taken possession?"' And you shall speak to him, saying, "Thus says the LORD: "In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth, dogs shall lick your blood, even yours.""' But there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do wickedness in the sight of the LORD, because Jezebel his wife stirred him up. And he behaved very abominably in following idols, according to all that the Amorites had done, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. So it was, when Ahab heard those words, that he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his body, and fasted and lay in sackcloth, and went about mourning. And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,"See how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the calamity in his days. In the days of his son I will bring the calamity on his house." (1 Kings 2:17-19,25-29).

When praising God, your body language is very important, because He does not only listen to your words when you are praising Him, He knows your heart and can see whether your words and your actions are in harmony (1 Sam 2:3).

Once upon a time God instructed the Israelites in Egypt to take some of the blood of their Passover lamb and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of their houses. The blood was to be a sign to show the houses where they were. And the LORD said, “when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt (Exodus 12:13).”

I believe when God sees you worshipping Him as He has instructed, not only with your voice but also with the rest of your body, you too would be distinguished and exempted from the judgment against the unrighteous. Many people only ever praise God with their voice, but the picture in heaven is quite different (see Rev 4 & 5). The bible teaches us a lot more ways to express our worship to God.

Here is a list of the combination of ways that the Bible shows us to offer praise to God:

1. In faith with your whole heart and your eyes on Jesus

Remember Jesus is the author and developer of our faith (Hebrews 12:2) and He is the way to God (John 14:6), so acknowledge and keep your focus on Him as you approach the throne room.

Know that you cannot please God without faith. You must realise deep within you that God is: That He is alive; that He is everywhere; that He knows all things and can bring a change to them because He is all powerful; and He will reward you according to your hunger for Him. When you do - like Abel, it will affect your attitude when you approach Him, and improve the quality of your sacrifice:

Hebrews 11:4,6 By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

God has not called us to seek Him for nothing (Isaiah 45:19), rather He promises us a just reward; so expect a reward for your sacrifice of praise. Faith is the substance of things hoped for (Hebrews 11:1), so be clear what reward you are expecting from the LORD. God does not mind you asking Him for what you want (Psalm 37:4), believe me, He can afford it (Psalm 24:1 )! Furthermore, He has promised not to withhold anything that is good from them that walk uprightly (Psalm 84:11).

When Solomon’s offering pleased God, God asked Him, “What shall I give you (1 Kings 3:4-5)”? And when Solomon answered, God did according to his words, and then also surpassed it by giving him what he did not ask for (Eph 3:20) – both riches and honour (1 Kings 3:12-13). Glory!

Understand also that God has a choice whether to accept or reject your sacrifice and He exercises that choice as is cleary shown by the following example:

Genesis 4:5-7 But He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. So the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door.

Thank God - by faith you can please Him today and offer a more excellent sacrifice than you have ever done before!

2. In spirit and in truth

Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and here is what He has to say regarding true worshippers.

John 4:23-24 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

We can worship God in spirit because in Him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28). Glory! We are therefore not restricted to any location to worship God. We worship God according to His counsel regarding how to worship Him by the help of the Holy Spirit.

1 John 2:27 … the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.

We worship Him in truth, and maintain our fellowship with Him, and separation from the world (John 17:16) and its ills, by obeying His word in spite of circumstances:

John 17:17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

Jesus says, “The Father is seeking such to worship Him”. This implies that true worshippers are uncommon. I urge you to join this select group, by worshipping God in spirit and in truth.

It is one thing for you to be seeking God, and maybe you have been all these years without any sense that you have found Him, but with God seeking you, I can guarantee He will find you (God is Omniscient), when you begin to worship Him in spirit and in truth!

3. In the beauty of holiness

Psalm 29:2 Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name; Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

This is so, because God cannot behold iniquity and only manifests His glory in holiness (Exodus 15:11). Without holiness no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).

Thank God, we have certain assurance in the everlasting sacrifice that Jesus offered for our sins, and in the cleansing power of His blood. We are therefore able to enter into the Holiest by His blood and give high quality praises to God.

Hebrews 9:13-14 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

By trusting in the blood of Jesus our conscience is cleansed from dead works and we are able to serve the living God. Glory!

The blood of sprinkling is still speaking of better things than the blood of Abel (Hebrews 12:24). It does not ask for vengeance but pardon for us, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do”. The Bible says Jesus knew no sin but He was made to be sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made us free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:1-2). Glory. Christ is the end of the law for righteousness for those who believe (Romans 10:4).

Hebrews 10:12,14,18-23 But this Man [Jesus], after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin. Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

Jesus sat down after He had offered one sacrifice for our sins forever because God is satisfied. Hallelujah! Our sins are forgiven (1 John 2:1-2). We are no longer guilty of any wrong. The penalties for our sins and their records and demands have been obliterated and nailed to the cross of Christ (Col 2:13-14). Glory!

All that is now left is to forgive anyone that has wronged us of their sins (Matt 6:12), confess our sins (1 John 1:9) and receive forgiveness, cleansing and boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus! There is no longer an offering for sin! Rather, we receive boldness by faith as we confess the truth concerning our purity in Christ. In this way, we are clothed with the beauty of holiness, our garment of praise, fit and ready to worship the God of heaven. Glory!

4. With your voice (Rev 4:11, Proverbs 18:21, Matthew 12:37)

• Call upon His name and acknowledge Him for Who He is (Psalm 29:2, Matt 6:9, Psalm 91:14-16, Jeremiah 33:3)).
• Ascribe to Him glory and strength (Psalm 96:6-7, Psalm 16:11).
  Worthy are You O LORD and the Lamb that was slain to receive, all the power (might and dominion) and the riches and the wisdom and the honor and the majesty (glory and splendor) and the blessing (Rev 4:11, Rev 5:12-13) forever and ever.
• Thank Him. Testify of His grace and goodness – tell Him specifically what He has done (Psalm 50:14, Psalm 95:2, Psalm 100:3-5; Psalm 92:1-5, Psalm 111). Thank Him for mercy, for salvation, for guidance, for protection, for provision, for help, for deliverance, for healing, for restoration and so on.
• Sing high praises to Him in a skillful psalm and with understanding (Psalm 47:7).
• Sing praises with musical accompaniment (Psalm 92:1-3).
• Sing to Him a new song (Psalm 96).
• Shout (Psalm 47:1, Psalm 95:1, Psalm 100:1, 1 Sam 4:5).

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