Below are notes to a sermon preached Sunday evening, July 17, 2005, at Gospel Light Baptist Church, Albany, Georgia. For more outlines, including zipped files of outlines from previous years, click on the link at the bottom of this note, and go to our website:

HOW WE SHOULD PRAISE GOD

By Michael D. O'Neal
Pastor, Gospel Light Baptist Church
Albany, Georgia

Scripture Reading: Acts 2:46-3:10

Text: Acts 3:9

Acts 3:9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God:

Introduction: This morning I enjoyed trying to encourage us all to praise God by giving reasons why we should praise Him.

Tonight I want to point out some scriptural guidelines for praising God and concentrate on HOW we should praise Him.

The HOW of praise is important.

First, God is paying attention to how we praise Him.

Second, PEOPLE are paying attention to how we praise him. So says our text:

Acts 3:9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God:

Do people see you praising God? I hope so.

Here are seven things from scripture that are appropriate in our praise to God:

I. PRAISE GOD WITH SPEECH

Psalms 109:30 I will greatly praise the LORD with my mouth; yea, I will praise him among the multitude.

    A. Praise Him with your mouth

    B. Praise Him among the multitude


II. PRAISE GOD WITH SONG AND MUSIC

Psalms 28:7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my
song will I praise him.

Psalms 69:30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.

Psalms 47:6 Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises.

    A. Songs of praise promote a proper spirit - Saul's problem

    B. Songs of praise proclaim a perfect Savior


III. PRAISE GOD WITH SENSE

Psalms 47:7 For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding.

1 Corinthians 14:14-15 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. 15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.

    A. Be aware of your speech
        1. Say "amen" to truth, not volume, humor, or acrobatics

    B. Be accurate in your speech
        1. Songs of praise should be doctrinally correct


IV. PRAISE GOD WITH A SHOUT

Ezra 3:11 And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.

    A. Show your excitement in the Lord

    B. Show your enjoyment of the Lord

As Jehu - "Come and see my zeal for the Lord!"

V. PRAISE GOD WITH A SMILE

2 Chronicles 29:30 Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the LORD with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshipped.

Psalms 100:1-2 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. 2 Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

    A. A smile shows gladness

    B. A smile shows gratitude

VI. PRAISE GOD WITH STEADFASTNESS

Psalms 71:8 Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day.

    A. Praise Him in victory - don't forget God when you're on top

    B. Praise Him in the valleys - He is the lily of the valleys, and He is with you there, too!

VII. PRAISE GOD WITH A SWORD IN YOUR HAND

Psalms 149:6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand;

    A. Stay in the BOOK while you praise

    B. Stay in the battle while you praise

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Michael D. O'Neal (Proverbs 11:30), Pastor,
Gospel Light Baptist Church 
P.O. Box 3071 (237 Lockett Station Road),
Albany, GA 31706
(229) 432-0039 (church) / (229) 698-2127 (parsonage)
*Scriptures in my notes are from the Authorized Version 1611 -KJV- and are used by permission of the Author - Ephesians. 6:17*
 "Come Alive In 2005"
Visit The Bible-Believing Fundamentalist Web Page  - http://www.brothermike.com