And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. – Hebrews 11:6

Many of us know this verse but when reading it, you need to ask yourself the question, ”Why does faith please God?” I would answer that question by saying ”Faith is confidence in God’s power, His promises, and His tenderness towards His people.  Therefore you have to have faith to  believe God is God and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him diligently.

Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. – Romans 8:8 ESV

The reason why you are not able to please God when you operate in the flesh is because the flesh is sinful and perishing.  Nothing done out of the flesh is able to be pure enough to be acceptable to God.  Doing things in the flesh is like dressing up to go out to dinner at a fancy restaurant without taking a shower. Yes you may look good on the outside but you are not clean and might smell.

Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. – Hebrews 13:16 ESV

Acts of kindness are when you give, serve and help others.  These acts often times go unnoticed by other people but God sees your sacrifice and is pleased when you show love for others this way in His name.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. – Psalm 19:14

There is a connection with your heart and what comes out of your mouth.  When you meditate in your heart will eventually come out of your mouth.  This is why it’s not only important to watch what you say but also to guard what you meditate on in your heart.  In meditating on the Word of God it is pleasing to him because, eventually your words and actions will be in line with His word.

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, – Colossians 1:10

When you bear godly fruit, do good works, and grow in your knowledge of God it is pleasing to God.  This doesn’t happen by accident, but you have to diligently and purposefully set aside time to serve, study the Word of God and fellowship with him in worship.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. – Galatians 2:20

It is pleasing to God when we dedicate out lives to living for Christ.  Our Christian life begins when we die to our old life and live according to Gods word.   

You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.  You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. – Psalm 51:16-17

You can never please God by outward actions if your inward heart attitude is not right, no matter how good the actions is. God is pleased by the genuine humility that you show when you are truly sorry for your sins, intend to stop and repent.

He takes no pleasure in the strength of a horse or in human might. No, the Lord’s delight is in those who fear him, those who put their hope in his unfailing love. – Psalms 147:10-11

We spend a lot of effort to sharpen our skills or increase our strength.  There is nothing wrong in doing that and in fact our gifts can be used to glorify God.  But when we use our skills with no regard for God, they are indeed worth little.  It is reverence and trust that God desires.

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. – Micah 6:8

What God wants is your live and obedience.  He’s a personal God and desires a personal relationship with you.  He also expects you to love your neighbors by doing them good and ministering to their needs.

But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” John 4:23-24

Once reason you might be looking for something is because you desire it or if it pleases you to have it.  This verse says that worship in spirit and truth is something the God is looking for.  The question becomes now “How can you provide that kind of worship?”  To worship God in Spirit is to have a heart that is in pursuit of an intimate relationship with God.  To worship in truth is to worship God in a biblically accurate way.