Ps 34:1 “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.”
Ps 91: 9 “Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you.”
Ps 118: 5, 6, 14, 21, 29 “I called upon the Lord in distress; the Lord answered me, and set me in a large place. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? The Lord is my strength and song and He has become my salvation. I will praise You, for You have answered me. O Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good? For His mercy endures forever.”
1 Tim 2: 1 “I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men....”
Philippians 4: 4 “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.”
Philippians 4: 6,7 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”
“I remember John telling me that in those days if on any day four souls were not brought into the fold, at night there would be such a weight on his heart that it was positively painful, and he could not eat nor sleep. Then in prayer he would ask his Lord to show him what was the obstacle in him to this blessing. He invariably found that it was the want of praise in his life.” Captain E.G. Carre, Praying Hyde, (South Plainfield, NJ: Bridge Publishing, 1982), p. 39.
“Mr. Hyde used to say that at any time when he noticed few souls being led by him to Christ, he invariably found it was all due to his lack of the spirit of praise. He would then confess his sin, ask pardon, and take the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. His experience then invariably was that Christ would again draw souls to Himself through him.” Captain E.G. Carre, Praying Hyde, p. 143, 144.
“On the strength of God’s Word we know that we have what we ask. Let us—with thanksgiving that we have been heard, and with thanksgiving for what we have received and taken and now hold as ours—continue steadfast in believing prayer that the blessing, which has already been given us, and which we hold in faith, may break through and fill our whole being. It is in such believing thanksgiving and prayer, that our soul opens up for the Spirit to take entire and undisturbed possession. It is such prayer that not only asks and hopes, but takes and holds, that inherits the full blessing.” Andrew Murray, With Christ in the School of Prayer, (Old Tappan, NJ: Fleming H. Revell, 1979), p. 45.
The kind of prayer that kills care is a prayer that asks cheerfully, joyfully, thankfully. ‘Lord, I am poor. Let me bless You for my poverty,’ and then, ‘O Lord, will You not supply all my needs?’ That is the way to pray.... ‘Supplication with thanksgiving.’ Mix these two things, rub them well together, and they will make a blessed cure for care.” Charles Spurgeon Prayer in the Believer’s Life, (Lynnwood, WA: Emerald Books, 1993), p. 174, 175.
“We do not pray any too much, but we are too sparing of giving thanks. If the loving kindness of God called forth more thanksgiving and praise, we would have far more power in prayer. We would abound more and more in the love of God and have more bestowed to praise Him for. You who complain that God does not hear your prayers, change your present order and mingle praise with your petitions. When you consider His goodness and mercies you will find that He will consider your wants.” Ellen White, Testimonies Vol 5, p. 317.
“When difficulties and trials surround us, we should flee to God, and confidently expect help from Him who is mighty to save and strong to deliver. We must ask for God’s blessing if we would receive it. Prayer is a duty and a necessity; but do we not neglect praise? Should we not oftener render thanksgiving to the Giver of all our blessings? We need to cultivate gratitude. We should frequently contemplate and recount the mercies of God, and laud and glorify His holy name, even when we are passing through sorrow and affliction. . . .” Ellen White, Selected Messages, Vol 2, p. 268.
If we keep the Lord ever before us, allowing our hearts to go out in thanksgiving and praise to Him, we shall have a continual freshness in our religious life. Our prayers will take the form of a conversation with God, as we would talk with a friend. He will speak His mysteries to us personally. Often there will come to us a sweet, joyful sense of the presence of Jesus. Often our hearts will burn within us, as He draws nigh to commune with us as He did with Enoch. When this is in truth the experience of the Christian, there are seen in his life simplicity, humility, meekness, and lowliness of heart, (and) shows to all with whom he associates that he has been with Jesus, and has learned of Him.” Ellen White, Signs of the Times, June 18, 1902.