NOT ONLY a Thanksgiving DayBUT

A Thanks living attitude

I’LL JUST THANK GOD ANYHOW

17 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: 18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. 19 The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.

Habakkuk 3:17-19

We all have troubles from time to time. You know you’ve got trouble when....

* Your birthday cake collapses from the weight of the  candles. * You turn on the news and they're showing emergency routes out of the city. * Your twin sister forgets your birthday.

Habakkuk said, "We’ve got troubles, but I think I’ll just thank God anyhow!"

  1. The pilgrims had come to their new land   2. They experienced a good harvest.   3. But they also experienced many hardships   4. In spite of losing half their number they gave thanks to God, made History, and influenced an entire country

REMEMBER AMERICA'S FIRST THANKSGIVING

1. He loved God enough to thank him in his distress

  2. How can a person be thankful in the midst of  difficulties?

 

HABAKKUK VOWED TO THANK GOD ANYHOW

Economic conditions may change but God doesn't - v.17

I. THANK GOD HE DOESN'T CHANGE

   1. The FIG TREE will not blossom   2. No fruit on the VINES   3. The OLIVE trees will not produce   4. The FIELDS will yield no harvest   5. The CATTLE and the SHEEP are lost   6. HABAKKUK SAID, "I’LL JUST THANK GOD ANYHOW!"  

A. ISRAEL LOST THINGS VITAL TO THE ECONOMY

  1. They changed in Egypt (7 years of famine)   2. They changed for Job (he lost everything)   3. They changed during the great depression   4. They change in families due to loss of health or bad  investment

B. ECONOMIC CONDITIONS ARE PRONE TO CHANGE

  1. Mal 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye  sons of Jacob are not consumed.

  2. Heb 13:8  Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day,  and forever.

 C. BUT WE CAN BE THANKFUL, GOD DOES NOT CHANGE

Vs. 18

II. THANK GOD FOR SALVATION

  1. Everything about us is fragile   2. Life itself is uncertain   3. You are ALIVE! The only  people who do not have problems are those in the cemetery. If you have problems, it simply means you are alive.

4. Trouble is a matter of perspective.

A. WE ARE NEVER FAR FROM PROBLEMS IN THIS LIFE

  1. It is promised in the Bible

     a)John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his  only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him  should not perish, but have everlasting life. (KJV)      b)John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that  hears my word, and believes on him that sent me, has  everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation;   but is passed from death unto life.       

 B. SALVATION PROVIDES ETERNAL LIFE

  1. It is promised in the Bible           c)1 John 5:11-13 “And this is the record, that God  hath  given to us eternal life, and this life is in his  Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not  the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on  the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye  have  eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name  of the Son of God.  

 B. SALVATION PROVIDES ETERNAL LIFE

We are not limited to these FEW YEARS OF

TEARS .

We have eternal life ahead!

WHY NOT JUST THANK GOD ANYHOW!

    John 14:1-6   1 Let not your heart be troubled: you 

believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not  so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for  you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come  again, and receive you unto myself; that  where I am,  there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know. 5 Thomas said unto him, Lord, we know not where you go; and how can we know the way? 6 Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the  life: no man comes unto the Father, but by me.

C. HEAVEN IS AHEAD

1 Pet 1:3-4  3

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord  Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath  begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection  of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and  that fades not away, reserved in heaven for you.

D. THE BEST IS YET TO COME

Even in trials, we can triumph through Christ - v.19

III. THANK GOD EVEN IN TRIALS

  1. Psalm 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom  shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of  whom shall I be afraid?   2. Isa 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew  their strength; they shall mount up with wings as  eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall  walk, and not faint.   3. Phil 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthened me.

 A. THE LORD IS OUR STRENGTH

  1. That means swift and graceful   2. Don't think it strange when you desire to serve God and  then seem to encounter a severe time of testing.  God's  purpose at every juncture of testing is to make the  person more valuable. 

     3.  Warren Wiersbe noted that when God permits his children  to go through the furnace, he keeps his eye on the clock  and his hand on the thermostat.

B. "HE WILL MAKE MY FEET LIKE HINDS FEET"

So, why not just THANK GOD ANYHOW!

1.  That's HIGHER GROUND 2.  You may be on the lower ground for now, but God will bring you up to higher ground eventually. 3.  You may be going through trouble right now, but its just a matter of time until He lifts you up out of it!

So you can just THANK GOD ANYHOW!

C. "HE WILL MAKE ME TO WALK UPON HIGH PLACES"

        Jer 32:27 Behold, I am the LORD, the God of

all flesh:  is there any thing too hard for me?

D. HE IS ALWAYS UP TO THE OCCASION

This passage of Habakkuk speaks of a mind that has been weaned from  earthly enjoyments and finds its highest pleasures in  the presence of God. One which thanks God in spite of  what the circumstances are.

CONCLUSION

The same thought is found in the N.T.: 1 Thes 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the  will  of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

CONCLUSION

RIGHT NOW!

So, why not just THANK GOD ANYHOW!