11-26-2022 West Palm Beach 7th Day BAPTIST Pastor Garfield “Thank You God…But” Exodus 5;15-23

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11-26-2022 West Palm Beach 7th Day BAPTIST Pastor Garfield “Thank You God…But” Exodus 5;15-23




In 1863 President Lincoln made Thanksgiving Day a national annual holiday. The background of Thanksgiving is about recognizing the mercies of God. God alone is the source of our blessings. We are to thank and praise God Our Father for His mercy and grace toward us. Brothers and sisters it is important that we understand that the United States got it’s independence in 1776 and it’s foundation was on the Almighty God. We are now living in a situation where many people have forgotten about the Creator, the Sustainer of all life. There is a need for us to give thanks to God.

Thank you God...but. Do you really understand what it means to give thanks? It is an expression of gratitude. You are acknowledging God’s work in your life and appreciating what He has done for you. Brothers and sisters we want to talk a little bit about the Israelites while they were in Egypt. Sometimes we are in a situation where we are saying thank you God, but. Here are the buts from the Israelites that I want to put before you. Verse 21 The Israelite leaders said to Moses that the Lord should look on him and judge him because he has made us disgusting and disliked in the sight of the Pharoah and Pharoah wants to kill us. The Israelites leaders were really saying “thank you God for sending these two men, Moses and Aaron, but...”.

But - - God you sent the wrong people.

But - - Our lives are harder and not better

But - - Freedom is no where in sight.

These are three “but” concerns that the Israelites had. As Christians today, many of us are having the same concerns. The people that came to help me don’t look like what I had expected. Or, I am a Christian Lord and I am alive but things are not looking any better. Whatever your circumstances, giving God thanks is of utmost importance. When you give thanks to God, you are allowing bitterness to Not settle into your heart. When you give thanks you are actually saying “I know Heavenly Father that you have a plan for me”. Sometimes you may not see it yet, but you know it exists. When you are in danger you are giving thanks for the protection and not for the danger. When you are in need you are not giving thanks for the poverty, but you are giving thanks for the future provisions provided by God.

We have many reasons to give the Lord thanks. The Bible encourages us to give the Lord thanks and many of these verses tell us why we should give the Lord thanks. When we give thanks it is an expression of gratitude toward God. Without giving thanks we will become self-centered. When we don’t give thanks, we begin to feel like we have arrived because of our own energy or endeavors. When we give thanks, we put the credit to the source, God. When we give thanks we are reminded of how much we have and not about how much we need. So brothers and sisters, when we have grief we can still give thanks. When we are hurt, we can still give God thanks. When you are angry you can still give thanks. Whatever your circumstances are, you can still give thanks to God.

I want to introduce you to the concept of moving from reacting to provisions to the position of reacting to a promise. When you are reacting to a provision, then you have to see the evidence first before you respond. The Israelites never knew what the outcome would be so they never understood how to give thanks. But as you mature in God, you respond to the promises of God. Say Amen to that. Hallelujah. When you are a newborn baby, you will respond when you see it physically. But when you are mature, you respond to the promises of God. God has promised many things to us. In order for us to move from being a provisional Christian to being one focused on the promises, we must understand who God is. We must understand three things about God.

1) We must understand His relationship with us.

2) We must understand the plan He has for us.

3) We must understand His plans toward our adversaries.

Brothers ans sisters when you understand these three things, you do not need to panic when you are in the lion’s den. When you understand that God is faithful. When you understand that God is jealous toward you then you need not panic in times of crisis. In Jeremiah 30;22 God says “Ye are my people and I will be your God”. Brothers and sisters if the Almighty God is your God, why do you have a need to worry? If the Faithful, All Knowing God is your God, don’t be dismayed. God will take care of you. Many of us are saying Thank you God but that’s not what I expected. In Galatians 4;4 it says that when the set time had come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, to redeem those under the Law that we might receive adoption to son-ship. Brothers and Sisters because you are his son, God sent the spirit of His Son into your heart. The spirit that calls out Abba Father. So you are no longer a slave but God’s child.

If you are the children of the Most High God, then gratitude should be the order of your existence. If the Israelites had understood this, they would not have complained as often as they did. Between them being in Egypt and them being in the Promise Land, they complained at least fourteen major times. They complained against Moses and Aaron. They complained about not wanting to die in the wilderness. They complained about food, water and they just complained and complained. And when they were tired of complaining, they complained more. Many of us have gotten into this position where our default mode is to complain. If you are a complainer then you are a provision Christian. Brothers and sisters, I pray that we will become promise Christians, where we know the things that God has promised his people. Because of this relationship God has with us, we can give Him thanks. All of His promises do not depend on me. I am not holding God up, but God is holding onto me.

God has a plan for us. In Revelation 21;6-7 it says the Lord is Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. God will give to him that is thirsty of the fountain of the water of Life freely. God said that he that overcometh shall inherit all things. God will be his God, and he will be God’s son. This is God’s plan for us. No matter what our challenges may be, God said it and that settles it! God has plans for those who believe Him and we will become his children. God will bring us to the promised place, His Kingdom.


AMEN