Derek Grier - God Cannot Fail
Today we're gonna be in Psalms 1:25 beginning with verse one and we are going to look at the entire Psalms, only like six or seven verses. Verse one, "when the Lord brought back". Other translations read "when the Lord restored our fortunes". More literal translations say "When the Lord brought back or restored our prosperity". You see if you never experienced loss you will not appreciate gain. If you never felt pain you'll never appreciate pleasure. And if you never had to wait you'll never be able to enjoy the moment. It's our willingness to wait that not only reveals the value we place on the thing that we're waiting for, but it deepens our ability to enjoy it.
And this word win lets us know that there was some time that took place between the promise and the fulfillment. When... the Lord, it's one thing when we do things in our own strength. But when the Lord does it, it's flawless, it's perfect. It is watertight, unsinkable, and incontrovertible. The psalmist says "unless the Lord builds the house he who labors labors in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city the watchman stays awake in vain". And the writer says when the Lord, "if it had not been for the Lord on our side" where would we be? And David goes on and says "When men rose up against us they would've swallowed us up alive".
If it had not been for the Lord. "When the Lord brought back the captivity". How many of us in this room have ever been captive to anything? Stuck in a place you just couldn't get out? How many have ever faced people stronger than you? More connected than you, more ruthless than you. And your quality of life was at their mercy? How many of us have ever had moments of captivity, moments of confinement, moments of imprisonment, moments where we wanted freedom more than anything else in the world? "When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion".
In the Bible the term Zion represents God's people. And in the New Testament God's kingdom. But what I want you to see even in Zion that there'll be moments that we feel stuck. Moments we will feel trapped. Moments we will feel helpless and surrounded by circumstances larger than ourselves. But I wanna tell you something this morning, I was young, but now I'm old. And I have not seen the righteous forsaken, neither their seed begging bread. He who promised is faithful. He who upholds you will keep you. He is God above all. When the Lord, it was just a matter of time. "When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion we were like men who dreamed".
You see God never promised it would be easy but he does promise it will be worth it. "We were like men who dreamed". If the promises of God on your life do not stretch your imagination you have not heard from God yet. And when that thing finally comes to pass you'll have pinch me I must be dreaming moments. He says then, you see everyone celebrates the then but they don't know the back when. Oooooohhh You know that's right! Everyone wants what you have but they don't know what it costs. Everybody wants your fruit but they have not developed the roots needed to endure. Then our mouth was filled with laughter. Not just smiles, but laughter.
Mercy. So unexpected, so amazing, so singular it could only be vocalized in grunts, snorts, chuckles giggles. Then our mouths, were filled with laughter and our tongue was singing. Because I can't fly I sing. Because words aren't enough, I sing. Because life's too short to be angry, I sing. God honors our work. But oh, how he loves it when we sing, there was a when. and and then they got to the then.
But watch what happened when they got to the then. Then they said, amongst the nations the Lord has done great things for them. The miracle in your life is not only for you but for those watching. The miracle in your life is not only for you but for your testimony. Then they said amongst the opposing nations the Lord has done great things. And we are glad. This was one of the moments in Israel's history that the rumors were true. And they actually had to agree with the word on the street. Yeah, you know what? You're right. God has done great things.
And when I look back over my life and I'm sure when you look back over your life, you you have to admit, God has made better choices for me than I could ever make for myself. God has done great things. But watch four, God's already begun the process of bringing back that captivity. But, but in four, they take it to the next level. They say, Bring back our what captivity. So they were saying, Lord, I see what you're doing but Lord do it big. You see what happens when you've been in captivity for a little while when you've been down for a little while, when you've had to cry for a little while, when you had moments.
"Why God Why" "When God when", "How long, God, how long"? It's easy to forget how big God is. But when your joy comes back, so will your dreams. And the joy has come back to their hearts. So they start to to cry out to God. Big prayers. Bring back our captivity. Oh Lord, watch this. Not just a little bit, but as the streams in the south. Now that's blind to most of us because we don't live in Israel. But Southern Israel was arid in virtually a desert during the summer months. But when the rains came, Torrance would flow and there'd be flash floods throughout the entire area.
And what they were praying, Listen, I'm talking twofold. I'm talking about what God's doing here. But let me tell you something. God doesn't care about a church building. He cares about church people. And what he's doing here is what he's gonna gonna do with you. And they were saying, God turned my captivity so suddenly, so powerfully, like a flood. And do it in a place and with people. That only heaven can get credit for it. They said, Lord, I appreciate the small things and I'm I don't even wanna make light of. Yeah, it's a big thing you have done. But don't stop there. Do it like streams in the south. Do it where it's obvious, cannot be overlooked. Do it big, God.
And then in verse five, he says something important. He says, "Those who sow in tears", As if this is an explanation and the reason or the grounds they knew God would answer this prayer. "Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy". Now, this is important because this is still done today. There were many farmers, not every farmer but many farmers that would first soak their seed in water for 12 to 24 hours before they planted that seed in the ground. And that practice is going on for thousands of years. And gardeners are encouraged to do that today.
And I even looked it up and I looked at the studies and what they found was soaking seeds decreases germination time and increases germination rates. The folks that this was written to understood this it's the seeds soaked in tears. That are always most likely to grow. Stop asking God to, to do things you really don't care about. But when it comes from the heart, God is faithful Watch six, "He who continually," You see the problem with tears, particularly in in the more recent generations, is when tears come, we quit. Cause we fear we're not supposed to cry. It's not supposed to hurt, it's supposed to be easy.
"God, if you love me, it'd be like that". "He who continually, when it comes to tears, again we quit". But the key to your tears working for you and not against you, is found in that word, "continuing". Perseverance is doing the right thing and what needs to be done even when you don't feel like doing it. And I wanna say something to you today that tears are part of God's plan. It's those tears that are gonna cause what wouldn't be to germinate and become. I wish this walk with Christ was just a logical head thing and I could just make a decision and a choice and kind of be like a computer.
What's difficult is sometimes it hurts. And sometimes you gotta cry. But many times when we, when we have tears we feel like we've been abandoned. "Lord, if you were there, I wouldn't weep the way I weep". But you don't realize God's still accomplishing his purposes. He's soaking the tears. He's soaking the seed better. That's about to go into the ground. And there's a purpose and there's a a function in it all. But he who continually, He who doesn't quit he who hangs in there goes forth weeping.
Sometimes you feel tired, but know your tears are watering your seed. Sometimes you'll feel angry, but know your tears are watering your seed. Sometimes you'll feel hurt. Sometimes you'll feel crazy. But those tears, as far as heaven's concerned is watering your seed. So if I learn one thing in my life it's keep on walking, even though you're weeping, keep on sewing, trying to do right and do good even when it hurts because God will turn what feels like personal weakness into strength. God will flip it. You felt you lost because you wept.
No, you were winning in that moment because God bottled up every tear and he poured on every prayer. And because God heard, you will see life. "He who continually goes forth weeping," Watch this, "bearing seed," The King James version says precious seed. And again, David says in the Psalms that "God puts our tears and bottles of remembrance". The challenge is when you're hurt, you wanna make it all about you. And you don't want to give, you don't wanna pour out. You don't wanna be a blessing.
But you see, it's not just those who sow. It's those who sow when seed is precious. When it costs you something, when by the handful, though it hurts, you're slinging out seed By the handful, you're going deep down inside God, I could have ate that. I could have done something different, but Lord I'm gonna trust you and throw out the seed. Teddy said, You gotta be walking. You gotta be moving still. Don't quit. Don't give up. Don't stay in bed. Don't lock yourself in your room. Keep reaching in deep, throwing out the seed throwing out the seed, and your tears become water.
The angels begin to watch. And every seed is precious. Cause God know what it cost you in his sight. "He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sewing". Bless this "shall doubt this". If you were willingly so through it and continue despite it how differently you will end up when everything is over "Shall doubtless". My Bible says that we serve a God that still works all things together for good. "Shall doubtless". Can you say with me? No doubt. Look at your neighbor and say "No doubt". No doubt. "Shall doubtless".
It is inevitable, Unavoidable Inescapable Inexorable. Big word. But no doubt. No doubt, no doubt "you shall doubtless come again with rejoicing". If you have to cry while you sow, don't sweat it. Because according to my Bible, if you hang in there you will get the last laugh. Come on. I like Winston Churchill. He said, said, he said this in a time where he said If you're going through hell, keep on going. Keep on walking, keep on moving. You gotta go through the night to get to the morning "Shall doubtless bringing his harvest, his sheaves, his wheats with him".
The fruit you can see is always the result of a root you cannot see. And when we show up for God in faith he will always show us his faithfulness. Jesus said, He said, "Wisdom is justified of her children". Meaning no one can argue with results. Stay down until you come up. But keep on going because he who promised is faithful. And what I wanna say to you is what He did for us corporately, he's about to do for you individually. You'll think it is just a cliche, but God literally spoke to me, my heart, and said, "Derek, what you make happen for my house, I'll make happen for your house".