Planting Seeds of Faith for Abundant Harvests

Devotional

Day 1: Sowing in Tears, Reaping in Joy

Even when life feels barren and fruitless, God promises that those who faithfully sow—even through tears and hardship—will one day reap a harvest of joy. The act of planting, whether it is prayer, kindness, or the Word of God, may seem small or insignificant in the moment, but God sees every seed sown in faith. No matter how dry or empty your circumstances appear, keep planting in hope, trusting that God will bring forth a joyful harvest in His perfect timing. [04:49]

Psalm 126:5-6 (ESV)
Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.

Reflection: What is one area of your life that feels barren or hopeless? How can you intentionally plant a seed of faith or obedience there today, trusting God for a future harvest?

Day 2: Don’t Wait for Perfect Conditions—Start Planting Now

It’s easy to become a spectator, waiting for the perfect moment to act, but God calls us to plant even when the conditions seem unfavorable. If you only observe the wind and clouds, you’ll never sow or reap. Instead, step out in faith and begin planting—whether it’s prayer, encouragement, or acts of service—regardless of how things look. Fruitfulness comes to those who act, not just those who watch. [11:00]

Ecclesiastes 11:4 (ESV)
He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap.

Reflection: Where have you been waiting for “better conditions” before stepping out in faith? What is one step you can take today to plant a seed, even if the timing doesn’t seem perfect?

Day 3: You Reap What You Sow—Plant in the Spirit

The seeds you plant—whether in your own heart or in the lives of others—will determine the harvest you receive. Sowing to the flesh leads to corruption, but sowing to the Spirit brings life and peace. Be intentional about what you allow to grow in your life: uproot negativity, bitterness, and sin, and instead plant prayer, the Word, and the fruit of the Spirit. What you cultivate today will shape your tomorrow. [15:43]

Galatians 6:7-9 (ESV)
Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

Reflection: What is one negative “weed” you need to uproot from your life, and what is one spiritual seed you can plant in its place this week?

Day 4: Blessing Comes to the Open Hand

God calls us to sow generously into the lives of others, not withholding our love, encouragement, or resources. When you give freely—whether it’s forgiveness, kindness, or support—God promises to return it to you in abundance. Don’t underestimate the impact of your investment in others; open your hand, plant seeds of blessing, and trust God to multiply the harvest. [21:30]

Luke 6:35-38 (ESV)
But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.

Reflection: Who is one person you can bless today with an open hand—through encouragement, forgiveness, or generosity—without expecting anything in return?

Day 5: Keep Planting—Trust God for the Increase

Planting takes time, and sometimes the seeds you sow may not bear fruit for years, but God is always at work beneath the surface. Don’t give up on yourself, your loved ones, or your community; keep planting seeds of faith, love, and truth, knowing that God will bring the increase in His time. Even the smallest act of faithfulness can lead to a harvest beyond what you can imagine. [27:10]

1 Corinthians 3:6-7 (ESV)
I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.

Reflection: Is there a person or situation where you’ve grown discouraged because you haven’t seen results? How can you renew your commitment to keep planting and trust God for the growth?

Sermon Summary

The presence of God is tangible when His people gather, and there is a deep gratitude for the journey and the community that has shaped and sent us. As seasons change and callings shift, the heart remains anchored in the place and people who have invested so much. Yet, God often leads us into new fields, sometimes unexpectedly, and asks us to trust Him with the unknown, to keep sowing even when the landscape looks barren.

Drawing from Psalm 126:5-6, the principle emerges: those who sow in tears will reap in joy. The story of David Ross Boyd, the first president of the University of Oklahoma, illustrates this truth. Arriving to a treeless prairie, he envisioned a campus filled with life and beauty. Despite skepticism, he began planting thousands of trees, investing his own resources and faith. Today, the campus is unrecognizable from its barren beginnings, a testament to the power of persistent, visionary planting.

This is a call to look beyond what is visible and to plant seeds of faith, prayer, and the Word of God in every area of life. The temptation is to wait for perfect conditions or to be discouraged by what seems impossible, but the harvest only comes to those who plant. The fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness—does not grow by accident. It requires intentionality, discipline, and the willingness to uproot the weeds of bitterness, negativity, and sin.

What we plant in our own lives, in our families, and in our communities matters. The words we speak, the habits we cultivate, and the investments we make in others are all seeds. Sometimes the results are not immediate; seeds can lie dormant for years before bearing fruit. But God is faithful to bring increase in His time. The call is to keep planting, to keep giving, to keep believing that even the smallest seed, sown in faith, can transform a barren field into a place of abundance.

Never underestimate the power of a single seed. Whether in a conversation at a coffee shop, a word of encouragement to a child, or a prayer for a city, every act of planting carries the potential for a harvest beyond what we can imagine. The promise remains: those who sow in tears will reap in joy.

Key Takeaways

1. Vision Transforms Barren Places Just as David Ross Boyd could not visualize a treeless university, faith calls us to see beyond present barrenness in our lives, families, and communities. When we plant seeds of prayer, the Word, and faith, God can transform what looks empty into something vibrant and fruitful. The first step is to refuse to be limited by what is visible and to act on what God has promised. [07:00]
2. Intentional Planting Yields Spiritual Fruit The fruit of the Spirit does not grow by accident; it requires deliberate choices to plant what is good and uproot what is harmful. Negativity, bitterness, and sin grow like weeds if left unchecked, but love, joy, and peace require discipline and spiritual investment. What we allow into our hearts and minds will determine the harvest we reap. [15:43]
3. Sowing into Others Changes Destinies The seeds we plant in others—through encouragement, faith, and love—can shape their futures in ways we may never see immediately. Even when people seem barren or without potential, God sees the heart and can bring forth life from unlikely places. Our role is to keep sowing, trusting that God will give the increase in His time. [19:30]
4. The Harvest Belongs to the Persistent Planting and growing take time, and impatience can tempt us to give up before the harvest comes. Seeds may lie dormant for years, but God is not slack concerning His promises. The call is to keep planting, keep giving, and keep believing, even when results are delayed, because the harvest is promised to those who do not faint. [27:10]
5. Open Hands Receive and Multiply Blessing Blessing does not come to the clenched hand but to the open one. When we give, invest, and sow generously—whether in our resources, time, or love—God multiplies what we release. The measure we use in giving is the measure that will be returned to us, both in our lives and in the lives of those we touch.

** [22:30]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[02:13] - A Season of Transition and Honoring the Past
[04:49] - The Power of Planting: Introduction
[07:00] - The Story of David Ross Boyd and the OU Campus
[09:30] - Faith to Plant in Barren Places
[11:00] - What Are You Planting?
[13:30] - The Fruit of the Spirit vs. Weeds of the Flesh
[15:43] - Breaking Up Fallow Ground
[17:30] - Sowing in Our Families and Relationships
[19:30] - Investing in Others with Faith
[22:30] - The Principle of Open-Handed Blessing
[25:51] - Keep Planting Despite Disappointment
[27:10] - The Power of a Seed Over Time
[30:51] - A Call to Keep Planting and Growing

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Psalm 126:5-6 (ESV) — > Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!
> He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing,
> shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.

Observation Questions

According to Psalm 126:5-6, what is the connection between sowing in tears and reaping in joy?
In the sermon, what did David Ross Boyd do when he arrived at the barren campus of the University of Oklahoma? What was the result of his actions? [07:00]
The sermon mentions that the fruit of the Spirit does not grow by accident. What are some examples given of things that grow easily like weeds, and what does it take to grow spiritual fruit? [13:30]
What does the preacher say about the importance of not waiting for perfect conditions before planting? [11:00]

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think the psalmist uses the image of sowing in tears and reaping in joy? What does this say about the process of spiritual growth and perseverance?
The story of David Ross Boyd is used as an illustration. What spiritual principle is the preacher drawing from this story, and how does it relate to faith in action? [07:00]
The sermon talks about intentionally planting good things and uprooting harmful things in our lives. What does it mean to “break up the fallow ground” in a spiritual sense? [15:43]
The preacher says, “Blessing doesn’t come to the clenched hand but to the open one.” What does this mean in the context of giving, serving, or investing in others? [22:30]

Application Questions

Think about an area in your life, family, or community that feels barren or hopeless. What is one “seed” of faith, prayer, or action you could plant this week, even if you don’t see immediate results? [11:00]
The sermon challenges us to be intentional about what we plant in our hearts and minds. Is there a specific habit, media, or relationship that you need to “uproot” because it’s growing negativity or bitterness? What is one step you can take to replace it with something that grows the fruit of the Spirit? [13:30]
The preacher shared how his parents spoke life and encouragement into their children. What is one way you can intentionally plant words of encouragement or faith in someone close to you this week? [19:30]
Have you ever been tempted to give up on someone or something because you didn’t see results? How does the promise of “those who sow in tears will reap in joy” encourage you to keep planting? [27:10]
The sermon says that sometimes seeds take years to bear fruit. Can you think of a time when something you or someone else planted long ago finally produced results? How does this shape your perspective on patience and persistence? [27:10]
The principle of open-handed blessing was emphasized. Is there a resource (time, money, encouragement, prayer) that you have been holding back? What would it look like to “open your hand” and sow generously this week? [22:30]
The preacher said, “Don’t underestimate the power of a single seed.” Who is one person in your daily life (at work, school, neighborhood, etc.) that you could plant a seed of kindness, faith, or prayer with this week? What might that look like? [27:10]

Sermon Clips

``You might look at your life and struggle to imagine having joy or peace or freedom or holiness. I've come to ask you, what are you planting? You might look at your family or your loved ones or your friends and struggle to see them living for God or living an overcoming life. I ask you, what are you planting? You might look at the city of Stroud and struggle to see revival or a harvest of souls or lives being changed or these seats being filled. I'm here to preach. It's time to start planting. You'll never see fruit if you ever start planting. [00:10:23] (37 seconds) #StartPlantingFaith

I've got to get in prayer. I've got to praise God and let the joy of the Lord and the peace that passes all understanding start growing in me. Come on, I've got to start sowing some things that'll grow some peace in my life. I've got to take out those weeds by the roots, those things that get me angry and those things that get me negative and those things that get me bitter and those things that get me addicted. Come on, pluck those up by the roots and start planting some things. What are you planting in your life? [00:14:13] (29 seconds) #SowPeaceNotBitterness

I'm telling you, you may look down at yourself and see barrenness and emptiness. You may struggle to see purpose or fruitfulness. But if you'll start taking your time and start planting the things of God, start praying, start reading the word, start changing what you watch, start watching how you talk, start refusing the flesh and getting into the presence of God. Don't you believe the voice that says you can never become anything? Don't you believe the voice that says you can't change and you can't grow? I'm telling you, any barren space, when you start planting the word of God, God, it can grow into something better. [00:16:08] (35 seconds) #BreakUpFallowGround

That soil may be rough. The ground may be dry. Nothing may be growing there yet. But I'm reminded of the scripture that says break up the fallow ground. Hosea 10, 12, sow to yourselves in righteousness and reap in mercy. He said, sow in righteousness and reap in mercy. Break up your fallow ground for it is time to seek the Lord till He come and rain righteousness upon you. Just start planting. It's time to break up the ground. Come on, you might feel a little cold in your soul. It's time to break up the ground. [00:16:57] (34 seconds) #DigDeepInPrayer

Blessing doesn't come to the clenched hand it comes to the open hand come on you got to invest in people invest in the mission invest in reaching the lost invest in changing lives come on you might see you see a treeless horizon but somebody's got to start planting. [00:22:06] (17 seconds) #TrustGodsIncrease

Don't underestimate the power of a seed. One thing you learn as you walk through life and you walk with God. Sometimes seeds you planted years ago sprout up when you least expect it. Sometimes seeds take years to bear fruit. Sometimes we get impatient. Sometimes we a lot get impatient and we want results right away. We want that person that we're witnessing to or maybe you're teaching a Bible study you want them to get it right away. That person that that you're ministering to you want them to get it all together right away. But planting takes time and growing takes time and seeds take time. Sometimes seeds lay dormant for years but then the right moment comes along and it starts to grow. [00:26:37] (50 seconds) #EverySeedMatters

They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth weeping bearing precious seed shall doubtless come again with rejoicing bringing his sheaves with him. Come on planting takes time. Growing takes time. But keep planting. Keep giving. Keep sacrificing for the kingdom because it's worth it. Don't give up on yourself. Don't give up on your loved ones or your friends or your co -workers or your peers. Don't give up on this city. Just keep planting. [00:28:52] (31 seconds) #GrowSpiritFruit

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