Good Soil and Fruit

In the spring it's time for seeds to grow. One of the themes of the parables of Jesus is that our hearts are like soil. God has promised to roll away our hearts of stone and give us new hearts. Then he planted his seed in our hearts. Our rocky soil turned into good soil that can grow the seed and produce a harvest, but we do have a role to play in taking care of the soil by keeping an eye on our thoughts and what we visualize in our minds. Negative thoughts and images are like weeds that need to be pulled. 

This seed is planted in our hearts but it produces fruit through our lips. 

• Proverbs 12:14 From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things.
• Proverbs 18:20-21 From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled, with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied. The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. 
• Proverbs 13:2 From the fruit of their lips people enjoy good things. 
• Hebrews 13:15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise - the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. 

In John 15 Jesus said that if we abide in him we will produce much fruit. We can do this by...

1. Walking in love with others
2. Take communion regularly
3. Spending time in God’s word
4. Resting mentally