Fruit of the Word

[Jesus] cried, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" Then His disciples asked Him, saying, "What does this parable mean?" And He said, "To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables ... Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God."
~ Luke 8:8-11 (NKJV)

"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit."
~ John 15:7-8 (NKJV)

In my Bible I have the following sermon notes on the parable of the seed and soil of Luke chapter 8. I apologize that I don't have the name of the pastor to whom they should be credited.

There are four requirements for growing fruit in a believer's life:

1. Seed (the Word of God, Luke 8:11) planted deeply in good soil of a heart softened by water of the Spirit (Ezekiel 36:26-27) to establish strong roots;
   
2. Eliminate weeds and thorns (worries, riches, pleasures of this world) which compromise strong plants (Luke 8:14);
   
3. Cut off (prune) whatever bears little or no fruit (John 15:2);
   
4. Allow time for maturity (James 1:4).
   

There are four kinds of spiritual fruit:

1. Repentance of sin (Matthew 3:8);
   
2. The Spirit's fruit of love, joy, peace, patient longsuffering, kindness, goodness (God-ness, holiness), faithfulness, gentle meekness, temperate self-control (Galatians 5:22-23);
   
3. New shoots (used by God to bring spiritual growth in the lives of others, 1 Corinthians 3:6);
   
4. Service to others (Mark 10:43).
   

Living Word of God, thank You for entering our souls through Your precious Spirit. Please give us desire to produce fruit for You, enable us to cooperate with Your work to make us fruitful, and encourage us with the privilege of seeing that fruit.

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