3 Bible Tips: To Produce Fruit, Eradicate the Weeds
We must recognize and fight the enemies of fruit production—the weeds of sins and the weeds of too many time-consuming activities.
1. Think of all the sinful traits of human nature as being noxious weeds, including those in this list:
"When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, your lives will produce these evil results: sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other kinds of sin. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God" (Galatians 5:19-21, New Living Translation).
2. God wants us to eradicate our sins—root them out and destroy them.
"Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry" (Colossians 3:5, New International Version).
3. In the parable of the sower, we see that being too busy or distracted also chokes out spiritual growth and good fruit.
"Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity" (Luke 8:14).
To learn much more about the spiritual weeds in our lives, see A Crucial Factor in Producing Fruit: Eradicate the Weeds of Sin.