If you realize that your life is currently unfruitful and you want that to change, you may need soil improvement. Soil improvement is heart improvement. Matt 13:18-23; Mk 4:14-20; Lk 8:11-15. The current condition of the soil is the current condition of your heart. You may not be fruitful because you are:
Lost – Lk 8:12. Before you can even understand the word, the devil is stealing it out of your heart, like birds eat bird seed off the driveway. The proper soil improvement is for you to get saved.
Offended – Mk 4:16-17. When you were saved, immediately you received the word with joy and gladness. You endured for a time. But then when affliction and persecution came for the word’s sake, immediately you were offended. Matt 13:21 says tribulation can cause you to be offended. Lk 8:13 says that in time of temptation they fall away.
However, afflictions accompany the Christian life. Jesus saved you from the devil’s crowd. Therefore, they who live godly in Christ shall suffer persecution. Paul said that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
The proper soil improvement is to get deeper in the word of God. In Matt 13:5, the seed in this category had no deepness of earth. In Lk 8:6 the seed lacked moisture. You get both of these from loving the word and spending time in it. Ps 119:165 says, “Great peace have they which love thy law and nothing shall offend them”.
Choked – Mk 4:18-19. These hear the word. But cares of this world, deceitfulness of riches, and lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. In Matt 13:22, “he” becometh unfruitful. In Lk 8:14, pleasures of this life also choke the word. And thus he bringeth no fruit to perfection. The proper soil improvement is to cut down the thorns and pull out the roots.
If you make the necessary soil improvements, you will have good soil, and you will have an:
Honest and good heart – Lk 8:15. Those with a good heart hear the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. That’s because you, Matt 13:23, hear the word and understand it, and it brings forth fruit in your life. And with patience some bring forth 100, 60, and 30 fold.
Conclusion: If your aren’t saved, you must be saved before you can ever be fruitful. If you are saved, ask the Lord to show you the condition of your heart. And then make the necessary soil improvements.