Breaking up our Fallow Ground

BREAK UP YOUR FALLOW GROUND

HOSEA 10:12
Text: Hos. 10:12
(Hosea 10:12) "Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you."

Introduction:

Little is accomplished in leaving a field to itself. Left to itself after years of baking in the heat of the sun the field will become as hard as a brick.
The same is true in the heart of man. Left to itself little will be accomplished. In refusing to break up the ground of our heart on a regular basis will result in our heart hardening to that which God desire to do their in our field.

1. CRITICAL SPECIFIED (IT IS TIME)

When is it time?

A. As soon as one knows right from wrong.

(Genesis 3:1-11) "Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? {2} And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: {3} But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. {4} And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: {5} For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. {6} And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. {7} And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. {8} And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. {9} And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where

art thou? {10} And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. {11} And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?"
B. At the present it is late, but not too late.
(Hebrews 9:27) "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:"
(James 4:14) "Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away."
(2 Corinthians 2:6) "Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many."
C. When chastening has come
(John 5:14) "Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee."
2. CHASE SUMMONED (TO SEEK THE LORD)
(Psalms 105:4) "Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore."
- 4 -
(Isaiah 55:6) "Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:"
A. In salvation
(Romans 3:23) "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;"
(Romans 6:23) "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
(Romans 10:13) "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
B. In surrender
(Galatians 2:20) "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."
(Romans 12:1-2) "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. {2} And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."
C. In service
- 5 -
(Psalms 100:2) "Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing."
3. COARSE SET (TILL HE CAME AND RAIN RIGHTEOUSNESS UPON YOU.)
A. We need to be consistent in this effort.
B. Contentment will not suffice.
C. Carelessness will result in failure.
Close:
Has the field of your heart grown hard? Let’s break up the fallow ground so that we may bear much fruit in our lives for the Lord.