“Breaking Up Fallow Ground”
“Breaking Up Fallow Ground”
Hosea 10:12-13
Intro. God has given us the greatest Book ever written. It is unique in that it was not written by man, but by God Himself. 2 Peter 1:21, affirms, "holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." This Word of God we have is our Road Map to Glory, Guidebook in a World of confusion, and a Manual for godly living.
It can be relied on in all matters for it is God's Word given to man. But the problem is that many times we are eager to hear God's Word, yet not so eager to apply it to our lives. God's Word must be applied to our Christian lives for it to profit us.
In our text Hosea, in the midst of a Prophecy of God's judgment and condemnation of the nation of Israel for disobedience, tells the nation that God offers repentance and blessing. If only Israel will hear God's Word, repent, and turn back to Him with their whole heart. God always offers grace and mercy before wrath and judgment. If you are far away from God today, He desires you to come back to Him! Isaiah 55:7 promises, "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."
Hosea pleads with Israel in v12, "Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy..." Hosea uses agricultural imagery, something familiar to Israel. If only the Israelites would "sow" spiritual things, they would reap the mercy of God. But there was a problem. They needed to break up their fallow ground.
Hosea says, "Break up your fallow ground..." I want to title the message today, "Breaking Up Fallow Ground" "Break Up" means “to put an end to.” "Fallow" means “uncultivated.” Thus Hosea says, "Put an end to your uncultivated ground." How? By sowing to themselves in righteousness! Why? Because Hosea continues in v12, "For it is time to seek the LORD..."
What an exhortation for Israel! What an exhortation for us today! We need to "Break up our fallow ground," putting an end to the uncultivated ground in our lives! God promised Israel He would shower righteousness on them if they would hearken unto Him. He will do the same for us, if we will heed His voice!
Are you ready for God's Rain? If so, break up your fallow ground!
HOW DO WE DO THIS?
BY:
(1) Hearing God's Word
Text: Hosea 1O:12a—“Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in
mercy…”
A. OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO RECEIVE THE WORD (James 1:17-25).
B. OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO RETAIN THE WORD. It has been estimated that we retain only about 10% of what we hear. John 1O:27--"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me."
(2) Hardening Not Our Heart
Text: Hosea 10:13—“Ye have plowed in wicked, ye have reaped
iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies: because
thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of
mighty men.”
*Our Hearts Are Hardened By:
A. Disbelief (Matt. 14:22-32).
B. Disobedience (Proverbs 16:25; Hebrews 3:12-19).
(3) Heeding God's Word
Text: Hosea 10:12b—“Break up your fallow ground: for it is time to
seek the LORD, till he come and rain
righteousness upon you.”
Psalms 119:9-11
*Heeding It By:
A. Applying It to Our Life (Psalms 119:105).
B. Applying It to Our Circumstances (1 John 2:3-6).
(4) Honoring God With Our Substance
Proverbs 3:9—“Honor the LORD with thy substance, and with the
firstfruits of all thine increase.”
Romans 12:1-2
1 Corinthians 6:20--WE BELONG TO HIM!!!
*Honoring God With:
A. Our Time. Psalms 90:12—“So teach us to number our days, that we
may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”
B. Our Talent (Romans 12:3-8). Matthew 25:14-30- "Parable of the
talents".
C. Our Testimony (Psalms 107:2).
CLOSING: Whatever we are or ever will be depends on the grace of God! Paul
said, "But by the Grace of God I am what I am: and his grace
which was bestowed upon me was not in vain.." (1 Corinthians 15:
10).
But for God to use and bless us we must break up our fallow ground! The reason we don't see more showers of blessings in our lives is that we don't break up our fallow ground, so it can be cultivated with the Word of God!
Christian, are you breaking up your fallow ground, allowing God to use you?
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