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.

Hosea 10:12 June 12, 2011 Rev. David B. Hanson Deaf Liberty Baptist Church Overland Park, Kansas

BREAK UP THE FALLOW GROUND

WHAT THE FALLOW GROUND REPRESENTS

       Fallow ground means ground that needs broke up. It needs ploughed. It can be dry ground, It can be barren ground. It can be undisturbed ground.

Self-centeredness creates a spirit of pride in a person.

The Christians have lack of love for God, neglect of the Bible, unbelief, lack of prayer, neglect of fellowship, lack of love for souls, and neglect of spiritual duties.

The heart that must be broken up for God to revive us.

Psalm 34:18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Just like the ground is broken up, the heart must be broken up.

WHAT IT TAKES TO BREAK UP THE FALLOW GROUND  God uses the circumstances of life to break up the fallow ground.  God is making us into His image.  God brings the circumstances into our lives in order to mould us and to make us more like Him.

WHAT THE SEED IS

     Luke 8:11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. If there is sin in your life, there is an area of disobedience in your heart. Then the Word of God should expose it. The Holy Spirit will then convict you of it, bringing repentance.

Luke 11:28 But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

WHAT THE PROMISED RAIN IS

     It is the quickening power the Spirit of God in a man’s heart. There are many parallels between the spiritual and the natural. The human being is the same. We need water. The spiritual man likewise needs spiritual water. Ezekiel 34:26 And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing.

The first signs of the Holy Spirit operating in a man’s life are conviction, faith and repentance.

Remember, if there is no conviction, there is no conversion. After God convicts, he gives us the ability to believe and repent. We are then justified.

JOHN WESLEY (1703–1791) A TRUE CHRISTIAN WAS MARKED BY TWO INSEPARABLE QUALITIES: HOLINESS AND HAPPINESS.