Plow Up The Fallow Ground
Jeremiah 4:1-4
Hosea 10:12
In chapter 3 of Jeremiah there is a call to repentance to backsliding Israel. In Jeremiah 4:3- the Lord is saying to break up the fallow ground. Fallow ground was once fruitful and productive and then plowed over. There was no seed sown in it and it has become unproductive. The land allowed thorns and thistles to grow up in it. It is useless and good for nothing.
At first I was thinking that God did this—but the Word says that WE are to break up the fallow ground. WE are the one responsible for circumcising our hearts. WE are the one responsible to respond to the dealings of God!
Mathew Henry: "An unconvinced, unhumbled heart is like fallow-ground, untilled, unoccupied. It is ground capable of improvement; but it is unfenced, unfruitful, overgrown with thorns and weeds, which are the natural product of the corrupt heart; and if it be not renewed with grace, rain and sunshine are lost upon it.”
Many Christians are in this position. They were once fruitful and productive. They had a heart and a hunger for the Lord. But because of lukewarmness, or some situation in their life, they left the Lord. The letter to the lukewarm church in Revelation 3:14-22 describes this condition. Also in Revelation 2: 1-4- they were told that they “Had left their first love.” They have allowed the thorns and thistles of the world choke out their life in Christ. It didn’t JUST happen- it happened because they have allowed it. For every one person that has allowed this to happen in their life there are many more that may have experienced similar trials and DID NOT become unfruitful or productive. They continued to seek the Lord and continued to draw on the Lord for their strength. We will have no excuses when we meet the Lord face to face.
Verse 4 of chapter 4 Jeremiah—“circumcise yourselves to the Lord- take away the foreskins of your hearts,” About 25 years ago a group of us were praying for a move of God in the area.The Lord spoke to my heart these words- I remember them to this day. He said: “The church will not see the glory of the Lord until it is circumcised!” That was over 20 years ago! How much more we need that now!
Hosea 10:12: “Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, till He comes and rains righteousness on you.”
Backsliders--- I believe that God is dealing with backsliders as this very moment. I believe that the Church is going to see backsliders come in at an unprecedented number! God is dealing, God is stirring hearts. Prayers are going forth for a move of God. I believe He is going to move on ‘His own” first-- Verse 14 of chapter 3 Jeremiah--- “Return O backsliding children—for I am married to you- I will take you one from a city, two from a family- and I will bring you to Zion.” He is going to bring in the backsliders- if they will let him. There is always the question of their will. He is also dealing with those lukewarm, lazy Christians. We are going to see them come in.
For those in the ministry:
Is the Church going to be ready??? How are we going to receive that one that has hurt or offended us? How are we going to receive that one that been stained so with sin? How are we going to receive that one that still has the smell of sin on them? Are we going to accept them?
The Lord spoke to my heart that when they do come in, the church needs to RECEIVE and RESEED them. If they have truly repented we need to receive them into the love of the Lord and we also need to reseed them. The church needs to plant good seeds into their soil. The church needs to help fertilize and prepare their soil so that they can receive good seed and be fruitful and productive again. For those of us who are in the ministry, could it be that we are not in the place to receive them? We need to pray for deep conviction of sin- but first the Church must have a deep sense of God’s grief. The deeper the sense of grief over sin, the deeper the conviction will be on the sinners and backsliders. We must ASK for desire, fire and fervency of spirit in our prayers and our lives.
Plow up your fallow ground. I think, in a way, that every believer has some kind of fallow ground inside of them. It may be areas that have been neglected over the years due to some wound, some trial, something that has come along and caused us to become unfruitful in a particular area. God is dealing with everyone in one way or another, to plow up their fallow ground. Seek the Lord, fast, pray and study the Word, worship the Lord and allow Him to speak to you and show you these areas. Then as we are obedient to Him, our unproductive ground will soon begin to blossom and bear much fruit.
Hosea 10:12
In chapter 3 of Jeremiah there is a call to repentance to backsliding Israel. In Jeremiah 4:3- the Lord is saying to break up the fallow ground. Fallow ground was once fruitful and productive and then plowed over. There was no seed sown in it and it has become unproductive. The land allowed thorns and thistles to grow up in it. It is useless and good for nothing.
At first I was thinking that God did this—but the Word says that WE are to break up the fallow ground. WE are the one responsible for circumcising our hearts. WE are the one responsible to respond to the dealings of God!
Mathew Henry: "An unconvinced, unhumbled heart is like fallow-ground, untilled, unoccupied. It is ground capable of improvement; but it is unfenced, unfruitful, overgrown with thorns and weeds, which are the natural product of the corrupt heart; and if it be not renewed with grace, rain and sunshine are lost upon it.”
Many Christians are in this position. They were once fruitful and productive. They had a heart and a hunger for the Lord. But because of lukewarmness, or some situation in their life, they left the Lord. The letter to the lukewarm church in Revelation 3:14-22 describes this condition. Also in Revelation 2: 1-4- they were told that they “Had left their first love.” They have allowed the thorns and thistles of the world choke out their life in Christ. It didn’t JUST happen- it happened because they have allowed it. For every one person that has allowed this to happen in their life there are many more that may have experienced similar trials and DID NOT become unfruitful or productive. They continued to seek the Lord and continued to draw on the Lord for their strength. We will have no excuses when we meet the Lord face to face.
Verse 4 of chapter 4 Jeremiah—“circumcise yourselves to the Lord- take away the foreskins of your hearts,” About 25 years ago a group of us were praying for a move of God in the area.The Lord spoke to my heart these words- I remember them to this day. He said: “The church will not see the glory of the Lord until it is circumcised!” That was over 20 years ago! How much more we need that now!
Hosea 10:12: “Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, till He comes and rains righteousness on you.”
Backsliders--- I believe that God is dealing with backsliders as this very moment. I believe that the Church is going to see backsliders come in at an unprecedented number! God is dealing, God is stirring hearts. Prayers are going forth for a move of God. I believe He is going to move on ‘His own” first-- Verse 14 of chapter 3 Jeremiah--- “Return O backsliding children—for I am married to you- I will take you one from a city, two from a family- and I will bring you to Zion.” He is going to bring in the backsliders- if they will let him. There is always the question of their will. He is also dealing with those lukewarm, lazy Christians. We are going to see them come in.
For those in the ministry:
Is the Church going to be ready??? How are we going to receive that one that has hurt or offended us? How are we going to receive that one that been stained so with sin? How are we going to receive that one that still has the smell of sin on them? Are we going to accept them?
The Lord spoke to my heart that when they do come in, the church needs to RECEIVE and RESEED them. If they have truly repented we need to receive them into the love of the Lord and we also need to reseed them. The church needs to plant good seeds into their soil. The church needs to help fertilize and prepare their soil so that they can receive good seed and be fruitful and productive again. For those of us who are in the ministry, could it be that we are not in the place to receive them? We need to pray for deep conviction of sin- but first the Church must have a deep sense of God’s grief. The deeper the sense of grief over sin, the deeper the conviction will be on the sinners and backsliders. We must ASK for desire, fire and fervency of spirit in our prayers and our lives.
Plow up your fallow ground. I think, in a way, that every believer has some kind of fallow ground inside of them. It may be areas that have been neglected over the years due to some wound, some trial, something that has come along and caused us to become unfruitful in a particular area. God is dealing with everyone in one way or another, to plow up their fallow ground. Seek the Lord, fast, pray and study the Word, worship the Lord and allow Him to speak to you and show you these areas. Then as we are obedient to Him, our unproductive ground will soon begin to blossom and bear much fruit.
Comments
Post a Comment