Page 2 - Good News April 2005 paper

Dr Ron Wesson
"Break up your fallow ground for
it is time to seek the Lord, till He
come and rain righteousness
upon you" (Hosea 10:12 KJV).
During a general election in
Australia, the whole country was
swamped with posters reading,
"IT IS TIME" (for a change in
government).
Hosea, from a weeping heart also (1 Corinthians 9:27). Jesus said: prayer and the Word, hardness
says, "It is Time" - time for a "Every branch in Me that beareth comes into the home between
change in the heart of Israel. In not fruit He taketh away" (John husband and wife, brother and
verse 1 he makes the statement: 15:2). When the fruit of the Spirit is sister, children and parents, ser-
"Israel is an empty vine, he gone and the ground produces no vants and masters (Ephesians
bringeth forth fruit unto himself." longer, it must be disposed of. 5:18; 6:4). Is your home a battle-
There was a hard, selfish, stony THE CAUSE OF ground or fertile soil?
heart at the centre of God's THE HARD HEART 3. Hardness in the House of God
people. The same nation that had The question of the fallow heart is Paul says: "Bear ye one another's
been delivered from Egypt and vital. A "fallow heart" does not burdens" (Galatians 6:2), and
had possessed Canaan, had now usually display "great" sins. The "weep with them that weep"
lost its fruitfulness and was lying "boulders" of drunkenness, open (Romans 12:15). We need to go
fallow. Outwardly Israel was in adultery, murder, etc. were further than a courtesy card or a
possession of Canaan, but removed when the land was casual visit in our churches today.
inwardly "Canaan" was in cleared. Fallowness creeps in We need to LOVE!
possession of Israel. slowly and evidences itself in Love for the house of God and
THE CONDITION OF three areas: regular, faithful attendance are
THE HARD HEART 1. Hardness in the missing, so too is confessing of
Fallow ground is ground that has Area of the Heart our faults to each other (James
been overworked. It has lost its Symptoms of hardness are not 5:16). Fasting and tithing have
fertility through too much giving always seen outwardly. The first somehow become associated
out and too little taking in. The love is gone (Revelation 2:4): with the fanatical, but praise God
weeds and grass had taken over revealing itself in ingratitude for for the blessings they bring to
and two things resulted: God's abounding mercies, and a those who practice them (Malachi
1. Nothing could be complaining in the face of 3:10).
received any longer difficulties. The Spirit of God may Have you noticed any of these
Good seed falling onto unpre- have been grieved (Ephesians signs of fallowness in your life?
pared soil would be either choked 4:30-32) by envy towards another; Then it is time for:
by weeds, or be unable to pene- by bitterness towards a brother or THE CONSECRATION
trate the surface of the soil. Today sister; by evil talking through OF THE HARD HEART!
too, many of those who were once criticism (what we call "sha- Now is the time to get back to the
God's choice servants, find they ring"!); by continually joking and Lord. Years of service will not give
can no longer take in God's Word; clamouring for attention; by an you a soft heart, neither will many
can no longer sit with pencil in evil spirit of temper and malice. religious works. Jesus said to the
hand eager for some word from The world may also have crept in churches in Revelation 2:3,
the Lord; can no longer remain until you find yourself spending "Repent!" Get back to the Cross;
attentive to a preacher, can no more time with the TV than in begin again - forget all your
longer meditate in the very prayer (1 John 2:15-17). achievements, all your spiritual
presence and in harmony with the 2. Hardness in the background, all your failures that
Lord. The preaching and working Area of the Home have hardened your heart. Let the
Blood
goes on, but there is a rest- Hardness in things involving our flow again for you. Say,
lessness in the soul. The heart is family life. When Daniel knew king "Lord, have mercy on me. Give me
becoming fallow, and fallow Darius had signed the decree a heart that can bleed again." A
ground is hard ground! against prayer, Daniel still "went heart takes time to get hard and it
2. Nothing could be into his house…and kneeled takes time to be broken. Just as
reaped any longer upon his knees…and prayed" the farmer needs time to plough,
The fruit of the harvest was (Daniel 6:10). Do you still pray in set yourself time to bring your
weeds, thorns, thistles and the the secret closet, in the home, and heart under the plough.
dust of barrenness. The few stray at the table? Do your children 1. Repent deeply
ears of wheat hidden among the know you as a kneeling parent? Go over the ground of your life,
tangle of desolation, drop their Jesus said of the Church: "While remove the weeds and stones and
seeds to rot in the wilderness. the Bridegroom tarried they all Continued on p. 6
Once a fruitful land, but now slumbered and slept" (Matthew
fallow. Many Christians too 25:5).
become prickly and choked up Linked with prayer is the feeding
with cares and idols - the fruit is on the Word. Murray McCheyne
gone (Galatians 5:22,23) and the used to spend his whole morning
harvest is missing (John 4:35-38). alone with God. Many may have
What must God do with such a called him idle at first, but the land
heart? bore abundant fruit. So many of
Paul's great fear was, "Lest… the Lord's workers need more of
when I have preached to others, I the fertilizer of God's Word and
myself should be cast away"
their family need it also. Without