Hosea 10:12b - Preparing Your Mind For God's Word And A Good Harvest.

Hos.10:12b; Preparing Your Mind For God's Word And A Good
Harvest.

Hosea 10:12b (KJV) ...break up your fallow ground: for it is time
to seek the LORD, ...

Hosea 10:12b (TLB) ...plow the hard ground of your hearts, for now
is the time to seek the Lord, ...

A plowed field; earth that is ready to receive seeds. It is no
longer stony and hard; it has been carefully prepared, and it is
available. Is your life ready for God to work in it? You can break up the
unplowed ground of your heart by acknowledging your sins and receiving
God's forgiveness and guidance. [Life Application SB]

We must break up our fallow ground. We can not sow among thorns
and hope for a good harvest. [Wycliffe Bible Commentary mod]

The garden of the heart must be cultivated. The soil must be
broken up by deep repentance for sin. Poisonous, Satanic plants must be
uprooted. The soil once overgrown by thorns can be reclaimed only by
diligent labor. So the evil tendencies of the natural heart can be
overcome only by earnest effort in the name and strength of Jesus.
COL56

Let them cleanse their hearts from all corrupt affections and
lusts, which are as weeds and thorns, and let them be humbled for their
sins, and be of a broken and contrite spirit in the sense of them;
(Matthew Henry's Commentary)

We must plough and sow with an eye to God, asking of him rain in
the season thereof. (Matthew Henry's Commentary)

Let them abound in works of piety towards God, and of justice
and charity towards one another: herein let them sow to the Spirit.
[Matthew Henry Commentary]

Fallow ground is hard, stony and full of weeds and needs to be
plowed and worked in order to receive seed that can bring forth a good
harvest.  Likewise our natural, carnal, sinful minds need to be broken up
over our lost condition, the rocky areas of resistence need to be
removed and weeds of worldly affairs and pleasures need to be pulled up
so God's precious word can find a suitable place to take root and
spring up into salvation and life eternal. Praying in the Spirit as we
read God's word can work wonders in preparing the mind to properly
receive the word so it can take root and blossum into Christ-like
character in preparation for eternity. [Gibbs]

The month of April is said to derive its name from the Latin
verb aperio, which signifies to open, because all the buds and
blossoms are now opening, and we have arrived at the gates of the flowery
year. Reader, if you are yet unsaved, may your heart, in accord with
the universal awakening of nature, be opened to receive the Lord.
Every blossoming flower warns you that it is time to seek the Lord; be
not out of tune with nature, but let your heart bud and bloom with
holy desires. Do you tell me that the warm blood of youth leaps in
your veins? then, I entreat you, give your vigour to the Lord. It was
my unspeakable happiness to be called in early youth, and I could
fain praise the Lord every day for it. Salvation is priceless, let it
come when it may, but oh! an early salvation has a double value in
it. Young men and maidens, since you may perish ere you reach your
prime, "It is time to seek the Lord." Ye who feel the first signs of
decay, quicken your pace: that hollow cough, that hectic flush, are
warnings which you must not trifle with; with you it is indeed time to
seek the Lord. Did I observe a little grey mingled with your once
luxurious tresses? Years are stealing on apace, and death is drawing
nearer by hasty marches, let each return of spring arouse you to set
your house in order. Dear reader, if you are now advanced in life,
let me entreat and implore you to delay no longer. There is a day of
grace for you now--be thankful for that, but it is a limited season and
grows shorter every time that clock ticks. Here in this silent
chamber, on this first night of another month, I speak to you as best I
can by paper and ink, and from my inmost soul, as God's servant, I
lay before you this warning, "It is time to seek the Lord." Slight
not that work, it may be your last call from destruction, the final
syllable from the lip of grace. Morning and Evening by Charles H.
Spurgeon