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Working the Heart’s Soil, October 2
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
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Let every church member consider the breaking up of the fallow ground,
the careful cleansing of the soil, and the depositing and harrowing of the
seed, which is the laborious work of the husbandman. It is a rough and
searching process. The harrowing of the seed is not always pleasant to
the receiver, and sometimes disabling to him because he does not sense
the virtue of the Word and become submissive under the tilling process
in spiritual life. The sins committed require the sincere repentance that
needeth not to be repented of, but when the hard soil is broken up and the
stubborn clods are broken to pieces then the precious seed can be sown and
harrowed into the soil. This represents the severe discipline of God. Often
rebellion is manifested, and the discipline of God must continue until the
determined will is broken and the end is gained.
In things spiritual as well as natural this work must be done. Often
severity is needed to bring in the spiritual harvest. It is God’s great law that
without the proper sowing of seed and the tillage there will be no harvest in
sheaves. An experience is lacking. Divine blessings wait only for human
spiritual working of the soil of the heart and the industry to care for the
soil while the Lord is sowing His seed.
As a man soweth he shall also reap. All who study the Word with full
purpose to cleanse away from the life all sin, and who search the Scriptures
to learn what is truth, will welcome the truth of the Word as a Thus saith the
Lord. They will repent under the sharp reproofs of Bible truth.... If a man
sow true repentance he will reap the reward of sound good works. If he
continues in the faith he reaps peace. If he becomes sanctified and cleansed
from his appetite for cheapness and folly he shall ... reap righteousness
and perfect love.... A continuance in the well doing in overcoming makes
him a daily victor because he keeps the mark of Christ’s perfection ever
before him
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Letter 291, 1903
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291