Introduction: The Command to Set Your Heart

Weaver introduces the topic from 1 Chronicles 22:19, where David commands Israel to set their heart and soul to seek the Lord and build the temple. He poses the question of what it means to have a set heart and uses everyday analogies like setting a clock or sights to illustrate the concept.

I want you to open your Bibles, if you would please, to 1 Chronicles chapter 22. So you have 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, and then 1 and 2 Chronicles. So we're in 1 Chronicles chapter 22, and we're going to be looking at verse 19. We will come back and show you the context in just a few moments. The title of the message is, "Set Your Heart." Set Your Heart. You'll see the command that David actually gave to the people of Israel. He said in verse 19,

So I could begin today by asking this simple question: Is your heart set? And then we could also ask, what does it mean to have a set heart and how do I accomplish the task? We understand such simple directions as "set the clock." We comprehend the implication of "setting your sights." We grasp the significance of a "set time" or "set season." And everyone has agreed on "set boundaries." When we have to endeavor to convince someone of some truth, and they just simply will not listen or will not hear, we normally say something, "Well, his mind is made up" or "his mind is set."

The Problem of Inconsistency in Christians

Weaver diagnoses the root issue: most professing Christians are inconsistent in prayer, tithing, church attendance, and study because they have never truly set their hearts. He cites James 1:8 on the double-minded man being unstable.

Would you keep an alarm clock around that you set and the alarm never went off? Or would you keep a scope on your rifle when you have that scope set, but every time you shot and aimed, you missed? And obviously you would not keep either one around. You would discard them as useless and worthless, unstable, undependable, and inconsistent. You do not want anything around that certainly would not work. And I believe this is one of the problems that David has exposed here, and that is that we have never really set our hearts. And once we understand this, we can understand why most people are double-minded and unstable. That's why the Bible says in James 1 and verse 8, that a double-minded man is unstable in all of his ways.

When you look at the average professing Christian, they're going to be faithful for a season and then unfaithful for a season. They'll tithe for a while and then they'll stop tithing for a while or not tithe at all. They will pray for a while and then not pray for a while. They'll read and study hard for a certain period of time and then all of a sudden they'll quit reading and they'll quit studying. They will attend church faithfully and then all of a sudden become unfaithful for seemingly no reason at all. It seems like the only thing that most professing Christians are consistent in is being inconsistent. And that's exactly the way it is today. Now, in the context of our passage, the Bible is talking about the building of the temple by Solomon. David had made preparations for the temple. He had provided materials in abundance. But he was not allowed to build the temple because he was a man of war and had shed much blood. So if you look in 1 Chronicles 22 and verse 8, the Bible says this:

So David then was prohibited from building the temple. However, God did promise David a son. And he specified it was to be Solomon. And Solomon was to be a man of peace. And he was to build the temple of the Lord. So look in verse 9 of 1 Chronicles 22. God says,

Context: David's Preparation and Solomon's Temple

The historical context of 1 Chronicles 22 is explained: David was forbidden to build the temple because he was a man of war, but he prepared materials and commanded the princes and people to help Solomon. The temple's construction required dedication and a set heart.

And that's exactly the way it is today. Now, in the context of our passage, the Bible is talking about the building of the temple by Solomon. David had made preparations for the temple. He had provided materials in abundance. But he was not allowed to build the temple because he was a man of war and had shed much blood. So if you look in 1 Chronicles 22 and verse 8, the Bible says this:

So David then was prohibited from building the temple. However, God did promise David a son. And he specified it was to be Solomon. And Solomon was to be a man of peace. And he was to build the temple of the Lord. So look in verse 9 of 1 Chronicles 22. God says,

And I will give him rest from all of his enemies round about. For his name shall be Solomon. And I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days. He shall build a house for my name and he shall be my son and I will be his father and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever." So I want you to also see in this passage the greater than Solomon, which is the Lord Jesus Christ, but Solomon was indeed a picture and a type of the Lord Jesus Christ, but Solomon was going to build the temple.

So now if you'll skip down to 1 Chronicles 22 and verse 15, David is telling them about this great work that is needed and necessary. He says,

David also commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon, his son, saying,

So David now is encouraging all to help Solomon build this house. Now, even with all of the help, and stop and think, of the princes that were involved, of the workmen that were involved, the hewers of stone, the masons as we would call them, the cunning men of every craft to make all of the instruments.

It took an entire host to build the temple, and the temple itself was in building for seven years. Now, it was a phenomenal project. It was something that could not be accomplished without what you and I would call dedication, determination, diligence, and discipline. You could not build that temple haphazardly. So the people then were admonished in verse 19 by David. Look at it. "Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God." And then he said, "Arise, therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of the Lord God to bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord and the holy vessels of God into the house that is to be built to the name of the Lord." So the setting of a heart was absolutely necessary prior to the beginning of the construction of the temple. It was something that had to be done because of all of the complications, of all the problems that may arise in building that temple. Their heart had to be set.

Counting the Cost: Luke 14 and the Tower Builder

Weaver parallels setting the heart with counting the cost in Luke 14:26-33. Just as a builder must ensure he can finish a tower, a disciple must forsake all and be prepared for the cost of following Christ. Setting the heart means nothing will deter you.

Now, I want you to hold 1 Chronicles 22, but I want you to turn to Luke chapter 14. Let me show you a parallel truth. Luke chapter 14, and we're going to begin reading there with verse 26. Look in Luke chapter 14 and verse 26. So David now has commanded the people to set their hearts. So in Luke 14, verse 26, our Lord says this: "If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren or sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever does not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple."

Now, let me just mention this. I'm sure that you know it. But clearly in verse 26, God is not commanding us to hate our father and our mother or our wives or our brethren or our sisters. I'm going to explain this by showing you the next verses, but let me just state very clearly that this is a verse of comparison. We should love the Lord Jesus Christ. We should love our Heavenly Father with so much and so far a greater love that the love that we have toward our parents and toward our wives and husbands and children and brethren and sisters would be seemingly hate by comparison. So obviously he's saying there's going to be a great cost in following him and in serving him.

And oftentimes when people are real genuine Christians, their own family turns against them. So that's why I said in verse 27, "Whosoever does not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple." So there is a cost in following Christ. Now watch verse 28. Here's how he explains verse 26 and 27. "For which of you intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first and counteth the cost, whether he hath sufficient to finish it, lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold him begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build and was not able to finish."

So no one is going to start building a $150,000 house if you only have $20 in your pocket or $1,000 in the bank. Unless, of course, you're a politician and you can get one of those interest-free, no-payback loans. You understand what I'm saying. Someone gives you a loan and you never have to pay it back. I've never had one of those. Some folks are able to get them if you work for the right people, I guess. But he's saying, look, you can't build a house unless you have the funds to build a house. And if you start building and not finish, then people are going to mock you.

Alice and I have seen numerous unfinished houses. In fact, there's one not too far from where we live that finally just fell down. And we passed another one in our travels where a man was building a castle. I mean, it had the walls and the tower. Evidently, he either ran out of money or died. I don't know which, but it never was finished. So our Lord says, you have to count the cost.

Now look in verse 31. He said, "Or what king going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage and desireth conditions of peace." Then he says this again, "So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple." So he's simply saying you need to count the cost. Now, that I believe is equivalent to setting the heart. When you set your heart, you have already counted the cost. You're saying nothing is going to deter me. Nothing is going to thwart me. Nothing is going to stop me. I understand there are going to be hindrances. I understand there's going to be problems. But my heart is set and I am going to finish this project.

Now, the Hebrew word for "set" back in 1 Chronicles 22 and verse 19 is the word "nathan." And it literally means to dedicate, to consecrate, to appoint, to give, to put, to set, to assign, and to designate. So when He says "set your heart," He's saying dedicate your heart, consecrate your heart, appoint your heart, set your heart, assign your heart, designate your heart. So it was absolutely necessary then for the Israelites to set their hearts prior to the building of the temple. They had to consecrate and dedicate themselves to this project because it was so vast and really so magnificent as well. And you have to remember that when the temple came together, there was not even heard the sound of a hammer. Because everything was pre-cut and pre-made and then fit together as it should be. So, let me put it very plainly. Setting your heart involves individual responsibility. If you are unwilling to set your heart, then you will never function as one that is dedicated to the Lord or to the work of the Lord.

The Meaning of 'Set' and Individual Responsibility

The Hebrew word 'nathan' means to dedicate, consecrate, appoint, and assign. Setting the heart is an individual responsibility; without it, one cannot function as dedicated to the Lord. The temple was a shadow of heavenly things, yet it required a set heart—how much more should our worship?

Now, the Hebrew word for "set" back in 1 Chronicles 22 and verse 19 is the word "nathan." And it literally means to dedicate, to consecrate, to appoint, to give, to put, to set, to assign, and to designate. So when He says "set your heart," He's saying dedicate your heart, consecrate your heart, appoint your heart, set your heart, assign your heart, designate your heart. So it was absolutely necessary then for the Israelites to set their hearts prior to the building of the temple. They had to consecrate and dedicate themselves to this project because it was so vast and really so magnificent as well. And you have to remember that when the temple came together, there was not even heard the sound of a hammer. Because everything was pre-cut and pre-made and then fit together as it should be. So, let me put it very plainly. Setting your heart involves individual responsibility. If you are unwilling to set your heart, then you will never function as one that is dedicated to the Lord or to the work of the Lord.

So let me just pose a few questions for you today. Here's the first one. Do you think that the building of the temple is a greater work than the worship of the One True and the Living God? Do you think that the working on the building for seven years is a greater work than serving the Lord Jesus Christ consistently and constantly? Here's another question. Do you think that you do not need to set your heart in order to really worship God and offer to him the sacrifices that he demands? I must remind you of something. I do not doubt that the temple was indeed exquisitely beautiful. It was a magnificent piece of workmanship. You can read about it in the Bible. Everything was covered with gold. There were precious stones, precious jewels. I mean, it was mind-boggling. But as beautiful and as magnificent as the temple was, listen carefully, it was nothing but a shadow. It was nothing but an emblem. It was nothing but a type. It was nothing but a pattern. Let me show you.

Hold 1 Chronicles 22, but look in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews chapter 8. Hebrews chapter 8, and let's begin reading there with verse 1. Hebrews chapter 8 and verse 1. Watch closely what the Bible says. Hebrews chapter 8, verse 1. The Bible says, "Now the things which we have spoken, this is the sum: We have a high priest who is set on the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens, a minister of the sanctuary."

Old Testament Shadows and the True Sanctuary

Using Hebrews 8 and 10, Weaver shows that the temple, sacrifices, and feasts were shadows pointing to Christ. If the Israelites needed a set heart for a shadow, Christians need it even more for the reality of serving Christ. Yet many treat worship as effortless.

Hold 1 Chronicles 22, but look in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews chapter 8. Hebrews chapter 8, and let's begin reading there with verse 1. Hebrews chapter 8 and verse 1. Watch closely what the Bible says. Hebrews chapter 8, verse 1. The Bible says, "Now the things which we have spoken, this is the sum: We have a high priest who is set on the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens, a minister of the sanctuary."

Now watch, "the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man." So the sanctuary in the heaven is the true sanctuary. The Lord pitched it, not man. Watch verse three. "For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices. Wherefore, it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law." Now watch verse five. "Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle, for see, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shown to thee in the mount." So in this one verse, verse 5, everything is referred to as an example, as a shadow of heavenly things, and as a pattern. So, when ladies make dresses, they buy a pattern.

Now let me just quote one for you. Colossians chapter 2, verses 16 and 17. The Apostle Paul wrote, and he said this, "Let no man judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of a holy day or of a new moon or the Sabbath days, which are a shadow of things to come. But the body is Christ." So he says everything in the Old Testament was nothing more than a shadow. Sacrifices were shadows as well. Look in Hebrews 10, beginning there with verse four. He says, "For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore, then, when he cometh into the world, he said, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared for me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou shalt have no pleasure."

In other words, those animals were just mere types. They could not please our Heavenly Father. Verse 7, "Then said I, Lo, I come in the volume of this book, it is written of me, to do thy will, O God. Above, when he said, Sacrifice and offering, and burnt offerings, and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein, which are offered by the law. Then he said, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first that he may establish the second." So everything in the Old Testament, whether it's the tabernacle, whether it's a temple, whether it's a sacrifice, whether it was the holy days, whether it was the feast days, everything was a type and a shadow. Obviously. Most professing Christians today believe that worshiping and serving the Lord Jesus Christ is effortless, painless, and is nothing more than just showing up at church every now and then. And the reason I say that is because most professing Christians never ever have a set heart as they did in the Old Testament. In other words, what we do today, we just cruise along, the sun is shining, the wind is blowing in our hair, and all is well. And may I point out, this is exactly why the Church of Jesus Christ today has lost its power, its influence, and its authority. This is why Christians are dismissed, denigrated, and despised.

Negative Examples: Hearts Set on Wrong Things

Weaver warns against setting hearts on riches (Psalm 62:10) or iniquity (Hosea 4:6-8). Pharaoh did not set his heart on God's miracles (Exodus 7:23). Many professing Christians are no better than unbelievers because their hearts are set on hobbies, sins, and worldly treasures.

And let me make a statement, I'm going to show it to you from the Bible. Professing Christians who do not have a set heart are no better than Pharaoh. You say, how can you say that? How can you compare a professing Christian to a reprobate? Well, let me show you. Look in your Bibles to the book of Exodus, chapter seven. Exodus chapter 7. And look, if you would please, at verse 23, Exodus 7 and verse 23. Watch this. "And Pharaoh turned and went into his house. Neither did he set his heart to this also." What did he not set his heart to?

The turning of the river into blood. He did not set his heart to the miracle when Moses threw down his staff and it became a serpent. Well, I know the magicians of Pharaoh threw down their staffs and they became serpents as well. But the serpent of Moses turned and consumed, ate up the serpents or the staffs of those magicians. But he paid no attention to it. In other words, it's nothing to Pharaoh. He did not set his heart on the work of God or the Word of God. He refused to listen. He himself said, "Who is the Lord God that I should obey Him? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go." So, when you do not have a set heart, you are not regarding that which God says, and that which God demands, and that which God does. And most Christians, really, unhappily, really and truly, are no better off than non-believers in the sense that they do not set their heart toward God, toward His Word, and toward His work.

However, I will say this, their hearts are set on something, but their hearts are set on their hobbies and their pastimes and their sins and their iniquities. Let me show you. Look in your Bibles to the book of Hosea, Hosea chapter four. Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos. So go to Hosea chapter four and everyone knows verse six, but we're going to look beyond verse six. So look in the book of Hosea. Right after the book of Daniel, Hosea chapter 4, and let's begin reading in verse 6. Look what God says. He says, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." That is certainly true. Most people, most Christians have no knowledge at all of Bible doctrine, have no knowledge of all of the Word of God. "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." Then he says, "Because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee. Thou hast not set thy heart to follow me in my word, thou reject me, I'll also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me, seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children."

So there's the lex talionis, the law of retribution where God makes the punishment fits the crime. We forget His will, which is His law. And He forgets our children, which are an expression of our will. Now watch verse 7. "As they were increased, what did they do? They sinned against Me. Therefore will I change their glory into shame. They eat up the sin of My people, and they set their heart on iniquity." They set their heart on iniquity. "And there shall be like people, like priests, and I will punish them for their ways and reward them for their doings." God says, I know you set your heart, but it's not on me. You set your heart on your iniquity is what you do. And therefore, God says, I'm going to punish you.

Now, multitudes of people are dedicated to their own sins, to their own pleasures, to their own desires. They love them, they serve them, they pamper them, they worship them, and they are given over to them with a set heart. Our Lord made it very clear in Luke chapter 12 and verse 34. Listen to what he said. He said, "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Wherever your treasure is, that is exactly where your heart is going to be. People set their hearts upon many things. Most usually set their hearts upon success or prosperity or riches or popularities.

So let me just try to give you some examples. The first one I'm going to show you is a negative example. Then I'll show you two positive. So look, if you would please, to Psalm 62 and verse 10. The first one is a negative. Psalm 62 and verse 10. Watch carefully what God says, Psalm 62 verse 10. He states, "Trust not in oppression and become not vain in robbery.

If riches increase, set not your heart upon them." So trust not in oppression. We are not to oppress. That's wicked. That's wrong. That's a violation of God's law. He says become not vain in robbery. Theft is a violation of God's law. But then he adds this. "If riches increase, set not your heart upon them." In other words, there is a possibility of having riches without being wicked or acquiring them in a wicked way. So he says, if you do indeed get rich, then what you want to do is not set your heart on your riches. In other words, you do not regard them as the ultimate end. You do not trust in your wealth. You do not become a miser, a hoarder. You do not think that you no longer need anyone or anything else. You have your wealth. You have your riches. You have your money.

You can do as you please. Let me give you an illustration that the older folks would understand. What he's saying is do not become a Scrooge McDuck. You remember Uncle Scrooge? When he had all those gold and silver, he'd dive into it and washing it and all that kind of stuff. His God was his money. His wealth was his desire. That's what he set his heart upon.

Well, the Bible says in the book of Proverbs 11, verse 4, "Riches profit not in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivereth from death." The Bible says in Proverbs 23 and verse 3, "Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings and fly away as an eagle toward heaven." And anybody that's ever had any money understands how quickly it can indeed fly away. It can be gone in a heartbeat. So, God says don't trust in your riches. There's a passage in the book of Zechariah chapter 1 and verse 18. Let me just read it. "Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord's wrath, but the whole land shall be devoured by fire, the fire of his jealousy, for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land." So he's saying again, your riches are not going to deliver you in the day of wrath.

You look around today and you find many, many wicked people are exceedingly wealthy. The Puritans used to have a saying. It went like this: God oftentimes curses his enemies with wealth because they trust in their wealth instead of him. And you look around at the ones who have the wealth today, and they actually believe that they are God, that they can change culture, they can change the world, they can change His law, they can change anything because they are multi-billionaires. Well, the truth of the matter is, God says if riches increase, whether legally or illegally, do not set your heart upon them. So, a lot of people do set their hearts upon their riches.

Now, let me give you a couple of positives. The first one is found in the book of Daniel chapter 6 and verse 14. So, go back to Daniel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos. Daniel chapter 6, look if you would please at verse 14.

Now, you know the story. The presidents have gotten together, with the exception of Daniel, and they've asked the king to pass a law that says that no one can ask any petition of any god or king for 30 days except the king. And if he does so, he's to be thrown in the den of lions. Well, the Bible says when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went in and prayed three times a day as he did aforetime. And of course, those presidents came together and they caught Daniel praying and they brought him before the king and said, "O king, this man is violating your law. He's now to be thrown into the den of lions." Well, look, if you would please, at verse 14 of Daniel, chapter six. "Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him. And he labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him." Note, if you would, what King Darius did.

Positive Examples: King Darius and Daniel

King Darius set his heart to deliver Daniel from the lions' den (Daniel 6:14), laboring all day and fasting all night. Daniel set his heart to understand God's revelations through three weeks of fasting and prayer (Daniel 10:12). These examples show the dedication of a set heart.

Now, let me give you a couple of positives. The first one is found in the book of Daniel chapter 6 and verse 14. So, go back to Daniel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos. Daniel chapter 6, look if you would please at verse 14.

Now, you know the story. The presidents have gotten together, with the exception of Daniel, and they've asked the king to pass a law that says that no one can ask any petition of any god or king for 30 days except the king. And if he does so, he's to be thrown in the den of lions. Well, the Bible says when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went in and prayed three times a day as he did aforetime. And of course, those presidents came together and they caught Daniel praying and they brought him before the king and said, "O king, this man is violating your law. He's now to be thrown into the den of lions." Well, look, if you would please, at verse 14 of Daniel, chapter six. "Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him. And he labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him." Note, if you would, what King Darius did.

He set his heart on Daniel to deliver him. So, the king understood that he had been manipulated, that he had been used too late. But he was going to do everything he could to deliver Daniel to keep him out of the den of lions. He probably argued with these men and told them that this was indeed a loyal subject. He probably argued and told them he was an excellent ruler. He probably even emphasized the fact that they wrested the decree from him fraudulently, because they said all the presidents have asked, and Daniel was the chief. Daniel didn't concur with that.

So it was fraud to begin with, and it was a malicious act. But the law of the Medes and the Persians could not be changed. And so Daniel was to be thrown in the den of lions. You know what else the king did? When Daniel was thrown in the den of lions, he passed the night in fasting and prayer. Isn't that amazing? But he had set his heart. How many of us have ever passed the night in fasting and prayer? And when the morning came, what did the king do? He rushed to the lion's den. And the Bible says he cried with a lamentable voice, "O Daniel, is thy God whom thou servest continually able to deliver thee from the mouths of the lions?" And Daniel answered, "O King, live forever. My God has sent his angel and shut the mouths of the lions." So you see, here's a man that set his heart and he worked diligently. He was dedicated. He did everything within his power to deliver Daniel. He could not deliver him, but God certainly did so.

Now, I want you to look, if you would please, also at another point, and that is, by the way, let me just say this. When the king was trying to reason with these wicked men, he found out they were unreasonable. I remember Dr. Bob Jones Sr. used to have a saying, and it went like this, "Good men are always reasonable." And that's true. But wicked men are unreasonable.

There was a specific prayer request that the Apostle Paul asked of the Thessalonians. In 2 Thessalonians 3, verses 1 and 2, I want you to listen to this, what Paul asked. He said, "Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified, even as it is with you." In other words, you pray for us that the preaching of the word of God will have freedom, will move freely. But here's the second request. "And that we be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men, for all men have not the faith." So Paul said, I want you to pray that we would be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men. Wicked men are always unreasonable. The king could not reason with these wicked presidents because they were jealous of Daniel. So he had spent his time in trying to get Daniel free. He failed, but God certainly did not fail. Now, I want you to look at the second illustration. Here it is in Daniel chapter 10. And look, if you would please, at verse 12, Daniel 10 and verse 12. So the angel says unto Daniel. Watch verse 12, "Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel.

So here were dreams that Daniel had. Here were prophecies that came to Daniel that he did not know, that he did not understand, and he really wanted to understand them. So, here's my question. How did Daniel set his heart? Well, go back to verse 2. "In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled." Now, for three weeks, Daniel fasted.

Now, let me explain something about fasting. There are actually three types of fasting that are mentioned in the Bible. The first one is what you and I would call an absolute fast. That is when you do without food and water. Usually, when a person does without food and water, the maximum length of time is three days. You go three days without water, you're endangering your health, you're endangering your life. The only time people went over three days without food and water was at God's sovereign direction.

Moses did, Elijah did, but God told them to do so and God sustained them. So that is what you and I would call an absolute fast. A normal fast is when you do without food, but you have beverage, you drink water, you drink juice, or you drink something else, but you're fasting. You're doing without food. And you can do without food up to 40 days without harming your body. You go beyond 40 days, and of course there is harm. Our Lord fasted 40 days.

You remember that in the wilderness, Matthew chapter 4. And then there is the partial fast that we read about right here. Daniel said, "I ate no pleasant bread." He didn't have bread. He didn't have cake. He didn't have pie. He said, "neither flesh nor wine came into my mouth." He said, I didn't eat meat and I didn't drink wine. What did he eat? Pulse. That's probably what he ate then because that's what he ate earlier on when the king was trying to feed him all this other stuff. He said, no, we'll just eat pulse and drink water. So for three weeks he just ate pulse.

So let me ask you a question. The Bible says that he was in mourning for three full weeks. How was he mourning? He was fasting and praying. Why was he fasting and praying? Because he had set his heart to understand. The point I'm trying to make is this. Most of us have never fasted for three weeks. We've never prayed for three weeks. We've never set our hearts. There's never been anything that we wanted more than our own wills and our own pleasures, enough to give up food and enough to give up sleep and rest for three weeks.

to really pray and seek God's face. Can you imagine what would happen in this land if real, genuine Christians really fasted and prayed for three weeks that God would give us repentance and turn us? Yeah. But see, we don't do that because we haven't set our hearts. It is necessary to have a set heart in order to understand the things of God. Daniel wanted to understand it. Therefore, he set his heart. Therefore, he fasted. He prayed.

How to Know if Your Heart is Set

Weaver asks diagnostic questions: Where is your treasure? Who do you love most? He cites David's prayers three times a day and his desire for God above all (Psalm 73:25). A set heart is a fixed heart (Psalm 57:7). Inconsistency reveals a lack of a set heart.

In the book of Ezekiel 40, let me just quote it. "And he said unto me, Son of man, behold with thine eyes, and hear with thy ears, and set thine heart upon all that I show thee, for to the intent that I might show them unto thee thou art brought hither: declare all that thou seest to the house of Israel." So here's what Ezekiel was told. You observe, you hear, you set your heart on this truth. You grasp it, you understand it so that you may deliver this truth to other people. You're not going to be able to deliver truth. You're not going to be able to communicate truth unless your heart is set upon the truth. Let's ask the question. How do I know whether or not my heart is set? How can I discern whether or not I have a set heart?

I think there's a very obvious and clear first answer that is given to us in the words of our Lord in Luke 12, verse 34, I've already quoted it. where our Lord said, "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." So ask yourself, who do I love? Who is first and foremost in my mind? What do I prefer more than anything else in the world? What do I think about more than anything else? Who had I rather be with? Who had I rather fellowship with and commune with than anyone else in the world? Let me just give you some answers from David. David said in Psalm 5:3, "My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning I will direct my prayer unto thee and look up." And then David said in Psalm 55 and verse 17, "Evening and morning and at noon will I pray and cry aloud, and thou shalt hear my voice."

You see, the truth of the matter is we don't value that because our hearts are not set. Now, let me show you something. The first answer is where our Lord said, "For where your treasure is, there your heart be also." I want you to turn back now to the book of Colossians chapter 3. Turn back to Colossians chapter 3. Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians. Colossians chapter 3. And look if you would please sometime at verse 1. Verse 1. Here it is.

"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, and not on things of the earth." Now look at that. Look at verse 2. "Set your affection on things above, and not on things of the earth." Well, verse 1 says, "Seek those things which are above." How do you seek those things which are above? Well, by setting your affection on things above, and not on things of the earth.

So, we have to ask this question, where in the world are our affections? Are they upon Christ? Are they upon truth? Are they upon His word? Are they upon His kingdom? Are they upon His grace? Or, are you just simply bound to this earth? Are you looking at earthly things in that sense of the word? Here's a good illustration. I could ask, are you more like a hog that eats from the ground and never lifts his head toward heaven? Watch a hog eat sometimes. And never lift their heads.

And that's the way most people are. They take everything that God has given them and are never, ever thankful, never grateful, never appreciative. Now, I want you to look again closely at verse 2. "Set your affection on things above, not on things of the earth." This is a command. It is a present active imperative in the Greek language. You know, the difference between asking and a command is very simple. I could look at Francis and say, "Francis, would you please shut the door?" That's asking him. But if I looked at him and said, "Francis, shut the door," that's a command. I'm not asking, I'm commanding. This is an imperative in the Greek, is a command. This is not something that God is asking you to do. He's commanding you to set your affections on things above. It is a present, which means this. It is something that you are now doing and that you're continuing to do. So actually, what he's saying is I command you to continually be setting your affection on things above. And it's an active, which means you're active in it.

You are participating in it. You're the one doing it. If I said I slapped Gary, Gary's passive. I'm the one that's active. He got hit. I'm the one that did the hitting. So when you look at a present active imperative, it means that you are presently right now and you're continuing to set your heart. You're actively engaged in it and you're obeying the command that God has been given. So here's the command. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. Now, what you're going to tell me is this.

"But I have to make a living. I mean, I have to work. I have a multitude of tasks to do." Well, that's true, everyone has to work, everyone has a multitude of tasks to do. But here's the answer. Each of us has to work, we have to make a living. We have to interact. We have to do a multitude of tasks, but we can do so still with our affections set on things above.

Whatever we do, we can do so with an eye to God's honor and glory and our obedience to Him. And what we're doing, we're placing our allegiance to His authority. When we work, we work according to His Word and we work pleasing unto Him. Whatever we do, the simple answer is 1 Corinthians 10 and verse 31, when he said,

So it's just as simple. Yes, I have to eat, but I could eat to God's honor and God's glory. I can thank Him not only for the food, but I can ask His blessing upon that food to my body that would give me energy to serve Him and obey Him and to glorify Him. And it doesn't matter what I'm doing, I can still do so with my heart and my affections set on things above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

Now, let me point something out. I mentioned earlier that usually when one man talks about one subject all the time, we say he's fixated on that subject. Did you know that a set heart is a fixed heart? You know, David said it like this in Psalm 57 and verse 7, he said,

I'm not going to change. My heart is fixed. My heart is set. I'm not going to change. He said it again in Psalm 108 and verse 1. He said,

So a set heart is equal to a fixed heart and a fixed heart is equal to a set heart. The reason we are so inconsistent in our lives is because we do not set our hearts.

We let everything disrupt us. We let everything disturb us. We let everything get under our skin. We let everything rattle us. Instead of saying, hey, I know I'm going to encounter difficulties. I know I'm going to have problems. But I'm going to handle those difficulties. I'm going to handle those problems in a biblical manner. I'm going to have my affections set on things above. I'm going to honor the Lord. I'm going to do what's right. And I'm going to trust Him to work it out. Now, David said, set your hearts. You can't do this work without a set heart. You cannot serve God without a set heart. You cannot worship Him without a set heart. You cannot study. You cannot accomplish anything without a set heart.

The Command to Set Affections Above (Colossians 3:1-2)

Colossians 3:1-2 is a present active imperative: believers are commanded to continually and actively set their affections on things above. This can be done even while working, by doing all to God's glory (1 Corinthians 10:31).

"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, and not on things of the earth." Now look at that. Look at verse 2. "Set your affection on things above, and not on things of the earth." Well, verse 1 says, "Seek those things which are above." How do you seek those things which are above? Well, by setting your affection on things above, and not on things of the earth.

So, we have to ask this question, where in the world are our affections? Are they upon Christ? Are they upon truth? Are they upon His word? Are they upon His kingdom? Are they upon His grace? Or, are you just simply bound to this earth? Are you looking at earthly things in that sense of the word? Here's a good illustration. I could ask, are you more like a hog that eats from the ground and never lifts his head toward heaven? Watch a hog eat sometimes. And never lift their heads.

And that's the way most people are. They take everything that God has given them and are never, ever thankful, never grateful, never appreciative. Now, I want you to look again closely at verse 2. "Set your affection on things above, not on things of the earth." This is a command. It is a present active imperative in the Greek language. You know, the difference between asking and a command is very simple. I could look at Francis and say, "Francis, would you please shut the door?" That's asking him. But if I looked at him and said, "Francis, shut the door," that's a command. I'm not asking, I'm commanding. This is an imperative in the Greek, is a command. This is not something that God is asking you to do. He's commanding you to set your affections on things above. It is a present, which means this. It is something that you are now doing and that you're continuing to do. So actually, what he's saying is I command you to continually be setting your affection on things above. And it's an active, which means you're active in it.

You are participating in it. You're the one doing it. If I said I slapped Gary, Gary's passive. I'm the one that's active. He got hit. I'm the one that did the hitting. So when you look at a present active imperative, it means that you are presently right now and you're continuing to set your heart. You're actively engaged in it and you're obeying the command that God has been given. So here's the command. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. Now, what you're going to tell me is this.

"But I have to make a living. I mean, I have to work. I have a multitude of tasks to do." Well, that's true, everyone has to work, everyone has a multitude of tasks to do. But here's the answer. Each of us has to work, we have to make a living. We have to interact. We have to do a multitude of tasks, but we can do so still with our affections set on things above.

Whatever we do, we can do so with an eye to God's honor and glory and our obedience to Him. And what we're doing, we're placing our allegiance to His authority. When we work, we work according to His Word and we work pleasing unto Him. Whatever we do, the simple answer is 1 Corinthians 10 and verse 31, when he said,

So it's just as simple. Yes, I have to eat, but I could eat to God's honor and God's glory. I can thank Him not only for the food, but I can ask His blessing upon that food to my body that would give me energy to serve Him and obey Him and to glorify Him. And it doesn't matter what I'm doing, I can still do so with my heart and my affections set on things above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

Application: The Danger of an Unset Heart (Psalm 78)

Psalm 78 warns that a generation that does not set its heart aright will be stubborn, rebellious, and turn back in the day of battle. Without a set heart, believers will compromise, sell the truth, and fail to keep God's commandments. The only way to serve God is with a set heart.

My mind is made up. I'm going to do this. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Psalm 78 because I'm going to make one application. And I want you to see this application in light of this passage. Because we're talking about a set heart. Clearly. We need our hearts set. Now. Here's my first application, in fact, it's the only application today. I believe that one of the most important messages

that I've ever preached in my 56 or 57 years of preaching has been the message keeping the heart from Proverbs 4 and verse 23. I preached that message to so many people and I preached it myself thousands and thousands of times. Well, I believe that is one of the most important messages that I've ever preached. I believe the one that I'm preaching right now is equally important. And you're going to ask me why I think that this message is as important as the one on keeping the heart. Well, the answer is very clear. It does you no good to know the truth. Or to hear the truth. or to hold the truth unless your heart is set for the truth. Proverbs 23 and verse 23 says it like this, "Buy the truth and sell it not." Now listen, buy the truth. He doesn't mention the cost. He doesn't care about the cost. Whatever the cost, buy the truth. And then he says, "and sell it not." No matter what the offer is, no matter how great the offer, do not sell it. So this is a buy and never sell proposition. Buy the truth and sell it not.

Now, let me show you why I believe this is so important. Watch carefully. Let's look in Psalm 78, beginning there with verse one. I want you to note how God commands us to listen. He says, "Give ear, O my people, to my law. Incline your ears to the words of my mouth," that is, bend your head just a little closer so you can hear me very well. "I will open my mouth in a parable, I will utter dark sayings of old, which we have heard and known and our fathers have told us." So we know these things we've been told doesn't mean our hearts are set on them, but we've heard them. We know them. Verse four.

"We will not hide them from their children, showing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord and His strength and His wonderful works that He had done. For He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children." Why? "That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born, and should arise and declare them their children." So we're talking about grandchildren and great-grands on down the line. Why should we keep declaring them? "That they might set their hope in God. And not forget the works of the Lord, but keep his commandments." Well, that's pretty good reason. But I want you to watch this. "And might not be as their fathers." Oh God said, I want you to hear. I want you to listen. I want you to hold. I want you to teach. I want you to communicate. so that you might not be like their fathers. Now watch, "a stubborn and rebellious generation. A generation that set not their heart aright and whose spirit was not steadfast with God." When you do not have a set heart, you cannot be steadfast with the Lord.

Now, I want you to note, here are some people that have heard the truth now. They've been told the truth. They're to pass the truth down that their children and their grandchildren might set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments. But He warns them not to be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation who set their heart not aright and whose spirit was not steadfast with God. Well, what are the consequences of not having a set heart? What happens? When you're not steadfast with God because you lack a set heart, look in verse nine. "The children of Ephraim being armed and carrying bows turned back in the day of battle, they kept not the covenant of God and they refused to walk in His law and forgot His works and His wonders that He had shown them." When your heart is not set, ultimately you will turn back when the going gets tough, you will turn back. When you're facing danger and you're scared and you're not trusting in God, the children of Ephraim being armed and carrying bows turned back in the day of battle. Why? They kept not the covenant of God. They forgot His works and His wonders that He'd shown them. And they refused to walk in His law. What I'm trying to tell you is this. If you've bought the truth, if you don't set your heart, you'll end up selling the truth. You'll compromise. You'll give in.

You'll give up. You'll quit. You'll turn back. The only way that we can serve God is with a set heart. Please understand, each one of us are going to face our own difficulties. We're going to face our own set of problems. We're going to have interactions with people that we don't want to have interactions with. We're going to be hurt. We'll end up hurting someone else. But if your heart is set, you're going to say nothing is going to stop me from being obedient to God and serving Him. My heart is set regardless of the difficulties, regardless of what happens, I will serve Him.

Conclusion: A Call to Steadfastness

Weaver concludes by urging believers to determine by God's grace to serve Him no matter what, with hearts set on things above. He prays for empowerment to set affections on Christ and not on earthly things.

I've bought the truth, and I refuse to sell it. I will not turn back in the day of battle. I will not forget the covenant of God. I will not forget the works of God. I will keep His commandments. Why? My heart is set. We must have a set heart if we're going to honor God. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee. Help us understand, Lord, the absolute need to be steadfast and to have a set heart. We'll never be steadfast without the set heart. We'll never buy the truth and hold it and keep it without a set heart. We'll never give Thee the worship and praise and obedience that Thou dost deserve without a set heart. May we determine by Your grace, by Your power, by Your mercies that we will serve Thee no matter what. Enable us, empower us to set our affection on things above and not on things below. Enable us to set our affection and seek those things from above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of the Father.

We ask for your grace in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, in whose name we pray. Amen.