Proverbs-Related Topical Wisdom

Heart Preparation - 2 of 7

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Old Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2006-11-05

Synopsis: John Weaver continues his series on heart preparation, emphasizing that while believers are responsible to prepare their hearts, they lack the ability to do so apart from God. Using Proverbs 16:1, he argues that heart preparation is a work of the Lord. He outlines three steps: realization of our inability, determination to fulfill our responsibility in dependence on God, and actualization—applying these truths. He distinguishes between constant, continuous preparation and instant, emergency preparation, urging believers to keep their hearts perfect toward God so He may show Himself strong through them.

[John Weaver] All right, well, let's open our Bibles today to 2 Chronicles chapter 12. 2 Chronicles chapter 12. And we're going to continue with this series that I started on heart preparation.

[John Weaver] Now, last week was number one. I will take just a few moments to review, and then we'll pick up from there. And Lord willing, we'll have at least three more weeks on this subject. But if you look in 2 Chronicles chapter 12, And let's read verse 1 and 2 especially. And it came to pass when Rehoboam had established the kingdom and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the Lord and all Israel with him. And it came to pass that in the fifth year of King Rehoboam Shoshak, king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem because they had transgressed against the Lord. Then if you'll skip down to verse 14, we're still reading about King Rehoboam.

[John Weaver] And the Bible says, and he did evil because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord. Now note that verse, he did evil. Why? Because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord. I hope that you'll remember last week I brought the message on the importance of heart preparation. And I showed how undoubtedly Rehoboam had a lot of advantages since David was his grandfather, Solomon was his father. And yet he sinned against the Lord. And the reason he sinned against the Lord was because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord. And I showed you that it's normal and natural to sin.

[John Weaver] No one has to teach us how to do what's wrong. We do that by nature. But if we're ever going to do what's right, then our hearts must be prepared. And then I went through the scripture and I showed you the word prepared, how it is used And it did indeed teach and speak of a constancy and a consistency and the fact that it involved a great deal of work and skill. And then I took the word heart and I went through the Bible and I showed you from the Bible that the heart is the mind. It is the understanding. And also the word conscience is the same because the Greek word is sunēdēsis.

[John Weaver] Sunē is a preposition which means with. Edēsis to know. So your conscience is that which you know with. Even the English word con is the preposition with, science to know. And so your conscience, basically, and your heart and your mind are all one and the same. And I pointed out the fact that 99 times out of 100, when the word heart was used in the Bible, it referred to the mind, the understanding. Only occasionally does it refer to the affections, but usually it refers to the mind. So we're coming back today and dealing with the second subject on how do I prepare my heart. So since the Bible teaches the importance of heart preparation, it automatically, or at least the question should automatically arise in your minds, how do I prepare my heart?

[John Weaver] I do not believe that any real genuine Christian wants to turn out like Rehoboam. a disappointment to God, a disappointment to his grandfather, a disappointment to his father. I suppose that every family has a black sheep in it, and each family is always embarrassed and humiliated and ashamed over the actions and the lifestyle of the black sheep. And I can assure you that King David, a man after God's own heart, would be ashamed of his grandson. Solomon, with his wisdom certainly would be ashamed of his son. And let me just point out the fact, even humanly speaking, just as a man, I do not want to do anything that's going to embarrass and humiliate my family. And when you do something like that, it just shows you have absolutely no regard for honor, integrity, or family. But likewise, I do not want to bring reproach upon my heavenly father or my heavenly family either. And certainly it would be a reproach to do so. If you and I want to please our Heavenly Father, we have to understand one simple truth, and that is that our hearts must be prepared to obey and honor Him.

[John Weaver] If they're not prepared, then we're going to sin. We're going to disobey Him. We're going to dishonor Him. So very obviously, heart preparation is not only important, it is imperative. If you and I are not going to bring reproach upon The Father, if we're not going to bring reproach upon the church and the ministry, we must have our hearts prepared. You know, the sad thing is most Christians never think of heart preparation.

[John Weaver] The average Christian just goes along life's way without a concern or literally without a thought of living a holy, godly life, a life that's well-pleasing and honorable to the Heavenly Father. It seems as if those who live halfway decent lives and halfway godly lives do so without ever realizing where they are or how they got there. I mean, it's just something that seemingly happened. They've never, ever really given it a thought.

[John Weaver] Now, if keeping the heart is important, if it is commanded in Scripture, and it is, Then the question automatically has to arise, how then do I prepare my heart? How do I go about doing it? Well, let me just point out this simple truth. No one will ever prepare his heart until he realizes the importance and necessity of heart preparation. So if you don't understand this first simple principle, if your heart is not prepared, you will do evil. then you'll never prepare your heart. So let's try today to answer this question. How do I prepare a heart?

[John Weaver] Now I'm going to give you three simple steps. Okay? Three simple steps. Number one is realization. Realization. There is something that you must absolutely realize first and foremost, it is paramount. What is it? You must realize that you do not have the ability to prepare your heart. Isn't that amazing? We have the responsibility to prepare our hearts, but we do not have the ability to do so. Heart preparation is primarily a work of God. However, it is our responsibility to seek Him and to use the means that He has ordained in order to prepare our heart.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to hold 2 Chronicles chapter 12, but I want you to look in your Bibles to Proverbs chapter 16 and verse 1. Here is the realization that must sink deeply into your minds. Proverbs 16, verse 1, and I'm only going to be dealing with really half of this verse today, but look at it. Proverbs 16, verse 1, the Scripture says the preparation of the heart in man and the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. Look at that. The preparation of the heart in man is from the Lord, if you leave out the second part. Does heart preparation come from? And the answer is, from the Lord.

[John Weaver] Men can neither think nor speak wisely well by themselves without divine assistance. The preparations of the heart in man are from the Lord. Let me give you just a paragraph and then I'm going to explain it. It was written by John Gill, the old Baptist scholar, and he was commenting on this verse. Listen to what he said. And he's talking about the entire verse. Proverbs 16, verse 1, and I'm quoting, he says, the sense of these words, according to our version, depends upon the next clause, and the meaning of the whole is, that a man can neither think nor speak without God, the orderings or marshallings of the heart, as it may be rendered, that is, the

[John Weaver] thoughts of the heart, which are generally and irregularly generally irregular and confused, the ranging of them in order as well as an army in battle, or things regularly placed on a table, that is, a furnished table, the fixing of them on any particular subject, though about things civil and natural, so as closely to attend them and proceed in a regular manner in the consideration of them, are not without the concurrence of divine providence.

[John Weaver] Now, let me just stop right there. What he's saying is we cannot even marshal our thoughts, we cannot array our thoughts as an army, we cannot furnish our thoughts as a table is well furnished without or apart from the concurrence of divine providence.

[John Weaver] Now, concurrence means it happens at the same time. So, in other words, God must be involved in arranging our thoughts. Let me go on. And he says, and whereas the thoughts of men's hearts are evil and evil continually, and nothing but evil thoughts naturally proceed from this, the ordering and the marshalling of them and the fixing them to the attention and consideration of divine and spiritual things are not without the supernatural grace of God.

[John Weaver] Let me just stop there. Once again, he says, man by nature cannot think anything but evil and wickedness. And so he says, if we think good thoughts, if we have thoughts concerning spiritual truths, it's because of God's divine, supernatural grace. He says, for we cannot think a good thought of ourselves, nor anything indeed of ourselves, in a spiritual manner. And he gives 2 Corinthians 3 and verse 5. Then he says, all preparations for religious service and duty, whether it be to pray unto God, or to preach in His name, are from the Lord. It is he that works in men both to will and to do, that gives them the willing mind, or the suitable frame for service, as well as ability to perform it, that pours out the spirit of grace and supplication on them, and disposes and directs their minds to proper petitions, and furnishes his ministering service and their studies with agreeable matter for their ministrations." So all he is saying is this, that we cannot really order or marshal our thoughts apart from God's, divine providence.

[John Weaver] And we cannot have good thoughts, spiritual thoughts, godly thoughts, apart from God's supernatural grace. Now let me just give this to you in one sentence. I actually could sum up this point with one sentence. I'm going to give you more. But do you remember what our Lord said in John 15 in verse 5? Help me out now. He said, without me you can do how much? Nothing. Does that mean think? Does that mean consider? Does that mean meditate? Does that mean plan? Without Him, we can do absolutely nothing.

[John Weaver] Is the preparing of our hearts something? Yes. Which means without Him, we cannot do it.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Jeremiah chapter 17. Let me show you why we cannot do it. Not only is it because of our inability, it is that, But there's even more involved. Notice if you would, Jeremiah chapter 17. Here is why we must be wholly, totally and completely dependent upon God and His grace and mercy. In Jeremiah chapter 17 in verse 9, look what the Word of God says.

[John Weaver] The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Who can know it? The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it.

[John Weaver] Now let me ask you a few questions. How in the world can I prepare my heart if I don't even know my heart? How in the world can I prepare my heart if my heart is capable of deceiving me? How in the world can I plan and prepare my mind if I cannot even control or marshal my thoughts? How can I prepare something When in my preparation, I'm literally being deceived. I've heard men say, and women as well, well if I know my heart, and the truth is, you do not know your hearts. You don't know your minds. You don't know the depth of the depravity. You don't know what you're capable of thinking, or not thinking, or capable of doing. Now I want you to look in verse 9, Here's why the preparation of our hearts must be from the Lord. Verse 9, the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Who can know it? Look at verse 10. I, the Lord, search the heart.

[John Weaver] I try the reins, even to give to every man according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings. Who alone knows our minds, our understanding, our thoughts? None but God himself. I suppose if you were to search for godly men in the Old Testament, David certainly would rank among the top three or four, certainly in the top ten. I mean, even if you named Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But I want you to look in Psalm 139 at what David, who is in Scripture classified as a man after God's own heart, I want you to see what he prayed. Look in Psalm 139, beginning there in verse 23. Psalm 139, verse 23, David prayed to God, search me, O God, and know my heart. Now look, try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting. What is David confessing? He is confessing that he doesn't know his heart. He doesn't know what's in his mind. He doesn't know what's in his understanding.

[John Weaver] And he said, Lord, I want you to search me. I want you to know my thoughts. I want you to see if there be any wicked way in me. And then, Lord, I want you to give me repentance, basically, and I want you to lead me in the way everlasting, that is, in the right way. Did you know the Bible in Psalm 9 and verse 7 specifically proclaims that God trieth the hearts and the reins? So only God then can know our hearts totally, completely, and perfectly. Now, when you look at Proverbs 16 and verse 1, when the Bible says the preparations of the heart in man are from the Lord, we must realize that God must prepare our hearts.

[John Weaver] Let me explain it like this. If our hearts are ever prepared to pray, God prepared. If our hearts are ever prepared to repent, God prepared them. If our hearts are ever prepared to come to Christ, God prepared them. If our hearts are ever prepared to worship, God prepared them. If our hearts are ever prepared to study, God prepared them. If our hearts are ever prepared to suffer for Christ's sake, God prepared them. Why?

[John Weaver] The preparations of the heart in man are from the Lord. Let me show you a verse. Look in your Bibles to the book of Philippians chapter 2 and verse 13. Here is a verse that you need to memorize. Here's one that you can underline. I love this passage. Look in Philippians chapter 2 and verse 4. Here it is. Philippians chapter 2 and notice if you would it's verse 13 it is. Philippians 2 verse 13. Watch it.

[John Weaver] For it is God who worketh in you both to will and to do His good pleasure. Now look at that. It is God who worketh in you what? Both to will and to do His good pleasure. So if God ever puts the to will in you, He's going to put the to do in you. But whenever you do, it's because God put the to will in you. It's God who is the source and the author of both the will and the doing.

[John Weaver] So there first must be a realization. Has the realization sunk deeply into your soul that you cannot prepare your heart? Yet God requires your heart to be prepared. The preparations of the heart in man are from the Lord. That's why I said first there must be a realization. Okay? Secondly, number two, there must be a determination, a realization and a determination. The determination is simply this. Once you realize that God must prepare your heart, you are going to determine to fulfill your responsibility in complete dependence upon the Lord.

[John Weaver] Let me say this another way. Your efforts will accomplish nothing unless they're blessed by the Lord. I'm going to explain this, and I want you to listen carefully. One of our problems in Christianity is that we divide or separate that which God has united and joined together. What do I mean by that? Well, simply stated, we either, on the one hand, separate God's absolute sovereignty, which is taught very clearly in Scripture, and rest everything upon Him, or we deny that and go over to man's responsibility and rest everything upon Him. Now, is God sovereign? Yes. Is man responsible? Yes. When you take the attitude, well, God is sovereign, the preparation of the heart and the manna from the Lord. There's nothing I can do about it. My heart's either going to be prepared or it's not going to be prepared. So I might as well just forget it. When you take that attitude, what you're doing is denying your responsibility. You're saying I'm not answerable. I'm not accountable to God.

[John Weaver] I don't have to obey him. I don't have any responsibilities to fulfill. It's all up to him. And so you are saying, There it is. It's all God's sovereignty. Either does it or doesn't get done.

[John Weaver] On the other hand, there are some people who will work and effort and put forth all kinds of effort and fulfill their duties. They'll dot every I. They'll cross every T. But what are they trusting in? They're trusting in what they're doing and their works and their efforts to make sure they're right. They're totally ignoring God.

[John Weaver] God is sovereign and man is responsible. And when you trust in your own efforts, what you're doing is denying your inability and trusting in yourself and not God. Now, here's what God has done. God has not only ordained the end. He's also ordained the means to the end. And we must not put asunder that which God has joined together. He demands that our hearts be prepared. He alone has the ability to prepare our hearts, but we must seek Him as we fulfill our responsibility for His blessing upon those efforts that our hearts might be prepared. Those two things must go together. Whenever you say, I'm going to do it, it's never going to get done. And whenever you say, well, I will just trust God to do it. I'm not going to fulfill any of my responsibilities.

[John Weaver] If He does it, fine. If He doesn't, fine. It's never going to get done. I'm going to explain that just a little bit for you in a few minutes. But the two must go together. Let me show you. Look in your Bibles to the book of Proverbs, chapter 23. Proverbs 23. You see, God has given us responsibility. Although He has all of the ability, we have the responsibility. Look in Proverbs 23 and verse 12. And this will apply not just to my grandchildren, but to all children and all adults as well. So grandchildren, listen up. Proverbs 23 and verse 12. Look what God says. Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge." Now, look at the word apply. Now, the word apply has the force of govern, or to cause to enter into, or to cause to go into. What is God telling you? He's telling you that you have the responsibility to govern your heart and you cause that heart to go into instruction and your ears to the words of knowledge.

[John Weaver] Who did God command to govern your heart? You. You're the one that has to apply your heart into instruction. You're the one that has to apply your ears to the words of knowledge. That's your responsibility.

[John Weaver] Now skip down, if you would please, to verse 19. He says, Hear thou my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way. Oh, wait a minute.

[John Weaver] Now you're not only responsible to govern your heart. Now you're responsible to guide your heart. And you're responsible to guide your heart in God's way.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to look at verses 20 through 22. They are negatives. Here is where you are not to guide your heart. He says in verse 19, Hear thou my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way. Be not among winebibbers, among righteous eaters of flesh. For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty, and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags. In other words, you don't listen to the drunkard and the winebibber. But he does tell you this, he says, you better hearken to thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old. In other words, you listen to your elders. Here it is, here's the positive as well as verse 22. He says, buy the truth and sell it not.

[John Weaver] Also wisdom, instruction, and understanding. Now look what he said. You have a responsibility to govern your heart. You have a responsibility to guide your heart. You have a responsibility to guide your heart out of the way of wickedness. You have a responsibility to guide your heart into the way of righteousness and godliness and obedience. Well, let's ask this question. How do I govern my heart? How do I guide my heart? Well, skip down to verse 26. Look what God says. My son, give me thine heart and let thine eyes observe my ways. Isn't that amazing? God said, you've got to realize you have a responsibility to govern. You have a responsibility to guide. But at the same time, you've got to realize your inability. And you come to me and give me your heart and say, Lord, I have a responsibility, but I have an inability. And if my heart is ever governed, if my heart is ever guided, if my heart is ever prepared, you must do it. By the way, when he said in verse 26, my son, give me thine heart.

[John Weaver] The word give means to bestow. It means to grant, to devote, to consecrate. Literally what he says, my son, consecrate your heart unto me. Well, let me ask you a question. How can we know whether or not our hearts are consecrated unto God? That's a pretty good question, isn't it? He said, my son, give me or consecrate thy heart unto me. How can I know whether or not my heart is consecrated unto God? Very simply, if my heart is consecrated unto him, I will observe his ways. If I don't observe his ways, what does that mean? My heart's not consecrated unto him. I haven't given him my heart. So I have a responsibility to govern, I have a responsibility to guide, but God is the only one that can give me that ability.

[John Weaver] So what do I do? I come to Him and say, Lord, I have a responsibility, but I don't have the ability. Lord, I want to govern my heart, I want to guide my heart, but without Your grace, without Your power, without Your blessing upon my efforts, it's worthless. You must make the means which You ordain effectual. Here's a quick one. I'm going to show you another verse. But you remember that passage in Proverbs 23 in verse 12, I believe it is. Where God said.

[John Weaver] Beat thy child with a rod. If thou beatest him with a rod, he shall not die. But thou shalt deliver his soul from hell. You remember that passage? That's right, dog, look at him. But here's my question. Does that mean every child that's been beaten with a rod is going to heaven? No. If it meant that, the best thing we could do is break us off some limbs and start walking up and down the streets and just beating the living daylights out of every one we found out. That's all, you know, because beat thy child with a rod and thou shalt deliver his soul from hell. What does it mean? It means as you use the means that God has ordained for discipline and correction with the blessing of God upon that discipline and correction, the child will learn right from wrong and ultimately be converted and trust in Christ. So you see there is the use of the means, but there must be the blessing of God upon those means.

[John Weaver] Let me show you again. Look in your Bibles to the book of Hosea. The book of Hosea chapter 10 and verse 12. Daniel Hosea. Hosea 10 and verse 12. It's wonderful as you look in Scripture to see how God has brought these two things together. Hosea 10 and verse 12. God says, 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 reign righteousness upon you. Now notice what he says, 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 reign righteousness upon you.

[John Weaver] Now here's another passage that first and foremost places emphasis upon our responsibilities. God says that we are to sow to ourselves in righteousness, we are to reap in mercy, we are to break up our fallow ground.

[John Weaver] Now, those of you who were raised on a farm. Understand that sowing and reaping are laborious efforts. They're labor-intensive. However, usually breaking up the fallow ground is more laborious. Fallow ground refers to untilled ground. It is ground that is oftentimes full of weeds unfertilized and hardened from a lack of work. You can take a hara and disk and disk and disk and disk hardened ground and very seldom will you break it.

[John Weaver] Finally, you have to get a turning plow and you begin to turn and then you can go back and hara. But the point I'm trying to make is When he says, break up your fallow ground, the fallow ground in this passage are our hearts, our minds, that are usually so overgrown with thorns and thistles and the cares and the burdens of this life and this world, and they're hardened from lack of attention that we've given them, and they must be broken up before we can ever sow and reap. Listen to what I'm about to say. The breaking up of sinful hearts. Is a singular means. To prevent the breaking down of life, family, church and nation. Let me say it another way. Unless our hearts are broken up. We will break down.

[John Weaver] Individually, familially, ecclesiastically, and nationally. It is not enough just to break up the fallow ground. Are you listening to me? Look at this verse. Look at Hosea 10 and verse 12. It is not enough just to break up the fallow ground. It is not enough just to get the weeds and the thorns out. It is not enough just to sow the right seed. What else is involved?

[John Weaver] We must seek the Lord when till He come and reign righteousness upon us. Do you see what he's saying? You can try to break up your fallow ground all day long. You can pull weeds and thorns all day long. You can sow all day long. But guess what? Unless God sends the rain of His grace and the rain of His mercy, All of your efforts are worthless. Have you ever planted a garden and no rain? You know what happens? No harvest.

[John Weaver] It's the same thing here. Unless we seek God's blessing to make the means effectual, nothing we do will actually come to pass. It will not prosper. and not produce. So God is saying, yes, we have a responsibility to break up our fallow ground. We have a responsibility to sow, but we have a responsibility to seek Him, to make those means effectual. So here's what you have so far in preparing your heart. You have to have a realization that I can't prepare my heart. God must prepare my heart. I have a responsibility. And in light of that responsibility, I'm going to make a determination. My determination is I am going to fulfill my responsibilities and seek God's blessing upon those means and ask God to make those means effectual. Now watch this. I've given you first a realization, secondly a determination, and here's the third point, an actualization. I'm going to explain that. an actualization. An actualization literally means this. You must apply the first two principles. If you do not apply the first two principles, everything is worthless.

[John Weaver] Do you realize that one can realize the truth and determine mentally to apply the truth, but never actually getting around to doing it. You remember those little round toots? How many of us said, well, I'm going to do that when I get around to it. And you never, ever get around to it. You have the realization, you may have the determination, but there has been no actualization.

[John Weaver] Now, let me put it to you like this. misunderstood or understood and unapplied will never benefit anyone. What's the difference between someone who does not understand the truth and can't obey and someone who understands and won't obey? The second one gets a little greater condemnation, but otherwise they're both in the same boat. So, in order for the truth to become effectual in our life, it must be actually applied and actually practiced and become a part of us.

[John Weaver] So, let me try to give you the relationship between realization, determination, and actualization. Okay, here we go. Here's my first question. Does God demand repentance? Well, of course He does. Do you remember the passage in Luke chapter 13 where our Lord said, except you repent, you shall likewise perish? Do you remember how John the Baptist and even our Lord Cain, the Bible says, preaching repentance? Well, yes, I remember that. Well, I want you to turn in your Bibles to Acts 17 and let me show you what God says here. Acts 17, the Apostle Paul is preaching on Mars Hill, verses 30 and 31. And he makes this statement, Acts 17, verses 30 and 31. He's concluding his sermon. Then he says this. At the times of his ignorance, God winked at, but now commanded all men everywhere to repent. So is repentance a command? Yes. Here's why it is commanded. Look at verse 31.

[John Weaver] Because he, that is God the Father, hath appointed a day in which he, God the Son, will judge the world in righteousness by that man, God the Son, whom he hath ordained, whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, and then he hath raised him from the dead. Now just as surely as God the Father raised Jesus Christ from the dead, just as surely there's going to be a judgment. Therefore, He commands all men to repent.

[John Weaver] Now, we've established one truth so far. We've established a truth that God commands men to repent. OK. Now that you know that God has commanded you to repent, listen to me. Go ahead and repent. Go ahead, do it. Well, if you're commanded to do it, go ahead and do it. What's the truth? You can't repent on your own. How can I say that? Because the Scripture teaches us that repentance is the gift of God. Look in your Bibles. You're there. Look in Acts chapter 5. Acts 5, then we'll go to Acts 11. Look in Acts 5.

[John Weaver] Verse 31, talking about Jesus Christ. In fact, we'll read verse 30. Acts 5, verse 30. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted, wither at his right hand, to be a prince and a Savior, for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. Who is it that gives repentance? It's God. Look in your Bibles, Acts chapter 11. When Peter comes back from the house of Cornelius, gives his report. Look what they say in Acts 11 in verse 18. When they heard these things, they held their peace and glorified God, saying, Then have God also to the Gentiles granted or given repentance unto life. Notice God had to grant it. God had to give it. Why? It was God's gifts. Look in your Bibles to 2 Timothy chapter 2. Very quickly. 2 Timothy chapter 2. And let's begin reading there in verse 24. 2 Timothy 2, verse 24. Here we go. 2 Timothy 2, verse 24. In fact, let's read it together.

[John Weaver] And the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient in meekness, instructing those that oppose themselves. Here it is. Watch. If God, peradventure, will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth. And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who were taken captive by him and his will.

[John Weaver] Now, here's my first question. When do men recover themselves out of the snare of the devil? According to verse 25, it's when they acknowledge the truth. When do they acknowledge the truth? According to verse 25, it's when God gives them repentance.

[John Weaver] Now, are you listening to me? I've established two things. Number one, God commands you to repent. Number two, You can't repent on your own, because repentance is God's gift.

[John Weaver] Now, what does that mean? That means you have a responsibility to seek Him to give you His gift of repentance. Now watch. Here's the difference. Here's the connection between realization, determination, and actualization. Guess what? If you seek God to give you His gift of repentance, and He gives you His gift of repentance, who is going to repent? You are. God's not going to repent for you. You see what I'm saying? God's not going to turn from sin for you. He gave you His gift You actually make use of that gift when you turn from your aisles, when you turn from your sins, and when you obey Him. You follow me? So there is realization, there is determination, there is actualization. And you don't actually repent until you do it. But God is holding you accountable to do it. And especially, If He gives you His gift, you will use that gift and turn. But the point I'm making is God's not turning for you. That's you actually turning yourself. Now, let me give you another illustration.

[John Weaver] I want to try to put it together for you. Look in your Bibles to 1 John 3. I could show you many passages, but here it is, 1 John 3. And look at verse 23. 1 John 3 and verse 23. And this is His commandment. That we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another as He gave us commandment. Now look at that. And this is His commandment. That we should believe on His Son Jesus Christ. Here's my question. Has God commanded us to believe on Jesus Christ? Yes. And all of you have read that verse, you know, where our Lord said, when you pray, believe that you have these things and you shall have them. And how many of you said, well, I believe, oh Lord, I believe, I believe. And you try to force yourself to believe. Well, now God has commanded you to believe, so just go ahead and do it. How many of you can believe on your own? None. You know why?

[John Weaver] Because faith is God's gift. Help me out. For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. So how do you work this out? You understand? that God commands you to believe. You understand that you're unable to believe. But you have a responsibility to seek God for His gift of faith. And when God gives you that gift, what do you do? You actually believe in Jesus Christ. Or you actually believe His Word. You follow me?

[John Weaver] So there has to be realization, determinization, and actualization. God is not going to believe for you, just like God is not going to repent for you. He may give you that gift, but you must actually use that gift. The same thing is true with heart preparation. You must realize you have an inability to prepare your heart. You may determine to seek God to fulfill your responsibility, but then you must actually do it and say, Lord, enable me, empower me, bless my efforts, give me your righteousness so that I may actually prepare my heart. Now, let me just tell you something else.

[John Weaver] I hope you see this connection. But I believe that there are basically two stages of heart preparation. I believe there is a long-term preparation and a short-term preparation, or what I would call an emergency preparation. Let me explain the difference to you. I'm going to call the long-term preparation a constant and continuous preparation. Under this heading, a constant and continuous preparation, one must understand that keeping the heart, or preparing the heart, is a constant and continuous battle. Listen, please.

[John Weaver] Just because God has given me the victory today, or just because God has given me the victory this week or this month, does not mean that the fight is over. Let me reemphasize that. Just because God has given you the victory one day, one week, or one month does not mean that the fight is over. What did I say? There has to be a constant and a continual renewing of the mind, a constant and continual repentance, a constant and continual believing, a constant and continual meditation upon His Word, a constant and continual prayer life, a constant and continual trusting in His Word.

[John Weaver] In other words, it's something that has to go on constantly and consistently. We have to learn to live this principle of heart preparation on a daily basis. How many of you don't answer out loud, but how many of you ask God to prepare your heart for this day? How many of you ask Him to prepare your heart yesterday? How many of you ask to fulfill your responsibilities in keeping your heart for this week?

[John Weaver] You see what I'm saying? Unhappily, most people who live halfway decent lives just stumble into it. They don't understand the principles. Let me give you a good illustration of what I'm talking about, a constant and continuous heart preparation. You can find that in the life of Hezekiah. If you would look in your Bibles to 2 Chronicles chapter 31, you will find out in 2 Chronicles 30 and 31 there was a great revival that took place under Hezekiah. And the scripture tells us that Hezekiah was a good and a godly king. In fact, the scripture affirms that everything that Hezekiah did for the Lord, he did with all of his heart and prospered. Look in 2 Chronicles chapter 31 and let's begin reading there in verse 20. 2 Chronicles 31 and verse 20. The Bible says, And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the Lord his God, Now look, and in every work that he began in the service of the house of God and in the law and in the commandments to seek his God, he

[John Weaver] did it with all his heart and prospered. So here Hezekiah has wrought a great revival in seeking God's law and seeking God's commandment and seeking God. And the Bible said he did it with all his heart. In other words, his heart was prepared. He actually prospered and did what God would have him to do. But when you get to chapter 32, look in verse 25 and 26. But Hezekiah, after his healing, but Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him. For his heart was lifted up, therefore there was wrath upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem. Notwithstanding, Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah." Now, it did come, but what did Hezekiah do? He lifted up his heart in pride and arrogance. What happened in chapter 31 was wonderful, but in chapter 32, he's now sinned. Why?

[John Weaver] There was no constant and continual preparation. You know what the Bible says in Ecclesiastes 8 and verse 8? There's no discharge in this war. There's not, folks. I want to tell you what, the victory that God gives me one minute is not carried over for the next five minutes. I may have to fight the same battle again in my mind. I may have to continually fight to keep my thoughts pure and my mind on Scripture.

[John Weaver] And if I have to, I have to. Now the second type of preparation is what I'm going to call instant and immediate. It is short term. Now watch this. If you are constantly and continually preparing your heart, you're not going to have any problem with this instant and immediate. Let me explain it like this. All of us are confronted by sin. We're confronted by the flesh, we're confronted by the world. We're all tempted.

[John Weaver] There's no doubt about that. Now, the one thing that we've got to realize is this. Listen carefully. Although we're confronted by the flesh, the world, sin, we've got to remember this one truth. There is no such thing as a sudden sin. I don't just happen to jump up and run off with Janet. It doesn't work like that. If I ran off with Janet, what does that mean? I've thought about it. She's thought about it. We've schemed.

[John Weaver] You see what I'm saying? It doesn't just happen. I don't just I don't just reach out and steal $100 from Roy. I think about it before I do it. There's no such thing as a sudden sin. All I'm trying to say is this. When we're confronted with sin on a constant daily basis, what we have to do instantly and immediately is say, Lord, wait a minute. Thou has said thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou has said Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife." Lord, I'm not going to think those thoughts. I'm not going to have those thoughts in my mind. I purposely and deliberately turn my mind away from that, and I place my mind upon Your Word.

[John Weaver] I know, I know sin promises me joy and happiness and pleasure, but all it ever delivers is death and destruction and misery. And Lord, I don't want that. I refuse that, and I'm renewing my mind, and I'm purposefully and deliberately saying, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not covet, Thou shalt not bear false witness. And in other words, in this instant and immediate preparation, I take my eyes away from the sin, away from the temptation, away from the world, away from the flesh, and I place them upon Christ and His Word. And according to His truth, I choose not to sin. You see, Romans chapter 6 tells me that I'm no longer under the Lordship of sin. I'm under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Sin may tempt me. Are you listening? Sin may tempt me as a Christian, but it cannot command me. Why? I have a new Lord. Jesus Christ. We have been delivered from the Lordship and from the dominion of sin. And so I deliberately and purposefully then placed my mind upon Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] And what does the Bible tell me in Isaiah 26 and verse 3? Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed upon thee. So we have to take a constant and continuous preparation. And understand there may be times when there must be an instant, an immediate, or an emergency time that we must say, Lord, I want my thought life pure. I want my thoughts prepared. Lord, I want to think scripturally. I want every thought to be brought into captivity to Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] Now, Let me show you two last verses. The first one is in 2 Chronicles 27. So I want you to go there, please. 2 Chronicles 27. And let me ask you just a few questions as you turn there. Do you really want to be used of the Lord? Do you want to please him? Do you want to obey him? Do you want to be mighty in his service and live for his honor and his glory?

[John Weaver] Well, look what the Bible says. In 2 Chronicles 27, in verse 6, and we're talking about Jotham. And here's an amazing verse. So Jotham became mighty. Why? Because he prepared his ways before the Lord. Basically, he prepared his heart. You can't prepare your way without preparing your mind. Jotham deliberately set out to make sure that whatever he did was biblical and right. He thought about what was biblical and right. He became mighty because he prepared his ways before the Lord.

[John Weaver] Now, the truth of the matter is this, folks. We have to continually and constantly prepare our hearts. and certain emergency situations, we must instantly and immediately reaffirm that preparation and say, no, I'm not going to sin against God. I'm not going to violate His word. I will stand true and faithful to Him. And we must seek His help and His strength and His power to do so.

[John Weaver] But we've been praying for our nation, for our churches, for our people. And if you remember that series I did on principles of deliverance, I showed you that God did not need multitudes. But I want to show you from Scripture what God is really looking for. If you will look in your Bibles to 2 Chronicles 16 and verse 9, 2 Chronicles 16 and verse 9. And here is where I want to be found and here's where I want you to be found. 2 Chronicles 16 verse 9.

[John Weaver] For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show himself strong in behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Now stop right there. The rest of the verse is rebuke. against the king who's done wickedly. But here's the truth that he announced. The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong on behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him. You keep your heart. And you keep your thoughts and your mind and your understanding prepared. And you keep them scriptural and biblical. And guess what? God is going to show Himself strong through you in ways that you've never imagined.

[John Weaver] He can use you to turn your family around, your church around, your state around, even your nation around. But God is looking for men and women whose hearts are perfect toward Him. We're keeping our thoughts scriptural and biblical and godly. How do I prepare my heart? Realization, determination, and actualization. I must actually apply the principles of the Word of God to my life. Let's pray. Father, help us today.

[John Weaver] Lord, this subject is so important and so overlooked. We cannot live godly lives without thee. We cannot live holy lives without heart preparation. We cannot serve and honor and worship thee without heart preparation. We cannot be used of thee without heart preparation. So, Lord, teach us to prepare our hearts. Teach us, Lord, to realize we have no ability in and of ourselves, that we must seek Thee, Lord. Teach us to determine that we're going to fulfill our responsibilities, but Lord, fulfill them depending upon Your blessing and Your power. And Lord, help us to actually apply these truths in our lives, to follow through. And Lord, help us to be constant and continuous. And help us, Lord, to use the instant and immediate preparation whenever it is necessary that we might not sin against Thee. Help us, Lord, to bring honor and glory to Thy name. In the name of Jesus Christ we ask and pray, Amen. Amen.

Heart Preparation - 2 of 7

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	21107151552
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Proverbs-Related Topical Wisdom
Genre	Sermon
Date	2006-11-05
Dictation Name
Book	Book 162: Heart Preparation — Chapter 2
Source Timed Segments	78

Formatted Transcript

Introduction and Review

Weaver reviews the previous message on the importance of heart preparation, using Rehoboam as an example of one who did evil because he did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord.

All right, well, let's open our Bibles today to 2 Chronicles chapter 12. 2 Chronicles chapter 12. And we're going to continue with this series that I started on heart preparation. Now, last week was number one. I will take just a few moments to review, and then we'll pick up from there. And Lord willing, we'll have at least three more weeks on this subject. But if you look in 2 Chronicles chapter 12, and let's read verse 1 and 2 especially. And it came to pass when Rehoboam had established the kingdom and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the Lord and all Israel with him. And it came to pass that in the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem because they had transgressed against the Lord. Then if you'll skip down to verse 14, we're still reading about King Rehoboam.

And the Bible says, and he did evil because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord. Now note that verse, he did evil. Why? Because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord. I hope that you'll remember last week I brought the message on the importance of heart preparation. And I showed how undoubtedly Rehoboam had a lot of advantages since David was his grandfather, Solomon was his father. And yet he sinned against the Lord. And the reason he sinned against the Lord was because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord. And I showed you that it's normal and natural to sin.

No one has to teach us how to do what's wrong. We do that by nature. But if we're ever going to do what's right, then our hearts must be prepared. And then I went through the scripture and I showed you the word prepared, how it is used. And it did indeed teach and speak of a constancy and a consistency and the fact that it involved a great deal of work and skill. And then I took the word heart and I went through the Bible and I showed you from the Bible that the heart is the mind. It is the understanding. And also the word conscience is the same because the Greek word is suneidēsis.

The Necessity of Heart Preparation

Heart preparation is imperative to avoid bringing reproach upon God, the church, and one's family. Most Christians never think about it.

If they're not prepared, then we're going to sin. We're going to disobey Him. We're going to dishonor Him. So very obviously, heart preparation is not only important, it is imperative. If you and I are not going to bring reproach upon the Father, if we're not going to bring reproach upon the church and the ministry, we must have our hearts prepared. You know, the sad thing is most Christians never think of heart preparation. The average Christian just goes along life's way without a concern or literally without a thought of living a holy, godly life, a life that's well-pleasing and honorable to the Heavenly Father. It seems as if those who live halfway decent lives and halfway godly lives do so without ever realizing where they are or how they got there. I mean, it's just something that seemingly happened. They've never, ever really given it a thought.

Step One: Realization

We must realize that we do not have the ability to prepare our hearts; it is a work of God. Proverbs 16:1 teaches that the preparation of the heart is from the Lord.

Now I'm going to give you three simple steps. Okay? Three simple steps. Number one is realization. Realization. There is something that you must absolutely realize first and foremost, it is paramount. What is it? You must realize that you do not have the ability to prepare your heart. Isn't that amazing? We have the responsibility to prepare our hearts, but we do not have the ability to do so. Heart preparation is primarily a work of God. However, it is our responsibility to seek Him and to use the means that He has ordained in order to prepare our heart.

Now, I want you to hold 2 Chronicles chapter 12, but I want you to look in your Bibles to Proverbs chapter 16 and verse 1. Here is the realization that must sink deeply into your minds. Proverbs 16, verse 1, and I'm only going to be dealing with really half of this verse today, but look at it. Proverbs 16, verse 1, the Scripture says the preparation of the heart in man and the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. Look at that. The preparation of the heart in man is from the Lord, if you leave out the second part. Does heart preparation come from? And the answer is, from the Lord.

Men can neither think nor speak wisely well by themselves without divine assistance. The preparations of the heart in man are from the Lord. Let me give you just a paragraph and then I'm going to explain it. It was written by John Gill, the old Baptist scholar, and he was commenting on this verse. Listen to what he said. And he's talking about the entire verse. Proverbs 16, verse 1, and I'm quoting, he says, the sense of these words, according to our version, depends upon the next clause, and the meaning of the whole is, that a man can neither think nor speak without God, the orderings or marshallings of the heart, as it may be rendered, that is, the

thoughts of the heart, which are generally irregular and confused, the ranging of them in order as well as an army in battle, or things regularly placed on a table, that is, a furnished table, the fixing of them on any particular subject, though about things civil and natural, so as closely to attend them and proceed in a regular manner in the consideration of them, are not without the concurrence of divine providence.

The Deceitfulness of the Heart

Jeremiah 17:9 shows the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked; only God knows it. David prayed for God to search his heart (Psalm 139:23-24).

The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Who can know it? The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, who can know it. Now let me ask you a few questions. How in the world can I prepare my heart if I don't even know my heart? How in the world can I prepare my heart if my heart is capable of deceiving me? How in the world can I plan and prepare my mind if I cannot even control or marshal my thoughts? How can I prepare something when in my preparation, I'm literally being deceived. I've heard men say, and women as well, well if I know my heart, and the truth is, you do not know your hearts. You don't know your minds. You don't know the depth of the depravity. You don't know what you're capable of thinking, or not thinking, or capable of doing. Now I want you to look in verse 9, here's why the preparation of our hearts must be from the Lord. Verse 9, the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Who can know it? Look at verse 10. I, the Lord, search the heart.

I try the reins, even to give to every man according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings. Who alone knows our minds, our understanding, our thoughts? None but God himself. I suppose if you were to search for godly men in the Old Testament, David certainly would rank among the top three or four, certainly in the top ten. I mean, even if you named Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But I want you to look in Psalm 139 at what David, who is in Scripture classified as a man after God's own heart, I want you to see what he prayed. Look in Psalm 139, beginning there in verse 23. Psalm 139, verse 23, David prayed to God, search me, O God, and know my heart. Now look, try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting. What is David confessing? He is confessing that he doesn't know his heart. He doesn't know what's in his mind. He doesn't know what's in his understanding.

And he said, Lord, I want you to search me. I want you to know my thoughts. I want you to see if there be any wicked way in me. And then, Lord, I want you to give me repentance, basically, and I want you to lead me in the way everlasting, that is, in the right way. Did you know the Bible in Psalm 9 and verse 7 specifically proclaims that God trieth the hearts and the reins? So only God then can know our hearts totally, completely, and perfectly. Now, when you look at Proverbs 16 and verse 1, when the Bible says the preparations of the heart in man are from the Lord, we must realize that God must prepare our hearts.

Step Two: Determination

We must determine to fulfill our responsibility in complete dependence on God, who works in us both to will and to do (Philippians 2:13). We must not separate God's sovereignty from human responsibility.

So there first must be a realization. Has the realization sunk deeply into your soul that you cannot prepare your heart? Yet God requires your heart to be prepared. The preparations of the heart in man are from the Lord. That's why I said first there must be a realization. Okay? Secondly, number two, there must be a determination, a realization and a determination. The determination is simply this. Once you realize that God must prepare your heart, you are going to determine to fulfill your responsibility in complete dependence upon the Lord.

Let me say this another way. Your efforts will accomplish nothing unless they're blessed by the Lord. I'm going to explain this, and I want you to listen carefully. One of our problems in Christianity is that we divide or separate that which God has united and joined together. What do I mean by that? Well, simply stated, we either, on the one hand, separate God's absolute sovereignty, which is taught very clearly in Scripture, and rest everything upon Him, or we deny that and go over to man's responsibility and rest everything upon Him. Now, is God sovereign? Yes. Is man responsible? Yes. When you take the attitude, well, God is sovereign, the preparation of the heart in man is from the Lord. There's nothing I can do about it. My heart's either going to be prepared or it's not going to be prepared. So I might as well just forget it. When you take that attitude, what you're doing is denying your responsibility. You're saying I'm not answerable. I'm not accountable to God.

I don't have to obey him. I don't have any responsibilities to fulfill. It's all up to him. And so you are saying, there it is. It's all God's sovereignty. Either does it or doesn't get done. On the other hand, there are some people who will work and effort and put forth all kinds of effort and fulfill their duties. They'll dot every I. They'll cross every T. But what are they trusting in? They're trusting in what they're doing and their works and their efforts to make sure they're right. They're totally ignoring God.

God is sovereign and man is responsible. And when you trust in your own efforts, what you're doing is denying your inability and trusting in yourself and not God. Now, here's what God has done. God has not only ordained the end. He's also ordained the means to the end. And we must not put asunder that which God has joined together. He demands that our hearts be prepared. He alone has the ability to prepare our hearts, but we must seek Him as we fulfill our responsibility for His blessing upon those efforts that our hearts might be prepared. Those two things must go together. Whenever you say, I'm going to do it, it's never going to get done. And whenever you say, well, I will just trust God to do it. I'm not going to fulfill any of my responsibilities.

If He does it, fine. If He doesn't, fine. It's never going to get done. I'm going to explain that just a little bit for you in a few minutes. But the two must go together. Let me show you. Look in your Bibles to the book of Proverbs, chapter 23. Proverbs 23. You see, God has given us responsibility. Although He has all of the ability, we have the responsibility. Look in Proverbs 23 and verse 12. And this will apply not just to my grandchildren, but to all children and all adults as well. So grandchildren, listen up. Proverbs 23 and verse 12. Look what God says. Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge. Now, look at the word apply. Now, the word apply has the force of govern, or to cause to enter into, or to cause to go into. What is God telling you? He's telling you that you have the responsibility to govern your heart and you cause that heart to go into instruction and your ears to the words of knowledge.

Biblical Responsibilities: Govern and Guide the Heart

Proverbs 23:12, 19, 26 command us to apply, govern, and guide our hearts, and to give our hearts to God. We must seek God's blessing on our efforts.

Who did God command to govern your heart? You. You're the one that has to apply your heart into instruction. You're the one that has to apply your ears to the words of knowledge. That's your responsibility.

Now skip down, if you would please, to verse 19. He says, Hear thou my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way. Oh, wait a minute. Now you're not only responsible to govern your heart. Now you're responsible to guide your heart. And you're responsible to guide your heart in God's way.

Now, I want you to look at verses 20 through 22. They are negatives. Here is where you are not to guide your heart. He says in verse 19, Hear thou my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way. Be not among winebibbers, among riotous eaters of flesh. For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty, and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags. In other words, you don't listen to the drunkard and the winebibber. But he does tell you this, he says, you better hearken to thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old. In other words, you listen to your elders. Here it is, here's the positive as well as verse 22. He says, buy the truth and sell it not.

Also wisdom, instruction, and understanding. Now look what he said. You have a responsibility to govern your heart. You have a responsibility to guide your heart. You have a responsibility to guide your heart out of the way of wickedness. You have a responsibility to guide your heart into the way of righteousness and godliness and obedience. Well, let's ask this question. How do I govern my heart? How do I guide my heart? Well, skip down to verse 26. Look what God says. My son, give me thine heart and let thine eyes observe my ways. Isn't that amazing? God said, you've got to realize you have a responsibility to govern. You have a responsibility to guide. But at the same time, you've got to realize your inability. And you come to me and give me your heart and say, Lord, I have a responsibility, but I have an inability. And if my heart is ever governed, if my heart is ever guided, if my heart is ever prepared, you must do it. By the way, when he said in verse 26, my son, give me thine heart.

The word give means to bestow. It means to grant, to devote, to consecrate. Literally what he says, my son, consecrate your heart unto me. Well, let me ask you a question. How can we know whether or not our hearts are consecrated unto God? That's a pretty good question, isn't it? He said, my son, give me or consecrate thy heart unto me. How can I know whether or not my heart is consecrated unto God? Very simply, if my heart is consecrated unto him, I will observe his ways. If I don't observe his ways, what does that mean? My heart's not consecrated unto him. I haven't given him my heart. So I have a responsibility to govern, I have a responsibility to guide, but God is the only one that can give me that ability.

So what do I do? I come to Him and say, Lord, I have a responsibility, but I don't have the ability. Lord, I want to govern my heart, I want to guide my heart, but without Your grace, without Your power, without Your blessing upon my efforts, it's worthless. You must make the means which You ordain effectual. Here's a quick one. I'm going to show you another verse. But you remember that passage in Proverbs 23 in verse 12, I believe it is. Where God said.

The Means and God's Blessing

Using the analogy of breaking up fallow ground (Hosea 10:12), Weaver explains that we must use the means God has ordained (sowing, breaking up ground) but depend on Him to send the rain of grace for effectiveness.

Now here's another passage that first and foremost places emphasis upon our responsibilities. God says that we are to sow to ourselves in righteousness, we are to reap in mercy, we are to break up our fallow ground. Now, those of you who were raised on a farm understand that sowing and reaping are laborious efforts. They're labor-intensive. However, usually breaking up the fallow ground is more laborious. Fallow ground refers to untilled ground. It is ground that is oftentimes full of weeds, unfertilized, and hardened from a lack of work. You can take a harrow and disk and disk and disk hardened ground and very seldom will you break it.

Finally, you have to get a turning plow and you begin to turn and then you can go back and harrow. But the point I'm trying to make is when he says, break up your fallow ground, the fallow ground in this passage are our hearts, our minds, that are usually so overgrown with thorns and thistles and the cares and the burdens of this life and this world, and they're hardened from lack of attention that we've given them, and they must be broken up before we can ever sow and reap. Listen to what I'm about to say. The breaking up of sinful hearts is a singular means to prevent the breaking down of life, family, church and nation. Let me say it another way. Unless our hearts are broken up, we will break down.

Individually, familially, ecclesiastically, and nationally. It is not enough just to break up the fallow ground. Are you listening to me? Look at this verse. Look at Hosea 10 and verse 12. It is not enough just to break up the fallow ground. It is not enough just to get the weeds and the thorns out. It is not enough just to sow the right seed. What else is involved?

We must seek the Lord till He come and reign righteousness upon us. Do you see what he's saying? You can try to break up your fallow ground all day long. You can pull weeds and thorns all day long. You can sow all day long. But guess what? Unless God sends the rain of His grace and the rain of His mercy, all of your efforts are worthless. Have you ever planted a garden and no rain? You know what happens? No harvest.

It's the same thing here. Unless we seek God's blessing to make the means effectual, nothing we do will actually come to pass. It will not prosper and not produce. So God is saying, yes, we have a responsibility to break up our fallow ground. We have a responsibility to sow, but we have a responsibility to seek Him, to make those means effectual. So here's what you have so far in preparing your heart. You have to have a realization that I can't prepare my heart. God must prepare my heart. I have a responsibility. And in light of that responsibility, I'm going to make a determination. My determination is I am going to fulfill my responsibilities and seek God's blessing upon those means and ask God to make those means effectual. Now watch this. I've given you first a realization, secondly a determination, and here's the third point, an actualization. I'm going to explain that. An actualization. An actualization literally means this. You must apply the first two principles. If you do not apply the first two principles, everything is worthless.

Step Three: Actualization

We must actually apply the principles. Using repentance and faith as examples, Weaver shows that God commands what we cannot do, but He gives the gift; we must then act upon it.

Do you realize that one can realize the truth and determine mentally to apply the truth, but never actually getting around to doing it. You remember those little round toots? How many of us said, well, I'm going to do that when I get around to it. And you never, ever get around to it. You have the realization, you may have the determination, but there has been no actualization.

Now, let me put it to you like this. Truth misunderstood or understood and unapplied will never benefit anyone. What's the difference between someone who does not understand the truth and can't obey and someone who understands and won't obey? The second one gets a little greater condemnation, but otherwise they're both in the same boat. So, in order for the truth to become effectual in our life, it must be actually applied and actually practiced and become a part of us.

So, let me try to give you the relationship between realization, determination, and actualization. Okay, here we go. Here's my first question. Does God demand repentance? Well, of course He does. Do you remember the passage in Luke chapter 13 where our Lord said, except you repent, you shall likewise perish? Do you remember how John the Baptist and even our Lord came, the Bible says, preaching repentance? Well, yes, I remember that. Well, I want you to turn in your Bibles to Acts 17 and let me show you what God says here. Acts 17, the Apostle Paul is preaching on Mars Hill, verses 30 and 31. And he makes this statement, Acts 17, verses 30 and 31. He's concluding his sermon. Then he says this. At the times of this ignorance, God winked at, but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent. So is repentance a command? Yes. Here's why it is commanded. Look at verse 31.

Because he, that is God the Father, hath appointed a day in which he, God the Son, will judge the world in righteousness by that man, God the Son, whom he hath ordained, whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. Now just as surely as God the Father raised Jesus Christ from the dead, just as surely there's going to be a judgment. Therefore, He commands all men to repent. Now, we've established one truth so far. We've established a truth that God commands men to repent. OK. Now that you know that God has commanded you to repent, listen to me. Go ahead and repent. Go ahead, do it. Well, if you're commanded to do it, go ahead and do it. What's the truth? You can't repent on your own. How can I say that? Because the Scripture teaches us that repentance is the gift of God. Look in your Bibles. You're there. Look in Acts chapter 5. Acts 5, then we'll go to Acts 11. Look in Acts 5.

Verse 31, talking about Jesus Christ. In fact, we'll read verse 30. Acts 5, verse 30. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. Who is it that gives repentance? It's God. Look in your Bibles, Acts chapter 11. When Peter comes back from the house of Cornelius, gives his report. Look what they say in Acts 11 in verse 18. When they heard these things, they held their peace and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted or given repentance unto life. Notice God had to grant it. God had to give it. Why? It was God's gift. Look in your Bibles to 2 Timothy chapter 2. Very quickly. 2 Timothy chapter 2. And let's begin reading there in verse 24. 2 Timothy 2, verse 24. Here we go. 2 Timothy 2, verse 24. In fact, let's read it together.

And the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient in meekness, instructing those that oppose themselves. Here it is. Watch. If God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth. And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who were taken captive by him at his will.

Now, here's my first question. When do men recover themselves out of the snare of the devil? According to verse 25, it's when they acknowledge the truth. When do they acknowledge the truth? According to verse 25, it's when God gives them repentance.

Now, are you listening to me? I've established two things. Number one, God commands you to repent. Number two, you can't repent on your own, because repentance is God's gift.

Now, what does that mean? That means you have a responsibility to seek Him to give you His gift of repentance. Now watch. Here's the difference. Here's the connection between realization, determination, and actualization. Guess what? If you seek God to give you His gift of repentance, and He gives you His gift of repentance, who is going to repent? You are. God's not going to repent for you. You see what I'm saying? God's not going to turn from sin for you. He gave you His gift. You actually make use of that gift when you turn from your idols, when you turn from your sins, and when you obey Him. You follow me? So there is realization, there is determination, there is actualization. And you don't actually repent until you do it. But God is holding you accountable to do it. And especially, if He gives you His gift, you will use that gift and turn. But the point I'm making is God's not turning for you. That's you actually turning yourself. Now, let me give you another illustration.

I want to try to put it together for you. Look in your Bibles to 1 John 3. I could show you many passages, but here it is, 1 John 3. And look at verse 23. 1 John 3 and verse 23. And this is His commandment. That we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another as He gave us commandment. Now look at that. And this is His commandment. That we should believe on His Son Jesus Christ. Here's my question. Has God commanded us to believe on Jesus Christ? Yes. And all of you have read that verse, you know, where our Lord said, when you pray, believe that you have these things and you shall have them. And how many of you said, well, I believe, oh Lord, I believe, I believe. And you try to force yourself to believe. Well, now God has commanded you to believe, so just go ahead and do it. How many of you can believe on your own? None. You know why?

Because faith is God's gift. Help me out. For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. So how do you work this out? You understand that God commands you to believe. You understand that you're unable to believe. But you have a responsibility to seek God for His gift of faith. And when God gives you that gift, what do you do? You actually believe in Jesus Christ. Or you actually believe His Word. You follow me?

So there has to be realization, determination, and actualization. God is not going to believe for you, just like God is not going to repent for you. He may give you that gift, but you must actually use that gift. The same thing is true with heart preparation. You must realize you have an inability to prepare your heart. You may determine to seek God to fulfill your responsibility, but then you must actually do it and say, Lord, enable me, empower me, bless my efforts, give me your righteousness so that I may actually prepare my heart. Now, let me just tell you something else.

Two Stages of Heart Preparation

There is constant, continuous preparation (daily seeking God) and instant, immediate preparation (emergency response to temptation). Hezekiah's failure shows the need for continual preparation.

I hope you see this connection. But I believe that there are basically two stages of heart preparation. I believe there is a long-term preparation and a short-term preparation, or what I would call an emergency preparation. Let me explain the difference to you. I'm going to call the long-term preparation a constant and continuous preparation. Under this heading, a constant and continuous preparation, one must understand that keeping the heart, or preparing the heart, is a constant and continuous battle. Listen, please.

Just because God has given me the victory today, or just because God has given me the victory this week or this month, does not mean that the fight is over. Let me reemphasize that. Just because God has given you the victory one day, one week, or one month does not mean that the fight is over. What did I say? There has to be a constant and a continual renewing of the mind, a constant and continual repentance, a constant and continual believing, a constant and continual meditation upon His Word, a constant and continual prayer life, a constant and continual trusting in His Word. In other words, it's something that has to go on constantly and consistently. We have to learn to live this principle of heart preparation on a daily basis. How many of you don't answer out loud, but how many of you ask God to prepare your heart for this day? How many of you ask Him to prepare your heart yesterday? How many of you ask to fulfill your responsibilities in keeping your heart for this week?

You see what I'm saying? Unhappily, most people who live halfway decent lives just stumble into it. They don't understand the principles. Let me give you a good illustration of what I'm talking about, a constant and continuous heart preparation. You can find that in the life of Hezekiah. If you would look in your Bibles to 2 Chronicles chapter 31, you will find out in 2 Chronicles 30 and 31 there was a great revival that took place under Hezekiah. And the scripture tells us that Hezekiah was a good and a godly king. In fact, the scripture affirms that everything that Hezekiah did for the Lord, he did with all of his heart and prospered. Look in 2 Chronicles chapter 31 and let's begin reading there in verse 20. 2 Chronicles 31 and verse 20. The Bible says, And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the Lord his God. Now look, and in every work that he began in the service of the house of God and in the law and in the commandments to seek his God, he

did it with all his heart and prospered. So here Hezekiah has wrought a great revival in seeking God's law and seeking God's commandment and seeking God. And the Bible said he did it with all his heart. In other words, his heart was prepared. He actually prospered and did what God would have him to do. But when you get to chapter 32, look in verse 25 and 26. But Hezekiah, after his healing, but Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him. For his heart was lifted up, therefore there was wrath upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem. Notwithstanding, Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah. Now, it did come, but what did Hezekiah do? He lifted up his heart in pride and arrogance. What happened in chapter 31 was wonderful, but in chapter 32, he's now sinned. Why?

There was no constant and continual preparation. You know what the Bible says in Ecclesiastes 8 and verse 8? There's no discharge in this war. There's not, folks. I want to tell you what, the victory that God gives me one minute is not carried over for the next five minutes. I may have to fight the same battle again in my mind. I may have to continually fight to keep my thoughts pure and my mind on Scripture.

And if I have to, I have to. Now the second type of preparation is what I'm going to call instant and immediate. It is short term. Now watch this. If you are constantly and continually preparing your heart, you're not going to have any problem with this instant and immediate. Let me explain it like this. All of us are confronted by sin. We're confronted by the flesh, we're confronted by the world. We're all tempted.

There's no doubt about that. Now, the one thing that we've got to realize is this. Listen carefully. Although we're confronted by the flesh, the world, sin, we've got to remember this one truth. There is no such thing as a sudden sin. I don't just happen to jump up and run off with Janet. It doesn't work like that. If I ran off with Janet, what does that mean? I've thought about it. She's thought about it. We've schemed.

You see what I'm saying? It doesn't just happen. I don't just reach out and steal $100 from Roy. I think about it before I do it. There's no such thing as a sudden sin. All I'm trying to say is this. When we're confronted with sin on a constant daily basis, what we have to do instantly and immediately is say, Lord, wait a minute. Thou has said thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou has said Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife. Lord, I'm not going to think those thoughts. I'm not going to have those thoughts in my mind. I purposely and deliberately turn my mind away from that, and I place my mind upon Your Word.

Instant Preparation and Victory Over Sin

In temptation, we must instantly turn our minds to God's Word, choose not to sin, and rely on Christ's lordship. Isaiah 26:3 promises peace to those whose minds are stayed on God.

I know, I know sin promises me joy and happiness and pleasure, but all it ever delivers is death and destruction and misery. And Lord, I don't want that. I refuse that, and I'm renewing my mind, and I'm purposefully and deliberately saying, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not covet, Thou shalt not bear false witness. And in other words, in this instant and immediate preparation, I take my eyes away from the sin, away from the temptation, away from the world, away from the flesh, and I place them upon Christ and His Word. And according to His truth, I choose not to sin. You see, Romans chapter 6 tells me that I'm no longer under the lordship of sin. I'm under the lordship of Jesus Christ. Sin may tempt me. Are you listening? Sin may tempt me as a Christian, but it cannot command me. Why? I have a new Lord. Jesus Christ. We have been delivered from the lordship and from the dominion of sin. And so I deliberately and purposefully then place my mind upon Jesus Christ.

And what does the Bible tell me in Isaiah 26 and verse 3? Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed upon thee. So we have to take a constant and continuous preparation. And understand there may be times when there must be an instant, an immediate, or an emergency time that we must say, Lord, I want my thought life pure. I want my thoughts prepared. Lord, I want to think scripturally. I want every thought to be brought into captivity to Jesus Christ.

Conclusion: God Seeks Perfect Hearts

Jotham became mighty by preparing his ways (2 Chronicles 27:6). God's eyes run to and fro to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are perfect toward Him (2 Chronicles 16:9).

Well, look what the Bible says. In 2 Chronicles 27, in verse 6, and we're talking about Jotham. And here's an amazing verse. So Jotham became mighty. Why? Because he prepared his ways before the Lord. Basically, he prepared his heart. You can't prepare your way without preparing your mind. Jotham deliberately set out to make sure that whatever he did was biblical and right. He thought about what was biblical and right. He became mighty because he prepared his ways before the Lord.

Now, the truth of the matter is this, folks. We have to continually and constantly prepare our hearts. And in certain emergency situations, we must instantly and immediately reaffirm that preparation and say, no, I'm not going to sin against God. I'm not going to violate His word. I will stand true and faithful to Him. And we must seek His help and His strength and His power to do so.

But we've been praying for our nation, for our churches, for our people. And if you remember that series I did on principles of deliverance, I showed you that God did not need multitudes. But I want to show you from Scripture what God is really looking for. If you will look in your Bibles to 2 Chronicles 16 and verse 9, 2 Chronicles 16 and verse 9. And here is where I want to be found and here's where I want you to be found. 2 Chronicles 16 verse 9. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show himself strong in behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Now stop right there. The rest of the verse is rebuke against the king who's done wickedly. But here's the truth that he announced. The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong on behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him. You keep your heart. And you keep your thoughts and your mind and your understanding prepared. And you keep them scriptural and biblical. And guess what? God is going to show Himself strong through you in ways that you've never imagined.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Human Inability and Divine Enablement

Summary: Believers are responsible to prepare their hearts but utterly unable to do so without God's work. Heart preparation is from the Lord.

Evidence: Proverbs 16:1: 'The preparation of the heart in man... is from the Lord.' John 15:5: 'Without me ye can do nothing.'

The Deceitfulness of the Heart

Summary: The human heart is deceitful and desperately wicked; only God can know and search it. We cannot trust our own hearts.

Evidence: Jeremiah 17:9-10: 'The heart is deceitful above all things... I the Lord search the heart.' Psalm 139:23-24: David asks God to search him.

Sovereignty and Responsibility

Summary: God's sovereignty and human responsibility must be held together. We must use the means God has ordained while depending on His blessing.

Evidence: Philippians 2:13: 'It is God which worketh in you both to will and to do.' Hosea 10:12: 'Break up your fallow ground... seek the Lord.'

Actual Application of Truth

Summary: Truth must be actualized, not just realized or determined. God gives gifts like repentance and faith, but we must actively use them.

Evidence: Acts 17:30: God commands repentance; Acts 5:31: God gives repentance. Ephesians 2:8: Faith is a gift.

Constant and Emergency Preparation

Summary: Heart preparation involves both a daily, continuous battle and instant responses to temptation. Victory one day does not carry over.

Evidence: Hezekiah's failure after revival (2 Chronicles 31-32). Ecclesiastes 8:8: 'There is no discharge in that war.'

God's Search for Perfect Hearts

Summary: God actively seeks those whose hearts are perfect toward Him to show His strength through them. Heart preparation leads to divine usefulness.

Evidence: 2 Chronicles 16:9: 'The eyes of the Lord run to and fro... to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.'

Key Arguments

Heart preparation is a divine work, not a human achievement.

Summary: Proverbs 16:1 explicitly states that the preparation of the heart is from the Lord. Without Christ, we can do nothing (John 15:5).

Evidence: Proverbs 16:1; John 15:5; John Gill's commentary on the ordering of thoughts requiring divine concurrence.

We cannot know or trust our own hearts.

Summary: Jeremiah 17:9 declares the heart deceitful and wicked; only God searches it. David prayed for God to search him (Psalm 139).

Evidence: Jeremiah 17:9-10; Psalm 139:23-24.

God ordains both the end and the means; we must use the means in dependence on Him.

Summary: We are commanded to govern and guide our hearts (Proverbs 23:12, 19) and to break up fallow ground (Hosea 10:12), but we must seek God to make the means effectual.

Evidence: Proverbs 23:12, 19, 26; Hosea 10:12; the analogy of beating a child with a rod requiring God's blessing.

Repentance and faith are commanded yet are gifts from God.

Summary: God commands all men to repent (Acts 17:30) but gives repentance (Acts 5:31; 11:18). Faith is also a gift (Ephesians 2:8). We must seek the gift and then act.

Evidence: Acts 17:30; Acts 5:31; Acts 11:18; 2 Timothy 2:25; Ephesians 2:8.

Heart preparation must be constant and continuous.

Summary: Hezekiah's pride after revival (2 Chronicles 32:25-26) shows that past victory does not guarantee future faithfulness. There is no discharge in this war (Ecclesiastes 8:8).

Evidence: 2 Chronicles 31:20-21; 32:25-26; Ecclesiastes 8:8.

Instant preparation involves turning from temptation to God's Word.

Summary: When tempted, we must instantly reject sin, renew our minds with Scripture, and choose obedience under Christ's lordship (Romans 6; Isaiah 26:3).

Evidence: Romans 6 (lordship of Christ); Isaiah 26:3; personal examples of rejecting adultery and theft.

Scripture References

2 Chronicles 12:1-2, 14

Context: Rehoboam forsook the law and did evil because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord.

Proverbs 16:1

Context: The preparation of the heart in man is from the Lord.

John 15:5

Context: Without Christ we can do nothing, including preparing our hearts.

Jeremiah 17:9-10

Context: The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked; only God knows and searches it.

Psalm 139:23-24

Context: David prays for God to search his heart and thoughts.

Philippians 2:13

Context: God works in believers both to will and to do His good pleasure.

Proverbs 23:12, 19, 26

Context: Commands to apply, guide, and give the heart to God.

Hosea 10:12

Context: Break up fallow ground and seek the Lord until He rains righteousness.

Acts 17:30-31

Context: God commands all men everywhere to repent.

Acts 5:31

Context: God exalted Christ to give repentance to Israel.

Acts 11:18

Context: God granted repentance unto life to the Gentiles.

2 Timothy 2:24-26

Context: God may give repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.

1 John 3:23

Context: God commands us to believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 2:8

Context: Faith is the gift of God, not of works.

2 Chronicles 31:20-21

Context: Hezekiah did what was good with all his heart and prospered.

2 Chronicles 32:25-26

Context: Hezekiah's heart was lifted up in pride, but he humbled himself.

Ecclesiastes 8:8

Context: There is no discharge in this war, implying constant spiritual battle.

Isaiah 26:3

Context: God keeps in perfect peace those whose minds are stayed on Him.

2 Chronicles 27:6

Context: Jotham became mighty because he prepared his ways before the Lord.

2 Chronicles 16:9

Context: The eyes of the Lord run to and fro to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is perfect toward Him.

Historical References

Rehoboam, son of Solomon, grandson of David

Context: Used as the primary example of one who did evil because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord.

John Gill, Baptist scholar

Context: Quoted commenting on Proverbs 16:1, explaining that the ordering of thoughts requires divine concurrence.

Hezekiah, king of Judah

Context: Example of one who prospered when his heart was prepared but later fell into pride, showing the need for continual preparation.

Jotham, king of Judah

Context: Became mighty because he prepared his ways before the Lord.

Important Quotes

The preparation of the heart in man and the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.

Significance: Key verse establishing that heart preparation originates from God, not human effort.

The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Who can know it?

Significance: Highlights the unreliability of the human heart and the need for divine searching.

For it is God who worketh in you both to will and to do His good pleasure.

Significance: Shows that both the desire and the ability to obey come from God.

My son, give me thine heart and let thine eyes observe my ways.

Significance: God's call to consecrate the heart, evidenced by observing His ways.

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 reign righteousness upon you.

Significance: Illustrates the balance of human responsibility and dependence on God's blessing.

The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show himself strong in behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.

Significance: God actively seeks those with prepared hearts to demonstrate His power through them.

Discussion Questions

Why is it important to realize that we cannot prepare our own hearts? How does this affect our prayer life?

Context: Based on the first point of realization from Proverbs 16:1 and John 15:5.

How does the deceitfulness of the heart (Jeremiah 17:9) impact our ability to trust our own motives and decisions?

Context: Discussion of the heart's wickedness and David's prayer in Psalm 139.

In what ways do we tend to separate God's sovereignty from human responsibility? How can we hold them together practically?

Context: The tension between God's work and our effort, illustrated by Hosea 10:12.

What does it mean to 'actualize' truth in your life? Can you share an example of a time you realized a truth but struggled to apply it?

Context: The third step of actualization, using repentance and faith as examples.

How can we cultivate a constant and continuous heart preparation? What daily practices help?

Context: The need for ongoing preparation, contrasted with Hezekiah's failure.

When facing sudden temptation, what specific steps can you take to instantly prepare your heart and turn to God's Word?

Context: The concept of instant and immediate preparation, using Romans 6 and Isaiah 26:3.

According to 2 Chronicles 16:9, what does it mean to have a heart 'perfect' toward God? How can we pursue that?

Context: The concluding call to be those whose hearts are perfect before the Lord.

Applications

Pray for God to prepare your heart daily.

Summary: Since heart preparation is from the Lord, we must ask Him to prepare our hearts each day, acknowledging our inability.

Evidence: Proverbs 16:1; John 15:5; the call to seek the Lord in Hosea 10:12.

Do not trust your own heart; ask God to search it.

Summary: Regularly pray Psalm 139:23-24, asking God to reveal hidden sins and wicked ways.

Evidence: Jeremiah 17:9-10; Psalm 139:23-24.

Fulfill your responsibilities in dependence on God.

Summary: Actively govern and guide your heart by applying Scripture, but seek God's blessing to make your efforts effectual.

Evidence: Proverbs 23:12, 19, 26; Hosea 10:12; Philippians 2:13.

Act on the gifts God gives.

Summary: When God grants repentance or faith, actually turn from sin and believe; do not wait for a feeling.

Evidence: Acts 17:30; Acts 5:31; Ephesians 2:8.

Maintain constant vigilance in heart preparation.

Summary: Do not rely on past victories; daily renew your mind and seek God's help to keep your heart prepared.

Evidence: 2 Chronicles 32:25-26; Ecclesiastes 8:8.

Instantly reject temptation by turning to Scripture.

Summary: When tempted, immediately recall God's commands, choose obedience, and fix your mind on Christ.

Evidence: Romans 6; Isaiah 26:3; personal examples of rejecting sin.

Strive to have a heart perfect toward God.

Summary: Seek to align your thoughts and ways with Scripture so that God may show Himself strong through you.

Evidence: 2 Chronicles 16:9; 2 Chronicles 27:6.

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T19:53:58Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T12:37:49Z

Clean Transcript

Heart Preparation - 2 of 7

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

All right, well, let's open our Bibles today to 2 Chronicles chapter 12. 2 Chronicles chapter 12. And we're going to continue with this series that I started on heart preparation.
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Now, last week was number one. I will take just a few moments to review, and then we'll pick up from there. And Lord willing, we'll have at least three more weeks on this subject. But if you look in 2 Chronicles chapter 12, and let's read verse 1 and 2 especially. And it came to pass when Rehoboam had established the kingdom and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the Lord and all Israel with him. And it came to pass that in the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem because they had transgressed against the Lord. Then if you'll skip down to verse 14, we're still reading about King Rehoboam.
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And the Bible says, and he did evil because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord. Now note that verse, he did evil. Why? Because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord. I hope that you'll remember last week I brought the message on the importance of heart preparation. And I showed how undoubtedly Rehoboam had a lot of advantages since David was his grandfather, Solomon was his father. And yet he sinned against the Lord. And the reason he sinned against the Lord was because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord. And I showed you that it's normal and natural to sin.
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No one has to teach us how to do what's wrong. We do that by nature. But if we're ever going to do what's right, then our hearts must be prepared. And then I went through the scripture and I showed you the word prepared, how it is used. And it did indeed teach and speak of a constancy and a consistency and the fact that it involved a great deal of work and skill. And then I took the word heart and I went through the Bible and I showed you from the Bible that the heart is the mind. It is the understanding. And also the word conscience is the same because the Greek word is suneidēsis.
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Sunē is a preposition which means with. Eidēsis to know. So your conscience is that which you know with. Even the English word con is the preposition with, science to know. And so your conscience, basically, and your heart and your mind are all one and the same. And I pointed out the fact that 99 times out of 100, when the word heart was used in the Bible, it referred to the mind, the understanding. Only occasionally does it refer to the affections, but usually it refers to the mind. So we're coming back today and dealing with the second subject on how do I prepare my heart. So since the Bible teaches the importance of heart preparation, it automatically, or at least the question should automatically arise in your minds, how do I prepare my heart?
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I do not believe that any real genuine Christian wants to turn out like Rehoboam, a disappointment to God, a disappointment to his grandfather, a disappointment to his father. I suppose that every family has a black sheep in it, and each family is always embarrassed and humiliated and ashamed over the actions and the lifestyle of the black sheep. And I can assure you that King David, a man after God's own heart, would be ashamed of his grandson. Solomon, with his wisdom, certainly would be ashamed of his son. And let me just point out the fact, even humanly speaking, just as a man, I do not want to do anything that's going to embarrass and humiliate my family. And when you do something like that, it just shows you have absolutely no regard for honor, integrity, or family. But likewise, I do not want to bring reproach upon my heavenly father or my heavenly family either. And certainly it would be a reproach to do so. If you and I want to please our Heavenly Father, we have to understand one simple truth, and that is that our hearts must be prepared to obey and honor Him.
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If they're not prepared, then we're going to sin. We're going to disobey Him. We're going to dishonor Him. So very obviously, heart preparation is not only important, it is imperative. If you and I are not going to bring reproach upon the Father, if we're not going to bring reproach upon the church and the ministry, we must have our hearts prepared. You know, the sad thing is most Christians never think of heart preparation.
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The average Christian just goes along life's way without a concern or literally without a thought of living a holy, godly life, a life that's well-pleasing and honorable to the Heavenly Father. It seems as if those who live halfway decent lives and halfway godly lives do so without ever realizing where they are or how they got there. I mean, it's just something that seemingly happened. They've never, ever really given it a thought.
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Now, if keeping the heart is important, if it is commanded in Scripture, and it is, then the question automatically has to arise, how then do I prepare my heart? How do I go about doing it? Well, let me just point out this simple truth. No one will ever prepare his heart until he realizes the importance and necessity of heart preparation. So if you don't understand this first simple principle, if your heart is not prepared, you will do evil, then you'll never prepare your heart. So let's try today to answer this question. How do I prepare a heart?
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Now I'm going to give you three simple steps. Okay? Three simple steps. Number one is realization. Realization. There is something that you must absolutely realize first and foremost, it is paramount. What is it? You must realize that you do not have the ability to prepare your heart. Isn't that amazing? We have the responsibility to prepare our hearts, but we do not have the ability to do so. Heart preparation is primarily a work of God. However, it is our responsibility to seek Him and to use the means that He has ordained in order to prepare our heart.
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Now, I want you to hold 2 Chronicles chapter 12, but I want you to look in your Bibles to Proverbs chapter 16 and verse 1. Here is the realization that must sink deeply into your minds. Proverbs 16, verse 1, and I'm only going to be dealing with really half of this verse today, but look at it. Proverbs 16, verse 1, the Scripture says the preparation of the heart in man and the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. Look at that. The preparation of the heart in man is from the Lord, if you leave out the second part. Does heart preparation come from? And the answer is, from the Lord.
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Men can neither think nor speak wisely well by themselves without divine assistance. The preparations of the heart in man are from the Lord. Let me give you just a paragraph and then I'm going to explain it. It was written by John Gill, the old Baptist scholar, and he was commenting on this verse. Listen to what he said. And he's talking about the entire verse. Proverbs 16, verse 1, and I'm quoting, he says, the sense of these words, according to our version, depends upon the next clause, and the meaning of the whole is, that a man can neither think nor speak without God, the orderings or marshallings of the heart, as it may be rendered, that is, the
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thoughts of the heart, which are generally irregular and confused, the ranging of them in order as well as an army in battle, or things regularly placed on a table, that is, a furnished table, the fixing of them on any particular subject, though about things civil and natural, so as closely to attend them and proceed in a regular manner in the consideration of them, are not without the concurrence of divine providence.
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Now, let me just stop right there. What he's saying is we cannot even marshal our thoughts, we cannot array our thoughts as an army, we cannot furnish our thoughts as a table is well furnished without or apart from the concurrence of divine providence.
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Now, concurrence means it happens at the same time. So, in other words, God must be involved in arranging our thoughts. Let me go on. And he says, and whereas the thoughts of men's hearts are evil and evil continually, and nothing but evil thoughts naturally proceed from this, the ordering and the marshalling of them and the fixing them to the attention and consideration of divine and spiritual things are not without the supernatural grace of God.
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Let me just stop there. Once again, he says, man by nature cannot think anything but evil and wickedness. And so he says, if we think good thoughts, if we have thoughts concerning spiritual truths, it's because of God's divine, supernatural grace. He says, for we cannot think a good thought of ourselves, nor anything indeed of ourselves, in a spiritual manner. And he gives 2 Corinthians 3 and verse 5. Then he says, all preparations for religious service and duty, whether it be to pray unto God, or to preach in His name, are from the Lord. It is he that works in men both to will and to do, that gives them the willing mind, or the suitable frame for service, as well as ability to perform it, that pours out the spirit of grace and supplication on them, and disposes and directs their minds to proper petitions, and furnishes his ministering servants in their studies with agreeable matter for their ministrations. So all he is saying is this, that we cannot really order or marshal our thoughts apart from God's divine providence.
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And we cannot have good thoughts, spiritual thoughts, godly thoughts, apart from God's supernatural grace. Now let me just give this to you in one sentence. I actually could sum up this point with one sentence. I'm going to give you more. But do you remember what our Lord said in John 15 in verse 5? Help me out now. He said, without me you can do how much? Nothing. Does that mean think? Does that mean consider? Does that mean meditate? Does that mean plan? Without Him, we can do absolutely nothing.
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Is the preparing of our hearts something? Yes. Which means without Him, we cannot do it.
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Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Jeremiah chapter 17. Let me show you why we cannot do it. Not only is it because of our inability, it is that, but there's even more involved. Notice if you would, Jeremiah chapter 17. Here is why we must be wholly, totally and completely dependent upon God and His grace and mercy. In Jeremiah chapter 17 in verse 9, look what the Word of God says.
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The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Who can know it? The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, who can know it.
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Now let me ask you a few questions. How in the world can I prepare my heart if I don't even know my heart? How in the world can I prepare my heart if my heart is capable of deceiving me? How in the world can I plan and prepare my mind if I cannot even control or marshal my thoughts? How can I prepare something when in my preparation, I'm literally being deceived. I've heard men say, and women as well, well if I know my heart, and the truth is, you do not know your hearts. You don't know your minds. You don't know the depth of the depravity. You don't know what you're capable of thinking, or not thinking, or capable of doing. Now I want you to look in verse 9, here's why the preparation of our hearts must be from the Lord. Verse 9, the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Who can know it? Look at verse 10. I, the Lord, search the heart.
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I try the reins, even to give to every man according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings. Who alone knows our minds, our understanding, our thoughts? None but God himself. I suppose if you were to search for godly men in the Old Testament, David certainly would rank among the top three or four, certainly in the top ten. I mean, even if you named Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But I want you to look in Psalm 139 at what David, who is in Scripture classified as a man after God's own heart, I want you to see what he prayed. Look in Psalm 139, beginning there in verse 23. Psalm 139, verse 23, David prayed to God, search me, O God, and know my heart. Now look, try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting. What is David confessing? He is confessing that he doesn't know his heart. He doesn't know what's in his mind. He doesn't know what's in his understanding.
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And he said, Lord, I want you to search me. I want you to know my thoughts. I want you to see if there be any wicked way in me. And then, Lord, I want you to give me repentance, basically, and I want you to lead me in the way everlasting, that is, in the right way. Did you know the Bible in Psalm 9 and verse 7 specifically proclaims that God trieth the hearts and the reins? So only God then can know our hearts totally, completely, and perfectly. Now, when you look at Proverbs 16 and verse 1, when the Bible says the preparations of the heart in man are from the Lord, we must realize that God must prepare our hearts.
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Let me explain it like this. If our hearts are ever prepared to pray, God prepared. If our hearts are ever prepared to repent, God prepared them. If our hearts are ever prepared to come to Christ, God prepared them. If our hearts are ever prepared to worship, God prepared them. If our hearts are ever prepared to study, God prepared them. If our hearts are ever prepared to suffer for Christ's sake, God prepared them. Why?
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The preparations of the heart in man are from the Lord. Let me show you a verse. Look in your Bibles to the book of Philippians chapter 2 and verse 13. Here is a verse that you need to memorize. Here's one that you can underline. I love this passage. Look in Philippians chapter 2 and notice if you would it's verse 13 it is. Philippians 2 verse 13. Watch it.
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For it is God who worketh in you both to will and to do His good pleasure. Now look at that. It is God who worketh in you what? Both to will and to do His good pleasure. So if God ever puts the to will in you, He's going to put the to do in you. But whenever you do, it's because God put the to will in you. It's God who is the source and the author of both the will and the doing.
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So there first must be a realization. Has the realization sunk deeply into your soul that you cannot prepare your heart? Yet God requires your heart to be prepared. The preparations of the heart in man are from the Lord. That's why I said first there must be a realization. Okay? Secondly, number two, there must be a determination, a realization and a determination. The determination is simply this. Once you realize that God must prepare your heart, you are going to determine to fulfill your responsibility in complete dependence upon the Lord.
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Let me say this another way. Your efforts will accomplish nothing unless they're blessed by the Lord. I'm going to explain this, and I want you to listen carefully. One of our problems in Christianity is that we divide or separate that which God has united and joined together. What do I mean by that? Well, simply stated, we either, on the one hand, separate God's absolute sovereignty, which is taught very clearly in Scripture, and rest everything upon Him, or we deny that and go over to man's responsibility and rest everything upon Him. Now, is God sovereign? Yes. Is man responsible? Yes. When you take the attitude, well, God is sovereign, the preparation of the heart in man is from the Lord. There's nothing I can do about it. My heart's either going to be prepared or it's not going to be prepared. So I might as well just forget it. When you take that attitude, what you're doing is denying your responsibility. You're saying I'm not answerable. I'm not accountable to God.
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I don't have to obey him. I don't have any responsibilities to fulfill. It's all up to him. And so you are saying, there it is. It's all God's sovereignty. Either does it or doesn't get done.
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On the other hand, there are some people who will work and effort and put forth all kinds of effort and fulfill their duties. They'll dot every I. They'll cross every T. But what are they trusting in? They're trusting in what they're doing and their works and their efforts to make sure they're right. They're totally ignoring God.
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God is sovereign and man is responsible. And when you trust in your own efforts, what you're doing is denying your inability and trusting in yourself and not God. Now, here's what God has done. God has not only ordained the end. He's also ordained the means to the end. And we must not put asunder that which God has joined together. He demands that our hearts be prepared. He alone has the ability to prepare our hearts, but we must seek Him as we fulfill our responsibility for His blessing upon those efforts that our hearts might be prepared. Those two things must go together. Whenever you say, I'm going to do it, it's never going to get done. And whenever you say, well, I will just trust God to do it. I'm not going to fulfill any of my responsibilities.
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If He does it, fine. If He doesn't, fine. It's never going to get done. I'm going to explain that just a little bit for you in a few minutes. But the two must go together. Let me show you. Look in your Bibles to the book of Proverbs, chapter 23. Proverbs 23. You see, God has given us responsibility. Although He has all of the ability, we have the responsibility. Look in Proverbs 23 and verse 12. And this will apply not just to my grandchildren, but to all children and all adults as well. So grandchildren, listen up. Proverbs 23 and verse 12. Look what God says. Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge. Now, look at the word apply. Now, the word apply has the force of govern, or to cause to enter into, or to cause to go into. What is God telling you? He's telling you that you have the responsibility to govern your heart and you cause that heart to go into instruction and your ears to the words of knowledge.
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Who did God command to govern your heart? You. You're the one that has to apply your heart into instruction. You're the one that has to apply your ears to the words of knowledge. That's your responsibility.
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Now skip down, if you would please, to verse 19. He says, Hear thou my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way. Oh, wait a minute.
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Now you're not only responsible to govern your heart. Now you're responsible to guide your heart. And you're responsible to guide your heart in God's way.
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Now, I want you to look at verses 20 through 22. They are negatives. Here is where you are not to guide your heart. He says in verse 19, Hear thou my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way. Be not among winebibbers, among riotous eaters of flesh. For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty, and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags. In other words, you don't listen to the drunkard and the winebibber. But he does tell you this, he says, you better hearken to thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old. In other words, you listen to your elders. Here it is, here's the positive as well as verse 22. He says, buy the truth and sell it not.
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Also wisdom, instruction, and understanding. Now look what he said. You have a responsibility to govern your heart. You have a responsibility to guide your heart. You have a responsibility to guide your heart out of the way of wickedness. You have a responsibility to guide your heart into the way of righteousness and godliness and obedience. Well, let's ask this question. How do I govern my heart? How do I guide my heart? Well, skip down to verse 26. Look what God says. My son, give me thine heart and let thine eyes observe my ways. Isn't that amazing? God said, you've got to realize you have a responsibility to govern. You have a responsibility to guide. But at the same time, you've got to realize your inability. And you come to me and give me your heart and say, Lord, I have a responsibility, but I have an inability. And if my heart is ever governed, if my heart is ever guided, if my heart is ever prepared, you must do it. By the way, when he said in verse 26, my son, give me thine heart.
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The word give means to bestow. It means to grant, to devote, to consecrate. Literally what he says, my son, consecrate your heart unto me. Well, let me ask you a question. How can we know whether or not our hearts are consecrated unto God? That's a pretty good question, isn't it? He said, my son, give me or consecrate thy heart unto me. How can I know whether or not my heart is consecrated unto God? Very simply, if my heart is consecrated unto him, I will observe his ways. If I don't observe his ways, what does that mean? My heart's not consecrated unto him. I haven't given him my heart. So I have a responsibility to govern, I have a responsibility to guide, but God is the only one that can give me that ability.
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So what do I do? I come to Him and say, Lord, I have a responsibility, but I don't have the ability. Lord, I want to govern my heart, I want to guide my heart, but without Your grace, without Your power, without Your blessing upon my efforts, it's worthless. You must make the means which You ordain effectual. Here's a quick one. I'm going to show you another verse. But you remember that passage in Proverbs 23 in verse 12, I believe it is. Where God said.
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Beat thy child with a rod. If thou beatest him with a rod, he shall not die. But thou shalt deliver his soul from hell. You remember that passage? That's right, dog, look at him. But here's my question. Does that mean every child that's been beaten with a rod is going to heaven? No. If it meant that, the best thing we could do is break us off some limbs and start walking up and down the streets and just beating the living daylights out of every one we found out. That's all, you know, because beat thy child with a rod and thou shalt deliver his soul from hell. What does it mean? It means as you use the means that God has ordained for discipline and correction with the blessing of God upon that discipline and correction, the child will learn right from wrong and ultimately be converted and trust in Christ. So you see there is the use of the means, but there must be the blessing of God upon those means.
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Let me show you again. Look in your Bibles to the book of Hosea. The book of Hosea chapter 10 and verse 12. Daniel, Hosea. Hosea 10 and verse 12. It's wonderful as you look in Scripture to see how God has brought these two things together. Hosea 10 and verse 12. God says, 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 reign righteousness upon you. Now notice what he says, 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 reign righteousness upon you.
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Now here's another passage that first and foremost places emphasis upon our responsibilities. God says that we are to sow to ourselves in righteousness, we are to reap in mercy, we are to break up our fallow ground.
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Now, those of you who were raised on a farm understand that sowing and reaping are laborious efforts. They're labor-intensive. However, usually breaking up the fallow ground is more laborious. Fallow ground refers to untilled ground. It is ground that is oftentimes full of weeds, unfertilized, and hardened from a lack of work. You can take a harrow and disk and disk and disk hardened ground and very seldom will you break it.
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Finally, you have to get a turning plow and you begin to turn and then you can go back and harrow. But the point I'm trying to make is when he says, break up your fallow ground, the fallow ground in this passage are our hearts, our minds, that are usually so overgrown with thorns and thistles and the cares and the burdens of this life and this world, and they're hardened from lack of attention that we've given them, and they must be broken up before we can ever sow and reap. Listen to what I'm about to say. The breaking up of sinful hearts is a singular means to prevent the breaking down of life, family, church and nation. Let me say it another way. Unless our hearts are broken up, we will break down.
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Individually, familially, ecclesiastically, and nationally. It is not enough just to break up the fallow ground. Are you listening to me? Look at this verse. Look at Hosea 10 and verse 12. It is not enough just to break up the fallow ground. It is not enough just to get the weeds and the thorns out. It is not enough just to sow the right seed. What else is involved?
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We must seek the Lord till He come and reign righteousness upon us. Do you see what he's saying? You can try to break up your fallow ground all day long. You can pull weeds and thorns all day long. You can sow all day long. But guess what? Unless God sends the rain of His grace and the rain of His mercy, all of your efforts are worthless. Have you ever planted a garden and no rain? You know what happens? No harvest.
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It's the same thing here. Unless we seek God's blessing to make the means effectual, nothing we do will actually come to pass. It will not prosper and not produce. So God is saying, yes, we have a responsibility to break up our fallow ground. We have a responsibility to sow, but we have a responsibility to seek Him, to make those means effectual. So here's what you have so far in preparing your heart. You have to have a realization that I can't prepare my heart. God must prepare my heart. I have a responsibility. And in light of that responsibility, I'm going to make a determination. My determination is I am going to fulfill my responsibilities and seek God's blessing upon those means and ask God to make those means effectual. Now watch this. I've given you first a realization, secondly a determination, and here's the third point, an actualization. I'm going to explain that. An actualization. An actualization literally means this. You must apply the first two principles. If you do not apply the first two principles, everything is worthless.
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Do you realize that one can realize the truth and determine mentally to apply the truth, but never actually getting around to doing it. You remember those little round toots? How many of us said, well, I'm going to do that when I get around to it. And you never, ever get around to it. You have the realization, you may have the determination, but there has been no actualization.
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Now, let me put it to you like this. Truth misunderstood or understood and unapplied will never benefit anyone. What's the difference between someone who does not understand the truth and can't obey and someone who understands and won't obey? The second one gets a little greater condemnation, but otherwise they're both in the same boat. So, in order for the truth to become effectual in our life, it must be actually applied and actually practiced and become a part of us.
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So, let me try to give you the relationship between realization, determination, and actualization. Okay, here we go. Here's my first question. Does God demand repentance? Well, of course He does. Do you remember the passage in Luke chapter 13 where our Lord said, except you repent, you shall likewise perish? Do you remember how John the Baptist and even our Lord came, the Bible says, preaching repentance? Well, yes, I remember that. Well, I want you to turn in your Bibles to Acts 17 and let me show you what God says here. Acts 17, the Apostle Paul is preaching on Mars Hill, verses 30 and 31. And he makes this statement, Acts 17, verses 30 and 31. He's concluding his sermon. Then he says this. At the times of this ignorance, God winked at, but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent. So is repentance a command? Yes. Here's why it is commanded. Look at verse 31.
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Because he, that is God the Father, hath appointed a day in which he, God the Son, will judge the world in righteousness by that man, God the Son, whom he hath ordained, whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. Now just as surely as God the Father raised Jesus Christ from the dead, just as surely there's going to be a judgment. Therefore, He commands all men to repent.
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Now, we've established one truth so far. We've established a truth that God commands men to repent. OK. Now that you know that God has commanded you to repent, listen to me. Go ahead and repent. Go ahead, do it. Well, if you're commanded to do it, go ahead and do it. What's the truth? You can't repent on your own. How can I say that? Because the Scripture teaches us that repentance is the gift of God. Look in your Bibles. You're there. Look in Acts chapter 5. Acts 5, then we'll go to Acts 11. Look in Acts 5.
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Verse 31, talking about Jesus Christ. In fact, we'll read verse 30. Acts 5, verse 30. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. Who is it that gives repentance? It's God. Look in your Bibles, Acts chapter 11. When Peter comes back from the house of Cornelius, gives his report. Look what they say in Acts 11 in verse 18. When they heard these things, they held their peace and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted or given repentance unto life. Notice God had to grant it. God had to give it. Why? It was God's gift. Look in your Bibles to 2 Timothy chapter 2. Very quickly. 2 Timothy chapter 2. And let's begin reading there in verse 24. 2 Timothy 2, verse 24. Here we go. 2 Timothy 2, verse 24. In fact, let's read it together.
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And the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient in meekness, instructing those that oppose themselves. Here it is. Watch. If God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth. And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who were taken captive by him at his will.
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Now, here's my first question. When do men recover themselves out of the snare of the devil? According to verse 25, it's when they acknowledge the truth. When do they acknowledge the truth? According to verse 25, it's when God gives them repentance.
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Now, are you listening to me? I've established two things. Number one, God commands you to repent. Number two, you can't repent on your own, because repentance is God's gift.
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Now, what does that mean? That means you have a responsibility to seek Him to give you His gift of repentance. Now watch. Here's the difference. Here's the connection between realization, determination, and actualization. Guess what? If you seek God to give you His gift of repentance, and He gives you His gift of repentance, who is going to repent? You are. God's not going to repent for you. You see what I'm saying? God's not going to turn from sin for you. He gave you His gift. You actually make use of that gift when you turn from your idols, when you turn from your sins, and when you obey Him. You follow me? So there is realization, there is determination, there is actualization. And you don't actually repent until you do it. But God is holding you accountable to do it. And especially, if He gives you His gift, you will use that gift and turn. But the point I'm making is God's not turning for you. That's you actually turning yourself. Now, let me give you another illustration.
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I want to try to put it together for you. Look in your Bibles to 1 John 3. I could show you many passages, but here it is, 1 John 3. And look at verse 23. 1 John 3 and verse 23. And this is His commandment. That we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another as He gave us commandment. Now look at that. And this is His commandment. That we should believe on His Son Jesus Christ. Here's my question. Has God commanded us to believe on Jesus Christ? Yes. And all of you have read that verse, you know, where our Lord said, when you pray, believe that you have these things and you shall have them. And how many of you said, well, I believe, oh Lord, I believe, I believe. And you try to force yourself to believe. Well, now God has commanded you to believe, so just go ahead and do it. How many of you can believe on your own? None. You know why?
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Because faith is God's gift. Help me out. For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. So how do you work this out? You understand that God commands you to believe. You understand that you're unable to believe. But you have a responsibility to seek God for His gift of faith. And when God gives you that gift, what do you do? You actually believe in Jesus Christ. Or you actually believe His Word. You follow me?
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So there has to be realization, determination, and actualization. God is not going to believe for you, just like God is not going to repent for you. He may give you that gift, but you must actually use that gift. The same thing is true with heart preparation. You must realize you have an inability to prepare your heart. You may determine to seek God to fulfill your responsibility, but then you must actually do it and say, Lord, enable me, empower me, bless my efforts, give me your righteousness so that I may actually prepare my heart. Now, let me just tell you something else.
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I hope you see this connection. But I believe that there are basically two stages of heart preparation. I believe there is a long-term preparation and a short-term preparation, or what I would call an emergency preparation. Let me explain the difference to you. I'm going to call the long-term preparation a constant and continuous preparation. Under this heading, a constant and continuous preparation, one must understand that keeping the heart, or preparing the heart, is a constant and continuous battle. Listen, please.
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Just because God has given me the victory today, or just because God has given me the victory this week or this month, does not mean that the fight is over. Let me reemphasize that. Just because God has given you the victory one day, one week, or one month does not mean that the fight is over. What did I say? There has to be a constant and a continual renewing of the mind, a constant and continual repentance, a constant and continual believing, a constant and continual meditation upon His Word, a constant and continual prayer life, a constant and continual trusting in His Word.
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In other words, it's something that has to go on constantly and consistently. We have to learn to live this principle of heart preparation on a daily basis. How many of you don't answer out loud, but how many of you ask God to prepare your heart for this day? How many of you ask Him to prepare your heart yesterday? How many of you ask to fulfill your responsibilities in keeping your heart for this week?
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You see what I'm saying? Unhappily, most people who live halfway decent lives just stumble into it. They don't understand the principles. Let me give you a good illustration of what I'm talking about, a constant and continuous heart preparation. You can find that in the life of Hezekiah. If you would look in your Bibles to 2 Chronicles chapter 31, you will find out in 2 Chronicles 30 and 31 there was a great revival that took place under Hezekiah. And the scripture tells us that Hezekiah was a good and a godly king. In fact, the scripture affirms that everything that Hezekiah did for the Lord, he did with all of his heart and prospered. Look in 2 Chronicles chapter 31 and let's begin reading there in verse 20. 2 Chronicles 31 and verse 20. The Bible says, And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the Lord his God. Now look, and in every work that he began in the service of the house of God and in the law and in the commandments to seek his God, he
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did it with all his heart and prospered. So here Hezekiah has wrought a great revival in seeking God's law and seeking God's commandment and seeking God. And the Bible said he did it with all his heart. In other words, his heart was prepared. He actually prospered and did what God would have him to do. But when you get to chapter 32, look in verse 25 and 26. But Hezekiah, after his healing, but Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him. For his heart was lifted up, therefore there was wrath upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem. Notwithstanding, Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah. Now, it did come, but what did Hezekiah do? He lifted up his heart in pride and arrogance. What happened in chapter 31 was wonderful, but in chapter 32, he's now sinned. Why?
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There was no constant and continual preparation. You know what the Bible says in Ecclesiastes 8 and verse 8? There's no discharge in this war. There's not, folks. I want to tell you what, the victory that God gives me one minute is not carried over for the next five minutes. I may have to fight the same battle again in my mind. I may have to continually fight to keep my thoughts pure and my mind on Scripture.
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And if I have to, I have to. Now the second type of preparation is what I'm going to call instant and immediate. It is short term. Now watch this. If you are constantly and continually preparing your heart, you're not going to have any problem with this instant and immediate. Let me explain it like this. All of us are confronted by sin. We're confronted by the flesh, we're confronted by the world. We're all tempted.
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There's no doubt about that. Now, the one thing that we've got to realize is this. Listen carefully. Although we're confronted by the flesh, the world, sin, we've got to remember this one truth. There is no such thing as a sudden sin. I don't just happen to jump up and run off with Janet. It doesn't work like that. If I ran off with Janet, what does that mean? I've thought about it. She's thought about it. We've schemed.
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You see what I'm saying? It doesn't just happen. I don't just reach out and steal $100 from Roy. I think about it before I do it. There's no such thing as a sudden sin. All I'm trying to say is this. When we're confronted with sin on a constant daily basis, what we have to do instantly and immediately is say, Lord, wait a minute. Thou has said thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou has said Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife. Lord, I'm not going to think those thoughts. I'm not going to have those thoughts in my mind. I purposely and deliberately turn my mind away from that, and I place my mind upon Your Word.
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I know, I know sin promises me joy and happiness and pleasure, but all it ever delivers is death and destruction and misery. And Lord, I don't want that. I refuse that, and I'm renewing my mind, and I'm purposefully and deliberately saying, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not covet, Thou shalt not bear false witness. And in other words, in this instant and immediate preparation, I take my eyes away from the sin, away from the temptation, away from the world, away from the flesh, and I place them upon Christ and His Word. And according to His truth, I choose not to sin. You see, Romans chapter 6 tells me that I'm no longer under the lordship of sin. I'm under the lordship of Jesus Christ. Sin may tempt me. Are you listening? Sin may tempt me as a Christian, but it cannot command me. Why? I have a new Lord. Jesus Christ. We have been delivered from the lordship and from the dominion of sin. And so I deliberately and purposefully then place my mind upon Jesus Christ.
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And what does the Bible tell me in Isaiah 26 and verse 3? Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed upon thee. So we have to take a constant and continuous preparation. And understand there may be times when there must be an instant, an immediate, or an emergency time that we must say, Lord, I want my thought life pure. I want my thoughts prepared. Lord, I want to think scripturally. I want every thought to be brought into captivity to Jesus Christ.
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Now, let me show you two last verses. The first one is in 2 Chronicles 27. So I want you to go there, please. 2 Chronicles 27. And let me ask you just a few questions as you turn there. Do you really want to be used of the Lord? Do you want to please him? Do you want to obey him? Do you want to be mighty in his service and live for his honor and his glory?
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Well, look what the Bible says. In 2 Chronicles 27, in verse 6, and we're talking about Jotham. And here's an amazing verse. So Jotham became mighty. Why? Because he prepared his ways before the Lord. Basically, he prepared his heart. You can't prepare your way without preparing your mind. Jotham deliberately set out to make sure that whatever he did was biblical and right. He thought about what was biblical and right. He became mighty because he prepared his ways before the Lord.
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Now, the truth of the matter is this, folks. We have to continually and constantly prepare our hearts. And in certain emergency situations, we must instantly and immediately reaffirm that preparation and say, no, I'm not going to sin against God. I'm not going to violate His word. I will stand true and faithful to Him. And we must seek His help and His strength and His power to do so.
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But we've been praying for our nation, for our churches, for our people. And if you remember that series I did on principles of deliverance, I showed you that God did not need multitudes. But I want to show you from Scripture what God is really looking for. If you will look in your Bibles to 2 Chronicles 16 and verse 9, 2 Chronicles 16 and verse 9. And here is where I want to be found and here's where I want you to be found. 2 Chronicles 16 verse 9.
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For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show himself strong in behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Now stop right there. The rest of the verse is rebuke against the king who's done wickedly. But here's the truth that he announced. The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong on behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him. You keep your heart. And you keep your thoughts and your mind and your understanding prepared. And you keep them scriptural and biblical. And guess what? God is going to show Himself strong through you in ways that you've never imagined.
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He can use you to turn your family around, your church around, your state around, even your nation around. But God is looking for men and women whose hearts are perfect toward Him. We're keeping our thoughts scriptural and biblical and godly. How do I prepare my heart? Realization, determination, and actualization. I must actually apply the principles of the Word of God to my life. Let's pray. Father, help us today.
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Lord, this subject is so important and so overlooked. We cannot live godly lives without thee. We cannot live holy lives without heart preparation. We cannot serve and honor and worship thee without heart preparation. We cannot be used of thee without heart preparation. So, Lord, teach us to prepare our hearts. Teach us, Lord, to realize we have no ability in and of ourselves, that we must seek Thee, Lord. Teach us to determine that we're going to fulfill our responsibilities, but Lord, fulfill them depending upon Your blessing and Your power. And Lord, help us to actually apply these truths in our lives, to follow through. And Lord, help us to be constant and continuous. And help us, Lord, to use the instant and immediate preparation whenever it is necessary that we might not sin against Thee. Help us, Lord, to bring honor and glory to Thy name. In the name of Jesus Christ we ask and pray, Amen. Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T19:53:58Z

Heart Preparation - 2 of 7

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

John Weaver continues his series on heart preparation, emphasizing that while believers are responsible to prepare their hearts, they lack the ability to do so apart from God. Using Proverbs 16:1, he argues that heart preparation is a work of the Lord. He outlines three steps: realization of our inability, determination to fulfill our responsibility in dependence on God, and actualization—applying these truths. He distinguishes between constant, continuous preparation and instant, emergency preparation, urging believers to keep their hearts perfect toward God so He may show Himself strong through them.

Introduction and Review

Weaver reviews the previous message on the importance of heart preparation, using Rehoboam as an example of one who did evil because he did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord.

The Necessity of Heart Preparation

Heart preparation is imperative to avoid bringing reproach upon God, the church, and one's family. Most Christians never think about it.

Step One: Realization

We must realize that we do not have the ability to prepare our hearts; it is a work of God. Proverbs 16:1 teaches that the preparation of the heart is from the Lord.

The Deceitfulness of the Heart

Jeremiah 17:9 shows the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked; only God knows it. David prayed for God to search his heart (Psalm 139:23-24).

Step Two: Determination

Biblical Responsibilities: Govern and Guide the Heart

Proverbs 23:12, 19, 26 command us to apply, govern, and guide our hearts, and to give our hearts to God. We must seek God's blessing on our efforts.

The Means and God's Blessing

Step Three: Actualization

We must actually apply the principles. Using repentance and faith as examples, Weaver shows that God commands what we cannot do, but He gives the gift; we must then act upon it.

Now, are you listening to me? I've established two things. Number one, God commands you to repent. Number two, you can't repent on your own, because repentance is God's gift.

Two Stages of Heart Preparation

There is constant, continuous preparation (daily seeking God) and instant, immediate preparation (emergency response to temptation). Hezekiah's failure shows the need for continual preparation.

Instant Preparation and Victory Over Sin

In temptation, we must instantly turn our minds to God's Word, choose not to sin, and rely on Christ's lordship. Isaiah 26:3 promises peace to those whose minds are stayed on God.

Conclusion: God Seeks Perfect Hearts

Jotham became mighty by preparing his ways (2 Chronicles 27:6). God's eyes run to and fro to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are perfect toward Him (2 Chronicles 16:9).

Heart Preparation - 2 of 7

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	21107151552
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Proverbs-Related Topical Wisdom
Genre	Sermon
Date	2006-11-05
Dictation Name
Book	Book 162: Heart Preparation — Chapter 2
Source Timed Segments	78

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction and Review: Weaver reviews the previous message on the importance of heart preparation, using Rehoboam as an example of one who did evil because he did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord.
The Necessity of Heart Preparation: Heart preparation is imperative to avoid bringing reproach upon God, the church, and one's family. Most Christians never think about it.
Step One: Realization: We must realize that we do not have the ability to prepare our hearts; it is a work of God. Proverbs 16:1 teaches that the preparation of the heart is from the Lord.
The Deceitfulness of the Heart: Jeremiah 17:9 shows the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked; only God knows it. David prayed for God to search his heart (Psalm 139:23-24).
Step Two: Determination: We must determine to fulfill our responsibility in complete dependence on God, who works in us both to will and to do (Philippians 2:13). We must not separate God's sovereignty from human responsibility.
Biblical Responsibilities: Govern and Guide the Heart: Proverbs 23:12, 19, 26 command us to apply, govern, and guide our hearts, and to give our hearts to God. We must seek God's blessing on our efforts.
The Means and God's Blessing: Using the analogy of breaking up fallow ground (Hosea 10:12), Weaver explains that we must use the means God has ordained (sowing, breaking up ground) but depend on Him to send the rain of grace for effectiveness.
Step Three: Actualization: We must actually apply the principles. Using repentance and faith as examples, Weaver shows that God commands what we cannot do, but He gives the gift; we must then act upon it.
Two Stages of Heart Preparation: There is constant, continuous preparation (daily seeking God) and instant, immediate preparation (emergency response to temptation). Hezekiah's failure shows the need for continual preparation.
Instant Preparation and Victory Over Sin: In temptation, we must instantly turn our minds to God's Word, choose not to sin, and rely on Christ's lordship. Isaiah 26:3 promises peace to those whose minds are stayed on God.
Conclusion: God Seeks Perfect Hearts: Jotham became mighty by preparing his ways (2 Chronicles 27:6). God's eyes run to and fro to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are perfect toward Him (2 Chronicles 16:9).

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Heart preparation is a divine work, not a human achievement.

Proverbs 16:1 explicitly states that the preparation of the heart is from the Lord. Without Christ, we can do nothing (John 15:5).

Proverbs 16:1; John 15:5; John Gill's commentary on the ordering of thoughts requiring divine concurrence.

We cannot know or trust our own hearts.

Jeremiah 17:9 declares the heart deceitful and wicked; only God searches it. David prayed for God to search him (Psalm 139).

Jeremiah 17:9-10; Psalm 139:23-24.

God ordains both the end and the means; we must use the means in dependence on Him.

We are commanded to govern and guide our hearts (Proverbs 23:12, 19) and to break up fallow ground (Hosea 10:12), but we must seek God to make the means effectual.

Proverbs 23:12, 19, 26; Hosea 10:12; the analogy of beating a child with a rod requiring God's blessing.

Repentance and faith are commanded yet are gifts from God.

God commands all men to repent (Acts 17:30) but gives repentance (Acts 5:31; 11:18). Faith is also a gift (Ephesians 2:8). We must seek the gift and then act.

Acts 17:30; Acts 5:31; Acts 11:18; 2 Timothy 2:25; Ephesians 2:8.

Heart preparation must be constant and continuous.

Hezekiah's pride after revival (2 Chronicles 32:25-26) shows that past victory does not guarantee future faithfulness. There is no discharge in this war (Ecclesiastes 8:8).

2 Chronicles 31:20-21; 32:25-26; Ecclesiastes 8:8.

Instant preparation involves turning from temptation to God's Word.

When tempted, we must instantly reject sin, renew our minds with Scripture, and choose obedience under Christ's lordship (Romans 6; Isaiah 26:3).

Romans 6 (lordship of Christ); Isaiah 26:3; personal examples of rejecting adultery and theft.

Scripture References

2 Chronicles 12:1-2, 14: Rehoboam forsook the law and did evil because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord.
Proverbs 16:1: The preparation of the heart in man is from the Lord.
John 15:5: Without Christ we can do nothing, including preparing our hearts.
Jeremiah 17:9-10: The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked; only God knows and searches it.
Psalm 139:23-24: David prays for God to search his heart and thoughts.
Philippians 2:13: God works in believers both to will and to do His good pleasure.
Proverbs 23:12, 19, 26: Commands to apply, guide, and give the heart to God.
Hosea 10:12: Break up fallow ground and seek the Lord until He rains righteousness.
Acts 17:30-31: God commands all men everywhere to repent.
Acts 5:31: God exalted Christ to give repentance to Israel.
Acts 11:18: God granted repentance unto life to the Gentiles.
2 Timothy 2:24-26: God may give repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.
1 John 3:23: God commands us to believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 2:8: Faith is the gift of God, not of works.
2 Chronicles 31:20-21: Hezekiah did what was good with all his heart and prospered.
2 Chronicles 32:25-26: Hezekiah's heart was lifted up in pride, but he humbled himself.
Ecclesiastes 8:8: There is no discharge in this war, implying constant spiritual battle.
Isaiah 26:3: God keeps in perfect peace those whose minds are stayed on Him.
2 Chronicles 27:6: Jotham became mighty because he prepared his ways before the Lord.
2 Chronicles 16:9: The eyes of the Lord run to and fro to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is perfect toward Him.

Historical References

Rehoboam, son of Solomon, grandson of David: Used as the primary example of one who did evil because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord.
John Gill, Baptist scholar: Quoted commenting on Proverbs 16:1, explaining that the ordering of thoughts requires divine concurrence.
Hezekiah, king of Judah: Example of one who prospered when his heart was prepared but later fell into pride, showing the need for continual preparation.
Jotham, king of Judah: Became mighty because he prepared his ways before the Lord.

Important Quotes

The preparation of the heart in man and the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.

Key verse establishing that heart preparation originates from God, not human effort.

The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Who can know it?

Highlights the unreliability of the human heart and the need for divine searching.

For it is God who worketh in you both to will and to do His good pleasure.

Shows that both the desire and the ability to obey come from God.

My son, give me thine heart and let thine eyes observe my ways.

God's call to consecrate the heart, evidenced by observing His ways.

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 reign righteousness upon you.

Illustrates the balance of human responsibility and dependence on God's blessing.

The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show himself strong in behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.

God actively seeks those with prepared hearts to demonstrate His power through them.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

Why is it important to realize that we cannot prepare our own hearts? How does this affect our prayer life?

[Context]

Based on the first point of realization from Proverbs 16:1 and John 15:5.

[Question]

How does the deceitfulness of the heart (Jeremiah 17:9) impact our ability to trust our own motives and decisions?

[Context]

Discussion of the heart's wickedness and David's prayer in Psalm 139.

[Question]

In what ways do we tend to separate God's sovereignty from human responsibility? How can we hold them together practically?

[Context]

The tension between God's work and our effort, illustrated by Hosea 10:12.

[Question]

What does it mean to 'actualize' truth in your life? Can you share an example of a time you realized a truth but struggled to apply it?

[Context]

The third step of actualization, using repentance and faith as examples.

[Question]

How can we cultivate a constant and continuous heart preparation? What daily practices help?

[Context]

The need for ongoing preparation, contrasted with Hezekiah's failure.

[Question]

When facing sudden temptation, what specific steps can you take to instantly prepare your heart and turn to God's Word?

[Context]

The concept of instant and immediate preparation, using Romans 6 and Isaiah 26:3.

[Question]

According to 2 Chronicles 16:9, what does it mean to have a heart 'perfect' toward God? How can we pursue that?

[Context]

The concluding call to be those whose hearts are perfect before the Lord.

Applications

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T12:37:49Z