Open Heavens Devotional For Friday 29th May, 2015: WHAT HAS YOUR AFFECTION?

TOPIC: WHAT HAS YOUR AFFECTION? - Friday May 29, 2015

Memorise: Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. - Colossians 3:2. 
 
Read: Colossians 3:1-6
1. If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
2. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
3. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
4. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
5. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
6. For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
 
MESSAGE:
I have observed that one of the reasons why many Christians find it difficult to live according to the standards of the Bible today is that their mind is not set on the things of heaven, and the reason for this is the coming of material prosperity to the church. Is it then a mistake that God has prospered us materially? Certainly not! Abraham was blessed, Isaac was blessed and Jacob was also blessed, but yet, they all served the Lord. King David even blessed the Lord for material prosperity among other things. Psalm 103:1&5 says,


“Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name…. who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” 
 
I have always said that the grace you need to manage material prosperity is far greater than the grace you need to manage poverty. When God begins to prosper you, you must begin to pray harder for more grace to manage the prosperity, or else, your affection may shift from the things of heaven. It is foolishness to serve the Lord and be mindful of the things of heaven when you are poor, only for you to forget the Lord who has prospered you when the wealth comes. This is why the Bible in Proverb 1:32 says:

“For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.”

For many children of God, when they were will still struggling to make ends meet, their prayers used to be “Thy Kingdom come” Nowadays; they live their lives as if they are not going to die any more, and as if Jesus cannot come at any moment. It’s not hard to identify those whose affection is set on the things of heaven, because they are always busy investing in the expansion of God’s kingdom. Because their investments are in heaven, their hearts are always thinking about heaven.

“But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” -Matthew 6:20-21

There is no certainty in whatever treasures you keep on earth. Your investment in the things of heaven is what you will be left with if you make it to heaven. Therefore, begin to set your affections on heavenly things from today.

Prayer Point: Sweet Holy Spirit, fill my heart with love for the things of heaven in Jesus’ Name.

Bible in One Year: 2 Samuel 23-24, Mark 15:33-16:8

SOURCE: OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL, VOLUME 15, 2015