Affection

1 Chronicles 29:3 Moreover, because I have set my affection to the house of my God, I have of mine own proper good, of gold and silver, [which] I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house,

David mentions something important as he was about to give an offering for the building of God's house, affection. The background to this verse is that David was commanded by the Lord not to build the house of the Lord but instead his son Solomon would. But because he set his affection on God's house, he started an initiative of collecting gold and silver which would make it easier and give his son a starting point when the time would come for him to build. Did God command him to do so? No. It was out of affection, love, passion to do so. He foresaw the need and responded by getting together the leaders and the people of Israel to give towards that cause. 

Many pray to do exploits but some of these won't happen without the valuable element of passion. Even employees nowadays say they rather have an unskilled person with great passion than to have a very skilled person without passion. 

As for us Christians we desire to walk in great anointings to do mighty things for God. That's a good desire but passion sometimes is lacking. David was anointed just like we are. But how come he did give beyond what we give ordinarily or beyond everyone else on an individual basis at that time. He was passionate. Maybe you and I need to check where our affections really are. If they are on the Lord and his work, our giving would prove it. If they are on our families, work, sports, social media, etc our expenditure at the end of the month towards each of those would prove so. Do an honest check of yourself today. 

One man once said if Christians really believed and acted on God's word, this world would be a changed one. Take for instance in the area of giving, if Christians believing in it and carried a certain passion for it, ministries would have more money than they need to do God's work. Believing which is accomplained by actions is one thing, but if your emotions are not in it, there's a limit to what you can do. And you may see others more passionate than you and you may call them weird yet you are the one weird.

In the book of Deuteronomy, God promised to curse the children of Israel because they did not rejoice while serving Him. Wait a minute, I thought it doesn't matter whether your happy or not in your service to Him. On the contrary it matters, 

Deuteronomy 28:47 Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all [things];

Love and passion for the things of God is everything when it comes to giving offerings otherwise it will all be mechanical and out of duty which is not pleasant to God even you the giver. God is Lord over our emotions of which love and passion fall in that realm. He can mould our passions to line up with His work if we allow Him. Pray to Him about it. 

There are things which chock passion, avoid them as much as possible, things like the love of money, cares of the world, addictions, lusts, conflicting royalties etc. On the other hand inorder to fly with the eagles, associate with the eagles. Hang out with very passionate believers, start to love them genuinely, don't envy them, admire them and follow them closely. Have a daily time to listen to passionate preachers who just stir you to action and sign divorce papers with those who ooze the passion out of you! Don't miss fellowshipping with God and His word on a regular basis. This will keep your life beaming with passion and zeal for the things of God. 

Our greatest example Jesus was so in love with righteousness, the result was God anointing him with an oil of gladness. This means Jesus was ever a happy man regardless of opposition around him, Hebrews 1:9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, [even] thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. 

It's a high time we did everything including giving with our affection.