I was recently watching a sit down conversation that Devon Franklin was having with Touré Roberts. In the conversation, Devon gets into how in writing his book “Produced by Faith” back in 2011, he had high expectations for it to sell and make the New York Times best sellers list. He mentioned there were quotes from Will Smith, Bishop Jakes, Tyler Perry, Angela Bassett, etc and when the book came out, he barely sold 1,000 copies which left him deeply devastated. Devon described how he went through a moment of questioning God: “I had all of this support and I had my publicist and I had used my savings and was paying for all of these things so why didn’t I make the list?” Devon said that God sat him down and questioned him asking if the only reason why he wrote the book was because it was in his heart to make a list. Over the weeks Devon mentioned that he received emails from people about how the book was changing their lives and changing their careers and God told him “if only one life got turned to me, it was worth all the money you spent, and all the publicity for the one”. Devon stated to God “but God I believe you told me that this is going to be part of my destiny” and God responded: “It's in my time not yours so if you want to be faithful keep working the book and leave everything else to me.”
When Devon heard God speak to him in this way, he said that he had to shift from being list focused to being life focused understanding that every life God touched because of his book was a blessing. Devon reveals that five years later, what God said was going to happen with him making the New York Times best seller happened but it happened through his book “The Wait” that he co-wrote with his wife and it happened in God's time, not his own.When Devon heard God speak to him in this way, he said that he had to shift from being list focused to being life focused understanding that every life God touched because of his book was a blessing. Devon reveals that five years later, what God said was going to happen with him making the New York Times best seller happened but it happened through his book “The Wait” that he co-wrote with his wife and it happened in God's time, not his own (go check out the video below if you have a moment, the part I am referring to starts at 6mins 10secs and ends at 10mins 25secs).
When Devon heard God speak to him in this way, he said that he had to shift from being list focused to being life focused understanding that every life God touched because of his book was a blessing. Devon reveals that five years later, what God said was going to happen with him making the New York Times best seller happened but it happened through his book “The Wait” that he co-wrote with his wife and it happened in God's time, not his own.When Devon heard God speak to him in this way, he said that he had to shift from being list focused to being life focused understanding that every life God touched because of his book was a blessing. Devon reveals that five years later, what God said was going to happen with him making the New York Times best seller happened but it happened through his book “The Wait” that he co-wrote with his wife and it happened in God's time, not his own (go check out the video below if you have a moment, the part I am referring to starts at 6mins 10secs and ends at 10mins 25secs).
How many of you have ever felt like you were doing what you know God called you to do but from the results or lack there of, you felt like you were failing or simply just not getting anywhere? You finally started your company but business is not flourishing the way God had you envision it. You showed up every day to the classroom to teach but the majority of the students are still misbehaving and not really learning what you know you are supposed to be teaching them, etc.
As I was preparing to write last months blog, God instructed me to write about shifting in the month of March. I believe that God knew that with this being the last month in our first quarter of 2018, there are some plans that people may have started out with at the beginning of this year that may seem useless. You have been obedient and you have been consistent with what God has called you to do yet you have failed to see your fruit and now you are questioning whether or not this is all a waste of your time or whether you are successful in doing what God has called you to do. I am here this month to let you know that God has you exactly where He wants you to be but He needs you to shift your train of thought so that you can see the eternal glory that is being produced through everything that you are doing.
As I was preparing to write last months blog, God instructed me to write about shifting in the month of March. I believe that God knew that with this being the last month in our first quarter of 2018, there are some plans that people may have started out with at the beginning of this year that may seem useless. You have been obedient and you have been consistent with what God has called you to do yet you have failed to see your fruit and now you are questioning whether or not this is all a waste of your time or whether you are successful in doing what God has called you to do. I am here this month to let you know that God has you exactly where He wants you to be but He needs you to shift your train of thought so that you can see the eternal glory that is being produced through everything that you are doing.
God took me to 2 Corinthians 4: 16-18 NIV which states, “16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
In the same way that Devon had to shift from being list focused to being life focused, I believe that this month God is calling us to shift from being earthly-minded to being spiritually focused. This shift will help us to understand that though we may not physically see fruit, it is being produced eternally in a way beyond all comparison through us and the people whose lives we may touch. In God's timing, not our own, His glory will be revealed through our obedience. In the meantime, if you are someone who feels that you may be wasting your time because you do not see the results, I challenge you to do one thing this month, shift.
In the same way that Devon had to shift from being list focused to being life focused, I believe that this month God is calling us to shift from being earthly-minded to being spiritually focused. This shift will help us to understand that though we may not physically see fruit, it is being produced eternally in a way beyond all comparison through us and the people whose lives we may touch. In God's timing, not our own, His glory will be revealed through our obedience. In the meantime, if you are someone who feels that you may be wasting your time because you do not see the results, I challenge you to do one thing this month, shift.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
We love you, we adore you and we honor you. In complete surrenderance of our mind, our body, and heart, we ask that you purify everything within us and uproot anything that may hinder us. With a desire in our hearts to live out our full potential we pray for a shift in our thought process Lord. Fix our eyes not on the things seen but on what is unseen. Strengthen our faith, continuously renew our hope and bless us with the ability to remain patient. Cover our every move and protect our destiny, remind us that in your timing, not our own, all things will work together for our good. May you get the glory out of every mistake, every fall, every mountain we face, and every desert we must cross, replenishing and encouraging us every step along the way. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Heavenly Father,
We love you, we adore you and we honor you. In complete surrenderance of our mind, our body, and heart, we ask that you purify everything within us and uproot anything that may hinder us. With a desire in our hearts to live out our full potential we pray for a shift in our thought process Lord. Fix our eyes not on the things seen but on what is unseen. Strengthen our faith, continuously renew our hope and bless us with the ability to remain patient. Cover our every move and protect our destiny, remind us that in your timing, not our own, all things will work together for our good. May you get the glory out of every mistake, every fall, every mountain we face, and every desert we must cross, replenishing and encouraging us every step along the way. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.