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You Don’t Have to Learn Things the Hard Way.

Gary Keesee • Jul 18, 2018

Remember that time…

…when you thought the pan had cooled down enough to touch?

…when you thought you had plenty of time to make it to the airport, the train station, that one meeting with management, or that one really important event?

…when you thought you could get by with a little less prep work for that group project, a little less stretching before you jumped into that activity or exercise, or a little less research before that interview?

Now, maybe you don’t have any stories like that—where you learned something the hard way. But most people do.

There’s a reason “learned the hard way” and “school of hard knocks” are even common sayings. I’m probably really dating myself here, but DC Talk even had a song called “The Hard Way” years ago. Google it if you don’t believe me.

That’s because most people have at least one story about something they wish they hadn’t learned the hard way. From something simple, like thinking you can drive your car for miles after the gas light comes on . . . to the ridiculous, like thinking you might actually be able to go up an escalator that is meant for going down ; or from the embarrassing, like forgetting to check your pants zipper before you go onstage . . . to the life-threatening, like thinking it’s okay to not buckle your seat belt if you’re riding in a car for just a mile or so.

We could go through example after example of lessons learned the hard way and still not come close to covering them all, let alone get to the really meaty ones—the ones that impact your relationships, your business, your finances, or your faith.

Of course, it’s not necessarily a big deal to learn some things the hard way. After all, things like touching a hot pan or not stretching before you play basketball won’t kill you. You will learn something, and you (hopefully) won’t repeat your mistake when you’ve learned a lesson the hard way.

But why should you learn any lessons in life the hard way if you don’t have to?

There are plenty of ways to learn in life. You don’t have to learn by making mistakes, through trial and error, or from bad, difficult, or downright miserable experiences.

You don’t have to learn things the hard way. There’s a better way.

You probably know some of my story: Years ago, my wife, Drenda, and I were in financial chaos. We were in a good church and knew God loved us, but something was really wrong.

I worked hard, but I just couldn’t seem to make enough money to pay our bills, let alone get ahead. I couldn’t even afford to buy a postage stamp.

Drenda and I can tell you story after story about the things we went through during those nine very long years. We can also tell you story after story of how our lives were completely transformed after we learned about the principles of the Kingdom of God and how to apply them.

Our lives drastically changed.

We’ve been on a mission ever since to mentor others in all the things God taught us , as well as in the things we’ve learned on our own over the years in business, in marriage, in family, and in life—including all of the things we learned the hard way.

Because we believe that the saying “experience is the best teacher” just isn’t true. You don’t have to learn things the hard way if someone else already has.

“The wise learn their lesson not by learning the hard way, but by watching others learn the hard way.”

And you can learn some things the easy way because someone else already has.

That’s exactly why we started the Provision Institute.

What is the Provision Institute?

Provision Institute is a 12-month program unlike any other.

When we began applying the laws and the principles of the Kingdom to our lives, things drastically changed. Over the years, as people have heard our story and seen all God has done in our lives, they always ask, “Where do I start?”

Provision Institute is the answer.

We’ve put together 12 core modules of the foundational things that you need to know about the Kingdom, along with how to apply them. This life-changing curriculum will take you from the very beginning to the very end in detail, month by month.

You’ll follow the track and learn the principles we learned that completely changed our lives, and can help you see the same changes in your life.

Drenda and I care so much about you.

We want you to have amazing stories of freedom and success in your own life.

We want to help you get a jump-start on your God-designed future the easy way.

You don’t have to try to keep doing life on your own.

Make the decision for your future.

Come on board with us at Provision Institute.

We’ll walk out life together, believing God. We’ll share all we’ve learned, pass on the wisdom we’ve learned the hard way and the easy way, and do all we can to help you win in life.

5 Steps to Release the Kingdom in Your Life

By Gary Keesee • 10 Apr, 2024
Reading Time 2 mins 13 secs – In John 6, we read the story of Jesus feeding 5,000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish. Do you know it? It’s where we see Jesus teaching the disciples how to release the Kingdom of God into the earth realm. Basically, a large crowd was following Jesus, listening to Him teach, and watching Him perform miracles. It got to a point where the people needed to eat, and Jesus asked the disciples what they planned to feed the people. Of course, Jesus knew the disciples would freak out. They couldn’t feed 5,000 people. In fact, they started talking about how it would take more than half a year’s wages to buy just a bite for that many people. Jesus was teaching the disciples, and He was teaching us— the Kingdom of God has all the answers you need . How can you release the Kingdom of God into your life? Here are the five steps Jesus took. 1. Look at what you have. Jesus asked the disciples what they had to feed the people. What do you have in your life that you can give God to work with? Jesus multiplied bread into bread and fish into fish. What do you need multiplied in your life? Find some of it. That’s your seed. Also, remember that money can be named. You don’t sow money to believe for more paper or digital money. Money represents your life and can be named to be the thing you need multiplied. 2. Make sure you’re in faith. “To have faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things we cannot see” (Hebrews 11:1, GNT). You have to know how to judge whether or not you’re in faith. How? Do you have the right picture? When you close your eyes, what do you see? Do you see yourself with the thing you’re believing for? Can you defend your position? Why do you believe it? Prove it! Because you can be sure that between the “Amen” and the “There it is!” the enemy is going to contend for it, so you better be able to defend it. Do you have joy, expectancy, and peace? Are you in agreement with your spouse? 3. Confess over what you have, and release it in faith. Be specific. Say exactly what you’re believing for and release the seed to God. 4. Get the plan from God. Be ready for new direction, new ideas, and new concepts by revelation from the Holy Spirit. Carry a notepad and a pen. Write everything down. 5. Act quickly! When God gives you the plan, MOVE! It’s wise to have counselors and get wisdom, but you need to act swiftly on any direction you receive from the Holy Spirit.

Want Growth and Success? Here Are 10 Steps to Help Take You There

By Gary Keesee • 13 Mar, 2024
Reading Time 2 mins 34 secs – How can you make sure you’re equipped for the growth coming your way this year? Here are my 10 steps to posture yourself for opportunity and success. 1. Ask yourself how you’re handling your current responsibilities. Don’t run from your responsibilities. No matter where you are or what you’re doing, you should be a success. People will still see the evidence of God even if you think you’re in the wrong spot. 2. Detox your life of the things that keep you from having time to think. We live in a fast-paced world. There are plenty of things that can keep you distracted. But it’s in the moments that you stop to think that you’ll find ways to solve problems, and that’s where the opportunities are. So figure out what is consuming your time. Start saying no to some things. Find time to think. 3. Don’t hang around people who are always losing. I know people hit rough spots, but if the people in your life are chronically losing, it’s time to expand your circle. Hang around people who are better than you are, who don’t see things as impossible, and who have vision. It may be uncomfortable for you, but their influence will cause you to think differently. 4. Write down EVERY idea that you have, no matter how strange it seems. Most people filter opportunities and ideas through what they perceive their ability to be. This means most people discard ideas by the dozens because they don’t think they can do them. But God isn’t limited to what you know how to do. The ideas He gives you might seem so weird to you that you can’t process them fully. Write them down so you have time to think about them. 5. Research. Research. Repeat. You don’t need to know how to do something; you need to know how to learn how to do it. Research until you find what you’re looking for. 6. Count the cost before you jump. A lot of Christians hear God and jump out too soon, resulting in catastrophe. There are seasons for everything. God will prepare you for where He wants you to go. Be patient. 7. Always be in agreement with your spouse. Never, ever march out into battle without your spouse being in total agreement and your faith aligned. 8. Ask God for direction. Ask Him to help you, to show you where to go, and what to do. And always remember that prophecy from other people shouldn’t lead you; it should only confirm what God has already said to you. 9. Commit to never quit. Quitting is not an option. Once you’ve moved, don’t move again until God speaks to you. Stay with it. Walk it out. Don’t quit. So many people have so much potential, but they get uncomfortable and they quit. If you want to win, you should always be stretching. 10. Get ready to embrace bigger things. Your ability to see the big picture will keep growing as you change and grow on the inside. You’ll pick up on even more opportunities. For more principles, check out this FREE video on success.

The Consequences of Strife: Why You Should Never Allow It in Your Life

By Drenda Keesee • 14 Feb, 2024
Reading Time 2 mins 59 secs – A stuffed toy laid in the road at the scene of the accident. As we passed, the Lord spoke to me, “ Okay, this is your last warning. Are you going to continue this? You know you are opening the door to the enemy.” Gary and I had had a disagreement just before we had left the house for our family road trip. And there we were six hours in and we’d barely said a word to one another. Six hours. You think driving from Ohio to Tennessee is a long stretch of highway? Try doing it while giving someone the silent treatment. One word: torture. Then we passed the accident. Gary and I both felt the same conviction when we passed it, especially because it clearly involved children. But... pride. We knew what we were doing wasn’t good. (What kind of example is it to your children to ignore each other?) But neither of us wanted to lay down our pride. I kept hearing the voice of the Lord, and I’d think, No, I’m not going to fix this thing, because then I’ll have to talk to him. It was almost a competition to see who could hold our grudge for the longest. But strife is dangerous stuff. What is strife? Drama, conflict, friction, disagreement, bickering, arguing, bad blood, disputes… whichever words you use to describe it, it’s dangerous. Whether it’s between you and your spouse, you and your child, you and a friend, you and a family member, or you and a coworker, you don’t want to let strife remain in your life. The Bible says that where there is strife, there is confusion and there is every evil work (James 3:16). Our small argument between Gary and I had gone unchecked and had escalated, and neither one of us were listening to the voice of the Lord. And there were consequences for our strife and outright disobedience. About an hour after we passed the accident, a car pulled out in front of our vehicle, and we were in what could have been a very serious car accident. I started yelling the name of Jesus, and God supernaturally protected our entire family. Initially, it looked as though there were going to be serious issues. They told us our son’s spleen might rupture. I was pregnant, and the doctors worried that I might lose the baby. Through all of these things, we stood on the Word of God, and we all came out unharmed, including the young preacher’s son who had pulled out in front of us (he was in disobedience at that moment too). Even in the midst of this difficult situation, through our prayers, standing on God’s Word, and our children’s words to the medical personnel, we had opportunities to minister and impact the little county hospital we had to visit. The enemy tried to take us out, but he lost. We were responsible for opening the door to the enemy. But the name of Jesus is more powerful than our mistakes and circumstances, and that is what kept us protected. You MUST stay on guard and not allow strife in your life, with anyone. How? Here are just three quick tips: Bite your tongue. You don’t have to say everything you think. Don’t lash out or give the silent treatment. Work on communicating with others in a healthy way. Repent quickly and forgive quickly. Take responsibility; admit when you’re wrong. Say you’re sorry and ask for forgiveness. Don’t hold onto hurts. Forgive as you’ve been forgiven by Jesus.
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