“God’s Instructions are consistently simple yet they are consistently contrary to human thinking” Vidar Ligard from his book “The Fork in the Road” – Lesson By Gary Shotton #000427

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Godly Instruction

By Gary Shotton

Hello, my name is Gary Shotton. In this lesson I’m going to talk about Godly instructions. And I want to give credit right up front to a book that I’m taking at least one sentence out of, is a framework for my discussions. It’s written by my friend, a missionary to East Africa and that region, and he wrote a book that called a fork in the road. The title is about choosing proper property or prosperity. You make the choice because there’s a fork in the road. And in this book he made a reference to something about God and he said this “God’s instructions are consistently simple, yet they are consistently contrary to human thinking”.

So, I want to talk about that. God’s instructions they’re consistently simple, but they’re consistently contrary to natural thinking. The people around you the way they’re thinking. And I’m going to use a number of Scripture examples and then I’m going to use references. Then I’m going to talk about my life also. But here’s the idea that we sometimes think that God has given us this long hard list of things to do in order to find out his will in our life. And in reality it’s not that way at all. He’s actually dealing with this, as we would; maybe a small child in our early Christian walk as we are. There’s an analogy of us being a baby Christians analogy to be a baby child and human. And so, at first for sure the instructions are so simple. I mean, the first time a small child is learning how to eat with a spoon. And this is so simple.

It because we’re turning the spoon in a way and giving a little guidance and then there’s food all over the child’s face, but we’re giving really simple instructions. And so when the child hits the mouth and the food’s there and we all give a hooray hurrah, hurrah. Well, when we’re first dealing in the business world, in the financial world God’s way, the instructions are extremely simple. He’s not asking us to do something that’s beyond our capability. I were very strong proponent of start with what’s in your hand, start with some idea and desire that you have some firsthand knowledge about. Start so small that it’s almost looks ridiculous how small that you start with something that’s in your hand. And how you then grow from that place step by step by step.

Well, let me talk briefly about my first business ownership. I graduated from Universe University as an engineer, a minerals engineer. And I worked my first 10 years for a big corporation and I knew all that time I wasn’t going to live my life working for this big corporation. But it allowed me to grow up. I moved to a new town. I wasn’t going to hire a truck to move me, I had borrowed my dad’s horse trader. And this horse trader I pulled them hot behind my family car, more than 1000 miles loaded up with the basic things; washer, dryer, beds, clothes that I could pull to this new town, and I’m here believing that, Oh, I’m going to have a great job. I left the good job I’ve got a degree as an engineer, but there wasn’t anything at all for me to work moving. Now here’s the simple part. God said from a message. Use what’s in my hand. I was going to church and said God will give you that whole thing. God will use what’s in your hand.

Well, I didn’t have anything in my hand; but I looked out at my driveway and here’s this trailer park that I use to move furniture. And I could have laughed at this. I could have made fun of it. But this is so simple. I put an ad in the paper that simply said, “Let me help you move I have a trainer”. And I got my first call. Believe it or not, I was hesitant to take this step. But I had a lot of pressure. I could have asked my mom and dad to send money. But I was determined to learn faith. And I learned that lesson. And I put an ad in the paper, and I backed up to the very first job. I can go to that house right now some 35 years later. I know where that house is. And all I was moving was these people that purchased a bedroom set which means a mattress did a box springs and a little dresser. And they had bought it from somebody. And they didn’t want to go get a truck. So, they just hired me for $35 to move it. Well, the lady looks out at this horse trader and they kind of laugh at first. And then she says, have you guys washed that out? Is there any basically any horse or cow poop in there? No, I washed it out and we’re good. Okay, so here we go. And so I started so simple. It was unbelievable. It’s something I had in my hand and I over time step by step, God directed me, and I ended up with a business for 17 years, employing normally 75 employees and normally having around 3 million in annual sales. Started simple.

Let’s look in the Bible the things that God asked people to do. There’s an example of where a Prophet came to a woman that had one son and had enough food enough ingredients to make one cake. And this word is that she could bake the cake with what she had and then they plan to die. They’re going to starve to death, but the Prophet said no. Make a cake for me, and then feed it to me. And then go gather up all of the pots that you can containers, and he filled them with oil. All she had to do was gather up pots and everybody wonders. Well, I bet she wished that she kept gathering more went to another neighbor another neighbor another neighbor, I mean she had to tell these people that she’s borrowing this for what reason.

Well, that’s a simple thing. But the second part of this it was contrary to the natural thinking. The natural thinking you wouldn’t think that’s going to work. My moving business. And my first real truck it said something advertised on the side, it was used to haul eggs, and it said tackle fresh eggs. So, I’m backing up the people’s house with because I hadn’t had a chance to paint it. The truck didn’t say the movers it said egg service. Well, these are simple things, and I got laughed at. I went to Bible school and I actually kind of got laughed at by some of my fellow students. What are you doing, we’re supposed to be here to change the world by being a pastor or being an evangelist or being an apostle or a prophet or something, you’re going to be a business person.

Well, it was real simple. It was what I’m called to do. There are all kinds of examples in the new and Old Testament. In the New Testament there was a time where the very first miracle, Jesus was at a wedding and real briefly, they said, well we ran out of wine. And Jesus said, hey, go gather these pots and fill them with water sample. Then he did the miracle. There’s a case of the boy that had some fishes and loaves of bread. And he that little boy could have said well I want to keep that, but somehow everybody else missed it. And he had volunteered and brought his bread. I’m sure other people had it as bread and food. They could add something but no, it was simple. They brought the bread. In the Old Testament there was a king that was instructed by a prophet, and the Prophet said go dip in the river Nile seven times, and you will be healed of leprosy. So simple. And they actually had to talk to this king, this ruler into doing it. He was offended that anybody would ask him to do something that simple and yet they had to do it.

The wall of Jericho came tumbling down. Well what did they do? They marched. They were used to marching; they marched around each day, once a day for seven days. And then that six days and the seventh day, they walk marched around seven times. They didn’t have shields and arrows. They did something so simple it all on and on and on. God is asking you to do something simple to get started. But it’s also very contrary to popular opinion. You are going to feel may be a little embarrassed like I did. And you’re going to feel a little awkward about that. And yet, by just speaking your voice out your words will be a testament that you’re on the right track. And God’s waiting for that.

So, God’s answer to your situation is extremely simple. But you’ve got to look a little differently. You’ve got to look at how he wants to work. And it most likely will be contrary to the human attitude and opinions of those around you. And you’re going to have to overcome that. Are you going to believe God? Are you going to be believe mankind? I mean that’s really what it boils down to. Are you going to be so embarrassed that you heard from God to do something really simple to get started and then by popular opinion; Oh, that’s a bad word for me. Popular opinion. My dad actually made a statement one time and I have lived by that. He said that, son, (to me) you’re going to have to learn to go contrary to the flow of other people many times. They’re all going north, and you’ve got to be going south. They’re all selling and you’re buying, you’ve got to go contrary to what other people are doing many times. Do your research, do your study, you know it’s not just going the opposite direction. But you’ve got to be able to overcome your attitude and opinions and feelings in doing this. Well, thanks for being a part of Inspiring Better Business.