The main premise of the book: It was written to destroy ignorance and myth. It was written to separate fact from fiction and truth from folklore. It was written to highlight knowledge and establish it as a necessity of production, happiness and fulfillment of life. The book is a testimony that "the most violent element in society is ignorance," "A mind is a terrible thing to waste and if you think education cost, try ignorance!" It was written to correct the historically dangerous sentiment that "What you don't know won't hurt you." But, let it be proclaimed from every mountain, hill and housetop, "What you don't know can not only hurt you, but, destroy you."
What You Don't Know Can Not Only Hurt You, But Destroy You! ...
By Stephen Samuel LomaxAuthorHouse
Copyright © 2009 Dr. Stephen Samuel Lomax
All right reserved.ISBN: 978-1-4490-1429-2Contents
CHAPTER I PRELUDE AND PURPOSE!..........................................................................1CHAPTER II INTRODUCTION.................................................................................11CHAPTER III WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW CAN NOT ONLY HURT YOU, BUT DESTROY YOU!.................................37CHAPTER IV WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE BIBLE CAN HURT YOU!............................................53CHAPTER V WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT GOD CAN HURT YOU....................................................71CHAPTER VI WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE DEVIL CAN HURT YOU!............................................85CHAPTER VII WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE CHURCH CAN HURT YOU!..........................................109CHAPTER VIII WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT LOVE CAN HURT YOU!...............................................130CHAPTER IX WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT MARRIAGE AND THE FAMILY CAN HURT YOU!..............................149CHAPTER X WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT DRUGS CAN DESTROY YOU!..............................................196CHAPTER XI WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT GIVING CAN NOT ONLY HURT YOU,BUT DESTROY YOU!......................217CHAPTER XII WHAT THE YOUNG PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT BASIC GODLY TRADITIONS CAN HURT!.....................237END NOTES ON BOOK:.......................................................................................247
Chapter One
PRELUDE AND PURPOSE!
"All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purposes" (Roman 8: 28 KJV).
"Every body part, need every body part" (I Cor. 12: 21KJV).
"To every thing there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven" (Ecclesiastes 3:1 KJV).
"All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purposes" (Roman 8: 28, KJV).
The value of knowledge is immeasurable. It is the first key needed to unlock the doors of success. The presence of knowledge is of such necessity that every professional spends countless hours in the library of study learning to bring forth hidden treasures from the crevices of the unknown into the courts of reality for support and assistance. This is evidenced in the fact, those that hold the doctors of Juris degree (Lawyers) regularly demonstrate their appreciation of knowledge. In many of their offices, hangs the same sign, "My charge is not for what I do, it's for what I know."
Man needs to know that this thirst for knowledge can never be quenched or satisfactorily filled, until he (man) acknowledges the home place of knowledge or(if you will); or find knowledge's street address. Knowledge belongs to God and resides with Him. The psalmist said, "He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names. Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite" (Psalm 147: 4, KJVSB). Samuel said, "There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogance come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed" (I Samuel 2: 3 KJVSB).
James said, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him" (James 1: 5 KJVSB). God is the source of wisdom, knowledge and understanding. Man should take advantage of this fact and turn to God and learn from Him. The exact detail and specificity of God's handy work is masterful and amazing. God doesn't waste time, energy or substance. He carefully calculates every move for the most effectiveness and efficiency, possible. He reuses every thing. God was the first initiator of recycling. In fact, He is the Master Recycler.
It was with exact detail and specificity in the creation of the social order of mankind and the ecosystem of the animal and plant world that God operated with surgical precision. Please note that nothing is done by God haphazardly, without a set time and purpose. Both in the Old Testament and in the New, this fact is repeatedly seen. In the Old Testament, Solomon said, "To every thing there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace" (Eccles. 3: 1-8 KJV). In the New Testament, Paul said, "All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purposes" (Roman 8: 28 KJV).
Once again, one of the many areas that substantiate the point that I'm making and details God's specificity is the ecosystem of the animal and plant world. Note, "the ecosystem is a web of life: made up of all the living animals and plants and the non-living matter in a particular place, like a forest or lake.
All the living things in an ecosystem depend on all the other things - living and non-living for continued survival - for food supplies and other needs. In some ways, the actions and reaction that take place within an ecosystem are like a spider web - when one strand is broken, the web starts to unravel. What affects one part of an ecosystem, affects the whole in some way.
The idea of the web of life is shown by the interdependence within an ecosystem. Animals and plants depend on a complex system of food for survival. In a typical prairie ecosystem, the web might work like this: The sun provides energy for the grass; grasshoppers feed on the grass; birds and frogs eat the grasshoppers; snakes eat birds, frogs and mice; owls and hawks eat the birds as well as snakes, frogs and mice.
When an animal dies, it is decomposed by worms, fungi and bacteria action and nutrients are released into the soil during the decaying process for the grass to use again. Connecting the many plants and animals with lines representing their functions and food chains within this web creates a tangled maze. Obviously, all forms of life in the ecosystem are codependent on all other living and non-living things for food, nutrients and energy"
One of the reasons for writing this book was to share with the readers this critical observation of human life and its connection to its own ecosystem. That is, there is interdependency upon each entity within the human existence. Each creation depends upon another. There is nothing created that is independent, self sufficient and self sustaining.
The Hebrew and Greek philosophers accurately observed this attribute in their declaration of God. They declared God, the father, God the Son and God, the Holy Ghost as the only independent, self sufficient and self sustaining Being. All others created during the creation are wrapped up, tied up and codependent upon each other within its own ecosystem. Like the spider web - when one strand is broken, the web starts to unravel. What affects one part of an ecosystem, affects the whole in some way. This observation is critical for mankind. It is of such necessity that life and death of the entire human family depends upon it.
Think about it this way. When one person helps another person, he inevitably helps himself. Humanity is so tied up with each other that when one helps a child, possibly, he is helping him/her fulfill his/her destiny which may include the eradication of Cancer, Aids or some other disease that could have been locked away forever in his/her loins.
It is true, what goes around, comes around. In fact, my observation of the co-dependency of humanity was one of the driving forces behind the writing of this book. The human family must recognize its ecosystem of co-dependency. The poet said, "No man is an island and no man stands alone. Every man's sorrow is my sorrow, and every man's joy is my own. Every man's death diminishes me, for I am involved in mankind." What a wonderful truth-that no person is an island. We're all intimately related and connected to each other (biologically through Adam and Eve and spiritually through Christ) and our fate is irrevocably tied to the fate of those who intertwine in our lives and those whose paths we cross as we journey through the land. A songwriter pointed this out to man. He said, "As I journey through the land, singing as I go, pointing souls to Calvary to the crimson flow, many arrows pierce my soul from without, within; But my Lord leads me on, through Him I must win" (Song: "O I want to see Him.")
Also, the book was written to enlighten mankind of another irrevocable fact that his fate is not only dependent upon other humans, but chiefly, upon God, the Creator. This wonderful truth needs acknowledgment by the human family. It is critical to its survival. Mankind must understand that when he/she (mankind) fails to follow God's primary plan and principles of operation for living, it's a fatal flaw. It's not only fatal for man; but for the church, man's traveling companion. The Church and man or man and the Church are co-dependent. Lest the church forget, its main mandate from God is to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth (Matthew 5: 13-14).
Obviously and consequently, if man fails, the mission of the Church fails. To that fact, there is no debate. But not so obvious and debated is the fact that mankind needs the Church as much as the Church needs man. If the Church fails, man fails. The survival of both depends upon God and the survival of the other. Their interdependency, if not understood provides the possibility for catastrophic and devastating collapse: A collapse of the social order of mankind and the church. Such collapses will bring forth staggering results. Example: for the church: decline of attendance and faith and morality. This decline will not only devastate the Church, but will affect and/or infect the social stability of humanity as well.
It is imperative for church leadership to recognize the high risks and understand the critical consequences of what's at stake; should the church fail. Should the church's mission fail; the family fails. Should the family fail, society fails. Should society (social order) fail, humanity fails: "No man is an island and no man stands alone." The domino effects of such a failure will be felt throughout the land. Specifically, an increase in lawlessness and immorality will occur, such as rises in murder, domestic violence, rape, incest, high school dropout, teenage and out of wedlock pregnancies, hatred, malice, disrespect and dishonor for the elderly.
More acceptances of negative peer pressure and general disorder will occur, a long with religious, political and social chaos. Paul warned the church at Corinth of this dependency by reminded the Body of Christ that the human body and the Body of Christ, work, similarly. They are interdependent. Just like, "the eye can not say to the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of thee" (I Cor. 12: 21). Every body part; needs every body part; and every man and woman needs every man and woman.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
The Church; the former President George Bush and the Iraq shoe slinger.
(Every body part; needs every body part!)
In 2008, a well noted incident with the former president, George W. Bush, brings to life the great point that Paul makes in I Cor. 12: 21. Paul informed the church of its likeness, operationally, to the body of man. By God's design, both are interrelated and should operate similarly. In fact, the members of the human body fulfill their purpose in cooperation and togetherness. The hands, feet, eyes, toes and fingers, etc., all recognize each other's individual value and necessity to the welfare of the whole. It's the Church's body that's inadequate in its understanding and role.
I watched the video of the incident involving former President George W. Bush and the Iraqi throwing shoes at him. In watching it, God revealed some powerful revelations concerning the Church. First, I noticed the Iraqi citizen throwing the first shoe at the former president. The menacing look in the eyes of the Iraqi told me that he was not playing games. He meant business and threw the shoe with all of his power and might. He aimed it at the former president's head. This was a serious threat and attack on the former president of the U. S.
Notice, George Bush's eyes saw the shoe coming. The eyes sent the message to the brain, saying, "danger; shoe is coming." The Brain sent a message to the hand to respond. The hand sent a message back to the brain, saying, "Too late, shoe is too close." The brain then sent message to the neck, "move immediately." Neck moved just in the "nick" of time and the shoe barely missed the former president's head.
The Iraqi threw a second shoe at the president's head. Once again, the eyes saw the shoe coming and sent the message of impending danger to the brain. The brain sent another message to the hand to rise and defend. This time the hand responded and rose to the defense, protecting President Bush's face. The episode was a serious attack on the former president and NOT to be taken lightly. However, it is a perfect demonstration of the cooperation between the members of the body to survive.
It needs noting, highlighting and broadcasting that there was not an argument between the eyes, brain, hand or neck. They all cooperated together to prevent the head from injury. The physiological body parts seem to understand that they need each other. Their survival, individually, is dependent upon each member's performance, corporately.
However, in my thirty three years of pastoral experience dealing with members of the Body of Christ (Church); had the same threat occurred to them, the result would have been devastatingly different. Had this attack been on the head of the church, the head would have been seriously injured for the following reasons. First, when the eye (member of the church) saw danger coming and told the brain (Pastor or leader); somebody within the church would have called for a meeting to discuss the reason for the shoe being thrown; Thus, injury to the head because there was not enough time to discuss that issue.
Second, when the eye told the brain, danger was coming and the brain gave the command to the hand to respond, had that happened to the church, some member of the body would have asked the brain, who put you in charge. Once again, the result would have been injury to the head because there was no time to get bogged down on a moot (senseless) point.
Had it been the body of Baptized Believers (CHURCH), if the brain didn't answer the member's question about his authority to give commands, satisfactorily, the member (represented by the neck) would have refused to follow the brain's instruction and not moved out of harm's way. The result being, the head of the body would have been injured because of the defiance of the member. If former president Bush's body members would have been as uncooperative as the body of Christ, he would have been injured, maybe even seriously.
The above example was a great revelation from God. It demonstrated the reason for both, the inactivity of the Church in the world and the success of the Devil. The Church spends too much time in the hospital, sick and recuperating in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) because of member's attacks on each other and refusal to assist the body. This activity of the church or lack thereof; has serious consequences. The consequences are not to be played with; they are as deadly as a serious disease to the body of man.
The inactivity threatens the purpose and the existence of the Church. This self inflicted illness causes the Church inefficiencies, leaving the church only with energy enough to care for itself. Thus, the church remains weak, divided, inactive and without strength, necessary to care for the world. This is ironic, particularly because a strong witness to the world was its original purpose for existence.
This sentiment of Jesus was recorded in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles. In fact, it was Jesus' last command to the Church. It commissioned the church to be witnesses. Jesus said, you shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1: 8 KJV).
The revelation from God is so tremendous that the Devil works untiringly, day in and day out, attempting to keep it from the knowledge and understanding of the Church. (For more information on the reality of the Devil, his detailed attacks and influence on mankind and how to defeat him, order from AuthorHouse publishers, Dr. Stephen Lomax's book, entitled, "Did the Devil Make me do It?) You will be blessed!
But for the Church to justify its creation and maintain its mission and purpose, first, it must acknowledge the reality of its critical condition. As long as it thinks that everything is fine with its operation of inefficiency, it will never realize its potential and purpose. Something must happen, either to or in the church to stir up a spiritual self examination, which is long over due.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from What You Don't Know Can Not Only Hurt You, But Destroy You! ...by Stephen Samuel Lomax Copyright © 2009 by Dr. Stephen Samuel Lomax. Excerpted by permission.
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