It's Not Complicated!: Love, Bless, Do Good and Pray

By Ramona A. Jackson-Woods

It’s Not Complicated! is addressed to fathers, mothers, children, and those desiring to marry and become fathers and mothers who will raise, train, and discipline their children (especially boys) to be mature—not placeholders, but healthy, responsible, and independent citizens who are not looking for an easy way out, but rather are seeking God’s plan for the prosperity (economic, physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being) of their family. The history of the world will tell us just how destructive it is to have people out of place (especially in a family). In other words, the family unit is continuing to break down while the mother and/or father is blaming the other for the destruction they see, instead of taking responsibility to ensure their children are healed of the wounds often caused by the ignorance of the parent(s). God has a plan for man (male and female), the family, and the society.

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare (peace) and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11, ESV).

Until we do it his way, devastation and death will continue to occur in our homes and communities because of the ignorance we perpetuate when we hear disrespectful words and see disrespectful behavior emanating from our children, youth, and young adults. No society can continue its existence without the male assuming his God-given, God-ordained responsibility to provide leadership for his family in a God-honoring, grace-filled manner that’s motivated by love. Without proper instruction and encouragement, we cannot continue as a healthy people or a sound healthy community.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: May 18, 2019
• ISBN: 9781728310794

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© 2019 Ramona A. Jackson-Woods. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from THE MESSAGE. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. Website.

Published by AuthorHouse 05/16/2019

ISBN: 978-1-7283-1080-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-7283-1078-7 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-7283-1079-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019906272

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

CONTENTS

Dedication

Introduction

I.   An Overview

Chapter 1     In The Beginning

Chapter 2     Initiation Of The Plan

Chapter 3     Implementation of the Plan

Chapter 4     TRUST: Catalyst of the Plan

Chapter 5     Sabotage of the Plan (I)

Chapter 6     Sabotage of the Plan (II)

II.   Foundational Truths

Chapter 7     Bone of My Bones

Chapter 8     Relational Boundaries and Basic Needs

III.   Practical Applications

Chapter 9     Fig Leaves

Chapter 10     Purpose

Chapter 11     Vision

Chapter 12   Preparation and Order

Chapter 13   Sacrifice and Respect

End Notes

About The Author

DEDICATION

To the hundreds of thousands of males who want to step-up to the plate of responsibility and accountability to BE the leaders of healthy families (God ordained) that will evolve as a result of their transformed personhood.

And

To the women who want a healthy family, and are not willing to settle for a life riddled with false identities that result from chauvinistic mindsets, misogyny, and han instead of healthy interdependence where all parties are responsible, accountable and allowed to grow in His (Adonai, God) grace as an act of worship.

INTRODUCTION

THROUGHOUT THE WORLD children can be heard calling or addressing the first person with whom they developed a relationship (albeit in the womb), Mother (commonly known as mama or mommy). This is particularly so in communities where the mother has been left with the responsibility of raising/training (oversight), by default of the father(s) of the children born to her. Among some people groups, it is common to hear such comments as: Mama’s baby, daddy’s maybe, further attesting to this default or dilemma.

Unfortunately, although … the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh… (2 Corinthians 10:4, ESV), "… the prince of the power of the air… (Ephesians 2:2, ESV) has been successful in deceiving mankind into believing that he (man) is in a carnal or flesh battle. As a result of this kind of mindset, we have continued to lose our children to drugs, alcohol, gangs, the occult, suicide, teenage/unmarried pregnancy, high school delinquency, STD’s (including those identified as drug resistant super-bugs), sex/human trafficking and various illegal ways of acquiring fast money.

This list could continue because we have not addressed the real issue(s): the purpose of man, God’s plan for man, and the application of those purposes and plans in his (man/mankind’s) everyday life.

It’s Not Complicated! Is addressed to fathers, mothers, children and those desiring to marry and become fathers and mothers who will raise/train/disciple their children (especially boys) to be mature. Not place holders but healthy, responsible and independent citizens who are not looking for an easy way out, but rather are seeking God’s plan for the prosperity (economic, physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being) of their family.

The history of the world will tell us just how destructive it is to have people out of place (especially in a family). In other words, the family unit is continuing to break down while the mother and/or father is blaming the other for the destruction they see, instead of taking responsibility to insure that their children are healed of the wounding often caused by the ignorance of the parent(s). God had and has a plan for man (male and female), the family and society (Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare (peace) and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. ESV).

Until we do it His way, devastation and death will continue to occur in our homes and communities because of the ignorance we perpetuate when we hear disrespectful words and see disrespectful behavior emanating from our children, youth and young adults while we remain silent. No society can continue its existence without the male assuming his God-given, God-ordained responsibility to provide leadership for his family in a God-honoring, grace-filled manner motivated by love. Without proper instruction and encouragement, we cannot continue as a healthy people or a sound healthy community.

Living in the inner city need not be a curse or a living hell. We can make a difference (a beautiful dwelling place), but we must start at home. Many years ago, while attending an Azusa Meeting in Tulsa, Oklahoma, I heard Pastor Myles Monroe (now deceased) deliver a sermon during which he said: Where purpose is not known, abuse is inevitable. While many salient points were made during this sermon, that statement has rung true in my heart for more than twenty-five years.

Certainly we can see the abuse that continues to take place in homes across America. Not just in the inner city but in all places where the purpose of God is not known or is ignored or forsaken for some more intelligent-sounding, society-approved or politically correct theory or philosophy.

Most chapters in It’s Not Complicated! are written as independent lessons and may contain information stated in previous chapters. Unless otherwise stated, scriptures are from the English Standard Version (ESV) of the Bible.

Mothers and women in general must be relieved of the inappropriate responsibilities and burdens that they have shouldered for centuries in both the absence and presence of a father or man in the home. Many blame slavery for the existence of this travesty, however, the lack of mental and spiritual transformation being perpetuated is continued without the formal institution of slavery. My brothers and sisters, we must arise from our slumber and stop depending on others to do for and with our children and loved ones, what only we can do! Stop blaming others and take responsibility for what you have allowed to occur in your generation(s); with your seed.

In order for our children to be saved from the spiritual plot of genocide (the systematically-planned destruction of a race or culture) orchestrated by Satan through the weapons of trafficking, drugs, alcohol, the occult, gangs, rejection, abandonment, guilt, shame and low self-esteem, the eyes of our understanding must be opened and enlightened to hear what the Spirit of the Lord is saying to us!

THERE IS HOPE! IT’S NOT COMPLICATED!

LOVE! BLESS! DO GOOD! PRAY!

PART I

An Overview

CHAPTER 1

In The Beginning

Life, our society, our world, our families, are not the way God designed them. God had a plan; He has not changed His plan!¹ Man has changed in his hearing and adhering to the plan, but God has not changed² His plan. His plan is the same.

We’ve messed up royally! Have you ever had a good thing and you just messed it up? Some of you have had relationships that you wish you could have again but you messed them up, while blaming everyone but yourself. The old saying goes: You don’t miss your water until the well runs dry.

Very often we are broken cisterns with water leaking out of us. Some have holes so large that the water doesn’t leak, it spews out. Others have such tares and gaps that the water doesn’t spew out, it gushes out. Yet, it’s everybody’s fault- your mama’s fault, your daddy’s fault; it’s the fault of the man who didn’t like you; it’s the fault of the man who you loved but he didn’t love you; it is the fault of the woman you gave everything in the world to, yet she still turned a cold shoulder; it’s everybody’s fault but yours. This is usually nothing more than blame shifting! God had a plan and if we want to prosper, we must go back to His plan. God’s plan was initiated in His thoughts relative to man. Genesis, Chapter 1, tells us of the plan of God.

We have assigned many roles and expectations to each other and ourselves that are unrealistic. How many of you have found that it is a little difficult for you to measure up to your own expectations? One of the things you will find is that the Bible says that the law had to be done away with or it had to be perfected through the blood of Jesus because man could not keep the law.³ The sting of death was not final. Jesus, after shedding His blood, took the sting⁴ out of death.