A COZY EVENING IN WINTER
K.. we're traveling back in time to around 1978, just about 3 months after I got saved, born again, found God, whatever you like to call it.. :)
There were about 4 or 5 of us Christians in a large lounge by a large open fire, just having a nice time together and all of us smoking. I ran out of cigarettes and got one off one of the others in the room. I went and stood by the fireplace and lit up. I always did enjoy smoking.
AND THEN GOD SAID
I was quietly enjoying my cigarette when God spoke to me. He said "Smoking is an abomination to Me."
He could have said it was yuk, or that He didn't like it, but no.. He used the word abomination! I felt terrible! I just wanted to throw the cigarette away, but I didn't. Looking back it would have been the best thing to do, but I had got this cigarette off someone else and you don't just throw away something that someone else has just given you, or so I thought at the time. Instead I held it down so it would burn away quicker, I took puffs without inhaling, I just wanted to make it go away! Finally it burned down enough for me to throw it away without causing offense to the person who gave it to me. Silly that I was more concerned about offending another person than I was God.
THE PROMISE
I told God that that was it, I was giving up smoking just for Him. I managed two whole days without a cigarette. I climbed walls, got agitated and even angry, but resisted the increasingly strong urge for a smoke right up until the end of the second day. I smoked cigarette after cigarette like my life depended on it until I went to bed.
When I woke up the next morning I felt bad about smoking and told God I was going to really give up this time. Ha! I only lasted a day!! I simply could not handle not having my smokes!
The next day when I woke up after another binge night on the cigarettes I told God that I had made two honest attempts to give up and was unable to do it. I said to Him that night before I went to sleep that if He wanted me to give up He would have to take the desire for them away from me.
THE MIRACLE
The next morning when I woke up I didn't want a cigarette! Wow, for the first time in about ten years I didn't want a smoke! As the day went on the desire for a cigarette didn't come back. This was a real miracle! In fact, later that day when I was with friends who smoked, instead of being tempted I was really put off by the smell of the cigarettes which I found quite disgusting.
Yes, I became one of those reformed smokers who gave everyone else who did smoke a hard time! :)
WHY IT'S AN ABOMINATION
God showed me why smoking was an abomination to Him He did this by asking me when it was that I was most likely to light up a smoke. I thought about it and identified that it was when I had nothing to do, felt awkward or nervous, was outside my comfort zone, when I felt sad or lonely to name a few.
He showed me that on each of these occasions, when He was there for me, instead of turning to Him I lit up a smoke. The cigarettes had become my god.
Exo 34:14 For you shall worship no other god. For Jehovah, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God;
God is jealous. Sounds crazy, but when you understand the love that He has for us and the supreme sacrifice He made for us in sending Jesus, He has every right to be jealous. Jealousy in this instance is good. It's a kind of jealousy that wants to protect and do good and is about being impassioned with pouring out love and goodness, mercy, compassion and uplifting. He is full of encouragement and delights in making a path for us that will do us the ultimate good.
He is jealous because He cares so much for each one of us. He is awesome!
Top
K.. we're traveling back in time to around 1978, just about 3 months after I got saved, born again, found God, whatever you like to call it.. :)
There were about 4 or 5 of us Christians in a large lounge by a large open fire, just having a nice time together and all of us smoking. I ran out of cigarettes and got one off one of the others in the room. I went and stood by the fireplace and lit up. I always did enjoy smoking.
AND THEN GOD SAID
I was quietly enjoying my cigarette when God spoke to me. He said "Smoking is an abomination to Me."
He could have said it was yuk, or that He didn't like it, but no.. He used the word abomination! I felt terrible! I just wanted to throw the cigarette away, but I didn't. Looking back it would have been the best thing to do, but I had got this cigarette off someone else and you don't just throw away something that someone else has just given you, or so I thought at the time. Instead I held it down so it would burn away quicker, I took puffs without inhaling, I just wanted to make it go away! Finally it burned down enough for me to throw it away without causing offense to the person who gave it to me. Silly that I was more concerned about offending another person than I was God.
THE PROMISE
I told God that that was it, I was giving up smoking just for Him. I managed two whole days without a cigarette. I climbed walls, got agitated and even angry, but resisted the increasingly strong urge for a smoke right up until the end of the second day. I smoked cigarette after cigarette like my life depended on it until I went to bed.
When I woke up the next morning I felt bad about smoking and told God I was going to really give up this time. Ha! I only lasted a day!! I simply could not handle not having my smokes!
The next day when I woke up after another binge night on the cigarettes I told God that I had made two honest attempts to give up and was unable to do it. I said to Him that night before I went to sleep that if He wanted me to give up He would have to take the desire for them away from me.
THE MIRACLE
The next morning when I woke up I didn't want a cigarette! Wow, for the first time in about ten years I didn't want a smoke! As the day went on the desire for a cigarette didn't come back. This was a real miracle! In fact, later that day when I was with friends who smoked, instead of being tempted I was really put off by the smell of the cigarettes which I found quite disgusting.
Yes, I became one of those reformed smokers who gave everyone else who did smoke a hard time! :)
WHY IT'S AN ABOMINATION
God showed me why smoking was an abomination to Him He did this by asking me when it was that I was most likely to light up a smoke. I thought about it and identified that it was when I had nothing to do, felt awkward or nervous, was outside my comfort zone, when I felt sad or lonely to name a few.
He showed me that on each of these occasions, when He was there for me, instead of turning to Him I lit up a smoke. The cigarettes had become my god.
Exo 34:14 For you shall worship no other god. For Jehovah, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God;
God is jealous. Sounds crazy, but when you understand the love that He has for us and the supreme sacrifice He made for us in sending Jesus, He has every right to be jealous. Jealousy in this instance is good. It's a kind of jealousy that wants to protect and do good and is about being impassioned with pouring out love and goodness, mercy, compassion and uplifting. He is full of encouragement and delights in making a path for us that will do us the ultimate good.
He is jealous because He cares so much for each one of us. He is awesome!
Top