To Smoke or Not to Smoke

To Smoke of Not to Smoke --"All things are lawful, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful, but not all things build up. Let no one seek HIS OWN good, but the good of his neighbor." 1 Corinthians 10:23-24 ESV

Well today's Freedom Fighter will most likely strike a chord of agreement or cause a flurry of responses. Having read an excellent blog on the subject of smoking, I want to share some thoughts for consideration. In fact, this might be a two-parter.

Prior to my Dad's conversion, he was a miserable alcoholic. From what I hear from his family, I am grateful that I never knew this side of my Dad's life. The day he was saved, he was totally set free from his bondage to alcohol and never touched alcohol again.While he experienced freedom in Christ in this area of his life, he secretly struggled till the day he died to his addiction to cigarettes.

For many years I struggled with the question, why could God set Dad free from alcohol, but not cigarettes. He would openly shed tears of gratefulness to the Lord when he shared his testimony about victory over booze, but went to his grave miserably addicted to cigarettes.

It wasn't until becoming involved with America's KESWICK and the Colony of Mercy that I have come to understand that tobacco is a life-dominating bondage for many people. Despite the fact that some believers, and this isn't a judgment call -- believe that since the Bible doesn't list smoking as a "sin" -- tobacco is classified by the world as an addiction. In fact, if you visit www.phillipmorrisusa.com, you will discover from their own literature that this addiction is one of the most difficult addictions to break.

For years, the men of the Colony were able to spoke pipes and cigars at a designated area referred to as "Little Egypt." This really puzzled me because our message since 1897 declares that through Christ we can live a life of victory and freedom. Unless I am reading my Bible incorrectly, Egypt in the Scriptures is a reference to BONDAGE.

Years later, the men of the Colony came to Administration and shared with them that tobacco is a huge area of bondage. The tobacco manufacturers in their own literature declare that their desire is to captivate people at an early age to get them addicted so that they can have a customer for life. They have increased the nicotine content in the product. They have made soft drinks like "Nic-Light" to take care of the smoker who can't make it from airport to airport without their "drug of choice."

Some would argue that smoking is no different to the bondages to coffee, chocolate, sex, food, and the list goes on and on. And they are absolutely right. Our working definition of addiction is that "it is bondage to the rule of a substance, activity or state of mind, which becomes the center of life, defending itself from the truth, so that even bad consequences do not lead to repentance, leading to estrangement from God." (Dr. Ed Welch -- Addiction -- A Banquet to the Grave."

I have friends that have been willing to see their relationship with their wives go down the tubes because of their unwillingness to lay this bondage at the foot of the cross. I've seen men allow this bondage destroy their lives physically rather than allow Christ to set the free.

My Dad's death was untimely. He missed the joy of seeing his grandchildren grow up to serve the Lord. Was it his time to go? Maybe? But maybe not. Maybe God's permissive will allowed his premature homegoing. The day of his death (heart attack and stroke that affected the brain stem) he had smoked several packs of cigarettes. What I know now is that for a heart patient this was lethal!

Tomorrow I want to share with you an excerpt from a blog that I received yesterday. It helps to put things into perspective on the subject and one that I think will help all of us understand why this needs serious attention. -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK

God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 20; Leviticus 26-27; Mark 2

Great Quote: Be not discouraged because of your soul's enemies. Are ye troubled with thoughts, fears, doubts, imaginations, reasonings? Yea, do ye see, yet, much in you unsubdued to the power of life? Oh! Do not fear it; do not look at it, as to be discouraged by it; but look to Him! Look up to the power which is over all their strength; wait for the descendings of the power upon you; abide in faith of the Lord's help, and wait in patience till the Lord arise; and see if His arm do not scatter what yours could not. So, be still before Him, and in stillness, believe in His name; yea, enter not into the hurryings of the enemy, though they fill the soul; for, there is yet somewhat to which they cannot enter, from whence patience, faith, and hope, will spring up in you, even in the midst of all they can do. Isaac Penington