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NASB | Mark 7:18 And He *said to them, "Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him, |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Mark 7:18 And He said to them, "Are you, too, so foolish and lacking in understanding? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile and dishonor him, |
Subject: A believer who smokes? |
Bible Note: Hi, Dadda, you have been given some very encouraging and truthful words from those who obviously care enough to share their own testimonies with you. Please listen to them. Maybe, as a new convert, you didn't know smoking was not of God, but now you do. "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." James 4:17 Yes, God will deliver you from the burden of smoking, only if you are willing to give it up. Psalm 55:22 says, "Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and He shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved." You have to be willing to totally let go, totally give it up. God will not TAKE it from you. You have a choice to make. Dadda, please don't use other people, whether professing Christians or not, as your example to live the holy life God calls for. Jesus is your example and He did not smoke, over eat, curse, fornicate, hate, covet, lie, or any other sin. As a child of God, you should hate what God hates and love what God loves. Right now you know that God doesn't approve smoking or any other act that defiles the body (His temple). Since God loves souls and wants them saved, I would not want to be a stumbling block to others who would be saved. Even some unbelievers feel that smoking is not good. So, what if God led you to witness to an unbeliever? I don't think he would be very accepting of Christ because your smoking will kill your witness (not that you would witness with a cigarette between your fingers, but the smell stays with you). Afterall, if God can't deliver you from something as small as smoking, then how is He going to deliver someone from a life of sin?? "Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:" 2 Corinthians 3:2 Your life should reflect God and not fleshy desires and lack of self control! Know that you are not alone in this. As God commands us to bear each other's burdens (Galatians 6:2) and I know this is not easy, I will be praying for you and with you. But you have to acknowledge that this is not of God and want to be freed from the burden of smoking, and He will do it. Then you can be concerned about spiritual things. "Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes." Song of Solomon 2:15 WalkingTalkingBible "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." Galatians 5:9 WalkingTalkingBible |