Daily Devotional for Thursday July 17, 2014

A Word to Those Bound by Cigarettes

(Psalms 91:3; 2 Timothy 4:18; 2 Peter 2:9)

***ASK BILL: Pastor Bill, after a recent disagreement, I was told by my spouse that he could go anywhere he wants, whenever he wants, see whoever he wants, stay as long as he wants, and make any decisions he wants without consulting me. Don't spouses owe each other that type of consideration and communication?

ANSWER: That is not a spouse, it is a dictator, and it is certainly NOT the way God designed marriage. A husband and wife are 100% equal, with different roles to play. Those who want to disregard the Bible point to passages about a wife being obedient. What they fail to mention, is that on the other side, the man is to love his wife as Christ loves the church. MARRIAGE IS A MUTUAL RELATIONSHIP OF LOVE, PATIENCE, UNDERSTANDING, NURTURING, BASED ON A SHARED FAITH IN CHRIST!

A word to those bound today by cigarettes/tobacco! I realize from the tens of thousands of emails we get each day that this is a bondage many of our friends are in today. When we think of addictions, we immediately think of alcohol or drugs, possibly gambling, shopping, food, or even perverted forms of sex. However, the most common addiction tens of millions are dealing with today is the addiction to cigarettes/tobacco.

After all of these years, the medical science is irrefutable that smoking is literally nothing more than a slow form of suicide. You don't have to be a doctor or even be very knowledgeable about science to know that sucking smoke into your lungs can not have ANY positive affects on your health. 480,000 people die annually from smoking-related diseases!!!

It is no accident that you are reading these words today if you are in bondage to smoking. God is trying to speak to you, to get your attention, and wants to help you find deliverance once and for all from this bondage to cigarettes/tobacco. GOD IS ABLE TO SET YOU FREE IF YOU ARE SERIOUS ABOUT FINDING THAT FREEDOM!!!

Are you serious about being delivered once and for all from your bondage cigarettes/tobacco? Here is what I want you to do. Go get a box and put all of your cigarettes/tobacco into the box. Now, seal up the box with tape, find a dumpster, AND THROW THAT BOX AWAY! Before you leave, get on your knees, physically get on your knees, and ask God to deliver you once and for all from your bondage to cigarettes/tobacco.

My friend, if you are serious about being delivered from your bondage to cigarettes/tobacco, take the first step and box up your cigarettes/tobacco, AND THROW THEM AWAY!!! Then PRAY and ask God to deliver you once and for all!!!

The use of drugs cigarettes/tobacco is not complicated. Most start out smoking as an experiment to see what it is like. Often people initially smoke due to peer pressure or to act "grown up." This is very common. The fact is, the result of smoking is that "high" feeling from the nicotine. After smoking for a while and getting used to the feeling produced by the nicotine, it often leads to becoming addicted and smoking becomes part of your daily life.

Addiction to cigarettes/tobacco usually begins when a person is in their teen years. When we think of addiction, we get the mental image of the junkie in the alley, or wino. The fact is, those addicted to cigarettes/tobacco go to school, work, and church, they have families, yet smoking has become part of their daily life.They cannot live without their cigarettes/tobacco. When you welcomed the enemy into your life by experimenting with smoking, you had no idea how difficult it would be to make him leave.

I want this word today to accomplish two things. First, for young adults, even older adults, DON'T OPEN YOUR LIFE TO THE ENEMY BY EXPERIMENTING WITH CIGARETTES/TOBACCO. The consequences can literally cost you your life since smoking is literally a slow form of suicide!

Secondly, for those who are in bondage to cigarettes/tobacco you have first got to want to stop. Like anyone in in bondage, who is addicted to anything, I realize that it is not easy. But before you can be delivered, find freedom from your bondage you have to first want to quit. Once you have crossed that threshold, than you can tap in the power of God to help you find the strength each day to walk in victory. God is still in the deliverance business, but you first have to want to be delivered.

I love you and care about you so much. I will be praying for those who are battling and addiction to cigarettes/tobacco. Maybe this is not an issue in your life but is in the life of someone you know. Know that the Bible proclaims, "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper!!!" I am praying and believing for deliverance and victory in the lives of those who are bound today by cigarettes/tobacco! THE VICTORY IS YOURS!!!

In His love and service, Your friend and brother in Christ,

Bill Keller