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Series Code: BTLP
Program Code: BTLP000102A
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00:38 Hello and welcome to Behold the Lamb Ministries.
00:40 I'm Chris Shelton, your host, 00:42 and I want to thank you for joining us today. 00:44 Today we're going to be covering lesson number 10 00:48 in this study guide that was prepared 00:49 by Brother Richard Bland of United Prison Ministries. 00:53 The study guide is entitled, 00:54 "Sharing God's Love, What the Bible Says." 00:58 We are working with Brother Richard 00:59 to prepare one hour lesson studies 01:02 that correspond with each lesson 01:04 in this study guide. 01:05 In the back of the study guide, 01:07 there are several wonderful Bible story references 01:11 that perhaps you've heard about 01:13 and you weren't really certain where to find them. 01:15 This is a really quick reference guide 01:18 for all of those wonderful character building stories 01:21 that we find in God's Word. 01:23 And with every program that you order 01:25 from Behold the Lamb Ministries 01:26 in this series, we will send you 01:28 one of these free Bible study guide. 01:31 Now let's talk about today's study. 01:34 It is entitled, 01:35 "Can Take Control and Quit Smoking." 01:37 That's Take Control and Quit Smoking. 01:41 You know, for many of us to smoke 01:43 when we were younger was a rite of passage, 01:46 meaning that you are now a cool adult 01:48 if you smoked, and you may still be a smoker 01:51 and you may be wondering, what's wrong with smoking. 01:54 Smoking makes me feel good, that's what I've heard, anyway, 01:59 but, well, for one thing we definitely know 02:01 that there's scientific evidence now 02:04 that it shows just how detrimental smoking 02:07 truly is to the body. 02:10 And many of us have seen or experienced persons 02:13 who have battled with some type of cancer 02:16 do in particular to smoking. 02:18 So with that in mind, please allow me to share 02:20 from 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. 02:24 So that we may see 02:25 just what God thinks of our bodies 02:27 and what He says our bodies really are to Him? 02:31 It reads, "What? 02:34 Know ye not that your body is the temple the Holy Ghost 02:37 which is in you, which ye have God, 02:40 and ye are not your own? 02:42 For ye are bought with a price: 02:44 therefore glorify God in your body, 02:46 and in your spirit, which are God's." 02:49 Friends, God says, Hey, I have bought you, 02:53 I have given My Son for you. 02:56 Your body is no longer your own, 02:58 it's the temple of the Holy Spirit. 03:00 It's where I want to dwell. 03:02 It's what I want to use to communicate with you. 03:06 Our bodies are special to our Heavenly Father. 03:11 But before we learn more about this subject 03:13 with Pastor Kenny Shelton, 03:14 let's visit the 3ABN Worship Center 03:17 and listen to a song that is entitled, 03:19 "He Who Trust's" by Stephanie Dawn. 03:34 These are periled times we live in 03:39 Trouble everywhere 03:43 Weary hearts will often give in 03:48 To this world's despair 03:52 But high and overall 03:55 Our Father knows our every care 04:01 So in His Book, if you will look 04:05 You'll find His promise there 04:12 He who trusts in the Lord 04:16 Mercy shall surround him 04:21 He who trusts in the Lord 04:25 Mercy shall surround him 04:29 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice 04:34 You upright in heart, lift up your voice 04:38 For great is His mercy toward 04:43 All who trust in the Lord 04:54 Soon will be the time 04:56 When we will see the Holy One 05:02 Oh, how sweet to know that He'll complete 05:07 What He's begun 05:10 And blessed is the man 05:14 Who stands forgiven in God's son 05:19 And blessed are they who in that day 05:23 Will hear Him say, "Well done" 05:30 He who trusts in the Lord 05:34 Mercy shall surround him 05:39 He who trusts in the Lord 05:43 Mercy shall surround him 05:47 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice 05:51 You upright in heart, lift up your voice 05:55 For great is His mercy toward 06:00 All who trust in the Lord 06:07 Gracious is He and slow to anger 06:15 His loving kindness 06:18 Has no end 06:23 With love to embrace both friend and stranger 06:30 He's reaching out to one and all 06:34 Who upon His name will call 06:41 For he who trusts in the Lord 06:46 Mercy shall surround him 06:50 He who trusts in the Lord 06:54 Mercy shall surround him 06:58 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice 07:02 You upright in heart, lift up your voice 07:06 For great is His mercy toward 07:11 All who trust in the Lord 07:17 Mercy is His reward 07:21 For all who trust, for the pure and just 07:25 Who put their trust 07:27 In the Lord 07:33 Mercy is His reward 07:41 Greatest his mercy to all 07:46 All who put their trust 07:51 In the Lord 08:06 Thanks for joining us once again 08:07 here at Behold the Lamb. 08:09 Thank you, thank you, thank you so very much 08:10 for all that you do for the ministry. 08:11 Keep us in your prayers, you know that 08:13 we need it desperately, 08:14 and we'll be praying for you. 08:16 Today's subject is how to take control 08:18 and quit smoking. 08:21 This is subject, this, 08:22 you know, I think probably dear too many hearts. 08:24 Many people have tried over the years to quit smoking, 08:28 and they just can't seem to gain this victory. 08:30 Today I guarantee you based upon the Word of God, 08:33 victory can be yours, and why not today. 08:35 Before we get in the message, why don't we spend 08:37 some time in prayer, 08:38 I'm going to kneel and if you can, kneel with me, 08:40 if not, let's still pray with me. 08:41 Let's pray. 08:44 Father in heaven, again, we thank You for Your Word. 08:46 We pray now Your Holy Spirit 08:48 will enlighten us these beautiful truths 08:50 that You have in store for us. 08:52 Bless us, give us strength 08:53 and may today there be victories 08:54 that would be gained that's maybe many have said, 08:56 oh, it's not possible, thought it's not possible, 08:59 but it is, because all things are possible through You. 09:01 Bless us now we pray, give us heavenly wisdom 09:04 and give us encouragement, and strength, and victory today 09:06 and we thank you in Jesus' name, amen. 09:12 We'll go to for our first passage of scripture, 09:13 the one that I'm sure that in the beginning 09:15 was given to you, 09:17 that's found in 1 Corinthians, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. 09:22 What a beautiful basis on which to build. 09:25 I love it, when we talk about any subject matter 09:27 that you have a good foundation. 09:29 Being a builder for many years I understood 09:31 or at least I thought I did, 09:33 the basis of a good foundation because without it, 09:36 your building's going to tip, it's going to fall over, 09:38 it's not going to be very good, 09:39 so a good strong firm foundation. 09:41 This is why we're talking about this issue, 09:43 the Bible said, 09:44 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, says, "What?" 09:49 Starts off what? 09:51 Gets your attention, doesn't it? 09:52 "Know ye not that your body is," what? 09:55 "The temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, 09:58 which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?" 10:03 Very, very clear. 10:04 First of all, that your body is the temple, 10:06 you are not your own. 10:08 And it goes on in verse 20, 10:09 to tell us why that we're not our own. 10:11 I've heard a lot of independent thinking people say, 10:13 I'm my own, my own man, 10:15 I do what I want to do when I want to do it. 10:17 Jesus says, "You are not your own." 10:20 And He tells us why, verse 20, 10:22 "For ye are bought with a price..." 10:25 And because we're bought with a price, which is what? 10:27 The blood of Jesus Christ. 10:29 Notice this, "Therefore we are to glorify God 10:33 in your body, and in your spirit, 10:35 which are God's." 10:36 So everything right taken into our body, 10:38 what we put on our body should glorify whom? 10:41 Should glorify God and not mankind, man dresses, 10:44 you know, what he thinks is good and so, 10:46 he's pleasing and might look good, 10:49 but this is all about God and giving glory to Him. 10:52 I thought was very, very interesting 10:54 because I've met a lot of people 10:56 and I've seen that God has given complete victory 10:59 over those who want, 11:00 you know, had this habit of take control, 11:03 quit smoking, they want to, and you know, 11:06 they ask God for and sometimes immediately 11:09 they're given that victory. 11:10 And then there are others 11:11 who struggle a little bit with it, 11:13 not because God's not able, but sometime because maybe 11:16 we fight it just a little bit 11:18 and it takes a little bit longer. 11:20 But I guarantee you, know how many years you smoke, 11:22 no matter how many years you've had this habit, 11:25 you can gain the victory 11:26 and today is going to be the day, 11:28 I know that for sure. 11:30 I saw this written down somewhere 11:32 that was kind of interesting. 11:33 It says this, "Once you start smoking, 11:37 once you start smoking, 11:40 the consequences will find you." 11:43 Does that make sense? 11:45 Once you start the consequences, 11:47 and there are consequences to smoking, 11:50 they will find you. 11:54 I found this in The Acts of the Apostle, 11:56 Paul, this is about Paul here, it says, "But he..." 11:59 Paul, 307, The Acts of the Apostles, 307, 12:03 "Knew also that in Christ crucified 12:06 they were offered power 12:08 sufficient to convert the soul 12:11 and divinely adapted to enable them 12:13 to resist all temptations of evil." 12:17 This is just something, it's kind of encouraging 12:19 to read for those who say, "Oh, I can, I can." 12:22 Remember, Paul was talking about it here, he said, 12:24 "Through Jesus Christ and Him," what? 12:26 "Crucified. 12:27 There's more than enough power 12:28 to gain the victory over any evil." 12:31 That's good news, isn't it? It can be gained. 12:33 Praise God for that, any kind of temptation. 12:37 You know, there's several individuals 12:41 that were asked some questions 12:43 about why did you begin smoking? 12:45 What happened when you began, you know, down this road? 12:49 We call puffing on the cigarette. 12:51 And one of them said this, his name was James, 12:53 he said this. 12:54 He said, "First smoking stained my teeth." 12:58 So he sounds like someone who said, 12:59 "I don't like the smoking thing because first thing, 13:01 it stained my teeth. 13:03 And then it gave me gum disease. 13:05 And then I began to lose my teeth." 13:08 So he said, "No, it's not a good thing to start." 13:11 Cecilia said this, terrible deal, 13:15 "Smoking not only gave me early wrinkles, 13:17 it also turned my skin, my face grayish, 13:22 and it's not worth it at all." 13:25 Jackie said, 13:27 "Smoking turned my nails yellow." 13:30 Other reviews mentioned this, 13:32 "But I didn't think it happened to me, 13:35 and I'm just not going to recommend it." 13:39 Diane said this, 13:40 "Disappointed, I smoke and now my breath 13:44 smells like an ashtray. 13:46 I don't recommend it." Well, these might... 13:48 You might say they're kind of small things, 13:50 they're really not. 13:52 A lot heavier duty thing certainly that would follow. 13:56 Many, many hundreds and thousands 13:59 we're talking about have health diseases 14:01 that are associated with smoking. 14:04 So I think first it would be good to go over some smoking 14:06 because some of the people have the habit, 14:08 they don't really realize what smoke does 14:10 and maybe some of the health things 14:13 that happened when we smoke. 14:15 Notice, first of all, we say, well, 14:17 what's wrong with smoking? 14:20 First of all, we could say 14:22 that it's a slow but sure poison. 14:26 Remember, tobacco is a poison. 14:29 None of us would want to put poison 14:32 if we understood that into our system. 14:34 Surely, we would not want to do that, 14:37 but there are millions who do that. 14:39 They look at it different, they say, "Well, this is good, 14:41 this calms my nerve and nerves in... 14:44 It makes me feel good and..." 14:46 But it has the other effects after that kind of calms down. 14:50 A little book I found I thought was very nice 14:52 called Spiritual Gifts, volume 4, page 128. 14:56 Now this gets pretty heavy. 14:58 Excuse me. Pretty heavy duty. 15:00 So we're not picking on people, remember, 15:02 because maybe you have this habit, 15:04 many people have other habits, 15:05 but this happened to be the subject matter 15:08 and we need to look at realistically, 15:10 this is what it does, are you willing? 15:12 Are you willing? How does God look at it? 15:14 How does heaven view it? 15:16 I heard a man say one time that 15:17 "I think that smoking is fine, I think it's gonna be fine." 15:21 In fact, he said, "I think, when I get to heaven 15:23 there will be a room says for smokers only." 15:27 Well, he belonged to a church, he was in good standing. 15:29 But you know, that's not good reasoning at all 15:31 to think about in heaven, that you in heaven, 15:34 you know, going to have a smoking room, 15:37 but it'd be sad if you really believe that, 15:38 would it not be? 15:40 That would be very, very sad. 15:42 This year was underneath the heading 15:43 by the way of tobacco use. 15:46 Notice this, tobacco use is suicide. 15:49 Wow. 15:50 It's pretty heavy duty, isn't it? 15:52 And it starts off this way. 15:53 It says here, Spiritual Gifts, volume 4, 128, 15:58 "Tobacco is a poison of the most deceitful 16:01 and malignant kind, having an exciting, 16:05 and then paralyzing," notice this, 16:07 "paralyzing influence upon the nerves of the body. 16:11 It is all the more dangerous because" notice this 16:15 "it effects upon the system are so slow at first," 16:20 notice this "scarcely perceivable," notice, 16:23 they have surely... 16:25 This is a big word, 16:27 "They have surely murdered themselves 16:29 by this slow poison. 16:31 And we ask, 16:32 what will be their waking in the resurrection morning?" 16:36 This is pretty heavy duty to start out 16:38 when you talk about gaining victory over smoking. 16:42 But sometime if we don't realize, 16:44 what all takes place, 16:46 you see when we smoke 16:49 all the things that can happen to our health 16:52 and what it does to our body when we just read 16:54 that our body is not our own, right? 16:56 It belongs to God because He paid for it, 16:59 He paid a great prize. 17:00 So therefore, we're to keep it in top working order, 17:03 aren't we? 17:04 And so it says here, notice this, 17:05 that's called murdering yourself. 17:11 Magazine that I like called Signs of the Times, 17:14 and October, this is 27, this is written in 1887. 17:18 Notice what it says, 17:20 "Those who claim that 17:21 tobacco does not injure them..." 17:24 Have you ever met someone who says, 17:25 this doesn't hurt me? 17:26 You know, I've smoked for umpteen years, 17:28 I'm still okay. 17:29 Nothing's wrong, look at me now, I'm still healthy, 17:31 I can do all of these things. 17:33 Notice, well, it's kind of a challenge here. 17:34 Notice, "Those who claim that tobacco does not injure them, 17:37 can be convinced of their mistake 17:39 by depriving themselves of it for just a few days." 17:44 Notice this, the trembling nerves, 17:47 nerves they say, nerves on edge. 17:50 The giddish each head, that means what? 17:52 That means kind of a light head, 17:55 they're kind of a dizzy head, you're not normal, 17:58 you're not the same. 18:00 "The irritability they're feeling," 18:02 you feel irritable about everything, 18:05 "will prove to them that this," notice this, 18:07 "this sinful indulgence has bound them in slavery. 18:12 It has overcome will power. 18:15 They are in bondage to a vice 18:18 that is fearful in its results." 18:21 I mean, I know, it's heavy duty. 18:23 We have to rely when we're smoking, 18:25 most people will say, I can't give it up. 18:27 What does that mean? 18:28 We are in slavery to it, aren't we? 18:30 We're in bondage to it. You can't give it up. 18:33 And it certainly goes deeper than that 18:35 when they kind of make light of it. 18:37 But it's something we can't give up when it says, 18:39 "Thou shall have no other gods before me." 18:42 We need to be careful about what we take into our body. 18:45 Another little book I like is Intemperance, 18:47 it's called Intemperance, page 55 says this. 18:51 Once again, it reiterate what we've been talking about. 18:54 "Tobacco is a slow insidious poison, 18:57 its effects are more difficult to cleanse," 19:00 notice this, 19:01 "from the system than those of liquor." 19:05 Did you get it? 19:07 Smoking habit is worse 19:08 some or most people to quit that 19:10 than it is to stop drinking alcohol. 19:13 Interesting, it goes on, 19:15 "Those who use tobacco in any form 19:19 are not clear before God." 19:21 So as many Christians say, they do... 19:24 I can remember years ago, just, 19:26 we went downtown West Frankfort 19:29 may going to work, that was on Sunday, 19:30 because we go on Saturday and others go on Sunday. 19:33 Well, I say many of those on the Sunday keeping church, 19:36 not trying to condemn that, 19:37 but simply saying as a young person 19:38 look out there and it's between 10:30 and 11, 19:41 they're having their smoke break. 19:44 It's kind of interesting. 19:45 So as professed Christian we have to be very careful 19:49 because we realized tobacco in any form, 19:51 we are not clear before God, 19:53 because this is hurting our system, 19:56 plugging our brain. 19:58 It's slowly killing us and it will. 20:01 I'll give you some more statistics on that. 20:04 So we could say today that 20:06 tobacco then has reached epidemic proportions. 20:09 Even though we've tried, tried 20:10 and spend billions on advertisement 20:12 and trying to stop youth from smoking 20:15 so on and so forth to give it up. 20:16 It's worldwide. 20:18 This is an epidemic, it's worldwide 20:20 despite the effects of reversing smoking, 20:23 we do know that. 20:25 But you know, smokers know this, 20:27 smokers, most smokers know that it's harmful. 20:30 Have you met anyone that says, "Well, I didn't know it?" 20:34 You know, we've got new laws, right? 20:35 And so on and so forth, 20:37 it's written on the package now, 20:39 it's harmful, it may cause cancer. 20:41 See, God is bringing it to the front, 20:42 I do believe this, so we're without excuse. 20:45 He's getting it out there, is getting on the TV, 20:47 on the radio, advertisement on, 20:49 so we know before we begin this 20:51 that is going to cause some issues 20:54 that it's not good that it can kill us, 20:56 that it cause cancer, it cause heart disease, 20:58 all kinds of things here. 21:00 But most know it, but they ignore the warning. 21:04 And you notice in Scripture 21:06 we cannot ignore the warnings of God, 21:08 and certainly, there's little book I like, 21:10 Counsels on Health, page 81, it says this, 21:13 notice this, Counsels on Health, 81. 21:16 When the matter is set, 21:18 that's talking about tobacco use before them, 21:21 or I might go as far to say when anything is set before us, 21:25 but we know what truth is of the issue, 21:27 not just tobacco 21:28 but anything that might hurt us, 21:31 any issue, notice this, 21:32 "When the matter is set before us, 21:34 tobacco use, before them in its true light, 21:37 then they are guilty before God 21:40 if they continue to indulge this gross appetite," 21:44 is called. 21:45 There again, sounds pretty tough 21:47 and you know what? 21:48 It is tough here 21:49 because many people will not talk 21:51 about this subject, 21:52 they don't want to deal with it, 21:53 they let it go on even in the church 21:55 and think it's going to be okay, 21:56 but God says otherwise 21:59 because of its proven fact that it hurts and it kills us. 22:03 Just think about this with me just for a moment. 22:06 There's about 6.5 trillion cigarettes 22:11 that are sold around the world each year. 22:14 Say most of us don't... 22:16 We get lost in the millions 22:17 and then even more in the billions, 22:19 and then we get into the trillions, 22:21 6.5 trillion, 22:24 but notice this, 22:25 about 18 billion cigarettes are sold a day, 22:29 18 billion per day. 22:32 It's estimated that 22:34 over 1 billion people smoke in the world 22:39 with the population left less than 7 billion, 22:41 isn't that right about? 22:43 It's 1/6 and 1/7 of the world's population 22:46 are in trouble. 22:48 See this is the issue, not condemning 22:49 and trying to judge someone but they're in trouble. 22:51 They may not know they're in trouble with this 22:54 between them and God 22:55 or maybe with him and their health, 22:57 with him and their family taking care of their family, 23:00 they may not be around as long 23:01 and that's certainly a proven fact we'll look at. 23:05 Eighty percent of these people live in," notice this, 23:09 "live in low and middle income countries 23:13 that are smokers. 23:14 Notice this. They live in what? 23:16 Low or middle income countries. 23:19 There are about 33 million tobacco farm workers, 23:25 isn't that interesting, how many? 23:27 Thirty three million farm tobacco workers 23:32 and, of course, a large part of their life 23:35 is in the poorest communities of the region naturally. 23:39 Even some children are forced to work on a tobacco farm. 23:45 That may not sound like much to you, 23:46 but you know what? 23:47 That's pretty heavy duty. 23:50 These places, then you know what happens is 23:53 when they work on these tobacco farms, 23:55 there's a risk of something 23:57 and it's called green tobacco sickness. 24:01 I don't know if you've ever heard that 24:02 called green tobacco sickness. 24:06 It's an illness that's caused by the absorption of nicotine 24:11 through the skin, you know, 24:12 and it's just from handling the wet leaves. 24:15 When the leaves are wet, you handle it, 24:16 it gets on your skin. 24:18 You think about this, this can kill you, 24:20 this can hurt you, 24:21 this can cause you to have diseases. 24:24 This right here gets your system down 24:25 where you can't fight it anymore. 24:27 And that's just from handling it. 24:30 The United States with all of its advertisement, 24:32 all of this we need to be careful, 24:34 all this biz, 24:35 we are still the fourth largest producer 24:38 in the world, 24:42 the fourth largest producer. 24:45 Now think about that. 24:46 That's in less than 40 years, about 40 years ago we had, 24:53 where we have 10,000 farms right now, 24:55 we had 180,000 tobacco farmers in less than 40 years ago. 25:02 Now it's down to 10,000. This is... 25:06 You know, we call it despite the fact 25:08 we look at here of the smoke related diseases, 25:12 we have to look at it. 25:13 And United States, it costs the United States 25:16 over $300 billion per year. 25:22 And health costs over 300 billion. 25:24 Where's all this money coming from? 25:28 Now, you say, well, if we're the fourth, 25:30 then who is the top three producing cigarettes and so on. 25:35 China, India and Brazil, 25:39 the three largest tobacco producing countries. 25:42 It's been found out that the awareness of this, 25:46 the harmfulness of tobacco 25:48 is low in some of these other regions of the world. 25:51 So United States, there's no excuse. 25:53 Some of them didn't have quite the advertisement 25:54 and all that we do here. 25:56 Give you an example, 2009 China, China. 26:00 They did, you know, so I'm asking questions on, 26:03 38% of smokers knew that 26:07 smoking could cause heart disease, 26:10 only 38%. 26:12 Remember, they're one of the largest producers, 26:14 but only 38% knew that 26:16 it could cause some problems with heart disease. 26:20 Only 27% knew that it could lead to a stroke, 26:26 because of what? 26:28 The lack of advertisement 26:29 because they didn't know all the facts on that 26:31 you think that they would. 26:34 Only 25% of the population in like Bangladesh, and India, 26:38 and the Netherlands, and Russia, and Thailand, 26:41 and Vietnam were about smoking, 26:44 they didn't know that smoking would cause 26:46 cardiovascular issues, 26:48 they didn't even know that. 26:50 So something's not going on here. 26:52 Again, 25% that would be one in four, 26:55 roughly one in four that might cause some risk 26:58 they didn't know. 27:00 Seventeen percent of smokers in New Zealand, 14% in France, 27:05 13% in the United States, notice this, 27:08 were unaware that the heart disease 27:11 is the number one killer and not lung cancer. 27:18 United States didn't know a whole lot, 27:19 didn't it, with 13%. 27:23 Heart disease is the number one killer 27:27 of those who used tobacco. 27:29 Most people said what? It was lung cancer. 27:34 A few more facts before we get to about smoking. 27:38 This may help us to decide, 27:39 because unless we have some of the facts down 27:41 what would make us want to decide. 27:44 If it's healthy then, hey, we need to do, 27:45 it's unhealthy, right? 27:47 If it hurts us, we need to know why it hurts us 27:49 and what we can do about it. 27:52 We need to realize, again, 27:54 this is something not just, it's recreational 27:56 and, hey, we can have one and it's good, 27:58 sit down and smoke a cigarette right here. 28:00 Tobacco kills about one half of all smokers. 28:06 Half of the people right, that smoke cigarettes, 28:08 they're going to die because they smoked. 28:11 Globally, globally around the world 28:13 tobacco causes 6 million deaths a year. 28:19 Did you get that? 28:21 Six million deaths a year, 28:23 that's one death every five seconds. 28:28 Wow. 28:29 Attributed to tobacco, do you see, it is harmful, 28:32 that's something that's killing. 28:33 This is something that the devil 28:35 who has come to kill, steal and what? 28:37 And to destroy. 28:39 It's something we need to stay with, 28:40 it's not looking cool, 28:42 because when you're a youngster that you light up a cigarette, 28:44 it's anything but cool, it's a killer. 28:50 Listen, the sad thing here, even sadder maybe 28:53 is of that number, 28:55 of that number 600,000 that die 29:01 are among the non smokers, 29:03 but they live with a smoker. 29:05 Are you getting it? 29:06 They're breathing that air, 29:08 they're exposed to second hand smoke. 29:11 So think about where 600,000 people a year die, 29:15 because they live with someone who smokes, 29:17 or they're in an atmosphere where they have to breathe it. 29:21 I don't know about you, 29:23 but for me, at least to breathe, 29:24 I can't even breathe it for very long period of time. 29:26 It makes me sick. 29:28 I'm very grateful and thankful, as it were, that you know, 29:30 was taught at an early age, 29:32 not everybody would be as blessed maybe 29:34 and you have to go through different things 29:35 or whatever in your home. 29:37 You have no control over that as maybe as a young person. 29:40 But I know my aunt was so allergic to smoke 29:44 that she got her in a room with someone who was smoking, 29:47 her nose would begin to bleed. 29:49 So that means she couldn't stay around, 29:51 and she had a husband that smoked for, 29:52 you know, 50 years, 29:53 but he never smoked one time in the house. 29:57 In the wintertime he had to put his coat on 29:58 and his little ear muffs 30:00 and whatever it was and go away. 30:02 He didn't just step outside the door, 30:04 he had to go quite a distance from the house 30:06 because her nose was so sensitive to it. 30:09 My mother was close to that, it didn't bleed. 30:12 But she couldn't hardly stand it, 30:13 because she got almost immediate headache like I do, 30:16 if I'm around it. 30:18 And she said to me at very early age 30:20 walking down the street, 30:21 I'm very grateful for this and very thankful. 30:23 Walking down the street holding my hand down there, 30:26 somebody ahead of our way were smoking 30:27 and they threw the cigarette down 30:29 and so on, stopped there. 30:30 And she, every time she look at that down, 30:32 she look at me and she say, Kenny, shoovy nasty. 30:38 Shoovy nasty. 30:40 At four, five years old, every time I seen a cigarette, 30:43 I said, shoo, nasty, shoovy. 30:45 So I never had a desire, so praise God at this point. 30:48 That didn't make you good at all, 30:50 but, you know, I've yet to smoke my first one, 30:51 so I don't know what it's like 30:53 and I'm not about to find out now. 30:55 Got enough issues, don't need that. 30:58 But I can tribute it back to the home. 31:01 I can tribute it back to where mother says, 31:02 shoovy nasty, this is not good for you. 31:08 If the trend continues on that we talked about, 31:13 you know, six million people a year die. 31:17 To 2030, that's going to go up to eight million, 31:21 that's a lot of people a year, is it not, 31:24 contributed to smoking? 31:28 Talk about smoking is a direct cause 31:31 of one out of every five deaths in United States. 31:35 One out of every five death is contributed to what? 31:40 Smoking. 31:41 That's 480,000 annually. 31:45 That's 1,300 smoking relating deaths per day, 31:50 1,300 per day. 31:52 That's 54 deaths per hour. 31:56 That's almost one death per minute 31:59 contributed to smoking. 32:01 That's a lot. 32:03 See may statistic people don't lie, 32:04 but you know what, this should help us. 32:06 Statistics always helped me to make decision. 32:08 Statistics helped me to make decision 32:10 when I played sports, Brother Mark. 32:12 When you play sports, 32:14 when you play football or baseball, 32:15 Heather, it's statistic, what were they batting, 32:17 what was going on, what was his right here? 32:19 We had to look at all those issues 32:21 help to make a decision on how we were going to react. 32:24 These things should help us to make a decision, 32:26 it's harmful, it can hurt us, 32:29 not only physically but certainly spiritually. 32:32 Every cigarette that is smoked 32:35 cuts between five and eleven minutes 32:39 off of our life. 32:41 Think about it, you want to die early? 32:44 Every cigarette that you smoke cost between... 32:47 And we always think we're an exception, 32:48 unless it didn't hurt me. 32:50 It's because it's slow insidious poison, 32:53 it takes a while, 32:55 and it's not until it's too late. 32:59 I've had to bury several classmates of mine 33:01 I went to school with, 33:02 because I remember they started smoking 33:04 when they were in school, seventh and eighth grade. 33:06 And they're already dead. I had some of the funerals. 33:11 And it contributed to smoking. 33:15 So 11 minutes or in your lifetime, 33:18 that can reduce your life expectancy 33:20 almost 12 years. 33:23 Take 12 years off your life, you like, live like 12 years, 33:25 you want them to be what? 33:26 Good healthy years, old too, don't you? 33:28 I know you do. 33:32 Twenty five percent of all heart disease death, 33:35 75% of, notice that, 33:38 lung disease deaths 33:40 are directly attributed to smoking, 33:43 irrespective of any other cause. 33:48 Every day in the United States, think how sad this is, 33:51 every day, this statistic is interesting, 33:54 3,200 use under the age of 18 light their first cigarette. 34:00 Every day, you get up, 34:02 every day 3,200 have lit up their first one. 34:07 And out of that, over 2,100 are lifetime smokers, 34:11 they're hooked after that first cigarette. 34:16 Four times more, here's the challenge, 34:18 think about a challenge. 34:20 And this is a big challenge, 34:22 if you think we're talking about something 34:23 that's kind of touchy, and it may be. 34:25 But 70% of Americans that smoke want to quit. 34:30 This is what we're talking about. 34:31 A 70% want to quit, 40% have tried to quit, 34:37 but they can't seem to quit. 34:41 They made at least one attempt on it. 34:42 But it's interesting here, according to 34:44 John Hopkins School of Public Health. 34:48 It says, those who are trying to... 34:50 Now, we're not talking by the grace of God, 34:52 those who are just making an effort to stop, 34:55 it takes up to at least 30 tries, 34:59 if you're trying on your own. 35:00 By God's grace and following God's plan, 35:03 it can stop and it can end today. 35:05 That's the good news. 35:07 But I would say this regardless of how many years you smoke, 35:10 regardless of how many years 35:11 that, you know, you've taken these things 35:14 into your body, 35:16 there's health benefits when you quit. 35:19 There's health benefits when you quit. 35:20 You say, Well, I smoked too long, 35:22 all these years, the damage is done. 35:23 It can be reversed. 35:25 The good thing, that's how God has this body. 35:27 Isn't that wonderful? It's never too late. 35:32 Some of you say, 35:34 well, I don't even know what's in tobacco, 35:35 just little old tobacco that makes it so deadly, 35:37 what is it? 35:38 You realize today, 35:40 I hope, we'll get into some Bible passage, 35:41 but this is so... 35:43 My mind, it makes me think, 35:45 you realize, tobacco smoke 35:48 is made up of more than 7,000 chemicals, 35:53 it seems impossible, doesn't it? 35:56 Tobacco is made up of what? 35:58 Over 7,000 chemicals. 36:00 We know chemicals are not good for us, 36:02 at least when we're taking them in like that. 36:04 And 70 of those are known to cause cancer. 36:11 Couple of few of them right quick, you'll know, 36:13 hydrogen cyanide, formaldehyde, 36:17 lead, arsenic, ammonia, 36:22 radioactive elements such as uranium, 36:26 nicotine the addictive drug, 36:29 one of the harshest chemicals in tobacco smoke, 36:33 carbon monoxide, 36:35 many more just on and on and on. 36:37 Most substance come from 36:39 when you burn the tobacco leaves 36:41 naturally, when you light it up. 36:44 There are certainly other cancer causing agents, 36:47 and those who say, 36:49 "Well, I once smoked smokeless tobacco" 36:51 somebody advertised right there. 36:52 Listen, there's cancer causing things in those too. 36:57 A snuff for instance, where I just put little snuff, 37:00 and it's addictive, 37:02 and it's linked to several type, 37:04 if we have time, lots of, several types of cancer. 37:10 There's no doubt that smoking is harmful. 37:13 Just look all around, all the laws has been passed, 37:16 to try to protect people to stay away from this poison. 37:19 Maybe you've tried and maybe you've just given up. 37:23 Maybe you've even tried, you say this is foolproof, 37:25 I know you're gonna... 37:26 Yes, I'm going to be able to quit, 37:28 but no, it didn't happen. 37:29 But how about trying the Word of God? 37:32 How about, let's try just the Word of God, 37:35 not all the stop smoking clad, not all of this, 37:37 not all of that, you know, without the Bible, 37:39 but just use the Bible 37:41 and claim the promises that God has left here for us. 37:44 What do you have to lose? 37:46 All the others failed, you've tried miserably, 37:47 you failed miserable over and over and over. 37:49 You haven't got anything to lose, 37:50 and everything to gain by following God's plan. 37:55 But one thing for sure, if you have the nicotine habit, 37:59 you are in bondage, 38:02 and you need to be set free from that. 38:06 Philippians 4:13, 38:08 one of the favorite passage of scriptures to me, 38:11 it starts off by knowing we can have victory, 38:14 not starting off like, well, we think, 38:16 maybe it's going to happen, 38:17 we can know we can have victory, why? 38:19 Because the Bible said so, and it doesn't matter. 38:22 Nicotine may not be written in the cigarettes, 38:24 may not be written there, but when God says all things, 38:26 that's exactly what He means. 38:29 You start off knowing that victory is assured, 38:31 that God's going to do His part if you do yours. 38:35 Simply says, "I can do," what? 38:37 "All things through Christ which strengthens me." 38:40 That's just beautiful. 38:42 That's in every area of your life, 38:44 no matter what it is, how weak it might be, 38:46 no matter how many times you fail, 38:48 you've fallen short, victory is assured 38:50 because God said it was with you 38:52 working together with Him, notice that. 38:55 I can do all things through Christ. 38:57 So you says, I can't do it, I've tried to. I can do it. 39:00 This is what we need to, I can do it through Christ. 39:02 Christ said, I can do it. 39:04 Christ said, He'd give me the strength 39:05 because He strengthens me. 39:07 I'm weak, I failed, I've tried it without Him. 39:11 But now I'm gonna try it with Him. 39:13 Man, the victory is assured. 39:16 Christ Object Lesson 82 says this, 39:18 "We have a part to act." 39:20 See that's why I say, well, okay, God take it away from me, 39:22 here we go, God take it away from me. 39:24 In meantime, I'm going to light one up. 39:29 "We have a part to act, 39:33 we must have the power of divinity 39:35 to unite with us, 39:37 or our efforts will be in vain." 39:40 Did you get that? Divinity, and what is it? 39:43 Humanity working together, 39:45 if not, it's going to be in vain. 39:47 Reading on, wherever, notice it, 39:49 "Whenever man accomplishes anything," 39:52 If we accomplish anything in this life, 39:54 "whether in spiritual, or in temporal lines, 39:57 we should bear in mind 39:58 that he does it through cooperation 40:01 with the Maker." 40:03 Any victory that is gained 40:05 is because we have a Maker who cares for us, 40:08 who gives us the strength in which to do it. 40:10 We cannot do it on our own 40:12 because the devil has put throughout this thing 40:14 called nicotine as it were. 40:17 Tobacco, alcohol, whatever it might be, 40:21 and he's caught us on it, and he's reeling us in. 40:25 And with that string as it were, 40:27 that tie has to be, that bondage has to be cut 40:29 in the name of Jesus. 40:31 Or he's going to reel you're right on 40:33 into his kingdom and not God's kingdom. 40:36 It's very clear about, and we need to look at, 40:38 just forgive me if you will if that's what it takes, 40:40 but this is life and death matter. 40:42 This is issues that is not just, 40:44 well, I've smoked all my life, 40:45 I'll just continue on and pray that God has mercy on me. 40:48 God's merciful, dear friend, 40:50 but He does not turn from justice and, right? 40:52 He does not. 40:54 His justice, His mercy, right, they meet, they kiss. 40:59 Has to call it the way that it is. 41:03 I know we need to be playful, do not trying to be hurtful. 41:08 But knowing what the world 41:10 or you know, I know about tobacco. 41:14 We know that it really does pollute the atmosphere. 41:17 I don't even like to be around in the atmosphere 41:19 where I come by if somebody's been smoking, 41:20 be honest. 41:22 It pollutes the atmosphere, it kills. 41:24 Did you get it? It kills. 41:27 It defiles the temple of God. 41:32 And if we really want to get right down to it, 41:34 and really get with the program where the use of tobacco, 41:37 we could label it, listen carefully, self murder. 41:42 Self, what? 41:44 We're killing ourselves because we just write statistics 41:47 and proven fact medically, 41:48 so in scripture that it destroys this temple. 41:53 It kills us, causes of these diseases, 41:55 we die from it. 41:56 We're slowly killing ourself, one cigarette at a time 42:00 and that could be in many other areas too, 42:01 one drink at a time, one drug at a time, 42:03 whatever it might be. 42:05 Temperance, page 65 and 66 says this, 42:08 "They, talk about, profess to be serving God 42:12 while they are committing idolatry." 42:15 Here, it's considered what? 42:17 Idolatry because you have an idol. 42:20 If you can't gain the victory over, 42:22 and you're tied into this thing, 42:25 it's your god, is it not? 42:26 It is an idol. 42:27 That's breaking one of God's Commandments. 42:31 Commandment is a commandment, isn't it? 42:33 It's breaking, we cannot do by the grace of God. 42:35 God help us. 42:36 It says, "While they're professing 42:38 to be serving God, 42:40 while they are committing idolatry 42:42 by making a God of their appetite. 42:47 Tobacco is their cherished idol, 42:50 they violate the first commandment." 42:53 "Thou shall have no other gods before Me." 43:01 If a person in this Temperance, page 65, 66 says, 43:06 "He will," notice the Christian, 43:08 "he will not place tobacco in his mouth," 43:10 no one should, 43:12 "knowing that it defiles God's temple." 43:14 We read that, didn't we? 43:16 1 Corinthians 6, 43:18 "An unnatural appetite for that which poisons and kills 43:23 not only the user 43:24 but those to whom he transmits his legacy of disease." 43:30 Mom and dad smoke, right? 43:31 They're transmitting, what in the house? 43:33 The children grow up smelling all this smoke 43:35 and in their lungs, and so on and so forth. 43:39 Not trying to get criticized or you know, hurt someone, 43:41 but that's what we do. 43:42 When we do that, that secondhand smoke, 43:44 we are killing not only ourself, 43:46 we're killing our children. 43:48 We're killing others that we're blowing the smoke 43:50 in their face as it were. 43:51 I can remember for years, flying on airplanes, 43:55 I never did like to fly on air, I like flying airplane, 43:57 but I never did like to fly on it 43:58 because before they ban smoking. 44:02 Almost every time as the devil would have it, 44:05 I would be at the seat 44:07 to where non smokers are from here up 44:10 and right behind me the smoking section began. 44:17 Okay, do you see what I'm saying that? 44:22 It's right there, I'm just not trying to, 44:25 you know, trying to make things look good and so on so. 44:27 But now I'm glad they banned them, 44:29 you know, it's a killer. 44:33 2 Corinthians 9:8 says this, 44:36 we have eight minutes or so left. 44:37 2 Corinthians 9:8, it says, "it's got help from the way." 44:40 Do you like this, help is on the way, 44:42 you're looking for a while, I wanting to quit, 44:43 help's on the way, just claim this. 44:45 2 Corinthians 9:8 says, 44:48 "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, 44:51 that you always having all sufficiency in all things, 44:55 may abound to every good work." 44:58 Do you like that? God is able to what? 45:01 To make all grace abound, God's able to give grace, 45:03 we thank toward you, that having all sufficiency. 45:06 He has all sufficiency in all things 45:08 and He gives it to us, 45:10 that we're going to abound in every good work, 45:12 not bad work but what? 45:14 In every good work. 45:15 Gospel Workers 19 says this, 45:17 "Workers for Christ are never to think..." 45:20 Listen carefully. 45:21 "Workers for Christ are never to think, 45:23 much less speak of failure in their work." 45:26 So today we're not speaking about failure, 45:28 we're thinking about victory here, 45:29 victory in the blood of Jesus. 45:31 Victory because Christ wants you to have that victory, 45:33 when it comes to tobacco, or alcohol, or drugs, 45:35 or any of those things that hurts His temple. 45:38 Notice here, we're not to speak, 45:40 much less speak of this failure in their work 45:42 "The Lord Jesus is our efficiency 45:44 in all things, 45:46 we may draw upon His fullness, 45:48 and receive of that grace which has no limit." 45:51 I know that's too much. 45:53 It's like our mindset, "Oh my," who is our efficiency? 45:56 Christ is, we're not on our own. 45:58 He is our efficiency. 46:00 He's our efficiency in all things, 46:02 not just forgetting, Oh, I love this. 46:04 Now we, and we can draw from His fullness. 46:07 Notice that, we can receive from His grace 46:09 and which has no limit. 46:11 How wonderful we serve a God that has no limit, 46:14 no matter how rough it gets, 46:15 no matter what you're involved with, 46:17 God can give you the victory here. 46:19 We're talking principle day tobacco number one, 46:21 but in all principles, everything what God says. 46:25 Philippians 3:13, notice this, 46:27 it says, "Brethren, I count not myself 46:29 to have apprehended, 46:30 but one thing I do, I'm forgetting," what? 46:34 "Those things which are behind." 46:35 I'm encouraging you to forget those things 46:37 that are behind about yesterday, 46:39 "reaching forth unto those things 46:42 which are before." 46:43 By faith, I'm reaching by that before, 46:45 God give me the victory. 46:46 I'm no longer in bondage anymore to the enemy. 46:49 I'm feeling of freedom from this, 46:51 because God's given me that freedom 46:52 because God wants me to have it. 46:54 He is the efficiency, right? 46:55 He's won the battle already. I need to do my part. 46:59 We may have made a lot of bad choices in our time. 47:02 Some of these choices have affected us mentally, 47:05 and physically, and spiritually, 47:07 and even financially. 47:09 But God is able to change and He's able to restore. 47:12 I want to encourage you with that today. 47:14 Where he sees fit, He can do it. 47:17 Tobacco has a death grip on millions. 47:21 And we need to claim the converting power 47:23 and strength of Jesus Christ to overcome. 47:27 Yeah, remember this, you've read it before. 47:30 What you don't overcome will what? 47:33 Overcome you. Overcomes you. 47:36 You think about it. 47:37 Temperance, 69 says, notice this, 47:39 this gets down to it, 47:40 it says, the practice of using liquor. 47:42 I must gonna get down to if you don't care right now. 47:44 I had a few other things in here 47:46 because this is what it says. 47:47 I think we need to be a little bit more responsible 47:49 as Christians to say, you know, 47:50 God has a word for us in due season. 47:52 Tobacco may not be my deal, 47:54 maybe, you know, drinking is not my deal. 47:56 But there may be a couple other little deals on here 47:58 that we need to deal with. 48:00 Because sometimes these are things that we do 48:01 and we take in 48:03 and it causes a craving for these other things. 48:05 Just let me read it, 48:07 you do what you want to do with it. 48:08 Temperance, page 69, "The practice of using liquor, 48:11 tobacco, tea, and coffee 48:14 must be overcome by the converting power of God. 48:18 There shall nothing enter 48:20 into the kingdom of God that," what? 48:22 "That defileth it." 48:24 Revelation 21:27, how many times we read that? 48:28 We know that, don't we? 48:29 Nothing's going to enter the kingdom that what? 48:31 That defiles it, and here it says right here, 48:35 coffee and tea, 48:36 and it's talking about the other here, 48:38 it says liquor and tobacco, it's not going to enter there. 48:42 Victory needs to be gain. 48:43 God wants us to give that victory right now. 48:44 Why? 48:46 Because that stuff works on us, 48:47 that caffeine is related to what? 48:49 Caffeine and nicotine and so on, they are all in, 48:52 i-n-e on the end, they're all related. 48:55 And they all, the enemy has out there to hurt us, 48:58 to make our bodies feel like 49:00 when they don't feel like we get this into our body. 49:02 It makes us feel like we want to go do these things. 49:04 But it's a false strength, it's false power. 49:08 And when it wears off, we're let down again, 49:11 and we wanna go back. 49:13 You know, we need to recognize how great, and good, 49:15 and powerful God is. 49:17 Don't we? The next passage we have here. 49:19 We can't read it all because of our time. 49:20 Psalm 86, 49:22 the whole chapter is left for us to investigate. 49:24 I love that. I think there's verses 1-17. 49:27 Let me just read through them. 49:29 I said, let's just go and pick out a couple of names. 49:31 Because recognizing how powerful God is, 49:33 He's assuring that we have victory 49:35 through Jesus Christ. 49:36 Let's paraphrase this whole chapter, 49:38 shall we just do that? 49:39 Please read it yourself. Psalm 86:1-17. He stated this. 49:44 Notice this, He said, "Hear me, for I am poor and needy. 49:47 Be merciful unto me. 49:49 Thou art good, and ready to forgive." 49:51 Notice, "There is none like thee. 49:53 Thou art great." 49:54 Somebody prays, "Teach me thy way. 49:57 I will praise thee. 49:58 Have mercy, give me strength and comfort me." 50:02 Man, this is just a couple of words out, 50:03 these verses it says, God is able, is He not? 50:06 Exodus 14:14, "The Lord shall fight for you, 50:10 and ye shall hold your peace." 50:13 Let God fight your battles. God wants to fight your battle. 50:16 Victory is assured. Exodus 14:14. 50:19 Mark 9:23, the Bible said, "Jesus said unto him, 50:24 If thou canst," what? 50:26 "If thou canst believe, all things," what? 50:29 What are they? 50:30 "All things are possible to him that believeth." 50:34 Can you do this? Jesus said, "Can you believe." 50:36 If you just believe 50:38 that God can help you gain that victory, 50:40 you can have it. He says, you can have it. 50:42 "All things are possible to him that believeth." 50:44 Believeth to me, dear friend, is an action word, 50:47 how about you? 50:48 It's assurance, it's faith, it's fidelity, it's conviction, 50:53 it's consistency, 50:54 it's living up to what you know. 50:56 We have to do that by the grace of God. 50:59 Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene 37, says, 51:02 "If men would become temperate in all things, 51:06 if they," now listen carefully, "if they would touch not, 51:09 taste not, handle not, tea, coffee, tobacco, wines, opium, 51:15 and alcoholic drinks, reason," notice this, 51:18 "would take the reins of government 51:20 in her own hands, 51:21 and hold the appetites and passions under control." 51:26 Through appetite, Satan controls what? 51:30 What does he control? He controls man, through what? 51:33 Through appetite. 51:34 He controls man then the whole being, 51:36 it started where? 51:38 In Eden, did it not? 51:39 Take control today 51:41 and quit smoking by the grace of God. 51:43 Leave you this passage of scripture in John 15:16, 51:46 here's what the Bible said, grab this. 51:48 Take control today. 51:49 God's going to help you if you have, notice it, 51:52 "Ye have not chosen me, but" what? 51:54 "But I have chosen you, and ordained you, 51:57 that ye should go and bring forth fruit, 52:00 and that your fruit should remain, 52:02 that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name," 52:06 what will happen here? 52:08 "He may give it you." 52:10 This is what we're going to grasp today, 52:12 for those who want to take control 52:14 and to quit smoking 52:15 or other things that you may have in your life, 52:17 that victory needs to be gained right now. 52:20 He is assuring us right now. 52:22 Don't miss this opportunity to say God's going to help us. 52:26 He's in control. Let Him be in control. 52:28 Let Him drive. Don't you drive anymore? 52:30 You don't get yourself in trouble. 52:32 Let God do the driving. 52:34 And you remember, I've chosen you. Amen. 52:37 I've chosen you, He says right to you 52:39 and I've ordained you. 52:41 Praise God for that. 52:42 Let's pray a short prayer right now in closing 52:43 because some of you right now 52:45 have made that decision by the grace of God. 52:47 Let's thank God for it, shall we? 52:49 Merciful God in heaven, 52:50 we thank You for Your precious Word. 52:52 Thank You for hearing. 52:53 Thank You for answering prayer for those by the hundreds 52:55 that made a decision right now. 52:57 I'm going to give this up because it's hurting me, 52:59 it's hurting my family, it's hurting me spiritually, 53:01 mentally, and physically, and financially. 53:02 And today I give it to you claim victory in Jesus' name. 53:05 Amen. 53:07 We thank you very much for joining us here 53:08 at Behold the Lamb today. 53:10 We thank you for your prayers. 53:11 Thank you for your support in all that you've done for us. 53:14 And God bless you. 53:15 And we look forward to seeing you next time. 53:19 Hello and welcome back, friends, 53:21 take control and quit smoking. 53:23 That's really what needs to be done with this habit. 53:26 But we realized that we don't have the power 53:29 within ourselves. 53:30 So praise God for all the wonderful Bible passages 53:34 that we just heard with Pastor Kenny Shelton, 53:36 that helps us to realize 53:38 that we don't have to do this on our own. 53:40 We have an infinite source of strength 53:43 that wants to help us with every step of the way. 53:47 In the beginning of today's message, 53:48 I mentioned to you that our bodies 53:50 are the temple of the Holy Ghost. 53:52 It's where the Holy Ghost comes in. 53:55 He takes control of our minds and our thoughts 53:57 as we invite him to do so. 53:59 He strengthens us to clean up these temple bodies 54:03 and to make them as healthy as possible. 54:06 Let's look at a verse in the Bible. 54:08 Psalm 86 and we're going to start with verse 1, 54:11 "Bow down thine ear, O Lord, hear me, 54:14 for I am poor and needy." 54:17 Friends, we are all in need, 54:19 as are those with the habit of smoking, 54:21 all of us are in need. 54:23 You know, I had an aunt, many years ago, 54:25 she was a prolific smoker. 54:27 She was a chain-smoker, 54:29 just one cigarette right after another. 54:31 And if she went for any length of time 54:33 without smoking, 54:35 her body would literally begin to shake. 54:37 It was that encompassing of her nervous system. 54:40 And if this is you, 54:43 I just want you to know right now there's hope. 54:46 There is hope. 54:47 Years ago, we were told that 54:49 once the lung tissues were damaged, 54:51 that was it, they couldn't be repaired. 54:54 However, now science has shown us 54:56 that if we do quit smoking, 54:58 the lung tissue can be repaired, 55:01 it can repair itself. 55:03 God made wonderful body temples. 55:05 We are poor, we are needy, we need God's help. 55:10 And one thing you don't want to do is 55:12 continue to smoke and develop lung cancer. 55:15 That is one of the most horrible deaths. 55:18 It's incredibly sad to what someone literally 55:22 smothered a death day after day after day. 55:26 Let's read on in Psalm 86. 55:28 We're gonna read in verse 3, 55:30 "Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily." 55:35 Jump down to verse 7, 55:37 "In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee, 55:40 for thou will answer me." 55:43 He's there, friends. 55:45 He wants to answer your prayers of help. 55:48 Let's close with verse 11. 55:51 "Teach me thy way, O Lord, 55:53 I will walk in thy truth: 55:54 unite my heart to fear thy name." 55:58 You know, as we walk with God, He continues to teach us, 56:02 He continues to strengthen us, 56:04 He continues to give us direction. 56:07 My step dad, he was also a chain-smoker, 56:10 and he drank all the time. 56:12 He drank alcohol as if it were water. 56:15 You never saw him at work. 56:16 You never saw him in the home without a beer can in his hand. 56:20 But once he came to Christ, he cried out to God, 56:23 God took it immediately from him. 56:27 And then there are others that I've known in this life 56:29 that they just have to prolong a bit longer, 56:33 in earnest prayer. 56:34 But, friends, just never give up. 56:36 Never stop believing, 56:38 claim God's promises for help as your very own. 56:42 And if you would like to have this hour of study, 56:45 take control and quit smoking, 56:48 then please write or call us here 56:50 at Behold the Lamb Ministries. 56:51 We would love to send it to you 56:53 for a love gift of just $8 or more. 56:56 Plus, you will also receive this free Bible study guide. 57:00 And if you want all 25 lessons, 57:02 that's 25 hours of Bible studies 57:04 that correspond with the study guide, 57:07 Sharing God's love makes you happier, 57:09 what the Bible says. 57:11 We're offering it to you for a love gift 57:13 of just $175 or more. 57:15 And you will get five Bible study guides for free. 57:19 Remember, always we add the word more 57:24 because any offerings up and above those prices 57:27 are always a blessing. 57:28 Just call us here 57:30 at Behold the Lamb Ministries at 57:31 (618) 942-5044, 57:35 or write us at Behold the Lamb Ministries, 57:38 PO Box 2030, Herrin, Illinois 62948. 57:42 Email us at 57:43 BeholdTheLambMinistries @Yahoo.com 57:46 or visit our website at BeholdTheLambMinistries.com. 57:49 Until next time, friends, 57:51 may our precious Lord 57:52 continue to richly bless you and yours. |
Revised 2019-03-11