I'm pretty new to this site and I want to say that quitting smoking is sooooo hard. However, If we are in Christ, Christ will not allow us to live in a material world. He will transform us to the people he wants us to be. We may have several addictions to contend with. Food, sex, jealousy, fear, envy, smoking ect... My point here is that we are clay and God is the sculpturer. When I took a pottery class I was introduced to this huge lump of clay. I didn't know were to begin. They wanted us to form a person. I laughed
I thought, I can't do this. But, I knew I had to too get a good grade. God wants to get a good grade, as a matter of fact, he wants an A+. So, as you being to mold this thing, you start to see an image, but you realize that this image needs a lot of work. First, you need lots of patience with this clumb of clay. This imperfect clump of clay, through patience, will be molded to the best of the potterer. My point here is that, God will slowly but surely grow you up in him. He wants a great product. You cannot produce a good product in a quick manner, no it is a slow and made right. Sometimes we want things in a hurry, but God does not work that way. If we let him mold us, he will finish a well produced product.
I was baptized a year and a half ago. If you think for a second I'm perfect now, you are mistaken. God is doing a major overhaul here. First, he has taken the addiction of alcohol from me (praise God). Over a year later, now he is working on my tobacco habit. I haven't smoked in 10 days. I've smoked for many years. Matter of fact, this is how immature I am. I had a craving last night and decided to go get a pack. It was late, but I was bound and determined to smoke. Before, I left, I asked God for a way out. I drove to the liquior store and it was closed early. Then I thought well I'll go to another store. This time it was open, I went in and went to the counter. For that split second that craving went away and I left with a lottery ticket. So, God gave me that escape. But, now we have to deal with the gambling. Ha. Ha.
Once God has us, he won't let us go. Whether we smoke, drink, gamble, swear, ect.. ect.. Granted we are sinning, but that doesn't mean god doesn't love us. We are SINNERS. We will be sinners to the day we die and their is no escaping it. So, to the question, is smoking a sin? of course. So, is fear, envy, jealousy, gluttony and anger a sin? We will never stop doing these things, but God will transform us to be the best person we possibly can be on this earth. The A+ is in eternity, that's the finished product. God will not leave us or forsake us. If we believe in him, he will graceiously give his eternal salvation to us. Satan wants us to think we will go to Hell and wants us to beat ourselfs up. He wants us to feel guilt constantly. Guilt will hinder God's will. Give the guilt up and let him do his work. God Bless you smokers and non-smokers.
I thought, I can't do this. But, I knew I had to too get a good grade. God wants to get a good grade, as a matter of fact, he wants an A+. So, as you being to mold this thing, you start to see an image, but you realize that this image needs a lot of work. First, you need lots of patience with this clumb of clay. This imperfect clump of clay, through patience, will be molded to the best of the potterer. My point here is that, God will slowly but surely grow you up in him. He wants a great product. You cannot produce a good product in a quick manner, no it is a slow and made right. Sometimes we want things in a hurry, but God does not work that way. If we let him mold us, he will finish a well produced product.I was baptized a year and a half ago. If you think for a second I'm perfect now, you are mistaken. God is doing a major overhaul here. First, he has taken the addiction of alcohol from me (praise God). Over a year later, now he is working on my tobacco habit. I haven't smoked in 10 days. I've smoked for many years. Matter of fact, this is how immature I am. I had a craving last night and decided to go get a pack. It was late, but I was bound and determined to smoke. Before, I left, I asked God for a way out. I drove to the liquior store and it was closed early. Then I thought well I'll go to another store. This time it was open, I went in and went to the counter. For that split second that craving went away and I left with a lottery ticket. So, God gave me that escape. But, now we have to deal with the gambling. Ha. Ha.
Once God has us, he won't let us go. Whether we smoke, drink, gamble, swear, ect.. ect.. Granted we are sinning, but that doesn't mean god doesn't love us. We are SINNERS. We will be sinners to the day we die and their is no escaping it. So, to the question, is smoking a sin? of course. So, is fear, envy, jealousy, gluttony and anger a sin? We will never stop doing these things, but God will transform us to be the best person we possibly can be on this earth. The A+ is in eternity, that's the finished product. God will not leave us or forsake us. If we believe in him, he will graceiously give his eternal salvation to us. Satan wants us to think we will go to Hell and wants us to beat ourselfs up. He wants us to feel guilt constantly. Guilt will hinder God's will. Give the guilt up and let him do his work. God Bless you smokers and non-smokers.
Ha. You know, God laughs to. He doesn't laugh at us but with us. God is such a loving, graceful and I'm certain a God with an incredible sense of humor. 
