Ashes, Ashes, We All Fall Down

October 19th, 2006

A Smoking Study: Edition III – Ashes, Ashes, We All Fall Down

(Notes from friends)
#1: Great Study Jon. I think you have hit the nail on the head so to speak. Getting the heart to respond to knowledge takes conviction. If you think about what builds up your convictions to not smoke, that may help as well. A brother did a study recently and shared with me the differences and nuances between commands, convictions and mere preferences, and how we move back and forth in our actions these and where we get our convictions and preferences, and how we choose them. If I can get it from him, I will forward it to you. It really made me think.

I am sorry you are struggling with cigarettes, and I know how addictive they are. I also know you can beat them with God’s help. Let’s talk soon. I know having someone to share and get hope from is vital too.

Remember and read Psalm 32, Ephesians 3:17-21, and Ephesians 5:8-18.

God loves you, we love you, and I love you.

Take heart, Jesus has paid the price for us to receive this love and be blameless in God’s sight. Let this grace guide your actions.

#2: I commend you all for stopping such a horrible habit. I can not say that I understand where you are coming from. I am one of the few who never picked up that habit. My mother smoked, A LOT, our clothes smelled, our home smelled and her relentless coughing. Both my sister and I never once thought about starting. My mom succumbed to cancer March of 2005, she was 54.

I never thought of it that way, about loving your neighbor and all. If one really cares about others, they would not subject them to a carcinogen.

I just wanted to lift you up! Well, continued luck in your fight with this addiction. Always remember that God can cure you, if you let him.

-

Again, this is great feedback. I really appreciate it, the encouragement, the sharing, and the scripture. Keep them it coming.

Capsicum Oleoresin: Is commonly used as an Elephant Repellent in Zimbabwe; used in cigarettes.

Jack wakes up with a huge hangover after attending his company’s Christmas Party. Jack is not normally a drinker, but the drinks didn't taste like alcohol at all. He didn’t even remember how he got home from the party. As bad as he was feeling, he wondered if he did something wrong.

Jack had to force himself to open his eyes, and the first thing he sees is a couple of aspirins next to a glass of water on the side table. And, next to them, a single red rose! Jack sits up and sees his clothing in front of him, all clean and pressed. He looks around the room and sees that it is in perfect order, spotlessly clean. So is the rest of the house.

He takes the aspirins, cringes when he sees a huge black eye staring back at Him in the bathroom mirror. Then he notices a note hanging on the corner of the mirror written in red with little hearts on it and a kiss mark from his wife in lipstick: “Honey, breakfast is on the stove, I left early to get groceries to make you your favorite dinner tonight. I love you, darling! Love, Jillian”

He stumbles to the kitchen and sure enough, there is hot breakfast, steaming hot coffee and the morning newspaper. His son is also at the table, eating. Jack asks, “Son… what happened last night?”

“Well, you came home after 3 A.M., drunk and out of your mind. You fell over the coffee table and broke it, and then you puked in the hallway, and got that black eye when you ran into the door.”

Confused, he asked his son, “So, why is everything in such perfect order and so clean? I have a rose, and breakfast is on the table waiting for me?”

His son replies, “Oh THAT! Mom dragged you to the bedroom, and when she tried to take your pants off, you screamed, ‘Leave me alone, I’m married!!’”

Broken Coffee Table $239.99
Hot Breakfast $4.20
Two Aspirins $.38
Saying the right thing, at the right time… PRICELESS

Yeah, there’s some humor here, but the dude doesn’t even remember how he got home. SCARY! And he broke the coffee table and puked on the floor. NICE! Ah, the glories of binge drinking, whether it tastes like alcohol or not, if it has alcohol in it, its still alcohol. And the same goes for smoking cigarettes, if it has nicotine in it, whether a patch, cigar, pipe, or cigarette, whatever form you take it in and whatever taste it has, good taste or bad, it isn’t good for the body.

Psalm 32
Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit. When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Selah. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD” - and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah. Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him. You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah. I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you. Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD’s unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him. Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!

Ephesians 3:14-21
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Ephesians 5:8-21
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This is good stuff! I will look at these scriptures in more detail, especially the parts that are in bold… I need to get back to my homework, but GREAT STUFF.