The Reality about Ciggarette Smokers

After reading a personal experience it drove me to think on a mere truth of a cruel reality which most addictions drive us into while we think we driving it.  If we really drive it.

Are we really the drivers? Do we control our addictions? Have you stopped and monitored your own addiction, for a whole week?  You will come to the conclusion : We addicts don't drive the addiction, it's the addiction that drives us, wraps us up and poisons our thinking to a point that we decieve ouselves with saying that we do control what we do, to saying  "I can control it, it doesn't really affect me".

Oh boy, this is when we really need to analyze ourselves the most, no offense consumers, but really, you do.

Let's face it, if when we wake up and make a quick recap of what you need to do on that day, and if in those thoughts there is a big giant picture of  you enjoying a cigarrette, you need to stop the tape. 

Should that really go there?

  Now, many smokers today, specially those who have been smoking for a long time now, when being reborn in christ, we don't usually think it's a must to stop smoking...since there were major things or sins in our lives or since there was something else that we think that at that point was actually consuming our lives and pulling us down into a deeper tunnel. 

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV

Honestly I think that to stay with the need, the thought, the "smoking habit"  it really being the secondary addiction or sin is just a pure excuse of leaving it all behind, it's as if we want to stay with something, something that we can enjoy or that resembles something about us. So to think, it resembles to the others, or that we really enjoy. 

I think that we our just afraid of leaving it all behind, leaving the old person or some things that we enjoyed behind but we thought did no harm; yet just that it was one of the simple most complex detail to what  summed up to our sinking, of what drove us to sink more. The fact that we smoke. It was as if through our smoking we let the doors open for more sins to be welcomed  into our lives and take possession of it.

‎"Stand fast therefore in the liberty, wherewith Christ hath made us free,
and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." Galatians 5:1

  Sons and daughters of God, brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ, why do we still want to carry with the old. 

I just read the excuse that because the bible doesn't state "cigarrettes" or anything as such, it is not really considered as a sin, and so my brothers and sisters, if it doesn't state anything about the smoking sticks then I'll have to ask you what does it states about addiction? Do you recall? 

Allow me to remind you, that the addiction scriptures defines addiction as a sin of self-will and determination. Whoever chooses to live their life without accepting and submitting to God’s will for the humanity, pays back of his acts. Sometimes self-sufficiency can take us away from God and eventually, the reality of life. 

Recovery is eventually a process. God is working within our souls to renovate us and to bring us back to health and sanity. The challenge for the human being is to replace the pleasurable thoughts that come from drinking, drugs or foods with something that is really worth giving attention to. 

At times, growth within spirituality can be painful and scary yet there cannot be growth without change, there is no change without fear or loss and there is no loss without pain.

Every change brings along some sort of loss, it is necessary for you to untangle yourself of your old customs in order to experience the new ones.


Many of us,  manage to construct our identities around our flaws or defects to such extent that we eventually say "it is who I am"  carrying an unconscience worry of "who will I be if I let myself go".

 Sadly but true, this fear would definitely stop your growth.

 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin  because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. Romans 6:6-7

 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.  Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.  For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.  Romans 6:12-14

  Understanding how strong this addiction can be, how it can manipulate us completely to the point as it states in Romans 6:16, that we become its servants in obedience; ¹⁶ Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 

By doing this, we are not sickening our bodies but also sickening our souls. And this, I can asure you, as a personal experience, every time Christ would cleanse me from this addiction and I would still smoke and I would feel this same way, as if I were sickening the spirit inside of me. It felt as something strong inside of me and a strong voice, no longer small voice, saying "you are poisoning me."

I began  to dislike the sin, the smell, the pleasure but I still felt as if  something pushed me to it, I didn't want to smoke but my carnal desire made me smoke.

 ¹⁴ We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. ¹⁷ As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. ¹⁸ For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. ¹⁹ For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. ²⁰ Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. 

 ²¹ So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. Romans 7:14-21




It wasn't until I finally admitted that I was being driven by this force, this evil force which I detested so much and finally requesting my LORD to not allow anything to control my life other than him, was the day he cut my addiction like a sword.

"If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." John 8:36 

To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

In full gratitude.

LmR

Modern christians? Am I really being a Christian?

I woke up one morning, I prayed and I began to feel mad, aggrevated by a thought that had come to my head and I've been meaning to say this and its a thought which hasn't gone away and I really feel that until I don't say it out loud it will not go away...


I didn't really pay much attention while searching the internet and coming across it but  after that morning, it just makes me go mad every time I search the internet and find something that goes like this:

" A website dedicated to modern christians"

Really?  Who on EARTH  said that we need to be modern christians? did Jesus tell you personally that we need to be modern christians... it almost feels as if we have modified his laws to a modern law!

Jesus taught something and his words were eternal, for all times.. not only for when he was around but for your time and my time and for the time to come, all generations and he never included the word, modernization, I don't think I've come across that word in the bible, if you do, please let me know.

I don't understand, many people want to be religious, modern christians, but what does it really mean, that you are able to cover your sins and fool yourselves; what does it mean?

Did God not warn us about adding or substracting anything to the bible or his laws...

This is an insult to God, it's like we are going to believe but do things our way, the way we feel good about it, then again, is this not selffish thinking? dare to ask Jesus wether he wanted to carry his cross, your sins, and be tortured for what you did... not him.

I believe we should turn and head back to our fathers directions and ways of thinking, not ours.

Ask yourselves, if by being a modern christian, Am I really being a Christian?


Thanks Jesus, for the thought.
All we are and all we have
is all a gift from God above.

Thank you for reading.

Should you get a Tattoo?

What is the point of a Tattoo?

Are you trying to stand out ?


He was about to make the worst decision of his entire life.

Exodus 20:4
“You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth."

He came to me commenting about wanting a tattoo and honestly, according to this modern world I was the worst counselor to tell him not to.

On a personal level,  and as a person who is running back to God after realizing the cruel reality of what the world has to offer, you can now picture me trying to hide under God and Jesus' throne. I have come to realize that having a tattoo not only are people trying to get noticed but a desire to show the world who they are through them, they also seem to be lacking or showing a desperate need of "freedom of expression"

Deuteronomy 4:16

  so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman.


Have they not realized that the world is so busy trying to get on it's own two feet to notice you? To stop and ask you what your tattoos really mean? No one really cares except for those minutes in which they sat and talk to you; because everyone seems to be running in the "who is the most selffish person, marathon."

     The world is as corrupted as it is...

Perhaps they will notice you, yes, but have you asked them under which tag they placed you in their own personal classification?
    And of course, someone will ask you why you chose that design, everyone knows that each tattoo in someones body resembles a story with perhaps a meaning, depends on who listens; On wether its revelant to them or not.


       Does this means that now you can belong to a group, a place, a family or to what really?
Have you fullfiled your own desires, those which you had, your primary thoughts for freedom of expression.
            
Whether those who possesses them may not think they are not in a cage where they're desperately in need of being noticed or express something, they are in silent suffering... no matter who well or beautiful you want to put it, these people are in a silent suffering, period.

And yes,  there are many of them who are judged as criminals, many troubled one who have tattoos but there are also a giant pool of them that aren't criminals but you can be sure that they are in some desperate need, a shout of something. Many disguise their personality by being really friendly, as a matter of fact, the most friendliest people in the world, so to say, very socialable. Yet this doesn't mean they can't have emotional problems or be broken hearted and lost.

   If you come to realize, many of the designed tattoos contain a meaning for the person who has them, they come to express an emotional story,  love or affliction for someone or something; you should ask them if whatever it resembles, is it accomplished or what.



Deuteronomy 27:15
  "Cursed is the man who carves an image or casts an idol--a thing detestable to the LORD, the work of the craftsman's hands--and sets it up in secret." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!"

Often we go about in this world thinking that having a tattoo is the best thing we can do, perhaps because we have a message to give, someone's attention to call but what we blind ourselves to realize is that we are screaming our hearts out. The question is, "but to whom?"

Does people not know, that these are evil influences, who are you to tell your daughter or son to not get one, if you yourself have one. What type of model will you be?
  Some times a man begins with a desire of  a tattoo because it resembles something strong, a "tough" look. What he has no clue is that he is expressing that he needs to prove people that he is "tough" through a tattoo... think about it, that is vague, why would you need someone else to understand how much of a bad ass you are? Is it a threat?

Think instead, how much damage you are placing your self into your own body, first of all, this is something that does not belong to your skin, second, it is ink which you carving into your body, third, it is an insult to your own body not accepting it as it is...

If I only knew this before...

Ezekiel 20:7

  And I said to them, "Each of you, get rid of the vile images you have set your eyes on, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the LORD your God."

Amen.

What You Don't Know

It isn't easy to admit the fact that many times while you walk down the streets and someone that looks sort of untidy walks too close to you or even takes a detailed look at you, you suddenly begin to feel freaked out. 


Why? Only because he has a scratchy type of look on the outside....?

Have you taken a minute to analyse why you felt freaked out?

Did you take the time to sit and talk to that person, did you ask him why he looks untidy, why his skin looks like that, do you know whether he chose or not to look like that? do you know whether he likes how he feels? what are his circumstances?

Have you thought on the how insane your thoughts were,  You pre-qualified and already Have a conclusion ...!

 but wait...you haven't even taken the time to sit with that person... but you already pictured in your head how that person is.

You ALREADY Judged.

Most importantly, can you tell whether he noticed how you felt? Did you ask him how YOU made him feel? Not to mention how much worse it will be if its a woman, as tough as they seem to be, they are vulnerable and very weak.

Most likely once again you made him feel like the rest of the people around him, as a reject.  

Many times while I walked down the streets, I was looking a bit like Amy Winehouse, very skinny and malnourished. Not that I was realizing it, I guess my strong addiction got me blind into my own looks but I somehow knew that my life was being consumed by myself! I must of been back then, around seventy pounds or less. 

What people don't understand is that there comes a time when the addict no longer wants to be an addict  but  his hopelessness makes him despise himself to a point that they don't know how to deal or come out of  the tunnel which they have been put in. Many times after they realize it, they choose to stay there, not because they want to but because they feel they are too weak over the powerful addiction they have so eventually they commit suicide, or don't seem to care much of an overdose, even tho they love life very much. Society has deprived them of all hopes causing them much suffering, pain, misery and sorrows by the people that surround them to stay as an addict.




    In other words, as a suggestion, don't point fingers at an addict, don't give them the "filthy" look,  many unconscious actions we make, the addict perceives it and worse, he might not react at the moment upon it but for sure, he will take it into account.


 Another thing is, addict many times when they are caught in trouble, understand that it's not them but their addiction that causes them to do things and act in such a way which they themselves never imagine. Don't think that you're the only one  surprised to see them act or think this way, for them too is a surprise. Once you get to know an addict in an intimate side, you will understand that many times when on their own or between people they trust the most, they come to acknowledge many actions that they never thought they would commit. They just want to make us feel tough and so they rather place a wall to cover their hearts. This is because they are very vulnerable within them,  they are very weak, they are very gentile, fragile, loving and sweet but again, there are tired, weary of all the pain caused by so many people that makes them fill like useless and so invaluable in life.


 Deep within these are people only asking for someone to deposit a drop of love into them every day, every minute that can be deposit. 


 Instead of showing disapproval, try to show them a little bit of understanding and compassion.
 The last thing an addict needs is another person reminding them what they are or what they are not.


It's as when a man has cheated on his wife, they need not to be reminded always of what they have done. Women love to do this even if ten years have passed away! Women please Stop!!!
     So should you every time an addict causes your attention...




It's like if there were a force, a force driving them to be the opposite of Gods most precious Gem yet they are. 

Romans 7:14-21

 ¹⁴ We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. ¹⁵ I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.¹⁶ And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. ¹⁷ As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. ¹⁸ For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. ¹⁹ For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. ²⁰ Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
 ²¹ So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me.





As soon as an addict begins to feel better within physical and mental health, he will begin to feel physically competent without drugs other than with it, he will stop recurring or depending on it.


"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 2 Corinthians 12




"If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."
John 8:36


"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17




"Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die:  but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." Romans 8:12-13 




Amen and Blessings to you.


Thanks for reading.