Now, I was talking to a man recently who smokes a cigarette, he smokes two packs a day.
And he said to me, "Here's something in the Bible that says that smoking is wrong."
And I said, "Well, you know what?" I said, "You're right. Smoking is not even mentioned in the Bible."
I said, "All the way cover to cover, I can't find one mention of smoking in the Bible."
But I said, "You know, it's not right for you to be dominated by something that's sucking up your money,
it's wasting your money, it's destroying your health."
I said, "You're not your own. You're bought with the price. Therefore glorify God in your body
and in your spirit, which are God's."
You don't have the right to take God's body and shave 20 years off the light,
to destroy your health, since you're going to the doctor, since you're going to the hospital,
since you have the health problems that are associated with nicotine use.
You have the right to do that.
And I get so tired of a philosophy that says, "Well, show me in the Bible where that's wrong."
You know, I don't live my life like that.
I don't live my life wondering, "Well, is this technically wrong or can I get by with it?"
I don't want to do everything that's just like, let's say there's a line between what's a sin and what's not a sin.
I don't want to live right next to that line all the time, just trying to figure out everything I'm allowed to do.
No, I'm pressing on the upward way, new heights I'm gaining everywhere, still praying as I'm onward bound.
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.
Hey, I press toward the mark for the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
I don't want to do the minimum that God expects of me.
I want to do the maximum that God wants for my life.
I want to do the max, not the minimum.
I don't go through life.
What's the minimum I can go soul winning and God will be pleased with me?
What's the shortest skirt that a lady can wear and still be right with God?
What's the most worst TV show I can watch where God would still not be too upset with me?
No, I want to get up in the morning and dress exactly how God wants me to dress.
I want to get up and live every second of my life doing exactly what God wants me to do,
being in the perfect will of God, not asking myself what is the minimum that I can do for God.
And nobody can really say that I'm committing a sin.
Do you actually think that Jesus Christ would say to you,
"Yes, I would like you to smoke cigarettes."
"Yes, let me buy you a pack of Marlboro's if Jesus were on this earth."
Do you think Jesus had a pack of Marlboro's in his pocket when he was on this earth?
I think not.
Well, is it a sin? I mean, the Bible says,
"Look, him that knoweth to do good and doeth the nots, him it's sin," is what the Bible says.
Yes, it is a sin to smoke cigarettes.