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One of the greatest gifts given to us by God is the gift of self control. The ability to control everything about ourselves. And its instilled in every one of us. Some might say that not everyone has that gift, but believe me, EVERY ONE OF US has it. If anyone was lacking self control or will power, it was me. I had no control over my drug habbits, smoking habits, sexual addictions etc etc. Absolutely none. But when I learned through reading Scripture that the most important commandment was to love God with all my heart mind and soul, and thought about what that meant, then put it into practice (or at least tried), I found that, to loving God with all my mind left no room for all that rubbish to take control, cz God really did take up my WHOLE MIND!! After many failed attempts in the past, loving God worked the first time. And I never felt the urge to smoke the slightest bit til about 6 weeks later. But, even then, my faith and love and love for God made that urge dissapear.
Pauly, my nephew, used to always say to me in total child-like innocence, "uncle, why don't you just stop smoking?" Jesus told us that the kingdom of Heaven belongs to children:
Matthew 19:14 But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”
Now I understand that the reason Heaven belongs to children is because their hearts, minds, and souls haven't been polluted by the all the worldy evils that our's have, which is also why Pauly couldn't understand why I couldn't "just quit." So I think we ultimately have to obtain the innocence of a child in order to love God with all our hearts, minds, and souls, and when we can master the art of childishness, then we can master the God given gift of complete self control. And only THEN can we inherit our place in Heaven with our Lord God, who waits for us so patiently and mercifully. We spend years trying to teach our kids the "right way", which is good. But we really need to remember that unless we learn from them aswell, we're doomed. The lessons we should be learning from them are so much more important for our salvation, not to mention their's, than the lessons we spend our whole lives trying to teach them.
Matthew 18:3 and [Jesus] said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven."
Pauly, my nephew, used to always say to me in total child-like innocence, "uncle, why don't you just stop smoking?" Jesus told us that the kingdom of Heaven belongs to children:
Matthew 19:14 But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”
Now I understand that the reason Heaven belongs to children is because their hearts, minds, and souls haven't been polluted by the all the worldy evils that our's have, which is also why Pauly couldn't understand why I couldn't "just quit." So I think we ultimately have to obtain the innocence of a child in order to love God with all our hearts, minds, and souls, and when we can master the art of childishness, then we can master the God given gift of complete self control. And only THEN can we inherit our place in Heaven with our Lord God, who waits for us so patiently and mercifully. We spend years trying to teach our kids the "right way", which is good. But we really need to remember that unless we learn from them aswell, we're doomed. The lessons we should be learning from them are so much more important for our salvation, not to mention their's, than the lessons we spend our whole lives trying to teach them.
Matthew 18:3 and [Jesus] said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven."