The Ultimate Gamble

There once was a man who prayed daily for God to let him win the lottery. Despite his persistent begging, nothing happened. Finally, after pestering the Lord one last time, this man heard a booming voice: “Give Me a break! Buy a ticket!”

People hoping to become instant millionaires spend billions yearly on lottery tickets. The biggest Powerball jackpot ever won was over $2 billion in 2022. Lottery officials had determined the odds of winning a large jackpot like that are 1 in 292.2 million. It’s been said that you are likelier to be struck by lightning than winning the lottery. Do you know anyone who got struck by lightning?


Years ago, Americans had to flock to places like Las Vegas and Atlantic City to gamble. Nowadays, there are state lotteries, sports betting, and casinos all over the country. During the early 1990s, I visited two casinos that just opened up in Minnesota. I had coupons redeemed for rolls of quarters. I played a few slot machines before quitting to avoid losing most of the money. My friend Jim recently went on a Mexican cruise and told me about a fellow passenger who played a $2.50 slot machine and won $50,000. If you do the math, you'll realize that 20,000 people before her played that one-armed bandit without winning anything.


The increase in gambling outlets has resulted in a sharp rise of “problem gamblers” ruining the lives of many families. Just like with alcohol consumption, some argue gambling is okay if done in moderation.


One might ask, “What about sweepstakes or drawings?” I don’t think it’s wrong to enter a sweepstakes if it doesn’t cost anything other than the postage stamp. For years, I entered the Publisher’s Clearing House Sweepstakes in hopes of hitting it big (but never did). I’ve heard testimonies of Christians having prayers answered through prize giveaways. I know of one church that gave away a shopping spree as an incentive to attract visitors. Many other churches have raffles or bingo games to raise money.


Winning a large jackpot will not necessarily solve someone’s problems. Most individuals who win a million dollars or more often find themselves where they were before financially within two years. Proverbs 28:22 in the New Living Translation says, “Greedy people try to get rich quick but don’t realize they’re headed for poverty.”


Some gamblers might point out that “casting lots” was a form of gambling permitted in the Bible. Examples of this include determining the scapegoat in Leviticus 16:10, the disobedience of Jonah (Jonah 1:7), and the eleven apostles choosing Matthias to replace Judas Iscariot (Acts 1:26). Casting lots was used to determine God’s will, not for making money. Under the New Covenant, we depend on the Holy Spirit for guidance.


A friend told me about a French minister who once found himself stranded in Las Vegas and needed to return to Paris. The Lord instructed this minister to walk into a casino and put a coin in a particular slot machine. The minister hit a jackpot large enough to provide enough finances to return home. Proverbs 13:22 does say, “…the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.” However, I believe a better way for that to happen is for wealthy people to become born again.


Unless God specifically instructs you to walk into a casino or buy a particular lottery ticket, I believe it's best to avoid gambling. Otherwise, you are taking a chance with the money God entrusted to you used for the wrong purpose. Jesus said in Luke 4:12, “You shall not tempt the LORD your God.” Gambling can also lead to greediness. 1 Timothy 6:10 says, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”


If you’re still thinking about going to your local convenience store to buy a lottery ticket, ask yourself, “What is my motive for gambling?” Some believers claim, “If God lets me win the lottery, I will give a large portion of the money to the church.” What are you doing with the money you have right now? If you are not at least tithing, don’t expect God to help you become rich. Malachi 3:8 says that you are robbing God.


In Matthew 27:35 while Jesus was dying on the cross, the Roman soldiers gambled for His clothes by throwing dice. Many people today are gambling with their souls. Sometimes when I’m in a store and see someone buying a lottery ticket, I'll hand him a gospel tract and say, “Here’s something you don’t want to gamble with.” A person living his life without knowing whether he will end up in heaven or hell is like playing Russian roulette. The odds of entering into heaven without knowing Him are ZERO. Jesus said He’s the only way to eternal life (John 14:6).


Don’t gamble with eternity!


“You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is really an idolater who worships the things of this world.” - Ephesians 5:5 (NLT)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Gospel Soul Winning Script

Image
During my early days with evangelism, I developed an approach called the Survey Technique . By asking short direct questions, you can maintain control of the conversation and find out quickly what a person’s spiritual beliefs are. Although the Survey Technique has helped me lead thousands to the Lord, I’m still open to utilizing new methods in reaching people with the gospel. Rodney Howard-Browne 's ministry uses a tool called the Gospel Soul-Winning Script , which originated during their Good News New York campaign in 1999. I became familiar with it a few years later during evangelism outreaches with Rodney’s church in Tampa, Florida. At first, I resisted using the script. I found it restrictive and thought sinners wouldn’t be receptive to me reading the whole thing to them. Then while taking part in a 2009 outreach with Rodney’s ministry in Washington, D.C., my team leader asked me to “stick with the script.” Wanting to maintain unity, I complied with his request. Initially it fe
Read more

Toking the Ghost Revisited

Image
Back in February 2007, a fellow missionary I was traveling with started talking about “smoking the weed from heaven.”   He would pretend to have a joint of marijuana between his fingers and have “smoke breaks with Jesus.”   He also encouraged other believers to take “hits.”   I was a bit uncomfortable with this idea but didn't contest it. Then in October of that year, I heard John Crowder preach on “toking the Ghost” at a church in my hometown of Fargo, North Dakota.   I was inspired to make a video with John to share with my missionary friend.   During the filming, I experienced much laughter. I decided to make the video public figuring other people might enjoy it also. Two weeks later at a church in Minnesota, I heard Benjamin Dunn share testimonies of people getting healed from “toking the Ghost.”   This was just before he and John Crowder started ministering together.   I believed this was God confirming His word in the mouth of two or three witnesses.  
Read more

Is That Gold Dust Real?

Image
Twenty years ago I made my first visit to Calvary Campground in Ashland, Virginia. One of the speakers for their Winter Campmeeting was a Brazilian named Silvania Machado. After standing on the platform for about twenty minutes during praise and worship, Sister Silvania brushed gold dust out of her short blonde hair plus had oil flow from her hands. I didn’t dismiss these signs but questioned the purpose of them. A few people in the congregation later testified of being healed. I’ve seen gold manifestations at other places. The year before during a church service in Oklahoma, the fillings in my mouth changed from black to a whitish-gold color. Other people supernaturally received gold teeth (I later met a man in Germany who received four of them). I’ve also seen gold dust appear on ministers such as Joshua Mills while they are preaching. Although I don’t seek after signs like this, gold dust has shown up on my face and in my Bible. One time with the latter, I found some w
Read more