Tuesday, May 28, 2013

 
Does God Gamble?
Don't Bet on it!
 
 

      Sad to say but the arrogant "we told you so" just doesn't seem sufficient to the voters of NC. Lies of the "Education" lottery bringing more money to the school system certainly has given the school system an education as they have once again began cutting spending and X-ing out more and more jobs. Of course if we do the unpopular, politically incorrect thing of actually reading and believing the Bible we would have know from the beginning that embracing the lottery could only bring death to the school system. Sin never brings life in the end, only death. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. A fool is one who comes into quick gain. We don't have to travel far into the Bible to see that God disapproves of the lottery, and sees it as sin.
Although the words "gambling" and "gamble" do not appear in the Bible, we cannot assume that an activity is not a sin simply because it is not mentioned. Looking at pornography on the Internet and using illegal drugs are not mentioned either, but both violate God's laws. While casinos and lotteries promise thrills and excitement, obviously people gamble to try to win money. Eccl 5:10 "He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this [is] also vanity." 1 Timothy 6:10 "For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."
      Gambling is a way to bypass work, but the Bible counsels us to persevere and work hard:"He becometh poor that dealeth [with] a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich."  Proverbs 10:4One of the key principles in the Bible is that people should be wise stewards of everything God gives them, including their time, talent and treasure. Gamblers may believe they earn their money with their own labor and may spend it as they please, yet God gives people the talent and health to carry out their jobs, and their very life is a gift from him as well. Wise stewardship of extra money calls believers to invest it in the Lord’s work or to save it for an emergency, rather than lose it in games in which the odds are stacked against the player. You have a better chance of being struck by lightening or eaten by a shark than hitting the winning numbers.
      Ignorance is bliss. The lottery according to one Appalachian State professor is a poor mans tax! I would have to agree. The rich do not play the lottery, because they have no need to, yet the poor flow their money into the lucky 7, and power ball without being asked to for a chance at a better station in life. Need I remind every child of God that if the Lord is your shepherd you shall not want! Contentment is a rare thing, are you content? Basically why would the rich not be opposed to the lottery, and the answer is their taxes are not raised since the poor give the money freely!