Gambling....to do or not to do...that is the question!

[sweetrevival]

I agree Asaph, Jim has shown a side to his growth that we should all check for in ourselves.

Andry, I believe you have the right point in this matter. The quote "What Would Jesus Do" applies in any area we are uncertain about. And I think that when we walk with the Spirit we get a check if we are about to do something that contradicts life.

I know that every now and again I will see a scratchie and think "Hmm, $25,000 a year for life - sounds pretty good." And I will go to buy one, but it never feels right, so it then becomes my choice to go against His desire for me or to remain at peace with Him.

Yet, sometimes I see a good charity running a raffle, and I have no problem getting a couple of tickets. Jesus rarely checks me on those things. (Never the raffles that give grog, or stuff like that as pressies though!)

I personally find, that anything that is not good for me - that doesn't speak 'life' - kind of gives out warning signals.

 

[New_Wineskin]

In 1 Corinthians 10:23 Paul tells us that "everything is permissable" - but not everything is beneficial or constructive.

Many times , I have heard/read people quote that passage in a context that totally twists the spirit of the passage . They indicate by their usage that anything not beneficial is not permitted . So , whenever I hear/read that passage , I always go back to what it states ... everything is permissable . And , I try not go too nuts on whether it is beneficial or not . The Spirit is great at giving that type of input , anyway .

 

[Andrew]

The criteria we must use in life to determine what to do and what not to do, must not be in whether it's wrong or right. It's whether it brings life or death. That was the original plan in the garden of Eden, and that was what Jesus came to earth to do....to bring life.

Jesus didn't come to teach us right from wrong, he came that we might have life, and in its abundance.

So issues such as gambling, marijuana, abortion, must be gauged not from a criteria of right and wrong, but does it bring life?

Because we can still be right, and by every human criteria be right, and still in the end bring death. That was what the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is....in our endeavouring to be right, and 'doing the right thing', in the end, we still bring death.

Take marijuana....sorry, off track for a bit....for some, smoking pot brings life. For most, I dare say it's a path to destruction and death.

For most, gambling as defined as 'entertainment', ie. slots, card games, and casino type environments,....in the end, the house wins, and the losers often lose their house, the homes, their families.....their life.

Ergo....while you may consider your mutual funds as gambling, mine, because it's part of my professional life, has and will bring life to my family.

And when we understand the criteria of life...it takes the judgment out of Christians because for me it may be death, but for you it may bring life.

(Note: I'm not talking about moral standards (eg. 10 commandments) that apply to all of us. I'm talking about those issues that the Bible is either silent or unclear.)

My understnding of what brings "life" is slightly different. Yes I know we are to partake of the tree of life (grace) and not the tree of knowledge of good and evil (law). So it's not about whether it's right or wrong (that's to eat from tree of KNow of gd and evil or to come under law) but whether something you do has "life".

When its a grey area and you need to make a decision, we tune in the to annointing within. When you pray about it or as you try out what you want to do, eg you walk to the casino and start to play, if there is peace and life in your spirit then do it. But if that is a deadness, lack of peace, a knot in your spirit, then don't do it. This is not to be confused with emotions or personal biases.

I think i need to clarify why I'm against Christians gambling. People in my country gamble (Chinese are prone to gambling) -- as in buy 4D lottery tickets every weekend as a habit/addiction -- to get rich quick. That's the world, no surprise.

But when a Christian does that every weekend, I'm against it because He is not trusting in the Lord to provide. He usu does not go by God's economic system of tithing and giving. He is relying on a worldly system (that has destroyed many lives/families) to prosper rather than trusting in El Shaddai.

And it cannot be that El Shaddai is telling him to buy lottery tickets every weekend for years and then there are no results to show for. When its really God the results speak for themselves and you dont have to keep doing it.

That said, i believe God can still use the lottery to prosper you. That has happened to a few folks in my church. But its more like a one-off think. You are believing God for a breakthrough and one day He tells you to go buy the lottery ticket. You win first prize. It doesnt take years and a lot of money. The results are fast becos its God.

 

[TwistrAndy]

I don't think the gambling is right. No matter what. Even though you only spent a couple of dollars on it, a family might not eat because a father stood up at the gas station a spent all his money scratchin off the scratch offs, and spending alot of money on the lottery tickets, when you win that money, who are winning money that at a family lost that week due to an addiction. It's wrong, plain and simple. It's bad stewardship of what the Lord gave you that week.

 

[riverpastor]

First of all...

someone pinch me.

I agree with Jim.

Secondly,

One lady was praying in tongues when she actually heard the Lord giving her the numbers to buy...

Jokingly, I have been saying for years that I am waiting on the Lord to whisper "six" numbers into my heart.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I could see the title of this thread as "Eating meat... to do or not to do... that is the question".

Paul said that if you have the faith to eat the meat, then by all means, eat the meat. If you have faith to NOT eat the meat, then don't tempt yourself with it.

Whatsoever is NOT OF FAITH... THAT thing is sin.