Pastor warns Christians not to play Mega Millions lotto

[Havensdad]

As much as I respect Piper, Macarthur, and others who rail against gambling, I must insist that we as Pastors are commanded not to go beyond THE TEXT. While gambling is nowhere in the Bible said to be a sin (although I believe it is sheer stupidity!), it IS sinful to teach instructions of men, and wisdom of men, as if it is instruction from the Lord.

1Co 4:6 I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another.

Mat 15:8 "'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;
Mat 15:9 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'"

Its just sad.

 

[HAMel]

Interesting reading.

I smoke cigarettes. Don't drink. Played the dollar lottery a couple three times. A bit over-weight. Can't stand gossipers; holier-than-thous; know-it-all's; not impressed with those who float across the floor; have always stood up for the underdog; been faithful and married to the same woman for 47 years; been to Vegas a few times on business and played the slots. In short, I'm not any better or any worse than the rest of you.

I have known Jesus since 1972 and more often than not I'm sure He has just stood and shook His head at me. I do know a current Deacon who made whiskey up till 1975 but don't know if he claimed to be saved way back then or not.

I'm sure glad our Lord is Long Suffering. Praise God! :godisgood:

 

[Havensdad]

BTW, if you win the lottery, feel more than welcome to tithe to my church!

 

[Arbo]

It also troubles me that a man I am assuming pro 60 year's old needs to be reminded that he is behaving as middle schooler's do at a lunch table on these forums, as I had to do for you earlier. I have read many of your past posts and they all seem to have one thing in common, you like to belittle and use ad-hominem tactics to try and coax people into an argument with you.

Another thing that troubles me is that you would put a generation down and me ( since I bought a (1) dollar lottery ticket) by saying my holy walk with the lord is not pleasing to him, when the bible say's nothing about it (AND YOUR NOT GOD). It's merely your opinion. My walk is pleasing to the lord, regardless of what you try to convince me the bible does not say.

I can assure you if I spent a day with you in the little time I've witnessed first hand how you speak to fellow Christians that I could admonish you for MANY un-Christlike habit's that are not pleasing to God. However, It seem's to me your only desire is to tear people down and not build them up.

I read where you told someone your 5 year old Grandchild could read and understand things better then them. It's very sad that under your administrator online title you use it for such un-Christ like antics.

My father always told me you can't teach and old dog new tricks and once a person hits a certain age they will never change. I just hope you realize one day when you wake up and look at yourself in the mirror of your error and use your abundance of online time as a born again Christian aught to.

It's amazing to me that your allowed to be a moderator on a Forum that represents christ and a voice of witnessing.

A little thick with the abrasive?

 

[gb93433]

A very reasonable response to the op. There is no scripture that speaks to gambling. So long as one is not spending money on it when they have other responsibilities there is no real problem.

If all of your money was tied up in things such as giving to missionaries then you would have zero left over. Many missionaries return each year because as they get older and stay longer their support base diminishes.

The casino's are not a good environment for Christians but that is because of the over indulgence involved. But those who may gamble or play the lottery with no over indulgence are not in error.

It is a fact that near casinos property values go down, more police are needed, traffic increases, and crime goes up. So what are the advantages of gambling businesses? Many who play the lotto are people who are on welfare and low incomes.

 

[HAMel]

The lotto is the poor mans tax!

Here in NC it's billed as the NC Educational Lottery. Each dime that goes toward education merely reduces the State budget otherwise targeted for education. The education industry does not receive one dollar more than the original budget. This excess is then provided to Bubba, the 1st cousin of some political hack, to repave a bad spot in the road.

Everything any government does for it's citizens has bungee cords attached.

 

[gb93433]

The lotto is the poor mans tax!

Here in NC it's billed as the NC Educational Lottery. Each dime that goes toward education merely reduces the State budget otherwise targeted for education. The education industry does not receive one dollar more than the original budget. This excess is then provided to Bubba, the 1st cousin of some political hack, to repave a bad spot in the road.

Everything any government does for it's citizens has bungee cords attached.

I have been on the end of that educational lottery and what you say is so true.

 

[percho]

The lotto is the poor mans tax!

Here in NC it's billed as the NC Educational Lottery. Each dime that goes toward education merely reduces the State budget otherwise targeted for education. The education industry does not receive one dollar more than the original budget. This excess is then provided to Bubba, the 1st cousin of some political hack, to repave a bad spot in the road.

Everything any government does for it's citizens has bungee cords attached.

The very reason for the gospel, the kingdom of God.
thy will be done on earth as
He will judge in righteousness.

The only biblical reason I can think of without giving it a lot of thought is,

Come ye out of her my people.

The lottery is a part of the system of of this world run by the prince of the power of the air.

 

[HankD]

The very reason for the gospel, the kingdom of God.
thy will be done on earth as
He will judge in righteousness.

The only biblical reason I can think of without giving it a lot of thought is,

Come ye out of her my people.

The lottery is a part of the system of of this world run by the prince of the power of the air.

Hi percho, actually all businesses are to some degree involved with the rulers of this world.

NKJV

1 John 5:19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.​

We are in the world but not of the world.
How far each of us is willing top compromise is between the believer and God.​

WE all compromise to a point or we would be dead.​

Many seemingly innocent corporations which we depend upon for food clothing and shelter support abortion clinics and abortifacients.​

Every dollar we give to them we give a few cents to these entities they support as well.​

My opinion of course.


HankD​

 

[preachinjesus]

That is the same argument that is used in favor of social drinking.
The same could be used for an occasional "smoker,"
The same could be used then for an occasional "user" of marijuana.
And then why not take one more step and say "user of cocaine," recreational of course.

All of the above are addictions. They all start somewhere. I believe that Scripture has much to say about gambling in that it has much to say about addictions, money, the family, our relationships with others, the value of our time and money, etc. There are many established principles that speak to the evil of gambling.

Do you remember the Ad for Lay's Potato Chips?
"Bettcha' can't eat just one"?
--Just one potato chip? No, you have to have another, and another...

1 Corinthians 6:12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
1. A lotto ticket is lawful.
2. But it is not necessarily the expedient thing to do.
3. It can be habit forming from week to week. (I will not be brought under the power of any--an addiction)

This is one of the worst reasoned responses I've read in a long time. You've not addressed anything from an actual Scriptural stand point. Instead you've defaulted to fear mongering, eisogeting Scripture, and really really bad argumentation about addictions.

This particular payout was $174 million, if I read correctly. For most the goal was to win the huge amount of money so they could stop working; take retirement early, live out their lifelong dream, spend money on whatever they want, etc. After all what would you do with $174 million dollars, and why would you continue working?

So let me get this straight, one of your big arguments against gambling is that the winners don't ever have to work and that's a violation of Scripture?

I cannot rightly call buying a lotto ticket a form of entertainment. Therefore it is not in the same category as any kind of entertainment. Apples and oranges. Gambling will break up a family. Wholesome entertainment can keep a family together. There is a big difference.

This is all ad hoc with no basis for the rationale. My grand parents would buy two lotto tickets every week for the 65 years they were married. It didn't break up their family.

Your entire line of argumentation is not logical or well considered.

 

[preachinjesus]

The Bible teaches that an unjust weight is an abomination unto the Lord

This is a bad allusion to Scripture. The verse you're talking about has nothing to do with gambling.

And how do you suppose that the lottery is no different than the stock market??

Lets just suppose that I bought 1 share of stock in Wal Mart that cost $50/share-------I will ALWAYS have that one share no matter what!! I understand that if the company does well----that one share that was worth $50 may increase in value----lets just say to $52/share---and the share is still mine

I understand, too---that the value of the share MAY decrease in value---say, to $48/share-----I still have the share---but its value has decreased

See??? I will always have that share!! It will always belong to me!!

But you're decision about investing was not predicated upon anything but, ultimately, chance. When someone goes and buys a lottery ticket, they own that ticket. That ticket can be redeemed for the amount that it was worth after the incentive period, but afterwards its still yours.

But when you lay down $1 for a lottery ticket---its a game of chance---I choose a set of #'s----and if the #'s I choose do not match----that $1 is gone forever---its not mine anymore

So I bought a bunch of GM stock a couple of years ago, before the bankruptcy. I bought at a decent price for the stock and sat on it, even through the bankruptcy. Last week I received notice the stock is worthless and cannot be traded anymore. So I've got the certificates, bought upon the idea that GM was a decent investment, and they're worthless. So they essentially have the same value as about 99% of the lottery tickets bought yesterday.

 

[preachinjesus]

Oh, and I'm still waiting for Scriptural discussion showing us where gambling is prohibited in the Bible.

 

[gb93433]

Oh, and I'm still waiting for Scriptural discussion showing us where gambling is prohibited in the Bible.

It is implied, just like abortion is.

1 Thess 4:11-12, "and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you, so that you will behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need."

2 Thess 3:10-12, "For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies. Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread."

 

[Havensdad]

It is implied, just like abortion is.

?? Abortion is not "implied" to be a sin! "Thou shall not murder." That is NOT implied, it is spoken plainly.

1 Thess 4:11-12, "and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you, so that you will behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need."

Nothing about gambling here, implied or otherwise. Having a bunch of money does not preclude one from working with ones hands. IF you twist scripture bad enough to make this apply to gambling, it would ALSO, EQUALLY apply to being a successful, well off business owner.

Of course, all of that is completely foreign to the text. A person who works hard doing volunteer work, but is filthy stinking rich, does not violate this scripture.

2 Thess 3:10-12, "For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies. Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread."

Again, nothing about gambling here. Since you are interpreting this text this way, I suppose you would ALSO believe that riches from ANY source are wrong....

Again, scripture, please. You are doing the same thing the Pharisees did. "Oh, you can't work on the Sabbath. Well, we need to clarify that. So, you can't make mortar. Oh, well, we need to add to that. You can't spit on the ground, cause then you will be making mortar, and breaking the Sabbath."

Sillyness. AND, sinful! It is SIN to invent commandments that are not in scripture. It is NOT sin to gamble, though it is stupid.

 

[DHK]

It also troubles me that a man I am assuming pro 60 year's old needs to be reminded that he is behaving as middle schooler's do at a lunch table on these forums, as I had to do for you earlier. I have read many of your past posts and they all seem to have one thing in common, you like to belittle and use ad-hominem tactics to try and coax people into an argument with you.

1. Your ad hominem attack was not needed (behaving as a middle schooler). Practice what you preach.
2. I have convictions. I have no trouble stating them.
3. I defend those convictions. This is a debate forum. If you don't like debate and would rather discuss topics like the weather etc., there are forums for that. I suggest you go there.
4. I am not trying to coax you into anything. I reply to posts as they reply to me, or who have differing opinions than me. That is what debate is all about.

Another thing that troubles me is that you would put a generation down and me ( since I bought a (1) dollar lottery ticket) by saying my holy walk with the lord is not pleasing to him, when the bible say's nothing about it (AND YOUR NOT GOD). It's merely your opinion. My walk is pleasing to the lord, regardless of what you try to convince me the bible does not say.

Again, this is debate. I believe the Bible has much to say about this topic. If I take the time I can write quite a lengthy post on what the Bible says about gambling, and that is what buying a lotto ticket is. In fact entire books have already been written on this subject.
I don't know if you are familiar with the outreach "Reformer's Unanimous," but I have worked some with it. I know the evils of gambling. I know the destruction that it has caused families. I know the ease as to how addictive it can be. And as with every other form of addiction it starts so simply. I also don't believe it is a good testimony to the unsaved nor to the saved. Those are my convictions, not a put down to any one person. Again this is a debate forum.

I can assure you if I spent a day with you in the little time I've witnessed first hand how you speak to fellow Christians that I could admonish you for MANY un-Christlike habit's that are not pleasing to God. However, It seem's to me your only desire is to tear people down and not build them up.

It is difficult, if nigh to impossible, to assess a person's personality and character from the opposite side of keyboard half way around the world. My writing reflects my convictions. The context of my writings is in a debate forum. It is hardly a reflection of who I am. You are in no position to assess that. Again, if you can't stand the heat of the debate, step out of the frying pan. Go to the discussion forums.

I read where you told someone your 5 year old Grandchild could read and understand things better then them. It's very sad that under your administrator online title you use it for such un-Christ like antics.

My children had the advantage of being home-schooled and learned to read at the age of four. At the age of five the read quite fluently out of the KJV. That is not something that the average person taught in our public schools can do. That was my point and I stand by it. By and large our public school system is a mess. This is another topic, but one that I am quite knowledgeable about.

My father always told me you can't teach and old dog new tricks and once a person hits a certain age they will never change. I just hope you realize one day when you wake up and look at yourself in the mirror of your error and use your abundance of online time as a born again Christian aught to.

The Bible doesn't change. I know what I believe. I preach what I believe. It is doubtful that you will change my convictions. But that doesn't mean my convictions should be censored on the board just because you disagree with them. If you don't like debate then get out of the debate forums.

It's amazing to me that your allowed to be a moderator on a Forum that represents christ and a voice of witnessing.

This is not a forum for witnessing for Christ. The title of this thread is about playing the lotto that has nothing to do with evangelism. If you want to start a thread about evangelism you have the freedom to do so. Thus your point is moot.
And again, your last point is another ad hominem, the very thing you preach against.

 

[percho]

Hi percho, actually all businesses are to some degree involved with the rulers of this world.

NKJV

1 John 5:19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.​

We are in the world but not of the world.
How far each of us is willing top compromise is between the believer and God.​

WE all compromise to a point or we would be dead.​

Many seemingly innocent corporations which we depend upon for food clothing and shelter support abortion clinics and abortifacients.​

Every dollar we give to them we give a few cents to these entities they support as well.​

My opinion of course.


HankD​

I agree the very purpose for the kingdom of God. As you can tell I am not a kingdom now person, for sure not on this inhabited earth.

Just as in Daniel I'm sure we have a prince assigned to the old US of A.

 

[percho]

I'm thinking of selling some tickets to a cake walk for tonight. Oops what is a cake walk? Old dude.

 

[saturneptune]

The Bible teaches that an unjust weight is an abomination unto the Lord

Here is how Baptist Pastors obtain unjust weight.

 

[DHK]

Here are the results:

RED BUD, Ill. - Three lottery tickets sold in Illinois, Kansas and Maryland hit the world record-breaking $640 million Mega Millions jackpot, lottery officials said Saturday, leaving scores of players across the country with busted multi-millionaire dreams.

Illinois' winning ticket was bought at a convenience store in the small town of Red Bud, near St. Louis, and the winner used a quick pick to select the lucky numbers, Illinois Lottery spokesman Mike Lang said. Each winning ticket was expected to be worth more than $213 million before taxes.

"This is very exciting, people are extremely happy, and of course everybody wants to know who it is," Denise Metzger, manager of the Motomart where the winning ticket was sold, said Saturday morning. "Hopefully I sold that ticket to someone who comes in every single morning."

In Maryland, television cameras were descending on the 7-Eleven in Baltimore County where the state's winning ticket was purchased. The harried manager could only repeatedly say "No interviews" to the reporters pressing for details, and customers pushed through the media crush for their morning coffee on Saturday.

Nyeri Murphy, holding two scratch-off tickets, said she normally plays Powerball but drove to neighbouring Harford County to buy $70 worth of Mega Millions tickets this week. "I should have bought them here," she said.

None of Jackie Williams' tickets won, either, but she said it was "fabulous" that a winning ticket was sold near Baltimore city. "It's like a small town," she said. "I'll bet I'll know someone who knows the winner."

Maryland does not require lottery winners to be identified; the Mega Millions winner can claim the prize anonymously. The store will receive a $100,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket, which was purchased Friday night.

The third winning ticket was purchased in northeast Kansas, but no other information would be released by the Kansas Lottery until the winner comes forward, spokeswoman Cara S. Sloan-Ramos said.

No winner had contacted the agency by Saturday morning, Kansas Lottery Director Dennis Wilson said. "Hopefully they're seeking good advice before coming in," he said.

Kansas law also allows lottery winners to remain anonymous, though lottery winners in Illinois are identified.

Each winning ticket was expected to be worth more than $213 million before taxes, Lang said. The winning numbers in Friday night's drawing were 02-04-23-38-46, and the Mega Ball 23.

Maryland Lottery spokeswoman Carole Everett said the last time a ticket from the state won a major national jackpot was in 2008, when a ticket sold for $24 million.

"We're thrilled," she said. "We're due and excited."
The estimated jackpot dwarfs the previous $390 million record, which was split in 2007 by two winners who bought tickets in Georgia and New Jersey.

Americans spent nearly $1.5 billion for a chance to hit the jackpot, which amounts to a $462 million lump sum and around $347 million after federal tax withholding. With the jackpot odds at 1 in 176 million, it would cost $176 million to buy up every combination. Under that scenario, the strategy would win $171 million less if your state also withholds taxes.
From coast to coast, people stood in line at retail stores Friday for one last chance at striking it rich.

Maribeth Ptak, 31, of Milwaukee, said she only buys Mega Millions tickets when the jackpot is really big and she bought one Friday at a Milwaukee grocery store. She said she'd use the money to pay off bills, including school loans, and then she'd donate a good portion to charity.
"I know the odds are really not in my favour, but why not," she said.

Sawnya Castro, 31, of Dallas, bought $50 worth of tickets at a 7-Eleven. She figured she'd use the money to create a rescue society for Great Danes, fix up her grandmother's house, and perhaps even buy a bigger one for herself.

"Not too big — I don't want that. Too much house to keep with," she said.
Willie Richards, who works for the U.S. Marshals Service at a federal courthouse in Atlanta, figured if there ever was a time to confront astronomical odds, it was when $640 million was at stake. He bought five tickets for Friday's drawing.

"When it gets as big as it is now, you'd be nuts not to play," he said. "You have to take a chance on Lady Luck."

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/lottery-official-winning-mega-millions-ticket-sold-maryland-051513853.html

 

[gb93433]

?? Abortion is not "implied" to be a sin! "Thou shall not murder." That is NOT implied, it is spoken plainly.

I agree with your foundation but not how you arrived there. Murder is spoken plainly, but not abortion. Where is abortion dealt with in the Bible? You started with a theology to prove a point not the foundation. That is like building a home on a foundation that someone else may have started and it may or may not be adequate. I am unable to see how you developed murder and abortion as synonymous. The Bible says that God breathed the breath of life into them. Some well known preachers such as Criswell and others at the time did not believe it was a baby until it was born. Therefore abortion was not murder because the baby was not born yet. Is not abortion pre-birth?

Is it a baby because it did not have the breath of life in it and did not live?

I just do not believe that you can be anti-abortion directly from scripture. Is it wrong to abort a baby because it endangers the mother?

I think many Christians miss one important thing. That is that God places importance on some things above others. Is it more important to work at a hospital and miss a sabbath/church or is going to sabbath/church an absolute.

Ex. 20:8 "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy."

How would you support priorities in that situation directly from scripture.