Living Hope Fellowship Church...Sermons From the Pastor
GAMBLING
by Pastor Kevin Badgley
Those who say it is OK to gamble know they can't do other things the Bible says not to do. They think that there is nothing written in the Word of God against gambling.
The Word of God talks about the different means and ways people are involved with gambling. A dealer is a trafficker. That which is being gambled for is the lot. This entire nation is consumed with expectation, and the government is feeding off of people's expectations. They take in money from people who gamble that they might receive a whole bunch in return. I'm talking about the lottery, but the Lottery is not the only thing I'm going to pick on.
Gambling is sin! Gambling will send you to Hell! If you are a Christian and you gamble, you will not be a Christian long. You can not play the lottery, Bingo, or the church raffle! There are churches today that gamble!
God is about to bust some hide. God is about to do something that will show the people today what He is made of, what His servants are made of, and what signs, wonders, and miracles are all about. He's fixing to show the people what holiness is. Hebrews 12:14, "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:"
Gambling is sin, just like adultery is sin, just like lying is sin, just like withholding tithes and offerings from God is sin. You'll go to hell for that. God gave you the ability to obtain substance to support you, not that you might throw it away in expectation of something in return that would be greater. Gambling is a counterfeit of faith. In faith we pray, believe God, and we invest in the kingdom of God. We know for sure that God's Word is true. He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.
In gambling you don't know what you'll get, and they lure you father by saying the odds are as such. When you invest more, they say it has higher stakes. There is a great expectation in the land and they think that they're going to receive a bonus! Many people today are very pleased that the gambling is in order. Our entire nation endorses gambling, including our governor, other governors, and our president. Gambling is the taking of a chance, the casting of the lot that per chance you would gain a greater amount without any further effort.
Read Proverbs 1:10-14 which says, "(10) My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. (11) If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause: (12) Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit: (13) We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil: (14) Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:"
Near St. Louis one time I saw on the front of a church, "Holy Family Bingo Every Friday Night." I am not going to tell you what kind it was! Before you look down your nose at them, consider that you are not supposed to have church raffles at your church! The Protestants do that. Can you hear the devil? "Place your bets, place your bets, gentlemen." We know people nearby who have gone to seminars to learn how to traffic and deal in this thing. Do you know how God is going to deal with this thing?
Every single day of the world Kentucky and Illinois have a lottery. You see it in big bold signs. There are fewer big signs, "Jesus loves you" or "Turn or burn" on the churches. More of them say "Holy Family Bingo" or "Church Raffle" or "Drawing This Weekend," or "Get yourself a new shotgun." It only costs you $2.50, but of course the more you invest the greater your chance of getting it. . . .
They have "Lottery" and "Play It Here!" signs across every gas station, it seems like. You don't even have to leave your house; you can mail it in. A few people have won that thing, but have you seen their lives after they have blown their first big wad of it? There have been cases where people have committed suicide. There have been cases where people have been murdered. There have been cases where people had the IRS come back on them.
The Bible declares in Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." There is a payoff; there is a wage to be given to those who would seek and work in iniquity.
Proverbs 1:14 says, "Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:" Sounds kind of ecumenical doesn't it? Proverbs 1:15-17 says, "My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path: (16) For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood. (17) Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird." These men don't seem to have even the brains of a bird. The net's been spread right while they're watching and they're going to it anyway!
Verse 18 says, "And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives. (19) So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof." This talks about the ways of every one that is greedy of gain and ways that take away the life of the owners thereof!
We know according to the Bible that when you give tithes and offerings into the house of God, God will give a return. It is an investment in God's kingdom; it's not a gamble. God's Word is true, and with assurance you know you'll be blessed. This giving is a commandment, and even if you didn't get anything, it is required by God.
What Proverbs is talking about here is that they are gambling, taking a chance, taking a risk. They are investing precious substance into something that they might get gain. The Bible says that way destroys the life of those who are given to it.
I've seen the pictures of a River Boat close to us. It is less than four blocks away from the biggest church in town. It is a big, fine cathedral of a place, but there is something lacking. I'm talking about the power of God and holiness before the Lord. One picture showed the gang plank ready to drop down and all kinds of people on the dock waiting with great expectation! That's the devil's revival. Some of the senators and representatives you elected were waiting there. The Mayor was probably there.
There were about a dozen people there from some church who had little signs up saying that gambling was wrong. I'm sitting there thinking that the time to come against it was when they were talking about its coming. You are supposed to be prayed up, filled with the power of God, and living upright and holy. You're not supposed to just be thinking about it, you're supposed to be doing something about it! The only way you can break yokes is by the anointing and you've got to pray it down.
Those people were expecting more than the church is. The film showed that those people were happy! Some people came from far away. Some came up and said "Man, this is exciting!" I'm thinking, "I'm missing something, I'm definitely missing something. Somebody comes and blows $500 and it takes two weeks to work it off! They're excited about that? I don't understand it!" There were several winners, and they noised it abroad! Whoa . . . somebody struck it rich; somebody hit the jackpot; somebody got a hold of something! Some will risk everything that per chance that maybe they can win too.
I thank God that my Jesus can send an anointing, the power, and the blessing on whosoever will believe him, and the price for it has already been paid! Remember that Proverbs 1:19 said, "So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof."
You can not gamble and go to heaven. You know what the biggest wager is? People do it every day, and the Bible is filled with people who have done it. People will say, "Almost thou persaudest me today," or "Tomorrow might be a time for me to accept Christ," or "Tomorrow might be a better time for me to pray through," or "Tomorrow might be more favorable." Men are waging their eternal souls. If per chance they'll live another 24 hours God might deal with them and then they might be in the mood to accept Christ.
Men today are saying, "Well I'm . . . I'm going to take a gamble. I don't think God's dealing with me. Well, I know he is, but . . . I'll deal with him tomorrow. Lord, tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow. Tomorrow they may be on the front end of a semi with their blood running through the grillwork. They wagered and they lost. TV ads with pretty girls and pretty signs beside the lottery cause a lot of people to gamble more. They'll gamble deeper, investing more than normal.
There is a true story of a man and his wife who thought they had figured out the system. They took their home and everything they had, sold it, and walked into a place that sold lottery tickets. They bought $50,000 worth of lottery tickets! What does that to a man? Something got a hold of them. They thought they were smarter than the system. They though they had figured it out, and that sooner or later they were going to win. There is absolutely no law in nature, nor is there any law in the natural workings that says you have to win by chance. They sold it all and they lost it all.
People today are holding back from God, and they are giving away the most precious thing that they can receive: the blood of Jesus Christ to wash away their sins. They say, "Not today." They're gambling that they might get another chance. God does not tell you he'll give you another chance. There is no "chance" with God. Jesus said in John 6:44, "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day." God ordained it to be this way.
If He is dealing with you today, it may be the only day you hear from God. Since Jesus died for all he only has to deal with you one time. I told them their god is easier to live for than mine is. It's easier to live for the devil than it is for Jesus Christ! A lot of people complain, "I can't make it," but you can make it because Jesus said you can if you trust him and commit your life to him. The devil gives you lots of chances. As a matter of fact, he'll spill over into the church world and give you lots of chances to find God. He says, "Hey, listen, the odds are you'll be back down here and you'll get another shot at it."
God speaks to the fool in Luke 12:20. "But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?" You can't gamble and make it to heaven. You can't have raffles, you can't play the lottery, you can't play with anything that has one purse, you can't get on a game show. Wheel of Fortune is the most popular game show in the world that has ever been or probably ever will be, because they expect a return on their gambling. You say they didn't go in with their own money. It took money and time off the job to get to that place. Then they hand them some chips at a table? The Bible talked about in Proverbs 1:14, "Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:"
You see, the boat has an agreement with the cops. Don't raid the place; we'll take care of our own disturbances. That's when they start shedding blood. That's when the wives come in and catch their husbands gambling or husbands catch the wives gambling, saying, "You just took our bread money and put it on the table." She's ready to cut his throat, and he's ready to cut her throat. The bouncer comes up and ushers them both out; game's over for them. Some get slobbering drunk and they hoist them out; that's what bouncers are for. They don't play the game; they don't drink anything. They're sober and they aren't stupid. Real dealers in drugs don't mess with the stuff. However, they will sell it to little kids in the school yard or someone else knowing that's where it will go and say, "I don't have anything to do with that."
I want to take you now in the Bible to one of the first raids. The Bible has an account of a raid on a gambling casino. I'm not laying anything on you that you should be sad about. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians Chapter 13 that charity rejoices in the truth. Jesus said the truth shall make you free.
John 2:13-16 says, "And the Jews' Passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, (14) And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: (15) And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; (16) And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise."
In the Old Testament there were many ordinances. They would give an offering to the priest and he would give it to the Lord. They knew that God would bless them because he knew all hearts and they gave of their hearts freely. That is why some offerings are called "free will offerings." It was a commandment to do these from time to time as the Spirit of the Lord would move on them. It still applies today!
At the time Jesus approached the temple in Jerusalem there were people who worked with the priest, not only taking the people's offerings, they would even sell them one if they wanted one! They could make change with their money. This was displeasing to God! This went on in the temple year after year, and pretty soon they were making big bucks in the house of God. All the things you needed were right there; just take your pick, put your money on the line, give it to the priest, and see what God will do. They were taking a chance that God would bless them. They were gambling with their own lives, and with the lives of their families, because the blessing starts at the father and works all the way down to the baby. Jesus knew that it was not with their hearts that they were doing these things. He saw these men of merchandise, changers and exchangers of money. They had turned the house of God into a "big bucks" business.
Today this nation is broke and owes money; they are desperate to find a way to stop this roaring lion. It's nothing more than the wages of sin, because they have turned their backs on the living God. God has cursed this nation, and the only way they're going to come clean is to sell out to God! Playing the lottery is one of the things Christians do in secret saying, "Nobody sees." God sees.
Do you know what the most common remark is? "Well, if I won the lottery I'd give a tenth of it to my church." It would be cursed money because the devil took it from the poor, beggarly, weak, and blind, and gave it to you. The lottery involves happenstance . . . chance . . . guesswork . . . perhaps . . . maybe . . . so, where is faith? They even use the word hope. "I hope this one is right." Believing God is not near as ridiculous as putting every thing you own in two little square cubes and rolling it across the table! Some have taken their children's bread and turned it into little flat chips!
God is in the victory business. Gambling is sin and will take you straight to hell. A lot of people gamble that the blood of Jesus will cover everything they will do. Men are gambling their eternal souls, thinking that they can do whatever they want to and on the judgement day, hey, the balances will tip out. A Christian is supposed to walk like Jesus. Jesus would not be found at that stinking River Boat. Jesus would not be found at a whore house. Jesus would not be found at a lot of churches that are nothing more than whore houses. He created us, but a lot of people (temples, bodies) that are supposed to be housing Jesus in their hearts are not right with God!
It used to not be legal to gamble. Then certain "religious" organizations started showing them that it was. What does it do to the guy that puts in everything and can't control himself? He's got a devil of chance. They look down on an acholic, but a gambler, he's kind of a flashy dude you know. They think it's OK for him to dump his money out, and make the children starve, but the acholic is terrible.
Jesus broke up the game at the temple; He had a raid. The money changers and the priests had an agreement. "We'll do the tables, and you do the religious end." Jesus raided his own house. He made a scourge of small cords and he drove the devil out! God dealt with me that he was making up his scourge of small cords. He said he was going to go throughout the earth and scourge!
What did the people do when Jesus was crucified? What were they reduced to when they started looking at the outward appearance? All he had left was his robe, the best natural thing of this world he had. Jesus shed everything and died for you and me. They wanted that robe, and they cast lots for his vesture. They gambled for the robe of Christ! If you can gamble for the robe of Christ, you can gamble for anything.
The church world is doing it today! They are saying, "Per chance the Lord will come if we'll do certain things. We'll get a program set, and we'll get thus and so all lined up, and just be right and God will come, because after all, it's in his Word. Give till it hurts. It doesn't matter if you don't see signs, wonders, and miracles. It doesn't matter if you don't hear anybody preaching on sin, just give till it hurts!" They exposed one of those guys the other day, and will expose some more real soon. It should not make you sad when a liar gets exposed. God says that charity manifests his presence and power. The love of God rejoices in the truth. Would you rather find out at the judgement that certain things are sin?
Ezekiel 33:3-5 says, "(3) If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people; (4) Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. (5) He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul." If you don't warn the wicked of his ways, his blood is required on your hands preacher!
Ezekiel 28:18 says, "Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffic; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee."
In Daniel it says that many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be increased. Consider all the latest technology and how preaching can be heard by people all over the world. What are these people hearing? What are the preachers preaching? Where is holiness? People don't know which way to go. Certain groups believe gambling is OK and some don't. There are over 250 religious denominations?
People don't know where to go, so some go per chance that God may be there. People are searching. Some just get lower because God is not there. They may go some place else and He's not there. They don't need to know about chance, they need to know the truth, that God will confirm his word with signs following. Many believe that there is going to be a revival from God. Some are taking a big gamble by going ecumenical, thinking that God will be in it.
Read Acts 8:9-23. Simon the sorcerer bewitched many for many years. "(9) But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: (10) To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God. (11) And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries." The man heard the preaching, believed, and was baptized.
Peter and John came to the same city one day, and began to lay hands on people to receive the baptism in the Holy Ghost. Simon saw this and this is what happened: Acts 8:18, "(18) And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, (19) Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. (20) But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money." (21) Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. (22) Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. (23) For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity."
You may ask, "Where is the connection?" Look in verse 21. Peter told them that if you don't turn around out of that "chance thinking," you are going to go to hell, even if you accepted Christ. He won't stay in a temple that's been defiled.
The temple in Jerusalem that day was defiled by the merchant men, by the merchandise, the comings and goings, and the chance taking. We call some people revolving door church goers, because they come and they go checking out different areas. It's like hitting different casinos. They give money in there in a wager, thinking, "Will God show up? maybe he will." It's a chance you can't afford to take. According to God's Word you'd better get in the altar if you have ever done any of these things. Jesus is coming soon for a church that has not gambled for his garments. He's coming for a church that has sought after him until she has obtained a garment, a pureness, a holiness, and a glory only Jesus can give.
We need to pray today for this area and others that have gambling available. A river boat with gambling is just the outward sign that the places are cursed. They have no power to resist the thing. The church of the living God will stand forever. There is no "chance" in serving Jesus. You can know where you'll spend eternity. I am amazed at people who call themselves Christians who, when you ask, "Are you ready to meet the Lord?" will answer, "Well, I think so." They are going by chance; they are gambling their eternal soul! They aren't really sure, and they're not going to go but so far to make sure they are ready. They call themselves Christians, but are nothing more than gamblers. God help them.
We must believe God to break every fetter and chain. Of all the unbelief that is in the world today, yet there is a faith in something that cannot profit, a faith in something that will definitely take more than it ever gives back. It is the wretchedness of gambling that the devil has conjured up as a counterfeit to faith in God.
We have a sure thing and there's no betting to it. We have Jesus and the written Word. In John 6:37 Jesus said, ". . . him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." Lord, today draw them by your Spirit, in Jesus' name. Amen.
After preaching this sermon I discovered that one of the home town promoters of a "gambling boat" casino had asked his pastor if it was OK to gamble, according to the Bible. The pastor's answer would determine for him if he would continue to promote the installation of the casino. His pastor's reply was, "The Bible doesn't say any thing against it, so it's OK, as long as it's not practiced to excess; just like drinking." What a crying shame!!! Folks, if the church world "legalizes" it, there is no conviction of sin and the devil can have his way!
I pray that God will set the people free from gambling their eternal souls away on ignorant preachers! In this case, the preacher is a TH.D, a doctor of theology (religion). A true seeking after God and a searching of the Word of God is what people need! When you search for the truth in God's Word, you will find it. Once you've found it, hold fast to it, and do what God says, for it is your life, salvation, and freedom in God!
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