.  Living Hope Fellowship Church....Sermons by the Pastor 

GAMBLING

by Pastor Kevin Badgley

It doesn’t matter if you are pitching pennies, in a card game, in a casino, or if you play the lottery.  God doesn’t allow gambling.  If you want to go to Heaven you cannot gamble.  You cannot mix faith and chance.  Some people have a gambling spirit, and they continually, compulsively gamble.  Some don’t gamble for the sake of making money, yet they are compelled to gamble.  Some poor people gamble so they won’t have to work for what they get!

Proverbs 1:10 says, “My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.”  Don’t go with them.  Verse 11 says, “If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait. . . .”  Verse 13 says, “We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil:”  The evil ones lay wait for those who have money!

Proverbs 1:14 says, “Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:”  That is how gambling works.  Everybody puts in their lot, token, chip, or money.  They put their wages into one pot or purse, and they gamble.  Verse 15 says, “My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:”  Verse 19 says, “So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.” 

If you gamble, you are destroying your life!  Many homes are torn apart because of gambling.  They set aside just so much to gamble with, but after a while that amount increases.  Why would you wager your money on what two little dotted blocks say?  Why would you put your trust in what cards say that people use to divine and use in witchcraft?  These articles are sin.  They are operated by devil power and manipulated by wicked men. 

Many fund raisers sell chances.  There is a chance that you could win something, and the more chances you buy, the better chance you have of winning!  That’s gambling.  A devil of chance can get a hold of you and drive you.  It gives you great pleasure.  It is working the raw edge, and it uses something precious to you, money.  

Jesus, the Son of God, went into the Temple and saw the money changers sitting there.  They were dealers, traffickers - Buy yourself into Heaven? 

John 2:13-16, “And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,  And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:  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; And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.”  This was in the church house! 

Matthew 21:13 says, “And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.”  That is what raffles will do to a church, because there is a curse involved.  Preachers - pray. 

The Roman soldiers cast lots on Jesus’ vesture, His garment.  They gambled for something from the famous Jesus of Nazareth.

Simon the Sorcerer wanted to buy the ability to give the Holy Ghost to those who believe.  Acts 8:20 says, “But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.  Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.” 

You can’t buy the blessing of God.  3 John 1:2 says, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”  God promises to bless you as your soul prospers. 

1 Timothy 6:5-8 says, “Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.  But godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.  And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.”

1 Timothy 6:9-10 says, “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.  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.”

You will go to hell if you get mixed up with the love of money and the covetousness thereof, because the love of money is the root of all evil!