Hi Mike,

Today was one of the days that I woke up so sad. It’s like I was expecting something, and it did not happen. My question: will I be wrong to gamble and ask God to help me to win the bets? Sometimes I get anxious to find work because of the debts I have. You are in my prayers.

Your brother in Christ,
N____

Hi N____,

I am so sorry you woke up sad, but I have done the very same thing when it was my time to do so. But I can honestly say that it has been a long time since I have had that experience, simply because I truly believe that our Lord is in complete control of all things, and all things are going to work together to produce good for my sake.

Rom 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
2Co 4:15  For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.

Grace works “through thanksgiving.” So if we are sad, we are actually just frustrated with what God is doing. When we are frustrated with God’s methods, then we will not be coming to Him with “the sacrifice of thanksgiving.” As Christians who know that God is in charge, we are to “rejoice in our trials, and thank God that He has found us worthy to “suffer with Him,” and “learn from our suffering.”

1Pe 4:12  Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
1Pe 4:13  But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
Heb 5:8  Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

Wow! Did He say, “All things are for my sake.” Now that is love. That means that even my sins are for my sake, to teach me to “go and sin no more.”

Pro 5:22  His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.
Eze 36:31  Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that [ were] not good, and shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.
Joh 5:14  Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

The fact that Christ died for our sins does not change this truth, if we continue in our sins:

Gal 6:7  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

So we need to do as the Lord instructs us, then we will be “sowing” obedience and we will reap joy and prosperity, “in the day of the Lord.”

You ask me about gambling on soccer games.

Paul says “all things are lawful, but all things are not expedient.” Look at these two verses, and allow the spirit of these verses to answer your question:

1Co 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.

1Co 10:23  All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.

“I will not be brought under the power of any… all things edify not.” It is obvious that being addicted to gambling or anything else is not to be tolerated in the life of an overcomer. The overcomer becomes the ruler of that which once ruled him. It is no great sin to wager a nickel in a slot machine, or make a friendly wager against the opposing soccer team, but if you are talking about gambling large amounts of hard- earned money when the chances of winning are clearly stacked against you, you are doing nothing less than “tempting the Lord thy God… casting yourself off the pinnacle of the temple and expecting God to send angels to keep you from being dashed against the stony ground.” Rest assured, it is for your own good that you will hit the ground with a death dealing thud, and then eventually you will learn “not to tempt the Lord thy God.”

Mat 4:5  Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
Mat 4:6  And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in [ their] hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Mat 4:7  Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

It is human to want to cut corners and make money without working for it, but that is not what God has ordained, and that will always lead to the financial crisis in which the whole world is suffering at this very time. You may gamble and slowly go down deeper and deeper in debt, but the time comes when you must either pay the debt or declare bankruptcy, and that day always arrives at its appointed time, spiritually within us and outward physically. That is, was and will always be true.
Here is God’s advice for us all, regardless of our age or the time and circumstance in which we find ourselves.

Gen 3:19  In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
Eph 4:28  Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

Yes, these too, are spiritual words with spiritual application. But when being asked about gambling, we need to concentrate first on the outward application, and first learn that anyone who spends his entire weekly paycheck or his grocery money or rent or monthly mortgage payment on the lottery or on a sports game wager, is indeed in need of still learning what “thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God” means. We all must “work with our hands” outwardly first, then we will learn that “the work of our hands” also applies spiritually to the doctrines we teach and by which we live. In both cases we are to work so that we can give to him that has need and not think only of ourselves.
God’s elect should always be aware that the whole world is looking for an opportunity to find fault with that godly way of life. Consequently we need to live lives that are becoming of the Lord’s children and are above reproach.

Eph 5:3  But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;

God actually condemns the practice of counting on fortune or good luck, instead of gradually accumulating possessions:

Isa 65:11 What will I, the LORD, do if any of you reject me and my holy mountain? What will happen to you for offering food and wine to the gods you call “Good Luck” and “Fate”? (CEV)

I am not accusing you of doing any of these things, but I do hope this helps you to see that God wants us to be very prudent with the blessings we are given, and not be so cavalier as to place the monies of our hard labors into a position that put it at any risk of being completely lost. Here is some very good Biblical advice:

Pro 13:11 Wealth from get- rich- quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows. (NLT)

That is the Truth.
Your brother in Christ,
Mike