Is this greed / covetousness?

[Peace Seeker]

Hi everyone, my wife likes to buy Lottery Home tickets from time to time, and of course millions of people buy lottery tickets. So I thought I'd start a poll on this and see your take on it. Please vote and give a responses on why you voted as such. Thanks!

 

[spirit1st]

My ex would never pay her bills! They were going to pick up her car! I was in publix with her while she was going though the check out line !
I was waiting in front of the lottery window!
God told me to play our house numbers! I ask the girl can you play 4 number on this .She said yes! I ask how much is it? She said from $2.00 too $24.00 !I said give me the $24.00 dollar ticket!
my ex wife came over and was very mad! Said lots of junk! I told her GOD told me! the next day i got up early and checked the ticket! she got up and said ? You lost that money! I said no I got $5000.00 And paid her car off which was just over $3000.00 bought this computer too!


GOD loves us more than we LOVE ourselves!

 

[Peace Seeker]

My ex would never pay her bills! They were going to pick up her car! I was in publix with her while she was going though the check out line !
I was waiting in front of the lottery window!
God told me to play our house numbers! I ask the girl can you play 4 number on this .She said yes! I ask how much is it? She said from $2.00 too $24.00 !I said give me the $24.00 dollar ticket!
my ex wife came over and was very mad! Said lots of junk! I told her GOD told me! the next day i got up early and checked the ticket! she got up and said ? You lost that money! I said no I got $5000.00 And paid her car off which was just over $3000.00 bought this computer too!


GOD loves us more than we LOVE ourselves!

Great story! The most I've ever won is something like $50, otherwise it's just a free ticket or a buck. Does that mean God's trying to tell me something? :wink:

 

[farout]

Lottery is gambling!

In Africa children face death on many fronts. For instance without shoes to protect their little feet the children can get a worn which is in the soil from the dung of cows and other aminals. The worms are deadly, and for $ 3.60 USD a pair of shoes can protect the children and others as well. EVERY dollar spent of such wasteful gaming could be better spent in helping others in such need.

There are places that have no safe drinking water. There are ministries that are putting in wells for safe water for people. A well cost about $ 5,000. USD.

Children and adults are starving, they have no hope, unless we have mercy and hepl feed them. $ 10. USD feeds a child for a month. You can save a child instead od gambling at a chance to win some money, to spend it on something you really don't NEED.

SOMEDAY WE WILL FACE THE LORD AND BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.

I know what I have said maybe seen as rather rude to suggest how to use your money. But now if you are honest with yourself, lottery, is it really fun, or just no one elses business but your own?:wink:

 

[smitty]

greded /covetousness

my opinion is for me i need to trust that God is the supplier of my needs, i need to trusst Him, and not the world's system, that being said if you buy lotto tickets, and are ok with it that is between you and God . for me , i need to trust in God, for me if i was to win big, it would cause me to depend less on God ad more on the money

 

[spirit1st]

Many want to use us !Lead us and guide us! Our relationship is One on One Forever more!

Rom_14:22 Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.


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.

Mat_15:11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

Jas_3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

We seem to want too judge everything others do?

Jas_2:12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.


Jas_1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.



I have seen the LORD work in So many ways in our lives!
I try hard not to look down on any?

If we think others are making a mistake? we should pray the LORD opens there eyes!

 

[Kit Carson]

" It is an evil that the Lord despises: “'For from the least of them even to the greatest of them, everyone is GREEDY FOR GAIN, and from the prophet even to the priest everyone deals FALSELY . . . Were they ashamed because of the abomination they have done? They were not even ashamed at all; They did not even know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; At the time that I punish them, they shall be cast down,' says the LORD." (Jeremiah 6:13, 15, NASB

I used to buy lottery tickets, and my wife still does. So I simply ask God for her to never win. I would wish to help people with it, and she would want to covet it. To be selfish and not share. I could see a big fuss over that one. So we will never win, that is cool.

You see also there are many things behind this that are sin. Lotteries are projected to all a a means to assist an educational program, and I guess they do to a small point.

But where does this money come from, and what crimes and sins result because of it and how much money is skimmed from it by the politicians and money hungry people in crime behind it all.

Greed is greed, no matter where the idea comes from, a very easy temptation to yield to.

I simply do not buy them anymore, as I see beyond the whole thing and see the whole picture of it all. Too much crime and so on behind it all to suit me.

It does not take much to keep me happy, we have all we could ever want, not rich but not poor. What will tomorrow bring, I dunno, but not real worried about it.

Playing a poker game among friends for quarters is one thing, organized gambling with all the crime that goes with it, and the solicitation to some to spend their entire paycheck on lottery tickets is another. Common sense says do not do so...but some do. Greed overcomes them.

That is my decision, you have to make yours.

Kit

 

[spirit1st]

Most everything in this world is a gamble! That where Faith and understanding comes in!
the stick market ,investments are Big gambles!

God blessed me in many ways! Rather not give other testimonies!

But I will say ? We need to be led by HIS Holy Spirit!

could a person living off only gambling go to Heaven? Of course!

Does God have a perfect will and permissive will?

I never put GOD in a Box and say HE cannot work that way or this way!

If you feel something is Sin? then it is sin too You!

Now we know some things are sin for sure!
but other things might be taught Sin which are No sin to Our LORD!

i think tithing is a sin!
I hate to see preachers preach tithing!

I hate to hear others preaching Works for salvation !


I am not preaching sin ,i Hate Sin!
We live in great freedom all we do Must be for His glory and Honor!
We never allow anything to get control of us !

We are judged by the law of LIBERTY!
Who the LORD set FREE is FREE indeed


i will not be in bondage , for how others see! We all live in the light we have! The More light? the greater freedom

Praying your wife is a loser is Not good in my eyes!

I understand your desire might be good! But the wrong way of going about ! Better would be to Pray Your wife gets a revelation about gambling!

who knows how she might have blessed your household greatly or not?

He has predeclared all of us More than conquerors!

i hardly gamble!
but have gotten much that way at times!
We need to be careful how we judge everything!

Heb_10:29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

Jas_1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
Jas_2:12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.


Once we leave these bodies !The only thing our spirit man take with Him to heaven . Is the things we did out of pure LOVE! all the rest will be forgotten gone forever more!

Rev_21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

We need to have mercy on others as much as we can?

 

[Peace Seeker]

Praying your wife is a loser is Not good in my eyes! I understand your desire might be good! But the wrong way of going about ! Better would be to Pray Your wife gets a revelation about gambling! who knows how she might have blessed your household greatly or not? He has predeclared all of us More than conquerors! i hardly gamble! but have gotten much that way at times! We need to be careful how we judge everything!

Neither my wife or I go to casinos, I don't play any games for money, etc. We really don't consider ourselves to be gamblers at all. When we were in Las Vegas we didn't even gamble! Like my post said, we buy charity lottery house tickets now and then because we live in a small rental apartment.

I am thankful for everything I have. All I have is by the grace and rich mercies of our Lord Jesus Christ. I am blessed by Him in many ways.

I just wanted some other peoples' thoughts on lotteries in general. If I thought it was bad I would stop doing it. If the Holy Spirit tells me it is wrong I will stop it immediately.

 

[Kit Carson]

Most everything in this world is a gamble! That where Faith and understanding comes in!
the stick market ,investments are Big gambles!

God blessed me in many ways! Rather not give other testimonies!

But I will say ? We need to be led by HIS Holy Spirit!

could a person living off only gambling go to Heaven? Of course!

Does God have a perfect will and permissive will?

I never put GOD in a Box and say HE cannot work that way or this way!

If you feel something is Sin? then it is sin too You!

Now we know some things are sin for sure!
but other things might be taught Sin which are No sin to Our LORD!

i think tithing is a sin!
I hate to see preachers preach tithing!

I hate to hear others preaching Works for salvation !


I am not preaching sin ,i Hate Sin!
We live in great freedom all we do Must be for His glory and Honor!
We never allow anything to get control of us !

We are judged by the law of LIBERTY!
Who the LORD set FREE is FREE indeed


i will not be in bondage , for how others see! We all live in the light we have! The More light? the greater freedom

Praying your wife is a loser is Not good in my eyes!

I understand your desire might be good! But the wrong way of going about ! Better would be to Pray Your wife gets a revelation about gambling!

who knows how she might have blessed your household greatly or not?

He has predeclared all of us More than conquerors!

i hardly gamble!
but have gotten much that way at times!
We need to be careful how we judge everything!

Heb_10:29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

Jas_1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
Jas_2:12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.


Once we leave these bodies !The only thing our spirit man take with Him to heaven . Is the things we did out of pure LOVE! all the rest will be forgotten gone forever more!

Rev_21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

We need to have mercy on others as much as we can?

Good Morning"

Naw.......she is not a loser, and no I would never pray she be a loser in life.

In life Little Sandy is loved by all, and she is a better person than I, she teaches me patience....Lol.

To lose the lottery and simply never win was my request. Why?
Well it would create great conflict in our family. So as I can see forward and see the conflict it would create, I would simply wish to avoid it. You see she would get mad at me as I would give most of it away. She desires big fancy houses and all the things of the material world, like many women do, and I am happy with shoes with the soles glued back on. As long as I can buy a hamburger and go fishing I am happy.

I would wisely give it away, to those who need it, not to some church wishing to waste it on something, so it would simply create conflict. She would want a new swimming pool, and I would want to pay the rent for a family for a year. Money means little to me as long as I have enough for daily things.

Behind these educational lotteries are many things, I watched the one in the State of South Carolina come into existence. It all began with a organized crime and a one term Govenor who got it passed into law. So for the most part I consider them a pit full of snakes behind the scene, a source of money for a few, gained off the desires of greed.

But all have to decide for themselves. I think buying a ticket is pretty harmless and if some good were done with some of it this would be fine. After all even in the worst of sin, God accomplishes good. So there is not any single one view or side to anything.

Kit

 

[sojourn4Christ]

playing the lotto is gambling

...my wife likes to buy Lottery Home tickets from time to time, and of course millions of people buy lottery tickets...

Although "gambling" is not directly mentioned in the scripture, there are clear principles which gambling causes us to violate if we should participate in it. First, what do we mean by gambling? Simply put, it's the activity of staking something of value on a game of chance hoping to acquire gain. We put money or something else at risk hoping to acquire the money or goods of others who also put theirs at risk.

Why is it wrong? We can list just three principles that help us understand the sinfulness of gambling. First, it violates the "golden rule” (Matthew 7:12). Here, Jesus tells us that we should treat our neighbor as we would want them to treat us. But, in gambling, our goal is to take all we can from our neighbor. Second, gambling is stealing by consent. That is, all agree that, if the game of chance ends in a certain way, they will take from one another. We would not enjoy someone directly stealing thousands of dollars from us, but we consent to allowing others to take thousands of dollars from us in a game of chance (Ephesians 4:28). Third, gambling encourages covetousness and not hard work. The scripture plainly teaches us to work hard, providing for ourselves and for others. And, if we do not, we should not enjoy the privileges of eating and being cared for (2 Thessalonians 3).

 

[Peace Seeker]

But, in gambling, our goal is to take all we can from our neighbor. Second, gambling is stealing by consent. That is, all agree that, if the game of chance ends in a certain way, they will take from one another. We would not enjoy someone directly stealing thousands of dollars from us, but we consent to allowing others to take thousands of dollars from us in a game of chance (Ephesians 4:28). Third, gambling encourages covetousness and not hard work. The scripture plainly teaches us to work hard, providing for ourselves and for others. And, if we do not, we should not enjoy the privileges of eating and being cared for (2 Thessalonians 3).

I agree with the sentiments behind the things you said and I understand about not being covetous, greedy or things like that. I would also like to add that the Lottery House Tickets that we have occasionally bought are HOSPITAL CHARITY tickets, that help young kids that are in burn units and things like that.

So I don't think we are taking money from people, as you averred. If I plunk down $100 for a 3-pack of tickets I pretty well know I have a very slim chance of winning, so we play it mostly for the charity aspect and no big deal if we don't win, knowing the money will be used for a good cause.
And it sounds like you are talking more about casinos and similar games of chance, are you not? Christians have stock portfolios, which is gambling as well. Or when you buy a house with the mind of selling it "x" number of years later to make a huge profit. In these 2 examples the motive is purely for oneself. At least with charity tickets it is helping people in need as well.

Plus my wife and I do give to the needy, through cash and other donations, not just at Christmas either. I like Spirit1st's answer about how a lottery ticket purchase turned out to be a much needed blessing in his life.

 

[Chad]

Faith in GOD = guaranteed results
Faith in Lottery Tickets = hopeless "luck", based on chances

Philippians 4:19
And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

Matthew 6:26-34
26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his lifeb?

28“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

 

[eddieb]

a rich man once inquired of Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus replyed go and sell all that ye have. he left crying.
the cares and riches of this world and the lusts thereof kills the heart. quinches the spirit. however you wanna say it.
God dont give scorpions. he gives good gifts. a lot of money, for some, will kill them. they will get to where they dont need Him anymore. the bible says to pray god gives you just enough. american culture says more bigger better more more more. its so much more in fact, where i live, you have better odds being struck by lightning than winning the lottery.
i didnt used to think this was real but some people are addicted to gambeling.

 

[spirit1st]

It is not the money ,nor the things we have ! It where we put our LOVE!
Some of the riches people ever were GODS people !I think Gods always had some of the best in every area!
He did not say He wanted us poor and without?

Luk_12:34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

What do you count as your treasure?

2Co_9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

2Co_8:9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

3Jn_1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.


It is truth we are building treasures in heaven 1But God does not want us in need here!

God has tried to make me rich a number of times! I messed it up each time!
Leaning to my understanding and not doing what was best! I see it now clearly !


Act_20:35 I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.


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.


GOD is a Giver , He wants us able to be givers!
That is LOVE! If we are able to even bless our family? How is that lifting up JESUS? Much less blessing others!

1Ti_5:8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.


First it is our household then our nation or How we are led by the Holy Ghost?
Our Love needs to be Our LORD JESUS first and Our family then our Brothers and sisters in the LORD! The desire of our Heart is Giving !

God told me if a man would do three things? He would take care of everything else in that mans life!
1-take family to church
2-get on your knees pray with family
3-read the bible with family!
May the LORD JESUS CHRIST may All here that LOVE Him and want to serve Him as perfect as they can!In the Mighty name of MY LORD JESUS CHRIST! thank you abba Father GOD!



Rom_12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
1Ti_5:21 I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.