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Who will you serve:

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God or Mammon

By CHARITY LEWIS

Powerball: $61 million! Hoosier Lotto: $48.5 million! Those are the estimated Hoosier Lottery jackpots for Sept. 26. One million dollars alone is enticing.

Yet, the method of receipt is abhorrent to the Lord. God despises all forms of gambling. His infallible word clearly states that gambling is a transgression. Regardless, many Christians elect to play their ā€œlucky numbers.ā€

Like many American Christians, the children of Israel worshipped idols. God repeatedly warned against intermingling with heathens; yet they persistently disobeyed. During the Babylonian captivity, the Israelites were introduced to gambling.

The Babylonians gave food and drink offerings to Gad and Meni: the gods of good luck and bad luck. According to the Thompson-Chain Reference Bible Gad literally means fortune and meni, number or destiny. Meni is also identified with the planet Venus, which connects gambling to astrology.

When the children of God errantly engaged in these unholy rituals God was furious. He looked into the hearts of his people and saw their covetous motives and inordinate desires for material things. The Lord strongly rebuked them through the prophet Isaiah saying, ā€œBut you who forsake the Lord, who forget and ignore my holy Mount (Zion), who prepare a table for Gad (the Babylonian god of fortune) and who furnish mixed drinks for Meni (the god of destiny) ā€“ I will destine you (says the Lord) for the sword, and you shall all bow down to the slaughter, because when I called, you did not answer; when I spoke, you did not listen or obey. But you did what was evil in my eyes, and you chose that in which I did not delight.ā€ (Isaiah 65:11, 12 AMP).

Jesusā€™ disciples had similar heart issues. He admonished them saying, ā€œTake heed, and beware of covetousness: for a manā€™s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possessethā€ (Luke 12:15). The Lord further explained that it is impossible to serve God and Mammon (Matt. 6:24). Mammon, who is somewhat similar to the Greek god Plutus and the Roman Dis Pater, is personified in the New Testament. It is the demon of riches and avarice. Mammon is worldly gain, excessive materialism and greed. Gamblers pledge allegiance to Mammon and put their trust in luck or fortune. Instead of laying up treasures in heaven, they pursue worldly riches that will inevitably perish. What does is profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul? (cf. Mk. 8:36).

It is not that God does not desire for his children to experience financial growth. He specifically declares he wishes above all things that his children would prosper (cf. 3 John 1:2). But he is passionate about men and women of God first seeking the kingdom. Then he will add spiritual and material wealth unto their lives.

Prosperity comes with honoring and obeying Godā€™s system, which is in opposition to this worldā€™s. The required investments are tithes and offering. Gambling takes a chance; but tithing is a sure shot. Offering is always a positive number and the Lord promised to pay his laborers (Matt. 20:6-8).

Godā€™s bank account is never depleted. He has blessings to bestow upon those who truly love him. And when he blesses his people it is required of stewards that they are found faithful (cf. I Cor. 4:2).

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