This is a thoughtful reply to this matter. It has pronouncements that sound authoritative. However, it does not accord entirely with the Bible. God sees our paths, as the Psalmist declares, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and He knows our choices. Now the fellow who wrote the original post has several good Scriptures quoted, that speak to this department of our lives, namely material goods.
There are Christians who have gotten winnings, sometimes large ones. I knew one young lady who went to Las Vegas, which distinctly does not appeal to me. She won 200+$$, and she told me that she tithed it. I think she gave it to the 700 club. I was struck by the fact that she told me that she did this. Gambling, especially in that sort of casino, seems somehow dirty or touched by sin. In Wisconsin the Indian tribes, especially the Ojibway tribe, has casinos. I have heard of nor know of no mob influence, the proceeds go to the tribe, and some to the state. I don’t go to these, except perhaps to eat. I have never fiddled with one of these machines.
The lottery is another matter, it is benefits the state, and the US Treasury, which is certainly the world’s largest debtor.
I do buy a ticket at times, I don’t want to buy a bunch of them. This is done from financial need. I pay my bills, often by installment, and I am needy, being in a small business. Small businesses struggle.
I reckon it is a church’s matter whether they accept tithes or offerings from lotteries.
Oral Roberts was bailed out by that one dog track owner, to pay off the remaining 2+ million $ that he owed. Now I may not understand all about this, and it made a peculiar tale, Roberts being up in his prayer tower. However, from folks who went there to school, they said that Mr. Roberts made it possible for many medical students to get a medical education, without much cost, certainly not with medical tuition, anyway, and this enabled many medical missionaries to go out into the world. I cannot see this as a bad or wicked thing.
On balance, if people are able, by the grace of God, to pay the largest debtor nation in the world, to render to Caesar his due, and to tithe and or give to God’s works, and to help others a significant chunk, I do not see why anyone should object.
The help of others is part of what love is. When you give food or clothing or shoes or $$ to someone who needs it, they are happy with relief for their need being met.
Now, one thing that likely is very true, and that is that money can be a snare. And the expectations of other people toward someone who has won money could be a large pain in the hindy. That could be a big pain.
The last note that this person left, about God’s fruit of the Spirit, the graces, those are certainly blessings from God.
One of the things that registers as not entirely correct in this poster’s note is that God is the giver of wealth, as in Abraham and Isaac and Jacob. This is wealth that was gained by the labour and sweat of one’s brow, although for the patriarchs, often this was other people’s hard work too, not just their own. God did not despise this, it was viewed as God’s blessing, blessings of the field, of produce, and blessings of the flock.
Well, anyway, this person had a thoughtful post.
May God have mercy upon us and provide for our needs, which so often press upon us.