Buying Lottery Tickets Reflecting on the Behavior of those who Play the Lottery

Playing the lottery lacks wisdom. The way to make money is to work with excellence, give generously to the works of God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, save regularly and spend carefully. The financially independent did not become so by accident but by careful design, according to books like “The Millionaire Next Door” in which the authors did research studying the life choices of U.S. households with a net worth exceeding one million dollars. Some of the key life style choices of these millionaires are that they live below their means, invest in private businesses and do not gamble. They understand that a get-rich-quick plan is a bad plan.

Proverbs 13:11 (Amplified Bible) says, “Wealth [not earned but] won in haste or unjustly or from the production of things for vain or detrimental use [such riches] will dwindle away, but he who gathers little by little will increase [his riches].” Be patient and wise. It takes time to become financially independent. Most who are financially independent did not become so in a day; it took time and wise behaviors. It also took work. In Genesis God worked to create the earth and other things. God created a system where human beings must also work. This is not a punishment. The first human beings, Adam and Eve, were working in paradise before the fall of the human race and subsequent curse on work. God enjoys work and meant for it to be enjoyable for us too. People often play the lottery to avoid work. But trying to circumvent God’s system usually ends up hurting the person trying to circumvent God’s ways and hurting other people. Some people become addicted to the lottery and spend money that is properly spent on bills on lottery purchases.

Accept that everyone is not going to be rich. God has given us various talents in various degrees. Develop what He have given you and be content with it. It is alright to have lots of money, but do not worship money or a life of ease.

If you want to be financially independent, a good place to start is to pray a prayer like the one found in the book “The Storehouse Principle A Revolutionary God Idea for Creating Extraordinary Financial Stability,” Talk to God, and say something similar to “Dear Father God, Thank You for Your goodness in providing for my financial needs. I dedicate every penny that comes into my home to You and to the futherance of Your kingdom. Please help me to be a wise steward of the money that You have given me, so that I can give, meet my obligations, and put money into a storehouse savings program. I believe, according to Your Word in Deuteronomy 28:8, that You will command a blessing on the money that I save, the money that I give, and all the work that I put forth my hand to do.

I declare that Jesus is Lord over my finances, and I give the worry of financial pressure over to You, Father. Help me to be financially stable so that I can be a blessing to others. Thank You for giving me favor with You and with man, favor that surrounds me like a shield.

Thank You for Your Holy Spirit who lives in me. I believe that He will teach me how to manage my money and lead and guide me to the opportunities that would be a blessing, and warn me to stay away from people and situations that are not healthy financially. Thank You for helping me to live within my means, and to put away selfish desires to spend money needlessly on things that I could do without, or should delay buying later …”

God wants us to take responsibility for the money He has given us. He did not create a system that does not require wise work. Many play the lottery; most lose. Take the money you were planning to use for a lottery purchase and save it, give it away to a godly and worthy cause and/or spend it on a necessity. You may be surprised at how much money you now have to meet the needs of life.

Are you living on welfare right now? Are your bills past due? Are you not living the life you want? Turn your life over to Jesus Christ. He will change the inner you. One of the things He will do is begin to change how you think through revelation knowledge of the Bible. It does not matter how bad or how good your finances are; God can make them better. Trust Him; forsake the lottery. If you have made lottery purchases in the past, stop making them as of today. Your money is too valuable to waste.