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Seducing The Soul

SERIES: The Clash of Cultures #3 of 5

2006-02-12

PRODUCTION #: 1003

SPEAKERS: Shawn Boonstra, Mark Finley,

In baseball circles he was known as "Charlie Hustle". No one put more into the game. He played it the way it was supposed to be played, with every ounce of his energy.

Sports writers, baseball executives and thousands of fans looked to him as a sports icon. His nomination to the Hall of Fame should have been automatic.

But almost overnight, his reputation crumbled. The sports world was shocked at the allegations that Pete Rose, baseball's hero, was deeply involved in gambling. What made the allegations even more damaging was this, sometimes, he gambled on baseball.

Baseball's commissioner barred him from the sport for life.

What would lead a man to risk his entire career simply to bet on baseball games? Certainly it wasn't the money.

Why are so many people intoxicated with the seductive effects of gambling? Why do games of chance entice us?

Today on It Is Written, we will discover the reasons.

I am quite certain that if Pete Rose had thought through the results of his actions, he never would have placed his first bet. The embarrassment he caused his family and his total humiliation were punishment enough.

Combined with his enormous financial loss, leaving the game he loved in shame, and forfeiting an opportunity to be in baseball's Hall of Fame, Pete Rose lost much more than a few dollars on the ponies.

More people than we might realize are addicted to gambling. Each year millions of Americans bet billions of dollars at the racetrack, in casinos, on card games, and through sporting events and the lottery. And most of them lose a lot more than they win.

But they keep going back. There is something mysteriously fascinating about winning the jackpot. There is a seduction in the allurement of getting rich quick. There is an intoxication in the enchantment of making it big at the casino.

The number of people getting involved in gambling is dramatically growing each year in America. Most people just can't get enough. And it seems that the people who can afford it the least are losing the most.

Many psychologists now believe, that like alcohol and drugs, gambling can become a deadly addiction.

And today, on It Is Written, Shawn Boonstra, It Is Written's associate speaker, and I are going to tackle some really tough questions. We are going to look at gambling and its effect on society. We are also going to look at some biblical principles that will help you determine how you invest your finances.

MARK: Shawn, why is it that gambling is so addictive, and why is it that so many people are attracted to gambling?

SHAWN: You know, I have given this some thought and I think it boils down to the fact that life is just plain hard. Genesis, chapter three and verse 17 says that after sin the earth was cursed and as a result, we have to work hard
(Genesis 3:17 NKJV):

"Cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life."

Now when you compare working hard to winning $100,000 in 30 seconds at the table, our nature says, "Boy, I would love to take care of myself and beat that hard work, beat the curse and set things right. I would love to get $100,000 in 30 seconds, rather than work for three years to earn it."

MARK: You know, Shawn, some people may think that gambling is not that big of a problem in America today. But I was looking at some statistics recently in preparation for the program and I was astounded. We gamble about five percent of the gross national product in America, over 350 billion dollars a year, which to me is just amazing. And the lottery is just growing. Is the lotto the same as gambling?

SHAWN: Well, I have thought about that, too. Because I have seen that line every week as the jackpot gets larger and larger, people standing in line for the huge jackpot. That is still what people are going for, instant wealth.

The price of a lottery ticket might be smaller, so it is a principle of degree with the lotto. We are not putting $1,000 or $100,000 on a table. We might be spending only one or two dollars on a ticket, but what is the difference, other than the amount we are putting at risk?

MARK: There are some interesting studies done on the lotto. I picked up a couple that, to me, were fascinating. There is a study in New Jersey that said the people who are least able to afford the lottery are most actively involved in it, people making $10,000 or less per year.

And the staggering thing to me is, and here is what the study says and I quote, "More than one-third of families earning less than $10,000 spend one-fifth of their incomes on the lottery per year."

SHAWN: Twenty percent.

MARK: Twenty percent. So you get a person who makes $10,000 a year and they are spending $2,000 on the lottery.

SHAWN: Unbelievable! Money they can ill afford to lose, 

at $10,000 a year, how can you afford to give two?

MARK: Exactly! The lotto is really a tax on the poor.

SHAWN: Sure it is. I think that study is from the National Gambling Commission, isn't it?

MARK: Right.

SHAWN: Most of these people can't afford it. Now that is where I think it runs clearly against moral principle. Think about this. The Bible speaks very clearly at times on how God feels about those who take advantage of the poor.

For example, Proverbs, chapter 22 and verse 16. God says
(Proverbs 22:16 NKJV):

"He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches, and he who gives to the rich, will surely come to poverty?"

God has strong feelings about how we treat the poor. If we are taking advantage of them to increase our own wealth, God says that is taking advantage of people, and that is not how He wants us to treat our neighbors.

MARK: Gambling is based on the idea that you get something for investing or betting your money. It is a get-rich-quick scheme. But there has to be something involved in the character of human beings that gives them an inordinate greed for money and grasping.

In the Garden of Eden, God had a much better plan. He gave useful work to Adam and Eve, and that work provided the discipline for the building of character. Wealth, in the Bible, is in a whole different category. What does the Bible really teach us about money, about wealth, where it comes from, and our responsibilities in stewardship?

SHAWN: It is tempting for us, sometimes, to say that God is against wealth. Particularly when we deal with a subject like this. I do not think that is true. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus were godly men, and some historians believe they had enough money between them to pay everyone's wages in Jerusalem for 10 years. That is a clear indication to me that wealth is not what God is against. It is not the wealth. It's the get-rich-quick.

As you say, God gave us useful work. When you look at that curse I spoke about a moment ago in Genesis 3:17, God says, "I will curse the ground for your sake." He gives us something constructive to do to build character and as we build wealth along with that. We are learning principles and learning to live God?s way, to live responsibly.

In Proverbs, chapter 28 and verse 20. God says this: A faithful man shall abound with blessings (Proverbs 28:20 NKJV):

"A faithful man will abound with blessings, but he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished."

Again, it does not sound like God is against us having blessings, or having a good life. A faithful man shall abound with blessings, but he that makes haste to be rich shall not be innocent.

God says, "It is not that I don't want you to have a good life. It's that I want you to build character. I want you to work. I want you to develop yourself and I want you to hold my hand."

Trying hastily to be rich, that's the problem, because then we are taking care of self. We are saying, "I am going to handle life's problems myself. If I could just have everything right now, all of my problems would be solved." And we would become very self-centered.

MARK: God's Word does not condemn money. As you look through Scripture, there were some very wealthy people. As you mentioned, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. And in the Old Testament, there is Abraham.

MARK: Job, of course, was a very wealthy man. He lost his wealth, but God restored it to him. The biblical concept found in Deuteronomy, chapter eight and verse 18 is extremely relevant today. And to me, this is the germ: it is the heart that is the pit of it all. Deuteronomy, chapter eight, verse 18 says (Deuteronomy 8:18 NKJV):

"And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth."

Where does wealth come from? In the biblical perspective, Psalm 24, verse one (Psalm 24:1 NKJV):

"The earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness."

and (Haggai 2:8 NKJV)

"The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine, says the Lord of hosts."

So in the biblical concept, wealth is a gift that God gives us. God is the owner of all. I am not the owner, I am always a steward. I look to God and I seek Him. Then He grants me wealth. He never promises that I will be rich, but He does promise that He will meet every human need, which leads me to be faithful as a steward to Him.

When we talk about stewardship, what is God's financial plan as outlined in the Bible?

SHAWN: I think we find it in the book of Genesis where God took human beings and put them in the Garden to tend it and keep it. He did not sign it over to them. It was His. Now sin has made us very self-centered. We start to look at possessions as ours. "All of this is mine."

There is an interesting story in Genesis, chapter 28, where Jacob has made a mess of his life. He lied to his father. He had to run away because his brother was angry with him, and one day he comes to terms with the fact that he has made a mess of it, and he needs God to run his life.

He does something interesting in Genesis, chapter 28 and verse 22. Jacob set up a stone to recognize God's goodness to him. He had a dream of Jacob's ladder, the angels coming up and down. He started to realize that God is in control.

Let's start in verse 20 (Genesis 28:20-22):

"Then Jacob made a vow, saying, 'If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, so that I come back to my father's house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God."'

He is recognizing God owns everything. God provides for our needs.

And here is what He does in verse 22:

"And this stone which I have set for a pillar shall be God's house and of all that thou shall give me, I will surely give the tenth unto Thee."

Here is a token. It is recognition that it all belongs to God. He is in control of my life, so I am going to take 10 percent of everything and give it back to God. Now, Christians today call it tithing, one-tenth. And the word is actually in Scripture.

MARK: It's not a tax?

SHAWN: It's not a tax.

MARK: What is the difference between a tithe and a tax?

SHAWN: A tax is somebody taking something I own. I earned that money and the government takes some. Well, first of all, it is more than 10 percent, right? They come and they take my income for different projects and sometimes for things I don't even have a hand in.

This is different. God says, "I own it all." It is like God is a businessman and He comes to me and says, "Shawn, I am going to set up your business. I will provide all the capital. I will give you an office to work in. I will give you all the funding you need. I will set everything up and you manage it for me. And all I want is 10 percent of the profits. Ninety percent is yours."

You know, what am I going to say? "Wow, God, You want 10 percent. I get to have 90. It is all Yours, and I get 90 percent." It is a token, a recognition that it is God's and we are managing it for Him.

MARK: So God gives us the ability to get wealth. He gives us the skills, the talents that we have. He gives us health. He may lead us to that right job, and as an acknowledgment of His greatness and goodness in everything He has done for us, we return to Him that which is the tithe.

And He makes a promise, I think it's in the book of Malachi, isn't it?

SHAWN: Yes. God recognizes that things are not going well for His people. He says in verse eight of Malachi, chapter three (Malachi 3:8 NKJV):

"Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings." 

Verse 10 (Malachi 3:10):

"Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this, says the LORD of hosts, If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it."

God says, "I am going to provide for you. Hold my hand. Partner with me. I will provide for you in ways you wouldn't dream possible."

Verse 11 (Malachi 3:11):

"And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field, says the Lord of hosts;"

God says, "Listen, do not forget, I will take care of you. Partner with me. Recognize my ownership. Recognize that you are my stewards and I will hold your hand. I will take care of you. You have nothing to worry about."

MARK: That is an incredible promise isn't it?

SHAWN: It's amazing!

MARK: I think back of our own family. My father became a committed Christian later on in his life. He was a businessman and he said, "Lord, as a Christian, I am going to pay tithe on my income."

To do that meant a significant sacrifice, we thought, as a family. But as he made that decision, the Lord blessed him in an incredible way. His business continued to grow. And I have seen people do that again and again. And there is a certain blessing that God places on those that are faithful in their tithe.

It does not always mean that I will have financial riches, but it does mean that there will be riches of heart and riches of soul. My motivation in being faithful to tithe is not a get-rich-quick scheme. I am not paying tithe, I am returning money to God that is already His.

And I am not in a scheme that says, "If I pay my 10 percent, it is seed money." But it is a natural reflex. God says, them that honor me I will honor.

But Shawn, what about churches that do not practice the tithing system. Now, I am going to press you a little bit here. You are a little younger than I, so you may be able to be a little more straightforward.

What about churches that use Bingo and raffles and lottery and drawings to raise money?

SHAWN: Doing so seems to say that there is this problem in the church. For example, they cannot raise the funds they need to pay the pastor, or they don't have the funds they need to heat that church. And so they resort to something to raise that money. It is symptomatic of a problem.

First of all, it ought to make us a little uncomfortable that we are resorting to appealing to human greed, saying, "Look, you can walk away with thousands of dollars if you put a few dollars into this church."

Here is God's blessing in Malachi, chapter three He says (Malachi 3):

"I will pour out a blessing."

Churches that, as opposed to using Bingo and raffles to raise their money, go by God's plan, never to seem to run short. They always seem to have enough, both to carry out the gospel work and to provide for the needs of the physical plant of the church and so on.

It is not a gamble. So, why should Christians resort to gambling to raise money when God has a sure bet? There is no gamble involved.

MARK: It is almost cheapening the plan of God.

SHAWN: Yes.

MARK: When we come to Christ, the natural response of the heart is sacrifice, whereas the bingo, lotto and drawings to win some big prize, appeal to the selfish nature of the heart, not the sacrificial nature.

SHAWN: And so here is God's church resorting to human greed. They appeal to our baser nature to support the work of God when God wants us to appeal to a higher nature to have control of our lives.

MARK: Shawn, let's suppose that we are not on It Is Written Television and I come to you for counsel and I say to you, "Shawn, give me a few quick principles to help me over a gambling addiction." You are my pastor. And I confess to you and I say I am involved in gambling. What are you going to say to me?

SHAWN: Well, first of all, you have already taken the first positive step. You've admitted that there is a problem.

First John one, verse nine, says that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

That term "confess" indicates that we agree with God that there is a problem. We come to Him and say, "Listen, I can't control this anymore. I need to come back to you and let you control my life."

That is the first step,  simply to admit that there is a problem, to come to God and say, "I need your help. I am out of control."

Here are some things I think I could show you quickly from Scripture that might help you in beating that addiction.

Let's take a look at First Corinthians, chapter 15. First Corinthians 15 and verse 57, right near the end of that book. Here is what Paul writes
(1 Corinthians 15:57 NKJV):

"But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Now, notice what God says, "I am going to give you victory over this." He is not saying, "If you struggle hard enough, you can beat gambling." He says, "I will give it to you."

Now, if I were to write you a check today for $1,000, how hard would that be to take from me?

MARK: It would be pretty easy.

SHAWN: Yes. When people are offered a gift, most will take it. Children understand this. Children don't take a gift at their birthday and shake it and say, "Well, I don't really believe this is for me, Mom and Dad. Take it back."

They just accept the gift. God says, "I can make you a non-gambler today. Just take what I am handing you."

So in faith, we call ourselves a non-gambler. We are not a gambler in recovery the rest of our lives. We claim it as victory given from God.

We say, "OK, God. In faith I accept your promise. I no longer have a problem with gambling, because you promise I can have victory. You are giving that to me."

The next thing we need to do is in Romans, chapter six. It says in Romans, chapter six and verse 11. Listen to this principle from the Bible
(Romans 6:11 NKJV):

"Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Here is God's principle for victory. First claim the victory. Now as you are driving down the streets of Las Vegas and you see those bright lights and you remember how much fun you had at the tables, and the old nature comes back and you think, "I want to gamble."

Instead, say, "No, I have victory from God and I am dead to that sin."

If we had a cadaver or a corpse, Mark, and we brought them to the roulette table, how much could he win?

MARK: It would be very difficult.

SHAWN: He wouldn't be able to put his chips on the table, right?

You have claimed the promise. You tell yourself, "I am free because God said so. I am dead to gambling."

One other quick principle is found just a few chapters over in Romans, chapter 13. This is an important one. It says in Romans 13:14
(Romans 13:14 NKJV):

"But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and make not provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof."

If God has given you victory over gambling, Mark, do you need a deck of cards in your house?

MARK: Not at all.

SHAWN: Not at all. Do you need dice?

MARK: Not at all.

SHAWN: Not at all, you don't need those things, because we have victory and we are dead to it. So an important stage is to go through that house. Pick up everything that reminds us of gambling or might tempt us to it. Let's clean house. Let's put it in a bag and burn it. Let's get rid of it. We do not need those things anymore.

And then, like faith, by faith, like Peter walking across the water, we keep our eyes on Jesus. We look at His example and we pray for that victory everyday.

Another thing that might help, of course, is accountability, right? Proverbs 27 and verse 17 says (Proverbs 27:17): 

"As iron sharpens iron, so does a friend sharpen your countenance."

That text indicates that if we can talk and pray with someone who supports us, perhaps a pastor or a trusted Christian friend, they can help us as we claim that victory from God.

MARK: Gambling can easily become an addiction that clashes with our Christian values. The Christian ethic is fundamentally opposed to gambling. The two are mutually exclusive.

The Bible teaches it is "God that gives us the power to get wealth."
(Deuteronomy 8:18, as we read earlier.)

Wealth is a tool in the hands of a Christian to meet their family's needs, bless others and advance the gospel. Gambling places the focus on "getting rich quick." It focuses on defying the odds. It risks money that God has placed in our hands as a sacred trust. It appeals to the earthly focus that sees money as an end in itself, the solution to all our problems.

In Eden, before sin, God placed Adam in the garden to "tend and keep it." Useful, productive work was ordained by God to give all humanity a sense of dignity, self-respect and purpose.

"Get-rich-quick" gambling schemes rob us of the joy of God-ordained useful work. Gambling plays into the human heart's lust for more. It really feeds on greed.

The wise man's words speak to this generation in Proverbs 13, verse seven (Proverbs 13:7 NKJV):

"There is one who makes himself rich, yet has nothing?"

Tens of thousands of people have won and lost hundreds of millions of dollars gambling. In the end, they are defeated, discouraged and depressed.

The Lord has a better plan. He says in Matthew six, verse 33 (Matthew 6:33 NKJV):

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."

When we place His kingdom first in our lives, He promises to meet our needs. When a relationship with Him is the passion of our lives, He commits Himself to provide all necessities.

The God who created us loves us with a never-ending love. Whatever troubles us, troubles Him. Whatever concerns us, concerns Him. He is the pot of gold at the end of our rainbow. He is the pearl of great price waiting to be discovered. He is the treasure hidden in the field. In Him are all of the riches of eternity.

Slot machines will only take our money in the end. The lotto will only leave us with less in the end. Addiction to gambling will only leave us empty pockets and empty wallets in the end.

But Jesus will leave us full. He will leave us satisfied. He will leave us content and happy and overflowing with joy.

Would you like to say, "Jesus, I want you to come in and control my life now and forever."

SHAWN: Let's pray.

PRAYER:
Our loving Heavenly Father, today we are delighted to see that You have a plan to provide for all of our needs. Somebody reading this text online today is struggling. They're struggling with an addiction to the gambling tables, to the slot machines, to that deck of cards. Lord, they know in their heart that they'd like to be free of that. 

Today, they'd like to claim victory, because you offer it as a gift in Jesus Christ. Today, they'd like to break free and walk holding your hand, knowing that life has a plan and a purpose and that you are in control. Lord, grant us the ability to be good stewards, to represent Jesus Christ to this world and to walk hand in hand with Him. For we ask it in Jesus' name, amen.

Scriptures Used in “Seducing The Soul”

"Cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life."
—Genesis 3:17 NKJV

"He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches, and he who gives to the rich, will surely come to poverty."
—Proverbs 22:16 NKJV

"A faithful man will abound with blessings, but he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished."
—Proverbs 28:20 NKJV

"And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth."
—Deuteronomy 8:18 NKJV

"The earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness."
—Psalm 24:1 NKJV

"The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,' says the Lord of hosts."
—Haggai 2:8 NKJV

"Then Jacob made a vow, saying, 'If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, 21so that I come back to my father's house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God."'
—Genesis 28:20-22

"Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings." 
—Malachi 3:8 NKJV

"Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this, says the LORD of hosts, If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it."
—Malachi 3:10

"And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field, says the Lord of hosts;"
—Malachi 3:11

"But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
—I Corintians 15:57