Lottery Dilema

[Depleted]

When the need to move and build a new church came up. The head pastor made a
point of saying the Lord would provide. At the time trying to raise £20 million seemed a
huge leap of faith, but I remember him saying God would not let His work stumble
for lack of finances. Well guess what it was provided, albeit in a round about mixed up
"problems with the economy" way. The result is that the developers built us a church free of charge.

Very long story.....

I remember at the time though before this all came about, the head pastor said he would
never accept lottery money. He feels it is relying on gambling and that (not all) but a lot of
people get caught up in gambling addictions or many many people who can ill afford it, give
their last £1 in the hope they might win the lottery. He said he would never fund a church or
project off the back of such an obvious source of money in which people get caught up in it all
for the unrealistic hope of winning big etc.

In that case, I suspect if you tell the pastor someone gave you the ticket for Christmas, he won't have a problem with it. I doubt he thinks you squander all your riches.

 

[Willie-T]

I'd buy a new coffee mug.

I have a mug I use at church (we are trying to cut down on the cost of paper cups) that labels me a Baby-Killer, because it was given to me by Cent-Com when I worked for Raytheon Corporation.

 

[Miri]

Interesting, when the Bible says the wealth of the unrighteous will flow into the hands of the godly.

Sorry. Just sounds a little self-aggrandizing to me.

I kind of get where he is coming from, he doesn't want to encourage people to
do the lottery or suggest it is ok. It is a form of gambling even if it it just on a small
scale. Although for some it gets way out of hand. Some people spend hundreds on it.

It is also a redistribution of wealth, millions of people pay £1 and then it goes out to a small
number of people with the correct numbers. Also a percentage of it goes to good causes to
make people who win nothing, feel that at least some good came of it. So I do understand
what he means.

Having said that if ...and it's a big if...a person came into a lot of money via a legal means
and offered it to a Christian charity or church. Then I can't see the harm. It would be up to
each person's conscience. If it was illegally gained then I think it would be a different matter.


Another angle is that with lots of money come lots of responsibility. Not many could handle that sort
of responsibility and still remain true to themselves and God. Many have tried and have gone off the
rails. Look at all those celebs with all their problems. Money might make life a little easier but it
doesn't bring happiness.

It would take prayerful consideration and real discernment to know how to use it.
A car can be dangerous in the wrong hands, or it can be put to good use.

 

[Miri]

I'd buy a new coffee mug.

Here you are.

 

[Blain]

I have never tried the lottery till this year and I did it just for fun. I admit there is a certain thrill to being so close to winning and I wondered what I would do if say i won and of course i figured I would give a lot of it away.

The issue with wanting to be able to give and to give in abundance is first you have to have that abundance lol

 

[Depleted]

I have never tried the lottery till this year and I did it just for fun. I admit there is a certain thrill to being so close to winning and I wondered what I would do if say i won and of course i figured I would give a lot of it away.

The issue with wanting to be able to give and to give in abundance is first you have to have that abundance lol

And you have. And you do. (It ain't always an abundance of money.)

 

[Miri]

Well.....I.......won.....



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Absolutely Nothing

 

[Mattie1088]

Saying what should be done is easy, but when I was in the situation I didn't do it! Obviously, I need lots of prayer.I only paid my tithes. The rest was self serving. Smh

 

[Depleted]

Well.....I.......won.....



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Absolutely Nothing

​Nah. You won time dreaming fun dreams.

 

[Depleted]

Saying what should be done is easy, but when I was in the situation I didn't do it! Obviously, I need lots of prayer.I only paid my tithes. The rest was self serving. Smh

God never told us to do more than pay tithes, so nothing wrong with that.

(Of course, I'm the one who starts my list with "fix house." lol)

 

[breno785au]

Well.....I.......won.....



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Absolutely Nothing

Can I reply with some ultra spiritual saying that will give you no comfort at all?.. Oh well, at least you have riches in heaven.

 

[sassylady]

I wouldn't WANT to share any but I know it would be the right thing to do.

I say wouldn't want because I have lived on such a small income for so many years that it would be a huge temptation to keep it all and say nothing. But in this case it just would not be right.

 

[Depleted]

I wouldn't WANT to share any but I know it would be the right thing to do.

I say wouldn't want because I have lived on such a small income for so many years that it would be a huge temptation to keep it all and say nothing. But in this case it just would not be right.

Ha! You're a mom. I bet half of the "selfish" things you're considering doing with the money have everything to do with your kids. (Fix up their rooms. College education. New clothes. A bike. Playstation. etc.)

 

[Miri]

Hey I've just found 10p down the back of the sofa. Lol