GAMBLING

You have probably started reading this post wondering what I personally think about gambling, or what my opinion is in this matter. Well, I am not going there today. What I will say is this "Everyday everyone is gambling, whether they think they are, or not." That's right "We all gamble!"

Let me explain it to you as the Lord shared it with me today. In my quest to live for Him, surrender to Him, deny myself, die to self, each and everyday, I have to be cognizant of the fact that the choices I make will include gambling in one measure or another. Say you are driving towards a an intersection and the light is turning yellow. You decide to speed up and hope that it does not turn red. Just as you reach the intersection it turns red, and immediately you look around to see if there is a policeman anywhere. You gambled. Suppose you are running a little late and you were to be somewhere at an exact time, or you might miss the opening of a movie or show. Maybe your going to miss the blessing before the meal, or the bible study is going to start without you. When you get there you realize it started and you cannot go back and see what has already taken place. Maybe you have been selfishly working hard wanting the best for your family, and find yourself gambling on being the Father or mother to them, only find out you cannot get those years back.

Today we all gamble with the Lord. "What?" "We gamble with the Lord!" We find ourselves not changing because we are gambling that He won't come back today, and find oureselves saying "We will start changing tomorrow." How about the times we say "Lord if you will do this, I will never do it again." Many believers today gamble on what they have been told, or taught instead of knowing what the Word truly says. Have you followed a Pastor, a teacher, a denomination, or maybe just aquired your own opinion and thoughts on what the Lord really expects out of us? That is nothing short of 'Gambling.' Alot of teachers today say "God wants your best for this life", "This is your Purpose driven life", "All you have to do is say a prayer", and last but not least "God understands your struggle with sin." Are these saying scripturally correct? Does God understand that a Tee Time is more important thatn the lost and the needy? Does God understand that eating out is far more important that children dying of hunger? You see, none of these line up with scripture, but we tend to 'Gamble' that God will overlook them. To God, sin is sin. We gamble that a small white lie is not as bad as a big lie. We gamble that sexual immorality is not as bad as homosexuality. We gamble that we don't have to be Holy, Righteous and pure, because everyone has told us that we will always be sinners.

I don;t know about you, but I laid down 'Gambling' in 1992. I made alot of money 'Gambling' playing cards, betting on games, playing golf, and just about anything anyone could ver gamble on. In 1992 God showed me that I was gambling with the most important thing I could ever lose, and that was my eternal life. I had a choice to stop gambling, start believing, start seeking, and start following. I am not gambling anymore, because I know because of the Word of God. Everyone seems to cling to 'New' teachings, and methods. Then they gamble on whether or not they are right or not. Here's the deal..... Jesus said "Go ye therefore and make disciples", He did not say 'Converts!' If you are not doing this and merely trying to get people saved, then you are gambling that Jesus will look over His command. Stop gambling and start living. Stop gambling and start being. Stop gambling and start giving. He is a just God~