Caller: My question is, a friend of mine has been curious about gambling. I cannot find a Scripture where it says that you should not so would you please help me out with that?
Pastor Doug: About gambling - is there a Scripture. No there's no Scripture about gambling per se. The Bible says he that does not work should not eat. The Bible says make not haste to be rich. Let me see if I can find some of those for you. The people who are wanting to play in the lottery they're trying to get money without work. Proverbs tells us strive not to be rich, make not haste to be rich.
Co-Host: Well I was thinking of the guards who cast lots for Christ's possessions at the Cross and certainly that's an example of what we ought not to do is to gamble.
Pastor Doug: All right here we go. Proverbs 28:20: 'a faithful man shall abound with blessings but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.' You know the thing that really worries me about it Gladys is the principle. You've got all these people who can barely rub two pennies together, they're spending their last dollar on a lotto ticket. They're striving to get rich quickly without working.
Co-Host: That's right.
Pastor Doug: But the Bible principle for a Christian is to work and eat from the labor of your hands but when a person plays the lottery, they're trying to get rich on the guessing of other people.
Co-Host: That's right.
Pastor Doug: And what they're usually doing is they're taking money from the poor who are being sucked into this. The lottery is the government's way of getting welfare money back.
Caller: Well I just think as a Christian, I think gambling should not be even spoken of and to me it appears to be such a worldly thing, so I just don't see where Christians would want to entertain it in the first place.
Pastor Doug: And you know what? We're suppose to be faithful with our money. The Bible is very clear about that. Statistically, the chances of winning the lottery - you've got a better chance at being bit by a shark on dry land.
Caller: I agree.
Pastor Doug: And a lot of people throw away millions thinking 'I'm going to get lucky this time'. Hey that's a good question.
Co-Host: Thanks for the call Gladys.
Caller: Thank you so much.