Crisis 3: Gambling

Hitting the news on Monday was this headline, Government Employees Spent Almost $1 Millionin Taxpayer Money at Casinos. 

Photo courtesy of The Daily Signal  

That’s not all.  According to The Daily Signal just under $100,000 was spent at “adult entertainment establishments” too. 

A casino bound bus carrying around 70 people overturned on snowy roads earlier this week.

Last week, Thailand’s strict laws against gambling became more public when Thai police arrested elderly bridge players found to be in possession of too many playing cards.    

In January, Major League Baseball player Yu Darvish’sbrother was arrested for being said to run an illegal gambling ring in Japan. 

Photo courtesy of FOX News (61)

Whether co-worker conversations start with sports, paying taxes, or bus accidents the topic of gambling can arise.   

So why is gambling an international concern?  Why is it considered an acceptable “naughty” behavior?

While I don’t believe there is a concrete answer to these questions, you have no doubt had these questions in your mind at some time.  So have your co-workers.  The real question is how will you respond to these questions?

A proper understanding of addictive behaviors starts with a grounded understanding in God’s Word.

Addictive behaviors start out as pleasure fillers with no responsibility attached.  People like to experience pleasure, and is that wrong? No. 

  

In his book Sex & Money, Paul David Tripp points out that,

“Pleasure exits because it fits with God’s purpose for his creation.  It is one of his chief gifts to us” (56). 

“All pleasure problems are heart problems” (58).

“Pleasure exists to stimulate worship”. God meant it to bring glory to himself (59).   

“Boundless pleasure is a deception” (61).

Lastly, Tripp shares that people are approaching pleasure the wrong way and asking it to satisfy their hearts, which it can never do.  Only God can satisfy (64). 

This understanding of pleasure is key to addressing any addictive behaviors, including gambling.  Your co-workers may ask you if the Bible speaks about gambling.  

So here are some verses to study and ponder. 

Proverbs 13:11

Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.

Photo mine

Luke 16:13

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

Ecclesiastes 5:10

 Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.  This too is meaningless.

Luke 12:15

Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”

Tripp’s conclusion that “all pleasure problems are heart problems”, is not an exaggeration.  He got this right from the Word of God.  

God knows the heart and addresses the heart.  He knows the basis of your actions.  He also knows that He created you to find pleasure in Him and crave Him.  When we try to use boundless pleasures to fulfill our heart’s desire we will always come up empty, searching for more.

Let your searching stop with Jesus Christ.

Ivy

To read more, check out these resources:

http://www.bibleinfo.com/en/questions/does-bible-mention-anything-about-gambling

https://www.openbible.info/topics/gambling

http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/two-underused-strategies-for-addiction

Sources:  The DailySignal, BBC News, New York Daily News, FOX News, Bibleinfo.com, Sex & Money: Pleasures that Leave You Emptyand Grace that Satisfies, NIV Bible 

Crisis 2: Pastors and Pornography

For many Christians the words pastor and pornography don’t belong in the same sentence.  However, a study released by The Barna Group last week states otherwise.  Over 700 pastors, including youth pastors, were polled. 

 

The Christian Broadcasting Network(CBN) reports,

“In the study, 57 percent of the pastors admitted to a current or past struggle compared to 64 percent of youth pastors. Fourteen percent of pastors said they are dealing with it currently compared to 21 percent of youth pastors.”

Photo courtesy of Josh McDowell Ministries  

  American author, evangelist, and apologist Josh McDowell recognizes this struggle among pastors and desires to act upon this knowledge.  Josh McDowell Ministries and Covenant Eyes have come together to host the first Set Free Global Summit. 

 

So what does this have to do with conversations you have with your co-workers? Here’s one reason. 

Over three years ago, American Pastor Saeed Abedini was imprisoned in Iran while visiting his family.  His crime; claiming Jesus Christ.  

During the last three years his wife Naghmeh has brought national attention to his torture and imprisonment, advocating for his release.  Three weeks ago, on January 16, Saeed was finally released.

Photo courtesy of CBN

Last week, Naghmeh filed a domestic relations case against her husband.  Her reason; abuse she had received through her husband’s addiction to pornography.  

I admit, that this came as a shock to me. Here is a man who was not only a pastor but endured incredible hardship for Jesus Christ. How could he mess up? But then, how can I?

In his book Sex & Money, Paul David Tripp has nine responses to the question “So Why Do We Do the Things We Do?” Number five is this, “You need to realize that this side of eternity your heart is susceptible” (pg. 49).

I couldn’t agree more.  Saeed and his family are prone to weakness, you are prone to weakness, I am prone to weakness and the world is prone to weakness.  However, there is good news.

Romans 3:21-26 

^“But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.”

Romans 5:8

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

I believe that as Christ followers we need to be ready to respond to situations like Saeed’s.  Satan wants to pull us down; he wants to pull people away from the glory of God to their own mistakes or mistakes of others.  However, Jesus Christ has conquered! We do not need to live in sin anymore. 

Saeed’s story is a national one and there is no doubt that co-workers will bring up the topic. They will have questions.  Be prepared to answer them.

Ivy 

Read up on Saeed’s situation here:

The Washington Post -Saeed’s story from the beginning

Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) – 

Naghmeh's Domestic Relations Case - Saeed’s Response

Christianity Today – First report of abuse 

Also, explore the Set Free Global Summit blog.    

Sources:   The BarnaGroup, Christian Broadcasting Network (1) (2) (3), Christianity Today, TheWashington Post, Josh McDowell Ministries, Set Free Global Summit, Sex & Money: Pleasures that Leave You Empty and Grace that Satisfies. ,NIV Bible