What is the wickedness of the world? Wickedness is anything that is not of faith in the Lord. Men go after strange flesh, strange doctrines, and lust after money.

“A man shall not be established by wickedness;”

Established; To enact or decree by authority of their own doings and for permanence; to ordain; to appoint; as, to establish laws, regulations, rules, and ordinances.

There is no scripture that states that a man is established in the Lord, by what a man owns, possess, or what manner of money he has. Many believe that gambling is of the Lord. Many say, I wager a dollar and receive 50, so that must be a blessing from God. This is a deception and a lie.

Gambling is a ploy by Satan to get the unwary, or the unlearned, into forgetting the words of the Lord, to cast away their faith in Gods provisions, and to turn away from their hope. We cannot throw away a blessing from the Lord, for even if a man gambles away a dollar and wins 50, he has forsaken the Lord. A man who takes that same dollar, and buys a loaf of bread for his family is justified of the Lord, for his willingness to trust in God for all things.

You say,”I don't think there is anything wrong with wagering money, that I have worked for.” This is also a deception, for without God you would not have the strength to work, the provisions on your table, or even have life. By gambling away the funds that the Lord has provided to you, you have turned away from His word, His promises, and His Son.

Let us read and understand; “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

Therefore, what sins do you commit when you wager the money, that the Lord has provided?

Covetousness, hurtful lust, greed, and lack of faith.

“And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.”

Do you not believe that God will provide for you? Do you not think that the Lord is unwilling for you to prosper? Do you think that every time you make up an excuse for your actions, that the Lord is pleased with you?

This world has many devices to rob men of their abundance, gambling is one of them. It is deceptive, harmful, a disease, a cancer, and a liability, that neither you, nor the Lord needs, or wants, in the life of His Children.

Let us read again;

“Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.”

You say; “ I haven't done any of these things by wagering money.” But yes you have, by trying to establish yourself by wickedness, by despising the word of the Holy One of Israel, by not being content with a dollar, by not being content with the life that the Lord has established for you.

Lets read again from the words of God. “Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

But godliness with contentment is great gain.

For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. “

Gain of money, not worked for, is not Godliness, nor acceptable with the Lord. His truth is everlasting, and will never be removed. His word is from everlasting to everlasting.

“ Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.”

Remember what we have read? “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

“They have erred from the faith;” Erred; To wander from the right way; to deviate from the true course or purpose. To miss the right way, in morals or religion; to deviate from the path or line of duty; to stray by design or mistake. To mistake; to commit error; to do wrong from ignorance or inattention. Men err in judgment from ignorance, from want of attention to facts, or from previous bias of mind.

We all know the words of God, we know His wisdom on these matters, we know the truth but many still err from it. Many make up their own truth, their own deceptions, their own doctrine and their own laws of conduct, not once remembering what the Lord has commanded.

I will leave you with these last passages from the Lord; “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Ars.

Rom 12:2 Pro 12:3. 1Ti 6:7-10. Luk 12:15 Isa 5:24 1Ti 6:5-8. Isa 56:11 12 1Jn 2:16 1Co 11:32 Webster, TSK.