God Vs. Mega Millions

I've got a simple question that I want you to answer. It's a question Christians aren't always honest about, but I'm hoping you're willing to tell the truth today (at least in your own mind). The question is this:

If you HAD to choose between these two options, which would you choose?

A). A Closer Relationship with God

B). The Biggest Mega Million's Jackpot in History

Don't answer quickly... I want you to really think about it. Imagine I'm standing in your doorway holding a ticket with 6 out of 6 of the winning numbers to the next Mega Million's drawing. Or better yet, let's say I've already collected the cash value for you. I'm at your door with roughly 200 Hefty bags stuffed to capacity with banded stacks of $100 bills. But the deal is, I'll only give you the winnings if you give me your bible, delete all bible apps, trash any concordances you have and solemnly swear to never study the Word of God again.

So tell me... would you choose God or the money? I mean this literally; if I was at your doorstep right now with this deal, would you choose to continue growing your relationship with God or would you choose to become an instant multimillionaire?

Now, the standard "Churchdom" response to this question is: "I'd rather have Jesus than all the money in the world... " followed by a quote of scripture such as Mark 8 which says: "What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and loose his soul... "

That response sounds so spiritual; so pristine, but, unfortunately, that's not actually the response many of us would give. According to population statistics, sales statewide would fall drastically if Christians, who make up over 75% of the American adult population, were not really interested in winning the Lotto. But, according to the World Lottery Association, sales have reached an all-time high of over $4.3 billion. Simple mathematics says that, in order to reach record high figures, Christians must actually be trying just as desperately as their neighbors to win that money.

Which means many Christians, if staring at 200 bags of crisp $100 bills (roughly 600 pounds of money) and faced with this deal would NOT say,

"Go away... I don't play Lotto... "

Instead, they would kiss their bible goodbye and frantically pull those bags into their house before someone sees them.

And that shouldn't startle anyone; I mean, what's wrong with wanting the life of a multimillionaire? Isn't the popular doctrine at church nowadays "God wants every believer to be rich"? Doesn't every evangelist on TV say "Your blessing is coming RIGHT NOW! THIS AFTERNOON! EASTERN TIME; NOT PACIFIC!" I actually heard a gospel song on the radio say "God is going to work a miracle by the end of this song... " I said to myself, "Is that where we are today? All we can give God is 4 minutes and 46 seconds to work out our situation? What if he doesn't? I guess we'll have to keep playing Lottery... "

I'm not saying Christians shouldn't want wealth. Every adult person should have a good, sound financial plan for their future well being and those who do not will starve (or generate an excessive amount of debt). But, I do have to share some bad news. The bad news is,

NO, God isn't going to miraculously make every Christian wealthy!

Jesus said the poor will always be among us (Matthew 26:11). Don't assume he was only referring to non-believers. The truth is, some will be rich and some will not; and that's just how it is. For those who are rich, God expects them not to be arrogant or put their hope in their wealth; but do good deeds and put their faith in God (1 Timothy 6:17-18). For those who are not rich, God expects contentment,

"We brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it... if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that" 1 Timothy 6:7-8

But God is not preoccupied with commerce, marketing, product sales, material goods and "wealth transference" the way His believers seem to be. God places wealth in the hands of His believers basically for "Kingdom Building" and "Nationhood"; but not for "Decadence". Wealth makes us a "Nation", but in God's "Nation" everybody has a different role. God's plan has many positions and many different levels of wealth for His people to relegate. And although everyone is volunteering for the same high-up positions, our role in the "Kingdom" is honestly determined by the King.

Jesus seemed to be offended by a crowd's desperation to have him satisfy their desires. It was the day after Jesus fed a multitude which was between 10,000 to as many as 30,000 people (5,000 men plus women and children) in size with two fish and 5 loaves of bread. After the miracle, the multitude traveled by foot all the way to Capernaum looking for Jesus. When they found him, Jesus told them,

"... you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ATE THE LOAVES and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which I will give you... " John 6:26

According to Jesus, this crowd who "ATE THE LOAVES" was more concerned with their bellies than the eternal life which he came to give. Jesus told them not to work to satisfy their physical desires; do work which "endures" to eternal life instead. When the crowd asked Jesus "what work" is he referring to, here are a few things that Jesus DID NOT say:

• "Work to gain more wealth... "
• "Get Rich or Die Trying... "
• "Become wealthy by any means necessary... "
• "Work hard to drive the nicest car to Church... "
• "Work to have a bigger church than your neighbors (one with Wi Fi capability and an ATM... )"

He told them,

"The work of God is this: Believe in the one He has sent." John 6:29

I wonder how God must feel watching His people salivate every week over the prospect of winning the Lottery. I wonder how God feels having offered us Jesus as the answer to this world's situation; then having to watch us as we seek money as if it were the only answer we are really interested in. I wonder how God feels knowing most of His believers are just as desperate as the rest of the world for that obsessively large amount of money displayed on the digital sign in the window of Seven-Eleven.

As I said earlier, Christians aren't always honest about it, but many of us are worshipping money as if it were a god while ignoring "THE" God who made us. We're treating money as if it had miraculous power when all the money in the world has no real power at all (except in our minds). Money can fill our "bellies", but it can't go to Children's Hospital and heal anybody. Money can satisfy our desires, but it can't cure AIDS or cancer.

However, "THE" God of Abraham can satisfy us with long life; not just food and shelter. And He has the power to cure every disease and empty every hospital bed in the world.

Bottom line, if you have the faith within you to believe that God's plan is to bless you financially to the extent where you live in a place of financial overflow, then by all means, continue to believe (and you should already see God moving you in that direction legally, not illegally). But if God doesn't move you to great wealth, you should not be anxiously awaiting six randomly selected numbers to do for you what God has not decided should be done.

Mega Millions is a game of chance; meaning you can choose to play, but you can't choose to win. However, a relationship with God is something you CAN choose right now. You can choose to get closer to "THE" God who made you. You can choose to finally use that bible app and study about Him (perhaps even more often than once a week). You can choose to learn how God gave His Son Jesus Christ to die on our behalf, and then raised Him from the grave as a sign that our salvation is complete. And you can choose to do this whether you receive a ridiculous amount of money or not.

You can choose right now to begin to grow your relationship with God because God is indeed more valuable, more essential and more beneficial to have in your life than all of the Mega Million's Jackpots that have ever been paid out in the history of this country combined!