“Boy, if I only had $700 million dollars, then I would be happy!”

Posted on by Tom

Seven Elevens and Mom and Pop groceries all across the country are doing a brisk business today as customers queue up to purchase tickets for a chance to win tonight’s $700 million, Power Ball jackpot.

The odds of winning the jackpot are reported to be about 1 in 292 million, but that won’t stop a huge portion of the country from daydreaming about how they’re going to put their winnings to use.

We could never even imagine the deleterious effects such a windfall would have upon a person’s life. Statistics reveal 70 percent of those who win a lottery or get a big windfall actually end up broke in a few years. Not to mention the resulting failed marriages and overall family disharmony.

Lotteries are successful because we are greedy. We want what we don’t have. We think, if only I had a lot of money, THEN I would be happy. But most lottery winners can attest that the opposite is true. And even for the nouveau millionaires who claim to be happy, the money provides pleasure for only so long.

Only the Lord God can bring lasting fulfillment to your life. Trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior by faith alone and then seek the Lord’s will in your life. Your walk with the Lord is the ONLY thing that truly matters, everything else is sinking sand.

“Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.” – Proverbs 30:8-9

Unlike the lottery, eternal life and fellowship with God doesn’t cost a thing. Jesus Christ paid for all your sins. All you have to do is repent of your sins and accept Christ as your Savior by faith alone. What are your chances of eternal life after accepting Christ? 100%! That’s right. Jesus promised He would not lose a single person who trusts in Him. $700 million dollars is chump change compared to eternal life in Christ. What are you waiting for? Come to Jesus in prayer. Accept Him as Savior by faith alone.

38 thoughts on ““Boy, if I only had $700 million dollars, then I would be happy!””

    1. Thanks, Wally. I’m such a goof-up. They had a BIG story on the local TV news this morning about the jackpot and my knee-jerk reaction was to go out and buy me ten tickets!!! but the Lord immediately brought those verses in Proverbs to mind. I think I’d probably be dead within a year if I won that thing.

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      1. It’s amazing isn’t it…700 Million is more money than any of us can wrap our minds around…and it’s still not enough to make anyone happy. Only one way to feeling happiness and peace and that’s though Jesus Christ!

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      2. Only believers are going to “get it” regarding the $700 million vs. life in Christ. Unbelievers would say, sure give me the $700 mil and I’ll take my chances later with Peter at the gates of Heaven.

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      4. Thank you! Just to clarify, I cringe every time someone mentions Peter as being Heaven’s gatekeeper. I wrote that definitely with tongue in cheek.

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      7. I found it comical that they took Peters body and actually built the Vatican on it…just to fulfill that scripture. 😂😂😂😂😂

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  9. Okay, I’m going to be the black sheep in this family of Christians. First of all, I DO NOT play the lottery but if I did, yes, it would make me happy to win the $7 Million. Just think how many orphanages could be built, how many camps for children, food for for the hungry, food pantries filled, and the list could go on and ALL FOR THE GLORY OF THE LORD without giving up my eternal mansion. God bless you all. 🙂

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    1. Thanks for the feedback, Sue. There’s obviously not a one-size-fits-all motivation for EVERYONE who buys a lottery ticket, but lotteries across the country are successful because they play off of our greed, despite the astronomical odds against winning. I’m sure some lottery winners have helped charities, as you mention, but studies show winning a jackpot is more often a curse than a blessing. As fallen sinners we are prone to envy, covetousness, and a spirit of dissatisfaction with what we do have, and the lotteries exploit all that.

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  10. Reblogged this on The love of God and commented:
    “Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.” – Proverbs 30:8-9

    Amen.

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  11. During college, one of my professors had us watch a 60-Minutes special on the lives of lottery winners. It actually made me want to avoid any kind of get-rich-quick scheme. Their lives were ruined by all that wealth.

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    1. Thanks for the input. Yes, I read a few articles with a similar theme prior to writing the post. The winner came forward yesterday and was on the national news. I obviously don’t know her spiritual condition but I prayed for her. Her world is going to be shaken and tipped upside down over and over.

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      4. Reminds me of our oldest son. He says he cannot believe in a God who would accept only one way to Heaven. I said wouldn’t it make sense that God would reveal Himself and His will through His Son and the Bible rather than leaving it up to each person’s personal opinion (like his)? He would not respond to that. So watching movies and “Game of Thrones” every week, spending $90 to watch the Mayweather-McGregor fight last Saturday night, and getting hyped about upcoming NFL football is THE priority! Read the Bible? No chance of that! (his attitude). Sigh. I can remember thinking about the world the same way.

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