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more expensive than the ordinary SMS, which is worth only P1 each,
the reward could be a million pesos or more, once your number is
selected among millions of entries.
One logical strategy to increase your chances at the jackpot is to send
as many text messages as your load can avail of. You could send a text
message, even when you are about to sleep or when you have just
wakened up from a nice dream about becoming rich ultra quick.
And once your number is chosen among millions of text messages sent
by other texters who are obviously banking on the same dream, you
can be sure that the prize is legal (Isn't it?), unlike when winning the
jackpot in "jueteng" which we must emphasize is illegal in this country
(Remember the EDSA 2 revolt?).
One limitation of text games, however, is that only subscribers of
mobile phone networks could join. At the latest news, over 12 million
Filipinos have mobile phones, most of them GSM (Global System for
Mobile Communications) capable. There is also this question about
whether text games are really a game or just a marketing tool of the
mobile phone networks. For example, different products also give away
millions of pesos to those who patronize them.
Is there anything that sets text games apart from the usual marketing
strategies of different products? Does paying P10, instead of the usual
P1 for a text message and a chance to win a million bucks make it a
game? Does the sender of a P10 text message, instead of the usual P1
text message, get something in return, aside from a chance to win
millions of pesos?
Isn't a game synonymous to a competition? Is gambling synonymous
to competition? When you compete, what do you do? Do you just wait
and see until luck strikes you? In text games, do you have control of
the situation or do something to improve your chances, without
shelling extra money? Do you compete in text games, in the way that
you invest your effort, time, and skills on expectations that you would
reap the rewards later?
If it is indeed a game, what are the risks involved? If it is a game, what
are the skills or talents involved? If it is a game, is there a fair chance
of winning the prize? If it is a game, what are the rules? If it is a game,
are there more spectators than players? If it is a game, who will be
generous enough to donate millions of pesos as prize and why?
Where does every P10 go in the first place? To the prize money? You
mean the winner will get for himself every P10 wagered by millions of
Sadly, this country is not able to derive any lesson from the fall from
Malacanang Palace of former President Joseph Estrada on allegations
that he profited from illegal gambling. It is like failing to derive any
lesson from the Payatas disaster in August 2000 when hundreds of
poor people were buried under tons of garbage, which was
incomparable in history.
The existence of gambling here is not just a manifestation that
fantasies are aimlessly pursued in this country; it is a statement of the
mindset of its people and of the moral standards of its leaders. When
will they ever learn?
What's Wrong with Gambling?
Gambling is a game of chance, fuelled by desires for a significant prize
at stake - which is actually the pooled resources of all players who are
all interested in getting rich or richer quick. Gambling feeds on
desperate hopes, strong desires or weaknesses of the betting public.
The most common forms of gambling are lottery or numbers game. In
Philippine lotto, for example, when a person wins, millions of others
lose. The government consoles the losers by assuring them that a
share of their loss goes to charity.
The Bible cautions us against falling into gambling, hastening to get
rich or focusing on the pursuit of money. "People who want to get rich
fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful
desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of
money is a root of all kinds of evil. (I Timothy 6:9-10)
Gambling offers a prize money, which is actually the pooled resources
of all players. Since it is their money, winning their money even by
means of a legalized form of gambling does not make it a less sin. For
all you know, you are not only stealing their money, you are stealing
their hopes also. One of the commandments read in part: "You shall not
covet...anything that belongs to your neighbor." (Exodus 20:17 in part)
People are encouraged to work their way to sufficiency and are
discouraged from pursuing fantasies like becoming rich all of a sudden.
"He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases
fantasies lacks judgment." (Proverbs 12:11)
One proven formula for success is perseverance. "All hard work brings
a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty." (Proverbs 14:23)
"Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by
little makes it grow." (Proverbs 13:11)
The economic principles in the Bible are directed towards the greater
good of a nation, rather than the prosperity of only one person. Labor
and production are two of the most important aspects of economic
productivity. Here, each person contributes to the growth of the
economy and should therefore receive his fair and just share. A prayer
in the Book of Proverbs reads: "Give me neither poverty nor riches, but
give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and
disown You." (Proverbs 30:8 in part)
The importance of hard work shall never be ignored. "By the sweat of
your brow, you will eat your food." (Genesis 3:19) "If a man will not
work, he shall not eat." (2 Thessalonians 3:10) The importance of
sharing shall never be overlooked. "He who has been stealing must
steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own
hands, that he may have something to share with those in need."
(Ephesians 4:28)
Of course, the Bible promotes justice through love and sharing. It is
consistent in saying that wealth doesn't make a man any better.
"Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life
does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." (Luke 12:15)
Rather, the Lord wants all men to help each other. "Do unto others
what you would have them do unto you." (Matthew 7:12) Helping each
other would come easily if we love one another as Jesus commanded.
"Love each other" (John 15:17).
Paul, the first missionary, described love this way. "Love is patient, love
is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude,
it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of
wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It
always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love
never fails." (I Corinthians 13:4-8)
How can we show our love to our brothers? "This is how we know what
love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down
our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees
his brother in need but has no pity in him, how can the love of God be
in him?" (I John 3:16-18)
Our attitude towards work should be as if we are working for the Lord.
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the
Lord, not for men." (Colossians 3:23)
Instead of chasing fantasies or believing in fate charted by the stars
(the Bible warns against these practices), why don't we put our faith
and trust in God, who loves us more than we can understand. "Keep
your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you
have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake
you.'"(Hebrews 13:5)
God does not want you to remain in poverty. He has something great in
store for you. Have you ever tried asking Him for help? "Ask and it will
be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be
opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds;
and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." (Matthew 7:7-8)
One of the most important questions about man's purpose in life is
this: "What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet
forfeits his soul?" (Matthew 16:26) That question doesn't remain a
question because Jesus Christ has given a wonderful response. "But
seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will
be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for
tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its
own." (Matthew 6:33-34)
Oftentimes, we fail to realize how great God's love is. We easily
question His justice, when we get deprived of what we consider good
things in life. Such is our attitude towards God, without realizing that
He has already provided us with the best gift in life - something far
more significant than P1 million. He gave us righteousness, or
purification from sin, through the sacrifice of His Only Son.
Two thousand years ago, the Son of God was born as a man in
Bethlehem. So sinful have men become that only a perfect sacrifice
could cleanse us of our sins. No man could be a perfect sacrifice
because all of us were sinners. Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God,
became the perfect sacrifice who redeemed us from death.
Why did Jesus Christ have to die for our sins? "The law requires that
nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of
blood there is no forgiveness." (Hebrews 9:22) God told Moses: "For the
life of the creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make
atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes
atonement for one's life." (Leviticus 17:11)
The blood of Christ, the perfect sacrifice, had to be shed for our
atonement. Jesus Christ "did not enter by means of the blood of the
goats and calves; but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by
His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption." (Hebrews 9:12)
"We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus
Open Line
Prayer is an open line to Heaven. No cards to use, no low bat problem,
no charging, always good signal, and all messages sent.
For sure, nobody can be a greater text mate than our Lord Jesus Christ.
He always waits for our message and responds in many wonderful
ways. All we need to do is open our heart to His signal. The reward, my
friend, is our salvation!
The world we live in is full of sins, starting from the motives of our
mind to the emotion of our hearts. Arrogance, lies and personal desires
deprive us of dignity and honor. Corruption, narco-politics, crimes,
terrorism and trade irregularities are troubling this country, and you
like many other Filipinos, feel helpless.
There are those who decided to take up arms, but they themselves fell
to sin. The media, in spite of its many pretensions of being upright,
only makes things worse. You see ads and TV programs promoting
sexual desires, homosexuality and other forms of immorality, and you
begin to be convinced that they are funny and entertaining. But who
finds the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah entertaining?
The truth, my friend, is that our heart teems with evil desires. We are
discriminating and proud, looking down on those who are poor. We
cherish our possessions in life and are glad we have things other
people don't. We treasure our beautiful friends and move away from
those we consider "losers". We save for our future, but our future
would be over soon. Then comes death. What have we done with our
lives?
now!
God, the most high, I praise You for your great kindness. I thank You for
sending Jesus Christ from Heaven, so that He can deliver me from the
sins of Earth. I confess that I am a sinner and receive the grace of your
salvation through Jesus Christ. From now on, I accept Jesus Christ as
my Lord and Savior and allow Him to prevail upon my old self so that
He will lead me from death to life. Glory to You, our God in the highest.
I pray, in the name of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen!
My friend, if you want to know more about Jesus Christ and the
wonderful things that He has done for us, we invite you to visit these
websites: http://emmaus.50megs.com/ and
http://www.cbphilippines.org/ or send an email to juan