We hear the desire in your heart for focus, discipline, consistency and intensity both in your training and more importantly in your walk with God through reading the Bible and prayer morning and evening and whenever you eat and train, and we join with you to seek God's will together in Jesus' name.
We commend you for wanting to be disciplined in the Word and in prayer, for this is God's will for you. God honors a heart that seeks Him diligently. We are reminded in Joshua 1:8, This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success. And Psalm 119:105 says, Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light for my path. To grow in discipline we must understand that discipline itself is a fruit of the Spirit and of self-control given by God. For God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control in 2 Timothy 1:7, and Proverbs 25:28 tells us, Like a city that is broken down and without walls is a man whose spirit is without restraint. The apostle Paul also speaks of training as we do our bodies, Don’t you know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run like that, that you may win. Every man who strives in the games exercises self-control in all things in 1 Corinthians 9:24-25. So we encourage you to run your spiritual race with the same intentionality, setting a fixed time morning and evening to meet with the Lord, keeping your Bible open and accessible, praying without ceasing as 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, and giving thanks before meals as in 1 Timothy 4:4-5, For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it is received with thanksgiving. For it is sanctified through the word of God and prayer. Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord, and not for men in Colossians 3:23, whether it is training or prayer or work.
We also want to lovingly address and correct what you shared about buying the lottery and hoping to win. We understand your pain, that you cannot work right now, that you do not want loans or to borrow from people because you have been scammed and have worked long hours, sometimes more than 24 hours, just to have nothing, and have made bad choices thinking they were right. The Lord sees that suffering and He cares deeply for you, as Psalm 34:18 says, Yahweh is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit. It is true that all money is God's money, for Psalm 24:1 says, The earth is Yahweh’s, with its fullness; the world, and those who dwell therein, and Haggai 2:8 says, The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says Yahweh of Armies. Yet because it is His, He calls us to be faithful stewards of it, not to seek to gain it by chance or by gambling. The lottery is a form of gambling that seeks quick wealth without labor and trusts in luck rather than in God's provision, and Scripture warns against this. Proverbs 13:11 says, Wealth gained dishonestly dwindles, but he who gathers by hand makes it grow. Proverbs 28:20 says, A faithful man is rich with blessings; but one who is eager to be rich will not go unpunished. And Proverbs 21:5 says, The plans of the diligent surely lead to profit; and everyone who is hasty surely rushes to poverty. We are called not to love money or to put our hope in uncertain riches, for 1 Timothy 6:10 says, For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some have been led astray from the faith in their greed, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows. And Hebrews 13:5 says, Be free from the love of money, content with such things as you have, for he has said, I will in no way leave you, nor will I in no way forsake you.
We gently rebuke the idea that the lottery is God's way to provide when you cannot work. God's way is to provide through His own hand as we seek Him first and walk in diligence and trust. Matthew 6:33 says, But seek first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Philippians 4:19 says, My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. If you are truly unable to work due to health or circumstance, God understands and He can provide through other God-honoring means and through His people, but if you are able to work in any capacity, Scripture is clear that we are to provide through honest labor. 2 Thessalonians 3:10 says, For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither let him eat. And Ephesians 4:28 says, Let him who stole steal no more; but rather let him labor, producing with his hands something that is good, that he may have something to give to him who has need. We encourage you to bring your financial needs to the Lord in prayer, to seek wise and godly counsel, to avoid any scheme that promises quick riches, and to trust Him to open doors for honest provision rather than putting your hope in a ticket.
We also notice that your request did not mention the name of Jesus Christ, and we must speak to this because it is of eternal importance. It is only by the name of Jesus that we have access to God and that we can be saved. We cannot come to the Father by our own discipline, good works, or hopes. John 14:6 says, Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me. And Acts 4:12 says, There is salvation in none other, for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, by which we must be saved. If you have not already, we urge you to place your faith in Jesus Christ, believing that He died for your sins and rose again, confessing Him as Lord, for Romans 10:9 says, that if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. And 1 John 1:9 promises, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Your past bad choices, even when you thought you were doing right, can be forgiven and redeemed by Him, and Romans 8:28 reminds us that We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose.
We now pray together for you.
Heavenly Father, we come before Your throne together in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, asking for Your mercy and grace upon this dear one. Lord, we ask that You grant focus, discipline, consistency and intensity for training, but even more for reading Your Word and for prayer morning and evening and with every meal. Fill this heart with hunger for Your Word and with a spirit of power, love and self-control. Help him to be diligent and steadfast, not growing weary in doing good, for in due season we will reap if we do not give up in Galatians 6:9. Teach him to redeem the time and to walk in self-control, to pray without ceasing and to meditate on Your Word day and night.
Father, we lift up the financial burden and the hurt from being scammed and from long hours of labor with little reward. Heal the wounds of disappointment and betrayal, provide for every need according to Your riches in glory in Christ Jesus, and lead him away from trusting in the lottery or in chance. Give him wisdom to be a faithful steward of what You have entrusted to him, to seek Your Kingdom first, and to trust in Your faithful provision. Open doors for honest, God-honoring work if it is Your will, or provide through Your own hand if work is truly not possible, and keep him content and free from the love of money. Forgive past bad choices and cleanse him through the blood of Jesus, and help him to walk in Your light and truth from this day forward.
We pray that he would know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior in a deeper and saving way, that he would call upon the name of Jesus and be saved, and that his life would be built upon the rock of Your Word. May he be strengthened with all power according to Your glorious might, and may he bring glory to You in all he does. We ask all this in the precious and powerful name of Jesus Christ, our only hope and our salvation, amen.