Fast Money

When creating a family, I solemnly promised GOD and all the witnesses that I would care for my wife and love her under any circumstances. And my promise immediately came into force and thus placed upon me a certain responsibility.

Working with my hands, I noticed that my income, though stable, was rather small to satisfy all our appetites and desires, and I began to think about where and how to earn more—and faster.

The first thing that came to mind was the lottery on the principle of 6 out of 49. I decided to look into this system and began to study all the possibilities of winning. The chance to get anything turned out to be so small that I did not even try to participate. But, observing the progress of the game and seeing how ordinary people weekly hit the Jackpot (the grand prize), I decided that I too could become the holder of this prize, for I have GOD, Who will help me get the desired. I decided to pray about it, promising to give GOD what is GOD’s, to support with this money orphanages, to gift this winning to those in need, and to leave something for myself to buy our own home and a new car. I declared my faith that the Lord is able to answer such good plans. And then I enthusiastically initiated my wife into the prospect of quick wealth. She, to my surprise, did not support me in this matter, but neither did she condemn me, saying that she did not understand this whole system, but that it all reminded her of fraud. I protested, but also did not dare to play blindly, expecting that the Lord Himself would name for me the needed numbers, and I would then receive the grand prize. But GOD was silent despite my fervent prayers.

The time came when the Jackpot had grown so large that it turned into a great sum, which I could not even spend in my thoughts.

And I resolved to step onto this territory, considering that success would be given to me according to my faith. Finding the nearest point of ticket sales, I went there and took a form to fill out. Looking at the field with numbers, I did not know where to put a cross and decided again to pray that the Lord would guide my hand. During the prayer a thought came to me: to whom does this system belong, which regularly fleeces millions of people to give something to one? Somehow this does not resemble Heavenly principles. And then I thought that the cross I would place with my hand is my signature on a form with an unknown owner. And, by signing, I acknowledge his power and come under the jurisdiction of this power, since it was my choice. I felt uneasy at such revelations. Somewhere in my soul a firm thought arose that the lottery is the business of the enemy of the soul, who feeds this world with the illusion of quick happiness. Putting the blank ticket back, I left that office and decided never again to play in anything of the kind.

But the thoughts of fast money did not leave me. I understood that there must be some path, for our world gives many such opportunities. Looking at beautiful houses and cars, I saw that these possibilities had become reality for someone. A thought came to mind—to go into the local casino and see how money is earned there. Although I felt that a casino is a suspicious place, the temptation to get rich quickly was very great, and I could do nothing about it, for I wanted to buy so much and to appear before the neighbors as people especially blessed by GOD.

Inside the casino building everything was solemn. People smiled at me kindly. I walked between the tables and various machines, studying all sorts of ways to get rich quickly. The roulette promised instant income with a high probability of winning. I saw players raking in winning chips and imagined how I would become one of the lucky ones. My mind tried to tell me that I needed to leave this place as quickly as possible, but I so wanted to prove that I could become rich, for there must be some way out. But when on one of the machines I saw the image of a smiling demonic creature, I suddenly realized that I was again under some strange spell, and I quickly left that building as well. The fresh air finally sobered me, and I began to feel shame for my greedy thoughts.

But the thirst for quick gain did not leave me, and I tried to test myself in stock-market games. There, at least, everything was clean—so it seemed to me. I saw how my neighbor, a broker, prospered; and why was I worse than he, for I am also a believer, and the Lord would surely bless me with special wisdom.

Since I had neither the opportunity nor the time to attend brokerage courses, I downloaded a popular stock-market program and set up a demo version with a notional account. At first I lost all the virtual money, trying to buy something and sell something in this new world of stocks and rates. But over time I began to analyze the market and foresee various jumps and to make my trades precisely at that time. My virtual account began to grow rapidly, and I could make large bets and receive large winnings.

I shared my success with my wife, to which she reacted skeptically; but, seeing the large sum in my account, she did not comment. When my imaginary capital passed a million, I decided to try to move on to real money. Informing my wife, I heard her lamentations that we might lose everything; but I showed her the history of my winnings and how wisely I bought and sold stocks and securities. She, having studied what she saw, gave silent consent. I decided first to secure GOD’s support and in a sincere, fervent prayer asked for His Blessing on my decision; then, by faith, I transferred all our savings to a real account and began to watch the securities market closely.

In a few days I was able to earn a tidy sum and even managed to withdraw this money and send it to my wife’s card, which greatly surprised and delighted her. We calculated that in the near future we could change our old car for a newer one. My wife rejoiced in my successes on the stock markets, and every evening we offered GOD prayers of thanksgiving.

One day I missed a promising trade, and, so as not to lose my money, I decided to pour the amount in the account into one enterprise in order to come out a winner. But the owner of the shares I had bought declared himself bankrupt, and I was left with nothing.

I sat at my empty account and could not believe my eyes. Again and again I analyzed the whole path of buying and selling. One of the banking companies immediately offered me a loan so that I could quickly win back and repay the loan taken. But I was so shocked by what had happened that I did not know what to do next and, in a stupor, stared at the computer screen, trying to get an answer to the mute question: “For what, Lord?” I had no money on the exchange, nor in my bank account, nor in my wallet. I understood that I had lost something.

Knowing the laws of happiness, I decided to rejoice and give thanks, but in my soul “cats were scratching.”

When I told my wife about my loss, she at once began to weep bitterly, which aggravated my condition. In the following days I spent time in deep reflections and prayers. I took a fast and read the Bible, trying to find an answer, and it was given to me in the Book of Proverbs 28:20.

1. Please read Prov. 28:20; Deut. 8:10–18; Ps. 62:11; 139:23–24; Prov. 11:16, 28; 23:4–5; Eccl. 2:18–19; 5:9, 18; Jer. 9:23–24; 23:13; Mark 4:18–19; 10:23–25; Rev. 3:17–18 in light of this lesson.

2. What did you understand from this topic?

3. What other Bible verses came to your memory?

4. Have you ever tried to multiply your wealth by a quick method?

5. Is it important to understand who is the true owner of the gambling business?

6. What is the difference between quick accumulations and windfall profits and consistent saving?

7. Is the desire to have quick profit something bad?

8. How do you understand CHRIST’s expression about laying up treasures in Heaven? Matt. 6:19–21.

9. Are money evil? 1 Tim. 6:10.

10. What role in the spiritual world is played by my signature on the documents of the enemy of the soul?

11. Is it worth considering whether the place where I earn money is something good in GOD’s Eyes?

12. What kinds of accursed business are familiar to you?

13. Should GOD’s children think about what nature and source the money they earn have?

14. Have you ever lost your money, wanting to double it quickly?

15. How do you understand Prov. 19:1: “Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool”?