Maybe "take" is a misleading word to use, considering some of the Biblical examples:
Now a man came up to Jesus and asked: "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?".... Jesus replied.... "If you want to enter life, obey the commandments." - Matthew 19:16-17
Some people say keeping God's Ten Commandments is easy. Others say they're deceptively hard, especially when it comes to living a spiritually deep life. But here's how Jesus specified them in this case:
Jesus replied: "Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother, and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'" - Matthew 19:18-19
Several of these points go against some people's self-centered human nature. And that's the very point Jesus may have been making. God wants to take away our sinful nature, and put on His more loving and giving nature.
"All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?" Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." - Matthew 19:20-21
It's not so much that God takes things away from us -- it's that we have to be willing to give them up.
Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. - Luke 17:33
Our lives need to become more like His life -- devoted to God, and following the example of Jesus Christ. Yet the man Jesus was teaching in Matthew 19 apparently wasn't ready to make that kind of commitment...
When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. - Matthew 19:22
Which matters more to you: a big chip stack (or bank account) now, or the opportunity of living forever with God and Jesus? If God should take away the former, the latter still will be eternally better.
So consider it carefully. Maybe Jesus does want those poker chips -- for a very good reason, that He will reveal to the world someday.
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