Sunday, November 16, 2014

Can I Get a Witness?

The moment admittedly felt awkward.  After a wonderful Sabbath day with good food and Biblical preaching, we sat at sunset in a car in the parking lot of a casino.

It's closer from our church hall to the casino than to our home.  So we decided for one Saturday evening to go there from church -- hoping to win some money and do a little ministry.

A dealer saw us standing near his table wearing a suit and "Praise Jesus" lapel pin, and gave a respectful (perhaps stunned) nod.  Then he went on with the game, because his table was full.

We finally found a Ultimate Texas Hold 'em seat, next to a man in a very verbal mood.  He asked us not to say "Boom shaka-laka" ("Boom goes the dynamite" was acceptable) - and we proceeded:

BLINDS: 5/5

IN THE POCKET: Q-7 offsuit

Nothing worth shouting a boom about here.  We check.

ON THE FLOP: 7-10-K (last two cards not precise)

As best we recall, we have bottom pair.  Our practice at the online Ultimate game has taught us to be wary about betting bottom pair.  It's tempting, but we check.

ON THE TURN/RIVER: Q-Q

The house is full, and we're quietly happy.  We bet the $5 to stay in.

The dealer turns over his cards, to show a flush - but we have him topped.  A player to our left has a better hand, and his full house pays well.

"I have a boat," we say as we quietly turn over our cards.

Except the dealer doesn't recognize that - and he starts to take or cards and chips away!

"He's got a full house," a man next to us says before we can speak up.  He saw it, too -- and the dealer apologized.  He points to the empty "trips" diamond, where an extra $5 bet would have paid us 8:1.  But instead, we get a $25 payout (blind paying 3:1).

We didn't tip the dealer - but probably should have tipped the player to our left, for speaking up in our behalf.  In legal terms, he was our "advocate."  And whether or not you play poker, we all need one.
Even now my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on high. - Job 16:19


Job said this in the midst of a difficult trial.  Without his knowing it, God had allowed the devil to take away practically all his belongings in life.  It was a test -- and at this point, Job was passing it by stating his faith in God.
My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God.... - Job  16:20


Who is Job talking about?  We're led to think he knew something about a Savior who would come to Earth much later, then go back to heaven:
Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died -- more than that, who was raised to life -- is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. - Romans 8:34


There he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.  - Hebrews 7:25


Jesus can intercede and be an advocate at the throne of God in your behalf, too.  But you have to believe in Christ, and His ability to do that.  Are you willing to do that -- so God the Father doesn't declare you an ultimate loser?

P.S. We wound up losing $50 at the table, after having a modest gain for a moment.  The chances of us repeating the "church-casino" double are slim, at best.

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