Almost Kings

Pocket Kings look good to some poker players. But they're scary to others - because someone with an Ace might show them up on the flop.

But would you like to someday be a king? Our last post examined some interesting writing that indicates you can be. But as we looked closely at it, questions arose. Here's what we read:

And has made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. - Revelation 5:10 (KJV)

But then we backtracked and saw this....

And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the Lamb.... - Revelation 5:8 (NIV)

So what's going on? Is the future title of "king" only for some mysterious creatures in heaven?

We found the explanation is as simple as comparing Bible translations. Since we cited the New International Version in verse 8, let's keep reading it....

And they sang a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, ad they shall reign on the earth." - Revelation 5:9-10

We emphasized a few key words here. The creatures and elders praise Jesus for purchasing men - as in human beings. A footnote in the New King James indicates some Greek versions of Revelation which have been handed down over time put the emphasis on humans, while others do not.

A check of numerous translations indicates most translate this section as giving the "kings and priests" title to humans. It fits better with other verses in Revelation - verses which explain how you can become a king:

To him who overcomes I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcome and sat down with my Father on his throne. - Revelation 3:21

These are words of a resurrected Jesus. He amazingly offers you the opportunity to be resurrected as well, and sit with Him! (We think Jesus would be the "Ace", overriding our King-ship.)

But as our title (borrowing from a rock band) indicates, there's something we must do. To borrow from an old spiritual, we must overcome. And....

To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations.... - Revelation 2:26

We overcome this world and our own sinful nature by doing the will of Jesus Christ. Discover that will by reading carefully through the first four books of the New Testament. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are known as the "gospels," telling the story of Jesus from conception to crucifixion to resurrection.

But we've left one question unanswered here. What about those "elders" mentioned in Revelation 5? We'll keep working on that for another post.

Faith at Work

We mentioned to a table at a recent poker tournament how everyone should be a "person of faith." No one asked about it then, but perhaps it a question with you: what is a "person of faith," anyway?

Baptist preacher Charles Stanley said years ago, "Everybody has faith.... in something." You may have faith in your poker-playing skills, and how they can make you money. Perhaps your faith is in your money - that you have a big enough bank account to survive a personal or national trial.

The Bible offers several definitions of faith. Here's a common one:

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. - Hebrews 11:1

Come to think of it, doesn't that rule out faith in money? You can pull that out of the bank or investments and stash lots of dollar bills under your mattress.

But the Bible is talking about a different kind of faith here....

By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. - Hebrews 11:3

Not even the strongest believer in reincarnation would dare say he/she remembers what happened at creation. It admittedly takes faith to believe that happened, although there's some scientific evidence to support it.

But here's the biggest "faith matter" for you and me....

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. - Hebrews 11:6

God actually wants you to come to Him, as Jesus encouraged (Matthew 11:28). But it takes faith to believe Someone you've never directly seen.

Many poker players ought to know a little about faith. How many times have you called bets with a straight or flush draw? You have faith (or, better put, hope) that the key card will come to give you a winning hand - even if the mathematical odds are against you.

 It may seem like even more faith is needed to believe God. But what other hope do you have of advancing past this life?

And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.... If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. - I Corinthians 15:14, 19

Yet the Bible records the resurrection of Jesus Christ, from several reports. Put your faith in them, and by extension in a God who raises the dead. After all, He wants to raise you to eternal life.

Poker Day 566: Flop-House

We arrived at Hollywood Casino Indiana today for an unusual (for us) Tuesday midday tournament, then discovered we could pick up a nice consolation prize.

A snack shop across the hall from the casino was offering free dessert, to mark National Strawberry Ice Cream Day! This was a $4.95 value - and c'mon, how many casinos offer free ice cream? If only we could survive to the first break, and not have to wait around for the coupon….

BLINDS: 300/600

IN THE POCKET: K-10 of clubs

At this point, the ice cream coupon is secured. It's the middle of Hour 2, after we overcame an early setback with pocket Kings to close Hour 1 at 13,475 from a starting 12,000 chips. We tend to fold K-10 when blinds go up and things get risky. But these are suited, so we try them. Two other players at the table of eight call.

ON THE FLOP: 10-10-K

No clubs. But no problem! We build an instant full house! A man to our right plays first, and offers 1,200. This reminds us of our last tournament in Kansas City.

"I can do 12," we say matter-of-factly. The third man can't; he folds.

ON THE TURN: 7

We doubt this helped our opponent at all. This time he checks. We want him to stick around and keep feeding our beast, so we make a hesitant-looking bet of 1,500. He calls. We're glad about it.

ON THE RIVER: 3

We should have the TV "check-mark" at this point. Now our opponent is ready to bet again - but backs off a little, to 1,100.

"No," we say. "Not enough." Forgetting it's an ice cream day, we raise to 3,100. Will our opponent take the dare? After a moment.... he does!

Then we remember the famous words a man said to oust us at a Alabama poker night years ago. "I flopped it," we say. When we show the full house, our opponent folds without showing.

"Was it that ice cream?" another player asks.

"I haven't eaten the ice cream yet," we answer with a smile.

Thankfully, the ice cream had to wait a long while. Big timely cards kept coming our way - never pocket Aces, but several winning A-K's and a couple of successful flushes. We ballooned to 36,200 after two hours of play. then reached the final table at 42,200.

Marvelous moments kept happening there. Even though we fell to 32,200 at the three-hour break, we won a sidepot with A-10 and made a big flush with 6 of hearts. Then we had three hands of 3-3 4-4 and 3-3! The first pocket pair was blown up for a full house on the river, but the other two led to double-ups - and we survived to the final three, to make the money!

After a few hands of chip shuffling, we asked a question. "Is it time to say 'chop'?" The other two men agreed to that. We wound up with $360 - seven times the $70 buy-in! We were thankful for God's guidance in making money. And since it's January, we were able to drive the free ice cream all the way home to enjoy later.

MINISTRY MOMENT: When we turned over 6-6 at the final table, one talkative opponent declared: "Satan's hand."

"Actually, that's three sixes," we said in correction.

"You'll need three sixes," he predicted in response.

That man turned out to be wrong, as the 6 of hearts led us to a winning flush. But this is a reminder that some people don't know the Bible as well as they think. Let's review his reference....

Wisdom is needed here. Let the one with understanding solve the meaning of the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is 666. - Revelation 13:18 (NLT)

Many people have made guesses about what 666 means. We will not do that here. But the prophecies of Revelation indicate the future "beast-man" will require everyone to worship it, and receive some kind of mark for trading (verses 15-17). But believers in the true God should do something else....

….This means that God's holy people must endure persecution patiently and remain faithful. - Revelation 13:10 (NLT)

You don't have to wait for an end-time beast to come to do these things, you know. The best time to start practicing these traits is now:

If we endure hardship, we will reign with him. If we deny him, he will deny us. If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is. - II Timothy 2:12-13 (NLT)

By the way, there's one other 666 in the Bible - the size of a Israelite family (Ezra 2:13). We didn't find any 66's in the text. But there's one big overarching one - as the standard Bible has 66 books! Can you name all of them? And even more importantly, have you read through all of them?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 214 final tables in 566 games (37.8%) - 46 cashes. Since we crossed the 500-tournament mark in April 2017, we've had 31 finals in 66 tries.... not far from 50 percent!

Beyond That Name

Our last post explained the name of this blog. It's called "On the Flop" for several reasons.

But to be honest, there have been times over the years when we wonder if we misnamed it - and should have mentioned the two cards after the flop instead.

The turn card is fourth out of five on the board, in standard Texas Hold 'em. If you're one card away from a flush or straight on the flop, you could make it here. A lot can, well, turn on that card.

In the same way, God wants all of us to "make the turn" in life. That advice began early in history - long before "come to Jesus moments" became a cliché:

The Lord your God will delight in you if you obey his voice and keep the commands and decrees written in this Book of Instruction, and if you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and soul. - Deuteronomy 30:10 (NLT)

That "Book" was what Jews call the Torah - the first five books of the Old Testament. The "turn" to God should be complete, not holding back anything in our lives. And it means obeying what God says - or in our time, what He has inspired to be written in the Bible.

So a great change can happen "On the Turn." And in poker, the river card comes after that. It comes out last, but many times it's not least. Big pots and tournament titles have been decided by a dramatic river card.

The Bible speaks of rivers as well, often in symbolic terms. Consider this one....

Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living. - Amos 5:24 (NLT)

The prophet (and, by extension, God) was not satisfied with simply "noisy hymns of praise" (verse 23, NLT). Praise music has its place, but living "On the River" in a godly way is even better.

But make no mistake - that "come to Jesus moment" still matters. In fact, Jesus puts it all together:

Now on the last day, the great day of the Feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.'" - John 7:37-38 (NASB)

The "rivers" here refer to the Holy Spirit of God working in your life (verse 39). It comes when you repent of your sin - admitting you're a "flop" in God's eyes, then "turning" your life over to Him.

All that may sound hard to do - harder than winning any poker tournament.  But we're reminded of what NASCAR pit reporter Winston Kelly said one day during a race: "It takes a pretty brave man to admit he made a mistake." May you have the courage to admit your mistakes and sins to God - then start moving toward the river.

Poker Night 560: Brave-Hearted

Over the river (Ohio) and through the woods (we think; it was dark)…. to poker night we did go. With no time after work to make a long drive to see relatives, we went to Hollywood Casino Indiana for a Thanksgiving Eve tournament.

You may not realize Thanksgiving Eve is a party night for some people. In fact, the tournament in Lawrenceburg attracted the biggest Wednesday night crowd we've seen. This time, we'd have to earn our way to a final table.

BLINDS: 25/50

IN THE POCKET: Ace-King of hearts

The first round of blinds is about to end, and it's been a nightmare for us. A-Q lost to a club flush. Then A-K lost. Then A-Q failed again. Our starting stack of 12,000 chips is already down to about 8,000.

So sitting in leadoff position at a full table of ten, we limp in. A man across from us raises to 425. Others fold, but we clearly don't. We're quickly heads-up.

ON THE FLOP: 5h-7c-7h

No big cards, but a big flush draw for us. We check to the aggressor. He tosses out 800. We feel we must go for this, so we call.

ON THE TURN: 3d

Swing and a miss. So we check again. Our opponent adds to the temptation, with a bet of 1,600. We're slightly tempted to respond by going all-in, but we don't. Yet we're committed to this, come what may. We call again.

ON THE FLOP: Jh

Thank you, Lord! We hit the monster flush! But since our opponent is being the aggressor, we check again.

"I'm all-in," he says. We don't even think twice - even though he might have a longshot full house.

"I'll call." For our last 5,200 or so.

"You win. Congratulations on hitting your heart," he answers. He mucks his cards without a show. We have to show ours to claim the prize, and we gladly do. That opponent is still in the game, but we're really in the game with a double-up to more than 17,500!

That was one of only two hands we won in the first hour, as we reached the break with 16,775. Hour Two brought ups and downs, as our misreads cost us hands. Yet we doubled up again by winning a race of A-J versus A-10, to soar above 20,000. We reached the second break at 18,800.

But then a crippling loss came when our A-Q lost to a woman with pocket 6's, followed by a lot of bad cards. With the field dwindling, we finally saw A-J of clubs and pushed with them. But a caller with pocket Queens topped us. A hard fight ended with us finishing 15th out of 39 players.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "It's the eve of Thanksgiving," our first dealer declared at the start of the evening.

"Can I go ahead and be thankful now?" we asked jokingly.

The dealer allowed that - and then we asked a couple of players next to us what they're thankful for this year.

"Five-six of hearts," one man told us. "Then 2-3-4 on the flop."

Funny, yes. But we meant to be serious. "I'm thankful that I know Jesus Christ as my Savior," we said.

"There you go," that man said.

"Do you know Jesus? Is He your Savior?"

"It's hard to know," he answered.

Well..... is it, really? To some people, the Christian faith is indeed a mystery....

In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ.... - Ephesians 3:4

Full-length books have been written about the "mystery of God". Yet somehow, some of them don't mention these words where the apostle Paul clarifies things....

This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise of Christ Jesus. - Ephesians 3:6

If you don't have Jewish lineage, you qualify as one of "the Gentiles." You can share in the promise of Jesus. And knowing that promise, as well as Him, is to some extent up to you:

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. - II Peter 3:18

We think that growth comes from reading the Bible carefully, then following what it says. And if you do....

I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection of the dead. - Philippians 3:10-11

A resurrection to eternal life is promised to those who accept Jesus as their Savior, then endure with Him to the end (Matthew 24:13). Whenever you keep a day of thanksgiving (national holiday or not), be sure to thank God for that promise - and the love He showed in providing Jesus for us.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 210 final tables in 560 games (37.5%) - 44 cashes. We've missed back-to-back final tables for the first time since July.

From Porn to Poker (and Vice Versa)

Most bloggers are thrilled to find people visiting their pages. We are, too - but for us, the thrill depends on what sort of visitors they are.

We've discovered in recent weeks we're getting a lot of visits from people on a pornography site. (No, we won't name it.) Maybe they're coming here to clean up their minds, after watching X-rated material. Or perhaps they've bookmarked us for changing the screen, if a boss or spouse is coming.

Some people might say poker and other casino activities lead down a path to porn. The reasoning comes from verses like this one:

For everything in the world - the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does - comes not from the Father but from the world. - I John 2:16

Casino drink servers always seem to be female - and some of them admittedly can wear suggestive clothing. If men are not very careful, that can lead to lust. And that lust simply is not of God.

But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. - Matthew 5:28

These words of Jesus come after a reminder of the Biblical command against adultery (verse 27; Matthew 19:18) - and He noted even the wrong desire for women can be a sin.

If you happen to be here after browsing Internet porn, we urge you: repent of the porn habit. Develop a "God habit" instead. After all, God's word warns....

….for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. - I Chronicles 28:9

Visiting this blog regularly can help you develop that God habit. But it's even better to read the Bible daily. Think carefully about what it is. Then do what it says, as best you're able. Put the God habit even above a poker habit. It's much better for you, and normally doesn't require hiding anything.

(For more on developing a God habit, check this article we wrote several years ago.)

Poker Night 558: Sing the Queen City

Not many women show up for the poker tournaments we attend. But that doesn't mean "ladies" can't have an impact at the table. Take this example from tonight's game at Jack Casino, in the "Queen City" of Cincinnati....

BLINDS: 150/300

IN THE POCKET: Q-Q

We won one early pot, but otherwise have struggled. A-Q and 8-8 both missed the flop and got us chased away. Now we have a nice pocket pair in the Small Blind, holding about 9,000 chips. But a player to our right raises to 1,000. Sorry, these cards are too nice. We call, and we're heads-up.

ON THE FLOP: 2-4-10 (suits are not an issue)

These cards mean we have an overpair - and now we're first to act. We follow our opponent's lead and bet 1,000. He calls.

ON THE TURN: 3

The lower, the better - or at least that's what it seems. In the spirit of a "turbo" tournament, we quickly offer 1,000 again. He quickly calls.

ON THE RIVER: 2

This pairs the board - but we can't imagine our opponent is holding a 2. We quickly try another 1,000. He quickly calls again. What does he have?

"I have Queens," we say as we show.

He shows.... well, no, he doesn't! He folds, never saying a word. We're left to guess. Maybe A-K?! Whatever it is, we'll happily take a pot of more than 8,000 chips.

On another slow Sunday night with only 16 entries, we reached the final table with 10,050 chips. After winning a hand there, we tried to limp in with 9-9 and the button. When no one bet a flop of J-8-7, we went big and bet 4,000. That led the leadoff player to push, and we called.... except he had J-8. His well-played trap held up, and we were eliminated in ninth place.

MINISTRY MOMENT: A man we've met before remembered our "Lord's Supper" card protector, and felt led to talk quietly about his church life. He attended church with his family from roughly ages 14-24, then apparently stopped for awhile.

"I've been attending the Church of Christ down on Third Street," he told us - but admitted he hasn't gone there in more than a month.

"I think it's good to go to church on a regular basis," we responded, "so we can be reminded of what God is doing for us, and what we need to do for Him."

Let's take those two things in order. The apostle Paul gave a young evangelist this advice:

Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage - with great patience and careful instruction. - II Timothy 4:2

We think a good church will emphasize "the Word" - and that means more than simply the Bible:

In the beginning was the Word.... The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. - John 1:1, 14

This only could be talking about Jesus Christ. His example and the Bible in general corrects us of our misunderstandings, rebukes us of sins and errors, then encourages us to walk in step with God.

And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love. - II John 6

Can you "walk in love", even in a poker room? We think it's possible. We'll explain how in an upcoming post.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 210 final tables in 558 games (37.6%) - 44 cashes. Tonight marked our seventh final table in a row, going back to Labor Day!

The Big Folder

We've been studying through one of the more complex books of the Bible lately. If you read carefully, you might come across a few apparent references to poker. For instance:

The fool folds his hands and ruins himself. - Ecclesiastes 4:5

A poker player looking for some "inspiration" might stumble across that verse, and resolve to play every hand during his next trip to the table. But we've seen plenty of players wind up in ruins taking that approach, too.

Verses like this are why we believe you should read the Bible carefully. This is not about poker at all - at least not directly. Consider the verses around it....

And I saw that all labor and all achievement spring from man's envy of his neighbor. This too is meaningless.... Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind. - Ecclesiastes 4:4, 6

The context here involves the work we do. Some people make a living playing poker, of course. Whether you do that or not, what is your motive behind the work you do? Verse 4 indicates some people act based on jealous envy of the success of others. That's a dangerous approach to take....

For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts.... greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy.... All these evils come from inside and make a man "unclean." - Mark 7:21-23

Jesus Christ said those words - declaring greed and envy "evil." But our main verse is in contrast to that. Someone who "folds his hands" and doesn't work at all will wind up in ruin.

Verse 6 shows the more balanced why of thinking. Earn a modest living peacefully, instead of overworking with a greedy intent. To borrow an old Rush Limbaugh phrase, going for it all can lead to a loss - in this case, loss of relationships and sound-minded priorities.

Hmmm - come to think of it, maybe there are poker lessons here. Play hands and games with a tranquil, peaceful state of mind, instead of a "get-even" philosophy. And don't overdo things, as you strive for success. After all, we've played long enough to know that sometimes a "fold" can be the best play of all.

Slot, Pop and Play

Casinos are filled with them. We tend to walk right by them. But this evening, we were challenged to be successful at them - for two minutes.

Jack Casino invited us to its August "Birthday Bash". (Now you know our birthday month.) The main event was a free-entry slot tournament, with $2,500 in free play at stake. All we had to do was post one of the five highest scores in a two-hour span.

Our game time was 6:20 p.m. We stood behind the early leader, who racked up more than 100,000 points at 6:05. Doris's strategy was simple: pound the "play" button on the slot machine as quickly as you could, and watch the screen to touch balloons that occasionally appeared for thousands of bonus points.

"May the best button-pusher win," we said to a man next to us when our turn came.

Our tongue was only partly in-cheek. This tournament reminded us of why we avoid slots and prefer playing poker. Slot machines tend to be mindless, with no real skill involved. If you think religion is that way as well.... well, it really shouldn't be. Consider what Jesus told one man:

He answered, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'....." "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live." - Luke 10:27-28

Jesus was talking about how to obtain eternal life (verse 25). It's an "all-in" process - and that includes loving God with "all your mind." Does that mean turning your brain off at the church door? We believe it's exactly the opposite....

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things. - Philippians 4:8

For instance, it means thinking over whether poker players are telling "true stories" in the way they play their hands. It also means thinking carefully about what God really expects of your life....

...But test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. - I Thessalonians 5:21 (NLT)

Sometimes the "gospel truth" well-intentioned people bring you is really "fake news." You can prove fact from fiction by comparing those comments with the Bible. If you're not a Bible reader, we recommend doing it daily to understand God properly.

But we digress....

The countdown went to zero, and our "two-minute drill" was on! We pressed the slot machine's "play" button with our right hand about six times a second, while saving our left hand for balloons to pop. We saw "second place" on our screen at one point early, and noticed we were above 60,000 points at the one-minute mark (everyone starts with 10,000).

"We want balloons!" we said to the machine several times, changing hands for the "play" button to avoid slowing down. To our knowledge, we didn't miss any balloons. But were we strong enough to win?

"You beat me!" we said to the man on our right after the clock reached zero. Our final score: 82,035 points. He was above 88,000. Based on the early results, 100,000 or more probably would be required to "make the money" - and we were only sixth in our group.

With our daily exercise (as we called it) completed, we walked over to the birthday party area. Jack's email promised cupcakes, but Jack topped that (for a change) with a full two-flavor cake, cookies and punch.

"If I had eaten the cake before the game, I might have done better," we joked to people around us. Perhaps a "sugar rush" would have made us press buttons faster. Instead, we settled for a consolation prize of a small win at a blackjack table.

In contrast to this, Hollywood Casino Indiana awarded us $15 in "birthday comps" on our card - good for a couple of free meals at one of the restaurants. Which deal do you think was better? Use your mind to comment - and even to worship the God who makes these moments possible.

Poker Night 549: Monsters' Ball

Courtesy Fox19.com

If we had gone to Jack Casino for poker tonight, we might have encountered this. A small "colony" of homeless people (their word for it) has set up a tent camp across from the casino.

We left it to that group to send someone inside, to try and win enough money to gain everyone housing. They probably would have done better than we did tonight at the alternative, Hollywood Casino Indiana....

BLINDS: 25/50

IN THE POCKET: 9-9

It's the fourth hand of the night, with a full table of ten. The previous hand brought an awe-striking fold - as a woman with pocket Kings gave them up, when a man with pocket Aces went all-in pre-flop.

We were in the Big Blind then, and folded a measly 4-8. Now we're in the Small Blind, and no one has raised.

"I'm not going to do what he did," we say, "but I'll raise." We make it 150 to go, and three players take us on.

ON THE FLOP: 8s-8d-8h

It's a toll-free flop - and an immediate full house for us! This calls for a continuation bet, to see who's simply chasing big cards. We put out 400. The first opponent folds. The second calls. The third folds. So we're heads-up.

ON THE TURN: 4h

We doubt this helped our opponent at all. But what does he have? A full house of his own? We check, hoping to get a clue - but he checks, too.

ON THE RIVER: 2h

Now three hearts are showing. If he stumbled into a flush, we still have him topped. The larger concern is a larger pocket pair. So we make a rather cautious bet of 500.... and he raises to 2,500.

We've taken the lead in this hand, so we feel compelled to see it through to the end. We call. "Do you have a full house?" we ask.

"I have the 8," he says. OUCH!!! He hit quads on the flop, then waited us out! A good, well-played monster hand for him. We won a few hundred chips back minutes later with a hidden A-Q.

But then, when a man raised to 1,100, we saw pocket Aces in the Big Blind. Pushing like that earlier player did would have seemed too obvious, so we raised to 3,500. He called - and the flop was K-Q-10. For no good reason except to scare him away, we bet 5,000. Our opponent went all-in. We feared the worst, but called anyway. His cards: Q-Q. The turn and river didn't save us, and we finished our worst poker night this year - first out, in under 30 minutes.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "We're all playing with a short deck," the dealer said at one point in the early minutes.

"Now you're getting philosophical," we told him with tongue-in-cheek. But we admitted, "I need to grow in knowledge." And when our turn with the cards came, we explained, "I need to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ."

That reminder comes right out of the New Testament:

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. - II Peter 3:18

These closing words of the apostle Peter should be taken in their entirety. For years, we attended church groups that emphasized the "knowledge" part - but on knowing scriptures, more than knowing the One who is the focus of Scripture. The two should go hand-in-hand....

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. - Colossians 1:9

Spiritual wisdom means a "sound mind" (II Timothy 1:7, KJV). We'll admit we really didn't have it in our last hand of the night.

We should have realized the flop gave our opponent an excellent chance of hitting two high pair or three of a kind. Yet instead of making the awe-striking fold like that woman did, we did our own version of "going on tilt" - hoping the longshots that bit us recently would turn around and help us.

So the knowledge of Jesus Christ is important - but so is His grace. We need it, after clearly making a bad decision to go out for a poker night instead of staying home to work on other things. But thankfully, we can do this....

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. - Hebrews 4:16

Do you need God's mercy for some reason - perhaps something much bigger than a poker meltdown? Ask God for it in prayer, repenting of sin if the case requires it. He's willing to listen and forgive.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 202 final tables in 549 games (36.8%) - 41 cashes.

Signs of the Times

Some players at the final table couldn't believe their ears, when we explained a call at a recent tournament. We matched an all-in bet with our pocket 8's, after seeing a lot of 8's at our regular job earlier in the day.

Was it really a "sign from God" that we should play poker? Well, the Bible indicates God has given signs from time to time during history. One of the most famous examples involves a man named Gideon....

Gideon said to God, "If you will save Israel by my hand - look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said." And that is what happened...." - Judges 6:37-38

Gideon went on to ask God for a second sign, before going into battle - and God provided it (verses 39-40).

But many modern-day preachers say that's not how a believer in God should operate now. They'd say we should follow the Bible for guidance in life....

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking correcting and training in righteousness.... - II Timothy 3:16

That's very good advice, of course. But how does it translate to day-to-day decisions, such as entering a poker tournament? Or searching for a job or a mate?

One way to know God's will in a matter is to see if He blocks your plans. It happened to an early apostle:

Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. - Acts 16:6-7

The Bible doesn't say exactly what kind of block God threw. Our NIV Study Bible says He could have used "vision, circumstances, good sense...." We lean toward a vision, based on what happened afterward:

During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. - Acts 16:9-10

So God also can send messages through visions, about what you should or shouldn't do. We addressed this in a post about dreams earlier this year.

Whether your big decision involves poker or not, we recommend praying to God about it first.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. - Philippians 4:6

We pray before poker outing we make. Sometimes we hit it big. Sometimes we don't. But seeking God's guidance in a matter.... in any matter.... certainly can't hurt. In fact, we believe it often helps.

Poker Night 539: Spade Work

A few weeks ago on a Wednesday night, we hit a royal flush on the very first hand of a tournament at Hollywood Casino Indiana. We returned there Wednesday night, not really expecting to see lightning strike twice. But lo and behold....

BLINDS: 25/50

IN THE POCKET: Ace of hearts-8 of spades

This time it's about the third hand of the tournament. Unlike before, a full table of ten has gathered - the entire field at this point.

"Looks like a big family pot," someone says as almost everyone calls. We're in the Small Blind, and are delighted to join the party.

ON THE FLOP: 7s-10s-7c

There's a pair.... and maybe someone hit a 10. We'll simply check for now. The "family" checks around.

ON THE TURN: 6s

Suddenly our Ace is no longer the key card. We have three different draws: straight (with a 9), flush (another spade) or a straight flush. We'll simply check again. A bit surprisingly, everyone else does the same. Could history repeat itself?

ON THE RIVER; 9s

Why yes... yes, it can! We hit the straight flush!

"Whoever has the eight of spades is in good shape," we believe someone says. Indeed, but how much is that worth?

A few weeks before, we offered 1,000 with the royal flush. Our lone opponent folded. Now in the leadoff position, we act more reluctant. With a shrug, we say, "100?!?!" That's enough to get two callers; everyone else folds.

"You asked about the 8 of spades?" we say.... but the others in the hand interrupt us.

"I've got an 8," one says. OK, it's a straight. The other man's spade makes him a flush. Now we try again?

"You asked about the 8 of spades?" It's been showing throughout the discussion - and it wins us about 700 chips. We tried to mention our royal flush to a couple of other players, but they move on quickly.

Our gains and losses were small in the first hour, and we reached the break with 10,225 out of a starting 12,000. Things looked a bit bleak in the middle of the second hour, but then nice cards started to come. A few good pots kept us around the starting number, and we made it to the final table on a 17-player night with 9,900.

Those numbers worked right away at the final table, as pocket 9's led to a third one on the flop. Our push wound up eliminating two players! Our high total was 28,400, but we couldn't keep up with bigger stacks.

We held on until four players were left, then went all-in with A-6. A caller showed A-4 - but a 4 on the flop gave him a winning pair. We finished fourth, on a night when only the top two earned money. But two final tables this week give us five out of six in the Cincinnati area.

MINISTRY MOMENT: One of the hot topics at the table was ABC television's sudden cancellation of Roseanne, in the wake of a controversial tweet by Roseanne Barr.

"To borrow from a famous book," we told a dealer, "out of the abundance of the heart, a person tweets."

The phrase stumped the dealer, so we stated the original version - a Bible version, of course:

...For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. - Matthew 12:34 (KJV)

These are words of Jesus Christ, who was openly skeptical of a "generation of vipers" He considered "evil." He used that tough language to describe Pharisees, who were considered the law-keepers of that day (verse 24). Jesus went on to warn....

But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned. - Matthew 12:36-37

This goes not only for TV comedy stars, but poker players. Most U.S. poker rooms have "English only" policies for speaking during hands. OK - but is your English proper? Is it uplifting? Or is it crude and X-rated?

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. - James 3:9-10

Have you considered keeping score for a day or a week about how often you praise someone or something, as well as how often you curse people or things? (Include social media in that count, if you join in it.) Given what Jesus said, God actually might be doing that right now.

If your heart is filled with the Holy Spirit of God, we'd like to think the praise count will be much higher - especially in thanks to God. So to borrow from an old song, count your blessings. And your cursing, if you dare.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 197 final tables in 539 games (36.5%) - 40 cashes.

Poker Night 524: One Last Chance

We began our poker career in Columbus, Georgia - a city so much along the Georgia-Alabama state line that we could jog from our front door to Alabama in less than 15 minutes. The college football national championship game dominated that area's attention tonight. But we don't live there anymore, so we focused on the return of Monday night poker at Five-Star Billiards - warts and all.

BLINDS: 500/1,000

IN THE POCKET: A-Q

We won the first hand of the night with pocket 9's. Our chip stack has gone up and down from there. Now as we sit in late position, we decide to change our usual strategy. We call with these big cards, instead of raising.

A man to our immediate left who likes to wear a bowler hat at the table goes all in for 700. Two other players get in, so other players sort out the chips. Mr. Bowler Hat can win 2,800 chips. Another 1,200 is in a sidepot.

ON THE FLOP: A-10-J

We like the looks of this - top pair with almost top kicker. The other men check, so we bet 1,500.

"You don't know how to play, do you?" a man across the table grumbles.

"I don't?!" we ask. The man folds, indicating we should have left well enough alone.

"It's not a dry pot," says a man out of the hand. In poker lingo, that means a sidepot exists for three players to win. We bet more than the sidepot's value, which may explain why the disgruntled player thought it was outlandish. But as they say in late-season sports events, we want it more. And we get the sidepot, when the other player folds.

Now we show our cards, as a little grumbling continues. Mr. Bowler Hat turns over K-J. Middle pair is not enough.

ON THE TURN: 9

"And I didn't get it," Mr. Bowler Hat concedes. But he's overlooking something.

"There's still one more card," we point out to him. In fact, we both have draws for a clinching straight....

ON THE RIVER: Q

...and he makes it! Mr. Bowler Hat stays in the game, winning the main pot of 2,800.

We reached the first break slightly above the starting point, at 10,600 chips. Then the grumbling man seemed intent on getting us out of the tournament - answering our pre-flop raises by going all-in twice with two weak clubs. We "doubled up" on him twice, with A-8 and A-K. (We'll talk more about that tension in a future post.)

That man bowed out early, as did Mr. Bowler Hat. Pocket 10's which led to a third 10 on the turn helped us reach the final table with 17,000 chips - and we advanced to 28,000 by the second short break.

Minutes later, a woman went all-in for 45,000. We looked at Q-Q and declared, "The book tells us to play this." We also pushed, with only 25,000 left - but then discovered that woman had pocket Aces. The board brought no rescue for us. We finished in seventh place, and perhaps in need of another book.

MINISTRY MOMENT: Because of holidays, WPT League night at Five-Star Billiards had moved to Tuesdays for the last couple of weeks.

"I take part in a Bible discussion on Tuesday nights," we explained to Mr. Bowler Hat.

"What do you talk about?" he asked.

"All kinds of topics," we said. "How to live a godly life; how to be united as a body of Christ."

For some players, poker nights are their idea of a "small group" meeting. Friends and acquaintances  get together to discuss their common interest and lives. While that can have its place, we focus more on a different form of small group....

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching. - Hebrews 10:24-25

Weekend worship services in churches are nice. But some church groups are so big that it's hard to make friends and truly fellowship with other believers. That's why many pastors (especially those with megachurches and radio ministries) recommend "small group" meetings during the week. Gatherings at homes or restaurants can allow personal sharing and encouragement.

But encourage one another daily, while it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. - Hebrews 3:13

The writer of this Biblical book clearly wanted the church to stay together, so it could grow together. The internet era has made it easier than ever for people in isolated areas to find togetherness; we heard on radio today about a converted Muslim who can only join in online Bible studies because he faces family persecution.

If you're looking for a Bible-centered "small group" to call home, we invite you to join us on Tuesday evenings. It's a conference call format, that actually has events throughout the week. Click here to learn how to participate.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 190 final tables in 524 games (36.3%) - 39 cashes. Tonight marked our first final table at Five-Star since mid-November.

We Three Kings?

Our former work colleague turned poker pro "Nicname" usually plays cash games. But he entered a tournament this weekend at a Choctaw casino in Oklahoma. Here's what he recorded on Facebook....

That flush had to hurt. But the timing of this hand was fascinating - as some people celebrated "Three Kings Day" Saturday.

The event is supposed to commemorate when three kings appeared before the newborn baby Jesus with gifts. The problem is that the Bible doesn't really record it that way....

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea during the time of King Herod, Magic from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." - Matthew 2:1-2

Magi in the NIV translates as "wise men" in many other translations. Simply because they were wise does not mean they were kings. In fact, the Moffatt paraphrase calls them "magicians".

On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.... - Matthew 2:11

Our NIV Study Bible comments in its notes on this verse: "Contrary to tradition, the Magi did not visit Jesus at the manger on the night of his birth as did the shepherds. They came some months later and visited him as a 'child' in his 'house.'"

...Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. - Matthew 2:11b

Many people presume if there were three gifts, there had to be three wise men. But quoting from the notes again: "...the Bible does not indicate the number of the Magi, and they were almost certainly not kings."

Yet putting all the man-made traditions aside, note what the Magi did. They worshiped Jesus - even though He was a child, perhaps less than one year old. King Herod talked about worshiping as well (verse 8), but instead considered Jesus a threat to his throne and ordered a maniacal murder spree (verse 16).

Three kings at a poker table sometimes get dethroned. One "newborn King" can make some people mad. Yet that "king of kings" (Revelation 19:16) still should be worshiped - and the day is coming when everyone will:

...That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth. - Philippians 2:10

We strongly suggest you not get angry about this. Wise men worshiped. You can, too.

Fake News

For perhaps the first time, we took a lugnut for a car tire to a poker room this past Sunday. It was our "card protector" and conversation starter - and on December 24, we had an extra line ready.

"I'm just nutty enough to think Jesus was not born on December 25."

Does that surprise you? The Christmas holiday has built layer upon layer of tradition and celebration onto the presumed birth date of Jesus. But if we make the Bible our guide, we find a lot of that is what Heartland Poker Tour announcers call "running without the ball."

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keep watch over their flocks at night. - Luke 2:6-8

The key issue here is the timing of the shepherds' watch. The NIV Study Bible claims, "Flocks reserved for temple sacrifice were kept in the fields near Bethlehem throughout the year." But other ministers realize late December was the cold, rainy season in that area - so shepherds who really cared about their sheep would not be out then.

Those ministers also note the birth date of Jesus was borrowed from pagan Roman tradition. And did Jesus or His disciples tell the early church to keep that day, or command them to say "Merry Christmas?" The Bible shows no sign of it. Instead....

Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon's Colonnade. - John 10:22

Some Bible commentaries (and even a few translations) note this was the Hanukkah festival - an event some Jews mark to this day.

If this also surprises you, consider this: Jesus was not born a "Christian." That term developed after the church was founded (Acts 11:26). But Jesus had a Jewish heritage....

Now Jesus himself was about 30 years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph, the son of Heli.... the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah.... - Luke 3:23, 33

It's sad to admit, but a lot of Christians have mixed what we call "fake news" with the story of Jesus Christ. It's thus no wonder that some people dismiss Christianity and the Bible completely.

But instead of doing that, we challenge you to read the Bible "without spin." See what it says about Jesus, His life and actions without the "peer pressure" of ministries and preachers. Then act on what you read. Hopefully it will be much closer to "the truth" - which is what Jesus claims to be (John 14:6).

Can We Tempt You? II

We focused recently on a column about temptation in the poker room. We noted temptation can take place anywhere - and even Jesus Christ faced it while on Earth.

Yet Jesus successfully resisted three rounds of temptation from the devil. (You can draw your own comparisons to a flop, turn and river.) Note the words Jesus used to push the tempter away:

Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" - Matthew 4:4

The Son of God may have been walking in the flesh, but He knew the Scriptures very well. He quoted from Deuteronomy, to put the "word of God" above physical food (Deuteronomy 8:3). In the same way, there are times when we need to put the Bible ahead of a non-stop poker life.

Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'" - Matthew 4:7

There actually are verses in the Bible where God allows you to test Him (see Malachi 3:10-11 for an example). But Jesus was responding to a challenge to jump off the top of the temple. As poker players need to discern the right time to take a big risk with a hand, Jesus realized this was not the proper moment for a "leap of faith."

Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'" - Matthew 4:10

The Son of God refused to worship the devil. Are you doing that - even in hidden ways that might surprise you?

In all of this, Jesus defeated the tempter by referring to Scripture; the other two quotes also come from Deuteronomy (6:13, 16). That can help us when we face temptation in life - even in a big poker hand.

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you.... - James 4:7-8

From time to time we've offered Bible verses to keep in mind as you play poker. Search for them on this blog, then make them part of you. We don't guarantee final tables or big wins. But by resisting the tempting moments, your outcome may be better than you expected.

A Place of Your Own

We introduced you in a recent post to a poker player who called himself a "generic Christian." He doesn't go by a list of beliefs from denominations. Instead, he says he does what the Bible says.

Yet that same man admitted he had only attended a church occasionally in recent weeks. There's a big problem with that - as the Bible indicates you should:

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching. - Hebrews 10:24-25

Believers in Christ are expected to meet. They do that weekly, and sometimes more often, in groups large and small. It could happen in big buildings or in small homes. But the meetings are supposed to be for encouragement toward "love and good deeds."

If you attend a church group, does it do that? And if you don't attend one, how can you find a place that does?

We think it starts with determining which group really loves God and Jesus Christ. Many say they do, of course. But how many live up to the Bible standard?

Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him. - John 14:21

Jesus emphasized keeping his "commands." We recommend searching the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) to learn what He commanded when He walked the earth. Among other things, you'll find this....

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. - John 13:34-35

Love indeed matters - toward God in obedience, then toward other people. If you need help in finding a church group truly doing that, leave a comment and we'll help you as we can.

Solving the Puzzle

If you're a newcomer to poker, the rules can seem puzzling. No, you don't have to bet every time a card comes out. Yes, ugly cards can win pots in "Omaha Hi-Lo."

Even if you're a poker pro, certain hands can be puzzling. Why would your opponent raise pre-flop, then check the flop and turn?

We sometimes wonder if this blog is also puzzling to people who discover it. In fact, as we mentioned in a recent post, you may be confused by some things we write. We start with poker, then turn to a book which many consider diametrically opposite to it?!?

To be honest, the Bible baffles a lot of readers. It has so many books and chapters about seemingly long-lost people and people groups. One promotion has declared it "the world's best-selling mystery book." And believe it or not, that was the original intent:

He has blinded their eyes and deadened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn - and I would heal them. - John 12:40

Jesus came to fulfill these words of the Old Testament Isaiah - and some of those who heard Him "could not believe" (verses 38-39). They were under the biggest of "big blinds," as they've been blinded from grasping the Word of God. Why?

I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved....  - Romans 11:25-26

God hardened the heart of an Egyptian Pharaoh long ago, to do miracles leading to the removal of Israel (Exodus 4:21). He still can do that now. To borrow from a speaker we heard recently, God does this to produce the maximum possible yield - in terms of people ultimately being saved.

So if our posts don't make sense to some of you - that's OK. Really. We understand, and we leave that in God's hands. But if some of this seems to make sense, that's even better. We encourage you to act on the parts that do.

He [Jesus] replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it." - Luke 11:28

Obey what you know to do, and you'll grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ (II Peter 3:18). You may find the puzzles of life make sense more than you ever realized.

There Are No Words

Poker rooms can be quiet places. Sometimes that's what the players prefer; even writing a few comments in an online game can get you called out for talking too much. But sometimes, the players can't speak at all.

A casino in Ohio held a poker tournament this weekend for hearing-disabled players. We'd never heard of a "Deaf Poker Championship" before. But the one in Toledo had 59 players, a $1,605 top prize - and apparently some intense play, as it took nine hours to determine a winner.

As we thought about this, this idea made a lot of sense. As one dealer said at a recent tournament we entered, "Poker is a visual game." Players might "announce a raise," but in truth they don't really have to say a thing. You tap the table to check. You set chips in front of the line to bet. The dealer can move cards forward and back to show which hand is best.

Believe it or not, we've heard some ministers say hearing-impaired people cannot become real Christians. They might turn to Bible verses like this....

Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. - Romans 10:17

Their logic is: if people cannot hear, how can they have faith? But we think this logic is misguided. Here's why....

Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law. - Psalm 119:18

Thanks to the printing press, and more recently the Internet, "wonderful things" about God can be read as well as heard. People can come to understand God's plan of salvation by carefully studying the Bible.

The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. - I Timothy 4:1

That's a scary warning, but we'd like to focus on the start of that verse. The Holy Spirit says things?! Yes - not audibly, but through the written word speaking to the hearts of people seeking God.

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. - Revelation 2:29

If you're paying attention when you read the Bible, the Holy Spirit of God may be "speaking" to you through its words. That's why it's good to ask God when you read for the Bible's words to be made clear - so you know exactly what God would have you do.

Come to think of it, something might be even better than having hearing-impaired people "hear" God through print. Can you guess what that might be? We'll get to it in our next post.

On Auto-Pilot

Some casinos now have "digital" blackjack (for lack of better wording) - where the table, cards and good-looking dealer appear on giant TV screens. In a world with computer-driven poker websites, perhaps you can guess where live poker might go next....

Jackpot Digital of Canada has developed "poker tables with virtual cards." Players sit around it to take part in hands, but there's no human dealer present. The "cards" and "chips" are moved around by computer. And if you fold a hand before the flop, your part of the table might bring up other games to play.

For people used to online poker, this probably is a great idea. They could get out of the house for a day of action without leaving their "comfort zone" of experience. The chances for rule violations and misdeals go way down - not to mention the fact that cards can't be marked.

But for others, we can see why this approach seems quite impersonal. For them, part of the poker experience is having camaraderie with dealers. And if hands are disputed, they tend to trust human dealers more than impersonal machines where a "fix" might be in.

Yet in reality, both cases have "human" elements. Someone has to program the virtual table to do what it does, whether it's right or wrong. So in both cases, an old phrase can be true....

...For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. - Romans 3:23

Now hold on here - sin?!?! Why bring that word up in this?

Because in the original Greek of the New Testament, a "sin" can mean making an error - to "miss the mark." And let's be honest: we all make mistakes. Human dealers can fumble and expose a card too soon. Human players can play out of turn, make bad raises - and even spill their drinks on a felt table.

So mistakes and sins still will happen, whether a dealer at the table or a computer under your feet runs the game or not. Our job is to avoid those sins - and that's not easy. But the Bible offers hope along that line:

No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. - I John 3:9

Is this for real? Can someone actually stop making mistakes? Some Christian ministers might turn this verse that way, but we think that sets an impossibly high standard for believers. After all....

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. - I John 1:8

The notes of the NLT Study Bible explain it this way: "This does not mean that we live perfect lives.... but that we keep ourselves in a good relationship with God." Another study Bible calls it "a life that is not characterized by sin."

To some extent, poker always will be an "imperfect" game. Poor timing with cards can turn pocket Aces into bad-beat losers to a royal flush. But if we're "born of God" and develop a proper humble relationship with Him, sins and mistakes of a larger nature should go down. Search for the phrase "born again" in this blog for a better understanding of what that's about.