Poker Day 578: Hit and Miss

A change in our work situation allows to play in daytime poker tournaments for the time being. That led us today to Hollywood Casino Indiana, where we had a tough act to follow - since the husband of one of our nieces made the money at the World Series of Poker Main Event the night before. Could we match or top that?

BLINDS: 50/100

IN THE POCKET: 9-3 offsuit

So far today, we haven't matched anything.An aggressive play with A-Q suited lost to a man with a 10 who made a pair on the flop. We've dropped from a starting 12,000 chips to about 9,200. This normally would be folding time for us - but we're in the Small Blind and no one's raised at a full table of nine. We dare to call, since it only costs 50 more.

ON THE FLOP: 5-6-7

An interesting "island" flop for us. We can connect to a straight with a 4 or an 8. We check, and a man to our left offers 300. We call, and we recall four players still remaining.

ON THE TURN: 4

There it is - we hit the straight! We're first in order, and slow-check. But the man who bet before now throws out 800. Other players are calling, and now this becomes a cliché: Be careful what you wish for, because you might really get it.

We're pretty sure the bettor has an 8, for the better straight. Why else would be bet? Our "under-straight" now has us underwhelmed. "I'd better not," we say.... and fold.

ON THE RIVER: 8

Wow! We would have hit the straight both ways. And we could have topped the straight on the board, with our 9! No one bets now.

"I'm playing the board," the man who bet first says. No one had a 9, so we could have claimed a big pot. So the final score: two hits - but a big miss. And it all seemed so logical.

We finally won a good pot to reach the first break at 9,925. Hour Two brought a huge round in the blinds, as A-5 won with two pair and 8-J turned into a full house. We reached a high for the day of 18,100, and reached the final table at 15,400.

Our second-break total was 14,100, as we missed eliminating a man at the end thanks to a 7 on the river. Then came a couple of good hands which lost - and with blinds mounting, we finally went for it all with K-J. A man who was hitting big cards and amassing a monster stack of chips called.... with K-Q of spades. Of course, he hit a flush. That left us out in seventh place, out of 19 entries. Only the top two earned money.

MINISTRY MOMENT: A man to our right at our starter table claimed at one point that he's gained the nickname "a**hole." We told him that didn't sound very nice.

"At least he's publicity," he said. "Any publicity beats no publicity, right?"

"Satan the devil's had a lot of publicity," we answered. "And I don't think it's going to turn our well for him in the end."

That seemed to go over the heads of everyone - but do you grasp what we're saying? A lot of people talk about the devil. In fact, they may be under the devil's sway without realizing it.....

..But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short. - Revelation 12:12

Satan (which we believe is really an "it," not a male "him) has spiritual control of this world right now:

The great dragon was hurled down - that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray.... - Revelation 12:9

But God sent someone to Earth to turn us away from Satan, and back to Him....

He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning . The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work. - I John 3:8

Jesus came as the Son of God, and overcame the devil by living a sinless life. But the work of Satan won't truly be destroyed until Jesus comes again with His angels....

And I saw an angel coming down from heaven.... He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended.... - Revelation 20:1-3

As many preachers have said about the Bible, if you read to the back of the book, believers win. God will win. Jesus will win. The devil's P.R. machine will go bust, like our K-J did today. Is that what you're seeking - even in this life?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 222 final tables in 578 games (38.4%) - 48 cashes.

Daring to Dream

JULY 9 UPDATE: Ryan has made the money at the Main Event! An update on that is coming soon.

UPDATE: We looked at the wrong day's chip count. Ryan is in 846th place, heading to "Day 2C." Why he wasn't shown on the "Day 2AB" scoreboard despite not playing is a mystery to us.

As we write this, about 1,070 players remain in the 2019 World Series of Poker Main Event. This year's big tournament had 8,225 entries - including one (hold on to your chair) who's a candidate for President of the United States!

No, we're not kidding. Ryan Von Bevern filed the paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to run for President. He has a billboard or two up in the Kansas City area. Of course, he has a campaign website. But by his own admission, he hasn't raised a lot of money - and he lost his buy-in at the Main Event, by not placing among the top 2,500 players [SEE UPDATE ABOVE]. (He won a discounted buy-in by playing in a local league.)

We've mentioned Ryan's WSOP exploits before, because he's married to one of our nieces. He obviously has big dreams - even though we think his Presidential bid is tongue-in-cheek.

Our poker dreams are a bit smaller these days. (For one thing, a $10,000 Main Event buy-in is massive.) But we have a big dream, too - and believe it or not, it ranks above being President of a country:

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, and they will reign on the earth." - Revelation 5:9-10

Can you grasp what the apostle John saw in this vision? Creatures in heaven are singing this to "a Lamb" (verse 6) - and it clearly refers to Jesus Christ....

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world." - John 1:29

Jesus, who was with God the Father from the beginning (1:1), came to Earth to redeem us from our sins by His pure sacrifice. But it means more than that. We're made "to be a kingdom and priests" - or as the King James Version puts it, "made.... unto our God kings and priests...."

Pocket Kings in poker can be good. Becoming a real king is even better. And to be a king serving under God on this Earth? That's a huge dream, that the Bible indicates someday will come true. As Jesus put it....

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

Uh-oh - did you see the "catch" there? We have to overcome, before we can sit with Jesus. That's the daily battle of life, resisting sin and walking in a godly way.

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. - Romans 12:21

That's obviously not easy to do. But it's what God requires to obtain that big dream - and with His help, you can do it.

...Everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. - I John 5:4

How are you doing, in achieving your dreams? Do you have the biggest dream of all? And have you put your faith in God, so you can gain it?

Conscious or Con?

Our last post introduced you to young man at a final table with some unusual theories about life. When we brought up our belief in the second coming of Jesus Christ, he said he believed in a "Christ consciousness."

Is this how you look at God and Jesus? Is the Godhead (as some call it) simply a good way of thinking? Or is there more than that?

A good moral conscience might influence how you play poker. For instance, you might tell other players that they're exposing their cards to you. But other players can work in exactly the opposite direction....

To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted. - Titus 1:15

In other words. a lack of belief can corrupt your conscience. So belief can make your conscience right. But belief in what?

I speak the truth in Christ - I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit - I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. - Romans 9:1-2

Our NIV Study Bible has this note about these verses: "Conscience is a reliable guide only when enlightened by the Holy Spirit." How does the Spirit give you a true Christ-conscience?

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

It takes faith that God exists. And that includes both the Father and the Son....

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.... Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. - I John 5:1, 5

Having a "Christ consciousness" is good. Believing that Jesus Christ was a conscious human being who's now in heaven as the Son of God (with "Christ" meaning "Messiah") is even better. Why not take your belief "all the way to the river" - and believe in what Jesus came to Earth to do for you?

First-Century Gambling

When you hear a Baptist preacher say the word "gambling," you might think he's about to go on a tirade against poker and casinos. But we heard a radio sermon the other day which used that word in a very different light.

The minister talked about two "heroes" in the Bible who took a big risk. OK, it wasn't for a poker hand - but it was something bigger. One risked his life to help an apostle in the early church....

But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow workers and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger…. he almost died for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for the help you could not give me. - Philippians 2:25, 30

The radio preacher put it this way: "God honors people like that - people who are willing to gamble it all away, risk it all, for the service of Christ."

Anytime a poker player goes all-in, his "life" in the tournament or cash game is at risk. A loss means elimination, or at least a trip to the ATM for more money. But that man with a long name risked everything "for the work of Christ." What sort of service is that? You might be surprised....

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance form the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. - Colossians 3:23-24

"Whatever you do," the verse says. If you're working for Jesus, be diligent about it. Can that include a poker night, which might not really be "work?" We think it can, if you focus on serving the Lord instead of your own desires of the flesh.

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. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. - I John 2:16-17

The point is to go all-in for God, not yourself. Be an example and a witness for Jesus. And if you can have some fun along the way, enjoy it. That's what Epaphroditus did. Are you willing to take the same sort of gamble?

Mercy-Me

The man to our left bet big on the flop. Then he bet bigger on the turn. We called the flop with A-K, but decided the turn bet was too much because our cards had not paired.

"I'll be merciful toward you," we said as we folded.

"Actually, if you were merciful, you would have bet," our opponent responded.

He then disclosed he had K-Q, and his Queen had paired on the flop. And you know.... he had a point there about mercy.

"So I had mercy on me," we admitted with a sense of humor. After all, a call could have set us up for a bigger loss.

Is that how mercy works with you? Are you merciful toward yourself, and not the people around you - in a poker room or otherwise? That's not really how it's supposed to work....

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God.... We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.... if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. - Romans 12:1, 6, 8

To borrow from a radio talk show host, God has treated us much better than we deserve. That's because....

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

We deserve nothing but death for our sins (Romans 6:23). But God had mercy on us, before any of us were born....

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions -- it is by grace you have been saved. - Ephesians 2:4-5

We become "alive with Christ" by repenting of our sins, being baptized and receiving Jesus in us through the Holy Spirit.

If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. - I John 4:15

If you haven't accepted God's mercy, there's no better time than now - by accepting Jesus as your Savior and Redeemer for your sins. If you have accepted that mercy, pass it on to others in a cheerful spirit. There's no better time to be a godly example.

Where Was the Love?

Our last post mentioned there was no "ministry moment" during the Thursday night cash back. No mention of God at all. In fact, our "card protector" was a makeshift straw wrapper we found at our seat.

So what changed? The day of the year. Thursday was Valentine's Day - and the church group we've attended for years is against keeping it. It's considered a man-made "pagan day," not Biblical. Ministers would point to Bible verses like this:

...Inquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? Even so will I do likewise, You shall not do so to the Lord your God: for every abomination to the Lord, which he hates, have they done to their gods... - Deuteronomy 12:30-31 (KJV)

We started doing the "day without love" on February 14 five years ago, after reading a church magazine article with this explanation:

What about showing love on Valentine's Day if I'm not doing it for pagan reasons? Isn't that okay? No, because the expression of that kind of 'love' is still rooted in a former pagan holiday. True Christians must not adopt pagan festivals as holidays....
Showing love as God instructs is not wrong - romantic love included.... But don't do it under the trappings of a pagan holiday like Valentine's Day!...

But just between you, us and the internet, we see a problem with this line of reasoning. Do you see it? The problem is in how the Bible defines God....

And we have known and believe the love that God has to us. God is love; and he that dwells in love dwells in God, and God in him. - I John 4:16 (KJV)

If love was wrong on Thursday, we would ask: did God take Thursday off? Did He stop loving everyone for a day, because some Catholics or pagans had a special "love" or "romance" day? Did the world stop turning? Did the warm sun or helpful rain go away? Of course not.

Our point is simply this: God is defined as "love." And God existed before any pagans or humans did:

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. - Genesis 1:1 (KJV)

Humans might do ungodly things on February 14. In fact, two "St. Valentine's Day massacres" have occurred on that day in the last 100 years - one with U.S. organized crime, another at a Florida high school. If anything shows what happens when you go without love for a day, those events should.

We should indeed, as that article states, "show love as God instructs." But saying you shouldn't do it on Valentine's Day is illogical and extreme. God's love is non-stop. Ours should be as well.

So we did what we did in an attempt to follow church teaching strictly - but also to teach a lesson to anyone who might see it. (And it cost us money, as we had a losing night in the casino.) Love should not be governed by the calendar. It should follow the instructions of the Bible, which nowhere states love takes a day off on February 14. If you see it there, please let us know where you found it.

Creatures of Habit

It's one thing to play poker for fun. It's another thing to play it professionally. But when your love of poker leads to law-breaking, that's another matter.

A Navy lieutenant was sentenced to prison this past week in Virginia, due to what prosecutors call a "high-stakes poker" habit. A defense attorney admitted Randolph Prince had "a terrible gambling addiction," which led to wire fraud and false tax statements resulting from sham companies getting government contracts.

There's a fine line between playing poker frequently and becoming addicted to the game. Here's one big question to ask yourself, in finding the balance: Do I feel I have to play today?

If you're playing poker to get out of debt, please realize the risk you're taking. You might wind up even deeper in debt. As one famous book puts it:

For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. - I Timothy 6:10 (NLT)

The famous phrase embedded in this verse does not say, "Money is the root of all evil." No, the love of it is - the "craving" for it. That puts the blame not on greenbacks or big poker chips, but on you and me. It's about what we desire.

For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. - I John 2:16 (NLT)

Put another way: Do you have a poker date - or does the game of poker have you? Has the game become a "constant craving," to borrow from an old song? If so, it could be time to replace it with something better - something that's "from the Father."

So you should earnestly desire the most helpful gifts.... - I Corinthians 12:31 (NLT)

God wants to fill you with "gifts of the Spirit." Read the entire chapter and Ephesians 4 for an idea of what those gifts are. They're primarily for helping other people, not filling your life with luxury homes and sports cars. And isn't helping people a good habit to start?

About That Name....

We realize people are at all levels, when it comes to poker. A woman asked via email the other day:

What’s the meaning of “on the flop” anyway?

If you're new to Texas Hold 'em, "the flop" is a key part of many hands. After you're dealt two cards and bid on them, three cards are spread face-up on the table. Then players bid again.

In a perfect world, your pocket Aces are greeted on the flop by two more Aces so you have quads. Or Ace-King of spades are met by Qs-Js-10s, giving you an unbeatable royal flush.

But of course, poker is far from a perfect world. Your hand probably will be something less - perhaps no pair at all. Then it's a real "flop" for you, under a different definition: "a failure."

And that brings us to the name of this blog. You see, it has a double meaning - not only about poker hands, but the person who's writing about them. We can be a "flop", too....

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. - Romans 3:23 (NLT)

Jesus Christ told believers they are to be perfect, even as God in heaven is (Matthew 5:48). But if when we sin, we're not perfect anymore. Come to think of it, doesn't that make us all "flops" in life?

But the good news is that we don't have to live forever in the "flop house"....

But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. - I John 1:9 (NLT)

God wants to forgive your sins and clean your records. But you need to "'fess up," as they say in the U.S. South. That means admitting God exists, then asking Him to have mercy for the sins you admit doing. After that....

So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbor the truth.... If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work.... Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful.... - Ephesians 4:25-29 (NLT)

Yes, we know what some of you are saying: "That's easier said than done! I'll go right back to being a flop again!"

But there's more good news. God wants to help you become perfect. We'll explain how He does that in a future post.

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.)

The Game of Life

At one of our recent poker nights, we introduced you to a man who seemed to have some Biblical knowledge. He told us a couple of times, "I'm speaking life over my cards."

That may sound silly in a poker room. But then again, how many times have desperate players declared they have "two live cards" in an all-in situation? For instance, they might have A-Q in a race against someone else's pocket Jacks.

But the phrase "speak life" can become an overused church cliché. In our poker examples, playing cards by themselves are not living things. They cannot breathe, grow legs or walk around the table. Wouldn't this approach make more sense....

My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment, do not let them out of your sight; they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck. - Proverbs 3:21-22

In other words, ask God to give you the tools for a better life. "Sound judgment and discernment" can be valuable things in a poker tournament.

There was a time when church leaders had supernatural power to raise people back to life, simply by saying the word. Jesus did it several times, explaining....

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. - John 10:10

Some people have referred to modern society as a "culture of death." Our home area had a stunning example of that today, as a man wildly opened fire at a downtown skyscraper. Jesus wants you to have an abundant life - and we think that can mean playing some poker from time to time.

And beyond that? God is planning for believers to have eternal life. But there's one big condition:

And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and that life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. - I John 5:11-12

In short; you need Jesus. If you repent of your sins and allow God to have control of your life, Jesus can enter through the Holy Spirit....

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever - the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and shall be in you. - John 14:16-17

That Spirit entered the disciples shortly after Jesus ascended to heaven. Will you accept Jesus, to allow the Spirit to give you new life?

Poker Day 551: Going Greens

It's been about six years since we were off on Labor Day. So were took advantage of the privilege to enter a holiday morning poker tournament at Jack Casino - making sure we thanked the dealers and cashiers who were on duty. So was it a paid holiday for us?

BLINDS: 200/400

IN THE POCKET: Q-J of spades

Early efforts have not gone well for us. Our starting stack of 15,000 chips eroded to about 9,500, before we won a modest pot to begin a comeback. Now we're in the Big Blind at a seven-player table with 11,450, and have set out four stacks of lime-green chips worth 25 each.

"You don't like greens?" a man to our left asks.

"Sometimes I don't have any choice," we say. Such as now.

After the cards are dealt, that man raises to 1,200. "You don't seem to like orange," we point out. (An orange chip is worth 1,000). But with strong suited connectors, we call - taking back some of those greens as we do. We're now heads-up.

ON THE FLOP: Qc-2d-Qd

A Big Blind Special, if there ever was one! But we humbly check to the raiser. He offers 2,000.

"Raise," we say. We go up to 5,000. Our opponent calls, with a bit of a shrug.

ON THE TURN: K

This card is a bit concerning. What if he has something like K-Q? This time, we're not waiting.

"I'm all-in," we say - pushing in our last 5,250. This puts our opponent in the tank.

"So you're saying you have a Queen."

"I could be saying a lot of things," we tell him. The last thing we want to do is say his read is right.

"But I can't really get off these," he muses. After several moments, he calls with fewer chips - and shows pocket Aces. Our three of a kind will win, if we dodge one card.

ON THE RIVER: 7

Yea - for a change, we do! The man arrived late to the table, and leaves early - while we expand to more than 24,000 chips.

More success came minutes later, as K-J brought K-J-9 on the flop. We dared to call an opponent's push for more than 13,000, and our two pair wound up eliminating two men! It brought our most massive chip harvest in years, and led to a high of nearly 48,000.

That helped us through a dry period, and we reached the two-hour break at 35,350. But then, an amazing evaporation happened. We lost 3,000 to a pre-flop raise, then another 9,000 in the Big Blind when our pair of Kings lost to the Small Blind's 7-5 which made two pair.

Then with a push across the table and a caller, we saw A-J and dreamt big. We went all-in for about 19,000 - but a woman with Q-Q topped both us and the pusher with A-7. A day where we thought we could cruise to the final table ended with us falling short, finishing with a head-scratching tie for 15th place.

MINISTRY MOMENT: Jack Casino is a stickler when it comes to playing out of turn. A man at our first table received a one-hand penalty simply for a checking motion. So we waited later to be sure the player ahead of us acted, before doing anything.

"Don't want to wind up in the sin bin," a man sitting to our left said when we explained it. That phrase gave us a thought.

"You know, we've all sinned," we told the man, "and come short of the glory of God."

The man pondered a moment. "Did that come from a 2,000-year-old book? That's been translated about 5,000 times?"

Why yes.... yes, it did. Do you know where we found that?

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

"But that book [the Bible] has the way out of sin," we responded.

We waited for a reaction, but the statement brought nothing but silence. We're not sure if the man knows what that way is or not. Do you know?

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." - John 14:6

A lot of applications are embedded in these words. But let's focus on Jesus being the way. He likened Himself elsewhere to being a door (as the King James Version puts it) or a gate....

I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. - John 10:9

We enter God's holy throne through Jesus the Son (Hebrews 10:19-22) - and salvation comes to us through Jesus Christ. But there's something you need to do:

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. - I John 1:9

Confess them, then repent of them - turning your ways and life over to God, and away from the sins you've been doing. Perhaps you do them while playing poker. Search yourself, asking God for His help in discovering what they are. Then act on what He shows you. There's no penalty for doing that.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 203 final tables in 551 games (36.8%) - 36 cashes. After six months in our new area, we're still at 10 final tables in 18 tries!

The Green Monster

Our last post examined a variation of Pai Gow poker, where you can put chips on a "Fortune" button. If someone at the table makes four of a kind, everyone with chips on that button earns an "envy bonus."

Sounds strange, doesn't it - a bonus for envy?! Many times, it works the other way around. Poker players envy the success of others, try to copy them.... and wind up crashing out of tournaments or going bust at a cash game. Others envy someone else's possessions so much that they steal the items for themselves.

We'll let you do your own color research into why people become "green with envy" (as opposed to red or blue). But it's not the sort of emotion God wants us to have....

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy.... I Corinthians 13:4

Since the Bible tells us that "God is love" (I John 4:16), this shows envy is not one of His traits. In fact....

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery.... factions and envy.... those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. - Galatians 5:19-21

For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. - James 3:16

If envy is a personal problem for you, we recommend repenting before God - then starting a new habit. Be happy when others are successful:

Honor one another above yourselves.... Rejoice with those who rejoice.... - Romans 12:10, 15

We realize at some poker tables, you might look weird doing this. But it's far better than letting envy eat away at your peace of mind - and maybe even your bank account.

We heard a message the other day that went deep into the topic of envy. It may reveal other areas of your life where you're "going green" in a bad way, and need to make some changes.

Cynn City

Soccer fans will be focused today on the World Cup finals in Russia. The event might last three hours, if it winds up in a penalty kick shootout. But imagine an event where determining a world champion came down to a showdown even longer than that - practically lasting all night.

Courtesy Joe Ginn/WSOP.com

That's what happened this morning at the World Series of Poker's Main Event. The final two players battled from Saturday sundown until nearly 5:00 a.m. Las Vegas time - and it ended with Indiana native John Cynn (right) outlasting Florida's Tony Miles to take the "title belt" and $8.8 million.

The lead in heads-up play went back and forth several times, so we give credit to both men for playing hard and well. But in the end, this Main Event probably will inspire a lot of clever headlines (like ours) - and maybe even a few sermons from preachers.

For instance, Miles wore a Tim Tebow college football jersey to the final table. Tebow is known as a  believer in Jesus Christ. We're not sure where Miles stands on that - but his challenge for more than ten hours was, well, overcoming Cynn. It's your challenge, too, only with a different spelling....

...for everyone born of God overcomes the world.... Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. - I John 5:4-5

Louis Armstrong sang years ago, "What a Wonderful World" - and in some ways it is. But it's also a world filled with sin:

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

This endurance contest isn't only for one night - it's a lifelong "main event." So how can you overcome these more common "sins"? We skipped over part of chapter 5, which offers an answer:

This is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. - I John 5:4b

The late George Michael sang it correctly: you've got to have faith. But it needs to be in the right things - or better put, the right Ones. It means believing in Jesus as God's Son, and turning to Him to cover your sinful life.

...For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. - Revelation 12:10-11

That "accuser" is Satan, the devil (Job 1:6-9). The blood of Jesus can pay the penalty for your sin, and give you freedom to testify of the good things God does in your life.

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. - Romans 12:21

On this Sunday in Las Vegas, Mr. Cynn came out on top. It's a victory he earned. In your life, "sin" doesn't have to win. Put your faith in the Son of God who can help you overcome it.

Up, Down and In Love

The man was in line to buy chips for a poker cash game. We stood next to him, buying into a tournament. As we waited, he shared some of his experiences with cards.

The man had traveled to Chicago a few times and started well, but it didn't last. That's because he went to the table with a relatively small stack of chips, and was crowded out by people betting with bigger stacks. So he tired of that, and returned to our area.

"Don't play scared," was his advice to us. "If you're afraid, you won't succeed." His words rang familiar, as we heard similar advice years ago playing free tournaments in Georgia bars.

Then we had a thought. "I read in a book that perfect love casts out fear." The man wasn't familiar with that, but liked the idea.

What book did we read? Regular visitors should know where we found that line....

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear has torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love. - I John 4:18 (KJV)

Those words from the Bible set up a contrast you may not have considered. Love and fear are opposites. It can be true in all kinds of human relationships - whether romantic, international,  interracial, or even with other poker players. If you're afraid of someone, can you truly love them?

The Bible shows which side God is on in this clash:

Dear friends, let us love one another, for loves comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. - I John 4:7-8

Love is the basis for all God does - even things that may not seem so loving, such as destructive or deadly intervention in human affairs. In response, He wants us to be loving in all that we do:

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.... if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. - I John 4:11-12

In poker, that can mean being considerate with your words and actions. It can even mean not being afraid to lose to someone, and wishing the best when you do. After all, whatever the format, not everyone wins at a poker table.

We never saw that man the rest of the night, so we don't know how successful he was. But we hope you're not afraid to show some love to other people at the poker table. Some might say it sounds syrupy. But how many of us actually have tried to do it?

The Biggest All-In Ever

A poker tournament can be filled with dramatic moments. The only way to win, after all, is to accumulate everyone else's chips. So players have to go "all in" and risk everything they have, to get everything they want.

But nearly 2,000 years ago, the biggest all-in moment in recorded history occurred. The drama involved far more than poker chips. It involved your life - and the lives of all people, whether they realize it or not.

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. - Romans 5:8 (NLT)

God the Father sent Jesus Christ the Son. They had been together in heaven for as long as anyone can envision. But Jesus came down to Earth and lived a perfect, sinless life to save us from eternal death.

This is real love - not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. - I John 4:10 (NLT)

Jesus went all the way to a hill called Calvary or Golgotha, sacrificing Himself. He had faith God would restore Him to life - and three days later, that resurrection happened. The "all in" bet worked.

The blood of Jesus can cover your sins, and bring you close to God where you might now be far away (Ephesians 2:13). Many believers in Jesus will recall that blood Thursday night, at a special worship service.

And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, "Each of you drink from it, for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many." - Matthew 26:27-28

Jesus also shared bread with His disciples, in a ceremony that's come to have many names. Some call it communion. Some say "Lord's supper." Others recall the Old Testament, and describe it as a "Christian Passover."

Whatever the name, it should be a meaningful event. To read much more about it, click here. If you'd rather play poker than keep a Passover, please read it with care and an open mind. You might find there's more to this life than a series of all-in bets.

The Selfie-Driven Life

Ask a table full of players why they play poker, and you might get a wide range of answers. Some do it to make money, or make a living. Some do it to be around their friends. Regular blog readers should know why we do it.

But let's rephrase the question. For whom do you play poker?

Unless you enter some kind of a charity tournament, the answer well could be, "Me." That's much more likely to be the case if players are in a cash game. But we found a word of warning the other day about that....

But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness. - Romans 2:8 (NLT)

We're in an age where "selfies" are popular - taking pictures of yourself to post on social media. But these Bible words are tough, soul-searching ones for people who turn their entire lives into "selfies". God gets upset with several groups of people here - firstly people who only lives for their own pleasure.

If this describes you at the poker table, what should you do? Fold your game completely? Well, maybe not. Maybe what you need is a change of focus:

He will give eternal life to those who go on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers. - Romans 2:7 (NLT)

Yes, that means even seeking God as you play poker. Give Him praise if things go well. And give a tithe to Him if you win money. Offerings to church groups can be used for "doing good" in many ways.

Verse 8 also instructs us to "obey the truth." That means following Biblical instructions.As Jesus put it....

Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. - John 17:17 (NLT)

"Truth" in the Bible also is defined as Jesus Himself (John 14:6) and God's Holy Spirit (I John 5:6). There's one aspect of that truth that many believers will be doing this coming week. Can you guess what it is? Watch for our next post, to find out.

Remember As You Play....

Those who love pleasure become poor; those who love wine and luxury will never be rich. - Proverbs 21:17  (NLT)

A minister on radio recently told the story of a man who lost a lot of money from gambling. Not merely millions - but TENS of millions of dollars.

The speaker concluded from this that gambling is a vice and a sin. But hold on - what about the professional poker players who make money?

Our verse warns against three things. But are those things necessarily wrong - or is the LOVE of them wrong? For instance....

You should know, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times.... They will be betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. - II Timothy 3:1, 4  (NLT)

The Bible says God is love (I John 4:8) - and He wants us to love Him in return. But He wants us to make God our first love. Not poker games, or other forms of gambling where you might find "pleasure" for a short time. True love for God can lead Him to give you His Holy Spirit....

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience.... - Galatians 5:22  (NLT)

Joy should result from having the Holy Spirit in you. So how do you obtain it?

Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. - Acts  3:19 (NLT)

That can include the sin of putting other "loves" ahead of love for God. You could save millions of dollars in losses - and gain eternal life in the process.

Two Things Not to Do

It was a quiet day in the poker room for us - at least in terms of speaking. We mentioned in our last post that we didn't bring up issues of faith and God at all.

Why? Because of two events on the Wednesday calendar that the church association we attend opposes.

1. Valentine's Day. It has its roots in a Roman pagan festival. Therefore, even though it's presumably named after a saint, it is considered "detestable" in the eyes of God:

You must not worship the Lord your God in their way, because in worshipping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the Lord hates.... See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it. - Deuteronomy 12:31-32

The day currently promotes love and romance. But one church writer has said it's wrong on February 14, "because the expression of that kind of 'love' is still rooted in a former pagan holiday." We concluded from that statement that we should not love God and Jesus on that day, either...

If you love me, you will obey what I command. - John 14:15

Thus God is love (I John 4:8, 16) - but on one day a year, our group says love is wrong.

2. Ash Wednesday. We even heard someone in a buffet line at the casino mention the day. Some believers began the season of Lent and self-denial, even attending special services to mark the occasion.  But the day and season are nowhere found in the Bible.

It's another case where the dating is wrong, but the concept is a good idea....

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." - Matthew 16:24

This sort of denial can start at any time of year. We think it's better to deny sinful behavior, more than chocolate or social media. And even better, it should last for more than 40 days.

...But he who stands firm to the end will be saved. - Matthew 24:13

Jesus wants people to be life-long followers. That may sound cultish, but it's what the early disciples did after Jesus was resurrected.

So that's why we played poker Wednesday, but didn't say much - even trying to avoid complimenting players on a good hand. (Wouldn't that be a small expression of love?) We didn't thank God for our success until we prayed this morning - after our "double-down day" was over. Your comments on this (and other topics here) are welcome.

The Right Direction

"Are you doing good?" the young man behind the casino cashier's window asked.

We have a stock answer for that, when we're playing poker. "I'm trying to do good." After all, isn't that what a poker ministry should be about? As Jesus put it....

But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.... - Luke 6:27

Then we did something we don't recall ever doing before. We pulled out our card protector of the day and showed it to a cashier. In this case, it was "Lord's Supper" protector from our recent church convention. But his response to that was an amazing surprise:

G>^V

That's the best way we can recreate with a keyboard what the young man had on one of his wrists - symbols that looked like a tattoo.

"God is greater than my ups and downs," he explained.

Aha! Such clever symbolism - since math buffs know ">" is the "greater than" symbol.

Does that short formula sum up your view of God? Anyone who plays poker regularly will learn there are times of success and times of setbacks. But a Biblical apostle realized something....

What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.... - Philippians 3:8

Knowing Jesus is greater than any poker win, since we'll all eventually have to make a final trip to the "cashier's window" of life. We can't take our chip stacks beyond the grave. But a relationship with Jesus can last for eternity, since God can resurrect you to eternal life.

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. - I John 4:4

That one "in you" can be Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit.

If your life seems to lack purpose beyond regular routine trips to poker rooms, maybe it's time to borrow from modern politics. It's time to "Alt-Right" - alter your course, and get right with God. The winning formula of that cashier can work for you.

Poker Night 507: The Price of Courage

At the church convention we're attending, the most personal impact has come from men's morning meetings. One of the topics Monday was "courageous leadership." We reviewed the story of David slaying Goliath (I Samuel 17) - then went to a casino Monday night and tried to apply the lesson.

Choctaw Casino-Durant in southeast Oklahoma has become a place with an international poker reputation. Its nice enclosed upstairs room has been used for WPT events, and the WSOP circuit arrives there in late October. But on a federal holiday, our $70 total buy-in gave us only about 16 opponents plus a couple who did a re-buy. Would we have enough courage (and wisdom) to get a big finish?

BLINDS: 50/100

IN THE POCKET: A-A

Small early efforts have missed flops. An aggressive player at the opposite end of the table has chased us off a couple of pots. But now we've hit a big moment: the best possible pre-flop hand and lead position at a table of seven. With about 5,600 chips, we limp in and hope for raisers - but there are none. About five players are in.

ON THE FLOP: Jc-9h-7c (second suit may not be precise)

So far, so good - except two of these cards are clubs. We want to stop potential flush-chasing. So when the blinds check, we try to show we mean business by betting 250. Two men call; the two blinds fold.

ON THE TURN: J

Uh-oh.... potential trouble. The board pairs. Is someone sitting on a Jack, for three of a kind? Since we're back in the leadoff seat, this is a perplexing moment.

To look courageous and test the mettle of the opponents, we raise the bet to 500. A man to our left calls. But the other man raises to 1,200. Deep inside, we sense big trouble - but there's been a little bluffing at the table, so we dare to call. But now, the man to our left re-raises to 2,500! And he gets called!

We conclude both men are serious. "I don't think so," we say as we fold. Are we right?

ON THE RIVER: 4

This card doesn't seem to matter. The man to our left goes all-in - and gets called again!

So what do they have? The man to our left shows J-9! The man to our right has J-7! It's "boat over boat," and the J-9 wins a huge pot.

"I'm glad I got out of that," we say.

"What did you have?" a man to our right asks.

"I had them topped before the flop," is all we reveal. We'll save the deeper lesson in courage for another day - but we fell behind on the flop, and an attempt at an even larger "go-away" bet would have only hurt our cause.

That was the sort of night we had. We split one pot with K-10, then won an all-in Big Blind bet right before the one-hour break. But we only had 2,325 chips from a starting 7,000 at that break. And when we pushed with A-Q early in Hour 2 and were called by A-J, an Ace on the flop was followed by a Jack on the river. We missed the final table by finishing in 13th place.

MINISTRY MOMENT: We showed our "Lord's Supper" card protector to an older man seated to our right. He recognized the image on it, then asked, "Is that a precious metal?"

We tried to steer things in a more godly direction. "Jesus's blood was precious, wasn't it?"

At that point, a new hand started. We're not sure if he grasped what we said. But perhaps you've wondered about that. Why do people consider the blood of Jesus "precious"? It comes from this verse:

It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless lamb of God. - I Peter 1:19 (NLT)

An online dictionary defines "precious" as "of high price or great value.... highly esteemed for some spiritual, nonmaterial or moral quality...." Here's why the blood of Jesus fits that description....

For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver.... - I Peter 1:18  (NLT)

No, the ransom paid to save us was Christ's blood. While we are all sinners, Jesus was not (I John 3:5). He was a perfect sacrificial lamb (John 1:29), whose blood can remove your sins in God's eyes (I John 1:7). Have you turned your sins to God, to have Jesus remove them from your record?.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 184 final tables in 507 games (36.3%) - 37 cashes. We're now two-for-three in making final tables and the money, in games during church conventions.