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.

ElderCare

The classic words of Doyle Brunson were part of the opening of every Poker After Dark program on NBC: "We don't quit playing because we get old; we get old because we quit playing."

A large number of "older people" (we'd guess age 50 or higher) play in our poker circles. Some of them have played for a long time, so they deserve being treated with caution. To borrow an old phrase, you should "respect your elders" at the table.

But we've been asking in several posts about another group of elders. These apparently are in heaven....

Surrounding the throne were 24 other thrones, and seated on them were 24 elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. - Revelation 4:4

Who are these people? Well, believe it or not, we don't think they are people. Verse 2 indicates they're in heaven. And Someone who came down from heaven once said....

No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven - the Son of Man. - John 3:13

So if they aren't humans who were "taken to heaven," who (or what) are they? The Bible admittedly doesn't offer much guidance about them. But we're led to conclude they're angels - perhaps a special high rank of angels. Look at what they get to do:

And the 24 elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God.... - Revelation 11:16

If this sounds dull and boring to you, consider this. They're at the throne of God - the One who created heaven and earth, and who is preparing a place for those who will believe in Jesus Christ!

In my father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. - John 14:2-3

The Bible indicates Jesus will come back to the area of Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:4) - stopping all rebellion and setting up the Kingdom of God on Earth. If that still doesn't interest you, consider this warning....

...That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. - Philippians 2:10-11

The Bible shows the worship of Jesus Christ will happen. Whether you like it or not. Wouldn't it be better to respect the "elder brother" and begin worshipping Him now?

Coming Out of Darkness

Some professional poker players don't stop their gambling at the poker table. They make bets on other things - sometimes quite outlandish things.

One strange recent case involved Rich Alati, who was offered $100,000 if he stayed in a bathroom for 30 days. A bathroom with no lights - the only "extras" being a bed, an unlit refrigerator and five cameras watching him.

It sounds like something out of solitary confinement at a prison or a concentration camp. Yet Alati endured it so well that the man who offered the bet settled for about $62,000 after 20 of the 30 days. (How they negotiated this while Alati was in the bathroom is unclear.)

We find this fascinating because, whether you realize it or not, we're all doing this to some extent. We're living in a dark place....

But the way of the wicked is like total darkness. They have no idea what they are stumbling over. - Proverbs 4:19 (NLT)

This may seem like an enlightened age, with technology which was only a dream 200 years ago. But the Bible says wickedness and sin have darkened this world....

And I remind you of the angels who did not stay within the limits of authority God gave them.... God has kept them securely chained in prisons of darkness, waiting for the great day of judgment. - Jude 6 (NLT)

That "darkness" is not some mythic underground world. Sadly, it's here on Earth - where we are (Revelation 12:9).

But the good news is that we don't have to stay in darkness, like Rich Alati did. God provided a big "out" for us....

And the judgment is based on this fact: God's light came into the world.... John 3:19 (NLT)

It's more than sunshine by day, or the moon by night....

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life." - John 8:12 (NLT)

Following Jesus is a walk out of wicked darkness, into light. And the payoff is far better than $100,000 - it's eternal life.

Alati hasn't made many final tables in his career, but has healthy winnings from tournaments. Now he also has a place in poker trivia, which could lead to more stardom. But we challenge you to do the opposite of what Alati did. Come out of this world's darkness - and stay there.

For more on this topic, listen to a short message we presented in 2017.

Winner By a Hair?

Our last poker outing included a comment we hadn't seriously considered before. If the Bible says it's a shame for a man to have long hair (I Corinthians 11:14), how do we explain Samson?

You probably know the legend of Samson. It's the stuff of movies and grand opera. Even a few websites seem to have taken some inspiration from it. But is it Biblical and accurate? Did Samson get his might and strength from his long hair.... or was something else involved?

We went back to the Old Testament, where we learn why Samson had long hair in the first place:

The angel of the Lord appeared to her and said, "You are sterile and childless, but you are going to conceive and have a son.... No razor may be used on his head, because the boy is to be a Nazirite, set apart to God from birth, and he will begin the deliverance of Israel from the hands of the Philistines." - Judges 13:3, 5

Samson's long hair from birth certainly made him stand out - but for a purpose. It showed he was "set apart" by God. No one in New Testament times was under such a rule. The story continues....

Samson went down to Timnah together with his father and mother.... suddenly a young lion came running toward him. The Spirit of the Lord came upon him in power so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat. - Judges 14:5-6

Did the power come from Samson's hair? No - it came from "the Spirit of the Lord!" That phrase is repeated in verse 19, as Samson kills 30 people at a wedding feast.

To be fair, the Holy Spirit is not mentioned when Samson causes agricultural terrorism with 300 foxes (Judges 15:3-5). But later, after he is arrested....

The Spirit of the Lord came upon him in power. The ropes on his arms became like charred flax, and the bindings dropped from his hands - Judges 15:14

Yet in chapter 16, Samson became too playful with Delilah. A series of lies led to this famous moment....

So he told her everything. "No razor has ever been used on my head," he said, "because I have been a Nazirite set apart to God since birth. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man." - Judges 16:17

Samson's seven braids of hair were shaved off while he slept, "And his strength left him" (verse 19). Yet look through the entire four-chapter story, and you'll never find a single place where Samson acknowledged God's Spirit at work in his life. Only in a dying plea does he ask God for one final feat of strength (verse 28).

We can draw many lessons from Samson's story. But this review was eye-opening for us, because the Bible gives the credit for his strength to the Holy Spirit and not his hairstyle. It's very different from the legend you may have heard!

So what does all this have to do with poker? Consider this: if you're successful at the table on a regular basis, it might not be because of your "lucky card protector" or what you eat before the tournament. Maybe God is trying to send a message to you through your success. Are you humble enough to realize it, acknowledge Him and listen to Him?

Eyes Upon You

Want to be a TV star? All you have to do is sit down in some casino poker rooms. Security cameras are placed above tables, to record every hand and ensure every player and dealer is ethical.

But in a recent post, we mentioned a watch that's even higher in the sky than that. The Biblical book of Ezekiel includes a vision indicating "living creatures" have wheels "full of eyes all around" (Ezekiel 1:16-18).

This admittedly sounds weird - like something from a horror movie. What could those eyes be looking for? Another Old Testament book hints at the answer:

For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.... - II Chronicles 16:9

In the classic words of Bugs Bunny: Did you ever get the funny feeling you're being watched? Well, the Bible indicates you are. God is watching - and living cherubim are helping Him do it.

The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good. - Proverbs 15:3

God is doing this to build a case for a day of judgment, which will come after we die. It could be a case for you.... or against you.

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it....And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne.... each person was judged according to what he had done. - Revelation 20:11-13

What can you do to prepare for this judgment? The answer is back in that verse from II Chronicles. Be "fully committed" to God the Father and Jesus Christ.

So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good. - I Peter 4:19

You might get mocked at a poker table for trying to do God's will. We faced that this past week, at a final table. But commit to doing good deeds for God, and He promises to notice. He's watching, keeping score - and if you last to the end, a nice reward is coming.

Poker Night 541: Steal a Pot, Steal a Taco

Did you take advantage of Taco Bell's giveaway Wednesday? It was called, "Steal a win, steal a taco" because Golden State won on the road during the pro basketball finals. We claimed our free taco(s), then drove to Hollywood Casino Indiana hoping to claim something bigger....

BLINDS: 400/800

IN THE POCKET: A-J offsuit

The first hour of play was mostly lower for us, although we turned pocket Jacks into three of a kind which eliminated a player. We reached the final table with 8,900 chips out of a starting 12,000.

Now we're down to 5,000 chips in the Small Blind, with nine players left. We have pretty good cards and no one has raised, but we play conservatively and simply call. We recall four players being in the hand.

ON THE FLOP: 10-4-Q (middle card not precise)

That's why we played cautiously. We miss the flop, although we have a big straight draw. We check, but the Big Blind bets 2,000. Other players bail out, leaving us with a big decision. After pondering a moment, we decide on a power play.

"All of it," we declare - raising to 4,200. As a small stack, we don't have much to lose. If the Big Blind calls, we have about 10 outs. If not, at least we made another final table.

Our opponent spends a good deal of time thinking about this. Did we read a bluff correctly? When we think he's about to fold, he calls.

"Do you have a pair?" we ask with a bit of concern.

"Yeah," he says, "but not much of one." He turns over 2-2! So yes, he bluffed - but we have two very live cards.

ON THE TURN: 4

No, that wasn't it. One chance left.

ON THE RIVER: K

"Yes!" we say and pump our arm in victory. But for a moment, the female dealer doesn't grasp it. We're sitting to her immediate left, and she's hard of hearing in her left ear!

Other players point out the straight we made. We stay alive, and return to more than 10,000 chips.

The final table was relatively tight, and it took a long time to whittle down the field. But we took a player out with K-J, and received a 9 in the Big Blind which turned into quads!

We held on until four players were left. But after more than three hours of play, rising blinds finally were too expensive. We pushed in the Big Blind with Q-2. A woman called with K-6, and won the race when two more Kings hit the board. We finish fourth out of 14 players - the third time in six tournaments there that we've finished fourth! Too bad only the top two earned money.

MINISTRY MOMENT: A man sitting to our left won a pot with an A-5 straight, known in poker as the "wheel."

"There's an old song about that," we told him. "Ezekiel saw the wheel.... in the middle of the air."

The man seemed intrigued for a moment, but then became distracted by other players and hands. But are you familiar with that song? It's a "spiritual" that we sang in our youth, and it has its basis in the Bible....

As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each creature with his four faces. This was the appearance and structure of the wheels: They sparkled like chrysolite, and all four looked alike. Each appeared to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel. - Ezekiel 1:15-16

What's going on here? The prophet Ezekiel is having "visions of God" (verse 1) - and he sees "what looked like four living creatures" (verse 5). Another section of his account helps explain....

The Lord said to the man clothed in linen, "Go in among the wheels beneath the cherubim. Fill your hands with burning coals from among the cherubim and scatter them over the city." And as I watched, he went in. - Ezekiel 10:2

So Ezekiel is watching "cherubim" in action - what our old hardbound dictionary calls "the second order of angels." It's quite different from the traditional pictures of cute angels. And one thing more about those wheels....

Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around. - Ezekiel 1:18

Who needs "dash-cams" inside your car when you have eyeballs on wheels? And more to our point, what could all this possibly mean for us? Offer a comment if you'd like, and we'll get back to this section (and that song) in a future post.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: Tonight we mark 11 years of playing live tournaments - and we stand at 198 final tables in 541 games (36.6%), with 40 cashes. Since moving to our new area, the final table count is six out of eight!

Poker Night 475: House A-fire

Maybe it's because the players shuffle their own cards. Maybe it's because Kansas Star Casino has an automatic shuffler under its poker tables. Whatever the reason, we're finding Yvie's poker games tend to have stranger hands. Here's an example from Monday night....

BLINDS: 200/400

IN THE POCKET: K-K

Blame us for this one. We're dealing, in a game where we've won a couple of small early pots. A woman at our table of seven has raised to 1,600. We're certainly not going to run away from "donuts," so we call. About four players are in.

ON THE FLOP: Ad-Ah-Ac (suits may not be precise)

Talk about stunning the table!  "The Auto Club flop," we say - as we've dealt ourselves a superior full house.  But there's one nagging little problem. The deck has a fourth Ace somewhere. Does the woman across the table have it? She makes a continuation bet of 1,000. A man to our right calls. So do we. Everyone else is out.

ON THE TURN: 2d

A card from the other end of the galaxy which doesn't seem to matter.  Now the woman across from us checks, The man in the middle checks.  We sense some insecurity from this, make a bet of 1,500 - and get two callers.  If one of our opponents had that fourth Ace, wouldn't they have raised?

ON THE RIVER: 3d

Now three diamonds in a row are showing - but we know a straight or flush won't do someone any good. Our opponents check again, and we reach for chips.

"C'mon, just call," someone at the table tells us.

"No, I have to bet," we answer - and set out 2,000.

"He has to be an a*s about this," someone else says.

"I have to call," the woman opposite us then decides. "I have a boat, too."  Those actually are comforting words. We were concerned she might have quads.

"I'm going to fold," the man in the middle says. "My boat's not good enough."

Then the woman shows - J-J!  Our Kings top her and the other player who admitted to 6-6. We make a massive gain of more than 10,000 chips, and receive a bonus of 5,000 from the Tournament Director for the best hand of the night so far.

"You weren't afraid of the Ace?!" the woman asks. Well, that's why we didn't go all-in at some point. We made the bets big, but not so big as to be potentially crippling.

Good cards kept coming for us, and our starting stack of 10,000 grew to 34,600 by the first break - then to 60,500 in the second term. We reached the final table with 45,000.  But then the good cards ran out, with the blinds getting huge. We went for it all with K-10 of clubs and our last 25,000. But the board didn't pair for us, while A-9 by another man was rewarded with 9 on the river.

We finished the night in fifth place, satisfied to score our best finish since mid-April. And the take-home lesson for us from the last two tournaments is that being slightly more disciplined can make a big difference.

MINISTRY MOMENT: At one point we bet 2,500 to take a pot. An opponent across from us said, "I'll fold, you silver-tongued devil."

"I try not be a devil," we answered. "I try to be an angel." Then we turned to a man at our left. "But I can't even be an angel. I can be a child of God, but not an angel."

Does this confuse you?  If you think humans are on Earth trying to "earn their wings" to become angels in heaven, what the Bible says might come as a surprise.

But there is a place where someone has testified: "What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor...." - Hebrews 2:6-7

Humans are made "a little lower" than angels - and verse 9 goes to say Jesus was "made a little lower than the angels" when He came to Earth. Yet should our human goal be to become angels?

Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life? - I Corinthians 6:3

That's not merely a rhetorical question. Your Bible says humans someday will judge angels. This implies we won't simply be on their levels - we'll be above them. How is this possible?

...Because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.... Now if we are children, then we are heirs - heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in is sufferings in order that we may also share in is glory. - Romans 8:14, 17

True "children of God" have an amazing future - as heirs of God's Kingdom, joining in an inheritance with Jesus Christ Himself. That's a step above angelic living. If you'd like to know more about it, leave a comment and we'll try to explain it further.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 177 final tables in 475 games (37.3%) - 33 cashes.

Who's Gonna Win?

The discussion at our poker table the other day turned to matters of belief - and sadly, that did not mean God or Jesus Christ.

"The devil is in control," a man said (or words to that effect).

"The devil only wins if you let him," we responded.

A couple of people at the table seemed to agree with our view. But let's take the comments in order. There's a bit of truth to that....

In whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine to them. - II Corinthians 4:4 (KJV)

Who or what is this opposing God - trying to block the light of the gospel?  None other than the original "prince of darkness" - Satan.

For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved to judgment.... II Peter 2:4 (KJV)

Those angels were cast down from heaven with the devil, which was once a top-level angel called Lucifer (Isaiah 14). But even if Satan is a "god" over this world, that doesn't mean Satan has to be the god of your life:

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

That may sound simplistic - but even veteran Christians know it's a constant challenge and fight. We need help....

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

The "one who is in you" needs to be Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit:

To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. - Colossians 1:27

Would you like to know how Christ can be in you? Leave a comment, and we'll be happy to help -- so the "good God" wins in the end.

Canadian Cash Game: The River Rat

The World Series of Poker had a Main Event champion from Canada a few years ago. But that doesn't mean it's easy to find a poker room in that country.

We searched online before going to a church convention in Ontario, and found only a couple of casinos with anything more than slot machines. The only open poker room in Toronto exists only during the Canadian National Exhibition, that country's version of a national summer fair.  The other options require driving and commitment.

The best-known place may be Casino Rama, a secluded place with a lot of tour bus space. We drove to it on a weekday afternoon, and found the poker room doesn't have tournaments very often. The cash games are your only chance to make money. So we withdrew $100 Canadian from our home bank account, to see what we could do.

BLINDS: 2/5 (Limit Hold 'em)

IN THE POCKET: K-J offsuit

This is a limit table, with strict rules about how much you can bet or raise. We won the very first hand after we sat down, with a 6 in our pocket bringing a pair on the flop. We were up $15, but now we're down a bit after some chasing. These cards look promising, so we join most of the table in getting in.

ON THE FLOP: Q-Q-K

Lots of faces look like good graces for us.  We bet the $2 minimum, and several players get out of the way. But a man who's apparently from New York state (based on his St. Francis University hat) calls.

ON THE TURN: 6 (as best we recall)

We know for sure this was not a face card, so it seems harmless. The man across from us now bets the $5 minimum. We call and are wary. If he's sitting on a third Queen....

ON THE RIVER: J

It's not the face we wanted, but we'll take it.  We let our opponent bet again, and call when he offers $5.

"Three pair," we say with good humor.

"I've got a straight," he says.  WHAT?!?!  Yes, he turns over A-10!  The river card was exactly what he wanted, to steal a nice pot.

We're reminded here of the perils of a limit hold 'em game. So-called "river rats" can hang around waiting the right card to come, without having to invest a lot of money. If the table was no-limit, a big bet on our part might have pushed him aside - but it wasn't.

Few other good cards came for us, and we wound up surrendering $85 after about an hour. Casino Rama has no table for Ultimate Texas Hold 'em, and only a couple with low-price blackjack.  It's big on baccarat, but that's a game we don't know. So we took our losses and left - our fourth consecutive loss in a cash game, going back to 2010. You'd think we'd learn.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "Hal-le-lu-jah!" a man on our side of the table halfway-sung several times after winning a nice pot. Since we wore a WWJD wristband on the trip, we of course brought up God.

"He's not a gambler," the man who hit that river card said to us.  We responded by pointing out the arrival of Jesus on Earth was God's ultimate all-in moment for us.

Yet during the church convention, we saw some Bible verses which admittedly made us do some deep thinking....

For this reason, and because the angels are watching, a woman should wear a covering on her head to show she is under authority. - I Corinthians 11:10 (NLT)

What does this have to do with gambling and poker? We pondered about the "angels are watching" part of that verse. The Bible shows angels can fall into sin, every bit as much as humans can....

For if God did not spare angels who had sinned, but, committing them to pits of the nether gloom in Tartatus, reserved them under punishment for doom.... II Peter 2:4  (Moffatt)

Most Bible translations show "Tartarus" as "hell". That Greek word only appears in this verse, referring to a place where fallen angels are kept. Some of them apparently are there now, even though a time of final judgment doesn't come until later (Revelation 20).

The Bible indicates Satan led many angels into becoming demons long ago (Revelation 12:8-9). God's Word does not say whether or not angels have sinned and fallen since that time.  But we wonder: could the things "believers" in God and Jesus do set a bad example for them? Could this be what is meant by another verse....

And do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live.... - Ephesians 4:30 (NLT)

Fellow church members might not see your trip to a casino. But angels can, while God and the Holy Spirit certainly do. Are we doing things there which might cause them grief (as the KJV puts it)?  We'd welcome your comments on this deep spiritual matter.

UPDATED CASH GAME SCOREBOARD: Three gains in 10 games; total loss $242.

My Millions of Sons?

We're going back to our last poker day and a chat we had about Jesus with "Gramps."

The man told us he considered Jesus the "Prince of Peace."  Then he said, "I think we're all sons of God."

Is that an accurate statement?  We can see how he might draw that conclusion, based on a few Bible verses:

The God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. - Genesis 1:26-27

So we're made in God's image. That means we look to some extent like God.  But does that really make us His children?

Lots of people are poker players.  But only a few are really considered, if we may, Poker Players.  You know - the skillful pros who compete for big money on circuits, winning cash games and tournaments.

God may have called His creation "sons of God" for awhile, giving them the benefit of the doubt. But....

....The sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose.  Then the Lord said, "My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days will be 120 years." - Genesis 6:2-3

Bible scholars debate what the phrase "sons of God" means here -- perhaps people, perhaps fallen angels.  But Genesis 6 clearly shows God wasn't happy with what they were doing, so He decided to wipe them out (verses 6-7).  The phrase "sons of God" only appears a few times in the Old Testament after that, clearly referring to angels (see Job 1:6 and 2:1 in KJV).


But in the New Testament something changed -- when Someone special came to this earth:

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.... - John 1:12

To all who received whom?  The One John calls "the Word" (verse 1) - then One who "became flesh and made his dwelling among us" (verse 14).  The One we know as Jesus Christ.


The Bible shows that title "children of God" is not as wide-open as you might think.  It's reserved for those who receive Jesus and believe in His name.

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. - Romans 8:14 (KJV)

Does this really describe you?  Or does this seem too elitist and far-fetched to be believed?  Please leave a comment with your thoughts about it, and we'll come back to it in a future post.

Poker Night 382: Target Dog

At least one African-American man at The Red Barn didn't realize what holiday it was tonight -- the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.  But plenty of poker players showed up, perhaps because of the holiday.  After all, you're not likely to find poker tables around the dance floor at an inaugural ball.

BLINDS: 200/400

IN THE POCKET: J-J

We won an early pot with three 4's, then split another with Q-9.  So we come to this hand in fairly good shape, with 6,400 chips.  We're first to act and limp in -- but at this table of six, the man to our immediate right has been joking a bit about making us a target.  When the play calls to him, he raises 1,500 from the Big Blind.  At other times we've folded, but not now.

"I'll take you on this time," we say as we plunk down our chips.

"Oh oh," our opponent responds as one other player calls.

"Sometimes you've got to take a stand," we tell him.  He seems to accept that.

ON THE FLOP: Q-7-5 (last two cards might not be exact)

A card above our pair concerns us.  But the Big Blind checks.  So do we, along with the third player.

ON THE TURN: K

Now we could turn the "oh oh" around.  Things look even worse for our hand -- and the Big Blind decides it's time to bet, offering 1,000.  Yet something tells us this is a bluff to run us off, so we call.  The third man folds.

ON THE RIVER: 9

The Big Blind responds to this with a bigger bet, tossing out 2,000.  Calling this would leave us with a measly 1,500 chips.  The more we ponder it, the more we become convinced he means what he says.

"I'll fold," we say.  Sure enough -- the pot winner turns over K-9.  He made running cards for two pair, and claims a Red Barn "Rodney" bonus of 5,000.

We never recovered from that loss, although we made it to the second hour of play.  An all-in bet with 9-9 led to a King on the flop and an Ace on the turn.  A man with a King took the pot, and sent us home in a lowly 22nd place.

MINISTRY MOMENT: That man in the Big Blind asked a curious question before we were eliminated.  "Are you a Tasmanian devil?"

He didn't seem to be drunk.  But his screwball question opened a door of witness for us.  "No, I'm not a Tasmanian devil.  I try to live like an angel.  Live like an angel, and you'll keep the devil away."

The man seemed to agree with our answer.  But perhaps you're asking: how can we live like angels?  We certainly can't make ourselves invisible, and fly between the heaven of God's throne and Earth.  But consider what a New Testament writer asked....

Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation? - Hebrews 1:14

Angels are servants -- and they're not simply serving God.  They're serving people who will inherit salvation.  That can mean angels are serving you!  And by extension, we should be serving other people.

There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.  There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. - I Corinthians 12:5-6

Martin Luther King Day has become a "day of service" for many people and organizations in the U.S.  There's nothing wrong with that.  But we'd ask what sort of service you've been doing for God lately.

But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.... But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. - Joshua 24:15

We think the best way to serve God is to follow His commands.  Start with the Ten Commandments listed in Exodus 20, then review how Jesus explained them early in the book of Matthew.  Consider yourself and your ways carefully.  Are you serving God like an angel -- or perhaps inadvertently serving someone else?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 131 final tables in 382 nights (34.3%) - 20 cashes.  That makes five missed final tables in a row.

Animals at the Table

In one of his books, Phil Hellmuth describes the traits of poker players as one of five "animal types."  But none of them include the animal most often mentioned during a tournament.  Take this recent online chat, where we tried to bet a player out of a hand....


Dealer:  smokedawg70 wins Main Pot ($765) with Straight, seven to jack
Me:  very good
Me:  couldn't run you off
flvron1:  stubborn donkey
flvron1:  I said it 4 U

Donkey can be used to describe all kinds of players -- such as the ones who stay in through long-shot chases of cards, or the ones who go all-in with 3-6 offsuit trying to seize antes and blinds.  But did you know that label also is put on people in the Bible?

He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers. - Genesis 16:12

Wow -- does that sound like poker, or what?

Yet verse 11 shows this "wild donkey" label didn't come from a losing poker player -- but from "the angel of the Lord."  It describes Ishmael, the first child of Abraham.  The first part of chapter 16 explains how he was born to a servant maid, outside of God's plan.  After a son was born to Abraham's wife, Ishmael and his mother were sent away (Genesis 21:8-18).

So if God's angel can call babies "donkeys" even before they're born, does that mean we should throw around that label at a poker table?  The chat continues, showing what we did....

Me:  I wouldn't put it
Me:  that way.
flvron1:  diplomat
Me:  Of course. 
flvron1:  right on
Me:  "Word fitly spoken"
Me:  as I read in a book.
flvron1:  got 2 book
Me:  This is a Good Book.

As in a different Old Testament book....

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.  As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear. - Proverbs 25:11-12 (KJV)

God can talk tough when He wishes.  The Bible makes that clear.  But there are times when biting the tongue and being gracious can be a better example of the love Jesus Christ showed.

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. - Colossians 4:6

An old phrase says you can make more friends with honey than with vinegar.  That's what we try to do in poker rooms -- to make a Christian walk appealing, not a turn-off.

So play like a donkey, if you think it will work.  Sometimes it will; sometimes it won't.  But we're leaving the "donkey" labels to God -- trying instead to be as "harmless as doves" (Matthew 10:16, KJV).

The Devil's Due

Our last post mentioned the approach of "Yom Kippur" or the Day of Atonement, from sunset Tuesday to sunset Wednesday.  It came up during an online tournament Monday, as a player with an eye-catching name was at the table:


Dealer:  lucifer1 wins Main Pot ($740)
Me:  Somehow doubting
Me:  Lucifer will keep
Me:  Yom Kippur. :-/ ....

Why would we write that in the chat box? Because the holy day pictures how God will someday punish Satan the devil.  The details of the Old Testament ceremony symbolize how it will happen:

When Aaron has finished making atonement for the Most Holy Place, the Tent of Meeting and the altar, he shall bring forth the live goat.  He is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites -- all their sins -- and put them on the goat's head.  He shall send the goat away into the desert in the care of a man appointed for the task. - Leviticus 16:20-21

Jesus paid the penalty for human sins, of course.  But He didn't disappear in a desert, after the crucifixion.  He was resurrected and seen by hundreds of people (I Corinthians 15:3-8) -- and He'll return to Earth someday (I Thessalonians 4:16).  So we think the goat symbolizes something else....

And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain.  He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. - Revelation 20:1-2

While Satan's lock-up is future, Lucifer1 was rolling up a big score at our table -- winning pot after pot, quickly climbing above 10,000 chips.  So we wrote:

Me:  Lucifer a grim reaper

lucifer1:  no I am not

Dealer:  lucifer1 wins Main Pot ($6,035)

Me:  You're reaping

Me:  at least.

Lucifer1:  Sorry, I am and little God's angel

It's too bad that we were eliminated shortly after that comment -- because we should have challenged it.

And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. - II Corinthians 11:14

Isaiah 14 refers to a "Lucifer" who once was in heaven, then was cast down for organizing a revolt against God.  Satan wants people to believe it's working for God, when it really "deceives the whole world" away from God (Revelation 12:9, KJV).

It's enough to make anyone stop and think.  Could Satan have deceived you into doing ungodly things -- even in a poker room?  As you have time, use the Day of Atonement to examine your life.  Compare your actions with the word of God.  Then get on the side which will win in the end.

Poker Night 321: Heavy Artillery

"If anyone ever hits you in the face about God, send him to me."  That's what a man across the table said to us, before play began tonight at Lil Kim's Cove.  We tried to tell him Christianity isn't supposed to work that way.  But once the poker tournament is on, sometimes you do see a need to fight fire with fire:

BLINDS: 25/50

IN THE POCKET: A-9 offsuit

Our table is betting big and early -- which we take as a sign a critical basketball game is on TV.  Two players already have pushed themselves over the cliff and out to the rail.  But we've been biding our time, waiting for a good hand.  When a player raises to 300, we decide this could be it.  We call, and about five players get in.

ON THE FLOP: 4-7-9

An ugly flop to some, but good-looking to us -- top pair with a top kicker.  A man across from us who likes to bet big tosses in 1,000.  We see no reason to object.  We call; everyone else bails out.

ON THE TURN: 9

Three of a kind makes us feel downright dangerous - especially because we don't think our opponent has anything more than a high pocket pair.  He bets 1,500.  We shake our head no, and double to 3,000.

"How much do you have?" the man asks us.  We've dealt with him at local tournaments before, so this is no surprise.  His tendency is to make huge bets, to force big decisions from opponents.  Now he's answered our raise by going all-in.

"I have 2,650," we say after a count.  We call, and see no reason to turn this into a Western movie drama.  "Three 9's with an Ace."

Our opponent looks stunned for a moment, then slowly shows what he has: 9 -- with an Ace.  We have matching hands!  And with no flush threat for either of us, the river card doesn't matter.  A split of the pot means a gain of about 600 for us -- but oh, what might have been.

The big betting continued throughout the first hour, and we were right to lay low -- even folding A-Q pre-flop when several players bet 5,000.  (It would have lost.)  We finally emerged with suited connectors, but lost a lot of chips when we missed a flush draw.  Near the one-hour mark we tried A-8, then was forced all-in after seeing a flop of Q-8-2.  But true to the mood of the table, an opponent topped us -- with three 2's!  Bad timing left us eliminated in 24th place.

MINISTRY MOMENT: Our game was overshadowed by unquestionably the most robust religious discussion we've ever had in a poker room.  And it all started when a woman to our right asked about the little bottle of Liquid Paper we used as a card protector.

"I brought this to remind me," we explained while shuffling the cards to deal, "Jesus can wash my sins whiter than snow [Isaiah 1:18].  Do you believe in Jesus?"

"Actually, I don't believe," the woman answered.  "Show me the proof.  There's no proof He lived."

"There's all sorts of proof."  This comment didn't come from us -- but from the man across the table who had offered to come to our defense in a fight.  (Thankfully, no punches were thrown during the discussion.)  Yet his support for his claim sounded curious to us.  "There are pieces of the ark...."

There are?!  We thought Noah's ark and the "ark of the covenant" were missing pieces of Biblical history -- despite occasional expeditions to Turkey and that Indiana Jones movie.

Then a woman sitting to our left spoke up.  "I'm not into God at all, but I believe."

That's indeed a nice start.  But consider these words from the New Testament:

You believe that there is one God.  Good!  Even the demons believe that -- and shudder. - James 2:19

The Bible indicates demons are "fallen angels," who sided with Satan long ago in a heavenly insurrection:

The great dragon was hurled down -- that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray.  He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. - Revelation 12:9

God wants a belief that goes beyond "fair-weather friendship," or waiting for the opportune moment to do something like pot-stealing.  Jesus summarized it in terms of two great commandments....

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.  The second is this: "Love your neighbor as yourself."  There is no commandment greater than these. - Mark 12:30-31

Now that's what "going all-in" really means, from a heavenly perspective.  But none of that would impress the skeptic to our right.

"I wake myself up every morning," she maintained.  "When I die, I know death is all there'll be."

How would you respond to this firm non-believer?  We'll get back to this lively chat in a future post.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 113 final tables in 321 nights (35.2%) - 17 cashes.

We've been doing well at tournaments early in the week (five final tables in the last seven), but haven't reached the final table at Lil Kim's since 1 March.

NATIONAL LEAGUE OF POKER TOTAL: Full tournaments - 232 point wins in 980 games (23.7%), 74 final tables, 7 cashes plus 1 other win. No-River Hold 'em - 5 point wins in 32 games (15.6%), 4 final tables, 1 win.

We had a sixth-place finish out of 61 players in a monthly qualifier Tuesday.  But sadly, two other point wins came in games where the NLOP browser froze (in one case three times) - which seems to be a common problem for other players.

POKER STARS.NET TOTAL: Pretend cash games - $79,421, up $561.

Take a Bow

Before play began at a live tournament the other night, a man to our left did something unusual.  He lowered his head toward us a couple of times, palms down toward the table.

Some people might have soaked in that moment of attention, and begged for more.  We didn't.  Instead we responded by saying, "I am not worthy, I am not worthy" -- the sort of phrase you'd expect the other man to say as he bowed.

Why did we say that?  Because we have nothing to deserve people bowing at our feet -- poker players or otherwise.  Besides, we remembered a similar case at the end of the Bible.

I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things.  And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me.  But he said to me, "Do not do it!  I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers the prophets and of all who keep the words of this book.  Worship God!" - Revelation 22:8-9

John had amazing visions in Revelation -- including the judgment throne of God and the lowering of the "new Jerusalem" from heaven to earth.  He was awe-struck, as probably anyone would be.

But this actually marked the second time in Revelation that John was corrected on his worshipful response toward an angel....

At this I fell at his feet to worship him.  But he said to me, "Do not do it!  I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus.  Worship God!  For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. - Revelation 19:10

If we're not supposed to worship angels, why should anyone even think to worship humans?  Yet it happens throughout our world.  The World Series of Poker which began this past week is likely to provide new champions and "stars" that other players will want to emulate.  But there's only One who's truly worthy of our worship.

Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. - Psalms 95:6-7

Christians are simply ordinary people who have come to see their need for an extraordinary God and Savior -- and who live their lives praising and worshiping Him.

Of Alcohol and Aces

"May the angels of heaven smile down on you, in the game you're about to play." Those may sound like strange words from a poker tournament director. But this weekend, he wanted us to eliminate someone he considered a pest.

We were already in the loser's bracket of a heads-up tournament, after losing our first match. Now we had to play a young woman who openly admitted she was drunk and was being annoyingly confrontational with some people. "I want nothing to do with a drunk-a** woman," the director declared at one point.

"Do you believe in angels?" we asked the woman who heard the director's blessing.

"Yes, I do."

Yet the woman was drinking -- and telling people about how she "chopped the prize money" earlier in the evening at a regular poker tournament in the next city. "I may be drunk, but I know what I'm doing," she told us as we started to play.

"I haven't been this drunk in a long time," our opponent declared. Then, perhaps because we were a listening ear and not talking back, she explained what was behind it. "I'm feeling heartbroken right now." It was emotional pain for a female friend, whom she said was being treated badly by a boyfriend.

"People think they know all about me," the woman continued. "But they don't know what's in my heart."

Then our opponent switched the talk to poker -- and we failed to offer our thoughts on what she was going through. First of all, God knows what's in her heart. And what He knows might disappoint her....

The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? -- Jeremiah 17:9

The woman's heart may have convinced her she needed alcohol to cope with a friend's pain. But the angels she believes in probably would offer an alternative approach.

Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. -- Ephesians 5:18

God's Holy Spirit is a comforter with far fewer side effects than "Southern Comfort."

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. -- II Corinthians 1:3-4

We prayed at the end of the night that this woman might come to know the comfort which God offers. It's even less expensive than shots at a bar.

Oh -- you're wondering how the game ended? We went all in for 2,500 with pocket Aces. The opponent who kept saying she "didn't care" called with Q-4. Then she hit Q-4 on the flop, and a 4 on the turn for a full house.

Yes, we lost to a drunken woman (who we think deep-down wasn't quite as drunk as she sounded). We went home humbled. Poker can do that to you. May she learn that lesson, too.

Betting on a Loser

The online game was anything but G-rated. One person wrote a double expletive, including one mentioning God's name. So we responded....

Me: I'd rather praise God, to be honest.
Lever: lol
lowrider1: amen to that
Lever: i like satan....
Me: That's too bad. An eventual loser.

We noted in an earlier post that Satan lost long ago. He's called "Lucifer" in Isaiah 14:12 (KJV) - and the context shows God kicked that "morning star" out of heaven for trying to have a higher throne than the God who created it.

Revelation 12:7-9 indicates (though it's open to interpretation) Satan tried again to claim a place in heaven. But God's angels fought Satan's demonic army off, and threw them down to the earth. And then....

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. - Rev. 12:12

This is why many believers, such as the man who sat next to us at The Red Barn, consider Satan responsible for the disasters in this world. But thankfully, Jesus is coming back to bring "a new heaven and new earth, the home of righteousness" (II Peter 3:13).

Given Satan's record "heads-up" against God and the angels, why would any thinking person bet on the devil in a match against Jesus? Or for that matter, against anything godly?

Sunday Rewind: Angels Unawares

The final table topic turned to angels the other night. (No, not the Los Angeles baseball team.) As far as we can tell, the Bible names only two.

Gabriel was sent to Earth to tell a young woman about her firstborn -- Jesus, "the Son of the Most High.... his kingdom will never end." (Luke 1:26-33)

Michael is an archangel, who must have had an interesting conversation years ago "when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses...." (Jude 9) Some religious groups claim to know what that dispute was about, but that's not our issue here.

We found no Scripture to verify the sort of musical instruments these angels play. But we think they have more important duties than that.

Michael is also a "great prince who protects your people," according to Daniel 12:1. That angel protected heaven in some kind of dramatic war against Satan and demons -- a battle the "righteous angels" won (Rev. 12:7-9).

Hebrews 1:14 says angels are "ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation." Are they serving you? Have you assured yourself a place in the salvation inheritance list? That comes not through angels, but through Jesus as your Savior.

Poker Night 118: Do You See What I See?

Do you dream of hitting a big hand at a poker tournament -- just one big hand? Then you won't believe what happened to us tonight at Lil Kim's Cove....

BLINDS: 500/1,000

IN THE POCKET: 10-8 of clubs

We played well getting to the one-hour break, and hold about 15,000 chips. With a smaller stack and blinds this high, this hand would be marginal. We call, sitting "on the button" (dealer). Several players join in.

ON THE FLOP: 9c-10-3 (don't really recall the last card)

The table checks to us. People have been betting big at this table all night, so we see top pair and bet 2,500. A player across from us calls; the rest fold.

ON THE TURN: 6 of clubs.

The man across from us checks. So do we -- and that puzzles one player who folded.

"You bet before, and now you're not going to bet again?!?!"

We see a straight draw, but we're not going to say that. As we hold the river card aloft, we answer: "Maybe I'm waiting. Waiting to see [dramatic pause] ....THIS!"

ON THE RIVER: 7 of clubs

The man across from us must sense weakness on our part. He bets 5,000 -- and of course we call.

"I've got a straight," we say turning the cards over. Oh wait. "And a flush."

"A straight flush," a man to our right points out. WOW -- we never even noticed that until he mentioned it! We not only win a big pot, but a 5,000-chip bonus for that huge hand.

Impressed by that? Believe it or not, another big hand came our way once the final table gathered -- as holding a 10, we hit QUADS on the river! No one bet into us that time, but the "tenor quartet" earned us another 5,000-chip bonus.

And yet, alas, we did NOT win the tournament tonight. We wound up in third place (one off the money -- losing a decisive race when our A-9 paired a 9 on the board, but another player paired a Jack to top us.

Yet all in all, it was a nice night to remember. We told ourselves as we walked to Lil Kim's Cove we were due to have a big night -- and indeed we did.

MINISTRY MOMENT: On a cold night in Columbus, we wore a black hoodie -- imitating pro poker star Phil Laak, except without the sunglasses. A man sat down next to us for the final table, wearing a white Sean John hoodie.

"I'm being an angel," the man joked as we compared clothes.

"If you're an angel, what does that make me?" we answered.

A few minutes later, we went back to that. "So are you the angel Gabriel? Or Michael?"

Our friend wasn't sure how to answer that -- but he recalled there are two angels with that name. We pointed out they're both actually archangels.

"Gabriel plays the horn," a woman across the table said, "while Michael plays the harp. Is that right?"

We didn't recall that detail, but said we'd "have to look that up." We invite you to do the same, and we'll compare notes in an upcoming post.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 48 final tables in 118 nights (40.7%) - 10 cashes. Good to be back, after six misses in a row.

YAHOO POKER TOTAL: $13,944 - unchanged (no play)

NATIONAL LEAGUE OF POKER TOTAL: Five-player sit-n-goes - 2-3-2-1-0. Full tournaments - 4 final tables in 49 games (8.2%), no cashes.

We had a third-place finish online this week as well -- in a 46-player Tuesday qualifying tournament for the monthly Senior Championship.