Prophets of Profits

We told you a few days ago about Frankie Flowers - the operator of a non-profit organization in New York who did well in the World Series of Poker Main Event. He made the money, which is good. But he's now out of the running, finishing in 424th place.

Courtesy WSOP.com

Flowers earned close to $30,000. Trouble is, he talked about making much more than that. WSOP.com posted he was "prophecizing" at the Main Event about making a million dollars or more at the final table. We'll forgive the writer for not knowing the proper way to write that big word. Flowers actually may have been prophecying. Or, in street slang, he simply may have been "trash talking."

Yet some religious people have the idea that "faith talk" can lead to success - whether it be a lot of money, a spouse or something else. Where do they get that? From Bible verses such as....

Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion.... - II Corinthians 9:10-11

Claim that as a "faith promise," some people suggest, and the "God from whom all blessings flow" (to borrow from a famous church song) will pour them out on you.

We've admittedly seen God do that in our life - but there's a problem with that suggestion. It doesn't happen every time. The Bible nowhere shows that the first apostles died as tycoons or millionaires. In fact, the apostle who wrote the verses above wound up dying in a prison dungeon:

...This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God's word is not chained. - II Timothy 2:8-9

You may win a lot of money playing poker. You may go bust a lot. Yet through good times and bad, the best thing to do is what Paul did. He kept his focus on God:

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. - I Timothy 6:6-8

Instead of talking big, the model prayer of Jesus recommended a small request....

Give us this day our daily bread. - Matthew 6:11

Can you be content with that? The Bible indicates you should. Be thankful for whatever blessing God gives, even if it seems small. If you do, something great could come in the long run.

Big Bucks and the Big House

There are all sorts of ways to play poker these days -- online in tournaments, in person at local club nights or cash games in casinos.  All sorts of legal ways, we should say.

Yet sadly, the poker news this weekend is dominated by a couple of illegal games.  Guilty pleas in New York City and a police bust in Virginia indicate the legal version may not be enough for some people.

What drives people to that sort of activity -- to think they have to play high-stakes cash games for bigger bucks?  The Bible offers one possible answer:

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.  Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. - I Timothy 6:10

.Human nature tends to be a selfish, greedy thing.  People who win a little hope to win a lot.  People who win a lot dream of pressing their luck to win a lot more.  It's hard to do what some beer ads advise -- and "know when to say when."  And sometimes as a result....

A greedy man brings trouble to his family.... - Proverbs 15:27a

What we need to learn instead is the opposite of greediness.  Is that doing without, or going bankrupt?  Not at all.

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. - Philippians 4:12

Did you catch the key word?  It's being content - which dictionaries define as being satisfied with what you have.

If you risk bringing ruin on your household to get a fancier sports car or vacation house, is that really a good tradeoff?  Isn't it better to "count your blessings," as an old song says, and thank God for what He's provided you?  It's certainly better than risking a free trip to jail.

Let's hear it for the Philippians!

Well, what do you know -- a book of the Bible came up during the final table of the World Series of Poker Main Event.

Third-place Dennis Phillips had a block of fans which the WSOP online play-by-play called "Phillippians." The New Testament book is spelled a little differently, but we'll take it.

So what sort of poker advice can we learn from Philippians -- the book, we mean? Here's one gem we found: "I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." (Phil. 4:11b, KJV)

Those of us who live in Georgia like to joke this refers to our trips into Alabama. But poker players can be in all sorts of "states" -- states of despair when the chip count of low and you feel "hungry," or states of euphoria when you win a big pot and "abound" (verse 12). Not to mention the states in between, from emotional border to border.

The key word is "contentment" -- which comes from realizing there's more to this life than poker. "Godliness with contentment is great gain," says I Timothy 6:6. May you have both, and rake in the fruits which go with them.

P.S. Our wild guess finalist made it to the final two, and heads-up play tonight. We'll see how Ivan Demidov does -- but he certainly isn't Ivan the Terrible.