Back to the Fifties

When the World Series of Poker began in June, we noted it was the 50th such event. But we noted that some people (and perhaps even the WSOP) called it the "50th anniversary" - which isn't mathematically right, because it's 49 years since the first one.

It reminded us of how some church groups sadly fight over how to count things. Take this one, which Jesus mentioned:

For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. - Matthew 12:40

Sounds simple, doesn't it? Jesus was buried for "three days and three nights" after His crucifixion.

Trouble is, many Christian denominations say Jesus was killed on Friday and was resurrected on Sunday morning. They parse at words and hours, trying to explain how "three days and three nights" somehow fit into about 48 hours. (Here's an article on that issue, if you'd like to look into it.)

We noted earlier this year that some church groups disagree on the number 50 as well, in computing when to keep the Christian festival of Pentecost. We promised to do our own study into it. After several weeks of complicated digging, it's ready. It's quite a mix of numerology, history and linguistics. Have your thinking cap and "good books" ready as you read it.

In poker tournaments, accurate chip counts matter. Shouldn't the counting of days and years matter as well - especially when it comes to events which shape all eternity?

Poker Day 574: Race Day

Monaco had Formula 1. Indianapolis had IndyCar. Suburban Charlotte had NASCAR. And we had our own version of racing today - at the Jack Casino poker room. In fact, several races were in the cards....

BLINDS: 600/1,200/1,200 ante (Big Blind only)

IN THE POCKET: Q of hearts-Q of clubs

The Sunday brunch poker tournament has a deep stack - 25,000 chips for early birds. We built ours to 28,200 in the early going. But then setbacks knocked us down to 12,200 at the 90-minute first break. Now we have only 7,600 left, and are looking for something to start a rally. With players to our right at this table of eight raising to 3,200, this had better be it.

"I'm all-in," we say; "76 trombones led the big parade."

This reference sparked a discussion of Broadway musicals. We performed in this one in high school. A young man to our right knew right away it was The Music Man, because he'd seen the movie on cable TV.

But oh yes, the hand: two men across from us call. But the man to our immediate right then goes all-in as well - with a lot more chips than we have! This doesn't look good. A man across from us thinks for a long time, then folds. The musical buff to the right ponders, then calls.

Now it's show-and-tell time. The big re-raiser has.... 3-3! The musical fan went for it with 8-10!

"You mean I'm in the lead?!?!" we say with surprise as we show our cards. Suddenly this feels good, but anything could still happen....

ON THE FLOP: As-6s-9c

Thankfully, no one has an Ace. But the Music Man has a straight draw.

ON THE TURN: 4s

 This is more trouble, because the opposing pair includes 3s. Can we dodge all the bullets?

ON THE RIVER: 2c

We do! The "76 trombones" turn into a full, quadrupled-up big band of 35,200 chips!

That started another of those amazing second-hour rallies for us. An all-in gamble with pocket 5's won a race. Q-7 in the Big Blind brought a 6-10 straight on the river. Add a heart flush, and we survived to the final table at 24,300!

Patiently waiting for good cards paid off there. A push with A-7 looked bad against A-K, but a 7 on the board brought a gain to 84,000. A-Q led to two pair on the flop, and he jumped to 208,000. A Big Blind win made our high chip mark 249,500!

With 28 people playing, the top three would earn money. With four players left, we still had 155,500 amid massive blinds and antes. All fours agree to pay a "Bubble Boy" $20 - and the ma who appeared likely to take that title then hit a series of big hands, to eliminate someone else.

After a few more minutes of play, that man suggested a three-way chop of the prize money. The man with a huge stack had been gunning for the win, but after some setbacks was ready to settle. Of course, we accepted as well.

After more than four hours of holiday weekend "work," all three of us took home $560. That's our biggest one-day payoff since 2015, our second cash in a row and our third in 11 tournaments this year. We praise God for the success He's providing!

MINISTRY MOMENT: We were saddened as we drove to the casino, due to news this weekend that a familiar voice from our old home area had died. Rod Bramblett of Auburn University sports was killed with his wife in a Saturday night SUV crash.

"The good news," we told a woman sitting next to us, "is that I believe in a resurrection of the dead."

The woman indicated she believes in that as well. We let it go there - but perhaps we should have probed deeper to see if she believes in Who will bring it.

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies...." - John 11:25

At the time when Jesus Christ walked the earth, many Jews (but not all) believed in a resurrection of the dead:

Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." - John 11:23-24

But Jesus went farther - declaring He was the resurrection. He did it in this section of the Bible with Lazarus (verses 43-44). And He plans to do it on a grander scale when he returns to Earth....

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 14:3

Where will Jesus take the dead? Contrary to what you may have heard, it's not a place in heaven:

Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem... Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him. - Zechariah 14:3-5

Some believers in God had an understanding of His plan to save humankind, even before Jesus came the first time. The next time, there will be no doubt:

Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him.... - Revelation 1:7

If you're feeling down or depressed as the U.S. marks Memorial Day over the loss of a loved one, consider these Bible promises carefully. Jesus will come again, bringing a resurrection (actually more than one - check Revelation 20 for more about that). The dead will live again. What a wonderful time that will be!

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 220 final tables in 574 games (38.3%) - 48 cashes. Since we passed the 500-tournament mark in April 2017, we've made exactly half of our final tables!

The Old Numbers Game

A recent post presented one winning poker player's opinion about why children should be taught the game. But there's one positive aspect she didn't mention - that poker can teach young people math skills.

We found a column explaining why mathematics matters in a poker room. For grade-schoolers, there's the obvious truth that a 10 is (worth) more than a 6 and that three of a kind is better than two.

But the math gets more complicated from there. For instance, did you know (based on our link) that a pocket pair turns into "trips" on the flop about 11.5 percent of the time?

This column reminded us that some people aren't always logical with their math skills. One example occurred only a couple of weeks ago. Consider the words of Jesus....

For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. - Matthew 12:40

Jesus was answered demands from some people for a "miraculous sign" (verses 38-39). He took them back to a classic Old Testament tale....

But the Lord provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights. - Jonah 1:17

(The Bible never calls the fish a "whale," but that's not our point here.)

By comparison, Jesus was talking about His death. After three days and three nights, He would be resurrected (16:21) - and the Bible records that actually happened (Luke 24:21 and other verses).

The really big problem (to borrow from a math-centered show on public TV) is that many people think Jesus died on "Good Friday" and came back to life on "Easter Sunday." Even with common core, that's bad math. That timeline only allows for one full day and two full nights.

Some Bible scholars try to explain this by saying part of a day counts as a day. Yet they never seem to apply that principle to another moment in the Bible....

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting 40 days and 40 nights, he was hungry. - Matthew 4:1-2

We've never found a Christian preacher who claims this fast was shorter than that - say, 28 days and 27 nights. So why do they condense it when it comes to Jesus's death and resurrection?

The short answer is: tradition - and much like not all math figuring is good, so not all traditions are good. We think the right answer is to start a new tradition. One that's biblically sound and mathematically accurate.

If you have fuzzy math when it comes to this, here's a chart that may help.sort things out. Search the Scriptures carefully with it. As some ministries like to say, "Good science supports the Bible" - and we think good mathematics and traditions will as well.

A Different Sort of FOLD

In this age of text message shorthand, you may have heard of FOMO - the "fear of missing out." We'd like to create a new one for poker. It's FOLD - "fear of losing dollars."

We're inspired by an online column by poker millionaire Jonathan Little. He explained the proper mindset poker players should have. In part....

Learning to think in terms of equity (instead of dollars) is a great way to conquer the fear of losing money.... You must accept that you will win and lose pots when you play poker.

In some cases, the FOLD is logical. If you have 7-2 offsuit, that's not statistically likely to turn into a winning hand. But when you have something like J-J or 10-10, the walk becomes more unbalanced. A big bet by other players (whether they have something or not) could make you wary and lead to FOLD.

In short, poker is a game with no guarantees. If you develop a serious case of FOLD, you're not likely to do well. We need a different mindset - one that we think is downright godly:

But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought, and never fails to bear fruit. - Jeremiah 17:7-8

Trust completely in your own skills, and you set yourself up for failure. It's far better to put your trust in a God whose plan never fails.

Yes, "heat" will come - perhaps from aggressive bettors who want to test your courage. But if you accept the fact that drought sometimes will happen and stay close to God in those times, fruitful times will follow.

Some Christians are marking an example of this today. They consider it "Palm Sunday," when Jesus entered Jerusalem five days before the "Passover" festival week (John 12:1, 12). He arrived knowing He would be arrested, bloodied and killed five days later. Yet consider how Jesus faced it....

Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." - Matthew 26:39

Jesus could have FOLD-ed - with the "D" here standing for His divinity. Yet He did not. In a restless moment of tense anticipation, He accepted God's will. Many of His disciples reacted differently - and Jesus was not surprised by that.

"You will all fall away," Jesus told them, "for it is written: 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.'".... Then everyone deserted him and fled. - Mark 14:27, 50

Jesus put His life all in - putting His confidence in a Father who could resurrect Him. Days later, it happened. His disciples didn't understand until after it happened. Whose example is better for you to follow, when things in life become uncertain? The FOLD way - or the faith way?

Faith at Work

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Memories of "Buddha"

We saw this on Facebook Saturday night, from the place where our poker-playing began....

Goodbye to a great guy and sometime a obnoxious one but he had a heart of Gold..RIP Buddha

He went by "Buddha," (center) but we never were sure of his real name. (As we recall, he hid that for legal reasons.) He was a true larger-than-life poker character - so large that he somewhat resembled a Buddha statue, and sat almost sideways at makeshift poker tables in the Columbus, Georgia area.

He also had another nickname - one we ironically remembered a few weeks ago when we quoted his mic-drop line, "I flopped it" during a poker tournament. After winning some big pots (and he eliminated us more than once), he would announce in a loud voice: "That's why they call me BIG DADDY!!!"

(By the way, that last link includes an example of why the Facebook announcement called him "sometime... obnoxious".)

We interviewed "Big Daddy" for an unusual Father's Day post on our old news-and-humor blog (the blog which led to this one). He talked there about competing in the U.S. Sumo Wrestling Championships. But we don't know if he ever did. Someone with a pro wrestling troupe might have made an interesting discovery.

If Buddha had played in Las Vegas, he could have become a regular on TV poker nights. His size and personality would have made him, well, a "character" - not unlike some pro wrestlers. And let's face it: interesting characters always make TV more interesting. It's true in poker; think about Phil Hellmuth and Doyle Brunson's personalities, which have made them famous.

But after a lengthy illness, Buddha died at approximately age 38. If he was really Buddhist, he never said so. But we shared our faith with him a few times at poker tables, and concluded he was simply not a religious person. If that describes you, consider a verse we mentioned here recently....

And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment.... - Hebrews 9:27 (NLT)

No matter what you believe - or even if you don't - death is inevitable. The big question is what happens after that. Buddhists believe they'll enter "nirvana" or be reincarnated. But the Christian Bible says there will be judgment. How will that happen?

...When the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don't know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus. - II Thessalonians 1:7-8 (NLT)

The judgment won't happen until Jesus returns - and it won't be immediate. Buddha will rest for quite a while....

The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years had ended.... I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God's throne... And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. - Revelation 20:5, 12 (NLT)

Jesus is coming to judge - a judgment that includes a "lake of fire" (verse 15). But as we say in poker, you have an "out"....

...People escape from the wickedness of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.... - II Peter 2:20 (NLT)

We quoted the "good news" part of that verse; there's a warning in the rest of it for people who don't really make the effort to escape.

So our sympathies go to Buddha's family and poker friends. May they turn to Christ, not that better-known Buddha - and be able to sing what another "Big Daddy" recorded several years ago.

Poker Night 568: Four-warned?

Driving to poker night in six-degree F. cold was challenging enough. But as we crossed the Ohio River toward Lawrenceburg, Indiana Wednesday night, a light on our dashboard starting blinking. We'd never seen the "tire light" blink before.

"I'm heading to a poker night, but I'd don't want to gamble with my tires," we told a man at an automotive shop where we stopped. The man understood, and a check showed our tires simply needed a little air. (The blinking was something else, which we'll explain another time.)

With that service done for free, we drove on to Hollywood Casino Indiana. Would warning lights abound as we returned to night tournaments?

BLINDS: 100/200

IN THE POCKET: 4-4

We won an early pot with A-10, which topped a man's A-8. But slow losses after that (including one with A-K) have put us at about 10,500 out of a starting 12,000. Now we have a small pocket pair in the Small Blind. The table of six isn't betting. So we choose to trap and call. The Big Blind checks, so we're heads-up.

ON THE FLOP: 4-3-Q

Four the win! A third four plays exactly into our strategy. Small Blind plays first, so we check. Big Blind bets 200. We call, of course.

ON THE TURN: K

No worries to us. Our patient play continues, with another check. Now Mr. Big Blind offers 425. We call, of course.

ON THE RIVER: 10

We have no idea what out opponent has. But he's betting, so we'll let him do it again with another check. This time, though, he checks as well.

"I hoped you'd bet again," we admit as we show "trip fours." Our opponent folds without showing a thing.

"At least I only lost 625," he admits. His wariness of us was correct, and that saved him a larger loss.

We reached the first break with 11,525 chips. A slow drain continued after that - but with only 16 players in action, we made it to the final table with 9,200.

After two players dropped out, a man bet 6,000 with us in the Big Blind. We saw pocket Queens and naturally called. So did a third player - and that man turned a 4 into his own "trip fours" on the river. Our big winning hand turned into our big loser, and we drove home with eighth place and no more blinking lights.

MINISTRY MOMENT: One young man at our starter table is chewing Nicorette gum, to overcome a tobacco habit.

"It beats smoking, I guess," he said. We agreed with this. Lots of things are better than smoking, especially for your body.

"We're all gonna die of something," he added. We agree with that, too. But that gave us a thought.

"And after you die.... what happens?" we asked.

"Most likely.... nothing."

"But what if there's a judgment?" we followed. "There very well could be."

Some ministers would say that response was too soft. We should have spoken in more convicting faith. because the Bible has no "could-bes" about this:

And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment.... - Hebrews 9:27 (NLT)

People unaware or unaccepting of God have no real knowledge of this. That's because they haven't seen it directly. But a Christian should have faith in God, but in what He plans to do for people after this physical life is over.

For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead. - Acts 17:31 (NLT)

These words originally said to the generation alive after Jesus Christ was resurrected. Some of them may have heard about it. But other people who actually saw the risen Savior may have still been living witnesses to it. Jesus will come back to judge. But there's some good news about that, back in Hebrews....

...So Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await him. - Hebrews 9:28 (NASB)

People who "eagerly await" Jesus strive to live a life free of sin. They repent, if and when they do sin. They long for salvation and eternal life, and the Bible promises they'll receive it. Other people who expect "nothing" after death are in for a rude surprise. Why take a chance with that? Isn't the better course to accept salvation through Jesus now?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 216 final tables in 568 games (38.0%) - 46 cashes.

Poker Day 567: On the Outs

"You can move over to make yourselves comfortable," a dealer suggested during today's final table at Hollywood Casino Indiana.

"At the final table, you're never comfortable," we responded. Indeed, even reaching that point had some stressful moments....

BLINDS: 2,000/4,000

IN THE POCKET: 5-6 of spades

The blinds are this big because we're in the third hour of play. It's had highs and lows, but gone well for us so far. After about 45 minutes of action with 11 players out of 24, we finally and patiently reached the last ten with 30,800 chips.

Now we're in the Big Blind with low suited connectors. A lot of players are pushing to force the action, but no one does here. We can check, and we're heads-up with the Small Blind.

ON THE FLOP: 7c-8s-Qs

Three cards with a lot of potential for us - an open-ended straight draw and a flush draw. The Small Blind to our right offers 6,000. We start this hand with about 28,900, so any bet is steep. Yet we call in hope.

ON THE TURN: 10d (perhaps not precise)

We missed - and our opponent raises the stakes to 8,000. Now it's time for some quick math:

• Nine missing spades would make a flush.
• The other three 4's or 9's (other than spades) would give us a straight.
• TOTAL OUTS: 15, out of 46 unknown cards. The odds are almost one in three.

Would you take a risk like this? We'll be in serious trouble if we miss. But we've made the final table, so we decide to call.

ON THE RIVER: 2s

Victory! Or is it? The Small Blind ponders for a moment, then bets 8,000 more.

"I'm all-in," we say - with 8,900 left. The Small Blind calls.

"Did you hit the flush?" we ask. "Because I did."

We show it to prove it. The Small Blind turns over.... K-K! He fought for his big pocket pair, but our stubbornness gains us a double-up to more than 52,000 chips!

"Big risk," a man to our left says. Indeed, it was - but this time it worked.

Yet on the very next hand, we lost with our own big pocket pair - as Q-Q fell to A-Q when an Ace came on the turn. We survived to the three-hour break at 21,500. But with seven players remaining, we called an all-in bet with A-7 and 12,900 chips left. Our opponent's 6-6 held up, and we left in seventh place. (Only three were paid money.)

MINISTRY MOMENT: "You gave those chips right back," the man to our left said after we lost that Q-Q hand.

"The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord," we told him.

That man didn't seem to acknowledge that famous quote. Do you know who said it? It's a Biblical quote, of course. From a modern translation...

He said, "I came naked from my mother's womb and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!" - Job 1:21 (NLT)

Read the first chapter of this Old Testament book, and you'll see Job lost a lot. Due to a challenge from Satan to God, Job lost his farm animals, farmhands, shepherds, camels, servants.... and all ten of his children.

If you lost even one-tenth of this, could you say what Job said? For many people, it might seem impossible. Yet in that moment, Job worshiped God (verse 20). How did he do that?

There once was a man named Job who.... was blameless - a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil. - Job 1:1 (NLT)

Job worshiped God through it all, because he "feared God." Note his words above about nakedness. He realized God was the source of all he had, and God would be his hope through it all.

If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed life will I wait, till my change come. - Job 14:14 (KJV)

While the entire book of Job reveals he was not a perfect man, he truly was strong in faith. And we can understand the "change" that's coming is a change from human flesh to eternal life for believers in God.

But the one who endures to the end will be saved. - Matthew 24:13 (NLT)

Jesus said those words. Then He did them. He's now the resurrected Son of God in heaven, and the Bible indicates He'll soon come back to resurrect faithful believers as well. Is that the source of your faith? If not, what is - and do you really think it's any better?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 215 final tables in 567 games (37.9%) - 46 cashes. That's five final tables in our last six live tournaments.

Poker Night 560: Brave-Hearted

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

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

BLINDS: 25/50

IN THE POCKET: Ace-King of hearts

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

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

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

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

ON THE TURN: 3d

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

ON THE FLOP: Jh

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"There you go," that man said.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

First, Second or Chop?

Some people show up at poker tournaments with other issues on their minds. We mentioned one recent game where a player was in the area for a funeral - and we tried to remind him of the Bible's promise of a resurrection.

Believers in God have held onto that hope for thousands of years - even in Old Testament times:

If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. - Job 14:14 (KJV)

Job is not talking here about setting out a 1,000 chip and betting 250. The "change" he wants is described in the NIV as a "renewal" - a body being renewed to new life. Jesus Christ confirmed that....

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies…." - John 11:25

But our prior post may have surprised you, by mentioning multiple resurrections. It's explained in the Bible's final chapters....

...They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. - Revelation 20:4-5

The first resurrection belongs to those who are faithful to God until the end of their lives (first part of verse 4; Hebrews 11:35). But if there's a first one, that logically means there's going to be at least a second one - after Jesus rules over Earth for a millennium.

And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. - Revelation 20:12

This will be a massive resurrection, likely involving billions of people. It also will be a resurrection of judgment, with this sobering warning....

If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. - Revelation 20:15

Some believers actually consider this a third resurrection - with the rebellious burned up along death and "Hades" (verse 14). This really is not a "podium finish." The Bible calls it a "second death."

We've won some money in poker tournaments lately by "chopping" the prize money with other players. We're thankful to do that, even if it means a little less than a first-place prize. But some tournaments don't work that way; the World Series of Poker Main Event comes down to one person in first place, with another in second.

God's judgment works the same way. We see nothing in the Bible to indicate you can "straddle" and be in more than one resurrection. Which resurrection you receive ultimately is up to God, since He's the only one who can resurrect us. But read Revelation 20, and strive for the first one. Any judgment there apparently will be quick, with the prize assured.

Poker Night 555: The Hunt for Green October

A surprising sight awaited us as we climbed into the car for work today. Red stains were on the passenger's seat and steering wheel. A check of the wheel confirmed.... ketchup from a cheeseburger.

Why were they there, and what does this have to do with poker? The answer to the latter - everything. We'll explain the other part, as we review a memorable Wednesday night at Hollywood Casino Indiana....

BLINDS: 600/1,200 (hand is from memory, as best we recall)

IN THE POCKET: King of clubs-King of spades

It's been an evening with more ups than downs. After winning two of the first three hands, our starting stack of 12,000 chips went to 15,025 - but a big loss late in Hour 1 left us with 9,025 at the break. Then we had a "two-hand slam" (as we call it) in Hour 2, with unshown K-K and a revealed A-K gaining us huge pots.

We reached the final table with 48,900 chips. Now it's Hour 3, with eight players remaining. Nice cards like these call for a raise, and we make it 3,000 to go. Two other players call.

ON THE FLOP: 6h-2h-10c

It looks like the coast is clear. We offer a continuation bet of 3,000. But across from us sits a man who looks amazingly like a church friend from our Wichita years. He has a huge stack - and he goes all-in. The player between us folds.

"Wow," we say. We didn't expect that move, and now we wonder what's up. Does that man have pocket Aces? Did he somehow make two pair out of that flop? A call to find out would take us from a nice stack to the rail.

"The book says to play these," we add.

"I haven't read the book," our opponent responds. Which may explain what he did.

We're in a position to make the money (top three), and don't want to blow it at a moment like this. So....

"I may regret this. But I'm going to fold." We take a moderate-sized loss, to avoid a huge mistake.

Then that man surprises us again. He shows.... 6-6! He bet big, because he had three of a kind. "I had to be careful, with hearts out there."

"Did you have hearts?" another man asks us. We reluctantly admit we did not.

We seldom do this, but we question our opponent's strategy here. If he had called the flop, he could have persuaded us to bet bigger on the turn - and potentially drain us a bit more slowly. But the push was a red flag, and we heeded it. (And another thing: would you have shown your 6-6 afterward?)

Playing it safe and steady worked for us from there. Our stack never became dangerously low, and we had 43,000 chips when the fourth-place player was eliminated. That meant we made the money for the first time in Lawrenceburg.... and the second tournament in a row!

At that point, our strategy changed. We had a regular job to do at 7:30 a.m. Thursday, so we were in a rare situation of attempting to give our chips away. After an "aggressive" gain or two (as that big-stack man put it), we finally pushed with K-J. The big stack had pocket 3's, and they won the race. (He wound up winning the tournament minutes later.)

Our $70 buy-in resulted in a $197 payoff. We drove home at 11:00 p.m., thankful to God for what's turning into a huge October at the table. And we stopped on the way to the freeway at the McDonald's drive-thru - for two victory cheeseburgers we could devour during the drive. So those ketchup stains developed in the dark - and are an unusual sign of poker success.

MINISTRY MOMENT: One man who made the final table was visiting from the Cumberland Lake area of southern Kentucky. He was in our area for the funeral of a friend he made while serving in the Vietnam conflict.

"That's why I have hope in the resurrection," we told him. "The dead will rise again."

The man didn't respond to our idea, and continued to tell war stories. But is that your hope? Do you want to see friends and loved ones again - people who may have died this month, or even decades ago?

Atheism offers no such hope. You're born, you die, and that's that. There was even a branch of Judaism in Jesus Christ's day which lacked that hope....

Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. - Mark 12:18

Their influence apparently remained on some people, even after Jesus was resurrected. An apostle had to reassure believers....

If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. - I Corinthians 15:19

But the good news (otherwise known as gospel) is that a resurrection is coming. It was promised by Jesus while He walked the earth:

For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. - Matthew 16:27

Why would Jesus hand out rewards to people who are dead? The only way we can appreciate them is by living again.

But here's the thing: the Bible says there will be more than one resurrection of the dead. How can that be? See if you can find it in the Scriptures, and we'll explain in a future post.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 207 final tables in 555 nights (37.3%) - 43 cashes. Since marking 500 tournaments last year, we've won money seven times in 55 tries, or almost 13 percent of the time!

Conventional Wisdom

In some years, we've used a trip to a church convention in the fall to play serious poker. But this year, we used the convention trip to avoid playing poker.

Why? Because the past trips took us to areas with casinos, while our home area had none. These days, we have two poker rooms close by. So we can play on a regular basis, and the convention allowed us to take a break from that routine.

The latter approach probably was better for us, since a break from poker allowed more focus on what the convention is all about. It starts (roughly) with this....

The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever." - Revelation 11:15

You may be familiar with the "Lord's Prayer" uttered by Jesus. It's a model for believers to follow....

This, then, is how you should pray: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." - Matthew 6:9-10

What is this "kingdom"? Jesus often called it the Kingdom of God (Mark 1:15, for example) - and it's coming. Revelation indicates this world will become God's kingdom. It will include a resurrection of believers when Jesus comes back....

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.... - I Thessalonians 4:16-17

But believers won't be in the air forever. They'll reign under Jesus Christ on Earth. After all, He also said….

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. - Matthew 5:5

The great plan of God is to rebuild the earth - not simply with homes and buildings, but an ethical system of real freedom and peace.

He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. - Micah 4:3

Does this sound appealing to you? It may be too late for this year's convention, but you can dig into the details of this plan anytime. This article explains what the "Feast of Tabernacles" is all about.

We don't know for sure if there will be poker in the Kingdom of God. But it certainly will top anything man has developed.

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 Night 540: Restless Hearts

The Stanley Cup finals. The Women's College World Series finals. The major league baseball draft. Amidst all that, we played poker tonight at Jack Casino. Could we, like Las Vegas hockey fans, have a golden night?

BLINDS: 50/100

IN THE POCKET: Ace of hearts-Queen of hearts

A couple of early efforts have not worked, and we come to the Small Blind with about 13,500 chips out of a starting 15,000. These big suited cards are worth a raise, and no one else at the full table of nine has done it.

"Three hundred more," we announce. Then the dealer corrects us, because we only put out 300. As Small Blind, we also must add 50 to match the Big Blind. OK, we'll do that. "What's 50 chips among friends?" we joke. But the serious matter is that three players call.

ON THE FLOP: 3h-4s-5c (last two suits may not be precise)

A flop from the wrong end of town, as far as we're concerned. But we're first to act, and realize we should to avoid looking weak. We bet 500. A man across from us calls.

Then a man at the far end of the table raises to 1,200. Huh?!?! What part of that flop led to a raise? Perhaps he has a low pocket pair, and made three of a kind?! We're not sure, but decide not to be bullied. We call. The other man calls, and three are left in the hand.

ON THE TURN: Jh

This is a bit better, because now we have a draw for the nut flush. This time we check - but the man down the table bets 3,000.

A lot of river cards are potentially good for us here: any 2 for a straight, any heart for a flush, and even an Ace or Queen to secure top pair. That adds up to 18 outs, with a 39 percent chance of success. But we think the man is trying to stop people on draws, and bet big to prove it.

"Nice block," we say - and fold. But the other man in the hand calls.

ON THE RIVER: 5s

We missed all the options, and feel better about our decision. The big bettor goes all-in, and the other man folds. Then the winner of the pot is nice enough to show what he had - A-2! He hit a straight on the flop, and defended it well.

That's the sort of night it was for us - a night when potentially big cards simply didn't work. While pocket 9's turned into a full house for a nice win (we never showed it), A-10 lost to a straight. Pocket 6's lost to pocket Jacks, when a man went all-in. Finally we were forced to go for it all in the Big Blind with K-Q - but a man with pocket Aces beat us. No final table tonight; we finished in 24th place out of 36 players.

Courtesy Twitter.com/DwightC87

MINISTRY MOMENT: Breaking sports news occurred during the tournament, with the death of pro football legend Dwight Clark.

"The good news," we told players around us, "is that he'll live again. There will be a resurrection."

Those players said nothing. Perhaps they didn't understand how we could we say that. Perhaps you've presumed Clark went to heaven immediately after he died. But the Bible tells us something else....

Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.... - Hebrews 9:27

The sad news about life is that it ends. Our physical bodies will stop functioning, due to an endless number of reasons. But this "judgment" does not occur right away.

...So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. - Hebrews 9:28

Jesus will bring salvation. People don't have it in heaven now - not even believers in God. They're waiting for the second coming, in their graves.

Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years. - Revelation 20:6

First?! Yes - the Bible indicates there are multiple resurrections, based on your relationship (or lack of it) with God and Christ. Eventually....

And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened.... The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. - Revelation 20:12

That point is when the real judgment takes place. We will not attempt to guess whether Dwight Clark will be in a first or second resurrection; that determination is up to God. But we offer sympathies to his family, and hope you'll consider carefully what the Bible really says about what happens when loved ones die.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 197 final tables in 540 games (36.5%) - 40 cashes.

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.

Knowing Where You're Going

Poker hands can have plenty of twists and turns. Pocket Aces before the flop can become worthless if the flop includes a 2 and someone else holds 2-2.

In a recent post, we introduced you to a man who looked at life somewhat that way. He admitted he wasn't sure where he was going, once this life is over. Yet the Bible offers answers about this - answers that might surprise you, even if you attend church often.

But man, despite his riches, does not endure; he is like the beasts that perish... Like sheep they are destined for the grave, and death shall feed on them... their forms will decay in the grave.... - Psalm 49:12, 14

Unless something miraculous happens, we're all heading for the "muck pile." But the writer of this psalm didn't stop there....

But God will redeem my life from the grave; he will surely take me to himself. Selah. - Psalm 49:15

"Selah" can mean "meditate on this." Have you thought about what happens after you die? If you're a believer in God, there's great reason to be hopeful:

For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. - I Corinthians 15:22-23

Notice this carefully. Believers will be "made alive" when Jesus comes again. It doesn't say they're alive in a spiritual body in heaven now. The faithful who have died are waiting for their Lord to come back. And then....

You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth. - Revelation 5:10

You read it correctly - reigning on earth, not in heaven. So what should we do to receive such a reward?

Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. - II Peter 1:10-11

It's a bit like being dealt pocket Aces. Don't assume you "have it made" - even though some preachers might say you do. We've been doing a good bit of study into that aspect of salvation recently. Check the article we wrote recently about it, and offer your thoughts.

(P.S. We're not finished talking about that man next to us at the table; more is coming in a future post.)

Lest Ye Forget

The casino in our area has held a big Memorial Day poker tournament for several years. This year the buy-in is quite big, at $350. At least the casino will give away free hot dogs for a couple of hours.

But we wonder if the casino will stop for a moment to remember players who have died in the past year, or in recent years. Somehow we doubt it. (If we're wrong, we hope someone will let us know.)

Jack Buck used to say when the St. Louis Cardinals played baseball games on Memorial Day, "I hope you'll take some time to think about the meaning of this day." Some people suggest it should be Christmas in May, with everything shutting down for quiet contemplation. But we think a balance can be struck between tribute and other activities.

We also think if you limit thoughts of Memorial Day to death, you're missing something....

If a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait for my renewal to come. - Job 14:14

Whether someone dies in military combat or after a lengthy ordeal with a disease, this life can be a "hard service." But thankfully, that's not all there is.

..And I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. - Acts 24:15

The Bible speaks of a resurrection of the dead - a "renewal" of life! But did you notice it's divided into two parts?

Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out - those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned. - John 5:28-29

Jesus Christ said those words - and the Bible shows He is the one who will pass final judgment on humankind (Hebrews 10:30). What can you do now to be part of that first resurrection?

...And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. - Revelation 20:4

In short, these people lived for God and his word, the Bible - enough to resist the forces of this world, even unto death. These are people worthy of remembering. In fact, they might be alive today all around you.

So taking time for a "memorial" over this U.S holiday weekend is a good idea. But please learn some lessons in the process - and live in a way that will lead to eternal life with Jesus.

The Wait Is (Almost) Over

It must have been nice to be in the "November Nine" - but also a little thought-provoking as well.

For ten years, the World Series of Poker's Main Event stopped when the final table of nine players was reached. After weeks of play in July, the top contestants had to wait until late October or early November to play the dramatic final hands on ESPN.

But not this year. There's word from Las Vegas today that the final table will be played in mid-July, with only a two-day break. ESPN will be "almost-live" for 40 hours during the Main Event (casino rules require a 30-minute delay, to guard against cheating).

On the one hand, more "live" coverage could be good for poker. On the other hand, the storytelling format of weekly ESPN hours will be missed - not to mention the extra time Norman Chad has to work on his jokes.

But put yourself in a Niner's chair. Would you want to wait four months to claim your million-dollar-plus payoff? Could you be that patient?

We actually know some people who have been waiting even longer for a "payday." They're described in the last book of the Bible:

When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who have been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge their blood?" - Revelation 6:9-10

This view is "almost-live" as well. The apostle John saw this amazing sight in a vision (Revelation 9:17) - but people have been "slain because of the word of God" for thousands of years. Jesus even took it back to the dawn of recorded time....

Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah.... - Luke 11:50-51

Jesus even considered the son of Adam a prophet! We'll let you think about that one - but more to our point, Abel and all succeeding him have been waiting a long time for God's judgment and vengeance. What was the Lord's response to their plea?

Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as hey had been was completed. - Revelation 6:11

Those martyrs of the faith must "wait a little longer." How much longer? We don't know. And since they're waiting in the grave, they're not counting the days anyway (Ecclesiastes 9:5). But their hope was, and ours is, in a resurrection....

Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed - in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. - I Corinthians 15:51-52

The believer has faith that the wait will be worth it - with a change to a new immortal body when Jesus Christ returns. It makes two days in Las Vegas (or even four months in your hometown) seem short by comparison. But the payoff in eternal life will be far superior.

The First Trump - and the Last

As a new U.S. President prepares to take office, the speculation keeps swirling about what his policies might be - even when it comes to poker.

One website has been "fair and balanced" in recent days by offering two views of what Donald Trump might do to online poker. Optimists point out he wanted to invest in online gambling five years ago. Pessimists say Congressional leaders will block any effort to legalize it.

Overriding all that, however, is the outright fear many U.S. residents are expressing about a Trump administration. While they may not be loading moving trucks and buying Canadian road maps, they're concerned the next President will end a lot of what they consider "American values."

A few "religious" folks even think Trump will fulfill Bible prophecies (if he hasn't done it already). And maybe we're beating all the religious scholars with this discovery....

Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump.... - I Corinthians 15:51-52 (KJV)

Aha - a mention of "trump" in the Bible! But hold on. Let's be logical here, and keep reading to see who or what this "trump" is:

...for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. - I Corinthians 15:52b (KJV)

It's not a person, it's a noise-making instrument. (The Greek root word for "trump" and "trumpet" are the same.) And that "last trump" is going to bring something amazing.

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first. - I Thessalonians 4:16 (KJV)

We seriously doubt Donald Trump has ever "raised" a dead person. (If we're wrong, he'll probably let us know on Twitter.) But "the trump of God" will bring a resurrection of all those who have died in Christ!

After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to met the Lord in the air.... - I Thessalonians 4:17

The apostle Paul wrote these words to believers in a church (I Thessalonians 1:1). So church members will join the "dead in Christ" in the first resurrection, when Jesus Christ comes down from heaven. Talk about a "raise!"

But you may be wondering why there's a "last trump" at all. Does that mean there's more than one? Yes, there will be....

The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever." - Revelation 11:15

You can read about those "trumps" beginning in Revelation 8. Some frightening things are forecast to happen on this earth - but in the end, God's kingdom will prevail.

So to be honest, Donald Trump is not the "trump" we've personally been waiting for. There's another one - and no, not Ivanka or Tiffany. It's "the trump of God." Is it your hope these days?

Join the Fold? II

A recent post here talked about the fold in poker. It's a simple act which means you've lost the hand.

Sometimes a fold is easy -- for example, when you have 2-4 offsuit and an opponent goes all-in before the flop. Other folds can be difficult, yet wind up looking like strokes of genius. For example, you could lay down a big straight if your opponent has a full house.

What would you say was the best "pay-down" in poker history? We're open to your comments. In the meantime, how about the biggest one in human history....

I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.... and I lay down my life for the sheep. - John 10:14-15

These words came from the mouth of Jesus Christ. We established in that other post that He's the way to a "sheepfold" - a place to have life, where the "fold" is more like a palace.  Yet did you realize Jesus "folded" long ago - as in folding His life?

No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again.... - John 10:18

Jesus gave up His life, yet was resurrected to eternal life. And that life is not only for Him:

For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! - Romans 5:10

Through Christ's death and resurrection, you can have salvation - and be part of his "sheepfold" forever. A stroke of folding genius, indeed. Have you taken advantage of it?