Poker Day 580: Seven-Ups

"Welcome to the final table," the dealer told our table of ten today. It brought a laugh from a few of us - because it came so early, in only the second round of blinds.

That's what happens when yo play poker on a Tuesday morning at Hollywood Casino in Toledo, Ohio. We were there because we needed to make a return trip to Ontario, where we played poker on Canada Day weekend. This casino is handily located at an exit to Interstate 75. And compared to our home area, the buy-in is cheap at $60.

The daytime tournaments advertise a "guaranteed $1,000" prize pool. But we found out the guarantee only is in effect if 12 players show up by game time. On this day, there were only eight - which eventually increased to ten, but still led to a very early merge of tables. Who would emerge from this?

BLINDS: 200/400/50 ante

IN THE POCKET: 7-7

Everyone receives 8,000 chips to begin. We've won enough modest pots to linger around sea level, but ended the first 80-minute period at 6,850. Now we're down to about 5,800 with rising blinds, and we're looking for good cards.

A woman across the full table goes all-in, with only 475 left. A man to our immediate right calls. With a pocket pair, it's not too expensive to give it a try - so we call as well.

ON THE FLOP: 3-5-7

Yes - there it is! Three sevens could bring a big payoff - but the man to our right bets 1,000. Could he possibly be in this hand with 4-6 for a straight? We're really not sure, but call anyway. Everyone else is out of the hand, except the woman who pushed.

ON THE TURN: 8

The man to the right offers 1,000 more. Now we really wonder if we're being played for a fool, but we can't back away from this. We call again.

ON THE RIVER: Q

"How much do you have left?" our male opponent asks. Uh-oh.... we show about 3,725. "Put you all-in," he then says.

"I have to call," we respond. Now he must show - and he turns over two red Kings!

"Jackpot!" we declare. Three sevens do well at old-fashioned slot machines - and they win here for us. The woman who pushed couldn't beat us (we never saw exactly what she had), and we knock her out while climbing to more than 13,200 chips!

That put us on the highest ground of the day. But minutes later, the man to our right went all-in again.... and we had pocket Aces! We called for 8,425, and he only has pocket Queens. But wouldn't you know it - he hit a Queen on the flop for three of a kind! Our Aces lost for the second time in five days.

We never recovered from that big loss, and finally pushed with A-6 of clubs. A man with K-Q made a Queen on the flop, and that was good enough. On a day with 11 total players (one was "in reserve" after the first break). we get a final table - but a disappointing finish in ninth.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "God!" the player to our right said when he faced a big early decision.

"He's good," we said quietly to him. "All the time. And all the time, God is good."

"Please refrain from talking during hands," the dealer scolded us.

We understood, but the player to our immediate left spoke up. "He wasn't talking about the hand. He was stating his belief in a higher power."

We thanked that man after the hand for speaking up in our behalf. We had no clue what the man to our right had. We simply responded to his exclamation, with words of faith - albeit a "church cliché."

For the Lord is good, and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. - Psalm  100:5

The problem with that verse is that sometimes God doesn't seem to be good to us. It certainly didn't feel good to have pocket Aces cracked for the second time in five days. At those moments, we (and perhaps you) need to remember....

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. - Romans 8:28

There may be more to God's planning and timing than you can see right away. As hard as it can be at times, we need to trust His plans - especially in the long-term:

"For I know the plans I have for you," declared the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11

This message was for a people living in exile (verse 4). But deep-down, we're all "strangers and pilgrims" on this Earth (I Peter 2:11, KJV). The believer's hope is the Jesus Christ will return, sparking a resurrection to a future eternal life. That indeed will be good - for all time.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 222 final tables in 580 games (38.3%) - 48 cashes.

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.

Into the Unknown

We've been writing about our "seven-game mix" tournament during the recent Heartland Poker Tour visit to our area. It included several versions of poker that we'd never played before, and couldn't find for online practice.

"So wait," you might be saying. "Why would you enter a poker tournament when you don't really know how to play the games?"

Yes, that thought occurred to us as well. It was a set-up for potential disaster. Yet we chose to try, anyway. In part, it was because of the opportunity to do our main goal of ministry. And in part, it was a step of faith. A famous book defines it this way....

Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. - Hebrews 11:1 (NLT)

 We had no way of knowing what would happen in the tournament. The order of the games wasn't even determined until we showed up.

Yet that's how faith operates - and if you think about it, poker players use more faith than they might realize. Why would you call a big bet with a draw for the nut flush? Why would you pursue an open-ended straight draw? It's due to faith that the right card could come.

But this Bible verse challenges us to make our faith bigger. It's more than an Ace on the river. It's
about believing in a God who created real rivers....

By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God's command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen. - Hebrews 11:3 (NLT)

Atheism demands physical proof of things. So does scientific research. But Biblical faith calls for belief in evidence that seems incomplete to the naked eye. It also calls for walking every day in that sort of faith.

Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked. - I Timothy 1:19 (NLT)

Read all of Hebrews 11 to see some amazing examples of faith-filled people in history. Then put your faith "in Christ" - far more than a poker hand. When Jesus comes again (and we write in faith, based on the Bible, that He will), your faith will be rewarded.

Poker Day 571: H.O.R.S.E. Play

"All I need is your card and $200."

That was easy for the cashier to say. The $200 buy-in Sunday at Hollywood Casino Indiana was the biggest buy-in we've ever made. But it was our least inexpensive and most convenient way of being part of the Heartland Poker Tour, which was making its first-ever stop in Lawrenceburg.

The buy-in put us in an unusual tournament - a "seven-game mix." Five kinds of poker spell out the word "H.O.R.S.E.," then Pot Limit Omaha (with no high/low) and No Limit Hold' Em are thrown in. The version changed after every eight hands, in a rotation.

About half of the table had played H.O.R.S.E. before. We never had, and finding places to practice online proved impossible. So we took our chances, learning as we played. It was admittedly confusing and a bit dangerous, but we had plenty of company.

GAME: Omaha 8 (high/low)

BLINDS: 50/100

IN THE POCKET: Kc-Qs-10s-5h (fourth card not precise)

We've already won our first hand, by making a full house of Kings and 10's (never shown) in Seven-Card Stud. Now we have several high cards - but by rule, we can only use two of them (and we must use two of them) to make a winning hand. We call, and no one raises. About four players at the table of six get in.

ON THE FLOP: Jh-7d-Ks (Suits on first two cards not precise)

We have top pair. But if everyone has four cards, the chances of someone making two pair go up sharply. We bet 200 to gauge interest, and two players (as we remember it) call.

ON THE TURN: As

This is a hopeful sign, because we now have a draw for the best flush. We check, and a man bets 200. We call, and we're heads-up.

ON THE RIVER: 7s

Victory!? Well, maybe not. We could be burned by a sneaky full house. We bet a cautious 500. Our opponent raises to 1,000, and we call. Our old line for this moment is revived.

"You can call me Planters, 'cause I've got the nuts."

The nut flush wins, because our opponent could do no better than Jacks and 7's! It's a healthy pot for us.

But the first 90-minute segment had more down moments than up. Mandatory antes for some games became a drain, and feeler bets failed. We were concerned with our 6,500 chips (from a starting 12,000) at the break. The drain continued in Segment 2 - and we finally were first to make an all-in bet, with 575 to go. But we had A-K, made two pair on the river in Seven-Stud and jumped back to 9,000!

A "low win" or two in Stud and Omaha proved handy after that, and we stood at 9,050 at the second break. But then we missed a few hands of Razz while the casino "Eatery" forgot about our simple order of a cold chicken sandwich while focusing on bringing out pizza slices. Yet we won a couple more pots, to hit a high of 13,800.

A critical moment came in Segment 3 when we had pocket Aces in Seven-Stud, and a man down the table made three Jacks. That loss left us with only 1,200 chips, entering an Omaha hand with blinds at 600/1,200. We were dealt 5-6-7-8, but our hope of a low hand failed when another man had a 3 for something lower.

Our final result: about 40th place in a field of 58. At least we can say we tried it - but we plan to find a place to practice those unusual games, before daring to enter that kind of tournament again.

MINISTRY MOMENT: Breaking news occurred as the tournament began, as the U.S. Attorney General provided Congress with a summary of "The Mueller Report" on President Trump and possible connections with Russia.

"There's Someone who knows everything that happened there," we said as the table assembled. "And when Jesus comes back, He's going to judge the world."

A player across the table from us seemed shocked that we brought up that name. He said nothing, but the dealer discussed it further with us.

"What do you think of Jesus?" we asked him.

After a moment of thought, the dealer answered, "I believe in Him."

"Is He your Savior?"

Another thought moment for the dealer. "Yes, He is."

"I can't count on any politician to save me," we continued. "Only Jesus can do that."

The dealer quickly agreed on that point. We hope you can, too. If you're counting on political leaders to save this world from destruction, your faith is in the wrong place. And if you think things are bad now....

Immediately after the darkness of those days "the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken." - Matthew 24:29

These are words of Jesus Christ, after disciples asked Him for a sign of "the end of the age" (verse 3). Things will become so bad that....

If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. - Matthew 24:22

That's "the elect" - not necessarily the "elected" office-holders. A time of what some Bible translations call "great tribulation" will lead to the Lord's dramatic intervention:

At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens. - Mark 13:26-27

Jesus is coming to the rescue, for his "elect!" But what do we mean by that word? We'll explain in a future post.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 217 final tables in 571 games (38.0%) - 46 cashes.

All Work, No Pay?

You may have wondered how we've been able to play weekday poker tournaments over the last few weeks. Here's the reason - we've been on furlough.

Our current regular employer is the U.S. government. And for five weeks, we were "on the rail" due to a partial shutdown. Our job was not one requiring us to work without a paycheck. We could only empathize with those who do - and in fact, the rules of the shutdown barred us from going in voluntarily and patriotically to help them do the daily work.

But then it hit us - isn't poker a lot like those furloughed workers? You could play for hours, either in a tournament or a cash game, and not get a penny for it. In fact, you could lose a bundle in a cash game. All that "work" - for nothing!

Well, hold on. Maybe it's not all for nothing. Maybe we need a different perspective....

Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. - Colossians 3:23 (NLT)

The apostle Paul admittedly wrote this to first-century "slaves". But they were slaves connected to God's Church, by their belief in God and Jesus Christ. You may feel like you're "slaving" at times, in a poker room or on a regular job. But the apostle advises....

Serve them sincerely because of your reverent fear of the Lord.... Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ. - Colossians 3:22, 24 (NLT)

Furloughed federal workers are going back to work this week, and withheld back pay will be restored. Poker players who fall "off the bubble" don't often have that promise. But a much bigger payday is coming:

For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. - Matthew 16:27 (KJV)

Other parts of the Bible describe that reward in terms of "cities" or responsibilities (Matthew 25:21; Luke 19:19). And with the gift of eternal life....

For my people will live as long as trees, and my chosen ones will have time to enjoy their hard-won gains. They will not work in vain.... For they are people blessed by the Lord, and their children, too, will be blessed. - Isaiah 65:22-23 (NLT)

One famous sermon of the 20th century called it "Payday Someday." May it come very soon - and may you "work" loyally for God until it does, even if that work is in a poker room.

Poker Day 564: Going Up

The drive from our home to Jack Casino today was the fastest yet - only six minutes. But then came a jolt, and the day's first big decision.

"That's $120," the cashier said.

The normal price for a morning tournament is $80. So we wondered if this was a special New Year's event. Sadly, no. Without any advance notice (it's not yet posted on the casino website as we write this), Jack started a new 2019 poker schedule today. Morning tournaments will cost either $100 or $120, based on the day of the week.

"The price of playing poker just went up," we told a man sitting to our left as we reviewed the schedule. And this time, we did not mean higher blinds. But we paid the buy-in, anyway - and suddenly found ourselves in one of those higher-priced Jack tournaments. Could we make it worth the trouble?

BLINDS: 50/100/100

IN THE POCKET: Ace of clubs-Jack of spades

Oh yes - the rules for the morning tournament have changed as well. Now it's a "Big Blind Ante" game, with the player in the Big Blind paying an extra ante. In this hand, that's us. A few early feelers have failed, but this game also lets us start with 25,000 chips and 20-minute blinds.

So we can be patient - but not with these cards. No one raises, so we go up to 500. Three players at the table of seven call.

ON THE FLOP: Jc-9c-6s (last two cards may not be precise)

Top pair + top kicker = green light. "I'll bet the big one," we say - as in 700 chips, borrowing from a legendary Cincinnati radio station. Two men across from us call, but the fourth one folds. We think they're speculating, and we're in front.

ON THE TURN: 7c

This puts three clubs on the board. But we still have top pair, and one more club would give us the nuts. So why wait? We bet 1,000. The other guys call again.

ON THE RIVER: 2h

Are the flush-chasers happy or frustrated? We need to know, so we bet another 1,000. A man across from us calls; the other opponent folds.

"He has a Jack," we say as the other man shows.... J-10. "And I have a Jack." But our kicker is superior, and we win several thousand chips.

A few big gains in the first period (now one hour, 40 minutes) brought us to a high of about 30,500. But we reached the break at 24,625. Then a couple of all-in wins kept us going in the second term, including an A-10 which beat A-7. But we had a precarious 18,100 at the second break.

The third term brought a dramatic win over a man with a huge stack, as our K-K beat his Q-Q. That allowed us to reach the final table at 29,600. But then we pushed again with A-J of hearts. That same man had pocket 7's, and they won the race.

We finished in tenth place out of 33 players, with money only going to the top four. We left thankful to make a final table against what we consider quality competition. But if Jack is going to keep the poker prices high, we'll be making many more drives to the competition in Indiana.

MINISTRY MOMENT: One awkward part about the Big Blind Ante format is that the ante doesn't always match the Big Blind. That requires a lot of shuffling of chips among players to make correct change.

After one such shuffle in our Big Blind where we lacked change, we told the dealer, "To borrow from an old song: 'From whence, from whence shall come my help?'" In this case, another player provided the change. "But ultimately," we added, "my help comes from the Lord."

"That's where my help comes from, too," the dealer said. Hooray - someone else who looks to the Lord! But is that where your help lies? If not, consider this....

I look up to the mountains - does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. - Psalm 121:1-2 (NLT)

This world teaches a self-reliant spirit - that you should take charge of your own life. Poker games reinforce that, because no collusion or tag-team action normally is allowed. But there's a problem with that. We can't live forever.

It seems so tragic that everyone under the sun suffers the same fate.... The living at least know that they shall die, but the dead know nothing.... - Ecclesiastes 9:3, 5 (NLT)

Life can look very helpless - but it doesn't have to be that way. Believers in God and Jesus Christ should have a hope that help is coming....

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. - Romans 15:13 (NLT)

The believer's hope is in a resurrection to eternal life when Jesus Christ returns. May that hope fill you in the months and years to come. What other hope beyond this life do we really have?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 213 final tables in 564 games (37.8%) - 45 cashes.

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.

Poker Night 548: When Push Comes to Shove

We have some serious soul-searching to do, after tonight's poker tournament at Jack Casino. We'll explain why, after we review a hand that turned our night around....

BLINDS: 200/400

IN THE POCKET: A-5 offsuit

We've won a few modest pots. We've lost a few as well, so we sit at around 10,100 chips - below our starting allocation of 15,000 chips. This hand is worth playing, but carefully. We get in small, and no one raises. As we recall, three players are in at a small table of six.

ON THE FLOP: Ah-2h-3d

We make top pair, and have a straight draw to boot. But the heavy-set man sitting to our left wants to be the aggressor. He bets 800. Given what we have, we certainly call. Now we're heads-up.

ON THE TURN: Qc

That missed for us. Maybe our opponent senses that, because he raises the stakes to 1,600. We suspect he has an Ace - but does he have a better kicker? We still have top pair, so we call with it.

ON THE RIVER: Kh

Another high card only complicates things further. Our opponent doesn't back down, betting another 1,600. We have 7,500 left, and have invested a lot of chips in this pot. We fear he has us out-kicked. So we sense there's only one thing left to do.

"I'm all-in," we say. Consider the fact that the bets have been modest, with no increase on the river. That leads us to think our opponent is not all that comfortable with his cards. Are we right?

"I was afraid you'd hit that flush," he says - and folds! Flush?!?! Oh yeah. Now we notice three hearts are showing. But we didn't have any hearts. Only, well, a "brave-heart" bluff that takes a big pot.

Some big winning cards came after that - including A-10 which turned into three of a kind, and unshown pocket Kings for a Big Blind special win. We cautiously reached the final table with 22,600 chips.

But now comes the soul-searching part. With nine players left, we limped in with A-Q. A man pushed, we called him - and he had A-J!

"I don't feel very good about this, sir," he said.

"I'm sorry," we answered....

ON THE FLOP: J-x-x (don't remember the other cards)

...."But I think you feel better about it now!" Our opponent leads. The table is entranced, as the dealer moves on....

ON THE TURN: Q

But now we lead! And we have a Jack flashback. "Two times ago when I was here [really three], this sort of thing happened...."

ON THE RIVER: J

".... and it just happened AGAIN!!" we exclaim. Another amazing case of the lead changing three times in five cards - with the opponent making a "two-outer" for three of a kind!

The opponent had a few more chips than we did. So we left the poker room mumbling to ourselves. At least we reached the final table again, but a ninth-place finish left us disappointed.

MINISTRY MOMENT: A frustrating loss for another player as the final table approached led him to mutter, "Jesus Christ."

"King of Kings and Lord of Lords," we said in response.

The man said nothing about our reaction. But it comes from a big event that may not be very far away....

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. - Revelation 19:11

This is a vision about a coming conquering King. Can you guess the identity? Keep reading for more clues....

He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. - Revelation 19:13

The apostle John wrote these words - and he also wrote that "the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning" (John 1:1-2). That Word/God "became flesh" (verse 14), leading to the obvious conclusion that it refers to Jesus Christ. But back to that vision....

On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: King of Kings and Lord of Lords. - Revelation 19:16

Read the entire chapter to learn about the real "war to end all wars." A sword is prophesied to come out of the rider's mouth to "strike down the nations" (verses 15, 21). A time of judgment for all people will follow that (Revelation 20:12). We think it will be far better to be on the right side of Biblical history....

Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection.... they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years. - Revelation 20:6

Only three players won money at the poker tournament tonight. Many more can be part of the first resurrection, to join Jesus as He returns to Earth. Will you accept Him as your Savior, to help make that victory possible?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 202 final tables in 548 games (36.9%) - 41 cashes.

Poker Night 542: What's Your Sign?

We asked God in prayer during the day if we should play poker tonight at Jack Casino, or do something else. Then during the day, something happened that.... well, let's jump to the moment in the tournament where we were able to share it with everyone:

BLINDS: 1,500/3,000

IN THE POCKET: 8-8

It's been a big night for us, in terms of hitting big hands. Pocket Aces in the Big Blind led to one win. We hit full houses at least twice, with one of them gaining 7,000 chips on the river. With little trouble, we made it to the final table with about 52,700 chips!

Now nine players remain, with six officially getting money. We have about 51,100 chips. And when we see this pocket pair in second position, we smile - then slow-play them by calling. The man sitting next to us then goes all-in. The rest of the table folds.

"There's a story behind my decision," we then explain.

"Is it a long story?" a man out of the hand asks.

"I'll keep it short. I was looking for a sign about whether I should play here tonight. And then at work, I saw a number pass my desk - LOTS of this number. So...."

"Was it A-K?" people around the table ask. "Sixes?"

"So I'm calling.... with eights."

"Then I feel better," the man who pushed says. He turns over.... pocket 10's. This is an expensive play for us; it's 29,900 to call.

ON THE FLOP: 2-4-7

Not looking good here. We need a third 8 - but we've made full houses on the turn and river already tonight.

ON THE TURN: 5

OK - now a 6 could rescue us with a straight.

"Did you have some sort of premonition about this?" a scoffer asks. "Did you see snowmen?"

ON THE RIVER: 4

The 10's win, and we take a crippling loss. But we've put the table in an uproar, by explaining we considered all those eights we saw at work a sign from God. More on that in a moment.

Back at the tournament, we were left with about 18,000 chips. We feared we might miss the money again. But then other players with much more pushed - only to be eliminated. Within minutes, only seven players were left!

The group then agreed to pay the "bubble boy" - a poker phrase for the player who misses the prize pool by one spot. We join the other six men in contributing $10 cash. As it happens, we were in the Big Blind - and saw A-Q!

"No story. Just pushing," we said. Our last 16,200 went in. The man who beat us minutes earlier called us again - and was pained to see our cards, because he had A-J.

"Did you see anything with the name Jack in it today?" he asked. We couldn't think of anything. But the flop brought a Jack, to give him a winning pair. We finished in seventh place, out of 37 entries.

Someone paid one dollar too little to the "bubble boy" fund, so we wound up with $69. That didn't cover our $80 buy-in - but we're calling it a "cash", anyway. We're thankful to God for little wins. And you know.... that "sign of the eights" may have been right after all.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "You mean God told you to play poker?!?!" one man across the table exclaimed as we told our story.

"God doesn't care about a poker game," said another.

"But God made the greatest gamble of all, by sending His Son," we responded. "How'd that turn out?"

Only one man wanted to comment on that. "They rolled dice for His clothes." And that's true....

When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares.... "Let's not tear it," they said to one another. "Let's decide by lot who will get it." This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled which said: "They divided my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing," So this is what the soldiers did. - John 19:23-24

Some Bible translations openly call this "gambling" - but did you notice it fulfilled a prophecy about Jesus? That moment was predicted in Psalm 22:18!

But our point was more about how the first coming of Jesus to Earth actually had a happy ending, beyond the crucifixion. Well, "had" and "will have"....

We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.... And so we will be with the Lord forever. - I Thessalonians 4:14, 17

Your Bible says Jesus Christ will come again, to resurrect believers and give them eternal life. This won't be a gamble - it will be guaranteed. Are you ready for that moment, whenever it might come?

(As for numbers and signs - we'll dig deeper into that in a future post.)

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 199 final tables in 542 games (36.7%) - 41 cashes. Tonight was our second cash of 2018. And our remarkable final table run in our new area is now seven out of nine!

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 Star of Our Show

When some people enter a poker room or tournament, to borrow a pro wrestling cliché, their reputation precedes them. Think of famous names such as Ferguson, Hellmuth or Negreanu.

When we walk into a poker room, it's usually the opposite. Unless other players read this blog or have seen us before, they don't know a thing about us. In a way, that can be a good thing - putting the element of surprise and uncertainty into our play.

We play online from time to time at PokerStars - but we do not claim to be one personally. As a follow-up to our last post about "lucky stars" in casinos, here's the "star" we really hope to represent....

I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony to the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star. - Revelation 22:16

Jesus has many titles, and only a few of them are mentioned here (see verse 13 for more). Why would He call Himself a star? A hint to the answer is hidden in the Old Testament....

I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the sons of Sheth. - Numbers 24:17

Believers looked for that "star" for a long time. Then came an amazing time....

...Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." - Matthew 2:1-2

Bible experts believe the "Magi" (called "wise men" by some) knew astrology/astronomy well. A miraculous star led them to the baby Jesus (verses 8-10). And the Bible indicates Jesus shines like a star now:

...Among the lampstands was someone "like a son of man," dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest.... His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. - Revelation 1:13, 16

This "Morning Star" will return at the darkest moment of human history, with Earth on the brink of extinction. Several chapters of Revelation describe how that will occur.

So Jesus is the "Star" we follow - the One we try to reflect. And thanks to a current hit Christian song, we have an answer for people who might think we have "lucky stars" to thank for any success in poker. No, it's not that. We're simply thankful for God's love.

Speedy Delivery?

In a recent post, we mentioned how poker players (and all people, for that matter) someday will see Jesus Christ face-to-face. We included some provocative words from the New Testament:

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.... You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. - II Peter 3:10, 12

Really? How can our lives speed the coming of the "day of God"? After all, these words were written to believers more than 1,900 years ago. Yet that day hasn't come yet.

Some versions of the NIV Bible translate "speed its coming" as "wait eagerly." The American Standard Version has "earnestly desiring" God's Kingdom to come. One lexicon compares the Greek word here to an Old Testament verse:

...Then God will establish one of David's descendants as king. He will rule with mercy and truth. He will always do what is just and be eager to do what is right. - Isaiah 16:5 (NLT)

In other words, believers live with anticipation for the second coming of Jesus. In fact, they're supposed to pray for it:

Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. - Matthew 6:9-10 (NLT)

This famous prayer is not really supposed to be a Christian mantra (verse 7). It's supposed to be a longing - something that has believers preparing themselves every day for it. Are you one of them?

Poker Day 532: The Slippety-Slope

Thanks to freezing rain and sleet on Tuesday, the parking lot at Kansas Star Casino had a good bit of ice when we arrived today. Thanks to careful driving and walking, we reached the poker room in time for the 12:00 noon tournament. But the careful walk needed to continue, even after the cards were dealt....

BLINDS: 25/50

IN THE POCKET: A-Q of spades

We won the first hand of the day, to gain about 150 chips from our starting 3,500. Now we're in the Small Blind at a table of nine, with no one raising. We sense an opportunity.

"I'm raising.... 225."

Three players in a row across from us call.

ON THE FLOP: Ah-5s-2s

Opportunity really seems to be knocking now. We have top pair, a very good kicker and a draw for the nut flush. Since we're first in line, we offer a continuation bet of 250. A man who arrived a bit late intrigues us by raising to 500; the other two fold. We optimistically call, thinking our opponent has a lesser kicker.

ON THE TURN: Ac

Not a spade, but a third club makes us even more hopeful. We check to the raiser - and our opponent sets out 500 more. We conclude he has the missing Ace, and we're fighting for the best kicker. But no question; we call.

ON THE RIVER: 9c

We miss the flush, but three of a kind with a nice kicker still looks great. We check to our opponent again - but this time, he bets 1,100.

Now we're puzzled. Maybe he doesn't have that Ace. Maybe he also was on a flush draw, and is trying to bluff us away. Well, that's not going to work - but we're baffled about what he has.

"I may regret this," we say slowly as we think. "But I'll call. I have an Ace."

"I have a full house," our opponent says. He turns over A-2!

"Wow," we say as we show. That man got in for little, and won a lot.

That hand was a crippling blow, sliding us down to 1,300. After a couple of small misses, we had 7-7 with a flop of 6-5-3. We went all-in for 800, saw pocket Aces against us.... but caught a 7 on the turn to stay alive!

We reached the first break at 2,625, then hung around in the second hour by winning all-in pots with pocket 10's (beating A-Q) and pocket Aces (beating A-K). Our chip stack hit a high of 5,300. But losses followed, leaving us with 2,100 at the second break.

The first hand of hour 3 found us with A-9. With blinds at 500/1,000, we dared to go all in again - but the man next to us called with 9-9. No Aces came, so we had to leave in 14th place out of 48 players. At least the parking lot was drier when we returned to our car.

MINISTRY MOMENT: There were several today - including our mention of the big news of the day.

"It was sad to hear Billy Graham died this morning."

Several people around us had heard the news. "Some people considered him a quack, too," one older man said.

Was that "too" a reference toward us? Maybe so. But to be honest, many people who have preached about Jesus Christ have faced skepticism. The Bible actually predicted that....

First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation. - II Peter 3:3-4

The apostle Paul wrote with anticipation, seemingly expecting Jesus to return very soon. But the apostle Peter seemed to take a longer view; some say this letter was written about 35 years after Jesus's death and resurrection.

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. - II Peter 3:8

Some religious groups have interpreted this verse to mean God has a 7,000-year plan - and the return of Jesus will usher in the seventh thousand years, or "the millennium" of the Kingdom of God. Whether or not that's true....

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. - II Peter 3:9

While we personally didn't agree with every doctrinal point Billy Graham preached, we share the same faith he had - that we someday will see Jesus face-to-face.

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.... You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. - II Peter 3:10, 12

Keep in mind: Peter witnessed a resurrected Jesus. He knew Christ existed. That's how he could be filled with faith of a second coming.

But hold on.... did Peter write we can "speed its coming"? Yes, he did. What do you think he meant by that? Leave a comment if you'd like, and we'll compare notes in a future post.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 192 final tables in 532 games (36.1%) - 40 cashes. Experiment update: Down $165.

Poker Day 530: Hidden in Our Hearts

Sometimes the best things in life are right in front of us, and we never stop to recognize them. That's true in poker, too. Watch what happened Friday at Kansas Star Casino....

BLINDS: 25/50

IN THE POCKET: A-2 of hearts

Early missteps didn't work for us, but we've recovered to win one modest pot. We have about 3,000 chips from a starting 3,500, and we have these cards in the Big Blind. No one raises, so we check. As we recall, five players are taking part.

ON THE FLOP: 8h-9h-10c (third card suit not precise)

A potential straight for someone. We check. The table checks.

ON THE TURN: Qh

Even more potential. We check again. The table checks again.

ON THE RIVER: Jc

No more potential. A straight is on the table! We check once more. So does everyone else.

"I'm playing the board," we say as we turn over our cards. Others seemed resigned to that. The Small Blind has pocket 4's. Other players have Ace-small, like we do.

"Wait a minute!" a man two seats to our left suddenly exclaims. "There's a flush!"

Hey, what do you know - there is. And we have it! In fact, we have the nut flush! We were so busy looking at the straight develop that we totally ignored our suit. An opponent does us a favor, and we win several hundred chips.

Modest gains developed from there, and we reached the first break at a high for the day of 7,400. But then good cards started losing, nibbling away at our stack. We were down to 2,700 with rising blinds when we were moved to a different table.

But then one of those classic second-hour surges happened. Pushing with A-J brought no takers, and a gain to 3,600. Another all-in bet with A-Q brought a double-in when we beat a pocket pair with a Queen on the flop. Several other wins later, the table was stunned to see our stack at 24,500! Even 7-5 worked in the Big Blind, when we made a straight and knocked a player out.

In the third period, pocket Queens brought a win that helped us reach 37,500. A drought came after that, but we still survived to the final table with 18,500.

We won at least one more big pot with an unrevealed A-J. (We write this for the opponent who was stumped by our cards, and thinks he'll never know what we had.) Our stack built to about 49,000 - and as players fell off, we reached the top six and qualified for the money!

Then with five players to go, a massive hand happened. A man across from us pushed. We saw pocket Aces, and called. A third player did the same! The first pusher had J-J; the third had Q-Q - for three high pocket pairs in a five-handed game! But the man with Queens hit a straight on the river, knocking the first pusher out and leaving us with a mere 12,000.

That happened at break time - and after the break, we pushed again and failed. But a full afternoon of poker ended with us finishing fourth and winning $160! We hurried home to keep God's Sabbath, thankful for His blessing on our effort.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "You came here sad," a man pointed out during that second-hour surge. "And now you're rejoicing."

We had to agree. "As a minister in Atlanta once said," we told him as we restacked our chips, "'I preached myself happy.'"

Then a song came to mind, which we doubt anyone around us knew. "He has made me glad.... I will rejoice, for He has made me glad."

How much gladness do you see at a poker table? Probably not that much. Even when players win big hands, they tend to "stay in character" and not make too much of it. But if God make you glad, we think it's OK to show it....

I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High. - Psalm 9:1-2

David praised God here because He provided victory over the king's enemies (verses 3-6). But you don't need a massive triumph like that to be glad for God's blessings....

The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. - Psalm 126:3

Those things could be as "simple" as a recovery from illness, or providing a helper when you have a need. But we think the greatest gladness is yet to come....

Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad! - Psalm 14:7

"Restoring the fortunes" can go far beyond a double-up in a tournament. The ultimate salvation will occur when Jesus Christ returns to Earth:

Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. - Revelation 19:7

Are you ready for Jesus to come again? If not, examine yourself carefully to make yourself ready - and be glad in the meantime for the great things God provides along the way.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 192 final tables in 530 games (36.2%) - 40 cashes. Experiment update: Down $65. Since our experiment started last November, we've made four final tables in 14 tournaments and won close to $700!

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.)

Poker Day 525: Not Too Komfortable

Pocket Aces? "Easy Aces," to borrow from an old radio show. But those other pocket pairs can be a problem to play. Consider what happened to us Friday at Kansas Star Casino....

BLINDS: 25/25

IN THE POCKET: K-K

It's early, but we've been losing. We begin this hand with about 3,000 chips from a starting 3,500. These cards give us hope, and we limp in. A man two seats to our left makes us look smart, by raising to 225. We call; everyone else at the full table folds.

ON THE FLOP: 8-J-8

It's not in the pocket, but another pair shows up. Yet it's the Jack in the middle that concerns us. Did our opponent raise with his own pocket pair.... maybe Jacks? Or Aces? We check in caution. He bets 500. That's not enough to run us off; we call.

ON THE TURN: 9

We check again. This time, he does as well. This actually makes us feel better. A "third barrel" might have run us off.

ON THE RIVER: 6

With no flush threat, we think it's time to turn the tables and see if we've been bullied. Now we bet 500 with our hidden two pair. Our opponent thinks about it - then simply calls.

"I've got the donuts," we say. "Krispy Kremes."

"You sure do," he says.... and folds without showing. That gain of more than 1,200 chips get us officially into the game.

"I had one of your cowboys," the man adds. So he apparently had K-something. In this case, one King would not have been enough.

We won the next hand as well (with a straight, as we remember it), for another big gain. Our stack reached 7,700 during the first period, but we fell to 5,750 at the first break.

Then in the second term, trouble happened. We attempted to eliminate that same man with A-K, but his push with pocket Queens worked. We never recovered from that, holding on to the semifinal table. There we had the bad break of sitting down in the Big Blind right away. A push with our last 600 with A-Q fell to a man with pocket 2's, who caught a third one on the turn. A day with 73 players ended with us in 20th place.

MINISTRY MOMENT: We brought our "Lord's Supper" card protector (the one with a traditional caricature of Jesus Christ on the other side) and showed it to a few men at the table.

"We may never know what He looked like," a man to our immediate left said.

"I think we're going to know someday," we responded.

That man indicated he might not be around to see that. "I'm not really sure where I'm going."

"We can do something about that...."

"Oh, I know. My wife is a choir director and a church organist."

Let's break down this exchange. How can we say that "someday" we'll know how Jesus looked?

Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen. - Revelation 1:7

This is a reference to Jesus (verse 5). In a past generation, ministers suggested "every eye" would see Jesus's second coming because CNN would televise it live. But we wonder if this will be an intervention so huge that it spreads across the entire earth:

And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. - Revelation 19:11(NASB)

As sports fans might be surprised to see the roof opened or shut at a domed stadium, God apparently will open what we think are the limits of the sky. But will some people really miss the moment of encountering Jesus?

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne.... The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. - Revelation 20:11-12

Not even death will protect you from this "all in moment." In fact, your life will lead up to this moment.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. - II Corinthians 5:10

That includes us.... and you. What are you doing now, that will receive a payout then?

As for where that man is going, and the duties of his wife.... let's hold those for a future post.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 190 final tables in 525 games (36.2%), 39 cashes. Experiment update: Down $25.

Poker Night 520: Ladies' Night

They were playing Omaha Hi-Lo at Five-Star Billiards tonight. Well, sort of. The Kansas Jayhawks did - and it wasn't poker. College basketball was on one of the TV screens. It wasn't much of a game. We wanted ours to be every bit as successful, but we knew it would be more competitive....

BLINDS: 100/200

IN THE POCKET: Q-Q

We started the night with a 1,000-chip disadvantage. Everyone in WPT League receives 10,000, but "platinum" members (including everyone else at our table) get an extra 1,000 before the first hand. But we made up for that on the first hand - dealing ourselves A-J which won a nice pot when the Ace paired. That also earned us a "bounty chip," worth 5,000 only if we reach the final table.

Now it's hand two, and we have potentially better cards. No one raises at the table of eight, so we do - to 700. Three men across from us call.

ON THE FLOP: A-J-J

"Where's your Ace-Jack now?" a scoffer out of the hand asks us. Admittedly, that would look brilliant. But as it stands, this flop is quite discomforting. Our opponents could have an Ace for a higher two pair, or a Jack for three of a kind.

The Big Blind doesn't wait on us, betting 500.  The other two men call. "I can bet 500," we say - and do.

ON THE TURN: Q

Ahhhh - now that's better! We have a full house. And for unknown reasons, the men across from us slow down and check. No thank you - we bet 1,000. The Big Blind folds, while a man in a wheelchair calls. We're now heads-up, and feeling very good.

ON THE RIVER: 6

A non-essential. Our opponent checks. We look for the right amount to bet for a maximum payoff.

"1,300," we decide. "Nice round number." Good decision, as he calls.

"I've got the ladies," we declare. The opponent folds showing a bit of disgust, but not his cards. We gain more than 5,000 chips, plus a 5,000-chip on-the-spot bonus for the highest hand so far.

That was a big two-hand start - but wins were hard to come by after that. Pocket Jacks gained a pot when we raised pre-flop, and no one called. Then we hit it big with A-J, which topped three players with two pair on the board and took a man out of the game.

Our chip stack at one point reaches about 27,000, and stood at 20,900 at the one-hour break. Then promising cards, as the blinds kept climbing. We survived to the semifinal table, winning an all-in bet with A-9 when a 9 came on the river.

But with nine players left, we felt compelled to push in our last 8,000 with A-8. A man to our left called.... and this time, he had the pocket Queens. They turned into quad Queens on the river, and we were through. Our best showing in WPT League in more than a month still missed the final table by one - and the bounty went elsewhere.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "You've got to put some faith in the dealer," the man who eliminated us said at one point. He was dealing the cards, of course.

But no, we couldn't agree. "I put my faith in God," we said.

We think he acknowledged that with a gesture, but said nothing more. We'd ask you: where is your faith these days - as in where you put it?

....If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all. - Isaiah 7:9b

God offered these words through the prophet Isaiah when two kings (including the king of Israel) threatened to conquer Judah's capital, Jerusalem (verse 1). The Lord dared Judah's king to ask for a sign. King Ahaz declined to do so (verses 10-12) - and that led to this famous verse:

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. - Isaiah 7:14

Many churches cite that verse at this time of year, as a prediction of Jesus's birth to Mary. The New Testament shows that prediction came true. But have you considered the story behind that sign?

Our NIV Study Bible notes Jesus may have been the second fulfillment of that prophecy. The first one may have occurred during Isaiah's time....

Then I went to the prophetess, and she conceived and gave birth to a son. And the Lord said to me, "Name him Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz." - Isaiah 8:3

Perhaps this is why some Jews do not consider Jesus the Messiah. That long name means, "Quick to the plunder; swift to the spoil." Jesus was anything but that when He walked on Earth. But Isaiah later adds....

After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied.... Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. - Isaiah 53:11-12

These verses indicate because Jesus sacrificed His life to redeem us from our sins, He will be rewarded greatly. We think that will happen in the ultimate sense when Jesus returns. If you've been thinking about the Lord's first coming, do you have faith to believe there will be a second?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 188 final tables in 520 games (36.2%) - 38 cashes.

First Hearing

Our last post mentioned a poker championship in Ohio exclusively for "deaf" people - players with hearing impairments. It's good that those players can be out and active. But we'd like to ask: what if something could be done so they can hear?

Modern science is making it possible for children to hear, where they otherwise might not. But a man once walked on Earth who restored hearing in a more amazing way:

So he replied to the messengers, "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor." - Luke 7:22

This was the report of Jesus Christ, given to disciples of John the Baptizer (as one well-known minister calls him). John had baptized Jesus (Luke 3:21), yet somehow developed doubts about whether He was the real Messiah. Jesus's answer was that the proof was in the miracles that He did.

There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged him to place his hand on the man. After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man's ears.... He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, "Ephphatha!" (which means, "Be opened!"). At this, the man's ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly. - Mark 7:32-35

Jesus not only healed the man's hearing disability, but allowed him to speak clearly.

Some poker players long for a one-off card on the river to stay in a tournament. Yet Jesus accomplished greater miracles than that. And the Bible shows a time is coming when that will happen again....

Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped.... - Isaiah 35:5

This will occur when people see "the glory of the Lord" (verse 3). Tonight some believers will enter a season of the year that pictures the future time when that will happen - when Jesus returns to Earth:

...They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. - Matthew 24:30b

The season begins with what Jews call Rosh Hashanah, and some believers call the "Feast of Trumpets." Read more about it by clicking here. Perhaps God wants you to join the celebration, and look forward to the time when a Deaf Poker Championship is something in the distant past.

Perfectly Timed

The more we ponder our last poker tournament, the more we think about the hand we saw, but couldn't play - the "bad beat" shown on ESPN. We mentioned how Vanessa Selbst had pocket Aces, and developed a full house with Aces over 7's.

But Gaelle Baumann (pictured) had pocket 7's which turned into quads by the turn. One bet led to a raise, and Selbst was put all-in and eliminated. Selbst was wise enough to ask Baumann if she had quads after calling.

The timing of the cards was terrible for Selbst. But it was perfect for more than Baumann. It was perfect for ESPN, which had the two ladies at a feature table playing "live" on a Sunday afternoon (tournament rules require a 30-minute delay). A lot of poker hands can be mundane, but that was great TV drama.

We can think of Someone else who has a tremendous sense of timing....

...A faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, and at his appointed season he brought his word to light.... - Titus 1:2-3

God lives beyond time and space. He had no "beginning" in eternity past, as hard as that is for humans to understand. Yet God timed out a "season" for bringing meaning to Old Testament scriptures - especially the prophecies of a messiah.

...This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus.... - II Timothy 1:9-10

When the time was right, Jesus came. In fact, some Bible scholars say Jesus's ministry began in exact timing to fulfill prophetic times of Daniel 9 - a topic too complex for us to explain here.

But there's one remaining time mystery in the Bible. It's one many have tried to figure out, sometimes to their own embarrassment....

"Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." - Acts 1:11

When will Jesus Christ return? Lots of believers want to know. While we don't know for sure, it's a good idea to be ready for Him now....

So you must also be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. - Matthew 24:44

The Boy Scouts would say, "be prepared" - even for the return of Jesus. To miss out on that could be the worst play of all.

Poker Day 503: The Best of Intentions

"See ya, Vanessa!" someone said at the Kansas Star Casino poker room today as the first few hands unfolded.

It wasn't aimed at anyone in the room, but the big screen TV on the wall. The opening round of the World Series of Poker Main Event was on ESPN, and Vanessa Selbst was being bad-beat eliminated -- A-A for a full house falling to Gaelle Baumann's 7-7 for quads.

It was easy to be distracted by the high-stakes poker game on the big screen. But we tried to learn some tips from the ESPN coverage, as we competed in our own Sunday tournament.

BLINDS: 300/600

IN THE POCKET: Q-Q

We've won a few modest pots during the day, but taken some chances that didn't work. We've never been above the 12,000-chip starting point, and start this hand at 6,600. Sitting in the leadoff seat, we quietly call and wait to see if others jump at a fairly active table. No one raises, but five players are in.

ON THE FLOP:  J-4-7 (third card might not be precise)

An overpair will work for us. After the blinds check, we bet 2,000. A man wearing a Missouri sweatshirt calls, while everyone else folds. We suspect he paired the board, but nothing more.

At this moment, the dealer notices our card protector - so our MINISTRY MOMENT will be mixed in with this.  "That looks like the last supper," he says.

"It is," we respond.

ON THE TURN: 9

"Well, this could be my last supper," we remark. We go all-in for the last 4,000.

"You've got me," our opponent says. Yet he reaches for chips and calls, anyway.  He shows what we expected - a Jack, with a 10. He's being courteous to us, so....

ON THE RIVER: J

OUCH!!!! Our opponent really didn't expect that. But he gets a third Jack on the river, and a handshake from us. It's not quite Selbst v. Baumann, but the result still hurts. We're knocked out the hard way, finishing 54th out of 77 players.

Now back to the Ministry Moment. Do you know why Christians refer to it as the "last supper"? It's because of these words of Jesus:

And he said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God." - Luke 22:15-16

The meal was an evening Passover feast - something Jesus kept as a Jew by birth, but also as the God of creation:

The Lord's Passover begins at twilight on the 14th day of the first month. - Leviticus  23:5

After that "supper," Jesus was arrested and executed. So it was His last one as a human on earth. But here's the good news - Jesus was resurrected, and is preparing to come back to earth. When that happens, another supper is coming!

Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are they who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!' And he added: 'These are the true words of God.'" - Revelation 19:9

This is the "Lamb" once described this way....

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

Jesus's execution actually fulfilled God's great plan - as a human "Passover lamb." His blood can remove your sin if you accept Him, then clear the path for you to be part of His great wedding supper in the Kingdom of God. If you're not sure how to secure your place at that magnificent banquet, leave a comment and we'll be pleased to help you.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 184 final tables in 503 games (36.6%) - 37 cashes.
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