6. Gambling transgresses the principle of work. The minister based this point on a couple of familiar Bible verses....
He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need. - Ephesians 4:28
It's tempting to joke poker players use "hands" all the time - from the first hand of the tournament on.
But seriously: if you've spent hours in a cash game or lasted deep into a tournament, have you felt a bit drained when it was over? Grinding things out hand-over-hand admittedly has felt like work to us at times. It's a different kind of work compared to road construction, of course. But the stress can be there -- along with the pressure to constantly make alert and proper decisions.
We'd again make a distinction between poker games and other forms of gambling, such as slot machines and dice tables. Poker normally takes more thought and care in making decisions.
7. Gambling transgresses the principle of providence. We turned this point from the preacher into a separate recent study on the Hebrew word "Gad," which means "fortune." But we're led to ask: cannot one person's "providence" be another person's "luck"?
To the believer, God can provide blessings (or great cards) at the right time and in the right way. To the non-believer, back-to-back pocket Aces are simply a case of a poker player defying long odds. It all boils down to your perspective - or as some politicians and ministers like to say, your "world view."
If you're blessed with success at a poker tournament, look on it as the "blessing" it is - and give God thanks for it. But keep in mind....
8. Gambling places are surrounded by immorality - such as anger, drunkenness and crime.
We can see the preacher's point here. But sadly, the world is filled with immoral conduct - even in places which have no casinos or poker rooms at all.
As we write this, the U.S. is reeling from violent crimes in place where people never expected it would happen - a women's clinic in Colorado Springs and a services center in San Bernardino, California. Let's be honest: sinful and immoral acts can happen anywhere. Some places simply hide it better than others.
Yet the early church flourished in immoral places. The apostle Paul oversaw a group in Corinth - a place known for wickedness and sin. Instead of casting it aside, God planted believers and allowed them to grow. We're just silly (or faith-filled enough) to think God can do that in a poker community as well.
We conclude our review of Adrian Rogers's message there. But your comments are welcome, if you'd like to keep the conversation going.
...Be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. - Matthew 5:45
To the believer, God can provide blessings (or great cards) at the right time and in the right way. To the non-believer, back-to-back pocket Aces are simply a case of a poker player defying long odds. It all boils down to your perspective - or as some politicians and ministers like to say, your "world view."
The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it. - Proverbs 10:22
If you're blessed with success at a poker tournament, look on it as the "blessing" it is - and give God thanks for it. But keep in mind....
A faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished. - Proverbs 28:20
8. Gambling places are surrounded by immorality - such as anger, drunkenness and crime.
We can see the preacher's point here. But sadly, the world is filled with immoral conduct - even in places which have no casinos or poker rooms at all.
In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and imposters will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. - II Timothy 3:12-13
As we write this, the U.S. is reeling from violent crimes in place where people never expected it would happen - a women's clinic in Colorado Springs and a services center in San Bernardino, California. Let's be honest: sinful and immoral acts can happen anywhere. Some places simply hide it better than others.
Yet the early church flourished in immoral places. The apostle Paul oversaw a group in Corinth - a place known for wickedness and sin. Instead of casting it aside, God planted believers and allowed them to grow. We're just silly (or faith-filled enough) to think God can do that in a poker community as well.
We conclude our review of Adrian Rogers's message there. But your comments are welcome, if you'd like to keep the conversation going.
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