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.

Conscious or Con?

Our last post introduced you to young man at a final table with some unusual theories about life. When we brought up our belief in the second coming of Jesus Christ, he said he believed in a "Christ consciousness."

Is this how you look at God and Jesus? Is the Godhead (as some call it) simply a good way of thinking? Or is there more than that?

A good moral conscience might influence how you play poker. For instance, you might tell other players that they're exposing their cards to you. But other players can work in exactly the opposite direction....

To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted. - Titus 1:15

In other words. a lack of belief can corrupt your conscience. So belief can make your conscience right. But belief in what?

I speak the truth in Christ - I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit - I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. - Romans 9:1-2

Our NIV Study Bible has this note about these verses: "Conscience is a reliable guide only when enlightened by the Holy Spirit." How does the Spirit give you a true Christ-conscience?

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

It takes faith that God exists. And that includes both the Father and the Son....

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.... Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. - I John 5:1, 5

Having a "Christ consciousness" is good. Believing that Jesus Christ was a conscious human being who's now in heaven as the Son of God (with "Christ" meaning "Messiah") is even better. Why not take your belief "all the way to the river" - and believe in what Jesus came to Earth to do for you?

No Skills Required?

It's a classic debate in the world of poker. Does success in the game require skill? Or is it all "dumb luck"?

It's a debate that's gone to courts more than once. Now the latest ruling has come - and skill is a big loser.

A court in India ruled Friday that the head of Spartan Poker was guilty of violating gambling laws by holding an apartment game in 2016. Nasir Patel argued the skill involved in successfully playing poker made him exempt from those laws. But the court ruled:

“How can poker be a game of skill? You simply get the cards and open it, and if chance be, you will win.”.

We've played poker long enough to know that's only true to a certain extent. If you're dealt pocket Aces, you're admittedly far more likely to win a pot than if you're dealt 2-3 offsuit. But the hands in between are where the "skill" comes in. Players set traps, make big bluffs or try various other stunts to claim as many chips as they can.

Other walks of life require a great deal of skill. For instance, if we need brain surgery, we'd rather have a surgeon who knows what he or she is doing. That takes years of study and training. But when it comes to the things of God, you might be surprised....

When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers - the moon and stars you set in place - what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? - Psalm 8:3-4 (NLT)

The more we learn about our solar system, the more we see how predictable and orderly it is. Astronomers knew when the sun would rise this morning, and when the full moon would occur this weekend. They can calculate to the minute when the next eclipse will happen. If there's macro-evolution, shouldn't these things all come as a surprise?

It took a genius God to arrange all that - with no chance or luck involved at all. Yet you don't have to be a genius to accept these things, and have a relationship with God:

Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. - I Corinthians 1:27-28 (NLT)

If you believe in God and Jesus Christ, many "smart" people will scoff at you. Yet the late Stephen Hawking, who was considered a genius of our time and called an atheist by some, is being buried on church grounds - and near Sir Isaac Newton, who not only was expert in science but wrote a Bible commentary.

And does it take skill to start a relationship with God and Jesus Christ? Not really....

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. - Romans 10:9 (NLT)

As someone once put it: Are you just dumb enough to believe God, and do what He says? Even if that means admitting God has more skills than you'll ever have?

Vocal Accords

In recent posts, we've introduced you to a man at a poker room who admitted he wasn't sure about his ultimate destiny. When we tried to talk with him about that, he gave a surprising response: "My wife is a choir director and a church organist."

We don't know exactly what his wife is saying and doing. But if she's trying to persuade him on a path toward conversion, even by her example, she has our support....

For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband.... How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife? - I Corinthians 7:14, 16

The studio audiences on some TV game shows love to tell contestants what to do. The only time that seems to happen in poker is when celebrities gather on cable TV. Yet one of our goals is to give poker players some advice they probably aren't expecting.

Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word by the signs that accompanied it. - Mark 16:20

We happen to belong to a church association where "evangelism" is considered a corporate thing more than an individual effort. Yet we believe if the Holy Spirit is involved, the right word at the right time can have a righteous result....

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent?... - Romans 10:14-15

We should note we do not resort to "preaching" in poker rooms - not in terms of standing up and giving a testimony or sermonette. Our approach is more subtle, one-to-one or in casual conversation at the table:

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. - Proverbs 15:1

Has someone been trying to tell you it's time to make a major change in your life - that it's time to turn to God and Jesus Christ? If so, maybe this is the supporting word you need. Repent of your sins. Believe in God and His Son, who came to save you. No, it's not easy to do - but it's the best "all in" move you'll ever make.

Solving the Puzzle

If you're a newcomer to poker, the rules can seem puzzling. No, you don't have to bet every time a card comes out. Yes, ugly cards can win pots in "Omaha Hi-Lo."

Even if you're a poker pro, certain hands can be puzzling. Why would your opponent raise pre-flop, then check the flop and turn?

We sometimes wonder if this blog is also puzzling to people who discover it. In fact, as we mentioned in a recent post, you may be confused by some things we write. We start with poker, then turn to a book which many consider diametrically opposite to it?!?

To be honest, the Bible baffles a lot of readers. It has so many books and chapters about seemingly long-lost people and people groups. One promotion has declared it "the world's best-selling mystery book." And believe it or not, that was the original intent:

He has blinded their eyes and deadened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn - and I would heal them. - John 12:40

Jesus came to fulfill these words of the Old Testament Isaiah - and some of those who heard Him "could not believe" (verses 38-39). They were under the biggest of "big blinds," as they've been blinded from grasping the Word of God. Why?

I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved....  - Romans 11:25-26

God hardened the heart of an Egyptian Pharaoh long ago, to do miracles leading to the removal of Israel (Exodus 4:21). He still can do that now. To borrow from a speaker we heard recently, God does this to produce the maximum possible yield - in terms of people ultimately being saved.

So if our posts don't make sense to some of you - that's OK. Really. We understand, and we leave that in God's hands. But if some of this seems to make sense, that's even better. We encourage you to act on the parts that do.

He [Jesus] replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it." - Luke 11:28

Obey what you know to do, and you'll grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ (II Peter 3:18). You may find the puzzles of life make sense more than you ever realized.

The Miracle Man

Our last post included a conversation with a dealer who admitted he sometimes makes mistakes. It ended with the man admitting Jesus did some things that were "miraculous."

Perhaps you've experienced a "miracle" or two at the poker table - getting the single card you need to make a straight flush on the river, or something less than that. While that's certainly a thrilling moment, Jesus Christ had miracles far beyond that:

Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me.... even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father." - John 10:25, 38

The Lord admitted He performed miracles - from healing the sick to feeding thousands of people. He faced scoffers and skeptics while walking this earth, but Jesus said they should still believe the miraculous things He did. And yet at another time....

He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And he was amazed at their lack of faith. - Mark 6:5-6

Jesus was stymied in His own home town (verse 1) - and a crowd of people there even "took offense" at him (verse 3).

This should point out something important about miracles of God: they're a two-way exchange. If you lack the faith that miracles can happen, they probably won't. Occasionally you might beat the odds. But to go back to the earlier quote, we need faith that the Father and Son are at work in our lives.

Some people (and even some ministers) claim the "age of miracles" ended with the completion of the Biblical New Testament. And yet that testament says this:

And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles.... - I Corinthians 12:28

Earlier in this chapter, we're told God gives some believers "miraculous powers" (verse 10). We personally do not think we have that sort of thing - but we also admit we could use more faith that other people have it.

So next time you need a miraculous hand or comeback, remember the source of true miracles. Not some group of "poker gods" that players love to bring up - but a real God who wants you to put your faith and trust in Him.

The Fear Factor II

Our last post attempted to show the importance of fearing God - and even fearing Jesus Christ, our Savior.  (After all, the first part of John 1 shows Jesus is God.)  We stopped at the importance of overcoming our sinful nature.

Some poker locales sadly can lead to sinful things.  Bars can have alcohol and smoking (at least).  Casinos can fuel gambling addictions.  You can stay away from those places, to wean yourself off bad habits.  But truly overcoming takes something else....

Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. - I John 5:5

Sound simple - almost too simple?  Well, let's back up a verse:

...For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. - I John 5:4

Faith in Jesus and being "born again" brings overcoming.  But it comes by living out your faith every day.  Back up a little more....

This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome... - I John 5:3

Yes, God has "commands" for you to carry out.  But He provides help in doing them:

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. - I John 4:4

Who is that "one.... in you"?  Verse 2 indicates it's the Holy Spirit, which enters believers.

And here's the ironic thing: this section of the Bible indicates that poker player who asked why he should fear his Savior has a point....

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. - I John 4:18

We've heard ministers put it this way: We should fear God and Jesus Christ because they hold the power of ultimate judgment, life and death.  That's the idea of awe and respect. But those who obey God's commands don't need to fear every single move they make. They should love God for setting boundaries for right living and conduct.

It's easy to fear playing poker against a big winner with a championship reputation.  (Maybe you shouldn't - but that's another blog post.)  But the One everyone should fear is God - and we should live our lives accordingly.

Poker Night 416: Behold the Star

"Christmas Eve is the casino's slowest night of the year," a poker dealer told us at Kansas Star Casino Tuesday night.

Good -- that's in a way what we wanted.  With a Tuesday night off from work, we were able to drive to the casino (despite its ice-coated parking lot), to play in the weekly Deep Stack Tournament.  We're told it normally fills up with 70 players.  On this night, only 37 showed up -- but still leaving a first-place prize of more than $1,100.

People at our local poker room describe the casino players as top-level.  So we wanted to see how we'd measure up:

BLINDS: 25/25

IN THE POCKET: 4-Q of clubs

It's the first few minutes of play, and our table seems to be playing on the tight side.  A man to our left raises modestly to 75, and we decide to call with suited cards.  About four players out of nine are in.

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

Close to a flush, but not quite.  The man to our left makes a continuation bet of 75, and we see no reason to be scared of it.  We call; as we remember it, three players remain in.

ON THE TURN: 8s

No flush yet -- but now a straight draw has emerged.  Yet that man to the left turns up the heat, by betting 175.  We have too many chances to hit it big (12, to be precise), so we stand committed to this pot.  We call, as does the player between us.

ON THE RIVER: 4d

Like some gifts in December, that's not what we really wanted -- but it might be OK, anyway.  We check, and are a bit reassured when the other players check as well.

"I caught two pair on the river," we announce.  No one else caught anything!  We win the wild goose chase, and pick up several hundred chips.

We won several pots along the way, including a semi-bluff bet on the river with an Ace in our hand and nothing more.  Our stack went up and down, but we never had the breakthrough hand for a big gain -- not even when we were dealt pocket Aces.

We hung around more than three hours, as the blinds increased slowly.  But at the semifinal table, we were forced to push our last 3,500 chips with A-10.  The board didn't pair for us, and a man to our right paired an 8 to get us eliminated.  We shook his hand as we left -- and come to think of it, we don't recall anyone else doing that as they left the table.

Our final result: 14th place -- a finish in the top half.  That's good, but not great.  A final table was our real goal -- not to mention the money, with the payoff positions shrunk from 7 to 4.

MINISTRY MOMENT: During breaks, we showed our reflector card protector to players around us -- explaining it reminds us to reflect the light of Jesus Christ.

"What do you think of Jesus?" we asked the man at our immediate left with several other players listening.  "Is He your savior?"

"Well, I don't know," he answered.  "There have been so many bad things going on in the world.... so many catastrophes."

We certainly can't dispute that.  This year has brought everything from bombings at marathons to school shootings and devastating typhoons.  Yet Jesus knew such things would happen....

For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now -- and never to be equaled again. - Matthew 24:21

Many churches use the King James Version of this verse, and refer to a "great tribulation."

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

Jesus promises a potential "end of the world" will be avoided -- and for the sake of "elect" people, which many understand to mean believers in God.  And here's the even better news:

Immediately after the distress of those days.... At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn.  They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. - Matthew 24:29-30

Jesus (the "Son of Man") will be returning -- but the nation will be mourning.  Why?  Perhaps because they'll finally realize the Bible was right all along.  Jesus will show He meant what He said.

And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. - Matthew 24:31

Perhaps you're celebrating the birth of Jesus on this day.  These verses remind us Jesus plans to come again - to save the world from destruction, and gather His followers together.  You can be among those who mourn that moment.  Or you can begin to believe and practice what Jesus and the Bible say -- becoming "elect" who reign with Him forever.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 145 final tables in 416 games (34.9%) - 24 cashes.  It appears our final total for Kansas tournaments in 2013 will be 7 final tables in 14 games with three cashes.  A 50-percent success rate is truly a blessing!

Poker Day 408: Tight and Tighter

It doesn't take long for a poker player to develop a reputation - even if you only play on a part-time basis.  That came through Sunday, on our first visit to Arrowhead Poker in three weeks.  It was only our fourth tournament there, and yet....

BLINDS: 100/200

IN THE POCKET: A-3 offsuit

One thing which makes us easy to remember is that there's a late-arriving crowd -- only enough players for one crowded table at this point.  But it's early and we haven't offered at much so far.  We call with the dealer button, and no one raises.  About half the players are in.

ON THE FLOP: J-K-3

Having the button helps here, as everyone acts ahead of us.  In this case, they all check -- so maybe our little pair is worth something.  We bet 500.

"From the tightest player at the table," the dealer announces.  Thanks for the instant analysis, Sir.

A man down the table from us calls.  "Called by the second-tightest player at the table," the dealer says.  The others apparently take the hint, and bail out.

ON THE TURN: 3

We're about to loosen the purse strings with that card.  We now have three of a kind.  The man to our left checks, and we increase the bet to 1,000.  Our opponent calls.  We don't recall the dealer's commentary on this.

ON THE RIVER: 9

We don't see anything threatening on the board.  So when that other man checks again, we move things up to 1,500 -- hopefully not too much to scare him off.  Sure enough, he calls again.  Then he shows Q-J, giving him two pair.

"Tres a las tres," we say in Spanish -- borrowing from an old afternoon program on a Spanish-language radio station in Atlanta.  On this "casual Sunday," there's no penalty for us not chatting in English.  "Three times three" equals a nice pot.

We took one more pot in the first hour -- then threw away a disappointing one, when we had J-J and the board showed Q-J-10-9.  A man's big river bet scared us away, only to find he had a third 9 instead of a straight.

Our holdings evaporated with rising blinds, but an all-in split pot allowed us to make the final table on a day with only about 16 players.  Once there, we went all-in with A-10 in the Big Blind -- but the best we could do was miss a straight draw after a J-K-K flop.  A man with a third King eliminated us in ninth place.

MINISTRY MOMENT: Before the tables merged, a man to our right hit it big on the river after going all-in.

"There is a God!" he declared as he stood to celebrate.

"There certainly is," we agreed -- then repeated our agreement several times, as he continued to make statements along those lines.

Could you make that statement, even if you didn't win an all-in bet?  Do you agree that there's a God?  Of course, some people in this world do not....

The fool says in his heart, "There is no God."  They are corrupt, and their ways are vile; there is no one who does good. - Psalm 53:1

This verse can be taken a couple of ways.  On the one hand, it's the Bible's tough-talking answer to the atheist.  But on the other hand, what sort of "ways" do you practice?  Are they so vile and evil that you live as if there's no God?

In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God. - Psalm 10:4

Yet Jesus Christ made a promise, which applies to everyone -- whether you believe in God or not:

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 5:29

What sort of things are you doing today?  Do your poker nights and days lead to evil acts, which you know you'd regret if they received as much media attention as a British royal baby?  Or are you striving to do good things, which benefit yourself and other people?

Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. - Psalm 34:14

That means peace with other people -- and perhaps ultimately with God as well.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 142 final tables in 408 tournaments (34.8%) - 23 cashes.  We're now at four out of six final tables, since moving to Kansas.

NATIONAL LEAGUE OF POKER TOTAL: Full tournaments - 283 point wins in 1,417 games (20.0%), 93 final tables, 10 wins, 13 cashes.  No-River Hold 'em - 32 point wins in 120 games (26.7%), 26 final tables, 2 wins, 3 cashes.

We haven't updated NLOP since right before our move in early April -- and we haven't had a lot of time for online play since that move.  The score is 0-for-8 in Sunday afternoon turbo tournaments, although a couple might have made the money at a casino as a top-ten percent finish.  And the last time we played No-River Hold 'em, we won it!

POKER STARS.NET TOTAL: Pretend cash games - $86,997, up $2,497.

Poker Night 398: The Prince of Darkness

There are times when a poker player's commitment level is tested -- even before the tournament begins.

Look at what was happening outside our front door, less than an hour before tonight's game at The Red Barn.  A severe thunderstorm nearby covered our courtyard with hail, not to mention heavy rain.

But we truly "braved the elements," as the journalism cliché says, and drove to the poker tournament.  The lights never went out in our bar - but there was darkness of a different kind:

BLINDS: 200/400

IN THE POCKET: A-6 offsuit

We grabbed an early pot with pocket 5's, but have missed with a couple of chances since.  On a three-table night, we're dealing at a full semifinal table.  No one raises ahead of us, and we decide to limp in.

ON THE FLOP: A-5-9

Top pair looks like a good start -- and when the table checks, it looks especially nice.  We use the "button" position to bet 600.  Yet hardly anyone is scared away; most players in the hand call.  Most of them have massive stacks, so they can afford to chase big hands.

ON THE TURN: 3

We doubt that card helped anybody -- but we're a bit concerned someone else has an Ace with a higher kicker.  So we join the table in checking this time.

Somewhere around this moment, we're told the man sitting to our right starts giggling.  We didn't even notice, since we're dealing.

ON THE RIVER: J

There's no flush threat, but we remain skeptical about this.  The table starts checking again -- but that man to our right then jumps into action with a bet of 1,250.  Has our fear come true?  Or is he trying to steal the pot?

"I'll call," we say with a touch of reluctance.  A couple of other players do as well.

"I flopped two pair - 9's and 5's," that man says.  "In the dark."

By that, he means he didn't look at his cards for awhile during the hand.  No wonder he laughed when he saw what he had.

"You can giggle all the way to the bank," we say with disappointment.

That was a big blow, from which we never recovered.  We had 2,850 chips at the one-hour break -- so when we saw A-K in the first hand of the second hour, we went for it all.  But the board didn't pair for us, and another man's Jack did.  At least the rain stopped when we walked to our car, after finishing 15th.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "Everything I've got, I have here," a man to our right said at the first table of the evening.  A couple of pins were on his cowboy hat.

"All I have is a nail," we said humorously.  But a few minutes later, we explained to him the reason for that card protector.

"I brought that to remind me that Jesus Christ gave his life for my sins."

"You need two more of them," the man to our right answered -- an answer which admittedly left us speechless.

It's Christian tradition that Jesus was crucified with three nails driven into His body -- one in each hand and a third for His feet.  Some denominations disagree with the modern stereotype of exactly how it was done.  Yet only one verse in the New Testament mentions those nails at all:

So the other disciples said, "We have seen the Lord!"  But he said to them. "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it." - John 20:25

These were the skeptical words of "doubting Thomas" the apostle.  He came "heads-up" before the resurrected Christ about a week later:

Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, see my hands.  Reach out your hand and put it into my side.  Stop doubting and believe."  Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!" - John 20:27-28

Jesus showed what He had, much as that poker player with 9-5 did -- and that settled everything for Thomas.

Many Christian church groups will remember the crucifixion and death of Jesus over the next few days.  We do it by attending a "New Testament Passover" service, known by others as the Lord's Supper.  Will you be a believer, by participating?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD:  137 final tables in 398 nights (34.4%) - 21 cashes.

Game Change, Ultimate Edition

Why is poker considered a "sport" to some people?  Perhaps it's because a tournament can have turning points.  One big hand can make someone's evening, while turning hours of hope into disappointment and ruin for someone else.

Even a person can be a "game-changer" in poker.  Bring Mr. or Ms. Chip Leader to a table of tight-playing modest players, and the tone and action can change in a hurry.  Smart players learn how to adjust to the situation, and even the competition.

Long before the phrase was popular, game-changing people were scattered throughout human history.  But there's One who ranks above all the rest for us....

....Because through Christ  Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. - Romans 8:2

In a post earlier this week, we mentioned Jesus's words from Matthew 5 that God's Law would not disappear until "everything is accomplished."  Jesus accomplished a lot for us while walking the earth.  Among them: a replacement of one "law" with another.  Some claim that means the Ten Commandments were revoked.  But consider this key verse:

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. - Romans 6:23

Like it or not, we've all sinned (Romans 3:23).  The "pay window" for that is death, as promised by God to the first humans in the garden of Eden (Genesis 3).  But Jesus changed the "game of life" into one of eternal life:

For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.... For the trumpet shall sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. - I Corinthians 15:22, 52

As a sinless Savior, Jesus paid the penalty for our sins by His blood.  By repenting of your sins and accepting Jesus as your Savior, you can come under that "new law" -- with God's Holy Spirit dwelling in you, and the promise of eternal life when Jesus returns.

If you want to win the big poker tournaments, you'll probably need to make a lot of big decisions.  To win the "Ultimate Game," you need to make only one....

That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. - Romans 10:9

Poker Night 375: Present Perfect Tens

When poker night comes around at a bar, the machismo in some players comes out.  They want to talk big and play bigger.  But sometimes you can make a lot of noise simply by being present.  That worked for us tonight at Lil Kim's Cove....

BLINDS: 100/200

IN THE POCKET: 10-10

Our seven-player table has several "type-A" personalities, fond of one-upping each other and talking in tones barely this side of a bar fight.  So we've been waiting for the right moment to get serious with a hand.  Holding about 10,775 chips, this nice pocket pair looks like the right time.  We call; no one raises pre-flop.

ON THE FLOP: K-K-Q

Would all those letters scare you away?  It might as well be a caution light for the table.  Everyone checks; we do it because other players are behind us and we want to see if anyone gives a hint at making a big hand.

ON THE TURN: 5

Feeling better now?  A man across from us hopes we don't; he opens the bidding for 800.  The Tournament Director sits to our right, and raises to 2,000.  Yet something tells us these guys are simply being as blustery as the winter weather.  Since we have two pair, we call.  No one else does, as even the original bettor gets out of the way.

"Now I'm concerned; you called," says our only opponent.

ON THE RIVER: 3

Now our reputation at local tournaments comes into play.  The Tournament Director checks.  We're admittedly wary that he might have a face card, so we check as well.

"He's got a King, man," the original bettor predicts about our cards.

"Nope - a pair of 10's," we say as we show.

"That beat me," the Tournament Director admits.  He shows 6-6.  A little toughness and a good read pays off, as we gain several thousand chips.

We won a couple more nice-sized pots in the first hour, taking advantage of opponents making speculative chases -- including one win with J-A, when a Jack came on the flop.  We reached the one-hour break with 28,775 chips.  Then when we were moved to another table in Hour 2, K-J resulted in a straight on the flop.  A check-push move on our part brought a gain of about 20,000 more.

We stood at 45,000 chips after two hours, and endured with 30,000 to reach the final table.  Winning the draw for dealer allowed us to hang around even longer.  But with the blinds approaching, we tried going all-in with K-3 of spades in response to another player's push.  It failed to bring even a pair, and a young man eliminated us in seventh place.  At least it wasn't tenth again!

MINISTRY MOMENT: "Is that some Chap-Stick?" a man across from us asked about our card protector.  Nope.  Instead, we brought a little travel-sized bottle of shampoo from a hotel similar to our photo.

"I brought that to remind me," we explained, "that Jesus can cleanse me of all my sins."

We asked a man at another table if he believed Jesus can do that.  "I sure need it," he answered.

"So do it," we admitted.  "We all need it."  The early apostles would agree with that....

But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin.... - Galatians 3:22a

But you'll notice the man's "answer" to our question wasn't really an answer.  We come back to that word "belief," which we mentioned in our last post -- and which the apostle Paul goes on to mention:

....so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. - Galatians 3:22b

Put simply: God's promises are for God's believers.  And that belief is shown through godly action.

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. - I John 1:7

Are you walking in a way which shows Jesus has purified you -- cleansed better than any shampoo can do?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 130 final tables in 375 nights (34.7%) - 20 cashes.

NATIONAL LEAGUE OF POKER TOTAL: Full tournaments - 275 point wins in 1,293 games (21.3%), 86 final tables, 10 wins, 11 cashes.  No-River Hold 'em - 21 point wins in 81 games (25.9%), 16 final tables, 1 cash win.

Our two strong finishes in NLOP championship tournaments this week again brought no points.

POKER STARS.NET TOTAL: Pretend cash games - $89,523, down $2,855.

Believe? You? Me?

We mentioned "believing" in a post earlier this week.  It's a word which can come up in poker, every bit as much as it does at church.

Let's say you have pocket Kings, and are looking at a flop of 5-6-7.  You might be in the lead  - or your opponent in the Big Blind might have been dealt 4-8, and is sitting on a well-hidden straight.

If you believe your Kings are best, what should you do?  Do you merely say, "I've got you beat" - then throw in your cards?  Of course not.  You stay in the hand, and perhaps bet for the pot.  By doing that, your belief is backed by action.  The Bible puts it this way:

But someone will say: "You have faith; I have deeds."  Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. - James 2:18

Bragging about your poker skills might scare a table for a hand or two -- but sooner or later, someone with strong cards will rise up and challenge you.  Your faith in your skills will have to be put into action.  And in life as well as poker, our actions should speak louder than our words.

For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. - Romans 2:13

God wants not only action - but obedient action.  And every little act helps:

The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!"  He replied: "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you." - Luke 17:5-6

You say you don't know much about the Bible and walking with Jesus?  That's OK.  Act on what you know.  Then study the Bible daily and learn more.  Then apply what you learn.  And keep repeating the process.  That's how faith in God can build - not by merely saying you're a Christian, but by putting belief into action.

Poker Night 374: Two Wild and Crazy Guys

Twas the night before.... oh wait.  We don't celebrate Christmas, and trying to make rhymes about poker hands probably would be too difficult.  But you might be surprised how many poker players in our area consider December 24 a day when the words "deck" and "cards" refer to 52 in a box.

"This is my third Christmas here," one man said during tonight's tournament at The Red Barn.  Enough players gathered to fill three tables.  And we happened to sit between two men who acted like they had "holiday cheer" from a beer bottle before the game began.  If the right cards came, a big payday could come....

BLINDS: 50/100

IN THE POCKET: K-Q

After an early miss, we start this hand with 6,550 chips.  The man around us have been in an "I dare you" raising mode before the flop all evening.  But on this hand, they back off.  We call, no one raises, and about five players are in.

ON THE FLOP: 9-K-K

It never crosses our mind to sing that "We Three Kings" song.  We're focused on maximizing this golden opportunity.  A man across the table from us offers 200.  The man to our immediate right raises 200 more.  Thank you.  We call in the hope of more raising -- but the table stops there.  Four players are still in.

ON THE TURN: 9

This secures us a full house -- but we might have to share it.

"I'm all-in," a man across from us declares first.  He has 6,150 chips -- and we suspect he has the missing King.  The man who raised before has a large stack of chips, and calls.

"I'm 100 short of that," we say after a count.  There's no choice but to call, for our last 6,050.  No one else calls.

ON THE RIVER: J

Seemingly inconsequential.

"I've got a 9," shows the man who pushed first.

"I have a King," we say.  Our full house tops his.  The man at our right shows Q-10.  He made a straight on the river, but that's not enough.  We hit the jackpot, and jump to more than 20,000 chips.

The man around us returned to their big betting ways after that, and tempted us in with promising hands.  But we fell short a couple of times, and had to whisper under our breath, "Discipline!" to calm things down.  We still reached the one-hour break with 15,500 chips.

But we went incredibly "card dead" after that, with very few quality hands to play.  Hopes went up with Q-6 when a Queen came on the flop, but we lost to a man with Q-9.  We finally were forced to push in the Small Blind, but were dealt a lowly 3-6 which missed everything.  Amazingly, two players were eliminated at another table as we went out -- and we wound up tenth.  Again!  For the third live night in a row.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "You brought a rusty nail," a man across the table noticed tonight.  But he kept talking about things in general, so we couldn't really explain the reason why to him.  That came near the end of the evening, to a man sitting at our right.

"This is why He came," we said - referring to the focus on this night about the birth of Jesus.

That man understood, and went us one better.  "You should have four of them."

The Bible doesn't specifically say how many nails were used to crucify Jesus.  But we read....

So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!"  But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it." - John 20:25

These are the words of "doubting Thomas," who had not seen what the other disciples saw earlier in the week (verse 20).  Jesus appeared before him at another "group meeting" days later.

Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"  Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." - John 20:28-29

The man who mentioned four nails told us he believes Jesus came.  If you take Jesus at His word, you can have the blessing He mentioned as well.

Hey -- that reminds us of a question we posed from a poker night a couple of weeks ago.  We think it's more important to believe the blood of Jesus can wash away your sins.  It goes beyond simply knowing He can do it.

But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.  That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in hall he does. - James 1:6-8

Asking for things from God in prayer (James's example involves wisdom) is good.  Believing He'll answer your prayer requires faith.  Sometimes that can be challenging.... but that's a topic for another post.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 129 final tables in 374 nights (34.5%) - 20 cashes.

Poker Night 371: Lost in the Darkness

"This is Big Dog Poker.  It's not Puppy Girl Poker."  So said the Tournament Director at the one-hour break tonight at Lil Kim's Cove.  A few of us took that as a slap at some female players.  But he may have made a different kind of point.  Sometimes it takes a bit of boldness to win pots - but how much is enough?

BLINDS: 25/50

IN THE POCKET: Q-Q

It's early in the game, and a can of soda combined with an "on-time bonus" gave us 13,000 chips at the start.  We see a high pocket pair and decide to get right to work.  We raise 300 when our turn comes.

"That means he has something," the Director sitting across the table says.  "He's Richard 'Big Dog' Burkard."

That seems a bit of a stretch -- and a player to the Director's right doesn't seem to buy it, either.  He raises 300 more.  We respond with a "four bet," adding 600 on top.  A man to our immediate left calls, as does the raiser.

ON THE FLOP: Qs-6s-5s

There are three spades showing.  But we have three of a kind, and see no reason to slow down.  Acting first, we try to "throw a block" by betting 1,500.  The man to our left isn't scared, and calls.  The man across the table folds.

ON THE TURN: 10s

Aw, c'mon -- a fourth spade?!  Now we have to slow down.  We check, as does our opponent.  If the board will kindly pair for us....

ON THE RIVER: 8s

Of course not.  Instead of a full house, there's a spade flush on the table!  We check again.  The man to our left does as well.

"I had Queens," we admit as we show.  But our opponent has his own surprise -- turning over a 9 of spades.  That gives him a better flush, and a big early pot.

As best we recall, the pot winner's other card was a Jack of hearts.  A couple of players talk with amazement about how he stayed in the hand with relatively nothing.  The lesson for us may be that "boldness"  may need to be expressed a little tougher -- especially when you have thousands of extra chips at your disposal.

That hand set the tone for our night, as the only hand we won came with a pair of Kings at the one-hour break.  We hung around as long as we could, but finally felt compelled to go all-in with Q-10 in the Big Blind.  The board didn't come through for us, and a woman with a 3 made a winning pair.  One day late for 12/12/12, we walked home in 12th place.

MINISTRY MOMENT: The bottle of Liquid Paper came out from a long absence for our card protector.  "Are you going to whitewash the cards?" a woman to our right joked.

"I brought this to remind me," we answered, "Jesus can wash my sins whiter than snow."

The woman was a bit skeptical about this.  "I believe Jesus can wash away my sins, but I don't think He can make them whiter than snow.  For one thing, snow isn't really that white."

That condition may depend on where you live.  But even if that's true, it makes what God can do even more amazing....

Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight.... Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. - Psalm 51:4, 7

These words were written by King David after a pair of very sinful acts.  He committed adultery with a military commander's wife (II Samuel 11:1-4).  Then he ordered the commander sent into the heat of a battle  to die, to disguise making wife Bathsheba pregnant (verses 14-15).  If God can cleanse sins of this nature from a king, he can do the same for you if you pray in repentance:

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. - Psalm 51:1

A man overhearing our conversation about snow then asked: "Is it more important that Jesus washes away your sins -- or that you believe Jesus washes away your sins?"

Very good question.  How would you answer it?  Leave a comment, and we'll compare notes in a future post.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 129 final tables in 371 nights (34.8%) - 20 cashes.

NATIONAL LEAGUE OF POKER TOTAL: Full tournaments - 274 point wins in 1,270 games (21.6%), 86 final tables, 10 wins, 10 cashes.  No-River Hold 'em - 21 point wins in 75 games (28.0%), 16 final tables, 1 cash win.

We technically made two NLOP final tables today.  In a game which began at 12:00 midnight ET, we finished 6th out of 300.  And an afternoon No-River Hold 'em tournament found us finishing tenth out of 95 players.

POKER STARS.NET TOTAL: Pretend cash games - $89,758, up $2,361.

Where Talk Isn't Cheap

"Two hundred," a man said at our table as he announced a raise the other night.  Then he set out 250 chips.

With the blinds at 25/50, he admittedly meant to go 200 above the Big Blind.  But by saying 200 and nothing more, some players thought the total bet was "200 straight" (to borrow some poker slang).

"Verbal overrides the physical," a man next to us said.  That is, a player's words are final -- even if he pushes forward a lot more chips than he says.

The "verbal" explanation struck us as interesting.  "Your words matter more than your actions," we pondered out loud to the man at our left.  "Very few things in life work that way."

"Poker is an exception," he agreed.  An exception to an old phrase: "Actions speak louder than words."  Which approach does Jesus accept?

Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord," and do not do what I say? - Luke 6:46

The Watergate scandal of U.S. politics brought us the phrase, "Don't watch what we say; watch what we do."  God wants our doing to match our saying.  Otherwise, look at the example you're following....

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

James goes on to write a believer's faith should be accompanied by good deeds (or "works" in the King James).  So does that mean the words we say never matter?  No - Jesus would disagree with that as well.

But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.  For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned. - Matthew 12:36-37

In poker, your "walk" has to match your "talk."  May your life do the same thing -- and move carefully in both areas of your life.

Poker Night 321: Heavy Artillery

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

BLINDS: 25/50

IN THE POCKET: A-9 offsuit

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

ON THE FLOP: 4-7-9

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

ON THE TURN: 9

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Poker Night 287:Scare You, Scare Me

"It's OK.  It's all right./ I'm gonna take your chips tonight."  That was the song a player tried to sing tonight at Lil Kim's Cove.  (We hereby claim the words, since we doubt he plans to go to Nashville and become a country songwriter.)  If we wanted to sing along with him, we'd have to make some big and accurate decisions.  Take this example....

BLINDS: 1,000/2,000

IN THE POCKET: Q-3 of clubs

We've made it to a six-player semifinal table, thanks largely to a big blind double-up in the first hour with K-K.  We've hung on from there, beginning this hand with 6,500 chips.  The bad news is we're Small Blind - but the good news is that no one raised ahead of us.  In fact, only one player called.  These cards are marginal, but we decide to follow the classic poker reasoning: "They were suited."  We call.  The Big Blind mysteriously folds, so we're heads-up.

ON THE FLOP: 2c-2s-4s

An uglier flop than this is hard to find.  We need a lot of help, so we check prepared to fold.  Our opponent checks, too.

ON THE TURN: 3s

"Any bet wins, any bet wins," suggests the Big Blind.  Hmmm -- we now have two pair and a fairly good kicker.  So let's see if his advice is right.  We bet the minimum 2,000 -- but we get called.

ON THE RIVER: Ah

That's not exactly the card we wanted to see.  What if our opponent is sitting on Ace-high?  This time we check.

"I'm all-in," he announces -- with far more chips than the 2,500 we have left.  Uh-oh.

We stare at our opponent for a moment.  Then we laugh a bit, to break up any tension.  The man offers no help, as we think this move over.  We decide he pushed simply to make us chicken out.

"I'll call," we say with a smile -- ready to accept things either way.  "I have a 3."

But our opponent shows 6-6.  He has a better top pair, and he has us packing the tent.  We're eliminated in 14th place -- and another reminder that hunches don't always work.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "Is that a piece of trash?" the Big Blind said as we arrived at the semifinal table.

"Actually, it's a bandage," we explained.  It was our card protector for the evening -- and of course, it had a purpose.

"I brought this to remind me that Jesus is a healer," we told the man a couple of minutes later.  "Do you believe God can heal?"

The man said he did.  "He can raise the dead," he noted -- which reminded us of a miracle which was pointed out to us in a Bible study group earlier in the week.

....Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!"  The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.  Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go." - John 11:43-44

An old church story says Jesus specified Lazarus - or else every dead person would have come out.  As the Son of God, Jesus had that power.  But He only used it on rare occasions - not even to restore John the Baptizer after his beheading.  So why here, and why now?  Lazarus was a friend of Jesus, who had been dead four days (verse 39).  But more importantly....

So they took away the stone.  Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me.  I know that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me." - John 11:41-42

Jesus the Son was sent to Earth by God the Father.  He was sent with many purposes.  In this case....

....Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death.  No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it." - John 11:4

Many Jews believed in that glory, and put their faith in Christ after seeing this miracle (verse 45) - but others had seen more than enough, and plotted His execution (verse 53).  Which side would you have been on?

We know of several people fighting seemingly losing battles against cancer right now.  We pray that God might heal them, but realize the answer might be no.  That's why we put faith in another statement Jesus made in this chapter:

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never died.  Do you believe this?" - John 11:35-36

Our exact question to you.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 105 final tables in 287 nights (36.6%) - 17 cashes.

NATIONAL LEAGUE OF POKER TOTAL: Full tournaments - 185 point wins in 801 games (23.1%), 63 final tables, 7 cashes.  One-table sit-n-goes - 8-13-10-3-3.

We're finding the new browser version of NLOP is much easier to play than the downloadable program.  Hiccups and delays are down sharply.  But the format change has included tougher standards for winning points -- more in line with the "top ten percent" practiced by real poker rooms.  Yet earlier in the day, we had a top-40 finish in a 655-player tournament.  Our 3,000-point buy-in earned us 5,857.

POKER STARS.NET TOTAL: Pretend cash games - $67,754, up $2,130.

This I Believe

"Do you believe in the Holy Spirit?" we asked a woman Thursday night after she noticed our battery "card protector" at the final table.

"I have my own beliefs," she answered.

We said nothing further at the time.  But now, the first response we're tempted to offer to this is - duh.  Everyone with a functioning brain has their own beliefs.  Even the devout skeptic does, even if he or she doesn't want to admit it -- a belief that he or she should be skeptical of everything.

Did you ever consider there's a "belief system" of sorts at poker tables?  Unless they're flat-out bluffing, players make decisions based on the belief they have the best (or potentially best) cards.  That's why players are far more likely to raise or push with pocket Aces before the flop, as opposed to 2-4 offsuit.

In poker, of course, sometimes your beliefs don't reap the reward you expect.  (Pocket Aces can lose to a flush, after all.)  And in life, things sometimes can turn out the same way.  So as 2012 begins, this might be a good time to reflect about what you believe -- and ask whether or not it matches what God wants you to believe.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord.  "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." - Isaiah 55:8-9

You can know the ways of God by studying His word, the Bible.  Spending time in careful daily reading might bring some surprises -- because God could ask you to do something you're not doing, or stop doing something you've done for years.  If that's the case....

Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.  Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts.  Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. - Isaiah 55:6-7

So what does God want you to believe?  We'll leave that for you to discover from the Bible.  But we recommend this for starters:

That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. - Romans 10:9

Would anyone like to add to this list?

Over-All Success

Poker games can provide all sorts of challenges. We played an online game tonight which had a very annoying one -- as our computer protection service decided to do a 30-minute update in the middle of the game. It was more than our computer could handle, and we had to wait 20 minutes to play a hand. (No, we didn't win.)

Then there was the online tournament we did win last weekend -- rallying against two players with huge stacks, and a chip advantage over us of more than 12 to one. What happened for us was an example of a regular theme for our pastor: overcoming. The Bible speaks about it dozens of times. For instance....

To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. -- Revelation 3:21 (KJV)

These are words of Jesus to a first-century church. In fact, Jesus used a form of the word "overcome" to address seven churches in Revelation 2-3. In every case, overcoming is promised a spiritual reward. But how do we do that?

For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. -- I John 5:4

As Jesus said in the gospels, you must be born again. That takes faith -- but not in your own "survival skills" or mental toughness....

Who is he that overcomes the world, but he that believes that Jesus is the Son of God? -- I John 5:5

That belief is more than saying words -- it's acting on your belief, to live obediently as though Jesus truly is your Lord and Master.

Overcoming can be a long process. In last weekend's tournament, we were at the last table for more than 180 hands before we won. But the payoff was nice. There's a check in the mail for us; there can be a crown of victory alongside Jesus for you.