Good Reception

The National League of Poker gives, and then it takes away. Only days after we won two dollars in a cash freeroll, NLOP dropped the nightly freerolls again. Perhaps it was a limited-time offer.

So for the last few days, we've been trying out free PokerStars.Net tournaments for the first time in years. We're not in a U.S. state where we can win money, but the challenge is good and the "entry chips" are structured generously.

It was at a Poker Stars table that we met a player named "ReceiveJesus." We tried to strike up a  chat....

flopblogger: Good to see that name, "Receive Jesus"
flopblogger: Methinks everyone should

There was no response from that player. But the concept is a good one. It comes from Jesus Himself:

He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me. - Matthew 10:40

Jesus was speaking here to His 12 main disciples, before He sent them out to the surrounding area (verse 5). It's humbling to think that disciples represent God the Father and Jesus the Son. But they do - and there's even a payoff for you if you accept them:

Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward. - Matthew 10:41

Someone is "righteous" because of what Jesus Christ has done - not really because of anything you do:

But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.... - Romans 3:21-22

Jesus wants you to receive Him in faith, to gain the reward of the righteous which is eternal life with Him (Hebrews 10:35-38). But Jesus won't force His way upon you. You must willingly receive Him:

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. - Revelation 3:20

If you catch the right card on the river, you can win a pot and survive in a tournament. If you "catch Christ" by receiving Jesus, the reward will be even better. Is it time for you to make the reception?

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.

The First Trump

We used to write jokes for a living (well, at least we tried). So we offer this riddle:

Q: Why are Democrats switching their card games from poker to bridge?

A: In bridge, you can bid "no-Trump!"

But seriously, a lot of people who made wrong predictions about Donald Trump winning the U.S. presidential election now are making predictions about what he'll do as President. And the guessing game even extends to poker.

One analysis posted Wednesday night says the President-elect may face competing ideas from Republicans. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who's leading the government transition team, supports online poker. But Nevada billionaire Sheldon Adelson does not.

Of course, Mr. Trump has a history when it comes to gambling. He owned the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City - except it shut down four weeks before the election. It led to one of the most famous questions of the 2016 campaigns, as opponent Hillary Clinton asked how a casino can go bankrupt.

In fact, one religious magazine cited Mr. Trump's bankruptcies as a sign that he "fall[s] short of biblical character standards...." The implication is that if you file for bankruptcy, you've committed some kind of sin. Since the article doesn't give any Bible verses to support that implication, we'll take a guess....

For which of you, intending to build a tower, sits not down first, and counts the cost, whether he has sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. - Luke 14:28-30 (KJV)

These words of Jesus contain a classic Biblical principle - "counting the cost." But read on, and you'll find the principle extends to something far bigger than building a "Trump tower"....

In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple. - Luke 14:33

Now hold on here. Jesus said to be His disciple, you have to "give up everything" you have. Doesn't that sound a bit like declaring bankruptcy? At least to the things of this world?  Jesus was consistent on that point....

When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." - Luke 18:22

A ruler who heard this and had "great wealth" was saddened by this advice (verses 18, 23). Other Bible accounts indicate he went away from Jesus (Mark 10:22).

In poker, "going bust" is a bad thing. In a tournament, you're out of chips and out of the running. But in spiritual terms, giving away the "stack" can be a good thing:

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

Be willing to give up your seat at the table - whether in a poker room or otherwise - and God may bless you with much more than you ever dreamed. We'll talk more about Donald Trump in a future post.

Beware of Imitations

The World Series of Poker is the game's biggest spectacle. But maybe we should have seen this coming - a different big tournament being played in Las Vegas during WSOP season, but having nothing to do with the WSOP.

The "Super High-Roller Bowl" is planned for the first weekend in July. It's timed for the three days before the WSOP Main Event opens.  But it apparently won't be on cable TV until late August - a tournament with a $500,000 buy-in, but "no tournament fees." (No fees? Then why isn't it a freeroll?)

The "Bowl" organizers clearly are taking advantage of the fact that the biggest names in poker will be in Las Vegas for that other big contest. If we worked for the WSOP, we'd probably be a bit annoyed by this.  Isn't this a form of stealing from the WSOP's success?

There's a case in the Bible where someone appeared to do this sort of thing - and even took the name of Jesus as he did it:

"Teacher," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us." - Mark 9:38

Some church groups sadly think like John. In the classic words of Ricki Lake's old talk show, they think they're "all that" - and no other group possibly can be that. Those others might even be called wrong, or tools of the devil. But is that how Jesus looked at this?

"Do not stop him," Jesus said. "No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us." - Mark  9:39-40

Is Jesus giving legitimacy to Islam or Buddhism here? No, we don't think so - because the key phrase in these verses is "in my name." Are other people doing things in the name of Jesus?  If they are, Jesus indicates there's no problem with it.  But if they're glorifying somebody or something else, that's another matter.

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." - John 14:6

That sounds awfully exclusivist. But that's a direct quote from Jesus, the Son of God and Savior of humankind.

If you're going to play your own "side game" in terms of faith, do so carefully -- and give honor to the One who's making the true "Main Events" of history.

Tip For the Waiter

The hands kept coming, but the good cards for us did not.  When you see 8-5 or 6-3 offsuit with mounting blinds, that's not much inspiration for getting in a hand.

So when we pushed in last Sunday's tournament with J-J in the pocket, our dealer noticed.  "You've shown a lot of patience," he told us.

"We'll see if patience is a virtue," we answered.

It turned out the answer was no (see the post below).  But we still think patient play is a good approach to take in poker.  You're more likely to stick around in tournaments, leading to a better position in the standings. And we think you better show a godly example.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience.... - Galatians 5:22

The phrase "patience is a virtue" sounds like it ought to be in the Bible.  It's not.  But it's one of the "fruit" that should be reflected by people with God's Holy Spirit.  In fact, Jesus's disciples had to show patience before the Holy Spirit came.

He said to them... "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you...." After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. - Acts 1:7-9

Some calendars mark today as "Ascension Day."  It's the day when Jesus ascended to heaven, 40 days after He was resurrected (verse 3).  The Holy Spirit descended on Jesus's apostles on Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4) - 50 days after the resurrection (Leviticus 23:15-16).

What did believers do during those ten days? Acts 1 indicates they became organized, choosing a replacement for Judas Iscariot. And....

They all joined together constantly in prayer.... - Acts 1:14

We suspect they were praying in anticipation of the Holy Spirit's coming.  And that sets a good example for us.  While we're waiting patiently for God to provide something, we should pray constantly about it.

Will God always provide pocket Jacks at the key moment, after hours of clunker cards?  Maybe. Maybe not.  But waiting patiently for as long as you're able allows more time (and hands) for God to work.  You might even impress someone at the table as you do.

When Free Isn't Free

What's the earliest exit you've ever made from a poker tournament?  We may have set a new standard today - by exiting before the tournament even began.

But we should start at the beginning.  For weeks Arrowhead Poker's website offered this event:

Sunday @ 2pm 

August 31st

$500 True Free Roll
Chair Rental $0-0**

You can qualify for this tournament by simply buying into any daily tournament. 

We played in a $20 Friday tournament a couple of weeks ago, so we presumed our spot was secure.  But no - our name didn't come up on today's qualifying list.

"Did you do the ten-dollar buy-in?" the manager asked us -- as in paying $10 extra up-front for bonus chips.  No, we didn't.  And that left an organizer with a look of frustration on his face.

"That ten-dollar buy-in pays for this tournament," the organizer explained.

We invite you to look up and down the website and tell us: where does it define "buying into" as paying the extra $10?  We don't think it does.  In most tournaments we've entered, the "buy in" is the main entry fee - in our case the $20.

But we decided against making an argument about it.  We shook our head, bit our lip a bit, walked across the parking lot to a convenience store for a "consolation prize" soda and drove home.

How many things in life claim to be free -- only to have hidden strings attached?  Yet Jesus Christ makes this offer:

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. - John 8:36

What does Jesus (the Son of God) mean by this?  He explains moments earlier:

Jesus replied. "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.  Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever." - John 8:34-35

Jesus wants to set you free from sin, to become a son of God.... not simply for today, but forever.  How?

And from Jesus Christ.... him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood.... - Revelation 1:5

As orators like to say on holiday weekends such as this one: The price of freedom isn't free.  In this case, the blood Jesus shed when He sacrificed His life on our behalf frees us from sin.  We don't have to pay for that, because Jesus already did.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. - Galatians 5:1

So how will you respond to that truly free gift?  We've been studying a religious magazine article on how to respond.  The author seemingly doesn't want to use the phrase "go all in," but he could - and it seems we should.

Climb Every Mountain

"If you have a three-to-one, four-to-one chip lead," a man said at our live tournament the other night, "you'd better win."

We responded by telling him about what we'd accomplished only hours earlier -- winning an online poker tournament, after going to heads-up play with a substantial deficit.  The margin was in the neighborhood of 48,000 to 10,000, yet we came back to win.

Seemingly ridiculous comebacks can happen in poker.  They even can happen in life.  One of the greatest examples of that occurred in the Bible -- to one of Jesus's loyal disciples.

Peter replied, "Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will."  "I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "This very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times." - Matthew 26:33-34

This disciple vowed to be loyal to the bitter end.  But by the end of this chapter of the Bible, Peter was the one in bitter tears.

Then he began to call down curses on himself and he swore to them, "I don't know the man!"  Immediately a rooster crowed.  Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: "Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times."  And he went outside and wept bitterly. - Matthew 26:74-75

Yet to his credit, Peter did not do what another disciple did on that fateful night.  Judas Iscariot admitted he sinned by turning Jesus over to be arrested -- then "went away and hanged himself" (27:4-5).  Peter instead lived to see the resurrected Christ, receive compassion from the Savior (John 21:15-19) and go on to do great things for God.

Then Peter said, "Silver of gold I do not have, but what I have I give you.  In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk."  Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. - Acts 3:6-7

Before his life ended, Peter even wrote two books of the New Testament.  All hope might have seemed lost for him.  But he didn't simply throw it "all in" in emotional frustration -- and that proved to be a big difference between Peter and Judas.  It could be a difference in how your poker games (and other things) go as well.

The Unmentionables?

There are two topics you should never bring up in public, a woman said at our poker table the other night: "Politics and religion."

Yes, those subjects can be divisive.  Yes, they can be controversial.  But whether people like it or not, both subjects are a part of many people's lives.

There's a lot of talk across the U.S. right now about this year's Presidential election.  So why should we be afraid to talk about that other subject -- matters of religion and faith?  The early disciples were given marching orders from Jesus to talk about them....

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth. - Acts 1:8 (NASB)

Some people didn't want religious topics brought up 2,000 years ago, either -- such as a ruling council:

And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.  But Peter and John answered and said to them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard." - Acts  4:18-20 (NASB)

The first apostles felt compelled by God to talk about the things of Jesus.  Why should we be any different?  Especially when the things of Jesus should have an impact on every aspect of your life?

Poker Night 295: Look Before You Leap

Professional poker tables are built so ten players and a dealer can sit comfortably, yet have a good look at the action.  At local free tournaments, things can be very different.  That made a difference for us tonight, during one hand at Lil Kim's Cove....

BLINDS: 25/50

IN THE POCKET: 2-3 of spades

We're in the big blind, enjoying a fairly big start.  We won an early hand with two pair, moving us well above 10,000 chips.  So when a player adds 100 ahead of us, we don't mind giving this "lowball" connection a try.  We call.

ON THE FLOP: J-8-3 (no spades)

We must note at this point we're seated at one end of two card tables, set up next to each other and covered with a green felt tablecloth.  The cards are being dealt at the other hand, so we have to strain a bit to see the cards.  We want to check, but the original raiser bets 200.  Hopeful with bottom pair, we call.

ON THE TURN: J

We have to stand up to see this card.  There's no improvement for us.  But the entire table checks.

ON THE RIVER: 2

Herein lies the problem.  We know we have two pairs - 3's and 2's.  But looking from the far end, we thought the face card on the flop was a King.  So when a man to our immediate right bets 250, we feel confident and double the bet to 500.  He calls; everyone else folds.

"Two pair," we say turning over our cards.

Our opponent turns over 8-7 -- and he's awarded the pot.  Only then do we realize what the flop really was!  The board showed a pair of Jacks, so his second pair beat ours.

Our vision was a lot better the rest of the night -- winning two big pots when we hit first a full house on the flop, then a club flush.  We reached the one-hour break at more than 24,000 chips.  But we took a sizable loss in the second hour with K-J of clubs, when we suspected a player was making an all-in bluff and called it.  He actually had K-K -- but wound up getting topped by a second player who pushes with K-Q and made a straight.

We held on from there to reach the final table.  But the draw for dealer put us in the big blind immediately with our last 10,000 chips.  We were dealt J-10 and had some hope, but another player made a full house to take another player out along with us.  It was a satisfying evening, all in all -- finishing tied for eighth, our best showing since late December.

MINISTRY MOMENT: We took our "last supper" card protector tonight, and it reminded a man to our right of something he saw on The History Channel.  "They said Mary....."

"Mary Magdalene?" we suggested.  Yes, that was her.

"Mary Magdalene was at this," the man recalled hearing.  "There were women at that supper.... But I know you shouldn't believe everything you see on The History Channel."

We told the man we didn't recall seeing that detail from Scripture.  After the game, we went home and found this:

When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. - Matthew 26:20

That same phrase "the Twelve" appears in Mark 14:17.  Luke's account makes clear who they are....

When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. - Luke 22:14

Those apostles (called "disciples" elsewhere in the Gospels) included Judas Iscariot -- who left during the dinner and reported Jesus to authorities, leading to Christ's arrest and eventual crucifixion.  We don't think there were "holy seat-fillers" back then to take Judas's place, either male or female.  So based on the Bible evidence, we're led to conclude Mary Magdalene was not at this Lord's Supper -- but we must add the Bible does not specifically say where she was.

What should we make of this detail?  If this historic Passover meal was a "for men only" event, does it mean women are barred from taking the Lord's Supper today?  We know of no Christian group taking that approach -- as they all seem to follow the guidance of the apostle Paul.

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.... There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. - Galatians 3:26, 28

So this "table of the Lord" is much like free poker tournaments -- open to all without regard for race, gender, economic status or nationality.  That's what real Christian unity should be all about.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 107 final tables in 295 nights (36.3%) - 17 cashes.

NATIONAL LEAGUE OF POKER TOTAL: Full tournaments - 191 point wins in 832 games (23.0%), 66 final tables, 7 cashes.  Our online play is likely to diminish in March, due to other commitments including preparation for the Passover season.

POKER STARS.NET TOTAL: Pretend cash games - $74,387, up $1,494.