Eli's Coming

It's not easy winning a bracelet at the World Series of Poker. But this week, a man won a bracelet for the fourth time.

Courtesy Cardplayer.com

Eli Elezra won a seven-card stud tournament, defeating nearly 300 opponents to claim nearly $94,000. Four bracelets in 13 years could put him in the hall of fame, as fewer than 50 people have won four WSOP bracelets.

Elezra is a native of Israel - and his first name Eli has a history dating back to ancient Israel:

...Now Eli the priest was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the Lord's temple. - I Samuel 1:9

Eli Elezra no doubt is good at reading his opponents. But Eli the priest made a mis-read, when he saw a young woman appealing to God....

Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk and said to her, "How long will you keep on getting drunk? Get rid of your wine." - I Samuel 1:13-14

He wasn't the first male to misunderstand what a woman was doing. Hannah explained, and Eli calmed down to bless her (verses 15-17). But chapter 2 shows Eli was flawed in other ways that were even worse. That led to this statement from God, to one of Hannah's children....

And the Lord said to Samuel.... "For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons made themselves contemptible, and he failed to restrain them." - I Samuel 3:11, 13

You can sit at a final table and look sharp. You can even sit outside the house of God and look sharp. But if you don't keep your family in order, God reserves the right to judge you for it. That's why a famous proverb advises:

Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. - Proverbs 22:6

Eli Elezra calls himself on Twitter a "family man" - and his autobiography is called in Hebrew Poker Legend. May you put those titles in the proper order, and not do what made another Eli legendary in a Biblical way.

Poker Day 569: Ace is Enough?

On this Presidents' Day, we hoped to set a personal precedent. We've never made the money in a tournament on this holiday - although we did on a Sunday of the holiday weekend in 2014. With an extra-high buy-in of $90, we drove to Hollywood Casino Indiana and gave it a try....

BLINDS: 75/150

IN THE POCKET: A-6 offsuit

We won a couple of small early pots, and still stand around the starting line of 15,000 chips. No one at the full table raises, so we call. About six players are involved.

ON THE FLOP: 8-A-8

Two pair looks good - and perhaps looks obvious, if we bet. But when the play checks to us, we offer 300. That chases all but one man away; he calls to put us heads-up. We're admittedly a bit concerned about our 6 kicker.

ON THE TURN: Q

Now we're not - because that Queen becomes the kicker. Our opponent checks, and we bet 300 again. He calls again. Hmmm - is he hiding a third 8?

ON THE RIVER: Q.

Now it gets interesting. Two pair are on the board, with the best possible kicker as well. But a full house is very possible. Our opponent checks, and we carefully do the same.

"Three pair," we declare as we show. Our opponent.... discards without showing! We win a healthy pot, and guess he might have had a different pocket pair (maybe 10-10?!).

We hit a high of 15,175 chips with that win. But it all dissolved away in the next 20 minutes. A-K came our way three times, and it never worked for us. The last straw came with a flop of Ks-Jc-9c. Our King was a club, but a 1,200 bet was greeted with a raise to 4,200. A third club on the turn led the raiser to bet 7,000 - nearly everything we had.

After thinking it over, we called with conceivably a lot of outs for a flush. But our opponent turned over A-A - including the Ace of clubs, which topped ours. Our only hope was a King on the river, and it didn't come. We headed home early, out first at our table with a stinging loss.

MINISTRY MOMENT: The table talk turned at one point to Sunday's Daytona 500 stock car race.

"Joe Gibbs Racing finished 1-2-3," a man across the table pointed out.

"And that website on the car probably crashed minutes later," we said humorously. A sticker on the car referred to a tribute to the son of team owner Joe Gibbs, who died in January.

"He obviously was a person of faith, based on the cross on the logo," we added. "And we all should be people of faith."

J.D. Gibbs made a commitment of faith as a teenager, through a ministry called Young Life. If you're a youth or young adult reading this, we recommend giving your "young life" to God.

Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, "I find no pleasure in them." - Ecclesiastes 12:1

You may think matters of faith and religion are simply for old, retired people. But they're not. In fact, Jesus started His ministry as a young adult....

Now Jesus himself was about thirty years of age when he began his ministry.... - Luke 3:23

The Lord died about three years later - crucified before turning 35. Given that Biblical truth, why should you wait for gray hair to appear before committing yourself to a relationship with Him? That day might never come.

But perhaps you're on the opposite side - old and filled with gray hair. It's not too late for you to become a "person of faith."

Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding? - Job 12:12

You may have seen enough of this life to know how ugly and sinful it can be. The wise course is to turn to a better way - a godly way.

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.... - Acts 3:19

As long as you have life, you can turn to God. Is there really a better place to put your faith?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 216 final tables in 569 games (38.0%) - 46 cashes.

Poker Day 505: Missed-8-ment

"I'm here for the food," we told several people over the weekend. We drove to Tulsa, Oklahoma to claim "free birthday burger" offers from restaurants that are not in our home area. Before heading to Ruby Tuesday for a Sunday burger dinner, we stopped at a casino to see if we could win money to cover the trip.

Two Tulsa casinos compete against each other for poker players quite a bit. In fact, both have Sunday morning tournaments. River Spirit's "Sunrise Showdown" at 9:30 a.m. costs more, at $60 including "dealer appreciation." But that meant it offered the biggest reward - and since we won money there last year, we hoped to succeed there again.

BLINDS: 300/600

IN THE POCKET: J-J

It's been a stormy Sunday for us - with fairly big losses, but also fairly big gains. In the second hour of play, a Jack of diamonds led to a big flush win. Now with two tables left, we have good starting cards at a table of seven and about 10,000 chips. We're relatively late in the order, but we decide to call and see if others raise. They don't. About half the table is in.

ON THE FLOP: 6-6-8

Small cards look good to us. But as we recall, a man across the table mishandles his chips a bit - putting one in, then announcing a bet of 1,700. The dealer makes him take back all but the minimum 600.

"I know what he meant to do," we say a bit tongue-in-cheek, "so I'll bet 1,700." That man calls; everyone else is out.

ON THE TURN: 4

This still looks good - and now our opponent checks to us. We bet 1,700 again.

"Raise," he says - and doubles the bet to 3,400. We consider what he wanted to do on the flop, and conclude he has an 8. Therefore, our second pair tops his - and we call accordingly.

ON THE RIVER: 10

We've seen enough to win, right? Well, not so fast. Our opponent now puts out 4,000. We're still not convinced, and think he's trying to scare us away. Besides, if he happens to have a 10, we're still better.

"I only have 600 more to go all-in," we say - and we do. A shove earlier in the hour brought a good read that our A-10 was better than an opponent. He had A-5, but we wound up splitting the pot.

The opponent calls without hesitation. "I have a 6," he says - and proves it. Ouch!! This time our read was all wrong - and we wind up leaving the room in 15th place, out of 34 players.

We should have realized a couple of things here. We got burned by a hidden three of a kind early in the tournament (a Big Blind 3-10, that turned into a full house for a woman). And we should have been more careful, saving our last 600. At least that would have kept us in the game for a few more hands. One too many bad decisions cost us dearly.

MINISTRY MOMENT: We're not sure what topic they were discussing, but one poker room staff member said to another before the tournament, "You're preaching to the choir."

To which we responded: "Sometimes the choir needs to be preached to."

Our apologies for the bad grammar. But we've sung in a few church choirs over the years - and while we realize the woman's phrase is a common cliché, choirs are not filled with perfect people. In fact, neither is the community of preachers. A New Testament writer seemed to realize this well....

...You, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal?... You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? - Romans 2:21, 23

Paul wrote these words to Jews who considered themselves morally superior (verses 17-18) - but we all have to be careful. Nothing says "hypocrite" more than someone accusing others of doing the very "wrong" that they do. How did Paul know that so well?

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners - of whom I am the worst. - I Timothy 1:15

Paul undoubtedly recalled his track record of persecuting believers in Jesus. But Jesus intervened in his life by striking him down on a trip to Damascus (Acts 9:1-16). Paul turned into a believer - but even believing ministers like him can face battles with sin. We'll talk about that in an upcoming post.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD:  183 final tables in 505 games (36.4%) - 37 cashes. Our record in Oklahoma now stands at two final tables in four games.

On the Diamonds

As poker hands go, a flush is pretty good. It's slightly better than a straight, because it's mathematically tougher to achieve. And it beats any pair, or even three of a kind.

In classic Texas Hold 'em, only one suit in a hand can be a flush. Other games open the door for more than one, and that's when suit rank might matter - with spades at the top, followed by hearts, diamonds and clubs.

But let's ask a silly-sounding question. If you were a flush, what suit would you want to wear? A spade might be more impressive at the table, but you won't find the word "spade" anywhere in the King James Bible. You won't find "club" there, either. But you'll see a reference to the other suits:

You have been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, the sardius, topaz and the diamond.... - Ezekiel 28:13 (KJV)

Some Bible translations replace "diamond" with "emerald" (which appears later on the King James list). But if diamond is correct, how nice it would sound to be covered by fancy jewelry. Someone was long ago.... but then:

You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned.... - Ezekiel 28:15-16

God discovered this well-jeweled being was a sinner, so He cast it out of Eden. Here's the root cause of it:

Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings. - Ezekiel 28:17

Other Bible references indicate this "guardian cherub" (verse 16) was what we now call Satan, or the devil. Satan let beauty get to its head, became corrupted with sin, then was tossed away by God.

Does that mean diamonds and other jewelry are wrong? Some Christian groups think so, but they overlook another place in the Bible where diamonds come up:

And you shall make the breastplate of judgment with cunning work.... And you shall set in it settings of stones, even four rows of stones.... the second row shall be an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond. - Exodus 28:15-17 (KJV)

This breastplate was worn by ancient priests, when they did ministry service. God instructed the stones on the breastplate to be made that way. This indicates diamonds are OK, and not something to be avoided. They're as good on your body as they are in a poker room, as long as you let God position them as He wishes.


And here's the amazing thing: some people say we are to become diamonds. We'll get into that in an upcoming post.

Aaron Sells-Out

At our last live poker tournament, the name "Aaron" came up - and we noted that's a famous name from the Bible. We meet him first in Exodus 4, as the older brother of Moses and a spokesman for both of them.

Aaron accompanied Moses in several showdowns with Egypt's Pharaoh. They ended with Israel coming out of Egyptian slavery - and the support was more than vocal:

As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amaliekites were winning. When Moses's hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up - one on one side, one on the other.... - Exodus 17:11-12

How many "poker wives" support their spouses quietly and loyally - whether in big tournaments or small? They may not literally hold the cards up so the players can see them, but they can give moral support and encouragement in many ways. It's easy to overlook them, but we shouldn't.

God set up a line of priests through Aaron (Exodus 28:1/Leviticus 8:21-30) - but then he made a big mistake:

Aaron answered them, "Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.".... He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it into a tool. Then they said, "These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt." When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf.... - Exodus 32:3-5

It's one thing to win a gold bracelet, at an event such as the World Series of Poker. It's another thing to idolize it - making it a god and presuming it's like the God of heaven. Even though God was displaying His power in amazing ways to Israel, Aaron defaulted to something Egypt had done. And then....

"They said to me, Make us gods who will go before us'.... Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!" - Exodus 32:23-24

Really.... really?! Aaron lied by denying he'd "fashioned" the gold, and claiming it looked like a false god by sheer coincidence. It's easy for us to say it now, but Aaron should have stood his moral ground and pointed the people to the God who was talking with Moses on Mount Sinai.

If poker consumes a lot of your time, either in person or online, you might have turned the game into your god - and you have a false god. You might need to do what Moses did for Israel....

So Moses went back to the Lord and said, "Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. But now, please forgive their sin...." - Exodus 32:31-32

Seek God's forgiveness, and make Him the true God of your life. After all, He was around long before poker - and He offers the gift of eternal life, to last far beyond it.

A Decade of Decisions

The first decision came ten years ago today. We took a short walk from our home to a corner bar, and joined in a free Thursday night poker tournament.

Ten years later, we're still playing poker - but like many who took up the game in the last decade, the "fad" has faded for us. Our schedule doesn't allow us to enter many live tournaments right now. And even our online play is way down, because other Internet games seem more interesting. (Anyone for Scrabble?)

We could compare our rise and fall to a comment made to an ancient church...

I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance.... Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. - Revelation 2:2, 4

If you have a "red-letter Bible," this comment probably is in red ink. These are words of a resurrected Jesus Christ. He gave praise to the "church in Ephesus" (verse 1) for several accomplishments and traits. Yet He indicated that interest had faded. In this case, we think the "first love" was for God.

Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things your did at first. - Revelation 2:5

If your first love was poker, this is relatively easy to do. You head back online or into a poker room and get reacquainted with the cards. But if your real first love is for God - and we think it should be - it may be time to repent of letting distractions get in the way.

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. - I John 2:15

OK, we'll admit it - poker is definitely a game "in the world." Some church-going people actually might commend us for losing some passion for it. But if you've used poker to be a light for Jesus Christ, those "deeds" and "hard work" can fade by becoming more introverted and secluded.

When we started playing live poker in 2007, we didn't think much about doing it for ministry. It was a test of game-playing skills we developed online. But as time went on, we saw the opportunity to do more than that. Now we can go home from short tournaments feeling better than a final-table bubble player, because we accomplished a higher purpose:

He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation." - Mark 16:15

That's what we try to do at the table, and on this blog as well.

We were writing a different blog when we sat down for our first poker night ten years ago. It was a locally-centered humor blog - so here's how we reported on what happened 15 Jun 07.

The patience is in

So, you may be asking, what was our secret to success when we won money at a recent poker tournament in Tulsa? Believe it or not, it all started with a grocery trip.

We went to a large famous-name store at mid-morning, and came across several moms trying to keep young children in line. We told ourselves to be a good example, by staying patient with them.

Then we loaded our groceries in the car - and lo and behold, we heard a radio preacher talking about patience. Already we sensed a theme for the day.

As we drove to Tulsa that afternoon, we heard a radio host bring up the very same subject - patience! Now we knew we were getting a message from God. It became the key word on our mind during the evening tournament - and in the end, we had a top-five finish in the money.

The idea of receiving "messages from heaven" is a topic for another day. But right now let's ask: how patient are you at the poker table? Are you impulsive, looking for a quick advantage? Or do you wait for the right moment to make a move?

We think God wants us to lean on the side of waiting. Here's why....

Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city. - Proverbs 16:32

The impulsive player might go "on tilt" and lose composure after a bad beat or a tough loss on the river. There could be a comeback - but more often than not, that player makes a quick exit.

A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense. - Proverbs 19:11

You can't win every single hand in a poker tournament. "Perfect games" are for baseball, and they don't happen very often there. If a loss comes, try to minimize the setback - both in chips and in your mindset.

The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride. - Ecclesiastes 7:8

That's what happened with us on a Thursday night in Tulsa. The payoff of patience came at the end, although we admittedly nearly lost it while fighting to eliminate a short-stacked man at the final table. The theme of the day helped us to humbly thank God for our ultimate success.

To quote from the radio preacher we mentioned earlier, and the broadcast in our link: "When we are patient, we put ourselves in position with God to receive God's best." Are you willing to have that patience - at the table, and in all your endeavors in life?

From Am- to Pro?

Longtime readers know we learned to play poker in Columbus, Georgia. The city had a "free poker" circuit in bars (we always bought a soft drink as a courtesy), which was vibrant for a city its size.

But now, our old stomping ground may be ready for the "big time." In a surprise to us, the Columbus Council is asking the Georgia Legislature to approve a casino gambling bill. It would have to be approved by voters at the polls.

A few community leaders want to put a casino in a part of town which historically hasn't done well economically. Yet since we left, "Columbus South" (at least they used to try calling it that) has been improving. A Walmart SuperCenter opened at a busy intersection, and new motels have sprung up to support an Army post next door with an impressive museum.

The biggest surprise in the story we read about this proposal is that a Baptist pastor, who leads a local ministerial alliance, endorsed a casino vote. He explained people should have a right to vote on such things  "That's the only horse I have in this race," he said. (Your jokes about a horse racing analogy go here.)

We're sure other pastors would take issue with that view. They could reach for their Bibles to do it....

Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it." But the man who had gone up with him said, "We can't attack those people; they are stronger than we are." - Numbers 13:30-31

Here was a "referendum" on Israel entering the promised land. Two views were offered by people who had scouted the land. What did the people decide?

That night all the people of the community raised their voices and wept aloud.... And they said to each other, "We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt." - Numbers  14:1, 4

Their "vote" not only was no - it was for rejecting God's leadership of their wandering in the wilderness, and going back to a land where they were slaves to Pharaoh! The supporters of entering saw this reaction for what it really was:

If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the Lord.... - Numbers 14:8-9

The Lord had set the agenda to this point - leading Israel to the brink of Canaan. God wanted to give it to the people (Numbers 13:1). But the people in effect voted no, rebelling against God. What was His reaction?

The Lord replied, "I have forgiven them, as you asked. Nevertheless, as surely as I live and as surely as the glory of the Lord fills the whole earth.... , not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to these forefathers. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it." - Numbers 14:20-22

Our point is this: put God's will up for a public vote, and the people will vote against it more often than not. That was true with ancient Israel (we could cite other examples), and many ministers would say that's true today with opening casinos.

We'll say more about this casino debate in a future post. But for now, to borrow from our outgoing President: Don't vote - obey. That sounds awfully simplistic, but history probably will be on your side.

Poker Night 469: Opening the Blinds

"Blinds are UP!!!" the Tournament Director at Yvie's likes to say with a loud voice every 20 minutes - loud enough so the entire poker area can hear it.  What you see when you're in the "blinds" sometimes can impress, and sometimes.... well....

BLINDS: 100/200

IN THE POCKET: 8-6 offsuit

A couple of early tries haven't brought us success. Now we're in the Big Blind, with cards that aren't exactly inspirational. But no one at the table of six raised; in fact, most folded. So we're in a heads-up fight with the Small Blind, and were happy to check.

ON THE FLOP: 9-7-3

These cards give us some hope. But Ms. Small Blind tests it with a bet of 600. Sitting with an open-ended straight draw, we call.

ON THE TURN: A

Considering the flop, an Ace here could freeze the action. Our opponent checks - and for a moment, we consider making a bet in the hope she'll go away.  But instead, we check.

ON THE RIVER: 8

We miss the straight, but we have a pair. Is it big enough? Ms. Small Blind offers 600 again. We think she would have bet on the turn, if she had an Ace - so now we consider this a "coin-flip" bet. We call again, hoping we've won what online skeptics call "bingo poker."

"I have two pair," the woman says.  Nope, we didn't win - as she played 7-3 to victory! The only good news for us is that we didn't bet more.

We won several pots during the evening, including one when pocket Aces came in the Small Blind. But when play dropped from three tables to two, another big pair came in the Big Blind. We had pocket Jacks, and people raising ahead of us. Knowing the risk of simply calling there, we pushed for 7,200. Both big bettors called - one with A-K, another with K-9. But a King on the flop meant the end for us; we left the table in about 14th place.

MINISTRY MOMENT: We were in a quiet mood tonight, and that didn't work for this part of the game.  No one said anything to bring up a point of faith, so we didn't mention God or Jesus at all.

It led us to think as we drove home: what is a real way to "preach the gospel"? It happened that earlier in the day, we reviewed some Bible verses on preaching....

And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the 12 were with him. - Luke 8:1 (KJV)

A classic Christian quote says: "Preach always; use words if necessary." Here Jesus Christ was "preaching and shewing" what other Bible translations call the "good news" - as in gospel. Yet the "shewing" part apparently was added by the King James compilers, to clarify a different Greek word which also means "preach."

We're led to conclude the best way to preach a gospel is to say it clearly. Can you do that simply by being a nice example, doing good works and waiting for someone to ask why you're acting that way? That would be a reactive approach - but we think Jesus wants a proactive approach. For instance....

He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation." - Mark 16:15

How will people know what the "good news" is, if you don't say to them exactly what it is? That's one of the challenges we face when we try to do ministry at a poker table - and we pray we can do it better.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 176 final tables in 469 games (37.5%) - 33 cashes.

Mister In-Between

Big-time poker may be on cable sports channels.  But it isn't football. Or basketball. Or hockey.

You probably already knew that. But here's why we're pointing that out. Poker players normally can't blame what happens to them on a bad call from the referee. Or poor instructions from the "bench." Or even lousy work by the dealer (although some have tried that). It's ultimately up to you, and the choices you make with the cards you have.

Our last post pointed out how some poker players would rather not talk about God or Jesus Christ. They seem more comfortable talking about people who represent the Godhead.

That happens more often in the Christian world than you might realize. Our last post noted it even happened with ancient Israel asking Moses to be their representative before God. But that's not really how God wants things done.

And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. - Matthew 27:50-51

Why is that detail about a curtain mentioned alongside the death of Jesus? Because it symbolized a major change in worship for believers in God. Before that moment, the temple area was divided into sections....

Hang the curtain from the clasps and place the ark of the Testimony behind the curtain. The curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. - Exodus 26:32-33

Israel was told God occupied that "Most Holy Place," and humans could go in there only one time a year - or better put, one human, in the form of a high priest (Leviticus 16). But the splitting of that curtain changed everything - as the New Testament era brought new symbolism.

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith.... - Hebrews 10:19-22

There's a lot packed into those four verses. The blood Jesus shed when He died for our sins allows us to go before God the Father directly.

When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here... he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood.... - Hebrews 9:11-12

So you can "draw near" to God now, in worship and prayer. Not because of some intermediary high priest. Not because of an angel. Not even because you like some Christian celebrity poker player. As an old hymn says, you can "come to the Father through Jesus the Son."

So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God. - Romans 5:11 (NLT)

The poker players we met the other night seemed ready to keep God at a distance, with someone intervening for them. But God wants us to have close contact with Him - and actually become His friend. Are you ready for that kind of relationship? And ready to honor the God who invites you to it?

Ask, and Ye Shall....

We asked in a recent post if you pray before entering a poker room -- whether for a tournament or cash game.  For some people, this question may sound absurd.  But it's something we do on a regular basis.

So what do we request of God?  Let's use our successful Sunday in a poker room as an example.  We first prayed for wisdom....

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. - James 1:5

We take this verse a couple of ways -- asking for wisdom not only in playing hands well, but in doing the "poker ministry" that we like to do at the tables.  We want to say the right words at the right time, to express our faith and offer guidance if need be.

So along those lines, we also ask for God's help in being a "light":

Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light.... - John 12:36

Jesus offered this advice, and the Bible shows He called Himself "the light of the world" (John 8:12).  But Jesus also told His disciples they are "the light of the world" as well (Matthew 5:14).  We take that to mean Jesus wants us to reflect His light in everything we do (verse 16) - even a dimly-lit poker room.

Oh yes -- and lastly, we do ask God in prayer that we might be able to play well, and perhaps win money at the table.  Sometimes it happens.  Sometimes it doesn't.  Either way, we leave it in the Lord's hands....

The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. - Job 1:21b (KJV)

So that's a brief summary of how we pray before a tournament.  But it clearly raises a deeper question: why does God sometimes reward us with good days in the poker room, while sometimes we go bust on the first hand?  We'll ponder that one in a future post.

Your Turn: Playing Things Tight

Your comments are always welcome about our blog.  Here's one we received a few days ago about our delay in being paid by the bankrupt National League of Poker:

I too am owed winnings,but not to preach if the money is that necessary to you maybe you should not be gambling when money is this tight

One reason why we've played at NLOP is that it's not "gambling," in terms of betting money.  Anyone of legal age can play for free, simply by signing up.  (We've never had a VIP membership, which has a monthly fee and offered more cash prizes.)

There's been some hopeful news from NLOP's Facebook page in recent days -- that the site has been "authorized to pay outstanding prizes that were previously on hold."  It also claims the site will NOT go out of business.  But the recent bankruptcy filing reportedly called free poker a "failed business model."

There's a Biblical lesson there for the managers of Zen Entertainment -- as well as all poker players tempted to gamble money they can't afford to lose:

Suppose one of you wants to build a tower.  Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it?  For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him.... - Luke 14:28-29

Hopefully the managers of NLOP followed this guidance of Jesus, and "counted the cost" (using the classic language of the King James Version) before launching the site.  Perhaps unexpected circumstances got in the way of profitability; our own experience with failed businesses has shown us that can happen.

Oh, by the way -- it's OK if you "preach" to us.  Countless visitors to our site probably think that's what we're doing....

For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. - II Corinthians 4:5

Any wisdom we might have, about poker or otherwise, comes from the Lord.  May you come to realize that, too.

Water Works II

Let's go back to a recent online poker game, where Jesus and "the river" came together in conversation.  We found ourselves simply tagging along, as others dominated the discussion....

CoolMedic:  PTL
Me:  Of course.
Studmaster8:  I love him too but
Dealer:  PokerGodx wins Main Pot ($1465) with One pair, sevens
Studmaster8:  this aint the proper
Studmaster8:  forum

There are some people who think the only proper forum for discussing religious matters is in a house of worship, such as a church building.  But that's not how the first-century church looked at it....

While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distresses to see that the city was dull of idols.  So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. - Acts 17:16-17

You might say Paul was a "street preacher".  But open talk about the Christian walk is not for ministers only:

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. - Hebrews 10:24

It's part of the commission Jesus gave....

He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation." - Mark 16:15

The poker chat moves on:

Studmaster8:  ice cool
CoolMedic:  lol
Studmaster8:  better than being
Studmaster8:  luke war
Studmaster8:  m

That's a Biblical reference as well, aimed at church members by Jesus....

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot.  I wish you were either one or the other!  So, because you are lukewarm - neither cold nor hot - I am about to spit you out of my mouth. - Revelation 3:15-16

Some poker games have "straddles," but Jesus doesn't want that in His children.  Either live an "all in" Christian walk or don't:

No servant can serve two masters.  Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve both God and Money. - Luke 16:13

As best we recall, we won a pot at that point by going all-in with King-high and making a pair.  That inspired more Christ-centered thinking and chatting....

Studmaster8:  That K came from
Studmaster8:  the river of living
Studmaster8:  waters
CoolMedic:  I hear theres a King there too
Studmaster8:  KofK

Jesus refers to this "river" in John 7, but its fulfillment will come at the end of the Biblical story:

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city.  On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month.  And the leaves of the tree are for the hearing of the nations. - Revelation 22:1-2

This is a vision of the "New Jerusalem" which will come down from heaven (Revelation 21:2), after Jesus returns to rule this present world for 1,000 years.  It's a city where God's people "will reign for ever and ever" (22:5).  We don't know for sure if poker will be played there -- but doesn't the offer of eternal life make you interested in drawing close to "the King of Kings" now?

Poker Night 318: One-Two Punch

On a Memorial Day when the President asked people to pray for "permanent peace," things became a bit ugly at The Red Barn.  We chose to focus on the poker table instead of the building argument to our left -- but we're told it ended with the Tournament Director bashing a belligerent biker in the nose, and that man spewing blood as he was ejected.  As for our night, it had some pretty moments....

BLINDS: 25/50

IN THE POCKET: King of clubs - 7 of clubs

We're "under the gun" - first to act, early in the action.  These cards are suited.  They're studly.  We'll play 'em. No one raises pre-flop.  Compared to what happened later, this is a nice friendly pot.

ON THE FLOP: 7-4-2 (no clubs)

We have top pair, out of three cards few professional poker players would want to play.  But the Big Blind to our right seems interested, betting 250.  That was our thinking, only she beat us to it.  We call; about four players remain.

ON THE TURN: K

We've improved to top two pair.  Yet the Big Blind turns up the pressure, anyway.  Now she bets 1,500.  But we feel confident, and double the bet to 3,000.  A man to our left calls.  Another folds; the Big Blind calls.  It never crosses our mind that she might have three of a kind (maybe K-K).

ON THE RIVER: 10

We don't recall a flush threat showing here.  Perhaps the Big Blind missed one, because she now checks.  We check with care as well, as does the third player -- and our K-7 turns out to be a winner!  The Big Blind also had two pair, but a lower two.  We took a risk, and it paid off well.

A couple of other hands in the first hour were even better.  We dealt ourselves A-A, which turned into a winning pair which gained us thousands of chips.  A-Q became another nice winner, when a Queen came on the flop.  Add to that a man who put a "heavy date" elsewhere above his big stack of chips, so he left early and shared his haul with the rest of the table.

Put it all together, and we had 34,500 chips at the one-hour break.  But winning cards stopped coming after that.  Our stack slowly drained in the second hour, until we faced "The Rodney" (K-9) with 7-7-9 showing on the flop.  We decided to go all-in for our last 8,500 chips.  A woman called with K-8 -- but then the turn and river were J-10.  Not only did she make a straight, it was a diamond flush to boot.  We came close to the final table, but missed in 11th place.

MINISTRY MOMENT: A man to our left at the semifinal table was impressed by our card protector depicting the Lord's Supper.

"Do you believe in Jesus?" we asked.

"Oh yes," he said.  In fact, he reached into his wallet moments later -- and pulled out an identification card showing he's a chaplain!


The man admitted he had to stop doing chaplain work for a time, due to illness.  But he apparently still serves as he's able, in places such as nursing homes.  By doing that, he follows one of Jesus's parables:

Then the King will say to those on his right, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat.... I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me." - Matthew 25:34-36

Some people are in nursing homes due to sickness.  But we've heard stories of a few people who felt imprisoned by such conditions.  They need that "permanent peace" every bit as much as the two men who nearly had a barroom brawl tonight -- expect they need peace of mind about the future.

We believe that "permanent peace" will come only when the "prince of peace" returns to Earth -- as in Jesus:

He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide.  They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning books.  Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.  Every man will sit under his own vine and under his own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid.... - Micah 4:3-4

Believers in Christ will have the inner peace (for lack of a better phrase) of knowing they have eternal life.  Read Revelation 20:1-6 for details about that.  Is this the peace you desire?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 112 final tables in 318 nights (35.2%) - 17 cashes.

What (or Who) Counts Most

We started this poker ministry blog in 2008 with big dreams, but admittedly small expectations.  Little did we know there are other Christians with similar ideas, seemingly accomplishing much more.

 

We learned this weekend about a documentary called Holy Rollers, featuring a team of "card-counting Christians."  The group of young men includes at least one church pastor, and their mission appears to be entering casinos and winning massive sums of money at blackjack tables (they succeed often because they can count the cards in the shoe).

 

All we've seen of this film is the trailer -- and just as you can't judge a book by its cover, we realize you can't judge a movie by a three-minute promotional clip.  But based on the trailer and a couple of online reviews, we'll take a stab at "judging righteous judgment" (John 7:24) and making a few tentative conclusions.

 

1.  One review says the "Church Team" tithes on its casino winnings.  That's a proper Biblical thing to do.

 

"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.  Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." - Malachi 3:10

 

The concept of tithing goes all the way back to Abram in Genesis 14 -- giving a tenth of your "spoil" or winnings to God.  If it's considered income, we count it.

 

2. The Church Team gets giddy at times about the massive amounts of money it "liberates" from casinos.  But is that the team's top priority -- and should it be?

Paul warned ministers should have their priorities in order:

 

It is true that anyone who desires to be a church official wants to be something worthwhile.  That's why officials must have a good reputation.... They must be self-controlled, sensible, well-behaved.... kind and gentle and not love money. - I Timothy 3:1-3, CEV

 

We might make hundreds of dollars in a poker room -- but when the game is over, we personally feel guilty if we haven't done the "ministry" part.  And connected to that....

 

3. The documentary shows a baptism (of whom we're not sure) -- but is this "Church Team" doing any witnessing to people inside the casinos?

It's one thing to take thousands of dollars out the door.  But it's another to leave something behind -- at least some kind of gospel message for the casino staff or players to consider.

 

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead.... I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage -- with great patience and careful instruction. - II Timothy 4:1-2

 

Perhaps the Church Team does this when it's confronted by casino security workers.  But talking too much about Jesus at a blackjack table probably would "blow their cover," and perhaps distract them from the card count.

 

What thoughts come to your mind, when it comes to this topic and this documentary?  Leave them in our comments section, and we may address them in upcoming posts.

Walking, Talking Suited Connectors

"Do you agree with that message?" we asked a man who saw our "Jesus as your Savior" coin during last week's tournament in northwest Florida.

The man said he did.  Then he told us about a change one of his sons has experienced since attending church.  "He was 100 percent improved.  But since a new pastor came in, he's 300 percent improved."  The father explained the change came because the new minister shared a lot of common interests with his son.  (We didn't ask if poker was one of them.)

We agreed there are times when the right minister can make all the difference in turning around someone's life.  In poker terms, it's like being dealt two strong cards with something in common.  Ace-King of spades is considered a far better potential hand than Ace-4 offsuit.

But a good relationship with a pastor is really "small potatoes," in the big picture of life.  The most important thing is developing a right relationship with God.  The Bible indicates there are good and bad ways to do that....

Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and brag about your relationship to God.... You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? - Romans 2:17, 23

Paul goes on to point out we've all broken God's law at some point.  That's known in the Christian world as "sin" (3:23).  But thankfully, God provided a new way to build a relationship with Him - through a "God" who became human:

The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.... Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant. - Hebrews 7:18-19, 22

God will let you come close if you accept Jesus as your Savior, and repent of your sinful past:

Come near to God and he will come near to you.  Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. - James 4:8

Has a minister helped you draw near to God, at some point in your life?  If so, this is a perfect time to say thanks - as October is Clergy (or Pastor) Appreciation Month.  Even a simple card or e-mail certainly would be welcome.  And don't forget to thank God for those who help build closer relationships, both with Him and with Christ.

National Heads-Up Week 6: Meeting of the Minds

The outcome actually was settled in March, but NBC showed the finals of the National Heads-Up Poker Championship today. Erik Seidel swept Chris Moneymaker for the title -- and in the process had to overcome Moneymaker's coach. Not simply any coach, but a "Mindset Coach."

Sam Chauhan explained he helps Moneymaker remain focused at the table. "There are things in life you can control and things you can't control," he said. "I help him to focus on the things you can control."

Chauhan's correct in describing not only poker, but what we face in life every day. But do you need to hire a Mindset Coach to help you focus? Moneymaker did, and we suppose a lot of athletes do. But rank-and-file poker players don't have that privilege. Thankfully, there's a valuable book available to help the rest of us. And it says....

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 2:5 (KJV)

For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. - I Corinthians 2:16 (KJV)

Yes, we know - some of you may be scoffing, and think Christians are out of their minds. You may point to the "Bible guarantee" a radio preacher made about this weekend, which turned out to be as empty as going all-in with 5-2. But many believers are thinking, rational people -- and they try to talk some sense into people prone to going out of a limb (even in the body of Christ).

Christ's mind was filled with the things of His Father. You can develop that mind by seeking God to provide His Holy Spirit.

For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. - II Timothy 1:7 (KJV)

To be fair, there are plenty of people who can help you develop a godly mind. They're called ministers, pastors or elders, serving at congregations large and small. Listen carefully to their words -- but always verify what they say by studying the Bible for yourself. Focusing on God can help you control the temptations to sin.

P.S. If you watched carefully, did you notice Chauhan's shirt? It had the Full Tilt Poker logo Seidel wore -- NOT the Poker Stars logo of Moneymaker! Who wants to explain that one?

Way Too Good

Sometimes it's not difficult at all to do poker ministry online. All it takes are three simple letters. Take this recent example from a "play money" cash game at PokerStars.net....

Dealer: Game #57407410106: flopblogger wins pot (340) with a full house, Jacks full of Aces
flopblogger: (whew)
Sierra Dream: VNH
flopblogger: Thanks - PTL
Sierra Dream: AMEN
flopblogger: There's one caller. :-)

We write PTL to stand for "praise the Lord" -- shorthand many people came to know from a controversial TV ministry of three decades ago. But Sierra Dream shouldn't be the only one "calling" on the Lord:

For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile -- the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." -- Romans 10:12-13

The last part is in quotes because it borrows from Joel 2:32. When it comes to God, calling is good. The play continues....

Dealer: Sierra Dream has a straight, Seven to Jack
Dealer: Game #57407430793: Sierra Dream wins pot (2,425) with a straight, Seven to Jack
flopblogger: Straight is the way. :-)....
Sierra Dream: THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY
flopblogger: True....
Sierra Dream: .....He is the way, the truth & the life
flopblogger: The bright and morning star.

The "way" can refer to several things in the Bible. It can refer to the roads we travel in life....

Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads to life, and few there be that find it. -- Matthew 7:14, KJV

Our "straight" was a deliberate play on words. The Biblical spelling appears as "small" in other translations. This verse means the road to eternal life isn't always easy. But thankfully, there's that other "way."

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

Jesus Christ opened access to the Father by living a perfect life, then sacrificing it for our sins. This may explain why the early Christian movement was known as "the Way" (see verses such as Acts 9:2 and 19:23).

So are you on that way? Or are you wandering off the path, and heading toward trouble? Chasing a straight in poker can be risky. Following the strait way Jesus offers has a strong payoff at the end -- an eternal one.

Each One Reach One

A regular player at one of the local clubs told us several weeks ago he reads this blog, and we're doing "good ministry." We thank him for the kind words -- and thank God for whatever good comes from it.

But we were even more thrilled the other night, when another player showed us his "card protector" of the night. He now has his own silver coin which mentions Jesus! One side has this very direct message:

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved, and your house. -- Acts 16:31 (NKJV)

We don't know how he obtained that coin, but we encouraged him to "use it wisely." We also don't know if he was emboldened by our example at the poker table -- but if he was, we again do not want the praise for ourselves. Instead, we recall the words of an early apostle:

What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe -- as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. -- I Corinthians 3:5-7

Our friend actually might wind up being more persuasive in sharing the things of Christ than we are. He admittedly has more of a "down-to-earth" personality with other poker players than we do. That's his background; ours is more of a "clean at all costs" approach.

We don't really mind, though. A little "friendly competition" never hurts -- whether in free poker tournaments, or in leading people to a right relationship with Jesus Christ. May God receive the praise, no matter what.

Thanks to You

Just did the math for the first half of the year -- and the number of unique visitors to this blog is up a whopping 78.7 percent from 2009!

We are humbled. We thank you for your interest, for spreading the word about our poker blog -- and especially for those of you who have told you appreciate the ministry we try to do.