Game of Life
I’m not a poker player, but I have played before … not professionally…just for matchsticks, plastic poker chips or “nothing”. If you’ve ever played or watched people play, you’ve no doubt heard somebody say, “ Let’s sweeten the pot”. It’s when more money is thrown in to entice the players to “stay in” ( continue playing ), in hopes of winning a bigger pot…collect a greater return on their investment. Nobody really “wants” to fold ( quit before the hand is played out ), for the simple reason that they’ll lose what they’ve already invested ( thrown in ) in that pot. For now, let’s think of “life” as a “poker game”. You’ve been sittin at the table for however long it’s been and it’s been goin pretty well. You’ve won a few hands and lost a few…but your hopes are high that you’ll come out a winner. ( For real…who wants to be a loser, right ?! ) As you play, you’re reading the faces of those playing with you…trying to imagine the hands they’ve got and whether there’s will beat yours. You’re trying to strategize…hoping for a particular card to increase your chances of winning. Do you discard these two, in hopes of getting two more of those ? What’s the odds ? Do you really wanna gamble on whether or not that other guy’s gonna have what you think they may have…do what you hope they’ll do ? And all the while, that pot keeps gettin sweetened. There’s one thing’s for sure … one person’s gonna win, and everybody else is gonna lose. That’s why it’s called “gambling” … to take risky actions in hopes of a desired result. GOD would have all of us know, life doesn’t haveta be a gamble. We can rest in assurance of a guaranteed win, as long as our “faith” ( not our money ) lies on Him. We don’t haveta know how to play, because He doesn’t consider it a “game” of “chance”. More like, a “choice”. We don’t haveta worry bout whether we can “afford it”, because He’s already covered it … with His Son’s precious blood. And Jesus’ blood trumps everything else ! There’s no gamble when we place our trust on Him ( John 14:6 ) ! Satan will try to strategize and try to bluff us, but once we’re “in”, we’re “in”…and no one, not even Satan, can steal us from the hands of GOD ALMIGHTY ( John 10:28-30; Romans6:10 ) ! He may be given permission to “try” us…to “tempt” us or “put us through the wringer”… but he cannot take away our inheritance that we’ve received from our Lord and Savior ( Matthew 4:1-11; Job 1-5; Luke 22:31-34 ) ! He’s ( Satan ) good , but he ain’t THAT good ! Jesus has already beaten him…he just dont wanna admit it ( Hebrews 2:14-15; Colossians 2:15; Revelation 12:10-11; 1 John 3:8 ) ! Hell, where is your sting ? Jesus done yanked it out ! ( 1 Corinthians 15:54-57 ) !! The one who quits playing Satan’s game, and instead, places EVERYTHING on JESUS, is a winner EVERY TIME ! It’s as easy as “ABC” … admit, believe and confess. Admit you’re a sinner in need of saving ( this is humble surrender )… believe that Jesus is your only hope ( this is faith )… and confess Him as your Lord ( verbal confession before mankind is more than “lip service”…it’s walking in newness ! Romans 10:8-9 ) “If anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation…old ways are gone, replaced by new ( and improved ) ways ! 2 Corinthians 5:17 ) Life in Christ ain’t a gamble. It’s “winner winner chicken dinner” every day !!