Bet on it.

I’m not going to lie; I don’t know the first thing about poker.  I don’t know the rules or the terminology. I don’t know what is considered a good hand.  I probably don’t have a good poker face either.  Wait, I take it back I actually would have a kick butt poker face, but anyways that’s not the point.  None of this really matters to me because I never had or will have the desire to be a part of the World Poker Tour haha.  I have a lot of things on my bucket list, but I can positively say that participating in the WPT is not one of them.  Maybe my lack of poker knowledge comes as a surprise to some, just kidding; I know nobody was surprised at that at all.  However, I do know one thing about poker: What it means to go “all in.”

When a poker player is going all in, it means that they are betting everything that they have.  It pretty much takes any bluffing opportunities away.  Your existence in this game can be over with just this one move.  Most look at this move as a risky one, which is very accurate.  However, at the same time, I feel like this is a risky move backed with security.  Sounds kind of contradictory, right?  Let me explain.  One just doesn’t go all in just because it looks like a fun thing to do and will make everyone sit on the edge of their seats, do they?  Yeah, I’m sure going all in adds a little drama at the World Poker Tour, but that’s not the sole purpose of making that large of a move.  An individual goes all in when they are confident that they have their opponent beat.  An online poker site explains that, “This gives the person making the all-in bet the advantage every time.”

Wow, what a feeling it must be to walk into a move such as that with the utmost confidence! You know that you have something on your side that no one can beat. 

I can’t help but think how the idea of going all in relates so much to our walk with Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  We have something that can’t be beat!- the upper hand, the advantage!   We have someone on our side that has already won the battle.  Jesus has already conquered death, hell, and the grave!  There are often times when Christians walk around defeated and down.  I’ve been there and done that as well.  I think if we are all honest with ourselves, we all have experienced that.  That’s our human nature; the fleshly part of us, so it comes naturally.  God understands how we feel about circumstances that we face in this life.  There is not one emotion that we feel that he hasn’t already felt!  But at the same time, we have to make sure that our emotions aren’t ruling our soul.  There are three parts to our soul: 1) emotions, 2) intellect, and 3) will.  We can choose what part of our soul is going to rule us; we are free agents. 

Yes, there are going to be situations and circumstances in this life that are going to bring us to our knees, things that make us feel broken and crushed.  Nowhere in the Bible does it say that becoming a follower of Christ our lives would be made perfect.  We are going to go through things.  Sometimes being brought to our knees with the situations that life throws at us is what helps us to stand firmer on the things of God.  Sometimes it takes walking through the fire to purify us.  Think about what are the fiery situations in your life.   

I am learning more and more each day how to walk in complete confidence with God.  I think of the song “I’ve Got Confidence” by Elvis Presley.  In the song he sings, “I've got confidence, God is gonna see me through No matter what the case may be I know He's gonna fix it for me…”  Elvis also talks about Job from the Bible and how even though he lost his health, wife, children, and cattle, he knew God still cared!

Satan has nothing on us!  We, as Christians, can take back the authority that Jesus Christ has given us.  We are overcomers through HIM.

Last football season, the New York Giants took the idea of going all in and ran with it…literally.  Days before their week 16 game against the New York Jets, the Giants were 7-7.  By the looks of things, their season was slipping away, along with their hopes of getting into the playoffs, never mind the Superbowl.  By the looks of it, the Giants would end up finishing second or even third in the NFC East. 

Then one chapel meeting changed everything.  Gian Paul Gonzalez, a teacher at Union City High School in New Jersey, spoke at the service and encouraged the players/coaches to re-examine their motivations and go all in.  He gave each team member a poker chip and a sharpie.  He then told them to write their initials on the front of the chip and challenged them to think about what God wanted them to go all in about.  It could be anything from the team to being a more committed father or husband, whatever!

The Giants came back harder than ever.  Winning game after game it seemed like the Giants were a whole new team.  Gonzalez was the wake-up call that they needed.  In the end, the Giants won the 2012 Superbowl against the New England patriots, 21 to 17.  Absolutely amazing!

There are times that I feel like we talk about giving God our all, going all in with reckless abandonment, but when the rubber meets the road, we chicken out.  Let’s not be the type of Christian who is all talk and no game.  When is the last time you really, I mean REALLY, had to put all your chips in the center?  (And I’m not talking about in a game of poker.)  When is the last time you really had to stretch your faith in what God was doing?  If you can’t answer that question, well, I hope one day you will be able to.  I can definitely say I've had to do that before, and I know there will be many more times ahead.

Let’s live on the edge a little.  Let’s go out on a limb.  Remember that when you go out on a limb, that's when you will find the fruit.  I have my own poker chip that I made with my initials on it.  I put it on my bulletin board as a reminder that every day when I wake up to go all in for Jesus.  I am fully aware that committing myself to Christ will bring stretching and growth in my life.

My Poker Chip!

Jesus went all in for us when he was crucified on that cross.  Then why do we sometimes find it so hard to do the same for him.  Pray that God revels to you areas in your life where he wants more of and more control of.  It can be anything from our emotions and attitudes, to our hopes and dreams, etc.  So, trust in the Lord with ALL your heart and walk in confidence with him today!  In doing so, I know we won't be disappointed.  I bet on it!