“Jesus” on Temptation

I recently came across some tips for novice poker players. I’m not much of a poker player but if I were I would definitely qualify as a novice. The tips were offered by Chris Ferguson a professional poker player whose nickname is “Jesus” because of his trademark long brown hair. He knows a thing or two about poker because as of 2006 he has racked up $5.7 mil in winnings.

But the closer I looked at his poker tips, the more they looked like a Christian’s guide to dealing with temptation.

Respect Your Opponent
…the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8b

Good advice huh?! The devil is prowling; he is against us and desires to trip us up and to turn our hearts away from Christ. He hangs counterfeits in front of us all day long to get us to sell out and settle for a dollar store alternative. He doesn’t take days off and doesn’t go to sleep at 8pm. He is not as powerful as God (1 John 4:4), but is a formidable opponent to the Spirit’s work in our lives (Phil 1:6).

Always Pay Attention
Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy… 1 Peter 5:8a

On point again. Can you say A-L-W-A-Y-S.? To quote Charlie Hall, “this world is broken yet beautifully made”. The brokenness is the crack that the Devil uses to divert our eyes off the path of righteousness. The spiritual pilgrimage that we travel until the consummation of our hope (Titus 2:13) is a path littered with dangerous perils. We must Stay Alert.

Never Bet Your Medium-Strength Hands
Okay this one doesn’t really apply to temptation, but I’m sure it is a great poker tip.