How much would you invest if you had a sure bet?
Many years ago, I had a big risk taker and gambler boss. He loved betting on sports, the stock market, in casinos, and more. He was always trying to make a quick buck. What fueled his gambling was winning; when he lost, he would try to make it up on “the next one.”
Not surprisingly, he tried to get me into his world. He would often come to me with “favorable” college game spreads. If unfamiliar with the term, betting on spreads involves someone placing a bet not on which team will outright win but on how many points that favored team will win.
For example, when they set the spread at +7, this means that to cover the spread, the underdog must either win the game outright or lose by fewer than seven points. So, in essence, the favorite team must win by more than seven points. Knowing this, betting houses give gamblers various ways to bet.
I still remember him reading every article he could on the team he was betting on and if he could get any information that would help him. He was always trying to “hedge his losses.” He occasionally won but many times broke even or lost. Often he would complain about how “unpredictable” college games were.
As much as he tried, he never got me into this world. I heed Scripture and what it says about games of chance. In the end, I think he lost more than he won. I got this impression because he was always anxious the day before a game and, more often, down the day after.
Contrast this to what Scripture tells us about how we’re to live our Christin life. First, Christ promises us he will return; thus, we must prepare and live with joyful anticipation. Second, we don’t need to consume ourselves trying to guess and project. Instead, we must prepare. For this reason, we must stay vigilant, obedient to God’s words, and help others do the same.
To properly prepare, you must read and study God’s word daily, pray, and share the Gospel at every opportunity. After all, Christ promises, he’s returning, and we all have to give an account. Knowing this, how much are you investing into this sure bet?
Daily Directive:
Answer and Journal the Following
FAITH
Pray:
First pray for insight and understanding of God’s word. Then and most importantly, how to apply it.
Read:
2 Peter 3:8-12
But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!
FIRE
Echo:
Contemplate and meditate on or memorize the passage. What is God saying to you?
Show:
How will you apply this to your life ?
FURY
Share:
How will you share this with others?
