Many years ago, when I came to know the Lord, one HUGE area in which I received conviction is in using the word "Luck". You will never hear me say it.

I do not wish "luck" to anyone. I say "My hope is that you do well" or "have/obtain/receive blessings" but luck, not being a biblical word, has been eliminated from my vocabulary. Yes it took discipline, but it's worth it.

In Jesus' time, the words "casting lots" was used when they sort of "rolled the dice" for pieces of His garment.

Gambling of any kind is also no longer a part of my life. Be it lottery or slot machines, or betting for money etc.

Another thing too. When someone says "it was pure luck" that a certain situation occurred, I always say "No, I believe it was God's will" or it was "your skill or God-given talent/gift"...that you got the hole in one (or fill in the blank)!!

Anyone care to comment?

Di, I struggled a lot when I took up poker first as a pastime. I played once a week in a tournament. I was a natural.I started winning.
I grew up in a stout Catholic home. Bingo (for the church) and card playing on cold winter nights were never shunned.

However playing poker in a Casino for money made me so uncomfortable that I talked to another lady about it.This is what she said. "Pro Golfers golf for a living. They pay fees and entries to compete at a "sport" that they excel at. You pay an entry fee to play a competetive sport that you are good at." I gave this some thought and prayed. I decided to become the "best I can be" at something that I have a passion for.

If I practiced the piano as many hours as I practice poker, I would be one of the best pianists in the world, lol.

I make my living by praying tournaments and I don't win every time I play but I do make the money more times than not.

I read books, I practice maybe 4-8 hrs a day online and I research, research, research how to play certain hands from certain positions. I am a very serious poker player.I eat,sleep and pray poker.

Luck...there is a lot of luck involved in the game, yes. Any game where competition is involved includes luck - good and bad. Skill can't overcome luck sometimes but skill can avoid bad luck most of the time. "Good Luck" is a well known and worn out phrase around the poker world.

I believe this. If God gave me this talent, he would want me to do my best and he helps those who help themselves.I am giving it my all.

Just the same, there are still days that I stuggle with the 'gambling' word that is associated with playing poker...

Great topic, I am curious as to how others feel

Here is my two cents on the subjects of luck and gambling... We all gamble, when we get married thats a type of gambling, we that start our own business's, we gamble it will be a success. We who go out alone at night to shop etc. that has become a gamble on whether or nor we get mugged or worse. These are but a few examples...

Now about luck! I learned a very long time ago that mostly we make our own luck! Is Chick lucky to win most of the time when playing poker? Hell NO! She works at it like a job, studies and hones her craft regularily. NO luck there!

Is it luck when our marriage lasts or fails? Nope, normally we get out what we put in.

Now being out and in danger, there too we can either be safe and watch our a//, so to speak, or be cavalier and walk around with out heads up our butts. Again, no luck there!

Gambling and luck, hummm. Life is a gamble, and luck is staying safe and alive due to common sense and prayer.

Here's the etymology of the word luck:


AND here's the etymology for the word gamble:

Interesting, huh?

I answer you inquiry with a question: Why do we let "religion" (basically, dictates from clergical authority) determine what is right and wrong for us. No where in the Bible does it say we shouldn't gamble - that word did not exist. No where in the scriptures is it declared that gambling (or betting, or playing the lottery) is a sin. Only thing I can think near its equivalent would be casting lots... so: How about the story of Jonah, Jonah 1:7? How about when they chose the 12th disciple, Acts 1:15-26?

Anyone have insurance? Anyone buy into the stock market? Talk about gambling!!!

We live daily by chance/luck. Each of our lives is networked/meshed with the next. What (the figurative) you chooses to do can/will effect me, and vice versa. Even if (the figurative) you decide to do something differently on the spur, it can subsequently have a different impact on my choice and/or outcome, as will every other person's in direct (or indirect, as in regards to local, national and worldly affairs) contact in my life. Each of us makes ripples, ones that effect outcomes, change intentions, vary operations, etc., of each other. It is, in effect, a luck/chance life, all depending on the actions of others AND Mother Nature. As for God, s/he does not micro manage our lives (THANK GOODNESS). There would be no reason to be here, if that were the case.

I think most of you know I am the daughter of two pastors, my mom and my dad. Mother was a VERY strong religious figure in my life... most of what I believed for so long coming from her teaching/preaching. That is not to say my dad had nothing to do with my religious upbringing. He was just more passive and a bit more human. Nonetheless, refusing my "religious" background has been a hard action to take. It's like cutting my mom and dad out of my life, in a way... but, something that was necessary for me to do to get well.

We get so caught up in the legalistic dictates of religion. I honestly believe that is what made me sick. I feel freer now than I've ever felt in my life, but some of the "rules" still haunt me. At those times, I regress into a psychic sick. I hope to win this battle some day. I'm just so sorry it has ruled my life for so long.
I implore each of you to examine every 'rule' you are being given to live by, even those given by yourself. Ask God directly what s/he thinks. It is ultimately between the two of you.
(my opinions)

I like this definition of luck and seem be able to remember it. " Luck is when preparation and opportunity meet." I have always disagreed when someone catagorizes a person as "lucky" or "unlucky". I think things just sort of happen sometimes and your response to them is based on your life experience, or preparation or making a better decision at the time. This is a very interesting subject. And very complex. Thanks

I don't believe in good luck or bad luck. I believe all of our lives are in God's hands and whatever happens is what he has planned for us. I recall a huge discussion aout this at one of my Bible studies when I was in my early 30s. A lovely elderly woman is the one who planted this seed at the meeting. I was one of the younger ones who questioned her. I listened, let it settle in through the years, and now I believe as she did.

I was raised with the good luck/bad luck, earn your way to heaven stuff and now I don't beleive any of it.

Gims, I love how you're taking everything you've learned through the years and questioning. It' so neat to see you accept or deny your past beliefs on your own.

Sadly, some we MUST partake in due to "laws of the land". Car/house/business etc. Some we can choose to not partake in.

I'm w/Dotsie. Our lives have already been planned out...by God's design. He "knew" us before we were born. He even "numbers the hairs on our head". I love the fact that someone has my life in His hands..because I cannot do it on my own. Granted, He gave us a "free will" and we choose to go against His will oftentimes. But when we KNOW it's Him directing, and we listen, we are blessed!

For instance, I fought and fought Him about doing my childless website. "Not qualified", I told Him. Who am I..I know nothing about being a webmaster, moderator, etc. He said (Yes, He spoke to me).."Your life qualified you". Period the end.

Some would call it a gamble, I all it obedient. He continues to bless that board for nearly 7 years now. I don't have answers, but I know He is in control of it all.



You're right. I neither let "religion" nor "clergy" dictate right/wrong. I let my bible dictate that. Granted, even clergy can misinterpret and I have seen/heard MANY do that! This is why I visited 23 churches before I found the right one for me. The bible tells us to "test the spirit" and I do! When I read a passage, I ask the Lord to speak to ME and what He wants ME to learn from it. It's very clear...ie" "Do not kill". there is no question in that one!

Anyway......so I don't believe in "luck" or gambling. Life may be a "gamble", but that is really a cliche. We may feel as if it were, but it's is all dependent on your faith.

Wow, Gims, this is so me too! How well you articulate it!! Have you ever heard of "scrupulosity"? It's the religious cousin of OCD. I went through several years of struggling with severe scrupulosity, to the point where it very literally almost killed me. It was meeting face-to-face with the mercy of God that saved me. Then it seemed that the faith-filled people that God brought into my life after that encounter affirmed that we are meant to live full, joyful and abundant lives...not without difficulty and struggles, because they teach us and evolve us into being able to love others better, which is (IMO) what we're ultimately here for, to love each other through it all.

My opinion these days is that when our beliefs make us sick or worse, make life so miserable that we want to die, that's a good clue that we're not truly living the beliefs that God meant us to. Our faith is meant to bring courage, hope, light and joy, even in the midst of our darkest nights of sorrow, struggle and tribulation.

Gims, I too really enjoy your posts here, your articulations and ponderings are a much-treasured part of my life and journey.

I also think that for some of us (Gims?), our lives are lived within the questions themselves...our lives become enmeshed within the questioning and we HAVE to follow where those questions lead us...which creates a constant undercurrent of restlessness and inexplicably unquenchable yearnings deep within us that cannot be answered because answers just lead to more questions.

You could both come to my place...words cannot adequately describe how much I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to sit and talk about exactly this stuff with you two!

Oh, I wish there was some way to encapsulate what's been happening in my spiritual life lately. Powerful, but also somewhat frightening because it DOES mean having to walk away from "the game" and I still don't know how I can do that or what exactly I'm walking into. I know It's bigger and brighter than I can imagine, and that it makes infinitely more sense than what I've believed up til now.

The problem is that you cannot "unsee" once you're able to "see with new eyes". I can't go back to the old (and somewhat comfy) beliefs again. They don't - well, GOD DOESN'T - fit anymore.

I'm at a spiritual crossroads. Read too much, seen too much to turn back, but still lingering waiting for "proof" that the way ahead is the right way to go.

Which is why I would LOVE (x3) to sit and share vision-and-possibilities.

My door is open. Two spare beds. Anytime (except October).

My door is always open as well, blow torch not a factor, here its you take it as it comes...good or not so good!

I take occasional classes at a place called The Well. All denominations are welcome. No one is right - no one is wrong. Everyone has a voice. As I've shared with Eagle in the past, I'd love to have her there with me, and the rest of you too. It is through our differences that we are made to think and question, stretch and grow our faiths. It has been much more helpful than being in studies with all Presbyterians at my church. We are made to think outside the box, consider how other thougths and beliefs can fit in with our own, and also embrace one another for our similarities, instead of being afraid of our differences. I enjoy capturing that spirit here at BWS.

I recenetly read a book that I highly recommend. It's called The Faith Club. It wasn't a quick, easy read for me. It took me a couple months to get through it (I always read a couple books at a time). It's written by a Christian, a Muslim and a Jew who were all in NYCity on 9/11. They meet over the course of a year or so to discuss their faith - why they believe what they believe. It's beautiful. They origianally set out to write a book for children to understand one another's faiths, but decided adults also needed the book. Here's a link:

http://www.amazon.com/Faith-Club-Muslim-...0378&sr=8-1