Gambling Freedom in 60 Days: Day 52
Coke is the highest selling brand of pop in the world. In the 80’s Pepsi came out with the Pepsi challenge. They said try Coke and Pepsi in a blind taste test and see which one tastes better. 57% of people who took the test said they liked Pepsi more.
Pepsi sales shot through the roof and Coke panicked. They quickly came up with a sweeter New Coke. But within a few weeks Coke drinker complained. They did not like the sweeter Coke. Coke changed again and brought back old Coke now called Coke Classic bringing joy to the world again.
Was Pepsi better than Coke? Why did so many Coke lovers choose Pepsi in the test? It was because the first sip of Pepsi is sweeter, but when you drink the whole bottle the sweetness is a negative for many people.
Sin and addiction are exactly the same way, the first sip is sweet and fun. But quickly we remember we are again on the road to the Law of Diminishing returns.
If heavy temptation hits always pause to think about two things you can do right now that will give you increasing returns this week. If your life stinks right now you need to do things that will give you increasing returns and make your future better. Memorize the 3 P’s – Pause, pray, plan.
Key Point: When temptation is hard pause, pray and plan what you can do right now that will give you increasing returns this week.
Addiction is often the opposite of love. Plan ways every day on how you will treat others with love. Plan 5 ways on how you will show love to God today. Plan when you will have a time and a place for Bible study and prayer today.
Work on sleeping well today. Get enough sleep and if your sleep is inconsistent or restless study deep breathing exercises and learn how to use them. You can fight your addiction better if you are well rested.
Today I am going to write about how to try to be in Gods blessing. Many people struggle with gambling because they want to try to get extra money. It has not worked in the past but maybe it will this time. I don’t think so.
A better approach is to try to live right and be blessed by God. Psalms one says:
Psalm 1
New International Version (NIV)
1 Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.
4 Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.
Verse three says that if we live like this whatever we do will prosper. So if we live like this a small amount of the time we will prosper a little bit. If we try half of the time to live like this we will do better. If we always live like this we will prosper.
Living right before God is healthy and it brings joy.
Plan ways to treat God and other people with love today.
- Pray: Father help you me always to be balanced. Be balanced physically, emotionally and spiritually.
- Checklist for avoiding relapse: Always practice moderation in all things and always try to identify what activities you tend to overindulge in which lead you down a wrong trail.
Read Matthew 18
Index
Day one: Quitting addiction exercises
Day two: It is important to admit you are powerless
Day 3: Learn the right way to live
Day 4: Getting rid of negative emotions
Day 5: Remember – money lost is not yours. Don’t try to get it back or you will lose more.
Pray the Lord’s prayer 4 times a day (if you can do it each time sincerely) or as often as you can sincerely pray it.
The Lord’s Prayer: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Day 6: can you increase your pleasure by gambling?
Day 7: Staying clean in all ways helps you quit the addiction
Day 8: Decide what pain and pleasure you want
Day 9: Analyze what leads you back to your addiction
Day 10: Change your emotions and your mindsets. Stop believing that your big score will come in.
Day 11: Where the Spirit of the Lord is – there is liberty
Day 12: Learn how to worship God. Also try to develop positive addictions.
Day 13: Write out a letter saying why you want to quit
Day 14: Overcoming cravings and negative emotions
Day 15: You have some self control
Day 16: Have a list of coping statements. Have a list of substitute activities.
Day 17: How to find living water that will always satisfy you
Day 18: Do not have faulty beliefs abourt gambling odds
Day 19: Interview with a professional poker player
Day 26: Which prayers are answered quickly – which prayers time more time and persistence
Day 27: How to fill the vacuum that addiction caused
28: Finding a good church
29: Knowing why you can’t quit can help you plan how to quit
30: How to eliminate the vacuum created by quitting
31: Tripping your addiction trap. Overcoming sloth
32: You need clean people around you if you are going to stay clean
33: Use real math not gambling math
Day 34: Don’t condemn yourself
Day 35: Don’t test yourself to see if it is safe to gamble a little bit
Day 36: Knowing why you can’t quit can help you quit
Day 37: Do not chase pipe dreams
Day 38: Getting the anger out
Day 39: The vice of greed
Day 40: Specific planning helps break addiction
Day 41: Embrace the truth about gambling. Know your odds of hitting the big score.
Day 42: Quitting permanently
Day 43: Financial problems
44: Overcoming cravings
Day 45: The importance of helping others right now
Day 46: The devil is always campaigning for you
Day 47: Who or what do you worship
Day 48: Finding peace
Day 49: Be faithful in small things and God will promote you to bigger things
Day 50: Do something good for somebody
Day 51: Pride leadeth to a fall