Gambling Freedom in 60 Days: Day 18
Today I will review one of the reasons people slip back into problem gambling which is faulty beliefs about gambling odds. The casino or sports book always wins in the long run. They will always win 6 out of 10 times. It is rigged in their favor.
I asked a professional poker player about how a regular smart gambler would fare against him. Answer – I win money every day against good smart players. You have to understand that I am trained just as well as a medical doctor. In every hand I am analyzing the odds that you hit the straight based on my profile of you as a player. I am looking at you and calculating the odds that you indeed did flop that set. In just 15 minutes of playing with you, you would be shocked at how much I know about you. I know if you are a caller, a bluffer, a folder or a maniac. You do not even need to have bluffed yet for me to know you are a bluffer. I already am highly suspicious because of the little things you do during a hand.
When I tell regular players about all the calculations I make, or all the notes I take when I play online, I get shocked looks from players. Many good players are honest with me and say “I really did not know it was that complicated”.
Trust me; if you want to make a lot of money, go to college and get your Accounting degree. It is a lot easier and faster and less stressful. Not even 1 out of 100 people who try to make a living playing poker make it.”
So understand your odds of winning: they are not good.
Continue to read the Purpose Driven Life
If you are on track great; if not, review the red letters from day 3.
Today we will continue to talk about how to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Why is this important? The reason is because something in your life is going to drive you in a way that you are not sure you want to go. When gambling drives us, we think we want it. Then we crash. When the Holy Spirit is allowed to drive you, you may not be sure you want what He wants, but He knows better than you what you really want. When He drives we find joy, purpose and we flourish.
www.wikihow.com had a Christian expert write the following regarding being fill with the Spirit
“Desire to be fully controlled by the Holy Spirit, which may also be called being under the full influence of the Spirit or to be constantly led by God. Seek this control in prayer. Do not place any conditions on what God may do in your life. Be ready for him to exhibit his control in any way he pleases. Do not demand anything as a sign of his filling. Expect only that he will make his full dominion evident as He did in the beginning.
Read examples of people being filled with the Holy Spirit. Such as Acts2:4, Acts10:44-46 and Acts19:1-6″
Don’t Ruin Tomorrow Today
Everyone who has a bad habit ruins tomorrow. The big problem is that for many people tomorrow is now today. Today they are stressed out, strung out, and totally frazzled from what happened yesterday.
This mad cycle will continue until you put in the work to snap out of it. So first remind yourself 3 times every day how you will feel tomorrow if you live a vibrant Christian life today. Next remind yourself (use this one only if reminding yourself is not a trigger) 3 times every day how you will feel tomorrow if you go back to your abomination. Lastly remind yourself 3 times every day for the rest of your life – “I will not ruin tomorrow today.”
Where your treasure is – is where your passion is. God loves you with an incredible love but he is a jealous God. He loves you so much that when you sin He is grieved. He is jealous that we treasure something more than Him. Our relationship with God is supposed to be like Adam and Eve’s relationship with God that they first had. They treasured their time with God because it gave them great pleasure. Doing things Gods way allowed them to live in paradise in the Garden of Eden. Then they messed it up.
Today we have a perfect chance to have a clean slate. A new perfect start with God. I know Christians who live their own little paradise here on earth. Their treasure is their relationship with Jesus Christ. They burn with a new passion for Jesus which has replaced their old worthless passion. They don’t fight against having passion – they have replaced it with something great.
When they have problems they fight so hard to overcome them that they don’t even lose their joy for one day.
God will always be jealous when a Christian treasures addiction or sin over spending time with Him. Accept His love and treasure spending time with Him.
Read John 15 and 1st Corinthians 15 and Proverbs 13
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Thank you for reading day 18 of this Christian values in quitting gambling program.
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.
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