Have you ever shot Craps?

 

1 Peter 7-11

Have you ever shot craps?  I have not and it has a lot to do with my daddy and his advice to me as a young man, it went something like this; “Bobby never gamble unless you can afford to lose,” and to this date I’ve taken that advice.  I have heard that when shooting craps you want to roll a 7 or 11, and so I looked it up on Google to get the truth the whole truth and ok, I’m not sure if it is factual or not, but this is what was written: “Pass bets win when the come out roll is 7 or 11, while pass bets lose when the come out roll is 2, 3, or 12.”  I also was wondering was it always called craps?  Once more, I went to the source of all truth Google, and Google said; Craps developed from a simplification of the Old English game hazard, and was brought to America by a Frenchman and the southern blacks in New Orleans made a street game and called it craps.   Now that clears it up for me, what about you?  I am glad my dad gave me that advice. 

What does that have to do with 1 Peter 7-11, not one thing, other than the verses of 7-11 made me think of that game, and that in craps you have more losers than winners, but when you and I are a steward of God’s grace, everyone we come in contact with is a winner and that includes us.

We should pay close attention to these verses in 1 Peter 4:7-11, it states: “The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.  Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.  Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.  As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength God supplies – in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.  To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever.  Amen.”

Craps is a great example of life outside of Christ, it always comes short, but grace has been offered to all who will enter into a relationship with Christ, yet many who have entered into Christ never become stewards of God’s grace.  The apostle Peter encourages us to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul, and the apostle Paul tells us that the Christ life will require us to go into training much like the athlete who prepares for a marathon.  And Paul instructs Timothy to be a doer of the Word and not just a hearer; many hear the message of being stewards of grace each Sunday, but so few put it into practice.  You want to know that your foundation is built on the Lord Jesus and His Word.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice