June Hunt - Gambling: Betting Your Life Away

The printed version of this eBook is the Gambling: Betting Your Life Away book, ISBN-13: 9781596366862

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Gambling: Betting Your Life Away
Copyright 2013 Hope For The Heart
All rights reserved.
Aspire Press is an imprint of Hendrickson Publishers Marketing,LLC.
P. O. Box 3473
Peabody, Massachusetts 01961-3473
www.aspirepress.com

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GAMBLING

Betting Your Life Away

JUNE HUNT

• Gives practical advice and Biblical wisdom from June Hunt, a biblical counselor whose award-winning radio program Hope For The Heart is heard on more than 900 radio outlets around the world. For more than 25 years, she has counseled people, offering them hope for todays problems.
• Includes helpful insights and biblical wisdom to help you determine whether you or a friend struggle with any of the 4 types of gambling addictions.
• Gives treatment programs and intervention plans for gambling addictions, showing how to break free from problem gambling in a godly way

Dear friend,

I, too, have been skeptical. I didnt know what to think. Imagine this scene:

Inside the banquet hall: commendation. Outside the banquet hall: condemnation.

He is one of 32 players in the National Football League receiving the Ed Block Courage Award, a prestigious prize for demonstrating a steadfast commitment to sportsmanship and courage. His teammates voted unanimously for him. To them, no one shined moreon and off the football fieldthan their Philadelphia Eagles quarterback.

He is genuinely grateful for the groups support, responding, Im very humbled to be here. Im blessed to be voted by my peers to be here. This is an opportunity I will cherish forever.

Indeed, many in the crowd have not forgotten the infamous moment in December of 2007, when Michael Vick was sentenced to 23 months in prison for running a brutal dogfighting ring, supplying gambling money, and then lying about it.

To be sure, the crimes committed on Michaels 15-acre property in rural Virginia were nothing short of deplorable. Abhorrent tales surfaced at the trial: Pit bulls were tortured and killed for substandard performance. Electrocution, drowning, and hanging were the malicious means used to dispose of dogs that had outlived their usefulness. Smaller dogs were abused and killed while serving as bait dogs. Michael, himself, admitted to killing up to eight pit bulls and bankrolling the dogfighting operation named Bad Newz Kennels.

For these heinous crimes, Vick served every minute of his nearly two-year prison sentence.

After his release, however, Michael approached The Humane Society of the United States, offering to be a part of the solution to the gambling-fueled crime of dogfighting. Named the Associated Press 2010 Comeback Player of the Year,

Michael has made peace with God and says, The main thing is, I dont want to disappoint God. While in prison, he fully yielded his life to Christ and now makes Him the priority in his life.

A key figure in helping Michael stay on course in his walk with Christ was Tony Dungy, former coach of the Indianapolis Coltswinners of Super Bowl XLI in 2007. Tony visited Michael in prison, called at least once a week, and maintained close contact after his release. Aware of the critical role that accountability and support play in recovery, this exceptional Christian coach helped Michael rebuild his life so that it would no longer be controlled by gambling, but instead be controlled by God.

Michael heavily leaned on his mentor during the first year following his release from prison, not anticipating the tremendous struggle he would face in the transition. I thought the transition would be easy, but it was hard, Michael recalls. I did things I never thought I would do, like studying and working by myself. I stayed close to my faith, constant in prayer, and close to Tonys calls and texts.

Michaels determination to manifest a redeemed life is driven by one word: disappointment . I dont want to disappoint my family, Tony, or Roger (Goodell, the NFL commissioner). God has blessed me with a second chancethat is something I will value forever. I dont want to let Him down.

While God offers Vick a second chance, many former fans and animal lovers have made no such allowance, as evidenced by a second protest sign outside the award ceremony: Vick: We Have Not Forgotten.

Make no mistake, God hated Michaels inhumane treatment toward the very animals He created. He hated Michaels addiction to the gambling and bloodlust associated with dogfighting. Even so, God never gave up on Michael because he is also one of His creations and now, one of His children. Since Michael received Jesus as his personal Lord and Savior, not only are his sins forgiven, they are remembered no more.

Yes, the Lord says, I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more (Hebrews 8:12). Contrary to the condemning accusers who refuse to forgive, God is holding a sign in heaven that reads, Michael: I Have Forgotten.

Have you secretly struggled with a gambling addiction? Do you personally understand this painful predicament? Today is the day God can forgiveand forgetyour compulsive gambling. He wants to and He will when you finally surrender your will to His will.

My prayer is that the biblical hope and practical help found within these pages will be powerfully used by God to set you free.

Yours in the Lords hope,

GAMBLING

Betting Your Life Away

Pete Rose, nicknamed Charlie Hustle, delighted baseball fans for decades by slamming balls past dazed outfielders and scoring runs that put him at the top of his game and at the top of his league. He won the National League Batting Title and the Gold Glove Award as an outfielder. He was named the leagues Most Valuable Player, and he was MVP in the World Series. His biggest baseball accomplishment came when the celebrated slugger broke Ty Cobbs all-time batting record with hit number 4,193.

In 1989 baseball great Pete Rose was tagged with another titlegamblerwhich left a lingering shadow over his once shining reputation. He should have heeded this biblical warning.

The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty. (Proverbs 22:3)