Winning at Monopoly

monopoly (mə•nop'ə•lē) noun 1. the exclusive possession or control of the means to produce or supply of a commodity or service … 4. exclusive possession or control

For an eight-year-old playing a board game, Monopoly is defined by pewter tokens, an extra turn on doubles, and acquiring matching colored cards. Getting ahead comes by bold use of assets, and "share the wealth" means you pay me to come on my property. The satisfaction of winning comes when I prevail over everything that others once owned and build up a monopoly.

At least that's how I describe it to my eight-year-old. The only version he knows is Bibleopoly. He still gets extra turns on doubles and acquires those matching colored cards, but "share the wealth" means I'm offering what I have so we can both build churches. You can get ahead by reciting John 3:16 or naming 15 out of 24 Bible cities. Satisfaction comes in choosing the space to which you send another player, with an opportunity to take away or give.

So the child of a thousand questions and I roll dice and talk about absolute control, and about the One with exclusive possession and control of everything. And we realize that sovereign and omnipotent God is both a monopoly and the opposite of a monopoly. Our Lord is securely in control, yet also releases control to us in liberal provision of both free will and free access to His power—a downright dangerous combination when you really think about it.

"And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.' "
~ Luke 15:31, Parable of the Prodigal Son (NKJV)

The prodigal son's father no doubt knew the character of his impudent son when handing over the inheritance. However disappointed the father, it surely came as no surprise that his younger son quickly made off with his newfound fortune and soon lost it. Shouldn't a good father have acted more sensibly?

And yet our good Father has a liberal hand with His careless children.

And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.
~ John 1:16 (NKJV)

To be sure, access to unlimited power doesn't equal use of unlimited power any more than an electrical outlet enables use of the entire power grid. I can connect to the entire source of electricity, but I'm enabled to handle only as much as my electrical lines can transmit and my electrical gadget can translate.

God's Holy Spirit does not enable anything or everything we ask. The Holy Spirit always acts in accordance with God's will, and He operates more fully and freely in the soul more fully and freely given over to Him rather than the soul filled with self-will. But our Lord does bestow spiritual gifts—valuable gifts with spiritual power of their own—to sons and daughters who don't always use them wisely.

"… for God does not give the Spirit by measure."
~ John 3:34 (NKJV)

For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
~ Romans 11:29 (NKJV)

However we might misuse or bury our spiritual gifts, our Father doesn't take them back. Whatever childish way we ask to use either spiritual gifts or temporal gifts, our Father doesn't cut off our access to the power He shares with us.

By His grace, and patience, and the ministry of His Holy Spirit, God brings us to the place where we utilize His power not only to prevail over demonic serpents (toward the day of a spiritual monopoly), but also in building the Kingdom we are destined to inherit.

"I have given you power to tread serpents and scorpions underfoot, and to trample on all the power of the Enemy; and in no case shall anything do you harm. Nevertheless rejoice not at this, that the spirits submit to you; but rejoice that your names are registered in Heaven."
~ Luke 10:19-20 (WNT)

Comments are welcome (including respectful disagreement) and will receive a reply.
You may also contact author via Twitter – @anne4JC
or e-mail – use @gmail.com *after* buildingHisbody
Copyright 2013, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.

Question of the Week: Why Earth?

"Every adversity, every failure, every heartache
carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit."
~ Napoleon Hill

"Why didn't God create people and just put them in Heaven instead of making them live on Earth first?" from Michaelle

It does seem that God put both Himself and humans through an awful lot of unnecessary heartache and adversity that could be avoided if we skipped our life-long visit to Earth. At least three reasons come to mind for us to be here.

Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment."
~ Mark 12:29-30 (NKJV)

With the greatest commandment comes the choice to love or not love the Lord. We are not placed in Heaven as pets trained to show affection. We are created with free will and placed on Earth's testing ground to demonstrate that our love is freely given.

"But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth."
~ Exodus 9:16 (NKJV)

Though the Lord spoke these words of an evil Pharaoh, this is the purpose of all people. God's power is best demonstrated on Earth, where weakness exists. We most desire His goodness and love where evil and hatred exist. And declaring His name in praise comes with higher value under pressure than amid pleasure because it costs us more. Which brings up the third point.

"The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it."
~ Matthew 13:45-46 (NKJV)

Those things handed to us without cost are never valued as highly as those things which come with a high cost; the goals for which we stretch and struggle and suffer are the ones worth attaining. We are placed on Earth where we fall into sin and are in need of deliverance. The great cost to God for our deliverance from sin was the death of His Son Jesus. It proves to us our great worth to Him. The great cost to follow Jesus likewise makes Him of great worth to us.

Today, nestled between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, we stand between the death of Jesus and His resurrection. Nothing has more value to God than His precious Son. He sold His Son to Death so that He could buy us back from Death. By giving Him our lives in return, both He and we will enjoy Heaven with far greater triumph and delight than if we had not first visited Earth.

© 2010 Anne Lang Bundy
Image source: cosmos4kids.com

: : :

This post originally appeared at Bullets & Butterflies on April 3. To see additional comments, click here.

Predestination and Free Will

"Now I have a peace
I've never known before
I find myself complete
My heart is spoken for."
~ MercyMe*

Predestination and Free Will
#biblestudy

"Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the children of Israel, and the Levites shall be Mine."
~ Numbers 8:14 (NKJV)

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
~ 1 Peter 2:9 (NKJV)

Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure ... for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
~ 2 Peter 1:10-11 (NKJV)

"No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day."
~ John 6:44 (NKJV)

As the Lord's ever-interesting timing would have it, I write this post while also having a stimulating email discussion with Sarah M. Salter about predestination.

I absolutely believe in predestination. I also absolutely believe God gives us the free-will to refuse the destiny He has offered us.

Here in Numbers, the Lord selected the Levites as His Own, to serve Him. Examples of unfaithful Levites abound. Those who refused their destiny perished because of it.

We did not come to Christ unless the Father chose to draw us. It is our place to accept His offer in faith, and make our call and election sure—or not.

I did include more Scriptures than usual today, and allow them to speak for themselves rather than say more. I invite discussion in the comments.

Father in Heaven, thank You for selecting those You've made Your Son's. Thank You for the ability to accept the gift You offer. If any reading these words have failed to do so, please lead and enable them to be certain with you that their calling has been made sure. Please send Your Spirit to enlighten our understanding and enable our diligence.

Contrasting points-of-view, questions and feedback are invited. Post to BuildingHisBody.com "Comments" or e-mail to BuildingHisBody@gmail.com. Copyright 2009, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
* Lyrics of "Spoken For" © 2002 Simpleville Music