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   The Soft-Ball Man

   Once upon a time there was a nice young man who wanted to play with the soft boll. He wanted to play on the Ephesus Church Soft Ball Team. He knew that this team was in the United Soft Ball League.  In order to belong to The League,  each team was required to wear a uniform, to pay a League fee, and be on time on the ball field at 8:00 AM.

The team member was required to wear a green & yellow uniform,  run from the dugout at 7:50 AM, to shout the team name three times as they go toward their lineup.

When told what he was to do, he came late into the dugout  at 7:55 AM.  Smiling broadly, he was wearing his new red and orange uniform.

The church couch accepted him anyway (Unconditional?).

Moses held "The Serpent" and said, "Look and Live."  There were no other conditions. "Do not Look, and Die." You, too, must do what Jehovah (Jesus) wants done.  And this is  not a "game".

It is not nice to stand in the face of God (Jehovah), and accept Him anyway, although it seems "ok" to  you. Jesus uses His love that is called "Unconditional Love" ("philos" love).  When you do what He asks ("eros" love), He will give you "Accepted Love" ("agape" love) and will take you with Him to His  Father's house. Amen.

JtApril, 2002