ALONE: Easy - Not Old-time - Religion

I Met Easy Religion!
Just Like THAT
We Almost Became Eternal Best Friends!
I Didn't Have To Work At It!
I Just Coasted Along
For There Was Nothing In It 
About It
To Offend!

Easy Religion
Was So Much Fun!
In His Presence
I Could Kick My Heels Up
Until
I Stumbled And Fell Down!
There Was No Condemnation
So
I Did Not Even Have About Me To Look Around!

There Was No Laboring
With Easy Religion!
No Talk Of Faith Without Work
Being Dead!
No Loving A God To Exclusion
AND
No Setting Aside Self
Less That God Doth Upon You Frown!

I Was Living It Up
AND
Loving It!

No Cares!
No Tears!
No Why's?
No Wherefores!
No Ifs, No Ands, Nor Buts!
No Waits!
No Weights!
AND
No Worries!

All That I Was Required To Remember Was:

God Is Love!

Life Is Good!

Things With Easy Religion

Were All Well And Good - Or So I Thought -
Until One Glad Morning
Night Before
Early Last Week
When
I Found Myself With BIG ABLE  Problems
And Suddenly 
Desperately
Realized That
With Easy Religion
I Had No One
With Whom I Could
In My Moment of Deep Distress
Honestly
Urgently
Fervently Speak!

"Easy Religion!"
"Be A Bud!" I Said.
"I Need Your Comfort!
Things With Me Are Dread - Not Sweet!
Life Just Got Up In My Face
And In My Way!
Come On!
Help Me!
I Need Your Comfort!
Help Me! 
Please, Help Me!
I Know Fear!"

Easy Religion - Quite Calmly - Replied:

"Sorry, Ducks!
I Got My Golf To Go Out And Play!
Make An Appointment!
Or You Can Even Talk To God - I Won't Be Offended!
I Just Can't Fit You Into My Schedule Right Now!
Let Me Know How Things Turn Out!
I'll Cross My Fingers For You!
Gotta Run!
Gotta Catch The Light!
Sun's Coming Out!"

Devastated ...
I Turned To The Bible I Had For So Long
Willingly Rejected!

Devastated ...
I Turned To The God To Whom I Used To Pray
Before Feel-Good Theology
Swept Me Away
AND
Believe It Or Not
He Did Not Reject Me!
He Did Not Turn Me Away!

Forgotten God Encouraged Me
Telling Me That 
We Can
AND
Should
Talk A Lot!

He Said To Me:

"Dear Child,
Just Because Someone Has A Big Voice
It Does Not Mean They Have Anything
Worth Saying That You Need To Hear!"

"Just Because Their Lives Seem Tranquil
It Does Not Mean That They Don't Walk Around
With Mortal And Moral Fear!"

"Just Because They Don't Seem To Work
That Does Not Mean They're Not Working!"

"It Just Means That They Are Not Working For Me!"

"Just Because They Have Great Elocution
It Does Not Mean That Their Word Is Not Dirty!"

"Dear Child,
In The Kingdom Of Light
There Is No Dark Night!
The Residents There Walk Around Without Fear
For
They Know That I AM Faithful, And
That Their Well-being Is By Me Blessed!
They Have Faith In My Holy Word!
They Trust Me And In Me!
They Run Not With The World's Herd
AND
Peace Is Theirs
For They've Set Aside Self
AND
The Lusts Of Their Flesh Are 
- By My Spirit -
On The Fleshly Things Forgotten Shelf!"

They Have Faith!
They - In Faith - Work
AND
Try As He Might
Satan Cannot Get Them
Even If He Against Them
Goes Berserk!"

"What Is Mine I Keep
AND
The Holy Angels Surround All My Beloved Ones
Whether In Valley Low
On Mountain High
Or Crossing Jagged Hill Steep!"

"They Are Always In Prayer
Like David
And
Daniel!
They Know That I AM Only A Prayer Away
AND
They Have Rest
Sweet Rest
For They Surely Know That For Them I Do Care!"

"Now, Beloved
Put Aside The World!
Cast Away Your False Pride
AND
Give Me Your Heart!
I Will It Renew
AND
I Will
- With Your Permission -
Keep It Clean And Right  - True!"

"Give Me Your Flesh!
Live In The Spirit!
I AM Here!
My Love Has No Limit!
Work In Faith Until Earth's Night Comes
AND
You'll Join With ALL The Redeemed
In The Kingdom Where The True Riches Come From!"

"Remember, 
Faith Without Works Is Dead!
Don't Cast Away Your Hope!"

"My Word Does Not Change!
With Me There Is No Redo!
Work -  The Night Comes!
Live Right!
Let Us In Accord Be One
And I Won't Have From My Door To Shoo You!"

The Easy Church

The Church That Does Not Preach
Nor Teach

About

Sin
Confession
and 
Repentance

Death, Hell and Judgment

Personal Sacrifice and Temperance

Faith and Works

AND

Working Out 
Your Own Soul's Salvation

Through 
A Personal 
Faithful

Committed Relationship 
With 
Jesus Christ

Is 
No Church 
of
The Living God!

*********

The Self 

Before

The Savior

Is

A Labor

Without Loving Savor!

One Walks

Alone

Dressed

For The Liar

Fuel

For Damnation's Fire!