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!

VESPERS AT THE END OF THE SABBATH: Why Between Two Thieves?!

Once Upon A Time
Long Ago
AND
Far Away
The Savior Of The World
Hung
Between Two Thieves!

At First
They Both Reviled Him!
BUT, THEN
When The One Became Educated
As To Who The Middle Man Was Is
He Cried:

"Lord! When You Shall
In Your Kingdom Come
REMEMBER ME!"

The Crucified Lord
Replied:

"I Say Unto You Today:
'You Shall Be With Me In Paradise!'"

And That Reformed, Regenerated Thief
Was
In That Very Instant
Reconciled
To The Holy God!

He Died 
At Peace
Having Repented Of His Sin!

The God-Man In The Middle
Died Of A Heart
Broken
Borne Down
Covered
In The Sin
Of All Mankind
In All Ages
Past, Present, And
Future!

Interestingly Enough
Everybody Thinks That
Three Men
On Crosses
Was The Extent
Of The Old Story!

It Isn't!

Guilty As Charged:

Left-side Thief 

Jesus Christ, The Righteous - King Of The Jews

Right-side Thief

Both Thieves Were Rare-mouthed Sinners

*********

The Life Of Christ Called To The Thieves:

The Left-side Stiff-necked, Still Reviling Thief

REJECTED THE CALL TO SALVATION

Jesus Christ, The Righteous

The Right-side Convicted-Of-Sin Thief

ACCEPTED THE CALL TO SALVATION

*********

Left-side Thief

Died

IN HIS SIN!

Jesus Christ, The Righteous

Right-side Thief

Died 

JUSTIFIED IN CHRIST!

THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER:

The Physical Arrangement Of Jesus Christ's Position Between The Two Thieves On The Cross Was No Accident! It Is A Clear Pointing To The Close Of Human History As Found In The Words Of Truth:

Matthew 25:31-34 King James Version (KJV)

31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

There Are Only 

Two Types Of Humans 

At The Close Of Time:

Humans Standing For God

and

Humans Working Against God

*********

No Human Is Permitted The Middle Ground!

So

Your Position Of "No Decision!"

Is

Your Decision ... AGAINST GOD!

Please Do Not Make THAT Mistake!

Are You A Sheep?

Sheep Gladly Follow 
The Good Shepherd's Way!

Are You A Goat?

Goats Of The Own Volition 
Go On Their Own Sweet Way!

So Choose Your Choice Freely

AND
Get In The Salvation Boat 

For

It Is Not There For Our Amusement
Nor For A Happy Pappy Show!

Jesus Christ Is The Captain

The Captain Of The Good Ship!

He Is Also The True Shepherd

AND 
All On Board The Vessel

Are Safe With And In Him!

Be Not Afraid

For The Tossing Of The Cruel Sea

The Captain - Who Is Your Shepherd

Will Take You To The Peaceful Shore
Battered Or Bruised Or Broken
BUT 

Always Safely!

Sheep!

- Not Goats -

Will Gladly Ride On The Boat

For

Sheep Give Heed To Their Known Master

BUT

The Goats 
Constantly Stubbornly Always Away Swing 

AND

Avidly Eat The Life Boat
Which Is There For Their Own Souls' Saving!

Repentance

Is

The Best Course

For

The Sin-Sick Soul!

*********

Answer The Call

AND

Take Your 
Bedeviled Goat Parts 

To Jesus Christ

To Be 

Remade 

As 

Good Sheep Parts 

TODAY!!

My Father's Love

My Father Lives In Heaven
That Far, Far, Distant Shore
But He Is Ever With Me
And Loving Me, To Him
Is Not A Boring Chore!

I Talk To Him Daily
Morning Evening Noon And Night
In Short,  We Talk Constantly
And, No
We Never Fight!

He Listens When I'm Speaking!
He Answers When I Call
And Even When I Say Nothing
My Father Is Ever Always On The Ball!

I Have My Father's Dear Promise!
He Wrote A Letter To Me
And Signed In His Blood
He Promised
He Is Coming To Get Me!

He Closed His Letter To Me
With His Eternal Love
And In The Graphic Closing
He Included Images 
Of The Glorious Home Above!

My Heart Is Eagerly Beating
The Time Is Getting Short
When My Father Shall Breech The Eastern Sky
And On My Own Wings
To His Eternal Home

With Him I'll Praising Fly!

P.S: My Father Promised That I Will Get An Eternal Body
An Eternal White Linen Robe Of His Righteousness
A Very Special New Name
A Victor's Palm
AND
A Gold Crown
Just Made For Me!
I Really Love My Father!

Father!

I Know You Can Hear Me!

Please, Come Soon!

The Nature Of Forgiveness

Thirty Years
Nine Month
Three Weeks
Six Days
Twenty-one Hours
Fifty-two Minutes
AND
Fifty-eight Seconds Ago
My Best Friend
Brother
Mother
Uncle
Cousin
Teacher
Grandmother
Neighbor
Did Something To Me
AND
I Ain't Forget It Yet!

I Forgave Them,  Thank God!
BUT
I Ain't Forget It ... Yet!

Don't Get Me Wrong!
I Know That
To Err Is Human
AND
To Forgive 
Is A Gift To Me From God So Divine!
THAT ASIDE
I'm Just Waiting 
For Them
To Make The Second Mistake
AND
Believe You Me
I'm Going To Unmake Them Backside 
AND
I Swear To God
Every Thing That I've Got Up In My Chest
I'm Letting It All Out
With Both Barrels!

Is That Right!?!

You Betcha!

Ahem! Ahem!

Is Something Wrong With You?!

YOU.

Me!?!?

Yes.

What did I Do?!

Quite A Bit, I Must Say!
Didn't I Hear You Say That You Are A True Bible-Believing Christian!
"King James All The Way!"

Hmmmnn ...

What Did Jesus Tell Peter?

He Said Something About Forgiving Your Brother 70 times 7.

What Did You Learn From That Statement?

Jesus Said Forgive!  He Ain't Say A Thing About Forgetting!!

Really!?!
My, My, My!
You May Want To Go Check Out Your Bible A Bit Better!

Huh?!

Bye, Bye!

Later That Night ...

No-Rest And Cassietta Went To War!

No-Rest Won!

Dear Lord,

Forgive Me My Trespasses 

As I ... Forgive Those ... Who 

Trespass 

Against ... ME

And ...

AND ...

OH, LORD!

Father, If You Forgive Me

How I Forgive People

I ... Am ...

Oh, Dear ...

FATHER !!!

I AM LOST!

Father, I Am So Sorry

For Asking For What I Won't Give

Forgiveness and Forgetfulness From You

While I Deny It To Kith And Kin!

I Am So Sorry, Lord!

I Did Not Understand

But 

Now That I Have Your Word 

Diligently Reviewed

I Understand That

There Is No Forgiveness For Me

If I Don't Forgive Others 

Their Trespasses Against Me, Too!

Help Me, Lord

To Do Unto Others As I Would

That They Would Do Unto Me

And

Help Me To Live

True

To The Light 

You've Given

Plainly 

Into My Carnal Eyesight.

I Love You, Lord.

AMEN.

*******

God's Forgiveness

IS

God's Forgetfulness!!

Psalm 103:8-14 King James Version (KJV)

8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

9 He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.

10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.

14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

What Is Your Attitude Before God?

I Have Determined
That Whenever I Go To God
I Am Going With An Attitude!

Are You Mad?!

No!  Actually, I Am Really Quite Sane!

Well, Since YOU Say That YOU Are Sane

Please Explain What YOU Mean When YOU Say 

That YOU Are Going To God With An "Attitude!"

The Nerve Of Some People! 

Okay! I Will!

It's Like This:

God Says That He Has Blessings For His Faithful People!
God Says To Us That We Should Ask Him For Blessings!
God Says To Us That We Should Pray To Him ... Without Ceasing!
He Also Says To Ask Gifts Of Him With Our Faith Not Wavering!
God Also Says That His Way Is Perfect!

Are You With Me?!

Yes!  So Far ...!

God Gives Good Gifts aka Blessings!
I Need Blessings!

Right?!

Right!

God Is Not A Liar!
I Am A Fickle Human!

Still With Me?!

I Think So ...!

Here Is My Attitude:

I Go To God Asking For My Particular Blessing
Fully Expecting That I Will Be Blessed!

I Expect To Receive A Blessing Because God Don't Can't Won't Lie!

God Has Got To Give Me A Blessing! - After All, I Rely On Him By Covenant ... In Faith!

• If I Get The Blessing I Asked For,  I Am Thankful! - God Is My Shepherd!
• If I Don't Get The Thing I Call A Blessing But That God Knows Is Not A Blessing To Me,  I Am Thankful! - He Knows Everything!
• When I Receive The Blessing That God Chooses To Bless Me With,  I Am Thankful! - He Is In Everything!
• With God Out Front, I Can't Lose! - He Sees Everything!

I Am Putting The Weight Of My Being Blessed By God On "The God Who Blesses!"

I Can Never -  With My Attitude -  Be Disappointed By - Or In - God!

Put Another Way:

I Will Faithfully Go To God For A Blessing!  That Is My Business!

How God Chooses To Bless Me Is His Business!

Got Any Questions!

Not A Single One!

Here's A Thought For The Road:

Very Often 

The Thing We Summarily Reject 

Is 

The One Thing 

That Would 

Substantially Bless Us

IF

We Graciously Accepted It!

If God 

Acceded 

To Our Every Request 

Because 

We Have Determined 

That It Is 

The Craved Blessing

We Would Take Pleasure 

In Cursing God 

So That We Could Die 

In Shame 

At Our Idiocy

When 

The Blessings 

- Revealed To Be Curses - 

Viciously Bite!

*********

Our Father Really Knows Best!

PERSONAL PUZZLER: A Skimming Pebble

Oh, To Be A Pebble Of Truth
Skimming Over The Pond Of Sin
To See The Ripples There Forming
Waiting
For The Final Ripple
And, Then
For Gravity
To Pull Me In
Knowing Full Well
That The Demons Underneath
Will Ultimately
Physically 
Destroy Me
Yet
Leave Me 
AND
My Message
Unchanged
For
I - And It - Have Been Crafted
By
The Solid Rock Of Everlasting Life!

STAND ON The Promises Of GOD 

And Tell 

What You Believe Will Happen 

By Your Being 

A Skimming Pebble Of God's Truth

On 

The Pond Of Known Sin!