Resurrection Celebration!! Love my Jesus!

I had the privilege yesterday to get to read two of my poems to a very packed house at church for our Resurrection Sunday celebration. I was able to read the Amazing Grace poem a few posts down as well as the I Would Do It Again included in this post. After services, I had the pleasure of sharing with a man who does not have Jesus in his life.

I was sharing with him the differences between the house of religion that he grew up in and the relationship with Christ church that we are. That conversation opened up from him talking about the poems that I read. It was a great place to get to discuss the difference between what he knew growing up and what is real. I got to share how the religious practices we grew up with were very unimportant. The focus is on a life changed by Christ and then given to Him. I would like to point out in the spirit of the season that it was the religious leaders of the day that had Jesus killed so they could go back to watching for their promised Messiah. What?!?!?! I believe that is an excellent microcosm of religion over relationship. If the high priest and his cronies had climbed down off of their high horses and spent a little time getting to know the Savior and less time focused on how he violated their rules (not God's rules) they would not have still been looking for the Messiah that they had just begged/ forced the Romans into killing.

I explained to my friend that this is the first church that I have been to where things like my poetry, dance, etc are not only accepted, but they are encouraged. I told him that we are free to worship in all ways here. It is a house of whatever it takes to bring us closer to God through worship, where religion is not welcome, but all people are. I explained to him that we have a representative of nearly every problem or problem situation contained in our church body, therefore we do not pass judgement on anyone, rather we merely seek to support people on their way to the Master's feet. We're not perfect and we do not have any misconceptions about perfect people walking through our doors, instead we seek the hurting and attempt to lead them to the One that can change their hurts, habits, and hang ups. Since the word christian means Christ-like we feel that this is a more Christ-like approach to helping people than the religous concepts that are present all around us.

I hope you can take the time to enjoy the poem below. And remember no matter what you've done in the past, Christ died for you, and would do it again if He needed to. He only seeks a relationship with you!

I Would Do It Again

I took the nails and beating
I climbed the hill with that tree
I gave up my blood, I gave up the ghost
But I didn’t do it for me
I left the throne in Glory
I left my Father’s right side
Between the earth and sky they hung me
For your sins I died

I love you more than life itself
So I wanted you to know

I would do it again
I would do it for you
It’s for your salvation
From My love for you
A love that is perfect
A love that is free
I ask for nothing in return
Where’s your love for me

A sacrifice was needed
Your debt to be paid
I gave you the victory when I came out
Of the grave where I was laid
From the Heavens to the earth
The veil was torn that day
I knew I had to remove the walls
So nothing stood in our way

I love you more than life itself
So I wanted you to know

I would do it again
I would do it for you
It’s for your salvation
From My love for you
A love that is perfect
A love that is free
I ask for nothing in return
Where’s your heart for Me

Leave the ninety-nine just to find the one
I have shown you this is how it must be done
Every lost sheep we must go and find
Because they are all precious, because they are all mine
I taught you to serve one another
By washing the feet of your brother
Feed the poor and widowed, help those with less than you
To give is to receive, it’s the best that you can do
Love the Lord your God with all that is within you
And love your neighbor as yourself, I gave you examples of what to do

I give to you this abundant life
And I wanted you to know

I would do it again
I would do it for you
It’s for your salvation
From My love for you
A love that is perfect
A love that is free
I ask for nothing in return
How’s your relationship with me

The grave couldn’t hold Me
I would do it again
Death couldn’t keep Me
I would do it again
They couldn’t take My life, but I laid it down for you
I would do it again
If you were the only one on earth
I would do it again