The Love of Christ Controls Us

The Love of Christ Controls Us…

When planning our getaway, both Danny and I looked at maps and studied where the best bluebonnet blooms happen and which roads were good riding but non interstate. He had plans and I had plans. We also had friends going with us and they had plans as well. Between all of us we finally came to an agreement and the plan was good. But what would have happened had someone taken all the control of the event? Someone has to lead but the road captain doesn’t have to make all the decisions. He just has to get us there safely. 

In faith and in life we like to have control, take control and be in control.  Many times we like to call all the shots and then put a cross on them. It makes it look good. But that doesn’t give us God’s seal of approval does it? Sometimes we let others control our lives and we call it love. We succumb to their demands in the flesh and try to respond in the spirit. But if we’re not careful we’ll be under their thumb and not realize that we are now in control but it’s fleshly control.

God wants you to know that He has a plan to remove your control issues. His love is meant to be our sole controlling factor. He understands all the decisions you have to make, all the people you want to please and all the voices calling out your name – for help, assistance, relief, blame and more. But He says this morning, let My Love be your control. Let My choices be your choices. Let Me handle the things you aren’t meant to handle. Give your problems, your ministry, your family, your friends, your work, your church and your hobbies over to me. You are not called to be a juggler or a people pleaser. You are called to be a    Christ died for you, so that you no longer have to live for yourself or to please man, but for Him who died and rose again on your behalf.

He also wants you to know if you will quit trying to control things, you will see a light at the end of your tunnel. You will find sweet release in letting Christ control everything. You will still make decisions but they will be based on the Word of God carried out in Agape love. You’ll no longer have to worry about what people will think. And when you get condemnation from wherever it may come, you can speak to it and tell it to leave. You don’t have to be in control anymore. In fact it is only in your emptied state that God can take over. He’s the One who set the stars in orbit. He can work it all out for you. He wants to take care of your business and the business of those you love and pray for daily.  Your responsibility may be great, but must be carried out in love and intercession. There you feel no heaviness and you don’t feel like you’re being pulled in two directions. God will take care of your family and your walk with Him. He promises and what He promises He will perform.

Oh beloved, it’s time to let God lead and get out of the way. Move over and let the Love of your life into the driver’s seat. He’s got awesome plans for you. He calls you beloved and He wants to take you where you cannot get on your own. You’ll have to drop the things that want to control you as well.  You might get dropped but you will see it as a promotion not a rejection. Where you are going it is all God and no flesh. But it will be all good because surrounded by His love, captured into His will and living out His blessings is what you were always meant to do.

God loves you and He’s for you so relax and let His love be your controlling force all the days of your life.

2 Corinthians 5:14 Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life.

Micah 4:5 Though the nations around us follow their idols, we will follow the Lord our God forever and ever.

2 Thessalonians 3:5 May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ.

Deuteronomy 13:4 You shall follow the Lord your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him.

Isaiah 48:17 Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, Who leads you in the way you should go.

Dance with the One Who Loves You!

In the 50’s and 60’s Arthur and Kathryn Murray, famous dance teachers, danced across the television screen.  I was a very little girl and so loved to watch them, especially when they did the last waltz together for that week’s show. Each step was carefully executed with ease and grace. There are still Arthur Murray Dance Studios around, although the Murrays are no longer with us.  I know, I know,  I’m dating myself.

I have danced a lot of dances over the years. As a pre-teen there were some pretty crazy dances including the swim, the pony, the frug, the twist. Those dances were designed to do a lot of jumping and twisting and even if you had a partner you danced more independently. There have always been the waltzes that couple dances together. The only way to dance the beautiful waltzes is to let one partner lead. That partner is in control of the dance and you. You follow their step and whirl around the floor in perfect unison.

As I think back to that old show and those dance teachers of yesteryear, God speaks. I’ve had complete strangers want to come up to dance with me. They always want to take the lead. There’s been depression.  Disappointment, which shows up just as my expectations are not met.  Discouragement which likes to dance me around me life and show me all the messes and problems. Fear is another partner who tried to take the lead, trying to convince me I can’t move because it. All the partners of the world have come to the dance floor vying for my affections, trying to control my every step, managing to distract me for a time.

But one day there was One who came to the floor of my heart and life and asked to take me on the dance of my life. He instructed me that it would be like no other dance, it would be perfectly executed and I’d never miss a step with Him.

When you dance with the Lord everything changes! There’s no room for other dancers. They may try to come to the forefront, to get you off the mark, but they can’t as long as you hold tightly with the One Who loves you like no other. His dance is complete – it contains all the moves that you and I will ever need, dear heart, to dance through life.  His perfection is apparent as He keeps us smoothly waltzing across dangers, behind fears, over depression and on to new horizons of love, joy, peace, and more, oh so much more!

Who have you allowed to dance with you? Are you reeling from the effects of being in the arms of sorrow, depression, hurts, anger, fear, dejection, unforgiveness and more? They were enjoyable at first, but then you realized you are taken captive, in their snare.  Are you numb from the moves, but feel unable to change?

Oh beloved, Rejoice, for the King of Kings and Lord of Lord desires to enter the dance floor of your heart and wipe the place clean of competitors. He will take you by the hand, lead you into His presence, keep your heart and mind secure. He will remove all other distractions and give you the strength to keep on dancing with Him.

If you will focus on Him Alone, and let Him lead, He will love you, watch over you, guide you and protect you through the dance floor of life and keep you safe all the way to heaven where you’ll live with Him forever. Now that’s worth dancing in fields of grace with the One and Only all the rest of your days!

Lamentations 3:22-25 The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning.  I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance;   therefore, I will hope in Him!”  The Lord is good to those who depend on Him…

Deuteronomy 13:4 You shall follow the Lord your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him.

Psalm 121:3 He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber.

Psalm 62:7 My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.