MIV - Most Influential Verse

Once the Holy Spirit began to reside in my heart, the cleansing began on an entirely new level. By cleansing, I don't mean a simple, "Oh, let me purell my hands because I just touched the garbage can", I'm talking "Let me scrub and scour myself clean inside and out as my entire core is corrupt."

There were specific areas in my life that all pointed back to specific sin issues of pride encompassing my heart where the Holy Spirit was to dwell. I thought I had my life altogether: our marriage, our family, our extended family, our business, our friends, etc.  After all, these were clearly a direct result of us working hard.  Except that they weren't. I didn't see it then. I chose not to see it.  I chose to live in sin.  I chose daily to uplift my pedestal so I couldn't even see God in my life.  This isn't to say I was living a non-"Christian" or immoral life; I went to church, I said the right things, I knew enough of the Bible to defend my stances.  To the world I was a Christian; to me, I was a Christian.  This life on earth was relatively easy and I intended to coast my way into eternity.  Until....

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.
~ Galatians 6:7

I had stumbled upon this verse in context; I kid, clearly it was not stumbling but a very directly timed read for me.  It brought me down.  It shoved me off my self-concocted pedestal where I crashed hard.  You see, I had heard of God's sovereignty, I had read about it in the Bible, I had studied verses about it, I had claimed it as my own, I had stated I knew it--and while my head and mouth were hot with conviction, my heart was cold.

This verse represents a true acknowledgement as the life of a sinner in need of a Savior.  It represents just HOW SOVEREIGN our God truly is.  He will NOT be deceived.  You may live your life claiming His power over you, but you are mocking Him if you think you're good enough on your own merit.  God will see right through our pride, as much as we can veil it and hide it from prying earthly eyes; He will not be deceived.  He can see right through our half-truths, our underhanded comments, our jealous eyes. 

If your heart does not align fully with God and His sovereignty, I fear you are in danger of reaping what you are sowing.  The Bible makes it very clear that the way is narrow. I guarantee you, the Holy Spirit will cleanse His home, you will not be left in your sinful state but will be taught (HARD) to strive to live a ceaseless repentant life solely to glorify God through every circumstance.

Are you also claiming the world as your god?  Are you in love with your life and your material blessings?  Are you patting yourself on the back for doing good deeds in His name?  Are you singing loudly in church while silently critiquing the person standing in front of you?

I don't doubt that the Holy Spirit's timeline is different for all true believers in their sanctification process, but I also don't doubt that the pride that hinders a truly right relationship with God will be cleansed away bit by bit (not fully, as the Bible says none of us are perfect), but your life will be utterly transformed.

Again, please hear what the Word says, God cannot be mocked.  He knows everything.  He knows.