Influences

There are many influences in life. One of the things I want to influence me is the word of God.
Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,  that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,  so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.  Ephesians 5:25-27.Sometimes I wonder what influences me more, my political persuasion or the word of God. I want it to be the word of God. I want God's love to come through in the things I write. As I intake from God's word daily even as I intake natural food to nourish my physical body I intake spiritual food from the word of God to nourish my spiritual body. Sometimes as I look at the influences of my life, have I given God's word prominent or even first place in my life. Am I being cleansed by the washing of water with the word? God desires to cleanse me with his word. Have I put God in his rightful place  in my life? As I read the scripture above and see how Christ loved me, he gave himself up for me. What that means is he died on Calvary's Cross for me. He paid my sin debt once and for all, and then works to sanctify and cleanse me. He does this work in my heart. I have used this verse many times to guide my action as a husband. That is a legitimate use of this verse, but today I am thinking on the part where it talks about cleansing my heart, with the water of the word.  This makes it personal, where I stand  with God, just me and God. Have I given God that place in my life, to allow him to cleanse me? I think so many times I am not looking for new truth or new doctrine, but how much of the word I have applied to my life. How much of the word have I allowed to alter the way I am living? I think many times we confess our sins and invite Jesus into our hearts and think it is done. The work God is doing has just started at that point. God has to be Lord and Savior of our lives to be able to sanctify us, to cleanse us. His word has to mean more than our political leaning. I wonder if I try to make the word fit what I already believe or if I allow the word to transform my beliefs into his will. I want to be cleansed by God's word. I want to live by his precepts and guide my decisions in life by his word. Sometime we may have seen that bumper sticker God is my Co-Pilot.  God does not want to be our Co-Pilot, he wants to be the Pilot of our lives. God wants to order our steps. God wants to direct the path we take. Recently I realized that many times I make a decision and then ask God for help, and where I think God is trying to move us is to a position where we ask God for direction before we make a decision not after.  Perhaps if we had asked, God would have said: don't you are looking for trouble. I want God direction, I want his help, I want his cleansing word in my life. God will bring us to perfection in his sight some day. What he wants, and not what I think he wants, if I will put him in the driver's seat of my life. If I will allow God to be the Pilot and not try to keep him in the co-pilot seat. God cleanse my heart and my life with the washing of water  with the Word.  God bless, LVZ.