Clean Inside

Our family went to the 41st annual Northwestern Community Ensemble (NCE) concert at Northwestern University a few weeks ago. During undergrad, hubby and I were both in NCE. In fact, he actually served as co-director for a few years. We both really enjoyed it!

Each year, the concert features a gospel music artist, and this year's artist was Hezekiah Walker. So, you know we jammed.  My favorite part of the concert was when he sang the song Clean Inside. Hezekiah got so lit up as he testified about how God had made him clean inside. He didn't want to let it go. I loved it.

It is simply amazing how the Lord will take you and make you clean on the inside. Inside your heart. Inside your mind. He comes and purifies your motives. Your will. No one can do this for you. You can't even do it for yourself! He said;

Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. - John 15:3

Ain't that alright? The word of God also admonishes to stay clean. Galatians 5:1 reads,

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.  

Hebrews 12:1 reads; 

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. 

It takes a strong desire and some hard work to standfast and to lay aside the way these verses describe because we are in the flesh and there will always be new challenges that arise and try to pollute our hearts and minds. So, we have to be diligent to deal with those things. God is helping me with this more and more. I cannot always control what issues arise in my life, but if I keep my focus on being right with God and clean inside, I will always succeed. 

When you are clean inside you automatically have greater joy, greater peace, greater faith. When your heart is right, you can more easily tap into the presence and the power of God because there is no hindrance and no blockage. I deem being clean inside as my most significant goal and my most valuable asset. 

How do you go about staying clean inside?