“Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.” – 1 John 3:2-3

Percy Ainsworth was born in 1873 in Manchester, England. He died before his 36 birthday, yet he was one of the most godly Methodist preachers in the late nineteenth century. He was author of several books including “Threshold of Grace,” “St. Paul’s Hymn of Love” and “The Pilgrim Church.”

One evening, a parishioner from his church saw Percy in front of a wall with a bucket and a scrub brush. He was busy scrubbing a brick wall in a tough
neighbourhood in Manchester. When the man asked the pastor why he was cleaning the wall, Ainsworth told him that he was on his way home when he saw some obscene words on the wall and they had burned a hole into his soul. Later, he was in his study trying to work, but that mental picture those words brought persisted. He knew if those words would have that type of effect of him, they would also have a sinful effect on any children that would pass by. Men and women would also be the worse for reading them. He became so troubled that he said, “Before I can preach or do another thing I must wipe them out.”

We are called to be pure as Christ is pure. We need to rid ourselves of sinfulness and let Christ fill us. Are you seeking the purity of the Lord? Today in prayer, ask Christ to reveal any sin in your life. Then wipe it out and let the Lord fill your life.

“The old enemy knows that the battle with impurity is a harder one than that with covetousness. It is easy to cast off what clings to us from without, but a war within our borders involves far greater peril.” – Jerome

God’s Word: “Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.” – 2 Corinthians 7:1

- David Virtue <
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