Message for February 23, 2020 from Shirley

Pursued by Love – Saved by Grace – Followed by Mercy   

      Pursued by Love-God is on a relentless pursuit of you?  For those who have not accepted Jesus Christ as Savior yet, for those who have strayed from the path of following God, even for those who have trusted Him as Savior.  He is forever drawing us to fellowship with Him. Because of His very nature – which is love – He seeks to have a relationship with us. He created us for His glory. See what an incredible quality of love the Father has shown to us, that we would [be permitted to] be named and called and counted the children of God! And so we are. 1 John 3:1

      Saved by Grace-We could not be saved if it was not for the pursuit of God. If you have accepted Jesus’ gift of salvation, you have been saved by grace!  Salvation is not earned by our own effort or merit.  It is a free gift by God’s grace (undeserved favour) in response to our faith God pursued you out of love that you might accept Him as Savior.  For it was only through this wonderful grace that we believed in him. Nothing we did could ever earn this salvation, for it was the gracious gift from God that brought us to Christ. Ephesians 2:8

      Followed by Mercy-Mercy in the Bible is God’s withholding of a just punishment. Mercy reminds me of the goodness of God in my life every day.  Because of our nature, we deserved God’s anger just like everyone else.  But God is rich in mercy because of his great love for us.  We were dead because of our failures, but he made us alive together with Christ. (It is God’s kindness that saved you.)  Epheisans 2:4-5  God is rich in mercy because of his great love he has for us.