It is easy to see church as a Cruiseliner, being comfortable of where we are, but the mission of the church is to be like a Rescue Boat where we look at the needs of others in bringing them the message of the hope in Jesus Christ.

Once we become a Christian, we are part of God's kingdom here and now, but there is still a 'not yet' aspect to it. There is still sin in our lives and brokenness in the world. We have freedom, forgiveness and fullness in Christ, but are still part of a world that is fallen, failing and fractured. Jesus is the King of a kingdom that has 'come near' and one that will come in fullness when He returns. He is the in-between king, and we must learn what it means for us to live as in-betweeners in that kingdom.

Is there any greater love than what God shows us? Even though we disappoint God on many occasions, His love for us never ceases. Nothing we do separates us from His love.

In this passage, Paul encourages us to consider the relationship we have with God through prayer and how that should impact the way we relate to others, particularly in sharing the good news in the way we speak and the way we live.

This is the story of Jesus' interaction with a Greek woman who responded in faith to Jesus and His healing of a deaf and mute man. These two stories show us that God and His Son Jesus have awesome power and we need to let others know about the gospel and the hope we have as Christians.