John's letter has a warning to protect the truth to care for our faith - the truth of Jesus Christ living in us. We must walk in love and truth each day, and whilst this may be a challenge for us, it will sustain us through the dark times in our lives. We are also called to abide in the truth because we need to know and understand our belief to be able to resist the world and the devil. We are to avoid the many alternative practises and beliefs today that would cause us to question our faith.

In this short prophetic writing of Obadiah, we see God bringing judgment against the nation of Edom because of the way they treated the nation of Israel (who were family). But all is not lost and there is hope for all who trust God to bring about His eternal kingdom.

The Good Samaritan is a familiar bible passage many of us have probably heard numerous times. When approaching the injured man on the side of the road, the priest allowed the law take priority over his care for the man and passed by. Likewise, the Levite didn't want to take the risk, played it safe and also passed the man by. It was only the Samaritan that showed compassion. In looking at our own situation, who do you currently identify with and who would you like to identify with - the injured man, the priest, the Levite, the Samaritan or the the inn keeper?

In this passage, we see Jesus showing us what mission is like in His context. God has crossed from heaven to earth, and in doing so He crossed boundaries of race, gender, culture, sin and conflict to bring His life-transforming gift of Jesus. This is what the woman at the well experienced as she meet Jesus, the Messiah. Now He wants us to join in His mission as we too cross boundaries for the sake of the gospel.

As we think about mission, we need to make Jesus' last words to his disciples our first priority. We are to give testimony to what we have seen (Acts 1:8), we are to make disciples (Matt 28:19) of the one who sends us out, Jesus! (John 20:21)