It's hard to find a perfect example to learn from. Infact, apart from Jesus, there aren't any perfect examples. So what do we do with the imperfect examples that we are given - or are for others. The story of David's journey to becoming king of Israel is a prime example of seeing a bad example and being a better person. David too wasn't perfect, and paid a heavy price for his failure, but the difference between the two men is stark. What can we learn from them?

For the first part of the year we looked at 'God's Story, Our Story' and how we can see God at work in our lives and in the stories we have. Now we move into the next stage and look at what we do when we have a story. Discipleship was a key part of Jesus' ministry, and can be seen at different stages and in different ways throughout the Bible. So lets start this next phase with the Master, Jesus, and His disciples.

Money is one of the biggest influences in life today. Whether it's having plenty or not having enough, it's never far from our minds. Money is also a regular theme in the Bible. So what did Jesus have to say about money? And equally, what didn't He say about it?

Two separate stories about valuable items, from Matthew 13, form the background to this message. These valuables were worth searching for, or doing whatever was necessary to get hold of. They are also used by Jesus as a way of describing the Kingdom of God. Normally we would think that valuable items such as these should be kept - as securely as possible. But is there something so valuable, so precious, that it should be given away to as many people as possible? The video (which we had to cut out) that is talked about can be found by searching for 'Penn Jillette Bible video' in your search engine.

Appearances can be deceiving. On the outside everything can appear to be as it should be. Possibly even what we would like to be ourselves. Yet, even though the appearance seems so right to us, it can actually be very wrong - deceiving. These days we are bombarded from many different places with messages telling us that we can, and should, be relying on ourselves. So where does self-reliance fit into the scheme of things?

When you buy a house, you want to know it's in good shape. One of the most important things to consider is the foundation. No-one wants a house that's sliding down a hill or sinking into the ground! Jesus used the illustration of houses to talk about people; in particular, how they are affected by life's 'storms'. What is it that we rely on in difficult circumstances and how solid is that 'foundation'?

When the Holy Spirit arrived in a small room in Jerusalem around 2,000 years ago, people weren't quite sure what to make of it. Some said the disciples were drunk when they came out of the room speaking in all sorts of tongues or languages. They weren't drunk, and at the end of the day many people came to faith. The Holy Spirit is a vital part of Christian life, but how does He work? What should we look for? Is He scary?

How does God know what a mother needs? Does He care? From Luke 7:11-17, Pastor Dony takes a look at how Jesus met a mother in her time of greatest need. Not only did He meet her need, He did in a way that was very much against what would have been acceptable for a Jewish Rabbi of the day. Her dire circumstance was more important to Jesus than His own standing or situation. In this unique story of compassion, we see God's heart for mothers. We get an insight into His concern for a parent who is staring at a tunnel with no end, or light, to be seen.

From Luke 15:11-32 we read a story that is reasonably well known, it's often referred to as 'The Prodigal Son'. As we look at the story, and what the people of the day would have been thinking, perhaps the better title would be 'The Prodigal Father'? This is a story that was told in a way that would have amazed the people of Jesus' day and it's message is just as amazing for us!

Have you ever lost something, something you really didn't want to lose, something special? Can you put yourself in that place? There's that feeling you get when you first realise you may not get that precious thing back again. Can you keep yourself together and re-trace your steps, or do you give way to the wave of panic that swamps you? What about the feeling you get when you find what's been missing! The wave of panic turns into a wave of joy and relief. What about if you were that something special that's lost...?