Changing the Narrative

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Changing the Narrative

June 23, 2024 • Mark Bailey • Genesis 48

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We all have a story to tell, these stories often define us and set the tone for our future. The dream will always consist of both battles and blessings, the question is what will we focus on the most? We might be living the dream, but we are still carrying the pain of past experiences.

While these realities are true, they don’t have to consume the story of our lives. We know that God took Joseph from pain to promise and from brokenness to beauty. There’s something beautiful that happens when our lives are marked with God’s faithfulness and His goodness and that’s what we emphasize without denying the hard times.

This is our last part of the series and it has been so enriching to journey through the last 14 chapters of Genesis.

Blessing and Honor

June 16, 2024 • Marie Bailey • Genesis 49:22–26, Genesis 50:1–5

Living the Dream comes with special privileges. Joseph’s life was a shadow pointing to Jesus Christ. Just like Joseph honored and appreciated his father, we know that Jesus honored and appreciated our heavenly Father. Joseph eagerly desired the blessing of his father and so Jesus also walked in the blessing of our Father. The beauty of this reality is that all of us can have that close relationship with our heavenly Father. We can honor Him, prioritize Him and desire His blessing. Our heavenly Father loves us deeply and His words are life to our soul. Unlike Joseph’s father, our Father is not weak and He will never leave us or forsake us.

How to Handle Success

June 9, 2024 • Mark Bailey • Genesis 44, Genesis 42, Genesis 43, Genesis 45

Jim Carey famously said that he thinks everyone should become rich and famous so that they can see that it’s not the answer. Many people want the dream, but they don’t want the responsibility that comes with the dream. We dream about having kids, getting promoted, leading in the church or serving with a non-profit etc. All of this calls for the empowering Grace of God – it’s one thing to see the dream fulfilled, it’s another thing to acknowledge that God made it possible. While living the dream, we need to extend mercy instead of revenge, acceptance instead of rejection, humility instead of pride and vulnerability instead of pretense. Join us as we open our hearts to God as He shows us how to handle success.

The Moment of Truth

June 2, 2024 • Mark Bailey • Genesis 41

A miracle happens! Pharaoh calls for Joseph and Joseph gets an opportunity to promote himself. He could talk about his faithfulness to Potiphar and prison; he could talk about his track record of accurately interpreting dreams etc. He does none of that, he honors God and takes the humble posture of serving another person’s dream. Most people who live the dream are not selfishly using people to fulfill their own dreams. NO! They are selflessly serving other people’s dreams. When the moment of truth arrives, how will we respond and what will we prioritize? Could it be that God’s dreams in our lives are way bigger than ours? Could it be that God paints on a canvas that’s beyond our wildest imagination? Let’s invite you to join us as we explore the bigness of God’s dream and how we can respond to great opportunities.