Adventure Christian Church
Genesis 37:1-8 (p. 27)
God Has A Dream For North Natomas
When you leave today, I want you to pray a prayer with me: “LORD, not my dream, but yours.”
There’s nothing wrong with having dreams. Dreams for our careers. Dreams for our homes. Dreams for our community. But our dreams are mere “Shadows in Shadowland.” They are only “Shafts of Glory” of something greater. God is the one who put our dreams in our heart. And yet this longing is really for something that our homes and community only give us a taste of what is to come. C.S. Lewis argues that longing for something is actually superior to having, because what we truly long for is not something we can have right now. We long for heaven—we often settle for romance (Marc T. Newman, “The Real Romance”).
God had a dream for my wife, Melissa:
- Melissa wanted a rice farmer from Arkansas.
- Instead she got a dancer from UCLA.
- Melissa was looking for someone tall, dark, brilliant, and handsome.
- Two out of four isn’t bad.
God had a dream for me:
- I wanted a Southern California Beach Babe
- Instead, God gave me a Southern Belle.
Read: Genesis 37:1-8 (p. 28).
God has a dream for me. (Ch. 37-41)
“Joseph had a dream” (37:5).
Understanding God’s Dream for me is…
• Connected to my character in the midst of life’s pain (37:36; 39:20; 41:16).
• Deeper and more significant than we realize
(Jeremiah 29:4-14).
- “No eye has seen, nor ear has heard,
no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him”- 1 Cor. 2:9).
• Confirmed by the Scriptures (Hebrews 1:1).
- In Genesis, God spoke to me through dreams (ie. Jacob’s in Gen. 28:10-12).
- not horoscopes, psychology God revealed “plans” for Joseph’s life through dreams
- Today, he has given us His Word.
- This does not mean to say that God will
Not speak to us in dreams, but they must harmonize with His Word (Acts 2:17).
God has a dream for me. - “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you”(Jeremiah 29:11-12).
Prayer: “LORD, please confirm your dream for me by your word.”
Sarah Winchester’s husband had acquired a fortune by manufacturing and selling rifles. After he died of influenza in 1918, she moved to San Jose, California. Sarah was convinced that the dead souls of the Indians who lost their lives because of Winchester rifles haunted her. Sarah sought out a medium to contact her dead husband. The medium told her, “As long as you keep building your home, you will never face death.” Sarah believed the spiritist, so she bought an unfinished 17-room mansion and started to expand it. The project continued until she died at the age of 85. It cost 5 million dollars at a time when workmen earned 50 cents a day. The mansion had 150 rooms, 13 bathrooms, 2,000 doors, 47, fireplaces, and 10,000 windows. And Mrs. Winchester left enough materials so that they could have continued building for another 80 years. Today that house stands in San Jose.
MLK- “I have a dream that my four children will one
day livein a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today”
God has a dream for my home. (Ch. 42-45).
“Joseph hurried out and looked for a place to weep” (43:30).
God’s dream for my home is a place for an…
• Unthinkable reunion (42:8; 43:29).
• Understanding of His purpose in my life
and family (50:19-20).
> When Joseph was ready, God provided him a
wife and family (He was in his early thirties!).
- God has a dream that my home will be a place of peace and joy.
.
- God has a dream that my home will be a safe
place where my children have the opportunity to
develop character.
- God has a dream that my home will be a place
where my children have the opportunity to develop their talents and launch into a field of study for the glory of God.
Journal Entry: According to the Scriptures, what is God’s dream for my home? _____________________________________
MLK- “I have a dream that one day the state of Alabama, whose governor’s lips are presently dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, will be transformed into a situation where little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as siters and brothers. I have a dream today.”
God has a dream for our community. (Ch. 39-41)
“all the countries came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph” (41:57)
“So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison” (39:22).
Natomas Middle School~ we have been working on negotiating a facility contract since August of 2002. Because of its accessibility and occupancy levels, we believe this is the best location to hold services North Natomas. But, this campus was not opened To us until we had the right mindset: “Do you have adult volunteer program on our campus to help alleviate staffing shortages?”
“Can you do that?” said Mrs. Plano. “Yes!” I said.
To which Mrs. Plano said, “Would you like a cup of coffee?”
I never dreamed or imagined this. And I had to
make a decision in my own mind that I was more
interested in serving their campus than I was
renting their facility.
And so, they said, “Yes.” We are meeting in the
largest and most accessible facililty in North Natomas.
- God has a dream that we will step in and serve this Campus. And other churches will be motivated to step in and adopt a campus in their community. And that we will work with other churches to do this.
God has a dream to see the Sunday morning church hour reflect the diversity of our community…and The River is doing it.
God has a dream that the church in the North Natomas area will be as exciting as the Sacramento Kings!
God’s dream is fulfilled through us when…
• We are willing to be faithful with little (39:23).
• We see our lives as gifts from God to serve (40:7).
• We see how God is trying to love us and love others through us (41:41).
Journal Entry: What would cause the residents of North Natomas to say, “Now that church is making a difference?” ________________________
When you leave today, I want you to pray a prayer with me: “LORD, not my dream, but yours.”
OUTLINE FOR THE BULLETIN
Adventure Christian Church of North Natomas
Genesis 37:1-8 (p. 26)
God Has A Dream For North Natomas
1. God has a dream for me I have never imagined. (Ch. 37-41)
“Joseph had a dream” (37:5).
Understanding God’s Dreams for me is…
• Connected to my character in the midst of life’s pain (37:36; 41:16).
• Deeper and more significant than we realize
(Jeremiah 29:4-14).
• Confirmed by the Scriptures (Acts 2:17;
Hebrews 1:1).
Journal Entry: What dream have I received from the Scriptures? _________________________________________
2. God has a dream for my home. (Ch. 42-45).
“Joseph hurried out and looked for a place to weep” (43:30).
God’s dreams for my home is a place for an…
• Unthinkable reunion (42:8; 43:29).
• Understanding of His purpose in my life
and family (50:19-20).
Journal Entry: According to the Scriptures, what is God’s dream for my home? _____________________________________
3. God has a dream for our community. (Ch. 39-41)
“So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison” (39:22)
God’s dreams are fulfilled through us when…
• We are willing to be faithful with little (39:23).
• We see our lives as gifts for service (40:6-7).
• We see how God is trying to love us and love
others through us (41:41).
Journal Entry: What would cause the residents of North Natomas to say, “Now that church is a gift from God” ______________________________________________________
