First Baptist Family of Asheboro, NC

  The hungry caterpillar ate an apple.  He ate two pears and was still hungry so he ate some more until he was finally full.  He builds a cocoon and in two weeks emerges as a beautiful butterfly.  His dreams were fulfilled.  Today we are in Genesis 37.   God gives us all kinds of dreams and today we call our attention to Joseph, the son of Jacob.   When Jacob was about to meet Esau Joseph was just a little boy.   Joseph  was present.   Jacob prayed to God for the sake of the children.   Everyone won’t like your dreams. God gives Jacob a dream, but what happens when he shares that dream?   God speaks into our lives too.   We don’t always have the intended response we expect or want from others.   Not everyone will like your dreams.   Joseph’s brothers didn’t like his dream.   In fact, his brothers hated him.   Joseph was the favorite son of their father Jacob.   Joseph was like his dad.  ...

  It’s been twenty years since we’ve encountered Jacob. He was in a rocky place in life and now he has a home with Laban.   He’s built up vast wealth as he poured himself into his career.   He now has a large family.   He’s set aside the pain of the past.    Jacob is in a solid place in life.   Jacob’s name will later be changed to Israel.   In Genesis 32, as we look at these passages, Jacob is about to take a huge turn in his life.   He has all the wealth he left behind years ago when he fled form his family.   He still has the pain of his past.   Jacob cannot keep running from his past.   God said Jacob would be a blessing to all nations.   Jacob has been comfortable here but it’s not where God wants him to be.   We cannot continue to run from our past.   It’s difficult for us as we are conditioned to forget our past and downplay it.   We teach our children this.   For example, moms know we cannot get...

  The Meeting of Jacob and Rachel by the Well oil, canvas by Antonio Paroli (1700-1800) When J.K Rowling was a young woman she was living on government assistance to meet her basic needs.   She was a teacher at night while writing and the first twelve times she submitted her manuscript she was told, “Don’t quit your day job.”   She’s sold half a billion copies of her Harry Potter books. In Genesis 29 we’ve been looking at what God has done in Jacob’s life.   Today we’ll see Jacob at his best, finding his way forward to what God has for him.   He reminds us of his mother, Rebekah.   Rebekah’s story sounds familiar here, how God is working. How do you get back on track?   Jacob has to face the unknown.   We understand this idea of the unknown.   Jacob has new strength after experiencing the stairway to Heaven.   He’s gained an insight where he realizes God is with him facing the unknown. Face the unknown.     ...

We’ve been working through Genesis since January and then we got this thing called COVID.   We do a lot of planning.   Some things we even plan out a year out.   In this season it’s hard to plan even a few weeks out.   You’ll receive some updates later on this week about our plans for the fall.   In March everything was crazy and we were asking, “God, what do we need to do?”   God pressed upon my heart that His Word is sufficient in these times.   I just need to stay with scripture.   The Bible addresses so many things in our lives.   God speaks into our lives through the Bible.   Here’s what we want to happen in these times: we want you to keep growing and to get spiritually stronger.   Satan’s tactic is confusion.   God’s Word unites us.   Jesus’ prayer for the church was to make us one.   I want you to not just get through all of this but to get stronger.   Today we wrestle with deception.   The serpe...