Walnut Creek Downtown

Jacob was running for his life, and while he was sleeping, God pulled back the curtain, revealing what He was doing and giving Jacob a promise that would impact generations. Pastor Dan Rude shares about the meaning of Jacob's dream and Jacob's reaction to his encounter with God.

In Genesis chapter 27, we find a story without heroes. As Jacob steals Esau's blessing, we see God works through the failure of His people to accomplish His purposes, and we also see that there are grave consequences for our sin. Isaac's rebellion towards God's plan ultimately blows up his family.

What tempted Isaac to call his wife his sister??? God's promise to Abraham continues on to his son Isaac along with many very similar life situations. While Isaac is faithful in some areas, we can still observe fear in his life. Pastor Dan Rude talks about how we face fear in the Christian life and how Isaac ultimately chose God over wealth.

Unlike his father, Isaac turned to the Lord in his childlessness, and the Lord gave him twins along with a revelation that these two boys would become the beginnings of nations. Pastor Luke Hukee explains how one twin’s attitude toward what he was given can be imitated by us today—and why we should avoid that.

How do you know God is for you? Romans 8. Dr. Donald Whitney explains how we can be sure that God is not against us, neutral towards us, but rather He is FOR US!

This message was given by guest speaker Dr Donald Whitney, who hosted an Equip Conference that weekend, Spiritual Disciplines for Real People.

What promises are you building your life on? Every day, we base our lives on promises we believe, but only the promises of God provide a foundation that will never fail. Abraham's story is a powerful reminder that a life built on the promises of God is a life well-lived. Learn how to trust God's Word and run your race of faith with endurance.

Finding a wife isn’t easy—even in Genesis. Pastor Dan Rude walks us through Isaac’s search for a wife and what we can learn today about pursuing marriage.

Abraham and Sarah were married for over 100 years, and in Genesis 23, we witness Abraham dealing with the death of his wife and how the first land owned in the Promised Land was not a city, but a tomb.

Prayer is an important part of the Christian life as shown in the early church.
The patterns we see then are meant to be carried into today.

1. Pray together
- Praying together deepens our fellowship and relationships with one another
Helps you be more consistent

2. Pray in all circumstances
Book of Acts examples: In waiting, In decision making, In persecution and suffering, In commissioning, For healings and miracles, When leaving one another, In danger and trials
Their pattern was to turn to God in all circumstances

3. Pray at set times
- The pattern of the Jews were to pray three times a day (Acts 3:1; Acts 10:9; Daniel 6:10)
- Develop the rhythm and habit of praying, not necessarily the length
• Morning, noon, evening pattern
• Hourly or regular pauses
• Using meals as anchors
• Driving in the car

4. Pray the Scriptures
- Let God's Word guide your prayers
Why pray the scriptures?
• To protect us from becoming bored and not praying
• Because something is going to shape your prayers - let Scripture shape your prayers, not your own feelings or ideas

What does being devoted to fellowship look like? It is so much more than just feeling positively towards the body of Christ. Dan Rude explains how fellowship is organic and how fellowship is also deliberate and why it mattered in the early church and today!

Outline:
What is fellowship?
1. Fellowship is the fruit of walking in the light (organic)
2. Fellowship is actively participating in the life of Christ together (deliberate)

Benefits of fellowship
1. Maturity in Christ-fellowship is the path to maturity
- We need each other to know Christ deeply (Colossians 2:1-3)
- How we treat each other is one of the primary ways we serve Jesus (Ephesians 4:15-16)
2. Reaching the world for Christ

Prioritize Christian fellowship
1. Be a great, encouraging friend
- Be what the church should be;
don't point fingers at others
2. Give generously
3. Go to church
4. Join a Community Group