Wrestling with God for His Gifts Dr. Ritch Boerckel
Senior Pastor
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Open Hearts Open Homes GriefShare Biblical Counseling Conference Schedule of Christmas Services
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The new bethanycentral.org
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Children’s Ministry PrimeTime Christmas
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Dec. Birthdays & Anniversaries
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First Prayer Church Membership Class Calendar Highlights Dec./Jan. Women’s Ministries Youth Events Dec./Jan.
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Men’s Ministry
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The Gospel Institute
10 Small Groups @ Bethany Saturday Evening Service 11 Global Outreach 12 A Community Christmas
When God sent His own Son into this sin-stained world, He gave to us His very best. In giving His Son, the Father forever settled the question regarding the lavish nature of His generosity. No person need ever to ask, “Does God care for me and desire to give me gifts that would bring joy to my heart?” Paul is right to reason, “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” The Christmas season reminds us that God is a giving God. He loves to give good gifts to His own children. The question might be asked, “If God is lavishly generous, why do many Christians not experience the fullness of God’s blessing?” Jacob’s life helps us to think about that question. Remember that Jacob was a “striver” from
Pastor Ritch Boerckel
the beginning. He was a man who was “self-made” as he relied upon his own cunning to make a life for himself. When Jacob was 90, he returns to a disturbing report. His brother Esau is approaching him and his family with an army. Jacob is terrified. Night has fallen and Jacob is alone. He knows that in the morning, he must face Esau for better or worse. Genesis 32:24-29 And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” And Continued on page 2