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Bob Hoekstra

Bob Hoekstra ( - 2012)

Bob's involvement with the Calvary Chapels began in 1971, when he and his wife Dini visited Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa on a Sunday evening. They were deeply touched by the life-giving teaching of the word of God, the simple worship "in Spirit and in truth", and the profound expressions of the love of the Lord among the saints. Upon returning to Dallas, they regularly obtained Pastor Chuck Smith's teaching tapes and eventually became daily listeners of the Word for Today on the radio.

Since 1993, Bob had been teaching at Calvary Chapel and other church fellowships across the country and overseas (including, Seminars, Pastors' Conferences, Church Services, Leadership Conferences, Retreats, and Schools of Evangelism/Ministry). He has taught numerous classes at Calvary Chapel Bible College (both at its former location in Twin Peaks, CA and its current location in Murrieta Hot Springs, CA) as well as at the extension campuses of Costa Mesa, Vista, San Diego, El Cajon, and others. Bob's teaching generally highlights such subjects as Counseling God's Way ,Family God's Way ,Growing in the Grace of God ,The Church: How Jesus Builds It ,Contending for the Faith ,Promise Believers ,The Sufficiency of Christ and His Word ,The Psychologizing of the Faith , and related themes.

      Pastor Bob Hoekstra is the founder and Director of Living in Christ Ministries (livinginchrist.org). He has been in ministry since 1967, including fourteen years in Dallas, TX and eleven years as Pastor of Calvary Chapel of Irvine, CA. He and his wife, Dini, were married in 1966, and have three adult children and eleven grandchildren. Bob graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary in 1973 with the Master of Theology degree.

      Bob's involvement with the Calvary Chapels began in 1971. Since 1993, Bob has been teaching at Calvary Chapel and other church fellowships across the country and overseas. The Living in Christ Radio Program is heard on several stations across the country.

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Bob Hoekstra

Great Blessings through Living by Faith

Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: "For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone dr... Read More
Bob Hoekstra

Growing in Grace through Living by Faith

Behold the proud, his soul is not upright in him; but the just shall live by his faith . . . For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from ... Read More
Bob Hoekstra

Humility and the Fear of the Lord

By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches and honor and life . . . with the humble is wisdom . . . The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. (Proverbs 22:4; 11:2; and 9:10) Many of our previous meditations have clearly demonstrated that walking in humility is the pathway for living by t... Read More
Bob Hoekstra

Isaiah Encouraging All to Wait on the Lord

Those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength . . . And I will wait on the LORD, Who hides His face from the house of Jacob; and I will hope in Him . . . And it will be said in that day: "Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the LORD; we have waited f... Read More
Bob Hoekstra

Isaiah Proclaiming God's Power for the Weak

He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, th... Read More
Bob Hoekstra

Isaiah Warning Against Worldly Counsel

"Woe to the rebellious children," says the LORD, "Who take counsel, but not of Me, and who devise plans, but not of My Spirit, that they may add sin to sin. Who walk to go down to Egypt, and have not asked My advice." (Isaiah 30:1-2) Those who want to live by grace (living by God working in and thro... Read More
Bob Hoekstra

Jeremiah Contrasting the Two Options on Trust

Thus says the LORD: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the LORD. For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see when good comes, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land which is not inhabited. Bles... Read More
Bob Hoekstra

Jesus Promising Spiritual Rest

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30) Two of the Lord's "exceedingly great and pre... Read More
Bob Hoekstra

Jesus, the Ultimate Example of Faith

And now the LORD says, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant . . . (for I shall be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and My God shall be My strength) . . . Thus says the LORD: "In an acceptable time I have heard You, and in the day of salvation I have helped You; I will preserve You." (Isaia... Read More
Bob Hoekstra

Jesus, the Ultimate Example of Faith's Results

The Lord God has given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary . . . The Lord God has opened My ear . . . I gave My back to those who struck Me, and My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting... Read More
Bob Hoekstra

Jesus, the Ultimate Example of Godly Exaltation

He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the ea... Read More
Bob Hoekstra

Joshua and Caleb Entering the Promised Land

Surely none of the men who came up from Egypt, from twenty years old and above, shall see the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, because they have not wholly followed Me, except Caleb . . . and Joshua . . . for they have wholly followed the LORD. (Numbers 32:11-12) Those who live by... Read More
Bob Hoekstra

Joshua Leading the People in God's Victory

And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho . . . a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, "Are You for us or for our adversaries?" So He said, "No, but as Commander of the army of the LORD I have now come." And Joshua fell on his face to... Read More
Bob Hoekstra

Josiah Humbling Himself before the Lord

Then Hilkiah answered and said . . . "I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD" . . . Now it happened, when the king heard the words of the Law, that he tore his clothes . . . [and said] ". . . great is the wrath of the LORD that is poured out on us, because our fathers have not kep... Read More
Bob Hoekstra

Living According to God's Word

You have dealt well with Your servant, O LORD, according to Your word. (Psalm 119:65) David was a man who basically lived by grace (that is, by depending on the Lord to work in his life). Consequently, he trusted in the word of God ("the word of His grace" — Acts 20:32). David lived according to God... Read More
Bob Hoekstra

Living by Faith Contrasted with Living by Law

For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them." But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for "The just shall live by faith.... Read More
Bob Hoekstra

Living by God's Grace in the Old Testament

And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes . . . "If the LORD delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us . . . Only do not rebel against the LORD, nor fear the people of the land . . . the ... Read More
Bob Hoekstra

Manasseh Humbling Himself before the Lord

Now when he was in affliction, he implored the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, and prayed to Him; and He received his entreaty, heard his supplication, and brought him back to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD was God. (2 Chronicles... Read More
Bob Hoekstra

Manasseh Pridefully Rebelling against the Lord

Manasseh . . . did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel . . . And the LORD spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they would not listen. Therefore the LORD brought upon them . . . the army of the king of A... Read More
Bob Hoekstra

More on Contrasting Results for Self-Exaltation and Humility

And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, "God be merciful to me a sinner!" . . . everyone who exalts himself will be abased, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. (Luke 18:13-14) Our present meditation continues Jesus... Read More

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