| By Pastor Kuivenhoven,on March 21st,2012 Last year was a remarkable year for the so-called Arab Spring in the Middle East. Seemingly from out of nowhere,thousands upon thousands of people united to have their voices heard and to oust tyrannical leaders. A seemingly invisible force drew them out of their homes and into the streets decrying injustice and tyranny. And in some measure they succeeded in achieving their aims. Their voices were heard,though action was admittedly very limited. But where is the Christian Spring? Today’s generation of Christians is generally marked by passivity,by a lack of fervor and zeal …Read More By Pastor Kuivenhoven,on February 27th,2012 In these weeks of Passion,we remember the suffering and death of Jesus Christ. That is what the word Passion means;it means suffering. Let us pause for a moment and meditate on the cup of suffering that Jesus drank to its bitter dregs. In the Garden of Gethsemane,Jesus was pressed down with bloody sweat as He faced the bitter,bitter cup of His Father’s wrath. If we think of it in human terms,no one likes to endure the wrath of their father. Whether deserved or undeserved,children will always shrink back from their father’s …Read More By Pastor Kuivenhoven,on December 30th,2011
The end of another year is a time of reflection. How have we heard the Word of God? Have we heard it with profit? If Jesus returns to find fruit,will He find it? The beginning of another year is a time of looking ahead and asking the same question. How will I hear the Word of God in 2012? In speaking the parable of the sower,or of the soils,Jesus shows that He is the Sower who sows the Word,“the glad tidings of the kingdom of God” (Luke 8:1). He sows …Read More By Pastor Kuivenhoven,on December 10th,2011 What is in a name? If parents are expecting a child,they often spend much time finding a name that pleases them both and will suit their child. Hopefully a meaningful name is chosen that the child can live with for the rest of their lives. In Matthew 1:20-21,another child is named. The angel reassures Joseph about the new life growing in Mary’s womb. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit. This child would receive a name—Jesus. The meaning of that name is made very clear,“And thou shalt call his name Jesus,for he shall save …Read More By Pastor Kuivenhoven,on October 11th,2011 In the last meditation we found Elijah in the midst of heated conflict with Ahab and Jezebel. Behind that conflict we see the cosmic conflict between the kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness. The stark reality is that we are on either side of that battle. If we are the Lord’s we are on His side. If we are not the Lord’s we are still fighting for the kingdom of darkness. Elijah fought hard and he was discouraged,depressed and hopeless. The fight had gone out of him. He had done heroic things for the Lord, …Read More By Pastor Kuivenhoven,on August 15th,2011 In 1 Kings 18,Elijah boldly defies the priests of Baal,discrediting them before all the people and King Ahab,and then utterly destroying each of the priests. Elijah prevailed with God and pled for fire and rain from heaven. Crisis looms just around the corner in the form of Jezebel in 1 Kings 19:1-4. Hell’s fury is unleashed against Elijah as King Ahab relays what has happened upon Mt. Carmel to Queen Jezebel. Jezebel immediately sends out a servant to find Elijah and she swears by her gods that what happened to the priests of Baal would happen to …Read More | |
