When Rick Hoyt was born, the umbilical cord coiled around his neck and cut off oxygen to his brain, leaving him a quadriplegic. His parents, Dick and Judy, were told that there was no hope for their child's development. Despite being told Rick would be a vegetable all his life, his parents were determined to raise him as normally as possible. Since Rick was unable to speak, a group of engineers built him a specially designed interactive computer that allowed him to communicate his thoughts by using the slight head movements that he could manage.
At the age of 15, Rick told his father he wanted to participate in a five-mile benefit run for a local lacrosse player who had been paralyzed in an accident. Out of love for his son, Dick, who had never previously done any long-distance running, agreed to push Rick in his wheelchair. They finished next-to-last, but were elated with their achievement. Overwhelmed by the experience, Rick managed to communicate to his parents that for the first time in his life, competing in that race, he didn't feel disabled. Spurred on by this revelation, father and son, “Team Hoyt,” began entering more races. After four years of marathons, they attempted their first triathlon—a combination of 26.2 miles of running, 112 miles of cycling and 2.4 miles of swimming. To date, they have raced in 64 marathons (with a personal best of 2:40:47), 78 half-marathons and 206 triathlons. And they once trekked 3,735 miles across America.
Their achievements become all the more staggering when you consider that when Dick runs, he pushes Rick in his wheelchair. When Dick cycles, Rick is in a specially designed seat attached to the front of his bike. When Dick swims, he pulls Rick in a heavy, stabilized boat attached to his waist. Watching film footage of Team Hoyt competing together is phenomenally moving. Driven by love for his son and a desire to see him fulfilled, Dick has gone to unimaginable lengths to make Rick feel alive. In every race, it is the father, Dick, who does all the work, giving every ounce of strength for the sake of his son. Rick cannot offer any physical support—in fact, he only makes more work for his father. But witness Dick's affirmation of his son and watch Rick's face as he crosses the finish line, and you might think that the son had won the race single handedly.
The story of Dick and Rick Hoyt is a powerful reminder of our Father's love for and commitment to us—the Father, who gave everything that we might know life in all its fullness. Holding nothing back, the Father delights in us, sings over us, chases after us, cares deeply about us and sent his only Son to die for us. What is our only possible response to this extravagant love? To hold nothing back in return.
- Tim Hughes
I like homemade things, don't you?Homemade bread, homemade pie, homemade jelly.My mouth is beginning to water already. And did you know that homemade religion is sometimes best?
In other words, one of the best ways to get your children interested in Christianity is to live it and teach it at home. Sunday school is great, church is fine, but there's something extra about homemade faith.
I like what the late General Douglas MacArthur said:"By profession, I am a soldier and take pride in that fact.But I am prouder to be a father.My hope is that my son, when I am gone, will remember me not from battle, but in the home, repeating with him one simple prayer, 'Our Father who art in heaven.'"
See:Deut 4:9; Psa 128:1-4
Happy Father's Day dads! I pray the LORD will encourage and strengthen you every day so you will be prepared to meet and fulfill the great callings of God for fathers.We all know that being a dad is more than just putting food on the table and a roof over our children’s head. While this is surely a father’s responsibility it is not the most important aspect of being a dad. In today’s world the home is in a terrible state of disrepair. A recent survey stated that 40% of children are born to unwed parents. Last week a story ran of a set of twins that each had different fathers. The “home” as the LORD intended it to be is under great assault by from many fierce foes in our world today.As dads, it is our responsibility and calling to protect our children and homes from the great forces of evil attacking it today. Let me remind us all of how the Scripture tells us we may accomplish this great task.
1. Maintain a close relationship with your Father in heaven (Genesis 18:19). We will never be the dads we should be without the help of our Father in heaven.
2. Learn God’s Word and teach it to your children (Isaiah 38:19). We cannot teach what we do not know and nothing is more important in the lives of our children as the Word of God.
3. Discipline your children (Proverbs 13:24, 23:13-14) Speak to them, instruct them and when needed get their attention in a more direct way.
4. Nurture your children (Ephesians 6:4).Many times we are more kind to strangers than to our own flesh and blood, let’s be patient and kind, tender and compassionate.
5. Give them a good path and example to follow (Joshua 24:15, 1 Chronicles 28:9-10) They are going to see and hear many bad things in life, let it not be from your lips and actions.
6. Don’t exasperate your children (Colossians 3:21). Praise them when they do well and encourage them when they don’t.
7. Pray for your children (1 Kings 2:1-4). The Bible tells us that “men should always pray and not be discouraged. Fatherhood is filled with joys, sorrows and heartaches, ask the LORD for help.
8. Encourage your children (1 Thessalonians 2:9-12).May your children never say “I could never please my father.”
9. Love your children (Genesis 22:1-2). Show your affection in both big and small ways.
10. Give your children to the LORD (Genesis 22:12). The LORD loves your children more than you and His plan for their lives is the best plan they could ever know and experience. May the LORD richly bless each of you!
Calvary Bible Church is a non-denominational Bible Church. We believe the Bible and teach it as the “sole, supreme and final authority in all matters of faith and practice.” We are an independent church, dependent on the Lord Jesus. We believe and stand on the “fundamentals of the Christian Faith” and proclaim salvation through the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary.
Our worship style is traditional. We love to sing the great hymns of the faith as well as the newer hymns and choruses. We are a family church and do not promote one age group above another. We believe that every age group is vital to a healthy church and seek to provide opportunities for all to grow in the “grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus.” If you want to learn more about our “great God and Savior, Jesus Christ” come visit with us this Sunday. A warm welcome awaits you and you’ll be blessed through the teaching of the Word of God and His dear children here at CBC.
Pastor Jones is a 1984 graduate of Tennessee Temple University and a 1992 graduate of Tampa Bay Theological Seminary, an extension ministry of Dallas Theological Seminary. Come meet the loving and friendly people of CBC this Sunday!
A Father’s Gift
To you, O son of mine, I cannot give
A vast estate of wide and fertile lands;
But I can keep for you, the whilst I live,
Unstained hands.
I have no blazoned scutcheon that insures
Your path to eminence and worldly fame;
But longer than empty heraldry endures
A blameless name.
I have no treasure chest of gold refined,
No hoarded wealth of clinking, glittering pelf;
I give to you my hand, and heart, and mind—
All of myself.
I can exert no mighty influence
To make a place for you in men’s affairs;
But lift to God in secret audience
Unceasing prayers.
I cannot, though I would, be always near
To guard your steps with the parental rod;
I trust your soul to Him who holds you dear,
Your father’s God.
—Merrill C. Tenney
O say, can you see, by the dawn’s early light, What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming, Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming? And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there; O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
On the shore, dimly seen thro’ the mist of the deep, Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes, What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep, As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses? Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam, In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream ’Tis the star-spangled banner. Oh! long may it wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion A home and a country should leave us no more? Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution. No refuge could save the hireling and slave From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave, And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand Between their loved homes and the war’s desolation, Blest with vict’ry and peace, may the Heav’n-rescued land Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation! Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, And this be our motto: "In God is our Trust" And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
Quotes
It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians, not on religions, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ! - Patrick Henry
The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: that it connected, in one indissoluble bond, the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity. - John Quincy Adams
Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers and it is the duty as well as the privilege and interest, of a Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers. - John Jay, 1st Chief Justice of Supreme Court. One of the three men most responsible for the Constitution
The reason that Christianity is the best friend of government is because Christianity is the only religion in the world that deals with the heart. - Thomas Jefferson
We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people...it is wholly inadequate to the government of any other. - John Adams
Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that His justice cannot sleep forever. - Thomas Jefferson, inside the Jefferson Memorial
Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side. My great concern is to be on God’s side. - Abraham Lincoln, when asked if he though God was on our side.
He who shall introduce into public affairs the principles of Christianity will change the face of the world. - Benjamin Franklin, 1774, Ambassador to France
The church must take right ground in regard to politics. Politics are a part of a religion in a country as this, and Christians must do their duty to the country as a part of their duty to God...He will bless or curse this nation according to the course Christians take in politics.- Charles Finney
Worship Service Times
Sunday
9:00 AM -- Coffee and donuts for all ages
9:30 AM -- Bible Study Classes for all ages
10:30 AM -- The Morning Worship Hour
6:00 PM -- Evening Worship and Bible Study
7:00 - 8:00 - Youth Group Activity
Wednesday
6:30 PM -- AWANA Clubs for children 3 to 12 years old
6:45 PM -- Adult bible study & prayer time
Community Bible Study
Join us every Friday morning from 8:55-10:00 as we study the Word of God. We use a variety of resources including DVD and video studies by leading bible scholars.
You will be refreshed and enriched as you understand more about the God who made us and sent His Son to die for our sins on the cross of Calvary.The public is cordially invited to attend. The study is free and refreshments are provided.
