Thursday, June 18, 2015

Father's Day

My dad was a handyman. He always had a project going in our home, everything from plumbing to remodeling. I remember when he remodeled the master bedroom. He was adding a half bath and a closet, as well as increasing the size of the room. To me, it seemed like a project somewhere in the magnitude of the Empire State building. I'd never seen so much lumber and so many nails in the same place. Our house looked like Home Depot.

My dad had a plan for every piece of lumber, and I suspect for every nail. He didn't waste anything. Sure enough, in about six weeks, my mom had a new closet, my dad had a new bathroom, and I had a whole new part of the house not to mess up. Dad's plan worked to perfection.

Our Heavenly Father has a plan. He wants us to know him and to love one another. Following that plan will change the world. Find out this week as we study 1 John 3:23-24.

Hope to see you Sunday!

Vaughn

Listen to this message at http://www.nationalheights.org/messages.html

Thursday, June 11, 2015

Know the Answer

Quick math trick: here's how to square any two digit number ending in five, no calculator needed. Multiply the first digit by itself plus one, then place 25 at the end. Example: 852 is 8 x (8+1) = 8 x 9 = 72. Put 25 at the end and you will discover that 852 is 7225. Go ahead - impress your friends!

It's great to know the answer. In this week's message from 1 John 3:19-21 we will discover how we can know the answer to the greatest question of all.

Hope to see you Sunday!


Vaughn


Listen to this message at http://www.nationalheights.org/messages.html

VBS

As so often is the case, God uses the lessons for the kids to reach ME, too. This year's Bible School theme was "Journey off the Map." How many times do we have our days, weeks, our very lives all planned out, and even have a map in our minds of how we will get there. THEN we ask God to guide us. But, God calls us to follow HIS path and HIS plan for our lives...and it may be off 'our' map.

Sometimes we balk when God tries to adjust our steps, when instead we should be oh, so grateful. He is the ultimate guide, He sees up ahead that we cannot see and He sees where our planned steps will take us. It might even be a good route, with great things along the way. But HIS plan is the BEST route, with only the best learning experiences along the way, steps that will lead us closer to Him.

So, I hope this theme sticks in my mind, as well as the motto and verse....THIS is the way, walk in it. I pray I will listen to the voice of my guide, and I will remember that I know my guide, and so I need to trust and follow Him.

Thursday, June 4, 2015

Action Figure

Like most boys who grew up in the sixties, I went through my action figure stage. Mine was a little different, though. My parents wouldn't buy me the GI Joe I wanted, so I had to make do with my sister's Ken doll. My GI Joe was the best dressed soldier in the entire armed forces.

The problem with action figures was not their name or their wardrobe; the problem with action figures is that they really didn't do anything. You could bend their arms upward, but that only made my GI Ken look like he was surrendering. The "action" had to be supplied by me.

This week, we look at a passage of scripture that describes a love that does more than just look good. I John 3:18 calls every believer to love with action and truth.

Hope to see you Sunday!


Vaughn


Listen to this message at http://www.nationalheights.org/messages.html