Squirrel Hunting

My grandfather took me squirrel hunting. He told me to listen, and the squirrels would tell us what they were doing. I thought he was just trying to keep me quiet, but then he said, "Listen - those squirrels are getting ready to jump." And sure enough, two squirrels jumped from one branch to another. All morning long, my grandfather accurately predicted what squirrels were about to do, based on the sounds he heard.

I never heard them. Try as I might, all I could hear was the wind. My grandfather, on the other hand, knew what to listen for, something he had learned from years of listening. The sound was there, I just didn't know what I was hearing.

Many have heard the story of the cross, but don't yet know what they are hearing. This week, we will look at Luke 23:46-47, where we hear Jesus final words on the cross, and the words of a Roman soldier who witnessed the events of the day, words that tell a story every person needs to hear.

Hope to see you Sunday!

Vaughn

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

Backyard Sermon

I remember the first time I saw Saturn. My dad bought me a telescope for Christmas, and we eventually made it out in the yard to take a look at the skies. Aiming the telescope took a bit of a learning curve, so I remember a lot of "be patient son - this may take awhile." Finally, just before I was about to go inside and see what was on TV, my dad said, "Take a look at this." I squinted through the eyepiece of the telescope, and there it was - the planet Saturn, complete with rings and at least one moon. I had seen photos of Saturn in books, but never from my backyard. I'm not sure all the reasons why God put rings around that planet, but I know at least one was to give me and my dad an experience neither of us would ever forget.

Psalm 19:1 tells us "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the works of his hands." Creation reveals the Creator. That prophecy comes full circle in the experience at Calvary described in Luke 23:44-45. Join us this Sunday as we learn how creation itself revealed the gravity of what happened at the cross.

Hope to see you Sunday!

Vaughn


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

The Difference

A current television show, Undercover Boss, asks a simple question: what would employees do if they didn't know they were working with the boss? In the show, the owner of the company dresses in a disguise and goes to work with different employees in the company. Some people do a good job like they normally do, and at the end of the show they are rewarded. Some people do a lousy job like they normally do, and at the end of the show they are fired.

This week, as we continue to look at the events at Calvary, we meet two people - the thieves crucified with Christ (Luke 23:39-43). One did not know Jesus and acted despicably. One recognized Christ and that day entered heaven with the Savior. The difference between these two men is crucial for every person to understand.

Hope to see you Sunday!

Vaughn


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

What I meant to say was….

Toddlers sometimes get their words mixed up. My nephew would reach up to me, saying, “Hold you” when he wanted to be held.  They usually learn ‘no’ before ‘yes,’ and so when asked if they want a bite, they say no, all the while they are opening their mouth for a bite. And of course, as they are learning, many words are used ‘wrong’—cows may say ‘ruff, ruff,’ or the sky may be ‘green,’ and so on.

When those words are mixed up, we lovingly try to figure out what they really mean, and understand that they’re learning. I didn’t enter into a long discussion with my toddler nephew as to why he couldn’t hold me--I scooped him up in my arms.   

Talking with God is often like that. We say one thing; however, God knows our hearts and what we really need, but don’t know how to ask. And scripture has a promise for when we don’t know what to say, ‘For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.’ Romans 8:26.

He's waiting....He wants to hear, both what we say and what our hearts are trying to say. There's no language barrier with Him. After all, He created both communication and the communicator. 

Focus

I'm having trouble with my reading glasses. My ophthalmologist recommended using a different power contact lens for each eye. That means my left eye can now see things that are close while my right eye can see things that are far away. Yes, that is confusing, especially when I get them reversed.

When everything is working, I can see fairly well, but I still use glasses to read. That creates a problem - my right eye needs a different strength of lens than my left eye. They don't sell the Walmart cheapies that way. Both lenses are the same power. That means I read the same way I see the rest of the day, with half of everything out of focus.

Focus is important, especially in prayer. Often events in life focus our prayers. The messages in March are from the Gospel of Luke about Jesus' actions and words on the cross. Jesus' first words from the cross were a prayer. What did Jesus ask in that moment on Calvary? Find out Sunday as we take a look at Luke 23:34, a passage that will help all of us focus our lives on what is important.

See you Sunday!

Vaughn

PS Remember, to set your clocks forward for this Sunday, March 8. Yes, it's already Daylight Savings Time. If you forget and come to the 8:30 service at 9:30, don't worry. Just come on in and join us for Bible Study - no one will ever know!