Last month I read the story of an elderly gentleman who was asked if he had lost anything when he became a Christian. “Yes,” he replied, “Before I was saved…I drank to excess and quarreled with my wife. I lost all of that. I had a wicked heart and a hardened conscience- I lost them. I had a thousand guilty fears- I lost them. I had a wife whose heart I had broken, who did without the necessities of life- all that is in the past. Yes, I lost many things when I invited Jesus into my life.” When a person comes to Christ, He has promised to replace our “heart of stone” with a “heart of flesh.” “Old things pass away, all things become new.” God gives cleansing, for our sin, joy for our sorrow, hope for our hopelessness and new life for certain spiritual death, because though” the wages of sin is death, the gift of God is eternal life.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell

A Philadelphia couple, who believe in faith-healing over medicine, have lost their infant son, four years after the similar death of another child. Herbert and Catharine Schaible, on probation, requiring them to seek immediate medical help if their children became sick or injured, refused. Instead they prayed over their eight month old son, Brandon, who died of pneumonia. No doubt they loved their children, were sincere, but sincerely wrong, with tragic results. The Bible nowhere teaches us to ignore medical assistance. And just as this couple was sincerely wrong, it is possible for us to be sincerely wrong about how to become a Christian. We may sincerely believe that heaven is earned by good works. But the Bible teaches us that it is “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saves us.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell

A little girl came to her mother, gave her four small pieces of hardened clay and said, “Mom, my world fell apart.” The mother realizing the child had made a globe of clay, quickly “fixed” the world by taping it together. “But Mom,” the child said,, “it still has holes and cracks in it.” And often, when our “world falls apart as a result of financial ruin, loss of employment, serious illness or the death of a loved one, we attempt, to tape it together again. But the cracks and holes are still there. That’s because only God can fix our world. He forgives, takes away our guilt, comforts, and gives us peace. When we accept Christ into our lives, We experience what Paul spoke of when he wrote, “…if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away, behold all things have become new.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell

Authorities believe that a father’s act of shielding his 13 year old daughter during a rock slide in Colorado probably saved her life. Grace Johnston told her rescuers that when the boulders were coming down on top of them her Dad covered her and protected her. In the rock slide, both of Gracie’s parents, her sister and two cousins were killed. The bible tells us how Jesus, God’s son willingly took the punishment for our sin when He died on the Cross. Paul described the Savior’s heroic act as follows-“But demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” But it is still up to us to make a decision to accept or reject this sacrifice. An old hymn asks -“what will you do with Jesus? Neutral you cannot be. Someday your heart will be asking, what will He do with me?

Pastor Alex Rockwell

“It was a real test of my faith.” Those are the words of George Reynolds after a terrifying 15 terrifying hours at sea when their boat capsized in the chilly waters off the Massachusetts coast. Reynolds and Fred Schaeffer spent a night sitting on a plank over two hulls of their trimaran in high seas. They prayed for strength and calm seas, sang gospel songs and quoted scripture verses, until they were rescued. . These men knew where to call for help. Sadly, many, when facing the storms of life, do not know where to turn. David the Psalmist wrote of such experiences with the words ”They wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way. They found no city to dwell in. hungry and thirsty. Their soul fainted in them. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell

While Wayne Klinkel and his wife were enjoying a meal at a restaurant, their five year old golden retriever was having a meal of his own, in the family car. When they returned to the car, they found out that Sundance had devoured most of five one hundred dollar b ills. Fortunately for them, when Klinkel painstakingly gathered and assembled the parts of the bills, the US Treasury reimbursed them for the loss. Like this dog, it is very common for people to develop an insatiable desire for money the accumulation of riches becomes the be-all and end-all of their lives and crowds out more important things. The bible warns, command those who are rich …not to …trust in uncertain riches but in the living God.” Only Jesus can give us true satisfaction in this life and prepare us for the life to come. He invites, “Let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell

The chalkboard on the side of buildings reads “Before I die, I want to…” those passing by can share their dreams. The idea originated in New Orleans, when Candy Chang needed clarification in her own life and felt others may too. The project has now spread worldwide. Anything that causes us to stop and think of the future is a good thing. Rollo May says, “It is ironic that humans run faster when they have lost their way.” The Bible, sums it up in Psalm 46, “Be still and know that I am God…” It’s a good idea to say from the heart, “Before I die, I want to establish goals.”-. But more importantly, we should all be saying, “before I die, I want to be prepared for the next life.” Jesus made it clear how this can happen when He said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell

An Alabama man, who buried his beloved wife in the front yard of their home, has been ordered to remove the body to a proper cemetery. “Our hearts go out to him” an official said, “but laws prohibit people from using their yards for burial within city limits.” Death comes to all. It is inevitable- dividing soul and spirit from the body and separating loved ones from each other. No matter how hard we try, we cannot conquer death. But there is One who has defeated death. I speak of Jesus, God’s Son. The author of Hebrews wrote, “…we see Jesus, …for the suffering of death…by the grace of God might taste death for everyone.” And Paul, acknowledging “the sting of death,” wrote, “…thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” So although we all must die, Jesus, in John’s gospel, explains- “I am the resurrection and the life.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell

A recent article in Time magazine entitled “The Forgotten Prince” explores the nature of Prince Charles’ personality. Described as a mass of complexities, “he appears to be engaged yet aloof, indulged, yet deprived, surrounded by people yet profoundly alone.” He is quoted as saying “my greatest problem in life is that I do not really know what my role is life is.” Did you know that there is another “forgotten Prince”? Jesus, God’s Son, the Prince of Peace.” In contrast to Prince Charles, He knew His role in life. It was to live a sinless life and die for the sins of the world on a Cross. Luke’s gospel records His words, “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Now, having paid the sin debt for us all, He offers eternal life to any who believe in Him.Is He the forgotten Prince in your life?

Pastor Alex Rockwell

In a recent survey, 50% of respondents admitted removing the batteries in their smoke detectors, leaving them inoperable. Perhaps this is the same mindset that some have who never read the Bible or listen to its cautions. They chose to discredit it and simply do not believe it is really God’s inspired Word. But this “head in the sand” attitude will prove fatal just as ignoring smoke alarms can. John, in his gospel tells us that Jesus promised something very good to those who do not ignore His warnings. He said, “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life, and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life.” Clearly, Jesus was wanting us to know that faith in Christ alone is the key to forgiveness and a home in heaven, not our works. That’s because none of us is good enough and can’t do enough to earn our way to heaven.

Pastor Alex Rockwell