Greg Gutfeld remarked recently on Fox News Network that “the less you have of something, the more precious it becomes. For older people, that something is time. He was referring to a recent survey that claimed people over seventy were happier than they have ever been. Although our life span has increased, because of better health care, eventually we will all run out of time. Somebody once said, “you are going to live somewhere forever. Better learn how to live.” Amos the Old Testament Prophet prudently advised, “Prepare to meet your God.” Jesus informed us how to be prepared. He said, “I am the way the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” He also said, “…I stand at the door and knock. If anyone…opens the door, I will come in.” He was speaking of the door to our lives.

Pastor Alex Rockwell
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Will scientists come up with a way to make death optional? On the subject, there are at least are two schools of thought. The healthspanners who are looking to expand life, and the immortalists who are hoping to do away with death altogether. This was the theme of a recent article in the Toronto Globe and Mail by Leah McLaren. She concluded, “Death may seem frightening…but what is more terrifying is an empty eternal life.” The Bible emphatically states “It is appointed unto mankind once to die.” Fortunately, the Bible also states that God “…gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes on Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” If we receive Christ, we receive everlasting life, and our life here on earth is anything but empty. God gives us peace, joy and satisfaction in the present, and hope for the future.

Pastor Alex Rockwell
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C.S. Lewis, famous for the Screwtape Letters and the Chronicles of Narnia, was a brilliant writer and scholar who taught at both Cambridge and Oxford University. In his early years he was an atheist. But after thoroughly researching Christianity, he became a strong Christian. On one occasion, he said, “God cannot give us a happiness apart from Himself.” Lewis was saying, until we acknowledge as the Bible says, that in us there is “no good thing“, we need God’s forgiveness. Until then, all attempts to find happiness will be in vain. But thankfully, when we come to that place, we experience what Paul the Apostle described, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” C.S. Lewis had it right. Without a proper relationship with Jesus, there is no happiness and peace.

Pastor Alex Rockwell
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For many years, the figures of famous people in Madame Tussauds wax works museums were protected by velvet ropes and glass cages. No more. Visitors are now free to “touch” the celebrities and pose with them for pictures. Many seem to have an insatiable interest in famous people, but it’s not often that ordinary people get to hob nob with the rich and famous. However, when the Lord Jesus was on earth, He made Himself available to all. He spent time with the sick, the poor and the needy. Matthew wrote of Him, “when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them because they were scattered like sheep having no shepherd.” You can get close to “make believe” famous people in a museum, but you can get close to the real Lord Jesus at any time. His arms are always open.

Pastor Alex Rockwell
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Google Earth on the computer gives a view from above. You can see your house, farm, Province, even the whole planet. But when God looks down from heaven, He sees much more. The Psalmist wrote “God looks down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there are any who seek God. Every one of them has turned aside…There is none who does good, no not one.” The New Testament agrees, stating, “There is none righteous, no not one.” But though that’s what God sees, He’s made a way to make us righteous in His eyes. When Jesus went to the cross, Paul explained, “He (the Father) has made Him (Christ) Who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” When God looks on real Christians, He sees them as righteous, because of what Christ has done.

Pastor Alex Rockwell
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Dr. Charles Price, well-known radio and television personality and author, recently wrote the following. “If the foundation we build our lives upon is faulty, then our lives will be built on sand.” He was basing this conviction on the following words in the book of Corinthians in the New Testament: “But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other that the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” Dr. Price is absolutely correct, and his words are in line with Bible truth. John, in his letter also wrote of those who build their lives on the right foundation saying, “And this is the record, that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. “When we acknowledge our spiritual need, and humbly ask Jesus Christ to take over in our lives, we’re on the solid foundation for time and eternity.

Pastor Alex Rockwell
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Have you taken a good look at the signatures of busy people who sign their names frequently? In many cases, it is almost impossible to tell whose signature it is. It is estimated that businesses in North America lose more than one hundred million dollars a year because of errors that can be traced to illegible hand writing, causing undecipherable bookkeeping entries. But how good to know that God’s messages to us are crystal clear. For example, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” But thankfully we are also told, “Christ died for our sins,” and “whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” No trouble to understand these truths. It was Will Rogers, actor, and comedian who said, “My trouble with the Bible is not the parts I don’t understand, but the parts I do understand.” Get the message?

Pastor Alex Rockwell
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Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist, and lecturer. Among his novels are The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and its sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn . He once wrote, “Heaven goes by favour. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in.” Though he wrote in jest, there is nevertheless truth in what he said. Getting into heaven “is not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saves us.” In other words, entrance into heaven is a favour- not something we earn. Paul the Apostle wrote, “by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works…” And why is that true? Because you and I are sinners by nature and by choice and are unable to make ourselves good enough to enter heaven. It is the greatest of all favours from the Lord.

Pastor Alex Rockwell
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The Scorpion and the Turtle, an allegory, goes as follows. Being a poor swimmer, a scorpion asked a turtle to carry him on his back across a river. The turtle replied, “You’ll sting me, and I’ll drown.” The scorpion replied, “If I were to sting you, I would go down with you. The turtle exclaimed, “You’re right. Hope on!” Halfway across the river, the scorpion gave the turtle a mighty sting. As they sank to the bottom, the turtle asked, “Why did you do it?” The drowning scorpion sadly replied, “It’s just my nature.” And often we ask, “Why do people do wrong?” The answer, “It’s our nature, our sinful nature.” Thankfully though, there is One Who offers us a new nature. Paul wrote, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, old things have passed away, behold all things have become new.” That new nature is waiting for us all.

Pastor Alex Rockwell
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A cosmetic company advertised a new product promising that “within a month you can expect eyelashes to be fuller, stronger and more abundant.” It seems we are constantly bombarded with products to improve our physical appearance. But how much time do we spend on our inward traits- such as compassion, unselfishness and honesty? We need to remember, as the Bible informs us, “man looks on the outward appearances, but God looks on the heart.” When God looks on our hearts, He sees our fallen sinful human nature. So, He offers us forgiveness and a new life. As Paul explained to a sincere inquirer, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved.” We should be asking ourselves, “Do I spend most of my time thinking about outward appearances or inward? Am I living for time or eternity?

Pastor Alex Rockwell
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