He was really looking forward to seeing New Orleans, Louisiana USA. It was an all-expense paid business trip – then it hit him. He would not be going. What a disappointment! But he had nobody to blame but himself. He had neglected to get a passport. It is the same in regards to a trip we all hope to make one day, when our lives on earth are over. But sadly, some will not make that trip. They have neglected acquiring a passport to heaven. Many knew that Jesus had promised, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” They had intended to be ready for that inevitable trip. But they had neglected the Saviour’s warning, “no one comes to the Father except through me.” Doing good works, or attending church regularly will not get that heavenly passport, because God has told us that it’s “not by works of righteousness that we have done, but according to God’s mercy He saves us.” Please do not put off acquiring your heavenly passport.

Pastor Alex Rockwell
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Last month I read a beautiful story of an elderly gentleman, who had a unique attitude toward ageing. He said from his hospital bed, “It’s nice to be 82. It’s not a tragedy to grow old. You find yourself perfectly content. You just tell the Lord to do whatever He wants, and you don’t much care. You know His will is best and that you soon will be in heaven. That’s why it’s nice to be 82.” He may have been thinking of the Psalmist’s words, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.” It’s as though God is saying, it’s precious to me every time I call one of my children home. No matter what our age, we can be contented if we have Christ in our lives and our happiness is dependent upon God and not on our circumstances. But to get to that place, we need to be in God’s family so He calls us saints. The only way to be in His family is through Christ. He said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell
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In the race for the United States Presidency, most of the candidates hoping to become their party’s nominee are very rich. Donald Trump claims to be worth ten billion dollars. Hilary Clinton and her husband Bill are said to have over 100 million. Many people count success to be the amassing of great wealth, power, or notoriety. H.G. Wells, author of “The Time Machine” and “War of the Worlds”, defined success as the ratio between our potential and what we have actually accomplished in our life time. In other words, “Have I lived up to what I see as my potential?” God defines success differently. He told Joshua, “This book (the Bible) shall not depart from your mouth…observe to do according to all that is written in it, for … then you will have good success.” Or, “Have I become the person God wants me to be? Success starts with admitting my spiritual bankruptcy, placing my faith in His Son, Jesus Christ and living for Him.

Pastor Alex Rockwell
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In his column about managing your money, Dick Young says “These days many consumers turn to social media and other electronic sources for information and guidance.” Then he asks, “Are they the best places?” He says “The answer may be no.” We do live in the information age, but when it comes to answers concerning our spiritual needs, the only trustworthy source is the Bible, God’s inspired Word. Its message is clear. There are three great facts all of us need to know, on which the Bible majors. One- We are all wrong-doers in God’s sight because “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Two- Only Jesus has the ultimate power to forgive sin because “who can forgive sin but God alone? “The son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” And three- Jesus never turns away a humble repentant person. He said, “he who comes to me I will never cast out.” And Paul wrote, “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell
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Two friends were viewing a piece of land for sale. Walter explained what he planned to build on the property when he bought it, and urged his friend Arthur to buy some of the surrounding acreage as he felt it would become increasingly valuable. Arthur thought his friend’s dream had got the better of his common sense. He promised to “ think about it”. “Later will be too late,” cautioned Walter. And so it was that Art Linkletter lost the opportunity to own the land surrounding what became the now famous “Disneyland.” which his friend Walt Disney had told him about. So often we are told about God’s offer of forgiveness, and eternal life, by placing our faith in Christ and becoming a part of God’s family. John explained in his gospel, “As many as received Him (Christ) to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.” Please give serious consideration to that offer before it’s too late.

Pastor Alex Rockwell
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The United States is currently choosing candidates from the two main parties to run for President in November. In 1988, at the Republican national convention in New Orleans, retiring President Ronald Reagan, bringing his final message as President, reminded his audience of the accomplishments of the last eight years. As he did so, he endeavored to give support to George Bush who was running for the Republicans. He spoke of the role of Vice President Bush. His words, which may have helped Bush win, were “and George was there.” It reminds one of a greater undeniable truth. No matter what happens in this world, in your life or mine, there is One Who is always there-our Creator. Francis Schaeffer, noted scholar and thinker wrote an amazing book entitled, “The God Who Is There,” demonstrating the assurance that the God Who is there is with us in hard times and good times. Jesus promised, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.

Pastor Alex Rockwell
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Carbon monoxide is a life threatening colorless, odorless, tasteless gas. It almost cost a Kamloops British Columbia family their lives. Fortunately a fifteen month old toddler, Celia Ruppel, woke up in the middle of the night crying, alerting her parents. All were treated and are fine. Carbon monoxide poisoning has been called the silent killer. In the spiritual realm there is also a silent killer at work. The Bible calls it sin, stating, “the wages of sin is death.” Many deny its existence, seeing it only as an outdated idea from the past. But that doesn’t change anything. It is a disease which has infected the entire human race. Paul wrote, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” In this case of carbon monoxide in Kamloops, a family was alerted, acted and was saved. And when we acknowledge sin, the silent killer, call out to God for forgiveness, we receive “the gift of God … eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell
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The long, hard fought campaign to elect the next president of the United States is fascinating, Along with the anger, the stunning and sometimes shocking comments, there is much to cause reflection. During a television interview, one of the leading candidates was asked his greatest surprise so far. He answered that it was seeing the love that Americans have for America. I think of an even greater love and the surprise that love produces- that God loves you and me, in spite of our unworthiness and waywardness. It is a love so great that He sent His Son to redeem us. A beautiful gospel song says, “There’s the wonder of sunset at evening, the wonder as sunrise I see; but the wonder of wonders that thrills my soul, is the wonder that God loves me.” Those words reflect the great truth of John 3:16 , “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him, should not perish but have everlasting life.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell
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Dr. Viktor Frankl, one time professor of Psychiatry and Neurology at the University of Vienna, accused modern educators of undermining youths’ enthusiasm because they teach a view of man which reduces him to the level of nothing but an animal. He said, “Man is more than a so-called naked ape… the behaviorists and psychoanalysts forget about man’s humanity. “ Dr. Frankl was absolutely correct. Man did not spring from a common ancestry with the apes. We are not animals. Why do so many accept the unproven theory of evolution refusing to recognize that man was created by a direct act of God? Is it to avoid their accountability, since animals are not accountable to God? The brilliant Daniel Webster once said, “The most important thought that ever occupied my mind is that of my individual responsibility to God.” Paul the Apostle wrote, “Everyone of us shall give account of himself to God.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell

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“The greatest cause of unchecked cancer is man’s unflagging belief that it can never happen to him.” Those words were spoken by Dr. Earnest Wynder, of the American Health Foundation. It certainly is true that many of us do play mind games with ourselves, rather than accepting the painful truth and therefore fail to get needed help in time. Although God’s Word the Bible warns repeatedly that “It is appointed unto man once to die and then the judgment,” so many of us choose to put blinders on and reject the obvious. How much better it is to see the doctor than remain in denial! And how much better it is to accept God’s gracious love and invite the Dear Lord Jesus into our lives. Please remember that John was inspired to write, “…God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the word, but that the world through Him might be saved.” You and I are going to live somewhere forever so the prudent will make appropriate preparation.

Pastor Alex Rockwell

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