The infamous Tar Ponds, one of Canada’s most notorious industrial blights was a toxic mess. It was left behind after almost a century of steelmaking at the Sydney Steel plant in Cape Breton Nova Scotia. In January 2007, however, a 400-million-dollar cleanup plan was announced by the governments of Canada and Nova Scotia. The cleanup was completed in 2013 with the opening of Open Hearth Park, situated on about ninety- six acres of beautiful trees, green grass, occupying the space of the former steel plant. It’s been called, “quite a transformation,” and illustrates God’s ability to transform any life. Jesus made it all possible, saying, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” Paul said that anyone who experiences this conversion is “a new creation.” What a wonderful Saviour we have!

Pastor Alex Rockwell
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The Butchart Gardens in British Columbia is a National Historic site, attracting nearly a million visitors annually, due to its striking floral displays. But this incredibly beautiful spot was once a limestone quarry. Robert and Jenny Butchart originally moved to Brentwood Bay near Victoria, British Columbia, to manufacture cement because of the rich limestone deposits there. After the quarry was exhausted, Mrs. Butchart made it into a sunken garden, and the rest, is history. Often life seems like an old limestone pit, of little use. Bill Gaither’s song reminds us that God can transform us, saying “… All I had to offer Him was brokenness and strife, but He made something beautiful of my life.” Jonah wrote of this life change “You have brought up my life from the pit…salvation is of the Lord.“ Jesus is still salvaging lives!

Pastor Alex Rockwell
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In a letter to an advice columnist, a woman wrote the following. “recently the news has been filled with stories of tragedy and heartache. So many innocent lives have been taken…Do you have any suggestions as to what to do during times like these?” The columnist responded encouraging her to get involved with helping others. When Jesus was on earth, times were very difficult. Rome occupied Palestine. Isaiah prophetically wrote that Jesus was “a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.” The Saviour spent more time at funerals than at weddings. Isaiah also wrote that Jesus has “borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.” So in these very difficult times, we can help by turning to Jesus and pointing others to the One Who said, “Come to me all you who labour and are heavy burdened and I will give you rest.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell
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A very famous movie actor in his own words, summed up his philosophy of life. He said, “I’m going to do as I please. I don’t need anybody in the world. I did it myself.” How sad. Tragically, that is the unspoken creed of many people. They consider themselves self-made individuals who worship their supposed creator- themselves. This comes from pride and arrogance. But it is a foolish philosophy of life. We have been created by God, and we are only alive because He allows it. If we have any gifts or talents, it is only because He has bestowed them. Most importantly, our preparation for the next life is in His hands. He inspired Paul to write, “By grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, lest anyone should boast.“ We all have a philosophy of life. What’s yours?

Pastor Alex Rockwell
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Jackie Robinson was the first African-American to play major league baseball. During his career with the Brooklyn Dodgers, he helped them win the World Series in 1955. He retired with a lifetime batting average of .311. During his youth, Robinson joined a neighbourhood gang and was going in the wrong direction. But an older friend helped him see that he was hurting his mother and himself. Jackie said “He told me it didn’t take guts to run with the crowd, but it took courage to be willing to be different.” Jackie listened, left the gang, and the rest is history. He traded his wishbone for a backbone. Perhaps you are saying, “I wish I could live a different life, I wish I could be a Christian, but it’s easier to run with the crowd.” Why not trade your wishbone for a backbone? God’s invitation is “Choose this day whom you will serve.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell
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“Debt management is top of mind for Canadians,” according to a study commissioned by CIBC. Seventy-two per cent of respondents said they held some form of debt. This study refers to financial debt, but there’s another kind of debt. We are all in debt to God. How come? When God’s Word speaks about our nature, it always declares that we are sinners by nature and by choice. That may sound quaint and old fashioned, but it is still undeniably true. Listen to God’s assessment of us. “There is none righteous, no not one.” “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” But our Lord doesn’t speak of our guilt without also revealing a way to remove it. Listen to these verses, which Paul was inspired to write. “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell
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Have you ever wondered why so many people eagerly accept the unproven for themselves? Many merely mimic their teachers or professors without actually studying it out for themselves. Could it possibly be that their thinking is that if evolution is true, and we are all just animals, then we are not responsible for an immoral lifestyle any more than other animals? Is that why our world has sunk to its current vile and filthy condition? But on the other hand, if the Bible is correct when it says” in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth”, and He “…created man in His own image…male and female He created them,” then we are all responsible for our lifestyle, and we will one day give account to our Maker. If I were an evolutionist, which I’m not, that would really trouble me.

Pastor Alex Rockwell
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At a rummage sale in eastern Pennsylvania, Penny McKim purchased a shoebox full of coins and medals. Later, she discovered that one of the medals had originally belonged to famed industrialist and Bethlehem Steel founder, Charles M. Schwab, and was very valuable. Someone did not see its true value. There may also be an item in our lives, which has the power to transform us, that is often ignored and left to gather dust. It is God’s Word, the Bible, which is “living and powerful …” but when neglected, it results in the missing of our relationship with God here and now, and eventually missing heaven. No doubt that is why God inspired the writer of Hebrews in the New Testament, to ask the rhetorical question, “how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?” And we won’t escape! Please think about that today.

Pastor Alex Rockwell
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An article in Time magazine should be of interest to anyone who has wondered whether the Bible is trustworthy. Here is an excerpt. “Over the past 200 years, the Bible has been subjected to the most rigorous examination of any book in history. It has been looked at archaeologically, historically, and … critically. Not only has the Bible withstood the test, but it has actually emerged better for all the fracas.” And Nelson Gueck, an American academic and archaeologist has written, “It may be stated categorically that no archaeological discovery has ever controverted a biblical reference.” We can take the Bible seriously when it claims, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable.” Millions can testify that when they believed and followed instructions in the Bible, their lives were transformed.

Pastor Alex Rockwell
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There was a gentle thump on the patio window. A robin had flown into the glass. It wandered around on the patio in a daze for a while, but eventually recovered and flew away. Windows sometimes reflect a bird’s natural habitat, resulting in injury or death. We, too, can be fooled by appearances and lured into bad habits, not seeing what is really there. Although often humorously laughed at as a mythical character, Satan is no joke. Jesus frequently affirmed his existence. Paul was inspired to write of Satan’s work on unsuspecting victims- “whose minds the god of this age (Satan) has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel should shine on them.” When we smile at the thought of Satan being a real person, we are doing exactly what he wants us to do. He has blinded our minds.

Pastor Alex Rockwell
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