At the height of his writing career, the eyesight of the great poet John Milton began to fail. A devoted follower of Christ, he did not become bitter. As the darkness closed in on him, Milton, in his sonnet “Blindness”, squarely faced the entire problem of tribulation and resolved to rise above it. The proof of God’s wisdom in allowing this hardship to happen to him may be demonstrated by the fact that after he became blind, Milton produced the great epic, “Paradise Lost.” Perhaps today you are similarly afflicted, have lost a dear loved one recently or maybe you have a serious health problem, or have had a financial setback. Whatever your situation, God’s Word tells us that when Christ is in our lives, we need not despair. When He left this earth, He promised “I will not leave you comfortless,” and He sent the Holy Spirit to indwell believers. Has He allowed your hardship to come to show you your need of Him? Peter urges sufferers to be” Casting all your care upon Him for He cares for you.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell
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He was not a very smart thief. Police in Georgia say that Fred, 19, hid in a store after closing time, and then helped himself to a new set of clothes. Shortly afterwards Police tracked him down and charged him with burglary. It was not hard to catch him. He had left his old clothes in an aisle of the store. Inside was information giving Fred’s name and address. Dumb? Yes, but the truth is that all of us are leaving tell-tale signs behind. The Bible says, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” A record of our lives is being kept by God and someday, the Bible says we will be judged “according to our works by the things…written in the books.” But therein lies a problem, since none of can ever be good enough to earn our way into heaven. Fortunately, Paul explained how to how to transfer our trust from ourselves to the Lord to take us to heaven. He wrote, “…by grace we are saved through faith, and not of ourselves, it is the gift of God not of works…”

Pastor Alex Rockwell
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I read recently the interesting story of a wise elderly lady selling flowers. Upon learning the price, a prospective buyer said, “That’s quite a bit of money for something that God made isn’t it?” But the seller alertly replied, “Yes, God made these flowers, but He didn’t pick them.” The incident, reminded me of something I once heard. “God never uses the supernatural where the natural will do. He does not press your trousers or shine your shoes. He expects you to do that for yourself.” He provides for our needs, we have to take steps to acquire what He has given. We need to pick the “flowers of life.” And He graciously provided a way to heaven- “He gave His only begotten Son,” to die on the old rugged cross for us. However just as He will not pick flowers for us, you and I have a responsibility to respond by acknowledging our spiritual need and asking His forgiveness and inviting Him into our lives. He does not force Himself on anyone, but His door is always open to sincere, humble seekers.

Pastor Alex Rockwell
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Daniel Webster was a leading American statesman and one of the highest-regarded courtroom lawyers of his era. He served as Secretary of State under three American Presidents. In 1957, a Senate Committee selected Webster as one of the five greatest U.S. Senators of all time. On one occasion, in response to a question, this brilliant man said, “The greatest thought that ever entered my mind, is the thought of my personal accountability to God.” In saying this, Webster was responding positively to a Biblical truth, where we are told “every one of us shall give account of himself to God,” and was setting an example for us all. Because every one of us is spiritually lost, and must stand before our Maker one day, we might as well acknowledge what the Word of God says-“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” We are unable ready to ourselves. We need Divine help. Remember please that we are all going to live somewhere forever. Death does not end all.

Pastor Alex Rockwell
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Last month, a Grizzly bear crashed through a window in a Kimberley B.C. home and scared the daylights out of Niki Traverse and her family. Awakened by the family dog, Niki’s husband killed the bear with his hunting rifle. Magnificent and wild, the Grizzly bear is in trouble. Conservation experts believe that increased population forces these bears from their deep wilderness habitats… their close encounters with humans are altering their lifestyle, forcing them to seek food from humans, and making them lazy. Apparently even Grizzlies, like us love the good life,. But in the case of humans, there is a down side. The good life of plenty, pleasure and prosperity can dull the sense and cause us to forget Amos’ warning, “prepare to meet your God.” Jesus still invites us to do that, saying, “Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in,.” This meant His willingness to forgive and receive all who recognize their spiritual need and come to Him in faith.

Pastor Alex Rockwell
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Countries around the world like China and Greece are in economic trouble. Last month Greece borrowed billions of dollars from other European countries to stave off financial disaster. And the question of our the Canadian economy is being raised. Are we sliding into a recession? As individuals, we are being warned to reduce our personal debt load. The prudent will take action in regards to these matters. But even more important is our sin debt, since the Bible refers to “the wages of sin.” We all carry this debt because “all have sinned”, and we cannot repay it. But God, in His mercy sent His Son, the Lord Jesus, who by His death on the Cross paid the debt of our sin. But while He did that, we each must acknowledge our spiritual bankruptcy, our inability to pay, and ask Him to cancel it out on His ledger. The Bible says, “who Himself (Jesus) bore our sins in His own body on the cross that we… might live.” Surely that is an offer that none of us can afford to refuse.

Pastor Alex Rockwell
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“By faith I believe that this amazing intricate universe evolved from mindless matter. I believe that order accidentally emerged from chaos over a long period of time.” Something like that is what people who have no faith in God, if honest, would have to say. However such individuals should recognize that true scientific evidence proves that order does not grow from chaos, and design points to a Designer. The writer of the book of Hebrews wrote, “…by faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.” To those who claim that our amazing universe came into existence as a result of giant accident, it should be clear that their theory is neither scientific nor logical. Contrary to what is claimed, only the Christian faith is actually compatible with logic and reason. Accepting the truth that our universe was created by an intelligent designing God, we must also face the reality of our accountability to that God

Pastor Alex Rockwell
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Hidden within the University of British Columbia’s Botanical Gardens is the Physic Garden, a spot that is similar to the gardens that were found in medieval Europe near monasteries. Some plants with familiar names grow there, such as Digitalis Purpurea, used in the heart medication Digitalis, and Atropha belladonna, used to treat slow heart rate. These healing gardens were preserved and used to help people. The Bible also talks of gardens such as the Garden of Eden, and also the garden of the tomb. Jesus’ body was laid there, after His death on the Cross for the sins of the world. But He did not stay there. He arose from the dead, as He had promised His disciples. His resurrection assured the resurrection of all true believers. He said, “Because I live, you shall live also.” Later, Paul explained this more fully, writing “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell
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In the early 1960s,the drug Thalidomide prescribed for pregnant women produced an epidemic of very serious birth defects around the world. But a young Canadian doctor, Frances Kelsey, a novice medical examiner working for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration insisted on scientific evidence of Thalidomide’s safety. Her vigilance helped spare women in the United States from one of the worst drug disasters in history. Doctor Kelsey died last month. What a reminder of the danger of endorsing something, just because it seems that almost everybody says it’s okay. For example- it’s popular to reject faith in the Bible as God’s inspired Word, when no Book in history has so much evidence for being accurate. But perhaps the greatest danger of all is the acceptance of the erroneous idea that we get to heaven by being good, or being religious, The Bible clearly states that it is “by grace we are saved through faith, and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works…”

Pastor Alex Rockwell
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On October 19th, there will be a General election in Canada. Political parties are fiercely competing to become the next government. Canadian voters will make their choice. It is a wonderful thing to have the freedom to choose, as we do in our democratic society, but which is not available in countries ruled by dictators. And the Bible tells us that God, the Creator of the universe offers all of us the freedom to choose regarding things eternal. In the Old testament, our Lord inspired Moses to write, “…I have set before you life and death… therefore choose life, that you…may live…” He also inspired Joshua to write, “Choose you this day whom you will serve.” In the New Testament we find Paul offering all a choice, with the invitation, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell