What is believed to be the world’s oldest known hockey stick sits in its protective case, waiting it’s unveiling when the Museum of History will be officially opened on Canada Day, 2017. William Moffatt, born in 1829, is believed to be the original owner. He would have been less than 10 years old when he took ownership of the stick and carved his initials in it. The stick was in the Moffatt family until the 1980s. Even today, putting one’s signature on an object is often considered a sign of ownership. The Bible discusses ownership too. When we sincerely and humbly turn, just as we are, to God, asking for forgiveness, cleansing and assurance of a home in heaven someday, He accepts us and we become His special possessions. God inspired Peter to describe This special relationship, calling us, His own people.” Like William Moffat’s signature on that old hockey stick, God has put His signature on all true believers, assuring us that we “were sealed unto the day of redemption.” To whom do you belong?

Pastor Alex Rockwell

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Charges were laid recently against 14 former employees of the now closed New England Compounding Pharmacy in Framingham Massachusetts. The charges included improper sterilization, using expired ingredients, and failing to comply with basic health standards. More than 750 people fell ill. Twenty died. These people trusted the Pharmacy and its employees and paid a high price. Mis-placed trust, whether in the medical, and education systems or in our spiritual leaders, is very dangerous. But while human systems sometimes fail and people disappoint us, there is One who never fails. King David, testified, “I have put my trust in You, Lord. Show me the way I should go…”. Jeremiah wrote, “Blessed is the man who trust in the Lord and whose hope is the Lord.” And Paul assured the Philippian Jailer, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” We can confidently put our trust in God and in His written Word.

Pastor Alex Rockwell

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Anna May Pennica was born with cataracts on both eyes that left her blind. But in 1981 Dr. Thomas Pettit of Jules Stein Institute removed the cataract from her left eye and she could see for the first time in her life. But the sad postscript to the story is that the surgical procedure that she received had been available since the 1940s. All the years of Anna May’s blindness had been unnecessary. Jesus once said, “I have come into this world that those who do not see may see.” He was referring of course to spiritual vision. On another occasion, our Lord said, “I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life.” A beautiful gospel song about the Bible character Bartimaeus says it beautifully. “One sat alone beside the highway begging, His eyes were blind, the light he could not see; He clutched his rags and shivered in the shadows, Then Jesus came and bade his darkness flee.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell

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Sir Isaac Newton was a brilliant English Physicist and Mathematician, widely recognized as one of the most influential scientists of all time. His work, Principia formulated the laws of motion and universal gravitation, which dominated scientists’ view of the physical universe for the next three centuries. On one occasion Newton, made a working model of our Solar system. At its center was a large golden ball representing the sun and revolving around it were the planets- smaller spheres attached at the end of rods of varying lengths. A friend of Newton’s, who did not believe in the Biblical account of creation watched as Newton made the tiny planets move in their orbits. ”The friend exclaimed, “My what an exquisite thing! Who made it? Newton, a devout Christian, replied “No one” “these belts, cogs and gears just came together and by chance they revolve in their set orbits with perfect timing.” Newton may have been thinking of the Bible verse that says, “The fool has said in his heart, there is no God.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell

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Leo Marchildon has spent his life creating beautiful music. In celebration of the 150th anniversary of the birth of Canada’s Confederation. Marchildon has now written a new musical creation, “Canada, Our Dear Home,” which premiered last month. It is always exciting to hear new music, new songs that are informative as well as entertaining. Interestingly, God’s Word, the Bible speaks much about music. For example, the the Psalmist David wrote, “I waited patiently for the Lord….and He heard my cry….he set my feet on a rock. He gave me a firm place to stand, He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our Lord.” The book of Revelation also informs us that there is a day coming when God’s people will sing a new song about our Saviour, “You are worthy…because You were slain and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.” That new song can be in every heart.

Pastor Alex Rockwell

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Scientists have come up with a new antibiotic which may off-set the problem of drug resistance. Teixobactin, in experiments, killed resistant strains of TB, staphylococcus, anthrax and C Difficile. The drug will be in clinical trials in two years. This is, indeed, good news. because of a lack of new antibiotics and current resistance to new infections. But even more serious than physical illness is the spiritual disease of sin, that affects the whole human race. Paul wrote to believers of his day, “through one man (Adam) sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.” But again there is good news of a “spiritual antibiotic” which Paul mentioned, writing, “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” When available, the new drug will hopefully help millions. Thankfully, God’s remedy is available for us now.

Pastor Alex Rockwell

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“To Johnnie, a beloved wife- from Gilbert, a devoted husband.” Those words are found in the front of the book ‘Deep in the Heart’, by author Gilbert Morris. In dedicating the book to his wife, Morris continued, “Almost fifty five years ago I stood at the altar of a small church and watched a young woman come down the aisle- and she was beautiful. She gave her hand to me and I took it, and have never let it go. …thank you for more than half a century of love and joy and faithfulness. .. you are the same as you were when we joined hands and hearts.” In a day of so many sad broken relationships where love is often a fleeting thing, this is, a beautiful love story. And it is a fitting illustration of the greatest love story of all time. The One who said, “I am the Lord I change not, also said famously, that He “so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him, shall not perish but have everlasting life.” God’s love is available to every single person alive. It is there for you and me today.

Pastor Alex Rockwell

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“Time has been defined as a stretch of duration in which things happen. It can be lost, but never retrieved. It cannot be hoarded; it must be spent. Nor can it be postponed. If it is not used productively, it is irretrievably lost.” Those thoughtful words were written by a Christian leader, J. Oswald Sanders, from New Zealand, a lawyer, author of over 40 books and Conference speaker worldwide. His comments remind us that time is precious and it is passing. In His inspired Word the Bible, God reminds us of the importance of time in terms of our preparation in this life, for the next life urging all to prepare, with the words, “…now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation.” One hymn urges our attention to eternal things with these words– “Yes Jesus is the truth, the way that leads you into rest. Believe in Him without delay and you are fully blest. Only trust Him, only trust Him, only trust Him now. He will save you, He will save you now.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell

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C.S. Lewis is best known for his fictional works, The Screwtape Letters and The Chronicles of Narnia. He was also a devout Christian. In his book “Mere Christianity”, he wrote, “A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said … would either be a lunatic-on the level with a man who says he is a poached egg-or he would be the devil of hell… Either this was and is the Son of God, or else a madman or something else. You can shut Him up for a fool or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us.” C.S. Lewis. John wrote,- “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He later explained that the Word is a Person, “and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory.” Jesus is God. John also wrote, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell

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Carol Shields wrote a book called “Mirrors,” a short story about the 35 year marriage of a couple who practiced what she called “a particular Deprivation.” Every summer at their cottage, they deprived themselves of mirrors. For different reason of their own, they did not want to see their images in a mirror. The imaginary couple, in their late 50s could walk the length of their cottage and never see themselves in a mirror. Well, refusing to look in a mirror may give one temporary relief, but a day of facing reality always comes. Did you know the Bible speaks of mirrors? James wrote in the New Testament, “… if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror, for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of a man he was.” God’s Word reveals that we are strangers to God, and need to admit our spiritual bankruptcy, and receive forgiveness through faith in Christ. Remember please- you cannot hide from God.

Pastor Alex Rockwell

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