Bugarach is a small picturesque village in southern France. It is believed to have inspired Steven Spielberg’s film, Close Encounter of the Third Kind and Jules’ Verne’s novel A Journey to the Center of the Earth. But last year, it was back in the news being seen as a last refuge for people who believe the world is soon going to come to an apocalyptic end.. And Jesus spoke of “signs in the sun, in the moon and in the stars …men’s hearts failing them from fear … of those thing which are coming on the earth… But as sincere as these folks were, the village of Bugarach is not the answer to their fears. There is only one safe haven It is not a place or a religion. It is a person, Jesus Christ, who said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” And He invites, “Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell

The Province is writing off more than a quarter of a million dollars owed to government, as a result of unpaid taxes by a individuals and business. Finance Minister Wes Sheridan says it’s because those involved just cannot meet their financial obligations. Sheridan said, “Your heart goes out to many of them.” And that is exactly where every single one of us finds ourselves in relation to our sin debt. We are unable to pay it. Paul describes our condition as being “all under sin.” And he explains that it’s because “…there is none righteous, no not one.” But fortunately, we learn later that, “…when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son….to redeem those who were under the law.” You and I owe a sin debt to God, but He has paid the debt for us, and offers to write it off. All we need do is ask. If you’d like to do that, here is a prayer you can pray right now- “God be merciful to me, a sinner, and save me for Jesus’ sake.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell

Michael, a young boy playing in the streets of Florence, Italy, was seen to be making beautiful models out of mud by an artist, Domenico Del Ghirlandajo. He invited the boy to his studio to study art seriously. Soon the boy learned all that Ghirlandajo could teach him and sent him on for further studies. But he never forgot his old Master. Much later in life, he paid him a visit and left a gift for him- a beautiful drawing of the two hands which had taught him how to draw. We might not have heard of Ghirlandajo, but most of us have heard of his student, Michaelangelo. This story beautifully illustrates God’s love. He the great artist reached down, loved us, and offers forgiveness to all who will receive it. Paul put it as follows: “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” So let’s tell all of His loving nail-pierced hands, never forgetting the great price He paid on Calvary’s cross for us.

Pastor Alex Rockwell

Ten years ago, hurricane Juan blasted the Maritime Provinces, causing great havoc and loss of life. Among those who went through it was a young woman trying to reach home during the storm. As she neared her residence, tree littered streets made it impossible her to take her car any further. As she attempted to walk, a group of students saw her and shouted, “Wires are down” danger.” They then invited the woman to take refuge with them for the rest of the night as the storm raged. “Now” she says, “My attitude toward storms has changed. I pack up, and hunker down.” And life storms can also be terrifying. The Psalmist wrote of them, “They cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He stilled the storm….it grew calm and He guided them to their desired haven.” And the hymn-writer asks, “Will your anchor hold in the storms of life ?” Only when we have Christ, the anchor of souls, in our lives are we ready to say “yes” with confidence.

Pastor Alex Rockwell

In Bromsgrove England, employees in a shoemaker’s shop were always complaining they were cold. The door to the shop needed o stay open to let solvent fumes escape, so temperatures could get as low as 8 degrees. The owner, Martin Connellan bought his employees heavy parkas, but they still weren’t warm enough. So he hired hypnotist James Kerwin, who proved you can retrain people’s thinking. Within five minutes, Kerwin convinced the employees to think the place was toasty warm. The temperature remained the same, but the people were deceived. In fact, they complained it was too hot – and it is often that way regarding our relationship with God. Paul, in the New Testament, warned people, who had refused to come to God through faith in Christ. He told them, that “… their minds the god of this world (Satan) has blinded….” And later he cautioned, “Do not be deceived…whatever one sows, that he will also reap”

Pastor Alex Rockwell

The Forever 21 Ring has a prominent X on its face and closely resembles the famous X-ring worn graduates of St. Francis Xavier in Antigonish. Because the X-ring is representative of academic achievement some graduates raised concerns about the similarity of the rings; so the retailer of the Forever 21 ring quickly agreed to pull the ring from its stores and website. The Forever 21 ring was, perhaps unintentionally, causing some non-graduates to appear to be graduates of the university, without having ever studied there. In like manner, some who have never come into a relationship with God through faith in His Son may appear to be Christians because of certain things they may say or do, such as going to church, being baptized, or professing to be Christians. But if we have not acknowledged our spiritual need and put our faith in Jesus Christ, we are really not Christians. That’s because Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell

In the last 20 years, from July 12, 1993 to June 13, 2013 there have no less than 35 tsunamis world-wide. The word Tsunami is a frightening word . Hundreds of thousands have lost their lives. In 2004, a devastating tsunami took place in Asia , the Indonesian Island of Simuelue (see-meh-loo ) the closest inhabited land to the epicenter of the earthquake. But amazingly, of the 75,000 inhabitants only 7 died in the thirty foot waves. For decades, the people of see-meh-loo heard stories told by their grandparents of giant waves that killed thousands on this same island in 1907. So when the ground shook and the sea retreated, the people recalled the warnings and fled to higher ground.. They wisely heeded the warnings. Perhaps you have had warnings from friends or relatives. Maybe you have been urged to prepare for death -the next life.. Isaiah of old gave a wonderful invitation “Come now, and let us reason together, Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be white as wool.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell

Major Charles Loeffle, who policed the White House door from 1869 to 1909, gathered the signatures of such people as Ulysses S. Grant, Winston Churchill, Theodore Roosevelt and P.T. Barnum. His album of signatures is now up for auction and valued at between $10,000 and $15,000.These celebrities are, gone, but their signatures remain. And we too will all leave signatures behind when we are gone, by the way we have lived. With this in mind, Steve Green, wrote the song Find Us Faithful,. We’re pilgrims on the journey of the narrow road. And those who’ve gone before us line the way. Cheering on the faithful, encouraging the weary, …. After all our hopes and dreams have come and gone, and our children sift through all we’ve left behind, may the clues that they discover and the memories they uncover become the light that leads them to the road we each must find. Jesus told us how to find that road when He said, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell

Jackie Robinson was the first African-American to play major league baseball. Throughout his decade- long career with the Brooklyn Dodgers., he helped the team win the World Series, in 1955. He retired in 1957, with a career batting average of .311. At one time during his youth, Robinson began to run with a neighborhood gang. In later years he recalled that while he wished for a better life as a boy, he had no idea that a gang was not the way to achieve it. An older friend helped him to realize how 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 lead a different life, I wish I could be a Christian, but its just easier to run with the crowd.” Why not trade your wishbone for a backbone. Like Jackie Robinson did. And why not heed Isaiah’s invitation, to “ seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell

I recently heard of A a small boy who was asked if he understood the difference between the words “conscience” and “conscious.” He replied, “Sure, “conscious is when you are aware of something, and conscience is when you wish you weren’t.” Solomon describes the conscience writing, “The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord, searching the inner depths of his heart.” Dr. Timothy Lin, Ph D wrote, “Before we act, conscience either encourages us to continue or warns us to stop. … When the act is completed, conscience …either crowns us with satisfaction, happiness and courage for what we have done or summons us to the bar of justice where she thunders judgment, which gives us a bad or guilty conscience. “ When our conscience is guided by the Word of God inviting us to receive Christ into our lives, it is important to listen and act appropriately. But remember please, our conscience is not our guide unless we have truth for our creed.

Pastor Alex Rockwell