Thieves in Marlborough New Zealand broke into a car parked outside a local auto repair shop and began crossing wires to attempt to start the car and make off with it. But it wouldn’t start. It’s engine had been removed for repairs. There’s a lesson here for all of us. We need to make sure there’s an engine aboard if we hope to get anywhere. And most important of all, we need to make sure that we have the proper connection to God, if we hope to make it into heaven when our life on earth is over. But there is a way to know. John was inspired to write, “these things I have written to you …that you may know that you have eternal life.” And in order to have that assurance, we need a proper connection to God. We are told “He who has the Son has life.” And” If our lives are merely connect to religion, church attendance, baptism or good works, we’re not going anywhere. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell

Paradigm, game changer, at the end of the day, and moving forward. Those are known as “buzz words” -words or phrases used to impress or are fashionable. A buzzword used and abused today is the word, “connect,” used over, and over and over again. In his book Stop Talking, Start Communicating, Geoffrey Tumlin says “…we suffer from chronic and transmission overload- too many people weighing in on too many issues. What you want to say is only the beginning of the process- it is only completed when the recipient understands the message.” But long before today’s communication frenzy, God sent mankind the most important message it will ever receive-His Word the Bible. In it we find the answers that we need to know about God, man, sin, heaven and how to get there. But as with any message, it has to be read and understood. Jesus once said, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.” Please read your Bible It is the greatest book ever written it can change your life..

Pastor Alex Rockwell

“…in view of such harmony in the cosmos which I, with my limited understanding am able to recognize, there are yet people who say there is no God.” Those are the words of one of the brightest minds of the 20th century, Albert Einstein. Makes one wonder if Mr. Einstein was doing a little Bible reading and came across the Psalmist’s inspired words, “the heavens declare the glory of God and the sky proclaims His handiwork.” And for those who say there is not God, the Psalmist has some strong words when he states emphatically, “the fool says in his heart, there is no God.” I do not know what views of Christianity this intellectual giant, in this he is correct- it is impossible to rationally conceive of a universe created with such harmony and order, without the existence of a personal God. And Einstein and you and I will someday be accountable to that personal God.

Pastor Alex Rockwell

Have you ever seen a diamond the size of an egg? A New York auction house is showing one that will soon be auctioned off. It is described as being the greatest stone in terms of size, quality polish and color ever to be auctioned. It is expected to bring between 26-35 million dollars. But this beautiful gem was once a bit of carbon buried deep in the earth. Perhaps as you view your life today, it appears to be worthless like the carbon. Bu t God can change all that. When we ask Him to forgive our sins and make us one of His children, He has promised to make us new. How do I know? It’s in the Bible. “therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.” Song-writer and singer Bill Gaither gave us a song that expressed this change in simple terms. “something beautiful, something good, All my confusion He understood. All I had to offer Him was brokenness and strife, but He made something beautiful of my life.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell

Clint Eastwood, Kim Kardashian, Ashley Judd and Johnny Depp have all recently been divorced or separated from their husband, wife or partner. Sadly, this is common among the rich and famous. But one in every two marriages in Canada now ends in divorce. But even if a warm affection no longer exists, a dying marriage can be restored., if both parties are willing to admit their own faults,. Most marriages fail because of selfishness. God gives us the antidote to selfishness in marriage- “Love does not behave rudely, does not seek its own…”.If your marriage is in trouble, please , let the gentle winds of God’s grace blow on the smoldering embers of your dying marriage, the flame of love can be rekindled. You may be thinking, I can’t forgive. I’ve been hurt too much. Then acknowledge that you need outside help. Remember that God wants your marriage to continue. First, invite Him into your life, ask His forgiveness, and then having been forgiven, begin the process of forgiving of your spouse.

Pastor Alex Rockwell

Recently, I read the creed of a famous movie actor as it was given to a newspaper. In his own words, he 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 said. Tragically, that is the unspoken creed of all to 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 because he has bestowed them even our preparation for the next life in His hands. He has said, “By grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourself, it is the gift of God, lest anyone should boast.” Everyone of us has a philosophy of life, whether we realize it or not. What is yours? Is it that of the famous but foolish actor, or held with eternities values in view?

Pastor Alex Rockwell

Lex Marion, of Vancouver, and Connor Martz, of Waterloo, want to go to Mars. Nearly 7,000 Canadians and 165,000 from other countries have already agreed to join Mars One, aimed at establishing a permanent human colony on Mars by 2023. But everyone who goes will die there, because there is no way back. It reminds one that the next great event in the history of the world will take place when Christ fulfills His promise to gather all His children, both living and dead and take them to heaven. His words are: ”I will come again and receive you to Myself.” That is known as the Rapture. But unlike the proposed trip to Mars, there will be a return trip. Paul, referring to Jesus return to earth, after He has taken believers from earth, spoke of what he called “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.” He’s bringing us back! If you and I belong to God because we are trusting Jesus alone for salvation, we can be sure that He will also bring us back to earth to live in His Kingdom.

Pastor Alex Rockwell

It is estimated that businesses in North America are losing more than 100 million dollars a year because of errors that can be traced to illegible hand writing. These include billing mistakes, poorly written orders, scribbled messages, garbled records and undecipherable bookkeeping entries. All this, in spite of the computer. But God, when communicating with us concerning life here and in the hear-after speaks very clearly. For example, “all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory.” Or this – “Christ died for our sins,” or “the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. And you can’t get much plainer than the invitation God extends when He says,” whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Will Rogers, the American comedian and actor spoke honestly when he said, “My trouble with the Bible is not the parts I don’t understand, but the parts I do understand. “ Get the message? I did.

Pastor Alex Rockwell

When the tsunami of 2011, struck Japan, Residents of the city of Rikuzentakata, (Rick-ooze- entakata) were amazed when 70,000 trees were destroyed, but a lone 250 year old pine tree survived. It became known as the “miracle pine” and though later it died from salt water exposure, men were able to artificially preserve it. The city’s Mayor Futoshi Toba, said, “For those of us who were left suffering after the disaster, the miracle pine gave us strength and hope to carry on living.” In the case of those who have experienced their personal tsunamis, there is another tree- the Roman Cross on which Jesus died 2,000 years ago. There, though Jesus, God’s Son died for the sins of the world, we can celebrate that tree with joy, instead of sorrow. For He rose from the dead and offers hope and strength to all who call on Him. That hope for all who trust in Christ alone for salvation, is captured in these words- “which (hope) we have as an anchor of the soul, `a hope’ both sure and steadfast.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell

I recently read an inspirational, fascinating but true story of a soldier recovering in hospital, after losing an arm and a leg. One night nurse who always smiled warmly seemed to have a special effect on him. She said very little, but there was a tenderness to the touch of her hand as, she moved him to a more comfortable position. The soldier, sensed that her encouraging smile was not only on the outside, but revealed something inside. He noted that she was kind, helpful, thoughtful and cheerful. One night he mentioned that her face always shines. And asked, “what secret do you hold that makes it radiant like that?” The nurse replied, “I have a light inside of me. It is a Man who called Himself the light of the world.” Then she gave her testimony of how she had found supreme blessing and eternal life by receiving Christ as Savior, and now experience the joy of living by shining for Christ. The soldier then said, “I want that light in me to, for I can see a rainbow in your eyes!” May God give us more nurses like that!

Pastor Alex Rockwell