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

In the popular comic strip “Peanuts”, Lucy tells Linus that children cannot live at home forever. They grow up and move away, and that when Linus left, she would get his room. But…Linus reminded Lucy that someday she too would have to leave home. Lucy quickly turned the T.V. up loud, crawled into her chair with a bowl of ice cream and refused to think about it. Just a comic strip, but with an important insight for us all. Many of us like Lucy while quite capable of pointing out problems in others, refuse to accept the unpleasant realities in our own lives. And, like Lucy, many refuse to accept our own faults and failures, and especially the truth that we are sinners by nature and choice and are totally unprepared to meet our Maker. We all need to face the reality of the next life.. To do that we will need to accept our spiritual poverty and ask God for forgiveness , and an entrance into heaven.. He invites us to “seek the Lord while He may be found,” and to “call upon Him while He is near.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell

There is on-going controversy in the U.S. over the right to bear arms. But in Garden City New York, a rifle-toting convenience store owner showed mercy to a would-be robber. Upon seeing the man collapse into tears and claim he was only committing the crime to support his starving family, the store owner, then provided the bat-yielding man with forty dollars and some food, and got a promise from the man that he would never steal again. Yes, I know, the man may have been lying, and just a good actor. But this was a rare and beautiful story which illustrates the fact that there is still some compassion left in this cold world. It clearly illustrates the wonderful grace of God, or undeserved favor. This “good Samaritan” withheld justice and gave mercy. The New Testament puts it this way,”… God, who is rich in mercy because of the great love with which He loved us.,.” Then we read, “by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.” Have you experienced this grace?

Pastor Alex Rockwell

Civil war in Syria; military takeover in Egypt; and of course the on-going terrorist attacks and threats by Al Queda. But yet, there is hope, for better days ahead. The Bible tells us that current vents will culminate with God’s intervention and the literal return of Jesus Christ to this planet to set up His kingdom. While nobody knows when, there are many sign posts in the world today which indicate the second coming of Christ may not be very far away.” But whether Christ’s coming is soon, or not until many years, true believers can have the assurance that Christ will return. John’s gospel records the promise of Jesus to Christians. “….I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself.” To be ready for our Savior’s coming, we need only to heed Christ’s invitation “I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through Me.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell

We all make decisions from time to time. Some are big, some small. But Rick Osborne, who was in Charlottetown for a speaking engagement this summer made a huge decision that changed his life. Osborne, once one of Canada’s most wanted criminals was in prison and on the verge of suicide. But the Gideons, a Christian organization that distributes God’s Word, had placed a Bible in the prison cell where he was serving time. Mr. Osborne read it, and made the decision to ask Christ to take over his life. The result was dramatic. He was transformed by the power of the gospel. He earned a university degree while in prison. He now travels, speaking to youth about the dangers of gangs, drugs and criminal activity. He is a living testimony to Paul’s words to the Corinthian believers when he wrote, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature, he is a new creation; old t hings have passed away; behold all things have become new.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell