Lewis Roberts, who lives in England had hip replacements, five fractured vertebrae, a crushed pelvis, damaged eye socket, as a result of a serious car accident. But Lewis says, doctors basically rebuilt him. Quite a story, and we are thankful for trained physicians who can do these wonderful medical procedures. Roberts is, indeed, a fortunate man. But God performs life transforming operations every day? Only He does it on the inside. Paul described it as follows: “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, behold all things have become new.” So when we recognize that we are broken spiritually and sincerely and humbly cry out to Jesus, whom Luke described as the “Great Physician,” He freely gives us not just a rebuilt life , as Robert Lewis received, but a brand new life. And there are not medical bills, because “…the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell

A man wrote the following letter to a newspaper’s Advice columnist recently. “I am a 50 year old man serving time for robbery…The truth is, I’m scared and helpless. There is no one to love, and no one to love me. I know I have made bad choices and deserve the punishment for my crime. Can I ever be happy again? Is it too late to start over? The columnist wisely replied, “ with penitence comes redemption. It is never too late.” Penitence is another word for repentance. While other people may not give us a second chance, God will, when He sees a humble, repentant heart Isaiah gave us God’s attitude toward anyone of us when we acknowledges our spiritual needs and are willing to turn to Him. He wrote, “Seek the Lord while He may be found. Call upon Him while He is near. … return to the Lord…He will have mercy on him …he will abundantly pardon.” If you have done wrong, there is hope. You can have a second chance.

Pastor Alex Rockwell

In the cartoon “Family Circus” Grandma’s little grandson asks, “Grandma which is your gooder ear? I need to tell you a whisper. “Grandmas are usually very good listeners. But there is One who is an even better listener….our Heavenly Father. And people through the ages have found that He hears the faintest whisper from sincere hearts. Perhaps you are afraid of something which has happened to you recently, or something that might happen. King David, in one of his Psalms wrote, “ I sought the Lord and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.” And the dear Lord Himself issues this wonderful invitation- “ Call to me and I will answer you, and show you great and might things which you do not know.” Remember that little chorus, “ God answers prayer in the morning, God answers prayer at noon. God answers pray in the evening, so keep your heart in tune.” Go ahead and pray, in Jesus’ Name. God is listening!

Pastor Alex Rockwell

In 1967, when she was a promising athletic teenager, Joni Erickson Tada broke her neck in a diving accident, leaving her totally and permanently paralyzed. She spent twenty-five years in a wheel chair, but then failing health forced her to go back to bed. To cheer her, her loving husband hung a bird feeder outside her window. At first she envied the birds their freedom, but then she remembered what Jesus said about sparrows. She wrote, “If the great God of heaven concerns herself about a little ragtag sparrow, He cares about me.” She remembered that Jesus said we are worth more than many sparrows so how God must have loved you and me, to give Jesus, His Son to provide forgiveness, cleansing from sin and someday a home in heaven. And what a great truth is enclosed in the words, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell

Oh no! A parking ticket on my windshield. We rush back to the car only to find it’s too late-the ticket under the windshield wiper is already there. The meter man is exacting justice for breaking the law. A few weeks ago in Charlottetown, a man watched as the tickets were being given out. So he ran ahead and popped a quarter in the next expired meter. It was his good deed for the day. What a great illustration of law and grace. The broken law demanded punishment, but the unsuspecting car owner was given grace. Someone intervened. He was given grace- an undeserved favor. Similarly, God’s law demands punishment for our sins, but His grace extends unmerited favor because “Christ died for our sins” He intervened so we don’t have to face judgment. That’s what Paul meant when he said, “by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, lest anyone should boast.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell

Someone wrote, “Like a camouflaged soldier, the big bird stood un-moving and nearly unseen in the bare oak. I took a step closer, and its head rotated slightly. I found myself looking into a pair of penetrating dark eyes.” Owls are fascinating creatures. Their fixed stare, spine chilling hoots and shrieks tend to intimidate. The owl’s head is on such flexible bearings that it can rotate at least 180 degrees. Thus an owl’s body can be facing in one direction, and its head in another. John Bunyan in Pilgrim’s Progress, mentions a man called Mr. Facing Both Ways. He tries to sit on the fence. But nobody can do this continuously. We must make a choice. Jesus reminded us that “No man can serve two masters…” And Josuha in the Old Testament urged, “Choose yourselves whom you will serve.” Then he added, “…as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Are you trying to sit on the fence in regards to your relationship to God?

Pastor Alex Rockwell

The world’s most successful lawyer wrote, “I have spent more than 42 years as a defense trial lawyer in many parts of the world….and I say unequivocally, the evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is so overwhelming that it compels acceptance by proof which leaves absolutely no room for doubt.” The writer was Sir Lionel Luckhoo of the Guinness Book fame for his unprecedented 245 consecutive defense murder trial acquittals. This brilliant lawyer and international statesman’s research has brought him to the conclusion that Jesus did, in fact rise bodily from the grave. If you are pinning your hopes on the vain idea that Jesus did not rise from the grave and that there is no life after death, no accountability before God, I hope you will give some serious thought to Sir Lionel Luckhoo’s research and conclusion. Paul reminded us that one day, “…every knee shall bow…and every tongue shall confess to God.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell

When a prominent Maritime Cabinet Minister had a heart attack a while back, he called it “a life changing moment.” And when people come face to face with death, many make serious lifestyle changes. It is time to realize that sooner or later, this life is going to end. When that happens, we will experience what the brilliant Daniel Webster once said was the greatest thought that had ever crossed his mind, “My personal accountability to my Maker.” Have you had a face to face encounter with serious health issues lately? If so, I urge you to make your peace with God and get ready for that inevitable meeting. You can do that by acknowledging your spiritual bankruptcy and invite Jesus Christ to come into your life and become your Savior. No matter how you have lived, He will accept you. Because He promised, “If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell

“Horrible”, “awful”, “inexcusable” describe the findings last month that approximately 1,000 cancer patients in Ontario and New Brunswick were unknowingly given diluted chemotherapy. There is no assurance it will not endanger or shorten lives. This is very disturbing, and the result of incompetence or neglect. These patients trusted a system which failed them and gave them a false sense of security. Let’s hope steps will be taken so this never happen again. And in an even more serious vain, when it comes to our eternal well-being, we need to make sure we are not putting our confidence in a religious system, if based on falsehood. The only trustworthy person to put one’s trust in is the Lord Jesus Christ. He said, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life, not one comes to the Father except through me.” And the only trustworthy source of information is the Word of God, the Bible. Please read it and obey it.

Pastor Alex Rockwell

“Éxperiencing death has made me appreciate life more keenly.” Those strange words were spoken by 22 year old Zeng Jia, a student from Wuhan China, who staged her own funeral, so she was able to enjoy it while still alive. She spent a lot of money for the service, including mourners, flowers, and photographers. After lying in state for an hour, Zeng got up to join her own wake. Just when you think nothing will ever surprise you again, something like this happens. But her bizarre act serves to remind us that we are all going to die some day. And just as she now continues to experience life after her make believe death, if we have Christ in our lives, we can go one better. Jesus, speaking of physical death and eternal life said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even if he dies. And everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell