Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, whose death on April 8th brought forth many accolades, was known as the “Iron Lady”. She was a believer in free markets, smaller government and individual responsibility. She found a trans-atlantic friend in US President Ronald Reagan. Once when speaking with him, Thatcher, quoting Thoreau, made the statement, “It takes two people to speak the truth, one to speak and another to hear.” Another political leader, Pontius Pilate many years ago asked the question, “What is truth?” But the Bible doesn’t record that He waited for the answer. Jesus, previous to His trial, had made the statement, “ I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me.” Well the truth has been spoken about the most important subject of all time- our eternal destiny, and since you and I are going to live somewhere forever, the question is – have we heard? Have we responded?

Pastor Alex Rockwell

Last weekend, twelve of us Christian Motorcyclist Association (CMA) Albany, Cobleskill, and Oneonta, NY members made their way down from Albany to Washington DC to attend the 26th annual Rolling Thunder demonstration. On Sunday, we participated in the event, with approximately 700,000 other bikers from all parts of the US and Canada.

For us, and many others, the 420 mile ride down on Friday was cold, wet, and windy – reminding us that we are at heart bikers, but also amplified the sacrifice that we were making to attend this important event.

The memorials and events that we saw and participated in over the weekend (Arlington Cemetery, The Wall, WWI, WWII, Korean War Memorials, and the demonstration ride itself) reminded us we are and must remain grateful to those who gave their lives, in some small way or in the ultimate sacrifice, for our freedom and country. The 25 or so CMA chapters giving out free water, coffee, snacks, bibles, tracts, and personal needs items (throughout DC over the weekend, but especially at the Pentagon Parking Lot, where we waited 5 hours, and others even longer for the event to start) reminded us of the sacrificial giving of Christ, and the model we are to follow – freely ye have received, freely give (Matthew 10:8).

A number of friends from other motorcycle organizations joined us on the way back, swelling our ranks. The ride on Monday (a beautiful sunny, warm but not hot day) through Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York was picture perfect – reminded us that we live in a truly beautiful and free nation.

And the weekend as a whole reminded us that God is indeed good and has truly blessed us with great family and friends! Many opportunities occurred for praying and sharing the love of Christ, in in both big and small ways. Our thanks to God for a safe, 1000 mile weekend for us all!

Bob Semp
Chaplain, Crossroad Riders of NY CMA

Radon gas is formed from the breakdown of uranium from rocks and soil, and has no odor, color or taste. It is radioactive, and exposure to high levels can result in an increased lifetime risk of developing lung cancer. It spreads harmfully in a subtle stealthy manner and can cause serious illness without our knowledge – until too late. Similarly, dangerous habits and thought patterns can develop in our lives, undetected until too late, such as subtle doubts about the truthfulness and accuracy of the Bible, rationalizing an immoral lifestyle, while we convince ourselves that it isn’t serious, or that I’ll never be caught. But the Bible warns, “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that he will also reap.” If you are on that road, I urge you to take stock of your life. God has promised, “He … will show us the path of life. In His presence is fullness of joy; At His right hand there are pleasures forevermore.

Pastor Alex Rockwell

On April 3, 1866, 70 crates of nitroglycerin exploded onboard the California-bound steamship European in Aspinwall, Panama, killing 50 people. Nitroglycerine is an explosive liquid which was first made by treating glycerol with a mixture of nitric and sulphuric acid, and perfected as a blasting agent by Alfred Nobel in the early 1860s. It is an effective explosive, but highly unstable. Yet in another form it’s an effective treatment for heart disease used in the prevention of heart attacks. Great power is released when these two elements come together. The Bible also speaks of two great powers- The Word of God, described as “…quick and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword.” The other power is the gospel of Christ, described as “…the power of God to salvation, for everyone who believes…” When we hear and respond to the power of the gospel which is revealed in the powerful Bible, the result is changed lives.

Pastor Alex Rockwell

Have you ever thought about the mystery of growth? For example, how does a seed become a flower? How is human life formed in mother’s body? We have accumulated much scientific knowledge about cells and DNA, but there is much we do not know. What pushes things to grow to a certain size and then stop? Why does a cell divide and multiply? Man cannot create life. That is a miracle that only God can bring about. Jesus said, “No one can add a single cubit to his stature…” Life and growth cannot be explained fully by men and women, no matter how intelligent they may be. Only God has the answers to life. And as He has given physical life, so He longs to give us all spiritual life. He said, “I have come that they (true believers) may have life…” and later He said, “And I gave them eternal life and they shall never perish…..”

Pastor Alex Rockwell

Ruth, a former office manager for a company in Boca Grande Florida was recently charged with grand theft and scheming to defraud the company where she handled billing and payroll for over ten years. Investigators discovered that she embezzled $181, 674 from the business. Her ingratitude, in stealing from the company which employed her and provided her livelihood, reminds one of how so many of us abuse the goodness of the Lord, as we take all his benefits but then ignore Him and leave Him totally out of our lives. He provides life, health, even the air we breathe, and often we are unthankful. The “goodness of the Lord” should cause deep gratitude. Sadly, often it does not. The Good Book warns, “Be sure your sin will find you out.” It urges, “Do not be deceived, whatever a man sows that he will also reap.” God is so good to all of us. Let’s respond with gratitude, and put Him first in our lives.

Pastor Alex Rockwell

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