25 year old Matthew Aaron Robillard of Picture Butte, Alberta, is married and a father of a six month old child. When he experienced significant financial loss, he decided on a novel way to account for it. He faked his own disappearance to make it appear as though he had been abducted, in order to account for that loss. He did damage to his own abandoned car and to himself. Police have determined that he was not the victim of a crime. He has been charged with public mischief. Robillard is not the first person to go into hiding to avoid facing the real world, and the truth about himself. It happens every day. And our first parent, Adam and Eve tried it when they hid themselves from God. in the Garden of Eden But when we try these cover- ups, we really don’t solved anything. Paul warned, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.” We should run to God not from Him. Because when we face our true selves, and admit our mid-deeds, God always understands and forgives.

Pastor Alex Rockwell

A Royal Ontario Museum exhibit featuring thousands of dead birds is meant to raise awareness of the perils in Toronto skies for the bird population. It is estimated that more than a million birds are killed each year by colliding with city structures. Many of the fatalities are caused by reflective windows which keep skies visible, fooling the birds in thinking they are on a clear path to wherever they are going. For bird lovers, this is a sad truth. But they provide life lessons for us all. In our head-long flight through this life, we often think our path is clear, only to crash into unseen, unexpected obstacles. We find ourselves stunned and broken, and ask the question- “Why?” King David gave us the answer in the 16th Psalm, when he wrote “You will make known to me the path of life; in your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.” This promise is ours when we put our complete trust in Jesus as Savior.

Pastor Alex Rockwell

The first cash register was created in the late 1800s. Since then, it has been an essential for most retail outlets. But now, it seems that it is heading for obsolescence. Smart phones, and tablets are increasingly replacing everything from books to ATMs to cameras. While any change will reduce lineups in stores is welcome, there concerns in our technological age. One is the idea that everything new is good, and everything old should be discarded.. James, in the Bible wrote, “Do not be deceived….every good gift and every perfect gift comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning..” And the book of Hebrews says, that “Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today, and forever.” In this ever changing world, it is good to know that there is One who never changes. Well did the hymn writer remind us, Change and decay in all around I see, Oh thou who changes not, abide with me.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell

Recently a teen-age boy found himself adrift on an ice floe in North River PEI. What looked like secure chunks of ice turned out to be very dangerous. Because of currents and warming temperatures, ice floes are susceptible to movement and melting. Fortunately for him, the North River Fire fighters were able to rescue him. When I read this story, it reminded me of many dear people who are adrift on the sea of life. They are clinging to the ice floes of riches, success, popularity good health religion and other seemingly safe anchors. But sometimes the currents are sweeping them on and they become helplessly adrift. Fortunately, as with the teenage boy on the ice floe, there is a Savior who can rescue. His name is Jesus.” He is patient with us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come…” to Him But remember please, a call or help is necessary.

Pastor Alex Rockwell

Financial institutions have been in the news for the last few years, not always for good reasons. One Canadian Bank tells us, “You’re richer than you think.” While that may make some people smile, there is one sense in which we are all richer than we think. Because all of us have a Bank that credits us every morning with 484,600 with no carry over, no balance from day to day. Every morning whatever is not used is cancelled. So would sensible people do? Common sense dictates that we draw every bit in the account. I am speaking of course of time. Every morning the good Lord credits us with 486,400 seconds. At night, He calculates as a loss, whatever of this treasure we have not used, for a good purpose. There is no drawing some out for the next day. One New Testament writer urged us, to “Redeem the time, for the days are evil.” And an Old Testament verse warns, “Prepare to meet your God.” Let’s invest our time for eternity.

Pastor Alex Rockwell

Abraham Lincoln once said, “I can see how it might be possible for a man to look down upon the earth and be an atheist, but I cannot conceive how he could look up into the heavens and say there is no God.” But he was only half correct. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Because there is abundant evidence of intelligent design and planning. For example, oxygen, drawn into the lungs is taken by the blood cells and distributed to all parts of the body; it is essential to the function of the mind, it burns the food in each body cell, it produces carbon dioxide and water which the lungs expel into the air. Who makes it possible for the oxygen and blood cells to do this? Some convince themselves this is all chance. It’s like saying that a clock accidentally made itself. There’s only one explanation for Creation – and intelligent, planning master Designer- the God of the Bible. Only a fool says, “There is no God.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell

Legendary hockey player Gordie Howe, is 85! David Suzuki is in his 70s. And we are all getting older. When someone we have known about most of our lives gets old, it makes us realize that in fact, time is passing, But even if you are still young, we are reminded by Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes,, “Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, Before the difficult days come, And the years draw near when you say, “I have no pleasure in them…” When we think of people such as Gordie Howe, and David Suzuki, or hear of an elderly person who has passed on, it reminds us all, that we are not going to be here forever. And David the Psalmist knew that he was mortal, when He wrote, that God “…knows our frame, He remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass, as a flower of the field, so he flourishes, for the wind passes over it and it is gone.” The big question each needs to settle is will I spend eternity with God, or without Him?

Pastor Alex Rockwell

The government is promising to search out those who cheat on income taxes. No doubt they will catch many who have tried to get away with hiding income. In the US, where their cheating on taxes amounts to one hundred and eighty billion dollars each year, the IRS has set up what it calls a conscience fund where cheaters whose conscience kicks in can return the money anonymously. God has placed in each one of us a conscience that enables us to distinguish between right and wrong. But the Bible also speaks of a “seared conscience,” or cauterized as with a hot iron – when folks ignore the voice of conscience. But thank God, if we admit our wrong-doing, and ask for God’s forgiveness, it is readily given. If you have wronged someone, make amends. We are invited to “seek the Lord while He may be found,” to “call upon Him while He is near” and…” He will abundantly pardon.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell

Spring is here, and with it warmer weather and a better chance to enjoy the great out doors. In his book “A Guide to the Planets”, Patrick Moore wrote of our beautiful earth- “…it is the only world in the solar system upon which we could survive.” Why did he write that? Because if the earth were smaller or larger than 8,000 miles in diameter, by as little as ten percent, all life would cease to exist. For the earth to be habitable, it must have an adequate supply of light and heat, a uniform distribution of water, and an atmosphere of proper density and composition. Our planet has all three. All of these exist in much larger quantities in other areas of the universe. Why are they so uniformly distributed on earth, making life possible? The intelligent answer is God. Perhaps that’s why He inspired King David to write in the 14th Psalm, “The fool has said in his heart, there is no God.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell

A police officer in a small town noticed a number of bulls eyes painted here and there. Right in the middle of every one was bullet hole. Learning the identity of the shooter, the officer met him and complimented him on his amazing ability and said ,”It must have taken hours of practice to accomplish such a feat.” But the young man said, “No, actually it’s quite easy. I shoot first, then draw the circle.” And many do it that way when carrying out unacceptable actions, like dishonesty, immorality and unfaithfulness to a spouse. To try to avoid guilt, some excuse themselves by “drawing the circle” after they have done the act, and refer to their actions a “preferences” or “the way I see it.” But that doesn’t work in the eyes of God Wrong is still wrong. And God still says, “whatever a man sows that he will also reap.” The only appropriate response to wrong-doing is acknowledging it to God, and asking for forgiveness

Pastor Alex Rockwell