One of the concerns of people protesting the controversial PEI Trans-Canada realignment project, Plan B, is the destruction of trees. And they were on the mind of Joyce Kilmer when he penned the famous poem called “Trees,” ending with the words, “Poems are made by fools like me, but only God can make a tree.” Did you know that a tree has cells similar to those in a human body? A spruce tree has an estimated ten to fourteen billion cells, each of which is like a miniature factory. Why is there such a reluctance to credit God with a direct creative act and credit “mother nature?” Science tells us what happens, but not why. But Paul, in the New Testament, wrote, “…Since the creation of the world, His invisible attributes are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made….” And the God who made the tree made you and me. But unlike a tree, we have immortal souls and we are accountable to Him.

Pastor Alex Rockwell

Security cameras record our movements. Drones may be keeping an eye on us. With this in mind, New York designers Adam Harvey and Johanna Bloomfield have created a clothing line called Stealth Wear. The garments are made of fabric that reflects heat to prevent the body’s thermal signature from reaching the eye of an infrared camera. In a way, you become invisible. Innocent people have a right to be concerned when personal privacy is invaded. But some try to hide and cover up for wrong-doing. After Adam and Eve in the Garden rebelled and disobeyed God, Genesis records “…and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God….” They learned that you can’t hide from God. He found them and called out, “What is this that you have done?” When we admit our wrong-doing, it is better to run to God, than from Him, because you can run, but you cannot hide.

Pastor Alex Rockwell

Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield and the International Space Station are making headline news these days. And renowned astrophysicist Stephen Hawking has said that the colonization of outer space is key to the survival of humankind, “to avoid disaster in the next hundred years.” But in an honest admission, Hawking also seemed to cast doubt on his own prediction by saying “our genetic code still carries the selfish and aggressive instinct…” That is really another way of describing the sin problem mankind faces. Like it or not, we are all infected with a terminal disease called sin. But while exploring outer space will not solve earth’s problems, there is still hope. Paul put it this way, “When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, to redeem…” Christ, not space exploration, is this world’s only hope.

Pastor Alex Rockwell

A few years ago, what is believed to be a statue of Jesus Christ was discovered, near Petra, about one hundred miles from Amman, Jordan. It was exciting because people have always wondered what Christ looked like. While know little of His physical appearance, much is written about what Jesus is really like. We know He was a compassionate person because when He saw the needy we are told, “He was moved with compassion…” He was forgiving, because when religious people brought a fallen woman to Him, He forgave her, saying “Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more.” We know He was humble, because Matthew records that He was “gentle and lowly in heart.” We know He was caring, because we are told that He was “a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, who spent more time with the broken – hearted than with others. And we know He was loving – He gave His life on the Cross for us all.

Pastor Alex Rockwell

Last month Students of Stonepark School in Charlottetown PEI were able to speak with Astronaut Christ Hadfield from the International Space Station. Sue Geddes, who coordinated the special event ,said, “it’s so hard to imagine, but he has made it real for everybody. He’s brought it back down to earth.” Hadfield will return to earth in mid- May – remarkable! But there is a greater space to earth story, in which a Person from space, came down to earth, performed amazing things, and now is preparing to return to earth. Jesus, the God-Man, left heaven, was miraculously born as a baby, grew up and died on a cross for all mankind. But He’s coming back. He promised, “I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again …that where I am, there you may be also.” Later He said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus, not a church, is the only way to heaven.

Pastor Alex Rockwell

It may not be that sleeplessness, anger at the unfairness of life, addictions and other troubles would send you to the psychotherapist’s office. It may be the depressive realization that posh homes, super jobs, technological toys or the perfect mate just don’t cut it – and you realize that you don’t know why you are here, and feel that life is meaningless. When we were young we all had dreams, but as we grow older, many struggle to keep a balance on the sea of life – but have no anchor. I am pleased to tell you that unsatisfied longings of the human heart can only be satisfied by Jesus Christ. The hymn-writer was right on when he asked, “will your anchor hold in the storms of life”, but then answered with “”we have an anchor that keeps the soul”. One New Testament writer put it this way, ”we have this as a sure, steadfast anchor of the soul”, then he identifies the Anchor saying, “where Jesus has entered”. Does your soul have an anchor?

Pastor Alex Rockwell

Recently on Cumberland Island, Georgia, the wind and shifting sands revealed a partially buried skeleton of a ship. Someone noticed this did not look like the ordinary flotsam washed ashore, and reported to the National Park Service. Consequently, archaeologists have uncovered an 80 foot fragment of a wooden sailing ship dating from the 1850s. The shifting sands of time uncover a lot of human shipwrecks too. Lives that once were whole but for various reasons have made shipwreck. But thankfully, someone stepped into time about 2,000 years ago to intervene – Jesus, God’s Son. He is able to take the broken pieces and make a whole person. In Matthew’s gospel we read Jesus words, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” If you have made shipwreck of your life, turn to the Captain, Jesus Christ, and He will make you whole again.

Pastor Alex Rockwell

Ryan, a University student, doesn’t have much money. So when he went to purchase a small quantity of gas recently, he was pleasantly surprised to learn that the previous customer wanted the remaining value on her gas card to be given to the next customer who came after her. The student’s bill was paid, and he had enough left over to pay for his gas the rest of the week. The unidentified lady anonymously gave to a person unknown to her. Now that’s a happy story with a good example for us all. And it reminds one of a similar, unexpected, but greater event, when Jesus, who is God manifested in the flesh, left behind a greater legacy for all mankind, when He died for the sins of the world. Paul wrote, “While we were still weak, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly.” Ryan readily accepted the lady’s gift, and we should all accept the free gift of eternal life from our Savior.

Pastor Alex Rockwell

Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. And they remembered his words, and returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest. It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. Luke 24 1-10

In rising, Christ has defeated the grave, defeated sin, defeated Satan, and assured a way for all who believe in Him to have eternal life. Is your eternity assured? Are you trusting in Jesus? Is it truly a Happy Resurrection day for you?

Chaplain Bob Semp

Trivial Pursuit was invented in 1979 by Chris Haney and Scott Abbot. Money was tight so they took in two partners, and offered share blocks to their friends for $1,000. Many refused to invest – It was a serious mistake. The four original partners became millionaires, and the initial 34 people who invested as little as $1,000 for five shares, or accepted shares instead of payment for services, have also realized fortunes, as Trivial Pursuit became the world’s number one board game. There is an important lesson in investing. We have a choice in life, whether to invest in time or eternity. Either to listen to what God has to say, or man. Jesus once asked the rhetorical question, “What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his own soul?” The answer is obvious. You and I are going to live somewhere forever. We’d better learn how to live!

Pastor Alex Rockwell