He was a routine admission to busy Bellevue Hospital – a bum from the Bowery, a charity case. He was found lying in a heap, bruised and with a deep gash in his throat. All he wanted was another drink. He died three days later – still unknown. A friend sought him, and identified him in the local morgue. His name – Stephen Foster. Before his tragic death at 38 years, he wrote such famous sons as Oh! Susanna, Beautiful Dreamer, and My Old Kentucky Home. Many in today’s world, like Stephen Foster, have lost hope. Maybe you know someone like that. Please reach out and extend a hand of kindness and help – because there is hope for all men. God’s love reaches to everyone. “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which is lost.” God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” If you are down and out, reach out to Jesus; He’s reaching out to you.

Pastor Alex Rockwell

The Abbotsford B.C. police department recently sent out holiday greeting cards to prolific criminal offenders in that city. The cards read, “It’s never too late to make a better choice for your life.” For the sake of your family and yourself, consider 2013 to be the year you choose a new and better life.” This is a commendable effort, but often people often lack the ability to self-reform. A better option is to turn to the Lord Jesus Christ, who offers forgiveness for our wrong-doing and the strength to live a life that is productive and helpful to others. That’s because of two promises – first, “In Christ we have redemption through His blood even the forgiveness of sins,” and second, we can “do all things through Christ who strengthens us.” The police letter said “It’s never too late.” That is true while we are still alive. Think of it – for all the rest of your life you can have the Son of God, the Savior of the world living within. And with Christ in your vessel, you can smile at the storms of life, because He is the God of the second chance.

Pastor Alex Rockwell

A popular song by Carrie Underwood describes a young woman driving her car with a baby in the back, spinning out of control on black ice one night. In that split second of fear and panic she comes to the realization that she has absolutely no control over her destiny, and in a cry of anguish and fear she cries out "Jesus take the wheel, take it from my hands, ’cause I can’t do this on my own, I’m letting go. So give me one more chance, to save me from this road I’m on, Jesus take the wheel." Most of us can relate to that song, because so often, we too hang onto things until way too late, and then cry out to God to help us out of the jam. We only want to invite God in when we’ve made a total mess of things, and then hope that He’ll be gracious and help us out. The good news is that God is listening, and is gracious to us. He longs for us to reach out to Him, even in moments of fear and desperation. But wouldn’t it be so much better if we would cry out "Jesus take the wheel" before we started our trip?

Chaplain Bob

21 men were issued summons in Kennebunk, Maine recently. They are accused of paying a fitness instructor for sex. 29 year old Alexis Wright, a Zumba instructor, has been charged with turning her dance studio into a brothel. Wright, the woman involved, secretly videotaped her encounters. It is believed that the list could include some well-known people, which in turn heightened public curiosity. If the charges are proven, it will mean ruined reputations and great embarrassment. But none of us should take on a holier than thou attitude. That’s because “there are none righteous, no not one.” And while our misdeeds may be different and not videotaped, there is One who sees all and knows all. But there is good news – no matter what we have done, there can be forgiveness. That’s because of the truth of the old gospel song, “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see.” Paul put it this way, “By grace are you saved through faith.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell

Images released recently from a newly launched NASA satellite show nighttime auroras, wild fires and even lights from fishing vessels. Meanwhile, NASA’s new Mars rover has returned its first 360-degree color panorama from the surface of the Red Planet. We are very interested in learning more of our world and universe. But curiously, many don’t have the same interest in knowing the God who made it all. The prophet Isaiah invites us to, “Lift up your eyes…see who has created these things… the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth….” Do you personally know God, your Maker? If your answer is “no, but I’d like to“, then I have good news for you. Jesus, God’s Son is the way to God the Father. He said in John’s Gospel, “I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me.” When we know Christ by faith, we know God the Father too. He said “I and My Father are one.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell

The bold headlines read, “Royal Pregnancy – Born to Rule.” It referred of course to the fact that the first child of Prince William and his wife Kate will be born a king or a queen in waiting. And since we recently celebrated Christmas the news reminds us of the greatest royal pregnancy of all time – when Mary gave birth to the Lord Jesus Christ. But though there are similarities, there is a huge difference. The birth of William’s and Kate’s child is the result of natural procreation. The child will have a human nature, like all of us, with all the weaknesses and frailties that go with it. But Mary’s child, born of a virgin, without a human father has both a human and a divine nature. And because He was born of a virgin, the sinless Son of God without a human father, He was the only One who could be the perfect substitute for us on the cross. William’s and Kate’s child will be born to live, but Christ was born to die. ”Christ died for our sins.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell

When asked on a television show what the difference is between kissing your sweetheart and kissing your mother, one witty contestant responded, “About 15 minutes.” Probably most of us have never timed our kisses – one couple, Vincent Torro, 34 and Louise Heath, 26, believe they have achieved the world’s longest kiss. It lasted 96 hours and thirty two minutes. But this was not history’s longest or greatest kiss. In the book of Psalms we are told, “Mercy and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed each other." That kiss took place when Christ died on the cross for the sins of the world. It brought together the truth about our sinfulness and spiritual depravity and the mercy of God. On that historic occasion, Christ took our place, became our substitute, and paid our debt. That was some kiss! No doubt Vincent Torro and Louise Heath felt the effects of their long kiss – the world will forever feel the effects of the kiss of God. Have you allowed it to alter your life?

Pastor Alex Rockwell

It is easier to lie about something when you sit in a dimly lit room, or if you wear dark sunglasses indoors. That’s the findings of three recent experiments carried out and reported in the journal Psychological Science. Researchers explain that apparently low light or wearing dark shades creates a sense of anonymity that makes it easier to lie. Very interesting. Yet another example of the truthfulness of the Bible, where we read, “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. “ And then it gets even more straightforward when John is inspired to write, “For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.” No doubt Will Rogers, the American cowboy, humorist and social commentator of the 1920’s and 30’s, spoke for man when he said, “It’s not the parts of the Bible that I don’t understand that bother me, it’s the parts that I do understand.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell

“I forgive this murderer because of my faith in God and in Jesus Christ.” Those were the words of Las Vegas boxing coach Arturo Martinez as he stood with his two young sons beside him and made that incredibly emotional statement to reporters. Nearly three months earlier, he’d been nearly bludgeoned to death in a home invasion, during which his wife and daughter were killed. His words were powerful and remarkable. They remind one of the words of the Lord Jesus. From the cross He cried out, “Father forgive them…” And He was not speaking of just one person who had wronged Him, but of every person ever born into this world. John, speaking of Christ’s death, said it was “not for our sin only, but for the whole world.” Paul the Apostle added, “…God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” While clearly all will not accept Christ as Savior, surely His forgiveness is available to everyone who will receive it. That’s an offer I couldn’t refuse. Can you?

Pastor Alex Rockwell

In 1958, Bill Teitleff stole two hydrangea plants from Centennial Park in Nashville Tennessee. But every time he walked through the park, he felt guilty. It bothered him so much that recently, after more than 50 years, he returned the plants from the root system of the flowers. Someone may say “what a trivial thing to be concerned about.” But is it? The book of Proverbs reminds us that ”The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD, searching all the inner depths of the heart.” In other words, that disturbing still small voice within that speaks to us when we have done wrong, the conscience, is often the Lord talking to us and steering us away from wrong-doing. While our conscience is not a true guide, unless it has been conditioned by the truth of God’s Word it is a gift from God. It produces healthy guilt within, it reveals our need of a Savior who came to free us from the power of evil and guilt . The good news is – though “the wages of sin is death, the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell