It seems worth mentioning that life is often about meeting challenges.  The nature of the challenge changes as maturity sets in. And the level of difficulty rises as our capabilities grow. But one of the realities of life is that from the cradle to the grave we must face and surmount whatever obstacle circumstances set before us. The infant struggles to learn communication and crawling.  The toddler works on potty training and walking. 

At some point the transition is made from the crib to the big-kid bed. Soon baby food gives way to small portions of table foods. And with the passage of time a teenager who used to be that small child walks in needing the keys to the car as the parents wonder; "Who are you and what did you do with my baby"?

God is such a wonderful Father. He wisely does not shield His children from the challenges of life just as the wise parent does not carry the developing child from room to room protecting them from all potential dangers. It's painful to watch as the little one attempting to crawl falls on his face. But when the tears are dried the loving parent once again allows the child to face and perhaps this time to conquer the challenge.

One can never know exactly what life may dish up this time. But if things go as they have in the past we are certain our tomorrows will be interesting and definitely challenging. And should we fall, Father will be there to pick us up, right what is wrong and let us try again.

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9 KJV

Growing in the Grace of God,

Pastor Richard Orrell

1 Thessalonians 1:2  (NLT)

“We always thank God for all of you and pray for you constantly.”

This Sunday you’re honoring Pastor Orrell and Linda and Pastor Phil and Twila on Pastor Appreciation Day at Battlefield Assembly.

Well, your Pastoral Staff goes on record today to say WE thank God for YOU, and you are in our prayers daily. We love you all.

We are blessed to serve as your Pastors.

As we gather this Sunday let it be a day not only to say ‘thanks’ to the Pastoral leadership, but let’s make sure we say thanks to God for His eternal blessings on us all.

“God is good, all the time, He’s good all the time.”

Thanks for honoring us this Sunday.  We are proud to serve as your Pastors!

Love ya,

Pastor Orrell & Pastor Phil

I'm not much of an archer these days. Old shoulder injuries make it a bit tough to pull even the new compound bows. But it's a sport I admire from a distance.

Perhaps events from childhood also factor into my being a spectator rather than a participant. You see; around the age of eight or nine I was given a starter kit designed to whet my appetite for the sport. Included was a small bow, several targets and six arrows in a fancy faux leather quiver. It took less than half a day for me to exhaust my store of arrows. One shattered as it made a direct hit on a very unforgiving ancient grapefruit tree. Two of my shiny new arrows went through the paper target and buried out of sight in the tall grass at the edge of the yard never to be seen again.

With childish lack of forethought I entered into a contest with a visiting cousin about my age to see who could shoot an arrow the longest distance. You're miles ahead of me, I'm sure, wondering what made me think we would ever find any of the arrows shot so far into the neighboring pine forest.

I confess, I was completely amazed at how far my little 25 lb. bow could send one of those expensive arrows! Oh, it was beautiful watching them soar over the trees and out of sight. And the lesson learned about thinking ahead was truly priceless. But sad reality dictated one cannot be much of an archer without arrows.

Hopefully we can all benefit from my expensive lesson. It's really important to consider the consequences of our actions BEFORE we release the arrow.

Be blessed today with maturity and wisdom!

Pastor Richard Orrell

Psalm 122: (NLT)

 “I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”

Seems like these days most everyone is   wearied by the cares of this world.

Friends—the Psalmist David penned these words to encourage us to be in the House of the Lord when the doors are open.

In HIS sanctuary is where we’ll find rest,   encouragement, and the spark of life we need from God to be overcomers this week.

Being absent from His house robs us of blessings and uplifiting worship and ministry from the  Word.  God is our Source!

We have Worship twice on Sunday and also Wednesday evening.   Plan now to attend all 3 services.   Your spiritual batteries and all that are around you will be glad you did. 

Love ya, Pastor Phil      

Thank Him for His blessings

Jude 1:24 (NLT)

“Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. “

This week, God willing, I will celebrate 69 years of God’s faithfulness to me.

I testify to the truth of today’s scripture.   HE is able to keep us and He has kept me safe and blessed, enjoying His plan for my life.

I’ve spent time this week reliving God’s many blessings.   Why don’t you join me in celebrating HIS goodness as He guides our lives.

I thank Him for:

· Salvation

· My Family

· Our Church

· Blessings too numerous to mention!

Let’s commit our future to Him!

Love ya, Pastor Phil      

In 2 Kings, chapters 22 & 23, the Bible records a time in the Kingdom of Judah when everyone was doing just as he pleased with no regard for what was right or wrong. But there was a young king on the throne who had it in his heart to please God rather than his own appetites. Josiah had been just 8 years of age when he had been thrust into leadership. But somehow, the young king felt differently about righteousness than most of his subjects. Scripture says, "He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord". 

In the 18th year of Josiah's reign over Judah, Hilkiah the high priest found the Book of the Law and gave it to Shaphan the secretary who read it to King Josiah. You see, the loss of the Law had led to the time of lawlessness in which Judah and Israel were now embroiled. The rediscovery of God's parameters for worship and behavior and the positive response of the Leadership temporarily forestalled the judgement looming over the Kingdom of Judah. Chapter 23 records a Spiritual housecleaning overseen by the King himself. Anything he found that smacked of the pervasive ungodliness of the past was removed. His administration purged the polluted forms of worship that had become commonplace and widely accepted. He had found out God's requirements and did his best to enforce them. Sadly, it was too late because the hearts of the people were not really in it.

We live in a time that bears some similarities to the end of Judah's freedom: There are no absolutes. Few seem willing to follow the parameters God has given us in His Word. The 10 Commandments have been scrapped as irrelevant, with some even labeling them hateful. The Old Testament is mocked and ridiculed as a collection of myths. The New Testament is rejected as non-applicable in this enlightened age in which we now live.

The days of miracles are over in the minds of many.

But there is still a hunger for God. And amazingly, that hunger is often in the hearts of the young. Oh yes; they are truly sick up to here with the plastic forms of organized religion. They have watched too many times as their role models have played a part in public that proved to be false in the crucible of everyday life. But they have a certainty in their hearts that the God of the Bible is real. They aren't much interested in knowing more about religion. They want to know HIM.

As this next generation hungers for HIM, they will find Him. "Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled!"

Let's join those seeking Jesus!

Lovingly,

Pastor Rich Orrell

Acts 1:11  (NLT)

¹¹ “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”

Listening to the latest news cycles can cause one to become disillusioned and discouraged.

Friends, don’t let the events of these days cause you to be concerned.   God is NOT surprised by the daily crisis de jour!

His Word assures us that  HE IS COMING BACK, just as He promised.

I encourage you to make it your goal to draw closer to Him with each passing day, with your eye being set on The Goal.

Rejoice in your Salvation and let not your heart be troubled!

HE IS COMING AGAIN !

Love ya, Pastor Phil      

The founding of a nation is a profoundly significant moment in history. And the founding of the United States of America ranks second only to the birth of Israel. As a nation, Israel issued from the heart of God. America began in the hearts of  national heroes who loved the Creator God and sought a place where they could worship Him in freedom and liberty.

Who's to say that God didn't impregnate the minds of our founding Fathers with their insatiable desire for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? Who could assert He was not the author of the thoughts they put to pen as they crafted the documents creating the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave?  The unfolding of our national character has often underscored the truth that God is indeed blessing America. 

Come on and sing it again:

"God bless America.  Land that I love. 

Stand beside her and guide her

Through the night with the Light from above.

From the mountains, to the prairies,

To the oceans white with foam;

God bless America, my home sweet home!

God bless America, my home sweet home!"

      -Irving Berlin

"If My people..."

With love for our Land and reverence for God who founded us as a nation,

Pastor Richard Orrell

Our God is Awesome

Psalm 66:3 (NLT)

³ “Say to God, How awesome are your deeds! Our enemies cringe before your mighty power.”

Sometimes Christians live a ‘Roller-Coaster” Life.    On Sunday they’re on the top of the world—but by Monday they’re depressed and see no hope for the future.   How disappointed  God must be in their lack of trust in Him.

We serve an awesome God, every day, every hour. He is faithful and able to meet our needs, every day.    His faithful provision is not dependent upon how we feel.    He is in control, and we MUST trust him, always.

So friends, get off of the Spiritual Roller Coaster!  Trust in God and don’t rely on  fickle feelings.   Feelings will fail you, every time. Rest in the assurance that our God is awesome and HE loves you, all the time.

God will provide everything you need, in His time.

Love ya,  Pastor Phil      

Oh, the patience it must have taken for Dad to sit quietly behind the oars as he taught me to fish! For hours he rowed the rented boat close to the St Johns river bank as I made cast after cast trying to hook a lunker lurking under the lily pads.  Time after time my poorly cast lure landed in a tree or in the middle of a patch of water plants. Yet again he was forced to pull the boat close enough to disentangle my lure and likely scare away any potential victim of my budding skills.  The lessons learned in the bow of those rented row boats were many and varied.

It was when I forgot to bring the water jug from home that I learned others may be depending on you for something really important.  Dad had finished  the last of the coffee from his battered old green thermos and asked for a drink of water. I reached under the seat and came up with nothing. With a sinking feeling I remembered Dad asking me to be sure and get the water jug from the counter on the way out the door. We were forced to drink river water that day. Not too bad if you're thirsty enough. But I never forgot the water again.

Another day, nothing was biting on the big flashy bass lures we were casting. We had tried everything we had but they were just not interested. I learned the importance of being willing to go back to the basics when Dad suggested we stop at a small island and dig some worms.  We had an old coffee can into which we put a hundred or so big fat wiggly worms. Dad unrolled the long cane poles he always brought along and baited up with the worms we had dug. Soon we had a live well full of beautiful panfish. Simply by changing our methods we turned a day of frustration into a day of success.

But the best lesson of all was the patience I saw role modeled before me every time we pulled up to Highland Park Fish Camp. Dad would clamp his 10 horse Mercury outboard onto the transom of one of their moss encrusted wooden rowboats. In those days before trolling motors, if you wanted to fish slowly, you had to row.  Knowing the oarsman didn't get to fish much, Dad always volunteered to row leaving me free to fish. It was those countless tangles and mess ups Dad always solved that taught me the lessons of kindness and patience that stand me in good stead even today.

Thanks Dad for your excellent example. May I ever follow in your giant tracks.

Happy Father's Day gentlemen!

Pastor Rich Orrell

Rich Orrell