Dear Beachside Family and Friends,
In an ancient kingdom in the land of Shinar, the precursor of Babylon, the people had a plan. They would build a great monument, a great tower that would reach up into heaven. Their ability and wealth was substantial. They fully expected to fulfill their marvelous vision. Nothing could stop them from accomplishing what their imagination had conceived.
The people's power to achieve their goal was even recognized by God. "But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. (Genesis 11:5-6) God's statement reveals two important principles necessary for any group of people to achieve great things. The first is common purpose, and the second is common language.
If a nation is to achieve great things, there must be agreement among its' citizens and they must speak the same language. They must have common culture and communicate clearly with each other. The United States was founded by those who spoke English and embraced a common culture of Judeo-Christian values. These two factors of common culture and language enabled our nation to accomplish truly great things and become the most powerful, successful, and free country that has ever existed. Many have come to our shores since our founding, accepting our values and language. In recent times, others have come with no desire to embrace our unique American culture or to learn to speak English. If we are to continue to succeed as a nation, our entire population, including those who come from other countries seeking a better life, must embrace American culture and the English language.
The same is true for the church. The kingdom of God is unified and advanced by common culture and common language. God only speaks one language. He speaks it in every human and heavenly tongue, but He speaks just one language. God speaks Bible! If the church is to accomplish the plans and purposes of God, we must also speak His language. If those of us in the Body of Christ desire individually rewarding relationships with our Father, we should speak with Him in our common language. If we want to accomplish His will personally and collectively, we cannot live and speak contrary to His Word. The Bible is His language and should be ours.
Our nation needs a thriving and influential Church. Christians who hold common culture and language with God can restore the United States of America to her place of leadership and prosperity among the nations of the world. Paul encouraged us "But I urge you, believers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in full agreement in what you say, and that there be no divisions or factions among you, but that you be perfectly united in your way of thinking and in your judgment [about matters of the faith.) (1 Cor 1:10)
If we choose to unite around what God says and speak His Word as our first language, nothing will be impossible for us. As Jesus said in Mark 11:23 "23 “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them." Jesus spoke (and is still speaking) God's language. He encourages us to do the same. Common culture and common language are powerful things. God's culture and His language have unlimited power to transform the Church, our Nation, and our lives. Let us say what God says about all things, and watch His Word change poverty to prosperity, sickness to health, and death to life!
Pastor Ramon
