Dear Beachside Family and Friends, 

I developed my driving skills as a teenager living in Atlanta, GA. I remember well that the major highways and residential streets were all fully occupied by thousands of vehicles whose drivers were in a hurry, but going nowhere fast. I had to drive to school and work five days a week, leaving early in the morning and returning late in the afternoon. At that time there were two southbound lanes and two northbound lanes of I-85 through downtown, and during  the morning and afternoon rush, traffic moved more slowly than a new bottle of ketchup. 

When I returned to Atlanta in 1998 for a brief sojourn, I discovered that I-85 ha expanded to six southbound and six northbound lanes. I was pleased to find this expansion in place, until the first day I once again experienced rush hour. Instead of thousands of cars doing the slow dash to downtown, there were now TENS of thousands of vehicles choking the roadway. I knew then that the more things change, the more they remain the same. 

Coping with traffic as a teenager is a challenge. With years of motor vehicle experience under one's belt (or steering wheel) it should be less so. The unfortunate truth is that most drivers are no better at handling the frustrations of heavy traffic as adults than they were as teenagers. Some become so angry that they give in to road rage, violently venting their displeasure by attacking other drivers. When this occurs, it is clear that the offenders are missing a quality in their lives that would enable them to sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride, or the enforced parking practice. That quality is PATIENCE. 

Members of our society are not happily disposed to wait. We want to get everywhere as fast as possible, and when we arrive, we do not want to wait very long for the goods or services we traveled to acquire. The lack of patience in our population is evidenced by many who just cannot wait for anything. They cannot stand in line without constantly grumbling and complaining, and will push others out of the way if they think they can obtain their objective more quickly. Conflict then ensues, with the lives of the innocent disrupted and often damaged. We need the return of PATIENCE. 

Patience used to be taught by example through the lives of caring parents and school teachers. Some children and students listened, and some did not. The battle for patience is won or lost in the mind. Where our thoughts lead, words and actions will follow. No one knows this better than our old adversary Satan. He costantly works to fill the human mind with impatient, rude, and destructive thoughts. The devil has no patience whatever. If he did, he would still be called Lucifer and would still be enjoying the presence of God in Heaven. 

Patience is difficult to develop through mental discipline. Trying to think one's way into patience will not work, as most will become impatient about becoming patient. There is a way to develop the necessary quality of patience. It  begins by recognizing that patience is first and foremost a spiritual force, one that can only be exercised in partnership with God. 

Galatians 5:22-23 tells us "But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!" As the power of the Holy Spirit works with our human spirits we can manifest the same patience that God has. How patient is He? He waited through thousands of years of constant rejection by us for just the right time to send His Son to the earth. "But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law.

(Galatians 4:4) God is love, and love personified has this quality: "Love is patient and kind...(1 Corinthians 13:4)

Since God lives in us and is patient, we also have His capacity for patience. When we give our lives to prayer in the Holy Spirit, patience will manifest in our lives, making us complete. "But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. (James 1:4) We cannot be complete in God without patience, and we cannot have patience without God. Let's bring the power of patience back to our lives and set the example for a kinder and more peaceful society. 

The roads in Panama City Beach are waiting for their annual transformation into the highways and byways of Atlanta. Tens of thousands of visiting drivers will put us to the test. We should practice praying for those who flip us off, cut us off, and tell us off. Let's make our lives in God complete. Let patience have its' perfect work in us this Spring!

Pastor Ramon

Dear Beachside Family and Friends,

Billions of dollars are spent each year by those seeking to be entertained. The desire to disengage from life's challenges and escape to a different reality sends seekers in droves to movie theaters, concert halls, sporting events, and theme parks. Looking for experiences that stir the emotions and send adrenaline coursing through their veins, people pay whatever it costs to discover and enjoy the next "thrill".   

For some, the only way to find relief from fear and torment is to immerse themselves in a movie or concert. Still others chase the blues away at a football or basketball game. Many hunt solace at the beach or in a spa, and others try to clear their minds by facing their fears on rollercoasters and other mind-bending rides. What ever the proffered solution, the question is always the same: Where can I find peace?

 I recently spent some time with about 20,000 other folks at a major theme park. Most of those I encountered were caught up in the frenetic pace and were barely enjoying themselves. The "happiest place on earth' had no peace to give, only endless lines of uncomfortable and somewhat disgruntled grandparents, parents, and children. The surroundings were beautiful and serene, but devoid of the ability to deliver peace. No entertainment venue can deliver peace and freedom. This world cannot offer it. It can be found only in a relationship with God. 

Jesus said “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. (John 14:27) What the world cannot give, Jesus provides in abundance as a free GIFT. Trusting Him with our lives enables us to experience the gift of a life  filled with peace, joy, and rest. As Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.(Matthew 11:28) 

Peace can only be found in a relationship with Jesus. No form of entertainment can do what He does, giving every believer peace and rest. When we come to Him and fully surrender our lives to His will, the result is PEACE AND REST! WIll you find rest for your soul? Give your life to Jesus today!

Pastor Ramon

Dear Beachside Family and Friends;

There are times in life when we encounter problems that seem to have no solution. We spend hours thinking and praying, trying to figure things out. After all this effort, we may find ourselves in the same place we started from, dealing with the same challenges. In times like these, we need God and His Word more than ever!

Jehoshaphat, King of Judah was a righteous man. The Bible records that he served God with all his heart, like his ancestor David. He was prosperous in every way, and God blessed the nation of Judah because of his obedience. His success in God attracted the attention of a number of neighboring nations, who allied themselves together to attack and destroy Judah. The enemies' armies were far greater in number and power than the army of Judah, and they faced an impossible situation. In the midst of this very serious problem, they made a very important decision. Jehoshaphat, whose name means "God is my Judge", made this statement to God and the nation: "O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.” (2 Chr 20:12

Instead of trying to figure everything out on their own, the nation of Judah took their eyes off the problem, and turned their eyes upon God. They stopped focusing on the challenge, and focused on God and His Word. When they did so, God granted them incredible deliverance from their enemies. They didn't even have to fight. God fought for them, and all they had to do was pick up the riches their enemies left when they destroyed each other. (2 Chr 20:24-25)

The solution for any problem can always be found in God. We need to avoid the temptation to become so focused on solving our problems that we become controlled by them. Like the nation of Judah, we must focus on God and His Word. He is bigger than any problem! When our eyes are on Him, we receive the information necessary to be victorious in any situation. 

We will gather together Sunday at 9:30 AM for prayer and 10:00 AM for worship. If you are encountering challenges in life, problems that are larger than yourself, JESUS IS THE ANSWER! Join us and discover how focusing on a BIG GOD makes even the largest problems become small and powerless. As evangelist R.W. Shambach once said "You don't have any problems-all you need is faith in God!

Pastor Ramon