Encouraged Through History

Greetings Wakulla citizens! Thank you again for your time in allowing us to encourage you to draw closer to God, our Father, Savior and Comforter! Encouragement Through History is exactly what causes our faith to grow, reading aloud His Word (many times), then in turn, we act on that very faith and BAM!!! We now have our own historical event to encourage someone else to do the very same thing! Read aloud His history book to cause their faith to start growing, then in turn, they will act on it and BAM!! Growth to encourage those in their circle of people! James 2:26 “For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.” Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” There is ONE action you and I did without “works”. In Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9) not as a result of works, that no one should boast.”

It is in history we are able to discover what people have done, it is in these discoveries an inner courage is able to be cultivated to cause a person to step out and create something that is able to become historical. This is where the Holy Scriptures come in. The Holy Scriptures are full of the past, present and our future.

I am sure everyone has heard the phrase “you learn from your mistakes.” This means that a person did something, this is from their past, and it didn’t turn out well for them, they now know not to do it that way again, in their future. I like to say that I am in God’s Training Program! I know I am not above making a few mistakes…everyday!! I am very grateful for His gracious forgiveness!! In 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Our sinful nature that we are born in is a constant reminder that we always are in need of Jesus!!

Let’s grow our faith shall we? Yes!! First thing notice that nowhere throughout Scripture does He, God, speak of “denominations”! Let’s look at what the world’s definition of denomination is. There are 3 examples, they are from the American Heritage Dictionary, 1) A large group of religious congregations united under a common faith and name, usually organized under a single administrative and legal hierarchy. 2) One of a series of kinds, values, or sizes, as in a system of currency or weights. 3) A name or designation, especially for a class or group. I do not see God anywhere in those definitions. Notice in #1 where it has the word “religious”, many people would say there you go, that is God. In my “old” days I would've agreed with you. Look up “religious” and you will find that the word references “God “or” a “deity”! The world has many false gods inside their religions. Then notice where in #1 it states that they are under a “common faith”. We all know that today 7/23/25, put a Charismatic, Pentecostal, Methodist, Catholic and the rest of them in a room together and BOOM!! Or a backstabbing boom!! Notice the lower case letters…intentional. I am setting the stage for the Truth.

Go to Google and ask what Scripture says about denominations. This is the answer I found, 1 Corinthians 1:10-13 “Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree, and there be no divisions among you, but you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgement. 11) For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you. 12) Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.” 13) Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?” Now in Ephesians 4:4-6 “There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; 5) one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6) one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.” The ONLY division in Scripture is the Light from the darkness, that’s it!!

Now faith growing nourishment!! The Cross is the foundation, the Gospel, His Death, His Burial and His Resurrection!! In Mark 16:15-18 “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16) “He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. 17) “And these signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; 18) they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it shall not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” In Luke 10:2-3 says we are His laborers, “And He was saying to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. 3) “Go your ways; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.” Then in Luke 10:18-20 “And He said to them, “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning. 19) “Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall injure you. 20) “Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.” Then in Acts 1:7-8 “He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; 8) but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” Romans 15:4 “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” Now in 2 Timothy Paul speaks that ALL Scripture is God inspired, :16-17 “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17) that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”

This is ALL His Word, for everyone of us! He is the same God that said “light be and light was”! He is the same God that split the Red Sea and the Jordan! Today!! His will is that we, today, live on earth as we would be doing in Heaven! With forgiveness in our hearts for those that have wronged us! He will become very real in your lives IF you will spend time in His Word, faith comes by hearing, when you read Scripture speak His Word out loud so your ears will hear you! His Word CAN NOT LIE! If your doing something wrong, His Word will let you know! His Word is our mirror! A lot of exclamation points I know…this is serious stuff, heaven or hell my friends! Either the Bible will keep you from sin OR sin will keep you from the Bible!

If you are not Born Again and want to be, confess this out loud “ Dear Jesus, I am a sinner I know. Your Word says that I can call upon Your name and be saved, Romans 10:13 says for “EVERYONE WHO CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.” I call on Your name now today to be saved Jesus! Take my life today and use it for Your purposes, for Your Kingdom! I confess today that by grace I am saved through faith knowing that You went to the Cross and willingly gave Your Life for my life, paid the debt I can not pay and by Your blood shed, Your death, burial and Resurrection on the 3rd day I am now saved, this is a gift from God I know! Thank You Jesus!!!

To complete your Salvation you must be water baptized, this is your burial of your dead self and your new life with power, the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38 “And Peter said to them, “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” 1 Peter 3:21-22 “ And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you, not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22) who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.” Matthew 28:19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20) teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the ages.”