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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Hello Everyone! Praise the Lord! We give glory and honor to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who has always kept us through our trials and tribulations. Even though we may be in a storm, we do not have to choose to be a part of the storm! Right in the midst of the pandemic, God can keep us if you solely trust in Him and follow His instructions. The Word of God is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path which will guide you right through the circumstances. And, of course, we know that the prayers of the righteous availeth much. So let us lean not to our own understanding, but in all our ways acknowledge God and He will direct our paths. A good man’s steps are ordered by the Lord! Lord our prayer is that you keep us, lead and guide us as well as protect us through this uncertainty.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>God bless,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Dr. Joyce Taylor, VP, MSCC<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Communities of Faith Committee Member<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Please be encouraged by the message below written by my Greek Professor<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1D2129'>GOD HAS ALWAYS KEPT HIS PEOPLE "THROUGH" TRIBULATION<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1D2129'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1D2129'>"The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 1:9.)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1D2129'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1D2129'>God is unchangeable. There are many Scriptures that support that assertion. One is James 1:17 which reads "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." Malachi 3:6 quotes God. "For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." Hebrews 13:8 also informs us of the invariableness of God. "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever." <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1D2129'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1D2129'>When the Scriptures speak of the invariability or unchangeableness of God, they refer to His nature. Unlike man, God has no need to resort to "plan B" because of some unforeseen event or action. No course of action of any human being or angel is able to take God by surprise. There is no calamity or weather event for which God must make allowances for or anticipate. But, while God is immutable, He can and frequently varies His method or way of doing things. For instance, salvation has always been through faith. Of Abraham, Genesis 15:6 says "And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness." He and the Old Testament patriarchs did not have to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for salvation as do we today (Acts 2:38.) However, beginning on the day of Pentecost, although salvation was yet by faith as in Old Testament times (Read Ephesians 2:8,) God instituted water baptism in the name of Jesus Christ as requisite to being born into the body of Christ (the Church.)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1D2129'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1D2129'>As salvation has always been through faith, God has always kept His people THROUGH tribulation and persecution rather than physically removing them from the scene. Let us now traverse Bible history to prove this. The very first trial to affect the people of God was the global flood of Noah's day. As it turns out, only eight souls were saved (Noah and wife and his three sons and their wives.) "And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly" (2 Peter 2:5.) God could have removed Noah and his family to heaven for safety, but He didn't. Instead, He saved them THROUGH the watery destruction. 1 Peter 3:20 reads "Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water." <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1D2129'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1D2129'>Let us now look at Lot and his family and how God spared them from the fiery destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Angels warned Lot of the impending disaster. "And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place: For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it" (Genesis 19:12-13.) The angels led the family to a mountain outside of the city limits (Genesis 19:15-17.) God saved Daniel THROUGH his lions' den ordeal. He was placed IN the den of lions and God miraculously protected him WITHOUT physically removing him (Daniel 6:16-22.) We are all familiar with the historic account of the fiery trial (pun intended) of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Daniel 3:11-27.) God preserved their lives not only from the flames and heat but even prevented the smell of fire from permeating their clothing WHILE IN THE FURNACE!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1D2129'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1D2129'>As we have shown from Bible history, God has ALWAYS protected His people from harm and death THROUGH the storm rather than removing them from it. God's choice to keep His people while in the midst of their trial or persecution is a much greater testimony to and reflection of His miraculous keeping power than simply removing them to a place of safety. Here is a promise from Jesus. "I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil" (John 17:15.) He promises to preserve His disciples from the evil WITHOUT removing them from the earth (world.) But, does this apply to believers today? Yes, it does! Verse 20 reads "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word." <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1D2129'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1D2129'>By Elder Joseph Barrett<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>