"Snow Day"
Dear Friends and Family,
For those of you who made it through the winter, I’d just like to say you made it through. I can’t remember when we ever had a winter like this past winter. It was a little like the winters we had when I was a child. Back then we had snow that covered the ground all winter long, but only a couple below zero days. If we didn’t set a record for the most below zero days, we weren’t to far off. We were fortunate that we were snowed in only a couple of Sundays.
The first Sunday that we were snowed in we turned on the web broadcast of Lily of the Valley Church in Covert, MI. It was very good, but we missed being able to be there and enter in with them in praise & worship, and fellowshipping with everyone. The second Sunday the snow plows came around 1:00pm, which was too late to attend morning church service. There aren’t very many churches that have church services on Sunday nights anymore. But Lena and I didn’t want another Sunday to go by that we weren’t able to attend church somewhere. We felt led to go to Unity Temple C.O.G.I.C. for their night service, we knew that they also have a good praise and worship service, and Pastor Nichols delivers a good word.
We’re always well received at Unity Temple and we feel right at home while we’re there. Pastor Nichols had me sit on the platform with him. After the praise and worship service, Pastor Nichols went to the pulpit and addressed the congregation. He started to give what I thought was going to be his message for the night, but instead he read a couple scriptures and then told his congregation that if God sent us there, we must have a word for them.
The Lord gave me a word on, “Don’t hold back from God”. Some people figure that if they miss church, their money ahead because of not giving their tithes and offerings. That’s like saying, if I don’t use my telephone this month, I don’t have to pay my Telephone bill this month. But in Malachi 8:3 it says; "Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, 'In what way have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings”.
Some Christians often wonder why God doesn’t use them so much in ministry. You might want to look at it this way. If we hold back from God, how can we expect God not to hold back from us. Also how can we ask God to bless our finances when we don’t give Him any to bless?
The Bible also tells us in Hebrews 10:24-25 saying; “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and much the more as you see the Day approaching. We need one another for support in the times of trouble and heart aches. Someone who will stand beside you and give you comfort. Someone who will be a friend when you need a friend.
After the message Lena and I were able to pray for several people.
Sunday church services are the hi-light of our week. I really don’t understand why anyone would want to miss them. It seems as if once you’re in church, all your cares and woes just disappear. You’re able to disconnect from the world around you and focus on the world above. There’s nothing like having a heavenly encounter with the Holy Spirit, and being able to have other believers stand by your side in the time of trouble. Its says in Psalms 27:5 “For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.”
Last month Lena and I went to Florida for two weeks. During that time we were able to visit with my sister Maxine and her husband Ron who live in Port St. Johns and with my other sister Sherry and her husband Bill who live on Merritt Island, and their daughter Julie. Both of my sisters live on the Atlantic Ocean side of Florida. I hadn’t seen them in six years. On Lena’s side of the family we visited with her sister Trudy who lives in Clermont, that’s next to Orlando in the center of the state. We then went to the Gulf of Mexico side of Florida to see her brother Herb and his wife Janet who live in North Port, and also their daughters Melody and family, and Melinda and family.
We were gone for two weeks, but we were able to attend church four times. Lena’s brother Herb attends Fisherman’s Net Church on Venice Island. Pastor James Maclnnees asked us to pray for people following the service. People were set free form mental torment, and sickness and several were healed.
While we were visiting Lena’s sister Trudy in Clermont, we were able to go with her to Family Christian Center. The church is under the direction of Pastor Rick VanWagner. He preaches Saturday nights, and two services Sunday mornings. Then on Monday he has Campus Night which is Bible study and then he picks people out and prophesies to them. Pastor Rick’s prophesies are very accurate and precise. He doesn’t prophecy in generalities. He picked Lena and I out of the audience and began describing our ministry exactly. He told us that we were on a faith journey and we go where God directs us to go, and not knowing what will be at the other end, but God always shows up. Now that got our attention, to listen to what he had to say. We noticed that he sat on a tall chair next to a table. After the service we had a chance to talk to him and to pray for his back and vertigo. Lena’s sister called us the following Sunday and told us he was no longer using the chair, and was standing all through the service. Praise the Lord!
Now if we had not made a point to go to church while on vacation, we would have missed out on all the blessings God had in store for us. It’s called “THE BLESSING OF BEING THERE”. I want to encourage you to make a point to go to church whenever possible, so you don’t miss your Devine appointment with the Lord.
We wish you good health and financial blessings that God has in store for you.
Evangelists
Dick and Lena McNees