"Facing Death"
Dear Friends and Family,
It’s been quit awhile since our last news letter. We hope all of you are doing well.
Our ministry has come under attack in a big way this year due to Covid-19. I’ve had several health issues and have been recuperating for the last eight months. When you’re in ministry, you open yourselves up to contracting all kinds of afflictions. The devil has been trying to stop our ministry, but he isn’t going to win. No matter what afflictions he puts on us, he can’t stop us. With God on our side there is no demon in hell that can stop the word of God going forward, spreading the good news that Jesus is the Healer and is Lord, and through Him there is nothing that is impossible that He can’t do. Just stand strong and have faith, and God will see you through. No “ifs”, “ands”, or “buts” about it, we serve an awesome God who cares for His people. When everything is looking down and you don’t know where to turn, just turn your head around and look up. You will find God ready to lift you out of all your problems. He will take you by the hand and lead you through the storms of life. That’s just the kind of God we serve.
Have you every wondered what you would do if death knocks at your door and it looked like there was no hope! And the doctors weren’t expecting you to live. Well that was where I found myself, just barely able to breath. If I would get out of the bed and stand, I would have to lay back down for fifteen minutes or more. I would be gasping for air even though I was on 100% oxygen. Death was truly knocking at my door. So what do you do in a time like this? I found myself having a little talk with God. I told Him it was ok if I died. I told Him that over and over again. Then I told Him, “but Lena needs me”. I found myself not thinking of myself, but instead thinking of my wife. I was facing death but wasn’t afraid of dying.
I’ve had several setbacks this year, rushed to the hospital three times by ambulance, starting in January with Covid-19 pneumonia, two bleeding stomach ulcers, blood pressure drop, hemorrhoid surgery on two different occasions, and also angioplasty surgery for heart arteries being blocked on two occasions. I was near death five times, but God’s Grace is sufficient and there is no holding us back. The only way for us to go is to go forward and not look at what we can’t do, but to look at all the things we can do. God is seeing me through and is opening up doors for ministry.
Most all of the churches were closed due to Covid-19. There has only been a couple churches open for us to minister at. We are still having people come to our home for prayer and we’ve been able to go to other peoples home and pray for them as well.
God has been sending us out into the high-ways and by-ways to where the people are. You could almost call it street ministry. When I look at the scriptures and see where Jesus sent his disciples out in Matthew 10:1 And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. Matthew 10:7 And as you go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matthew 10:8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. I feel that is where God has us at this time and season. But then that is where God has had us all along. Ninety percent of the time when we minister at a church, God tells us which church He wanted us to go to without even being invited by the church. Sometimes I find myself wondering why God sent us to a certain church. But it never fails most of the time the pastors will ask us to minister in word and in healing.
I remember one time God told us to go to Detroit and pray for a pastor. We didn’t question God, we just went. But half way there the thought came to me “what if the pastor doesn’t get healed?” Then the Lord spoke to me and said, “Would I send you somewhere that I Myself wasn’t going to go?” If God sends you He will be there also. God healed him completely.
Let me mention this. If you pray for someone and they don’t get healed, don’t worry about it, you’re not the one that is doing the healing anyway, God is. You’re only supposed to pray and God will do the healing.
Now when Jesus told His disciples Freely you have received, freely give, He means just that. He didn’t expect them to charge for something He has given them for free. When we minister we don’t charge anything, but if the church wants to bless our ministry with an offering that is alright. Some of the churches we minister at can’t afford to have an Evangelist come to their church. They’re mostly smaller churches. God does reward us for our faithfulness. I just can’t explain the joy that comes over us when God uses us as He heals someone and when someone accepts Jesus as their Savior. That is something that money can’t buy.
We have been ministering in restaurants in our Stevensville Michigan area, but mostly in Mishawaka Indiana. We have prayed for as many as seven people during one visit at an Indiana restaurant. During one visit at a restaurant in St. Joseph Michigan we prayed for as many as four people all with back problems and God healed them all. We’ve prayed for several people at our local grocery stores as well. Where ever we go we find people to pray for. God just sets up Devine appointments by putting people in our pathway for us to pray for. The churches may be closed, but the restaurants and stores are open. Many people won’t go to church, but they will go shopping and eat out. God has been healing many people in restaurants, stores, and homes of Carpal tunnel, Fibromyalgia, Backs, Knees, Hips, Rotator cuffs, Oppression, Skin Cancer, Breast Cancer, Throat Cancer. God wants to use you as well, and He will if you will obey the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
I want to say a Big Thank You to all of you that have been praying for me, our ministry, and for your financial support. If it wasn’t for the prayers of the Saints I wouldn’t be writing this news letter. God has brought me a long way in the last eight months and He will continue until I’m completely whole again.
My biggest desire is that you know the love that God has for you. That no matter where you find yourself in life that God will always be there for you and you can turn to Him at any time. For He is truly the answer you have been waiting for. If you have never accepted Jesus as your Savior, now is your time. Just reach out and ask Him to forgive you of all your sin and wrong doing, and for Him to come into your heart and life. Jesus loves you and we love you too.
Evangelists
Richard and Lena McNees
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Healing Hands Ministry P.O. Box 254 Stevensville, MI 49127-0254