" Ministry at Reed Temple "
Dear Friends and Family,
This is truly the year of new beginnings. We are noticing that people are more willing and receptive to hear about Jesus. People are seeking for something more than just religion. We are able to witness and minister to more people than ever before. We’re finding that people who just attend church are not being satisfied, and are wanting more from God. We’ve had people from several different denominations call us on the phone and ask if they can come over for prayer. It’s as if they have developed a great hunger in their hearts that isn’t being filled, and God is directing them to us. People are looking for answers and we are showing them “The Answer” which is Jesus. God is touching people of all ages, young and old alike, and of all ethnic backgrounds. There is no greater joy than to have the Holy Spirit fill your home with the glory of God, and everyone that is there is caught up in worship and praise unto our God. Most often we find them not wanting to leave, they just want to linger and bask in His presence.
The Elder-Beerman Store has a “Community Day Sale” twice a year. They give an opportunity for nonprofit organizations to raise money to be used for their organization. They asked us if we would like to participate by selling coupon books, so we did. While selling booklets we met two ministers from Reed Temple Church of God in Christ. We shared a few testimonies of what God has been doing in our own community. They were real excited to hear about the mighty move of God. They asked us if we would visit their church. About three weeks went by and the Lord impressed on me that we should go visit them on that Sunday morning, so we did.
When we arrived, we were greeted by some of the most loving people we’ve ever met. They didn’t know us, but you would have thought they knew us. Pastor Philemon and First Lady Willie Mae Reed also greeted us before the service. All of the people made us feel special and right at home.
At the end of the service, Pastor Reed gave a call for people to be saved and for them to come forward. After that he invited those that were in need of prayer. Pastor Reed and others came to minister to those that needed prayer. He then invited Lena and I to come and minister along side of them.
After everyone was prayed for, Pastor Reed called an elderly gentleman to come forward, and presented him with an envelope. He explained that the gentleman had been in the hospital and the church would like to bless him financially. When Pastor Reed started to close the service, the Lord impressed on me to put some money in the gentleman’s sweater pocket. Pastor Reed tried to close again, but another person came from the back of the church and put some money in the gentleman’s pocket. This set off a chain reaction. Men, women, and children from all over the church also started bringing money to the man. What an exciting way to end a service. We were truly blessed by seeing the love and compassion of the people.
The next week Pastor Reed called us and invited us to minister on the third Sunday of the following month. I told him we would be happy to come and minister at his church.
The Lord impressed on me to make up some brochures and flyers advertising a Miracle and Healing Service. I mailed them to the church three weeks in advance of the service.
The day of the service the weather had turned for the worst. It was 10 degrees outside, with a wind chill factor of 2 degrees below zero. The roads were very icy. The traffic on I-94 had slowed down to around 35 to 40 miles an hour, and even then we could feel our car occasionally sliding on the ice. We were not sure how many people would come out in this kind of weather. Boy, were we surprised when we arrived at the church, it was full. One lady told us that on the way to church, her car slid off of I-94, but she wasn’t going to let that stop her from coming to church, and receive her miracle.
You could feel the excitement and the presence of the Holy Spirit as the people glorified the Lord, with songs and praises that reached up to the very throne room of God. As the worship leader exhorted the people, they were singing songs of healing and miracles. We didn’t see anyone not singing. Even the organ, drums, and conga drums were praising the Lord. They had really created an atmosphere for healings and miracles, and God didn’t disappoint them.
I had prepared three pages of notes, but as soon as Lena and I stepped up onto the platform, the Holy Spirit fell upon us, and my notes went out the window. Lena introduced us and gave her testimony and told of the miracles God was doing right there in Benton Harbor and the surrounding areas.
I found it very easy ministering there. The Lord was giving me the words to say to the people. The words they needed to hear, at the time they needed to hear them.
After the message, I gave an alter call for people who wanted to be saved. I then gave a call for people that wanted to rededicate their lives to the Lord. People came forward to be saved along with those who wanted to get things right with the Lord. I asked some of the ministers to pray with those who came forward. I then gave an invitation for those who needed to be healed.
I asked the people to form two lines, one for the women that Lena prayed for, and another line for the men that I prayed for. There were so many more women than men that when I was finished with the men, I helped Lena pray for the rest of the women. Many people received their miracle that day, healing and deliverance flowed, and people were getting set free.
After we were finished praying for everyone, I gave a third invitation to those who didn’t respond to the first two invitations. There were about eight more that responded and came forward.
There were about five people who received Jesus, and another 20 people rededicated their lives, and made things right with the Lord.
You too can receive your miracle right where you are, but the greatest miracle you can receive is Jesus as your Savior.
Jesus is waiting. You can ask Him to come into your heart and forgive you of all your sins. You can also ask Him for your miracle. Or maybe you are like many of those that I mentioned in this letter, you just need to get things right in your life. Either way, Jesus is your answer.