Cast Your Care on the Lord

February Teaching Letter from Denise Renner

Dear Friends,

Merry Christmas and greetings in Jesus’ precious name! Christ came into this world “in the fullness of time” to redeem mankind from sin and to reconcile us to the Heavenly Father (Galatians 4:4,5). And what a great salvation it was and is that God wrought for us in Christ (see Hebrews 2:3-18)! Denise and I and our family wish you a warm and wonderful Christmas season and the best new year of your life in 2022.

Today I want to talk to you about opportunities and adversaries, but first I want to say thank you for being such a faithful partner with our ministry. As I told you in my letter last month, our ministry is bursting at the seams, and I am so humbled that God would use Denise and me, our family, and our team to minister to the many people who are reaching out to us every day.

Every soul is precious, and it is our heartfelt desire to convey that truth to every person God brings to us — that they are precious to Him and to us. And your gifts are so vital to our ability to touch every one of these treasured souls! So today I want to say a special thank you for all you do with us to take the trusted teaching of the Word of God to people in Russia and all over the world. From the depths of our hearts, Denise and I THANK YOU!

This month is the last month of the year — and I know you are probably preparing for Christmas and many different kinds of gatherings. But in addition to Christmas, it’s also almost 2022. As we come to the end of this year and to the beginning of a brand-new year, the Holy Spirit keeps telling me to “stay on track” with the assignments He has given us. I hear Him saying that even if we hit bumps along the way, everything will be all right if we’ll just stay on track and maintain our God-assigned territory — the many opportunities and assignments He has given us to inspire, strengthen, and equip believers with the sound teaching of the Bible.

But I’ve learned over the years that opportunities and adversaries usually go together — and today I want to encourage you to undergird yourself so that you can stay on track with what God has asked you to do this month and in the coming year.

Over the course of our ministry, we’ve had many great, effectual doors open to us to do the work of the Gospel. I’ll never forget when I received an opportunity to minister on television in the former Soviet Union. It was as if a great door had suddenly swung open to an entire vast territory — a door that had never before been opened for anyone else — and I knew I was experiencing something miraculous. By faith, Denise and I stepped through that door and began to preach the Word of God on television in this spiritually starved corner of the world.

Given the former socialist-communist campaigns against the Gospel in this particular region, this opportunity was as miraculous as the Jordan River dividing for Joshua and the children of Israel. But with this great open door also came a slew of adversaries, specifically dispatched by Satan to instill fear and doubt into my heart. The devil desperately wanted to prevent me from touching the lives of spiritually oppressed people, so he positioned evil people with insidious plans to try to block my view of what God had in store for our ministry.

I’m telling you that it was like the children of Israel looking at the Promised Land from the far side of the Jordan River. From that perspective, they saw only the fruitful land of blessing that lay before them. But once they entered the Promised Land, they had to fight giants of every kind before they could possess that land and enjoy the blessing. In much the same way, if Denise and I had taken our eyes off the Lord during that tumultuous period — or if we had focused only on the problems and forgotten about the fruit we were pursuing for God’s Kingdom — I’m sure we would have backpedaled to get out of the situation!

But we knew this was a God-given opportunity and worth the fight, so we fixed our gaze squarely on the Lord. Girded with the armor of God and the power of the Spirit, we pushed through every obstacle and possessed the ground that God called us to take. As a result, millions of souls began to hear the Gospel for the first time. We knew that only God could have opened this door!

In First Corinthians 16:9, the apostle Paul wrote about the strategic doors of opportunity that open for the Gospel and the adversaries that usually accompany them. He said, “For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.” Notice that Paul used the words “great,” “door,” “effectual,” and “is opened” to describe the opportunity that had been set before him.

The word “great” in this verse is translated from the Greek word megale, which means gigantic. The word “door” is the Greek word thura, which typically refers to a door, but in this context, denotes a rare opportunity. The word “effectual” is the Greek word energes, and it depicts something that is powerful and ready to be set into motion. Finally, the phrase “is opened” is the Greek word anoigo, which describes something standing wide open. In other words, the door in question couldn’t be any more open! Thus, an alternate translation of Paul’s words in First Corinthians 16:9 could be rendered, “A gigantic, powerful opportunity is already set in motion and standing wide open….”

Paul continued by saying, “For a great door and effectual is opened unto me….” You see, Paul knew that the particular door he was referring to had never been opened to anyone else, and he stood in awe of the unprecedented opportunity. Walking through these kinds of doors is impossible without divine assistance, and Paul was fully aware of God’s role in the matter. That is why he specified that this door had been opened “unto me.”

Paul’s prayer request in First Corinthians 16:9 was not for a door to open because it had already opened. His prayer request was to receive God’s wisdom to deal with the numerous adversaries who were trying to come against him. Paul used the Greek word antikeimenoi to describe the vast number of “adversaries” that were sent to attack him. This Greek word describes something that was piled high and lying all around him. In other words, he was dealing with more than a few minor opponents. On the contrary, it felt like opposition was stacked high on every side!

I’ve learned that the enemy will try his best to keep you from stepping through the gigantic doors of opportunity God desires to open for you. Satan is afraid of what will happen when “his” territory is invaded by someone fully equipped with a full arsenal of spiritual weapons. So know this: God will open doors for you — but He needs you to make a determined decision that you will walk through them, no matter the opposition, with the help of His Spirit.

By opening the door, God has already done His part, which would have been impossible without His assistance. Now He beckons you to come, dressed in the whole armor of God and in the power of His Word — and proceed through that effectual door into new territory. It may look like enemies are everywhere, but it is simply a fact that the devil and his forces flee and collapse when they are subjected to a show of strong faith!

As I mentioned earlier, many great and effectual doors have been opened to us over the years to do the work of the Gospel. In each case, we knew these doors were unique to us and had never before been opened for anyone else. And just as Paul experienced opposition, there were plenty of enemies that came against us with each opportunity. But because we obeyed God, the devil was forced to move out of the way, and we walked right into the virgin territory that God had opened for our ministry.

Even if you think your situation looks threatening right now, I want to tell you that God is with you. He wants to supernaturally open new doors for you — doors that have never before been opened for you. He is not beckoning you to walk through these doors so you can fail. He is with you every step of the way, and He will empower you to defeat every foe and bring Him glory in that new territory that is yours to possess in Jesus’ name!

Your open door may be an opportunity to shine the light of God’s Word and God’s love to your family or friends during this holiday season. It may be a door that will open to you in the new year. Regardless of when it is or what it is, the same God who opens doors will empower you to walk through them — and then He’ll be right with you to give you the wisdom and strength needed to overcome any giant that tries to meet you on the other side.

I know this is not a typical December, “Christmas-style” letter, but this is what was on my heart to share with you today. I want you to always know that if we can join you in prayer, we would be delighted to do so. To be honest, we are praying for you anyway, but when we are alerted to know exactly “how” to pray, it increases our effectiveness as we pray for you. So if you have a special need, please either call or write to let us know how we can get in agreement with you for God to show Himself mighty to you according to Jeremiah 33:3, which says, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”

And please pray for us as we continue marching forward by faith to push back darkness, to shine the light of God’s Word, and to take territory for the Kingdom of God. Together — as partners — we can make a difference in the lives of throngs of people who are crying out to God for help. They are waiting for God to respond to their prayers, and God wants to use us — you and us together — to bring them the answers they desperately need.

But before I close, I want to say we are specifically asking God to do something special for you this month and before the end of the year. I don’t know what it is, but that is what we are praying. We are asking God to do something special that will bless your life! And please, please pray for us as we continue pushing ahead to build our studio in Moscow, to finalize the purchase of our new headquarters in Tulsa, and to continue to minister effectually to every precious soul Jesus brings to us!

Merry Christmas!

We love you and thank God for you!

We are your brother and sister, friends, and partners in Jesus Christ,

Rick and Denise Renner
along with Paul, Philip, and Joel and their families|Dear Friend,

First, I am so thankful for the many responses I’ve received from my friends who are watching my programs or reading my letters and emails. I read and appreciate every comment.

I know the year has only just begun, but it’s important that we have in place the equipment from the Spirit of God that will help us in these times we’re facing. When problems and cares come, we need to know how to give those cares to God.

If you’re worried or anxious, that’s a heavy load or burden you’re carrying from day to day. So this month, I’m going to talk to you about how to cast your cares on the Lord.

First Peter 5:6 and 7 says, “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for he cares for you.” As I studied the word “casting,” I learned that in this verse, it means throwing or tossing your cares on the Lord — all of them.

This word “casting” pictures the action of throwing something away from yourself and onto someone or something else. For example, in Luke 19:35, it says the people cast — or threw — their clothes on that donkey for Jesus to ride on it. In much the same way, casting your cares on the Lord is not going to happen by accident. You’re going to have to cast them on purpose!

Casting your cares is not going to happen just because you go to church. It’s not going to happen just because you read your Bible, give your tithes, or because you’re nice to your children. Casting your cares on the Lord is only going to happen as a direct action of using your faith — of taking those cares that are trying to “strangle” your peace and throwing them on the Lord.

What does casting your cares on the Lord look like? It is a picture of a Christ-like attitude that’s not negative, fretful, or filled with regret or resignation. It is an expression of self-humbling and of abandoning trust in self to instead entrust oneself and his troubles to God.

To cast our cares on the Lord, there are two things we need to trust to God. First, we need to trust ourselves to Him. We need to recognize that He is powerful and able to take care of us in any situation. And we must be assured that He is not going to abandon us.

Second, we need to trust our problems to Him. We can trust God so much that whatever problem confronts us, we can let it go — in the same way we took hold of it to begin with. A problem or care may have pushed its way into your mind and emotions, but you can push it back out and cast it upon the Lord! By faith, you can choose to release that problem and trust it to the Lord.

‘My Own Victory Over Worry’

Many years ago, the Lord really dealt with me to trust Him about something that was tempting me to be anxious. Honestly, I was already in such a habit of worrying about this problem that when I heard Him say, “Trust Me,” I said to myself, Trust You with that? I wondered if He was powerful enough to help me let go of that problem and give it to Him. But to the best of my ability, I did trust Him.

And do you know what happened? I began to think differently about that problem, and I actually began to get victory over it. What do I mean by “victory”? I stopped worrying about it! The habitual way I had been acting for years was being broken by my act of trusting Him. But I had to humble myself before the Lord. I had to ask Him to forgive me for not believing Him. Of course, I know there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus (see Romans 8:1). So when I confessed my lack of trust to Him, I was not condemned by Him. But in humbling myself, I received the power to begin trusting Him. And He took care of that situation wonderfully. Friend, that is powerful!

I don’t know if you have any habitual behaviors, like worrying, that you fall into every time something bad happens or someone says something negative to you. But if you do, I’m telling you, those habits can be broken — shattered — by humbling yourself before the Lord and taking that very thing you’ve been holding so tightly to and casting it upon Him.

Look at the Birds!

I want to share with you one of the greatest examples in the Bible of trusting the Lord and not worrying. It’s found in Matthew 6:25 and 26: “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”

Oh, friend, this is an amazing example of trusting the Lord. First, how many of us are really looking at birds? When the Bible says to “look” at the birds, it means look at, consider, think about, and pay attention to the birds.

You might be thinking, What’s so powerful about looking at the birds? It is so easy to just read these verses and think, Oh, well, that’s nice. Look at the birds. But that’s not how Jesus sees it. He really wants us to look at the birds. Why? Because His great love and care for them are a great example for us — especially if we are worrying.

You may know someone who is so filled with joy that he or she isn’t weighed down with worry and care. But if you don’t know anyone like that as an example who you can look to, I recommend that you look at the birds!

You see, looking at the birds is like a visual lesson. Birds are a great example of how not to worry. They don’t “sow or reap, nor gather into barns” (see Matthew 6:26). They don’t even labor for their next meal.

Lately I’ve been thinking about these carefree birds. They perch themselves on tree limbs, electrical wires, roofs, and windowsills. They sleep so peacefully, completely at rest and secure in the fact that God is going to take care of them. There are no anxious birds — it’s amazing!

Jesus knows that you and I are tempted to worry, and He knows we may be tempted to be fearful and anxious as well. So He says, “I’ve got the answer for you. Look at the birds!” He is saying, “Dear children, here is an object lesson for you. I want you to look at the birds. They are not stressed out, and they are not full of fear, because I feed them and watch over them.”

God cares so much more for us than He cares for the birds. Jesus did not come to save the birds, but He gave His life and His blood, suffering a horrendous death on the Cross, because He loves and cares for us. How much more should we be at rest in His everlasting arms that we can trust to hold us and care for us? We can live just as carefree as those birds!

You might be saying, “Oh, Denise. That’s ridiculous. I’m a responsible person, so I need to worry.” But do you need to worry? Jesus doesn’t think you do! After He said, “Look at the birds,” (see Matthew 6:26), He went on to say, “Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?” (v. 27).

Worry Won’t Produce the Right Results

To put this in perspective, one cubit is about 18 inches. It was as if Jesus was saying, “Your worry is in vain. You can stand around all day and worry, wishing to be taller, but it’s not going to do you any good. You will be the same height at the end of the day as you were at the beginning of the day. You won’t get taller by worrying.”

Jesus wants us to be productive in life. He’s helping us tear away from things that steal from us — such as worry — and he’s redirecting us by telling us to look at the birds and at their example. We can rest in the Lord because we are in His loving, watchful care even more so than the birds.

Jesus continued, “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” (Matthew 6:28-30).

Jesus is the One who clothes the lilies of the field, which are only here “a day or two” compared to our life. And He said their clothing is more beautiful than that of kings! Once again, Jesus is asking us to trust Him for our every need. Since He feeds the birds of the air and clothes the flowers in the fields, how much more will He feed, clothe, and care for us, His own children?

Then in verse 31, Jesus says, “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’” If we are going to maintain our peace — especially in difficult times — we must take on the characteristics of the birds of the air and the lilies of the field: They simply do not worry. They trust their Creator for their every need.

Can you see the heart of God in these Scriptures? He is warning us to not be burdened with worry and anxiety and sleepless nights. He wants us to experience His perfect peace and to cast our cares on Him, and He will help us maintain peace and will care for us, even in the most difficult times.

I trust that these words from Matthew 6 have been an encouragement to you. They definitely encourage me! We know that this is how Jesus lived — without worry and care. Think about all the things He could have worried about, but He chose to look at the birds and note how God cared for them.

The Bible says that Jesus was tempted in all the ways you and I are tempted, so Jesus was absolutely tempted to worry. He was tempted in every way we are, yet He never gave in to temptation. Hebrews 4:15 says, “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” And then in verse 16, He extends the most gracious invitation to us: “…Come boldly to the throne of grace, that we will obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

There is power offered to you at the throne of grace! The Lord will absolutely empower you and encourage you to cast your care on Him so He can help you and lift you up.

Thank you for spending this time with me! And if you need prayer, please be sure to let us know how we can pray for you. You can call us at 1.800.742.5593 or email prayer@deniserenner.org. I’d also like to invite you to join me on my program, TIME With Denise Renner. It now airs on Wednesdays at 11:00 a.m. CT on YouTube and Facebook — it’s a podcast as well on Spotify, Apple, and Google! And you also can find me Saturdays at 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. CT on GospelTruthTV, and Saturdays at 3:30 p.m. CT on PTL. We always have such a rich time in the Word of God, and I know you will too!

Friend, I want to encourage you to cast your cares on the Lord in this new year and let Him lift you up!

We are moving forward together,

Denise Renner

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