Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

August 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,

I have been thinking and praying to the Lord about what to write to you in my letter this month. I know that the right words — written or spoken — have the potential to be like honey for your soul (see Proverbs 16:24). And I believe everyone needs such a word from time to time, as I know I do! It’s my prayer  that this letter brings refreshment to your soul and fills you with the sweet truths of God’s Word, preparing you for any opportunities the new month might bring!

I want to take a moment to say thank you for spending this time with me each month and for caring so much about RENNER Ministries and its many outreaches. You have been a significant part of our journey as a ministry — and you continue to be! I am truly grateful for your dedication to help us fulfill our vision of spreading the Gospel message across the globe. Your support does not go unnoticed!

What Does It Mean To Wait on the Lord?

I was reading my Bible recently, and as I kept coming back to Psalm 27:14, it got me thinking about the years following the grand opening of the Moscow Good News Church back in December 2014. For many years, Rick and I and our leadership team looked and looked for land or a building where we could establish a permanent home for the Moscow church. There was so much going on in our lives during that time, and at times, we felt discouraged. But for some reason, the Holy Spirit kept reminding me of the meetings I’d been holding with the women in the church, during which we would get together to hear from God through His Word, fellowship together, and encourage each other in the Lord. As I recently read Psalm 27:14 and reflected on these meetings, I began to remember one meeting in particular. During that meeting, I remember asking the question, “What does it mean to wait on the Lord?”

These women were so generous with their answers. I received many different insights from their honest responses. Some of the women were candid enough to say, “Waiting on the Lord is a little hard for me because when I have a desire for something, I want it when I want it!” Others expressed that to wait on the Lord means to have a continual attitude of prayer that we should maintain at all times.

When I reflect on these answers, I am so proud of these women for sharing their thoughts with such openness.

Waiting on the Lord can mean different things to different people. Ask yourself, What do I think it means to wait on the Lord? You may know right away what you think it means to wait on Him — or maybe nothing comes to mind! And that’s okay. In this letter, I will share with you what I have learned over the years about what it means to wait on the Lord.

Let’s begin by reading Psalm 27:14:

Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!

Each time I read this verse, I immediately sense its power in my body and soul. It’s as if someone is saying, “Okay, shoulders, you can relax now. You don’t have to be so tense and overworked! Stop trying to solve all your problems by yourself.”

This verse also serves as a bit of a “reality check.” When I read it, it quickens my realization of the abiding presence of the Lord. He made me, He knows me, and He loves me. And whether I’m dealing with a stressful situation or season of life, or just the everyday responsibilities of ministry, it reminds me that I need to place my attention on Him instead of putting so much focus on the circumstances or even on myself.

Turning Your Eyes Upon Jesus

For me personally, to wait on the Lord means to put everything else — distractions, to-do lists, the nonstop culture embedded into our society — “on hold” and to solely look at Jesus. It reminds me of the wonderful old hymn, “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.” It reads:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus.
Look full in His wonderful face.
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

Perhaps you’ve noticed your shoulders beginning to relax a little after reading Psalm 27:14 or the words to that beautiful hymn. As you intentionally turn your sole attention toward the Lord, His peace will begin to flood your soul and relax your body.

I believe it’s important to take special time that’s devoted to waiting on the Lord, but I also believe this is something that you can do continually throughout your day — in your everyday life. When you begin to wait on the Lord, you will first experience the fullness of His divine peace. Not only that, but you’ll begin to supernaturally draw strength from a source not your own — a source with greater power and greater possibility than those available to you in the natural before you determined to specifically focus on the Lord.

When you truly master waiting on the Lord, this supernatural peace and strength may take place in a matter of seconds! However, when you start renewing your mind and purposefully directing your focus on Him, you may have to remind yourself several times throughout the day to take your eyes off your weaknesses — and even off your own abilities — in order to completely turn to Him. But when you do this — when you wait on the Lord — you’re opening your heart to the things Heaven has in store for you instead of limiting yourself to the things you can accomplish with your own mental and emotional abilities.

Learning To Lean Not on Your Own Understanding

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

— Proverbs 3:5,6

Notice it says in verse 5, “…Lean not on your own understanding….” Now I’m sure you have heard this verse many times before, and the reason it’s such a frequently quoted verse is that it’s an important truth you must understand. It’s so easy to get caught up in your struggles and try to fix everything yourself, but when you start relying on your own strength and ability, it limits what the Lord can do for you and your situation.

The Bible doesn’t tell you to not lean on your own understanding so you can just throw your brains out the window! It says this because when faced with a problem, we oftentimes take more upon ourselves than we can or should handle in terms of using our natural thinking to figure out the answers we need.

When you try to rely just on your natural ability, you inevitably come up short of the wisdom needed to succeed — which leads to feelings of worry, anxiety, stress, and even obsession over the problem. Next thing you know, you’re meditating on your problem instead of on the things of God and His Word! And when you don’t wait on the Lord, it makes it difficult, if not impossible, to hear what He says about your situation.

Let’s go back to where verse 5 says, “…Lean not on your own understanding….” When you think of the word “leaning,” you might picture someone leaning up against something for support, such as a wall. If you’re leaning against a wall, you’re trusting that wall to hold you up — to keep you from falling down and getting hurt. In Proverbs 3:5, and in many other places in the Bible, the Lord is imploring us not to trust our own understanding to hold us up and protect us from harm in life!

In other words, just as you might lean on a flimsy wall in the natural realm, it’s possible for us to lean on our understanding in life. But God is telling us that our understanding can be imperfect — it won’t always stand and support us during times of difficulty. In fact, if we trust in understanding alone, it will most likely “collapse,” causing us even greater difficulty and pain.

I don’t say this to say anyone is unintelligent — you’re probably very smart! But no one is smarter or wiser than God. So when a problem pops up in your life, you need to ask the Lord for help. Tell Him something like this: “Father, I don’t know what to do. I’m already losing sleep over this problem in my life. I have been impatient and irritable toward my loved ones because I can’t solve this problem myself. I have been worrying and giving all my attention to this problem, yet I can’t find any clear answers. I need Your wisdom and strength to guide me and show me what to do.”

Have you ever had to admit something like this to the Father? I certainly have. But every time I go to Him about a problem, I always find the relief and answers I need! When you choose to put a stop to all the anxious thoughts and focus your attention on the Lord — when you wait on Him — you will find the peace and power you desperately needed all along!

But you have to wait on the Lord — you must be honest with Him and seek His help. The Holy Spirit won’t chase you down and say, “Pay attention to Me!” No. He waits for you to turn your attention to Him.

Maybe you’re experiencing trouble in your life right now and need to be in that special place of waiting on the Lord. Or perhaps you can just sense Him drawing you nearer. If you find yourself continuously looking to Him for peace, grace, and wisdom, do not stop! Don’t allow yourself to become “weary in well-doing” by turning your attention away from Him, even for one moment. Galatians 6:9 says, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Keep humbling yourself before the Lord, filling your heart with His Word, and being obedient to trust it. You will hear from Heaven!

Before I close my letter, I invite you to join me for my program TIME With Denise Renner! This weekly program is such a special time for encouragement, inspiration, and spiritual quickening together. I’m so encouraged by the reception my program has received so far, and your kind words and comments are truly a blessing. To watch TIME With Denise Renner, join me on Facebook or YouTube each Wednesday at 12:00 p.m. to hear what the Lord has placed on my heart to share with you. I love this time together, and I hope to see you there soon!

The following are just a few of the many testimonies we receive daily from our wonderful friends and partners:

Denise had a word of knowledge about someone needing healing in a finger a few weeks ago during her Monday morning program. I had just cut my finger and required stitches. The worst part was that a tendon was cut, and I was told that only surgery would restore the use of my finger. I said, “Oh no, I receive my healing!” And then Denise shared a word about a finger being restored. It’s been almost four weeks, and I am able to use my finger more and more each day. I have nearly full mobility. Hallelujah!

— C.

I was healed from chronic back pain on Sunday, May 12 — Mother’s Day. Sister Denise was ministering at Eagle Mountain International Church and giving her testimony. I felt a warmth on my lower back and the pain disappeared. I can bend and move freely now — praise God!

— N.

I hope these words have encouraged you to wait on the Lord and trust Him in everything. I promise that if you don’t give up seeking His face, you will win!

We are moving forward together,

Denise Renner

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