28-Day Journey — Denise Renner
Day 8: Exceeding Abundantly Above
Daily Bible Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:7; Ephesians 3:20; 1 Peter 1:7
God often speaks to my heart about Ephesians 3:20, which says, “…Unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” As I meditate on this verse, my mind always goes to that phrase “worketh in us.” That means the Holy Spirit is working in you and me as believers, and He’s doing it right now. He’s doing something “exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think”!
You might say, “Because of what’s going on in my life, it doesn’t look or feel like God is doing anything exceeding abundantly above all I can ask or think.” But the Bible says that we walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). It’s so important for us to lift our eyes higher than what we can see or feel.
When I meditate on Ephesians 3:20, I marvel at the thought that God is working in me now. Then I begin to think about the fact that all of us as human beings want to be recognized and thanked for at least some of the things we do for others. We serve our children, our spouse, other family members, our communities, our brothers and sisters in the Lord, etc. Every once in a while, we like to be thanked.
But what about the Holy Spirit, who is working in you right now? He was working in you five minutes ago. He was working in you last night while you were sleeping. And He’ll be working in you five minutes from now, tonight, and tomorrow! It’s very important to acknowledge your gratitude to Him by saying, “Holy Spirit, thank You for working in me! Lord, You know the situation I’m facing, but I acknowledge that You’re doing exceeding abundantly above all I can ask or think according to Your power that works in me. I choose to focus my thoughts on these truths instead of on my circumstances!” Subscribe to Denise’s 28-Day Journey Email Devotionals! That’s why I said it’s important that we acknowledge what is true, not just what we see or feel. Since the Word of God is true, Almighty God in the Person of the Holy Spirit is working in you and me right now.
Why don’t you declare about yourself, “God is working in me, and He’s doing exceeding abundantly above all I can ask or think!” That is the truth, and the more you acknowledge it, the more it will affect the circumstances and situations of your life.
God loves our faith. The perfecting of our faith is more precious to Him than gold (1 Peter 1:7). He is well pleased when you and I use our faith when we face trials and temptations instead of running away or wringing our hands and wondering where He went! So exercise your faith in God’s promise that He is working in you to fulfill His plans and purposes for your life. He’s doing something so powerful in you ¾ exceeding abundantly above all you can ask or think!
I want to encourage you to look to God with great expectancy because He is working out a plan for your life. Don’t just read God’s promises — say them out loud because your ears need to hear them. Your ears have probably already heard words that are not as supportive as God’s Word, so speak those His words of life out loud over yourself and your circumstances. Let those words wash over your mind as you proclaim, “God is working in me, and He’s working a plan for me. And He’s doing all of it exceeding abundantly above all I can ask or think. Thank God for His mighty work!”
How can my team and I be praying for you today? We believe God has a special plan just for you, and we want to stand with you in faith to see His will come to pass in every area of your life.
In His great love,
Denise Renner
28-Day Journey — Denise Renner
Day 7: You Can Grow Your Faith!
Daily Bible Reading: Romans 10:17; 1 Corinthians 14:2; Jude 1:20
Today I want to remind you of two important keys to growing your faith. One key is praying in other tongues. The Bible says that you build yourself up in faith by praying in the Holy Ghost (Jude 1:20).
Have you ever gone out to start your car, and the battery was dead? You weren’t able to go anywhere in that car until someone recharged that battery! Well, your spirit is like that battery. When you’re feeling spiritually drained, you can start charging your spiritual battery by praying in other tongues. And the more you pray, the more you will build up “your most holy faith”! I encourage you to pray in tongues every day!
Don’t listen to the enemy’s accusing thoughts when he tries to convince you that you’re making up the supernatural language you’re speaking or that you’re wasting your time because you don’t understand with your mind what you’re saying. When he tries to tell me that, I just pray in tongues longer! The devil hates it when we pray in tongues because he can’t understand what we’re saying. Paul said that when we pray in other tongues, we’re praying mysteries to God (1 Corinthians 14:2). Another key to growing your faith is the Word of God. Romans 10:17 says, “…Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” That’s why we need to read our Bible every day and allow that Word to get deeply planted in our heart. Those words of life will build up our faith and bring confidence and encouragement to us in every challenging situation we face.
The Bible says your faith is precious (see 1 Peter 1:7), so I urge you to protect it like the treasure it is. You do that by making a conscious decision every day to build up your faith by spending time in God’s Word and by praying much in the Holy Ghost.
Please communicate with us to let us know your prayer needs. We are honored to stand with you in faith about the things that are closest to your heart. We really do want to hear from you!
In His great love,
Denise Renner
28-Day Journey — Denise Renner
Day 6: Don’t Hide Your Talent!
Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 23; Matthew 25:24,25; 2 Timothy 1:7
Today I want to continue studying Matthew 25 and look at the servant who hid his talent. Many years ago when Rick and I first started our traveling ministry, people would often ask me after I ministered in song, “Do you have any recordings? I’d like to ‘take you home’ to listen to your music.”
I would always say, “No, I don’t, but would you please pray for me for the ability and the finances to make the recording?”
I said that to people for five years! Can you imagine how many people I said that to over a five-year period of time?
The fact is, in my state of mind at the time, I really didn’t have any intention of making a recording. But after short time, the Holy Spirit began to deal with me about what I’d been saying. Rick and I were in a meeting in a very small church in which the Holy Spirit was moving powerfully, and people were lingering in the presence of the Lord. As I was standing there enjoying God’s presence, the Holy Spirit spoke to me. (He spoke to me in “King James,” because I always read the King James Version of the Bible.) The Holy Spirit said to me, “I liken you to the wicked, slothful servant.” Subscribe to Denise’s 28-Day Journey Email Devotionals! I knew which servant the Lord was talking about — the one who hid his talent. As God often does when He brings His revelation, He also brings His deliverance. That’s what He did for me in this case. He showed me at that moment the reason I was like that servant: because of fear! I was fearful of success, and I was fearful of failure. Immediately, I repented and told the Lord, “I will not hide my talent. I will make that recording.” In two weeks, we supernaturally received all the money we needed to produce the entire album — and within one month, I held that recording in my hand!
Many times God is just waiting for us to say yes! So I’d like you to consider this: Is God waiting for you to say yes about something? Has He given you a talent that you’ve been hiding because of fear? God can deliver you if you will recognize that fear, repent for hiding your God-given gifts, and say yesto the Lord.
Today I’d like you to pray the following prayer:
Father, I know You’ve given me abilities and responsibilities. And I will give an account someday for how I managed, developed, and increased my gifts. Forgive me for failing to step out to lift my light higher for You, Your Kingdom, and Your glory. Help me to turn that around in Jesus’ name. Amen!
God wants you to step out of the dark shadows of fear and into the bright light of His love where others can experience His love through you and the gifts and talents He has given you. Please contact us if you’d like a member of our prayer team to pray with you personally about the things that are on your heart.
In His great love,
Denise Renner
Daily Bible Reading: Matthew 25:14-23; Ephesians 2:10
Today I want to continue looking at the subject of gift and talents. In God’s plan, there is no room for comparison or competition among His people, because we each have been given gifts and talents by God that are unique. And everyone has received talent equal to his or her God-given ability. So the question becomes not who possesses what gift; rather, each one of us should be asking the question, What am I doing with the gifts God has given to me?
The fact is, we are responsible for what we’ve been given, and we will be held accountable for the effective use of the gifts and talents placed within us by God. Ultimately, you and I will individually stand and look into the eyes of Jesus one day to give an account for what we did or didn’t do with what He gave us.
That’s why it’s so very important right now to embrace the words the Master spoke to the servant in Matthew 25:23, “…Well done, good and faithful servant….” We must meditate on those precious words over and over until they sink deep into our hearts and we’re living with a continual awareness that eternity awaits each one of us, and what we do on the earth in obedience to God will matter very much. Only then will we live fully embracing and appreciating what God has deposited in us, and we will continually nurture and develop those things for His use and His glory.
Let me share with you some questions we can each ask ourselves about our own faithfulness to God. These eight questions have helped me determine how I’m doing as I perform even the smallest of tasks as unto the Lord. Subscribe to Denise’s 28-Day Journey Email Devotionals!
- Am I doing all that I am responsible for in the best way I know how to do it?
- Am I performing my responsibilities with all my heart?
- How is my attitude toward my responsibilities?
- Do I really want to fulfill my responsibilities with excellence, or do I have an “it-really doesn’t-matter” mindset?
- Do I keep my word to those to whom I give it?
- Am I on time, showing respect for others and their time, or do I make others wait for me?
- Do those I’m called to serve sense my love, excitement, and loyalty, or do they sense boredom, offense, and resentment?
- Can those who ask me to do something depend on my doing it after they’ve left it to my charge?
These are wonderful questions we can ask ourselves so we can grow in our faithfulness to do what God has asked us to do for Him on this earth. As we’re faithful to Him — even when no one is looking — God can say to us, “You’re doing a great job. I’m going to bless you with more.”
If we’re faithful, we will make use of our opportunities, no matter how seemingly small or insignificant. And we’ll be so busy “about our Father’s business” (see Luke 2:49) that we won’t have time to compare ourselves with others’ gifts and talents and with what they’re doing for the Lord.
Friend, how can we be praying for you? God wants you to see yourself as valuable and precious to Him. He created you uniquely to accomplish His unique plan and purpose for your life. Ephesians 2:10 (NLT) says we are each God’s own masterpiece. He created us anew in Christ Jesus so we could do the good things He specially planned for us from the beginning. I pray that you’re encouraged by that truth today!
In His great love,
Denise Renner
28-Day Journey — Denise Renner
Day 4: Does God Have Talents for Me?
Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 139:14; Mark 25:14,15
You may think to yourself, as I have often thought, Yes, I know God has given talents to those who are famous and successful, but what about me?It’s easy to believe that only a select few are gifted in life. But I’ve come to realize the truth that there are special talents inside each one of us — and that includes YOU! Those talents may not be developed, embraced, or appreciated, but Psalm 139:14 says we are each fearfully and wonderfully made.
In other words, it was a wonderful act of God to create you! There are gifts that have been placed within you simply because you were made by God in His image. You may not be developing your God-given gifts yet, but they are still a part of you, just waiting to be used!
Let’s look at Matthew 25:14,15, which says, “For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.”
In this parable, we can see that each servant received something. Although the amounts differed (five talents, two talents, and one talent), it says that everyone received according to his “several ability,” or his own individual ability. That means that along with the talent, or talents, each servant received, he also received the ability to use or develop what he was given to its fullest potential. Subscribe to Denise’s 28-Day Journey Email Devotionals! I want you to see two things in this parable: 1) Everyone received a gift, and 2) everyone received a gift according to his ability. In other words, what if the man who had the ability to carry one gift was given five? It would have brought destruction to him because he wouldn’t have been able to handle it; he would have certainly failed. Similarly, if the man with the ability to carry five gifts was only given one, this could have caused harm as well because he would have no doubt been under-challenged and completely frustrated. Neither scenario would have been just, and we know that God is just.
The bottom line is this: We can be assured that however many God-given talents we possess (and we each have a gift), God has also given us the ability to maximize their potential! God is the giver of talents and gifts. It’s our responsibility to manage and steward what He has given us. He will help us!
Please let us know how we can pray for you. If you haven’t already discovered and begun using your God-give talents, I pray that those talents will be unearthed and realized in you so that you can begin investing them in God’s Kingdom for the blessing and benefit of others.
In His great love,
Denise Renner
28-Day Journey — Denise Renner
Day 3: Pour Out Your Heart to God
Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 139:17,18; Hebrews 4:16; 1 Peter 5:7
Today I want continue our study from yesterday and focus today on how you can pour out your heart before God. He is your rock, your refuge, and your fortress, and He wants you to lean solidly and confidently on Him. He is inviting you to pour out your heart to Him, and He says so specifically in Hebrews 4:16: “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
Grace to help in our time of need! What more could we ask for? Most people are thinking about their own hearts and their own needs, but God is always thinking about you! How many people do you know who really have the time (and the desire) for you to pour out your heart to them at any time? Yet God is inviting you to do just that. And He isn’t just lending a sympathetic ear. When you go to Him, you obtain mercy and find grace to help you in your time of need.
Psalm 139:17,18 says that God’s thoughts are precious and more numerous than the sands of the sea. And you are always on His mind! That seems amazing, but it’s true! First Peter 5:7 says, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” The loving heart of God has made full provision for you to find mercy, grace, and help from Him at any time, in any circumstance. Subscribe to Denise’s 28-Day Journey Email Devotionals! As Valentine’s Day is approaching, I encourage you to continue taking time to pour out your heart to God. I can promise you this — there will be many occasions in the coming days when you will need to be filled with His love and compassion as you give it out to others. God has just the right words and He knows exactly what you need at any moment. As you take the time to fellowship with Him, He will fill you up for the benefit of others.
We each have a powerful place of influence in our homes, our communities, and in society. So don’t settle for where you are today. Determine to go higher and deeper with God and to improve and enrich the relationships that are so important in your life.
Let’s not be found carrying around weights that will only cause us to stumble. Instead, let’s pour out our hearts to the Lord, casting our cares on Him. Let’s obtain mercy at His wonderful throne of grace and push forward, forgetting the past and embracing the future.
Thank you for spending a few moments with me. And please let us know how we can pray for you. You are a tremendous creation of God!
In His great love,
Denise Renner
28-Day Journey — Denise Renner
Day 2: Your Rock, Your Refuge, and Your Fortress
Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 62:6-8;139:2-4; Proverbs 18:10; Luke 12:6,7
The Bible says we can run into “the name of the Lord” and be safe (Proverbs 18:10). You can take comfort in knowing there is a place of refuge in His great name! Psalm 62:6-8 (NIV) says, “He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.” He is your rock, your refuge, and your fortress!
A number of years ago in one of our women’s meeting in Kiev, a woman came forward for prayer. She said she was having female problems and that she was scheduled to have an operation the following week. I didn’t know at the time we prayed that this woman had been bleeding for an entire year. But after prayer, the bleeding stopped! She went for her pre-op exam, and the doctor exclaimed, “I can’t find anything wrong with you. You don’t need this operation!”
How great is our God! How wonderful it is to know we can pray in Jesus’ majestic name and receive answers! What a wonderful privilege we have as believers to minister to others and to lay hands on the sick and see them recover in that name (see Mark 16:18).
Yet at times we all experience problems in life that seem to linger, even after we’ve prayed. Week after week and month after month, we see no change in the circumstances that surround us. During those times, we must realize that God hasn’t changed. He is as powerful, strong, and majestic as He has always been. And the name of Jesus still carries the same mighty weight and authority as it did in the mouths of the early disciples who ministered to individuals and to the multitudes.
So what are we to do when the enemy hurls accusations of failure and menacing thoughts of worry and fear our way? We can sometimes feel so weary and discouraged that it’s as if we’re plodding through sludge and constantly tearing off cobwebs from our minds because of the confusion that bombards us. Progress seems slow, and promises seem far from being fulfilled.
During times like these, it is very important to thank God, anyway, and to maintain that mindset of utter trust and gratitude toward Him. Remember all the great things He has already done for you. Choose to rise above the feelings of confusion and declare, “I will trust in the mighty name of Jesus as my refuge! I will trust the Lord at all times” (Psalm 62:8)!
Please let us know how we can pray for you. I trust that today’s devotional and Bible readings will encourage you to keep trusting and to stand strong in Him. Think about it. No one else but God knows your deepest thoughts or the number of hairs on your head. God knows your thoughts before you think them! And He knows what you’re going to say before you say it! He is the only One qualified to hold this title of your rock, your refuge, and your fortress, because He can be completely trusted with your life.
In His great love,
Denise Renner
28-Day Journey — Denise Renner
Day 1: The Unseen Parent
Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 139:1-18
Thank you for joining me on this 28-Day Journey to know God in a deeper way. It is my prayer that these daily Bible readings and devotionals will both strengthen and encourage you in your walk with God. Today I want to start by sharing a testimony that I pray will encourage you as we begin this journey.
During the years when our three boys were growing up, I felt many times that I was not being the mother I’d always dreamed I would be. I was not always there doing “mom stuff” for them as they were growing up. God called us as a family to the former Soviet Union, but fulfilling that call required my being away from home at times, ministering with Rick in various cities. Consequently, we hired a loving and nurturing nanny to help meet the boys’ basic, everyday needs.
Of course, I was at home a lot with our children. We were always very close as a family and are still close to this day. Our boys are our best friends. There’s no one on this earth whom Rick and I enjoy being with more. Our children are each amazing and wonderful gifts from God. They have wholeheartedly stood alongside us in the ministry and still serve with us in ministry today as grown men with families of their own.
But the times we had to be apart when the boys were growing up were at times difficult for me because I felt like I wasn’t doing everything a mother should do for her children.
If you’re a parent, you can probably think of times you felt you should have done more in the raising of your kids, or you wish things could have been different. The fact is, none of us is perfect. We’re not perfect as parents, and we don’t have perfect children. But we are serving One who is perfect and who will make all the difference in our lives if we’ll trust Him.
As Rick and I traveled and ministered, I had to continually put my trust in God, believing that He would bless our children as we faithfully served Him. Today’s devotional is about some of the fruit we have reaped from those times of depending on the Lord concerning our family as we stepped out to obey Him.
In 2007 Philip returned from a Making a Difference missions trip in Ukraine that was sponsored by our ministry. During that trip God had burned in his heart a deeper desire to be more like Jesus to others. While on that trip, Philip began to allow the divine compassion in his heart to touch others in a powerful way.
I was greatly blessed and encouraged when this continued to be his testimony and heart’s cry after he returned home to Moscow. As Philip shared with me what God had done in his life as a result of participating in that missions trip, I wept. I saw that although I’d sometimes struggled with feelings of failure as a mom because of my absences, God didn’t see it that way. Through His amazing grace and loving-kindness, He had planted something greater into Philip than I could have ever dreamed of instilling in my son. God had put in his heart a desire to help the helpless — those living under life-threatening conditions who’d been left completely alone in life. God also gave him a desire to raise up young people to have the same heart.
Although I didn’t wash and iron every shirt my boys wore or prepare every meal they ate, God was so faithful to give my sons something no man or woman can impart — a depth of compassion to help and to serve others. Subscribe to Denise’s 28-Day Journey Email Devotionals! What about you? Maybe you feel as if you haven’t done everything you should have done as a parent. Maybe you’re a single parent or a married mom working outside the home, and you’re often plagued with thoughts that you’re not a good parent or that you’re not giving your children all they should have of you and your time. Or maybe you were always there for your children, yet they didn’t turn out as adults the way you’d hoped or desired.
Please be encouraged! God knows your heart, and His grace is greater than what you’ve done or haven’t done. He will take care of the things you may be concerned about but have no control over. And He is so good that He will work behind the scenes on your behalf, accomplishing something so much greater than you can see at the moment.
Never forget — there is an unseen Parent who is working in the lives of your children! He is the Heavenly Father, and He knows your children’s address, the number of hairs on their heads, and their every thought. He is filled with compassion and power to touch and change your children in a way you cannot — in a way you can’t even envision!
Think for a moment about what you were like before you were saved. Think about the many ways God’s grace and mercy have been bestowed on you over the years. Think about the times He healed your body, delivered your mind, or protected you from the consequences of a wrong decision you made or from some imminent danger. Yet despite all God has already done for you, He still isn’t finished with you — and He isn’t finished with your children, either!
I’m not sharing my testimony to provide excuses for some people who don’t fulfill their responsibilities as parents. I’m sharing this to comfort those who genuinely desire to follow God, yet who have become frustrated because of their many responsibilities.
Sometimes it just isn’t possible to do everything we’d like to do or think we should do for our families. In those cases, God will do what He has promised, and He will do it “…exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20)!
If you’re a mom with young children, I can’t emphasize enough the importance of your role in shaping and molding the character of your children. There is no one more anointed and suited for that job than you! I encourage you to do all you can to discipline and train your children and to love and nurture them. This is your time to sow godly traits into their lives. It’s important to remain continually aware that this child-raising season will pass very quickly. Make the most of it, yet at the same time, rest in the knowledge that God is working out a plan for your children that is bigger and better than anything you could possibly conceive and bring about.
I encourage you to accept God’s grace today and believe that God is working in the unseen realm, doing something in your life that’s wonderful and amazing. When you trust in Him, He will help you raise your children “in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). He will add grace and increase to your sincere efforts, blessing your children beyond your greatest dreams for them.
Do you have a prayer request? If you need someone to stand in agreement with you for God to do the impossible in your life, we are here to love you and help you. And God loves you! He poured out His mercy and grace through Jesus’ suffering and pain on the Cross. Now we can come boldly to God in Christ’s name and obtain mercy and grace to help us in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16). Please let us know how we can pray with you.
In His great love,
Denise Renner