Spreading the Gospel By Every Available Means!

January Update from the Field

Dear Friends,

It has always been our vision to get the Word of God into people’s lives through whatever means available. We began by preaching meetings all over the United States and then, beginning in 1991, we moved with our family to take the Gospel to the former USSR and beyond.

In Moscow, we labor to take the Good News to our “nearby world” through many outreaches in this city of millions — including feeding the homeless, ministering in addiction rehabilitation centers, supporting a local ministry that houses and cares for abandoned children in a family setting, and providing weekly services to hundreds of senior citizens — winning them to Christ in the sunset years of their lives and helping to meet their basic needs.

Beyond Moscow, Denise and I have held public meetings all over the world in which we’ve brought the sound teaching of the Bible to those hungry to receive it. Our travels have taken us to the vast territory of Russia and to nearly all the former Soviet Republics, as well as to a long list of nearly 100 countries.

But by far, the biggest way we’re taking the Gospel to “the ends of the earth” is through mass media. Our TV ministry and various other media enable us to bring trusted teaching to millions of Russian and English-speakers via TV, satellite, and Internet media. We film up to seven programs per day that air daily around the world. In order to keep up with what the Lord has asked us to do, we have expanded our capacity in Moscow by building a new TV studio. And because of the faithful, generous giving of our “giving team,” we are well on our way to completing this project! Denise and I are so grateful for every friend and partner who has sown financially to make this new studio a reality.

We know you, like Denise and I and our family, take the responsibility of the Great Commission very seriously. There is no doubt the time is short, and it is the strong desire of all of us to see as many people saved, healed, and matured in Christ as possible! Your part in the fruit that’s being reaped as we take the Gospel to the ends of the earth via television is eternally significant.

I’ve included some photos in the header this month of our progress on the new TV studio in Moscow because I knew you’d want to see it. It’s your progress too! As always, I invite you to call us for prayer at 1-800-742-5593, or go online at renner.org, so we can add our faith to yours for the answers you seek!

Your friends,

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

The Night Jesus Appeared and Spoke to Me About Our Ministry

December Update from the Field

Dear Friends,

In the early ’80s when Denise and I began our itinerate ministry in the U.S., I secretly worried that not many pastors would want us to minister in their churches. And I often wondered, How will we pay for this ministry as we’re getting started?

One night, I couldn’t sleep because I was so distracted by worry. I did my best to command worry to leave me. Finally, I got up to spend some time in prayer. After a time of prayer, I opened my eyes and found myself in another dimension. It looked like this dimension stretched around me “forever” into eternity. Then in the far distance, I saw a small light. It drew closer to me and grew stronger and brighter. When it finally reached me, I saw Jesus — and when I saw Him, I dropped to my knees and bowed my head.

When I lifted my head to look again, Jesus began to speak to me about our future ministry, which I write about in my autobiography Unlikely. He said, Behold, I give you fullness of ministry — so much ministry that it is already amassing more ministry for your future. Instantly, I knew this meant that Denise and I would take on greater and greater responsibility in the ministry in the years ahead.

Well, almost four decades have passed since that visitation, and every word Jesus spoke to me that night has gloriously come to pass. He also spoke to me about ministry finances and, although our situation didn’t change overnight, I entered into a complete rest concerning financial provision for what the Lord had called us to do.

Less than one decade from the night of that visitation, Denise and I moved halfway around the world, where we began teaching in the first aboveground Bible school in the former Soviet Union. Soon after, we launched a TV ministry where Christian television had never existed before; founded a church in Riga, Latvia; started a pastors association to assist others with the call of God on their lives; and, after that first aboveground Bible school closed, started our own Bible school to equip those with the call to serve God in full-time ministry.

Whew. Ministry was indeed amassing. Denise and I, our sons, and our team were running to keep up with the vision God was unfolding in this part of the world.

But that’s not all. The Lord’s word to me about “amassing ministry” was a word for perpetuity that continues to this day! Since our beginnings in the former USSR, we have started multiple churches — in Moscow, Russia and the surrounding area. We have opened additional church campuses in Moscow, as well as started a vast ministry to thousands of senior citizens. These are but a few of our outreaches, which you can read about in my autobiography or in our Annual Report, which can be accessed online at renner.org.

And just this year — in our 30th year in the former Soviet Union — the Lord opened a new opportunity to RENNER Ministries, and we are now the owners of the largest Christian satellite network in the Russian language in the world! Over this network, we broadcast solid Bible teaching to Russian-speakers in 83 nations of the world — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!

Jesus’ word to us almost 40 years ago still holds, and through the generous support of our partners, we are fulfilling our divine assignment to get the teaching of God’s Word to those hungry for it through every avenue as He leads us. Currently, we’re building a new TV studio in Moscow, where we record up to eight programs every day, and we’re purchasing a new ministry building in Tulsa. THANK YOU to every person who believes in our ministry and supports us with prayer and finances as we continue this Gospel work!

Your friends,

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

Ministry Update

November Teaching Letter from Rick Renner

Dear Friends,

Greetings in Jesus’ precious name! Especially at this time of year, we are so thankful for what the Lord is doing in our midst — and we’re thankful for YOU, who are helping to make it happen.

WOW! So many wonderful things are happening right now in our ministry. If it’s okay with you, I’d like to bring you up to date on a few of them today. I’ll try to be brief, but because you are a friend and partner with our ministry, I felt you would want to know about a few of these wonderful developments.

BUT FIRST…I want to THANK YOU for all you are doing as a friend and partner with RENNER Ministries as Denise and I and our team take the Word of God to the ends of the earth. Many years ago, God quickened Romans 10:18 to us about our ministry. It says, “…Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.” From that time until now, we are doing our part to take teaching people can trust to the ends of the world. And you are a big part in making that happen!

At the end of this brief report, I want to share an important verse, so please read all the way to the end. I don’t want to bog you down with details, but I want to take just a few moments to give you these good reports because those who support our ministry are such a big part of what is happening.

A New Satellite Network

In June — just five short months ago — the Lord amazingly entrusted to our oversight the world’s largest Russian-speaking Christian satellite channel. On June 1, our ministry became the owners of the largest Russian-speaking Christian satellite network in the world. As a result, we are now broadcasting the Word of God into 83 nations of the world via satellite 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! In seemingly one moment, God placed this mighty Gospel instrument into our hands. It came with an existing staff that has now become a part of our team. We are so honored that God has found us faithful to lead this Gospel advancement.

Now we are renovating the channel to make it “sparkle” as we believe Jesus would want it to sparkle and shine. This is a huge assignment and one for which we are thrilled, but I ask you to pray for us as we lead this new network to bring glory and honor to the name of Jesus and to touch Russian-speakers all over the planet. Taking this step of faith has also been a huge financial undertaking, and we are so thankful to see God’s miraculous provision every step along the way.

The New Studio in Moscow

At the same time, we are in the middle of constructing a new studio in Moscow. During the pandemic, the response to our TV ministry grew astronomically, and it shows no sign of abating as it CONTINUES to grow and thrive! Because we felt the need to reach out to so many people who felt isolated, we began to film seven different TV programs every day to minister to those in need. That is an amazing amount of new content we produce every single day. And all that was in addition to our regular TV program. It didn’t take long before we understood we needed a larger TV studio to produce all that the Holy Spirit was asking us to do. So with the help of our partners, we are now in full swing constructing that new studio. Even as I write this letter, contractors are finishing pouring the foundation and preparing to start putting up the walls.

Our goal is not buildings. Our goal is doing whatever is necessary to be able to teach the Word of God to those whom God has brought to us — and to effectively and compassionately minister to those reaching out to us from around the world. And people are really reaching out to us from ALL OVER THE WORLD! In that new studio — which we are hoping will be completed late next summer — our team and I will be producing teaching from the Word of God that people can trust. Our goal is to get that Word to people in the Russian and English languages who are crying out for it all over the world.

Because you are our friend and partner, I felt you would want to be updated about where we currently are on this huge development. It’s moving forward full speed and I am so excited about it. Denise and I are thankful for every gift that has been given to help us, and, step by step, we are moving forward by faith.

There are many wonderful ministries working for the Lord, but Proverbs 10:21 best describes our personal assignment from Him. It says, “The lips of the righteous feed many….” Our God-given assignment is to bring “teaching people can trust” right to where they are. I ask you to please pray for us as we do our God-given part to meet that need.

The New Ministry Headquarters in America

At the same time we’re constructing the new studio in Moscow, our office in America is in the process of relocating to a new building that we are purchasing in Tulsa. This is a huge step of faith for our ministry, and we are so sincerely thankful for every gift that has been given to our Ministry Expansion Project to help us take this step forward.

The fact is that since my daily TV program began in the United States, thousands of people have been reaching out to us for prayer and ministry. This is a very serious God-given trust, and to effectively minister to the precious people the Holy Spirit has sent us, we need more space. Our ministry office has been in the same location for years, and we have so terribly outgrown it that we are now storing materials and supplies in metal containers on the backside of the property, and teaching materials line the hallways in our offices because we have no more space to contain them all.

But, remarkably, God led us to a new location that is perfectly suited for us. It is not far from our present location, and it comes fully furnished exactly as we need it. This makes me think of Deuteronomy 6:11, where God promised He would supply “…houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant…” (NIV). Just as this verse says, God has given us a new building that is supplied with everything we need — and it is large enough to accommodate us for years to come!

So with the new Russian-speaking satellite network — plus the new studio in Moscow and the new headquarters we are purchasing in Tulsa — we believe the Holy Spirit is positioning us to touch more people than ever before. But our goal is not only to briefly “touch” them through books and media, but our God-given assignment is to really minister to them as God would have us to do. We believe there is nothing more important than the people God brings to us, and we are totally committed to providing top-notch care to them by His grace.

One Plants, Another Waters, and God Gives the Increase

To do all of this takes faith, courage, finances, equipment, a team, and a group of giving partners who stand by us so we can consistently and professionally reach the multitudes who are in need or who live in spiritual darkness and desperately need a touch from God. This is no small undertaking and requires a “1,000-percent” commitment from everyone involved. Hell does not sit silent as we each take the life-saving message to those in spiritual need.

But even if we buy the finest equipment, produce the highest-quality programs, and purchase the best time slots available to reach people — if God doesn’t supply His part, it is all to no avail. I am reminded of Psalm 127:1, which states: “Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.”

I also love First Corinthians 3:7, where Paul stated, “So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.”

The word “increase” is from the Greek word auxano, which simply means to increase or grow — and in this context indicates the continual blessing of God. This word “increase” denotes something that is amplified, augmented, enlarged, or enhanced. It carries the idea of something that escalates and multiplies. It clearly means that even though one plants and another waters, it is only God who causes everything to blossom, to become larger, and to grow strong and healthy.

Or, as I like to say, we can nurture the soil, plant the seeds, and water what has been planted, but only God can produce the sunshine and weather conditions to cause growth. Therefore, even with all the amazing and wonderful people who do their essential parts, God is still the most important Partner in whatever we are called to do. So in addition to saying thank you to YOU for all you do, we are enormously thankful for the grace of God that enables all this growth to happen.

And whatever God has called you to do, while you give it your very best, never forget the crucial role of prayer and the reality of your utter dependence on God as your number-one Partner in life. Just like a farmer, you can prepare the ground and plant the seed of God’s Word, and you can water and nurture the seed that was sown. But only God can produce the sunshine and weather conditions necessary to bring the growth that is needed. So in the end, He gets the glory for all increase!

Denise and I are so thankful for the “increase” God is giving this ministry right now. Actually, it is HIS MINISTRY, and we are simply the overseers of what He has trusted us to lead. And now — at one simultaneous moment — we are leading a huge Christian satellite network, building a new studio, purchasing a new building in Tulsa, and also leading the Good News churches in Russia — including the ever-expanding Internet Good News Church — and all the other ongoing aspects of this ministry’s God-given assignment.

But today, we want to thank you for being alongside us and helping us with your prayers and your financial gifts. All of it is so needed and so deeply appreciated. We are truly partners together with you and with God!

We are praying for God to send increase into your life too — asking Him to miraculously multiply every seed you have sown and to increase you and your loved ones on every side. If there is a specific way you would like us to be praying for you, please never hesitate to contact us so we’ll know how to pray more effectively. Hearing from you helps us to pray better for you! And please pray with us that all the money needed to finish our expansion assignments victoriously will come on time.

I realize my letter today is different from what I normally write, but I really felt a need to update you on these exciting, monumental developments. You’ve done so much, and we are so thankful. We also thank you for all you continue to do. Never forget that anything extra you can do will go toward these projects and will have an eternal impact on the lives of others. Isn’t it wonderful that we can be used to impact other people for all of eternity!

We really do 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 Friends,

Greetings in Jesus’ precious name! Especially at this time of year, we are so thankful for what the Lord is doing in our midst — and we’re thankful for YOU, who are helping to make it happen.

A New Satellite Network

The New Studio in Moscow

The New Ministry Headquarters in America

One Plants, Another Waters, and God Gives the Increase

I also love First Corinthians 3:7, where Paul stated, “So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.”

We really do 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

Never Forget How Good the Lord Has Been to You

What kind of impact do you think it would have on your life if you experienced nonstop miracles? Well, that is exactly what happened to the Israelites when they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years.

The children of Israel were in a situation that demanded miraculous intervention. They were in the wilderness with no food or water, and if God hadn’t intervened, they would have died. But God provided for them. He brought miracle after miracle to supply everything they needed.

Hebrews 3:9 tells us, “Your fathers tempted Me, they proved Me, and they saw My works for forty years.”

The word “tempted” means to test an object to see if its quality is as good as others have said about it. The Israelites had heard about God’s goodness and faithfulness from Moses, but out in the wilderness, their desperate circumstances — just like our circumstances in life — gave them an opportunity to test God, to see if He really would come through for them.

Verse 9 also says, “They proved Me.” The word “proved” describes something that has been found to be true and genuine. Every time the Israelites put God to the test, He proved to them that He was good and would take care of His people. When they needed food, He brought it. When they needed water, He provided it.

The Israelites experienced God’s power firsthand, every single day. They tempted Him and proved Him — and they saw His works for 40 years in the wilderness. In every situation, they found God to be reliable and true.

Many people in our world are facing difficult situations right now where they need to see the goodness of God. And today I want to tell you that God is a good provider. He wants to supernaturally provide for you. And if you will come to Him in your time of need, He will prove to you that He is faithful.

Supernatural Provision

Many Jewish scholars say that when the Israelites came out of Egypt, there were about three million of them. Do you know how much food and water it would take to provide for three million Israelites? Jewish scholars tell us that it took close to 4,500 tons of manna and 70 million liters of water just to meet their basic needs every day. Can you believe that? Every day!

No other generation, before or after, has experienced such a continual flow of God’s power. That 4,500 tons of manna appeared outside their tents each morning (see Psalm 78:25). Quail rained down on them, dropping right at their feet (see Psalm 78:27,28). And 70 million liters of water flowed every day from the rock that God told Moses to strike (see Exodus 17:5,6).

Just think — the children who grew up during this time were so accustomed to this divine provision that they considered it normal for 4,500 tons of manna to show up every morning. That is supernatural!

Without food and water, the Israelites would have died. And remember, this was the wilderness — there was no natural source for these things. God faithfully provided what they needed every single day.

Hard Hearts

You might think that after living this way for so long, the Israelites would have found it easy to follow the Lord. But in spite of all that God did for them, the Israelites became hard-hearted.

That is why the writer of Hebrews said, “Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness” (Hebrews 3:8).

The word “hardened” is a medical term in history which described an arm that had become stiff. It is the same word used in the Old and New Testaments to describe people that are stiff-necked or someone that is calloused.

The children of Israel ate the manna, and after a while, they didn’t even think about where it came from anymore. They ate the quail without remembering how supernatural it was. They drank the water, fed their animals, and forgot that it was a miracle. The Israelites had what they needed, but, eventually, they became calloused and unappreciative of all that God had done for them.

Think about how much God has blessed you.

He’s changed you.
He’s healed you.
He’s delivered you.
He’s rescued you.
He’s given you a job.
He’s answered your prayers.
He’s provided for you financially.
He’s showered you with blessing after blessing.

If God has been faithful to you, then why are you tempted to worry?

Rather than fall into the trap of ungratefulness like the children of Israel did, trust that God is exactly who He says He is. God is good. And He will be faithful to you.

Remembering His Faithfulness

It’s so important that we remember everything God has done for us because what God has done for us in the past is the foundation of what He’s going to do for us in the future.

Your flesh wants to count all the negative things going on in your life. Your flesh wants to say, “Oh, it’s so bad right now. It’s never been this hard before. You’ve never had it worse than you have it right now.”

But if you’ll stop and think about your life, you’ll probably realize that things have been a whole lot worse than they are now. And even then, you made it through. God has been faithful to you!

Friend, I want to tell you that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever (see Hebrews 13:8).

We’re the ones that change. We’re the ones that can become hard-hearted. But the God who gave 4,500 tons of manna and 70 million liters of water to the Israelites every day is the same God we serve today!

During difficult times when you are tempted to give in to fear and worry, remember that God is a good provider. You can trust Him because He is faithful.

— A Message from Rick Renner

The Purpose of Prayer

I want to tell you very openly and honestly what I do every morning, every day of the week — Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday. It doesn’t matter what day it is or where Denise and I are in the world — I do these things every day of my life. And I believe that by sharing my experience, you will be encouraged to renew your time with the Lord and come to Him for what you need each day.

Every morning when I get out of bed, I get a cup of coffee and walk into the room where I read my Bible. I sit in my chair and, immediately, I begin to do the following:

Get quiet. The first thing I do is get quiet. Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God….”

I’ve found that I need to quiet myself so I can listen to the Lord. So before I do anything else, I sit in my chair and get quiet.

Read deeply. Next I take my Bible and open it to wherever I’m reading, and then I begin to read deeply.

I used to think that it was very spiritual to read a lot of verses at once, but now I don’t read quickly. Instead, I read very deeply.

I read deeply so the Bible can talk to me. I’m not just reading for information. Sometimes I read the same passage again and again so that it can keep speaking to me.

I find that when I read this way, the Bible begins to show me areas in my life where I need to change. It gives me direction for my life. It gives me answers that I’ve been seeking. And sometimes, it gives me questions that I need to be asking.

It’s better to read slowly and let the Bible talk to you than to simply read a whole lot of verses without being ministered to.

Pray. After I’ve quieted myself and allowed the Word of God to speak to me, I pray.

I pray for you — I pray for our partners. I pray for our church members. I pray for the core leaders of our church and the ministry and for all those who serve. I also have a special prayer list that I pray over every day. And then I get quiet, and I ask the Holy Spirit to bring faces to my mind of specific people He wants me to pray for. After that, I pray for the city of Moscow where we live and for the nations. And, finally, I pray for the long-term vision of our church and ministry.

But as I pray, I’m also listening because prayer is two-way communication.

I do this every morning of my life. I did it this morning. I did it yesterday. And I will do it again tomorrow. This is just as real in my life as taking a shower or brushing my teeth because I’ve made a commitment that this is going to be the way I start every day.

Find a Time and Place

Denise and I live in a house. And in our house, I have a room where I go to pray and Denise has a room where she goes to pray. But you might say, “Rick, I live in an apartment, and everywhere I look there are people around.” Then you’ll have to make some decisions about where and when to be alone with God.

Maybe you need to get up earlier than the people you live with. Maybe you need to go to the kitchen to be alone. Maybe you need to go to a café and drink a cup of coffee to spend time with the Lord — that’s what my son Paul does because Paul’s house is filled with children! Or, if you drive to work, try getting there early and sit in your car while you read your Bible and talk to the Lord.

You might have to be creative, but we can all find a place to spend quiet time with the Lord.

And I believe it’s important that you do this in the morning. David wrote in Psalm 5:3, “My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning, will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.”

Twice in this verse David said, “I’ll do it early. I’ll do it in the morning.” And I am telling you, if you don’t commit to do this first thing in the morning, your day can quickly get out of control. Everything will start screaming for your attention. And before you know it, it will be the end of the day and you’ll realize you haven’t spent any time with the Lord. So you have to decide that spending time with the Lord is going to be the highest priority in your life. You have to say, “I’m going to do this before I do anything else today.”

Jesus Went Away To Pray

In the Bible we often read about Jesus going to places all alone to pray. There are times when Jesus got up very early or prayed late at night in order to find a place where He could be alone with the Father.

Jesus was the Son of God, but even He understood that it was important for Him to withdraw from others and pray.

We find an example of this in Mark 6. Jesus fed 5,000 people, and then verse 45 tells us, “And straightway he [Jesus] constrained his disciples to get into the ship….”

The crowd was probably buzzing with excitement after seeing that supernatural multiplication of food. But then Jesus sent the disciples away. The Bible says He “constrained them,” meaning He made them do it. The disciples didn’t want to leave. They may have been so excited about the miraculous ministry happening that day that they wanted to stay.

But after the disciples went away, we read that “…he [Jesus] sent away the people. And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray” (Mark 6:45,46).

Jesus had just fed 5,000 people. It was the largest meeting He had ever had. And it was exciting — no wonder the disciples didn’t want to leave! Jesus was gaining momentum among the people, and at that moment, naturally speaking, He could have seized the opportunity to build something really great for Himself.

But what did Jesus do? The Bible says He “straightway” sent everyone away so He could go to the mountains and pray.

I want you to notice the word “straightway” in verse 45. The Greek word means without delay. It means to do something immediately without any interference. It tells us Jesus was determined. Even though He had just experienced this great victory, He was determined to get away from the multitude so He could pray to the Father without any interference.

Even in the midst of a very successful meeting, Jesus recognized His need to stay in touch with the Father. And He made His time with His Father the top priority.

I want to follow the example of Jesus. Don’t you? If we really want to do that, we have to find time to pray. And we must make it our top priority.

Anybody who knows Denise and me closely knows that we believe in working very hard. We believe in giving a thousand percent to what we do! But there comes a time every day when we need to go away and spend time with the Lord — to press into His presence so He can refresh us, renew us, and refill us.

So I’ve determined in my heart that I’m going to carve out time to be with the Father, to read His Word, to fellowship with Him, and to let Him search my heart and change me because I need to hear Him speak to me every single day.

Just as Jesus went to a mountain to pray, I have consecrated a place where I go to pray. I go there and shut the door. And when that door is closed, everyone understands that I am with the Lord. In that place, I spend my time with the Father. And when I’m on the road, I also dedicate a place to be alone with the Lord — I get quiet before Him, to read and meditate on His Word, and to pray.

Don’t Give Up

There are many people facing real struggles in their lives right now. And maybe it’s a hard time for you too. But I want to tell you that the way we come through difficult times is by coming to the Lord in prayer. So I encourage you to spend time with the Lord, casting the full weight of all your cares upon Him as Psalm 55:22 commands us to.

Your flesh will try to put up a fight. Your flesh will tell you there’s something else you need to do — like read your e-mails or check the messages on your phone. But when other things scream for your attention and try to pull you out of that consecrated place, you have to be determined and say, “No, I’m not doing anything else until I’ve come to my mountain to pray, because that is my source of strength, that is my source of peace, and that is where I’m going to get all my answers.”

And you can start right now. You can start tomorrow morning. You can start by spending just a few minutes in prayer — it doesn’t have to be an hour — and let your time with the Lord grow from there until, finally, you’re experiencing quality time with God. He’ll open your heart. He’ll remove the things that have troubled you. And He will continually fill and refill you with the Holy Spirit.

— A Message from Rick Renner

Coming Through the Storms of Life

In Acts 27, we read that the apostle Paul was on a boat on his way to Rome, and the ship got caught in a storm — a horrible storm. But God gave him instructions. God told him how to get through the storm.

And if we’ll listen to the Holy Spirit, He will speak to us about every storm that is in front of us. He will direct us and tell us what to do so that we can get through that time in our lives, whatever it is that we’re facing.

Sailing Into a Storm

Acts 27:9 tells us Paul knew they were sailing into difficult waters. He even tried to warn the other men, but verse 11 says they ignored Paul and kept sailing.

Then verses 14 and 15 say, “But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon. And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.”

They ended up in the middle of a storm. They couldn’t control the movement of the ship. Their situation kept getting worse and worse.

Verse 20 says, “And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.”

Think about that. They haven’t seen the sun. They haven’t seen the stars. They are in the middle of a hurricane. And they cannot control the movement of the ship. The wind was beating them from every side.

This was a hopeless moment. It looked like everything was finished. But then, Paul stepped forward.

My friend, I want to tell you, when things get bad, that’s your moment. If you’ll listen to the Lord, He’ll give you the word you need to speak to people.

And listen to what Paul said: “And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship” (Acts 27:22).

How did he know? Paul continued, saying, “For there stood by me this night the angel of God…. Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me” (Acts 27:23-25).

We Are Safe With God

Years ago I was getting on an airplane. We were standing in line, and behind me was a big, muscular, athletic man — and he was a wealthy man. And with him was his wife. They knew me from television, but they didn’t know that I spoke Russian. And I was listening to what they were saying.

His wife said, “I’m so afraid. I’ve never been on a plane.”

And her husband said, “Sweetheart, it’s all right. Look, it’s Papa Rimskiy,” and he was referring to me. (“Papa Rimskiy” is the Russian term for the “Pope”.)

When the man said that, I turned around and said, “I’m not Papa Rimskiy, but I am a child of God. And if I’m on this plane, you’re going to be all right. Everybody on this plane is going to be all right because the angel of the Lord travels with me.”

This season in time is your moment. People need to hear what you have to say. If a situation is bad, then you are needed more than ever before. This is your moment to say to people, “Stick with the Church, stick with people of faith, because we’re going to sail through this storm.”

A Word From God

And here’s what’s amazing! Next Paul says, “…For there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship…. Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island” (Acts 27:22,26).

Now we would all probably rather hear God say, “Everything’s going to be all right. There won’t be any problems.” But the angel of God that spoke to Paul said, “You’re going to be fine, but you are going to be shipwrecked on an island.” The angel told him the truth. And if we will listen to the Holy Spirit, He will tell us the truth too.

The Holy Spirit knows what’s going to happen with the economy, with politics, with finances, with plagues, and with pestilences. And Jesus said in John 16:13 that the Holy Spirit will show us the things to come — He’s just looking for somebody to listen!

And this is what Paul heard: “Because you’re on assignment, you’re going to be all right. You’re going to live. And everybody that’s with you is going to be okay even though you’re going to have a few problems. You’re going to be cast on an island.”

But then things were so bad on the boat that night that all the men were wishing tomorrow would come! Verse 30 even says some men made it look like they were working so they could try to get in other little boats and get away.

But verse 31 tells us, “Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.”

How did Paul know that? He’d had a word from the Lord. And that word was, “Paul, you’re going to be okay. And everybody who stays with you is going to be okay.”

And friends, that’s true about us. We dwell in the secret place of the Most High (see Psalm 91:1). As long as we’re walking in the shadow of the Most High, we are in a place of preservation and safety.

If you can get your family and your friends to stick close to you, to stick close to the authority of the Bible and the authority of the church, they will be all right.

Something Supernatural and Something Natural

Then Paul says something very interesting: “Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you” (Acts 27:34).

The men on board had been working and fasting for 14 days, and Paul knew they would need their strength for what was ahead. He encouraged them to eat.

I think that is amazing because in this chapter you have something supernatural and you have something natural. They had a supernatural word giving direction and faith — even a vision of hope for the future. And they had a natural solution to meet their physical needs. Paul told them, in effect, “You need to do something practical for your health. If God protects us, but we don’t eat, we’re going to be weak or get sick. We need to hear God, and we need to use our head and do what we need to do to preserve our health.”

And this is my word to you today. It’s time for you to hear from God, to know that you’re going to be safe and everybody who is with you is going to be safe. You’re going to make it through the financial storm, the disease storm, and any other kind of storm you’re in right now. But while you’re going through the storm, also do what you have to do to take care of your health too.

They needed to eat, so Paul told them to eat. If you need to wash your hands, wash your hands. If you need to have distance from people, then have distance from people.

You’re Going To Make It Through

We are so blessed. We have the Word of God. We have faith, we have the leading of the Holy Spirit, and we can also do what is practical and natural to help us sail through any storm and make it to the other side. My friend, you’re going to make it!

You may be facing something difficult in your life right now. But know that this time you’re in is just a storm. You might feel like Paul — that you’re caught in the middle of something terrible. But every storm eventually passes. And you have everything you need to make it to the other side. I declare that to you in the name of Jesus!

— A Message from Rick Renner

Where Is Your Fire?

‘God is calling us to a new and better place, spiritually.
Are you ready to go there?’

Today my heart is full of so many things concerning our commitment to Christ and His Church. I want to talk to you openly about who we are and what Jesus has called us to do.

At our church in Moscow, the first Sunday of the month is always the biggest crowd we have. Do you know what that tells me? It tells me there is a great number of people who only attend our church once a month. These people are not truly committed to our church.

Now, many people faithfully come to our church as often as they’re able. But people who have a pattern of attending church only once a month show that there is a serious problem in their lives. Their commitment to Christ is not complete. And if going to church once a month is the length of your commitment to Christ, you need to repent from fostering this kind of attitude toward the things of God in your life.

I see this attitude on Sunday mornings when I preach too. Some people are not interested. Sometimes they are a little sleepy — especially in the first service — and I have to push so hard to engage them that it feels like I’m pushing through sludge. This happens because we’re not all coming together with hearts that are full of expectation, ready to encounter God.

Don’t Get Comfortable

In the 1940s and ’50s, there was a great move of healing power in the United States. Pentecostals came together and held these big, big meetings in tents. People sat in rickety chairs and whatever else they could find — it was a very primitive environment. But the people were just filled with expectation! They were ready for the power of God to move among them.

Then in the ’70s and ’80s, that move of God became sophisticated. The meetings moved out of tents into big, beautiful buildings. And over time, the people became comfortable and complacent. Eventually, the power of God went away.

Was the power of God the problem? No — the people became more comfortable and less expectant. The seats were comfortable. The lights were nice. The buildings were beautiful. And people didn’t have to be inconvenienced or fight to be there the way they once did.

Today we are facing a similar problem. We have to be very careful not to “fall asleep” in the presence of God. It’s not enough for us to just be satisfied. When we gather together, we must continue pressing into His presence.

Raise the Bar

So what does Christ expect of us?

Hebrews 10:24-25 tells us, “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

We are not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together. This is what the Bible says.

The word “manner” in verse 25 is the Greek word for habit, meaning there were people who made a habit of not meeting with other believers. It was not a priority in their lives.

Somebody might say, “Well, Rick, I can’t come to church every week.” I understand that is very true at times. But people who regularly do not come or who show up only on the first Sunday of the month, have developed a habit of not coming. They’re not committed to the Church. And the truth is, they’re not committed to the Lord because your commitment to the Lord is revealed in your commitment to His Church.||When the apostle John turned to see Jesus, as recorded in Revelation 1, what did he see first? He saw the seven golden candlesticks, which represent the Church (see Revelation 1:12). And standing in the midst of the seven candlesticks was Jesus (see v. 13). Christ and His Church are inseparable. And how you treat the Church is how you treat Christ.

Where Are You, Church?

Today I’m speaking to those who are only a part of their local church every once in a while. I’m telling you, it’s time for you to come home. God is calling you to make a deeper commitment to Him and to His Church.

And today I’m also speaking to the people who come every week, who faithfully give their tithe and serve in the church, because He’s calling all of us — me included — to participate with all of our hearts, expecting Him to do something among us.

When we come together, we need to connect with the worship, connect with the Word of God that is preached, and pray with might. And as we are faithful to do this, God will show up in our meetings!

God is calling us to a new and better place, spiritually. Are you ready to go there?

We are more than this — we are the people of God! We are the Kingdom of God. We have a King who conquered death! And we have a Lord who is coming for us again! We ought to demonstrate that this is who we are, especially when we’re together. That is what Jesus is calling us to do.

— A Message from Rick Renner

|We are not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together. This is what the Bible says.|

The Power of a Woman

Women are powerful! But the kind of power and influence women have depends on what has happened inside their hearts.

I want to talk to you about three famous women from the Old Testament. They were women who had struggles just like we do today. But because they let God do a work in their hearts, they became great, positive influences.

The Woman With No Name

The first woman is Noah’s wife. Most people know about Noah — we know what Noah did and that he had a wife — but we are never told his wife’s name. So we’ll call her “the woman with no name.”

We know from Genesis 6:5-8 that Noah’s family lived at a time when the entire earth was corrupt. Mankind had become so evil that God decided to destroy mankind with a flood. When God looked at the entire planet, only Noah’s family was righteous. Imagine the pressure that had been on that family as they lived righteously in the middle of a corrupt world.

But Noah and his wife were in such unity that even though the entire world was against them, they were able to hold their family together. They taught their sons and their sons’ wives to walk with God, even though there was pressure against them. For years they obeyed God. They supported Noah. They built the Ark — against mocking laughter, against pressure — no doubt believing for the finances to get all the supplies they needed. The truth is, if Noah and his wife ever fought during that time, the Bible doesn’t tell us about it. That is amazing!

When you come to Genesis 7:7, the Bible says, “And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.”

Then Genesis 8:16 tells us that when the Flood was finished, God said, “Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons’ wives with thee.” Just like they all went into the Ark, they all came out of the Ark.

Have you ever thought about what the world looked like when they came out of the Ark? When they went in, the earth was beautiful — there was vegetation, trees, and lots of wildlife. But when they came out, the world had been under water for nearly a year. It was probably not a beautiful sight. It would have been a moment for Noah’s wife to really complain, but there is not a single record that she ever did.

Then Noah, not by himself but with his wife at his side, began to rebuild the world. They became the progenitors of the earth’s current population.

Even though we don’t know the name of Noah’s wife, there is a lot to learn from the example of this nameless woman. Because she was supportive, she enabled her husband to fulfill his call. And all of us are affected because of it.

Thank God for that nameless woman and her powerful influence!

The Griper Who Turned Into a Princess

The second woman is Sarah. We’ll call her “the griper who turned into a princess,” and you’ll see why in the following statements.

We know a lot about Abraham and Sarah before they came to God. His name was Abram and her name was Sarai. We know that even before he met God, Abram was very rich. They lived in Ur of the Chaldeans. They had no children, and they lived a life of luxury.

Then one day, Abram encountered God, and it changed his heart. He came home a different man. Abram met God, but at home, he had a wife who did not meet God. We could say that although they were married, in one moment — instantly — they had become unequally yoked.

This often happens today as well. When one spouse comes to Christ and the other spouse does not, it changes the context of their relationship.

But Abram had heard from God. Genesis 12:1 tells us, “Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee.”

So Abram says to Sarai, “We’re going to leave this place. Sweetheart, you’re leaving your ‘palace.’ You’re leaving your comfortable surroundings. And we’re going to start on a journey of faith.”

It is very important to know that at that time, the name “Sarai” meant complainer or griper. It describes a very, very unpleasant person. She was like a nightmare for any husband. That was her character before she met God and before she was changed. Though she was outwardly beautiful — and she was beautiful — inwardly, she was a very unpleasant person.

Genesis 12:5, it says, “Abraham took Sarai his wife….”

That’s very interesting — it doesn’t say she accompanied him. It says he “took her.” This means she may not have been very excited or even willing. But he said, “You’re coming with me. Come on, we’re going.”

The truth is, Abram was also a pretty difficult person. Maybe he was hard to follow, and maybe Sarai was being difficult because she had seen him do so many crazy things in his past. I can’t imagine what kind of mistakes he made before he came to God, because he still made mistakes after he came to God.

For example, he committed adultery. He slept with Hagar. He asked Sarai to sleep with the king of Egypt. What kind of man would ask his wife to sleep with somebody else? He went to Egypt instead of to the Land of Promise.

Actually, Abram’s mistakes went on and on and on and on and on — until, finally, in Genesis 17:1 God said to him, “…I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.”

It literally meant, “End of your mistakes. I want you to obey Me.”

So it may have been very difficult for Sarai to follow Abram. She had seen him make all those mistakes. But we also know, because of her name, that Sarai was hard to get along with. She was a fighter — difficult every step of the way.

But then she had an encounter with God. And when she had an encounter with God, He changed her name from Sarai to Sarah, which means princess. God took a difficult woman and said, “From this moment forward, you are a princess.” She had an encounter that changed her heart and changed her behavior.

And over the next years, the Bible tells us she learned to support Abraham (his name was also changed) and submit to him. In fact, the Bible even tells us in First Peter 3:6 that she learned to call Abraham, “Lord.”

I’m sure that submitting to Abraham was not easy, but that’s what God asked Sarah to do. And I’m sure that leading Sarah was not easy either. But together, these two people, who began as very difficult, became a prince and a princess. They became the mother and the father of faith. I think it gives hope to all of us.

This is a powerful story of a man who grew in God, of a wife who grew in God, and together they changed history. Sarah was truly transformed. She put aside bitterness. She put aside complaining. And she became Abraham’s princess. That is amazing to me.

The Mother of King Solomon

Let’s go to example number three of a woman whose life was transformed by God: Bathsheba — the adulteress who became the mother of King Solomon.

Because of the Old Testament, we know a lot about Bathsheba. She was married to a man named Uriah. He was a good man. In fact, he was such a good man, he was one of David’s 30 mighty men.

But during the time of war, her husband Uriah went to the front to fight. Then Second Samuel 11:2 tells us David saw Bathsheba in the afternoon bathing on her roof.

Now, people usually say, “David was so bad,” but many scholars agree she was trying to seduce David. Bathsheba took the bath at the very moment when she knew he would be watching.

So there is a hint in Scripture — even though she was married to a good, reputable man — Bathsheba was really not the best woman. She had issues as well.

You might say, “I don’t believe that.” Well, whether it’s true or not, David saw her, called for her, and she agreed to come. David did not commit this sin by himself. She was very much a participant. Bathsheba could have said, “No. How dare you insult my husband!” But she said, “Yes,” and went to David.

When Uriah was later killed, they thought their sin was covered up. They had covered it. They had hidden it. But then, the prophet Nathan came and confronted David about his sin — about his adultery and the murder of Uriah. And David responded. He repented.

In fact, that’s where we get Psalm 51, which is David’s prayer of repentance after being confronted by the prophet Nathan. Because David responded correctly to the dealings of God, he was forgiven. And listen to this — his sin was covered! No one would have ever known if David hadn’t told about it. And this is why David wrote in Psalm 32:1, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” He understood the power of God’s forgiveness. He stayed on the throne because his attitude of repentance was correct.

But Bathsheba was pregnant. They produced a child and the child died. The Bible tells us that when the child died, Bathsheba fell into a state of brokenness and depression.

Second Samuel 12:24 tells us, David comforted Bathsheba. Their baby had died, but not long after that, she became pregnant with another baby — a baby which came after repentance. And that baby was named Solomon. Isn’t that amazing?

Even if you make a mistake, if you will repent, God can do something great. Although they started in adultery and in murder, after they repented, David was restored, Bathsheba was restored, and Bathsheba became the mother of Solomon — the world’s most famous king! She became one of the greatest mother influencers in all of history.

It is Bathsheba who wrote Proverbs 31, where the Bible tells us about being a godly mother and a godly wife. Bathsheba became the model for all godly wives for all of history. That is amazing to me.

Bathsheba is the story of a woman who started wrong but ended right. My friend, the important thing is how you end. Women like Bathsheba who have committed adultery but allow God to touch their hearts and change them, can be forgiven, restored, and blessed just like she was.

Finish Right

So today, we’ve looked at the example of three women.

Maybe you’re like Noah’s wife — or you know someone like this — a woman with no name who changed history. Even if you feel nameless, you have great, great power in your sphere of influence, so keep your heart and your attitudes right. Maybe you’re like Sarah — you started out a little difficult to get along with, but God wants to make you into a princess. Or maybe you’re like Bathsheba — you started wrong, but with God’s grace, you can finish right.

We’ve looked at three famous women from the Old Testament. And guess what? The grace that touched them is the same grace that will touch you — and make you an influencer, make you a princess, and help you to finish right.

God’s power is present to do that in your life if you will yield to Him and allow that power to work in you.

— A Message from Rick Renner