The Secret to Joy

December Teaching Letter from Denise Renner

Dear Friend,

I want to wish you a very Merry Christmas as you reflect on the biggest miracle that has ever happened on earth — God coming to the earth in the form of human flesh and giving His life for us. I pray you enjoy your family and friends to the fullest during this beautiful season.

I also want to say how thankful I am for every email message and phone call that I am receiving. I am hearing from people who are experiencing miracles, and I want to share one of those testimonies with you before I begin my letter.

One gentleman wrote to us and said that he had been having great problems with his leg, and it had even become very difficult for him to walk. As he listened to my program, he heard me give a word of knowledge that the Lord was healing someone’s leg. This man said to himself, I’m going to take that. He woke up the next morning without any pain in his leg and decided he was going to run a few miles. After he finished his run, he said, “Thank You, Jesus! My leg is completely healed!”

Isn’t that magnificent! Jesus is the same miracle worker today as He was 2,000 years ago. I love to see when people are set free from suffering because they experience Jesus the Miracle Worker personally. The Father loves us so much, and He put all that pain and suffering on Jesus so we could be free from it and healed in our bodies.

That testimony was such great news, and I wanted to share it with you because Jesus is YOUR Miracle Worker too!

This month God put it on my heart to share with you something powerful that we can do to help us through difficult times. As I studied, I opened the Word of God to Philippians because the apostle Paul knew a thing or two about difficult times. In verse 7 of the first chapter, he wrote the words “in my chains.” And in verses 13, 14, and 16, he repeated the words “my chains.” It’s obvious that the apostle Paul was bound in chains — and not just in chains, but he was a prisoner in a horrible prison in Rome.

Scholars believe that one of the reasons this prison was so horrible was, it was a place where sewage was collected. Just imagine: The apostle Paul was in this prison, chained up and standing in sewage, when he wrote his encouraging letter to the Philippian church — what we now know as the book of Philippians. This is an incredible example to us of the magnificent power of God working inside Paul, and this same power is available to us today.

From this first chapter of Philippians, you can see that the apostle Paul was absolutely in a very difficult place. So how did he get through this difficult time? How was he able to use the word “joy” or a form of the word “rejoice” 19 times in these four short chapters while he was chained up in this horrible prison? The answer to these questions is found in Paul’s own letter, and I believe it will be very valuable for all of us.

Philippians 1:3 says, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.” Even in this horrible prison, the apostle Paul was thankful! I know that’s amazing, but it is the truth. Then in Philippians 2, Paul went on to explain, encourage, and exhort the believers in the Philippian church. He said, “Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:14,15).

We all need to understand that we cannot complain and be thankful at the same time. The apostle Paul was chained up in one of the most horrible prisons of his time, yet he was telling his fellow believers not to complain. “Complaining” goes further than just the words coming out of our mouth. The admonition in this verse is referring to what’s going on in our heart.

Complaining is murmuring, and murmuring is an expression of dissatisfaction; it’s grumbling and griping, even if in a low voice. One biblical commentator said it is the kind of grumbling that promotes ill-will instead of harmony and goodwill. It is inward disputing, discussing, and skeptical questioning or criticizing, and it refers to an intellectual rebellion against God. Just reading that makes me want to repent and turn from any dissatisfaction and grumbling I might find in myself!

But look again at Philippians 2:15: “That you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.” One Greek commentator said this word “blameless” means unblamed, unmixed, unadulterated, pure, and sincere. The word was used to describe a pure wine or a pure, unalloyed metal.

Many years ago, I had a ring that I loved very much. But in the cold winter months, it would break and come apart. I loved that ring so much that I kept getting it fixed. Finally, the jeweler said to me, “Denise, this gold has so much alloy in it — it has so many impurities in it — that’s why it keeps falling apart.”

Similarly, if we constantly have grumbling and complaining going on inside us, it produces something impure. And these impurities have the power to defile the soul, and it shows up in the intents of our heart. We can’t have this mix of impure things — grumbling, complaining, and disputing — going on in our heart, because instead of our being blameless or harmless in this troubled world, if we’re griping and complaining, we can become harmful.

But when our heart is pure and free of grumbling and complaining, we are blameless and harmless, and something magnificent happens — we shine as lights in this dark world. We’re able to give off light — the light of our Savior within us — and to be a fresh burst of light to this dark world.

As I was studying this, my mind naturally went to thoughts of Jesus, who was and is perfect — so that means Jesus never complained or murmured. Naturally speaking, He had so much He could have complained about. He could have complained about the disciples and how unbelieving they were. He could have complained about the Roman government’s mistreatment of the Jewish people. He could have murmured and complained about the Pharisees and the Sadducees, who ridiculed, criticized, and condemned Him. He could have perhaps even complained and murmured out of weariness, because He was pouring out Himself and ministering to people continually.

But Jesus never complained. Jesus never murmured. He gave thanks. Friend, He is our Example! Then Jesus placed Himself inside us by His Spirit in the new birth — so we can continually give thanks too.

In Second Corinthians 13:5, the apostle Paul asked the church (and he’s asking us today), “…Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?”

Jesus Christ is in us! We can’t justify saying, “But you don’t know my circumstances. It’s too hard. I can’t stop complaining. I can’t stop murmuring.”

Oh yes, we can because the power of the Holy Spirit lives inside us. Jesus has given us the power to be thankful and to not complain. Because He lives in us, we can say, “No, Lord, I’m not going to murmur, and I’m not going to complain. I’m going to give You thanks!”

I want to close with a final verse: “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Giving thanks to God was a huge help to the apostle Paul that enabled him to endure in that difficult place. Even though he could have complained and murmured in that horrible prison, he chose to give thanks. And as a result, he gave light to all those around him. And that is what God has called you and me to do. He has called us to be harmless and blameless and to shine brightly in this world.

Thank you so much for spending time with me, and please let me know how we can pray for you. You can call us at 1.800.742.5593 or email us at prayer@deniserenner.org. And please join me on my weekly program, TIME With Denise Renner, Mondays at 7:00 a.m. CT on YouTube and Facebook! You can also find me Saturdays at 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. CT on GospelTruthTV.

Let’s continue to be thankful as we are moving forward together, and let’s continue to be harmless and blameless as we bring goodwill and the light of Jesus Christ to others.

Have a very blessed Christmas!

Denise Renner

The Miraculous Birth of Jesus

December Teaching Letter from Rick Renner

Dear Friends,

Before I get into my teaching today, I want to thank you for signing up to receive your first teaching letter from me. Welcome! I’m so glad you decided to join our family of deeper readers. I spend hours writing these letters each month, sharing my heart and the insights gleaned from my studies in God’s Word. I pray that this letter, and every letter I write in the future, truly ministers to your heart and strengthens your walk with God.

I am so excited about what I am going to share with you this month about the miraculous birth of Jesus! The Christmas season is such a marvelous time of the year for so many because it’s a miraculous time of the year when we especially celebrate Christ coming to the earth and God’s magnificent plan of redemption. His plan was to manifest “peace on earth, good will toward men” through the promise of His Son (see Luke 2:14). And every person on the planet can be a recipient of God’s favor by embracing Jesus as Savior and Lord. Friend, that is Good News!

But before I get into the teaching, I want to thankfully acknowledge that with all the challenges we have all faced in various parts of our lives this year, Jesus has proven again that He is Lord and is victorious over everything! Praise God that He leads us to victory!

This year, you have been so amazing in your support of our ministry, and we are so thankful for your role in what God has called us to do. It’s not just Denise and me, our family, and our team — you are a major part of this Gospel team that God is using to impact the world. We are so thankful for you!

Often at the end of a calendar year, people wish to give a special gift to organizations they really believe in. This has been an amazing year for RENNER Ministries, as we’ve taken the Gospel further than we ever have before. If you would pray about giving a special gift to our ministry before the year is over, it would help us gain even greater territory for the Kingdom of God. Eternity is before us, and what each of us does makes a difference for the souls we are reaching. I promise you that we will carefully use what you give to maximize its ability to reach people. What a joy that we can do this together!

But right now, I want to talk to you about the miraculous birth of Jesus!

Did you know that the bulk of what we know about Jesus’ birth comes directly from Jesus’ mother? Before Luke wrote about the birth of Jesus, he interviewed Mary, and it was Mary who vividly told Luke about all the miraculous events that he then wrote about in the gospel of Luke. Mary’s memory of these amazing events is referred to in Luke 2:19 where the Bible says, “But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.”

The word “kept” in the original Greek means to keep within oneself in order to closely guard or accurately and carefully preserve, and the word “ponder” means to lay in order, like a person who carefully and meticulously chronicles a story. Mary was so impacted by this amazing sequence of events in her life and in the life of Jesus that she chronicled all of it in her heart and carefully preserved her memories of it all.

It is amazing to me that if Mary had not kept a record of all these events in her heart and mind, we would not know about them today. But because she so valued what she had seen God do in her life and in the life of Jesus, she was able to tell the gospel writers the entire account in vivid detail. As I think about this, it makes me want to ask — have you preserved your memories of what God has done in your life so vividly that you could share them with someone else? Have you been careful to remember the works of the Lord in your life? Or have you forgotten what God has done, or let those things slip because so much time has passed? If you’ve let those workings of God slip in your life, it’s not too late to pause and take stock of those things again, pondering them deeply and preserving them in your memory like Mary did.

Mary’s remembrance of the miraculous events in her life was so clear that she vividly related all the following occurrences to Luke in perfect order:

When we come to Matthew’s earlier account of these miraculous events, we find that he included additional information that Luke did not write about in his gospel. Just as Mary shared details of her life with Luke, she told Matthew about many events that she preserved in her heart and mind so vividly — adding significant events that occurred after the holy family returned to Nazareth.

For example, Matthew learned from Mary that:

All of this makes me want to ask you:
If such a long list of miraculous events happened to you or your family, don’t you think that you would never forget them? Luke 2:19 says, “But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.”As we have already seen, the original words in Luke 2:19 mean that Mary intentionally kept a precise and correct record of it all in her heart. And because she did, she was able to communicate every piece of the story with Matthew and Luke so they could write it all down and eventually recount it to others — including you and me! What if Mary had let it all slip over time and forgot about it? We know all the details of this miraculous story because Mary never forgot.
Likewise, you should never forget all the marvelous things you have witnessed God do in your own life. Do you keep a clear memory of all the miraculous things God has done for you so you can share them with your family and friends? Why not take some time to carefully recall those blessings so you can hold them in your memory and communicate them to others who really need to hear them.As we are coming to the close of 2022, it would be good for you to reflect on all God has done in your life over the past 12 months. Then, as Mary did, you need to share with others the wonderful things He has done. Let’s all follow the tradition of Mary and share with those around us what Jesus has done for us this year!I’ve written about all this and so much more in my new book Christmas — The Rest of the Story. Please pray with me that this book will take readers on a vivid journey through the many facets of the miraculous events surrounding Christ’s birth. I want readers to say “WOW!” as they read this new, fully illustrated book! By the way, if you haven’t ordered your copy yet, you can order it by calling our office or by going online to renner.org.

As I close my letter today, I want to wish you a wonderful Christmas season and encourage you to take time to reach out to someone who is in need or who is feeling lonely. There is always someone who needs the love of God — and you could be that someone to reach out to that person during this season! And never forget that we are here for you, and you can reach out to us any time you need prayer. Praying for you is a top priority in our ministry. If you’ll simply call us or send us an email or letter, the moment you let us know how we can pray for you, we’ll begin to pray in Jesus’ name!

Denise and I and our team wish you a Merry Christmas and a very blessed new year!

And please…pray for us as we press forward to do what God has called our ministry to do.

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

Rick and Denise Renner
Along with Paul, Philip, and Joel Renner and our ministry team

Resisting the Enemy

November Teaching Letter from Rick Renner

Dear Friends,

Today I want to speak to you about resisting the enemy’s attacks in your life.

But first, I want to wish you a happy Thanksgiving and to THANK YOU for being such a faithful friend and partner with this ministry! Proverbs 10:21 says, “The lips of the righteous feed many….” That verse describes God’s call to our ministry to feed many people the Word of God. Denise and I and our family and team can each do our part, but our partners’ regular giving is what enables us to take this message to people everywhere. We are giving our all to obey God, and the part you do is so vital in His great plan. That is why I want to say thank you to you before anything else today! We all have so much to be grateful for, and there is no better time than now to express again how thankful Denise and I are for you.

I also want you to know that my new book Christmas — The Rest of the Story is now available for purchase in our online store! From cover to cover, you’ll find full-color, original hand-drawn illustrations decorating every page. Packed with biblical truth and history, this book tells the story of our Savior’s birth and His purpose for coming in a way you’ve probably never heard before! I believe that as you gather with your family or friends this year, you will want this book within arm’s reach so you can share all the treasures that are in it. To order your copy today, go to renner.org.

Now let me share what is on my heart with you today.

As you grow in your spiritual walk, you need to know that attacks on your life may begin to escalate. But the good news is that your new growth and your knowledge of God’s Word will help you come through each attack as the victor!

It is certain that the devil doesn’t want you to grow because spiritual growth in your life equals real trouble for him and his dark kingdom. He would much prefer that you remain infantile in your spiritual life so that you do him no serious damage. Satan is well-aware that your growth in the knowledge of God’s Word and the power of the Holy Spirit poses a grave threat to his domain. He will, therefore, attempt to make a preemptive strike against you to slow down your growth. Do not be surprised by such preemptive strikes in your life!

Paul said, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man…” (1 Corinthians 10:13). In regard to these attacks from the devil, Peter also said, “Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world” (1 Peter 5:9).

In the midst of a spiritual assault that you’re experiencing, the devil may try to coax your flesh and emotions into believing that no one has ever been attacked like you’re being attacked. He may whisper to your mind that no one else has ever gone through the difficulties that you are going through right now. But you need to realize that this is a trick to make you fix your eyes on the problem and to overmagnify it.

It is vital for you to know that as you grow and your understanding of God’s Word begins to increase, you will probably have many opportunities to use your faith and to resist the devil. I can’t begin to count the times someone has told me, “I didn’t have any health problems until I got the revelation that Jesus bore all my sicknesses! After I started believing and confessing that healing was in the Atonement, it seemed like I was hit with all kinds of sicknesses!”

Others have said, “I had no financial woes until I believed what the Word of God has to say about tithes and offerings. Everything was fine financially until I started acting on the Word of God. Then when I began to give tithes and offerings to the Lord, everything seemed to fall to pieces!”

These attacks are attempts of the devil to drive you back from your land of promise. You see, he doesn’t want you to obey God’s Word and experience God’s blessings. This is exactly why the writer of Hebrews told his readers, “But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions” (Hebrews 10:32).

You need to know that a fight nearly always follows illumination. When you have received revelation concerning some area of the Word of God, the enemy comes almost immediately to attack, trying to steal the Word you have just embraced. Satan wants to make you doubt that Word so that you’re unable to confidently stand on it by faith.

That’s why it’s so important for you to realize that:

This is simply how the enemy works.

Satan comes to challenge you when you are gaining new ground. He waits until growth has begun; then he strikes with unrelenting force to shove you back into spiritual despair. He wants you to retreat and back off from the frontlines of battle!

By knowing ahead of time how the enemy works, you will be mentally prepared to deal with such challenges. Your knowledge of how and when Satan attacks will equip you to deal with these assaults more intelligently.

In regard to these times of spiritual assault, James said, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations” (James 1:2). Notice that James doesn’t say to count it all joy if you fall into diverse temptations. He says when. The word “when” implies that these attacks will come. The Greek tense used here suggests that:

From time to time, everyone comes under some type of assault. Regardless of whether the enemy’s attack originates in the natural realm or the spirit realm, the important thing for you to know is how to respond when such an attack commences against you.

God doesn’t warn us of this in order to inspire fear in us. He forewarns us of this reality so that when attacks do come, we will not be shocked and taken off guard and, thus, thrown into a state of confusion and discouragement. We are to anticipate such attacks.  

The devil does not want you to make spiritual progress, and he will try to stop you dead in your tracks! If nothing else, the presence of these attacks prove that you are making headway in your spiritual life and are becoming a threat to the security of the kingdom of darkness. Otherwise, these unseen enemies would leave you alone.

But if you are mentally prepared and alert to the way the enemy operates and to the potential of an attack, you have already eliminated half the battle. Mental preparation is a major key for dealing with potential attacks. If we are mentally alert to this possibility, and if we understand that these attacks occur when we are becoming more illuminated concerning the Word and our place in Christ, we will be better positioned to guard against and overcome these assaults.

If you’re experiencing some kind of attack in any area of your life, it’s time for you to rejoice that the devil is threatened by the progress you are making — and it’s time for you to use your faith to drive him out of that area of your life. You have all the authority you need to push the devil out of the picture — so use that authority and start pushing in Jesus’ name! That is what I had on my heart to share with you today!

If you need someone to help you pray and push an attack out of your life, reach out to us by phone, by email, or by letter. I assure you that we know how to pray and how to use the authority of Jesus’ name, and we will agree in faith that God’s power will drive the enemy out of your territory! But please…let us know how we can be praying for you. And always remember, we are so thankful to God for your partnership with our ministry. Together, we are making a difference in the lives of many people around the world.

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

Rick and Denise Renner
Along with Paul, Philip, and Joel Renner and our ministry team

We Can Count It All Joy

November Teaching Letter from Denise Renner

Dear Friend,

First of all, I want to say thank you for all the comments, responses, and prayer requests. I hear from many people every day, and I am so thankful to be able to receive such heartfelt communication from you.

The Bible says in John 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” The clue in this verse to having this overcoming, virtuous power is found in the words “in Me.” He says, “…In Me you may have peace….” You may be asking yourself right now, How can I find peace with so much trouble around me? This has been my question lately, and I believe I found an answer to this question in the first chapter of James.

James was the half-brother of Jesus and the leader of the church at Jerusalem. His congregation was suffering, and he was trying to help and encourage them. As their pastor, James wrote to them and addressed their problems — and he began doing that right at the beginning of his letter.

James started the second verse of his letter with the words, “My brethren.” By using the words my brethren, he was saying that he understood what they were going through and that the same things had happened to him. He continued, “…Count it all joy when you fall into various trials” (James 1:2).

Can’t you hear his congregation thinking to themselves, How can we get joy from trials? This is a very good question. But James knew something they didn’t know — or something they had forgotten. Verse 3 begins with the word “knowing.” In other words, there was something that they were supposed to know — and it is something that we are supposed to know too.

Again, you can imagine what this congregation was thinking as they read this letter: What are we supposed to know? All we know and all we can say is that we’re experiencing overwhelming problems that are trying to overtake us. But James, being confident and steady, said, “Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience” (James 1:3).

I once thought — and maybe you have thought this also — that this “testing” James mentioned was from God. But, no, this testing was not from God. This kind of testing is from the fallen world, but it should always meet up with our faith and our knowledge of the truth.

A big weapon you have against the pressure of a test that’s exerting its power to try to crush you is the mighty power of joy inside you! When you choose joy in the midst of a test or trial, you learn something: You learn that the very thing that is trying to break you can be overcome by rejoicing because God is going to help you through it, and you’ll also learn that you will come out stronger and more powerful than when you first went into that test or trial.

I’m going to show you that when you go through a test God’s way, that test will produce some really powerful things in you that will help you overcome future tests and trials. One of these powerful things is supernatural joy, because supernatural joy generates “hang-in-there” power. That means when the storms of life come, you will not be knocked over by the winds and the waves because the patience and hang-in-there power that have developed in you will hold you steady and embolden you against the storm so that you can keep standing. You will be like a palm tree that stays rooted in the midst of horrific hurricane winds of 100 mph or higher. You will just be standing there, holding your ground and declaring to the storm, “I will not be moved!” What is that power that is in you? It is the Greater One standing with you against the storm or trial!

Dear friend, that’s why we can count it all joy. We may not like the trial, but joy will destroy the gripping power of doubt, fear, depression, self-pity, and the desire to give up. And as a result, that great hang-in-there power will cause us to be better and stronger believers.

James 1:4 reminds us that if we will let patience finish its work, we will “be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” Now that’s power! But this overcoming power doesn’t mean that everything will always go our way and that we’ll get to bypass difficulties. That would be nice, but life is not like that. The real power is that, by faith, we can count it all joy and watch God change us into powerful, patient, loving, stable, confident, and more forgiving believers. That is why we can count it all joy!

You might be facing some kind of difficulty right now that has the power to knock you down. But the hang-in-there power of the Holy Ghost that is working on the inside of you — that power of the Holy Spirit residing in you — is a conquering power and is greater than any opposing force. Let me say it like this: When we count it all joy, we are turning on the switch to receive the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit to not give up. The Third Person of the Godhead is taking hold of that problem with us and bringing it into subjection to the joy that He has produced in us. Oh, glory to Jesus! What a Savior we have to help us through life’s tests, trials, and storms!

If you don’t have my new book, Unstoppable, I want to encourage you to get it. You’ll be able to read about others who have pushed through seemingly overwhelming odds but didn’t give up, and they received their reward from God.

Thank you so much for spending time with me, and please let me know how we can pray for you. You can call us at 1.800.742.5593 or email us at prayer@deniserenner.org. Our power-packed prayer team is waiting to hear from you!

And please join me on my weekly program, TIME With Denise Renner, Mondays at 7:00 a.m. CT on YouTube and Facebook! You can also find me on Saturdays at 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. CT on GospelTruthTV. We have such a wonderful time diving into the Word of God, and I would love for you to jump in with us!

Rick and I and our entire family and ministry team pray for you continually, and we bless you in Jesus’ mighty name! Remember — whatever the season or whatever the storm — embrace the power of the Holy Spirit to count it all joy!

We are moving forward together,


Denise Renner

No Time To Worry

October Teaching Letter from Denise Renner

Dear Friend,

In Matthew 6:34, Jesus says, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

This has always been one of my favorite scriptures because Jesus is such a beautiful example to us of one who could have worried about many things but always chose to trust His Father. He could have worried about the agonizing crucifixion before Him and the betrayal of a beloved disciple. He knew everything that was going to happen to Him, and He could have worried about it all.

The Bible says in Hebrews 4:15, “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Although Jesus was tempted in every way we are tempted, He never sinned. So you can absolutely say that just as you and I are tempted to worry and waste our precious time, energy, and mental abilities, Jesus also was tempted in that very same way. He understands when we are tempted to worry, and He is there to help us. As we turn to Him, trust Him, and make room for His presence, it gives us the power to turn from worry and to rest in Him.

Jesus was also implying in Matthew 6:34 that every day is a gift, and every day has tremendous opportunities if we can see them for what they are and can recognize the gift of those 24 hours and how to wisely spend them.

Let me explain, and I will use myself as an example.

A few months ago, I was studying the Bible a lot about the word “worry.” But I woke up one morning and found myself worrying about a particular situation. After an hour, I said to the Lord, “Lord, I have been worrying for one hour.” For one hour, I had been wasting my precious time!

Maybe you’ve never done that, but more than likely you, too, have worried at one time or another. When we are worrying, we are taking the problem out of God’s hands — the hands that can do anything — and putting it into our own hands, which can do very little.

That’s what I was doing for that one hour — keeping the problem for myself to resolve. Did I find a solution? No. And I was convicted by the Holy Spirit that by worrying, I was actually limiting God from helping me with my situation.

Philippians 4:6,7 says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” In the phrase “be anxious for nothing” in the Greek language, there is a tiny little word ti, which means every teensy, tiny, minute, little detail. God cares about every teensy, tiny, minute little detail of your life.

Look again at His promise in Philippians. If we hand over our cares and concerns to Him, the peace of God, which surpasses our own understanding, will guard and protect our heart and mind. It is one small act of taking the time — the time we would have wasted worrying — to talk to Him about the problem instead. So rather than having an upset stomach or becoming angry with someone around us, we can be flooded with the peace of God.

This is what was on my heart to share with you this month because every single day we have a choice to keep trusting God, seeing Him as bigger than our problems, and receiving His care and His presence in our situation. Every day we must make the choice to open the door to His power and presence and to shut the door to worry and care. Every day we must choose to shut the door to sickness in our body — and other negative effects in our life — as a result of worry, and open the door to the peace of God flooding our heart and our mind.

I pray for you as I pray for myself that we will continue to look to God’s Word and to see His Word as our stability and our answer. We need His help to turn from trusting in our own abilities and to begin to trust in Him.

I will close with this verse in Proverbs 3:1,2: “…Do not forget my law, but let your heart keep my commands; for length of days and long life and peace they will add to you.” Friend, His promise is right there. It’s for you, and it’s for me. Let’s open the door to receive His peace.

Thank you for your responses, comments, and testimonies. I am hearing from many of you who are watching my program TIME With Denise Renner on YouTube, Facebook, and Telegram!If you have a prayer request, please reach out to us. You can call us at 1.800.742.5593 or email us at prayer@deniserenner.org. We would love to join our faith with yours to see remarkable things happen in your life!

Thank you again for joining me. It is my prayer that I was able to encourage you today through these words.

We are moving forward together,


Denise Renner

Chosen By God

October Teaching Letter from Rick Renner

Dear Friends,

Wow…I am excited to share what God has put in my heart for you this month. In fact, I’ve spent weeks recently teaching on this subject because I’m so excited about it. But before I get into the message, I want to say THANK YOU for being a friend and partner with our ministry! To the best of our ability, Denise and I, our family, and our God-called team are obeying God’s call to take teaching you can trust to people all over the world. But our ability to do it is connected to our partners who financially put “fuel in the tank” so we can take the life-changing teaching of God’s Word to people who are crying out for it.

I want you to know that what you are doing is truly making an impact. Don’t ever let the devil tell you that your part is unimportant because it is VERY important, and we are thankful to God for you!

Today I want to ask you: Has God put a dream in your heart and told you to do something that is so huge in your mind that you’re tempted to dismiss it as silly nonsense? Do you ask yourself, Is this idea really from God or is it just a case of crazy daydreaming?

Be careful not to dismiss your dream too quickly! It may be a vision of your future that God has dropped inside your spirit. When these God-given dreams occasionally surface in your mind, you may misinterpret them as “wishful thinking” or “fantasies.” But have you considered the possibility that God may be trying to break into your conscious mind to reveal His plan to you?

If you sense that God is pointing His finger at you right now, I can relate to where you are and to what you’re feeling. I’ve sensed the Father’s finger pointing at me on several occasions — nudging me from behind, as it were, and telling me to get with the program and make a decision to follow and obey Him wholeheartedly.

Hesitation is fine for a while, especially if you’re taking the time to confirm you’re on the right track. But when hesitation is prolonged again and again, it’s usually a subtle form of rebellion. Your flesh doesn’t want to do what God has told you to do. It doesn’t feel comfortable or secure because naturally speaking, you don’t know how to accomplish the assigned task. Therefore, the flesh likes to look for excuses to put off obedience just a little longer.

If you don’t finally say, “Yes, Lord, I’ll do what You tell me to do and go where You tell me to go,” He won’t sit around and wait on you forever. There comes a deciding moment when you must get with it or get out of the way so someone else can get started. Don’t forget that the Lord Jesus taught, “For many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14). There are “many” who have had the opportunity to do something great and significant, but because they wouldn’t go on with God, they were not “chosen” to do it. Please don’t let that be you!

Many present God with a host of arguments as to why He should choose someone else. They lay their ill-conceived case before God as a lawyer would present his defense before a judge and jury:

We can each argue with God all day long about why He should choose someone besides us, but eventually we must quit fighting and simply surrender our will to obey God. I want you to embrace that God has a specific calling just for you and a spiritual race He has set before you that no one else can run as you can. When you finally step out to obey Him, you’ll be so glad you did because there is no greater satisfaction than knowing you are doing exactly what God has called you to do.

Your flesh may recoil from doing what God has asked of you because flesh likes to stay in its comfort zone where it isn’t necessary to change, grow, and develop. But as a child of God, you can take charge of your flesh and tell it to stop its ranting and raving. For far too long your flesh has told you all the lame reasons why you can’t be used by God. It’s time for your flesh to stop controlling your destiny!

If you don’t step out in faith to do what you know you’re supposed to do, you’ll miss the whole reason God brought you into this world. You see, He didn’t bring you into the world just to take up space on planet Earth. He has something grand and glorious for you to do. Imagine what a horrible tragedy it would be for you to live out your entire life only to discover when you die that you missed the grand, glorious destiny God had planned for you. God forbid that happens to you!

It’s time for you to turn your faith loose and jump out into the river of God, and let it carry you to a vast ocean of supernatural experiences and conquests. That’s God’s idea of a great life!

When we each reach the end of our life, the measure of our success will all be wrapped up in one question: Did we do what God called us to do? You may say, “But, Rick, I don’t know if God has called me to do anything special!” Of course, He has!

God certainly has a call on your life and a mission just for you! You may not know it yet, but there is a definite and distinct call of God designed just for you and for no one else. Ephesians 2:10 says God was planning the very works you should walk in even before the first layer of the earth’s crust was laid. Your presence on this planet was not accidental, nor was it an afterthought. God planned your life. He brought you into this world so you could contribute something valuable.

I want to encourage you to seek God diligently until you receive revelation regarding His plan for you. Once that plan is revealed, step into your place of faith and stay there for the rest of your life. The only way you’ll accomplish God’s plan is by living in the realm of faith and staying determined to do whatever God asks you to do. Both faith and diligence are required if you want to be successful in fulfilling your God-given life assignment.

THAT is what was on my heart to share with you today. But before I close, let me remind you that we are here to pray for you about anything — and when you reach out to us by phone, email, or letter, you can be sure that your prayer need will remain confidential between you, us, and the Lord. We are praying for you anyway, but when we hear from you, it helps us to pray even more effectively for you! Thank you again for everything you do to help us fulfill God’s call on our ministry. We could not do this without you!

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

Rick and Denise Renner
Along with Paul, Philip, and Joel Renner and our ministry team

The Power of Forgiveness

September Teaching Letter from Denise Renner

Dear Friend,

Once again, I want to thank you for spending this time with me. I am continually blessed by all the prayer requests and responses that have been sent in. It is an honor to pray for you and rejoice with you over what the Lord is doing!

Today I want to speak to you about a subject that I believe touches all of us at one time or another. That is the subject of forgiveness. I recently heard a testimony of a relationship that had been broken for 30 years — a mother and a daughter had not spoken to each other and could not be in the same room with each other for 30 years. The devil had his hold on that relationship, but through forgiveness, that mother and daughter are now speaking kindly to each other and enjoying one another’s presence. That is why this subject is on my heart today. We have to close the door to the enemy so he can’t come in and wreak havoc in our relationships with one another. And we can do that through forgiveness.

Forgiveness opens the door of Heaven to our relationships.

I want to tell you another story that illustrates this truth so powerfully. We’ve lived in the former Soviet Union since 1991. Once when we were ministering at a church in Ukraine, a lovely lady we knew was leading worship and I had the opportunity to talk to her. She was there with her son and her husband, whom she said was her second husband.

I said to this woman, “You have a beautiful family. How was it with your first husband?” (I felt free to ask that question because we were close and were having a heart-to-heart conversation.)

She answered, “I’ll tell you my story. After I married my first husband, he became an abusive alcoholic. He even abused our son, which affected him mentally — so, finally, I divorced him.”

After this woman divorced her husband, she heard the Gospel, received Jesus, and became filled with the Holy Spirit. After a while, she started getting more and more inwardly bothered by a thought she couldn’t seem to escape: I’ve got to forgive this man. A great work of the Holy Spirit was going on inside of her.

Later the woman remarried, and she noticed that she was starting to accuse her second husband of the same offenses her first husband had been guilty of — but her second husband wasn’t even doing those things. It was all in her mind. She was still hooked to the offender through unforgiveness, and she was bringing the ill effects of that inner “hook” into her second marriage.

This woman could only see her second husband through the lens of the pain and hurt of her first husband. And to add to her pain, every day she saw the effects of her first husband’s cruelty and abuse in her son, who had suffered some mental disabilities as a result. But even with her soul screaming so loudly with the pain of what she had gone through, she was convicted in her spirit that she needed to forgive her first husband. She prayed about it often: “God, please free me from this bitterness. I know I have to forgive him.”

One day the woman was cleaning out her apartment that was filled with things that needed to be thrown away. By the end of a day of hard work, she had stuffed many bags with trash to throw out and was so pleased with all the work she had done.

Then the woman looked over and saw a tiny piece of paper on the counter and immediately thought, I’d better get that. At that instant, the Holy Spirit spoke to her heart: Do you see that big pile of trash that you’ve gathered and are so proud of?

She answered, “Yes, Lord, I’m so happy to get rid of all that trash!”

The Holy Spirit continued, The debt you owed Me is like that huge pile of trash. And do you see that tiny piece of paper? That’s like the debt of offense and pain your ex-husband owes you. In comparison to the weight of sin I removed from you, his offense is very small.

That was the moment of revelation this woman needed. Right then, she forgave her first husband and released him from the debt of offense he owed her. And it wasn’t long afterward that God healed her son!

Forgiveness is truly one of the most important things that we do in our walk with God, because we were forgiven. If He hadn’t forgiven us, there would be no hope of Heaven, no love of God in our hearts, nor any ability to forgive. There would be no hope of all the benefits He has given us — healing, soundness of mind, peace, and so much more. But God did forgive us, so it is our responsibility to say, “Father, I also choose to forgive.”

We have the power to do what God requires of us. He gave us the Holy Spirit to dwell within us, and we have the love of God shed abroad by the Spirit in our hearts (see Romans 5:5). We just have to avail ourselves of that love by faith and say, “Lord, I know that You and I can do this together. I can forgive and release those who have offended me. Lord, You know what they did to me. But You also know all that I have done to grieve You. Yet You paid my debt. You took all the punishment of sin for me so I wouldn’t be punished. You forgave me; now it’s my turn to forgive every person who has hurt or wronged me and to release them from the debt they owe me.”

Forgiveness is a really big thing with God. It is the reason He was able to redeem us. He brought us into reconciliation with Himself through the forgiveness of sin.

This subject of forgiveness is so important that Jesus even said, “If you don’t forgive, your Heavenly Father won’t forgive you” (see Mark 11:25). Since we need to receive the forgiveness and mercy of God, we must give the forgiveness and mercy of God. We need to acknowledge and act on His love that has been shed abroad in our hearts and on the power that is within us to forgive.

Friend, I have told you before that bitterness, unforgiveness, and resentment are not foreign to my own heart and that in my situation many years ago, God delivered me from the horrible trap I was in. If God is speaking to you through this letter and you realize you need to reach out to someone and ask for his or her forgiveness for all the resentment you’ve carried in your heart against them because of how that person hurt you, I encourage you to make that bold step. I want to pray for you:

Father, I pray for my friend right now to be courageous and to be humble before your Word. If this precious person needs to open the door of forgiveness that in turn opens the door of Heaven to his or her relationships, help my friend to be obedient. I thank you for Your mercy and grace and Your love that has been poured out in this person’s heart by the Holy Spirit. I pray for encouragement to do the right thing, and as Your coming draws closer, that we all continue to close any doors that could let the enemy into our relationships or our heart, mind, or body. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

I share more about this important subject in my new book Unstoppable, which I encourage you to purchase if you haven’t already. In it, I teach in depth about pressing through fear, unforgiveness, and the negative opinions of others to fulfill your divine destiny.

I also invite you to watch my program TIME With Denise Renner. You can tune in to my program on YouTube, Facebook, or Telegram! I truly believe both my book and my program will bless you greatly.

Let’s keep our hearts free from offense and continue moving forward together.

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Denise Renner

These Signs Shall Follow Them That Believe

September Teaching Letter from Rick Renner

Dear Friends,

I am so excited about what I am going to share with you in my letter this month!

But first, Denise and I want to express our heartfelt thanks to God for all you are doing as a friend and partner with our ministry. Right now, we are giving our best to fulfill the many assignments God has given us, and that includes teaching the Word of God on various media platforms around the world, ministering seriously to the needs of our partners, providing tons of relief to displaced people in our part of the world, and finishing Phase 3 of our Ministry Expansion Project.

We could never do all this alone, but when partners obey what the Holy Spirit asks them to do, a miracle occurs, and the job gets done. For your part in our God-called team, Denise and I are so grateful. Your heart really is in the Kingdom of God, and we sincerely thank you for joining hands with us to do what God has commissioned us to do! Together, we are a God-called team!

I am SO excited to tell you that beginning September 1, you can preorder my new book Christmas — The Rest of the Story! Featuring full-color, original hand-drawn illustrations, this beautiful hard-cover book is sure to leave you spellbound by the wonderful account of our Savior’s birth. From the angel’s pronouncement to Mary to her marriage to Joseph to the angels’ glorious heralding of Jesus’ arrival as a newborn in the cave in Bethlehem, you will see the incredible journey of Christ’s coming to earth — and His purpose for coming — in a way you’ve probably never heard it before. This book is packed with biblical truth and history, and I believe it will be a blessing to you as you read it, as well as a treasure in your family for generations! You can preorder your copy at a discounted price today at renner.org.

Now let me get to what is on my heart to share with you today.

Just moments before Jesus ascended to the Father, He told the disciples, “And these signs shall follow them that believe; in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover” (Mark 16:17,18).

In this amazing passage, Jesus said that “signs” will follow those who believe. That word “signs” is from a Greek word that refers to a signature or seal that was applied to a document to guarantee its authenticity. It was the proof that showed the document was the real deal.
                              
Jesus was sending His disciples into the world to preach the Gospel, and as He sent them forth, He said, in essence, that God’s supernatural signature would be on their ministry. These “signs” were to be God’s official declaration that His people were sent by Heaven and that the Gospel message was true. Signs following the preaching of the Gospel were to authenticate the message and make clear that this was no manmade message — but one that came straight from God Himself.

The specific signs that Jesus mentioned are as follows:

The Lord said these signs would “follow” those who believe. It’s important that Jesus said in Mark 16:17, “…These signs shall follow them that believe….” The word “follow” is translated from a word that means to follow or to go somewhere with a person, as in accompanying him on a trip. As it is used in this verse, the word “follow” means to tirelessly accompany someone, to constantly be at the side of an individual, or to always be in close proximity with a person, like a faithful companion who is always at one’s side.

This tells us that signs and wonders are to faithfully follow us and the Gospel message everywhere we go. Signs and wonders are to be so in step with us and the message we preach that to live without these signs should seem very strange to us. God intended for these signs to follow us everywhere we go, like our nonstop companions and as God’s signature that the message we speak is true.

Every time you preach or share the Gospel — whether at church, at work, on the mission field, in a bus, on the subway, or at the grocery store — you should expect these supernatural signs to be present with you. These signs should accompany you everywhere you go because they are a part of your spiritual equipment as a faithful partner of the Gospel message!

SO…why don’t we see more of these signs following Christians?

The answer to this question is actually found in Jesus’ words in Mark 16:17. It says, “And these signs shall follow them that believe….” But the tense used in this verse means it would be more accurately translated, “These signs shall follow those who have engaged their faith and are believing….”

That means these signs don’t come automatically just because you are a Christian. Actually, Jesus never said these signs would simply follow Christians. He said they would follow those who are believing for them. If a Christian isn’t believing for these signs to be manifested or expecting supernatural signs to follow him, they probably won’t. Like everything else — signs and wonders are activated by faith.

Throughout our ministry, Denise and I have observed that people who regularly experience the miraculous are those who regularly expect to see it. Rather than being passive — they are aggressive about pushing forward to see the miraculous in their lives or ministries. Those who press forward and release their faith to see the supernatural demonstrated are the ones who often experience these divine demonstrations in their lives.

So the number of signs and wonders that follow you will be determined by how intensely you are constantly believing for them to be in manifestation. If you want signs and wonders to faithfully follow you, you must be constantly believing for them to happen!

Remember that these signs always follow those who are believing for them to occur. This is Jesus’ promise! He absolutely promised His supernatural signature would be with anyone who preaches the Gospel and opens the way for the supernatural to come to pass by believing.

In Mark 16:17 and 18, Jesus said those who believe will:

What do these signs really mean — and what do they mean to you? I don’t have space in this letter to answer these questions, but it’s important for you to know the answers. I just finished teaching a new series called THESE SIGNS SHALL FOLLOW THEM THAT BELIEVE, and in this brand-new series, I fully explain what all of this means for you. You can order it by calling our ministry or by going online to renner.org.

But certainly, Mark 16:17 says, “And these signs shall follow them that believe….” Again, it would be more accurately translated, “These signs shall follow those who have engaged their faith and are believing….” So if you want to see these supernatural signs accompanying you in all your paths of life, you have to release your faith and believe for them to be manifested!

My purpose in writing you this letter today is to encourage you to engage your faith and begin believing for these signs to be your partners in life and ministry. If you’ll believe and obey the promptings of the Holy Spirit, these supernatural signs will be God’s signature that goes with you everywhere you go!

This is what I felt led to share with you this month, and I pray it has encouraged you to listen to the Spirit, to believe, and to obey whatever He instructs you to do.

Before I close, I want to remind you to please let us know how to pray with you for whatever it is that you are facing or dealing with in your life right now. We are very serious about hearing your prayer needs, either by phone, by email, or by letter. As soon as you let us know how to pray for you, we will release our faith with you for Jesus to supernaturally empower you right where you are!

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

Rick and Denise Renner

Turn Your Back to the Naysayers

August Teaching Letter from Denise Renner

 

Dear Friend,

Thank you so much for choosing to spend this time with me today. I have something on my heart I want to share with you that I think affects each of us at some time in our lives — maybe even right now. Being influenced by the negative opinions of others around us, or even the negative opinion of ourselves, can be detrimental. Those negative feelings, thoughts, or words can detour us from taking hold of our God-given assignment. But God has a better plan!

I want to start by sharing a very familiar story in the Bible — David facing Goliath. In First Samuel 17, we read that David, a lowly shepherd, had already decided that he would be the one to take down the Philistine giant who was threatening the Israelites. But David’s older brother, Eliab, mocked him and said, “Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know the pride and insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle” (v. 28). Eliab was trying as hard as he could to crush David’s confidence. Then David replied to his brother in verse 29: “… What have I done now? Is there not a cause?”

But I love what verse 30 says about David’s response to his older brother:

Then he turned from him [Eliab] toward another and said the same thing; and these people answered him as the first ones did. — 1 Samuel 17:30

David didn’t snap back. He didn’t let Eliab draw him into the fight of a fleshly argument. He didn’t get bitter. He didn’t yell at his brother. He didn’t cry to himself, I need support from my big brother. Doesn’t he realize what I’m about to do? He didn’t think, Oh, Eliab is probably right. I need to be back with the sheep. All this scripture says is that David turned.

There was the older brother, full of ridicule, criticism, and rejection toward the younger brother. David heard Eliab’s words. But then the younger brother did an about-face, and he turned from those words.

That was a huge accomplishment on young David’s part. Eliab’s opinion of him could very well have stopped the younger brother. What if David had gotten his feelings hurt? What if he had swallowed those words and decided to believe them?

As the youngest brother, David had probably been raised to yield to his older brother and respect his words. But in this high-stakes situation with a giant that had to be defeated, David turned from Eliab and gave no attention to his words that were meant to shut down the younger brother’s confidence and stop him in his tracks.

Here’s what you need to know: There will be times when you have to face a giant in your life. For instance, the Lord may ask you, with the supply He has given you, to do something for Him that seems impossible to accomplish in the natural. And as you are getting ready to face your enemy, it is very likely that right before it’s time for you to chop off the giant’s head, the devil will send an “Eliab” to you with an opinion that temps you to feel discouraged or inadequate for the task.

Most likely we’ve all experienced this at one time or another. We’ll be preparing to step out of our comfort zone to give from our supply. We’ll be all fired up, excited, and ready to go — and then someone walks up and says something that deflates us.

At that point, we have a choice: Will we listen to the negative opinion and say, “Oh, that’s right. I need to go back to the field and tend the sheep. I’m not as anointed as that other person”? Or will we turn from that negative opinion and do what God has told us to do?

If that ever happens to you, do what David did — simply turn from the voice of the naysayer and refuse to receive that opinion! Go tell someone else what you’re going to do — or simply voice your intention to God! And whether anyone else believes you, don’t let yourself relax your grip on the assignment you have received from Him!

Every one of us has a responsibility to turn from different people’s opinions when their opinions do not match the word of God or go contrary to what He has clearly instructed us to do by His Spirit. We have to continually keep ourselves aligned with and in agreement with His opinions — because if we don’t, someone else will be telling us who we are, what we can do, and how far we can go in life.

Friend, it is never anyone else’s place to tell us who we are, what we can do, or how far we can go in life. That plan was put inside our spirit many years ago by God, and as we continue to push past the negative opinions of those around us — and even the negative thoughts we have about ourselves — we are agreeing with God’s plan and His opinion about us. It is in that agreement that we find power to move forward, past the obstacles of negative opinions. Just imagine that Jesus is on the other side of whatever it is you are going through, and He is cheering you on, saying, “You can do it! I am in you, and you can do all things because I am strengthening you.”

The Bible says, “No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn” (Isaiah 54:17). That is what we see acted out in the life of David as he turned from the opinions of his older brother who tried to discourage him from doing what God had called him to do — kill the giant. That same power of the Holy Spirit is inside you to defeat every weapon that is set against you and to silence any voice that rises against you in judgment.

Thank you again for spending this time with me. If there is any way that we can pray for you, please let us know. You can call us at 1.800.742.5593 or email us at prayer@deniserenner.org and there will be someone from our team waiting to pray with you. And if God has done anything special in your life through this teaching, please let me know! I continue to hear from many of you who have read Unstoppable and are experiencing freedom and victory, and I am so thankful for each and every response, comment, and testimony. I love your responses, and I read them all.

I also want to invite you to watch my program TIME With Denise Renner on YouTube, Facebook, or Telegram!

Moving forward together,
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Denise Renner

No Room For Compromise

August Teaching Letter from Rick Renner

 

Dear Friends,

Wow…things are really getting intense around the world. This is a time for us all to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and to always remember that Jesus is Lord over all. He is seated on His throne of power and is working out an end-time plan to bring about the victorious end of the age for His people!

So many people responded to my letter last month about how Jesus wants to give us a divine visitation wherever we are or in whatever situation we may find ourselves. Thank you so much for letting me know that my letter ministered to you. And please, before I go any further, let me say that we ALWAYS want to know how we can pray for you. Those who have been friends and partners of our ministry for a long time know that when you reach out to this ministry for prayer, you will REALLY be fervently prayed for, and you will see results. So if you have a prayer need, reach out to us by phone, by email, or by letter. We are waiting to hear from you!

And thank you for all you are doing to help us do the work that God has entrusted to us. Proverbs 10:21 says, “The lips of the righteous feed many….” We know that feeding many the Word of God is our assignment, but we do it in partnership with you. There is not a morning or evening that passes in which I do not personally pray for you. I am so thankful for your partnership!

Right now, we are in the final phase of our Ministry Expansion Project. Phase 1 allowed us to close on our new U.S. headquarters in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and Phase 2 funded the construction of our TV studio in Moscow, Russia. Now in Phase 3 we are working to pay off the Broken Arrow facility in full and complete the final touches of our TV studio. Would you join us in believing for the completion of this project? And if you are not already a member of this giving team, would you prayerfully consider becoming one? Denise and I are so grateful for the increasing number of people God is sending us to minister to, and we are so thankful to you for helping us in this work!

But in my letter to you this month, I want to speak to you about the times we are living in right now.

In these perilous days, we must understand the times we live in and our role in them according to Heaven’s perspective. There is no doubt that society is bending under an unrelenting pressure of external forces that is demanding compromise and denying the reality of absolute truth. But in the midst of it all, Jesus Christ’s clarion call to His people will still be heard!

Those who have put their trust in Jesus are to walk as He did on this earth — to stand boldly as His representatives; to refuse to fear or to allow their faith in Him to be diluted or deterred, no matter the consequences; and to demonstrate His power on an unprecedented level in these “last of the last days” before Jesus’ return.

Jesus promised, “…The gates of hell shall not prevail against it [the Church]” (Matthew 16:18). Although the brutal waves of persecution have come and gone many times over the past 2,000 years of Church history — even right up to this present day — every turbulent episode has proven Jesus’ words in Matthew 16:18 to be true.

But today, society is filled with new pluralistic, inclusive views that contain certain key elements — such as a diversity of beliefs, an ever-changing moral code, and the acceptance of moral perversion — and these are seeping into the mainstream of life, encased within the noble-sounding ideas of inclusivity and open-mindedness.

In the midst of these times, possessing a rock-solid, unchangeable belief in absolute truth in this current climate labels you as extreme. A person who fits that description may even be seen as a menace to the direction the rest of society wants to take. And although unyielding Christians will be called intolerant, it will be the pagans themselves who have no stomach for anyone who holds a position different than theirs.

The pressure exerted on Christians will continue to intensify in an attempt to push them to modify their message and become more accepting of moral codes that directly contradict the Bible.

Satan has learned through 2,000 years of Church history that Christ cannot be defeated. So instead of fighting a fight he cannot win, the enemy now attempts to level the playing field by deluding people — even many Christians — into believing that every faith, including Christianity, is equally acceptable and true. Entrenched in this deception, people begin to think that no one is exclusively right or wrong and that everyone has a piece of the same puzzle. From this mindset, a diverse mix of beliefs have emerged, and people no longer feel the need to repent or to be saved. This is the inclusive view promoted today by so many in the arenas of politics, media, entertainment, justice, and education.

According to the rules of this pluralistic game — everyone is the same — and Christians who stick to their “insistence” that Jesus Christ is Lord over all and that the Bible is absolute truth are often persecuted for being stubborn in their convictions. And the trend toward inclusivism is growing so rapidly that believers are now often hesitant to publicly affirm what they believe for fear of backlash from others and being labeled intolerant.

We must face the fact that in the days to come those who remain faithful to the Gospel must be prepared to be ostracized as members of a fringe group — non-conforming outcasts of an uncaring society. They may be called “hateful” and “bigoted” simply because they adhere to the teaching of the Bible that does not condone others’ immoral life choices.

You know it’s true that…

The spiritual environment in the world is undergoing a radical change. A great gulf is beginning to divide those who reject absolute truth and those who see what is happening and respond by renewing their commitment to the faith — and right now the winds of change are blowing to separate the wheat from the chaff.

But God has a remnant of believers who are willing to hear and hearken to what the Spirit is saying to the Church. And as long as the Church is willing to receive the divine power it needs for correction, change, and restoration, God will use the Church to change the world. God has always had a remnant who will not bow to external pressures, and in these last days, He will have that remnant once again — and that remnant is us! Believe me when I tell you that those who refuse to compromise will experience previously unknown levels of the power of God as a result of their commitment to stand by truth.

These are the issues facing the Church in the days we’re living in.

But GOD CHOSE US for this end-time season, and we are absolutely anointed for it. We are well able to overcome anything we face in this age of the last days. (By the way, I have written a book called NO ROOM FOR COMPROMISE that takes all of this teaching many steps further. If you don’t have this book, it is one you will want to read. You can order it at renner.org.)

Oh, my heart is so filled as I ponder the fact that God chose us to live in this age and that He is going to pour His Spirit out MIGHTILY on those who refuse to compromise with the spirit of the age. That includes you and me!!! Let’s dig our heels in, refuse to budge from truth, and let the Holy Spirit use us to rescue those who are perishing all around us!

I could continue on this important and timely subject, but I know your time is precious. Before I close, I want to remind you that we are here to pray for you. Please let us know if you need prayer. Reach out to us by phone, email, or letter — or go to renner.org — and we will agree for Jesus to move mightily in your life. And please pray for us as we continue pressing forward by faith to take the teaching of God’s Word to people who are in darkness!

Oh, how we thank God for you!

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

Rick and Denise Renner