A Woman of Canaan

May Teaching Letter from Denise Renner

Dear Friends,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Merry Christmas!

We love you and thank God for you!

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

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

Dear Friend,

This month I have been meditating a lot on personal encounters with Jesus — meeting with Him one on one — because the Bible says in First Corinthians 6:17 that “…He who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.” We are one with Him! And today I want to talk to you about a woman who had a very personal one-on-one encounter with Jesus — the Canaanite woman. We find her story in Matthew 15:22-28:

And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.” But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.” But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

The first thing we notice from this passage is she was “a woman of Canaan.” That means her relatives in the past had been enemies of Israel, who were God’s chosen people. The Canaanites were known for offering human sacrifices and worshipping idols. So this woman from a terrible background came to Jesus, and the Bible says she “cried out to Him.” She cried over and over again, yelling out to Jesus, “…Have mercy on me, Oh Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed” (v. 22).

As you can see, this woman had intense desire. As a Canaanite, she knew who she was and who her ancestors were, but she didn’t care because she wanted something from Jesus. She was desperate to receive this deliverance for her daughter. She went to Jesus and made a great effort to get Him to notice her. And then in her crying out — which wasn’t just once — Jesus still didn’t give her any attention. But that was not going to stop her. She was desperate to get help for her daughter, and she wasn’t about to give up.

When you and I come to a difficult situation — and it could be a life-or-death situation — our desire matters. Is our desire to just believe God for a little while, maybe asking for a week or two for God to move in our situation before becoming disappointed? Look at this Canaanite woman. She was crying out so much, and she kept on crying out. And verse 23 tells us that Jesus didn’t even answer her. It says, “But He answered her not a word.”

However, that didn’t stop her. This woman kept crying out until, finally, the disciples asked Jesus to send her away — but she would not be moved!

Then Jesus does answer her. In verse 24, He says, “…‘I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’” Does this stop the woman? No! Verse 25 continues, “Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, ‘Lord, help me!’” Her desire had not changed. And she knew that Jesus was her only hope.

How many of us, when we need or want something from God and we know He is our only answer, give up just because we don’t get our answer fast enough? Maybe we are not desperate like this Canaanite woman, or maybe we aren’t focused on Him as intently as she was.

Do we cry out for Jesus and not care what others think or say about us? That’s what this woman did. She cried out to Jesus for the answer she needed, and she didn’t let anything stop her. Then she worshiped Jesus. What did her worship look like? Did she fall on her face? Did she put her face on the ground and weep and say, “Lord, You are Lord. Please help me!”?

We really don’t know how she worshiped, but we can learn from her example. When you’re faced with an impossible situation, you can worship Jesus and recognize Him as your only answer!

The Canaanite woman was not letting go of the possibility that her daughter would be free. No one else was crying out to Jesus for her daughter. It was just her and Jesus. And this was her opportunity — her one-on-one encounter with Him! She didn’t care about the disciples’ or anyone else’s opinion. She came to Jesus for one reason and one reason only — for the deliverance of her daughter.

Have you been in a situation like that? Where it was just you and Jesus and there was no one else there to encourage you? When at the midnight hour, it seemed so dark and lonely? Or when it was only you and Jesus, and you desperately needed Him to act?

I was at that place in my life once, and there was no other answer for me. My body was screaming at me with pain, and my mind was screaming at me. At that time, I was even having panic attacks because I was so filled with fear. In that moment, when I did not know how I was going to get out of that situation, I only knew that Jesus was my answer and He was my only answer. I remember taking hold of the sink one night while everyone else was sleeping and saying, “Lord, I don’t know what’s going on, but I am not letting go of You.” It was just a few weeks later that my deliverance, healing, and answer came. I can identify with the Canaanite woman because Jesus was her only answer and she determined not to let Him go.

Perhaps you have been in that place before, where you knew that Jesus was your only answer and you were not letting go until you got your answer. It is when we come to this deep place of worship and say in our heart, I do not know what I have to do or how long it is going to take to get my answer, but I am not letting go of You. You are my only hope.

There is something so holy about recognizing that Jesus is Lord of your life, and you can trust Him and Him alone. That is worship! And out of that deep place of worship from this woman came a very simple prayer: Lord, help me!

Friend, maybe you are at that place right now, where you know that Jesus is your only answer. Maybe you have become tired and you are tempted to give up. I want to encourage you that as you seek Him and worship Him, there is something that will happen inside you when you come to that place. You get a very simple answer. This is what happened to the Canaanite woman. She said three words to Jesus — Lord, help me!

Those three simple words drew that woman into a conversation with Jesus, where He said, “…It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs” (Matthew 15:26). That bread represented healing, and because she was a Canaanite woman, she, in the eyes of Jews, was considered a little dog. But that did not discourage this woman. She said to herself, Great. Crumbs fall from the table. I will take those crumbs. Then she said to Jesus, “…Even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table” (v. 27). When she said this, Jesus said, “Great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire…” (v. 28). And her little girl was delivered!

Dear friend, Jesus said that in this world, we would have tribulation — but to cheer up, for He has overcome the world (see John 16:33). The midnight hour will come to all of us at some time. So what are we going to do? What a great example we see in this woman who refused to give up and who pressed through her terrible background and difficult situation — first being ignored by Jesus, then being pushed away by the disciples, and, finally, being called a dog. But she continued to press through to get her answer.

Don’t let go of your desire, and don’t let go of the fact that Jesus is your only answer. Press through the obstacles and roadblocks that come because Jesus is with you, and He will see you to the other side of this trouble.

Thank you so much for spending this time with me. If God is doing something special in your life, please let us know. And if you have any prayer requests, we are here for you. We would love to lift your needs before the Lord and believe with you for your answer. Just call us at 1-800-742-5593 Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CT, or you can send us your prayer request at prayer@renner.org.

And I am so grateful for all the comments I’ve received in response to my new TV program Time With Denise Renner. I read all of them! If you haven’t done so yet, I invite you to join us for the next program on YouTube, Facebook, or Telegram! And I also want to let you know that my new book Unstoppable will be officially released this month. Be sure to get your copy of this powerful and encouraging word that can help you overcome hindrances and push past obstacles to receive God’s supply and position yourself to fulfill your divine destiny!

Let’s keep pressing forward together,

Denise Renner

Follow After Peace

May Teaching Letter from Rick Renner

Dear Friends,

Merry Christmas!

We love you and thank God for you!

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

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

Dear 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.

Greetings in Jesus’ name!

Before I get into what’s on my heart to share with you today, I want to express how thankful we are for your prayers for the countless number of precious adults and children who have been displaced from their homes due to the volatile situation in this region. Because of your generosity and willingness to be the hands and feet of Jesus, we have been able to provide immediate relief in the form of packages filled with food, personal-care essentials, blankets, and the Word of God. Your prayers and financial gifts are an instrumental part of placing hope directly into the hands of those who so desperately need hope in this hour. If you would like to see the most current photos of this emergency-relief effort, please use the following link: renner.org/article/relief-photos.

Denise and I would also like to thank those who are continually praying for us and RENNER Ministries as we move forward on our Ministry Expansion Project (you can read more about it at renner.org). We are making significant progress, but please continue praying with us to reach our goal as we grow our capacity to minister to those God has sent to us to impact with the Gospel. We are SO THANKFUL to every person who has become a part of the giving team to help us so we can better minister to people in our nearby world and to the far reaches of the earth. Thank you from the depths of our hearts!

As I was reflecting on our 30 years in the former USSR this week, I found myself remembering a time when the devil tried to hijack our ministry by planting seeds of bitterness in my soul toward a difficult pastor who lived near us in the former USSR. I had so many legitimate reasons to be upset with him, but one day the Lord said to me, “Rick, do you want revival in your life and ministry?” I said, “Lord, You know how much I long for it.”

Then I heard the Holy Spirit say, “Then you have to repent for your attitude toward that man and ask him for forgiveness for your attitude.” The whole story — which is actually quite funny in retrospect — is in my new autobiography, UNLIKELY — Our Faith-Filled Journey to the Ends of the Earth, and it can be ordered at renner.org.

As I was remembering how the Holy Spirit helped me uproot that bitterness from my soul and make peace with that difficult man 30 years ago, I felt I should ask you: “Do you have a difficult relationship in your life that has been poisoned by offense, bitterness, or misunderstanding and need to take action to uproot those toxic things from your soul?”

If you have encountered a difficult relationship or difficulty in a relationship — maybe with your spouse or other relative, a friend, an employer, employee, a co-worker, or a member of your church — I know you will find vital keys to help you navigate that situation in Hebrews 12:14, where the verse begins by saying, “Follow peace with all men….”

That word “follow” is the Greek word dioko. This word was an old hunting term that meant to follow the tracks of the animal or to follow the scent of the animal.

Just imagine a hunter decked out in all his hunting gear, and he’s following the tracks of his prey. He’s following the scent of the beast, and he’s looking for every little branch that the animal may have broken so he can better track its whereabouts. The hunter is hunting, following, and searching for that animal — and he is not going to stop until he finally gets his prey.

Now the Holy Spirit uses this word in Hebrews 12:14 to say, “Follow after peace with all men….” That means sometimes peace doesn’t just come to us. In fact, most of the time, peace does not come to us. We have to do something to find peace with people. We have to follow after peace. And God is the author of peace, so He knows how you can obtain it with every person!

Like a hunter, God instructs you and me to put on our “hunting gear” and make a firm decision to do something about that relationship according to His love that has been shed abroad in our hearts (see Romans 5:5). You need to remind yourself: “I can’t be responsible for what that person does, but I am responsible for what I do — and God has required me to do everything I can do to obtain peace in this relationship.” Of course, sometimes, even when you do everything you can do, the other person doesn’t respond. You can’t answer for the other person, but you are going to answer for yourself.

Why is it so important that we follow after peace? The Bible goes on to tell us in Hebrews 12:14, “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man will see the Lord.”

That word “see” tells us that a lack of peace in relationships becomes a blocker that stops us from enjoying and experiencing the presence of God. Think how many times you’ve been in a service where God’s anointing is present and people are being blessed, but you can’t enter into it because you are so inwardly upset about someone or something. You see, these attitudes are blockers, and that is why the writer of Hebrews says that without peace — or in the presence of strife — you will not be able to be admitted into the life-changing presence of God.

Strife is a blocker. It will stop you from entering into the anointing. It will stop you from entering into blessing of any kind.

Hebrews 12:14 goes on to tell us to “follow after peace and holiness.” The word “holiness” is from the word hagias. It means to be separate or to be different. In this particular case, the writer of Hebrews is telling us that we don’t have the privilege of acting or thinking like the world. God calls us to a higher standard. The Holy Spirit lives in us, giving us the power we need to walk in forgiveness on a much higher level than the world. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to walk in freedom rather than the bondage the world walks in. We are called to follow after peace — to hunt it, seek it, pursue it — with all men. And we’re called to walk in holiness, to behave differently than lost people behave and to walk in forgiveness, free from offense. If we fail to pursue that kind of spiritual walk and remain in strife and bitterness, it can block us from experiencing the tangible presence of God.

I urge you to take a moment to look at your life. Think about those times when you’ve harbored bitterness and offense and allowed your heart to grow hard toward a person. It was very difficult for you to experience the sweet presence of the Lord during those times, wasn’t it? That’s exactly what this verse is talking about.

God is calling each one of us to a higher level, and — like it or not — this verse tells us what we have to do when we’re dealing with difficult people in our lives who have hurt or offended us. If we’re serious about being disciples of Jesus, we must determine to forgive every person and every offense. We have to respond differently than the world would respond. Then as much as is possible with us, we must actively follow after obtaining peace with every person.

And let me tell you — the only way you’re going to be able to do this is by spending time with Jesus. Ask Him what path you’re to follow to obtain peace. No one understands this better than Jesus. He had enemies all around Him, yet He walked in peace with all men. Talk to Jesus, and He’ll get you on the right track that leads to freedom from strife and offense and to an abiding sense of His presence every day of your life.

I realize my subject today is a little unusual. But because I was reflecting on that situation from 30 years ago — a time when the devil tried to hijack our ministry by planting seeds of bitterness in my soul toward a difficult pastor — I just felt I needed to encourage you to get before the Lord to make your heart right with Him concerning any person who has wronged or hurt you. If you don’t have my book UNLIKELY, I encourage you to get it. I really believe by reading the whole story of my tangle with bitterness, it will give you direction and help to set you free. As you read it, you can laugh your way into freedom!

God has so much in store for you — and don’t let the devil hijack God’s good plan by allowing the enemy to fill you with toxic feelings of bitterness or unforgiveness. God wants to help you keep moving into freedom so you can fulfill every good plan He has designed for your life!

As I close, I ask you to please let us know how we can pray with you. Denise and I, along with our prayer team, will put our faith together with yours for God to move in your life. We always pray better for you when we know your specific needs. And I promise that when you reach out to us by phone, email, or letter, we will really pray for you!

We love you and thank God for you!

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

Rick and Denise Renner

The Woman at the Well

April Teaching Letter from Denise Renner

Dear Friends,

Merry Christmas!

We love you and thank God for you!

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

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

Dear Friend,

There is so much treasure packed away in the Word of God just waiting for us to discover. As we meditate on His Word, the wonderful Holy Spirit inside us speaks to our heart. I want to share with you a nugget I received this month from just a few words Jesus spoke to one woman that I believe can help us all.

We find this woman and her story in John 4:7-26 — the woman at the well. It is a very familiar story to most believers, and in our church in Moscow, we even have a painting that depicts this woman and Jesus and their marvelous encounter that day.

When you read these verses, you find out that this woman was not a very nice woman. She was probably hated by some and talked about by others. She and her reputation may have been the topic of many people’s conversations. She’d had five husbands, and the man she was living with was not her husband. This woman was adulterous. Some might even ask, “What kind of woman could be married five times?” Or, “What’s wrong with this woman? But there she was — talking to Jesus.

Have you ever had a conversation with someone, and you were just taken aback by that person’s behavior? You almost couldn’t believe he or she would act like that! Most of us have probably experienced such a conversation, and we were stunned that someone could actually do such horrible things.

But I want us to look at one verse. John 4:10 says, “Jesus answered and said to her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, “Give Me a drink,” you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.’”

As I was meditating on this verse, I saw the first thing that Jesus said to her — “If you knew the gift of God.” That was her number-one problem! She did not know the gift of God and who it was who was talking to her!

So, what was her real problem? Was it that she had been married five times and was now living with a man she was not married to? Was it that half the town talked about her behind her back?

If you only looked on the outside, you would think that was her real problem: She was an adulterous woman and had hurt many people in her life, and she should get what she deserved.

But, no. That was not her real problem. Her real problem was that she did not know the gift of God. She didn’t know Jesus.

So what is the difference between us and her? God has blessed us, and we probably have had some success in our lives. Maybe we have seen God heal our body, save our mind, touch our children, or provide money for us when we desperately needed it. Maybe by His Spirit, He has delivered us out of trouble and bondage in our life. So what is the difference between us and this woman? One difference is that we know the Gift of God and she didn’t.

In other words, I’m asking, “How can we judge others because we don’t agree with their decisions and their lifestyle when, just like the woman at the well, we had the same problem at one time? We didn’t know Him. Her number-one problem was that she didn’t know Him. The big difference between you and me and others we are sure to encounter is that we know Him, and they don’t.

Even on the Cross, Jesus said, “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they are doing” (see Luke 23:34). Again, we see that the world didn’t know the real problem. Can we really justify ourselves if we judge others and stand and say, “I would never do that,” when the person we are tempted to judge just has one big problem — that they don’t know Him?

I am not saying the horrible things people do are justified and that their actions are okay. God hates evil, but God loves the sinner. Jesus hung on that cross for our sins and took the punishment for our sins. And He took the punishment because He loves us.

John 3:16 will never change. It says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” God loves the sinner, but He hates the sin. The sin is not okay, but if we have judgmental attitudes, we stop the compassion of God from flowing through us. We stop the Perfect Love that casts out fear and conquers judgmental attitudes.

Jesus did not reject this woman — He offered her the answer. Is there someone in your life or even someone you do not really know that you need to give more compassion to because that person doesn’t know Him? Wasn’t that our problem at one time? Or have we ever been in a position where we’ve done wrong and couldn’t see it?

I want to challenge us as we read this letter to give more compassion to those who don’t know Him. Maybe it’s a spouse that acts in a certain way — or a boss, an in-law, a brother or sister, or someone in authority who has a lot of influence over others, and you are appalled at that person’s actions. Did Jesus give us compassion when we didn’t know? He absolutely did! So shouldn’t we give that same compassion to others when we don’t understand their actions?

If Jesus had judged the woman at the well and refused to talk to her in her mess, she would have never received the living water — forgiveness and restoration through knowing Him — He was lovingly offering her. Who around you needs some of that living water you have flowing inside of you? That is what I wanted to share with you.

Jesus knew He had the answer for this woman, and you and I have the answers inside us for people who don’t know Him. Let’s freely give this living water to others.

Thank you for spending this time with me as I share my heart. And as always, if you have any prayer needs, please let us know. We are here for you, and we want to pray for you. And we would love to hear what God is doing in your life! Just call us at 1-800-742-5593 Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CT, or you can send us your prayer request at prayer@renner.org.

And thank you to those who have responded to my new program TIME With Denise Renner. I invite you to join us on YouTube, Facebook, and Renner.org.

Let’s keep having compassion in our hearts for others.

Denise Renner

Jesus Is Lord of All

April Teaching Letter from Rick Renner

Dear Friends,

Merry Christmas!

We love you and thank God for you!

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

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

Dear Friends,

This month, I want to talk to you about the resurrection and exaltation of Jesus Christ and what that means to you and me. In the midst of current difficult, trying times in the world, the message of Christ’s victory over Satan and the kingdom of darkness — in our stead and on our behalf — is a message we need to hear and hear again!

Not only is the Church worldwide celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ this month, this month also marks the 30-year anniversary of the first legal celebration in decades of Easter in the former USSR. And the Renner family was right there for the reviving of that holiday celebration! We moved to the former Soviet Union 30 years ago, and on Sunday, April 26, 1992 — in Latvia, where we lived at that time — the first LEGAL EASTER in approximately five decades was celebrated in that nation!

Can you imagine living in a world where people don’t know about Easter? That was the socialist-communist world we moved into with our family 30 years ago. I tell all about that first legal celebration of Easter — and more — in my new autobiography called, UNLIKELY. (If you don’t already have this book, it can be ordered at renner.org.)

This month, I would normally write to you from traditional verses about Easter, but this year, I wanted to write to you from Ephesians 1:22, where Paul wrote that after Jesus was raised from the dead, He was gloriously exalted above all. That verse says, “And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church.”

Paul’s choice of words in this statement is very powerful, so today I want to take a moment to unlock the original Greek language for you to fully understand this amazing verse.

The first part of this verse says, “And hath put all things under his feet.…” The word “under” is a translation of the Greek word hupotasso, which is a military term meaning to subjugate or to dominate. It described forcibly subduing a conquered people and putting them in their place, but Paul’s use of this word in Ephesians 1:22 tells us that through Christ’s death on the Cross, His subsequent resurrection, and His ultimate ascension on High — God literally put every foe that ever existed UNDER Jesus’ feet.

Paul elaborated on this in Philippians 2:9-11, saying, “Wherefore God hath highly exalted him, and hath given him a name which is above every name: that at the name

of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.” Nothing in the universe is more highly exalted than Jesus Christ. His throne rules above all — above all human authorities, military authorities, and spiritual authorities. There is simply no one who rules higher or more majestically than Jesus.

Jesus is so exalted “above all” that Revelation 1:5 declares He is “the prince of the kings of the earth.” This means He rules above all the affairs of mankind. It means that no matter what political party, president, or ruler holds power — or what verdicts the courts mete out — Jesus Christ’s ultimate authority over the kings of the earth remains uncontested. Others may command an earthly sphere of influence for a limited time, but Christ’s rule supersedes and outlasts them all.

But notice Revelation 1:5 says Jesus is “the prince of the kings of the earth.” The word “prince” is the word archon, a Greek word that denotes one who holds the highest and most exalted position. That emphatically means Jesus is truly Lord over all. The word “kings” is a form of the Greek word basileuo, which means to rule or to reign. However, the form of the word used in Revelation 1:5 not only refers to human kings or rulers, but also to governments, which tells us Jesus’ power is greater than any human government. Human governments may think they are in control, but Jesus is exalted far above them, and He is the One who ultimately calls the shots. And in time, every opposing force will be eliminated, and Jesus will remain high and lifted up!

Revelation 1:5 boldly proclaims that Jesus is the most highly exalted King and that He possesses supreme power and authority — more than any ruler or government that will ever exist in the earthly sphere. Even in the darkest hours or the bleakest situations, evil will always be thwarted by the prevailing power of Jesus Christ. Approximately 2,000 years of Church history have proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that darkness doesn’t have the power or authority to silence the voice of Jesus Christ and His Church. As the King of kings, Jesus holds the highest seat of power, and He possesses dominion over all. Human kings and governments come and go, but Jesus’ Kingdom is everlasting and supersedes all others.

As I reflect on our family’s experiencing the collapse of socialistic-communism — a form of atheistic government that tries to outlaw and eliminate God — I remember that it came and went, proving once again that evil forces may try to blow in, but they surely always blow out. And when they are gone, Jesus remains seated in His highly exalted position, establishing that His Kingdom is completely without end! Because of His resurrection, He is above all; all things are under His feet; and He truly is the Prince of the kings of the earth!

THIS is the One we serve! Say amen!

And Jesus is Lord over any situation you may be facing right now! Even if it seems like a bad circumstance is trying to hover over your life, it will eventually go. But please let us know how to pray for you, and we’ll agree in prayer for that situation to submit to the name of Jesus and to change quickly for your sake and to the glory of God! That situation will bow its knee to the lordship of Jesus Christ! So please…let us know how we can pray for you.

Never forget that we are here for you — and we are so thankful for you and your partnership with our ministry. Together we are shining the light of God’s Word to dispel

darkness in people’s lives. What you are doing as a partner is more important than I know how to express. We are so thankful to God for you!

Before I close, I encourage you to take time to pray about who you can take to church with you this Easter to celebrate Christ’s glorious resurrection. This is a perfect opportunity to tell a friend, “Hey, come with me to church to celebrate Easter.” This may be the very moment that person repents or rededicates his or her life to Christ — and perhaps finds a church home with you — amen?

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

Jesus Wants To Heal You

March Teaching Letter from Denise Renner

Dear Friends,

Merry Christmas!

We love you and thank God for you!

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

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

Dear Friend,

Thank you in advance for reading this letter and spending this time with me today. It is such an honor and a privilege to be able to share my heart with you. Proverbs 3:5 and 6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and he shall direct your paths.” How important it is for us to read and hear this passage again and again and to really “see” it. But the power is in the doing, and that is what I want to talk to you about today.

Recently, I was praying with someone for her healing, and every word she said indicated she really believed God. Then she said, “I really believe God, so why am I still sick?”

Have you ever asked that question? I think many of us have asked that question from time to time.

As I talked to this woman a little longer, I understood that there was something in her soul that did not want to let go of that sickness. You may be thinking, But how can anyone not want to let go of sickness!

This woman had been abused by various people growing up, and in her adulthood, she was mistreated by an abusive husband. There was so much pain and hurt attached to this woman’s precious heart. Through all this abuse, she tried to be strong and to save herself, and it had become ingrained in her as a lifestyle to try to save herself — actually, to fix herself and everyone else around her. There was so much pain deep in her soul, and to feel better about herself inside and to erase her shame, she was habitually trying to work more than she should work and to try to rid those around her of their pain. She desperately wanted to be free, yet as much as she tried to heal her own soul, the sickness in her body would not move.

God didn’t send Jesus through His horrifying death for us to heal ourselves — He did it for us to trust in Him to heal us. And in the case of this precious woman, whether she realized it or not, she was saying inside, Lord, I believe what You did for me, but it is not enough — I have to pay some of this debt.

That is where the problem is. Jesus paid the whole sum for our debt, and anything we try to do does not and cannot release us from the debt. Instead, our aggressive activity to heal ourselves actually plugs up and hinders His merciful redeeming power from manifesting in our lives. Only His blood and sacrifice and resurrection can provide our freedom — that was this woman’s only freedom. In our flesh, we might try to pay, but it doesn’t work. There is only One who paid the whole debt. He was the only One who could pay it — and He did it! Jesus paid it all!

Jesus said a house divided against itself cannot stand (see Mark 3:25). There is no agreement where there is such “division.” For example, if we say, “Yes, Jesus paid my debt, but in this tiny area of my life, I’m trying to work it out on my own,” then we are divided. If we’re trying to work on ourselves in our own strength, we are leaning on our own power. But our total power and freedom are in what Jesus did, not in what we can do. And if we want to see the victory, we have to wholeheartedly believe and agree with what He did for us and then receive His power.

Friend, it is so important that you see that as a believer, you did not start this salvation that is flowing through your spirit — and you are not the one who is going to finish it. Hebrews 12:2 says, “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith….” So, you see, He started it, and He, by His power, will be the One to finish it.

When we, somewhere in our thoughts, think, I’ve got this, and I know how I can fix this problem, we are leaning on our own strength and understanding and not His. And we are going to miss something very needed along the way, because whether it is our intention or not, we are showing that we are not in agreement with what Jesus did — all that He accomplished in His horrific death and His powerful, mighty resurrection.

In closing, this is what I want to say to you: This month marks the beginning of spring, and in many parts of the world, new life is beginning to come forth. So let’s think deeply and gratefully about what Jesus did — and is doing — more than about what we can do for ourselves. He wants the answers to our prayers to spring forth and bear fruit like a tree in spring!

In the Gospels, Jesus often said we have to be like a little child to enter and to receive and experience the Kingdom of God. Is there anyone more trusting than a little child? No, because children simply trust. That’s why I started this letter with Proverbs 3:5, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.” It is in the trusting — with complete faith and trust like that of a little child — that we experience His love, peace, direction, healing, and freedom.

I pray the message in this letter encourages you to trust Him more deeply and to not lean on your own power or understanding. I believe more than ever that God is waiting for us to completely trust Him so that He can show His mighty power to us in every area of our lives, especially in these very unsettling times.

Thank you again for spending this time with me. If you have any prayer needs, please let us know. Our prayer team is so willing to join with you in faith and prayer. And if God has done something special for you, please let us know — we love to hear these testimonies!

Also, I hope you are enjoying my new program Time With Denise Renner on YouTube, Facebook, and Renner.org. I have already heard from so many viewers, and I appreciate those responses so very much.

Let’s keep trusting in Him with all our heart. Call or write to our team at 1-800-742-5593 or email us at prayer@renner.org.

We are moving forward together,

Denise Renner

God Has More in Store for You!

March Teaching Letter from Rick Renner

Dear Friends,

Merry Christmas!

We love you and thank God for you!

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

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

Dear Friends,

Here we are in the month of March with the first day of spring approaching. Depending on where you live, the weather will be turning warmer soon, and vegetation that has been browned by winter frost will be turning green and blooming once again. That’s what I love about spring! Although landscapes can appear dead in winter, they are usually only dormant — but when spring comes, the fruitfulness of grass, trees, flowers, gardens, and crops becomes apparent. I liken it to a “manifestation” of what wasn’t seen but is now very visible to the eye.

Something so similar is happening to RENNER Ministries that I want to share with you for a moment. I also want to THANK YOU for what you have done to help make this transformation from unseen to seen a living reality for us and for the many souls God has called us to partner with, to reach, and to teach and strengthen all over the world, especially in the former Soviet Union.

As you know, we began to seriously outgrow our ministry offices in Tulsa in the last couple of years, and we’ve had to be very creative in the way we’ve utilized our space. Some team members have found themselves working in unusual spots to perform their tasks, and after places in our hallways were utilized to the max for storage, we’ve had to rent on-site storage to be able to keep up with the volume of ministry that God is allowing to take place from our U.S. headquarters. So we recently acquired a new building in the Tulsa area, fully furnished to meet our ministry needs!

Also, as the online participation in our Internet Good News Church exploded exponentially from 30,000 members to more than 200,000 — along with millions of new viewers we have onboard since our acquisition of the CNL-GNC (Good News Channel) satellite network — Denise and I and our team are filming up to seven programs every day in Moscow! Our current studio space has become too small to accommodate all this growth, and we knew we needed to build a new studio where we could perform the functions of TV, Internet, and satellite ministry with greater effectiveness and expediency.

We are in the middle of this miracle right now! We’re seeing the “temperatures warming” and signs of new growth appearing — we are blossoming and flourishing in this new season at RENNER Ministries! God gives the increase and brings forth the promise of His Word — but this has largely happened because our partners believed in the vision He gave us and continued to water the seed we boldly planted in His name. Denise and I and our team thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

I want to let you know that we’ll be moving the entire ministry in Tulsa soon, and the entire exterior of the Moscow studio is completely in place, including the roof, walls, windows, and doors. We are now in PHASE 2 of the Moscow project, as we need to finish the interior with flooring, drywall, paint, and everything else necessary to equip the studio for our rigorous filming schedule. If you’re not already a part of this expansion-project giving team and you feel led to join us, please participate with us so, together, we can finish PHASE 2 of this project.

Finally, PHASE 3 will entail paying off our new U.S. facility, which we are believing God we’ll be able to do quickly. He is truly building this “ministry house” (see Psalm 127:1). We know He has entrusted this assignment to us, and He is working with us to see it through to its full manifestation — “…first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear” (see Mark 4:28). We are thankful to Him and to all our friends and partners who have prayed for us and have sown finances into this work. Your seed is producing something bigger than any one of us can do on his or her own. THANK YOU!

And now to the part of this letter that I study to produce for you each month, which I believe will be a blessing to you today. Just as a farmer examines the productivity of his crops at harvesttime, every once in a while, Denise and I take time to seriously and thoughtfully review what we are accomplishing and what we are not accomplishing in our lives and ministry. We do our best to be very honest with ourselves and with each other about these questions as we dive deep for solid answers.

Taking this kind of look at ourselves and our work is not always pleasant. Sometimes we find areas of glaring failure or areas where we know the Lord expected more of us. But in order to see the truth about our lives the way God sees it, He requires us to lay down our pride and be honest with ourselves. In the end, we’re always glad we did the review because it helps us repent — turn ourselves around — for the times we failed; rejoice over what God helped us successfully accomplish; and make sure we’re on the right course now, where we will be the most focused and effective in the future.

When other people say, “Wow, you accomplish so much!” we are always glad that they can see fruit and growth in our lives. God is always on the move, and He is indeed the God of increase. However, the most important question to us is not what other people think, but what the Lord thinks of us and our accomplishments. Maybe it’s true that we accomplished a lot compared to what others have done. But how we compare to other people and ministries is not the measuring stick any of us should use to determine how we are doing.

When Denise and I do an honest evaluation of where we are in our obedience, we remind ourselves of Second Corinthians 10:12 (AMPC), where the apostle Paul wrote that when people “…measure themselves with themselves and compare themselves with one another, they…behave unwisely.”

This means our measuring stick should never be how we measure up to other human beings or to other ministries. The real issue is how we “measure up” to the vision and goals the Lord gave us. When we stand before Jesus, He isn’t going to judge us by how we did in comparison to others. He will judge us for how we did with the assignments He gave us to do.

Therefore, we have learned to ask ourselves on a regular basis:

Are we accomplishing the goals the Lord has given us?
Can we stand before Him with a heart free of condemnation, knowing that we gave our very best effort, work, and faith to achieve His will?
What changes, if any, do we need to make in our lives — in our schedule, commitment, and financial resources — to truly partner with Jesus and do exactly what He has told us to do?

Learning to be honest about ourselves — including our successes and our failures — is important. We can learn from our past mistakes. If we see we have not done something as well as it should have been done, we ask the Lord to forgive us and then we turn our eyes to the present to make corrections — recalibrate — and start doing better!

I think of when Paul was imprisoned in Rome. He had a lot of time to think, so he reflected on his life and achievements. He thought about what he had done, what he hadn’t done, and what he still needed to do. I’m sure that, like all of us, Paul was tempted to look at his life in comparison to others. And compared to others, he had done a great deal.

Paul could have rightfully told himself, I’ve done more than most men will ever dream of doing. I’ve done more than anyone else I know! But rather than revel in his accomplishments, Paul used that time in prison to truthfully assess his life. Then he wrote these famous words in Philippians 3:13 and 14, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

Notice Paul said, “I count not myself to have apprehended.…” The words “count not” give us insight into the way Paul looked at his life. Paul borrowed these words from the bookkeeping profession. It is the Greek word logidzomai, which originally meant to mathematically count, calculate, or tabulate or to make a conclusion. This word was primarily used in the bookkeeping world to portray the idea of a balance sheet or a profit-and-loss statement that a bookkeeper prepared at the end of the month or year.

For example, a business owner might assume his or her business is doing well, but when the bookkeeper adds up all the numbers and hands the owner the profit-and-loss statement to read, that’s the moment that person finds out how well his or her business is really doing. You wouldn’t have to guess anymore about your situation, because the numbers tell the real story.

So rather than guess about how well he had done, Paul decided to carefully review the original goals God had given him. It is almost as if Paul had written God’s plan for his life on one side of the page and what he had actually accomplished on the other side of the page. After looking at the original goal and truthfully assessing how much of that goal he had accomplished, he wrote, “I count not myself to have apprehended….”

Although Paul had accomplished a great deal in his ministry, he knew he hadn’t done everything he was supposed to do. That is one reason he knew it was not time for him to die. His prison situation was dreadful, and the legal prognosis didn’t look good. But Paul knew it wasn’t time for him to leave this world because he still had so much work to do.

I’m sure Paul was thankful for everything he had seen and all that God had already accomplished through him. This is why Paul went on to say, “…But this one thing I do, forgetting the things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before” (Philippians 3:13). But I want you to stop and think about what Paul was choosing to forget and put behind him.

Some say Paul was forgetting his past life of sin, but he had put that behind him long before that. Instead, he was choosing to put his past successes and accomplishments behind him. Stopping at past victories is what keeps most people from moving into future victories. Often people get so stuck on what they have already done that they lose sight of what they still need to do — and that keeps them from moving forward to possess new territory in God’s plan for their lives.

Paul knew there were still huge parts of his vision that were unfinished. Even though the past had been great and he was thankful to God for every victory he had experienced, it was now time for him to begin reaching forth unto those things which were still before him.

We all need to rejoice over what God has done in our lives, but we must continue to work with Him, focusing on what we haven’t seen fulfilled. Thinking of the past victories encourages and reminds us of God’s faithfulness, but eventually we have to leave the past behind and turn our eyes to the present and the future. We can’t go forward while constantly looking backward.

Yesterday’s victories were for yesterday.
Yesterday’s good reports were for yesterday.
Yesterday’s accomplishments were for yesterday.

I want to tell you that all our futures are important, so we must look at our lives, appraise our status, and let the Holy Spirit speak to our hearts as we remain willing to keep moving forward by faith. Thank God for every victory, but keep your eyes fixed on the future so you can keep marching forward to fulfill every detail of the vision God has put into your heart!

I pray this letter has encouraged you as much as it has encouraged me to write it! God has so much more in store for you — and He wants to help you keep moving ahead by faith to fulfill the very good plan He has designed for your life. Don’t be satisfied to stop with past victories when new victories are awaiting you!

Oh, friend, please make time to let us know how we can pray with you. Denise and I, along with our anointed prayer team, seriously put our faith forward for every person who reaches out to us. But we can pray better when we’re alerted to your specific needs. And I promise that when you reach out to us by phone, by email, by letter, or online, we will really pray for you!

We truly 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

Encouragement for the New Year!

February Teaching Letter from Denise Renner

Dear Friends,

Merry Christmas!

We love you and thank God for you!

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

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

Dear Friend,

First of all, I want to express my deep gratitude for the many comments I’ve received in response to my new TV program Time With Denise Renner. One response even said, “Thank you so much for this word of encouragement. I really needed it to keep pushing through my difficulty and not give up.” Sometimes we all need encouragement, and it is my joy and honor to encourage you.

I can honestly say that there have been many times when I’ve needed to hear an encouraging word to keep going. But when we face trials and decide to keep going — trusting the Lord and loving others anyway — we become intimidating to the devil. And as we push through our difficulty, with every push, we also grow to understand God’s faithfulness more and more. He is just waiting on the other side of that push to bring us to victory.

I want to draw your attention to a very important passage of Scripture that is important to our busy lives, even though this year has barely started. It is Luke 10:38-42:

Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

I have heard messages on this passage before, explaining that we cannot all be like Mary — that some of us have to be like Martha and that Marthas are just as powerful as Marys. But whether or not that’s true is not as important as the point the Holy Spirit was making as He inspired Luke to write.

Notice what verse 39 says, “And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet….” Because of this word “also,” it’s possible that at one time, Martha also sat at the feet of Jesus. But on this particular day when she felt so much pressure to prepare a meal for the Lord, Martha showed herself not as one longing to hear Jesus’ words, but as someone who was fault-finding, critical, and also accusing of Jesus because she thought He didn’t care about her current situation.

Martha loved Jesus. Why was she acting in such an angry, fault-finding way? She was distracted and weighed down, so her weaknesses were coming out for all to see.

Have you ever experienced a time when, because someone else put pressure on you or because you put pressure on yourself, you blamed others for your problems and maybe even blamed God? Have you ever started complaining in your heart like Martha, telling Jesus, “I don’t like what’s going on in my life right now, and I want You to do something about it — I want you to tell these other people what to do”? Or have you ever said to Jesus, “I can’t believe this is happening to me — it seems like You do not care”?

Maybe you have never had these feelings or thoughts inside you. Maybe you never doubted that Jesus cared, but at this moment recorded in Luke 10, Martha did.

I love what Jesus said to Martha in verses 41 and 42, “Martha, Martha….” First, He said her name two times. Have you ever wanted to correct someone so gently because you cared for that person so much, so you looked him or her in the eye and said that person’s name twice? I have, and it was not to reprimand the person, but to correct and redirect his or her actions.

Jesus went on to say, in effect, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. Martha, don’t worry; don’t be troubled.” Could Jesus have been saying to Martha, “Martha, don’t worry, don’t be troubled. When you are worried and troubled, you cannot hear Me and you won’t have peace”?

Martha was really upset, and Jesus knew it. Verse 42 tells us that Jesus, in essence, responded, “Martha, there is one thing you really need. I know you think you need Mary to help you. You’re worried that I don’t care, and you want to make sure I know these things that are troubling you. But that is not what you need. Martha, you need My presence right now. You need to hear My words right now. That is what you really need.”

Friend, I have acted like Martha at times in my life when I thought that if Jesus would just change this or that person or circumstance, everything would be perfect. But what about the next time when things become difficult again and the pressure is on? How am I supposed to act then?

I’m not saying there are not real problems that need to change — of course there are. There can be terrible things happening around us and to us and to the people we love. But it does not help our situation to blame Jesus when bad things happen. He is the answer, not the problem! To believe He doesn’t care is to believe a lie.

So what do you need when you’re worried or stressed? Exactly what Jesus said to Martha: “Martha, you need to hear from Me, and you need My wisdom and presence.” Or He might say to you, “I am here for you. Come to me and I will give you the wisdom, peace, and comfort that you long for so you can deal with this problem. I am not your problem; I am your answer.”

Can you just imagine Jesus speaking to you as He did to Martha and saying your name twice? Just think of Him gently placing His hands on your cheeks and looking you in the eyes as He speaks your name. Imagine that He says to you, “I know you’re upset, but what you really need is to hear from Me.”

But how many times do we get our eyes off Jesus and focus on the problem instead? No matter what the problem is, I want you to know, the answer is Jesus!

Although this year has just begun, you may already be facing some kind of threating situation, and you need to know that Jesus cares. I encourage you to meditate on Jesus’ words in Matthew 11:28,29:

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Jesus is our answer. It isn’t that He doesn’t care like Martha thought — it’s the very opposite. He cares and He tells us, “Come unto Me and I will help you.”

I pray that as you read this letter, you clearly see that what Martha really needed was to hear from Jesus. Sometimes the situation we’re in combined with the pressure we’re feeling can be just enough to push us into acting like Martha, but as you can see through this teaching, our answer is the same as Martha’s. When we’re struggling, we need to go to Jesus. Just as Martha’s answer was so close to her, in the midst of our own difficulties, our answer is so close to us if we’ll just draw near to Him.

Thank you for letting me share these powerful truths with you.

I pray the following prayer for you:

Father, we come to You in the name of Jesus. Help us, Lord, to recognize in this situation, which seems full of pressure and obstacles that we are not to blame others, and we are especially not to blame You and doubt Your care for us. Father, right now, we receive help from the Holy Spirit to see this situation as it really is and to receive Your love, care, and comfort. Thank You for never leaving us or forsaking us. We receive by faith right now Your care and your comfort in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Again, I want to invite you to watch my brand-new weekly TV program Time With Denise Renner at 7:00 a.m. CT each Monday. You can view it on YouTube, Facebook, or Renner.org. Also, if you have any prayer requests, please let us know. We are here for you and want to help you bring these requests to the Lord in faith, believing. Call or write to our team at 1-800-742-5593 or email us at prayer@renner.org.
Moving forward together,

Denise Renner

The Permanent Indweller

February Teaching Letter from Rick Renner

Dear Friends,

Merry Christmas!

We love you and thank God for you!

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

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

Dear Friends,

Greetings in Jesus’ precious name!!!

Today I want to begin my letter by saying thank you for your prayers for us as we move forward in our Ministry Expansion Project (you can see more about it at renner.org/expansion). It is the winter months here in Moscow and normally construction work would stop, but we are able to continue working on the interior of the new TV studio even though it’s so bitterly cold outside. We are making significant progress, but please continue praying with us. We are SO THANKFUL to every person who has become a part of the giving team to help us so we can better minister to people. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

This month marks 30 years that we launched our TV ministry in the former USSR. If you want to read the whole story, it’s in my new autobiography UNLIKELY,and it can be ordered at our online store at renner.org. It was totally unlikely that it could happen, but with nothing more than a word from God, we stepped out in faith to do what had never been done before in the realm of television in the lands of the former USSR. And it worked! God blessed our obedience, and He is blessing and increasing our television ministry to this day.

Following the leading of the Holy Spirit all these years has been the adventure of a lifetime! But today, I’d like to talk to you about the Holy Spirit living inside you as a Permanent Indweller. James 4:5 says, “Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?”

I want to point out the word “dwelleth” in this verse. In Greek, it is a compound of the words kata and oikos. The word kata carries the idea of settling down, and the word oikos is the word for a house. Taken together, the new word — katoikidzo —means to take up residency or to dwell in a house and carries the idea of residing permanently. In other words, this word would never describe a transient or one who came to live in a place only temporarily. Instead, it is the picture of a person who has settled into a home with no intention of ever leaving.

This means when the Holy Spirit came to live inside you, it wasn’t for a short period of time. He came to stay. From the moment you made Jesus your Savior and Lord, the Holy Spirit made your heart His permanent home. He has no intention of ever moving out to leave your heart vacant while He finds somewhere else to live. Think of that! The Holy Spirit doesn’t come only to visit occasionally — your heart is His HOME!

But James 4:5 goes on to say, “Do you think that the scripture saith in vain, the spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?”

The word “lust” usually has a bad connotation in our minds. We think of sexual lust, for example, as something that must be eradicated from our lives. But James told us that the Holy Spirit has lust — and because the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of holiness (see Romans 1:4), we know that the lust of the Holy Spirit must be a healthy, godly kind. Understanding this point is so important that we must stop to see exactly what James was saying to us here.

The word “lusteth” in James 4:5 is the Greek word epipothei — a compound of two Greek words — epi and pothei. The word epi adds force to the word, and the word pothei means an intense desire or yearning. When compounded, the new word describes an intense, excessive yearning for something. So according to this verse, there is something the Holy Spirit is yearning after — something He passionately longs to possess. One expositor has translated this verse to read, “The Spirit that dwelleth in us has an intense yearning….”

But what does the Holy Spirit yearn for so strongly?

James used the word epipothei to picture the Holy Spirit’s intense desire to possess and fill each believer that He indwells. This emphatically means the Holy Spirit wants more and more of us. When it comes to you and me, He can never get enough!

I’m thankful that I have walked with God for many decades, and over these years I have learned that it doesn’t matter how much I surrender to Him today, by tomorrow He will be asking me to surrender more. Every second, every minute, every day, every week, and every year that passes my eyes are illuminated to new areas of my life that have never been surrendered, and each time the Holy Spirit asks me to yield those areas to His control.

During the altar call when I was saved, the congregation was singing the famous song “I Surrender All.” Ever since that time, I’ve been surrendering all as the Holy Spirit convicts me and shows me areas where I’ve never fully surrendered or where I need to surrender more. I first called Jesus Lord decades ago, but I’m still learning to accept His lordship in various areas of my life. It doesn’t matter how much I think I’ve surrendered or how yielded I think I’ve become, there is always more to surrender and more He desires to possess of my life.

And the Holy Spirit desires to possess you — all of you. I want you to see that the Holy Spirit “dwelleth” in us and He “lusteth” for us — and He will never be satisfied with shallow fellowship. He is in pursuit of deep communion with you. So I urge you today to make a decision to yield to the Holy Spirit’s yearning for you — to fill you with more of Himself and for you to come to know Him at a deeper level than you ever have before!

Oh, how I pray this letter has encouraged you today to open your heart and welcome the precious presence of the Holy Spirit in your life. He is IN you — and He wants to fill you and possess you fully. So please… take a moment to say: “Holy Spirit, thank You for living in me. I surrender to You today, and ask You to fill me more than ever before. Take me — I’m yours!”

As I close my letter today, I ask you to continue praying for Denise and me. After all these years, we are still giving our all to Jesus and to His will for our lives and ministry, and we are continually seeking to obey Him accurately in every area. And as always, I sincerely thank you for being our partner in this wonderful ministry that God has entrusted us to lead. Thank you so much for your obedience to God and for your willingness to give to make an eternal difference for others!

And please let us know how to pray for you. Just give us a call or send us your prayer need. We are praying for you anyway, but when we know what you are specifically standing and believing for, we do a better job of praying. And I promise that we’ll stand in faith with you!

We love you and thank God for you!

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

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

Embracing Confidence

January Teaching Letter from Denise Renner

Dear Friends,

Merry Christmas!

We love you and thank God for you!

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

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

Dear Friend,

First of all, I want to thank you for the kind comments and responses to my letters — and requests for prayer — that I have received from so many. It is such an honor to hear from you and to pray for you.

The new year is upon us, and I can’t help but think about how important our decisions are right now and what kind of mindset we need to have for 2022. I am asking myself this question, and now I am asking you: What banner can I hold over my life in this new year? My first thoughts went to what I am confident in — what is going to hold me steady in place today and tomorrow. I want to share with you this promise from Philippians 1:6, which says, “Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

When things seem so shaky around us — maybe a difficult family situation, a health concern, or things going on in the world — and it seems like we can’t do anything about it, our mind and emotions can be thrown into such an upheaval, as if we were in a storm and tossed by every wave.

But what can keep you steady and your mind at peace in the midst of the storm?

Is it your own abilities, gifts, and talents? No. Is it a supportive family or a healthy bank account? No.

It is the fact that what God started in you, HE WILL FINISH! There is power in the Holy Spirit inside you to help you remain confident and to hold you steady.

It wasn’t even you who started this journey of eternal salvation with Jesus — He started it. And you are not the one who is going to finish — He will bring you to the finish. Isn’t that just completely amazing and peace-giving!

Am I saying that you can just sit down and do nothing in your Christian life or sin all you want to? No. Can you just remain a gossip or one who is bitter and hateful all of your days and then expect to live in victory and peace and love in this life? No, I’m not saying that at all.

The Bible has much to say about instructing us on our daily living and choosing whom we will serve every day of our life. We can’t just live in bitterness, unforgiveness, hate, doubt, fear, and unbelief and expect to experience all the same blessings and benefits as those who are choosing to walk in obedience to God’s Word.

The truth from Philippians 1:6 is this:

There is a place of confidence we can walk and live in.
You did not start your walk with Jesus. You did not choose Him — He chose you.

John 15:16 clearly says, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you….”

There is a “finishing” power in you — in your born-again spirit — that can bring you all the way to the finish line victoriously.
The Greater One (1 John 4:4) who lives inside you can not only bring you to your finish line, but He is also the invisible presence within us who is the “Completer.” You can’t finish your race by yourself — but the truth is, you are not by yourself! The Holy Spirit is with you and in you to complete the good work He began in you when you were born again. So I encourage you to get your eyes off your good works and how well you think you’re performing in life and look to Him.

Can you see why I began this letter about embracing new confidence for the new year? You see, it’s not only about what you have done, but what He has done in you. The Psalmist David summed it up in Psalm 18:1,2:

I will love You, O Lord, my strength.
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
My God, my strength, in whom I will trust;
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Oh, friend, put your hope and your confidence in Him, and trust His commitment to you and His covenant with you. His promise is to bring you to the finish line if you will walk with Him. And He always keeps His promises. He will never move or change. We can look to Him, and He will hold us steady, secure, and confident in this new year.

I believe it’s more important than ever that we reach out to one another and ask for prayer. If you need prayer, please call us or write to us. Our phone number is 1-800-742-5593 and we can be reached Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CT, or you may send us your prayer request at prayer@renner.org. A faith-filled prayer warrior will be waiting on the other end of the line to join their faith with yours for victory in your situation.

Thank you for spending this time with me. And starting Monday, January 3, you can view my brand-new weekly TV program, Time With Denise Renner, that will air on YouTube, Facebook, and Renner.org! I’m looking forward to this beautiful time in the Word with you!

You can be confident in Him,

Denise Renner

How To Receive Your Answer From God

January Teaching Letter from Rick Renner

Dear Friends,

Merry Christmas!

We love you and thank God for you!

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

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

Dear Friends,

Happy New Year!

It is amazing to me, but this month marks 30 years that our family of five boarded a plane to take us to our new home in the former USSR. We had rented our first house in October 1991 when the USSR still existed, but on January 27,1992, our family physically boarded a plane to forge into unknown territory both naturally and spiritually. Paul was 8, Philip was 6, and Joel was 2. It’s hard to fathom, but I was only 33 years old at that time.

But with precious Denise at my side, along with our boys, we walked onto the plane, got into our seats, buckled our seatbelts, and started the trip — not understanding what awaited us or the monumental work God would use us to do in a new land. If you want to read the whole story, it’s in Chapter 9 of my new autobiography UNLIKELY. (It can be ordered on our online store at Renner.org.)

But before I go any further, I want to say THANK YOU for all your prayers — and for every gift that every person has given — for our Ministry Expansion Project. At this point, we are preparing to move into the new Tulsa building and we are working on the interior of the new TV studio in Moscow. We are believing for every dollar we need to finish these projects right on time, and we are so thankful for every sacrificial gift that precious people have sown into this expansion project. People are reaching out to us for teaching materials and prayer, and we simply need space so we can better minister to them. THANK YOU for all your prayers and gifts!

It is just amazing all that has happened in the last three decades of our lives and ministry in the former Soviet Union. When we made that move in 1992 to this part of the world, I had so many questions I needed God to answer for me — and He told me everything I needed to know. In my life, I have heavily leaned on the instruction in James 1:5, which says, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God….”

The word “if” assumes that there are times when we simply need an answer from God. The word “lack” is a form of the Greek word leipo and describes a deficiency. It depicts a deficit, insufficiency, shortage, or undersupply. As used in James 1:5, it means to be without, to have want of, to be in need of, to be lacking, to be short of, to be low on, to not have enough of, or something that exists in an insufficient amount. All of these meanings correctly convey the idea in the Greek text. But for our purposes, we will say the first part of James 1:5 could be interpreted, “If you are short on wisdom…” or, “If you find yourself to be lacking wisdom….”

The word “wisdom” is from the Greek word sophos, which describes special insight or special understanding. This verse could be interpreted, “If any one among you lacks special understanding [regarding an issue]….” The verse could even be interpreted, “If any of you are short on knowing what to do…” or, “If any one of you is in need of special answers regarding what to do….”

Then James tells us, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask….” The word “ask” is from the Greek word aiteo, a word that means we should have a full expectation to receive what we have requested. But God gives one condition we must fulfill before He answers our petitions. James 1:5 continues, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God….”

The word “of ” in Greek is para, which means close, side by side, or alongside. As used in this verse, this word provides the condition we must meet in order for God to answer us. To qualify for God’s answer, we must be in a close, side-by-side position with Him. God doesn’t want to just answer our request for wisdom — He wants us to come alongside Him, close to His heart. In that position, He will not only answer us, but He will embrace us, cleanse us, and change us. Once we are in that close, side-by-side position, God opens His hand to show us the wisdom we lack and are seeking to gain.

James 1:5 says that after someone asks God for wisdom, He “…giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not….” The rest of that verse concludes, “…And it shall be given him.”

In this verse, we find five guarantees God makes to those who seek answers from Him:

1.James 1:5 guarantees that when we ask for wisdom and we meet God’s condition of drawing close to Him, God will “give” us the answers we need.

The Greek word used for “giveth” does not describe a random, occasional act of God, but it pictures the regular behavior of God. It means God is the giving God. He is not one who “holds out” on us when we need wisdom. He is the giving God — the One who guarantees to give answers to those who meet His conditions.

2. James 1:5 guarantees that God gives “to all men.” This removes the uncertainty that God may answer some and not others. If we draw near to His heart and come closely alongside Him, He will answer us, because each of us fits into that category of “all men.”

3. James 1:5 guarantees that God gives to all men “liberally” — from a Greek word that means bountifully. This pictures one with an open hand, as opposed to one who keeps a closed fist. God doesn’t dangle the bait before us and then quickly jerk it out of our reach. If we have pulled up alongside His heart, He reaches to us with an open hand to give the answer we seek — and He gives us the answer bountifully.

4. James 1:5 guarantees that God “upbraideth not.” The Greek word for “upbraideth” means to berate, to censure, to correct, to rebuke, or to scorn. In other words, God is not going to get upset with you if you ask Him for answers. He will never berate, censure, rebuke, or scorn you when you come alongside Him to receive wisdom.

5. James 1:5 guarantees that answers “shall be given” to the one who is seeking them. The words “shall be given” in this verse is a promise you can count on God to keep!

James 1:5 conveys this idea in the Greek:

If you are short on the answers you need, insistently ask God for them. But God first requests that you come alongside Him. That is the one request He makes before He will provide the answers you seek Him for. God is the giving God. He is known for habitually answering those who seek answers from Him, and when He answers, He does so lavishly and with an open hand. He never berates, scolds, or scorns you for asking. One thing is for sure — answers will be given to you when you ask God’s way!

This verse tells us that God likes it when we ask Him for His wisdom! So draw near to Him and ask in faith today — and get ready to receive a bountiful dose of guidance for the path right ahead of you! Over the years as Denise and I, our family, and our ministry has moved forward, we have leaned heavily upon the promise in James 1:5. You can claim it too!

And if you need someone to pray with you, please reach out to us and let us know how to pray for you. We’ll put our faith together with yours for God to clearly give you the guidance you need for whatever you are facing right now. God will give it — but you need to ask for it! So please, let us know how we can pray with you!

I pray this letter has been a blessing to you today. Please continue praying for us as we press forward to do what Jesus has asked us to do. And, again, thank you so much for being our partner in this wonderful ministry that God has entrusted to us. Right from where you are, you are changing other people’s lives around the world! Thank you so much for your obedience to God and your willingness to give to make an eternal difference for others!

Have a very blessed and prosperous new year!

We love you and thank God for you!

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

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