This is the month when people in the United States are especially thinking about “thankfulness” or “thanksgiving.” Since this is such a prominent subject in the Bible, today I want to talk to you about the power of thankfulness and also what happens when people are unthankful.

Before we proceed, I want to say that I am THANKFUL TO GOD FOR YOU and for your prayers and financial support of our ministry! It’s been a year of great advancement in getting the teaching of God’s Word into people’s eyes, ears, hands, and hearts — but much of it has been due to your amazing generosity to sow your finances into our ministry. I use the word “sow” very carefully because I am really asking God to give you a huge harvest from the heartfelt gifts you have sown into this ministry. With your help, we have been able to reach more people around the world than at any other time in our ministry. I am so very thankful — to God and to you!

As I begin my teaching this month, I want us to see what the word “unthankful” means, but to do that, let’s first look at the word “thankful.” The word “thankful” that is primarily used throughout the New Testament is a translation of the Greek word charistos. The word charistos is a derivative of the word charis, which is the New Testament word for grace. However, when the word charis is transformed into charistos, it more fully expresses the idea of one whose heart is thankful, grateful, or appreciative for various reasons.

One scholar says the Greek word charistos depicts an inward awareness of having been fortunate or well-treated.  Thus, the word “thankful” — translated from charistos — projects the deep inward feeling of one who is thankful, grateful, or appreciative for what one has received or how one has been treated by others.

All three words — “thankfulness,” “gratitude,” and “appreciation” — are the expressions of a person who is thankful he has experienced some good event or blessing. They depict someone who is grateful toward the person or people who treated him kindly and is appreciative of what has happened. These words also communicate the recognition of his thankfulness, gratitude, and appreciation of his many blessings.

But the Holy Spirit prophesied in Second Timothy 3:2 that many in society will become “unthankful” in the last days. The word “unthankful” is the Greek word acharistos — the word charistos with an a affixed to the front of it. That little a has a canceling effect and literally changes the meaning of this word from thankful to unthankful. For example, though a person was once thankful, something has occurred and his thankfulness has been canceled. A thankful person has become an unthankful person.

In other words, though this person or society once had a thankful attitude, for some reason that same person (or people) lost his thankful, grateful, and appreciative attitude, and has become unthankful. Now unthankfulness, ingratitude, and unappreciativeness have filled his heart and mind. Rather than be thankful for what he has experienced or for the blessing he has received — rather than be grateful toward the people who have treated him kindly — rather than be appreciative for what has happened and recognize how appreciative he is for it, he has become unthankful. He is filled with ingratitude, and he is unappreciative of others and what they have done for him. Simply put, he is the picture of an ingrate!

But in Second Timothy 3:2, the Holy Spirit uses the Greek word “unthankful” — the Greek acharistos — to tell us many will depart from a thankful attitude and will transition into a state of unthankfulness. Yes, an unthankful attitude will rise up until its grip has seized society at the end of the age.

Unthankfulness is so wicked that in Luke 6:35, Jesus connects it with evil. He said, “…Love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.”

Jesus’ words posture the characteristic of being “unthankful” in the same category as “evil.” This most assuredly tells us that an unthankful attitude is evil in God’s sight. It is simply spiritually criminal not to be thankful for what we have in life, even if it seems like what we have is little compared to someone else’s blessings.

And even if we feel we’ve worked hard and earned what we have, we still should be profusely thankful for the fact that what we have was given to us by God. Our jobs and opportunities could have been given to someone else, but they were graciously given to us. Others who need a job and a salary would be thankful to have your position and your income. There are people all over the world who do not have shelter, warmth, and clean water, but you likely have access to it every day. When you remember that, it will help you to be thankful for what you have and for every blessing that comes your way.

But unfortunately, we live in an end-time season when people are so self-focused and self-consumed that they are rarely grateful for anything — and if they are grateful, that attitude is often short-lived and soon forgotten.

The Bible commands us “be ye thankful” and “in everything, give thanks” (see Colossians 3:15; 1 Thessalonians 5:18). Even if things seem to be going wrong all around us, we can still stop to count our blessings! We may feel besieged by need at the present moment, but the fact is, we each have many reasons to be thankful! In Second Timothy 3:2, Paul forewarned us that many in the last days would become unthankful. It is a warning every one of us should heed.

At this time of the year when we are especially reminded to stop and think about what we are thankful, grateful, and appreciative for, it would be good for us to consider whether we have been thankful, grateful, and appreciative all year round! Even if we’ve been through hard times, those times could have been even harder, and we can think of much to be thankful, grateful, and appreciative for right now, while we’re still going through our difficult time or struggle.

I’m not trying to attack anyone who is going through a hard time. We all go through hard times at various seasons in life. I simply believe it’s healthy for each one of us to stop and reflect on what we have to be thankful for today and every day!

These are questions that are healthy to ask. Remember, Jesus said that unthankfulness is evil, so you and I DO NOT want to fall into that category! Better to self-correct and to be corrected than to end up in that awful condition of being unthankful! We simply need to put words of thanksgiving into our hearts and mouths!

I hope this letter has encouraged you. It has literally made me want to stop writing and start making a list of what I am thankful for in my life. Why don’t you and I both take time to do this today!

Thanks for letting me share this from my heart with you. I think you can see I put a lot of thought and study into it. I take ministering to you very seriously, so I pray this has really strengthened you today!

Remember that we are here for you when you need prayer. We are praying for you daily, but when you let us know how to pray specifically, it enables us to be even more effective in our praying. And please pray for us too…our ministry is touching thousands of lives and we want to do it excellently as unto the Lord. I cherish your prayers for us — and I thank you for your remarkable financial support to help us do it. You’re not just helping — you are a key player as a partner to enable us to get God’s Word out to people in a timely fashion!

We love you and thank God for you!

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

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

Jesus is Lord over everything you’re facing right now — and He is Lord over everything that seems to be happening in the world around us. Never forget it!

In the past couple of months, I’ve been writing to you about issues related to what so many people are facing in society right now. And I am excited that THIS MONTH, my newest book Last Days Survival Guide — A Scriptural Handbook To Prepare You for These Perilous Times will be released and available for purchase! I encourage you to get your copy at renner.org just as soon as you can!

Last-days events are occurring all around us, and there is victory to be had for those who are in Christ. But in this month’s letter, I feel led to encourage you on a more personal topic. So let me ask you…

What is your biggest temptation? Do you know what mine is? It’s a fast-food hamburger and French fries that my body does not need! That may seem rather benign to you, but that is one of the biggest temptations I face. But with God’s grace, I’ve learned how to deal with it.

The answer to defeating temptation is really quite simple… Would you like to know how to do it?

Be the Conqueror and Not the Conquered

   The fact is that everyone has to deal with temptations at one time or another, so you don’t need to feel embarrassed if you’re facing a particular temptation right now. But at the same time, you don’t have to succumb to temptation, because it is something you can overcome! All temptations can be beaten! You just have to make up your mind that you’re going to be the conqueror and not the conquered!

You may not have thought of it before, but the devil tries to lure you into doing something you ought not to do by using your mind and emotions. He injects thoughts into your mind that act as stimulants to get you all stirred up in a certain area of your life. At that moment, you should be consciously aware that you can let the temptation pass you by — or you can allow those thoughts to fester in your mind and take root in your emotions until they become a major stronghold to battle.

For me, the thought of a nice, warm, salty French fry comes into my mind — I can almost taste it! After that, my mind may go to a nice hamburger, along with a vanilla shake, all things that I do not need. I’ve lost a lot of weight over the past few years by being very disciplined. But every once in awhile, those images of fast food will pop into my mind and work like the stimulant I just described in the previous paragraph. It’s not sin, but it’s something I do not need!

But by refusing to accept the thoughts in the first place, I — or you concerning whatever temptation or mind-popping image you face — can avoid the whole struggle!

You can choose to turn and look the other way, or you can dwell on that temptation until it fills your mind and imagination. If you choose to meditate on the thought that the devil is trying to put into your head, it won’t be too long until he is waging a full-scale battle in your mind! If you don’t put on the brakes and stop those thoughts, the devil will conquer you.

That’s why it’s so important that you learn how to control your thinking. If you can keep your mind under the control of the Holy Spirit, you will make it almost impossible for the devil to defeat you in any realm of your life.

The devil is a master when it comes to mind manipulation. He knows that if he can get you to spend a little time meditating on something wrong, he can eventually entice you to do it! If the devil was persuasive enough to deceive brilliant, mighty, powerful angels, how much more easily can he deceive people who live in a far-from-perfect environment and wrestle daily with their own imperfections! The emotional makeup of human beings makes them even more susceptible to the devil’s masterful skills of lying, deception, and manipulation.

Satan watches for the right timing. He comes along at an opportune moment. He waits until you’re tired, weary, or exasperated. Perhaps you woke up in a bad mood; someone gave you a “look” you didn’t like; or you just started off your day on the wrong foot. Then suddenly he strikes you with a thought — something that takes you totally by surprise when your guard is down!

The Way Out

   When negative thoughts begin to deluge your mind, you need to know that it is Satan setting a trap in front of you. He is trying to ensnare you so he can cripple and devastate both you and the people you love. He’s trying to get you to bite the bait so he can set the hook! But you don’t have to fall into this trap anymore! There is a way out if you really want out of this type of emotional quandary.

First Corinthians 10:13 promises, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

The word “temptation” is the Greek word peirasmos, and it may refer to any outside source that appeals to a weakness in your flesh. That appeal pulls you like a magnet; it lures you mentally, emotionally, and sensually. It fascinates the imagination and entices the flesh to “take a closer peek.” If you don’t stop this process, it will set its hook in your soul and haul you right smack dab into the middle of some kind of sin!

Because the word peirasmos (“temptation”) can describe any weakness of the flesh, this scripture could apply to any fleshly weakness you might struggle with — from being lazy or easily offended to thinking too lowly or too highly of yourself to having a problem with anger or sexual temptation. Whatever your flesh responds to is what this word peirasmos refers to!

But this verse promises that God will make a way for you to escape temptation — if you really want to escape it! The Greek word for “escape” is the word ekbasis. This word is a compound of the word ek, meaning out, and the word basin, meaning to walk. When they are compounded, it means to walk out, as to walk out of a difficult place; to walk out of a trap; or to walk out of a place that isn’t good for you.

This makes me think of the time Joseph fled from Potiphar’s wife when she tried to seduce him. Rather than stay there and try to negotiate in the midst of the situation, Genesis 39:12 says Joseph “…fled, and got him out.” In other words, he got out of there as quickly as he could!

Negotiating with sin usually leads to falling into it rather than conquering it, so it’s better for a person to just get up and get away from the situation as quickly as he can! This is why Paul was constantly telling the early believers to “flee” evil influences (see 1 Corinthians 6:18; 10:14; 1 Timothy 6:11; 2 Timothy 2:22).

Your Part Is To Jump Through the ‘Escape Hatch’

The word “flee” is the Greek word pheugo, which means to flee, to take flight, to run away, to run as fast as possible, or to escape. This pictures a person who doesn’t want to succumb to those temptations that are surrounding him. If that describes you, you just need to get up, put on your jacket, pick up your things, and get out of that place of temptation as fast as you can! Let your feet fly as you flee that situation! You’re not stuck there — you can get out! You can walk out of that place just as easily as you walked in! Your feet work in both directions! God will make a way for you to escape those negative emotions if you really want to escape them. But you are the only one who can make the choice to jump through that escape hatch!

Millions of Christians are held captive because they will not take the leap through that escape hatch that God promised to provide. As a result, they have no joy, no peace, and no victory in their lives. They may be Christians, but they’re miserable because they haven’t made the choice to jump through the escape hatch God has provided for them and to leave all those negative temptations and garbage behind.

If you’ll say yes to the Lord, He will show you how to walk out of whatever mess you find yourself in! You can avoid, evade, dodge, elude, shake off, get out of, and break away from every temptation — including eating a burger and fries you don’t need to eat! But you are the only one who can choose to walk out of those killer mental attacks or negative situations. The moment you make that decision, your journey to freedom begins!

So today the Lord is asking you: “Are you going to stay the way you are right now, or are you willing to take the proper steps to escape from your emotional temptation and demonic trap?”

What is your answer? What are you going to do? God is waiting for you to decide if you will receive the freedom He is offering you!

God is so good to give us such practical, down-to-earth advice that is helpful in walking free from temptations. But sometimes we also need the reinforcement of those who pray. If you need prayer for anything, in any sphere of your life, please let us know and our ministry team will get to praying as soon as we hear from you. In Jeremiah 33:3, God promised that if we would call out to Him, He would answer and show us a great and mighty answer. Let us pray with you for those amazing answers you need!

Thank you so much for letting me minister to you today. I trust this letter has been a blessing to you because I put my heart into it to bring you some spiritual assistance that works!

We love you and thank God for you!

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

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

Before I get into the meat of this letter, I want you to be among the first to know that our meetings in the United States this summer have been canceled. About a month ago, we learned that international flights from Russia have been halted due to the coronavirus situation.

Because of that, Denise and I had no choice but to cancel all our meetings this summer — the first time we’ve ever had to do this for one of our regular trips to the States. Thank you so much for praying for God’s wisdom for us as we navigate this interesting season we are all living in all over the world.

But wait — although, we’re not able to physically be in the U.S. this summer, we are continuing full-steam with preparations for our special public meeting we had planned to hold on Friday, July 17, 2020 — and we’re going to do it online!

You won’t want to miss this historic online service, so save the date! From our Russian worship team opening the service with praise and worship in English to a word from my sons Paul Renner and Joel Renner and special music by Denise — and ministry in the Word by me — this will be a meeting that will bless you from start to finish! Please go to renner.org to learn how to log on and join us for this special time together in the Lord.

People have been asking how the situation is in Russia. Although the impact of this virus in Russia has been significant, in the midst of it all, God is moving mightily in the lives of so many people as we continually reach out over the airwaves to preach and teach the Gospel, which is truly Good News!

Whew…we are definitely living in unstable times, just as the Holy Spirit prophesied that it would happen at the very end of the last days.

But at the same time, this is the greatest hour for the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. A massive harvest is coming into the Church all over the world. Statistics prove that right now, more people are coming to Jesus worldwide than at any other point in history. The Spirit of God is swinging the Gospel sickle, and millions upon millions of souls are being swept into the Kingdom of God. Praise the Lord! This is one of the greatest signs in evidence today that we are near to the coming of Jesus (see Matthew 24:14).

But right in the midst of all this, events have occurred throughout the earth that have shaken the nations of the world and filled men’s hearts with fear. I am convinced that part of this worldwide assault has been the devil’s attempt to put believers in fear so they will retreat from this worldwide Gospel advance. Although we need to be wise and do what we can to protect ourselves in times such as these, we do not need to react in fear. Fear is never the answer, for it results in blurred thinking and bad decisions.

God’s Word promises us a sound mind if we will claim it. When Timothy was facing hard times, Paul told him, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).

This verse says that God has given us a “sound mind.” This comes from the Greek word sophroneo, and it is a compound of the words sodzo and phroneo. The word sodzo is the Greek word for salvation. It means deliverance, protection, and soundness. The word phroneo is the root for the word mind. When these two words are put together, as they are in this verse, the new word is translated sound mind. The idea presented by the word sophroneo is a mind that is saved and protected or a mind that is sound. It is just the opposite of a mind given to fear, panic, or unfounded and unreasonable thinking. This word describes a mind that is thinking correctly!

Because God has given us a “sound mind,” we can think correctly about how to live in these last days — a time that Second Timothy 3:1 predicted would be “perilous.” The word “perilous” in that verse is the Greek word chalepos, and it literally means something that is difficult, dangerous, or filled with risk. This is a prophetic warning to let us know that those who live in the very last of the last days will be confronted with a strange period of time like mankind has never seen before. It will be a time filled with difficulty, danger, and risk.

Today I want to give you what I believe is a sensible approach to living in these last days. To ensure that we are doing all we can to remain in the blessings of God, these are the steps my wife and I apply to our own lives. These are the Holy Spirit’s orders to Denise and me, and now I am passing them on to you as they’ve been given to us.

Living in the last days requires that we have a greater sensitivity to the Spirit of God. Romans 8:14 declares that one of the privileges of being a son of God is that the Spirit of God will lead us. The word “led” in this verse is the Greek word ago. It is the picture of someone extending his hand to you so that he can gently lead you.

In these last days, we must be led by the Holy Spirit. However, the Holy Spirit will lead us only if we give Him this right. Oh, how many times the Spirit of God has wanted to be our Leader, but we went our own way and ultimately suffered the consequences! He knew exactly how to lead us past every attack. He knew how to avoid each strategy of the devil.

Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would “…shew you things to come” (John 16:13). The word “shew” is the Greek word hodegeo and is the word for a guide who shows a traveler the safest course through an unknown country. This means the Holy Spirit is our Guide. He knows the way we should go. He understands how to avoid every trap and obstacle along the way. When we are going into an area where we’ve never been before, the Holy Spirit wants to show us how to take the safest route. He knows exactly how to get us safely to our destination.

The Holy Spirit often stopped Jesus from going to certain regions because the Jews were waiting to trap Him. To avoid these traps, the Holy Spirit would guide Jesus another way. The Spirit also warned Paul not to go to certain places for the same reason. Also, in the book of Acts, the Holy Spirit warned the Early Church in advance about persecution, famine, and other trials.

The Holy Spirit knows the future and wants to enlighten us with all the information we need in every situation. This is part of His ministry to you and me.

If the Holy Spirit speaks to you and tells you to do something specific, then obey Him! Do you remember the account of when the death angel passed through Egypt and took the firstborn of all the Egyptians? The reason Israel was unaffected was that the Israelites obeyed the instructions God gave them to put blood on the doorposts of their houses. They brushed that lamb’s blood on the doors of their homes just as God had ordered. Later when the death angel came, he passed by every home where he saw blood on the doorposts. In the end, not one of the Israelites was touched!

But what if Israel had disregarded God’s instructions and tried to protect themselves another way? Would their efforts have worked? Of course not. God told them how to be protected. All they had to do was obey. If they did what God told them, they were guaranteed protection and blessing. They were untouched because they walked in obedience. Weeping, crying, and mourning were heard in Egypt, but not in the land of Goshen where the children of Israel lived. They found protection in their obedience to the Word of God and the Spirit of God.

As we obey the Word of God and listen to the Holy Spirit’s leading, we will have wisdom to know every step we need to take in the days ahead. All we have to do is obey God’s instructions, and He guarantees us blessing and provision even in difficult times. But if we try to take another approach, there is no guarantee for us to claim. We must do what God says if we want to be assured of His divine blessing and protection.

As a spiritual leader and friend, I want to encourage you to increase your level of faith, especially if you are facing challenging times. Stand on the Word of God — exercise your faith. Listen to the Holy Spirit and obey what He tells you to do. As you do these things, God’s supernatural blessings will kick into action, and you will soon find a river of supernatural provision flowing to your life.

There is no doubt that we are living in some of the most challenging days the world has ever seen. But you can face these times victoriously because God has given you a sound mind; He has given you the promises of His Word; and He has given you the leadership of His Spirit. Never has there been a more crucial time for you to operate in faith and not fear, and to believe for a mighty move of God to take place on this earth!

Today I’d like to lead you in this prayer:

Lord, as an end-time believer, I need to be filled with faith and not with fear. Help me fill my heart with Your Word, stand on Your promises, follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, and exercise my faith more than ever before! I know that fear has blurred my thinking in times past, but it will NOT have any place in my life from this day forward! Instead, I release my faith and confidently expect to be a partaker in the last and greatest harvest of souls ever to be reaped for the Kingdom of God! Holy Spirit, help me rise to the occasion as I become an instrument God can use in these last days. I pray this in Jesus’ name.

Please remember that we are here to pray for you. You can reach us by phone any work day 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CT — or you can email us at prayer@renner.org, or submit your prayer request online. Just as soon as we hear from you, we will swing into action to lift your concern to the Lord in faith. It is one of our highest joys in the ministry to pray for you and to see Heaven’s best manifested in your life!

While I’m talking to you in this letter about being led by the Spirit in the last days, I want to tell you about my new book Last-Days Survival Guide — A Scriptural Handbook To Prepare You for These Perilous Times. This book is at the printer as I write, and I am excited to let you know that it will be available soon! Right now, for a limited time, you can purchase this book at a prerelease discount of 30 percent off the retail price! Just go online to our store or call our Tulsa office to order your copy, or copies, today!

Denise and I love you and thank God for you!

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

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

Greetings, my friend!

In last month’s letter, I asked you to pray for Denise and me as we prepared to minister in the United States this summer. About two weeks ago, we learned that international flights from Russia to the United States have been halted until sometime between mid-August and the first part of September. And that’s if more restrictions don’t follow on the heels of that, delaying outbound flights even further.

As a result of that, Denise and I were forced to make the difficult decision to cancel all our meetings in the U.S. this summer — the first time we’ve ever canceled every single meeting scheduled for one of our regular trips to the States. We wanted you to be among the first to know, and we thank you so much again for praying for God’s wisdom for us as we navigate this interesting season in time.

We’re not able to physically be in the U.S. this summer; however, we are going to continue full-steam with preparations for our special public meeting we’d planned to hold on Friday, July 17, 2020 — and we’re going to do it online!

You won’t want to miss this online service! From our Russian worship team opening the service with praise and worship in English to a word from my sons Paul Renner and Joel Renner and special music by Denise — and ministry in the Word by me — this will be a historical meeting that will bless you from start to finish! Please go to www.renner.org to learn more about how to log on and join us for this special time together in the Lord.

People have been asking how the situation is in Russia. Although the impact of this virus in Russia had become significant, at the time I am writing you this letter, things have leveled off somewhat, and government officials are cautiously optimistic, opening up a few parks and small businesses very slowly, with permits still required in order to travel. But in the midst of it all, God is moving mightily in the lives of so many people.

Our media team was quarantined for one month together at our studio so we could continue working to broadcast online teaching and encouragement in this season. Due to their commitment to do this, we were able to host at least six live events online every day — seven days a week — during that time! As a result, we’ve had more than 1,000,000 connections in the last 30 days from all over the world! There is immense hunger for answers from the Bible, and I am thankful that through Internet technology, we can be right in people’s homes to help them. In America, we started our Home Group again — this time daily, for a season, instead of weekly — to feed people’s faith about the future because so many have been hearing fear-filled messages. The response has been remarkable.

But we are only able to do all of this because our partners are steady and strong in their commitment to help us take the Word of God to people who are crying out for it. Proverbs 10:21 says, “The lips of the righteous feed many….” That is our task — Denise and I, our family, our team, and our partners — together, we are helping people who need it so desperately right now. Please know how thankful I am to you.

Just in the last month, we have done more than 400 live events. Naturally speaking, this would be an exhausting endeavor. But we are not tired at all and are supernaturally energized for this moment. It is a great testimony to the supernatural supply of the Holy Spirit. When that supernatural supply is being released in you, it gives you fortitude to keep going strong even when everyone else can barely take one more step.

Have you ever met someone like this?

Have you wondered, How in the world can that person keep going the way he does?

That person has likely learned how to tap into the supernatural Source of power I am describing. And the good news is that this same inexhaustible supply of power is available to you! In Philippians 1:19, Paul talked about this kind of power: “For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.”

I especially want you to notice the word “supply” in this verse. It is the Greek word epichoregia. To those who read Greek, this word seems like a strange choice for Paul. However, after reflecting on the original usage of this word, it makes this verse even more exciting! The word epichoregia is an old word that literally means on behalf of the choir. I know this sounds peculiar, so let me explain where this word came from and why Paul used it here.

Thousands of years ago in classical Greece, a huge choral and drama company practiced endlessly for a huge, important theatrical performance. After they put in a great amount of time, effort, energy, and practice, it was finally time for the show to go on the road. But there was one major problem — they ran out of money!

These people had given their lives to this production. They had committed all their resources to making sure the performance succeeded. But because they ran out of financing, it meant the show was over — finished! They were washed up before the show ever officially got started. From all appearances, it was the end of the road for them and their dream.

At that exact moment, a wealthy man heard of their crisis, stepped into the middle of their situation, and made a huge financial contribution on behalf of the choir. This contribution “supplied” all they needed to get back in business again! In fact, the gift the man gave was so enormous that it was more than they needed or knew how to spend! This man’s contribution was excessively large, abundant, overflowing, and overwhelming.

This is where we get the word “supply” in Philippians 1:19 that now describes the enormous contribution of the Spirit that Jesus Christ wants to give to you and me!

In light of this, Philippians 1:19 could be taken to mean:  I am certain that this situation will ultimately turn around and result in my deliverance. I’m sure of it — first, because you are praying for me; and second, because of the special contribution of the Spirit that Jesus Christ is donating for my present cause.

This means when you’ve run out of steam, when you’ve given your best effort and don’t feel you have another ounce of energy to give — and when it looks like your resources are drained and you’re unable to take one more step unless someone steps in to help you — that is exactly the moment when Jesus Christ becomes your personal Benefactor! Like the wealthy man in the classical story, Jesus steps into your life at that moment to donate a massive, generous, overwhelming contribution of the Spirit’s grace and power for your cause!

Jesus is your wealthy Benefactor. He has more strength and power to give you than you’ll ever be able to use! If you are weak, He has precisely what you need to get up, get recharged, and get going again! If you’ll open your heart to Him right now, Jesus will give you a brand-new contribution of the Spirit’s power — and it will be more than enough to get you on your feet and back on the road again!

So when you’ve exhausted all your resources and, in your natural human will, you’re too tired to keep going, let Jesus reinforce you with a new “supply of the Spirit” that will give you all the strength you will ever need. Just open your heart to the Holy Spirit’s help today. Allow Him to fill you with a supply of power so large, you can’t even use it all!

Jesus is waiting RIGHT NOW to give you a new dose of the Holy Spirit to energize you and put you back in a forward-moving position! If you’ll open your heart, Jesus will step in to refill you now. I’m always leaning into the Lord for a fresh infilling of His grace and power, so let’s lean into Him together — and together, we will be refreshed and revitalized by the supply He has for each of us! Amen!

If you’re a little weary from watching the news or feeling trapped because you’re not able to get around as you usually do, you are a candidate for a fresh, supernatural supply of the Holy Spirit! It’s yours for the asking right now!

As soon as we know about our summer schedule, we’ll let you know. Until you hear from me again, please keep praying for us to stay divinely energized for this season of opportunity to reach people by every means available. And pray the same thing for your pastor, staff, and church. Everyone is in the same situation and trying to figure out how to reopen things again. Every spiritual leader needs wisdom from Heaven and a fresh supply of the Spirit right now.

And, please, if you have a specific prayer need, let us know so we can really get specific when we pray for you.

Denise and I love you and thank God for you. Your willingness to help us take the Bible to others just amazes me. Together we are making a difference in many people’s lives!

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

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

I had already written you a special letter for the month of May, but then I felt the Holy Spirit prompting me to write this to you instead. So please read this letter all the way to the end, as I believe this is what the Spirit wants me to say concerning all that is happening!

But first, I thank you for being faithful even during this difficult time. The work of the Gospel goes on! In fact, we are doing more right now to reach and to help people around the world — it is absolutely vital that we do not hold back. That’s why I’m so thankful for your gifts. If people quit giving right now, it would affect our ability to keep reaching out. But this is a moment when God needs us all to do our best. That’s why I say THANK YOU for what you are doing. It is so important, and Denise and I are deeply grateful for your partnership and your faithfulness!

Please also know that our team is here to pray for you. They began working from home, like so many people, in March — but they have been and are online to receive your emails, and they’re on the phone to take your calls. Please, please, please — call or email us to tell us how we can pray for you. In fact, could you take a moment to call or email to let us know if you are doing all right?

But here is what I want to say to you right now…

UNDERSTANDING THE TIMES

In these perilous days we live in, we must understand the times and our role in these days according to Heaven’s perspective. Jesus Christ’s call to His people is going forth — and all who have put their trust in Him are to walk as He did on this earth and are to stand boldly as His representatives. This is the moment when we must demonstrate His power on an unprecedented level in these days before He returns.

The whole world is shaken by what is happening, and with good reason, as no one in our generation has ever seen anything like this before. With every new day, it seems we are being inundated with new, once-unthinkable events that have left many people bewildered and perplexed. Times have changed — very rapidly. But God knew these times were approaching, and approximately 2,000 years ago, the Holy Spirit spoke very clearly to alert us who would be living in the last days that such times would come. He wanted us — this generation — to know that “perilous times” would emerge in society at the very end of the last days.

But the Bible is our anchor! And today, I feel the need to share something Paul told believers in Thessalonica long ago. Apparently, some of those believers were also disturbed by what they had learned about events that would surround the time prior to the coming of Jesus. In fact, they were so panicked that Paul wrote them to calm them down and curb their fears.

These words are just what we need right now! And what I’m about to say to you is important, so please read it carefully to the end.

In Second Thessalonians 2:1 and 2, Paul wrote, “Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.”

Paul wrote about “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” That word “coming” is from a Greek word that describes the phenomenal presence of God that will be supernaturally felt by the entire Church when it is time for Jesus to gather His people to Himself at the end of the age.

This lets us know that just before Jesus comes, there will suddenly be a supernatural quickening in the hearts of God’s people — an inward knowing — that will alert us that He is coming for His Church. Then suddenly, Jesus will collect His people at the conclusion of this age. But before that event happens, we will inwardly be quickened to know that it is right upon us!

Then Paul added, “That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand” (2 Thessalonians 2:2).

That word “shaken” is a perfect description of what people are feeling right now. It is a translation of the Greek word saleuo, and it means to shake, to waver, to totter, or to be moved. The tense points to continual shock or alarm.

The word “troubled” in this verse is the Greek word throeo, and it indicates inward fright that results from events or news that shocks. It depicts something that causes one to be filled with worry, anxiety, or fear. But because the tense points to an ongoing state of worry and inward anxiety, it means those Christians were hearing news that was disrupting their state of peace. It is as if there was no reprieve from shocking, debilitating, and nerve-racking things that they were hearing. It actually portrays a state of jumpiness or nervousness, as if they were living on the edge of their nerves.

Then Paul told them not to be troubled in “mind” — a word that comes from the Greek word nous, which describes one’s mind or intellect, will, and emotions or the ability to think, reason, and decide. Paul was urging Christians to be careful who they listened to or what they opened their minds to when it came to last-days teachings. That same warning applies to us who live in this end-time generation. It means we’re to be careful about who we’re listening to, because God is not in the business of giving a spirit of fear to anyone!

Then Paul added, “That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit.…”  That word “spirit” is a translation of the Greek word pneuma, which in this verse refers to a spiritual experience or utterance that is out of sync with the revealed Word of God. Some have even translated the word to mean ecstatic utterances. Paul was referring to strange utterances, weird revelations, or euphoric proclamations that are not based in solid Bible teaching and that spiritually upset believers.

Then Paul said, “Let no one deceive you by any means…” (2 Thessalonians 2:3). The word “deceive” means to beguile, to cheat, to trick, or to mislead one to a false impression or a false conclusion. Paul was telling Christians to use their minds and not to believe everything they heard — to keep their heads on straight when it came to what and to whom they listened to about the last days!

As your friend and partner, I want to urge you likewise to listen to people who will feed your faith and not your fear!

The following is my RIV translation of Second Thessalonians 2:1-3:

1 Brothers, listen carefully, for I am asking you in the strongest of terms to hear what I am about to say and to do exactly what I’m asking you to do. The appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ is very near. In fact, it is so close that we can near­ly feel His presence as if He were already here among us. The moment we have all longed and waited for is almost upon us! I’m talking about that moment when Jesus will finally gather us together for Himself.

2 Some things will be happening right before His com­ing that could shake you up quite a bit. I’m referring to events that will be so dramatic that they could really leave your head spinning — occurrences of such a serious nature that many people will feel alarmed, panicked, intimidated, and even unnerved! Naturally speaking, these events could nearly put you over the brink emotionally and make you feel apprehensive and insecure about life. I wish I could tell you these incidents were going to be just a one-shot deal, but when they finally get rolling, they’re going to keep coming and coming, one after another.

That’s why you have to determine not to be shaken or moved by anything you see or hear. You need to get a grip on your mind and refuse to allow your­selves to be traumatized by these events. If you let these things get to you, it won’t be too long until you’re a nerv­ous wreck! You have to decide beforehand that you are not going to give in and allow fright to pen­etrate your mind and emotions until it runs your whole life.

I also want to tell you not to be too surprised if people start making weird spiritual proclamations and off-the-wall utterances during the time just before the Lord comes. All kinds of strange things are going to happen during those days! It’s going to get so bizarre that you might even receive a letter from some person who claims that the day of the Lord has already come! Who knows — he might even attach my name to it, alleging to have my endorsement, or he might even send it as if it were written and sent from us!

3 In light of these things, I urge you to refuse to allow anyone to take advantage of you.…

AT THIS VERY MOMENT, people are feeling alarmed, panicked, intimidated, and unnerved by what is happening. The events we are experiencing are just the tip of the iceberg. Jesus said there would be many more to come before it’s all over. That’s why we must determine not to be shaken or moved by anything we see or hear. We must get a grip on our minds and refuse to allow our­selves to be traumatized by these events. We do that by holding fast to the Word of God. First John 5:4 says, “…This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” We can be of good cheer, even in the midst of trials, because of our faith in Christ who has overcome the world (see John 16:33)!

Once again…I urge you to listen to those who feed your faith and not your fear!

The Bible long ago foretold that Satan would send his strongest winds to knock the world off its feet at the end of the age. He will even try to stop the Church and knock it off its feet. But nothing can stop the Church! Jesus promised, “…The gates of hell shall not prevail against it [the Church]” (Matthew 16:18).

Although these end-time waves beating upon society try to beat against the Church, too, we will prevail! Two thousand years of Church history prove that every turbulent episode passes, and the Church remains triumphant! Jesus’ words in Matthew 16:18 are absolutely true!

Friend, as a child of God, you are a member of an unshakable Kingdom. Hebrews 12:28 says, “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.” This means it’s time for you and me to lay hold of God’s grace and to let His power flow through us to touch everyone around us. The world all around us may be shaken, but not us — we are a part of an unshakable Kingdom! 

Let’s be unshakable in our faith and in our commitment to the Lord and to one another. And let’s be unshakable in doing our part to ensure God’s Word keeps going forth to the ends of the earth with no interruption!

Again, let us know how to pray for you. We are here — waiting to hear from you when you reach out to us.

Thank you so much for letting me minister this to you today! Denise and I really do love you and thank God for you!

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

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

GREETINGS IN JESUS’ NAME!

Easter is upon us — and people all over the world are getting ready to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. But today I want to share fresh insight about that day when Jesus was breathing His last breaths on the Cross! I believe it will thrill your heart!

But first, Denise and I wish to express our heartfelt gratitude to you for being a partner and friend with our ministry. What you are doing in connection with us is having a tremendous impact in lives all over the world. We are very aware that you could use your money elsewhere. But you have chosen to use it sacrificially for the Gospel and as a seed in our ministry to help us take the Word of God to people who are crying out for it. A day never passes that Denise and I don’t stop to seriously ponder what you do and to thank God for it. Today — right up front, at the beginning of my letter — I just wanted to express our thankfulness to you.

This month, I want to share from John 19:30. This verse tells us that as Jesus was dying on the Cross, He lifted up His voice and said, “It is finished!” The verse continues, “…And he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.” I want to open that phrase “It is finished” to you. I believe you’ll find something fresh here that will fill your heart with deep gratitude!

Those words “it is finished” is a translation of the Greek word tetelestai, a word that means to end, to bring to completion, to bring to a conclusion, to complete, to accomplish, to fulfill, or to finish. There were many nuances to this word, but four have great significance concerning this defining moment of Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross.

First, this was Jesus’ exclamation that He
had finished the work the Father had sent Him to do.

One scholar noted that when a servant was sent on a mission and then later returned to his master, the servant would say, “Tetelestai” — meaning, “I have done exactly what you requested” or, “The mission is now accomplished.” This is the very message Jesus spoke when He said, “It is finished!”

This means in that moment when Jesus cried out, He was exclaiming to the entire universe that He had faithfully fulfilled the Father’s will and the mission was now accomplished. No wonder Jesus shouted — for this was the greatest victory in the history of the human race! He had been faithful to His assignment even in the face of unfathomable challenges. The fight was over and Jesus could cry out to the Father, “I have done exactly what You asked Me to do!” or, “The mission is accomplished!”

Second, this word “tetelestai” was the equivalent
of the Hebrew word spoken by the high priest when he
presented a sacrificial lamb without spot or blemish.

Annually, the high priest entered beyond the veil into the Holy of Holies, where he poured the blood of the sacrificial spotless lamb on the mercy seat of the Ark of the Covenant. The moment the blood touched the mercy seat, atonement was made for the people’s sins for one more year. This was done year after year to obtain the annual, temporary forgiveness of sin.

When Jesus hung on the Cross, however, He was both Lamb and High Priest. In that holy moment as our Great High Priest, Jesus offered His own blood for the permanent removal of sin. He offered up the perfect sacrifice of His own blood, of which every Old Testament sacrifice was a type and symbol — and in that instant, there remained no more need of offering for sin.

Jesus entered into the Holy Place and offered His own blood — a sacrifice so complete that God never again required the blood of lambs for the forgiveness of sin. As Hebrews 9:12 says, “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.”

Thus, when Jesus said, “It is finished!” He was declaring the end of sacrifice, because the ultimate Sacrifice had finally been made! Atonement was completed, perfected, and fully accomplished. It was done once and for all — finished forever!

Third, in a secular sense, “tetelestai” was used in the
business world to signify the full payment of a debt.

When a debt had been fully paid off, the parchment on which the debt was recorded was stamped with tetelestai, which meant the debt had been paid in full. This means that once a person calls Jesus the Lord of his or her life and personally accepts His sacrifice, no debt of sin exists for that person any longer. The debt is wiped out because Jesus paid the price for sin that no sinner could ever pay.

Jesus took our place. He paid the debt we owed for our sin. And when we, by faith, repent and receive Him as Lord, we are set free! This is why Paul wrote, “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:14).

When Jesus uttered those words “It is finished!” it was His declaration that the debt was fully satisfied, fulfilled, and complete. His blood utterly and completely cleansed us forever. It was far-reaching and all-embracing for all of us who put our faith in Him.

Fourth, in ancient times, “tetelestai” also depicted a turning point
when one period ended and a new period began.

When Jesus exclaimed, “It is finished!” it was a turning point in the entire history of mankind. At that moment, the Old Testament came to an end — it was finished and closed — and the New Testament began. The Cross was “the Great Divide” in human history. When Jesus cried out, “It is finished!” He was shouting that the Old Covenant had ended and the New Covenant had begun!

In that divine moment when Jesus cried, “It is finished,” all the Old Testament prophecies about Jesus’ earthly ministry were fulfilled. The justice of God had been fully satisfied by the Lamb of God. At that moment, the sacrifices of the Old Testament permanently ceased, for the perfect Sacrifice had laid down His life for the salvation of mankind. Jesus’ mission was accomplished. Thus, He could cry out that His task was complete!

Never forget that because Jesus was willing to offer His own blood for the full payment of our sinful debt, we are forgiven and utterly debt-free. The words “PAID IN FULL” were stamped on your past sinful record because Jesus paid the price for your redemption with His own blood.

Jesus paid the price for salvation, liberation, physical healing, and complete restoration. When the price for your forgiveness was paid in full, Jesus bowed His head and died. God’s justice had been fulfilled. The Old Covenant had ended, and the New Covenant had begun. It was the fulfillment of one and the beginning of another.

Before I close today, I want to remind you that we are always here to pray for you. Just let us know how we can believe with you and we’ll quickly join our faith with yours. When you let us know how we can pray for you specifically, we are able to pray more effectively. So as soon as we hear from you, we’ll release our faith for God to move in your situation!

Have a wonderful Easter!

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

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

This month I’m writing to you about signs and wonders. Do you want to see more of them? If that’s your heart’s cry, the major key I share in this letter will enable you to see more of God’s power and signs and wonders in your life and in your church! What I am about to share with you will add fuel to your spiritual fire!

But first, if you’re a partner with RENNER Ministries, from the bottom of my heart, I want to say THANK YOU for your faithful support of this ministry! If you’re not a partner with this ministry, I want to ask you a deeply important question. If you’re growing and developing because of what you’re learning from my teaching, would you consider partnering with us financially so that others can experience trusted teaching that will change their lives for the better too? Through the letters, books and other teaching materials, TV and the Internet, and our many outreaches of compassion, we are teaching people of all ages, cultures, and walks of life to know Christ and to yield their lives to Him so they can experience transformation and fulfill their divine destinies.

In fact, the vision of RENNER Ministries is “to take the Gospel both to our nearby world and to the ends of the earth, proclaiming Christ — warning and teaching people with all wisdom, that we may present them fully mature in Christ Jesus” (see Colossians 1:28). If you’re not already a partner, I invite you to join us as we fulfill this great assignment and vision together! Simply call us at 800-742-5593 or go to renner.org/become a partner, and we’ll be sure to take your donation, pray with you, and get a new-partner package in the mail to you that includes two of our books Life in the Combat Zone and The Gift of Forgiveness absolutely free! Your gifts of any size really help us fulfill our divine assignment across the globe.

We know partnership works two ways, and we are committed in prayer to every single person who partners with us in this thriving work around the world. You and your own divine destiny matter to us, and we are committed to feeding you spiritually and to helping you realize your dreams in God.

In this letter, I want to share with you something from Scripture — and something I’ve learned firsthand — along this very line of powerfully fulfilling your God-given dreams. I learned many years ago that one key ingredient that really fuels the heart and keeps it blazing is a sustained pursuit of soul-winning. Nothing ignites the heart like being instrumental in seeing someone rescued from darkness, delivered from the power of sin, washed in the blood of Jesus, and saved from an eternity in hell.

The Early Church was like a burning inferno that was alight with the fire of the Holy Spirit. That fire was continually rekindled as believers surrendered to the power of God and carried the Gospel to the ends of their known world. And if we are going to burn brightly with the fire of the Spirit, we must be active carriers of the truth and power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those who need to hear it in our own worlds.

When we do our part to take the Gospel to those who are lost, a blazing flame of the Spirit is ignited that continually releases the power of God. With that fire burning inside us, the Gospel will detonate its divine power and spread like a spiritual flame across our neighborhoods and to the ends of the earth — and we will be doing our part to fulfill the Great Commission that Jesus gave to the Church more than 2,000 years ago (see Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-18).

A study of history reveals a pattern regarding this eruptive manifestation of God’s power. And you can be sure that this power goes hand in hand with the Spirit-led efforts of any person, any church, or any organization committed to proclaiming the Gospel to the lost. This supernatural presence is God’s witness that the message is Heaven-sent.

When a believer or a church is committed to the Great Commission and follows the Holy Spirit’s strategy to reach the lost, God’s power gloriously shows up in that believer’s life or in the life of that congregation. On the other hand, when God’s people withdraw from Christ’s command to reach the lost, the manifestation of His power begins to slowly wane.

God’s power is always present, but the manifestation of that power begins to diminish more and more as believers begin to neglect their responsibility to carry the Gospel to those who need to be saved. This verifiable pattern is proven throughout the course of Church history. Yet God’s heart remains the same for people to be reached through the sharing of the Gospel. And when the Gospel is preached by His people, His power shows up in a myriad of miraculous ways!

Matthew 28:18-20 records that before Jesus ascended into Heaven, He gathered the disciples one last time and told them:

…All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

This passage is what is called the Great Commission. In this command, we find important truths about God’s call to every believer and every local church to “go” with the Gospel to the ends of the earth. In Greek, the tense for the word “go” in Matthew 28:19 literally denotes to go and to keep on going. In other words, this was not a command given only to the believers at the beginning of the Church Age, nor was it a special command for those who would occasionally go on a special missions trip. The command “to go” is God’s call to the Church. It is His directive to every Christian and to every local church for all time.

God expects His children to be committed to taking the saving message of the Gospel to the lost as a lifestyle. And He promises that those who obey this command will experience amazing supernatural power to fulfill the appointed task. This is why miracles are more consistently manifested where the Gospel is being preached beyond the four walls of a local church — because the Gospel is the very power of God (see Romans 1:16).

A church — or an individual — that ignores this command to reach the lost will experience fewer manifestations of God’s power in their midst. They may have started out with a strong focus on reaching the lost, and they may have experienced great power as a result. But if they then begin to draw back from this divine directive to share the Gospel with the unsaved, they will inevitably notice God’s manifested power begin to recede in their midst.

The demonstration of divine power is promised to those who go and keep on going, continually taking the Gospel to the lost. This includes sharing the message with family, friends, and neighbors, as well as to strangers whom believers meet in daily life, on mission trips, and in every arena of life, to the ends of the earth.

It’s also important to understand that part of “going” is for believers to do their part in funding the missions efforts of churches and organizations, special evangelization projects, and missionaries themselves who are going to other parts of the world to take the message of Christ to the unsaved. Many churches today are focused on reaching their cities with various outreaches, and this is a correct thing to do. But too often churches curtail their financial support for those engaged in missions work in order to focus solely on reaching their local communities.

We have a responsibility to do both. We must share the Gospel with the lost in our neighborhoods while at the same time retaining a firm commitment to financially support those who are reaching the unsaved in foreign countries. Our hearts must burn with the fire of God to see the unsaved brought into the Kingdom of God both near and far. It is our glorious task to rescue the spiritually perishing as God enables us.

But in the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20, the Lord made an astonishing promise to any person or church that will go and keep on going with the Gospel to reach those nearby and those who are abroad. Jesus said, “…And, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (v. 20). Those who take this promise to heart and obey it will be ignited and will remain ignited with the blazing power of the Holy Spirit!

The word “lo” in this verse is actually an exclamatory promise that Jesus makes to anyone who will “go” with the Gospel to the lost. In Greek, the word “lo” would better be translated, “And, WOW, will I ever be with you — even to the ends of the earth!”

In essence, Jesus was saying, “If you will go and keep on going — doing all you can, in every way possible, to preach and teach the Gospel — WOW, I promise that you will experience My amazing presence in the doing of it!” In other words, the “lo” belongs to those who “go”!

Christ promises that His powerful presence will be experienced by all believers who are going to the lost with the message of salvation. That means if we want to experience the power of God, we must act on what triggers its release. Jesus’ promise is that His powerful, supernatural presence will accompany all who will do their part to take the Good News of salvation to others!

We must have the power of the Holy Spirit to reach the lost. Then as we go with the Gospel, our obedience ignites the Spirit’s power to be released mightily upon us and through us!

Sometimes Christians hear of amazing signs and wonders that occur on the foreign mission field and wonder why they don’t see more of those supernatural happenings in their own churches at home. That’s a legitimate question. Why does it seem mighty deeds that astonish believers often occur where missionaries or frontline preachers are taking the Gospel to territory where the Gospel has never or rarely been preached?

Manifestations of God’s power aren’t supposed to happen only on the foreign mission field. The Holy Spirit wants to move right in your own family and neighborhood! If you’ll obey His leading to go and share the Gospel whenever He prompts you, God’s power will show up wherever you are!

Just as Jesus promised, His powerful presence will manifest when you share the Gospel with those who need to hear it. The miraculous is guaranteed to occur anywhere the Gospel is being shared or preached. This is God’s promise — that His power will show up when you do your part by His leading and direction to reach the unreached. In Matthew 28:20 Jesus promised His powerful presence would be demonstrated in the life of any believer or any church that would “go” to the lost as a matter of priority!

When a church (or an individual) shrinks back from making souls a priority, it is a decision that will result in the power of God waning in their midst. Although God’s power is available to all believers, that divine power is consistently manifested in the lives of those who are actively “on the go” in obedience to Christ’s Great Commission.

The “lo” in Matthew 28:20 — that is, Christ’s promise of His powerful presence — is promised to those who “go” with the Gospel message to others. So if you are experiencing powerlessness, it’s time to assess whether or not you are doing what you must do to qualify for the “lo” that Christ promises to those who would “go.”

Never forget that God’s power works like metal attracted to a magnet. When you reach out to the lost in obedience to Jesus’ Great Commission, God’s power works like a magnet that is attracted to what you are doing. God’s power always shows up and all kinds of miraculous events begin to take place where the Gospel is being regularly communicated to the lost!

If you (or your church) have unintentionally drifted from reaching out to the lost, you can make an adjustment and get back on track again. When that happens, what was turned off can be turned on again! The power of God will once again erupt in your midst. The act of sharing Christ will put spiritual fuel back on your fire, and God’s power will be reignited to produce signs following the preaching of the Word.

So if you are hungry to see God’s power and signs and wonders, do what triggers the release of those things! Share the Gospel with the lost or do your part to give financially to individuals or ministries that are doing it. God’s power simply shows up where people are reaching beyond themselves to reach others!

Wow — I’m encouraged by what I just wrote to you! As I come to the end of this letter, I want to encourage you to obey the Lord in 2020 and do whatever He puts in your heart to do. If you’ll obey, His power will show up! And if you need prayer for anything in any situation, let us know how we can pray with you. As soon as we hear from you, Denise and I and our team will go right to prayer. As a partner with you in the ministry, we take praying for you very seriously. In fact, it is one of our greatest honors!

I can hardly wait to sit down and share with you again next month. But until then, remember that we love you and appreciate you very much. And please keep us in your prayers as we press ahead to push back darkness in people’s lives around the world!

Denise and I love you and thank God for you!

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

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

Greetings in Jesus’ precious name. Last month, I wrote to you about spiritual fire. Today I want to keep speaking to you about spiritual fire and about one of the fuels needed to keep our fire burning brightly. That fuel is the Bible! I am praying for “a revival of the Bible.” Would you please join me in prayer for this as well?

The Bible is like fire in so many ways when it is allowed to work inside our hearts. For example, as fire purifies metal, God’s Word purifies our consciences, renews our minds, illuminates our spirits, and drives away darkness. Its light exposes areas in our lives that need to be changed.

The Bible brings warmth and comfort in times of difficulty. There is no medication that soothes the soul like God’s Word. Like the warmth and comfort I feel when I draw near to the glowing warmth of a burning fireplace, the Word of God warms my heart when I sit before it and allow its life-giving truth to permeate my being.

The fiery impact of God’s Word also awakens us to areas that need to be transformed by His Spirit. When a believer hears the Scriptures expounded by the anointing of the Holy Spirit, or when he reads the Bible to take it by faith into his heart, its supernatural power is unleashed. And when that happens, that person’s heart, will, thoughts, emotions, and memories are all touched by God’s power as if by fire.

The life in God’s words awakens the recipient to receive a greater measure of God’s presence into his life in the divine process of transformation. As that Christian drills deep, and by faith taps into the divine power and presence contained in the Holy Spirit-inspired words of the Bible, the spiritual force that is released can change anything!

Just as fire has melting power, those who are willing to let the Word of God do its deeper work will see stubbornness and unbelief melt away in their lives. The hardest heart has been known to soften when it draws near to the intense heat of the spiritual fire released by the Word of God. And just as fire is used in the natural world to burn debris, when the Bible is ingested into the soul, its divine fire identifies and consumes waste that needs to be expunged from a person’s life. This consuming fire will burn off any “chaff” left in the soul that hinders your spiritual progress!

This fire also ignites new life in areas that have grown indifferent and resistant to God’s will. And if you keep taking the Bible into your heart, the fire of God’s Word will continue to burn brilliantly, spreading throughout your entire system as you surrender to its transforming work.

We must choose, however, to yield to the fiery effect of God’s Word working in us, and that process is not always comfortable. It blazes a fire so strong, it incinerates those things that are displeasing to the Spirit and need to be removed. When everything is said and done, only the Word of God has the power to permanently transform a life!

Like fire is a purifier, when the Bible is given entrance into the heart and acted upon by faith, it takes on that characteristic of fire as it begins to do its purifying work in us. The psalmist wrote of the purifying effect of God’s Word in Psalm 119:9 when he said, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.”

In John 15:3, Jesus spoke of this cleansing quality of God’s Word when He said, “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” In Second Corinthians 7:1, Paul also wrote of the way the Holy Spirit uses the promises of God’s Word to take us into greater levels of sanctification and purity. Paul wrote, “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”

Just as fire is a source of illumination, the words of the Bible, when they are allowed into the heart and soul, bring illumination to us! Those divinely inspired words illuminate our paths. This is why Psalm 119:105 says, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:130 further says, “The entrance of thy words giveth light.…”

The Word of God is like a lamp that provides light in a darkened room. When its truths are embraced, it shines light into every sphere of life, bringing understanding and enlightenment and eradicating the ignorance that governs darkened minds. The Scriptures are God’s lamp to give continuous light to a people or society that would lie in darkness if the source of that light was removed. Only the light of God’s Word drives away spiritual darkness — which is why demonic forces hate the Light and the Light-bearers!

God’s Word — when heeded, embraced, and believed — continuously shines its brilliant light into the dark, murky places of our lives. Whenever any person gives heed to it, its powerful light shines into his or her life, dispelling spiritual darkness. Those who reject the Word remain in darkness, but those who embrace it are delivered from spiritual darkness and ignorance.

The Bible provides freedom for the mind, strength and resolve for the will, healing for the body, vision for a bright future, and light for the path ahead. Within the covers of the Bible are all the answers for every problem man could ever face. It can bring new life to hearts, establish order to confused minds, and refresh souls that are being rocked by emotion. When God’s Word is decreed from your mouth, that Word has a life-changing and yoke-destroying effect. There is power in the Word of God that even the devil cannot deny!

And just as fire empowers the mightiest engines to operate, the Bible — when ignited in the heart — supernaturally empowers those who take it deeply into themselves. When scriptures are released in a believer’s life, they loose supernatural energy and power to enable him to rise above himself and to master whatever challenge he may be facing.

A hallmark verse in my own life is Ecclesiastes 8:4, which says, “Where the word of a king is, there is power….” I promise you, when God’s Word is received as the all-authoritative word of our divine King, it imparts power beyond imagination and transforms weaklings to do feats beyond their natural capability! Those who previously felt weak and insufficient are suddenly energized when the power of God’s Word is released into their lives. In fact, the truths of Scripture will impart supernatural strength to a believer to do whatever God has commanded him or her to do.

Psalm 119:28 marvelously depicts the powerful effect of God’s Word to divinely energize a person who otherwise would feel physically or emotionally weak. When the psalmist was confronted with his own humanity, he knew the Word would strengthen him to rise above it. That is why he said, “…Strengthen thou me according unto thy word.”

The role of the Bible cannot be exaggerated in the life of a believer. The amount of spiritual fire you have burning at your core is directly related to how much of God’s Word is planted in your heart. There is absolutely nothing to compare with the powerful effect of God’s Word when it is taken by faith into your heart and put into action.

When I was a young man, we often sang the famous hymn at our church, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” That hymn says it well:

…And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us.
The prince of darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
his rage we can endure, for lo! his doom is sure;
one little word shall fell him….

How powerful to think that ONE WORD FROM THE BIBLE is enough to quash the very forces of hell itself! This is why I feel led to encourage you to dive deep into your Bible in 2020. The answers you seek, the power you need, and the authority of God Himself is found within the pages of the Bible — and it’s waiting for you to unlock it so its power can be released in your life!

Proverbs 10:21 says, “The lips of the righteous feed many.…” I am fully convinced that my God-given assignment is to bring the teaching of God’s Word to people who are hungry for it. As a partner with RENNER Ministries, you are enabling us to do this with the gifts you give to our ministry. In the truest sense of the word, you are a partner together with us in this work. I cannot overemphasize the important role you and your giving plays in helping us get the teaching of the Word to people who are crying out for someone to bring it to them! Thank you a million times for what you do!

Denise and I, our sons, and our entire team pray for you and are so grateful to God for divinely connecting you to our hearts. If there is any way we can be praying for you, please be sure to let us know and we’ll go right to prayer with you. Call, email, or write us, and we will deal with your need seriously and quickly in prayer.

Thank you for letting me minister to you what is on my heart today. Oh, how God wants us to be ablaze with spiritual fire for years to come. Let’s be sure to add the fuel of God’s Word to our spiritual flames so that we continue burning brightly for Him. Amen!

Denise and I 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

First and foremost, I want to say thank you for being an amazing partner in our ministry! As we start this new year, I want you to know we are truly believing for the absolute best for you in 2020. Denise and I are so grateful that you are partnering with us in this God-given work. As we march forward in 2020 to achieve what the Lord has laid on our hearts, we are doing it together with you — and together, we are impacting lives in nations all over the earth! What a privilege to serve God with you!

Today I want to talk to you about spiritual fire and to encourage you to stay “on fire” for the Lord during 2020!

For you to be effective spiritually and truly fulfilled in life, it is absolutely essential that you remain ablaze with spiritual fire! But perhaps you can remember a time when your heart was ablaze with passion for the things of God — but you’d admit that since that time, the fire has diminished. If that describes you currently, please take the time to consider the following:

When any kind of natural fuel serving as a catalyst for fire is depleted, it’s just a fact that the fire will eventually go out. Similarly, if fuel isn’t regularly added to your spiritual fire, and if you don’t stoke those embers and fan the flames, the fire will begin to go out. Those embers have to be tended to regularly in order to keep the fire going. And it takes lots of attention and work to keep a fire burning bright!

This makes me think of Paul’s words to Timothy in Second Timothy 1:6, where Paul wrote, “Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.”

The words “stir up” in this verse is a translation of the Greek word anadzopureo, a triple compound of the Greek words, ana, zoos, and pur.

But when these three Greek words are compounded, they form the Greek word anadzopureo — the very word Paul used in Second Timothy 1:6 when he told the younger minister to “stir up” the gift of God that was in him. It implies that the fire in Timothy’s heart had ebbed to just embers or that it was on a low burn. That is the reason Paul told Timothy to begin to passionately and rigorously stoke and stir up the gift of God in his life. Paul was telling Timothy that, just as one would stoke the embers of a fire in a hearth or fireplace, it was time for the younger minister to take action. Paul was commanding Timothy to reach within himself and to begin to rekindle, or kindle anew, the fire in his heart.

At the time Paul wrote to Timothy, this young man was surrounded by a great deal of chaos and confusion because of the intense persecution that was taking place at that time. It is probable the younger minister was physically and emotionally exhausted from dealing with an onslaught of problems and his own spiritual fire was beginning to wane. That is why Paul told him to take action before the fire inside him that burned for the things of God went out completely.

In other words, Timothy needed to open the door to his heart, look inside to determine the condition of his inward fire, and then take action to stir up the gift of God inside him. Like a person would stoke the coals in a fireplace, Timothy was being called to stir the embers and then “put more wood on the fire.”

This would not occur accidentally. Timothy would have to be intentional and proactive to keep that flame burning. But if he would heed Paul’s command, that inward fire — which was beginning to wane — would blaze once again in the core of Timothy’s spiritual being.

Let me share with you a natural example of kindling or rekindling the fire of God deep inside your heart. In the early days of living in the former Soviet Union, our family lived in an apartment that only had wood-burning fireplaces for heat in the winter. We learned the lesson if we wanted to have heat, we would have to become proactive in making it happen. We had to find fuel, carry it upstairs, open the fireplace door, put the fuel on the fire, and stoke the fire regularly throughout the day to keep it burning. We knew we’d reap a lot of unnecessary discomfort, extreme cold, and even serious trouble if we chose to neglect what was happening deep in those fireplaces.

If we discovered the fire had ebbed too low and the coals of wood were turning cold and hard — that we had “hit a low burn” — we would have to begin the process all over. So the choice to be proactive was wiser than reaping the consequences produced by negligence. The truth is, we made the choice to do whatever was required to stay warm — because otherwise, we knew we’d freeze!

And the same is true for you. If your spiritual fire is at a low burn or close to going out, it’s time for you to “stir up” the gift of God that is inside you. You cannot depend on someone else to do the stoking and stirring for you. It is so vital that you take responsibility to look inside yourself, to determine your fuel supply, and to do whatever you must to stir your spiritual embers and keep your fire burning.

If you’ll ask the Holy Spirit, He’ll show you how to open the door of your heart and take an honest look on the inside to assess your condition and need. Then you must let Him show you the steps to take to throw fuel on your spiritual fire so you can stir yourself up and stay ablaze with the things of God. You are called to consistently stir up those embers and fuel that fire so that you’ll remain a blazing inferno for Jesus!

Fire. We must have it for survival, for development, and for progress. Likewise, we must have spiritual fire if we are to move forward in the advancement of God’s purposes and in the fulfillment of His great plan! Oh, it’s so very vital that we determine to stay ablaze with the Spirit and power of God!

If you’ve ever seen a campfire, you know its flames can burn very bright and hot. But what happens if no one keeps adding fuel to the fire? If no one adds more fuel to the flames, eventually that fire will go out altogether.

Let me encourage you to keep adding fuel to the flames of your heart. Do everything you can to throw more fuel into the fire of your heart! When you adopt the attitude that you’re going to start fueling your fire, consistently utilizing to the fullest all the spiritual fuels God provides, I guarantee you that your inner man will burst into spiritual flames! But you are the only one who can choose to “add the fuel” and “stoke the coals” to keep the Holy Spirit’s fire burning brightly in your life.

I encourage you to make a serious commitment before the Lord that you will stay ablaze with God’s fire for the year 2020 — and for that matter, for the rest of your life. I encourage you to set aside time with the Lord to ask Him for His help and His strategies as you purpose to add more fuel to your spiritual fire. Then determine to do whatever the Spirit of God tells you to do to keep your inner man burning like a spiritual inferno!

While you are praying for your own heart to burn bright with the fire of the Spirit, please add your faith to ours for Denise and me and our entire team. God has entrusted us with a mighty assignment. We need the fire of God to burn brightly within our own hearts so we can impart that fire to others who are reaching out to us for help — for prayer and for teaching of the Word of God. This is an amazing assignment God has given to us!

Before I close today, I want to say if there is any specific way we can be praying for you, please be sure to let us know. I think you know we really mean it when we tell you that we pray for you — and we keep praying until you get the victory you are believing for! Either call, email, or write us, and Denise and I and our team will go to God in prayer for you.

Oh, how thankful I am that God has opened the door for me to communicate with you today. If you don’t know it, I have a new book called A LIFE ABLAZE. This letter is a result of that book. The message is burning in my heart and pouring out of my spirit because I know God wants each of us to be ablaze spiritually for our entire lives. If we add the right fuels and maintain the fire in our hearts, we can do it!

Denise and I 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

Here we are in the month of December! Do you feel like the weeks and months on the calendar have flown by this year? I know that in our ministry, it has been the fullest year we’ve ever had in terms of work and fruit. We are speechless at what we’ve seen God do in so many lives during 2019. With all our hearts, Denise and I, our family, and our team want to say thank you for all you’ve done this year to help us fulfill God’s assignment on our lives. You really are partners with us — and we are simply THANKFUL for you!

In this month’s letter, I want to start by giving you a little insight into what it’s like for Denise and me and our family to live in two worlds — that is, in the Western world and the Eastern world. You see, in the United States, it is customary for you to celebrate Christmas on December 25 — but in Russia, where we live, Christmas is celebrated on January 7, a full two weeks after Christmas is finished in America and the Western world. But when January 7 finally arrives, our family and our church do finally celebrate Christmas!

But does it really matter what date we celebrate Christmas on? The point is not which date — the important point is that Jesus was born! Regardless of when it is celebrated, Jesus’ birth is the most important event in the history of the world!

In Philippians 2:6 and 7, Paul wrote, “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.”

Let me talk to you about these miraculous verses. Paul began by describing the preexistence of Jesus before He came to the earth as a man. Paul said, “Who, being in the form of God….” The word “being” is a translation of the Greek word huparcho, a compound of the words hupo and arche. In this case, the word hupo means from, and the word arche means first, original, or ancient. When they become the word huparcho, the new word depicts something that has always existed.

By using this key word that means to eternally exist, Paul was declaring that Jesus had no beginning, but rather had always existed. This also explains Jesus’ statement when He declared, “…Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58). Thus, Philippians 2:6 could be translated, “Who, eternally existing in the form of God….” In other words, Jesus’ human birth in Bethlehem was not His beginning, but merely His manifestation to mankind, a brief appearance in His eternal existence.

Paul wrote that Jesus always existed in the “form” of God. The word “form” is the Greek word morphe. This word describes an outward form, which means that in Jesus’ preexistence, He looked just like God. He was not just a component of God, nor a symbol of God. In reality, He was God. And as the eternal God Himself, Jesus possessed the very shape and outward appearance of God — a form that includes great splendor, glory, power, and a presence so strong that no flesh can endure it.

God existed in glory more wonderful than the human mind can comprehend and more powerful than human flesh can endure. Yet He desired to come to earth to purchase redemption for man. Therefore, God had no choice but to “re-clothe” Himself in a manner that could be tolerated by man. This is why He “…made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.”

This is the true story of Christmas!

The phrase “made himself of no reputation” comes from a form of the Greek word kenos, which means to make empty, to evacuate, to vacate, to deprive, to divest, or to relinquish. Because it was impossible for God to appear to man as God, He had to change His outward form. The only way He could make this limited appearance as a man was to willfully, deliberately, and temporarily let go of all the attributes we usually think of when we consider the characteristics of God. For 33 years on this earth, God divested Himself of all His heavenly glory and “…took upon him the form of a servant…” (Philippians 2:7).

The phrase “took upon him” perfectly describes that marvelous moment when God reached out to lay hold of human flesh and take it upon Himself so that He might appear as a man on the earth. The words “took upon him” are from the Greek word lambano, which means to take, to seize, to catch, to latch on to, to clutch, or to grasp. This word lets us know that God literally reached out from His eternal existence into the material world He had created — and took human flesh upon Himself in “the form of a servant.”

Not only did God become man, but a “servant.” This word “servant” is from the Greek word doulos, which refers to a slave. Paul used this word to picture the vast difference between Jesus’ preexistent state and His earthly life.

Paul went on to say that Jesus “…was made in the likeness of men.” The phrase “was made” is the Greek word ginomai, which means to become, indicating that this was not Jesus’ original form, but it became His new form. This clearly describes the miracle that occurred when God became a man. Jesus had always existed in the form of God, not the form of man. But taking upon Himself human flesh, He was formed in the womb of the virgin Mary and became a man.

God literally took upon Himself the “likeness” of a man. The word “likeness” is the Greek word homoioma, which refers to a form or resemblance. This refers not only to Jesus’ being made in the visible likeness of men, but also in the human likeness of men. In other words, when Jesus appeared on this earth, He came in the actual form of a man and was just like man in every way.

Jesus was so completely made in the “likeness” of men that Hebrews 4:15 declares He was even tempted in every way that men are tempted. It says, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”

So we see that when God the Father sent His Son into the world, Jesus left His heavenly home and took upon Himself human flesh. And because of this great exchange, He has stood in our place; He has felt what we feel. Even today, He is touched with the feelings of our infirmities, and He intercedes for us with great compassion as our High Priest (see Hebrews 7:25).

At this time of the year — whether we celebrate on December 25 or January 7 or some other day — we are prone to think of Jesus as a Baby in a manger in a Bethlehem stable. Certainly that was true, but we should never forget that His birth in Bethlehem was not Jesus’ beginning. It was merely the moment of His brief appearance in His eternal existence.

Jesus was willing to shed all His visible attributes and dress Himself in the clothing of a human being, manifested in the flesh as a little Baby in Bethlehem. But that Baby was the eternal, ever-existent God Almighty, who came to us in human flesh so that He could dwell among men and purchase our salvation. That is the true story of Christmas!

I felt the need this month to encourage you to really think of people you know who are not committed to Christ. Why not invite them to church to hear the Gospel during this special season? Take this month as an opportunity to bring up the subject of Christ and His birth to them. This is a golden opportunity to share eternity-shaping news with them! What better gift could you give? Isn’t this the real reason for the season, anyway?

God has been faithful to you during 2019. He has been with you every step of the way. As you prepare for 2020, I want to tell you that He is going to continue directing you and empowering you. Please let us know how we can be praying for you to wrap up the year and get ready for a new one! And let us know how we can pray for people you know who need to come to Christ. It would be an honor for Denise and me and our team to put our faith together with yours!

As we come to the close of this year and press forward into an exciting new year, would you please pray with us about these steps of faith we are taking?

Thank you for partnering with us as we bring God’s Word to people who are so hungry to receive it. It is a huge assignment, but with God’s grace, and with all of us working together as partners, we can do it! I want you to know that we use every dollar that comes into this ministry prayerfully as we put our hands to this work that is bigger than any one of us. But I felt to ask you to pray with us for these items that are urgent. God is mighty, and with His strength, we can do whatever He asks us to do!

If you have any prayer needs, be sure to let us know. We are always waiting to hear from you, and we are ready to start praying as soon as we know what needs you are facing. We know you pray for us, and it is our honor to pray for you too.

Have a great month and a wonderful 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