Rich Because of God’s Perfect Love

November Teaching Letter from Denise Renner

Dear Friends,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Merry Christmas!

We love you and thank God for you!

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

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

Wow — 2024 has certainly flown by! I am immensely grateful for every year on this earth and for the opportunity to witness God’s goodness and love in so many people’s lives daily. As we approach the end of this year and the beginning of a new one, I encourage you to seek out His exceeding goodness and love every day. It is all around us! As time passes, it might seem easy to fall into the routine of daily life, but when you pause to recognize Christ’s presence, you may find yourself becoming more present, grateful, and motivated to give your best every day, thanking the Lord for His abundant blessings and presence in your life.

Last month on my weekly program TIME with Denise Renner, I presented a series titled Rich, Richer, and Richest. In each episode, I discussed how, as believers, we are truly rich because God is faithful and always fulfills His promises. As I thought about the approaching new year, I felt inspired to write to you about one aspect of this wealth we inherit as Christians — we are rich because of God’s perfect, endless love for us!

While many people in the world are financially wealthy, they are often impoverished where it truly matters — in their spirits. The wonderful news is that if you’re born-again, abundant riches are available to you within!

Scripture teaches us that as believers, we have a rich inheritance granted by the Lord and His sacrifice on the Cross. In my series, Rich, Richer, and Richest, I highlighted several ways in which believers are spiritually rich:

You are spiritually rich because God is your Heavenly Father.
You are spiritually rich because you are made alive in God.
You are spiritually rich because Heaven dwells within you.
You are spiritually rich because God’s exceeding power is directed toward you.
You are spiritually rich because of God’s immeasurable love for you.

Today, I wish to further explore one of these incredible reasons why you are spiritually rich — because of God’s immeasurable, incomparable, boundless, exceeding, and perfect love for you!

The Bible says in Ephesians 1:17-19:

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of His glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power.

Essentially, it is God’s will for you to grasp the fullness of the Heavenly inheritance you accepted upon being born again. Understanding this inheritance is vital because to receive it fully, you must understand what it encompasses. These riches dwell within you, and as you delve into the Word, fellowship with your Heavenly Father, and meditate on your knowledge of Him, you will access and utilize these riches to their extent.

The Perfect Love of God Resides Within You

Ephesians 3:17-19 says:

That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height — to know the love of Christ that passes knowledge; that you may be filled with the fullness of God.

The reason it is possible for you to know God’s love is because this very love is what sent Jesus to earth, prompting Him to take on flesh and make the perfect sacrifice. He suffered beatings, torment, and crucifixion for our sins, paving the way for our salvation.

Upon being born again and accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior, that same love shared between God and Jesus was poured into your heart by the Holy Spirit (see Romans 5:5).

This love is not something you earn by being “good enough,” tithing, or memorizing Scripture — it is freely given to you as you dedicate your life to Christ Jesus, spreading over every surface of your heart.

Security in God’s Perfect Love

As a believer, you share one spirit with the Lord according to First Corinthians 6:17, which says, “But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.” And wrapped in that oneness is the perfect love of God — and that love provides security in Him.

The flesh seeks security in knowledge, vanity, and possessions—in other words, temporary things. The Bible clearly states in Second Corinthians 4:18, “For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” These temporary things offer no real security, but God’s love, wrapped around your heart, brings peace, patience, joy, confidence, and true security.

Although these are valuable, through the loving sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross, He offers them freely as our inheritance.

The Love of God is a Powerful Protector of Your Heart

Circle back to Ephesians 3:17-19. It says,

That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height — to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

God’s perfect love inside you enables you to do “unusual” things. For example, if you struggle with unforgiveness, His love within your heart takes disciplinary action against it! Whether it is unforgiveness, fear, offense, depression, or worry trying to take root, God’s love commands it to leave!

That is how powerful God’s love in you is! When you forgive someone, God’s love rebukes and casts out negative emotions, such as fear, hate, and resentment. As the Bible says in First John 4:4, “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”

God Wants You to Understand the Full Dimensions of His Perfect Love

According to Ephesians 3:18 and 19, it is God’s will for you to understand His love in its entirety. You have to open your heart to grasp His love’s depth, width, and height.

Many years ago, when I was in college, I had a tendency to believe the enemy and his lies. I felt deeply condemned, believing that I was displeasing to God and not accepted by Him. Although I knew I was a Christian, I felt like I was the worst one.

After dealing with this for some time, I contacted someone I considered a spiritual mother and opened up my heart to her about my struggle with condemnation. I felt so condemned, and I didn’t even really know why! She started to pray with me, and as we prayed, I had an experience with the Lord that I will never forget.

While we prayed, my spiritual mother said, “Denise, His banner over you is love,” and directed me to Song of Solomon 2:4, which says, “He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.” In other words, right over your head is a banner of God’s love. As she spoke these words to me, I began to see an ocean — volumes and volumes of water that never ended — and I knew it was a representation of God’s perfect love.

God was showing me that His love is truly so unfathomable and immeasurable that it’s able to break through any boundary — it’s able to heal, to deliver, to bring peace, and to chase out the enemy. And it could come against the condemnation of the enemy that was taking place in my mind!

This vision was shown to me to communicate something about the boundless dimensions of His love. This love already resides within your heart, and it’s God’s will for you to discover and understand its dimensions!

God’s Will is For You to Become Acquainted With His Perfect Love

Colossians 1:12 and 13 says:

Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.

These verses reveal that when you became saved and made Jesus the Lord of your life, “this inheritance of the saints” became available to you. And it was the very love of God that reached out and pulled you out of darkness and placed that same perfect love inside your heart, transferring you into the kingdom of the Son of His love according to Colossians 1:12 and 13.

His love is wrapped around your heart, holding, touching, and reaching out to you every second of every day!

Many people often ask, What is the will of God for me? According to Ephesians 3:17-19, the will of God is that you be filled with all the fullness of God. How? By becoming acquainted with and coming into agreement with the love of God that’s been poured out into your heart by the Holy Spirit.

Begin to meditate on God’s perfect love, seek Him out for more understanding about His love, and stay diligent by reading His Word. The more you do this the more you will discover about the vast dimensions of the perfect love of God afforded to you by Jesus’ sacrifice — your inheritance.

In a world full of bad news, God’s Word offers good news — His perfect love within you is rich, pure, and immeasurable. Armed with this knowledge, you can declare confidently, “I possess the power and love of God and can withstand any challenge!” It is not your personality, intellect, appearance, or possessions, but the boundless love of God residing in your heart!

When you became saved, God gave you His very best — He gave you Himself, and that includes His perfect love. That’s powerful!

Acknowledge the love of God that has been stretched out to you and that is working against any confusion in your heart and mind. That is the presence of the Lord — the Holy Spirit — bringing forth that love of God in you. As you do this, you will discover more and more about the vast dimensions of His love and receive the revelations that come by faith in Jesus’ name!

Friend, I hope you learned something valuable about the perfect, immeasurable love of God living inside of you. I invite you to watch my newest TIME With Denise Renner series Rich, Richer, and Richest to discover more about the riches that are available to you through Christ! You can watch this series on my YouTube channel or on Renner.org.

We are moving forward together,

Denise Renner

What To Do When Your Prayers Are Hindered

November Teaching Letter from Rick Renner

Dear Friends,

Merry Christmas!

We love you and thank God for you!

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

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

Greetings in Jesus’ powerful and wonderful name!

This morning as I was praying and reading my Bible, I stopped to thank God for YOU and for your friendship and partnership with our ministry. When I call you a partner, I really mean it. You are a huge part of what we are doing — and when we all one day stand before Jesus, you will be richly rewarded for what you have done to help take the trusted teaching of God’s Word to people all over the earth. Denise and I, our family, and our team are willing to do the work, but you provide fuel for the tank that makes it all possible — and for this, I am so, so thankful!

I want to tell you about a special conference in Tulsa, Oklahoma that is coming up in just a few months! I will be participating in the Voice of God conference with Joseph Z on January 16, 17, and 18, 2025. It will be an amazing meeting where we minister to you. We’re asking all who are planning to attend to sign up online free of charge at renner.org. I hope to see some of you there!

This month is election month! So I want to remind you that Revelation 1:5 declares Jesus Christ is the “Prince of the kings of the earth,” which means there is no higher authority than Jesus! Even though Satan is working an evil agenda through those who despise God and His ways, nevertheless God sits on His throne in Heaven and laughs at their plans (see Psalm 2:2-4). In the end, the wicked plans of man will fail, and God will have His way!

Before we dive deep into this letter, I want to share a word from the Lord along this same line that I received in August about this coming season. Actually, it’s a word for right now and for the year 2025. I think it is important to share this with others — especially our God-called partners — so we can properly prepare and not be taken by surprise. The word goes as follows:

A STORM Is Coming —
Batten Down the Hatches!

We are headed into a season of intense warfare on many fronts — economic, political, and spiritual. But the Lord is a Man of War, and He knows exactly how to strategize against and overcome every assault against His people and against His Truth.

But just as one should batten down the hatches in a time of storms, God’s people must be mentally and spiritually prepared for a stormy season that lies directly ahead. However, with the grace of God, the power of the Holy Spirit, the promises of God’s Word, and the weaponry He has given, we can move forward step by step with the strategic guidance of the Holy Spirit. And God will triumphantly lead His people forward and carry out His plans for this end-time age.

This is not a time to fear, moan, or cry, but a time to rejoice, for God is strategically at work even in ways you do not see. Although it may seem the enemy and those he is influencing are attempting to derail God’s purposes, remember that the One who sits in the heavens laughs at their plans, and He will ultimately have them in derision (see Psalm 2:4). God is a Man of War, and in the end, His purposes shall surely prevail!

I pray this word will prepare you for the days ahead and encourage you that we’re on the winning side. Do not be discouraged! Things will get worse, but please take these words to heart — we are not alone in facing whatever comes our way.

Today I want to talk to you about what to do if it seems your prayers are being delayed or hindered. There are certain things that can delay or hinder answers to prayer, such as: praying inconsistently or incorrectly; a lack of faith; a negative confession; bad relationships; spiritual opposition; sin; and even timing. So, of course, we need to make sure we’re making the necessary adjustments according to the Word of God so we can continue in faith, expecting answers to come to us when we pray.

But what about when you’re living and praying correctly, but you still are not seeing answers to your prayer? What should you do? When we find ourselves in that difficult place (which all of us experience from time to time), we must do what Paul tells us in Colossians 4:2.

Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving….

The word “continue” in Greek depicts a strong, solid, never-give-up type of leaning toward an object. It pictures one who desires something so passionately that he is pressing toward it or one so devoted to obtaining something that he is busily engaged in activities that will eventually bring it to him. In fact, when Paul writes, “Continue in prayer,” it could be better interpreted as, “Press forward in prayer.”

Paul is urging that when you feel you’ve hit a wall in prayer or that your prayers are delayed or hindered, you must keep pressing into the Spirit and refuse to give up until you have obtained what you are praying for. Some answers come only if you press forward in prayer. So God is urging you here to keep pushing forward in prayer until you see the manifestation of your answer.

The word “prayer” in Colossians 4:2 is also very important. It is translated from a Greek word that depicts a person who is willing to surrender anything in exchange for an answer. Sometimes there is something inside us that God is waiting for us to surrender to Him so we can receive the answer to our prayers. I have personally found that, if I’m experiencing a delay in a prayer being answered, it is good for me to come to the altar of God and ask, “Lord, is there anything I am unaware of inside me that is stopping me from receiving an answer to my prayer? Is there something You are wanting me to surrender to You?”

God is eager to answer our requests! But the fact is at times, there are issues in our lives that block the answers to our prayers. But when we draw close to God in faith and prayer, the Holy Spirit convicts our hearts of the areas that need to be surrendered to Him. When we repent, or turn, the blockages are removed and often the answers then come quickly.

But Paul adds that we must “continue in prayer, and watch….” The word “watch” is from the Greek word gregoreo, which means to be attentive and watchful, and it was used to picture guards that were to stay wide awake on the job. This word “watch” depicts one whose attitude is to never let up on being watchful, to stay wide awake, and to never fall asleep on the job. One expositor has translated it, “…Be wide awake….”

Rather than go to sleep on the job when it comes to praying, it means you need to keep your eyes wide open and keep praying. You’re also to stay attentive with your eyes wide open so you can watch for the answer. Is it possible that you’re expecting it to come one way, but God will answer your prayer in a way you didn’t expect? Keep your eyes open and be attentive so you’ll see when the answer shows up! Remember, you are supposed to press into the Spirit and not give up until you have obtained what you are praying for. So Paul commands us, “Stay awake! Keep your eyes open!”

Once you pray in faith and begin to make the changes God requires of you, Paul goes on to say that we are to “continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.…” In Greek, the word “thanksgiving” speaks of an outpouring of thanksgiving from the heart. That means when you engage in aggressive prayer, you also need to lift your voice to thank God in advance for the answer! Thanksgiving is the voice of faith!

So what should you do if you are praying in faith and the answer still hasn’t come? If you have dealt with the points I mentioned previously — praying inconsistently or incorrectly; a lack of faith; a negative confession; bad relationships; spiritual opposition; sin; and timing — it’s time for you to obey Colossians 4:2 and do the following: 1) keep pressing forward in prayer; 2) be willing to make whatever changes God may require of you; 3) keep your eyes wide open for the answer so you don’t fall asleep on the job; and 4) lift your voice in thanksgiving to God even before the answer comes.

Here they are summarized once more:

Continue.
Surrender.
Stay alert!
Thank God for the answer!

Thank you for taking time to read my letter this month. This is what was on my heart to minister to you. And remember, if you need prayer for any reason, we would love to pray with you. In Matthew 18:19, Jesus promised, “Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.” Of course you can pray by yourself, but this verse declares that when we are scripturally in agreement in prayer, God moves mightily. So if you need prayer, please reach out to us at prayer@renner.org or call us at 1-800-742-5593.

Regardless of where you are on the political spectrum, remind yourself this month that Jesus Christ really is the “Prince of the kings of the earth” and that there is no higher authority than Jesus! Also, remember Psalm 2:2-4, which says, “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.”

Again, we can rest assured and be THANKFUL that God sits on His throne in Heaven and laughs at the wicked plans of man that always backfire and fail. God always has His way — so pray into that because it’s true!

Next month, I’ll be writing to you about how to minister to others in the Christmas season. It is a God-given opportunity to reach out to those in need, so please look for my letter!

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 Renner and our entire ministry team

P.S. Click here to view the new interactive Ministry Update page or click here to download the printable pdf flyer.

The Display of God’s Love

October Teaching Letter from Denise Renner

Dear Friends,

Merry Christmas!

We love you and thank God for you!

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

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

When we talk about the God who made the universe, who gives us the breath of life, who can part the Red Sea, and yet chose to come to Earth and die for us, it brings a sense of profound humility. It’s truly amazing, but that’s how much He loves us. While many people say, “I love you,” repeatedly, love is truly shown through our actions.

In my letter to you this month, we will discuss the ways God displays His amazing love for you. Jesus’ actions were absolutely complete, showing us beyond a shadow of a doubt that He loves us, that He chose us, and that we are important to Him. You are so important to Him that He died for you.

Galatians 4:4 says:

But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law.

There was a time when God said, “It’s time — it’s time that I come. It’s time that I rescue them Myself because they’re not getting it. They have already sinned against Me. They have already rejected Me. They can’t fulfill My law. I’m coming Myself.” There was just so much love in this action for you and me. We should wake up every morning and say, “God help me know how much You love me today, and help me love others with the love that You’ve put inside me.”

The book of John has this to say about the magnitude of God’s love:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.

— John 1:1-5; 10-12

Notice verse 1 begins by saying, “In the beginning….” This phrase indicates God’s eternal plan. Verse 1 continues, “…was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Jesus was there with the Father and the Holy Spirit, planning this great rescue for you and me from eternal damnation.

Verse 2 states, “All things were made through Him, and without Him, nothing was made that was made.” In other words, everything in existence is because of Jesus. “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”

Friend, this means that there is no darkness so deep that God’s light cannot overcome it. Have you ever noticed that in a very dark room, the moment you turn on the light, the darkness is expelled? That is what Jesus did when He came into this world. And it was at just the right time. There was a lot of darkness in the world then, but when Jesus came, He brought His light into the world! That is amazing love.

Have you ever poured out your love to someone, only to have them reject it over and over again? I remember many years ago, I tried to be a friend to this girl, but time and time again, she rejected me and hurt my feelings. I didn’t have another friend, so I kept forgiving her. However, my love wasn’t like God’s love. Eventually, there came a time when I said, “I’m not going to forgive this person anymore because I don’t want to be hurt anymore.” But that’s not how God operates! He came to rescue us.

Jesus came whether the people rejected or received Him! That is the love of God — the heart of God being expressed through Jesus. Hebrews 1:1-3 says:

God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

Jesus was the very expression of God! What Jesus did on Earth was exactly what His Father would have done. What Jesus is doing today to rescue, save, and heal is exactly what His Father would do today.

John 1:14 says:

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

The phrase “…full of grace and truth” describes exactly who Jesus was and is.

Now, look at Psalm 22. Keep in mind, this teaching is about love being displayed. Love doesn’t just talk — love acts. Jesus didn’t just say, “I love you,” and then wish us the best! No! He displayed His love in the greatest act of selflessness and compassion by sacrificing Himself to save us from an eternity separated from Him.

John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” When God says, “I love you,” He always backs it up with a display of action, as He did by sending His Son, Jesus.

Let’s circle back to Psalm 22. When you read Psalm 22, you can see the things Jesus went through on the Cross — the feelings He had and what it was like for Him while He bore our sins, sicknesses, diseases, poverty, guilt, and shame. Psalm 22 provides a close-up picture of the ordeal Jesus endured on the Cross.

Psalm 22:6–8 reads:

But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised by the people. All those who see Me ridicule Me; they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, “He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him; let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!”

The word “worm” here is actually referring to maggots. Most everyone gets grossed out at the mere mention of the word “maggot.” The phrase “no man” in this verse means “an unimportant man.” Jesus — the creator of the universe — lowered Himself to such a place that when He was hung on the Cross, He compared Himself to a lowly worm, a man of no importance.

Verses 6 and 7 continue, “…A reproach of men, and despised by the people. All those who see Me ridicule Me….” Can you imagine a time in your life when those around you ridiculed or made fun of you? Can you remember how small and insignificant these actions made you feel?

Take those feelings of shame and torment you’ve experienced in your own life and multiply them by ten billion trillion times. The ridicule that Jesus endured came from the demonic realm — blaspheming, mocking, and putting Him down. Jesus submitted Himself to this so that you and I could be free from ridicule and accusation. The very God of this universe lowered Himself so far that He compared Himself to a worm and a man with zero importance — a man full of sin — so He could rescue us from an eternity without Him.

Matthew 27:41-43 shows us what the religious leaders and onlookers were saying as Jesus suffered on the Cross. It reads:

Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”

This is what the crowd yelled at Jesus as He was suffering — His hands and feet hanging on nails for them, for their forgiveness, for their salvation, and for you and me. They mocked and blasphemed Him, yet He didn’t come off the Cross. He continued to pay the price for our salvation.

The Bible says in Matthew 26:51-54:

And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. But Jesus said to him, “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels? How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?”

Jesus could have let Peter and His disciples defend Him in the Garden of Gethsemane, but He didn’t. He could have called on His Father to send legions of angels to stop His arrest, but He didn’t. The chief priests, elders, and temple guards didn’t take Jesus’ life — He gave His life up for you and me. This ultimate act of sacrifice was the love of God on display. Psalm 22:9 says:

But You are He who took me out of the womb; You made Me trust while on My mother’s breasts. I was cast upon You from birth. From My mother’s womb You have been My God. Be not far from Me, for trouble is near; for there is none to help.

Who can explain the Trinity? I can’t explain the Trinity, but I definitely believe it. When Jesus was on the Cross, He was the Son of Man, yet He was God. He put aside His godhead — His godhood — and died for you and me. This is His love displayed, and it’s so amazing! When we talk about Jesus’ sacrifice — everything the priests and elders said about Him and His refusal to call upon a legion of angels to save Him from the brutality of the Cross — it is truly astounding.

When you think about the magnitude of this sacrifice, there really is no excuse for any of us not to forgive each other. It’s not right to say, “Lord, I know you’ve forgiven me, but I can’t forgive others.” He paid the complete price so we could be forgiven and to put the love of God inside you and me so that we could forgive.

Jesus took every sickness and disease known to man, every torment of our minds, every pain in our bodies — He took them upon Himself. Psalm 22:6 tells us that Jesus felt like a worm on the Cross — the lowest of the low. He was scorned, spit upon, humiliated, shamed, ridiculed, and lied about. And even still, He endured it all for our eternal salvation. This is love displayed! Jesus was falsely accused, hated, denied, and betrayed by one of His dear friends, yet He showed us a love so perfect that any fear that tried to come against Jesus giving His life was totally cast out. And any fear that would try to come to us has no right because the perfect love of God — which Jesus displayed and put on the inside of us — casts out fear. When we believe His Word, this display is so great that His power comes to us and gives us the confidence and authority to forgive any offender, to believe for the healing of any sickness or disease, to give mercy, to give understanding, and to practice patience. The display of God’s love gives us the power to express that love in our hearts by what He did for us.

Friend, isn’t that just amazing?! God didn’t save us just so we could go to Heaven — He saved us to go to Heaven because eternity in hell would be unimaginable. Heaven will be so magnificent that it’s hard to imagine, but when Jesus died on the Cross, God brought Himself inside us so He could live through us and we could have a relationship with Him.

Jesus paid the complete price. His love didn’t display fifty or ninety percent to save us from death, eternity in hell, and from our own selves. His love displayed paid the complete price — a hundred percent price. He paid for it, but it’s up to us to receive it. For example, say someone gave you a $100,000 or a 2 million dollar home. It’s there and all you have to do is receive it, but you stand there and say, “I don’t know if that’s really for me or not. Should I really accept it?” If you question their gift, you will not receive it. But if you say, “I receive what you have for me,” it’s yours!

It’s the same way with God. Say, “Lord, I receive what You paid for me. I receive my healing, I receive forgiveness, I receive this powerful love on the inside of me to love and forgive others as I’ve been forgiven and loved.” It’s all been paid for — you just have to reach out and receive it!

As I close my letter, I want to remind you that we are always praying for you. And if you ever need prayer, our amazing Partner Care team is available from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CT every weekday. Give us a call at 1.844.473.6637 or email us at prayer@deniserenner.org to be connected with one of our dedicated team members, and they will personally pray with you over whatever request you may have. And if you haven’t seen my weekly program yet, I invite you to join me for TIME With Denise Renner each Wednesday at 12:00 p.m. CT by watching on my Facebook page or YouTube channel.

We are moving forward together,

Denise Renner

Staying Committed To the Truth

October Teaching Letter from Rick Renner

Dear Friends,

Merry Christmas!

We love you and thank God for you!

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

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

I am so excited to write to you and to share with you a warning from Scripture about something we need to pay serious attention to in these last days.

But before I get into the teaching, Denise and I want to express our heart-felt thanks for your amazing partnership with our ministry. Every day I pray fervently for our partners — and not just once, but many times a day. In the past month, when Denise and I were speaking across the U.S.A., it was such a joy to meet so many partners in our meetings. I really want you to know how much we love you and thank God for you!

Today I will be writing from the footnotes and commentary in my new Renner Interpretive Version (RIV) of the book of Jude. I call it the Renner Interpretive Version (RIV) — A Study Bible for People of Faith. It is literally packed with treasures from the Greek New Testament!

Every day on my TV program this month I am teaching the whole book of Jude from the RIV with commentary, and I want to go into a little of what will be covered in that series today. Let’s get started and take a deep dive into Jude 3 and 4. You’re about to find amazing truths in these powerful verses!

Jude 3 says, “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.”

In this verse, Jude begins by saying, “I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation.” The words “gave all diligence” would be better interpreted as “fully intended” and is from a form of a Greek word that means to do something with eagerness; to do something with diligence; acting responsibly, quickly, and with attentiveness; or one so diligent, excited, and energetic that he puts his whole heart into the principle or task before him.

The words “common salvation” in Greek pictures what is commonly or mutually shared. By using this Greek word to describe salvation, Jude acknowledges that salvation has many benefits that mutually belong to all believers. Jude was so excited to share about all the benefits contained in our salvation that he was ready to put his whole heart into writing an epistle about it.

But something happened that caused Jude to change his plan. It seems likely that someone had just passed a copy of Peter’s second epistle to him, and when Jude read what Peter wrote about false teachers in the Church, it so stirred him that he abandoned his plan so he could join Peter in addressing the problem of error that was emerging in the Church.

Jude wrote that he found it “needful” to write and encourage his readers to earnestly contend for the faith. The Greek word for “needful” depicts an urgent necessity. Something so sinister was happening that Jude felt urgently pressed to address the issue as quickly as possible. Without hesitation, Jude dropped his prior plans to write an epistle about salvation and instead raised his voice with Peter to alert the saints of a danger that was lurking nearby and to give instructions regarding how to confront the problem.

Jude also wrote of a need to “exhort” the saints — and us — to earnestly contend for the faith. The word “exhort” is from a Greek word that was used militarily to picture a commander who stood in front of his troops to exhort and prepare them for battle. Because the battlefield held intense conflicts, the commander took time to earnestly “exhort” his troops to hold their heads high, to throw their shoulders back, and, if needed, to face the enemy eyeball to eyeball. As a spiritual general, Jude declared to the Church — and us — that we must be soldiers of truth who are ready to defend the Word of God with every ounce of our being.

In fact, Jude went on to urge his readers “to earnestly contend” for the faith because it was under assault. Forgive me for going into a lot of intricate Greek, but the words “earnestly contend” are translated from a compound of epi and agonidzomai. The word epi means for or over, and it is used as an intensifier. The second part of the word is agonidzomai, a word that denotes an intense struggle and is where we derive the word agony. The word agonidzomai was used to picture two wrestlers who agonized to win over the other in a wrestling match. Both wrestlers worked to gain the advantage and hurl their opponent to the ground, exerting every ounce of their strength and skill to win a very intense physical contest.

When epi and agonidzomai form a single word, which Jude used here, it depicts those who are fighting with all of their might to win a match of some type. The use of this word tells us Jude was urging his readers to intensely fight for truth, and it also implies that false teachers were trying to wrestle the faith to the ground and subdue it and modify it to suit their own ends. Because deception was attempting to trounce truth, Jude told his readers — and us — that they had a responsibility to do everything they could to defend, fight for, and guard the purity of the faith.

Jude then wrote that the faith was “delivered,” or “entrusted,” to us by God. The word “entrusted” in Greek means to entrust for safekeeping. Jude used this word to confront each of us about our God-given responsibility to guard, defend, and do everything in our ability to present the Word in its purest form and as close as possible to the original message from generation to generation. No one has the right to change it!

This is why I am so committed to correctly understanding and teaching the meaning of the Bible. God expects you and me to do everything in our power to keep the Word of God as close as possible to what God meant for it to say to us.

Jude went on to affirm the Word of God was “once” delivered to us, which is a Greek word that means “once and for all.” In other words, when the Word of God was given, it was complete, final, and so complete that it needed nothing more to be added to it. Jude said that the Word of God was delivered “once and for all” as a finished, completed, perfect work. As it stands, the Bible is complete, final, authoritative, and life changing.

Here is the Renner Interpretive Version (RIV) of Jude 3:

Beloved — I call you that because it’s the only word I know to express how deeply I love and cherish you — I fully intended to write to you about our mutually shared salvation, and I was really eager to write about this exciting subject, ready to engage all my abilities to dive deep into all the benefits that our salvation entails. But as I was about to get started, I found myself gripped with a sense of urgency and a deeply felt need to address another subject that came to my attention. I felt someone needed to come alongside the troops — to urge them to hold their head high, to throw their shoulders back, and, if necessary, look the enemy eyeball to eyeball and to earnestly contend for the faith because it is under assault. God entrusted the faith to us once and for all and expects us to guard it and maintain its integrity in the same form it was delivered to us. God has given us the responsibility to impart it to others in the same form it was given to us.

But then in verse 4, Jude went on to describe the kind of perpetrators that were worming their way into the Church and twisting the Scriptures. He wrote, “For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Notice the words “crept in unawares.” This is translated from a form of the word pareisduo — a triple compound of para, eis, and duno. The word para means alongside, the word eis means into, and duno means to enter and settle down into a place. But as a compound, this word pictures those who clandestinely enter into a certain place and who settle down and function right alongside others. It denotes covert activity. It gives the impression of those who secretly make their way into the ranks and who use a disguise or stealth to conceal their wrong activities. And we should have known that this sinister group was coming — that is why Jude added that we were warned about them “of old.” The Greek word for “of old” means long ago, of old, in times past, or in former times, and the use of this word tells us the Holy Spirit has been warning about this event for ages.

Jude also wrote that this group was “ordained to this condemnation.” What “condemnation” was he talking about? To answer that, we must look at the original word used in the Greek text, which is a word that depicts a judicial verdict of judgment. Here, Jude wrote that God will investigate the activities of those who use spiritual influence incorrectly and that Heaven’s court will pass a damning judgment upon such individuals as those described in these verses. The Judge of the earth has been watching all along and has observed this category of errant leaders, and in the end, Heaven’s court will issue a final verdict of judgment against them.

What is shocking is that many who are in error, actually started out good, but somehow along the way, they got off track. This fact is made clear by the word “ungodly” — which depicts what was once holy that has become unholy, what was once reverent that has become irreverent, what was once God-fearing that has lost its fear of God. Jude was talking about people who were once anointed and upright, but now they have regrettably gone in a wrong direction.

These individuals are now so far off track that Jude said they are “turning” the grace of God into something it was never meant to be. In Greek, the word “turning” pictures an alteration, change, or modification. Jude used it here to refer to those who are altering, changing, and modifying teaching about the grace of God to suit the whims of the times.

And these perpetrators can’t claim ignorance or innocence about what they are doing because the Lord faithfully corrected them and told them to get back in line. We know this because Jude added that they are in a state of “denying the Lord.”

The words “denying” and “Lord” are really important at this juncture. The word “denying” is from a Greek word that means to knowingly deny, to knowingly disown, to knowingly reject, to knowingly refuse, or to knowingly renounce. It undoubtably refers to one who knowingly disavows, forsakes, walks away from, or washes one’s hands of another person or group of people. It depicts something done with one’s full consent and understanding of what is being done. In this verse, it depicts those who hear what Christ has to say but then reject His counsel. Rather than obey, they knowingly choose to go on a different path. It means this category of erring individuals are knowingly rejecting the authority of the Lord and they are knowingly ignoring the warning signals given to them by the Holy Spirit.

But the word “Lord” is not the normal Greek word for “Lord.” It is from another word that depicts a chief executive officer or one with authority over others in the executive department directly under his control. It was a technical term used to describe the chief steward of large households who had authority over all the other servants in a household. Those who were under such a “lord” reported to him, received instructions from him, were paid by him, and, if the need arose, they were dismissed by him.

By using this word, Jude was describing those who have been called by Christ into leadership positions in the Church, those who relate to Jesus not only as their Savior but also as the Chief Executive Officer who called them. But in this case, although they are answerable to the Lord, they are instead “denying” His explicit directions. These individuals are genuinely God-called ministers who knowingly divert from the authority and instructions of the “Lord” who is over them.

Because of the various Greek meanings assembled in this verse, I have interpreted the Renner Interpretive Version (RIV) of Jude 4 as follows:

Unfortunately, we are now confronted with a certain category of individuals who have craftily, clandestinely, as in a stealth operation, wormed their way right into the middle of our ranks. Long ago it was foretold and written in advance that a day would come when such individuals would show up. But in the end, Heaven’s court will issue a damning verdict of judgment and condemnation on them due to their activities. I’m talking about people who were once reverent and God-fearing, but now have obviously lost their fear of God. These are individuals who go about altering, changing, and modifying the grace of our God into a teaching that says everything is okay, and that teaching leads to sinful living especially marked by immoral and indecent sexual activities along with other base behaviors. They can’t claim ignorance about what they’re doing because the Lord God — that is, our Lord Jesus Christ — has spoken to them and warned them to get back in line. But in spite of these warnings issued by the Lord, they knowingly are denying and walking away from His authoritative covering.

Most scholars count the book of Jude not only to be commentary about what was happening when Jude wrote it, but also as a prophetic book about events that will take place again at the end of the age. We know from multiple New Testament verses that there will be an assault on truth in the last days — and my dear friend, we are seeing that assault in society today and, unfortunately, even in parts of the Church. But rather than bend to the spirit of the age, we are to dig our heels into the bedrock of truth and refuse to budge from it!

This is why RENNER Ministries is COMMITTED to bringing the trusted teaching of God’s Word to people everywhere — and that is why we refuse to bend, mitigate, or negotiate the truths of the Bible. And because you are a partner with us, I want to say THANK YOU for standing with us as we battle for truth in our times. People need the truth, and people need the power of the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit anoints the Word of God, it unleashes a mighty spiritual blade that slices through darkness and sets hearts and minds free!

I know this letter has gone a little deeper into the Greek text than usual, but this is what was on my heart to share with you this month. I pray it has been a blessing to you. You are a blessing to this ministry! Again, I thank you from the depths of my heart for being a friend and a God-called partner!

Next month I will be writing to you about what to do when your prayers seem to be hindered or delayed, and I believe it will really encourage you. However, if you need prayer for anything right now, please reach out to us at prayer@renner.org or call us at 1-800-742-5593 . I sincerely mean it when I say we will pray scripturally for you and will release our faith for God to move powerfully in whatever situation or need that is on your heart!

Denise and I, our family, and our team 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 Renner and our entire ministry team

P.S. Click here to view the new interactive Ministry Update page or click here to download the printable pdf flyer.

The Final Two Signs of the End — ‘As in the Days of Noah’

September Teaching Letter from Rick Renner

Dear Friends,

Merry Christmas!

We love you and thank God for you!

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

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

Greetings in Jesus’ wonderful name! He is so worthy of our praise. Not only is He Wonderful, but He is Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace (see Isaiah 9:6). Oh, how great He is!

THIS IS THE MONTH!!!

My book Fallen Angels, Giants, Monsters, and the World Before the Flood is finally released! I cannot tell you how excited I am for you to hold this book in your hands. Please don’t let it sit on the shelf. Read it and share it with others. I worked hard on this book because I want to help biblically unlock unanswered mysteries from the past that are relevant to our lives today.

Our dear friend Joseph Z said: “Fallen Angels, Giants, Monsters, and the World Before the Flood is captivating in every way as it unveils ancient mysteries that will usher you right up to the issues of our current day. This work is both academic and convincing; not only does it offer you a master class on biblical archaeology, but it will also powerfully guide you through arenas many would consider foreign terrain or uncharted territory…. Rick has spent much of his life walking, filming, and researching the physical locations tied to the events contained in this book, which qualifies him as a leading voice on the matter….”

Another dear friend Sid Roth said: “You may have heard secular commentators try to explain the “unexplainable” found in the Scriptures, such as fallen angels, giants, and the Flood. Now world-class Bible teacher Rick Renner answers your questions about these and other “unexplainable” details and events from a 100-percent biblical perspective!”

If you haven’t ordered your copy yet, go to renner.org to place your order right now!

Before I get into my message, I want to say THANK YOU for what you do. Proverbs 10:21 says, “The lips of the righteous feed many….” Teaching biblical truths is like giving spiritual food and nourishment to both believers and non-believers. I know that teaching the Word of God to many is our calling, but we are only able to do it because of the grace and anointing of God on all our work and because of the gifts you give to this ministry. Partners like you, who regularly give to this ministry, put fuel in the tank so we can fulfill our mandate. When I call you a partner, I sincerely mean you are a partner with us. You mean so much to Denise and me and our family, our team, and the people who are reaping the consequences of your giving in their lives!

Today I want to continue speaking to you about the words Jesus spoke to His disciples about the end times in Matthew 24. In that text, Jesus said:

But as the days of Noe [Noah] were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
— Matthew 24:37

Jesus prophesied that the events which occurred before the Flood would occur again in the days before His return. Since we are living in those days, we need to be awakened to what is going to happen in our times. So today, I want to cover the next two points on what happened before the Flood. Both points will happen again and are already happening.

#5: Continuous Evil in the Heart of Man
(Genesis 6:5)

Genesis 6:5 says, “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”

This verse tells us clearly that in the time frame before the Flood, man had degenerated in his imagination into such evil things that “his heart was only evil continually.” This evil in the heart of man became especially evident and increased as the pre-Flood population interfaced with the dark spirit world and engaged in demonic activity and multiple forms of sexual perversion.

Again, Jesus said, “But as the days of Noe [Noah] were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be” (Matthew 24:37).

Therefore, we must ask:

Is the world today experiencing a rise of evil in the heart of man
as it occurred in the days before the Flood?

It is clear we are witnessing an intensification of evil in men’s minds and hearts in our own times, and Romans 1:30 states that when lost humanity continues to go astray, it leads to their becoming “inventors of evil things.”

The word “inventors” in this verse is from an original word that means to contrive or invent, and the word “evil” depicts what is bad, base, destructive, evil, foul, harmful, injurious, rotten, vile, or morally wrong. When the word “inventions” is used in the Old Testament, it usually has to do with foul sexual activity. We find it used this way in Psalm 106:29 and 39, where we read that God was displeased with Israel for going “a whoring” with sexual escapades and sexual inventions in their times.

When Romans 1:30 speaks of “inventors of evil things,” it seems to speak of a time when the world will throw off moral restraint, and inventions of evil things begin to emerge that will include inventions that are base and ugly in the sight of God. Keep in mind, Jesus said that what occurred in the days preceding the Flood would be replicated again at the end of the age. So how does the “continual evil” in the heart of man from the pre-Flood society connect with people becoming “inventors of evil things” in our age?

The list of evil inventions today is nearly endless, and appearing toward the top of it is pornography and all kinds of highly sophisticated sexual technology that comes with it, including virtual sex. Without getting too explicit, our so-called sophisticated society in which we live has taken the creation of evil fantasy to such a new level that there are new, life-like robots designed to carry out sexual acts however an owner programs them. Recently published articles reveal that with the push of a button, one can get from a robot whatever concoction of sex he or she wants. This bizarre development is a sign of “every imagination of man’s heart being only evil continually” (see Genesis 6:5).

Bloodshed was also widespread before the Flood, which begs the question: How is it being replicated in our time at the end of the age? The answer could lead us to many horrific societal trends, but one practice it painfully brings to mind is the mass killing of the unborn in our generation. Today, easy accessibility to abortion has taken this form of bloodshed to an entirely different level than has ever existed in previous generations.

In my book Last Days Survival Guide, the documented statistics of abortion around the world (at the time of my writing) are outlined. I’ll share a part of it in the following paragraphs.

Because accurate numbers of abortions were not kept in the Soviet Union before 1957, if we count from 1957 to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 — in those 34 years alone — approximately 306,457,000 abortions were performed in the Soviet Union. This number is larger than the entire population of the USSR when the USSR dissolved in 1991.

When we turn our attention to China, we find that the best records for the numbers of abortions performed in China before 1970 are unavailable, so research must begin with 1971, when the best information became available. Those records reveal that from 1971 to 2020 — a span of nearly 50 years — 489,936,650 abortions were carried out in China.

To help you comprehend that number, the current population of the United States is approximately 330 million. This means from 1971 to 2020, China aborted the equivalent of the entire population of the United States, plus nearly 160 million more.

Turning our attention to the United States, we see that since 1973 when abortion was legalized by the Supreme Court in the infamous case of Roe v. Wade, nearly 62 million abortions have been performed.

Altogether, the most solid information shows that the worldwide number of abortions between 1980 and 2020 is estimated to have exceeded 2 billion. Think of that horrifying landmark number modern society has reached — 2 billion abortions carried out globally in a span of 40 years!

Although these statistics are already mind-boggling, these statistics are constantly being outdated as tens of thousands of abortions are carried out every day worldwide.

While some contend that the world today is more technologically advanced and more sophisticated, this slaughter of more than two billion babies and counting shows that we are not more civilized; rather, barbarism is escalating on an unthinkable scale. Infants are routinely brutally burned to death by chemicals injected into a mother’s womb, torn to pieces in the womb by medical devices, or aborted by means of an easily ingested pill — their lives tragically snuffed out.

Every minute of every day in sterilized hospitals and clinics around the world, this barbaric act occurs. This is worldwide savagery of the worst kind that makes all other holocausts and genocides pale in comparison. It is murder on a scale so massive that no fiction writer could have ever imagined it. Yet this is reality in our present day and age. Murdering more than two billion babies through the act of abortion is the mass annihilation of those who cannot scream, who cannot be heard, and who cannot defend themselves. The tiny bodies of these image-bearers of God are mutilated and thrown into garbage cans, sold for parts to the highest bidder, or recycled to be used in shampoos or cosmetics.

When godly advocates raise their voices against this genocide in the Western world, those who are pro-choice (which should be called pro-abortion) often portray objectors to this atrocity as narrow-minded, right-wing fanatics. These advocates for life are attacked with a vengeance by an evil faction that wants to intimidate, silence, and render powerless any and all opposition in order to retain the legal right to terminate the life of a child.

Make no mistake — this present generation is tainted with the blood of innocent children. And one could argue that as a whole, it is largely guilty of the most heinous and barbaric behavior, perhaps in the entire history of mankind, because of the murder of more than two billion unborn children.

If you have experienced an abortion, God’s grace and forgiveness are available to you. No condemnation for anyone is intended. If you need prayer for inner healing due to an abortion you had in the past and need someone to pray for you to receive healing and freedom, please reach out to us and we’ll pray for God’s healing balm to touch your soul.

The Evil Invention of Gender Reassignment Is Destroying Lives

In addition to abortion, think of the evil occurring as medical procedures are being regularly carried out in an attempt to change people’s gender. The preposterous notion that a person’s gender can be creatively “reassigned” is a recurring message being shoved down the throats of everyone in modern society.

Satan, the god of this world, is deceptively working overtime through educational institutions, the courts, many forms of the media, and the entertainment industry to wear people down until the shock factor of gender reassignment diminishes and society begins to adjust to and accept the idea that changing a person’s gender isn’t so bad — or physically and emotionally damaging — but that it is, in fact, a good thing.

This is a blaring signal that delusion is oozing into the mainstream of society at an ever-increasing rate. This seduction and deception has woven its way into the fabric of society from nearly every angle, and even the Church has been affected.

Besides what’s being blasted over the airwaves on televisions, one of the primary ways the minds of the young are being swayed is through public education. Curriculum is being written for the classroom that promotes and pushes a narrative that includes all things ungodly — sex without limitations, abortion, same-sex attraction, gender fluidity, and pretty much anything else that undermines respect for God, Jesus, and the authority of the Bible.

This so-called “progressive” curriculum blurs the lines of truth, incites confusion, obliterates common sense, and punishes individual thinking. Any thinking that is outside the box of the “kinder, gentler” world of progressive humanism is not only frowned on, but is often met with violent, punitive resistance.

As incredibly challenging as this is, we as Christians need to know that it’s okay and right to recognize and acknowledge that such assertions belong in a world gone mad — not in the life of the Body of Christ. If you are still standing for biblical truth and against the lunacy that has been loosed in this last-days society to destroy it — congratulations on maintaining your spiritual fire and not caving and becoming numbed and desensitized to the changes in the moral tide that we’ve experienced over the last 50 years.

Let me be clear and say gender confusion is a real and complicated spiritual and psychological problem that cannot be remedied with sexual surgeries to try to alter a person’s gender. This is not a reasonable answer to such a deep spiritual and psychological issue. In fact, it is delusionary. Those who struggle with the serious issue of gender confusion need mental and emotional healing — not surgery to try to make their physical makeup match their mental confusion. We need to help them with the right tools, not a surgeon’s scalpel.

It is a sad fact that commonsense thinking has been thrown to the wind, replaced with the whims of ever-fluctuating times. To most of us, it seems that the level of evil that is now manifesting is unprecedented in human history. And it is — except for in the time frame that preceded the Flood.

But once again, I remind you that God is not in the practice of scaring us, but He is in the business of warning and preparing us. If we listen to the Spirit and build our lives and minds on the soundness of God’s Word, we and those we love can be safeguarded from this destructive spirit of the age. But if you know someone who has already been affected and you want someone to pray with you about it, reach out to us and we’ll pray with power!

#6: Widespread Violence
(Genesis 6:11,13)

The sixth phenomenon that was taking place before the Flood was widespread violence across the earth. In fact, violence was so prevalent that God ultimately concluded that the only way to cleanse the earth of it was to send a flood.

In Genesis 6:11 and 13, we read, “The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence…. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.”

Once more, we must recall the words of Jesus in Matthew 24:37, where He said: “But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”

Therefore, we must ask:

Is the world today experiencing widespread violence
as it occurred in the days before the Flood?

Today violence and corruption runs rampant in our schools, our streets, and even our homes — it is everywhere. Nearly 2,000 years ago, the apostle Paul forecasted that society would turn dangerously violent at the end of the age (see 2 Timothy 3:1-9), and his Holy Spirit-inspired predictions support Jesus’ prophetic warning that the things which occurred before the Flood would be repeated in the days before Christ’s return. As barbaric and violent as society has been in past times, the level of violence that will mark the end of the age will be greater than this world has ever known.

In today’s world of entertainment, violence is one of the hottest-selling tickets. It can be found all over the Internet, embedded in music, and vividly portrayed in video games. To demonstrate just how sinisterly barbaric our world has become, consider these insights from my book Last Days Survival Guide:

In our own time — at a time in modern history when we seem to be so sophisticated — we have taken the barbaric behavior of the ancient world to a new, unprecedented level. We no longer have to visit Roman stadiums and other venues to experience violence and bloodshed, as a pagan society did in Early Church history, because now we bring huge doses of violence directly into our homes through television, digital devices, and the Internet. Although the means by which we receive our entertainment may be more technologically sophisticated, this generation is as barbaric, or even more so, than previous generations. It is simply barbarism manifesting in a different form.

This present generation has seen so much brutality as entertainment on screens in front of them that they have become numb to its hideousness. Today people purchase tickets to movie theaters to watch scenes of human carnage play out before their eyes as thrilling entertainment.

So I ask you — if we as a society regularly feast our eyes, minds, and emotions on enacted scenes of human bloodshed, does that really make us more civilized than the ancient world that reveled in some of the same live scenes played out before them?

Current statistics prove that if a person watches enough violence on television, his sensitivity to violence will become dulled and he will become numbed to acts that would otherwise prick his conscience and vex his soul. The same statistics reveal that if a person watches pornography, in time, that person will lose his sensitivity to the wrongness of this behavior; once again, he will become numb to it.

Consider these facts:

The escalation of violence in entertainment is so widespread that by age 18, a child will have seen more than 200,000 acts of violence on television and witnessed more than 40,000 simulated murders.

The average seventh-grader watches more than 4 hours of television per day — with more than 60 percent of the programs containing violence.

The same average seventh-grader plays electronic games 4 hours per week — with more than 50 percent of games categorized as “violent.”

In most of the industrialized world, 90 percent of homes with children have more than one television, not to mention video-game equipment, a personal computer, and high-tech cell phones with the capability of showing movies. This means parents can watch television in one room while their children sit unsupervised in another room with access to “entertainment” that projects violence into their young minds.

Violent video games have created a thirst for violence. In fact, statistics now reveal the majority of children select “fantasy violence” as their favorite type of video games.
Further studies reveal that the more frequently children practice fantasy acts of violence on video games, the more likely it becomes that they will carry out real acts of violence.

The slower, kinder, safer world many of us grew up in is nearly gone, and with every new day it seems like society is being inundated with more violence. Unfortunately, our “sophisticated” and technologically advanced generation has become a generation wholly given to violence. Who would have ever thought it might be dangerous to go shopping at the mall or go watch a movie at the theater. Nevertheless, because there have been so many shootings and killings in the past decades, many people who frequent these types of public places are now taking the time to scope out the closest emergency exits in case a shooter shows up and goes on the rampage.

Indeed, the levels of violence we are witnessing today may be unprecedented in human history — except for in the time frame that preceded the Flood.

We Are Witnessing the Onset of a Duplicate Moment
as in the Days Before the Flood

Once more consider the words of Jesus in Matthew 24:37: “But as the days of Noe [Noah] were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” The meaning of the original text here is the equivalent of Jesus saying, “Exactly and precisely as it was in the days of Noah, thus it will be in the days preceding My coming, when I will set all things right upon My arrival.”

But it’s time for me to wrap up today’s letter before it becomes a book!

One final time, I remind you that God is not in the practice of scaring us, but rather preparing us! He loves us so much that He wants us to have ears to hear what the Spirit has said so we and those we love can be safeguarded from the destructive spirit that is manifesting before Christ’s return. But again, I plead with you that if you know someone who has already been affected and you would like someone really qualified to pray with you about it, reach out to us and we’ll pray with you!

Before I close, if you have a prayer request of any kind and would like us to agree with you for that need to be met, give us a call or send us an email. Jesus promised that if we would pray in agreement, God the Father would hear us and answer (see Matthew 18:19)! I realize that, as a believer, you pray by yourself, but I sometimes find it helpful to have someone pray with me. That prayer of agreement gives me assurance and peace and it really brings fast results. Give us a call at 1-800-742-5593 or reach out to us at prayer@renner.org. I promise that we’ll keep it confidential and we’ll pray for you!

Denise and I, our family, and our team 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 Renner and our entire ministry team

P.S. Click here to view the new interactive Ministry Update page or click here to download the printable pdf flyer.

Remaining Thankful in Troubling Times

September Teaching Letter from Denise Renner

Dear Friends,

Merry Christmas!

We love you and thank God for you!

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

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

It’s such an honor and a privilege to write to you each month. Thank you for spending this time with me as I share what the Lord has put on my heart. I also want to thank those of you who watch my weekly program TIME With Denise Renner. Your responses and kind comments are so encouraging. If you haven’t seen my program yet, I invite you to watch it on Facebook or YouTube every Wednesday at 12:00 p.m. CT. We are living in a time when we need the kind of encouragement that can only come from the Word of God every single day, and that’s what is on my heart every time I write or speak to you in my letters and programs.

I am writing to you today to talk about staying desperate and not letting go. When I say “desperate,” I’m not talking about the kind of desperation that puts you in a state of despair and causes rash or extreme behavior, but rather desperation in the sense of being willing to do anything and everything to walk in faith and stick with the Lord, clinging to the promises He makes in His Word. When you have this kind of desperation, you can be unstoppable! One thing that these kinds of desperate people do in times of trouble is remain thankful and refuse to complain.

You may be wondering, Why is it so important to remain thankful and avoid complaining? People who complain are often so involved with themselves and overcome by their own problems that it becomes extremely difficult for them to receive from the Lord and His Word. Complaining people are also often stuck in that place of difficulty because they can’t move on. But people who are desperate to follow the Lord have an attitude that says, “I’m not staying here. I’m moving forward.” When you have this never-giving-up attitude, you’re able to keep going and going — and when you keep going, you will receive your prize!

The Ultimate Example of Maintaining
An Attitude of Thanks and Refusing to Complain
in the Midst of Troubling Times

As I was preparing this letter for you, I got to thinking about figures in the Bible who could have complained about their situation but refused to give in to the temptation. The most obvious and perfect example of this can be found in Jesus. He could have complained His whole life! He could have complained about the disciples and their unbelief, the Romans and how they mistreated the Jews, the Pharisees and Sadducees for constantly ridiculing and trying to trap Him, or even for just being tired! Jesus could have complained and murmured about so much during his lifetime, but He chose not to.

Keeping An Attitude of Thanks
Delivers Us From Complaining

If you’re in a desperate position, you must refuse to complain because complaining won’t get you anything or anywhere. Another great example of someone in the Bible who was desperate and could have complained but kept an unstoppable attitude was the apostle Paul. Philippians 1:3 says, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.”

At the time he wrote the book of Philippians, the apostle Paul was stuck in a truly desperate situation, imprisoned and chained in horrific conditions. Yet while in the midst of this terrible prison, Paul began his letter to the Philippians by saying, “I thank my God” (see Philippians 1:3). It is by giving thanks that delivers us from complaining.

Now look at Philippians 2:14-16, which reads:

Do all things without complaining or disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.

It is the will of God for us to shine as lights in the world, but if we’re complaining, we can’t shine. And if we’re complaining, we’re certainly not being thankful! You can’t be thankful and complain at the same time — it’s either one or the other.

The apostle Paul had so many reasons to complain, yet he began his letter to the Philippians with thanksgiving. Even in these horrible prison conditions, he told the Philippian Church to do all things without complaining or disputing.

I studied this concept of complaining and disputing, and it’s more than just verbal dissatisfaction. It’s a murmuring — a complaint rooted in the heart. This murmuring manifests as grumbling or muttering in a low voice. One commentator described complaining as an internal grumble. In other words, it is an action that fosters ill will rather than harmony and goodwill. It involves inward questioning, disputes, discussion, skepticism, or criticism — an intellectual rebellion against God.

Reading this passage in Philippians 2:14-16 makes me want to repent and flee from any dissatisfaction or grumbling within myself. The Holy Spirit has been dealing with me about this in recent months, and when I came upon these verses and studied the words, I prayed, “Oh, Lord, let this not be in my heart.” Dissatisfaction, grumbling, criticism, unhappiness, discontent, muttering, and murmuring — all these should be banished from within us.

Banish Dissatisfaction From Your Life

Circle back to verse 15, which says, “That you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.”

Pay attention to the language used in this verse: “…blameless and harmless, children of God without fault…” (Philippians 2:15). This language means to be pure on the inside — unblemished, unmixed, unadulterated, and sincere. These words were also used to describe pure wine or unalloyed metal.

Let me give you an example from my own life. Many years ago, Rick gave me a beautiful ring that I loved very much and wore all the time. However, the ring kept breaking, and I found myself repeatedly taking it to the jeweler for repairs. Each time it would get fixed and I would wear it with joy, but soon, it would break again.

Finally, I asked the jeweler what was wrong with the ring. She explained, “Denise, this ring has alloy in it — it’s impure. The gold is in an impure state, and that’s why it keeps breaking.”

When I saw this language in Philippians 2:15 and thought of that example, I realized that when we’re grumbling and complaining, we’re putting ourselves in a place where we can be easily broken. Just like the alloy in the ring made it impure and fragile, constant complaining makes us impure and easily broken.

Scripture teaches us that in order to shine as lights in the world, we need to be blameless, pure, and sincere on the inside (see Philippians 2:15). Just like grumbling, feeling dissatisfaction in our hearts stops us from shining. And when we aren’t shining, we aren’t ready to witness to someone who needs it, to love someone, or to even let the power of God flow out of us! But when we remain thankful, we’re blameless! A person who is blameless is free — free in their attitude, free in their mind, free to give out of their hearts because they’re not complaining, they’re thankful. Isn’t that powerful?!

The Word of God touches our hearts so deeply. Hebrews 4:12 says it’s like a sharp, double-edged sword. When you hear the Word, a word from your pastor, or while reading the Bible yourself, the Word of God pierces between your soul and spirit and between joints and marrow. Joints and marrow are so close together! How crucial is it that the Word of God has that place in your heart where it can literally separate between soul and spirit and joints and marrow? One of the most precious places in your body is in your bones, where the blood that gives us life is created, showing us just how vital the Word of God is to our survival.

So don’t complain! Don’t be disgruntled or dissatisfied. Give thanks and be blameless. That is how powerful the Word of God is, and that’s why it should be in our eyes, ears, and hearts. When we are harmless and blameless, we shine. And when we shine as lights in this dark world, we can be a beacon of brightness to others.

The Holy Spirit Living Inside You Helps You
Abstain From Complaint and Ungratefulness

Jesus could have complained about so much, but He didn’t — He gave thanks! The apostle Paul could have murmured and complained, especially in that horrible Roman prison. Scholars say that the prison contained collected sewage, and was packed with prisoners chained from wall to wall, each with no choice but to just stand in that filth. Paul had every reason to complain but chose to give thanks instead. How powerful is that?!

You may be thinking, But I’m not Jesus! I’m not the apostle Paul! But the Bible says in Second Corinthians 13:5:

Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?

And First Corinthians 6:19 says:

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

Our lives are not more difficult than Jesus’ or the apostle Paul’s. Paul chose to give thanks while in the most dismal of circumstances, and we have Jesus Christ living on the inside of us! Therefore, we can put a stop to complaining and choose to give thanks because the Holy Spirit resides within us.

Desperate people must choose not to complain because complaining leads nowhere, but giving thanks propels us forward. The apostle Paul eventually got out of that horrible prison and continued to live his life, and simply giving thanks was a huge part of his breakthrough. If you’re in a desperate situation, giving thanks can help you get out of it. It’s all about changing your attitude!

If you’re a desperate person, and you want to get out of your desperate situation, be thankful. Start thanking God right now! It’s going to do more for you than complaining, and thanksgiving has a certain power that can deliver you out of any desperate situation.

Friend, as we come to a close today, I want to remind you that desperation isn’t something that should cause you to panic. Next time you’re tempted to act with extreme behavior or complain in a tricky situation, remember this letter and choose to give thanks instead. I also want to remind you about our Partner Care team. If you ever have a prayer request you need to share, please reach out to our prayer team. Each member is full of faith and devoted to seeing the Lord move mightily in your life! Connect with our team today by calling 1.844.473.6637 or emailing prayer@deniserenner.org. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

We are moving forward together,

Denise Renner

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

August Teaching Letter from Denise Renner

Dear Friends,

Merry Christmas!

We love you and thank God for you!

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

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

I have been thinking and praying to the Lord about what to write to you in my letter this month. I know that the right words — written or spoken — have the potential to be like honey for your soul (see Proverbs 16:24). And I believe everyone needs such a word from time to time, as I know I do! It’s my prayer that this letter brings refreshment to your soul and fills you with the sweet truths of God’s Word, preparing you for any opportunities the new month might bring!

I want to take a moment to say thank you for spending this time with me each month and for caring so much about RENNER Ministries and its many outreaches. You have been a significant part of our journey as a ministry — and you continue to be! I am truly grateful for your dedication to help us fulfill our vision of spreading the Gospel message across the globe. Your support does not go unnoticed!

What Does It Mean To Wait on the Lord?

I was reading my Bible recently, and as I kept coming back to Psalm 27:14, it got me thinking about the years following the grand opening of the Moscow Good News Church back in December 2014. For many years, Rick and I and our leadership team looked and looked for land or a building where we could establish a permanent home for the Moscow church. There was so much going on in our lives during that time, and at times, we felt discouraged. But for some reason, the Holy Spirit kept reminding me of the meetings I’d been holding with the women in the church, during which we would get together to hear from God through His Word, fellowship together, and encourage each other in the Lord. As I recently read Psalm 27:14 and reflected on these meetings, I began to remember one meeting in particular. During that meeting, I remember asking the question, “What does it mean to wait on the Lord?”

These women were so generous with their answers. I received many different insights from their honest responses. Some of the women were candid enough to say, “Waiting on the Lord is a little hard for me because when I have a desire for something, I want it when I want it!” Others expressed that to wait on the Lord means to have a continual attitude of prayer that we should maintain at all times.

When I reflect on these answers, I am so proud of these women for sharing their thoughts with such openness.

Waiting on the Lord can mean different things to different people. Ask yourself, What do I think it means to wait on the Lord? You may know right away what you think it means to wait on Him — or maybe nothing comes to mind! And that’s okay. In this letter, I will share with you what I have learned over the years about what it means to wait on the Lord.

Let’s begin by reading Psalm 27:14:

Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!

Each time I read this verse, I immediately sense its power in my body and soul. It’s as if someone is saying, “Okay, shoulders, you can relax now. You don’t have to be so tense and overworked! Stop trying to solve all your problems by yourself.”

This verse also serves as a bit of a “reality check.” When I read it, it quickens my realization of the abiding presence of the Lord. He made me, He knows me, and He loves me. And whether I’m dealing with a stressful situation or season of life, or just the everyday responsibilities of ministry, it reminds me that I need to place my attention on Him instead of putting so much focus on the circumstances or even on myself.

Turning Your Eyes Upon Jesus

For me personally, to wait on the Lord means to put everything else — distractions, to-do lists, the nonstop culture embedded into our society — “on hold” and to solely look at Jesus. It reminds me of the wonderful old hymn, “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.” It reads:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus.
Look full in His wonderful face.
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

Perhaps you’ve noticed your shoulders beginning to relax a little after reading Psalm 27:14 or the words to that beautiful hymn. As you intentionally turn your sole attention toward the Lord, His peace will begin to flood your soul and relax your body.

I believe it’s important to take special time that’s devoted to waiting on the Lord, but I also believe this is something that you can do continually throughout your day — in your everyday life. When you begin to wait on the Lord, you will first experience the fullness of His divine peace. Not only that, but you’ll begin to supernaturally draw strength from a source not your own — a source with greater power and greater possibility than those available to you in the natural before you determined to specifically focus on the Lord.

When you truly master waiting on the Lord, this supernatural peace and strength may take place in a matter of seconds! However, when you start renewing your mind and purposefully directing your focus on Him, you may have to remind yourself several times throughout the day to take your eyes off your weaknesses — and even off your own abilities — in order to completely turn to Him. But when you do this — when you wait on the Lord — you’re opening your heart to the things Heaven has in store for you instead of limiting yourself to the things you can accomplish with your own mental and emotional abilities.

Learning To Lean Not on Your Own Understanding

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

— Proverbs 3:5,6

Notice it says in verse 5, “…Lean not on your own understanding….” Now I’m sure you have heard this verse many times before, and the reason it’s such a frequently quoted verse is that it’s an important truth you must understand. It’s so easy to get caught up in your struggles and try to fix everything yourself, but when you start relying on your own strength and ability, it limits what the Lord can do for you and your situation.

The Bible doesn’t tell you to not lean on your own understanding so you can just throw your brains out the window! It says this because when faced with a problem, we oftentimes take more upon ourselves than we can or should handle in terms of using our natural thinking to figure out the answers we need.

When you try to rely just on your natural ability, you inevitably come up short of the wisdom needed to succeed — which leads to feelings of worry, anxiety, stress, and even obsession over the problem. Next thing you know, you’re meditating on your problem instead of on the things of God and His Word! And when you don’t wait on the Lord, it makes it difficult, if not impossible, to hear what He says about your situation.

Let’s go back to where verse 5 says, “…Lean not on your own understanding….” When you think of the word “leaning,” you might picture someone leaning up against something for support, such as a wall. If you’re leaning against a wall, you’re trusting that wall to hold you up — to keep you from falling down and getting hurt. In Proverbs 3:5, and in many other places in the Bible, the Lord is imploring us not to trust our own understanding to hold us up and protect us from harm in life!

In other words, just as you might lean on a flimsy wall in the natural realm, it’s possible for us to lean on our understanding in life. But God is telling us that our understanding can be imperfect — it won’t always stand and support us during times of difficulty. In fact, if we trust in understanding alone, it will most likely “collapse,” causing us even greater difficulty and pain.

I don’t say this to say anyone is unintelligent — you’re probably very smart! But no one is smarter or wiser than God. So when a problem pops up in your life, you need to ask the Lord for help. Tell Him something like this: “Father, I don’t know what to do. I’m already losing sleep over this problem in my life. I have been impatient and irritable toward my loved ones because I can’t solve this problem myself. I have been worrying and giving all my attention to this problem, yet I can’t find any clear answers. I need Your wisdom and strength to guide me and show me what to do.”

Have you ever had to admit something like this to the Father? I certainly have. But every time I go to Him about a problem, I always find the relief and answers I need! When you choose to put a stop to all the anxious thoughts and focus your attention on the Lord — when you wait on Him — you will find the peace and power you desperately needed all along!

But you have to wait on the Lord — you must be honest with Him and seek His help. The Holy Spirit won’t chase you down and say, “Pay attention to Me!” No. He waits for you to turn your attention to Him.

Maybe you’re experiencing trouble in your life right now and need to be in that special place of waiting on the Lord. Or perhaps you can just sense Him drawing you nearer. If you find yourself continuously looking to Him for peace, grace, and wisdom, do not stop! Don’t allow yourself to become “weary in well-doing” by turning your attention away from Him, even for one moment. Galatians 6:9 says, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Keep humbling yourself before the Lord, filling your heart with His Word, and being obedient to trust it. You will hear from Heaven!

Before I close my letter, I invite you to join me for my program TIME With Denise Renner! This weekly program is such a special time for encouragement, inspiration, and spiritual quickening together. I’m so encouraged by the reception my program has received so far, and your kind words and comments are truly a blessing. To watch TIME With Denise Renner, join me on Facebook or YouTube each Wednesday at 12:00 p.m. to hear what the Lord has placed on my heart to share with you. I love this time together, and I hope to see you there soon!

The following are just a few of the many testimonies we receive daily from our wonderful friends and partners:

Denise had a word of knowledge about someone needing healing in a finger a few weeks ago during her Monday morning program. I had just cut my finger and required stitches. The worst part was that a tendon was cut, and I was told that only surgery would restore the use of my finger. I said, “Oh no, I receive my healing!” And then Denise shared a word about a finger being restored. It’s been almost four weeks, and I am able to use my finger more and more each day. I have nearly full mobility. Hallelujah!

— C.

I was healed from chronic back pain on Sunday, May 12 — Mother’s Day. Sister Denise was ministering at Eagle Mountain International Church and giving her testimony. I felt a warmth on my lower back and the pain disappeared. I can bend and move freely now — praise God!

— N.

I hope these words have encouraged you to wait on the Lord and trust Him in everything. I promise that if you don’t give up seeking His face, you will win!

We are moving forward together,

Denise Renner

More Signs of the End — ‘As the Days of Noah’

August Teaching Letter from Rick Renner

Dear Friends,

Merry Christmas!

We love you and thank God for you!

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

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

Greetings in Jesus’ wonderful name! Oh, how I love that name and thank God for His precious blood that changed my life. I know you feel the same!

I want to remind you that soon we will be releasing my new book Fallen Angels, Giants, Monsters, and the World Before the Flood. Not only is this book filled with insights, it’s loaded with more than 300 various graphs, illustrations, and art to illustrate every point. I really believe you will DEVOUR this book. I can just hear you saying, “Wow… Amazing… I never knew that!”

Our long-time friend Joni Lamb said: “In Fallen Angels, Giants, Monsters, and the World Before the Flood, my good friend Rick Renner presents a compelling and refreshing perspective on the story of Noah’s Ark and the Great Flood. Through his thorough research, captivating storytelling, and biblical teaching, he brings to light evidence that supports the inerrancy and eternal truth of the Bible. This book not only sheds new light on biblical events, but also offers insightful connections to our current world and our role as Christians in it. I am grateful to Rick for sharing his unique insights and reminding us of the relevance of God’s Word in our ever-changing world.”

My dear friend Bob Yandian said: “It is my pleasure to endorse the newest book from my friend and ministry companion Rick Renner. Fallen Angels, Giants, Monsters, and the World Before the Flood compares the times we’re living in and moving into to the days of the flood of Noah. This is different from any book Rick has written, and he has written many. The strange discoveries and events we are witnessing today are not as new as we may think. Scientists, archaeologists, and the military are discovering objects in the skies and bones of animals in the earth that we have always thought were myths or science fiction. Are they? Or are they only telling us of the world at the time of Noah and why God had to destroy it? What was seen in Noah’s day are instructions for believers today as we move into the closing moments of the Church age before the unveiling of God’s judgment on a Christ-rejecting world. In this book, Rick does a marvelous job of explaining a difficult subject.”

There are many other endorsements in this book, and each of them has blessed my heart. If you have not ordered your copy yet, please go to renner.org to receive a special pre-release discount. I am absolutely sure this is a book you will not only read, but you will want to share with others. And that is why for a limited time, we are making it possible to purchase multiple copies (six or more) at an even greater discount.

We are able to do everything we do — whether we are holding physical meetings around the world, establishing churches, making programs for media, writing books, or providing lavish care for our partners — because of partners LIKE YOU who regularly give to this ministry. Honestly, there is not a day that passes in which I do not stop to pray for you.

This is what Paul felt about the Philippians who were partners with his ministry:

Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.

— Philippians 1:7

Likewise, our partners are in OUR HEARTS — for you are helping us with “the defense and confirmation of the Gospel.” You are truly partakers of our grace. For this, I thank God, and I thank you. I realize giving is a choice, and I am grateful that you regularly make the eternal choice to invest in bringing the trusted teaching of God’s Word to people around the world. You mean so much to me, Denise, our family, our team, and the people who are reaping the wonderful eternal consequences of your giving.

Today I want to talk to you about the words Jesus spoke to His disciples about the end times in Matthew 24. He was answering their questions about what specifically would take place toward the end of the age, before the Rapture and His Second Coming (which will be two separate events). Jesus’ entire discourse of events that will occur at the end of the age can be found in Matthew 24:3-41. I encourage you to read the entire passage.

But I want to focus on one statement Jesus made to His disciples in verse 37 — a verse that was recorded for us, the Church, today.

But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

—Matthew 24:37

Jesus gave us a special glimpse into our future, so before we begin, I want to explain to you why He did this. Jesus shared these words with us so that we would be forewarned and forearmed to face a morally declining society. But the glorious news is that for those of us who have made Jesus the Savior and Lord of our life, all these disturbing parallels between the world before the Flood and our world today are simply an indication that Jesus is coming soon. So don’t live in fear; lift up your head, for your redemption draweth nigh! (see Luke 21:28.)

According to Jesus, whatever was happening before the Flood will be replicated in the world at the end of the age. Since we’re living in the end of the age, we need to know what that is. So I compiled a list of six pre-Flood events that are already being replicated in our time.

In last month’s letter, I covered the first two events that occurred before the Flood and are being repeated today: 1) an unprecedented population explosion, and 2) gross sexual perversion. You don’t have to be a scholar to see these things are accelerating all around us.

In this month’s letter, I want to show you two more events that happened before the Flood that Jesus warned would be replicated at the end of the age.

#3: Increased Demonic Activity
(Genesis 6:2)

That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.”

In addition to revealing gross sexual perversion as the fallen angels comingled with women, the evil that ensued shows us that in the time before the Flood, there was an increase in demonic activity, which included humans inclusively worshiping a pantheon of various gods and interfacing with evil spirits on a wide scale. As fallen angels were entering the earth’s atmosphere and interacting with mankind, the pre-Flood population was introduced to many forms of religion and became absorbed in dark activities that became widespread in society.

Again, Jesus said, “But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be” (Matthew 24:37). There was an increase in demonic activity before the Flood in the days of Noah, and Jesus said it would happen again at the end of the age.

Therefore, we must ask:
Is the world today experiencing increased demonic activity
as it occurred in the days before the Flood?

In the world before the Flood, the word “inclusion” would have perfectly described the way people were welcoming and embracing a vast array of beliefs. Likewise, in our own time, society is returning to an inclusive and pluralistic mindset, which is deeply indicative of a past system of paganism. By definition, “paganism” is idolatry or heathenism; the worship of false gods or idols; and the rejection of Christianity and of Christ as THE way to God, who is Lord over all.

There are several examples to demonstrate how today’s culture, and even many in the Church, are now departing from timeless truth to become more “inclusive” of beliefs and behaviors that are clearly against the teaching of Scripture. Indeed, seducing spirits of deception are bombarding the moral framework of society to modify it by using media, education, government, and other societal institutions.

Rather than stay with the scriptural truths that are foundational to a godly society, the culture today is adapting to a new mindset in the name of tolerance and open-mindedness. In an accelerated fashion, modern society is doing away with the Word of God — His unalterable will — in order to create a world free of the Bible’s authoritative voice.

Unfortunately, many believers are in this number, gravitating toward more pluralistic, inclusive positions. In fact, the trend toward such thinking is increasing so rapidly among young people in churches that many are wavering on the very basic tenets of the Christian faith. Foundational beliefs — such as the virgin birth, the sinlessness of Christ, the need to repent, the reality of Satan, and the existence of a literal Heaven and hell — are all beliefs that are often “up for grabs” with the younger generation, especially those who have been affected by godless voices and influences in several of our universities.

Recent statistical analyses also show that the belief in absolute truth has already declined to such a point that younger generations generally see no need to witness to and convert to Christ those of a different faith. Instead of sharing the life-saving message of the Gospel, many young people find ways to rationalize their decision to remain silent, thinking things such as:

If what they believe is working for them, why should I bother sharing my beliefs?
Who’s to say that Christians are right and they are wrong?
Isn’t it possible that there are alternative ways to God and that Christianity is just our particular way of believing in Him?

This seductive trend toward inclusivism (which is simply paganism with a modern twist) is growing so rapidly that many believers are now hesitant to publicly affirm what they believe for fear of the backlash of being labeled as intolerant. Those who remain faithful to the standards of God’s Word must be prepared to be ostracized as members of a fringe group of non-conforming outcasts. Although we love everyone, if we adhere to the teaching of the Bible, we will not condone others’ immoral life choices, and we must face that our being labeled as “hateful” and “bigoted” as a result is a near certainty.

If today’s Church and its leadership don’t stand up for the faith — regardless of the price required to proclaim it in its purest form — it will only be a matter of time until Christianity is reduced to nothing more than another lifeless religion or philosophy among a cast of many others.

The onslaught of pagan-minded inclusiveness and demonic activity in the world today, which is coming from every direction in sophisticated ways, is unprecedented in human history — except for in the time frame that preceded the Flood.

When we compare the events and state of the world before the Flood with those of the world today, it is plain to see we are living in the very last days. But Jesus said He would be with us until the end of the age (see Matthew 28:20 NIV), so as Christians, we have nothing to fear. God is not in the business of scaring us. He wants to alert us of these events so we can safeguard ourselves and those we love. If we know this is going to happen, we must be diligent to fill our hearts, minds, and eyes with the Word of God — and influence our young ones in such a way that they will not allow this evil to ever become a part of their lives.

I want to remind you that if you have family or friends who have already been influenced by the “tolerant” and “open-minded” culture of today’s society, God’s power can turn it around. It is not too late for those who are close to your heart. If you want us to pray with you, please reach out to us, and we’ll release a torrent of prayer for God to touch that person you love.

#4: Transhumanism
(Genesis 6:4)

The word “transhumanism” may be new to you, but it’s a word you need to understand because this is another pre-Flood evil that in many ways is being repeated today.

Genesis 6:4 says, “There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.”

This verse specifically shows us that certain angels insanely rebelled against God’s authority and descended into the earth’s atmosphere to cohabit with women. And from these unnatural sexual unions, hybrid creatures — something beyond human — were produced. Some ancient pagan religions referred to these half-angel, half-human entities as demigods. (You can find a more detailed explanation of this occurrence in my new book Fallen Angels, Giants, Monsters, and the World Before the Flood.)

Again, Jesus said, “But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be” (Matthew 24:37).

Therefore, we must ask:
Is the world today experiencing a form of transhumanism
as it occurred in the days before the Flood?

Today the emergence of a new kind of human and a new type of animal is becoming an unthinkable reality because of genetic engineering and the ramped-up efforts of transhumanists. For the first time in human history, we have the ability to combine the DNA of more than two people, insert it into a human embryo, and create a child. Likewise, we have the capability to combine human DNA with animal DNA to unthinkably create human-animal hybrids.

The fact is, human-animal hybrids are being grown in laboratories right now all over the world and have been for many years. Scientists have developed pigs with human blood, mice growing human ears, and sheep growing human hearts.

In fact, multiple types of human organs are being grown in pigs and sheep to be harvested and implanted in human patients who need them. The mixing of human seed and animal seed is happening right now and is one type of hybridization transhumanists are working to develop.

In simplest terms, “transhuman” means beyond human, which is what transhumanists today are vigorously working to achieve. Producing a new kind of human being that is over and beyond what any human has ever been before is their very forthright goal and intention.

The foundational belief of transhumanism is that human beings are weak and poor, both physically and morally. Therefore, to improve the human experience — which includes overcoming aging, disability, disease, and mental limitations — there must be a convergence between humans and technology to create transhumans that will be stronger and have greater abilities.

The drive of transhumanists to see humans and technology merged has already been achieved in some respects. For example, after interfacing with computers and other forms of technology, some disabled people have regained certain physical features and functions that were once lost, which is a positive development. But that is not the endgame; it is only the beginning.

In addition to the ongoing efforts to merge man and machine, scientists in various nations around the world are also avidly experimenting with splicing human DNA with animal DNA to create superhuman beings. The result of this would be a new species of human-animal hybrid having cells and genetic materials of both humans and animals. This veers from God’s design and will lead to monstrous developments if it is successful.

Even more disturbing is the statement made by one highly influential, high-profile transhumanist who said, “We don’t need to wait for Jesus Christ to come back to Earth in order to overcome death. A couple of geeks in the laboratory can do it.” The ultimate ambition behind the transhumanist movement seems much darker than most people realize. In their own words, they believe they have the technological capabilities to become like gods.

Sound familiar? Thinking we can become like God is the same deceptive and depraved lie the serpent sold to Eve in the Garden of Eden — the same temptation she and Adam gave in to that brought death and destruction into the human race and the world (see Genesis 3). There is only one God, and we are not Him!

As a Bible teacher, author, and pastor, Jimmy Evans so powerfully put it: “The human seed is sacred and creates humans made in God’s image. Man has no right to manipulate or try to improve on what God has done. I’m not talking about good people using medical technology to help people or cure them. I’m talking about arrogant men taking the place of God and trying to improve and immortalize ourselves, so we become our own gods…. What God has done cannot be improved upon, and we should leave the human seed alone except for helping people.”

Altogether, the current level of genetic tampering with God’s design for human beings and animals is unprecedented in human history — except for in the time frame that preceded the Flood. But remember, God is not in the business of scaring us — rather, His intention is to prepare us for what lies ahead. I keep coming back to this statement because it is easy to allow fear into our mind if we don’t choose to see things through the lens of the Bible and remind ourselves that fear does not come from God (see 2 Timothy 1:7). He warns us so we can safeguard ourselves and those we love.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have family or friends who are drifting in a wrong direction; it’s not too late for them. Our team is standing by, ready to pray in faith on behalf of your lost loved ones.

But it’s time for me to wrap up today’s letter before it becomes a book!

In next month’s letter, I will share the final two points on this list of pre-Flood events that are being replicated in our time. For example, I will explain how there was continuous evil in the heart of man, and how evil is proliferating at an accelerated pace today. I will also explain how there was widespread violence before the Flood, and how we are seeing a replication of it now as violence is spinning out of control on nearly every front. What Jesus prophesied in Matthew 24:37 about pre-Flood events being repeated before His return is becoming clearer every day.

Thanks for taking the time to read my letter. Be sure to look for the next one in September!

As always, before I close, I want to remind you that if you have a prayer request of any kind — and you would like us to agree with you for that need to be met — give us a call or send us an email. I really believe Jeremiah 33:3, which promises that God will hear you, answer you, and do something mighty and spectacular for you. If you’d like us to pray with you, it would be our honor. Simply call us at 1-800-742-5593 or send an email to prayer@renner.org.

Denise and I, our family, and our team 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 Renner and our entire ministry team

P.S. Click here to view the new interactive Ministry Update page or click here to download the printable pdf flyer.

Allowing The Holy Spirit to Glorify Jesus in Your Life

July Teaching Letter from Denise Renner

Dear Friends,

Merry Christmas!

We love you and thank God for you!

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

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

I pray this letter finds you well. As you read this, I want to encourage you to keep the Holy Spirit at the forefront of your mind as you prepare for a new month. When Jesus ascended into Heaven, He didn’t leave us on our own without a guide! Jesus promised another Helper to abide in you — the Holy Spirit. When you have the Holy Spirit living on the inside and are sensitive to His voice, your life will be forever changed!

The Holy Spirit is many things to a believer — He is just like Jesus — He is the Spirit of Truth, our Teacher, our Revealer, the One who glorifies God, and so much more!

But today I want to focus on how the Holy Spirit glorifies God. You will come to discover that everything the Holy Spirit does, He does in order to bring glory to Jesus.

The Holy Spirit — The Declarer of Jesus

Let’s begin by reading John 16:14, which says:

He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it unto you.

So how does the Holy Spirit glorify Jesus? He takes what belongs to Jesus, and He declares it unto you. The Holy Spirit is a Declarer, an Announcer, a Testifier, and a Proclaimer. For example, if Jesus has healing revelation or divine wisdom to impart to you, who is going to get you what Jesus wants to give? The Holy Spirit! He wants to take what Jesus has and give it to you. Isn’t that marvelous?

If you need healing in your body, the Holy Spirit wants to give you healing. If you need a revelation, He wants to give you a revelation. And if you need peace, He wants to give you peace! By delivering what the Lord has for us, the Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus.

You may be wondering, But how does the Holy Spirit deliver these things to me? For one thing, the Holy Spirit is speaking to you through the Word of God. Through every verse, chapter, and book, He is declaring what Jesus has for you! That is just one of the many reasons why it is so important to read the Word consistently. It is such a powerful tool in the life of the believer! Through it, the Holy Spirit reveals and imparts things to you, and it glorifies Jesus.

I want to tell you about an example of the Holy Spirit glorifying Jesus in a huge way during a Kathryn Kuhlman meeting many years ago. Kathryn Kuhlman made such a way for the Holy Spirit to move in her meetings. She knew that the Holy Spirit would glorify Jesus by bringing His healing, miracle-working power to those who were in her service! That miracle-working power was working through her, and glory was being given to Jesus as everyone in her meetings watched numerous people be healed in miraculous ways.

In this particular meeting years ago, there was one healing that really stood out to me. There was a man named Billy Burke, who is now an evangelist in the United States, but who was just five years old when he attended this service. He had a brain tumor that caused him so much pain that in order to get any relief or freedom from the pain, he had to put his entire head in a bucket of ice. His eyes were also severely cross-eyed because of the tumor. He was in great pain and suffered from embarrassment because of his crossed eyes. He was just a little boy who wanted to live a normal life, except his life wasn’t normal at all.

But his grandmother took five-year-old Billy Burke to that Kathryn Kuhlman meeting. And Kathryn supernaturally called him out to come down to the pulpit for healing. The boy felt embarrassed and didn’t want to come down from his seat on the balcony, so his grandmother and the ushers helped encourage him to go down. And when he had made his way to the front, Kathryn touched him, the Holy Spirit brought the full power of Jesus, and that little boy’s eyes that so severely crossed became absolutely straight! At that moment, Jesus was glorified and this little boy was completely healed of that tumor! Praise the Lord!

Through the miracles the Holy Spirit brought into manifestation in that meeting, He was making a declaration of what Jesus wanted to bring to the meeting — healing. The Holy Spirit is always going to glorify Jesus, and in the Spirit’s manifest presence, His glory changes things.

Allowing the Spirit of God To Move Yields Powerful Results

Just recently, I was in our church in Moscow, Russia, and the Holy Spirit gave me a word of knowledge to speak against cancer and proclaim healing over people dealing with cancer. He specifically instructed me to curse every single cell of cancer. I didn’t know exactly who this word was for, but I obeyed the word the Holy Spirit gave me and proceeded to proclaim healing against every single cell of cancer in the auditorium!

Then just last week, a woman from our church came up to me after the service and told me she had been diagnosed with cancer, and the doctors had told her that she had a very small chance of survival. But after the service when I shared the Holy Spirit’s instruction to curse every cancerous cell in that room, the woman went back to the doctor. After examining her, the doctor told her that every single cell of cancer in her body was gone!

Can you see what the Holy Spirit was doing? He was glorifying Jesus by bringing His ministry — what Jesus wanted to do and what He wanted to give — to that service. And when that healing came, Jesus was glorified! Oh, how powerful!

What about Peter? The apostle Peter was incredibly sensitive to the moving of the Holy Spirit. Acts 5:14-16 says:

And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. Also a multitude gathered from surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

Did you catch that? Believers would place the sick on the ground around Peter’s path so that when he walked by, they would have the chance to be touched by his shadow, and they would receive their healing. Can you imagine it? Peter was so filled with the Holy Spirit that his shadow actually healed people! That’s the job of the Holy Spirit — to take what Jesus had and to give it to you to bring glory to Him!

Allowing the Holy Spirit to do what He wants to do opens the door for Jesus to bring what He wants to bring into your life. You have to get the Word of God in your heart and get into agreement with it. Once you’re in agreement with the Spirit of God and His Word, it enables the Holy Spirit to impart the things Jesus wants to give you. And Jesus has everything — He has your healing, your deliverance, your peace, your joy — Jesus has absolutely everything you need, and the Holy Spirit wants to give it to you!

I want to give you one more example from the Bible. This passage talks about when Jesus turned water into wine at the wedding in Cana of Galilee.

Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. And He said to them, “Draw out some now, and take it to the master of the feast.”

And they took it. When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!”

— John 2:6-10

Water in the Bible often represents the Word of God. Just like Jesus turned that water at the wedding into good wine, He is doing the very same thing in your heart with the Holy Spirit! I’ll explain it this way: The wine of the Holy Spirit is powerful, and we need to be filled with the Word of God so He can turn that “water” into wine. In other words, when we are filled with God’s Word, we can receive from Jesus through the Holy Spirit. And when we receive from Jesus in this way, it glorifies Him!

Only the Holy Spirit can declare to you what Jesus wants to give you. And when we receive it, it brings glory to His name! That is the manifest power of the Holy Spirit showing us firsthand the ministry and miracle-working healing power of Jesus.

As you go about your month, I encourage you to fill your heart with the Word of God. Dedicate time to spend in the Word and to quiet your heart and mind to become sensitive to the Spirit of God. Listen for Him to declare what Jesus has for you, and receive it knowing that you’re glorifying Him.

As I close my letter, I want to remind you that our prayer team is just a phone call or email away! Whether you have a prayer request or want someone to rejoice over a praise report with you, our prayer team is full of faith and ready to lift your needs up to the Lord in prayer. Just call 1.844.478.6637 or email prayer@deniserenner.org. And if you haven’t tuned in for my weekly program yet, I invite you to watch TIME With Denise Renner on my Facebook page or YouTube channel every Wednesday at 12:00 p.m. CT!

We are moving forward together,

Denise Renner

As the Days of Noah

July Teaching Letter from Rick Renner

Dear Friends,

Merry Christmas!

We love you and thank God for you!

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

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

Greetings in Jesus’ precious and powerful name!

We have so much happening at RENNER Ministries right now, and I’m eager to share it all with you. This month, we are celebrating “CHRISTMAS IN JULY”! We will be offering a 25-percent discount on all Renner products in our online store, so if there are any resources you’ve been wanting to order, July 8-31 will be a great time to do it. Visit renner.org/store to celebrate CHRISTMAS IN JULY with us this year.

I am also excited to tell you we are getting closer to the release date of my new book Fallen Angels, Giants, Monsters, and the World Before the Flood. My editorial team and I worked very hard on this book with the goal of unlocking unanswered, hidden mysteries from the past — and we are thrilled with the outcome. I believe you will be too!

My friend, Jimmy Evans, said: Rick Renner’s Fallen Angels, Giants, Monsters, and the World Before the Flood is a breathtaking journey through the pages of Scripture and the records of history. His meticulous research and profound spiritual insights bring the ancient world to life, revealing the startling parallels between the days of Noah and our own time. This book is a wake-up call for the Church, urging us to be vigilant and prepared for the Lord’s return. Rick Renner’s work is a deposit of wisdom and revelation, offering hope and encouragement to believers as we navigate the challenges of the last days.

I am humbled by his kind words of endorsement and his vote of confidence; we worked very hard, and I’m very pleased with the way this book turned out. But Jesus’ endorsement means more to me than anyone else’s, and in my heart, I feel the Lord is pleased with this book!

If you haven’t ordered your copy yet, go to renner.org to take advantage of the special, limited-time pre-release discount. We are also offering an additional discount to anyone purchasing six or more copies because I really believe you’ll want to share this book with others!

Denise and I and our whole team are honored that you support and give to this ministry. Early this morning, before I ever lifted my head from my pillow, I stopped to pray for our partners. This is what I do every morning. In fact, I pray for our partners multiple times every day. Every time I sit in front of a camera in our studio; every time I sit down to write a book; and every time I stand to teach the Bible, I stop to thank God for our partners, whose giving is so vital for all of it to happen. I really pray for our partners.

You are with us all the time — and you are truly helping us fulfill our mandate to bring the trusted teaching of God’s Word to people around the world. For this, I want to say THANK YOU!

Today I want to turn to the words Jesus spoke to His disciples about the end times in Matthew 24. In that discourse, Jesus made a very significant statement:

But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

— Matthew 24:37

What did Jesus mean by this statement?
Was He prophesying that there will be an exact replication of events that occurred in the time frame preceding the Flood?
What activities should we expect to see — and do we see any of these things happening today?

Jesus was telling us that just before He returns, the earth will experience some type of bizarre replication of many of the events that were occurring in the days preceding the Flood. But before we dive in, I want to encourage you with this: No matter how bad things get in the world around us, as we cling to Christ, we will see the same God who rescued Noah and his righteous family come to the aid and defense of the Body of Christ today! Jesus gave us a glimpse into the future not so we would live in fear of the god of this world — the devil (see 2 Corinthians 4:4) — but so that when we see these things come to pass, we will lift up our heads, for our redemption draweth nigh! (See Luke 21:28.)

In this month’s letter — and in August’s and September’s letters — I want to present to you a list of six major events that occurred before the Flood to consider how they compare to what is happening in the world today.

6 MAJOR OCCURRENCES IN THE DAYS OF NOAH
THAT ARE OUTLINED IN GENESIS 6

#1: An Exploding Population
(Genesis 6:1)

Genesis 6:1 specifically states that in the days that preceded the Flood, “…men began to multiply on the face of the earth….” Historians who have studied the world’s population believe the human population was exponentially exploding on the earth in the time frame before the Flood. It is likely that by the time of Noah, there were already several million people on the earth.

Remember that Jesus said, “But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be” (Matthew 24:37).

Therefore, we must ask:
Is the world today experiencing a population explosion
as occurred in the days before the Flood?

I decided to study what has happened in the world population since the time of Jesus’ birth 2,000 years ago to see if we are experiencing a population explosion as occurred before the Flood. I am showing you the following information to help you understand that there has been massive population growth from the time of Jesus’ birth to the present — and the only other time such a population explosion ever occurred was in the time frame before the Flood. Let’s look at these interesting facts…

1 AD: When Jesus was born approximately 2,000 years ago, the entire global population is estimated to have been roughly 300 million people.
1 AD-1500: During the next 1,500 years, the global population grew very slowly for several reasons, among them being widespread illnesses and plagues that ravaged major population centers and poorer health, in general.
1700s: In the Eighteenth Century and during the Industrial Revolution, the world saw rapid population growth as families began to have more children, and more babies survived their first years.
1800s: Growth of the population finally reached 1 billion people in the early 1800s.
1958: Over the next 100 years from the late Nineteenth Century, the human population doubled so that by 1958, when I was born, there were approximately 3 billion people on the earth. The second half of the Twentieth Century brought along some additional exorbitant growth.
1976: This year, which was the time I enrolled at the university as a student, the global population had skyrocketed from 3 billion (in 1958) to more than 4 billion — 4,142,505,882 to be exact.
1976-Present: From 1976 until now, the world population has doubled again. Today there are more than 8,000,000,000 — that’s 8 billion people — comprising the global population.
Future Projections: Statisticians tell us that at the current rate of growth, it is projected that the world’s population will reach 9.7 billion people by 2050 and 10.4 billion by 2100. Currently, the global population is growing at an average of 1.5 percent annually.

To be sure, this present, booming period of growth is unprecedented in human history — except for in the time frame that preceded the Flood.

#2: Gross Sexual Perversion
(Genesis 6:2,11,12)

Genesis 6:2 states, “…The sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.”

The phrase “sons of God” in this verse refers to fallen, mutinous angels who abandoned their God-assigned positions during the time of Jared, Adam’s great-great-great-grandson. And as these beings came down to earth and sexually mingled with mortal women, the sexual depravity and perversity raged, reaching an intensity in the days before the Flood that would be impossible to overstate. Peter and Jude write vividly about these nefarious events (see 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6).

The Bible goes on to say that in the days before the Flood, “The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth” (Genesis 6:11,12).

The word “corrupt” or a form of the word is used three times in this verse, and each time it is a translation of an original word that depicts something that has been blemished, marred, or ruined. This word is used throughout the Old Testament and seems to be inseparably linked with sexual sin and perversity. Thus, this blemishing and marring that was occurring was initiated and accelerated by the fallen angels engaging in forbidden sexual relations with earthly women. It became so pervasive that eventually, “all flesh” — even the animals — with the exception of those who eventually boarded the Ark with Noah became contaminated through rampant sexual perversity.

We can glean from Genesis 6 and the writings of early Christian leaders that the fallen angels unthinkably taught sexual “passions” to cause humans to veer from God’s original design for sex. These passions included fornication, adultery, homosexuality, bestiality, and every evil act of sexual deviance imaginable. And again, Jesus said, “But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be” (Matthew 24:37).

Therefore, we must ask:
Is the world today experiencing gross sexual perversion
as it occurred in the days before the Flood?

Without question, sexual perversity in society today is unparalleled, as sexual taboos are being thrown to the wind, and what was once considered blasphemous, degenerate, and deviant is now accepted and celebrated. It is unthinkable, but the sex-trafficking and porn industries combined generate nearly $250 billion annually and continue to exponentially grow.

Moral and sexual confusion have reached such an apex that many are confused about whether they are male or female. In fact, there are multitudes that are so mixed up they actually embrace the nonsense that there are dozens of genders from which to choose. Confusion is so pandemic that there are even growing numbers of people who believe they are of a different age or race than what is biologically true of them. Moreover, there is an increasing number of individuals who allege that they are animals, a delusion that has the capacity to ultimately lead to bestiality and to people marrying animals, which we may see happen in the not-so-distant future. All of this is indicative of a deeply delusional societal state or condition.

It wasn’t so long ago that such kinds of thinking and behaving would have been associated with mental illness. But now these behaviors and lifestyles are progressively being legalized and normalized. Rather than treat these deviancies as the insanity they are, courts, educational institutions, fields of medicine, and science are unthinkably endorsing and promoting them, often prosecuting and punishing those who stick to God’s prescribed moral values and refuse to bend to the spirit of the age.

This delusional thinking is so prevalent that now, to be admitted to universities, many incoming students are required to sign a document of agreement with new policies of diversity and inclusion as a prerequisite for acceptance. Imagine, to be accepted into many universities, young Christian believers are being required to either compromise what they believe, modify themselves to fit in with the new moral agenda, or forego higher education. At this point, it must be stated that while we are called to be compassionate and loving toward everyone, we are not called to bend to such delusion in our own beliefs and values.

It is important to recognize that only seducing spirits interacting with human beings could convince intelligent people to embrace such absurdity. The moral compass has been skewed so far that now outrageously dressed, cosmetic-riddled men are regularly invited to perform at events for children and to participate in book-reading events for them in public libraries. This is a demonic attempt to desensitize the youngest generation to what is morally right and wrong and to cause children to tolerate and embrace alternate lifestyles that the Bible condemns as abominations. This is the social condition in which we’re living.

The fact is that we are living in a time when minds are being inundated with false information, and there is an almost across-the-board celebration of immorality. This last-days attack is occurring as seducing spirits, that are bent on modifying the collective mind of society, interact with humans and work to create a way of thinking that is free from moral restraint. This modification process has spread its tentacles into every sector of society so that now even many who grew up in church are becoming affected and are slowly changing what they believe about issues that should be set in stone.

This insidious shift in sexual morals has evolved over several decades and has occurred so gradually — and has been so well-disguised as “progressive thinking” — it has become more and more palatable to the masses. This progressive shift has also successfully intimidated many who see that moral values, and society with them, are running amuck — but they are so stigmatized by the new narrative as being hateful and bigoted toward those caught up in the moral haze that they remain quiet about their faith and about the Word and the power of God that could set those captives free.

Indeed, Satan’s agenda of deception and intimidation has stepped up in scope and momentum in this end-time season. But to anyone with a sound mind and spiritual eyes to see, it is clear that dark demonic forces are working full-force to numb society and lead our youngest members down a treacherous immoral path.

This level of sexual perversion we are experiencing worldwide is unprecedented in human history — except for in the time frame that preceded the Flood.

The enemy will always try to push you into a state of fear over the disconcerting state of our world. But if you have made Jesus your Savior and Lord, you have not been given the spirit of fear — you have been given the power and presence of God to accompany you in every circumstance you will ever encounter (see Romans 8:9,11; 2 Corinthians 6:16; 2 Timothy 1:7). You have the Great Deliverer living inside you, and He will never leave you. (See Joshua 1:9; Deuteronomy 31:8; John 14:18; and Hebrews 13:5.) You are safe in Him!

God is not in the business of scaring us, but He is in the business of preparing us so we can safeguard ourselves and those we love. If we know this is going to happen, then we must be diligent to fill our hearts, minds, and eyes with the Word of God — and to influence our young ones in such a way that they will not allow this evil to ever become a part of their lives.

If you have family or friends who have already been affected, it’s not too late for them. God’s power can turn it around. If you want us to pray with you, please reach out to us and we’ll release a torrent of prayer for God to touch that person you love!

In next month’s letter, I will share two more amazing points to show that what was happening before the Flood is already starting to be replicated in our time. For example, there was horrible demonic activity before the Flood, and I will show you how demonic activity is increasing today. I will also show you how the emergence of transhumanism is a replication of events that caused God to send the Flood in the days of Noah. I have so much more to share!

Before I close, I want to remind you that if you have a prayer request of any kind — and you would like us to prayerfully and scripturally agree with you for God to meet that need — give us a call or send us an email. I realize you can pray by yourself, but it would be our honor to pray with and encourage you — and we’ll keep it confidential. Simply call us at 1-800-742-5593 or send an email to prayer@renner.org.

The moment we hear from you, we will begin to pray forcefully and with faith, and according to Jeremiah 33:3, God will hear us, answer us, and do something mighty for you. I believe there is a miraculous answer with your name on it waiting for you right now!

Thank you for taking the time to read my letter. Be sure to look for the next one in August!

Denise and I, our family, and our team 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 Renner and our entire ministry team

P.S. Click here to view the new interactive Ministry Update page or click here to download the printable pdf flyer.