Posts with the category “rick-wenner-from-the-greek-vol-1-rick-renner”

A Special Message About Living in the Last DaysFor God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. — 2 Timothy 1:7This is the greatest hour for the Church of Jesus Christ. A massive harvest is coming into the Church all over the world. Statistics prove that right now more people are coming to Jesus worldwide than at any other point in history. The Spirit o...  Read More

Spiritual RestCome unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.— Matthew 11:28I am convinced that one reason the devil has access to people’s emotions is that they keep flying through life without taking time to get renewed in the Presence of the Lord. They ignore their need to sit, to rest, and to wait upon the Lord. As a result, their perception of things around the...  Read More

Your Flesh Will Obey Your Commands!...If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree,Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you. — Luke 17:6Jesus said that when you finally decide to deal with the wrong attitudes that have stalked and hounded your life for so long, you must order them to “...be thou plucked up by the roo...  Read More

It’s Time for You To Speak to Yourself!...If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree,Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you. — Luke 17:6When Jesus taught His disciples about the evil effects of bitterness, unforgiveness, and offense, He also told them how to uproot and remove offenses and unforgiveness from the h...  Read More

You Have Jesus As Your Personal Intercessor!Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. — Hebrews 4:14According to this verse, Jesus is your High Priest, and He lives forever to make intercession on your behalf (Hebrews 7:25). This means there is never a moment when Jesus Himself is not interceding for your v...  Read More

Don’t Pay Evil Back for Evil!Recompense to no man evil for evil.... — Romans 12:17Today’s Sparkling Gem will be short, but pay close attention, because it’s a very important one!Most all of us have thought at one time or another, Oh, how I want to get back at that person for what he did to me! If you have had that thought in the past, or if you’ve been thinking such thoughts recently, then what we...  Read More

What Is Your Attitude Toward People You Consider To Be Lower Than Yourself?...Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate.... — Romans 12:16I’ll never forget the time Denise and I were sitting in a restaurant with a well-known businessman, and this man embarrassed us so badly that we decided we would never go to dinner with him again. My wife and I had been regularly visiting this pa...  Read More

Learning To Rejoice And Learning To WeepRejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. — Romans 12:15It’s such a big letdown when you experience something that gets you all excited, but you can’t find anyone who will rejoice with you. Not so long ago, this happened to me.After waiting a long time for a particular victory, it finally happened! I could hardly wait to tell it, so I ...  Read More

Blessing People Who Deliberately Try To Make Trouble for YouBless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.— Romans 12:14It is very easy to bless those who bless you and make you happy, but how are you going to respond to people who persecute you and try to deliberately injure you? Romans 12:14 says that you are to “bless them which persecute you....”One day many years ago, my associate brou...  Read More

Learning To Be Hospitable...Given to hospitality. — Romans 12:13During the time when the New Testament was being written, it is simply a fact that many Christians and church leaders were very mobile. First, many became mobile because they had been evicted from their homes and had lost their property due to persecution. Second, the early believers were mobile because they were moving like a spreadi...  Read More

Meeting the Needs of Other BelieversDistributing to the necessity of saints.... — Romans 12:13One of the most exciting things our ministry does is meet the needs of pastors who are leading congregations in the former Soviet Union. We feel a deep commitment to help these pastors because they haven’t had the same opportunity for education that exists in Western countries. As a result of the revival ...  Read More

Be Not Slothful in BusinessNot slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord. — Romans 12:11I’ll never forget the time when, as I met with a head of government in a foreign nation, he looked me straight in the eyes and said, “I just don’t understand many of the Christians I’ve met. To me, they seem to be some of the laziest people I’ve ever known in my life. I’m amazed that anyone woul...  Read More

Be Affectionate to One AnotherBe kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.— Romans 12:10When my family and I first moved to the former Soviet Union, God connected us to some of the most wonderful people we’ve ever known. Although these people were from a completely different culture and background, they genuinely became a part of our family.This was e...  Read More

Abhor That Which Is Evil...Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. — Romans 12:9Today I want to talk to you about some of the detrimental things you have been tolerating in your personal life. First, let’s look at the illustration of television as an example of what you must do to keep evil out of your life.Our family rarely watches television or movies, but when we do, we are very...  Read More

Are You Living Only for Today — Or Living Also for Eternity?Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness?— 2 Peter 3:11One day I was standing at the foot of the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt with my wife and sons. We had spent that entire week floating down the Nile River, touring all the sites of ancient Egypt,...  Read More

The Annihilating Appearance Of Jesus Christ in Great Glory!And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.— 2 Thessalonians 2:8When Jesus comes at the end of the age, He will come in great power and glory. In fact, when He comes, His glory will be so brilliant that it will totally annihilate the ...  Read More

The Great Restrainer!And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed....— 2 Thessalonians 2:6-8If Satan has been waiting to introduce the antichrist to the world, what is stopping him from allowing this evil leader to step...  Read More

The Appearance of the AntichristLet no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. — 2 Thessalonians 2:3,4From my early chi...  Read More

A Signal That Jesus’ Return Is NearNow we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him. — 2 Thessalonians 2:1When Paul wrote his second letter to the church of Thessalonica, he was exceedingly excited at the thought of Jesus’ soon return. In fact, he was so thrilled about the prospect of Jesus’ coming again that he devoted the entire second ...  Read More

Investing in Your EternityLaying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.— 1 Timothy 6:19When Russian Czar Peter the Great died, his daughter Elizabeta Petrovna came to the throne and became the Empress of Russia. She was perhaps the most flamboyant ruler ever to reign over Russia. The extravagance of her lifestyle was legendary...  Read More

Do Good, Be Rich in Good Works, Be Ready To Distribute, Be Willing To CommunicateCharge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate.— 1 Timothy 6:17,18I am so thankful that my wife and I pe...  Read More

If You’re Financially Blessed, Don’t Feel Guilty About It!Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy. — 1 Timothy 6:17Many years ago, my wife and I knew a family who was extremely wealthy. When I use the word “extremely” to describe their wealth, even this word inadequately exp...  Read More

A Message to the RichCharge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.— 1 Timothy 6:17When the rule of communism began to dissipate in the Soviet Union, it left the economy in utter shambles. Nearly every basic commodity was unavailable, including basic items such as sugar, flour, ch...  Read More

Work Like a FarmerThe husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits. — 2 Timothy 2:6When Paul wrote to Timothy to encourage him to bravely face his battles, he first told Timothy to endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Then Paul changed his illustration and exhorted Timothy to develop the mentality of a professional athlete. But suddenly the athletic talk stops, and ...  Read More

Prepare and Compete Like an Athlete!And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.— 2 Timothy 2:5After telling Timothy to endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ, Paul then switches to a new illustration so he can make another important point. The purpose of the discussion is still the same: Paul is explaining to Timothy how he should face the d...  Read More

Fight Like a Soldier!Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. — 2 Timothy 2:3In Second Timothy, Timothy was facing a horrible predicament. Thousands of his brothers and sisters in the Lord were being slain by a man on the Roman throne named Nero. Of course, Satan was behind this vicious persecution of believers. Infuriated that Jesus had been raised from the dead, the dev...  Read More

Those Who Minister Out of Their AbundanceAnd certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.— Luke 8:2,3When our ministry purchased a large facility in the city of Moscow, we had one year to pay off the...  Read More

The Fields Are White Unto HarvestSay not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.— John 4:35Once Denise and I and our team traveled by bus to conduct massive evangelistic campaigns in eight of the largest cities in the nation of Ukraine. Because we had been on television for man...  Read More

Exercise Thyself Unto Godliness...Exercise thyself rather unto godliness. — 1 Timothy 4:7At the time I am writing this book, our apartment in Moscow frequently looks like an athletic club. Our three sons and their friends regularly fill our living room to do pushups, sit-ups, and weightlifting to develop their muscles and attain the form they desire. As a result of their hard work, commitment, and...  Read More

Nothing Shall Separate You From the Love of GodFor I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.— Romans 8:38,39When the apostle Paul wrote the above verses, he had been facing grueli...  Read More

Present Your Bodies a Living SacrificeI beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.— Romans 12:1When Mary’s days of purification were finished after the miraculous birth of Jesus, Luke 2:22 tells us that Mary and Joseph brought their son to Jerusalem to dedicate Him to the Lord....  Read More

A Great and Effectual DoorFor a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.— 1 Corinthians 16:9Just after the collapse of the Soviet Union, through a series of very remarkable events, I found myself sitting in the central office for the national television station of a large country that had once been a part of the former Soviet Republic. A contract was laid on the ...  Read More

Withdraw From Every Disorderly BrotherNow we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.— 2 Thessalonians 3:6Many years ago Denise and I worked with a young man who was very skilled in music and who had a stage presence that was simply electrifying. However,...  Read More

A Prayer That God Cannot AnswerFor this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness....— 2 Corinthians 12:8,9Perhaps you’ve heard yourself praying this prayer in a moment of exasperation when dealing with people: “God, I can’t deal with all these people anymore! Please remove all t...  Read More

What Was Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh?And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.— 2 Corinthians 12:7In Second Corinthians 12:7, the apostle Paul writes that he had been given a “thorn in the flesh” because of “the abundance of the revelatio...  Read More

Grace, Mercy, and PeaceUnto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace....— 1 Timothy 1:2If you’ve ever felt like problems were mounting and growing all around you and you didn’t have enough strength to make it another step, then I have some very good news for you! Today you’re going to discover that God extends a very special measure of mercy to people who feel like they are being ...  Read More

Partners in the Gospel Of Jesus ChristAlways in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now.— Philippians 1:4,5When I think of all the people who have financially supported our ministry throughout these many years that we’ve been serving in the former Soviet Union, it fills my heart with gratitude to God for putting such ...  Read More

Confront, Forgive, and Forget...If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. — Luke 17:3It is difficult for most people to confront someone else regarding an offense, but sometimes confrontation is necessary. Ignoring confrontation is often what causes bad feelings to turn inward and fester into something much worse. Those ugly feelings can sit in the pit of a p...  Read More

Never Go to Bed Angry!...Let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil.— Ephesians 4:26,27Have you ever gone to bed sizzling with anger about what someone did or didn’t do or about what someone said or didn’t say? If you think about it, you’ll realize that this last phrase pretty well summarizes the primary reasons people get offended, insulted, irritated, or upset. Isn’...  Read More

The Peaceable Fruit of RighteousnessNow no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.— Hebrews 12:11As you grow in your walk with God, you will discover that one of the strongest forces you’ll have to face and overcome is your own flesh! Your flesh will try to oppose y...  Read More