Greetings in Jesus’ wonderful name!

I’m excited about what I’m going to be sharing with you today, but before I get into it, I want to say THANK YOU for being such an amazing friend! It truly is a joy and an honor to write to you. I’m especially thrilled to share that my newest book Fulfilling Your God-Given Purpose — A Sparkling Gems from the Greek Guided Devotional Journal for Your Divine Destiny releases May 5. If you’d like to purchase a copy, you can call 1-800-742-5593 or go online at renner.org.

I also want you to know how grateful we are for those who stand with us as financial partners. Everything we do at RENNER Ministries is about carrying God’s Word further and touching more lives, and that simply wouldn’t be possible without the faithful prayers and support of people standing with us. If becoming a partner is something the Lord might place on your heart, we would be so grateful to you if you could prayerfully consider joining us in this work. No matter what, please know how much we appreciate you and the part you already play by walking this journey with us.

Today I want to talk to you about moments of trouble when calamity seems to unleash on us and emergencies tower like giants — whether through family turmoil, financial upheavals, health crises, relationship challenges, or any other dire predicament. It’s often then that we discover the profound truth that reaching out to God in faith summons His presence and help. Thankfully, emergency help is promised in Hebrews 4:16, where the Bible says, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

The words “help in time of need” are a translation of the Greek word boetheia — an old word with a military connotation. In the time of the early New Testament, this word specifically depicted the urgent cry from a soldier who had fallen — who was besieged, ensnared, or wounded in conflict. When a fellow soldier heard his cry for help, he swiftly mobilized and moved to liberate his fellow warrior. And when that nearby soldier heard that cry for “help in time of need,” he spared no effort to do whatever was necessary to deliver his fellow soldier and to rescue and bring him back into a place of safety, security, and protection.

In Hebrews 4:16, the word boetheia paints a vivid picture of divine intervention. It describes how Jesus — like a Mighty Warrior — swiftly springs into action whenever we find ourselves in distress and call upon God for assistance with unwavering faith. With determination, Jesus charges forth to protect us and liberate us from our troubles. For those who lift their voice in faith and seek help in their time of need, they can rest assured that Christ will spring into action and provide the urgent assistance they require.

God’s faithfulness knows no bounds and extends even to those entangled in self-wrought troubles. For example, consider the individuals ensnared by family strife, financial instability, health emergencies, relationship woes, and countless other challenges — predicaments often created by their own actions or inactions. Yet despite having brought these predicaments on themselves, these people are not forsaken. God — in His boundless mercy — responds and moves to liberate them when they call out in faith during their time of need.

I have personally experienced such grace, and I am sure you have too. No matter the origins of one’s difficulty, Jesus remains the steadfast Shepherd who answers cries for “help in time of need.”

When life morphs into a relentless cycle of turmoil, in which each day demands the improbable intervention of a miracle just to survive, the result is an existence steeped in despair. Enduring crisis after crisis is an arduous burden. To illustrate my point, imagine facing turbulent financial waters, where each dawn greets you with the weight of fervent hopes for a reprieve, just for you to meet another emergency. Have you ever walked that tightrope?

If you have, you surely understand how such relentless pressure can turn life into a grim endurance test. Occasionally, these periods are the result of our own choices, but there are also moments when they seem like direct attacks from forces determined to derail you. When divine intervention finally arrives, and an unexpected windfall materializes to temporarily lift you over the looming obstacle, your heart overflows with gratitude. However, this momentary relief often acts like a “band-aid” — a short-term solution that covers the immediate need but fails to secure your future stability. Until that financial predicament is completely resolved and steps are taken to make yourself less vulnerable to falling into the same trouble in the future, you will likely be swept once again into a vortex of anxiety, pleading for another miraculous intervention to carry you through.

Dwelling amidst the relentless turmoil of perpetual crises is a formidable challenge. I can testify that over the years of our ministry, we’ve navigated the terrains both of financial plenty and financial scarcity. In times of abundance, it has been easier to stay focused on our God-given mission. In darker hours when we’ve experienced scarcity, we’ve raised our voices in faith and sought divine intervention while continuing our ministry activities and operations. And time after time, we’ve witnessed the steadfast mercy of God to meet our needs allowing us to exhale a sigh of relief.

But the rollercoaster of stress — marked by relentless ups and downs circumstantially — is notoriously mentally challenging to endure even when hearts are full of faith and expectation that God has heard and is answering. Often, such dilemmas in personal lives or organizations spring from our own missteps, be it ill-considered choices or inadequate planning. Yet in moments of divine intervention, when unexpected financial support arrives, hearts swell with gratitude to God and to those He used to help.

But when individuals, businesses, churches, or ministries live in stability — which renders urgent and emergency prayers a rarity rather than a routine — they are able to shift their focus from survival to growth. What a testimony not just of God’s present help to rescue, but of His grace to grow and sustain!

Undoubtedly, the stories of God’s intervention are wondrous and deserve to be shared, yet the most profound testimony is when one can give witness to God’s unwavering faithfulness, which transforms life’s tumultuous rollercoaster of ups and downs into a journey free of stress. While miracles are awe-inspiring and necessary at times, they are not meant to be a constant lifeline. It is not God’s intention for anyone to remain in a perpetual state of tension and emergency. Eventually a time comes when you must move from living from emergency to emergency into a higher state. God does not wish for you to live in this nonstop pressure cooker for the rest of your life.

During Israel’s journey through the barren wilderness, a miraculous provision appeared in the form of “manna” — a mysterious gift from the heavens. When the Israelites needed God to provide an emergency provision of food, they discovered that manna settled like dew upon the earth, and neither its origins nor its supernatural delivery were understood by anyone. Every time the Israelites gathered this sustenance and tasted its mysterious texture, they were indulging in a divine wonder beyond earthly reasoning.

Indeed, in a spectacular display of mercy, God bestowed this otherworldly nourishment upon them as a testament to His care in their dire moments. Although other foods existed at their disposal, none could compare to the manna’s miraculous essence that fulfilled needs beyond the capabilities of mere earthly fare. This extraordinary sustenance was a marvel that met every requirement as if tailored to their souls.

God lavished manna upon His people, as is recounted in Psalm 78:23-25, where it is written that God “…opened the doors of heaven, and had rained down manna upon them to eat….” Determining the exact quantity of manna that cascaded from the heavens during those 40 years is beyond our grasp. But with the consensus among biblical scholars proposing the Israelites numbered around 3,000,000, it is estimated that they required approximately 4,500 tons of manna daily to sustain themselves. Imagine a daily harvest of 4,500 tons for every day spanning those 40 years. This would mean an astounding total of about 65,700,000 tons of manna supernaturally appeared over that epic journey.

Imagine waking up to a city blanketed in 4,500 tons of fragrant manna, a miraculous feast gifted freely to anyone willing to step outside and gather it. The alluring scent would waft through the streets and draw people from their homes like moths to a flame. If such an astonishing event happened today, it would spark an international frenzy — scientists would descend from every corner of the globe to analyze its wonders, while journalists would scramble to capture the essence of this edible enigma. Major news outlets would buzz with excitement, chronicling every detail of this extraordinary phenomenon.

Yet for the children of Israel, this daily spectacle was as routine as the sunrise, a testament to the everyday supernatural miracles they experienced. A whole generation of young ones came into the world and grew up with the belief that it was perfectly normal for 4,500 tons of manna to materialize “out of thin air” each morning (see Exodus 16:35).

The manna descended with such clockwork precision and unwavering consistency that, eventually, the Israelites scarcely marveled at its arrival. In a gradual fade from wonder to familiarity, the miraculous became mundane, its divine splendor blending seamlessly into their everyday existence. The extraordinary nature of this heavenly sustenance slipped into obscurity, and this supernatural food, along with its supernatural delivery system, began to be seen as a normal occurrence.

But when the next generation entered the Promised Land, the daily manifestation of manna ended. For 40 years, God had intervened and met their emergency need. But a time came when, as Joshua 5:12 tells us, “…the manna ceased…neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.”

In time, the wondrous supply of manna ceased, and God beckoned His children to embrace a more elevated way of life. God stopped feeding them hand to mouth and required them to use their faith to conquer the Promised Land and to take the fruit — and their long-term blessing and sustenance — for themselves.

I share this to remind you that while God stands ready to greet you repeatedly with emergency miracles when needed, His ultimate desire is for you to step into a realm where you enjoy a vigorous and enduring life of faith for daily living that’s brimming with vitality. Fully living in a state of victory is a magnificent testament to God’s glory!

In Psalm 37:25, we read, “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” What a powerful testimony! Yet few people today can lay claim to it. But such a statement demonstrates God’s absolute faithfulness and it brings honor and glory to His name.

I realize this letter is a little shorter than usual, but it’s packed with what God has put on my heart for you this month. Oh, how God wants all of us to step upward into a higher level of living that is better than living in a constant pressure cooker of stress. This is what I am praying for you. BUT…if you are in a tough place right now, remember that Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

According to this Bible promise, Jesus is available right now to come to your assistance and to deliver you from whatever is assailing you. He is a Mighty Warrior who will swiftly spring into action to protect you and liberate you from troubles. If you will lift your voice in faith and seek help in your time of need, you can be sure He will spring into action to provide the urgent assistance you need.

And I want to remind you that we are here to pray with you — and praying with you would be an honor for us. In our Partner Care department, we really take “care” of those who reach out to us. Denise and I and our team fervently pray for those who contact us with their prayer needs. I assure you that if you need prayer — and if you reach out to us — you will be scripturally and ferociously prayed for with faith that God will do what needs to be done! So please either call us at 1-800-742-5593 or write to us at prayer@renner.org to let us know how we can be praying for you — and we promise that whatever you share will be kept confidential.

Please pray for us, too, as we step forward by faith to resist the enemy, drive back darkness, and take the light of God’s Word to those who are crying out for it. This is our assignment — which you are a big part of — but we cherish your prayers too!

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 download the Ministry Update printable pdf flyer.