Dear Friends,

Greetings in the wonderful name of Jesus!

At this time of the year, Denise and I are traveling in the United States to speak in churches, and what a joy it is to see friends and partners in our meetings! If you haven’t been able to attend any of the services, please visit our website at renner.org/speaking-schedule to see if we will be ministering anywhere near your area. This winter season is our only trip to the United States to do meetings this year, so if you can join us, we’d love to see you in person at any meeting you can attend this month!

Today I want to speak to you about the peace of God, but first, I want to express my heartfelt thanks for your friendship and partnership with our ministry. Denise and I and our team are called by God to take trusted teaching to people around the world but it takes many people doing their part so this can be accomplished. Your part in this ministry is so very significant in God’s plan of fulfilling the Great Commission.

*[If you started reading this from your email, begin reading here.]

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I always say that our friends and partners put financial fuel in the tank of the ministry, and it empowers us to take the message far and wide across the world. I am so thankful for everything you have done, are doing, and will do in the future. We are a ministry that really needs you — and we are so thankful for you. To the best of our ability, we are giving our best to fulfill what Jesus has asked us to do, and your role is so important in this wonderful assignment God has given us. Thank you so much!

In this month’s letter, I want you to keep in mind that the peace of God is an amazing gift that has been given to each of us. Although there are many people who are born again and love the Lord, some are still so inwardly disturbed by circumstances and situations in life that they are distressed and not living in the supernatural, inward peace that God wants to dominate them.

Maybe you are going through something right now that is disturbing your peace. I understand, but today I want to talk to you about the dominating peace of God that can rule your heart and emotions regardless of what you are facing. God wants you to be dominated by His divine peace. So let’s see what the Word of God says about how this occurs!

There is no doubt that we are living in the very end of the last days. We are a generation chosen for such a time as this — and we will observe events that no other generation has ever seen. If you are going to keep your heart free from fear so you can live in continual peace, you must make a firm commitment to let God’s Word rule in your heart! If you will do this, His Word will reign over your mind and prohibit fear from inching its way into your emotions and turning you into an emotional mess.

When I use this word “rule,” I’m talking about allowing God’s supernatural peace to dominate and govern every emotion and situation that confronts you. If you don’t make this decision — and follow through with it — worry, fear, insecurity, doubt, and a whole host of other emotions will assuredly try to take control and “rule.” And there is no worse roller-coaster ride to endure than being knocked all over the place by emotions that are out of control!

       Instead, remember the words of the apostle Paul, which he wrote in Colossians 3:15, “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts….”

       I especially want you to notice the word “rule” in this verse. It is from the Greek word brabeuo, which in ancient times was used to describe the umpires or referees who moderated and judged the athletic competitions that were so popular in the ancient world. Paul used this word to tell us that the peace of God can work like an umpire or referee in our hearts, minds, and emotions, calling each emotion that rises up in our heart or against our mind as safe or out.

When disturbing emotions attempt to exert control over us or try to throw us into an emotional frenzy, we can stop those emotions from taking over by making the choice to let God’s peace rise up from deep inside us like an umpire or referee to guide those emotions and declaring any negative ones to be “Out!” As we do this, we will be kept under the control of that divine peace as it rules in our hearts. When this divine umpire of supernatural peace steps into the game, it suddenly begins to call the shots and make all the decisions instead of allowing fretfulness, anxiety, and worry to do so.

Colossians 3:15 could be thusly interpreted:

“Let the peace of God call the shots in your life….”

“Let the peace of God be the umpire in your life and actions….”

“Let the peace of God act as referee in your emotions and your decisions….”

       When you feel overwhelmed by problems or emotions that are coming toward you from every direction, just stop for a moment and deliberately set your heart and mind on Jesus and the Word of God. As you do this, the wonderful, conquering, dominating, supernatural peace of God will rise up from inside your spirit and take control!

       But Colossians 3:16 goes on to say, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly….”

       When the Word of God dwells richly in our lives, it produces peace — so much supernatural peace that it actually rules our hearts! You see, when God’s Word is dwelling richly in your heart, suddenly the peace of God makes all the big decisions, calls all the shots, and umpires your emotions. Rather than being led by the circumstances of the day, whether positive or negative, or by what you read or see in the news, you will be ruled by the wonderful peace of God!

But to receive this benefit of God’s Word, you must let it dwell in you richly. This word “richly” is the Greek word plousios, and it can be translated lavishly. This presents the picture of you giving the Word of God a magnificent reception as you roll out the red carpet so you can richly and lavishly welcome the Word into your heart. When you let God’s Word have this place of honor inside your heart, mind, and emotions, it releases its power to stabilize you and keep you in peace, even in the most difficult times.

With this in mind, Colossians 3:16 conveys the following idea:

“Let the Word of God dwell in you richly! Throw open the doors, roll out the red carpet, and give it a grand reception! If you’ll let the Word dwell in you in this way, it will produce an amazing amount of spiritual wealth in your life.…”

Part of the wealth this rich indwelling of the Word will produce is PEACE beyond understanding (see Philippians 4:7)! It is a fact that when the Word of God really becomes a part of you, dwelling lavishly inside your heart and finding its home there, it gives you a peace that rules your heart and emotions. There is no doubt that by using the word “richly” in this verse, Paul gave us a picture of what the Word of God will produce if you allow it to take up residency in you and become a vital part of your life.

So if you’re tired of “peaceless” days — if you’re tired of feeling spiritually weak and worn out so that you have no energy to give to anyone or anything — stop right where you are today. Don’t take another step without making the decision to let God’s Word play a more important role in your life. When the Word of God dwells richly in our lives, it produces peace — so much supernatural peace that it actually rules our hearts!

Over our decades of life together, Denise and I have faced many things that could have stolen our peace and our joy. But we have learned that if the Word of God is dwelling richly in us, we can live in an ongoing state of dominating peace in spite of what is going on around us. This peace is so powerful that today it was on my heart to share with you about it in this month’s letter!

Thank you for letting me share this with you today!

If you have any special prayer needs, please remember that we are here to pray with you and for you. Just reach out to us by calling 1-800-742-5593 or send us your prayer need at prayer@renner.org. Jeremiah 33:3 says, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” If you’ll let us know how to pray, we’ll call out to God — with you, in faith — and God will hear, He will answer, and He will do exactly what needs to be done! So please…let us know how we can pray with you!

As I close this month’s letter, I want to remind you to visit our website at renner.org/speaking-schedule to see if we are scheduled to minister anywhere near your area so you can join us in one of our meetings this month in the United States. We would love to see you there!

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

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.