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How To Keep Your
Head On Straight in a World Gone Crazy
Rick Renner
First, I want you to know that my new book HOW TO KEEP YOUR HEAD ON STRAIGHT IN A WORLD GONE CRAZY has
just been received in our office!
We are releasing it to our partners and friends now, through the
ministry, before it is released to the public on September 17.
In fact, I just signed 1,200 copies, and you can get one of those
while they last by going to renner.org or
by calling our office at 918-496-3213 to purchase your copy.
Please let me know what you think of my book when you get it!
This book is different than any book I’ve ever written. It deals
specifically with issues that a last-days generation will be forced to face —
issues that make this period of time different from any previous generation.
I can’t urge you strongly enough to get your copy! But please
pray before you read it.
In it, I write candidly about delusional thinking in society and in the Church in the very end of the last
days. This topic is what I want to address in my letter to you today.
But before I get any further into my letter, I want to THANK YOU for responding so generously as I’ve let
you know about a recent opportunity for us to purchase property in Moscow to
expand our Russia ministry offices.
Real estate in this part of the world is at a premium — for this property to become available adjacent to our existing
facility is amazing in itself!
But we know God opened this door for us to do some much-needed
expansion so we can more effectively minister to the thousands of souls who reach out to us from all
over the former Soviet Union.
Because of our partners’ generosity, we have received
approximately 80 percent of the funds we need to move on this new part of our
assignment. Again, I want to say THANK YOU!
It’s not just your generosity toward this expansion project that
we’re so grateful for. Every prayer
and gift you send to this ministry is helping Denise and me, our family, and
our team do what God has asked us to do in Russia and around the world.
In reality, we are on the frontlines of battle doing our
God-called part, and we are thrilled to be here doing it!
But you are supplying what is necessary for us to accomplish this
work that is changing so many lives. I simply have no words to adequately
express how thankful I am for you.
Today I want to speak about something very important that the Holy
Spirit prophesied would occur at the very end of the age — an infiltration of
seducing spirits and doctrines of demons.
This is what the Holy Spirit foretold in First Timothy 4:1.
He sounded this alarm to prevent deception from finding entrance
into our lives, into our families — our children and grandchildren — and into
our churches. And this message especially applies to those of us living at the
conclusion of the age.
First Timothy 4:1 says, “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly,
that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to
seducing spirits and doctrines of demons.”
The words “speaketh expressly” are a translation of the
Greek word rhetos, which describes
something spoken clearly, unmistakably, and vividly or something that is unquestionable, certain, and sure.
By using this word rhetos, the Holy
Spirit makes His point unequivocally clear. The events that He was about to
describe in this verse are definite; they
will certainly come to pass.
Therefore the Spirit speaks of them in undeniable terms.
In light of this, one could actually translate the verse:
· “Now the Spirit speaks in absolutely clear words….”
· “Now the Spirit speaks in unmistakable terms….”
· “Now the Spirit speaks in the clearest of language….”
The use of the Greek word rhetos makes it
categorically plain that what the Holy Spirit is saying is not optional or
something that can be altered.
He was depicting something very clearly that will take place at the end of the age.
Paul delivered the Spirit’s unmistakable message: “Now the
Spirit speaketh expressly that in the latter times, some shall depart from the
faith….”
The Holy Spirit forewarned that a dangerous plot will be concocted
against the Church at the end of the age.
This last-days assault would be so insidious that the Holy Spirit
spoke expressly about it — in absolute, clear, vivid,
unmistakable, undeniable, definite, and certain terms.
This verse states that this threatening attack will occur in the “latter
times.”
The word translated “latter” in the King James Version is translated from the Greek
word husteros.
This word emphasizes the ultimate end or the very last of something.
The word “times” is from the Greek word kairos, which in this case depicts a season.
When taken together as one complete phrase, these words
describe the very last season or the very last period of time.
There is no doubt that the combination of these Greek words
describes the very end of the age when nearly no time is left remaining in the
last prophetic season.
So when this invasion of seducing spirits and doctrines of demons
occurs, it is a signal that the very end is upon us, for the Bible clearly
prophesies that the very end of
the period is the time when this emergence of error is going to transpire in
the world and in the Church.
Since these seducing spirits will be working at the end of the
age, it means deception and delusion in society and even in certain sectors of the
Church will be a key sign that we are near the very end
of the age.
Jesus made this very clear in His discourse that is recorded in
Matthew 24:4 when He said, “…Take heed that no man deceive you.”
The word “deceive” in that verse is translated from a Greek
word that means to wander off course. It could
depict an individual or even a nation that has wandered off course.
It could even describe vast numbers of nations that have veered
off course from a moral position they once held to be true. It suggests a moral
wandering on a worldwide scale at the close of this period.
This word “deceive” tells us that there will be a mass
divergence from time-tested biblical standards at the end of the age.
Jesus foretold that a moment was coming when society would move
away from the long-affirmed laws of Scripture.
Although He enumerated many signs that
would indicate the conclusion of the age, Christ declared that this mass
divergence from truth — and worldwide moral wandering — would be the first, foremost, or primary sign to alert us that the end was near.
That is precisely why He named it first in His list of signs that
would authenticate we’ve entered the wrap-up of the age (see Matthew 24:4).
Is this our age?
You know that we are watching moral confusion rage among the nations of the world as never
before in our lifetimes.
This confusion is perhaps no clearer anywhere than in the debate
over gender identity — a manifestation of confusion so severe that it stuns
most thinking minds.
The culture most of us knew as we were growing up was established
on Judeo-Christian values. But now, as the winds of change are blowing, we are
watching as the world is rapidly departing from time-tested beliefs and
traditions based on these biblical values.
As a result of this near abandonment of truth and throwing away of
moral foundations, confusion abounds and society is teetering on a treacherous
path.
The spirit of this world is working furiously to eliminate all
remnants of a godly foundation from society and to replace it with a last-days
deception that will ultimately usher in a time when the antichrist rules a lost
world for a temporary period of time.
Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the apostle Paul
prophesied that a mass deception would occur at the end of the period as a
precursor to Christ’s return.
According to Scripture, this period of worldwide deception will
occur at the “outer rim” of the era — marking a time when delusion will attempt
to pervade every realm of society.
First Timothy 4:1 is the Holy Spirit’s way of pointing His
prophetic finger into the future to apprise you and me of this forecasted
period of error that would emerge in the world and also in the Church in
the last season of the Church age.
The Spirit was so sober about what He saw happening in that last
season that He communicated it in absolute, clear, vivid, unmistakable,
undeniable, definite, and certain terms.
This verse continues, “…The Spirit speaketh expressly, that in
the latter times some shall depart from the faith….”
The word “depart” is a translation of the Greek word aphistemi, which is a compound of two Greek
words apo and istimi. The
word apo means away, and the
word istimi means to stand.
But when these two words are compounded, it means to stand apart from; to distance oneself from; to step away from;
to withdraw from; to shrink away from. It is the very Greek
word from which we derive the word “apostate” or “apostasy.”
This “departing” depicts a departure of a notable sum of people
that takes place very slowly, over a period of time,
and it pictures a person who changes his position, withdrawing or stepping away
from what he or she once believed.
This departure occurs so gradually that those who are in the
process of departing may not even realize that they are in transition. But
little by little, bit by bit, they are transitioning away from what they once believed and adhered to,
and are moving in the direction of something very different.
This means the “departing” the Holy Spirit prophesies about
in this verse does not refer to a blatant, outright rejection of the faith,
though it may eventually lead there.
It describes something much more subtle than
that. It portrays a slow, almost unnoticeable, step-by-step departure over a
period of time. It is a very slow withdrawal and change of position.
The verse doesn’t say people will reject the
faith; it says they will depart from the faith. There is a great difference
between rejecting the faith and departing from the faith. Rejecting is
deliberate; departing is usually unintentional.
Why “some” are departing from the faith is not stated in
this verse. However, the reason is implied. It
says they shall depart from the faith, “… giving heed to seducing spirits
and doctrines of demons” (1 Timothy 4:1).
Because the words “giving heed” are used in connection with
the activity of seducing spirits and doctrines of demons, it provides the
answer to what external influence is leading these people in a new direction.
The Holy Spirit tells us that some believers at the end of the age
will be seduced by a demonic influence that will lead them to open their minds
to doctrines and systems of thought that are a departure from what they
previously attested to be truth.
Rather than stick with the scriptural truth that was so foundational
to their lives, some will slacken their grip on what they believe in order to “become
more relevant and reach more people.”
But this erroneous move toward relevancy will require a
disregarding of significant portions of the Bible that address the very issues
they’re changing their positions on.
This step-by-step departure from once-held beliefs and convictions
is happening in the disguise of open-mindedness, fairness, equality, and even
in the name of God’s love.
This shift in sexual morals has been seductively evolving over a
number of decades. In fact, the transition has occurred so slowly and was so well disguised that those in transition were not
even cognizant that a transition was taking place.
But the reality is that we are entering a season of moral
confusion and destruction due to this slow, methodical, seductive process that
has led society off track.
Those of us who are committed to God’s Word must determine that we
will not budge from the Bible on key issues and that we will keep our heads on
straight on these issues even if the world seems to be going another direction.
The Bible has never changed on these subjects. Its teaching has
never been altered.
But the authority and voice of Scripture are now being called into
question by those who downgrade the Bible’s authority, relegate it to the past,
and allege that it is no longer entirely applicable in the current environment.
This is what the Holy Spirit prophesied would occur both in
society and even among some in the Church at the end of the age.
Does this sound familiar and up-to-date to you? Do you see this
being fulfilled even among those you know or love?
I want to encourage you to dig in your heels and refuse to budge
when it comes to the voice of the Bible in your life. The world is off track
and is going further off track all the time.
But you and I are to stick with God’s Word regardless of opposing
voices. If we’ll stay on track with truth, the Holy Spirit’s power will be
released like a river through us as we come closer to the conclusion of this
age!
This letter is a little different this month, but I pray it has
caused you to perk up and think. We are living at the end of the age.
The Holy Spirit did not write this to scare us, but to prepare and
give us information that will protect us.
That is why I wrote you this letter this month, and it is also
why I’ve written my new book HOW TO KEEP YOUR HEAD ON
STRAIGHT IN A WORLD GONE CRAZY.
How I pray that you get your hands on this book! I want you to
really read it and let its truths sink down deep in your heart so that your
thoughts remain clear and pure amidst this darkened end-times period.
But I plead with you again to lay your hands on your head and
heart to pray before you read a single page
of it! Also,
I am seriously asking you to join with me in prayer for God’s
Spirit to open the eyes of others who read it — that He will speak to
people’s hearts and wake them up, bringing them into the state of spiritual
sobriety that is required for them to navigate these last-days waters.
Please let us know how we can be praying for you too. We are
already praying for you, but when you let us know exactly how to pray, it
simply enables us to pray more effectively! Denise and I and our team are
waiting to hear from you.
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
OUR
VISION… Is to take the Gospel both to our nearby world and to the ends of
the earth, proclaiming Christ, and warning and teaching every man with all
wisdom, in order that we may present every person fully mature in Christ
Jesus. – Colossians 1:28
Rick and
Denise Renner
Rick and
Denise met while they were each on an individual quest to wholeheartedly follow
God’s plan for their lives. Rick was a college student, growing in his teaching
ministry. Denise was a talented vocalist. She chose not to pursue a course that
held the prospect of performing with the Metropolitan Opera so that she could
instead pursue a relationship with Rick and fulfill her heart’s desire to enter
full-time ministry.
Rick and
Denise’s friendship has led to a lifelong love and a powerful partnership in
building the Kingdom of God. After a decade of ministry, first as pastors and
then as itinerant ministers, Rick and Denise Renner embarked on an adventure of
a lifetime. In January 1991, the Renners and their sons — Paul (then 8), Philip
(then 6), and Joel (then 2) — left behind all they knew to relocate their
family to serve the region that only weeks earlier had become the former Soviet
Union.
Rick and
Denise remember kneeling together as a family and kissing the ground when they
arrived at the airport in Latvia on that cold January day. In that moment, they
all committed their lives to the will of God and to the people of their new
homeland. The following year, Rick moved forward to launch and establish the
first of its kind — and eventually the largest — Christian television network
in that region of the world.
Over the
years, Rick and Denise pioneered three churches, a Bible school, and a
ministerial association that serves thousands of Russian-speaking pastors
throughout the former USSR as well as parts of the Middle East. As Rick began
training and mentoring leaders in the early days, Denise also developed a
women’s ministry that is actively involved in changing the lives of women and
their families today. Specifically, they minister to the needs of orphans,
women prisoners, the homeless, and drug-and-alcohol addicts.
Rick,
Denise, and their children began as a small circle of five, willing to go
beyond their comfort zone to reach the uttermost parts of the world. Today that
circle includes their sons’ wives, eight grandchildren, and a large ministry
staff that helps the Renners extend their reach as they exalt Jesus Christ as
the Hope of all nations.
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