River Of Life Church & Pastor Gene Gregory Devotionals

06/09/2026

Tuesday, June 9 - Read for today: Ecclesiastes 2
Laughter and Joy
Ecclesiastes 2:1 I said to myself, “Go ahead, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good.” But it turned out to be futile.
In chapter 2 we are introduced to the record of what Solomon found in this search. We have an examination of the different ways humans have tried to find contentment, enjoyment, and delight in life. The first way, the one that is most popular today and always has been, is his examination of what philosophers call hedonism, the pursuit of pleasure. All of us instinctively feel that if we can just have fun, we will find happiness. That is what the Searcher examines first to see whether it is true.
He gives us details of what he experienced. First, Solomon tells himself, “Enjoy yourself,” so he went in for mirth, laughter, and pleasure. You can let your mind fill in the gaps here. Imagine how the palace must have rocked with laughter. Every night they had stand-up comics and lavish feasts, with wine flowing like water.
Solomon gives us the result of the search. “Laughter,” he said to himself, “is foolish.” I wonder if each of us has not experienced this to some degree. Have you ever spent time with a group of your friends, giving yourself to laughing, having fun, and telling stories? If you think carefully about it, you will recall that at least parts of the stories were based on exaggeration; they did not have much basis in reality.
It is the same with laughter. Laughter deals only with the outlying parts of life. There is no solid content to it. “Like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of fools” (Ecclesiastes 7:6). Laughter is only a crackling noise. It leaves one with a sense of unfulfillment. I have had such afternoons and evenings that were delightful occasions. We laughed all the time as we rehashed experiences and told jokes, but when all was said and done, we went to bed feeling rather empty. That was Solomon's experience. He is not saying that this is wrong. He says that laughter is empty, it does not fulfill or satisfy.
Of pleasure, Solomon's comment is, “What use is it? What does it contribute to life?” “Nothing,” is his answer. Pleasure consumes resources; it does not build them up. Most of us cannot afford a night out more than once or twice a year because it costs so much. Going out uses up resources that have been acquired through hard work. Pleasure, Solomon concludes, adds nothing.
Solomon says there were some positive things. First, he gained a degree of notoriety. He became great, surpassing all who went before him in Jerusalem. Many people think that fame will satisfy the emptiness of the heart. Solomon found fame. “I enjoyed it for a while,” he says. “I found pleasure in all my toil, but that was all the reward I got for my labor—momentary enjoyment. Each time I repeated it, I got a little less enjoyment out of it.”
“My conclusion,” Solomon says, “is that it was not worth it. Like a candle, it all burned away, leaving me jaded and surfeited. Nothing could excite me after that.” He concludes that it was all emptiness, a striving after wind. He was burned out.

Questions for thought:
1. Do you believe the Lord has given us laughter and mirth? For what purpose?
2. Is laughter good?
3. When might laughter be a bad thing?
For further study:
1. Read Proverbs 17:22. Do you agree? How does one get one of these?

This devotion was written by ROL founding Pastor Gene Gregory 3/1/2016

06/08/2026

Monday, June 8 - Read for today: Ecclesiastes 1

Things that don’t work
Ecclesiastes is one of the favorite books of the Bible for skeptics, scoffers, atheists, and certain cultists. Certain passages in this book seem to deny that there is life after death. Atheists love to contend that the book of Ecclesiastes seems to confirm that view, and that is why they frequently quote from it. Hedonists love this book too, because it seemingly endorses a rather sensual and fleshly lifestyle. Those who pursue pleasure as the chief aim of life love the book because throughout it we are frequently exhorted to an "Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we must die" philosophy. Then there are passages in this book that are the favorite texts of those who declare that even if we survive beyond this life, we enter a period of quietness, a time when we have no knowledge or desires.
But all of these groups fail to note what we must observe right from the beginning: this book is an examination of secular wisdom and knowledge. The book clearly states at the outset that it is limiting itself to that which is apparent to the natural mind. One of the key phrases of the book is the continual repetition of the words "under the sun." "What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 1:3)? That is the limitation put upon this book.
Ecclesiastes is the findings of what humans are able to discern "under the sun," by which the writer means the visible world. The book does not take into consideration revelation that comes from beyond human powers of observation and reason. It is an inspired, accurate book. It guarantees that what it reports is what people actually believe. But it is an examination of those beliefs. The book is not merely a collection of ancient philosophy, for what it talks about is very much up-to-date and extremely relevant. Here is what you will hear propounded in the popular media, political speeches, and in the radical or conservative movements of our day. Here is what you will hear in the halls of academia or on the streets of any city. In this book the philosophies by which people attempt to live life are brought into consideration and examined. That is why Ecclesiastes is so practical and up-to-date.

Questions for thought:
1. Have you read Ecclesiastes before?
2. Do you find the book encouraging or discouraging? Do you sense a progression in the development of the book and in the perspective of the writer?
3. After all of his study, what conclusion does the writer come to?

For further study:
1. Read Psalm 144:4; 39:5-6. How do these compare to verse 2? What is the writer’s point to these verses?
This devotion was written by ROL founding Pastor Gene Gregory 2/29/2016

06/07/2026

06/05/2026

Friday, June 5 - Read for today: Proverbs 29
Stick to it
Winston Churchill said, “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm. It is so hard to keep a positive attitude in the midst of failure. None of us like to fail. We are judged based upon our performance. We are applauded when we win. We are paid when we are successful in our jobs.”
How do you view success and failure? Is it based on money? Gold medals? Status? Power?
- Proverbs 29:18 reads, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.”
God knows the importance of goals. He knows that as human beings we need to have plans and desires to strive to be better people. Sometimes though, it is our failures that make us the people God wants us to be. How we handle failure is more important to God; in fact, how we handle failure may be our success.
Thomas Edison, the inventor of the light bulb, and an incredibly intelligent man stated, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” We need to understand sometimes when our plans do not work out the way we wanted, it brings us closer to where God wants us. For years, growing up, I dreamed of being in the military. I planned on being the first 5-star general in the Marine Corps. It’s what I dreamed and prepared for.
In 12th grade, I had a friend, an army recruiter, take me to Jacksonville for a military physical. I failed they would not let me in due to heart issues. On to plan two (which, at the time, was NOT, becoming a minister).
All of us have expectations and when those are not met we feel weary and disappointed. But God tells us in Galatians 6:9, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
If we do not give up… the key to success…the answer… Nelson Mandela said, “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling but in rising every time we fall.”
Do not give up. See what the world deems as failure as your step up to what God has for you next. Rely on Him when you feel weary and know that He will deliver in His time.
Questions for thought:
1. Have you ever been disappointed on a serious level? How did you respond?
2. What does perseverance mean to you?
3. How does one become motivated to “stick to it”?
For further study:
1. What does Psalm 27:14 encourage one to do?
2. Read Romans 12:12. How does one go about doing this?
3. Read 1 Thessalonians 1:3. How might we help others endure and persevere?

This devotion was written by ROL founding Pastor Gene Gregory 2/26/2016

06/04/2026

Thursday, June 4 - Read for today: Proverbs 28
Christianity in elections
Is there a proverb more appropriate to the elections we are facing today? Let me point out a few requirements of a leader listed in this proverb.
1. verse 2, with a discerning and knowledgeable person, a land endures.
2. verse 3, a person who oppresses the poor is like a driving rain who leaves no food. Let me ask you, what does it mean to oppress the poor? There are many ways you can oppress someone. I believe teaching someone to have to depend on others for a living and support is oppression. Where is the sense of pride that comes in supporting oneself?
3. verse 4. Look at those who reject the law and praise the wicked. My goodness. Jesus was known as a friend of sinners, but He did not embrace nor condone the sin. He knows that stuff destroys lives and causes a separation between people and God.
4. verse 5, let me ask you, “Is it justice for people attempting to point out what Planned Parenthood is doing, i.e., dissecting and selling babies’ body parts, to be charged with a crime, while those actually breaking federal law by doing so, are not? Is it justice for people who refuse to associate with immoral marriages, to be fined and to lose their livelihood when there are many other farms and bakeries willing to do that stuff?
5. verse 6. Integrity, “Steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code”.
6. verse 7, keeping the law appears important to the Lord.
7. verse 9, praying God-pleasing prayers appears to have something to do with keeping the law, instead to ignoring it.
8. verse 12 - Righteousness, “the quality of being morally right or justifiable”. Being morally right is important in a leader.
9. verse 13 - confession brings mercy, while concealing them does not. How many of those currently running will admit they have done wrong, and how many do not recall or deny?
What a different place, country, atmosphere there would be today if more people sought what the Lord wanted and sought His will and used His standards when deciding who to choose as leaders, instead of making prayers decisions themselves.
Questions for thought:
1. Have you thought much about those running for office?
2. Who are you supporting? Why? Have you judged them biblically?
3. Have you prayed about current candidates as much as you talked about them? Which do you think brings a greater impact/result?
For further study:
1. Read Psalm 133:1 How might this verse apply today? Do you believe Christians ought to think of it more?
2. Read Titus 1:7-8. How does this passage describe a good leader? How does your candidate stack up?

PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR NATION
This devotion was written by ROL founding Pastor Gene Gregory 2/25/2016

06/03/2026

Wednesday, June 3 - Read for today: Proverbs 26
Types of people
I have always said that if I could spend twenty minutes with a person and their friends, I can pretty much tell you everything about them. It really doesn’t take long for a perceptive person to figure others out. If you will watch, you can tell what people are like by their attitude and relationships with others.
When I get around a group of people, I watch them. You can quickly tell that some people are apathetic and lazy, while others are motivated and involved. You can tell that some are deceptive and sneaky, while others are honest and genuine. A conversation or two will disclose if a person is a busybody and a talebearer. It doesn’t take long to figure out if a person is filled with hate and anger or is gentle and loving.
Solomon was pretty perceptive as well. I imagine him writing this Proverb while sitting in the youth room of a local church (remember that Proverbs was written primarily to young men). A couple hundred teenagers are hanging around, and Solomon is sitting back and watching them interact with each other. In one corner, he sees a group of girls who are huddled, and laughing, and then they all give an evil look towards a couple girls on the other side of the room. He then looks on another side and sees a group of kids in grunge clothes, and it’s obvious they don’t want anything to do with what is going on at the church. The youth minister tries to talk to them, but they blow him off. On the other side is a group of guys, sitting in a circle with the “ladies man” telling stories of his conquests of girls in that group.
As Solomon watched something like this, he may have begun to write this Proverb. He began to list types of people that will bring ruin to a peer group. The categories of people listed in this Proverb don’t only exist in youth culture, or in ancient times. They are everywhere we look.
First, Solomon warns us about the fool. Verses 1-12 give characteristics of a fool. A fool is a person who refuses to hear from God. They are wise in their own eyes but reject God. Solomon also tells of the lazy man (v.12-16), the meddler (v. 17), the joker (v. 18-19), the talebearer or gossip (v. 20-22), the hateful (v. 23-26), the vengeful (v. 27) and the liar (v.28). Read through this Proverb again and pay close attention to the characteristics of these people. Do you know people like these? Are you a person like these?
Truth be told, we all have the capability to be any of these types of people. This Proverb is a good reminder that we need to allow God to transform our character every day. But we also need to realize that we will tend to drift toward the values of our closest friends. This Proverb is not only a warning not to be these people, it is also a call for us to be very careful with the people we allow to shape our lives and speak into our purpose.
Questions for thought:
1. Do you remember those days as a youth? How would you describe yourself?
2. This passage has a lot to say about fools. How would you describe a fool?

For further study:
1. How does Proverbs 18:2 describe a fool? How about 29:11?
2. How might Proverbs 14:15 apply to the elections this year?

This devotion was written by ROL founding Pastor Gene Gregory 2/24/2016

06/02/2026

Tuesday, June 2 - Read for today: Proverbs 27

God’s Warnings and Instructions

Proverbs 27 is full of information for living in any age. That is why God’s word is timeless. Many warnings and instructions are given here and we will look at a few. I think it is not by any accident that that a warning against pride is given first. It is a part of the old nature to blow its own horn but that is always a sour note to everyone and especially to God. Only God should be exalted and not ourselves before Him. To do so would be following after Satan’s plan to become a god unto ourselves. We can praise others in their endeavors in God’s service but never ourselves and when praising others be sure that God is the one who receives the glory. A warning is given in verse 6 to beware of deceitfulness of the enemy with all their false ways and promises but the wounds of a true friend are faithful. A true friend will confront you about a problem they see that will hurt us regardless of what pain that may bring. A gentle approach is necessary but the warning needs to be revealed. Verse 12 speaks of distancing ourselves from evil or paying the consequences for our wrong actions. Staying close to God’s Word is a must to remain pure in our service to Him. We are accepted in the Beloved but we can surly grieve the Holy Spirit by our decisions. I believe that verse 18 speaks of personal responsibility for what God has placed before us. If we are faithful stewards, we will enjoy the fruit of our labors for our Lord and if we honor the leadership over us that God has place we will honor our God. Verse 23 tells us to be aware of what is in our hands and know that present blessing may not be there tomorrow so be prepared for changes. However, our Lord does not forsake us as His children and we need to be confident in His love and provisions. These Proverbs are so practical for our daily lives because God has given to us. Let us follow these instructions for a richer fuller life in serving our Lord.

Thoughts to Consider:
Matthew 13:54-Jesus displayed His wisdom and powers before amazed people but we can also see Him as we read the Word of God. Is He real to you?
Isaiah 11:1-4—Consider the wisdom and understanding of our Lord here who would be coming yet already existed!

For further study:
Romans 11:33—Think for the vastness of God’s wisdom and power and how we must accept by faith things we cannot fully understand.
James 3:17—Consider here these 8 descriptions of God’s wisdom. Think of how they can be seen in the Bible.

This devotion was written by Pastor Don Adams 2/23/2016

06/01/2026

Monday, June 1 - Read for today: Proverbs 25
Discipline
Verse 28 of this passage says, “A man who does not control his temper
is like a city whose wall is broken down.”
In ancient days one of the most important daily jobs was to inspect the city walls and make repairs of any spot that showed any sign of weakness. If the walls were to fail anyone who wanted to do harm or steal could come into the city. There are no defenses left.
It is important for us to inspect the walls of our self-control daily as well. If our walls are weak or broken then the temptations that were held at bay could over-run us.
Self-control is being able to exercise a governing influence of your own emotions, desires, and actions. Our self-control is either strengthened or weakened by our emotions and desires. It is strengthened when our desire to lose weight is greater than our desire to eat what we know is not healthy. It is weakened when we allow our emotions to overthrow our ability to think through and use reason to address the situation.
Self-control is a flexing of the mental muscle; the brain. We need to begin the daily inspection on the inside of the walls of our fortress. We strengthen our walls by keeping our emotions in check, and be happy, because we know that depression, sadness, loneliness, and feeling sorry for ourselves leads to a loss of self-control. We also strengthen our wall by remembering our past successes and how we accomplished them, and how the Lord gave us the ability to overcome temptations and defeats. We can also strengthen our walls with anchors. Mentally rehearsing a given situation of weakness to find alternative solutions, or to find ways to avoid the situations which cause us to fall can also strengthen the wall.
We also have to inspect the outside of the wall. We also need to make sure the environment is one that promotes self-control by keeping temptations out of path. Meeting together with others can help strengthen our walls of resistance too. Eating healthy, filling foods when we are hungry instead of skipping meals can help us control ourselves from weak moments. Spend time reading our Bibles and starting our day that way and in prayer, can help us avoid temptations during the day as well.
Don’t forget. A person with no self-control is like a city with broken down walls. Fortify your walls daily!
Questions for thought:
1. Are you a disciplined person?
2. How do you measure your level of discipline and self-control?
3. How can one increase their discipline or self-control?
For further study:
1. Read 1 Corinthians 9:24-27. What does this passage say about discipline?

This devotion was written by ROL founding Pastor Gene Gregory 2/22/2016

05/29/2026

Friday, May 29 - Read for today: Psalm 147

God is the God for me
In A Godward Life, author and pastor John Piper offers these thoughts: “Human strength can never impress an omnipotent God, and human bigness can never impress a God of infinite greatness…”
Psalm 147 is a thrilling statement of hope for people who enjoy God being God: “He determines the number of the stars, he gives to all of them their names” (verse 4 ESV). Now this is more than we can absorb! “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it” (Psalm 139:6 ESV).
The earth, where we live, is a small planet revolving around a star called the sun which has a volume 1.3 times that of the earth. There are stars a million times brighter than the sun. There are about a hundred billion stars in our galaxy, the Milky Way, which is one hundred thousand light years across…. the sun travels about 155 miles per second, and so it would take two hundred million years to make a single revolution on its orbit in the Milky Way….
The good news for those who enjoy God being God is that He enjoys them. He delights in those who hope in His immeasurable power. It is therefore no literary coincidence that the verses on either side of God’s greatness in Psalm 147:4-5 show Him caring for the weak (verses 3 and 6). He loves to be God for the weak and childlike, who look to Him for all they need.

Questions for thought:
1. Do you often think of your need for God?
2. Do you often think of how much He thinks of you?

For further study:
1. Read Psalm 34:18. Who, does this verse say the Lord is near?
2. Read Luke 4:18. Who did Jesus come to minister to?

This devotion was written by ROL founding Pastor Gene Gregory 2/12/2016