River of Life Yoakum

09/04/2026

START YOUR DAY RIGHT
‘Abraham…stood before the Lord.’
Genesis 19:27 NKJV
Abraham was known as ‘the Friend of God’ (James 2:23 KJV). What an honor! But the secret of his greatness is easy to overlook: ‘Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord.’ He started his day with God. Do you? The way you get up in the morning sets the tone for your day. So try this: first thing tomorrow, get alone with God for a few minutes and go over your plans for the day. As you’re going over them, you will have some concerns. Just hand them over to Him. Maybe you will notice a particular problem you’re worried about. Ask Him for wisdom. The Bible says He will give it to you gladly (see James 1:5). If He doesn’t give you an immediate answer, realize it’s because He wants you to trust Him. He has something in mind, something that you haven’t thought of yet. So many of us start our day anxious, hurried, fearful, or rushed. But you don’t have to. You’re going to start your day anyway; why not start it with God? You’re going to have a first thought anyhow, so why not let it belong to God before whom all our anxieties flee? When you’re having a bad day, pause and ask yourself, ‘Did I start this day with God, or did I forget to include Him?’ Here are two Scriptures you need to consider: ‘In the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly’ (Psalm 5:3 NIV). ‘Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days’ (Psalm 90:14 NIV). Keep Pressing On!

09/03/2026

KNOWING WHAT GOD'S CALLED YOU TO DO
‘Who are you?’
John 1:22 NKJV
When asked, ‘Who are you?’ John the Baptist replied, ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the Lord”’ (v. 23 NKJV). After listening to John for a while, his disciples left him to follow Christ. And that was okay with John, because he knew what he was called to do. Do you? You can only go on for so long ‘trying things.’ At some point you’ve got to discover what God’s called you to do and give yourself fully to it. Apparently Paul wasn’t a particularly great speaker: ‘I came to you in weakness – timid and trembling. And my message and my preaching were very plain’ (1 Corinthians 2:3-4 NLT). But what Paul lacked as a speaker, he more than compensated for as a writer. He wrote the inspired word that enabled others to preach! Something so powerful was released through Paul’s writings that even when they threw him in jail he didn’t ask for a lawyer or a gourmet meal because he was tired of prison food. No, he wanted paper so that he could keep writing. In fact, Paul wrote all the way to the end of his life. And because he did, lives are still being changed today. What a legacy! And all because one man discovered his calling and devoted himself to it. So the question is: Have you discovered your calling and devoted yourself to it? George Bernard Shaw wrote: ‘Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I get to hold for a moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before turning it over to future generations.’ Press On!

09/02/2026

GOD WILL BACK YOU UP!
‘Whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.’
Matthew 18:18 NIV
God told Joshua, ‘Stretch out the spear that is in your hand toward Ai, for I will give it into your hand’ (Joshua 8:18 NKJV). It’s amazing how courageous you feel when God is backing you up. When you know He is on your side, you can say, ‘No weapon that is formed against me will prevail’ (see Isaiah 54:17). But overconfidence is self-confidence that’s not based on God-confidence. Our problem is, we plan, say, and do things without first checking to find out if God is behind us. Do you remember what the evil spirit said to those trying to mimic Paul’s ministry when they weren’t empowered by God’s Spirit? ‘Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?’ (Acts 19:15 NKJV). When you’re under attack, you need to know that 1) you’re in right standing with God (see 2 Corinthians 5:19), 2) it’s God’s fight as well as yours (see 2 Chronicles 20:15), and 3) ‘whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven’ (Matthew 18:18 NIV). There must be agreement in both realms. If it’s not approved where God is, it shouldn’t be approved where you are. Your confidence comes from knowing you’re operating in His will. The Bible calls us ‘laborers together with God’ (1 Corinthians 3:9 KJV), so you can’t go off and do your own thing. Don’t try moving any mountain the Lord doesn’t want moved or raising anybody from the dead except the Lazarus He calls forth. We do on earth only what He has declared to be His will in heaven. And He backs us up! Press On!

09/01/2026

DON'T BE DISMISSIVE
‘By pride comes nothing but strife, but with the well-advised is wisdom.’
Proverbs 13:10 NKJV
Why do we dismiss input that could help us? Sometimes it’s to protect our ego against a painful truth. When we have an entrenched opinion, we adopt a dismissive approach towards the thinking of others. And not only do we hurt them, we hurt ourselves. ‘Better a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who will be admonished no more’ (Ecclesiastes 4:13 NKJV). Yes, you have areas of expertise. But you also have areas where you need advice. The day you decide to stop listening is the day you decide to stop growing. Thomas Carlyle said, ‘Every man is my superior in that I can learn from him.’ ’Even if what you learn is negative or a lesson in what not to do, it’s still valuable information that can protect and enrich you. Dr John Maxwell says: ‘What is the one thing – more than any other – that will determine the growth of an organization? The growth of the people in the organization. And what determines the people’s growth? The growth of the leader! As long as people are following you, they will be able to go only as far as you go. If you’re not growing, they won’t be growing – either that, or they will go somewhere else where they can grow.’ The story is told of an old farmer who entered his mule in the Kentucky Derby. ‘Your mule has no chance of winning against all those thoroughbreds,’ a race official told him. ‘I know,’ he replied, ‘but I thought the associations would do him some good.’ To grow, you need the right associations and the right input. Press On!

08/31/2026

BUILD YOUR LIFE ON GOD'S WORD
‘The LORD has not chosen any of these.’
1 Samuel 16:10 NLT
David had seven brothers. When it came time to pick a king to replace Saul, Samuel thought any one of them would make a better king than David. But God rejected all seven. Why? Because: 1) They had the looks but not the spiritual core. God explained to Samuel, ‘People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart’ (v. 7 NLT). David’s spiritual core was formed by years spent with God. His heart’s cry was, ‘As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God’ (Psalm 42:1 NKJV). 2) They had no personal experiences with God to fall back on. The lion and the bear were big, and Goliath was bigger yet. But David wasn’t intimidated. ‘The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine’ (1 Samuel 17:37 NKJV). There are no insignificant battles. The little ones equip you for the big ones that shape your destiny, so stand on your ‘God experiences’. How you respond in a crisis is determined by the experiences you have had with God. 3) They were easily influenced by others. David’s brothers allowed the fears of those around them to erode their faith. Fear is contagious; if you listen to it long enough, you will get infected. No, you shouldn’t be isolated from the world, but you must be insulated against its negative influences. Listening to Goliath frightened David’s brothers, but it didn’t frighten David. So who are you listening to today? Get God’s opinion and build your life upon it; allow His Word to settle every issue. Press On!

08/30/2026

08/30/2026

BIBLE READING; THE KEY TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH (2)
‘Continue following the teachings you learned.’
2 Timothy 3:14 NCV
Don’t chart your life’s course according to the opinions of people or popular culture. If you do, you’ll make the mistake that a farmer’s son made. The father sent the boy to prepare a field, reminding him to till straight lines. ‘Select an object on the far side of the field and plough straight at it.’ Later, when the father checked on the boy’s progress, there wasn’t a straight furrow to be found. ‘I thought I told you to select an object and plough towards it,’ the dad said. ‘I did,’ the boy answered, ‘but the rabbit kept hopping.’ A straight line requires an unmoving target, so set your sights on the unchanging principles of God’s Word. Let it be the authoritative Word in your world. This decision rubs up against the skin of our culture. We prefer the authority of the voting booth, the pollster, or whatever feels good. Such resistance is not novel to us. When Paul wrote a letter to Timothy he listed nineteen characteristics of people, each of which was a fruit of rebellion (see 2 Timothy 3:1-5). Then he wrote: ‘Continue following the teachings you learned. You know they are true, because you trust those who taught you. Since you were a child, you have known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise. And that wisdom leads to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for showing people what is wrong in their lives, for correcting faults, and for teaching how to live right’ (2 Timothy 3:14-16 NCV). So soak yourself in the Scriptures! Press On!

08/29/2026

BIBLE READING; THE KEY TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH (1)
‘This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth.’
Joshua 1:8 NKJV
God gave Joshua a big job: conquer the Promised Land and divide it up among the twelve tribes of Israel. He also gave him the key to success: ‘This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.’ God didn’t command Joshua to seek a spiritual experience or a personal revelation. He told him to meditate on the Scriptures. Greg Hawkins and Cally Parkinson wrote a book called Move. They wanted to find the key factors for spiritual growth, so they surveyed the congregations of one thousand churches. Here’s what they found: ‘Nothing has a greater impact on spiritual growth than reflection on Scripture. If churches could only do one thing to help people at all levels of spiritual maturity grow in their relationship with Christ, their choice is clear. They would inspire, encourage, and equip their people to read the Bible.’ You don’t grow in Christ simply because you’re busy in church; it happens automatically when you read and trust God’s Word. So engage with your Bible. Meditate on it day and night. Think and rethink on it. Let it be your guide. Make it your go-to book for questions. Let it be the ultimate authority in your life. Peter puts it this way: ‘As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby’ (1 Peter 2:2 NKJV). Press On!

08/27/2026

MAKE PRAYER YOUR FIRST PRIORITY
‘Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.’
John 16:24 NKJV
Prayer should be your highest priority. Why? Because when you fail to pray, you set yourself up to fail. You’re saying in essence, ‘I don’t need God’s help or input.’ God comes by invitation. Prayer opens the door and welcomes Him into your situation. Jesus said, ‘Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.’ An unknown poet wrote: ‘I got up early one morning and rushed right into the day. I had so much to accomplish that I didn’t have time to pray. Problems just tumbled about me, and heavier came each task. “Why doesn’t God help me?” I wondered. He answered, “You didn’t ask.” I wanted to see joy and beauty, but the day toiled on, grey and bleak. I wondered why God didn’t show me. He said, “But you didn’t seek.” I tried to come into God’s presence; I used all my keys at the lock. God gently and lovingly chided, “My child, you didn’t knock.” I woke up early this morning and paused before entering the day. I had so much to accomplish that I had to take time to pray!’ The psalmist said, ‘O God…early will I seek thee’ (Psalm 63:1 KJV). The first voice he wanted to hear in the morning was God’s. The first conversation he wanted to have – was with the Lord. Before others made demands on his time and energy, he wanted to know God’s will. Has your prayer life been hit-and-miss? Rearrange things and make it your first priority each day. If you do, you’ll begin to thrive spiritually. Press On!