“….the Lord hath sent me to Jordan…” 2 Kings 2:6

J. R. Miller wrote, “God has something for us to do every day of our life, down to the last moment.

Elijah’s last day was a busy one. He was sent from place to place — to Bethel, to Jericho, to the Jordan.

In the same way, God reveals His plan to His children step by step as they go on.

Elijah was faithful also to the last moment, and went swiftly from task to task. It was to visit the schools of the prophets that he went to Bethel and Jericho. He wished to give his last counsels to these young students whom he had been training, and on whom the religious work of the people would depend.

Just so, we should continue at our work until we get to the end. In fact, when we know that the time is short, we should desire all the more earnestly that nothing may be left undone. Some Christians think that they can retire from active service when they get older, living leisurely for their own enjoyment. But the knowledge that we have but a little while to stay here on earth, should make us eager to do all we can in the world where so much needs to be done.”

Dear friend, we never know what day will be our last. Let us then be found in the pathway of duty, doing the Master’s business, rather than sitting by the wayside as though there is nothing to do. As Solomon said, “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.”(Ecc. 9:10). Someday we will come to the last day of our life on earth, may we be found faithfully discharging our duty when that day comes!

“He giveth power to the faint.” Isaiah 40:29

The Lord’s people often feel faint, being burdened with a body of sin and death, pursued and assaulted by Satan, tried and hindered by the world; but though faint they continue to pursue. Waiting on the Lord they renew their strength. The Lord has said, “I will strengthen thee.” Brother, remember the promise and faithfulness of thy God; yield not to fear, or you will surely faint. Believe because God is true. David says, “I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” Power is given in answer to prayer. Strength is proportioned to the day. The back is fitted for the burden. Our God will not lay upon us more than He will enable us to bear. He strengthens by His word, by His Spirit, and by His presence; expect Him to be and to do according to His word; this will honour Him, and He will strengthen you with might by His Spirit in the inner man. Go forth, however weak you may feel, assured that God will give you strength and courage; strength to do and suffer His will, and courage to face, fight and overcome every foe. (James Smith, 1840))

Whence do our mournful thoughts arise?
And where’s our courage fled?
Have restless sin, and raging hell.
Struck all our comforts dead?
Chase, chase thy gloomy fears away,
Strength shall be equal to thy day.

” Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot * be hid . Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.“Matt. 5:14-15

James Dobson told a story about a friend who was flying his single-engine plane toward a small rural airport.  When he arrived at the close of the day, the sun had already dropped behind the mountain.  By the time he had maneuvered into position to land, he couldn’t see the shadowy field below.  There was no one on duty at the airport, and there were no lights on the plane. 

The pilot circled the runway for another attempted landing, but the darkness had become even more impenetrable.  For two hours he flew around in the inky blackness, knowing full well that he faced certain death when his fuel tank emptied.

Then, as panic began to seize him, a wonderful thing happened.  Someone who lived near the airport had heard the continuous drone of a small plane engine and realized there was a problem.  That kind, merciful man raced to the airport and drove his car back and forth on the runway to indicate the direction of the airstrip. He then drove to the far end of the runway, positioned his lights, and turned them on high beam, to shine down the stretch of tarmac. 

The pilot landed safely.

Being caught ill-equipped in darkness can be disastrous. Darkness can be dreadful, dangerous, and deadly. Thankfully God has given us light in the person of Christ (2 Cor. 4:6), so, we need not walk in the darkness. As Stephen Davey said, “This Light that He gave us is Himself….Jesus tells His disciples that He is the Light of the World (John 8:12). In the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5, Jesus Christ tells His disciples that they are the light of the world. This is to say that Christ puts His Light in us.  This He does by giving us Himself.

Because God has given Himself to us, we in turn bear witness of God to others. What if the man who had illuminated the runway had decided to stay home?

The souls of the world hang in the balance, and without Jesus Christ, the Light of the World, they are destined to remain in the darkness—without God . . . without hope.

Grab your keys; start the engine; turn on the headlights—someone’s in trouble.  Don’t make him circle the field again!  Light up the runway . . . bring him in for a safe landing!

Pray that God will give you opportunity to share Christ with others.  Pray that you will have the courage to shine brightly.”

Even the youths shall faint and be weary…but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength – Isaiah 40:30-31

It’s hard to imagine a two-year-old getting tired. They seem to have endless energy and they only have two speeds: fast and faster. When you try to put them to bed, they deny all the way there that they are in need of even a nap. But the moment their head hits the pillow, they fall into a deep and much-needed slumber.

Even the youths shall faint and be weary. And certainly all the rest of us have constant reminders of our limitations. Try going a day without coffee, or a night without sleep, or on a run without water. We are every one of us in need of constant refreshment, because we are not self-contained or autonomous creatures.

What is true of us all physically is even more evident spiritually. No one walks this earth in self-supplied satisfaction. Although we do not always go to the right source, we are always looking for a spring of spiritual renewal somewhere, to which we can come and deeply drink and consistently return.

Those that wait on the Lord, who look to Him for refreshing or allow Him to restore their souls, find that His supply is never empty, His sufficiency never runs dry. Young or old, rich or poor, sick or healthy — God is able to supply our needs, not just for a moment, but over and over throughout our lives.

They that wait on the Lord will renew their strength. Are you waiting on His good purpose, on His good timing, on His good supply…or are you still running in circles, denying that you are even in need of rest or refreshment? Lay your head on the pillow of God’s grace and find the deep and much-needed renewal that only He will provide.(Baptist Bible Hour}

“Pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall”.–Prov. 16:18
Our lives are always just a heartbeat away from changing drastically and maybe forever. It might be caused by health problems–heart attack, stroke, etc.; or it might be caused by others, in 1001 different ways. However, the greatest threat comes from within. It’s what we are liable to do that troubles me the most. It troubled Paul also ( 1 Cor. 9:27), and I think it was his fear of falling that kept him from failing.

The quickest way to fall is to think you can’t. And there are many ways in which it can happen. Life on planet earth is difficult and dangerous. The world, the flesh, and the devil are all warring against us, every moment of every day. And it is a big mistake to think we are strong enough, smart enough, or spiritual enough that we won’t fall. The fact of the matter is that we are always on the ragged edge, the very verge, of falling.

Our whole life can change in a moment of time. One fit of anger, moment of unbridled lust, or foolish decision can ruin the rest of your life and do great harm to others. And it can happen so fast that you hardly know what happened! Because of this possibility we must be on guard at all times. We have to anticipate the problem and prepare for it. Self-defense teachers often talk about “situational awareness”, being ever aware of the possibility of danger. That is good advice in all areas of life. As 1 Peter 5:8 says, ” Be sober , be vigilant ; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about , seeking whom he may devour :”

One of the most important things we can do is to recognize our weakness and realize how dependent we are upon God. Trials and temptations can come out of nowhere and hit us like a whirlwind. On our own we don’t stand a chance. Our only hope is the security afforded by being in submission to Christ. Those on the road of rebellion have no protection.

We can’t control most things that happen to us or what others do, but we can control what we do. To stay safe we have to keep short accounts with God, by confessing our sins immediately, praying without ceasing, feeding on God’s Word, and staying in fellowship with the Lord’s church. For the child of God failing is inexcusable. Our heavenly Father has provided everything we need to live victoriously.