Dan Bolin's Blog, page 11

Better Than Ever

Nº 276

Though God created the world, like us it has suffered the destructive causes of the Fall. As He cares about the restoration of mankind, so He is glorified when His orderliness, beauty and symmetry are restored to the world.- John Hannah

While at a Christian camp in Bolivia I spoke in a large, sturdy, comfortable meeting room that held 150 guests with room to spare. A few years ago, a wild wind ripped through the camp and rain poured down. The roots of a very large tree gave way; it fell shattering the meeting room’s roof, crushing the walls, and slicing the building in two.

As word of the disaster spread, God moved in people’s hearts. Friends gave money, donated time and expertise, and rallied support for a new and improved building. Even the lumber from the fallen tree was used in the reconstruction. Soon a new, expanded, and improved meeting room was established – better than ever.

God is in the business of retooling our disasters into things of greater usefulness and beauty. He can use the pain in our lives to make us better – if we let him.

Isaiah looked forward to a day when God will make a great exchange. Someday God will make all things right and we will have “...a crown of beauty instead of ashes, oil for gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.” (Isaiah 61:3b)

Excelsior,

Dan Bolin

Author & President

Refueling in Flight Ministries, Inc

One Voice

Nº 275

Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow. So one hundred worshipers [meeting] together, each one looking to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be, were they to become ‘unity’ conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship. - A.W. Tozer

I spent last week in Bolivia speaking to more than 150 leaders of Bolivian Christian camps. I love visiting new countries, learning from vibrant cultures, and engaging with fascinating friends old and new.

Being monolingual, I recognized the melodies of many of the group’s worship songs but not the words. I sang the lyrics in English while my Bolivian friends sang in Spanish. It was delightful to blend voices and worship together.

The Apostle John glimpsed heaven and reported an immense, diverse yet unified crowd, dressed in white robes and waving palm branches. The throng crowded around the throne of God. The white robes signified the purity provided by God alone. The palm branches indicated the joy that swelled throughout the celestial crowd.

And then the music began. I don’t know what language(s) reverberated throughout heaven, but John records, “They cried out in a loud voice: Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:10)

The unity enjoyed this week in Bolivia and realized someday in heaven is grounded in the theme of the lyrics: Salvation belongs to our God. That truth is the foundation for our hope for today and our joy for eternity.

Excelsior,

Dan Bolin

Author & President

Refueling in Flight Ministries, Inc

Hold Me, Hold Me, Hold Me

HOLD ME, HOLD ME, HOLD ME

Nº 274

This devotion will be a little longer than my normal 200-word limit. But in honor of my daughter Catie, who died on this date in 1990, I offer this story once again.

Catie shared a detailed account of her morning as the two of us drove to town. As a three-year-old, she enjoyed attending a children’s class while Cay attended her weekly Bible study. “We learned a new song,” she said. “Sing it for me,” I replied. And so began a delightful, amusing, and profound conversation.

Without hesitation she belted out the refrain, “Hold me, hold me, hold me. Lord God almighty.”

“Wait – that should be holy, holy, holy,” I said.

“No Daddy, it’s hold me, hold me, hold me. Lord God almighty.”

Over the next few miles, I learned a powerful lesson: You never win an argument with a three-year-old.

For the better part of four decades, I have thought a great deal about the profound truth within her confused lyrics. Tears still well up whenever that majestic hymn is sung in my presence. And I often sing the alternate words not only to remember Catie, but also because they are true.

Yes, our God is a God who is holy, holy, holy. The angels Isaiah saw swirling throughout the throne room of heaven continually proclaim God’s holiness.

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory. (Isaiah 6:1-3)

But our God is also a God who was willing to come to earth, reach out, and hold me, hold me, hold me. Jesus, the visible manifestation of the invisible God, is the one of whom Mark writes, “And He took the children in His arms, put His hands on them and blessed them.” (Mark 10:16)

Paul reminds us, “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.“ (Colossians 2:9)

Catie saw what I often miss. The God who is holy, holy, holy and who sits enthroned with all power and glory is the same God who loves me and wants to hold me, hold me, hold me.

We err when we revere God as holy, holy, holy and forget that He wants to hold me, hold me, hold me. And we err when we relate to God enjoying His desire to hold me, hold me, hold me, and disregard the truth that He is holy, holy, holy.

Aligning God’s holiness with His love is challenging. Maybe we overthink it. Maybe it is clear, only in the eyes of a three-year-old.

We sang Holy, Holy, Holy at Catie’s funeral. Someday, I plan to have it sung at mine.

This is an excerpt from my upcoming book, October Storm. It is scheduled to be released in 2024 and details many of the lessons Cay and I learned – and are still learning – from Catie’s life and death.

Excelsior,

Dan Bolin

Author & President

Refueling in Flight Ministries, Inc

If you think you can walk in holiness without keeping up perpetual fellowship with Christ, you have made a great mistake. If you would be holy, you must live close to Jesus. - Charles Spurgeon

Vital Recall

Nº 273

weekly devotions to refresh your soul by Dr. Dan Bolin - OCTOBER 24, 2023

Why believe the devil instead of believing God? Rise up and realize the truth about yourself – that all the past has gone, and you are one with Christ, and all your sins have been blotted out once and for ever. O let us remember that it is sin to doubt God’s Word. It is sin to allow the past, which God has dealt with, to rob us of our joy and our usefulness in the present and in the future. - Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Many of us easily forget important facts: Where did I park the car? What time is dinner? Yet we cannot forget our painful mistakes: Why did I do that? What was I thinking?

Saint Peter occasionally forgot who Jesus was along with his calling to follow Jesus. Those memory lapses created awkward, painful, and unforgettable situations. Peter’s misspoken words, brash deeds, and cowardly actions littered the halls of his memory storehouse. Our memory depots are cluttered as well.

Peter didn’t focus on his mistakes for long. He reminded himself – and us – of what is critical to remember. After establishing seven core qualities of a worthy life: virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love, he said, “I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you have. I think it is right to refresh your memory.” (2 Peter 1:12-13a)

We tend to forget the wrong things. We need to follow Peter’s strategy and recall the truth we already know but easily forget. Refresh your memory of who God is and what He wants from our lives. Remember not to forget virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love.

Excelsior,

Dan Bolin

Author & President

Refueling in Flight Ministries, Inc

Running

Nº 272

weekly devotions to refresh your soul by Dr. Dan Bolin - OCTOBER 17, 2023

Wherever you go, God is with you - watching over you, protecting you, and providing the truth you need for every situation. The question is, will you open your heart to His Word, apply it to your life, and allow God to change you so that He can use you in ways far greater than you can imagine? - Charles Stanley

God’s command to Jonah could not have been clearer: “Go to the great city of Ninevah and preach against it.” (Jonah 1:2)

Many have speculated as to why but for whatever reason, Jonah headed in the opposite direction from Ninevah. He tried to run away from God. He headed to the coast, boarded a ship, sailed west, encountered a massive storm, was tossed overboard, and swallowed by a giant fish. Three days later he was spit up on the beach. There God repeated His command.

One lesson we can learn from Jonah’s actions is that we can run from God, but we cannot run away from God. Wherever we go, He will be right behind us.

We can run away from God’s commands, our commitments, and the community that loves us, but we can never get any distance between us and God. He loves us enough to follow us in our wanderings and desertions.

Jesus calls us to follow Him. But when we don’t, He follows us. Not to catch us doing something wrong, but to be ready to give us a hug when we turn around. Walk closely to God but when you don’t, remember, He always walks closely behind you.

Excelsior,

Dan Bolin

Author & President

Refueling in Flight Ministries, Inc

Damaged Goods

Nº 271

weekly devotions to refresh your soul by Dr. Dan Bolin - OCTOBER 10, 2023

Christ is building His kingdom with earth's broken things. Men want only the strong, the successful, the victorious, the unbroken, in building their kingdoms; but God is the God of the unsuccessful, of those who have failed. Heaven is filling with earth's broken lives, and there is no bruised reed that Christ cannot take and restore to glorious blessedness and beauty. He can take the life crushed by pain or sorrow and make it into a harp whose music shall be all praise. He can lift earth's saddest failure up to heaven's glory. - J.R. Miller

The shopping cart was filled with dented cans, unwrapped packages, mislabeled jars, and broken toys. The grocery store’s sign read: Damaged Goods.

As I walked past, I thought, that’s us. We are all damaged goods.

Two truths influence our lives. First, God created us in His image, and we carry the grandeur and wonder of His likeness. We are ‘goods.’ Second, we are damaged. The goodness God designed has been marred by sin – ours and others. We live in the tension of bearing God’s glorious image while at the same time being scared by sins destructive forces. We are damaged goods.

But all is not lost; our God is the God of second chances. He wants to remake us into something new and improved for His purpose and glory. Paul knew both the damage of sin and the good of God’s image. He reminded the Philippians, “...he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.” (Philippians 1:6)

We are a work in progress. The devastation of sin leaves us in need of restoration, but thankfully, God is committed to our renewal. David reminded himself and us of God’s loyal love for us: “He restores my soul.” (Psalm 23:3)

Excelsior,

Dan Bolin

Author & President

Refueling in Flight Ministries, Inc

Peace for Your Pastor

Nº 270

weekly devotions to refresh your soul by Dr. Dan Bolin - OCTOBER 3, 2023

There is but one God, and they that serve him should be one. There is nothing that would render the true religion more lovely, or make more proselytes to it, than to see the professors of it tied together with the heartstrings of love. If God be one, let all that profess him be of one mind, and one heart, and thus fulfill Christ's prayer, "that they all may be one." - Thomas Watson

October is Pastor Appreciation Month! Whoever sets the calendar designated October to honor those who serve as pastors of our local churches.

Paul doesn’t focus on a special month, but he does provide some powerful insights. He asks his readers to, “Respect those who labor among you and who are over you in the Lord, and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work.” (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13)

What does it look like to honor our pastors and appreciate their ministries? Do we bake them cookies? Give them a gift card to a nice restaurant? Write them an encouraging card? Send them on a trip? Provide a bonus? Those are all great ideas, and we should look for tangible ways to express our appreciation to them.

But Paul gives a profound answer in the next sentence. “Be at peace among yourselves.” (1 Thessalonians 5:13b)

If we truly want to honor those who lead our churches, we should get along with one other. Unity in the body would free many hours each week, remove emotional strain, and allow pastors to focus on other significant ministry opportunities.

This month – and beyond – honor your pastor and be at peace among yourselves.

Dan Bolin

Author & President

Refueling in Flight Ministries, Inc

Resume Building

Nº 269

weekly devotions to refresh your soul by Dr. Dan Bolin - September 26, 2023

How glorious that, when we resist God's purpose and all but wreck ourselves, He will make us again. Truly we would be a hopeless race but for the fact that we have a mighty God who is able to remake us even when we have rebelled against Him and have thwarted His blessed plans for us. Clovis G. Chappell

A friend recently asked me to look over his resume and make suggestions before he started looking for a new job. I offered a few ideas on how to emphasize his strengths and minimize his shortcomings while still telling the truth.

We all want to put our best foot forward, make a good impression, and present our best look possible. No one has a spotless background check; we all have areas of weakness and stains on our character that we would like to conceal.

The Bible is filled with the sometimes-disturbing resumes of its main characters:

Adam and Eve disobeyed. Noah drank too much. Abraham lied. Jacob was a con man. Moses murdered. Rahab was a prostitute. David committed adultery and murder. Elijah struggled with depression. Hezikiah complained and bragged. Jonah had anger issues. Peter denied Jesus. Thomas doubted. Mark was a quitter. Paul persecuted the Church.

Each of these biblical heroes had significant flaws but still got a second chance. God did not overlook their sin; He addressed it, forgave it, and expected them to improve. Just like He does for us. Paul knew this better than most and wrote, “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

Excelsior,

Dan Bolin

Author & President

Refueling in Flight Ministries, Inc

Hooked on Truth

Nº 268

weekly devotions to refresh your soul by Dr. Dan Bolin - September 19, 2023

Truth is so obscure in these times, and falsehood so established, that, unless we love the truth, we cannot know it. - Blaise Pascal

This week, some friends and I are fishing the San Juan River in New Mexico, one of the best stretches of trout water anywhere.

Catching trout requires a little deception. Big fish feed on tiny insects, so a crafty fisherman will present an artificial fly (with a hook) that looks a lot like the real thing!

An effective lie always looks a lot like the truth, but it also has a hook!

When God asked Eve what she had done, her simple response was, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” (Genesis 3:13) Just like an unsuspecting trout, Adam and Eve took the bite, then felt the hook.

We can be easily deceived and hooked into the world’s belief system if we assume that every attractive option is safe and beneficial. The only way to discern reality from error is to know the truth. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6) And He also said of Satan, “When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44)

Don’t let Satan hook you with an attractive yet deadly lie. Know the Truth and let Him set you free.

Excelsior,

Dan Bolin

Author & President

Refueling in Flight Ministries, Inc

Spirit Nose Best

Nº 267

weekly devotions to refresh your soul by Dr. Dan Bolin - September 12, 2023

Be united with other Christians. A wall with loose bricks is not good. The bricks must be cemented together. - Corrie Ten Boom

Forty years ago this week, I became the director of Pine Cove Christian Camps. The next 14 years were filled with some wonderful experiences and a few tough moments.

One board meeting was particularly challenging. Two distinct and contradictory viewpoints were held by strong board members. We all wanted the ministry to grow but saw different paths forward. Millions of dollars were at stake, and the outcome would shape the camp forever.

A consultant was enlisted to lead the meeting and help us discern God’s plan. Before we started, he handed out small adhesive and wire strips and asked us to affix them across the bridge of our noses. He said the strips were to remind us to breathe properly and trust the Holy Spirit to guide our deliberations.

More important than the decision would be the attitudes expressed during the discussion. The odd visual reminder helped us focus on discovering God’s vision for the coming years, not win a battle.

After a prayerful and lengthy discussion, a direction was discerned, and unity maintained. The silly strips reminded us of Jesus’ words to His disciples, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will lead you into all the truth.” (John 16:33)

Excelsior,

Dan Bolin

Author & President

Refueling in Flight Ministries, Inc