Dan Bolin's Blog, page 9

Keep the Party Going

Sadly, Easter – the one holiday that should unite the entire Christian world – remains a point of division. Catholics and Protestants celebrated last Sunday, following the Gregorian calendar, while the Orthodox and Coptic churches celebrate next Sunday adhering to the Julian calendar. Occasionally, the dates coincide (next in 2034), but usually, they are a week or two apart.

Maybe God has a bigger plan in mind. Maybe God can use our differences and divisions for His glory. Maybe celebrating Easter for an extended time reminds us to focus on Jesus’ sacrifice and victory a little while longer. Maybe the prolonged remembrance keeps the good news of Christ’s victory over death in the world’s consciousness a few more days!

When we celebrate Easter is of little importance compared to how we celebrate. Jesus anticipated that His followers would have differences of opinion and various points of contention, so one of his final reminders was, “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35)

Whenever you celebrate Easter, celebrate it with love. Love for God, love for other believers – no matter when they celebrate Easter – and love for those who need to know the power of the cross.

Excelsior,

Dan Bolin

Author & President

Refueling in Flight Ministries, Inc

Live Ready

Let us be alert to the season in which we are living. It is the season of the Blessed Hope, calling for us to cut our ties with the world and build ourselves on this One who will soon appear. He is our hope—a Blessed Hope enabling us to rise above our times and fix our gaze upon Him. - A. W. Tozer

Between Palm Sunday and Easter Jerusalem was filled with tension and turmoil. Jesus’ comment about the coming destruction of the Temple troubled the disciples deeply. On the Mount of Olives, they asked Jesus two questions: “When will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming, at the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3)

Jesus provided some general indications that would foreshadow His return but flatly rejected providing any hint concerning when these events would occur. Jesus avoided the issue of time but focused on how they (and we) should live as we await his return.

Three parables in Matthew 25 redirect us to what Jesus expects from us:

The Parable of the Ten Virgins emphasizes our need to live expectantly. Christ could return at any time. We should live ready. The Parable of the Talents focuses on productivity. We must use - not hide - the gifts God entrusts to us. The Parable of the Sheep and Goats reminds us that we should live compassionately.

This Easter, recommit to live expectantly. Honor God with your thoughts and actions.

This Easter, recommit to live productively. Honor God with your service to Him.

This Easter, recommit to live compassionately. Honor God by reaching out to others.

Excelsior,

Dan Bolin

Author & President

Refueling in Flight Ministries, Inc

Lost and Found

If you are not humbled in the presence of Jesus, you do not know Him. You were so lost that nothing could save you but the sacrifice of God’s only begotten Son. As Jesus stooped for you, bow in humility at His feet... Pride cannot live beneath the cross. - C.H. Spurgeon

As Jesus’ earthly days drew to a climactic conclusion, He headed toward Jerusalem. Passing through Jericho, He encountered two people who desperately needed His help.

First, He met a blind beggar. This poor man depended on the gifts of kindhearted strangers to survive day to day. Hearing that Jesus was passing by the man cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Jesus asked a simple, yet pointed question: “What do you want me to do for you?” The frantic response was, “Lord, I want to see!” To his elation and the astonishment of the crowd, the man received his sight. (Luke 18:38-43).

Second, a short, wealthy tax collector named Zacchaeus – who prospered by supporting the Roman occupiers and charging excessive taxes – climbed a tree to get a look at Jesus. Jesus engaged him as well, and Zacchaeus’s life was radically changed.

Jesus summarized the encounters and restated His mission statement: “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” (Luke 19:1-10) Whether destitute or wealthy, dependent on others or self-reliant, we all need Jesus. His journey to Jerusalem was to seek and to save all of us who are lost.

Excelsior,

Dan Bolin

Author & President

Refueling in Flight Ministries

Don't Be Duped

 If you believe what you like in the gospel, and reject what you don’t like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself. - St. Augustine

Norman Rockwell captured snapshots of ordinary people doing ordinary things in ways that connected deeply with his viewers.

In his famous “Triple Self-Portrait,” Rockwell reveals his back, his likeness in a mirror, and the portrait that he is creating on the canvas. One notable detail is a helmet perched atop his easel.

As a young artist in Paris, Rockwell was duped into buying the helmet, believing a Roman soldier had worn it. In reality, it belonged to a Parisian firefighter!

For our spiritual protection, Paul tells us to, “Take the helmet of salvation ...” (Ephesians 6:17). Acquiring a false helmet is embarrassing for anyone, but it can be eternally fatal if it is a false helmet of salvation.

The world offers many “false helmets” of salvation; only accept the authentic equipment provided by God through the true gospel that Paul distilled for the Corinthians. “By this gospel you are saved. . .Christ died for our sins. . .that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day. . .and he appeared to more than 500!” (I Corinthians 15:2-6)

This Easter season, enjoy the protection and security that God provides through Christ’s death and resurrection – the true gospel of Jesus Christ.

Excelsior,

Dan Bolin

Author & President

Seek God and Live

People do not drift toward holiness. Apart from grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to Scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord. - D.A. Carson

The Lord spoke through the prophet Amos who delivered a puzzling directive and promise, “Seek me and live; do not seek Bethel, do not go to Gilgal, do not journey to Beersheba.” (Amos 5:4b-5a)

The opening salvo is simple and understandable. Seeking God is a life-giving exercise. But what about Bethel, Gilgal, and Beersheba? They were all grand sites with deep spiritual significance.

God revealed Himself to Jacob at Bethel, so Jacob built an altar and named the city Bethel – House of God (Genesis 35:1-7). The children of Israel entered the Promised Land at Gilgal and established an altar built of 12 stones taken from the dry bed of the Jordan River (Joshua 4:19-24). Abraham dug a well at Beersheba, established a treaty with his neighbors, and called God “El Olam,” God Eternal (Genesis 21:30-34).

Amos would have been hard pressed to find three cities with greater religious history or significance. Yet those cities had drifted so far from their original spiritual moorings that now they were sites of pagan worship (Amos 8:14).

Past commitment is no guarantee of future loyalty. Be careful what you seek; wealth, fame, power, beauty, or degrees can generate spiritual drift. Follow Amos’ advice: Seek God and live.

Excelsior,

Dan Bolin

Author & President

Refueling in Flight Ministries, Inc

Verbal Volcanoes

Words alone can bring a government down or establish peace, destroy a marriage or renew hope, crush a child’s sense of worth or lift him to confidence and joy, unify a church or splinter it into angry factions, send a soul to hell or to heaven. When we observe carefully the impact of our words, we see why God cares so intensely about them. - Ray Ortlund

The account I read detailed the discovery of a lost city in the Amazon rainforest. According to the report, long ago, a magnificent city with a thriving culture existed due to the area’s bountiful agriculture. Ash from a nearby volcano enriched the soil and provided an abundance of food. The scholars surmised that the same volcano that improved the land and enriched their lives eventually destroyed their city and civilization.

The lone volcano provided both abundant blessing and catastrophic destruction to an entire civilization.

Like the volcano that poured out blessing and spewed forth destruction, our speech can enrich the lives of those we encounter or inflict pain and injury on them. James says, “Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.” (James 3:10)

At times we are required to speak strong words of admonishment, but those times are few and far between. The normalcy of our conversations should offer uplifting, encouraging, and pleasant words of affirmation.

This week, allow your voice to ring out blessings and create the fertile soil in which an abundant crop of grace can grow. And guard your lips to avoid unleashing a destructive torrent of irretrievable comments.

Excelsior,

Dan Bolin

Author & President

Refueling in Flight Ministries, Inc

Bring Joy with You

How sweet all at once it was for me to be rid of those fruitless joys which I had once feared to lose!… You drove them from me, You who are the true, the sovereign joy. You drove them from me and took their place, you who are sweeter than all pleasure. - St. Augustine

My friend’s dad died in the same city where he was born. He traveled rarely, never made a lot of money, held little power, and merited no grand headlines. But at his funeral, the church was packed with people who loved him.

Besides glowing words about loving his wife and raising wonderful children, one profound comment crystallized the eulogy: “He did not look for a job to bring him joy, he brought joy to every job he did.”

What a powerful statement to summarize a life well lived.

We think that joy is found in the circumstances of life, in the hand we are dealt, in the friends and possessions we accumulate. But situations change and the sources of external joy evaporate quickly.

True joy is a gift from God that wells up within us based upon His presence in our lives, not our circumstances. David sang, "Surely you have granted him eternal blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence.” (Psalm 21:6)

Don’t look outside for a new toy to bring you joy. Invest in your relationship with God and let the joy that can only come from him provide the eternal blessing we all long for.

Excelsior,

Dan Bolin

Author & President

Refueling in Flight Ministries, Inc

Send the Right Message

Nº 289

weekly devotions to refresh your soul by Dr. Dan Bolin - February 13, 2024

Here we see the infinite love of God, that He has been pleased to think of us poor creatures from everlasting and make it His work to reconcile us to Himself. And here is the foundation of the sweetness and comfort of all the mercies of God to those who are reconciled to Him: they are the fruits of the eternal love of God for us. - Jeremiah Burroughs

Thumbing through Valentine’s Day cards, I was amused by some, bewildered by others, and inspired by a few. Who writes these things? Expressing love for others can be challenging but is always worthwhile.

I Corinthians 13 is the Bible’s ‘Love Chapter.’ Line after line extolls the characteristics and benefits of godly love – much better than the schmaltzy cards.

The opening verses explain the importance of love. Paul describes the futility of living life, even a good one, void of love. The middle verses describe love, detailing what it does and does not do. On the positive side, love is patient, kind, rejoices in truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things, and never ends. On the flip side, love is not envious, boastful, arrogant, rude, selfish, irritable, resentful, or happy about wrongs. The concluding segment emphasizes the preeminence of love. The final verse states, “so faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (I Corinthian 13:13)

This Valentine’s Day, send a card, express your feelings, and enjoy the day. But reflect on true love articulated in I Corinthians 13 and demonstrated by God when He sent, not a card, but His Son.

Excelsior,

Dan Bolin

Author & President

Refueling in Flight Ministries, Inc

Not So Appealing

Nº 288

weekly devotions to refresh your soul by Dr. Dan Bolin - February 6, 2024

 

We are not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us: we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be. - C. S. Lewis

Every three or four years my dermatologist decides I need to peel the old, damaged skin off my face and start over. I apply medicinal cream morning and evening for about two weeks and watch my old skin inflame, crack, scream, and eventually give way to a fresh, new, healthy layer of skin.

The transformation is an excruciating process, but my doctor says it will keep my Swedish-heritage skin free from the dangerous effects of too many days playing, working, and fishing under the hot sun. My doctor is good and wise, not evil and capricious. He’s a nice man who studied at the top schools. He knows what is best for me even though it is painful – for a while.

Trusting God is easy when we are free from worry, fear, or pain. But when the agonizing ointment that leads to healing is applied, we wonder where God and His loving care have gone.

The writer of Proverbs reminds us, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend.” (Proverbs 27:6a) God is the Friend who is wise enough to know what to do and loving enough to apply the healing treatments we need – even when it hurts.

Excelsior,

Dan Bolin

Author & President

Refueling in Flight Ministries, Inc

Moving Day

Hearts on earth may say in the course of a joyful experience, “I don’t want this ever to end.” But invariably it does. The hearts of those in heaven say, “I want this to go on forever.” And it will. There is no better news than this.” - J.I. Packer

We moved! We are still in Virginia but no longer in our Arlington condo; home is now a rural cabin near Culpeper. The change is delightful, but moves are always challenging. Boxes packed and unpacked. What to keep and what to give away? Real estate decisions, saying goodbye. Leaving the comfortable, abandoning the familiar and so much more.

The ‘letting go’ aspect of moving is always tough, but the ‘forward progress’ part is exciting and rewarding. The aggravations and hassles of the move are worth the rewards and benefits of the new home that awaits our arrival.

Jesus had a bigger move in mind when He said, “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, and that where I am you may be also.” (John 14:3)

Moving out of this world is painful; we experience the agony of disease, the trauma of accidents, or consequences of sinful choices that accompany the “move-out” as we leave this world behind.

However, as followers of Christ, moving into our new home will be joyous. The best is yet to come! Whatever we leave behind will pale in comparison to the home He is preparing for us.

Excelsior,

Dan Bolin

Author & President

Refueling in Flight Ministries, Inc