My father-in-law, Dr. Bernard Holmes, passed away at about 6:15 this morning in Bolivar, Mo. I'll be joining my wife and kids there tomorrow for the visitation Thursday and funeral on Friday. Those of us who know him will miss him dearly, but though he is absent from us now, he will live on in us forever.
He was a great man who touched many, many people both directly, as a professor, pastor, seminar teacher, missionary, and discipler, and indirectly, as his heart for discipleship was: "to teach others who will teach others also." He deposited his life into thousands and thousands of people, and he is still a part of them all.
He traveled all over the world teaching Christians the principles of prayer and discipleship in Korea, Russia, India, Africa, and many other places. Pastors, missionaries, and thousands of church members in those places as well as in the United States have been changed, instructed, and encouraged by his life and ministry.
He taught thousands of students at Southwest Baptist University and Columbia International University in the areas of prayer and discipleship. Before he was my father-in-law, he was my New Testament professor. We (his students) would not be what we are without him.
I know of many young men in ministry today who spent early mornings in prayer and Bible study with Dr. Holmes, followed by breakfasts made with love by his wife, Joyce. Those men will never lose the personal and spiritual impact he and Joyce had on them, preparing them for ministry, but more importantly, for life in Jesus.
A few days ago, sensing, I think, that his time might be coming to an end, he expressed regret about not getting to spend as much time as he wanted with his grandchildren, and in particular my two boys. I wanted to jump up and scream "What!?," but he was very tired, and I would never have done that anyway. I sat rather stunned that he would think his impact on my sons might lack anything at all.
My sons are, and will continue to be, two of the greatest, godliest young men you could ever hope to meet, and my daughter in turn a great and godly little girl. Why? Well, do the math. They're being brought up (and home schooled) by the daughter of the guy in the above paragraphs. They are an extension of not only their mother and I, but in an infinitely significant way, their grandfather.
Dad Holmes, I wish you could have stayed longer, and I wish we had lived closer so you and they could have known one another better. However, you have no regrets. What you have deposited in them directly is great, but what you continue to give them indirectly through their mom is immeasurable. My three children stand in testimony to you, saying, "Well done, well done, well done."
Archimedes said, "Give me a place to stand, and I will move the earth." My father-in-law found a place to stand, and through his family, his life, and his ministry, he will continue to move the earth in more ways than we can measure or chronicle. Countless people all over the globe can offer a word of thanks to God for the invaluable gift of his influence in the past, and in the future.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Monday, September 8, 2008
You are already approved by God
In order to do what God intends for us to do, we need fearlessness, freedom, even recklessness at times, attributes seldom associated with people concerned with failure. Have you ever worn one of those giant inflatable Sumo suits? They’re tough to move around in, but the great thing is…it just doesn’t matter. Inside that suit, you’ll try anything because you’re not afraid of getting hurt…maybe stuck, but not hurt.
God’s approval of us based on Jesus is like a Sumo suit. We can try anything in God, because even if we fall, we just bounce right back up. Failures don’t count anymore. All that counts is Jesus in us, and He never fails.
Read More...
As a believer in Jesus, you are approved by God right now, not based on your performance or merit, but based the merit and performance of Jesus. The book of Ephesians, KJV, says that we are “accepted in the beloved.”
What does that mean? The operative phrase is “in the beloved.” It could read, “you are accepted because you are in Jesus, God’s beloved Son.” The truth behind what Paul is saying is that because salvation places us in Jesus, God literally looks at us and sees only the perfection of His Son.
2 Corinthians 1:30 says that Jesus has become three things for us: righteousness, holiness, and redemption, which simply means your righteousness, holiness, and redemption (salvation) no longer depend on you, but on Jesus.
God sees you as perfect. God approves of you. Jesus took the test and gave you His grade…and by the way, He aced it. You are approved by God based on Jesus’ ability to gain God’s approval.
Why is that important? One of our greatest temptations in reading the scriptures is to disqualify ourselves based on regret for past failures, or fear of future ones. Guaranteed approval invalidates all regret and takes away all fear. God wants us free to live
In order to do what God intends for us to do, we need fearlessness, freedom, even recklessness at times, attributes seldom associated with people concerned with failure. Have you ever worn one of those giant inflatable Sumo suits? They’re tough to move around in, but the great thing is…it just doesn’t matter. Inside that suit, you’ll try anything because you’re not afraid of getting hurt…maybe stuck, but not hurt.
God’s approval of us based on Jesus is like a giant inflatable suit. We can try anything in God, because even if we fall, we just bounce right back up. Failures don’t count anymore. All that counts is Jesus in us, and He never fails.
Verses for meditation:
1 Corinthians 1:30
Ephesians 1:6-KJV
2 Corinthians 5:21
God’s approval of us based on Jesus is like a Sumo suit. We can try anything in God, because even if we fall, we just bounce right back up. Failures don’t count anymore. All that counts is Jesus in us, and He never fails.
Read More...
As a believer in Jesus, you are approved by God right now, not based on your performance or merit, but based the merit and performance of Jesus. The book of Ephesians, KJV, says that we are “accepted in the beloved.”
What does that mean? The operative phrase is “in the beloved.” It could read, “you are accepted because you are in Jesus, God’s beloved Son.” The truth behind what Paul is saying is that because salvation places us in Jesus, God literally looks at us and sees only the perfection of His Son.
2 Corinthians 1:30 says that Jesus has become three things for us: righteousness, holiness, and redemption, which simply means your righteousness, holiness, and redemption (salvation) no longer depend on you, but on Jesus.
God sees you as perfect. God approves of you. Jesus took the test and gave you His grade…and by the way, He aced it. You are approved by God based on Jesus’ ability to gain God’s approval.
Why is that important? One of our greatest temptations in reading the scriptures is to disqualify ourselves based on regret for past failures, or fear of future ones. Guaranteed approval invalidates all regret and takes away all fear. God wants us free to live
In order to do what God intends for us to do, we need fearlessness, freedom, even recklessness at times, attributes seldom associated with people concerned with failure. Have you ever worn one of those giant inflatable Sumo suits? They’re tough to move around in, but the great thing is…it just doesn’t matter. Inside that suit, you’ll try anything because you’re not afraid of getting hurt…maybe stuck, but not hurt.
God’s approval of us based on Jesus is like a giant inflatable suit. We can try anything in God, because even if we fall, we just bounce right back up. Failures don’t count anymore. All that counts is Jesus in us, and He never fails.
Verses for meditation:
1 Corinthians 1:30
Ephesians 1:6-KJV
2 Corinthians 5:21
A thought...
Churches today occupy themselves either trying to get God to do something or trying to make Him seem attractive to the world. Few, however, seem to grasp or enjoy the infinite significance of what God has already done by indwelling people, and just how attractive that can be all on its own.
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