25 April 2026 - Millard Collins Memorial

You go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you there. Wherever you are, God has put you there. He has a purpose in you being there. Christ who indwells you as something he wants to do through you wherever you are. The holy spirit who guides and leads you will show you things to come. Be open to his leading today. Believe this and go in his grace and love and power in the name of him who is the way, the truth, and the life. Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. And everybody said, amen. God bless you. [01:34:40] (44 seconds)  #DivinePurpose

We're grateful to those faithful saints in that house where Millard first had a meal with some hippies and then later in a drunken state, pounded on the door and after a good sleep surrendered his life to the lord. Who knows what God will use and who God will use to bring people to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Who knew that this wayward man would so profoundly change his world and leave a whole people group with the word of God in their own language. [01:28:43] (36 seconds)  #UsedByGod

It always amazes me how we weave elaborate plans with regards to our financial future and our retirement and etcetera. But how many of us have actually thought about what is beyond this life and have not planned for that at all? Well, I did. And I would encourage you to follow his example. You do not know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior or you stepped away from him because of a life well lived like this man, I would encourage you to make that recommitment. [01:22:49] (40 seconds)  #PrepareForEternity

Grief is never easy to bear. And so today we do grieve for my Lord. Scripture tells us that precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. So we grieve for him. But it also allows us time to reflect on our own lives and I would urge you to do that today. As you know, each one of us are only one step away from eternity. We truly have no idea what tomorrow will bring. [01:22:11] (38 seconds)  #GriefAndReflection

So today we do one of the most difficult things to be done, together to mourn the passing of a husband, a father, a grandfather, great grandfather and friend. And we come to commend him into God's grace. And then we come as we've done to celebrate his life. Reminisce, tell stories of how he affected our lives, to honor him, and to rejoice at his change of address because soon we will see him. [01:21:33] (39 seconds)  #MournAndCelebrate

A good man rejoices in the power and the extension of the gospel. A good man is God's demonstration of what God can do. God's demonstration is of his love is not a star or a planet or an ocean or a continent but a good man. The things about the death of this good man for which we are sorry and sad and I've touched on that. But there are things that we can be thankful for beyond words that we can express. [01:27:28] (32 seconds)  #GoodManOfGod

Then when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with a resolute heart to remain true to the Lord for he was a good man and full of the holy spirit and faith and considerable numbers were brought to the Lord. And you know, to me, that just describes who this man is. A good man was Barnabas. I think of Millard in the same light. [01:26:58] (30 seconds)  #BarnabasSpirit

We know he's rejoicing, waiting for us as well. So let us hold on to that, that promise of our lord and allow our tears to wash away the pain in the days and the months to come. But there's more. In the book of Acts, as the author tells the story of the first Christians in Antioch, he turns aside to write a note about the saintly and godly leader who was the leader of the church in Antioch and he says this, the news about them reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch. [01:26:22] (36 seconds)  #HopeOfReunion