By One Spirit — Holy Ghost Ministry

Lary and his beloved dog Champ welcomed by Jesus into a radiant garden of flowers, waterfalls, and golden light
Remembering the ministry and teachings of Lary R. Hale

Faith carried forward

By One Spirit is a lasting home for Holy Ghost ministry, preserving the teachings of Lary R. Hale and the memories of the people whose lives he touched.

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The Fear of God

An older man kneels in dawn light with open hands, expressing honesty and humility before God.
© By One Spirit Ministries

Well, I write on this topic quite often, and preach on it frequently as well; and I am certain that I can do neither enough. I just don't think that there is anything more important for a believer in Christ to realize, than to have and keep honesty and openness of heart, and humility before God. Now if we want to throw the fear of God and true holiness out the window, than these elements of faith really don't matter much. Of course if we do so then we also throw the "hope of salvation" out with them, because the scripture instructs us to "follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord" (Heb. 12:14). And in like manner: "Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (II Cor. 7:1). For the moment let's define holiness, so that we can move on with the theme of this article. Jesus gave us the same understanding as Heb. 12:14 by telling us who WILL see God: "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God" (Mat. 5:8). And the beloved apostle confirmed the mind of the Spirit on this as well: "... but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure" (I Jn. 3:2,3). And we will allow the apostle Paul to put the finishing touch on this truth, defining for us "this hope" that John says is attaining unto immortality at the Lord's coming: "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in ONE HOPE of your calling" (Eph. 4:4). And this: "But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, THE HOPE of SALVATION" (I Thess. 5:8). So I'm sure you see that the "one hope" of the gospel is "THE hope of salvation," and that salvation is defined by the scriptures as being glorified with an immortal body at the second coming of the Lord. So then we know that we can't afford to throw holiness, the fear of God, OR salvation out the window, which brings us back to the utter necessity of continuing in open honesty and humility before God. First off, NOBODY EVER receives the holy Ghost without total honesty about the state of their heart and absolute humility before God. Why not? Because God alone knows the hearts of men, and he accepts no one's offering of faith and repentance unless and until it is complete (I Kin. 8:39; Acts 15:8). That is what the "WHOLE burnt offering" under the old covenant represented, and Paul admonished us to keep that commandment in spirit, saying that it is the only acceptable offering we can make (Exd. 29:18; Rom. 12:1). That is what it takes for Jesus to baptize us with the holy Ghost, which experience alone purifies the heart from sin by faith in him, as Peter explained (Acts 15:8; Acts 10:44-46). To hold anything back from God in our heart, and to deal deceitfully about anything in our heart that is not right, is an immeasurable insult to the intelligence and integrity of God: "For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things" (I J. 3:20).

Now the point here is this: Receiving or being baptized with the Spirit, whichever way you want to say it, is what washes us from sin; which is to say that it sanctifies us and justifies us, as the scripture also confirms (Rom. 15:6; II Thess. 2:13; I Cor. 6:11; Tit. 3:5). So if we have to come fully clean before God in order to BECOME "partakers of his holiness," how much more integral is it that we CONTINUE in this same honesty and humility before God in order to maintain and grow in that holiness? As the apostle Paul said so simplistically and truly: "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him" (Col. 2:6). Someone will read right over that and tell themselves; "Yeah I know, just keep on believing in Jesus, and keep "going to church" and reading my Bible, etc." But that isn't what the scriptures says. It means to continue doing the things that it took for us to initially experience the baptism of the holy Ghost, with God's confirming witness of speaking with other tongues. And as I stated already, nobody receives this experience apart from total honesty, openness, and humility before God. So it is evident that no one can grow in Christ if any of these elements are left behind to any degree. David understood this age old truth, and said; "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me" (Psm. 66:18). And his son Solomon, who obtained untold wisdom from heaven, echoed that sentiment: "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy" (Prov. 28:13). And John updated us on the same truth, lest anyone should foolishly say, "Oh that was the old testament" (Really, people do try tricks like that when they are holding on to something wrong themselves): "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (I Jn. 1:9). And to these things the apostle Paul agreed as well: "Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after" (I Tim. 5:24). It's really simple, we cannot purify anything from our hearts if we can't acknowledge what is there. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that we have to go around living with sin in our hearts. To the contrary in fact. Nevertheless we are all tried, and sin would like to get back in there even if we are remaining pure from it. But in order to stay free from having sin dwelling in us, we must continue to "purify [ourselves] even as he is pure." And there is surely a place in Christ where truly matured and tried believers have sin in the rear view mirror, and really have no struggle at all staying free from it. But the point here is that NOBODY gets to that place without maintaining their first honesty, humility, and openness before God daily. As long as we call everything just like it is, and remain diligent with the Lord, we can continue to grow in his love and holiness. If we decide at some point to find a justification for some wrong thing that we have struggled with, we will begin going backward at that point (Isa. 5:20; Jer. 8:5; Prov. 14:14). If something like that remains with us, it can become a pattern, and our hope of salvation will grow very dim in that case; because we will no longer be able to purify ourselves by the power of God's Spirit. My prayer is that everyone who reads this article can call everything for what it is, including honesty. Amen.

From the Preserved Writings of Lary R. Hale

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Jesus Is All

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In loving memory

Lary R. Hale

Lary smiling with his beloved dog Champ
Lary with Champ

A Hero Finally Rests.

Lary Redman Hale of Louisville, KY entered into his greatest joy, the presence of King Jesus himself, welcomed by the cheers of angels and the saints of God on Sunday night, April 21, 2024.

What the outside world would see as the untimely passing of a humble, local minister, heaven saw as the triumphant finale of a valiant warrior's life. He fought the good fight, having kept the faith, and received what Christ himself called "The Champion's Wreath of Victory".

Lary was born November 13, 1954 to Marvin and Norma Hale. Being the youngest of his siblings ensured he had lots of time with his loving mother, from whom he undoubtedly developed his profound sensitivity, heartfelt sentimentality and emotional comfortability - characteristics that were trademarks of his life. He grew up surrounded by cousins and classmates that became his best friends.

At his 50 year class reunion he was overjoyed and excited to catch up with so many of them, smiling and laughing more than he had in a long time. He would often tell stories of how he treasured those times as a young boy riding bikes, shooting B.B guns and playing with his childhood dog Peanuts; all while getting into assorted harmless mischief. He cherished the time he spent living on his parents houseboat and helping his dad, a united states marine veteran, take care of the boat and dock.

His relationship with his dad was only strengthened in their later years as they watched boxing matches almost every weekend for the remainder of his dad's life. He admired his brother Gary for his athleticism and industrious attitude, and thought his sisters Vicki and Mila had hearts of gold just like his mother. In his teen years Lary developed three of his lifelong loves: swimming, cool cars and lifting weights.

Some people said Lary was part fish because of how well he swam, but Lary would correct them, he was actually part dolphin. As a young man he managed a health club where he helped multiple people lose weight and counted that a huge joy. He loved nature and taking photos of it, honing his skills and knowledge in cameras. His vocabulary was second to none and he enjoyed learning new words and using them especially in his writings.

Before he passed he still exercised as much as his body would allow and he longed to return to the ocean and the white sands of Destin, Florida.

Like most disenfranchised teens in the early 70s, Lary indulged in countless vices that left him empty and searching for more. Although his long black curly hair, loud clothes, muscles and muscle cars made him the envy of the boys and the heartthrob of the girls, none of these things satisfied his heart. He pursued a college education briefly, desiring to be a marine biologist or philosopher but found that this was not what he was missing either - he longed for true fulfillment.

Depressed, empty, and feeling hopeless, Lary heard about a particular beautiful girl he had a crush on that was attending a small church where the "Spirit of God" was changing people's lives. After wondering why someone like her would attend a church like that, he began to attend also.

After a few months, he made a simple prayer on his hands and knees, saying "God I can't stop smoking, drinking, raging or any of the other countless vices I have - but if you can set me free from these things, I'll know you're real and that you want me to serve you". The next morning Lary woke up and described the next few hours as "walking on air" realizing he was, in his words "delivered" and never going back to those vices.

This began his life long commitment to glorifying Jesus, the king of glory, for how he transformed Lary's life from darkness to light. Lary would marry that same beautiful girl, the love of his life, Fay Kustes, and they would have two sons together, Benjamin Isaac and Elisha Daniel. Lary's greatest joy in life was being a husband and father.

He was happiest when he was sharing what he was learning in the bible with his family, and teaching them that knowing God was simplistic and yet powerful - that God was not merely a religious concept, but a powerful savior on a day to day basis. As Lary made it his life's goal to find "the lost sheep", he would tap into his multifaceted creativity that went largely underappreciated.

Lary produced well over a thousand episodes of gospel presentations: self-producing, mixing, editing and encoding both a radio and television show. Between the two, he broadcast for over 30 years. All of this in the analog age, where self produced radio and TV shows were nearly unheard of, especially without any budget whatsoever.

Lary was an evangelist in Louisville and southern Indiana, being asked to preach and teach in multicultural and multi-generational churches across the city. The churches he was most loved and welcomed by were the African-American Baptist and Pentecostal churches that loved and welcomed his passionate, excitable and action packed style of preaching.

Once the dawn of the internet came, he immediately worked to have a website published, making his literature and gospel teachings available. Eventually he'd use social media to teach, preach and encourage believers all across the world. He would spend every night praying with and encouraging christians from every nation until the end of his life. Many of which saw him like a second father and all of whom greatly mourn his passing.

Even though he produced over a thousand episodes of media, taught in multiple churches, mentored in multiple countries, and had multiple printed works of literature, he considered his greatest life's work to be his two sons. One of their earliest memories is Lary saying "the most important job in the world is not preaching the gospel, it's raising kids in the gospel". This threaded through his entire life.

In his final week on earth, he reminisced on his life saying "I see my life as the highest success, because my life's work are my two sons, who I am so incredibly proud of - not for their natural achievements but for their love, humility and personal faith in Jesus that is not only evident in their lives but also in their love. Because of them, I know my life is a true success - and I credit Jesus for all of it".

His sons today see him as the most successful man they will ever know. He succeeded in loving them and never hurting them. Leading them and never controlling them. Being there for them and never leaving them. He was a man that would apologize quickly, forgive quickly, and always encouraged his sons to "get up and go from here". He succeeded in teaching them faith, hope and love in a world starving so badly for all three. His ministry lives on in them.

The lives of everyone touched by their lives are forever indebted to this humble, prayerful man of faith.

He is preceded in death by his father Marvin, mother Norma, sister Mila, sister-in-law Marlene, nephew Adam, aunts, uncles, treasured cousins, and his beloved dog of 18 years, Champ.

Until they are reunited in the glory of heaven, he is survived and will be missed by his sons, Benjamin and Elisha (Katrine), his wife of 30 years, Fay, his brother Gary, His sister Vicki (Dan), his cousins, nieces, nephews, his friends, and those that called him their pastor and teacher.

"The righteous perish, and no man lays it to heart: merciful men are taken away and no one considers that the righteous person is being spared from the evil to come. He shall enter into peace: he shall rest in his bed, having walked in uprightness." Isaiah 57:1&2

A life in pictures and film

Watch the tribute video shared with Lary’s obituary. It brings together moments from his life and footage of the man so many loved.

Video hosted by Tribute Slides through Newcomer Kentuckiana.

Original obituary at Newcomer Kentuckiana

Memories of Lary