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

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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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Living After the Spirit, Not the Flesh

Oil painting of modern believers warmly welcoming a weary visitor in a modest room, with joined hands and a white dove amid soft spiritual light.
© By One Spirit Ministries

I began my post yesterday with the motivation to call out a number of worldly behaviors that I have seen so much of in the body of Christ recently. But as I began to write about how everyone is either carnally minded or spiritually minded, the holy Ghost changed my direction. Rather than write about symptoms of the spiritual disease of being carnally minded, God wanted me to "lay the ax to the root of the tree," and hew down the support system that actually promotes all of the carnal minded behavior among God's people. That support system that keeps God's people carnally minded is the network of doctrines set forth by modern Christianity. And as I was finishing the post I was led by God's Spirit to continue the same message today, this time focusing on another aspect of the promotion of carnal mindedness by Christianity. That aspect is the observance, practice, and godly regard that is shown to carnal, ceremonial ordinances. I am talking by and large about water baptism and "communion," though there are other things that apply, such as the "Sabbath" observance. I want you to see exactly HOW it is that these practices are promoting a carnally minded condition among God's people who observe them, and it won't take very long. First of all we will see from the scriptures that both water baptism and what is known as communion, are actually ceremonial ordinances of the law; or partially so in the case of "communion." And we'll throw in the Sabbath observance for good measure as well. Jesus said clearly that he came to FULFILL the law (Mat. 5:17). Jesus also said that he was doing just that when he came to John to be baptized (Mat. 3:15). So that ends that dispute very quickly. Water baptism was an ordinance of the law, or at least according to Jesus. And it was a ceremony, not something spiritual. And that is integral because Jesus also said that all who worship God now must do so "IN SPIRIT and in truth" (Jn. 4:24). The "in spirit" part of that statement actually means "in nothing carnal," as in the carnal ordinances under the law. And I might add that anything that has been FULFILLED, is clearly no longer in effect; such as fulfilled prophecies. Okay, what people have long called "communion" is actually just a broken off piece of the Passover, which was a carnal, ceremonial ordinance of the law (Mat. 26:17,18,26-28). The truth is, Jesus kept all of the ordinances of the law BECAUSE he was FULFILLING the law, as he himself said. He was baptized in water so that we could be baptized with his Spirit in our hearts and souls, which is the "one baptism" that God now requires and accepts (Acts 1:4,5; I Cor. 12:13; Eph. 4:5). He kept the Passover so that he could BE our Passover through the holy Ghost (I Cor. 5:7,8; II Cor. 3:17). He kept the Sabbath so that we could have true spiritual rest in our souls every day.

As for the Sabbath day, the apostle Paul made it quite clear that it was a ceremonial ordinance or observance when he wrote the following: "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a SHADOW of THINGS TO COME; but the body [fulfillment] is of Christ" (Col. 2:16,17). The Sabbath day observance under the law was a SHADOW of, or symbolic of the "rest and refreshing" we have by the holy Ghost purifying us from sin daily [if we pursue that] (Isa. 28:11,12; Mat. 11:28; Acts 3:19). Now if you have followed this plain, indisputable path of scriptural evidence and proof about these ordinances being of the law, then here is the clincher: "But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are NOT under the law" (Gal. 5:18). That is what it comes down to. If we are observing, practicing, and giving godly regard to ordinances of the law, then we are very simply going in the OPPOSITE DIRECTION of the leading of God's Spirit. That is exactly what the apostle said right there in Galatians 5:18 as I have copied. And that is a real problem because the scripture also says that those who FOLLOW the Spirit are God's true children (Rom. 8:14). And do you know where going in the opposite direction of the leading of the holy Ghost will take you? That is correct, into being carnally minded. There is nowhere else TO go in that case. And that is exactly what had happened to the Galatians that Paul wrote to. They had been duped by false apostles and teachers to believe that they had to keep ordinances of the law in order to be saved (Acts. 15:1; Gal. 1:7,8; Gal. 3:3; Gal. 4:11,12; Gal. 5:2,4). And the body of Christ today has been duped into thinking that observing these ordinances is actually an act of obedience to Jesus. But that is NOT in the Bible. What IS in the Bible is that God gives the holy Ghost to all them that obey him (Acts 5:32). And what IS in the Bible is, "Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his" (Rom. 8:9). And what IS in the Bible is, "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God" (Rom. 8:14). And what IS in the Bible is, "And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, [by] the Spirit of our God" (I Cor. 6:11). And what is also in the Bible is, "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth THROUGH THE SPIRIT unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently" (I Pet. 1:22). And what is also in the Bible is, "... because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts BY the Holy Ghost which is given unto us" (Rom. 5:5). And this is in the Bible too: "Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law" (Rom. 13:10). Now all of these things my friend, are things that have to do with BEING LED by God's Spirit, not going in the opposite direction of the Spirit. And THESE are the things that constitute being spiritually minded, while the belief that carnal ordinances are to be observed in obedience to Christ, promotes being carnally minded. And the failure to observe THESE things of the Spirit is what will doom you if you fall short of them: "And because iniquity shall abound, the LOVE of many shall wax cold. BUT he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved" (Mat. 24:12,13). 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