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.

Explore messages from the archive, or help tell this ministry’s story by sharing a memory for the family to review and publish.

From the ministry archive

So what is the most binding sin of all

A humble tax collector bows in prayer with one hand over his heart while a self-satisfied man stands farther away in the temple courtyard.
© By One Spirit Ministries

So what is the most binding sin of all? I'm not talking about the unforgivable sin, but rather the one that imparts the heaviest chain to those who have it, and is least likely to be repented of and delivered from. Well, let's take a walk down memory lane in the Bible for a moment, and see if the scriptures can shed some light on the topic. Seems I remember a highly respected member of the most prolific religious order among God's people when Jesus was here, and he was praying in the temple at the same time that a pathetic, despised publican was doing the same. Seems I also remember Jesus saying that that pathetic publican left the temple justified, while the Pharisee left being condemned (Lk. 18:10-14). And while we're on that subject, it seems I recall that Jesus said that the prostitutes and the lousy publicans would go into the kingdom of God before the highly regarded religious leaders of God's people (Mt. 21:28-32). In fact I think I remember the leaders of this prestigious religious order among the household of God, themselves saying that they would not believe on Jesus, and that the common people who did, only believed him because they were cursed and didn't know the law (Jn. 7:47-49). And in the same vein I seem to remember yet another high standing Pharisee who invited Jesus to his house for dinner, and when a known prostitute slipped in and began weeping at Jesus feet and washing his feet with her tears, and drying them with her hair; this highly respected religious man was appalled. But not nearly as appalled as he and his friends were when Jesus declared her forgiven of her sins, while rebuking his respected host for a lack of love, and for not being more like her (Lk. 7:36-50). And then I remember the contrast between two people who were from the opposite spectrum of God's people from one another. Seems one of them was a down and out woman who was nobody, and Jesus had to cast seven demons out of her to get her on the right road. The other one was the highest ranking man of God in Israel, which was the high priest. Well, it seems I also recall that this woman was the very first person that Jesus appeared to when he rose from the dead. And the high priest? Well, he's the one that drove the final nail into the coffin of falsely condemning Jesus for blasphemy, and having the very Son of God put to death (Mk. 16:9; Mat. 14:60-64). Now there are other examples that we could use here, but I believe that this is enough consistent scriptural evidence for the point to be clearly made. And there is no such thing as a "truth" that cannot be supported by consistent, flowing evidence of the scriptures.

So what is this sin that these honorable religious leaders of God's people were guilty of, that was obviously a more damning sin than prostitution and general immoral living? Let's borrow from our first example listed above, regarding the parable of the publican and the Pharisee to find the answer: "And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others" (Lk. 18:9). There it is my friend, the most binding sin of all, and the one that is most likely to keep a person from repenting - Self Righteousness. So why were these religious people of Jesus' time so self righteous? It's simple, the righteousness that they claimed was NOT the righteousness of God, but rather it was the righteousness that they imparted to themselves through their own traditions and doctrines that they had made to themselves. Jesus said it this way: "Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition" (Mat. 15:6). When the truth of God is added to by man, the truth of God is ALWAYS taken away at the same time. When enough of that gets done, all that is left is a system of righteousness that is NOT the righteousness of God. The apostle Paul understood this reality, and wrote the following: "For they [Israel] being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God" (Rom. 10:3). That is why Jesus was rejected by his own people. He was the walking, talking embodiment of the very law that God had given them to live by, but they had added so much of their own tradition to the law, and had taken so much truth away at the same time; that they saw Jesus as being a rebel and an enemy to "the faith," which was really only their own religious system that they had concocted to themselves. If only God's people could learn something from the Bible! NOTHING HAS CHANGED!! Nothing EVER changes. Christianity has done the exact same thing to the faith of Christ that those religious people of Israel did to the law. As it was then, there are a few elements of Bible FACT left today, but they are only there to be a support system and part of to the overall total lie of Christianity. Christianity is a misrepresentation of the faith of Christ, and anyone preaching the pure, unmixed truth of the REAL gospel, and who is REALLY walking in the Spirit of God, is GOING TO BE SEEN AS AN ENEMY TO THE FAITH! I happen to know this by personal experience. And I assure you by personal experience and by the above stated Bible truth, that the down and out sinners are FAR more likely to receive the truth of God and the deliverance that comes with it, than those who are already "established" in their Christian order. When you are under the traditions of men that have convinced you that you are righteous, when in fact you are not; you are not likely to repent and acknowledge a better way when it comes along. Friend, I exhort you to FORSAKE the death trap of the "Christian" religion and draw nigh to CHRIST HIMSELF, who will "guide you into all truth," if freedom from sin and the spirits of this world is where you truly want to be (Jn. 16:13; II Cor. 3:17; Jn. 8:31,32). Amen.

From the Preserved Writings of Lary R. Hale

By One Spirit · Media library

Videos & songs

Broadcast 50Open on YouTube

Loading viewer…

Broadcast 50

Jesus Is All

More broadcasts

From the ministry’s YouTube archive. Visit the channel for new uploads.

Selected Broadcast 50: Jesus Is All

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