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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Understanding the Holy Spirit

Oil painting of Jesus teaching beside a worker holding a supple new leather wineskin, with a cracked old wineskin lying on the courtyard ground.
© By One Spirit Ministries

"Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved" (Mat. 9:17). What we have here is a parable of Jesus about the old and new covenants. The simple reality being conveyed is that the two covenants cannot coexist. Jesus made it perfectly clear that he came to FULFILL the old covenant law, which means, as the apostle Paul later said, he "established the law" (Mat. 5:17; Rom. 3:31). The "new wine" in the parable represents the holy Ghost which Jesus came to make a way to give to mankind (Mk. 1:7,8; Jn. 7:38,39; Jn. 10:10; Rom. 8:2). The bottles represent the covenants as well as the people who believe on Jesus. In regard to putting new wine into old bottles, causing the wine to run out and the bottles to perish, the apostle Paul stated the following: "Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace" (Gal. 5:4). The scripture says that "the Lord is that Spirit," so what he was saying is if we think we need to keep anything of the ceremonial law of the old covenant in order to be right with God, we are losing the purifying effect of the holy Ghost in the process. And if we are losing the purifying effect of the Spirit, we are going to be in sin, which means we are NOT under grace: "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? ... What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid" (Rom. 6:1,2,15). The reason we will be under sin if we are depending on the works of the law to justify us is because if we are so doing then we are going in the OPPOSITE DIRECTION of the leading of God's Spirit, which alone can lead us OUT OF sin and into holiness (Rom. 8:13,14; I Cor. 6:11; Tit. 3:5). That is what Paul declared plainly with the following statement: "But IF ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not [cannot be] under the law" (Gal. 5:18). If we have received the holy Ghost in our lives, we are those new bottles in the parable. But if we observe, practice, and honor the ceremonial works of the old covenant, we are in effect trying to put new wine into old bottles, because we are trying to be justified by the old covenant ceremonies. In other words, we are making ourselves to be old bottles instead of the new bottles that God has made us (II Cor. 5:17; Heb. 10:19,20). And that is where the wine runs out of the bottles and the bottles perish. We CANNOT be saved with sin in our lives, and we cannot be DELIVERED from sin if we are trusting in the works of the law to make us right with God (Rom. 6:23; Heb. 12:14). As Jesus said, only if we put new wine into new bottles, will "both be preserved." Our mindset must be that the purifying power of the Spirit, through faith in Jesus, is the only way we can be right with God and stay that way (Acts 1:8; Gal. 3:3; Philip. 3:3).

I believe it is evident that I am referring to the universal practice and observance of the carnal ordinances of water baptism and the partial Passover observance known somehow as "communion." My friend, both water baptism and the Passover, which was what was going on at "the last supper," are clearly of the old covenant. Jesus SAID to John the Baptist that the reason he was coming to him to be baptized was to FULFILL THE LAW, clearly meaning that water baptism was of the law (Mat. 3:15). And he also told his disciples at the last supper that he would be partaking of that feast with them in a NEW WAY afterward IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD, at which time it would be fulfilled (Mat. 26:29; Lk. 22:16). Go ahead, read those passages. That is what he said. And just what IS the kingdom of God of which he spoke? "For the kingdom of God is NOT meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy IN THE HOLY GHOST" (Rom. 14:17). Not only so, but we have proof positive in the scriptures that these symbolic, old covenant ordinances have been fulfilled, and thereby eliminated from use, by the Spirit (I Cor. 5:7; Rev. 3:20; I Cor. 12:13; Eph. 4:5; Heb. 8:7-13). And I will tell you with authority from heaven that the mindset throughout the body of Christ that sin cannot be fully eliminated from our lives, is inexorably linked to the observance of old covenant ordinances in our service and worship of the Lord. We are trying to put new wine into old bottles and it has caused the wine to run out of the bottles, and the only result is that the bottles perish. Yes, as the apostle Paul said, "Christ [the Spirit] is become of NO EFFECT unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law." Keeping old covenant, carnal, symbolic ordinances has caused the holy Ghost to be drained from those who have it, and the only result to that malady is that sin prevails, and as Paul told the Galatians, "ye are fallen from grace." And therein lies the true significance and sobering admonition of the following famous, and famously misunderstood and misused passage: "For by GRACE are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of WORKS, lest any man should boast" (Eph. 2:8,9). All one need do to understand that scripture passage, is read a little further in the chapter. In doing so, you will see that the "works" that cannot save us, are the ceremonial ordinances of the law, which the apostle plainly says, have been ABOLISHED by the cross of Christ; which truth is repeated in Colossians chapter 2 as well (Eph. 2:15; Col. 2:14). So there it is my friend. The choice is yours; whether to cleave to the traditions of men by continuing to observe old covenant ordinances that are dead, or to follow God's Spirit into holiness and the true worship and service of God "in spirit [only], and in truth [not in formality]" (Jn. 4:24). 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