By One Spirit Ministries

David’s Mighty Menby Lary R. Hale For anyone who has never...

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:18:48 -0400

David’s Mighty Men
by Lary R. Hale

For anyone who has never had occasion to read about the elite mighty men of King David’s army, and their extraordinary feats of valor, I have copied the section from II Sam. 23 where they are listed. These great men of war have surely been remembered in my family, and have been referred to by name and by their mighty works more often than I could ever hope to remember. I’ve always been amazed at what they were able to accomplish with God as their help.

8 These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time.

9 And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away:

10 He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the Lord wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.

11 And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines.

12 But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the Lord wrought a great victory.

13 And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim.

14 And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.

15 And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!

16 And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the Lord.

17 And he said, Be it far from me, O Lord, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.

18 And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them, and had the name among three.

19 Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the first three.

20 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow:

21 And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and slew him with his own spear.

22 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men.

23 He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his guard.

24 Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

27 Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,

28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

29 Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,

30 Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash,

31 Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,

32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,

33 Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite,

34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,

35 Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

36 Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,

37 Zelek the Ammonite, Nahari the Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah,

38 Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite,

39 Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all

Original Post at By One Spirit Ministries Facebook page May 19, 2013

The Way of Greatnessby Lary R. Hale “Lord, my heart is not...

Sun, 19 May 2013 13:01:11 -0400

The Way of Greatness
by Lary R. Hale

“Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me. Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child” (Psm. 131:1,2). This was a king who expressed these words of sincere humility, and one of the greatest kings in history at that. A whole lot of folks in a lot lower states in life would do themselves a world of good if they would heed and practice these words of sound wisdom written by David. We can see also that David taught his son Solomon very well, as he held to the same sentiment in his writings: “Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men: For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen” (Prov. 25:6,7). And we can throw a few words from Jesus in, just to punctuate the truth of the matter: “And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased ; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted” (Mat. 23:12). And once more: “Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest. And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child, and set him by him, And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great” (Lk. 9:46-48). So among those who have proven to be righteous and wise, it is unanimous; the way to be great in the sight of God is to not want or try to be great in our own sight, or in the sight of men. Not to mention that that is the only place where the real peace and the real joy of the Lord can be had. Amen. The rest that is in God for the humble and honest, is truly a glorious thing to experience. Amen.

Original Post at By One Spirit Ministries Facebook page May 19, 2013

What Happened To Sense?by Lary R. Hale The Pharisees of...

Sat, 18 May 2013 11:28:56 -0400

What Happened To Sense?
by Lary R. Hale

The Pharisees of Jesus’ day were wicked. At least the majority of them were, because it was mainly them that were responsible for the Romans putting Jesus to death. But I’m going to have to give them credit for at least one thing that they proved wiser in than most of the religiously disbelieving crowd that’s around today. It doesn’t change the fact that they were wicked, just that they had something in the sense arena that the religiously foolish people of today lack. They knew that when sound wisdom had been expounded to them that debunked their deceitful tactics and doctrines, it was time to shut their mouths. Here is a good example of what I’m talking about: “And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day. The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day? And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed” (Lk. 13:10-17). When it says they were ashamed, it means that they let it go because they knew Jesus was right. Of course they came back later and dealt treacherously again, but at least they had the sense to shut their mouth when they were proven wrong by the right spirit and the right knowledge. People today are not able to do that, including a whole lot of folks who probably aren’t as particularly wicked as the Pharisees [or are they?]. People today just don’t seem to be able to use good sense coupled with honesty. The Pharisees, like I said, were certainly wicked; but at least they were honest enough with themselves to shut up when their efforts had been bested by the very best of sense. Here is another good example of what I’m talking about: “And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him… So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her… And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst” (Jn. 8:3-5,7,9). Folks today may not go as far as to throw the first stone, but they sure would stand there and continue to present an obviously defeated argument, just for the sake of not admitting to being wrong.

Friend, I”ve seen what I’m talking about up close and personal more times than I care to remember. I’ve seen people in that situation literally change the very way that the Bible actually reads, just to get out of shutting their mouth and admitting to themselves that they’re wrong. I’ve seen people say that they are being persecuted simply because good spiritual sense that is contrary to their thinking has been expounded to them with godly sincerity and love, and backed up with consistent evidence of the scriptures. I’ve seen people just coyly say things like, “Well, it’s just a revelation,” when they have no response to right answers of truth and soberness. ANY true revelation is going to be backed up by a multitude of scriptures, not by excuses for not being able to explain them. I’ve given people hours in my presence to find in their Bible a simple fact that they were trying to get me to believe in order to prove their doctrine; and when they came up empty, they still would not acknowledge that they were in error. It brings to mind a very telling verse from the book of Ecclesiastes: “Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool” (Eccl. 10:3). The problem is pride. Everyone today has trained themselves to think that knowing things is what it’s all about, and therefore nobody can afford to be wrong about anything. And never mind the lengths that people will go to in order to not appear to be wrong about anything. And so the saying is fulfilled that says, “Knowledge puffeth up, but [love] edifieth” (I Cor. 8:1). I will tell you a very simplistic rule to follow if you want to ALWAYS be right about what you have to say: Just don’t speak of things that you do NOT have absolute knowledge of. Then the scriptures begin to make a whole lot of sense that say things like this: “Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few” (Eccl. 5:2). And this: “A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards” (Prov. 29:11). This is a very good one also: “He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit” (Prov. 17:27). Someone who is seeking only to edify those around them with love, is going to guage, feel, and wait on the right moment to say the right thing, that may help someone else to increase in love and faith. It’s just that simple. This is what the apostle Paul was speaking of in the following verse: “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man” (Col. 4:6). Someone with true godly wisdom has absolutely no motivation whatsoever to show anyone that they have knowledge. That motivation is not wisdom, but rather it is pride, and it is UNEDIFYING to all who are around it. Furthermore, someone with real wisdom will not only be willing to admit if they are wrong, but they will actually enjoy doing so. James spoke of this wisdom like this: “Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife [wanting to be the right one] in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace” (Jas. 3:13-18). As for everyone who finds it more bitter than death to admit to being wrong, they should earnestly heed the following proverb: “Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding” (Prov. 17:28). I believe that about says it. Amen.

Original Post at By One Spirit Ministries Facebook page May 18, 2013

Let’s Escape Hellby Lary R. Hale I’m afraid that a...

Fri, 17 May 2013 12:53:42 -0400

Let’s Escape Hell
by Lary R. Hale

I’m afraid that a lot of folks are just bound and determined to find ways to be overly righteous. The way I have in mind today is regarding the reality of escaping the damnation of hell. Yeah, I know I’ve already turned a lot of people off just by mentioning those words. It’s like people think your either wicked or a lunatic if you even mention hell, which brings me to the point. There is a huge Christian tradition that supposedly exalts the idea of loving God, while excluding the idea of fearing him. This is what I’m talking about that people like to say: “I don’t want to serve God for the sake of not going to hell; I just want to serve him because I love him.” Ohhhh, that DOES sound mighty sweet, now doesn’t it? Don’t misunderstand me in this; I most assuredly believe in serving God because I love him, even with all my heart, soul, mind and strength (Lk. 10:27). In fact I have found God to be SO gracious and good over the past thirty two years plus, that I can’t imagine NOT being in a pure love relationship with him. But let’s get serious and real here; not going to hell is a VERY good reason to want to repent and walk the straight and narrow path by and in the power of God’s holy Spirit OF love and truth (Mat. 7:14; Rom. 8:14; I Jn. 5:2,3; Jn. 16:13). My word not good enough on that? Unless the scriptures back it up, you bet it’s not. So let’s see what the scriptures say: “Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” (Lk. 3:7). So we see that John the Baptist thought it was a really good idea to escape hell, and he reckoned obedience to God with that idea. What about Jesus, what did he think about it?: “But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him” (Lk. 12:5). Yep, it’s for sure that Jesus agreed with John, and he confirmed that belief in other places as well (Mat. 18:8; Mk. 9:43; Mat. 23:33). Not to mention that the apostles who wrote the new testament scriptures, along with Jesus and John the Baptist, all warned of eternal damnation and a fiery torment for those who take sin to the grave with them. The reason that so many “Christians” are NOT in agreement with Jesus and the apostles on this issue is that they simply do not fear God, which the WHOLE Bible says we should; and as Jesus said in the above quoted scripture. And friend, if you don’t fear God, then don’t kid yourself about loving God; because those two divine elements are absolutely inseparable. The scripture says, “Perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love” (I Jn. 4:18). But make no mistake, the fear that perfect love casts out is NOT the fear of God, but rather the fear of anything OTHER than God. David knew that God’s fear is the ONLY fear for the heart to retain, and he also knew that God is worthy to be feared with ALL the heart: “Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: UNITE my heart to FEAR thy name” (Psm. 86:11). So let’s not make ourselves look foolish by insinuating that we don’t need to fear God, and that not going to hell is not a major reason for turning our lives over to God, and keeping them that way. Amen.

Original Post at By One Spirit Ministries Facebook page May 16, 2013

Keep It Honestby Lary R. Hale “And some of the Hebrews...

Thu, 16 May 2013 09:09:01 -0400

Keep It Honest
by Lary R. Hale

“And some of the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering. And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him. And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash; Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the Lord: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering. And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the Lord have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee” (I Sam. 13:7-14). “Samuel also said unto Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass… And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt… But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly… And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the Lord: I have performed the commandment of the Lord. And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear? And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed… And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the Lord anointed thee king over Israel? … Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the Lord? And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and have gone the way which the Lord sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in Gilgal… And Samuel said unto him, The Lord hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou” (From I Sam. 15).

So King Saul lost the kingdom, his life, and maybe his soul as well, for disobeying the commandment of the Lord to him on several occasions (I Chron. 10:13,14). And those commandments just happened to be delivered to him by a man, that being a man of God named Samuel. The fact that Saul failed Samuel’s instructions from the Lord was one thing, but the biggest factor in that equation was something even more serious. If you read the passages carefully, you should have noted that on both occasions listed where Saul failed to keep Samuel’s instructions, he MADE EXCUSES when Samuel reproved his failure. He simply did not come clean with honesty and humility, and that was most assuredly a BIG mistake! In contrast, when David was king, and he took Bathsheba in adultery, and then tried to fix things by having her valiant warrior husband Uriah killed; he also was rebuked for his sin by a prophet. And when that harsh rebuke was delivered to David, he had only one thing to say: “And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die” (I Sam. 12:13). David was worth of death three times over, for adultery, for murder, and for judging the rich man in Nathan’s story, which happened to be David, worthy to die (I Sam. 12:1-7). Nonetheless he was spared, though he was promised a punishing harvest for the things that he had done (I Sam. 12:10-14). If David had made excuses upon being reproved by the prophet, things would have gone much differently for him, and that not for the better. We see something in the book of Deuteronomy that gives us a bit of insight into this matter of not submitting honestly and humbly to the judgment and reproof of a messenger of the Lord: “And thou shalt come unto the priests the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days, and enquire; and they shall shew thee the sentence of judgment: And thou shalt do according to the sentence, which they of that place which the Lord shall choose shall shew thee; and thou shalt observe to do according to all that they inform thee: According to the sentence of the law which they shall teach thee, and according to the judgment which they shall tell thee, thou shalt do: thou shalt not decline from the sentence which they shall shew thee, to the right hand, nor to the left. And the man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken unto the priest that standeth to minister there before the Lord thy God, or unto the judge, even that man shall die: and thou shalt put away the evil from Israel. And all the people shall hear, and fear, and do no more presumptuously” (Deut. 17:9-13). The point is that God still has priests, Levites, judges, and prophets today; though in reality they are very few and very far between. Nonetheless if such an one reproves a child of God with instruction, counsel, or reproof that is from heaven; dire consequences can be expected for resisting such a messenger. Jesus said that anyone refusing that kind of correction is to be dealt with “as a heathen man and a publican” (Mat. 18:15-18). The apostle Paul turned disobedient saints over to the devil on certain occasions for unrepentant ways (I Cor. 5:4,5; I Tim. 1:19,20). He also uttered a curse on others who had strayed from the truth and were also bent on turning other saints aside as well (I Cor. 16:22; Gal. 5:12). The moral of the story is that excuses for transgression are NEVER accepted, not by God, nor by his true messengers. One can only expect some kind of woe for such behavior, so be wise and always come clean with honesty, humility, and godly fear; for that truly is the only safe way to deal with God, or with anyone he truly sends to you (Prov. 18:12; Prov. 28:13; Prov. 29:23). Amen.

Original Post at By One Spirit Ministries Facebook page May 11, 2013

Who Is Your Friend?by Lary R. Hale “Know ye not that the...

Thu, 16 May 2013 09:08:10 -0400

Who Is Your Friend?
by Lary R. Hale

“Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (Jas. 4:4). “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty” (II Cor. 6:14-18). “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God” (I Cor. 13:33,34). “For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them… And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them” (Eph. 5:5-7,11). That should suffice to show that God does not want his people to voluntarily keep company with those who are not following after his Spirit of holiness and truth unless they are wanting to find out how to do so. To entertain those who are not of God is to allow the demon spirits to which people are in servitude, to invade your space that God has given you as “the earnest of your inheritance,” which space is your own spirit joined to his Spirit (Eph. 1:14; I Cor. 6:17). The old saying, “Birds of a feather flock together” could not be more simplistically true. Everyone naturally draws to people who are of the same kind of spirit that they themselves are of, and the same is certainly true for God’s people who follow after his Spirit. When a child of God is regularly entertaining those who are NOT following God’s Spirit, or showing any sign that they would like to do so, it is a bad sign of where that child of God is headed. The apostle Paul told it like it is: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be NOT conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Rom. 12:1,2).

You simply cannot spend time regularly on a voluntary basis with people who are not following the Spirit of God, without being conformed to their spirits. This rule is not excepted for the case of family either. Listen to what JESUS had to say about it: “There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him. And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee. And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren? And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother” (Mk. 3:31-35). He had some other like things to say about this topic also: “And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple(Lk. 14:25,26). And, “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (Mat. 10:34-37). The truth of the matter is my friend, if you really want to go the distance with Jesus, and always follow where he leads, understand that it will cost you much in this life. There is a very good reason that the scripture says, “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes” (Rev. 21:4). The reason many merge from true steadfastness in Christ into a form, is simply because they fear persecution and prefer the honor and acceptance of men more than “the honor that comes from God only” (Jn. 5:44). The problem is just being carnally minded, and being mixed up about who is truly a friend, and who is truly family. Nonetheless the truth of the matter remains the same whether we understand and abide in it, or not: “No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier… If we suffer [with him], we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us… Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (II Tim. 2:4,12; II Tim. 3:12). Amen.

Original Post at By One Spirit Ministries Facebook page May 9, 2013

The Hope of Gloryby Lary R. Hale “For, behold, I create...

Thu, 16 May 2013 09:07:05 -0400

The Hope of Glory
by Lary R. Hale

“For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed. And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord, and their offspring with them. And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord” (Isa. 65:17-25). And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes” (Rev. 7:14-17). “And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death” (Rev. 21:3-8).

“And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever… Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without [outside the city] are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie” (Rev. 22:1-5,14,15). These are some great and mighty promises my friend, for all who like the above passage states, “do his commandments.” There are also some fearful warnings here, which in fact is all that is left for all who do NOT “do his commandments” while in this life (Ecc. 8:12,13; II Cor. 5:10,11). I would now like to finish with a few admonitions and instructions from the scriptures, that show us a few things about what it will take for us to obtain these promises, and escape the warnings. “Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless” (II Pet. 3:13,14). “Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets” (Lk. 6:22,23). Who was it that separated the prophets from their company, reproached them, and cast out their name as evil? It was God’s own people of course, because that is who the prophets were among, and that is who they were sent to speak to in the name of the Lord. And in conclusion we can see that reality graphically confirmed BY one of the great prophets of old: “Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word; Your BRETHREN that hated you, that cast you out for my name’s sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed” (Isa. 66:5). I don’t know about you friend, but as far as I’m concerned the reward is going to be worth far more than what it takes to attain unto it, and it is certain that it will take much. “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Rom. 8:18). God bless.

Original Post at By One Spirit Ministries Facebook page May 8, 2013

The Holy Apostleby Lary R. Hale “But if, while we seek to...

Thu, 16 May 2013 09:05:50 -0400

The Holy Apostle
by Lary R. Hale

“But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid… I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:17,20). “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? … Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should NOT serve sin… What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid… Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? … Being then MADE FREE from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness… For when ye WERE the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death” (From Rom. 6). “But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it NOT be ONCE named among you, as becometh saints” (Eph. 3:3). These are just a few notes from the apostle Paul, whom so many in Christianity say had an ongoing struggle with sinning. That mindset comes from a gross misunderstanding of a passage in Romans 7, where Paul was actually speaking of his condition BEFORE he was in Christ. No my friend, the man who wrote the above passages of scriptures was no hypocrite, which is what he would have been if he himself was a sinner.

It it is certain that Jesus was in agreement with these things as well: “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free INDEED” (Jn. 8:31-36). Now let’s hang on those last two words [free indeed] for just a moment, and we’ll see the truth of this whole sin thing. The word “indeed” comes from the Greek word “ontos,” and is defined as follows: “truly, in reality, in point of fact, as opposed to what is pretended, fictitious, false, or conjectural.” If you can see it, this shows us the real difference between the Christian gospel which allows for sin, and the real gospel of Christ that imparts and requires true holiness for salvation. Christianity offers the pretentious, fictitious forgiveness and freedom from sins, as mentioned above as being the OPPOSITE of “free indeed.” My friend, if you can’t see that, then you just plain don’t want to see, period. Let’s be real with ourselves and with God, and be busy “purifying [ourselves], even as he is pure.” According to the beloved apostle, that is the only real way to look for the coming of the Lord, and to be a part of the first resurrection AT his coming (I Jn. 3:2,3; Rev. 20:6). And to this agreed the apostle Paul, whom so many have labeled a sinner: “Follow peace with all men, AND HOLINESS, without which NO MAN shall see the Lord” (Heb. 12:14). Need I say more? Amen.

Original Post at By One Spirit Ministries Facebook page May 6, 2013

No Fear of God?by Lary R. Hale “Come near, ye nations, to...

Thu, 16 May 2013 09:03:50 -0400

No Fear of God?
by Lary R. Hale

“Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it. For the indignation of the Lord is upon all nations, and his fury upon all their armies: he hath utterly destroyed them, he hath delivered them to the slaughter. Their slain also shall be cast out, and their stink shall come up out of their carcases, and the mountains shall be melted with their blood. And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree. For my sword shall be bathed in heaven: behold, it shall come down upon Idumea, and upon the people of my curse, to judgment. The sword of the Lord is filled with blood, it is made fat with fatness, and with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams: for the Lord hath a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Idumea. And the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness. For it is the day of the Lord’s vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion. And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch. It shall not be quenched night nor day; the smoke thereof shall go up for ever: from generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it for ever and ever” (Isa. 34:1-10). Everyone who defends and justifies sin, and who wrest the scriptures to fit their idea of sin being acceptable to God [because of what Jesus did, of course]; needs desperately to take a long, hard look at this passage of scripture, and understand that sin is the ONLY reason that this dreadful prophecy will come to pass. Now is the time to “Fear God, and KEEP his commandments: for this is the WHOLE DUTY of man” (Eccl. 12:13). Now is the time my friend, to “Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling” (Psm. 2:11). Oh yeah, and now is also the time to “work out [our] own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philip. 2:12). And with good reason. Amen.

Original Post at By One Spirit Ministries Facebook page May 5, 2013

The Great Innoculationby Lary R. Hale There is an overwhelming...

Thu, 16 May 2013 09:02:28 -0400

The Great Innoculation
by Lary R. Hale

There is an overwhelming spiritual epidemic among God’s people, and among people in general, and it is nothing new. It is the exact same thing that Jesus addressed when he was here, as did the prophet Isaiah in his day: “And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them” (Mat. 13:14,15). And the same thing that conditioned the people then to be in such a state, is still the culprit today: “For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men… Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered” (Mk. 7:8,13). Whenever man adds his own traditions and doctrines into the faith of God, he takes away the truth of God at the same time. It is actually a substitution that gains something for man, and takes away glory and honor from God at the same time. When this is done on a massive scale, and it has been more than ever today, the result is an inoculation to God’s word in the hearts and minds of God’s people. Then when someone comes along speaking for God, such as Isaiah or Jesus for example, they are viewed as radical and alien to “the established truth:” “I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother’s children” (Psm. 69:8). Those are the words of Jesus in prophecy my friend, and what people don’t realize is that NOTHING ever changes, ever. It was that way long before Jesus came, and it is that way today, long after Jesus has been here. The man-made traditions of the modern Christian religion have inoculated God’s people to his truth to such an extent that even those who SEEM like they hear are not hearing. Just say the word ‘baptism’ and EVERYONE’S mind goes straight to water. Never mind that Jesus suffered, died, and rose again to fulfill water baptism with his own personal heavenly baptism (Mat. 3:15; Acts 1:4,5; Eph. 4:5). Mention the word ‘salvation’ and everyone’s mind goes straight to “getting saved” or “accepting the Lord.” Never mind that those myths are NOT in the Bible, and never mind that the scriptures are utterly consistent with the understanding that salvation is at the “END of [our] faith;” after we have been baptized with the Spirit into Christ and have “endured unto the end” in “righteousness and true holiness” (I Pet. 1:3-7; I Cor. 12:13; Mat. 24:13; Eph. 4:24; Heb. 12:14).

Mention anything about God, and about his Son Jesus, and about the holy Ghost; and everyone either goes straight to “the Trinity” or to “Jesus Only.” Never mind that there is absolutely NOTHING in the Bible that supports ‘one person’ or ‘three persons,’ and that the consistent scriptural evidence of the new testament clearly shows that there are TWO persons who have the same life substance, which is the Spirit (Eph. 4:5; II Jn. 1:3; Jn. 5:26; Rom. 8:2). And never mind that the ONLY way we can be “one, even as [Jesus and the Father] are one,” is if we also have the SAME Spirit of love, power, and truth dwelling in us that abides in them (Acts 1:8; Rom. 5:5; Jn. 14:17; Jn. 17:21,22; I Cor. 1:10). And oh boy, if you want to know what REALLY ruffles the feathers of God’s people, just labor in prayer every day and purify [yourself] even as he [Jesus] is pure,” and “walk in the Spirit and [don’t] fulfill the lusts of the flesh;” and merely let someone know that they must live apart from sin, and that you are doing just that (I Jn. 3:3; Gal. 5:16; Rom. 6:1,2,6). By that time you’re REALLY NUTS! Just forget that the new testament scriptures are totally replete with the commandment to be without sin (Mat. 5:48; Jn. 8:34-36; Rom. 8:13,14; I Cor. 5:8; Gal. 2:17; I Pet. 1:22; I Jn. 3:5-8; etc.). And throw out all the scriptures that show us that anyone who takes sin to the grave will NOT be saved (Mat. 5:8; Mk. 9:43-45; Lk. 13:5; Jn. 15:4-6; Rom. 6:23; Rom. 8:13; I Cor. 6:9,10; Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 5:3-7; Heb. 3:6,14; I Jn. 3:8,10; etc.) The list just goes on friend, but I’m certain the point is graphically made. If you truly want to follow God’s Spirit of love and truth, you will have to be willing to hear his voice above the constant buzz of the religious rhetoric of Christianity; and you will have to be willing to follow that voice and be identified with Jesus and all who have identified with him and his Father through the ages (Jn. 10:4,5; Rom. 8:14; I Jn. 2:27; Rev. 2:7). God was not here on earth during the old testament, so the ridicule and wrath of those who opposed him fell out to the prophets, and to his Son when he came (Psm. 69:9). And Jesus has not been on earth for almost two thousand years, so the resistance and scoffing of those who oppose him falls on those who are truly taught and led by his Spirit that he sent back (Mat. 5:11,12). It’s just that way, and it always has been; but there is great reward for those who will hear his voice and follow. Amen.

Original Post at By One Spirit Ministries Facebook page May 4, 2013

Sow the Seedby Lary R. Hale “Cast thy bread upon the...

Thu, 16 May 2013 08:59:09 -0400

Sow the Seed
by Lary R. Hale

“Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be. He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap. As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all. In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good” (Eccl. 11:1-6). To these simplistic words of wisdom Jesus added the following: “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Mat. 5:14-16).

If God has wrought true deliverance in your life then walk in that deliverance and let someone know what it is. If you are real with God there is nothing more powerful than your own personal testimony of the real things that God has done for you: “And they overcame him [the devil] by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony” (Rev. 12:11). There simply is nothing that the devil can do about something that is true reality in God in the life of a believer. As our text passage says, you just never know what will become of the words of truth and reality that you hand out to those around you. One thing is certain; they will have no choice but to think about those words. Isaiah maybe said it best: “For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it” (Isa. 55:10,11). When you tell someone of miracle deliverance, healing, etc. that God has performed in your life, those words belong to God, and he will surely use them for his purposes. Amen.

Original Post at By One Spirit Ministries Facebook page May 2, 2013

God Is Somebodyby Lary R. Hale I have just a couple of thoughts...

Thu, 16 May 2013 08:56:41 -0400

God Is Somebody
by Lary R. Hale

I have just a couple of thoughts today about the widely embraced idea that God does not have a body of his own. Everyone agrees that Jesus has a body, and some uphold that Jesus is in fact THE bodily manifestation of God. I’ve run across plenty of folks, and I’m talking about God’s people, who are plainly opposed to the whole concept of Jesus being the Son of God; but rather that he alone IS God. Friends, if I need to reference scriptures here that show that Jesus is indeed the Son of God, then you need to find something else to do with your time other than playing like you’re a follower and believer of Jesus Christ. Of course he’s the Son of God, and that poses a really BIG problem to the mindset that God doesn’t have a body. Hebrews 1:3 plainly says that Jesus is “the express image of HIS person [i.e. God].” Now the Hebrew word “Charakter” is where the term “express image” comes from in this verse, and it can be defined as “a precise reproduction in every respect, i.e facsimile.” How can Jesus be “the express image” of God’s person, or a precise reproduction, if God doesn’t have a body? That would have to mean that Jesus doesn’t have a body either, because he has been “made” in the Father’s image (Heb. 1:4). And then we have another problem with the school of thought that God the Father doesn’t have his own body, but actually it’s the SAME problem. The apostle Paul gives us some simplistic teaching to consider about the order of things in God’s creation: “But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God” (I Cor. 11:3). First of all let’s just think about what is written in the quoted text here. A woman is a separate person from a man, and a man is a separate person from Christ; so by the same token Christ has to be a separate person from God the Father. That is what is there. And we know that women have bodies, and that men have bodies, and also that Jesus Christ has a body. In the same writing Paul clearly states that “he [man] is the image and glory of God” (I Cor. 11:7).

Of course we know for certain from the account of the creation in Genesis 1:26 that man has been created in the image of God, where God speaks to someone else who is also God, saying, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” Seeing that the scriptures are consistent with the fact that God “created all things by Jesus Christ,” we know that it was the Son to whom he was speaking (Eph. 3:9; Jn. 1:3; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:2). It had to be the Son because there simply is no one else who is also God, as the scriptures and God himself has declared Jesus to be (Jn. 1:1; Heb. 1:8). Jesus is also God because he alone was directly begotten of the Father, and thereby consists of nothing but the Father’s substance wholly (Jn. 1:14; Jn. 3:16; I Jn. 4:9; etc.). That is why Jesus is also God and why God could say to him, “Let US make man in OUR image.” Okay, now what I want to point out here is the simplistic fact that man CANNOT be made in the image of God if God doesn’t have his own body. Period. So our being made in the image of God HAS TO include the fact that God has a body, even as Jesus being “the express image of his person” includes the undeniable truth that God has a body of his own. There simply is no way around it, other than total confusion that is. Friend, let’s not say that God is noBODY, or that he’s not anyBODY. Let’s acknowledge the plain truth that he really is someBODY! You see, even our language itself shows that somebody cannot be anybody unless they HAVE A BODY! The only person who doesn’t have a body is NOBODY! And who do you figure it is that wants us to inadvertently say that God is nobody? I’ll tell you who it is; it is someone who has been DISEMBODIED, and wants to turn everything around backwards as he always does. The devil has thousands of ways to get folks to see him as God, and to see God as him. The idea that God doesn’t have a body of his own is one of his biggies. Amen.

Original Post at By One Spirit Ministries Facebook page May 1, 2013

The Rebuke of Amosby Lary R. Hale “Woe to them that are at...

Thu, 02 May 2013 00:57:35 -0400

The Rebuke of Amos
by Lary R. Hale

“Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came! Pass ye unto Calneh, and see; and from thence go ye to Hamath the great: then go down to Gath of the Philistines: be they better than these kingdoms? or their border greater than your border? Ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near; That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall; That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of musick, like David; That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph. Therefore now shall they go captive with the first that go captive, and the banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be removed. The Lord God hath sworn by himself, saith the Lord the God of hosts, I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces: therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein” (Amos 6:1-8). For the sake of anyone who may think that the scathing rebukes from God’s prophets to Israel were just for then, and just for them; I am copying the following passage of scripture from the new testament writings: “Now these things [from the OT] were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” (I Cor. 10:6-12). That last verse is truly worthy of two or three more reads, considering the whole “sinners saved by grace” mindset that reigns among God’s people today.

There simply is no difference in God in old testament times and God in new testament times. That is a widely embraced erroneous mindset among God’s people, who have been taught so widely that it’s just fine to be under sin, seeing that we’re “under grace.” Never mind what the Bible says on the subject: “What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid” (Rom. 6:15). The only difference from then till now is in us, because the power of God’s Spirit has been made available to us for the sake of living above sin. That INCREASES both our capacity for following after true holiness, and also our accountability to do so. The apostle Paul made this very point crystal clear in the book of Hebrews, as well as many other places; as did the other apostles: “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels [old covenant] was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; How shall WE escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him” (Heb. 2:1-3). This short exposition of sobering truth is a door slamming rebuke for all of God’s misguided children who look for every reason under the sun to both justify and subtly promote sin in the body of Christ, even as they have been falsely taught. Where I come from, only the pure in heart are blessed (Mat. 5:8). And where I come from, “every man that hath this hope [of being saved] in him, purifieth himself, even as he [Jesus] is pure” I Jn. 3:3; I Thess. 5:8). My prayer, hope, and desire is my friend; that you come from the same place that I come from. and that we enter in one day through that “strait gate” together. May God bless.

Original Post at By One Spirit Ministries Facebook page April 30, 2013

Are You Free or Not?by Lary R. Hale I have people all the time...

Thu, 02 May 2013 00:55:00 -0400

Are You Free or Not?
by Lary R. Hale

I have people all the time from various religious affiliations within Christianity who try to set forth to me the rightness of their affiliation’s creed, and of the traditional Christian doctrines in general. What they do not realize is that I already know that they are wrong before they begin. The whole Christian thing is just way off the beaten path, or at least off of God’s beaten path. And the bottom line of their claim ALWAYS shows up, and it is the bottom line of the entire modern Christian religion. That bottom line is sin, and the allowance and practice of it. You see, the truth that I have been established in is simply the deliverance power of God’s Spirit, which Jesus sent back from heaven when he went away (Acts 1:4,5,8; Acts 2:1-4). The power of God’s Spirit literally washes sin out of the inner man, and imparts the divine nature of God’s love in its place (I Cor. 6:11; Rom. 5:5). That is why Jesus came, to make the way for that to be accomplished in the hearts of men, thereby reconciling all who believe unto God (Mk. 1: 7,8; II Cor. 5:17,18). The scripture plainly says, “He that is joined unto the Lord is ONE SPIRIT” (I Cor. 6:17). Really, if we truly become one with the Lord, either he becomes a sinner, or we literally lose sin; and I believe the answer is obvious. So everyone who is continuing in sin either hasn’t been joined to the Lord, or has become detached from him at some point; and it is only sin that separates anyone from the Lord. The scripture clearly states the same: “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? … Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be DESTROYED, that henceforth we should not serve sin” (Rom. 6:1,2,6). Yes friend, the real new birth, which in fact is the Spirit baptism, delivers the heart and soul of a true believer from the very nature of sin (Jn. 3:5; Jn. 3:7; I Cor. 12:13). Of course one must grow in their experience with the Lord, and there are struggles at times. I’m aware of that by experience, but I am also aware by experience that there is a reality to maturing in the faith, and being made freer and freer from sin and sinning as one grows. And to this fact the scriptures also agree: “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up INTO HIM IN ALL THINGS, which is the head, even Christ” (Eph. 4:13-15). And for the short version of that truth we have Jesus: “Be ye therefore perfect, EVEN AS your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Mat. 5:48). And that sounds a lot like the beloved apostle: “And every man that hath this hope [of salvation] in him purifieth himself, EVEN AS he is pure” (I Jn. 3:3). And John sounds just like an echo of God himself: “Be ye holy; for I am holy” (I Pet. 1:16).

So it’s like I said; the doctrine I adhere to not only requires true holiness, it also makes me able to be that way. If you don’t believe that, then you need to give your Bible to someone who will believe what is written in it, and just go ahead and live in sin openly. Hypocrisy and self righteousness is the worst of sins, and even though I haven’t tried it, I can’t see how it could be be any fun. But if you are going to sit in front of me and try to convince me of your doctrine, and at the same time tell me, “We all sin every minute;” you not only are wasting your time, but you also are going to incur a sharp rebuke (I Tim. 5:20; II Tim. 4:2; Tit. 1:13; Tit. 2:15). I do not allow anyone to be in my presence and promote doctrines of sin, without reproving that kind of garbage. I simply love the Lord and my brethren too much to let that kind of thing go unchecked. The Jesus I serve suffered and died, and then rose again to provide me with something BETTER than what I had before (Heb. 7:19). He did NOT do these things so that we would be no better off than we were before he came (Heb. 9:13,14). If you are going to tell me, “We know that you’re just not there yet Lary,” and then promptly excuse yourself for a smoke break; you’ll have to go and blow your hot, filthy breath at somebody else. And if you are going to say of me, “Lary’s just a little off,” and then worship in a religious habitat of fornication and adultery; you are fooling yourself sorely. Or if you are going to tell me that your “pastor” has “out-revelated” the great apostle Paul, when in fact your pastor has not only harbored sin in the congregation, but criminal acts as well; then you need to wake up out of that nightmare. Paul himself dealt with talkers like this, and said the following: “But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power (I Cor. 4:19,20). That power is first and foremost for keeping those who believe FROM sin unto salvation (I Pet. 1:4,5). So again my friend, this is the bottom line: If you are talking Jesus talk, but are continuing in sin, you simply do not have any power with God; and you have no business talking. I certainly don’t have time to waste on people who are more concerned about finding a nice safe, religious harbor for sin, than they are about “working out [their] own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philip. 2:12). Because I AM “striving to enter in at the STRAIT gate,” and I long to see the one who has redeemed me from sin, and has kept me redeemed. And where I come from it says, “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which NO man shall see the Lord” (Heb. 12:14). Dear friend, may God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, “make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you;” that we might one day rejoice together in glory for eternity (I Pet. 5:10). God bless.

Original Post at By One Spirit Ministries Facebook page April 29, 2013

The Warning of Zephaniahby Lary R. Hale “The word of the...

Thu, 02 May 2013 00:53:00 -0400

The Warning of Zephaniah
by Lary R. Hale

“The word of the Lord which came unto Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hizkiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah. I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the Lord. I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumbling blocks with the wicked: and I will cut off man from off the land, saith the Lord. I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarims with the priests; And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the Lord, and that swear by Malcham (Hos. 10:2; Amos 5:25,26); And them that are turned back from the Lord; and those that have not sought the Lord, nor enquired for him. Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord God: for the day of the Lord is at hand: for the Lord hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests (Ezek. 38:17; Rev. 19:17,18). And it shall come to pass in the day of the Lord’s sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king’s children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel (Mat. 22:11-13; Rev. 3:18) … And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil (Prov. 18:9; Ezek. 8:12). Therefore their goods shall become a booty, and their houses a desolation: they shall also build houses, but not inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, but not drink the wine thereof. The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers (Isa. 2:11). And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung. Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord’s wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land” (Zeph. 1).

What a powerful and sobering passage of scripture from the prophet Zephaniah! To get a clearer picture of what is being said in parts of this chapter, be sure to read up on the reference scriptures that are placed in the text. Other than that, the only thing I want to add to this fear-worthy passage of scripture are a couple of passages from the new testament writings that say the same thing: “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them… And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them” (Eph. 5:1-7,11). And this one also: “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear” (I Pet. 1:13-17). And so it is very easy to see that the new testament scriptures give us the same picture of what it takes to be saved from the wrath of God. And in fact what it takes is holiness, meaning pureness of heart; as the Bible plainly states (Mat. 5:8; Heb. 12:14; II Pet. 3:14). Amen.

Original Post at By One Spirit Ministries Facebook page April 26, 2013

The Evil of Self-Pityby Lary R. Hale Self pity is wicked and it...

Thu, 02 May 2013 00:38:41 -0400

The Evil of Self-Pity
by Lary R. Hale

Self pity is wicked and it is one of the most common conditions of mankind today. The holy Ghost revealed to me many years ago in a two-tier revelation, that the whole body of Christ is under self pity, and that the whole world is under self pity. I’m talking about pouting, plain and simple. I want to explain what the spirit of pouting is all about, and then something else. Self pity is the result of wanting to have one’s own way, and God not allowing it to be. When things don’t go like we would like, or when people don’t deal with us like they should; we have two choices: We can either start doing good, or continue to do good, and trust God; or we can feel sorry for ourselves for not “getting a good break.” In the latter case there is no need to do anything right, because we have a convenient excuse to do wrong; meaning the whole “what’s the use?” attitude. Someone who is prone to pouting can either repent of it and seek God’s help and strength with honesty and humility, or they are always going to be a pouter. Why? Because anyone who is looking for an excuse to pout is certainly going to find plenty of them, always. Things just don’t go the way we would like to see them go a lot of the time, in many walks of life; and people will often not deal rightly with you. But those who truly love God simply DO NOT waste time or spirit with self pity, because they are assured of the following powerful truth: “And we know that ALL things work together for GOOD to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28). That’s really the end of all strife on the topic, unless of course you just don’t believe the truth. The ONLY way that ALL things that happen can work for our good is if God truly is “working all things after the counsel of his own will,” even as the Bible states (Eph. 1:11). If God is ONLY GOOD, and I know that he is, then he really and truly is purposing all things for the good of EVERYONE who will simply trust him. There is nothing to pout about. It comes down to there being a vast lack of knowledge of God, which the scripture says is the foundation for destruction (Hos. 4:1,6). If Joseph had pouted over the way his brothers dealt unjustly with him, then both himself and all of them, along with the rest of the world, would have simply starved to death. Either that or God would have found someone who WOULD NOT wallow in self pity, and wrought the great deliverance through them. But Joseph, who was in fact dealt with unjustly repeatedly even after being sold into Egypt by his brothers; told his brothers like it was when all was said and done: “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive” (Gen. 50:20). Joseph surely believed in Romans 8:28 a long, long time before it was written. Reason being that pure faith and trust in God’s power and love has always been written in the hearts of those who have truly believed and loved him.

Yes friend, pouting truly is wicked, and the only person that will cater to a pouter is a wicked person. The wicked king Ahab of ancient Israel tried to buy a righteous man’s vineyard because it was near Ahab’s palace. When Naboth refused to sell his rightful inheritance in the land, Ahab went home and pouted up a storm: “And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread” (I Kin. 21:4). Ahab’s wife Jezebel, one of the most wicked people recorded in the Bible, came to Ahab and fueled his pouting by catering to it, promising him that she would work things out for him to get what he wanted (I Kin. 21:5-7). So Jezebel set up a wicked council of men who accused Naboth of false charges, and stoned him to death (I Kin. 21:8-13). So Ahab got the vineyard, but God was watching and sent foth his OWN judgment for Ahab by his servant Elijah: “And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the Lord, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine… Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity” (I Kin. 21:19,21). And God did not forget Jezebel for her part as well: “And of Jezebel also spake the Lord, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel” (I Kin. 21:23). Yes this is an escalated example of someone in a very high position, but the principles involved are unchangeable. God still abhors self pity, and he still abhors for someone to cater to someone else’s self pity. And it is still true that nothing but evil can come from pouting or from someone catering to it. And God is still “the Judge of all the earth,” and his judgments are invariable (Gen. 18:25; Mal. 3:6; Jas. 1:17). The “something else” that I spoke of getting to earlier is this: Self pity is strictly of the devil, for he is surely the king of pouting. He has been pouting hard and heavy ever since being cut off from God for his rebellion, and being cast out of heaven. The whole “that’s not fair” thing comes from the devil, who has always felt that he wasn’t treated “fairly” by God in these things. Anyone who pouts and anyone who caters to a pouter is motivated by demonic influence, straight up. That is why nothing but evil can come from it, as it was with Ahab and Jezebel. There is really no such thing as “fair” with God. There is only what is right in the sight of God, and THAT right is faith and trust in his power and love; that he truly IS working ALL things, both wanted and unwanted, for the GOOD of those who love him. The fact of the matter is that no pouter will go anywhere with God, and neither will any pouter get anything worthwhile done in this life carnally. Self pity is the sure pathway to becoming the proverbial “loser.” God is looking for a few good ‘Josephs,’ and it’s up to us if we want to be in that number. Amen.

Original Post at By One Spirit Ministries Facebook page April 24, 2013

God Is Only Goodby Lary R. Hale “Beloved, I wish above all...

Thu, 02 May 2013 00:35:39 -0400

God Is Only Good
by Lary R. Hale

“Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth” (II Jn. 1:2). This is quite a statement by the beloved apostle, through inspiration of the holy Ghost. It is quite a statement of God’s invariable goodness toward his people, and really toward all men; as he would “have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (I Tim. 2:4). What this means is that God’s will is for us to have our needs met in this life, and to not be sick and afflicted in body. And what THAT means is that we can and should believe God for these things if we are doing our best to keep his ways in our life. If we are continually NOT having our needs met, and are always going around downtrodden physically, then one way or the other we are not availing ourselves of God’s will being accomplished in us. If this is the case, it could be that we are NOT keeping his commandments, which the scripture says is our love for God and for one another (I Jn. 5:2,3). If that is the case then we should “repent, and do the first works,” so that we may prosper and be in health as the apostle stated (Rev. 2:5). But sometimes it happens that we are just not believing God’s goodness fully enough, and are not assured in our hearts that he DOES really want us to prosper and be in health. Allow me one short note here to mention that “prospering” does not mean living in luxury and lasciviousness, but rather that we have what we need to live a normal life. When Jesus told us, “Behold the fowls of the air,” he did point out that they have all that they need to live, and that God would do the same for us if we “seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness” (Mat. 6:26,33). The apostle Paul said the same to the Philippians: “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philip. 4:19).

Peter, in citing Isaiah, clearly said of Jesus; “by whose stripes ye were healed” (I Pet. 2:24). Not only so, but the biblical record we have of Jesus shows that every single soul who came to him, or was brought to him by someone for healing, indeed WAS healed. And when those whom Jesus ministered to were hungry, and not in a position to do anything about it themselves; he multiplied what little food that was available in order to feed the multitude (Mat. 14:14-21). These things fully confirm our text scripture, for it is certain that “Jesus Christ [is] the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb. 13:8). God is just that good my friend, and even better in fact! He is ever ready and ever willing to supply our needs and to heal our infirmities. If we truly love his righteousness, and are doing our very best to walk therein, we have the God-given right to believe him fully to preserve us and restore us in these things. Any feeling, thought, excuse, influence of others, or any other variable that is contrary to these simple truths about God’s vast and glorious goodwill toward us; is absolutely a lie and should be totally shunned in favor of unshakable faith in God’s promises to his children. And remember this very integral element of our faith also: “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (II Cor. 5:7). This is such an important thing to keep in mind because there are always going to be times when circumstances, symptoms, and other things seem to indicate something contrary to God’s promise for our healing and our needs being taken care of. But that is why it is called faith, and faith is our calling. We cannot have faith in the promise of God and have our focus on our undue circumstance at the same time. Keep your eyes on Jesus my friend, and do not accept defeat; “For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us” (II Cor. 1:20). Amen.

Original Post at By One Spirit Ministries Facebook page April 19, 2013

Have An Honest Heartby Lary R. Hale “A wicked doer giveth...

Thu, 02 May 2013 00:32:50 -0400

Have An Honest Heart
by Lary R. Hale

“A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue” (Prov. 17:4). It really is just that simple my friend. Anyone with and honest heart is going to take to the truth when it is presented to them. Everyone who is looking for a reason to refuse the truth would just rather be a liar. Whether truth or error, everything has a compatible counterpart in all men. Sadly the counterpart for most people is error. And why would that be? Well, Jeremiah tells it just like it is: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings” (Jer. 17:9,10). The truth of the matter is that man does not know his own heart, and the reason for that is because he was born into this world with a perversely distorted spirit, thanks to sin. David, by the inspiration of the holy Ghost was in full agreement with this assessment: “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me” (Psm. 51:5). But thanks be to God, he has made a way for us to escape that condition, and this is it: “And God, which [alone] knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; And put no difference between us and them, PURIFYING THEIR HEARTS by faith” (Acts 15:8,9). Peter was speaking here of the first Gentiles to have the gospel preached to them, and of the experience that they obtained from God through their faith; which experience, as he stated, “purified their hearts:” “While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God” (Acts 10:44-46). That experience which alone purifies the perverse hearts of men, was and is the baptism of the holy Ghost, which is always initially evidenced by speaking with other tongues. In fact this experience is the ONLY reason that Jesus came to this world to suffer, die, and raise from the dead; even as his forerunner simplistically stated: “I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost” (Mk. 1:8). And though there is an experience with God by faith in Jesus before being baptized with the Spirit, that experience is NOT the remission of sins and purifying of the heart [from sin]. There is a conception before birth in the natural realm, and the same is true concerning the new birth experience (Jn. 16:21; Rom. 1:20). So we can have our hearts, which Jeremiah, or God actually, said are “deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked;” purified from that depraved state through the baptism of power that Jesus himself baptizes with (Acts 1:4,5,8). But in order to receive that experience one must fully agree with God, that they indeed ARE IN a depraved state of spirit, and desperately need to be cleansed and changed by the power of God (Rom. 6:3,4; II Cor. 5:17). Without total honesty of heart, calling everything just like it is, you will get nowhere with God. Not now. Not ever. Period.

It is an insult to God to call sin anything other than sin, and to try to make an excuse for one’s own faulty condition. And not only does it take absolute honesty of heart to get STARTED with God, it also takes KEEPING absolute honesty till the end in order to be saved, as David clearly realized: “Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth IN HIS HEART (Psm. 15:1,2). So then, our hearts can be cured of their condition of deceitfulness and wickedness, simply by coming fully clean with God, being baptized with the Spirit, and continuing on the same exact path that we start on. The apostle Paul understood this reality and wrote the following: “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him” (Col. 2:6). Most people who receive God’s Spirit, sadly do NOT continue on the path that got them started, and subsequently they do not grow in the Spirit or produce much real fruit. Much of that is due to the overwhelming prevalence of erroneous traditions and doctrines that dominate the entire landscape of Christianity. But many are honest enough with themselves to know that something is seriously wrong in the environment that they worship God in. These are the people that can heed God’s call to forsake these erroneous, spiritually toxic environments, and boldly come unto Jesus to find HIS word: “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the [congregations]” (Rev. 3:13; Rev. 18:4). Finally, Jesus put the cap on this whole matter of the importance of remaining completely honest in heart, when he told the parable of the sower and the seed. Most people do not realize that the first three conditions that he described were indicative of God’s people who will NOT be saved in the end; but it’s what he said about the fourth condition that I like, because that is the one condition that will be found worthy of salvation: “But that on the good ground are they, which in an HONEST AND GOOD HEART, having heard the word, KEEP it, and bring forth fruit with patience” (Lk. 8:15). God’s Spirit speaks nothing but truth, but the only people who can truly hear it and continue in it are those who keep and honest and good heart (Jn. 8:31,32). If we do not keep total honesty of heart then the original condition of deceit and wickedness returns, and as our text scripture points out, those who are NOT fully honest do NOT hear or keep the truth. No wonder one of my most valued scriptures in all the Bible is this: “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life” (Prov. 4:23). And for the flip side, another sobering verse is also one of my favorites: “The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding [truth] shall remain in the congregation of the dead” (Prov. 21:16). I think that about covers it for now. Amen.

Original Post at By One Spirit Ministries Facebook page April 18, 2013

What You Take With Youby Lary R. Hale What are you after in this...

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 04:48:37 -0400

What You Take With You
by Lary R. Hale

What are you after in this life? I mean really after? If it is this life then you are on the wrong road and are bound to end up in the wrong destination. I’ve always said that the highest form of insanity is to live for this present life. Why? Because it doesn’t last. None of it. Nothing. You really and truly “cannot take it with you.” There simply is nothing about this life that you get to take with you when you leave, and you ARE going to leave. Job put it down just like it goes: “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither” (Job 1:21). Solomon was in perfect agreement: “As he came forth of his mother’s womb, naked shall he return to go as he came , and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand” (Eccl. 5:15). The apostle Paul was also in harmony with two of the wisest men in the history of the world: “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out” (I Tim. 6:7). And last, but certainly not least, Jesus put the finishing touch on this sobering consideration of truth: “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mat. 16:26). Friend, there really isn’t any explaining to do here, except for this one note: There is ONE thing that we are going to take with us, and because of that fact I believe it is obvious that this is the thing that we should devote our top priority to while we’re in this world: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil” (Eccl. 12:13,14). There it is, the keeping of the commandments of God is what this life is ALL about, because we will be judged one day for whether we did exactly that, or whether we did not. Yes, that is old testament scripture, so we should bring it up to date and see if anything has changed with that: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men” (II Cor. 5:10,11). So there we have it again, the fear of God and keeping his commandments. There’s nothing quite like repetition of facts to confirm what is true.

When we leave this world we will take with us a report card that is recorded in heaven, that shows exactly and precisely all that we have done, said, thought, and been motivated by, while in this life. Yeah, I’d say we should fear God, wouldn’t you? From a legalistic point of view, this looks kind of like looking up the side of Mount Everest, and knowing that we have to climb it on one leg. But the beauty of the truth is that keeping all of God’s commandments is not a hard thing to do, as long as we have what it takes to keep them with, and we keep it alive in our lives. “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous” (I Jn. 5:3). And this; “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another” (Jn. 13:34). And this is the key: “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us” (Rom. 5:5). So all of the commandments of God are really wrapped up in the simplistic package of loving our fellows with the same love that Jesus loved us with. And that can only be done if we have received the holy Ghost into our lives, because it is the holy Ghost that imparts the love of God into our hearts. Not only so, but it is also the holy Ghost that will teach us HOW to love one another with the same love that Jesus loved us with, which by the way is HOLY love (Jn. 14:26; Jn. 16:13; I Jn. 2:27). All we need to accomplish these things is a heart that stays honest, a willingness to labor in prayer, and a love for the righteousness of God. And all of these tools are given to us liberally by the same Lord Jesus who died and rose again so that he COULD give us these things, so that we could “save [ourselves] from this untoward generation” (Acts 2:40). The real beauty of this gloriously simplistic and pure gospel that Jesus has made available to us, is that it is all obtained strictly BY FAITH in him alone. That is ALL that you and I will ever need, but we will surely need to depend on that in all things (Rom. 9:30; Rom. 16:26; Gal. 3:7,9). So friend, don’t look to the left, or to the right; but just stay perfectly focused on Jesus himself, and you will never be led astray. Not only that, but you will be in good shape at the final judgment as well. If your dependency however is on men, or on “church,” you will certainly be on the wrong path, and heading to the wrong destination with a wrong report card (Mat. 7:13,14; Psm. 118:8,9). Amen.

Original Post at By One Spirit Ministries Facebook page April 16, 2013

The Sheep and the Goatsby Lary R. Hale “When the Son of...

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 04:47:46 -0400

The Sheep and the Goats
by Lary R. Hale

“When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal” (Mat. 25:31-46).

For the most part these powerful words of Jesus are self-explanatory, but there are just a couple of things that can be pointed out here that may clarify the passage even more. First of all, it is evident that both the sheep and the goats did or did not do what they were noted for, simply because it was just the way they naturally lived their lives. Neither were minded of the things that they were said by Jesus to have done or not done in their lives, again, because it was just their automatic nature of living. And that noted fact leads to the second point, which actually is the explanation of the first point. The apostle Paul I believe said it best: “And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not [holy love], it profiteth me nothing” (I Cor. 13:3). The sheep at the judgment obviously received and kept the love of God thriving in their lives, and were naturally motivated thereby to do those things that Jesus praised them for. They were not calculating to do things that they figured they would be rewarded for, but rather they were doing what they loved to do because those are the things that God’s love is minded of. On the other hand, the goats either did not receive the love of God into their lives, or they DID receive it but let it “wax cold” along the way (Mat. 24:12,13; Mat. 25:8). Therefore they just naturally did the things that accompany NOT living in God’s love, and did NOT do those things that accompany having God’s love present in one’s life. And the final point that I would like to make is exactly what the apostle Paul stated in the above quoted scripture. Even if one DOES do those things that the sheep were credited for doing, and it is not motivated by the pure love of God; as Paul noted, it will do nobody any good at all. And since we are talking about the highest of all stakes here, I believe it is a very good idea to make doubly certain that our hearts retain nothing but God’s holy love, which is “shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost” (Rom. 5:5). Amen.

Original Post at By One Spirit Ministries Facebook page April 15, 2013