“SMALL SEED – GREAT FRUIT”

HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU KNOW WHO SEE THEIR LIFE AS NOTHING MORE THAN A “RIDDLE OF EXISTENCE”? THEY REALLY DON’T KNOW WHO THEY ARE AND WHY THEY’RE HERE IN THIS AWESOME WORLD? A MEANINGLESS EXISTENCE DOESN’T HAVE TO BE “BIRTHED OR IMAGINED” BECAUSE DOUBT ABOUT LIFE’S MEANING, AT LEAST FOR THEM, HAS DUG THE GRAVE ON BIBLICAL FAITH,MERCY,AND THE LOVE OF GOD,WITH A SIN-NATURE,A SATANIC BLINDING,AND A “LOST WORLD’S DISPOSITION” OF OPPOSING GOD IF THEY AT LEAST ADMIT HE IS AROUND AND ‘MAY’ HAVE CREATED THE WORLD!

AND IF ‘YOU’ HAVEN’T FIGURED IT OUT YET,AT LEAST, BE ASSURED THAT YOU’RE NOT ALONE IN YOUR DOUBTS AND FEARS, BECAUSE NATURAL MEN WHO BAR THE DOOR TO SPIRITUAL TRUTH AND ITS REALITY ARE ACCOMPLICES OF TYRANNY IN OPPOSITION TO THE GOD THEY DON’T EVEN KNOW! THEY ARE “SEED” WITHOUT ANY “SUBSTANCE” OR UNDERSTANDING ABOUT EVEN WHY GOD WOULD BIRTH A FALLEN PEOPLE!THE TRUTH IS THAT HIS DESIRE FOR HIS SPIRITUAL KINGDOM WAS THAT, AS HE CREATED NATURAL KINGDOMS AND MASSES OF PEOPLE, HE WANTED “ALL” TO HAVE A CHOICE OF A GOD-RELATIONSHIP OR NOT! HE DIDN’T WANT ‘PUPPETS’ ON A STRING MEETING HIS EVERY DESIRE! HE WANTED PEOPLE WHOM HE CALLED TO HIMSELF WHO WOULD BE PEOPLE ALIGNING WITH HIM ON HIS TERMS! IN FACT, HOLY GOD PLANTED IN ALL OF FALLEN MAN’S EXISTENCE THE REALITY OF LIFESTYLE CHOICES: “FLESH OR SPIRITUAL”, “NATURAL OR SUPERNATURAL”, “EARTHLY OR HEAVENLY”, “BEST EFFORT” OR “BLESSED REST” IN A SAVIOR’S FINISHED WORK ON THE CROSS”, ‘WILLFUL MINDFULNESS’ OR “SOVEREIGN MERCY”, ‘MAN’S MAN-MADE BROAD HIGHWAYS’ OR “GOD’S NARROW WAY OF LIFE IN CHRIST ALONE”, ‘ACCEPTABLE RELIGIONS’ OR “SPIRITUAL FREEDOM IN THE TABERNACLE OF GOD’S MERCY & GRACE”!

IT WAS BY AN ANONYMOUS WRITER BUT I LOVED IT. IT WAS IN “THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF RELIGIOUS QUOTATIONS”,P.107, THAT SAYS: “GOD MADE BEES, AND BEES MADE HONEY; GOD MADE MAN, AND MAN MADE MONEY, PRIDE MADE THE DEVIL, AND THE DEVIL MADE SIN; SO GOD MADE A COAL-PIT TO PUT THE DEVIL IN.” LIFE’S CHOICES? A BLACKENED COAL PIT WITH SATAN, OR HEAVEN ON EARTH IN THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST?

“SMALL SEED –GREAT FRUIT!” IN HEBREWS 11:17-19 we read, “BY FAITH ABRAHAM, WHEN HE WAS TRIED (TESTED), OFFERED UP ISAAC: AND HE THAT HAD RECEIVED THE PROMISES OFFERED UP HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, OF WHOM IT WAS SAID, ‘THAT IN ISAAC SHALL YOUR SEED BE BLESSED; ACCOUNTING THAT GOD WAS ABLE TO RAISE HIM UP,EVEN FROM THE DEAD;FROM WHENCE ALSO HE RECEIVED HIM IN A FIGURE.” YOU UNDERSTAND –‘TESTING’ TO PLEASE GOD IS NOT MAN OFFERING THEIR SIN-NATURED SONS TO DIE, ‘THINKING’ SURELY GOD CAN RAISE THEM, BUT SONS WITH A ‘SIGN’ OF AN OPEN, YIELDING TO ‘SIN’, EVEN IF THEY DID GRASP ‘REPENTANCE’, ARE NOT, WERE NOT, WILL NOT BE BIRTHED IN THE ‘FLESH’ WITH A ‘SINLESS NATURE’ BUT ‘FLESHLY BIRTHED’ TO CARRY ON ‘SIN-NATIONALITY’, UNLESS CONVICTED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, GUIDED INTO “TRUTH”, BIRTHED AGAIN THROUGH THE “SHED BLOOD OF CHRIST ON CALVARY’S CROSS”,

THE GUILTY THO’ RELIGIOUS’LIKE MOST OF THE JEWS OF JESUS’S “DAY” ARE NOT “BORN AGAIN” EXCEPT THROUGH CALVARY’S STORY, CHRIST’S RESURRECTION, CHRIST’S KNOCKING ON THEIR HEART’S DOOR TO TRULY AWAKEN THEM! WHEN HE CAUGHT THEIR ATTENTION, JESUS SAID, “REPENT, FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND!”

FOLLOW ME IN 2 PETER 1:1-12!! SIMON PETER, A SERVANT AND AN APOSTLE OF JESUS CHRIST, TO THEM THAT HAVE OBTAINED ‘LIKE PRECIOUS FAITH’ WITH US “THROUGH THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD AND OUR SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST: (SAVED FROM WHAT? UNRIGHTEOUSNESS? DISOBEDIENCE TO HOLY TRUTH? WORLD DEVOTION BLINDED TO THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD WITH FEEBLE ATTEMPTS & FAILING ATTEMPTS THROUGH ‘RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES’ RATHER THAN JESUS TELLING THEM & US, “YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN”, DYING TO YOUR WORLD, YOUR SIN-NATURE, AND ALLEGIANCE TO THE SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS OF SATAN HIMSELF?)

VERSE 2 & FOLLOWING: “GRACE AND PEACE BE MULTIPLIED UNTO YOU THROUGH “THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD AND OUR SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST: ACCORDING AS HIS DIVINE POWER HAS GIVEN UNTO US ALL THINGS THAT PERTAIN UNTO LIFE AND GODLINESS, THROUGH THE KNOWLEDGE OF “HIM” THAT HAS CALLED US TO GLORY & VIRTUE; WHEREBY ARE GIVEN UNTO US EXCEEDING GREAT & PRECIOUS PROMISES:THAT BY THESE YOU MIGHT PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE, HAVING ESCAPED THE CORRUPTION THAT IS IN THE WORLD THROUGH LUST.

VERSE 5 & FOLLOWING: AND BESIDE THIS, GIVING ALL DILIGENCE, ADD TO YOUR FAITH VIRTUE; AND TO VIRTUE KNOWLEDGE; AND TO KNOWLEDGE TEMPERANCE; AND TO TEMPERANCE PATIENCE; AND TO PATIENCE GODLINESS; AND TO GODLINESS BROTHERLY KINDNESS; AND TO BROTHERLY KINDNESS CHARITY.

VERSE 8 &FOLLOWING: FOR IF THESE THINHS BE IN YOU, AND ABOUND,THEY MAKE YOU THAT YOU SHALL NEITHER BE BARREN OR UNFRUITFUL IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. BUT HE THAT LACKS THESE THINGS IS BLIND, AND CANNOT SEE AFAR OFF, AND HAS FORGOTTEN THAT HE WAS PURGED FROM HIS OLD SINS. WHEREFORE THE RATHER, BRETHREN, GIVE DILIGENCE TO “MAKE YOUR CALLING AND ELECTION SURE”; FOR IF YOU DO THESE THINGS, YOU SHALL NEVER FALL; FOR SO AN ENTRANCE SHALL BE MINISTERED UNTO YOU ABUNDANTLY INTO THE EVERLASTING KINGHDOM OF OUR LORD & SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST.

WHEREFORE I WILL NOT BE NEGLIGENT TO PUT YOU ALWAYS IN REMEMBRANCE OF THESE THINGS, THOUGH YOU KNOW THEM, AND BE “ESTABLISHED” (OR “MADE TO STAND”!) IN THE PRESENT TRUTH.”

THE PRESENT TRUTH? THAT “YOU” WERE CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST, &THE OLD LIFE THAT DIED ON THE CROSS WAS BURIED IN THE ‘SEA OF GOD’S FORGETFULNESS’, THAT HOLY GOD THEN “RAISED YOU UP IN THE “NEWNESS OF LIFE”, COMMISSIONED YOU AS A SERVANT WHO ALLOWS ONE’S SELF TO BE THE “TABERNACLE” WHERE CHRIST DWELLS, AND CHOOSES TO DO “THROUGH YOU” ALL THE FATHER TELLS YOU TO DO – YOU THEN EXTEND HIS LIFE, EXPRESS LOVE TO HIM MOMENT BY MOMENT, AND HE PROVES HIS RESURRECTION POWER THROUGH YOU AS YOU “REST IN HIM” & ALLOW HIM TO BE HIMSELF THROUGH YOU!!

“SMALL SEED”? BUT GREAT POTENTIAL WHEN “SEED PLANTED BY GOD, WATERED & FERTILIZED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, WITH THE ‘SONSHINE’ OF GOD’S MERCY BLAZING ON IT, PRODUCES CONTINUING, GREAT “FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT” REVEALING THE MERCY, GRACE, AND LOVE OF GOD THROUGH HEAVEN-BORN “TREES OF FAITH & TRUST” IN GOD’S ABILITY TO RAISE THE “DEAD” TO “NEW-LIFE IN & THROUGH THE BLOOD REDEMPTION OF CHRIST’S CROSS, HIS DEATH, & HIS RESURRECTION”!!

I CLOSE THIS MESSAGE WITH WORDS OF JAMES, THE BROTHER OF JESUS, IN JAMES 5:10-20, AS HE WROTE INSPIRED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT: VERSE 10-20, “TAKE, MY BRETHREN, THE PROPHETS, WHO HAVE SPOKEN IN THE NAME OF THE LORD, FOR AN EXAMPLE OF SUFFERING AFFLICTION, AND OF PATIENCE (OR STEDFASTNESS). BEHOLD, WE COUNT THEM HAPPY WHICH ENDURE. YOU HAVE HEARD OF THE PATIENCE OF JOB, AND HAVE SEEN THE END OF THE LORD; THAT THE LORD IS VERY PITIFUL, & OF TENDER MERCY.

BUT ABOVE ALL THINGS, MY BRETHREN,SWEAR NOT,NEITHER BY HEAVEN,NEITHER BY THE EARTH,NEITHER BY ANY OTHER OATH:BUT LET YOUR YES BE YES; AND YOUR NO,NO; LEST YOU FALL INTO CONDEMNATION. IS ANY AMONG YOU AFFLICTED?LET HIM PRAY.ISANY MERRY?LET HIM SING PSALMS. IS ANY SICK AMONG YOU?LET HIM CALL FOR THE ELDERS OF THE CHURCH; AND LET THEM PRAY OVER HIM,ANOINTING HIM WITH OIL IN THE NAME OF THE LORTD: AND THE PRAYER OF FAITH SHALL SAVE THE SICK, AND THE LORD SHALL RAISE HIM UP; AND IF HE HAS COMMITTED SINS, THEY SHALL BE FORGIVEN HIM.

CONFESS YOUR FAULTS ONE TO ANOTHER, AND PRAY ONE FOR ANOTHER, THAT YOU MAY BE HEALED. THE EFFECTUAL FERVENT PRAYER OF A RIGHTEOUS MAN AVAILS MUCH. ELIAS (OR ELIJAH) WAS A MAN SUBJECT TO LIKE PASSIONS AS WE ARE, AND HE PRAYED EARNESTLY THAT IT MIGHT NOT RAIN:

AND IT RAINED NOT ON THE EARTH BY THE SPACE OF 3 YEARS & 6 MONTHS. AND HE PRAYED AGAIN, & THE HEAVEN GAVE RAIN, & THE EARTH BROUGHT FORTH HER FRUIT. BRETHREN,IF ANY OF YOU DO ERR FROM THE TRUTH, AND ONE CONVERT HIM; LET HIM KNOW, THAT HE WHICH CONVERTS THE SINNER FROM THE ERROR OF HIS WAY SHALL SAVE A SOUL FROM DEATH, & SHALL HIDE A MULTITUDE OF SINS.”

“SMALL SEED-GREAT FRUIT”? WHAT IS HOLY GOD DOING THRU’ YOUR LIFE? ‘NO SEED-NO FRUIT’? OR “SMALL SEED-GREAT FRUIT”? IT IS AN ETERNAL LIFE CHOICE!!

BY: J.FARRELL FISHER, SEPETEMBER 4-6, 2017

Have you ever known anyone that reflected to you their ‘life-situation’ of an unknown identity? Have you ever been confronted by, yes, a ‘lifeless’ spirit and attitude, because they saw themselves as ‘fleshly dregs’, the least of all men, and, for sure, the least valuable part or significance in human society? Did you “catch” their spirit of imagination of insignificance and importance concerning anything? Starved identity so betrays the Word and The Will and the Way of God!

But, also, even in the church fellowships across America and the world, you will find “believers”, “church attenders”, who seek to serve their Lord and Savior with mind or soul imagination and live before those around them as ‘withering flowers’ rather than Spirit-anointed “fruit trees”! And in that sad state of a sick spiritual identity, you’ll find those who seek to “draw water” out of really an empty well because they look to the soul’s “best effort” and NOT to “The Inspiration of Divine Identity”!

It is, at times, extremely ‘sad days’ in many Christian communities when, yes, again, untrained, ill-equipped, immature disciples have never ‘matured’ in the Living Word but majored on ‘supposed’ self-attributes needed in the Kingdom or “drawing from the wells” of human imagination, human ideals, AND, at times, drawing from the ‘well of fleshly incompleteness’ that that one, in the best of spiritual self-effort, isn’t aware all THAT also was “crucified with Christ”! THERE IS, FOR SOME BELIEVERS THE SAD REALITY OF LIVING WITH AN IMPOVERISHED UNDERSTANDING OF WHO AND WHAT AND WHY THE TRUE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF BIBLICAL FAITH ARE WHO JESUS SAYS THEY ARE TO BE, AND FORGETTING HIM, THEY FALL AWAY!!

Consider Israel after their bondage experience and they headed TO the “Promised Land”! In Joshua 24, Joshua gathered the people together challenging them as I hope to do for you as you read this word! He said, in Verse 14, “Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, AND put away the gods which your fathers served…SERVE THE LORD! And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites (gods of unbelieving Americans, gods of ‘spiritually- mindless professors and educators’, gods of the dimmed brains, unfeeling hearts, and darkened, enslaved, fleshly, sin-dominated wills, desires, or pleasures of the present, satanically inspired, and ‘much-of—the-world’s-approval class of fallen men and women, yes, separated from Holy God!’). Joshua went on: “But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

And Israel’s response? Joshua 24:16! “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods;…” BUT, over the centuries, only a “True Remnant” held on to faithfully live by and serve the only true Lord God, Redeemer, Savior, Master, and Sovereign King- the ‘True Remnant’, yes, like Abraham, of whom Jesus said, who “rejoiced to see My day, and he was glad!”

As in Old Testament covenant days, they looked forward – we look backward! And in New Testament early days, the Lord Jesus unveiled the REALITY of, yes, faithful AND unfaithful servants! In Luke 12:41-46 Jesus spoke then – HE SPEAKS NOW! The Lord said, after Peter asked, “Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?” (GET READY!!). And the Lord said,

Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, (Dare I ask if YOU know if YOU ARE HIS “HOUSEHOLD” OR NOT?), to give them their portion of food in due season? BLESSED IS THAT SERVANT whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has.

BUT IF THAT SERVANT SAYS IN HIS HEART, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.”

That, my friends, ought to scare all last drops of Hell’s nature, your old sin nature, your ‘love of your old, fallen world’, and, yes, Satan himself!! And you ask, “Where does that Luke passage come from? (Glad you asked!). Come with me to Jeremiah 34:14-20!! Are you ready?

“At the end of seven years let every man set free his Hebrew brother, who has been sold to him; and when he has served you six years, you shall let him go free from you.” But your fathers did not obey Me nor incline their ear. Then you recently turned and did what was right in My sight – every man proclaiming liberty to his neighbor; and you made a covenant before Me in the house which is called by My name. [Very significant here! Did you enter a “Blood Covenant” relationship with Holy God through the sacrifice of Christ at Calvary?]. THEN you TURNED AROUND and profaned My name, and every one of you brought back his male and female slaves [Anything you’ve “brought back” that Jesus said had to go?], whom you had set at liberty, at their pleasure, and brought them back into subjection, to be your male and female slaves.”

“Therefore thus says the Lord: “You have not OBEYED ME in proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother and every one to his neighbor, ‘Behold, I proclaim liberty to you,’ says the Lord – to the sword, to pestilence, and to famine! And I will deliver you to trouble among all the kingdoms of the earth. And I will give the men who have transgressed My covenant, who have not performed the words of the covenant which they made before Me, when they cut the calf in two and passed between the parts of it – the princes of Judah, the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, the priests, and all the people who passed between the parts of the calf – I will give them into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their life. Their dead bodies shall be for meat for the birds of heaven and the beasts of the earth.”

“Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or all people?” Maybe it’s time to ask: “Lord, are YOU speaking to ME?” Are YOU His “household”, His “tabernacle, His “Holy Temple”, and are you honoring that calling or bringing shame to the very Name of Christ Jesus?

I pray that YOU understand, if you ‘profess’ Christ Jesus, that your calling, your life, your ministry, your daily walk, is to unveil the Lord and Savior in and through all your relationships, activities, services, and ministries! And, it doesn’t happen if one considers “faithful devotion” is an option, because that would be “salvation by works” – No! that would be “salvation because of His works, and YOU take the sentence of death daily that His Resurrection Life may be manifested in and through YOUR mortal flesh!” Do YOU take the sentence of death daily to your old man?

Far too many ‘professing believers’ rely on themselves, on their ‘outstanding’ abilities, their talents, their determination, saying, “I can handle this disciple thing!” Phony bologna!! Do YOU ever sense, in your ‘best effort’ Christian walk: “I’ve tried – maybe now I need to learn to trust, I’ve lingered in my abilities – maybe now I truly need to “die daily” and LEAN on Christ’s Resurrection Life in me, I’ve so wanted to try and please Him – but maybe now I need to learn about His perfected Life already in me, Resurrection Life, Resurrection Power, Resurrection Hope” – and the Word tells me, (“Why was I so blind?”), “Christ IN YOU the hope of glory!”

As a disciple of Christ Jesus, have you ever considered “extending” the Book of Acts to the 29^th Chapter of “MY HISTORIC BEST EFFORT FOR JESUS”? But, I hate to tell you, that would be a futile attempt without any eternal significance, because you are the “vessel”, He’s the content! BUT, you are aware! The Book of Acts ends so abruptly because: Christ’s Life is actively being revealed OR shuttered in and through YOU!

In 1 Peter 3:15 Peter wrote: “But sanctify (set apart) the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you A REASON FOR THE HOPE THAT IS IN YOU WITH MEEKNESS AND FEAR”, which IS: “CHRIST IN YOU THE HOPE OF GLORY!”

Do you remember the four leprous men at the entrance to the city gate when their city had been surrounded by the Syrians? 2 Kings 7:3 tells us: “Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate; and they said to one another, ‘Why are we sitting here until we die? If we say, ‘We will enter the city,’ the famine is in the city, and we shall die there. And if we sit here, we die also. Now therefore, come, let us surrender to the Syrians. If they keep us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall only die.’ [And they indulged!].

In 2 Kings 7:9, something happened in their minds and hearts! They said to one another, “We are not doing right. This is a day of good news, and we remain silent.” IF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST HAS TAKEN RESIDENCE IN YOUR HEART, DAILY FEEDING YOU THE MILK, BREAD, MEAT OF HIS WORD, HOW DOES THE CHURCH OR DISCIPLES REMAIN SILENT?

In 1 Peter 3:15 we read, “But sanctify (set apart) the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you A REASON FOR THE HOPE THAT IS IN YOU WITH MEEKNESS AND FEAR,” and I, J.Farrell Fisher, have a reason for the hope that is in me!!

I was a product of a broken home. At three years of age, after my parents’ divorce, I was taken to live with my mother’s parents for nine years when she remarried, and I then was taken to live with her and my step-father. (I’m not sure if anyone has ever truly studied or evaluated the impact upon children who are victims of the troubled world of DIVORCE). A “Wounded Child” is REAL!

It was not only the divorce, and little relationship with my Dad, but because of the necessity of needing money, my mother found a job in another city, going to work at the old ammunition factory for the World War 11. Yes, even as a three-year old child, the sense of abandonment began to take its toll. The sense or feeling of rejection was very strong and very powerful. But, later in life, I learned Psalm 27:10, “When my mother and father forsake me, THEN the Lord will take care of me.” NO DOUBT AT ALL THAT GOD’S HAND WAS ON MY LIFE…DID IT MEAN I WAS “SAVED” AT THAT TIME? NO! But I was protected!!

But there was a drive for approval, for affirmation, for acceptance that became a driving force of my life…(I didn’t know that then, but I learned in the adult maturing process!). Church activities, athletics, the girls, (as my friend, Eddie Cartwright, used to kid me!)..but underneath it all was, “I wonder if my Dad saw me play, saw me score?”

I never heard my Dad say, “I love you, Son…good job, Son..,” never a pat on the back, never a word of encouragement. On one occasion, many years later, I was invited to preach four days in my Dad’s church where he was an usher, and he never came to hear me preach. Even as a young, maturing adult, I’d cry. Even watching a good family TV show would put me into a tailspin emotionally because of the hidden pain, and I’d leave the room.

Did I excel? Whether football, basketball, or baseball, I did. In football, my junior and senior year, I led the Tri-State area of Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama, two years in a row. I had sixty scholarship offers, accepting Baylor’s offer. Back then freshmen played freshmen football, but I had three varsity years, and I believe it was my senior year, 1958, I had a conference record of three interceptions in the game against Don Meredith and the SMU Mustangs. Several years after college, I attended Southwestern Seminary in Ft. Worth, Texas, even pastoring, beginning with a church of 35 to one church of over 3000 members.

Outside, I was calm! Inwardly, I was a raging storm! I finally began to seek counsel! And I remember the counselor in Columbus, Georgia, telling me, “Farrell, you’re not about to have a “Break-Down”, but a “Breaking-Out!!” that was 1971-1972. In the spring of 1973 I went to a Pastor’s Retreat in Georgia sponsored by Yokefellows…only 16 pastors and Norman Vincent Peale’s brother, editor of Guidepost…he was a basket-case. I was in a circle of four, felt the heavy hand of God, and decided to run to the “desert”. In January of 1974, I went to California counseling in San Francisco to a ‘reputable’ (?) ‘Christian counselor (?), nine hours of counseling, with a word, “Come back soon, and I want to put you on LSD.”

At the same time, in Ocala, Florida, was a lady named Betty Cluster. She and her husband, Ed, an attorney, were in our church, and I baptized Ed Cluster. She heard of my trial and tribulation, called Sue, and urged her to see that I went to Titusville, Florida, to receive ministry and care from Peter Lord and Danny Daniels, both a key in my “deliverance”. (In fact, Danny was a cheerleader at Baylor when I played!). And in February, 1974, I was converted, “born again”, after being a Baptist pastor for 12 years. Possible? Cultural Christianity has nothing to do with the New Testament or the Life of Christ in you or the Life of Christ through you – for most, it is a mental commitment apart from true repentance and, yes, true Biblical Faith and surrender to Christ’s Lordship!

After I’d been born again, my wife Sue and I attended a Major Ian Thomas conference at Park Ave. Church, Titusville, and I heard him say, wrote it down, and cherished his words: “Most American church members are AWAKENED SOULS but not REGENERATED SPIRIT!” And I knew exactly what he was preaching about! Oh, and then I remembered a close friend who heard the testimony of my new birth experience, and he said to me: “Farrell, that can’t be true. I’ve known you a long time, and you’ve always looked saved. And if that’s true of you, WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE ME?” (Check John 3!!).

I went out of DEATH into RESURRECTION LIFE. I went from the CURSE into the BLESSING. I clearly understood the rotten fruit of First Adam and became a part of the sweetness of the fruit of the Second Adam. I came out of DARKNESS into LIGHT and saw for the first time the KINGDOM OF GOD!! I went from a pauper to a prince of God, from an in-bondage slave to a willing servant.

Colossians 1:13 declares: “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us INTO THE KINGDOM OF THE SON OF HIS LOVE.” “You shall know the truth and the truth will set you free!” Sue was at our home in Tempe, Arizona, and at 1am in the morning I called her, her and the children already asleep, but I told her, “When the children get up in the morning, tell them that when Daddy comes home, he’s coming home a new man and a new daddy.” And the journey began anew! The Bible became a New Book, there, of course, was the baptism in the Holy Spirit, and there was the birthing of a missionary heart! 1975-1981, Brazil, four to five times a year, and in 1982 the door to India was opened, Macedonia Ministries was born, and like a hand-written telegram or sky-writing, God said: “I want you to spend your remaining years majoring on ministry to My WOUNDED AND WEARY PASTORS.”

Twenty-five years, usually 5-6 times a year, from six weeks to three months at a time, from 200 pastors up to 1500 pastors, 4 days a week, eight hours a day, and outdoor crusades on weekends. There was one of my India coordinators who came to me, saying: “Papa Farrell, do you realize that in these 25 years that there has been over a hundred thousand pastors in your conferences?”, and it included thousands who were ready to walk away, but were renewed in the Spirit!

There were crusades with as many as 40,000 in attendance. 1996, ten crusades, back to back, one week after the other! In 1997, 5 in the winter, 5 in the Fall. There were Youth Crusades, high school and university students, in one city 10,000 in one conference! Miracles were abundant – I watched in amazement as Holy, Loving, Merciful God touched so many and made them whole – in the darkest nation spiritually, India, the greatest Light shone and is still shining brightly in 2017. Jesus said to me: “For India, I died!” I wrote a few words to sing after that moment:

“Lord, save India; Lord, save India; Lord, save India in this hour… Lord, save India, Lord, save India; By Your grace and by Your power.” I still sing it at times though I no longer can travel at 81 years of age in my aging, yes, crippled body!

God’s Hall of Fame? Don’t miss this! 1 Corinthians 1:26-29! “For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. BUT GOD has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty (in the flesh!); and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.” OH, and then Verse 30!

But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God – and righteousness and sanctification and redemption – that, AS IT IS WRITTEN, “He who glories, let him glory IN THE LORD.” And THAT magnifies His Sovereign Grace and keeps us in a humble place! AMEN? In Romans 8:29 Paul wrote: For whom He foreknew, He also predestined TO BE CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” It’s HOLY GOD who is in absolute control, calling and setting aside whom HE CHOOSES! ARE YOU A “CHOSEN ONE”? IF SO, “In Christ”: I AM”:

“Redeemed”, Romans 3:24; “Justified by faith”, Romans 5:1; I have been “introduced by faith into this “grace” in which we stand, Romans 5:2; We have been, then, “Reconciled to God,” Romans 5:11; NOW, we’re “dead to sin, but alive to God”, Romans 6:11; NOW, we’re partakers of eternal life, Romans 6:23,

NOW, we’re free from condemnation, Romans 8:1; we’re “sanctified” or set apart to the glory of God alone, 1 Corinthians 1:2; Washed, sanctified, justified, 1 Corinthians 6:11; we’ve been “made alive in the Spirit”, 1 Corinthians 15:22; we HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED (or made to stand!), 2 Corinthians 1:21; we are Triumphant, 2 Corinthians 2:14; we are “new creations”, 2 Corinthians 5:17; yes, we are the righteousness of God, 2 Corinthians 5:21;

We live in “liberty” from the law of sin and death, Galatians 2:4; We are “justified” (just as if we’d never sinned!), Galatians 2:16-17; “In Christ” we’re a partaker of the promise of the Spirit by faith, Galatians 4;6-7; “In Him” we are “sons of God”; “In Him” we are “blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, Ephesians 1:3; we ARE “redeemed and forgiven”, Ephesians 1:7, Colossians 1:14;

We are “obtainers of the inheritance”, Ephesians 1:11; sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, Ephesians 1:13; seated with Christ in the heavenly places, Ephesians 2:7; created and birthed in the Spirit “unto good works”, Ephesians 2:10; brought near to God by the blood of Christ, Ephesians 2:13; we’re fellow citizens with the saints, and of God’s household, Ephesians 2:19; we are being “built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit,” Ephesians 2:22;

A fellow heir, a fellow member of the Body, a fellow partaker of the promise, Ephesians 3:6; one who has boldness and confident access in Another, Ephesians 3:12; Light, Ephesians 5:8; A recipient of “peace that passes all understanding,” Philippians 4:7; able to do all things, anything, whatever He desires, Who strengthens me, Philippians 4:13; All my needs supplied according to His riches in glory, Philippians 4:19; COMPLETE IN CHRIST, Colossians 2:10; Destined to obtain the fullness and completeness of Christ in and through Him alone, 1 Thessalonians 5:9; saved and called with a holy calling according to His own purpose and grace, 2 Timothy 1:9; A partaker of Christ, Hebrews 3:14; cleansed of a conscience of dead works to serve the living God, Hebrews 9:14; equipped with every good thing to do His will, Hebrews 13:21; a living stone, a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, 1 Peter 2:4,9; Perfected, confirmed, strengthened, and established (or “made to stand”), 1 Peter 5:10; granted everything pertaining to life and godliness by His divine power,” 2 Peter 1:3; granted His precious and magnificent promises that by them we become partakers of the divine nature, 2 Peter 1:4!

But YOU have a ‘better way’? Really? YOUR better way is deceitful, devilish, and self-darkness, not the Light of the Lord Himself! “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim In the Light of His glory and grace.” Where are your spiritual eyes fixed right now?