By: J.Farrell Fisher, July 25-28, 2018

In late July, 2018, on television, I heard Jeff Sessions speak about America’s ‘liberals’, addressing them as “supercilious snowflakes”; in other words, ‘temporary voices in crucial times’! And when I heard that I had to think, consider, resolve, for myself, whether many ‘church folk’ today are the same in their divided allegiances as “supercilious snowflakes” professing allegiance in God’s Kingdom as they ‘try to serve both Spirit and ‘flesh’!’

In the ‘world-wide’ Christian communities, without a doubt, one will find the “supercilious snowflakes” or the “set-apart saints of God’s birthing”, ‘supercilious snowflakes” or “sons and daughters of the Eternal Father”; pretenders with divided allegiances know nothing about ‘forsaking all and following Christ’! But there are “solid-rock citizens of God’s Kingdom”! There are “foundation-stones in God’s Holy Temple”! There are “redeemed witnesses of the Lord’s Saving Grace”!

In the modern-day religious world of ‘professing Christianity’ one will be able to discern the differences between ‘presumptuous estimations’ or “Prince of Peace Declarations, revelations, and manifestations”, “partial compromise and commitment or Sold-Out Allegiance”!

Some ‘religious folk’ are good at ‘self-imposed allegiance’ but choose it rather than “Christ in you the hope of glory” willingly yielded daily to His Sovereign Will”! Jeweled flesh is NOT Eternal Presence and Anointing and Empowering of the Holy Spirit!!!

In Luke 16:14-15 Jesus said to the Pharisees, Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard these things, and they despised Jesus. And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but GOD KNOWS YOUR HEARTS. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.” And Holy God knows all, sees all, and is able to discern in religious men true devotion or ‘flesh pretence’!

JUNE 21-22, 2018, BY: J.FARRELL FISHER

Highly interesting Verse in Psalm 90:11, a prayer of Moses which is highly significant when he said: “Who knows the power of Your anger? For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath.” Would you say, “Yes, there IS the ‘power of God’s anger’, and it can be and is expressed to the ‘godless’, and, at times, even upon His own people!

In Exodus 4, Moses, receiving instructions from the Lord about appearing and accusing Pharaoh for his actions against God’s “chosen people”, reacts to God about His instructions, and in Exodus 4:14 the Word tells us: “So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses…”! That bothers some people who profess faith because their attitude is, “Holy God should never be angry with anybody, especially His own people”, and yet it’s clear from Genesis through Revelation that there IS “divine anger” as there is “flesh anger”!

(Of course, ‘flesh-folk’, even ‘God’s own children of faith’, are fully aware of the moment or moments when emotions arise of instant displeasure, instant hostility, instant indignation, from feelings of injustice, injury, or incompatibility with one’s expectations!).

There is no doubt that, even in the “Christian communities of faith”, there ARE the ‘moments’ (?), or the ‘s (?), or the ‘days’ (?), when Holy God Himself stands in “firm” opposition to the ‘flesh acts’ of some believers at times, that I would say ‘at least’ should be very infrequent!

Legitimate anger among believers? In Ephesians 4:26 Paul wrote, “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, Verse 27, nor give place to the devil.” Uncontrolled anger, undisciplined anger, unnecessary anger, has a special place, standing before Holy God ,to give an explanation, and repent or else!

Merrill Unger, in his huge “Unger’s Bible Dictionary”, published by Moody Press in 1974, wrote: “Anger is sinful when it rises too soon, without reflection; when the injury which awakens it is only apparent; when it is disproportionate to the offense; when it is transferred from the guilty to the innocent; when it is too long protracted and becomes revengeful.”

Illegitimate anger among believers? In Matthew 5:21-22 we read, Jesus speaking, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment. BUT I SAY TO YOU that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause (so ‘anger’ without a cause faces ‘judgment’ but ‘anger’ with a cause faces judgment? YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT!!) shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ (OR ‘worthless’, ‘empty’, ‘good-for-nothing’) shall be in danger of the council.)” That doesn’t sound good! But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.”

Illegitimate anger? In Genesis 49:5-7, as the Spirit-inspired what Jacob spoke, we read, “Simeon and Levi are brothers; instruments of cruelty are in their dwelling place. Let not my soul enter their council; Let not my honor be united to their assembly; for in their anger they slew a man, and in their self-will they hamstrung an ox. Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce; and their wrath, for it is cruel!”

Did you notice? “Anger, self-will, cruelty, ‘slaying folk’” – and that doesn’t have to be just ‘physical murder’ – it can be ‘spiritual murder’ as one cruelly puts down a “fellow saint” for not measuring up to one’s ‘fleshly opinion’!

In Proverbs 29:20-23 we read, “Do you see a man hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him. He who pampers his servant from childhood will have him as a son in the end. An angry man stirs up strife, and a furious man abounds in transgressions. A man’s pride will bring him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honor.” Dare I tell you? A humble man can rise up in anger because of the ill-will for one man or the other, but a proud man will rise up in uncontrollable anger because he’s self-empowered for his honor and not God’s!! And he faces eternal danger or damnation!

Included also for those who walk the waves of illegitimate anger are those who carelessly brutalize a wife, a husband, a friend, a business associate, a classmate, or even an enemy, without any consideration of Holy God in making an eternal difference in a man’s inhumanity toward others! Consider ‘kids’, ‘teenagers’, brought up in godless neighborhoods or with godless parents, and, at times, find no problem in shaming, disgracing, even brutalizing a ‘lone sheep’ without a guardian because Mom and Dad both work and he’s left alone to ‘try’ and make it in, around, and through reckless bands of neighborhood ‘kids’ that act like ‘demons’ toward others! There are ruthless kids, young adults, even angry men, and they remain that way because self-will, self-determination about who or what one likes, with ‘self-sovereignty’ reigning supreme in their sinful hearts, AND THEY LIKE IT, at least, for a time in their godless adventures, and with illegitimate anger come against others!

And the illegitimately angry crowd has NOTHING to be proud about in, at times, their unrighteous outbursts of anger, indecency, and fleshly pride! In Romans 1:18-2:11 Paul writes a powerful word about what I seek to expose. Listen!! “For the WRATH OF GOD is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God IS MANIFEST IN THEM, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, BEING UNDERSTOOD BY THE THINGS THAT ARE MADE, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that THEY ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE; because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful,

But became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image like corruptible man – and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. THEREFORE God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, WHO EXCHANGED THE TRUTH OF GOD FOR “THE LIE”, (“THE LIE”? One can sin and not die!!), and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. ( ISN’T THIS WORD ENOUGH?). BUT…

Romans 2:1-11 says, “Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and the revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who “will render to each one according to his deeds”: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to THOSE WHO ARE SELF-SEEKING and DO NOT OBEY THE TRUTH, but obey unrighteousness – indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also the Greek; but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God.” DOES THAT SPEAK TO YOU, AWAKEN YOU, AND TURN YOU FROM THE EVIL WAY TO THE WAY OF CHRIST ALONE?

The ‘self-seekers’, the ‘self-promoters’, the ‘self-worshippers’, have no problem “pushing God away” from their hearts, but their minds cannot obliterate the reality of God from their thinking processes! In Romans 1:19-20 (NLT), Paul wrote inspired by the Holy Spirit, “For the truth about God is known to them instinctively. God has PUT THIS KNOWLEDGE IN THEIR HEARTS. From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see His invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature. So that they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God.”

The ‘self-seekers’ supposedly don’t ‘know God’ because they choose to be blind to His Presence, yes, even as He “knocks on their hearts’ doors”, because they are ‘in love’ with their sin-natures, ‘deceived’ by Satan, and captivated by a ‘world-spirit’ that tries to shut God out! How foolish, how ridiculous, how stupid!

In Psalm 2:1-6 there are powerful statements about ‘fallen man’s attempts’ about radicalizing God out of their existence, though He never leaves! It says: “Why do the nations rage, and the people plot (or ‘imagine’) a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, ‘Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away their cords from us.’ (BUT) He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall hold them in derision. THEN He shall speak to them in His wrath, and distress them in His deep displeasure. “Yet (in spite of My displeasure) I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion.” GLORY!!

‘Self-seekers’ have no desire to face God’s reactions to their attempts to annihilate “Faith and Forgiveness and a God-Present Now” in the inner man, since ‘self-rule’ is more desirable to them than the love, grace, and mercy of God in “birthing” NEW MEN by His eternal Power and Glory and Purposes, and His Resurrected Presence “in Christ Jesus”!

Many unbelievers and “pretenders” won’t like it, but Seneca, in the writing, “De Providentia, V”, said: “Gold is tried in fire, and acceptable men (by God) in the furnace of adversity.” So true! Didn’t Isaiah write, in Isaiah 30:20, “””””And though the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your teachers will not be moved into a corner anymore, but your eyes shall see your teachers.”””””” Dare me to tell you? Believe I will! Examine “misguided anger,” “massive anger”, “minimal anger”, OR, dare you look at the “Master’s anger”?

Verse 21, “Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left.” Walking IN “the Way”? Man’s ‘ways’ or God’s “Way, Truth, and Life”? Dare YOU “rest” in Psalm 18:28-36, and Verses 46-50?

Psalm 18:28-36 says: “For You will light my lamp; the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness. For by You I can run against a troop, by my God I can leap over a wall. As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. For who is God, except the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God? It is God who arms me with strength, AND makes my way perfect.

He makes my feet like the feet of deer, and sets me on high places. He teaches my hands to war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You have also given me the shield of Your salvation; Your right hand has held me up, Your gentleness has made me great. You enlarged my path under me, so my feet do not slip.” Oh, and then, Verses 46-50! It says: “The Lord lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let the God of my salvation be exalted.

It is God who avenges me, and subdues the peoples under me; He delivers me from my enemies. YOU also lift me up above those who rise against me; You have delivered me from the violent man. Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the Gentiles, and sing praises to Your name. Great deliverance He gives to His king, and shows mercy to His anointed, to David and his descendants forevermore (and to Farrell & Sue Fisher and their descendants FOREVERMORE!!).

I wrote a few words just moments ago entitled, “I AM MY LORD’S”! It says: “I am my Lord’s, and He is mine, my Lord and Savior, yes, God divine…

In adversity, distress, and ‘enemy attack’, the Lord is ever faithful in guarding against Satan’s attacks.

Though the pathway of life may be filled with strife, my Lord is able to resurrect ‘death’ into eternal life!

Eternal Life, His present reality, Eternal Life, His constant provision, divinely resident to halt Satan’s derision.

I am my Lord, and He is mine, my Lord and Savior, yes, God divine. Never to leave me or strand me alone, His present voice Heaven’s constant, familiar tone!

“I’ll never leave you to strive on your own – You are MINE, and because of My Presence, YOU WILL SHINE!

Shine to My glory, shine to My praise, because of mercy and grace, YOU I will raise, raised to My Presence, never to depart, YOU are made ONE with the Father’s heart!” Amen and Amen and Amen? Glory to our Lord’s Precious Name, yes, constantly of will, bowing continuously to the Father’s heart!” AMEN?

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?