“ABANDONING HOPE OR ABIDING IN HOPE?”

In the Random House Collegiate Dictionary the word “hope” is described as follows: “The feeling that what is desired is also possible, or that events may turn out for the best..; to look forward to with desire and reasonable confidence..; that something desired may happen..; trust, rely.” And no doubt, redeemed or not, there are people gripped in their minds with a “hope” that what they put their faith in may happen or it may not happen. But ‘fleshly hope’ is nowhere near Biblical hope! Some, both out of or in the church “hope things turn out for the ‘best’,” or like others they live, they strive, they ‘try’, but live in a state of mind AND heart : “I hope against hope,” which IS a sad state of mental, physical, and spiritual levels of living! Why not ABIDE IN BIBLICAL HOPE without being swayed by the world, the flesh, or the devil?

In John 15:4-11 the Lord Jesus tells us: Jesus says, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit, for without Me you can do nothing.

If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, AND My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.”

As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.”

Would you say that Jesus was extremely clear when He said that if you and I as believers “abide in Him” that we will be strongly held in the arms of Him whose arms cannot be broken? Did He also say that only in and through Him does Sovereign fruitfulness become a reality? And in that “rest” in Him only, did He also say that abiding in Him supernaturally allows divine fruitfulness, to bud and produce, yes, the fruit of the Spirit, the fruit of Christ, the fruit of God?

But, notice John 15:2! “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit the Father takes away, and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” And in the branch should one, yes, be concerned about minimum or maximum ‘fruit-production’? Is the “fruit” that the Word declares the evidence of one’s “new birth experience” or an unredeemed life that just “hopes for the best”, but hoping for the best is not the same as “resting in the hope Christ has promised” which is “His best” revealed in His full surrender to God the Father’s “Before Creation, but settled in His Mind, His Heart, and His Will: “My Son will be the “hope of all repentant, trusting hearts, in reconciliation to My eternal purpose for created, sin-bound men who are only set free from godlessness and led by Christ into the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Do you remember Jesus saying thousands of years after Abraham’s birth, life, and death that “Abraham rejoiced to see My day and he was glad?” Father-God knew that in the reality of men’s birthing on earth He didn’t want “spiritual zombies” as sons and daughters but people free to choose whether they wanted to be independent of God or dependent upon Him for mercy and grace! And, yes, Abraham and many Old Testament citizens learned of the Coming Messiah who would be the “blood sacrifice” in behalf of repentant hearts and souls.

But, sadly, multitudes abandoned hope from God holding on to “best effort” human genius! That’s like Pharoah of Egypt, confronted in Exodus 5 by Moses and Aaron on a mission from God, telling Pharoah that Holy God said to “Let My people go” from their Egyptian bondage and slavery with Pharoah saying in Exodus 5:2, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go.”

Even though Sovereign God determined the Savior of the world would come as “Emmanuel” or “God in flesh”, and that He would come being born of the Virgin Mary, only true, God-trusting Old Testament believers of Israel put their faith in the Savior their physical eyes would never see, indicating certainly “spiritual vision” far outweighs being able to see with only physical eyes! Yes, “Abraham (having never seen) rejoiced to see My day, and he was glad!”

Most of Israel abandoned hope although they were devoted to religious observances! Most of the world today doesn’t even look back to the Cross of Christ as most of Israel in the Old Testament didn’t look forward to His coming! They were satisfied with their religious observances even as they practiced, yes, a godless lifestyle, heavily reinforced with religious activities, never sensing the Voice of Christ or the Holy Spirit’s unveiling of Christ to them. Why? “Who needs a Savior when we’re capable of doing whatever our natural or religious minds determine! We’re able to be religiously devoted!”

And there are still those even today who “take up stones to throw at Christ”! To them it was justified because they didn’t see the great “I AM” Jesus as worthy of anything but stoning! But, I urge you, reflect upon Saul’s attitude toward the prophet Samuel who had just learned from God, “Saul doesn’t follow Me”, and Holy God instructed Samuel to tell Saul, as well as all unbelievers today, 1 Samuel 15:22-23, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from being king.”

Of course, we don’t have to be concerned in the church today about being called ‘kings’, or do we? In Revelation 5:9-10, “the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. And they sang a new song, saying: (Speaking to the Lamb of God, King Jesus!), “You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and nation, (GET READY!!!), and have MADE US KINGS AND PRIESTS TO OUR GOD; AND WE SHALL REIGN ON THE EARTH.”

That’s not when you die and go to heaven, but when on earth you choose the sentence of death unto yourself that the Resurrection Life of Christ may be manifested in you as He anoints YOU IN HIM to reign upon the earth!

But around you daily you cross paths with people who “abandon hope” and refuse to even consider “abiding in hope” because some tell them, “If you even rang God’s heavenly doorbell, He wouldn’t answer you because even God can’t help the hopeless,” which is so foreign to the mind, heart, and will of God. I tell you, God is able to save, heal, deliver the worst sinner on the face of the earth if he/she, in true repentance and faith calls out for God’s mercy and grace!

But I tell you also, there is a huge difference between a ‘religious hope fabricated by men’ and redemptive hope written forever by the shed blood of the Lamb of God who still says: “Come unto Me, and I will give you rest.” I don’t know who wrote it, but I came across an anonymous statement: “There is more hope for a self-convicted sinner than there is for a self-conceited saint,” and to that I say, “Amen!”

I wrote a few words I pray will enlighten you, bless you, and encourage you – no title yet, just a few, I hope, challenging words!!

“Lord Jesus, Son of God, Savior of repentant, faith-believing minds and hearts, Open our understanding of all Your gracious deeds as, by Your Spirit, we examine our heart-felt needs!

That’s the need to abandon hopelessness and be swept up in the sea of Your abiding hope! Our wanderings without you birthed a life of a world of grief because, we as your children, rested in ourselves as thieves.

In ourselves, no hope; in ourselves, no cure; in ourselves, no help; becoming hopeless and helpless, blinded by ‘flesh’, deceived by Satan, fooled by the world, we dance the death that will not die, even blinding ourselves to God’s open eye!

There are dark clouds for men without God, but gracious God, in amazing love, placed His Son on our very sod; hope is His gift, mercy His song, His invitation to Him belong!

“Come to Me and I’ll give you rest, find your place in Heaven’s nest – no longer the sad song of life’s frustration, but washed in His blood, indwelt in your body, you see your heart as My destination.”

There is for your life, though clouds may come, the starlight of heaven shining on your home. Circumstances may arise with Satan’s intent to discourage your walk, but never give in to his empty talk.

Christ Jesus has spoken, and His received Word need never be broken! He ever abides to stand by your side, that you in His glory may continue to abide. His sunset of hope, like an anchor to hold, is never swept away but continually abides to stand by your side, His promise that cannot be denied!” Amen?

“Abandoning Hope Or Abiding in Hope?” I pray you’ll join me in “Abiding in Hope”! Let’s look first at “God’s Amazing Promise”! In Hebrews 6:9-20 we read: “But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, ‘Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.’ And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. [A forty year wait!].

For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. Thus God, DETERMINED TO SHOW MORE ABUNDANTLY TO THE HEIRS OF PROMISE THE IMMUTABILITY OF HIS COUNSEL, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. [Did Abraham ‘lay hold of the hope’ AFTER HE HAD PATIENTLY ENDURED? Again, there is ‘birth’, ‘infancy’, ‘youth’, ‘young adult’, and the ‘senior fully matured in the faith’!].

Hebrews 6:19-20 continues: “This hope we have AS AN ANCHOR OF THE SOUL, BOTH SURE AND STEADFAST, and which enters the “Presence” behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” Are YOU “standing on our Lord’s promises and resting in the sure Word of God that never fades away or changes?

SECOND, ABIDING IN HOPE IS BEING ENRICHED BY THE ANOINTED WORD OF GOD! Don’t ever forget or overlook in ‘discipleship training’ the words of Jesus in Matthew 4:4 as Jesus responded to Satan’s temptations! He said: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” Tell me, first, about your physical dieting! Do you at least try to eat three square meals a day? BUT, is there the necessity of ‘spiritual feeding’ of the redeemed soul? If you eat three square meals a day to maintain your physical body, what about maintaining the ‘spiritual life’ that MUST BE NOURISHED IN THE BREAD, MEAT, AND VEGETABLES AND HONEY OF GOD’S SPIRIT-WORD?

In John 6:63-64 Jesus said: “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” How many ‘believers’ and ‘church folk’ have crossed your path who insist there is no need of discipline in the Word “after” one had been born again?

Very interesting Verse in Psalm 49:20! “A man who is in honor, yet does not understand, is like the beasts that perish.” And, I thought: How many honorable men in the church or outside the church are esteemed but couldn’t give you one word about himself as a student of God’s Holy Word feeding on it daily? Are you “being enriched” by the living and abiding Word of God?

THIRD, ABIDING IN HOPE IS BEING SUSTAINED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT! In Romans 8: 1-2 Paul wrote: “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh (one’s old sin nature), but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.”

Abandoning hope is the determination to choose to live by one’s best effort without any need of “God’s interference” with one proving he/she can do it on one’s own determination! But Holy God just happens to be smarter than fallen mankind’s assessment of himself, God fully aware ‘in the flesh’ fallen mankind cannot, does not, will not live the overcoming life against the world, one’s old sin nature, or Satan’s interference; therefore merciful God sustains us by the Holy Spirit in divine conviction, divine conversion, and divine consecration – the Holy Spirit sustains true believers!

In Romans 8:8-11 Paul continued laying the foundation for a true believer “abiding in hope”! He wrote: “So then those who are in the flesh (living under the control of their old sin nature) cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And IF Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Holy Spirit who dwells in you.”

But there are those ‘professing believers’, ‘active church members’, even ‘preachers’, who say, “Oh, someday, in the sweet by and by, we’ll finally experiencing what it means to live in Christ’s fullness!” Yet Paul wrote in Romans 15:29, “But I know that when I come to you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.” Really? In the here and now? That’s the true gospel! And “in Christ” you can “live with joy by the will of God,” “daily refreshed in His resurrection life, resurrection power, and resurrection hope”! I say to you: NEVER FORGET Martin Luther’s words in his famous hymn that says: “A mighty fortress is our God, A bulwark never failing; Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing. For still our ancient foe Does seek to work us woe; His craft and power are great, And, armed with cruel hate, On earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide, Our striving would be losing, Were not the right Man on our side, The Man of God’s own choosing. Do you ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He; Lord Sabaoth is His name, From age to age the same, And He must win the battle.

And tho’ this world, with devils filled, Should threaten to undo us, We will not fear, For God has willed His truth to triumph through us. The prince of darkness grim – We tremble not for him; His rage we can endure, For lo! His doom is sure: One little world shall fell him.

That word above all earthly powers – No thanks to them – abideth; The Spirit and the gifts are ours Through Him who with us sideth. Let goods and kindred go, This mortal life also; The body they may kill; God’s truth abideth still, His kingdom is forever.” Can YOU say AMEN to the grace, mercy, and love of God as YOUR ABIDING HOPE, or do you presently walk on “the sinking sands” of fleshly suffocation?

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?