Why We Preach

But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, and saying, "We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced. We have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented." For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, "He hath a devil." The Son of man came eating and drinking and they say, "Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners." But wisdom is justified of her children. -- Mat 11:16 - 19

Some people simply cannot be pleased. It does not matter what you do, or how hard you do it. They will find fault. They will believe the worst, and they will choose to be offended. Regardless how good your cause or how righteous your effort, there will be those who will insist that you and what you do are of no value.

There was a time when such things truly bothered me -- especially when I considered the detractor to be godly. There were even times when I wondered if there was some merit to their assessment. Then I began to look at what these naysayers were actually doing themselves, and I ceased to regard their opinions at all.

Yeshua said unto him, "Let the dead bury their dead; but go thou and preach the kingdom of God." -- Luk 9:60

We are to preach the word of God. Being called to preach literally means we are no longer our own, but His to wield. I do many things that people are astonished at, and I offend some in it. They think I do these things to credit or  promote myself. No, I do them, because the Spirit urges me to.

The Baptist came preaching and teaching a fiery message. He kept himself separate from the religious groups of the day, opposing them to promote the LORD. Today I keep myself from the accepted religious organizations, too. Like those of the Baptist's day, they are largely out of line with the truth.

Preaching and teaching the word of God is not about being popular or liked. It isn't about being worshiped by the members of your church or having their approval. It is about the truth of God. It is about standing against the fires of hell itself especially when it isn't popular to do so.

Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine. -- 2 Tim 4:2

We are to preach His word, regardless. So many today do it for profit. Others do it for fame. But those who are truly His do it because He IS God, and as such, deserves our undivided devotion and unreserved love. In such a state, preaching, even amongst those of hardened hearts, is like breathing. How could we live without it? It is life unto our very souls.

Blessings,

Betty

Today's the Day

Off to the abortuary again this morning with a pink blanket on one shoulder and a blue on the other. I'll be pleading for the children's lives, rebuking the evil, offering help for mothers, and speaking the truth of Scripture. God is not silent as so many believe on the shedding of innocent blood; but rather, warns us strongly to stand against us.

"Do this so that innocent blood will not be shed in your land . . . so that you will not be guilty of bloodshed." -- Deu 19:10

" . . . And from each man, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellowman." -- Gen 9:5

"They sacrificed their sons and daughters to demons. They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was desecrated by their blood." -- Psa 106-37-38

Deuteronomy tells we don't have to kill to be guilty. Genesis tells us we are responsible for lives of those around us and Psalms tells us that our land is ruined by the blood of innocents. Why does the church still think it's innocent? Because once we determine not to know, He will let our thinking become deluded. Not only is God not pleased with us, He is angry enough to give us rulers to have no regard for us whatsoever.

My Beloved Granny

by Betty Baker Bailey

Long ago when I was young,

When nursery rhymes rolled off my tongue,

I remember Granny come to call

With goodies packed away for all.

Her silver hair was her disguise

For Granny was both young and wise.

She told us truths to make us think

And set us laughing with her hi-jinks!

And when she cooked, we all drooled.

Her cakes and pies rarely cooled.

Eggs blossomed into royal feasts;

Luscious treats from a little yeast.

Fun as such few ever knew

Was mine as Granny and I grew.

She taught me how to tell a tale

So it could never quite grow stale.

She helped me see the truth of God;

To trace the steps that Jesus trod;

And gave me purpose just to know

That in His way I was to grow.

Yes, Granny, I do miss you, dear.

Forgive as I must shed a tear.

Not because I begrudge your date

With the keeper outside Heaven’s gate.

It’s just that I still love you so

Sometimes I almost want to go;

To join you somewhere in the skies

Where angels sing you lullabies.

A forgotten scene flashes out of time,

A graceful Granny in her prime.

Her gray hair flowing in the wind

She races past me to the end.

Perhaps it’s Granny with a wink

Reminding me to stop and think;

Where others may be meek and mild

My Beloved Granny may just be . . . running wild!

One Last Gift

by Betty Baker Bailey

It would be absolutely impossible to accurately describe my Grandmother to anyone who had never had physical contact with her.  The word “unconventional” comes to mind, but even it fails to describe the extent of her extraordinary outlook on life.  Equally as difficult is explaining her ability to give gifts that benefit a lifetime.

I vividly remember my Granny coming to visit as a child.  Besides the obvious delight of having someone whose love could not be questioned, she never came empty-handed.  From much needed and loved hand-me-downs (which once included a real fur stole) to fresh fruit, she always managed to capture our hearts with her generosity.  Once she even passed out delicious honey bears for each of us.  We sat on the front porch smacking and slurping enthusiastically while she and mother visited about “adult” stuff.  To this day I value gifts of the heart far more than “trinkets”.

One of the earliest gifts I remember was an old, tattered hymnal.  She brought it with her once and I commented, like children will, about how we did not have anything like it.  She graciously gave it to me.  Hymns were and are still my favorite of all songs.  To this day I can hear her patiently guiding me as we sang one after another with great gusto, if not in key.

Though she never really had much that society would call of “value”, Granny somehow always seemed to be happy.  She had a hysterical sense of humor, laughing as much at herself as others.  She would often do very embarrassing things and then tell us about it, snickering all the while.  Part of our enjoyment revolved around the fact that she actually repeated the tale.  She embraced life unashamedly, leaving me with a rather unconventional sense of humor.  (And yes, I tell on myself regularly even when it’s embarrassing.  Better to laugh at the spectacle than pretend you’re not one!)

Early in grade school she taught me a wonderful skit to do for my class.  It revolved around searching desperately for a pair of “lost” glasses that nestled safely on top of her head.  I can still see her crawling around on hands and knees while I laughed ‘till my sides ached.  I can still hear the class roaring as I “popped” the glasses down on the bridge of my nose.  The whole experience gave my self-esteem a much needed boost that’s been carried into my very public efforts today.

Hot summer days with Granny were made for wild cactus berry juice which she dutifully gathered on her morning hike.  No one but Granny would have even given them a second glance.  Neither would anyone else have considered the wild mushrooms that grew nearby, but to Granny they were a potential delicacy not to be missed.  Always the consummate teacher, she constantly strove to teach creative thinking.  I can not tell you how many times being able to do so has literally saved my bacon.

A master of nonconformity, her gifts were not just lavished on family.  To her money was something you used not something you held onto.  She once purchased a piano for a blind girl while living largely off things she had grown in her own garden.  The girl became quite the pianist, even going so far as to make at least one album.  To Granny, the girl’s happiness made it money very well spent.  She loved everyone and gave generously to all.  I know that part of my heart for the children taken by abortion comes directly from her.

Living alone most of her life, Granny was an expert in making things work.  She could grow a garden on rock, feed a family from a “bare cupboard” and make good use of every bit of “trash” she encountered.  She was self-sufficient without being distant.  She was frugal without being stingy.  She was industrious without being demanding.  She was an independent woman in a time when such a thing was very much frowned upon, but she never let the approval of men keep her from completing her duties.  My refusal to sit down, shut up and stay out of the fight for life is directly related to the example she set.  (Interestingly, if she had of “followed the rules of the day” she would never have survived even her first week of life.  She weighed in at around 2 pounds in 1912!)

Even in her sixties, Granny would get up before us each morning and begin the tasks she considered her responsibility.  She rarely quit before we did.  She had learned early the secrets of working wisely.  She could always manage to lift things too heavy for her or fix something that was “beyond repair”.  Part of this came from living through the depression, but part of it was her desire to see the job through.  These days my mother comments on my refusal to give up in areas where many would.  My tenacity is straight from her.

As far back as I can remember, Granny read her Bible regularly.  She taught all her children, and everyone else’s too, about Biblical truths.  When I first began to have “encounters” with God, she was the one who helped me realize that it really was God speaking to me.  Her commitment to Him gave me a strong appreciation for Who He is.  Her Biblical knowledge gave me an appreciation of the importance of Scripture.  She worked harder at being faithfully obedient to share the love He had given her than in any other area of her life.  How well ingrained in me is the realization that the key to living successfully lies in the obedience to His will.

The last time I saw Granny she was old and frail.  Unable to get around easily, she walked slowly, carefully and very quietly.  My youngest was only a few months old and still very fragile.  My mother, my sister and I had traveled to visit and were staying in her home.  I turned away from my daughter for a moment and when I turned back there stood my Grandmother swaying slightly.  Arms out-stretched, she was reaching towards my tiny offspring.  A look of total love covered her face.  This epitomized Granny.  She needed me to know she loved my children as much as she had always loved me, but she also in no way wanted me to fear for my child’s safety.  She knew her physical strength was gone.  She also knew it was her love that we all cherished the most. That moment is etched on my heart forever. When my daughter is old enough, it will be pure joy to share it with her.

For the last several years Granny struggled with poor health, falling victim to strokes and infection.  She went from being the mountain climber who harvested wild berries to being bed-ridden and unable to recall who people were.  She suffered long and hard, becoming childlike and dependent.  My blessed aunt went to great trouble to take care of her; seeing to her every need and treating her with the love she had so richly earned.  All of her children, grand-children, great-grand-children and great-great-grandchildren knew she was dying.  Still, we hung on to each day; praying the inevitable would not come.

About a month ago, my Granny gave me one last gift.  Something extra special . . . like all her gifts . . . that’s better shared . . . also like all her gifts.  She came to me in my sleep looking much like she had in years previous and laughing as joyously as I had often heard her as a child.  She patted my cheek and drew me close, all the while laughing cheerfully.  I pulled back a little knowing she was gone and wanting to cry over my loss.  She laughed sweetly all the more.

“Don’t cry . . .” she urged.  “Don’t cry, Baby.  Granny is all right. Granny is all right!”

I tried.  I really did.  I had said for years that it would kill me to lose her.  I wanted to cry my eyes out; to wallow in a deep pool of self-pity, but she simply would have none of it.  She laughed and laughed and laughed . . . so joyously that before I knew it, I was laughing with her.  I awoke that morning laughing out loud; grinning from ear to ear and shaking my head in wonder.  Only Granny would have seen that need so clearly, put her own aches behind and comforted her soon to be hurting grandchild.

On May 29, 2002 after making considerable effort to physically recognize and remind her older children who were by her side that she loved them, my Granny went on to be with the Lord.  Her suffering ended, she left behind children beyond those she bore who loved her dearly.  No child was ever unwelcome in her home.  She always attempted to feed, teach and give gifts to all she could reach.  Her blood descendants included 3 children, 17 grandchildren, 34 great-grandchildren, 11 great-great-grandchildren and 4 pre-born great-great-grandchildren.  Always a staunch supporter of life, abortion was simply never considered.

Granny’s funeral was as exceptional as she had been in life.  Her son officiated.  Her oldest daughter dressed her in a glorious light blue gown and robe.  One of the oldest granddaughters soloed beautifully, “I am the Bread of Life” and “Amazing Grace”.  Her teenage great-granddaughters picked and placed a bouquet of wildflowers in her hands, her flower of choice.  Grandchildren offered prayers and read Scripture.  Instead of “Jesus Loves the Little Children”, children appropriately sang “Granny loved . . .”  All who wanted were given opportunity to partake; to share a part of her influence in their lives.  I stood to tell of the dream in hopes of imparting some small portion of her joy to the rest of the family.

Many others sang, read poetry or gave testimony.  Everyone acknowledged her love had had profound effect on all of us.  Though I could not always hold back my tears, it was impossible not to hear her joyous laughter in my heart; the kind of joy that could have only come from being in the very presence of God.  Besides comforting me, I know this is exactly what my beloved Granny wanted shared with all she loved . . . that the joy of being at home with Him far exceeds all suffering.

(Realize I don’t claim to understand how any of this could have been possible.  At the point of the dream Granny was in a semi-vegetative state, lapsing in and out of consciousness.  I do know that strange things like this have happened to me for as long as I can remember.  Perhaps it’s just another part of Granny.  I really do not know.  I do know that she had always known when we were going to lose another member of the family and would warn us in advance.  I also know from extensive experience that a significant number of my dreams come true.)

In Honor of the Children: "Little Innocents"

Little Innocents
by Betty Baker Bailey

How do you sleep little child of my heart?

Are you afraid of the sounds in the dark?

Does your little heart race at your mother’s voice?

Are you terrified of her need for choice?

How do you dream little child all alone?

Do you think how you’d be if you ever got grown?

Do you wish for a kiss or a warm full breast?

Do you long for the peace of a safe night’s rest?

How is your life, little one, do you play?

Do you turn?  Do you kick?  Do you push away?

Do you look at your hands . . . your fingers or toes?

Have you reached out and touched the tip of your nose?

How do you grow, little one, in the womb?

Does each new cell bring the dread of your doom?

Do you hate each change?  Do they bring you fear?

Do you wonder why no one seems to hold you dear?

How do you fight, little one, for your life?

Do your little feet kick hard against the knife?

Do you try to hold on when the suctioning starts?

Does it hurt when they pull your limbs apart?

How do you die, little one, do you cry?

Do you wonder why your mom believed the lie?

Do you grab at the one who breaks your neck?

Do you doubt that anyone gives a heck?

How does it feel when you’re tossed to the side?

Do you hear or see the ones that denied

That you were alive in your mother’s womb;

That they killed you and put you in the tomb?

But what do they do with what’s left of you?

Do they put you away in a box that is new?

Do they sing you a song or shed a tear?

Or do they laugh a little and go have a beer?

Did you know your eyes are worth some money?

That your parts are used like bees use honey?

Though no one cared enough to let you live

They all care to see just how much you can give.

For each precious part there is now a price.

The ones who killed you think it’s quite nice.

They all line their wallets with your skin

And call it “just research” to your kin.

They who took an oath to “do no harm”

Destroy the hope of the unborn.

Taking little lives, they call them naught

Earning a profit from the anguish they’ve wrought.

And where is mom while this is done?

Does she fight for the life of her little one?

Is she screaming for help or running to hide?

Does she not hear the cries from deep down inside?

And dad, who’s so strong, why does he not care?

Does he not know the torture you endure there?

Doesn’t grandma or grandpa hear your plea,

“Will no one . . . no, no one please care for me?”

But wait, little one, surely there must be laws?

To take guiltless life must truly give pause?

Some penalty, some cost, some great price paid

By those who dare make your little light fade?

What justice will judges and rulers give you?

Surely they will defend you, as is your due?

Or will they also turn their face aside

And in their dark hearts the truth hide?

Let’s go to those who claim to speak for God;

Those who say they follow where Jesus trod.

They most surely must be screaming out in anger,

Warning against the impending danger.

Whatever will become of such a nation

Where innocents are given no earthly station;

Where helplessness is such a horrible curse;

And death is meted out to those who nurse?

Oh, where have you gone little one of my heart?

Little eyes, little fingers, little toes, little heart?

Do you look down on this world from Heaven above

And wonder . . . yes, wonder, what is this thing we call love?

More from "The Air of Heaven", "Why This Book Now", "Planted Seeds"

There is much distress these days over the destructive path our world seems to be on. In some ways we appear to be heading into a type of “dark age” or, as some believe, the end-times. Truth and, therefore, knowledge suffer increasingly at the hands of those of station and power. Freedom and peace are being replaced by control and fear; and life, itself, has been dramatically devalued.

Take, for example, the case of evolution and life. If man is no more than an elevated ape and life only begins when we quantify it as such, then what once was murder is now no more than a culling of the herd. Now, evolution is a highly unsubstantiated hypothesis, but by declaring it the origin of man, man’s value is remarkably diminished. He is not “made in the image of God”, because – by evolution’s reasoning – there is no God. So, man becomes just another animal like any other beast in the forest. And life, by this same reasoning, becomes expendable because where there is no God there is no great Maker to take offense at the destruction of His creation nor any Holy Supreme Being to fear – a very dark age, indeed.

As Christians we know this argument to be baseless and delusional, but it is representative of the type of logic being pressed upon us daily. As I’ve already noted, many say this perversion has come about because we are in the end-times. I believe the answer more directly relates to reaping what we have sown. We may well be in the last days, but I think our crops are producing as ordered.

With the freedom we’ve grown accustomed to disappearing like vanishing ink, natural disasters multiplying around us, relentless inflation, catastrophic unemployment, and strangling debt; I think it beneficial for us to take inventory of what we’ve seeded our lives with. A truly honest look will, I believe, reveal a fairly sobering reality.

Like ancient Israel – which fell away from God during Solomon’s reign -- we have abandoned our God – at least publicly. I don’t believe it a conscious choice – at least not by professing Christians; but rather, an attempt to present God as agreeable. In most cases this has resulted in ignoring the truth where it might be considered offensive, omitting or overlooking Scriptures that might alienate, and/or treating sin as immaterial. While it has been considered acceptable for Christ to have died for our sins, in some circles it has been deemed unreasonable for us to be required to abstain from those sins. Many focused on His love while ignoring His holiness altogether. Others seemed to want God to be viewed as some Spiritual rock star, forgetting that His presence far exceeds the need for such earthly embellishment. Ancient Israel did not even realize that God was angry with them, for the most part, neither do we.

Since His holiness is what resulted in our salvation, it is not an aspect we should even want to ignore nor will He allow us to. Given that we are to confess Him before men, our silence is, also, unacceptable. Again, it simply isn’t something He will long tolerate. Yet, we stood silently by while the seed that led to His removal from our public life was firmly planted in our institutions, our workplace, and our government.

Many even had the audacity to affirm and confirm publicly that their god had no real effect on anything other than their most private lives. Think for a moment about the politicians who have brazenly declared their ability to keep their personal beliefs separated from their very public choices. This silenced-idol-in-the-closet approach allowed them to appear righteous to a blind public while engaging in some seriously wicked dealings. Not only did they step away from God, but they slandered Him by implying that He would in any fashion tolerate such double-minded behavior.

Education is an excellent example of how those seeds of silent agreement have born fruit. At one time school began with prayer. The halls were safe, the level of education high, and the atmosphere one of respect. One ridiculous argument later, and our God was marched right down the hall and straight out the door. Soon after, History books were re-written to omit all reference to our Christian foundation. Science was degraded from the study of God’s creation to the desperate denial of any and all things God related, regardless of evidence – or, more accurately, lack thereof. Achievement levels were lowered, then lowered again. Sex-ed became more important than simple math and schools became combat zones where children struggled to survive, let alone learn.

Our founding fathers believed that children could not be taught without the Bible. One reason is that God’s word teaches respect. They knew that raising children to respect and fear God leads to a moral and responsible citizenry. Yet, we allowed the Bible to be removed from our public schools, because we did not want to offend unbelievers. Now most do not understand Who this Holy God really is or what He is capable of. We don’t fear Him. We don’t know Him. So, we don’t have the sense to fear Him.

Today students are actually punished for bringing their Bible to school, harassed for wanting to pray at school functions, and maligned for believing in God. The planted seed bore fruit matching its nature. That’s the way it works. We don’t get corn by planting broccoli and we don’t get freedom from emulating an ostrich. We planted a lack of respect for God and that’s exactly what is coming up in our fields – an utterly horrific lack of respect for our awesomely, all-powerful Creator. A lack of respect that is far more dangerous than all our worldly weapons combined.

And, our public life is not the only area suffering from a bad case of dandelions. Our churches have been over-run as well. Many pastors are more interested in filling the offering plate than reaching the lost. The same can be said for deacons, elders, and others in the ministry. Some churches are so fixated on prosperity that their focus has completely shifted away from God altogether. They try to trade the blessings of God for earthly riches, as if God could be fooled. These, weeds-in-the-pulpit, live lavish lives on the back of those hoping to cash in on God. They should have been plucked out like the tares they are. Instead, many flocked to them and the seeds that greed has born are both plentiful and devastating.

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life. – Gal 6:7-8

The need for opulence led to more turning away from the truth of God’s word and a rejection of the established church by many who truly belong to the body of Christ. (Of course they did not forsake Christ, Himself; but rather, the established church.) Obviously, this is not the only thing that emptied the churches, but it is one of the problems behind failing church attendance. And believers aren’t the only ones who fled.

It’s practically impossible to grasp the selflessness of Christ when presented Him by someone who clearly relishes an over-abundance of earthly treasure. Comprehending God’s holiness isn’t simplified by a leader’s milk-them-dry approach to personal finance, either. The fact is God just isn’t well represented in these churches – at least, not the God of the Bible. Greed is. Greed, selfishness, idolatry . . . but, not the holy God we seek. So, some who went to church looking for God just moved on. They were looking for holiness and holiness isn’t found in the greed of man.

Greed wasn’t the only well-tended seed in the church field. Ignoring the truth of Scripture was also tolerated to the point of bearing fruit. Denominations were more interested in arguing with each other than holding hard ground. However, much of that also ties back to the love of money, because most churches completely ignored major issues in order to keep members that might otherwise have strayed. In doing so, they kept some who only wanted their ears tickled and maintained their tax-free status, but separated themselves from God.

Obviously, these are not the only areas where what we have allowed to take root in our lives has born undesirable fruit, but you can see where this is going. This book is about those areas, Who He is, who we are supposed to be, and what we should be doing about it. It is also about the love of God and our love for Him. So, it is part love-song and part reality check.

The Holy God we claim to worship and serve has been seriously defamed and very publicly humiliated. We did not regard Him enough to keep Him or, perhaps, we just loved our sin so much more? Whatever the case, spurning Him publicly has led to a private and public separation. The idea that the jealous God of the Bible would tolerate a private relationship that is denied publicly is ridiculously delusional.

“You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in Heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.” – Exo 20:4-6

It helps to understand that since there is no sin in God, He and sin cannot cohabitate. The type of seeds we’ve been planting prove that we are neck deep in sin and the tolerance of sin. If we expect to spend eternity with God, we must be cleansed and live holy. If we want a nation blessed and protected by God, we must be a nation that embraces and honors His laws wholeheartedly. We cannot just say we are His and go on allowing His laws to be ignored. He simply won’t tolerate it. If we insist on acting like He is irrelevant, He will walk away from us. Much of the distress we’re witnessing is due to His hovering on the edge of abandoning us to our sins. If He does leave us, we can be certain He will also punish us -- as much as sign to others as a statement that, even though we rejected His authority over us, He is still the great I AM.

And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” – Exo 3:14

The relevance of this statement is, of course, that He is the great Creator, the God of all time – past, present, and future; the God of Abraham and Isaac; the God that each of us -- whether we recognize it or not -- will answer to; the ultimate, supreme Authority over all, forever. It stands to reasons that if Supreme, His law is law whether we accept it as such or not.

In the Scriptures just prior to this proclamation, He gave Moses this beautiful, if sobering, insight regarding His holiness:

Now Moses was pasturing the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed. So Moses said, “I must turn aside now, and see this marvelous sight, why the bush is not burned up.”

When the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush, and said, “Moses! Moses!”

And He said, “Here I am.”

Then He said, “Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” – Exo 3:1-5

I absolutely love the clarity of this piece of Scripture. Even the ground was made holy by His presence. Dirt! Common, ordinary, everyday dirt became holy when He drew near. We should take note of this, because being close -- obediently, spiritually close -- to God leads us to holiness, too.

I’m convinced that if we could get a handle on just how holy He is we simply would not rest until we made sure He had removed every single weed in our garden. I can’t say that that would straighten this world out, but I can assure you that it would make a very big difference in how we live in it. It would make a big difference in how we view our circumstances and it would make a big difference in how we deal with those circumstances. The holiness of God is no little thing. We’ve treated it like it is, but it isn’t.

This lack of regard for His holiness has led to confusion over what He expects of us and a disregard for His laws. We need to get reconnected to the reality of how that holiness affects us and our world. We need to seek Him. We need to turn from our everyday troubles and put His priorities first. We need to return to Him and commit to Him. We need revival. But we cannot and will not have it until we are honest about where we stand before Him, ready to give up our comfort for His call, ready to be broken, ready to be shown where we’ve missed it, and ready to understand where we’ve failed. Until we’re ready to ask Him to convict and prune us into fruitful vines, revival will not be ours.

Understand, I’m not talking about the “feel good” revival; but rather, a return to genuine closeness to God and the renewal of His protection. Some are seeing “feel good”, but few are seeing a return of His protection. No, what we are seeing is the unrelenting removal of His hedge of protection. Ask yourself this, do you feel safer today than you did 20 years ago? If you do, you’re not paying attention.

Before we can draw near enough to Him to breathe the air of Heaven, we need to acquire a deeper appreciation of Who it is that called us. We need remind ourselves of the true nature of God. Further, we need to explore who we are before Him and the nature of our relationship to Him.

More From "The Air of Heaven", from the section on "Faith, Hope, and Love"

While I'm searching for the right avenue to publish, I thought I'd start the week by sharing an excerpt from one of my favorite songs from the book. It speaks of how the Christian heart yearns to reach the lost. I pray it blesses you.

Heart Cry

by Betty Baker Bailey

Tell me, sister, how can I reach you?

Life lasts just for a little while,

But eternity’s forever.

There is One who gave His life for you,

To give to you a forever.

His love makes all of life worthwhile.

He is the Sacrificial Jew.

Refrain:  He died that we might live.

He suffered that we might be whole.

He gave what we could not give,

To rescue our eternal soul.