Faith, From The Air of Heaven

Christian faith is total confidence in God. We do not just think that He will do what He has promised. We know He will. By faith we submit all that we are into His care. We trust in the blessed assurance of His faithfulness.

Christian hope is not like ordinary hope. Ordinary hope expects without knowing. Christian hope is certain because of Whom we hope in. It is hope that enables us to sing even in the valley, putting wings to our souls.

Christian love is the love of God in us. By His love we are able to care for the unlovable, recognizing that we were once just as undeserving. In love He tells us to ask, seek, and knock. He knows that each time we ask and receive, or seek and find, or knock and have the door open before us, our faith grows. In the same way faith grows our love. The more we recognize His answers, the more we love Him for His efforts towards us.

So we expect confidently that He will redeem us from the dead, knowing that He loved us even while we were yet lost in our sins, and invite the lost among us to know the joy of belonging to the One in Whom true hope dwells. So that in love by faith through hope we please the Spirit of God in us, and serve our Father in Heaven as little children should.

. . . but the righteous will live by his faith . . . ‒ Hab 2:4

Belonging to Him means living by faith. Drawing near to Him is by nature a faith building experience. James tells us that faith without works is dead (Jas 2:17). That's because real faith moves us to action. If we truly believe that God is in control and a keeper of His promises, then we will live like we believe it.

Like Noah we will build a boat on dry land when no rain has ever fallen. Like Abraham we will offer up the only son we ever hope to have. Like Moses we will dare to stand before powerful leaders with nothing more than a walking stick by our side. Like David we will attack our Goliaths even when we have nothing but a bag of stones to throw at them. Real faith doesn't sit on the sidelines hoping someone will come along and move the mountain. Real faith tells the mountain to get up and move itself.

"Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it shall be granted him." ‒ Mar 11:23

How many times have you actually expected God to lead you? Understand, if you did act like you expected Him to do so, you did not actually believe He would. Here's another one: How many times have you spoken to the mountain in your way? Most just don't. They don't because they don't really believe this promise. We should believe, though, because this is the Lord speaking. Some may discount His words, but I believe He choose them carefully.

Then the disciples came to Yeshua privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?"

And He said to them, "Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it shall move; and nothing shall be impossible to you." ‒ Mat 17:19-20

This promise would not be in the New Testament if it were not intended for us. If we can't live like we expect God to honor His promises, what can we do? Think about it. We are to be His light in this dark world. What kind of light are we really shedding if we do not live like His promises are real to us?

This is the danger of ignoring the supernatural effect of God on our lives. When we don't believe that God still speaks to us, that the gifts of the Spirit are still available to us, that we can ask and receive, etc.; we also do not believe that God can or will move our mountains. We have ruled out the supernatural, and mountain moving is supernatural. Then we look at the world around us and assure ourselves that things are the way they are because God wants it that way. No, the Lord expects us to believe Him

I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in Me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in My name, and I will do it. – Joh 14:12-14

Where are our greater things? We are happy with mediocre. We don't have "greater", because we're not willing to have that kind of faith. Yet, even obedience comes from faith.

Through Him and for His name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. ‒ Rom 1:5

If you think about it, this actually fits, because we have tolerated disobedience like it was a calling; rather than, condemning it for the failing it is. If we don’t have the faith to obey, we certainly won’t have enough faith for greater things.

Too often we want to have just enough faith to squeak by. Yet, the Lord Himself urges us to greater things. He did supernatural things. The disciples did supernatural things. The Spirit does supernatural things through those who give themselves over to Him. All these things were and are done to the glory of God. Yet, today many are afraid of the supernatural! I believe some think this way because they have bought into the idea that acting in the supernatural is about the servant. It isn't. No, living as though we truly believe God is about His supernatural attributes and glorifying Him.

If I touch you and you are healed, I have not healed you. No, that healing would have had to come from God. If I speak blessings on you and you are blessed, I would not have blessed you. How would I do that? No, God would have to bless you through me. I am just a woman. I have no power to bless. Only He does. (Obviously, I'm talking about the kind of blessings we get from God; rather than, just making you feel better.) Again, if I were to speak to your mountain, and it were to remove itself; I would not have moved your mountain. No, God alone moves mountains.

So, if I were to do all these things, it would not be me that you should glorify. No, we both should glorify and credit Him. It is by His mercy that God gives gifts to men and women, and not because we deserve it; but rather, by His mercy. Therefore, whatever wonders He delights to do among us, we must make absolutely certain to credit Him with.


www.children-of-the-heart.com/AoH.shtml

Remaining in Him

"As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Now remain in My love. If you obey My commands, you will remain in My love, just as I have obeyed My Father's commands and remain in His love." -- Joh 15:9-10

Starting the day with praise is one of the best ways to remain in Him. It gets us off on the right foot. If you have yet to memorize a few praise songs or Scriptures, take time to do so. It will add a spring to your step and help keep a smile on your face. As little girls my mother put my sisters and I in a children's choir. To this day I sing hymns, both while sleeping and throughout the day. Those within earshot may not enjoy it, but it keeps me smiling.

A thankful heart is pleasing to God. After all, He has provided us with everything. When we stop to think about all that He has done for us, we soon realize that we have much to be thankful for. Even the poorest of us can say He gave us air to breathe, the sun to brighten our day, ground to walk on (really, we could be floating in space), water to drink, and salvation for our souls. Further, in salvation is the hope of all eternity, the blessings of heaven, the mercy of His love . . . one could go on all day. Some of my favorite blessings are the green of spring, the blue of the sky, the shade of trees, and the smell of roses. In His riches He blesses us with so much that thankfulness should be a big part of our lives.

Praise and thankfulness abound when we remain in Him. To be near Him is to appreciate His incomparable kindness. The more we seek Him the more we desire Him and the closer we draw to Him. All good relationships take effort. Our relationship with the Lord is no different. If we are to have His joy, His peace, and His mercy; we must first firm up our relationship with Him. This requires that we put the same type of effort into being His that we would to be a good wife or a responsible husband or a close friend. Truly, our Heavenly Father is the ultimate helper, provider, and confidant. He is also the eternal Sovereign, the One before Whom all knees will bow. So He doesn't just care for us, He is completely in charge of us.

How much wiser it is to submit to the One Who is in complete control than to resist the inevitable. God's rules are unbreakable, meaning that we do not break them without facing consequences. When we remain in Him, He remains in us. When He remains in us, praise and gratitude just naturally flow from our hearts. It is a beautiful circle of love that stems from obedience.

Obnoxious and Offensive

by Betty Baker Bailey

I have been urging everyone to recognize the guilt we have before the Lord for failing to deal with the sins our nation now considers completely acceptable. Many see me as harsh, sometimes even too harsh to deal with. But here's the thing: God is the One we have to deal with. Where is the kindness in ignoring the sin that brings His wrath upon us? There is none. We can not escape Him. We can not over-power Him and He will not suffer our disrespect forever. There will come an accounting. Truly even now we are seeing that in our nation.

Do not foolishly believe, as some do, that this is the work of man for the battle is spiritual. We had to be given over by the One who protected us for these things to come to be. Nor should you be comforted by the idea that it is the end times. For the "end times" began with the coming of Christ and may yet continue for another thousand years. Or do you not realize that the early church prepared for Christ’s immediate return? Yet, 2000 years have passed. No, dear brothers and sisters, I tell you the truth, we are in judgment. IF the Lord returns now, He will not be nearly so happy with us as many choose to believe.

For the sin of ignoring the slaughter innocents, we will see bloodshed and death. For the sin of treating Him as though He had no authority over us, we will find ourselves abandoned to those powers that wish evil upon us. For the sin of disrespecting the cross, we will suffer persecution for our faith.

Some like to place the blame for all these rebukes on our governmental leaders, but in truth it belongs with those who call Him Lord; because:

It was our job to stand against the slaughter. It was our job to insist His authority be maintained, and our job to uphold His laws as law.

Our founding fathers set the system up according to Biblical principles. Instead of holding to them, we have incrementally allowed them to be replaced by humanism, secularism, and socialism -- from a nation founded for freedom to worship the God of the Bible as one pleases, to one where the worship of any god except Him is acceptable. So concerned were we with offending others, that we offended Him. So comfortable were we with our wealth that we alienated Him.

So, do not rant, dear brothers and sisters, against the earthly powers that oppress us. They are in place for cause. Look around you. Do we not now see: fornication, adultery, the shedding of innocent blood, lying, stealing, homosexuality, etc. as accepted practices? Even those who call themselves “His” consider these things "inevitable" or "normal". Yet, for such sins Christ suffered and died.

The consequences of these sins are death to a society and its people. We do not show love to the homosexual by embracing his sin. No, we give him over to physical death and judgment -- the very real wrath of God. We do not elevate women by allowing them to kill their children. No, we sentence them to decades of remorse and regret, followed by judgment -- the very real wrath of God.

We act like we've either forgotten or never understood that God did not make laws because He could; but rather, for our own good. We should obey and teach them, because He is God. Failing to do so for that reason, we should then teach them because they are life, itself, to us and our children. As errant children, we have ignored and/or spurned them as though they mattered not.

Yes, people find me obnoxious, and offensive -- and some walk completely away from me, but some listen and turn. To those turning, I am seen as loving to the point of sacrifice, because I risk myself to reach them (far beyond what many know). To those who plug their ears, I am unacceptable and inexcusable. From the later come accusations of self-promotion. Yet, since I do not charge nor am I paid, their argument falls flat. No, my benefit lies purely in knowing that I am obedient, in believing that obedience to Him is imperative, and the hope that by my faithfulness some will be saved from the wrath to come.

Yes, I prefer to be considered offensive to being guilty before Him. If I did not love those caught in sin, I would be silent. They would still be punished, and I would avoid the aggravation of trying to save them. It is to great extent a thankless task. However, I would still find myself trying to explain to God, who knows all – including all He has shown me, how I could be so heartless as to not speak the warning I have been given. Man’s wrath versus God’s? I’ll take man every time. Although I love my brothers and sisters and would be at peace with them, I am nothing without Him. He is my everything. How can I not obey?

Through it all, brothers and sisters, I do know that what I am saying must be said. Truly, I do not sit around thinking of things to say nor do I do scan the Scriptures looking for things to pad my texts. No, I ask God. The things I take a hard stance on are the things He has shown me His offense at. Not only is He still speaking, He has plenty to say about His disappointment in those who have treated His generosity with such disdain.

We have embraced evil by indifference, by silence, and by allowing other gods to be given equal -- or higher positions -- than Him. If the reality of that does not give you pause, perhaps you don't know Him as well as you think you do. These are things the God of the Bible will not long tolerate. We think He will, because He has been patient with us, but His graciousness will come to an end.

Old Testament prophets were usually rejected by those they tried to reach. Both John the Baptist and the Lord were rejected by the religious leaders of the day. The Lord’s earthly mother and brothers came to put Him away, thinking He had lost His senses. The gospel is by its very nature foolishness to those who do not understand it, because it is spiritually discerned. The spiritual leaders of Christ’s day thought themselves so far above Him that they considered it insignificant to kill Him – though they knew who He was!

Therefore, do not put your hope in the leaders of this day. Far too many are more concerned with their own lives than His will. They promote themselves. They speak for themselves. They do not hear Him, because they do not honestly seek Him nor are they interested in His direction for they prefer their own. They are applauded and loved by the world, but they do not serve Him. No, like the priest of Yeshua’s day, they love their position more than Him.

Instead, brothers and sisters, look to God. He -- who took the time to create you, provide for you, and sent His only Son that you might be saved – is still very intimately concerned for you. He is not silent. He did not leave us to the men and women of this world. No, He still seeks a personal relationship with you. He still wants to commune personally with you. If you ask Him . . . if you seek Him, as if looking for pure gold . . . as it is promised in the Scriptures, He will be found. Then you will know that these things I have said to you are from His heart. True to His nature, He does not want anyone to be lost. Therefore, He sends someone to tell those who will listen and those who will not, that it is He coming against them. He does this in order that those who will listen may repent; and that who will not, will have no excuse.

I lament losing some I love to the love of the lie. My heart breaks for them, but they had a choice. I did not make it for them. I have done all I know how to encourage them to choose wisely. If they can hate me for that effort, then I have to let them go – for the only other choice is to choose hell with them. (There are only two sides. We will choose God or we will choose to be without God, refusing to choose results in not choosing God. Behaving as though God does not effect change in one’s life is to not be changed by God; and so, not belong to God. Those are the rules. I didn’t make them; but rather, just report that they are true.)

To those brothers and sisters who know I am speaking according to God’s will, I encourage you to spread the word. We do not know that He will not have mercy on us if we truly repent; only that He will not, if we do not. Even David, though his sin was great, continued to plead for mercy until the child died. For while the child lived, there was still a chance. Let us, too, be faithful to seek repentance instead of acceptance. There is yet time for God to have mercy. It is His nature to give mercy where it is undeserved; but only where there is sincere repentance. Therefore I plead with you to urge repentance to all who will listen.

To those who have separated from me, but long to reconnect – I bear no ill will to anyone. Time is short. If you seek me desiring reconciliation without needing to control, we can be reconciled. Understand, if I let you control me, I will not be led of God. I am hard at work for the Lord, the Spirit urges me onward with conviction. So, I will not be muzzled by those who do not understand. It is enough that I understand and am convinced that it is God who speaks to me. Be assured I have not stopped caring for you; but rather, I have just given you over to the choices you’ve made. You, alone, can unmake them. You know who you are. You know where I am. Do not let a fear of being rejected keep you from seeking resolution.

I am encouraged evermore to stand fast on what I have been shown. I believe the time for repentance is very short. Please, dear brothers and sisters, repent before it is too late. Churchology does not save us. It can’t, because it is manmade. We suffered a supernatural death in Adam. We must be imparted a supernatural life through Christ. It is the only way.

God’s peace.

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.)