The Air of Heaven

By Betty B Bailey

We are bid come boldly before the throne of grace. If we are earnest enough – steadfast enough, and if He is listening, we can draw so near that our eyes wince and tear up from the sheer magnitude of His brilliance. It is as if all Heaven holds its breath while we reach out for spiritual heights unattainable by our earthly self. The closer we draw the closer we want to be. Having been cleansed by Yeshua's blood, we approach in humble reverence. We may have come to address our earthly problems, but proximity to Him causes them to pale in comparison.

 

At times like these, when we are so pliable before the throne, it is as though we are permitted for a moment to breathe the holy air of Heaven. Like a child that has entered the adult world to plead for favor, all Heaven listens intently for what will come out of our mouths. And if that request is based on faith, angels stand prepared for action. It is with this scene in mind that this book has been written; to encourage the brethren everywhere to continually seek that closeness and, in doing so, to become even more fruitful and useful to the awesome Holy God we serve.

 

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Betty Baker Bailey
• Release date: Mar 11, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201985882

Betty B Bailey

I am an ordinary woman, repurposed for God. I have worked for Him since 2001 to save children, educate others, reach the lost, and speak the truth He gives me. I have corresponded with common people and world leaders. My poetry has moved the world. My art has been displayed all over Wichita, KS. He has done astonishing things through me; but I am ordinary – which means, He can do the same with you. I am ordinary. My God is not.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Why This Book Now?

The air of Heaven this book is about is so close to God that the Spirit embraces us, literally cuddles us like little children. It is a place we should visit often because we come away with a changed perspective, a deeper relationship, and a more committed lifestyle. The first time I went there I burst out in angelic praise. My heart so overflowed with awe that I simply could not keep my mouth shut. Like the rocks that the Lord said would cry out (Luk 19:40), such intense closeness to Him transcends us beyond our earthly existence and everything we are is compelled to show it. I used to wonder about the scene in Revelation (4:8) where the creatures are saying:

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HOLY, HOLY, HOLY is the LORD GOD THE ALMIGHTY, who was and is and is to come.

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I thought it probably boring to say the same thing over and over. Now I know that not only can they not help but do so, they are eager to. Every fiber of our being is moved to praise Him when we are that close. His presence commands it, and we will comply with no small amount of joy.

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To get to that point, though, we must be fully committed to Him, totally reliant on Him, and completely pliable in His hands. He has to be the breath of our lungs, the blood of our veins, and the hope of our souls. For some this will require a recommitment to the things He is concerned with, a turning from complacency, an appreciation of sins not recognized, and a repentance of sin. This fragrant air does not come cheap. We must be willing to be broken; so that He can lift us up, draw us close, and bring the revival so many are seeking.

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I have been speaking, writing, and testifying for years, but this is the first time I have put all the pieces together. It is easy to discount testimony when we only have part of the picture, but once we see it all, it becomes clear. That is my hope: that those who read this book in its entirety will recognize our situation for what it actually is. That is also the request I make of the reader, that you finish the book before you pass judgment on it. Until then you will not have enough information to make a fair assessment.

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Because this is written to professing Christians, there will be things you will recognize. Hopefully, there will also be things you have not really thought about. The point is that in any attempt to give an adequate picture, one must recover some known ground. Even so you may find something that blesses, encourages, or enlightens you. None of us have the exact same experiences with God. If nothing more, you may enjoy hearing mine.

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For several years now the Lord has been having me put into writing what He has shown me. In writing this I spent much time in prayer, trying to make certain I said just what He wanted. Being a very verbal person, I’ve had to go back and take myself out more than once, but I’ve also had to add things I initially thought too harsh or controversial.

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I did not want to write anything that did not serve His purpose. I did not want to be guilty of omitting the important or adding the frivolous. So, I have prayed constantly as I’ve written, and He has clearly led. It has taken over two years to get to the point where I believe it complete, with some of the last additions being as important as the first. That does not mean there will not be more books, but just that this one fulfills its intended purpose.

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We are in a very serious position. God is the only One able to truly help us. We are, in fact, in judgment. Of this I am absolutely certain. Recognizing our failures and turning from them is our only hope.

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Planted Seeds

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There is much distress these days over the destructive path our nation seems to be on. In many ways we appear to be heading into a type of dark age or the very end of 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.

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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 theory, 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 more readily 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.

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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. While we may well be in the end of the end times, we need to realize that we are also clearly reaping what we have sown. Literally, the crops we've planted are producing as ordered.

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With freedom disappearing before our eyes, known terrorist camps within our open-to-all-comers borders, catastrophic unemployment and the resulting multitude of homeless, and strangling debt; I think it beneficial to take inventory of what we've seeded our lives with. Like ancient Israel, which fell away from God during Solomon's reign, we have abandoned our God. Their rejection cost them their nation. If we don’t get in line with His will, ours may well cost us the same.

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Jeremiah witnessed the siege and destruction of ancient Israel. Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego suffered the captivity. Their experiences point to our future, except that those who seek to overthrow us do not desire to keep us as subjects. No, they seek an end to our very existence.

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In part it was our desire to present Christianity as a pleasant, agreeable religion that separated us from the very God we claim to serve, the God we look to for our protection. The truth of Scripture was softened, offensive passages were largely ignored, and sin treated as immaterial. Today, some believe that if one has accepted Christ, then the cross negates their sins whether one turns from them or not. In their minds it is reasonable for Christ to have suffered and died for our sins, but unreasonable for us to be required to abstain from those same sins. Which has made it nearly impossible to distinguish some professing Christians from the decidedly lost.

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Many even had the audacity to affirm and confirm that their god had no real effect on anything other than their most private lives, claiming to keep their personal beliefs separated from their very public choices. This silenced-idol-in-the-closet approach allowed them to appear righteous to some 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.

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Some chose to focus so singularly on His love that His holiness was treated as completely irrelevant. Yet Scripture never says that God is love, love, love; but rather, that He is holy, holy, holy. Others practiced polite silence, saying nothing unless it was pleasant. Instead of being His light in this darkness, they were like a lamp hidden under a table (Luk 11:33). Still others were just too busy with everything else in their lives. Instead of being devoted to God, they were devoted to their job, their entertainment, etc.

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Education is an excellent example of how these seeds have borne 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 rewritten to omit all reference to our Christian heritage. 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, the 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.

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Some of this I actually remember. I remember the teachers fretting amongst themselves. I remember starting the day with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. Then I remember hearing the order to cease all such things. I remember the teachers being very upset, but not knowing what to do about it. I remember watching as they pushed all that would not comply into early retirement. Of course, I was a child, and I did not understand these things, but I look back now and understand.

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Our founding fathers believed that children could not be taught without the Bible. They knew that raising children to respect and fear God led to a moral and responsible citizenry. The Bible teaches far more than just an all-important respect for God. It also teaches integrity and respect for others. Yet, we allowed it to be removed from our public schools, merely because we did not want to offend unbelievers.

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Why we were so much more concerned with the feelings of those alienated from God than we were with His extreme holiness boggles the mind. Regardless, the fact that we stood idly by as He was being removed makes us responsible before Him. Now we see that this disrespect has brought about a serious lack of understanding. Few realize Who this Holy God really is, much less what He is capable of.

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Today, students are actually punished for bringing their Bibles 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 by emulating an ostrich. We planted a lack of respect for God and that's exactly what's coming up in our fields ‒ an utterly horrific lack of respect for our awesomely, all-powerful, completely holy Creator. What too many fail to realize is that this disrespect is far more dangerous than all our worldly weapons and enemies combined.

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Sadly, our public life is not the only area suffering from a bad case of dandelions. Our churches have been over-run as well. Some spiritual leaders have been more interested in filling the offering plate than reaching the lost. Some are so fixated on prosperity that their focus has shifted away from God altogether. They try to trade the blessings of God for earthly riches, as if God could be fooled. Such weeds-in-the-pulpit live lavish lives on the backs of those hoping to cash in on God. Sadly, many flocked to them and the seeds that greed has born are both plentiful and devastating.

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Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. ‒ Gal 6:7-8

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This editing of God's personality inevitably 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, just denominational pseudo-Christianity. Those knowing the truth of Scripture could ill tolerate the heresy coming from the hierarchy, but they were far from the only ones who fled.

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It is 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 that God, the One true God of the Bible, just isn't well represented in these churches. Greed is. Greed, selfishness, idolatry; but not the holy God we seek. So, those who were honestly looking for Him just moved on. They were seeking His holiness and holiness isn't found in the greed of man.

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Ignoring the truth of Scripture was also tolerated to the point of bearing fruit. Many denominations determined to ignore major issues in order to keep some that might otherwise have strayed. So, they kept those who only wanted their ears tickled, but separated themselves from God.

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Obviously, these are not the only areas where what we have allowed to take root 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.

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The Holy God we claim to serve has been seriously defamed and very publicly humiliated. Spurning Him has led to a public and private separation. The idea that the jealous God of the Bible would tolerate a private relationship that is denied publicly is ridiculously delusional.

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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 water 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

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It helps to remind ourselves that since there is no sin in God, He and sin cannot cohabitate. The seeds we've been planting prove that we are neck deep in sin and the tolerance of sin. If we expect to be treated as His, we must embrace and honor His law wholeheartedly both publicly and privately.

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We cannot just say we are His and continue to allow His laws to be ignored. He simply will not tolerate it. If we insist on behaving like He is irrelevant, He will leave us. Much of the distress we're witnessing is due to His hovering on the verge 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 very great I AM.

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God said to Moses, I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites; 'I AM' has sent me to you.' ‒ Exo 3:14

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This is one of those statements that some today just do not comprehend. God is not bragging here. No, this is a statement of fact, a wake up and smell the coffee moment. He is saying to Moses ‒ and by extension the Israelites and anyone who has ever earnestly sought to discover Who He is ‒ that He is not some insignificant, quasi-would-be-god to be taken lightly; but rather, the Absolute Ultimate Supreme God of all time over everything and everyone forever. He is saying:

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This is ME talking here. So, pay attention and do not take My words lightly. Tell the people that you are speaking for Me and that they had better pay attention, too, because I absolutely will know, and I most certainly will hold them accountable!

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This is who the God of the Bible actually is. I know He's been portrayed as this lovingly impotent, patient-to-a-fault, wimpy, ineffectual god; but that is not Who He is nor is it Who He ever was. No, the God of the Bible is the flood bringing, hailstone slinging, language changing, nation destroying, frighteningly holy do-not-disrespect-Me-or-else, Magnificently Supreme God above all other gods. He is the God that everyone ‒ regardless of what they do or do not believe ‒ will answer to. He is also the God that no one ‒ regardless of how superior they see themselves as being ‒ ever has or ever will get the best of. He cannot be beat. He cannot be thwarted. He cannot be governed ‒ not in the past, not now, not ever. He is now, He has always been, and He will always be absolutely and completely in control, because He is absolutely and completely Supreme over all that is.

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Therefore, it stands to reason that His law is law whether we accept it as such or not, and His will will be carried out whether we like it or not. So, all our rationalizations aside, what He deems to be true is and what He says stands firm. In short, He is Who He is despite who we wish He were or who we pretend He is in our own devious little minds. So, what we need to do is get reacquainted with Who He really is and how His holiness affects us and our world. There are all sorts of clues to His nature throughout Scripture, but this is one of my favorites:

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Now Moses was pasturing the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to 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 the 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 this bush is not burned up.

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

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And He said, Here I am.

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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

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I think it truly beautiful that even the ground is affected by the holiness of God. I love that common, ordinary dirt responds to His holiness. What we need to realize, though, is that we are also affected by His holiness. The more of God we have in our lives, the more we reflect Him. The holier our lives will be.

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The holiness of God is no small matter. We've treated it like it is, but it isn't. His holiness affects everything that comes near Him. Literally, when we don't see holiness, we don't see God's influence.

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Unholy people are Godless. Holy people have God in their lives. That's why we can look at their fruit and know whom they serve. His holiness affects us as much as it did the dirt. If He is truly in our life, His holiness will show through. To get close enough to breathe the air of Heaven, we will be moved by His holiness. Like the dirt, we cannot help but be.

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Understand, I am not saying that the saved always behave in a holy manner. Sometimes we are definitely as far from holy in our ways as any could be. Neither am I saying that Moses wasn’t holy when he wasn’t near God, but we do see a difference in Moses after his experience with God. Before it he’s just going along living his life. Afterwards he is off to do God’s bidding. What I am saying here, though, is that if we are His, the same holiness that required Moses to remove his shoes will have an apparent effect on us.

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I'm convinced that if we could get a handle on just how holy He really is we simply would not rest until we made certain He removed all the weeds in our garden. I can't say it would change the world, but it would change our world.

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The lack of regard for His holiness has led to confusion over what He expects of us, and an even greater 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 concerns and put His priorities first. We need to return to Him with our whole heart and commit to Him without reservation. 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, and ready to be shown where we've failed.

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Understand, I'm not talking about the feel good revival; but rather, a return to genuine closeness to God. Feel good is easy because it depends only on how we feel. Genuine closeness requires a return to holiness.

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The seed of salvation leads to genuine holiness if we allow it to grow. If instead we allow weeds to flourish, then a departure from holiness naturally ensues. In this book we will be talking about those weeds, because while Scripture is clear, some teaching has become very Pharisaical. Not only does it not enter in, but it attempts to prevent those who would.

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We’ve had the cart before the horse. We expected God to do our biding on our terms, as though He served us. Yet, the reality is without His mercy we wouldn’t even exist. Further, we need to understand that the grace given us unto salvation was not given that we might live as children of the evil one.

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Seeds

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For a long time, we have wandered down a deadly slipp'ry slope.

With closed eyes we've welcomed lies and bargained with our hope.

Now the seeds that we have planted have birthed a bumper crop,

And we wonder why our lifestyle teeters like a top.

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Since there is no forgetting just exactly who we are,

We'd best be remembering Who made our earthen jar;

Returning to the precepts that our Father put in place,

To the Master who is not fooled by evil's smiling face.

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For too long we were silent thinking that would ease the way.

We trusted in our leaders. They only made us pay.

Some believed that by their silence they might gently approach,

But the leaders saw a way whereby they might encroach.

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Now the seeds in our garden have born devastating weeds.

And the weeds steal the rations on which our fam'ly feeds.

Far worse is the attitude far too many have in place,

That their wealth is more crucial than His mercy and grace.

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Change the seeds of selfishness and make the man a liar.

Pull the weeds from the garden and toss them in the fire.

For the hope of a people rests upon the faithful few,

But dissipates once they forsake the Sacrificed Jew.

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Heavenly Father, thank You for Your merciful patience.

Thank You for Your generous mercy and grace.

Forgive our sin.

Father, help us to recognize the seeds

that we have planted,

And the weeds those seeds have birthed.

Help us to return to Your holiness, away from our sin.

Help us to lay ourselves bare before You

for Your pruning

That we might be the servants

You have called us to be.

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Open our eyes, Father. Unstop our ears.

Convict us that we might recognize our sins.

Do not punish us as we deserve; but rather, deliver us.

Father, our only hope lies in You.

Allow us to cling to You like little children.

In Your great mercy do not send us away.

You, Father, are truly the Great I AM.

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We are Your creation.

You speak and everything listens.

We tremble before You.

You are worthy of all praise and glory.

We submit to Your authority.

Have mercy on us, Father. Have mercy!

Turn us back and lead us to revival.

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Let our hearts praise You with great gusto once again.

Let our feet rush to serve You in