On the Resurrection

Back in December of 2010, the second Saturday of that month to be exact, the Lord showed me something in what I can only describe as a vision.  I was kneeling and waiting for Him to let me know how to pray for a particular thing that morning.  Since nothing came right away, I sat in silence with Him.  And, out of nowhere and nothing, I saw Jesus' tomb.  The stone was rolled away and in it's place was empty blackness.  He was no longer there.  At the time I understood this to mean that not only had the physical body of Christ risen from the dead, but that the Church, the Body of Christ was, in a sense, unaware that this resurrection was true for them. Us. Me.

This picture was confirmed in a couple ways...once in a song called Christ Is Risen by Matt Maher.  The words so PERFECTLY described the vision. Then, again in a sermon I heard not long after. 

But, just over one week ago, after some seriously uncomfortable and terrifying conversations with a few people and Daddy God, I realized that I needed to walk out of the darkness. 

Into the Light. 

I needed to personally "go there" myself and take hold of the promise.

Abundant LIFE.

Resurrection LIFE.

The Bible says:

And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. 

Romans 8:11

I am reminded of Jesus' words to 4-day-dead, Lazarus, 

"Lazarus, come out!"

 John 11:43b

I am sensing Him calling me out. Coaxing me, ever so gently. Wooing me, if you will. 

I believe He's calling you out, too. 

Can you hear Him?

Wendy :)

Twenty-One Gun Salute- Day Twenty-One

Never Go Against The Family

I admit that for a few days I went fetal at night and sobbed silently into my pillow.  When we lost
The Twenty-one,  I was consumed with grief and terror.  My feet began to slip.  No sleep.  My bed became a sanctuary for silent tears in the night because...
How do you speak of such things in the day?

What can turn a wonder bread, stay at home, homeschooling woman into a radical?

Try messing with her brothers.  
Try severing their heads and stacking them, lifeless, on the backs of their shoulders.  
Try sending a video all around the world that shows them being brutally murdered. 
Try filming waves of their blood washing up on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea.
Try stealing the testimony of THE MEN OF THE NATION OF THE CROSS, just try it!
Try to destroy this outpouring of love for The Twenty-one.
Try making a mockery of Jesus Christ.

God.  Will.  Not.  Be.  Mocked.

And...

ISIS, you don't know what you've done.

Your wickedness has birthed a Christian radical.  A woman, Christian radical.

Because I can't tolerate tolerance any more.

Our dread of being intolerant has given birth to a God- hating nation that...
wouldn't know truth if it cut off its head.
Who will seek the truth?  Who will open the pages of The Word and inquire of Him?  Who will know The Truth so The Truth can set him free?

And Christians, just as we are given the free gift of salvation when we repent of sin and trust in the saving grace of Jesus Christ, we are promised persecution.   Are we now ashamed of the gospel, even though it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes?  (See Romans 1:6)  Are we hiding comfortably?  Comfortably numb?

I begin to understand how we can bless our enemies, not curse them, and this is the gift
of THE TWENTY-ONE.  How do you turn mild mannered women into radicals?  How do you get mama bears roused from slumbering hibernation?

You mess with her family.

Sound the trumpets!  Awake, Oh Sleeper!  Awake!  

The dying embers of our eternal destiny are being fanned into flames, and it makes me want to laugh! If I perish, I perish and...Oh death, where is your sting? 

This is the last shot of the twenty-one gun salute, and time for me to say good-bye to my brothers. It is a message, written in my heart's blood as an unashamed woman of...
                                                                        The Nation of the Cross.

bernadette

Twenty-One Gun Salute- Day Nineteen

Just Thinking

Seven the number of completion.

Three the number of the trinity.

Seven times three.

TWENTY-ONE.

Hmmmm...



bernadette

Twenty-One Gun Salute- Day Eighteen

SSSSSSSSIN!

ISISSSSS, you keep on sssservin' up your ssssin hash,

But can't get your red eyeballs open enough to ssssee.

you set those men of the cross free now, didn't ya?

you wicked worm!  

you ain't won!

Whose kickin' it up now?

The Twenty-One

Bernadette

Twenty-One Gun Salute- Day Seventeen

When Death Brings Eternal Life

Jesus Christ, the Lord of lords and the King of kings.

Born into a barnyard.

To rescue filthy animals and...

Beasts like me.

Traveling roads of dust.

Kneeling to draw in the dirt.

Writing something new...

On soiled hearts of sin.

Attending weddings in Cana.

Turning water into wine.

Fulfilling the law and bringing the relief of grace...

Anointing us with joy.

Dying next to a thief.

Extending the treasury of heaven to him.

Seeking the hearts of men to His last breath...

That they would come.  (ISIS, come.)

Dead and buried in a tomb for three days.

Paying the full price.

Purchasing souls bound for eternity...

The Twenty-One

bernadette

Twenty-One Gun Salute- Day Sixteen

When Death Gives Life

The Twenty-One become this fluttering thrum at the base of my own neck.

They live in the thoughts of my mind and their blood pounds in my head.

This is the mystery of The Nation of the Cross.

Our brothers die, but give us more life and strength to persevere.

I am moved to hold them and to remember their last moments.

My hat goes off to cover my heart.

I want to honor The Son.

Like The Twenty-One

Bernadette

Twenty-One Gun Salute- Day Fifteen

An Open Letter to Isis from the Apostle Paul,

But I want you to understand  that the head of every man is CHRIST,...
and the head of CHRIST is GOD.  (I Corinthians 11:3)

Christ is the head of the church, His body, and is Himself its Savior.  (Ephesians 5:23)






"The Lord is my helper; I will not fear.  What can man do to me?"  Hebrews 13:6



bernadette

Twenty-One Gun Salute, Day Fourteen

A Lamp Unto Our Feet


Our Father in heaven:
We love You, and are thankful to You for giving us the right become Your children.

Hallowed be Your Name:
You are holy, and we give You honor, respect and worship.

Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven:
We submit to Your authority and trust that nothing is outside Your power.  Even The Twenty-One.

Give us this day our daily bread:
Oh, God, give us peace in these dark days.

Forgive us our debts:
The lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life.  Lord, we are sorry.

As we also forgive our debtors:
Isis, we forgive you, for Christ's sake and for the glory and honor of Him Who first forgave us.

And lead us not into temptation:
Lord, You know how much we need Your help here.

But deliver us from evil:
Keep the persecuted church from her enemy, Father.  Deliver Your dear children from satan's plan, and shed Your truth abroad in hearts held captive to Islam.

You are...

                                The Everlasting.



Bernadette

Twenty-One Gun Salute- Day Thirteen

Were You There?

It was only John at the foot of the cross.

I always wonder if I would have run?

The others fled in fear and blind panic.

Who was with The Twenty-One?

Twenty-One Gun Salute- Day Twelve

The Sacrifice of Praise

Sing a song of sadness;

Sing a song for me.

My brothers were beheaded,

While kneeling by the sea.

Sing a song of glory;

Sing a song for us.

Our brothers are in heaven,

Safe beneath the cross.

Sing a song of worship;

Sing a song with me.

My brave and faithful brothers,

Rest eternally.

Sing a song of hope,

And we will sing along.

Jesus Christ is coming soon.

We know it won't be long.

Come quickly, Lord Jesus.

Bernadette

Twenty-One Gun Salute- Day Eleven

Sound The Trumpets!

I want to touch their faces after all these days, and I want to blow a trumpet.

These who persevered to the ultimate end ought to be honored somehow.

The hard thing, even for a Christian, is that time does not stop in salute for those passing into glory.

Time is such an earthly, worldly, TIC -TOC that measures our lives, but counts for nothing to Christ.

He is outside of time, not frustrated at the lack of respectful observance, stillness, silence, hush.

I imagine millions of trumpets making the sound of glory when the twenty-one entered in.

Surely they were properly announced, but I doubt they cared.

I have to think they entered eternity the same way they left this world.

On their faces and crying the only Name that matters at such a time.

"Jesus."






bernadette

Twenty-One Gun Salute- Day Ten

A Time To Reason

Sheathe your bloody blades.

Wash your hands, you sinners.

Kneel down.

Face down.

Turn away from this religion that is grotesque.

Cold.  Dead.  Empty.

You.  

Bloody you.

Made in the image of GOD, even so.

Come.  Let us reason together.

Bernadette

Twenty-One Gun Salute- Day Nine

The Worst of Sinners

The worst of sinners.

Me.

Can be saved by Grace.

You.

Call His name and surrender.

Me.

Lay down pride, and take up Life.

You.

Take up a cross.

Me.

To live a life that is washed clean.

You.

By the blood of Jesus who died so we can live.

Me.

And be raised to heaven with Him.

You.

Forever and ever and ever.

Me.

No more tears.

You.

Eternally safe in Father's house.

The Twenty-One.

Bernadette

Twenty-One Gun Salute- Day Eight

Drums of War

This is Wrong.

This is Wrong.

And it Beats like a Drum.

In my Head all day Long.

This is Wrong.

Killed them All.

Killed them All.

It makes Me want to Bawl.

This evil Standing Tall.

Killed them All.

Blood is Red.

Blood is Red.

The Twenty-One are Dead.

"Christians" it is Said.

Blood is Red.

Wake us Up.

Wake us Up.

Let your Blood fill our Cup.

We need a Savior, Tough.

Wake us Up.

Our dear Brothers.

Our dear  Brothers.

We Know there'll be Others.

Faithful, Honored, Martyrs.

Our dear Brothers.

Death can't Win.

Death can't Win.

When we are Free of Sin.

We are Covered under Him.

Death can't Win.

Bernadette

"Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life.  He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life."  John 5:14

Twenty-One Gun Salute- Day Seven

God.  Understand?

satan, you wicked abortion of all that is good

pure

holy

righteous

God.

you cruel hater of the souls of the sons of men

who are

made in

the image

of God.

you seeking, smoking, hating, devouring, perverted, prowling predator

sticking your

forked tongue

out

at God.

you stealer of dreams, of hopes, of joy, of children,

of the men

of the cross

crying out

to God.

you wicked, disgusting, destroying, lying beast

abusing

accusing

His sons

The sons of God.

I hate you, slithering, slimy, full of sin, satan,

you Rotter.

and so too...

Does

God.

Revelation 20:10

and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

And the nation of the cross said, "AMEN!"

Bernadette

Twenty-One Gun Salute- Day Six

TWENTY-ONE

Twenty-one fathers?

Twenty-one sons?

Twenty-one unknown?

Beheaded, blood runs?

Twenty-one husbands?

Twenty-one friends?

Twenty-one unknown?

Meeting their ends?

Twenty-one jobs?

Twenty-one dreams?

Twenty-one unknown?

Coming apart at the seams?

Twenty-one men?

Twenty-one of the cross?

Twenty-one unknown?

Feeling the loss?

Twenty-one Christians?

Twenty-one down in the land?

Twenty-one unknown?

Their blood on the sand?

Twenty-one Brothers?

Twenty-one,  twenty-one?

Not unknown...

To Jesus, The Son.

Bernadette

Twenty-One Gun Salute - Day Five

THE KEY

To the twenty-one dressed in black,

your faces covered in darkness,

In Shame.

Because you were doing the work of your father, the devil.

Don't kid yourselves, now.

Don't let that dirty snake deceive you.

To the twenty-one dressed in orange,

your faces covered in blood,

In Glory.
Because you were faithful to Christ,

you died saying, "Help me, God.".
"Help me, Jesus."

In Revelation 1:18,  Jesus warns those dressed in black while answering our brothers dressed in orange:

"I died and behold I am alive forevermore, and

I have the keys to Death and Hades."

My brothers, satan doesn't even have the keys to his own house.  Jesus holds the keys.

Isis...let Him unlock the door.

Bernadette

The Twenty-One Gun Salute, Day Four

THE VICTORY OF THE CROSS

Twenty-one of my Brothers were beheaded in Libya for being men of  “The Nation of the Cross.”  Their heads fell like twenty-one shots heard ‘round the world as they bled and died in service to The King, but…Is it possible for satan’s plan to be turned on its own dead head?
Is it possible satan has lost?

TO THE PEOPLE OF THE CROSS?

satan thought he had Jesus by the heel by having him crucified and buried in a tomb, but when Jesus rose from the grave, He took satan by the head.  He publicly humiliated him, crushing his evil ambitions and giving those who would believe on the Lord Jesus Christ an eternal safety and a promise of eternal life in heaven.   Sometimes, when satan thinks he’s won, he’s lost...

 TO THE POWER OF THE CROSS.

I read the names of The Twenty-One out loud, and can't make it through the list without crying.  Evil led this band of brothers down by the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, and had them kneel in the sand.  Black stood in back, each to a man, each to one of my brother's heads, and they cut them clean off.   What is it in us, as Christians, that rises up despite the loss, the wickedness, the sickening tragedy? Christ.  These men lay the burden of life down.  They now rest from the struggle, from the fight, from the hard road of righteousness.   They ran a good race; they persevered to the end; they didn't deny Jesus Christ, and they knelt on the shore by the sea ready to go home.  This is how satan lost...

TO THE MEN OF THE NATION OF THE CROSS.

Their shed blood mingles with our own.  It makes us alive to the calling of a Christian to suffer and be persecuted and hated and despised.  To be like Jesus.  The Gospel flips everything, and our brothers died in good company because satan also lost...

 TO THE DISCIPLES OF THE CROSS.

-Simon Peter was crucified upside down. 

- Philip was also crucified upside down. 

- Batholomew was flayed alive and then crucified upside down. 

- Andrew was crucified on an X-shaped cross. 

- James (son of Zebedee) was executed by sword. 

- James (son of Alphaeus) was crucified and the body sawed to pieces. 

- Matthew was possibly murdered. 

- Simon the Canaanite was executed by saw. 

- Judas Thomas was executed by spear.
-The details of the death of Jude (Thaddaeus) are unknown.
-The apostle John died of old age after failing to die from being boiled in oil.

The result of their deaths?  

               The         spread         of         the         Gospel.

You see?

satan lost...

TO  THE  MAN  ON  THE  CROSS.

Do you know this Jesus?

Bernadette

The Twenty-One Gun Salute, Day Three

The Twenty-One

We lost 21 brothers in February  for being Christians.  Isis took them down by the shores of the sea and cut off their heads.  The world is calling the martyrs "Egyptians," but Isis was clear that they were sending a message signed in blood to THE NATION OF THE CROSS.  The Twenty-One were killed for being Christians.

I can’t get them out of my mind.  I wonder at this punishment of beheading, and I can’t get some images out of my brain.   A human body without its head is a queer thing, an odd thing, an un-natural thing.  A human being, made in the image of God with out its head is simply unthinkable.  What could be more violating?

I wonder how this thing came to be?  Beheading.  I wonder if anyone out there is using their fifty shades of grey matter to think this thing through?  What in all the world is going on in the mind of someone who would separate the two things that make a body whole?  

It’s insidious.  The eyes, the window to the soul, are separated from the heart.  The ears, given to us in order to hear God and obey His commands, are separated from the hands that do the work of obedience.  The mouth that was given to speak the Gospel is separated from the beautiful feet that 
carry the Gospel.

It would seem that satan has a plan.

Awake, Oh Sleeper!  

Bernadette

Twenty-One Gun Salute, Day Two

The Red Sea on a Sunday Afternoon

Twenty- One Dead.

On Sunday, I read.

To Christ they were wed

 Isis cut off each head.

Jesus said, “Come.  Follow Me.”.

Twenty- One Dead.

Terror and dread.

Danger ahead.

From hands violence bred.

Jesus said, “Come.  Follow ME.”

Twenty- One dead.

A blood blanket spread.

A new sea of red.

Rising, when Jesus said,

“Come.  Follow Me.”

Twenty- One Dead.

I lay down my head.

Tears drench my bed.

Christ crucified and bled

Saying, “Come.  Follow Me.”

Bernadette

Twenty-One Gun Salute, Day One

The Twenty-One

"A message written in blood to The Nation of the Cross,"

said Isis as it sliced the heads of TWENTY- ONE Christians off their shoulders.

A message written in blood from the cross to Isis,

said Jesus, "Whoever believes in me shall never perish but have eternal life.".

Milad Makeen Zaky

Abanub Ayad Atiya

Maged Solaiman Shehata

Yusuf Shukry Yunan

Kirollos Shokry Fawzy

Bishoy Astafanus Kamel

Somaily Astafanus Kamel

Malak Ibrahim Sinweet

Tawadros Yusuf Tawadros

Girgis Milad Sinweet

Mina Fayez Aziz

Hany Abdelmesih Salib

Bishoy Adel Khalaf

Samuel Alhem Wilson

Worker from Awr Village

Ezat Bishri Naseeph

Loga Nagaty

Gaber Munir Adly

Esam Badir Nasir

Malak Farag Abram

Sameh Salah Faruqu

Revelation 6:10-11

"and they cried out with a loud voice, saying,  'How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?  And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also."

Rest a little longer, Brothers.

Pray for us,

Bernadette

In Which Jesus Helps Me

Uninspired.
Tired.
Flat.
Zombie.
Lifeless.
Joyless.
Empty.
A Christian.
A woman of God.
Raised from the dead.
Sad.
Sorrow-FULL.
Angry.
Hurting.
Forgotten.
Alone.
Unseen.
Wondering where Father is.
Wanting His arms around me.
Craving shelter and feeling like a loser.
Knowing Jesus loves me but...
Feeling lost at sea and...
Smothered by storms.
Waves crush my lungs and leave me wondering...
Will the God who calms the sea?
Calm ME?
Shhhh....

"Be still."

"Be still, little flower."
"You are enough in Me."


bernadette