Drum the Message Home

'If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That’s to prevent anyone from confusing God’s incomparable power with us. As it is, there’s not much chance of that. You know for yourselves that we’re not much to look at. We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t broken. What they did to Jesus, they do to us—trial and torture, mockery and murder; what Jesus did among them, he does in us—he lives! Our lives are at constant risk for Jesus’ sake, which makes Jesus’ life all the more evident in us. While we’re going through the worst, you’re getting in on the best!' 2 Corinthians 4:7-12 (MSG) Even when I fail You, Your love for me remains. Even when I look at all the

“ You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid.' Matthew 5:14 (RSV) Holy Spirit referred me back to this verse. Admittedly, this day I am feeling a little vulnerable after a weekend away from technology and so feeling just a bit cut off from the world and eager to get back into it and to get caught up with everyone. What have I missed? Someone I don't even know was able to consume 49 of my devotionals this weekend! How awesome is that? I am praying for you Jenny! Then I heard a word of encouragement from a friend who's husband had lost his wallet two weeks ago. She reported that this weekend he miraculously found it. Holy Spirit did reveal where it was, and after several searches in that place, now it is found. Thank you Lord. My faith is boosted again. God You are so Faithful! Then there is this Word in Matthew. How Jesus blesses us in the Beatitudes and tells us we are to be light, and He even connects 'you' to a city. Go

'Your love, O Eternal One, towers high into the heavens. Even the skies are lower than Your faithfulness. Your justice is like the majestic mountains. Your judgments are as deep as the oceans, and yet in Your greatness, You, O Eternal, offer life for every person and animal. Your strong love, O True God, is precious. All people run for shelter under the shadow of Your wings. In Your house, they eat and are full at Your table. They drink from the river of Your overflowing kindness. You have the fountain of life that quenches our thirst. Your light has opened our eyes and awakened our souls.' PSALM 36:5-9 (VOICE) Reveal Yourself to me now oh Lord, humble servant that I am. On this day and in this place I only desire to know You better. Awaken my soul. Awaken me from this weekend season of slumber. Everything about You is spelled out in this Psalm. I see You in it, through such beautiful poetic words of hope. Sing to me how You sa

'Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribul ation, unless they repent of their deeds. I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works..' Revelation 2:20-23 (NKJV) Church of Thyatira, caught in the very act of adultery. Here is a list of those things that God says will bring on your troubles. If we see its kind in one church, then we know its power can corrupt in others as well. And shouldn't we know that the enduring of tribulation is for righteousness sake, all the while the tolerance of evil

I love this lesson. Is someone being led by two masters? How confusing! Who should she follow? Which one will she focus on? Who should she listen to? Life can be so distracting at times when she is challenged to deal with controlling people. It's the flesh really. Right there in front of her competing for her attention. When God isn't in it, all she can do is lay her instrument down. Who should she serve? When it gets right down to it then, the lessons she learns in the orchestra pit can be applied to life as well. The women that serves God well has learned to get her finances in order and by that she puts her spiritual house in order as well. Why can't I serve God and money? Incompatibility. For when I do, I will be drawn to love the one and to hate the other. Love and hate are such strong emotions. What if I were able to detach and swing back and forth between the two, God and status? Don't even consider it. My desires for more and more of the one will

God speaks. He tells His believers and His prophets that He will use a heathen nation to chastise Judah. He cannot disregard the evil deeds of those that despise the Church forever. How long? How much longer must we wait? How much longer must You tarry Lord? You say, all that live shall see it. All shall see and be amazed. For all servants of the Lord can scarce ly take it in. The malevolence of man is deeply troubling. We cry out to You with broken hearts. The broken in spirit are deeply afflicted by the ungodly deeds and acts of violence we watch people do to their brothers. None seem aware. None fear You. None respect life. Especially troublesome is when evil is done in the name of religion. Some say they believe in Your name all the while living among the heathens as they do. This will move You, because of their vanities, to use the very ones they became to chasten them. We have been warned. You say, a mighty work is being done to shake them all. If we don't

He never promised that there would not be trials. So then, my religion doesn't keep me from troubles, but when they do come, my God delivers me from them all. The trials and tests of life I am going through right now, are merely there to help me and I can see Him in it and I can see the end to it is coming near. He is my Faithful Redeemer. I can see the goal post an d I can see my friends standing there cheering me on. My Lord is carrying me through at this point in the race. Funny, how quickly I signed up to run. and just as quickly I realized that I was ill-prepared to win it. Sadly, I needed a coach and a guide through the entire thing. Everyday and in every situation, my Lord was faithful and He was always there for me. He never criticized me when I had to stop for water breaks. He used that time every time to refresh and purify me and discuss strategy and even to encourage me. He never said 'I told you so' when I complained about sore feet. He used t

I am prone to misjudge a person's character because I am limited by what I can see. With my eyes, I can see what you may look like, but God... Oh, yes. God judges us based on who we are. He looks at the heart. He checks our Kabod. He can see us inside and out and knows us better than we know ourselves. He values faith, fear and love. These things He plants in our hearts, where, in the natura l we cannot see, but only by discernment can we know them. Strangely enough, in God's Kingdom He often chooses to use what appears to be the least among us. So, when we pick the Saul types to lead us because they appear to be big and strong and capable, look out. Their insecurities and mental problems are showing. They put their faith in fear. They may be too wrapped up in their own problems to make any sense out of our own. Those qualities may not be what God uses to lead us to victory. He may be looking for someone with the heart of David, who will put their faith in Him. D

If only Jesus had shown up in time to heal him, Lazarus would not have died. What was He thinking? Lazarus was His friend. That was her complaint. She complained about God's timing. She complained to the God that is not bound to time. He was the God that created it. Know this Martha, God is never too late. Lazarus was healed from more than sickness that day. He was healed from death in that tomb. Healed, resurrected and waiting. Alive and breathing and yet stuck in his tomb circumstances, ready to be set free. When will they get it? When will they understand and believe? Soon enough. They were about to see with their own eyes what their hearts wanted to believe but what their minds could not comprehend. Lazarus was trapped. He needed her. When Jesus told the sisters to 'roll away the stone' they were not prepared for what happened next. They had witnessed what Jesus could do but never at this level of sickness. He was operating at a level beyond the grave

When I agree to do it I had no idea that it would become my Easter ritual. The thing that I did every year. The thing that fed my Spirit for the moment. The thing that would turn into a twenty year commitment. Sixty performances later and now it's over. Almost one hundred practices and now they say that last night was the grand finale. Easter will never be the same. I hope you were able to see it. Through the fog, the lights, the music and the blunders we all met Jesus there. His story, from start to finish was proclaimed. We got dress up and made up for His Glory. We dedicated our lives to it and we committed ourselves to being one of the cast of 'Proclaim the Glory'! It was a wonderful season. The Word was proclaimed! It was an amazing group of believers. He calls us 'wonderful'! Our acts of service are only beginning! It is an amazing God we serve. He was always in it. Because of where He took me, this will be one of the memories I will cheris

The law was clear enough. She was caught in the very act of her sin. She was to be stoned. But first, a test, one that Jesus would not fail. Jesus, in all His Glory, did not condemn the law nor the sinner. He found another opportunity to serve and to bring His message home. Another life lesson in grace. In life, our accusers should make sure that they are not gui lty of the same crime.The Pharisees and the teachers were there that day to trap Him and as He knelt before them and wrote in the sand He meant to convince them and convert them. In this matter, Jesus performed the greater good which was the reason that He came to the world in the first place and that was to bring all sinners to repentance. Repent and be saved. His intent is not to destroy us, but to save us. He aims to bring the accused - for in our hearts aren't we all 'a woman like that' - to repentance by showing them His mercy, and the prosecutors as well by showing them their sins. For the gu

Right there it is. The sin. The Savior. The dichotomy couldn't be made more clear. This day above all others brings me to remember where I was before I knew Him. Dead in sin is where I was and why I needed Him most. The listing of all of my sins would take a lifetime, so here are just a few reasons why I was headed for hell. Need I go on to prove that the flesh stinks? You know it. I know it. There is some bad news out there. And then the good news. 'And such were some of you'.  My sins put Him on the Cross. Christ encourages the sinner and the unrighteous not to be deceived. Heaven was made for the righteous. We are called out from a life of sin to live a Holy life through Him. He wants us all to inherit the Kingdom of God! He is the goodness in Good Friday! Good News! Death where is your sting? 'Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterer

'When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.' Genesis 22:9 (NIV) Abraham waited for twenty five years for God's promise to be born. His own son. Abraham and Sarah had their own son. Then at 13, he was consumed by his love for Isaac, and as a parent would know, his son was everything to him. Isaac was all he could ever talk about. Isaac this. Isaac that. Isaac was all he could ever think about. So, perhaps the God that provides stepped in to give them both a test and just perhaps, threaten to remove the thing in Abraham's life that had become his idol. Idols come in many shapes and forms. They may even be our sons or daughters or even be our jobs, our ministries, our houses, our cars or our hobbies. Idols are the one thing that takes us too far away from Him. Whenever we elevate it to the throne in our hearts, the ido

' He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.' Isaiah 53:3 (ESV) Who Took My Place? by Janet Martin © 2009 Bound by sins dark chains Condemned and doomed stood I No chance of hope to gain As Justice raised her cry "Only, only death for thee No hope, no hope to be set free," But then came One with head bowed low He said to Justice "let her go" Oh, who is this who took my place? With crimson teardrops on His face The King of kings and Lord of lords No higher title could there be When Justice raised her angry sword Someone took my place for me Oh, my Lord, who could he be? Who cared enough to set me free? I raised my head to hear these words The King of kings and Lord of lords I fell upon the ground As Justice screamed her plea No reason could be found That I should be set free "Guilty, guilty,&

'When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” John 11: 43-44 (ESV) Forty years ago I heard the words of the Savior say to me 'Lazarus come out' and I responded to His message of hope and accepted Christ as my personal Savior. This is my own testimony of faith and I am so grateful for a friend that invited my mom and me to her church where we heard the gospel of peace and salvation preached. Having heard the spiritual call of redemption and not fully understanding the supernatural significance of what had just happened to me, I found myself weeping at the altar of forgiveness that day as Jesus breathed new life into me and I became a born again believer. He saved me. I am thankful that because He loves me and the work that He did for me on the cross at Calvary, by

'Plant a crop of righteousness for yourselves, harvest the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your hard soil, because it’s time to seek the Eternal until He comes and waters your fields with justice.' Hosea 10:12 (VOICE) This spring I have noticed the farmers and everyone else with a mind to do it getting the soil ready. Yes, they are busy working on their machin ery and their planters. Yes, they are doing the hard outdoor work that the lazy ones won't do. Walking the fields. Clearing the area of winter's debris. Purchasing and storing the seeds. Readying themselves physically for what lies ahead. Long days. Many stops and starts. Weather a factor. Long conversations. Weeds and bugs. Toils and strife and frustrations. Mental preparations and prayer. Making the plans and seeing to it. This is the life they choose. This is your purpose if you are up to it. This is the path of much hard work if you seek it. Productive farm operations. Sowing and reaping.

'From the tribe of Issachar, there were 200 leaders of the tribe with their relatives. All these men understood the signs of the times and knew the best course for Israel to take.' 1 Chronicles 12:32 (NLT) These sons of Issachar had special skills in astrology as in knowing proper times and seasons to take action in the areas of husbandry and land management. They were politically savvy as well and chose this time to go over to King David. After certain events had taken place they showed their wisdom and took action and declared David as their King. With much joy they knew that this was the best course of action to take, not only for themselves, but for their tribe and their country as well. Likewise is the timing of events that occur when the believer invites the Lord into their own heart. Signs of the times and seasons of change bring on this great change in us and we look to the sky for help from heaven. Heaven has come down to us and has brought us a wise

'My beloved friends, if you see a believer who is overtaken with a fault, may the one who overflows with the Spirit seek to restore him. Win him over with gentle words, which will open his heart to you and will keep you from exalting yourself over him. Love empowers us to fulfill the law of the Anointed One as we carry each other’s troubles. If you th ink you are too important to stoop down to help another, you are living in deception.' Galatians 6:1-3 (TPT) To be able to see a fault in a beloved friend is the rub. Beloved friends, aren't they like a brother or sister to me? I think so. I have a hard time seeing faults in those around me that I love. In my own situation the problem is often, how do I stay connected to them when the mission field keeps changing? I may not do as good a job as I would like in staying connected, but I try. I stay connected, just like you would, with a visit or letter or a phone call. That's my line. I love to send cards! Mayb

'Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.' Isaiah 60:1-3 (ESV) 'And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.” And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back

'Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.” J ohn 4: 13-15 (ESV) He met her there at the well. The Saint and the sinner. The well was His tabernacle of faith that day. He was the One that she was looking for and she didn't even know it until He spoke. During that conversation He pointed to her humanity. They discussed many things, the way things were then. and even the way they are now. Life happenings all around her and to her it seemed as if no one cared. Like the great ocean, with the ebbing and the flowing so goes her desires. He was different. In the natural, her desires were always turning into her failures. Her appetite, the lon

'My roots will have access to water, and the dew will rest on my branches all night.' Job 29:19 (HCSB) Dew is a natural form of water. Dew forms on the surface of the ground and plants as they cool down by radiating and omitting their heat. At dew point, water vapor condenses and dew forms as temperatures cool and the air is unable to hold the vapor. I acknowledge that rivers and dew are examples of my double portion of God's grace. He supplies all my needs and the Lord's favor is upon me. I am like the tree that is planted by the river, even now I have access to the Water that Jesus provides and I am nourished by it as my roots run deep. Like the tree, I find refreshment by the moisture that evaporates and as water vapor condenses in the form of dew that reaches my leaves and branches as well. Believe me when I tell you that He said, 'My people shall receive double portion'! DOUBLE portion in blessings of favor. His favor is upon me. Double

'For the seed shall be prosperous, The vine shall give its fruit, The ground shall give her increase, And the heavens shall give their dew— I will cause the remnant of this people To possess all these.' Zechariah 8:12 (NKJV) Prophecy! All farming operations and labors will yield. Peace and prosperity will come. Increase through the seed that is kept safe and secure is assured. As peace is returning to the land all agriculture endeavors shall prosper. Vine giving its fruit. Ground giving her increase. Heavens giving their dew. His remnant possessing all three through inheritance. His remnant, blessed by Him and kept clean and pure by the power that God provides through the Holy Spirit. Only by His grace are we kept whole. Only by the blood of Jesus are we saved. Purify us then, Oh Lord! God intends to purify us and does for us just as He does for the seed and the vine. He is the Life Giver. God intends to water the seed and the vine at night when the dew