http://www.janemorin.com, worship leader, revival music, music evangelists, prophetic worship
 
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2 Timothy 4:7 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

Another week has passed, and those professing to be Christians have brought us disappointment once again. It isn’t anything new. Think about the life of David, known for being a man after God's own heart.  I know he must have cringed just to think that people remember him for his downfall.  When I read that passage, I want to yell out, “David---are you out of your ever loving mind?!” He publically messed up--- big time royal, but if we were honest with ourselves, we would have to admit, so have we.  What I want to talk about today is what do we do with our mistakes Christian family?  Do we give up all together, or do we move forward in hopes of redeeming ourselves?

 Let me tell you this, we cannot redeem ourselves. If that was possible, then Christ would never have to come to earth to die such a terrible death on our behalf. If we could live holy lives, set apart for God by our own cognizance, then why would we even need God?


The more mature I am in Christ, the more dependent that I become on Him.  I chalk it up to experience.   I have done many things on my own, started something I thought was from the Lord, on my own.  I have even stepped out and involved others to do good works on my own, and if you admit it, you have too. Why does such a thing happen? Perhaps it is our pride, ignorance, wanting to please man, or just sheer stupidity.   In those moments, I can find myself to be singing, “Backward Christian Soldier,” for I have done all but fail. Well honestly, I’ve even done that too. 

Living in a land where corrupt leaders make decisions that blatantly go against God's Word is adding fuel to the spiritual fire in me. Will I stand back and allow my neighbor, my community, my state, my country to ignore such premises?  I suppose I have held my political beliefs rather closely to my chest until today, but now God is clearly stating, “If you will not stand for the things that are righteous, who will?” I believe this is a warning to all of us, who prefer to remain silent. We cannot remain silent dear ones. We are at war, and like it or not, when you gave your life to Christ, you signed up as part of His holy army. Are you marching to the tune of “Backward Christian Soldier” or are you moving forward in your relationship with the Lord by setting an example for others to follow? I personally am praying harder than ever for our President and for America’s leaders all over this land. We are still a country“Under God,” and if we are to remain so, we must make a choice to stand up, or stand back.  I choose to stand up. Will you join me?

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Has God called you to a task that seems beyond your  abilities? This happens when we become women and men who walk in faith. If you are insecure about your abilities, then you have already botched the opportunity admitting your weakness. Perhaps it has slipped your mind that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Phil 4:13. In the end, insecurity cripples your calling.

If we become insecure in our own calling, we will measure ourselves by the success of others. Measuring up to others is the downfall that many a Christian leader has succumbed to. Our only measuring stick, per say, should be Christ alone. Why do we seek for others to validate  what God has called us to do? Only you and the Lord can ultimately know His will for your life. Godly counsel is needed at times when you are confused as to what that will is, but otherwise, the end result should be to knwo His will and to walk there in it.

It is not wrong to test the spirit, and to make sure that an opportunity is from the Lord, or a distraction from the adversary. This is wisdom, not intimidation or insecurity. Jesus  explained, "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing.
Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.” John 5:19. 
 
Beloved friends, God has a mighty calling on His children. If we keep our eyes on Him, and imitate what He is doing, all will be well. The greatest compliment one can pay is to imitate you. I pray that I  imitate my Heavenly Father daily.  I will only be able to do that if I am watching and praying. 

If you are experiencing emotions of doubt and insecurity, then you are at the wrong end of the adversary’s spear whose objective is to stop you from moving on with God.  It is time to stand up, put on the armor of God, and command Satan to go back to the dry places from whence he came.  It is time dear one, to take hold of your kingdom authority in Christ as His beloved one, and to trust and obey his calling in your life. 

There have been ample times that the enemy plays the old insecurity card on me right before I get ready to minister. If your desire is to walk in the footprints of Jesus, chances are you have experienced the same thing.  Satan’s ultimate tool is to deceive you and if he can do that through insecurity, he will, I know. Don’t let insecurity cripple your calling. 

I am starting an online bible study “So Long, Insecurity” next
Thursday May 17th. If you would like to join us, then find me on Facebook and get connected!
 http://www.facebook.com/jane.morin.ministries 


Blessings!
Jane Morin
Email: staff@janemorin.com 
 


 

 
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THE CHURCH NEEDS A CHECKUP!
We’ve all seen it….people that seemingly call themselves a follower of Christ but seem to take the road of  compromise too many times so that they can feed the flesh and not the Spirit.   I know…. another one of those blogs about compromise.  Let me say this: As I travel doing conferences and worship events I am seeing a serious illness in the Body of Christ.  Contradictory Christianity is rampant and it continues to be the main reason why non-believers choose not to become Christians.  

When the church walks so closely to the world that there is no apparent difference in the things they do, the way they talk, the lives they live, then tell me, what do we have that truly attracts others to Christ?  I consistently find people in the church who are living together, cheating on their taxes, lying and doing the things that any non-believer would do because they do not know better. The sad truth is that these people do
know better, but frankly they just do not care. 

Recently while traveling to a town to do a Freedom Conference, God revealed to me that there was a spirit of hostility against the things of God in that place.  A hostile nature against God comes when a people desire to fulfill their own needs, or flesh, and have no desire to please the Lord. I see this in shallow believers and non-believers alike. The apathetic church is growing while the church on fire for God is diminishing.  Is it because of the lack of power seen in the Body of Christ?  I would have to say affirmatively-YES. 

Powerless Christians who never pray, never read their bibles, or never meditate on what God has to say are being watched closely by those who do not know Christ.  The church has become the very example they are setting forth in this world. If your standards are low, those who come to be a part of your fellowship will never strive for complete holiness. It is time for the Body of Christ to have a checkup.  It’s time for a heart check, body check, emotional check, mental check, and spiritual check.  It starts with the Pastor and then spreads through to the sheep.  If your pastor is not someone you desire to emulate, then find one that is.  Sometimes this means a church change, a friend change or life change.  No church is perfect, but the pastor ought to be someone that you can look up to and someone that encourages you in your Christian walk.  Contradictory Christianity is a disease that no believer can afford to catch. So in closing, find a place where you can fellowship with believers who desire to please God and not themselves, and start living the fulfilling life that Christ ordained you to live in and through Him!


 
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Throughout my Christian life, like many other believers, I have had to learn to be sensitive to the call of God. In the beginning, it took time to understand when it was His voice and when it was my own fleshly desires.  I desired to be an obedient child, but at times my aspirations, regardless of how noble, were not in His plans for my life. 

God has placed me in a position to mentor other leaders in the last several years, and I have had many ask me, “Jane, how will I know when it is God telling me to do something, versus my flesh or the enemy?” My reply, though somewhat candid is, “It will always line up with the WORD of God.”

Now I realize that some folks just aren’t keen on the Word of God, thus they lean on others to help them decipher God’s will for their lives. Here a few things every believer needs to apply to their life if they want to know the perfect will of God.

1. Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what He sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. (John
5:19) To know what God wants for your life, you must be able to know what the Father is doing. To connect to our Heavenly Father, we must pray and study His Word. How can you know what He is saying without knowing His Word? It is impossible dear one!

2. For lack of guidance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory sure. (Proverbs 11:14) Seek Godly counsel of other believers. Daily we are called upon to make decisions. Most folks seek the counsel they want to hear, and not necessarily the counsel they need to hear. Lay aside your own preconceived ideas when seeking Godly counsel and then trust God that He is able to show you His perfect will.

3. The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception. (Proverbs 14:8) Life seemingly does not always afford us the time needed to make prudent decisions, yet, without taking time to evaluate, pray, seek God’s face in a matter, our choices can lead to our demise.  For example, I was asked by a pastor several years ago to pray about coming to his church to lead worship. I had never heard of his town, nor was I seeking such a move. As I prayed, I got neither a yea or nay answer from God. Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27) My past experiences helped me to know that when God is silent, that I am to do nothing, thus I waited on the Lord. That decision was wise, as the pastor moved on from that church in a few months.

If you are seeking God diligently, laying aside your own desires and simply desiring to please God, then trust that He will reveal His will to you. Ask for wisdom and you will receive it, for that is how the Father moves in our lives. We can hear from God on a daily basis when we take time to hear from Him. God is always speaking to His children, but unless we stop and listen, we will miss those moments of communion, reflection and sweet fellowship that bring enrichment and assurance to our Christian walk.

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Psalm 92:12-15“The righteous shall flourish like the palm-tree: He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of Jehovah; They shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; They shall be full of sap and green:  To show that Jehovah is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.”

I have just returned from leading Freedom Conference 2012 in Choctaw, OK. It was a whirlwind trip in more ways than one. Tornadoes threatened the area for the biggest part of the weekend. It reminded me of what we ---as God’s children should do when a pending storm is approaching in our lives. Many will run for cover and bury their head in the sand, so to speak. If in times of trouble we choose to bend low to hear God’s voice--- like the palm tree, we will  not only survive the storm, but we will be strengthened in and through it. The palm is flexible and does not have any forseen damage from the storms in life, because it is capable of bending as it is going through a storm. Trees that cannot bend, often are left without leaves and limbs. while some are altogether taken out of the ground and tossed about by the winds of fury. Those that do not bend are easily recongnizable as they have damaged limbs and roots, and can appear very ugly. People who refuse to bend low to the voice of the Lord, can become ugly in spirit, as most of us have witnessed.

One of my ministry prayer warriors was instrumental in bringing this matter to light in my life, and I am so grateful for her honesty and dedication to the ministry. Many folks were affected by the recent occurrences of tornadoes throughout OK, Kansas, Iowa and onward. The destruction was a wakeup call to many who were caught off guard. The result was injury and death to some, destruction and homelessness to others. 

This was a difficult weekend as I also became ill and required medical treatment prior to the conference. It appeared that there was not only an onslaught physically in the land, but spiritually. Fear dominated many a soul. 

In times of a storm, I hope that you have learned to bow low to your Maker’s voice and to seek His face, so that you can overcome such adversity. Those who do not submit, who shake their hands in the face of God, will  incur further harm and delay in their deliverance.  I for one want to prosper in the things of God, and as spoken this week, “Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not break,” I too did all that I could to focus on the tasks at hand and not to let the pending storm distract from the purpose of the conference. The WORD to the church last Sunday night was “Wake up, wake up, wake up church, you’ve e been lullabied too long!”  It's time to wake up CHURCH and bow so that adversity becomes a blessing of strength and not a curse meant to destroy our lives.



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In the world we live in it is becoming more and more difficult to find those who call them-selves believers and also choose to live a life of holiness. In my years of ministry I have met many who call themselves “Christian” in name, but their lifestyle is anything but one that portrays Christ. Unfortunately this is becoming more and more common and the end result is causing great confusion among those who have never believed.

As a Christian we are to be living a life of holiness, for we have been called to a higher standard. This does not mean that we are infallible, indispensable, or irrefutable. It simply means that we have chosen to take the higher road, to make ourselves accountable to God and those around us, to live above reproach, to walk in mercy and not condemnation,  to walk in the Truth of His Word, to not give ourselves over to sinful lust and the desires of this world. 

We have decided to take up our cross and follow the Christ. We have accepted the invitation of redemption through the power of His sacrifice. We have calculated the cost and abandoned our lives to God’s mission. We have undeniably crossed the line from the past of who we use to be, into the present of what He wants us to be. We have stepped over the obstacles and traps carefully employed by the enemy to disrupt our mission. We have successfully stood on the Word of God and in doing so become victors! We will continue to fight the good fight and run the good race until His day of returning, or until we see His glorious face. We are compelled not by man, but by His Spirit. We are united in purpose and we are empowered by God. Yes, my friends, we are Christians!  

How are we going to be able to go out into the highway and byways of this life  and compel the lost of their need of Christ? It will not be done by blending into the backdrop of this present darkness dear friends. It is only done by shining the light of Christ into the darkness of men’s hearts and by making our lives a living vessel of His love and sacrifice. 

“Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”(Romans 12:1) NASB 

Surely you do not believe that we are capable of living holy lives without first drawing close to the only One who is Holy? A dead or living sacrifice is useless unless it is one of pure holiness. Is there enough convicting evidence of the holiness of Christ in you for a jury to find you guilty of being a Christian? My prayer for me and for you today is but one:

“Lord, Make my life a living sacrifice Lord, Holy and acceptable to You!”

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(Isaiah 53:6) We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the  LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

This is Holy week for those who call Jesus the Lord of their life. As we bring back to memory the event of the cross, the cruel death, the guarded tomb and the resurrection of our Lord three days later, I can hardly contain my emotions. Each year when the springtime is fresh, and I begin to ponder upon the ultimate price that was paid so that I could walk in liberty of spirit; I am once again humbled that a God so great would take such drastic measures to save a dying mankind. 

“We all, like sheep, have gone astray…..” as the scripture says. That means you and me. If you refuse to accept such facts, you may never be able to obtain the redemptive gift of life waiting for all of those who put their trust in God. When we inspect our lives and realize that Christ bore upon his body the iniquity of us all, it can almost be overwhelming. Historically men have sent many a criminal to the cross to die, but Jesus willingly went to the cross so that we could live. 
 
"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45) 

That is right…Jesus chose to lay down His life in our place. He gave His all---everything that He had to ensure that we could have a holy relationship that would allow us to enter into eternal life, instead of eternal death. Eternal death you ask? Yes, because eternal death is eternal separation from God. It is not His desire that any man should perish, nor is it mine. Frankly, I cannot say that I would be willing to give my son up, or to lay down my own life for another’s chance to receive eternal life. If I was sure that in my selfless act that you would choose eternal life, I may be more inclined. Nevertheless, Jesus knew there would be many who would never choose Him as the Lord of their life---yet He gave His all. This example is the most selfless,loving and merciful act humanity has ever witnessed in history and today. 

While on the cross, Jesus made perhaps the most profound statement He had ever made—“It is finished.” This meant that the price was paid, mission accomplished or goal attained. I want to live my life in the same manner so that when I come to my end I can say that I completed my goal here on earth. As a follower of Christ, I will reach that goal because Jesus is with me all the way. Tell me,“What will you do with Jesus today?”

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The hour is here my dear friends when traditions will crumble from your beautiful  foundations and when Gods’ Truth must be proclaimed to the nations without flaw  or blemish. Today is the day of Salvation, and it is the day when the Body of Christ must be about preparing for His coming! We cannot do that as long as our churches are filled with apathetic sin and love for only self. Unfortunately, this is the condition of the church
today. 

Throughout my traveling ministry, I have seen the sick condition of the church, and it breaks my heart to realize that Gods’ people are becoming numb to His Spirit.  Are you going to live by mans’ traditions or by Gods’ truth in your life? You do have a choice, and the choice you make will result in your eternal destination.

Jesus is speaking to the scribes and Pharisees. In this passage, He initially gives them a wakeup call, but they invariably press the snooze button. How many times do you do that to God? (Matthew 23: 13, 15, 27) 

v.13
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. 15 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.


You must understand that the Pharisees of that time were making it near impossible for anyone to find redemption in the law, as they continued to add more rules and regulations to abide by. In another attempt to help them realize their poor condition before God, Christ affirms that Mans’ tradition brings death. 27"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. 
 
Clearly, we can see that the church today has not strayed so very far away from our roots found here in Matthew. We can still find leaders who teach false doctrine, adhere to mans’ tradition and use such piety to influence others. However, beloved, there is a remnant that has nothing to do with such fanfares. You can find them thinly scattered around the world. I know, because I have found them about everywhere I have been. They are devoted followers of Christ who adhere to the TRUTH of His Word without compromise and religion. It is refreshing when I cross their paths because they love sincerely, have no ulterior motives, and serve others unconditionally. The Lord is pleased with their service and He delights in their relentless love to win others to Christ.
 
In these last days, and….these are the last days, let us be found blameless in our devotion to Christ and to others. Let us serve one another in gladness, and win those around us by exuding HIS perfect love in our lives. How do we do that? We must walk in Truth, seek the Truth, live in Truth, proclaim the Truth and love the Truth till death. For HIS TRUTH shall set the captives free, and liberty is available to those who walk away from mens tradition and wisdom and choose to align themselves with Gods’ Truth. Jesus said I am the way, the TRUTH and the life. Simply KNOW Jesus and you will know the TRUTH.

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Garden of Gethsemane
Recently  I was studying the scripture in the book of Mark where Jesus was taking his disciples into the Garden of Gethsemane. On my recent trip to Israel, I was privileged to see the garden and several 2000 + year old olive trees that still
cover the landscape.  It was easy for me to imagine, after knowing this passage so well, that Jesus had walked the  garden, and prayed there. eventually He was arrested there, and then led to a cruel death on my behalf.
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Mercy Gate from the garden perspective.
As you look straight west from the Garden of Gethsemane you can see the walls of Jerusalem and the only gate straight ahead called The Mercy Gate. I think to myself,how appropriate that the Mercy Gate was the main gate viewed from that garden, a constant reminder of who Jesus is. The Jews say that the Messiah  would first enter the city through  this gate. In latter years, the muslims blocked the gate off, for fear that He might very well do that.  I am sure he thought of the meaning of that gate many times as he went to the garden to pray and seek the  Father’s face. But in that hour of torment, I can only imagine the GREAT mercy He had on our behalf to follow through with His divine destiny.

Today I want us to reflect on Mark 14:37. Prior to this revolutionary passage we read that Jesus has taken his disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane and leaving most  of them in one place, takes Peter, James and John a little further ahead. He then said to them “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch.”

He goes ahead and after praying and being willing to do whatever the Father’s will was, he returned to them. Mark 14:37-38 says, “Then He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour?Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

I find it significant that Jesus said that we are to watch and pray.  we know that Jesus had already taught his disciples in John 5; 19-20. So Jesus answered then, "I tell you the solemn truth, the son can do nothing on his own initiative, but only what he sees the Father doing.  for wahtever the Father does, the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he does, and greater deeds than these he will show him, so that you may be amazed."

When we pray beloved friends, we are to hear and judge and seek God’s will. We can only do that when we see what God is doing, and then walk therefore in it. We can only pray the will of the Father, once we know HIS will. How are we going to know unless we WATCH first what He is doing, then obey. We must watch first, know His will, and then pray. If we do not watch, we will most likely pray erroneously. 

How is your prayer life? Do you watch and pray, or pray amiss? Are you tuned into what God is doing in your life, or are you casting out numerous prayers in hopes that God will answer some of them. The bible tells us that we can know  His will when we watch, seek, and ask. Find God’s will for your life and then pray, and see your prayer unfold before your eyes. It will revolutionize your prayer life ----leaving you never the same.



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That the trial of your  faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: ( 1 Peter 1:7)

We had an eventful weekend. My husband had some health issues that required immediate attention in the emergency room and then he was admitted to the hospital. He is still incurring some tests today to rule out a life threatening situation. Anyone who knows us knows that God is the center of our home and heart. As I watched five of the medical team rush around him and begin treating him, my initial reaction on the inside was panic, and on the outside I just smiled to reassure him all will be well. 

As my husband’s condition was serious---he continued to be his witty, joking self through the whole process keeping doctors and nurses laughing and surprised by his demeanor. He is a bit of a corn-ball, but he makes you laugh, and you  just can’t refrain from it. I suppose being the baby of the family made him that way. Regardless, he has a deep walk when it comes to allowing the joy of the Lord resound from his lips.

As I am writing this, he is having another medical tests performed. I can tell you this, that through his health crisis, we have concurred that we are in this together. For sicker or poorer, and I have to say reluctantly that I have been the one who has had four major surgeries through the years of our marriage. He has always withheld a stellar medical record. So, imagine my surprise when we did a role reversal. 

We experienced nothing short of a miracle during the most critical phase of this event. God is moving, and we recogonize it for what it is. I told my husband that people all over the planet were praying---and they were! I alarmed my prayer warriors who spread the news globally. 

I am saying all this to say one thing---Take your impossible situation to God today! He will use it to develop His character in you. Once you go through a trial, you should be a little more like God. If you are not, get ready to go back to the starting line and run the race until you do it right. I pray that God finds our response and resolution to this trial to be found as Praise and Glory unto His SON!

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