Jesus has just said that the fate of a person who drags a child into sin is going to be so terrible that it would be better for that man to be drowned in the depths of the sea. He has also said that if one's individual appendages causes one to sin that the fate of being in sin is so horrific that it is a better fate to cut that appendage from your body and cast it away. Jesus was not advocating for bodily mutilation, He was bringing to mind that the penalty for sin is so severe that the horrendous alternatives to the punishment were to be considered minor in comparison. He uses the parable of the shepherd who lost one sheep and the man's response to finding the lost sheep being one of joy. He celebrates the find which necessitated him leaving 99 sheep who had not gone astray. Jesus specifically linked this teaching to the children. And He makes it clear that God is not willing for any of these to be lost. Are we training our children right? Or by following our example are we ‘teaching’ our children to sin in the same ways we do? But Jesus expands on our responsibility for our brethren. He tells us to warn our brothers if they are committing sin. “Show him his fault” If we have a brother or sister in Christ and they are sinning, we have an obligation to pursue them and bring them back to God. It's sad that some will suffer just because we were busy “minding our own business” when we saw a brother in sin. We may not even be successful in the endeavor because his response still has the freewill to reject the opportunity you present. If he chooses to reject your instruction, it is imperative to return with 2 to 3 witnesses. If he refuses to repent, it is time to address it within the church. If he again rejects the opportunity to repent, he is to be treated as an outsider to the church. This is the concept of what some organizations call, ‘shunning’ or ‘excommunication’. So for the churches who proudly admit that their church won't mention ‘sin’ as a selling point for attending their congregation, they are admitting that they are NOT the church of true Christianity. Sin is what sent Jesus to the cross. It was His very foundational reason for even coming the first time. So for organizations to ‘cover’ sin for purposes of advancing progressive doctrines is in itself a sin. What is being discussed here is our commitment to the Gospel. Are we faithful enough to warn a brother or sister that is diving into sinful habits or situations? Are we concerned for the eternal consequences of our temporal lives? We are all being tempted by the same enemy. His goal is to make sure that as many humans as possible end up in Hell with him. His hatred for the creation God intended to be higher than the angels, mankind, is palpable. Satan HATES humans. He knows it's too late for him, so all he can do is cause destruction and pain for us, and that he does on a daily basis. Jesus then discusses the ‘gathering together’ only requiring 2 people. What is this ‘gathering together’? It comes from the word translated ‘church’ which literally means, “the called out ones”. That’s all of us. We were called out of the world to be a part of His people. And when two or three are gathered in the name of Jesus, not only is that a “church” but Jesus is there with the gathered ones. This was in truth the reason we started Porch Ministries. And two years ago, it was myself and a few others who would meet on my front porch for worship, prayer and to be challenged in the things of the Lord. And in that 2 year period I was earnestly desiring to be a part of God's kingdom as one of His witnesses. I was distraught at my physical limitations. I am incapable of going pretty much anywhere. I saw my handicap as a failure on my part. But when Porch Ministries started all I could do was these lessons and pray when asked. Here's the thing, many Christians treat the “I'll pray for you” as an excuse they can't (or won't) do anything else. That is dead wrong. Our ability to gather in His name with Jesus in our midst is one of the most worthwhile, beneficial and powerful works a Christian can do, period. God has taken the prayers I've offered as a believer and within this two year period, we've seen answers to prayer as we reach out, we are preparing to aid a mission in the Philippines where impacts are already being felt and people are being saved. And now we are praying for that mission, two schools in the same city, and we are reaching folks in Pakistan, Uganda, and Michigan. I've seen miraculous answers to prayer, confirmation of God moving in this work and I truly hope you will join us on Lordsbook in the Porch Ministries page. If you are looking for an avenue of service to God, join us! If you've been wanting to see God work and be an integral part of God's kingdom there's no better place than a ministry dedicated to reaching those who churches do not pursue. Addicts, bikers, church-hurt individuals who have for cultural or political reasons been ostracized from a church, not due to sin, but strictly for reasons they couldn't control. Does it matter if i take sin seriously? Yes. Does it matter how i treat prayer? Absolutely. [12] “What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains, and go and search for the one that is lost? [13] And if it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that have not gone astray. [14] So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven for one of these little ones to perish. [15] “Now if your brother sins , go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have gained your brother. [16] But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that on the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter may be confirmed. [17] And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, he is to be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. [18] Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven. [19] “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. [20] For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”

Psalm 119:105-112 Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. [106] I have sworn and confirmed That I will keep Your righteous judgments. [107] I am afflicted very much; Revive me, O LORD, according to Your word. [108] Accept, I pray, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD, And teach me Your judgments. [109] My life is continually in my hand, Yet I do not forget Your law. [110] The wicked have laid a snare for me, Yet I have not strayed from Your precepts. [111] Your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever, For they are the rejoicing of my heart. [112] I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes Forever, to the very end.

“WITHOUT THE POWER OF GOD!” -Author Unknown [read to the hymn: “I Need Thee Every Hour”] I sat alone at a midnight hour and I watched the handwork of GOD in the deep blue sky. And then I asked myself this question; “Without The Power Of GOD, Who Am I?” Without THE POWER OF GOD, I am unable to walk, talk, sing or pray. Without THE POWER OF GOD I have no guide to lead my day by day. Without THE POWER OF GOD I have no vigor or no vim. Without THE POWER OF GOD I have no activity of my limbs. Without THE POWER OF GOD I am unable to laugh or cry. It’s by THE POWER OF GOD I live, or I die. Then, Without THE POWER OF GOD, who am I? Without THE POWER OF GOD what is man? Without THE POWER OF GOD he’s unable to move his hand. Without THE POWER OF GOD man has no skill. He’s unable to move his body at his own freewill; Without THE POWER OF GOD! Scientists are able to look into the hidden worlds and bring many things to light. But, Without THE POWER OF GOD, scientists have no might. It’s a shame how men will take GOD’S POWER, and use it to a low disgrace. They’ll take HIS TONGUE, HIS LIPS, HIS BREATH, and they’ll curse GOD to HIS FACE! But if GOD were to call HIS POWER TO COME ON HIGH, Men everywhere would cease to live; even we, would surely die! Then, Without THE POWER OF GOD, who am I? Who Am I? Nobody, NOBODY… Without, THE POWER OF GOD!

Psalm 54 The Lord Upholds My Life To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Maskil of David, when the Ziphites went and told Saul, “Is not David hiding among us?” O God, save me by your name, and vindicate me by your might. O God, hear my prayer; give ear to the words of my mouth. For [men] have risen against me; ruthless men seek my life; they do not set God before themselves. Selah Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life. He will return the evil to my enemies; in your faithfulness put an end to them. With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you; I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, for it is good. For he has delivered me from every trouble, and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies.

Dear Father, I've come across people who boast of their accomplishments and attribute them entirely to their hard work, as though You had no hand in their success. This was the case with Nebuchadnezzar when he said, "Is not this great Babylon that I have built..." You have built the world on principles that attract results when rightly applied, regardless of faith or one's level of commitment to You. I recall it is written: "the rain falls on both the just and the unjust." In concluding that our results are independent of You, we reveal our limited understanding of the place of principles within free will. The challenge to free will arises when principles that should naturally produce results fail, not because they were wrongly applied, but because Your role in the outcome was ignored. This may be why the command You gave to "be fruitful and multiply" carried no restrictions. A pagan who copulates with his wife will bear children, just as a Christian will. Yet neither result is attained independently of You. You often allow the natural consequences of principles to unfold, preserving the exercise of free will, though You remain sovereign over all outcomes. So, You allow us to reap the rewards of principles whether or not we acknowledge You, while granting us favor when we do. Also the fruits will not be seen if acknowledging You is all we do. True balance is not the absence of plans, nor is it the execution of plans apart from You. It is the holy partnership of human responsibility and divine dependence. Translations; Slide 1: English Slide 2: French Slide 3: Bengali Slide 4: Hindu Slide 5: Urdu #LettertoGod #principles #freewill #results #fruits

Dear Father, I've come across people who boast of their accomplishments and attribute them entirely to their hard work, as though You had no hand in their success. This was the case with Nebuchadnezzar when he said, "Is not this great Babylon that I have built..." You have built the world on principles that attract results when rightly applied, regardless of faith or one's level of commitment to You. I recall it is written: "the rain falls on both the just and the unjust." In concluding that our results are independent of You, we reveal our limited understanding of the place of principles within free will. The challenge to free will arises when principles that should naturally produce results fail, not because they were wrongly applied, but because Your role in the outcome was ignored. This may be why the command You gave to "be fruitful and multiply" carried no restrictions. A pagan who copulates with his wife will bear children, just as a Christian will. Yet neither result is attained independently of You. You often allow the natural consequences of principles to unfold, preserving the exercise of free will, though You remain sovereign over all outcomes. So, You allow us to reap the rewards of principles whether or not we acknowledge You, while granting us favor when we do. Also the fruits will not be seen if acknowledging You is all we do. True balance is not the absence of plans, nor is it the execution of plans apart from You. It is the holy partnership of human responsibility and divine dependence. Translations; Slide 1: English Slide 2: French Slide 3: Bengali Slide 4: Hindu Slide 5: Urdu #LettertoGod #principles #freewill #results #fruits

Human beings received from the Source Creator, the Almighty God, the primary gift of the freewill to choose life over death, good over evil. Dear mankind, you have options. Choose wisely the better option, choose life. Kindly do not let agents from the kingdom of darkness deceive you to surrender this freewill to choose such that you are left with no options in this life but to live like a slave to sin, desperate, frustrated, trapped, embarrassed. The kingdom of darkness operates through fear and deception. In God, you find your being. Your destiny in this life is connected to your identity in Jesus Christ. According to your will over my life, Lord Jesus Christ, show me the way.

Years ago, I published a book of poetry written for women who were divorcing a narcissist. It was written during an amazing healing journey and features several pieces that were written for others who asked me to write about their particular journey, as well. I recently started a youtube and other platforms channel called 'Shattered Dreams Poetry' and set them into powerpoints to provide a visual to go along with the words. It's unbelievable what that adds. Some of course is symbolic for the mental and emotional bondage, the fear, and how hard it is to escape--especially if there are children involved--or other 'ties that bind.' Christian women are particularly vulnerable to narcissistic abuse because we take our vows seriously and always believe God will change them. We take too much, give too much, and have a hard time letting go, as much as because we think we can help heal them, or that God will 'fix it all.' It's a rough awareness to understand the God will not override their freewill, or that they have no desire or intention of changing. As the counselor told me, 'You either decide to get yourself out of this, cutting all ties, or decide today to give up everything you've ever wanted, needed, or ANY hope of a better life. You can remain a victim of narcissistic abuse, or you can decide you have enough value to cut the strings. I made that hard choice... and lost everything... along with the marriage. But, in a support group of women who came out of the same thing, I learned the truth. I was given the terminology to understand and explain what had happened to me. I was given the knowledge of what his psychological evaluation really meant. And it shook me to the core. They were the ones who initially offered the book titles, and youtube channels, that taught about the true damage, the ongoing self-doubt, and how to STOP being the person abusive people target. It all that, God told me to 'write it out.' I did. Now, I'm upping the game. It won't be for everyone, and back then the anger was sometimes as prevalent as the pain, so know this was a decade or more back. I'm a little buried under right now with projects, but eventually I'll start a group on here to share all I learned. This book is actually used in a UT AUSTIN classroom by a professor who teaches on this. She loves it. The channel will also feature pieces from subsequent books that I haven't yet published. 'Rebuilt Seams' is when you're rebuilding your life, and 'Kingdom Poems' is straight up scripture and Christan living. The channel is called 'Shattered Dreams' because that's what the old website was called and people will look for that. If you too write poetry and would like me to set it into PP and feature it, contact me at askrinalynn@yahoo.com. Obviously, I won't publish everything. My platform is Raising the Bar of Knowledge, Healing Hurting People, and Spiritual Warfare. And, until I get the series and my new Oliabo business healthy enough financially, I'm very time constrained, so I'll pick the ones that most support the platform. Those endeavors are in part to free me so I can do more ministry and writing to teach others what I learned that saved my life and sanity. I can publish a poetry book for you through Total Freedom Publishing. Just contact me. This is one from way back, as the bands were being broken. I have one coming up called 'Gilded Sanctuary' that will explain the entire Shattered Dreams Poetry Platform. Watch for it. For those of you who have never known abuse... Wow... I'm so glad... but please don't forget that many have. Don't decide this isn't a place to share this. I can promise you from experience, there are many people on here, these will speak to. These poetry pieces are for them... and healing people everywhere. I can write a sermon or bible study as good as anyone... but there's plenty of those on here. I can minister to others this way. Jesus came to set the captives free. I coordinated a Narcissistic Abuse Recovery meetup for a while. Having your mind, will, and emotions, held captive is just as damaging as being physically bound. Drop a comment. Ask for anything you'd like written about. Start reading "Prepare For the End,' and help support Christian authors. One of my goals is to help others publish their stories. I just have to get free from the 9-5 first. You'll like it. Its chock full of people breaking free from painful pasts and letting God and the people around them heal them. “Prepare for the End reveals the unseen war between good and evil — fought not with magic, but with faith, honor, and courage.” https://youtu.be/Bmr25UhcRfM

Offering God Our Best Scripture Leviticus 22:21 (NKJV) And whoever offers a sacrifice of a peace offering to the Lord to fulfill his vow, or a freewill offering from the cattle or the sheep, it must be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no defect in it. Giving God Our Best In this verse, God commanded that any offering brought before Him must be without defect. The people could not offer something broken, blemished, or second-rate. The reason was simple—God is holy, and what is given to Him should reflect His worth. Their offering was a statement of honor and devotion, not convenience or leftovers. For believers today, this truth still applies. While we no longer bring animal sacrifices, we are called to offer our lives as living sacrifices to God. That means giving Him our best in worship, service, and obedience. God is not pleased with half-hearted devotion. He desires excellence that flows from love and reverence for who He is. This verse reminds us that when we give our best to God, it is not about perfection—it is about the heart behind the offering. Reflection Questions 1. Do I give God my best time, energy, and attention—or what’s left over? 2. How can I offer my work, words, and worship as a gift that honors His holiness? 3. What would it look like for me to serve God with wholehearted devotion this week? Prayer Lord God, You are worthy of my very best. Forgive me for the times I have offered You less than full devotion. Teach me to serve, worship, and give with excellence, honoring You with all my heart. Let my life be an offering that pleases You. In Jesus name, Amen.

Good evening, brethren. 1. Evening devotional for today. i. *DAILY WALK WITH CHRIST* (COCIN DEVOTIONAL) *DATE:* THURSDAY 23RD APRIL, 2026. *SUB-THEME:* THE CROSS: CULMINATION OF GRACE. *TOPIC:* GRANTS ACCESS TO GOD. *TEXT:* MATTHEW 27:50-54. 50. And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He gave up His spirit. 51. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split 52. and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. 54. When the centurion and those with Him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely He was the Son of God!” *TOPIC:* GRANTS ACCESS TO GOD. *THE MESSAGE:* The veil in the temple separating the Holy of Holies from the rest of the sanctuary did not allow worshippers to access God's presence. Only the high priest entered once a year on the Day of Atonement. The death of Jesus broke this barrier, removing the separation between God and the people. Therefore, through Christ's death, access to God is now open to all believers without restriction (read 10:19-20). The bodies of the saints coming out of the tombs show Christ's power over death and the grave, assuring believers of resurrection into God's eternal presence. Today, only sin can separate man from God. Do you desire to be in God's presence? Then, avoid the deeds of darkness. *REFLECTION:* Jesus' death gives access to God. *PRAYER:* Thank You, Father, for opening the door to Your presence. Amen. *MEMORY VERSE FOR THE MONTH:* COLOSSIANS 2:15. "And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross." *TODAY'S BIBLE READING PLAN:* 2 CHRONICLES 10-12. ii. BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS "It is good for me that I was troubled, so that I might learn Your Law." - Psalm 119:71 What gospel is this that says it is good to be troubled? And all this for one purpose: 'so that I might learn Your Law.' The Lord God wants to teach us time and again to trust in Him. Psalm 34:18 says: 'The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles.' God wants us to learn from our problems and difficulties. He is a God who loves His children and wants to be involved in our difficult circumstances. When we understand how God repeatedly delivered His people from trouble, we will also acknowledge that God will deliver us from ours. 1 Corinthians 10:11 says: 'These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us.' God wants to save us the same way He delivered His people. Exodus 3:7 says: 'The Lord told him: I have certainly seen the oppression of My people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers.' Isn't this a great consolation? God knows what we are going through. He knows our feelings, pain, sadness and struggle! You can do whatever you want to save yourself, but in the end, you will have to acknowledge that God is the only One who can help you! Does this mean we do not struggle? On the contrary! We must have faith and trust in God. Difficulties should bring us closer to God and not further away from Him. Tribulation teaches us to pray and to call upon God. God loves us and He is full of compassion. Isaiah 63:9 says: 'In all their distress He too was distressed.' Dear reader, as we begin to cry to God in our tribulation, He begins to work on our deliverance. Keep courage and trust God. He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine! https://www.theblessingdevotional.com iii. Skip to content Dalily Devotional by Elizabeth Haworth Posted onApril 23, 2026 by Editor Sacrifice for Sin Christian Applications Store:: Christian devotional App Store; Explore Recommended Christian Books and Devotionals He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2Corinthians 5:21 Dead in Sin We are not sinners because we sin. We sin because we are sinners. When I first heard this saying I pondered it, to get it deep in my heart. My pride wants to say I am a good person, but God sees me as I am – a sinner. Born dead in trespasses and sins. Born with an inherent sin nature. Born in enmity with the Father. Born in desperate need of a Saviour. Federal Head Adam, created in God’s image, was authorised to rule the earth righteously, for God breathed into him the breath of lives – a living body, soul and spirit. Commissioned as the federal head of mankind, his was the responsibility. Together with Eve, he was created to rule under the God’s righteous authority – and Adam walked in the garden and had sweet fellowship with his God and Lord. God’s Spirit and man’s spirit fellowshipping together – Spirit to spirit communion. Man’s Choice Adam was given one command and a freewill to choose to obey or elect to rebel. His beloved wife was deceived by the serpent – questioning the truth of God’s Word. But as the authorised leader under God’s authority, it was Adam’s responsibility – and Adam choose to join her in sin, and fellowship with his Lord was severed. Sin Nature Adam chose to disregard God’s word of truth, which is rebellion against God, but the day of his disobedience was the day man’s sin nature became a reality – for the seed of the man became tainted with sin and his progeny are tainted with sin. We are not sinners because we sin – we sin because we are sinners. We sin because we are born of Adam’s sinful seed, dead in sins – estranged from God. Eternal Separation The federal head chose to sin, unaware of the eternal consequence of his choice, for the wages of sin is separation and so all his seed were condemned to damnation. Adam was created for fellowship with the Lord but sin separated his spirit from God. And such would have been the fate of all humanity if God had not designed salvation. His perfect, unblemished, sinless Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world.. so that Adam and his fallen race could be reunited in spirit with God – by faith.. faith in the Seed of the woman, not faith in any of the fallen progeny of Adam – salvation in the Son of Man.. not salvation by any other man or means or method. Rescue Strategy We are not sinners because we sin – we sin because we are a race of sinners. But God ordained a new race, a new man, a new creation, a new federal head. God planned for a second Adam; an obedient man having Holy Spirit to human spirit communion. God decided a rescue strategy – to redeem Adam’s fallen race from all condemnation – but there was no man to stand in the gap for all have sinned and all fall short, Sinless Sacrifice God alone is good – so God alone could save – but God is Sprit and man is flesh, and only a perfect Man could reach God on behalf of sinful, sin-infected man, Only a perfect Man would be sufficient to satisfy God’s righteous requirement. Only a sinless sacrifice, willing to die for His people, could pay the price for sin.. so God took on human flesh so man could be clothed in God’s righteousness. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf – so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2Cor5:21 God-Man God made the Lord Jesus Christ, Who was the second person of the eternal Trinity, to come in the likeness of human flesh, through the pure Seed of the fallen woman. God, Who alone is righteous became the only righteous man that ever lived, for the rest of humanity are sinful, sin-infected people. He alone was the only One Who could pay the price for sinful, sin-infected man and the many sins that each sinful man committed. And so the One who knew no sin – the One Who did not sin, HE BECAME SIN on our behalf, and the wrath of God was poured out on Him in full measure – upon that sinless God-Man, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2Cor.5:21 Post navigation Previous Post Previous The Iniquity Of Us All Proudly powered by WordPress. 2. Evening Prayer for today. i. Evening Prayer Because thou hast made the LORD, [which is] my refuge, [even] the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. ⏤ Psalm 91:9-10 In the darkest times, we can rest knowing that God is our refuge and fortress. ⏤ Charles Spurgeon As the day ends, we come to You, Father, to hide ourselves away for the night in the secret place of the Most High, and to rest through the darkness under the shadow of the Almighty. O God, You are our refuge and fortress, our God in whom we trust. You will deliver us from the traps of the enemy and from deadly dangers. You will cover us with Your wings, and under Your wings of love, we will find refuge. Your truth will be our shield and protection. We won’t be afraid of the terror of the night, or the arrows that fly by day, or the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, or the destruction that strikes at noon. None of these dangers can harm us. Even if a thousand fall at our side and ten thousand at our right hand, the peril won’t come near us. You, Lord, are our refuge. Because we have made You, O Most High, our home, no evil will come upon us, no plague will come near our dwelling. You will command Your angels concerning us, to guard us in all our ways. They will lift us up in their hands, so we won’t even strike our foot against a stone. We will tread on the lion and the cobra without harm; we will trample the great lion and the serpent underfoot. Because we have set our love on You, You will deliver us from all danger. You will be with us in trouble; You will deliver us and honor us. With long life, You will satisfy us and show us Your salvation. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. https://www.youdevotion.com/daily-prayer/miller/18/evening #taptapstudio #youdevotion.