Gathered Together

 

"And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness" (Acts 4:31 ESV).

The people of God were prayng.  They were in one place, "gathered together".  Then something extra-ordinary happened.  Things got shaken up.  Secondly, they were filled with the Holy Spirit.  In turn, they spoke the word of God - not with frivolity, but the "Word of God" in sincerity and truth.  And that was done with boldness.

They had been persecuted.  Hateful actions of others trying to put them down, to quiet them.

But the Lord intervened when they'd "gathered together".  It seems to me they were in a state of unity.  Unity of Spirit, of one and the same mind.  And they were praying.

They prayed about others who'd once been persecuted but who'd continued to stand boldly and speak God's Word.  They prayed and asked the Lord to,

" ... look upon their threats and grant to Your servants to continue to speak Your word with all boldness" (vs 29).

All this too while God would do His part of stretching out His hand healing and performing signs and wonders in Jesus' holy name (see vs 29 & 30 ESV).

The Holy Spirit then came, shaking the place of prayer and those praying, 

" ... were  filled with the Holy Spirit" (vs 31).

For what purpose?  Was it to babble in unknown tongues?  Was it to fall backward, senseless?

No.  It was for boldness, boldness to speak the Word of God and continue to speak God's truth despite persecution.

It reminds me of the sister in the news who publically quoted some Bible verses, or at least wrote them in a pamphlet for public reading.  Her chosen verses came from the first chapter of Romans, if I'm not wrong.  In these recent times of the PRIDE movement, someone lashed out against her faithful words, which are actually God's Words.

She had to defend herself and give her reasons for speaking them with boldness.  Oh, I just need to stop here and pray for her that she will continue to have courage and boldness to continue to speak God's Word faithfully.  Even though this occured a few years ago, many may still have this sort of threat hanging over their heads.

Lord, You know that doctor from Helsinki who was arrested and accused of "hate speech".  Give her the right words and wisdom to speak the Word of God more boldly.  Work on her behalf.  Thank You for the opportunities even those "warmongers" against "free speech" give her to highlight Your Word more succinctly, in plain sight for this decadent world.  May she stand her ground and know Your presence beside her.

Indeed, Lord, You will have the last word in the end.  All praise and glory belong to You.  In Your name, Lord Jesus, we pray.  Amen.

                                              ~  ERC  May  2026  ~

Based on Acts 4:23-31, especially vs 31 ESV.

Sing, Unashamed, along with Matthew West.

Reference:

Dr. Paivi Rasanen.

Book Review - Sharks Preschool Activity Book - By Dr. Chelsea Black - Publication Date: 26 May 2026

 This shark experience will definitely intrique many young children, I believe.  Even as an adult I found it of interest and have learned a thing or two about these wonderful creatures of the oceans.

There are great pictures with educational facets such as learning the English language alphabet and numbers; how to trace and write them; learning the different colors as well as the many types of sharks.  There are short blurbs about each type of shark and a showing of their habitat.  In my opinion, this has great potential for a fascinating and integrated learning encounter for any little ones' inquisitive mind.

This activity book earns a 5-Star rating from me.

                                             ~ Eunice C.,  Reviewer/Blogger  ~

                                                          February  2026

Disclaimer:  This is my honest opinion based on the complimentary review copy sent by NetGalley and the publisher.

Read review on Goodreads.

Dot. Line. Arrow. (1 Corinthians 6:11, 12, 19 ESV)

 Think of a time line that begins with a well defined 'dot'.  The line extends straight out to the right from that dot.  The end of the drawn line, ends with an arrow.  Then, along the line increments are demarcated.  Some of the increments are wider apart than others; others represent shorter spaces of time.

The dot establishes the point in time when a person accepted Jesus Christ as Savior of their lives.  They have been born again and become a new creation in Christ (See 2 Corinthians 5:17).

As Paul puts it, the person has been,

" ... washed, ...  sanctified ... justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God" (1 Corinthians 6:11 ESV).

The increments circumscribe growth spurts in Christ.  Sometimes it takes longer than others to learn lessons and the new Christlike life.  Yes, our coming to Christ 'sanctified' us and saved us; that is, set us apart from our old life and put us in a new room, so to speak.

If you've ever watched sheep shearers at work, you'll see that once a sheep has been shorn, they're moved to a different pen.  They are 'set apart' from those yet to be 'sanctified,' that is, shorn.

This analogy falls short no doubt but hopefully gives a small picture of the process.  But once sanctified by our salvation, there is further sanctification we ourselves must personally work on.  NOT to earn salvation, but to become more like Christ in all our ways.  Many call this "progressive sanctification".

As a snake sheds its skin as it grows, and dons a new skin, so the believer in Jesus Christ must grow.  The old habits of the old nature need to be shed.  New, godly habits need to be donned.  Again, each person does this at various times and lengths of time.  Thus the 'growth in Christ increments' along the timeline vary in length.

We also keep in mind that we do not own ourselves.  We have been 

"bought with a price" (v. 20) 

by God through Jesus Christ's shed blood.  Our new life in Christ did not come cheaply.  Therefore, we have the responsibility to show our faith by our actions (See James 2:18-20).

In this first letter to the Corinthians, Paul pointed out the gross sin of incest that was among them (See 1 Corinthians 5:1-2).  The unrepentant man had to be removed from among them for a season of ...

" ... destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord'                (1 Corinthians 5:5 ESV).

This man had allowed himself to be dominated by his lust for one he should not have.  But he did learn his lesson.  By the time we read Paul's second letter to the Corinthians, the other believers' in the assembly had overdone the "destruction".  Paul had to tell them the man had repented, God had forgiven him, they needed to also forgive him and bring the brother back into the congregation and fellowship of believers (See 2 Corinthians 2:5-11).

Our bodies are the ...

" ... temple of the Holy Spirit within [us], whom [we] have from God.  [We} are not our     own ..." (1 Corinthians 6:19 ESV).

God wants us to be holy as He is holy (See Leviticus 11:44).  As we live consciously along the timeline of progressive sanctificaiton, we do just that.  In this way we can ...

"glorify God in [our] bodies" (1 Corinthians 6:20 ESV).

First Peter 1:15-16 further shows us this injunction.

" ... but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct ..."

Let's all continue to move towards holiness.  The timeline ends with an arrow that never ends until we are called home to be with the Lord forevermore.  Perhaps, today...

                                              ~  ERC  May 2026  ~

Based on 1 Corinthians 6: especially vs 11, 12 and 19 ESV.

Prayfully sing, Search Me O God, along with Providence.

Meme Photo Credits:  Dan Froese.

Still Your Hearts

 

When I hear the song Like A River Glorious, something in me shifts.  It reverbrates into my inner core.  Very comforting and uplifting.

It's one of those lovely old pieces you rarely hear anymore.  The reassuring words, despite trials and tribulations of life, we can still,

"Stay our hearts upon Jehovah".  

In so doing we will find perfect peace and rest.

Do have a listen.  Close your eyes.  Listen.  Still your hearts.

Be blessed.

                                                  ~  ERC  May 2026  ~

Inspired by, Like a River Glorious.  Sing it along with Northside Baptist Church, Charleston, SC.  Or slightly more lively, try with Squirrel.

Keep Transforming (1 Corinthians 5:1, 8, 12 ESV)

 

Another conversation on another day touched on a believer who'd been quite a wild woman before she'd come to Christ.  There were some who'd not known of, nor seen, her transformation that'd happened since her salvation.  They'd only known her at her present state.  There were still things that needed to be worked on that seemed very glaring and offensive.

True, she, and all the rest of us, for that matter, need continual renewal of our minds.  We need that continual progressive sanctification.

We are exhorted,

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:2 ESV).

This is what every follower of Jesus Christ needs, whether they have been recently born again, or they've been saved for decades.  It's always an ongoing project we need to work on with Holy Spirit's help, intervention, conviction and guidance.

Old ways have to go, the new ways moving towards Christlikeness need to be worked on, so we can do well and be acceptable to God.

With renewed minds we can then eat of the Lord's supper with the,

" ... unleavened bread of sincerity and truth" (1 Corinthians 5:8 ESV).

The Corinthian believers needed to address certain issues that had not yet been relinquished among them.  Things from their old ways.  Here in chapter 5 and verse 1, Paul blatantly names it, because it was so perverse that not even ...

 " ... pagans would tolerate it" (vs 1).  

That is, the man who had his father's wife.  This is incest.  This was a form of sexual immorality.  They were told to remove this man from among them.

So whether there are gross sins, like this, or slander or lying and so on, all these are from our old ways.  The way before we have come to Christ.  When we accept Jesus Christ as Savior we become a new creation in Christ and we need to transform by the renewal of our minds.  Then our actions will follow suit.

We need to look within ourselves, and examine and see if there be any wicked ways in ourselves and then address them humbly and prayerfully before the Lord.  Follow that with repentance, confession to the Lord and a putting off of the old way and a putting on of the new.

Then have mercy and grace with the "wild woman," or man, who is still in the process of transforming too.  By God's grace we can give Him glory with renewed lives.

Amen. So be it, Lord.

                                                   ~  ERC  May  2026  ~

Based on 1 Corinthians 5:1, 8, 17 ESV.

Sing, The Power of Your Love, along with Hillsong.

Entreat, Not Retreat (Slander) (1 Corinthians 4:13 ESV)

 " ... When slandered, we entreat.  We have become and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things" (1 Corinthians 4:13 ESV).

Ironically, my husband and I were speaking with a friend the other day about people who slander others.  How bad it feels when we have to listen to someone who is slandering another, and how the listeners want to back off but because they are not sure what to do, they retreat from the person.

If you do or say something about it, then you may well be the next 'victim' of the person's slanderous vendetta.  So what can be done when our ears are assaulted by slander?

Well, this morning, what do you know but I stumbled upon 1 Corinthians 4:13. (ESV),

" ...when slandered, we entreat ..." Paul said. 

 The 'we' being the apostles, plus Paul.  They were all in the dog house or even the dirty dungeon of 'Christians', yes, 'Christians' contempt.  It was like they were the

 "scum of the world" (vs 13).

Can you imagine!?  The great apostles who had been Jesus' originally chosen 12 and who'd become apostles (minus Judas Iscariot).  They had become 'scum' in the minds of the Corinthians!  They were being slandered!

Paul's response though, was not to rage and attack back.  It was not to retreat either, rather to 'entreat'.

Entreat was to answer kindly, to beg or beseech the attacker.  Does that put you in mind of Proverbs 15:1 (KJV)?

"A soft answer turneth away wrath.  But grievous words stir up anger."

But do we dare confront the slanderer?  If the person claims to be a follower of Jesus Christ, they'll need to be gently, yet firmly confronted.  The how and when would need the Lord's intervention and sincerity of heart on the confronter's part, I should think.  Much prayer before action.  

If you search the Scriptures you'll find ample mention of slander (or gossip).

"Do not spread false reports"

is in Exodus (23).  That's very early on in the Bible.

The book of Proverbs has several references linked to slander.  Slander can separate close friends (see 16:28).  And in Proverbs 10;18 NLT we read,

"Hiding hatred makes you a liar; slandering others makes you a fool."

Ephesians 4:31 commands,

"Get rid of all ... slander, along with every form of malice" (ESV).

We do well to remember we will have to give account of all our empty words in the day of judgement (see Matthew 12:36).

As believers in Jesus Christ, we need to examine ourselves, watch our thoughts and our words.  Are we spewing slander?  Repent and confess it to the Lord (see 1 John 1:9).

I read a book by Deborah Smith Pegues about taming our tongues.  It was very helpful.  There's one thing she would say when another person began to speak slander or gossip to her.  She'd say,

"Tongue fast!" 

and point to her tongue.  This would tell the slanderer that she did NOT, want to hear the slander.

I can imagine that would have stopped some in their tracks.  The speaker may even have been offended, but they would have gotten the point - hopefully.  It could be worth a try the next time you hear someone spout slander.

In this way you could entreat the person instead of retreating from, especially if that person claims to know and love Christ.  By Holy Spirit's empowerment, let us speak gracious and kind words about and to others, and cut off that which attacks and endangers another's character and reputation.  

Be honest and seek the Lord's revelations of your own attitudes and words.  Ask Him to show you.  Then put into action to do as He reveals the truth of unChristlike behavior, to rectify your habits to become more pleasing in His sight.  Let's be transformed through progressive sanctification or our souls.  

May God get the glory in our thoughts, minds, hearts and actions.

                                                ~  ERC  May 2026  ~

Based on 1 Corinthians 4:13  ESV.

Sing, What Your Are, Speaks So Loud, along with Selah.

Further related links to check out regarding slander ...

Slanderous Words (TT)

Morning Musings - Slanderous Slander

Tongue Fast (TT)

Lord's Day Devotion - Shame - Free

 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek" (Romans 1:16 ESV)

The gospel is there, available, ready and waiting for everyone.  Those who believe, receive. It is not just for one group of people either.  No one needs to work for it.  There is power in the gospel.  There is no need to be ashamed of the gospel; Paul, the writer of this verse, was not.

Some people do hide their faith in Jesus.  It's safer for them.  We call these people secret Christians.  But the power of the gospel cannot be hidden in our lives.  The truth will come out in our actions and even in our speech.  Eventually, our salvation will be known, similarly as to how Peter's manner of speech gave him away that he was a friend of Jesus' (see Matthew 26:73).

This is different than being ashamed of the gospel.  It means you have the faith or appear to certain people as having it but don't want certain groups of people, perhaps schoolmates, or other employees where you work.  Still, the truth may be eventually revealed.  Light cannot be hid in the dark.

Fear of being ridiculed and/or receiving mild persecution may keep us trapped in shame and fear.  But Jesus paid the cost of the gospel of salvation, received through faith and belief in His work on the cross.

Being trapped in the fear and shame of the gospel is crippling and stunts our spiritual growth and our testimony to others.  Let's pray and ask the Lord to free us from such fear so we have the boldness and courage to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ from rooftops.

This Lord's Day, as we remember Jesus in His death and resurrection, let's remember what it cost Him to gain our salvation for us.  Also, remember there is power from God that can enable us to shed our fear of man, and replace it with the fear of God and open life in Christ.

As we remember, reach for and partake of the broken bread and drink from the cup of wine, those symbols representing His sacrifice.  He openly hung on a shameful cross to bear our shame and set us free from it.

Adam and Eve's naked shame was covered with an attempted fig leaf covering. However, it was not enough and they still felt shame, as they should have.   In contrast, Jesus covers our shame by the power of His blood, death and resurrection.  Know this power and be set free.

Lord Jesus, once again we cannot thank You enough for going through all the suffering and sacrifice of the cross to buy our pardon and offer the gift of salvation.  Thank You for this power of God now in us, and working through us.  May we have the courage and boldness to openly declair Your name and live for You - shame free.  I ask in Your name Lord Jesus, amen.

                                                      ~  ERC  May 2026  ~

Based on Romans 1:16 ESV.

Sing, His Robes For Mine, along with Hymns of Grace 2021.