Haunting photographs of a Washington ghost-town which was once a bustling railroad village before the jobs left and the residents followed, Daily Mail

• Lester, Washington's last living resident died in in 2002 at the age of 99
• The town was once a fuel stop for trains but lost its usefulness when they stopped using coal

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

PUBLISHED: 07:19, 12 September 2013 | UPDATED: 12:24, 12 September 2013

 
 
 

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The town of Lester in central Washington State was once a service stop for trains running from Seattle to Minneapolis on the Great Northern railway line, but it is now a ghost town.

The last surviving resident of the town, which was founded in the 1892 in the picturesque Cascade Mountains, a woman by the name of Gertrude Murphy, died in 2002 at the age of 99.

Now, the town stands as a testament to the changing face of America in the post industrial age.

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Ghost town: Lester, Washington is one of the few true ghost towns in the state. Founded in 1892, it had all but disappeared back into nature by the 2000s

The way it was: An guard house in Lester is one of the few remaining buildings in the ghost town.The town along the picturesque Green River in central Washington, Lester once provided coal to steam trains

Haunting: Pictured is the inside of one of the two remaining houses in Lester. The ghost town saw its last resident die in 2002

Just two houses remain standing in the town, which began its decline when trains in the region switched from steam to diesel.

Lester was no longer needed as a 'helper station' for refueling trains with coal. 

By the 1980s, the city of Tacoma, Washington passed legislation aimed at dissolving the town of Lester, which stood in Tacoma's watershed.

Breathtaking: The remnants of a warehouse decay ever further in Lester, an old railroad town situated in Cascade range in Central Washington

Preserved: Inside one of Lester's two standing houses, an empty kitchen gathers dust and dirt but retains its bright red trim

Reclaimed: An old telegraph pole rots away like much of Lester. Few buildings remain in the town, and the ones that still stand are surrounded by such overgrowth

Lonely: A lone chair sits in a shower stall in the back of a guard house in Lester. No one has lived in the town, much less sat in a chair there, since 2002

The residents were asked to leave and the town was nearly abandoned. 

That is, except for Gertrude Murphy.

 

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Murphy, a school teacher who once taught the children of Lester, refused to sell off her property and stayed in her home until it burned.

After that, she moved into a cabin outside the town.

Washington ghost-town of Lester was a bustling village

Train town: Lester was founded as the railroad industry began to boom in the Northwest. Trains went silent in the town for decades and have only recently begin passing through once again

No more: Lester's last resident Gertrude Murphy died in 2002 at the age of 99. She'd tried and failed to preserve her town as an historical site

An inside view of an abandoned warehouse. Lester once served as a helper town for the Northwest railroad. Trains would stop in the town and refuel

This angle shows the only two houses left in Lester. Gertrude Murphy's house burned down in the years before her death, forcing her to stay in a cabin just outside the town, but she refused to ever leave for good

Murphy tried and failed to turn her town's remaining buildings into historical relics. She died at 99 in October of 2002.

With all its residents gone, what was left of Lester when Murphy died has decayed ever further.

Only two houses remain in the town, which has now been fenced off from automobile traffic, according to the 
Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

While trains have begun chugging through once again, the only way to actually reach the town is on foot. 

The odd traveler now happens by now and again to catch a glimpse of one of America's few true ghost towns before it inevitably vanishes.

Forgotten: An abandoned Chevrolet melts into the dense forests of the Cascades. Soon, there will be nothing left of Lester but memories and even those will fade

Pictured is the attic in the guard house. Lester's only road has been shut down and the town fenced off. It is now only accessible on foot

Inaccessible: Dust and scattered trash covers the kitchen of a guard house in Lester. The town is completely silent save for the occasional passing train now and no longer accessible by car or even bike

Read more:

• Ghost towns of Washington: Lester

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WHAT I WISH I’D KNOWN ABOUT FAITH, FINANCES, AND PHARISEE DISCIPLESHIP; Larry Osborne » Church Leadership Wisdom Planning

View the What I Wish I Had Known about ______ series

Are you “stepping out in faith,” or simply listening to last night’s pizza? Are you training disciples, or spiritual Navy SEALS? Pastor Larry Osborne—the live speaker at the 2013 Resurgence Conferencebroadcast location in Reno, NV—shares what he wishes he’d known about faith, finances, discipleship, and pastoring.

WHAT I WISH I’D KNOWN ABOUT FAITH

Early on in my walk with God I confused faith with risk. I thought they were nearly synonymous. Thus the greater the risk, the greater the amount of faith I thought I was exercising. That led me to go way out onto some dangerous limbs in the presumption that God would rescue me—as long as I’d crawled out there in faith and my goal was to bring him glory.

But that was goofy thinking. It led to some terrible decisions. And it caused me to blame God for things that had nothing to do with his lack of protection—and everything to do with my own stupidity and presumption.

The greater the risk, the greater the amount of faith I thought I was exercising.

I wish I’d known that faith is primarily about obedience, not risk.

Faith is simply trusting God enough to do what he says, no matter what the consequences. It starts with his clear and unequivocal leading (either through the Bible, the Spirit, or godly counsel). It doesn’t start with an off-the-wall idea I think God might want me to do. That could be God, or it could be last night’s pizza.

Faith is manifested when I know God wants me to do something, and I do it. It might be risky. It might be mundane. And if God hasn’t spoken explicitly, it’s not a step of faith to launch out. If he hasn’t spoken explicitly, it’s time to move slowly, use my brain, measure twice and cut once. Because going out on a limb God hasn’t told me to go out onto is not faith—it’s credulity.

Faith doesn’t start with an off-the-wall idea I think God might want me to do.

WHAT I WISH I’D KNOWN ABOUT FINANCES

I’m married to an accountant, so the personal side of finances has always come easy to my family and me. From the first years of our marriage we followed a solid pattern of generosity, living within our means, and setting aside a margin. It worked out well.

But when I became the pastor of a church plant, I made the mistake of casting all those principles aside. It was as if I saw no connection between personal and ministry finances.

Each year we set a budget that presumed upon growth. We launched new ministries and hired staff on the assumption that God would provide. And we spent every penny that came in.

We called all this “trusting God.”

If God hasn’t spoken explicitly, it’s not a step of faith to launch out.

I wish I’d known that a church’s finances are no different than personal finances. The principles that lead to success in one lead to success in the other. And the principles that lead to disaster in one will eventually lead to disaster in the other.

The same two principles that guide my personal budget and finances now guide our church budget and finances.

1. We don’t presume upon the future. We set our budget based on what we have, not what we hope we’ll get. James 4:13–16 warns against presumption. In my personal life, that means not assuming I’ll get a raise every year. In our church, that means setting our budget in light of what God provided the previous year, no longer assuming that attendance and offerings will automatically grow every year.

2. We don’t devour all we have. Proverbs 21:20 says that a wise man has stores of treasure and oil stored up, but a fool devours all he has. In my personal life, that means living below my means so that I can be generous and prepared for unexpected crisis or opportunity. In our church, that means living below our means by setting a ministry budget based on only 90% of the previous year’s income. That leaves us with a built-in margin. It sets us up to be generous and it prepares us for unexpected crisis or opportunity.

I wish I’d known that a church’s finances are no different than personal finances.

While this means that we may have fewer staff, buildings, and programs than most other churches our size, it also means we have a lot less stress and a lot more flexibility to respond as God leads.

What works at home works at church. I wish I’d known that from the beginning.

WHAT I WISH I’D KNOWN ABOUT DISCIPLESHIP

I once thought that discipleship was something for super-saints. I thought that when you made a disciple, you made a leader. So I pressed everyone to become the equivalent of a spiritual Navy SEAL.

That worked out great for those who were cut from the cloth of leadership, high drive, and type-A personality. They loved it. But it also left a lot our sheep beat up and bleeding. Those with quiet personalities, lower drive (some might call it contentment), and background gifts were left to feel inadequate and worthless. I had no plan for them. And, worse, I’d become an Accidental Pharisee, harshly judging everyone who was behind me in the following-Jesus line.

I pressed everyone to become the equivalent of a spiritual Navy SEAL.

I wish I’d known that a disciple is simply a follower. It includeseveryone in the following-Jesus line. Some are at the front. Some are in the middle, and some bring up the rear. But by definition, they are all disciples. The Greek word for disciple (mathétés) means “follower, learner, pupil.” It’s not for star students only.

The result was a lot more grace, a lot more patience, and a lot less Pharisee.

WHAT I WISH I’D KNOWN ABOUT PASTORING

You can lead a horse to water. But you can’t make him drink. If you try, you’ll regret it. Horses don’t respond too well when they have their faces shoved into the water.

A disciple is simply a follower. It includes everyone in the following-Jesus line.

The same is true when it comes to leading God’s people. We can salt the oats and lead them to the water, but at the end of the day, we can’t make them drink. That’s their choice, and their responsibility.

I wish I’d known that God judges my ministry by how faithfully I led the flock to the water and not by how much water they drank. It would have saved me a lot of grief. It would have kept me from taking too much credit when people grew by leaps and bounds, and it would have kept me from taking too much blame when their hearts were hard. 

Dating for a God’s Man: 4 Keys to Success 12:00PM EDT 9/6/2013 KENNY LUCK/EVERY MAN MINISTRIES

 

What are some of the more difficult aspects of dating for godly men? 

Dating is one of the most interesting social studies. Two people with different personalities begin a relationship. With past baggage, a variety of cultural expectations, socio-economic histories, family background, values, morals and faith, you might wonder if it’s possible that dating can actually lead tomarriage.

From the very opening line to the closing technique, finding dating truths for God’s men can be difficult because there’s not much “dating,” as we know it today, in the Bible.

For example:

Do you ever wonder what Adam’s approach to Eve was? Something like, “Hey, God made me. He made you. Let’s get it on.”

Or Ruth, who slept at Boaz’s feet, in nonverbal communication that says, “Take me. I am yours.”

Samson jumped the gun with Delilah, falling deep into a premarital relationship that probably involved sex and eventually short-circuited Samson’s ultimate potential.

David never bothered to date Bathsheba; instead, he just had her husband killed.

Then there’s that book in the Bible called Song of Solomon. This interesting book is located in the very middle, or “heart,” of the Bible. It’s a lovelorn exchange of adoration between two people obviously very smitten. Song of Solomon shows me that God is a big fan of dating. It also tells me dating must involve respect, patience, self-control and fearlessness. 

Respect. Each player in this love story humbles themselves while showing ultimate respect for the other. I know men love to feel respected, but in Song of Solomon, the male writer also shows respect for his woman with compliments, protective language and encouraging words.

Patience. When two people are dating each other and cannot be together, there’s a test of patience. In Song of Solomon, I see that each player dealt with their longing desire by taking time to write down their thoughts. This is a sign of patience. If they did not write out these love notes, they could have become impatient and looked for another substitute.

Self-control. When reading this book, I wonder what self-control they actually had. For God’s man, dating must be an exercise in self-control. (I’ll explain in future articles the difference between “quick” and “quality” dating.) Ultimately, controlling your thoughts, words and behavior will show your potential mate you can be trusted. So, how do you show self-control? Trust God’s plan and obey His Word. She will totally dig this about you!

Fearlessness. Let’s face it: Dating is scary. There’s a lot on the line, including your heart. You have to take a step of faith and be fearless for God’s way. But if you have respect, patience and self-control operating in you, then there’s no need to fear. You can rest in the peace that God’s plan is good and you are following His path.

Kenny Luck, founder of Every Man Ministries and Men’s Pastor at Saddleback Church, provides biblically-oriented teaching and leadership for men and pastors seeking relevant, timely material that battle cultural, worldly concepts threatening men and God’s men. Follow Kenny and Every Man Ministries now on Facebook, Twitter (@everyMM) and YouTube.

Dating for a God’s Man: 4 Keys to Success

Dating for a God’s Man: 4 Keys to Success

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THE MISSION-MINDED WOMAN Trisha Wilkerson »

Mission Wisdom Stewardship

What does it look like for a Christian woman to be mission-minded? What are the obstacles that keep us from being on mission?

Proverbs describes the woman who fears the Lord like this: “She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy” (Prov. 31:20).

She opens her hand to the poor. She is “on mission.”

What does it mean that she is “on mission”? It means she is aware of the power of the gospel to change lives in her community. She knows that even the smallest actions can demonstrate the grace and mercy of God. With careful attention to her household, her heart overflows out of her house as she responds to the needs in her community. She reaches out to the marginalized. Why is she paying attention to poor strangers? She serves them because she sees people rightly—as image-bearers of God.

ON MISSION

When you are out in your community, what is your heart’s response when you observe the poor? Compassionate? Desensitized? Numb? Prompted by love, we can truly help others know God—by serving and responding to needs. Are you regularly learning what needs there are?

When we respond “on mission” in our community, we are modeling to our children compassion, service, and ultimately the power of the gospel to change lives. We are showing them how being loved by Jesus compels and enables us to love others.

There are three tendencies that can sometimes keep us from truly being mission-minded: disordered priorities, fear of man, and religious actions.

DISORDERED PRIORITIES

Sometimes, we try so hard to be mission-minded, we neglect our primary mission: our own family. We fulfill requests for help by compromising our time with our families. We might deliver amazing meals for others while feeding our husband and kids cold cereal for dinner. We may spend all day with a woman who needs encouragement, when our children are aching for encouragement from their own mom. If we are “on mission” and are sharing the gospel with our neighbors, we need to honestly consider if we are giving the gospel to our family members first.

Sometimes, we try so hard to be mission-minded, we neglect our primary mission: our own family.

Being on mission is always sacrificial; something has to flex so that we can give our time or treasure to others. Therefore, our heart’s priorities need careful prayer and discernment as we pursue living “on mission.”

FEAR OF MAN

Fear of man—instead of fear of the Lord—can motivate us to serve others: to impress them with great food, compassion, or just consistent love. People-pleasing isn’t loving others: it is loving ourselves. If what we get out of giving is gratitude from others, it can easily be a cyclical motivation. Wanting praise and appreciation from others can tempt us to keep giving, because

we like how we feel about ourselves when we hear their praise. In this case, giving can become selfish, not worshipful. We can forget that “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

RELIGIOUS ACTIONS

Sometimes, our acts of service are humble, quiet, and honoring to God. For me, there is often a temptation to proclaim my good deed, wanting to be seen or appreciated. But trumpeting our kindness screams religious pride and overlooks the mercy of God. We steal glory when we announce the mercy we have given, when, in fact, it is God’s mercy flowing through us.

People-pleasing isn’t loving others: it is loving ourselves.

Jesus reminds us about the danger of doing good in order to be seen:

Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in Heaven. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But, when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving maybe in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. (Matt. 6:1–4)

Being on mission to share Christ’s love is an honor and gift. It’s truly more blessed to give than to receive, and doing so brings sweet worship. Fear of the Lord motivates me to be prayerful and ready when there is a need. My aim isn’t to get others’ approval or to look righteous, but rather, to have a humble, worshipful heart—because God’s grace makes it so.

Being loved by Jesus compels and enables us to love others.

As Dan Cruver writes, “Those who doubt God’s love for them will not mobilize for mission. Unless we know the Father delights in us even as he delights in Jesus, we will lack the emotional capacity necessary to resist complacency and actively engage in missional living. The only people who can truly turn their eyes outward in mission are those who knowingly live within and enjoy the loving gaze of their heavenly Father.”

Being on mission isn’t about our mission: it is about God’s mission. Our aim is to make his name great, and when we act, we are growing in worship.

When have you mixed your missional priorities? How can you seek to promote more awareness in your heart and family life of your community’s needs?

---

This post is adapted from Everyday Worship: Our Work, Heart, and Jesus by Trisha Wilkerson © 2013. Used by permission.

What to do when the Lord answers our Prayers but not in the way we expect

A few weeks ago after finding myself looking for a new job again, I had an interview in Liverpool,  I was fairly confident that I had been successful,  and the Job was mine. I had prayed about and many of my friends had prayed for it too,  I was surprised when I heard I had been unsuccessful however the company had invited me back for another interview so I prayed again and asked friends to pray once more,  I left the interview and I was walking on air,  I thanked the Lord for providing me with a great job, on my way home on the train to Southport,  I felt I needed to contact my ex-employer this was last Friday, over that weekend The Lord reminded me several times that I needed to contact them on Monday.

On Monday morning, I decided to do an online job search, during this job search,  I saw a job advertised for my ex – employer,  I decided to bite the bullet and call them,  I spoke to my contact there, who told that they had rang me the previous Friday to see if I was interested in working for them on a 6 Month Fixed Term Contract starting on the 1^st of October, I readily agreed to rejoin my ex-employer, I didn’t actually apply nor have an interview for my new job,  but because I had gained a great reputation when working for ex-employer previously they offered me this job.

Although I was secretly hoping that the interview I had the previous week would give me the job I applied for,  I had spoken to one of my of many friends at Church  last Sunday and told her that I was confident that the job I had the interview for.

This week I decided that working for my ex-employer was plan b and the other job was plan a, I reviewed the evidence about both jobs,  plan a was £1,000 a year more than plan b,  and full time permanent and plan b was full time but a fixed 6 month contract, plan a was 5 days out of 7 days, and involved flexible start and finishes between 8am – 9pm, plan b is Monday to Friday 9am -5pm. I’m involved a great deal in my home church,  and I knew that if I took plan a  I wouldn’t be able to serve as much if I was working evenings and weekends.  I heard last Thursday that I wasn't offered plan a,  and once past my initial disappointment,  I thanked the Lord for providing me with his choice of job for me.

I often wonder why we expect the Lord to answer our prayers in a certain way, and then He blindsides us,  and answers our prayers according to His will for our lives, and not according to our will/desires/dreams and plans for our own lives.  We expect because we have prayed in faith that the Lord will answer our prayers in a certain and in the way we expect, when He answers our prayers in a way we don’t expect,  if you are like me you’re momentarily confused but soon realise that the Lord has answered our prayers in accordance with his will for our lives,  through this we mature and learn to trust Him more.

When I was in Bible School in South Wales 20 plus years ago,  I had a favourite hymn ,  I Remember Calvary, I expected to remain serving God and living in  South Wales as part of a great Pentecostal Denomination that both my parents and grandparents had bought me up in, and I remember singing this hymn with a great enthusiasm never realising that He would lead me out of The Pentecostal Denomination  that I grown up in and outside The South Wales Valleys.  For most of the last 20 years I have been part of the New Church Movement and for many years have lived in England,  and now live in Southport, Merseyside and part of a fantastic Church, both are now my home.

I remember Calvary

Where He may lead me I will go,
For I have learned to trust Him so,
And I remember ’twas for me,
That He was slain on Calvary.

Refrain

Jesus shall lead me night and day,
Jesus shall lead me all the way,
He is the truest Friend to me,
For I remember Calvary.

O I delight in His command,
Love to be led by His dear hand;
His divine will is sweet to me,
Hallowed by bloodstained Calvary.

Onward I go, nor doubt nor fear,
Happy with Christ my Savior near,
Trusting that I some day shall see,
Jesus my Friend of Calvary.

Matthew 7:7-11 New American Standard Bible

7 “[c](F)Ask, and (G)it will be given to you; [d]seek, and you will find; [e]knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or what man is there among you [f]who, when his son asks for a loaf, [g]will give him a stone? 10 Or [h]if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, (H)how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!

8409 decision-making, and providence Dictionary of Bible Themes

People need guidance from God about how they should make up their minds on difficult issues. God gives them this through the Holy Spirit, the Scriptures, individuals, groups and other external means. Decisions should be grounded in a relationship with God

Ephesians 3:14 -21 New Living Translation

14 When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father,[e] 15 the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.[f] 16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.  20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. 21 Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

Matthew Henry’s Commentary

Ephesians 3:21

It is proper to conclude our prayers with praises. Our blessed Saviour has taught us to do so. Take notice how he describes God, and how he ascribes glory to him. He describes him as a God that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think. There is an inexhaustible fulness of grace and mercy in God, which the prayers of all the saints can never draw dry. Whatever we may ask, or think to ask, still God is still able to do more, abundantly more, exceedingly abundantly more. Open thy mouth ever so wide, still he hath wherewithal to fill it. Note, In our applications to God we should encourage our faith by a consideration of his all-sufficiency and almighty power.

 According to the power which worketh in us. As if he had said, We have already had a proof of this power of God, in what he hath wrought in us and done for us, having quickened us by his grace, and converted us to himself. The power that still worketh for the saints is according to that power that hath wrought in them. Wherever God gives of his fulness he gives to experience his power. Having thus described God, he ascribes glory to him. When we come to ask for grace from God, we ought to give glory to God. Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus. In ascribing glory to God, we ascribe all excellences and perfections to him, glory being the effulgency and result of them all.

 Observe, The seat of God’s praises is in the church. That little rent of praise which God receives from this world is from the church, a sacred society constituted for the glory of God, every particular member of which, both Jew and Gentile, concurs in this work of praising God. The Mediator of these praises is Jesus Christ. All God’s gifts come from his to us through the hand of Christ; and all our praises pass from us to him through the same hand. And God should and will be praised thus throughout all ages, world without end; for he will ever have a church to praise him, and he will ever have his tribute of praise from his church. Amen. So be it; and so it will certainly be.

Prayer, Changes Us.

 

A few weeks ago after finding myself looking for a new job again, I had an interview in Liverpool,  I was fairly confident that I had been successful,  and the Job was mine. I had prayed about and many of my friends had prayed for it too,  I was surprised when I heard I had been unsuccessful however the company had invited me back for another interview so I prayed again and asked friends to pray once more,  I left the interview and I was walking on air,  I thanked the Lord for providing me with a great job, on my way home on the train to Southport,  I felt I needed to contact my ex-employer this was last Friday, over that weekend The Lord reminded me several times that I needed to contact them on Monday.

On Monday morning, I decided to do an online job search, during this job search,  I saw a job advertised for my ex – employer,  I decided to bite the bullet and call them,  I spoke to my contact there, who told that they had rang me the previous Friday to see if I was interested in working for them on a 6 Month Fixed Term Contract starting on the 1^st of October, I readily agreed to rejoin my ex-employer, I didn’t actually apply nor have an interview for my new job,  but because I had gained a great reputation when working for ex-employer previously they offered me this job.

Although I was secretly hoping that the interview I had the previous week would give me the job I applied for,  I had spoken to one of  my of many friends at Church last Sunday and told her that I was confident that the job I had the interview for. This week I decided that working for my ex-employer was plan b and the other job was plan a, I reviewed the evidence about both jobs,  plan a was £1,000 more a year than plan b,  and full time permanent and plan b was full time but a fixed 6 month contract, plan a was 5 days out of 7 days, and involved flexible start and finishes between 8am – 9pm, plan b is Monday to Friday 9am -5pm. I’m involved a great deal in my home church,  and I knew that if I took plan a  I wouldn’t be able to serve as much if I was working evenings and weekends.  I heard last Thursday that I wasn't offered plan a,  and once past my initial disappointment,  I thanked the Lord for providing me with his choice of job for me.

I often wonder why we expect the Lord to answer our prayers in a certain way, and then He blindsides us,  and answers our prayers according to His will for our lives, and not according to our will/desires/dreams and plans for our own lives.  We expect because we have prayed in faith that the Lord will answer our prayers in a certain and in the way we expect, when He answers our prayers in a way we don’t expect,  if you are like me you’re momentarily confused but soon realise that the Lord has answered our prayers in accordance with his will for our lives,  through this we mature and learn to trust Him more.

When I was in Bible School in South Wales 20 plus years ago,  I had a favourite hymn ,  I Remember Calvary, I expected to remain serving God and living in  South Wales as part of a great Pentecostal Denomination that both my parents and grandparents had bought me up in, and I remember singing this hymn with a great enthusiasm never realising that He would lead me out of The Pentecostal Denomination  that I grown up in and outside The South Wales Valleys.  For most of the last 20 years I have been part of the New Church Movement and for many years have lived in England,  and now live in Southport, Merseyside and part of a fantastic Church, both are now my home.

I remember Calvary

Where He may lead me I will go,
For I have learned to trust Him so,
And I remember ’twas for me,
That He was slain on Calvary.

Refrain

Jesus shall lead me night and day,
Jesus shall lead me all the way,
He is the truest Friend to me,
For I remember Calvary.

O I delight in His command,
Love to be led by His dear hand;
His divine will is sweet to me,
Hallowed by bloodstained Calvary.

Onward I go, nor doubt nor fear,
Happy with Christ my Savior near,
Trusting that I some day shall see,
Jesus my Friend of Calvary.

Matthew 7:7-11 New American Standard Bible

7 “[c](F)Ask, and (G)it will be given to you; [d]seek, and you will find; [e]knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or what man is there among you [f]who, when his son asks for a loaf, [g]will give him a stone? 10 Or [h]if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, (H)how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!

8409 decision-making, and providence Dictionary of Bible Themes

People need guidance from God about how they should make up their minds on difficult issues. God gives them this through the Holy Spirit, the Scriptures, individuals, groups and other external means. Decisions should be grounded in a relationship with God

Ephesians 3:14 -21 New Living Translation

14 When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father,[e] 15 the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.[f] 16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.  20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. 21 Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

Matthew Henry’s Commentary

Ephesians 3:21

It is proper to conclude our prayers with praises. Our blessed Saviour has taught us to do so. Take notice how he describes God, and how he ascribes glory to him. He describes him as a God that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.

 There is an inexhaustible fulness of grace and mercy in God, which the prayers of all the saints can never draw dry. Whatever we may ask, or think to ask, still God is still able to do more, abundantly more, exceedingly abundantly more. Open thy mouth ever so wide, still he hath wherewithal to fill it. Note, In our applications to God we should encourage our faith by a consideration of his all-sufficiency and almighty power. According to the power which worketh in us. As if he had said, We have already had a proof of this power of God, in what he hath wrought in us and done for us, having quickened us by his grace, and converted us to himself. The power that still worketh for the saints is according to that power that hath wrought in them. Wherever God gives of his fulness he gives to experience his power. Having thus described God, he ascribes glory to him. When we come to ask for grace from God, we ought to give glory to God. Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus.

In ascribing glory to God, we ascribe all excellences and perfections to him, glory being the effulgency and result of them all. Observe, The seat of God’s praises is in the church. That little rent of praise which God receives from this world is from the church, a sacred society constituted for the glory of God, every particular member of which, both Jew and Gentile, concurs in this work of praising God. The Mediator of these praises is Jesus Christ. All God’s gifts come from his to us through the hand of Christ; and all our praises pass from us to him through the same hand. And God should and will be praised thus throughout all ages, world without end; for he will ever have a church to praise him, and he will ever have his tribute of praise from his church. Amen. So be it; and so it will certainly be.

Down To The River To Pray - Alison Krauss

Os Hillman Got It Totally Wrong About the Christian-Owned Bakery in Oregon

Os Hillman Got It Totally Wrong About the Christian-Owned Bakery in Oregon

As a regular contributor to the opinion column of Charisma News, I was surprised to read Os Hillman’s article, “Why Oregon Bakers Should Have Sold Wedding Cake to Gay Couple.” Now, to be clear, I wasn’t surprised to see the article posted on the website, since it’s a forum for discussion among Christians, and not all opinion columnists will agree. No problem there!

But, with all respect to Mr. Hillman, who is president of Marketplace Leaders, I was surprised by the arguments he used, which completely missed the point of why Melissa and Aaron Klein declined to bake a cake for a lesbian “wedding” ceremony. (For my take on the situation, see my article, “The Gay Bullies Strike Again.”)

Signed, Sealed, Delivered, Glee Cover

Abba, Take a Chance on Me