graham blog

by Graham MolThere is a beautiful phrase to be found tucked away in a vision relayed by the prophet Zechariah.‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.(Zechariah 4:6)This beautiful saying comes in the context of the return of God's exiled people to Jerusalem where they would later rebuild the temple under the governance of Zerubbabel and guidance of Ezra the priest. We could also apply this phrase to the birth of the Church as we know it today. For Jesus instructed His disciples to remain in Jerusalem and wait for the gift that His Father had promised. They were to be baptised with the Holy Spirit."But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)The work that Jesus had set for his followers, to go out and proclaim the Gospel, making disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey Jesus' commands, was work not to be done in their own strength and power. It was to be done by the Spirit. That was why it was essential that the believers received the Holy Spirit so that they could go out in the power and strength of God's own Spirit, present with them.We too, who believe and have received Christ as our Lord and Saviour, have the Spirit of God in our lives. The calling that the Lord has placed on our lives, the mission that He has called us to, is far too great for us to accomplish in our own strength. We may be able to rely on our own gifting, strengths and resources for a time. But to be ultimately fruitful and productive in the Kingdom of God we need to acknowledge that it is not by our might, nor power, but by His Spirit that it will be done.So I'd like to encourage you today and throughout this week to repeat to yourself and meditate on this beautiful phrase:‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.(Zechariah 4:6) God BlessGraham

by Graham MolIn Psalm 73:25-26 we find the following beautiful declaration to the Lord:Whom have I in heaven but You?    And earth has nothing I desire besides You.My flesh and my heart may fail,    but God is the strength of my heart    and my portion forever. The Lord is our portion. This is the key concept behind the worship song Daily Bread by P&W Collective. It is a beautiful song that reminds me that we should always seek the Lord's presence first in our lives, before we look for what He provides us.[Verse 1]Waking up to mannaComing to my sensesYou meet me in my grumblingYou give me my portionThough flesh and heart may fail meYour strength is there to hold meKeeping my heart steadyYou are my portionYou are my portion[Chorus]You are our daily bread, You are our daily breadAnd we will seek Your face before we seek Your handYou are our daily bread, You are our daily breadAnd we desire You before the Promised Land[Verse 2]And whom have I in Heaven?There is none upon EarthThеre is none besidе YouYou give me my portionAnd my envy of the boastfulLed me to confusionUntil I realised JesusThat You are my portionOh, You are my portionI love the reminder in the chorus that Jesus is our daily bread, all that we have and need comes from His hand. But before we seek His hand we need to seek His face. In other words His presence in our lives is more important than anything we may receive. Any blessing pales in comparison to the blessing of His presence in our lives.Psalm 73, from which I quoted those beautiful lines at the beginning of the blog, and from which P&W Collective drew inspiration for their song, is a psalm that tells a story of a worshipper who nearly lost their way. When he saw the prosperity and abundance in the lives of the wicked, how they seemed to be healthy and strong despite their disdain for the Lord and His commands, he envied them. He began to wonder if he had been faithful to God in vain.The turnaround comes when he enters the sanctuary and beholds the truth. Although full of material blessings - the lives of such people are ultimately empty. They had chosen the temporary over the eternal. The fading over the unwavering glory of the Lord.The psalmist realises the true treasure that he possesses, the Lord is his portion.23 Yet I am always with You;You hold me by my right hand.24 You guide me with Your counsel,and afterward You will take me into glory.25 Whom have I in heaven but You?And earth has nothing I desire besides You.26 My flesh and my heart may fail,but God is the strength of my heartand my portion forever.27 Those who are far from You will perish;You destroy all who are unfaithful to You.28 But as for me, it is good to be near God.I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge;I will tell of all your deeds.(Psalm 73:23-28)There are times in our lives where our focus becomes fixated on the things of…

by Graham Mol"Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually advanced the gospel,"(Philippians 1:12)These are Paul's words written from prison to the believers in Philippi. From what Paul is saying to them one gets the impression that the congregation there were concerned for Paul's well being, that he may be discouraged by his current circumstances. Prior to his imprisonment Paul had travelled as a missionary all over the Mediterranean area, to the various cities and nations, preaching the Gospel and even founding churches. In light of this it would be easy to assume that his imprisonment was a great loss for Christendom. Instead of travelling and preaching, Paul was now confined to one place. No longer could he visit the churches and encourage the believers there, no longer could he bring Christ's teachings to the Gentiles in all the different cities. No longer could Paul continue with his life's work. At least that was how it seemed.And yet here we have Paul saying that what has happened to him, his imprisonment, has ACTUALLY advanced the Gospel. He goes on to give several examples of how that is so:Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually advanced the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard, and to everyone else, that my imprisonment is because I am in Christ. Most of the brothers have gained confidence in the Lord from my imprisonment and dare even more to speak the word fearlessly. To be sure, some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of good will. These preach out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; the others proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, thinking that they will cause me trouble in my imprisonment. What does it matter? Only that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is proclaimed, and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice because I know this will lead to my salvation through your prayers and help from the Spirit of Jesus Christ. My eager expectation and hope is that I will not be ashamed about anything, but that now as always, with all courage, Christ will be highly honoured in my body, whether by life or by death.(Philippians 1:12-20)Paul is not discouraged, rather he is rejoicing!Have you experienced a set back when you've tried to serve the Lord? When you've stepped out in faith and obedience to His leading only to find that things don't quite go as planned? Do not be discouraged. Just as Paul's life and ministry was still in God's hands, so too is your life and the ministry that He has called you to. You may find that what you are going through, the set back that you have experienced, has ACTUALLY advanced the Gospel.Your faithfulness to the Lord in the midst of trials and set…

by Graham MolThe earlier sunrises, the later sunsets, the warmth in air, the budding blossoms and leaves, these are all things that mark the beginning period of Spring and one can sense the anticipation building for those sweet Summer rains. One of joys of the changing seasons, especially that of going from the dry, desolate Winter into Spring is that you are reminded of the incredible beauty of God's creation. Our plum trees in full blossom and now starting to sprout leaves "And I think to myself,What a wonderful world"This is the refrain Louis Armstrong repeats in his famous song, as he reflects on the things of beauty and wonder in this world. It is a delightful song, a happy song, and a good reminder to stop a moment and take in the wonder and beauty of this world around us. Although marred by the curse of sin, this world we live in still bear much of what made it "very good" in the beginning when God created it.It is good for us to look upon all that God has made and delight in it, to gaze with awe and wonder at the beauty and intricacy at which He has crafted each little and mighty thing. Our appreciation leads to worship of the One who made it all:Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. (John 1:3)I would like to encourage you to look around and notice the signs of the oncoming warm weather, the hints of Springtime and as you do so take time to worship the Lord in wonder and gratitude for everything that He has made.10 He makes springs pour water into the ravines;    it flows between the mountains.11 They give water to all the beasts of the field;    the wild donkeys quench their thirst.12 The birds of the sky nest by the waters;    they sing among the branches.13 He waters the mountains from his upper chambers;    the land is satisfied by the fruit of his work.14 He makes grass grow for the cattle,    and plants for people to cultivate—    bringing forth food from the earth:15 wine that gladdens human hearts,    oil to make their faces shine,    and bread that sustains their hearts.16 The trees of the Lord are well watered,    the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.17 There the birds make their nests;    the stork has its home in the junipers.18 The high mountains belong to the wild goats;    the crags are a refuge for the hyrax.19 He made the moon to mark the seasons,    and the sun knows when to go down.20 You bring darkness, it becomes night,    and all the beasts of the forest prowl.21 The lions roar for their prey    and seek their food from God.22 The sun rises, and they steal away;    they return and lie down in their dens.23 Then people go out to their work,    to their labor until evening.24 How many are your works, Lord!In wisdom you made them all;the earth is full of your creatures.25 There is the sea, vast and spacious,teeming with creatures beyond number—living things both large and small.(Psalm 104:10-25)What a wonderful world indeed!https://youtu.be/rBrd_3VMC3cGod BlessGraham