Brandon Liebe

Today I find myself reflecting on the amazing opportunity I had this weekend to preach to the wonderful people of Pathways Church. The topic was to live a lifestyle of gratitude; to take Thanksgiving from a holiday or event, and realize that we should be thankful for everything we have, and have endured up to this point, and allow it to motivate us to do big things for the Kingdom of God.

As I sit here and think, my mind wandered to a missions trip I took as a youth pastor to Northern Ireland. I had no idea the real (and spiritual) battle that happened between “Catholics” and “Protestants” in that country until I witnessed it first hand. Yet, it was amazing to meet the people of Pillar Christian Church in Portadown who lived through the struggles. What was amazing is that they lived out a life of gratitude! They did not keep the residue of their countries past, but allowed it to motivate them to run straight into the “taboos” for the purpose of showing Christ’s love! Every day they were breaking down cultural barriers as they pushed forward to lift Christ up. This is a perfect example of not letting your past hold you back, but allowing it to motivate you.
While touring the city of Belfast (by the way it was cold and raining and I was on the top of an open top, double-decker tour bus…) we drove past a pub called, The Garrick (pictured). On the side of the building were inscribed the words:

“A nation that keeps one eye on the past is wise,
A nation that keeps two eyes on the past is blind.”

The message: When you stay focused on your past you can’t move forward, but when you recognize it while pushing on, it becomes motivation to do great things.

God has given you a gift; it’s called your testimony. None of us deserve it, but all of us should use it do advance the cause of Christ.

In the beginning of the book of Acts you read the story of the Day of Pentecost, where the Holy Spirit fell with the noise “like the blowing of a violent wind” and “tongues of fire separated and came to rest on each of them.”  This caused them to speak in other tongues so loud that the people on the street heard it!  I’m willing to go out on a limb here and say that their passion wasn’t from their past, even though they had been with Jesus (remember, when He died on the cross they all went back to fishing).  I don’t think that they were even caught up in what was happening in that moment.  I personally think that they were as exuberant as they were because Jesus had promised that when the Holy Spirit fell they would be empowered to do amazing things for the Kingdom of God!  The fire wasn’t for the moment; it was for what was about to happen!  They got “Fired Up” to actually go do something!
Continue reading “The “Fire”” →