God’s Great Restoration Project

Massive Misrepresentation

Imagine sending someone with a message and discovering that what got communicated was the exact opposite of what you intended convey.  Has that ever happened to you?  Well, it happened to God.  God created mankind to be his representative in the earth and man ended up through his actions completely misrepresenting God’s intentions.

God is dealing with the fallout of a massive misrepresentation of His nature.  According to Genesis God created man “in His own image”.  Literally, God was replicating His likeness in the flesh of man, complete with an extraordinary degree of authority and power to do the job.  God, magnificent and glorious in splendor, released his own image into finite man.  If the angels were around to watch, it must have been a stunning and sobering twist in the grand saga of creation, a culmination no one could have anticipated or foreseen.  And with His image he commissioned man with a stewardship to govern His beautiful creation and to bring it all into submission to will and purpose of God.  God imagined a world filled with mankind, all in their own unique ways, governing the earth and displaying the glory and infinite genius of God.  This was the dream in God’s heart.

God’s Great Risk

There was only one risk.  With this grand project, mankind was also given the power to deviate.  Man could choose to do as God willed or he could decide to do something else.  God gave sufficient warning against deviating from His plan.  But there was no way God could have sufficiently explained all the implications to Adam.  They were too vast to fully consider.  But the warning was given nonetheless.  Man, however, decided not to follow the will of God and with that threshold decision “the law of sin and death” entered the world.  In so doing, God’s reputation was tarnished!  The one created by God to bear His image had now grossly misrepresented it. 

The Great Restoration

Peter declared, ‘Heaven must receive [Jesus Christ] until the times of the restoration of all things which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.”  The great restoration of all things begins with the restoration of man, not with the fixing of creation.  God’s great end time project is the restoration of mankind to His original design and purpose.  God is not going to just come down and fix everything that man messed up.  God is coming to redeem man and then release him again to set all of creation free. 

Unlike many Christians today, God is not distracted with causes that are mere symptoms of the problem.  God is focused on the root cause of all that is wrong.  God has his sights set on the heart of man.  God’s purpose is not simply to forgive man for His rebellion but to completely redeem man and restore him to the original design and purpose. 

God’s plan of Redemption

The prophets of old saw glimpses of how this was all going to be done.  Indeed, the entire Old Testament is the foreshadowing of man’s redemption through a new representative man, a man in whom the entire destiny of mankind would rest.  They saw God moving towards a remedy that would come through the line of Abraham and David but would eclipse what He accomplished through those key men.  They saw the history moving towards a climax of God glorious intention and that the climax would be centered in a single man in whom would dwell the spirit of God without measure. 

This great restoration project came to rest on the shoulders of Jesus of Nazareth.  His life on earth consistently paralleled prophetic images of the Old Testament culminating in His death on the cross, His resurrection from the grave and His ascension to God’s right hand.  All of these events were prophesied but what was not fully understood was how deeply penetrating the life, death and resurrection of Christ would be in relation to the heart of man.  In Christ, through His life of obedience and sacrifice, the image of God was restored in mankind itself. 

When God raised Jesus from the dead, not only Jesus but the image of God itself was reborn a new representative of mankind because Jesus was himself a man.  With the resurrection, Jesus himself was reborn, not just as a resurrected man but as the new head of the new humanity and a life giving spirit.  Jesus became the Last Adam, the first born from the dead, the new man, the first among many brothers.  All who put their faith in Him begin a process of transformation.  

Taking Refuge in the New Man

In order to take refuge and find vital connection with the new humanity, one must "die" to the old self, which is essentially about self preservation, and embrace the new self in Christ which is about is about self sacrificial love.  The Bible calls this repentance, turning from one to the other.  This renouncing of the old is symbolized in the act of baptism.  A person who believes in Christ is buried with Christ in baptism and raised to walk in newness of Christ's resurrection life.   Thus one dies to his old identity and embraces a new identity which is made in the likeness of Jesus.  All who believe in Jesus are now ushered into a new humanity.  This is what it means to be “born again.” 

Jesus, who was perfected through his suffering, was empowered to lead many (whosoever will) to glory.  As new disciples gather around their new corporate head, they are invited to draw on His life, to live by His Spirit which now indwells every believer.  All who look to him as their life and light are drawn into a daily process of transformation and are predestined to be conformed to His image.  The followers of Jesus literally become the “new humanity” and God’s redeemed representatives in the earth.

The Two Humanities

But this “restoration of the image of God” to those who follow Jesus leads to an interesting situation.  Now there are two humanities existing in the earth together side by side.  One is under “Adam” and one is under “Christ”, the “Last Adam.”  One takes refuge in its own life, its own morality, its own selfish pursuits.  The other leans on Christ, is submitted to His lordship, follows his example, draws on His life and seeks to grow into His likeness. 

The Cry of Creation

Jesus said that the meek would inherit the earth.  This is because creation itself is crying out for the true sons of God to arise and deliver the earth from its bondage to corruption.  

The creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.  Romans 8:21

The creation will begin to resist the efforts of those who are not truly born of the Spirit of God but will yield to the true sons.  Literally, the treasures hidden in the earth, the secrets of creation will be revealed to those who are ordained and anointed to set the creation free.

In the end, God will fill the earth with His glory through the people who are filled with his Spirit.  They will unlock the doors that lead to the unveiling of secrets and remedies that are found in creation itself.  Already this is manifesting in the earth.  The time will come when the "earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea."

This is the great plan of restoration of all things.  God will redeem the heart of man through his Son Jesus Christ.  Redeemed man will grow and mature into the likeness of Jesus and begin to fulfill the original call of man which was to fill the earth and subdue it.  It is coming.  It is only a matter of time.  

Final Report from Nigeria

I want to give you a final report from my recent trip to Abuja, Nigeria.  Nate Jones and I arrived home at the Boise airport on Monday evening around 10:30 pm.

We went to Nigeria with the intent to participate in the 13^th annual Macon Missionary Conference hosted by Apostle David Ina and his wife Helen.  David is in his thirties, has been a pastor since he was a teenager and has a remarkable grace for gathering, challenging and supporting other ministries.  Nate and I both had it in our hearts to simply come along side David and assist him in what he is doing. 

The Context

By all accounts the nation of Nigeria faces many difficulties.  There is a great gap between the rich and the poor.  Suffering and poverty can be seen everywhere even in the wealthier parts of the city.  There is also great discouragement and animosity towards the government.  This was voiced to us often.  Corruption is rampant.  There are many large ministries in Nigeria but there is very little unity among Christians.  In addition, the conflict between Muslims and Christians is quite severe.  Over the last year many Christians have been killed in the northern parts of Nigeria by radical Muslims.  We were made aware that we would be ministering to some of the pastors and missionaries from some of the most difficult areas. 

The Setting

The conference was held at David’s church site which consists of a simple metal roof covered pavilion.  The roof was supported by non-uniform beams, on a slightly slanted cement slab, using plastic chairs situated in a back alley behind a hotel overlooking a creek that basically operates as a sewage system.  There is a sound system and like almost everywhere in the third world, it is cranked up way to loud.    Loud is often considered synonymous with powerful.   Nevertheless, most of the time, the worship was simple and authentic, especially when it was led by David’s wife, Helen. 

It was very hot but fortunately there were a number of tall trees providing shade and a slight breeze and electric fans set up.  Occasionally, one could watch lizards up to a foot long with bright orange heads and grey bodies climbing the walls.  Africa!

The Theme

The Theme of the conference was Repositioning the Church for Positive Transformation.  Primarily we spoke on coming back to the basics, the need to be simple but deep.  We spoke on power of the Gospel, Resurrection Faith, the grace of God to forgive and transform, seeing with “Gospel eyes” and the power of the New Covenant.  We challenged church leaders to make their churches and communities safe places for people to be vulnerable, to confess their sins and to process their brokeness so that they could get free.  We talked about the power of transparency and that without it there can be no transformation.  Additionally, we postured our hearts to be open and honest about our own weaknesses and failures but to more importantly testify to the triumph of grace in our lives.    

Personal Interactions

We usually spoke in the mornings and evenings and then we would do seminars in the afternoon behind the pavilion and out under the trees.  As the week went on, we purposely curtailed our speaking and made room for people to begin to share their hearts and ask their questions.  People began to engage in these seminar times more and more.  Nate and I both got into lively discussions.  Young people flocked to Nate.  They obviously were starting to trust him but they complained bitterly about their experiences in the church.  They said that church leaders do not give them a safe place to develop and get free.  We had obviously struck a nerve.  Nate listened patiently and hearts began to get free just by bringing their hurts into the light.    But he also challenged them to believe in the Gospel and to trust God to work things out. 

What would you do?

During one of the seminar someone asked about responding to persecution from Muslims.  I started reading from Romans 12:20 where it says, “If your enemy is hungry feed him….”  But then a pastor challenged me very directly and said, “You’re from America.  You do not know what we deal with here in Nigeria.”  He began to paint a scenario of someone pouring gas on a person and getting ready to strike a match and set him on fire.  “What would you do in such a situation?” he demanded.   I smiled and said, “You are right.  I am from America and I do not know what you face.  I have wondered many times what I would do under such circumstances… but I have decided that I do believe in the Gospel and I believe that the Bible is true.”  Immediately many hands went up of those who had something to say and men began to testify of how the Lord had kept them safe. 

These testimonies were amazing.  One pastor said that his house had been burned down twice but that the Lord had protected him and his family and they were still involved in the work, still full of hope and thankfulness and that some of the very people who persecuted him were now part of his ministry.  Another told how some of the Muslims involved in the persecution were going to authorities confessing their participation because of how guilty they felt.  One man said that many Muslims stopped persecuting Christians because they saw angels coming to protect the believers.  He said that four times mobs have come to his village to kill Christians and burn their dwellings but that each time the believers got word of it, began to pray and that always something turned the persecutors back.  There was a chorus of agreement as this man shared his story and then everyone had a testimony. 

At the end of the discussion, the man who had challenged me came up to me and thanked me and said, “You are all right.”  I felt so blessed by that.  But I was more blessed by the testimonies of others who lived there.  I was preaching but they were testifying and confirming our words with their own experiences. 

Growing Faith

As the week progressed, hearts became more open.  Every night the people came forward for prayer.  We looked them in the face and prayed for them.  A few needed healing and were touched by God’s power.  Most needed their faith restored in the power of God to overcome every situation.  Day after day they seemed more open and the ease of prayer increased through the week.  Humility grew, walls fell down, and love abounded. 

As the week progressed we watched the faith of the people growing as they began to testify to the grace of God in their own lives.  We had been preaching that they were blessed with the Gospel.  They agreed to it, began to testify of it and atmosphere of faith increased every day.  Even as we would go home each night, many who were sleeping near the facility spent the night in prayer.  Pastor David testified that this gathering was different than any other that they had ever had.  People were praying a lot and lighting their fires again in their own prayer closet.  Faith grew, more came for prayer, and empowerment was everywhere.  The congregation grew each day also as locals caught wind of the meetings. We felt a growing sense that the Spirit was orchestrating and administrating the meetings and the times of fellowship in between.  Prophetic words also began to come from the congregation.

Practical Expressions of a Supernatural Gospel

Though we continually emphasized the power of God, there is a practical side to the Gospel.   Much of what made our job such a joy was the giving heart of the host pastor and his wife.  They believe in the power of the Gospel but also feel compelled to help practically in every way they can.  Every year they buy food to feed everyone who attends the conference three meals a day.  Many barely have enough money to get to the conference and do not have enough to get home.  Pastor David helps many with the funds to return home.  This extraordinary grace blessed us deeply as we personally witnessed the personal needs of the pastor and his wife.  Even though they were in personal distress, day after day they spent what money came in on those who were attending the conference. 

At the end of every conference they try to sow something extra meaningful and practical into some of the various ministries who gather for the conference.  They give to those ministries that they know well are already doing the work in the various fields.  This year they gave away two sowing machines to help widows make a living and a food grinder to a lady who gathers unwanted babies and takes care of them.  The sowing machines will be used to train widows how to make a living with sowing.  The food grinder will be used to grind food for the orphan ministry but also it will also impact the entire village and help lots of people process more food to sell. 

Heart Connections and Open Realms

The final day we probably stood at the front of the pavilion for over an hour as people came who wanted to have their picture taken with us.  The people thanked us over and over for coming.  One of the most life changing things that can ever happen to a person is to have hungry people pull on that internal thing one has to give.  It is profoundly fulfilling but it also opens up realms inside of the person that the person did not know they had.  Both Nate and I had this type of experience in Nigeria.    I felt a new clarity in my spirit like I have never had.  I felt a new sense of understanding and boldness in the Gospel.  Since returning home, my mind has been running continually and I do not ever remember a time when I have had so many dreams that were so full of meaning.  I feel like I have been thrust into another dimension.  My spirit has been opened up somehow and I feel like I am engaged in an almost continual download. 

I believe that God graced us to genuinely impart something to the many pastors and leaders that we shared life with for a week.  But I also believe that we have brought something home.  One thing I feel deeply is an overwhelming sense of the power of the Gospel.  Indeed, “It is the power of God unto salvation for all who believe.” 

Thank you

In closing we just want to thank you all again and tell how much we appreciate your love, your prayers and your investment into our lives.  It was a short visit but I trust that it will have a long impact.  Thanks for coming with us. 

Blessings to you all,

Brian Harrison

Seven Years Ago Today- A Tribute to David Bowers

(The following was written a few months ago on the 7th anniversary of the death of my best friend.  I have waited until now to publish it because I wanted to be sensitive to David's family and get their ok.  Accept for a few corrections of typos this is what I wrote then.)

October 15, 2012

Seven years ago today, my best friend, David Bowers, passed away quietly in his sleep.  He was 44 years old, the husband to a beautiful and devoted wife, Vickie, and the father to four amazing kids, SheaLa, Robby, Jonathon and Josh.  Though he struggled with diabetes, to our knowledge he was not sick but an autopsy revealed he had an “enlarged heart.”   That diagnostic would certainly fit.  David was small in stature but had a huge heart and many deep intimate friends to go with it.   

I will never forget that Saturday morning.  David’s daughter SheaLa was sleeping over with our daughter Hannah.  He and I were scheduled to get together later that day with some other men to raise a tent for the upcoming celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles. 

At 6am I got a call from Vickie telling me that they were having trouble getting David to wake up.  What she was saying wasn’t making any sense so I asked to talk to Tom, Vickie’s dad.  I said, “Tom, what is going on?  Is David awake?”  He said, “No.”  I asked, “Is he sick?”  He answered, “I don’t know.”  Finally I asked, “Is David dead?”  He answered, “I think so.”  It was so unthinkable that no one could even consider the possibility that he could be gone. 

I was in Pocatello by 6:30 am and we immediately began to pray to raise David up.  As we prayed we felt the Lord with us but David did not stir. 

I called my friend, Kevin Gardner to come over and help me pray.  I just knew that the Lord would have us pray to raise him from the dead.  He and Virgil Horner arrived in Blackfoot from Twin Falls on Monday morning and we prayed for several hours before we went over to the funeral home where David’s body was. 

The funeral home was full of people consoling the family but Kevin and I, along with Virgil Horner and my son Samuel went into a back room to pray one last time over David’s body.  After an hour of prayer Kevin and I both said simultaneously, “he is here.”  I saw David in the spirit behind a gate but he did not engage me.  In my distress I voiced my desire that he come back so that we could continue to co-labor for the many years of ministry that we were meant to have together.  But soon the presence seemed to fade and after another hour of prayer, we released him to the Lord. 

His funeral was extraordinary, packed with 600 people in attendance.  Tributes were made and it seemed that everyone who spoke said that David was their best friend.  Repeatedly people from all over the nation related how he would call them and encourage them.  He called people just to see how they were doing. His telephone had the contact information of hundreds of people. 

At the end, as I was about to close the service, His eleven year old daughter came up on the stage to the podium and told me she wanted to sing a song.  I simply stepped aside and watched and listened to her sing unrehearsed and A-Cappella three verses of a song called “The Voice of Truth.”   It was incredible and for me it was a sign that something profound was going to come out of it all. 

David was such a huge part of our lives.  His investment of love and personal involvement was so intense that it boggled our mind to think of him not being there.  Although he was small in stature, he was a giant in terms of his impact.  Someone once wrote, “A great oak has fallen and for many it means a change in the whole landscape of life.”  That was true of all who knew David Bowers. 

David and I had gotten close over the last few years.  I have said before that I have never felt a deeper love from any one man than I did from David, save Jesus.  He would say things to me that would almost make me blush but they were not in any way inappropriate or effeminate.  They were strong words right to my heart and I literally felt at times that Jesus was helping me understand his deep devotion to me through David.  He had a way of slipping through all my heart guards and touching me to the core.  This explains why so many people felt that David was their best friend.  My wife used to joke with me that “my boyfriend” was on the phone.  We talked every day. 

After he died, I left his final voice mail on my phone for months.  There was nothing special about the message except it carried that simple vibration in his voice that I had come to cherish, that told me that somebody deeply cared for me, believed in me and had my best interests at heart.  

He pastored a small but significant fellowship of people in Pocatello, Idaho which included his mother and father in law, Tom and Vivian Henseley.  They had come to know David as their pastor in Wyoming and uprooted their lives after 20 years to come and help him and Vickie in Idaho.  I pastored a church in Blackfoot, twenty miles north of Pocatello. 

I remembered the day when he told me that he was going to change the time of their church’s gatherings to Sunday evenings so that they could join us on Sunday mornings.  I was pretty surprised but delighted as well.  Father’s House was never the same after that.  I felt a huge shift in the Spirit.  In some sense, that unselfish act had catapulted our fellowship to a new level of authority in the region.  That was David’s gift to so many: simple, unselfish acts of kindness which elevated others, seemingly at his own expense.

Unassuming, gentle, loving, helpful in the truest sense, David reached out to many and left a huge impact.  I was busy trying to be important.  He was busy loving me and others.  He used to call me his hero.  (That was one of those statements that made me blush.)  But I know that his acts of humility and kindness made him one of Heaven’s heroes. 

My greatest concern with his passing was for Vickie and the kids.  I was concerned about practical issues such as finances, etc. but my main concern was for their hearts and whether they would feel cheated because of whom they had lost.  I was reeling, but I could not possibly begin to imagine their pain.  But I remember the last few months of his life, David seemed to really start keying in on his kids.  He took them on walks.  He built model ships with the boys.  He devoted himself to touching their hearts.  He held his daughter in his arms.  He also began to help them memorize scripture.  I remember one of the verses he was telling me they were memorizing was 2 Chronicles 20:12, “Lord, we do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”  I realized later the providential nature of this extra care.

I called to talk to Vickie today.  I knew today was the anniversary but I did not realize that it had been seven years since David fell asleep the last time.  I asked about her and the kids.  All David’s kids are involved with the youth group and in love with God.  They have formed a little worship band and are enjoying being a part of the church’s worship team.  God is blessing them deeply.  As we spoke I felt a deep gratitude rise in my heart for what God had done for us all in spite of our sorrow and loss and I realized that David had planted seeds deep into the hearts of His children. 

I felt the Spirit of prayer as Vickie and I shared together today and I rejoiced in the Lord’s goodness seven years to the day from the hardest day of our lives. 

I praise God for the investment of love David Bowers made into my life.  I still love and miss him.  But his impact I will cherish forever.  He sewed into many lives.  Many people stand strong today because he loved so well while he had an opportunity.  Short life.  Long impact.  He loved and worshiped Jesus with abandonment.  He unveiled the love of God to me.  I am a much better man because I knew and was touched by David’s life.  May the rewards of my life in some way accrue to his account. 

Brian Harrison

“I assure you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies, it remains alone, but if it dies it produces a large crop.”  John 12:24

The Restoration of Apostolic Christianity

When people read the book of Acts, there is often a deep desire to see and experience what is described there in the early church.  It is not so much the desire to go back to the primitive lifestyles that they had. What is so intoxicating is that sense of the nearness of the presence of God upon the lives of the early believers.  It is Heaven’s interaction with the earth that believers long to see.  And this is at the core of what apostolic Christianity is.

Apostolic Christianity involves a cooperative dynamic between heaven and earth that advances the righteous cause of the God’s will in the earth.

It is not just going through the motions of the Christian life, or even pursuing the Christian disciplines.  It is more than having good relationships although relationships are at the core of the matter. It is more than social justice.  It is also more than preaching the gospel for the conversion of a soul.

Apostolic Christianity is that special moment when God himself begins to rest on the church’s endeavors. 

It is when the church's activities begin to coincide with the Lord's ministry of reconciliation.  It is more than reaching out to your neighbors but it is God reaching out to your neighbors through you.  It is more than friendship, its communion.  It is more than love, it looking into someone’s face in God's presence.  It manifests in a thousand different ways and yet it is all apart of the whole heavenly invasion of the earth.  It is more than feeling sorry for a hurting person; it is being moved with divine compassion with results bigger than can be explained. 

Apostolic Christianity is what we have always longed for and thought that the Christian life ought to be only more...  It is reaching out in Christ's name, not in drudgery but in sheer joy, an internal explosion of love that cannot be explained by anything other than the uplift of God's presence reinforcing the impact of our efforts.

Now, a person is not just trying to find the words to witness for Christ; because the spirit of Christ is witnessing to Himself supplying both thoughts and words while abiding in the atmosphere adding His confirming presence.  Now, one is not just praying for the sick; Christ is praying for the sick through them.  Now, one is not trying to console the brokenhearted, the presence of God is consoling them from within.

Apostolic Christianity insists on the presence of a real God in the real world.  It assumes divine intervention because the Gospel is based upon divine intervention.  That is what the "good news" is.  God intervened.    

Apostolic Christianity began the day Christ was raised from the dead.  Unfortunately, for whatever reason, a vast percentage of the church lost contact with and awareness of the Kingdom’s presence and activity on the earth and much Christian expression became nothing more than a man focused religion.

The blessed reality is that the restoration of Apostolic Christianity is happening as the present day church awakens to the activity of God in the earth.   Many are realizing that the early church’s experience is not just a onetime event but is meant to be a pattern of things to come.   True Christianity is supernatural and it is meant for everybody.

The divine activity of the kingdom of God has never left the earth nor has it diminished.  "Of the increase of His government and of peace there shall be no end."  Isaiah 9:7.  It continues to advance as God’s people love unconditionally and suffer without complaining all the while knowing that all things work together for good for them that love God.

But tangible presence of God's kingdom is being rediscovered by many.  The church is awakening to a lost heritage and privilege.  That privilege is hosting the presence of God, cooperating with His purposes and displaying His wisdom and glory.     

Here is a radical thought for you; Apostolic Christianity is not just the work of God alone.  It is also the work of man.  It is a work of cooperation between God and man.  Man cannot pull it off without the very real involvement of God.  And God will not do it without man.  Jacob called it “the dance of the two camps.”  See Genesis 32:1,2.  Apostolic Christianity is heaven and earth reconciled and cooperating to see the life of God in full manifestation.  A person cannot fake it, because it takes two to tango.  God won't fake it because "He is light and in Him is no darkness at all."   But it is here now for those who are willing to sell everything and buy in.  "Let him who has an ear, hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches."    

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”  And the two, heaven and earth, were always meant to be partners.  

Love in Full Bloom: A Tribute to Ethan Anthony Shepherd

February 7, 2013

This morning we held a funeral for five day old Ethan Anthony Shepherd who died and went to be with the Lord three days ago.  His was a full and fruitful life!  Rarely has one’s presence been so aware of or one’s life and passing left such a mark.  But Ethan Anthony was no ordinary boy.  His parents loved him with all their hearts and therefore gave him an enduring legacy. 

Several months ago Paul and Naysa were made aware of some complications with the pregnancy.  The skull had not fully formed around the brain and there were some other deficiencies in the brain development as well.  Paul and Naysa were informed that their baby very likely would not live long or that if he did he would never function without severe limitations and handicaps.  Trying to wrap their heads around the implications of what the doctors were saying was more than they could fully assimilate.  Nevertheless, Paul and Naysa were faced with a choice.    

A month later the worst case scenario seemed to be confirmed.  Even though abortion was never an option they would consider, Paul and Naysa were still facing a dilemma not knowing how to posture their hearts.  Would they protect themselves against the pain of loss by closing their hearts since there was little hope of life or would they engage their son while still in the womb and begin to feed him through love?

That is when Paul and Naysa made a choice that would change their life and the lives of others forever.  With help from their amazing family and their faith community they decided to put their fear of loss aside and to begin to engage him as much as possible.  The first thing they did was give Ethan Anthony his name and not just any name.  Ethan was the a name from the book of Psalms (see Psalm 89) that Paul felt the Lord impressed upon him and Anthony is Paul's middle name.  

Additionally, they decided that they were going to love him with all their hearts.  They refused to hold back for the fear of loss.  They were going allow their love for little Ethan to move into full bloom.  Paul and Naysa decided to live believing that they were going to be blessed by this child and that they were going to begin speaking to him in the womb and preparing for his arrival.  They were also going to go into the added risk of “believing” for a miracle, praying into his destiny and giving their defenseless son as much chance of survival as they could possibly provide.  Though the prognosis remained grim, Paul and Naysa’s love and faith remained undiminished or abated. 

As I found myself praying for them from time to time a single picture kept coming into my mind.  It was the picture of a baby blue hyacinth in full bloom.   Hyacinths are flowers that bloom in early spring and therefore often they are subject to the peril a late winter freeze.  But their beautiful colors are a signal of the end of winter and beginning of spring and new life. 

On February 4th, Ethan entered heaven.  The whole Shepherd clan, who fully supported Paul and Naysa in their unrestrained decision to give Ethan their whole heart, now face the reality of a late freeze.  They loved with all their hearts knowing full well that to be so deeply invested might leave them high and dry with deep heartache in the end.  And what do they have to show for it all? 

After such an ordeal, it would be easy to close up shop and decide that that kind of love is too risky and too painful.  Or a person can be one of the brave one’s and decide that that is the way we are meant to live, full throttle, wide open, loving and being loved because this is our opportunity to lay it all down….  “He who sews sparingly will reap sparingly.  He who sews bountifully will reap bountifully.” 

Love like this does not always have an immediate reward.  The law of sewing and reaping is threefold.

1. You reap what you sow. 
2. You reap later than you sow. 
3. You reap more than you sow. 

Paul and Naysa, and everyone in their lives have sowed bountifully.  Therefore, rest assured, they will reap bountifully!  And in the end, Ethan Anthony Shepherd will have left his mark and his legacy in five short days of breathing air because he received deep abounding love and his family will never be the same. 

Paul’s younger sister, Alisha, miscarried her one month pregnancy the day after Ethan was born.  She lives far away and couldn't join the family in the ritual of sadness and loss though she experienced it all the same from a distance.  But she had an interesting perspective to the whole thing.  She considered her brother and sister in law “lucky” that they got to hold their baby for a few short days….  Perspectives! 

Paul and Naysa have loved and lost… but they have also gained. 

The immediate results?

1. The joy of holding their son alive and responsive. 
2. The extraordinary experience of pouring their hearts out knowing that there was nothing that Ethan could give them in return... and yet he did…  
3. The satisfaction of knowing that they gave their son everything at their disposal to live life fully.  
4. A deeper love and appreciation for their other three sons, for the three amazing brothers, who loved and lost with them. 
5. No regrets. 
6. No reversals.  
7. No going back wishing you had done it different. 

That’s what they gained in the short term.

What about the long term results?  Who can measure?  Long term, Paul and Naysa may just find that their investment of love over the last few months was the most lucrative investment that they had ever made.  In terms of what it has done to the family, the dividends are already astronomical.  Today during the funeral, over a 100 people gathered to remember a child who lived only five days!  That fact alone was evidence enough of the impact that Paul and Naysa’s investment was making.  I venture to suggest that they will come away more deeply committed to living every day the way they lived the last four, full throttle, open hearted, not worried about being repaid, and fully trusting God that He is able to keep what is being entrusted to Him until the final day. 

Would to God we were all so “lucky” 

So here’s a tribute Ethan Anthony Shepherd, to the boy who lived for five days and whose coming and going helped make the world a better place.  His mom and dad gave him a legacy and a chance to leave a lasting impact because they allowed him to get into their hearts.  There he will remain until the end of days.  

Overcoming the Spirit of Poverty

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.  Philippians 4:11-13

The Lord is weaning the church off her dependency on comfort, wealth, and self-sufficiency so that he can calibrate her for overcoming in the days to come. 

True wealth is found in one’s ability to trust in the Lord.  Faith is the currency of the Kingdom.  Many who believe they have faith have never really been tested.  There simply is no other way to learn how to trust the Lord than to face, in some capacity, the prospect of being without.  It may be financial.  It may relate to one’s abilities and talents.  It may have to do with one’s acceptance among peers or strangers. 

A person can have a poverty spirit even if they own many things or have lots of money.  True prosperity depends upon the disposition of a man concerning himself; when he has some form of lack and no prospect of where he might receive help and yet remains at peace, fully trusting that God is going to see him through. 

The Apostle Paul knew what it was like to have abundance or to be in need.  He indicated that he had “learned the secret” of entering into the state of contentedness regardless of his circumstances.  In Philippians 4:12, when Paul speaks of “learning the secret…” he uses a word that refers to the initiation process of entering some kind of group or club.  In other words, He did not come by this insight strictly through revelation.  Paul had to walk something out with the Lord that initiated him into the mystery of contentedness.  This is a supernatural grace that God initiates His people into.  There is no free ride with this aspect of faith.  You just have to walk something out with the Lord.   

There is no rule that says how long this initiation process will take.  Actually, once you learn it, it does not necessarily mean that you will no longer face trials.  It simply means that you will no longer be shaken by those trials.  It means that you understand the drill and that you can walk it out with peace and contentment.  Overcoming a poverty spirit is really about not needing to be coddled and comforted every step of the way.  It means that one has grown up, put away childish things and gone on with God.  People who are excessively needy are loved by God, but they are not very useful to Him. 

So how does one learn contentment?  What is involved in the initiation?  Paul does not tell us everything that he went through to get to this state but I can surmise out of some of my own experiences of initiation that might prove helpful. 

1. It begins by not taking your hardships personally.  Everybody has them.  God is raising sons and that means tests are part of the process. 
2. Be assured of God’s love- he will never leave you nor forsake you.  
3. Practice thankfulness daily for all that you have.  
4. Learn how to be alone with yourself and God.  This is a big one.  Many people seek constant distractions in attempts to avoid facing their issues, needs or desires and especially God. 
5. Develop a sense of wholeness apart from any form of entertainment or public esteem.      
6. Renew your mind.   Your mind/imagination is one of your greatest resources.  
7. Realize that true riches are an internal source of wealth. 

God does not need to take everything away from you to teach you this lesson.  The fact is that everyone at some point feels inadequate.  We feel insecure about who and what we are.  These are the places
God wants to meet you and lead you to a new place of richness in Him.  If you will trust Him, He will initiate you into the spiritual realm of abundance. 

Once your inner man is settled in this place of security and peace, the fear of lack will cease to exercise dominion over you.  “He who is of a merry heart, will have a continual feast.”  Proverbs 15:15

The Journey

Twenty five years ago Suzanne and I had just graduated from seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, we were looking for a place to invest our lives and we wanted a chance to prove the gospel... to ourselves.  It is not to say that we did not believe what we were taught or what we were teaching.  But we were looking for more than here-say   We wanted a deep personal conviction backed by our own experience that would carry us through the trials of life.

So when we graduated we prayed, "God we are ready but please get us out of the Bible Belt."  It wasn't that we had anything against Texas but we were looking for a place where our faith in God was not such a prominent part of the culture.  Within a few months we were in Idaho and our journey with God began in earnest.

Twenty five years later we have our own history with the Lord, a history that continues to grow and become richer and fuller. It is full of normal everyday stories of His faithfulness and of miraculous interventions of healings and provisions.  We are grateful for our journey with the Lord and know something we didn't back then.  God is real, he is engaged with us and is walking this journey out with us every step of the way.  We are not alone.  He is there to catch us and sustain us and teach us about Himself.

But our journey is far from over.  He is continually teaching us.  A few years ago we stopped pastoring full time and moved to Boise.  We thought we were just going to step into the next phase of ministry.  But we were wrong.  I read something a few years back that I never forgot.  Stephen Covey wrote, "If you want to make a new contribution, you must make a whole new preparation."

Suzanne and I did not realize that our new contribution would come as we went through a whole new preparation but that is what we have experienced.  We felt parts of our life "taken away" and our fruitful branches severely pruned.  He was leading us into an understanding that our identity is found not in what we do or a title we hold but in who we are in our core being.  We have had to learn to receive our praise from God and Him alone.  We entered a season of "hiddeness" so that God could do a deeper work in our hearts.    Through this time we have come to discover the love of God in way we have never known it before.  How profound is His love!!!!  We have also learned more about who we are.  If you want to be known by God you have to be honest with your self and with Him.  In times of desperation there is no hiding.  It all gets laid out there and we are so much better for it.

Why does God allow these times to happen?  I just think maybe he is trying to "thicken the sauce."  At the end of the day He is looking for something a little more substantive.  All victory and no challenges makes a person shallow.  Premature success breeds superficiality.  And so we have had our wings clipped and our feathers plucked it would seem.  But in the process miracles happen deep in our hearts.  And that is what we have discovered.  The kingdom is always advancing.  Sometimes it is advancing outwardly and that is always nice.  But the real work of the New Covenant is when God does a work inwardly.  When the miracles begin to manifest in the demeanor of one's face and in the thoughts and motivations of one's heart, a person starts looking at the adventure of life differently.  Our hearts get reconciled to the ways of God.  We stop resisting and begin cooperating with the process.

I used to complain about the hardships, but I don't as much anymore.  I am discovering that I am less and less offended with God when things don't seem to go my way.  I am realizing that God is after something deeper and I am starting to be ok with it.  "Deep is calling to deep," David writes, and at first I think it was the deep in God calling to the deep in me.  At first I could not hear the call.  My deep inner man was asleep.  But lately I am wondering if something hasn't awakened and for the first time the deep in me is calling to the deep in Him.  

Thirty years ago, when Suzanne and I got married I wrote out my invitation.

I will bless the Lord at all times

His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

My soul shall make its boast in the Lord

the humble shall see it and rejoice.

Oh magnify the Lord with me,

Let us exalt his name together.  

Psalm 34:1-3

Suzanne was gracious enough to say yes.  I am forever grateful for a such a companion to walk out this journey.  Humanly speaking, I could not have made it without her.  On our wedding day my "best man" Mike Arakawa looked at me and said, "She is perfect for you."  I never forgot that for indeed she was and God knew it.  

Thirty years ago, we worshiped the Lord by faith.  But now we do it by the personal revelation of God's heart to ours.  We worship Him because of thousands of instances of His faithfulness, through unexpected and random acts of kindness, because of friends who love us in spite of our immaturity and brokenness, because of miracles external and internal.  God has met us so many ways again and again.  Faith is not something we have to work up but rather a substance that has been worked within us that we draw upon.  We have had times together that were so powerful and rich and filled with joy that we literally felt heaven on earth.  Other times have been more difficult.  But the presence of the Lord has been the one constant thing we have enjoyed together.  It is the foundation of our love and our marriage and our friendship and fellowship and our celebration and our joy.  And it is the reason we are still in the journey and more blessed and excited than ever.  

This is our story and though I don't suspect that anyone is going to make a movie about it, we would not trade it for anyone else's because it is ours alone.  This is how God has chosen to reveal himself to us.  No one can fulfill their destiny wishing to be somebody else.  God is changing us and establishing us with Him and with you.  This is our testimony to His faithfulness.  This is our greatest treasure.

As we begin to posture ourselves for the next leg of the journey, we would like to offer you an invitation that entered into 30 years ago.

We will bless the Lord at all times

His praise shall continually be in our mouths

Our souls shall make their boast in the Lord,

the humble shall hear it and rejoice.

Oh magnify the Lord with us,

And let us exalt His name together.  

God bless you all.

Brian and Suzanne Harrison