I’ll tell you where you can “Sow Your Seed”…

Okay—total transparency coming up, so buckle your seatbelt.

This evening, I was watching a certain Christian TV network (that shall remain nameless), and what “message” was being proclaimed from their “pulpit” that broadcasts into the households of billions across the earth? Sow Your Seed and God will… (fill in the materialistic blank)

This heretical load of garbage has become sadly synonymous with the Spirit-filled, charismatic church—a movement that, though flawed, is near and dear to my heart as in its pure, Scripture-rooted form, it is truly a revelation of renewal in an age desperate for a true touch from heaven.

A few Biblical blurbs:

1) Financial “Seed Sowing” (as it is defined today) is not Scriptural. Literally, it’s not in the Bible… except for one isolated passage (2 Cor 9:10), and in a moment, we’ll briefly examine the context (2 Cor 9:6-15). Otherwise, there is no verse, passage, or account throughout the halls of Scripture where the phraseology, “Sowing Seed” is paralleled with giving money—in particular, giving money to manipulative ministries or corrupt churches.

2) Defining “Sowing Your Seed.” When presented in the Bible, “Sowing” is discussed in the context of farming and agriculture (Gen 47:23), preserving the soil’s sanctity (Lev 11:37), and intermixing of planting (Lev 19:19, Deut 22:9). When paralleled with anything—New Testament-speaking—“Seed” could be observed as a type for the Word of God or the Gospel (Matt 13:4) and, in one singular instance, yes, “sowing seed” is symbolic for investing in the work of preaching the Gospel (2 Cor 9:10).

3) The Balance:

2 Corinthians 9:5—The believers were urged to give a gift “not as an extortion [wrung out of you]…” but as “generous and willing.” (AMP)

I don’t need to tell you, but most instances where the “sowing your seed” malarkey is proclaimed, extortion is right there, smiling, singing, and swindling. Is tithing and giving wrong? Absolutely not. We give because God said so and we love Him. However, what’s happening in many evangelical circles today is not giving; it’s Christianized thievery and believers are willingly paying the robbers!

Paul warned young Timothy about charlatans who will come in with a Christian “look and feel,” but would ultimately pervert the Gospel for fiscal gain:

1 Timothy 6:3-5—“If you have leaders there who teach otherwise, who refuse the solid words of our Master Jesus and this godly instruction, tag them for what they are: ignorant windbags who infect the air with germs of envy, controversy, bad-mouthing, suspicious rumors. Eventually there's an epidemic of backstabbing, and truth is but a distant memory. They think religion is a way to make a fast buck.” (MESSAGE)

The agenda?

Wrangle Together the Innocent and Ungrounded—They target people who are not grounded in solid, Biblical doctrine. In these “Sow Your Seed” environments, anyone who is a proponent of being theologically sound is considered a Pharisee, an intellectualized legalist and one who is against the “flow of the Spirit.” Church, the “spirit” flowing in many atmospheres today is not the Holy Spirit of God, but rather, a combination of fleshy frenzy and demonic divination. Be Word-grounded and Spirit-sensitive. Yes, they can peacefully coexist, for it’s the Word that exhorts us to quench not the Spirit.

Work Em’ Up with Worship—This is where the fleshy frenzy begins, and it irks me to no end. I am all for emotionally encountering God. I believe, in all honesty, that God is in the process of raising up an Enoch generation who walks with Him, so powerfully, so intimately, so tangibly, that the world and all it offers become so secondary and un-alluring because of their powerful engagement with the Holy One. Manifestations. Signs. Wonders. Healings. Miracles. I believe God is unleashing those into the earth like never before. Problematically, they are presently few and far between for the church at large is not mature enough to steward such blessings. We possess the propensity to worship the wonder or seek the sign. Oh, glory’s coming folks, but I believe we are in the final phases of Jesus restoring order to His body. The Gospel—Jesus as our Savior from sin—must be the magnificent obsession again. I’ve been in these aforementioned “worship atmospheres” and they are, quite frankly, intoxicating. The worship appears extravagant, the praise glorious, the atmosphere rich with “the presence,” and then, whammo, things get crazy… in this case, craziness is the “offering” message (more like the offering m-a-ssage).

Wave the Wand. Charm the Church. Pick up the Proceeds. Finally, after everyone’s brains are brought to mush and emotions are elated through the “worship experience” the deal can close. Putty in the hands of a suit-donning, mic-holding, hooping and hollering Bible-toting wolf in sheep’s clothing. Now, be mindful, not every preacher who is preaching or endorsing those who proclaim this message are certifiable apostates. Some are people I actually respect, and who I believe regularly bring a Word from God’s heart to the body of Christ. That’s what breaks my heart. I don’t know what to do about it, for it is a perverse message.

I’m just so sick of it, and I pray that someone would have the audacity to rise up and blow a trumpet in Zion about this rubbish. I’m upset that because of this prosperity perversion, the enemy has strategically divided the church concerning the reality of God as Provider—either we believe God wants us poor (which is unbiblical), or we expect Him to dish out the Cadillac, yacht, and million dollar mansion (likewise, unbiblical). I just needed to issue this caveat before the stones start flying. Yes, I believe in Prosperity. I believe in God’s Provision and His More than Enough supply. I DON’T and CAN’T, however, endorse the whole “Give to Get” bologna. That’s just me.

Oh, but there is a Seed Sown that will be eternally celebrated and cherished, and His Name is Jesus Christ! I’ll discuss this in my following post.

Revival in Retrospect

Okay, so it was last year, around the beginning of the summer that I blogged about the now infamous (and item of the past), “Florida Healing Outpouring.” Man, a lot has happened since then, even in the context of that particular happening and the now notorious sparkplug behind it—Mr. Todd Bentley.

Let me rephrase that… I don’t know if Mr. Bentley was personally behind it. On the other hand, I don’t know if the Holy Spirit actually instigated something and man, as he loves to do (and does so well) decided to “flesh it up,” I really cannot deliver an answer with finality— we leave that to the Almighty’s evaluation.

I’m hesitant to immediately decry it as faux, fake, and wholly heretical. Why? I was there for one of the evenings and as God is so faithful to do, He powerfully inhabited the praises of His people. Oh, the worship was so sweet, but on the heels of extravagant adoration to the King, I witnessed what can only be described as unbiblical fanaticism, where everything but the Lord Jesus Christ was placed on a pedestal — “The Anointing,” “the Spirit of Elijah,” red healing rags, twitching heads, angel worship, laying on the ground laughing hysterically, etc.

This post, however, is not necessarily intended to be a warning— that article was written last year and I still vehemently stand behind everything I wrote then. I’ve just been confronted lately with a barrage of definitions to the word, “Revival.” In all honesty, I still don’t think I’ve come to any definitive conclusion on what the word actually means as there have been so many alleged meanings assigned to it.

Here are two I can come up with immediately:

1. Planned, Evangelistic Definition of Revival

Can we schedule a revival into our yearly calendar? Can we state with certainty that the week of October 5-10 will be a certifiable revival? Sure, we can classify it as a “revival” meeting, but I think in doing so, we diminish the true definition of the term. As I mentioned, this true definition is something I’m seeking, but more than seeking revelation of revival, I want to know the Jesus that so powerfully and supernaturally releases revival into an atmosphere. Into a people. Into a region. Where it seems as though heaven’s gates are ajar over a sovereignly-appointed, yet contending-directed atmosphere. God is sovereign over the visitation, absolutely. We can’t just plan it, or muster it up (as we will see more so in the second definition). However, I do believe there are certain elements that attract the spirit of revival like a moth to the flame. Anyway, not to venture off on a tangent — I just don’t get some of the “revival” semantics.

2. Spontaneous, Charismatic Definition of Revival

We have been internationally introduced to the neo-Pentecostal realm of “revival,” largely through the portal of Christian television. Don’t get me wrong. I thoroughly enjoy and am deeply ministered to by a lot of programming on such stations. However, some of the elements of this brand of “revival” just don’t seem Scripturally kosher. In short, Jesus is dethroned for the sake of experiencing and demonstrating fanatical emotionalism. I mean, some of the “manifestations” occurring in these meetings make God, in all honesty, look like a cosmic clown. People get into a frenzy and start engaging in all sorts of ridiculousness — clamoring for a healing cloth, shaking their heads like bobble-head dolls, barking like dogs, foaming at the mouth, laughing uncontrollably, falling down and flailing around, you get the drift. Is this revival? No. These are manifestations, and in all honesty, many are counterfeit manifestations if I might be so bold to declare that.

Ah, now do I believe in being overwhelmed by the power of God and being slain in the Spirit? Yes. A step further, however, I believe that true, authentic manifestations of this caliber are currently few and far between because of man’s desire to equate Himself with God and get glory for something only God can truly do. In both camps, really, revival seems to be centered around a figurehead, be it a guest speaker, a pastor or an alleged “Revivalist” touting all the bells and whistles.

Friends, a movement is coming soon — a mighty, tangible move of the blessed Holy Spirit, where atmospheres will be so charged with Jesus’ presence and glory that the multitudes will be overwhelmed by His power and drop to the ground, and no man will be able to boast, for no man will be able to receive the credit. A God-move is coming where Jesus Christ will serve as the Chief Revivalist. Yes, he will use men and women of flesh and blood. He may anoint forerunners as John the Baptist, but you can bet your bottom dollar that they will not resent losing potential disciples, converts or church-members to Jesus. John was considered a “Friend of the bridegroom.” Why? Simple. He demonstrated a supernatural friendship towards Jesus Christ — the friendship described and defined by Jesus in the Gospel of John where life is laid down for the sake of another, a friend. John the Baptist laid down his life, his ministry, his hour in the spotlight, without haste or reservation, for He knew it was all about the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world. It’s coming, friends. Oh, that we would contend for this outpouring.

—Larry Sparks, 2009

Missional Worship

Just a quick Word of encouragement to the worship community (namely, all of us who have been redeemed and live to radiate authentic gratitude for the Cross of Christ)…

God has been exhorting me to concentrate less on naturals and hone in on the supernatural concerning what it means to missionally worship— yielding (not creating, for that’s God’s job and not a church’s) atmospheres to evangelistic worship. This may sound slightly intangible and different, but let me explain.

The Church of Jesus Christ — you and I — can veer off into one of two imbalances: Being too heavenly minded for earthly good, or being a “Christian” carbon copy of the world. The reality is that we are stationed in two realms simultaneously. We are spiritually positioned in Christ, seated with Him in heavenly places as voices that proceed from the Throne of God (which is such a powerful Truth concerning our spiritual placement), and, at the same time, we are on earth — strangers, foreigners, and aliens, indeed— but nevertheless, “on earth.” Until the consummation of the age when Jesus physically returns to Earth, we are anointed and charged to see that the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our God.

Ultimately, God’s agenda for lost humanity is divine Kingdom-drafting. Jesus did not commission us to “go ye therefore and make converts of all nations.” He intentionally used the term “disciple.” People who are radically touched and transformed by the Living Christ to go forward and imitate Him— to literally “be Jesus” on Earth, a people who truly grasp that they are His temple, His tabernacle, His house, His vehicle, His body on Earth.

Fine and good, but what has the power to create a disciple? Programs don’t. Emotionally appealing altar calls don’t. Church-as-usual does not. What can instigate a true, lasting, supernatural change in the hearts of the once-lost, and, in a miraculous moment, transform the “chief of all sinners” into a radical Kingdom advancer?

The presence of the Awesome One. A genuine, real-deal encounter with the Living, tangible, loving, powerful, mighty Yahweh. Okay, so, where does missional worship concept come into play? Very simply, Scripture reminds us that the God of heaven inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3). His presence is magnetically drawn to the fragrance of true, authentic, extravagant, selfless, yielded worship. Not “I’ll worship to get my breakthrough.” That’s selfishness and shame on us for even buying into that garbage. Not “I’ll worship because God NEEDS it.” He’s entirely self-sufficient, so let’s give up believing that mess. Not “I’ll worship because I like the music.” Nothing to do with music. Not “I’ll worship when I feel like worshipping.” David declared, “I will bless the Lord at all times…” “I will.” There’s an element of decidedly lifting one’s eyes beyond circumstance and fixing gaze upon the beautiful Savior. In short, true worship is of the Romans 12:1 caliber.

“In view of God’s mercy” we offer up our lives as living sacrifices. Genuine Spirit and Truth worship begins with a revelation of Truth — the Truth of the Cross of Christ, the blood of Jesus, and our eternal gratitude for being radically liberated from a horrific fate that we chose and was well-deserved. We don’t just worship for worship’s sake. The Cross is the ultimate manifestation of God’s glorious mercy, so that is what we fix our focus upon and in turn, respond to. We respond to everything it represents and the endless dimensions of God-revelation it has generously opened us to.

The reality is that when we understand the missional, or evangelistic byproducts of worship, something glorious happens. Now granted, we don’t worship just so that something happens in our atmosphere, personally or corporately. We worship Him because He is Jehovah. Ah, but in worship, we must possess an undergirding understanding and expectation of the sovereign move of the Spirit of God. He DOES respond to our praise and DESIRES to move in our midst.

“Change the atmosphere…” I sense that this is a phrase emerging from the Spirit. God wants to supernaturally transform atmospheres. I believe He wants to charge whole environments with a spirit of revival and evangelism. When we as believers encounter God in the midst of Spirit & Truth worship, we are revived by His presence and long to worship Him and in turn, manifest His will on earth all the more! When the lost are present in these atmospheres, in accordance with God’s sovereignty in salvation, the Spirit cannot help but go after these folks and do what He does best — powerfully introduce sinners to Jesus Christ. I’ve seen it; it is incredible.

I pray that we would be mindful of this supernatural dimension while we worship God. It can never just be about singing songs… even singing songs to God. God wants to tangible release Himself into atmospheres, by His Mighty Spirit, and awaken the sleeping, revive the dying, and save the sin-stained. So, while we gather to worship in church, or we are jamming in our cars, I pray that we would prophesy to the ever present looming clouds, be it over our churches, over our neighborhoods, over our cities, over the nations — “Let it rain…”

Past Tense Provision for the Present Day Commission

Prophetic Word received from the Lord: 2-28-07

Walk with me, says the Lord. Walk in a realm of past tension provision. Past tense authority. Have you (bride) not yet gotten it? Are your ears deafened to my cry? I have already done it. I have made a provision, for I took upon the Provisionary Role. I descended so that you could ascend. You are joint-heirs, regardless. When you beat yourself up, you are second guessing/doubting my Provision. This is not just a Provisionary act, not just a supplied need, healing or miracle. When you second guess my provision, you second guess Calvary. Bride, I love you. I instruct you in love. Do you like it when people distrust you when you’ve given them EVERY reason that you are dependable, reliably and steadfast? Of course not. Imagine how it grieves my heart when my bride distrusts my Provision, for I was and am her Provision. Don’t try to get it. Don’t think you can earn it. It cannot be obtained through begging. It’s yours – simply, receive.

From Jesus Freak to "One of Us"

By Larry Sparks

Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you…” (Acts 3:6)

Peter and John were Jesus freaks. Why?

Because they attended Temple?
Because they were well-versed in the Old Testament and brushed up on their Law? Because they heralded all of the *right* ecclesiological and evangelical terminology? Because they went on missions trips?
Did the church thing? Fed the poor? Clothed the needy?

Oh the good ole’ days of DC Talk and their infamous anthem posing the question: “What will people say if they label me a Jesus freak?”

I mean, what really certifies one as a Jesus freak? After all, Joan Rivers is more than capable of charity work (as we’ve observed recently on Celebrity Apprentice). Does that automatically brandish her a Jesus freak? No – for all she and individuals of the like provide are the “silver and gold” Peter and John denied possessing: Natural aid that ascribes some-one, some-thing, or some method honor aside from Christ.

Is charity good? Of course. Does charity impact eternity? Only if the Gospel associated with it transforms the recipients’ lives. Otherwise, all “charity” does is somewhat enhance peoples’ here-and-now (and even promote lethargy, laziness, and sinful, destructive lifestyles) while they remain well on their way to eternal separation from the Only One who truly satisfies, on earth and forever.

Interestingly enough, the album featuring “Jesus Freak” was released the very year as the secular Joan Osborne smash, “One of Us,” which makes a very contrary inquiry: “What if God was one of us? Just a slob like one of us...?”

In my opinion, this current Christian generation is caught smack-dab in the middle of these two warring observations of the Divine. Sadly, the latter observation of God as “one of us”… Jesus as our homeboy…Buddy Christ…God as my Pal… and so on – these imbalanced observations which shockingly minimize Who God is as holy, glorious and utterly terrifying - is being embraced by the church with wide open arms all in the name of making Jesus relevant and relatable. They’ve turned Jesus into a dispenser of silver and gold – natural charity – when in fact, He desires to manifest and infuse the natural with the supernatural. God-forbid that happens anymore.

I hate to say it, but Christianity in its present form is working hard on emasculating God, either preaching a perversion of His Power (Word of Faith, which essentially makes the Sovereign Creator and Sustainer of the Universe, our butler), or vehemently brandishing His power as Taboo and ceased upon the conclusion of the Apostolic Age.

That God, however, is not Jehovah. This “god” that is as Joan Osborne declares, “just a slob like one of us… trying to make his way home…” is lost and needy. He needs us. He needs our prayers. He needs our confession. He needs our worship. He needs our love. If we don’t give it, we deny Him of completion. Folks, this is not our God. In fact, we pray and worship and love Him because He is not needy. This God Who is completely Self-Sufficient loves us and paid an extremely high price to redeem us from sin and adopt us into His family. Oh, what a marvelous Savior!

The “One of Us” God of feel-good, happy-go-lucky Christianity does not incite awe. He does not bring us to our knees. He doesn’t shake foundations, move mountains, melt hills like wax, scatter His enemies, wield a double-edged Sword, and bring us to tremble. And yet this God loves you. He loves me. And a step further, He filled us with Himself so that we could continue the ministry of Jesus Christ in the earth. That is why, like Paul, our aim is to preach the revelation of “Christ and Him crucified.”

Paul was no eloquent orator. He simply preached the Gospel and God would literally, physically and powerfully manifest Himself in those atmospheres. The sick were healed. The dead were raised. Demons fled. And most importantly, many were knocked off their horses of sin and rebellion and were supernaturally brought to bow before the Cross. Talk about freakish. I’m sure that would sure interrupt some agendas, reform some theologies, and ultimately, reintroduce the power-full Christianity of the Bible.

Man in his natural state is very capable of offering handouts – improving one’s condition in their pit, be it a pit of sin and God-less depravity; or if the individual is saved, these handouts essentially pat backsliders, well, on their backs, while they wallow in the prodigal pigpen. God, however, is all about bringing stragglers to their senses. He loves us too much to leave us eating from troughs of pig-pods. He’s all about reaching into pits, demonstrating His mighty hand and outstretched arm, and demolishing the fences of pigpens, wooing the desperate prodigal into returning home.

I pray that we would trade in “silver and gold” handouts for supernatural hand-ups that bring great glory to our Awesome Savior!

Get Out of that House!

By Larry Sparks

I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. (Exodus 20:2, KJV)

When you research the Hebrew term for “bondage,” (ebed), note one of the latter Lexicon definitions: a servant of servants. What does this mean to the unfortunately-enslaved twenty first century Body of Jesus Christ? The type of bondage we face in this age is NOT at the hand of one greater, stronger, or wiser. No. If one deems him/herself an appendage of Christ’s body and is well aware that he/she is currently in a position of “bondage,” this individual is living in subservience to him who has been brought to nothing – Satan.

More simply put, to live as a slave to sin, addiction, sickness, deception, depression, etc., is really living in slavery to the dethroned taskmaster who, through Christ, became a slave destined for destruction. When speaking of Satanic principalities and powers, Paul reminds us of a topic that is beyond necessity in the church today, and that is the sufficiency of the cross

In Colossians 2:15, he reminds believers that Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it (NKJV). What is the “it” Paul refers to? Examine the previous passages and notice he is writing of the authority of Calvary’s Old Rugged Cross (see AMP version). I particularly enjoy the modernization of this verse provided by the MESSAGE: He stripped all the spiritual tyrants in the universe of their sham authority at the Cross and marched them naked through the streets.

Is it any wonder that Satan longs for us to live in bondage to shame? You see a lot of Christians understand that they are free from sin and its requirements (hell, torment and God-separation) – to some degree at least – but, they forget that Christ bore our shame as well as our sin. Shame is Satan’s snare to thwart the bride from enjoying fellowship with the Bridegroom. The bride observes herself as unworthy, dirty, adulterous, promiscuous, and unholy IF she heeds Satan’s false accusations. They may feel accurate, seeing that yes, in and of our own ability, strength and righteousness, we are all of those horrible things and more. When Truth enters the equation, however, those feelings or temporary “facts” are required to shift. Apparent facts, regardless of how real, true and reliable they seem to the sensory realm, must bend to the Word’s finality and this, brothers and sisters, is reason enough to shout for joy when Satan provides you “reason” to do anything but. A sad portion of the bride is not functioning in her Eden-allocated God-likeness.

Because of Christ, slave-Satan is no longer a formidable foe. In fact, He is under the Holy One’s whip, and safely positioned beneath His bride’s feet. After all, bride and Groom rule and reign together – such is original intent. Remember, God’s mandate in Eden was not just to him (Adam), but it was to them (Adam and woman): And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion (Gen 1:28, KJV). Paul refers to Jesus Christ as the Second or Last Adam (see Rom 5:12-21, 1 Cor 15:45), so is it any wonder then that the Last came to reclaim what the first surrendered over to the serpent? This, my friends, is what it means to recognize the need for deliverance and in turn, release it. Too many Christians are unaware that they ARE free. Period. Why? No one’s teaching, or encouraging them to seek out teaching concerning the sufficiency of the cross.

I cannot NOT fix my gaze upon the wondrous cross, for it was at and because of that place – that moment – hanging on that cruel tree of torment that our sin was paid for in full, that our physical healing was purchased, and that, ABOVE ALL, the fantastic notion of reconciliation with the Almighty could be made a blood-accessible reality. This is what it means to be brought UP out of the house of slavery, for no longer as we slaves to the defeated and shamed god of this world – Satan – but we are Servant-Bride-Friends of the Living God. I don’t know about you, but I refuse to exist as a servant of servants when in fact I’ve been purchased to rule and reign with my Lord and Saviour, Christ Jesus.