Always Tried and Proven (11 page)

      “Lord, will you show Callie what a blessing she is to this tent?  Open her eyes to her effectiveness.  Give her peace, Lord.  Let love be the flame that kindles hearts tonight.” He whispered plaintively.

     Callie never for one moment thought he was trying to manipulate her with romance.  She knew he was thinking of the thousands coming to the meeting.  He wanted them to feel the love of God.  She could feel it burning in his heart for the people, and was awed.

      Callie felt kind of dizzy suddenly, and she realized that she was swaying.  Sam stepped closer and drew her under his arm, still cradling her head with his other hand.  “Don’t be afraid, Callie.  It’s all right.”  He assured her softly. 

      Callie felt totally ensconced in warm, heavy peace and comfort.  She felt loved and cared for, without any pressure or demand for response.  It was wonderful!

      And at that moment, she realized that the love of God burning in Sam’s heart was for her, as well.  No different than any other human, but just as wonderful, and individual.

      She felt so special, and humbled.  It made a greater impact on her than anything Sam could have said.  For the very first time, her heart splintered open just a mite, to receive the love of God.

      “Thank you, Lord.”  Sam said, as the feeling intensified.  He just stayed there with her until it began to lift a bit.  She finally lifted her eyes, only to find that Sam’s were closed.  She watched him curiously for a time, and then at last, he opened his eyes.  He smiled at her, and released her.

      “I’ll see you later.  Go after it, tonight.”  He encouraged her.

      She smiled back, and nodded.  He forced himself to walk away.

     Callie couldn’t seem to shake the feeling that had come over her when Sam had prayed.  Yet it didn’t alarm her, or frighten her in any way.  Though her limbs felt heavy, her heart felt light and peaceful.  She sat there and pondered it while Clyde opened the service and the worship team did a few familiar songs.

      Then Sam took the stage, and the crowd quieted.  Callie looked out through the curtains and saw that he was soaked already.  Sweat was running down his temples, and soaking through his shirt.  He clasped his hands behind his back and paced slowly.  The headset mic he wore gave him complete freedom.

     “Our God is so faithful.”  He said in a hushed voice.  “He is
always
faithful. Though our circumstances might tell us the exact opposite, we must hold to His Word and His Truth.  His Promises. We must cling to Him.  No matter how unbelievable and far from heavenly things seem, if we hold true to Him, He will bring us through.”

     “He will unceasingly hold fast to His Word, His Truth; and those who stand with Him upon His Word, will be
always
victorious.  He always has a plan.  He always makes a way.  The circumstances of this world are nothing compared to the Truth and the Ways of our God.” 

     “He is unceasingly faithful, because He promised.  If you ever don’t feel that you know what to do, go back to what He has said.  His Word will find you and light the path ahead for you.”

      Callie put a hand to her throat, and wondered.  How had Sam known what she was going to sing?  He hadn’t been in the tent when she and Jeremy had done their almost inaudible practice run.

     “He is faithful through thick and thin.  Through any kind of drug abuse; through alcoholism; through pornography;  through prostitution and child abuse.  He is faithful through murder; abortion; adultery and fornication; He is faithful in life; and faithful in death.”

      "You cannot move so far away from God that you won’t be able to find Him again.  You
have not
strayed too far away.  All you have to do, is turn around and you’ll find that He’s right there behind you – just waiting for you to change your heart.”

     "It’s not enough to confess your sins, or pay lip service to His Majesty.  It’s not enough to be a good person, and do good works for others.  These things are great deeds; but if you don’t seek Him in your heart, and let His love take you to the cross — it will never be enough.”

     His steely eyes scanned the tent.  His boots made a hollow noise in the silence as he strode very slowly across the stage.  He looked into hundreds of pairs of eyes.  “He wants your whole heart.”  Sam gazed at the sea of faces resolutely.

     “If the Governor of New York called you up and said he wanted you to dine at his table, you’d drop everything.  You’d buy new clothes.  You’d wash your car and you’d make sure everything was just perfect.  You’d be waiting on pins and needles for the time to come.”

      He gave that idea a moment to soak in.  “Well, I have news for you.  The King of Kings and Lord of Lords has done better than that.  He’s come to
you
!  He’s brought you His banqueting table and set a feast before you.  He knew you were going to be here.  He has written an invitation with your name on it, and set a place for you at His own table.”

     Silence deepened the conviction that had begun to fall upon the people.  Callie could feel it heavily.  The love of God that she’d felt so keenly earlier in Sam’s heart for the people, was being poured out.   It was alive, and endless. The depth of love that she sensed was causing her to feel this conviction.  God was waiting for her.  God wanted her.

     She crossed her arms, and shook her head.  She didn’t want to feel this conviction. But she had to admit it, Sam was good.  She could almost imagine feeling God’s eyes on her back, patiently watching her and waiting for her to turn to Him, and ask forgiveness.  Seek His love, His acceptance.  She bowed her head.

     “He is offering you complete amnesty today.  You who raped your nine year-old niece; you can be pardoned today.  You who dumped your infant boy in a garbage bin.  You who sodomized your little brother.  You who helped kidnap a little girl for pornography mongers.  You, who stabbed that old man and took his wallet.  You who committed bestiality.  You who frequented the prostitute on Broadway last week.  Yeah, she calls herself Bonnie.  You can be pardoned today.”

     “All of these things can be put under the Blood of the Lamb.  He is the
only
acceptable sacrifice.  These deeds can be washed away by the Blood of the , and never again recalled by the Judge.  You can be washed clean.”

     “All of you who worship the Liar and the father of Lies.  You practitioners of witchcraft.  He knows that you are here.  You can’t possibly hope to recite your pathetic spells and incantations against the Most High God!  His mighty right hand will crush your fallen angel to the pit of Hell in the fullness of His time.”

     “Do not be deceived any longer!  I get the names Tamara, and Jason and Melinda.  Confess Him tonight, ask Him to be Lord in your life – and He will wipe the slate clean.”

     “I hear you questioning:  If this God is so strong, why does he wait, then?  If he can crush Satan, why doesn’t he?  Why would he wait, if He is able?”

     Sam chuckled.  “Child, he’s waiting for you!  He stays his hand because it is His will that
none
should perish.  Because He loves you!  He allows Satan to rage in the earth, holding back the time — so that you will have
every
opportunity to come to Him.  You, and many like you.

      Again, you want to know what God’s will is?  The Will of God is
that none should perish
.  He is holding back the hordes of hell, to give you every chance now, while you yet live.  Turn back to Him, and
run
to safety.  Come
now
.  Don’t delay any longer.”

      “Someone here is dying of Aids.  You have very little time left.  Someone here stabbed his little brother in the leg while he was sleeping, and you crippled him.  You can be free of your guilt today.  Someone here murdered a man in 1972 and your guilt was never discovered.”

       Sam let the murmuring crowd settle down again before he went on.  “Again, I am not revealing these things to expose you.  I don’t know who you are.  But I know that you are here, because God is never wrong.  He
says
you are here, and He knows about every single sin.  But He has come here tonight, to call out to you.  To get your attention.  To invite you to come.”

      "Don’t take your chances.  Don’t say that you’ll do this some other time.   The Father promised that He will accept those who receive and confess Jesus as Lord.  He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  Time has a way of running out, and things pushed aside have a way of never getting done.  The power of God is here to heal your life tonight, in every area.  And to change you …
forever
.”

     He walked a bit, and looked into the section on his right.  “This King gave His life’s blood through the torture of the cross so that you could walk out of here 
free
tonight.  He died, that you might have
life
.  But after these things, He arose from the dead and He sits at the right hand of the Father.  With all power, all authority, over all principalities and powers.  Over life ... and over
death
.”

     He looked at them meaningfully, giving time for the words to sink in.  “He holds the keys to Hell and Death in his hand.  And He is waiting for you to come to Him, for you to know the reality of His love.

     "It is free, but it must be freely chosen before you can know it.  If you leave here tonight without taking this vital step, His death on the cross for you will have been in vain, until you do.  You will not have His life.  You cannot experience His love.  And you will not be with Him.  You will not know this great love.  Consider the alternative, and tell me why you do not come running to Him?”

     “Why do we wait?  Why do we pretend that we are all right without Jesus?  Because we are blinded by the Liar.  If you ask Him to, He will remove the scales from your eyes and He will show you the Truth.  If the Liar can keep you blinded, you will not see the Lord.  You will not see the Truth that will set you free.  He deceives you until it is too late.  He keeps you from life with Jesus that is eternal.”

     “The sad part is, that he has no power except that which you give him.  He can’t rob you!  He can’t keep you from Jesus!  He has long since been defeated!

     “Why, you may ask, doesn’t He reveal Himself, then? Why would such a great and powerful God, play hide and seek?

      Sam smiled.  “I think … that He wants to be chosen.  Isn’t every love like that, really?  Isn’t the very essence of love, knowing that you are
so special
that no one could ever take your place, in the heart your chosen one?  With your mother, father, friend?  It wouldn’t really be love, if you had no choice.”

     “Do you know what I believe the greatest pain and tragedy in this life, would be?  To come face to face with this King of Light and Love; and then have to face judgment.  To see the compassion in His eyes; feel the Love in his heart for you; bask in the glory of His presence, face to face; and then, to be removed from Him, into utter darkness.  You have to receive Jesus, to be saved.  You have to be covered by the blood of the Lamb.”

     “I’m not trying to scare you.  That isn’t the kind of altar call that brings real commitment and change.  You have to decide that He is real, and that He died for you.  You have to believe that He can make a difference in your life.  Most of all, you have to come to understand that He is worth the effort.”

     “You see, He wants to change your heart.  Lip service won’t do.  He is going to come to you and demonstrate His love for you.  And as you come into a relationship with Him, He will ask you to demonstrate your love, for Him.”

     “For you that are tired of the way that things have been.  If you’re tired of not having a real reason to live.  If there isn’t enough love in your life, then I call you.  Look to Jesus.  Give Him a chance to change it for you.  What have you got to lose?”  he asked softly. 

     “He is here right now, for
you
.  He is alive! 
In Him
is the power to give you eternal life;  to cleanse you entirely;  to heal your body; and to restore you to Himself.”  He said distinctly.

     “You have done things wrong, lovely one.  He wants me to tell you, whoever you are, of the woman caught in adultery.  He just set her free, saved her, and sent her on her way, admonishing her not to sin again.”

     “You’re not married; you’re a fornicator, you say.  You let that foul man with no soul have your heart and your body, and you have paid the price, in spades.  You watched him die … along with your own father.  You feel it must have been your sin that caused this to happen.  He wants you to know, that is simply, not so.  It was not your actions that caused these things to happen. He still loves you.  He still wants you.  It’s not too late for you.  Don’t let the evil one lie to you anymore.  You’re
not
beyond hope.”  He encouraged.  “you’re
not
beyond saving. 
Not one of you
here tonight, is.” He swore.

      He nodded to Callie, and turned back to the crowd.  “Our lovely Callie Wilson is going to sing for you.  Just let the Lord speak to you as she sings, and then, if you want to, come.  I’ll pray for you and help you find the door beyond whatever problem you face today.”