Always Tried and Proven Read online

  "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.

&nbs
p; “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.”

  Callie shakily walked up to the mic, and tried to begin to sing of God’s faithfulness. She felt dirty and stained, and as though her unsanctified voice would smirch the very air. Jeremy had to repeat the intro again, as Callie tried to deal with the misgivings in her heart. But, Sam turned and looked into her eyes just then, and she felt the beam of truth and pure love come into her being. A great gladness filled her heart suddenly. He’d been speaking directly to her just one moment before, laying her heart open, and airing her sin publicly; yet Sam’s eyes caused her to know that it didn’t matter. His Grace was sufficient.

  She was only a tool; a vessel to use, like Sam, to touch the people. Suddenly, she understood. It didn’t matter if she was a sinner, or a saint at that moment. He could speak through any Balaam’s ass he chose. Yet, she was there, the chosen one, at that moment. It was a miracle, a strange way to go, but it was His choice.

  Sam’s eyes seemed to speak to her, telling her that the music flowing through her would make her clean. “It’s an act of faith.” His voice urged her, deep inside. “If you’ll sing it, he’ll cleanse you and you’ll become what you sing. Don’t think about it, just do it.” He seemed to say to her heart.

  So, she opened her mouth, forgetting her sin, and her voice was crystal clear, and hushed; sweet, but it cut like a knife. Before it was over, she’d built the power like a mighty wave, and her voice sounded like the roaring of a lion in its intensity. Yet it remained sweet, clear; then, husky; so feminine. It was cool and soothing, healing to the heart.

  The people poured like a river to the front, as Callie sang. There was no doubt about it; hearts were being deeply touched, throughout the tent. When she was done, there were few dry eyes left in the house. This time, there was no applause. Repentance had come very heavily. And the sound of weeping went on.

  Callie was just about to leave, when Sam’s voice stopped her cold in her tracks. “There is someone here tonight who hasn’t yet come to the altar. Someone who has been badly wounded by a man. A past love. Or perhaps, more than one. But this one was named Dexter. This lady is young. Twenty-three years old, and she is fragile in her heart. She has long hair.”

  Sam shook his head, and looked around the tent. “Honey, if you’re listening to me, come down here. Come now, quickly. Don’t wait anymore. Don’t try to analyze it. Jesus wants to heal you. He loves you. He specifically wanted you to know. He’s here for you. Tonight is the night for you to be healed from those wounds, and to enter the next chapter of your life, to have your dreams all fulfilled. Please come, honey.”

  Callie turned horrified eyes to Sam, fully expecting him to be looking right at her. But, he was scanning the crowd. “He tells me that you are twenty-three years old, and scared to death, tonight. He says don’t worry about being late to work. The boys can do it without you, tonight.”

  “He says that your papa’s name was Willy. He was somehow involved in this situation that was so hurtful to you. This is pretty specific stuff, young lady. This is the voice of God, calling out to you. I know you’re here. He’s very insistent.”

  Callie shut her mouth, and turned to scurry off the stage. Then, Sam started talking again. Somehow, Callie was obliged to listen. She just could not walk away, when he was talking to her so specifically. But she was frightened. Very frightened.

  “Honey, I almost lost my life, when I was your age. I didn’t realize that I was precious to the Lord. I had no idea that anybody cared for me. I was face down in a gutter in the rain, sick and spent, when I realized that I was going to die. There was no one to save me. No one to help me. No one who cared, no one who even knew my name in that city. I'd only arrived on a boat from Sydney, earlier that day.”

  “But then, a man walked up the alley, and found me lying there, in a pile of garbage. He bodily picked up all two hundred pounds of me. He carried me three miles to the nearest hospital, on his own back. He paid cash for my bill in advance, and checked me into the hospital under my correct, full name. Then he left, and I never saw him again. But, I will never forget the sight of his face, bending over mine. The compassion and love in his eyes was simply staggering to me. I couldn't understand it, nothing made any sense.”

  Sam walked the stage, his eyes continually roaming the crowd. “The thing of it is, I was a complete stranger. I’d found some drug mongers to hang out with, and I told them my name was Teddy. I was afraid to tell them my real name. And so, no one knew anything about me. I had no identification, no wallet, and no credit cards. I was simply interested in getting drugs. I promised some girls that I’d do anything for drugs, and they took me to a party. And they took me at my word. I nearly gave my life for those drugs.”

  “Those people did atrocious things to me, then threw me in the alley, for dead. It’s a miracle that I’m alive. I am telling you this because … just as there was someone there that night who came and saved my life -- someone sent by Jesus – there is someone here tonight who is willing and able to reach a hand out to you. Someone who will care enough to pursue you for His sake, because He loves you so dearly.”

  “Young lady,” he pleaded. Callie watched Sam stop suddenly, and bow his head. He swallowed hard and looked at the crowd with narrowed eyes, trying to hold back tears. “I would lay down my life today, if that’s what it takes to see you restored to Jesus. You were saved as a child, but you wandered away. He wants you back.”

  “Will you come here and let me pray with you? Will you please, come? Come on, honey. This bitterness in your heart has been eating you alive. This betrayal, this awful thing that happened, is not worth losing your eternal life over. Come and release it now, won’t you? Give the burden back to Jesus, and give Him your heart once again.”

  Callie gasped, and darted out of the tent. She simply couldn’t take it, anymore. Her hands were still trembling when she pulled in and parked at the club. She couldn’t seem to snap out of it. How could Sam have known all those things, known about Dexter? How could he have known about her father? How could he have known her age? Why? Why was he trying to expose her this way?

  Callie’s night was horrid. She was not herself, at all. She had a Peppermint Schnapps to soothe her nerves, but even that didn’t help. She was really quite undone. She went through her first three sets by rote, feeling like she had a plastic smile pasted on her face. She felt as though she wanted to vomit, or cry, or both.

  Finally, her fourth and final set came. She almost didn’t put the sun dress on; then she chided herself. She had a job to do, and do it she would. She put the dress of sea-green silk on, and let her hair flow down over her shoulders. She smiled sadly at herself in the mirror as she brushed out her long tresses. They glimmered under the lights, like silk. Wearing her knee-high white boots, she made a very pretty picture as she climbed the steps to the stage.

  She was back just in time, and the band lost no time starting the music for her. She put on her guitar while they played the intro, and then she stepped into the spotlight and began si
nging. She closed her eyes whenever she was tempted to look around and see if Sam was sitting out there. She was thoroughly convinced that she didn’t want to know it, if he was. She was pretty certain anyway, that he wouldn’t come back tonight; it was foolishness to think he would. Still, her heart plummeted when she looked and didn’t see him anywhere.

  Half way through the set, she decided it was time for a love song. The one she had in mind was lovesick and melancholy, and she certainly felt the part. Sam was getting to her, in a big way. How he’d cut her to the bone when he said he’d lay his life down for her! He’d had tears in his eyes as he begged her to come. He’d humbled himself and begged. He’d made himself so vulnerable to try to save her. Her! Just her. And he didn’t even know that she was the one he was calling to. Sadie knew nothing about Willie or Dexter, so she could not have told Sam.

  This God must be real. He must be real. He’d certainly given her enough to think about. He knew all about her, and he’d told Sam all those things.

  The song went over very well. She got a cry in her voice that was real. All too real. She sang every word deliberately, and she meant every word.

  There was silence when she was done, and then a roar of applause. While the audience was still going wild, the boys counted off a driving rock song and hit it, while Callie put her guitar back on. She felt better after bleeding some of the emotion out of her soul, and then delivering some rock with an attitude. The last few songs passed quickly, and before she knew it, it was time to close up.

  Callie sighed as the house lights went up, and she put her hands on her aching lower back. Then her heart somersaulted, and plummeted into her stomach. Her tongue suddenly stuck to the roof of her mouth. She couldn’t seem to make her frozen body move. He was sitting there watching her, in Levi’s and a white shirt open at the collar. His eyes looked like living fire.