“Sin in what pulpit?” Lamont stood to challenge her.
“I’m not talking about you, Pastor Lamont. I believe that you truly have a heart for God and want to please Him. But the church has been infested with so many who would seek to live any kind of way and then stand before God’s people as if the call to live holy is just an Old Testament thing that went out the window when this New Testament grace entered the picture. And I simply don’t believe that is the case.”
Lamont thoroughly believed in the New Testament grace that Margie seemed to believe was just some license to sin. He just couldn’t understand why grace and mercy seemed to be on vacation. He lowered his head and prayed, asking God to reveal to him what was really going on, so that he would be able to help the saints of God.
Eleven
Struggling to pull himself out of a deep, terrifying sleep, Lamont heard himself scream and scream some more as blood kept rising from the ground and screaming at him to do something. But Lamont just kept screaming back, “What can I do? I don’t know what to do.”
Lamont turned to JT and begged him, “Man, please do something to help these people.”
But when JT lifted his hands to help one of the women drowning in blood, his hands were already full of blood and he could do nothing to help.
Lamont ran to the edge of the pool of blood and searched for a way in. When he could find none, he put his hands to his head and screamed for God to help the people.
Then Lamont heard a still small voice whisper to him, “Innocent blood calls to me. Who will give an account for them?”
“What can I do?” Lamont screamed again. “I don’t know what to do.”
Shaken, Lamont was jolted from the nightmare that had been assaulting him. He sat up in bed and as his eyes began to focus, he spotted his Bible on the nightstand. Seeking to understand what God was trying to tell him, he grabbed his Bible and prayed for direction as he opened it. His eyes landed on Deuteronomy 23:14:
For the Lord your God moves about in your camp to protect you and to deliver your enemies to you. Your camp must be holy, so that He will not see among you anything indecent and turn away from you.
After reading that scripture Lamont felt compelled to do a study on holiness. He turned to Isaiah 35:8: And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go about on it.
As he prayed, “Lord, show me what you want me to see,” he turned to Leviticus. In chapter eleven verse forty-five he read: I am the Lord who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy.
“I understand that You are holy, Lord. But what does that have to do with innocent blood calling out to You?” Lamont asked. When no answer came, he asked another. “Who am I, Lord? How am I supposed to convince Your people to live holy when this world we live in loves sin and even ridicules anyone who dares to call their lifestyle sin?”
He then turned to Leviticus 19:2 and began reading…
Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: 'Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.
And continued reading down to Leviticus 20:7: Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the LORD your God.
After reading the scriptures and communing with God, Lamont began to worry once again that he had bitten off more than he could chew. Who was he that he would be able to direct God’s people to this highway of holiness that was spoken of in the book of Isaiah?
He picked up his phone and dialed JT. When he answered, Lamont said, “Man, I really hope you have time for me today, because I need to run something by you.”
“I always have time for a brother in Christ. Since it’s such a warm day, I was just getting ready to barbeque for Cassandra and the kids, so come on over.”
Lamont shook his head as if JT could see his response. “I don’t want to interfere with your family time.”
“Boy, if you don’t cut that stupid talk. You are family. Now get on over here,” JT yelled through the phone line.
“Thanks, I’ll be over in about an hour,” Lamont said just before hanging up the phone. He jumped in the shower, running the water over his face as he tried to rid himself of the awful feeling the bloody nightmare brought his way. But no amount of water could cleanse his mind from the bloody images in his head.
He jumped out of the shower, threw on a sweat suit and rushed out of his house, seeming to believe that he’d be leaving the blood in his dreams behind him if he just left his house. But even as he drove to JT’s house, with eyes wide open, the images kept coming.
JT was flipping burgers on the grill when Lamont stepped on the back patio. Without turning around to see who had come onto the patio, JT said, “I put a turkey leg on for you.”
“Thanks man, I’m sure that your burgers are wonderful, but I don’t eat no parts of a cow or a pig.” Lamont came and stood next to JT. “Do you need help with anything?”
“Sanni and I have it covered. She’s getting ready to bring out the baked beans and potato salad.”
Lamont, his attention toward the back yard where Jerome and Aaron were laughing and playing with Lily on the swing set said, “Then I guess I’m going to play with the kids.” As Lamont picked up a football that had been laying dormant in the grass, he yelled at Jerome and said, “Boy, get off that swing and come catch this ball.”
“Uncle Lamont!” the three yelled in unison.
Jerome got off the swing set and said, “I was just playing with Lily. She likes me to swing with her,” he said as if an eight year old needed an excuse to enjoy time spent on a swing set.
“Hey, I’m going to get on that swing next,” Lamont said with laughter in his eyes. “I just wanted to throw the ball with you a little bit. I heard that you’ve turned into a running back while I’ve been building my church.” Lamont threw the ball.
Jerome caught it and said, “Yeah, Dad says that I’m going pro for sure. But Mommy said I should try out for basketball or baseball.”
Lamont laughed. “She just doesn’t want you getting hurt, that’s all.”
“She treats me like a baby,” Jerome complained.
“I heard that,” Cassandra said as she came out onto the patio and placed the food on the table.”
“I don’t think you should say anything else,” Lamont warned Jerome.
Jerome tossed the football to Lamont and ran back towards his brother and sister.
“Come on and eat,” JT called to everyone.
The kids ran to the table and Lamont sat down with them also. As JT put the meat on the table and everybody started grabbing buns and putting potato salad and bake beans on their plate, JT said, “I have some awesome news that I want to share with everyone.”
Cassandra looked up from her plate. “What’s up?”
“I just received a call from the producers of the Word in Action Channel and they want to televise the last day of the revival.”
Cassandra jumped up. “Oh my God, JT, that’s awesome!” She hugged JT and said, “Baby, I’m so proud of you. You’ve been working hard to rebuild our church and now God is rewarding you.”
Lamont hadn’t responded; he was drifting as he gazed down at the ground.
“Um, earth to Lamont,” JT said.
Lamont pulled away from his thoughts and smiled at his mentor. “That’s great news, JT. I’m happy for you.”
Cassandra sat back down.
JT studied Lamont for a moment. “So what's on your mind? " JT asked once the kids had eaten and were once again playing in the back yard, “You didn't sound right when you called earlier,”
After waking from that awful nightmare, all Lamont could think to do was call JT. But now that he was sitting with him and Cassandra, he felt a bit foolish... like a child running to his parents after the boogie man chased him in his dreams. Lamont shook his head. "I don't even know where to begin."
"JT said that you sounded terrified when
you called," Cassandra stated as she scooped up the paper plates off of the patio table. "So what brought that on?"
"I wouldn't say I was terrified." Growing up on the rough side of New Orleans, no guy ever admitted to being terrified of anything, not unless he wanted to get beat down just on GP every day of his natural born life. Cassandra might have been like a big sister to him, but he still couldn’t bring himself to admit his fear. "It was more like I was concerned about some things that God was showing me."
Cassandra threw the plates in the trash and then sat back down with JT and Lamont. JT asked, "Okay, so what's got you so concerned?"
Lamont put his head in his hands and shook it, but just as the water in his shower hadn't been able to drown out the visions in his head, this hadn't worked either. "God is speaking to me, but I just don't know what He wants from me or how I can do it." He recanted his dream, then followed up with his time in the Word as God directed him to scriptures on living holy.
JT stretched out his legs and leaned back in his seat as he pondered the situation. "And you say that I was there and every time you looked to me for help you saw blood on my hands?"
"It was the strangest thing I've ever dreamed," Lamont admitted. "As I tried to rescue one of the victims out of the blood, I kept screaming for your help. It was odd.” He frowned, “You weren’t in this bloody pool, but every time you lifted your hands, blood would drip from them. Then it seemed as if you were stuck and couldn't move."
"Sounds like God is trying to reveal some deep revelation to you," Cassandra said.
"Yeah, but I honestly don't know what I can do to help." Lamont stood up and paced in front of the patio table. "I mean, I'm only one man."
JT stood next to him and put his hand on his shoulder. "John the Baptist was just one man, but he prepared the way for Jesus Christ." JT moved Lamont back to the table. When they sat down, JT was silent for a moment as he looked at his mentee with wonderment in his eyes.
JT knew something, Lamont could feel it.
“I think I was wrong about you not being ready for leadership. Maybe God has been preparing you for such a time as this."
"But I don't know what to do, JT, that’s the problem."
"Don't you worry about that. Just as God has just revealed to me what your dream meant, I believe that He will show you what He wants you to do." JT then gave Lamont a stern look as he said, "You are the one Lamont. So, you do as God directed you and keep yourself consecrated before God." JT smiled as he leaned back in his chair.
"What are you smiling about all goofy like that?" Cassandra asked with a confused look on her face.
"If I revealed it to you, you probably wouldn't even believe me. Lamont probably wouldn't believe it either."
"Try us," Lamont said
JT stood up and pointed at Lamont. "You're a modern day John the Baptist... You are anointed and appointed to make the way straight for the return of Jesus, my brother."
Lamont closed his eyes as confirmation hit him. He had just tried to tell God that he wasn't a modern day Moses or John the Baptist, but now as JT stood there pointing at him, it was as if the hand of God was pointing at him and giving him an assignment. Lamont only prayed that he was up for the challenge.
***
Later that night as JT and Cassandra lay in bed, cuddling and watching a movie, she revisited the talk with Lamont, "You know, babe, with all the excitement of you declaring that Lamont was on an assignment from God and all, I totally forgot to ask you to clarify something else that you said earlier."
Holding onto his wife, JT brushed a soft kiss along the back of her neck as he said, "What's that, Sanni?"
She turned to face her husband. "You told Lamont that God had revealed to you the meaning of his dream. I still feel a little confused by some of it, so I was hoping that you would be able to share the revelation with me."
Pain etched across JT's face.
"What's wrong?" Sanni asked.
JT closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again a lone tear drifted down his cheek. "I wish I had been a better man."
"What's wrong, baby... tell me." She put her hand to his cheek to comfort him.
Sitting up in bed, he pulled Cassandra up with him. "I don't want to upset you."
"You're not upsetting me,; you’re scaring me, JT. What's going on?"
"No baby, don't lose your trust in me now. I've kept my word to you these last five years. I haven't done anything contrary to the Word of God, I can promise you that. It’s what I did before... that's what put the blood on my hands."
Hesitantly, Cassandra nodded, "Go on."
"Sanni, if I discuss this with you, you've got to promise not to get mad at me for past sins."
She held up her right hand. "You have my word, JT. I just want to know what's going on."
"Okay, here it is... the blood on my hands that Lamont saw has to do with all the women I cheated on you with."
As if lightening had struck, Cassandra visibly jumped.
"I don't want to get you upset," JT quickly said.
After a moment, Cassandra said, "It does hurt to think about all of that. I'm not upset. I know that's your past. Now, go on and stop trying to tiptoe around me."
"God showed me that the people Lamont saw who were bleeding and dying needed someone to help get them out of harm’s way. I couldn’t, because I had placed many women in harm’s way when I convinced myself and them it was okay to commit fornication and adultery. I confused them to the point that they no longer knew right from wrong.
"It will take someone like Lamont who has not been spotted by sin, since he gave his life to God to help turn the people around."
"That's deep. Because if it's like that, then a whole lot of preachers need to figure out how they can get the blood off their hands," Cassandra said.
"Ain't that the truth."
They lay back down and then Cassandra asked, "Does it make you feel bad that somehow God doesn't think you are fit for the assignment that He is giving to Lamont, your mentee?"
"It hurts that I’ve failed God," JT admitted, but then just as quickly added, "but I'm okay with it because I know that God has forgiven me for all my dirt and that He loves me. But just like King David couldn't build God's temple because of the blood on his hands, I will step aside and allow my spiritual son to help rebuild God's house in the way He wants it built."
“And because of that forgiveness, King David will always be remembered as a man after God’s own heart,” Cassandra whispered and then drifted off to sleep.
Twelve
Tony Denario was not a well man. His doctor had just informed him that his heart was beating irregularly and that two of his arteries were clogged. Yeah, yeah, yeah, he knew it was from being overweight, or rather from never saying no to fried chicken, fried fish, and fried ice cream. He'd even taken up the greasy habit of eating fried pickles. Now Doctor Cartwright was telling him that he had to lose a hundred pounds and start eating salads.
That news alone made him want to kill somebody. But the fact that he had no insurance and would need money set aside in case he had to have surgery, got his trigger finger to itching all the more. Tony had intended to turn down the contract that had just been put on this preacher’s head, because the woman simply wasn't paying enough money.
If it wasn't for his poor health, Tony would have laughed at that scrimpy five thousand dollar offer for one dead preacher. But since he’d never invested in a health care plan and now needed money for an operation, he had to look out for himself. But he still didn't feel good about what he was about to do.
He put the key in the lock as he opened his mother's front door. His mother was seventy-two, with white-gray hair and a beautiful smile that always seemed to brighten Tony's day. He would do anything for her. But this last thing she had just asked him to do was something that he wished he could say no to.
"Hey boy-o," Mrs. Denario said as her son walked into the kitchen. "I was just fixing your plate."
"How'd you know I was coming by?" Tony asked while eyeing the heaping plate of macaroni and cheese, collard greens, yams and fried chicken."
"You always come over on Sunday."
"Only because you cook all this good food." Tony took the plate from his mother, sat down and started vacuuming up the food. Once he had cleaned half the plate he said, "Now Mom, you know I really shouldn't be eating all this fattening food. My doctor says I need to take some weight off."
"That’s nonsense. You don't need to lose no weight," His mom said as she sat her three hundred pound girth into the seat next to him."
"You just can't see it because I'm your son and you love me," Tony said while slurping up the collard green juice that was the only thing left on his plate.
"Who else is supposed to say good things about you, if not your mama?" She pinched her son's round cheeks.
Tony gave an aw-shucks grin as he took his plate back to the stove and filled it up again with his second helping.
When he returned to the table and sat back down, his mother asked, "So, will you be able to take me to that revival next Sunday night?"
"To tell you the truth, Mom, I really don't want to attend that revival. And I don't know why you do either."
"What's wrong with attending a revival?"
"I hear that the pastor is not such a good man."
"Well there are three pastors that are in charge of this revival, so which one are you talking about?"
Tony knew that his mother didn't like it when he spoke ill of preachers, so he took her frown as a hint to shut up. "Okay Mom, no big deal. I'll take you."
***
"Hey Dynasty, I haven't heard from you in a little while so I was just calling to check on you, girl," Margie said when her friend answered the phone.
Forgotten (Book 3--Forsaken Series) Page 8
