Forgotten (Book 3--Forsaken Series)

by Vanessa Miller

  As Lamont closed his Bible, God had him look out at the lake and the vision of hundreds upon hundreds of people being baptized and renewed in their faith flashed before his eyes. He turned to the congregation with hope in his voice and said, “We have rented this space for the entire weekend, so I’m not going anywhere. What I’m going to ask you to do is join me in a consecration to the Lord.”

  When little interest was shown for Lamont’s idea of a consecration, he lifted his head to heaven and then prayed for help. He then said to the people, “Aren’t you tired of trying to cover up your sin? Are you tired of praying and receiving no answer? Don’t you want to live holy?”

  “Yes, yes and yes’s were shouted throughout the pavilion as people began to stand up and move closer to the front.

  “Then join me, saints. Let’s consecrate ourselves from sin. Let’s fast and pray and sing unto the Lord. Then on the last day of this revival,” Lamont pointed out towards the lake where God had shown him a vision, “we are going to be baptizing any and all who have taken part in the consecration. And I guarantee you, saints, if you do this with me this weekend, God will rain down the power of the Holy Ghost like you’ve never seen it before.”

  ***

  The people began dancing and shouting as they were all prepared to fast, pray and wait on the Lord to renew their strength. Spirit filled saints were on the ground bowed down, thanking and praising God. They had known for a long time that the body of Christ needed a refreshing and had been praying for this very thing for many years. Reign, Lord Jesus, Reign, they all began to sing.

  In the back of the room the cameramen kept rolling the tape. One of them had alerted The Word in Action Network as to what was going on and they were now on a live feed. Other networks were picking up their broadcast as well. During the eleven o’clock news, the word would be spread all across the town about the revival taking place at Edgewater Park.

  Twenty

  “I should have shot him myself,” Cynthia said as she sat with JT in the waiting room.

  Walt was in surgery and Cynthia didn’t appear to be devastated any longer. She was madder than a purse snatcher holding onto an empty purse. JT tried to calm her. “Don’t say things like that, Cynthia. You don’t mean it.” JT tried to find a way to bring comfort to Cynthia, but that was a hard task, since he didn’t know how to defend a man who had just been shot by his girlfriend in front of hundreds of people.

  “Oh I mean it, all right. And don’t act like you didn’t see Victoria pull me off of Walt and start hugging on him as if he was her husband,” she fumed, then balled her fist in anger as she said, “I feel like such a weakling for just sitting idly by and letting that woman shoot my husband for his cheating ways. I should have done it myself.” She closed her eyes, shook her head. “I’m such a fool.”

  “I’m sorry for what has happened between you and Walt.”

  She shrugged as if nothing mattered anymore. “Oh, it’s not like I don’t deserve everything I got. After all, I’m the reason he became so power hungry in the first place, right?”

  “This isn’t your fault, Cynthia. Don’t blame yourself for things that Walt did.”

  With a smirk on her face she told him, “I already know that you blame me for everything. You’re still ticked with me because I talked Walt into preaching rather than continuing to carry your Bible and water around.”

  JT lifted a hand, halting Cynthia’s accusations. “You and Walt made the decision despite my counsel. I might not have agreed with it, but I stuck by the both of you throughout the years.”

  Cynthia lowered her head. She pulled some tissue out of the tissue box on the coffee table next to her and wiped her eyes. “I’m sorry for what I said. I’m just so angry right now that I can’t think straight.”

  He patted her on the shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. I’d be angry if someone shot my spouse also.”

  The doctor entered the waiting room and came up to Cynthia. “Mrs. Jenson?”

  “Yes, that’s me.” Cynthia stood up. JT joined her as they waited for the doctor to speak.

  “I’m Doctor Joseph Livingston. I just completed surgery on your husband and we were able to remove the bullet.”

  “Oh thank God,” Cynthia said. “Is he all right?”

  The doctor continued. “I understand that he was shot in the stomach, however, the bullet lodged into his back. And although we were able to get it out, I can’t promise that he will be able to walk again.”

  “Oh my God.” Cynthia slumped back into her chair with her hand over her mouth.

  “Thanks for letting us know, Doctor,” JT said and then sat back down next to Cynthia. “You can’t give up, Cynthia. Trust God and believe that Walt will walk again.”

  “You don’t understand,” she said miserably. “I want to leave him.” Crying like somebody stole something precious from her, she added, “Now I’m stuck. I’ll have to take care of him for the rest of my life. You can’t leave a crippled man, no matter how low-down he is… I’m being punished.”

  JT’s cell rang at the right time. He knew how to comfort people who were grieving for their loved ones, but this whole grieving for self pity was new territory for him. Cassandra was calling and so he answered. “Hey honey, is everything okay?”

  “JT, are you anywhere near a television?”

  JT looked and saw a flat screen television hooked to the wall in the waiting room. “Yeah, there’s a television in here.”

  “Turn on the news.”

  No one else was in the waiting room besides him and Cynthia, who was busy crying her eyes out for herself. So, JT got up and turned on the television. It was already on one of the local news channels. “I have it on; they’re talking about the shooting.”

  “Keep watching,” Cassandra told him. “The channel you’re watching is probably getting ready to show the same thing I just saw on Channel 7.”

  JT did as he was told and after a minute the camera switch from showing Walt being placed in an ambulance and Dynasty in the police car, to Lamont standing behind the podium. He was saying, “Christians have sinned.” The camera then switched back to the anchorman and he said, “You heard him right, folks. Someone is finally telling the truth on these holier-than-thou Christians. This preacher has called for consecration from sin for the entire weekend. And he even plans to baptize all who take part in the consecration on Sunday at Edgewater Park...”

  “Did you see the faces of the people who were still at the revival?” Cassandra asked her husband.

  “They look hungry... and not just for food, since Lamont just called a fast, but they look hungry for a move of God.” JT got excited. “This is it, Sanni. This is what God has called Lamont to do.”

  “And it wouldn’t have happened without you,” Cassandra reminded him.

  “I may have had the idea about the revival, but everything Lamont said on that stage came from his time with God,” JT corrected.

  “No baby, I’m not talking about the message that Lamont delivered. I’m talking about the fact that Lamont wanted to pack up and go home after everything that happened tonight. But God used you to help Lamont see that he had to press on. And the whole city is getting the message. If you hadn’t been there to give Lamont the shove he needed, there would be no move of God this weekend.”

  Humbly, JT said, “Thank you for saying that, Sanni. I’m glad that God saw fit to use me in whatever way he needed to.”

  “How are Walt and Cynthia doing?” Cassandra asked.

  Running his hand through his wavy hair, JT said, “Walt’s out of surgery. But I’m not real sure how Cynthia is doing. I was hoping that I could bring her home, so she can spend the night with us... and then maybe you can talk with her.”

  “Bring her on. I know I wouldn’t want to be alone at a time like this.”

  “Thanks baby, we’ll be there shortly.”

  When Margie was on the ground trying to stop Dynasty from shooting herself, she thought long and hard about fellowshipp
ing with God by watching the televangelists. Coming to church was getting much too dangerous. But when Lamont stood up and proclaimed the word of God that it was time for the church to get right and that they were going into consecration, she knew that there was no way that she would miss this move of God.

  She wasn’t about to hide out in her bedroom watching this on television. Margie was determined to get everything she needed from God this weekend. But she also wanted so many more of God’s children to partake in this time of consecration.

  So, she went to her car and pulled out her iPad and began writing about this consecration period on her blog. After admonishing everyone to take part in the weekend fast and consecration to the Lord, she then told all of her blog followers...

  I don’t care where you live, you need to get to Cleveland, Ohio. Whether you have to get on a bus, train or plane to get here, if I were you, I would get here by Sunday for the baptism. I work for Pastor Lamont so I can testify that he is truly a man of God, so I believe him when he says that the power of the Holy Ghost will fall on us like never before after the baptism and renewal. See you all soon. And remember to stay prayed up!

  ***

  Margie knew that many of the people who read her blog were broken hearted because their faith and trust in God had been shaken after experiencing some manner of church hurt. She wanted them all to feel the power of God as he removed the guilt, shame and even the pain out of their lives.

  After uploading the message to her blog, Margie closed down her iPad, put it back in her glove compartment and then went back into the church= to check on Lamont. She had already sent several deacons from Brother JT’s and Lamont’s churches to the grocery store to pick up a mountain load of bottled water. Margie wanted to make sure that she had Lamont covered.

  He’d called a fast for the people, but it was warm outside, so she didn’t want anyone to pass out. She understood that this was about consecration, but it never hurt to stay one step ahead of the scammers. After all, Margie’s Bible told her that God had allowed the wheat to grow with the tares... in other words; everybody coming into the house of God wasn’t saved.

  Lamont was on his knees before the altar crying out to God. Margie noticed that the cameramen were still filming even though the room was quiet except for the people who were praying right now. She walked over to the cameramen and asked, “Why are you wasting all of your film? Why don’t you just wait until Sunday and then film the baptism?”

  “Are you joking?” one of the men asked.

  “You must not know,” the other added, “we are streaming live on the Internet and several Christian stations have cancelled their normal broadcasts and are carrying this event throughout the entire weekend.”

  “Oh my good God,” Margie said. As she turned away from the cameramen and went to the front of the pavilion and sat down in an empty chair, she realized that this move of God was about to be even bigger than anything she could ever imagine.

  Twenty One

  JT threw on a pair of black slacks and a button down white shirt. He kissed his wife and his children goodbye as they sat at the breakfast table with Cynthia.

  “You’re headed out already? “ Cassandra asked.

  “From what I was told, most of the people spent the night there, so I’m a bit late on arrival, don’t you think?” JT said jokingly.

  “Well at least sit down and have some breakfast before you go.”

  Shaking his head, JT reminded her, “Lamont called for a fast this weekend.” He sniffed the air, taking in the aroma of pancakes and sausage. “It smells good in here, but I’m not about to break this fast until after the baptism on Sunday.”

  Cassandra put her hand to her mouth, and then quickly removed it. “Honey, I’m so sorry. I forgot all about the fast. But I haven’t eaten yet, so I’m all in with you.”

  “Are you coming to the revival?” JT asked, hopeful that he and Cassandra could take part in this move of God together.

  “Just let me feed the kids and get dressed. I’m going to drop the kids off with my Mom, then take Cynthia to get her car and sit with her at the hospital for a little while, but after that I will be at the revival with you for the rest of the weekend.”

  “Perfect,” JT said to his wife, then he turned to Cynthia and said, “Please call my cell phone if you need me to do anything for Walt or you today. I know Cassandra will be sitting with you this morning. But if you need us to come back, just let me know.”

  Cynthia nodded and then stood up. “I appreciate that.” She walked over to the stove and grabbed two sausage links. “I’m going to get dressed.” She began chewing the sausage before she stepped out of the kitchen.

  ***

  As JT entered the park, he knew without a shadow of a doubt that God was with them. The half could not be told of what God was doing in the lives of the people. Several Christian stations were streaming the event live. JT had even found a link online to watch the revival last night. But until he was actually standing there, he hadn’t been able to fully comprehend just what this was. The power of the Holy Ghost fell on him, and JT began walking around the place prophesying, “Your change is coming... wait on the Lord and be of good cheer, for the God you seek is here, dwelling among you.”

  He then fell on his face, prostrate before God and began weeping and praying, praying and weeping.

  The power of the Holy Ghost had not been limited to JT, because as more and more people arrived at the second day of consecration, one after another they would begin prophesying, telling one and all that the day of the Lord was near.

  After hours of laying prostate before the Lord, a few of the choir members took the stage and began singing, “He Wants It All.” The singers were prophesying themselves as the song went on to tell the people that God walked over the earth and that He was longing for a child that would give Him their all.

  When that song was finished, one of the choir members introduced a Michael W. Smith song to the congregation. Once they got the hang of the song, everyone began to understand the importance of the lyrics to The Heart of Worship. They all began to sing with a loud voice, telling God that they were coming back to the heart of worship. Because they now understood that worship was all about God.

  A part of the song apologized for turning worship into something else, like a spectacle or a concert that really had nothing to do with God. But when they came to the lyrics that said, “I’m sorry Lord, for the things I’ve made it,” tears began to flow, and instead of apologizing for not worshiping right, they began crying out to God, saying, “I’m so sorry, Lord. I want to live right… I’m sorry for taking Your grace and mercy for granted… I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” could be heard all across the park as the people earnestly cried out to God. At one point the music stopped, because the musicians were on their knees crying out their apologies to the Lord also. But the sweet song of those apologies didn’t need a guitar or piano to make its way to heaven.

  ***

  The Almighty was seated on His throne. His omnipotence glistened through the emerald rainbow arched above the magnificent throne. The twenty-four elders surrounded Him, who were also seated on thrones, and clothed in white radiant robes. They wore crowns of gold on their heads.

  Seven lamps of fire were burning and a sea of crystal lay at the Master’s feet. In the midst of the throne and around it, were four living creatures with eyes covering their entire bodies. The first living creature was like a lion, the second a calf, the third, a man, and the fourth, a flying eagle. Each of the creatures had six wings. They do not rest day or night, as their massive wings enable them to soar high above the thrones. Generating cool winds throughout heaven, they bellow continuous alms to their King crying, “Holy, holy, holy. Lord, God Almighty. Who was and is and is to come!”

  The twenty-four elders fell down before Him and worshipped saying, “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.”
They threw their crowns before the throne in adoration. But even while all of this was going on, the Lovely One, the One who sits high but graciously looks low, heard the sweet sound of worship mixed with sorrow coming up from the earth.

  Michael stood in the back of the throne room. He clasped his jewel embedded sword against the captain of the host and congratulated the angel on a job well done. The captain and his mighty warriors had just come back from a battle which had brought many souls to Christ in a region of the world where the Lord Jesus Christ was not accepted. “Your men have done well. They not only helped those preachers bring souls to Christ but they kept them alive also.”

  The captain put his sword back in its sheath and smiled. “The battle was well worth it.”

  The voice of thunder and lightning crackled from the throne. Michael excused himself. When he returned, he said, “The Lord has need of you again.”

  The captain unsheathed his sword once again and stood like a soldier ready for battle. “We will do the will of the Lord.”

  Michael patted the angel on the shoulder, comforted by the fact that he could count on this angel. Sounds are coming up from the earth that the Lord wants you and your host of angels to go down and check this out. If it truly is the sounds of repentance, then do everything in your power to help this young man with the task that God has put before him.

  That evening JT received a call from an old friend, Pastor Isaac Walker from the House of God Christian Church. “Hey JT, I called to let you know that we are fasting and praying with you all. Nina and I have been watching the revival on television and we’re just in awe of what God is doing down there.”

  “Thank you for praying for us, but I think we’re really going to need some help with the baptism tomorrow. Lamont is calm now, but I don’t think he has a clue what is about to break off in this place tomorrow.”