“…if anyone is in Christ, he is a NEW creation; old things have passed away; behold, ALL THINGS have become new.” (2 Corin. 5:17) One Saturday, as I often would do, I smoked a pipe full of marijuana (Acapulco gold, a golden-leafed Cannabis that caused ‘wonderful’ hallucinations) on the way to work. As an alcoholic, I had cut way back on my drinking because it hindered my design work (I was an Electronics Design Engineer) whereas drugs ‘enhanced’ my design (I’m speaking as a druggie not a Christian). On this Saturday as I walked into work ‘stoned’ I entered in to a conversation with Tim (My Christian technician) and he began to share with me how a friend of his (David) had become demon possessed and belonged to the First Church of Satan in San Francisco, a church that Anton LaVey was involved with. A very strong minister who had experience in casting out demons came to David’s aid and with the help of the Lord, David was delivered!
This was the first time I had heard anything like this, but I believed Tim because he had proven himself truthful in the year he worked with me. On Tuesday morning May 17th, 1972 I walked down my private hall to my private restroom (my intentions are not in any way haughty, this was just the way I felt then) I walked in closed the door and someone put their arms around me and said, “Bill I love you!”. I dropped to my knees right next to the toilet, and said “I’m Sorry” I had no idea what to say but that seemed appropriate and began to cry because this great burden, I was not even aware of, was lifted off me. I stood up not knowing what to do but realizing that a miracle had just been done for me! I felt forgiven! So, I went out and found Tim, usually when I went out to look for him it was to chew him out for some reason or another. I tried to explain what happened but Tim just looked at me kind of funny. He did not really understand until the next day when I brought a bible, my grandmother had given me many years earlier and asked Tim if he would help me understand. I also brought a couple marijuana joints with me so we could ‘relax’ and really get into the word. I did not know any better at that time because I had not been sanctified yet. Tim simply said ‘no thanks’ to the joints so I put them away and we read.
On Thursday night, we went to a revival (my first) at the Seattle Church. Joyce, Tim’s wife, sang a song “Sheltered in the Arms of God “ I just cried and cried because I now understood what this meant. When the altar call was given I went down to pray and this still small voice said to me ‘what about your marijuana?’ (I had just purchased 10 bags of the Acapulco gold and prepared it in the large baby food jars with the stems ground up and separated). The thought came to me ‘sell it’ and give the money to the church, no, that will put some else in harm’s way. Then I thought ‘go home and burn it in your fire place’ no’ my neighbors might get on my roof and breath in from my chimney. Finally, this inspiration came to me ‘put this “pot” down the pot – the toilet! So that is what I did. As I was about to open the last jar, I could not get the lid off and just then this strange still small voice said, ‘you better hang on to this just in case’ I cried out NO and said Jesus, please help me open this! And He did, as I was pouring it into the toilet my feet lifted off the ground and the Lord said, “this is what it is like to be high” a clean, holy and joyful high. I was sanctified by the blood of the lamb, miraculously and instantaneously delivered from drugs and alcohol, we dumped all our alcohol down the toilet as well.
God has chosen to make known the glorious riches of His mystery, which is Christ in you (me), the HOPE of glory.(Col. 1:27)
-Bill Stockham