New Year Revelations
Then came New Year's eve, marking another beginning and end. Robin and I were invited to a party in Centereach at the home of some of our Jewish friends from Stony Brook. I enjoyed my friendship with these students who truly enriched my life. I longed to be able to express my faith and show the oneness of our God. From my earliest childhood I loved the Jewish race.
The party was a mix of many different kinds of students from a number of different schools. I had originally met many of them at my part-time job at Fat Humphrey's Hero Palace a fast food sub-sandwich store in Stony Brook. One of the owners, a fellow worker and some students lived in the Centereach house. Stan, Dave, Marty, Brad, Bob and Peter are the names of a few. These are some of the people who saw first hand some of the strange changes in my life. I'm sure most thought I was just a burnt out druggie and had no idea of how strong God's hand was in my life.
God has his reasons for cloaking some of his messengers. It takes faith and spiritual vision to see into the hearts of men. When we judge with our natural eyes we can miss the greater truths. Did not Isaiah refer to the Christ as one in whom no natural beauty was seen? Is not this the reason why the Jews overlooked their true Messiah.
Great symbolism reigned that New Year's eve as the party progressed. My gentile friend Peter wrapped himself in the American flag in a mocking way. His action was irreverent and offended God's holy ways. I wanted to take it from him and display in a righteous way. Then we started a fire in the fireplace located in the west wall of the living room. We burnt a empty cardboard box that had " fight litter " written on it at the stroke of midnight. Again, this seemed to be a symbolic unplanned act.
What does it all mean. First we must win America back for God and second we must burn the sins of our past. Robin and I witnessed for the love of God to many of the people there. Some sensed our mission and noted that we were different and thanked us for caring. We left in the early hours of the morning. As we travelled from Centereach to my parent's home in Rocky Point, more strange signs happened. The traffic increased and seemed to follow our very pace. I thought in my mind,"why is the world following us?"
At my home, we were greeted by my Mother who had waited up for us. Our New Year was many hours old and I was thanking God for all my many blessings. I was wide awake and felt inspired to read Ecclesiastes awaiting the dawning of the first New Year sun. The pages of the Bible seemed alive with the swirling of tiny colored lights drawing a tapestry of flowered vines. Together with the words of the preacher my soul came to life. In the clearness of my mind I concluded that God was the light in the power of the sun.
The sunrise dawned on a new decade bringing renewed light to brighten God's coming day. For as the preacher in Ecclesiastes said, " there is nothing new under the sun " and yet " there is a time and season for everything under heaven." He then concludes " the sum of the whole matter is to fear God and obey his commandments." With this in mind, I walked out into the morning light seeking the fullness of life. Then up in the sky I looked to see what seemed to be a great battle in the sea of clouds. Astonished and amazed, I continued to reflect in wonder on all that God was showing me. The light, the sun and the Son of God seemed to have some great eternal connection with this battle being fought over my soul.
A few days later, during the morning of January the 4th, all of my life's dreams began to burst forth in radiant heavenly light. The reason this happened I now must write. The night before I spent alone talking to my friend Peter about my belief in God, Christ and freedom. We were together at the Centereach house on Bowdoin Rd. between Morning Dr. and Tree Rd. I write the names of things so you can see all the shadows, types and signs around these great events in my life. In any case, Peter seemed totally intrigued with my ever growing testimony of Christ and God. He seemed sincere and I thought I had a new convert for Christ.
Then in the flash of an instant, Peter changed his tact and went on the attack. He belittled my experiences and testimony then threatened my person with physical harm and death. He said " Who do you think you are and what makes your testimony of Christ so special ? It's nothing new, the Catholics and Protestants have been saying the same thing for the last two thousand years." I was in shock and felt fear and doubt descend upon me so I could not speak. Peter laughed and said, "You don't understand anything and you have no idea who you are and where you are even going with your life!"
After Peter made that statement, I found the faith, courage and strength to speak. I agreed with him on the point that I didn't know were my life would lead and then I made the following statement: " This I know, that God lives and he will lead Robin and me to the place we should be. " That simple act of faith worked a great miracle. My whole body began to fill with great light and power beyond human strength and understanding. I saw a seagull fly low by the window which caused me to rejoice. I mentioned it to Peter and opened the door and looked up into the sky to point him out. Then to my total amazement I saw a multitude of heavenly angels sailing right over head.
The veil was rent and I was caught up into the holy mountain of heaven. The Holy Ghost was upon me in the fullness of his might. The visions of eternity were all about me. I saw the American Eagle fly in glory and might bringing the message of Zion into my sight. I saw the nation of Israel as women gathering her children before the final day. I felt and tasted the great eternal victory as righteousness and salvation won out. I saw numberless concourses of angels stretching back for eternity into the sides of the north. I looked into the greater light and I thought I saw the sidereal heavens with the great Eternal Father sitting upon his throne. I fell upon the earth to hide my unworthy face and praise his holy name.
Meanwhile the spirit of Satan had fallen upon Peter and he was doing all in his power to distract me from the vision of heaven. While I focused on the things of heaven, Satan's power was that of gnat at my feet. If I looked down upon him, his power grew and I seemed to shrink. At one point as I was pondering the worth of even a glass bottle in heavens light, the devil exclaimed, " Ah ha Bobby I see you crave the physical." The Holy Ghost answered through me and I heard my voice proclaim, " We can have both the spiritual and the physical." To which the devil shrank and said no more.
Then I looked up again and saw a quorum of glorious men dressed in brilliant white robes. Then one like unto the Son of Man spoke joy and comfort to my soul. I bowed my head and accepted his counsel with a trembling heart. I sat down reflecting on all that was said and started doubting that I could be the one they had sent. I shrank from their presence into the couch and started to fret.
I was just a mortal and a weak one at that. Who am I to go before the nations of the earth. With this thought in mind I grabbed for my cigarettes. Again an angelic voice spoke to my mind. " Bobby would you like to become like God ? " My heart leaped for joy and I said, " Yes ! " Then the angelic voice said, " Do you think God smokes ? " The answer was obviously no and I realized they were gently teaching me to quit this dirty habit.
In shame I wanted to hide, so I left the house and drove to Stony Brook to see Robin. Along the way, God gave me another
great gift. He showed me a vision of the end time in which I saw myself sealed up into the great stream of eternal life. Remember, my friends and enemies alike that I was just twenty beginning my adult life. This was very heavy for a young man to see. I was amazed with wonder and hoped I could pay the price. For the testimony of a prophet is usually his life.
When I got to Robin's house, her mother Hope let me in, but told me Robin was still asleep. She saw my excited countenance and let me go to Robin's room to gently wake her up. I could barely speak with the excitement of all that had just happened. Robin quickly calmed me down and assured me it was all of God. This young girl friend had great faith in me and trusted that God was my friend. Her belief in my visions gave me the mortal and moral support I needed to continue my mission.
We went for a walk up Christian Ave. and I gave Robin as many details as I could recall. I told her how the devil threatened me and how he goes about trying to make men miserable like unto himself. We stopped into an open church near Blinker Light Rd. The Christmas decorations were still up and again I realized how everything truly does testifies of the Living God whom I had just been blessed to see. It finally hit me and I was overcome with emotion. I cried like a baby getting tears of pure joy knowing I'd been redeemed from the fall.
Try as I might, there were no words to describe all that God showed to me. Robin was believing and eager to know all the details of the heavenly show. Now I'll tell you like I told her you must find Him for yourself. Then I shared another symbolic sign concerning that great vision. During my vision three record albums were playing in the back ground on the stereo. It was no coincidence for each album bears witness of my encounter with God. These are the names of the albums and if your interested you can listen and see for yourself. " Wild Flowers " by Judy Collins, " Joan " by Joan Baez and " A Song to a Seagull " by Joni Mitchell.
