THE VISION by Rick Joyner
Episode 44
Through a Glass Darkly
I could not have been more stunned to think that this particular man was guilty of such things. History had given us a very different picture of him.
Reading what was going on in my heart, he continued: "God does have a different set of history books than those on the earth. You have had a glimpse of this, but you do not yet know just how different they are. Earthly histories will pass away, but the books that are kept here wil last forever. If you can rejoice in what heaven is recording about your life, you are blessed indeed. Men see through a glass darkly, so their histories will always be clouded, and sometimes completely wrong."
"How was it that so many other leaders esteemed you so highly?" I inquired, still having trouble absorbing what I was hearing.
"Very few Christians, even very few leaders, have the true gift of discernment. Without this gift it is impossible to accurately discern truth in those of the present or the past.
Even with this gift it is difficult. Until we have been here and been stripped, we will judge others through distorted prejudices, either positive or negative.
The Bible tells us not to judge before the time in 1 Corinthians 4:5 which states: "Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God".
"Until we have been here, we cannot really know what is in the heart of others and whether they are performing good or evil deeds. There have been good motives in even the worst of men, and evil motives in even the best of them. Only here can men be judged by both their deeds and their motives.'
I asked, "When I return to earth, will I be able to discern history accurately because I have been here?"
"You are here because you prayed for the Lord to judge you severely, to correct you ruthlessly, so that you could serve Him more perfectly. This was one of the wisest requests you have ever made. The wise judge themselve: lest they be judged. The even wiser ask for the judgments of the Lord, because they realize that they cannot even judge themselves well.
Even Paul the Apostle Paul described himself as the "worst of sinners" (or "chief of sinners") in 1 Timothy 1:15. In this verse, he states that Christ Jesus came to save sinners, of whom he is the foremost,”note the present tense, highlighting the immense mercy and grace he received.
"Having come here, you will leave with far more wisdom and discernment, but on earth you will always see through a glass darkly at least to some degree. Although your experience here will help you to know men better, only when you are fully here can you know them fully. When you leave here you will be more impressed by how little you know men rather than by how well you know them. This is just as true in relation to the histories of men. I have been allowed to talk with you because I have in a sense discipled you through my writings, and you will be helped by knowing the truth about me," the famous Reformer concluded.