I have a confession to make:
As a teenager I was involved in a very intimate relationship. however, I played around and got into an affair, which led me to experiment with different partners – We had lots of fun.
One of My greatest hobbies was photography. during these experiences I took a lot of photos. I would like to share it with you this morning:
As I said, we had a very intimate relationship, “my happy snappy and I”
we had lots of fun. I started off with My 110 camera and we became very close, I was then introduced to a SLR 35 mm camera where I gained a lot of experience in photography, and then I got into an affair with the DSLR camera.
We had cutting edge technologically back then – I could take a picture and take the negative to the pharmacy and within 24 hours I had a well-developed photo.
but technology reduced the development time to – 1-hour flat – Wow!
then I discovered “this: “show them the polaroid camera”.
Its an ancient relic from early Biblical times – it’s called, “a polaroid camera” This is just too cool. within five minutes, the photo was developed. this was as good as would get!
Then came the 21st century with digital technology and social media and we became a very visual generation.
Facebook users have uploaded more than 200 billion photos to their site. adding more than 300 million uploads per day.
With the selfie – You can click and upload a photo in seconds.
Today, why wait five minutes when you can take a fully developed photo in a micro second? - you can send a picture around the world in five minutes
I can take and send a fully developed picture all the way to SA. The entire process takes - less than 10 seconds - I timed it!
But, have you ever thought about the steps and procedures that goes into the development of a photo?
First and foremost, if you want to capture an image, you need light – no light – no image. The light goes into a lens and sheds an image on a sensitive piece of transparent material called “a negative”. The light burns an image into the film.
During development, the film is taken to a dark room. light is projected through the negative and an image is projected onto a piece of paper. And then, through a process of chemical treatments, a photo is being forged. This entire process takes place in a dark room - no dark room, no photo!
To produce His image in us, God enters into the dark room with us. In the dark place, (In trials and temptations) Through the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit, God molds us and shapes us to transform us into the Image of Christ. 2 cor 3:17,18.
By being exposed to Christ - The Light the World, the Image of God is being forged in us; He quickens us and He gives us a new nature and we are being transformed by the renewing of our minds. His Image transforms us into something beautiful. He changes us into a person who reflects His Light to a lost and dying world and Develops you into a picture of who He is. Col 3:10, Eph 4:24, I Cor 3:16, 2 Cor 3:16, Col 1:10-13, 2 Cor 3:17-18.)
Through the Blood of the Lamb and the word of His Testimony, the Holy Spirit penetrates the lenses of a dark and dying world and your testimony leaves an impression on the hearts and minds of Gods children - It changes them. (2 Pet 2:9) (Let your light so shine so that they may glorify your Father which is in Heaven) Rev 12:10-11(Matt 5:14)
The Glory of Christ enlightens them (Isaiah 60:1) It touches their hearts and it reaches into the innermost part of their being. it changes them and a picture of God’s Image is forged in them. (rom 8:26-27)
A born-again Christian is given a new nature, he is therefore already clean, even so, the Spiritual growth of newly Baptized Child of God is formed through a process of character development. Baptism is the first step.
A negative is delicate and very sensitive to dust; Protect it and keep it clean; small particles of dust will ruin the image. Be aware of the small foxes which destroys the vineyard - you will be affected. John 3:3, John 15:3.
Unfortunately, the devil is out to get us, He wants us to deny Christ and to lose our eternal life. He is walking around like a roaring lion, preying on our weaknesses. Therefore, 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Pet 5:8
He is constantly bombarding us with trials and temptations. He entices us with the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. His aim is to get us to succumb to temptation and to deny Christ.
By yielding to the schemes of the devil, each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by His own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death James 1:14 .
When we start to dabble with the sweets of this world, we fall back into a life of sin and rebellion, and it threatens to destroy our Relationship with God. (James 1:12-16) (1 Pet 5:8)
When we yield to sin and we allow sin and doubt to cloud the Image of Christ in us, our intimate relationship with Him suffers and we get all scratched up.
Then, through a feeling of inadequacy, we get disappointed and discouraged and we neglect to Pray. We become distracted and disconnected and we start to gather dust.
This is where we start to doubt our salvation (did I really get saved – did it take, will I make it.) You look at your lack of relationship and wonder, how can someone who feels and acts like me, be saved?) Am I really saved, I am not sure of My Salvation.
This is where you retrieve to a dark place of disappointment, doubt and insecurity. (Isaiah 41:10)
But then, in the darkest hour of your life, God enters into your dark room. He takes your negativity and He shines His light in you and through you to forms a brand-new copy.
In the weakest time of your life, when you find yourself in the dark place, God will never over expose and overwhelm you with the Majesty of His Glory. He Knows we are just flesh. Should He shine all of His light on a sinner, he will be overexposed. But God in His Wisdom and Glory, meets you where you are, He then shines just enough Light on you to change you. Then, through a process of elimination and enlightenment He call you and draw you close to Himself. He will rejuvenate your Spiritual life and restore your relationship with Him. His Image will be in you. Then He then takes you - a fully developed picture into the light and show you the world.
Just remember this: The image is burned into the negative and it became part of the negative. In the same way. When you gave your life to Christ, the Image of Christ became part of you. Through repentance and revival, a sinners relationship in Christ can easily be revived and your Spiritual experience can easily be rejuvenated.
Here’s Gods message to you.
Rev 3:5 8 behold, I have set before you an open door, and no man can shut it: 20 , I stand at the door of your heart knocking: proverbs 3:6 7 Ask, for a relationship and I will give it to you, seek Me and you will find Me; when you search for Me with all of your heart. When you knock at My door, I will open it for you. (Matt 7:7-10); Call on me and I will answer you and I will show you great and marvelous things (Jer 33:3) Joh 15:7 if ye abide in me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask for whatever Spiritual blessing you wish for, and it shall be given to you. and your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, this is the way, walk ye in it. I will Strengthen you and I will help you and I will hold you up with the right Hand of My Righteousness. - Fear not; for I am with you: be not dismayed; for I am your God: isaiah 41:10 Isaiah 30:21
Those who wait upon the lord shall renew their strength (Isaiah 40:31) and they will shine brighter and brighter until the perfect day. When I come again, they will enter My Kingdom of Light – I will never leave you nor forsake you. (Deut 31:6)I will be with you always, even unto the end of the World, (Prov 4:18-27) (Matt 28:20) Romans12 I appeal to you therefore, brothers,[a] by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.[b] 2 Do not be conformed to this world,[c] but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.[d]
Jesus said, If you love me Keep My commandments, He who says He Loves me and does not keep My commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him. (1 John 2:4) Ye are My friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you John 15:14 AND 14:15 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, If ye keep My Commandment and ,if you have love for one another.”
And you shall abide in My Love; even as I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love. Joh 15:10 .Joh 15:12 This is My commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you (John 13:34-35)
And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as he gave us the commandment to do Joh 15:8 1John3:23 Every spiritual blessing you ask Me, you will receive from the Father, because
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights. James 1:17 (1 John 3:22)
Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so, shall ye be My disciples. Joh 15:8-9 as the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in My love. (John 15:9) - Love is the fulfilment of the Law (Rom 13: 8-)
My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue only, but in deed and in truth (1 John 3:18) and by this we will know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him.1John, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. 3:19,21.
It is important for every born-again Christian to be assured, that, through Faith, we know that we are Saved– We are sure of our Savation because God Saved us and we have nothing to do with it, because,:] God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them
Eph 2:4-8. We are confident that we are Saved, because we experience the new Devine nature that in us, and we see change. We are not perfect but there is change, change that was not possible before. This, confidence of Salvation is a whiteness to you that God is abiding in you. Now you can let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works. (Matt 5:16) because, we were re-created in Christ – By God and He created us for good works – HE gives the ability (Deut 8:18). (1 John 4:18) (1John5:1-5)
1 John 3:1-3 and everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation His works with meekness of wisdom. John 3:13
I command you to love one another that your joy might be full, and that My joy will remain in you (So, if you make peace, then, as fruits thereof, you get peace in your heart) and He gives you a peace that surpasses all understanding Joh 15:11 , 17, 18
Isaiah 32: 17 . (1John 3:7)
I have not come to condemn the world but that this world through me might be saved, I have come that you might have life and have it abundantly, whosoever believes in Me WILL be saved and he will not come into condemnation but he HAS passed from death to live. There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, those who are called according to His purpose, the purpose which He purposed in Himself to save the World (John 3:16) (John 1:12) (Eph 1:9)
In the Light of all this all of this, where is Gods dark room:
Jesus says:
When you pray, enter into your closet, and shut the door and pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which see in secret shall reward you openly.
God wants take you out of your dark room and into His dark room, In His dark room He will expose you to His is Glorious Light and He will forge His Image in you. You will be transformed by the renewing of your mind and you will become a picture of Gods tender Love and care and an image of the Love of God.
Why don’t you give God a chance to bless you? Just ask Him. If this is really true, please show me. Go into your dark room and talk to God as a Friend. The proof is in the pudding!
PS. Remember, no light no Picture - No dark room no Picture – No prayer, no relationship - PRAY! Matthew 6:6
