All of us carry darkness in our life. We carry the darkness of sadness, pain, loneliness, sinfulness, and memories we want to forget. However, all of us can be filled with the light of Christ. All of us can come to the foot of His cross and find in His most tragic moment an eternal light for our souls. The light of Christ is not like the burning light of the sun. The light of Christ is not like the blinding light of a bright light made my humankind. The light of Christ is a light of love taking away all of our darkness. In the emptiness of our life there is a bright light filling up the emptiness. Christ's light of love and life fills up our emptiness.. When we accept Christ into our heart and life, our heart, mind, and soul are filled to overflowing with His light and love. Although we can understand what being filled to overflowing means in physical terms, with Christ we are being filled to overflowing in supernatural terms. In Christ, there is no darkness. When we take Him into our life, our life is filled with Him and our darkness disappears. #John1:7-9 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9 The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.

We should consider serving Christ as an honor. Although being His servant is a free will choice each of us can make on our own, we should embrace the opportunity to humbly follow Him and serve Him. We should embrace the opportunity to be Christ’s servant as an honor and a privilege. Being His servant is also a way to honor Him back. We shouldn't walk our Christian path in a spirit of pride or ego. We must never seek success or power. We must never engage in any kind of proud behavior. We are often engaged in a battle against the powers of darkness. When we have won the battle, we must go back to our Lord with praise and thanksgiving in our heart. With every victory we must realize we are victors only through Christ and only because of Him. We must always thank Him with a heart of gratitude as we honor Him night and day. #John12:26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

Many of us spend much of our life "serving" God. Many others of us spend much of our life ignoring God to selfishly serve only ourselves. The truth is…God does not need us to serve Him because God does not need us like we need Him. God's will, not our will, causes us or should cause us to be His servants. We serve God not because we could ever add anything to God. We serve God because we love Him. We serve God because we want to glorify Him in the darkened world in which we live. We may say we are doing God's work. However, God is powerful enough to do His own work without us. As true servants, we do God's work so the love, compassion, and redeeming power of Christ can be made known to others. We do God's work in all we say, think, and do so others will be saved, redeemed, and find eternal life in Christ. God does not have needs like we have needs. Instead of needs, God has a will or pushing power. We can choose to align with or align against God's will or pushing power. #Acts17:25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.

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Come fellowship with us Sunday afternoon as we usher in the presence of God. ITLM Faith Community Church. Worship starts @1pm. 324 Walnut St. Columbia. We're located right behind the Salem UCC church.

In the chaos of our life, because of all our stress, problems, and worries, we can easily get lost. However, because He loves you, God will give you guidance when you are lost. When you don't know which way to turn, God will gently tug at your heart to lead you in the right direction. When you don't know what to decide, God will speak to your heart and within your mind He will give you His wisdom. Because He loves you, God will give you His clear voice in the darkness so you will always know what is right, what is wrong, and what action you should take. When your goal or mission has been clouded over by adversity, God will come and help you clearly define His will. God’s will for you is for you to be secure and always know where you are. God’s will for you is for you to know how to get from where you are to where He wants you to go. Many times we are lost because we have lost our sight and cannot see. However, with Christ living within you, you will be able to proclaim once you were blind but now you can see. #John9:25 He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.”

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Join us tonight @7pm as we break down the word of God! Everyone is welcomed. Inbox for more info. #Discipleship

To praise God with our mouth can be nothing more than noise. However, true praise happens when we praise God with our heart, mind, soul, and life. There are some people who are incredibly good at praising God with their mouth. There are other people who have the spark of His divine love in their life who praise God with their life. Praising God with our mouths is important. Praising God with our life is even more important. The person who praises God with his or her life is like salt upon the earth adding his or her seasoning in unseen ways. What a blessing and song of praise it is to live a life of praise to God! What a blessing and joy it is when God sees us live a life of praise to Him. May all the days of your life be spent praising God first by how you live, then by what you speak. Your world needs to see you give God's light in the darkness. Your world needs to see you give praise for Christ's hope, giving praise for His forgiveness, and giving praise for His love. #Psalm89:8-15 O Lord God Almighty, who is like you? You are mighty, O Lord, and your faithfulness surrounds you. 9 You rule over the surging sea; when its waves mount up, you still them. 10 You crushed Rahab like one of the slain; with your strong arm you scattered your enemies. 11 The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth; you founded the world and all that is in it. 12 You created the north and the south; Tabor and Hermon sing for joy at your name. 13 Your arm is endued with power; your hand is strong, your right hand exalted. 14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you. 15 Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O Lord.

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Join us tomorrow night @7pm as we breakdown the word of God. Everyone is welcomed. Inbox for more info.

What kind of world would we have if everyone tore all the other people down? What kind of world would we have if everyone was out only for themselves? We are almost in a world like that now. To preserve the world and to build up the kingdom of God, we need to build up others rather than tear them down. You glorify God when you build others up. God's will for us is to help others become more than they ever thought they could become. God's will is for us to help others. When we help others by building them up, we are doing what Jesus did. We are doing what God wants us to do. When we help others by building them up, we need to remember to help them according to their need, not according to what we want them to need or according to what we think they should need. We must not help others to the point where we make them dependent in any way. God is not glorified when we overly help someone and make them helplessly and hopelessly dependent upon us or dependent upon an institution. Before you help someone, do all in your power to try and walk in their shoes. Do all in your power to see things the way others see them. When you speak, what you say should be what Christ would say to help others, to heal them, and to bring them into wholeness and spiritual prosperity. #Ephesians4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

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Join us today as we conclude our series "Love Defined!" #ITLM Faith Community Church. Worship starts @1pm. 324 Walnut St. Columbia. We're located right behind the Salem UCC church.

Your world is full of trouble. In the future, the world's trouble may personally impact you, your loved ones, your employment, your home, or other important parts of your life. You don't live in a perfect place. Even in the Garden of Eden, trouble slithered in and temptation was placed before Adam and Eve. In walking your daily walk of faith, make a continual and conscious effort never to give up believing, hoping, and trusting in God. In the midst of your many troubles, you have a God with a powerful arm. Your job in the midst of these many troubles is to keep the faith. Keep others in the faith by your perseverance. Keep your heart in a position of never giving up. Because you will be comforted in your walk faith each day, resolve over and over to never give up. Because you are blessed, even in the middle of great trials, never give up. God will keep you strong as you refuse to never give up. #James5:11 As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

Christ's love calls upon you to win the battle over flesh, for love is spirit. When you let Christ be the center of your life, you find peace, happiness, and contentment. With the flesh, there is always a craving for more…a craving never filled. With Christ alive within your heart, there is within you a fountain of living water…a living water filling your soul and giving you a peace you cannot explain. With Christ, you have life. Without Christ, there is only death, even when you are alive in the body. When the Spirit of Christ's love springs forth in your life, His streams of living water bring healing, love, and mercy. #John6:63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.