AUTUMN SERIES: SERVING OTHERS - "Service Speaks"

"We don't need to look around and ask how people can serve US...,but instead how can we serve THEM?"
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By: Virgil Lee
​October 27th, 2021

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​Today, as we wrap up our Autumn Series, we will continue our focus on SERVING OTHERS..."Service Speaks".
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Intro and explanation: Our hope is that this guided time of reflection and devotion will be powerful, but simple enough that you can replicate it for the remainder of your life. We'll begin each post with the scripture passage as well as the practice of slowing down, allowing our savior to speak to us through His word.This "slowing down" is based off of a form of reading, prayer, and meditation that has been around for centuries called Lectio Divina. This simple, yet powerful way of reading scripture (and meditating on it), is helpful for connecting us to the word of God. Then, we'll move on to a video and devotion written by an Exago staff member. Let's get started...

​SLOWING DOWN: 

1. Breath in, slowly, for 5 seconds.
2. Hold it for 5 seconds and think about those you serve in ministry. 
3. Breath out, slowly, for 5 seconds.
4. Repeat this as much as you would like, always thanking the Lord for whatever He puts on your heart, or brings to your mind.

SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY:

• Let's open our hearts to how the Lord is speaking to us.
• Slowly, read the scripture three times before moving on.

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45 (NKJV)

• What is the Lord revealing to you today in this passage? Take time to write it down.

DEVOTION OF THE DAY:

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By: Virgil Lee
October 27th, 2021

Service. So, what does that mean to a believer? It can mean many things; it can mean going to the mission field or working in a church. It can be caring for someone in your community. It could be just volunteering.

But what does service mean to you? Let's dig a little bit deeper into that beyond just the application to the heart. Jesus came as Lord of all to us on earth. How did He respond to this conversation about who will be first?

Our world is all about who's at the top. What does it mean to be on the top and be the best of the best and to be in control? Jesus gave us a different mindset. One place where that is most seen is in Mark 10:45. 

Mark 10:45 (NKJV)
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
 
He came to serve and not to be served. He gave us the example to live out in our world. We don't need to look around and ask how people can serve us, but how we can serve them. 
 
Sometimes we can talk about a lot of things with service. Our talk is cheap. Many times we don’t really follow through, so talk is cheap. But your service will speak. What does your service say about your priorities and your purpose in life?

Where are you investing your time, treasure and talent as you serve those around you? Is it to get more for me or to bring the gospel to those around me? Those are some deep questions when we talk about service. You could even be serving a lot of good things worthy of what God has for you to bring the gospel to your friends and your neighbors, and for some of you, the people around the world. So talk is cheap, but your service speaks. I'm going to leave you with this one last verse out of 1 John:

1 John 3:18(NLT)
"Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions."

Talk is cheap. The service speaks.

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