Pastor Adam’s father was a West Texas rancher up until his death eight years ago. Part of the ranch included a huge pecan orchard. David Harris planted, cultivated, fertilized, watered and harvested the pecan trees year after year. Adam recalls wondering as a young man why anyone would work that hard. However, just this past year, the pecan orchard produced its largest crop ever – – seven years after David Harris’ passing. His legacy lives on because of his hard and consistent work ethic. Of course, Mr. Harris’ legacy lives on in ways other than just a pecan orchard – – such as in Pastor Adam’s life and ministry – – but the legacy of the West Texas pecan orchard is a good analogy for our new series “Rooted”. In this series, we will focus on our personal legacy with Christ, the legacy of The Church as a whole, and the legacy of Rockhills Church specifically. How deeply are your roots planted in Jesus Christ and His love for you? How do you cultivate and prepare the soil of your spiritual life so that fruit might be produced? Are you consistent with God in good seasons and bad, or does your faith ebb and flow depending upon the circumstances going on around you? David Harris had to work the pecan orchard in good weather or bad, year after year. What kind of commitment do you have in your life with God?
Whether in our personal lives and legacies, the history of The Church or in the history of Rockhills Church, there have been valleys and there have been mountaintops. There have been good seasons and bad seasons. The life journey and the journey as a faith community is something we all travel together and each of us is a valued and needed part of the whole. We are here on earth and continue meeting together at Rockhills Church so a harvest can be produced for God’s kingdom. A core statement during this series is this: “The legacy of The Church will always be in question when we make it about anything other than finding and following Jesus.” As Rockhills Church prepares to celebrate its 10th birthday, how might you plug in and become involved to find and follow Jesus? Are you willing to consider that your gifts and talents are valued and needed within the Body of Christ? How might you help others find and follow Jesus in the upcoming season?
INVITATION: In pecan farming and in our faith journey, every season is important, but every season is also difficult. What might God want to do with the seeds He’s planted within you? How might He want to grow, water and transform you into maturity? Are you willing to follow Him and let Him transform you?
MONDAY: I Corinthians 12:4-11: I AM a valuable part of the church. Pastor Adam explained that the scripture is clear that how you see yourself truly matters regarding personal legacy, but also within Rockhills and The Church as a whole. You are the beloved of God and He has a purpose and plan for your life and for your life within the church helping others find and follow Jesus. Someone in the Body of Christ NEEDS you and what you have to offer. How might you live into that truth today and this week? What will that look like for you moving forward into the next season of your life?
TUESDAY: I Corinthians 12:12-30: There are many parts within the Body of Christ, but one Spirit. All the parts are equally valuable. These verses might sound humorous as you first read them, but pray through how you might be comparing yourself to others as you read it. Ask God to reveal to you how He may wish to use you within the Body of Christ – as a whole or specifically at Rockhills Church. There is only one you. You are created by a perfect God and are a reflection of God! How can you begin to catch yourself when playing the “comparison game” this week? Pray for God to give you a verse to quote or truth to speak to yourself when you find yourself speaking the untruths of comparison with others. You are unique and valuable and needed.
WEDNESDAY: Ecclesiastes 4:12: WE CAN do more together than alone. In our culture being a “lone ranger” is highly valued and esteemed. However, that is NOT God’s teaching in Scripture. We need each other and we all need God’s help. This is counter cultural and counter intuitive, but most things in Scripture are. Will you use the culture as your basis of truth or the Scripture? Are you living life as a “lone ranger,” not wanting to be vulnerable or reveal that you are a mess? Or perhaps you just don’t want to get involved in someone else’s mess? I John says “perfect love casts out fear.” Could fear be holding you back? What might it look like today for you to bask in God’s perfect love and ask Him to help cast out fear from your life and show you how He would like to use the gifts and talents He gave you?
THURSDAY: Psalm 133: 1-3: These verses use images we are not familiar with but speak of how precious unity is – especially within community. Unity requires that we work continually at forgiving one another. Are there hurts or wounds that might be separating you from another person or community? What act of reconciliation might God be leading you toward in that regard?
FRIDAY: Ephesians 1:3-8: HE DID everything to make ANYTHING possible. You often see yourself and others from a different perspective when you realize it has all been taken care of because of Jesus. Some of the verbs used to describe God’s interaction with the people of HIs church are: blessed, chosen, predestined, adopted, given, loved, lavished. Meditate and pray about each of these verbs and what it expresses about God’s nature and love for you. How does each verb invite you to experience your spiritual blessings in Christ? How might God be inviting you to share those spiritual blessings with others? How might that look within Rockhills Church?
SATURDAY: Ephesians 3:14-21: This prayer of Paul’s was used in last week’s study, but it is a beautiful reminder of the glorious riches we have because of Christ, and how we are “rooted and established” – just like a strong pecan tree in Adam’s father’s orchard. Verse 17 says we are “rooted and established” in HIS LOVE. Marinate on that today, believe it and live into it as you go out into the world.