Growing Roots to Cruise Control

Good Evening to All!Image by Jeanette's Ozpix via Flickr

Today's Seed: "He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers." Psalm 1:3

Children draw the cutest pictures of trees. The trunks are usually wide and strong and covered by a circle of healthy, plentiful leaves. This is the kind of tree pictured by the psalmist, a tree planted by the water--robust, strong, and green.

If you stand under a massive tree, you cannot see the roots, but they are the secret of the trees beauty and strength. Our beauty and strength comes from the hidden part of our life too. Time alone with God forms our roots.

Roots bring life-giving water to a tree. Water is essential, or the tree will die, Jesus said, "But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (John 4:14). OUr relationship with Jesus keeps us supplied with living water.

A tree grows little by little, daily inching upward. It isn't a sudden wonder like a mushroom that springs up overnight yet withers away at the first sin of the sun. A tree can withstand the heat of the sun because of its strong root system. When we have well-watered roots that are sunk deep into the reservoir of God's faithfulness, we will be like a tree that stands strong by the river.

Dig Deeper: The verb "plant" actually means to transplant. To plant is to cause to take root. To transplant also means to take from one environment to another. God has transplanted us out of our self-centered way of living so that we can grow and be fruitful for him.

Weed & Water: The psalmist promises that a person who is planted firmly by the water will succeed. This promise is ot a blank check tgo be filled in as we want, b ut it is a promise for spiritual prosperity, discernment, and godly character. Neither does it mean that we will ne3ver face adversity of failure. In fact, God often engineers failure and brings success--his kind of success.

Sprout & Scatter: In the last part of this seed, the psalmist moves from the root to the fruit. When we are planted firmly in a relationship with God, he will produce fruit in our lives. Galatians 5:22-23 lists the fruit of the spirit, which we will have it four roots are strong: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self--control. Against such things there is no law." Having such qualities will cause us to be a blessing to our friends and family.

Think about it: What is God's definition of success?
How can you make your roots stronger today?

Prayer Pot: Lord, I ask you to make my roots strong by. . .

Take-Away Idea: A fountain, a tree, and your tongue all have sources that cannot be seen.

I love my God and I know that He loves me. He has to to be able to forgive me for some of my attitude problems and antics. He is such a good and merciful God. I hope that y'all enjoy my new format for my blog. I know that I am thoroughly enjoying typing it. I learn something new every time I open one of my books. I should say, not necessarily "new" because I have read these books already. Just reminded and each scripture seems to speak louder to me than before.

My References for this post were:

Bible Seeds-- A Simple Study-Devotional For Growing in God's Word

A Personal E-mail sent from a Friend

Driving in the rain

As you know I like to share things that I haven't heard before, and unfortunately, some or a lot of the time it may be something that I haven't been made aware of but most people have. Anyway, I received this e-mail from a friend and thought I would share just in case someone (like me) is usually the last to hear things. Please forgive the redundancy if you've heard it. It may just save someone's life. Thank you.

I wonder how many people know about this ~
A 36 year old female had an accident several weeks ago and totaled her car. A resident of Kilgore , Texas she was traveling between Gladewater & Kilgore. It was raining, though not excessively, when her car suddenly began to hydro-plane and literally flew through the air. She was not seriously injured but very stunned at the sudden occurrence!

When she explained to the highway patrolman what had happened he told her something that every driver should know - NEVER DRIVE IN THE RAIN WITH YOUR CRUISE CONTROL ON . She thought she was being cautious by setting the cruise control and maintaining a safe consistent speed in the rain.

But the highway patrolman told her that if the cruise control is on when your car begins to hydro-plane and your tires lose contact with the pavement, your car will accelerate to a higher rate of speed making you take off like an airplane. She told the patrolman that was exactly what had occurred.

The patrolman said this warning should be listed, on the driver's seat sun-visor - NEVER USE THE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN THE PAVEMENT IS WET OR ICY, along with the airbag warning. We tell our teenagers to set the cruise control and drive a safe speed - but we don't tell them to use the cruise control only when the pavement is dry. The only person the accident victim found, who knew this (besides the patrolman), was a man who had had a similar accident, totaled his car and sustained severe injuries.

NOTE: Some vehicles (like the Toyota Sienna Limited XLE) will not allow you to set the cruise control when the windshield wipers are on.

The above picture is not of this specific accident. I looked but could not find one. This is however, a picture of a car that has hydroplaned out of control.

"No matter the storm, when you are with God, there's always a rainbow waiting."
"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...It's about learning to dance in the rain! Donna Lee

"My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name. On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; all other ground is sinking sand.

Good Night All and May God Bless!

PJ