TREM Devotional 11 March 2022 By Bishop Mike Okonkwo – Take Deep Root
TOPIC: Take Deep Root
“And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;” Mark 4:16 (KJV)
The second type of person Jesus described in the parable of the Sower was the one who received the word with gladness but their commitment to the word was shallow. Yes, they received the word, but the word did not have a root in their hearts. All truth is parallel, just as a natural plant must establish a strong root system to sustain its growth, in the same way, the believer must be rooted and grounded in God’s word.
A seed planted in shallow soil will grow faster than a seed planted in deep soil. The reason is that the seed planted in deep soil spends its energy in developing the root system first.
Though the one planted in shallow soil seems to be doing better initially, yet when afflictions, persecutions, and tribulations show up you will notice that the seed sown in shallow soil cannot stand. Afflictions, persecutions, tribulations are Satan’s tools to stop the word of God from producing.
How does the word develop root in our hearts? It is by meditation. When you meditate on the word of God, you are allowing the word to take root deep within you. In meditation, the Spirit of God further enlightens your heart with the word, and you’ll see things about that scripture that you did not notice the first time you read it. The Spirit of God takes the word and interprets it in different areas of your life and the more you meditate on it, the deeper the word goes into your heart.
What is meditation? It is simply ruminating over something. Take a scripture, read it in as many translations as you can to get a clear meaning of it, and then spend time brooding over it – turn it around again and again in your heart and see the difference it makes in your life.
Never allow anything to distract you from meditating on God’s word day and night to prosper and produce success. When you take a quality decision to make God’s word first in your life, you would be so rooted and grounded that nothing can shake you.
Further Reading:
Psalm 119:97-105, John 1:1-14.
Daily Bible Reading:
Morning – Deuteronomy 10-12
Evening – Mark 12:1-27
Written by Dr. Mike Okonkwo; Is the Presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM); a versatile man of God with over 30 years of dedicated service unto the Lord.
