Matthew 7:16-20 ESV You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, you will recognize them by their fruits.
The Christian walk is not an easy one. Today, everyone is a Christian even though there is no growth, no progression into Christlikeness and no desire for spiritual perfection. As professing Christians, we live the way of the world; we dress like the world, respond like the world, and do church-like the world. The only difference between our lives and that of non-believers is that we go to church on Sundays, learn about scripture, and sing worship songs. The hearts change, and the inward work of the Holy Spirit to transform us into Christ is lacking. We celebrate at the door of conversion, singing I am born again, yet we don’t pay the price to put to death our old man who often is still very much in charge, leading and governing our lives. We have lost the reverence and sacredness that comes from pursuing the heart of God. We have made what is sacred common and what is common, sacred. As believers, we must discern whether or not the reverence or awe of God is still intact in our hearts. Do we still wonder at the splendour and magnificence of God, or have we started to take God for granted? When we do this, our walk with God becomes stagnant and dry. We have no new insight or revelation; we lose the sweetness of fellowship and encounter. It is as if we believe we have encountered all we have needed to encounter and read all we have needed to read of scripture. But the truth is that with God, there is no end to the mysteries of His greatness.
The problem is we have been created to be captivated, our hearts have been created to wonder and gaze at glory. But unfortunately, today with media, marketing, and the constant bombardment of information, we are often captivated by worthless, meaningless things. These distractions have taken our attention and reverence from God and have also quenched and dampened our zeal for the sacred mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven. We have been captivated by gossip, condemnation, films, games, and news that now our hearts are incapable of gazing with awe and wonder on the things of God. Our appetites have been satisfied with the things of this world that often leave us empty and confused. We use our strength for that which produces death in us. We need to seek God earnestly to empty us of all these vain things that consume our hearts and occupy our minds. We must, by the Grace of God, guard our hearts with all diligence, that we may grow in Christlikeness and maintain our focus on the sacred mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven.
Dear Heavenly Father, we pray for complete deliverance from everything that has captured our hearts and minds. Everything that has caused us to treat you commonly and not with the reverence you deserve. Lord set our hearts free from the bondage of being captivated with useless things that don’t have eternal value. Lord may we never lose our wonder in Jesus mighty name.
Much Love in Christ,
Your Sister,
Ruth 
Pursuing Holiness
Biblical Counsellor | Spiritual Director | Leadership Coach