August 2026.
Faith That Moves Us
Faith is more than believing that God can do something; biblical faith moves us to respond to what we believe about God. Hebrews 11 gives us example after example of people who acted because they trusted God—Abel offered, Noah built, Abraham left, and Moses obeyed. The Holy Spirit can give us confidence in God’s power and faithfulness in a specific situation, but that confidence is meant to produce a response. We may not know exactly what God will do, but we can choose to pray, obey, risk, and persevere because we know who God is.
Don't Quench the Spirit
Paul ends this letter with a rapid string of commands: rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, and — right in the middle of it — do not quench the Spirit or despise prophecies, but test everything and hold fast to what is good. You are called to ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you, and ask Him to speak through you, and don't shut Him down out of fear or unfamiliarity. Paul isn't asking for blind acceptance either — test what you hear against Scripture and hold onto what's good. When God speaks to you, it builds your faith. When God speaks through you to someone else, it builds theirs. That's worth staying open for, every single day.
Tongues and Interpretation
Paul spends real time on tongues in this passage — the most unique, and to many the strangest, of the spoken gifts. He describes speaking in a language you don't naturally know, sometimes to build up your own spirit in prayer, and sometimes spoken publicly and paired with interpretation so the whole church can understand and be built up together. Paul isn't embarrassed by this gift; he says he's thankful he speaks in tongues more than anyone, even while prioritizing gifts that build up the church when believers gather. The takeaway isn't that every believer's experience will look identical — it's that the Spirit still gives gifts for real purposes: to strengthen your own spirit in prayer, and, when interpreted, to strengthen the whole body. Don't let the strangeness of a gift make you dismiss what the Spirit might still want to do.
A Word That Builds Up
Paul tells the Corinthians to pursue love and earnestly desire spiritual gifts, especially prophecy — because the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding, encouragement, and consolation. That's the heart behind the gift of prophecy: the Spirit supernaturally speaking to you or through you, to strengthen someone right where they are. Paul actually wishes everyone would prophesy, because a timely word from God does something no generic encouragement can — it tells someone God sees them. Growing in this gift takes confidence, not perfection. You don't need to have it all figured out before you're willing to share what you sense the Spirit saying, you just need to be willing to offer it in love and let God use it.
Wisdom and Knowledge
No eye has seen and no ear has heard what God has prepared — but Paul says God has revealed these things to us through the Spirit, who searches even the depths of God. That's the supernatural source behind wisdom, the Spirit showing you what to do, and knowledge, the Spirit showing you something you couldn't otherwise know. Paul says plainly that we have the mind of Christ, which means the Spirit isn't handing out occasional hints — He's giving you access to real spiritual insight for real situations. This isn't reserved for dramatic moments only. It shows up in the daily decision you can't quite reason your way to, or the sudden sense that something is off before you have any proof. The question isn't whether the Spirit is willing to give wisdom and knowledge — it's whether you're asking and paying attention.
THE HOLY SPIRIT’S GIFTS
Pastor Matthew Johnson teaches that spiritual gifts aren't rare rewards. Every believer already has the Spirit who gives them.
Not My Gift, His Gift
Paul opens by telling the Corinthians he doesn't want them uninformed about what comes from the Holy Spirit — not a list of independent gifts to divide up, but grace flowing from one Spirit, one Lord, and one God who empowers it all. That distinction matters: you don't
Put Off, Put On
Paul tells the Colossians to set their minds on things above and put to death whatever belongs to their earthly nature, i.e. the flesh: sexual immorality, impurity, evil desire, anger, malice. Because these things come so naturally from our hearts this requires a work of the Spirit and daily, deliberate choices. But Paul doesn't stop at putting off, he says put on: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, and love, which binds it all together in perfect unity. This is fruit language. We don’t just stop doing “bad
Transformed by the Spirit | The Branch
True transformation isn't a quick fix. Pastors Chris and Matthew explore what it means to surrender to the Holy Spirit.
Growth Through Conviction and Difficulty
Paul begins by reminding us that because we've been justified by faith and we already have peace with God, not earned, but given. From that secure place he says something surprising: we can even rejoice in sufferings, because suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope (Rom. 5:4). This isn't gritted-teeth optimism; it's possible because God's love has already been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, He's given us. Following Christ’s way is often a slow and difficult process. It will require us to trust that God is still working on us when we can’t see it. Difficulty is not the evidence we are abandoned. The Spirit works to remind us to give ourselves to the process of becoming what He already made us to be.
The Standard of a Spirit-Filled Life
After naming the works of the flesh, Paul gives us the other picture: the fruit of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. This isn't a checklist of behaviors to fake; it's the natural evidence of a life the Holy Spirit is genuinely at work in. Paul sets a real standard here — love that costs you something, peace that holds steady no matter the circumstances, self-control that puts your desires under the Spirit’s command instead of the reverse. Someone who is committed to following Jesus will grow in these areas. Though, you won't master all nine today; the goal is honesty and staying open to what the Spirit wants to work in you next.
Free to Walk, Not Free to Drift
Paul opens this passage with a bold declaration: Christ set us free, so don't get tangled up again in a yoke of slavery by trying to earn what grace already gave you. If we're saved by grace, does behavior still matter? Paul's answer is yes, but not by going back to rule-keeping; the whole law is fulfilled in one command, to love your neighbor as yourself (Gal. 5:13), and that kind of love is only possible by walking in the Spirit. Freedom in Christ was never meant to be an excuse to indulge the flesh; it's what makes it possible to starve it instead. Paul lists those flesh patterns as evident and warns that people who make a practice of them will not inherit the kingdom, not to frighten you but to show you exactly what you've been set free from.
Two Roads, One Choice
Jesus closes the Sermon on the Mount with a stark choice: a narrow gate that leads to life, and a wide gate that leads to destruction. Jesus warns that few find the narrow way. because it takes full and daily surrender to living His way, while the wide road only asks you to drift with the crowd. Jesus gives a warning and a promise in the same breath: you'll recognize a tree by its fruit, and even impressive words mean nothing if they aren't backed by actually doing what He says. The wise builder isn't the one who simply hears the message, it's the one who lets it reshape how they live, so that when the storms come, they're still standing.
THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT | Pastor Matthew Johnson
Pastor Matthew Johnson teaches that real change comes from walking by the Spirit, not from willpower or trying harder.
Learning to Live with the Holy Spirit | The Branch
Pastor Matthew and Pastor Chris share honest stories about learning to hear, trust, and follow the voice of the Holy Spirit.
Learning to Hear the Holy Spirit
How does the Holy Spirit convict us? Most often, He speaks through God's Word, through prayer, through other believers, and even through life's circumstances. Scripture exposes what is hidden in our hearts. Prayer creates space for the Spirit to search us. Mature believers help us recognize blind spots we cannot see on our own. Even seasons of discipline become loving invitations to return to God. The greatest danger isn't that God stops speaking. The greatest danger is that we stop listening. Delayed obedience hardens our hearts until His voice becomes more difficult to recognize. But every act of obedience softens our hearts and increases our sensitivity to His leading. As you consistently respond to the Holy Spirit, He develops within you a godly conscience that naturally draws you toward Jesus.
Living with an Eternal Perspective
The Holy Spirit also convicts concerning judgment because
Remembering Who You Are
The Holy Spirit also convicts concerning righteousness. That may seem surprising until we remember what Jesus says next:
The Root Beneath Every Sin
Jesus gives an unexpected definition of sin. The Holy Spirit convicts
THE HOLY SPIRIT CONVICTS
Pastor Matthew Johnson teaches that the Holy Spirit's conviction isn't guilt or shame. It's how He draws us closer to grace.
