Take 2-3 minutes to quiet yourself and ask God to speak to you today through your devotional time.  

Reading: James 1

Be sure to highlight or note anything that stands out to you while you read.  
After reading the passage, take the next 5-10 minutes and spend time reflecting on what you read. You can write these things down in a journal or record them in your phone. Be attentive to both what you highlighted in the passage and what is going on in your life.

God does not expect us to navigate life without His direction. James tells us that when we lack wisdom, we should ask God, trusting that He gives generously. Sometimes we may want God to direct certain parts of our lives while keeping other areas under our own control, but God invites us to acknowledge Him in all our ways. We can bring Him our relationships, finances, calling, work, struggles, and decisions, trusting that He is a good Father who wants to lead us.

What area of your life have you been trying to navigate on your own rather than intentionally asking God for wisdom and direction?
        
Now, take 10 minutes to seek God in prayer…  

1. Begin your time in prayer by taking 1-3 minutes to sit in silence (You can take longer if you sense the Spirit already beginning to speak to you).  
2. Pray through the things you sensed God speaking to you through the Scriptures or pray the following prayer: Jesus, we need Your wisdom. Teach us to bring every area of our lives to You rather than deciding that some things are too small, too personal, or too complicated for Your direction. Help us ask with confidence, trust Your goodness, and remain open to what You want to show us. Amen.
   
3. Close by taking 5 minutes to sit in silence, asking God if there is anything else He wants to speak to you today.  

Faith Step:
Write down one specific area where you need direction and spend several minutes asking God for wisdom about it.

"Nothing makes God's voice more clear than obedience. Nothing makes his voice more quiet than disobedience." — Pastor Matthew Johnson

Pastor Matthew Johnson continued The Tree Church's series on the Holy Spirit with a message called Direction. He addressed one of the most common questions he receives as a pastor, how can someone actually learn to recognize the voice of God? He described this as one of the greatest gifts a believer has, second only to salvation itself.

Pastor Matthew opened by clarifying what he means when he talks about God speaking. He explained that in his many years as a Christian, he has known very few people who have heard an audible voice from God. Instead, God typically communicates through an inner feeling, a thought, a situation, or another person.

He explained that God's voice is actually behind many of the experiences believers already recognize. When someone feels grace, comfort, conviction, or peace, Pastor Matthew said that is God's voice at work, even if it does not sound like words. He said learning to recognize this voice brings a deep sense of safety, because it means believers are not walking through life alone or without direction.

The first step Pastor Matthew gave for recognizing God's voice is building a foundation in scripture. He read Psalm 119:105, which describes God's word as a lamp to the feet and a light to the path, explaining that scripture protects believers from harmful decisions while also illuminating the direction God has for their lives.

He then read 2 Timothy 3:16-17, which describes scripture as useful for teaching, correction, and equipping believers for good work. He also referenced Hebrews 4:12, explaining that the word of God is living and active, meaning it interacts personally with someone as they read it, showing them what needs to change and what they are already doing well.

Pastor Matthew explained that the better someone knows God's word, the more they begin to understand His character and values, which allows them to anticipate His direction even before praying about it. He illustrated this with a story about a mix up involving a staff member years ago, where someone assumed a colleague named Skip had ignored their emails. Pastor Matthew said he immediately doubted this because he knew Skip's character and follow through, and it turned out Skip had responded all along. He used this story to show that knowing someone well allows you to trust their nature, and the same is true of knowing God through His word.

He gave several practical examples from his own life, including how scripture already gives him clear direction on forgiving those who wrong him, loving his wife, prioritizing his children's spiritual growth, and giving generously with his finances, without needing to pray about those decisions each time.

The second step is asking God to speak and believing that He will. Pastor Matthew read James 1:5-8, which encourages believers to ask God for wisdom in faith, without doubting. He challenged the congregation to think beyond asking for direction only in moments of obvious tension or difficulty.

He encouraged believers to invite God into every area of life, not just the areas that feel unresolved. He used the example of a calendar and a budget, suggesting that instead of asking God to bless plans that have already been fully decided, believers should start with God first and ask Him to shape their time and resources from the very beginning.

The third step Pastor Matthew described is learning to listen and look for how God communicates. He turned to Acts 16:6-10, the story of the Apostle Paul being redirected during his missionary journeys. Paul intended to preach in one region, but scripture says the Holy Spirit prevented him. Later, Paul had a vision of a man from Macedonia asking for help, and Paul and his companions immediately concluded that God was calling them there.

Pastor Matthew used this story to define two ways God often communicates, checks and nudges. A check is an inner sense of caution that causes someone to pause or reconsider a decision. A nudge is a gentle inner prompting that moves someone toward a specific action or direction. He explained that the Holy Spirit often sees things believers cannot see and knows things about the future that would change the decisions being made in the present.

He also introduced the idea of open doors and shut doors. An open door is an opportunity God provides to move forward, referencing Paul's description of a wide door for effective work in 1 Corinthians 16:8-9. However, Pastor Matthew was careful to clarify that not every open door is meant to be walked through immediately. He pointed to 2 Corinthians 2:12-13, where Paul describes having an open door in one city, yet feeling unsettled in his spirit and choosing to move on instead.

A shut door, on the other hand, is when God stops someone from moving forward in a certain direction or at a certain time. Pastor Matthew referenced Romans 1:13, where Paul describes repeatedly intending to visit Rome but being prevented. He shared a personal story from the church's history, describing a season when God clearly opened a door for the church to purchase property, only for a second door, funding for renovations, to unexpectedly close. He described this as a genuinely difficult season, but explained that the waiting period ultimately strengthened the church financially and organizationally before God reopened the way forward.

The fourth and final step is obedience. Pastor Matthew explained that nothing makes God's voice more clear than obedience, and nothing makes it quieter than disobedience, not because God stops speaking, but because a hardened heart becomes less sensitive to His voice over time.

He closed by reading Proverbs 3:5-6, encouraging the church to trust God fully rather than leaning on their own understanding, and to acknowledge Him in every area of life so that He can make their paths clear. Pastor Matthew emphasized that these four steps, knowing God's word, asking and believing, listening and looking, and obeying, work together to help believers grow in confidently recognizing God's direction for their lives. The message closed in prayer, asking God to help the church prioritize Him fully and to give them sensitivity to His voice and the courage to walk in obedience.

Wherever you are on your faith journey, The Tree Church wants to help you find real direction through a relationship with God. Join us in Lancaster at 721 N. Memorial Drive, Lancaster, OH 43130 or in Logan at 36 Hocking Mall, Logan, OH 43138. Both campuses hold services every Sunday at 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM. We would love to walk this journey with you.

Take 2-3 minutes to quiet yourself and ask God to speak to you today through your devotional time.  

Reading: Psalm 119:1-112

Be sure to highlight or note anything that stands out to you while you read.  
After reading the passage, take the next 5-10 minutes and spend time reflecting on what you read. You can write these things down in a journal or record them in your phone. Be attentive to both what you highlighted in the passage and what is going on in your life.

God’s Word gives us the foundation we need to recognize His voice and discern His direction. Scripture describes God’s Word as both a lamp for our feet and a light for our path—it helps us know where to step and where we are going. The more familiar we become with Scripture, the more recognizable God’s voice becomes because His Spirit will never lead us contrary to the truth He has already given us. Before we look for a specific word from God, we should first become deeply familiar with the Word of God.

How might becoming more familiar with Scripture help you recognize God’s direction in an area of your life right now?
        
Now, take 10 minutes to seek God in prayer…  

1. Begin your time in prayer by taking 1-3 minutes to sit in silence (You can take longer if you sense the Spirit already beginning to speak to you).  
2. Pray through the things you sensed God speaking to you through the Scriptures or pray the following prayer: Father, give us a growing hunger for Your Word. Teach us to allow Scripture to shape our thinking, guide our decisions, and establish the boundaries for how we understand Your voice. Help us become so familiar with Your truth that we recognize what is consistent with You and what is not. Amen.
   
3. Close by taking 5 minutes to sit in silence, asking God if there is anything else He wants to speak to you today.  

Faith Step:
Spend time today reading Scripture slowly, asking God to show you what it reveals about His character and how you should live.

"I think the fact that the Holy Spirit is given to believers is evidence that we can't do it on our own. We're not supposed to do it on our own." — Pastor Anthony Lombardi

This week on The Branch, Pastor Anthony Lombardi rejoins Pastor Matthew Johnson and Pastor Chris Reed after a season away from the podcast. The three continue the church's ongoing series on the Holy Spirit called Proof, picking back up on a conversation about what it looks like to actually live in relationship with the Spirit rather than simply knowing facts about him.

Before diving into the main discussion, the hosts share a lighthearted icebreaker question, asking whether they would rather always know exactly what to say or have unshakable confidence in difficult moments. Their answers set the tone for an honest conversation about confidence, insecurity, and where true strength actually comes from.

Pastor Anthony and Pastor Matthew both grew up in Pentecostal environments where the gifts of the Holy Spirit were considered a normal part of everyday faith. Pastor Chris grew up in a Lutheran tradition where the experiential side of the Holy Spirit was rarely discussed. Despite these different starting points, all three hosts share stories of wrestling with confusion, skepticism, or discomfort before arriving at a more grounded understanding of who the Holy Spirit is and how he works.

Pastor Anthony shares that some of his early hesitation came from witnessing extreme emotionalism that felt forced or manipulated. Pastor Chris shares a similar experience, describing how encountering charismatic expressions of faith in college left him confused and intimidated at first. Over time, both pastors describe moving toward a more balanced, biblically grounded view, shaped by scripture, ministry experience, and healthy community.

A central theme of this episode is the danger of self reliance in the Christian life. Pastor Anthony explains that the very fact God gave believers the Holy Spirit is evidence that people were never meant to rely only on their own strength, wisdom, or effort. Pastor Matthew agrees, describing the Christian life as fundamentally about cooperating with the Spirit rather than accomplishing things on our own.

The hosts use the example of Peter to illustrate this point. Peter denied Christ the night before the crucifixion, yet just fifty days later he was filled with the Holy Spirit and boldly preaching to a large crowd. His transformation was not the result of self improvement, but of the Holy Spirit working in and through him.

Pastor Anthony and Pastor Chris both reflect honestly on their own natural strengths, admitting that the areas where they feel most confident can actually become areas of spiritual danger if they lean on their own ability instead of depending on God. Pastor Chris shares that his tendency toward self reliant problem solving can strip the joy out of everyday life, while Pastor Anthony shares that his natural confidence in leadership had to be surrendered to God over time.

As the conversation continues, the hosts turn to an important question, how can someone know if they are using spiritual gifts for the benefit of others or simply to be noticed. Pastor Anthony points to Jesus's teaching in Matthew chapter six about fasting, prayer, and giving, noting that the issue was never about doing these things publicly, but about the motivation behind them.

Pastor Matthew offers an honest, relatable confession, admitting that receiving compliments after preaching can create a strange internal tension. Pastor Chris shares a similar struggle, describing his own effort to simply say thank you rather than deflect, while also being careful to examine his heart when it comes to receiving credit for spiritual gifts.

The hosts spend time unpacking the gift of prophecy, which Paul highlights in 1 Corinthians chapter fourteen. Pastor Chris explains that prophecy is meant to be understandable and edifying for the whole church, unlike a gift like tongues which can require interpretation. Pastor Anthony adds that prophecy allows believers to receive God's word through another person, comparing it to the way confession functions in James chapter five, as a tangible reminder of God's grace delivered through community.

The conversation also addresses the danger of corrective prophecy being misused. Pastor Chris and Pastor Anthony agree that any corrective word should never come from a single self appointed voice acting alone. Instead, this kind of correction should happen within community, involving trusted leadership, and rooted in humility and love rather than personal authority.

Toward the end of the episode, the conversation shifts to recognizing the presence of God in everyday life, including what many would call miracles. Pastor Chris encourages listeners to have a broad view of what counts as miraculous, starting with the simple gift of being alive each day. He also shares a personal story about financial provision during a difficult season, describing it as clear evidence of God's care.

Pastor Anthony shares his own experience of being connected with someone at just the right time, describing it as one of many reminders that God is actively working behind the scenes. Pastor Matthew adds a story about a couple in the church who consistently recognize God's hand in their daily life, encouraging listeners to develop the same habit of gratitude and awareness.

The episode closes with a reminder that living from a posture of trust in God as provider, rather than relying on self sufficiency, opens believers up to experiencing more of what the Holy Spirit wants to do in their lives.

Take 2-3 minutes to quiet yourself and ask God to speak to you today through your devotional time.  

Reading: Daniel 3

Be sure to highlight or note anything that stands out to you while you read.  
After reading the passage, take the next 5-10 minutes and spend time reflecting on what you read. You can write these things down in a journal or record them in your phone. Be attentive to both what you highlighted in the passage and what is going on in your life.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego give us a powerful picture of mature faith: they knew God could deliver them, believed He would if He chose to, and were determined to trust Him even if He did not. This is an important tension when we pray for healing, miracles, or supernatural intervention. We can ask boldly without demanding that God prove Himself by giving us the outcome we want. Our faith ultimately rests not in receiving the answer we requested but in knowing the God to whom we prayed. We can have proven faith—“I know God can,” hopeful faith—“I believe God will,” and relational faith—“I trust God even if He doesn’t.”

What outcome are you struggling to release to God, and what would it look like to trust Him even if He does not answer in the way you hope?
        
Now, take 10 minutes to seek God in prayer…  

1. Begin your time in prayer by taking 1-3 minutes to sit in silence (You can take longer if you sense the Spirit already beginning to speak to you).  
2. Pray through the things you sensed God speaking to you through the Scriptures or pray the following prayer: Father, we know You can, and we hope that You will. But even when You do not answer as we ask, help us trust You because of who You are. Give us relational faith that remains anchored in Your character rather than in the outcome we desire. Amen.
   
3. Close by taking 5 minutes to sit in silence, asking God if there is anything else He wants to speak to you today.  

Faith Step:
Name one unanswered prayer you have been carrying and consciously surrender the outcome to God while continuing to pray with faith.

Take 2-3 minutes to quiet yourself and ask God to speak to you today through your devotional time.  

Reading: Acts 16

Be sure to highlight or note anything that stands out to you while you read.  
After reading the passage, take the next 5-10 minutes and spend time reflecting on what you read. You can write these things down in a journal or record them in your phone. Be attentive to both what you highlighted in the passage and what is going on in your life.

Not everything that appears spiritual comes from the Holy Spirit, which means followers of Jesus need to develop biblical discernment. In Acts 16, Paul recognized that the source behind the slave girl’s words was not the Holy Spirit, even though what she said about Paul and his companions was technically accurate. Discernment is not the same as suspicion, judgment, or second-guessing everyone around us; it is learning to recognize what is producing something and where it is leading. As we grow in Scripture, wisdom, maturity, experience, and attention to spiritual fruit, we become better equipped to recognize what is truly from God.

Is there an area of your life where you need greater biblical discernment about what is influencing you or where something is leading you?
        
Now, take 10 minutes to seek God in prayer…  

1. Begin your time in prayer by taking 1-3 minutes to sit in silence (You can take longer if you sense the Spirit already beginning to speak to you).  
2. Pray through the things you sensed God speaking to you through the Scriptures or pray the following prayer: Holy Spirit, give us wisdom and discernment. Help us recognize what comes from You, what comes from our own thoughts and desires, and what does not reflect Your character. Teach us to test what we hear and see against Scripture and to pay attention to the fruit it produces. Amen.
   
3. Close by taking 5 minutes to sit in silence, asking God if there is anything else He wants to speak to you today.  

Faith Step:
Before accepting a spiritual claim, teaching, or strong inner impression, test it against Scripture and consider the fruit and direction it produces.

"And I do want this to be a resource that helps people read and understand what scripture is." — Pastor Chris

The Tree Church Bible Study is back after a summer break, and hosts Pastor Stacy and Pastor Chris are ready to start something new. Last season, the Pastors spent time walking through the book of Ruth, learning about Naomi, Ruth, and the faithful character of God. This season the focus shifts to the New Testament, where Pastor Stacy and Pastor Chris will spend time in the letters of 1, 2, and 3 John.

Before diving into the text itself, the hosts open the season with two introductory episodes. This first episode lays the groundwork by looking at where these letters came from, who wrote them, and why understanding that background matters so much for reading scripture well.

Pastor Chris shares that his goal for the Bible Study is not just to hand listeners information. He wants the podcast to be a tool that teaches people how to study scripture for themselves. Building on tools introduced during the Ruth series, the team continues offering a reading plan, show notes, and an online community where listeners can ask questions and discuss what they are learning together.

This season, listeners will also hear more conversation about context. Pastor Chris explains that understanding context is one of the most important skills for reading the Bible well, because it helps readers understand why the biblical authors wrote what they wrote.

Pastor Chris introduces a simple framework he learned while studying hermeneutics, the practice of interpreting scripture. He breaks it down into three parts.

The first is the world behind the text. This is the historical setting, including the culture, politics, and events shaping the world when a book was written.

The second is the world in front of the text. This is the perspective a modern reader brings to scripture, including assumptions and ideas picked up from culture or from other teachers. Pastor Chris reminds listeners that everyone brings something to the text, and it helps to be aware of that.

The third is the world of the text itself, meaning the literary style, structure, and language an author used. Pastor Chris compares this to looking through a window, where the world behind the text is what lies beyond the glass, the world of the text is the windowpane itself, and the world in front of the text is the person standing there looking through it.

Pastor Stacy adds that learning to recognize these three angles has changed the way she reads scripture, helping her understand why certain authors wrote the way they did.

With the framework in place, the conversation turns to authorship. Pastor Chris explains that most scholars connect these letters to John the Apostle, the son of Zebedee, who is believed to have eventually settled in Ephesus. These three letters, along with the Gospel of John, are often grouped together as Johannine literature.

None of these books directly name their author. First John has no name attached at all, while Second and Third John refer only to "the elder." The Gospel of John refers to its author as "the disciple whom Jesus loved." Even without a name stated outright, early church history points strongly to a close connection with John the Apostle and the community of believers who followed his teaching, including figures like Polycarp.

Pastor Chris also notes that ancient writing rarely happened the way people imagine today, with one person sitting down and writing a finished work alone. Many hands were often involved in shaping a final text, even while the core ideas and authority still belonged to one central figure.

Listeners may wonder why Revelation, another book connected to John, is not studied alongside these letters. Pastor Chris explains that while Revelation shares some themes with the Gospel and epistles of John, it is written in a completely different style and genre.
Its Greek is noticeably different, and it belongs to a distinct type of literature known as apocalyptic writing. Because of these differences, scholars are not certain whether Revelation was written by the same John, though it remains possible.

Pastors Stacy and Chris walk through how the New Testament is organized. Readers first encounter the Gospels and Acts, followed by Paul's letters arranged by length. After that comes a section sometimes called the general epistles, grouped by author and length as well. This is where 1, 2, and 3 John appear, tucked between other short letters like Hebrews, James, and Peter's letters. Revelation is placed at the very end because of its unique apocalyptic style, even though it shares themes with John's other writings.

Pastor Chris shares that scholars generally date these letters somewhere between 80 and 95 AD, with the Gospel of John likely written first, followed by First John, then Second and Third John. These writings are connected to Ephesus, a wealthy and influential city in the region known as Asia Minor. The community receiving these letters is often called the Johannine community, a network of house churches in that same region.

As the episode moves toward its purpose, Pastor Chris explains that John's community was experiencing division. Some people were drifting away from correct belief about who Jesus is, and this was affecting how they lived. Like other New Testament writers, John wanted his readers to believe rightly about Jesus, live in a way that reflected that belief, and remain faithful even during difficult seasons.

Part of the tension in this community came from a mixed audience of Jewish and Gentile believers. Some corrections in John's writing addressed conflict with the Jewish community, particularly the experience of believers being pushed out of synagogues. Pastor Chris is careful to note that while this conflict is real in the text, John's gospel has sadly been misused throughout history to promote anti semitism, which is a distortion of its original meaning and intent.

On the Gentile side, an early belief system that would later be called Gnosticism was creating problems. This way of thinking taught that the physical world was bad and only the spiritual world mattered. Pastor Chris explains that this belief directly conflicts with the gospel, since it denies that Jesus came in a real physical body. To John, this was a serious departure from the truth about who Jesus is.

As the episode wraps up, Pastor Chris and Pastor Stacy preview some of the major themes listeners can expect throughout 1, 2, and 3 John. These include the imagery of light and darkness, a strong focus on the true identity of Jesus as both fully human and fully divine, an emphasis on love and unity within the church, and the ongoing role of the Holy Spirit in the life of believers.

Pastor Chris shares that his hope is for listeners to see how right belief leads to right behavior. He wants the study to be more than information, but something that leads to real transformation in the lives of those following along.

Pastor Stacy closes by encouraging listeners to make use of the resources available in the show notes and the online community, reminding everyone that no question is off limits. The episode ends with Pastor Chris praying over the season ahead, asking for guidance, conviction, and comfort as listeners prepare to study these letters together.

This episode sets the stage for a deeper look at 1, 2, and 3 John in the weeks to come, giving listeners the context they need before stepping into the text itself.

This Bible study is part of The Tree Church Bible Study podcast (TCBS), created to help the Tree grow deeper in understanding the Scriptures. New episodes are released regularly on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.

Take 2-3 minutes to quiet yourself and ask God to speak to you today through your devotional time.  

Reading: Acts 3

Be sure to highlight or note anything that stands out to you while you read.  
After reading the passage, take the next 5-10 minutes and spend time reflecting on what you read. You can write these things down in a journal or record them in your phone. Be attentive to both what you highlighted in the passage and what is going on in your life.

Peter and John encountered a situation they could not solve through ordinary human ability, but they trusted the power of Jesus and acted in faith. The miracle that followed was not a demonstration of Peter and John’s greatness; it was the Holy Spirit working through them. This reminds us that supernatural power is not given to make us impressive but to accomplish God’s purposes and point people toward Jesus. We should learn to look for opportunities where God may want to work beyond what we can naturally accomplish.

Where have you become so accustomed to relying on your own ability that you have stopped expecting God to work beyond what you can accomplish?
        
Now, take 10 minutes to seek God in prayer…  

1. Begin your time in prayer by taking 1-3 minutes to sit in silence (You can take longer if you sense the Spirit already beginning to speak to you).  
2. Pray through the things you sensed God speaking to you through the Scriptures or pray the following prayer: Father, remind us that the calling You have given us cannot always be accomplished through our natural abilities alone. Help us depend on Your power rather than our own strength. Give us opportunities to participate in what You are doing and the humility to give You the glory when You work through us. Amen.
   
3. Close by taking 5 minutes to sit in silence, asking God if there is anything else He wants to speak to you today.  

Faith Step:
Ask God to show you one place today where you can step beyond your natural ability and trust Him to work.

"You have a supernatural calling on your life that can only be accomplished with supernatural power." — Pastor Matthew Johnson

Pastor Matthew Johnson continued The Tree Church's series on the Holy Spirit with the second part of a message on the gifts of the Spirit. Teaching again from 1 Corinthians 12, he covered the remaining four gifts, often called the gifts of power, and showed how each one is meant to feel personal, grounded, and good rather than intimidating.

Pastor Matthew opened by reminding the church of the previous week's message, where he taught that believers do not simply receive one gift, but receive the full presence of the Holy Spirit, who works through them in different ways. He then explained why this topic matters so much. Every believer has a calling from God to impact the people and world around them, and that calling cannot be accomplished through human effort alone.

He explained that believers face resistance from their own flesh, from a culture that often works against God's purposes, and from spiritual forces that oppose them. Because of this, he said the power of the Holy Spirit is not optional for the Christian life. It is necessary.

The first gift covered was faith, defined as the Holy Spirit supernaturally giving confidence in God's power and faithfulness in a specific situation, moving a person to pray, speak, act, or persevere. Pastor Matthew was careful to distinguish this from simply feeling peaceful. He explained that this kind of faith produces action, not just inward calm.

He also addressed a teaching he has heard in some Christian circles, the idea that a person must build up enough faith before God will move. He compared this to a popular Christmas movie, where a character believes a certain amount of holiday spirit is required before something powerful can happen. Pastor Matthew said this is not how faith works in scripture. Even a small amount of genuine faith can accomplish enormous things.

He pointed to Hebrews chapter 11, often called the hall of faith, where the phrase by faith introduces one story after another of ordinary people accomplishing extraordinary things because they trusted God. He then shared a personal story about moving his family from Detroit more than twenty years ago to take a lower position at a smaller church, knowing almost no one in the area. Looking back, he said it made little practical sense, but it was a decision made possible by the confidence the Holy Spirit gave him in that season.

The second gift, healing, was defined as the Holy Spirit supernaturally restoring what is broken in the body. Pastor Matthew pointed out that in the original language, the phrase is actually plural, gifts of healings, showing that this is not a one time occurrence but something God continues to do in different situations.

While he was careful to note that the passage specifically refers to physical healing, he said it reflects God's broader desire to bring wholeness to every area of a person's life, including emotional and relational healing. He pointed to the healing ministry of Jesus throughout the Gospels, the healing of a crippled man by Peter and John in Acts chapter 3, and a story from Paul's ministry in Acts chapter 20. He also shared his own testimony of experiencing physical healing from a long standing back injury during a church conference in Dallas, describing the moment his wife immediately sensed something had changed even before he told her.

The third gift, miracles, was defined as the Holy Spirit supernaturally working through someone to accomplish what natural ability or ordinary circumstances could not produce. Pastor Matthew walked through several biblical examples, including Moses parting the Red Sea, Elijah and the widow whose oil and flour never ran out during a famine, and several miracles performed by Jesus that went beyond the natural order.

He then shared a handful of stories from the life of The Tree Church that he considers miracles, including hiring a worship pastor in a fraction of the time industry experts told him to expect, and the timing and provision behind acquiring the church's Lancaster and Logan campus properties. He encouraged the congregation to actively look for miracles in their own lives, saying that when people pay attention, they tend to notice them more often.

The fourth and final gift covered was distinguishing between spirits, defined as the Holy Spirit supernaturally enabling someone to recognize the true source and direction of a message, influence, or activity. Pastor Matthew explained that this gift helps believers discern what is truly from God, what may come from human personality or preference, and what may come from a harmful spiritual influence.

He drew a clear line between this gift and what he called judgmental behavior wrongly disguised as spiritual discernment. He said true discernment is not about pointing out other people's flaws, but about being able to recognize whether something aligns with the character and purposes of God.

He gave several biblical examples, including the prophet Micaiah correctly discerning a deceiving spirit among a group of false prophets, Jesus recognizing that Peter's pushback against Him reflected a spiritual influence rather than Peter's own heart, and Paul discerning a demonic spirit behind a girl's seemingly truthful statements in Acts chapter 16. He also shared that as a pastor, he regularly has to discern whether messages presented to the church as coming from God actually align with God's character and purposes.

Pastor Matthew closed the message by addressing a tension many believers feel. What happens when someone prays for healing or a miracle and it does not happen the way they hoped? He acknowledged that this can create insecurity and even hesitation to pray boldly at all.

He pointed to Philippians 4:6-7, where Paul encourages believers to bring their requests to God with thanksgiving, and promises that the peace of God will guard their hearts and minds. Pastor Matthew explained that this peace matters most when the outcome is uncertain, not when a prayer is immediately answered exactly as asked.

He then told the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from Daniel chapter 3, three men who refused to worship a false idol even under the threat of being thrown into a fiery furnace. He highlighted their response to the king, expressing confidence that God could rescue them, hope that He would, and trust in God even if He did not. Pastor Matthew described this as proven faith, hopeful faith, and relational faith, and said this pattern should shape how believers pray about any uncertain outcome.

He closed by saying that faith is not ultimately rooted in getting a specific outcome, but in trusting the character of a personal God. The message ended in prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to move in healing, miracles, wisdom, and discernment, while keeping the glory pointed back to God.

The Tree Church exists to help people in Lancaster and Logan grow in a real relationship with God. Our Lancaster campus meets at 721 N. Memorial Drive, Lancaster, OH 43130, and our Logan campus meets at 36 Hocking Mall, Logan, OH 43138. Both locations gather every Sunday at 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM

Take 2-3 minutes to quiet yourself and ask God to speak to you today through your devotional time.  

Reading: James 5

Be sure to highlight or note anything that stands out to you while you read.  
After reading the passage, take the next 5-10 minutes and spend time reflecting on what you read. You can write these things down in a journal or record them in your phone. Be attentive to both what you highlighted in the passage and what is going on in your life.

God cares about what is broken, and Scripture repeatedly invites us to bring those needs to Him in prayer. The gift of healing demonstrates the Holy Spirit’s power to restore what is broken, and James encourages us to pray boldly for one another. At the same time, healing is not something we control or manufacture; the Holy Spirit remains the One who gives and manifests the gift. We can therefore pray with expectation without making the outcome the foundation of our faith.

What brokenness in your life or in someone you love do you need to bring honestly and boldly before God?
        
Now, take 10 minutes to seek God in prayer…  

1. Begin your time in prayer by taking 1-3 minutes to sit in silence (You can take longer if you sense the Spirit already beginning to speak to you).  
2. Pray through the things you sensed God speaking to you through the Scriptures or pray the following prayer: Jesus, You are our healer and our hope. Teach us to bring the broken places in our lives and the lives of others to You with confidence and compassion. Help us trust Your goodness whether healing comes immediately, gradually, or in a way we do not understand. Amen.
   
3. Close by taking 5 minutes to sit in silence, asking God if there is anything else He wants to speak to you today.  

Faith Step:
Pray specifically for healing or restoration for one person today, and if appropriate, offer to pray with them.

Take 2-3 minutes to quiet yourself and ask God to speak to you today through your devotional time.  

Reading: Hebrews 11

Be sure to highlight or note anything that stands out to you while you read.  
After reading the passage, take the next 5-10 minutes and spend time reflecting on what you read. You can write these things down in a journal or record them in your phone. Be attentive to both what you highlighted in the passage and what is going on in your life.

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.

Where might the Holy Spirit be inviting you to move from simply believing God can to trusting Him enough to act?
        
Now, take 10 minutes to seek God in prayer…  

1. Begin your time in prayer by taking 1-3 minutes to sit in silence (You can take longer if you sense the Spirit already beginning to speak to you).  
2. Pray through the things you sensed God speaking to you through the Scriptures or pray the following prayer: Holy Spirit, give us faith that moves us beyond passive belief and into obedience. Give us confidence in God’s power and faithfulness, and show us how You want us to respond. Help us pray, speak, obey, risk, and persevere as You lead us. Amen.
   
3. Close by taking 5 minutes to sit in silence, asking God if there is anything else He wants to speak to you today.  

Faith Step:
Identify one thing you believe God is asking you to do and take one tangible step of obedience today.

Take 2-3 minutes to quiet yourself and ask God to speak to you today through your devotional time.  

Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24

Be sure to highlight or note anything that stands out to you while you read.  
After reading the passage, take the next 5-10 minutes and spend time reflecting on what you read. You can write these things down in a journal or record them in your phone. Be attentive to both what you highlighted in the passage and what is going on in your life.

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.

Where have you been quenching the Spirit — dismissing a prompting, an impression, or an opportunity — out of caution or fear?
        
Now, take 10 minutes to seek God in prayer…  

1. Begin your time in prayer by taking 1-3 minutes to sit in silence (You can take longer if you sense the Spirit already beginning to speak to you).  
2. Pray through the things you sensed God speaking to you through the Scriptures or pray the following prayer: Father, I don't want to quench what Your Spirit wants to do in or through me. Teach me to test what I hear and hold onto what's good, but keep me from shutting You out. Speak to me, and let me be willing to speak for You. Amen.
   
3. Close by taking 5 minutes to sit in silence, asking God if there is anything else He wants to speak to you today.  

Faith Step:
Identify one prompting from the Spirit you've been ignoring or dismissing lately, and take one step of obedience toward it today.

Take 2-3 minutes to quiet yourself and ask God to speak to you today through your devotional time.  

Reading: 1 Corinthians 14:6-19

Be sure to highlight or note anything that stands out to you while you read.  
After reading the passage, take the next 5-10 minutes and spend time reflecting on what you read. You can write these things down in a journal or record them in your phone. Be attentive to both what you highlighted in the passage and what is going on in your life.

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.

Is there a spiritual gift you've dismissed because it felt unfamiliar or uncomfortable, and what would it look like to stay open to it instead?
        
Now, take 10 minutes to seek God in prayer…  

1. Begin your time in prayer by taking 1-3 minutes to sit in silence (You can take longer if you sense the Spirit already beginning to speak to you).  
2. Pray through the things you sensed God speaking to you through the Scriptures or pray the following prayer: Holy Spirit, I don't want to limit what You can do in me because it feels unfamiliar. Build up my spirit in prayer, and if You want to use me to build up others, give me the courage to be available. Amen.
   
3. Close by taking 5 minutes to sit in silence, asking God if there is anything else He wants to speak to you today.  

Faith Step:
Spend a few extra minutes in prayer today specifically asking the Spirit to build up your own spirit, however that looks for you.

Take 2-3 minutes to quiet yourself and ask God to speak to you today through your devotional time.  

Reading: 1 Corinthians 14:1-5

Be sure to highlight or note anything that stands out to you while you read.  
After reading the passage, take the next 5-10 minutes and spend time reflecting on what you read. You can write these things down in a journal or record them in your phone. Be attentive to both what you highlighted in the passage and what is going on in your life.

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.

Has the Spirit ever put a specific word, image, or sense on your heart for someone else — and what kept you from sharing it, or what happened when you did?
        
Now, take 10 minutes to seek God in prayer…  

1. Begin your time in prayer by taking 1-3 minutes to sit in silence (You can take longer if you sense the Spirit already beginning to speak to you).  
2. Pray through the things you sensed God speaking to you through the Scriptures or pray the following prayer: Lord, I want to grow in confidence to hear from You and share it in love. Give me a word today that could encourage, build up, or comfort someone in Your name. Help me not shrink back out of fear. Amen.
   
3. Close by taking 5 minutes to sit in silence, asking God if there is anything else He wants to speak to you today.  

Faith Step:
Ask the Holy Spirit if there's a specific word of encouragement He wants you to share with someone today, and if one comes, share it.

Take 2-3 minutes to quiet yourself and ask God to speak to you today through your devotional time.  

Reading: 1 Corinthians 2:9-16

Be sure to highlight or note anything that stands out to you while you read.  
After reading the passage, take the next 5-10 minutes and spend time reflecting on what you read. You can write these things down in a journal or record them in your phone. Be attentive to both what you highlighted in the passage and what is going on in your life.

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.

When was the last time you sensed the Spirit showing you what to do, or revealing something you had no natural way of knowing — and did you recognize it as Him?
        
Now, take 10 minutes to seek God in prayer…  

1. Begin your time in prayer by taking 1-3 minutes to sit in silence (You can take longer if you sense the Spirit already beginning to speak to you).  
2. Pray through the things you sensed God speaking to you through the Scriptures or pray the following prayer: Father, thank You that I have the mind of Christ through Your Spirit. Give me wisdom for the decisions in front of me and open my eyes to see what I can't know on my own. Help me trust You enough to act on what You reveal. Amen.
   
3. Close by taking 5 minutes to sit in silence, asking God if there is anything else He wants to speak to you today.  

Faith Step:
Before making a decision today, pause and specifically ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom, then act on what comes to mind.

"You don't receive a gift. It's way better than that. You receive the spirit of God." — Pastor Matthew Johnson

Pastor Matthew Johnson continued The Tree Church's series on the Holy Spirit this week with a message on the gifts of the Spirit. Teaching from 1 Corinthians 12, he worked to remove the confusion and hesitation many Christians feel around this topic, showing instead how good and personal these gifts truly are.

Pastor Matthew opened with a story from 2011, the year he became lead pastor. He shared that his very first planned sermon series was about the Holy Spirit, and he was excited to teach it. What surprised him was the most common response he received when he announced it. People asked if the church was going to become weird.

He explained that this fear made sense. In his experience, many groups that emphasize the Holy Spirit have done so in ways that felt chaotic or strange rather than biblical. Pastor Matthew was clear that his goal has always been the opposite. He wants believers to see the gifts of the Spirit as normal, personal, and good, not something loud or out of control.

To set up the passage, Pastor Matthew gave background on the Apostle Paul and his relationship with the church in Corinth. Paul had once opposed Christianity entirely before encountering the resurrected Jesus and becoming a missionary who planted churches across the region. The believers in Corinth wrote to Paul with questions about their faith, including questions about the Holy Spirit, and Paul's letter was written in response.

He pointed out that in 1 Corinthians 12:1, Paul is not simply teaching about spiritual gifts as a category. He is addressing a broader question the church asked about what it means to have the Spirit of God living in them. Pastor Matthew also highlighted verse 3, where Paul gives a simple test. Anyone truly led by the Holy Spirit will always honor Jesus, never dishonor Him.

Moving into verses 4 through 11, Pastor Matthew unpacked the original language behind the word gifts, explaining that it comes from a term meaning grace gifts. He said this matters because it removes a common misunderstanding, the idea that spiritual gifts are only for people who are especially disciplined, mature, or in leadership. Instead, these gifts flow from the same grace that saves every believer.

He also challenged a common way people talk about spiritual gifts, saying things like I have the gift of healing or I have the gift of prophecy. Pastor Matthew said this actually undersells what a believer has. He put it directly. You don't receive a gift. It's way better than that. You receive the spirit of God.

To illustrate this, he used the image of a Swiss Army knife and a Leatherman multi tool, both of which contain many different functions in one tool. He explained that saying you have the gift of one specific thing is like holding a multi tool and only claiming the pliers. What a believer actually has is the full presence of the Holy Spirit, who chooses to work through them in different ways as needed.

Pastor Matthew then began walking through five of the nine gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, describing these as the speaking gifts. The first was wisdom, defined as the Holy Spirit supernaturally showing someone what to do. He referenced James 1:5, which encourages believers to ask God for wisdom in faith. He also pointed to Acts chapter 6, where the early church sought wisdom together to solve a practical problem, and Acts chapter 15, where church leaders sought wisdom on how to guide new Gentile believers. In both cases, the church prayed, discussed, and moved forward with confidence because of the wisdom God gave them.

The second gift, knowledge, was defined as the Holy Spirit supernaturally showing someone something they could not have otherwise known. Pastor Matthew pointed to two moments in the ministry of Jesus, His conversation with the woman at the well in John 4, and His response to unspoken thoughts at a dinner in Luke 7. In both stories, Jesus knew something only the Holy Spirit could have revealed. Pastor Matthew also shared a personal example, describing a moment years earlier when he sensed the Spirit warning him ahead of a difficult meeting, which prepared his heart before it happened.

The third gift, prophecy, was defined as the Holy Spirit supernaturally speaking to someone or through someone. Pastor Matthew explained that prophecy in scripture can be predictive, corrective, or encouraging, and gave biblical examples of each, including Agabus predicting a famine in Acts 11 and the encouragement given through prophecy in Acts 15. He also shared several personal stories, including prophetic words given to couples in the church who were struggling to conceive, both of whom later had children.
He also shared a more difficult story about a time God prompted him to check on a friend during what felt like an ordinary day. He reached out by text and then in person, even though at the time nothing seemed obviously wrong. Months later, that friend told him they had been in a very dark place and that his message had arrived at the exact moment they needed it most. Pastor Matthew shared this story to show how the Holy Spirit can use a believer to remind someone else that they are seen and loved by God.

The fourth and fifth gifts, tongues and the interpretation of tongues, were addressed together. Pastor Matthew explained that tongues in scripture appear in three forms, a known language unknown to the speaker, an unknown language meant to be interpreted for the church, and a private prayer language between a believer and God. He shared the biblical example of Pentecost in Acts 2, along with several personal stories, including a well known story from Pastor Jack Hayford about singing in tongues to a stranger on an airplane, his own experience receiving this gift at age 13, and a lighthearted family story about his mother praying in tongues while trying to catch the family dog.

He explained interpretation of tongues as God enabling someone to communicate the meaning of what was spoken, sharing that he grew up in a church where this happened regularly and that it shaped his early understanding that God genuinely wants to speak to His people.

Pastor Matthew closed the message with a simple but challenging thought. When God speaks to you, it builds your faith. When God speaks through you, it builds someone else's faith. He encouraged the church to ask God to speak to them personally through prayer and scripture, but also to ask Him to speak through them to someone else. He gave a practical example, encouraging believers that if someone comes to mind unexpectedly, a simple text or call letting that person know they were prayed for can make a real difference. The message closed in prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to work through the church for good purposes in their families, relationships, and everyday lives.

Whether you are new to faith or looking for a church home in Lancaster or Logan, The Tree Church invites you to join us. Our Lancaster campus meets at 721 N. Memorial Drive, Lancaster, OH 43130, and our Logan campus meets at 36 Hocking Mall, Logan, OH 43138. Sunday services at both campuses are held at 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM. We would love to have you with us.

Take 2-3 minutes to quiet yourself and ask God to speak to you today through your devotional time.  

Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Be sure to highlight or note anything that stands out to you while you read.  
After reading the passage, take the next 5-10 minutes and spend time reflecting on what you read. You can write these things down in a journal or record them in your phone. Be attentive to both what you highlighted in the passage and what is going on in your life.

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 "have" a gift the way you own a possession; you have the Holy Spirit, and He makes His gifts available as He wills. Like a multi-tool that carries a knife, a saw, and pliers all in one, having the Spirit means every gift is available to you, not just the one you feel most comfortable claiming.

Paul is also clear about the purpose: the Spirit's manifestation is given to each person for the common good, not for status or self-promotion. So, the goal was never to figure out which gift is "yours" and rest there, it's to stay open and available to whatever the Spirit wants to do through you, whenever He wants to do it.

Have you limited yourself by thinking "I don't have that gift" instead of staying open to however the Spirit wants to work through you?
        
Now, take 10 minutes to seek God in prayer…  

1. Begin your time in prayer by taking 1-3 minutes to sit in silence (You can take longer if you sense the Spirit already beginning to speak to you).  
2. Pray through the things you sensed God speaking to you through the Scriptures or pray the following prayer: Holy Spirit, thank You for living in me and for the grace gifts You freely give. Forgive me for boxing You in by claiming only the gifts that feel comfortable. Keep me open and available to bless others however You choose today. Amen.
   
3. Close by taking 5 minutes to sit in silence, asking God if there is anything else He wants to speak to you today.  

Faith Step:
Ask the Holy Spirit in prayer today to use you for someone else's good, without specifying how — and stay alert for the opportunity.

"This isn't a sprint or a marathon. This is a lifestyle." — Pastor Matthew Johnson

Pastor Chris Reed and Pastor Matthew Johnson sat down for an honest conversation on The Branch Podcast about what it actually means to be transformed by the Holy Spirit. The discussion followed Pastor Matthew's recent sermon and became a chance to unpack the idea further, sharing personal stories along the way. Their conversation is part of the Proof series at The Tree Church, a study built around the belief that when the Holy Spirit is at work, there is evidence.

Pastor Chris opened the conversation by pointing out something true about the Christian life. God loves people as they are. That grace is offered freely, and scripture reminds believers that God pursued them even while they were still far from him. So why does transformation matter so much if love is already given.

Pastor Matthew answered with a simple truth. You can love someone and still think they need to change. He compared it to being a parent. A parent loves their child deeply, but that love does not mean they want their child to stay exactly the same forever. They want to see growth. The same is true in a relationship with God. People are loved fully, but they are also invited to change and grow.

Pastor Matthew described this as living in the tension between what once was in the garden and what will be in eternity. Sin still affects everyone, and because of that, every part of a person's life, their thoughts, desires, goals, and relationships, is either being led toward life by the Holy Spirit or toward death by the flesh. He explained that there are not a thousand choices in life. There are really only two directions. A choice toward God, or a choice away from him.

Both pastors agreed that people naturally want to get better. The culture is full of self-help advice and life hacks aimed at personal improvement. But there is a catch. People often want to improve on their own terms, using their own standard for what better looks like.

Pastor Matthew explained that being transformed by the Holy Spirit means giving up that control. He said that to be transformed by the Holy Spirit is to surrender control to him, and that surrender is exactly what people resist. He connected this to the story of Adam and Eve in the garden, explaining that part of what happened there was people wanting to define wisdom and goodness on their own terms instead of trusting God's standard.

Pastor Chris shared how this shows up in his own life. He admitted that the places he resists the most are often the places tied to deep hurt, insecurity, and fear. Some areas of his life have been easier to surrender to God over the years. Other areas, like pride and the way he relates to and trusts people, have come with a much higher cost and have been harder to hand over.

The conversation turned toward the reality that transformation often comes through difficult seasons rather than quick fixes. Pastor Matthew shared a story about a moment years ago when he lost his temper and spoke to someone in a way he had not acted in decades. He described the shame and embarrassment of that moment, but also the redemptive side of it. That failure brought something to the surface that needed to be addressed, and it led to a season of real self examination guided by the Holy Spirit.

He explained that before that moment, he thought controlling his outward behavior was the same as walking in the fruit of the Spirit. What he came to understand is that the fruit of the Spirit is not simply learning to manage behavior. It is having real peace underneath it. Pastor Matthew said that to have peace is better than to have low grade anger held under control.

Both pastors agreed that this kind of growth is rarely immediate. Sometimes God leads someone into a season of tension in a relationship or a struggle before things get better. The road to health often runs through struggle first.

Much of the conversation focused on the practical question of how someone actually hears the Holy Spirit speaking into their life. Pastor Chris shared that this summer he went through a week of intensive counseling, something he mentioned briefly on a previous episode. During that time, there were some things that she said to him that really hit home to him, especially the idea that sometimes God saves people from themselves by not giving them exactly what they expected.

The pastors talked about hearing the Spirit's voice through other people, through repeated situations, through scripture and sermons, and even through watching other people make mistakes. They also talked about the value of correction. Being told something honest and even uncomfortable by someone trusted can be one of the clearest ways the Holy Spirit speaks.

A natural question followed. Is spiritual transformation something a person works toward through disciplines and effort, or is it something they simply wait for the Holy Spirit to do. Pastor Matthew explained that it is both. Some things require supernatural peace that no amount of effort can produce. Other areas benefit from practical rhythms, like accountability, consistency, and healthy structure in daily life.

He shared that this isn't a sprint or a marathon. This is a lifestyle. Growth does not happen all at once, and it does not have a finish line either. It is something a person walks out over the course of their whole life, staying sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading day by day.

Pastor Chris shared his own struggle with wanting to fix everything all at once, only to grow tired and see little lasting change. He explained that he has had to learn to let the Spirit set the pace and the priorities, trusting that peace comes through the process rather than through forcing quick results.

Toward the end of the conversation, the pastors discussed the idea of discipline. They pointed out that scripture describes God disciplining those he loves, the same way a loving parent corrects a child. They contrasted discipline with punishment, explaining that punishment carries a punitive weight, while discipline is meant to lead someone toward something better.

Pastor Matthew referenced Psalm 139, describing the simple invitation it offers. The invitation is to ask God to search your heart, show you anything displeasing, and lead you in his everlasting way. He explained that inviting this kind of honesty from God, and from trusted people in your life, is one of the clearest ways to grow in sensitivity to the Holy Spirit.

The conversation closed with encouragement for listeners to build healthy rhythms in their own lives that help them stay sensitive to the Holy Spirit's voice. Both pastors acknowledged that the world is full of loud voices competing for attention. Because of that, staying attentive to God takes intention.

Their closing thought was simple and hopeful. God has promised to make himself known and to lead people toward something good, if they are willing to keep listening.

If you are looking for a church community in central Ohio, we would love to meet you at The Tree Church.

We have two campuses in the area:
Our Lancaster campus is located at 721 N. Memorial Drive, Lancaster, OH 43130. Our Logan campus is located at 36 Hocking Mall, Logan, OH 43138. Both campuses hold services on Sunday mornings at 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM.

Take 2-3 minutes to quiet yourself and ask God to speak to you today through your devotional time.  

Reading: Colossians 3:1-17

Be sure to highlight or note anything that stands out to you while you read.  
After reading the passage, take the next 5-10 minutes and spend time reflecting on what you read. You can write these things down in a journal or record them in your phone. Be attentive to both what you highlighted in the passage and what is going on in your life.

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" things, it is replaced with a desire and will to do “good.” As the old self dies, the new self, being renewed in the image of its Creator, grows exactly what the Spirit was producing all along.

Being specific and honest, what is one part of your old self you need to keep putting to death, and what new-self virtue do you need to put on in its place?
        
Now, take 10 minutes to seek God in prayer…  

1. Begin your time in prayer by taking 1-3 minutes to sit in silence (You can take longer if you sense the Spirit already beginning to speak to you).  
2. Pray through the things you sensed God speaking to you through the Scriptures or pray the following prayer: Jesus, I belong to You, and I choose today to put off the old self and put on the new. Let Your peace rule in my heart and Your word dwell richly in me. Keep clothing me with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and love. Amen.
   
3. Close by taking 5 minutes to sit in silence, asking God if there is anything else He wants to speak to you today.  

Faith Step:
Choose one "put off, put on" pair from Colossians 3 — name the old pattern and replace it with the new virtue in one specific interaction today.

Take 2-3 minutes to quiet yourself and ask God to speak to you today through your devotional time.  

Reading: Romans 5:1-11

Be sure to highlight or note anything that stands out to you while you read.  
After reading the passage, take the next 5-10 minutes and spend time reflecting on what you read. You can write these things down in a journal or record them in your phone. Be attentive to both what you highlighted in the passage and what is going on in your life.

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.

How can focusing on what Christ has done for you on the Cross help remind you to trust God’s love in difficult seasons?
        
Now, take 10 minutes to seek God in prayer…  

1. Begin your time in prayer by taking 1-3 minutes to sit in silence (You can take longer if you sense the Spirit already beginning to speak to you).  
2. Pray through the things you sensed God speaking to you through the Scriptures or pray the following prayer: Lord, thank You that You don't waste hard moments. When conviction comes, help me receive it as love, not condemnation. Use my current struggles to grow endurance, character, and hope in me. I want to keep changing. Amen.
   
3. Close by taking 5 minutes to sit in silence, asking God if there is anything else He wants to speak to you today.  

Faith Step:
Recall your most recent difficult moment and identify one honest response to the Spirit's conviction — an apology, a changed attitude, or a surrendered worry — and act on it today.

Take 2-3 minutes to quiet yourself and ask God to speak to you today through your devotional time.  

Reading: Galatians 5:22-23

Be sure to highlight or note anything that stands out to you while you read.  
After reading the passage, take the next 5-10 minutes and spend time reflecting on what you read. You can write these things down in a journal or record them in your phone. Be attentive to both what you highlighted in the passage and what is going on in your 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.

Where do you sense the Spirit has been challenging you lately? Where do you need to repent and renew your commitment to embracing His way in your life?
        
Now, take 10 minutes to seek God in prayer…  

1. Begin your time in prayer by taking 1-3 minutes to sit in silence (You can take longer if you sense the Spirit already beginning to speak to you).  
2. Pray through the things you sensed God speaking to you through the Scriptures or pray the following prayer: Father, thank You for setting such a clear and good standard for my life. I confess the areas where this fruit is still small in me. Holy Spirit, keep doing Your patient work — grow in me what only You can produce. Amen.
   
3. Close by taking 5 minutes to sit in silence, asking God if there is anything else He wants to speak to you today.  

Faith Step:
Ask the Spirit to give you opportunity to practice one of the fruit that you have been struggling with.

Take 2-3 minutes to quiet yourself and ask God to speak to you today through your devotional time.  

Reading: Galatians 5:1-21

Be sure to highlight or note anything that stands out to you while you read.  
After reading the passage, take the next 5-10 minutes and spend time reflecting on what you read. You can write these things down in a journal or record them in your phone. Be attentive to both what you highlighted in the passage and what is going on in your life.

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.

Where have you been using your freedom in Christ as an excuse to feed the flesh, instead of as fuel to walk by the Spirit and love others well?
        
Now, take 10 minutes to seek God in prayer…  

1. Begin your time in prayer by taking 1-3 minutes to sit in silence (You can take longer if you sense the Spirit already beginning to speak to you).  
2. Pray through the things you sensed God speaking to you through the Scriptures or pray the following prayer: Jesus, thank You for setting me free. Forgive me for the times I've used that freedom carelessly instead of walking in step with Your Spirit. Teach me to love others well and to starve the patterns that keep pulling me backward. Amen.
   
3. Close by taking 5 minutes to sit in silence, asking God if there is anything else He wants to speak to you today.  

Faith Step:
Choose one specific, practical way to serve someone else through love today.

"The Holy Spirit must first kill the old you before he can produce the new you." — Pastor Matthew Johnson

Pastor Matthew Johnson continued The Tree Church's series on the holy Spirit this week with a message on the fruit of the Spirit. Teaching from Galatians chapter 5, he showed the church what it looks like to walk by the Spirit instead of the flesh, and why that choice shapes everything about a person's life.

Pastor Matthew opened by sharing about his own family, including the joy and challenge of watching his kids grow into adulthood. He talked about moving into a new season as a father, where his role is shifting from authority to advisor. He shared honestly that when he was younger, he often thought he knew more than he actually did, and looking back now, he can see how much he still had to learn.

He said this personal reflection connects directly to why he continues to pursue growth in his own life. He gave three reasons for this, but focused the message on one in particular. He believes there is only one road in life, but two completely different destinations.

Pastor Matthew explained that scripture consistently teaches this same truth from beginning to end. He pointed to Deuteronomy, where God set before His people a choice between obedience and disobedience, blessing and curse, life and death. He then connected this to the teaching of Jesus, who described a narrow path that leads to life and a broad path that leads to destruction.

He explained that the Apostle Paul teaches the same principle in Galatians 5, describing a life led by the Spirit that leads to real life, compared to a life led by the flesh that leads to separation from God. Pastor Matthew was clear that this decision affects every part of a person's life, including relationships, finances, health, and eternity.

Turning to Galatians 5:16-17, Pastor Matthew gave background on the letter Paul wrote to the church in Galatia. Some believers there were teaching that faith in Jesus was not enough, and that people also needed to follow the law to be saved. Paul corrected this, but also addressed a related question. If salvation comes through faith alone, does obedience still matter?

Paul's answer was to point people back to the Holy Spirit. Pastor Matthew explained that Paul describes an ongoing struggle between the flesh and the Spirit, calling believers to walk by the Spirit rather than gratify the flesh. He described the flesh as something completely natural, something no one has to be taught. He illustrated this with a lighthearted story about young twins in the church who never had to be taught how to say the word mine, or how to react when they did not get their way.

Pastor Matthew explained that becoming a new creation in Christ requires the Holy Spirit to deal directly with old patterns. He put it plainly. The Holy Spirit must first kill the old you before he can produce the new you. He connected this to a simple but important principle. Every appetite you feed grows stronger. Every appetite you starve grows weaker. He said the choice of what to feed, whether the flesh or the Spirit, belongs to every believer.

Pastor Matthew then walked through the list Paul gives in Galatians 5:19-21, describing the works of the flesh as sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, and orgies. He took time to define each one clearly, helping the church understand what these terms mean in everyday life rather than leaving them as vague religious language.

He then gave practical, sometimes humorous examples of how people unintentionally feed these things in daily life. He mentioned how constantly watching one sided news coverage can grow division, how scrolling through social media can grow envy, and how replaying imaginary arguments in our minds can grow anger rather than resolve it. His point was that people rarely want more of these traits in their lives, yet many daily habits quietly grow them anyway.

From there, Pastor Matthew moved into Galatians 5:22-23, where Paul describes the fruit of the Spirit as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. He pointed out that Paul uses the word fruit in a singular sense, meaning all nine qualities are meant to be present and growing together in a believer's life, rather than picked and chosen individually.

He gave a clear definition for each one. Love is choosing what is best for someone else even when it costs something personally. Joy is a deep gladness rooted in God rather than circumstances. Peace is an inner steadiness that comes from trusting God. Patience is remaining steady through difficult people or situations. Kindness is treating others with care and generosity. Goodness is choosing what is morally right, even when no one is watching. Faithfulness is being dependable and following through on commitments. Gentleness is strength that stays under control. Self control is keeping desires in check rather than being controlled by them.

Pastor Matthew then addressed a practical question many people ask. If this is the goal, how does it actually happen? He offered four ways the Holy Spirit produces this fruit in a believer's life.

First, the Holy Spirit sets the standard. Pastor Matthew was clear that the standard for a Christian's life does not come from culture, personal feelings, or the people someone spends the most time with. It comes from the Spirit of God.

Second, the Holy Spirit gives believers opportunity to grow. Referencing Romans chapter 5, Pastor Matthew explained that suffering that comes from choosing obedience over the flesh produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope. He compared this to the process of training physically, where consistency over time changes what a person is able to handle.

Third, the Holy Spirit engages believers through conviction. Pastor Matthew connected this directly to the previous week's message, explaining that conviction reminds believers to trust Jesus, reminds them of who they are in Christ, and gives them an eternal perspective for the choices they make.

Fourth, the Holy Spirit empowers believers to actually change. Pastor Matthew referenced a phrase found in the books of Ezra and Haggai, where scripture says the spirit of God stirred the spirits of the people. He explained that when believers respond in obedience, God meets them with strength to follow through.

Pastor Matthew returned to the list of fruit and offered specific, practical ways to grow in each area, such as looking for ways to serve people who cannot repay it in order to grow in love, or practicing small moments of saying no to oneself in order to grow in self control. He closed this section by reading Galatians 5:24, where Paul reminds believers that those who belong to Christ Jesus have chosen to put the flesh and its desires to death.

To close the message, Pastor Matthew shared a personal story about an area of his own life where he struggled with self control, specifically around his eating habits. He described a moment last November when he sensed the Holy Spirit challenging him to give up sweets. He was honest that the following months, especially through the holiday season, were difficult. Over time, though, he noticed his desire for sweets had genuinely changed, and he no longer wanted or needed the same amount he once did.

He used this story to encourage the church that real change is possible when someone cooperates with the Holy Spirit, even after failure. He encouraged listeners to keep asking for help, keep getting back up, and trust that the Spirit is faithful to produce lasting change over time. The message closed in prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to reveal areas where the flesh has taken control, not to bring shame, but to lead the church toward life.

If you are searching for a church home in Lancaster or Logan, The Tree Church would love to welcome you. Our Lancaster location gathers at 721 N. Memorial Drive, Lancaster, OH 43130, and our Logan location gathers at 36 Hocking Mall, Logan, OH 43138. Both campuses meet every Sunday at 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM. Come as you are and grow with us.

Take 2-3 minutes to quiet yourself and ask God to speak to you today through your devotional time.  

Reading: Matthew 7:13-29

Be sure to highlight or note anything that stands out to you while you read.  
After reading the passage, take the next 5-10 minutes and spend time reflecting on what you read. You can write these things down in a journal or record them in your phone. Be attentive to both what you highlighted in the passage and what is going on in your life.

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.

Is your life currently being built on rock, doing what Jesus says, or on sand, where you agree with His words but haven't let them change how you live?
        
Now, take 10 minutes to seek God in prayer…  

1. Begin your time in prayer by taking 1-3 minutes to sit in silence (You can take longer if you sense the Spirit already beginning to speak to you).  
2. Pray through the things you sensed God speaking to you through the Scriptures or pray the following prayer: Jesus, I don't want to just hear Your words, I want to build my life on them. Show me anywhere I've settled for the easy, crowded road instead of the narrow way that leads to life and give me the courage to walk it today. Amen.
   
3. Close by taking 5 minutes to sit in silence, asking God if there is anything else He wants to speak to you today.  

Faith Step:
Identify one place where hearing God's Word and doing it are currently misaligned in your life and take one concrete action today to close that gap.

"I just had this overwhelming sense that God was real and that he loved me and that I wanted to know and be involved in with him." — Pastor Chris Reed

Pastor Matthew Johnson and Pastor Chris Reed returned to The Branch Podcast after a summer break to talk about something personal. Both men lead at The Tree Church, and both have spent years growing in their walk with the Holy Spirit. But they did not start in the same place.

Their conversation is part of the church's Proof series, a study built on the idea that when the Holy Spirit is involved, there is evidence. Pastor Matthew opened the series by explaining that a relationship with God should be experiential. A relationship with no interaction is really just information. This episode picks up that thread by asking a simple question. What does it actually look like to grow close to the Holy Spirit over time.

Pastor Chris grew up in the Lutheran church. His family attended every Sunday, and faith was part of daily life from an early age. He learned the stories of scripture and understood who God was. But the Holy Spirit was talked about mostly as an idea, not as someone to interact with personally.

That changed in college, when Pastor Chris was introduced to more charismatic expressions of faith. People spoke in tongues around him for the first time, and he had no framework for it. On some mission trips he saw behavior that felt chaotic and out of order. Without a background to make sense of it, he found himself pulling back rather than leaning toward it.

Looking back now, Pastor Chris can see moments earlier in his life that he did not have words for at the time. He remembers being ten years old, singing hymns in his Lutheran church, and feeling overwhelmed by a sense that God was real and that God loved him. He did not call that the Holy Spirit back then. He does now.

Pastor Matthew had the opposite experience. His father was a pastor at an Assemblies of God church, a charismatic tradition where the gifts of the Spirit were part of every Sunday service. His father would pause the service and invite the Holy Spirit to move through prophecy, tongues, and interpretation. It was always structured and orderly, never chaotic.

Growing up inside that environment gave Pastor Matthew a language most people never receive. He said it plainly. So I had language and I had understanding of it. And to me honestly it shaped me in a positive way. The people who operated in those gifts were people he trusted and respected, and their sincerity left an impression on him.

College complicated things a little. At an Assemblies of God college, Pastor Matthew saw more extreme behavior tied to the gifts, things his father described as unusual practices some charismatic groups pick up rather than anything the Bible actually teaches. It did not sour him on the Holy Spirit, but it did make him more cautious about separating genuine movement of the Spirit from learned behavior.

Both pastors agreed on one thing. Out of all the gifts of the Spirit, speaking in tongues is the one that feels the most unusual. Prophecy, wisdom, healing, and discernment all have a clear, practical purpose people can immediately recognize. Tongues stand apart because nothing else in ordinary life resembles it.

For Pastor Chris, tongues remained confusing for a long time. He understood it in theory. He could point to Paul's teaching about it in scripture. But understanding something and experiencing it are not the same thing. He described trying to force the experience for years without success, until one evening while praying and worshiping with the staff, something felt different. It was not something he manufactured. It became a genuine part of his prayer life, especially in moments when he simply did not know what to say to God.

Pastor Chris described it this way. God, I want to connect to you, but I don't have the words to speak right now.

Pastor Matthew pointed out that tongues connects to a passage often overlooked in the armor of God, where praying in the spirit is listed as part of a believer's defense. Paul describes it as the spirit interceding with perfect prayers on a person's behalf. For Pastor Chris, it was not until he experienced the purpose behind the gift, rather than just the strangeness of it, that it started to make sense.

Both pastors were honest about the tension that comes with wanting more of these gifts active in church life while also wanting to guard against anything that becomes chaotic or performative. Pastor Matthew admitted he is still working through how to create space for the gifts of the Spirit in services without losing order. It is something he continues to wrestle with rather than something he claims to have fully solved.

Prophecy came up as the gift that shaped both of their lives the most. Pastor Chris shared that prophetic words spoken over him during difficult seasons sustained his faith and helped him find his place in ministry. He also described a moment years ago when he prayed for something simple, needing to know God still heard him, and then had someone unexpectedly pay for his order at a Starbucks drive through window that same day.

Pastor Chris described the moment this way. That was a pivotal moment for me. It was a moment where God was like, I hear you. I see you.

Pastor Matthew shared a story from his first year as a youth pastor at age twenty. He sensed God telling him a message he was preparing for teenagers was actually meant for the adults, including his own father, who he described as intimidating in his theological depth. During the service, someone gave a prophetic word that named the exact person Pastor Matthew had been thinking about while preparing the message. That confirmation convinced him, beyond doubt, that he could hear from God.

He has carried that conviction into how he leads staff and the church, encouraging everyone to pursue moments where they hear from God clearly enough to share it with someone else.

Pastor Matthew shared one of the more serious stories from the conversation. He described a day when a friend came to mind so strongly that he could not shake it. After a vague, distant text exchange, he felt compelled to go to his friend's house in person. His friend tried to avoid the conversation, but Pastor Matthew stayed and gently pressed in with honesty. That conversation opened the door for his friend to share what he was really going through. Months later, Pastor Matthew learned his friend had been planning to take his own life on a specific day, and that conversation changed the course of things.

He described the weight of that moment as a reminder that ignoring the voice of the Holy Spirit is never worth the risk, even when responding feels inconvenient or uncertain.

Both pastors encouraged listeners to take small steps of faith when they sense a prompting, whether that is reaching out to someone, praying for someone, or simply following a nudge without knowing the outcome in advance. They both agreed that obedience does not always come with an immediate or visible result, and that is still faithfulness.

Pastor Chris admitted he once believed following the Holy Spirit meant God would lead him into embarrassing or overwhelming situations, since some Old Testament prophets acted out strange, uncomfortable signs. He had to learn that the same spirit who speaks to him is also the spirit who loves him, and that anything God calls someone into comes from goodness, even when it stretches personal comfort or pride.

Pastor Matthew shared that he had to unlearn the teaching from his upbringing that speaking in tongues is required proof of being filled with the Holy Spirit. Studying scripture more closely in college showed him that belief does not hold up. He also had to unlearn the instinct to put the Holy Spirit in a box, recognizing that God works differently in different people's lives and does not fit a single formula.

Both pastors talked about parenting through the lens of the Holy Spirit. Pastor Matthew emphasized modeling a consistent pursuit of God in front of his kids and staying open to their questions about faith without shame or pressure. He also talked about including his children in family decisions shaped by prayer, using language like we feel God is leading us to do this, so his kids grow up seeing that process firsthand.

Pastor Chris shared a similar approach, encouraging his kids to bring their problems to God directly and to expect that God will speak into their situations. Both agreed that walking alongside their children as they learn to trust God's voice, rather than leaving them to figure it out alone, has been one of the most important parts of parenting through this season of life.

The conversation closes with a simple invitation. Every person, not just pastors or staff members, has access to a relationship with the Holy Spirit that includes hearing from God and being shaped by him. Pastor Matthew emphasized that discipleship cannot be reduced to a single program, since every person carries different backgrounds and needs. Learning to recognize and follow the Holy Spirit is what allows each person to find their own path forward with God.

Their conversation was honest about doubt, confusion, and the process of learning to trust something that cannot always be explained. It was also full of confidence that God still speaks today, and that anyone willing to listen can learn to recognize his voice.

If you are looking for a church community in central Ohio, we would love to meet you at The Tree Church.

We have two campuses in the area:
Our Lancaster campus is located at 721 N. Memorial Drive, Lancaster, OH 43130. Our Logan campus is located at 36 Hocking Mall, Logan, OH 43138. Both campuses hold services on Sunday mornings at 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM.