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SOT Ranch, PO Box 52, Wortham, TX (2026)

06/19/2026

True Freedom is Here

Everyone thinks about freedom differently. Most people would say freedom is a virtue that should be sought, but that idea changes depending on how it’s defined.

A lot of people think freedom is the absence of restraints. We are truly free when we are free from things that hold us back. Others define freedom by our human will—if we can choose what we want, then we can be free.

These ideas are a bit different from what we find in Scripture. According to God’s Word, freedom is found wherever God is found. Freedom is found when we live according to God’s original design for our life.

When we begin our life with Jesus, He gives us a new heart and way to live. He also sends the Spirit of God to live within us. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 3:17 that wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is true freedom. That means all of us who believe in Jesus have access to this freedom.

Freedom doesn’t come from doing whatever we want, but from living according to the Spirit of God who lives within us.

Paul goes on to say that those of us who belong to the Lord should spend time in God’s presence. It’s only when we sit with God daily that we are transformed by Him. Through God’s Word and talking with Him, we have access to true life transformation and true freedom.

Can you identify one or two things that are holding you back from living this way? It may be an unresolved conflict or a recurring sin. Whatever it is, spend some time with God today—asking for forgiveness and seeking out your next steps. Spend time in His presence through prayer and reading Scripture. Your life will be transformed if you continue to spend time with the One who can thoroughly change you.

06/18/2026

Walk As Jesus Did

Have you ever asked yourself, “How did Jesus live His life?” “What does obeying Him look like?” “How does He want me to live?”

These are great questions to ask—in order to discover what God expects from those who love Him.

1 John 2:4-6 says this:
“Whoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way which he walked.” (ESV)

When Jesus was with His disciples, He said to them, “This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.” (John 15:12 NLT)

When His followers loved each other, it was a sign of their obedience to Jesus—and the same is true for us. We are told by John in his letter to a group of Christians that it is God’s commandment that “we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.” (1 John 3:23 ESV)

Our love for those in the global Church is a mark of obedience, and a sign that God lives in us. By doing this, we know that God abides in us. To walk as Jesus did is to love those in the Church with compassion, faithfulness, and humility. It’s by this love that the world will know we are His disciples (John 13:35).

Living like Jesus isn’t about checking off a list of things we should or shouldn’t do. It’s about living a life that is so rooted in God’s love that we long to obey all His commands.

Living like Jesus looks like sacrificially loving the people God made and sent His Son to die for—starting with the people who call Jesus their Savior.

Most of the New Testament is devoted to encouraging believers how to live with one another. So this week, take some time to read through the apostle John’s letters in the New Testament and look for ways you can put into practice Jesus’ commandment to love one another.

06/17/2026

Love Compelled Him

Jesus said a lot of powerful, enlightening, and important things. But there’s one command that sums it all up…

“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”
‭‭John‬ ‭15‬:‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

It sounds simple, right? But when we look at Jesus’ life, how did He love? And how can we strive to love like He did?

Love compelled Jesus to give up His privileges. As Creator and Lord, Jesus can do whatever He pleases. But instead, the Word (Jesus) became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14)—temporarily relinquishing His rights so that we could be right with God.

Love compelled Jesus to prioritize people. The woman at the well. The man with leprosy. A Roman officer. A blind beggar. Peter’s mother-in-law. The widow’s son. A despised tax collector. Even the thief hanging next to Him on the cross. Jesus didn’t see problems—He saw and loved people.

Love compelled Jesus to serve others. He washed His disciples' feet, pursued the marginalized, had compassion on the sick, weary, and broken. In the end, He gave His own life for us.

Love compelled Jesus to value truth and grace. In a world where many elevate grace while others only magnify truth, Jesus valued both. He was passionate about God’s ways and God’s Word while also showing great compassion to those who needed it most.

If we’re ever unsure about how to love others, let’s look to Jesus as the ultimate example. He lived selflessly, prioritized other people, served to the point of death, and valued both truth and grace.

And as we love like Jesus, we will become more like Him.

06/16/2026

What Does God Want?

“What is God’s will for my life?”
“What is my purpose and calling?”
“What can I do to please God?”

In the New Testament, Jesus provides the answer to those questions by telling His followers to love God and love people. In the Old Testament, the prophet Micah—empowered by the Holy Spirit—summarized God’s will for Israel by saying:

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”
‭‭Micah‬ ‭6:8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

These words were penned during a time when God’s people were trying to please Him with sacrifices, offerings, and going through religious motions—while living lives of deception, violence, and pride. But as the prophet Hosea writes, “I [God] desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.” (Hosea‬ ‭6:6‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

God is after our heart motives, not our outward religious activity or begrudging obedience.

Let’s break down what God desires of us:

- DO JUSTICE. Doing justice requires faith and actions working together: helping the hurting, defending the weak, dealing fairly with the people we encounter, and speaking for those who cannot speak for themselves. In other words, to do justice, we must love others as we love ourselves.

- LOVE KINDNESS. The mercy of God is an extreme kindness. And because we’ve been shown undeserved kindness by Him, we can show undeserved kindness to others. God desires these things more than endless “I’m sorry” speeches. God is kind to the grateful and the wicked (Luke 6:35), so we should be too.

- WALK HUMBLY. Be teachable. Be moldable. Remember: You’re not God. You have limitations. You need a Creator and Savior. You’re only here because God spoke you into existence. So confidently embrace who you are, and who you are not, because it’s when we live fully surrendered to God that He does incredible things through us.

Seeking justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly—that is what God wants from us. So in a world that’s saturated with injustice, hatred, and arrogance, let’s be people marked by these three things.

06/15/2026

Our Most Important Work

All throughout the Bible, Scripture is abundantly clear that love is at the center of what it means to be a follower of Jesus.

In Matthew 22:36-40, Jesus says the greatest commandment is to love God with everything we are.

In John 13:35, Jesus says that people will know we’re His disciples because of the way that we love others. We won’t be recognized by our knowledge of the Bible, our families, the career paths we take, or the amount of time spent at church. While those are all important things, Jesus says that the most important quality is how we love other people.

1 Peter 4:8 tells us the same thing: we should be among the most loving people on earth, and our goal should be to love each other deeply. Peter, the author of this verse, also says love is the key to forgiving others. Just as we have been forgiven by Jesus, our love for other people should encourage us to forgive those who have wronged us.

Forgiving those who have mistreated us is one of the hardest things to do—it requires that we love deeply. That’s why forgiveness is evidence of a life marked by God’s love.

So if your closest friends were asked about your top qualities, what would they say? Would your top quality be how loving you are towards others? If not, know that you’re not alone. None of us are perfect, and we can all do better at this. Today, ask God to show you ways that you can show love to those around you. Let Him fill your heart with a deep love for others!

06/14/2026

Confidence You Can Cling To

If a bully—twice your size—is picking on you, you have a reason to fear. But if you have a friend—twice the bully’s size—standing next to you, the bully has a reason to fear.

When you know that someone bigger, greater, and more powerful than your enemy has your back, confidence is the result.

Perhaps this is why the apostle Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, wrote a letter to the believers in Rome—reminding them of the truth:

“So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.”
Romans 8:1-2 NLT

Because the Roman believers belonged to Jesus, they no longer had to live in fear. God causes all things to work together for the good of those who love Him and, one day, He will make everything—including our dying bodies—brand new.

The truth about their identity emboldened Paul…

“What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:31‬ ‭NLT‬‬

If the Creator and Sustainer of everything that exists has put Himself on our side, who can be against us? Who can even touch us? Who would even think about picking a fight that they ultimately could not win?

Someone might hurt our feelings or even our bodies, but they cannot touch our souls. They cannot come against the living God and succeed. They cannot turn against God’s chosen people without answering for their decisions. This means that whatever wrong has been done to us can be left in God’s reliable hands.

We can rely on God as our just Defender and our righteous Judge.

When we become His by trusting in Jesus as our Savior—by grace through faith—the strongest defense in the universe, God in His fullness (the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), is forever on our side.

06/11/2026

Wisdom for Life

We often think of growing into maturity as we get older and gain more knowledge, but growing mature in wisdom transcends age. Wisdom grows when we learn to apply our knowledge to everyday choices and situations.

James, the brother of Jesus and writer of the book of James, talks about the process of growing in spiritual maturity in James 1:1-5. He tells us that anybody who seeks wisdom should simply ask God for it, and God will give it generously to anyone who asks.

Growing in spiritual wisdom happens when we use our knowledge of God, the world, and ourselves, to make right decisions about how we should act, live, and talk as representatives of Christ. It’s as we get to know God better that we grow in His wisdom and are equipped with the knowledge we need to live abundant lives that honor Him. In this way, wisdom comes from our relationship with God.

Nobody needs to lack wisdom because God offers it freely through a relationship with Him. As we seek Him and His wisdom, He gives us opportunities to practice it and grow in our trust of Him. And as we trust Him with our choices, we begin to see wisdom flourish in our lives.

So, what will you do to cultivate wisdom in your life? The first step is to ask God for help. When you come humbly to God and admit your need for Him, He will generously give you all the wisdom you need.

06/10/2026

Waiting Well

Waiting can be hard.

Most of us would prefer quick, efficient, and—when possible—instant results and answers.

But waiting is a part of life.

We must wait for seeds to grow into food, for one season to fade into the next, for babies to mature into adults, and for trees to stand tall enough to finally offer shade.

Like it or not, waiting takes patience.

We can wait days, months, years, or even decades for a prayer to be answered, for an overdue apology, for the timing to be right, or for a dream to finally come to pass.

Waiting requires courage.

King David lived nearly 3,000 years ago, but he knew what it meant to wait for God’s timing, to wait to be king, to wait to be rescued from his enemies. He wrote:

“Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭27:14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

If David thought waiting on God was important enough to write it twice in one verse, we should probably pay attention. But waiting patiently for the Lord isn’t an excuse to do nothing.

We can proactively wait on God by staying in communication with Him, by looking for His fingerprints in ordinary moments, by reading about His story and His plans in His Word, by worshiping Him no matter what’s happening across the globe, by serving the people both inside and outside of our circles, and by thanking Him for the gifts He’s already given us.

Just because a specific door isn’t opening, or a particular opportunity isn’t available at this moment doesn’t mean that God isn’t moving.

Even when we are waiting—God is working.

Noah spent decades building an ark as he waited for God to do what He’d said. Ruth journeyed with her mother-in-law and worked in the grain fields while trusting in God’s provision after her husband’s death. Joseph stayed faithful in prison for several years before his promotion to second-in-command of Egypt. John trusted God’s ultimate will for his life, and wrote several books of the New Testament while sentenced to exile on the island of Patmos.

So, no matter what you’re facing today, you can ask God for patience and trust that He is in control of your future. No matter what uncertainty lies before you, when you rely on the Lord, you can be someone who waits well.

06/09/2026

Blessed are the Persecuted

It’s not always easy to stand for what’s right—especially when someone makes fun of you, gossips about you, lies about you, or even abuses you because of your decision.

But when sharing the eighth of the beatitudes—a series of promises Jesus made about God’s Kingdom—Jesus offered some hope:

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 5:10 NIV

Leading up to this verse, Jesus had spoken unexpected blessings over an unlikely group: the poor in spirit, those who were mourning, the meek, those craving righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, and the peacemakers. Finally, He offered a blessing to the persecuted.

Jesus elaborated:

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Now, we won’t be blessed for facing the consequences of our own terrible decisions. But Jesus is saying that you will be rewarded when you are shamed, canceled, or even physically persecuted because of Him.

Jesus knows what it’s like to suffer for the sake of righteousness.

You will be blessed for standing up for what is right, for trusting in God’s Word, and for defending those who cannot defend themselves. And when it gets hard, remember: you’re not alone.

The prophets before us were mocked, beaten, and even killed. Jesus’ disciples—the ones hearing these words—would also suffer and die because of their beliefs. They were persecuted for doing things differently: for loving their neighbors, following God's laws, and for declaring Jesus as Lord.

So no matter what it costs you, you will be blessed for standing up for what is right. Jesus says that yours is the kingdom of heaven.

06/09/2026

Working for Peace

One look at the world around us and it’s clear: peace isn’t going to make itself.

Nations are warring and people are fighting. You may even have some personal relationships filled with bitterness and contempt. Thankfully, we can lean into Jesus’ wisdom in the seventh beatitude:

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5:9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Let's be clear, peacemaking is different than peacekeeping. In fact, Jesus assured us that as long as we’re on this earth, we will face trouble. There will be chaos, division, misunderstandings, and a need for making peace. And that is why…

Peacemaking requires action.

Yes, peacemaking compels us out of our own comfortable lives. But for those who are willing to step into the tender space of making peace, here are some thoughts to help you lead the way:

- Peacemakers lead the way with humility. No one is perfect and we all need grace. None of us are God, but we all need Him. Leading with a posture of humility is key.

- Peacemakers lead the way with empathy. Even when we disagree with someone, respectfully listening and seeking to understand their perspective is essential for making peace.

- Peacemakers lead the way with truth and grace. Any time Jesus interacted with people, He did so with both truth and grace. We must have both to accurately represent Him.

- Peacemakers lead the way to the feet of Jesus. Apart from Him, we can do nothing. Apart from Him, we are nothing. When we realize our mutual brokenness, as well as our mutual need for Christ, everything can change.

Seeking to be a mediator for those in disagreement doesn’t mean that every problem will be solved—immediately or ever. But when we invite God into those spaces and commit to the hard work of peacemaking, He can do more than we can ask or imagine.

SOT Ranch

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