Right Relationship, Right Living
Sunday Rewind is a 5-day Devotional based on the weekly sermon at Resonate Community Church
Sunday Rewind is a 5-day Devotional based on the weekly sermon at Resonate Community Church
October 5th Sermon, Day 2
Righteousness isn't just a theological concept - it's deeply personal and relational. At its core, righteousness means being in right relationship with God. Think about your closest relationships. When things are right between you and someone you love, everything flows differently. Communication is open, trust is strong, and you naturally want to please them.
This is what righteousness looks like with God. It starts with that foundational relationship - knowing that through Christ, we stand right before our heavenly Father. We're not trying to earn His love or prove our worth. We're already accepted, already beloved. From this secure foundation of right relationship flows obedience - not the grudging compliance of a servant, but the joyful response of a child who trusts their Father completely.
When we know God's heart toward us, following His commands becomes less about duty and more about love. But here's what's beautiful: this isn't a private, internal experience. Right relationship with God naturally overflows into how we treat others. We can't truly be right with God while ignoring the needs around us. The same God who loves us unconditionally calls us to extend that love to others, especially those who are hurting or marginalized. Righteousness is multifaceted, but it all begins with this: Are you in right relationship with God? Everything else flows from there.
Bible Verse
"Jesus declared, 'I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.'" - John 6:35
Reflection Question
How does knowing you're already accepted and loved by God change the way you approach obedience and serving others?
Quote Righteousness is a multifaceted word that occurs all over scripture. And one facet of it is that righteousness means right relationship with God.
Prayer
Father, thank You that through Jesus, I can be in right relationship with You. Help me live from this place of acceptance and love, allowing it to overflow into obedience and service to others. Amen.
Desperate Thirst
Sunday Rewind is a 5-day Devotional based on the weekly sermon at Resonate Community Church
Sunday Rewind is a 5-day Devotional based on the weekly sermon at Resonate Community Church
October 5th Sermon, Day 1
Have you ever been so thirsty that you felt desperate? Maybe after a long workout or a hot day outside, when your body craved water with an intensity that consumed your thoughts. That physical desperation is exactly the picture Jesus painted when He described how we should hunger and thirst for righteousness.
Most of us approach our spiritual lives with casual interest - we want to do good, we think righteousness is nice, but we don't feel that life-or-death urgency. Yet Jesus didn't say "blessed are those who think righteousness is a nice idea." He called us to a desperation that mirrors someone dying of thirst. This isn't about working harder or trying to be perfect. It's about recognizing that righteousness - being right with God and living according to His ways - is as essential to our souls as water is to our bodies.
When we truly understand what we're missing without God's righteousness, we begin to crave it with the same intensity as someone gasping for air. The beautiful truth is that this desperate hunger isn't meant to leave us empty. Jesus promises that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled. God doesn't create this longing in us only to leave us wanting. He satisfies the deepest cravings of our hearts when we seek Him with everything we have. Today, ask yourself: Do I approach my relationship with God with casual interest, or with the desperation of someone who knows their life depends on it?
Bible Verse
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." - Matthew 5:6
Reflection Question
What would change in your daily routine if you truly hungered and thirsted for righteousness with the same desperation as someone dying of thirst?
Quote Jesus was saying, hunger and thirst for righteousness as if your life depends on it.
Prayer
Lord, awaken in me a desperate hunger for You and Your righteousness. Help me move beyond casual interest to the kind of spiritual thirst that drives me to seek You with my whole heart. Fill me as only You can. Amen.
The Promise of Inheritance
Sunday Rewind is a 5-day Devotional based on the weekly sermon at Resonate Community Church
Sunday Rewind is a 5-day Devotional based on the weekly sermon at Resonate Community Church
September 28th Sermon, Day 5
"Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth." This promise seems paradoxical—those who don't push themselves forward will ultimately receive everything. Yet this is the beautiful upside-down logic of God's kingdom.
In our world, we're taught that to get ahead, we must assert ourselves, demand our rights, and climb over others if necessary. But Jesus teaches that the path to true and lasting blessing comes through meekness—strength under God's control.
The promise of inheriting the earth isn't about material possession. It's about participating in God's redemptive plan for all creation. When we align ourselves with God's purposes through meekness, we become part of His work to restore all things to Himself.
This inheritance is the ultimate vindication for the meek. While the proud and powerful may seem to win in the short term, God promises that those who humbly submit to Him will ultimately receive the reward they would never seek for themselves.
As we conclude this devotional series, remember that meekness isn't a weakness but a choice to trust God more than ourselves. It's placing our lives, our rights, and our futures in His faithful hands, confident that He will fulfill every promise in His perfect time.
Today, choose the path of meekness, knowing that what awaits you is far greater than anything you could grasp through self-assertion.
Bible Verse
"Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth." - Matthew 5:5
Reflection Question
How does the promise of inheriting the earth change your perspective on situations where you feel overlooked, undervalued, or tempted to assert your own rights?
Quote
Inheriting the earth, it's the ultimate vindication, actually for the meek, that God is going to give the meek the reward that they would not seek for themselves.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your promise that the meek will inherit the earth. Help me to trust Your timing and Your justice rather than fighting for my own way. Give me the courage to choose meekness today, confident in Your faithful promises. May my life reflect the beautiful strength of Christ-like meekness. Amen.
Daily Surrender
Sunday Rewind is a 5-day Devotional based on the weekly sermon at Resonate Community Church
Sunday Rewind is a 5-day Devotional based on the weekly sermon at Resonate Community Church
September 28th Sermon, Day 4
The meekness Jesus spoke of isn't a one-time achievement but a daily practice of surrender. Each morning brings new opportunities to choose God's way over our own, to submit our plans, desires, and rights to His greater wisdom.
This surrender isn't passive resignation. Rather, it's active alignment with God's purposes. Sometimes it means quietly trusting when we want to defend ourselves. Other times, it means boldly standing for truth when we'd prefer to remain silent. The key is following God's leading rather than our own impulses.
Jesus modeled this perfectly in the Lord's Prayer when He taught us to pray, "Your kingdom come, Your will be done." This simple phrase captures the essence of meekness—acknowledging God's authority and aligning ourselves with His purposes.
Practical surrender might look like holding your tongue when criticized, giving credit to others rather than seeking recognition, or choosing to serve when you could demand to be served. It might mean patiently enduring an unfair situation, trusting God to vindicate you in His time.
As we practice this daily surrender, we'll find that meekness becomes less of a struggle and more of a natural response. We'll experience the freedom that comes from releasing our grip on control and resting in God's faithful hands.
Bible Verse
"But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity." - Psalm 37:11
Reflection Question
What is one area of your life where you find it most difficult to surrender control to God, and what might be the first step toward releasing it to Him today?
Quote
If you're me surrendering to God's will, think of the Lord's Prayer.
Prayer
Lord, I surrender my will to Yours today. Help me to release my grip on control and trust Your perfect plan. When I'm tempted to assert my own way, remind me of the freedom found in submission to You. May Your kingdom come and Your will be done in my life. Amen.
Connected to the Source
Sunday Rewind is a 5-day Devotional based on the weekly sermon at Resonate Community Church
Sunday Rewind is a 5-day Devotional based on the weekly sermon at Resonate Community Church
September 28th Sermon, Day 3
Meekness isn't something we can manufacture on our own. It's a fruit that grows from a deep, abiding relationship with God. Just as Jesus maintained constant communion with the Father, we too need this vital connection if we're to develop true biblical meekness.
When we're disconnected from God, our natural tendencies toward self-protection, pride, and self-assertion take over. We react to criticism with defensiveness, to challenges with anxiety, and to opposition with anger. But when we're rooted in God's presence, we gain His perspective and strength.
Prayer isn't just a religious duty—it's the lifeline that enables us to live with meekness in a world that values aggression and self-promotion. Through prayer, we surrender our will to God's, acknowledge our dependence on Him, and receive His peace that passes understanding.
Equally important is immersing ourselves in Scripture. God's Word reshapes our thinking, challenges our cultural assumptions, and reveals the beauty of Christ-like meekness. It reminds us of God's faithfulness in the past and His promises for the future, giving us the confidence to trust Him rather than push our own agenda.
Today, commit to strengthening your connection with God through intentional prayer and Scripture reading. This is the foundation of true meekness.
Bible Verse
"Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth." - Numbers 12:3
Reflection Question
What specific practices could you implement in your daily routine to deepen your connection with God and cultivate the soil where meekness can grow?
Quote
If we want to imitate Jesus meekness, one thing we need to do is we need to be in consistent communication, consistent connection with God because we need Him.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, forgive me for the times I've tried to live in my own strength. Draw me closer to You through prayer and Your Word. Help me to stay connected to You, the true source of meekness and every good thing. Amen.