2025 ACR Devotionals
Saturday, September 27 - Every Moment, Every Day
Psalm 25:4-5, 8-14
4 Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
teach me your paths.
5 Lead me in your truth and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all the day long.
8 Good and upright is the Lord;
therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
9 He leads the humble in what is right,
and teaches the humble his way.
10 All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,
for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.
11 For your name's sake, O Lord,
pardon my guilt, for it is great.
12 Who is the man who fears the Lord?
Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.
13 His soul shall abide in well-being,
and his offspring shall inherit the land.
14 The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him,
and he makes known to them his covenant.
David cried out to the Lord because he wanted to know how he should live, where he should go, and what the Lord’s desires were for him. It’s striking that in order to know God’s ways and receive His leading we must first admit we don’t know His ways and we don’t know where to go.
This is the first step to receiving – we must see ourselves as being empty. When this posture of humility in our limitations intersects with our realization that God’s love is faithful and steadfast, it opens up a new dimension in our relationship with God. We must let go of our own understanding and wisdom. We must come to that place where we see our need for God as both our Savior and our solution, our God and our guide.
This isn’t a one-time event although certain events can bring us to that place of brokenness. This is a day by day, moment by moment trust in the Lord. There are those who have made a decision to be a Christian in the sense of believing certain things about Him, but they’ve never fully trusted in him to the extent that they desire to be led by him all throughout their day. God is their life insurance but not their life. This is not a relationship as much as an arrangement. Unfortunately, this will never do.
God will never settle for being just our insurance policy in case of disaster!
When our hope is in the Lord, throughout our day, there is a running conversation beginning when we wake up and continuing throughout our day. This isn’t just filled with requests, although it will certainly include them because after all, we are needy. But it will be sprinkled with simply sharing thoughts, expressions of worship, questions, delight, and laughter. We will experience the well-being of being in a friendship with God.
Reflection and Prayer
Express to the Lord your need for Him and your desire for Him. Affirm His steadfast and faithful love for you and His desire to be your friend. Invite Him to lead you and to show you His ways for any decision you are facing or direction you need.
Sunday, September 28 - Humility and Hunger
Mark 4:21-25
21 And he said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand? 22 For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” 24 And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. 25 For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”
Jesus spoke to the people in parables which revealed the condition of people’s hearts. Those who honestly wanted to hear from God and had a trusting heart would understand what Jesus was talking about while those who were filled with pride or had a callous heart did not comprehend what he taught.
God’s heart is to reveal the things that otherwise would be concealed. That is, the mystery of his plan of salvation and the way He works is meant to be disclosed. God wants to reveal his will and purposes. God doesn’t light a lamp and put it under a bowl. He doesn’t send his disciples out to preach or provide us with His word or send gifted teachers for nothing. But he warns us that we need to consider carefully what we hear. The measure of our cup reflects the hunger we have to know God and His will. If our cup is large, He will reveal more but if our cup is small He will reveal less.
If you want to hear more from God then you need to walk in both humility and hunger before Him.
When God reveals Himself and His will, our response will determine if we receive more from Him.
When we fail to hunger for Him or fail to respond to what He reveals, then it dulls our spiritual senses and we
can actually lose the spiritual blessings He wants for us.
Reflection and Prayer
Is the measuring cup of your hunger for God big or small? Ask the Lord to renew your hunger for Him and expect Him to reveal the secrets of His heart to you.
Psalm 25:4-5, 8-14
4 Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
teach me your paths.
5 Lead me in your truth and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all the day long.
8 Good and upright is the Lord;
therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
9 He leads the humble in what is right,
and teaches the humble his way.
10 All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,
for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.
11 For your name's sake, O Lord,
pardon my guilt, for it is great.
12 Who is the man who fears the Lord?
Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.
13 His soul shall abide in well-being,
and his offspring shall inherit the land.
14 The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him,
and he makes known to them his covenant.
David cried out to the Lord because he wanted to know how he should live, where he should go, and what the Lord’s desires were for him. It’s striking that in order to know God’s ways and receive His leading we must first admit we don’t know His ways and we don’t know where to go.
This is the first step to receiving – we must see ourselves as being empty. When this posture of humility in our limitations intersects with our realization that God’s love is faithful and steadfast, it opens up a new dimension in our relationship with God. We must let go of our own understanding and wisdom. We must come to that place where we see our need for God as both our Savior and our solution, our God and our guide.
This isn’t a one-time event although certain events can bring us to that place of brokenness. This is a day by day, moment by moment trust in the Lord. There are those who have made a decision to be a Christian in the sense of believing certain things about Him, but they’ve never fully trusted in him to the extent that they desire to be led by him all throughout their day. God is their life insurance but not their life. This is not a relationship as much as an arrangement. Unfortunately, this will never do.
God will never settle for being just our insurance policy in case of disaster!
When our hope is in the Lord, throughout our day, there is a running conversation beginning when we wake up and continuing throughout our day. This isn’t just filled with requests, although it will certainly include them because after all, we are needy. But it will be sprinkled with simply sharing thoughts, expressions of worship, questions, delight, and laughter. We will experience the well-being of being in a friendship with God.
Reflection and Prayer
Express to the Lord your need for Him and your desire for Him. Affirm His steadfast and faithful love for you and His desire to be your friend. Invite Him to lead you and to show you His ways for any decision you are facing or direction you need.
Sunday, September 28 - Humility and Hunger
Mark 4:21-25
21 And he said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand? 22 For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” 24 And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. 25 For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”
Jesus spoke to the people in parables which revealed the condition of people’s hearts. Those who honestly wanted to hear from God and had a trusting heart would understand what Jesus was talking about while those who were filled with pride or had a callous heart did not comprehend what he taught.
God’s heart is to reveal the things that otherwise would be concealed. That is, the mystery of his plan of salvation and the way He works is meant to be disclosed. God wants to reveal his will and purposes. God doesn’t light a lamp and put it under a bowl. He doesn’t send his disciples out to preach or provide us with His word or send gifted teachers for nothing. But he warns us that we need to consider carefully what we hear. The measure of our cup reflects the hunger we have to know God and His will. If our cup is large, He will reveal more but if our cup is small He will reveal less.
If you want to hear more from God then you need to walk in both humility and hunger before Him.
When God reveals Himself and His will, our response will determine if we receive more from Him.
When we fail to hunger for Him or fail to respond to what He reveals, then it dulls our spiritual senses and we
can actually lose the spiritual blessings He wants for us.
Reflection and Prayer
Is the measuring cup of your hunger for God big or small? Ask the Lord to renew your hunger for Him and expect Him to reveal the secrets of His heart to you.