Grace for All
"Grace for All" is a daily devotional podcast from the laity of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. Each episode presents a verse of scripture and a brief reflection on that verse written and recorded by members of our church. These short episodes are meant to inspire you and help you in your journey of understanding and faith. We believe the central message of Jesus is one of grace. Grace for all human beings. Grace for All is a podcast ministry of First United Methodist Church, Maryville, TN
Go and Do Likewise (Encore)
Luke 10:36-37 (NIV)
Jesus said, âWhich of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?â The expert in the law replied, âThe one who had mercy on him.â Jesus told him, âGo and do likewise.âÂ
Have you ever crossed the street to avoid someone? Or ducked into another aisle in the grocery store, hoping they didnât see you? Maybe it was someone you knew but felt you didnât have the time or energy to face. Or maybe it was someone you didnât know, but y...
The Jesus Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. (Encore)
Pray Always
I donât know the full history of the Jesus prayer, but recently I keep tripping over it. The first reference I read was years ago. A Russian peasant seeking wisdom and peace is told to pray âLord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.â He travels for years seeking understanding, only to discover that reciting the prayer unceasingly was his source of peace.Â
Recently, I stumbled over it again, and the writer questioned, âhow does one pray without ceasing when we are constantly interrupted by everyday life?â Mystics have written about it. More recently, I...
I Will Show You (Encore)
Genesis 12:1 (NIV)
The Lord had said to Abram, âGo from your country, your people, and your fatherâs household to the land I will show you.âAinât it the truth?
God says, âGo to the place I will show you.â
How many times in life have I started out thinking I had a clear sense of direction only to find the place I arrived was not at all the place I had envisioned.Â
Can you relate?Â
Often the journey has been long and hard, filled with unexpecte...
The Surveillance Society (Encore)
Our scripture today is the 23rd Psalm.
The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures,he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.He guides me along the right paths for his nameâs sake.Even though I walk through the darkest valley,I will fear no evil, for you are with me;your rod and your staff, they comfort me.You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.Surely your goodness and love will fo...A Simple Song (Encore)
Ephesians 5: 19-20
Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.One of my favorite pieces of music is âA Simple Songâ from Leonard Bernsteinâs âMass.â In 2019, I served as a flute accompanist for a soloist performing this piece during a church service. While reading todayâs verse, this piece of music spoke to me loud and clear.
One of the biggest ways in which I could feel this piece speaking to me was by listening to the flute...
The Kingdom of God (Encore)
Mark 12:28-34
Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, âWhich is the first commandment of all?â Jesus answered him, âThe first of all the commandments is: âHear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.â This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: âYou shall love your neighbor as yourself.â There is no other commandm...Behind the Scenes (Encore)
Join Greta Smith and Jim Stovall as they discuss how Grace for All: The Devotional Podcast came to be.
Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.
If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email...
Those Who Served (Encore)
2 Corinthians 9:11
You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.Â
In the month of November and this season of Thanksgiving, there is another holiday we ought to remember and be thankful for: Veteranâs Day. The brave men and women who have so fearlessly and selflessly served our country, not knowing if they may return.
It takes an immense act of courage and generosity to be willing to leave the lives they knew behind to ser...
It is Well With My Soul (Encore)
1 Corinthians 14:15
"So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding."ÂÂ
By anyone's definition, Horatio Spafford was a successful man. A loving husband and father of four, he was an attorney and successful real estate investor in in Chicago, Illinois in the second half of the 19th century.
He was also no stranger to disaster and personal loss. He lost most of his real estate fortune in the Chicago fire of...
Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart (Encore)
Ephesians 5:18-20 (Common English Translation)
âŚbe filled with the Spirit in the following ways: speak to each other with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; sing and make music to the Lord in your hearts; always give thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus ChristâŚ.âÂGive thanks with a grateful heart Give thanks to the Holy One, Give thanks because heâs given Jesus Christ his son.
And now let the weak say âI am strong,â Let the poor say, âI am rich,â Because of what the Lord has done for us. Give T...
Doing Faith (Encore)
James 2:15-17 (NIV)
Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.  If one of you says to them, âGo in peace; keep warm and well fed,â but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?  In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.Devotional by Greta Smith
           As I was growing up, my mother used to repeat to me a saying passed down from her grandmother to her mother and then to her. It goes like this: âPretty is as pretty does.â As...
Nothing Can Separate Us from the LOVE of God
Romans 8: 37-39
âNo, in all things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.âThe Apostle Paul wrote this wonderful news to believers in Rome and everywhere. Paul wanted all believers to be totally assured of how much God loves us.
Henri Nouwen, consid...
Darkest Valleys
Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.     He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,     he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths   for his nameâs sake. Even though I walk    through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil,    for you are with me; your rod and your staff,    they comfort me. You prepare a table before me    in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil;    my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me    all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the hous...Scripture Saturday (June 28, 2025)
You are listening to Grace for All, a daily devotional podcast produced by the people of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee.
This is Scripture Saturday, a time when we pause and reflect on the scriptures we have read throughout the week. If you missed any of our devotionals on these passages, you can find them on our website at 1stChurch.org or wherever you get your podcasts.
Now, we invite you to listen and receive Grace. Welcome and thank you for joining us.
Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast...
Pray. In every situation.
Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.I was fortunate to spend the last nine years of my career in education as a Literacy Specialist in the district office of Williamson County Schools in Franklin, TN. We also lived in Franklin, not far from an entrance onto I-65. I was often asked to attend meetings, trainings, and conferences in either Nashville or Murfreesboro, both a 30-40 drive via I-65 under normal circumstances. Unfortunately, the circumstances were rarely normal. The...
Three Promises
Psalm 143:8-10 (NIV)
 Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.  Rescue me from my enemies, Lord, for I hide myself in you. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.Â
This Psalm contains a list of things we may be asking God to do for us. It also contains a list of things the Psalmist promises God in r...
The Secret to Contentment
Philippians 4:11-13 (NRSVUE)
Not that I am referring to being in need, for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.When I was a child in Sunday School, I received a mechanical pencil as a prize for memorizing a lot of verses...
As the Heavens Are Higher Than the Earth
Isaiah 55: 8-9
âFor my thoughts are not your thoughts,   neither are your ways my ways,â declares the Lord. âAs the heavens are higher than the earth,   so are my ways higher than your ways   and my thoughts than your thoughts.In my household, it is no secret that I envy my husband. Specifically, I envy his easygoing nature, his ability to accept things that are outside of his control. Over the years I have tried to learn from him, and I like to think that he has helped me stretch and grow in this area. But it...
Direction
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart   and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him,   and he will direct your paths.Â
I have a terrible sense of direction. Spatial orientation is not my strong suit. I easily lose my way, forget where I parked, and get turned around in unfamiliar places, or sometimes, even in familiar ones. In fact, my running joke about our home church is that when I enter a stairwell on one level, I never know where Iâll come out on the other. For me, it...
God is Love
I John 4:7-8 (NLT)Â
Dear friends, let us continue to love one another for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God forâŚGod is Love.For years every Valentineâs Day my hometown newspaper would print Valentines sent in by its subscribers. Some examples: To Clarice, I love you more than the first day of deer season! To Linda, I donât need a lottery too, Iâve been a millionaire since I met you. To Dad, adopting me ha...
Scripture Saturday (June 21, 2025)
You are listening to Grace for All, a daily devotional podcast produced by the people of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee.
This is Scripture Saturday, a time when we pause and reflect on the scriptures we have read throughout the week. If you missed any of our devotionals on these passages, you can find them on our website at 1stChurch.org or wherever you get your podcasts.
Now, we invite you to listen and receive Grace. Welcome and thank you for joining us.
Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast...
Worrying About Tomorrow
Matthew 6:34, NIV
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.ÂÂ
I tend to worry a lot. I tend to worry about things that havenât even happened. I worry about how I am going to play in my next baseball game, for example, or about what people will think of me, even people I havenât met yet!Â
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We donât need to worry about that stuff, because tomorrow is not promised. All we can count on is today. That makes me t...
Pruning (part 3) It is Godâs Garden
John 15:2Â
He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.Today in the final piece of this little series, letâs consider who is doing the pruning. In the first two parts, I have considered first my own knowledge and second my actions in pruning myself and my world. Now I must consider the relationship between myself and God. May Godâs will be done not mine!
Some seem to garden to impose order...
Pruning (part 2) Practicing the Art
John 15:2Â
He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.Yesterday, we considered learning how and when to prune. Today, let us reflect on putting this knowledge into practice. If learning through scripture, sermons, silent reflection and prayer gives us insight and sharpens our tools, then to bear fruit, we must put this knowledge into practice.
Practicing the art of pruning is as important as fertilizing a plant to create an abundant harvest. W...
Pruning (part 1) Knowing How
John 15:2Â
He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.There is a lot of emphasis put on being productive in our culture. I guess staying busy and accomplishing things makes us feel needed or even important. But all things must be balanced whether we acknowledge it or not. If production is all we focus on then we are missing somethingâeven devaluing it. And this leaves us out of balance.
Many would say that the opp...
A member of the family
Mark 3:31-35 (NIV)
Then Jesusâ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, âYour mother and brothers are outside looking for you.ââWho are my mother and my brothers?â he asked.Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, âHere are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does Godâs will is my brother and sister and mother.âAll of us are part of a family, the people with whom we grew up. We donât choose them...
Hope that Does Not Disappoint
Romans 5:5
And hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
At first glance, this verse may inspire a reaction of scepticism. âHope does not disappoint us?!?â How many times have we hoped for something that simply didnât come into being?
In my house when there is potential for something good to come our way, my wife has said to me on more than one occasion, âIâm not getting my hopes up. If it ends up...
Scripture Saturday (June 14, 2025)
Thank you for joining us for today's Grace for All podcast.
On Saturdays, we pause for a few moments to look back on our week and to review the scriptures that we have used in our podcast.
We encourage you, after listening to this episode, to go back and listen to the episodes you missed, or to review the ones that were particularly meaningful for you. We trust that the thoughts that we have shared with you this week have provided a full portion of the joy, peace, and love of Jesus Christ.
...
Who is My Neighbor?
Luke 10:25-29 (NIV)
25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. âTeacher,â he asked, âwhat must I do to inherit eternal life?â26 âWhat is written in the Law?â he replied. âHow do you read it?â27 He answered, ââLove the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mindâ; and âLove your neighbor as yourself.ââ28 âYou have answered correctly,â Jesus replied. âDo this and you will live.â29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, âAnd who is my neighbor?âWho is my neig...
What Are You Waiting For?
Luke 2:22 and Luke 25-32
22 When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lordâs Messiah. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the...The Eye
Matthew 6:22-24
The eye is the lamp of the body. So if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If, then, the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!I must have read these verses before. In fact, I must have read them a dozen times or more. I do not recall it. I do not recall having heard a sermon based on these verses. But this time when I read them...
He Knows What Itâs Like
Hebrews 4:14-15 (CEB)
Also, letâs hold on to the confession since we have a great high priest who passed through the heavens, who is Jesus, Godâs Son; because we donât have a high priest who canât sympathize with our weaknesses but instead one who was tempted in every way that we are, except without sin.God has always known us. After all, he made us, crafted us from dust, breathed life into us, set the world in motion and called it good. As our Creator, God has always understood us better t...
The Armor of God
Ephesians 6:10-18 (NIV)
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devilâs schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to st...Love with Everything You Have
Luke 6:32-36
âIf you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you wi...Scripture Saturday (June 7, 2025)
You are listening to Grace for All, a daily devotional podcast produced by the people of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee.
This is Scripture Saturday, a time when we pause and reflect on the scriptures we have read throughout the week.
If you missed any of our devotionals on these passages, you can find them on our website at 1stChurch.org or wherever you get your podcasts.
Now, we invite you to listen and receive Grace. Welcome and thank you for joining us.
Grace for All is a daily...
The Sheep and the Goats
In Matthewâs Gospel, Chapters 24 and 25, Jesus is teaching his disciples and telling parables. Our scripture for today tells one such parable and clearly emphasizes how we should treat strangers in need.
 Matthew 25:31-46 (NIV)
âWhen the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left...Connected to the Vine
Genesis 2:15 (NIV)
"The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it."John 15:4 (NIV)
"Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine."In Eden, Adam and Eveâs relationship with God was intimate and life-giving. Their connection with Him brought purpose to their work and harmony to creation. This abiding relationship was not distant but deeply intertwined, sustaining their every mo...
Other Gods
2 Chronicles 7:14
âIf my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.âIn our scripture today, God is speaking to Solomon after he finished building his magnificent temple.
Soloman was the 4th King of Israel and Judah, succeeding his father, David. Solomon was also a wise and powerful prophet and dedicated follower of Yahweh/God. Solomonâs wisdom and great wealth are legendary, not only in...
The One Mark That Matters
John 13:34â35 (CEB)
âI give you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, so you also must love each other. This is how everyone will know that you are my disciples, when you love each other.âIn a world divided by politics, denominations, and doctrinal disagreements, we often look for ways to distinguish whoâs âinâ and whoâs âout.â Is it the way we baptize? The name on the church sign? The theological statements we affirm? But Jesus cut through all of that with a single, unmistakable command: âLove each other.â
...
When We Pray
Today's reflection is written and read by Lisa Blackwood.
Matthew 6:6 (NLT)
âBut when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything will reward you.âFor today, I would like to also reference this scripture as presented by âThe Message.â This scripture, written by Matthew, one of the Disciples, says,
âHereâs what I want you to do; Find a quiet, secluded place so you wonât be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you c...
