Grace for All

Ezekiel 34:26 (ESV)  And I will make them and the places all around my hill a blessing, and I will send down the showers in their season; they shall be showers of blessing. Back in 1883, evangelist Daniel W. Whittle wrote the hymn, "Showers of Blessing," pulling his inspiration straight from this verse in Ezekiel. He teamed up with James McGranahan, music director for evangelist D.L. Moody, a...

Psalm 103:2 (New English Translation) Praise the Lord, O my soul. Do not forget all His kind deeds.  In preparing for this time together, I decided to read several versions of this verse. The Message speaks to me right now.   It says, “O my soul, bless God from head to toe, I’ll bless His holy name! O my soul, bless God, don’t forget a single blessing.”  Our focus for Nove...

Psalm 95:2 (NIV)  Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.  The Psalms frequently speak to something that is obviously very near and dear to the work I do as a church musician. And that isn't the only place in scripture where music and singing is lauded. From Jubal's lyre in Genesis to the trumpets, harps, and songs of Revelation, references to making m...

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 podcas...

Matthew 6:34 Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. These words were spoken by Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount, as he was assuring his audience that God would take care of their needs and that worrying about things would not help. But I'm afraid too many of us do worry. In fact, worry, stress, anxiety, and fear, enhanc...

Exodus 23:4-5 If you meet your enemy's ox or donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him. If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying down under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it. You shall rescue it with him. When we hear Jesus tell the story of the Good Samaritan, we usually focus on the kindness of the Helper and the callousness of those who passed by. B...

Today’s scripture is found in the book of Psalms, Chapter 27:14 . I referenced several translations as I meditated on this verse.  The New English Translation reads like this: “Rely on the Lord! Be strong and confident. Rely on the Lord!”.  The New International Version uses the word “wait” instead; the New Living Translation says “Wait patiently for the Lord” and the common English says...

Isaiah 55:8-9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.  A casual reading of these verses might lead us to believe that God wants us to be sure of the difference between the divine and humans. “My ways are higher than your ways” is a pre...

Ecclesiastes 3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven Often, this verse is used when things are challenging. It reminds us of God’s will and our inability to know all. It reminds us that even the challenges of war, death, and illness are part of God’s kingdom.  I do think these kinds of sentiments bring comfort in challenging times, but today, let us...

Psalm 62:5 (NIV)  Yes, my soul, find rest in God;  My hope comes from him.  Truly he is my rock and my salvation;  He is my fortress, I will not be shaken.  Friends, here is an important and timely question: where does your soul find rest? Who, or what, is your rock and salvation? Your fortress?  Rest seems to be a hot commodity right now. Sleep aids are estimated to...

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 share...

Psalm 27: 13 &14  I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord  in the land of the living.  Wait for the Lord;  be strong, and let your heart take courage;  wait for the Lord!  Waiting for God’s goodness doesn’t always feel like helpful advice. When we are experiencing challenging life moments, such as loss. When a loved one is in the midst of a major medic...

2 Corinthians 12:7–10 I was given a thorn in my body because of the outstanding revelations I’ve received so that I wouldn’t be conceited. It’s a messenger from Satan sent to torment me so that I wouldn’t be conceited.  I pleaded with the Lord three times for it to leave me alone. He said to me, “My grace is enough for you, because power is made perfect in weakness.” So I’ll gladly spend my t...

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and hope. This oft-quoted verse is part of a letter from Jeremiah to the Israelites in captivity in Babylon under the rule of Nebuchadnezzar. Jeremiah prophesies that they should not give up hope; they will not be captives in a foreign land forever. Jeremiah says they sho...

Romans 5:3-5 (CEB) But not only that! We even take pride in our problems, because we know that trouble produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope.  I believe that a lot of scriptures give us only part of the story and beg the question, “To what end?” This very familiar passage from Romans is a prime example for me. It brings to mind someone who works ou...

Matthew 6:34 (NIV) Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. I'm retired now, but I used to get anxious on Sunday nights about the week ahead. I called it the "Sunday Blues"—that familiar knot in my stomach that would start around dinnertime, thinking about Monday's meetings, Tuesday's deadlines, Wednesday's presentation I...

Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. I selected this passage during a trying week in the United States. It was the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States; Charlie Kirk, a political activist, was murdered during an e...

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 podcas...

John 14:6 I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  It can’t be much clearer than that! We all need to set our sights on Jesus to listen to and apply all He had to say.  This world is filled with noise in every available electronic form and beyond. It is necessary to tune it out and focus on the truth. The truth that is found through Jesus!&nbs...

Lamentations 3:22-25  The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,  his mercies never come to an end;  they are new every morning;  great is your faithfulness.  “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,  “therefore I will hope in him.”  The Lord is good to those who wait for him,  to the soul that seeks him.  Many of you, upon hearing these verses, will r...

1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.  Every year, Pastor Sarah makes star words for our congregation. They are simple wooden stars with a word printed on them that is to be our focus word for the year. My late wife Barbara got her very first star word in January 2024, and it was Motivate . She asked me to clarify with Sa...

Ralphine Hood: "God has been urging me to write about prayer. That should be easy for me since I am such a strong believer in prayer. Our Lord's prayer was taught to the Disciples and to us." Matthew 6:9-13 Our Father in heaven  Hallowed be Your name  Your kingdom come  Your will be done  On earth as it is in heaven  Give us this day our daily bread  And forgive us ou...

Matthew 6:34 So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today. Square in the center of the Sermon on the Mount, in the last verse of the sixth chapter of Matthew’s gospel, Jesus gives us this advice: don’t worry about whatever has you down. A few verses earlier, in verse 27, he poses this related challenge: “And can any of you by worry...

2 Corinthians 4:16-5:1 (NRSV) So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. For our slight, momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen, for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal. In the 198...

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 share...