Grace for All

Luke 2:13-14 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. Recently, I again reflected on the fac...

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Our theme for the Grace for All Advent devotions is Hope, Joy, Peace, and Love. This verse in Paul’s letter to the Romans just about says it all. He concludes by reminding us that we have this hope, as well as joy and peace, because of the Holy Spirit in ou...

Romans 15:13 May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is only a few days until Christmas, and many of us are working on last-minute preparations. Our plans for celebrating involve gifts, feasting, laughter, and joy. We will attend Christmas Eve worship services and joyous family gatherings. Chris...

Romans 5:8 But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Have you ever noticed that when plants produce, they simultaneously produce a gift that is the food of others and the birth of the next generation of their species? Like these seeds, there is an infinite abundance in God’s love and God’s gifts to us that is incomprehensible. God has given us forgivene...

Welcome to the Saturday episode of the Grace for All podcast. Thank you for joining us today. Saturday is a special time when we take a few moments to review the scriptures that we have cited in the episodes this week. If you missed any of those episodes, you might want to consider listening to them today. And even if you heard them all, there may be one that you might want to listen to again. We...

Isaiah 9:2 (ESV) The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. There is a scene in Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” that I really love. Scrooge awakens on Christmas Day after having spent the night with those three spirits, and he flings open his window to let in a ray of brilliant sunlight. Before that he travel...

Our scripture for today is John 3:16 , reading from the New International Version. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  The King James version might be more familiar to some. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have ever...

Luke 15:20 While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. It started with four simple words: “Momma, I need help.” Two weeks before that call, my husband Mark and I had driven to St. Louis to see our God-given grandchild and meet up with Robert, our son. He is forty-five, and he was planning a big move to Texas. As any parent would, we asked if he needed help...

Psalm 139:1-6 Lord, you have examined me. You know me. You know when I sit down and when I stand up. Even from far away, you comprehend my plans. You study my traveling and resting. You are thoroughly familiar with all my ways. There isn’t a word on my tongue, Lord, that you don’t already know completely. You surround me—front and back. You put your hand on me. That kind of knowledge is too much f...

John 14:27 (CEB)  Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I give to you not as the world gives. Don’t be troubled or afraid.  John places these words in the hours before Jesus’ arrest, which shapes them more than we often realize. This isn’t a quiet devotional moment. It’s a farewell. Jesus speaks peace into a room thick with confusion, sorrow, and fear. He knows what the disciples...

John 15:11 I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. Let’s look at the verses that surround today’s introduction as Jesus speaks to his disciples. John 15, lines nine through ten state: “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s com...

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...

Luke 2:10-11 And the angel said to them, 'Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.'  As a child, I got to watch the Peanuts Christmas special on TV, and I loved it! Especially the part when Linus comes to the stage in the spotlight and recites this verse, among...

Isaiah 40:31 But those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. (NRSV)  Our scripture today is Isaiah 40:31 from the New Revised Standard Version. “But those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be...

Philippians 4:5-7  Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (NIV) ...

Micah 5:2  But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah,  who are one of the little clans of Judah,  from you shall come forth for me  one who is to rule in Israel,  We know this scripture because the priests quote it when asked by King Herod where the Christ Child was to be born. This occurs after the Wise Men come to Jerusalem seeking the new King. We hear it almost every year duri...

Ephesians 2:13-14 But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups [Gentiles and Jews] into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. Our theme for the Grace for All Advent devotions is Hope, Joy, Peace, and Love. For me, the most elusive of these is peace....

Luke 1:46-47 (NIV) And Mary said: “My soul praises the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior…”  Over two thousand years ago, the young virgin, Mary, was visited by the Angel Gabriel, who was sent specifically to her in Nazareth. She was greatly troubled – perhaps even terrified – at the sight of such an unexpected visitor! He greeted her with words that confused and troubled her. But h...

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...

Galatians 4:4-5 (ESV)  But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. It is the time of year when we start to enjoy the many holiday traditions we've grown up with.  For me, one of those traditions is the movie...

Matthew 2:10 (ESV)  When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. One of the most beautiful, modern portrayals I have seen of the nativity, and one I feel depicts this verse in an equally beautiful way, comes in the form of the 2023 movie-musical “Journey to Bethlehem.” After Mary is seen going into labor and preparing to give birth, the movie cuts between her and Joseph i...

Romans 5:8 But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  Have you ever noticed that when plants produce, they simultaneously produce a gift that is the food of others and the birth of the next generation of their species? Like these seeds, there is an infinite abundance in God’s love and God’s gifts to us that is incomprehensible. God has given us for...

Matthew 2:10 When they (the Wise Men) saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. One of my favorite Christian leaders always starts his devotions by reminding his listeners to pay attention to what one word jumps out for them when reading scripture. I must have read this passage hundreds of times, and yet, this day, the word “saw” jumped out.  When they saw the star! They must ha...

Luke 1:46–47 (CEB)  “With all my heart I glorify the Lord! In the depths of who I am I rejoice in God my savior.” This is the beginning of Mary’s response to something told to her by her cousin Elizabeth. What makes Mary’s response here so remarkable is what comes just before it. When Zechariah heard Gabriel’s message, he asked, “How can I be sure of this?” A reasonable question on the surfac...

Ephesians 4:1-6 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; o...