I was fortunate to grow up at time and in an area where regular youth revivals and retreats were held. I have fond memories of these events. Some were very emotional but all led me to stop and question how I should lead my life and what I should do with it.

As I grew into adulthood there were occasional church services and retreats that provided time to step back from the world and be renewed. However, these seemed to get fewer and fewer.

Several years ago, I was able to attend a retreat that turned out to be special for me. I can remember thinking and feeling that the retreat community interacted, supported, and loved each other much like I imagined heaven to be. There was time to interact as a whole, in small groups, and for individual reflection. The highlight for me was the communion service. Two people led the service without saying a word. However, the message was very clear. It concluded with the opportunity to step forward and drive a nail into the cross as a symbol of laying my burdens at the foot of the cross. Just the memory of that weekend can renew my spirit.

While we work for God, we still need time apart from doing to just be with Christ.

Ever-loving God, please help me to find time to stop and just spend time with you, renewing my spirit and helping me do and say the things that please you. Amen.

This devotional was written by Alvin Jenkins and read by Greta Smith.

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 address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Paul wrote these words from prison in what has been called his most personal letter in the New Testament. The church at Philippi functioned in a city dedicated to emperor worship, and so they experienced the same sort of threat to their existence experienced by Paul. In such circumstances, it’s even more striking that Paul’s prayer isn’t for safety or deliverance, but that the Philippians' love would grow. He called it the basis for the ability to “determine what is best,” as the New Revised Standard Version has it, or to “decide what really matters” as the Common English Bible translates it.

What really matters? Jesus said in John 13:35, “This is how everyone will know that you are my disciples, when you love each other.” He didn’t say we would be recognized by the translation of the Bible we use, or following the 10 Commandments, or adherence to a particular mode of baptism. The only mark Jesus gave for his followers was the same one named by Paul: love.

The letter to the Philippians explores all sorts of theological concepts, but everything ultimately comes down to this love, leading to the fruit of righteousness, “which comes from Jesus Christ.”

Followers of Jesus may differ on many things. It’s not that those things don’t matter at all—just that they don’t really matter, especially when they interfere with that which matters most. In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul wrote, “If I have the gift of prophecy and I know all the mysteries and everything else, and if I have such complete faith that I can move mountains but I don’t have love, I’m nothing…. As for knowledge, it will be brought to an end…. Now I know partially, but then I will know completely in the same way that I have been completely known. Now faith, hope, and love remain—these three things—and the greatest of these is love.” Yes, friends, we need to concern ourselves with proper doctrine, proper understanding of Scripture. But that’s not the most important thing for followers of Jesus.

Let’s pray for what Paul prayed for.

Dear Father, through your Holy Spirit guide us in opening our hearts in agape love. Open us to those with whom we might differ as we recognize our common need for the healing love of Jesus. Amen.

This devotional was written and read by Donn King.

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 address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

I'm reminded of the story about the dedication ceremony for the Gettysburg National Cemetery in November of 1863. Politician and orator Edward Everett was invited to give the keynote address. President Abraham Lincoln was invited, almost as a courtesy, to say "a few appropriate remarks."

Everett delivered an eloquent, broad-ranging speech of almost two hours. His speech was full of beautiful language, and with logic explained the significance and the tragedy of the Battle of Gettysburg, considered by many the turning point of the civil war. He delivered the entire speech from memory.

When Everett finished, President Lincoln walked to the podium, put on his spectacles, and read from his notes: "Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal." Two minutes later, the President returned to his seat. Two minutes. 272 words.

Few people remember Everett's speech, while Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address" is considered by many one of the greatest speeches ever given.

Which speech was better? I think the question is moot. Both speeches were great. Both men expressed their heartfelt views and opinions and did so with grace and eloquence. The point is that both men used the words and time required to express their thoughts.

I believe it is the same with prayer. How many times do we read in the Bible that Jesus went off by himself to pray, sometimes for hours? Jesus had the closest possible relationship to God the Father. He carried the heaviest burden of any man who ever lived - paying the price for our sins, It is not surprising that he spent hours in prayer. That's what it took for him to do what he needed to do.

I've come to realize that, with prayer, it is not necessarily how long we pray or how eloquently we express ourselves, but more about the sincerity and depth of our words. Prayer is direct communication with God. We don't need to impress Him. He knows what we think, what we feel, what we need, and what we desire. Prayer is a time we express to God what is on our hearts and minds, then to listen, to hear, and to understand.

How long should we pray? We should pray often, and for as long as it takes.

Father, thank you for the gift of prayer. We need time with you like we need air. We love you and covet your love for us. Thank you for the gift of salvation, which makes it all possible. Amen.

This devotion was written and read by Cliff McCartney

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 address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Matthew 25:31-41

I know how it feels to be the stranger. I have had occasion to relocate for employment or worse and have to start over in unfamiliar circumstances.

My latest experience came when I could not afford my own modest home. The mortgage was paid off, but the economy turned. My wife was no longer working full time and we could not afford to pay the property taxes.

One day, I turned to my spouse and said, “We need to leave here and move in with your mother!” As it turned out, my mother-in-law was advanced in years and she gracefully agreed to take us in. We were able to care for her, shoulder some of the bills and rebuild our lives, but other than my wife, she was the only one I knew.

I remember the last drive south on I81, passing over a deep gorge in Virginia, driving a Uhaul, trailering a car, and prayed, “Lord, I have left it all behind, there is no turning back. Please show me the way!” I was launched into the unknown. My son was a college graduate. He was working. He had his own life. My trust was in that prayer.

First month, I found work. Lowest pay I ever worked for with rudimentary working conditions. However, I was unfazed, but still a stranger.

I had an application in with an employment agency and at the end of that month, I got a call. I was stopped in traffic on Alcoa Highway. It was for work at the institution that I had targeted.

I showed up that initial day of the job and was met by my first new co-worker. He is a Christian in thought, word and deed. He made me feel comfortable. We built a strong personal and professional relationship that is vibrant to this day. He walks the walk and talks the talk. I know the Holy Spirit works through him and that Jesus smiles on him.

Where are you in your daily walk? Are you distracted by highly charged political and commercial rhetoric from your TV, radio or digital media? Or are you looking out for the hungry, the thirsty, the unsheltered, the sick, or worse?

Jesus, make it perfectly clear to us where our collective attention needs to be, and remind us of the reward that awaits us.

Amen.

Today’s devotional was written and recorded by Sam Barto.

Grace for All is a daily...

Today we will talk about knocking on God’s door to seek his presence in our lives.

Our Scripture comes from Luke 11:9-10. (NIV):

Wow! What a promise from God to us. All we have to do is ask, seek and knock, and the door will open wide to answer all our prayers.

But wait. Asking, seeking, knocking – these words imply an active search and actively searching requires a willingness to seek wisdom and knowledge and to learn new things.

Actively seeking and searching sometimes opens our minds and hearts to answers that were there all along. While God is inviting us to approach him with our needs and desires, the very act of striving can build faith and determination that can open the door to answered prayers.

• “Asking” is about expressing our dependence on God;
• “Seeking” is actively searching for God’s will;
• “Knocking” is patiently praying and alerting God of your trust in him.

Don’t be discouraged if your prayers are not quickly answered. Keep asking, keep seeking and keep knocking.

God hears you and knows what you need and when you need it, and he will open the door according to his perfect timing.

Heavenly Father,

Your words in Luke echo with encouragement, reminding us that You are a God who listens and responds. Emboldened by Your promise, we come to You today.

We lift our hearts in asking for your blessings.

Grant us the wisdom to seek Your guidance in all things. Open our eyes to Your path and help us discern Your will for our lives.

We approach Your door with persistence, ready to knock. In moments of doubt or unanswered prayers, strengthen our faith. Remind us that You are always present, listening with love.

Thank you for Your unfailing love. We pray in Jesus' name, Amen.

Today’s devotional was written by Gary Hensley and read by Joey Smith.

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 address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Welcome to Grace for All, a daily devotional podcast produced by the people of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee.

Today, in keeping with our July theme of Pray Always, we feature a traditional prayer and several prayers written by our youth.

Our reader today is Ryan.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful and kindle in us the fire of Your love. Send forth Your Spirit and we shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth.

O, God, Who by the light of the Holy Spirit did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy Your consolations.

​Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Loving God, help me place my trust in you so that I may not fear the unknown, but embrace it. ~anonymous

Dear Heavenly Father, help me draw on your strength for the trials of the upcoming week. Until we speak again, amen. ~anonymous

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 address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Grace for All is 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 firstchurch.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 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 address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Reading over this scripture several times, in several versions, divided my focus into two thoughts. Pray diligently is simple—conscientious, earnest, eager, tireless—easy concepts for us. We know we are called to pray.

The two thoughts battling for my attention are being watchful (The Message uses “stay alert”) and thankful (other versions use in gratitude).

Being watchful or alert signals paying “full attention”, not being distracted by our plans, or thoughts or desires. Being open to what is happening and accepting that God’s plan just might not match ours. We find ourselves often praying for outcomes that meet our own selfish desires. We may or may not have considered the ripple effects for others or long-term effects. We are called to seek God and His will for our lives. In this fast-paced world, with distractions at every turn, our ability to focus has become a real challenge. Often, we automatically become frustrated when life does not go our way and our plans are thwarted. Impatiently, we then set out to correct the situation via our own plan without regard to others. We can only see the desired result and not the full implication of forcing the result. We certainly aren’t displaying thankfulness or gratitude, much less trust and faith.

Gratitude (thankfulness) calls us to assess the real, broader situation and acknowledge what we have received. In doing this, we recognize how God has continued to shower us with so many gifts. In our haste to have more, we miss the enjoyment of what has already been given. Often, we do not allow such thankfulness to fill our hearts. In considering just how much we have been given by God, we realize how very rich we are. Through our prayers and diligence to be alert, we find that our thankful spirit has the power to replace anger with love, resentment with happiness, fear with faith and worry with peace.

Private prayer, when centered with watchfulness and gratitude allows us to step back and see that God is the answer, not just to our prayers, but to our real needs. God is always with us, not just when we need Him most.

Devoting ourselves to prayer, being alert for His response and grateful for His love is an ongoing challenge. We are blessed the most when we trust in God and not ourselves.

Open our eyes and hearts as we pray. Grant us the ability to trust you and to be grateful for our lives in every setting whether pleasant or difficult for we know you love us always. Amen.

This devotional was written by Lisa Blackwood and read by Amy Large.

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 address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.