In this parable, Jesus uses the word abide to talk about our relationship to him. Abide, in this setting, is a rich word meaning to stay in fellowship or union with Christ. The metaphor of the vine and the branch helps to drive this message home. Grapes can only grow and bear fruit if connected to the vine.

What does abiding mean for us? For me, it is a reminder that I need to ask Jesus for help, not just when things are hard, but at all times. It is a way of connecting faith with action.

I have been told I am too self-reliant. For this reason, I am loath to ask for help. This is true from handyman chores around the house to my faith. Too often, I find myself believing that I have all the tools I need, in faith, to accomplish much for God. When these feelings bubble up to the surface, I start feeling a little too proud of myself for something I did, in the name of Jesus, and what results have happened. Then I remember this verse and realize the fruit of the results would not have happened without Jesus’ help. Then an even more sobering thought comes to mind. Would the harvest have been better if I had asked for help from God and others? This, I remember, is what it means to abide. Sadly. The answer is almost always yes. To abide, to be in fellowship with God and others, means having an awareness that I need help and asking for it.

The other day, a situation happened to drive that point home. A light switch needed to be replaced. I knew how to do it, but I didn’t have all the tools necessary for accomplishing the task safely. I knew my son had what I needed, which I asked to borrow. He said, “Don’t worry, I will be over in a few minutes and replace it.” As he was accomplishing the task, I had to admit to feeling unsettled. I didn’t like feeling like I needed help. I wanted to do it myself. But, as he finished, he turned and smiled and said, “Glad I could help.” I realized just then I had given him a gift. He felt blessed to be able to help. In asking for and receiving help, something more than a light switch was fixed.

I see God relating to us in much the same way. When we let go of our need to be in control and turn and ask for help and guidance, God rejoices, for now we are abiding in God. Our faith, our work, and God’s love and direction come together, and something better happens. Others get involved, and the Kingdom of God expands in love and joy.

So remember, you don’t have to go it alone in faith or in life. Ask for help, see how you are connected, abiding with others and with God, and rejoice at the fruit those connections bring.

Loving God, we do want to abide in you, to be in a deep and fruitful relationship. Remind us that to do this, we need to humble ourselves and ask for help, and for guidance, for it is only then that you are at the center of our lives and we find the way to produce abundant fruit for you and the world. AMEN.

This devotional was written by Bill Green and read by Jim Stovall.

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...

We Christians are not perfect.

We Christians are all sinners.

But the thing that sets us apart is our Faith and trust in Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God. He came to Earth, was virgin born into a human body, and lived a sinless life. When His time on earth was done, he calmly offered Himself up to die on that cross. He rose up out of that grave three days later, and before he ascended to heaven, he visited his closest disciples and gave them courage with his parting words:

These words serve us, his followers, as our commission, instructing us to spread his message and His teachings throughout the world. And in his own words, the greatest commandment, the most important, is that we LOVE God, and LOVE our neighbor as we LOVE ourselves. We must demonstrate that LOVE of God and neighbor by helping our earthly neighbors – loving them.

And as today’s verse reminds us, it is by Grace we have been saved. No matter how many good works we do, we cannot earn our way into God’s LOVE. God’s LOVE is already ours, and His Grace is endless. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, taught the concept of three expressions of God’s Grace.

• Prevenient Grace, the Grace we receive even before we know we need it.
• Justifying Grace, the Grace we receive at the moment we ask for forgiveness.
• Sanctifying Grace, the lifelong work of the Holy Spirit, shaping us into the likeness of Christ.

No matter how hard we work to be good and do good things, we still can’t work our way into God’s precious Gift of salvation. The only way to that Gift is by faith in Jesus Christ. Only by faith in Jesus can we receive the free Gift of Grace – forgiveness for our wrongs, our errors, our sins! It is too beautiful to fully comprehend. God loves us – all of his human children – so much that he freely gives Grace before we even know we need it!

The joy of knowing this Gift should inspire us all to freely give of ourselves to help our fellow humans in every way we can. We should help, not as works to earn God’s favor, but as gifts to thank God for his unlimited Grace and salvation!

Thank you, Lord, for all your generous Grace! Help me to be as generous with my fellowman as you are with me. In Jesus’ name we pray. AMEN.

Today’s podcast was written and read by Bernice Howard.

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/.

Most of us go about our daily lives on autopilot. We go to work, do our best, interact with our families and co-workers, clients, guests, or customers in a polite manner. Sure, we take some time to smile, laugh, and attempt to fully enjoy the day, but realistically, it’s just a routine. Others might even comment that we are always pleasant, upbeat, calm or well prepared. We smile and offer thanks, but don’t take those words very seriously.

As I read and ponder today’s scripture, I wonder if we ever consider how others really view or value our routine. In fact, how do we intentionally approach our daily actions? I know my day starts and ends differently when I spend time with God first thing. Once I have consciously chosen to ”include” Him in my day, every action, every response is more aligned with the person, the servant, the Christian God is calling me to be. The result of that awareness leads me to be a better person, to consciously do good, to be kind, to show love, and to enjoy life. It even invites me to call others to join me – to live in a way that is pleasing to God. What motivates us? What brings us to the moment when doing good is about attracting others to do the same?

I believe it is about faith, about grace (we all need a healthy dose of grace), and about inspiring others to do good as well. I love watching the many videos at our fingertips these days, you know the ones where a young man helps an elderly lady with her cart; she then helps someone else across the street, who then makes sure that the dry plant is placed so that it catches the rainwater. There's more to the story, but you get the picture. Each single act inspires someone else to do good without a response, with no “payback” expected. We see it all the time when the car in front of us or someone else pays for our food or drink, and before you know it, 8 cars are in a row are still “paying it forward”. Each driver is inspired or motivated to do good and be kind! We can be inventive and creative when we choose.

But where does faith come in? It’s not just about doing good. I personally believe it is most inspiring when others can see you live your life with a faithful heart. You are sincere in your relationship with God. Your life, the way you live, the way you share your faith, is through the grace of good works – sometimes very simple, sometimes more elaborate, but always done to share grace, love, and humility.

So, today, when you begin your day – or maybe you begin your day again – focus on God and His grace. How might you, on this very day, motivate, inspire or spark love for someone else? How might your actions encourage and help someone else to do good, to serve, and to be an example that moves others to action?

You can do it! Make it a daily part of your life. You never know when your good deed might just be the “hope” someone else is seeking or the grace they are desperate to feel. Yes, you will be blessing others. You will also be blessed by the knowledge of a greater love.

Merciful God, as I begin this day, open my eyes that I may see others who might see and feel your love and grace by simple good deeds. Help me to maintain my focus on serving you, being faithful as you are to me. Allow my actions to stir the hearts of others so that goodness, kindness, grace, and love continue to be shared in your Holy name. Amen.

This devotion is written and read by Lisa Blackwood.

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...

I had a recent experience regarding trust that caused me to stop and consider the word and its deeper meaning. The veterinarian was to come and vaccinate our cat and horse early one morning. Usually, I must catch the cat and place him in the kitty box before the veterinarian comes to the house. Since we were also vaccinating the horse, I took the kitty box to the barn the night before. Prince, the cat, always, rain or shine, comes to the barn when I feed the horse just to get a few strokes of appreciation. So, I thought when he came to the barn, I would catch him and place him in the kitty box. Prince saw me take the box to the barn the night before, and probably due to some bad memory about the box, refused to come into the barn the next morning. A bit later, I did manage to catch him and put him in the box. Following the veterinarian’s visit, Prince would not come near the barn or me. I believe it was because he had lost his trust in me. It took about a week before he would allow me to touch him again.

It reminded me of how I trust others. I do know that once I lose trust in someone, it takes a lot of time and dedication for that trust to be regained or earned. I will usually trust anyone unless there is a reason not to trust them. Are there times when our trust might be based on the part of town we are in or the nationality of a person, or the color of their skin? Following 9-11, I may have had some tendency to be suspicious or perhaps not trust those who might appear they be from the Middle East.

The scripture says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”

What does it mean to trust in the Lord?

I do not know how the Lord speaks to you, but for me, it is through my intuition, a nudge, or perhaps at times a dream. Do I always pay attention, or do I lean on my own understanding? Probably not always. I have had several experiences in which I felt I needed to do something, such as making a phone call or stopping to visit someone. In too many cases, I have not followed up but leaned on my own understanding. Then that person perhaps died or moved away, and I regretted not listening to that still small voice that was encouraging me to take some action.

When we pray and ask God for help or direction, we may not like to hear, see, or feel the answer. The answer always comes, though we may not recognize it or agree with it. In the long run, it usually turns out to be the best outcome.

Dear God, help us to be more trusting of others and to trust in you. Amen.

This podcast was written and recorded by Emmit Rawls.

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/.

The stated theme of our podcast organizers this month is "The 'And' of Faith: Grace and Good Works." Having been raised Lutheran, where Sola Gratia—by Grace Alone—is an oft-quoted slogan and Martin Luther was known for his dislike of the book of James, my first reaction to the theme was a little negative. I had to remind myself that Paul has taught me that when I accept the gift of God’s grace, my faith will grow, and it will naturally produce good works.

In the parable of the sheep and goats that today’s verse is taken from, the emphasis is generally put on the verses where Jesus recounts being aided. “When I was hungry, you gave me something to eat, when I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink,” and the lesson is that all that is listed was either shared or it was not. Today, let us focus on what the sheep and goats have in common. Both the sheep who share and the goats who do not react verbally to the Lord in the same way, “When did we see you?” Both groups appear to lack the clear vision to see Jesus in others. However, one group shares what has been freely given, and the other group sees no need.

Two groups share the same blindness but do not make the same choices. Everyone must make choices. In life, choices are presented to us moment by moment, day by day, year by year, decade by decade. How often do we see Jesus in others, and how often are we blind? How often do we choose to share what is part of God’s gift to us with others, and how often do we let the opportunity to share escape us?

So it seems it is inevitable that we will all fail to see and share at times, and we must remember that no human will be the King that separates the sheep from the goats. It is not my mission to label the goats. But neither is it my mission to decide who is a sheep. In other words, not only is it not our role to decide who is a goat, Jesus is telling us that we can’t tell a sheep from a goat. I did not create the water that will quench someone’s thirst. But I can carry it to someone who is thirsty or not.

I have found over the years that a better question than who is a goat to ask myself is – when I interact with others, am I being a sheep or a goat?

We make things harder than they are. Let’s strive to make it simple. Don’t waste your energy and effort on trying to decide who is a sheep and who is a goat. But also don’t be an angry little goat butting heads with others, assuming you are right versus someone else being wrong. Don’t carry the burden that you are a judge. Instead, focus on the fact that those who have faith are led by the Shepherd. Be a sheep and accept that whatever you are faced with that you are in union with all in the herd. Leave your anxiety with a higher power. Those who have faith know that we are one and do not own anything. We are, for a time, given the grace to exist as part of God’s kingdom on earth. When we have faith, we follow the Shepherd.

Let us pray today that our Shepherd will lead us to clear and abundant waters. Lord, give me the faith to walk with your herd to water, making way for all of those we encounter to drink with us along the banks of your stream of earthly water and Living Water. May we be one with your body and spirit while here in your kingdom today, Amen.

This devotional was written by Jill Pope and read by Susan Daves.

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...

Grace is the rock upon which Christian life is built and sustained. Through faith, grace transforms us so that good works naturally follow.

In James 2:17, we find that “faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” When grace moves us into action, we “go and do”.

Good works show that our faith is genuine and transformative.

Our good works are the visible evidence of an invisible faith, which is proof to the world that God’s grace lives within us!

Faith is not meant to sit still. It is alive, breathing, and moving because the grace of God never leaves us where it found us. James reminds us that belief without action is lifeless. True faith compels us to “go and do.”

Grace is God’s gift, freely given and unearned. But grace is never idle. When we truly receive it, it transforms our hearts, shifts our priorities, and stirs us toward acts of love, mercy, and service. It is grace that moves us to forgive when wronged, to give when it costs us something, and to speak truth even when it’s uncomfortable.

The world doesn’t just need to hear what we believe—it needs to see it. Every act of kindness, every choice to love, every step toward serving another is faith made visible. It’s grace in motion.

As you listen today, where is grace calling you to “go and do?” Is there someone you need to serve, forgive, or encourage?

Heavenly Father,

You have called me not only to believe but to live out my faith. Shape my heart so that my good works flow from love for You, showing the world that my faith is genuine and life-changing. May everything I do point others toward Your transforming grace. Amen.

This 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/.

My father, like many men of his generation, grew up working on his family’s farm. His father, my grandfather, had two jobs: he was a stationmaster at various train stations throughout East Tennessee, and he farmed. It wasn’t a huge farm, but he produced enough to sell or share with others. My dad recalled working alongside his father and learning how to cultivate and harvest many different plants and trees, including grape vines, from which they made jelly and juice. The grapes on these vines did not taste good at all. They weren’t cultivated to be eaten but to be used in other ways. As children, my brothers, sister, and I didn’t see much use for a grape that couldn’t be eaten, and one day, when we were visiting our grandparents, we decided the branches on the grapevine would be ideal for whatever project we were working on. Whether it was a mud fort or an imaginary sword, I don’t remember, but the four of us stripped several strong branches from the vine. Big mistake! We were soundly scolded for our actions and forbidden to touch the growing plants. Our sticks and twigs had to be those that had fallen on the ground naturally.

The branches we had pulled never had a chance to mature; they couldn’t fulfill their natural purpose. They had been separated from their source of life and were therefore useless.

I always remember that experience when reading this passage. We are the branches. Unless we remain connected to God through the Holy Spirit, we can do nothing. We often fool ourselves and think we can manage life, but when challenges arise, and they always do, we find we are powerless. It is in difficult times that we are painfully reminded that we can do nothing on our own. There are many forces at work in the world that would separate us from the vine: greed, seeking power or fame, being swayed by false teachings, focusing on how others are different instead of acknowledging that we are all children of God. If we allow any of these things to control us, we are ripping ourselves from God. We are dead branches. We can do nothing.

It is up to us to remain connected to God through worship, Bible study, prayer, and service. We can separate ourselves from the vine through willfulness and the false belief that “I can do it myself,” but no one else can do it if we find our strength in these practices.

Dear God, we are so thankful that you hold us close, as branches on the vine, and give us the opportunity to find life and strength in You. Help us reject the forces that would separate us from You. Guide us to be fruitful in the service of your Kingdom. Amen.

This devotional was written and read by Pat Scruggs.

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/.