2 Corinthians 9:7 KJV Pastor Will Shewey – This Week’s Visit to Shades of Grace UMCwith a Link on This Page to Facebook’s Live Streaming of Sunday Services Friday, July 26, 2019 Ministering to the Last, Least, Lost and Lonely Friday is ending, and a beautiful day in East Tennessee will soon become yesterday. So many blessings; so much sadness and tragedy. We had a good crowd for Friday Night…Keep Reading

2 Kings 18:9-19:37; Psalms 46, 80, and 135 THOUGHT FOR TODAY, July 28, 2019 “THE DEVIL IS ALIVE AND WELL” Very few professing Christians have not sung—or at least heard—Martin Luther’s “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” The first verse says, “A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing; our helper he, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing. For still our ancient foe does seek to work…Keep Reading

Colossians 3:13 DEVOTION FOR TODAY, July 27, 2019 “Forgive as the Lord Forgave You” “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Colossians 3:13 Forgiveness is a merciful gift from God, but it requires that we are to be forgiving of others. Forgiveness must keep forgiving to stay alive. If we refuse to forgive others…Keep Reading

Isaiah 44-48 THOUGHT FOR TODAY, July 27, 2019 “GOD DOES NOT OWE US AN EXPLANATION” One hundred and fifty years before Cyrus was born, God said, “He is my shepherd, and he shall fulfill all my purpose,” which was the return of the remnant of Judah to the land and the rebuilding of the temple (Isaiah 44:28). Through Isaiah, God spoke to Cyrus as if he were already alive. He…Keep Reading

Song of Solomon 6:2 DEVOTION FOR TODAY, July 26, 2019 “IN THE MASTER’S BOUQUET” “My beloved has gone down to his garden, to the beds of spices, to browse in the gardens and to gather lilies.” Our life on earth is a gift; and the beauty that surrounds us is only a shadow of the morning joy in a world where memories blossom into beautiful flowers of an unending day….Keep Reading

Isaiah 40-43 THOUGHT FOR TODAY, July 26, 2019 “GOD AND THE GODS” In today’s reading, Isaiah challenges the nation to compare idols to the God of heaven: “To whom can you compare God? What image can you find to resemble him? Can he be compared to an idol formed in a mold, overlaid with gold, and decorated with silver chains? Or if people are too poor for that, they might…Keep Reading

Isaiah 37-39; Psalm 76 THOUGHT FOR TODAY, July 25, 2019 “HEZEKIAH’S PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE” The king of Assyria sent a messenger to Hezekiah which warned: “Thus shall you speak to Hezekiah king of Judah: ‘Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you by promising that Jerusalem will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria’” (Isaiah 37:10). The threat went on to name other…Keep Reading

Acts 7:56 DEVOTION FOR TODAY, July 25, 2019 “ROAD TO HEAVEN” There is an old gospel song that has a very important question: “Which road leads to heaven, I find so few that know. They tell me there are mansions, and the streets are made with gold. I’ve never seen a mansion, but in heaven they tell me they’re free; and I’ve asked the Lord to save one especially for…Keep Reading

Rev. Nate and Julie Ware 1 John 1:5 WHAT MESSAGE ARE YOU SENDING? When publishing at devotionalfriends.com I generally use a song that lends to the devotional . . . This morning I was getting ready to turn the page from a draft to a published page when I noticed a part of the video had a message that I didn’t want to send. I was so glad I caught…Keep Reading

Isaiah 35-36 THOUGHT FOR TODAY, July 24, 2019 “IN GOD WE TRUST” The motto “In God We Trust” has appeared on our coins since 1864. On July 30, 1956, a Joint Resolution of Congress declared that the motto would appear on all U.S. currency. The motto has been challenged in court, but just this year the Supreme Court ruled that its inclusion does not violate the Establishment Clause of the…Keep Reading

Deuteronomy 32:2-3 DEVOTION FOR TODAY, July 24, 2019 “BLESSINGS, GENTLE SHOWERS AND RAIN” “Let my teaching fall on you like rain; let my speech settle like dew. Let my words fall like rain on tender grass, like gentle showers on young plants. I will proclaim the name of the Lord; how glorious is our God!” Deuteronomy 32:2-3 I came across these words in a poem by Ralph Cushman: “Singing through…Keep Reading

Rev. Nate and Julie Ware 1 Peter 3:10 Meticulous Gathering – Deliberate Witness Nate and I were talking about notes this morning. One of his degrees is in Journalism. He said that he first became meticulous about taking notes when one of the Generals in the military told him about his notes, his “tickler” file . . . Which served him well when making speeches and being called upon to…Keep Reading