Adventist Review Podcasts

What if God's radical love turns messy, broken lives into cherished members of His family? In this engaging episode, Shawn Boonstra and Siku Dako explore the powerful April issue of Adventist Review, centered on the theme of adoption. Discover how one family's real-life adoption story reveals breathtaking truths about God's costly, inconvenient love for us—while we were still sinners. They also unpack President Erton Kohler's timely call for right motives and Christlike methods (especially online), plus a vivid retelling of Jesus washing the disciples' feet that challenges pride and invites humility. Rich in theology, testimony, and practical faith—this conversation will stir your heart. Don't miss it—tune in now and let adoption reshape how you see yourself and God!

What if your faithful tithes and offerings are quietly fueling a massive global push to finish God's work? In this special edition of Unscripted, recorded live from Spring Meeting at the General Conference, Shawn Boonstra and Justin Kim break down the latest financial reports with surprising transparency and hope. Discover how the church is staying fiscally responsible amid global uncertainty, exceeding goals for One Voice 2027—the bold initiative marking 2,000 years since Jesus' baptism—and redirecting every extra dollar straight into mission. You'll feel encouraged by stories of stewardship, clean audits, and leaders challenging each other to do even more. Don't miss this uplifting 28-minute deep dive—tune in now and see how your giving is making a worldwide difference!

So you don't have perfect faith. There are moments—even hours or days—when trusting God's continued goodness seems beyond your reach. You wonder if the effort of this life of trust is wise—or yields anything. Join the crowd—the great, blood-washed crowd of those who say they follow Jesus. Unlike the spiritually intimidating stories we often tell each other, there are no sturdy souls who never know a moment's doubt—who always sing the sun up in the morning and bless the coolness of the night. We invent such myths in hope that we might yet grow into them, more righteous than our peers. But real life has real tests—when our money, strength, or patience come up short; when secretly we envy the ultra-rich, the ultra-smooth; the carefree media influencer. With the psalmist we complain: “Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence” (Psa 73:13). The same gracious Word that voices our human frustration also gives us words to say to our Creator when faith is thin or weak: “Yet I still belong to You; You hold my right hand. You guide me with Your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny” (Psa 73:23-24). Grace plucked us from our foolishness: “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil 1:6). Trust the Lord who called you on to life eternal. And stay in grace. -Bill Knott

What if the way you handle money revealed the true condition of your heart and faith? This insightful article lays out 10 powerful, timeless biblical principles that transform how Seventh-day Adventists view finances—from recognizing God as the true Owner of everything, to living as faithful stewards who multiply resources for His mission. Discover why tithing is only the starting point, how to avoid losing the Lord's capital, and why generous, responsible management trains us for eternity. Far more than a budget guide, this is a spiritual barometer that shows whether our treasure—and our hearts—are fully aligned with Jesus. Practical, challenging, and deeply encouraging. Listen now.

What if one courageous woman, stepping off a ship in 1895 with nothing but faith and a trunk, could spark an entire mission movement across India? Georgia Burrus arrived alone in Calcutta—no station, no salary, no guarantees—yet quietly entered zenanas, taught Bible stories, and opened hearts. From her humble school came India's first Adventist converts: a suffering widow and a brave child widow who chose Christ over family and fortune. Their transformed lives ignited a flame that spread through schools, orphanages, and villages. Discover how one woman's obedience opened the door for millions—and why her story still calls us to bold mission today. Listen now.

What if the key to vibrant Deaf ministry isn't just skilled interpreters—but genuine partnership? When hearing and Deaf Adventists team up beyond translation, something powerful happens: walls crumble, gifts flourish, and the gospel reaches hearts in fresh ways. From a hesitant teen interpreter mentored by a Deaf believer, to a small church where members learned basic signs to welcome visitors, these stories reveal how love and collaboration turn Sabbath-morning strain into Sabbath joy. Discover why true inclusion demands shared leadership, not one-way help—and how your congregation can join this growing movement. A must-hear call to deeper unity in Christ. Listen now.

What if one risky decision to open your home could forever change two families—yours and a child's? When a couple welcomed a troubled Ukrainian girl for Christmas, they never imagined the chalk heart she'd draw with their names, declaring them “сім'я”—family. What began as compassion led to costly adoption, deep healing, and a profound glimpse into God's heart. Through laughter, tears, and transformation, they discovered how divine love moves us from orphan to heir, from fear to belonging. This moving story invites you to explore how God's matchless adoption changes everything—past, present, and future. Don't miss this powerful testimony of love that never gives up. Listen now.

This week on unScripted from the Adventist Review, we dive into the March edition and uncover some eye-opening truths! We explore how superstition can quietly creep into Christian (and Adventist) life—morning devotion guilt, fear-based rituals, not putting anything on the Bible, and more. Seth Pierce's powerful article challenges us: Is our faith rooted in Scripture or mixed with magical thinking? Then we tackle one of the most shocking stats: One-third of Seventh-day Adventists worldwide still believe it's possible to communicate with the dead. Hear real stories, the cruelty of this deception, and why soul-winning requires more than facts—it requires walking through grief with people. Plus, don't miss Kids View—the incredible children's resource in every North American Adventist Review (and free online elsewhere). Perfect for families, Pathfinders, Adventurers, and anyone who wants fresh stories for kids! Subscribe now so you never miss an episode—and drop a comment: Which superstition have YOU caught yourself believing?

Join Shawn Boonstra and Justin Kim in unScripted EP 9 for raw talks on SDA life from the March Adventist Review. Tackle the hot debate on Ellen White's city vs. country counsel in our urban world – is it time to step up outreach? Face the facts on marijuana and vaping: are they harmless highs or faith-killers? Plus, Shane Anderson's 7 raw reasons people skip church, with real tips to connect and keep them.  Subscribe for unfiltered Adventist insights! Hit the bell.  #unscriptedmoments   #AdventistReview #EllenWhite #WeedTruth #churchgrowth AdventistReview.org for more.

Is grace, at heart, believable? ‘Of course,' you say. Why not believe? It's the noun that always follows “Amazing,” the tune the bagpipers skirl at dawn; the soaring hymn a tenor lifts into a vast cathedral. For some, it may be what the sermon is about, or what we learned in Bible class. But is grace believable at the baseline of our fears—in those tough places in the soul where shame and memory combust to make us cringe again, again? Does grace reach down below the intellect, the wonderful idea, and heal those wounds we so much never want to show the world? At its heart—and in our hearts—grace offers us what no one else is giving. Redemption is for real—for all those moments and those years we've blown it big and ruined all our future. “All we like sheep have gone astray. We've turned every one to his own way. And the Lord has laid on Him”—on Jesus, the only righteous one who ever lived—"the iniquity of us all” (Isa 53:6). It seems too good—too kind; too merciful—to be true. And so we linger in the half-light of our fears, humming a tune we dream might yet be ours. The hymn has outlived every copyright. God's grace is clearly in the public domain. Make this song yours. And stay in grace. -Bill Knott

“What if?” the soldiers wondered, as they watched His body sag. “A miracle man with a brazen claim—could He really rise again?” “What if?” the wise ones wondered, with a nagging, dull unease. “Could disciples come in the dead of night and spirit His body away?” “What if?” the governor worried, as he doubled the guarding troops. “Is there truly a power in heaven or hell that would dare to break my seal?” But the doubts that rang in their hollow souls had begun to lose their grip. This Man had life—gave life—gives life. No sword, or spear, or stone, or seal could keep the dawn from rising. What if the night is over? What if He won't stay dead? What if the dying Lamb of God becomes our living Head? When we begin to doubt our doubts, the life of faith begins. We pull the morning toward us, certain only of one thing: we've had enough of night and fear and death and loss. There's joy beyond the cross. Resurrection—His and ours—begins to change the world. So pick some lilies. Sing His song. Plant some kindness. Practice risen life each day. And stay in grace. -Bill Knott

We walk the Passion story slowly, knowing it will seem to end as far too many stories end—with pain, with shame, with lonely death. The palm fronds we waved wildly on Sunday were woven into simple brooms that swept up 30 tarnished silver pieces; in ropes that tied Messiah to the blood-stained lashing post on Friday. All things trudge slowly toward His end, as if no other fate could be. Of Himself, the Saviour said: “The Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn Him to death . . . They will mock Him, and spit upon Him, and flog Him, and kill Him” (Mk 10:32-33).   But never miss the finish of His prophecy: the future of the world hangs on it, or actually, on Him. “And after three days He will rise again” (vs 33). There is no darkness, long or dull, that Light can never penetrate. It's not a story that must end with grief on Friday afternoon. “If we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him” (Rom 6.8). Keep walking through His Passion, then, for it will end as you will end—with hope, with light, with joy, with life. The morning dawns, and so will you. Now stay in grace. -Bill Knott

Ever long for the bad old days when you could at least depend upon yourself? We tire of grace when we're tempted by the easy arrogance of effort. “If I just say another prayer; read another Bible verse; light another candle—then I can pull the love of God toward me and close up any distance.” We think to work our way back toward His will with scrupulous self-discipline—with vegetables, and fasting, and money given to the homeless. We want connection, but without the cross. As satisfying as it can feel to deliberately make the life of faith more painful and intense, the gospel shines with clarifying grace: “We proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles” (1 Cor 1:24). The self-denial for which Christ calls isn't made of beets or gruel or things we naturally dislike. It's the denying of our own efforts, of the value of our “good deeds,” and yes, of our own homemade theology to which the Saviour calls us. “Christ made us right with God; He made us pure and holy, and He freed us from sin. Therefore, as the Scriptures say, ‘If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord'” (I Cor 1:30-31). “Jesus answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent'” (John 6:29). Now stay in grace. -Bill Knott

The great illusion of our age is that the world must be divisible into clans and races and nations who inevitably hate each other.  The histories of some countries—and entire political careers—have been built on this dangerous idea.  Left versus right; rich opposed to poor; theists against atheists; the educated despising the illiterate. Trillions of dollars, euros, yen and rubles have been invested to sustain this pernicious illusion, for much money can be made by channeling hatred and distrust.  So it is that grace, which teaches us that “God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us” (Rom 5:5)—grace will always seem so strange and otherworldly to people who believe that they have been fated to hate those different from themselves. The gospel declares of Jesus, “For He is our peace; in His flesh He has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us” (Eph 2:14). Grace is the promise that we can learn to love without divisions, without malice, without hate. And when it comes to you, you'll stay in grace. -Bill Knott

Welcome to Episode 6 of unScripted — live real talk on what's happening in the Seventh-day Adventist Church right now. Shawn Boonstra and Justin Kim unpack the latest Adventist Review, Bible truths, and jaw-dropping mission stories. This episode covers: New March 2026 Adventist Review spotlight: Superstition cover story + Justin's editorial "etcetera" on Daniel 3—why the Bible's repetitive lists poetically shout God's total supremacy over every power and ritual. The One Voice global initiative: Coordinated revival and evangelism in 2026, studying Daniel chapter-by-chapter (March on Daniel 3). Fresh insights, reading tips, and why prophecy matters. Inspiring testimony: "From Iran to God's Ultimate Freedom"—Raha flees oppression in Iran, finds a loving God through providential SDA connections in Polish refugee centers. Exclusive PNG follow-up: After PNG for Christ's massive baptisms (250,000+ reported), Shawn and Kyle went on-site. Hear Philip's transformation—from rebel/prisoner to baptizing 50 and leading a home for abused kids. Lay-led revival in action. No fluff, just honest encouragement on faith, prophecy, and God's leading. Your thoughts? Comment below—we read and respond! Suggest next topics?

If you should meet a person happy with his life, or joyful in her story, you've likely met someone experiencing the deep security of living in the grace of God. He can look upon the rubble of his past with clarity but without shame—for he has found the liberating power of forgiveness. She can candidly assess the threats and stress the future may portend without the customary fear: her “life is hid with Christ in God” (Col 3:3). They do not take themselves too seriously, for they are quick to tell that all they have and all they are is given them in mercy. You watch them pour themselves into the broken, fear-filled lives of those around them, for grace never was for them alone. Their peace shines like a steady and unblinking light in all the aching darkness. Mark them well, for this is who you want to be—who you can be—by saying “Yes” to grace. “Since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us” (Rom 5:1). And when your life is also glad and free, you'll stay in grace. -Bill Knott

Can the SDA Church ever be wrong? Was Hitler really a Christian? And was that "impression" from God... or just last night's pizza?

It's the critic's counterclaim, the “faithful doubter's” last redoubt: “Say less about the grace of God, and more of human duty.” Afraid that others may secure by gift what they haven't won by long, intensive effort, persistent voices challenge those who speak and preach of grace.  “You make it all too easy,” they complain. “Where's the struggle, pain, and sacrifice? Where are the nights of deep uncertainty when you despair of ever being right with God?”  There's just one answer for such fears, and it originated in the mind of God: “God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God” (Eph 2:8).  Only the Word that comes from God can overcome the human pride that needs its efforts recognized. The apostle Paul, filled with the truth that rests in God, emphatically declared: “For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law” (Rom 3:28). Those who truly grasp God's grace are never slow to live His love. The life of holiness begins when we receive what we can never earn.  So stay in grace. -Bill Knott

In this episode of unScripted from the Adventist Review, Shawn Boonstra sits down with associate editor Sikhu Daco to unpack the powerful February 2026 issue. They dive deep into: Emily Gibbs' raw testimony: diagnosed with a brain tumor while pregnant — "Not One Miracle" explores why God sometimes works beyond physical healing. Dr. John Shin (Loma Linda oncologist): "Dying to Live" — what if the SDA health message isn't primarily about living longer on earth? James & Ellen White's real marriage: poverty, arguments, ministry strain, wayward kids, and deep mutual respect. Whether you're wrestling with health challenges, supporting someone who is, questioning the health message, or navigating family/marriage pressures — this conversation brings honest hope grounded in Scripture and Adventist experience. Timestamps: 0:00 – Fun intro & guest intro 2:30 – Sikhu's journey from Zimbabwe to Adventist Review 8:00 – February issue overview & why get the physical magazine 12:00 – "Not One Miracle" – Emily Gibbs brain tumor story 18:00 – Shawn's personal health crisis testimony 25:00 – Dr. John Shin "Dying to Live" – health message purpose 35:00 – Stewardship, science discernment & compassion for the suffering 45:00 – James & Ellen White marriage: real struggles & respect 55:00 – Closing thoughts & call to subscribe Subscribe to Adventist Review for more real talk on faith, mission, and church life. Get your February issue → https://adventistreview.org (or search "Adventist Review subscribe") #SeventhdayAdventist #SDAHealthMessage #AdventistReview #Unscripted #EllenWhite #FaithAndHealing #ChristianMarriage #BrainTumorTestimony #LomaLinda #EndTimes

Grace seems to fail a million times an hour. In every place where mercy isn't honored and accepted, grace appears an unwise use of heaven's kindness and forgiveness.  Hard hearts chill with chosen hate. Clenched hands will not open to the gift. Death and dryness multiply.  But grace is never limited by how it is received. Like some deep-hidden spring whose source cannot be found, grace flows to sinners and to saints, without regard to worthiness. Some are only temporarily dampened by the flow, but remain defiantly unchanged. Others are made soft and pliable by the same unending grace—new clay from which the Lord will fashion recreated men and women.  So grace is neither a reward for good behavior nor a prompt to honor good intentions. Grace is the decision of our God—who cannot fail—to offer all of us what we have not deserved, have often not desired, and certainly could never earn. It flows from God's unending heart of love.  “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.' And let everyone who hears say, ‘Come.' And let everyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift” (Rev 22:17). Now stay in it. -Bill Knott

Join Shawn and Justin on Unscripted from the Adventist Review for honest talk about life in the SDA Church in 2026. From exploding interest in astrology (80% of young people believe it!) to how Daniel 2 battles false worldviews with real prophecy. Highlights with timestamps: 1:29 Astrology apps, NASA data + AI, and the spiritual vacuum it reveals   3:13 Postmodern search for meaning – prophecy answers what horoscopes can't 4:40 Ancient zodiac echoes in Israel's tribes? Connecting Daniel to today  6:50 Adventist Review origin: Ellen White's 1848 vision of streams of light going global – now digital!  9:38 No AI in our writing – authentic human voices only  10:38 Shane Anderson at Annual Council: humility, service, education networks, and sleeping leaders (travel is brutal!)  17:05 Prexad meeting insights & Erton Kohler's mission focus  19:48 Dr. Shin (Loma Linda oncologist) on anointing, miracles that fade, and health for service – not escape from death  26:03 Eternal life as quality now, not just quantity later  Visit AdventistReview.org or scan the QR for full articles. Share your story: Have you seen healing prayers answered – or not? Let's discuss below. Subscribe for weekly real talk on Adventism, prophecy, health, and church life. #SeventhdayAdventistChurch #UnscriptedAdventistReview #Daniel2Astrology #SDAHealthMessage #AnnualCouncil2025 #EllenWhiteVision #BibleAndAstrology #MedicalMinistry #AdventistFaith #JesusIsComing

Review Hosts Shawn Boonstra and Justin Kim dive into candid, unfiltered conversations about faith, ministry, and the global Seventh-day Adventist Church. In this episode: Justin Kim shares his journey from wanting to be a doctor to becoming Editor of the Adventist Review. Explore the January 2026 Adventist Review issue: "Have We Reached the World Yet?" – featuring a stunning global church growth map (1 Adventist per 341 people worldwide). Discussion on One Voice 27 – the 2027 initiative to proclaim the gospel worldwide, marking 2,000 years since Jesus' baptism. Justin's editorial on the "Three Natans" of Daniel chapter 1 (God gives victory, favor, and knowledge). Balance between faithfulness and numbers in evangelism – stories from Jesus' ministry to modern challenges. Powerful insights on reading Ellen White in context (avoiding misapplication). Plus, why art and visuals matter in sharing the gospel! Whether you're a longtime Adventist or exploring faith, this episode will inspire you to engage with the world church's mission. Subscribe for more episodes! Watch on Adventist Review TV: https://adventistreview.tv Read the full January issue: https://adventistreview.org Learn about One Voice 27: https://onevoice27.org #AdventistReview #Unscripted #SeventhDayAdventist #OneVoice27 #DanielAndRevelation #ChurchGrowth #EllenWhite #FaithJourney Timestamps: 00:00 Intro & Welcome 1:11 Justin Kim's Background & Journey 3:35 Global Adventism: Surprises & Similarities 5:40 The January Issue & Church Growth Map 7:13 Have We Reached the World Yet? 11:56 The Three Natans of Daniel 16:50 Numbers vs. Faithfulness in Evangelism 26:31 Reading Ellen White in Context 28:26 Wrap-up & QR Code Adventist Review Spanish Whatsapp—  https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb34ag4CXC3FajyBo00x

How does God's grace invade our daily conversations? Certainly not by retreating to our separate corners and hurling brickbats at each other.  Of all the “stuff” we absorb from our angry culture, the habits of accusing and deriding are undoubtedly the worst. But as grace finds a home in us, we grow more willing to admit that we might be mistaken.  Receiving grace requires we confess we are wrong, and always have been.  We've misunderstood the love of God, imagining Him as only angry, always disappointed. We've wandered into deeds that brought us shame and guilt.  We've argued for ideas that were vanquished at the cross.  “All we like sheep have gone astray” (Is 53:6). So grace prepares us for a new way of talking with each other, even when we disagree—especially when we disagree.  “You could be right”—"I might be wrong”: these are the tools of reconciliation and renewal.  Look carefully at grace before you look your opponent in the eye. There is no greater joy than laughing with a former enemy.  So stay in grace. -Bill Knott

And so you've got him “dead to rights,” as old books used to say. You've caught him in the lie, the theft, with poison pills he slipped into the office water cooler. There's no way he can wriggle free from how he injured you and hurt your reputation. Now all your moral juices seethe because—for once—you have the power. This is the crucible where what we understand of grace is seen and fully known. If grace has found a home in us, it pries our fingers off the iron mace of moral superiority, of glorying in punishments we can exact. Grace places us just where our enemy now stands. He has done wrong—just as we do. He has told lies—as we have done. He has betrayed a confidence—and which of us has not? Grace always has a claim on justice, but chooses not to push that claim. The Bible says, “God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. And He gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation” (2 Cor 5:19). If God, whom we supremely injured, sees us with such rich love that He accepts the death of Christ in place of what we fully earned, grace can be learned—by us, in us, through us, for others. Grace lets us first unclench our fists so we may offer enemies our open hands. So stay in grace. -Bill Knott

Eyelids flutter, and we sense—more than we see—how differently light looks than when we fell exhausted into bed. Awareness jabs at everything—the too-hard pillow; the blanket thin against the chill; the shoulder sore from hours of unmoving. Awake—too soon; too late; too urgently. The undone stuff of yesterday grabs our first thoughts. Oh no! Not that! How much? How soon? And in those fitful moments, the impulse to be grateful for our lives so easily departs—chased out by hot adrenaline. Should we—could we—offer thanks for grumpy children shepherded to school; for spouses facing drama at the office; for traffic ribbons of red taillights? Yet waking up is still a grace, and drawing breath is still a gift. Everything we count as sameness and routine is proof that life still offers possibilities; that things don't stay just as they were; that hope—and hopeful people—still endure. Grace saves more than souls and minds—the planned, deliberate parts of us. Grace floods our zone with oxygen; with joys too small to write them down; with love as wordless as an infant's fingers curled about our own. And gratitude—perhaps a prayer we've memorized; an easy sigh of heavenward contentment—gratitude equips us for the journey of these hours, this life, and on to life eternal. “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10), Jesus says to all who put their mornings in His care. Awake to life and love and grace. And stay in it. -Bill Knott

Below our deepest hurt and darkest shame, there is the grace of God—forgiving us, rebuilding us, repairing all that's broken. Above our highest joy and most euphoric moments, there is the sheer delight of God—applauding us, encouraging, enlarging celebration. Through every stage of every journey—in trust, in fear; in faith, in doubt; in youth, in gray maturity—we're never left alone or told to make it on our own.  Despite appearances, the road is never empty. Around us each are Jesus' everlasting arms—sustaining us, protecting us, embracing us. His hands are ever on us. “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things” (Rom 11:36). “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? . . . No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Rom 8:39). We are befriended by the One who rules all time and space.  Receive the gift.  And stay in grace. -Bill Knott

One hundred years ago, the world knew all about ticker-tape parades. Returning war heroes, major politicians, and sometimes even aviators and athletes would be honored by a slow-motion ride in an open-topped limousine through the canyons of New York City's financial district, showered by literally millions of paper fragments from stock ticker machines. It was the ultimate symbol of popular success.  No wonder so many dreamed of that day when they would ride in the convertible, waving slowly to the thousands lining the way. But when it comes to how our lives find meaning and renewal, we aren't the hero in this parade. Though our egos, our music, and so much of our “faith talk” put us in the spotlight, reveling in the shower of ticker-tape, this celebration isn't about us. This parade is for Jesus, “the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting Him, He endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now He is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne” (Heb 12:2). Grace isn't just about making us feel special, celebrated or affirmed: those are fortunate results, not purposes. Grace truly understood is the grateful cheer going up from millions of rescued hearts to the One who made it happen through His sacrifice and love.  There's just one hero in this story. And it's not me—or you. Now stay in grace. -Bill Knott

We celebrate achievement in every arena of our daily lives, and rightly so. Parents rejoiced when we first slept through the night; the first time we rolled over in the crib; when we finally tolerated the puréed squash; when we took our first tottering steps. We were congratulated for learning our numbers; mastering the alphabet; riding a bicycle; reading a sentence. People cheered when we scored the soccer goal; sank the jump shot; hit the home run. Accolades flowed if we exceeded our peers in history, algebra, languages, or physics. Employers nodded appreciatively at résumés crammed with academic and professional excellence. That's why we find ourselves so unprepared for the unexpected gift of grace, for which we didn't work, and which we never earned. t takes us days, months—often years—to quiet our over-trained and striving souls long enough to receive what God says only He can provide. “God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God's masterpiece” (Eph 2:8-19). Grace is the story of what Jesus has achieved for us. Accept His gift, and He will take you further than you've ever dreamed. So stay in grace. -Bill Knott

A famous journalist once wrote, “The true secret of editing is to know what to place in the wastebasket.” That's good counsel for those who seek to live in grace during 2026 as well. The secret of successful living is knowing what to throw away, what to forget, what to discard. In the desk of life from 2025 there are likely many things you'd do better to be without. Throw away the slights and the insults you received in the old year. Hanging on to them this long has already caused you to be something less than the kind and gracious person you've wanted to be. Throw away the grudges you've nourished during the last 12 months. Though they've probably provided you with many moments of bitter satisfaction, they haven't deepened your faith or your kindness even a little. In 2026, collect coins if you wish; collect stamps; collect postcards; collect tropical fish. But don't collect grudges. They are part of what lies behind that ought to be forgotten. And finally, throw away your sins when you've repented of them, for Jesus promises to do the same: “I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more” (Heb 8:12). “As far as the east is from the west, so far He removes our transgressions from us” (Psa 103:12). Grace lets us lean into the future with joy and expectation. So stay in it. -Bill Knott

So here's the greatest cause for Christmas joy—not that you deck your house with hundreds of lights or fill your home with dozens of gifts—but that the Lord of heaven and earth entered into the commonness of our lives to be our Saviour from sin and self-absorption. He's the reason why at every Christmas a song rises from millions of redeemed men and women to mingle with the anthem of those long-ago angels—a hymn of gratitude and grace. We discover that life can be something better than a mean little existence between the cradle and the grave. We learn that our day-to-day experience can be full of joy and possibilities, of hope and healing. The glow that began in the midnight fields near Bethlehem has become a radiance none can extinguish: “In Him was life, and the life was the light of all people” (John 1:4). The gift given us in Jesus is why we search each Christmas for the words of that angel hymn: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward all.” Gratitude is just another way of saying “Thanks” for grace. So stay in grace. -Bill Knott

Had He arrived with fanfare from some royal balcony, with heralds officiously announcing His nativity to thousands massed to hear the news, He might have changed the politics of one small corner of the world for 40, even 50, years. Had He been born in some rich villa spilling down the hillside to the sparkling Aegean, we might find passing mention of His name in annals of the empire. Had He been birthed and raised among the scholars and the gifted, all that He said and all He taught might yield a footnote in the history of earth's wisdom. But heaven was both gracious and strategic. When God gave us His unique and irreplaceable Son, He gave Him to the ones without the power, wealth, or learning. From that first night, the hiddenness of grace that brought Him to the poor, the common, the forgotten has made the story of His birth the fulcrum of all history. He is the truly unforgettable Man. This Child born to us is fully ours, however we are ranked by those who seem to rule the world. In Jesus, grace became embodied, changing lives, forgiving sins, renewing hope for all who trust the gift He is. Be strong in grace; be rich in grace; be wise in grace this Christmas. And stay in it. -Bill Knott

The story that brings joy and hope to billions every Christmas brings dread to those corrupted by power. The old prophecy—fulfilled in the birth of Jesus—that “unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder” (Isa 9:6)—that prophecy rattles every regime built on force, and shakes the citadels of coercion. All the armies they sent and all the dynasties they built will ultimately surrender to a Child with no earthly authority, an infant born in a shed for animals: “Every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil 2:11). His authority rests on compassion and restoration—the truth that we can be reconciled to God and to each other. The power of attractive love brings Him the loyalty of so many abused by force and greed. “The Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen His glory, the glory as of a Father's only Son, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). Christmas is a powerful reminder that love will ultimately triumph. The grace we witness in Jesus' birth is the grace with which He will reign forever. So stay in grace. -Bill Knott

Come stand with me beneath the waterfall of grace. There is no waiting line, no jostling for position. There are no elbows, scornful faces, or murmured whispers of contempt. No one here will keep you from receiving what your withered spirit needs. This is the fellowship of the redeemed. This is the company of those who gladly—daily—open their parched lives to the “washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5). Grace isn't some scarce resource, guarded by the worthy, requiring conservation or close rationing as though it might run out. This is the river of life—re-life; renewal; resurrection—flowing from the grace of Him whose great forgiving is “a spring of water gushing up to eternal life” (John 4:4).  Those who really “get” the grace of God keep pulling all those they love into the healing, rehydrating stream. The waterfall keeps getting wider. More and more will be revived. Step out of dry and into drenched. And stay in grace. -Bill Knott

The moments that most change our lives aren't just the big ones when we say “I do,” or land the great new job, or stand on some breathtaking peak to stare at wondrous landscapes. Quiet moments also have within them the stuff of destiny. That moment—sometimes in a crowd; more often alone—when we trust ourselves to grace—haltingly, even tentatively—becomes the pivot of our everafter.  Our looming fear reminds us always of our brokenness and sin: the record of our foolishness tempts us to believe that only righteous deeds can ever change what we think is the Father's frown. In reality, “God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him” (John 3:17).  The Bible tells us we are deeply and unchangeably loved “while we were yet sinners” (Rom 5:7)—before we knew to tidy up our act, behave accordingly, or polish our veneers.  Jesus is the Father's standing—kneeling, dying, rising—invitation to trust the love that will not let us go.  Grace invites us to embrace the gift we never thought was meant for us, to revel in the long, essential kindness we will never deserve but may always enjoy.  So stay in grace. -Bill Knott

Is there a greater joy than knowing for even one hour that you are in the center of God's will—that through some miracle of grace, you are aligned with plans the Father made to win you back and win the hearts of those you love? Is there a better confidence than the one which every Sabbath reminds you that “the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein”? Can there be a deeper security than when Christ's word of certainty penetrates your fears and doubts with the assurance, “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together”? The answers to those questions, friends, are “no,” “no,” and “no”—nothing "will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Your hope will rise; your joy will find its wings. Trust is the dawn from which our daylight grows. So stay in grace. -Bill Knott

We worry for the best of reasons, or so we tell ourselves. An unexpected bill arrives. The car won't start. A three-year old grows feverish. Layoff slips are piling up for even long-time workers. The brooding circle of our fears goes rounding for an answer. In all those moments “in between,” we just can't break their vast, erosive power. We want control—ours or anyone's—to hold at bay dark outcomes that we dread. And God's Word doesn't chide us when we worry in our helplessness, nor urge us to “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive.” We're given there a clear-eyed glimpse of what is really true about our lives—of God's deep, constant love for us, for now and for forever: “Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with My victorious right hand” (Isa 41:10). When we align our fraying hope with heaven's lasting kindness, we give ourselves to what is truer than our worries: “Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope, comfort you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say” (2 Thes 2:16-17). Grace teaches us to trust what Christ has done, is doing, and will do. Let fear recede and slip away. Then stay in grace. -Bill Knott

Here's a good word for all those self-help strategies.  The websites and the bookstores are crowded with a million crafted plans for how to lose unwanted weight, get control of personal finances, or marry the person of our dreams. Millions of pounds of body fat have been shed; ten million family budgets have been strengthened and secured—and at least a handful of romances have been kindled by wise tips on what makes us more attractive. These titles tap a human ache for personal improvement, for better health, for successful relationships. We each have somewhere deep within potential to make better choices—and find better outcomes. But self-help strategies can't address the even more persistent ache for redemption and recovery. We're powerless to change the facts: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23), the Bible tells us. “No one is righteous—not even one” (Rom 3:10). So heaven has a strategy that changes both our here and our hereafter: “For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, no longer counting people's sins against them” (2 Cor 5:19). When we couldn't do a thing to change our lostness and our brokenness, the deep, unending grace of God offered us eternal life for all who trust in Jesus. Self-help has its place: that place is not your forever destiny. Only grace will do. So stay in it. -Bill Knott

You've heard the song a thousand times, but have you lived the words?  For more than 250 years, believers have cherished the clear simplicity of “Amazing Grace.” Celebrated recordings 50 years ago by bagpipe bands and pop artists catapulted the old song to international prominence as a kind of “hymn for the world.” Millions resonate with the ache it expresses for freedom, redemption and a future.  But buried in its timeless lines is a simple summary of an equally timeless Bible truth: “God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him” (John 3:17).  John Newton's memorable lines capture our natural wretchedness, our lostness, our inability to truly understand our plight, and our resulting fear. Filled with light only the gospel can bring, his verses also celebrate recovery, relief, clear vision, and being found by the seeking love of the Father.  The author of “Amazing Grace” knew what millions who blithely sing his hymn have never fully grasped: the grace that saves us doesn't override our choice as moral beings. We must agree to let the redemption achieved by Jesus stand in place of all we've done. “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom 10:9). So let the old song lead you to new life, new hope, new joy. Embrace the grace that Jesus always offers.  And stay in it. -Bill Knott

It's natural to think of the story of our lives as a gradually rising line of progress. We were once toddlers: now we stride—and even race—through professions and relationships. Our minds have grown acute: we've mastered subtlety and sarcasm, posturing and self-promotion. We've learned the fine art of “faking it until we make it.” But the growling in the basement grows insistent. We sense—and if we read God's Word, we know—that He's not deceived by the polished spiritual résumé that a dozen self-help books have taught us to prepare. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Rom 3:23) the Bible says. Our finest spiritual achievements are illusions we've chosen to believe, because “the heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (Jer 17:9). Candor—full, undistracted clarity about our lives—reveals the widening gap between our best efforts and God's expectations. Enter a Saviour—“fully human in every way,” (Heb 2:17) but without sin. “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor 5:21). He carries both the weight and the memory of our brokenness so far away that we can finally discover the joyful life we've always wanted. Grace promises welcome relief for all who trust in Jesus. There's healing redemption in no other. So stay in grace. -Bill Knott

Ah, the joys of a clear conscience. Entering a room of jostling colleagues, sure you've spoken kindly of each one. Finishing your tax return with certainty you've paid each charge the law required. Walking by mouth-watering chocolates for six days straight without even opening the box. This doesn't sound like your story? You either? The inner voice that calls to mind our secret crossings of the line is rarely ever silent. While waiting for much-needed sleep, we churn on memories we'd love to lose. We've whittled down our rivals; we gave ourselves deductions for “unspecified” expenses; we bought replacement boxes of those chocolate cremes we can't resist. The list our consciences won't leave alone is long—and growing longer. Which makes grace even lovelier when we discover its power and its healing. When God forgives us through the sacrifice of Jesus, He chooses—in His grace—to forget the very things we otherwise could not forget. “As far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12). The final word about our lives is not a litany of pride or gluttony or lust. The word is love—the kind that will not let us go. In grace, we may forget the things God chooses to forget. So stay in it. -Bill Knott

It's natural enough to prize what benefits me most. Self-interest is the driving force in almost all our culture. Do I like it? Does it taste good? Did it make me laugh? Does it put money in my pocket? We measure almost everything by what we get and gain. And so it's natural to think of something as extravagant as God's unprecedented kindness as a kind of fortunate transaction that wipes away our past and entitles us to heaven. But God's deep kindness in sending Jesus as the bearer of our sins was never only meant to “save a wretch like me.” Yes, grace redeems us first as individuals, but never leaves us spiraling in spiritual self-interest. The purpose of the love of God is that we freely give what we've received. “God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us” (Rom 5:5). The stream of grace should always have an outlet, flowing from God's heart through yours to water other barren soil. What you receive, you're meant to share. Grace always has a global span: it always was a global plan. “For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). The love that saves us makes us gracious, loving as we have been loved. So stay in it. -Bill Knott

Have you ever listened to a dull and tired song—only to be stirred and thrilled when it reprised in some new, higher key?  Then you know something of the grace of God, whatever else your story tells.  Grace comes to us as unexpected joy when our performance, short or long—had lifted neither us nor anyone around us. We were muddling through the music, vocalizing rote notes and mangling the lyrics. We didn't know a brighter, higher anthem lay hidden in the lines. But God in kindness teaches us to sing of faith so rich and love so sweet we are amazed we never knew it sooner.  With one much-humbled, transformed saint named Paul, we happily exclaim, “Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to me to bring to the gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things” (Eph 3:8-9). Grace pulls us up—our bodies, minds, and especially our hopes—when we've been mumbling through the stanzas of our yesteryears. The God who lives and gives—and gives again—surprises us with freedom from our past and freedom for our future.  Hear what your life sounds like when set in God's new, saving key. And stay in grace. -Bill Knott

When most of what we read and see is governed by some soulless algorithm built to anger us or sell us something—it's hard to know if joy is real, if love is kind, if gentle words are really meant to bless.  And yet joy lingers, gentleness persists, and tens of millions of times a day, someone whispers “I love you” to a child, a spouse, a friend, a former enemy.    This is true for both those who do not own the name of Jesus and for those who celebrate His power and love:  “God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us” (Rom 5:5).  The tenderness we witness, the patient words we find when stressed, the arms with which we wrap the hurting and the sinful—these are the remnants of the love once given at Creation and now given us preeminently in Jesus: “This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Tim 1:9-10). Resist the anger amped by code. Love with the grace by which you are forever loved.  And stay in it. -Bill Knott

“He's so much better than I am,” we say, proving just how little we know of someone else's life. “She's a saint,” we say admiringly, assuming that the woman we can see is always just as good as we imagine. We assign a top-notch grade to behaviors we observe, and make assumptions that the life consistency we can't achieve is somehow available to others. But grace reminds us of the brokenness we share—each one of us—regardless of the estimate of others. Behind the fair façade of piety and cool, we each know just how far we fall below the expectations of our God—and how each well-lived life is only, always, saved by grace. All ranks, all grades, all estimates are vanities and not realities. If you can find a soul not absolutely saved by grace, then you have found the rarest form of human life. Give up your search: there is no other way. And stay in grace. -Bill Knott

Going underground is one of humanity's oldest responses to fear, war, or pestilence. Archaeologists have uncovered vast subterranean cities, carved out by those who believed that living in the light made them vulnerable. Victims of persecution, fugitives—even families fleeing natural disasters or climate shifts—all chose to dwell where only torches and flickering lamps could pierce the darkness. But human beings weren't made for life underground. Our bodies, our minds, and even our food sources depend on what's green and growing and bathed in sunlight. Only fear—without and within—could cause us to live where we otherwise bury our dead. And the darkness is never only physical. Living without sunlight distorts our grasp of reality, and even of God. If we never see the sun or the stars of the Milky Way, we think He is no bigger than what scares us. Yet there is light for us—warm, welcoming, life-giving. God's Word declares the good news of our liberation: “He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of His dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins” (Colossians 1:13–14). You were made to live in the light. Be done with all that's buried, fearful, and dark. And stay in grace. -Bill Knott

“I just can't catch a break,” he sighs, watching floodwaters climb five feet up the walls of his ruined home. “I've got plenty of luck,” she weeps over the crumpled fender of her old Toyota. “It's just all bad.” The weary chorus of this world is a dirge about how little control we truly have. Medical bills crush us. Friendships we cherish grow distant and cold. The machines on which our lives depend break down with unnerving frequency. Those we love get sick and die. Is any of this seen by Someone—anyone—who can do something about it? To doubting, disheartened people just like us, the apostle Paul wrote one of history's most radiant lines: “God's Son was before all else, and by Him everything is held together” (Col. 1:17). With all their seeming randomness and pain, our lives and our futures are held in the embrace of One whose arms stretched wide for us from a broken tree: “God was pleased for Him to make peace by sacrificing His blood on the cross, so that all beings in heaven and on earth could be brought back to God” (v. 20). “I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End,” Jesus said of Himself. Nothing escapes His notice. Nothing lies outside His control. Our pain is real—but it is temporary. Hope endures. The grace of God outlasts our brokenness. So stay in grace. -Bill Knott

Most of us inherited a God no kinder than we were—a deity whose major role seemed meting out tough penalties for willful or impetuous mistakes. Like primitive believers everywhere, we read His displeasure in thunderstorms, bruised knees, and lost puppies—for was there anything for which we weren't somehow to blame? So it is that finding grace is the great unlearning of our past, the sweet and joyful discovery that in Jesus, our sins aren't being counted against us. What we sang in innocence was actually, fundamentally true: “Jesus loves me”—genuinely loves me. He can't imagine a greater happiness than enjoying my trust and affection. How glorious to have been wrong about it all—to celebrate the truth that undermines our youthful foolishness and fear. His perfect love still casts out fear, and makes us wise unto salvation. By grace, our thinking—and our living—is renewed. So stay in grace. -Bill KNott

Ever thought of running away from God? Like naive children in moments of hot shame and brokenness, we imagine there's some deeply-hidden spot where what we've done cannot be seen, where we can huddle with our guilt. Perhaps in some dark mountain cave. Perhaps beneath the blankets of our bed. Perhaps beneath the cellar stairs. But God—and grace—are inescapable, and our most private hiding spots are never hid from Him. The psalmist said it best: “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, You are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast” (Ps 139: 7-10). Grace seeks us even when we've blown it big—to heal and forgive us, not in vengeance or to punish. We hide in foolishness and fear: God teases us into His light. And when we're found, hot tears blend into easy, grateful smiles. Be sensible: choose not to hide. And stay in grace. -Bill Knott

Sometimes through the dust and smoke, we trace the features of a friend—someone whose rich, remembered kindness soothes the soul and calms the turbulence. We hold on to such people for good reason: they have held us—gripped us, even—when the world seemed topsy-turvy and every voice was loud. They were—they are—God's grace in human form, a bit of heaven lingering to give us hope and get us through. In some faint way, they call to mind the one Who came to live among us and be one with us: “And the Word became flesh and lived among us. . . . full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). Friends hold us for a minute, or perhaps an hour: He holds us for eternity, and promises to never willingly let go. “Be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt 28:20). Knowing how we doubt His love, Jesus repeatedly reminds us, “Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me” (Jn 15:15). Grace visits us through selfless souls, and heals us through their acts of kindness. The God who motivates such generosity is no further from you than a friend who shares dark roads and waits with you for dawn's first light. So when you pray, thank God for friends who live His grace. And stay in it. -Bill Knott

What is the speed of trust? It's an odd question, since rapid acceleration and safe, human connection seem antithetical—moving in opposite directions. And there's the point—and the reason we don't attempt lasting friendships while driving Formula 1 cars, in the backstretch of an 800-meter race, or while racing each other to the top of the corporate ladder. Speed implies competition, a desire to be better than the other. Trust cannot rush, for it unfolds only when our usual pride and combativeness have been set aside. The God who inhabits a universe where stars collide and light itself moves at more than 670,000,000 miles per hour sent His Son to a tiny planet. He came to walk long, winding roads with us, start conversations in homes and at wells, and play with children. “Though He was God, He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, He gave up His divine privileges; He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being” (Phil 2:6-7). There is no hurrying the pace of trust, and trust is the Father's fondest hope for us. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Eph.2.8). When we trust His grace, we give ourselves to the One who has loved us through all eternity. Now stay in grace. -Bill Knott

We come naturally by our self-absorption. From our earliest moments, we're congratulated for taking first steps, trying new foods, mastering new skills, for learning how to navigate the myriad complexities of an ever-widening world. The story is, and has always been, about us—our goals, our striving, our gaining, our getting. But then one day the world refused to be our private oyster.  There was no pearl inside—just grit and sand and disappointment. And we began to long from somewhere deeper than the ocean floor for rescue from our pain, our foolishness, our disillusion with ourselves. Enter the selfless hero who became one of us to teach us how to find the joy. The Pearl of great price offers each of us His priceless grace. In Jesus, we discover One who never disappoints, who never falls short of saving us, who never walks away in righteous indignation from our follies and our failures. He's the friend who knows both when to speak and when to be silent, when to laugh and when to weep—the incomparable companion who merged His story with our own. “In Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). His gracious offer of relief and liberation alters every other storyline. And yes, this hero always gets the last word.  So stay in grace. -Bill Knott