Adventist Review Podcasts

Lael Caesar, Adventist Review associate editor, has a seven word motto for all his life's projects: "Do all to the glory of God" (1Cor. 10:31).

Lael Caesar, Adventist Review associate editor, earnestly believes Psalm 56:3; he may feel scared, but his trust is in God.

David Fournier is chief client care officer for Adventist Risk Management, Inc in Silver Spring, Maryland, USA

Stephen Chavez is an assistant editor of Adventist Review. he chairs the administrative board of the Sligo Seventh-day Adventist Church  in Takoma Park, Maryland, USA.

Wilona Karimabadi is an assistant editor of Adventist Review.

"Journeys with Jesus" is an intimate, personal look at the walk we all have with our Savior. Inspirational, heart-tugging, thought-provoking vignettes of life's journey and life's decisions. Most of all, it points us to our Father, our Friend, as the Source of all wisdom, comfort, and peace. www.adventistreview.org

Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence?”(Psalm 139:7, NRSV) “Searching the Obvious” focuses on how the Holy Spirit is ever active in our surroundings and in our lives, urging us to serve others. Personal stories challenge the reader to be mindful of our Christian Walk, recognize our own fallibility and slow down to ‘search the obvious’, the active presence of the Holy Spirit ever always around us. www.adventistreiew.org. www.adventistreview.org

The most famous story Jesus ever told was all about our struggle to receive the Father’s grace and love. One son insists he isn’t worthy of such kindness. The other argues that loyalty and self-sacrifice should count for more than grace in the father’s economy.  Each wants a different status than his father is bestowing. But God’s family is founded on His gift of grace, not on our faithfulness or service. Receiving what Jesus is still offering requires we surrender all our notions of unworthiness or value. Neither “wandering in a far country” nor “staying at home” prepares us to accept a gift that isn’t bound to our behavior. You cannot earn the Father’s love:  you cannot lose the Father’s love. Allow yourself a great embrace. Receive His love.  Then stay in grace. -Bill Knott

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Those who fear the coming triumph of grace sadly don’t know the love of which they are afraid. They want a “gospel” that is really not “good news”—for its litany of “should,” “ought,” and “must” betrays that they don’t understand Jesus as the Author and Finisher of our faith.  They replace the long obedience of grateful love with hours of clenched teeth and self-flagellation, hoping He will notice and approve. They forget that “by His stripes we are healed.” But I’m a witness that a day will come when each will meet the Love that will not let them go. Grace always knocks at shut doors, closed hearts, and frozen lives, awaiting that glad moment when we admit our helplessness and need. If you know grace, then you’ve been warmed. So stay in grace. -Bill Knott

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Even in our ungracious world, there’s persisting admiration for the man or woman who demonstrates “grace under fire”—poised and composed under disheartening provocations. “It’s just a part of her character,” we enviously say, remembering how frequently we’ve fought our fires with fire. And while there may be some gallant souls who didn’t consciously learn this grace from God, most we admire act graciously because they know the Giver of this gift. Our growing awareness of how much we’ve been broken and how well we’ve been redeemed helps us sympathize with other broken people. It makes us long—yes, ache—to see their lives restored, renewed, rehealed. We live to give away what we’ve been given. Grace had its origin in a love outside of us. It has its present—and its future—in loving well beyond ourselves. So stay in grace. -Bill Knott

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