Inside Story for Friday 24th of April 2026

By Carol de Oliveira

Photo by Dilara Albamya on Pexels(Not from story location.)

Can you imagine being thrust into a prison cell for sharing Jesus? This is a common occurrence for Global Mission pioneers serving in a veiled country in the Southern Asia-Pacific Division. A country is called “veiled” to protect the lives and ministry of frontline workers. Global Mission pioneers are laypeople sent to start new groups of believers among unreached people groups.

Recently, Chong,* a pioneer, and Peter, the director of the local conference office, went to the northern part of this country to meet with members of a church plant.

While Chong and Peter had dinner with the members, they heard about three families who wanted to give their lives to Jesus. When Chong learned they were ready to burn their spirit-worship items, he decided to visit them that night.

As Chong, Peter, and some church members traveled to the three families’ homes, a church member said he wanted his family to hear about Jesus. So, before the group reached the families, they visited the member’s home to share the good news with his relatives.

Finally, the group arrived at the homes of the three families. It was late, but the people’s beaming faces warmed Chong’s heart, and their zeal energized his spirit. As they huddled around a fire, Peter introduced Chong and told the people he was there to help them make a full surrender to Jesus.

But the families didn’t seem to need Chong’s help. “We are ready to give our hearts to Jesus,” the family elder said. “We will walk in the light with Jesus taking the lead; not the worldly spirits.”

While Chong was talking with the families, a man burst into the room, demanding that Chong accompany him to the clan leader’s home.

Later that evening, Peter and the church members returned to their place of worship to await news about Chong. As the hours dragged on, they became concerned about how long the meeting with the clan leader was taking. Finally, they learned that Chong was locked up in the clan leader’s home.

During the night, the members prayed for Chong while the leaders tried to negotiate his release. But nothing they tried was successful. He was taken to a detention center where he was kept during the initial investigation of the case.

Providentially, Chong was released four days later. Now, the village where he spent time in jail has more than 100 people who have become Seventh-day Adventist Christians! Rather than deterring Chong from sharing Jesus, jail time strengthened his resolve.

Despite fierce opposition, God’s work continues to flourish in this veiled country. Please pray for our Global Mission pioneers who risk their safety to establish new churches for Jesus. Your faithfulness sustains their ministry.

*Names have been changed.

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/26b-04-inside-story-jail-time/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=26b-04-inside-story-jail-time

Daily Lesson for Friday 24th of April 2026
Further Thought:

If you consider the words that you’ve spoken during the past 24 hours, how would you evaluate them?

Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com

Were they loving, kind, joyful, uplifting, frustrated, tired, anxious, angry, gossipy, or malicious? The Bible says, “ ‘Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks’ ” (Matthew 12:34, NKJV). When we have junk in our hearts, it comes out in our words.

We’ve all experienced feeling frustrated, tired, or stressed, and that state of mind changes what comes out of our mouths (often words we later regret). In contrast, when our heart is bursting with love for someone, it flows through our words.

In the same way, God’s Word speaks of His heart and His intentions toward us. It’s amazing to think that these very words, straight from the heart of God, are in our possession in the Bible. It’s truly incredible to see the power God’s words have held throughout history.

“It is one thing to treat the Bible as a book of good moral instruction, to be heeded so far as is consistent with the spirit of the times and our position in the world; it is another thing to regard it as it really is—the word of the living God, the word that is our life, the word that is to mold our actions, our words, and our thoughts. To hold God’s word as anything less than this is to reject it. And this rejection by those who profess to believe it, is foremost among the causes of skepticism and infidelity in the youth.”—Ellen G. White, Education, p. 260.

Discussion Questions

Summary: The Bible is living and powerful, and reading it is foundational to growing our relationship with God. Not only does it teach us about God’s wonderful character and His interactions with humanity throughout earth’s history—it also speaks to each of us today when we come to it in humility.

<–Thursday

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/26b-04-further-thought-the-role-of-the-bible/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=26b-04-further-thought-the-role-of-the-bible