Inside Story for Friday 29th of August 2025

By Andrew McChesney

Carl Casey, a helicopter pilot and science teacher in Alaska, had a stroke at the age of 51. He couldn’t understand why. Long before becoming a Seventh-day Adventist, he had stopped eating unclean meat after seeing that the Bible spoke against it and reading scientific evidence that backed it up.

The stroke shattered Carl’s life in Fairbanks. He couldn’t walk or work.

Then he read in Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (NKJV). He had read the verse many times, but now it took on a new meaning. He saw it didn’t say “all things are good for those who love God” but rather “all things work together for good to those who love God.”

Carl stopped asking why. Instead, he asked God to use his stroke to win souls in Alaska. He wanted to be able to echo Joseph and say, “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive” (Genesis 50:20).

Carl began to look for opportunities to witness in Alaska, which is a challenging mission field with a difficult history; long, cold winters; and limited roads and other infrastructure across a vast territory. Only about 3,000 Adventists live among the population of 733,000. Carl quickly realized that his wheelchair put him in a unique position. It was hard for people not to notice him. With their attention, he spoke glowingly about his love for God.

People responded with surprise. “You’re in a wheelchair, and you care about God?” they asked.

“You betcha!” Carl replied. Then he extolled God’s great love. He shared Romans 3:23, which says all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and John 3:16, which says all who believe in Jesus have eternal life. He encouraged people to read the Bible daily and grow close to God, believing that once a relationship was formed, everything else would fall into place, including doctrines like the Sabbath and teachings such as the Levitical diet.

Carl readily admits that a healthy diet didn’t prevent his stroke. “My stroke was not from eating unhealthily but just the result of living in a sinful world,” he said. “I’m lucky to be alive. Most people die after a stroke like this.” He still recommends and follows the Levitical diet as the path to a longer, healthier life.

Nearly a decade after his stroke, he can say that lives have been changed because of the stroke.

“I will see people in heaven because I had this stroke,” Carl said. “People will be there who wouldn’t have been there otherwise. So, all things work together for good to those who love God.”

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/25c-09-inside-story-all-things-working-together/

Was the primary purpose of the statutes and judgments to ensure that there would be order in the community? Join the Hit the Mark Sabbath School panel as we discuss that question and more as we study Lesson 10 – Living the Law. It’s the fastest hour of the week!

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/living-the-law-hit-the-mark-sabbath-school/

Daily Lesson for Friday 29th of August 2025

Further Thought:

Read Ellen G. White, “The Law Given to Israel,” Pages 310–314, in Patriarchs and Prophets.

Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com

Because we live in the territory of our enemy, it is no wonder we may be hurt in real life by his skillful and deceptive schemes. Who among us has not known pain and suffering, all brought about because of sin and the sinful fallen world in which we live? It’s just part of life now, unfortunately. However, God gives us power to cope.

“The precious Saviour will send help just when we need it. The way to heaven is consecrated by His footprints. Every thorn that wounds our feet has wounded His. Every cross that we are called to bear He has borne before us. The Lord permits conflicts, to prepare the soul for peace. The time of trouble is a fearful ordeal for God’s people; but it is the time for every true believer to look up, and by faith he may see the bow of promise encircling him.”—Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 633.

Discussion Questions

<–Thursday

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/25c-09-further-thought-living-the-law/