Three Angels Broadcasting Network Devotional.
A Word Fitly Spoken

By Shelley Quinn

August 27th, 2026

“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.” Proverbs 25:11

God has given me a consistently positive attitude—a heart that overflows with thanksgiving. He taught me the power of life and death is in the tongue. I confess His Word over my life and speak it into the lives of others. I know His Word is living and powerful and will not return to Him void but will accomplish the purpose for which He sent it. I’m telling you this to establish that faith is an essential aspect of my being.

A false teaching on faith caused me to walk away from God for a time in my twenties. My non-denominational church taught me to have faith “in faith.” In other words, if I could ratchet up enough faith, God was obliged to act. Hoping my mother would be healed of her bi-polar condition, I was convinced my faith would bring her healing. It didn’t. Disillusioned, I turned my back on God until He chased me down with His love.

God must be the object of our faith. Trusting His unfailing love and His faithfulness is true biblical faith. Faith is not a denial of facts—it’s reliance upon God in the midst of troubling circumstances.

Which brings me to my point. A “positivity” wave has rolled over some Christian circles. Their insistent demand on avoiding all negativity deeply troubles me because it is a toxic additive to biblical faith. Authentic expression of emotion is rejected, labeled as lack of faith, and met with positive platitudes. Personal feelings are invalidated with quick responses like, “It could be worse” or “Count your blessings,” bringing shame on those who are gripped by pain.

Are we guilty of using God’s Word to silence others? Rather than intentional listening, do we gush out positivity with the pressure of a firehose? Like the calloused “comforters” of the patriarch Job, do our words hurt—rather than heal? Emotional distress is our shared human experience. It will not be denied! Try suppressing it, and it will rear its ugly head in sleeplessness, crying jags, anxiety, panic attacks, prolonged stress, and spiritual paralysis.

Oh, may we be authentic communicators like Jesus! He wept with Martha over Lazarus’ death. He wept over Jerusalem. He told of His impending death and warned His followers of tribulations. May we freely express our laments as the saints of old recorded in Scripture. Granting ourselves permission to speak our discomfort can provide release and open the way for God’s healing. Just read the Psalms to see how honest laments led to an acknowledgment of our all-loving God and hope in His rescue.

Scripture advises we “weep with those who weep” and be “swift to hear, slow to speak.” We owe it to others to listen with the intention of understanding their pain and offering compassion. Only then can we speak a word in due season—the right word at the right time. A word fitly spoken can shine God’s light into the darkness of the soul and restore hope.

Guidelines for living.
August 27, 2026

Why You Should Cultivate Excellence in Your Life

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15



The greatest accomplishments in life - believe it or not - are made not by the smartest people in the world but by those who didn't know enough to quit. They were the ones who kept trying, kept plodding, kept practicing, who kept investigating until they stumbled onto success. That fact was driven home to me when I was studying in the university. There were two men in my classes who were geniuses. Their IQs were way up there. At the end of a class, they slapped their books shut and generally didn't open them. They were smart.

Frankly, I was among those who had to dig it out. People thought I was really gifted; no, I just knew how to work and to study. My parents spent hard earned money and sent me to school to study, not party. I knew why I was there and I made the most of the opportunity.

Learning to apply myself was something I happened to grow up with, but everybody didn't have a dad who cut the handles off of brooms, making them short enough for me to use as a kid, or has you work alongside him. But you can learn to work. You can develop discipline yourself. You can set goals and eventually reach them.

One of my heroes was Sir Edmund Hillary, who along with his Sherpa guide, Tensing, crested Mount Everest for the first time. Awesome achievement, and that before a lot of high-tech gear which climbers use today. When asked how he accomplished this when others had failed, he replied that when he was tempted to turn back, he took just one more step.

William Carey, the father of modern missions, said that his greatest ability was to plod in the face of adversity. When Thomas Edison had tried 10,000 ways to produce an incandescent globe and hadn't succeeded, he was urged to quit. He responded that he had found 10,000 ways that wouldn't work. And he would eventually find one that did. He did! I've sometimes wondered how many determined, stubborn individuals we have today with that same tenacity.

The foundation of our modern achievements was laid by thousands of unknown individuals who lived in obscurity and died unknown, who faithfully contributed to what has enabled us to send men to the moon, to circle the globe with communication, and to accomplish great and mighty things through technology and science. They laid the foundation; we have built upon their research, hard work, and trial and error. Their strength and energy, like a gradually falling barometer, were meted out in hard work, years of often-unrecognized service, and yes, blood, sweat and tears. But they did not quit. They did not look for something with less work and more money attached to it.

I've been told that in an European Cathedral, high in the rafters where no one ever goes, are some intricate carvings of exquisite beauty, done by a master craftsman whose name has long since been lost to posterity. Why did he take time to do some of his finest work, using an abutment of wood that will never be seen by the public? He valued excellence. He took seriously the admonition of the Bible that instructs: "Whatever your hands find to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom" (Ecclesiastes 9:10).

Cultivate excellence. Make it a passion. Refuse to let the world and our culture shove you into the mold of mediocrity. Thank God for teachers who inspire excellence, for mothers who have the patience to bring the best out of their children, for dads who have the patience to teach a little boy how to do something. Do it, friend. Someday, you will be very glad you did.

Resource Reading: Ecclesiastes 9:1-10

The Story Behind the Hymns.
THE STORY BEHIND "O JESUS, I HAVE PROMISED"

“O Jesus, I Have Promised” was written by English hymn writer John Ernest Bode (1816–1874), an Anglican clergyman and scholar. Bode wrote the hymn in 1868 for the confirmation service of his own children at Castle Camps, Cambridgeshire, England.

The hymn grew out of a deeply personal moment. Bode’s children were publicly affirming their Christian faith and promising to remain faithful to Christ. He wrote the words to express the seriousness of that commitment, not simply as a promise made during confirmation, but as a lifelong decision to follow Jesus.

The opening words, “O Jesus, I have promised to serve Thee to the end,” immediately establish the hymn’s central message: faithful Christian service. The following verses recognise that keeping such a promise is not always easy. Temptations, distractions and the pressures of life can weaken a believer, which is why the hymn repeatedly turns to Jesus for strength and guidance.

Its most familiar lines include the prayer:

“ O Jesus, Thou hast promised
To all who follow Thee,
That where Thou art in glory,
There shall Thy servant be.”

The hymn became widely known in churches and schools and has remained a beloved hymn of commitment, especially at confirmation services, because of its direct and personal language.

“O Jesus, I Have Promised” continues to speak across generations because its message is simple but demanding: to follow Christ faithfully, to resist the distractions of the world, and to depend on Him for the strength to remain true to the promise.

Brenda Walsh Ministries
Everlasting Arms of Jesus.

No one “likes” to go through hard times, nor do they wish for a “bad day,” but it is through life’s toughest battles that you’ll receive some of your biggest blessings. Without the hard times, you would never know your need for a Savior. When everything’s going smoothly, you’re focused on the great time you’re having, celebrating with friends, and living “the good life.” But when trouble knocks on your door, it sends you crying for help to the only One who has the power to help you! It is while on your knees that you are humbled and you realize just how much you need God in your life. Through all the heartache and pain, you’ll draw closer to God - listening for His voice, sharing your sorrow, and learning to trust Him fully, knowing He will help you and will do what’s best for you. The Bible says in Psalm 91:14-15, “ ‘Because he loves me,’ says the Lord, ‘I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him.’ And in Psalm 34:19, it says, “A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all.” Learning “real-life character-changing” lessons doesn’t come from having a boatload of money, lots of friends, or fame. It is when the rent is due, the baby is sick, you lost your job, or your friend betrayed you that you’ll lean on God the most! Leaning on the everlasting arms of Jesus is a great place to be! Text: Psalm 18:2, Psalm 40:1-3, Psalm 9:9, 2 Peter 2:9

The Advent Truth.
There is a difference between struggling with sin and settling into sin.

A struggle means there is a WAR. You fall, you hate that you fell, you confess it, you get back up, and by the grace of Christ you keep fighting. “For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again” (Proverbs 24:16).

But we need to stop calling deliberate, planned, cherished disobedience a “struggle” simply because the word makes us feel better about it.

Jesus did not die merely to forgive us while leaving us enslaved to the very sins that nailed Him to the cross. The angel said, “Thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).

Grace does not make sin safe.

Paul asked the question plainly: “Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid” (Romans 6:1-2).

Biblical repentance is more than feeling guilty afterward. It is a change of mind that produces a change of direction. Yes, Christians can stumble. Yes, Christians can have deeply rooted sins that take earnest warfare, prayer, discipline, and dependence upon Christ to overcome. But there is an enormous difference between falling in battle and making peace with the enemy.

God knows the difference.

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7).

And here is the good news: you do not have to remain a slave.

Jesus says, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).

Don't lower God's standard because you've fallen short of it. Run to Christ. Confess it. Forsake it. Get back up. Surrender again.

We don't need a gospel that teaches us how to become comfortable in bondage.

We need the Gospel that sets captives free.

A Nugget of Truth.
THE LAW OF GOD WILL BE THE STANDARD OF JUDGMENT

Christ did not teach His followers to run from the Scriptures. He repeatedly appealed to the Word of God.

Jesus said, “Have ye not read in the scriptures?” (Matthew 21:42). He also declared, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).

Paul did the same. He said, “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law” (Romans 3:31). He also taught that “the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good” (Romans 7:12).

The apostles did not teach believers that God’s Law had become meaningless. John wrote, “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments” (1 John 2:3). He further declared, “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus” (Revelation 14:12).

So why does much of Christianity today suddenly declare that God’s Law is no longer binding?

Could it be because people want Christ without His commandments? Grace without obedience? Faith without transformation?

We must be careful. We cannot reject a commandment simply because we do not want to obey it.

And when the world stands before God in judgment, human opinions will not be the standard.

The Bible says, “So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty” (James 2:12).

Ecclesiastes 12:13–14 gives the solemn conclusion:

“Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment.”

Judgment is coming. The question is not, “What does my church say?”

The question is: What has God said?

The Law does not save us. Christ saves us. But the grace that saves us does not teach us to despise the Law of the God who saved us.

When God judges, His Word—not our traditions, preferences, or excuses—will have the final authority.

Do not run from God’s Law because you are uncomfortable with one of its commandments. Search the Scriptures. Test everything by the Word of God.

Christ is our Savior. His Word is our standard. And judgment is certain.

Amazing Love

Daily Bible Lesson.
IF THE DEAD ARE ALREADY IN HEAVEN OR HELL… WHY IS THE RESURRECTION SO IMPORTANT?

1 Corinthians 15 is one of the clearest chapters in the Bible about the resurrection of the dead.
Paul repeatedly points to a future resurrection when Jesus Christ returns. This raises an important question:
If the dead are already consciously enjoying heaven—or suffering in hell—immediately after death, why does the Bible place such enormous emphasis on a future resurrection?
Let’s examine the biblical picture.

1. THE RESURRECTION IS CONNECTED TO CHRIST'S SECOND COMING
“Afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.” — 1 Corinthians 15:23
Paul gives a clear sequence:
Christ was raised first.
Christ's people are raised at His coming.
The resurrection is therefore connected with the Second Coming.
“The trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” — 1 Corinthians 15:52
This points to a great future resurrection event—not something that happens individually every time a believer dies.

2. THE RESURRECTION IS CENTRAL TO THE CHRISTIAN FAITH
Paul does not treat the resurrection as a minor detail.
“If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.” — 1 Corinthians 15:14
“If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.” — 1 Corinthians 15:17
Paul's message follows this powerful sequence:
Christ died

Christ was raised

Believers will be raised

Death will ultimately be destroyed
“The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” — 1 Corinthians 15:26

3. WHEN DO WE RECEIVE IMMORTALITY?
Paul says:
“This mortal must put on immortality.” — 1 Corinthians 15:53
Notice the context: immortality is associated with the resurrection.
The Bible's emphasis is not simply that a person dies and immediately receives the final reward. Paul directs our attention toward the resurrection, when God's people are changed and receive immortality.
The resurrection is not an afterthought—it is central to the Christian hope.

4. THE BIBLE DESCRIBES DEATH AS SLEEP
The Bible repeatedly uses sleep as a description of death.
Jesus and Lazarus
“Our friend Lazarus sleepeth.” — John 11:11
Jesus then made it unmistakably clear:
“Lazarus is dead.” — John 11:14
Daniel 12:2
“Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake.”
1 Thessalonians 4:13–16
Paul speaks of those who are asleep and then describes their resurrection when Christ returns.
Ecclesiastes 9:5
“The dead know not any thing.”
Psalm 146:4
When a person dies, “his thoughts perish.”
Together, these passages provide a biblical basis for understanding death as an unconscious state awaiting the resurrection.

5. THE BIBLICAL SEQUENCE BECOMES VERY CLEAR
DEATH
The person rests in the grave.

CHRIST RETURNS
The trumpet sounds.

THE DEAD IN CHRIST RISE
1 Thessalonians 4:16

THEY ARE CHANGED
1 Corinthians 15:51–53

THEY RECEIVE IMMORTALITY
1 Corinthians 15:53–54

DEATH IS DEFEATED
1 Corinthians 15:54–55
This makes Paul's argument especially powerful:
The Christian hope is not merely, “When I die, I go to heaven.”
The great biblical hope is:
JESUS IS COMING AGAIN!
THE DEAD IN CHRIST WILL RISE!

6. WHAT ABOUT PASSAGES THAT SEEM TO TEACH IMMEDIATE LIFE AFTER DEATH?
There are passages that Christians interpret differently, including:
Luke 23:43 — “Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.”
Philippians 1:23 — Paul speaks of departing and being with Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:8 — “Absent from the body… present with the Lord.”
These passages should not be ignored.
However, Christians who believe in the sleep of death understand these verses alongside the many passages that explicitly describe death as sleep and emphasize the future resurrection.
Questions involving punctuation, translation, context, and the meaning of being “with Christ” have contributed to different interpretations.
The safest approach is to study the whole Bible rather than build a doctrine on one verse.

7. WHY DOES THE TEACHING OF DEATH AS SLEEP MATTER?
It keeps the resurrection central.
Paul makes the resurrection absolutely essential to Christian faith.
It teaches that immortality is God's gift.
“This mortal must put on immortality.” — 1 Corinthians 15:53
It gives greater meaning to the Second Coming.
“The dead in Christ shall rise first.” — 1 Thessalonians 4:16
It warns against attempts to communicate with the dead.
Deuteronomy 18:10–12; Isaiah 8:19
If the dead are unconscious, claims that deceased relatives are communicating with the living cannot automatically be accepted as genuine communication with the dead.
It gives comfort through the resurrection hope.
“Sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.” — 1 Thessalonians 4:13
Why?
Because those who have died in Christ will rise again when Jesus returns!

THE GREAT BIBLICAL HOPE
The ultimate hope of Scripture is not death.
It is not the grave.
It is not merely an immortal soul escaping the body.
The great hope is:
JESUS CHRIST'S RETURN

THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD

THE GIFT OF IMMORTALITY

THE DESTRUCTION OF DEATH

ETERNAL LIFE WITH CHRIST
“This mortal shall have put on immortality… then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.” — 1 Corinthians 15:54

IN SHORT
If the dead are already enjoying the complete reward of heaven immediately after death, the resurrection remains important—but it raises a significant question:

Why does Paul place such extraordinary emphasis on the future resurrection as the moment when the dead are raised, changed, receive immortality, and experience final victory over death?

Understanding the biblical teaching of death as sleep makes Paul's argument in 1 Corinthians 15 especially straightforward:
The dead are resting.
They are awaiting the voice of Christ.
Jesus will return.
The dead in Christ will awake.
They will be changed.
Death will be swallowed up in victory.
“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout… and the dead in Christ shall rise first.” — 1 Thessalonians 4:16

THAT IS THE CHRISTIAN HOPE!
Not merely that we die and go somewhere…
But that JESUS IS COMING—AND THE DEAD WILL RISE!

Daily Devotional
Be eyes to the blind; Feet to the lame.

I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. Job 29:15

Watch carefully, prayerfully, conscientiously, lest the mind become so engrossed with many important business transactions that true godliness is overlooked and love is quenched from the soul, notwithstanding the great and pitiful need of your being God’s helping hand to the blind and to all others who are unfortunate. The most friendless demand the most attention. Use your time and strength in learning to be “fervent in spirit,” to deal justly, and to love mercy, “serving the Lord.” Remember that Christ says, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me.”

God requires His people to be far more pitiful and considerate of the unfortunate than they are.... God requires that the same consideration which should be given to the widow and fatherless be given to the blind and to those suffering under the affliction of other physical infirmities. Disinterested benevolence is very rare in this age of the world.... It is strange that professed Christian men should disregard the plain, positive teachings of the Word of God and feel no compunction of conscience. God places upon them the responsibility of caring for the unfortunate, the blind, the lame, the widow, and the fatherless; but many make no effort to regard it.

There is a great work to be done in our world, and as we approach the close of earth’s history, it does not lessen in the least degree; but when the perfect love of God is in the heart, wonderful things will be done. [244]

August 27th, 2026
Read; Proverbs 51:1

It is hard to take criticism, especially when it feels unfair. We often want to defend ourselves, even if the charge is unfounded. Yet, "A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger." Our problems with others often worsen because we do not choose a gentle response. Instead of forgiving and letting them move on in the Lord, we prolong conflict. A soft answer, given in grace, can calm anger and help bring about peace.

Prayer

Dear Holy God, guide me to answer gently when I face anger or criticism, so that my words may calm conflict and honor You. I'm grateful. In Jesus' precious name, I pray. Amen.

Conflict and Courage.
Esther 3

And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. Revelation 12:17.
Through Esther the queen the Lord accomplished a mighty deliverance for His people. At a time when it seemed that no power could save them, Esther and the women associated with her, by fasting and prayer and prompt action, met the issue, and brought salvation to their people.42The S.D.A. Bible Commentary 3:1140.

The trying experiences that came to God's people in the days of Esther were not peculiar to that age alone.... The same spirit that in ages past led men to persecute the true church, will in the future lead to the pursuance of a similar course toward those who maintain their loyalty to God.... The decree that will finally go forth against the remnant people of God will be very similar to that issued by Ahasuerus against the Jews. Today the enemies of the true church see in the little company keeping the Sabbath commandment, a Mordecai at the gate. The reverence of God's people for His law is a constant rebuke to those who have cast off the fear of the Lord and are trampling on His Sabbath....

Men of position and reputation will join with the lawless and the vile to take counsel against the people of God. Wealth, genius, education, will combine to cover them with contempt. Persecuting rulers, ministers, and church members will conspire against them.

With voice and pen, by boasts, threats, and ridicule, they will seek to overthrow their faith. By false representations and angry appeals, men will stir up the passions of the people. Not having a “Thus saith the Scriptures” to bring against the advocates of the Bible Sabbath, they will resort to oppressive enactments to supply the lack. To secure popularity and patronage, legislators will yield to the demand for Sunday laws. But those who fear God, cannot accept an institution that violates a precept of the Decalogue. On this battlefield will be fought the last great conflict in the controversy between truth and error. And we are not left in doubt as to the issue. Today, as in the days of Esther and Mordecai, the Lord will vindicate His truth and His people.43Prophets and Kings, 605, 606.