Passage, Paragraph, and Prayer

Many Christians will say that all humans are still made in the image of God. While that is true in a limited sense, such people have not sufficiently grappled with what Moses writes in Genesis 5:1–5. Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten,” aria from “Jesu, der du meine Seele,” BWV 78 (Leipzig, 1724).

Last week we grappled with the uncomfortable thought that sometimes God decrees affliction for us. The psalmist immediately follows up that truth with a prayer for the comfort of God’s—a prayer that also assures us that God will give us what we are asking of him. Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concerto, No. 1, Movement 4

Genesis 5:1 begins the second of the ten “accounts” that make up the book of Genesis (2:4ff; 5:1ff; 6:9ff; 10:1ff; 11:10ff; 11:27ff; 25:12ff; 25:19ff; 36:1ff; 37:2ff). Its name, “the written account of Adam,” might initially appear to be poorly chosen, but in this episode we’ll consider why it’s a perfect title. Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten,” aria from...

In this devotion we grapple with an uncomfortable thought, but one the psalmist makes believers come to grips with: Sometimes God decrees affliction for us. Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concerto, No. 1, Movement 4

Have you ever wondered when the first church services were held? In this devotion, we not only look at the first church services, but also consider why they were not held until about 150 years after the creation of the world. Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten,” aria from “Jesu, der du meine Seele,” BWV 78 (Leipzig, 1724).

Those who are loyal to God and his Word above all don’t just have haters. They also have supporters, admirers, and cheerleaders, who derive great admiration and joy from their godliness. Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concerto, No. 1, Movement 4

After losing a son to a violent murder, many mothers would shake their fist at God. Eve did not. She charged her son’s murder to her other son who committed it, but she ascribed to God the new life God gave her to help heal the wound of loss. Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten,” aria from “Jesu, der du meine Seele,” BWV 78 (Leipzig, 1724).

God made us for himself, but we are no longer inclined to live for him and we do not naturally understand what he says. We need to be reprogrammed. We need to be restored. Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concerto, No. 1, Movement 4

In Genesis 4:23–24, Lamech uses poetry and music to threaten abuse to his wives and to force them to “love” him. In this devotion, we look at the third (and final) couplet of his poem, where he basically tells his wives they should fear him more than God. Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten,” aria from “Jesu, der du meine Seele,” BWV 78 (Leipzig, 1724).

In the final verse of the ninth stanza of Psalm 119, the psalmist says that God’s word is better for him than lots of money. That statement both teaches a straightforward truth about God’s word and implies something about those who think little of it. Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concerto, No. 1, Movement 4

In Genesis 4:23–24, Lamech uses poetry and music to threaten abuse to his wives and to force them to “love” him. In this devotion, we look at the second couplet of his poem, where he tells his wives why they had better listen to him. Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten,” aria from “Jesu, der du meine Seele,” BWV 78 (Leipzig, 1724).

We already saw how Psalm 119:67 was one of the most important and straightforward Bible passages about affliction. Psalm 119:71 qualifies too, in which the psalmist stresses how affliction prompts us to learn more of God’s word. Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concerto, No. 1, Movement 4

In Genesis 4:23–24, we learn where Jubal and Tubal-Cain got the inspiration to be pioneers in their various fields—from their father, who used poetry and music to threaten abuse to his wives and to force them to “love” him. Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten,” aria from “Jesu, der du meine Seele,” BWV 78 (Leipzig, 1724).

In Psalm 119:70, the psalmist uses a unique expression to describe the hearts of the insolent people who smear him with lies. It’s a comparison that could be used to describe our own hearts, were it not for the grace of God. Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concerto, No. 1, Movement 4

In the last two Genesis devotions, you may have caught the detail that Lamech, the great-great-great-grandson of Cain, took two wives. In this devotion, we take a closer look at this perversion of God’s institution of marriage. Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten,” aria from “Jesu, der du meine Seele,” BWV 78 (Leipzig, 1724).

Early mankind was not as commonly depicted—wearing crude loincloths, dragging their knuckles along the ground with protruding foreheads, and communicating in monosyllabic grunts. In fact, it didn’t take long for mankind to make significant advances in nomadic ranching, music, and tools for war, work, and play. Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten,” aria from “...

The psalmist talks a lot about affliction in this stanza. In verse 69, he identifies what seems to have been one of his special afflictions—being smeared with lies by insolent unbelievers. But with God’s word and promises in view, he is not discouraged by their smears, but encouraged to continue to lead a life of sincere conviction. Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concer...

In this devotion we explore the concept of God’s goodness. Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concerto, No. 1, Movement 4

Moses records that the first technological advances—in nomadism, ranching, music, and metallurgy—were all made by unbelievers. Why? And does that mean that they’re sinful? Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten,” aria from “Jesu, der du meine Seele,” BWV 78 (Leipzig, 1724).

Psalm 119:67 is one of the most important and straightforward Bible passages about affliction. In this devotion we explore how God uses affliction to teach attention to, and retention of, his word, at times in our life when we’re lacking in either or both. Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concerto, No. 1, Movement 4

We often take comfort in the fact that God knows us better than we know ourselves, and thus sympathizes with us (when appropriate) and knows how to help us. But God also intimately knows his, and the Church’s, enemies, which should also be a tremendous comfort to us. Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten,” aria from “Jesu, der du meine Seele,” BWV 78 (Leipzig,...

In Psalm 119:66, the psalmist asks God to teach him good taste (or judgment) and good knowledge. In this devotion, we pursue what exactly he is asking to be taught. Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concerto, No. 1, Movement 4

There’s a lot to consider in Genesis 4:16–17. In last week’s Genesis devotion we looked at the where and the when. In this devotion, we look at the who and the what. Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten,” aria from “Jesu, der du meine Seele,” BWV 78 (Leipzig, 1724).

The psalmist concluded the previous stanza by talking about the big picture of the Lord’s mercy. He now begins a new stanza by talking about it on an individual level. Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concerto, No. 1, Movement 4

There’s a lot to consider in Genesis 4:16–17. In this devotion we look at the where and the when. In next week’s Genesis devotion, God willing, we’ll look and the who and the what. Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten,” aria from “Jesu, der du meine Seele,” BWV 78 (Leipzig, 1724).