Passage, Paragraph, and Prayer

The psalmist’s prayer in Psalm 119:43 might lead us to conclude that God actually snatches his word of truth from our mouths, and that we need to ask him to restrain himself. What the psalmist is act…

In this devotion, we consider how God’s rebuking of Adam and Eve, and his consequences for each of them, both tell us something about his wiring of the sexes, and how sin ruins our lives precisely wh…

There are two slightly different ways to translate Psalm 119:42. But both of them underscore that only God gives us the strength and the words to answer those who criticize us when we believe and liv…

In this devotion, we consider how God rebuked Adam for putting his wife’s voice ahead of God’s own voice. Have you stopped to think about what that would have meant for Adam if he would have put God …

The psalmist opens the sixth stanza of Psalm 119 by expanding on his conclusion to the fifth stanza. In so doing, he reminds us of a basic truth of our salvation: God comes to us; we do not come to h…

Not only did God announce pain in conception and childbearing for the woman in consequence of her sin; he also announced that her desire or longing would be for her husband. In this devotion, Pastor …

The psalmist concludes the fifth stanza of Psalm 119 reminding us what we should long for most and why.

Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concerto, No. 1, Movement 4

Even though Genesis 3:16 occurs within a structure where the first gospel promise, the crushing of the devil’s head, is the focus, there are still consequences for sin for both the woman and the man.…

John Donne’s poem, “A Hymn to God the Father,” serves as a wonderful commentary on, and prayer for, Psalm 119:39.

Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concerto, No. 1, Movement 4

This is the eighth and final devotion on the first gospel promise in Genesis 3:15. In this devotion we consider how this is not just a promise fulfilled in Jesus, but also in his believers.

Music Cred…

Fearing God has both a law- and a gospel-aspect to it. We explore both aspects in this devotion.

Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concerto, No. 1, Movement 4

This is the seventh of eight devotions on the first gospel promise in Genesis 3:15. In this devotion we consider how God already hinted at the virgin birth of his Son in this promise.

Music Credit: J.…

“Cause my eyes to avoid sights of emptiness; revive me with your word,” the psalmist says. In this episode Pastor Biebert explores the concept of sights of emptiness—sights that we look to to be perk…

This is the sixth of eight devotions on the first gospel promise in Genesis 3:15. In this devotion we consider how the promise was vague enough to frustrate the devil, but clear enough to communicate…

Even when the total population of the earth consisted only of believers, right after the Flood, God still said that there was a problem with the way their heart was inclined. So it is no surprise tha…

This is the fifth of eight devotions on the first gospel promise in Genesis 3:15. In this devotion we take a closer look at the mutual hostility that God established between the devil’s seed (unbelie…

If you delight in doing something or going somewhere, you don’t need help doing it or going there. You just do it. But in spiritual affairs, we need God to cause us and strengthen us to walk in the p…

This is the fourth of eight devotions on the first gospel promise in Genesis 3:15. In this devotion we see, and thank God, that he didn’t limit the hostility he established to the devil and Eve alone…

It’s not just enough to know what God’s law says. We also need to understand what it means and the heart of God behind it. That means that Jesus isn’t just the key to the gospel; he’s also the key to…

This is the third of eight devotions on the first gospel promise in Genesis 3:15. In this devotion we consider how God addressed the first gospel promise to Satan, for the benefit of Adam and Eve, an…