Passage, Paragraph, and Prayer
“Passage, Paragraph, and Prayer” is a biweekly devotional podcast. Each episode consists of a passage from the Bible, a paragraph meditating on that passage, and a closing prayer. This podcast is produced by Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Winner, South Dakota.
Episodes
342 episodes
A Life Continually at Risk (Psalm 119:109)
Generally speaking, Americans used to be more religious years ago than they are now. Part of the reason for that may be that modern comforts have led us to forget what the psalmist says in this verse—that our lives are continually at risk.<...
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Season 6
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Episode 34
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4:17
Sources of the Floodwaters, Part 1 (Genesis 7:11–12)
Moses names two sources for the floodwaters. In this devotion we look at the first one—the rending asunder of the springs of the greet deep.Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten,” aria from “Jesu, der...
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Season 6
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Episode 33
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4:21
Freewill Offerings of the Mouth (Psalm 119:108)
The psalmist describes the words that he directs to God as “freewill offerings of [his] mouth.” But it is the words that God directs to us that put the “freewill” in our mouth-offerings and make them pleasing to him.Music Credit: Johann ...
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Season 6
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Episode 32
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3:13
Both Expected and Unexpected (Genesis 7:11)
Moses wanted his audience to know the precise chronological framework of the Flood. The dates that he gives us suggest that, when the rain first began falling, it was expected. Which is precisely why its ultimate disaster was unexpected....
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Season 6
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Episode 31
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5:00
Exceedingly Afflicted (Psalm 119:107)
Psalm 119:107 is the sixth verse in which the psalmist has explicitly referred to himself being afflicted. This tells us something about Christians and affliction, and the psalmist also tells us where we find restoration and revival in our affl...
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Season 6
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Episode 30
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3:17
Stressful Days and Restless Nights (Genesis 7:6–10)
Did you know that Noah loaded up his family and all the animals into the ark seven days before the Flood came? What were those days and nights like, as they made sure they had everything they were going to need and that everything was prepared?...
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Season 6
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Episode 29
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4:11
Christian Vows (Psalm 119:106)
In Psalm 119:106, the psalmist says he has made and ratified a vow to keep the decrees of God’s righteousness. Christians are not always comfortable with religious vows, so this verse gives us the opportunity to talk about them.Music Cre...
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Season 6
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Episode 28
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3:29
A Picture of Baptism (Genesis 7:6–7)
In 1 Peter 3:20–22, the apostle Peter says that the water of the Flood was a type, foreshadowing, symbol, or picture of the water of baptism. What the water of the Flood did for Noah and his family, the water of baptism does for us.Music...
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Season 6
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Episode 27
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3:56
Light for Our Path (Psalm 119:105) *with BONUS Content
“Where should I go?” “What should I do?” “What is the right course of action?” These are all questions about where we should step next on life’s path, and they are all questions God’s word helps us to answer the right way and the best way. NOTE...
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Season 6
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Episode 26
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5:16
The Final Countdown (Genesis 7:1–5)
There are only seven days left before God sends his destruction. Here we see the perseverance of Noah’s faith (by God’s grace), and here we see the stubborn persistence of the world’s unbelief.Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit sch...
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Season 6
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Episode 25
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4:33
The Only Path for Me (Psalm 119:104)
In this episode, we wrap up our meditation on the thirteenth stanza of Psalm 119. The psalmist tells us why God’s word is the only path for him, and why it should be the only path for us.Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Bra...
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Season 6
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Episode 24
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3:47
“Take Even More Animals” (Genesis 7:1–3)
In Genesis 7:1–3 God modifies his earlier instructions from 6:19–20. This simple modification highlights truths about God’s character and about the priority of worship.Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schr...
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Season 6
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Episode 23
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4:10
More Pleasant than Honey (Psalm 119:103)
Honey tastes good. It makes life more pleasant. The psalmist says God’s sayings are even more pleasant to his taste than honey. So do our own tastes need improvement?Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concerto, No...
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Season 6
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Episode 22
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3:53
Vindication from God (Genesis 7:1)
Imagine what kind of ridicule and rejection Noah and his family faced in the 120 years between God’s announcement of a flood and the actual flood. There is a parallel between what Noah’s family faced and what Jesus said we will face in the days...
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Season 6
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Episode 21
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4:13
Shot by God (Psalm 119:102)
The psalmist makes some pretty bold and ambitious resolutions—to keep his feet from every evil path and not to turn aside from God’s decrees. In Psalm 119:102, he makes clear the only way this is possible.Music Credit: Johann Sebastian B...
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Season 6
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Episode 20
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3:24
New and Different Perspective (Genesis 6:3, 13, 14, 17, 18, 22)
After God spoke to Noah, Noah’s perspective changed. He now saw all his usual haunts and acquaintances (besides seven of his family members) as places and people that would be *under water* and completely destroyed. God wants us to have a simil...
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Season 6
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Episode 19
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5:06
Avoiding Every Evil Path (Psalm 119:101)
The poet Robert Frost famously talked about two roads diverging in a yellow wood. In Psalm 119:101, the psalmist talks about forks in the road of our life that we encounter every day.Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Branden...
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Season 6
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Episode 18
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3:23
Commands and Compliance (Genesis 6:14, 19–22)
God gave Noah enormous tasks, and then Noah went to work and did them, just as commanded. How do we do a better job complying with what God has commanded us?Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten,” ari...
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Season 6
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Episode 17
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5:10
Wisdom Superior to That of Our Elders (Psalm 119:100)
Psalm 119:100 concludes a string of three verses where the psalmist reflects on the outstanding effects of God’s word by listing three groups of people who cannot stand up to its wisdom. In this devotion, we consider how God’s word gives us mor...
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Season 6
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Episode 16
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3:57
The Ark and Dinosaurs (Genesis 6:17b–20)
Even though it might not be very devotional content, at some point when talking about Noah’s ark, we have to talk about dinosaurs—both to satisfy human curiosity and to address the criticisms of skeptics.Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir ei...
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Season 6
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Episode 15
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4:54
Wisdom Superior to That of Our Teachers (Psalm 119:99)
Psalm 119:99 continues a string of three verses where the psalmist reflects on the outstanding effects of God’s word by listing three groups of people who cannot stand up to its wisdom. In this devotion, we consider how God’s word gives us more...
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Season 6
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Episode 14
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3:55
The Miraculous Sign before the Flood (Genesis 6:17b–20)
God commanded Noah to bring pairs of all the land creatures with him on the ark. But to enable him to fulfill that command, God also performed a miracle—which would be essentially the last sign and call to repentance for the rest of humanity.
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Season 6
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Episode 13
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4:34
Wisdom Superior to That of Our Enemies (Psalm 119:98)
Psalm 119:98 begins a string of three verses where the psalmist reflects on the outstanding effects of God’s word by listing three groups of people who cannot stand up to its wisdom. In this devotion, we compare the wisdom God’s word gives to t...
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Season 6
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Episode 12
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3:26
God’s Covenant Continues with Noah (Genesis 6:14–18)
The Bible doesn’t record the history of Noah and his family just because they were the sole survivors of the Flood. There is another, even more important reason that Noah and his family figure prominently in the Scriptures.Music Credit: ...
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Season 6
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Episode 11
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4:33
Food for Thought All Day Long (Psalm 119:97)
A really good novel or well-written essay can give you food for thought for weeks or even months, but only God’s word gives you subject matter you can muse on throughout the day, every day, no matter what else you may be doing.Music Cred...
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Season 6
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Episode 10
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3:29