I have hidden your word in my heart – Sermon & Resources

“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” Psalm 119:11. “Resolved, To study the Scriptures so steadily, constantly, and frequently, as that I may find, and plainly perceive, myself to grow in the knowledge of the same” Jonathan Edwards Resolution #28. Tonight I preached on Psalm 119 and following through with resolutions to read the Bible. I was challenged to delight in God and his word.

Here’s an MP3 recording of the sermon (I forgot my sound recorder and used the iTalk app on my phone – turned out okay). I suggested 3 practical ways to hide the word in your heart. Here are some tools for reading, remembering and praying…

Read It

• DMDC – Read the Bible in a year
• Robert Murray M’Cheyne’s daily Bible reading – various forms of delivery
• Free Don Carson Devotional through email – sample – based on McCheyne plan
• Free Audio – NIV OT MP3s; NIV NT MP3s (put this or this into iTunes to automatically download as a podcast)
• Read on your phone – youversion; logos; avery bible; no need for iphone – esv; biblegateway (stacks of versions)
• Daily Reading Bible – the small booklets from Matthias Media are GOLD!
• Quiet Times – these are a great resource for teenagers from Youth Surge

Remember It

• Navigators topical memory system (you can buy their cards or make your own based on their verses)
• Fighter Verses are a verses from Bethlehem church in the USA. Do them the same speed as their church or go through the archives. Why Memorise Scripture? – by John Piper. How do you memorise scripture? – by John Piper
• Forever Grateful Music – Scripture Memory Songs by Mark Altrogge
• Boom Chicka Boom – this is a 30 track Bible Bonanza from Col Buchanan. You don’t have to be a kid to utilise Col’s memory verse songs!!
• Extreme Memory Verses (PDF) – this is an approach to memorising large chunks of scripture.

Pray It

• Pray in response to the verses you read
• Pray in response to the verses you remember
• Don’t close your Bible when you pray, but let the priorities of the Bible shape your priorities in prayer.
• A Call to Spiritual Reformation – a good book by Don Carson showing Paul’s priorities in prayer
• Summary of Paul’s prayers from Carson’s book – PDF (h/t Dave Rogers)