The Wondrous Benefits of God’s Word

We’re taking a couple of weeks off from our Gospel of Mark series, starting this Sunday, as Pastor Nathan brings the Word to us and we’ll be looking at Psalm 119:33-40. If you are familiar with Psalm 119, you’ll know that this is the longest chapter in the entire Bible and that it is made up of 22 sections or stanzas. Each verse describes God’s Word in a unique way reminding us of the impact it can have in us. As we prepare to gather together, I encourage you to take some time reading through this week’s Scripture passage and considering the significance of the Word in your life.

Nathan Hooper
Message: The Wondrous Benefits of God’s Word
Harvest Alliston
Text: Psalm 119:33-40
March 23, 2025

Between 1996-2014 weekly bible reading dropped from 28% to 11%.
In the same period, regular church attendance dropped from 27% to 16%.
2014 EFC –Canadian Bible Engagement Study

As I give myself to God’s Word, he…

…stirs up my willing obedience (v. 33-35)

John 14:23-26

2 Timothy 3:16-17

Hebrews 4:12

The vigor of our spiritual life will be in exact proportion to the place held by the Bible in our life and thoughts.
George Müller

…sets the course of my life (v. 36-37)

Psalm 37: 4,5,7

Matthew 6:33

Philippians 2:3-4

Philippians 3:8

We should settle in our minds that everything the Father and the Son say to us in and through scripture relates, one way or another, to the purpose, place and purpose of Christ, to the realities of God’s Kingdom and to faithful following of Christ…
J. I. Packer

…secures me in his promises (v. 38)

God’s promises define reality. They draw the lines of hope and happiness. So, we must ask ourselves whether our expectations, our pursuits, our definition of happiness aligns with what God has said…. when we feel unhappy and hopeless it is not because God’s promises failed us or because God abandoned us but because we distanced ourselves: we forgot.
Barnabas Piper

…saves me from myself (v. 39-40)

Psalm 119 is actually not about the topic of getting Scripture into your life. Instead, it is the honest words that erupt when what God says gets into you. It’s not an exhortation to Bible study; it’s an outcry of faith…Psalm 119 is the thoughtful outcry that rises when real life meets real God.
David Powlison