In response to last week's message, several people have asked for recommendations of what resources to purchase for helping with your personal Bible study. There are literally thousands to choose from, and many good
ones to use, so where to begin may be a challenge for you.

Probably the most helpful, inexpensive resource you can buy to help you understand the Bible better is How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth. For less than $20 ($10 at Amazon.com!!), you can gain a better understanding of how the Bible was put together, how translation works, and how to interpret Scripture in only 288 pages. There is also a section of recommended resources at the end of the book, some of which are included below.

Here is my simple list of the "cream of the crop" for each category:
(The links take you to Amazon.com if you'd like to read more about the resource itself)

Concordance
The Strongest NIV Exhaustive Concordance - $39.99
Th Crossway Comprehensive Concordance - $39.99 (this is based on the ESV instead of the NIV)

Dictionary
Mounce's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words - $30 ($18.89 at Amazon.com)
New International Bible Dictionary - $29.99
Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary - $39.99

Bible Introductions (similar to commentaries, these provide basic background information, but not verse-by-verse comments)
Introduction to the New Testament - $39.99 ($26.39 at Amazon.com)
Introduction to the Old Testament - $27.99 ($18.47 at Amazon.com)

Commentary
New International Commentary - $30 (based on the NIV, very layperson friendly)
New Bible Commentary - $45 (1995 Book of the Year, "best one-volume commentary of the Bible")
NIV Bible Companion - $20 (only 400 pages and "helpful only for the most basic beginners")

Systematic Theology
Bible Doctrine - $30 ($18.99 at Amazon.com) - this is Grudem's "medium-version" of his Systematic Theology
Systematic Theology $40 ($22.39 at Amazon.com) - 1300 pages, but a great summary of anything you want to see what the whole Bible says about it

So for about $100, you could buy a concordance, dictionary, commentary, and a systematic theology