There are a lot of ways to read the Bible. But if you want to understand it well, you need to read it in its context. What is that? In short, reading the Bible in its context means reading it according to the historical, literary, cultural and theological contexts of which it was written. Those four categories are just examples; there are many more possibilities for the ways we could define our contextual readings of scripture. For example:
Read through Psalms with an eye toward understanding how they were understood by ancient Israelite kings who wrote them (this would be political). Or look at Job as an ancient piece of literature from Mesopotamia (literary). Or consider how Jesus’ parables illuminate his view on money management during Roman times (cultural). Or better yet, see if Paul’s letters make sense when held up against first-century Greco-Roman philosophy (theological).
Use your Bible to study the Bible.
Use your Bible to study the Bible.
You can use the same method of reading and studying the Bible as you would a regular book, but there are some important differences that you should be aware of. First, because we are studying God’s word, we need to treat it with respect and reverence. Second, because it is God’s word, we must understand that He has already revealed His truth to us through His Son Jesus Christ (John 1:1). Therefore, when we read the Bible it will be much different than reading a history book or even a novel. The way our mind works is different than anyone else’s; therefore no two people will interpret Scripture exactly the same way. Because of this there will be many different views on what certain passages mean or how they should be applied in our lives today; however remember that God alone knows how He intends each verse in His Word for us today!
Guard your heart against discouragement
Guard your heart against discouragement.
Dwelling on negative thoughts can lead to discouragement, which is a serious problem for Christians. How do we guard our hearts against this sin?
- Be careful about the things you allow yourself to think about
- Guard your heart from the things of this world
- Remember that God has forgiven you
Guard your heart against fear
Fear is a negative emotion that can cause you to do things you normally wouldn’t do. For example, if you’re afraid of heights and are forced to be on top of a glacier, it’ll make your heart race and will make you feel uneasy. Fear can also cause you to have a bad attitude towards others. When someone says something mean or insults us, we may get mad at them because they’re making us feel uncomfortable with their words or actions.
Fear can also cause us to be afraid of things that aren’t real! In the Bible chapter 2 Timothy 1:7 God tells Paul not to be ashamed of his testimony about Christ because there was nothing false about it (New International Version). Instead, Paul should continue sharing wh
