Understanding biblical themes can help you to better understand the overall message of the Bible and how it applies to your life. When you study the Bible, you can look for these themes and consider how they relate to the specific passages or books you are reading. This can help you to gain a deeper understanding of the Bible and how it can shape your faith and your life.

I want to dig deep into Hebrews 12. My goal is to encourage you to put your trust in the One who remains “the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). I hope to persuade you to resist the pull to go back to the old, easier, and more comfortable ways before faith in Christ. In this moment of history, the world is reeling and its kingdoms are shaking; we can put our trust in the Name of the Lord our God (Psalm 20:7).

Understanding the historical context of a Bible passage can help you better understand its meaning and significance. Here are five resources that can help you understand the historical context of the Bible:

The Bible contains genres such as narrative, poetry, wisdom literature, prophecy, epistle, and apocalyptic literature. Each literary genre has its own distinctive characteristics and purposes. Here are some tips on how to identify different genres in the Bible, why it is important, and how to approach reading and applying these different genres to your life…

When we share the gospel with people, we should expect them to respond in faith and follow Jesus. When someone comes to faith, we must find ways to affirm their next steps. That’s more than just reading the book of John (although that is a great next step). The shattered pieces of people’s lives seem impossible to repair. Their misdeeds and mistakes have left a wake of brokenness behind them. The new life they’ve found in Jesus has infused them with the hope that Christ, the great restorer, can make all things new. It is possible that the Holy Spirit is prompting them to begin walking down the path of reconciliation.

As much as we don’t want to admit it, sometimes, we do not intentionally engage people with the gospel because we fear what others might say. The enemy attempts to convince us that spending time with the addicted or broken will cause others to think poorly of us. “The crowd” is always a factor when trying to make a choice to invite others into the kingdom intentionally.