"Work as if everything depends on you - because it does
Pray as if everything depends on God - Because it does"
Some interesing background material can be found at www.ccel.org including:
An Outline of the Story of Jesus using maps
Summary Definitions of the People, Places, Traditions etc. of the New Testament
The World in outline in New Testament Times
Time-line of Roman, Jewish and Christian events during the time of Jesus and the Early Church
The famous prologue by Miles Coverdale to his 1535 Coverdale Bible:
"It shall greatly help thee to understand Scripture, if thou mark, not onlywhat is spoken or written, but of whom, and to whom, with what words, at what time, where, to what intent, with what circumstances, considering what goeth before and what followeth after"