Have you ever taken time to read the Bible for yourself—not just a few sentences here and there, but honestly studying it to see what it really says?

The reason I ask this is because I find many people reject the Bible without ever actually reading it. Perhaps they’ve heard other people talk about it, or they may have been exposed to it slightly when they were children—but they haven’t seriously examined it for themselves. But since the Bible claims to answer life’s deepest questions, doesn’t it make sense to at least listen to what it has to say? Of course it does.

This is why I challenge you to discover the Bible for yourself. Take one of the Gospels (which tell us about the life of Jesus) and read through it carefully. (I often recommend people start with the Gospel of John.) As you do, ask yourself if it sounds like something people just made up, or if instead it rings true.

I think you’ll find it rings true—and for a very good reason: Jesus Christ really lived, and He really showed us what God is like. As Peter later wrote, “We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty” (2 Peter 1:16). Most of all, you will discover that Christ loves you, and life’s greatest joy comes from following Him.