“I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may have eternal life” (1 John 5:13)
The Bible is a very personal book. Through its Spirit-inspired writings penned by many godly men, God has handed down a narrative detailing the essence of His nature…. To know the Bible is to know God.
To know God’s nature is to know His truths and promises. Through the biblical stories and the numerous testimonies of Jesus’s walk on earth, we learn about the nature of our creator and are drawn closer as we develop a deeper and better understanding of God the Father.
Early on I didn’t comprehend how fundamentally important the Bible would become in my life or how it would end up leading me to a close personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
As the years passed, I began to question many things in my life. I wanted to know why I made some of the choices I chose, particularly the ones that didn’t end well, and what could lead me to making wiser decisions in the future.
I was being told by those I trusted that I should read the Bible, that it was there that I could find the answers to my questions. At the time, I also somehow instinctively knew, that reading the Bible was something I needed to do.
So I took up the book, set up a plan, and started reading. I instantly fell for the Old Testament stories; for me, it was like watching my favorite movies that I had seen in the past. The stories were like grand fables, displaying heroic characters as they accomplished noble deeds. I enjoyed reading the stories about these iconic men and the challenges they overcame.
I was especially interested to learn of the warrior mentality of many of these men. I had heard about most of the men before, but now learning about them straight from the source was both thrilling and fascinating.
However, the tales of these men and the ultimate significance of things learned from their lives—the importance of the words on the pages—never really hit home with me… Things were about to change. I was about to discover what it was all about.
When my readings reached the New Testament, I found my new home. It was like walking from a pitch-black room into one full of light. If my mind started with a key, these books were that key. And once my mind fired up, it seemed like I never wanted to turn it off.
The red words in the text hit me like the waves in the ocean… One after another, they hit me again and again and again. I kept thinking, “How does He know me so well… He knows who I am today and who I wanted to be… Every worthy thought in my head… Every concept I knew to be right and every one I knew to be wrong… How could Jesus know—how could this be?”
How could His words be so personal to me? He knew me better than anyone in my life. Better than my mother or father, brother or sister, even better than my wife! He knew me personally in a way that I never thought possible.
The red words in the Bible were the same as the thoughts in my brain…they could only come from the same place. That’s the only explanation I had, and now it was up to me to reciprocate that relationship.
What came next astonished me… All the Old Testament stories became true; they now all made sense. It turned out all along that I needed to start near the end to get to the beginning. Now I could see that the Bible is about Jesus, from the beginning to the end—from the Old to the New. And if the words of Jesus in the New Testament were real, then the ones in the Old were too.
That’s how it happened. That’s how I found the answers… and how my purpose became clear. Now I’m on the path God wants me to be. And it all started by picking up the Bible and making it so.
Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32)
The Bible introduced me to a relationship with Jesus Christ. A personal relationship that, before reading the Bible, I never thought possible. A relationship that, if I was willing to engage in, would fulfill every worthy thought and desire I ever had. A relationship that will continue long after my time on this earth, one that will continue for all eternity by Jesus’ side.
The Bible holds wisdom on every page. However, for me, when I read the pages from the Gospel of John, that is when it all became real. Jesus spoke directly to me, and my life was changed… Never underestimate the words of the Bible!
The Apostle John, one of Jesus 12 disciples, wrote five books in the Bible. It’s estimated that John wrote his Gospel around 52 to 57 years after Jesus’ death and resurrection. Several years later he would go on to write three epistles (1 John, 2 John, and 3 John). And soon after that he wrote The Book of Revelation, the final book in the Bible.
John walked and spoke with Jesus, saw him heal the sick, heard him teach, watched him die, met Him once He was risen, and saw Him ascend. John knew God… he had lived with Him and had seen His glory. He enjoyed fellowship with the Father and the Son all the days of his life.
“I have written to you” (1 John 5:13)
John wrote his Spirit-inspired words sincerely for you! Unlike many of the other epistles written, his were untitled and presumably written to no particular church. As an eyewitness to Christ, John wrote authoritatively to give all new believers assurance and confidence in God and their faith… John wrote to you!
John’s words are his personal testimony of his walk with God, and he wants you to read them. Just as he knew Jesus loved him, he also knew Jesus loves you. John wants you to know your Creator just as he did. And through his uniquely close relationship with Jesus Christ, his words are there to turn your key.
Jesus already has a relationship with you; He always has. He was there from the beginning when God created it all. It’s up to you to have a close personal relationship with Him.
For me, it never took hold until I started reading the Bible. And once I did, it became all so simple. Read the Bible and learn about God… Read the Bible and learn the truth… Read the Bible and abide by its commands… Read the Bible and become a better man.
Make it personal. Read the Bible!
“I tell you the Truth”
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