Is the Bible Actually True? How to Know God for Yourself
Pastor Kyle Veach
We all go to Google for answers. Recipes, parenting advice, what to watch next, and even life’s biggest questions. Somewhere along the way, many people have typed this into a search bar: “Is the Bible actually true?” That question is honest, real, and worth exploring. This message isn’t about forcing belief—it’s about challenging how you approach the Bible and what you’re actually looking for. Click the link above for the full message.
Understanding What the Bible Actually Is
Before we answer whether the Bible is true, we need to understand what it is. The Bible is not a single book but a collection of 66 books written over roughly 1,500 years by more than 40 authors in three languages: Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic. The Old Testament contains 39 books that take us from creation to the period before Jesus, while the New Testament includes 27 books that record the life of Jesus, the birth of the church, and what is to come.
What makes the Bible unique is its continuity. The New Testament contains roughly 300 direct quotes from the Old Testament and over 4,000 references to it. The Old Testament is a series of promises, and the New Testament is the fulfillment of those promises. It is one unified story pointing to Jesus. This isn’t just a random collection of writings—it’s a connected narrative that reveals God’s plan for humanity.
You Can’t Think Your Way Into Faith
When people ask if the Bible is true, they are often looking for proof that satisfies their intellect. But here is the tension: faith is not built by information alone. We live in a culture obsessed with knowledge. We listen to podcasts, highlight books, take notes, and still feel unchanged. We have turned faith into something to study instead of something to live.
Hebrews 11:1-3 says: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God…”
Faith requires more than intellectual agreement. It requires trust. You can know about God and still not know Him. That’s the difference this question is really getting at. The Bible is not just meant to inform your mind; it is meant to transform your heart.
What You Seek Shapes What You Find
Hebrews 11:6 continues: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
There is a principle here that applies directly to this question: what you seek determines what you find. If you search for reasons to disprove the Bible, you can find them. If you search to win an argument, you can do that too. But if you seek to know God, you will find Him.
Diligently seeking God means pursuing Him consistently and patiently. It is not a one-time effort. It is a posture. Doubt is not the enemy of faith, but you cannot reason your way into trust. At some point, you have to move from analyzing the Bible to encountering it.
When You Don’t Hear God, Read God
One of the biggest barriers to experiencing God is distraction. Our lives are filled with noise—opinions, politics, social media, streaming platforms, and constant busyness. When we don’t hear God, it’s often not because He isn’t speaking. It’s because we are not listening.
WHEN YOU DON’T HEAR GOD, READ GOD.
If His voice feels distant, open His Word. If His voice feels silent, open His Word. The Bible is how God speaks to us daily. But many people struggle because they have an unhealthy intake of what they consume spiritually.
We fill our minds with endless content but neglect the one source that actually brings clarity, peace, and direction. That imbalance affects how we see God. If we consume junk, we develop a distorted view of Him. But when we consistently engage with Scripture, our perspective begins to shift.
Fixing Your Unhealthy Spiritual Diet
Think about your daily intake. News, social media, entertainment—none of these are inherently bad, but when they dominate your attention, they shape your mindset. A steady diet of distraction leads to a shallow understanding of God.
The Bible works differently. It requires consistency. It’s not about a single moment; it’s about a steady rhythm. Just like physical health depends on consistent nourishment, spiritual health depends on regular time in God’s Word.
If you feel spiritually empty, it may not be because God is absent. It may be because your diet is off. When you begin to consistently read the Bible, even in small ways, you begin to experience change. Not because you become more informed, but because you begin to know God more personally.
The Bible Was Meant to Transform You
THE BIBLE IS MEANT TO TRANSFORM US, NOT JUST INFORM US.
1 Corinthians 8:1 says: “…While knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church.”
There are people who know Scripture but don’t reflect Jesus. Knowledge alone can inflate the ego, but love builds a life that looks like Christ. The goal of reading the Bible is not to become impressive—it is to become transformed.
James 1:22 reinforces this: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”
The Bible invites action. It calls you to live differently. When you engage with it properly, it doesn’t just stay on the page—it begins to shape your decisions, your relationships, and your priorities.
The Bible Is Not About You—It’s About Jesus
Many people approach the Bible as a tool to fix their problems. While God does care about your struggles, that’s not the primary purpose of Scripture. The Bible is the story of a God who refuses to give up on humanity.
You are not the main character—Jesus is.
When you read the Bible as a manual for self-improvement, it feels frustrating. But when you read it as a love story, everything shifts. It becomes relational instead of transactional. You begin to see how your story fits into God’s story, and your life starts to make more sense.
Why People Struggle to Read the Bible
There are a lot of reasons people avoid the Bible:
They don’t understand it
They don’t know where to start
They get bored
They don’t see how it applies
Often, the real issue is not desire—it’s direction. It’s similar to walking into a gym without knowing how to use the equipment. Without guidance, it feels overwhelming. The same is true with Scripture. People open it, feel lost, and quit.
But the solution is simple: you just need a plan.
What the Bible Can Do in Your Life
God’s Word meets you where you are:
If you are hurting, it gives you hope
If you are lost, it gives you direction
If you are doubting, it builds your faith
If you are anxious, it brings peace
If you feel trapped, it offers freedom
Romans 15:13 says: “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.”
God doesn’t want you barely getting through life. He wants you to live from a place of overflow—full of joy, peace, and confidence in Him.
5 Ways to Start Reading the Bible Today
If you’re not sure where to begin, here are five practical ways to start:
Start with a book of the Bible
Begin with John for a foundational understanding of Jesus, or Proverbs for daily wisdom.
Study a person in the Bible
Learn from lives like Ruth, Esther, Peter, or Elijah.
Study a topic
Focus on themes like anxiety, grace, integrity, or faith.
Use a daily devotional
Apps like YouVersion offer thousands of structured reading plans.
Read through the whole Bible
Plans like The Bible in One Year can guide your journey.
If what you’re doing isn’t working, change your plan. The key is consistency, not perfection.
The Challenge: 3, 7, or 21 Days (See below)
Here’s a simple challenge:
Pick a plan (SEE BELOW)
Pick a time
Pick a place
Read every day
Write a SOAP journal entry
Share it with a friend
Your life may not instantly become easier, but you will begin to know God more. And that changes everything.
Showing Up Is Where It Starts
There was a moment sitting in a Starbucks with a Bible, a journal, and no real understanding of what any of it meant. No one would have guessed that moment would lead to a life in ministry. There was no expertise, no clarity—just a willingness to show up.
That’s all this takes.
You don’t need to have it figured out. You don’t need a perfect past. You don’t need all the answers. You just need to open the Bible and say, “God, if you’re in here, show me.”
Hebrews 11:6 reminds us: “He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Not perfectly. Not flawlessly. But consistently.
Questions for Reflection
What am I actually seeking when I approach the Bible?
Have I been treating faith as something to study or something to live?
What distractions are keeping me from hearing God clearly?
What would it look like to pursue God consistently this week?
Am I willing to take the 3, 7, or 21-day challenge?
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SOAP (LIFE Journal Method)
After reading your passage each day, open a journal and work through SOAP:
S — Scripture: Write out the verse that stood out to you.
O — Observation: What is God saying? Who is it written to? What is the main point?
A — Application: How does this apply to YOUR life right now? What needs to change?
P — Prayer: Turn your application into a prayer. Be specific and honest with God.
📸 Done with your SOAP? Take a photo of your journal entry and send it to a friend, your small group, or your pastor. Accountability changes everything.
3-Day Bible Reading Plan
Three Days to Start The Change
"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." — Psalm 119:105
3 Days in the Word
Day 1 — John 1: Meet Jesus as the living Word.
Day 2 — Luke 15: The lost sheep, coin, and son, discover how relentlessly God pursues you.
Day 3 — James 1: Hear and do, be a doer of the Word and watch your life change.
7-Day Bible Reading Plan
7 Days in the Word
Day 1 — John 1: Meet Jesus as the living Word, the foundation of all Scripture.
Day 2 — Psalm 119:1–40: A love letter to the Word, why daily reading transforms your life.
Day 3 — Romans 8: Life in the Spirit, what it means to be changed by God's truth.
Day 4 — James 1: Hear and do, be a doer of the Word, not just a hearer.
Day 5 — Matthew 5: The Sermon on the Mount.
Day 6 — Isaiah 55: God's Word never returns void.
Day 7 — Joshua 1: Be strong and courageous, meditate on the Word day and night.
21-Day Bible Reading Plan
"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." — Psalm 119:105
Week 1 — Days 1–7: The Word of God & the Person of Jesus
Day 1 — John 1: In the beginning was the Word.
Day 2 — Psalm 119:1–40: A love letter to Scripture, discover why God's Word is a lamp to your feet.
Day 3 — Genesis 1–2: God speaks creation into existence.
Day 4 — Proverbs 1: The beginning of wisdom, why fearing God and knowing His Word matters.
Day 5 — Romans 8: Life in the Spirit, what it means to live transformed by God's truth.
Day 6 — Isaiah 55: God's Word never returns void.
Day 7 — Matthew 5–7: The Sermon on the Mount.
Week 2 — Days 8–14: The Book of James (5 Days) + More
Day 8 — James 1: Hear and do, be a doer of the Word, not just a hearer.
Day 9 — James 2: Faith without works is dead.
Day 10 — James 3: The power of the tongue, let wisdom from above guide your words.
Day 11 — James 4: Draw near to God, humility, surrender, and a life close to Him.
Day 12 — James 5: Patience, prayer, and power, finishing strong in faith.
Day 13 — Psalm 1: The blessed life, planted by streams of water.
Day 14 — Hebrews 4:12–16: The Word is alive and active, sharper than any double edged sword.
Week 3 — Days 15–21: Equipped, Transformed & Sent
Day 15 — 2 Timothy 3–4: All Scripture is God breathed
Day 16 — Luke 24:13–49: The road to Emmaus
Day 17 — Deuteronomy 6: God's Word written on your heart and home.
Day 18 — Psalm 19: The heavens declare glory
Day 19 — Joshua 1: Be strong and courageous
Day 20 — Revelation 1: Blessed is the one who reads
Day 21 — John 17: Jesus prays for you.
