There is one subject that is more important to God than any other subject in the universe. It is the reason He sent Jesus to the earth. Jesus' death and the purpose of His resurrection are a result of the desire of God's heart and that desire is the salvation of man.
The Bible is more than just an interesting book. It is the Word of God placed on this earth in order to teach man the plans and purposes of God. Within all the stories and history, the Bible teaches man how to live the abundant life of heaven here on the earth. But there is a greater theme woven through its pages. And unless this greater theme is understood and received, the other profits very little.
In the beginning God created man and placed him in a garden east of Eden. Man rebelled and separated himself from God. Through the millennia God developed a plan to restore man back to a place where man and God could spend eternity together.
In order for that plan to work, a person must believe in their heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and believe that God raised Him from the dead. When a person believes this and confesses that Jesus Christ is their Lord and Savior, they become saved, or in other words, born again. Eternal life starts at that moment and that person becomes a candidate for all of God's promises and blessings here, now, and forever.
While it is true that the Bible is a book of blessings and promises, there are blessings and promises that are reserved for those who have received Jesus as their Lord and Savior. After all, the promises are for the living, not for the dead.
So as you can see, it is pretty obvious the theme of the Word, the purpose of God's heart, the purpose of the Bible, and the reason Jesus came to the earth was for this – the salvation of man.
So as we attend our church meetings, fellowship dinners, training classes, fund raisers, etc., we must not forget the purpose in God's heart, which is to bring people to an understanding that Jesus Christ is Lord and receive Him as their personal Savior. Only through believing on Him will they have everlasting life. By rejecting or ignoring Him, the result is eternal separation from God.
"For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matthew 16:26)
Devotion 0214