Jesus loved the rich young ruler enough to offer him a way out of rule-following by asking him to make a decision to be close to him.
This parable will help us understand what it feels like to be lost and how God responds to that feeling by always trying to bring us home.
Loving God with all your soul is important; Jesus says it is part of the first and greatest commandment.
Asking God for self-discipline won’t amount to much if your motive is not to love others.
We all long for unconditional acceptance and closeness. It all starts with learning to develop intimacy with God.
By digging down deep, we start the process toward having a faith in God that is not easily shaken. However, depth takes work. It is not a personality trait or a natural talent, but rather a skill that must be worked at and developed over time.
With insecurity, God never responds with criticism. He responds with a purpose to live for something beyond themselves.
It is easy to try to rely on something as tangible as money for security. What are times in your life when you have faced guilt or regret, and relied on wealth or money, rather than turning to God for forgiveness?