4. “Strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness.” ~ Matthew 6:33, NRSV

5. “The Kingdom of God is basically the rule of God. It is God’s reign, the divine sovereignty in action.” ~ George Eldon Ladd

6. “The incarnation is the one absolute expression of what God is like and also of what true humanity is like.” ~ Myron S. Augsburger

7. “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult, and left untried.” ~ G.K. Chesterton

8. “The gospel Jesus proclaimed was a call to discipleship, a call to follow him in submissive obedience, not just a plea to make a decision or pray a prayer.” ~ John F. MacArthur, Jr.

9. “Jesus is not asking people to add him to the milieu of their lives. He wants disciples willing to forsake everything.” ~ John F. MacArthur, Jr.

10. “We understand who we are because we have grasped Whose we are.” ~ Tricia McCary Rhodes

11. “The life of faith is far more than a doctrinal concept. It is relationship at the highest level.” ~ Myron S. Augsubger

12. “No one may truly know Christ unless one follows him in life, and no one may follow him without first knowing him.” ~ Hans Denck, 16 th Century Anabaptist

13. “Only he who obeys truly believes, … and only he who believes truly obeys.” ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer

14. “But drops of grief can ne’er repay The debt of love I owe: Here, Lord, I give my self away – ‘Tis all that I can do.” ~ Isaac Watts

15. “He is no fool who loses what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” ~ Jim Elliot, Martyred Missionary

16. “The best way to avoid following Jesus is to talk about him!” ~ Richard Rohr

17. “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.” ~ Matthew 6:10, NASB

18. “Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.” ~ Matthew 9:35, NIV

19. “He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.” ~ Acts 1:3, NIV

20. “He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” ~ Colossians 1:13-14, NRSV

21. "The kingdom is full of surprises. Again and again in parable, sermon, and act Jesus startles us. Things in the Gospels are often literally upside down. Good Guys turn out to be Bad Guys. Those we expect to receive the reward get a spanking instead. Those who think they are headed for heaven land in hell. Things are reversed. Paradox, irony, and surprises permeate the teachings of Jesus. They flip our expectations upside down. The least are the greatest. The immoral receive forgiveness and the blessing. Adults become like children. The religious miss the heavenly banquet. The pious receive curses. Things aren’t like we think they should be. We’re baffled and perplexed. Amazed we step back. Should we laugh or should we cry? Again and again, turning our world upside down, the kingdom surprises us.” ~ Dr. Donald Kraybill, Sociologist

22. “I die every day!” ~ 1 Corinthians 15:31, NRSV

23. “For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.” ~ Romans 8:13, NIV

24. “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.” ~ Colossians 3:5, NIV

25. “I have come to call sinners to turn from their sins, not to spend my time with those who think they are already good enough.” ~ Luke 5:32, NLT

26. Obedience Without Exception

27. “Strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness.” ~ Matthew 6:33, NRSV

28. “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.” ~ Matthew 6:10, NASB

29. As of today, I commit to do my part in letting go of this sin, this baggage, this weight in my life. I want to give my all, my choices, my life as a “living sacrifice” of worship to God. I chose OBEDIENCE WITHOUT EXCEPTION, and refuse to hide any secret sins. More than anything else, I want to please Jesus and today I pledge to live my life for this purpose.