““Strive first for the kingdom of God Strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness.”and his righteousness.”

~ JESUS~ JESUS

Matthew 6:33, NRSVMatthew 6:33, NRSV

““The Kingdom of God is basically the The Kingdom of God is basically the rule of God. It is God’s reign, the rule of God. It is God’s reign, the

divine sovereignty in action.”divine sovereignty in action.”

~ George Eldon Ladd~ George Eldon Ladd

““The incarnation is the one absolute The incarnation is the one absolute expression of what God is like and expression of what God is like and also of what true humanity is like.”also of what true humanity is like.”

~ Myron S. Augsburger~ Myron S. Augsburger

“ “There is more to you than you There is more to you than you know.”know.”

~ Gandalf the Wizard ~ Gandalf the Wizard

to Bilbo in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbitto Bilbo in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit

““The Christian ideal has not been tried The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found and found wanting. It has been found

difficult, and left untried.”difficult, and left untried.”

~ G.K. Chesterton~ G.K. Chesterton

““The gospel Jesus proclaimed was a The gospel Jesus proclaimed was a call to discipleship, a call to follow him call to discipleship, a call to follow him

in submissive obedience, not just a in submissive obedience, not just a plea to make a decision or pray a plea to make a decision or pray a

prayer.”prayer.”

~ John F. MacArthur, Jr.~ John F. MacArthur, Jr.

““Jesus is not asking people to add Jesus is not asking people to add him to the milieu of their lives. He him to the milieu of their lives. He wants disciples willing to forsake wants disciples willing to forsake

everything.everything.””

~ John F. MacArthur, Jr.~ John F. MacArthur, Jr.

““A good mind possesses a great A good mind possesses a great kingdom; kingdom;

a good fortune is a great slavery.”a good fortune is a great slavery.”

~ Seneca~ Seneca

““In the end, money will be the one In the end, money will be the one thing people will desire…. Nowadays thing people will desire…. Nowadays a young man hardly envies anyone his a young man hardly envies anyone his

gifts, his art, the love of a beautiful gifts, his art, the love of a beautiful girl, or his fame; he only envies him girl, or his fame; he only envies him his money. Give me money, he will his money. Give me money, he will

say, and I am saved.”say, and I am saved.”

~ Soren Kierkegaard~ Soren Kierkegaard

““I see an innumerable amount of men, I see an innumerable amount of men, alike and equal, constantly circling alike and equal, constantly circling around in pursuit of the petty and around in pursuit of the petty and

banal with which they gut their souls.”banal with which they gut their souls.”

~ French philosopher Alexis de ~ French philosopher Alexis de Toqueville, describing North AmericansToqueville, describing North Americans

"People do not value sunsets because "People do not value sunsets because they cannot pay for them."they cannot pay for them."

~ Oskar Wild~ Oskar Wild

"There are three conversions "There are three conversions necessary: necessary:

the conversion of the conversion of

the heart, the heart,

the mind, the mind,

and the purse."and the purse."

~ Martin Luther~ Martin Luther

““Money is like manure. If you spread Money is like manure. If you spread it around it does a lot of good. Bit around it does a lot of good. Buut if t if you pile it up in one place is stinks you pile it up in one place is stinks

terribly.”terribly.”

~ Clint Murchison Jr.~ Clint Murchison Jr.

““Do you accept tips here?”Do you accept tips here?”

““Absolutely sir.”Absolutely sir.”

““Do you have 2 fives then?”Do you have 2 fives then?”

““Oh yes sir.”Oh yes sir.”

““Good, then you won’t be needing the Good, then you won’t be needing the ten cents I was going to give you.”ten cents I was going to give you.”

~ Groucho Marx, to a waiter~ Groucho Marx, to a waiter

““For I don’t care to much for money,For I don’t care to much for money,

for money can’t buy me love.”for money can’t buy me love.”

~ John Lennon~ John Lennon

““The best way to avoid The best way to avoid followingfollowing Jesus is to Jesus is to talktalk about him!” about him!”

~ Richard Rohr~ Richard Rohr

““It is unlikely that we will deepen our It is unlikely that we will deepen our relationship with God in a casual and relationship with God in a casual and haphazard manner. There will be a haphazard manner. There will be a

need for some intentional commitment need for some intentional commitment and some reorganization in our own and some reorganization in our own

lives.”lives.”

~ William Paulsell~ William Paulsell

““He is no fool who loses what he He is no fool who loses what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot cannot keep to gain what he cannot

lose.”lose.”

~ Jim Elliot, Martyred Missionary~ Jim Elliot, Martyred Missionary

““Thy kingdom come.Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done,Thy will be done,

On earth as it is in heaven.”On earth as it is in heaven.”

~ JESUS~ JESUS

Matthew 6:10, NASBMatthew 6:10, NASB

““……but the worries of the world, and but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and desires for other things enter in and

choke the word, and it becomes choke the word, and it becomes unfruitfulunfruitful..” ”

~ ~ Mark 4:19, NASBMark 4:19, NASB

““You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and don’t realize that you are wretched and

miserable and poor and blind and miserable and poor and blind and nakednaked..” ”

~ ~ Revelation 3:17, NLTRevelation 3:17, NLT

““Be on your guard against all kinds of Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one's life does not consist greed; for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.”in the abundance of possessions.”

~ Luke 12:~ Luke 12:15, NRSV15, NRSV

““There shall be no poor among you … There shall be no poor among you … IFIF only you listen obediently to the only you listen obediently to the

voice of the LORD your God, to voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all this observe carefully all this

commandment which I am commandment which I am commanding you today.” commanding you today.”

~ Deuteronomy 15:4-5, NASB~ Deuteronomy 15:4-5, NASB

““So therefore, none of you can So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give become my disciple if you do not give

up all your possessions.”up all your possessions.”

~ Luke 14:32 (NRSV)~ Luke 14:32 (NRSV)

““I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it friends for yourselves, so that when it

is gone, is gone, you will be welcomedyou will be welcomed into into eternal dwellings.”eternal dwellings.”

~ Luke 16:9 (NIV)~ Luke 16:9 (NIV)

““And I say to you, make friends for And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by means of the wealth of yourselves by means of the wealth of unrighteousness, so that when it fails, unrighteousness, so that when it fails, they will receive (they will receive ( or or “welcome”) you“welcome”) you

into the eternal dwellings.”into the eternal dwellings.”

~ Luke 16:9, NASB~ Luke 16:9, NASB

““But Zacchaeus stood up and said to But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, ‘Look, Lord! Here and now I the Lord, ‘Look, Lord! Here and now I

give half of my possessions to the give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four out of anything, I will pay back four

times the amount.’ Jesus said to him, times the amount.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this ‘Today salvation has come to this

house….’”house….’”

~ Luke 19:8-9 (NIV)~ Luke 19:8-9 (NIV)