sunday's scuds (july 13, 2008)

The UnTypical series continued with Dave D giving the message today. The theme: UnTypical Faith. Here are the scuds:

• We all have an "I told you so" story. Most of us, if we're honest, when we look back to "I told you so's," we wish we would have listened.
• What if it all comes down to one simple question? Who do you say that I am? (Matthew 16:15-16)
• It is impossible to please God without faith. (Hebrews 11:6)
• In every single circumstance we face, is an opportunity to respond to who we really think God is.
• God has a way of putting you and I in situations where we can either advance in faith, or retreat in fear.
• Faith that's untypical will always involve risk.
• Every single circumstance involves the unknown. The key isn't avoiding the "perhaps" it's where you place the "perhaps." (1 Samuel 14:6-7)
• We all face a "perhaps." You can place it on your outcome, or you can place it on your God.
• Some of us will never complete our faith because we'll never act on what we believe about our God.
• Faith is never simply a confession of our lips. It's an expression of our life.
• Faith always requires more than a commitment. It requires surrender.
• What's happening TO you in life is never as important as what God is doing IN you.

Next week: UnTypical Courage.

sunday's scuds (june 22, 2008)

It was an incredible morning of vision casting and scud firing at NewPointe yesterday. Dwight laid out some key goals and some big-time vision. Here are some of the scuds:

• I believe people are more interested in hearing about Christ than we are willing to share about Christ.
• People have always been ready to receive Christ. That's not the issue. The problem is that we've thought for too long that we can lecture people to Christ. People don't want to be lectured.
• We can't lecture people to Christ but we can love them to Christ (see this post from last fall).
• Get your eyes off yourself.
• One of the lies we believe is that people are not interested in Christ. We think that because they're not interested in church, then they must not be interested in Jesus. The reason they're not interested in church is because for too long we've lectured them instead of loved them.
• When we begin to pray, God begins to work and move.
• My prayer is that God would kick some of you out of here. We've got too many pew potatoes and spiritual porkers.
• God had not given us what he's given us so we could sit around be comfortable in it.
• I don't want to something and ask God bless it. I want to do what God is already blessing.
• Your life, right now, is either influencing people toward God, or it's influencing people away from God. It's either one or the other.
• We can whine and complain about how things are...or we can do something about it.
• I'm willing to be misunderstood, misrepresented, and talked poorly about for the kingdom's sake.

Scud-a-licious.

sunday's scuds (june 8, 2008)

Awesome, awesome, awesome service today. The band kicked things off in high gear with DecembeRadio's Can't Hide. Strong. The worship was off the hook. Dwight nailed it with his message on grieving properly. It was an awesome continuation of the What Lies Beneath series. Here are the scuds:

• There is no greater danger to your emotional and spiritual health than to not face reality.
• If we don't deal with our grief properly it will destroy us.
• To be spiritually mature is to embrace a commitment to reality.
• The heart of the Gospel is this: there has to be death before there's a resurrection. There is always a loss before a gain.
• There are times in life when God seems to be silent but his silence should never be mistaken as absence. God is always there.
• Truth and time don't always run hand-in-hand.
• You can't do and be whatever you want to do and be. That's new-age thinking. You and I have limitations. You can do and be whatever God wants you to do and be...but not whatever you want to do and be (see Job 14:5).
• Job emerged from his suffering transformed as a humble man.
• Sometimes we focus so much on what we've lost that we forget about what we still have.

sunday's scuds (june 1, 2008)

Today Dwight continued the very powerful and mind-stretching WHAT LIES BENEATH series. Today: Loving Well. Here are the scuds:

Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and the greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments. Matthew 22:37-40

• We think love is a feeling. Love is not a feeling...it's a choice.
• Unresolved conflict is the greatest tension in the Christian life.
• The definition of sin: focusing on yourself. Sin is trying to meet legitimate needs in illegitimate ways.
• Growing up in love is hard. Love in dreams is easy. Living it out is hard work.
• We all would say we love peace...very few of us understand peace.
• The reality is, we're not all that interested in peace...we're more interested in quiet.
• When it's "quiet," stuff just gets swept under the rug. It's not dealt with...and there's no true peace.
• Respect is not a feeling...it's not the way I feel about somebody...it's the way I treat them. Respect is not "earned," it's GIVEN.
• Jesus was constantly in conflict because Jesus lived in and dealt with reality.

sunday's scuds (may 18, 2008)

It's week two of the WHAT LIES BENEATH series. Last week we learned that you can't be spiritually mature unless you're spiritually healthy. We also learned that "Christians," in many cases, don't live lives that are much different from those who do not claim to be Christians. We learned that we have to deal with things "below the surface" if we want real, lasting change that leads to emotional health and spiritual maturity. Here are this week's scuds:

• We like to see other people mess up. And since we don't "have all our stuff together," we like to point out what's wrong with other people's live, exposing the fact that they don't have all their stuff together either.

Three falsehoods we tend to believe:

1. I am what I do. Who I am is attached to what I do. (Performance)
2. I am what I have. Who I am is attached to what I own. (Possessions)
3. I am what other people think. (Popularity)

• Some of us in this room are addicted to what other people think about us. When this happens you end up developing a false self. You live an inauthentic life.
• True freedom comes when we no longer need to be special in somebody else's eyes...we just know that we're loved and valued by God.
• When Satan tempted Jesus, everything that he offered Jesus was offered in the form of a short-cut. Everything Satan offered Jesus, God ultimately gave to Jesus...in his time and in his way, with way better results, and lasting impact.
• God wants you to grow up and in order for you to grow up, you need to know yourself.
• Authentic people can withstand pressure.
• If you are true to who God created you to be, you will be misunderstood. because your ultimate allegiance is to Christ.
• When you become the real you, you'll make a lot of people uncomfortable...because there aren't a lot of "real" people out there.
• If you're willing to go beneath the surface of your life, you're going to encounter some ugly stuff.
• But God offers you a safety net: it's called his unconditional love.
• Because of Christ's death and resurrection, I can be free to become ME!
• Most of us in this room are not as free as Jesus died for us to be. God wants you to be free.

sunday's scuds (may 11, 2008)

Yesterday we kicked of a brand new series at NewPointe. It's called What Lies Beneath. It's based on the book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero. Dwight read this book last year and it rocked him.

We've been planning this series for several months. And I feel we got off to a tremendous start to the series yesterday. If you missed it, you missed it! Anyway, here are the scuds from Dwight's message:

• We've bought into the lie that it's safer to pretend than to be open and vulnerable.
• We use the "I'm not perfect, I'm just forgiven" slogan as an excuse for our lack of spiritual transformation.
• When it's all said and done, there's not much difference, morally speaking, between those who call themselves Christians and those who don't.
• Our solution is to look for "Christian stain removers."
• You can "do" all the right things a "good Christian" should do and you can still be missing something in life.
• We can only stay in pretend-mode for so long before we finally give up and throw in the towel.
• My main responsibility as your pastor is for me to grow up in Christ.
• The number one responsibility of any pastor is to lead his family well.
• You cannot be spiritually mature unless you're emotionally healthy.
• You can't know God without knowing yourself.
• When we're emotionally undeveloped we end up hurting the people we say we love.
• There's a theological word for growing up emotionally: sanctification.
• Just because you're a Christ follower does mean that you're untouchable.

...put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:22-24

sunday's scuds (may 4, 2008)

Today we were in between series at NewPointe. Dwight gave a scud-a-licious message on "Getting in the game." It was called Wii Serve. I hope you got to experience the service. It was probably the most unusual service we've done since moving into the new building. Here are some of Dwight's scuds:

• There are three reasons we don't get into the game (serve)

1. You don't realize you're needed. You think things miraculously happen.

2.You've been working for one thing for your whole life: I get to determine what I get to do. I'm autonomous.

• If you're focused on the right things, with your autonomy, your thinking is, "How can I best leverage this for God? If you're focused on the wrong things, your thinking may be, "What do I want to do for me?

3. You've forgotten that you're a Christian.

• God defines your success in terms of your commitment to His church.
• If you choose not to get involved, the kingdom of God will still move ahead. We'll be okay...but you won't be okay.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2

• You're going to have to decide what's important. Not everything is important...although we act like everything's important.
• Many of us just say, "I don't have the time to serve." You do have the time to serve...you're just not willing to make the commitment.
• When we tell God we don't have time, we're actually saying something like this to God, "God thank you for sending Jesus to die for my sins. Thanks for giving me gifts and talents. Thank you for my job. Thank you for my family. Thank you for giving me so much. And by the way God, would you just continue to bless me? See, you've given me so much, that I now don't have the time to serve you by getting involved in serving at the church..."
• God did not give you your gifts and talents so you could fulfill the American dream. He gave you your gifts and talents so you could impact the world for Jesus Christ.
• Some of us are only willing to serve if it fits our schedule--if it doesn't cramp my style.
• You will never feel more alive than when you're serving God.

Don't forget, if you're out of town or unable to make it to NewPointe on Sunday morning. You can watch the services live online right here.

sunday's scuds (april 13, 2008)

We continued the Knockin' On Heaven's Door series yesterday. It was my turn to speak. My assignment: What is heaven like? Here are the scuds:

• I think that the honest truth is that the thought of an unseen heaven is not all that appealing to many of us.
• When we think about heaven, if we're honest, it sounds boring.

Satan need not convince us that heaven doesn't exist; he need only convince us that heaven is a place of boring, unearthly existence. If we believe that lie, we'll be robbed of our joy and anticipation. We'll set our minds on this life and not the next. --Randy Alcorn, Heaven

• Heaven is a place where we'll make important decisions and work productively.
• Sometimes the Bible talks of heaven being a place of rest, and that has led some people to falsely assume that it's just kinda like eternal rest.
• If you think of work as a bad thing, it's probably because you're in a very dissatisfying or unfulfilling career that doesn't utilize your God-given gifts. In heaven, you'll get to tackle projects that thrill you.
• Jesus warned more about hell than he emphasized heaven.
• Just as there is an unbelievable, inconceivable, indescribable place called heaven to be gained, there is a horrendous, awful, agony-filled place called hell to be avoided.

Hell is nothing but yourself for all eternity. --C.S. Lewis

• You don't have to fear death if you've been redeemed by Jesus Christ.

If you find the subject of heaven fascinating, and you have more questions, here's an article from Christianity Today that you mind find interesting: What Will Heaven Be Like?

sunday's scuds (april 6, 2008)

Week two of the KNOCKIN' ON HEAVEN'S DOOR series. The message: the way to heaven. Here are the scuds:

• What are your chances of going to heaven? In order to get there three things are required. 1. You have to believe in heaven. 2. You have to want to go there. 3. You have to know how to get there.
• This may be the greatest statement in all of scripture: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." --Jesus (John 14:6)
• There is only ONE WAY to heaven: Jesus Christ.
• At NewPointe, we like to think outside the box in many ways...but when it comes to how you get to heaven, we're very narrow-minded on that.
• The way to heaven is not through a practice or a program or a premise. It is a person: Jesus Christ.
• The Bible tells us that God makes no distinction between 'bad people' and 'good people.' The playing field is level.
• We've all forfeited our right-standing with God. We've blown it. There's no way to make up for imperfection.
• But you can be in right-standing with God through faith in Jesus Christ.
• Some people think coming to church will establish a right-standing with God--it won't.
• Good people don't go to heaven. People in right-standing with God go to heaven.

easter sunday's scuds (march 23, 2008)

Yesterday Dwight delivered a powerful message of hope. Here are the scuds:

• Your past can be forgiven.
• A past that hasn't been dealt with is present.
• Jesus was nailed to the cross so you and I can quit nailing ourselves to the cross.
• Your present problems can be managed.
• When we're free from guilt, condemnation, and shame, we no longer project it on to other people.
• The same power that raised Jesus from the dead can raise you above your problems.
• Your future can be secured.
• Though things may be outside of your control, they're not outside of God's control.
• Positive thinking, though good, cannot equip you to handle everything in your life.
• Only a fool would go through life unprepared for what he knows is inevitable (death).
• Everybody spends forever somewhere.
• There are two ways to make it to heaven: 1. be perfect (we've all already messed that one up), and 2. establish a relationship with Jesus Christ, the perfect One who's already paid your way to heaven.
• Some of us are here this morning because of tradition. Some are here because of an invitation. Why are you really here? God brought you here so he could get you this message: you matter to me.
• They only way to heaven is through Jesus Christ. There's no other way.

sunday's scuds (march 2, 2008)

We're continuing the REEL NEWPOINTE series. We've been taking a look at each of our seven values each week. This week's value: Vital Service. Here are the scuds:

Dwight began by reading a note he received recently. Here's what he read:

I just want u 2 know, I'm 5 months sober, been thru hell, but God has blessed me and I feel the Spirit here at NewPointe. I never dreamed that I'd get back into church, especially one this large (I suffer panic attacks in large groups, yet here I sit in a large crowd). I've died twice (suicide attempts) yet Jesus spared my life and I'm so grateful to be here and look forward to giving my testimony - to give hope to others who are suffering. I love NewPointe.

• We don't want to be just another church. We have an agenda. The agenda is this: to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.
• We've become spiritually obese, spiritual porkers. Because of that, the church is dying. For that to change, we've got to begin serving.
• The definition of Vital Service: engaging your heart and your hands in the most vital area for you serve God through serving at NewPointe.
• God does not want you to be a reservoir. He wants you to be a river.
• We've made the mistake of thinking listening to teaching makes us go deeper. It's serving that takes you deeper than anything else.
• You cannot remain where you are with God and do what he wants you to do.
• Jesus gave hope and life to everyone he came in contact with. You and I are called to do the same.
• I challenge you to pay it forward...just as hundreds of people have paid it forward for you, you can pay it forward for hundreds of others.

sunday's scuds (february 24, 2008)

We're continuing the Reel NewPointe series. I suspect many people have become accustomed to the free popcorn every Sunday. Enjoy it while it lasts! Only two more weeks of "Reel." Yesterday's value was Cultivate Community. Dwight did a great job of clarifying this value (with the help of Daryl and Lee Ann Miller's small group). Here are the scuds:

• We believe that life-change happens best within the context of relationships...specifically a small group.
• Jesus knew this. The reason we're here today is because he understood this principle.
• Jesus also understood that without intentional relationships people tend to drift.
• Your faith is personal but it was never intended to be private.
• Have you given anybody permission to get gut-level honest with you? If you haven't, you're in a danger zone.
• When you know a lot and do little you become judgmental.
• You need to take what is private and make it public. You we're wired for it to be "just you and God."

To Cultivate Community means to be connected relationally on a consistent basis with a group of believers having that automatic sense of accountability, belonging, and care while experiencing the natural byproduct--spiritual growth.

• You can't live the Christian life on your own...but you can do it with a group of people who spur you on.
• Show me a Christian who is unswerving and I'll show you one who is in community.

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Hebrews 10:23-24

• I don't need more friends. What I do need is more consistency in my walk with God.
• I've learned that if I'm willing to make a little bit of a sacrifice the rewards are unbelievable.

a couple video highlights from sunday's services

I didn't get to do the scud review. I was busy during both messages arranging live phone interviews with Tom Hseih in California. Here are a couple of videos (including Dwight's interview with Tom (second service). Hope you were able to there to get the full experience.



In case you missed it, we first learned of Tom Hsieh when we read about him in the December 24, 2007 issue of People Magazine. Incredible story. You can read more about Tom and his family here.




Check out this quote from Tom: "I could easily have lived a life that was boring and inconsequential. Now I am graced with a life of service and meaning."

This dude fires me up! I count it a real privilege to have spoken with him and gotten to know him a little bit. I thank God for people like Tom who inspire me, convict me, challenge me, and give me hope.

sunday's scuds (january 13, 2008)

Yesterday we kicked off a short, two-week series called Give It Up. Yes, it's about giving (tithing). It's always tricky to talk about tithing because so many people think that all churches do is ask for money. But the reality is that tithing is a biblical principle that must be addressed. Dwight did a masterful job of navigating a tricky subject matter. Here are the scuds:

• What you put first in your life really does matter to God.
• The blessing, power, and generosity of God wants to move in your life in unbelievable ways in 2008.
• When you and I are generous, it reflects God's character.
• Have you ever wondered, If there is a God, why are there so many starving people in the world? It's because God's people don't put first things first.
• Tithing isn't about giving. Tithing is about returning to God what already belongs to him.
• Keeping what belongs to God is stealing.
• If you will embrace the tithe principle, it will revolutionize your life.
• Do you know that worry is a curse? We worry because we don't trust God.
• I've learned that if I can trust God with my finances, I can trust God with everything.

Dwight gave a great illustration involving french fries. I thought it'd be better for you to watch it rather than trying to explain it:



Dwight closed by offering a 90-day money-back guarantee. He challenged us all to try tithing to God for 90 days and at the end of the 90 days if God has not blessed you, honored your giving, come through for you, then the church will give you back every dollar you gave. So what do you have to lose?

sunday's scuds (january 6, 2008)

Dwight's message was a stand-alone (not a part of a series). It was called Present Future. He talked about the mission and vision of NewPointe and it was scud-a-licious. Scuds were flyin' all over the place with several people taking a direct hit. Are you ready to read some of them? Here they are:

• What could God do through you if you were totally surrendered to him?
• What could God do through NewPointe if we were all completely surrendered to him?
• Why do you want to be healed? To pursue the American dream? To see your kids grow up? That's not a good enough reason.
• The reason we should ask God to heal us is so that we can fulfill our mission here on earth.
• Our mission? To lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.
• Jesus didn't wait for people to come to him...he went to them.
• The church has become so inward focused that we've forgotten what we're supposed to be doing.
• Why don't we have adult Sunday School at NewPointe? It's because you don't need to come and sit in yet another room and listen to yet another lesson. We're kicking you out to serve.
• 'Church shopper' says this: "We're looking for a church that meets our needs." Do you see how incredibly selfish that statement is?
• The church does not exist for you. We are the church and we exist for the benefit of those outside the church.
• If you don't want to be a part of a church that's growing and leading people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ then you have my permission to leave.
• Jesus Christ was never marginalized. You either loved him or hated him but you couldn't ignore him.
• Most people think 'going deep' means acquiring more knowledge. No...going deep means becoming more like Christ.

Dwight gave us three things that we can count on happening at NewPointe in 2008:

• We're going to break the rules
• We're going to believe God for the impossible
• We're going to redefine "deep"

He concluded by sharing some church wide goals that we've set for the next two years. By the end of 2008 we want to:

• average at least 3,000 in weekend attendance
• have at least 300 small groups
• see 1,500 people serving regularly each week
• send 500 people on work/mission teams
• help 1,000 people complete FPU and/or Crown
• Determine locations and start two satellite churches

Impossible? Yeah...apart from God.

sunday's scuds (christmas eve edition)

Christmas Eve was phenomenal. I hope you didn't miss the opening song. If you're late, you miss a lot. The worship set was powerful. Dwight's message was just what we need to hear (and put into practice) this time of year. The closing song was incredible. Hope you got to experience it all.

Dwight put the bow on the All I Want for Christmas package with a message on peace (All I want for Christmas is...Someone to Calm Me). Here are some of the scuds:

• Jesus Christ came to calm you down...so that you can have the peace of God, be at peace with God, and be at peace with each other.
• Jesus came not to ream you, but to redeem you.
• Jesus came not to scare you but to save you.
• Jesus consistently chose to identify with real people in real crises.
• Jesus lived out his live before humanity in one crisis after another crisis, after another.
• He didn't come to walk over us or walk on us, he came to walk with us.
• Jesus said, "In this world you will have trouble...but in me, you can have peace."
• Know what the world's idea of peace is? Everything has to be just right.
• Jesus says, "I want to give you a peace that will carry you through every crisis in your life.
• I wouldn't give you two cents for your peace...if it depends on your circumstances.

The keys to peace:

• Receive God's pardon (Romans 5:1)
• Trust God's purposes (Colossians 3:15)
• Understand God's perspective (Philippians 4:7)
• Focus on God's presence (Isaiah 26:3)
• Ask for God's peace

sunday's scuds (december 9, 2007)

We're continuing the All I Want for Christmas series. Week one covered Wonderful Counselor, this week, it was Mighty God. A Mighty God is a God who rescues us. What do you want for Christmas? Someone to rescue you? Here are the scuds:

• And we assume God views us through the lens of our performance or lack thereof.
• The Christmas story is this opposite of this approach.
• One word defines our relationship with God: Savior.
• If we can begin to view our relationship with God through the lens of, "He sent me a Savior to rescue me," it takes all the "ought-to's" out of your religion.
• If you can ever begin to embrace Jesus as Savior, it will transform your relationship with Him.
• For some of you, your whole Christian experience is the thought that Jesus is trying to interfere with your life (just leave me alone with the Jesus stuff...I am fine!).
• When you don't think you're in need of being rescued, the idea of a Savior is a big nuisance.
• God's approach to saving us often times reinforces our confusion about him because he's never going to barge in and just save the day. His strategy for saving you is patience, kindness, and tolerance...not threats and/or scare-tactics. (Romans 2:4).
• If you're here today and you're not sure about whether or not you need a Savior, let me just tell you, you need one.
• Not just heaven and hell...If you can't save yourself now, what are you going to do in eternity?

You don't need a Savior because you might die tonight. You need a Savior because you have to live tomorrow. --Rick Warren.

• When someone saves me...that person doesn't have to ask me follow them. They don't have to make me...or beg me...just name it...YOU SAVED ME! That's way different than, "Well, I guess I ought to..."
• Anything you're willing to lay at the feet of the Savior, He will save.
• The first step to embracing the message of Christmas is to acknowledge, "I need a Savior." And that acknowledgement is an invitation for God through His Son to begin rescuing, delivering, saving you.

Thanks, Dwight, for the opportunity to teach about one of my favorite subjects.

sunday's scuds (december 2, 2007)

Today we kicked of the Christmas series, All I Want for Christmas. So, what do you want for Christmas? What is the one thing that if you got it, you'd be happy? What's the one thing you need? Does what you want and what you need match up? One of the things we need for Christmas is godly advice. So God sent us a Wonderful Counselor, or an "Extra-ordinary Strategist." Here are the scuds:

• Isaiah prophesied an "extra-ordinary strategist" who would lead people out of their darkness.
• Most likely, we don't have a plan in place for how we're going to keep from screwing up our lives.
• When you're about to make a decision do you ask, "Is this right or wrong?" Paul says that shouldn't be our approach. We instead should ask, "What is the wise thing to do?"
• If you misappropriate your time, you misappropriate your life.
• What do I need for Christmas? Godly advice...because I'm not smart enough.
• A wise person is one who knows what is right and does what is right regardless of the cost.
• A fool is a person who knows what is right but chooses not to do it.
• There are all kinds of people around you who want to deceive you. Everyone has their own agenda. There's only one agenda worth pursing: God's agenda.
• Commit yourself to God's Word, commit yourself to a handful of people who can offer wise counsel, commit yourself to the leading of the Holy Spirit in your life.

sunday's scuds (november 25, 2007)

Dwight wrapped up the Confu$ed series today. In this series we've learned that it's easy to get confused financially. And we've learned that we can not be fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ and remain confused. Today's message was very practical, helpful and biblical. Here are the scuds:

• "One reason we become confused in our finances is because we don't have a financial plan."
• "Financial confusion affects every other area of your life."
• "At some point you have to allow Christ to get involved."
• "The reason Jesus talked so much about money is because he knows that money and your heart are linked together."

He who trusts in his own heart is a fool. But he who walks wisely will be delivered. (Proverbs 28:26)

• "If you and I will, in every decision we make, will ask, 'What is the wise thing to do?', you will avoid waking up and saying, 'How do I get out of this mess?'"
• "People who ask, 'What is the wise thing to do?' don't have to pray the prayer of deliverance. Their wise choices have already delivered them."
• "Why should we take our cues from our culture that doesn't want anything for you?--They just want stuff from you."
• Five steps that will bring financial clarity to your life:

1. Choose a percentage of your income to live on.
2. Plan and track your spending.
3. Get out of debt.
4. Work the plan.
5. Enjoy what you have.

• "Your financial peace is not determined on your income. It's determined by your spending."
• "I've never heard anybody say, 'I'm sorry we ever starting planning and tracking our spending.'"

sunday's scuds (november 11, 2007)

Dwight continued the Confu$ed series with a strong, practical message about getting out of debt. I kept thinking, Imagine what the people of God could do for the kingdom of God if they were debt-free. Anyway, here are the scuds:

• You cannot be a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ and be confused about your finances. (Dwight has begun every message in this series with this statement. That's because its the #1 scud of the series.)
• There is no excuse for being confused in the area of finances. We're talking about numbers. They're factual, concrete.
• Many of us here today would not be able to do what God asks us to do because we're not free (financially) to do it.
• If you don't pay back your debts you're wicked. God expects you to keep all your promises.

The wicked borrow and do not repay... Psalm 37:21

• Just because bankruptcy is legal does not make it moral.
• It takes character to get out of debt. How much character do you have?
• Some of us will NEVER get out of debt because we're too proud to admit we need help.
• You'll never get out of debt until you quit spending more than you're making.
• Proven fact: the more TV you watch, the more money you spend.

When your ways please the Lord, He will make your enemies into friends. Proverbs 16:7 (GN)