Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Stand up for Jesus!
Stand up for Jesus!
August 30, 2010
The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
--1 Corinthians 2:14
What do you think is the most often quoted verse of Scripture in our culture?
You might be tempted to say John 3:16, but I don't think that's the one. I believe the most popular verse is Matthew 7:1, which says, "Judge not, that you be not judged." This verse is frequently quoted by nonbelievers when people like you and I attempt to tell them where they are mistaken about spiritual things.
People say things like, "Who are you to judge me? Didn't Jesus say not to judge?"
You see, as followers of Jesus we face a natural resistance when we present the Gospel's perspective. And in today's devotional verse Paul explains why this happens. He tells us that spiritual things are foreign to the person who doesn't have a relationship with Christ. They lack discernment in this area.
So we shouldn't be surprised or hurt when we are reprimanded by unbelievers when we dare to show them where they are wrong. We still must dare to share the good news of the Gospel!
Don't let a reprimand cause you to lose your courage, rather stand up for Christ.
When you come across cultural, ethical, and moral debates, speak with conviction and with compassion on behalf of Christ and his Word!
DON'T LOSE YOUR COURAGE, RATHER STAND UP FOR CHRIST.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For more from PowerPoint Ministries and Dr. Jack Graham, please visit www.jackgraham.org
August 30, 2010
The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
--1 Corinthians 2:14
What do you think is the most often quoted verse of Scripture in our culture?
You might be tempted to say John 3:16, but I don't think that's the one. I believe the most popular verse is Matthew 7:1, which says, "Judge not, that you be not judged." This verse is frequently quoted by nonbelievers when people like you and I attempt to tell them where they are mistaken about spiritual things.
People say things like, "Who are you to judge me? Didn't Jesus say not to judge?"
You see, as followers of Jesus we face a natural resistance when we present the Gospel's perspective. And in today's devotional verse Paul explains why this happens. He tells us that spiritual things are foreign to the person who doesn't have a relationship with Christ. They lack discernment in this area.
So we shouldn't be surprised or hurt when we are reprimanded by unbelievers when we dare to show them where they are wrong. We still must dare to share the good news of the Gospel!
Don't let a reprimand cause you to lose your courage, rather stand up for Christ.
When you come across cultural, ethical, and moral debates, speak with conviction and with compassion on behalf of Christ and his Word!
DON'T LOSE YOUR COURAGE, RATHER STAND UP FOR CHRIST.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For more from PowerPoint Ministries and Dr. Jack Graham, please visit www.jackgraham.org
Thoughts on Why Everything Exists
John Piper
One of the main points of the forthcoming book, Spectacular Sins and Their Global Purpose in the Glory of Christ, is that sin and God's wrath against it were part of God's plan when he created the world. This is different from saying that God sins or that he approves of sinning.
The main reason for making this point is to exalt the revelation of God's grace in the crucifixion of Jesus to the highest place. This is the point of the universe—the glorification of the grace of God in the apex of its expression in the death of Jesus.
Jesus died for sin (1 Corinthians 15:3). The death of Jesus for sin was planned before the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8; Ephesians 1:4-6). Therefore, sin was part of the plan. God carries this plan through in a way that maintains full human accountability, full hatred for sin, full divine justice, and full saving love for all who trust Christ. And we don't need to know how he does it to believe it and rest in it and worship him for it.
This morning I was meditating for my devotions on Ezra 8 and 9. I saw there another pointer to the truth of God's planning for human sin and divine wrath.
In Ezra 8:22, Ezra says, "The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and his power and his wrath are against all who forsake him." This text leads me to ask: Did God know before creation that his creatures would "forsake him." Yes, he did. The plan for their redemption was in place before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:3-6).
Was Ezra 8:22 true before the foundation of the world? Yes, it was. God did not become holy and just after creation. He has always been holy and just. "His power and his wrath are against all who forsake him" because this is, and always has been, the holy and just thing for God to do.
Therefore, since God knew that his creatures would forsake him, he also knew that his power and wrath would be against them. Therefore, this was part of his plan. He created the world knowing that sin would happen and that he would respond as Ezra 8:22 says he does.
This planning is what Paul means in Romans 9:22 when he says that God was "desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power. . ." And if you ask Paul why God would go forward with this plan, his most ultimate answer is in the next verse: "in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy" (Romans 9:23).
God knew that the revelation of his wrath and power against sin would make the riches of his glory shine all the brighter and taste all the sweeter for the vessels of mercy.
"The riches of his glory" are the riches we inherit when we see his glory in all the fullness that we can bear (Ephesians 1:18) and are transformed by it (Romans 8:30; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 1 John 3:2). These riches of glory reach their supreme height of wonder and beauty in the death of Jesus as he bore the condemnation of God's wrath and power in our place (Romans 8:3; Galatians 3:13).
In other words, God's plan that there be sin and wrath in the universe was ultimately to bring about "the praise of the glory of his grace" in the death of Christ (Ephesians 1:6). What is at stake in the sovereignty of God over sin is the ultimate aim of the universe, namely, the exaltation of the Son of God in the greatest act of wrath-removing, sin-forgiving, justice-vindicating grace that ever was or ever could be. The praise of the glory of God's grace in the death of Christ for sinners is the ultimate end of all things.
Christ is the aim of all things. When Paul says, "All things were created . . . for him" (Colossians 1:16), he means that the entire universe and all the events in it serve to glorify Jesus Christ. May the meditations of our hearts take us ever deeper into this mystery. And may the words of our mouths and the actions of our hands serve to magnify the infinite worth of Jesus and his death. This is why we exist.
By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: www.desiringGod.org. Email: mail@desiringGod.org. Toll Free: 1.888.346.4700.
One of the main points of the forthcoming book, Spectacular Sins and Their Global Purpose in the Glory of Christ, is that sin and God's wrath against it were part of God's plan when he created the world. This is different from saying that God sins or that he approves of sinning.
The main reason for making this point is to exalt the revelation of God's grace in the crucifixion of Jesus to the highest place. This is the point of the universe—the glorification of the grace of God in the apex of its expression in the death of Jesus.
Jesus died for sin (1 Corinthians 15:3). The death of Jesus for sin was planned before the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8; Ephesians 1:4-6). Therefore, sin was part of the plan. God carries this plan through in a way that maintains full human accountability, full hatred for sin, full divine justice, and full saving love for all who trust Christ. And we don't need to know how he does it to believe it and rest in it and worship him for it.
This morning I was meditating for my devotions on Ezra 8 and 9. I saw there another pointer to the truth of God's planning for human sin and divine wrath.
In Ezra 8:22, Ezra says, "The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and his power and his wrath are against all who forsake him." This text leads me to ask: Did God know before creation that his creatures would "forsake him." Yes, he did. The plan for their redemption was in place before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:3-6).
Was Ezra 8:22 true before the foundation of the world? Yes, it was. God did not become holy and just after creation. He has always been holy and just. "His power and his wrath are against all who forsake him" because this is, and always has been, the holy and just thing for God to do.
Therefore, since God knew that his creatures would forsake him, he also knew that his power and wrath would be against them. Therefore, this was part of his plan. He created the world knowing that sin would happen and that he would respond as Ezra 8:22 says he does.
This planning is what Paul means in Romans 9:22 when he says that God was "desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power. . ." And if you ask Paul why God would go forward with this plan, his most ultimate answer is in the next verse: "in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy" (Romans 9:23).
God knew that the revelation of his wrath and power against sin would make the riches of his glory shine all the brighter and taste all the sweeter for the vessels of mercy.
"The riches of his glory" are the riches we inherit when we see his glory in all the fullness that we can bear (Ephesians 1:18) and are transformed by it (Romans 8:30; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 1 John 3:2). These riches of glory reach their supreme height of wonder and beauty in the death of Jesus as he bore the condemnation of God's wrath and power in our place (Romans 8:3; Galatians 3:13).
In other words, God's plan that there be sin and wrath in the universe was ultimately to bring about "the praise of the glory of his grace" in the death of Christ (Ephesians 1:6). What is at stake in the sovereignty of God over sin is the ultimate aim of the universe, namely, the exaltation of the Son of God in the greatest act of wrath-removing, sin-forgiving, justice-vindicating grace that ever was or ever could be. The praise of the glory of God's grace in the death of Christ for sinners is the ultimate end of all things.
Christ is the aim of all things. When Paul says, "All things were created . . . for him" (Colossians 1:16), he means that the entire universe and all the events in it serve to glorify Jesus Christ. May the meditations of our hearts take us ever deeper into this mystery. And may the words of our mouths and the actions of our hands serve to magnify the infinite worth of Jesus and his death. This is why we exist.
By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: www.desiringGod.org. Email: mail@desiringGod.org. Toll Free: 1.888.346.4700.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Interview: Teddy Robin
To say Teddy Robin is the godfather of Hong Kong rock’n’roll is an understatement. He was the pillar of western-influenced Hong Kong pop music from the ’60s to ’70s, with his popular band Teddy Robin & The Playboys. He became more blues-oriented in the ’80s and ’90s providing original scores for motion pictures such as Ringo Lam’s City on Fire and Eddie Fong’s Private Eye Blues. After an absence of 12 years, Teddy is now back with a vengeance, having written the score for Derek Kwok’s hit movies The Pye-Dog (which he also produced) and The Moss, as well as releasing a jazz-themed CD Teddy Goes to the Movies, produced with Ted Lo, Eugene Pao, Sylvain Gagnon, Donald Ashley and more.
Tell me about your new CD, Teddy Goes to the Movies.
Producers Clarence Chang and Sam Wong came up with the idea of a jazz album of my songs three years ago. When they first asked me I was quite reluctant, because I didn’t want to compete with the new generation. But I said I’d do it under one condition – if they can get all the best Hong Kong musicians to back me! As a result, not only did I get the best from Hong Kong, but also from the world. I got Lawrence Juber (Paul McCartney’s guitarist) to record on my album. I’ve been told the CD is doing quite well.
You are one of the pioneers of Hong Kong pop music as the lead vocalist of The Playboys. How did the name come about?
It was because our bassist David liked to read Playboy magazine, and the name sounded very rebellious. My other brother William joined the band and we became famous in 1967. In 1968, we added a keyboard player named Ricky Chan. We had a full band sound. In England, there was Cliff Richard & The Shadows. In Hong Kong, we had Teddy Robin & The Playboys. How cool is that?
In addition to being a musician, in the 1970s you also started producing and providing Hong Kong film scores after a stint touring the US. Why?
When I came back from the States, I didn’t want to make music my only profession. I wanted to make films. I had the feeling that I was on top but couldn’t stand the cold. I needed something to fall back on and live by. The reality is that you can’t be a young pop star all the time. So I pursued film from the angle of music. I became a movie producer and directed George Lam in the 1983 film All The Wrong Spies. In the film, I requested George to sing the theme song Several Verses of Love Songs with the concept of “man and music in one.” He did it. In my new CD, I recorded that song with a tango feel.
In 1981, you released the album This Is Love and the title track became a commercial success. Would you consider that the apex of your career?
Commercially, it was my peak. But artistically, I’d consider my 1984 album Man From Outer Sky the highlight of my career. That was the first concept album ever released in Hong Kong. At the time, I was really into science fiction and I stepped into the shoes of this ‘outsider’ in the Wesley’s Mysterious Files novels. I wrote the song from the perspective of an extra-terrestrial who never grows old looking at planet Earth. After I had travelled the world, I realised that all forms of discrimination still exist and there are still barriers among human beings. In essence, you can’t truly be a citizen of the world. This fits the Chinese proverb “Seven days in the mountains; 1,000 years on Earth.” The song was 21 minutes long and was considered unconventional back then. But the song has stood the test of time.
From the 1980s on, your work was becoming more blues-oriented. One can find your blues influence particularly in the song To Get Happy (Wasting Breath).
I love the blues. I was influenced by Eric Clapton, Cream, Jimi Hendrix and Santana. So I’m only half blues. I’m mainly a blues-rocker. I also was heavily influenced by Elvis and I later discovered BB King and Stevie Ray Vaughan. The song To Get Happy was intentionally written as a blues number under the request of director Ringo Lam. I wrote lyrics to two verses, and then Andrew Lam came in and finished the lyrics in a mere half-hour. Chow Yun-fat, the famous actor, also contributed to the last verse of the song. In 1994, I also did a blues score for the movie Private Eye Blues. The blues is a kind of music that has to be from the heart.
What’s your current musical direction?
I have several projects going on at the moment. I still play in the band The Red, which occasionally performs at the Fringe Club. I have formed a band with Albert Young, Wong Leung Sing, and Tang Chi Wo playing classic rock songs like the Eagles and Led Zeppelin. I am also brainstorming an all-instrumental album, playing songs by the Shadows and Ventures, and an unplugged album with half the songs in English and half in Chinese. At this juncture, I’m working with Tommy Wai (collectively called T2) on the film score of an upcoming Yip Lim-Sum movie starring the really beautiful Taiwanese actress Alice Tzeng.
Tell me about your new CD, Teddy Goes to the Movies.
Producers Clarence Chang and Sam Wong came up with the idea of a jazz album of my songs three years ago. When they first asked me I was quite reluctant, because I didn’t want to compete with the new generation. But I said I’d do it under one condition – if they can get all the best Hong Kong musicians to back me! As a result, not only did I get the best from Hong Kong, but also from the world. I got Lawrence Juber (Paul McCartney’s guitarist) to record on my album. I’ve been told the CD is doing quite well.
You are one of the pioneers of Hong Kong pop music as the lead vocalist of The Playboys. How did the name come about?
It was because our bassist David liked to read Playboy magazine, and the name sounded very rebellious. My other brother William joined the band and we became famous in 1967. In 1968, we added a keyboard player named Ricky Chan. We had a full band sound. In England, there was Cliff Richard & The Shadows. In Hong Kong, we had Teddy Robin & The Playboys. How cool is that?
In addition to being a musician, in the 1970s you also started producing and providing Hong Kong film scores after a stint touring the US. Why?
When I came back from the States, I didn’t want to make music my only profession. I wanted to make films. I had the feeling that I was on top but couldn’t stand the cold. I needed something to fall back on and live by. The reality is that you can’t be a young pop star all the time. So I pursued film from the angle of music. I became a movie producer and directed George Lam in the 1983 film All The Wrong Spies. In the film, I requested George to sing the theme song Several Verses of Love Songs with the concept of “man and music in one.” He did it. In my new CD, I recorded that song with a tango feel.
In 1981, you released the album This Is Love and the title track became a commercial success. Would you consider that the apex of your career?
Commercially, it was my peak. But artistically, I’d consider my 1984 album Man From Outer Sky the highlight of my career. That was the first concept album ever released in Hong Kong. At the time, I was really into science fiction and I stepped into the shoes of this ‘outsider’ in the Wesley’s Mysterious Files novels. I wrote the song from the perspective of an extra-terrestrial who never grows old looking at planet Earth. After I had travelled the world, I realised that all forms of discrimination still exist and there are still barriers among human beings. In essence, you can’t truly be a citizen of the world. This fits the Chinese proverb “Seven days in the mountains; 1,000 years on Earth.” The song was 21 minutes long and was considered unconventional back then. But the song has stood the test of time.
From the 1980s on, your work was becoming more blues-oriented. One can find your blues influence particularly in the song To Get Happy (Wasting Breath).
I love the blues. I was influenced by Eric Clapton, Cream, Jimi Hendrix and Santana. So I’m only half blues. I’m mainly a blues-rocker. I also was heavily influenced by Elvis and I later discovered BB King and Stevie Ray Vaughan. The song To Get Happy was intentionally written as a blues number under the request of director Ringo Lam. I wrote lyrics to two verses, and then Andrew Lam came in and finished the lyrics in a mere half-hour. Chow Yun-fat, the famous actor, also contributed to the last verse of the song. In 1994, I also did a blues score for the movie Private Eye Blues. The blues is a kind of music that has to be from the heart.
What’s your current musical direction?
I have several projects going on at the moment. I still play in the band The Red, which occasionally performs at the Fringe Club. I have formed a band with Albert Young, Wong Leung Sing, and Tang Chi Wo playing classic rock songs like the Eagles and Led Zeppelin. I am also brainstorming an all-instrumental album, playing songs by the Shadows and Ventures, and an unplugged album with half the songs in English and half in Chinese. At this juncture, I’m working with Tommy Wai (collectively called T2) on the film score of an upcoming Yip Lim-Sum movie starring the really beautiful Taiwanese actress Alice Tzeng.
Friday, August 27, 2010
In the Mud of Jabbok
by Max Lucado
He was the riverboat gambler of the patriarchs. A master of sleight of hand and fancy footwork. He had gained a seamy reputation of getting what he wanted by hook or crook—or both.
Twice he dealt hidden cards to his dull-witted brother Esau in order to climb the family tree. He once pulled the wool over the eyes of his own father, a trick especially dirty since his father's eyes were rather dim, and the wool he pulled insured him a gift he would never have received otherwise.
He later conned his father-in-law out of his best livestock and, when no one was looking, he took the kids and the cattle and skedaddled.
Yes, Jacob had a salty reputation, deservedly so. For him the ends always justified the means. His cleverness was outranked only by his audacity. His conscience was calloused just enough to let him sleep and his feet were just fast enough to keep him one step ahead of the consequences.
That is, until he reached a river called Jabbok. (Genesis 32) At Jabbok his own cunning caught up with him.
Jacob was camped near the river Jabbok when word reached him that big, hairy Esau was coming to see him. It had been twenty years since Jacob had tricked his brother. More than enough time, Jacob realized, for Esau to stir up a boiling pot of revenge. Jacob was in trouble. This time he had no more tricks up his sleeve. He was finally forced to face up to himself and to God.
To Jacob's credit, he didn't run away from the problem. One has to wonder why. Maybe he was sick of running. Or maybe he was tired of looking at the shady character he saw every morning in the mirror. Or maybe he simply knew that he'd dealt from the bottom of the deck one too many times. Whatever the motivation, it was enough to cause him to come out of the shadows, cross Jabbok Creek alone, and face the facts.
The word Jabbok in Hebrew means "wrestle," and wrestle is what Jacob did. He wrestled with his past: all the white lies, scheming, and scandalizing. He wrestled with his situation: a spider trapped in his own web of deceit and craftiness. But more than anything, he wrestled with God.
He wrestled with the same God who had descended the ladder at Bethel to assure Jacob he wasn't alone (although he deserved to be). He met the same God who had earlier guaranteed Jacob that he would never break his promise (though one could hardly fault God if he did). He confronted the same God who had reminded Jacob that the land prepared for him was still his. (Proof again that God blesses us in spite of our lives and not because of our lives.)
Jacob wrestled with God the entire night. On the banks of Jabbok he rolled in the mud of his mistakes. He met God face to face, sick of his past and in desperate need of a fresh start. And because Jacob wanted it so badly, God honored his determination. God gave him a new name and a new promise. But he also gave a wrenched hip as a reminder of that mysterious night at the river.
Jacob wasn't the only man in the Bible to wrestle with self and God because of past antics. David did after his rendezvous with Bathsheba. Samson wrestled, blind and bald after Delilah's seduction. Elijah was at his own Jabbok when he heard the "still, small voice." Peter wrestled with his guilt with echoes of a crowing cock still ringing in his ears.
And I imagine that most of us have spent some time on the river banks as well. Our scandalous deeds have a way of finding us. Want some examples? Consider these scenes.
The unfaithful husband standing at the table with a note from his wife in his hands, "I couldn't take it anymore. I've taken the kids with me."
The twenty-year-old single in the doctor's office. The words are still fresh on her mind, "The test was positive. You are pregnant."
The businessman squirming in the IRS office. "Your audit shows that you took some loopholes that weren't yours to take."
The red-faced student who got caught red-handed copying the test answers of someone else. "We'll have to notify your parents."
All of us at one time or another come face to face with our past. And it's always an awkward encounter. When our sins catch up with us we can do one of two things: run or wrestle.
Many choose to run. They brush it off with a shrug of rationalization. "I was a victim of circumstances." Or, "It was his fault." Or, "There are many who do worse things." The problem with this escape is that it's no escape at all. It's only a shallow camouflage. No matter how many layers of make-up you put over a black eye, underneath it is still black. And down deep it still hurts.
Jacob finally figured that out. As a result, his example is one worthy of imitation. The best way to deal with our past is to hitch up our pants, roll up our sleeves, and face it head on. No more buck-passing or scapegoating. No more glossing over or covering up. No more games. We need a confrontation with our Master.
We too should cross the creek alone and struggle with God over ourselves. We too should stand eyeball to eyeball with him and be reminded that left alone we fail. We too should unmask our stained hearts and grimy souls and be honest with the One who knows our most secret sins.
The result could be refreshing. We know it was for Jacob. After his encounter with God, Jacob was a new man. He crossed the river in the dawn of a new day and faced Esau with newly found courage.
Each step he took, however, was a painful one. His stiff hip was a reminder of the lesson he had learned at Jabbok: Shady dealings bring pain. Mark it down: Play today and tomorrow you'll pay.
And for you who wonder if you've played too long to change, take courage from Jacob's legacy. No man is too bad for God. To transform a riverboat gambler into a man of faith would be no easy task. But for God, it was all in a night's work.
From God Came Near: Chronicles of the Christ
Copyright (Thomas Nelson, 1985, 2004) Max Lucado
He was the riverboat gambler of the patriarchs. A master of sleight of hand and fancy footwork. He had gained a seamy reputation of getting what he wanted by hook or crook—or both.
Twice he dealt hidden cards to his dull-witted brother Esau in order to climb the family tree. He once pulled the wool over the eyes of his own father, a trick especially dirty since his father's eyes were rather dim, and the wool he pulled insured him a gift he would never have received otherwise.
He later conned his father-in-law out of his best livestock and, when no one was looking, he took the kids and the cattle and skedaddled.
Yes, Jacob had a salty reputation, deservedly so. For him the ends always justified the means. His cleverness was outranked only by his audacity. His conscience was calloused just enough to let him sleep and his feet were just fast enough to keep him one step ahead of the consequences.
That is, until he reached a river called Jabbok. (Genesis 32) At Jabbok his own cunning caught up with him.
Jacob was camped near the river Jabbok when word reached him that big, hairy Esau was coming to see him. It had been twenty years since Jacob had tricked his brother. More than enough time, Jacob realized, for Esau to stir up a boiling pot of revenge. Jacob was in trouble. This time he had no more tricks up his sleeve. He was finally forced to face up to himself and to God.
To Jacob's credit, he didn't run away from the problem. One has to wonder why. Maybe he was sick of running. Or maybe he was tired of looking at the shady character he saw every morning in the mirror. Or maybe he simply knew that he'd dealt from the bottom of the deck one too many times. Whatever the motivation, it was enough to cause him to come out of the shadows, cross Jabbok Creek alone, and face the facts.
The word Jabbok in Hebrew means "wrestle," and wrestle is what Jacob did. He wrestled with his past: all the white lies, scheming, and scandalizing. He wrestled with his situation: a spider trapped in his own web of deceit and craftiness. But more than anything, he wrestled with God.
He wrestled with the same God who had descended the ladder at Bethel to assure Jacob he wasn't alone (although he deserved to be). He met the same God who had earlier guaranteed Jacob that he would never break his promise (though one could hardly fault God if he did). He confronted the same God who had reminded Jacob that the land prepared for him was still his. (Proof again that God blesses us in spite of our lives and not because of our lives.)
Jacob wrestled with God the entire night. On the banks of Jabbok he rolled in the mud of his mistakes. He met God face to face, sick of his past and in desperate need of a fresh start. And because Jacob wanted it so badly, God honored his determination. God gave him a new name and a new promise. But he also gave a wrenched hip as a reminder of that mysterious night at the river.
Jacob wasn't the only man in the Bible to wrestle with self and God because of past antics. David did after his rendezvous with Bathsheba. Samson wrestled, blind and bald after Delilah's seduction. Elijah was at his own Jabbok when he heard the "still, small voice." Peter wrestled with his guilt with echoes of a crowing cock still ringing in his ears.
And I imagine that most of us have spent some time on the river banks as well. Our scandalous deeds have a way of finding us. Want some examples? Consider these scenes.
The unfaithful husband standing at the table with a note from his wife in his hands, "I couldn't take it anymore. I've taken the kids with me."
The twenty-year-old single in the doctor's office. The words are still fresh on her mind, "The test was positive. You are pregnant."
The businessman squirming in the IRS office. "Your audit shows that you took some loopholes that weren't yours to take."
The red-faced student who got caught red-handed copying the test answers of someone else. "We'll have to notify your parents."
All of us at one time or another come face to face with our past. And it's always an awkward encounter. When our sins catch up with us we can do one of two things: run or wrestle.
Many choose to run. They brush it off with a shrug of rationalization. "I was a victim of circumstances." Or, "It was his fault." Or, "There are many who do worse things." The problem with this escape is that it's no escape at all. It's only a shallow camouflage. No matter how many layers of make-up you put over a black eye, underneath it is still black. And down deep it still hurts.
Jacob finally figured that out. As a result, his example is one worthy of imitation. The best way to deal with our past is to hitch up our pants, roll up our sleeves, and face it head on. No more buck-passing or scapegoating. No more glossing over or covering up. No more games. We need a confrontation with our Master.
We too should cross the creek alone and struggle with God over ourselves. We too should stand eyeball to eyeball with him and be reminded that left alone we fail. We too should unmask our stained hearts and grimy souls and be honest with the One who knows our most secret sins.
The result could be refreshing. We know it was for Jacob. After his encounter with God, Jacob was a new man. He crossed the river in the dawn of a new day and faced Esau with newly found courage.
Each step he took, however, was a painful one. His stiff hip was a reminder of the lesson he had learned at Jabbok: Shady dealings bring pain. Mark it down: Play today and tomorrow you'll pay.
And for you who wonder if you've played too long to change, take courage from Jacob's legacy. No man is too bad for God. To transform a riverboat gambler into a man of faith would be no easy task. But for God, it was all in a night's work.
From God Came Near: Chronicles of the Christ
Copyright (Thomas Nelson, 1985, 2004) Max Lucado
Ten Principles to bless your marriage
August 27, 2010
Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.
--1 Peter 4:8
I want to share some personal and practical words with you on how to keep your marriage together when the whole world is trying to tear it apart. These are principles that my wife Deb and I have lived by for forty years. I hope they'll bless your marriage, as well.
1. Build a strong spiritual foundation for your marriage. Without Christ, marriage is at best 50-50. Build your foundation upon Christ Jesus and you will stay together.
2. Build some protective boundaries around your home and around your marriage.
3. Build a friendship in your marriage. You may be tempted to divorce a wife or husband, but it's almost impossible to divorce your best friend.
4. Assume personal responsibility for your marriage. Don't expect the other person to do all the work on your marriage. Both of you should work 100 percent.
5. Be honest and transparent with one another.
6. Resolve conflict immediately. If you don't deal with conflict immediately, it grows into bitterness. Don't be afraid to get counseling.
7. Act in kindness towards one another all of your life.
8. Seek accountability, starting with one another.
9. Minimize the weaknesses and maximize the strengths of your mate.
10. Laugh together. Make sure there's laughter in the walls of your home. Make memories to enjoy forever.
If you want your love to last a lifetime, stay strong in Christ. Work through your challenges, and commit your marriage to his glory!
BUILD YOUR FOUNDATION UPON CHRIST JESUS AND YOU WILL STAY TOGETHER.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For more from PowerPoint Ministries and Dr. Jack Graham, please visit www.jackgraham.org
Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.
--1 Peter 4:8
I want to share some personal and practical words with you on how to keep your marriage together when the whole world is trying to tear it apart. These are principles that my wife Deb and I have lived by for forty years. I hope they'll bless your marriage, as well.
1. Build a strong spiritual foundation for your marriage. Without Christ, marriage is at best 50-50. Build your foundation upon Christ Jesus and you will stay together.
2. Build some protective boundaries around your home and around your marriage.
3. Build a friendship in your marriage. You may be tempted to divorce a wife or husband, but it's almost impossible to divorce your best friend.
4. Assume personal responsibility for your marriage. Don't expect the other person to do all the work on your marriage. Both of you should work 100 percent.
5. Be honest and transparent with one another.
6. Resolve conflict immediately. If you don't deal with conflict immediately, it grows into bitterness. Don't be afraid to get counseling.
7. Act in kindness towards one another all of your life.
8. Seek accountability, starting with one another.
9. Minimize the weaknesses and maximize the strengths of your mate.
10. Laugh together. Make sure there's laughter in the walls of your home. Make memories to enjoy forever.
If you want your love to last a lifetime, stay strong in Christ. Work through your challenges, and commit your marriage to his glory!
BUILD YOUR FOUNDATION UPON CHRIST JESUS AND YOU WILL STAY TOGETHER.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For more from PowerPoint Ministries and Dr. Jack Graham, please visit www.jackgraham.org
FROM CHAOS TO COURAGE
By Janice Dorn, M.D., Ph.D.
http:// www.thetradingdoctor.com
Through the fire, to the limit, to the wall
For the chance to be with you, I’d rather risk it all
Through the fire
Through whatever come what may
I’ll take it all the way
Right down to the wire
Even through the fire….….
From “Through The Fire” sung by Chaka Kahn
These are challenging times. Many in the world are suffering untold pain. You hear daily horror stories about human corruption, greed and inhumanity. They seem far away, perhaps in distant lands or cities you can barely pronounce. You watch and read—glued to the TV or internet images that drive repeatedly into the core of your rat brain with images of violence, riots, murders and what bleeds leads. You are transfixed, captivated or shocked by the stories. How hideous. Those poor people…I want to see more. Something happened somewhere to someone but it wasn’t you. You are OK. You have your life, plans, dreams and watch like a distant observer, never thinking that perhaps one of those poor people could be you or someone you love.
Life is fragile. Chaos can occur at anytime, anywhere. You won’t have to look for it because it will find you. The wilderness is a metaphor for losing ground, finding yourself stranded, lost, afloat, abandoned betrayed, homeless, losing at trading, just struggling to get by. The wilderness is lurking a heartbeat away. One moment you are walking a beautiful fragrant path gazing at the azure sky and the glorious sun. The next moment you are in a barren desert—shaken, disoriented, lost and alone. The sunshine of your life has smashed to the ground like shards of a precious porcelain vase shattered into hundreds of pieces.
How do you navigate through a situation that seems unbearable? How do you cope with loss, illness, and suffering? How can you endure when your back and spirit are breaking and your hopes and dreams are a distant memory?
You have been sleepwalking into the future, shackled by linear thinking--- and now you are lost. It is time to wake up. It is time to grow up. These are no longer luxuries that you can postpone for the future. The reality is that you must wake up now.
You must awaken to the hard cold reality that you don’t need any more pain, suffering, anxiety, depression, anger, and self-loathing. There is plenty of that going around these days. You need a new way of being in and walking through the world. But how? How do you find the strength to endure bitterness, anger, despair, loss, rejection and isolation? Your natural tendency is to push it away, pretend it isn’t there, distract yourself, and indulge in escapism or addiction. Or you can turn your feelings outward—blaming others, looking for scapegoats or even go further inward and tell yourself that you really deserved this because you did something bad. The messages you received as a child--that you would never amount to anything or never be good enough--- come pouring through you. You are worthless, you can’t do anything right and you deserve to suffer. At some perverse level, you revel in this because it feeds and reinforces everything you have always believed about yourself---that no matter how hard you try, how nice you are, what good things you do…it is never enough and you cannot get it right.
There are three steps to work with and through chaos. The first is to move closer to it. Invite it in. Look at it, and be with it. Like the giant insect in the Orkin commercial who comes to your door asking in a creepy voice to come in because its car broke down and it just loves your wooden floors. Don’t close the door and run screaming to the Orkin man. Invite it in. Sit with it. Make friends with it. Soon you will find that all the monsters are in your mind. Everything is in your mind. This is your pain. This is coming from you—not from someone or something out there. Once you wake up and grow up, you will face your pain from a point of compassion and wisdom. You will stop struggling and trying to run away and learn to be with whatever it is. You have taken the first step in dealing with chaos. No more struggling. This is acceptance of reality—no matter what it is. It is yours. Make friends with your suffering. Make friends with your trading and living mistakes as they are your greatest teachers. Manifest wisdom and compassion, and integrate them into your being. Show loving kindness to yourself and others.
The second step is to treat as medicine all people, places and things that your mind tells you are causing the suffering and sickness. Allow them to be just what the doctor ordered to wake you up, energize you and heal your pain. Understand that you are not the only one going through this. Take in this medicine, feel it working inside of you and healing you. Then, take that healing energy and give it back to the world. In this way, you medicate yourself with wisdom and compassion. No matter what you were told, you are good enough and there is nothing wrong with you. Feel how this feels, let it circulate through your body, energizing, renewing and restoring the 50 trillion cells of your being. Then, you take this and send it out to the world. It seems a small act, but small acts are important. Every time you reach out with compassion and love, it comes back to you. It all begins and ends with you. Use what you thought was poison as medicine---for you, those around you and eventually to the world. Hold yourself and everyone who meet in a position of unconditional positive regard. You will find that the more you give the more you will receive in kind. Ghandi said “Be the change you want to see in the world.” It begins with you. You don't have to be loud. You don't have to be eloquent. You don't have to be elected. You don't even have to be particularly smart or well educated. You must, however, have the courage to commit to this.
The third step is to view everything that happens as an opportunity. In everything there is a gift! There’s a pony in there somewhere. No matter what it is, it’s chance for you to get over yourself and to bring flowers to yourself instead of waiting for someone else to do it for you. This is awakened energy. It reverses your ingrained and learned habits of trying to avoid conflict, wearing masks to make yourself something you are not, working yourself to exhaustion, giving until you are a drained battery and wondering why you feel hungry, angry , lonely, tired and empty. Of course, you are going to feel anxious, overwhelmed, have cardiac palpitations, break out in rashes and maybe get really sick or die from being stuck in a “shoulda, woulda coulda” mentality. The elemental struggle is with your feelings that you are wrong, that you can’t do something right, that if you were smarter or better or more perfect or worked harder or paid more attention, you could have fixed it. For too many years now, you have made bedfellows with guilt, shame and regret, allowing them to be false voices telling you how bad you really are.
There is nothing wrong with you; there is nothing to be embarrassed about. It is what it is. You are who you are. That is life. That is the manifestation of wisdom. And wisdom is the foundation of freedom. Whether you accept this freedom as heaven or as hell depends on you.
It’s time to get over yourself completely. Lighten up, play more, enjoy the gift of every breath and relax into it exactly how it is. Every moment in life and the markets is unique. This moment is your perfect teacher, you are always in it and it is always with you.
Where you are, the world is. Without your transformation, there can be no transformation of the world…J. Krishnamurti
Janice Dorn, M.D., Ph.D.
Text Copyright: 2010, Janice Dorn, M.D., Ph.D. All rights reserved.
http:// www.thetradingdoctor.com
Through the fire, to the limit, to the wall
For the chance to be with you, I’d rather risk it all
Through the fire
Through whatever come what may
I’ll take it all the way
Right down to the wire
Even through the fire….….
From “Through The Fire” sung by Chaka Kahn
These are challenging times. Many in the world are suffering untold pain. You hear daily horror stories about human corruption, greed and inhumanity. They seem far away, perhaps in distant lands or cities you can barely pronounce. You watch and read—glued to the TV or internet images that drive repeatedly into the core of your rat brain with images of violence, riots, murders and what bleeds leads. You are transfixed, captivated or shocked by the stories. How hideous. Those poor people…I want to see more. Something happened somewhere to someone but it wasn’t you. You are OK. You have your life, plans, dreams and watch like a distant observer, never thinking that perhaps one of those poor people could be you or someone you love.
Life is fragile. Chaos can occur at anytime, anywhere. You won’t have to look for it because it will find you. The wilderness is a metaphor for losing ground, finding yourself stranded, lost, afloat, abandoned betrayed, homeless, losing at trading, just struggling to get by. The wilderness is lurking a heartbeat away. One moment you are walking a beautiful fragrant path gazing at the azure sky and the glorious sun. The next moment you are in a barren desert—shaken, disoriented, lost and alone. The sunshine of your life has smashed to the ground like shards of a precious porcelain vase shattered into hundreds of pieces.
How do you navigate through a situation that seems unbearable? How do you cope with loss, illness, and suffering? How can you endure when your back and spirit are breaking and your hopes and dreams are a distant memory?
You have been sleepwalking into the future, shackled by linear thinking--- and now you are lost. It is time to wake up. It is time to grow up. These are no longer luxuries that you can postpone for the future. The reality is that you must wake up now.
You must awaken to the hard cold reality that you don’t need any more pain, suffering, anxiety, depression, anger, and self-loathing. There is plenty of that going around these days. You need a new way of being in and walking through the world. But how? How do you find the strength to endure bitterness, anger, despair, loss, rejection and isolation? Your natural tendency is to push it away, pretend it isn’t there, distract yourself, and indulge in escapism or addiction. Or you can turn your feelings outward—blaming others, looking for scapegoats or even go further inward and tell yourself that you really deserved this because you did something bad. The messages you received as a child--that you would never amount to anything or never be good enough--- come pouring through you. You are worthless, you can’t do anything right and you deserve to suffer. At some perverse level, you revel in this because it feeds and reinforces everything you have always believed about yourself---that no matter how hard you try, how nice you are, what good things you do…it is never enough and you cannot get it right.
There are three steps to work with and through chaos. The first is to move closer to it. Invite it in. Look at it, and be with it. Like the giant insect in the Orkin commercial who comes to your door asking in a creepy voice to come in because its car broke down and it just loves your wooden floors. Don’t close the door and run screaming to the Orkin man. Invite it in. Sit with it. Make friends with it. Soon you will find that all the monsters are in your mind. Everything is in your mind. This is your pain. This is coming from you—not from someone or something out there. Once you wake up and grow up, you will face your pain from a point of compassion and wisdom. You will stop struggling and trying to run away and learn to be with whatever it is. You have taken the first step in dealing with chaos. No more struggling. This is acceptance of reality—no matter what it is. It is yours. Make friends with your suffering. Make friends with your trading and living mistakes as they are your greatest teachers. Manifest wisdom and compassion, and integrate them into your being. Show loving kindness to yourself and others.
The second step is to treat as medicine all people, places and things that your mind tells you are causing the suffering and sickness. Allow them to be just what the doctor ordered to wake you up, energize you and heal your pain. Understand that you are not the only one going through this. Take in this medicine, feel it working inside of you and healing you. Then, take that healing energy and give it back to the world. In this way, you medicate yourself with wisdom and compassion. No matter what you were told, you are good enough and there is nothing wrong with you. Feel how this feels, let it circulate through your body, energizing, renewing and restoring the 50 trillion cells of your being. Then, you take this and send it out to the world. It seems a small act, but small acts are important. Every time you reach out with compassion and love, it comes back to you. It all begins and ends with you. Use what you thought was poison as medicine---for you, those around you and eventually to the world. Hold yourself and everyone who meet in a position of unconditional positive regard. You will find that the more you give the more you will receive in kind. Ghandi said “Be the change you want to see in the world.” It begins with you. You don't have to be loud. You don't have to be eloquent. You don't have to be elected. You don't even have to be particularly smart or well educated. You must, however, have the courage to commit to this.
The third step is to view everything that happens as an opportunity. In everything there is a gift! There’s a pony in there somewhere. No matter what it is, it’s chance for you to get over yourself and to bring flowers to yourself instead of waiting for someone else to do it for you. This is awakened energy. It reverses your ingrained and learned habits of trying to avoid conflict, wearing masks to make yourself something you are not, working yourself to exhaustion, giving until you are a drained battery and wondering why you feel hungry, angry , lonely, tired and empty. Of course, you are going to feel anxious, overwhelmed, have cardiac palpitations, break out in rashes and maybe get really sick or die from being stuck in a “shoulda, woulda coulda” mentality. The elemental struggle is with your feelings that you are wrong, that you can’t do something right, that if you were smarter or better or more perfect or worked harder or paid more attention, you could have fixed it. For too many years now, you have made bedfellows with guilt, shame and regret, allowing them to be false voices telling you how bad you really are.
There is nothing wrong with you; there is nothing to be embarrassed about. It is what it is. You are who you are. That is life. That is the manifestation of wisdom. And wisdom is the foundation of freedom. Whether you accept this freedom as heaven or as hell depends on you.
It’s time to get over yourself completely. Lighten up, play more, enjoy the gift of every breath and relax into it exactly how it is. Every moment in life and the markets is unique. This moment is your perfect teacher, you are always in it and it is always with you.
Where you are, the world is. Without your transformation, there can be no transformation of the world…J. Krishnamurti
Janice Dorn, M.D., Ph.D.
Text Copyright: 2010, Janice Dorn, M.D., Ph.D. All rights reserved.
Resipi Chef Wan
BISKUT LEMON RASBERI BAHAN-BAHAN: * 210g (7 1/2 auns) tepung gandum serbaguna * 150g (5 1/3 auns) mentega tanpa garam * 70g (2 1/2 auns) gula halus (castor) * secubit garam * parutan kulit 1 1/2 biji lemon * 2 sudu besar jus lemon * 2 biji kuning telur * 50g (1 2/3 auns) badam kisar * 1 sudu teh madu, dicampur dengan 1/2 cawan jem raspberi * sedikit kuning telur, dipukul untuk mengglis CARA: 1. Dengan mesin pemproses makanan, pukul tepung, mentega, gula, garam, parutan kulit dan jus lemon, kuning telur dan badam sehingga menjadi doh. Dinginkan di dalam peti sejuk selama beberapa jam. 2. Bentukkan doh menjadi bebola saiz guli. Leperkan sedikit setiap bebola dengan garpu basah dan tekan sedikit untuk membuat lekukan di tengah- tengah setiap biskut. 3. Sudukan campuran madu dan jem raspberi ke dalam setiap lekukan. Sapu tepi biskut dengan kuning telur. Bakar selama 8 hingga 10 minit di dalam ketuhar yang dipanaskan terlebih dahulu pada suhu 170C (340F) sehingga warnanya kuning keemasan.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
U.S. millionaire index turns sharply bearish
.
On Wednesday August 25, 2010, 8:14 am EDT
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Spectrem millionaire investor confidence index fell to its lowest level in more than a year in August as wealthy U.S. investors worried about politics and unemployment, according to Spectrem Group.
The Spectrem Millionaire Investor Confidence Index fell 11 points in August to -18, its lowest level since June 2009, when it fell a record 18 points to -20 shortly after the S&P 500 index hit a 12-year low.
The move returns the index to mildly bearish territory after 12 straight months in neutral.
The Chicago-based consulting firm, which specializes in affluent and retirement markets, defines neutral as between -10 and +10 in the index, which ranges from -100 to +100.
"The millionaires' decline is particularly troubling since it suggests millionaires, typically more sophisticated than the broader affluent population, are reverting to a bearish frame of mind," said George Walper, president of Spectrem Group.
At the same time, the Spectrem Affluent Investor Confidence Index, which measures the outlook of households with $500,000 or more in investable assets, fell 4 points in August to -20, its third-straight monthly decline.
In response to an open-ended question about the factors most affecting their economic outlook, 18 percent of affluent investors cited the political environment, up from 13 percent last month, while 16 percent cited unemployment, up from 6 percent.
U.S. mid-term elections are coming up in November. Many affluent investors are worried that Bush-era tax breaks for investors will be allowed to expire at the end of the year, significantly increasing dividends tax.
Millionaires were more focused on the political environment, with 25 percent of respondents citing that, but less focused on unemployment, with 13 percent citing the labor market.
On Wednesday August 25, 2010, 8:14 am EDT
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Spectrem millionaire investor confidence index fell to its lowest level in more than a year in August as wealthy U.S. investors worried about politics and unemployment, according to Spectrem Group.
The Spectrem Millionaire Investor Confidence Index fell 11 points in August to -18, its lowest level since June 2009, when it fell a record 18 points to -20 shortly after the S&P 500 index hit a 12-year low.
The move returns the index to mildly bearish territory after 12 straight months in neutral.
The Chicago-based consulting firm, which specializes in affluent and retirement markets, defines neutral as between -10 and +10 in the index, which ranges from -100 to +100.
"The millionaires' decline is particularly troubling since it suggests millionaires, typically more sophisticated than the broader affluent population, are reverting to a bearish frame of mind," said George Walper, president of Spectrem Group.
At the same time, the Spectrem Affluent Investor Confidence Index, which measures the outlook of households with $500,000 or more in investable assets, fell 4 points in August to -20, its third-straight monthly decline.
In response to an open-ended question about the factors most affecting their economic outlook, 18 percent of affluent investors cited the political environment, up from 13 percent last month, while 16 percent cited unemployment, up from 6 percent.
U.S. mid-term elections are coming up in November. Many affluent investors are worried that Bush-era tax breaks for investors will be allowed to expire at the end of the year, significantly increasing dividends tax.
Millionaires were more focused on the political environment, with 25 percent of respondents citing that, but less focused on unemployment, with 13 percent citing the labor market.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
3 Reasons Now is Not the Time to Speculate in Stocks
By Susan C. Walker
Fri, 20 Aug 2010 14:15:00 ET Email | Print | RSS | My Updates Bookmark and share It!
When it's sunny, you head outside without a thought, but when it's rainy, you look for your umbrella. When the markets are trending up, you don't worry about your investments much, but when the markets turn bearish ... what do you do?
In an interview with Jeff Sommer of The New York Times in July 2010, Robert Prechter said that he is convinced that a "market decline of staggering proportions" is on its way, and that individual investors should get out of the market and into cash and cash equivalents, such as Treasury bills. "I'm saying: 'Winter is coming. Buy a coat,'" Prechter said. "Other people are advising people to stay naked. If I'm wrong, you're not hurt. If they're wrong, you're dead. It's pretty benign advice to opt for safety for a while."
For more specific advice as to why now is not the right time to speculate in stocks, here's an excerpt from Prechter's business best-selling book, Conquer the Crash: You Can Survive and Prosper in a Deflationary Depression.
* * * * *
Excerpted from Chapter 20 of Conquer the Crash, You Can Survive and Prosper in a Deflationary Depression, 2nd edition 2009, by Robert R. Prechter, Jr.
Should You Speculate in Stocks?
Perhaps the number one precaution to take at the start of a deflationary crash is to make sure that your investment capital is not invested “long” in stocks, stock mutual funds, stock index futures, stock options or any other equity-based investment or speculation. That advice alone should be worth the time you spent to read this book.
1. Stocks May Go to Near Zero
In 2000 and 2001, countless Internet stocks fell from $50 or $100 a share to near zero in a matter of months. In 2001, Enron went from $85 to pennies a share in less than a year. These are the early casualties of debt, leverage and incautious speculation. Countless investors, including the managers of insurance companies, pension funds and mutual funds, express great confidence that their “diverse holdings” will keep major portfolio risk at bay. Aside from piles of questionable debt, what are those diverse holdings? Stocks, stocks and more stocks. Despite current optimism that the bull market is back, there will be many more casualties to come when stock prices turn back down again.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Want more good advice? Then read what Timer Digest wrote in its July 12, 2010, issue about The Elliott Wave Financial Forecast: "For subscribers of The Elliott Wave Financial Forecast, a monthly financial letter co-edited by Steven Hochberg and Peter Kendall, it has been a highly successful period." That period covers the past 10 years when the S&P 500 has lost value, returning -19% since 2000. Try a 30-day risk-free subscription to The Elliott Wave Financial Forecast Service now.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Stock Mutual Funds Will Fall, Too
Not only will many stocks fall 90 to 100 percent, but so will a substantial number of stock mutual funds, which cannot exit large equity positions without depressing prices and which have the added burden to you of one percent (or more) annual management fees. The good news is that we will finally find out who the few truly good fund managers are and which ones were heroes by virtue of being around for a bull market.
3. The Fed Won't Be Able To Save the Stock Market
Don’t presume that the Fed will rescue the stock market, either. In theory, the Fed could declare a support price for certain stocks, but which ones? And how much money would it commit to buying them? If the Fed were actually to buy equities or stock-index futures, the temporary result might be a brief rally, but the ultimate result would be a collapse in the value of the Fed’s own assets when the market turned back down, making the Fed look foolish and compromising its primary goals, as cited in Chapter 13. It wouldn’t want to keep repeating that experience. The bankers’ pools of 1929 gave up on this strategy, and so will the Fed if it tries it.
Fri, 20 Aug 2010 14:15:00 ET Email | Print | RSS | My Updates Bookmark and share It!
When it's sunny, you head outside without a thought, but when it's rainy, you look for your umbrella. When the markets are trending up, you don't worry about your investments much, but when the markets turn bearish ... what do you do?
In an interview with Jeff Sommer of The New York Times in July 2010, Robert Prechter said that he is convinced that a "market decline of staggering proportions" is on its way, and that individual investors should get out of the market and into cash and cash equivalents, such as Treasury bills. "I'm saying: 'Winter is coming. Buy a coat,'" Prechter said. "Other people are advising people to stay naked. If I'm wrong, you're not hurt. If they're wrong, you're dead. It's pretty benign advice to opt for safety for a while."
For more specific advice as to why now is not the right time to speculate in stocks, here's an excerpt from Prechter's business best-selling book, Conquer the Crash: You Can Survive and Prosper in a Deflationary Depression.
* * * * *
Excerpted from Chapter 20 of Conquer the Crash, You Can Survive and Prosper in a Deflationary Depression, 2nd edition 2009, by Robert R. Prechter, Jr.
Should You Speculate in Stocks?
Perhaps the number one precaution to take at the start of a deflationary crash is to make sure that your investment capital is not invested “long” in stocks, stock mutual funds, stock index futures, stock options or any other equity-based investment or speculation. That advice alone should be worth the time you spent to read this book.
1. Stocks May Go to Near Zero
In 2000 and 2001, countless Internet stocks fell from $50 or $100 a share to near zero in a matter of months. In 2001, Enron went from $85 to pennies a share in less than a year. These are the early casualties of debt, leverage and incautious speculation. Countless investors, including the managers of insurance companies, pension funds and mutual funds, express great confidence that their “diverse holdings” will keep major portfolio risk at bay. Aside from piles of questionable debt, what are those diverse holdings? Stocks, stocks and more stocks. Despite current optimism that the bull market is back, there will be many more casualties to come when stock prices turn back down again.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Want more good advice? Then read what Timer Digest wrote in its July 12, 2010, issue about The Elliott Wave Financial Forecast: "For subscribers of The Elliott Wave Financial Forecast, a monthly financial letter co-edited by Steven Hochberg and Peter Kendall, it has been a highly successful period." That period covers the past 10 years when the S&P 500 has lost value, returning -19% since 2000. Try a 30-day risk-free subscription to The Elliott Wave Financial Forecast Service now.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Stock Mutual Funds Will Fall, Too
Not only will many stocks fall 90 to 100 percent, but so will a substantial number of stock mutual funds, which cannot exit large equity positions without depressing prices and which have the added burden to you of one percent (or more) annual management fees. The good news is that we will finally find out who the few truly good fund managers are and which ones were heroes by virtue of being around for a bull market.
3. The Fed Won't Be Able To Save the Stock Market
Don’t presume that the Fed will rescue the stock market, either. In theory, the Fed could declare a support price for certain stocks, but which ones? And how much money would it commit to buying them? If the Fed were actually to buy equities or stock-index futures, the temporary result might be a brief rally, but the ultimate result would be a collapse in the value of the Fed’s own assets when the market turned back down, making the Fed look foolish and compromising its primary goals, as cited in Chapter 13. It wouldn’t want to keep repeating that experience. The bankers’ pools of 1929 gave up on this strategy, and so will the Fed if it tries it.
Do you believe in absolute truth?
August 24, 2010
Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.
--Psalm 86:11
You and I live in a time in which moral absolutes have been dismissed as being culturally irrelevant. In fact, most people today don't believe in moral or absolute truth.
They believe all truth is relevant... all truth is changeable... all morality is cultural.
And it's not just unchurched people who believe this way. One survey states that almost 60 percent of church members in America do not believe that truth is absolute!
In this time of moral flux, few people live by any standards let alone by God's standards.
So is it any wonder that the institution of marriage is so hard hit by divorce? Without biblical standards, each person does as they please and what's right in their own eyes. They serve their own needs and purposes and don't give God or their mate a second thought.
But there is absolute truth. And God calls us to align ourselves with him and his truth.
Is your marriage in trouble? Don't rush to divorce. Most marriage problems today could be resolved if couples would yield to God's truth. You see, the struggles you're facing aren't because the Scripture is unclear, but like so many personal challenges, are the result of sin and rebellion.
Look at your own heart. Trust his Word and walk in his truth.
MOST MARRIAGE PROBLEMS TODAY COULD BE RESOLVED
IF COUPLES WOULD YEILD TO GOD'S TRUTH.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For more from PowerPoint Ministries and Dr. Jack Graham, please visit www.jackgraham.org
Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.
--Psalm 86:11
You and I live in a time in which moral absolutes have been dismissed as being culturally irrelevant. In fact, most people today don't believe in moral or absolute truth.
They believe all truth is relevant... all truth is changeable... all morality is cultural.
And it's not just unchurched people who believe this way. One survey states that almost 60 percent of church members in America do not believe that truth is absolute!
In this time of moral flux, few people live by any standards let alone by God's standards.
So is it any wonder that the institution of marriage is so hard hit by divorce? Without biblical standards, each person does as they please and what's right in their own eyes. They serve their own needs and purposes and don't give God or their mate a second thought.
But there is absolute truth. And God calls us to align ourselves with him and his truth.
Is your marriage in trouble? Don't rush to divorce. Most marriage problems today could be resolved if couples would yield to God's truth. You see, the struggles you're facing aren't because the Scripture is unclear, but like so many personal challenges, are the result of sin and rebellion.
Look at your own heart. Trust his Word and walk in his truth.
MOST MARRIAGE PROBLEMS TODAY COULD BE RESOLVED
IF COUPLES WOULD YEILD TO GOD'S TRUTH.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For more from PowerPoint Ministries and Dr. Jack Graham, please visit www.jackgraham.org
My children are always fighting; how do we handle sibling rivalry?
Question
I love my daughters, but they seem to be engaged in a constant battle. My mother says I should intervene, but my husband thinks sibling rivalry is normal for kids their age. Should I be worried about this?
Dr. James Dobson:
Sibling rivalry is normal and extremely common, but that doesn't mean that it has to be tolerated. If carried to extremes, it can be potentially harmful, especially if the constant bickering is characterized by anger, bitterness and mutual disrespect. Intervention may be necessary, but it's unlikely that you'll achieve anything simply by talking to your children. What's needed in a case like this is decisive action.
Look for a good opportunity to hold a family conference – a quiet evening when there's been a lull in the fighting and everyone is in a good mood. You and your husband should sit down with the kids and tell them that you're concerned about the disrespectful way they treat each other. Let them know that you've had enough of this kind of behavior and that you're determined to see some changes made. As part of this new program, make it clear that you're going to be implementing some new household rules. Explain that there will be consequences when they bicker or snipe at one another.
These consequences should be immediate, consistent and powerful. For example, if your children receive an allowance, tell them that you will be deducting a dollar a week for every violation of the new "respect policy." You could also take away favorite toys, activities or privileges for a period of time. Be sure to choose activities or privileges that really matter to your girls – phone or computer access for a pre-teen or adolescent, biking or dolls or time with friends for a younger child.
Write out your new rules and consequences in the form of a contract. Have your children sign it and post it on the refrigerator. Since it's important to emphasize positive as well as negative consequences, you might want to include an "earn it back" clause, whereby the kids can regain privileges by treating each other appropriately for a predetermined period of time. Once the plan is in place, stick to your guns and be diligent to implement the agreed-upon consequences consistently. When arguments arise, make a determined effort to avoid long discussions about "who started it." Model patience, kindness and respect in your own behavior toward your children and in your relationship with your husband.
As a footnote, it's worth bearing in mind that sibling rivalry can sometimes be a cry for attention. If that's the case, then your system of rules and consequences are unlikely to yield the desired results until you've taken steps to deal with the root cause of the fighting. Ask yourself if you and your husband are scheduling sufficient one-on-one time with each of your children. It's important to "date" your kids at least once a week. This could involve something as simple as a trip to the store, going out for breakfast on a Saturday morning, or a walk around the neighborhood in the evening. As you begin to spend more individual time with your girls, you may begin to see significant changes in the way they relate to one another.
If none of these approaches work, it might be advisable to seek the help and guidance of a qualified family counselor.
I love my daughters, but they seem to be engaged in a constant battle. My mother says I should intervene, but my husband thinks sibling rivalry is normal for kids their age. Should I be worried about this?
Dr. James Dobson:
Sibling rivalry is normal and extremely common, but that doesn't mean that it has to be tolerated. If carried to extremes, it can be potentially harmful, especially if the constant bickering is characterized by anger, bitterness and mutual disrespect. Intervention may be necessary, but it's unlikely that you'll achieve anything simply by talking to your children. What's needed in a case like this is decisive action.
Look for a good opportunity to hold a family conference – a quiet evening when there's been a lull in the fighting and everyone is in a good mood. You and your husband should sit down with the kids and tell them that you're concerned about the disrespectful way they treat each other. Let them know that you've had enough of this kind of behavior and that you're determined to see some changes made. As part of this new program, make it clear that you're going to be implementing some new household rules. Explain that there will be consequences when they bicker or snipe at one another.
These consequences should be immediate, consistent and powerful. For example, if your children receive an allowance, tell them that you will be deducting a dollar a week for every violation of the new "respect policy." You could also take away favorite toys, activities or privileges for a period of time. Be sure to choose activities or privileges that really matter to your girls – phone or computer access for a pre-teen or adolescent, biking or dolls or time with friends for a younger child.
Write out your new rules and consequences in the form of a contract. Have your children sign it and post it on the refrigerator. Since it's important to emphasize positive as well as negative consequences, you might want to include an "earn it back" clause, whereby the kids can regain privileges by treating each other appropriately for a predetermined period of time. Once the plan is in place, stick to your guns and be diligent to implement the agreed-upon consequences consistently. When arguments arise, make a determined effort to avoid long discussions about "who started it." Model patience, kindness and respect in your own behavior toward your children and in your relationship with your husband.
As a footnote, it's worth bearing in mind that sibling rivalry can sometimes be a cry for attention. If that's the case, then your system of rules and consequences are unlikely to yield the desired results until you've taken steps to deal with the root cause of the fighting. Ask yourself if you and your husband are scheduling sufficient one-on-one time with each of your children. It's important to "date" your kids at least once a week. This could involve something as simple as a trip to the store, going out for breakfast on a Saturday morning, or a walk around the neighborhood in the evening. As you begin to spend more individual time with your girls, you may begin to see significant changes in the way they relate to one another.
If none of these approaches work, it might be advisable to seek the help and guidance of a qualified family counselor.
God and divorce
August 23, 2010
"For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the LORD, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the LORD of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless."
--Malachi 2:16
In the tenth chapter of Mark, Jesus is confronted with an issue that is certainly contemporary to our time. It is the issue of divorce.
But Jesus spoke to the Pharisees forthrightly about this issue, and we must as well. The church and God's people are not immune to the damaging consequences of divorce.
Where the Scripture is concerned, our options on divorce are really very clear and simple. We either go along with the standards of society or we affirm and live by the standards of Scripture. That is our choice.
With that in mind, what does God say about divorce? Malachi 2:16 says that a man who divorces his wife "covers his garment with violence." Here's what God is telling us. Divorce rips apart the unity... the oneness... created by marriage.
If you've been through a divorce, you know the pain of that tearing apart. Divorce is an incredibly painful and destructive act.
God wants to protect you and your family from the horrible pain of divorce. Begin by accepting and affirming what God says about divorce and avoid it at all cost.
DIVORCE RIPS APART THE UNITY... THE ONENESS... CREATED BY MARRIAGE.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For more from PowerPoint Ministries and Dr. Jack Graham, please visit www.jackgraham.org
"For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the LORD, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the LORD of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless."
--Malachi 2:16
In the tenth chapter of Mark, Jesus is confronted with an issue that is certainly contemporary to our time. It is the issue of divorce.
But Jesus spoke to the Pharisees forthrightly about this issue, and we must as well. The church and God's people are not immune to the damaging consequences of divorce.
Where the Scripture is concerned, our options on divorce are really very clear and simple. We either go along with the standards of society or we affirm and live by the standards of Scripture. That is our choice.
With that in mind, what does God say about divorce? Malachi 2:16 says that a man who divorces his wife "covers his garment with violence." Here's what God is telling us. Divorce rips apart the unity... the oneness... created by marriage.
If you've been through a divorce, you know the pain of that tearing apart. Divorce is an incredibly painful and destructive act.
God wants to protect you and your family from the horrible pain of divorce. Begin by accepting and affirming what God says about divorce and avoid it at all cost.
DIVORCE RIPS APART THE UNITY... THE ONENESS... CREATED BY MARRIAGE.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For more from PowerPoint Ministries and Dr. Jack Graham, please visit www.jackgraham.org
Preparation for Greater Service
1 Kings 17:17-24
In Luke 17:5, the apostles asked Christ to increase their faith. The Lord told them that if they had faith as small as a mustard seed, they could do great things. God does not enlarge our faith instantly. He begins with what little we have and proceeds to grow it.
Elijah was in a faith-building program. The Lord gave him increasingly difficult challenges of reliance and obedience. Back at the brook, the prophet had to depend on the Lord for his own survival. But at Zarephath, he trusted God to provide for both himself and a widow. And in today's passage, he served her in an even larger way by raising her son to life.
Each act of believing God and the ensuing step of obedience resulted in increased opportunities for Elijah to serve the Lord and others. Raising the dead may seem like the height of his ministry, but it was to be followed by an even greater opportunity to influence an entire nation for God. Elijah was about to face the biggest spiritual battle of his life (1 Kings 18)—all his previous demonstrations of faith and obedience were the Lord's way of preparing him.
God wants each of us to be influential in His kingdom. He knows which faith challenges to present so that we can be entrusted with even greater tasks.
The Lord will provide occasions for you to believe Him and respond in obedience. These situations are what we call "problems." Begin to look at each difficulty as an opportunity designed by God specifically for the purpose of increasing your faith so He can do great things in and through you.
For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit www.intouch.org.
In Luke 17:5, the apostles asked Christ to increase their faith. The Lord told them that if they had faith as small as a mustard seed, they could do great things. God does not enlarge our faith instantly. He begins with what little we have and proceeds to grow it.
Elijah was in a faith-building program. The Lord gave him increasingly difficult challenges of reliance and obedience. Back at the brook, the prophet had to depend on the Lord for his own survival. But at Zarephath, he trusted God to provide for both himself and a widow. And in today's passage, he served her in an even larger way by raising her son to life.
Each act of believing God and the ensuing step of obedience resulted in increased opportunities for Elijah to serve the Lord and others. Raising the dead may seem like the height of his ministry, but it was to be followed by an even greater opportunity to influence an entire nation for God. Elijah was about to face the biggest spiritual battle of his life (1 Kings 18)—all his previous demonstrations of faith and obedience were the Lord's way of preparing him.
God wants each of us to be influential in His kingdom. He knows which faith challenges to present so that we can be entrusted with even greater tasks.
The Lord will provide occasions for you to believe Him and respond in obedience. These situations are what we call "problems." Begin to look at each difficulty as an opportunity designed by God specifically for the purpose of increasing your faith so He can do great things in and through you.
For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit www.intouch.org.
Seven Flaws in China's Growth Model
by Andrew C. Schneider, Associate Editor, The Kiplinger Letter
Monday, August 23, 2010
Short term, China will keep growing rapidly, adding to demand and boosting the global economy. Long term, the picture's not so pretty.
China's economy is slowing, but only a little. The July industrial production numbers announced by the country's National Bureau of Statistics on Aug. 11 were weaker than expected. That raised fears that one of the engines of global growth was about to seize up. In fact, the slight slowdown is intentional, the result of moves by Beijing to prevent overheating. China can and will change course if the need arises. We still expect it to grow about 10% this year, a figure that will make most of the world envious.
Still, over the next few years, Chinese growth has to moderate somewhat. Double-digit annual GDP gains in the past were relatively easy because the economy was growing from a small base. Those kinds of gains will be harder to achieve now that China is the world's second largest economy, about one-third the size of the U.S. But China's lightning expansion also masks a host of serious structural flaws. Fixing them will take major reforms that, so far, Beijing has proved unwilling to make -- in no small part because they would undermine the authority of the ruling Communist Party.
[See the Top States for Business, 2010 Edition]
Excessive Capital Investment
Beijing rewards provincial and local government officials with promotions if they manage their regions well. For decades, the chief measure of progress was success in providing jobs for a rapidly growing urban workforce. That usually meant building factories or adding infrastructure, whether needed or not. Such overcapacity leads to waste of scarce resources, deflation and dumping of excess production abroad.
Financial Mismanagement
Local officials force state-owned banks to finance that construction at next-to-nothing rates, with no regard for borrowers' suitability. Inevitably, nonperforming loans pile up on the banks' balance sheets. Beijing already recapitalized the four largest state banks once, forcing ordinary depositors to foot the bill, which hurt consumption. Now bad loans are once again on the rise, a result of the $586-billion stimulus China poured through banks last year. Though Beijing could manage another bailout, it certainly can't go through this cycle endlessly.
Flawed Education
Chinese colleges graduate many times the number of engineers and scientists that American universities produce, but such statistics are misleading. To meet the quotas for graduates set by Beijing, academic programs dilute their standards. They further inflate their count by counting as engineering students those studying to become mechanics or industrial technicians. The result, according to a pioneering study led by Duke University professors Gary Gereffi and Vivek Wadhwa, is that many of these graduates fall far short of the standards imposed by U.S. colleges and universities. When they graduate, many are unable to find work in their professions.
[See the 20 Worst-Paying College Degrees]
Stifled Innovation
Those engineers and scientists who do measure up -- the cream of Chinese universities or those who study overseas and return home -- often have little freedom to explore. If they work for state-owned firms or universities, Beijing dictates the direction of research and development. Many gravitate to the more open atmosphere at private firms, but these companies can't get loans to grow because state enterprises gobble up the capital. Beijing aims to compensate by forcing multinationals to transfer advanced technology as the cost of doing business in China, but foreign firms are fighting back hard.
Environmental Degradation
Water pollution and water shortages pose the most serious problems. They cause health ailments, damage agriculture, jam up hydroelectric dams, interfere with manufacturing and limit urbanization. As aquifers dry up, soil erodes, turning an area the size of Connecticut to desert every year. The resulting dust storms add to the country's already horrendous air pollution. Beijing's preferred solution to the problem is a massive south-to-north river diversion project. Odds are, that will make matters worse, draining water from already overtaxed southern supplies.
Corruption
One of the major reasons Beijing has such a hard time dealing with all the problems mentioned above is that so many individuals have a vested interest in keeping things exactly as they are. Communist Party officials pay for their advancement, then aim to earn back their investment. Local governments seize houses and land, sell it to developers with little compensation for those displaced, then take kickbacks from the construction companies. Academics provide kickbacks to the party in exchange for research funding. U.S. companies operating in China suffer as well. "When U.S companies hire for research and development there, there's a lot of pressure to put Communist Party members in key positions," says Wadhwa.
Beijing does make examples of particularly corrupt officials and business leaders, sometimes even executing the offenders. But the problem of corruption is endemic, says Liao Ran, a China specialist with Transparency International. "Generally speaking, the cost of corruption amounts to about 10% to 13% of annual GDP," he says. In absolute terms, that's a loss of $500 billion to $700 billion per year.
And Demographics
As the generation of the Cultural Revolution retires, the burden of their care falls heavily on the smaller generation of the one-child policy. "The Chinese population is simply growing older faster than it's getting richer," says Peter Navarro, a professor of economics and public policy at the University of California at Irvine. As fewer workers support more retirees, competitiveness will suffer. For an illustration of what this could mean, China need look no farther than Japan.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Short term, China will keep growing rapidly, adding to demand and boosting the global economy. Long term, the picture's not so pretty.
China's economy is slowing, but only a little. The July industrial production numbers announced by the country's National Bureau of Statistics on Aug. 11 were weaker than expected. That raised fears that one of the engines of global growth was about to seize up. In fact, the slight slowdown is intentional, the result of moves by Beijing to prevent overheating. China can and will change course if the need arises. We still expect it to grow about 10% this year, a figure that will make most of the world envious.
Still, over the next few years, Chinese growth has to moderate somewhat. Double-digit annual GDP gains in the past were relatively easy because the economy was growing from a small base. Those kinds of gains will be harder to achieve now that China is the world's second largest economy, about one-third the size of the U.S. But China's lightning expansion also masks a host of serious structural flaws. Fixing them will take major reforms that, so far, Beijing has proved unwilling to make -- in no small part because they would undermine the authority of the ruling Communist Party.
[See the Top States for Business, 2010 Edition]
Excessive Capital Investment
Beijing rewards provincial and local government officials with promotions if they manage their regions well. For decades, the chief measure of progress was success in providing jobs for a rapidly growing urban workforce. That usually meant building factories or adding infrastructure, whether needed or not. Such overcapacity leads to waste of scarce resources, deflation and dumping of excess production abroad.
Financial Mismanagement
Local officials force state-owned banks to finance that construction at next-to-nothing rates, with no regard for borrowers' suitability. Inevitably, nonperforming loans pile up on the banks' balance sheets. Beijing already recapitalized the four largest state banks once, forcing ordinary depositors to foot the bill, which hurt consumption. Now bad loans are once again on the rise, a result of the $586-billion stimulus China poured through banks last year. Though Beijing could manage another bailout, it certainly can't go through this cycle endlessly.
Flawed Education
Chinese colleges graduate many times the number of engineers and scientists that American universities produce, but such statistics are misleading. To meet the quotas for graduates set by Beijing, academic programs dilute their standards. They further inflate their count by counting as engineering students those studying to become mechanics or industrial technicians. The result, according to a pioneering study led by Duke University professors Gary Gereffi and Vivek Wadhwa, is that many of these graduates fall far short of the standards imposed by U.S. colleges and universities. When they graduate, many are unable to find work in their professions.
[See the 20 Worst-Paying College Degrees]
Stifled Innovation
Those engineers and scientists who do measure up -- the cream of Chinese universities or those who study overseas and return home -- often have little freedom to explore. If they work for state-owned firms or universities, Beijing dictates the direction of research and development. Many gravitate to the more open atmosphere at private firms, but these companies can't get loans to grow because state enterprises gobble up the capital. Beijing aims to compensate by forcing multinationals to transfer advanced technology as the cost of doing business in China, but foreign firms are fighting back hard.
Environmental Degradation
Water pollution and water shortages pose the most serious problems. They cause health ailments, damage agriculture, jam up hydroelectric dams, interfere with manufacturing and limit urbanization. As aquifers dry up, soil erodes, turning an area the size of Connecticut to desert every year. The resulting dust storms add to the country's already horrendous air pollution. Beijing's preferred solution to the problem is a massive south-to-north river diversion project. Odds are, that will make matters worse, draining water from already overtaxed southern supplies.
Corruption
One of the major reasons Beijing has such a hard time dealing with all the problems mentioned above is that so many individuals have a vested interest in keeping things exactly as they are. Communist Party officials pay for their advancement, then aim to earn back their investment. Local governments seize houses and land, sell it to developers with little compensation for those displaced, then take kickbacks from the construction companies. Academics provide kickbacks to the party in exchange for research funding. U.S. companies operating in China suffer as well. "When U.S companies hire for research and development there, there's a lot of pressure to put Communist Party members in key positions," says Wadhwa.
Beijing does make examples of particularly corrupt officials and business leaders, sometimes even executing the offenders. But the problem of corruption is endemic, says Liao Ran, a China specialist with Transparency International. "Generally speaking, the cost of corruption amounts to about 10% to 13% of annual GDP," he says. In absolute terms, that's a loss of $500 billion to $700 billion per year.
And Demographics
As the generation of the Cultural Revolution retires, the burden of their care falls heavily on the smaller generation of the one-child policy. "The Chinese population is simply growing older faster than it's getting richer," says Peter Navarro, a professor of economics and public policy at the University of California at Irvine. As fewer workers support more retirees, competitiveness will suffer. For an illustration of what this could mean, China need look no farther than Japan.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Prosperity Preaching: Deceitful and Deadly
by John Piper
When I read about prosperity-preaching churches, my response is: "If I were not on the inside of Christianity, I wouldn't want in." In other words, if this is the message of Jesus, no thank you.
Luring people to Christ to get rich is both deceitful and deadly. It's deceitful because when Jesus himself called us, he said things like: "Any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:33). And it's deadly because the desire to be rich plunges "people into ruin and destruction" (1 Timothy 6:9). So here is my plea to preachers of the gospel.
1. Don't develop a philosophy of ministry that makes it harder for people to get into heaven.
Jesus said, "How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!" His disciples were astonished, as many in the "prosperity" movement should be. So Jesus went on to raise their astonishment even higher by saying, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God." They respond in disbelief: "Then who can be saved?" Jesus says, "With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God" (Mark 10:23-27).
My question for prosperity preachers is: Why would you want to develop a ministry focus that makes it harder for people to enter heaven?
2. Do not develop a philosophy of ministry that kindles suicidal desires in people.
Paul said, "There is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content." But then he warned against the desire to be rich. And by implication, he warned against preachers who stir up the desire to be rich instead of helping people get rid of it. He warned, "Those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs" (1 Timothy 6:6-10).
So my question for prosperity preachers is: Why would you want to develop a ministry that encourages people to pierce themselves with many pangs and plunge themselves into ruin and destruction?
3. Do not develop a philosophy of ministry that encourages vulnerability to moth and rust.
Jesus warns against the effort to lay up treasures on earth. That is, he tells us to be givers, not keepers. "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal" (Matthew 6:19).
Yes, we all keep something. But given the built-in tendency toward greed in all of us, why would we take the focus off Jesus and turn it upside down?
4. Don't develop a philosophy of ministry that makes hard work a means of amassing wealth.
Paul said we should not steal. The alternative was hard work with our own hands. But the main purpose was not merely to hoard or even to have. The purpose was "to have to give." "Let him labor, working with his hands, that he may have to give to him who is in need" (Ephesians 4:28). This is not a justification for being rich in order to give more. It is a call to make more and keep less so you can give more. There is no reason why a person who makes $200,000 should live any differently from the way a person who makes $80,000 lives. Find a wartime lifestyle; cap your expenditures; then give the rest away.
Why would you want to encourage people to think that they should possess wealth in order to be a lavish giver? Why not encourage them to keep their lives more simple and be an even more lavish giver? Would that not add to their generosity a strong testimony that Christ, and not possessions, is their treasure?
5. Don't develop a philosophy of ministry that promotes less faith in the promises of God to be for us what money can't be.
The reason the writer to the Hebrews tells us to be content with what we have is that the opposite implies less faith in the promises of God. He says, "Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' So we can confidently say, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?'" (Hebrews 13:5-6).
If the Bible tells us that being content with what we have honors the promise of God never to forsake us, why would we want to teach people to want to be rich?
6. Don't develop a philosophy of ministry that contributes to your people being choked to death.
Jesus warns that the word of God, which is meant to give us life, can be choked off from any effectiveness by riches. He says it is like a seed that grows up among thorns that choke it to death: "They are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the . . . riches . . . of life, and their fruit does not mature" (Luke 8:14).
Why would we want to encourage people to pursue the very thing that Jesus warns will choke us to death?
7. Don't develop a philosophy of ministry that takes the seasoning out of the salt and puts the light under a basket.
What is it about Christians that makes them the salt of the earth and the light of the world? It is not wealth. The desire for wealth and the pursuit of wealth tastes and looks just like the world. It does not offer the world anything different from what it already believes in. The great tragedy of prosperity-preaching is that a person does not have to be spiritually awakened in order to embrace it; one needs only to be greedy. Getting rich in the name of Jesus is not the salt of the earth or the light of the world. In this, the world simply sees a reflection of itself. And if it works, they will buy it.
The context of Jesus' saying shows us what the salt and light are. They are the joyful willingness to suffering for Christ. Here is what Jesus said, "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. You are the salt of the earth. . . . You are the light of the world" (Matthew 5:11-14).
What will make the world taste (the salt) and see (the light) of Christ in us is not that we love wealth the same way they do. Rather, it will be the willingness and the ability of Christians to love others through suffering, all the while rejoicing because their reward is in heaven with Jesus. This is inexplicable on human terms. This is supernatural. But to attract people with promises of prosperity is simply natural. It is not the message of Jesus. It is not what he died to achieve.
Pastor John
By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: www.desiringGod.org. Email: mail@desiringGod.org. Toll Free: 1.888.346.4700.
When I read about prosperity-preaching churches, my response is: "If I were not on the inside of Christianity, I wouldn't want in." In other words, if this is the message of Jesus, no thank you.
Luring people to Christ to get rich is both deceitful and deadly. It's deceitful because when Jesus himself called us, he said things like: "Any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:33). And it's deadly because the desire to be rich plunges "people into ruin and destruction" (1 Timothy 6:9). So here is my plea to preachers of the gospel.
1. Don't develop a philosophy of ministry that makes it harder for people to get into heaven.
Jesus said, "How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!" His disciples were astonished, as many in the "prosperity" movement should be. So Jesus went on to raise their astonishment even higher by saying, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God." They respond in disbelief: "Then who can be saved?" Jesus says, "With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God" (Mark 10:23-27).
My question for prosperity preachers is: Why would you want to develop a ministry focus that makes it harder for people to enter heaven?
2. Do not develop a philosophy of ministry that kindles suicidal desires in people.
Paul said, "There is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content." But then he warned against the desire to be rich. And by implication, he warned against preachers who stir up the desire to be rich instead of helping people get rid of it. He warned, "Those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs" (1 Timothy 6:6-10).
So my question for prosperity preachers is: Why would you want to develop a ministry that encourages people to pierce themselves with many pangs and plunge themselves into ruin and destruction?
3. Do not develop a philosophy of ministry that encourages vulnerability to moth and rust.
Jesus warns against the effort to lay up treasures on earth. That is, he tells us to be givers, not keepers. "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal" (Matthew 6:19).
Yes, we all keep something. But given the built-in tendency toward greed in all of us, why would we take the focus off Jesus and turn it upside down?
4. Don't develop a philosophy of ministry that makes hard work a means of amassing wealth.
Paul said we should not steal. The alternative was hard work with our own hands. But the main purpose was not merely to hoard or even to have. The purpose was "to have to give." "Let him labor, working with his hands, that he may have to give to him who is in need" (Ephesians 4:28). This is not a justification for being rich in order to give more. It is a call to make more and keep less so you can give more. There is no reason why a person who makes $200,000 should live any differently from the way a person who makes $80,000 lives. Find a wartime lifestyle; cap your expenditures; then give the rest away.
Why would you want to encourage people to think that they should possess wealth in order to be a lavish giver? Why not encourage them to keep their lives more simple and be an even more lavish giver? Would that not add to their generosity a strong testimony that Christ, and not possessions, is their treasure?
5. Don't develop a philosophy of ministry that promotes less faith in the promises of God to be for us what money can't be.
The reason the writer to the Hebrews tells us to be content with what we have is that the opposite implies less faith in the promises of God. He says, "Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' So we can confidently say, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?'" (Hebrews 13:5-6).
If the Bible tells us that being content with what we have honors the promise of God never to forsake us, why would we want to teach people to want to be rich?
6. Don't develop a philosophy of ministry that contributes to your people being choked to death.
Jesus warns that the word of God, which is meant to give us life, can be choked off from any effectiveness by riches. He says it is like a seed that grows up among thorns that choke it to death: "They are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the . . . riches . . . of life, and their fruit does not mature" (Luke 8:14).
Why would we want to encourage people to pursue the very thing that Jesus warns will choke us to death?
7. Don't develop a philosophy of ministry that takes the seasoning out of the salt and puts the light under a basket.
What is it about Christians that makes them the salt of the earth and the light of the world? It is not wealth. The desire for wealth and the pursuit of wealth tastes and looks just like the world. It does not offer the world anything different from what it already believes in. The great tragedy of prosperity-preaching is that a person does not have to be spiritually awakened in order to embrace it; one needs only to be greedy. Getting rich in the name of Jesus is not the salt of the earth or the light of the world. In this, the world simply sees a reflection of itself. And if it works, they will buy it.
The context of Jesus' saying shows us what the salt and light are. They are the joyful willingness to suffering for Christ. Here is what Jesus said, "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. You are the salt of the earth. . . . You are the light of the world" (Matthew 5:11-14).
What will make the world taste (the salt) and see (the light) of Christ in us is not that we love wealth the same way they do. Rather, it will be the willingness and the ability of Christians to love others through suffering, all the while rejoicing because their reward is in heaven with Jesus. This is inexplicable on human terms. This is supernatural. But to attract people with promises of prosperity is simply natural. It is not the message of Jesus. It is not what he died to achieve.
Pastor John
By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: www.desiringGod.org. Email: mail@desiringGod.org. Toll Free: 1.888.346.4700.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Living in God's will
August 20, 2010
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
--Romans 8:14
There's a principle you need to know if you want to find and live in the will of God. It's the principle of surrender.
You and I should be so overwhelmed and moved by what God has done for us, starting with Christ and the cross and the resurrection, that we are willing to surrender our lives to him. We should say to the Lord, "Here I am, I'll do whatever you want, Lord."
I was a teenager when I felt the Lord calling me to preach. I went to my minister and told him that I believed God was calling me to preach. I said, "I just want to know what God wants me to do. If he's not calling me, he'd better tell me!"
And that minister said, "Jack, you go home, you live your life at Eastern Hills High School, on your baseball team, and in your classroom. Live for Christ every day. Win your friends to Christ, so that when he does call you and shows you what he wants you to do, you'll be ready."
That was good advice. And it's the advice I'm giving you today.
Surrender completely to him. Say this little prayer, "Lord, You have all of me. I want to do what you want me to do, not what I want to do." Then follow wherever God leads you and do what he says. This is how you live in the will of God.
"WE SHOULD SAY TO THE LORD, "HERE I AM, I'LL DO WHATEVER YOU WANT LORD."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For more from PowerPoint Ministries and Dr. Jack Graham, please visit www.jackgraham.org
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
--Romans 8:14
There's a principle you need to know if you want to find and live in the will of God. It's the principle of surrender.
You and I should be so overwhelmed and moved by what God has done for us, starting with Christ and the cross and the resurrection, that we are willing to surrender our lives to him. We should say to the Lord, "Here I am, I'll do whatever you want, Lord."
I was a teenager when I felt the Lord calling me to preach. I went to my minister and told him that I believed God was calling me to preach. I said, "I just want to know what God wants me to do. If he's not calling me, he'd better tell me!"
And that minister said, "Jack, you go home, you live your life at Eastern Hills High School, on your baseball team, and in your classroom. Live for Christ every day. Win your friends to Christ, so that when he does call you and shows you what he wants you to do, you'll be ready."
That was good advice. And it's the advice I'm giving you today.
Surrender completely to him. Say this little prayer, "Lord, You have all of me. I want to do what you want me to do, not what I want to do." Then follow wherever God leads you and do what he says. This is how you live in the will of God.
"WE SHOULD SAY TO THE LORD, "HERE I AM, I'LL DO WHATEVER YOU WANT LORD."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For more from PowerPoint Ministries and Dr. Jack Graham, please visit www.jackgraham.org
Saturday, August 21, 2010
God's Ways: Ordinary and Miraculous
1 Kings 17:2-7
God declared, "My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," (Isa. 55:8). And in fact, one of the biggest frustrations of the Christian life has to do with a lack of understanding about God's ways. There are times when we could really use a miracle, and yet He does not come through for us. Unmet expectations lead to confusion, disappointment, and even anger. Why did God let me down?
There are two schools of thought regarding the miraculous. Some people don't believe God works miracles at all, while others are convinced that if He's not doing the miraculous every day, then something is wrong with their faith. We need a balanced perspective, which we find in the Bible.
God works in both supernatural and ordinary ways, and He determines the method. Elijah ate food miraculously delivered by ravens, but his water supply from a brook was completely natural. When the water dried up, the Lord could have made more spring from the ground, but He didn't.
Sometimes God uses ordinary means to move us in a new direction. The curtailment of his water supply opened the door for Elijah's next "assignment." When the Lord withholds miraculous intervention and lets your brook dry up, He has something else planned for you.
Seeing the work of God in the miraculous is easy, but He's just as involved in the commonplace aspects of life as He is in any supernatural event. Look for His "fingerprint" in the day's mundane activities. He is there, opening and closing doors, drying up one opportunity but initiating another.
For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit www.intouch.org.
God declared, "My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," (Isa. 55:8). And in fact, one of the biggest frustrations of the Christian life has to do with a lack of understanding about God's ways. There are times when we could really use a miracle, and yet He does not come through for us. Unmet expectations lead to confusion, disappointment, and even anger. Why did God let me down?
There are two schools of thought regarding the miraculous. Some people don't believe God works miracles at all, while others are convinced that if He's not doing the miraculous every day, then something is wrong with their faith. We need a balanced perspective, which we find in the Bible.
God works in both supernatural and ordinary ways, and He determines the method. Elijah ate food miraculously delivered by ravens, but his water supply from a brook was completely natural. When the water dried up, the Lord could have made more spring from the ground, but He didn't.
Sometimes God uses ordinary means to move us in a new direction. The curtailment of his water supply opened the door for Elijah's next "assignment." When the Lord withholds miraculous intervention and lets your brook dry up, He has something else planned for you.
Seeing the work of God in the miraculous is easy, but He's just as involved in the commonplace aspects of life as He is in any supernatural event. Look for His "fingerprint" in the day's mundane activities. He is there, opening and closing doors, drying up one opportunity but initiating another.
For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit www.intouch.org.
Roulette secrets.....
1. Pure Random
2. Patterns repeats
3. The only casino game that give you an edge.
2. Patterns repeats
3. The only casino game that give you an edge.
"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass but learning how to dance in the rain"
...with GOD's help......
Friday, August 20, 2010
The Final Exam
Matthew 25:31-40
Pay attention because there will be a test later." Upon completing their schooling, most people are relieved not to have to hear those words anymore. Well, your testing days are not quite over, because God has a final exam for believers. Below is a brief "study guide" outlining what the Lord's faithful can expect at His judgment throne.
Questions. Examining each believer's life from the moment of salvation to death, God looks for answers to three questions:
1. How much truth did the person know?
2. How many opportunities did he or she have to use that truth?
3. What did the individual do with those opportunities?
So you see that we are actually preparing for the final exam right now. On judgment day, no excuses or arguments can stand, nor will anything unrighteous, selfish, or evil be permitted in God's holy presence. All we'll have to show is what we did in His name.
Rewards. Every person who receives Jesus Christ as Savior shares in the gift of eternal life. However, just as each one is judged by his or her own life, so are rewards given individually. Though the Bible is not specific about the nature of heavenly blessings, the promise of receiving them permeates its pages (Matt. 5:12, 6:4; 1 Cor. 3:8; Rev. 2:23).
Throughout life, our heavenly Father provides each of us with so many big and small ways to honor Him. Take my advice: Do not waste a single moment of preparation time! On the appointed day, you will want to stand before Him, certain that you used your opportunities to the fullest.
On Prophecy
Then the Lord said to [Moses], " . . . I will raise up a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites. I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell the people everything I command him. I will personally deal with anyone who will not listen to the messages the prophet proclaims on my behalf. But any prophet who falsely claims to speak in my name or who speaks in the name of another god must die. But you may wonder, 'How will we know whether or not a prophecy is from the Lord?' If the prophet speaks in the Lord's name but his prediction does not happen or come true, you will know that the Lord did not give that message. That prophet has spoken without my authority and need not be feared."
—Deuteronomy 17:18-22 (nlt)
"And He said to them, 'O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! . . .' Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures."
—Luke 24:25-27
"God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world."
—Hebrews 1:1-2
"But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God."
—2 Peter 1:20-21
For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit www.intouch.org.
Pay attention because there will be a test later." Upon completing their schooling, most people are relieved not to have to hear those words anymore. Well, your testing days are not quite over, because God has a final exam for believers. Below is a brief "study guide" outlining what the Lord's faithful can expect at His judgment throne.
Questions. Examining each believer's life from the moment of salvation to death, God looks for answers to three questions:
1. How much truth did the person know?
2. How many opportunities did he or she have to use that truth?
3. What did the individual do with those opportunities?
So you see that we are actually preparing for the final exam right now. On judgment day, no excuses or arguments can stand, nor will anything unrighteous, selfish, or evil be permitted in God's holy presence. All we'll have to show is what we did in His name.
Rewards. Every person who receives Jesus Christ as Savior shares in the gift of eternal life. However, just as each one is judged by his or her own life, so are rewards given individually. Though the Bible is not specific about the nature of heavenly blessings, the promise of receiving them permeates its pages (Matt. 5:12, 6:4; 1 Cor. 3:8; Rev. 2:23).
Throughout life, our heavenly Father provides each of us with so many big and small ways to honor Him. Take my advice: Do not waste a single moment of preparation time! On the appointed day, you will want to stand before Him, certain that you used your opportunities to the fullest.
On Prophecy
Then the Lord said to [Moses], " . . . I will raise up a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites. I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell the people everything I command him. I will personally deal with anyone who will not listen to the messages the prophet proclaims on my behalf. But any prophet who falsely claims to speak in my name or who speaks in the name of another god must die. But you may wonder, 'How will we know whether or not a prophecy is from the Lord?' If the prophet speaks in the Lord's name but his prediction does not happen or come true, you will know that the Lord did not give that message. That prophet has spoken without my authority and need not be feared."
—Deuteronomy 17:18-22 (nlt)
"And He said to them, 'O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! . . .' Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures."
—Luke 24:25-27
"God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world."
—Hebrews 1:1-2
"But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God."
—2 Peter 1:20-21
For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit www.intouch.org.
FA...Stocks fall after jobless claims rise, regional manufacturing report disappoints
Stephen Bernard, AP Business Writer, On Thursday August 19, 2010, 5:01 pm EDT
NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks tumbled Thursday after two disappointing economic reports renewed investors' concerns about the pace of the recovery.
The Dow Jones industrial average fell 144 points. All the major stock indexes fell more than 1 percent. Interest rates also fell sharply as investors moved back into the safety of Treasury bonds.
The Labor Department said initial claims for unemployment benefits rose unexpectedly last week and the Federal Reserve of Philadelphia said manufacturing activity in the mid-Atlantic region has dropped during August.
"The Philly Fed number was just awful," said Randy Frederick, director of trading and derivatives at Charles Schwab. "The jobs number was bad, but not as far off the mark as the Philly number."
The pair of economic reports followed news that Intel Corp. was acquiring McAfee Inc. The deal, valued at $7.68 billion, was not enough to offset the weaker economic readings.
The reports are the latest in a months-long string of conflicting readings on the economy. The reports have shown the pace of a rebound is slowing and that companies are skittish about adding new workers. That has hurt stocks on some days in recent weeks. It has also stoked fears about the economy falling back into recession.
At the same time, corporate announcements, including earnings reports for the past six weeks, have largely showed companies are doing well. Mergers and acquisitions activity is often considered a positive sign because it means companies are willing to spend money to expand their businesses and are confident that prospects are improving.
The Dow fell 144.33, or 1.4 percent, to 10,271.21. The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 18.53, or 1.7 percent, to 1,075.63, while the Nasdaq composite index fell 36.75, or 1.7 percent, to 2,178.95.
About four stocks fell for every one that rose on the New York Stock Exchange, where volume came to almost 1.1 billion shares.
Volume has been particularly light in recent weeks, even by summer standards, meaning many investors are still uncertain about the direction of the economy.
Bond prices rose after the weak jobs and manufacturing reports. Investors often move into the safety of government bonds when there are signs the economy is not strong. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note, which moves opposite its price, fell to 2.58 percent from 2.64 percent late Wednesday. Its yield is often used to help set interest rates on mortgages and other consumer loans.
Joe Benanti, managing director at Rosenblatt Securities, said low volume likely added to the sell-off.
It's "probably taking trading a little to an extreme, more than it should," Benanti said.
Volume has been reduced not only by summer vacations, but by investors' reluctance to make many big moves amid the uncertainty about the economy.
The Labor Department said initial claims for unemployment benefits rose by 12,000 to 500,000 last week from an upwardly revised 488,000 a week earlier. Economists polled by Thomson Reuters forecast claims would fall slightly. It was the fourth rise in claims in the past five weeks and sent them to their highest level since November.
High unemployment is considered the biggest hurdle to a stronger recovery because people worried about jobs have scaled back their spending. Consumer spending accounts for the bulk of the country's economic activity.
The Philly Fed manufacturing survey was negative 7.7 for August after a reading of positive 5.1 last month. Economists were expecting the index to rise this month. Any reading above zero indicates growth in the sector.
It was an especially sobering report because manufacturing activity early this year had shown the most consistent signs of growth.
The report is "saying the manufacturing pop has run out of steam," said Jim Peters, CEO of Tactical Allocation Group. The lift the economy got from companies replenishing inventories is over and sales have not picked up enough to maintain those levels, Peters said.
A report on future economic activity also fell short of expectations. The Conference Board's index of leading economic indicators rose 0.1 percent last month after falling a month earlier. Economists had expected the index to rise 0.2 percent.
The index tries to predict economic activity over the next three to six months, so a rise in the index would indicate the economy is likely to grow during the second half of the year.
Chip maker Intel is buying computer-security software maker McAfee in an all-cash deal for $48 per share. McAfee shares surged $17.09, or 57.1 percent, to $47.02. Intel shares fell 61 cents, or 3.1 percent, to $18.98.
In other corporate news, Sears Holdings Corp. reported its second-quarter loss was cut in half as profit margins improved at its Kmart chain. But revenue at stores open at least a year, a key measure of strength in the retail industry, fell during the quarter. Sears shares dropped $5.36, of 8 percent, to $61.89.
Overseas, Britain's FTSE 100 fell 1.7 percent, Germany's DAX index fell 1.8 percent, and France's CAC-40 dropped 2.1 percent. Japan's Nikkei stock average rose 1.3 percent.
NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks tumbled Thursday after two disappointing economic reports renewed investors' concerns about the pace of the recovery.
The Dow Jones industrial average fell 144 points. All the major stock indexes fell more than 1 percent. Interest rates also fell sharply as investors moved back into the safety of Treasury bonds.
The Labor Department said initial claims for unemployment benefits rose unexpectedly last week and the Federal Reserve of Philadelphia said manufacturing activity in the mid-Atlantic region has dropped during August.
"The Philly Fed number was just awful," said Randy Frederick, director of trading and derivatives at Charles Schwab. "The jobs number was bad, but not as far off the mark as the Philly number."
The pair of economic reports followed news that Intel Corp. was acquiring McAfee Inc. The deal, valued at $7.68 billion, was not enough to offset the weaker economic readings.
The reports are the latest in a months-long string of conflicting readings on the economy. The reports have shown the pace of a rebound is slowing and that companies are skittish about adding new workers. That has hurt stocks on some days in recent weeks. It has also stoked fears about the economy falling back into recession.
At the same time, corporate announcements, including earnings reports for the past six weeks, have largely showed companies are doing well. Mergers and acquisitions activity is often considered a positive sign because it means companies are willing to spend money to expand their businesses and are confident that prospects are improving.
The Dow fell 144.33, or 1.4 percent, to 10,271.21. The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 18.53, or 1.7 percent, to 1,075.63, while the Nasdaq composite index fell 36.75, or 1.7 percent, to 2,178.95.
About four stocks fell for every one that rose on the New York Stock Exchange, where volume came to almost 1.1 billion shares.
Volume has been particularly light in recent weeks, even by summer standards, meaning many investors are still uncertain about the direction of the economy.
Bond prices rose after the weak jobs and manufacturing reports. Investors often move into the safety of government bonds when there are signs the economy is not strong. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note, which moves opposite its price, fell to 2.58 percent from 2.64 percent late Wednesday. Its yield is often used to help set interest rates on mortgages and other consumer loans.
Joe Benanti, managing director at Rosenblatt Securities, said low volume likely added to the sell-off.
It's "probably taking trading a little to an extreme, more than it should," Benanti said.
Volume has been reduced not only by summer vacations, but by investors' reluctance to make many big moves amid the uncertainty about the economy.
The Labor Department said initial claims for unemployment benefits rose by 12,000 to 500,000 last week from an upwardly revised 488,000 a week earlier. Economists polled by Thomson Reuters forecast claims would fall slightly. It was the fourth rise in claims in the past five weeks and sent them to their highest level since November.
High unemployment is considered the biggest hurdle to a stronger recovery because people worried about jobs have scaled back their spending. Consumer spending accounts for the bulk of the country's economic activity.
The Philly Fed manufacturing survey was negative 7.7 for August after a reading of positive 5.1 last month. Economists were expecting the index to rise this month. Any reading above zero indicates growth in the sector.
It was an especially sobering report because manufacturing activity early this year had shown the most consistent signs of growth.
The report is "saying the manufacturing pop has run out of steam," said Jim Peters, CEO of Tactical Allocation Group. The lift the economy got from companies replenishing inventories is over and sales have not picked up enough to maintain those levels, Peters said.
A report on future economic activity also fell short of expectations. The Conference Board's index of leading economic indicators rose 0.1 percent last month after falling a month earlier. Economists had expected the index to rise 0.2 percent.
The index tries to predict economic activity over the next three to six months, so a rise in the index would indicate the economy is likely to grow during the second half of the year.
Chip maker Intel is buying computer-security software maker McAfee in an all-cash deal for $48 per share. McAfee shares surged $17.09, or 57.1 percent, to $47.02. Intel shares fell 61 cents, or 3.1 percent, to $18.98.
In other corporate news, Sears Holdings Corp. reported its second-quarter loss was cut in half as profit margins improved at its Kmart chain. But revenue at stores open at least a year, a key measure of strength in the retail industry, fell during the quarter. Sears shares dropped $5.36, of 8 percent, to $61.89.
Overseas, Britain's FTSE 100 fell 1.7 percent, Germany's DAX index fell 1.8 percent, and France's CAC-40 dropped 2.1 percent. Japan's Nikkei stock average rose 1.3 percent.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
The Savior's Mission
John 14:6
Many believers know that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, but we should also understand His mission, how He fulfilled it, and what that means to each of us. Christ had a twofold goal in coming to earth as a baby: to provide us with a tangible image of who God is, and to die in our place to pay our penalty for sin.
What an incredible plan! The omnipotent, omniscient Lord had existed since eternity past (John 1:1, 14). And yet for a time, He set aside power and strength that were rightfully His, so that He could become like us. Because God-in-human-flesh lived His life before men, we can better understand our heavenly Father (Col. 1:15).
Through Christ's sacrifice, we are invited into an eternal relationship with God. You see, Scripture finds every descendant of Adam guilty (Isa. 53:6; Rom. 3:23), and the punishment for sin is death (Rom. 6:23). The penalty must be paid by the shedding of blood (Lev. 17:11). Yet the Father can accept nothing less than a perfect sacrifice
(Deut. 17:1). The Savior—who was fully God, fully man, and 100 percent innocent—died a humiliating, excruciating death to pay the debt we couldn't afford. He is the only one who could lay down His life to save us and bridge the gap between each person and the Father.
There is no possible way for us to earn our salvation. It is an awesome gift that the Father freely offers to each one of us. The only "condition" is that we receive Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and follow Him. Have you chosen to accept this amazing blessing from the Father's hand?
For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit www.intouch.org.
Many believers know that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, but we should also understand His mission, how He fulfilled it, and what that means to each of us. Christ had a twofold goal in coming to earth as a baby: to provide us with a tangible image of who God is, and to die in our place to pay our penalty for sin.
What an incredible plan! The omnipotent, omniscient Lord had existed since eternity past (John 1:1, 14). And yet for a time, He set aside power and strength that were rightfully His, so that He could become like us. Because God-in-human-flesh lived His life before men, we can better understand our heavenly Father (Col. 1:15).
Through Christ's sacrifice, we are invited into an eternal relationship with God. You see, Scripture finds every descendant of Adam guilty (Isa. 53:6; Rom. 3:23), and the punishment for sin is death (Rom. 6:23). The penalty must be paid by the shedding of blood (Lev. 17:11). Yet the Father can accept nothing less than a perfect sacrifice
(Deut. 17:1). The Savior—who was fully God, fully man, and 100 percent innocent—died a humiliating, excruciating death to pay the debt we couldn't afford. He is the only one who could lay down His life to save us and bridge the gap between each person and the Father.
There is no possible way for us to earn our salvation. It is an awesome gift that the Father freely offers to each one of us. The only "condition" is that we receive Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and follow Him. Have you chosen to accept this amazing blessing from the Father's hand?
For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit www.intouch.org.
King of the Micro Trading Survey...3rd
微型賬戶之王交易大賽調查
1. How long have you been trading?
您進行交易有多久？ 如果从现在算起, 满打满算差不多2年
Taking the present into consideration, it has been about two years.
2. How did you start trading?
您如何開始進行交易？
2008年暑期，看到越来越多的朋友从事外汇保证金交易，我也跃跃欲试，经常被强行平仓, 后来调整持仓数量,才好一些。
When I noticed more and more friends were engaged in forex trading on margin in the 2008 summer vacation, I was excited and wanted to give it a try as well. I experienced forced liquidation all the time. Things got better after I had adjusted my positions.
3. What are your favorite sources for news and/or your favorite technical indicators?
您最喜歡的新聞資料來源及／或最喜歡的技術指標是甚麼？
我经常看中央电视台的经济频道, 有外汇分析节目,很不错的
I always watch CCTV’s finance channel which has some fx analyzing programs. They are great.
4. What pair do you prefer to trade?
您偏好買賣哪些貨幣對？ 欧元 澳元 点值固定, 比较好分析
EUR and AUD that have fixed pip costs. It’s easier to analyze.
5. How long do you typically hold your trades?
您一般會持有交易多久？ 这个, 取决于行情和持仓数量, 建仓价格, 这次欧元持续反弹, 我的持仓
2
超过一个星期了, 让利润奔跑. 当然我还是平仓太早,如果坚持到现在, 欧元已经1.32了
It depends on market trends, positions and entry prices. In this ongoing EUR rebound, I held my positions for more than a week for profits to grow. Of course I still closed the positions far too early. If I had held till now, the euro would have reached 1.32.
6. How much time do you spend trading every day?
您每日會花多少時間進行交易？ 不固定的, 如果有浮赢, 基本很少时间看市场, 如果浮亏, 就全神贯注,感觉市场脉搏, 感觉不对, 坚决止损
It varies. If I have unrealized profits, basically I rarely look at the market. If I have unrealized losses, I will concentrate on feeling the pulse of the market. If I have a bad feeling, I will definitely execute a stop loss.
7. What was your most successful or memorable trade, and what was your most unsuccessful trade?
您最成功或最值得紀念的交易是甚麼，及您最失敗的交易是甚麼？ 这个月以一单两百多点的盈利，赚取一千一百多美元。
由于时间关系，做的单子不是很多，争取以后投入更多时间，赢取更大利润。 呵呵, 最失败的交易,是平仓太早了, 没有守住仓位
This month I gained over two hundred pips by a single order, generating a profit of over USD$1,100.
Due to time constraint, not many orders were placed. I will seek to invest more time in reaping more profits in the future. The most unsuccessful trade was the one that was closed far too early, failing to maintain the position.
8. What do you think your greatest weakness is as a trader?
作為交易者，您認為自己的最大弱點是甚麼？ 可能是头脑冲动,持有仓位太重 ,总想一口吃成胖子, 往往希望越大,失望越大
3
Maybe I act on impulse and hold huge positions. I always want to gain weight by a single bite. It ends up that the more I have hoped, the more disappointed I become.
9. What one thing did you do or learn that pushed you over the top?
您做過或學過甚麼以致您能登上高峰？
我搞过体育,喜欢NBA的绝杀,在比赛最后几秒,湖人队的科比经常投中绝杀球, 和KOM比赛有点像. 大家成绩都接近,谁都有可能胜出, 就看谁更冷静, 做的决策更正确,
I have played sports and like the turnaround shots in NBA. In the last few seconds to the end of a game, Kobe Bryant of Lakers can always make a turnaround shot. Similar to the KOM competition, competitors have similar results and anyone may win. We will have to see who is calmer or who can make a more appropriate decision.
10. What kind of personality do you think you need to trade forex successfully?
您認為要買賣外匯成功，要擁有哪種個性？
首先要有胆量,其次有理智,有理智的胆量,才是有含金量的, 许褚裸衣战马超,结果中箭,许褚胆量用在外汇市场非暴仓不可
First you need to have guts. Second you need to have sense. Only when sense is combined with guts will we uncover gold.
11. What do you think about forex vs. equities? Have you traded equities? Why do you trade forex?
若外匯與股票相比，您有何看法？您有買賣過股票嗎？您為何會買賣外匯？
不是很懂股票，外汇交易更有趣,更快速。
I’m not familiar with stocks. Forex trading is faster and more interesting.
12. How has trading changed your life?
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外匯交易如何改變您的生活？ 改变生活? 没有什么改变啊, 外汇对我的生活是个刺激, 很过瘾很好玩
Changed my life? There is no change at all. Forex is the stimulation of my life. Cool and fun.
13. What advice would you give to a new trader?
您會給予交易新手甚麼意見？
享受外汇交易的乐趣, 用闲职资金作交易
Enjoy the fun of forex trading. Trade with capital that you earned by your part-time jobs.
1. How long have you been trading?
您進行交易有多久？ 如果从现在算起, 满打满算差不多2年
Taking the present into consideration, it has been about two years.
2. How did you start trading?
您如何開始進行交易？
2008年暑期，看到越来越多的朋友从事外汇保证金交易，我也跃跃欲试，经常被强行平仓, 后来调整持仓数量,才好一些。
When I noticed more and more friends were engaged in forex trading on margin in the 2008 summer vacation, I was excited and wanted to give it a try as well. I experienced forced liquidation all the time. Things got better after I had adjusted my positions.
3. What are your favorite sources for news and/or your favorite technical indicators?
您最喜歡的新聞資料來源及／或最喜歡的技術指標是甚麼？
我经常看中央电视台的经济频道, 有外汇分析节目,很不错的
I always watch CCTV’s finance channel which has some fx analyzing programs. They are great.
4. What pair do you prefer to trade?
您偏好買賣哪些貨幣對？ 欧元 澳元 点值固定, 比较好分析
EUR and AUD that have fixed pip costs. It’s easier to analyze.
5. How long do you typically hold your trades?
您一般會持有交易多久？ 这个, 取决于行情和持仓数量, 建仓价格, 这次欧元持续反弹, 我的持仓
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超过一个星期了, 让利润奔跑. 当然我还是平仓太早,如果坚持到现在, 欧元已经1.32了
It depends on market trends, positions and entry prices. In this ongoing EUR rebound, I held my positions for more than a week for profits to grow. Of course I still closed the positions far too early. If I had held till now, the euro would have reached 1.32.
6. How much time do you spend trading every day?
您每日會花多少時間進行交易？ 不固定的, 如果有浮赢, 基本很少时间看市场, 如果浮亏, 就全神贯注,感觉市场脉搏, 感觉不对, 坚决止损
It varies. If I have unrealized profits, basically I rarely look at the market. If I have unrealized losses, I will concentrate on feeling the pulse of the market. If I have a bad feeling, I will definitely execute a stop loss.
7. What was your most successful or memorable trade, and what was your most unsuccessful trade?
您最成功或最值得紀念的交易是甚麼，及您最失敗的交易是甚麼？ 这个月以一单两百多点的盈利，赚取一千一百多美元。
由于时间关系，做的单子不是很多，争取以后投入更多时间，赢取更大利润。 呵呵, 最失败的交易,是平仓太早了, 没有守住仓位
This month I gained over two hundred pips by a single order, generating a profit of over USD$1,100.
Due to time constraint, not many orders were placed. I will seek to invest more time in reaping more profits in the future. The most unsuccessful trade was the one that was closed far too early, failing to maintain the position.
8. What do you think your greatest weakness is as a trader?
作為交易者，您認為自己的最大弱點是甚麼？ 可能是头脑冲动,持有仓位太重 ,总想一口吃成胖子, 往往希望越大,失望越大
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Maybe I act on impulse and hold huge positions. I always want to gain weight by a single bite. It ends up that the more I have hoped, the more disappointed I become.
9. What one thing did you do or learn that pushed you over the top?
您做過或學過甚麼以致您能登上高峰？
我搞过体育,喜欢NBA的绝杀,在比赛最后几秒,湖人队的科比经常投中绝杀球, 和KOM比赛有点像. 大家成绩都接近,谁都有可能胜出, 就看谁更冷静, 做的决策更正确,
I have played sports and like the turnaround shots in NBA. In the last few seconds to the end of a game, Kobe Bryant of Lakers can always make a turnaround shot. Similar to the KOM competition, competitors have similar results and anyone may win. We will have to see who is calmer or who can make a more appropriate decision.
10. What kind of personality do you think you need to trade forex successfully?
您認為要買賣外匯成功，要擁有哪種個性？
首先要有胆量,其次有理智,有理智的胆量,才是有含金量的, 许褚裸衣战马超,结果中箭,许褚胆量用在外汇市场非暴仓不可
First you need to have guts. Second you need to have sense. Only when sense is combined with guts will we uncover gold.
11. What do you think about forex vs. equities? Have you traded equities? Why do you trade forex?
若外匯與股票相比，您有何看法？您有買賣過股票嗎？您為何會買賣外匯？
不是很懂股票，外汇交易更有趣,更快速。
I’m not familiar with stocks. Forex trading is faster and more interesting.
12. How has trading changed your life?
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外匯交易如何改變您的生活？ 改变生活? 没有什么改变啊, 外汇对我的生活是个刺激, 很过瘾很好玩
Changed my life? There is no change at all. Forex is the stimulation of my life. Cool and fun.
13. What advice would you give to a new trader?
您會給予交易新手甚麼意見？
享受外汇交易的乐趣, 用闲职资金作交易
Enjoy the fun of forex trading. Trade with capital that you earned by your part-time jobs.
King of the Micro Trading Survey 2nd
King of the Micro Trading Survey
1. How long have you been trading?
Almost 3 years.
2. How did you start trading?
A friend told me about forex.
3. What are your favorite sources for news and/or your favorite technical indicators?
Forex factory
4. What pair do you prefer to trade? GBP/JPY
5. How long do you typically hold your trades? A few hours
How much time do you spend trading every day? 5 – 6 hrs
6. What was your most successful or memorable trade, and what was your most unsuccessful trade?
My most successful trade happened on a Friday in May where the market moved in my favor and I made good profit. I have a few unsuccessful trades where I lost my entire account.
7. What do you think your greatest weakness is as a trader?
Not being able to control my emotions
8. What one thing did you do or learn that pushed you over the top?
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Being able to wait patiently on the sidelines.
9. What kind of personality do you think you need to trade forex successfully? Calm personality
10. What do you think about forex vs. equities? Have you traded equities? Why do you trade forex?
I have traded stocks a few times but I prefer forex because its open 24 hrs and I am fully responsible for anything that happens
11. How has trading changed your life? It has made me a more patient person.
12. What advice would you give to a new trader? Don’t give up.
1. How long have you been trading?
Almost 3 years.
2. How did you start trading?
A friend told me about forex.
3. What are your favorite sources for news and/or your favorite technical indicators?
Forex factory
4. What pair do you prefer to trade? GBP/JPY
5. How long do you typically hold your trades? A few hours
How much time do you spend trading every day? 5 – 6 hrs
6. What was your most successful or memorable trade, and what was your most unsuccessful trade?
My most successful trade happened on a Friday in May where the market moved in my favor and I made good profit. I have a few unsuccessful trades where I lost my entire account.
7. What do you think your greatest weakness is as a trader?
Not being able to control my emotions
8. What one thing did you do or learn that pushed you over the top?
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Being able to wait patiently on the sidelines.
9. What kind of personality do you think you need to trade forex successfully? Calm personality
10. What do you think about forex vs. equities? Have you traded equities? Why do you trade forex?
I have traded stocks a few times but I prefer forex because its open 24 hrs and I am fully responsible for anything that happens
11. How has trading changed your life? It has made me a more patient person.
12. What advice would you give to a new trader? Don’t give up.
King of the Micro Trading Survey .... Winner
微型賬戶之王交易大賽調查
1. How long have you been trading?
您進行交易有多久？ 2006年开始涉足外汇保证金交易，算起来都有4年多了。
It’s been over four years since I started trading forex on margin in 2006.
2. How did you start trading?
您如何開始進行交易？ 2005年至2006年期间，中国国内股市一直处于低迷状态，可以说是“逢入必套”，在友人的介绍下，开始了解外汇保证金交易市场。\
Between 2005 and 2006, the mainland stock market was flat. It can be said that “whenever a trader entered the market, his positions would be locked.” Through a friend’s introduction, I began to know the fx margin trading market.
3. What are your favorite sources for news and/or your favorite technical indicators?
您最喜歡的新聞資料來源及／或最喜歡的技術指標是甚麼？ 4年来，我接触过不少外汇交易商，及其相关的资料，最后还是选择了福汇。相比之下，福汇的信息较为快捷，技术分析比较到位，操作风格比较适合我。说到技术指标，其实我不太依赖技术指标，或者我对所谓的技术指标研究不深，也懒得去研究。要真正掌握一套指标实在太累了，而且不一定就受用。交易应该用一种轻松的心态，可以说是一种业余的兴趣，而不应该有太大的压力。
In the past four years, I have traded with a good many fx dealers and referenced to their relevant information. But finally it is still FXCM that I have chosen. By comparison, FXCM provides information in a quicker manner, its technical analyses are more to the point and its trading style suits me better. As to technical indicators, in fact I do not rely on them much. Maybe it’s because I do not have an in-depth study of the so-called technical indicators, and don’t bother to study them. It is tiring for one to truly master a set of indicators and it may not necessarily benefit him/her. Trading has to be done in a carefree attitude. It should be an amateur interest that shouldn’t be associated with a great deal of pressure.
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4. What pair do you prefer to trade?
您偏好買賣哪些貨幣對？ 我开始涉足外汇的时候，可以说是兴趣广泛，甚至是博爱。看到哪个商品有机会都不舍得放弃，都要参与。碰壁多了，现在也收敛多了。正如年青时，喜欢一大堆女朋友，见一个爱一个，贪新不厌旧，但真正的经颜知已就一俩个。我现在比较偏好做EUR/JPY，USD/JPY，其他的都好少做。
At the start of trading fx, I was interested in a wide range of currency pairs, even to a love-all degree. I didn’t want to miss any opportunity that came with a given commodity. I wanted to have exposure to them. Having learned my lessons, now I have better control. It is like one is inclined to having countless girlfriends at a young age, neglecting his old girlfriend after he is obsessed with a new one, but his true confidantes are as few as one or two. Now I prefer to trade EUR/JPY and USD/JPY and seldom trade others.
How long do you typically hold your trades?
您一般會持有交易多久？ 一般是日内交易，因为持单过夜会影响睡眠。有时会放上3、4天，但不会超过一个星期。
I generally do day trades as holding positions overnight will affect my sleep. Sometimes I hold positions for three to four days, but I won’t hold them for more than a week.
5. How much time do you spend trading every day?
您每日會花多少時間進行交易？ 3-4小时吧。看得多，想的多，但做的少。以前一天交易3次左右，现在一天交易1次，下一步希望做到2-3天交易一次。习惯了就不会手痒了。
Three to four hours. I observe more, think more but trade less. In the past I traded about three times a day. Now I simply trade once a day and my next goal is to trade once every two to three days. Once you have made it a habit, you will not be tempted to overtrade.
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What was your most successful or memorable trade, and what was your most unsuccessful trade?
您最成功或最值得紀念的交易是甚麼，及您最失敗的交易是甚麼？
我想没有最成功的，只有再成功。到目前为止最值得纪念的交易还是这个比赛，能够有足够的耐心和成熟的心态持单赚到200多个点。成熟的交易心态比赚到钱更有满足感。 最失败的交易可算是刚刚接解外汇交易的时候，当时持有1标准手沽空欧元的单，浮亏着100多个点。当时正值月初周五晚上，公布美国非农和失业率，数据公布后EUR开始回落，我本意是加1手沽空EUR，但却点了多单，还是点了两次。天吖，本来可以解套的，却。。。。（无语）这就是我平生以来犯的不能再低级的错误。
I think no trade can be regarded as the most successful. We only have more successful trades. Up till now, the most memorable trade I have had is the one I placed in this competition. I was able to gain more than 200 pips with sufficient patience and a mature attitude in holding positions. Developing a mature trading attitude gives me more satisfaction than making money.
My most unsuccessful trade was made when I started fx trading at the beginning. At that time I was going short 1 standard lot of EUR, incurring an unrealized loss of more than 100 pips. It was a Friday night at the beginning of the month when the US NFP and jobless rate were announced. EUR fell back following the data release. My original plan was to sell 1 more lot of EUR, but I accidentally clicked on buy, and worst of all, twice. Oh my god, I could have unlocked the position, but … (speechless) This is the worst mistake that I have ever made.
6. What do you think your greatest weakness is as a trader?
作為交易者，您認為自己的最大弱點是甚麼？ 作为交易者，最大的敌人不是市场，而是我自己。其实交易就是一种数字心理游戏，我就是太爱赢，不肯认输，结果与“浮亏”错结“良缘”。最后越亏超多之余，还错过了好多好多赢利的机会。
As a trader, my biggest enemy is not the market, but myself. In fact, trading is a psychological game about figures. I was too into winning and refused to admit losses that I “had tied a knot with unrealized losses.”
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Consequently, I lost more than I had expected and missed many profit-making opportunities.
7. What one thing did you do or learn that pushed you over the top?
您做過或學過甚麼以致您能登上高峰？
多看，多想，少做。
Observe more, think more and trade less.
8. What kind of personality do you think you need to trade forex successfully?
您認為要買賣外匯成功，要擁有哪種個性？
行行出状元。我个人认为不能简单说拥有什么个性就一定适合做外汇。超短线、短线、中长线、超长线高手如云。最重要是看看有没有找到适合你个性的操作风格。
Outstanding practitioners exist in every industry. From my perspective, we cannot simply say forex is suitable to someone who has a certain kind of personality. Whether it be extremely short-term, short-term, medium-long term or extremely long-term trading, there are countless experts proficient in doing such a trade. What is most important is whether there is an operating style that suits your personality.
9. What do you think about forex vs. equities? Have you traded equities? Why do you trade forex?
若外匯與股票相比，您有何看法？您有買賣過股票嗎？您為何會買賣外匯？
记得有位友人说过：玩过期货的人就不会再玩股票，玩过外汇的人就不会再玩期货。杠杆、T+0、24H、信息公开、游戏规则公平公正等等。。。这就是外汇交易刺激、诱人的地方。与其说我玩过股票5年多，倒不如说股票玩了我5年多，期货我没接触过，我想短期内也不会再接触股票和期货，因为现在有最好玩的游戏—外汇交易（金融衍生品）。
I remember a friend has once said, “Those who have traded in futures will never trade in stocks again; and those who have traded in fx will never trade in futures again.” Leverage, T+0, 24H, information open to all and fair game rules are what make fx trading exciting and attractive. To say I have
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played with stocks for over five years, I would say stocks have played with me for over five years. I have never touched futures, and won’t be touching stocks and futures in the short term since there is the most exciting game before me – fx trading (financial derivatives).
10. How has trading changed your life?
外匯交易如何改變您的生活？ 外汇交易已经成为我生活中不可缺少的一部分，市场的变幻莫测也磨练了我稳重的心态。人生就如交易，有得有失，平常心对待，只要沉着应对，总有解决的办法。
Forex trading has become an essential part of my life. The unpredictable market also trains me to be more prudent. Life is like trading. There are gains and losses. Take it easy. Deal with them calmly. There is always a solution.
11. What advice would you give to a new trader?
您會給予交易新手甚麼意見？
多想，多看，少做。学习世界顶尖交易大师的交易风格，幻想自己也是交易大师，你就知道该如何做了，你离真正的交易大师就不远了。
Think more, observe more and trade less. Learn the trading styles of the world’s first-class masters of trade. Imagine yourself as a master as well. Then you will know what to do and you’re not far from being a true master of trade.
1. How long have you been trading?
您進行交易有多久？ 2006年开始涉足外汇保证金交易，算起来都有4年多了。
It’s been over four years since I started trading forex on margin in 2006.
2. How did you start trading?
您如何開始進行交易？ 2005年至2006年期间，中国国内股市一直处于低迷状态，可以说是“逢入必套”，在友人的介绍下，开始了解外汇保证金交易市场。\
Between 2005 and 2006, the mainland stock market was flat. It can be said that “whenever a trader entered the market, his positions would be locked.” Through a friend’s introduction, I began to know the fx margin trading market.
3. What are your favorite sources for news and/or your favorite technical indicators?
您最喜歡的新聞資料來源及／或最喜歡的技術指標是甚麼？ 4年来，我接触过不少外汇交易商，及其相关的资料，最后还是选择了福汇。相比之下，福汇的信息较为快捷，技术分析比较到位，操作风格比较适合我。说到技术指标，其实我不太依赖技术指标，或者我对所谓的技术指标研究不深，也懒得去研究。要真正掌握一套指标实在太累了，而且不一定就受用。交易应该用一种轻松的心态，可以说是一种业余的兴趣，而不应该有太大的压力。
In the past four years, I have traded with a good many fx dealers and referenced to their relevant information. But finally it is still FXCM that I have chosen. By comparison, FXCM provides information in a quicker manner, its technical analyses are more to the point and its trading style suits me better. As to technical indicators, in fact I do not rely on them much. Maybe it’s because I do not have an in-depth study of the so-called technical indicators, and don’t bother to study them. It is tiring for one to truly master a set of indicators and it may not necessarily benefit him/her. Trading has to be done in a carefree attitude. It should be an amateur interest that shouldn’t be associated with a great deal of pressure.
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4. What pair do you prefer to trade?
您偏好買賣哪些貨幣對？ 我开始涉足外汇的时候，可以说是兴趣广泛，甚至是博爱。看到哪个商品有机会都不舍得放弃，都要参与。碰壁多了，现在也收敛多了。正如年青时，喜欢一大堆女朋友，见一个爱一个，贪新不厌旧，但真正的经颜知已就一俩个。我现在比较偏好做EUR/JPY，USD/JPY，其他的都好少做。
At the start of trading fx, I was interested in a wide range of currency pairs, even to a love-all degree. I didn’t want to miss any opportunity that came with a given commodity. I wanted to have exposure to them. Having learned my lessons, now I have better control. It is like one is inclined to having countless girlfriends at a young age, neglecting his old girlfriend after he is obsessed with a new one, but his true confidantes are as few as one or two. Now I prefer to trade EUR/JPY and USD/JPY and seldom trade others.
How long do you typically hold your trades?
您一般會持有交易多久？ 一般是日内交易，因为持单过夜会影响睡眠。有时会放上3、4天，但不会超过一个星期。
I generally do day trades as holding positions overnight will affect my sleep. Sometimes I hold positions for three to four days, but I won’t hold them for more than a week.
5. How much time do you spend trading every day?
您每日會花多少時間進行交易？ 3-4小时吧。看得多，想的多，但做的少。以前一天交易3次左右，现在一天交易1次，下一步希望做到2-3天交易一次。习惯了就不会手痒了。
Three to four hours. I observe more, think more but trade less. In the past I traded about three times a day. Now I simply trade once a day and my next goal is to trade once every two to three days. Once you have made it a habit, you will not be tempted to overtrade.
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What was your most successful or memorable trade, and what was your most unsuccessful trade?
您最成功或最值得紀念的交易是甚麼，及您最失敗的交易是甚麼？
我想没有最成功的，只有再成功。到目前为止最值得纪念的交易还是这个比赛，能够有足够的耐心和成熟的心态持单赚到200多个点。成熟的交易心态比赚到钱更有满足感。 最失败的交易可算是刚刚接解外汇交易的时候，当时持有1标准手沽空欧元的单，浮亏着100多个点。当时正值月初周五晚上，公布美国非农和失业率，数据公布后EUR开始回落，我本意是加1手沽空EUR，但却点了多单，还是点了两次。天吖，本来可以解套的，却。。。。（无语）这就是我平生以来犯的不能再低级的错误。
I think no trade can be regarded as the most successful. We only have more successful trades. Up till now, the most memorable trade I have had is the one I placed in this competition. I was able to gain more than 200 pips with sufficient patience and a mature attitude in holding positions. Developing a mature trading attitude gives me more satisfaction than making money.
My most unsuccessful trade was made when I started fx trading at the beginning. At that time I was going short 1 standard lot of EUR, incurring an unrealized loss of more than 100 pips. It was a Friday night at the beginning of the month when the US NFP and jobless rate were announced. EUR fell back following the data release. My original plan was to sell 1 more lot of EUR, but I accidentally clicked on buy, and worst of all, twice. Oh my god, I could have unlocked the position, but … (speechless) This is the worst mistake that I have ever made.
6. What do you think your greatest weakness is as a trader?
作為交易者，您認為自己的最大弱點是甚麼？ 作为交易者，最大的敌人不是市场，而是我自己。其实交易就是一种数字心理游戏，我就是太爱赢，不肯认输，结果与“浮亏”错结“良缘”。最后越亏超多之余，还错过了好多好多赢利的机会。
As a trader, my biggest enemy is not the market, but myself. In fact, trading is a psychological game about figures. I was too into winning and refused to admit losses that I “had tied a knot with unrealized losses.”
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Consequently, I lost more than I had expected and missed many profit-making opportunities.
7. What one thing did you do or learn that pushed you over the top?
您做過或學過甚麼以致您能登上高峰？
多看，多想，少做。
Observe more, think more and trade less.
8. What kind of personality do you think you need to trade forex successfully?
您認為要買賣外匯成功，要擁有哪種個性？
行行出状元。我个人认为不能简单说拥有什么个性就一定适合做外汇。超短线、短线、中长线、超长线高手如云。最重要是看看有没有找到适合你个性的操作风格。
Outstanding practitioners exist in every industry. From my perspective, we cannot simply say forex is suitable to someone who has a certain kind of personality. Whether it be extremely short-term, short-term, medium-long term or extremely long-term trading, there are countless experts proficient in doing such a trade. What is most important is whether there is an operating style that suits your personality.
9. What do you think about forex vs. equities? Have you traded equities? Why do you trade forex?
若外匯與股票相比，您有何看法？您有買賣過股票嗎？您為何會買賣外匯？
记得有位友人说过：玩过期货的人就不会再玩股票，玩过外汇的人就不会再玩期货。杠杆、T+0、24H、信息公开、游戏规则公平公正等等。。。这就是外汇交易刺激、诱人的地方。与其说我玩过股票5年多，倒不如说股票玩了我5年多，期货我没接触过，我想短期内也不会再接触股票和期货，因为现在有最好玩的游戏—外汇交易（金融衍生品）。
I remember a friend has once said, “Those who have traded in futures will never trade in stocks again; and those who have traded in fx will never trade in futures again.” Leverage, T+0, 24H, information open to all and fair game rules are what make fx trading exciting and attractive. To say I have
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played with stocks for over five years, I would say stocks have played with me for over five years. I have never touched futures, and won’t be touching stocks and futures in the short term since there is the most exciting game before me – fx trading (financial derivatives).
10. How has trading changed your life?
外匯交易如何改變您的生活？ 外汇交易已经成为我生活中不可缺少的一部分，市场的变幻莫测也磨练了我稳重的心态。人生就如交易，有得有失，平常心对待，只要沉着应对，总有解决的办法。
Forex trading has become an essential part of my life. The unpredictable market also trains me to be more prudent. Life is like trading. There are gains and losses. Take it easy. Deal with them calmly. There is always a solution.
11. What advice would you give to a new trader?
您會給予交易新手甚麼意見？
多想，多看，少做。学习世界顶尖交易大师的交易风格，幻想自己也是交易大师，你就知道该如何做了，你离真正的交易大师就不远了。
Think more, observe more and trade less. Learn the trading styles of the world’s first-class masters of trade. Imagine yourself as a master as well. Then you will know what to do and you’re not far from being a true master of trade.
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