Here's Paul Washer speaking about decisional "evangelism" and what really constitutes true regeneration at the Deeper Conference hosted by Way of the Master.
It's about an hour long, but trust me, it's well worth it.
Tuesday, October 28
Wednesday, October 22
When's the last time YOU went to the Theater?
Some of you have wanted to do something like this your whole lives.
Some of you will be mortally embarrassed for them.
I found it awesome.
Some of you will be mortally embarrassed for them.
I found it awesome.
Friday, October 17
A seasoned voice of Reason
By WARREN E. BUFFETT
Published: October 16, 2008
THE financial world is a mess, both in the United States and abroad. Its problems, moreover, have been leaking into the general economy, and the leaks are now turning into a gusher. In the near term, unemployment will rise, business activity will falter and headlines will continue to be scary.
So ... I’ve been buying American stocks. This is my personal account I’m talking about, in which I previously owned nothing but United States government bonds. (This description leaves aside my Berkshire Hathaway holdings, which are all committed to philanthropy.) If prices keep looking attractive, my non-Berkshire net worth will soon be 100 percent in United States equities.
Why?
A simple rule dictates my buying: Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful. And most certainly, fear is now widespread, gripping even seasoned investors. To be sure, investors are right to be wary of highly leveraged entities or businesses in weak competitive positions. But fears regarding the long-term prosperity of the nation’s many sound companies make no sense. These businesses will indeed suffer earnings hiccups, as they always have. But most major companies will be setting new profit records 5, 10 and 20 years from now.
Let me be clear on one point: I can’t predict the short-term movements of the stock market. I haven’t the faintest idea as to whether stocks will be higher or lower a month — or a year — from now. What is likely, however, is that the market will move higher, perhaps substantially so, well before either sentiment or the economy turns up. So if you wait for the robins, spring will be over.
A little history here: During the Depression, the Dow hit its low, 41, on July 8, 1932. Economic conditions, though, kept deteriorating until Franklin D. Roosevelt took office in March 1933. By that time, the market had already advanced 30 percent. Or think back to the early days of World War II, when things were going badly for the United States in Europe and the Pacific. The market hit bottom in April 1942, well before Allied fortunes turned. Again, in the early 1980s, the time to buy stocks was when inflation raged and the economy was in the tank. In short, bad news is an investor’s best friend. It lets you buy a slice of America’s future at a marked-down price.
Over the long term, the stock market news will be good. In the 20th century, the United States endured two world wars and other traumatic and expensive military conflicts; the Depression; a dozen or so recessions and financial panics; oil shocks; a flu epidemic; and the resignation of a disgraced president. Yet the Dow rose from 66 to 11,497.
You might think it would have been impossible for an investor to lose money during a century marked by such an extraordinary gain. But some investors did. The hapless ones bought stocks only when they felt comfort in doing so and then proceeded to sell when the headlines made them queasy.
Today people who hold cash equivalents feel comfortable. They shouldn’t. They have opted for a terrible long-term asset, one that pays virtually nothing and is certain to depreciate in value. Indeed, the policies that government will follow in its efforts to alleviate the current crisis will probably prove inflationary and therefore accelerate declines in the real value of cash accounts.
Equities will almost certainly outperform cash over the next decade, probably by a substantial degree. Those investors who cling now to cash are betting they can efficiently time their move away from it later. In waiting for the comfort of good news, they are ignoring Wayne Gretzky’s advice: “I skate to where the puck is going to be, not to where it has been.”
I don’t like to opine on the stock market, and again I emphasize that I have no idea what the market will do in the short term. Nevertheless, I’ll follow the lead of a restaurant that opened in an empty bank building and then advertised: “Put your mouth where your money was.” Today my money and my mouth both say equities.
Warren E. Buffett is the chief executive of Berkshire Hathaway, a diversified holding company.
Published: October 16, 2008
THE financial world is a mess, both in the United States and abroad. Its problems, moreover, have been leaking into the general economy, and the leaks are now turning into a gusher. In the near term, unemployment will rise, business activity will falter and headlines will continue to be scary.
So ... I’ve been buying American stocks. This is my personal account I’m talking about, in which I previously owned nothing but United States government bonds. (This description leaves aside my Berkshire Hathaway holdings, which are all committed to philanthropy.) If prices keep looking attractive, my non-Berkshire net worth will soon be 100 percent in United States equities.
Why?
A simple rule dictates my buying: Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful. And most certainly, fear is now widespread, gripping even seasoned investors. To be sure, investors are right to be wary of highly leveraged entities or businesses in weak competitive positions. But fears regarding the long-term prosperity of the nation’s many sound companies make no sense. These businesses will indeed suffer earnings hiccups, as they always have. But most major companies will be setting new profit records 5, 10 and 20 years from now.
Let me be clear on one point: I can’t predict the short-term movements of the stock market. I haven’t the faintest idea as to whether stocks will be higher or lower a month — or a year — from now. What is likely, however, is that the market will move higher, perhaps substantially so, well before either sentiment or the economy turns up. So if you wait for the robins, spring will be over.
A little history here: During the Depression, the Dow hit its low, 41, on July 8, 1932. Economic conditions, though, kept deteriorating until Franklin D. Roosevelt took office in March 1933. By that time, the market had already advanced 30 percent. Or think back to the early days of World War II, when things were going badly for the United States in Europe and the Pacific. The market hit bottom in April 1942, well before Allied fortunes turned. Again, in the early 1980s, the time to buy stocks was when inflation raged and the economy was in the tank. In short, bad news is an investor’s best friend. It lets you buy a slice of America’s future at a marked-down price.
Over the long term, the stock market news will be good. In the 20th century, the United States endured two world wars and other traumatic and expensive military conflicts; the Depression; a dozen or so recessions and financial panics; oil shocks; a flu epidemic; and the resignation of a disgraced president. Yet the Dow rose from 66 to 11,497.
You might think it would have been impossible for an investor to lose money during a century marked by such an extraordinary gain. But some investors did. The hapless ones bought stocks only when they felt comfort in doing so and then proceeded to sell when the headlines made them queasy.
Today people who hold cash equivalents feel comfortable. They shouldn’t. They have opted for a terrible long-term asset, one that pays virtually nothing and is certain to depreciate in value. Indeed, the policies that government will follow in its efforts to alleviate the current crisis will probably prove inflationary and therefore accelerate declines in the real value of cash accounts.
Equities will almost certainly outperform cash over the next decade, probably by a substantial degree. Those investors who cling now to cash are betting they can efficiently time their move away from it later. In waiting for the comfort of good news, they are ignoring Wayne Gretzky’s advice: “I skate to where the puck is going to be, not to where it has been.”
I don’t like to opine on the stock market, and again I emphasize that I have no idea what the market will do in the short term. Nevertheless, I’ll follow the lead of a restaurant that opened in an empty bank building and then advertised: “Put your mouth where your money was.” Today my money and my mouth both say equities.
Warren E. Buffett is the chief executive of Berkshire Hathaway, a diversified holding company.
Thursday, October 16
Randomness
I've been tagged by a couple people to come up with 7 random facts about myself. I like reading random facts about other people, but I'm horrible at coming up with my own.
I guess I'm just too normal. *grin*
1. I use the word "beater" a lot to describe people when they do something silly, illogical, weird, or just plain dumb. I'm not even really sure if I could define the word. Just hang out with me long enough and you'll get a feel for what it means. :-)
2. I played summer league baseball for two summers on a team that never won a single game, but we had more fun than any other team out there.
3. I had a 45 minute bus ride to and from school. That means I left for school at 7:15ish and got home about 4:15ish. (And I had a really mean bus driver.)
4. I basically got to know my wife through group road trips to Kansas. Stop and think about how cool that is! :-)
5. I love explaining technical things to my wife that I'm pretty sure she doesn't care about, but listens attentively anyway. I once explained the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) to her for over an hour on a "date night". All the women reading this post are feeling really sorry for my wife.
6. I like a good debate. One where people can strongly disagree on topics, but still be friends when it's over.
7. Grilling is pretty much the best way to cook known to man. It's true.
I guess I'm just too normal. *grin*
1. I use the word "beater" a lot to describe people when they do something silly, illogical, weird, or just plain dumb. I'm not even really sure if I could define the word. Just hang out with me long enough and you'll get a feel for what it means. :-)
2. I played summer league baseball for two summers on a team that never won a single game, but we had more fun than any other team out there.
3. I had a 45 minute bus ride to and from school. That means I left for school at 7:15ish and got home about 4:15ish. (And I had a really mean bus driver.)
4. I basically got to know my wife through group road trips to Kansas. Stop and think about how cool that is! :-)
5. I love explaining technical things to my wife that I'm pretty sure she doesn't care about, but listens attentively anyway. I once explained the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) to her for over an hour on a "date night". All the women reading this post are feeling really sorry for my wife.
6. I like a good debate. One where people can strongly disagree on topics, but still be friends when it's over.
7. Grilling is pretty much the best way to cook known to man. It's true.
Wednesday, October 8
Amazing Guitar Playing
Wow, Wow, Wow, Wow.
I can not even begin to imagine how long you'd have to practice to get this amazing.
I can not even begin to imagine how long you'd have to practice to get this amazing.
Tuesday, October 7
Friday, October 3
Fannie & Freddie discussions
I know a lot of you are probably sick of me posting on this Financial Crisis we're in, but I just find it amazing that this kind of information is freely out there and yet people still don't correctly understand how we got into this mess.
I'm so thankful that God is sovereign and has it all in the palm of His hand.
I'm so thankful that God is sovereign and has it all in the palm of His hand.
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