30 Days of Knowledge - Day #4

1) Dr. Charles F. Stanley's 30 Life Principles –

Energized by His Presence

Scripture: Matthew 28:18-20

I. Introduction: When was the last time you felt God’s presence in a special way?

You may have experienced Him at church, while witnessing to a friend, or during a time of prayer. Or perhaps you were going through a difficult situation and had to rely totally on His strength. In moments like these, the Lord reveals His power in a unique way. Having an awareness of His presence energizes us to overcome adversity and advance His kingdom. With the Lord’s guidance and power, we can gain victory in any trial.

II. How can we describe the presence of God?

A. The Creator is everywhere, but He is not present in all places in the same way. For instance, He is in creation, but creation is not Him. And God is always with followers of Christ, but sometimes He manifests Himself to believers in special ways.

B. Can we adequately define the presence of the Lord? No. But we can describe the experience as “God revealing Himself by His Spirit to our spirit for the specific purpose of encouraging us, enabling us, energizing us, informing us or warning us.”

III. What role does the Holy Spirit play?

A. He indwells the believer from the moment of salvation (Rom. 8:9).

B. His purpose is to empower, teach, and reveal the meaning of Scripture.

C. The Spirit enables us to become more like Christ in our attitudes and actions (Rom. 8:29).

D. Apart from the Holy Spirit, we can’t fellowship with God or experience His power working through us.

IV. How did the Lord operate in the past?

A. The Father revealed His presence to Moses through the burning bush (Ex. 3:1-21).

B. Joshua saw the Lord in the form of a warrior. God revealed how to conquer Jericho with supernatural strategy rather than military tactics (Josh. 5:13-6).

C. God appeared to Gideon to encourage him. Otherwise, with only 300 men, the leader would have lacked confidence to organize an attack against the Midianites (Judg. 6:11-13; Judg. 7:1-25).

D. Isaiah saw the Lord sitting on His heavenly throne. Because he was aware of God’s presence, the prophet was willing to take on a very difficult task—warning rebellious Israel of the coming judgment (Isa. 6:1-8).

E. God met with Jeremiah. God’s presence empowered Jeremiah to proclaim Judah’s disobedience and call them to repentance (Jer.1:9, 19).

F. Peter was strengthened by Christ’s presence. When he was with Jesus, the disciple walked on water and defended the Lord against Roman soldiers (Matt. 14:26-29, 26:50-51). But away from the Savior, Peter denied knowing Him (Matt. 26:69-75).

G. Paul saw Jesus on his way to Damascus. If the apostle hadn’t known the presence of God, he would not have continued to preach the gospel in the face of beatings, imprisonment, and persecution (Acts 9:3-5).

V. How does the presence of God energize us?

A. We are motivated to live godly lives. Being in the presence of the universe’s awesome Creator inspires us to make righteous choices.

B. His presence empowers us to overcome challenges. David knew Jehovah would defend His name and give him the victory against Goliath (1 Sam. 17:45-47).

C. Experiencing His presence reminds us of how He worked in the past. As we recall biblical examples of His faithfulness, we have supernatural peace and confidence in every situation.

D. We gain His perspective. God revealed to Elisha’s servant that angelic warriors out numbered King Aram’s army (2 Kings 6:11-17). The Lord’s presence helps us see life from His viewpoint.

VI. Conclusion: Do you want to intimately experience the Lord’s presence? If so, I challenge you to pray, “Father, I want to submit to Your perfect control of my life. Reveal Yourself to me in any way You choose.” My friend, the Lord wants to satisfy you with His presence and use you in exciting ways. Don’t miss one of life’s greatest blessings—learning to live in the knowledge that He is always with you.

 

 

2) The 30-Day Reading List That Will Lead You to Becoming a Knowledgeable Libertarian by Robert Wenzel

The Peculiar and Unique Position of Economics

Thursday, June 21, 2012

by Ludwig von Mises

[This article is excerpted from Human Action (1949), chapter 37, "The Nondescript Character of Economics."]

The Singularity of Economics

What assigns economics its peculiar and unique position in the orbit both of pure knowledge and of the practical utilization of knowledge is the fact that its particular theorems are not open to any verification or falsification on the ground of experience. Of course, a measure suggested by sound economic reasoning results in producing the effects aimed at, and a measure suggested by faulty economic reasoning fails to produce the ends sought. But such experience is always still historical experience, i.e., the experience of complex phenomena. It can never, as has been pointed out, prove or disprove any particular theorem. The application of spurious economic theorems results in undesired consequences. But these effects never have that undisputable power of conviction which the experimental facts in the field of the natural sciences provide. The ultimate yardstick of an economic theorem's correctness or incorrectness is solely reason unaided by experience.

The ominous import of this state of affairs is that it prevents the naïve mind from recognizing the reality of the things economics deals with. "Real" is, in the eyes of man, all that he cannot alter and to whose existence he must adjust his actions if he wants to attain his ends. The cognizance of reality is a sad experience. It teaches the limits on the satisfaction of one's wishes. Only reluctantly does man resign himself to the insight that there are things, viz., the whole complex of all causal relations between events, which wishful thinking cannot alter. Yet sense experience speaks an easily perceptible language. There is no use arguing about experiments. The reality of experimentally established facts cannot be contested.

But in the field of praxeological knowledge neither success nor failure speaks a distinct language audible to everybody. The experience derived exclusively from complex phenomena does not bar escape into interpretations based on wishful thinking. The naïve man's propensity to ascribe omnipotence to his thoughts, however confused and contradictory, is never manifestly and unambiguously falsified by experience. The economist can never refute the economic cranks and quacks in the way in which the doctor refutes the medicine man and the charlatan. History speaks only to those people who know how to interpret it on the ground of correct theories.

Economics and Public Opinion

The significance of this fundamental epistemological difference becomes clear if we realize that the practical utilization of the teachings of economics presupposes their endorsement by public opinion. In the market economy the realization of technological innovations does not require anything more than the cognizance of their reasonableness by one or a few enlightened spirits. No dullness and clumsiness on the part of the masses can stop the pioneers of improvement. There is no need for them to win the approval of inert people beforehand. They are free to embark upon their projects even if everyone else laughs at them. Later, when the new, better, and cheaper products appear on the market, these scoffers will scramble for them. However dull a man may be, he knows how to tell the difference between a cheaper shoe and a more expensive one, and to appreciate the usefulness of new products.

But it is different in the field of social organization and economic policies. Here the best theories are useless if not supported by public opinion. They cannot work if not accepted by a majority of the people. Whatever the system of government may be, there cannot be any question of ruling a nation lastingly on the ground of doctrines at variance with public opinion. In the end the philosophy of the majority prevails. In the long run there cannot be any such thing as an unpopular system of government. The difference between democracy and despotism does not affect the final outcome. It refers only to the method by which the adjustment of the system of government to the ideology held by public opinion is brought about. Unpopular autocrats can only be dethroned by revolutionary upheavals, while unpopular democratic rulers are peacefully ousted in the next election.

The supremacy of public opinion determines not only the singular role that economics occupies in the complex of thought and knowledge. It determines the whole process of human history.

The customary discussions concerning the role the individual plays in history miss the point. Everything that is thought, done and accomplished is a performance of individuals. New ideas and innovations are always an achievement of uncommon men. But these great men cannot succeed in adjusting social conditions to their plans if they do not convince public opinion.

The flowering of human society depends on two factors: the intellectual power of outstanding men to conceive sound social and economic theories, and the ability of these or other men to make these ideologies palatable to the majority.

Ludwig von Mises was the acknowledged leader of the Austrian School of economic thought, a prodigious originator in economic theory, and a prolific author. Mises's writings and lectures encompassed economic theory, history, epistemology, government, and political philosophy. His contributions to economic theory include important clarifications on the quantity theory of money, the theory of the trade cycle, the integration of monetary theory with economic theory in general, and a demonstration that socialism must fail because it cannot solve the problem of economic calculation. Mises was the first scholar to recognize that economics is part of a larger science in human action, a science that Mises called "praxeology."

3) Roger’s Rangers Rules or Plan of Discipline by Major Robert Rogers

Rule #4

 

Some time before you come to the place you would reconnoitre, make a stand, and send one or two men in whom you can confide, to look out the best ground for making your observations.

 

 

4) 52 Weeks to Preparedness by Tess Pennington

Week 4 of 52: Communications

 

We have all witnessed a “communications down” scenario when going through natural disasters. One thing that all of these natural disasters have in common, besides the disruption of our daily lives, is that they are immediately followed by an almost total loss of the ability to communicate with the outside world. Power is lost, telephone services are discontinued, and cell phone service is either non-existent or is so congested that no one can get through. When experiencing these “communication down” situations we realize how vulnerable and dependent we are on the system that failed.

Having alternate communication devices on hand during a disaster can help maintain some sort of communication, as well as help maintain a sense of self reliance during difficult times. Have at least one of the following alternative communication systems:

• Wind up radios
• Emails (if there is a power source)
• Amateur radios
• Family radio services offered by the FCC
• CB radios

When making your choice, you should examine your own needs and match them with the appropriate communication system.

Here are some criteria for setting up an emergency communication system:

• It should be easy to operate.
• Have effective range.
• Have a modest amount of protection against interference.
• Be inexpensive (low initial cost, low maintenance cost and no monthly fees).
• Be readily available.
• Be able to operate “off the grid”.

Preps to buy:

• Signal flares, flashing beacon or flashing emergency light. (I bought mine at a camping store.)
• Compass for all members of the family over the age of 6.
• Two-way radio.
• Battery operated or wind-up hand radio, preferably an NOAA weather radio.

Action Items:

When a hurricane threatens an area, the city suggests families back up important documents e.g., personal ID, security card, I.D. cards for the kids, proof of residence, insurance information, medical records, bank and account information, and place the documentation in a waterproof container or reasonable plastic bag.

Don’t forget to include documentation records for your pets, e.g., IDs, immunization records, and medications. Having this information prepared and set aside will help save precious time when preparing a home for a disaster.

 

 

5) 110 Rules of Civility & Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation by George Washington

 

10^th – When you Sit down, Keep your Feet firm and Even, without putting one on the other or Crossing them.

 

11^th – Shift not yourself in the Sight of others nor Gnaw your nails.

 

12th – Shake not the head, Feet, or Legs roll not the Eyes lift not one eyebrow higher than the other wry not the mouth, and bedew no mans face with your Spittle, by approaching too near him when you Speak.