Day 1 of M3 Basic Training...Use This Amazing Power Tool!

First of all, let me welcome you to M3! I'm so glad you're here with us. This is going to be a great time of growing together. Always feel free to call a coach if there is any way we can help you, especially as you're getting started.

So let's start off talking about power tools. Power tools are great things we men love to use. Not only do we like having that power in our hands, they can also get so much done faster than we could ever do so on our own. For example, they enable us to quickly build such things as a house. (Did I ever tell you about the time I was in a building trades class in high school? We built a house! Confession- I kept the foreman busy.) The power tool that God has given us to build up others is His word. Paul said, “Now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which can build you up…”Acts 20:32

It would be a very slow, laborious process to try and build up yourself or your future protégés if we didn't use the power tool of God's word. God wants people to get into His word, not wait to be spoon fed by their pastor. That’s why Paul said, I commend you to God and the word of His grace.

When I came to New Life as a missionary associate pastor in 1988, the church was still called Berean Memorial Baptist Church. Pastor Mark said the word “Memorial” sounded like a funeral home and most people didn’t have a clue why “Berean” was in the name. But why Berean? (Berea was a town Paul evangelized after leaving the riotous Thessalonians who drove him out.) “Now the Bereans were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true” Acts 17:11. So to call a church people “Bereans” is to give a very high compliment- that they daily dig into the Scriptures. If we want to build up strong multiplying men, we need to get them into the word of God daily. (The following verses also speak of people meeting daily for God's word- Acts 19:9; Psalm.1:1-3 and Prov.8:33-34.)

We want to help you and others grow up strong in their salvation. Daily feedings on it can do just that. Peter writes, “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good” 1 Peter 2:2-3. And it’s as we get into God’s word that we also taste more and more of God’s goodness. And that stimulates the appetite all the more. So read daily, focusing on the goodness of the Lord. That’s what we will be doing together in the word.

If you have wanted to be faithful to meet with God daily in his word, that longing is now being fulfilled for you. Just bring your desire and we will help you attain such. Come here anytime tomorrow. Speaking of tomorrow, have you ever been frustrated with quickly forgetting what you read in God's word? Tomorrow, you'll discover the tool to defeat the giant eraser machine. 
Assignment: Get some 3x5 cards by tomorrow. We'll show you how to turn them into something more valuable than gold.

You've joined a great band of brothers who want to encourage you. You'll even see it in their replies to the comments you post. If you want to be notified in your gmail box (if you use such) when someone responds to your comments, just check the Notify Me box on the right across from the Publish tab when you're about to publish your comments on our blog, and then you'll get notified in your gmail box. Nice!

Speaking of publishing your comments, I'd like to give you a few pointers in making your points. Please use Spell-Check and then re-read what you've written before publishing. It's hard to enjoy what you've written and commend you if it's not written clearly. My English prof in Bible college put it well, "There is no such thing as good writing, only good re-writing." It's true! I even make mistakes when I write emails and texts. These blogs run with red ink from my Spell-Checker. So I go back and make corrections. Also, by reading it again, you'll find times where you left out words. Spell-Check doesn't catch that. Also avoid long sentences. Chop long ones into two. One team member I had to call because his writing was atrocious! Since taking these suggestions to heart, he has become a very good communicator. Follow these simple steps and you'll write well as well. And if you copy someone's words from a book or the internet, please don't pass it off as your own. Give credit where credit is due.Thank you. It's the honest and honorable thing to do.

You'll notice throughout the first part of your Basic Training that your response questions below are different than your coaches. That's because they've already gone through these foundational lessons. But they are eager to read what you have to say and help or encourage you in any way.

Please respond to the following 2 questions below. (You can copy and then paste 1 and 2 in the Comment Box.). Share your answers with the rest of the men on today's blog by clicking the word "Home" on the top Right side of the blog. Then put your answer in the Comment Box and then click Publish. If it won't publish, you just need to open a Google email account or YouTube account, even if you never use it. If you have any trouble with any of this, just give one of us a call. We are here to help.

1.-God is not a legalist, so does He want us to be daily in his word?

2.-Psalm 119 is a goldmine on God's word. Thumb through Psalm 119 and pick out one verse or phrase that you like, then simply share it with us.

Also, when you are at the Home page blog on  Jonah, please always read the Announcements at the end of the lesson each day. (You're of course free to read the daily lessons the coaches are going through, but it's certainly not required.)  
Even today, you can give yourself a point on our GREAT Scoreboard for what you did today. At the top right side of the blog, you'll see the word "Resources." When you click it, you will then see the link to our GREAT Scoreboard. Just click that link and it will take you there. Then find your name and give yourself a point in the first column "G" which stands for the fact that you blogged regarding God's word. Go there each day to score. 

Way to go fellow Warrior!