Welcome To Basic Training 01 Series

My dad was a Marine and went through basic training in Camp Pendleton, CA. in 1959. I remember him talking about it often and telling me some of the boot camp stories.

He would tell me that it was a lot of work. He would tell me how tough the drill instructors were, how bad the food was, how short the nights were and how long the days were.

According to Today’s Military.com Basic Training – often called boot camp – prepares recruits for all elements of service: physical, mental and emotional. It gives service members the basic tools necessary to perform the roles that will be asked of them for the duration of their tour.

Each of the Services has its own training program, tailoring the curriculum to the specialized nature of its role in the Military.

No matter which branch of the Service a recruit chooses, Basic Training is an intense experience. The purpose of this training isn’t to “break” recruits. In fact, the combination of physical training, field exercises and classroom time makes individuals strong and capable.

It’s a tough process, but a rewarding one that many service members value for life.

Fortunately, our basic training isn’t going to be as tough!

The desire of the child of God should be to become the strongest and best Christian that can become. We want to be a strong soldier of Jesus Christ.

In the military basic training will last 9 weeks. Our basic training is going to be 10 weeks. Hopefully it will be 10 weeks that will cause you to no longer be an average civilian but rather a great soldier of the Cross, the best of the best.

Feared the world around as one who is able to engage the enemy; anywhere and anytime.

Our basic training will take us through the book of Romans. A book written by the Apostle Paul that unlocks the door to vast treasures of Scriptures for the soldier of Christ.

In the book of Romans we find the basic truths for Christian living.

Welcome to Basic Training!

Let’s pray,

Father,

Open my eyes so I can see Your truth.

Open my ears so I can hear Your voice.

Open my mind so I can understand Your Word.

And open my heart so I may receive all that You want me to receive. AMEN

The book of Romans defines for us many of the doctrines of Christianity that we hold true. The doctrines of justification, sanctification, divine election, condemnation, the perseverance of the saints, man’s depravity, the last judgment, the fall of mankind, the revelation of God and so much more.

As I said, there is a vase treasure of Scriptural truths in this book.

The writer was the Apostle Paul. His Hebrew name was Saul and was later called Paul by Jesus. Paul was from Tarsus and he was well educated. His family was from the tribe of Benjamin and Paul was a Pharisee which meant that he knew everything there was to know about the Scriptures.

We first meet Paul two years after the Day of Pentecost when the church was born. It was at the stoning of a young man named Stephen who gave a very aggressive message about Jesus Christ.

In Acts 7:54-60 we learn what happened to Stephen and in Acts 8:1 we meet Saul of Tarsus who was there giving approval to his death.

In Acts 9 we learn that Saul, under the orders of the high priest was to go to Damascus and take any Christians he found to prison.

On his way to Damascus Paul experienced a life-changing event.

As he and his companions rode on, suddenly at mid-day a brilliant light shone around them, and Saul was laid prostrate in terror on the ground and a voice was sounding in his ears, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

Paul looked up and the risen Savior was there in front of him.

And Paul asked, “Who are you, Lord?” And Jesus said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.”

That event changed Paul’s life and he became a believer and dedicated his life to spreading the good news of Jesus Christ.

Paul is probably the most influential individual in history. He was used by the Lord in his missionary and evangelistic activities help make the church what it is today, the Body of Christ on earth.

Billions of human beings have been directly or indirectly affected by his ministry. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he wrote the foundation documents for the Christian way of life which has changed the lives of millions.

As great as a man as Paul was, he wasn’t that much different than any of us. I say that because the Apostle Paul was a sinner. He freely admitted this time and time again.