For many valued years, a group of MWPC men got together every Friday at 6:03 AM for fellowship, prayer and action. The FATHERS Team materials gave us opportunities to practice being better fathers, husbands and Christian citizens.

The nice thing is, most of these FATHERS Team materials easily fit a “gender neutral” team as well. Here’s one of the FATHERS Team “daily signals” that works for all Christians

“As for me and my fellow Christians we will consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, but encouraging one another, and all the more as we see the Day drawing near”

~ FATHERS Team signal taken from Hebrews 10:24-25, with Christian Playbook change of  “Christians” in place of “Fathers”

ACTIONS:

• Try saying aloud the “signal” above on a daily basis for this upcoming week
• If you, your church or small group is looking for study materials or retreat possibilities that “upbuild men, women, and children in practical expressions of their Christian faith” check out Ron Rand’s website

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

HUMOR

• Christian Playbook humor links – updated on 7/17

PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES:

• For People Critically Ill, or Facing Great Uncertainty (bottom of first page shown HERE)
• Celtic Daily Prayer
• CP Prayer Page – containing LOADS of possibilities…

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, August 9, 2020

• Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28 and Psalm 105: 1-6, 16-22, 45b 
• 1 Kings 19:9-18 and Psalm 85:8-13 
• Romans 10:5-15 
• Matthew 14:22-33

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{This one from previous years is well worth repeating …}

Do you remember the “NesTea Plunge” commercials like this one?

Richard J. Foster talks about this commercial as an example of how a fellow did a Prayer of Relinquishment one time…

“Strange as it may seem, he prayed a commercial. He described a popular advertisement of the day for NesTea in which different people, sweltering from the summer sun, would fall into a swimming pool with a thirst-quenching sense of ‘ahhh!’ on their faces. He then invited this man to fall into the arms of Jesus in the same way.” ~ Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home, page 48

Foster later describes the fact that this prayer will come through lived experience. He then goes through 5 prayers to help get there. Foster concludes the chapter by describing the beauty of getting to these Prayer of Relinquishment moments:

“From every human viewpoint at times it looks like we have fallen over the precipice to our death. But we know better. We know that we are only falling into the arms of Jesus fully satisfied, fully at rest.” ~ Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home, page 56

ACTION: Perhaps today is your day for a “Prayer of Relinquishment plunge,” falling into the arms of Jesus?

May we feel comfortable enough with our Christian lives that at certain times of life – and increasing with frequency as we journey through life – we are fully willing to take the plunge…

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

HUMOR

• Christian Playbook humor links – updated on 7/17

PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES:

• For People Critically Ill, or Facing Great Uncertainty (bottom of first page shown HERE)
• Celtic Daily Prayer
• CP Prayer Page – containing LOADS of possibilities…

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, August 2, 2020

• Genesis 32:22-31 and Psalm 17:1-7, 15 
• Isaiah 55:1-5 and Psalm 145:8-9, 14-21 
• Romans 9:1-5 
• Matthew 14:13-21

Know someone who might like receiving messages like this?**  If so, forward this message to them and they can sign up HERE