God has been moving in an amazing way through the past couple of weeks.  During our Midweek services we have been having a expository study on Prayer(s) of each book that has prayer represented in the Old Testament. As a guide, we have been studying through Herbert Lockyer's book, "All the Prayers of the Bible."   As a Church we completed the Old Testament study on prayer in which we began back in January.  Throughout the year, studying these prayers made for great discussion, convicting us to repent of our shallow prayers and inspiring us to stand in the gap to follow in the steps of our ancient brothers ands sisters.  God literally moves through prayer as evidenced in the Word of God.  We also began our study on New Testament prayers of the bible.  

On the past few Sundays the messages have been focused on praying to have the heart of God for our lost world.  We've been talking quite a bit about praying the kind of prayers the church should be praying for those in places of influence.  We’ve discussed our circles of influence, those circles include family, friends, workplace, neighborhood and city.  The Spirit is moving by inspiring courage and boldness in the hearts of the saints.  We began a campaign called Spread the Word in which every small group in the congregation is participating.  The goal is for each small group to adopt a street, pray for those that live in that street, the next week going house to house door knocking while passing out free copies of the New Testament and asking for the residents' prayer requests.  

Ultimately the vision is to pray for everyone, love this city by letting them know personally that we care and to capture God's heart for those that live in Spokane.  We believe that God wants all men to be saved as it says in scripture: I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.  —1 Timothy 2:1-4  

The past few Sundays have been filled with friends from the community thanks to God working through the saints.  God brought  the Tigers Middle 7th and 8th grade football team and their parents, campus students from Gonzaga University and Eastern Washington University, and a hand full of friends from the local neighborhoods.  God used the Church through a blood drive in which friends and members alike donated blood for those that needed it.  God also used the Wishing Star Foundation that hosted a Harvest Custom Party at our building in which several volunteers from the community and children from the neighborhood attended.        

God used sisters from the church (Emily, Verlinda, Shawna, Monica, Nicole, Stefanie and Chris) to help Lori become a baptized disciple in the Lord.  Lori commended the sisters on their love for her and one another minutes before her baptism.  Lori's gratitude to God was obvious for everyone present to see.  It was a great time of joy to see how God worked in Lori's life to move her through the cross to make Jesus the Lord of her life. God's Word lived out by the disciples brought about the kind of fruit that helps people become loyal followers of Christ.   If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. – —John 15:7-8  

The past few weeks have been amazing.  I'm reminded of how God moves his followers to action by his love.  Thank you God for moving among us in your Church.