Today’s reading from The One Year Bible:

In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, the Lord fulfilled the prophecy he had given through Jeremiah. He stirred the heart of Cyrus to put this proclamation in writing and to send it throughout his kingdom…  – Ezra 1:1

Have you ever had something or someone stir your heart? Has the Lord ever stirred your heart to come to a prayer meeting, start a business, invest in your family, or dive in with both feet and serve in new ways? Throughout scripture we see something about God—He stirs the hearts of man. He stirs you and me to action!

When it says that the Lord stirred the heart of King Cyrus, to stir means to awaken, arouse; it’s the opposite of sleep or idleness. It’s a picture of a mother eagle stirring her young to get out of the nest and fly; to awaken in them a desire toward activity, reaching their potential.

This is what the Lord is doing in this season—He is stirring you! He is awakening a desire in you to take action, to reach your full Kingdom potential! The Lord is stirring you out of everything average, everything ordinary, and He is putting in your heart a desire to take some bold actions.

As we study the book of Mark together on Sundays, I see this repeatedly. The Lord stirred the hearts of four guys to make a bold move and tear through somebody’s roof in order to get their paralyzed friend to Jesus. That move looked reckless to everyone in the room—that is, except Jesus! I think He loved it! We saw it when the Lord stirred the heart of Levi to leave everything—his business, position, and money—to follow Jesus!

So how about you? What’s your next big, bold move? What is the Lord calling you to do? What action do you feel that He is calling you to take?

Simply follow the gentle prodding of the Holy Spirit as He stirs your heart toward action. You’ll find yourself in the middle of something that is beyond your expectations!

Your Friend and Pastor,
Kevin