Ezra 1:5

Then the heads of fathers' households of Judah and Benjamin and the priests and the Levites arose, even everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up and rebuild the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem.

I read this last night. It impacted me greatly. Why, because I am stirred up right now. I am stirred to correct that which has gone on for too long uncorrected. My heart burns with a fire to protect the sheep from men who have long since lost their heart for what is right and honorable. My heart hurts because I see something dreadful and I feel inadequate to address it.

I feel like Jeremiah…

Jeremiah 1:4-8

Now the word of the LORD came to me saying, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations." Then I said, "Alas, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, because I am a youth." But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am a youth, because everywhere I send you, you shall go, and all that I command you, you shall speak. "Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you," declares the LORD.

But I am afraid. I am afraid to speak up and yet my heart burdens me to be bold. The Lord is very well acquainted with my circumstance and yet He hasn’t removed me from it either. Why has he made me this way?

Then I read Ezra last night and God speaks to me through His Word…

“…everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up and rebuild the house of the LORD…”

God speaks to men’s hearts. He stirs them. He keeps some men stirred about kingdom affairs at all times. Some men God grabs by the heart and sets them aside for specific kingdom duties. To some teachers, pastors, evangelist, prophets, apostles…to some builders, destroyers, soldiers, etc…

What is God stirring within you?

God is stirring me to rejuvenate pastors back into a holy reverence with God. I am done hearing from pastors, “that is how we’ve always done ministry”…because here is the thing…it’s failing. It’s quite possible that we don’t need another book telling us how to grow a church until we start to write the ones that tell pastors how to grow in God. Pastors today are struggling with the basics; prayer, integrity, honesty, morality, ethics, and devotion. It’s quite possible that the church is the way it is because of the way pastors are. Isn’t the old saying, “As the pastor goes, so goes the church”?

God is stirring in me to preach from the mountain tops to today’s pastors and tell them to “RETURN”! Return to your first love. See the folly of your pride and return to God. Remember the days of your youth. Remember the fire by which you were baptized to preach. Remember once again that ministry is a privilege. It’s a privilege to serve God and His people. Remember that they are His people.

Most of all…Remember that God is the God of second chances…and that this is your second chance to do it right. Pick yourself up “man of God” and be forgiven…healed…holy…and sanctified for service once again. Shine your light and blaze a new trail…be stirred in your heart once again.