A Step of Faith by Brad Cox

After 70 years of living in captivity in Babylon, Cyrus king of Persia came to power and made the decision to allow God’s people to go back to Judah and rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. Because God worked on the heart of this pagan king, the door was opened for God’s people to return from exile. To take advantage of this opportunity the Israelites would have to step out on faith by sacrificially giving of their wealth and forming a new community of believers in the sacred land. Only forty-two thousand gave up their life in Babylon to return. Who were these bold believers? Ezra 1:5 tells us it was “everyone whose heart God had moved.” As we begin this journey of faith together as a community of believers our leadership is calling each of us to commit to a season of prayer, allowing God, not man, to call us to step out on faith. May all we do seek to honor the Lord and to advance His Kingdom.