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SOMEONE IS POURED OUT: A CALL TO REPENTANCE AGAIN Joel 2 Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain! The day of the Lord is coming! God is an awesome God. He is amazing; His majesty is astounding. Throughout this Advent season, you have been discovering Someone special. God has provided this special someone in so many different ways because of His great mercy. He has been revealed as someone who cares, provides, delivers, leads and even yesterday, Judy showed you someone who heals. But today, we find someone who is poured out. God pours out His Spirit on us because he loves us, but also because He knows what we need and His Spirit fills the bill. I have known God to be Peace in the midst of the storm. He has been Love in the midst of hatred and comfort in the midst of difficulty. He is a teacher in the midst of ignorance and a counselor in times of confusion. He is the Light in the thick darkness; He is a refuge. But I don’t want to only rely on God in times when I think that I need Him. I want to know Him as God over all things, all of the time, and all for His purpose. God isn’t an intermittent God. He is an always God and He is a forever God. In God’s Spirit is everything that we need. In His Spirit is what we need right now, and also what we will need tomorrow. In His Spirit is strength for all that He calls us to be about; there is love that will warm our hearts, as well as enable us to reach out to others. There is peace that passes all understanding and a guiding light that always shows the way. But in His Spirit we also find life—true life—that is intended to always fill our entire being. God forms a continual bond with His people. God says that He will pour out His Spirit on all flesh. He doesn’t want to just give a little to this person and then a little to that person. He desires to give all of Himself to all of us, all of the time! Yes, He’s pouring Himself out to me and He’s pouring Himself out to you, but we must turn to Him, open up, and receive all that He is pouring out. Let’s stop relying on our own strength and ideas to get us through. God will fill us to overflowing with His Spirit, and then His Spirit will flow through us, even affecting others! God never stops pouring out! His Spirit continues to flow, working in and through God’s people in a spirit of love, joy, and peace. Charles Spurgeon wrote, “God’s love to us is a stream whose source is hidden in eternity.” To receive, we must turn to Him. Yes, He pours out His Spirit, but He also calls us to repentance. “…Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (vs. 32a) Why wait? He is poured out for you! Open your arms and receive all of Him. You don’t have to just know parts of God! He can truly be GOD to you…in every way and in every part of your life…forever! You don’t even have to wait until tomorrow! “‘NOW, therefore,’ says the Lord, ‘turn to Me with all your heart…’” (vs. 12) Receive NOW, but don’t stop! Praise God, He is faithful…and He is forever!!! (And He can be yours!) ~ Joel Warren
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