Good good morning, brothers and sisters. I hope that you are well. It is a great third day together. I hope that y'all have had a wonderful time. Uh we've had a great time hosting you. I know there are still a lot of folks outside that are getting snacks and drinks or eating whatever they brought for breakfast. And so we're going to give them just a second to make their way in. I I know you guys know where bathrooms are. I know you where know where the snacks and stuff are. We want to thank you for being here with us. And that probably seems like an odd thing, but like as the host church, you are a blessing. Your smiling faces, your feedback, um your willingness to to tell us that you have a need or that you're looking for something, those things allow us to be the people God's created us to be. And so we are so thankful to you guys for being here and allowing us to host for the third year. And we look forward to having you with us again next year. Don't forget June 3rd through the 5th next year right here at Clear Branch. We'll be together again. Uh a couple of other things. As we near the end of our time together, I would ask that if you have any trash in this room that you not leave it in this room. I know that seems like a logical thing to request, right? But we have a service that happens tomorrow morning at 9:30 and it would make it a whole lot easier on our team if you would take your garbage to a garbage can. If you are unable to do that, you're welcome. Somebody asked me what I was going to do this morning, and it was a tossup between soft shoe and more comedy. So, this is what you get. Uh, don't make me dance, please. We do have a lot that's going to go on this morning. We have the opportunity again to hear from uh from Luther. We'll have uh the opportunity um to to do some worship, to hear a sermon from Bishop Moore. It's going to be a great great time together. But as we uh as we move towards that, I just pray God's peace and blessing upon you. And again, I thank you for all that you've done and the part that you've played here. Let's get to Oh, yes, ma'am. When the bishop raises her hand, you say, "Yes, ma'am." >> I asked Allan for permission to do this. This is a point of very personal privilege. Today is my husband's birthday, >> and I'm wondering if you would be willing to wish Steve a happy birthday. And um so it means you would have to stand up and maybe move a little closer together. Just kind of get close together. And here's Oh, we're gonna Oh, y'all do happy birthday. >> Okay. Even better. But here's the catch. When it's happy birthday to you, happy birthday. Happy birthday, dear. And instead of Steve, can you say boo daddy, because that's what our youngest gr our grandson calls him, Boo Daddy. And that would just make me so happy. So, happy birthday, dear >> Boo Daddy. Let's just say that together. Happy birthday, dear. >> All right, y'all are the best. Say it loud and proud because uh it'll it'll All right, you ready to dear? Happy birthday to you. Well, good morning everyone. Uh, I just want to give you an update. Uh, we have established areas and I'll share that with you later on. Uh, we're just we're that gets us maybe a third of the way through the meeting. it's taken us this long. And so I'm going to go back. I just wanted to share with you that we have our areas for the next six year established. And um then we'll we're going to talk about uh I'm going back and we're going to talk about how we're going to function after that. So I just want to say good morning. Thank you for coming today. We have part of the meeting done. I'll still be in a meeting for a while. Uh Bishop, if God is good, I'll be out here at 10:30. If I'm not here at 10:30, then I'm not singing the goodness of God anymore. So, >> before we go into worship, I'd like to say God's good regardless of what time Allan gets back out here. But, uh, y'all stand. Let's lift our voices together. Here we go. All right. Come on. Put your hands together. Here we go. One, two, three. Oh, this is the day you made. So I rejoice and be glad. Rejoice and be glad in it. >> That's right. Oh, this is where I believe that you are more than enough. More than enough for me. He's faithful. You are faithful to your promise. You are strong when I am weak. When I'm standing in your presence, I have everything I need. The joy of the Lord. The joy of the Lord is my strength. Yes, it is. Yes, it is. The joy of the Lord. The joy of the Lord is my strength. Sing, oh my soul, bless his name. All that is within me say the joy of the Lord. The joy of the Lord is my strength. King Jesus, come what may. You are worthy of all, worthy of all my praise. You are faithful to your promise. You are strong when I am weak. When I'm standing in your presence, I have everything I need. The joy of the Lord, the joy of the Lord is my strength. Oh, it's more than a feeling. The joy of the Lord, the joy of the Lord is my strength. Sing, oh my soul, oh my soul, bless his name. All that is with this hand. The joy of the Lord. The joy of the Lord is my strength. Oh. All right. Come on. Let's bring this together. Let it rise up like a river overflowing. Holy Spirit, let it pour out with no limit. Overflowing Holy Spirit, let it rise. Let it rise up like a river overflowing. Come on, Holy Spirit. Let it pour out with no limit. Overflowing. Holy Spirit. Come on. Yeah. I got the joy. I got the joy. Come on. Here we go. Come on. The joy of the Lord. The joy of the Lord is my strength. Yes, it is. Yes, it is. The joy of the Lord. The joy of the Lord is my strength. Sing. Oh my soul. Oh bless his name. All that is within his name. Oh my soul. Bless his name. All that is. Oh my soul. Oh my soul. Bless his name. All that is within. The joy of the Lord. The joy of the Lord is my strength. Yeah. Come on, let's give him praise. Come on. >> I'm going to sing this together. I sing. I stand amazed. And I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazer and wondered how he could love me. A sinner condemned unan. singing, "How marvelous, how wonderful and my song shall ever be. How marvelous, how wonderful is my Savior's love for me. He took my sins and my sorrows. He made them his very own. He bore the burden to Calary and suffered and died alone. So we're singing how marvelous, how wonderful and my soul shall ever be. How marvelous, how wonderful is my Savior's love for me. With the ransom in glory, his face I at last shall see. will be my joy through the ages to sing of his love for me. Come on, sing your slippy. Sing it. How marvelous, how wonderful and my song shall ever be. How marvelous, how wonderful is my Savior's love. Oh, great singing. Oh, how marvelous. Oh, how wonderful and my song shall ever be. Oh, how marvelous. Oh, how wonderful is my Savior's love for me. Now, let's sing his chorus one more time. Sing how marvelous singing marvelous wonderful shall ever be marvelous, how wonderful's love for Let's give him praise. >> Good morning. How about the remnant few that are here today? Right. Um we've made it to day three. Um, and so will you bow with me as we head into today and we'll go into prayer. God, you are marvelous. You are wonderful to send your son to die on a cross so that the veil may be torn so we could enter into your presence. That we get to pray a gift, Lord. that it's not just words that are spoken out into a room, Lord, but yet you lean over and you listen to your children praying. And so God, I ask this morning as we head into the last day of annual conference for the North Alabama Conference 2026, Lord, that you would give us a double portion of your spirit this day, that you would open our ears to hear you. You would open the eyes of our hearts wide, Lord, to see you. that you would speak to us, Lord, and that as we leave this place today, that you seal up, you cover the seeds that have been planted by all of our speakers. And that as we leave this place that we, Lord, produce a hundfold crop. Use us Lord to whether your kingdom in our communities, in our towns, across this conference in North Alabama and across this world. So Lord, we say speak this morning for your servants are listening. God, I pray a special anointing over Dr. Okconor as he comes and speaks to us. Lord, that his words be your words. that those words be dipped in the blood of our savior Jesus Christ, Lord, and carried about this room through the power of the Holy Spirit to penetrate the very marrow of our soul. Thank you for your love. Thank you for your presence in this place today. We ask all this in the mighty and the matchless in the majestic name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And all God's people said, "Amen." >> Well, good morning folks. >> Good morning. Are you okay? >> Yes. >> Yes. You guys have been very awesome. Uh I' I've had a really wonderful experience uh uh being here at your annual conference. And today would be I will be traveling back to to Orlando later in the day. And so I just want to thank everybody for your hospitality and and expressions of love that you have extended to me while while I was here. Uh anyway, this is my first time. Yes. Yes. Thank you. Uh this is my first time to be in Sweet Home Alabama. And so uh uh it's been awesome. It's been great. And I just want to give you a quick praise report. Uh supposedly I was supposed to be uh at uh in Memphis, Tennessee for uh the annual conference of the Mississippi West Tennessee because they are our mission uh partners with the Mega Manila annual conference. Uh, by the way, I'm the conference superintendent of the Mega Manila annual conference and I was supposed to be there to sign uh our uhou and also uh to um to witness uh the unveiling of a fundraiser that was being done for one of our churches and this church is in Qatar. We have a GMC church in Qatar in Doha Qatar. and and we've been given an opportunity uh to own property there. This is an a Muslim country. uh the the the government of Qatar gave land for this association of evangelicals in Doha and uh it's about 139 churches and about probably about 79 churches were able to make reservation for that for that building project. It's a three-story building that could accommodate 6,000 people and uh and it's this the construction has started and the GMC was able to make uh a reservation that uh for a for a spot that could accommodate 200 people and and we're trying to raise money for that uh through the Mississippi West Tennessee and yesterday it was announced that they were able to raise almost $200,000 uh in addition to uh the already $100,000 that have been raised for it. Uh we're just living in such amazing times, friends. Uh and never in my dreams would I, you know, would I see this happen uh that we're going to have a church, we're going to have a building there, a place of worship in a Muslim country. Right now there's restrictions towards uh evangelization of the locals there. But you know what? God is bringing the nations to Qatar. Uh over 130 nations are there. Majority of the people there are uh are expats, expatriates and God has brought the pe the nations there so that we can reach out to them. But not not only that, we believe that uh the Qatar uh government will eventually open probably not in this generation, maybe in the next generation or two. And we are well positioned to reach Qatar with the gospel of Christ. Amen. >> Amen. >> Let's give the Lord a big clap of praise. Hallelujah. So friends uh for this Bible study uh I want to I want to talk more about the esqueological can we say esquetology >> esquetologology >> implications of our theme arise. Okay when we say esquetology what do we we mean by that especially the lay persons here. What is that? Okay. Echology is uh the doctrine of the last things or the last days. what's going to happen uh in the afterlife. Okay. And I think our theme arise has an implication regarding that. And so the best starting point for us is to understand that when we're talking about the kingdom of God, we know that it is now. Can we say the kingdom of God is now? >> Okay. The kingdom of God is now. Uh it is now. Uh you know we we see this in many places in scripture like for example in Mark 1 verse1 15 wherein Jesus says the time has come. He said the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news. See the time has come. It is now. And we see several references in scripture that captures that understanding. But nonetheless, even though we say that the kingdom of God is now or already, it is also what? It is also not yet. Okay. So it it's interesting dynamic of the kingdom of God being now already and not yet. And we find this uh for example this this not yet understanding uh in in Luke 8:1. Can we all read this together? One, two, three. >> That many will come from the east and the west and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. See, this is you see the there's will, okay? It's a future event. This this heavenly banquet that's going to happen when Christ returns. Got it? So, there's this future element. uh of the kingdom of God and and this both non now and not yet dynamic of the kingdom of God is captured in the Lord's prayer we pray what's that prayer thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven we there's a future element to it but there's also this expectation that it can happen now amen that earth that what happens to heaven happens on earth. But but there's still a separation between earth and heaven. Got it? Uh but there's that expectation that they will become one eventually through the new creation. And so with that in mind, let me show you some examples uh of what we find particularly in reference to what we've learned uh last Thursday. Is that Thursday? Yeah. when when I did my lecture uh last Thursday regarding Wesleyan siology or understanding of salvation. So, so when we're talking about the now, let's let's say for example, the born again life, John 3:3, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born again. Okay? Uh well, that's a mirror of what's going to happen later that God is going to renew all things. You see that the new creation in Revelation 21 verse 5, God is renewing uh all creation. He's renewing the cosmos. Amen. >> And and and in Revelation 21, it talks about a new heaven and new earth. Can we say new heaven? >> New earth. >> And new earth. So there's going to be a marriage between the two. You know, earth will be changed, heaven will be changed. See that? And and that's the new creation. Uh that's why in 2 uh Corinthians 5:17, anyone who is in Christ is a new creation. Actually, in other translations, it says anyone who is in Christ, there is a new the new creation. See that? So it connects to that new creation vision that happens later. What about justification? What is justification? We are declared what? Not guilty. We are declared what? Righteous. Isn't it? Uh to those uh Yeah. For example, the just shall live by faith. Romans 1:17. Romans 5:1. Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God. Well, what's the mirror of that in the not yet? Well, the final judgment. Well, we will have what? Final vindication. Amen. Because there's still a separation between the between the sheep and the goat. And that separation itself is our final vindication. Amen. >> That's the not yet. Uh what about entire sanctification? May the God of peace sanctify you partially. Is that right? >> 50%. >> No. Entirely. Okay. and it can happen here. And then he said, "Bay, keep uh uh your soul body blameless until the coming of the Lord." In other words, it's still it's going to happen here, entire sanctification, but yet there's still this this what when Christ returns, you know, you put all together the entirely sanctified people of God and they become the spotless bride of Christ in the church. Amen. So that's what happens. And and another example, physical healings. Yesterday we saw some healings. Who who got healed yesterday here? Yes. Yes. Praise God. Let's give the Lord a big clap of praise to those who testified healings yesterday. And I believe the Lord's continuing to to heal some of those who were praying for healing yesterday. So let's continue to expect that healing uh during this conference. And so uh we find that in James chapter 5. If is any one of you sick, call the elders of the church to uh anoint you with oil in the name of the Lord. Got it? But then that's just a mirror of what? Of what's going to happen in Revelation 21 when there's no more no more sickness, no more pain. Amen. >> Okay. It's just a mirror, you know. Even though sometimes we're expecting healing here, but we all do know that we're going to die eventually. Spoilers, by the way. What? Okay. Eventually, our our our bodily our our body will give, you know, will give in. Okay. It will expire eventually. No matter how many healings you get, okay, it's still going to expire. But the good news is the ultimate plan is there will be no more sickness and pain when Christ returns. Revelation 21. Amen. See that. Now finally another example is awakening. Can we say awakening? >> Awakening. >> Isaiah 60 verse1. What is that? Arise shine for your light has come. For the glory of the Lord rises upon you. That is a call for awakening to the people of Israel. Okay? They were what? Uh they were uh under uh exile. Got it. It's a call for repentance. Uh we find a similar text in Ephesians 5:14 where Paul says, "Awake sleeper, awake thou that sleepest." Remember that. And rise from the dead. and Christ glory will shine on you. Amen. So that's a call for awakening in the present. And yet there's also this also mirrors the not yet because what's happened? What's going to happen? The resurrection or the general resurrection that's going to happen when Christ returns. And that is found for example in 1 Corinthians 15 verse 42-44. And that is the focal point of our Bible study this morning. And so so what is uh what is this uh text? Okay, let's let's read together this text. 1 Corinthians 15 1 2 3. So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable. It is raised imperishable. It is sown in dishonor. It is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness. It is raised in power. It is sown a natural body. It is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. You know, if you're going to read the whole text, it talks about, you know, uh, you know, the general resurrection wherein there's going to be a trumpet sound. I don't know if that's that, you know, that pales in comparison with the reality, I think. Uh but you know uh it just like in Old Testament times when when the people of God you know the Israelites assembled you know the tribes there's the trumpet sound isn't it you know for there's a sense of order uh in the wilderness among the tribes of Israel the same thing what's going to happen uh in the not yet there's going to be this trumpet sound and what's going to happen Christ was going to come and what's going to happen to those who have died And those who are still alive, what's going to happen? They're the dead, they're gonna what? They're going to resurrect. Okay, the dead, they're going to resurrect. And this is what's going to happen to them. Let's let's summarize what what's going to happen to them. You know, the dead, you know, uh the is a body that is sown perishable in verse 42. What's going to happen? It's going to become >> imperishable. Got it? And then this body that is swn in this honor will be raised in >> glory. I want to say I want to hear say glory. >> Glory. >> There you go. It will be raised in glory. Okay. It's glory. Uh this body that's sown in weakness will be raised in >> power. >> There's no power in what's in your voice. Can we say power? >> Power. >> There you go. resurrection power. And then it says here in verse 44, it is sown a natural body. It will be raised a spiritual body. See that? I I want you to So basically what what we're finding here mirrors 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 1-4 uh wherein Paul says, can we read together? 1 2 3. For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile, we grown longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling. Because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened because we do not wish to be unclothed, but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. See that? See, see, Paul is talking about this earthly tent because he knows what tents are about, isn't it? Why? Because he was a >> tent maker. He knew that he's building tents, but he knew that those tents will not last. He knew that those tents are just temporary dwelling places. Uh and so he understood that, you know, we have just like our bodies, they're only temporary. Okay? They're only temporary. They will be destroyed eventually. Uh but and yet he said we have a building from God. What is that? a heavenly dwelling not built by human hands. So basically he's talking about the resurrection body. The same resurrection body referred to in 1 Corinthians 15. Get it? And now let's let's focus on that last part of verse chapter 15 that is verse 44. He wherein Paul talks about the natural body and the spiritual body. So what is that natural body? Well in the original Greek that natural body the translation is somyon. Can we say that? Syikon. >> Wow you you sound sophisticated. Syikon. Okay. Uh physical natural body. is the body dominated by the human soul or psyche or soul. See that uh it is under the condition of sin because it's under the it's dominated by the human soul. Therefore, it's under the condition of sin and dominion of death. It is subject to death. And yet Paul also talks about the spiritual body. What is that spiritual body? That is soma pneumaticon. Let's say that together. 1 2 3. >> Say that. Pneumaticon. It is the body led or animated by the Holy Spirit. Amen. This is the body that will be raised up. It will be animated by the Holy Spirit. Pneumaticon is from the word numa or spirit. This is a Holy Spirited body. Can we say that? Holy Spirited body. >> Holy Spirit. >> How do we know that he's going to be animated by the Holy Spirit? Well, this is the same thing that happened to Christ who he was raised by the >> Holy Spirit. He was animated by the Holy Spirit according to scripture. Amen. So the same way, the same thing happens to us. But what's interesting here is both conditions are what? They're both sas. There's a soma before them. They're both what? Bodies. In other words, okay, of course, obviously the physical body is a body and the the sneumaticon, the holy spirited body or the spiritual body is also a body. It is. So therefore, the meaning of this is that when the resurrection happens, you know, we're not going to be like ghost like it's not going to be like that, okay? We're going to have an embodied resurrection. The flesh is going to resurrect. Amen. That's what's going to happen. such this it's like akin to it's quite akin or similar uh to the resurrection of Jesus remember it's consistent with that what happened after the resurrection shortly after the resurrection Jesus showed up uh to his disciples you know look at that he walked through the wall okay he showed up and yet he was also physical he showed the the marks you know then the marks of uh uh that he sustained uh from the uh the crucifixion. And then another instance is in Luke 24. He showed up and what he was hungry. He was hungry and they fed him what? Fish. Of course, they were fishermen. So they fed him fish and he ate it in front of them. So basically Jesus resurrection is an embodied resurrection but a different kind of embodied resurrection. Get it? It is much different. And yet the same way when we resurrect our resurrection is it's going to be like that. Are are you familiar with uh are you familiar with uh the the shroud of Turin? Have you heard about that? this piece of clo is it is considered as a uh as a holy relic in the Catholic church. It's kept by the Vatican. Um and there's a lot of debate around uh its origin. There's a debate there's a argument that it's uh it's a 13th century or 14th century forgery or mi or or middle age cent uh forgery uh because they they ran a test what a few years ago they ran a test in one of the fabric and they found out that particularly carbon dating uh that goes back to the 13th century or 14th century. Okay. uh um and so they think oh it it's just a forgery but again uh the mystery is in that clo you find uh an imprint of Jesus of a not of a person who was crucified uh consistent to someone who was crucified there's the marks of the nails on the wrist uh you know the the wound on the side the marks on the head with the crown of thorns uh this person was subject to a lot of abuse. Okay. Oh. Um and and so the question is how was that imprint created on that cloak? Okay. It's it's definitely not pigment of paint that uh you know it's something else. And so later on in in recent years there was another test that was done on this cloak. Uh it was found out that the the the part of the clo that was subject to carbon dating uh is a part of the clo that was repaired in the 13th century. Uh and but the other parts there they point to an earlier date. And then what in in a most recent study, I think this was a year ago or two years ago, it it turned out to be they did a a pollen test and they found out that there's pollen in that clothes that can be only found in Israel, first century Israel. You know, I don't know what to say, but you know, I think that the evidence is compelling. And and again going back to that imprint there uh this was subject to some kind of radioactive test by a NASA engineer or you know nuclear scientists and and they found out that it will take a an enormous amount of energy to create those imprint in that clothes. It is not something that can be created through paint or or or whatever whatever uh normal means. So there's an enormous amount of energy. And so the theory is it is indeed the uh the bar cloak of Christ when he resurrected there was just so much resurrection power there that he left a selfie in that cloak. This is the first time someone took a selfie. It was Jesus. Amen. There's so much energy, you know, that is resurrection power. You know, that's what's going to happen when we too will will resurrect. Amen. When Christ returns, that's what's going to happen. That is a holy spirited body. And again, it is still a body. It is still a body. Why? Why body? providers. Why there needs to be a body when we're talking about the Holy Spirit? Well, it's quite obvious, you know, because it says in 1 Corinthians chapter 6 verse 19. Let's read together. 1 2 3 are temples of the Holy Spirit. Who is in you whom you have received from God, you are not your own. Amen. The Holy Spirit needs a body. Can you say to the person beside you, "Holy Spirit needs your body." Amen. Because the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. And so that's why we go back to 2 Corinthians 5:5. This is the one that I showed you last Thursday. Can we read together? Okay, remember we read 1 to four, isn't it? You know, the earthly tent and the heavenly dwelling. Now here's the conclusion in number five. Let's read together. 1 2 3. >> For this very purpose is God who has given us the spirit as a >> deposit guaranteeing what is to come. See that in other words he's talking about the resurrection body. He's talking about the Holy Spirited body that's going to happen in the future. But yet he's also saying that in the present God has given us Holy Spirit as a deposit. >> Isn't it deposit? Again, when I thought I told you this last time, when do we use the word deposit? Bank. If you deposit something, you can withdraw something out later. Or another way, if you rent something like a home, you know, the landlord is going to ask for a deposit. Some people say, "Oh, it's for incidentals." No, I think it's more about a it's more about guarantee. Amen. It demonstrates for the landlord that you are capable of paying. In the same way in the now God gives us Holy Spirit as a deposit as a guarantee for us guaranteeing us that in the future in the now we will take on Holy Spirited bodies. >> Amen. >> That is what's going to happen. It is a promise. So that's why we need Holy Spirit in the present. That's why the implication, let's go back first here. Let's go back here. See, so the implication is what? The spiritfilled life. Can we say the spiritfilled life? >> Ephesians 5:18. Isn't it? What what did Paul say in in uh Ephesians 5:18? Do let's read together. 1 2 3. but instead be filled with the spirit. Amen. It is a command by Paul. It is it is mandatory. Can you say to the person beside you mandatory that you be filled with the spirit? Do not be drunk with wine which leads to devotion. What's devotery? Partying. Okay. And all of the uh all all of the immoral stuff. Okay. But instead be filled with the spirit. And mind you, this this statement here is not a one-time thing. The the actual translation in Greek is much more progressive. It's it's more of a progressive in feeling. It's a it's like be continually filled with the spirit. In other words, live by the spirit. Uh live by the spirit as a lifestyle. Amen. So that's why that's the implication of this for us. So that's why in Romans 8:13 Paul says 1 23 >> that the midst deeds of the body you will live. You see that it it is a call for the spiritfilled life. If you read Romans 8, Paul talks talks about life in the spirit. That's the spiritfilled life. It's one of my favorite verse uh uh chapters in in Romans Romans chapter 8. It's a spiritfilled life. Uh and so you live if you live according to the flesh, you will die. But if by the spirit you will live. See that is a call for the spiritfilled life. And that's why Wesley captured this uh in his explanation about sanctification. Okay. uh in his sermon, the scripture way of salvation. Can we read that together? One, two, three. >> Being born again, the gradual work of sanctification takes place. We are enabled by the spirit to mortify the deeds of the body of our evil nature. And as we are more and more dead to sin, we are more and more alive to God. Amen. See that? See the implication of uh of resurrection there. The more we are filled with the spirit, the more we are resurrected. The more we are alive and alive to God. Amen. >> So that's what happens. And so that's why this terminates to what? True entire sanctification in this life. Okay. Uh that's why this is the prayer of Paul for the Christians at Thessalonica. Can we read that together? 1 2 3. May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. See that see see the optimism there. You know it's a prayer for by Paul that this is something that can happen in this life and then if once it happens in this life and then may the Lord maintain that until he comes. Amen. >> That's what's going to happen here. And this same optimism, for example, is captured uh in in one uh what I call a uh uh what I call a marker that is found at Aspbury theolog uh at Aspbury or Wilmore, Kentucky at Aspbury University. Are you familiar with the Aspbury outpouring? Have you heard about that? Well, this happened it happened at the Hughes Auditorium. Okay, this is where it happened. Uh Hughes Memorial Auditorium. This it's named after the founder of Asbury University, John Wesley use. And on the on the left side of this building, you'll find a marker that captures the primary beliefs of Methodism. Look, can you read it together? One, two, three. >> Free salvation for all men and full salvation from all sin. See that? What is free salvation for all men? That's uh or for all people. What is that? That is free grace. Can we say free grace? >> That grace is available to >> all that Christ died for >> all, not just for the elect. But then here's a so that's a primary Methodist doctrine, okay? Or belief. But here's the second part. Full salvation from all sin. What is that? That is entire sanctification. Amen. >> And with this based from 1 John 1:7. Let's read together 1 John 1:7. I have here the the King James version to be consistent with the marker. 1 2 3. >> As he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another. And the blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanses us from all sin. Amen. It doesn't say some sins. It says all. Can we say all? All. And and two verses after that, I think we know this verse. First John 1:9. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Amen. Isn't that amazing? Let's give the Lord a big clap offering. Okay. So this is this is what happens in the in in the now but we know it's going to terminate eventually in the not yet through the resurrection of the bodies and and because of that what's going to happen is for us in the present if we know what's going to happen in the future then we need to we need to allow Ask God to enable our lives to reflect >> his eventful plan for us in the not yet. Amen. >> And the implication again is what? The spiritfilled life. Can we all stand up right now? Let's just stand up. And I would just want to say a a prayer before we end this. And maybe I can can I ask Micah or the team if they can friends? Do you do you want to be do you want North Alabama Conference of the GMC a new to become a new expression or manifestation of Methodism >> in this region? Then we need to recover our Holy Spirit or spiritfilled DNA. We need to be a church of Pentecost. We need to be a church of Pentecost first. I I remember back at the general conference uh and and Allan referred to this. Yes, I did it last Thursday. uh you know at the at the convening general conference in Costa Rica there is this sense that we are becoming a global church you know because we know that Christ died for all we want to be reflective of that you know and and so we see our our church operating on that understanding we want to be a church for all that includes all we want to be a church that that empowers all and how is this going to reflect in our polity in the way we do church. But you know what the Lord also reminds us that for that to happen by the way uh we want to fulfill a vision that is found in Revelation 7:9 where when we see the the the uh in the indwelling of all people from every tribe and every crown and every um every tribe and every tongue. Remember that Revelation 7:9, gathering around the lamb, the lamb, worshiping him, salvation belongs to our God. That's the vision there of the GMC that we become a global church that we reflect that that we become truly a global church. Uh not just in uh in membership, but also uh we become united in in what we believe. Okay? Not regionalized. But then how do we get there? Well, before we get there, before we become a church of revelation, we need to be a church of Pentecost first. >> Amen. Because that's what happened on the day of Pentecost. When the Holy Spirit showed up, what happened? The disciples spoke in tongues, languages that they did not learn, but but captured the language of people from every tribe and every tongue in that known in that region of the world. It's a demonstration. It's a foretelling of what's going to happen in the future. So friends, if we think we're going to get biased GMC and you know uh and and and and and our formula is just don't be like the other denomination, it's not going to work. It's not going to work. Just don't be this former denomination 2.0. No, that's not going to work. That's not a plan for growth. That's not a plan for building up the kingdom of God. The best starting point is this. And I think uh Bishop uh Caroline Bor also spoke about this. She spoke about uh migration and movement for us to be a movement. The best starting point is to be a church of Pentecost. A church that is composed of people that is spiritfilled. Amen. So can we all just rise up right now and can we all just raise our hands before the Lord. Lord we just thank you for your holy spirit in this place. We thank you for what you are doing and what you have done already uh through all the different parts of this annual conference. And Lord today I pray that once again you fill us in you with your holy spirit. Fill us in you. flow in this place. Fill us a new. And Lord, if there's anything in our hearts that prevents us from from uh leaving the uh the spiritfilled life, if there's still the if there's still manifestations of the flesh that keeps your spirit from fully manifesting in our lives. Lord, we ask for your forgiveness and we ask that you empower us. give us the gift of your grace so that we can have the courage even now to surrender these things to you. Can we all just surrender those things? Can we all surrender those manifestations of the flesh that we still find manifesting in our lives even in this moment that is that is competing with the Holy Spirit's plan for your life? Can you surrender that right now? Lord, I surrender this. I surrender this to you. You know what friends? Surrender is the requirement or should should I say the prerequisite for an infilling of the Holy Spirit. Remember yesterday I said wind is created when there is low pressure. Remember when when uh newscasters those uh those who report the weather, you know, when they report about a coming storm, they said, "Oh, there's a low pressure area here." Why? Because it means when there's a low pressure area, there's a possibility for storm. The same way if there's a low pressure area, there's a shifting of the air molecules to the low pressure area. And that shifting is the wind. That's how wind is created. So right now be a low pressure person. In other words, Lord, I quit doing things on my own through my own ability and I surrender everything to you. That you quit self-medicating, quit trying to solve things your own way, and you just give it all to him. And that's when you become a low pressure person, and the Holy Spirit's going to fill you up. So right now as our hands are raised, Lord, right now I just declare that you fill us a new with your Holy Spirit. And I'm going to count from 1 to three, I believe you're going to feel a a fresh wind that's going to flow through your body or maybe some kind of heat or electricity. Will you just welcome that? Or maybe you don't feel anything, but just receive it by faith. The Lord Jesus would you send Holy Spirit in this place and may he blow again once again upon each and every one of us. Friends, be filled with the Holy Spirit. Be filled. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Lord God. And right now, whatever weight you're carrying upon your shoulder, Paul also said in 2 Corinthians 3:17, "Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." Now you are being set free. >> Free. Free indeed. Thank you, Lord God. Enable us to be a spiritfilled annual conference. will be be that will manifest the church of Pentecost in everything that we do not only in the affairs of this an annual conference as a whole but also in our individual churches in our individual ministries. May we all live the spiritfilled life. Thank you Jesus. Thank you Lord God. Thank you Lord God. We can perhaps we can just linger a little bit and let's allow the worship team to lead us farther into God's presence. >> Sing this with us. >> Holy. >> You want to come? Let's come. Your glory, God is what our hearts. >> Sing that again. >> By your presence, Lord, Holy Spirit, you are welcome. Come flood this place and fill the atmosphere. Your glory, God is what our hearts long for. To be overcome by your presence, Lord. We welcome your presence. You praise your presence. Let us become more aware of your presence. Let us experience the glory of your goodness. Let us become more aware of your presence. Let us experience the glory of your goodness. Let us become more aware of your presence. Let us experience the glory of your goodness. Lord, Holy Spirit, you are welcome here. Come flood this place and fill the must. Your glory God is what our heart for to be overcome by your presence. that one more time. Holy Spirit, >> you are >> in our lives. >> Come this place. your glory. God is what our hearts to become by your presence, Lord. Praise the Father. Praise the Son. Praise the Spirit. Three in one. God of glory, majesty, praise forever to the King of Kings. >> Let's give him praise, Jesus. Come on. Come on. Thanks and praise. Come on. >> Wow. What an amazing story we had already. Thank you, God. >> Honor for that wonderful reminder of the presence and work of God within us now. And yet the promise of even more to come. You know, that's a beautiful promise that we have in the midst of this place. If you were here the first year we were together, we thought, man, it can't get any better than this. And every time it continues to be better. And there's a sweetness of the spirit in this place. And there's a sweetness of the spirit upon you. I said earlier we were blessed by having you. I mean it. And it is the spirit that we are blessed by. So, a couple of things to get you thinking about as we're heading into our break. We've got about 20 minutes that we can have for a break. That means some of you guys are going to have to move a little faster than you have previously. Okay. But there are a few things that you you probably want to know. Um, we have some uh bags and some uh some booklets and uh some notebooks and some things like that that are on the tables that are here for for you to take back with you. You know, we've got them, but we want you to take them because we don't want to keep them. We also have our international mission partners outside from Eurasia and also Nigeria. And they have information for you, pamphlets and things like that to take back to your churches to use as a resource for your people. Please take those with you as well. Use them as a mechanism for carrying the story of what God's doing not only here but around the world through the work in the presence of his Holy Spirit in the midst of global Methodist churches. God is so so good and I'm so thankful for this sweet time together. You got 20 minutes and we'll see you back for our closing. Thank you so much, guys.