The Baba Aladura and Prelate of the Eternal Sacred Order of the Cherubim and Seraphim worldwide, His Most Eminence (Dr.) David D.L. Bob-Manuel, has urged youths to strive to live moral and righteous lives.
Baba Aladura, while speaking during the 2018 ESOCS Annual General Conference titled, ‘Positioned for righteous exploits’, encouraged the youth to emulate certain youths of the Bible that defended their faith and heritage and received the crown of glory.
He noted that the conference was specifically designed for youths to reposition them for righteous exploits like youths in the bible such as Daniel, Joseph, Esther, Mary, Timothy, and Joshua, among others. He said, “These are youths that held on to instructions, obedient to their faith, never disrespected their superiors and never defiled themselves. They were diligent, faithful and righteous in all their actions that positively affected their generations and at the end were all exalted. “They were obedient servants of God that defended their faith against false doctrines. I am confident you can do better.”
Bob-Manuel, who began his address quoting Ecclesiastes 12 vs 1, said, “Remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh when thou shall say, I have no pleasures in them.”
“My children, the above-referenced bible portion reminds us all that the Lord God of our father, Saint Moses Orimolade Tunolase, has need of you as a youth, to worship Him with all your heart and strength, with all the enthusiasm, your soul and body and everything within you.”
Baba Aladura stated that in worshiping God, one was expected to obey and defend the commandments and ordinances of God in utmost righteousness.
He added that as sons and daughters of Orimolade, it was important that youths rose in defense of the constitution and the liturgical practices of the Holy Order as handed over by the fathers that were here before them so that their labour would not be in vain.
“My dear leaders of tomorrow, what type of youth are you? While waiting for your answer, I encourage you to be such a youth that will sincerely contend for the faith that was handed to us by the Saviour Jesus Christ through our Founder Saint Moses Orimolade Tunolase.
“It is on record that Ecumenism has opened us up to different interdenominational relationships, which some of our youths who represent us at that level have allowed themselves to be influenced by foreign doctrines that they brought back into the church in exchange for our cherished liturgical practices.
“Apostle Paul admonished Timothy to always fight the good fight of faith. 1 Timothy 4 vs12 said, ‘Let no man despise thy youth, but be thou an example of the believers in words, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith and in purity’.”
He noted that the whole essence of going into Ecumenism was to actualise the vision which the Founder gave that “all the world here shall be Seraph” and not the other way round.
Baba said, “You are all aware of the ugly incident that took place at Sapele provincial headquarters in the recent past. That is not tolerated and can never be tolerated not even in this time. I urge you all to strive to influence the world through the righteousness of Christ in you.
“I am persuaded that in this our generation, together with the youth, we shall not allow the concept of Ecumenism to erode those things that make us peculiar people in the comity of churches.
“I leave you with the words of Saint Paul to Timothy in 1 Timothy 4 vs 15, ‘Meditate upon these things, give thyself wholly to them, that thy profiting may appear to all’.
“It is my desire for you all to continuously study the literature books of the Holy Order, only then can you show yourselves approved unto God and man and then have the capacity to defend the liturgical practices of the church. The God of our father, Saint Moses Orimolade Tunolase, shall continue to direct you aright in Jesus’ name, Amen.”
He, however, urged the youth to tell him things they felt the church was not getting right and suggest the way forward.
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