General News of Sunday, 5 April 2009

Source: GNA

Church marks Palm Sunday

Accra, April 5, GNA- Pastor Mensa Otabil, General Overseer of the International Central Gospel Church on Sunday charged the youth not to make compromises as they journey into adulthood but rather pursue God in holiness and apologetic of heart.

He said it was unfortunate that Christians, especially the youth were dishonouring themselves in all kinds of profanity and immorality and blamed it on modernity and current trends.

He asked the youth not to follow the abominations of the west because their standards are not that of God.

Speaking at a Palm Sunday service at Christ Temple in Accra, he said; "God does not lower his standards because of modernity and current trends because he is the same as he was at the time of Creation in when creation become," adding that, God blesses those who diligently pursue him in Holiness". He noted that though Palm Sunday is known as the triumphant entry into Jerusalem it was a cruel and painful ordeal for Jesus Christ, through which God in his mercy found the remedy for sin. He said the difference between David and Saul was that the former was quick to humbly accept responsibility for his sins and repent whiles the latter always made excuses for wrong doing adding, "God called David a man after his own heart not because he was too righteous but because he was humble enough to accept his mistakes and plead for the Father's forgiveness."

Pastor Otabil said not only did we sin as individuals but most often society's sins became "our sin too because we look on unconcerned, tolerate it and then become part of it." He said many Christians go to other places for all kinds of power and protection under the cover of darkness adding, "all these are abominations and are detested by God". 5 April 09