WHEN I arrived at the Eden Lodge Primary School, the Sunday School Hour was still in session. Young and old sat glued to their seats listening to the advice of Reverend Osmond L. Hoyte.
Within minutes, the main service started.
Passionate worship by this congregation at Experience The Power Ministries, and ministry in sign language and dance preceded Hoyte’s message, which was entitled Preserving Our Future Generation.
His main text came from Isaiah 58: 12: “And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places; thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called the repairers of the breach; the restorer of paths to dwell in.”
Hoyte stressed the need to keep young people in their original pure and undefiled state, as he advised those seated before him to “flee youthful lusts; follow after righteousness, faith, charity, and peace, and call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” (Timothy 2: 22).
He also warned them not to become decayed as a result of following the world.
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world,” he quoted from 1 John 2: 15-16.
He said it was necessary to rebuild the old waste places, by returning to God and high moral values.
“We are God’s people and we must rebuild the old waste places. Many of our young people have been rendered as old waste places.
“Many are hooked on drugs, involved in all kinds of sexual deviances, and are actually lost in the society. They think they don’t belong, so they congregate on the blocks. They don’t love themselves and how they look, so they pierce their bodies and tattoo their skins. Many embrace Satanism; some are into vampirism and are actually drinking blood.
“They are affected by the music, the media, Internet pornography, alcohol, drugs – and the list goes on. How did our youth get so?” Hoyte asked.
He told the young people to remember God in their youth, since their lives were not their own.
“God made you. You can only be happy in Him. He sent His Son to redeem you by His blood. Consider that He is your loving and affectionate Father. Remember Him in your youth that you may have a long and blessed life, that you may be saved from corruption and misery into which young people generally run.
He explained that while they were alive today, tomorrow was uncertain and “it is disadvantageous to serve God in old age, since evil habits are already strengthened and there is little time for repentance, faith and obedience”.
