‘How to please God in corrupt society’

The Anglican Dioceses of Lagos West and Awori recently held a joint Clergy School at Caroline Adefiola Women Conference Centre, Ipaja, Lagos.

Speaking on the theme: “Living to please God in a corrupt world and society,” the Diocesan Bishop of Lagos West, The Rt. Revd. (Dr.) James Odedeji, urged participants to use their ministries to please God, as He created man for His pleasure.

Odedeji, who took his text from 2 Thessalonians 4:6-7, said it is becoming difficult to please God, especially with the forces of darkness appearing to dominate. So, Christians require Holy Spirit power to overcome.

He said: “Pleasing God is a battle between the power of light and the darkness. The world is full of evil now, and we are surrounded by darkness. But you must go all out to please God, which makes Him to accept us as His children.”

He explained that the self, man and God always demand that Christians please them. However, the self has been judged from the beginning by God. So, when one yields to the flesh, which is an enemy of God, he cannot please Him. He admonished the clergy to please God by doing His Will wholeheartedly, rather than pleasing man.

Odedeji also underlined carnality, recklessness, prayerlessness and hypocrisy as reasons men find it difficult to please God. To avoid this, he said Christians should live in God’s consciousness and presence, and in absolute obedience to Him.