Christianity

You’re Created For A Purpose

Youth Bible Devotional

You are Created For A Purpose!
Say to yourself: I am created for a purpose, and I will fulfil my purpose in life in Jesus name. Amen!

Hope you prayed that simple short prayers for yourself? Beloved, God created you and I for a good purpose. Interestingly, the reason why we are still alive today is because we are yet to fulfil God’s purpose for our lives, not for any other reason.

Unfortunately, many don’t know their purpose; many don’t understand the purpose why they are still breathing. Life is a place of purpose-driven people, a place to fulfil purpose, not a place to waste away time, mingling with ungodly bigger boys or girls, jumping from one romantic relationship to another, ignoring God’s word, following unhealthy trends, having premarital sex, commiting adultery, drinking alcohol, defrauding people of their hard earn money, attending late night clubs and more. If all these were reasons for life, God won’t have wasted His efforts creating man in the first place.

This is God speaking to us through Prophet Jeremiah. He says: For I know the thoughts that I have towards you, thoughts of good and not of evil, to bring us to an expected end.

The plan of God, our heavenly father, for us is of good, not of evil, to bring us to a successful end. God’s plan for us is to live and fulfil our dreams in life, He never created us to be wasteful, killed or destroyed; that is the plan of the Devil, not of God. God’s plan for us is to prosper and fulfill the numbers of our days.

The primary purpose why God created us is to serve Him with the talents He has given us – Ecclesiastes 12, Romans 12. And like the parable of the travelling master who gave different talents to his 3 servants in Matthew 18 – He returned to know how each of his servants used their talents. The one given 5 used it very well, and made double profits. The one given 2 talents also utilized it well by adding to it, while the one with a talent wasted it, by burying it.

That Parable is refering to you and I today. It is a great lesson for us to use our talents like the two servants who were useful and fruitful with theirs, and not like the one who wasted and buried his. As stated, The Master was angry with the one who wasted his talent. The wasteful servant was disgraced and chased out; so also God, the giver of our talents, will be angry and disgrace those who waste their talents, as stated in the parable.

As a matter of fact, everyone is born with talents from God, to help fulfil purpose here on earth. No child is born useless or without a talent. As a child begins to grow, the talent is discovered, likewise the purpose. Some talents are discovered much earlier, while others are discovered late. When you discover yours is not what really matters, but how well you use it for God and for yourself. However, the earlier you discover your talents, the best for you.

Like the parable teaches:
When our master, Jesus Christ will come back again to take His peculiar people, only those who use their potentials well for God will reign with Him. It is the way we utilize our talents that will determine our fulfillment of purpose in life.

What Is The Usefulness of Talents? Why are we given Talents by God? Talents are given to us to:

(1) Fulfill God’s purpose, assignments, ministry and plan for our lives.
(2) Make profits for ourselves.
(3) Impact others.
(4) Win souls and grow God’s kingdom.

Your talent is unique to help fulfill your purpose on earth. God have destined you for something great, something significant, and to be useful for His kingdom. Use your talents for its real purpose, don’t be like that wicked servant in Matthew 18:32. DON’T BURY YOUR TALENT.

Hope you’re blessed with this teaching? You’re specially invited to join Youthful Praise Nation, a youth and music ministry with passion to see youths serve GOD with their talents, spiritual gifts and resources. Distance isn’t a problem; volunteer to join today! Or fill this form, tell us your talents, let’s work together for God with our talents at Youthful Praise Nation. Click to fill your talent and birthday registration form: YPNMembershipForm

Oliseh Udogwu ✍️

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There’s More!

Someone somewhere is praying for what you have, praying to get to the height you are, and hoping to be like you. Another, left where you are five years ago or ten years ago.

What you call your finish point is another man’s starting point. Don’t be satisfied, there is more.

Are you willing and ready to serve God as a youth? Let’s introduce Youthful Praise Nation to you, a youth and music family, that welcomes different youths to work for God with their talents, spiritual gifts and resources – Eccl 12:1. Are you between 17-40 years? If Yes! Great! You‘re free to join and serve God as a youth today, online and physically. Click to know more and join other youths as a new member today, here: mssg.me/youthfulpraisenation

Kathryn Esther Clement ✍️

You’re Beautiful!

A continuous discounting or discrediting of yourself will keep you stagnant. Even if you have tried all means to move forward, you can’t.

Because You are holding Yourself back. Break out from such an attitude! Say something beautiful to yourself; just for once. Say something beautiful to yourself. Appreciate You; It is a step forward.

Break: Let’s introduce Youthful Praise Nation to you, a youth and music family, that welcomes different youths to work for God with their talents, spiritual gifts and resources – Eccl 12:1. Are you between 17-40 years? If Yes! Great! You’re free to join and serve God as a youth today. Click to know more and join other youths today here: mssg.me/youthfulpraisenation

Pretty Emmanuel ✍️

Fake Jesus! Story Of Jesu Oyingbo

The Story of “Jesu Oyingbo” the self-acclaimed Nigerian Jesus Christ.

While growing, there was stories of a Nigerian man who self-proclaimed he will die and ressurect in 3days like Jesus Christ. It was also said that when he died, there was lot of heavy down pour of rain on the 3rd day and his followers were expecting him to rise, but what followed was lightning and thunder which dispersed his followers; he did not rise as foretold.

How True is the Story and who was this Jesus of Oyingbo?

Break 1: Before we get into the story, let’s introduce Youthful Praise Nation, a youth and music family, that welcomes different youths to work for God with their talents, spiritual gifts and resources – Ecclesiastes 12:1. You’re free to join and serve God as a youth today. Click to know more and join other youths today here: mssg.me/youthfulpraisenation

Back to the story proper.

In the 1950s, the people of Lagos-Nigeria witnessed the shocking declaration of a middle aged Ijebu man named Olufunmilayo Immanuel Odumosu – who declared himself as Jesus who had come to lead the people from darkness to light. He said, “I am Jesus Christ, the very one whose second coming was foretold in the new testament. I have come, and those who believe in me will have an everlasting life and joy. I am the missing of the trinity. I have to prepare the faithful for the judgement day”.

His Church named Universal college of regeneration (UCR) was at first in the Oyingbo suburb of Lagos. This earned him the “Oyingbo” in his alias. Jesu Oyingbo later moved the church to Awoyokun street in Palmgroove and later to Immanuel Street, Maryland Lagos.

Odumosu was born in 1915 to Jacob Odumosu. His grandfather was Joseph Odumosu, a famous traditional healer in Ijebu Ode. Trained as a carpenter, he served with Post and Telegraph during the war. He later took on carpentry work and opened a workshop in Lagos Island. However, he struggled as a carpenter and was constantly in debt. He was jailed for six months on charges brought by his creditors. During this period, Odumosu attended various protestant churches in Lagos but soon claimed he received dreams and visions from God.

It was also alleged that the books written by “Jesu Oyingbo’s grandfather on herbalist practices” were passed on to him, especially the books known as “iwe iwosan”, “iwe Egboogi”, “iwe Isoji” and “iwe Ala”. Translated as books of healing, herbs, revival and dreams. It was rumoured that these books were the sources of his powers.

Some of the structures in the communal enclave and other building owned by Jesu Oyingbo had weird sculptures, which made people believed he was operating a cult. His pattern of apostleship was distinctly different from the Bible records of Jesus Christ or any of his apostles. First of all, his mode of conversion involved flogging the new convert nine strokes of the cane —a cane which many said he also inherited from his grandfather. He described the strokes being given to them as the baptism which they needed to become a part of the flock under his care.

Also, all his members were brought under the communal enclave through that baptism, after which they went back to their families, packed their belongings, forsook the world and followed him. Despite attempts by different families to hold him responsible for such actions, he always came out of the police custody clean.

These members became his congregation and also his workforce, as he was what one might describe as a “Pastorpreneur” owning a printing outfit, a bakery, restaurant, barbing salon, a construction company, real estate development and other business outfits within his community. He acquired massive wealth in the course of operating his ministry.

It was also revealed that Jesu Oyingbo was married to over 30 women and was father to dozen. And that members of his commune slept with one another’s wives. There was an occasion when he married a man’s wife in order to punish him for his errant behaviours. On another occasion, he handed over the wife of an unruly member to other men in the flock. Not to mention that at his will, he could choose to call any of the women who pleased him to satisfy his needs at any time.

On a personal level, he was described by neighbours, friends and even his children as a lively, nice and humorous man who was friendly with all, and never got tired of trying to convert them. Most of his neighbours said the only issue they had was the noise caused by their activities from the early hours of the morning, even though they could not complain.

He, however, entertained them in the evenings by projecting movies for people to gather and watch, creating a sort of cinema-like experience for them. He justified his liberal and abundant life by saying that while the first Jesus came to sacrifice and suffer, taking care of the cross-carrying and crucifixion, he, the second Jesus simply came to enjoy life. “I have come to enjoy my life, my friend”, he often said.

Eventually, nature called the supposedly immortal “Jesus Of Oyingbo” and he answered. He was gripped by the cold hands of death in 1988 when he was aged 73, and he died in a hospital outside the commune. Did he rise on the 3rd day?

You can also DM me for more information. Talk to you soon. ✌️

Break 2: Have you joined Youthful Praise Nation? Are you wiling and ready to work for God with your talents, spiritual gifts and resources? Are you between 17-40 years? If Yes, you’re qualified to join as a new member in Youthful Praise Nation. Click Now to to join: mssg.me/youthfulpraisenation

Back to the story.

Well, Jesus Of Oyingbo did not ressurect!!!

Most of his followers did not believe that their messiah had died and failed to resurrect after three days as he prophesied, leaving them disheartened. Stories about the rain, lightning and thunder on the 3rd day of his death are unconfirmed in any reports. What happened after his death?

With a polygamous family, Jesus Of Oyingbo died intestate, without a written will. This led his wives, children and members into a legal brawl – a prolonged chaotic battle for the estate he left behind. Court papers later revealed the darnedest details about the Late Jesus Of Oyingbo’s life and time from plaintiff testimonies and witness accounts.

However, in 1997, the court ruled in favor of the children who then evicted their father’s followers living in the enclave. That marked the end of the Nigerian self-acclaimed Jesus.

Sources; LegitNG, black wash blog, gistmania, Yorùbá fact and history, old naija.

LegitNG, Black Wash Blog, Gistmania, Yoruba Fact and History; Old Naija ✍️

Age Is Not Just A Number

Dearest fellow young one interested in living purposefully and productively, I am opening this letter to you with an unpopular opinion; AGE IS NOT JUST A NUMBER.

I know that for the longest time, you have heard things like, “what will be will be”, “it doesn’t matter when you wake up, ” you should not be too serious in your 20’s, ” whenever you wake up is your morning, ” don’t come and kill yourself” and so on. While some of these things are innocently said, they makeup the very things that disempowers us from taking charge of our lives and shaping our reality from a young age.

We exist in time and the S.I unit of destiny is time. Because we live in time, we are subject to times and seasons. By not making use of the opportunities locked within a particular time, we miss out on them. That’s what happens as we age. There are opportunities available to young persons that can’t be available to the old and vice versa because of the reality of TIMES and SEASONS except by divine intervention.

When apostle Paul was addressing the different age groups, he told the young, “you are full of strength”. Why didn’t he say that to the old people since age is just a number and whenever you wake up is your morning? It is said of the young people to see visions and the old men to dream dreams. Why wasn’t the same opportunity available to them? THE REALITY OF TIMES AND SEASONS.

There is only one reason I am writing this letter to you; so you understand that you are not just young, but in a particular time and season in your life that is passing away and it will pass with its opportunities, its vigour, its strength and vitality. So do what you must NOW and while at it, maximize your youthfulness in it.

In case you stumbled on this post and you are no longer young or as young as you wish to be, God factored in our carelessness and ignorance (as the case may be in the reality of times and seasons). That’s why there is room for divine restoration of wasted years as a show of God’s mercy. Hope still exists because God sees you and can work in your favour. And no, you don’t have to and shouldn’t sit/dwell in the pit of regrets, you still have the power to make the rest of your life, the best of your life.

Ready to start your purposeful journey? Sit with me in a one-in-one consultation where I go deep to help you discover yourself, show you a roadmap to develop yourself and to deploy you.

Sommy Wonder ✍️

Don’t Lower Your Standards

Today, I saw someone advertise some housing units for rent in one of the groups I belong to and while some people were arguing about the cost being too much, the units were already paid for in just few hours.

The agent didn’t let the comment of those who felt it was too high to discourage him or force him to edit the price. He was convinced that offer was good enough and left it at that. Those who valued what he was offering got it in no distant time.

It just dawned on me that we don’t have to lower our standards just to find a spouse. Set your boundaries and expectations and if they mean a lot to you, do not edit it to fit in. There is definitely someone who loves you that way and is willing to do your bidding.

You don’t want sex before marriage? Don’t be ashamed to state it. Some people still believe in this, no matter how much others might laugh at it. If you want a man that respects you, he is out there.

If you want a woman that understands what being a wife entails, she is out there. If you want a partner that doesn’t see flirting away as a way of life, he/she is out there. If you want a rich partner, he/she is out there.

If you want a Godly partner, he/she is there.
The list goes on. Don’t edit those core values. Those who feel these virtues are too much to possess aren’t for you.

Ody Adede Agbor ✍️

Raising A Godly Seed

Parenting is crucial to God

There are different ideas of parenting as much as there are different cultures.

It is God’s will that your children be trained in the way of the Lord. He desires that every child should be born into a godly home and nutured by godly parents. It is only a godly parent that can train a godly seed (child).

For you as a parent or aspiring parent; it is your responsibility to train and guide your children in the way of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4.

Many people especially this age thinks the responsibility of training up a child is only for the woman. But that’s not true. Bible declared Father’s in Ephesians 6:4 not to provoke their children to wrought.

“And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”

Both parents are fully responsible in the training of a child. As parents, God gave you kids to takecare of This is your primary assignment & responsibility as a parent (father or mother) of the child.
Today, A lot of parents are transferring the responsibilities of parenting to househelps and people. God called you to parent a child you should not fail God. We are like caretakers in taking care of our children.

The Parenting principles to be adopted differs according to the environment you find yourself. The training principles you adopt for your child in Nigeria is different from the one you would adopt Abroad.

Elements Of Training:
1. Teaching
● Exhortations
● Instructions
● Encourage the child, Never discourage your child

2. Demonstrate
● Be a living example
● Show them deliberate examples
● Allow your children to practise
● Allow them to make mistakes and correct them

3. Discipline
● Correction: teach the child what to do
● Rebuke: don’t rebuke a child you’ve not corrected. ● Be firm! (Heb 12:6)
● Little spanking (Don’t beat your children like a goat, spank them to show them it’s a “no”)
● Regiment (Prov 13:24)

Adenike Tabitha ✍️

Higher Addiction

I will be turning 19 in three months.
I’m a beautiful, dark-skinned teenager who’s in her third year at the University. Let me tell you a short story.

I was about sixteen when I started having access to the internet. I would surf the net and Facebook for long hours of the day and even into the night.

Facebook was my addiction. I would scroll and scroll, admire, envy and get even more depressed. Then, I stumbled on romance and erotic novels. I enjoyed reading and this became my escape. I learnt that I could even give myself some sexual pleasure without hurting anyone. How cool, I thought.

No boyfriend trouble, no worries about pregnancy or mum beating me blue, black. I would touch myself when I felt like it and stop whenever I wanted to. So much fun I thought, but I didn’t know this meal was served full course with dangers and addictions.

Something was happening to me. I couldn’t pray again, I lost that confidence. The Church was a no-go area for me, because I felt condemned already. I was deceived. I couldn’t start and stop when I wanted to. Throughout the day, the thoughts that encompassed my little mind were fantasies of all sorts of sexual pleasures and perversions alike.

My interest in productive things was completely lost. I craved my lone time to do my thing but what I realized was that those three minutes of ‘fun’ was my ticket to the land of guilt and condemnation for three days.

Regrets accompanied my every thought.
Voices told me how dirty I was and how God must be so tired of me. Shame filled my being and I was in despair. My nights were filled with a lack of sleep. My pillow became an ocean of tears. I tried to help myself but I was drowning. All I wanted was to have my fellowship with God back.

Somehow, God sent people my way to tell me He loved me. Well, I thought that was just cliche. Something everyone told you just to feel better.

One day, I heard that God was very intentional about me but how could I believe that? I had to leave the faith of my parents and find God for myself. Believe in Him for me and not just because my parents did. Did He consider me His child still?

And then one day, God sent someone to me. We looked at the prodigal son and my eyes were opened to see that even in his fallen state as a son, the Father still called out to Him. The Father was on the lookout for Him. Wanting to draw him back to himself. He didn’t even care about the reason why the prodigal son had come.

He didn’t care that his son had squandered his resources and only thought of coming back cause he had nothing on him. The Father was just faithfully being a father. Faithfully loving His own. Who does that? He cleaned him up and clothed him. Celebrated and rejoiced over his lost but found son.

And then, I realized God never left me. I left Him because of guilt. I didn’t know how much he loved me. That day, I learnt through the lady that God sent me that He is even more willing to help me from every addiction than I am to help myself.

“For the One working in you is God—both to will and to work for His good pleasure. So says Philippians 2:13 Tola. Can you see He’s not even exactly expecting you to deliver yourself from yourself?

As you see, I am not even speaking off my head but the word of God. The very truth of God’s word. He just wants you to come to Him, trusting and continually submitting yourself to Him. I thought I had to work, punish myself, and make promises to God that I would never do bad again. Something I could never fulfil even in a thousand years.

It was soul-soothing, heartwarming and body and mind-strengthening to come to know that I wasn’t alone and didn’t have to do everything by myself. Father wanted to share that burden with me. Before I would even think that I’ll need help and deliverance from that, He thought about it.

And then, He didn’t just stop there. The Sweet person of God divinely orchestrated my deliverance and sent His son once and for all. For me. I was His temple and He could very well take care of His sanctuary. He could clean every dirty area in my life. Take away the garment of sinfulness, and replace it with the garment of righteousness. That is His job description, not mine!

And so, I trusted Him and let him have the keys to every area of my life. Even the darkest corners of my life. I remember not truly surrendering my all to him.

My horrible addictions
My greatest lies
My foolish mistakes
My deepest secrets
My weaknesses!

But He was willing to help me through all of that, in love. And He has. His grace is always sufficient. Christ has become my addiction, my higher addiction!

Lessons:
✓ Don’t let the devil take you to a place where you feel or even believe for a moment that you own and live for yourself; a place where you feel powerful and sufficient in yourself and not God’s grace – that’s pride and then you think you’re very strong and mighty but then, you keep going in circles until you fall badly.

✓ God wants to help you more than you want to help yourself. Trust and tell it to Him.

✓ Quit the subtle act of giving God some space, trusting him with some things (and not everything), opening some rooms to Him but either by disbelief or distrust and ultimately deceit, reserve some to take care of ourselves.

✓ Surrender everything to Him. Make Him your addiction. The addiction you can never regret.

Princess Faith Thomas ✍️

Not All Prayers are Answered

Have you ever prayed for something you ‘NEEDED’ but never got an answer??

Not all prayers will be answered and that’s the honest truth. Sometimes we ask amiss (James 4:3) and our intentions are not 100% pure. At other times, because God knows the end from the beginning, He denies us some things knowing they will not favour us in the end.

Thank Him today for some of your unanswered prayers. I am thanking Him as He did not give me the thing I prayed for in January – I am seeing the reasons clearly now!!!

Adetutu VOJ ✍️

Discovering Your Identity

Discovering and knowing your identity begins with a journey with God. If you’re wondering who you truly are, you need to know what God says about you. He says you are peculiar; you’re a city set on the hill that cannot be hidden. You’re a shinning star, beautifully created to make a difference.

Don’t shy away from your insecurities. Don’t shy away from that which makes you different. You’re special and unique; created for a purpose, to fulfil destiny, and to be a blessing to many.

Allow God to reveal how He sees you. Allow Him to reveal to you the true desires of your heart. And allow Him to lay a secure foundation for you, built on his unconditional love, that you might live vulnerably and honestly.