Is Nigeria Going The Way Of Turkey?

•Turkey is in the present day Europe and partly in Asia minor.
•Apostle Paul was a citizen of Tukey because Tarsus exists in Turkey.
•Christianity existed in Turkey for about 1,023 years while Christianity has only existed in Nigeria for 172yrs starting from when Rev. Birch Freeman came to Badagry in 1842.
•The seven churches Jesus spoke to in Revelations 2&3(Ephesus, Smyrna,Laodicea,Philadelphia,etc)existed in the old Turkey.
•The disciples were first called Christians in Turkey(Antioch)
•Turkey once had the largest Christian auditorium in Europe called Hagia Sophia in Constantinople.
•Mary the mother of Jesus was taken to Turkey by Apostle John and till date, her room has become a tourist centre.

TURKEY TODAY

•Present day Turkey now has 96% muslims&0.02% Christians(less than 130,000).
•The Hagia Sophia(once largest church in Europe) was taken over by muslims and converted to a mosque for over 400yrs and later used as an Islamic Museum

WHYCHRISTIANITY COLLAPSED IN TURKEY

•Emphasis on doctrinal differences weakened the Turkish church.
•Rivalries amongst denominations
•Petty politics in church coupled with ethnic biase
•The Turks were building big cathedrals instead of building men.

HOW IT HAPPENED

•Osman Ghazi discovered the disunity amongst Christians and used it to fight a Jihad that led to a mass genocide of the Armenians, the Hellen and Turks of that day. Infact, the weapon of war used was designed by a Turkish Christian.
•Many Christian women converted to Islam to save their lives and some were Molested.
•Osman Ghazi started the Ottoman empire which gave muslims political post and made it a religion of the state.

IS NIGERIA HEADING THE WAY OF TURKEY

•Virtually all the mistakes the church in Turkey made, the Nigerian church has made it.
•We are building Cathedrals at the expense of discipling men.
•Disunity amongst churches
•Ethnicity in the church
•Denominational rivalry, etc.
•Sharp division along doctrinal lines

MORE FACTS
•The spiritual foundation of Turkey is stronger than that of Nigeria and Christianity existed for over 1000yrs in Turkey unlike ours which is just 172yrs but Islam Radicalism uprooted it. If it can happen in Turkey, it can also happen IF we are not careful.
•The menace of Boko Haram has destroyed a lot of churches in the north and it may take another 200yrs to evangelise Borno state alone.
•There is a secret agenda to Islamize Nigeria&other African nations as contained in Abuja declaration of 1989.

DON'T SAY IT CAN'T HAPPEN HERE, IF WE DON'T RIGHT OUR WRONGS AS A CHURCH.

SOLUTION

•HEART-FELT Intercession
•Aggressive evangelism- the terrorist reached out to the youths in the norths first and gave them AK-47 and bombs, if we had reached out to them on time, they'll be carrying BIBLES today.
•Mission support:-God is holding the church responsible for Boko Haram, yet we are blaming the governement.If we had supported missions and missionaries, we would have those insurgents to Christ long ago.
•Unity of the church is key in winning this battle. The last but not the least christians should be actively involve in politics. Enough of these muslims political office holder with islamic agenda

ARISE CHURCH & LETS DO THE NEEDFUL

What Does the Bible Really Say About Alcohol?

Here are your
keys,”
muttered the
secretary
when I
arrived to pick up the keys to
my office at Aberdeen
University, where I would be
studying for my doctorate in
theology. “It looks like you’re
in The Old Brewery.”
Intrigued by the name, I later
found out that it reflected the
building’s original function.
Aberdeen was founded in the
15th century and used to train
monks for ministry. In the
brewery, monks brewed vast
quantities of Scottish ale,
which was served by the liter
at mealtimes. And here I was,
a post-fundamentalist Ph.D.
student studying the
Scriptures in a malted
sanctuary where late medieval
Bible college students once
clapped mugs together in an
act of worship.
Throughout Christian history,
alcohol was rarely a taboo as
it is in some circles today.
John Calvin had a stipend of
250 gallons of wine per year
written into his church
contract. Martin Luther’s wife
was a famed brewer of beer,
which certainly won Martin’s
heart. And the Guinness
family created their renowned
Irish Stout as an act of
worship to Jesus. From
Bordeaux to Berlin, wine and
beer have always been part of
church tradition. But what
was once considered the
nectar of heaven was later
condemned as the devil’s
libation.
A Smart Approach
Even though some Christians
advocate for the total
abstinence of alcohol as a
moral mandate for all
believers, the Bible never
requires all believers to
abstain from alcohol. It
condemns drunkenness and
being enslaved to wine
(Ephesians 5:18; Titus 2:3),
but it never says that tee-
totaling is the better way to
obey God. In fact, the Bible
never says that abstaining
from alcohol is the wisest way
to avoid getting drunk. Think
about it. Alcoholism has been
rampant through every age,
but the Bible never says that
all believers should therefore
refrain from drinking.
If
Christians want to forbid all
alcohol consumption to avoid
drunkenness, then to be
consistent, they should also
avoid making a lot of money
to guard against the crushing
sin of materialism and the
misuse of wealth.
Alcohol as a Witness
I sometimes hear that when
Christians drink, it ruins their
testimony. But quite honestly,
I’ve never understood this
line of thinking. It’s one thing
if you’ve struggled with
alcoholism or are ministering
in a Muslim country, but for
the most part, most non-
Christians I know are turned
off by the arbitrary dos and
don’ts created by modern
Christians. I’m not convinced
that if my unbelieving
neighbor sees me slipping into
a pub, I will lose much
traction to my Gospel witness.
In many cases, the Gospel will
shine brighter when you
break down wrong
assumptions about
Christianity by having a beer
with your neighbor.
When we strip away all the
man-made clutter that dims
the Gospel, the full glory of
Jesus shines much brighter. A
good chunk of the dying
world that’s rejected
Christianity hasn’t said no to
Jesus, but no to a pharisaical
version of Him. Some people
have been turned off by the
Gospel because they’ve
thought that becoming a
Christ-follower meant giving
up having a beer with your
friends after work. If this is
the “good news” we preach,
then the true beauty of a
crucified and risen King will
become covered in the fog of
a man-made, pharisaical
“don’t drink” gospel. AA
didn’t hang on a cross for
your sins and abstaining from
alcohol won’t give you
resurrection life. Any
Christianese, man-made,
unbiblical footnotes to the
gospel are actually a
distraction and offense to the
Gospel.
Lower Alcohol
Content?
Now, some say that wine in
the Bible was nothing more
than grape juice and therefore
neither Jesus nor the Biblical
writers advocated drinking
alcohol. Others say that wine
was so diluted that it hardly
contained any alcohol. But
neither of these views can be
substantiated by what the
Scriptures actually say. If
wine was really unfermented
grape juice, then why did Paul
warn the Ephesians: “Do not
get drunk with grape juice,
which is debauchery, but be
filled by the Spirit?” This
doesn’t make sense. It is true
that wine back then probably
had a lower ABV than today’s
stuff. But whatever the
alcohol content, people were
quite able to get smashed by
drinking too much of it
(Proverbs 20:1; Isaiah 5:11).
Still, the Bible never says not
to drink it.
There’s another alcoholic
beverage mentioned in the
Bible called “strong drink. The
Hebrew word for “strong
drink,” shakar, refers to
fermented barley, which is
why some translations call it
“beer.” Shakar had an ABV of
around 6-12 percent, similar
to a Belgium Trippel Ale or a
Double IPA. Like all alcoholic
beverages, the Bible prohibits
abusing beer (Isaiah 5:11;
28:7; Proverbs 20:1; 31:4). But
in moderation, drinking beer
was encouraged (Proverbs
31:6). In fact, Deuteronomy
14:26 actually commands
Israelites to use some of their
tithe money to buy some
beers and celebrate before the
Lord. (Ever hear that verse
being read as the ushers are
passing the plates?) They
were also commanded to
offer up two liters of beer to
God six days a week and even
more on the Sabbath (see
Numbers 28:7-10). This is why
the absence of beer (and
wine) was an outcome of
God’s judgment on the nation.
Wine as a Blessing
But the Bible goes further
than admitting that drinking
is simply allowed.
Throughout Scripture, the
production and consumption
of beer and wine are often
connected to the covenant
promises of God.
Under the old covenant, wine
is a blessing (Deut 7:13; 11:14)
and the absence of wine a
curse (28:39, 51). When Israel
looked to the future, God
promises to flood them wine
flowing from the
mountaintops (Amos 9:14;
Joel 3:18) and vats brimming
with fresh wine (Joel 2:19,
24).
Jesus signals the beginning of
such blessings by creating an
over-abundance (150 gallons)
of wine at Cana (John 2:1-10).
And on the eve of his death,
He sanctified a cup of wine as
“the new covenant in my
blood” (Luke 22:14-23). When
Christ comes back, He’ll
prepare “well-aged
wine” (Isaiah 25:6)—the stuff
I only notice on the top shelf
but can never afford—and for
theological reasons it will be
served, as at Cana, in
abundance.
Although a good beer and rich
wine are blessings from God,
they should be consumed
with caution. There’s a
growing tendency, however,
among some younger
evangelicals to celebrate their
freedom without discipline.
These young, restless, and
slightly inebriated libertines
are doing some great things
for the Kingdom. They’re
feeding the poor, living in
community and planting
authentic churches—or
missional communities—all to
the glory of God.
Yes, God cares about the
poor; He also cares about
your sobriety. Enjoying
alcohol in moderation takes
discipline, and many beer
drinkers, I hate to say it,
aren’t known for their
discipline. A good glass of
beer can be celebratory; it
doesn’t belong in the hands of
an undisciplined 16-year-old
playing video games in his
mom’s basement. Belgium ale
is strong and complex. Savor
it, sanctify it, and let it
meditate on your palate. Give
glory to God, not just to your
thirst, when enjoying the
blessings that flow from
Eden. Drunkenness may not
be at the top of God’s list of
most heinous sins; neither
should it be tossed aside as a
relic of American
fundamentalism.
Drinking alcohol without
celebrating the Cross and
Kingdom is theologically
anemic. Abusing alcohol
mocks the blood of Christ and
scoffs at God’s holiness. But
moderate, intentional,
celebratory and reflective
drinking of wine and beer,
which contemplates the
crucified and risen King and
anticipates our future glory, is
rooted in the grace that
poured from Christ’s veins on
Calvary.
Culled from
http://www.relevantmagazine.com/life/what-does-bible-really-say-about-alcohol

7 deadly sins in marriage

Much has been said of the Seven
Deadly Sins in religious dialogue.
But do they really affect your
marriage? Follow the links below
for a discovery of eternal truths
that can save your marriage.
Lust
Lust is characterized by excessive
thoughts of a sexual nature, or
uncontrollable, sickening sexual
desire. Today there is much talk of
sex addiction. Pornography,
adultery, fornication or that same
uncontrollable sexual desire can
destroy your relationship. A
healthy sexual relationship is vital
in marriage. Make sure your
partner is sexually satisfied so that,
ultimately, he is not tempted to go
out looking for sexual gratification
somewhere else or by other means.
If in your relationship you do not
get enough sex, master your
impulses and learn how to ask
properly and prepare your partner
so she feels the desire to be with
you sharing those sacred and
intimate moments. Chastity is the
opposite of lust.
Sloth
Sloth is closely tied to its sister,
indifference. A mind that is not
busy doing something productive is
a mind that does not function; it is
somewhat ill or null and void. You
should not treat your spouse with
an attitude of indifference. Fulfill
your home and work
responsibilities with enthusiasm.
When your spouse wants to tell you
something, give her your full
attention. Find out how she really
feels, does she need something?
Does she feel sick or hungry? Or
does she want to chat or go for a
walk? Avoid activities that are just
for you, like playing videogames, or
surfing the Internet. Your partner
will surely also want to spend time
with you after so many hours apart
from the workday. Diligence is the
opposite of sloth.
Gluttony & Drunkenness
Gluttony and drunkenness is
unnecessary or excessive
consumption of food and harmful
substances. Alcohol or drugs fall
into this category. These practices
are addictive and destructive.
Alcohol, for example, can lead to
acts of violence or other
inappropriate behavior that will
make you feel terribly ashamed
later. None of these excesses will
build your self-esteem, on the
contrary, they will destroy it and
you will lose your self-respect and
sense of individual worth. Your
spouse, who loves you, will suffer
endless hours of loneliness and
despair unable to fight a vice that
seems invincible. Avoid any
excesses, and completely avoid the
use of any substance that causes
dependency, because this will only
lead you to a dead end.
Temperance is the opposite of
gluttony.
Wrath
Wrath is also known as anger, rage
or hatred. It is a feeling of
impatience and intolerance. Do not
be angry with your spouse, be
patient. Keep in mind that everyone
makes mistakes. Face life with a
sense of humor and you will see
that nothing is as bad as it seemed
a moment ago. Learn to control
your emotions. Practice
meditation, read the Bible or other
religious books that brings peace to
your soul. Pray to your God,
breathe deeply and take a few
moments to cool your head when
someone says something that
irritates you or does something you
don’t like. Control your tongue.
Don’t say the first thing that comes
to mind. Think carefully before you
speak and never ever use violence
against your spouse. Remember
that violence can be physical,
verbal or emotional. A good dose
of patience, the virtue opposed to
anger, will calm those raging
impulses. Patience is the opposite
of wrath.
Envy
Envy is a harmful emotion that
feeds on and enjoys watching the
suffering of others. It not only
makes you want what someone else
has, but also makes you want to
deprive another person of what
they have. In your relationship you
should never belittle your spouse.
Treat her as your equal. You must
have empathy for her sorrows. You
should try to make her happy. If
you feel miserable for some
reason, do not drag her into the
abyss. Be happy for her
accomplishments, even if it means
you are out of the spotlight for a
moment. Charity is the opposite of
envy.
Greed
Greed is another sin of excess.
Greed is the need to acquire
material things. If you are the sole
provider for your family, it does
not mean that all the money is
yours and only you can administer
it and spend it. If you and your
spouse work, do not keep track of
individual profits. Put all the wages
in a single bank account. This way
you will not feel that one
contributes more than the other.
Do not obsess over making more
and more money. You will never
feel satisfied with how much you
have saved, because you can never
get enough of what you don't need.
Spend, instead, more time with
your spouse. Spend quality time
together and enjoy the fruits of
your labor. What good is it to
gather and save goods and riches
and never enjoy them? Generosity
is the opposite of greed.
Pride
Pride is also known as the mother
of all sins. Other synonyms are:
arrogance, vanity, insolence and
vainglory. It stems from enmity, as
explained by the religious leader
Ezra Taft Benson. A proud person
will never apologize; in a marriage
relationship that attitude becomes
a deadly weapon. In a relationship
where none, or just one of them, is
humble enough to ask for
forgiveness, with surety will not
become a nest of happiness and
bliss. Learn to be humble, to love
and respect your partner. Control
your ego and recognize the
excellent abilities, gifts and talents
of your spouse. Recognize her
efforts to please you. Be a faithful
friend and constant companion to
the person you promised to spend
the rest of your days with.
Humility is the opposite of pride.
You can change!
Are you guilty of any sins in your
relationship? If so, it is never too
late to change one of the seven
deadly sins for one of the seven
virtues in marriage.

Health Benefits of Coconut Oil (adi-agbon) and Its Uses

Coconut is composed of about
50% of lauric acid, the same
acid found in breast milk,
which actually is the only
other good known source of
lauric acid . This acid , gives
the coconut oil an amazing
antiviral, antifungal and
antibacterial properties , and is
useful both , for internal and
external use . Coconut is rich
in nutrients, fiber , vitamins
and minerals .
HEALTH BENEFITS OF
COCONUT OIL
-Many studies have shown
that, the consumption of
coconut oil can be very useful
to our body, to build
resistance to viruses (which
cause influenza, measles ,
hepatitis , herpes ) and bacteria
(responsible for ulcers , throat
infections, urinary tract
infections, pneumonia, and
gonorrhea ), also fungal
infections and candida . It also
positively affects on the
thyroid, and controls the
blood sugar.
Coconut oil contains a healthy
form of saturated fat , which
means its consumption helps
in speeding up the
metabolism, while giving more
energy (fuel for the brain and
muscles) and greater stamina.
All these affect in the loss of
excess weight, and maintain a
healthy and balanced weight .

The Best 9 Times To Drink Water

How do you feel about drinking
water?
Naturally, you probably drink som
water in the course of a day. Even
if you don’t have a glass of clear
water, you can find more limited
sources of drinking water in
beverages like tea and coffee, and
in foods such as soups and
stews. Did you know that drinking
water could be a lifesaver? Pure,
clean drinking water does much to
keep your body running smoothly
and to guard your health.
Want to drink more water to
benefit your health? Try these tips
for identifying nine times that you
body needs drinking water most.
1. Drink water when you first get
up.
Imagine walking into a dark room
and looking for something. Chance
are you will stumble and maybe
even fall unless you turn on the
light. Or consider starting your car
in sub-zero temperatures and
putting it into gear without waitin
for the engine to warm up. Either
situation can lead to problems or
even disasters.The same is true of
the human body. Without water
to “wake up and turn on” the bod
each day, you may be running on
empty, especially if you skip
breakfast altogether. Have a glass
of cool water right after you wake
up in the morning to tell your bod
it’s time to get started. Like a
gently flowing stream that pushes
along debris and rocks, your
circulatory system needs fluid to
get rid of stubborn free radicals
and residue from burned calories
that were used during the night’s
metabolism. Refresh your system
with a drink of water.
2. Drink water before each meal.
Drinking water before a meal help
you feel fuller, so you may be less
likely to attack your meal like a
starving person. Water helps
prepare the stomach for the food
that will follow, waking up taste
buds on the tongue and
moisturizing the stomach lining so
brittle or acidic foods won’t be
uncomfortable.
Having a glass of water clears your
mouth of dryness or leftover tastes
from earlier dining, drinking, or
smoking in anticipation of the food
that is coming.
3. Drink water with a snack.
Between meals, if you feel hungry,
try some fresh drinking water firs
to see if you are dehydrated.
Sometimes people think they are
hungry when they really are just
thirsty. If you shop at the grocery
store or supermarket while
dehydrated, chances are you are
going to spend more to
subconsciously fill that empty urge
Drinking water before a snack, or
with one, will help you feel full
faster and perhaps eat less, a habi
that could benefit two-thirds of ou
nation that is considered
overweight or obese.
4. Drink water before a workout.
Depending on the temperature,
humidity, and your body’s fluid
levels, you may need one or severa
glasses of water, each about eight
ounces, to arm yourself against
dehydration during an indoor or
outdoor workout.Whether you pla
for a sports team or simply jog for
personal fitness, hydration is
essential to help guard against hea
stroke in warm weather and
frostbite in cold temperatures, as
your body’s circulation plays a
protective role in both seasons.
5. Drink water after a workout.
Following your exercise session,
drink up to replace fluids lost by
sweating and physical labor. Don’t
drink too much too quickly, or you
could induce stomach cramps. But
make sure you drink enough so yo
don’t stay dehydrated.
6. Have water with your
medication, if allowed.
If you are allowed to take water
with your medication, do so. Wate
helps to dissolve the medication an
spread it throughout your digestiv
organs for rapid absorption. Water
prepares the tissues to receive the
substance and put it to work right
away.Water also helps medicine
work its way through your system
and out the other end, which can
be beneficial when you take harsh
medications with side effects.
7. Drink more water to prevent
illness following exposures.
If you are around sick people in th
hospital or at work and school,
drink a little more water than usu
to wash away germs and viruses
that your body may have picked u
from exposure to these people. A
well-hydrated body helps to move
along any invaders before they
settle down and multiply in your
system. Drinking water each day
before or after going out in public
can help to prevent certain types o
viruses, or lessen their severity
8. Drink more water when you’re
ill.
When you do become ill, drink
plenty of fluids—the old-time recip
still works. Most experts
recommend drinking eight glasses
of water each day (eight ounces pe
glass), in addition to other fluids
like tea, juice, and soup.People in
the hospital often have an IV
dripping water into their vein
continuously so they can keep
hydrated as well as maintain a line
to your body if medications are
needed.
9. Have a glass of water when
you’re tired.
Feeling tired? Fatigued? Need a
nap but can’t take one? Have a
glass of water. Because of its abilit
to move quickly throughout the
body, water can reach your brain
and activate it right before a
meeting or other situation where
you need to pay attention. Cold
water, especially, will wake up you
body to keep you alert.
When to stop drinking water.
If you don’t like getting up at nigh
to use the restroom, avoid fluids
two hours before bedtime, and visi
the restroom a couple of times
before you go to bed.
You can keep a glass of drinking
water close to your bed in case yo
wake up thirsty at night, but keep
in mind you might have to get up
and use the restroom before
daybreak.
Drink pure, clean water without
contaminants.
People who live in urban areas tha
have their own water supply may
be able to drink tap water with no
problem.
Others who live in more rural area
and rely on well water or ground
water sometimes decide to purcha
processed water to avoid possible
chemicals in drinking water. They
may also be avoiding pollution fro
farm runoff, industrial landfills, an
other toxic sources of
contamination.
If you don’t buy bottled water, you
can get a filter for your kitchen
faucet that will remove up to 99%
of local contaminants to purify you
drinking water. Contact your local
public health service for a referral
to water testing systems that can
come and check your water as wel
as advise you how to treat it or
take precautions if any are needed
There is no replacement for clear,
pure, natural drinking water. Over
the past few decades, it has gotten
scarcer, with the result that more
and more people are choosing to
buy processed water or installing
filters in their homes.
Water used to be a free or cheap
resource; not so any longer.
Nowadays you have to check the
water for bacteria and toxins befor
you can safely use it in your home
for everyday activities like cooking,
bathing, and cleaning. Don’t take
your water supply for
granted.  Find out if your drinking
water is safe, and if not, what you
can do to make it usable.

Remedy For Sore Throat

With this simple and easy to
make recipe you will get rid of
sore throat very soon . Rather
than throwing money on drugs
that will reduce the immunity
of the body , try to cook this
natural remedy that will help a
lot .
Ingredients :
2 -3 lemons
Ginger
Honey
Preparation :
Chop the lemon and ginger into
pieces and place them in a
small jar. Then , fill the jar with
honey to the top with , close it
nicely and leave it in the fridge,
where it will turn into jelly.
Use:
Take a tablespoon of jelly , put
it in a cup and pour it with hot
water. Allow the jelly to melt
and the tea is ready.

Drink Warm Water With Lemon And Honey In The Morning

Many people drink warm water
with honey in the morning . It
is very healthy for the body .
This tasty beverage is a great
replacement for coffee and a
great act of awakening the
body .
Add 1 tablespoon of honey in
a glass of warm water and
drink it every morning. You
can also add lemon juice or
add a little bit of cinnamon
for better results .
This natural drink helps with :
Reducing weight ,
Providing energy
Cleaning the body ,
Reduce weight ,
Provides energy
It purifies the body ,
Acting antimicrobial ,
Heals cough and cold ,
It cleanses the body of
toxins
It strengthens the immune
system ,
Accelerates metabolism ,
Helps with chronic
constipation
Neutralize acids in the
stomach ,
It calms the nerves ,
Removes bad odor from
the mouth
And rejuvenates the skin
making it more elastic.