Secrets for a longer life … Protect your DNA

Secrets for a longer life … Protect your DNA

Christian voice newspaper.

As you age, the ends of your chromosomes — called telomeres — become shorter. This makes you more likely to get sick. But lifestyle changes can boost an enzyme that increases their length. Plus, studies show diet and exercise can protect them. The bottom line: Healthy habits may slow aging at the cellular level.

Play to Win
An 80-year study found that people who are conscientious — meaning they pay attention to detail, think things through, and try to do what’s right — live longer. They do more things to protect their health and make choices that lead to stronger relationships and better careers.

Make Friends
Here’s one more reason to be grateful for your friends — they might help you live longer. Australian researchers found elderly social butterflies were less likely to die over a 10-year period compared to people with the fewest friends. A look at results from 148 more studies shows a clear link between social ties and a long life.

Choose Your Friends Wisely
Your friends’ habits rub off on you, so look for buddies with healthy lifestyles. Your chances of becoming obese go up if you have a friend who adds extra pounds. Smoking also spreads through social ties, but the good news is that quitting is also contagious.

Quit Smoking
It’s no secret that giving up cigarettes can lengthen your days, but the amount of extra time may surprise you. A 50-year British study shows that quitting at age 30 could increase your lifespan by an entire decade. Kicking the habit at age 40, 50, or 60 can add 9, 6, or 3 years to your life, respectively.

Embrace the Siesta
A siesta is standard in many parts of the world, and now there’s scientific evidence that napping may help you live longer. A study that involved 24,000 people suggests those who have a regular snooze are 37% less likely to die from heart disease than those who rarely steal a few winks. Researchers think naps might help your heart by keeping stress hormones down.

Follow a Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, olive oil, and fish. An analysis of 50 studies involving more than half a million people confirms the benefits. It can put a serious dent in your risk of metabolic syndrome — a mix of obesity, high blood sugar, increased blood pressure, and other factors that make you more likely to get heart disease and diabetes.

Eat Like an Okinawan
The people of Okinawa, Japan, once lived longer than any other group on Earth. The region’s traditional diet, which is high in green and yellow vegetables, and low in calories gets the credit. Plus, some Okinawans made a habit of eating only 80% of the food on their plate. Younger generations have dropped the old ways and aren’t living as long as their ancestors.

Get Hitched
Married people tend to outlive their single friends. Researchers say it’s due to the social and economic support that wedded bliss provides. While a current union offers the greatest benefit, people who are divorced or widowed have lower death rates than those who’ve never tied the knot.

Lose Weight
If you’re overweight, slimming down can protect against diabetes, heart disease, and other conditions that take years off your life. Belly fat is bad for you, so focus on deflating that spare tire. A 5-year study of Hispanics and African-Americans suggests eating more fiber and exercising regularly are great ways to whittle your middle.

Keep Moving
The evidence is clear — people who exercise live longer on average than those who don’t. Dozens of studies show that regular physical activity lowers your risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, some forms of cancer, and depression. It may even help you stay mentally sharp in into old age. Ten-minute spurts are fine, as long as they add up to about 2.5 hours of moderate exercise per week.

Drink in Moderation
Heart disease is less common in moderate drinkers than in people who don’t drink at all. On the other hand, too much alcohol pads the belly, boosts blood pressure, and can cause a host of other health problems. If you drink alcohol, the limit should be one drink a day for women and one or two for men. But if you don’t drink, don’t start. There are better ways to protect your heart!

Get Spiritual
People who attend religious services tend to live longer than those who don’t. In a 12-year study of people over age 65, those who went more than once a week had higher levels of a key immune system protein than their peers who didn’t. The strong social network that develops among people who worship together may contribute to your overall health.

Forgive
Letting go of grudges has surprising physical health benefits. Chronic anger is linked to decreased lung function, heart disease, stroke, and other ailments. Forgiveness will reduce anxiety, lower blood pressure, and help you breathe more easily. These benefits tend to increase as you get older.

Use Safety Gear
Accidents are the fifth most common cause of death in the U.S., and the top cause of death for people ages 1 to 24. Wearing safety gear is a simple way to boost your odds of a long life. For example, seatbelts reduce the chances of death or serious injury in a car wreck by 50%. Most deaths from bike accidents are caused by head injuries, so always wear a helmet.

Make Sleep a Priority
Getting enough good quality sleep can lower your risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and mood disorders. It’ll also help you recover from illness faster. Burning the midnight oil, on the other hand, is bad for you. Snooze for less than 5 hours a night and you might boost your chances of dying early, so make sleep a priority.

Manage Stress
You’ll never completely avoid stress, but you can learn good ways to control it. Try yoga, meditation, or deep breathing. Even a few minutes a day can make a difference.
Maintain a Sense of Purpose
Hobbies and activities that have meaning for you may lengthen your life. Japanese researchers found men with a strong sense of purpose were less likely to die from stroke, heart disease, or other causes over a 13-year period compared to those who were less sure of themselves. Being clear about what you’re doing and why can also lower your chances of getting Alzheimer’s disease.

Nigeria, a colonial mistake - Online Missionary

Nigeria national flag

An American missionary, James Syrow, has charged Nigerians to be fanatical about history so as to benefit from its lessons.
The Russian-American online missionary said that generations who do not have a sense of history are bound to repeal the mistakes of the past.

Syrow, who was the guest of the Owerri Anglican Diocese for some weeks, assessed the Nigerian situation in an interview with Christian Voice editorial team.

Describing the bringing together of various peoples of Nigeria as a “colonial mistake”, he said that it was not too late to correct the mistake.

According to him, America had the same problem in the beginning but borrowed an idea from the ancient Rome and Greece, which he termed “civic virtue” to build one American out of many.

He explained that the mechanism entailed that one must be greatly loyal to one's locality and place of residence.
America, he said, taught its citizens to be loyal to their city, all in the effort to subdue the selfish needs of the individual against the needs of the states.

Syrow advised that Nigerian authorities should institute training programmes for politicians on civic virtue based on locality, honour, selflessness and duty.

“Nigerians are trying to change the country to their own individual directions. In the end, everyone fails. The country does not change to any direction. So, a politician, for instance, should set as his highest goal, to become a governor of the state and build up the standard of the state without an eye to Abuja” he said.

He backed the fight for a local autonomy within the context of the same country, in the sense that, just as in America, a state could resist the federal government in certain issues, such as gay marriage.

Asked about his general impression of the country, he said “it's like going into space”.  

Fix the Problem, Not the Blame

Fix the Problem, Not the Blame

BY RICK WARREN

“Now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips” (Colossians 3:8 NIV).

You only have a certain amount of emotional energy. In a conversation where you’re trying to resolve conflict, you can either use that energy to fix the blame or you can use that energy to fix the problem. You don’t have enough energy to do both. So you’ve got to ask yourself what’s more important, to blame the other person or to resolve the conflict.

Fix the problem, not the blame.

Every married couple needs some ground rules for fighting fair and words you’re just not going to use. There are some things you should never, ever say in a marriage — they’re “weapons of mass destruction”.

During the Cold War, when the Soviet Union and the United States were opposed to each other, the U.S. had thousands of intercontinental missiles aimed at the Soviets. We could destroy the entire Union. At the same time, Soviet Russia had thousands of intercontinental missiles aimed at us, too. They could destroy the United Sates. Even when we were at the worst point in the Cold War and there was enormous tension, both sides still had enough sanity to say, some weapons we just aren’t going to use because they’re “MAD” — mutually assured destruction. If you use yours, we’re going to use ours, and we’re going to destroy each other. So even when we were on opposite sides of an issue, we could at least agree not to use those weapons.

In the same way, you should never resort to relational “weapons of mass destruction” your marriage, such as threatening divorce or threatening to walk out or bringing up somebody’s parents. You have to agree that no matter how upset you are with each other, those words are off limits, because they destroy the relationship by tearing down trust.

The Bible is very specific about what’s out of bounds. Colossians 3:8 says, “Now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips” (NIV). Those are like weapons of mass destruction.

The reason we fix the problem and not the blame is because blaming is a form of judging, and only God has the right to judge. You’re not the judge. You can’t figure out anybody else’s motivation. You don’t know your own motivation most of the time! Only God knows. Let him be the judge, so you can focus on fixing the problem

THE CHURCH IS BEDEVILLED WITH DIVISIONS, TENSIONS AND MARRED COMMUNIONS – PRIMATE OKOH

The Nigeria Anglican Roman Catholic Commission (NARCC) held its annual conference at the Catholic Institute of West Africa (CIWA) Port Harcourt from October 11-13 2016. It continued its exploration on plausible ways of walking and working together between the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches in Nigeria.

The Port Harcourt Conference, had as its theme  “The Church as Communion, Local and Universal” It was chaired by the Anglican Co-Chairman, the Dean of the Church of Nigeria, the Most Rev Dr Ikechi Nwachukwu Nwosu.

In his Goodwill message to the Conference, the Primate of All Nigeria, the Most Rev Nicholas D, Okoh, noted that “the church is grossly bedevilled with divisions, tensions and marred communions, not only in core beliefs, but also in essential Christian practices” and charged the conference to “come out with pragmatic road chart and concrete action plans for unity and sincere friendship relationship between Anglican Church and Roman Catholic Church in Nigeria”.

The conference started with a co-celebrated service of the Anglican and Roman Catholic Church. There was also a paper presentation on the theme and discussion of issues constituting obstacles to the communion of the two churches.

Nigeria Anglican Roman Catholic Commission (NARCC) is the Nigeria’s version of the Anglican Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC) which is geared towards stepping down the Anglican-Roman Catholic ecumenical dialogue at the global level to Nigerian context and enhancing the bilateral relations of the two churches in Nigeria.

It has nine delegates from each of the two denominations. The delegates from the Anglican Church are: Most Revd Dr Ikechi Nwosu (Co-Chairman); Rt Rev’d A. Buba Lamido; Rt Revd David K. Bello; Rt Revd Duke Akamisoko; Rt Rev’d Prof. Andrew Igenosa; Ven. Feyi Ojelabi; Arc. Okey Chukwuogor; Mrs B. O. Williams and Ven. Dr Princewill O. Ireoba (Co-Secretary)

AGRICULTURE AND MANUFACTURING, THE ONLY PANACEA TO ECONOMIC RECESSION – FORMER PRIMATE AKINOLA

A call has gone to Nigerians in all walks of life to wake up from their slumber and grapple with the downward trend in the economy.

The former Primate of Anglican Communion in Nigeria, Most Rev. Peter Akinola made the call at the St. Peter’s Cathedral Church, Minna during the wedding service of the daughter of the Registrar for Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion, Barrister Abraham Yisa.

He said the glut can only be ameliorated if Nigerians can take the bull by the horn and do serious farming using modern agriculture mechanization. He said that it is a shame that successive governments in the country rely solely on crude oil, thus encouraging mono economy. Now he said, there is oil but no buyer.

Archbishop Akinola urged the government not to pay lip service to modern way of farming, because according to him, “from time immemorial agriculture had been the mainstay, the backbone of Nigeria’s economy.”

The former Primate who talked on the state of the nation said everything is stagnant, adding that Nigerians should learn to be self-reliant and produce locally for export, for the Nigeria to appreciate.

He asked the newly married Dr. and Mrs. Elijah Alhassan to put their trust in God and communicate for peace to reign. He said the law of reciprocity must be applied for the agape love to radiate and good Christian home to be established. He commended the level of work done in the Anglican Cathedral Church of St. Peter’s, Minna and encouraged them to do more without prejudice to the economic recession.

BAPTISM, AN INITIATION INTO A NEW LIFE IN CHRIST – PRIMATE OKOH

“Baptism is a rite of admission into the household of God.”

This was the submission of the Primate of all Nigeria, Anglican Communion, the Most Rev. Nicholas D. Okoh at the service of Baptism for Great Ifeanyichukwu Prince Akunna, son of the Ven. and Mrs. Ifeanyi Akunna, which was held at the Chapel of the Advent, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja.

The Primate observed that these days there were several doctrines and teachings that have brought confusion into the Church, hence the need for a sermon during infant baptism. He described the Holy Baptism as an initiation into a new life with Christ and death to sin, adding that the position of the Anglican Church is to baptize a child at a young age.

He pointed out that Baptism is equivalent to the circumcision done in the Old Testament and similar to the time in the New Testament, where Jesus laid hands on the children that came to Him and blessed them.

The head of the Anglican Church in Nigeria noted that oftentimes people focus on developing the physical aspects of a child and neglect that of the spiritual, which has produced individuals in the society who are not balanced.

He said that they forget that when God created man, He made man to have a body and a spirit and therefore when one aspect is neglected that individual becomes incomplete. Primate Okoh explained that when one focuses on building the physical aspects of a child that child will be carnally minded, lacking understanding of the spiritual things of God that can only be spiritually discerned.
Thus, he advised parents to not only train their children physically, in terms of education, dressing and the likes, but also train them in the things of God.

The Cleric emphasized the importance of baptism in the Church, pointing out that without it being done, an individual is not recognized as an authentic member of the Church. According to him, baptism is done to bring in the child into a new life in Christ and to prepare the child for the journey ahead.

Archbishop Okoh stated that several decisions are made for a child at infancy and yet, when it comes to spiritual things such as infant baptism, people claim that the child needs to be allowed to grow up and make that decision. He said that baptism is essential, so that the child can be introduced into the Church and thereafter be brought up in the faith by the parents and God parents. Primate Okoh concluded his message with a warning to parents not to think that baptism rules out their role to live exemplary lives for their children, because according to him, a child will imitate what he or she sees in his or her environment.

The service also had in attendance priests and members of the Anglican Diocese of Abuja who had come to rejoice with the family of one of their own. The Ven. and Mrs. Ifeanyi Akunna are currently serving in the Cathedral Church of the Advent, Life camp, Abuja and the Ven. Akunna is also the personal secretary to the Primate of all Nigeria, Anglican Communion.

Bishop of Jerusalem tasks Global South Primates

Church leaders in the global South cannot continue to focus on the faults of others while neglecting the needs of their own people, the President-Bishop of the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East, Dr Mouneer Anis, said last week.

Addressing 16 Primates, gathered in Cairo for the sixth Global South Anglican Conference, Dr Anis said that they had spent “almost two decades reacting to the unilateral decisions and the changes in the theology and practice made by some Churches in the West. But now it is time for us to also give needful attention to the challenges that are before us in the Global South. We cannot continue to focus on the faults of others while neglecting the needs of our own people.”

He listed the 40 million people living with HIV/AIDS, and 1.1 billion who did not have access to clean water, as evidence of the need to confront the Church:

“We have to be involved in peacemaking where there is conflict, provide health where there is sickness, bring hope where there is despair.” He also listed failings in the Global South Churches, including corruption, tribalism, polygamy, poor treatment of women, and the prosperity gospel. Teaching on sexuality remained a “major challenge”, he said. “Unilateral decisions” taken by some Churches had left him wanting to “weep as Jesus did over Jerusalem”.

He warned that some Western Churches and organisations “use their wealth and influence to push their own agendas in the global South”. This was a “new form of ideological slavery”, he said, that Churches must resist. The diocese of Egypt with North of Africa & the Horn of Africa does not accept money from the Episcopal Church in the US (News, 4 March).

The final communiqué from the gathering, issued on Sunday, criticised the authorisation of liturgies, and the making of pastoral provisions for the blessing of same-sex couples, and the consecration of bishops and ordination of priests living with same-sex partners.

(c) Christian voice newspaper

Danger looms in Christendom

Danger looms in Christendom
... Unless Christians evangelise their children

The founder and President of the Children Evangelism Ministries (CEM) International, Evangelist Tony Egbuna, has predicted doom in Christendom if Christians fail to invest spiritually in their children.

“I am saying this with tears in my eyes, like Jeremiah, danger is coming unless we evangelise our children”, Evangelist Egbuna said.

Egbuna, who was on tour of six states, in the east, spoke recently to Christian Voice when he visited Imo State.

He said that if Christians in Nigeria fail to evangelize the children, the devil will make them vandals, adding that the failure is manifesting already as the children grow up to join cults and terror groups.

He feared that what happened to Europe where churches are being sold to people of other religions might happen to Nigeria if they do not heed the call by Christ that the children should be brought unto him (Mark 10:13-15).

“Cathedrals are being sold off in Europe and the beneficiaries of this are other religions,” he lamented.

The evangelist, who has been in the children ministry since 1977, said he was motivated into the ministry when he met a woman doing a similar thing in Monrovia  Liberia where  he sojourned for his tertiary  education after the Nigerian civil war.

According to Egbuna who encountered Jesus Christ on Nov.27, 1970, the ministry appears not to be popular in the country as many churches still relegate the children to the background.
He said that at a forum of Christians, only 21 out of 3,000 admitted having led children to Christ, and expressed readiness to partner with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and other churches and Christian organizations.

He commended Owerri Diocese for their support to the ministry and Bro Chudi Onuzo who, he said, coordinated the ministry in the diocese.

The Ilorin, Kwara State-based evangelist postulated that a focus on the children would make at least one third of Nigerians Christians in less than 10 years.

“If there are more bible clubs, there will be few cult groups,” he said.
Because it was serious, Evangelist Egbuna said that he did not take any paid employment after his youth service in 1977, adding that ever since, he had been  in full time ministry.

In his entourage were Evang. Julie Mere, the CEM coordinator in Imo State, as well as Evang. Dr. James Udoh, South east zonal director.

Others were Evangs. Godwin Eju, Job Ayeyemi, Rukoko Boroman, Bulus Magaji, Victor Eboh and Lolo Nkoli Ewurum.

Christian voice newspaper

Primates warn against same sex marriage blessing in CoE

Primates of Global South Anglican Conference recently ended their meeting in Cairo, Egypt, vowing not to compromise their stance on same-sex marriage and other controversial human sexuality issues.

In a marathon 32-point communiqué after the conference hosted by Archbishop Mounner Anis and the Diocese of Egypt, the group lamented “the challenges of unity and false teachings and the work of evangelism in the world today”.

The conference with the theme; “Found faithful” I Corinth: 4:2 reiterated that authorization of liturgies and making pastoral provisions for blessing of civil unions of same-sex couples and blessing solemnizing of same-sex marriage are clear departure from the historic understanding of Anglican Faith and order”.

The primates conceded that the Church of England (COE) has a strategic role in the Anglican Communion owing to “its historical role and the particular role of the Archbishop of Canterbury “as first among equals among the primates” but expressed concern that “there appears to be a potential move towards the blessing of same-sex union by COE, warning that “this would have serious implications for us should it occur”.

The Global South Primates also elected a new Global South Primates Steering Committee (GSPSC) with Archbishop Mounier Anis , Archbishop of Jerusalem and Middle East,  re-elected chairman, with Archbishop Nicholas Okoh of  Nigeria equally re-elected vice chairman and Archbishop Ntagali  of Uganda elected secretary.

The Global South primates also heaped praises on the President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, for his warm reception and “generous gift of his time”.

(c) Christian voice newspaper

Ministers of a different gospel.

It is not a sin to have pastors, priests, and evangelists who relate with politicians and leaders, what is sinful is what they bring to bear in that relationship.

Involvement in Church activities not passport to heaven – Bishop Oparaojiaku

The remains of Ezinne Okwukwe Eunice Adaure Oparaojiaku were recently interred in her home town, Obazu, Mbieri in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State.

This followed a well-attended funeral service at Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Obazu, Mbieri.

In his sermon at the service, the Bishop of Ohaji/Egbema, Rt. Rev. Chidi Collins Oparaojiaku posited that active participation in church activities without true Christian life did not guarantee one place in paradise after death.

He described the deceased as a woman of true Christian faith who nurtured his children and others like a Christian and urged those alive to emulate her exemplary life.

In a family oration rendered by one of the sons of the deceased, Rev. Chris Oparaojiaku, Ezinne Eunice was described as a virtuous and industrious woman who, like the biblical Eunice, brought up her children and others righteously.

He described her as a counselor who belonged to village and church organizations, including being a pioneer member of the Scripture Union and Evangelical Fellowship in Anglican Communion (EFAC) as he promised that members of the family would continue with her legacies.

The Vicar of H.T.C. Obazu, Ven. Chukwuma Akakuru, conducted the service while Mr. Esomachi Victor Ezekiel read the only lesson from Rev. 7:9-end.

The Holy Trinity Choir, led by Sirs C.E.C. Ihumagba and W.C. Ude as well as St Peter’s Choir Ohuba Mbomiri performed at the solemn occasion.

(c) Christian voice newspaper

Nothing Worthwhile Is Ever Easy

“Let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up” (Galatians 6:9 NLT, second edition).

There are many things that work to keep us from completing our life missions. Over the years, I’ve debated whether the worst enemy is procrastination or discouragement. If Satan can’t get us to put off our life missions, then he’ll try to get us to quit altogether.

The apostle Paul teaches that we need to resist discouragement: “Let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up” (Galatians 6:9 NLT, second edition).

Do you ever get tired of doing what’s right? I think we all do. Sometimes it seems easier to do the wrong thing than the right thing.

When we’re discouraged, we become ineffective. When we’re discouraged, we work against our own faith.

When we’re discouraged, we’re saying, “It can’t be done.” That’s the exact opposite of saying, “I know God can do it because he said …”

Ask yourself these questions:

How do I handle failure?
When things don’t go my way, do I get grumpy?
When things don’t go my way, do I get frustrated?
When things don’t go my way, do I start complaining?
Do I finish what I start?
How would I rate on persistence?
If you’re discouraged, don’t give up without a fight. Nothing worthwhile ever happens without endurance and energy.

When an artist creates a sculpture, he has to keep chipping away. He doesn’t hit the chisel with the hammer once, and suddenly all the excess stone falls away revealing a beautiful masterpiece. He keeps hitting it and hitting it, chipping away at the stone.

And that’s true of life, too. Nothing really worthwhile ever comes easy in life. You keep hitting it and going after it, and little by little your life becomes a masterpiece of God’s grace.

The fact is, great people are really just ordinary people with an extraordinary amount of determination. Great people don’t know how to quit.

Talk It Over

What does your attitude toward a tough situation reveal about your faith?
What have you been ready to give up on?
How can God’s Word help you endure? Who in your life can encourage you to keep going?

Rick Warren

How A Habit Of Praying Will Radically Improve Your Mood

Prayer is the primary way that we connect and communicate with God, and is expected to be a strong habit of a faithful Christian. Our beliefs and outlook towards prayer can greatly affect not only how we go about it, but the heart condition we have when we come to God in petition and intercession.

Persecution will not deter the church: Chinese Megachurch Pastor Released After Seven Years In Prison

A megachurch pastor who was arrested and imprisoned seven years ago for protesting the demolition of a house church in China has been released, according to reports.

Christian persecution watchdog China Aid reports that Pastor Yang Rongli was arrested along with her husband in 2009.

They had been travelling to their hometown of Linfen in Shanxi province, where a church was set for demolition by the authorities, following a prayer rally they had organised on September 14.

Pastor Yang and her husband, Wang Xiaoguang, were sentenced to seven and three years in prison respectively on charges of "gathering a mob to disturb public order", and ordered to pay a fine of 40,000 Yuan (US $5,860).

Two years of that prison sentence was to be served in a labour camp.

According to China Aid, Yang was released on October 10 but "showed physical signs of the brutality she endured while incarcerated".

Her hair had greyed "due to malnutrition and a lack of sunlight", the charity reports, and she is suffering from diabetes, kidney stones and a heart problem.

She remains under government restrictions and was therefore unavailable for interview.

The ruling Chinese Communist Party is believed by human rights campaigners to be becoming increasingly concerned about the influence of Christianity in the country. A report published by China Aid earlier this year found that persecution against Christians in the country has increased sevenfold since 2008.

Up to 1,700 churches have been demolished or had their crosses removed in the province over the past two years and hundreds of human rights activists, lawyers and pastors have been arrested.

In July, parents who attended one house church in Guizhou were told if they didn't stop bringing their children to church, they would not be allowed to attend college or a military academy.

In addition, anyone who brought a minor to church was warned they would be sued.

(c) Christian today

He loved them in spite of their failure.

One of the first things Jesus did after His resurrection was to go looking for the disciples who’d failed Him so badly. ‘On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”

After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you”’ (vv. 19-21 NIV 1984 Edition).

 Among the group was Peter, who’d walked on water, whose hands had distributed miracle food to five thousand hungry people, who’d witnessed Moses and Elijah standing next to Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. Big, bold, brave Peter who said, ‘Even if I have to die with you … I will never deny you!’ (Matthew 26:35 NLT). And he wasn’t the only one. ‘All the other disciples vowed the same’ (v. 35 NLT).

Yet the record reads, ‘All his disciples deserted him and ran away’ (Mark 14:50 NLT). Saint John, Saint Andrew, and Saint James - all guys depicted on the stained glass windows of churches worldwide - abandoned Jesus when He needed them most.

Yet when He rose from the dead, He never once brought it up. Instead: ‘He showed them His [wounded] hands’ (John 20:20 NKJV). Why?

To let them know He loved them in spite of their failure. Instead of disowning them, He said, ‘As the Father has sent Me, I also send you’ (v. 21 NKJV), And today He’s saying the same to you!

(c) UCB

Chinese Christians On Trial For Spying As Crackdown On Churches Continues

Two members of a Chinese house church have been tried on charges spying, with a third member accused of "illegal business activities".

Tribalism, hatred crushes the Church – Bishop

Tribalism, hatred crushes the Church – Bishop

The Bishop of Asaba Anglican Diocese, the Rt. Revd. Justus Mogekwu, has pronounced the Church guilty of tribalism, lack of forgiveness, envy and hatred.

Speaking at the Power Night, a monthly programme of the Diocese of Abuja held at the All Saints Church, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja, the prelate said the world has lost the light and people of God are walking in utter darkness and crushing one another.

“Jesus Christ is the light of the world, His word is the light and the entrance of the word of God brings light and anyone who walks in this light will have the light of life and will never stumble.”

Bishop Mogekwu said that there is darkness because the Church is crushed with the problem of tribalism, lack of forgiveness, envy and hatred. He said until Christians have Jesus at the centre of their worship, they can never walk in the light.

He queried, “For how long will Christianity in Africa be one mile long and one inch deep?” He said unserious people are unserious Christians that have no light in them. He gave so many living personal examples to re-iterate that God is everywhere and the Anglican Church is alive, because Jesus the miracle wondrous worker is there.

He admonished that Christians should not be of double mind and should not be distracted by prosperity preachers, adding that what Jesus is asking of believers is to let go of bad habits that could stand between them and their miracles. He said secret societies and cultism have been great obstacles to people and their blessings, adding that as many as come to God, He will never cast out.

The Bishop of Asaba Anglican Diocese asked those who were present at the power night vigil to drop things that are militating against them and their miracles.

Many souls were won for Christ at the All Saints Church, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja at the night of aggressive prayers, supplication and deliverance.

Christian Voice Newspaper.

Church under siege – Bishop warns, condemns love of money by Churches

Church under siege – Bishop warns, condemns love of money by Churches

The Anglican Bishop of Owerri, Rt. Rev. Cyril C. Okorocha, PhD has counseled the clergy, parents, teachers and Christians to “remember that nothing is worth our while except those that have eternal values”.

Espousing the theme of 2016 Owerri Diocesan Synod – “Building in time for eternity”, the bishop noted that the things people toil for “are passing away” and that “only Jesus will persist”.

He posited that today’s Church is under siege like the world itself, attributing it to excessive love of money by the churches.

The prelate submitted, “our mission and evangelism outreaches are no longer measured in terms of new souls won for God’s Kingdom but by how much money we have raised or failed to raise”.

Bishop Okorocha then lamented that “our normal services and worship sessions no longer major on sound biblical expositions and profound prophetic sermons to convert the sinner and edify the saints”.

The bishop equally identified what he called ideological enslavement through economic enslavement as some of the tactics the enemy employs to “tighten the nozzle of the economic suffering on the neck of the people of God in the hope that they will, out of fear, greed or weakness begin to pleads for relief”.

He treated such sub-heads as “social and political doormatism”, “some axiomatic assertions and observations”, “when to say no publicly” among others as he assured that “God and God’s glory alone is the only thing eternal”.

The Bishop of Owerri then exhorted Christians to “keep yourself pure and God will use you in time for eternity”.

(c) Christian Voice Newspaper

His Timetable: A must read.

His Timetable

‘Until the time came to fulfil his dreams, the LORD tested Joseph’s character.’
Psalm 105:19

God works according to His own timetable. And when you accept that, you’ll be able to enjoy where you are right now and get to where He wants you to be. Furthermore, God may not answer all your questions; at least not in the way you’d like Him to.

But be assured He is working. And since what He’s working on is often bigger than you can comprehend, He won’t bother you with details you can’t handle. Think - if God had told you all the things you’d have to go through to get to where you are right now, could you have handled it? He knows how long it’ll take and how hard it’ll be - that’s why He’s silent.

If He showed you your whole life in advance you’d faint. Joseph discovered during his time in prison that when God gives you a vision and you commit yourself to it, there’s no ‘opt-out clause’. So stop projecting into the future.

When you live in yesterday you end up with a case of the ‘if onlys’, and when you try to live in tomorrow you get a case of the ‘what ifs’. Remember the popular hit song: ‘One day at a time, sweet Jesus, that’s all I’m asking of you.

Just give me the strength to do every day what I have to do. Yesterday’s gone, sweet Jesus, and tomorrow may never be mine. Lord help me today, show me the way, one day at a time.’ What should you do?

Trust God to work things out for you according to His timetable.
Jer 30-31, 2 Tim 1

© 2016:  by UCB,

Christ’s Church Archdeaconry, Owerri to host 2017 Synod

Christ’s Church Archdeaconry, Owerri to host 2017 Synod

       By Emma Onuma
Christian voice newspaper

The next Diocesan Synod of the Anglican Diocese of Owerri (the 3rd session of the 20th synod), will be hosted by Christ’s Church Archdeaconry, Owerri from Thursday, 5th to Sunday, 8th October, 2017.

The Bishop of Owerri Diocese, Rt Rev. Cyril C. Okorocha, PhD who made the announcement at the close of the 2016 synod at CATOL, Owerri last Sunday disclosed the theme of the 2017 synod as “Guard the Gospel” while the Rector, Trinity Theological College, Umuahia, Ven. Prof. Udobata Onunwa will be the guest preacher.

The prelate also announced the approval for the establishment of a new secondary school to be named “Anglican College of Christ’s Ascension, Ugwu Ekwema, Owerri “ as part of the contribution of Owerri Diocese to provide quality education to Imo State citizens.

Meanwhile, members of the LOC. of the 2016 synod last Wednesday were at St Mark’s Chapel, Bishop’s Bourne, Owerri, for  a special  thanksgiving service at which they were lavishly eulogized by the bishop for a job well done and for co-operating with their Vicar, Ven. Dr. A.C. Chukwuocha to achieve the feat.

The Bishop submitted that any one called upon to do God’s work receives His blessing, more so if one performs the assignment with integrity.

The Diocesan urged members of CATOL to maintain the building sand the premises of the cathedral to ensure its serenity at  all times as he expressed the hope that the cathedral building will be dedicated by the Primate of Church of Nigeria (Anglican communion), Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh by the end of the year.

Equally, present at the mid-week worship were members of the Anglican Christian Corpers Fellowship, Imo State and Bishop Okorocha urged them to ensure that whatever they did at their youthful age would take them to eternity.

He then warned them against misusing the free accommodation offered then at Bishop Lasbrey, Christ’s Education Centre for Girls,  adding that any request they were making to the Bishop  routed through the youth should be pastor, Rev. Tim Ashama.

Earlier, the LOC chairman, Sir Oliver Enwerem and the co-chairman, Dr. Lady Angela Uwakwem explained that they were at the service to thank God for his protection and the leading of the Holy Spirit throughout the planning and executing the programmes for the synod despite challenges.

JESUS...THE HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE

JESUS THE LAMB OF GOD HAS GIVEN US THE HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE

I WONDER
Sometimes I wonder what led to Ruth following Naomi after the devastating and no ordinary loss she witnessed in the family of Naomi.  A critical look showed that Naomi and her family were immigrants from Israel in search of greener pasture. 

THE ECONOMY OF ISRAEL
The economy of Israel at that time was so bad that Elimelech, Naomi's husband along with his two sons, Malhon and Killion, decided to sojourn in Moab.

Settling in Moab and allowing their sons to marry Moabite women may have been an indication that the situation there was welcoming. 

Ruth and Orpah who chose to get married to the foreigners showed they too were at home with the condition of the family they married into.

A TERRIBLE SITUATION
About ten years into the marriage these two women had borne no issue to the two sons of Naomi. This was a terrible situation but the Bible recorded a more terrible situation:

"The two sons married Moabite women. One married a woman named Orpah, and the other a woman named Ruth. But about ten years later, 5 both Mahlon and Kilion died. This left Naomi alone, without her two sons or her husband." (Ruth 1:4-5).

WAS NAOMI CURSED?
Was the family of Naomi cursed? Or were the women they married cursed?  If you look at the turn of events in this dramatic story you would raise more prying eyes on the family of Naomi.

IMPLICATION FOR RUTH AND NAOMI
The death of Mahlon and Killion meant that Ruth and Orpah were no longer legally bound to stay in the Family of Naomi and she made this clear to them on her departure from Moab:

"But on the way, Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back to your mothers’ homes. And may the Lord reward you for your kindness to your husbands and to me. May the Lord bless you with the security of another marriage.” Then she kissed them good-bye, and they all broke down and wept." (Ruth 1:8-9).

MOABITES IN ISRAEL?
This was quite an emotional situation and Naomi spoke with all sincerity. There was a better prospect for these two, young and premature widows in Moab.  The discrimination they were likely to face in their homeland would be more bearable than that which they would have faced in Israel. Their prospects or remarrying and reintegrating into  spinsterhood were likely better in Moab. In fact the Moabites were forbidden in Israel.  Recall that they were a product of incestous/forbidden marriage. Lot impregnated his daughters and one of the children born to Lot as a result of this was Moab. 

"No one born of a forbidden marriage nor any of his descendants may enter the assembly of the LORD, even down to the tenth generation. No Ammonite or Moabite or any of his descendants may enter the assembly of the LORD, even down to the tenth generation." (Deut 23:2-3).

CHOICE
When the day of decision therefore came to Ruth and Orpah, they made their choice. Let me  dwell on this issue of choice for a while.  The fruit we reap are as a result of choice. The marriage we bear or enjoy are as a result of choice.  Though God rules the universe, the choices we  make shall definitely define and punctuate how He would rule us and how our eternal future might be.  The way that seems right to you now might be either the way of sorrow or peace, the way of that seems right to you now will either lead you to eternal damnation or eternal joy.  The choice is yours!

Side Pictures at the recently concluded synod

Photos: The LOC members at the recently concluded Synod

They made it possible with good planning

Prepare for Eternity, Bishop Okorocha Urges the Church in Synod address

The Diocese of Owerri, Anglican Communion recently rounded off her 2nd Session of the 20th Synod which was held at the Cathedral of Our Lord, CATOL from Thursday 6th to Sunday 10 2016.

The theme of the Synod was Building in Time for Eternity. A theme well chosen to prepare the church for a life after death as the world approach the end time.

The Bishop of the diocese, Rt. Rev. Cyril Okorocha did an exposition on the theme and presented it to the delegates at the synod.

In his message on the synod theme, the bishop said: "It is the Lord: Do not be afraid. That the people of God, the church are under siege by a vicious enemy today cannot be over-stated. The question now is 'what is the Spirit saying?."

In essence, the bishop noted that the Spirit is saying we should build for eternity. Thus, he encouraged us to live a life of forgiving and endure hardship knowing that God will make a way.

"The leading and decisive question remains - if the Lord should arrive now, are you ready? In your ministry - Who is your God or goal - money and title and the pursuit of these or the Holy One? The things you are toiling for are passing away, only Jesus will persist. Honestly and truly make this Jesus the Lord of your life in time and eternity will be yours in Him." Concluded the bishop.

Other activities at the synod include; report giving by various archdeaconry, cutting of the synod Cake, presentation of throphis to various parishes.

The next synod will be holding at Christ Anglican Church, Owerri.