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By Taiwo Oluwadare
There was fun and fanfare recently as popular gospel artists entertained Christian believers from different denominations at a one day praise revival tagged “Ibadan City Altar of Praise”. It was organized by the Oyo State First Lady, Mrs. Florence Ajimobi at Ibadan Civic Event Centre, Ibadan.
Popular gospel artists at the Praise revival were Tope Alabi, Funmi Sax, Big Bolaji and other hosts of musical artists who graced the occasion with inspirational music that stirred throng of worshippers to praise God in awe.
Dignitaries from political, business and other walks of life were also in attendance.
While delivering his sermon, the Oyo State Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Benjamin Akanmu implored the worshippers on need to always worship and praise God.
According to him, praising God attracts blessings and makes God be at peace with those that worship Him. He also commended the wife of the governor for organizing the event which he described as good initiative.
While addressing the worshippers, the First Lady maintained that most times Christians focus more on prayers neglecting praise saying but, the bible makes it clear that praise is equal as important as prayers or even more important.
She continued: “there are instances in the bible where victories were recorded through praise as in the cases of Jehoshaphat and the wall of Jericho. The book of Psalms is the praise book of the bible and it gives us hundreds of reasons why praise is important as well as examples of how to give praise to God.
” The Psalmist says in Psalms 107:31 that ‘oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness and for His wonderful works to the children of men’. I believe God is drawing the attention of the church to praises now more than ever as a way of surmounting the challenges facing us as individuals and as a Nation at large.
“We must praise to shake every foundation of the devil, just as the praises of Paul and Silas caused a great earthquake and shook the foundation of the prison and through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of Praise”, she charged the Christians.
Photo credit: Faithfulness Balogun