Worldwide Prayer Meeting
Demodora Nine Arch Bridge Ella, Sri Lanka
Prayer Focus - Sri Lanka Territory
Welcome to Leap Day! Enjoy it. It only comes around once every four years. And as it happens, it always comes in a year when we in the United States have a presidential election. One more day of campaigning which you may or may not be grateful for. Of course, the purpose of Leap Day is to set our calendars right since the earth’s revolution around the sun takes 365 days and 6 hours. We just cobble together those six hours every four years into an extra day and give it to the poor month of February that was shortchanged on days way back in history. Setting things right is what Leap Day is all about. Is this a day you need to set something right? Let’s start the day right by going to God in prayer.
Prayer
Dear Lord, Thank You for bringing us through the night to this new day. You have already shed light upon my path, and I glorify You in my heart as the one true God. Please hear me through this day even as I seek to hear Your voice as You speak. Protect those in my care while I remember that You love them more than I ever could. Advance Your cause this day through Your people and Your Church. Help me to remember to be thankful to You and to be thoughtful to those who cross my path today. Make me aware, dear God. For I pray this in name of Your dear Son and my Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
This video is of the Sri Lanka Territory cadets singing.
Background of the
Sri Lanka Territory
Sri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon, is an ancient land that was at various times colonized by the Portuguese, Dutch and British. It finally gained its full independence in 1948 as a parliamentary democracy but faced an immediate crisis with separatists in the north and east who wanted a separate Tamil state. That eventually led to a long and bloody civil war that lasted off and on from 1983 until 2009 when it was crushed by the Sri Lankan forces. There are still lingering resentments and longstanding grievances.
Sri Lanka is rich in resources but the civil war and then the devastating tsunami in 2004 wreaked havoc. Since then, the economy has shown encouraging progress based on the textile, tea and tourism industries.
Hundreds of thousands of people were displaced by the civil war and the tsunami. There have also been problems with drug addiction, child malnutrition, child prostitution – including sex tourism.
Buddhism is the official state religion although freedom is assured by law. Nonetheless, sporadic violence has broken out against Christians led by Buddhist extremists. Despite this, evangelical Christianity is growing steadily, if cautiously. The Christian church has been overly dependent on funding from outside sources which has hampered its growth.
The Salvation Army: The work began on January 26, 1883, under the leadership of Captain William Gladwin.
Facts, Stats and Leadership
of the Sri Lanka Territory
- Total population to fish and disciple: 22,181,000
- 88 officers, 1 cadet, 69 employees
- 51 retired officers
- 44 corps, 16 societies and outposts
- 4,450 senior soldiers
- 1,088 adherents
- 853 junior soldiers
Leadership
Territorial Commander – Colonel Nihal Hettiarachchi
Chief Secretary – Imran Sabir
Territorial President of Women’s Ministries – Colonel Rohini Hettiarachchi
Prayer Requests for the
Sri Lanka Territory
- New territorial theme- a new strategic plan for the territory is in place and the theme is FOCUS – on Transformation. Please pray for the successful implementation throughout the territory.
- Extension ministry - under the new strategic plan our territory is continuing to extend the ministry to the administrative districts where there is no Army presence at present. Pray for the workers and new openings.
- Officers and soldiers – we want to mobilize our officers and soldiers for the betterment of the territory. Pray for the spiritual renewal on all the officers and soldiers.
- National elections – the presidential and parliament elections are about to take place this year. Pray for a fair and peaceful election and for the people to vote for right candidates.
- Economic crisis – our country is in bad situation as we were labelled as a bankrupt country last year. Pray for economic stability through the efforts taken by the state.
USA Southern Territory
Prayer Requests
- The family of Lt. Colonel David Mulbarger, who was Promoted to Glory earlier this week
- Major Anne Westmoreland, Territorial Ministries to Women Secretary
- Information Technology Department
- Jackie Gann, Director of Accounting, Finance
- Joseph Watson, Interchange Developer Operations Manager, CRD Interchnge
- Brad Rowland, Writer – Southern Spirit, Communications
- Christopher Corbitt, Music & Gospel Arts Director, EBC
- Cadet Antoine Terrell
- Captain Andrea Israel, Divisional Candidates’ Secretary, Florida Division
- Colonel James Betts, National Chief Secretary, NHQ
- Lt. Colonels Allan & Fiona Hofer, officers, soldiers, employees, and volunteers of the Potomac Division
- Candidates and the 730 Weekend
- Anonymous prayer requests for those who are dealing with health issues; asking that we should increase our prayer life and live our lives for God’s glory; and that God would make our path straight before Him and help us keep our eyes on Him
Something to Consider
Some people wish God would show His hand and prove to “all those heathen” He is King. They become discouraged by the gospel’s apparent slow progress. They are distressed so see evil flourishing in this world. So they wish Christ would return, overthrow His enemies, and see every knee bow before Him.
But that is not how God wins hearts. That is not how He conquers. He conquers through the Cross.
One day He will come in power, but it will not be to change the hearts of men – not then, it will be too late. He will come to judge.
But until that day, the spectacular overwhelming display of power is not God’s way in His world. Jesus forever gave up the spectacular way when He refused to throw Himself down from the pinnacle of the Temple at Satan’s suggestion. Instead, He chose the humble, painful way of loving sacrifice. Only through His cross will He “reconcile Himself to all things” (Colossians 1:20).
So, what do we say to those who wish for a more “powerful” Christ? What do we say to people who want Him to overpower evil in our world? If God interfered to prevent sin by some flaming spectacle of power and glory, this would ignore and destroy the freedom of human will. If God forced us into goodness, then we would become good machines, not good men.
What, then, does God do to overcome man’s sin? God leaves the freedom of man’s will untouched. He presents that will, at great cost to Himself, a different way. Christ reaches out to the free man and waits in love.
God does not want reluctant, resentful subjects; He wants penitent sons and daughters. He wants hearts broken, and open to His love. You cannot change a heart by force, you have to use love. And that is God’s way. (From Brengle for Today. Edited by Peter Farthing).
Benediction
May God bless and keep you through this day, giving you victory in the small things and the large things so that you can give Him the glory. Amen.
We conclude a thrilling song by Lauren Daigle – “Rescue”