Worldwide Prayer Meeting
Prayer Focus - Brazil Territory
Christ, the Majestic Redeemer in Corcovado
Praise God for this day! Today you will be given the opportunity to serve the Lord, to serve His people, to speak to Him and for Him, to bless and be blessed. No doubt there will be reasons to be irritated if there haven’t been already. If you are feeling a little puny or you’ve been roughed up today, remember that we all have those days. There’s nothing wrong with praying that God will give you a boost. The Bible reminds us that God is our refuge and strength. Sometimes, we need to hear that. If so, this is for you.
Prayer
Dear God, Some days I feel like I could take on the world. Then there are other days when I just want to pull the blanket over my head, roll over and stay in bed. Mostly it’s somewhere in between. I hear about those people who have overcome so much, and it makes me feel a little ashamed of myself when I complain about my small stuff. But these things get to me. I wish they didn’t, but they do. Please forgive me for being petty. Help me to keep things in perspective. Help me to remember that the devil wants to distract me, to keep my eyes off You and looking away at almost anything else. Please calm me when I am starting to lose it, like when I’m driving or I’m in line. What difference will two more minutes make in the great scheme of things? Remind me that I am in Your hands. You are the Shepherd who wants to lead me beside still waters. I like that thought. I really love You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is a truly an excellent video produced by the Australia Territory about the Vila Dos Pescadorores Children’s Center in the slums of Sao Paulo.
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Background of the Brazil Territory
Brazil gained its independence from Portugal in 1822, becoming a federal republic in 1889. Multiparty democracy was established in 1985 after many years of a military dictatorship that left the nation in poor condition. Since then, however, great progress has been made in reducing poverty, fighting corruption, and reforming social, fiscal, and political policies. Even with the efforts, poverty still effects tens of millions, most notably in the favelas, vast slums around the major cities. Crime is a huge problem and corruption still plagues the country. The Amazon Basin is of global importance because of its contribution to the world’s oxygen supply so that a balance must be maintained between development and conservation.
Freedom of religion is guaranteed in Brazil but 98% of the population claims some form of Christianity. Brazil is home to the largest number of Catholics of any country in the world, but the Catholic Church is facing many problems including a shortage of priests, conflicts with the government and defections to evangelical and charismatic churches. The number of evangelicals has been growing rapidly, from 2.9% of the population in 1960 to 26.3% in 2010. There is a problem with the prosperity gospel and with spiritism being mixed in with Christian beliefs, the latter particularly present among Catholic believers.
The Salvation Army: Army work began when Lt. Colonel and Mrs. David “invaded” Rio de Janeiro on August 1, 1922. It is officially registered as a national religious entity under the name Exército de Salvação.
Facts, Stats and Leadership of the Brazil Territory
- Total population to fish and disciple: 218,689,757
- 117officers, 464 employees
- 53 retired officers
- 42 corps, 6 outposts
- 1,621 senior soldiers
- 125 adherents
- 382 junior soldiers
Leadership
Territorial Commander – Colonel Wilson Strasse
Chief Secretary – Lt. Col. Manuel Márquez
Territorial President of Women’s Ministries – Colonel Nara Strasse
Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries - Lt. Col. Paulina Márquez
Prayer Requests for the
Brazil Territory
- For territorial leadership.
- For a spiritual revival in the Territory – people committed and engaged in the mission.
- For the implementation of the strategic planning of the Territory in the achievement of the established goals.
- For the awakening of vocations.
- For the numerical growth of our youth and the spiritual growth of our children, adolescents, and young people.
- For the opening of seven new works spread throughout the Territory in the propagation of the gospel of Christ.
- For financial provision to support the work of The Salvation Army.
USA Southern Territory
Prayer Requests
- The family of Lt. Colonel Beatrice Combs, who was Promoted to Glory this past week
- Major Mark Satterlee, Territorial Men’s Ministries Secretary
- Property Department
- Sriparna Mitra, Legal Operations Manager, Legal
- Tisha Allen, Administrative Assistant, Risk Management
- Karen Parks, Information Technology & Business Technologies Manager, ARC Command
- Captain Josh Hinson, Director of Mission & Ministry, EBC
- Cadet Richard Reynolds
- Captain Andrea Israel, Divisional Candidates Secretary, Florida Division
- Commissioner Kenneth Hodder, National Commander, NHQ
- Majors Algerome & Teresa Newsome, officers, employees, and volunteers of the Georgia Division
- Fundraising
- Anonymous prayer request for healing for herself and her husband’s bodies, minds and spirits; also, for a negative report for the cancer that is raging in her body.
- Anonymous request for the lifting of those who have been lost and are now found as they share their testimony so that others will follow Christ.
- Anonymous request for Salvation Army officers who face many challenging issues in the world today.
Something to Consider
Years ago, I occasionally would drive across a desolate stretch of Florida highway toward a little spot in the road called Yeehaw Junction. The road is perfectly straight approaching it and at night, with no streetlights and hardly any houses, it is pitch black. Except for a single flashing light at the intersection at Yeehaw Junction. You can see it for miles, so distant that it is deceiving how far away it is. But with no obstruction, no light to eclipse it, the beams go out across that vast darkness. No matter how dark it gets, it can’t stop that light from shining. I knew as I drove that if that light was in front of me, I was going the right way, that I would end up where I needed to be.
It seems that night is creeping more into our world than it has before. Lights that used to be along the way are being extinguished or people are not bothering to turn them on anymore. But there are people looking for a light on their dark roads, hoping that someone will show them the way to go. And if there is not, darkness will own the night.
Jesus said that we are the light of the world (Matthew 5:15). Like that little light at Yeehaw Junction, there are people looking to see which way to go. If we fail to shine, the darkness will own the night. It is not ours to judge the importance of where we are placed. It is ours to shine where we are. God knows who needs to see the beams.
Benediction
May you sense God’s presence in Your moments throughout this day so that your heart will turn in praise to He who is the Three-in-One, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
“Be Still My Soul” is performed by Libera, a boy’s choir from Britain. Their pure voices are incredible.