Pray the Vote
The Michigan Board of Canvassers rejected an initiative regarding abortion rights after two board members voted against putting the proposed constitutional amendment on the November ballot. Two on the board voted in favor, but getting the measure on the ballot required at least three votes of the four-member board.
The Arizona Supreme Court denied the placing of a measure on the November ballot that would update election laws by removing election safeguards and changing voting rules in the swing state. The court stated that the proposition did not have enough legal signatures to qualify for the ballot.
Pray for election officials and federal and state judges as the many propositions and initiatives are considered for ballots across the country in November.
Additional National Prayer Needs
Pray for our Military
U.S. Navy officials said Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard seized an American sea drone in the Persian Gulf and tried to tow it away. The Iranians only released the unmanned vessel when a U.S. Navy warship and helicopter approached.
A division of the U.S. Pacific Air Forces is ordering American military forces to stop using gender pronouns. Officials say the shift to more neutral language will help improve the fighting forces’ “lethality.”
Pray that American military leaders would find the balance between maintaining a strong fighting force and adhering to societal standards or philosophies.
War in Ukraine
The Pentagon has determined that Russia is suffering “severe manpower shortages” in its six-month-old war with Ukraine. U.S. defense officials say Russia has become desperate in its efforts to find new troops to send to the front lines.
The Group of 7 (G7) agreed to a price cap on Russian oil Friday as Moscow countered with its own plans to halt energy flows to Europe amid an already fraught European energy situation. A G7 statement said that the price cap’s effectiveness and impact will be closely monitored and the price level revisited as necessary.
Pray for the people of Ukraine as they continue to endure the onslaught of the Russian invasion.
Pray for AMERICA’S FREEDOMS
A Kansas teacher who sued after being punished for refusing to use a student’s preferred pronouns received a $95,000 settlement last week, bringing her legal challenge to a successful close. Her attorneys called the school district’s settlement “a victory for free speech at public schools.“ The district will also reportedly cover the teacher’s legal fees.
The Indiana Supreme Court upheld the religious freedom rights of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis on Wednesday, saying it can hire or fire employees based on religious principles. The court specifically ruled the diocese cannot be sued by a teacher who was fired from his job at a Catholic high school for being in a same-sex marriage. More broadly, the state supreme court’s decision means religious institutions have the First Amendment right to decide matters of church governance for themselves.
Give thanks for settlements and rulings that uphold America’s First Amendment rights.
Pray for AMERICA’S FOREIGN RELATIONS
On Tuesday, Liz Truss became the United Kingdom’s new prime minister after she met with Queen Elizabeth at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. She was elected with 57 percent of the majority party vote.
According to recently downgraded U.S. intelligence, Russia’s Ministry of Defense is purchasing millions of rockets and artillery shells from North Korea to support its war in Ukraine. The purchase indicates that the Russian military continues to experience supply shortages in Ukraine, in part due to export controls and sanctions.
Pray for wisdom for the president and his foreign policy advisors as they determine responses relative to both allies and adversaries.
Pray for AMERICA’S HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has endorsed updated COVID-19 boosters. The agency said it is preparing the way for a fall vaccination campaign intended to mitigate a winter surge.
Nutrition advocates and food industry groups are opposing additional labeling on the front of many packaged food items to more clearly indicate if they pose a potential health risk. A recent survey reported that over 93 percent of people want food packages to have warning labels that clearly indicate the levels of fat, salt, and sugar.
Pray for U.S. health officials as they encourage coronavirus boosters and consider increased food labeling.
Pray for AMERICA’S RELATIONSHIP WITH ISRAEL
Israel has imposed sanctions on 20 companies and individuals operating across the Middle East that it says are involved in financing the Palestinian militant group Hamas. The U.S. announced sanctions against many of the same entities in May. Israel and the U.S. say those entities are part of a Hamas-run financial network with hundreds of millions of dollars in assets.
A letter was sent to President Biden signed by dozens of former Israeli generals representing 5,000 representatives across Israel’s military, security, and law enforcement agencies, calling on America’s president not to sign the Iranian nuclear deal. “We think that this agreement is a huge threat to Israel, to the Middle East, to the whole world. And it basically paves the way, legally, for the Iranians to become a nuclear power at the end of the agreement in 2031,” the letter said.
Pray for prudence for the president’s administration regarding the nuclear agreement with Iran and for Israel’s security.
Pray for AMERICA’S ECONOMY
Mortgage rates rose to their highest level in two months after Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell promised to deliver “forceful” action on inflation that he warned would cause “some economic pain.” The average rate on a 30-year loan rose to 4.55 percent, well above the 2.87 percent recorded just one year ago.
The Commerce Department reported that construction spending declined further in July. Rising mortgage rates have weighed on single-family homebuilding, offsetting a rebound in outlays on public projects.
Pray for U.S. economic officials as they address inflation and affect higher interest rates on first-time home buyers.
Pray for Justice in America
Senator Bernie Sanders‘ 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns are being fined thousands after unlawfully hiring illegal aliens for top staffer roles, according to the Federal Election Commission. The FEC concluded both Sanders’ campaigns broke federal law after “knowingly” employing three “foreign national” staffers from Mexico and Argentina who participated in the DACA program. Both campaigns have agreed to pay an FEC penalty of $15,000 combined.
Pray for the members of the Federal Election Commission and their oversight activities relative to the 2022 midterm election in November.
Pray for Goodness in America
A nonprofit organization is applying the talents of special operations military veterans in underwater conservation missions across the country. The organization trains and redeploys military-trained divers, from across all branches, to work with scientists and environmentalists on marine conservation. The former military individuals gain a sense of belonging, and a sense of mission, while attending to the health of the planet.
Give thanks for organizations that hire and train America’s veterans, and for the work they undertake.
Pray for America’s Education
Testing scores for young students across the country declined sharply following the disruption of drawn-out COVID-19 policies. The National Center for Education Statistics showed that “average scores for age 9 students in 2022 declined 5 points in reading and 7 points in mathematics compared to 2020.”
A new Gallup survey shows Americans are becoming less satisfied with the state of K-12 education, with curriculum and educational approach being cited as the top issue. Concerns were expressed about political agendas being brought into the classroom.
Pray for parents and educators as they seek to address the state of public education across America.
Pray for America’s Technology
The Los Angeles Unified School District, the second-largest public school district in the nation, announced that it was the target of a recent cyberattack. Officials detected unusual activity over Labor Day weekend which they said was “likely criminal” ransomware. They had announced the previous day that the district’s email system and some other technological services had been disrupted.
Pray for U.S. cyber professionals and technology workers as they seek to prevent hacking and ransomware attacks.
Pray for Needs Across the States
New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed an executive order that directs $10 million in taxpayer money to fund a new abortion clinic in the state to meet an anticipated rise in demand.
The legislature in California passed a bill approving a $1.4 billion government loan to extend the life of the state’s only nuclear power plant to shore up electric reliability. The legislation is opposed by some environmental groups who have challenged Governor Gavin Newsom not to sign it. If it is signed by the governor, the legislation delays the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant’s retirement by five years to 2030 and exempts some state agencies from complying with certain environmental laws to enable the extension.
Pray for wisdom for state governors as they evaluate and address the needs of their residents.
Pray for America’s Faith Community
“It is good for churches to pursue success. God doesn’t sponsor flops. After all the church is Christ’s body and it is God’s will for every church to grow. … Success is not size. Success is changed lives. … Healthy churches grow. … Growing churches love, and loving churches grow. Scripture guarantees the success of those who pursue love when it says, ‘Love never fails.’” – Pastor Rick Warren, Saddleback Church, Lake Forest California, August 2022
