Pray the Vote
According to a warrant filed by prosecutors this week in Los Angeles, an American election technology company currently implicated in a scandal gave Chinese subcontractors high-level security access to American election data. Authorities earlier this month arrested the company’s CEO on charges of grand theft and embezzlement on other matters.
California, Michigan, Vermont, Kentucky, and Montana each have abortion initiatives on the ballot in November that will either codify or restrict the procedures.
Pray for election workers to conduct and tally ballots accurately and with integrity. Pray for voters as they consider abortion initiatives.
Additional National Prayer Needs
Pray for our Military
A Navy investigation into the death of a SEAL candidate found that recruits are not given adequate care in a culture where seeking help in emergency situations is discouraged. The SEAL who died reported experiencing symptoms of an unknown illness, and the Navy has determined that he died in the line of duty of pneumonia that was aggravated by an enlarged heart.
U.S. Army Secretary Christine Wormuth denied that the service branch has been emphasizing racial, gender, and social justice over war fighting skills. However, she is receiving feedback from those who say the Army’s agenda is a significant problem affecting the military’s capability and readiness.
Pray for the defense secretary, joint chiefs, and branch secretaries as they assess the strength and readiness of America’s Armed Forces.
War in Ukraine
Russian forces are using Iranian drones to target critical infrastructure in Kyiv, while dozens of other cities across Ukraine are simultaneously bombarded by Russian missiles. Ukrainian forces report that they had shot down four Iranian drones over the Odesa region and two in another area.
The United Nations General Assembly voted to condemn Russia’s annexation of four Ukrainian territories. A total of 143 countries voted in favor of the UN resolution after lobbying by the U.S., Britain, and the European Union. Voting against the resolution were North Korea, Syria, Belarus, and Nicaragua.
Pray for the civilians of Ukraine as they endure the life-threatening disruption of the Russian invasion.
Pray for AMERICA’S FREEDOMS
A University of Illinois-Chicago official was seen on video demanding an anti-Marxist display set up by conservative students be removed from a sidewalk at the public university where Young Americans for Freedom students were handing out literature regarding history at a table.
Pray that educators and administrators would protect the First Amendment right of free speech on college campuses.
Pray for AMERICA’S FOREIGN RELATIONS
China’s foreign ministry responded negatively to President Biden’s new national security strategy that portrays China as trying to “reshape the international order” and emphasizes the U.S. will try to out-compete Beijing’s influence. The foreign ministry spokeswoman said, “We oppose the outdated Cold War mentality and zero-sum mindset.”
The Deputy Secretary of Russia’s Security Council warned that allowing Ukraine to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) would spark a “guaranteed escalation to World War Three.”
Pray for the president and leaders of U.S. allies as they respond to the rhetoric from both China and Russia that increases international tensions.
Pray for AMERICA’S HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
A Pfizer executive’s admission that the company had no idea whether its COVID-19 vaccine would stop the viral spread has increased the focus on regulatory agencies and public officials worldwide. This claim was the most-recited basis for vaccine mandates and the imposition of restrictions on those who refuse it.
According to the most recent data from the Department of Health and Human Services, more than 7,000 claims have been filed alleging serious injury from COVID-19 vaccines as of September 1. Some of the claims were filed by individuals forced to take the vaccines in order to retain their employment.
Pray for individuals who have been injured or otherwise suffered from receiving the COVID shots.
Pray for AMERICA’S RELATIONSHIP WITH ISRAEL
Israel has reportedly agreed to permit the Palestinian Authority to extract natural gas in the Gaza Marine field, 22 miles off the coast of the Gaza Strip, after months of secret bilateral talks and encouragement from Egypt.
Violence and unrest continue in pockets of the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem, as tensions increase sharply in what has been the deadliest year in the West Bank since 2015. The level of unrest has begun to draw comparisons with the early phases of the two Palestinian intifadas, or uprisings, in the late 1980s and early 2000s. Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is again up for election on November 1, stated, “Jerusalem is burning.”
Pray for Israeli and Palestinian leaders as they attempt to reduce the violence. Pray for the voters in Israel’s November 1 election.
Pray for AMERICA’S ECONOMY
Mortgage rates hit 6.92 percent last week, a 20-year high. The sharp rise in borrowing costs has slowed the housing market and made attaining homeownership more difficult for many.
Inflation remained high in September at 8.2 percent. On an annualized basis, inflated prices are costing the average American household an extra $5,200.
Pray for U.S. officials and economists as they evaluate the effects that inflation is having upon Americans.
Pray for Justice in America
An employee of a Michigan health system was fired for requesting a religious exemption to requirements about transgender language and hormone blockers. Now she is filing a lawsuit alleging her employer violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 when her religious accommodation request was denied and she was fired.
Pray for individuals who are losing their jobs as they stand for moral integrity, especially regarding transgender procedures and policies for children.
Pray for America’s Media
Representative James Comer of Kentucky, the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, is declaring that a growing federal agency effort to censor speech on social media platforms is an “abuse of tax dollars.” He has already sent letters seeking to preserve evidence for future hearings if the control of Congress shifts parties.
Pray for U.S. governing officials as they address censorship issues on social media platforms.
Pray for America’s Education
The average ACT test score for students in the class of 2022 dropped to its lowest level in more than three decades. “The magnitude of the declines this year is particularly alarming, as we see rapidly growing numbers of seniors leaving high school without meeting the college-readiness benchmark in any of the subjects we measure,” ACT CEO Janet Godwin said
School districts across the country are taking steps to implement mandatory fentanyl education, stock their schools with opioid-reversal drugs like Narcan, and train educators on how to administer them. The drug helps to normalize breathing if it has been slowed or stopped due to an overdose.
Pray for educators and teachers as they deal with the threat of drug overdoses and the remaining educational hurdles after the pandemic.
Pray for America’s Technology
Electric vehicles are having their problems. One Colorado EV owner took 15 hours to drive from Cheyenne to Casper, Wyoming, around 180 miles—a three-hour trip in a gasoline-powered vehicle. In Philadelphia, EV owners without dedicated parking spaces have stretched extension wires across the road, stretching the limits of legal codes at the same time, to keep their vehicles charged.
Pray for government and manufacturing officials as they address technical EV issues that need to be worked out.
Pray for Needs Across the States
The Georgia Department of Revenue announced a new rule that allows residents to claim a personal exemption of $3,000 for each unborn child. The rule, known as the Living Infants Fairness and Equality Act or LIFE Act, recognizes each unborn person as a human life as soon as their heartbeat is detected.
A sheriff in Oregon said the state’s recently implemented bail reform policies are making communities less safe and contradict what rural residents want. “Our residents have decided that if people commit crimes, they want them to go to jail.”
Pray for state officials to heed the concerns of their citizens and act accordingly.
Pray for America’s Faith Community
“We should be praying more when the pressure is the greatest! Many are those who view the elections through a political lens only. But the believer must be wiser than those who do not know the Christ of the Scriptures. God has provided believers with the most powerful weapon possible in spiritual wars. When you get on your knees to pray, you are actually going into battle. Ephesians 6:12 tells us, ‘For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.’” – Ralph Dollinger, Founder and President, Capitol Ministries, October 13, 2022
