Additional National Prayer Needs
Pray for our Military
The Pentagon reported that a fishing boat smuggling more than 2,000 AK-47 assault rifles from Iran to Yemen was intercepted by the U.S. Navy. The Navy asserted that providing weapons to Houthi rebels is a violation of a United Nations Security Council resolution and also violates international law.
Now that the Defense Department has rescinded the COVID-19 vaccine mandate, the Pentagon does not appear to have a plan to reinstate armed forces personnel who lost their posts after refusing the vaccine. However, a handful of bills being proposed in the House of Representatives would assist those who refused vaccination in being reinstated or receiving honorable discharges.
Pray for the morale of American service members wherever they are deployed or stationed.
Pray for AMERICA’S FREEDOMS
A former mail carrier in Pennsylvania who is an evangelical Christian has filed suit again the United States Postal Service for religious bias after they reprimanded him for refusing to deliver packages on Sunday. Although lower courts dismissed his claim that the USPS violated federal anti-discrimination law, the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear the former mail carrier’s appeal.
Pray for the Supreme Court justices as they take up cases that have a direct relationship to the exercise of religious freedom.
Pray for AMERICA’S FOREIGN RELATIONS
A Chinese state-owned company has signed a 25-year agreement with the Taliban that would permit oil drilling and extraction in Afghanistan’s Anu Daa Basin. Reports say they are also in talks with the Taliban to open a copper mine in eastern Afghanistan.
A senior Turkish official has said that the expansion of NATO to include Sweden and Finland is not likely before June. Membership must be approved by all 30 NATO members, and Turkey and Hungary have yet to approve the deal.
Pray for members of the U.S. State Department tasked with maintaining relationships with allies or foes.
Pray for AMERICA’S HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
In a peer-reviewed study, the American Heart Association confirmed that mRNA-based vaccines can cause myocarditis in certain adolescents and young adults. The association stated that some of the young people had “markedly elevated levels of full-length spike protein” in their blood, “unbounded by antibodies.” Both Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines are MRNA technology.
Dr. Ben Carson, renowned neurosurgeon and former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, said research on a new cell therapy that could ultimately bring about a vaccine against brain cancer is “very exciting.”
Pray for individuals who are experiencing the negative effects of COVID-19 vaccines or boosters.
Pray for AMERICA’S RELATIONSHIP WITH ISRAEL
A member of the Knesset says he plans to introduce legislation to annex the Jordan Valley, a region that stretches from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea along the Jordan River, into the state of Israel. The area is presently home to about 30 Jewish communities and is already under Israeli control as part of Area C of the West Bank.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Iran and Hezbollah of the Jewish state’s “red lines” concerning their military build-up on Israel’s northern borders with Lebanon. The prime minister said, “We are determined to fight any attempt by Iran to entrench itself on our northern military frontier in Syria. We are determined to fight all attempts by Hezbollah to show aggression against us from Lebanon.”
Pray for U.S. governing officials to maintain support for the nation of Israel as they face hostile activity from neighboring countries.
Pray for AMERICA’S ECONOMY
According to figures released by the Congressional Budget Office, borrowing by the federal government amounted to $4 billion per day in 2022, totaling $10,000 per household. Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget said. “There are times to borrow—like during a pandemic or major recession—and there are times where we should ratchet down the borrowing, like now when the economy is strong and inflation is hot.”
The Consumer Price Index fell in December, the first drop since last summer. Despite continued inflation in many areas, gasoline and used car prices brought the overall index down.
Pray for U.S. advisors to the president as they evaluate the state of the nation’s economy.
Pray for Justice in America
A U.S. District Court in Oregon ruled that religious universities can receive federal funding in the form of federal aid for students without having to abandon their faith beliefs. Senior counsel for the colleges said, “The government shouldn’t strip students of their financial aid just because they attend a school with widely-held religious beliefs, and this case impacts everybody. People of every faith would have to fall in line with government orthodoxy or suffer severe penalties… religious students deserve the same access to financial aid as every other student.”
Give thanks for members of the federal judiciary who uphold the religious rights of Americans.
Pray for Goodness in America
A church in Joplin, Missouri, has established a faith-based homeless shelter. Pastors and members say their goal is to “go out and be the hands and feet of Jesus.” The head pastor said, “The Lord just began to break my heart for the folks that would have to endure the cold weather.” In addition to being a “warming center,” the homeless can receive hot meals twice a week, take showers, and get new clothing.
Pray for the ministers and members of churches across the country who are showing the love of Jesus to those in need.
Pray for America’s Media
Representatives Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin and Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois have urged ESPN to remove Tik Tok as a sponsor. The Chinese-owned social media platform sponsored halftime shows for recent NCAA college football games.
Pray for the leaders of media outlets to be discerning in the acceptance of advertising or sponsors.
Pray for America’s Education
A college group known as Free Speech has sued Oklahoma State University over policies that censor students’ “opinionated” viewpoints. They say the policies are designed to suppress or silence student speech over political and social issues, a violation of the First and Fourteenth Amendment rights of students.
Two school board members in Paris, Maine, were recalled by community members for promoting a gender identity policy that would hide student gender transitions from parents. One resident said, “I feel that parents do have the right to know what’s going on in their schools, especially with their children. And I don’t think that was right for them to make those decisions without informing the parents.”
Pray for administrators and school board members as they make policy decisions about transgender issues and the informing of parents.
Pray for Needs Across the States
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem is considering changes to a policy adopted by the Department of Corrections that allowed “inmates to transfer to prisons that match their gender identity rather than biological sex—and attain sex changes on the taxpayer dime.” The governor said, “South Dakota has never placed a male in a women’s prison.”
Iowa Governor Kimberly Reynolds is determined to see school choice accomplished. Calling it her first priority, she wants to make “sure that every child is provided with a quality education that fits their needs.”
Pray for state governors who are working to uphold the ideologies and agendas of their constituents.
Pray for America’s Faith Community
“All humans throughout their life will declare something. They will either declare their own self-worth and greatness, or God’s worth and glory. As Christians, we are called to declare God’s glory alone, and in so doing we receive exceeding joy. ‘Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart. Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous, and give thanks to His holy name‘ (Psalm 97:11-12).” – Stephanie Englehart, Crosswalk, October 2020
