Additional National Prayer Needs
Pray for our Military
The U.S. Air Force has grounded its entire fleet of B-2 stealth bombers after an emergency landing and fire occurred on December 10. They stated that college bowl games will not have performance flyovers this year.
The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that Marine Corps recruits who practice the Sikh religion can keep their long hair and beards while they train in boot camp. The court stated that denying this is a “substantial burden on the exercise of their faith,” which forbids the shaving of facial hair and cutting of head hair.
Pray for military leaders as they deal with recruitment shortfalls and a rising number of young Americans who are ineligible for service.
Pray for AMERICA’S FOREIGN RELATIONS
The Kremlin’s ambassador to the United States says that U.S.-Russia relations have become an “ice age.“ The relationship between the two nations has sunk to its lowest level in decades since the onset of Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine.
A new report shows record numbers of Nicaraguan migrants crossed the U.S. border. Border authorities encountered 34,000 from that nation in November alone. While just five years ago the number coming from Nicaragua was 1,000 for the entire year, through November, over 180,000 have entered the U.S. in 2022.
Pray for U.S. immigration and national security officials as they work with Latin American countries to slow the stream of migrants into the U.S.
Pray for AMERICA’S HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
President Biden’s administration has announced the release of doses of prescription flu medication, known as Tamiflu, from the Strategic National Stockpile. The Department of Health and Human Services is seeking to ease the burden of hospitals and doctors’ offices as cases of the fly rise across the nation.
According to mortality data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, life expectancy in the U.S. fell last year to 76.4 years, compared to 77 years in 2020. The drop is attributed to the effects of the pandemic and opioid overdoses.
Pray for the health of America’s most vulnerable—infants and the elderly—during the cold and flu season, and ongoing COVID infections.
Pray for AMERICA’S RELATIONSHIP WITH ISRAEL
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced, despite opposition to the establishment of a new coalition, the finalization of a new government. The prime minister and Israel’s 37th government will be sworn in on Thursday.
Forty members of Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, sent a letter to top officials in the European Union, claiming the EU is interfering with the Jewish state regarding the creation of a separate Palestinian state. They said a document of the EU “completely ignores our people’s historical affinity to our homeland, completely ignores the political agreements and the status of the State of Israel in Area C and seeks to establish the 1949 borders as Israel’s final-status permanent borders – in complete disregard of the Jewish communities in the area.” Area C is the West Bank territory known as Judea and Samaria.
Pray for Prime Minister Netanyahu to seek God’s wisdom as his government is installed.
Pray for AMERICA’S ECONOMY
The home building industry experienced a continued decline in the industry for a record twelfth straight month in December. High inflation and the increase in mortgage rates have contributed to the drop in home construction, despite initiatives for prospective buyers.
Economists are expressing concern over the number of people who are having cars repossessed after falling behind on payments. They believe the trend will continue as inflation has not abated, unemployment grows, and household savings are being depleted.
Pray for Americans trying to stretch their budgets to make or maintain major purchases.
Pray for Justice in America
A federal judge has approved a multi-million dollar settlement for healthcare workers in Illinois who were terminated for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine. About 500 workers had been dismissed despite petitioning for an exemption.
Pray for officials in jurisdictions, states, or municipalities to recognize the freedoms under the Bill of Rights and abide by them, instead of waiting for a court order.
Pray for Goodness in America
Across the nation, food banks and pantries are struggling to keep up with food shortages, rising prices, and rising demand as they maintain their challenge to feed the hungry. One pastor whose church maintains a food pantry said, “Our shelves are a little bare… There have been weeks that we’re not sure how much food we’re gonna have. And every single week God shows up.”.
Ask the Lord to lead you in acts of kindness and generosity to help those in need in the coming year.
Pray for America’s Education
A recent poll of over 3,000 Americans revealed that parents, across the political spectrum, strongly support civics education, with nearly 80 percent saying it is “important” in K-12 grades. They report, “This positive feeling for civics exposes a large gap between actual policy reflecting this strong commitment to civic education and what people believe is best for this country and its next generation.”
Pray for educators to return to a curriculum that balances civics against social justice and other agendas.
Pray for America’s Technology
The developer of the video game “Fortnite” has paid a $520 million settlement to the Federal Trade Commission. The company was charged with child privacy protection law violations and deceiving customers into paying for products they did not request.
Pray for parents and guardians as video games attract vulnerable children and private information is at risk.
Pray for Needs Across the States
The District of Columbia Council is seeking passage of the Green New Deal Housing Amendment Act of 2022, which would create more permanent affordable housing. It would also have strong tenant governance and a focus on sustainable design.
Water managers in Nevada have developed a plan that would cut diversions by 500,000 acre-feet of Colorado River Water in an effort to support flows before low water levels cause the Glen Canyon and Hoover dams critical problems. One proposal would make substantial cuts to the water Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming receive, to ease the issues in the Colorado River’s lower basin.
Pray for state governors and legislatures who are experiencing political changes in the new year.
Pray for America’s Faith Community
“When we are designed to live one way but do the opposite, the conflict messes with our heads. In counseling, this is called “cognitive dissonance.” It’s the awareness in our minds (and I would suggest our spirits) of believing one thing but doing another. This inconsistency makes us uncomfortable. But, when we live consistent to our design, we reap incredible benefits. … Be consistent. Intentional. Focused. These are [the Book of] James’ reminders to us today. Not so we can humanly berate ourselves for how often we are inconsistent or hypocritical. But instead, so we can grasp that living and speaking in the ways that match our faith are the best route to spiritual freedom, blessing, and effectiveness in the way we love and serve others.” – Anne Rulo, author, speaker, and family therapist, December 2022
