Additional National Prayer Needs
Pray for our Military
Many veterans of the Afghanistan War are glad to see American troops return home and the flow of casualties come to a stop. At the same time, some wonder if both the financial cost and the lives lost were well invested, given the less than victorious result. Veterans of Vietnam see their country again leaving behind unfinished wars and allies left to face the consequences—echoes of what happened in Southeast Asia.
General Frank McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, told Congress it will be extremely difficult, if not impossible, for the U.S. to find, track, and take out counterterrorism threats in Afghanistan once all American troops are withdrawn. He said terror groups in Afghanistan, including al Qaeda and the Islamic State, continue to aspire to attack the U.S.
Pray for U.S. military leaders and for the troops of America’s wars, particularly for the wounded veterans who suffer physical and emotional loss.
Pray for AMERICA’S FREEDOMS
Citing Second Amendment protections, state legislatures across the country are taking preemptive action to introduce and pass sanctuary laws that would nullify any new gun control measures taken by President Biden’s administration. A state senator in Arkansas, Gary Stubblefield said, “I just think it’s time that states stand up and say enough is enough. We’re still a free country, and we’re still a sovereign state.”
Pray for federal and state officials as they evaluate new laws and regulations and balance what is already set forth in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
Pray for AMERICA’S FOREIGN RELATIONS
Russia’s President Putin warned the west not to cross Russia’s “red lines,” saying Moscow would respond swiftly and harshly to any provocations and those responsible would regret it. “We want good relations… and really don’t want to burn bridges,” he told his parliament. “But if someone mistakes our good intentions for interference or weakness and threats to burn down or even blow up those bridges, they should know that Russia’s response will be asymmetrical, swift, and harsh.”
China’s President Xi Jinping has called for a new world order in response to the U.S. attempting to create new supply chains and prohibiting high-tech goods from being sold to Chinese companies. He said the unilateralism of individual countries should not set the standard for the rest of the world. “Building walls and decoupling violate economic and market rules, harming others,” he said.
Pray for wisdom for America’s political and military leaders in how they address tensions with Russia and China.
Pray For AMERICA’S HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
Emails obtained by a government watchdog group reveal a dialogue between the Food and Drug Administration and a California bioscience resource group indicating the government has spent thousands of dollars on fetal tissue derived from aborted babies for several years to create “humanized mice” for biologic drug testing products. The FDA’s actions may be in violation of federal law (42 U.S. Code, Section 2809-2) which prohibits any person from acquiring, receiving, or otherwise transferring “any human fetal tissue for valuable consideration if the transfer affects interstate commerce.”
The scientist behind Pfizer’s vaccine says people will likely need a third COVID-19 shot along with yearly doses. He said people should think in terms of annual shots as they think of the seasonal flu shots, as the efficacy of the vaccine tends to wane over time.
Pray for U.S. government officials and health professionals as ongoing medical decisions are made responding to the COVID-19 virus and its variants.
Pray for AMERICA’S RELATIONSHIP WITH ISRAEL
A missile launched from Syria struck southern Israel last week, setting off air raid sirens near the country’s top-secret nuclear reactor, the Israeli military said. In response, it said it attacked the missile launcher and air defense systems in neighboring Syria.
Pray for peace and stability in the region and that God would bring about His will for Israel.
Pray for AMERICA’S ECONOMY
The limited availability of existing single-family homes on the market is pushing prices to the highest levels on record. Low-interest rates are spurring desire among homeowners, but the coronavirus pandemic exacerbated a lack of inventory in the market, leaving buyers to compete for a limited number of homes, pushing prices higher.
Employers could have trouble hiring workers quickly enough to keep up with the projected burst of economic growth in the coming months. Consumer spending at restaurants, hotels, and salons is already taking off as more people get vaccinated. But economic activity is ticking up faster than payrolls causing bottlenecks in hiring and wage pressures.
Pray for the discernment for governing officials as they continue to work towards economic recovery following the pandemic.
Pray for Goodness in America
Jesus, Others, You – the JOY philosophy was behind one of the most dominating performances in NCAA title games as Baylor won a victory in the men’s basketball championship. Within moments of securing the championship, Baylor’s entire team stopped to gather into a circle on the court. They gave thanks to God in prayer. Moments later, when the team was presented with the national championship trophy on April 13th, head coach Scott Drew told the national television audience, “We play with a culture of J.O.Y That’s Jesus, Others, then Yourself.” Later, when asked about that culture, he said, “A lot of joy in the locker room for sure. But our joy is Jesus, Others, Yourself. It’s so tough to put other people in front of you and teams that do that are obviously more successful.”
Give thanks for those in the national spotlight, like the Baylor Bears, who are willing to stand for Jesus, practice their JOY philosophy, and be a witness to others.
Pray for America’s Education
The Agriculture Department announced that it is expanding a program to pay to feed as many as 34 million schoolchildren during the summer months, using funds from the coronavirus relief package approved in March. Eligible children’s families would receive $6.82 per child for each weekday, adding up to $375 per child over the summer months.
Pray for teachers, district boards of education, curricula writers, and students as they prepare for what is hoped-for in-person learning in the fall.
Pray for America’s Technology
Citing the problem of social-media platforms like Facebook and Google wielding unlimited power to censor users whose views they don’t like, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas said that the high court will have to put an end to Big Tech tyranny soon. He said if the court fails to act it could mean the end of free speech in the 21st century and the reduction of constitutional rights to mere “paper rights,” there on paper but functionally hollowed out.
Pray for those in government who are seeking to address the concerns of censorship by large tech and social media platforms.
Pray for Needs Across the States
Two towns in Nebraska have passed ordinances to become “Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn,” or places where performing an abortion can be criminally punished. “It shall be unlawful for any person to procure or perform an abortion of any type and at any stage of pregnancy in the village of Hayes Center, Nebraska,’ one resolution states. The language for Blue Hill is similar. Both towns have fewer than 1,000 residents.
The Connecticut legislature defeated a bill that provided for assisted suicide. Similar bills have been the subject of debate each year since 2013 and each year, they have been rejected.
Pray for state legislatures and city councils as they wrestle with laws around the sanctity of life.
Pray for America’s Faith Community
“The biblical template of national judgment ordains a period of years in which the nation is given the chance to return to God, or else head to judgment. In the case of Ancient Jerusalem, that period, from the first enemy strike to the year when the greater shakings began, was 19 years. From the strike on American soil in 2001 to the 19th year, brings us to the year 2020, the year when the great shakings began. The danger that this window of time is drawing to an end is now upon us.” – Rabbi Jonathan Cahn, Beth Israel Worship Center, Wayne, New Jersey, January 25, 2021
