Additional National Prayer Needs
Pray for our Military
Christine Wormuth, the Secretary of the Army, predicted that should a “major war” break out between the U.S. and China, the Communist nation would “be at risk.“ She stated that there would be “both kinetic attacks and non-kinetic attacks—whether it’s cyberattacks on the power grid or in pipelines.”
U.S. Navy forces, together with naval forces from the United Kingdom, seized “anti-tank guided missiles” and other components for missiles from a boat in the Gulf of Oman. The vessel originated in Iran and was potentially headed to Yemen.
Pray for the health, safety, and morale of America’s military troops, wherever they may be stationed.
PRAY FOR AN END TO THE WAR IN UKRAINE
Officials in the Kremlin have claimed that Ukraine has used saboteurs to cross into western Russia and fire on Russian villagers. In denying the claim, Ukraine warned Moscow was using the allegations to justify its own expansion of attacks on civilians.
Ending the war in Ukraine is on Russia’s’ President Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said. “To my view, it is necessary that Putin understands that he will not succeed with his invasion and his imperialistic aggression and that he has to withdraw troops. This is the basis for talks,” he said.
Pray for those who are negotiating behind the scenes to try for a ceasefire or a political end to the war.
Pray for AMERICA’S FREEDOMS
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops published a letter in which it warned members of the U..S. Senate against giving support to a revival of the Equal Rights Amendment. “We are writing to you to express our alarm with a number of far-reaching consequences that will arise from the proposed Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), and its negative impacts to the common good and to religious freedom,” the USCCB wrote. “We strongly urge you to oppose it and any resolution attempting to declare it ratified.” They added, “One consequence of the ERA would be the likely requirement of federal funding for abortions. At least two states have construed their own equal rights amendments, with language analogous to that of the federal ERA, to require government funding of abortion.”
Pray for federal legislators as they consider acts and bills that impact the rights of American taxpayers.
Pray for AMERICA’S FOREIGN RELATIONS
A spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry said in a press briefing that they oppose the recent approval by the U.S. of $619 million in military sales to Taiwan. They stated It violates Beijing’s claim to the island and serves to increase tensions in the region.
Two Iranian warships arriving in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, prompted responses from the U.S. and Israel. The foreign ministry spokesman for Israel said, “Israel sees the docking of Iranian warships in Brazil a few days ago as a dangerous and regretful development. Brazil should not grant any prize to a malign state.” A U.S. State Department spokesperson said that Iran should not be “able to acquire a foothold,” or be able to “take advantage of others in our hemisphere.”
Pray for Secretary of State Antony Blinken and all who advise him on matters of America’s relations with both friend and foe.
Pray for AMERICA’S HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
A new study published in the journal Nature Medicine found that zero-calorie sweetener often used in diet foods, such as Truvia, has been linked to strokes, heart attacks, blood clots, and death. The study analyzed blood samples from different populations. The study stated, “Following exposure to dietary erythritol, a prolonged period of potentially heightened thrombotic risk may occur. This is a concern given that the very patients for whom artificial sweeteners are marketed (patients with diabetes, obesity, history of [cardiovascular diseases] and impaired kidney function) are those typically at higher risk for future [cardiovascular diseases] events.”
An investigation has been launched in the House of Representatives scrutinizing the middlemen and their impact on drug prices. CVS, Caremark, and other pharmacy-benefit managers have been asked about fees charged to Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Pray for U.S. health officials as the risks from dietary substances and other chemicals are evaluated for conflicting with their purported use.
Pray for AMERICA’S RELATIONSHIP WITH ISRAEL
Two senior Israeli officials are in Washington this week for talks on the looming Iranian nuclear threat. Nuclear program inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) disclosed that the regime in Iran has uranium enriched to 84 percent purity. Ninety percent is weapons-grade.
The IAEA said a potential Israeli strike on the nuclear facilities of Iran would be “illegal.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu compared a defense by Israel against Iran to the story of Esther, when she persuaded the king of Persia to reverse an edict that called for the death of all Jews. “They [Persia] did not succeed then, neither will they succeed today,” he said. (Purim, the holiday that commemorates the activities of Esther, was March 6-7.)
Pray for Israeli leaders as they address the continual threats to their nation’s very existence.
Pray for AMERICA’S ECONOMY
As of the end of January, six in ten American adults are said to be living paycheck to paycheck. At 60 percent, the number is down from 64 percent a year ago, but inflation continues to erode family budgets.
The Dallas Federal Reserve warned that home prices in the U.S. could drop by 19.5 percent. “If the observed price-to-rent ratio grows at an explosive rate relative to its fundamental-based ratio estimated with long-term interest rate and rent growth data, the bubble hypothesis merits attention,” the Fed report said.
Pray that U.S. economists and housing officials seek God’s guidance concerning ongoing inflation and the rising cost of housing.
Pray for Justice in America
The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts issued a ruling that a person who kills an unborn baby that is viable—capable of living outside of its mother’s womb—can be charged with homicide and that the unborn child is considered a person under state law. “Infliction of prenatal injuries resulting in the death of a viable fetus, before or after it is born, is homicide,” the court said.
Give thanks for the ruling by the Massachusetts Court that recognizes the right to life for the unborn.
Pray for Goodness in America
In the wake of the revivals at colleges in Kentucky and Tennessee, and the box office responses of the “Jesus Revolution,” one film producer revealed that there are 10 “outside-the-box” faith-based films on the horizon.
Pray that God would use these films to reach millions with the Gospel while the Holy Spirit convicts them on their need for a Savior.
Pray for America’s Media
TikTok says it is adding more control for parents after the government bans of the social media app. The features include those that would allow parents to limit how much screen time their child spends on Tik Tok, the ability to view summaries of their child’s screen time, and the ability to schedule when the app can mute functions. Certain content controls would also be made available to parents.
Pray for governing officials and parents as they assess the improvements the Chinese-owned app is making in the face of claims that TikTok is used for surveillance.
Pray for America’s Education
Speaking at an interfaith breakfast, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said, “When we took prayers out of schools, guns came into schools.” Later, he added, “Don’t tell me about no separation of church and state. State is the body; church is the heart. You take the heart out of the body, the body dies.”
An eleven-year-old, sixth-grade student spoke out at his local Maine school board meeting in which he condemned a book from his school library as “pornographic.” When allowed to check out the book with the innocuous title of “Nick and Charlie,” the librarian said she could direct him to similar books if he wanted “a graphic novel version,” despite the advisory age of 14.
Pray for discernment for school administrators and librarians concerning the ideologies being introduced to America’s children.
Pray for America’s Technology
A new study funded by the State Department found that China has a “stunning lead” in 37 of 44 technologies seen as critical and emerging as compared to Western nations. Competition slowed among some in the West who stalled in the global competition for research output. The report said, “Western democracies are losing the global technological competition, including the race for scientific and research breakthroughs.” It urged those governments to expand their research investments.
Pray for those in the Departments of State and Commerce as they encourage investments in research.
Pray for Needs Across the States
Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota signed a pair of bills that restore voting rights of convicted felons immediately on their release and grant the ability for illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses.
Calling it a “dangerous movement spreading across America,” the governor of Mississippi, Tate Reeves signed legislation that bans minors from accessing hormone therapies and gender transition surgeries. It also bars healthcare providers from performing such surgeries or prescribing puberty blockers to children under age 18.
Pray for state governors and legislatures as they address election reforms and health care for minors.
Pray for America’s Faith Community
“If you were a skeptic, you would label this [Jesus Revolution] as a coincidence. But if you’re a person of faith, you see this as divine providence. It can’t be a coincidence. God is in charge. God is up to something. And that’s the great news. … That’s why I truly believe that America’s mess is about to become God’s miracle.“ – Pastor Samuel Rodriguez, President of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, March 6, 2023
