Additional National Prayer Needs
Pray for our Military
Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro told a Senate panel that Chinese naval forces will have more ships than the U.S. within five years. “By 2028, we will have approximately 291 ships or so,” he said. “I can’t predict exactly what the Chinese will have, but our estimates are upward of 440 or so.”
Pray for our military and the leaders in the Department of Defense.
PRAY FOR AN END TO THE WAR IN UKRAINE
The inspectors general of the Defense Department, State Department, and Agency for International Development released a report indicating over 189 complaints have been lodged alleging misconduct, waste, fraud, and abuse of aid delivered to Ukraine from the U.S. DoD said they hadn’t seen any indications of weapons falling into the wrong hands, however.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, told Congress the U.S. has limited ability to guarantee the final destination of more than $30 billion in weapons delivered to Ukraine to date. “There are some means and mechanisms of doing some accountability. It is not as rigorous as you might think,” he said.
Pray for the leaders of the nations as they work to support the nation of the Ukrainian military.
Pray for AMERICA’S FOREIGN RELATIONS
“Trillions” of dollars are needed to combat both climate change and poverty, the CEO of Mastercard whom President Joe Biden has nominated to head the World Bank told reporters. Both the World Bank and the private sector need to be part of the “intertwined challenge,” he said.
The Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, said he does not believe it is “inevitable” that there will be a military conflict between the U.S. and China; but he believes there are some in Beijing who say it is a foregone conclusion. “I think that’s a very dangerous thing,” he said.
Pray for administration officials as they seek to protect the financial stability of the United States.
Pray for AMERICA’S HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
The Food and Drug Administration has approved the over-the-counter sale of Narcan, a drug that helps to reverse the effects of opioid overdoses. The move is seen as having the potential to dramatically increase saving lives.
A new University of California study reveals that, among older adults in the U.S., drug overdose deaths, both accidental and intentional, have quadrupled over the past 20 years. The increase points to the need for greater geriatric mental health and substance abuse policies, the study authors say.
Pray for administration officials and congressional leaders as they seek to save lives and end the drug crisis.
Pray for AMERICA’S RELATIONSHIP WITH ISRAEL
Loud explosions were heard over Damascus, Syria, late last week as Israeli airstrikes hit the suburbs of the Syrian capital for the second day in a row. One strike killed an Iranian adviser, a member of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. Other missiles fired by Israel were shot down while some did material damage to some of the air defenses.
Israel’s government has agreed in principle to establish a national guard, a long-demanded militia. The form and leadership are yet to be determined and it will take months to be “fleshed out” by a committee of government officials who often have their own proposals.
Pray for peace in the streets of Israel.
Pray for AMERICA’S ECONOMY
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce reports that concerns over inflation remain at record highs this quarter among small business owners. “Their view of the broader economy is darkening,” said a Chamber vice president.
New data from Lending Club revealed 44 percent of Americans work at a second job. A Flex Jobs survey found 69 percent of employed professionals either have a side job or want one.
Pray for federal leaders in their effort to respond to higher costs of living and inflation.
Pray for Goodness in America
A grassroots movement begun in Mississippi is encouraging children to memorize the Ten Commandments. A program has been developed for churches and individual households that rewards children with a T-shirt with the 10 Commandments on the back once they achieve the memorization.
Give thanks for those who develop programs that help children draw closer to God and to Scripture.
Pray for Needs Across the States
The legislature in North Carolina overrode the veto of its governor now making it legal for residents to purchase a pistol without a permit by repealing an existing permit requirement, although purchasers must still undergo a federal background check when purchasing from a licensed dealer.
In Massachusetts, more than 630,000residents are expected to receive state-funded supplemental food assistance on April 7, after a new supplemental budget was signed that includes $130 million to create a food stamp extension as the federal SNAP program allotments under the COVID emergency ends.
Pray for the governor, legislature, and agency and department heads in your own state.
Pray for America’s Faith Community
“Here’s how you can know you’re spiritually alive: You are not indifferent to what God says has great worth. You ‘love the brethren.’ As I see myself loving others, I know that it is not my old nature; something has happened to me, and that something is my salvation. … Here is the element that cuts the line clearly between love and hate: self-sacrifice. Self-sacrifice is a somewhat foreign concept to man. That’s why we’re so shocked when we see it in another. We call him a hero. To deny yourself something for the good of another is what self-sacrifice is all about. It’s what love is all about. There is no other way to communicate worth to another individual. When everything has been said, including the ‘sweet nothings,’ it’s what has been done in self-sacrifice that truly has significance. Your worth to me is what I’m willing to give up for your good.” – Dr. Darryl DelHousaye Chancellor, Phoenix Seminary, March 31, 2023
