Additional National Prayer Needs
Pray for our Military
The Pentagon is weighing whether to put armed military personnel on commercial ships that travel through the Strait of Hormuz in an effort to stop the Iranian forces from harassing, stopping, or seizing civilian vessels. Such a move would be an extraordinary commitment by American forces in the Middle East. They said U.S. Navy and Marine personnel would only provide such security at the request of the ships involved.
Pray for the 3,000 additional military troops recently deployed to the Middle East as a partial show of force readiness against Iran.
PRAY FOR AN END TO THE WAR IN UKRAINE
Ukrainian troops have successfully targeted two small but strategically significant bridges linking Crimea, which is currently occupied by Russia, to southern Ukraine, in an effort to disrupt the resupply of Russian troops. A large portion of one bridge collapsed and a large hole caused by a missile strike is in the deck of the other bridge.
Pray for members of Congress and the American people as continued efforts to aid Ukraine are proposed.
Pray for AMERICA’S FOREIGN RELATIONS
Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida and a number of co-sponsors have introduced legislation in the House of Representatives to abolish the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). According to the bill, “USAID does not act in the best interest of the United States or its people, nor the foreign relations it proposes to support.” The legislators are concerned over USAID’s promotion of radical ideology to international communities.
Pray for legislators as they assess the benefits and downsides of USAID’s interventions.
Pray for AMERICA’S HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
According to the CDC National Center for Health Statistics, nearly 3.8 million Americans have been unenrolled from Medicaid beginning in April as states began new determinations of eligibility post-COVID. Some in the health insurance community have expressed concerns that many will not be able to find other coverage.
Pray for federal health officials as they assess health coverage and eligibility for Medicaid.
Pray for AMERICA’S RELATIONSHIP WITH ISRAEL
The Stella Maris Monastery in Haifa, said to be the location of the remains of the prophet Elijah, was subjected to a disruption by a group of religious activists during a prayer session last week, saying Jews (like Elijah) should not be buried where there is a Christian presence. Although the monastery’s altar is atop the site of the cave-dwelling of Elijah, the Bible says Elijah was carried into Heaven at the end of his life.
Pray for Israeli officials as they deal with conflict surrounding sites in Israel that are common to both Jewish and Christian traditions.
Pray for AMERICA’S ECONOMY
Private sector hiring was higher than expected in July, nearly twice what analysts had predicted. Experts see this as a signal of strength in America’s jobs market and hopes of a “soft landing” for the world’s largest economy.
Pray for wisdom for U.S. financial and economic officials as they assess the marketplace and employment.
Pray for Goodness in America
A new theme park being established by a nonprofit group in Utah known as Liberty Village seeks to “light a fire in youth that causes them to become better Americans,” with life-size, functional replicas of historic buildings and events.
Pray for efforts by various groups to instill what have traditionally been considered to be “American values” into American youth.
Pray for Needs Across the States
Illegal border crossings into Arizona rose during July despite soaring temperatures across much of the southwestern United States. Border Patrol reported daily crossings were up 134 percent in July from the numbers in June, and they include families with young children.
Governor Kim Reynolds of Iowa has tapped unused funds from the COVID-19 American Rescue Plan to send 109 National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to assist the Texas border security program known as Operation Lone Star.
Pray for state legislators, governors, and agencies dealing with the influx of migration.
Pray for America’s Faith Community
“I think [Gen Z] have seen the materialism of our world. The ideologies that are being shoved down their throats. Incessantly, they’re all empty. And when they feel the presence of God, then they taste and see that the Lord is good, nothing else will satisfy them.” – Clayton King, founder of Clayton King Ministries, at Crossroads Summer Camp, August 1, 2023
