Additional National Prayer Needs
Pray for America’s Military
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a memo this month that allows service members who are trained to carry personal firearms on military bases. “Our military installations have been turned into gun-free zones—leaving our service members vulnerable and exposed,” Secretary Hegseth stated. “Our great republic was founded on a simple, yet bold idea. Our rights as citizens are not granted to us by government but instead by God. … The Second Amendment to our Constitution enshrines the right of all citizens to carry weapons to protect themselves, their families, and their fellow citizens. Uniformed service members are trained at the highest and unwavering standards. These warfighters, entrusted with the safety of our nation, are no less entitled to exercise their God-given right to keep and bear arms than any other American.”
Pray for Secretary Hegseth and U.S. military leadership to be discerning as they implement updates to military base security.
Pray for America’s Foreign Relations
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has joined Spain and France in refusing to support the U.S. military in Operation Epic Fury. She recently prohibited the United States from using the military airbase in Sicily for operations connected with the Iran war. She also suspended a long-term defense agreement Italy had with Israel.
The Iranian regime has increased the execution of prisoners, including protestors, as dozens are reportedly being hanged each week. A video recording of Iran’s chief justice calling for the executions of “enemy agents” to be expedited was released the same day that the U.S. announced a two-week ceasefire. Hundreds of prisoners, who have been charged with “waging war against God” and “corruption on Earth,” are at risk of being put to death by Iranian authorities.
Pray for U.S. officials as they engage in peace negotiations and assess the threats to the homeland posed by other nations.
Pray for AMERICA’S HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) reported that researchers have identified a novel, potent opioid that may provide pain relief as well as function as a treatment for addiction. “Opioid pain medications are essential for medical purposes, but can lead to addiction and overdose,” said NIH’s National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Director Nora Volkow. “Developing a highly effective pain medication without these drawbacks would have enormous public health benefits.”
Pray for Administrator Jay Bhattacharya and NIH officials and researchers as they seek alternate pain relief applications and therapies to prevent opioid addiction.
Pray for Needs Across the States
The Maryland State Senate passed a bill late last week that prohibits state and local law enforcement from communicating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement regarding dangerous, violent criminals. The legislation only allows police to inform the federal agency if someone is convicted of a felony. The bill will now go to the state’s House for consideration.
The Maine Supreme Court released the unanimous advisory opinion that the expansion of Ranked Choice Voting to general elections would violate the state’s constitution, which does not allow for additional tabulations required in the ranked choice method. State legislators have proposed the expansion of ranked choice to races for governor and the state legislature. The justices wrote that the legislation’s “conception of a vote as being a series of instructions or rankings that when tabulated pursuant to a ranked-choice process leads to an eventual final vote is inconsistent with the constitutional concept of a ‘vote.'”
Pray for state officials in the executive, legislative, and judicial branches to be discerning in their actions and decisions.
Pray for America’s Faith Community
“Have you ever been rejected by family, a friend, maybe a mate even? Do you hate walking on eggshells or finding yourself always trying to please people all the time? … How would you describe yourself? What are the three or four words that depict you, that you think are accurate? Is it loving, caring, warm, approachable, smart? Or is it lonely, inadequate, angry? Are there old labels of too tall, too skinny, too fat, loser, never mount to anything? As honest as you can, how do you actually see yourself?
[You can replace] a misbelief like, ‘I need other people’s approval in order to be happy,’ [with] the truth: ‘I want people’s approval of me, but I don’t need it. With God’s approval, I’m no longer compelled to earn love and acceptance. I’m free to be me.’ …
You will gravitate towards your image of God. And that’s why getting a high, holy, clear, loving, accurate picture of him is the greatest thing you can do for every area of your life.“ – Chip Ingram, Living on the Edge, “You are Wanted” Pt. 1
