Prayer List: 26 Killed in Church Massacre

Devin Patrick Kelley massacred 26 people Sunday at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas. Local TV station KSAT reported 20 wounded, of which “four are in serious condition and 10 are in critical condition.” Because Kelley targeted his in-laws, local law enforcement claimed the attack was not religiously motivated. However, it should be noted that Kelley was a vocal atheist on social media. Former classmate Nina Rose Nava is quoted in the Daily Mail, “He was always talking about how people who believe in God we’re stupid and trying to preach his atheism.”

Prayer List

* Pray for the Holy Spirit to comfort the families, friends and acquaintances of the deceased as well as the first responders and investigators. Pray for their emotional and spiritual health as they deal with grief and loss.
* Pray for speedy healing for the injured.
* Pray for the affected families’ spiritual, emotional and physical needs to be met.
* Pray for the remaining church members to grow in their faith.

Prayer List: 59 People Killed in Las Vegas Shooting

59 people died last night in Las Vegas after shooter Stephen Paddock opened fire from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino. At least 516 people were injured during the mass shooting, according to a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department press release. An investigation is under way to determine the deceased shooter’s motive.

The LVMPD is posting updates on Twitter.

Prayer List

* Pray for the Holy Spirit to comfort the families, friends and acquaintances of the deceased as well as the first responders and investigators. Pray for their emotional and spiritual health as they deal with grief and loss.
* Pray for speedy healing for the injured.
* Pray for anyone considering a copycat crime attempt to have a change of heart or to be stopped quickly.
* Pray for God’s love to transform the city of Las Vegas.

Prayer List: Hurricane Harvey Floods Texas

Satellite photo of Hurricane Harvey from the Naval Research Laboratory – August 25, 2017

The slow-moving Tropical Storm Harvey, no longer a hurricane, is battering the Texas coast. The National Hurricane Center is forecasting “total rain accumulations of 15 to 30 inches and isolated maximum amounts of 40 inches over the middle and upper Texas coast through Thursday.”

According to Fox News, “More than 200,000 homes and businesses were reportedly without power.” The Associated Press reported, “At least two people have died as Tropical Storm Harvey continues to dump rain on Southeast Texas.”

Prayer List

1. Loss of Life – Pray for the Holy Spirit to comfort people that have lost a family, friend, pet or livestock to the storm.
2. Displaced –  Pray for everyone whose home or apartment was flooded and has to find a new housing.
3. Sickness – Pray for everyone that gets sick from contaminated water that their sickness will go away quickly.
4. Emergency Personnel – Pray for safety for fireman, police officers, energy company personnel and disaster relief teams that will be assisting the storm victims. Trapped people must be rescued, power lines restored, and fallen trees removed.
5. Criminals – Looters often steal from closed businesses and abandoned homes. Pray for people looking for opportunities to steal.
6. Churches – Pray for churches to provide physical, emotional and spiritual support for communities that will rebuild after the storm.  Also pray for churches to share God’s love and the Gospel with people that are depressed.
7. Businesses – Pray for business owners and new entrepreneurs to survive this economically challenging time. Also pray for people losing their jobs to find new employment and for their financial needs to be met.

Prayer List: Millions of People Struggle With Insomnia

In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety. – Psalm 4:8 NIV

Insomnia is a widespread problem. Wikipedia reports, “Between 10% and 30% of adults have insomnia at any given point in time and up to half of people have insomnia in a given year.”

According to the Sleep Foundation, “Most adults have had some trouble sleeping because they feel worried or nervous, but for some it’s a pattern that interferes with sleep on a regular basis.”

For people struggling with insomnia, there is hope. Proverbs 3:24 says, “When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.”

Prayer List

* Pray for God to give rest to people with physical ailments that interrupt their sleep.
* Pray for God to intervene in the struggles of people worrying about jobs, relationships, and financial matters.
* Pray for people to develop discipline and healthy habits that delay their sleep by watching too much TV or browsing the internet late at night.

Prayer List: 425 Middle Schoolers Committed Suicide in One Year

The Record notes a dangerous trend: “The suicide rate among 10- to 14-year-olds doubled between 2007 and 2014, for the first time surpassing the death rate in that age group from car crashes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2014 alone, 425 middle schoolers nationwide took their own lives.”

Bullying is one of the biggest factors in childhood suicides. According to The Record, “Young students in prior generations left school each afternoon and avoided someone who bullied them until the next day or week. Now, social media allows for bullying 24/7 — and the bully doesn’t even have to be someone the child knows.”

Prayer List

* Pray for depressed and bullied middle schoolers and teenagers to obtain emotional support from their families, friends, neighbors, and churches.
* Pray for the Holy Spirit to comfort depressed students and convict the bullies of the harm they perpetrate.
* Pray for families grieving because a son, daughter, brother or sister committed suicide.
* Pray for parents, teachers and youth ministers to have discernment in how to respond to a suicidal student.

Related Article
Prayer Focus: 265 Active American Soldiers Committed Suicide in 2015

Prayer List: Fighting Between Terrorists and Philippine Government Displaces 300,000 People

Violent conflicts involving terrorists and the Philippine military have created a humanitarian crisis.

According to Associated Press, “At least 258 militants, 65 soldiers and police and 26 civilians have been killed and more than 300,000 villagers have fled from Marawi and outlying towns.”

Mission Network News is reporting that Christian Aid Missions and churches in The Philippines are assisting the new homeless.

Prayer List

* Pray for the displaced to find housing and jobs.
* Pray for churches and ministries to effectively meet the physical and spiritual needs of the displaced.
* Pray for peace to return to the Philippines.
* Pray for the Holy Spirit to comfort the families and friends of people killed in the conflict.
* Pray for the wounds of the injured to heal quickly with minimal pain.
* Pray for the safety of police officers investigating terrorist attacks.
* Pray for the Holy Spirit to convict terrorists of the hatred in their hearts and to draw them to repentance and salvation through Jesus Christ.

Prayer List: 22 Killed in Terrorst Attack Outside Ariana Grande Concert

The London Telegraph reports, “Police and the security services believe they know the identity of the suicide bomber who killed 22 people – including children – in an explosion that tore through fans leaving an Ariana Grande pop concert in Manchester. Last night’s attack also injured at least 59 people.

ISIS takes credit for the attack: “One of the soldiers of the Caliphate was able to place an explosive device within a gathering of the Crusaders in the city of Manchester.”

Prayer List

* Pray for the Holy Spirit to comfort the families and friends of the concert goers killed in Manchester, England.
* Pray for the wounds of the injured to heal quickly with minimal pain.
* Pray for ISIS terrorists to be captured and brought to justice.
* Pray for the safety of government authorities investigating these attacks.
* Pray for the Holy Spirit to convict terrorists of the hatred in their hearts and to draw them to repentance and salvation through Jesus Christ.

Prayer List: Jury Trial for Carra Crouch vs TBN Begins May 1st

In 2012 Carra Crouch, the granddaughter of TBN founders Paul and Jan Crouch, sued the religious TV network for allegedly covering up her rape by failing to report it to the police. The Orange County Register broke the story and reported, “Carra Crouch was not permitted to talk to the police about the incident, and was not permitted to seek the counsel of any third parties or sex abuse counselors at the time, and has suffered severe emotional distress as a result, according to the suit.”

The case goes to trial on May 1st, 2017 and can be tracked through the Superior Court of Orange County website.

Case Number: 30-2012-00577733
Year Filed: 2012

Prayer List

* Pray for the jurors hearing hear this case to have discernment and to decide the case in an honest and fair manner.
* Pray for the Holy Spirit to convict Carra, John Casoria, the attorneys, and expert witnesses on both sides of any falsehoods they may have shared regarding this incident.
* Pray for reconciliation and repentance in the courtroom.
* Pray for emotional healing for victims of sexual assault.

Prayer List: 49 Dead Following Terrorist Attacks on Two Coptic Churches

CNN reports, “At least 49 people were killed in bombings at two churches in Tanta and Alexandria, the latest sectarian attacks one of the country’s most imperiled religious minorities.” ISIS admits planning the Sunday attack on Coptic Christians in Egypt. The Egyptian government responded by adopting a three-month state of emergency.

Prayer List

* Pray for the families, friends and coworkers mourning the deaths of the Coptic believers.
* Pray for the Holy Spirit to comfort the afflicted in Egypt.
* Pray for the wounds of the injured to heal quickly with minimal pain.
* Pray for ISIS terrorists to be captured and brought to justice.
* Pray for the safety of government authorities investigating these attacks.
* Pray for the Holy Spirit to convict terrorists of the hatred in their hearts and to draw them to repentance and salvation through Jesus Christ.

Prayer List: 13 Church Members Killed in Wreck

The members of First Baptist Church of New Braunfels, Texas are gathering today “to worship our Lord, glorify Him and love and comfort one another at our weekly Sunday morning worship service.” On March 29th thirteen members of its senior choir were killed in a wreck. The church has set up the Tragedy Relief Fund to help the families affected by this wreck.

Sources:

First Baptist Church of New Braunfels
Baptist Press

Prayer List

* Pray for the Holy Spirit to comfort the families and friends of the deceased.
* Pray for healing for the two survivors.
* Pray for the church to minister to its emotionally hurting members.
* Pray for God to do the miraculous and turn sadness into joy.