Prayer News | Where Christians Pray Through the News
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Prayer List: Mass Starvation Killing Hundreds of Venezuelan Children


Venezuelan selling food in 2012, before the oil prices dropped and the economy failed.

In a heartbreaking news article, The New York Times reports that in 2018 almost 400 Venezuelan children died from starvation at nine public hospitals following emergency room visits.

Dr. Livia Machado told The Times, “Never in my life had I seen so many hungry children.” Dr. Milagros Hernández describes the tragic conditions of her patients, “Children arrive with the same weight and height of a newborn.

Prayer List

* Pray for Venezuela’s starving citizens to receive the food and nutrients they need for physical health.
* Pray for the Holy Spirit to comfort the parents and siblings of children grieving the loss of family members.
* Pray for the physical, emotional and spiritual health of parents, doctors, nurses and other care givers struggling at this time.
* Pray for Venezuela’s political leaders to change their destructive economic policies or be replaced by politicians that will pursue policies that would rebuild the economy.

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Prayer List: Stampede Kills


A graduation celebration turned into a nightmare when a fight began and a tear gas canister exploded. 500 people were in the Venezuelan club in Caracas and 17 died during the ensuing stampede to escape. The Associated Press reports, “Family members wept and embraced one another after identifying the remains of their loved ones at a nearby hospital.”

Prayer List

* Pray for the Holy Spirit to comfort the families and friends of the deceased.
* Pray for physical healing for the five people injured in the incident.
* Pray for the teenagers detained for allegedly using tear gas in the club to repent of their sins.
* Pray for Christians to provide emotional support for the people impacted by the explosion and stampede.

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Prayer List: Ten Pastors and Spouses Killed in Plane Crash



A jet crash in Cuba killed more than 100 people Friday. The BBC reports the crash was “the country’s worst air disaster in decades.” A group of ten pastors and spouses were among the jet fatalities. According to the Church of the Nazarene website, ” … several children, adolescents, and young are left orphans without their fathers and mothers. Some of them have no extended family.”

Prayer List

* Pray for the Holy Spirit to comfort the families and friends of the deceased.
* Pray for healing for the three survivors.
* Pray for guardians to take care of the children who lost their parents.

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Prayer List: 82 Politicians Murdered in Mexico


 

Mexico’s drug cartels are at war killing their political opposition. According to Reuters,  “At least 82 candidates and office holders have been killed since the electoral season kicked off in September, making this the bloodiest presidential race in recent history …”

The news service also reports, ” Cartels with names like Los Ardillos (The Squirrels) and Los Tequileros (The Tequila Drinkers) are fighting there over extortion rackets and control of heroin and cocaine smuggling.”

Prayer List

* Pray for the Holy Spirit to comfort the families and friends of Mexico’s murder victims.
* Pray for justice on behalf of the victims.
* Pray for members of the drug gangs and cartels to leave behind their lives of crime and to seek honest employment.
* Pray for politicians to practice discernment and to glorify God by following the golden rule.
* Pray for the Gospel to change the hearts of Mexico’s criminals and for salvation to come to men and women with hardened hearts.
* Pray for safety for judges, juries, witnesses, attorneys, reporters and honest police officers pursuing justice.

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Prayer List: 17 Killed in School Massacre


Sheriff Scott Israel announced Wednesday, “I’m saddened to say that 17 people lost their lives.” The Orlando Sentinel reported, “Fifteen victims died at the school. Seventeen victims were taken to four area hospitals, and two of those victims died at the hospital.” Police are holding former student Nikolas Cruz as the sole suspect for the Valentine’s Day massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

According to Time Magazine, “It also marked the 18th school shooting of 2018 for the United States.”

Prayer List

* Pray for the Holy Spirit to comfort the families, friends and acquaintances of the deceased. Pray for their emotional and spiritual health as they deal with grief and loss.
* Pray for speedy healing for the fifteen injured.
* Pray for people to compassionately reach out to mentally ill, depressed and angry students that are considering violent attacks on their classmates.

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Prayer List: 25,339 Mexicans Murdered


The Day of the Dead is symbolic of Mexico’s culture of death.

Reuters reported, “There were more than 25,000 murders across drug-ravaged Mexico in 2017, the highest annual tally since modern records began, government data showed.”

Americans buying illegal drugs, help fund the cartels and gangs that are blamed for the devastatingly destructive violence in Mexico.

Prayer List

* Pray for the Holy Spirit to comfort the families and friends of Mexico’s murder victims.
* Pray for justice on behalf of the victims.
* Pray for members of the drug gangs and cartels to leave behind their lives of crime and to seek honest employment.
* Pray for the Gospel to change the hearts of Mexico’s criminals and for salvation to come to men and women with hardened hearts.
* Pray for safety for judges, juries, witnesses, attorneys, reporters and honest police officers pursuing justice.

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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.

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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.

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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.
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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.