The National Day of Prayer in America was established by Harry Truman in 1952, significantly 66 years ago.  This year the theme is “Pray for America; UNITY!”  I believe that theme is God’s heart for sure.  The scripture reference is Ephesians 4:3:

“Make ever effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through peace.”

As our nation’s motto is “In God We Trust”, and “One Nation Under God,”  it is no accident that God chose one of America’s leaders to institute a National Day of Prayer. Our forefathers understood the Covenant God made with Abraham and the amazing fulfillment of that Covenant through the sacrifice of Christ.  Being guided by the Holy Spirit, they landed here in the “appointed place” where Jesus was honored as king at it’s inception, and the Word was the guiding force in establishing this nation’s foundation.

AMERICA means, “the heavenly kingdom,” coming from the root word “amer” meaning “heavenly,” and “rica” meaning “kingdom.” “The United States” is translated as follows: “The” means “God’s or owned by God,” “United” means “greater,” and “States” means “estate.” If you put those all together, they mean “GOD’S GREATER ESTATE OF THE HEAVENLY KINGDOM.” The name of America reveals her identity and confirms this land’s purpose as well found in 2 Sam. 7:10:

“Moreover, I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own and move NO MORE, nor shall the sons of wickedness oppress them anymore, as previously.”

Unfortunately, our nation did not adopt ALL of God’s blueprint from it’s conception. Because of the parts we chose NOT to follow, but instead created our “own ways,” we opened up doors for the iniquitous roots system to get a foothold in our government, and for FREEDOM (which is America’s core value) to be redefined with each generation.  Thankfully, God gave us an antidote:

“If My people who are called by My name will HUMBLE themselves, and PRAY and SEEK My face, and TURN from their wicked ways, THEN I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and HEAL their land” (2 Chron.7:14).

Every Christian praying for our nation and standing in the gap for God’s grace and mercy is a part of the process God has established to see His Kingdom Come and His will be done on the earth (Matt. 6:9-13).  Our nation believed in the atonement of the blood of Jesus from it’s birth, and dedicated it to Him and to God’s service to share His good news.  This alone breaks the cycle of national destruction that caused the Israelites to be “cut off” from the Old Covenant promises God made due to their sin and rebellion (Jer. 3:8).

Through the New Covenant, it not our ability to perform and meet the standards of the Covenant that will save us.  It is in Lord fulfilling the Covenant in Himself.  For this reason, we are so thankful for His grace and mercy, because He will not forsake us, but will return to reign over the nations.

“Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God” (Rev. 19:15).

Over the years since her birth, America has resembled the characteristics of King Saul’s reign.  Saul was one chosen to lead the nation, but he did it many times in his own strength, way, and timing.  The “fear of God”  was missing from His leadership.  All throughout the Bible, those in leadership who were “lukewarm” led the nation into idolatry and sin, resulting in judgment and consequences.  As a result, the nation would lose their influence and authority over the enemy.

Even America in her best days still fell short of ruling righteously.  But the closer we are getting toward the Lord’s return, we are beginning to understand that we cannot rule in our own strength because we don’t have the FULLNESS OF GOD to do it.  It will ONLY be through Christ coming back to the earth, taking His rightful position as King, will ALL things come into alignment with God’s blueprint. The earth will then begin to experience the fullness of His glory and restoration.

“I will declare the decree:  The Lord has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.  As of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession” (Psalm 2:7,8).

BUT, the question today is, is the National Day of Prayer in God’s Blueprint?  

The simple answer to that question is YES!  It is found in the blueprint of the Feast Calendar.  The National Day of Prayer is the heart and purpose of the “Day of Atonement.”

“This shall be an everlasting statute for you, to make atonement for the children of Israel, for all their sins, once a year” (Lev. 16:34).

America has had the right idea in establishing a day set apart for prayer. But we missed the mark by establishing it on a day apart from God “appointed” time.  This is the familiar pattern we see in the Bible through Jeroboam, who became the leader over the ten tribes of the  “House of Israel,” deciding to establish his own date and place to celebrate the Feasts.

“Jeroboam ordained a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month (The Feast of Tabernacles blueprint of celebration is in the seventh month), like the feast that was in Judah, and offered sacrifices on the altar” (1 Kings 12:32).

Even though we are not following the date God chose to repent as a nation, God has and still does honor our hearts in coming together to pray and seek Him.  It is powerful when the President of the United States stands and declares God’s Word and asks for God’s blessings to come, and to forgive our nation for our sins.  These national moments of prayer have kindled the fire each year of God’s purpose and heart in establishing America’s tapestry, “crowned thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea.”

BUT,  the day is coming, that we will come together as a nation to honor the “appointed time” God chose for us to corporately pray and repent because it is a part of God’s governmental blueprint.  And when we shift and line up with His SET time, we will see breakthrough and healing in this land like never before because we will be in UNITY WITH HIS SET TIME AND PURPOSE IN COMING TOGETHER.

The blueprint of the Day of Atonement is the national day of repentance, and the only day of the year God required fasting.   The “High Priest” would go into the Holy of Holies once a year beyond the veil and “atone for the sins of the nation.”

“Also the tenth day of this seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement.  It shall be a holy convocation (dress rehearsal); you shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire to the Lord” (Lev. 23:27).

This atonement of course was already done for everyone though Christ’s sacrifice.  So because we who believe in Christ, we can boldly go into the “Holy of holies” and stand in the gap for our nation who is still being led by many who don’t have Christ, nor follow His ways.

“Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled for an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.  And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the DAY approaching” (Heb. 9:19-25).

Our President, who God selected, is the man God used today to release our nation into the “holy of holies” to ask God’s grace and mercy.  As we usher Jesus back to His Kingdom here on earth to take His rightful position at the HEAD of government of ALL nations, we will ALL fall in line with the blueprint of the Day of Atonement with Christ. But until then, we honor the leader God has put in position for our nation.

“We take this step because we know, that in solving the many, many problems and our great challenges, faith is more powerful than government and nothing is more powerful than God,” (Quote from President Trump today).

 Repentance is a turning away (180 degrees) from what you were doing, thinking, and saying, to what God says to do, think, or say. When the leader humbled himself and chose to follow the path of righteousness, justice, and God’s ways of government, the nation was restored.  Truly, it benefits us all to pray for our leader.

“AMERICA!  AMERICA!  God shed His grace on thee.”  For the blood that was shed, and the mercy that has been extended to us, we cry out to God and thank Him for His faithfulness to restore each of us individually, but also nationally.  And hopefully in our lifetime, we will see this nation adopt the Day of Atonement as our National Day of Prayer.

“GOD BLESS THE USA!”

“But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool” (Heb. 10:12,13).