40 Days – For What Purpose?
The month of Elul, which leads up to the Fall Feasts (aka the High Holy Days), has traditionally been for the Jewish side of YHVH’s family a time for cleaning our slate, for self-assessment, to look at our own behaviors over the past year and to repent and seek forgiveness as needed for any places where we have “missed the mark.”
The idea is that when we reach Yom Teruah (the Feast of Shofars/Trumpets), after the thirty days of Elul and self-assessment, we will be primed for the ten days then leading up to Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement). Thus, making 40 days of self-examination, repentance, and turning our lives toward loving YHVH and loving each other.
The goal of repentance has always been a lasting manifestation of personal change. However, for many, “repentance” suggests only the emotions and actions associated with remorse, regret, and sorrow; not necessarily anything about actually changing one’s direction and patterns of living.
Following on the heels of the last two years, we find ourselves in yet another historic year of global uncertainties. To apply the processes of self-assessment, prayer, repentance, and personal change is essential. So, its purpose, these 40 Days, is to push us past our emotions to the depths of our hearts to affect a true change which then radiates back to our surface to affect, not just our intimate world and relationship with YHVH, but also continue to radiate out to the greater world we live in.
So it is again this year, that we offer this daily devotional guide of 40 Days of Personal Change.
May you be richly blessed as you pursue your relationship with YHVH.
Day 35 – Thank You
Is it just me or does the day start early, end late, and in between moves full speed ahead? We were on the…
Day 34 – Approaching the King
I love Psalm 139. In this chapter, Yahweh is saying that He knows each of us intimately. He knows when we sit, when…
Day 33 – The King
Here in the U.S., we don’t know the impact, importance, or significance of having a king. As you will recall, the Children of…
Day 32 – Sacred Covenants
We have been reviewing the book, The Blood Covenant, by H. Clay Trumbull. The first half of the book has been uncomfortable reading….
Day 31 – The Where and When of Home
Genesis 47:28-50:26, 24:1-9; 1 Kings 2:1-12; Exodus 10:8-10; Jeremiah 29:1-14;Â John 4:1-4; Acts 7:15-16; Romans 1:18-32; 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 There is a difference between…
Day 29 – Drawing Near
We know the invitation is coming for the most important event in the year. We have much anticipation and excitement is growing. Preparations…
Day 27 – Teshuva
We are now in the 40 days approaching the fall feasts and I have been participating in a study of Teshuva. What does…
Day 25 – Preparing to be Near Yah
As in any relationship, there are times when one will feel distant from their loved one. I have found that when this happens…
Day 24 – Our Kitchen Table
We love our kitchen. It is the center of our home and our favorite gathering place. Many wonderful and satisfying creations come from…
Day 23 – Surrendering Our Hearts: Preparing to be Near to Yahweh
In our pursuit of drawing near to Yahweh, the Creator of the universe, it is crucial to understand that the core of our…
Day 22 – Devotion
If someone comes to your house to visit you, they don’t attempt to walk through the wall—they look for the door. To enter…
Day 21 – Drawing Near
What does it mean to “draw near” to Yah/God? I am reminded of the priests and Levites in the time of the tabernacle….
Day 20 – Embracing Yahweh’s Love: Beyond Perceived Worth
Am I worthy to be near Yahweh? It is a question that has surely haunted the hearts of countless individuals throughout history. The…
Day 19 – Is It Possible?
I grew up with Christian values and traditions in a small village, population 300. Three churches were built to accommodate three different denominations….
Day 18 – The Act of Gratefulness
In my forward spiral through life I’ve come around yet again to a place of feeling overwhelmed. Waves of poor me wash in…
Day 17 – Water
Most of us are aware of the vital importance of water to our ability to sustain life. Our physical bodies are about two-thirds…
Day 16 – Drawing Near to Yahweh: Steps to Deepen Your Relationship
Drawing near to Yahweh is a desire that resides in the hearts of many. Fortunately, the path to closeness with Yahweh is within…
Day 15 – Party Time!
I don’t know about you, but when it is party time I clean the house, set out special dishes, create special foods, decorate…
Day 14 – Transferred Peace
While purging files today we came across notes we had made during a BYNA leadership discussion after the passing of Frank Houtz, of…
Day 13 – Repentance: The First Step in Drawing Near to Yahweh
Repentance, a word often associated with remorse and guilt, holds a deeper significance within the context of our relationship with Yahweh. In the…
Day 12 – The Art of Consecration
Leviticus 6:8-8:36; Jeremiah 7:21-8:3, 9:23-24; Malachi 3:4-4:6; Luke 9:57-62; 2 Timothy 2:1-13; Hebrews 7:5-10; 1 Peter 2:1-11 I was struggling to be a…
Day 11 – Drawing Near
The Bible is filled with puzzling paradoxes. There are many examples of this in scripture and understanding requires thorough study and examination of…
Day 10 – Experiencing God’s Kindness: A Path to Repentance
In a world filled with distractions and challenges, it’s easy for us to overlook the importance of our spiritual lives. Seeking a close…
Day 9 – Our Walk with God
One of the paradoxes of the human experience concerns our penchant to want something and yet do little or nothing to obtain it….
Day 8 – Spirit of Truth
My Creator, The Mighty One of Israel, invited me to have a relationship with him. Â I accepted His invitation, and our relationship began….
Day 7 – Temporary Home
Hebrews 13:14-15, “For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come. Therefore, let us…
Day 6 – To Know and Be Known
What does it mean to know? In today’s culture, it may mean a variety of things … to know one’s name – like…
Day 5 – Spiritual Insight
My spiritual insight seems to be nourished when I pause long enough to observe what is taking place within and around me. Perhaps…
Day 4 – The Goodness of God
Recently I woke up with a song going through my mind. The words “All my life You have been faithful. All my life…
Day 3 – But What If He Doesn’t?
Leviticus 12:1-15:33; 2 Kings 5:1-19, 7:3-20; Job 13:15-16; Luke 4:14-30; 1 Corinthians 15:12-28; Hebrews 3:23-28 Many of the people I have known who…
Day 2 – Drawing Close to God through His Kindness
Romans 2:4 states, “God’s Kindness leads you to repentance.” These words encapsulate a profound truth about our relationship with the Divine. As human…
Day 1 – Do We Know What We Want?
I’ve heard the idea expressed that “…sometimes we want something until we get it, but then we don’t want it anymore.” That phrase…
2023 – A New Year of 40 Days of Personal Change
Sometimes when we’re around a thing for a while – like a bag of miscellaneous items we’ve cleaned off a countertop and set…
