40 Day Transitions

40 days is symbolic of many things in scripture, the two most common examples are: the flood when the skies poured forth rain for 40 days and 40 nights and Yashua in the wilderness for 40 days and nights. Other examples include Moses on the Mount with YHVH for 40 days and nights; the 12 spies of Israel sent to search out the promised land for 40 days; for 40 days the Philistine, Goliath taunted Saul and his army; Elijah when he was fed by the angel of YHVH went in the strength of that food for 40 days to the mount of Horeb; YHVH tells Ezekiel to lie on his right side for the house of Judah for 40 days; Jonah prophesies that Nineveh will be overthrown in 40 days; Yashua was seen for 40 days after his resurrection from the dead; all of these examples of 40 involve transition – a passage from one state, stage, subject, or place to another: CHANGE. When Steve and I decided to split our efforts this fall festival season we did not realize that from the day he left for Israel until the day he gets on the plane to return to the US would be 40 days.


Jeremiah 6:16 says: Thus says YHVH, “Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; and you shall find rest for your souls.”

Yashua said in Matthew 11:28-30: Come unto Me all you that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

At the turn of this new century I laid down my counseling ministry when it became apparent to me that I was learning and practicing the “good” methods of man instead of seeking out the “best” revelations of YHVH. I finally found myself in the place of the disciples who asked Yashua, “why couldn’t we cast it out?” Yashua’s response is so revealing, “this kind comes out only by prayer.” In other words – Shirley’s translation - YHVH is Light, He invites us to dwell in His Light, darkness cannot abide in His Light. It’s all about relationship. Have I allowed the Ruach haKodesh to transform my life from darkness to Light? Have I allowed myself to be refined as silver is refined until there is no dross left? The spirit of Elijah is stirring across the land, turning the hearts of the children back to the hearts of their fathers – Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This is the ancient path, this is where rest is, this is the revelation of Yashua haMeshiach, He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

When I lost most of my hearing in my left ear last year while we were in Israel, the Ruach communicated to me that this was going to be a time to learn to hear with spiritual ears, I will be physically limited as to what I can hear verbally, but as I listen to the Ruach I will hear in the Spirit. I confess that this has been a difficult and frustrating journey. I want to hear with my physical ears what is being spoken and that is not possible for me in crowded, noisy settings and sometimes even in quiet places. I know people who have hearing lose understand. So, in the very noisy Jerusalem Marketplace, a woman I did not know comes up to my table and says, “You do inner-healing prayer, I need you to pray for me about my sister.”

I had come to this Sukkot to speak for the Women’s Luncheon, to offer our CD’s in the marketplace, and be generally refreshed – that was my plan. At this Feast of Tabernacles I found myself, quite frankly, in a place I never expected, people out of the blue coming and asking for inner-healing prayer and counsel.

“What do I do, Abba?”

My mind began reviewing all the old techniques that I had laid down so long ago – she was so expectant, I was catching odd little snippets of her need, while my mind was carrying on a conversation with the Ruach that went a little like this; “I can’t really hear her, we are in the Marketplace with people all around and she is pouring out her desperation and I have nothing for her. Why now, why here, how did she even know me. Remember, I don’t do this anymore.”

Then that gentle, comforting, but firm with insistence, voice of the Ruach comes tumbling over the distractions of my mind, “Hear her spirit, listen to her with your spiritual ears.”

“Oh, it’s not about me is it?” “Okay then, what are YOU saying?”

She later told me that she hadn’t come for herself and hadn’t even realize that she had a need, but what happened was just what she needed and such a great peace and comfort now filled her soul. I caught glimpses of her from time to time during the remainder of the feast and she was changed, from what I first perceived in her – sorrow and fear – to hope, contentment and joy, and it wasn’t because of any technique I employed. The Ruach did the work of transformation; I was just the vessel He chose to pour Himself through to her. If this had happened once during the feast I would have said, what a blessing to be so used and left it at that, but this scenario kept repeating itself during the 7 days of the feast. What this means I have confidence that YHVH will keep His promise of Psalm 138:8; “YHVH will accomplish what concerns me; thy loving kindness O YHVH is everlasting; do not forsake the works of thy hands.”

YHVH is doing a new thing in the earth; He is positioning His people for great exploits. So the question is; are we willing to cross over from familiar to unfamiliar; from what we know to what we don’t, where we are comfortable to uncomfortable? Shaking what can be shaken seems to be how YHVH most often works in the lives of men when He has a transition ready for us. Are you being shaken? Then look for the transition and welcome it, embrace it for the Master’s sake. The rewards are beyond description!

Sorry there are no pictures of the beautiful Feast of Tabernacles or Israel, but our camera has retired and we have need of a new one.  If anyone would like to help us with this need we would be much appreciative!
Bless you!