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Remembering Our Lessons and Our Blessings
Angus and Batya Wootten
Our forefathers humbled their hearts and bowed low when they worshiped their Creator. With this idea in mind, it was our desire to explore the greater meaning of worship in our recent ARIse to Worship Gathering in Orlando, and we were not disappointed.
Many friends brought a variety of enlightening teachings and worship ministers led the way in corporate worship.
We learned that true worship must first begin in the heart. It is not simply a matter of dancing and singing songs, but of first acknowledging YHVH as the Awesome One, the One Who is most worthy of our worship.
We saw that true worship can, should, and even must happen to us in many personal ways. Worship is hard to define. It happens naturally when we see the Holy One at work in our lives and we are in awe, His greatness causes us in some way to bow low that He might be lifted up.
People told us that with their enlarged vision of the meaning of personal worship, they felt much more free about entering into corporate worship in song. As Ken Rank pointed out in his message (see his article below), many are restricted by their limited understanding of the meaning of worship.
Angus brought out that true worship is a bit like a date with your sweetheart: you can do all the right things, but what is most important is that you focus on her. If you simply go through the motions and she does not feel that you have a sincere desire to be with her, the motions won’t matter.
Yah is looking for a personal relationship, for personal interaction with each one of us. When we truly enter into that type of relationship with Him, true natural worship blossoms forth in our lives.
It is those personal experiences that we carry with us into times of corporate worship, and they make us more ready to enter into it.
In addition to learning about worship, we heard a stirring message from Israeli Tour Guide, Hanoch Young. He is an Orthodox Jew who leads Tours, loves Ephraim, and encourages him in his call – and – Abba willing, he will be back with us next year. Hanoch also will be in the States in November. If you would like to have him speak to your fellowship, please contact him here:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kol-Yehuda-Hanochs-Israel/299575096840735
We were also blessed with a basic reading lesson by Israeli Hebrew teacher, Dr. Michael Michael. He too will be back next year, and we will offer his foundational class at two different times, so more of you can be blessed with his easy reading course.
In our Marketplace we had a variety of vendors. Among them was Sabra Style with her beautiful Tent that is chock full of Israeli items. A fine array of elegant custom made jewelry was offered by Israeli Jeweler Moshe Ozery. He too, loves Ephraim, sees his place in Israel’s restoration and offers exquisite jewelry pieces that tell the story of our restoration – such as, a finely detailed piece with twin olive trees and a Menorah as spoken of in Zechariah. You can contact Moshe here:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Mojudaica?ref=search_shop_redirect
One of the things people often commented on was the wonderful way our worship ministers flowed together and helped each other. Their humble attitudes ministered greatly to the people. And, we feel blessed to report that we received David and Faith Jones of Ruach Ministries International, Brandon, FL, as our newest ARI Shepherds. Many in their fellowship were a great help to us, as was Elizabeth Greenhill and team, who worked tirelessly to feed our volunteers.
We also want to mention the much appreciated works of both Len and Debbie West (Registration) and our beloved Daniel and Sylvia Calderon. We believe we are witnessing an on-going miracle in Daniel’s life. Not long ago his health prognosis was not good, and yet, he was like an Energizer Bunny in the way that he was everywhere, doing anything and everything that needed to be done to make our Gathering a success. We are forever indebted to you, Daniel, and Sylvia!!
If you want to help Daniel and Sylvia, please remember the drop down contribution menu on our Home Page: www.redeemedisrael.com
Also remember the special WDYD – WWYD T-shirt they offer. All of the funds go directly to them. It’s an intriguing conversation starter, so order your shirts today! “What Did Yeshua Do?” is printed on the front, and “What Will You Do” is printed on the back.
https://redeemedisrael.com/products/wdyd-shirt-special/
So many did so much to help make our Gathering a success. John and Kiah Conrad did an awesome “Experiential Teaching” about the Tabernacle and Worship. Bill Cloud made us feel like the “Cloud was on the move” again. It felt like we were in the wilderness and that it was time to move on! Drs. Alex and Georgina blessed us with their balanced and informative teachings about Israel and DNA. The worship ministers led us in worship plus they taught invaluable lessons. Maria Marty and Nebby and Dee Gomez ministered to our Spanish speaking friends. Steven and Ashley Murphy worked tirelessly to bless our children with meaningful programs. The different dance teams blessed us and the youth at Ruach Ministries made the truth about the Dry Bones and the Two Sticks of Ezekiel come alive in dance – with the help of Jose Vasallorex as Messiah Yeshua!
If you name or contribution is not mentioned here, please know that we are nonetheless very grateful to you for your invaluable help. And our grateful “thank you” goes to all who attended the gathering. Without you, we would have nothing.
Audio tapes of the various messages are now available, and we hope to soon finish editing the Video tapes.
If you have pictures or videos that you want to share for our Events Memories Page, please send them to: info@redeemedisrael.com
Please keep us in prayer: We were powerfully blessed spiritually with our Gathering, but we did come up short financially. Pray also that we might clearly hear the Father’s hearts desire for us for next year.
Shalom, Shalom,
Angus and Batya
The Hebraic Aspects of Worship Begins with a Hebraic Heart
by Shoshana Swedlund
The following message was presented at the beginning of our 2013 ARIse to Worship Gathering in Orlando. We feel that it well represents the spirit of what we were taught by our many teachers and what we experienced with our Worship Ministers.
The Prophet Yechezk’el/Ezekiel, a mouthpiece of YHVH Elohim, tells us that there are two sticks which will become one stick in the Father YHVH’s hand. On one stick is written the name Yehudah/Judah; on the other stick is written the name, Ephraim. When the two sticks become one, on that stick will be written: Yisrael.
Do you remember when the Ruach haKodesh first opened your eyes to that revelation? When you first read, “Who is Israel?” or “Redeemed Israel” by Batya? It was life-changing! There was a paradigm shift in our thinking! Our eyes were finally being opened to see our way back to the Ancient Paths. We now desire to have our Greek minds transformed to Hebraic minds. And YHVH is faithfully restoring so very much to us. He is opening our eyes to wonderful things from His Torah. We are learning His true name and the name of the Mashiach, the Messiah. We praise and worship to blessed Messianic music; our dance has its roots in Israeli folkdance; we have returned to the Shabbats and YHVH’s Moedim, His appointed Times/Feasts; many of us are learningLaShon haKodesh, Hebrew, the Holy language of the prophets. ALL of these are wondrous and awesome restorations for us. So – what is it that keeps us as two sticks rather than one? Even with all of this restoration, we know that we are still Two Sticks. What is it that keeps us apart, that separates us?
We do know that ultimately the oneness must be in YHVH’s timing. We cannot make it happen. But there are aspects for which we must be responsible.
So – if all of the above does not constitute a “Hebraic Heart” – then what does? Most certainly a Hebraic Heart is a heart that is returning to the Ancient Paths spoken of by Yirmeyahu/Jeremiah in Chapter 6:16. It is a returning to the obedience to YHVH’s Righteous Instructions called Torah. This is of vital importance.
Then why is there separation?
That which continues to separate us is pride, the pride that entered the heart of man in Gan Eden, the Garden of Eden.
One Hebrew word for pride is gevah, which means “to lift up, arrogance.” Pride, lifting up/exalting ourselves, having our own plans and our own ways, results in separation between us and our Elohim, separation between husband and wife, between parents and children, between others in our congregations, separation between the House of Judah and the House of Ephraim. It causes a deep rift, a chasm that cannot be bridged, but must be removed. It is removed by t’shuvah, repentance, turning from our own “lifting up and arrogance.” Repentance should result in shachah in Hebrew, a bowing low, head to the ground in total and absolute surrender to the will and commandments of our Creator and Master. Both Houses and every individual within each of those Houses, must shachah – bow low.
All that is not of YHVH must be “plucked up, broken down, destroyed and overthrown,” so that YHVH can then build and plant (Yirmeyahu 1:10). We have so often tried to plant amongst the weeds, thinking we will have a great harvest. The harvest will not be abundant until there is cultivated ground – the soil of our hearts must be plowed up and free from the “weeds” of our ancestors, the “weeds” of our choices in life, the “weeds” of religion, the “weeds” of Greek thinking and living. Until the “weeds” are removed, we will not have an abundant harvest and the harvest of our worship will be tainted and not pure worship. In due time, YHVH’s time, the humble will be lifted up (1 Kefa/1 Peter 5:6) YHVH will then be able to use us as cleansed, purified and refined vessels, vessels that He has prepared to contain His love and power that will flow from us to a dead and dying world. Why have we not seen the “greater works” that Yeshua spoke of? Because our hearts remain clogged with “weeds” and the flow of His power is but a trickle.
Mayim Chayim, Living Water, will flow forth from cleansed, “weed- free” vessels and that will empower men, women and children to walk out Life on planet earth and Life for all eternity. To be One Stick, One People, Am Echad, we must “shachah,” bow low and stay low. It is a choice, a choice that must begin within each of us. It is a decision of the heart, the soul, where our will resides. When we have set our wills in submission to our Master, then humility and worship will manifest in our outward being. Humility must be woven into the very fabric of our being. It must be our character. Our Master Yeshua humbled Himself in obedience to the point of laying down and sacrificing His Life. His Ruach, His Set-Apart Spirit, dwells within us to empower us for a life of humility. To strive to be humble is only to encourage the flesh and will result in a false humility, which is… pride in disguise (See Yochanan 2:16; Mishlei 16:18).
This is a time, a season, where there can be no phoniness – before YHVH or before others. We must be genuine, with no veneer. The people of the world can spot a phony in a moment. It is crucial for our lives, the lives of our families, the lives of those in darkness and our lives as One Stick in YHVH’s hand, to restore our hearts to humility. This is the Hebraic Heart. From the Hebraic Heart will flow all of the aspects of Hebraic Worship.
As we bind chesed v’emet, covenant lovingkindness and Truth, around our necks – we will be one with the Father and one with each other.To A.R.I.se to Worship – we must first, as a people, Redeemed Israel, “shachah” – bow low.
NDD: Narrow Definition Disorder
by Ken Rank
The following message was presented by Ken Rank at ARIse to Worship.
When I was asked to speak at the A.R.I. Gathering (Alliance of Redeemed Israel), my initial response was, “Thank you, but no.” The topic was worship, and I simply did not feel comfortable enough speaking on this topic. I now know why I was uncomfortable; I was suffering from a disorder, one which plagues many within the faith; I call it NDD, or Narrow Definition Disorder.
My idea of worship was tied solely to praise. Two different words, two different meanings, but like faith and belief, we tend to use praise and worship interchangeably. Our definitions are too narrow. We go to our congregation and most begin with a time of “Praise and Worship.” Thus the definition seemed at least to me, tied to the idea of raising hands, singing, dancing, playing an instrument, or even blowing a shofar. And while these things are a part of worship, what they are really doing, is reflecting the underlying core concept of this most dynamic word.
In Hebrew the word is שׁחה (shachah – Strong’s # H7812). This word carries a concept that is better seen than explained, but I will do my best to paint a picture for you. There are three main pictures of shachah:
1. To bend the knee
2. To bow
3. To prostrate oneself (lay flat)
When we see our Jewish brothers bending and bowing as they pray, that is a literal rendering of shachah. At some point we have either laid out flat on our faces in prayer or seen others do the same. That would be the idea of prostrating oneself and, like bending and bowing, a literal rendering of shachah. This is worship as it is defined, in a literal sense, as the many lexicons and dictionaries share this word. Yet from these actions we find a greater meaning: submission.
When we bow to God we are lowering our torso, making ourselves smaller to Him who is greater. The same is true with the bending of the knee. When we bend we shorten ourselves making Him, at least in our hearts, larger. And that is obviously also the case when prostrating ourselves, we are getting as low as we can because we are exalting God as highly as we can.
We can see from this that worship is bi-directional, meaning it goes two ways. We aren’t just lowering ourselves, we are exalting our God. John the Immerser, in John 3:30, is making a statement that captures this concept, “He must increase so I must decrease.” The idea of submission here becomes evident. When we bow or bend we are acquiescing that He is greater and we are lesser; He is Lord!
Of course, I should point out that while a literal bending and bowing is worship in one sense, we also worship from within. When, in the spirit, we exalt God, it is “as if” we have prostrated ourselves. Psalm 51:17 speaks of God not rejecting a contrite heart, a heart that has collapsed or prostrated itself toward Him.
With this in mind, I can’t help but think about Romans 10:9, which states: “Because if you confess the Lord Yeshua with your mouth, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
This is not the basis for a “repeat after me prayer.” Believe it or not, this is a legal statement. In saying it, we are entering into a covenant relationship with God, a binding agreement sealed in blood! When we confess that Yeshua is “Lord” we are saying, “He is our Master, our Authority, the one we are submitted to.” At this point we are expected to cease living according to what WE THINK is good and acceptable and to begin living according to what God says is good and acceptable. We don’t set the standard, He does. He defines what is good and holy and righteous, while also defining that which we need to avoid. We are to die to the old man, brethren. We die to the Adam in us all, who thought he could choose better than God, and begin living as God desires, as God wills. We do these things because we are submitted to Him and to His will. All that He desires, we now do.
Obedience to God is very much part of worship. Otherwise, we are lord, calling our own shots. We obey because He is Lord, our authority, the one we are submitted to. Yeshua said, “If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). And John wrote, “This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments” (1 John 5:3). Thus, the true essence of worship begins to display itself: Love. We bend and bow and prostrate ourselves, we submit and obey… out of love. We do not “do” to gain favor; we “do” because we love. Anyone can say, “I love you,” but those words mean nothing unless the actions back up the words. We obey because that is how we show God we love Him. He showed us He loved us by giving of Himself for us (the Son); and we engage in true worship in Spirit and Truth, when we submit and walk in His will for us.
Most believers are under the impression that these are the “Days of Elijah.” If true, it is time we return to where we began and resubmit ourselves in whole to the God we serve. Our Father seeks those who worship in Spirit and Truth (John 4:23). If these are the latter days, we stand on the precipice of a great revival, an awakening. To then stand in harmony with God’s prophetic will, we must engage in complete and total shachah! Revival not only begins inside each one of us, it begins on our knees!
A Wonderful Conference Testimony
by Dorothy Wilson
Dear Batya:
My husband Tommy and I had a wonderful time at the Arise to Worship Conference in Orlando. We were blessed by all of the music, workshops, and speakers. And we have a testimony to share about the MIA conference in Maryville, TN in 2011:
I believe it was the last evening of the general session when you called all of the single people up to the front for prayer. You and the prayer team wanted to pray for those who were single, young and old, to fulfill the destiny and call from YHVH. You spoke about some who you had seen at the conference and how you liked to be a matchmaker. Tommy was standing in front of me when you turned your head our way as you spoke. You mentioned something about new relationships beginning at MIA this year and then returning next year.
I moved to Summerville, SC from Seattle in April of 2011. I arrived in Summerville and walked into Adat Shalom on Shabbat, April 16th. As my new friend Barbara, (who I met through Mike Clayton) and I walked through the door, a man came up and introduced himself to me. His name was Tommy Wilson. I found out later that this group of people had only been meeting in this facility for about 2 weeks.
I was staying temporarily with my daughter and needed a place to live. One of our congregation members offered a room in her home and we became instant friends. I asked her what she and her husband did for Erev Shabbat, and she didn’t know what I was talking about. They had recently come into Torah in February. She asked me to teach her what I knew. This began a wonderful ministry of dinners in her home for people in our congregation. We would pray about who to invite over for a meal and bless that Friday night.
We decided one week in June to invite the “single” people over. I had been single for 22 years and knew what it was like to be alone on Friday night. That evening Tommy shared his testimony with the group. It was a very powerful testimony and something began to happen… YHVH showed me his heart. I was a bit taken aback by this because many years prior I had resigned myself to being single the rest of my life. I started to have feelings for this man who I hardly knew.
Over the next few weeks we spent time together as a group, going to the beach, Friday night dinners, Shabbat service, Thursday video night, etc. We had a chance to get to know each other and I really began to have strong feelings for Tommy. I had also started journaling when this all began, because I was so unfamiliar with my feelings that I wanted to express them to YHVH. I only told Carla, the woman whose home I was living in, because I wanted to be accountable. Tommy never expressed any interest toward me and I did not want to let on that I had feelings for him.
Tommy began sharing that he was going to the MIA conference in Tennessee over the 4th of July weekend. He encouraged others to attend as well. I wanted to go, but I was living by faith at this point and had no money for registration or lodging. I stood in front of the kitchen sink and prayed. I told Abba that I would like to go, but had no money. If He wanted me to go, He would have to make a way.
Shortly after that Carla came to me and said she would like to pay my way to the conference, and that she and Jake would like to go as well. She spoke to Tommy and asked if we could all ride together. Carla was unable to get the time off from work, so Tommy, Jake and I went. During the 6 hour ride to Maryville, the three of us shared a lot with each other. Tommy said that he was going to the conference for a little “R&R.” He spoke of needing some time to be with the Lord. We arrived at Maryville the night before the conference began and stayed at a hotel. The men napped and I went swimming. When I returned to my room Abba put it on my heart to make a playlist of music to put on my iPod for Tommy. I was instructed to give him the iPod at a certain point during the conference and to make sure to tell him to have about an hour of alone time. This wasn’t an unusual request from Abba to me as I like to make worship music mixes to bless people.
During this whole process, both prior to and during the conference, I journaled. One thing that kept coming up over and over was that I wasn’t to say anything about my feelings for him. If there was ever to be a conversation, he was to initiate it. So I hid my feelings in my heart…
Something happened to Tommy during those 3 days that only he can explain. His roommate Jerry Shockey was pivotal in ministering to him. The music playlist I made for him absolutely broke open the area of his heart that Abba wanted to minster to that weekend.
We drove back to Summerville and had another great time of conversation and fellowship. One week later, Tommy, Carla, a friend Cathy and I went blueberry picking. I had finished picking my blueberries and asked Tommy if I could help him fill up his last bucket. It was at this point that he asked if he could take me out to dinner sometime. I immediately said yes!
The next day Tommy called and asked if I would have dinner with him that night. He arrived at the house to pick me up and was “grilled” by Jake, once he found out that this was a “date” with Tommy! We drove to the restaurant and sat out in the parking lot and talked for an hour. Once in the restaurant we ordered our food. While eating our salad, Tommy asked me a question. I had said something at the MIA conference that had him intrigued, and he wanted to know what I meant by it. I lowered my head and began to pray. Again, I had been journaling and Abba made it clear I was to say nothing of my feelings UNLESS HE INITIATED the conversation. If he initiated, I was instructed to share my heart. I don’t remember what I said or how I said it, but our conversation lasted well into the night.
Tuesday and Wednesday night we spoke in the evening until at least 2am. By Thursday night we had shared many things and realized that something pretty amazing was happening. After our Thursday night video class, Tommy asked me to stay because he wanted to share something with me in person. That night he opened up about what happened to him in Maryville and the healing Abba began in his heart. He then shared something he had never shared with anyone, and it took us to a whole new level in our relationship.
On Sunday I packed a picnic lunch and we went to Charleston. He wanted to show me where he grew up and spent most of his childhood. We had a picnic in Battery Park and shared our hearts even more. That night was our weekly beach night with our friends and we joined them there. He asked to hold my hand while we walked along the beach together. That night on the way home he asked me to marry him! A little over two weeks after returning from the MIA conference, we were in a relationship and he proposed!!
We made a covenant with each other to remain pure until our wedding night. We did not kiss until our wedding day! We got married on September 20, 2011, during our Sukkot celebration!
There is so much more to this story, there are many, many miracles, that happened and continue to happen!
Tommy and I attended the ARI conference this year in Orlando. We were reminiscing about the 2011 conference a few days before we left for Orlando. I got out my journal and began to read. That is when I came across the entry about Batya calling all the singles up to minister to them. Tommy mentioned his roommate Jerry at the 2011 conference, and wondered how he was doing and if he would be in Orlando. When we arrived at the hotel, Tommy got a phone call from Jerry! He had lost Tommy’s number and had just recently come across it. He was very excited to find out we were there as well! We visited with Jerry, who was now married to Peggy as of last year. Jerry and Peggy also got up in Maryville during the prayer for singles!!! I believe they shared their story with you as well.
On a final note, Peggy told me about Kelly Ferrari Mills and her story [who also met at an MIA Conference]. We had the privilege of having lunch with her husband John and he shared their story with us. He told me she wrote a book. I purchased it and just read it yesterday. There are not enough words to express how many of the details she shared in her book also happened to us! I will be writing her as well.
See Chronicles of a Kingdom Courtship by Kelly Ferrari Mills
https://redeemedisrael.com/products/chronicles-of-a-kingdom-courtship/
Thanks again Batya for “listening” to this story. Tommy and I can see how your prophetic word at the 2011 MIA conference was a vital part of the plan YHVH had for us!
Blessings,
Dorothy Wilson
Printable One Year Torah Reading Schedule
Live Weekly Torah Celebration
by PJ Jones and Torah Boat
http://www.torahboat.com/
Read Through the Scriptures in a Year
Scripture Reading Schedule by Natan Lawrence
See all links here: https://redeemedisrael.com/category/commentaries/