The reason nobody on here has been able to make a reply of faith in spirit and truth is cause they don't have it Yeshua wasn't lying the path is narrow. Get ready for the furious rebukes of Abba Yahh brothers and sisters your feasts are going to be turned into mourning and since you wouldn't wake up many of you are stuck asleep for your unworthy communion and increased transgressions. If you could hear please turn the battle back to the gate. Straitisthegate.net and don't hate those rebuking in the gate don't despise prophecy don't be covetous and taken and snared Ezikiel 14 Isaiah 28

Service (diakonia) in Romans 12:7 is not ministry in the sense of occupying a position of clerical authority. That’s an anachronistic interpretation from the more recent sense of a bureaucrat serving the needs of a king or a nation, or a congregational leader serving the needs of his congregation.

Diakonia, as used in the Bible, refers to serving without implying any kind of authority relationship over the one being served. It is much more likely to imply being under authority than being in authority.

SHABBATH HACHODESH (2025)

This coming Sabbath should be Shabbat Hachodesh, the Sabbath which falls each year on or before Rosh Chodesh Aviv – the New Moon of Green Ears. It is used as a time to review the laws of the Pesach (Passover) and prepare for it. It is also a reminder of the imminence of that Rosh Chodesh which YHWH calls “the beginning of months for you.”

The traditional scripture readings for the day are: Shemoth (Exodus)12:1-20 and Yechezqel (Ezekiel) 45:16-46:18. This portion from the prophets, or “haftarah,” on Shabbat Hachodesh describes the sacrifices and observances which will be required in the future third Temple on that day.

Rosh Chodesh Aviv should begin this year on 3/31/2025 at sunset and continue until the following sunset. That means this year’s Pesach Seder should begin just after sunset on 4/13/2025, with the full day of Chag Hamatzoth being 4/14/2025.

However, we would be remiss in not adding a caveat to that prediction: since this year is very much one of those where the Rosh Chodesh Aviv could be either 3/31/2025 or the following day, and the Rosh Chodesh may not be sighted in Yisrael on the 31st, which would defer Rosh Chodesh Aviv to the 4/1/2025, we could be wrong.

If we have to wait an extra day or month for the festival to begin, so be it – we who are observant will, as the prophets say, “Qaveh al YHWH” – Wait upon YHWH. As it is written,

“And Elohim said, ‘Let lights come to be in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and appointed times, and for days and years.’”

In the unlikely event that a new moon is not sighted on 3/31/2025, we will immediately post an update of that on the Min Hazaqen Torah Study Group page to let you know.

In either case, get ready – Passover is soon coming!

FROM THIS WEEK’S TORAH PORTION – THAZRYA:

This week’s Torah portion, Thazria, deals with the subject of ritual purity and impurity, a very difficult spiritual concept for our modern minds to fully comprehend. Following the opening verses concerning the birth of a baby boy or girl and the mother’s subsequent period of purification, which concludes with the bringing of an offering to the Temple, the Torah focuses exclusively on the even more obscure issue of “tzara’at,” a particular type of affliction which causes the appearance of lesions upon one’s flesh, discoloration in one’s garments, or a mold-like discoloration of the stones of one’s house. What are we to make of this?

That tzara’at was a psychosomatic, or spiritual-somatic ailment is made clear by Torah’s assigning of the kohanim (priests) to both diagnose and prescribe the ritual cure for the outbreak of the malady, instead of a physician. The cure involved confession, repentance, immersion in pure, “living waters” and the bringing of an offering to the Temple once the symptoms had disappeared, after which the individual was again permitted to reenter fellowship in a state of purity.

While certain aspects concerning scriptural purity are still relevant to a modern believer’s lifestyle, the majority of the commandments concerning tzara’at are not currently physically applicable, by virtue of the fact that the Temple is currently not standing. Naturally, being deprived of the actual physical application of these laws of purity for two thousand years has made them much more foreign to our modern sensibilities, and are much more difficult to grasp intellectually and spiritually.

So, what does Torah intend by the terms tahara (purity) and tum’a (impurity)? Note that Torah never employs an equivalent of our modern qualifier “ritual” in discussing purity. The modern use of the word ritual in this context is merely an admission of a lack of true understanding. With a true Torah mindset, tahara and tum’a are two spiritual but very real and necessary realities unto themselves.

To put it simply, to be tahor, (in a state of tahara) is to be rightly connected to the life-giving force of the Creator. To be ta’mei, (in a state of tum’a) is to be defiled and disconnected from Elohim’s life-giving energy. The Temple at Jerusalem is the place on earth which YHWH has decreed to be of the highest level of purity. It is there where Elohim’s Presence, known as Shechinah, resides. It is the physical nexus between this world and the heavens, between YHWH and His people. That is why no one can physically enter into the inner Temple courtyards unless they have repented and have been sprinkled by the waters of the ashes of the red heifer, which render them cleansed of any impurity contracted through contact with death.

It is commonly believed that the plague of “tzara’at,” in scripture is the same as modern day leprosy and known as “Hansen’s Disease.” It is not. There are many differences. Hansen’s disease is a wasting disease that eats away the flesh. Tzara’at is somewhat more topical. Also, Hansen’s disease only affects humans, whereas tzara’at can also affect fabrics, hides, and even dwellings. Tzara’at is only found in the pages of scripture now, physically, and is no longer known to be extant in the world. The ancient Jewish sages speculate that this is because YHWH has, in His mercy, suspended the physical effects of this malady until such time that the Temple is once again rebuilt and functioning: With no Temple, there can be no inspection of an infected person by a kohein (priest), and no return to the community for those cured of the disease. This would be a very harsh and, for now, irreparable punishment, and so it is thought that, for a time, YHWH has temporarily suspended the disease from the world. It is easy to believe this is true, for there is not a trace of the disease left anywhere, even though it was once widespread, highly contagious, and no cure for it was ever found. While the physical effects of tzara’at may have been temporarily suspended, its essential cause, Lashon Hara (Evil Speech), is not.

Lashon Hara is speaking negatively of others, being careless, insensitive and hurtful in how we speak of our fellows, either to their faces or behind their backs, and regardless of whether such speech is true, or not. To speak ill of someone, Torah tells us, is a form of murder by diction – character assassination. In Temple times, the speaker of Lashon Hara would immediately come down with a case of tzara’at. His use of evil speech would be exposed and, shameful as that was, he or she would be afforded a path back to purity and rehabilitation. Today, it is much easier to get away with speaking ill of others, as there is no immediate outward penalty for it. However, with proper understanding of the scriptural precepts of Shemirath Halashon (Guarding the Tongue), this archaic, ancient, physically extinct affliction known as tzara’at can seem much less obscure and dubious. In fact, it should hopefully become obvious and horrendous before our eyes. With Spirit-led learning and application of its precepts, Shemirath Halashon should make apparent the power of language, the need to keep our sharp tongues sheathed, and to henceforth speak only life affirming words of positivity whenever possible.

Consider these examples from scripture:

In Parshath Sh’moth, Moshe spoke evil of the people of Yisrael by telling YHWH:

“But behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice; for they will say: ‘YHWH hath not appeared unto thee.’”

In response, YHWH told Moshe:

“Put now thy hand into thy bosom.”

Then when Moshe took his hand back out,

“Behold, his hand was leprous – as white as snow.”

Again, in Parshath Beha’alotka, Miriam spoke out against Moshe’s choice of a Kushi woman for a wife. As punishment, YHWH reproved her on Moshe’s behalf and,

“Behold, Miriam was leprous, as white as snow.” She was then “shut up without the camp for seven days.”

In this and several other instances in scripture, the cause of tzara’at was Lashon Hara against one’s fellow. This terrible sin is absolutely rampant in the world now among the people of YHWH. And while the physical blemishes caused by it are no longer evident at this time, it still undoubtably leaves a horrible spiritual blemish behind it with every foul word spoken.

Even worse than the physical and spiritual blemishes incurred by Lashon Hara, is the judgment upon a person who is convicted of it:

“He shall dwell alone. Outside the community is his dwelling.”

It is similar to the sentence of karet, and there can be no punishment that is ultimately worse than such excision from the community. Karet is complete and indefinite exclusion from the people of Yisrael. The reason for such harsh judgment is because of the seriousness of the crime and its effects. Lashon Hara ruins or can even kill another person. In scripture it is equated with murder. It spreads contagiously like a disease, and the only remedy for it is to put those who are unrepentantly infected with it “out of the camp.”

Consider this: if the people who constitute the greater Commonwealth of Yisrael are the only people included in both the Old and New covenants and therefore eligible for everlasting life in the kingdom of YHWH, and if the punishment for Lashon Hara is tzara’at and excision from the community of Yisrael, then what is it worth to you to learn how to remove this sin from your life? This is one of the most abominable transgressions one can commit against another person, and so it is absolutely vital that you do. But, if you don’t believe my words and reasoning on this subject, then consider instead the many words of Shaul of Tarsus and the rest of Yehoshua’s talmidim (taught ones) on the subject of sins of the tongue. Go read and see for yourself how many times and in how many ways they speak out against improper use of the tongue and its terrible effects. Read and see how over and over they warned of and denounced this vile and wicked practice – this disease.

Consider also that Yehoshua himself exhorted his followers to “love thy neighbor as thyself,” and said this was the second greatest command in all of Torah. Lashon Hara is an act of pure hate, and not of love. Think: each time you gossip or speak evil words about your fellow, the command of YHWH according to Torah is that you should cover your mouth as a leper and follow those words with a cry of “Tamei! Tamei!” – “Unclean! Unclean!” – and at that moment, that is exactly how you look in His eyes.

People are far too loose with the labels of prophecy and prophet. In Torah, a prophet is held to a higher standard than anyone but the High Priest.

According to Deuteronomy 13:1-5, any prophet who leads the people to serve any god except YHWH--even a god masquerading under the name of a righteous saint, such as Mary or Peter--is to be tried and executed by the civil court and the people, even if his prophecies are true.

According to Deuteronomy 18:20, if anyone claims to be a prophet and his prophetic predictions are proven false, we are to ignore everything else he says.

Good Morning Y’all ☕️

https://open.substack.com/pub/....silvertrumpetradio/p

Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
Romans 12:6-8 ESV

Prophecy does not refer to the public reading of Scripture as some have claimed, nor does it refer to routine expounding on the Scriptures--no matter how fantastic or truthful--or else Paul would not have listed teaching separately.

Prophecy is relaying a message directly from God to some other person or people. Reading a passage from the Bible is merely repeating a prophecy that God gave to someone else. Expounding on the Scriptures is not prophecy unless it could legitimately be prefaced with “Thus saith the Lord...”

032525
WORD FOR TODAY “does your heart long to do this?”: Ezr 7:10 For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.

WISDOM FOR TODAY: Pro 19:29 Judgments are prepared for scoffers, And blows for the back of fools.

www.BGMCTV.org