Greetings from the Five Cities region of California.
I hope and pray you all have had a spiritually productive week.
Tattoos
In the 21st century, at least in the USA, we have seen a massive increase in the number of people who get tattoos–plus it seems that those who get them now often end up with multiple ones.
Although the Church of Rome endorses tattoos, and some Protestants seem to believe that displaying certain ones (normally with symbols such as crosses or scriptural verses) gives a public testimony to Christ. Yet, Jesus never had a tattoo. Early Christians would not get them either.
Actually, the Bible condemns them:
28 You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the Lord. 29 ‘Do not prostitute your daughter, to cause her to be a harlot, lest the land fall into harlotry, and the land become full of wickedness. (Leviticus 19:28-29)
Even according to Roman Catholic accepted historical writings, it should be clear that early Christians would not have allowed themselves to be tattooed cf. (Eusebius. The History of the Church, Book III, Chapter V, Verses 2,3.& Book IV, Chapter 5, Verses 2-4, pp. 45, 71; Acts 28:17-18).
Tattoos, in addition to violating scripture, are dangerous.
Related to these matters, we put out the following as the recommended sermonette for this Sabbath:
Are tattoos harmless body art—or could they carry spiritual and physical risks? In this episode of the Bible News Prophecy Program, host Steve Dupuie speaks with Bob Thiel about the growing popularity of tattoos and what the Bible says about marking the body. Recent medical reports have linked certain tattoo inks to serious health concerns, including allergic reactions, infections, organ damage, and even rare cases of vision loss connected to immune reactions from tattoo ink. Studies have also found that many tattoo inks sold in the United States contain unlisted chemicals and contaminants, raising concerns about long-term health effects. Beyond health issues, the discussion explores the historical and spiritual background of tattoos, including their connections to ancient pagan practices and body marking traditions. The Bible addresses this topic directly in Book of Leviticus 19:28, which warns against making permanent marks on the body. The program also examines modern arguments claiming that God or Jesus had tattoos—often referencing passages such as Book of Isaiah 49:16 or Book of Revelation 19:16—and explains why those interpretations are considered incorrect by many biblical scholars. Additionally, the discussion references teachings from the Apostle Paul in First Epistle to the Corinthians 6:19–20, reminding believers that the human body is described as a temple of the Holy Spirit and should be treated with care.
Evangelist Evans Ochieng held a leadership conference in Kenya this past week:
Pastor Dr Bob,
Greetings from Kenya.
We had a very wonderful seminar for our leaders in south Nyanza. The seminar did a greatest work to make programs in order and church management. We have organized with Sawek to have the same seminar in Bomet on 3rd May 2026. After I will have another one in kisii. We need to make every region to have a proper channel for management and leadership. Also things are not going well in Kenya. Seems as if they need to follow the channel which is going on in Rwanda. Even though they have not announced but there are some particles of it.
The seminar helped a lot and brethren said that we shall have another one after rift valley and kisii.
I will travel to Tanzania in may after the seminar. I am going to meet brethren in Tanzania and I will be there for More than 4 days because those who want to meet are many.
Evans
Remember that Jesus said “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” (Luke 10:2). Training laborers for the harvest is a step that way.
Passover and Baptism in India – and Second Passover
Our elder in India sent the following report:
Dear Sir,
We had our Passover on the sunset of 31st March 2026. …
Just prior to the Passover, another woman, … also got baptism.
Sani also asked me about ‘second Passover.’
Unleavened Bread
April 30th, after sunset, is the 14th day of Iyyar on the Hebrew calendar. Those who were unable to keep the Passover on the 14th of Nisan (about a month ago) are authorized by scripture to keep the Passover then.
This is based upon the following passages of scripture:
1 Now the Lord spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying: 2 “Let the children of Israel keep the Passover at its appointed time. 3 On the fourteenth day of this month, at twilight, you shall keep it at its appointed time. According to all its rites and ceremonies you shall keep it.” 4 So Moses told the children of Israel that they should keep the Passover. 5 And they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month, at twilight, in the Wilderness of Sinai; according to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did.
6 Now there were certain men who were defiled by a human corpse, so that they could not keep the Passover on that day; and they came before Moses and Aaron that day. 7 And those men said to him, “We became defiled by a human corpse. Why are we kept from presenting the offering of the Lord at its appointed time among the children of Israel?”
8 And Moses said to them, “Stand still, that I may hear what the Lord will command concerning you.”
9 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 10 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘If anyone of you or your posterity is unclean because of a corpse, or is far away on a journey, he may still keep the Lord’s Passover. 11 On the fourteenth day of the second month, at twilight, they may keep it. They shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 12 They shall leave none of it until morning, nor break one of its bones. According to all the ordinances of the Passover they shall keep it. 13 But the man who is clean and is not on a journey, and ceases to keep the Passover, that same person shall be cut off from among his people, because he did not bring the offering of the Lord at its appointed time; that man shall bear his sin. (Numbers 9:1-13)
Centuries later, basically the entire tribe of Judah all did this one year (and had some from other tribes join them):
1 And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, to keep the Passover to the Lord God of Israel. 2 For the king and his leaders and all the assembly in Jerusalem had agreed to keep the Passover in the second month. 3 For they could not keep it at the regular time, because a sufficient number of priests had not consecrated themselves, nor had the people gathered together at Jerusalem. (2 Chronicles 30:1-3)
As most everyone knows, Jesus kept the Passover, from the time of His youth. Luke records:
His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast (Luke 2:41-42).
Jesus continued to keep the Passover throughout His entire life. He kept it once per year. Passover was an annual event for Him and others (Exodus 13:10) and was normally observed on the fourteenth day of the month of the first month (called Abib in Deuteronomy 16:1 or Nisan in Esther 3:7):
On the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight is the LORD’s Passover (Leviticus 23:5).
And Jesus had his disciples also keep it and told them to keep it as a remembrance to Him:
7 Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed. 8 And He sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.” 9 So they said to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare?” 10 And He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house which he enters. 11 Then you shall say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?”‘ 12 Then he will show you a large, furnished upper room; there make ready.” 13 So they went and found it just as He had said to them, and they prepared the Passover. 14 When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. 15 Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; 16 for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; 18 for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 20 Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you. (Luke 22:7-20)
If you are baptized and were unable to keep the Passover on the 14th of Nisan, like is taught in Leviticus 23, you can keep it after sunset April 30th this year. For specific details as to how, please check out the article Keeping Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread.
This is a Passover service by the Continuing Church of God. This is intended to be used by scattered baptized Church of God members around the world after sunset on the 14th day of the first month of the biblical calendar, or for those who biblically legitimately missed it per Numbers , after sunset on the 14th day of the second month of the biblical calendar. This service covers footwashing, breaking and consuming unleavened bread, taking wine, and reading words of Jesus as well as additional scriptures. Leaders of the local Passover service (even if there is only one person) should have some unleavened bread, wine, a towel, and one or more water basins available.
Here is a suggested Sabbath day service for our scattered brethren and other interested people for the Last Great Day Sabbath service:
2-3 hymns (our songbook, The Bible Hymnal, contains the materials from the 1974 Bible Hymnal from the old WCG with new covers, plus ten additional hymns; there is also some Choral Accompaniment online).
Note: If you have a slow internet connection, you can watch these by starting the video, then below it (and towards the right) look for an outline of a gear–if you click on that, it will allow the YouTube video to be played with lower video quality, but at least it will not stop often–you can select a quality as low as 144p. If your internet connection is still too slow (as my home one is) and/or you prefer audio messages to audio-visuals ones, go to the YouTube link for the message, click on SHOW MORE related to the description. You will then see something that says, “Download MP3.” Below that is a link to an MP3 file. Most computers (and even some cellular telephones) will allow MP3 files to be downloaded and played. This is an option we have made available (but we are also looking into ways to improve that as well)–and, of course, we have written article options. Some people have found that if their internet connections are not fast enough, that they can simply listen to the messages that are found at the Bible News Prophecy online radio channel.
IN CASE YOU DO NOT RECEIVE A ‘LETTER TO THE BRETHREN’ FOR ANY WEEK, REMEMBER THAT THERE ARE MANY SERMON MESSAGES ON THE ContinuingCOG channel AND MANY SERMONETTE MESSAGES ON THE Bible News Prophecy channel. There are also some messages at the CCOGAfrica channel. There are also messages in the Spanish language at the CDLIDDSermones channel.
Over in the USA, a lesbian ‘bishop’ claims that the New Testament is not inspired, passages should be torn out of it, and a third testament is needed (see Female ‘Bishop’ says to rip offensive passages out of the New Testament). We continue to see more and more speak out against the word of God. That is consistent with the following warning for these last days:
1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. …13 … evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. (2 Timothy 3:1-8,13)
18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” (Romans 3:18)
But, sadly, her comment about another testament is not unique to her. Expect more statements from various ones against the word of God.
Concluding Comments
The prophet Nahum was inspired to write the following:
2 God is jealous, and the Lord avenges; The Lord avenges and is furious. The Lord will take vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserves wrath for His enemies; 3 The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, And will not at all acquit the wicked. (Nahum 1:2-3)
Sometimes as we face various tests and trials it looks like the wicked are “getting away with it,” but they are not.
