Although the Book of Revelation is one of the most significant books in the Bible, it is also one of the most misunderstood.... Living in these last days, there has never been a more critical time to fully grasp what God reveals to His people in Revelation. Judy does a marvelous job of helping us understand that revelation! – Dr. Kevin J. Hamm, Senior Pastor, Gardendale First Baptist Church

BIBLE STUDY for JUNE 3

“… [I]n Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself, … and He has given us the message of reconciliation. Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His plea through us. We plead with you on Christ’s behalf, ‘Be reconciled to God!’” (from 2 Corinthians 5:19-20, NET Bible).

Believer, do you realize you have been given the responsibility of spreading Christ’s “… message of reconciliation”? All who claim to be members of God’s family “… are ambassadors for Christ …”

And what’s an ambassador? Webster’s says it’s “a diplomatic agent of the highest rank accredited to a foreign government … as the resident representative of his or her own government …” Let’s take that definition apart a bit, shall we?

As an ambassador, we are “of the highest rank.” There is no higher rank or standing than to be a member of the family of God through faith in Jesus Christ. And we’re “accredited to” or attached to or belonging to, “a foreign government”—Christ’s Kingdom, not this world.

We’re currently on Planet Earth, right? Each of us is “a resident representative of his or her own government.” In other words, we are here for a time and here for one purpose: to represent our King, Jesus, and give others the best possible impression of who He is and what His Kingdom is.

Lastly, like any ambassador, we won’t stay here when our assignment is over. As Hebrews 13:14a reminds us: “For this world is not our permanent home …” (NLT). Our permanent home is with Jesus. And He’s who we need to be striving to please and seeking to introduce to others. Based on your daily words and actions, how well are you representing Jesus and His Kingdom?

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for JUNE 2

“… [T]he people’s minds were hardened … so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ” (from 2 Corinthians 3:14, NLT).

Anyone who doesn’t know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior “… cannot understand the truth …” of the Gospel. And some people, it seems, are far more “… hardened …” against hearing anything about it. So what do we do?

Keep witnessing. And believe me, your daily life is a huge part of your witness, and you’re being watched by those who do believe the Gospel and, even more so, by those who don’t. We live in a world filled with skepticism, and only a consistent Christ-like lifestyle is ever going to reach others with the Truth.

Which brings us back to witnessing. As I said, your daily lifestyle is certainly a big part of your witness, but it’s important to intentionally witness to specific people as the opportunities arise. Matter of fact, we should pray for those opportunities, times evangelist David Wilkerson called “divine appointments.”

Know someone who doesn’t believe in Jesus? What are you doing to show them He’s real? Our passage today goes on to say: “But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like Him …” (2 Corinthians 3:16, 18a).

Every child of God through faith in Jesus Christ has had that “… veil taken away.” And that, my brothers and sisters, enables us to not only “… see …” but “… reflect the glory of the Lord.” So much so that we become “… more and more like Him …”

So many are walking in spiritual darkness, blinded, veiled, by their unbelief. It is your assignment to reach out to them. Others are claiming to belong to Jesus, yet living in ways that don’t remotely “… reflect the glory of the Lord,” let alone growing “… more and more like Him …” You’re also assigned to reach out to them.

Check your spiritual health. Do you truly know Jesus as Lord and Savior? If you do, you’re becoming “… more like Him …” Are you?

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for JUNE 1

“I am filled with awe by Your amazing works. In this time of our deep need, help us …” (Habakkuk 3:2b, NLT).

When’s the last time you can honestly say you were “… filled with awe …” for the Lord? When’s the last time you looked around you and praised Him for His “… amazing works”? The same God who spoke the world into being, Jesus Christ, the Living Word, should be honored and praised every day.

And that’s what Habakkuk was saying. Habakkuk wasn’t tossing out a quick compliment to someone he rarely ever talked to. He was in regular communication with God. That’s why he knew he could call on Him “[i]n this time of … deep need.” That’s why he knew where to turn for “… help …”

Don’t wait until a crisis to call on the Lord. Talk to Him daily. Think about your friends or family members. Those you stay in touch with are the ones you feel the most comfortable calling on in your times of “… deep need …,” aren’t they?

Or look at it the other way round. Do you know friends or family members who only call on you when they “… need …” something? That’s not much of a friendship, is it?

Spend intentional time with the Lord every day. Read His Word every day. Talk to Him. And don’t merely talk. Listen. He has so much to say to you if you’ll only take the time to hear Him.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MAY 31

“No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:11, BSB).

My husband Larry has always regularly exercised and this has kept him in great shape, especially now that we’re in our senior years. He’s oftentimes called on to help out with somebody’s project, and a lot of the time, Larry works rings around guys much younger than himself. How come? He stays in shape. (And that also makes him, in my very biased opinion, very easy on the eyes!)

I’m not as disciplined as Larry about working out, but I do try to watch my weight and do some form of exercise. I don’t do enough, but what I do helps. And as the Bible says, “No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful.” When you first start exercising, you get sore. Muscles you haven’t been using get stretched and pulled and have to re-learn how to work properly. It hurts. But the results are worth all the effort.

Likewise, when it comes to spiritual discipline, you may have to make yourself read several chapters of the Bible. You may have to make yourself spend time in prayer. These disciplines aren’t natural, they’re learned. Thus the word “discipline,” which means TRAINING. Jesus’ disciples were trainees, as are we. And a good trainee learns from their Instructor.

When you spend time in prayer and the Word, it’s amazing how quickly a Bible passage comes to mind when you’re struggling with a decision or praying about something or for someone. And when you get into the habit of reading the Bible, there are days when the pages come alive and you find, rather than forcing yourself to complete X number of chapters, you’re breezing on through several, caught up in what’s happening, your spirit sensing the astounding power of the Living Word.

Whether it’s physical or spiritual discipline you’re working on, keep on keeping on. Better yet, work on both. Over time, that workout will become a discipline, a very healthy habit. Keep on reading and studying the Word and spending time in prayer. Over time, that will become a discipline, a really healthy habit. Habits you won’t want to break. You’ll feel better about yourself and you’ll grow closer to your Savior.

“No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:11, BSB).

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MAY 30

“Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:8, NLT).

Eddy Diget is a 77-year-old who continues to work as stuntman, model, and personal trainer. He spent 22 years as an RN and is also a Shaolin Master (kung fu). He’s survived and thrived after colon cancer and is a rehab specialist, working frequently with cancer survivors.

Ida Keeling, a tough New Yorker, passed away in 2021 just shy of her 106th birthday. At 95, she set the world record for her age group in a 60-meter race: 29.86 seconds. In 2016, one month before her 101st birthday, she became the first woman in history to complete a 100-meter race at the age of 100.

These people are great examples of the physical health and accomplishments that can be achieved by senior adults who determine to take the very best care of their bodies. Certainly, serious health problems can prevent some people from doing these things, but a regular routine of physical exercise and healthy weight maintenance can make a world of difference in whether or not an aging adult ends up dependent on lift chairs, walkers, or worse yet, becoming bedridden. “Physical training is good,” for sure.

But being able to accomplish any physical feat at any age pales in comparison with being spiritually fit. The wise person will seek to do both, staying physically and spiritually healthy so they can accomplish the things the Lord sets before them to do.

Sadly, though, the majority of professing Christians have never read the entire Bible even once. A 2021 survey showed that only 11 percent of Americans read the Bible daily while the majority of respondents said they never read the Bible.

Folks, how can a person be an effective follower of Christ if they don’t know His Word? Would you go to a doctor who told you, “I think I can do this, but to honest, I never attended many of my classes. Sit tight. I just need to look this up on Google?”

We MUST be people of the Word if we’re to do the work Jesus Christ commissioned us to do (Matthew 28:19-20). No matter your age, get serious about improving your physical health and your spiritual acuity, with spending time studying the Bible your top priority.

"Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better ..."

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MAY 29

“For God is not a God of disorder …” (1 Corinthians 14:33a, NLT).

Do you realize the word “discipline” comes from the same root word as “disciple” (which means "learner")? In other words, we are disciples of whatever discipline we follow. The Bible is loaded with passages about the importance of discipline. Why? Because it’s a form of training. It’s living the way you’ve been trained or have trained yourself to live.

Jesus only walked this Earth in human form for 33 years, but during that time, He lived out His Perfect Plan. Nothing He said or did was random. He was 100% organized. And we should strive to be organized too. While there’s nothing wrong with a spur-of-the-minute idea, that isn’t the way your whole life should be conducted. There needs to be order.

I read a survey that said that 70% of the average person’s stress comes from disorganization. Think about it: you let one thing go and, in no time, it seems the whole house has turned into a jumble. Don’t let it happen. It takes two to five minutes to make a bed. It takes five to ten minutes to load and unload a dishwasher or even wash dishes by hand.

If you’re a crafter or collector, set up a room for that. Don’t spread everything throughout the house so that the whole place looks like an explosion. Even if things aren’t spotlessly clean, keep your home picked up well enough that you wouldn’t be embarrassed for your pastor or any other person to drop by unexpectedly.

And put on clothes. I am one of the world’s worst to get up in the morning, start writing, and end up still sitting in my pajamas in the afternoon. And when I do that, I invariably get a call asking me to immediately hop in the car and go do something for somebody. Looking my absolute worst. And yet five or ten minutes spent on myself first thing in the morning would have me together enough to at least look human for the day.

If you’re disorganized, you’re stressed. And if you’re stressed, you’re not at your best. Not for yourself or anyone else, including the Lord. Talk to Him about helping you get a handle on the clutter around you. And one room at a time, or even one drawer or one closet a time, start to put some order in your home, beginning with your prayer and Bible study time. Don’t neglect it.

“She takes good care of her family and is never lazy” (Proverbs 31:27, CEV).

“I will not neglect Your word” (Psalm 119:16b, NIV).

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for  MAY 28

“… [F]or Thou art with me …” (Psalm 23:4b, KJV).

Have you ever tried really hard to get a person to like you and gotten absolutely nowhere? I sure have. There are several women in my life—some I see fairly often and others I rarely ever see—who are more what I would consider acquaintances rather than friends. What’s the difference? Reciprocity, which basically means having a mutual relationship. With these ladies, there is no reciprocity. I may invite them to do things, but I get no invitations in return. I’m guessing some of you have a few of those relationships in your life as well.

So how do you handle it? What do you do? There are really three options: (1) Keep reaching out. If you can deal with this sort of one-sided friendship, just keep being you and enjoy the time you spend together without expecting any return invitations. Or (2), try talking to the person or persons, individually. Ask if you’re doing anything that causes them to keep you at a distance. It’s not likely you’ll get any straight answers, but at least if you move to Step 3, you’ll do so knowing you've done your best to understand why your friendship has never progressed. And (3), quit trying. After all, if you’re the only one making any effort and it’s causing you misery to keep unsuccessfully attempting to deepen your friendship, it may be time to stop. No, don’t be mean about it. Just stop being the one to invite and make contact. Leave that ball in their court and move on. If they do invite you to do something, go if you can. But quit pushing for anything more than a casual relationship. If the other party doesn’t want more, it’s not going to happen.

This may not sound very spiritual, but I know it’s a problem many people—particularly, women—struggle with. Put the whole situation in the Lord’s hands. And leave it there. While you’re straining to build a friendship with someone who has little interest in doing likewise, you could be missing out on a friendship with someone who needs and wants a friend like you.

Most importantly, don’t let friendships with other people cause you to neglect your friendship with Jesus. If you’ve got Him in your life, you’re set for eternity. Fill those lonely times with conversation with Him. Read His Word. Volunteer to help out at a women’s shelter, a soup kitchen, any place that could use a helping hand. I guarantee you’ll be needed, wanted, and appreciated. And remember: whether you can count all your close friends on one hand or it takes all your fingers and toes, there’s nobody who loves you like Jesus.

“But as for me, God's presence is all I need” (Psalm 73:28a, NET Bible).

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MAY 27

“For everything there is a season … A time to be quiet and a time to speak” (Ecclesiastes 3:7b, NLT).

“One who withholds his words has knowledge, And one who has a cool spirit is a person of understanding” (Proverbs 17:27, NASB).

As the granddaughter of a red-headed Scotch-Irish couple with tempers like proverbial wildcats, I have to admit that a whole heap of that temperament got passed down to me. And making a commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ didn’t instantly take away all that spit and venom. There were quite a few years of praying and discipline before my temper came under the control of the Holy Spirit.

A friend I’ll call Beth had something to say about everybody and everything. One day, I called her on the carpet about something she’d said about another person. Her response was, “Well, I can’t help it. My mother was that way, and I guess I’m just like her.”

No, Beth was who she chose to be. Hot-headed and mean-spirited. Like me—until I began daily giving my temper and critical spirit to the Lord. And it was no overnight change, but the more I prayed and the more I followed the Holy Spirit’s prompting, the less I flew off the handle and the more frequently I was able to bite my tongue before I let some hateful remark slip out.

“One who withholds his words has knowledge …” When you listen to the Holy Spirit, He shows you whether or not it’s the right time—or if there’s ever a right time—to say what you’re thinking of saying. “And one who has a cool spirit is a person of understanding.” When you refuse to lose your “cool,” you can deal with any situation far better. You also make a far better representative of the Savior.

Got a temper? Got a snarky mouth? Confess it daily—He already knows it anyway—and ask Him to remove those negative characteristics from your life.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MAY 26

“… You are the great, mighty, and awe-inspiring God. You faithfully keep Your promises” (Nehemiah 9:32, GWT).

“And you faithfully keep your promises …” (Nehemiah 1:5b, CEV).

“You always … keep Your promises …” (Daniel 9:4b, NLT).

“… Sovereign Lord, You are God; You always keep Your promises” (2 Samuel 7:28a, GNT).

Christians are people of the Word and, as John 1:1 makes clear, the Word is Jesus Christ Himself. When we realize this, it should be a wakeup call as to the urgency to be people who keep our promises. After all, if you belong to Christ, He, in the form of His Holy Spirit, lives within you. The Word indwells you. And being a person whose word can be trusted is critical to your witness as a believer.

Don’t be a procrastinator. Sometimes that’s just a roundabout way of saying a person doesn’t keep their promises. If you say it, make it so. Unless you are providentially hindered from fulfilling a promise you’ve made, gettin’ ‘er done should be at the top of your to-do list. After all, we’re to be like Jesus and the passages listed above show us over and over that God is the Ultimate Promise Keeper.

Whether you committed to help out with VBS or run an errand for a neighbor—no matter how trivial what you said you’d do may seem—make your word your bond. Fulfill your promise, and do it in as timely a manner as possible. As a Christian, you’re not only making your promise to a person, you’re also making it to and in the presence and hearing of your Creator.

“…don't be slow to keep your promises to God” (Ecclesiastes 5:4b, CEV).

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MAY 25

“‘For the mountains may move and the hills disappear, but even then my faithful love for you will remain….’ says the Lord …” (Isaiah 54:10a, NLT).

“I have loved you, just as My Father has loved Me. So remain faithful to My love for you” (Jesus speaking, John 15:9, CEV).

“For I wrote you … to let you know the depth of my love for you” (2 Corinthians 2:4, NIV).

You’ve probably heard the old joke many times about the wife who complained to her husband, “You never tell me you love me.” The husband replied, “I said so when I married you. If anything changes, I’ll let you know.” While that may be funny to some people, I know far too many couples who live in that situation. One close friend’s husband serves as a greeter at their church. He welcomes everyone with a broad smile and words of encouragement, then goes home and never tells his beautiful wife that he loves her or even that she looks nice. That’s not the way a marriage should be.

And as much as that wife wants to hear the words, “I love you,” multiply that a trillion times over and imagine how much God wants to hear the Bride of Christ, His people, the One True Church, tell Him, “I love you.” Why are we so selfish with those words? We can yammer on about how we “love” hot dogs or a car or a house or an outfit or a vacation spot. Countless things. Yet many of us rarely ever bother telling our Creator, Lord, and Savior that we love Him.

Do you tell your spouse you love them? Do you tell your kids and/or grandkids that you love them? If not, get started. And please, stop neglecting to say those words to the Lord. Jesus gave His life for you. If He never did another thing for you, that alone should be worth you loving Him through your actions and in words.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MAY 24

“Jesus looked straight at him with love ...” (Mark 10:21a, GNT).

Yesterday I told y’all about a church with two very negative signs out front facing the roadside, and I said how important it is for us to be the people we are called to be: bearers of the good news (which means “gospel”) and not bad news. One comment I received wisely said: “Yes, but we must also warm the lost of their imminent danger.” And she’s absolutely right.

How did Jesus handle speaking to the lost? In the Mark passage above, He was talking to a rich young man who had shown an interest in what Jesus was teaching. Jesus didn’t say, “You’re going straight to hell if you don’t accept me as Savior.” No, He “… looked straight at him with love …” and very gently told him he couldn’t worship material wealth and possessions and worship Him too. And then He said, “… follow Me” (Mark 10:21b).

You don’t start out teaching a person how to drive a car by telling them all the things that could go wrong. You show them all the ways that car can benefit them. “You can drive yourself wherever you want to go” sounds a lot better than, “Hit the gas pedal instead of the brake and you could be killed instantly.” You want the person to look forward to becoming a driver.

Likewise, you don’t encourage a lost person to step through your church doors by telling them they’re toast without Jesus. You invite them. You lovingly welcome them. You pray for them. You let the Holy Spirit guide you in what you say to them, and you let the Holy Spirit do His work inside that person’s heart as they hear the pastor’s sermons and learn more about what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ. You speak words of encouragement and love into their life.

I keep saying it, but it bears repeating in our ultra-negative world: we need to think, speak, and live positively. Lovingly. So many people are desperate for good news, the gospel, and we have been assigned to take it to them.

Be “… followers who can be trusted to tell others” (2 Timothy 2:2b, CEV).

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MAY 23

“People in other towns must hear the good news about God's kingdom. This is why I was sent” (Jesus speaking, Luke 4:43, CEV).

“Go and preach the good news to everyone in the world” (Jesus speaking, Mark 16:15).

The word “gospel” means “good news,” which is why you see the word “gospel” in some places in the Bible and the words “good news” in others. The coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, was good news! And every single one of Christ’s followers has been tasked with the responsibility of sharing the good news with others. Are we?

I recently drove by a church with not one, but two, very negative messages on signs facing the roadside. A permanent sign read: “Will it take six men to bring you back into the church?” The sign included a drawing of six pallbearers carrying a casket into a church. The changeable sign between the name of the church and the pastor’s name read: “To live without God means to die without hope.”

Folks, Jesus plainly told us we’re to be people of the GOOD NEWS, not bad news. Jesus reached out to people in love. The only ones to whom Jesus spoke harshly were the holier-than-thous like the scribes and Pharisees who mistakenly thought their arrogant, judgmental attitudes were acceptable to God. Jesus told them what they really were: “…a bunch of evil snakes …” (Matthew 12:34a).

A person who lives contrary to Jesus’ teaching is lost. God’s people are to reach out to them in love, not condemnation. And even those who already know Jesus as Lord and Savior who are searching for a church home want to find a place where their fellow believers will rally around them and love on them. What about that church’s signs makes you say to yourself, “I believe that’s the church for me?”

I pray that none of us send such negative messages by the way we speak to or treat other people. Jesus loved people into His Kingdom. He is our One and Only Example. Do life His way. Love others and refuse to take part in put-downs and negative conversation.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MAY 22

“My mind and my body may grow weak, but God is my strength; He is all I ever need” (Psalm 73:26, GNT).

This passage may sound more familiar to you in the KJV: “My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.”

The older we get, the more we realize the brevity and frailty of life. Our lives, as James 4:14b reminds us, are “… a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away” (NKJV). Should this depress us? It certainly can, but that depends on the attitude you choose to take.

Think of it this way. You’ve just begun a two-week stay at the vacation spot of your dreams. The first week flies by and, before you know it, you’re looking at the last two or three days before you have to return home. Do you sit down and mope because that’s all the time you have left there? No! You determine to squeeze every ounce out of those final days.

So should we here. Don’t waste your days sitting in front of a TV. Get up, get out, live, bless others, and thank Jesus for every day you’re able to do that. And when you’re no longer able to get out and about, thank Him for the things you’re still able to do. After all, why bless you with abilities you aren’t going to use? As the old saying goes, “Use ‘em or lose ‘em.”

Do your best to maintain your mental and physical health, and put your spiritual health at the very top of that list. Read the Word, talk to the Lord, and exercise your brain and body daily.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MAY 21

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32, NIV).

Not a one of us can afford to be unforgiving. Why? Because the Bible plainly instructs us to forgive “… just as in Christ God forgave you.” Knowing what God has forgiven me and knowing what my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ did for me to make that forgiveness possible, how can I possibly refuse to forgive others?

Years ago, one particular lady I’ll call Dahlia spread lies all over my community about how I was taking advantage of an elderly friend of mine. Actually, I just didn’t mind our age difference and loved spending time with her. I didn’t care that she was far better off financially than I was. I don’t think either of us ever gave a thought to our differing financial statuses.

But Dahlia couldn’t imagine that I’d befriend someone decades older than myself unless I had an ulterior motive. And the more she talked about my relationship with my elderly friend, the more she added to her string of falsehoods.

So what did I do? I let it go. And I prayed for that lady. I figured anyone who knew me would know better than to believe such lies. Then, when I learned that Dahlia had become terminally ill, I let her know I was praying for her and would help her in any way I could.

The Jesus in me and the Jesus in you can help us do things we didn’t think we could do. Can help us let go of things we didn’t think we could let go of. And every time we let Him do that for us, it becomes easier to forgive and easier to be “… kind and compassionate …,” even to those who have shown us nothing but unkindness.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MAY 20

Yesterday, I said that any tool in the hand of a believer is a mighty weapon for truth and good when that person is listening to and following the leadership of the Holy Spirit. And then I asked a couple of questions: How about you? What tools has the Lord made available to you?

Fact is, “… each person has a special gift from God …” (1 Corinthians 7:7b, NLT). And every person is given talents and abilities to do different things. All of those can be used to bless others and point people to Jesus.

Are you a good cook? Take a meal to a sick or shut-in friend or neighbor. Talk to them about the Lord, or if you’re not ready for that step, include a note or card that lets them know you’re praying for them. And include a scripture verse.

Are you a good mechanic? Even if you only know the basics of changing oil or checking air in the tires, you can offer to do these things for a friend or neighbor. And before you leave, tell that person you’re praying for them.

Yard work? Housework? Sewing? Art? Photography? All these things and many, many more can be used to touch others with the love of Jesus.

Make a list of who you want to reach out to. Then use your gift to get your foot in that door. You can be used to lead another person into Christ’s Kingdom.

“Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others” (2 Corinthians 5:11a).

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MAY 19

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21, NIV).

Years ago, I met a lady who absolutely spit venom when she talked about the internet. She thought it was the most evil thing she’d ever heard of. Truth is, though, it’s like everything else here on Planet Earth: we have the choice to use it for good or evil. And I choose to use it for good.

Any tool in the hand of a believer is a mighty weapon for truth and good when that person is listening to and following the leadership of the Holy Spirit. And albeit imperfectly, that’s what I’m trying to do.

How about you? What tools has the Lord made available to you? If you have your own Bible, that’s the best one to start with. You can use it to learn more about what God wants you to do, and can also use what you learn to talk to your family members, friends, neighbors, coworkers, and others about the love of Christ.

You don’t have to be an in-your-face Bible thumper to talk about Jesus. Since Covid, the idea of anyone sneezing around you is scary, but even if you’re backing away as you say it, don’t merely say, “Bless you!” Say “God bless you!” If the cashier where you’re shopping asks, “How are you today?” don’t say, “I’m blessed.” Tell them Who’s your Blesser: “The Lord has blessed me.”

Create opportunities to put in a word about the goodness of God. Waiters and waitresses, cashiers, salespeople, and so many others spend their day dealing with people who aren’t always nice, and some who are downright nasty. And sometimes that nasty attitude rubs off on them and you may end up face-to-face with a surly employee. Don’t let their ugly attitude rub off on you. Be kind. Be encouraging. Be like Jesus.

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21, NIV).

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MAY 18

“… [E]very child of God is able to defeat the world. And we win the victory over the world by means of our faith. Who can defeat the world? Only the person who believes that Jesus is the Son of God” (1 John 5:4-5, GNT).

Don’t let this ol’ world get you down. Read the Word and you’ll see that we who are believers in Jesus Christ already have “… the victory over the world …” because “… of our faith.” And as today’s passage makes perfectly clear, we are the only ones “[w]ho can defeat the world.”

If a Christian mopes around complaining and whining, what person would say, “Hey, I want what they have”? If all we find to talk about is the things that go wrong in our lives, where does that show others we believe we’re walking in victory? The answer is, it doesn’t.

Our family, our friends, our coworkers, our neighbors—everybody we come in contact with—needs to see Jesus in us. And believe me, if you’re professing to be a believer and you’re not exemplifying a Christian lifestyle, they’re marking that down, for certain. Choose to live what you claim to believe. If you don’t, you probably need to back up and make sure you’ve ever made a commitment to the Savior.

Christians truly have “Victory in Jesus.” Live it. Live cheerfully. Joyfully. Hopefully. Encouragingly. Not only will that attitude lift up others, it’ll lift you up as well.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MAY 17

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth.… [O]ne of the … angels … showed me the holy city, Jerusalem…. I saw no temple in the city, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light. Nothing evil will be allowed to enter … but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life” (Revelation 21:1a, 9a, 10b, 22-23, 27a, 27c, NLT).

Eternity isn’t going to be about sitting around strumming harps or floating around on clouds. Eternity will include the New “Jerusalem” and “a new heaven and a new earth.” Real, physical places where those who know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior—in other words, “…those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life”—will physically exist in their new glorified bodies and live forever in a place where “… [n]othing evil is allowed to enter …”

Absolute safety. Absolute security. No worries. No fear. Nothing to dread. Perfect health. Perfect peace. A place where there are no bickering denominations, but where “… the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.” A place where “…the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light.”

And there’s only one way to be a part of this wonderful place. You have to have your name “…written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.” Do you? Only by committing your heart, mind, and spirit —everything you have and are—to Christ Jesus and then living out that commitment daily, can your name be in that all-important Book. I pray it is.

If you aren’t sure your name is in “… the Lamb’s Book of Life,” there’s no better time than this moment to ask Him to be your Lord and Savior. And once you’ve done that, live like Jesus. Your changed life will be the proof of your commitment.

If you already know Him, think of what’s ahead of you! As Jesus said in John 4:36a, “What joy awaits …!”

(If you’d like a better understanding of the Book of Revelation, let me recommend you read my book, The Book of Revelation Unlocked: An Easy-to-Understand Walk through the Bible’s Final Message. It’s available on my website’s MY BOOKS page, as well as on Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats).

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MAY 16

“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength” (Proverbs 17:22, NLT).

In trying to remind people that Mother’s Day isn’t a fun day for everybody, I ended up with a ton of people sending me messages to comfort me because our only son and his family have no contact with us. I appreciate every sweet message and I hope that many of you reached out to others I mentioned, like those who’ve lost a child, those who have never been able to have a child, those whose children are choosing not to be a part of their lives, and those whose moms are choosing not be a part of their lives. We seem to find countless ways to hurt each other if we aren’t committed to Jesus.

While I had a spectacular day in spite of our son and family’s absence from our lives, others didn’t have a good day. One of my friends, unless she receives a miracle, celebrated her last Mother’s Day with her husband and family. Another friend, who has been a second mom to her sister’s children, spent her day preparing to start her second round of chemo on Monday. Yet another spent Mother’s Day with her sweet daughter and grandchildren, while her younger son sits in prison, and she copes with raising two granddaughters and the loss of their father, her older son, who was killed in a car wreck.

You’ve heard this umpteen different ways, but it’s so true: you don’t have to look far to see someone much worse off than you are. If you need a pity party, have at it. I’ve had ‘em. All God’s children have probably had one at some time or another. But when you’ve cried yourself out, get up, praise God, and move forward because “… a broken spirit saps a person’s strength,” and then you can’t do what you should be doing for yourself or for the Lord.

And if you’re in a good place right now, be sensitive to those who are hurting. Maintain “a cheerful heart” and be an encourager.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates 

BIBLE STUDY for MAY 15

“Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts” (1 John 5:21, NLT).

John, now getting on up in years, had learned a lot of valuable lessons and he writes to his “dear children,” those who belong to Christ Jesus, to urge them to stay on the right path. Why? Of course, to honor the Lord through obedience to His Word, but also to avoid a lot of unnecessary heartache.

What “… might take God’s place in your heart”? Money or the desire for money and material things. Spouses. Children. Grandchildren. It really boils down to two things: stuff and people. Neither should take priority over our love for Jesus.

When we truly love someone, we want to be with them, don’t we? We want them to know how much we love them. We don’t want to miss an opportunity to express our love in both words and actions.

The same goes for God. He loves us so much! His love letter to us was written in red—the blood of Jesus Christ shed for our redemption. Don’t you know He wants to hear His children tell Him they love Him? Don’t you know He wants to see His children express their love for Him through their lives in both words and actions?

So love Jesus first and foremost. Do that, and just as your love for Him will deepen, your love for your family, friends, and others will also grow much stronger.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MAY 14

“We know that God’s children do not make a practice of sinning …” (1 John 5:18a, NLT).

Today’s passage ties directly in with what we looked at yesterday: “… we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world” (1 John 4:17b).

The only way to stand before Jesus without fear is to stand in the confidence that you tried your best to “… live like Jesus here in this world.” Sadly, so many people profess to be Christians with no proof whatsoever of that life change.

See, the word “repent” means to turn, to do a 180. Pre-Jesus, you were headed the wrong way. After committing your life to Jesus, you turned to follow the right way, the pathway to heaven. And that means living “… like Jesus here in this world.”

I recently looked at some writer’s list of “Christian” actors. The writer was as confused about what constitutes a Christian as were some of the people included in the list. One actor said that, when he reads the Bible, he replaces Jesus’ name with the word “love,” as a reminder of what the Lord stands for. Uh, excuse me, but there is no substitute for Jesus. Yes, He is love, but don’t blot out His name as if He’s merely some form of love. Don’t even get me started!

And then another actor compared Christianity to television, stating, with “… over 800 channels … I’m pretty sure that to get to Heaven, there’s got to be more than one route.” If that poor man would take a peek in a Bible, he’d see that Peter plainly said of Jesus Christ, “There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

There aren’t multiple ways to heaven. There’s one way: through committing your heart and life to Jesus. And as I keep saying, that’s more than getting your name on a church role. It’s living like Jesus.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MAY 13

“… we will not be afraid on the day of judgment …” (1 John 4:17b, NLT).

Yes, there is a Judgment Day coming, but those who have truly committed their hearts and lives to the Lord Jesus Christ have no need to fear. Revelation 21:27a tells us that heaven will be the eternal home of “… those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.”

So how do you get your name in the “… Book of Life …”? By surrendering yourself fully to the Lordship of Christ. And then, our passage goes on to say: “... we can face Him with confidence …” (1 John 4:17c).

“… face Him with confidence …”? How is this possible? By knowing, albeit imperfectly, that we live out the proof of our salvation: “… because we live like Jesus here in this world” (1 John 4:17d).

Claiming to belong to Jesus won’t get you into heaven. Saying “the sinner’s prayer” won’t get you into heaven. Being sprinkled with or submerged in baptismal waters won’t get you into heaven. Only a 100% commitment to Jesus will do it.

And when you truly give your heart and life to the Savior, you’ll do exactly what John says believers do: you’ll “… live like Jesus here in this world,” and that, my friends, means you’ll live WITH Jesus in the next one.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MAY 12

“If someone says, ‘I love God,’ but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? And He has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers” (1 John 4:20-21, NLT).

How many times have most of us been guilty of bad-mouthing “… a fellow believer …”? I reluctantly put my hand up. Shame on me. Because look what the Bible says: “… if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?”

I’m the 32nd and youngest grandchild of my paternal grandparents. I didn’t get to pick that spot. I didn’t get to choose who all I’m related to. I didn’t have one thing to do with what, when, where, or how I was born into the Woodward family. But I can tell you this: every time I run into one of my umpteen relatives, I’m thrilled to see them. And I pray for them, even though, in some instances, we hardly know each other. Still, they’re my family.

You chose the church you attend—at least, I hope you’re a part of believing congregation. But you didn’t get to choose who else is a part of that fellowship. And you didn’t get to choose who else became a part of it after you were already involved in it. No, you were all brought together as a part of God’s church, His family.

So you need to love each other. You need to pray for each other. And there is never, never, never a need for you to bad-mouth any of God’s family, including those who are members of other Bible-believing denominations. If you know of a serious issue in your church, pray about what to do. Then, if you’re sure you’re the one who needs to bring this problem to the church leadership’s attention, talk to your pastor or another church staff member or leader.

But don’t bad-mouth. Ever. Because being irritated with someone and then talking about it doesn’t resolve the issue—it makes you think about it more and build up resentment. And as our passage today makes clear, “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar … Those who love God must also love their fellow believers.”

And speaking of love, how often do you tell the Lord you love Him? It should be every time you talk to Him.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates 

BIBLE STUDY for  MAY 11

“…who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God” (1 John 5:5, NLT).

Every day, we’re subjected to temptation. It may be considering sticking that extra change in your pocket when a cashier undercharges you for your purchase. Or it could be thinking about stopping on that racy program you just happened to surf by on TV. Temptation comes in all sorts of forms, some subtle and some in-your-face. But however it comes upon you, the Bible makes it very clear that there’s only one way out of giving into it: call on Jesus.

But we can’t wait until we’re at that moment of temptation to start talking to Him. We need conversation—not monologue—with Jesus every day. Talking to the Lord should start our day, end our day, and continue throughout the day. No, I don’t mean you drop everything and do nothing but pray, but I do mean that prayer—as in conversation with your Savior—should be as natural as breathing.

See a beautiful sunset? Thank Him for it. Stuck in traffic? Use that time to talk to Jesus. If your friends and family like hearing from you, don’t you think the One who gave His life for you would like to hear from you? And not just when you want something.

Life can be hard. Trials can be grueling. But “… those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God …. can win [the] battle against the world …” Child of God, you’re on the winning side. Claim your victory!

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates 

BIBLE STUDY for MAY 10

“And since we are His children, we are His heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory” (Romans 8:17a, NLT).

Yesterday we looked at Romans 8:15-16 and learned that, because of God’s great love for us, we who put our faith in Jesus Christ are adopted into God’s family, even though Christ paid for us and we deserve to be nothing more than slaves. Christ’s purchase of us with His own blood gave us all the rights of blood relationship. Made us “… heirs of God’s glory.”

But the price for that adoption wasn’t cheap. And the responsibility bestowed on us through our adoption has a high price also. And that’s what I want to look at today

The last half of today’s passage brings the truth home: “But if we are to share His glory, we must also share His suffering” (Romans 8:17b). A little more Greek today: that word translated “suffering” is sympaschomen, meaning, as you can see from the word’s beginning, to sympathize. More than that, it means to suffer right alongside. To take on the attitude, the willingness, to share in another person’s suffering. As believers in Jesus Christ, this is what we’re to do. We aren’t adopted to sit around the family mansion eating bonbons and being waited on. We’re to be working for the Kingdom and willing to endure whatever comes our way because of our belief in Jesus.

To the best of my knowledge, today’s passage is the only place in the Bible where you’ll find the Greek word sympaschomen. I believe Paul chose it with great purpose, for the believers he was writing to then and for us today to understand that, whether or not we suffer for our faith, we take on the attitude of willingness to do so.

So how about it? What’s your attitude about your salvation? Is it bought, paid for, and done with? Or do you realize every day that you owe everything to the One who bought and paid for you and then adopted you into His own family as His own blood relation? Salvation comes at a cost. Yes, it cost Jesus His very life’s blood. But it also costs the recipient. If you’ve received Christ as Lord and Savior, commit to live for Him, even if that means suffering.

“… don’t begin until you count the cost” (Jesus speaking, Luke 14:28a).

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MAY 9

Yesterday we got in a little seminary training and learned the difference between the Greek words doulos, meaning a male slave (as used in Romans 1:1 and James 1:1), and misthiōn, a hired hand or paid worker (as used in Luke 15:19). I explained that we weren’t hired by God to work for Him, but bought and paid for by the blood of Jesus Christ. We’re owned, which makes us slaves, not servants, as some translation incorrectly translate the word doulos.

And here’s where understanding the difference in those two words gets really exciting. In Romans 8:15-16, Paul says: “So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when He adopted you as His own children. Now we call Him, ‘Abba, Father.’ For His Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children” (NLT).

Can we say, “Wow! and “Double wow!” That word translated “slaves” in verse 15 of the above passage comes from the Greek word douleias, meaning slavery. Then look at the first use of the word “children” in this passage: “He adopted you as His own children.” The Greek word used there is huiothesias. Meaning? The placing of a son into the family. Adoption. Remember: back in those days, women had no rights. Women were basically property. So I, in my humble opinion, believe Paul used this specific word to drive home the point that every believer’s adoption comes with all the benefits of blood relationship. Beginning to see the picture?

But it gets even better! Look at the second use of the word "children" in our passage: “…we are God’s children.” The Greek word there is tekna, meaning a descendant child. And this time Paul clarifies he’s addressing both males and females because he chooses this gender neutral term to say we are ALL God’s children if we’ve asked Jesus Christ to be our Lord and Savior.

He who paid for us with His own life, His own blood, chose not to keep us as His slaves—even though He certainly had every right to—but to call us His family members! He even says we have every right to call God “Abba,” just like Jesus. It’s a word many children in the world today use to address their fathers, and it simply means Daddy. Not some distant, formal, stiff Father, but Daddy. Real family. Real closeness. If this is a news flash for you, let me welcome you to the family. Remember: you have all the benefits of blood relationship, only because of Jesus!

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for  MAY 8

“For you are a slave to whatever controls you” (2 Peter 2:19b).

What controls you? Your temper? Your spouse? Your children? Your grandchildren? Your job? If anything other than the Lord Jesus Christ controls you, you’re either in or headed for trouble. As Jesus plainly told us in Matthew 6:24b: “You cannot serve God and mammon [money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more than the Lord]” (Amplified Bible).

Whatever you concern yourself with pleasing more than Jesus is what you are a slave to. And Jesus makes it clear that He wants no part of playing second fiddle: “But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also” (Matthew 6:33).

While many Bible translations use the word “servant” to refer to those who are committed to Jesus Christ, the truth of the matter is that we’re slaves—bought and paid for with the precious blood of our Redeemer. The apostle Paul opens his letter to the Romans, writing, “This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus …” (Romans 1:1, NLT). Likewise, James begins his letter with these words: “This letter is from James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ” (James 1:1a). In both instances, the word translated “slave” (or in other translations, “servant”) comes from the Greek word doulos, meaning a male slave.

Why a “slave” rather than a “servant”? A servant could be a hired hand, as in the Prodigal Son parable Jesus tells in Luke 15. When he decides to return home, the young man hopes his father will take him “… on as a hired servant” (Luke 15:19b). The word used there is misthiōn, the Greek word for a hireling, or paid worker.

God didn’t hire us to work for Him. He bought us with the precious blood of His One and Only Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. We are His slaves. We belong to Him. And we need to think, walk, and talk like that’s exactly who we are. Humble, gentle, loving, and obedient to whatever He calls us to do.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MAY 7

“So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials …” (2 Peter 2:9a, NLT).

In Genesis 13, we see that Abram (later renamed Abraham) and his nephew Lot had greatly prospered and needed more room for their flocks. To accomplish this, “… Lot moved his tents to a place near Sodom …” (Genesis 13:12b). The Bible tells us, “… the people of this area were extremely wicked and constantly sinned against the Lord” (Genesis 13:13).

In Genesis 19, we see that two angels came to Lot and warned him that God had reached His limit on tolerating the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah and was going to destroy them. The angels literally “…seized his hand and the hands of his wife and two daughters and rushed them to safety outside the city …” (Genesis 19:16b). You may remember what happened: Lot and his two daughters made it to safety, “[b]ut Lot’s wife looked back …” (Genesis 19:26a) and was destroyed, along with the two cities and everything in them.

There are countless lessons in those chapters from Genesis, but for now, I want to drive a single point home: God takes care of His people. Lot despised the wickedness of Sodom, but he needed the grazing land that was near there. It took the Lord sending angels to get him out of that soon-to-be-destroyed city. Today, we have the Holy Spirit doing the same thing for every true believer: warning us of danger and leading us away from it IF we listen to Him and obey.

Yes, “…the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials …,” but He won’t drag you away from your situation kicking and screaming. Be willing to listen and obey. He can and will show you a way out.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MAY 6

“So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to Him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death” (Romans 8:1-2, NLT).

Do you beat yourself up? Put yourself down? Feel unworthy? Feel like you’re less than others? The Bible has Good News for you: it just ain’t so! If you’ve sincerely asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins and come into your life and be your Lord and Savior, He has done just that. He is inside you as the Holy Spirit and He is with you as your Guide and Comforter.

And because you belong to Him, it doesn’t matter what you’ve done in the past, who you were in the past, what you can’t undo about your past, all of that. Jesus Christ paid for your past mistakes, your sins, and the moment you asked Him to forgive you, He did. He took those sins away. And so now, my sister or brother, “… there is no condemnation for …” you, or any of “… those who belong to Christ Jesus.”

You see, “… because you belong to Him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.” Child of God, you are free. Free from condemnation. Free from shame. Free from your past. Free to love and serve and live for the One who gave His life for you.

Don’t let the enemy whisper lies in your ears. Tune your ears to the Word of God and live in the freedom, love, joy, and peace only Jesus can give you.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates 

BIBLE STUDY for MAY 5

“… Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong” (Ephesians 3:17, NLT).

As I’ve said before, there are no magic words or actions a person can take to receive Christ as Lord and Savior. Salvation comes only through faith, “trust in Him.” Then and only then will Jesus “make His home in your” heart.

Then, as you acknowledge His presence as the indwelling Holy Spirit, you grow in faith. You grow in confidence that the Lord is there for you. As our passage today tells us, “Your roots [of faith and trust] will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.”

And when you are kept strong, you’re able to lift up others who are struggling. You’re able to move through your own problems and difficulties, knowing the Lord is in you and with you. You’re able to be the strong person Jesus has created you and called you to be—not strong in yourself, but strong in the power of His Spirit.

“… from His glorious, unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit” (Ephesians 3:16).

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MAY 4

“… God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace …" (Romans 15:13a, NLT).

Can we see “hope”? Hebrews 11:1a says that “Faith shows the reality of what we hope for …” “Faith” opens our spiritual eyes and allows us to see the reality of “God, the source of hope.” “Faith” opens our spiritual ears so that we can have confidence in all of God’s promises. And this, my brothers and sisters, can “… fill [us] completely with joy and peace.”

But that complete filling “with joy and peace” is only offered, not forced on us. Like a car sitting at a gas pump, we won’t be refueled until we’re connected to the source. We need refueling on a regular basis. It’s not a one-and-done filling. We expend a lot of our “joy and peace” as we go through life’s daily problems and issues. We need to tank up, over and over again.

Which means reading God’s Word, praying—which is not monologue, but conversation—and spending time in fellowship with other believers. So many professing believers are going through life exhausted because they aren’t being refueled!

Which brings us to the last half of today’s passage. Let’s put the whole thing together, shall we? “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).

“… because you trust in Him.” Folks, when we trust in Jesus with the very depths of our souls, we “…overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” And what happens when something overflows? It spills out on others. When we fully, deeply trust the Lord, we’re filled to overflowing with “joy and peace,” and that “joy and peace” shows all over us and we pour it out on those we come in contact with.

Your source of “joy and peace” is available 24/7. Fill up and pass it on.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates 

BIBLE STUDY for MAY 3

“Abstain from all appearance of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:22, KJV).

Yesterday I mentioned Christian counseling and said men should counsel with men and women with women. Why? Because we’re humans. And too many “counseling” sessions become love affairs. Too many people want to run to the opposite sex to seek advice, whether that’s at work or church or around their neighborhood or family.

Ladies, while it’s wonderful to sit under the teaching of a male Bible teacher or pastor, it’s never a good idea to have one-on-one meetings with a man who isn’t your husband or brother—and I’m not talking “brother” in the Biblical sense. Too many fires have been started by private meetings that began as perfectly innocent consultations.

Men, don’t counsel women. Send them to a woman who can talk with them. Women, don’t counsel men. Send them to a man who can help them with their problems. So many affairs have begun with the words, “My wife (or husband) doesn’t understand me.”

While Jesus indeed could be said to have counseled with the woman at the well—see John 4—first of all, He was God in the Flesh and, secondly, He didn’t counsel with her behind closed doors or in any private location. He talked with her in a completely public place.

We humans are weak. We fight temptation daily. And far too often, we give in to temptation. The best rule to go by is this: If you don’t want to give in to temptation, don’t put yourself in a position to be tempted.

“Run from temptations …” (2 Timothy 2:22a, CEV).

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MAY 2

“Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad?” (Psalm 42:11a, NLT).

Ever been through a really sad time and you don’t even know why it’s happening? I have. With everything seemingly going fine, I fell into a depression that almost sucked the life out of me. And it took me a while to pull out of it. No, I wasn’t at the point of needing medical help, but I have no doubt I came mighty close. And let me say that if you’ve been there and sought medical help, that’s nothing to be ashamed of. I’m just thankful there are people out there who are trained to deal with depression.

But medical help isn’t the first place we should turn. As believers in Jesus Christ, we should first look to Him. Read His Word. Pray. Share your concerns with one or more mature, trustworthy Christians—men if you’re a man, women if you’re a woman. (I don’t have enough time to expound on that topic today.)

But when your sadness simply won’t go away, and you’ve sought the Lord in every way you know how, search for a good Christian medical professional. Take medication if you need it, but be careful. Some physicians want to treat the symptoms and not the problem, and they may prescribe a pill and send you on your way. I hope you’ll read this eye-opening article I wrote several years ago about seniors and prescription medications: https://www.brnow.org/opinions/voices-opinion/There-s-a-pill-for-that/.

To sum up, seek God first. If necessary, seek medical help. But know, just like the trials we looked at yesterday, that in spite of your difficulties, you have a Savior who loves you and is with you. Don’t give up. There is hope. And His Name is Jesus.

“I will put my hope in God! I will praise Him again—my Savior and my God!” (Psalm 42:11b).

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MAY 1

“There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world” (1 Peter 1:6b-7, NLT).

God, the Bible clearly states, “… never tempts anyone” (James 1:13b). In John 12:31, 14:30, and 16:11, Jesus calls Satan “the prince of this world.” For now, he has some power. He tempts people. But don’t miss this: the King of Kings never calls Satan any sort of king. No, Satan is nothing but a big dog on a short leash, and Jesus will soon turn that leash into a choke chain.

In the meantime, though, we experience “many trials,” things we simply cannot understand. Things the Bible tells us “… will show that [our] faith is genuine.” Doesn’t say it’ll be easy. Doesn’t say there’ll be an answer to “Why?” Just says “…when [our] faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring [us] much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.”

What!?! We’ll receive “praise and glory and honor”? You better believe it. Can you imagine hearing Jesus Himself, seeing Jesus Himself, looking you right in the eyes and telling you, “Well done, my good and faithful servant” (Jesus speaking, Matthew 25:21b).

As the old hymn says, “It will be worth it all when we see Jesus!” Remember that.

(To see all the words to the hymn, follow this link: https://lyricstranslate.com/en/Esther-Kerr-Rushthoi-It-Will-Be-Worth-It-All-lyrics.html

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for APRIL 30

“He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of Him during your time here as ‘temporary residents’” (1 Peter 1:18b, NLT).

A lot of professing Christians think they’re all set because they prayed “the prayer of salvation” and/or got dunked in a baptistery. Uh-uh. Unless that person truly repented of their sins and asked Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior, all they did was mouth words and get wet. Becoming a child of God means changing the way you think, talk, and act. It means becoming more and more like your Heavenly Father.

Which brings us back to today’s passage: “He will judge or reward you according to what you do.” While I don’t claim to understand all about this, I do know that the Bible teaches that there will be rewards in heaven. And those who live most obediently and faithfully will receive the greatest rewards.

What did Jesus do to save you? Died a horrible, tortuous death. Endured being spat on and beaten, and all the time He was completely innocent. Had never done one thing wrong.

How do you thank Him? By telling people you’re a Christian when they ask you, or by living it out as your lifestyle every day? Do you love and support a local church with your prayers, presence, and finances? Do you honor the Lord with what is said and done and watched and read in your home?

I firmly believe our time as “temporary residents” on this planet is coming to a close. When you stand before your Maker, will your life show Him your gratitude or your indifference? I pray you love Him and live for Him now, while there is still time.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for APRIL 29

“Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires” (1 Peter 1:14b, NLT).

Amanda’s husband Blake had struggled with alcohol addiction from early adulthood. Before he and Amanda met, Blake realized he needed help and entered a clinic to “dry out.” Blake came out with steely determination not to drink again. A couple years later, Blake and Amanda met and were married a few months later. 

Blake was a faithful churchgoer, right alongside Amanda, and the couple brought two children into the world, built a nice home, and both worked hard at their professions. But Blake’s new job had him meeting with clients at bars and other social settings where alcohol was always present. Pretty soon, Blake began to have one little drink whenever he was with a client. After all, he’d been through the program. He knew how to handle alcohol. He no longer had a problem with it.

But Blake was wrong. Soon he was coming home late and, some evenings, not coming home at all. Amanda tried to reason with Blake, but he insisted he had everything under control. A few months later, his boss called Amanda. “Look,” he said, “Blake’s drinking is out of control. He’s losing clients, which means we’re losing money. If there’s anything you can do to convince him to get help, you’ve got to do it. We can’t keep him on while he’s ruining our business’s reputation.”

So Amanda begged, pleaded, and finally got Blake to go back into rehab. This time, though, he went to a Christian facility where he truly gave his heart and life to Jesus. He’s been sober for several years now and gives all the credit to His Lord Jesus. And he changed jobs, even though it meant a cut in pay—he knows he has to completely steer clear of every trigger that would put a bottle back in his hand.

It’s all too easy to let a bad word slip even ages after you've cleaned up your act. And if you let it slide without repenting, it becomes easier to do it again. Until the old habit is back. Any habit, any addiction, any sin, can latch onto you in a heartbeat unless you consistently stay away from all your old ways, even if that means steering clear of old friends too.

“But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy” (1 Peter 1:15).

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for APRIL 28

“Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. … [Y]our job is to obey the law … God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor?” (from James 4:11-12, NLT).

Let’s do a bit of self-examination. Truthfully answer these questions: How much of what goes through your mind is negative? And how much of what comes out of your mouth is negative? Being negative is a part of our natural nature. But see, we who have been transformed by the saving power of Jesus Christ have a supernatural nature, a nature capable of following the guidance of the Holy Spirit and refusing to be negative.

Being negative is a nasty habit. Like smoking, it’s not something most people can stop overnight. It takes determination. It takes willpower. It takes God in you, and it takes you willingly obeying Him.

If you’re a negative thinker, you’re a negative speaker. Stop. Ask the Lord to prompt your spirit every time you start to think or say anything that isn’t positive. As our scripture for today reminds us, “God alone … is the Judge.” You don’t have to bad-mouth an unpleasant person—they do that for themselves. If you see it, others see it too. Stop expending your time and energy spouting negatives. Christians are to be positive, encouraging, uplifting. Are you?

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for APRIL 27

“All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own” (Isaiah 53:6a, NLT).

I’ve never put a video clip in the middle of a Bible study before, but it’s only 25 seconds long and makes my point better than I could ever do in writing. Please click this link: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Mz2WfBFdOAU and then come back and read the rest.

How often have all of us thought we knew what was best? How often have we, His sheep, heard and ignored His voice and went our own way? Just as you see in the video clip, we are sometimes rescued from one mess, only to find ourselves right back in another.

But here’s the amazing thing: our Great Shepherd keeps on rescuing us. What love! We’re smelly, dirty, disobedient, and He loves us! Loves us enough to die for us. Loves us enough to keep pulling us out of the scrapes we put ourselves in. If only we’ll follow His leading, we can sure avoid a whole lot of needless struggles.

“… He walks ahead of them, and they follow Him because they know His voice” (Jesus speaking, John 10:4b).

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for APRIL 26

I use a laptop computer a lot, and one thing I learned a long time ago is that I can forget checking my email or PM-ing a friend, or doing just about anything that requires the internet unless I’m in fairly close proximity to my router. Otherwise, it’s just one constant frustration after another.

Kind of like trying to live as a long-distance Christian. Our Heavenly Father wants His children close. And if we want our lives to be in alignment with His will, we have to stick close, read His Word, and worship and hang with fellow believers who will encourage us and keep us seeking to do God’s will.

The psalmist Asaph declared, “… how good it is to be near God!” (Psalm 73:28b, NLT). And He is absolutely right. When we’re distant from the Lord, we have poor communication and a whole lot of needless frustration and problems that may have otherwise been avoided.

James 4:8a reminds us: “Come close to God, and God will come close to you.” If there’s no closeness between you and the Lord, trust me: He didn’t go anywhere. But you did. Start taking steps in the right direction. Get back into your Bible. Get back into fellowship with other believers. Get back to talking to and depending on the Lord every day.

And remember: prayer is not a monologue. Sit still. Your Savior is speaking. Take time to listen.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for APRIL 25

Quite a few years back, I visited a friend’s church for a special meeting with a number of young preachers lined up to speak. During the course of one young man’s sermon, he spoke about the Antichrist and warned us to be aware of the enemy’s tactics. When he said this, an elderly man in front of me muttered very loudly, “Speaking of the Antichrist,” then nodded to the left.

You see, that little church stood in the shadow of a much larger church and that man, who had, I’m certain, never set foot in that other church, had just condemned it. I’ve frequently heard a person express a negative comment about a particular denomination, yet when asked if they’ve ever been inside one of those churches, their answer is, “No!”

While I don’t recommend visiting “churches” that are nothing but flat-out cults, I do think a person should visit other denominations before labeling or condemning them. Reminds me of what a friend asked me one time: “Is it true that your church makes people stand up in front of the whole congregation and confess their sins publicly?”

I was astounded. But I simply replied, “The day they start doing that is the day I find another church!” What a horrible thought, to be stuck in front of your whole church to ‘fess up everything you’ve done. Yet that was what someone had told my friend. At least she came to me and asked before going around telling other people what churches like mine were supposedly doing.

God didn’t create denominations, and there is no perfect church here on Earth. Why? Because it’s made up of imperfect people. Don’t waste time bad-mouthing other churches. Don’t waste time bad-mouthing your own church. Satan has more than enough volunteers tearing down churches. He doesn’t need the help of a professing believer. We who have committed our lives to Jesus are family, the family of God. Act like it.

“Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all.”

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates 

BIBLE STUDY for APRIL 24

“Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love” (Ephesians 4:2b, NLT).

When Margaret started slipping mentally, one of her problems was locking herself out of her house. I made duplicate keys and hid one outside her house, kept one for myself, and gave another to her next-door neighbor Freda. (I’ve changed the names of both ladies.)

One day Margaret called and told me she was at Freda’s and was locked out of her house. “Get the spare key I put in the utility room,” I told her.

“I looked there,” Margaret said. “There isn’t one.” She had already misplaced it.

“Okay, then,” I said, “Get Freda to open the door,” I told her. “She has a key.”

Freda snatched the phone from Margaret and barked into the receiver, “I don’t know where you get the idea that I have a key. I don’t have one.”

I gave up, got in my car, and drove to Margaret’s, walked next door to Freda’s, and went inside. Freda began immediately, “I told Margaret she’d lose her head if it wasn’t glued on. She was doing good to find her way across the yard to get here.” Poor Margaret just stood there in complete humiliation.

I walked over to Freda, lifted the necklace she had tucked inside her shirt, and said, “Here’s your key to Margaret’s.” Right where she’d put it the day I gave it to her.

A short time later, Margaret went to assisted living. A few months after that, Freda also found assisted living necessary.

Remember: There but for the grace of God go I. None of us know how we will fare mentally or physically in the future. “Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults …” Why? “… because of your love.”

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for APRIL 23

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves” (Philippians 2:3, NIV).

Remember my friend Lani from yesterday? Well, there’s more to the story. When my friend and I first arrived at Lani’s stunning historic inn in Natchez, we were on our way to our rooms when a tiny lady in work clothes greeted us in an unusual accent that I couldn’t quite figure out.

“Welcome,” she said. “My name’s Molly, and that there,” she added, pointing to a man painting a banister, “is my husband Ian.” The man waved his paint brush in our direction and kept on working. “I’ve already inspected your rooms and you’ll find a lovely gift basket in each,” Molly told us.

We thanked her, freshened up a bit, and then walked over to where Lani was waiting to have tea with us. Imagine our surprise when Molly showed up too! Turned out, Molly and Ian were friends of Lani’s and were visiting for a few weeks and wanted to be useful. They owned a home in Bath, England, which is how they’d met Lani—long story—as well as a sheep station (big ranch) in Australia (which explained their accents).

Lani, Molly, and Ian—all multimillionaires. Me—a blue-collar regular ol’ gal from Alabama. We were all perfectly comfortable together (except maybe my friend). No one was out to impress anyone. We were all simply being ourselves.

We can’t act uppity and expect to lead people to Jesus. Nor can we go around with our eyes to the ground, feeling like we’re not as good as other people.

If you’re prone to horn-blowing, cut it out. If you’re prone to putting yourself down, cut that out. You’re a child of the King. Remember that. To “… value others above yourselves” doesn’t mean to cow down. It simply means what Paul said: not to do things “… out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.” Seek to be kind, gentle, and welcoming.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for APRIL 22

Now that we’re aware of our built-in surveillance cameras—see yesterday’s study—let’s take a look at a little more of Paul’s teaching from Ephesians: “Always be humble and gentle” (Ephesians 4:2a, NLT). For today, let’s home in on just one word: humility.

Humility should never be thought of as being spineless or cowardly. Showing humility takes great inner strength. Humility isn’t cowing down. Humility is choosing not to set yourself above another person. Fact is, those who have to blow their own horn usually suffer from low self-esteem and, like a strutting peacock, use arrogance and a big display of material things to hide what they think is their own insufficiencies.

Years ago, while writing an article about the Spring Pilgrimage in Natchez, Mississippi, I and a friend were guests at one of the gorgeous historic inns, a sprawling antebellum mansion owned by a woman named Lani. My friend and I were invited to tea and, during our visit with Lani, she remarked on my flannel patchwork skirt. “I’d really like to have a skirt like that. Where did you find it?”

That’s when my friend started kicking me under the table. I could see desperation in her eyes. “Don’t do it!” her eyes said. But I moved my legs so she couldn’t continue whacking me and told Lani, “I found it in a thrift store for $3.” My poor friend was mortified.

Lani, however, was delighted. “If you ever find another one like it, buy it and send it to me and I’ll pay you for the skirt and the postage.” I told her I’d be happy to, and then we went on with our tea, scones, and conversation.

Turned out, Lani was born and raised in Beverly Hills and still lived there—she just flew back and forth to spend time in Natchez as often as possible. We bonded over two things: our faith in Christ and that skirt. Lani didn’t need to put on airs, and she certainly didn’t expect me to. And her wealth or my lack of it had no bearing whatsoever on our friendship.

Don’t pretend to be what you aren’t. Don’t use titles or material possessions to try to impress people. Be you. Be real. Be humble. Be like Jesus.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for APRIL 21

“… lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God” (Ephesians 4:1b, NLT).

Let’s suppose there’s a hidden surveillance camera in your home. You have no idea it’s there and you’re going about your normal day-to-day business. After a month of surveillance, you’re contacted by the owner of the camera. It’s God! And He says He wants to have a sit-down with you and go over what all’s been recorded. What would you do? What would He see and hear?

Fact of the matter is, folks, everyone who belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ is already under surveillance. By the Holy Spirit. He who said: “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5, NIV) keeps His promise. He stays put. Within you. He doesn’t plug His ears when you go into a tirade. He doesn’t cover His eyes when you sit down to watch a racy TV show or movie or read a dirty book. And He doesn’t merely surveil you in your home—He goes with you everywhere you go. He sees all and He knows all.

And in spite of anything He sees or hears that doesn’t reflect well on His child or on Himself, He continues to love you and stick with you. Who would want to disappoint someone like that?

So don’t. Instead, make it your goal to “… lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.” I hope you’ll think about your built-in surveillance camera every time you even begin to think, do, or say anything that would dishonor Him.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for APRIL 20

Let’s take another look at yesterday’s passage. In it, Paul tells us that trusting and growing in faith gives us “… the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is” (Ephesians 3:19, NLT).

“… all God’s people …” God’s love for me and God’s love for you are equally “… wide, … long, … high, and … deep …” As I said yesterday, He doesn’t play favorites. And that’s what I want to look at today.

If you have committed your heart and life to Jesus Christ, you are His child and your thoughts, speech, and actions are proof of your adoption into the Kingdom of God. So don’t ever think you’re less than any other believer. Don’t ever think God loves some other believer more than He loves you. Because it’s just not true. And here’s the proof, over and over in His Word:

“For God does not show favoritism” (Romans 2:11).

“… He has no favorites” (Ephesians 6:9b).

“… God shows no favoritism” (Acts 10:34b).

“… God has no favorites” (Colossians 3:25b).

“… God has no favorites” (Galatians 2:6b).

“And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites” (1 Peter 1:17a).

Let that sink into your heart and mind and spirit. You are loved “… with an everlasting love …” (Jeremiah 31:3a, NIV). Live a life worthy of what He’s done for you.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for APRIL 19

Yesterday we made it to the second half of Ephesians 3:17: “Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong” (NLT). How does this happen? “… as [we] trust in Him” (Ephesians 3:17a), “[our] roots … grow down into God’s love and keep [us] strong.”

Paul goes on to tell us that doing these things—trusting and growing—will give us “… the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is” (Ephesians 3:19).

Don’t miss the important statement in that last verse: “… as all God’s people should …” God doesn’t play favorites. Every person who commits their heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ has the same opportunities to grow and learn and understand God’s Word.

If you understand very little about the Bible, you aren’t spending much time in the Bible. And it is 100% impossible to grow closer to the Lord, or to grow into a trust that can carry you through every situation, unless you read His Word. Regularly.

A recent survey showed that more than half the U.S. population say they read the Bible somewhere between not at all and twice a year. If that surprises you, hold onto your hat. Another question in the survey was: Do you think our country would be worse off, better off or about the same without the Bible? One-third of respondents said it’d be about the same. Fourteen percent (almost 1 out of 7) said the U.S. would be better off without the Bible.

Folks, Satan ain’t playin’. He knows the time is drawing near when the Lord will call His people out of this world and those who haven’t already committed their lives to Him will be left behind to endure the horrors of the Tribulation. He’ll have his field day on those left behind, but meanwhile, he wants to hinder believers from strengthening their faith and knowing the Word, and, above all, he certainly doesn’t want believers leading other people to faith in Jesus Christ.

Think about those statistics I mentioned. How often do you read your Bible, not just a brief little devo like this one? Spend time in the Word. Grow in faith. Be empowered to lead other people to saving faith in Jesus.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for APRIL 18

Yesterday we looked at Ephesians 3:17a: “… Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him.” As we learn to trust the Lord more and more, we develop a greater sensitivity to the presence of His Holy Spirit. It becomes easier to hear His voice and follow His guidance.

In other words, as Paul continued in Ephesians 3:17b: “Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.” Life can be tough, and we need supernatural spiritual strength to enable us to handle it.

Larry and I like to fish and, many times, we’ve been cruising along a lake or river and I look up to see a high rock wall with a pine tree growing from it. There’s hardly any soil where the tree is, and yet its roots have grown down into every crack and crevice, enabling that tree to withstand all sorts of winds and weather. No matter how precarious your perch may feel, when “[y]our roots … grow down into God’s love,” He will “keep you strong.”

Don’t ever think for a skinny minute that your Savior doesn’t know exactly what you’re dealing with, exactly what you’re going through. He’s there and He cares and, IF you “trust in Him,” He will “keep you strong.”

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for APRIL 17

“… Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him” (Ephesians 3:17a, NLT).

When I was a little kid, there was a swinging bridge in Cherokee, North Carolina that crossed a wide stretch of shallow, rushing river. The first time I set foot on it, I was terrified. It moved. It teetered. It creaked and groaned. It didn’t stay still like other bridges I’d been on. But I grabbed my Daddy’s hand, held on for dear life, and kept going. I may not have trusted that bridge, but I did trust my Daddy.

And I wanted to go where my Daddy was leading. It may have been scary, but I knew my Daddy was watching out for me, was with me. I knew, in spite of that bridge’s swinging, swaying, and feel of instability that it wasn’t something I needed to fear if that was where my Daddy was taking me. Why? Because I had absolute trust in my father.

We can find ourselves in some very shaky, scary situations in life, can’t we? But if we put our “… trust in Him …,” we can be assured that we will never walk into any situation without the Lord being with us, comforting us, encouraging us, and reassuring us of His presence. We can trust our Heavenly Father.

Don’t let fear keep you from trusting your Savior. Wherever He leads, follow. No matter how shaky or scary it may seem, there is no better place to be. Your Father will take care of you as you “trust in Him.”

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for APRIL 16

“You are built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. Christ Jesus Himself is the cornerstone. In Him all the parts of the building fit together and grow into a holy temple in the Lord. Through Him you, also, are being built in the Spirit together with others into a place where God lives” (Ephesians 2:20-22, GWT).

This is one of the best descriptions of the Church in all the Bible. It’s “… built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets.” And “Christ Jesus Himself is the cornerstone.” Not only that, but we—believers—make up “… parts of the building …” and, as we mature in faith, the Church grows. And we are knit together into the One Body of Christ, “… built in the Spirit together …”

The Holy Spirit in every believer unites us into the Body of Christ, His Church. And folks, we need each other. We need the fellowship of gathering together. We need the sermons and lessons, and the Lord loves to hear His people lift up praise and prayers and worship. Yes, we can pray and praise and worship wherever we are, but corporate worship as the Body of Christ is something special. It’s not to be ignored or neglected.

Those people I mentioned yesterday who say they were saved twenty years ago, but have never gotten involved in church? I’m now seeing their third generation coming up knowing absolutely nothing about who Jesus is or what it means to be a believer. It grieves my heart to think of professing believers who may not know the Lord themselves and who are doing nothing to teach their children or grandchildren the urgency of committing their lives to the Lord Jesus before it’s too late.

If you haven’t been in church, make this the Sunday you change that. No church is perfect, but find the one that you feel most comfortable in and give it a try. And if you’re a regular churchgoer, please don’t neglect to warmly greet newcomers. And for pity’s sake, don’t gripe about somebody taking your seat—you might even want to get totally radical and move to the center of the pew so people don’t have to crawl over you.

“Whoever welcomes one of these little children (and I don’t think it’s a stretch to include newcomers to the faith in that description) in My name welcomes Me” (Jesus speaking, Mark 9:37a, NIV).

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for  APRIL 15

“God's gift of undeserved grace is what saves you” (Ephesians 2:5b, CEV).

Recently I’ve spoken with at least four people who’ve told me about how they were visited by a pastor, prayed “the prayer of salvation,” and were saved. While that’s certainly happened to many believers, it goes back to what the Bible keeps teaching us: the proof is in the living. And not a one of these folks have hit a church door more than a handful of times since that pastor’s visit some ten to twenty years ago.

There is no magic phrase that guarantees a person salvation. The only way to become a member of the family of God, certain of your eternal home in heaven, is to have a change of heart. The word “repent” means to turn. To do a 180. A complete about-face.

Think of it this way. You look into your child’s bedroom and see toys and clothes scattered everywhere. “Clean up this room right now,” you say. And your little darling immediately says, “I will.” But hours later, you look in again and the room is still a wreck. That child’s actions, or lack thereof, doesn’t match the words that came from their lips.

So it is with many professing believers. Unless your profession of faith was preceded by sincere repentance, all you did was mouth words. True salvation is exemplified in a changed life, from the inside out.

While I fully believe a person can know the Lord and not be involved in a church, I believe the Holy Spirit within that person will continue to trouble them until they do find a church home. The Holy Spirit in you loves the body of Christ, the fellowship of believers, only found when we gather together as the family of God. And if that desire never stops you from sitting at home Sunday after Sunday, I believe it’s time to back up and reexamine where you stand with Jesus.

Let me also say that I realize there are many people who are unable to attend church due to health reasons. I’m strictly talking about those who are able but have no desire to go.

Don’t rely on empty words to get you to heaven. Know that you know the Savior. Time is running out. Don’t wait until it’s too late.

“Not everyone who calls out to Me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of My Father in heaven will enter” (Jesus speaking, Matthew 7:21, NLT).

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for APRIL 14

“You will harvest what you plant. If you follow your selfish desires, you will harvest destruction, but if you follow the Spirit, you will harvest eternal life” (Galatians 6:7b-8, CEV).

Paul couldn’t have said it any plainer. If a person chooses to “… follow [his] own selfish desires, [he] will harvest destruction …” The way to “… harvest eternal life” is to “… follow the Spirit …”

Everything in life is about choices. And those choices affect our present, our future, and our eternity. As we saw yesterday, a true believer will produce “fruit” (see Galatians 5:22-23) in keeping with the personality and presence of the Holy Spirit.

Walking an aisle or being dunked in a baptistery doesn’t mean you’ve been truly saved, born again into the eternal Kingdom of the Savior. The proof is in the living. If Christ lives in you, in the form of His Holy Spirit, you don’t do the things you used to do. You don’t think the things you used to think. Nor do you say the things you used to say. You’re changed. Transformed. You’ve become “… a new creature …” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Have you asked Jesus Christ to forgive you of your sins and save you? If your answer is yes, how long ago has that been and how much more like Him have you become during that time? If a lot of the old you is still within you, make sure you’ve truly repented and asked Christ to be your Lord and Savior. And once you’re sure of that, get into a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching church and learn His Word and grow in faith.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for APRIL 13

“For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, .... What is important is faith expressing itself in love. … let the Holy Spirit guide your lives” (from Galatians 5:6, 16a, NLT).

Two huge points in these short excerpts from Paul’s letter to the Galatians: First and foremost, the most important thing a believer can do is demonstrate their faith by showing love to others. Secondly—and this goes hand-in-hand with the first point—they’re to be guided by the Holy Spirit.

Note that little word “let.” The Holy Spirit is God, just as Jesus is God. We serve a Triune God, the Three-in-One: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Our Lord will never lead us astray, but He won’t force us to do right either. It’s always a matter of choice. If you want to reach out to others with the love of Christ, then you have to follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance. You must LET, or ALLOW, Him to be your Guide. He’ll never force His will upon you.

So following the Holy Spirit’s guidance does what? It makes us like Him. As Galatians 5:22-23 tells us, “… the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” And this isn’t a list to choose from. When we belong to Christ and we’re following the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we get ALL of these! No, they won’t all manifest themselves right off the bat, but as we live and grow in Christ, the fruit (note that it’s singular) of the Spirit becomes more and more evident in us. We want less and less of the things of this world and more and more of Jesus.

Or as Paul said it: “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to His cross and crucified them there” (Galatians 5:24). Growing in Christ and listening to and following the Holy Spirit’s leading will change the way we think, talk, and act. IF we LET Him.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for APRIL 12

I hope you were inspired and encouraged by our look at the last days of Christ’s life on earth before and after His crucifixion. Remember, He left us with the Great Commission, which says: “…go and make disciples of all the nations …” (Matthew 28:19b, NLT). His command (not suggestion) hasn’t changed and His message is clear. He is building a Kingdom from all peoples in all the earth: “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13, Paul quoting from Joel 2:32).

Galatians is believed to be Paul’s first letter, written before Romans or any of his other messages. Who were the Galatians? The believers in the church in Galatia, a provincial territory of the Roman Empire in what was considered Asia Minor then and would be part of the country of Turkey today. As Paul makes clear from the beginning of his ministry: “God has appointed me as the apostle to the Gentiles” (Galatians 2:8b). And who were the Gentiles? Anyone who wasn’t Jewish.

In the short time since Christ’s coming, crucifixion, and resurrection, false teachers had crept into the Church and begun to teach untruths, such as requiring Gentile men to be circumcised as were Jewish men. This and other things they claimed were required for salvation made it clear that they were teaching a salvation of faith plus works. And that was and is a lie.

If what Christ did on the cross and through His resurrection was not enough to win salvation for every person who has ever or ever will put their faith in Him, then His death was a tragedy, not a victory. Christ’s death is, must be, sufficient as the only thing needed to bring salvation to all who will believe.

Yes, good works are the result, or proof, of a person having repented and received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, but works come AFTER salvation and are not a part of salvation itself. To say anything else is necessary for salvation other than faith in the Risen Savior is to say that His sacrifice was insufficient. And that, my friends, is false teaching.

As Paul reminded the believers in Galatia, he reminds us today: “There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are His heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you” (Galatians 3:28-29).

One God. One Church. One Way. Be a faithful servant and messenger of Christ.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for APRIL 11

With their Leader no longer with them, the disciples were unsure of what they were to do, so when Simon Peter announced, “I’m going fishing,” (John 21:3b, NLT) most of the other disciples decided to go with him.

They’d fished all night with nothing to show for it when Jesus appeared on the shore and called out, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat …” (John 21:6a) and “they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it” (John 21:6b). “This was the third time Jesus had appeared to His disciples since He had been raised from the dead” (John 21:14). And this catch of fish is so important: it showed the disciples that the Risen Lord was the same Jesus that had filled their nets when He first called them (see Luke 5).

Peter left the rest of the guys to manage the fish, dove into the water, and swam to shore to see Jesus. And that was when Jesus had a life-changing conversation with Peter.

Remember, during Jesus’ pre-crucifixion trial and torture, Peter had denied even knowing Jesus—just as Jesus had warned him he would. Now, ashamed and not feeling at all worthy of being a disciple, Peter had to wonder what the Lord was going to say. Let’s take a look at John 21:15-16.

“‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?’

‘Yes, Lord,’ Peter replied, ‘you know I love You.’

“Then feed My lambs.”

Jesus repeated the question: ‘Simon son of John, do you love Me?’

‘Yes, Lord,’ Peter said, ‘you know I love You.’

‘Then take care of My sheep.’”

Before we get to Verse 17, I want us to look back at Verses 15-16. We lose the whole point when this passage is translated into English. See, both times Jesus asks, “Do you love Me,” Jesus is asking, “Do you agape Me?” He’s using the word agape, meaning the all-encompassing love of God. Peter responds, “You know I phileo You,” using the word phileo, meaning the love between friends or brothers—as in Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love.

Peter wasn’t able to love with the kind of love that Jesus asked. Peter truthfully told Jesus, “I love you as a brother.” So what does Jesus do? A third time He asked him, "Simon son of John, do you love Me?” (John 21:17a).

This time Jesus says, “Okay, Peter, if you aren’t yet capable of loving Me as I love you, do you truly love (phileo) Me as a brother?” To which Peter responds, “Lord, You know everything. You know that I love (phileo) You” (John 21:17b).

What a Savior! He meets us where we are. He didn’t give up on the repentant Peter. Instead, He commissioned him: “Then feed My sheep” (John 21:17c).

He hasn’t given up on you either. He’s still ready to meet you right where you are. He’s still ready to use you for His glory. All you have to do is be willing. Are you? Then tell Him.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for APRIL 10

"That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! ‘Peace be with you,’ He said. As He spoke, He showed them the wounds in His hands and His side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord! Again He said, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so I am sending you” (John 20:19-21, NLT).

There are many accounts of Jesus appearing to people after His resurrection, but as we read yesterday, the women’s account of their experience with two angels who announced Jesus’ resurrection “… sounded like nonsense to the men, so they didn’t believe it” (Luke 24:11). The women believed the angels’ announcement, but the men thought the whole story sounded ridiculous. Until they saw Jesus for themselves.

But “One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came. They told him, ‘We have seen the Lord!’ But he replied, ‘I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in His hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in His side.’ Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. ‘Peace be with you,’ He said. Then He said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here, and look at My hands. Put your hand into the wound in My side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!” (John 20:24-27).

Thomas gets such a raw deal being called “doubting Thomas.” He had the same doubts all the other disciples had until they’d laid eyes on the Risen Savior. So when Thomas saw Him, how did he respond? With an immediate affirmation of his faith: “‘My Lord and my God!’ Thomas exclaimed” (John 20:28).

And what was Jesus’ response? “Then Jesus told him, ‘You believe because you have seen Me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing Me’” (John 20:29). Thomas wasn’t the only one who had seen Him—all of the disciples had.

Which means, brothers and sisters, we are “those who believe without seeing!” And as Jesus said, we’re “blessed!” And just as Jesus said to His disciples, we’re also commissioned: “As the Father has sent Me, so I am sending you.”

You have a job to do, Christian. You have a calling from the Lord Himself to spread the Good News that He lives! This isn’t only the message of Easter—it’s the message of every single day. Get out there and tell it.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for EASTER SUNDAY, APRIL 9

“… very early on Sunday morning the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. So they went in, but they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes. 

'The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, ‘Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that He would rise again on the third day’” (Luke 24:1-7, NLT).

The stone that held the Lord inside the tomb had been rolled away? No, the stone that kept other people out of the tomb had been rolled away! Nothing kept Jesus’ body inside that tomb and “The Way” (John 14:6) certainly didn’t need a way out of it. But the women needed to be able to come into the tomb and see that “He is risen from the dead!”

When the angels spoke to them, “… they remembered that He had said this. So they rushed back from the tomb to tell His eleven disciples—and everyone else—what had happened. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several other women who told the apostles what had happened” (Luke 24:9-10).

Can’t you just hear Peter and the other disciples? “Silly women. Gotta love ‘em, but they’re clearly hysterical.” The Bible says the women’s “… story sounded like nonsense to the men, so they didn’t believe it” (Luke 24:11).

John’s Gospel describes what happened next: “Peter and the other disciple (John) started out for the tomb. They were both running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He stooped and looked in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he didn’t go in. Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings ling there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and lying apart from the other wrappings. Then the disciple who had reached the tomb first (John) also went in, and he saw and believed—for until then they still hadn’t understood the Scriptures that said Jesus must rise from the dead” (John 20:3-9).

Who unwraps a body to carry it off and steal it? Who could vanish out of a full wrap of linen bandages without disarranging them? And why set the face-covering cloth aside to itself? Every bit of this signaled the reality of the resurrection.

Jesus lives! And because He lives, we can too. Forever. With Him. In a place of perfect peace. Do you know Him? Don’t you want others to know Him? Then tell them.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for APRIL 8

“… He said, ‘It is finished!’ Then He bowed his head and released His spirit. It was the day of preparation, and the Jewish leaders didn’t want the bodies hanging there the next day, which was the Sabbath (and a very special Sabbath, because it was the Passover). So they asked Pilate to hasten their deaths by ordering that their legs be broken. Then their bodies could be taken down. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two men crucified with Jesus. But when they came to Jesus, they saw that He was already dead, so they didn’t break His legs. One of the soldiers, however, pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out. (This report is from an eyewitness giving an accurate account. He speaks the truth so that you also can believe.) These things happened in fulfillment of the Scriptures that say, ‘Not one of his bones will be broken,’ and ‘They will look on the one they pierced’” (John 19:30-37, NLT). Here, John quoted from Psalm 34:20 and Zechariah 12:10.

Unlike us, the Jews counted a day from sundown to sundown, not sunup to sunup, so with evening approaching, they were in a rush not to have something like dead bodies spoiling their Sabbath, which began at sundown on Friday. So they asked the soldiers to break the crucified men’s legs, thus preventing them from being able to push upward, an act which helped ease the pressure on the diaphragm and allowed them to continue breathing. The soldiers did this to the men on both sides of Jesus, but the Passover Lamb had already died, so although His side was pierced, His legs weren’t broken.

“This all happened on Friday, the day of preparation, the day before the Sabbath. As evening approached, Joseph of Arimathea took a risk and went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. (Joseph was an honored member of the high council, and he was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come)” (Mark 15:42-43).

All four Gospels record Joseph’s request for the body of Jesus. Imagine a member of the Sanhedrin—“the high counsel”—asking for the body of the very one they’d determined to put to death. Clearly, their illegal kangaroo court to try Jesus was held without the knowledge of Joseph or any other dissenters.

Only John’s Gospel records the presence of a second person with Joseph: “With him came Nicodemus” (John 19:39a). “Pilate couldn’t believe that Jesus was already dead, so he called for the Roman officer and asked if he had died yet. The officer confirmed that Jesus was dead, so Pilate told Joseph he could have the body” (Mark 15:44-45).

“The place of crucifixion was near a garden, where there was a new tomb, never used before. And so, because it was the day of preparation for the Jewish Passover and since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there” (John 19:41-42). Together, Joseph and Nicodemus carried Jesus’ body to the tomb.

Again, only John records what else Nicodemus did: “He brought along about seventy-five pounds of perfumed ointment made from myrrh and aloes. Following Jewish burial custom, they wrapped Jesus’ body with the spices in long sheets of linen” (John 19:39c-40). Nicodemus brought the burial spices; he and Joseph put them on Jesus and wrapped His body.

Mark’s Gospel goes on to say, “Then he (Joseph of Arimathea) rolled a stone in front of the entrance” (Mark 15:46). It’s unlikely that rolling a stone huge enough to seal the entrance to a tomb was a one-man job. Most likely, Joseph and Nicodemus performed this task together.

“Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where Jesus’ body was laid” (Mark 15:42-47, NLT).

Jesus’ mother was devastated by the death of her Son, but she also wanted to see that He received proper burial preparation. The rush job that Joseph and Nicodemus had done had been with the very best of intentions, but the two Marys intended to return as soon as the Sabbath was over and do a more thorough job of preparing the body.

Little did they know there wouldn’t be a body to finish preparing. Hang on, folks, ‘cause Sunday’s comin’!

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for APRIL 7

The people had spoken. They’d made their choice—Barabbas set free and Jesus to die. “And they had Him nailed to the cross” (Matthew 27:35a, NLT). “Two revolutionaries were crucified with Him, one on His right and one on His left” (Matthew 27:38).

Jesus spoke seven times from the cross—the number seven signifying perfection or completion. “Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). In indescribable agony, Jesus wasn’t thinking of Himself, but of others, including the very ones who had nailed Him there and those who had chosen Barabbas over Him.

Thirdly, while one of the crucified criminals scoffed at Jesus, the other looked at Him and said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into Your kingdom” (Luke 23:42), to which Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). The Giver of Hope is always ready to receive the one who truly turns to Him for forgiveness.

I can’t begin to imagine what agony Mary was suffering as she watched her Son upon the cross. John, without referring to himself by name, records: “When Jesus saw His mother standing beside the disciple He loved, He said to her, ‘Dear woman, here is your son.’ And He said to this disciple, ‘Here is your mother’” (John 19:26-27a). In His final moments on the cross, Jesus entrusted the care of His precious mother to His disciple John. Jesus, again, was thinking of others. And still for believers today, this, my friends—thinking of others—is the surest indicator of true faith.

Jesus’ next cry fulfilled the very words of Psalm 22:1: “At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. … Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ which means ‘My God, My God, why have you abandoned Me?’” (Matthew 27:45-46).

His life ebbing away, “Jesus knew that His mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture He said, ‘I am thirsty’” (John 19:28). Jesus’ words were a fulfillment of Psalm 22:15b: “My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.”

Immediately after saying “I am thirsty,” Jesus made his sixth statement from the cross. “A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to His lips. When Jesus had tasted it, He said, ‘It is finished!’” (John 19:29-30a).

“And suddenly, the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn down the middle. Then Jesus shouted, ‘Father, I entrust My spirit into Your hands!’ And with those words He breathed His last” (Luke 23:45b-46).

Luke’s Gospel doesn’t paint as clear a picture as does Mark’s. When Jesus took His last breath, “… the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom” (Mark 15:38). Note that it “was torn … from top to bottom.” This was a 60-foot high curtain. No human hand could have reached up and ripped it from the top. But so what? Why was the tearing of this curtain so significant?

According to Exodus 30, the area inside the curtain, called the Holy of Holies, was so sacred that the high priest alone was allowed to enter it, and then only one time a year to make atonement for the people. Inside it was the Ark of the Covenant, atop of which was the bema, or mercy seat—see Exodus 25. Ladies and gentleman, “… our High Priest offered Himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then He sat down at the place of honor at God’s right hand” (Hebrews 10:12).

There was no more need for a blood sacrifice. As Jesus said from the cross, “It is finished!” All that’s left for man to do is receive the free gift being offered. Have you done that? Have you told anyone? How are you living to honor Him?

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for APRIL 6

Only Peter and John followed Jesus to the high priest’s home when He was arrested in the Garden. John 18:15b records that John “… was allowed to enter the high priest’s courtyard with Jesus” (NLT). John persuaded “… the woman watching the gate …” (John 18:16b) to let Peter in, too.

“The woman asked Peter, ‘You’re not one of that Man’s disciples, are you?’ ‘No,’ he said, ‘I am not’" (John 18:17). “Just then, a rooster crowed” (Mark 14:68b). As Jesus was questioned and slapped like a common criminal, “Peter was standing by the fire warming himself …” (John 18:25a). That’s when the others gathered around the fire “… asked him …, ‘You’re not one of His disciples, are you?’” (John 18:25b), to which Peter immediately responded, “No, I am not” (John 18:25c).

But the crowd around the fire wasn’t buying it. “… one of the household slaves of the high priest … asked, ‘Didn’t I see you out there in the olive grove with Jesus?’ Again Peter denied it. And immediately a rooster crowed” (John 18:26-27).

What had Peter told Jesus? “Even if everyone else deserts you, I never will” (Mark 14:29b).

And how had Jesus responded? “I tell you the truth, Peter—this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny three times that you even know Me” (Mark 14:30b).

Never say “Never.” Until we’re actually faced with a situation, we don’t know how we would respond. Peter was so sure of himself. Yet Jesus had warned him. And Peter had failed miserably.

So God was through with him, right? Wrong. When the disciples, devastated over the loss of their Leader, decided to chuck it all in and go fishing, the Resurrected Lord appeared to them on the seashore. And of all the disciples to have this conversation with, He chose Peter. And what did He tell him? “Feed My sheep” (John 21:17b).

Child of God, you can’t mess up badly enough for the Lord to stop loving you. You can’t mess up badly enough for the Lord to not be willing to use you for His glory. Don’t let the enemy tell you otherwise. Remember: Jesus Himself identified the devil as “… a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44b). You can’t believe a word he whispers!

Your wounds can mean healing for others. Your mistakes can serve as lessons for others. Don’t listen to a liar. Listen to your Savior who loves you and wants you to glorify Him in all you think, say, and do.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for APRIL 5

As Jesus finished His prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, “Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived with a crowd of men armed with swords and clubs. Then all His disciples deserted Him and ran away” (Mark 14:43b, 50, NLT).

The whole group may have run for the hills, but two of the disciples gathered up the nerve to follow. John doesn’t identify himself, but says “Simon Peter followed Jesus, as did another of the disciples” (John 18:15a).

Jesus’ trial was an illegal joke. None of the established protocols were followed. “The soldiers took Jesus into the courtyard of the governor’s headquarters (called the Praetorium) and called out the entire regiment. They dressed Him in a purple robe, and they wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on His head. Then they saluted Him and taunted, ‘Hail! King of the Jews!’ And they struck Him on the head with a reed stick, spit on Him, and dropped to their knees in mock worship” (Mark 15:16-19).

But they were just getting started. “Now it was the governor’s custom each year during the Passover celebration to release one prisoner to the crowd—anyone they wanted. So the governor asked … ‘Which of these two do you want me to release to you?’ The crowd shouted back, ‘Barabbas!’ Pilate responded, ‘Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?’ They shouted back, ‘Crucify Him!’ So Pilate released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned Him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified” (Matthew 27:15, 21-22, 26).

The religious leaders had gone throughout the crowd, encouraging them to choose Barabbas to be released, and the people had bought into it. Did everyone there that day want to see Jesus crucified? I don’t believe that for a skinny minute. What I do believe is that those who wanted Jesus to be freed were afraid to speak up. In a throng of people passionately crying out for the release of a notorious criminal, fear for their own personal safety kept them silent.

Going along with the crowd is so much easier than opposing it, isn’t it? And when the crowd is wrong and we do nothing, we condone their actions. And when we condone their actions, we deny our Lord just as surely as those people did on that Friday.

Folks, if we prefer anything over Jesus, we’ve denied Him. Don’t let work, TV, books, activities, or even family keep you from time with the Savior. Most of us won’t neglect to eat today. Let’s not neglect our spiritual food either.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for APRIL 4

After Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, “… Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived with a crowd of men armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent by the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders. The traitor, Judas, had given them a prearranged signal: ‘You will know which one to arrest when I greet Him with a kiss. Then you can take Him away under guard.’ As soon as they arrived, Judas walked up to Jesus. ‘Rabbi!’ he exclaimed, and gave Him the kiss. Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested Him” (Mark 14:43b-46, NLT).

Jesus had openly taught in Jerusalem and many other towns, but the religious leaders didn’t have the guts to make a public arrest. Instead, they, like Judas, did it in the sneakiest way possible: under the cover of night.

And how did Judas betray Him? “… with a kiss.” Why? This is only my opinion, but I believe Judas, in his own mind, wasn’t being two-faced. Instead, he was using the kiss to signify that he still loved Jesus. He was merely trying to help Jesus along in his plan to throw off the Roman government’s power over the Jews and instate Himself as ruler. See, Judas didn't love Jesus for who He was; he loved Him for who he wanted Him to be.

Folks, we need to be so careful about how we treat our Lord. He isn’t our magic genie. He isn’t our “on demand” provider. He’s God of the Universe. He’s in control. Even when, as in that night in the Garden, it looked like everything was total chaos.

See, who Judas thought the Messiah should be and who Jesus really was—the Suffering Savior—were complete opposites. And we, like Judas, often look at Jesus as someone we can manipulate or control. Don’t look at me all weird when I say that because you know it’s true. If we claim this verse and we do this thing, we’ll get what we want. Nope. Unless we, like Jesus, are praying first and foremost that the Father’s will be done.

Do you want things your way or His way? Having tried my way, I prefer God’s way. Even when I don’t understand what’s happening. Even when I don’t particularly like the state or situation I find myself in.

How can I say this? Because I trust Him. I know Father knows best. And I know He wants the best for me.

How about you? Do you trust Him enough to pray for every area of your life, “Thy will be done”? (Luke 11:2, KJV).

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for APRIL 3

The Last Supper is over. Jesus has sent Judas away, telling him, “Hurry and do what you’re going to do” (John 13:27b). He has spoken extensively with the other eleven disciples (as we’ve looked at in John 14-16) about the work of the Holy Spirit, the disciples’ responsibility as His representatives, and the importance of sticking close to the Savior. Now in the garden at the Mount of Olives, He prays to the Father:

“There He told them, ‘Pray that you will not give in to temptation.’ He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, ‘Father, if You are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from Me. Yet I want Your will to be done, not Mine.’ Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened Him” (Luke 22:40-43, NLT).

Knowing exactly what this meant, Jesus, God in the Flesh, prayed that the Father’s “will be done, not” His own. Even though He was fully God, He was also fully man, and as a man, He dreaded the suffering He was about to endure. Even so, He considered the redemption of mankind worth it.

So when Jesus prayed for the strength to submit to the Father’s will, what happened? “… an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened Him.” Don’t ever think that this kind of comfort isn’t available to you today. Seriously? Yep. Look at a couple of verses that teach us about angels:

“What are all the angels? They are spirits sent to serve those who are going to receive salvation” (Hebrews 1:14, GWT). “For He will order His angels to protect you wherever you go” (Psalm 91:11, NLT). Angels are active in the lives of believers. Does this mean nothing bad will ever happen to a believer? Of course not. But we’ll never know this side of heaven how many bad things didn’t happen because of the intervention of God’s heavenly warriors.

After the angel had come to Jesus “and strengthened Him,” “He prayed more fervently …” (Luke 22:44a). When we are desperately in prayer, we, too, are ministered to and strengthened by angels.

Can you imagine knowing in advance that you were going to be beaten, stripped naked, and nailed alive to a cross? Such horror is unthinkable. Knowing this is what lay ahead, Jesus “was in such agony of spirit that His sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood” (Luke 22:44b).

Ever heard the expression “sweating blood”? It’s for real. It’s called hematidrosis or hematohidrosis. In the human body, there are a lot of blood vessels around the sweat glands and, under extreme distress, these blood vessels constrict. When the distress passes, the blood vessels can dilate enough to rupture, causing blood to leak into the sweat glands and be excreted. Jesus, having prayed and submitted Himself to the Father’s will, sweated blood as He reaffirmed His commitment to go to the cross.

Hallelujah, what a Savior! Remember what He was willing to do for you and ask yourself: What am I willing to do for Him?

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for APRIL 2

Speaking of the Holy Spirit, Jesus said, “He will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment” (John 16:8b, NLT).

Yesterday I talked about how a true believer can’t sin without knowing what he’s doing is wrong. News flash: neither can an unbeliever. How is that? Because the Holy Spirit calls to all mankind. He “… convict[s] the world of its sin …” The Lord, addressing the church of Laodicea—which many Bible scholars believe represents the church today—warned: “As many as I love, I do convict …” (Revelation 3:19a, YLT).

How many does Jesus love? “For God so loved the world …” (John 3:16a, KJV). But that same Revelation passages also says that God chastens—that is, disciplines. So where does that fit in? Hebrews 12:7-8 hold the answer:

“Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? If God doesn’t discipline you as He does all of His children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really His children at all” (NLT). (Check the King James to see an even stronger wording in this passage.) So there you have it: while God sends conviction to the world, He only disciplines those who are truly His.

Ever wondered why evil people seem to literally get away with murder while you get caught every time you take a wrong step? The difference is your family. Your Father loves you too much not to call you on the carpet when you disobey Him. And while you’re going to suffer the consequences of your wrongdoing in the here and now—and possibly even see the suffering of others affected by what you’ve done wrong—those who don’t know the Lord will spend eternity paying for their sin.

Which brings us back to Jesus’ conversation with His disciples. Jesus wanted the disciples and us to understand that people don’t go to hell because they’re bad. Let’s face it: we’re all bad. We all could be better, more obedient followers of Christ every day. The reason the world isn’t overrun with Christians is because the world is overrun with lukewarm Christians, as in that reference to the church of Laodicea yesterday.

So how does any person end up in hell? Because of one single sin: “The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in Me” (John 16:9).

So what separates believers in the world from unbelievers in the world? The blood of Jesus. As Jesus said of His disciples as He prayed for them in His last moments before His arrest: “They do not belong to this world any more than I do” (John 17:16).

Child of God, you don’t belong to this world. You belong to Jesus. Live like it.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for APRIL 1

“… it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send Him to you. And when He comes, He will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment” (John 16:7-8, NLT).

“… the Advocate won’t come.” Was the Holy Spirit not already in the world? Yes, but prior to Christ’s coming in the flesh, the Holy Spirit only came to specific people for specific purposes.

For example, First Samuel 16:14a says “… the Spirit of the Lord had left Saul.” Saul had been anointed as king, but he wasn’t following God’s leadership. So when the Spirit left him, what had just happened? “… as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David from that day on” (1 Samuel 16:13). The disobedient king was removed and a new king crowned—a king whose lineage would bring us the Savior.

But after Jesus went to the cross, died, and was resurrected, His Holy Spirit became available to all mankind—not merely on a temporary basis or to specific individuals, but as a lifetime presence within every person who accepts Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior. Which is why Jesus told His disciples: “It is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come.”

And what is the work of the Holy Spirit? Jesus said, “He will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment” (John 16:8b).

No truly born-again believer can sin without knowing it. No truly born-again believer has to wonder whether or not something is right or wrong. As the apostle Paul said in First Corinthians 10:21b: “You cannot eat at the Lord’s table and at the table of demons, too.”

There’s no gray area—it’s either right or wrong and the Holy Spirit lets us know when it’s wrong. We simply choose whether to listen and obey or ignore Him. And every time we ignore Him, we put a little more cotton in our spiritual ears. We put a little bit thicker dark glasses over our spiritual eyes. And it gets easier and easier to tune out His warnings.

So for anyone who’s ever said, “Who’s it going to hurt if I …”—and I’ll be the first one to raise my hand—Paul also said, “Don’t be concerned for your own good but for the good of others.” Even if I can, with a clear conscience, do something that may cause another believer to stumble, I have no business doing it.

More on this tomorrow.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MARCH 31

We’re continuing our look at these words of Jesus: “I am the true grapevine, and My Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of Mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and He prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more” (John 15:1-2, NLT).

“He prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.” What about bad or unhealthy habits or behaviors? The Lord will prune those out of your life—if you let Him. And no Christian who’s attuned to the Holy Spirit doesn’t know what needs to be pruned. It may take some time and prayer, but He’ll show you what needs to go and even help you release it.

Note, too, who gets pruned: “the branches that do bear fruit.” Believers are to be productive for the Kingdom. Matter of fact, Jesus says a true believer positively will be productive: “Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit” (John 15:5b, NLT).

And if a professing believer isn’t productive? “Anyone who does not remain in Me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned” (John 15:6).

As I said yesterday, I’m not going to debate if there are limits we can push and still be saved. I believe Jesus makes it clear enough without having to expound on it. If a person isn’t producing fruit for the Kingdom, he isn’t saved. There, I said it! Can a true believer go through a dry spell? A time of questioning and unproductivity? I believe so. But the Lord will get that person’s attention and bring them back on track. It’s the professing believer who never changes that I have to doubt.

Fortunately, it’s not my job or yours to sort ‘em out—we’re just to love people like Jesus does. But you do need to examine your own life and decide if you’re growing the Kingdom of God. No Christian’s life is without an effect on the Kingdom: you’re either promoting it or embarrassing it.

Hebrews 4:12a reminds us that “The Word of God is alive and powerful.” “Alive.” Living things grow. Living Christians grow in the Lord, becoming more Christ-like and more productive in the work of the Lord. Likewise for living churches.

If you aren’t growing in the Lord, why not? If your church isn’t growing in the Lord, don’t complain about it—do something about it because you, my friend, are a part of that body and need to work to make it healthy and productive.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MARCH 30

“I am the true grapevine, and My Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of Mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and He prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more” (John 15:1-2, NLT).

Jesus is hammering home to the disciples—and us—the urgency of sticking close to Him. He says His Father “cuts off every branch … that doesn’t produce fruit.” To understand this, we need to go back to what Jesus said earlier: “All those the Father gives Me will come to Me, and whoever comes to Me I will never drive away” (John 6:37, NIV).

So did God the Father give Jesus some people to save while leaving out others? Don’t think that for a skinny second. Jesus said, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16, KJV).

God gave Jesus every person in “the world,” but only “whosoever believeth in Him” receives His free gift of salvation. The only way to miss out on Jesus is to refuse to accept Him as Lord and Savior.

“He cuts off every branch of Mine that doesn’t produce fruit.” Can a person lose his salvation? I’m not going to argue that point. Why? Because we don’t need to be looking for loopholes as to what limits we can push and still be saved. What we need to be doing is sticking close to Jesus.

And when we do, everything is rosy, right? Wrong. He tells us right here that “He prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.” We’re all works in progress—the operative word there being “progress.” If we’re truly seeking to live for the Lord, we’re going to change the way we live. We may not be doing anything bad, but we may not be using our very limited time on this earth for things that grow the Kingdom of God. We’re going to want to do a better job of working for Jesus.

There’s so much more in these two little verses that we’re going to continue our look at them tomorrow. Meanwhile, do something Jesus would do. Give up something you want to do for yourself and use that time to do something for someone who needs some encouragement.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MARCH 29

“I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. But when the Father sends the Advocate as My representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—He will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again” (John 14:25-28a, NLT).

Jesus wants to assure the disciples of His continuing presence in the form of His Holy Spirit. In this brief passage, we see some of the functions of the Holy Spirit:

He teaches us. “He will teach you everything.” We don’t have to wonder whether something is right or wrong. When we listen to the Holy Spirit, He tells us. Which is why James could say with absolute certainty that “it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it” (James 4:17). We’re not merely accountable for what we do. We’re also accountable for what we know we should be doing and are not doing. As we grow in Him, He teaches us to have more love and compassion. To be more like Jesus.

Jesus also told the disciples that the Holy Spirit would “remind you of everything I have told you.” We don’t have Jesus in the flesh speaking to us today, but we do have Him with us as His Holy Spirit, plus we have the Living Word, the Bible, and although we can’t learn it by sleeping with it under our pillow, the Holy Spirit will recall to us what we have read and studied—particularly on the very occasion when we need those words the most.

Then Jesus says, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart.” The Holy Spirit is that gift and He offers us absolute peace if we’ll only listen to Him and receive Him. But realize: a gift is offered, but must be accepted. And to drive this point even further home, Jesus adds, “And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give.” When the apartment complex where I was illegally teaching pastors in China was surrounded by military police, I learned the truth of this incredible peace. Instead of being terrified, I had an overwhelming peace. And I will always believe that the Lord miraculously hid the door of that apartment since all the other ones were searched.

“So don’t be troubled or afraid.” We can have continual peace when we trust our Lord and Savior. When we cry out to Him, His Holy Spirit wraps us in His peace and comfort. But, being a Gentleman, He won’t force His peace and comfort on you any more than anything else He has to offer. His peace is a gift and you must willingly receive it. Have you? Will you?

He also makes each and every believer this promise: “I am going away, but I will come back to you again.” One day He’s returning for His bride, the Church, the blood-bought saints who have placed their faith in Him. Are you ready? I hope so. Meanwhile, live expectantly. Live lovingly. Live peacefully.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MARCH 28

f you love Me, obey My commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it isn’t looking for Him and doesn’t recognize Him. But you know Him, because He lives with you now and later will be in you” (John 14:15-17, NLT).

Jesus had told Thomas and the other disciples, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). Remember, after warning Peter that he would deny Him, Jesus wanted to speak words of comfort to His closest followers.

“If you love Me, obey My commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.” We can’t separate these two sentences because Jesus is making an important point: those who love Him obey Him, and those who love and obey Him are the ones who will receive the “Advocate.”

Who is this “Advocate”? Jesus provides the answer in the next sentence: “He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth.” And then He continues with His explanation of the work of “the Holy Spirit”: “The world cannot receive Him, because it isn’t looking for Him and doesn’t recognize Him.” People can’t find what they aren’t seeking.

But for the true believer, Jesus said, it would be an entirely different story: “But you know Him, because He lives with you now and later will be in you.” Not only would the disciples receive Him, but Jesus said the “Advocate” was already right there with them!

What exactly did Jesus mean by “Advocate”? Our Helper. Our Paraclete (the one who stands alongside). Our Mediator. Our Intercessor.

Our Redeemer. Jesus was and is God. Jesus was and is the Holy Spirit. God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are ONE—the Triune God. Imagine! Jesus was telling the disciples that the very Person who stood there among them would “never leave” them but would, instead, indwell them!

And He makes that very same promise to each and every one of us living today. When any person repents of his sins and receives Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ Himself comes to live inside that person in the form of His Holy Spirit. “Immanuel”—God with Us—see Isaiah 7:14 and Matthew 1:23.

If you truly know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, He lives inside you. He never leaves you. He’s there when you lose your cool, and He’s there when you wipe a friend’s tears away. He’s there when you gossip, and He’s there when you read His Word and talk to Him.

Think about it this way: Let’s say your most Christ-like friend comes to live with you. You want him to feel welcome, don’t you? You won’t ignore him. You won’t spend days without talking to him. You won’t forget he’s there. No, you’ll be on your best behavior because you want him to see you at your best, don’t you?

I bet you’ll even change some of the books you read and TV shows you watch. Maybe even some of the websites you visit. After all, you want to make a good impression on your very dear friend.

But news flash, believer, He’s already moved in and it’s not your most Christ-like friend who’s come to live with you—it’s Christ Himself! When’s the last time you acknowledged this? When’s the last time you thanked Him for His presence? Thank Him and honor Him every day with how you speak, think, and act.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MARCH 27

Chapter 13 of John’s Gospel ends with Jesus telling Peter, “… before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know Me” (John 13:38b, NLT). Having said this, Jesus moves to comforting the disciples:

“Let not your heart be troubled: you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know” (John 14:1-4, KJ2000).

Jesus says His house is enormous. And He says He left here to prepare it for us. And what’s the point of preparing it for us unless we’re going to get to live there? Which is why He says, “When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with Me where I am” (John 14:3, NLT).

Then He adds: “And you know the way to where I am going” (John 14:4).

I love the honesty of Thomas, who is often unfairly called “Doubting Thomas.” See, Thomas wasn’t with the other disciples when the resurrected Lord suddenly appeared to them. So when “They told him, ‘We have seen the Lord!" … he replied, ‘I won't believe it unless I see the nail wounds in His hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in His side’” (John 20:25). The other disciples believed because they saw. Thomas simply wanted to see too.

So here’s Thomas and the other disciples hearing Jesus tell them that they all knew how to get to where He was going. Thomas merely voices what they all were thinking: “‘No, we don’t know, Lord,’ Thomas said. ‘We have no idea where You are going, so how can we know the way?’” (John 14:5).

And that’s when Jesus gives us these wonderful words: “Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).

According to Jesus, “No one can come to the Father except through” Him. So either He was telling the absolute truth—which would be impossible not to do when you’ve just identified yourself as the living “truth”—or we may as well throw out every word He said. Yep, you read it right here, folks. Either Jesus is exactly who He says He is or He’s nothing. Nobody.

But if He is who He says He is, His statement leaves no room for debate. Faith in no one or nothing other than the Lord Jesus Christ will get you to heaven. And note too, He doesn’t say “through Me” plus anything else. It’s plain and simple: the way to heaven is Jesus.

Don’t argue with a person who tries to tell you there are other ways to heaven or that we’re all going to end up in the same place anyway or that getting to heaven involves believing in Jesus plus doing this or that. Instead, smile your biggest smile and say, “I can only tell you what Jesus did for me.” And then pray for that person. Pray that all who don’t know Him will turn to Him. And live a life that shows others that your faith in Him has made you joyously, wondrously different.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MARCH 26

While Matthew, Mark, and Luke all jump from the upper room to the Mount of Olives immediately after Jesus tells Peter that he would be the one to deny Jesus when crunch-time came, John includes four chapters on what else Jesus taught and did before writing: “After saying these things, Jesus crossed the Kidron Valley with His disciples and entered a grove of olive trees” (John 18:1).

Unlike Luke who calls this place “the Mount of Olives,” both Matthew 26:36 and Mark 14:32 tell us they “went to the olive grove called Gethsemane.” I find it interesting that one of the Hebrew words from which we get the word Gethsemane means “a place for pressing oil or wine.” Olives were crushed in order to extract their oil. Like the crushed olives, Jesus was under the most tremendous pressure imaginable and His very lifeblood would be extracted as payment for our sin-debt.

Smith’s Bible Dictionary describes Gethsemane as “a small ‘farm,’ situated across the brook Kedron probably at the foot of Mount Olivet … about one-half or three quarters of a mile … from the walls of Jerusalem …” This peaceful place was apparently a favorite spot for Jesus because Luke says, “Then, accompanied by the disciples, Jesus left the upstairs room and went as usual to the Mount of Olives” (Luke 22:39, NLT). Note the words “as usual.”

Jesus was in the habit of getting away from the hustle and bustle of His ministry so that He and His disciples could have some quiet time together, and I suspect He frequently went there alone to spend time with His Father. We all need a place of rest where we can unwind and regroup. Do you have one?

No one can keep on keeping on unless they take time to relax and refuel. Don’t let Sunday become a day of meeting after meeting. (And church leaders who are reading this, please consider moving as many meetings as possible to another day, like Wednesday night.) By all means, go to church and truly worship, but use part of the day for downtime. Relax. Enjoy friends and family. Spend some alone time with the Lord. Remember, Jesus Himself told the Pharisees (who were criticizing Him and His disciples or picking and eating grain on the Sabbath) that “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27b, NIV).

Our Creator made the Sabbath as a “day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 5:14a, NLT). Rest from your usual labors. Rest from your busy schedule. Thank the Lord for this “day of rest” and spend it accordingly.

We’ll begin a look at John 14-17 tomorrow.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MARCH 25

Jesus has given the MANDATUM NOVUM, the New Commandment: “Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other” (John 13:34b, NLT). Then He tells them that He is going to be leaving them. Peter immediately tells the Lord that he wants to go with Him, but Jesus tells him he can’t. Peter responds with, “I’m ready to die for you!” (John 13:37b).

But Jesus knew Peter far better than Peter knew himself, so “Jesus answered, ‘Die for me? I tell you the truth, Peter—before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know Me” (John 13:38).

Peter couldn’t believe the words he was hearing. He thought he was ready to do anything to serve Jesus. But look at what Luke’s Gospel records Jesus saying at this point. I want you to carefully read it and then I’m going to Southernize it so we can get a better understanding of exactly what Jesus said in the original language.

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to Me again, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:31-32).

And now, the Southern version: “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift y’all (plural) like wheat. But I have pleaded specifically for you (singular), Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you (singular) have repented and turned to Me again, strengthen your brothers.”

Satan was out to destroy the faith of every disciple, but of the eleven who were now with Jesus, the Lord knew which was going to blow it: Mr. Over-Confident, the one who said, “I’m ready to die for you!” Not that any of the other disciples showed any outstanding bravery—more on that another day.

But how wonderful that believers today have the presence of the Comforter! When we stay in the Word and maintain a regular line of communication with the Lord—as in prayer, Bible reading, church attendance, and honest-to-goodness worship—we hear from the Holy Spirit far more easily. I guess you could say that doing these things keeps the wax from building up in our spiritual ears.

Peter had to be humbled in order to be ready to become a leader among the disciples and among the Church that would be launched by these believers. And Peter was willing. God doesn’t force His will on anyone. What work will you allow God to do in your life to prepare you for His service?

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MARCH 24

After Jesus has washed the disciples’ feet—including the feet of Judas—He identifies Judas as His betrayer, telling him, “Hurry up and do what you’re going to do” (John 13:27b, NLT).

“So Judas left at once, going out into the night. As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, ‘The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into His glory, and God will be glorified because of Him. Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are My disciples’” (John 13:30-31, 33a, 34-35).

Here we see the MANDATUM NOVUM, the New Commandment, Jesus gives the disciples on Maundy Thursday during the Last Supper. We also see the establishment of the Lord’s Supper (also known as the Eucharist or Communion): “He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then He broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, ‘This is My body, which is given for you. Do this to remember Me.’ After supper he took another cup of wine and said, ‘This cup is the new covenant between God and His people—an agreement confirmed with My blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you’” (Luke 22:19-20).

According to Luke’s Gospel, after all this is when the disciples “began to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them” (Luke 22:24). Can you believe it! Instead of loving one another and considering himself a servant to the others, each disciple was defending his own belief that he should be the top dog.

If Jesus’ closest followers who walked with God in the Flesh could let their own egos get in the way of their servanthood, seems to me we might have the same problem among believers today. Brothers and sisters, until we’re willing to perform the most menial service in the Name of the Lord Jesus, we aren’t really doing anything for His glory—we’re doing it for our own.

Instead of refusing to help unless you’re in charge, be willing to do whatever is asked of you. Instead of making sure your name isn’t left off that list of volunteers who helped with that project, why not ask that it be excluded? Jesus plainly taught us what our attitudes should be when helping others:

“Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do …” (Matthew 6:1-2a).

I don’t know about you, but I’d much rather stack up rewards in heaven than “treasures here on earth” (Jesus speaking, Matthew 6:19a). Let’s stop competing with and criticizing others—individuals, churches, and denominations—and work together as the family of God to show the world we truly are His disciples.

“Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are My disciples.”

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MARCH 22

Yesterday we began our look at Maundy Thursday, the day on which Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, also known as the Eucharist, or communion. It was also the day He established the MANDATUM NOVUM, or “new commandment,” which was: “Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another” (John 13:34, HCSB). But what else took place in that upper room?

“It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had given Him authority over everything and that He had come from God and would return to God. So He got up from the table, took off His robe, wrapped a towel around His waist, and poured water into a basin. Then He began to wash the disciples’ feet” (John 13:2-5a, NLT).

Don’t miss the timeline of these things, y’all. First, John tells us that “the devil had already prompted Judas … to betray Jesus.” Then he says that Jesus, knowing that “the Father had given Him authority over everything, … began to wash the disciples’ feet.” The Creator of the Universe, the One who, “In the beginning … already existed” (John 1:1a) and had all power, chose to humble Himself and “wash the disciples’ feet.” Why?

Knowing what lay ahead, He urgently wanted to impress upon His closest followers the importance of servanthood. Of humility. But that’s not all. Whose feet did our Lord and Savior wash? His betrayer’s. He didn’t wait until Judas had left to wash the disciples’ feet. He wanted to wash Judas’ feet too. Again, we have to ask, why?

Jesus had already begun teaching this very thing, as we see in Matthew 13, when He tells the Parable of the Wheat and Weeds. A farmer and his workers planted a crop of wheat, but during the night, the enemy came into his field and sowed weeds all among the wheat and, as the crops grew, the workers realized what had been done and reported it to the farmer.

“‘Should we pull out the weeds?’ they asked. ‘No,’ he replied, ‘you’ll uproot the wheat if you do. Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn’” (Matthew 13:28b-30).

Jesus wanted the disciples to see that, as His followers, they were to minister indiscriminately to both believers and unbelievers, true people of faith and those who weren’t at all genuine. He wanted them to understand that while some professing believers were the real deal, there would always be some who were phonies. And what were they to do? Love them.

That assignment hasn’t changed. Believers today are to continue what Jesus taught: love everybody and let Him sort ‘em out in the end. If Jesus can wash the feet of the man whom He knew would betray Him, we have no right to discriminate in demonstrating His love to others.

“Love your enemies! Do good to them” (Jesus speaking, Luke 6:35a).

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MARCH 21

The final Wednesday of Jesus’ earthly life is often referred to as “Silent Wednesday” since there is no conversation or teaching of Jesus recorded as having taken place that day. So now we come to Thursday, also called “Maundy Thursday,” one of the days we examined at the beginning of this study. Let’s do a little refresher.

What’s Maundy Thursday, besides the day before Good Friday? The word “Maundy” comes from the Latin word MANDATUM, meaning “word in the ceremony.” Maundy Thursday commemorates Jesus’ establishment of the Lord’s Supper and of the MANDATUM NOVUM, or “new commandment,” which was what? As they were gathered around the table, Jesus told His disciples:

“I give you a new commandment: love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another” (John 13:34, HCSB).

It was on Maundy Thursday that the Lord established the Lord’s Supper, also known as communion or the Eucharist: “After taking the cup, He gave thanks and said, ‘Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.’ And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same way, after the supper He took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you” (Luke 22:17-20, NIV).

Note when Jesus says: “Do this in remembrance of Me.” It was after the breaking of the bread, which Jesus clearly identified as “My body given for you.” We aren’t merely to remember the Lord’s sacrifice by participating in the Lord’s Supper; we’re to remember it by being willing to be broken ourselves.

Christian singer/songwriter Steve Green so beautifully expressed this in his song of praise, “Broken and Spilled Out” based on the anointing of Jesus as recorded in Luke 7:36-50). I hope you’ll follow this link and listen and read all the lyrics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiM57qZZuGM. Especially notice the change of the words in the chorus. (You’ll have to put up with a brief commercial before the song will begin to play.)

Has your will truly been broken? Can you say, as Jesus did to the Father, “Not my will, but thine, be done”? (Luke 22:42b, KJV). Jesus paid it all, as another great old hymn reminds us.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MARCH 20

After an exhausting two-day stretch of teaching in Jerusalem, Jesus and His disciples returned to Bethany. Meanwhile, “… the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill Him. ‘But not during the festival,’ they said, ‘or there may be a riot among the people’” (Matthew 26:3-5, NIV).

Matthew also records: “Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, ‘What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him over to you?’ So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand Him over” (Matthew 26:14-16).

What does Matthew record in between these two happenings? The second anointing of Jesus in Bethany. The first time, He was anointed by Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus—see John 12:3. This time, Jesus and the disciples were dining at the home of Simon the Leper, or as Mark 14:3 words it, “a man who had previously had leprosy” (NLT)—if he were still diseased, he could not have been in contact with other people. Anyway, during the dinner, an unnamed woman comes in and anoints Jesus with oil.

“When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. ‘Why this waste?’ they asked. ‘This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor’” (Matthew 26:8-9).

When Mary did the anointing, Judas is the only one recorded as complaining about the waste of the valuable perfume. This time, it seems the entire twelve were obviously displeased with Jesus' anointing with such expensive perfume. I find it interesting that Judas agrees to betray Jesus right after he sees the valuable perfume “wasted.” Remember, he didn’t object “… because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it” (John 12:6).

This thief was one of Jesus’ twelve closest supposed friends. This thief was the treasurer for the disciples. This thief ministered alongside the Lord Himself. This thief was someone Jesus still loved.

Jesus loves the unlovable. If He didn’t, I wouldn’t be saved. He knew me at my ugliest and most sinful and yet He still loved me enough to die for me. And I made the smartest decision of my life by accepting His forgiveness.

If you aren’t 100% sure of your salvation, don’t let another skinny minute go by before you talk to Him and confess that and make your commitment 100% real. If He can save “a wretch like me,” I know there is no one beyond the reach of His love and forgiveness.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MARCH 19

During His final days, Jesus also told the Parable of the Sheep and Goats. Let’s look at it in its entirety: “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left.

Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited Me in, I needed clothes and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? When did we see You a stranger and invite You in, or needing clothes and clothe You? When did we see You sick or in prison and go to visit You?’

The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of Mine, you did for Me.’

“Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave Me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite Me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after Me.’

They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help You?’

He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me.’

Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life” (Matthew 25:31-46, NIV).

Folks, you can make a jillion professions of faith; be sprinkled and dunked a thousand times; and get your name on a hundred thousand church rolls; but none of those things will get you into heaven unless you have truly given your heart and life to Jesus. How did James, the brother of Jesus, put it?

“… faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that – and shudder” (James 2:17b, 18b-19).

Jesus’ sheep know His voice – see John 10:4 – and they obey Him. If your community’s welfare and your church’s support were entirely dependent on you, what shape would they be in? Give Jesus your best. Give Him your all.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MARCH 18

Jesus, knowing His crucifixion was near at hand, continued to cram in as much teaching as He could, including the Parable of the Ten Virgins. I hope you’ll read Matthew 25:1-13. Here’s part of it:

“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep” (Matthew 25:1-4, NIV).

Jesus begins by saying, “At that time.” What “time”? The day when everyone sees “the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:30b).

In Jesus’ day, marriages were arranged, often between the parents of the bride and groom or between the bridegroom and the father of the bride without the bride having any say-so whatsoever. Once this agreement was reached, the couple was officially engaged, a status so binding that it required a writ of divorce to break it.

With the engagement set, the bridegroom would begin preparing a home for himself and his bride. Depending on a number of factors, the bridegroom might be weeks, months, or even years away before returning to claim his bride and take her with him. Meanwhile, the bride’s responsibility was to, at all times, be prepared for her bridegroom’s return.

In Jesus’ parable, there are ten brides. Five are, as we would say, sitting on ready; the other five are in no way prepared. What made the difference? “Oil.” In this girl’s opinion, the “oil” represents the Holy Spirit. And what about the “lamps”? Note that all ten would-be brides had “lamps.” Every human is created with a void, a reservoir, that can only be filled by the Holy Spirit. Jesus was saying that even though all are chosen (John 3:16), only those who accept the Holy Spirit are prepared to live with Him in eternity.

Why had only five of the ten filled their lamps with “oil”? “The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.” In other words, they procrastinated. They put off what they should have already done, just as many people do today. “Oh, I’ve got plenty of time to give my life to the Lord. I’ll do it one day.”

But that one day came and the five oil-less brides in Jesus’ parable weren’t ready to go with Him. So what did they do? They begged the prepared brides to “Give us some of your oil” (Matthew 25:8a). Folks, no one can get to heaven on somebody else’s faith. Your mama’s faith can’t save you. Your daddy’s faith can’t save you. Jesus is a personal Savior.

When the five oil-less brides realized they weren’t going to get any oil from the five prepared brides, they rushed off to find oil elsewhere. But it was too late. They’d missed out. The Only Source had come and gone. And “The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut” (Matthew 25:10b).

What a horrifying picture – having the door of heaven slammed in your face! But the oil-less brides still tried to get in, pounding on the door and pleading for the bridegroom to open it. “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour” Matthew 25:12-13).

That day is coming, y’all, and I believe it’s on the horizon. Are you ready? Who do you know who isn’t ready? Warn them before it’s too late.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MARCH 17

“Now concerning that day or hour no one knows—neither the angels in heaven nor the Son—except the Father. Watch! Be alert! For you don’t know when the time is [coming]. It is like a man on a journey, who left his house, gave authority to his slaves, gave each one his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to be alert. Therefore be alert, since you don’t know when the master of the house is coming—whether in the evening or at midnight or at the crowing of the rooster or early in the morning. Otherwise, he might come suddenly and find you sleeping. And what I say to you, I¬ say to everyone: be alert!” (Jesus speaking, Mark 13:32-37, HCSB).

How can anyone read these words of Jesus and not sense the urgency with which He speaks? There are a lot of people who have, over the years, told people that the Lord revealed to them the day and hour of His return. And every one of these people have been proven wrong. If the Son of God had not been provided with this information, no mere mortal has a clue.

How, though, can Jesus be God and not know something? The same way He can choose not to remember our sins. Is He incapable of remembering our wrongs? Of course not—God can do anything, so He certainly can remember anything. Yet He chooses not to remember. And Jesus the God-Man chose not to know the time when the Father would send Him back for His children.

Food for thought here, folks. Just my opinion, mind you, but something to think about. Jesus walked the earth as fully God yet fully man. He loved His disciples so much that I believe it would have been tough not to tell them had He chosen to bring that information with Him. I believe that when this part of the Trinity, the Son, came to be born as a human, He left that information in heaven with the Father. Just a thought.

But let’s see what instructions He gave us. He says He left “his slaves” in charge—we are to care for our planet and all the resources God placed here, and we are to “work,” because He “gave each one [of us our] work.” What work? The same work He was doing when Joseph and His mother Mary looked for Him in the Temple: “[His] Father’s business” (Luke 2:49, KJV).

It is my firm opinion that even though pastors and evangelists have leading roles in the spread of the Gospel, every single believer is a “doorkeeper,” and therefore, should always not only “be alert,” but also recognize the importance and urgency of the “authority” entrusted to every believer. What is it we’re to be “alert” to? Every opportunity to lead someone to the Door (John 10:9). Every opportunity to minister in the name of our “master.”

If your boss told you he’d do an inspection of your area at 4pm on Monday, would you sit around twiddling your thumbs or get ready? Thus the reason for snap inspections—no time for preparation.

Likewise, Jesus will be seeing us just as we are. (Hey, I think there’s a song in that somewhere.) And Jesus knows how natural it is for us humans to want to procrastinate, put off, get around to it, etc., etc. Must be why He camps out on that “be alert” message: “What I say to you, I say to everyone (in case we missed the point on the first round): be alert!”

Are your spiritual eyes wide open? Don’t fall “asleep” at the helm. Others are watching and waiting for you to guide them to Safe Harbor.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MARCH 16

Yesterday we took a peek at what Matthew recorded Jesus saying about His return. Let’s see what Jesus tells us through Mark: “Those days will be days of tribulation, the kind that hasn’t been from the beginning of the world, which God created, until now and never will be again! Unless the Lord limited those days, no one would survive. But He limited those days because of the elect, whom He chose” (Mark 13:19-20, HCSB).

Couple of things we need to be clear on: (1) When Jesus returns for His Bride, the Church, He will not set foot on Planet Earth—“we who are still alive,” as First Thessalonians 4:17 tells us, “will … meet the Lord in the air.” We will be instantaneously and miraculously “caught up,” the original text being a word from which we get “Rapture.” (2) When Jesus returns and does sets foot on the earth again, we, His Bride, will be with Him and He will be returning in judgment.

So do we need to live in fear of the “tribulation,” a seven-year period during which believers will be horribly persecuted? If you know you’ve accepted Christ as Lord and Savior, then no, I don’t believe you do. I believe we’ll be out of here before it ever happens. However, there are at least three views on the Great Tribulation: (1) that Christ will return before it; (2) during it; and (3) after it. A careful reading of Revelation, plus the vast majority of knowledgeable Bible scholars, support the view that Christ will return before the Great Tribulation. And I toss my humble opinion in with them.

So if the believers have been “raptured,” who are these Christians who will be persecuted? Those who didn’t accept Christ until after He has taken His Church out of this world. Yes, people will realize they missed the proverbial boat when it comes to the Rapture, and will repent and be saved; but they will pay a terrible price for their allegiance to Jesus.

And what’s this thing about “the elect”? People are so scared of that word! And some not-so-knowledgeable people actually teach that there are certain people destined to be saved, while there are others that are destined to be condemned to hell. If that were so, where does grace fit in? Too, if that were so, what difference would it make how we lived since our ultimate destination was decided before we were even created?

So let me give you my “duh” version of what the word “elect” means. Chosen. What does the Bible say? John 15:16 records Jesus as saying, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you.” On its own, that sounds as though Jesus really did pick out the ones He wanted to save, but that’s not what this verse is saying. Couple it with Jesus’ words in John 3:18 and you get a clearer understanding:

“Anyone who believes in Him [the Son of God—Jesus, speaking of Himself] is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the Name of the one and only Son of God.”

Who is “the elect”? Those who are chosen. Who is chosen? Those who accept Christ’s invitation. It’s really that simple. Jesus died for the sins of the whole world (John 3:16), and He is ready and willing to save each and every person who will call on His Name.

Have you called on Jesus? If so, you’re one of “the elect.”

When we think of the Great Tribulation, we don’t need to be concerned for ourselves, but for those who reject Him. And right now this minute, we should turn that concern into ministry, telling others what is coming and how they can miss out on the Great Tribulation.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

STUDY for MARCH 15

Luke 21:20-24 next records Jesus’ warning about the coming destruction of Jerusalem: “When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize its desolation has come near. Then those in Judea must flee to the mountains! Those inside the city must leave it, and those who are in the country must not enter it, because these are days of vengeance to fulfill the things that are written. Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days, for there will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive into all the nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled” (HCSB).

As strange as it may sound, the people of Jerusalem were for the most part excited to see the Roman army surround their city—they fully expected the Messiah to reveal Himself and lead them to an overwhelming victory against “the Gentiles.” Having missed the True Messiah, they hoped in vain for a victory that wouldn’t take place.

However, historians believe that the Christians, those who came to believe in Jesus as the Son of God during His earthly ministry and through the work of His followers after His death and resurrection, understood Jesus’ warning and left the city prior to Rome’s victory.

While Luke records Jesus’ warning concerning the near-future destruction of Jerusalem, he also touched on Jesus’ words concerning a time in the far distant future. Matthew and Mark shed more light on this. Matthew’s Gospel quotes Jesus as saying: “For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man” (Matthew 24:27).

This verse compares with the opening of the book of Revelation, where John explains what he has been given to write down: “The revelation of Jesus Christ that God gave Him to show His slaves what must quickly take place” (Revelation 1:1).

Did you catch that word, “quickly”? The actual word used here is the same word from which we get the word “tachometer.” While it definitely relates to speed, it doesn’t mean that the event is imminent, but that that whenever it happens, it will happen as fast as “lightning”! No time for repentance, no time for anything—you’ll be caught just as you are.

Which is a very good reason to be looking for His return and living as though you expected it at any moment. I really believe we don’t have long to wait. More on this subject tomorrow.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MARCH 14

Continuing our look at Jesus’ teaching on the “signs of the age,” we come to Luke 21:12-19, shorter versions of which are recorded in both Matthew and Mark. He’s already told the disciples that “nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom” and that there would be “earthquakes in various places, and famines” (Mark 13:8, HCSB).

But as His disciples press for more detail, He adds a serious warning. Let’s back up a bit and pick up Luke’s version of Jesus’ warning about false messiahs:

“Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and ‘the time is near.’ Don’t follow them. When you hear of wars and rebellions, don’t be alarmed. Indeed, these things must take place first, but the end won’t come right away.’ Then he told them, ‘Nation will be raised up against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be violent earthquakes and famines and plagues in various places, and there will be terrifying sights and great signs from heaven. But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you. They will hand you over to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of My name” (Luke 21:8-12).

Talk about your cheery news! On the one hand, the Lord tells His disciples that they will no longer be living when the worst comes to pass: “before all these things.” On the other hand, He tells them that they’ll end up on trial before “synagogues” and in “prisons.” What was the point to all this? Jesus tells them in the very next verse, Luke 21:13:

“It will lead to an opportunity for you to witness.” Shocking as this may seem, folks, this is the bottom line. Whether your trial is through marital difficulties, family struggles, health problems, work-related woes, or whatever, your job in the midst of whatever is happening is “to witness,” period. Note Jesus in no way suggests that we whine, throw a pity party, or otherwise focus on ourselves rather than on Him.

But how can we be expected “to witness” in the middle of our troubles? Here’s a news flash, people: life “is … full of trouble” (Job 14:1). But we who have accepted Christ’s free pardon for our sins are full of Jesus! And He, my brothers and sisters, is “more than enough” (Matthew 25:29) to combat and defeat any “trouble.” Which is why He tells us:

“Therefore make up your minds not to prepare your defense ahead of time, for I will give you such words and a wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict” (Luke 21:14-15).

And then He goes on to warn that: “You will even be betrayed by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends. They will kill some of you. You will be hated by everyone because of My name” (Luke 21:16-17). Having been in a Communist country, I’ve seen and heard this firsthand. Which makes the next verse seem absolutely incredible:

“But not a hair on your head will be lost” (Luke 21:18).

Whoa! Jesus just got through saying to these guys: “You will … be betrayed … some of you” will be killed. So how do these two statements add up to Truth? They’ll kill you, but “not a hair on your head will be lost”?

Simple. Jesus thinks like He lives—in the eternal. And we need to follow His example. What it seems we lose here, if it’s dedicated to Jesus, will never “be lost.” It will go with us into eternal security. Nothing that is of real value can ever be taken from us. Nothing that is of real value even belongs to us, because it was bought, paid for, and surrendered to the True Owner, Jesus Christ, the moment we accepted Him as Savior.

So whatever your battle, hang in there. Whatever your obstacle, trust God to remove it, take you through it, or around it. Don’t give up. As He told His disciples, He also tells us: “By your endurance gain your lives” (Jesus speaking, Luke 21:19).

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MARCH 13

As part of His teaching on the “signs of the age,” Jesus warned of the coming destruction of the Temple, an event that was fulfilled less than forty years later. It appears that He is speaking of this as He and His disciples are leaving the Temple complex. This is verified by the next passage, which shows them at the Mount of Olives:

“While He was sitting on the Mount of Olives across from the Temple complex, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately, ‘Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign when all these things are about to take place?’ Then Jesus began by telling them, ‘Watch out that no one deceives you. Many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and they will deceive many. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, don’t be alarmed; these things must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains” (Mark 13:3-8, HCSB).

The HCSB notes that, after the word “famines,” many early manuscripts include the words “and disturbances.” September 11, 2001; the war in Ukraine; tensions with China; worries about North Korea; tsunamis and horrible “earthquakes” are all a part of the “birth pains” Jesus refers to in this passage.

“Birth pains” preceding what? The “new heaven and … earth” (Revelation 21:1) that will replace the old ones.

Look, too, at what Jesus says about all those false messiahs who would come along, “saying, ‘I am he.’” Throughout history people have appeared claiming to be the Christ, the Messiah, and have always managed to lead some or many astray. The website I referenced in yesterday’s study records another rebellion that occurred in 132AD, during which a man by the name of Bar Cocheba caused the deaths of more than a million Jews.

In more recent history, who have we seen? Jim Jones. David Koresh. Even Charles Manson. This very day there are literally hundreds, if not thousands, who claim to be the Messiah. Does that sound ridiculous? To you, maybe. But what about to those who’ve never heard the Truth?

Do you realize that, in today’s society, there are children growing up in households who have never seen anyone pray; never heard the name of Jesus—unless it was used blasphemously; never seen or read a Bible; and have no idea of the concept of sin or salvation? And I’m talking here in the U.S. and in countless other so-called Christian nations.

Jesus didn’t request that we spread the Gospel—He commanded it! What are you doing to advance the Kingdom?

“How can they call on Him whom they have not believed? And how can they believe without hearing about Him?” (Romans 10:14a).

“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19a).

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MARCH 12

The next record of Jesus’ teaching is of the “signs of the age,” as written in Matthew 24:1-35; Mark 13:1-31; and Luke 21:5-38. In the first portion of these passages, Jesus warns of the coming destruction of the Temple:

“As Jesus left and was going out of the Temple complex, His disciples came up and called His attention to the Temple buildings. Then He replied to them, ‘Don’t you see all these things? I assure you: Not one stone will be left on another that will not be thrown down!’” (Matthew 24:1-2, HCSB).

The disciples were in awe of the magnificence of the Temple. The historian Josephus states that the Temple’s stonework was of pure white marble and that some of these stones were forty cubits long. A cubit is about 18 inches, which means that we’re talking single stones sixty feet long! He describes columns twenty-five cubits high made from a single stone. The disciples’ reaction is certainly understandable.

Note, too, that the Temple was far more than a single building, which is why the HCSB stresses it as “the Temple complex.” It consisted of not only the sanctuary, which contained the holy place and the holy of holies, but it also encompassed at least four courtyards—one for priests; one for Jewish men; one for Jewish women; and one for Gentiles—plus covered walkways and massive gateways—all enormous, ornate, and impressive. But Jesus told His disciples that “not one stone will be left on another.” What was He referring to?

Josephus is the author of an excellent account of this timeframe. In 70AD, the Temple was destroyed, just as Jesus had told His disciples it would happen. If you’d like to read further about this, a great webpage gives details at: http://latter-rain.com/Israel/jewar.htm.

The condensed version of that account is this: The Zealots, a group of Jews who were more than willing to use violence to overthrow the tyranny of the Roman government, succeeded in running all the Roman forces out of Jerusalem. Roman emperor Nero didn’t take kindly to this, and sent forces to stop the rebellion. The Jews had completely missed the coming and purpose of the True Messiah, and continued to look for the kind of Messiah they thought they should have, one who would drive out the Romans and make Israel a power to be reckoned with.

So even as Roman soldiers surrounded the city and waited for the people to be starved into surrender, the Jews fought among themselves, dividing into differing factions and saving the Romans a lot of work by doing their bloodletting for them. In the end, the city fell to the Romans, the Temple was utterly destroyed, and over a million Jews died in the process.

In Mark 3:24-25, Jesus told His listeners: “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.”

The United States of America has become a nation that no longer knows where it stands religiously. It is no longer a nation “under God,” and therefore, a nation no longer under His protection. We who know the only Answer to our needs should be fervently praying for a spiritual revival and awakening in our nation, and in every country on this planet.

The great evangelist, Gypsy Smith (1860-1947), was said to have often locked himself into a room to pray, calling out, “Lord, send a revival, and let it begin in me.” May we all pray likewise.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MARCH 11

We’re continuing our look at the busy final Tuesday in Jesus’ earthly life. He has spent the day teaching in the Temple and has used the widow’s offering of faith as a valuable lesson for His disciples. In this same timeframe, the Bible records that Jesus fired off what is called the “Seven Woes,” – His repeated condemnation of the “scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!”—as we saw in Matthew 23:1-36. He then cries out this well-known passage:

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem! The city who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under wings, yet you were not willing. See, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will never see Me again until you say, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Matthew 23:37-39, HCSB).

Jesus was letting His listeners know that He was leaving them, that He would no longer be seen in the Temple, and that He would very soon be leaving His earthly shell to return to His glory. He goes on to say that “you will never see me again until you say, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord,” the latter portion a quote from Psalm 118:26.

But did Jesus err? After all, the same people who saw Him in the Temple saw Him on the cross only days later. The same “scribes and Pharisees” saw His arrest and condemnation. But they never saw Him as the Son of God, did they? Again, He is addressing these “blind guides[‘] …” (Matthew 23:16) problem of spiritual blindness.

The Spotless Lamb of God was telling these unbelievers that they may not at the moment acknowledge Him as the Messiah, not see Him for who He really is, but that when He comes “with the clouds, and every eye will see Him” (Revelation 1:7a), they will have no choice but to admit who He is.

Philippians 2:7b-11 lays it out plainly, saying: “And when He had come as a man in His external form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—even to death on a cross. For this reason God also highly exalted Him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow—of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth—and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Paul is quoting from Isaiah 45:23 and 49:18. God had given His Word that every person—the religious leaders, the temple-goers, the Jews, the non-Jews, “every” person, will have no choice but to “confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”

Note that death doesn’t exempt people from this confession. Unbelief doesn’t exempt people from it, either. Nothing will prevent any person who has ever drawn breath from confessing that Jesus is the Incarnation of His Father.

He who died for our sins now “lives to intercede” (Hebrews 7:25) for us in glory!

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MARCH 10

Yesterday’s study gave us merely a hint of the burden of the manmade Jewish laws. Before I move on, let me just say that we all need to be very careful to examine our own churches’, our own denominations’ teachings, and be certain that nothing is ever added to or taken away from what the Bible teaches, particularly about salvation, which is totally and entirely by grace: “For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:9, HCSB).

“Grace” wasn’t in the vocabularies of Israel’s religious leaders—it was all about ritual, money, works, and outward appearances. No wonder Jesus groaned as He looked at the people weighed down by those who should have lifted their burdens. No wonder He groaned as He looked at the city that should have been leading others to salvation.

But there is a bright spot in what Jesus witnessed on this very long Tuesday before His crucifixion: “Sitting across from the Temple treasury, [Jesus] watched how the crowd dropped money into the treasury. Many rich people were putting in large sums. And a poor widow came and dropped in two tiny coins worth very little. Summoning His disciples, He said to them, ‘I assure you: this poor widow has put in more than all those giving to the Temple treasury. For they all gave out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she possessed – all she had to live on” (Mark 12:41-44).

First, see who Jesus paid attention to: “a poor widow.” Jesus wasn’t impressed with the “rich people.” Secondly, notice that this person whom Jesus was impressed with was “poor.” Despite all the name-it-and-claim-it preaching we hear, the truth of the matter is that God does not bless with abundant money every person He loves. If that were so, we’d all be rich—John 3:16 tells us that “God so loved the world.”

Jesus looked at the contributors to the Temple’s coffers and saw one woman who “gave … out of her poverty.” She literally “put in everything she possessed.”

Was it this huge sacrifice that pleased Him? No. It was the attitude with which she gave it. I don’t believe that the woman was bargaining with God, as in “Okay, Lord, here’s all I have. Now do something big for me.” No, I believe the woman was down to her last two pennies, or whatever coins they literally were, and that didn’t prevent her from going ahead and giving as was her custom.

I seriously doubt this was the first time she’d ever done that—given the last of her money. I believe she regularly gave and never doubted the Lord’s ability to meet her needs. She saw with spiritual eyes the provision that wasn’t seen in the natural. And we need to see likewise.

Are you experiencing a serious illness? A serious financial setback? Marital problem? Any kind of problem? Follow the poor widow’s example. Trust Him with everything. Do this in the good times, and it becomes much easier to also do it in the bad times.

For you see, God doesn’t want our “surplus.” He wants our everything. Give it, not because you’re bargaining for a miraculous healing or financial turnaround or whatever, but simply because you love Him and trust Him with and in everything.

“Man does not see what the Lord sees, for man sees what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7b). What does He see in your heart today?

He lives! And because He does, we His children can, also. Live today passionately in love with and fully trusting in the precious, loving Savior.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MARCH 9

Yesterday we read the 36-verse passage in Matthew where Jesus condemned the hypocrisy of the religious leaders. Among His charges, everything fell into two basic categories: (1) Their concern with outer appearances rather than inner truth; and (2) their deviation from God’s laws to manmade laws that unreasonably burdened the people.

Over and over, Jesus calls these men “hypocrites!” He even goes so far as to refer to them as “Snakes! Brood of vipers!” By using both the term “snakes” and the word “vipers,” He was making the point that they weren’t merely evil (“snakes”), but that their teachings brought death (“vipers”).

Keeping the law couldn’t save a person to begin with, which is why sacrifices had to be continually made for the sins of the people. Having added literally hundreds of their own regulations to the law, they made what was already impossible to be absolutely unbearable.

I own a copy of “The Code of Jewish Law,” and in it are 221 chapters of rules and regulations which have somehow been turned into the clarification and detailing of the Law of Moses. God never put such a burden on the Israelites—their own people did. The leaders who were to show them the Light instead buried it under mounds of manmade regulations. As unbelievable as these will seem, this is how devout Jews are expected to conduct themselves, and this is only a handful of examples:

“… when a man is asleep, the holy soul departs from his body, and an unclean spirit descends upon him. When rising from sleep, the unclean spirit departs from his entire body, except from his fingers, and does not depart until one spills water upon them three times alternately. One is not allowed to walk four cubits (six feet) without having one’s hands washed, except in cases of extreme necessity” (from Chapter 2, “Hand Washing in the Morning”; references Psalm 26:6-7).

“If, God forbid, a fire breaks out on the Sabbath, our Rabbis, of blessed memory, were fearful that if the owner of the house and the members of his family were to engage in saving what they can, they might forget that it is the Sabbath and extinguish the fire, due to their being excited and frightened at the prospect of losing their property. They therefore, decreed that the owner is forbidden to save even those articles which may be handled and carried out into a place where it is permissible to remove them. Only that which is required for the day may be saved …” (from Chapter 85, “If a Fire Breaks Out on the Sabbath”).

“Meat and dairy products may not be eaten or cooked together … If, therefore, meat and dairy products happen to become mixed together, a rabbi should be consulted … Two Jewish acquaintances may not eat at one table, if one eats meat and the other dairy products … (from Parts 5 and 6 of Chapter 46, “Forbidden Foods”).

Imagine trying to keep 221 rules in order to be righteous. Incredible, huh? Now imagine trying to keep 221 chapters full of rules in order to be righteous. No wonder Jesus was so angry with the “scribes and Pharisees!”

On the cross of Calvary, our Savior literally became sin in order for sin to be put to death once and for all. See how Paul worded it in Second Corinthians 5:21 (HCSB): “He (God the Father) made the One who did not know sin (the Lord Jesus Christ) to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

Because of Christ’s willing sacrifice, we are no longer under the condemnation of the law, but are free in Christ Jesus.

“God sent His Son … born under the law, to redeem those under the law …” (Galatians 4:4-5).

“If you are led by the Spirit (have received the Holy Spirit through faith in Jesus Christ), you are not under the law” (Galatians 5:18).

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MARCH 8

We’re still looking at the last week before Jesus’ crucifixion, and we’re still on Jesus’ busy Tuesday in the Temple. Today let’s see what Jesus had to say about the hypocrisy of the religious leaders. While Mark and Luke each devote three verses to Jesus’ warning, Matthew spends 36 on the same subject! I know this is really long, but let’s see what he said:

“Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples: ‘The scribes and the Pharisees are seated in the chair of Moses. Therefore do whatever they tell you and observe [it]. But don’t do what they do, because they don’t practice what they teach. They tie up heavy loads that are hard to carry and put them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves aren’t willing to lift a finger to move them. They do everything to be observed by others: they enlarge their phylacteries (small leather boxes containing Old Testament Scripture passages worn on the arms or foreheads) and lengthen their tassels (ornamentation on their robes). They love the place of honor at banquets, the front seats in the synagogue, greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi’ (teacher) by people. But as for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’ because you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. Do not call anyone on earth your father, because you have one father, who is in heaven. And do not be called masters either, because you have one master, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.’

But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You lock up the Kingdom of Heaven from people. For you don’t go in, and you don’t allow those entering to go in.’

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You devour widows’ houses and make long prayers just for show. This is why you will receive a harsher punishment.’

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to make one proselyte (convert to Judaism), and when he becomes one, you make him as fit for hell as you are! Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever takes an oath by the sanctuary, it means nothing. But whoever takes an oath by the gold of the sanctuary is bound by his oath.’ Blind fools! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? Therefore the one who takes an oath by the altar takes an oath by it and everything on it. The one who takes an oath by the sanctuary takes an oath by it and by Him who dwells in it. And the one who takes an oath by heaven takes an oath by God’s throne and by Him who sits on it.’

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You pay a tenth of mint, dill, and cumin, yet you have neglected the more important matters of the law – justice, mercy, and faith. These things should have been done without neglecting the others. Blind guides! You strain out a gnat, yet gulp down a camel!’

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence! Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup, so the outside of it may also become clean.’

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every impurity. In the same way, on the outside you seem righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.’

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You build the tombs of the prophets and decorate monuments of the righteous, and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we wouldn’t have taken part with them in shedding the prophets’ blood.’ You therefore testify against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers’ sins! Snakes! Brood of vipers! How can you escape being condemned to hell? This is why I am sending prophets, sages, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues and hound from town to town. So all the righteous blood shed on earth will be charged to you, from the blood of the righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and altar. I assure you: all these things will come on this generation!” (Matthew 23:1-36, HCSB).

Clearly Jesus was infuriated with the religious leaders’ concern for the outward appearance of godliness rather than their inner beings—their hearts, minds, and spirits. We’ll delve further into all of this tomorrow.

For today, remember what we’re moving toward, Resurrection Sunday, when Jesus Christ our Lord suffered and died on the cross for our sins, giving His own sinless life to ransom us from our sinful ones. Thank Him. Praise Him. Live for Him.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MARCH 7

We’ve been looking at Jesus’ handling of the scribe who came “to test Him” (see Matthew 22:35). Only Mark records the event in a way which enables us to see the scribe’s sincere interest in Jesus’ teaching, telling us that Jesus told the man, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God” (Mark 12:34a, HCSB). But what does the latter half of that verse record?

“And no one dared to question [Jesus] any longer” (Mark 12:34b).

Folks, the Truth will silence any lie any time. And He will put an end to any questions. Jesus, “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), answered every aspect of the scribe’s question so precisely as to cause those gathered around and listening not to dare open their mouths! Isn’t He awesome!

The next Tuesday event recorded about Jesus was as He turned the tables on His questioners: “While the Pharisees were together, Jesus questioned them, ‘What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he? ‘David’s,’ they told him. He asked them, ‘How is it then that David, inspired by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord:’ ‘The Lord declared to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet?’ If David calls him ‘Lord,’ how then can the Messiah be his son?’ No one was able to answer Him at all, and from that day no one dared to question Him any more” (Matthew 22:41-46).

Don’t you just love it? The Pharisees are, as my Daddy would have said, bumfuzzled! Mark tells us that Jesus began this discourse by asking, “How can the scribes say that the Messiah is the son of David?” (Mark 12:35). He also records that “the large crowd was listening to Him with delight” (Mark 12:37b). The arrogant religious leaders looked down on the common folk, so it had to be a tremendous “delight” to see Jesus giving them their “comeuppance.”

Jesus, of course, is quoting Scripture again—Psalm 110:1. How could “the Messiah be” David’s “son”? Looking in the natural, this makes no sense. But with spiritual understanding, we can see the Truth.

Isaiah 11:10 declares: “The Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples. The nations will seek Him, and His resting place will be glorious.” Who is “Jesse”? David’s father—see Ruth 4:17.

The Lord speaks in Jeremiah 23:5, telling us: “I will raise up a righteous Branch of David. He will reign wisely as king and administer justice and righteousness in the land.”

Only “the Alpha and Omega … the one who is, who was, and who is coming, the Almighty,” (Revelation 1:8), God Himself, can be both the “Root of Jesse” and the “Branch of David.” Jesus, the only One who could fit this bill, descended from the lineage of David as far as the record of His earthly birth (see Matthew 1:5-16), but preceded Him in that He has always been.

God in the flesh—what an astounding thought! Jesus the God-Man flabbergasted the religious leaders that Tuesday. But wait until Easter Sunday—they ain’t seen nothin’ yet!

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MARCH 6

As we began to look at yesterday, in Jesus’ reply to the scribe’s question: “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” (Matthew 22:36), He quoted from three Old Testament passages: Deuteronomy 6:4-5, Joshua 22:5, and Leviticus 19:18. We saw Deuteronomy; now let’s see what Joshua and Leviticus records:

“Carefully obey the command and instruction that Moses the Lord’s servant gave you: to love the Lord your God, walk in all His ways, keep His commands, remain faithful to Him, and serve Him with all your heart and all your soul” (Joshua 22:5, HCSB).

“Do not take revenge or bear a grudge against members of your community, but love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord” (Leviticus 19:18).

A scribe spent his life copying the Law of Moses and studying it. He also had the responsibility of interpreting the Law when it came to any sort of legal dispute. So when the scribe who approached Jesus “to test Him” (Matthew 22:35) ended up commending His reply (Mark 12:32-33), no doubt the gathered group of listeners, including the Sadducees and Pharisees, had to be impressed with this unique and wise Prophet.

Likewise, Jesus saw the heart of the scribe and told him: “You are not far from the Kingdom of God” (Mark 12:34). The Lord knows every person’s heart. Nothing is hidden from Him. And I believe that Jesus knew this man wanted to believe in Him as the Messiah. Bear in mind, I said this is my opinion; but the point is, He knows all our hearts. Yet only in eternity will we know whether or not this scribe ever followed through and trusted Christ as Savior.

Why do I bring this up? The difference between spending eternity with Jesus or totally separated from Jesus is in following through and trusting Him as Savior. Paul, who didn’t see his imprisonment as a negative but as an opportunity to share the Good News, told King Agrippa of his own experience and of how the Scriptures foretold of Christ’s coming. How did Agrippa respond? “Agrippa said unto Paul, ‘Almost thou persuades me to be a Christian’” (Acts 26:28, KJV).

Folks, “Almost” isn’t good enough! Partial commitment is no commitment at all. Can a person be “almost” faithful to his/her spouse? No! And neither can a person be “almost” a believer—he either is one, or he isn’t. And “almost” will never get any person into heaven. It is “by grace … through faith,”¬¬ not “almost” faith, that we “are saved” (Ephesians 2:8, HCSB).

But let’s take it one step further. To have “faith” is one thing; to be full of “faith” is another—it’s to be faithful. Be sure your faith is Rock solid in Jesus. Consciously and daily seek to be more than an “almost” faithful follower of the Savior.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MARCH 5

Jesus has just finished clearing up the Sadducees’ ridiculous question about marriage in the resurrected state. Matthew 22:33 concludes the account by saying: “The crowds … were astonished at His teaching” (HCSB).

Matthew recounts what happened next: “When the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they came together to the same place. And one of them, an expert in the law, asked a question to test Him: ‘Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?’ [Jesus] said to him, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important commandment. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the law and the prophets depend on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:34-40).

Here’s how Mark records the same occasion: “One of the scribes approached. When he heard them debating and saw that Jesus answered [the Sadducees] well, he asked Him, “Which is the most important of all?’ ‘This is the most important,’ Jesus answered. ‘Listen, Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is One. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. There is no other commandment greater than these.’ Then the scribe said to Him, ‘You are right, Teacher! You have correctly said that He is One, and there is no else except Him. And to love Him with all your heart, with all your understanding, and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, is far more (important) than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices.’ When Jesus saw that (the scribe) answered intelligently, He said to Him, ‘You are not far from the Kingdom of God.’ And no one dared to question Him any longer” (Mark 12:28-34).

Jesus, the Living Word, knew the power of the Word. He answered the scribe directly from three Old Testament passages: Deuteronomy 6:4-5, Joshua 22:5, and Leviticus 19:18. Let’s look at the first of these: “Listen, Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is One. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5).

Moses spoke these words to God’s people. He went on in the next four verses to add: “These words I am giving you today are to be in your heart. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them be a symbol on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates” (Deuteronomy 6:6-9).

I hope you’ll go back and read at least Deuteronomy 3:21–6:9. The people are about to enter the Promised Land, and the mantle of leadership is being passed from Moses to Joshua. All the chapters to 34 are God’s instructions to Israel through Moses; then Moses’ death is recorded in Chapter 34.

Tomorrow we’ll look further into Jesus’ conversation with the scribe, but for now, please look back at Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and give yourself a spiritual checkup: How strong is your love for the Lord? Since He is the Living Word, I can assure you it’s in direct proportion to your love for His Word. Do you teach “your children” His Word? Do you share His Word “in your house”? “When you walk [or drive] along the road”? Does your day end (“when you lie down”) and begin (“when you get up”) with the Word? Is your life so wrapped up in, so focused on, the Word that people have no doubt Who you stand for and that your home is dedicated to serving the Lord Jesus Christ?

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MARCH 4

Tuesday is turning out to be one long day, isn’t it? Yesterday we looked at Jesus’ teaching about paying taxes to our governing authorities. So significant was this message that it’s recorded in Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

All three also record this next conversation. Following the troop of Pharisees and Herodians, the Sadducees decide to take the next shot at Jesus: “The same day some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came up to Him and questioned Him. ‘Teacher, Moses said, if a man dies, having no children, his brother is to marry his wife and raise offspring for his brother. Now there were seven brothers among us. The first got married and died. Having no offspring, he left his wife to his brother. The same happened to the second also, and the third, and so to all seven. Then last of all the woman died. Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven? For they all had married her” (Luke 20:27-33, HCSB).

These sarcastic hypocrites used this ridiculous story to poke fun at Jesus. They believed there was “no resurrection,” and so hoped He would be humiliated in trying to come up with an answer. But the Answer, as always, was ready for them!

“You are deceived, because you don’t know the Scriptures or the power of God” (Verse 29). May I stop right here and say that, before we look down on the Sadducees, we remember how easily we can end up in the same boat? If we “don’t know the Scriptures,” and “the power of God,” we can be very easily “deceived.” The Word is our protection. Know it and use it.

Jesus continued: “For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like angels in heaven. Now concerning the resurrection of the dead, haven’t you read what was spoken to you by God: ‘The God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob?’ He is not the God of the dead, but of the living” (Luke 20:30-33).

Look at how He stuck it to these religious leaders: “Haven’t you read what was spoken to you by God?” The Sadducees couldn’t stand to lose face in front of the Pharisees, who were no doubt still standing by. And the Pharisees were probably loving this because the Sadducees had probably witnessed the Pharisees’ defeat by Jesus when they asked Him whether or not the Jews should pay taxes to Caesar. No one stands a chance against the Almighty!

Which is why grace is such a wonderful gift from the Father. Only because of it do we stand a chance of getting into heaven. Ephesians 2:8 reminds us: “For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift.”

We can’t earn it; can’t buy it; can’t steal it. All we can do is receive it. Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MARCH 3

We’re still on the final Tuesday before Jesus’ crucifixion. We now come to the incident where the Pharisees and Herodians (political supporters of Herod) try to schmooze the Messiah. “‘Teacher,’ they said, ‘we know that you are truthful and teach truthfully the way of God. You defer to no one, for you don’t show partiality. Tell us, therefore, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?’” (Matthew 22:16b-17, HCSB).

Can you hear the honey dripping off their tongues? They were sugar-coating every syllable, hoping to entice Jesus into speaking out against the Roman government. But what did Jesus tell them? “Why are you testing me, hypocrites? Show me the coin used for tax … Whose image and inscription is this?” (Matthew 22:18-20).

“‘Caesar’s,’ they said to Him” (Verse 21a).

“Then He said to them, ‘Therefore, give back to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Verse 21b).

Jesus never tries to complicate things. Becoming a Christian isn’t complicated. It’s not faith plus works or anything else. It’s faith, period. The things that come afterwards are merely acts of obedience, ways of honoring the Savior. Neither did Jesus offer a lengthy discourse to answer these “hypocrites'” question.

What did Paul teach us in Roman 13:1-2? “Everyone must submit to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those that exist are instituted by God. So then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God’s command, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves.”

Just as the above passage tells us, there is no authority without God’s permission. It may not be godly authority, but no one can step into a position of authority unless He allows it. And we are to respect our “governing authorities.” We can’t cheat on our taxes and honor God any more than we can withhold tithes and offerings and simultaneously honor Him. We must do both: “Give back to [our government] the things that are [its], and to God the things that are God’s.” To do otherwise is to dishonor the Savior.

Peter takes it a step further as he tells his readers that they should “honor the emperor” (1 Peter 2:17). While that may not sound so earth-shattering, think about who he was referring to. Most scholars agree that, at the time in which Peter wrote his letter, Nero was “the emperor” in power.

And what sort of a person was he? He killed Christians for sport! He was ungodly, evil, and sadistic. And yet, because the Lord had allowed him to have a position of authority for that period in history, Peter told his readers to show him “honor.”

Incredible, isn’t it? Sure kicks it in the head that you don’t have to show respect to an arrogant boss or other authority figure, doesn’t it? It should also change the way we talk about all our politicians, preachers, and other authority figures. People, no matter how much we disagree with a person’s behavior or political stand, our job isn’t to criticize him—it’s to pray for him!

“More things are wrought by prayer

Than this world dreams of …

For what are men …

If knowing God, they lift not hands of prayer

Both for themselves and those who call them friends?”

(Alfred Lord Tennyson)

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MARCH 2

It’s still Tuesday, and only days before Jesus’ crucifixion. He’s in Jerusalem and still teaching in the Temple complex. He next tells the parable of the Wedding Banquet:

“The Kingdom of Heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. He sent out his slaves to summon those invited to the banquet, but they didn’t want to come. Again, he sent out other slaves, and said, ‘Tell those who are invited: ‘Look, I’ve prepared my dinner; my oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’ But they paid no attention and went away, one to his own farm, another to his business. And the others seized his slaves, treated them outrageously and killed them. The king was enraged, so he sent out his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned down their city. Then he told his slaves, ‘The banquet is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore, go to where the roads exit the city and invite everyone you find to the banquet.’ So those slaves went out on the roads and gathered everyone they found, both good and evil. The wedding banquet was filled with guests. But when the king came in to view the guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed for a wedding. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ The man was speechless. Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him up hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are invited but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:1-14, HCSB).

Who was the “wedding banquet for”? “His son.” Who was invited originally? Before you answer, “the Jews,” read John 3:16: “For God loved the world in this way: He gave his One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life” (Jesus speaking).

The original invitation was to “the world,” but the first “invited” guests were the Jews. What was their response? “They paid no attention and went away.” Folks, we’re either moving closer to Jesus, or away from Him—there’s no stopping point in this universe.

Jesus goes on in His parable to remind them how they treated the prophets that He’d sent to share His message, to foretell of His coming. And He gives His reaction: “The king was enraged, so he sent out his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned down their city.” What happened only forty years after Jesus told this parable? The Roman army leveled Jerusalem to the ground.

Jesus says that “both good and evil” were invited. Sounds strange, doesn’t it? Please don’t miss the significance here. We, Christ’s “slaves,” are to carry His invitation to “the world,” not judge who truly received Him or not. We are to deliver the Message—Jesus will sort it out from there.

“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left” (Matthew 25:31-33).

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for MARCH 1

Tuesday in Jerusalem continues and Jesus is still teaching in the Temple complex. His next parable is of the Vineyard Owner, one so significant that Matthew, Mark, and Luke record it for us. Get back into your visualization mode and remember the mixed crowd gathered around as Jesus taught them. Here’s how Mark 12:1-12 records Jesus:

“A man planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug out a pit for a winepress, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and went away. At harvest time he sent a slave to the farmers to collect some of the fruit of the vineyard from the farmers. But they took him, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. Again he sent another slave to them, and they hit him on the head and treated him shamefully. Then he sent another, and they killed that one. [He] also [sent] many others; they beat some and they killed some. He still had one to send, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But those tenant farmers said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours!’ So they seized him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. Therefore, what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the farmers and give the vineyard to others. Haven’t you read this Scripture: ‘The stone that the builders rejected—this has become the cornerstone. This came from the Lord and is wonderful in our eyes?’”

Mark ends his account with a sidebar comment: “Because they (the religious leaders) knew He had said this parable against them, they were looking for a way to arrest Him, but they were afraid of the crowd. So they left Him and went away” (HCSB).

Matthew relates Jesus’ audience’s answer to His question: “‘What will he do to those farmers?’ ‘He will completely destroy those terrible men,’ they told Him, ‘and lease his vineyard to others farmers who will give him his produce at the harvest’” (Matthew 21:40-41).

Bear in mind that their answer came before Jesus quoted Psalm 118:22-23 concerning the “stone that the builders rejected.” Once they heard it, they clued in as to who the “farmers” were, and they would have loved to have taken back their own answer!

Look back at our parable. All the property in it belongs to One Owner. Note secondly that there are two groups of people: the “farmers” and the “slaves.” What’s the difference? While the “farmers” were on His land, they weren’t His property. The “slaves,” however, belonged to Him just as much so as “the vineyard.”

The Jews were to be the Light to the world. The Lord entrusted them with His message and they failed to share it, even after He sent prophet after prophet to steer them in the right direction, to point them back to Jehovah.

Finally, He sent His own Son, and they “rejected” Him too. Even though His coming was foretold throughout these listeners’ lifetimes, their blind religious leaders were leading them into darkness—and they were following. Yes, some did open their spiritual eyes and ears, recognize Him, and receive Him; but the majority chose to turn away. These “farmers” would be replaced: “He will come and destroy the farmers and give the vineyard to others.” The Gentiles were given the opportunity to carry Christ’s message.

The Israelites spent forty years wandering in the wilderness by their own choice of disobedience. The Jews of Jesus’ time spent forty years from the time of Christ’s crucifixion until the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. by the Roman army.

Do you not think that God can raise up a new people to carry out His message if we choose not to? Remember what He said as He entered Jerusalem: “If they were to keep silent, the stones would cry out!” (Luke 19:40).

If we “keep silent,” a new people will “cry out” His message. Don’t wait until it’s too late to be one of His messengers.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for FEBRUARY 28

It’s still Tuesday in Jerusalem and Jesus is teaching in the temple complex. Who could stop Him? The religious leaders had already questioned His authority and miserably failed at getting an answer out of the Messiah. Why do you suppose Jesus didn’t point-blank say who He was? Because even as He walked the earth as the God-Man, it required faith to believe who He was (and always will be and always has been). The religious leaders lacked that faith—they were quite literally the “blind leading the blind.”

What did Jesus teach on that Tuesday? I hope you’ll read all three of these passages: Matthew 21:28 – 23:36; Mark 12:1-44; and Luke 20:9 – 21:4. In these we learn these three parables:

(1) The Parable of the Two Sons (recorded only in Matthew)

(2) The Parable of the Vineyard Owner (recorded in Matthew, Mark, and Luke)

(3) The Parable of the Wedding Banquet (recorded only in Matthew)

The first parable, the Two Sons, goes like this: “But what do you think?” (Matthew 21:28a).

Before I go any further, this is what I ask you to do, and it’s what Jesus asked His audience to do: “think.” Visualize Jesus as the exciting, dynamic Teacher He was (and is). “Think” of the enthusiasm on His face; the love; the compassion. I can see intense expression in His eyes, indicating at times, humor; at other times, anguish; and at others, the righteous indignation only He can fully comprehend. I hope you see Him and hear Him as He teaches us through this parable:

“A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘My son, go, work in the vineyard today.’ He answered, ‘I don’t want to!’ Yet later he changed his mind and went. Then the man went to the other and said the same thing. ‘I will, sir,’ he answered. But he didn’t go. Which of the two did his father’s will? ‘The first,’ they said. Jesus said to them, ‘I assure you: tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the Kingdom of God before you! For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you didn’t believe him. Tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him, but you, when you saw it, didn’t even change your minds then and believe him” (Matthew 21:28-32).

See the crowd gathered around Jesus. See the delight on the faces of the common people on whom the religious leaders looked down, and over whom they lorded themselves. See the faces of the priests and scribes and Pharisees as Jesus dares speak the truth—that “tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the Kingdom of God before” them. The scene is charged with electricity.

Who was the first son, the one who said, “I don’t want to” go work in the vineyard? Jesus said, “Later he changed his mind and went.” Do you know what the word “repent” literally means? To change one’s mind. This first son represents any person who, like all believers, first disobeyed and rejected Christ’s calling; “Yet later,” realizing his disobedience, repented and became a productive worker for the Kingdom.

And the second son? “‘I will, sir,’ he answered. But he didn’t go.” Lip service. Like the religious leaders, he had voiced his own piety, his own willingness to serve, but he’d never done a thing to back it up. I think two groups could fall into this category: people who claim to have trusted Christ as Savior but have never truly asked Him into their hearts; and people who actually worship some form of religion rather than worshiping the Savior—they think they have all they need and don’t need Jesus.

In either case, Jesus spells things out quite clearly. Even delayed obedience is far better than lip service.

This very day, a great harvest is waiting for workers to come and gather it in. People all over the world, including hundreds upon thousands right here in the U.S. of A., need someone to tell them the Good News. They’ve heard of Jesus, but they’ve never been introduced to Him. Who will meet Him today because of your faithfulness?

“Open your eyes and look at the fields, for they are ready for harvest” (John 4:35b).

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for FEBRUARY 27

It’s Tuesday in Jerusalem and Jesus has returned to the Temple complex the day after throwing out all the moneychangers. Three of the Gospels record what the religious leaders had the audacity to ask:

“One day (Tuesday) as He (Jesus) was teaching the people in the Temple complex and proclaiming the Good News, the chief priests and the scribes, with the elders, came up and said to Him: ‘Tell us, by what authority are you doing these things? Who is it who gave you this authority?’ He (Jesus) answered them, ‘I will also ask you a question. Tell Me, was the baptism of John from heaven or from men?’ They (the chief priests, scribes, and elders) discussed it among themselves: ‘If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’ But if we say, “From men,’ all the people will stone us, because they are convinced that John was a prophet.’ So they answered that they did not know its origin. And Jesus said to them, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things’” (Luke 20:1-8, HCSB).

Matthew’s and Mark’s accounts are interesting in that these give a more vivid picture of what went on among the religious leaders: “They began to argue among themselves” (Matthew 21:25 and Mark 11:31).

Jesus was—and is—brilliant! Instead of trying to explain Himself to these pompous holier-than-thous, He simply asked them one question: “Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men?”

And these self-proclaimed know-it-alls’ feeble response was merely to say, “We don’t know” (Mark 11:33). You see, these men were full of questions, but they didn’t know the Answer!

What had these same men said to John? “The Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him (John), ‘Who are you?’” (John 1:19). In Verse 24, John goes on to identify these “Jews from Jerusalem” by saying: “They had been sent from the Pharisees.” The entire religious hierarchy was clueless.

As they questioned Jesus in the Temple, they were looking into the face of the Answer and had no idea who He was. Look back over our entire Luke passage for today. What were these men so concerned about? Appearance. They weren’t so much concerned with whether they were right or wrong; or who Jesus was; or even who John had been. They just wanted to look good.

Brothers and sisters, we can learn so much from this one example out of the life of Jesus. When people question your faith or anything else about you, you don’t have to launch into some huge explanation—you simply need to stand firm, knowing that you have the Answer to every question.

Isaiah 53:7 says of the Messiah: “Like a sheep silent before her shearers, He did not open His mouth.” We don’t always have to have a reply. Sometimes our very best response is absolute silence. There’s a huge word in that for someone reading this today.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates 

BIBLE STUDY for FEBRUARY 26

Don’t miss the important point here, folks. “The fig tree withered from the roots up.” Ever heard people say that they intend to get to “the root of the problem”? That’s what Jesus always does. He knew the problem didn’t lie in the leaves or the branches, but in the root itself.

So when He cursed the tree, it died completely—it didn’t simply wither above the ground. It didn’t revive and put out fruit the next season. Jesus spoke to the tree in Mark 11:14: “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And Verse 20 assures us that “no one ever” would.

Branches produce according to the health of their root. The root is the supply line, the anchor, and the base or beginning from which the rest stems. Think about all this as the Christian life and look at the beautiful picture of John 15:1 as Jesus says: “I am the true vine … a branch is unable to produce fruit unless it remains on the vine” (John 15:1, 4). “The root of Jesse” (Isaiah 11:10) is the One and Only “true vine.”

So let’s break it down into increments: (1) Jesus as the Supply Line. He “will supply all your needs” (Philippians 4:19); (2) Jesus as the Anchor. Hebrews 6:19 calls Jesus “a sure and firm anchor for the soul;” and (3) Jesus as the Base or Beginning. First Corinthians 3:11 reminds that “no one can lay any other foundation than what has been laid—that is, Jesus Christ.”

What does all this have to do with the cursing of the fig tree? Folks, if the root’s bad, the whole plant is bad. And if your root, your anchor, your base, your supply line, is anything other than the Lord Jesus Christ, it isn’t going to last. So many people find pleasure in aligning themselves with temporal things, but often that pleasure is shorter lived than the things they once found so attractive.

In cursing the fig tree, Jesus wanted us to see that no “other foundation” will last. He wanted us to see how quickly the things of this world can be taken from us; how quickly the wellspring of anything a person is trusting in other than Jesus can dry up and vanish.

There is but One that is everlasting. Jesus told the Samaritan woman, and He tells us still today: “Whoever drinks from the water I give him will never get thirsty again—ever! In fact, the water I will give him will become a well of water springing up within him for eternal life” (John 4:14).

When you stay rooted in Jesus, you find satisfaction that isn’t circumstantial or temporary. You find everlasting contentment in being His and using your life to bring glory to His Name.

“If anyone is thirsty, he should come to Me and drink!” (Jesus speaking, John 7:37).

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates 

BIBLE STUDY for FEBRUARY 25

The cursing of the fig tree was a Monday event. What happened next during that final week before the crucifixion? We look to Matthew and Mark for our first answer:

“Jesus went into the temple complex and drove out all those buying and selling in the temple. He overturned the money changers’ tables and the chairs of those selling doves. And He said to them, ‘It is written, My house will be called a house of prayer. But you are making it a den of thieves!’” (Matthew 21:12-13, HCSB).

Mark 11:15-18 adds more detail: “They [the disciples and Jesus] came to Jerusalem [having spent the night in Bethany], and He went into the temple complex and began to throw out those buying and selling in the temple. He overturned the money changers’ tables and the chairs of those selling doves, and would not permit anyone to carry goods through the temple complex. Then He began to teach them: ‘Is it not written, My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations? But you have made it a den of thieves!’ Then the chief priests and the scribes heard it and started looking for a way to destroy Him. For they were afraid of Him, because the whole crowd was astonished by His teaching.”

Jesus was sickened by the “business-as-usual” going on inside the walls of the temple. You see, it was nearly impossible for those who lived very far out from Jerusalem to lug an animal all the way to the temple and the poor creature make it there passable as “spotless” and suitable for sacrifice. But there was more to it than just this one problem.

Businessmen, seeing the need for conveniently purchasable sacrifices, set up shop within the temple complex to sell animals. Too, like going into a foreign country, the temple had its own coinage and it was necessary to exchange your own money for the temple’s in order to give your tithes and offerings in the proper currency.

These two needs—money and animals—made temple goers easy pickings for these shopkeepers. The coins would be exchanged at ridiculously exorbitant rates and the animals would be sold at prices much higher than their ordinary value. It was the ol’ business law of supply and demand in action, but the trade was going on inside the walls of God’s house, and the profits were far beyond anything reasonable.

For example, at the current exchange rate, I should be able to walk into any bank who handles foreign currency and exchange 20 American dollars for slightly less than 17 British pounds. At temple businessmen rates, my exchange rate might be more like 7 pounds—they were making a downright dishonest amount of profit, and using the temple as a place of commerce rather than worship.

Why didn’t the religious leaders put a stop to all this? Simple—they got a cut of the profits. And not only that, they were the ones who declared an animal fit or unfit for sacrifice. Most folks had learned that it was pointless to show up with their own animal anyway, because the priests were going to declare it unfit so that the person had to either forego his sacrifice—a thing he would never have done if he could possibly avoid it—or purchase another animal from the temple tradesmen.

Into this insane cacophony walked the Savior—and let Himself be heard above all the racket: “Is it not written, My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations? But you have made it a den of thieves!” He was quoting Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11.

Note what He said: “a house of prayer for all nations.” First, the Jews had known from the get-go that they were to be the Light to all nations. Secondly, all this commerce was going on in the outer court, the court of the Gentiles, and non-Jews who wanted to worship Jehovah were expected to do so amid all that racket.

Finally, though, think back to the original problem I mentioned: “business-as-usual.” That’s what was going on inside the temple. No fervor of worship. No concern for the lost. No concern for the believer. No worship of the Creator. Just “church as usual,”—same old, same old.

Is the church today any different? Since the church is me and you, made up of each and every individual believer, your answer should be weighed according to your own worship—not mine; not your corporate church body’s; not anyone else’s but your little ol’ self. Jesus is never pleased or honored with “business-as-usual.” Make certain your worship experience is fresh and new every morning.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for FEBRUARY 24

There are at least 32 references to fig trees within the Bible. In addition to plenty of Old Testament passages, the New Testament speaks of the fig tree all the way from Matthew to Revelation. Let’s look at Jesus’ parable from the Gospel of Luke:

“A man had a fig tree that was planted in his vineyard. He came looking for fruit on it and found none. He told the vineyard worker, ‘Listen, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it even waste the soil?’ But he (the worker) replied to him, ‘Sir, leave it this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. Perhaps it will bear fruit next year, but if not, you can cut it down’” (Luke 13:6-9, HCSB).

Mark records another time when a fig tree was the topic of Jesus’ parable: “Learn this parable from the fig tree: as soon as its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near” (Mark 13:28).

In Luke 21:29-30 we read Luke’s account of the same parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. As soon as they put out [leaves], you can see for yourselves that summer is already near.”

James asks the rhetorical question, “Can a fig tree produce olives?” (James 3:12). The book of Revelation compares the falling of the stars at the opening of the sixth seal with “a fig tree drop[ping] its unripe figs when shaken by a high wind” (Revelation 6:13).

I said yesterday that the fig tree Jesus cursed represented religious Israel. Although the reference is to an olive tree rather than a fig tree, Paul’s statement in Romans 11:17 is relevant to today’s study. He says of non-Jews who have become believers in Jesus that they, “a wild olive branch, were grafted in.” There is only one body of Christ, and it is made up of believers, period, whether Jew or Gentile.

So let’s switch to post-resurrection. The only true worshipers of Jehovah are no longer the Jews, but those who have recognized Him in the form of His Son Jesus Christ, and have believed on Him as Messiah. Looking at the “fig tree” from this viewpoint, what do we see? (1) The accountability of every believer to produce “fruit,” and (2) the patience of the Lord in giving us opportunity after opportunity to get busy for His Kingdom.

Patience, yes, but not forever. Just as with the “fig tree” in the Luke 13 parable, Jesus may delay, but He will not ignore. He has and will continue to “come looking for” every believer’s “fruit.”

May I ask you a question: What is He finding in your life?

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for FEBRUARY 23

“Early in the morning, as He (Jesus) was returning to the city (to Jerusalem after spending the night in Bethany), He was hungry. Seeing a lone fig tree by the road, He went up to it and found nothing on it except leaves. And He said to it, ‘May no fruit ever come from you again! At once the fig tree withered (which may mean that, in retrospect, the disciples realized that the tree had immediately begun to die—see the Mark passage)” (Matthew 21:18-19, HCSB).

“The next day when they (Jesus and the disciples) came out from Bethany, He was hungry. After seeing in the distance a fig tree with leaves, He went to find out if there was anything on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. He said to it, ‘May no one ever eat fruit from you again!’ And His disciples heard Him … Early in the morning (on a later date), as they were passing by, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up” (Mark 11:12-13, 20).

What’s the significance of “the fig tree”? I’m not too up on horticulture, but this is one thing I’m familiar with. On the back of his house, my paternal grandfather built what he called “the wash room,” a glassed-in sunroom of sorts where my grandmother used to hang her clothes to dry. The concrete floor was apparently poured right over the stump of a fig tree and still today, that tough ol’ tree fights its way up out of the ground at the end wall of the wash room.

Right now it’s just a bunch of bare sticks. But as spring progresses, tiny knots will begin to develop along those branches. Soon those little nodules will be identifiable as miniature figs; and just as quickly, leaves will sprout around them to cover and protect them—rich green leaves that become bigger than a man’s hand.

You see, unless it’s past growing season—that is, the figs have already been harvested—if you’ve got leaves, you oughta have figs. Did Jesus really need to go and “find out if there was anything on” the tree? Hardly. What He did need to do was pump all the lessons He could into the disciples around Him in the limited time He had left to walk among them in human form.

See, that “fig tree” was a phony. If it “was not the season for figs,” then it wasn’t the season for fig leaves either! That tree had the appearance of productivity, but there was no “fruit” with which to back up its appearance.

“The fig tree” represented Israel. In 1948 when Israel was reformed as a nation, their national flag was emblazoned with a fig tree, although today’s flag features the Star of David. Couple this with Judges 9:11’s description of the fig tree’s “sweetness and … good fruit” and we can see the spiritual lesson in what the Lord did. He showed the disciples the fate of the person, the people, or the nation who did not bear “good fruit” for His glory.

Specifically, “the fig tree” represented “religious” Israel—the temple-goers and leaders who were so piously working their way to heaven through adherence to the stringent manmade regulations added onto to God’s instructions. These, Jesus told a parable about in Luke 13.

But did Jesus curse Israel? No. Jesus, after all, came to earth as an Israelite. We read in Romans 11:7 that “Israel did not find what it was looking for.” Nonetheless, the Door is still open for the Jews, or anyone who is lost, to be saved. Yet the choice still remains for every individual: choose blessing (Jesus), or cursing (reject Him).

We’ll look at more about this tomorrow.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for FEBRUARY 22

And now we come to Palm Sunday. Let’s see what each Gospel has to tell us about this occasion:

“When they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, Jesus then sent two disciples, telling them, ‘Go into the village ahead of you. At once you will find a donkey tied there, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to Me. If anyone says anything to you, you should say that the Lord needs them, and immediately he will send them’” (Matthew 21:1-3, HCSB).

Mark’s and Luke’s accounts are the same as Matthew’s, except they don’t mention the “colt” being with its mother. John is so enthused with what happened on Palm Sunday that he skips right over Jesus’ method of transportation and opens his account with: “The next day, when the large crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, they took palm branches and went out to meet Him. They kept shouting, ‘Hosanna! (a term of praise that comes from a Hebrew word meaning ‘save’) Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord—the King of Israel!’” (John 12:12-13).

God is so awesome! These people, not even understanding who Jesus really was, quoted Scripture—Psalm 118:25-26—as they honored Him and hoped for His overthrow of Roman authority. All four Gospels record this.

After telling about Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, John backs up and adds: “Jesus found a donkey and sat on it, just as it is written, ‘Fear no more, daughter of Zion; look! Your King is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt’” (John 12:14-15). Both John and Matthew remind their readers that Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem was prophesied long before—see Zechariah 9:9.

So many wonderful passages are within the Palm Sunday records. John concludes by quoting what “the Pharisees said to one another, ‘You see? You’ve accomplished nothing. Look—the whole world has gone after Him!’” (John 12:19). If only “the world” worshiped Jesus!

Dr. Luke adds what the Pharisees said to Jesus as the crowd kept up the ruckus: “Teacher, rebuke your disciples [meaning all those in the crowd who were worshipping Him]” (Luke 19:39).

And don’t you just love Jesus’ answer: “I tell you, if they were to keep silent, the stones would cry out!” (Luke 19:40).

Folks, don’t let no rock get yo’ blessing! Thank Him for all He’s done. Thank Him for what He’s doing and going to do. Thank Him that you can trust Him with your now and forever.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for FEBRUARY 21

Yesterday we left off at Luke 19 where Jesus has told the Parable of the Ten Servants—see Luke 19:11-27. “After telling this story, Jesus went on toward Jerusalem, walking ahead of His disciples. As He came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives, He sent two disciples ahead” (Luke 19:28-29, NLT). We’ll get back to that tomorrow.

Meanwhile, in John 12:3, we see Lazarus’ sister Mary anointing Jesus in the home she shares with her sister Martha and with their brother Lazarus, the man whom Jesus had raised from the dead – see John 11. It’s important to note there are two accounts of a woman anointing Jesus. Jesus was also anointed in the home of Simon, also in Bethany, but on that occasion by a “sinful” woman who isn’t otherwise identified. Her act is recorded in Matthew 26:6-7, Mark 14:3, and also Luke 7:37-38.

When you combine all three passages, you see that two passages say the Lord’s head was anointed while one says it was His feet. Who’s right and who’s wrong? The Bible is inerrant. The woman anointed both his head and his feet.

At Lazarus’ home, what was supposed to be a peaceful dinner with friends with Jesus as the honored guest was disrupted by a group of rubberneckers. “… a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of Him but also to see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in Him” (John 12:9-11).

I have no doubt that Lazarus was the most dedicated believer you could ever imagine. He didn’t walk into the marketplace or anywhere else without shouting, “Let me tell you about my Jesus!” And his enthusiasm won him lots of friends, right? Yes and no. Clearly, Lazarus’ witness won many to the Kingdom, but it also incited so much jealousy among “the chief priests” that they actually “made plans to kill Lazarus,” as well as Jesus.

When you get serious about sharing Jesus, the enemy gets serious about stopping your plans. Problem is, most of us have so little impact for the Kingdom of God that the devil isn’t worried one bit about what we’re doing.

So how about we shake things up? Let’s worry more about serving God than keeping our names on the “A” list. Jesus didn’t just raise Lazarus from the dead. He raised me and you and every single person who believes on His Name.

“But God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead” (Ephesians 2:4-5a, NLT).

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for FEBRUARY 20

In the last two days, we’ve looked at Matthew’s and Mark’s accounts of what happened in the life of Jesus just prior to Palm Sunday. Let’s move on and see what Luke has to tell us.

If we look back, though, we see the correlation between the different Gospel writers’ timeline. Matthew 20:29 records Jesus meeting the two blind men “as they [He and His disciples] were leaving Jericho” (HCSB). Mark 10:46 skates over Jesus’ time in Jericho, simply stating: “They came to Jericho.” However, Mark’s account continues in the same verse: “And as He was leaving Jericho with His disciples … Bartimaeus … was sitting by the road.”

Luke records a different occurrence in Jericho: “He entered Jericho and was passing through” (Luke 19:1). Not much in that, is there? But Luke goes on to say: “There was a man named Zaccheus” (Verse 2).

Anyone who spent any time in Sunday school as a child knows the song about the “wee little man,” Zaccheus. Too short to see over the crowd, he “climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus” (Verse 3). Zaccheus, a rich tax collector, performed this undignified act because his desire to see Jesus was greater than his concern for what people would have to say about his actions. Oh, that we had such a mindset!

When Zaccheus met Jesus, he immediately repented, and here’s where we read a familiar statement of Jesus: “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost” (Verse 10).

What next? Verse 11 says: “As they [the disciples and the crowd around them] were listening to this, He [Jesus] went on to tell a parable.” This “parable” was about a king who had ten slaves—and remember, the word “slaves” is far more correct than the word “servant.” How come? Because a slave is owned by his Master, and we who have been bought by the blood of the Lamb are owned by Him—read First Corinthians 6:19b-20a.

The king was leaving on a journey and, before going, placed into the care of each of his slaves a mina, a Greek coin worth about 100 days’ wages. He then instructed them to, until his return, work (turn a profit) with what he’d entrusted to them. He comes back, calls his slaves to him, and asks each to give an account of their management. Each slave has earned a different amount of return for their efforts, and each is rewarded accordingly.

Finally, the master comes to a slave who has done nothing to advance the king’s holdings, but instead says of his mina: “I have kept it hidden away in a cloth” (Verse 20). The master is furious, and removes the mina from the slave who had accomplished nothing, and gives it to the one who has earned ten minas through his diligence.

Of course, the Lord Jesus is the Master and believers are His slaves, so pay close attention to how Jesus concluded this lesson: “I tell you, that to everyone who has [proven diligent in his work], more [opportunities] will be given; and from the one who does not have [has not worked for the Kingdom], even what he does have [or thinks he has] will be taken away” (Verse 26). And He goes on in Verse 27 to clarify that there are those among His “slaves” who really aren’t His. He calls them “these enemies of Mine, who did not want Me to rule over them” and orders that they be “slaughtered.”

From this fiery apologue we see a shift back to Jesus’ and the disciples’ journey: “When He had said these things, He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. As He approached Bethphage and Bethany [en route to Jerusalem], at the place called the Mount of Olives, He sent two of the disciples” (Verses 28 and 29) ahead to bring Him the colt on which He would make His triumphal entrance.

So let’s recap thus far: Matthew tells us of two blind men; Mark focuses on one of these, Bartimaeus; and Luke recounts Zaccheus’ transformation upon meeting the Savior. After Zaccheus has repented, Jesus tells the parable of the Master and slaves, homing in on the requirement that slaves must serve their Master.

The blind men and Zaccheus immediately began to follow Jesus; and following is more than tagging along—it’s faithful service. How about you? God has entrusted you with His Kingdom’s work. Don’t deny, hide, or ignore the gifts and talents He’s given you. Develop them and use them for His glory.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for FEBRUARY 19

I hope by now you’ve read our starting background passages: Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-10; Luke 19:29-44; and John 12:12-19. These are all accounts of Palm Sunday.

Yesterday we saw how Jesus, even as His greatest hour of suffering approached, wasn’t focused on Himself, but on others. We read Matthew 20:30, 34 which told us: “There were two blind men sitting by the road .... [M]oved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately they could see, and they followed Him” (HCSB).

But let’s now look at Mark’s account of the moments just before Palm Sunday. James and John had come to Jesus and asked, “Allow us to sit at Your right and at Your left in Your glory” (Mark 10:37). Obviously these two were still clueless as to what it meant to be a disciple of Jesus because He answered their request by saying, “You don’t know what you’re asking …” (Verse 38).

The Lord went on to give this explanation of discipleship: “… whoever wants to be first among you must be a slave [or servant] to all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life—a ransom for many” (Verses 44-45).

As much as we love to hear all the “name-it-and-claim-it” preachers, all the “God-wants-you-to-have-lots-of-stuff” promoters, the truth is, while God may bless you with abundant material possessions, His purpose in doing so is to provide you with more to use for blessing other people.

Moving right along, we come to Mark 10:46-52, the final verses before Mark’s account of Palm Sunday begins. It tells us, “[Jesus and the disciples] came to Jericho… Bartimaeus (the son of Timaeus), a blind beggar, was sitting by the road” (Verse 46).

Jesus gave sight to Bartimaeus. Why? Please don’t miss these seven vital steps, folks: (1) He called out to Jesus: “Son of David, Jesus, have mercy on me!” (Verse 47). (2) He kept on calling: “Many people told him to keep quiet, but he was crying out all the more ..." (Verse 48). (3) His persistence paid off: Jesus responded, telling His followers, “Call him” (Verse 49). (4) Jesus’ disciples obeyed, calling—that is, going to “the blind man” and getting him to come to the Savior, the job He continues to assign to every believer even today. (5) Bartimaeus knew what he wanted, and when Jesus asked, Bartimaeus replied: “I want to see!” (Verse 51). (6) Jesus gave the man what he had requested: “Go your way … your faith has healed you” (Verse 52a). (7) Bartimaeus’ “way” became the “way” of Jesus. “Immediately he could see and began to follow [Jesus]” (Verse 52b).

Imagine for a moment if Bartimaeus had used logic to solve his problem. “Hmmm. I’ll ask this Miracle Man to provide me with servants and money. Then I’ll no longer have to beg.” But Bartimaeus’ request was spoken in “faith,” believing that the Son of Man was indeed the Son of God, and that He had the power to heal Him.

Bartimaeus also came to the Savior because other believers obeyed Christ’s command and brought him to the Lord. We also see in comparing today’s study with yesterday’s that Mark’s account only covers one of the two blind men that Matthew records as being healed. And Mark’s account is the one that identifies one of them by name, Bartimaeus, which, by the way, means, as Verse 46 clarifies, “son of Timaeus”—“Bar” meaning “son of.” (Read Matthew 16:17, in which Jesus calls Simon Peter, “Simon Bar-Jonah,” because Simon Peter’s father’s name was Jonah.)

Note, too, that the other blind man recorded in Matthew’s Gospel was saved just as was Bartimaeus. But, as in the Gospels’ accounts of Joseph of Arimathea requesting the body of Jesus after His crucifixion, only one—John—tells us that “Nicodemus also came” (John 19:39). We aren’t always going to receive any earthly commendation or notice for our work for the Kingdom, but I can promise you—and far more importantly, Jesus promises a reward: “Look! I am coming quickly [literally meaning, when He comes, it will be an instantaneous happening], and My reward is with Me, to repay each person according to what he has done” (Revelation 22:12).

Whatcha been doing for Jesus? I pray this study is already blessing you. We’ll dig a little deeper tomorrow.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE PASSAGE for FEBRUARY 18

I realize that Easter Sunday seems a long way away, but there’s a whole lot of ground I want to cover before we get there. Let’s begin today with a look at the final week of Christ’s life on earth. We’ll be taking Scripture from all four Gospels and I would strongly urge you to read all four accounts.

Please make time today to read these four passages: Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-10; Luke 19:29-44; and John 12:12-19. I know this is will take some time, but as we get further into our study, you’ll see how worthwhile your efforts have been.

All four of the aforementioned passages describe what we now call Palm Sunday, Jesus’ triumphal entry into the city of Jerusalem only days before His Friday crucifixion. What was going on just before Palm Sunday? Let’s see what Matthew shows us: “While going up to Jerusalem, Jesus took the 12 disciples aside privately and said to them on the way: ‘Listen! We are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Him to death’” (Matthew 20:17-18, HCSB). This statement is the third record in Scripture that Jesus foretold His death.

After this, beginning in Verse 29 of Chapter 20, Matthew records that “as they [Jesus and the disciples] were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed Him. There were two blind men sitting by the road. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out .… [M]oved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately they could see, and they followed Him” (Verses 29-30, 34).

A couple of “foods for thought” here: All of us were spiritually blind before we were touched by the Savior. How come so often we don’t call out to Him until we fear He is “passing by”?

But look, too, at the fact that Jesus, having just told the disciples that He was about to be condemned to die, isn’t so wrapped up in Himself that He can’t hear the cries or see the needs of others. Even as He continues His journey toward the cross, His focus is not on alleviating His own suffering, but on being of service to others.

I’ve said many times that the Christian life is not about our comfort. Around this time several years ago, my dear friend Gwen entered her reward after many years of battling ovarian cancer. From the onset, her doctors didn’t give her a very encouraging prognosis, but she refused to quit. She showed up for her chemotherapy and chose to be a blessing to the other people who were there having treatment. She cheered and encouraged them and, in doing so, kept her focus off herself. And she may not have been comfortable, but she was comforted through the power and strength and love of God’s precious Holy Spirit.

I pray this day and this week, you’re an encourager. And as we focus on Jesus’ journey to the cross, I hope you’ll think less and less of your own comfort and more and more about the needs of the people that surround you.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for FEBRUARY 17

Let’s add yesterday’s info to our review:

(1) Lent is the 40-day (not an exact number because Sundays aren’t counted) period from Ash Wednesday to Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday begins the final week before Easter, also known as Holy Week.

(2) The word “Lent” comes from the Old English word LENCTEN, meaning “spring,” and from the Latin QUADRAGESIMA, meaning 40.

(3) Holy Week, the final days up to Easter Sunday, begins on Palm Sunday. And Palm Sunday recognizes the Sunday on which, in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, Jesus rode triumphantly into Jerusalem on a donkey.

(4) The first Lord’s Supper—also known as Communion, or the Eucharist—was celebrated on Thursday during the Jewish Passover.

(5) Maundy Thursday commemorates Jesus’ establishment of the Lord’s Supper and of the MANDATUM NOVUM, or “new commandment:” “… love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another” (John 13:34, HCSB).

Which brings us to Good Friday. After the “Last Supper,” Jesus and His disciples went out to Gethsemane (which means “olive oil press”), a garden at the base of the Mount of Olives. There the Lord prayed, ending with the words of Matthew 26:42, a passage without which none of us could ever see the glories of heaven: “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, Your will be done.”

Jesus truly “loved the world” (John 3:16) enough to give “Himself—a ransom for all …” (1 Timothy 2:6).

So it was on this Friday that Jesus was arrested, taken to the cross, and crucified. What’s “Good” about that? He answers our question in His own words from the cross: “It is finished!” (John 19:30).

All that Jesus had come to do was complete! The bridge between fallen man and our Holy Creator had been completed! Then, on Easter Sunday, Jesus arose as the “guarantee” (see Hebrews 7:22) that every believer would live again in eternity with the Father; and, too, that each would experience a bodily resurrection. 

Let’s see how Paul explains it in First Corinthians 15:20-23: “But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also comes through a man. For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ, the firstfruits; afterward, at His coming, the people of Christ.”

What a time of celebration we’re about to enter! What a Great Savior we have to celebrate! Have you told Him today how thankful you are? Have you told anyone else what He’s done for you, and for all who will believe in Him?

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for FEBRUARY 16

Okay, a really brief review and then on to Maundy Thursday:

(1) Lent is the 40-day (not counting Sundays) period from Ash Wednesday to Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday begins the final week before Easter, also known as Holy Week.

(2) The word “Lent” comes from the Old English word LENCTEN, meaning “spring,” and from the Latin QUADRAGESIMA, meaning 40.

(3) Holy Week, the final days up to Easter Sunday, begins on Palm Sunday. And Palm Sunday recognizes the Sunday on which Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies.

(4) The first Lord’s Supper – also known as Communion, or the Eucharist – was celebrated on Thursday during the Jewish Passover.

—

So what is Maundy Thursday, besides the day before Good Friday? The word “Maundy” comes from the Latin word MANDATUM, meaning “word in the ceremony.” Maundy Thursday commemorates Jesus’ establishment of the Lord’s Supper and of the MANDATUM NOVUM, or “new commandment,” which was what? As they were gathered around the table, Jesus told His disciples:

“I give you a new commandment: love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another” (John 13:34).

While different churches and denominations celebrate this day in different ways and some hold no special services for it, a frequent service is a reenactment of the washing of the disciples’ feet by the Lord Jesus. Why choose this particular act?

We read the account in John 13:12-17: “When Jesus had washed their feet and put on His robe, He reclined again and said to them, ‘Do you know what I have done for you? You call me Teacher and Lord. This is well said, for I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example that you also should do just as I have done for you. I assure you: a slave is not greater than his master, and a messenger is not greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.’”

Servanthood is what the Christian life is all about. We are to obey Jesus and “… do just as [He] has done for [us].” It’s not about US, folks – it’s about Jesus; and His focus was never on Himself, but on meeting the needs of others.

If you claim His name, you are His “slave” and His “messenger.” You are walking like Jesus, you are talking like Jesus, and you are loving like Jesus.

“By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for FEBRUARY 15

So what have we learned so far about Mardi Gras and Lent? Let’s review and then add more information:

(1) What is known as the Epiphany, or Little Christmas, is celebrated on January 6 in recognition of the wise men who were the first Gentiles to worship the baby Jesus—and incidentally, the exact number of “the wise men,” or Magi, and the exact timeframe in which they came to Jesus isn’t made clear in the Scriptures.

(2) The time from the Epiphany to Fat Tuesday—also called Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras—was a time of feasting and celebration which leads us to Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent. Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras) was the final and grandest day of feasting before beginning the self-denials and fasting of Lent.

(2) Lent is the 40-day (not an exact number because Sundays aren’t counted) period from Ash Wednesday to Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday begins the final week before Easter, also known as Holy Week.

(3) Now we come to “Lent,” which is a word taken from the Old English word LENCTEN, meaning “spring,” and from the Latin QUADRAGESIMA, meaning 40. This period has traditionally been a time when believers prepare their hearts, minds, and spirits for Easter Sunday. It’s a time when many people choose to give up something they enjoy—like a favorite food or activity—as a way of recognizing the tremendous sacrifice made by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Holy Week, the final days up to Easter Sunday, begins on Palm Sunday. And what is Palm Sunday? This day recognizes the Sunday on which Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies—see Matthew 21:1-9; Isaiah 62:11; Zechariah 9:9; and Psalm 118:25-26.

The first Lord’s Supper—also known as Communion, or the Eucharist—was celebrated on Thursday during the Jewish Passover. We see the account in Matthew 26:26-30 after we read that “… the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover” (Matthew 26:19, HCSB).

When is Passover celebrated by the Jewish community? It’s celebrated for eight days by most Jews, with the exception of those who live in Israel, the majority of Reform Jews, and some Conservative Jews—these celebrate for seven days. This year Passover will begin on the evening (sunset/nightfall) of Wednesday, April 5 and will last until the evening (sunset/nightfall) of Wednesday, April 12.

While all of Holy Week is often observed in some churches with special services each day, two days in addition to Palm Sunday are of particular note: Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. Tomorrow we’ll take a deeper look at Maundy Thursday.

For today I hope you’re thinking about self-denial and praying about what to give up for Lent. And I hope you’re using this time to consider the fact that our entire lives are to be lived preferring the needs of others to our own.

“Just as you want others to do for you, do the same for them” (Luke 6:31, Jesus speaking).

Copyright © 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for FEBRUARY 14

I hope you’ll hang with me as we look at the period of Mardi Gras, Lent, Easter, and Passover—you’re in seminary class! Today I want to wrap up our look at Mardi Gras and then begin a look at the 40-day pre-Easter period known as Lent, which begins on Ash Wednesday, which this year is February 22, while Easter is on April 9. In the Old Testament, ashes were placed on the body as a sign of mourning. In Esther 4:1-3 we see the Jewish people wearing sackcloth and ashes as they wept over King Ahasuerus’ order that would annihilate them. In Job 42:6, Job tells the Lord, “… I repent in dust and ashes” (HCSB).

Some early churches—and many still today—saved the palm branches from the previous year’s Palm Sunday celebration and then burned these to ash for Ash Wednesday. These ashes would then be used to mark the sign of the cross on the forehead of the believers who participated in their Lenten observation.

If you count the days from Ash Wednesday until Easter, you’ll find there are actually 46 days (counting Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday) because Sundays aren’t counted since they aren’t days of fasting. Lent is considered a time to reflect on your relationship with the Lord, to prepare your heart to deeply celebrate the truth of Easter. It’s a time to especially examine your life, confess, and repent of any areas of sin, and focus on self-denial.

Since Jesus’ entire earthly life was one of self-denial, this is a wonderful time to choose one area in which to practice this. Many people give up a favorite food or activity, such as chocolate or watching television for the Lenten season. This self-denial is, of course, like any other religious practice, optional, but I can assure you that you’ll discover new growth and maturity through participating in this special time.

Think of something you would truly have a tough time giving up from Valentine’s Day until Easter. Then think of what Christ gave up for you. Let me challenge you to practice some sort of self-denial throughout the Lenten season. And every time you’re tempted to break your Lenten vow, think of Christ’s prayer to His Father in the Garden: “Not my will, but Yours, be done” (Luke 22:42).

Copyright © 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for FEBRUARY 13

I want us to begin a look at the time period between Christmas and Easter (Resurrection Day). We’re starting now so we can follow this same study all the way through to Resurrection Day. That said, I need to explain a little bit about Mardi Gras because, believe it or not, Mardi Gras actually began as a Christian celebration. The phrase “Mardi Gras” means “Fat Tuesday,” also called “Shrove Tuesday.” Traditionally, this was a day of huge feasting and celebration before Ash Wednesday, which began a time of strict fasting for Lent, the 40 days (not an exact number, however, due to the changing date of Easter) leading up to Easter Sunday. But let me back up a little.

The first traditional celebration after Christmas is on January 6, the Epiphany, or Little Christmas, said to be the date when the three wise men found the baby Jesus. Of course, scripture doesn’t support an exact time for the Magi’s arrival, but says: “Entering the house, they saw the child" (Matthew 2:11). This indicates it may have been as long as two years after Jesus’ birth before the wise men reached Him. And Herod’s edict (see Matthew 2:16) adds credence to this, in that he ordered the murder of all male children ages two and under.

From the date of the Epiphany until Fat Tuesday, celebrations were—and are today—abundant, and one thing you’ve probably seen during this time of “Mardi Gras” is colorfully iced ring-shaped cakes called “King” cakes. Hidden inside the cake is a tiny toy baby, so that one of the people eating the cake will find him. Although most people today have no idea what’s behind all this, the cake is called a “King” cake because the baby inside the cake represents Jesus, and finding this Baby represents the Magi, the first Gentiles, discovering the Savior, which is what the Epiphany recognizes.

And the circular shape of the cake? It signifies the connectedness, the oneness, of the family of Jesus Christ. The one who discovers the Christ Child has a responsibility to share Him with others. Thus the tradition that whoever finds the Baby brings the cake the next year.

How about that! So when “Mardi Gras” gets here, I hope you’ll use it as an opportunity to teach the truth about the celebration and King cake. In Mobile, Alabama (which is the original home of Mardi Gras—Mobile’s celebration kicked off on Feb. 3 & continues through Fat Tuesday, Feb. 21) and New Orleans, Louisiana, Mardi Gras parades and activities abound. This year, why not bring a King cake to work or Bible class—or you could even have a cake and coffee get-together at your house—and explain the story behind the tradition.

See, when a person “discovers” Jesus, he’s to share Him with others—bringing the King cake. And when another person discovers Jesus—finds the Baby—it then becomes his responsibility to share Jesus, as in bringing the next year’s cake. The message of the King cake is simple enough for even small children to understand.

“… whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be a slave to all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give His life—a ransom for many” (Jesus speaking, Mark 10:43b-45, HCSB).

FYI: The colors of Mardi Gras are also significant: purple = justice; green = faith; gold = power. Jesus, the Righteous Judge; Jesus, the Savior; Jesus, the All-Powerful God.

Copyright © 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for FEBRUARY 12

“… do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live” (Ephesians 4:30a, NLT).

As most of you know, Larry and I have been waiting for waaaaay over a decade for our son and his family to be a part of our lives. He and his wife live no more than 50 miles from us and have two young daughters we’ve never laid eyes on. Were it not for God’s peace “that passes all understanding” (Philippians 4:7, AKJV), Larry and I would both probably be in the loony bin.

So what does our situation with our son have to do with today’s Bible passage? The apostle Paul is writing to the church in Ephesus, as in believers. And yet he’s warning them not to live in a way that grieves the Holy Spirit. Hang with me and I hope to tie all this together.

I can’t judge the spiritual state of my son and his family. I only know that our son made a profession of faith as a young fellow and lived a Christian lifestyle in front of me and his dad. But now, as an adult, his treatment of us as his parents is inexcusably wrong. And if he’s a child of God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, he is most assuredly bringing “sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit.”

And who is the Holy Spirit? None other than God Himself, the third part of the triune Godhead—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Which brings me to my next point: if, as shown by our passage for today, Christians can grieve God by the way they choose to live, I can only imagine how much it hurts the Lord to see so many people flat-out reject Him.

So why doesn’t He just force them all to be saved? God doesn’t work that way. He gives every person a choice. And that choice, my friends, brings me to my final point for the day: we can pray and pray and pray until we feel like our prayers are going no higher than the ceiling because our prayers aren’t being answered. (And some prayers are being answered with “No” because they aren’t prayers that accord with God’s will—see yesterday's study.)

But when we are praying for something completely in God’s will—such as the salvation of a person’s soul—He is certainly not saying “No” to your request. He’s simply giving the person you’re praying for a choice: accept Me or reject Me.

But every time you pray for that person, the Holy Spirit speaks to that person’s heart. So keep praying. Keep trusting. Rely on God for peace and comfort as you wait. As I’ve said before, Larry and I prayed for 20 years for Larry’s dad’s salvation. And the Lord answered the moment Larry’s dad chose to obey. I hope this an encouragement to the many of you who are praying for lost or wayward loved ones.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for FEBRUARY 11

“I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you've received it, it will be yours” (Jesus speaking, Mark 11:24, NLT).

So there really are name-it-and-claim-it passages in the Bible? Sorry to disappoint, but they’re not in there. And that brings up another question: did Jesus really say what we just read? Absolutely. However, we have to couple that with more Scripture, particularly First John 5:14: “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (NIV).

“… according to His will …” This is what Jesus was talking about. This is what the apostle John was talking about. And this is also what James meant when he said: “You do not have because you do not ask God” (James 4:2b). “… according to His will …”

Believers’ prayers should be: (1) specific; and (2) in accordance with God’s will.

A short time ago, I received a call from a panicked mom whose son Mark was serving a jail sentence for drug possession. Mark was only weeks away from going into a halfway house when, suddenly, he received word that, instead, he was being sent to the state penitentiary. Needless to say, the mom was beside herself.

As I prayed for Mark, I specifically asked that, if it was God’s will, that the terrible news about going to the penitentiary would somehow be a mistake; that Mark would still be given an opportunity to start over in the halfway program. But whatever happened, I asked that it be according to God’s will for Mark’s life.

Only a day later, I received a second call from Mark’s mom. And here is what she said: “It was a mistake. There were two young men in that jail with the same last name. Mark received the news that was intended for the other guy.”

“… according to His will …” It definitely wasn’t in God’s perfect will for Mark’s life that he wind up on drugs and doing jail time. But just because Mark has messed up big-time doesn’t mean God has given up on him. He still has a plan for Mark’s life, and He will fulfill it despite all circumstances, if Mark will only submit to His leading.

What are you praying for? Who are you praying for? If you’re praying for God’s will be to done, “I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you've received it, it will be yours.”

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for FEBRUARY 10

“O what peace we often forfeit,

O what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in prayer!”

(from the hymn What a Friend We Have in Jesus)

God didn’t create us to carry our own burdens. Psalm 55:22a reminds us: “Give your burdens to the Lord, and He will take care of you” (NLT). First Peter 5:7 says, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.” Jesus Himself told us, “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

There is rest and peace in the Lord that can be found nowhere else. Not in a pill or a party or a person. Only in Jesus.

But note this: God may not have created us to carry our own burdens, but He’s never going to pry them out of your hands if you refuse to let go of them. How many times have I laid a worry at the foot of the cross only to get off my knees and take it right back with me?

Folks, we have to learn to first and foremost “carry everything to God in prayer.” Secondly, we need to heed the words of another great old hymn: “Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there” (from the hymn Leave It There).

Remember learning to float? I do. I’d lie back in my daddy’s arms and, just before I got all the way stretched out, I’d pop up like a cork. Terrified. Afraid I would go under the water. But he kept reassuring me, “I’m not going to let you go.” And eventually, I was floating, and it was the most amazing freedom. I simply had to learn to trust my instructor.

Learning to rest in the Lord is a lot like learning to float. We have to learn to trust our Instructor. He’s not going to drop us. He’s not going to let us go. He’s going to keep us safe. We just have to trust Him enough to let go of everything and let Him handle it.

What are you holding onto? What do you need to take “to the Lord and leave it there”?

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for FEBRUARY 9

“Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise Him again—my Savior and my God!” (Psalm 42:11, NLT).

According to an article published in Christianity Today some years ago, one in four American women takes a psychiatric medication for depression. In round numbers, that comes to 12 million women. 12 million! Obviously, the author of today’s passage had some personal experience with depression: “Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad?”

Sometimes our circumstances beat us down until we find ourselves in the proverbial dumps. At other times, we’re just sad. Don’t know why. Can’t seem to pull out of it. But there it is. How can a believer wind up in such a condition?

First, let me say that clinical depression is a much bigger issue than simply having a “down” day. In many instances, medication is something to consider. The trouble, however, is that we’re quicker to run to the medicine cabinet than to the Savior. And that, my friends, is a big part of the problem with our country’s prescription and illegal drug epidemic.

Before you start taking any medication for depression or anxiety or panic attacks or anything like that, call on the Lord. Read His Word. Ask Him to deliver you. And don’t do that once and expect everything to change. Keep on asking. Keep on praying. Stay in the Word and stick close to fellow believers.

If you still feel like you simply can’t cope with life, see your doctor and follow his recommendations, even if that means starting on medication. And I would urge you to make sure your doctor is a serious Christian, especially when it comes to a psychiatrist or psychologist. You need a Christian’s perspective as to your problem, one that firmly believes in the power of God and the power of prayer.

Everyone—me included—goes through seasons of sadness or depression. That’s not the time to throw a pity party or complain to everybody who’ll listen. That’s the time to dig into the Word and draw closer to Jesus.

Thankfully, I’ve never experienced clinical depression. I’ve never had to take medication for depression or any other such issue. Many times, though, I’ve found myself sinking into sadness. And the Lord has delivered me. And He will deliver you.

“I will put my hope in God! I will praise Him again—my Savior and my God!”

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for FEBRUARY 8

“‘What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?’ [Jesus asked]. The man answered, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ‘Right!’ Jesus told him. ‘Do this and you will live!’ The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’” (Luke 10:26-29, NLT).

An “expert in the law” (v. 25—some translations say “lawyer”) had all the right answers but had clearly never applied them to his own heart. When, “to test Jesus” (v. 25), he asked, “who is my neighbor?” he never dreamed Jesus would also throw down his own test.

Jesus told this “expert” about a man who was attacked, beaten, and robbed and then left by the roadside, ignored by every passerby, including “a priest” (v. 31) and “a Temple assistant” (v. 32). The only person who stopped to help him was a Samaritan, a despised Jewish mixed-breed—the last person Jesus’ listener would ever have expected to be the good guy in Jesus’ teaching.

The Samaritan not only gave the man first aid, but he put him “on his own donkey,” “took him to an inn,” and “took care of him” (v. 34). When the Samaritan had to continue his own journey, he paid the innkeeper to take care of the injured man, and even told the innkeeper he’d stop back by and pay him any additional money that was owed (v. 35).

And then Jesus hit the expert right in the heart with His next question: “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” (v. 36).

“The man replied, ‘The one who showed him mercy.’ Then Jesus said, ‘Yes, now go and do the same’” (v. 37).

Samaritans were considered total rejects of society. Nobody liked them. Nobody had anything good to say about them. Yet Jesus showed that it wasn’t one’s nationality, or the color of one’s skin, or upbringing, or education, or wealth, or poverty that made a person one way or another. It was the heart.

Every person on this planet is your neighbor. How do you treat the people you come in contact with? How do you treat the people who are different from you? Jesus loves indiscriminately. His children are to “go and do the same.”

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for  FEBRUARY 7

“For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out!” (Galatians 5:14-15a, NLT).

Love. It’s who God is and it’s who He expects us to be: “God is love” (1 John 4:8 & 16). Christians are to “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Repetition is a way of impressing something into the life of the hearer or reader, and you’ll find this 5-word command in Leviticus 19:18, Matthew 19:19, Matthew 22:39, Mark 12:31, Mark 12:33, Luke 10:27, Romans 13:9, Galatians 5:14, and James 2:8. Think the Lord might be trying to tell us something?

Also in today’s passage, what do we see right alongside this command? “But if you are always biting and devouring one another …” It is 100 percent impossible to simultaneously love and criticize, gossip, or backbite.

All of us have a tendency to be critical, but how much we are that way depends on how much we feed that negative habit—sin, if we want to be honest and call it what it is—and how much we listen to the Holy Spirit when He warns us to cut it out. I can definitely speak on this because I have a terrible bent toward criticism. It’s something I struggle with more often than I care to admit.

Today’s passage wraps up with two words of warning: “… watch out!” If we continue to allow a critical spirit to control our mouths and attitudes, we’re going to lose friends, make enemies, and displease our Savior. And in the process, we position ourselves to be judged more harshly—see Matthew 7:2 and Mark 4:24. And who wants that?

Listen to your words. Examine your attitude. Make sure your positive words and actions far exceed your negativity. Ask the Holy Spirit to put a check in your spirit each time you exhibit a critical remark or behavior. He’s already been doing just that, but could be you’ve learned to tune Him out. I’m ashamed to say how often I’ve ignored Him.

God loves us so much. Love Him by loving people. Strive to be a positive in this far too negative world.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for FEBRUARY 6

“‘You have said terrible things about Me,’ says the Lord. But you say, ‘What do you mean? What have we said against You?’ You have said, ‘What’s the use of serving God? What have we gained by obeying His commands …?’” (Malachi 3:13-14a, NLT).

“What’s the use of serving God?” Ever heard anyone actually say that? I have. During a difficult time, we can sometimes wonder if God’s even out there. We can wonder if He is aware of what we’re going through. We can wonder if there’s even any point in trying to live according to His Word.

And the amazing thing is, He’s okay with our questions. If you don’t believe that, take a look at what Job asked: “Why is life given to those with no future, those God has surrounded with difficulties?” (Job 3:23). Job had a lot of troubles and a lot of questions, but in the end, when Job had fully submitted himself to his Redeemer, “… the Lord blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the beginning” (Job 42:12a).

So what’s the difference in Job’s question and the question asked in Malachi? The people of Malachi’s day were offering half-hearted worship, giving the rejects of their possessions (weak, lame, sick livestock, etc.), and then whining about God withholding His blessings. God was withholding because they were living in disobedience. God was waiting on them to repent and put Him first.

“What’s the use of serving God?” If you’re doing it half-heartedly or simply going through the motions, as were the folks of Malachi’s time, there’s no use whatsoever. But if you’re doing it because you love Him and truly want to please Him, there is no end to the reasons to serve Him. Keep serving. Keep trusting. He has so much good in store for you.

“As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success” (2 Chronicles 26:5b, NIV).

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates 

BIBLE STUDY for FEBRUARY 5

“I am the Lord, and I do not change. That is why you … are not already destroyed” (Malachi 3:6, NLT).

Let me ask a very serious question: if God kept us as His own only when we were in complete obedience to Him, how long would it take until most of us were “destroyed”? For me, some days would take about two seconds. I’m so thankful that even when we break our commitment to God and break His heart, our Heavenly Father continues to love us.

Which is why He makes us this promise: “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Joshua 1:5b, NIV—see also Hebrews 13:5).

Some people foolishly mistake God’s grace for a ticket to heaven and a pass to live as they please here on earth. A day is coming when those folks will learn how wrong they are. Receiving God’s grace leads a person to live thankfully, humbly, and rightly, not against the teachings of the Bible. But even if we do get off track, being a loving Father, He’s going to do whatever it takes to get His wayward child back.

With the unsaved, God gives opportunity after opportunity to turn to Him. “… He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9b, NIV). He finds no pleasure in the thought of any person spending eternity in hell. And yet not He, but that individual person, chooses that fate if he rejects Christ’s invitation of salvation.

Think about my first question and personalize it: if God kept you as His own only when you were in complete obedience to Him, how long would it take before you were “destroyed”? Aren’t you thankful that He doesn’t break His promises even when we break ours? He’s such a loving Savior. Commit anew to live to please Him.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates 

BIBLE STUDY for FEBRUARY 4

“The Name of the Lord is a strong fortress; the godly run to Him and are safe” (Proverbs 18:10, NLT).

So much meat on this seemingly little bone. First, note that the word the NLT translates as “godly” shows in some other translations as “righteous.” Both words refer to a person who is striving to follow God’s commands and teachings. With that under our belts, let’s look at a couple other translations and then break down this passage a little.

“A tower of strength is the name of Jehovah, Into it the righteous runneth, and is set on high” (Young’s Literal Translation).

“The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runs into it, and is safe” (AKJV).

Note the word “LORD” in all caps. When you see that, it always means “LORD” has been substituted for YHWH, the letters for what eventually became written as “Yahweh” or “Jehovah.” Early believers thought God’s name too holy to even speak or write. But that’s another lesson entirely.

Back to the NLT passage. What exactly is a “fortress”? A fortified structure. “A strong tower.”  “A tower of strength.” The old hymn, “A Mighty Fortress,” opens with this line: “A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing …” What’s a bulwark? A protective wall. When we are IN Christ, we are withIN His protective boundaries. However, God’s walls are not a prison. We’re free to come and go and, unfortunately, many believers choose to spend a lot of time outside God’s protection by living contrary to how He says we must. And when they do, they suffer needlessly.

Life has plenty of problems simply because we live in a fallen world. We can lessen those problems by choosing to live righteously.

Speaking of righteousness, today’s passage goes on to say “the godly run to Him and are safe.” Like a runner preparing for the Olympics, those who are walking daily with the Lord are spiritually ready to “run to Him and are safe.” Their situations may not even improve, but God’s peace surrounds them regardless. Those who aren’t spending daily time with the Savior aren’t spiritually able to “run.” Instead, these folks tend to go into panic mode.

Life is lived at high speed. I highly recommend preparing for the Olympics.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for FEBRUARY 3

“But for you who fear My Name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in His wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture” (Malachi 4:2, NLT).

I live out in the country, and one of the pastures I pass on a regular basis has quite a few new little calves right now. I so enjoy driving by and watching them. Those youngsters run and play and bounce around like puppies. Not a care in the world. And when I see them, today’s Bible passage comes to mind.

Can you imagine living forever in a place where “there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain”? A place where “All these things are gone forever”? (Revelation 21:4). That’s what the Lord promises to those who “fear [His] Name.”

What does it mean to “fear” God? Not to be terrified of Him whacking you every time you turn, like a cruel Father. He isn’t like that at all. It’s to have a healthy respect for Who He is and what He says. It’s to love Him so much that you never want to hurt or disappoint Him. It’s to love Him so much that He’s truly your “first love” (Revelation 2:4, KJV).

Just like the young calves frolicking in the pastures, many people are skipping through life, totally oblivious to what’s ahead. Unlike those calves, human beings have been created in the image of God and given a Book of Instruction to live by. And those who refuse to obey those instructions will enter eternity, as Romans 1:20 warns us, “… without excuse.”

The day is coming—and I believe it’s very near—when “the Sun of Righteousness will rise” and all who belong to Him will be changed “in the twinkling of an eye” (1 Corinthians 15:52, KJV). Don’t wait until it’s too late to live for Jesus.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for FEBRUARY 2

“In His presence, a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared Him and always thought about the honor of His Name. ‘They will be My people,’ says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. ‘On the day when I act in judgment, they will be My own special treasure. I will spare them as a father spares an obedient child. Then you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not’” (Malachi 3:5, NLT).

Is your name written on the “scroll of remembrance”? The Lord says those whose names are on it will be spared on the Day of Judgment “as a father spares an obedient child.” Are you “obedient”? The Lord will reward those who are, but things won’t look so good for those who disobey Him.

Certainly we all disobey at some time. We all sin at some time. But there’s a huge difference between messing up from time to time and living daily without putting God first.

Look at it this way. As a believer, you’re married to Christ—after all, the church is the Bride of Christ—see Second Corinthians 11:2. He should be the One you try to please above all others. He should be the One you live for.

If you have an earthly spouse, how faithful are you to that person? How faithful does that person expect you to be? Unless one of you has a screw loose, there can be only one answer: 100 percent. No one wants a cheating spouse. And God certainly doesn’t.

Be faithful. Talk to God daily. Walk with Him daily. Pray, give, and live with Him as the center of your focus. I guarantee He won’t be the only one that notices the difference.

“Then you will again see the difference between … those who serve God and those who do not.”

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for FEBRUARY 1

“The purpose of My covenant … was to bring life and peace” (Malachi 2:5a, NLT).

What exactly is a “covenant”? A mutual agreement between two parties. Both parties make specific pledges and, should one party break his pledge, the other party is no longer obligated to keep his. Since the Lord is never going to break His Word, the only reason we humans aren’t bathed in “life and peace” is because of sin. We humans who promise to faithfully follow Jesus aren’t so faithful. Why is that?

Too often, we take the attitude that, once we’ve accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, our part is done. We’re saved. We’re heaven-bound. End of story. But that’s just not true. Why’s that? Because the Bible makes it very clear that true salvation is exemplified through righteous living, albeit imperfectly. If we’re alive in Christ, we’re productive Christians. Or as Jesus put it: “Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions” (Matthew 7:20).

Not only do we sometimes take the attitude of having a done deal once we’re saved, we also tend to believe the Lord is somehow obligated to bless us simply because we claim His Name. Fact of the matter is, He isn’t obligated to do anything. And unless we align ourselves for His blessings through obedience to His Word, we’re in for a heap of unnecessary heartache and problems instead of a bunch of undeserved blessings.

Life dishes out enough trouble simply because we live in a sin-sick world. Why make bad matters worse by not living as the Bible tells us to?

God is the Ultimate Good Father, and He loves His children far too much to allow them to live contrary to His Word. He will get His child’s attention. Gently, at first. Then more severely if that child continues to ignore Him. And in the most severe of cases, I believe He reaches the point where He says, “Child, you’re not going to stay here and continue to embarrass Me.”

Tired of troubles? Don’t wait for the Lord’s discipline. Repent now. Obey now. And see new blessings unfold before you.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for JANUARY 31

“Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed” (Proverbs 16:3, NLT).

When Jamie was 24 years old, she flew to Tanzania with $2,000 in her pocket, planning to stay and do mission work until her money ran out. One day at the church she was a part of there, she met an 8-year-old with a tiny baby strapped to her back. When Jamie asked the girl about the baby, she told her the baby’s mother was too sick to take care of him.

Jamie’s heart went out to this pitiful, malnourished child and she began buying formula and caring for little Junio herself. His mother, she learned, was dying with AIDS. (Through other events that can only be described as miracles, Junio didn’t contract AIDS.) Jamie fell in love with the child. When she visited the birth mother, the woman told her, “I have heard how you are caring for my son. I’ve never known such love. I want to be saved.” Jamie was able to lead her to Jesus, and that dear lady died knowing she would one day see her son again in heaven.

The next hurdle came when Jamie decided to adopt Junio. Tanzania didn’t allow international adoptions. But as Jamie prayed, she learned that she could claim residency in Tanzania since, at that time, she’d already been there over six months. By the time Jamie finished the adoption process and mounds of paperwork to be able to bring Junio to the U.S., she’d spent 18 months in Tanzania.

Since that time, Jamie has gotten married and given birth to two daughters. For several years, she and her family were living in Tanzania and working with Wycliffe translating the Bible into several African languages. Today, they’re in Canada and continuing their ministry with Wycliffe. You can read more about the Langs and Wycliffe at: https://www.wycliffe.org/partner/4E759C.

Great things for God can be small things in the eyes of man. Few people have heard of any of the people we’ve looked at the last few days. But God knows every one of them. And He’s blessing their lives and their work as they dedicate everything to His glory. I hope you’re inspired to do more for the Kingdom. When God’s on your side, you’re unstoppable.

“If what they are planning is something of their own doing, it will fail. But if God is behind it, you cannot stop it anyway, unless you want to fight against God” (Acts 5:38b-29a, CEV).

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates 

BIBLE PASSAGE for JANUARY 30

“We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God” (2 Corinthians 1:8-9a, NLT).

Simpson Rebbavarapu’s parents left him at an orphanage in India when he was around age 4—they were too poor to feed another mouth and they hadn’t even bothered to name him. While still pregnant with Simpson, his mother had taken herbs other village wives had offered her so she would abort the baby. This didn’t work. Then she went to a clinic to have a doctor perform an abortion. That day, the doctor failed to show up. Simpson, like every baby God creates, was meant to be born.

Today, Simpson is a busy guy, helping run an orphanage he began and also working to bring audio Bibles to the illiterate in India and other Asian countries. Simpson has never married. He is totally devoted to the work of the Lord. He accepts no salary, simply stating that having to constantly depend on God for his provision keeps him in prayer.

Simpson could have decided to make his life all about “poor, poor pitiful me.” He could have dwelt on his past as a child given up by his own parents and blamed that trauma for never getting anywhere in life. Instead, he chose to look at the miracle of his life. He chose to give thanks for his years in the orphanage and use that as motivation to help other orphaned and needy people.

I’ve never experienced the kind of hardships Simpson has, but I have been in circumstances that showed me I had nowhere else to turn except to Jesus. And always, always, He’s come through for me. And He will for you, too.

“We have placed our confidence in Him, and He will continue to rescue us” (2 Corinthians 1:10b).

For more information about Simpson’s ministry, visit https://rhemaforthenations.com.

Copyright 2023

Judy Woodward Bates

BIBLE STUDY for JANUARY 29

“I was sick and … you did not look after me” (Jesus speaking, Matthew 25:43b, NIV).

Several years ago, I listened to the audio of Francis Chan’s book, Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God. If you’ve never read it or listened to it, I highly recommend it. In it, Chan encourages believers to actually act like Jesus: care more about others than ourselves; help others instead of ourselves; give more than we keep. He offers several examples and, over the next few days, I want to look at some of those, starting with Nathan Barlow.

Nathan was a doctor who learned about the horrible suffering of people with mossy foot, a debilitating disease scientifically known as podoconiosis, found in people who work in volcanic soil. It can cause such horrible deformity and pain that people with mossy foot are shunned like lepers. Dr. Barlow spent his life treating and working with the people of Ethiopia who were suffering from mossy foot.

When Barlow’s own health began to fail, his daughter brought him back to the U.S. so she could care for him. He was so miserable that, within weeks, she ended up flying back to Ethiopia with him so he could spend his last days with the people he had grown to love in the place that had become his home.

Earlier on in his work, Barlow had developed a toothache so painful that it became necessary for him to fly to a dentist who could help him. While there, he told the dentist to go ahead and pull all his teeth and make him false ones. He said he didn’t want to be hindered from God’s work by another tooth problem.

Not many people have ever heard of Nathan Barlow or mossy foot. But Nathan wasn’t in it for recognition. He was in it to be the hands and feet of Jesus to a neglected and needy people.

What are you in life for?

Dr. Barlow is now in heaven, but his mission work continues. Read more at: www.MossyFoot.com. Warning: the photos of some of those afflicted with mossy foot are heart-wrenching.