Weekly Lessons and Daily Bible Readings

January 4, 2026 – lesson 1

THE WRONG PATH

Printed Passage:  1 John 1:5-2:6

Key Verse:   If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.(1 John 1:8, KJV)

Think About It:
What are some of the influences that cause believers to return to God after having  stepped away from Him?  

Printed Passage:  1 John 1:5-2:6
1 John 1:5-10 (God is Light)
⁵ This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. 
⁶ If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; 
⁷ but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 
⁸ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 
⁹ If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 
¹⁰ If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

1 John 2:1-6 (Christ Our Advocate)
¹My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, 
² and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
³ Now by this we know that we have come to know him, if we obey his commandments. 
⁴ Whoever says, “I have come to know him,” but does not obey his commandments is a liar, and in such a person the truth does not exist; 
⁵ but whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has reached perfection. By this we know that we are in him: 
⁶ whoever says, “I abide in him,” ought to walk in the same way as he walked.

Devotional Reading for January 5-11, 2026:
MONDAY: Turn Away from Sin – Ezekiel 18:20-23,27-32
TUESDAY:  Turn Toward Righteousness  –  Isaiah 1:10-21
WEDNESDAY:  Jesus Has Power to Forgive Sins  –   Mark 2:1-12
THURSDAY:  Draw Near to God by Faith – Hebrews 11:1-10
FRIDAY: Repent and Seek God’s Face – 2 Chronicles 7:12-16
SATURDAY: Repent and Be Baptized – Acts 2:32-39
SUNDAY:  The Prodigal Returns – Luke 15:11-24

January 11, 2026 – lesson 2

A GENEROUS AND FORGIVING PARENT

Printed Passage:  Luke 15:11-24; Acts 2:38-39

Key Verse: This son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found! So they began to celebrate. (Luke 15:24, NRSVue)

Think About It:
What demonstrates that the unforgiveness we are carrying in our hearts and our lives has arrived at a breaking point?

Printed Passage:  Luke 15:11-24; Acts 2:38-39
Luke 15:11-24 (The Parable of the Prodigal and His Brother)
¹¹ Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons. 
¹² The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the wealth that will belong to me.’ So he divided his assets between them. 
¹³ A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant region, and there he squandered his wealth in dissolute living. 
¹⁴ When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that region, and he began to be in need. 
¹⁵ So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that region, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. 
¹⁶ He would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, and no one gave him anything. 
¹⁷ But when he came to his senses he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! 
¹⁸ I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; 
¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.” ’ 
²⁰ So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. 
²¹ Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 
²² But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 
²³ And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate, 
²⁴ for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.

Acts 2:38-39
³⁸ Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 
³⁹ For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.”

Devotional Reading for January 14 - 18, 2026:
MONDAY: Praying for Wisdom – James 1:2-8
TUESDAY:  Praying and Seeking God – Jeremiah 29:10-14
WEDNESDAY:  Praying with Thanksgiving – Philippians 4:4-9
THURSDAY:  Praying for Protection – Psalm 61
FRIDAY: Praying as Jesus Taught – Matthew 6:5-15
SATURDAY: Praying for Others – Genesis 18:23-33
SUNDAY:  Praying for Mercy – Luke 18:9-14

January 18, 2026 – lesson 3

A TIME TO BE BOLD; A TIME TO BE HUMBLE

Printed Passage:  Genesis 18:25-27; Luke 18:9-14; 1 John 5:14-15

Key Verse: I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. (Luke 18:14 KJV)

Think About It:
How can we develop the spiritual boldness we need to obey God in the midst of evil that threatens to bring us harm?

Printed Passage:  Genesis 18:25-27; Luke 18:9-14; 1 John 5:14-15
Genesis 18:25-27
²⁵ Far be it from you to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” 
²⁶ And the Lord said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will forgive the whole place for their sake.” 
²⁷ Abraham answered, “Let me take it upon myself to speak to my lord, I who am but dust and ashes.

Luke 18:9-14  (The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector)
⁹ He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: 
¹⁰ “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 
¹¹ The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 
¹² I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.’ 
¹³ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven but was beating his breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 
¹⁴ I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other, for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.”

1 John 5:14-15
¹⁴ And this is the boldness we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 
¹⁵ And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have obtained the requests made of him.

Devotional Reading for January 19-25, 2026
MONDAY: Grow by Following Jesus – Matthew 4:18-22
TUESDAY:  Grow in Love for God – Deuteronomy 7:7-11
WEDNESDAY:  Grow in Spiritual Wisdom – Colossians 1:3-6, 11-12
THURSDAY:  Grow in the Fear of the Lord – Proverbs 1:2-7
FRIDAY: Grow in Discerning Good from Evil – Proverbs 1:8-12
SATURDAY: Keep on Growing – Philippians 3:10-16
SUNDAY:  Grow in Grace and Knowledge – 2 Peter 3:14-18

January 25, 2026 – lesson 4

IF AT FIRST YOU DON’T SUCCESS, YOU’RE PROBABLY HUMAN

Printed Passage:  Matthew 4:18-20; 16:16-18: John 21:15-18; 2 Peter 3:14-15, 18

Key Verse: [Jesus] said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.”  (John 21:17, NRSVue)

Think About It:
Why do you think God chooses to restore us when we fall short of His glory rather than executing some sort of immediate judgment?

Printed Passage:  Matthew 4:18-20; 16:16-18: John 21:15-18; 2 Peter 3:14-15, 18
Matthew 4:18-20 (Jesus Calls the First Disciples)
¹⁸ As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishers. 
¹⁹ And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.” 
²⁰ Immediately they left their nets and followed him.

Matthew 4:18-20 (Jesus Calls the First Disciples)
¹⁸ As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishers. 
¹⁹ And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.” 
²⁰ Immediately they left their nets and followed him.

3:14-2 Peter 15 (Final Exhortation and Doxology)
¹⁴ Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish, 
¹⁵ and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation. So also our beloved brother Paul wrote to you according to the wisdom given him,

2 Peter 3:18
¹⁸ But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

Devotional Reading for January 25, February, 2026:
MONDAY: A Community of Testimony and Praise – Psalm 22:22-28
TUESDAY:  A Community of Hope Filled Heirs – Ephesians 1:15-23
WEDNESDAY:  A Community with Divine Authority – Matthew 16:13-20
THURSDAY:  A Community Made Strong Together – Ecclesiastes 4:7-12
FRIDAY: A Community United in Worship – Psalm 150
SATURDAY: A Community Silently Growing – Mark 4:26-32
SUNDAY:  A Community of Oneness – Ephesians 4:4-16

February 1, 2026 – lesson 5

WORKING TOGETHER MAKES US BETTER

Printed Passage:  Mark 4:26-32; Ephesians 4:4-6, 11-18

Key Verse:
But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.  (Ephesians 4:15-16, KJV)

Think About It:
How can believers leave the past behind and embrace a shared mission so that we can commit to growing into the likeness of Christ?

Printed Passage:  Mark 4:26-32; Ephesians 4:4-6, 11-18
Mark 4:26-32 [The Parable of the Growing Seed]
²⁶ He also said, “The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground 
²⁷ and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. 
²⁸ The earth produces of itself first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. 
²⁹ But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle because the harvest has come.”

 The Parable of the Mustard Seed
³⁰ He also said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? 
³¹ It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, 
³² yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”

 Ephesians 4:4-6
⁴ there is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, 
⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 
⁶ one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.

 Ephesians 4:11-18
¹¹ He himself granted that some are apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers 
¹² to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 
¹³ until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. 
¹⁴ We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming; 
¹⁵ but speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 
¹⁶ from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.

 The Old Life and the New
¹⁷ Now this I affirm and insist on in the Lord: you must no longer walk as the gentiles walk, in the futility of their minds; 
¹⁸ they are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of their ignorance and hardness of heart.

Devotional Reading for Febrary 2-8, 2026:
MONDAY: Saved through the Sea – Exodus 14:21-31
TUESDAY:  Baptized into a New Life  –  Romans 6:1-14
WEDNESDAY:  God Provides Bread in teh Wilderness –   Exodus 16:13-16, 31
THURSDAY:  Jesus is the Bread of Life – John 6:28-40
FRIDAY: A Blessing with Bread and Wine – Genesis 14:14-20
SATURDAY: Beloved Child of God – Matthew 3:13-17
SUNDAY:  A Meal of Remembrance – 1 Corinthians 11:23-29

February 8, 2026 – lesson 6

OUTER EXPRESSIONS OF INNER TRUTHS

Printed Passage:  Matthew 3:13-17; 28:10-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-29

Key Verse: Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:19-20 NRSVue)

Think About It:
What can we do to enhance and strengthen our inner selves and feelings about the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's Supper?

Printed Passage:  Matthew 3:13-17; 28:10-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-29
Matthew 3:13-17
The Baptism of Jesus
¹³ Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. 
¹⁴ John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 
¹⁵ But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 
¹⁶ And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw God’s Spirit descending like a dove and alighting on him. 
¹⁷ And a voice from the heavens said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”

Matthew 28:10-20
¹⁰ Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers and sisters to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

 The Report of the Guard
¹¹ While they were going, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests everything that had happened. 
¹² After the priests had assembled with the elders, they devised a plan to give a large sum of money to the soldiers, 
¹³ telling them, “You must say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ 
¹⁴ If this comes to the governor’s ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 
¹⁵ So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story is still told among the Judeans to this day.

 The Commissioning of the Disciples
¹⁶ Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 
¹⁷ When they saw him, they worshiped him, but they doubted. 
¹⁸ And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 
¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit 
²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

1 Corinthians 11:23-29

The Institution of the Lord’s Supper
²³ For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, 
²⁴ and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 
²⁵ In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 
²⁶ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Partaking of the Supper Unworthily
²⁷ Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be answerable for the body and blood of the Lord. 
²⁸ Examine yourselves, and only then eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 
²⁹ For all who eat and drink without discerning the body eat and drink judgment against themselves.

Devotional Reading for February 9-15, 2026:
MONDAY: God Rests on the Seventh Day – Genesis 1:31-2:4
TUESDAY:  The Promise of Entering God's Rest – Hebrews 4:1-11
WEDNESDAY:  Delight in the Sabbath – Isaiah 58:8-14
THURSDAY:  Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath – Matthew 12:1-13
FRIDAY: The Day of Resurrection – Matthew 28:1-10
SATURDAY: Keep the Sabbath Day Holy – Exodus 20:1, 8-11
SUNDAY:  Living or Dying to the Lord – Romans 14:4-8

February 15, 2026 – lesson 7

RHYTHMS OF REST AND WORK

Printed Passage:  Exodus 20:8-11; Romans 14:4-6;  Revelation 1:10

Key Verse: For in six days the Lord made heven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. (Exodus 20:11 KJV)

Think About It:
What can we do when our bodies and minds work against us, preventing us from setting aside a day of rest as God commands

Printed Passage:  Exodus 20:8-11; Romans 14:4-6;  Revelation 1:10
Exodus 20:8-11
⁸ “Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. 
⁹ Six days you shall labor and do all your work. 
¹⁰ But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. 
¹¹ For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and consecrated it.

 Romans 14:4-6
⁴ Who are you to pass judgment on slaves of another? It is before their own lord that they stand or fall. And they will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make them stand.
⁵ Some judge one day to be better than another, while others judge all days to be alike. Let all be fully convinced in their own minds. 
⁶ Those who observe the day, observe it for the Lord. Also those who eat, eat for the Lord, since they give thanks to God, while those who abstain, abstain for the Lord and give thanks to God.

 Revelation 1:10
¹⁰ I was in the spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet

Devotional Reading for February 16-22, 2026
MONDAY: Blessings to Those Who Give – Malachi 3:7-12
TUESDAY:  Giving More than Enough – Exodus 36:2-7
WEDNESDAY:  May God's Ways Be Known – Psalm 67
THURSDAY:  Ready wiht Voluntary Gift – 2 Corinthians 9:1-6
FRIDAY: Bountiful Sowing and Reaping – 2 Corinthians 9:6-15
SATURDAY: Go and Make Disciples – Matthew 28:16-20
SUNDAY:  Excel in Generous Giving – 2 Corinthians 8:3-9

February 22, 2026 – lesson 8

VALUES, MONEY, AND EXPERIENCES

Printed Passage:  Acts 1:6-8; 2 Corinthians 8:3-9

Key Verse: For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9, NRSVue)

Think About It:
What can believers do to resist the temptation to embrace a worldly attitude toward money rather than embrace God's view of money?

Printed Passage:  Acts 1:6-8; 2 Corinthians 8:3-9

Acts 1:6-8
The Ascension of Jesus
⁶ So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” 
⁷ He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 
⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

 2 Corinthians 8:3-9
³ For, as I can testify, they voluntarily gave according to their means and even beyond their means, 
⁴ begging us earnestly for the favor of partnering in this ministry to the saints, 
⁵ and not as we expected. Instead, they gave themselves first to the Lord and, by the will of God, to us, 
⁶ so that we might urge Titus that, as he had already made a beginning, so he should also complete this generous undertaking among you. 
⁷ Now as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you—so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking.
⁸ I do not say this as a command, but I am, by mentioning the eagerness of others, testing the genuineness of your love. 
⁹ For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.

Devotional Reading for February 23 March 1, 2026:
MONDAY: Work Together for the Common Good – Nehemiah 4:15-23
TUESDAY:  Welcome ONe Another in Christ – Romans 15:1-17
WEDNESDAY:  Do Good Whenever You Can – Proverbs 3:27-32
THURSDAY:  Fulfill Your Vows – Ecclesiasters 5:4-8
FRIDAY: Bear One Another's Debts– Philemon 10-21
SATURDAY: Provide for Others and Demonstrate Faith – James 2:14-26
SUNDAY:  Love God and Love Your Neighbor – Mark 12:28-34

March 1, 2026 – lesson 9

LOVE ACTS

Printed Passage:  Mark 12:28-34; James 2:14-17

Key Verse:   If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.(Mark 12:33, KJV)

Think About It:
What can believers do besides pray to help people with the tremendous human needs that have been caused by hateful wars and conflicts?  

Printed Passage:  Mark 12:28-34; James 2:14-17

Mark 12:28-34
The First Commandment
²⁸ One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well he asked him, “Which commandment is the first of all?”
²⁹ Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one;
³⁰ you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 
³¹ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 
³² Then the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that ‘he is one, and besides him there is no other’; 
³³ and ‘to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength’ and ‘to love one’s neighbor as oneself’—this is much more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 
³⁴ When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” After that no one dared to ask him any question.

 James 2:14-17
Faith without Works Is Dead
¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Surely that faith cannot save, can it? 
¹⁵ If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food 
¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that?
¹⁷ So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.

Devotional Reading for March 2-8, 2026:
MONDAY: Work and Discipline – Proverbs 12:1-2, 10-14
TUESDAY:  The Temple of the Body  –  1 Corinthians 6:12-20
WEDNESDAY:  The Discipline of Right Choices  –   1 Corinthians 9:19-27
THURSDAY:  God is Always with me – Psalm 139:1-12
FRIDAY: Fearfully and Wonderfully Made – Psalm 139:13-24
SATURDAY: The Superior Training in Godliness – 1 Timothy 4:7-12
SUNDAY: Pure in Mind and Spirit – Daniel 1:8-17

March 8, 2026 – lesson 10

PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL FITNESS

Printed Passage:  Daniel 1:8-17; 1 Timothy 4:7-8

Key Verse: Train yourself in godliness, for, while physical training is of some value, godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. (1 Timothy 4:7-8, NRSVue)

Think About It:
In What ways are spiritual fitness and physical fitness interrelated? How is one evidence of the other?

Printed Passage:  Daniel 1:8-17; 1 Timothy 4:7-8
Daniel 1:8-17
⁸ But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the royal rations of food and wine, so he asked the palace master to allow him not to defile himself. 
⁹ Now God granted Daniel favor and compassion from the palace master. 
¹⁰ The palace master said to Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king; he has appointed your food and your drink. If he should see you in poorer condition than the other young men of your age, you would endanger my head with the king.” 
¹¹ Then Daniel asked the guard whom the palace master had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: 
¹² “Please test your servants for ten days. Let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. 
¹³ You can then compare our appearance with the appearance of the young men who eat the royal rations and deal with your servants according to what you observe.” 
¹⁴ So he agreed to this proposal and tested them for ten days. 
¹⁵ At the end of ten days it was observed that they appeared better and fatter than all the young men who had been eating the royal rations. 
¹⁶ So the guard continued to withdraw their royal rations and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables. 
¹⁷ To these four young men God gave knowledge and skill in every aspect of literature and wisdom; Daniel also had insight into all visions and dreams.

1 Timothy 4:7-8
⁷ Have nothing to do with profane and foolish tales. Train yourself in godliness, 
⁸ for, while physical training is of some value, godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.

Devotional Reading for March 9-15, 2026:
MONDAY: God Will Defend the Needy – Psalm 12
TUESDAY:  Don Not Be Afraid to Give – Luke 12:13-21, 33-34
WEDNESDAY:  Treat The Neighbor with Justice – Leviticus 19:11-18
THURSDAY:  The Royal Law of Love – James 2:8-13
FRIDAY: Everyone is Our Neighbor – Luke 10:25-37
SATURDAY: Compassion for Those in Need – Deuteronomy 15:4-11
SUNDAY:  Seeing Christ in Those Around Us – Matthew 25:41-45

March 15, 2026 – lesson 11

GIVING GENEROUSLY

Printed Passage:  Deuteronomy 15:4-11; Matthew 25:42-45

Key Verse: For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto they brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in land. (Deuteronomy 15:11 KJV)

Think About It:
How would our world be different if those who have more material resources than they will every need were committed to ensuring that no one was ever in need?

Printed Passage:  Deuteronomy 15:4-11; Matthew 25:42-45
Deuteronomy 15:4-11
⁴ There will, however, be no one in need among you, because the Lord is sure to bless you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you as a possession to occupy, 
⁵ if only you will obey the Lord your God by diligently observing this entire commandment that I command you today. 
⁶ When the Lord your God has blessed you, as he promised you, you will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow; you will rule over many nations, but they will not rule over you.
⁷ “If there is among you anyone in need, a member of your community in any of your towns within the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted toward your needy neighbor.
⁸ You should rather open your hand, willingly lending enough to meet the need, whatever it may be. 
⁹ Be careful that you do not entertain a mean thought, thinking, ‘The seventh year, the year of remission, is near,’ and therefore view your needy neighbor with hostility and give nothing; your neighbor might cry to the Lord against you, and you would incur guilt. 
¹⁰ Give liberally and be ungrudging when you do so, for on this account the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. 
¹¹ Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command you, ‘Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbor in your land.’

Matthew 25:42-45
⁴² for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 
⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 
⁴⁴ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not take care of you?’ 
⁴⁵ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’

Devotional Reading for March 16-22, 2026
MONDAY: Souls Bound Together – 1 Samuel 18:1-5
TUESDAY:  Abide in God’s Love – 1 John 4:7-16
WEDNESDAY:  Loving God and Each Other – 1 John 4:17-21
THURSDAY:  All Peoples Will Worship God – Isaiah 56:3-8
FRIDAY: Living Together in Unity – Psalm 133-134
SATURDAY: Children of God through Faith – Galatians 3:25-29
SUNDAY:  God Accepts Us All – Acts 10:9-15, 30-35

March 22, 2026 – lesson 12

PUTTING AN END TO PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION

Printed Passage:  Acts 10:9-15, 30-35; Galatians 3:28-29

Key Verse: There is no longer Jew or Greek; there is no longer slave or free; there is no longer male and female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.  (Galatians 3:28, NRSVue)

Think About It:
In what ways do prejudice and discrimination hinder people, especially believers, from enjoying the blessings of God?

Printed Passage:  Acts 10:9-15, 30-35; Galatians 3:28-29
Acts 10:9-15
⁹ About noon the next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 
¹⁰ He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while it was being prepared he fell into a trance. 
¹¹ He saw the heaven opened and something like a large sheet coming down, being lowered to the ground by its four corners. 
¹² In it were all kinds of four-footed creatures and reptiles and birds of the air. 
¹³ Then he heard a voice saying, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat.” 
¹⁴ But Peter said, “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is profane or unclean.” 
¹⁵ The voice said to him again, a second time, “What God has made clean, you must not call profane.”

Acts 10:30-35
³⁰ Cornelius replied, “Four days ago at this very hour, at three o’clock, I was praying in my house when suddenly a man in dazzling clothes stood before me. 
³¹ He said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms have been remembered before God. 
³² Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon, who is called Peter; he is staying in the home of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’ 
³³ Therefore I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. So now all of us are here in the presence of God to listen to all that the Lord has commanded you to say.”

Gentiles Hear the Good News
³⁴ Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, 
³⁵ but in every people anyone who fears him and practices righteousness is acceptable to him.

Devotional Reading for March 23-29, 2026:
MONDAY:  A Kingdom Not of This World – John 18:28-38
TUESDAY:  The Lord’s Peace – Number 6:22-26
WEDNESDAY:  God Is Exalted among the Nations – Psalm 46
THURSDAY:  God Guides the Destiny  of Nations – Amos 9:7-12
FRIDAY: Glory and Honor of the Nations – Revelation 21:21-27
SATURDAY: The Nations Shall Gather to God – Isaiah 2:1-5
SUNDAY:  All Peoples Are Kin – Acts 17:22-28

March 29, 2026 – lesson 13

UNDERSTANDING LEADS TO PEACE

Printed Passage:  Isaiah 2:2-4; Acts 17:26-28

Key Verse:  And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the  mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. (Isaiah 2:3, NRSVue)

Think About It:
What actions can believers undertake us to "be the change" that will positively impact peach and increase the likelihood of world peace?

Printed Passage:  Isaiah 2:2-4; Acts 17:26-28
Isaiah 2:2-4
² In days to come the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established as the highest of the mountains and shall be raised above the hills; all the nations shall stream to it.
³  Many peoples shall come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth instruction and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
⁴ He shall judge between the nations and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation; neither shall they learn war any more.

 Acts 17:26-28
²⁶ From one ancestor he made all peoples to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live, 
²⁷ so that they would search for God and perhaps fumble about for him and find him—though indeed he is not far from each one of us. 
²⁸ For ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we, too, are his offspring.’

Devotional Reading for March 30-April 5, 2026:
MONDAY:  Many Dwellings in the Father's House – John 14:1-4
TUESDAY:  Encouraging Words of Hope – 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
WEDNESDAY:  I know that My Redeemer lives – Job 19:23-27
THURSDAY:  Awake and Sing for Joy – Isaiah 26:12-19
FRIDAY: Give Thanks to the Lord – Psalm 118:15-24
SATURDAY: Christ Is Risen from the Dead – 1 Corinthians 15:13-20
SUNDAY:  Death Is Swallowed Up in Victory – 1 Corinthians 15:5--58