Memory Text: 1 Peter 2:9 NIV “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

Sunday, March 12 Learning From a King’s Mistake
What lessons can we learn from Hezekiah’s healing and aftermath?
2 Chronicles 32:25, 31 NKJV “25 But Hezekiah did not repay according to the favor [shown] him, for his heart was lifted up; therefore wrath was looming over him and over Judah and Jerusalem. 31 However, [regarding] the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, whom they sent to him to inquire about the wonder that was [done] in the land, God withdrew from him, in order to test him, that He might know all [that was] in his heart.”
Isaiah 38 (selected verses) Holman “1 ¶ In those days Hezekiah became terminally ill. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came and said to him, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Put your affairs in order, for you are about to die; you will not recover.’” 2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD. 3 He said, “Please, LORD, remember how I have walked before You faithfully and wholeheartedly, and have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. 4 Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah: 5 “Go and tell Hezekiah that this is what the LORD God of your ancestor David says: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Look, I am going to add 15 years to your life. 6 And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; I will defend this city. 7 This is the sign to you from the LORD that the LORD will do what He has promised: 8 I am going to make the sun’s shadow that goes down on Ahaz’s stairway return by 10 steps.” So the sun’s shadow went back the 10 steps it had descended. 21 Now Isaiah had said, “Let them take a lump of figs and apply it to his infected skin, so that he may recover.” 22 And Hezekiah had asked, “What is the sign that I will go up to the LORD’s temple?””
Isaiah 39 NRSV “1 ¶ At that time King Merodach-baladan son of Baladan of Babylon sent envoys with letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that he had been sick and had recovered. 2 Hezekiah welcomed them; he showed them his treasure house, the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his whole armory, all that was found in his storehouses. There was nothing in his house or in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them. 3 Then the prophet Isaiah came to King Hezekiah and said to him, "What did these men say? From where did they come to you?" Hezekiah answered, "They have come to me from a far country, from Babylon." 4 He said, "What have they seen in your house?" Hezekiah answered, "They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing in my storehouses that I did not show them." 5 ¶ Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, "Hear the word of the LORD of hosts: 6 Days are coming when all that is in your house, and that which your ancestors have stored up until this day, shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left, says the LORD. 7 Some of your own sons who are born to you shall be taken away; they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon." 8 Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, "The word of the LORD that you have spoken is good." For he thought, "There will be peace and security in my days."”

Monday, March 13 Family First
What do we learn about sharing our faith in our own household?
John 1:40-42 20th Century NT “40 One of the two, who heard what John said and followed Jesus, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him: "We have found the Messiah!" (a word which means ‘Christ,’ or ‘Consecrated’.) 42 Then he brought him to Jesus. Fixing his eyes on him, Jesus said: "You are Simon, the son of John; you shall be called Kephas" (which means ‘Peter,’ or ‘Rock’).”
Ruth 1:8-22 NLT “8 But on the way, Naomi said to her two daughters–in–law, “Go back to your mothers’ homes. And may the LORD reward you for your kindness to your husbands and to me. 9 May the LORD bless you with the security of another marriage.” Then she kissed them good–bye, and they all broke down and wept. 10 “No,” they said. “We want to go with you to your people.” 11 But Naomi replied, “Why should you go on with me? Can I still give birth to other sons who could grow up to be your husbands? 12 No, my daughters, return to your parents’ homes, for I am too old to marry again. And even if it were possible, and I were to get married tonight and bear sons, then what? 13 Would you wait for them to grow up and refuse to marry someone else? No, of course not, my daughters! Things are far more bitter for me than for you, because the LORD himself has raised his fist against me.” 14 And again they wept together, and Orpah kissed her mother–in–law good–bye. But Ruth clung tightly to Naomi. 15 “Look,” Naomi said to her, “your sister–in–law has gone back to her people and to her gods. You should do the same.” 16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. 17 Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!” 18 When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she said nothing more. 19 ¶ So the two of them continued on their journey. When they came to Bethlehem, the entire town was excited by their arrival. “Is it really Naomi?” the women asked. 20 “Don’t call me Naomi,” she responded. “Instead, call me Mara, for the Almighty has made life very bitter for me. 21 I went away full, but the LORD has brought me home empty. Why call me Naomi when the LORD has caused me to suffer and the Almighty has sent such tragedy upon me?” 22 So Naomi returned from Moab, accompanied by her daughter–in–law Ruth, the young Moabite woman. They arrived in Bethlehem in late spring, at the beginning of the barley harvest.”

Tuesday, March 14 Peace That Wins
What about marriages divided by religion?
1 Corinthians 7:12-15 NKJV “12 But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her. 13 And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. 15 But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such [cases]. But God has called us to peace.”
1 Peter 3:1-2 NKJV “1 ¶ Wives, likewise, [be] submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they observe your chaste conduct [accompanied] by fear.”
1 Peter 3:1 COMMENTARY BY JAMIESON, FAUSSET, AND BROWN "The discreet wife would choose first of all to persuade her husband to share with her in the things which lead to blessedness; but if this be impossible, let her then alone diligently press after virtue, in all things obeying him so as to do nothing at any time against his will, except in such things as are essential to virtue and salvation" [CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA].

Wednesday, March 15 Family Life Is for Sharing
Notice the way the word follow is used in these verses?
1 Corinthians 4:16 KJV “Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.”
Ephesians 5:1 KJV “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children.”
Ephesians 5:1 COMMENTARY BY ADAM CLARKE The word mimhtai, which we translate followers, signifies such as personate others, assuming their gait, mode of speech, accent, carriage, &c.; and it is from this Greek word that we have the word mimic.
1 Thessalonians 1:6 KJV “And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:”
Hebrews 6:12-13 KJV “12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. 13 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,”
3 John 11 “Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.”
Of what must we be careful?
Jeremiah 17:9 Holman “The heart is more deceitful than anything else and desperately sick––who can understand it?”
John 2:25 Holman “and because He did not need anyone to testify about man; for He Himself knew what was in man.”
Romans 3:23 Holman “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Thursday, March 16 Centers of Contagious Friendliness
Compare Bible verses on hospitality with actual incidents mentioned in the Bible.
Isaiah 58:6-7 KJ21 “6 "Is not this the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? 7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? —when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him, and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?”
Isaiah 58:10-12 KJ21 “10 and if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then shall thy light rise in obscurity and thy darkness be as the noonday. 11 And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones; and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters fail not. 12 And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places; thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations, and thou shalt be called the Repairer of the Breach, the Restorer of Paths to dwell in.”
1 Peter 4:9 KJ21 “Use hospitality one to another without grudging.”
1 Peter 4:9 COMMENTARY BY ALBERT BARNES Without grudging. Greek, "without murmurs;" that is, without complaining of the hardship of doing it; of the time, and expense, and trouble required in doing it…It is that we are to do it without murmuring or complaining.
Abraham and Sarah – Genesis 18:1-8 NLT “1 ¶ The LORD appeared again to Abraham near the oak grove belonging to Mamre. One day Abraham was sitting at the entrance to his tent during the hottest part of the day. 2 He looked up and noticed three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran to meet them and welcomed them, bowing low to the ground. 3 “My lord,” he said, “if it pleases you, stop here for a while. 4 Rest in the shade of this tree while water is brought to wash your feet. 5 And since you’ve honored your servant with this visit, let me prepare some food to refresh you before you continue on your journey.” “All right,” they said. “Do as you have said.” 6 So Abraham ran back to the tent and said to Sarah, “Hurry! Get three large measures of your best flour, knead it into dough, and bake some bread.” 7 Then Abraham ran out to the herd and chose a tender calf and gave it to his servant, who quickly prepared it. 8 When the food was ready, Abraham took some yogurt and milk and the roasted meat, and he served it to the men. As they ate, Abraham waited on them in the shade of the trees.”
Rebekah and her family – Genesis 24:15-20 NLT “15 Before he had finished praying, he saw a young woman named Rebekah coming out with her water jug on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel, who was the son of Abraham’s brother Nahor and his wife, Milcah. 16 Rebekah was very beautiful and old enough to be married, but she was still a virgin. She went down to the spring, filled her jug, and came up again. 17 Running over to her, the servant said, “Please give me a little drink of water from your jug.” 18 “Yes, my lord,” she answered, “have a drink.” And she quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder and gave him a drink. 19 When she had given him a drink, she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels, too, until they have had enough to drink.” 20 So she quickly emptied her jug into the watering trough and ran back to the well to draw water for all his camels.”
Zacchaeus – Luke 19:1-9 NLT “1 ¶ Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. 2 There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich. 3 He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore–fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.” 6 Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. 7 But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled. 8 Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!” 9 Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham.”