Jesus refused to condemn a woman and said that anyone without sin should hurl the first stone at her. After saying that He existed before Abraham and did good works to help people believe that He and the Father existed in each other, Jesus fled to the other side of the Jordan River. Wanting the Lord's help, do we remain willing to work hand in hand with Him?

Believing Jesus’ promise that his gravely ill son would recover, a man went home in faith and found the miracle granted. Healing a man at the pool of Bethesda led to accusations against the man (for carrying his mat on the Sabbath) and against Jesus. Determination to stop Him grew when Jesus said that He did what the Father showed Him. Guards chose not to bring Jesus to the chief priests and Pharisees because of the way He spoke. Where do we look for what God wants to show us?

Naaman, an army commander with leprosy, got angry when the prophet Elisha did not even come to the door before giving him a message to wash in the Jordan. People got irate when Jesus pointed out favors denied among the Israelites but granted to others. In a parable, Jesus described a Pharisee with an attitude of superiority and a sinner who prayed to God for mercy. When things go wrong, do we blame God for not doing more or ourselves for doing too little when it comes to loving and forgiving beyond our comfort zone?

Daniel, given the gift of wise discernment, lived among fellow exiles in Babylonian captivity after the destruction of Jerusalem. He told the people to trust that God would not abandon them—even though they deserved as much for their disobedience. Jesus taught that God considers the way we treat people in determining how to treat us. Showing mercy, forgiving, and helping to alleviate the burdens of others all matter—especially in a spirit of humility. In a parable, our Lord described the heavenly reward of Lazarus, destitute and ignored at

Moses relayed instructions from the Lord, including going beyond the Ten Commandments in treating people justly and lending a hand instead of just standing there. In the Old Testament Book of Esther, a fictional story (like the parables), she prays for God’s help in blocking a plan to destroy the Jewish people. We need God’s help to avoid our own destruction. Jesus established a new covenant, heeded by interacting with others the way we would interact with Him. Challenged by the Lord to be perfect, like the heavenly Father, do the ways we l

James (probably not one of the Twelve but still a leader in the early Church) advised that trials test faith and lead to perseverance in resisting temptation. He reminded people that God does not tempt us; our desires do. Recalling leftovers gathered up after the two miracles of loaves and fish, Jesus provided a reminder that nobody needed the hypocritical ideas fed to people by self-serving Pharisees and Herod. Saint Paul said plainly that we should serve as ambassadors for Christ. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, and Scripture challenges us to m

Ceremoniously placed in the Temple during Solomon’s reign, a chest known as the Ark of the Covenant contained two stone tablets chiseled with words cementing the relationship between God and His people. Jesus called Pharisees hypocrites. For example, they demanded ritual washing but allowed people to wash their hands of responsibility for elderly parents. (Donors had use of Gorban Temple donations for themselves—but not for parents in need.) When a Gentile asked Jesus to cure her daughter, the Lord mimicked what God’s “chosen people”