40. THE OLD LADY AND ANA-JOHN 15: 12-17 (Focus on Love and Friendship)

Ana sat quietly next to her grand mother, as she listened intently to the speaker on television. He was talking about Christ’s love for us all, and the sacrifices he made on our behalf. The speaker concluded by expressing his pride and satisfaction that he is able to call Christ his true friend, and his willingness to go to any length to remain his friend. After he was finished, Ana turned to her grand mother and asked:
“Gramma, Jesus is the son of God who we honor and pray to, how could he also be our friend as well?
The old lady, with a smile of satisfaction, hugged her grand daughter and replied confidently:
“Yes indeed my dear child. In fact Jesus actually went as far as to tell us that we can only qualify to be his friend only if we love our neighbors as he loves us. Let me read to you from the Gospel of John Chapter 15, Verses 12-17, I will begin with Verse 12:

This is my commandment;
That you love one another, as I have loved you.

“Jesus could not be more direct. He actually commanded us to love one another in the same way that he loves us. We cannot expect to be considered a friend and a disciple, unless we do as he does by genuinely loving one another under any and all circumstances. Notice he makes no exceptions, nor should we.”
Anticipating Ana’s concern for this sweeping statement, the old lady continued to read Verse 13:

Greater love has no one than this;
That someone lay down his life for his friends.

“There is no stronger way to demonstrate the meaning of these words than to be willing to make the extreme sacrifice. How extraordinary the love of Jesus is for us, that he voluntarily accepts the pain and sacrifice and crucifixion for us. He expects no less from us, if we wish to be his friend and follower. We also must be willing, if the need arises, to accept extreme sacrifice for one another, in his name.”
Pausing briefly she looked at Ana, who was by now in deep thought. She then continued to read Verse 14:

You are my friends,
If you do what I command you.

“This is a declaration meant for the whole world. As far as Jesus is concerned, there are no exceptions to his friendship and only one condition, that we follow him! All Jesus asks of anyone of us to qualify for his total love and friendship is that we obey his commands."
Ana by now sitting up and obviously delighted at the thought that she too, can become a friend of Jesus, listened intently as the old lady continued to read Verse 15:

No longer do I call you servants,
for the servant does not know what his master is doing;
But I have called you friends,
for all that I have heard from my Father
I have made known to you.

“This is the ultimate promise and reward for our loyalty for being true followers of Jesus Christ. He promises us that our status will change from one of being subservient to a master to do what he says and what he wants, to one of being a partner and friend. We will be able to share in our hearts and our minds, in partnership with Jesus Christ, God’s plans and purpose to lead the world in a direction of truth and love to all. This is what it means to become a true member of God’s family!"
The old lady placed her hands gently on Ana’s shoulder to indicate that she was not quite finished and then continued to read Verses 16 and 17:

You did not choose me, but I chose you,
And appointed you that you should go and bear fruit,
And that your fruit should abide,
So that whatever you ask the Father in my name,
He may give it to you.
These things I command you;
So that you will love one another.

“This is a very important reminder that God’s power is not available on demand. Irrespective of who you are, whether the Apostles or anyone of us, no one will ever have the option or opportunity to select the Lord God as master, inthe same way you can choose a President. It is God, in his kindness and love, who chooses us, and voluntarily allows us to become part of his family and who answers our prayers and our requests. All of this is granted to us if we follow his commands to love one another."
The old lady closed her bible and with a sense of awe at the greatness of her loving God, she turned to her grand daughter with profound love in her heart and announced:

“My dear Ana, be forever grateful that you have been chosen by Almighty God
to be his disciple and his friend. You must never, ever fail to remember this,
to continually give thanks to him and to always live by his commandments. AMEN!”

39. THE OLD LADY AND ANA-PSALM 100:1-5 (A Psalm of Thanksgiving)

Little Ana sat comfortably enjoying her second piece of her mother’s pumpkin pie as she listened to her Uncle Joe lamenting the fact that this special day, set aside to thank God for all that he has provided to us and celebrated in many countries around the world, has become so commercialized that it has lost its real meaning.
“It seems” he said “we are more concerned with the size of the turkey and getting ready for black Friday’s shopping plans than praying to Almighty God and giving thanks for his bounties.”
He was very annoyed that the President goes on television to “pardon” a turkey but never took time to thank God for bringing us through another year. He concluded that as a society, we have lost the real meaning of giving thanks to God. It seems that that the more we get, the more we expect, the less grateful we become and the more we demand. God has now become an after thought. He concluded that we should all go back and read and digest Psalm 100, the most beautiful Psalm of Thanksgiving ever recorded.
Later that day, Ana approached her grand mother to ask her opinion of Uncle Joe’s comment and his recommendation. The old lady beckoned her to come and sit next to her and as she picked up her favorite bible she said:
“Yes indeed my dear child, your uncle Joe was very correct about the attitude in today’s society. No longer do we take the time to remember that we got here with the help of God and that he is the source of every blessing we have. Psalm 100 was actually written to help us to deal with this attitude and to remind us of our need to always give thanks.”
Opening her bible to Psalm 100 she began by explaining that in Verses 1-5, God, speaking through David, gave us a series of four commands to give thanks to the Almighty. She continued by reading Verse 1:

Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all the Earth!

"This is the First Command;
The Psalmist is reminding us that in response to God’s goodness to us we must show our gratitude by shouting out with the strength of our feeling for the whole world to know. Instead, as your uncle said, God has become just a convenient after thought ”

Briefly pausing to allow Ana to assimilate the information, she began reading Verse 2:

Serve the Lord with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing.

"The Second Command is to serve the Lord with joy and happiness in everything you do in his name. Whether you feed the hungry, or comfort the sick, or clothe the naked, or help the needy, if you do so in God’s name, you are doing God’s work and you are giving thanks to God. To simply to show to the world the joy and happiness you feel toward God for all he has done for you is itself a way of thanking God.”
Ana by now marveling at her grand mother wonderful insight, listened intently as she read Verse 3:

Know that the Lord, He is our God;

It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;

We are his people and the sheep of His pasture.

"The Third Command is a firm reminder of who we are. We are the children of God. He will lead us in the right direction and Like the sheep who look to the shepherd to lead them to green pastures so too must we be. In the same way a child give thanks to the parents by honoring their wishes, so too, do we to God Almighty.”

Taking a deep breath, the old lady closed her eyes for a moment as she silently thanked God for giving her this opportunity to help her grand child, then she continued to read Verses 4 and 5:
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

And into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations.

"This is the Fourth Command that we come before him giving him thanks and praise and we recognize that his goodness and love for us and his faithfulness to us will be everlasting.
This indeed is the true meaning of Thanksgiving. Nothing else matters, not the turkey or the trimmings or the shopping."
As she raised her head, she also raised her open hands to heaven and exclaimed in a firm and definitive voice:

"God bless your Uncle Joe for reminding us of this fact!"

38. EPHESIANS 3:14-19 (The Fullness of God)

The old lady sat quietly with her eyes closed and deep in thought. She was genuinely disturbed by a remark made by one of the TV Evangelists that seems to suggest that God only favors the righteous and that the others may be left by the wayside on judgment day. This was definitely not her understanding and she wanted to be sure that her grand child, Ana, knew this.
Inviting Ana to sit next to her, she picked up her trusted Bible as she asked the child:
“Ana do you know what is meant by the term “The Fullness of God”?
Little Ana thought for a moment, and then responded negatively. The old lady was not really surprised at the response and opening her Bible she continued:
“let me read to you from the Letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians, Chapter 3, Verses 14-19 in which St. Paul expressed his awe in receiving his salvation and the promise that all believers will share in the Fullness of God.”
Beginning with Verses 14 and 15, she reads:

For this reason I kneel before the Father,
from whom every family in heaven
and on earth derives its name.

"Paul begins his prayer by going down on his knees to express his awe and humility to God and to recognize him as Father of everybody in Heaven and on Earth. He does not make any distinction. We are all his children, Christians and Non-Christians alike.”
Continuing, she slowly and carefully reads Verse 16:

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you
with power through his Spirit in your inner being.

“Paul continues by reminding us of the Richness of God’s Glory to which we are all entitled, and which is readily available to anyone of us, to strengthen us in every way. Unlike our worldly ability, these gifts are endless in scope and in duration and freely available to all. He went further to explain that we can inherit this power within our inner spirit by the presence of the Holy Spirit”.
The old lady paused briefly to allow Ana to absorb the message and if necessary to respond to any questions. She then continued to read Verses 17 and 18:

So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,
may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people,
to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,

“This is a powerful prayer. That as believers through our faith, strengthened by our beliefs and reinforced by our love of God the father, we pray that Christ will come into our hearts and take up permanent residence and control. In this way, together with all the believers, far and wide, we will get to know the enormous and endless capacity of Christ’s love for his children. To get to this state we must not only accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, but be willing to walk with him through faith. ”
The old lady raised her head and leaning back, looked to Ana who, by this time, appeared to be overwhelmed by the extent of God’s willingness to accommodate his family of believers. After a short time had elapsed, Ana sat up and addressed her grand mother:
“Gramma, does God really give us the knowledge to do all these things so that we may be acceptable to him?”
The old lady replied, with a smile of contentment at the child’s mature insight:
"Yes indeed my dear child, let me read the final Verse 19, you will then understand:"

And to know this love that surpasses knowledge
—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

“Paul is saying to us that our love in Christ completely surpasses all knowledge and understanding and by our love we are filled with a fullness that only God Almighty can give. It means that in this state you are completely able and capable to lead the life expected of a true believer."
Little Ana, jumped up and turning to her grand mother with joy in her face exclaimed:

“Gramma, thank God for you. For I know that you live with the Fullness of God, and with his help, you will show us all the way to get there.”

37. 37. THE OLD LADY AND ANA-MATTHEW 19:3-7 (Marraige is Forever)

Ana was visibly perturbed by the words of a very popular and supposedly well-respected religious leader, Reverend Pat Robertson, whom she heard on tonight’s news-broadcast stating quite clearly that it was alright for a man whose wife is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease to divorce her and get another partner so long as he continues to make sure that she is cared for. She could not understand why he could have made a statement like this which she knew, was so much against the sacred marriage vows taken of: ……“In sickness and in health, until death do we part.”
Approaching her grand mother she asked, with a voice that betrayed her disappointment,
“Gramma, is it not true that when a man and a woman get married, the marriage is forever and God never allows any divorce?
The old lady, recognizing the child’s genuine concern over Reverend Robertson’s foolish statement, beckoned her to sit next to her as she opened her Bible and selected the appropriate reading. When Ana was settled next to her she said:
My dear child, people have always tried to get around God’s commandment that the sacrament of marriage is permanent and can only be dissolved by death and nothing else. Let me read to you from the Gospel according to Matthew, Chapter 19, Verses 3-6:

Some Pharisees came to Jesus to test him. They asked,
“Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?”
“Haven’t you read,” Jesus replied,
“that at the beginning the Creator made them male and female,
and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother,
and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh?
So they are no longer two, but one flesh.
Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

“You see Ana, Jesus was quite clear and precise in his answer. He offered no alternatives or exceptions whatsoever, when asked if it was ever lawful for the man to divorce his wife and he underlined this by stating that marriage results in transforming husband and wife into one. Jesus went further by reminding us that what God had united then no one can separate. This is not a suggestion, it is a command!”
Ana listened intently to her grandmother then after a short pause asked in a questioning tone:
“But gramma doesn’t the Bible also gives permission for a man to divorce his wife if she does wrong things. Did God change his mind?”
The old lady looked directly at her grand-daughter and with a gentle smile, replied:
“Yes Ana, in a way people might think you are right, because in the early years, especially at the time of the Prophet Moses, permission was granted to a man to divorce his wife and send them away and indeed people have used this as a reason to continue divorces, but let me read the rest of the passage in verses 7-9 for the explanation:”

“Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command
that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”
Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives
because your hearts were hard.
But it was not this way from the beginning.”

“The Pharisees tried to question Jesus on this subject reminding him that it was permitted by Moses. Jesus replied that from the very beginning God had intended that marriage was permanent and this had not changed. What happened at the time of Moses was the result the hard-hearted behavior of the people at that time. They were behaving badly divorcing for any reason and Moses’ permission was an attempt to set up some type of control. But God never gave his blessing for this behavior."
The old lady raised her head and turned towards Ana and continued:
"We are facing the same situation now, where divorce has become so easy that the sacrament of marriage is in danger of losing its holy, sacred status, and so-called religious leaders are advocating its implementation even for sickness. I would like to remind Reverend Robertson to go back to the Bible and read from Malachi Chapter 2, Verse 16, which simply states:

“I hate divorce,”

says the Lord God of Israel

36. THE OLD LADY AND ANA-SIRACH 2:1-6 (Seeking God's Guidance)

Ana walked slowly towards her grand mother, who was seated comfortably in her favorite chair, and sat down beside her. After a short while, she looked up at the old lady’s smiling face and asked her:
“Gramma, how can I prepare my self to be sure that what I do in my life will satisfy God?”
The old lady, impressed by the depth of the question, at first sat quietly as she tried to formulate a meaningful reply and then replied slowly and deliberately:
"My dear child, it does not matter what career you ultimately choose. What matters most is that, in all things you serve God and live by his guidance and his teachings, irrespective of any hardships you may encounter. Let me refer you to a passage from the Holy Bible contained in Sirach Chapter 2, Verses 1-6, in which God advised us directly and unequivocally. In my mind this contains the most straightforward and practical advice to anyone who truly wants to serve God and abide by his teachings. Let me read Verses 1and 2:"

My child, when you come to serve the Lord,

you must prepare yourself for testing.
Set your heart right and be steadfast,

and do not be impetuous in time of calamity.

“Notice from the outset God warns you that choosing to serve him is not going to be easy and that you must be ready and willing to deal with problems and hardships that may arise. There will be testing and questions from others or from you, and times of uncertainty and concern that you are doing the right thing. This is why your faith in God has to be strong and unyielding and possess the trust and patience to overcome any crisis.”
Little Ana, eyes wide open with concern and apprehension, tugged at her grand mother’s sleeve and asked her, in a tone that relayed her sense of despair:
“But gramma, that has to be very difficult to do. People are always trying to bring you down, how does God expect us to overcome these people?”
The old lady nodded understandably, and continued to read Verses 3-5:

Cling to Him and do not depart,

so that your last days may be prosperous.

Accept whatever befalls you,

and in times of humiliations be patient.

For gold is tested in the fire,

and those found acceptable,

in the furnace of humiliation.

“The answer is quite clear if we trust the Almighty. We must have the confidence and faith to trust God irrespective of what may happen to us, or what humiliation that we experience. We are being tested and we must be prepared to endure all this and remain calm and patient, knowing that God will not abandon us. In the same way Gold can only be acceptable after it goes through fire, so also will we become stronger and better by enduring shame and humiliation.”
Pausing to allow her words to sink in, the old lady waited for a response from her grand child. After a short while Ana sat up and asked:
“What then does God expect us to do?”
The old lady smiled and lifting her voice, read with confidence, Verse 6:

Trust in Him, and He will help you,

make your ways straight, and hope in Him.

Then raising her voice a little in order to emphasize the point, she turned to Ana and stated:

“His message is simple as it is everlasting. Have faith and trust in the Almighty God and he will always help you. Stay committed to his teachings, live your life straight and honest in every way and never, ever, lose hope in the promise of God’s salvation.”

35. THE OLD LADY AND ANA-ROMANS 3:21-28 (Forgiveness through Faith)

Little Ana approached her grandmother after dinner was completed, with a question that clearly has been bothering her for some time.
“Gramma this book I am reading says that the real difference between believers and non-believers is that God always forgives us for anything we do or whatever wrong we commit, so long as we genuinely believe in him. Is that really true?”

The old lady, somewhat uncertain about the implications of the question, paused for a while and then beckoning her grandchild to sit next to her, replied:
“My dear child the statement is not correct. God never gave permission for anyone of us, believers or non-believers to do wrong, nor did he promise to forgive us for anything we do. What I think the writer meant is that God grants us forgiveness for our sins because of the price paid on our behalf by his only son, Jesus Christ. This is explained by St. Paul in his Letter to the Romans, Chapter 3, Verses 21-28. Let me read Verses 21 and 22 to you:

Now, the way to receive God’s approval has been made plain
in a way other than Moses’ Teachings.
Moses’ Teachings and the Prophets tell us this.
Everyone who believes has God’s approval,
through faith in Jesus Christ.
There is no difference between people.

“You see Ana, God makes it clear that the only way to receive God’s approval is through our faith in Jesus Christ. Every one of us, whoever we are, is entitled to receive God’s grace. There is no difference, no distinction, no discrimination among people in our standing before God. What is important is that we believe in God and have faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior.”
The old lady looked at Ana expectantly and then nodded her head as she continued to read Verses 23 and 24:

Because all people have sinned,
they have fallen short of God’s glory.
They receive God’s approval freely
by an act of his kindness
through the price Christ Jesus paid
to set us free from sin.

“Not one of us stands before God without sin. Without exception, we are all guilty by our own commissions and as such we deserve the wrath of the Almighty, for we have fallen short of his expectation. But by God’s good graces we are forgiven and receive his blessings. We are not entitled, nor do we earn this kindness. It is God’s gift to us freely given, by the blood of our Savior, Jesus Christ.”
Little Ana sat up and turning to her grand mother, somewhat perplexed, she asked:
“But gramma, does that mean that anyone of us can just go ahead and sin and God will forgive us?”
The old lady shook her head from side to side indicating disagreement and said:
“Indeed not my dear child. This certainly does not absolve us from living a good Christian life and following the teachings of Jesus Christ. What it implies is that through the sacrifices of
Jesus Christ we are granted forgiveness by the Almighty. Let me read Verses 25 and 26:

God showed that Christ is the throne of mercy
where God’s approval is given through
faith in Christ’s blood. In his patience
God waited to deal with sins committed in the past.
He waited so that he could display
his approval at the present time.
This shows that he is a God of justice,
a God who approves of people who believe in Jesus.

“St. Paul clearly shows that God’s grace is available only through faith in Christ to all who believe. We do not deserve, nor can we ever earn this grace, but it is through God’s amazing goodness that forgiveness is granted.”
The old lady paused briefly, and then continued to read Verses 27 and 28:

So, do we have anything to brag about?
Bragging has been eliminated.
On what basis was it eliminated?
Is it on the basis of our own efforts?
No, indeed! Rather, it is eliminated on the basis of faith.
We conclude that a person has God’s approval
because of faith, not because of his own efforts.

“These verses are very important for those of us who have a tendency to brag about God’s goodness. We must never forget that we are all sinners and deserve to be punished for out transgressions. The fact that God in his kindness, chooses to grant us forgiveness and acceptance is not by any effort by us but rather on the basis of the price paid by Christ, our Savior.”
Ana, by now overwhelmed by the extent of God’s kindness and goodness, slowly got up and hugged her grandmother as she whispered:

“Thank you gramma, for showing me that my God is the greatest, kindest and all-forgiving God.”

34. THE OLD LADY AND ANA-1 JOHN 2:9-11(Living with Hate)

Little Ana sat quietly next to her father as he was engrossed in a TV program dealing with the serious problem of political, religious and racial hatred that exists in the community. She could see that he was visibly disturbed since she knew that he has always been against any form of hatred. After the program was completed, Ana sought out her grand mother and asked her:
“Gramma, why is there so much hatred in this world, why do people behave so badly? They pretend to like you, but behind your back they hate you and want to destroy you.”
The old lady, who had also seen the program, knew that it had deeply affected her grand child and recognized that she had to try to help her. She beckoned her to sit with her and as she picked up her trusted bible, said:
“Hate has existed for as long as man has been on earth. It is one of the major weapons that Satan has used, and continues to use, to turn people from God and get control over them. But God has made it clear that he rejects hate in any form. Listen to these words taken from the First Letter of John, Chapter 2, Verses 9-11:”

Anyone who claims to be in the light
but hates a brother or sister,
He is still in the darkness.
Anyone who loves their brother and sister
lives in the light,
and there is nothing in them to make them stumble.
But anyone who hates a brother or sister
is in the darkness
and walks around in the darkness.
They do not know where they are going,
because the darkness has blinded them.

“You see, my dear child, God is using light and darkness to teach us the difference. It does not matter what you say or mean, but if there is hatred in your heart you will always be in darkness, walking around aimlessly and blind to the world. But when you have love in your heart your world is clear, there are no obstacles to bring you down. When you live in the light, you do not have to be afraid."
Ana thought for a moment and somewhat confused with the explanation, asked:
“Gramma does that mean that you cannot say that you love God and hate others at the same time?
The old lady nodded affirmatively and replied:
“Indeed that is exactly what I am saying. In fact if you were to read further in the same First Letter of John, Chapter 4, Verse 20, this unequivocally states that you cannot hate a brother and claim to love God at the same time. Let me read it to you:”

If a man says I love God, and hates his brother,
he is a liar:
for if he that loves not his brother whom he has seen,
how can he love God whom he has not seen?

Ana, now convinced, was able to understand why her father was so upset by the people who expressed their hatred in the TV program. She wondered however, how she should treat these people and asked her grand mother what her attitude should be toward those who hate her. The old lady quickly replied:
“My dear Ana, God was absolutely clear in what he expects from us. There are references throughout the Bible instructing us to forgive anyone who sins against us. Perhaps the clearest and the strongest statement is found in Matthew’s Gospel, Chapter 5, Verse 44:”

But I say unto you, Love your enemies,
bless them that curse you,
do good to them that hate you,
and pray for them which despitefully use you,
and persecute you;

“God did not mince his words to us. We must love and bless our enemies who curse us, and we must pray and do good to those who hate, despise or persecute us. We have no excuse or reason to do otherwise. Perhaps the best advice I can give you my child on this matter, are the words of Almighty God recorded in Proverbs 10, Verse 12."

........"Take these to heart and be guided by them for the rest of your life.”

Hatred stirs up strife:
But love covers all sins.

33. THE OLD LADY AND ANA-PSALM 46:1-11(God is our Refuge and our Strength)

The old lady closed her bible after spending nearly half an hour reading and meditating. She had chosen Psalm 46, one of her favorite psalms and one which always gave her a feeling of joy and confidence. Turning to her grand daughter Ana, who was seated comfortably next to her reading the latest Harry Potter story, she said:
“Ana would you like me to read to you from the Bible about God’s promise to protect and strengthen us in times of trouble?”
Ana nodded affirmatively, as she closed her book. Her grandmother then opened her bible to PSALM 46, Verses 1-11 and began to read:

God is our refuge and our strength.

He always helps in times of trouble.

So we will not be afraid even if the earth shakes,

or the mountains fall into the sea,

even if the oceans roar and foam,

or the mountains shake at the raging sea.

“God confirms to us that he is our refuge and our strength. When you think of “refuge”, you think of a safe place where you will not be harmed, and with God’s power and strength behind us, who would dare attack us. He assures us that he will always be present in times of trouble and therefore we must not be afraid even in the worst conditions, whether it be earthquakes, or avalanches, or storms, or even a tsunami as we recently had in Japan.”
Ana sat up and tugging at the old lady’s sleeves to attract her attention said;
“Gramma this is also like what happened in Haiti when so many people died after the earthquake. I remember some of the preachers said that this was God’s punishment for rejecting him. Is that really true?"
The old lady paused briefly, obviously concerned about impact of the misguided words of those foolish and misinformed preachers, and in a strong tone of rejection said:
“No Ana, those people are very wrong. God is a God of love and does not ever do this. Let me just continue to read Verse 4 and you will understand:”

There is a river that brings joy to the city of God,

the holy place where God Most High lives.

“This is God’s promise to all of us who believe. God is like a river whose spiritual influence is flowing in the life of every believer bringing the peace and security of his kingdom. He does not punish, rather he rewards his people with his love and protection.”
The old lady waited to be sure that her young charge assimilates what she had just stated, and then continued to read Verses 5-9:

God is in that city, and so it will not be shaken.

God will help her at dawn.

Nations tremble and kingdoms shake.

God shouts and the earth crumbles.

The Lord All-Powerful is with us;

the God of Jacob is our defender.

Come and see what the Lord has done,

the amazing things he has done on the earth.

He stops wars everywhere on the earth.

He breaks all bows and spears

and burns up the chariots with fire.

“These words, my dear child, are God’s way of telling us in extreme detail that he will protect us no matter the conditions. He invites you to see for yourself that whether nations tremble, and kingdoms shake he will defend and protect us. He stops wars and destroys they weapons. He is all powerful. We must remain strong in our faith in God, and we can be right there representing Christ in meeting the needs in confidence.”
At this point, the old lady turned to Ana and gently hugging her in a way that only a loving grand mother can do, continued to read Verses 10-11:





God says,

"Be still and know that I am God.

I will be praised in all the nations;

I will be praised throughout the earth."

The Lord All-Powerful is with us;

the God of Jacob is our defender.

“This, my sweet child, is one of the most beautiful paragraphs in the whole bible. It is one that I learnt many years ago when I was your age and one that I commend you to learn and apply to everything you do. He advises us to be calm in all our trials and tribulations and rest in the knowledge that he is present to bring us through. Truly you will be faced with challenges and disasters throughout your life. Some of these will be from natural causes and others, man made, but in all we can rest securely in God’s promise “to be still and know that I am God”. This reminds me so much of the words contained in the Gospel of John Chapter 16, Verse 33. This says it all:"

I have told you these things, so you may have peace.
In this world you will have trouble.
But take heart! I have overcome the world.

32. THE OLD LADY AND ANA-1 CORINTHIANS 13:1-7 (The Meaning of Love)

Little Ana approached her grand mother, who was just about to sit in her favorite chair after completing her chores, and with a solemn and concerned look, asked her:

“Gramma, can you explain to me what the real meaning of Love is. When I asked Aunty Grace she replied that if I really want to understand what true, genuine love is then I should study the life of Blessed Teresa. Who is Blessed Teresa and what kind of love did she have?”

The old lady sat down comfortably, beckoned Ana to sit next to her and in a tone of voice that indicated sincere, genuine admiration, said:

“My dear Ana, Blessed Teresa was one of the most beautiful persons I have ever known. She devoted her whole life to living and caring for the very poor and indigent population of Calcutta, India. Her whole life was devoted to the service of God and to providing comfort and unqualified love to every one. This is the kind of love that God expects of all of us and the kind that he gives to us all. Let me read to you from the First letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians, Chapter 13 Verses 1-7 in which St Paul expresses in great detail what true love really is and what God expects from us:"

If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels,
but didn’t love others,
I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
If I had the gift of prophecy,
and if I understood all of God’s secret plans
and possessed all knowledge,
and if I had such faith that I could move mountains,
but didn’t love others,
I would be nothing.

“St. Paul wrote in the strongest possible terms that it does not matter how great and successful we become it will be of no consequence without love for others. We could be the greatest and most gifted speakers or the most intelligent and knowledgeable intellectuals capable of moving mountains, but that will be useless without loving others.”

The old lady paused to look at her grand child who was sitting erect and completely engrossed in her words. Ana was obviously fascinated by the extent of commitment expected and beginning to understand the real meaning. The old lady continued her reading of Verse 3:

If I gave everything I have to the poor
and even sacrificed my body,
I could boast about it;
but if I didn’t love others,
I would have gained nothing.

“These words are to me the strongest manifestation of what God expects from us, my dear Ana. I want you to always remember them for the rest of your life. It says that even if you give away everything you have to the poor and even if you suffer and sacrifice, you would have gained nothing if you did not do so with love to others. You see my child, love to be truly meaningful, must come from your heart.”

At this point the old lady closed her eyes and smiling gently, was thanking God for the passage she was about to read. She knew it by heart, for she lived by its precepts for as long as she could remember. It had been and is the cornerstone of her life and prayed that God will help her to pass it on to her grand child. She then continued to read Verses 4-7 slowly and deliberately:

Love is patient and kind.
Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude.
It does not demand its own way.
It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.
It does not rejoice about injustice
but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.
Love never gives up, never loses faith,
is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

“You will never ever see the meaning of love so beautifully spelled out anywhere else. Every word has a meaning and ever line has a message. If you live by this alone you will never fail to please Almighty God.
Love is patient and kind, it is neither jealous nor boastful, nor is it demanding or irritable. It does not hold grudges and does not gloat over other people’s failures. It rejoices when truth succeeds, and never ever gives up or loses faith. Above all it is always hopeful and will endure through all circumstances.
If you do anything in your life, learn to live by these precepts and you will never fail in God’s eyes. This is the real meaning of love and the foundation upon which Blessed Teresa of Calcutta devoted her life’s work. Let me quote one of her many saying on this subject. To me, it says it all:”

“It is not how much we do,

but how much love we put in the doing.

It is not how much we give,

but how much love we put in the giving.”

31. THE OLD LADY AND ANA-PROVERBS 10:18-21-(Slander and Lies)

Little Ana approached her grand mother with a question that had bothered her for some time:

“Gramma, what is the meaning of Slander and how does God feel about people who slander others?”

The old lady, intrigued by the question posed by her grand child, paused briefly to compose her thoughts and then replied:

"My dear child, slander simply means making any false or malicious statement or report about someone knowing that it could lead to the destruction of the person’s good name or reputation or to cause him pain and suffering. This does not only include making up lies but even includes saying truthful things if by doing so, you deliberately mean to cause harm. Throughout the Holy Bible, God has warned us over and over of his rejection of this action. Let me read to you one of the passages which I think deals best with this subject. It is taken from Proverbs Chapter 10, Verses 18-21:

The one who conceals hatred has lying lips
and whoever utters slander is a fool.

When words are many, transgression is not lacking,

but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.

The tongue of the righteous is choice silver;

the heart of the wicked is of little worth.

The lips of the righteous feed many,
but fools die for lack of sense

“The passage begins by referring to the hypocrite, who conceals his hatred by pretending to like someone then talking badly after. He called these people who lie and slander others, “fools”. He went further to warn us of the danger of loose talk and the damage this may cause. The more you are free with your words, the greater chance you will have to do harm.”

The old lady waited to assess the child’s reaction and then continued:

“Notice that the passage goes further to suggest that the real problem is not the tongue or the words spoken, but in the heart which controls them and which chooses to deliberately deceive, damage and destroy. God refers to these wicked people as worthless and fools, who will die for lack of sense. He went on to compliment those who are honest and who go on to help many people.”

Little Ana listened intently to the words of her grand mother then turning to her she observed:

“Gramma, I cannot understand how people will continue to slander others after hearing God’s words!”

The old lady, by way of confirmation, then replied:

“Yes Ana, you are so correct. But God even went further to make sure that no one will have any excuse about how he feels about these hypocrites. Listen to these words contained in Proverbs Chapter 10, Verses 31-32, and judge for yourself:”

A good person's mouth is a clear fountain of wisdom;

a foul mouth is a stagnant swamp.

The speech of a good person clears the air;

the words of the wicked pollute it.

30. THE OLD LADY AND ANA-ROMANS 8:1-4(Walking in the Spirit)

Ana lifted her head from the book her grand mother had given to read and turning to her, she asked:
“Gramma the book keeps talking about the importance of choosing to live your life in the Spirit. How can I tell if I am living my life in the Spirit?”
The old lady, putting down her magazine, move closer to her grand child and replied as she picked up her trusted bible:
“I am really happy you asked me about the meaning of life in the spirit. This is the very basis of being a Christian, a follower of our Lord, Jesus Christ. It means living a life that pleases the Almighty and rejects all others. Let me read from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans Chapter 8, Verses 1-4:

There is therefore now no condemnation
to those who are in Christ Jesus,
who do not walk according to the flesh,
but according to the Spirit.

“When St. Paul used the words ‘walk’ he is referring to the overall way you conduct your daily life. So that when you ‘walk according to the flesh’ you are living as you please, guided by what your mind tells you, without any regard to God’s teachings. It does not necessarily mean leading a wicked or sinful life but leading a life without the Holy Spirit. While ‘to walk in the Spirit’ means that you have accepted Jesus Christ as your savior, and have chosen to follow him and to be enlightened by the Holy Spirit. It simply means living a true Christian Life.”
Continuing, she proceeded to read verse 2:

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus
has made me free from the law of sin and death.

“The Lord is telling us that we have the option to choose one of two laws to live our lives. These are not like regular laws of the land that you must obey or be punished, but rather they are moral codes that exist in your heart and your mind, which you chose to follow by your own free will. You are free to chose either the Law of the Spirit, with its life of true freedom in spirit obtained for us by our Savior, Jesus Christ or the Law of the Flesh and Sin, which will inevitably lead away from God and on to death. This is the only choice we have, either to live or to die!”

Ana, showing an understanding far above her tender age, perked up and looking directly at her grand mother remarked:
“This must be why God sent his only son to suffer and die on the cross for us, so that he will free us to follow the Holy Spirit!”

The old lady, pleased with the child’s insight, replied:
“Yes indeed, my dear Ana you are so right, as you will see when I continue to read verses 3 and 4:"

For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh,
God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh,
on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh,
that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us
who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

“God has shown the extreme message of his absolute rejection of the sins of the flesh by sending his only son to pay the ultimate price in his suffering and death so as to afford us the option to freely reject the ways of the flesh, and choose to live in goodness and righteousness according to the teaching of the Holy Spirit. This is God’s promise, it is up to us to choose to accept it and to follow in his footsteps or to turn our backs and continue to live the life of the sinner. It is up to each one of us to make our choice.”

Ana sat quietly in deep thought, taking in every word her wise grand mother had spoken, and after some time had elapsed, she got up slowly and looking directly into the old lady’s face exclaimed so the whole world can hear:

“Thank you Almighty God for sending your son, Jesus Christ,
And thank you for teaching me to Walk in the Spirit.”

29. THE OLD LADY AND ANA-PROVERBS 6:16-19(The Seven Detestable Sins)

Ana approached her grand mother, who was sitting on her favorite chair working at her latest crochet project and asked her;
“Gramma, I know God is a God of love and that he loves us all, but does he ever hate anybody?”
The old lady stopped her crochet and wondering what could have prompted this question, replied to her grand child:
“Yes indeed my child, although God is all loving and will do anything to help anyone of us, he has made it very clear that there are certain actions that he hates, even detests, whenever anyone of us try to use them. This is clearly recorded in Proverbs Chapter 6, Verses 16-19. Let me read them to you:

There are six things the LORD hates,

Seven that are detestable to him:

haughty eyes,

a lying tongue,

hands that shed innocent blood,

a heart that devises wicked schemes,

feet that are quick to rush into evil,

a false witness who pours out lies

and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.

“You see Ana, he specified seven things which cause him to become upset whenever we use them. Let me discuss each one of them in the order he stated them;

First, he spoke of “Haughty Eyes.”:
That refers to those people who go around with a sense of arrogance and contempt toward others, who a guilty of the sin of pride and look down upon them. In God’s eyes we are all equal and he expects us all to respect this and lead our lives with humility and love to all our brethren.

Second, he referred to people with "Lying Tongues”:
People who lie, go against God’s character. God is a God of truth and his Gospel is founded on proclaiming the message of truth. Therefore we cannot consider ourselves followers of Christ while knowingly living lives of lies. By lying, we not only are guilty of misleading others into believing wrong, but we also give others the wrong impression of ourselves. God resents this and expects us to replace this with truth and honesty.”

The old lady paused to allow her young charge assimilate the information and then continued:

“Third, he described the “Shedding of Innocent Blood”:
This not only refers to the obvious, that God abhors the shedding of any blood, especially the blood of innocent people, but it also refers to the thousand other ways that we can destroy a person’s good name by our action. We can do as much damage as killing someone by assassinating his character or destroying his good name. These are all against the teaching of God, who instructs as to do the very opposite, to love and forgive our enemies and to help and pray for those who persecute us.”

Fourth, he stressed a ”Heart that devises Wicked Schemes”:
This is the greatest insult to God’s goodness, when we knowingly use our free will to plan against the welfare of others. Often we compound this by fooling the individual while planning our wicked intent. Even if we do not commit the action ourselves, we are just as guilty if we knowingly allow others to do so. God totally rejects this behavior and we should always be on our guard to, not only reject this action, but also reject anyone who knowingly tries to do so.”

Fifth, was a reference to “Feet Rushing into Evil”:
This is just as bad in God’s eyes. To be quick to commit evil, or even to quickly pass judgment on others or even to delight in the suffering of others are all against God’s expectation, or the teachings of his son, Jesus Christ. Instead, we must at all times exercise the spirit of control and good judgment in all we do, or think or say.”

At this point, the old lady rested awhile and closed her eyes as she prayed quietly that her words are helping her young grand child to learn the true meaning of living the Christian life. Then opening her eyes, she continued:

“Sixth, he singled out, ”False Witnesses who pour out Lies”:
Being a false witness is more serious than Lying, for by doing so you not only hurt the innocent, but you also shield the guilty. Even more so because, by using God’s name to hide behind, you call on his sense of justice while committing perjury. This is a double lie which God detests and expects us all to avoid at all times. And last and perhaps the worst:

Seventh, a “Person who Stirs Conflict in the Community”:
This is the worst of all the sins, for by stirring contention, by deceiving people into believing your lies you create strife among the people and cause serious harm, whether this be within your family, among your friends or your society. This is happening continuously around us and is one of the major causes of pain and suffering. They cause God the greatest grief for they have forgotten or rejected what Jesus taught us all in “the Beatitudes” as reported in Matthew 5:9:

“Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God"

28. THE OLD LADY AND ANA-2 CORINTHIANS 9:7-12 (Generosity)

Little Ana approached her grandmother with a question that has bothered her for some time, and asked her:
“Gramma, I know that God expects us all to try to help as much people as we can. But how do we know how much is enough?”
The old lady, recognizing this as a genuine concern of her grand child, beckoned her to sit next to her as she opened her trusted bible;
“My dear child, generosity has and will always be one of the pillars of God’s teachings and expectation from every one of us. Over and over we find references in the Holy Bible that the Almighty expects us to share our blessings with our less fortunate and needy brothers. The reference I like most is from St. Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, Chapter 9, Verses 7 – 12, let me read Verse 7 to you:”

Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give,
not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

“God’s words are direct and unequivocal. He expects you to give freely from your heart and not be guided or feel committed to please others. He stresses he loves a person who gives willingly. You notice he expects you to give what your heart tells you to give and not to give what the church expects to collect from you. This is between you, your heart, and your God.”
Not content with this reply, Ana asked:
“But gramma how will we know what God really expects from us?”
The old lady nodded affirmatively and continued to read verses 8 and 9:

And God is able to bless you abundantly,
so that in all things at all times, having all that you need,
you will abound in every good work.
As it is written:
“They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor;

their righteousness endures forever.”

“God promised he will bless us abundantly so that we will always have everything we need at all times and that we will prosper in every thing we do. Because we freely give to the poor and needy, our good name and appreciation with him will last forever.”
The old lady paused to allow the young child to assimilate the information and then continued to read verses 10 and 11:

Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food
will also supply and increase your store of seed
and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.
You will be enriched in every way,
so that you can be generous on every occasion,
and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

“You see my dear Ana, God makes it abundantly clear that he will supply you with all your needs to prosper and succeed and become enriched so that you may become more generous to others. He went further to say that it is by your generosity that you give thanks to God.”
The old lady waited for a short time and then continued to read verse 12:

This service that you perform is not only supplying
the needs of the Lord’s people,
but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.

“This is strong and clear statement from God. When you provide help and supply the needs of the poor and needy, you are not only helping God’s people, but you also giving abundant thanks to God, the Almighty.”
Ana, by now fully satisfied by her grand mother’s explanation, was about to get up when she was gently restrained as the old lady made a final observation:
“Now my dear child, you will understand the meaning of the words contained in Gospel according to Mathew Chapter 23, Verse 40:”

Truly I tell you, whatever you did
for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine,
You did for me.

27. THE OLD LADY AND ANA-PSALM 91.1-8 (God is my Protector)

The Sunday morning was bright and beautiful as Ana sat next to her grandmother in the backseat of her father’s car as they drove home from attending church services. After a short while Ana turned to her grand mother and asked her to explain what the preacher meant by his statement that he was afraid of no one because he lives in God’s house.
The old lady, expecting such a question and recognizing that everyone in the vehicle would be interested in her answer, opened her bible to one of her favorite passages and replied:
“My dear child, this is an answer that every one of us should be able to confidently give, if we are true Christians and followers of Jesus Christ. Let me read from Psalm 91, Verses 1-8 which clearly spells it out in great detail:”

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the LORD:

“He is my refuge and my fortress,

my God, in whom I trust.”

“This is a direct expression of confidence that whoever chooses to seek shelter and protection of the Almighty and remains in communion and service will find himself in a state of divine deliverance and security. But to achieve this we must declare our intention and belief, that we are choosing God as our refuge and confirm our commitment as children of faith. This after all is the fundamental tenet of Christianity!”

Ana, by now listening intently to every word her grand mother has spoken and wanting to know more about what we may expect, then asked:
“Gramma, does God really protect us from every bad thing and all the bad people?”
The old lady nodded her head affirmatively and continued reading verses 3 and 4:

Surely he will save you

from the fowler’s snare

and from the deadly pestilence.

He will cover you with his feathers,

and under his wings you will find refuge;

his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

“Here the Psalmist is promising us that God will rescue us from all the hidden traps laid by our enemies and will protect us from all the deadly calamities that may befall us. Further, he will gather us and protect us under his own wings, so that we are assured of refuge, support and protection. In effect he will provide us with all that is necessary to make us safe and secure.”

The old lady paused briefly to allow her words to be assimilated and then continued:
“God promises even more to all believers, let me read the rest of the reading contained in verses 5-8:"

You will not fear the terror of night,

nor the arrow that flies by day,

nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,

nor the plague that destroys at midday.

A thousand may fall at your side,

ten thousand at your right hand,

but it will not come near you.

You will only observe with your eyes

and see the punishment of the wicked.

“God’s protection is complete. You do not need to fear anything, whether it be the terror of the unknown, or the arrows from your enemies or the disease that destroys lives, he promises that we will be safe while thousands will fall around us. Even more than this, he promises that while all this is happening, we will witness with our own eyes the real punishment that will befall the wicked and non-believer.”

The old lady closed her eyes as she closed her bible, and after a short while, she opened them and addressed all the occupants of the car in a strong and confident manner:

“I hope and pray that every one in this family is able to declare, like Reverend Smith, that we too, are not afraid, for we all dwell in the shelter of the Most High.”

26. THE OLD LADY AND ANA-ROMANS 12:3-8(Humility and Service)

The old lady was quite concerned about her grand daughter who had been quiet and introspective all afternoon. It was clear to her that Ana was bothered by something, so right after dinner she invited the child to come sit with her on her favorite chair. After they were comfortably seated, the old lady asked:
“Ana, do you have something on your mind that is bothering you?”
Ana hesitated for a second and then, taking a deep breath, looked directly at her grand mother and replied:
“Yes gramma, I do indeed, ever since I heard the inspirational speaker on TV talk about the importance of building a strong self-image in order to impress everybody of your abilities and your strengths as the most important key to your future success. Yet I remember you telling us that we should always try to be honest and never try to make ourselves appear better than we truly are. Isn’t that what God expects?”
The old lady smiled gently as she picked up her trusted Bible and lightly stroking her grand daughter’s face, she opened it on St. Paul’s Letter to the Roman, Chapter 12, Verses 3-8, and said:
“This is one of my favorite passages in the bible because it is one occasion when God tells us what he really expects of us as his children. Let me read verse 3:”

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you:
Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought,
but rather think of yourself with sober judgment,
in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.

“St. Paul begins by stating that he has the permission of God to speak to everyone. In simple, unequivocal language he advises us to be honest about our own estimation of ourselves, and to avoid over-inflating our image. He went on to advice us to use sober judgment, by which he means using good sense and the faith that God has given us. It really means that we must, at all time, avoid the temptation of false pride to exaggerate our importance, but rather to accept the humility that comes from knowing who we really are.”
Little Ana, nodding her head vigorously indicating a confirmation of her impression but needing more information, then asked her grand mother:
“Gramma, did St. Paul explain what we should be doing to please God?”
The old lady responded affirmatively as she continued to read verse 4:

Just as each of us has one body with many members,
and these members do not all have the same function,
so in Christ we who are many form one body,
and each member belongs to all the others.

“This, my dear child, is to me the most beautiful description of our individual roles and responsibilities as members of the family and body of Christ. In the same way that our own body is made up with many different parts and each one has an important function to perform, so too are we, as members of the body of Christ. We all belong to the same body, each one having a different role for the common good of all. If we fail to function, or allow false pride to lead us in the wrong direction then our action will affect the rest of the body. This is why we must remain humble in the responsibility, whether small or large, granted to us, and carry them out to the very best of our ability. Always remember, whatever we do, good or bad, is going to have an impact on others.”
Ana, by now was in deep thought as she tried to assimilate all the information her grand mother had just provided, eventually turned to her and asked:
“Gramma, how will I know what God expects of me?”
The old lady smiled as she acknowledged the importance of the question, and continued to read verses 6-8:

We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.
If a man’s gift is prophesying,
let him use it in proportion to his faith.
If it is serving, let him serve;
If it is teaching, let him teach;
If it is encouraging, let him encourage;
If it is contributing to the needs of others,
let him give generously;
If it is leadership, let him govern diligently;
If it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

“St. Paul began by reminding us that we are all granted special “gifts” from God and that we are expected to use them to better serve the body of Christ. He went into great detail to list out almost every aspect of life clearly indicating the impact on everything we do. The list includes prophesying, serving, teaching, supporting and charity, all of which are meant to help and support other members of the Body of Christ. Most important however, I believe, is the fact that these are essentially spiritual gifts given to us by God, to be used to the best of our ability. These are our own special blessings!”
Little Ana, by now much brighter and less perplexed, got up and turning to her grand mother, hugged her tightly and as she ran off to join her siblings, exclaimed:

“Thank you God for accepting me into the Body of Christ. I promise I will accept whatever gift you give me and do my very best to make you proud of me!”

25. THE OLD LADY AND ANA-1 CHRONICLES 4:10 (The Prayer of Jabez)

Little Ana sat quietly next to her grand mother deeply engrossed in a television program dealing with the activities of a group of disgraced televangelists who over the years had become very rich and had built up large followings, only to end up in disgrace because of their greed and personal transgressions. The names of Jim Bakker, Ted Haggard and Jimmy Swaggart were given as prominent examples of people who gained great fame and following, only to fall in shame. In all these cases the commentator suggested, the one common denominator was that they did not understand the real meaning of “The Prayer of Jabez”, and as a result paid the ultimate price.
When the program ended Ana turned to her grand mother and asked:
“Gramma what is the Prayer of Jabez and what did the announcer mean when he said they did not understand its meaning?”
The old lady paused for a while to collect her thoughts on this very important subject, and then turned to her grand daughter and said:
“My dear child, the story of Jabez is probably one of the most inspiring and most beautiful stories ever told of what it means to be a true Christian, a follower of God. It is a very short prayer which appeared in 1 Chronicles, Verse 4:10.
Let me read it to you and I will then explain it”:

And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying:
“Oh, that you should bless me indeed,
And enlarge my territory,
That your hand will be with me,
And you will keep me from evil,
That I may not cause pain”
….So God granted him what he requested.

“Jabez was a very simple man, an average “nobody” who felt that he wanted to dedicate himself, in whatever way he can, to serving his God. His prayer was simply a cry to God to help him to find the right way to serve and to make the best use of him, while helping him to avoid doing evil things. The pray is in four parts:
1. That God will bless him, so he may become worthy to continue God’s work successfully. This was a sign of profound humility so often seen in the holiest people.
2. That God will enlarge his territory. This does not mean, as many of the “Prosperity Preachers” justified their accumulation of material wealth as blessings from God, but rather it was a request for God to broaden his influence, so he could do more for more people. It was an appeal to strengthen him to continue God’s work.
3. That God’s hand will be with him. This is an acknowledgement that God will always be with you and will not abandon you when you are doing his work. He promised you will never be alone.
4. That God will keep him from evil. Knowing his human weakness to sin and to cause pain and suffering, this is a plea to God to protect him from his own failings.”

The old lady waited for a few seconds while Ana assimilated the information she had just heard and then continued:
“You see Ana, this prayer is designed for anyone to go to God and ask for his blessings. By choosing Jabez, a real loser whose name means “born from pain”, God clearly shows that it does not really matter who you are, or how smart you are, or how well connected you might be; -What truly matters is being sincere and knowing who you are, who you want to be, and asking for the opportunity to serve him.”
Ana, beginning to understand what her grand mother was describing and recalling the events in the television program, sat up, looked toward the old lady and said:
“Gramma, I think I can now understand why the Prayer of Jabez is so important for us all to understand. By using this simple prayer and strongly believing in God, anyone of us can change who we are and who we would like to be.”
The old lady, overwhelmed by the insight shown by her young grand child, added:

“Yes indeed my dear child, the real message of the prayer of Jabez is not in the words of the prayer, but in the confidence that God will always listen to our prayer.”

24. THE OLD LADY AND ANA-LUKE 16:10-11 (Trust and Honesty)

Little Ana listened intently to the TV reporter who was describing in great detail the exploits of the financial advisor who had succeeded to cheat hundreds of people of all their money by using a combination of trust and dishonesty. Later that evening she sought out her grand mother and asked her:
“Gramma, what happens to people who knowingly use trust and dishonesty to cheat and rob people? What does God feel about them? Does he ever punish them?"

The old lady, recognizing this as an opportunity to teach her grand child about God’s attitude toward people who take advantage of other people’s trust and honesty, beckoned her to come and sit with her and, picking up her trusted Bible said:

“My dear child, God has spoken about these subjects over and over again and you will find many references in the Holy Bible. Let me read a few of these for you, so you can understand what I mean.
... First let me read from the Gospel according to Luke, Chapter 16, Verses 10 and 11:”

Whoever can be trusted with very little,
can also be trusted with much,
and whoever is dishonest with very little,
will also be dishonest with much.
So if you have not been trustworthy
in handling worldly wealth,
who will trust you with true riches?

“You see Ana, God, speaking through the disciple Luke, made it quite clear that anyone who cannot be trusted in small things, cannot be trusted in the bigger things of life. And, to reinforce this, he repeated exactly the same thing for being honest. He explained further that if you cannot be trustworthy while dealing with the ordinary things on earth, how then can you be trusted with the most important matter of all, your eternal life in Heaven.”

She paused for a minute as she turned to another section of the Bible and then continued to read from Deuteronomy Chapter 25, Verses 13 to 16:

Do not have two differing weights in your bag—one heavy, one light.
Do not have two differing measures in your house—one large, one small.
You must have accurate and honest weights and measures,
so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.
For the LORD your God detests anyone who does these things;
-Anyone who deals dishonestly.

“This is a good example of how dishonest people take advantage of people who trust them. By keeping different measures they fool people into believing that they are getting what they are entitled to get. This behavior is very common, and God detests these dishonest people. It is one of the six things contained in Proverbs (Chapter 6:16-19) which God hates. They include; False Pride, Lying, Killing the innocent, a Wicked heart, doing Evil deeds and causing Confusion within the community."

Ana, by now fully engrossed in every word spoken by her grand mother, asked her:

“Gramma, what happens to all these dishonest people?

The old lady nodded affirmatively and responded:
“Let me read to you two separate excerpts from the Bible which will explain how God feels towards people like these. The first is taken from Proverbs Chapter 13, Verse 11:

Dishonest money dwindles away,
but whoever gathers money little by little, makes it grow.

“God in these few words makes it very clear what happens in these situations, and we see it actually happening over and over. The money made dishonestly never lasts, but money gathered honestly, little by little, will continue to grow.
And yet again in another context, God has stronger words for those who are dishonest. Let me read from Ezekiel Chapter 28, Verses 18 and 19:

Your many sins and dishonest trade
polluted your temple.
So I made you go up in flames.
I turned you into nothing but ashes on the ground.
I let everyone see it.
All of the nations that knew you
are shocked because of what happened to you.
You have come to a horrible end.
And you will be gone forever."

“God does not hesitate to warm us of the extreme measures that will befall anyone who chooses to lead a life of dishonesty. Not only will they be destroyed, but the whole world will know about it and their name will be gone forever.”


Little Ana, now becoming much clearer with her grand mother’s explanation, hugged her as tightly as her little arms will allow, and whispered:

“Now I understand why Daddy is always insisting that we must always be honest and trustworthy in everything we say and do. And also, I now see why the Judge sent the bad man to prison for life. He was only carrying out God’s wishes.”

23. THE OLD LADY AND ANA-PROVERBS 26: 18-27 (Be Not A Deciever)

Ana could not understand why her grand mother, who is always so calm and cheerful, was so upset after a visit from Judy, the next door neighbor who has a habit of criticizing everyone. Addressing her grand mother she asked:
“Gramma, why does Aunty Judy always say bad things about everyone whenever she comes to visit us? You have always said that that God does not like people who spread bad rumors about others, haven’t you?
The old lady, smiling at the child’s comment, replied:
“Yes my dear child, God has indeed spoken over and over against people who spend their time spreading lies and rumors about others or cause harm by their manipulations. Let me read my favorite passage in the Holy Bible on this subject. It is from Proverbs Chapter 26, Verses 18-27:”

Like a madman shooting deadly, burning arrows
is the one who tricks a neighbor and then says,
"I was just joking”.

“You see Ana, God does not mince words when he is describing these people. They go about spreading deadly gossip and fooling their neighbors and when they are challenged they claim that they did not mean any harm, they were only joking! They are truly deceivers and are not normal.”
Little Ana nodding her head in agreement then asked her grand mother how they are able to do so much damage to so many people. The old lady responded by continuing to read from the bible:

Without wood, a fire will go out,
and without gossip, quarreling will stop.
Just as charcoal and wood keep a fire going,
a quarrelsome person keeps an argument going.
The words of a gossip are like tasty bits of food;
people like to gobble them up.

“You see Ana, in the same way a fire will go out if you do not put in wood to keep it burning, so also quarreling will not continue unless someone brings gossip to keep the argument going. The truth is that people love to hear gossip and will readily and willingly listen to, and believe it. That is why these decieving people are so dangerous. Let me read more for you:”

Kind words from a wicked mind
are like a shiny coating on a clay pot.
Those who hate you may try to fool you with their words,
but in their minds they are planning evil.
People's words may be kind, but don't believe them,
because their minds are full of evil thoughts.

“In this section, God describes the many ways that these people can harm you. They can come to you with kind words while hiding their wicked intention, when you have a nice shiny look that hides a rotten clay pot underneath. These people will say anything to fool you while hiding their hate and their evil intentions and plans against you. This is why God warns you that when they come to you with nice, kind words you must remain on your guard, for behind this kind appearance they will be harboring wicked, evil thoughts against you.”

By this time, Ana was sitting upright, with her eyes wide open and obviously very perturbed by the all the bad things that can be caused by these people who have no regard to the damage they do. Looking for an answer, she asked her grand mother:
“Gramma what happens to these people, does God let them continue doing their wickedness?”
The old lady shook her head from side to side as she continued reading:

Lies can hide hate, but the evil will be plain to everyone.
Whoever digs a pit for others will fall into it.
Whoever tries to roll a boulder down on others,

Will be crushed by it.

“This is your answer Ana. They may think that they can cover their hate with lies, but you cannot hide your intentions from the world. Your evil ways must come to light and the world will see you as the deceiver that you are. And even more, these people never seem to realize that inevitably, the hole you dig for others, you will stumble and fall into it yourself, and the boulder that you try to use to crush others will eventually crush you.
In the end you will always lose out as people get to know you and your wicked intentions."

Ana remained very quiet for a few moments and then as she got up from the chair, she turned to her grand mother and, with a level of wisdom that far outweighs her tender age and experience, remarked:

“Now I understand why you get so upset when Aunty Judy starts to speak her lies. Does she not realize that she is breaking God’s ninth commandment which says:

You must never bear false witness against your neighbor."

22. THE OLD LADY AND ANA-EPHESIANS 4:26-32 (Do not be Angry)

Ana sat next to her grand mother who was watching a popular television program about a family where there was so much anger and conflict among its members that it was breaking apart. It seemed that that no more love or trust existed within the family, there was only hate and animosity. After the program was completed, Ana turned to her grand mother and said:

“Gramma I feel so bad for the children in the family. Everyone was so angry that the children were always afraid and had no respect for the parents. Does God say anything about angry people?”

The old lady listened carefully and holding the child’s hand, pulled her closer while she picked up her favorite bible and replied:

“Yes indeed child, God is a God of love and peace, and always condemns this kind of anger that gives rise to pain and suffering. You must remember that all anger is not bad because sometimes anger may be justified in the presence of wrong doing. But when anger becomes sinful or malicious it results in suffering and destruction of people, friends and families. The Holy Bible contains many references to God’s attitude toward anger but perhaps the best advice about anger is contained in St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, Chapter 4, paragraphs 25 to 32. Let us read what he said:”

When you are angry, do not sin,
and be sure to stop being angry
before the end of the day.
Do not give the devil a way to defeat you.

“You see Ana, God did not condemn all anger. It is when anger becomes sinful or malicious you allow the devil to take hold and this is when damage is done, because this kind of anger leads to other sins of evil, injustice, pain and suffering. This is why St. Paul advises that whatever the reason, we must never carry our anger over to the next day.”

Ana appeared to be confused, this was too much to assimilate as she tried to separate “good anger” from “bad anger”. Looking directly at the kind old lady’s face, she asked:

“Gramma what do we have to do to be sure that we do not disappoint God?”

The old lady anticipating the question, nodded affirmatively and continued to read from Verse 29:

When you talk, do not say harmful things,
but say what people need—
Words that will help others become stronger.
Then what you say will do good
to those who listen to you.

“The first advice is to only speak good of people and never say things that will harm or hurt others. When you speak good of people they become stronger and are better respected. So that you must always remember whatever you say will have effect on others.”

The old lady paused and looked over to her grand child who, by this time, was becoming much less perturbed and after a brief period continued to read Verses 30 and 31:

And do not make the Holy Spirit sad.
The Spirit is God's proof that you belong to him.
God gave you the Spirit to show
that God will make you free when the final day comes.
Do not be bitter or angry or mad.
Never shout angrily or say things to hurt others.
Never do anything evil.

“St. Paul is reminding us that as God’s children we inherit his spirit so that when we sin we make him sad. The spirit is our bond to secure our place in the final day when we come to God. This is why we must not be bitter, or angry, or mad or shout at people or say hurtful things to anybody. We must never allow ourselves to sin or do anything evil to anyone. All these things will offend God.”

By this time, Ana was beaming with joy and happiness, for she was beginning to understand why being angry is not a good state to be in. Her grand mother turned to her and continued to read Verse 32:

Be kind and loving to each other,
and forgive each other
just as God forgave you in Christ.

“This therefore my child is what God, our all-loving and all-forgiving God, expects from every one of us who want to be counted among his children; -We must be kind and loving to one another and we must be ready and willing to forgive one another as God himself forgives us over and over for our own transgressions. There is no place for anger in our hearts in the same way there is no anger in God’s heart.”

With a deep sigh of relief and with obvious gratitude toward her grand mother for taking time to teach her about God’s love, Ana got up and with her hands held high, exclaimed:

“I promise I will always love and respect everybody, and I will never get angry with anyone!”

21. THE OLD LADY AND ANA-ISAIAH 41: 10-13 (Do not be Afraid)

Ana was quiet all day. Her grand mother finally sought her out after dinner and invited Ana to come sit with her on her favorite chair. After a short pause, her grand mother spoke:

“My child, why are you so sad and quiet. Is something worrying you?”

She initially responded with a shake of her head from side to side indicating a denial, but that quickly changed with a vigorous nod as she replied:

“Yes Gramma, I am really worried and frightened that God will not always be there when we need him. He is so busy taking care of all the big things that are happening in the world that he will not have time to help small people like us with our small worries.”

The old lady put her arm around Ana’s shoulder and with a smile on her lips she quickly reassured her:

“You are so wrong my child. We are all God’s children and he cares for each and e very one of us. He will never, ever, turn his back on us. Let me read his words from his Holy Book:”

Turning to the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, Chapter 41, she began to read from Verse 10:

So do not fear, for I am with you;

do not be dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you;

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

“You see my dear Ana, God’s words were clear and unequivocal. He promised us, no, he commanded us, not to be worried or afraid for he is with us. He is our God, he will give us the strength and help we need and a promise to support with his righteous hand so that we can do no wrong. These words are meant for all of us, he is with us always; We are never alone.”

Ana, now visibly relieved by the words of her grand mother asked her:

“Gramma, does God say what her would do with the bad people?”

The old lady sat up erect and touching little Ana’s lips replied:

“Yes indeed my sweet child, let me read the next Verse 11":

All who rage against you

will surely be ashamed and disgraced;

Those who oppose you

will be as nothing, and perish.

“He promised us that he will deal with all those people who attack us, or try to threaten or embarrass us, by shaming and disgracing them. He went further by reassuring those of us who trust him, that our enemies will be like nothing and will perish.”

The old lady paused a while, waiting for a response from Ana, who by this time had become obviously delighted by the words she heard, and then continued to read Verse 12:

Though you search for your enemies,

you will not find them.

Those who wage war against you

will be as nothing at all.

“In case you did not understand what he said to you, God repeated his promise that he will so dispose of your enemies that even if you search for them, there will be nothing left. What a powerful promise he makes to us! But that was not enough, to reinforce his commitment to us, he went on further to repeat his promise in Verse 13”:

For I am the LORD your God

who takes hold of your right hand

and says to you, Do not fear;

I will help you.

“What a great and faithful God we have, whose love is so strong that he promises us that we should not be afraid for he will take care of us and help us against all adversaries.”

Little Ana, by now fully reassured and restored, bounded out of the chair and exclaimed:

“God is indeed a great and glorious God,

and I will always trust him and be faithful to him.”

20. THE OLD LADY AND ANA -PROVERBS 1:8-19(Warning against Enticement)

Ana sat quietly at the dining table, listening to her father speaking to her older brother, John. She dearly wanted to say something in his defense but knew that this was not the right time. For at least thirty minutes her father spoke about her brother’s recent behavior warning him of the dangers and the pitfalls that could occur and the risks of continuing his actions. His father was reacting to a note from John’s baseball coach about his increasing involvement with a group of students who were of questionable influence. She waited for them to finish and then sought out her grand mother for advice.
“Gramma, why was dad so hard on Johnny tonight?
You know he is a good, hard working and obedient boy. I felt so sorry for him!”
The old lady, recognizing this as a good opportunity to teach her grand child on the need for vigilance and avoiding negative influences replied, as she turned for her trusted bible:
“Don’t be upset Ana, your father was only carrying out his duty as a father to follow the advice of God himself as contained in the holy Bible. Let me read from Proverbs 1:8-19, It begins:”

Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction

and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.

They are a garland to grace your head

and a chain to adorn your neck.

“Notice that the advice God gave to the son was through his parents. He was to listen to his father’s instructions as well as his mother’s teaching. By doing this, God acknowledges that the parents have the final responsibility over the children and confirms that the knowledge gained from them will make him better. This will be like a crown on his head and a chain around his neck, much like a champion will wear. By heeding the parents’ example he will be made strong and God fearing and be acceptable to God”.
Ana appeared confused because she knew her brother always listens to her parents and did everything asked of him. The old lady sensing this, continued to read:

My son, if sinful men entice you,

Do not give in to them.

If they say, “Come along with us;

let’s lie in wait for innocent blood,

let’s ambush some harmless soul;

let’s swallow them alive, like the grave,

and whole, like those who go down to the pit;

we will get all sorts of valuable things

and fill our houses with plunder;

cast lots with us; we will all share the loot”—

“This is why your father was so concerned. He was worried because of the friends that John was mixing with. He was getting afraid that they may lead him astray into wrong behavior. The words of the proverbs are very clear. They warn you to be careful because the wicked people will do anything to entice you to join them. They will try to fool you with promises of sharing the ill-gotten gains. They will make it sound easy enough. They are playing to the worst side of man; Greed and Envy.”

The old lady paused for a while to allow Ana time to appreciate what she had just heard, and then continued to read:

My son, do not go along with them,

do not set foot on their paths;

for their feet rush into evil,

they are swift to shed blood.

How useless to spread a net

where every bird can see it!

“This is what your father was saying to John tonight. He was warning him to stay away from them and don’t follow them for they don’t care about the consequences of their action. They believe that they will fool everybody and do not realize that everyone knows them for who they are. He was concerned that John, by joining them, will be caught in their evil ways.”

Ana, by now alert and attentive, was beginning to understand her father’s concern for Johnny and was herself getting worried about her brother. Looking directly at the old lady’s face, she asked in a solemn and frightened tone:

“Gramma, what happens to these evil people?”

The old lady, nodded in response and continued to read:

These men lie in wait for their own blood;

they ambush only themselves!

Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain;

it takes away the life of those who get it.

The old lady slowly raised her head as she closed her bible, and turning to her grand daughter, who by then was in a state of anxious anticipation, and said:
“You see Ana, these people who will have no qualms to hurt innocent people, will end up destroying themselves. They will set traps for others and end up getting caught in them. They are so crooked in their thinking that they don’t see that what they are doing today is going to affect them later on. They inevitably waste their own lives by their greed and stupidity."

The old lady stopped and paused, with her eyes closed as if in deep thought, and then turning to her grand daughter she spoke slowly and deliberately;

“You see my dear child, it takes many years for people to gain the wisdom to live according to God’s teachings and it is during the early years that young people can be fooled and misled. This is why the older and wiser parent must be vigilant and prevent them from drifting away. I hope you can now understand why your father is doing what he did. He wants to save and protect his son.”
Little Ana, now fully relieved and invigorated by the thought that her father was all she imagined, and more, spoke excitedly as she ran off to find him:

“I am heading to the TV room to find Dad and hug him as tight as I can, and thank him so much for being such a good and caring father.”