Daily Devotional Readings
It is true that all people belong to God, as creatures to their Creator, as property to its owner, as subjects to their ruler. All things and all people were made by God and for God and all are ruled by God's sovereign will. This is God's right as the absolute Sovereign of all his creatures (Rom. 9:15-26). But we who believe belong to God as a child belongs to its father, as a wife to her husband, as a willing bondslave to his master. Ours is an intimate, loving, family relationship with the eternal God.
We belong to God by the sovereign purpose of his grace. In eternity God said, 'I will be their God; and they shall be my people.' Were it not for God's electing grace, no one would ever be saved. Indeed, were it not for God's election and determination to save some, the world would never have been created. We belong to God because he chose us as his own (2 Thess. 2:13-14).
We are the Lord's by the special purchase of his Son. 'Ye are bought with a price,' Paul said. It is not expected that the ungodly and unbelieving should seek the honour of Christ. They were not redeemed by him. But it is most reasonable that we should willingly give ourselves to the service of our Saviour's glory. He brought us out from under the curse of the law (Gal. 3:13).
Again, we belong to our God by the saving power of his Spirit (Eph. 2:1-4; Psa. 110:3). We were lost, helpless, depraved and spiritually dead. But the Spirit of God came to us and called us to life. He created faith in our hearts and brought us to Christ by his sovereign, irresistible power and grace. He made us willing, voluntary bondslaves of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And we belong to God by the solemn profession of our faith. Believers, following their Lord in baptism, publicly declare to all the world their faith in and heart allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 6:4-6). Baptism is the believer's obedient, public confession of faith. It identifies him as one who belongs to God. Since we belong to God, it is only reasonable that we should glorify God in our bodies and in our spirits, which are God's.
Believer, since God chose you, redeemed you and saved you, you belong to him. By your own profession of faith, you have willingly, voluntarily given yourself up to the claims of Christ. You belong to him.
Because you belong to Christ, you have nothing to fear and everything to give you comfort. You are a child of God, an heir of God and a joint-heir with Jesus Christ (I John 3: 1; Rom. 8:17). You are not your own provider. It is a father's responsibility to provide for his children, and your heavenly Father does provide for his own (Matt. 6:31-34). You are not your own guide. It is the responsibility of the shepherd to guide his sheep, and the Lord who is your Shepherd guides his sheep through this world (Psa. 23:1-6; 37:23-24). You are not your own protector. It is the king's responsibility to protect his people, the husband's responsibility to protect his wife, and Christ who is your Husband and King protects his own with sovereign power (Isa. 43:1-5).
Because you have willingly given yourself to Christ as a voluntary bondslave, you are to be completely under his dominion (Luke 14:25-33). Being the bondslave of Christ, you must not follow your own will, serve your own interests, or lend your service to another. A bondslave has no property, no rights and no time of his own. He should have no will of his own. He has voluntarily resigned himself and all that he has to his Master.
Because you belong to God, you have no legitimate concern in this world but to glorify him. Your heart's only desire should be 'Father, glorify thy name' John 12:28). You have no right to serve any cause in this world, except the glory of God your Saviour. Everything you are, everything you own, everything you control, every relationship of your life must be made subservient to the glory of God. Our flesh rebels against this complete subjection to God. We can never give the kind of allegiance to God that we desire in this world. But this is what we must strive after &@150; commitment, complete consecration of our beings to the glory of our God.
I want to promote godliness among godly people. Let all who know the mercy of God subdue the passions of our flesh and the lusts of our hearts and avoid the moral decadence of society. 'For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world' (Titus 2:11-12).
The basis of my appeal is the grace of God alone. Consecration to God is just reasonable service from those who have been saved by grace in Christ. I will not appeal to God's elect on the basis of the law. I will not hold over you the law's terror, threatening you with punishment, or try to bribe you into devotion by the promise of reward. 'We are not under the law, but under grace' (Rom. 6:15). 'Mary... sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word' (Luke 10:39), because having been forgiven much, she loved much. Love, mercy, grace and gratitude are powerful, irresistible motivations for men and women who are saved by the grace of God. I know that such reasoning will never cause self-righteous religious people to give or do anything for God. They must be motivated by either the fear of punishment, or the promise of reward. I say again what I have said so often before: if the fear of punishment or the promise of reward will get you to do what the love of Christ does not constrain you to do, you do not yet know the love of Christ. If the law is more powerful to motivate you than the gospel of the grace of God, it is because you are yet in bondage to the law and under its curse.
Child of God, I am calling for you to 'prove the sincerity of your love' (2 Cor. 8:8). 'I beseech you therefore, ... by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service..' 'Ye are not your own. For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's' (I Cor. 6:19-20).
This is a question of great concern for every believer. Having seen the glory of God in Christ, by the revelation of the Holy Spirit, we want to glorify God our Saviour above all things.
Most people presume that by a mere change of life-style, outward behaviour and outward appearance, they can glorify God. Therefore we see individuals and entire religious sects who dress in a peculiar manner, abstain from certain foods and beverages and isolate themselves, as much as possible, from the world. Some live in monasteries, convents and communes and even forbid marriage in an attempt to avoid evil and live in godliness. Such ascetic notions are totally contrary to the Word of God (I Tim. 4:1-5; Matt. 15:10-20). They promote self-righteousness, but not godliness.
Yet we who believe must glorify God in our bodies and in our spirits, which are God's (1 Cor. 6:20). lf I would glorify God in this world, my entire being must be consecrated to him. My body, Which is the temple of God, must be used for the service of God's glory. Whatever we do with these bodies must be done as unto the Lord, for the glory of God (Col. 3:17). We must employ our bodies in the worship and service of our Master and in ministering to our Father's children. And we must endeavour to keep our bodies under the rule of Christ, not giving in to the passions of our sinful flesh (Col. 3:1-14). This is certain: I will glorify God in my body if in my spirit, in my inner self, in my heart I glorify him. 'Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh (Gal. 5:16). Walk before God in this world with a spirit of faith John 6:29), adoration (Ps. 135:1-6), love (I Cor. 13:1-13), obedience (1 Sam. 15:22-23), submission (1 Peter 5:6-7) and devotion (Luke 14:26-27), and you will live for the glory of God. This is the thing God requires of us. He says, 'My son, give me thine heart' (Prov. 23:26). If he has our hearts, he will have our bodies also and we shall glorify God in our bodies and in our spirits, which are God's.
Paul told Titus that every pastor must hold the faithful word of gospel truth firmly, as he has been taught it, so that 'he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers'. Without sound doctrine the pulpit is as useless as a broken weather-vane. Here are seven pillars of sound doctrine which are essential to the faith of the gospel. See that you hold them firmly.
1. God Almighty is absolutely sovereign in all things (Ps. 115:3). God is sovereign in creation, in providence and in salvation. He does what he will, when he will, where he will, with whom he will and he has mercy on whom he will have mercy (Rom. 9:11-23).
2. The Bible is the Word of God, by which he reveals himself to men (2 Tim. 3:16-17; Rom. 10- 17). The Bible alone is inspired by God. Therefore the Bible alone is our rule of faith and practice, The only voice of authority in all matters of doctrine and spiritual instruction is the Word of God.
3. All men by nature are totally depraved (Rom. 3:10-19). Man is fallen, guilty, sinful and helpless, dead in trespasses and in sins (Rom. 5:12; Eph. 2:1-3). Unless God intervenes to save, all men will for ever perish, being justly condemned.
4. God chose and determined to save some people in eternal, electing love (2 Thess. 2:13). Without any consideration of anything except his own will, God chose some. All who were chosen of him will be saved.
5. Christ died in the place of God's elect, and accomplished their eternal redemption by his death (Heb. 9:12). Christ satisfied divine justice for his people and redeemed them from the curse of the law.
6. God the Holy Spirit saves every elect, redeemed sinner by the irresistible power of his grace (Ps. 65:4). The grace of God does not offer salvation; it brings salvation!
7. Every believer is eternally secure in Christ (John 10:27-30). Not one of Christ's sheep can ever perish. They are kept by the power of God. This is sound doctrine. This is the gospel of grace.
How can I know God's will? When two paths are set before me, both of which are morally right, or two choices are to be considered, neither of them involving sin, how can I know which is the will of God and which is not? For a believer, nothing is more important than the knowledge of God's will. We know that God's eternal will, his purpose and decree, that which he has sovereignly predestinated, must be fulfilled. It is immutable and irresistible. It must come to pass (Isa. 46:9-11). And we know that nothing comes to pass except that which was predestined to come to pass in God's eternal purpose (Rom. 11:36). Yet, it is our responsibility to seek and obey the will of God in our lives day by day (Prov. 3:5-6). There are some things you can be sure about.
It is the will of God that you trust his Son (John 5:23; 1 John 3:23). This is the plainly revealed will of God. That which he commands, you are responsible to obey. Trust the blood of Christ for the satisfaction of justice on your behalf. Trust his righteousness for all acceptance with God. And trust the rule of his providence in all things.
The will of God is revealed to all who seek it and are willing to do it (Ps. 25:9;32:8). God reveals his will to those who seek it by the revelation of his Word, the inner witness of his Spirit and the acts of his providence.
When God reveals his will to you, you will know it (Ps. 86:11). You will not need the counsel of men. You will not need someone else to tell you whether God is directing you. When God, by his Word, his Spirit and his providence tells you to do something, you will know it. God never called anyone to do anything to whom he did not give the confidence and assurance of his will in the matter at hand.
When you know what the will of God is, you must do it (Gal. 1: 16; Gen. 22:2, 10). If I am doing the will of God, trusting him, I have no reason to fear man, to fear hell, or to fear failure. God will protect me, God will provide my needs. And God will see the work through.
Writing under divine inspiration, the apostle Paul warned Timothy that the time would come when the bulk of religious people would not endure sound doctrine. The apostasy of the religious world, Paul said, would be so great that they would seek preachers and teachers who would cater for the lust of men rather than proclaim the gospel of the grace of God. Under the influence of these prophets of deceit, the professed church of God would be turned from the truth and turned unto fables. The time which Paul predicted has come. 'Even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.' 'Many false prophets are gone out into the world,' turning men away from the truth unto fables. Here are three popular fables.
'God loves everybody.' This sounds so good to sinful men. Rebels like to hear it. If God loves me, everything is all right. God will not damn me if he loves me. Do not be so foolish as to receive this fable. God does not love everybody! He says, 'Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated' (Rom. 9:13). God loves his own elect, and loves them only because they are in Christ. If you are in Christ, if you believe on Christ and are made righteous by Christ, God loves you. If you are not in Christ, God is angry with you. You are an object of his wrath.
'Christ died for everybody.' Men love to hear this fable. It tells them that it is their faith, the exercise of their free will, that accomplishes redemption, that they complete the work of Christ. How man revels with pride! My friend, Christ did not die for everybody! Christ died for his own elect, for his church, his sheep (John 10: I 1, 15). And when he died, he obtained eternal redemption for us (Heb. 9:12; Isa. 53:8-11).
'The Holy Spirit is trying to save everybody.' You know that is not so. Can God fail to do what he tries to do? Such a thought is blasphemous. God is not trying to save everybody! God saves all his elect by his irresistible grace (Ps. 65:4). Salvation is not by man's will, but by God's will (Rom. 9:16).
David was chosen and anointed of God to be king over Israel. But Saul, according to God's providence, was still upon the throne. Saul was a wicked man. God had rejected him. But God had not yet taken him off the throne. And David was not about to attempt an overthrow of God's providence. Painful as it may have been to endure Saul's evil deeds, David was content for Saul to reign as long as God would have him reign. He said, 'I will not stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord' (v.6).
Few men have David's wisdom! Today, it is common for men to take it upon themselves to seat and unseat men in the kingdom of God. I refer specifically to the pastoral office. One of the most lamentable evils of our day is the utter disdain and contempt with which most people treat faithful gospel preachers. Such disdain and contempt we expect from the world. But I think the angels must blush when they see it in the church. True pastors are not hirelings, to be seated and unseated by men. Those who treat God's ambassadors as hired hands do so at their own peril. God will not allow any man to wrong his servants with impunity. He will reprove kings for their sakes. He says, "Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm' (I Chron. 16:21-22).
When a congregation seeks a pastor, it will be wise to seek careful and patiently wait for the direction of the Holy Spirit. When a church calls a man to be its pastor, that congregation has voluntarily placed itself under the pastoral rule of that man (Heb. 13:7, 17). He is God's ambassador, God's spokesman and God's representative to that congregation. As such, he is to be treated with respect, obedience and love. He is to be esteemed very highly in love for his work's sake (I Thess. 5:12-13). He deserves such treatment, if for no other reason, because of the God he represents and the gospel he preaches. See that you treat God's servants as the servants of the Most High God.
God promised that he would give his church pastors according to his own heart. That means, he will give his church pastors as he sees fit and pastors who will serve the good of those people he so clearly loves. Those men God gives to his church as pastors, according to his own heart, 'shall feed you with knowledge and understanding'. Here are three things that will characterize every God called, Spirit-anointed, heavenly-ordained pastor.
Every true pastor is a faithful man. Without question, if a man is called of God to the work of the gospel ministry, he will be faithful in the work. His life and conduct will reflect his steadfastness, commitment and faithfulness to Christ. He will faithfully seek the glory of God, study and prepare to preach the Word of God, seek the welfare of God's people and preach the gospel of Christ. He will be faithful to Christ, to the Word, to the church and to his own conscience. No man should be set apart for the gospel until he has proved himself to be a faithful man (2 Tim. 2:2; 1 Cor. 4:2).
Every true, faithful servant of God is also a fallible, sinful man. The apostles and prophets of old were themselves only frail, fallible, sinful men. They were infallible in the writing of Holy Scripture, as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. But they were not perfect men. Moses Smote the rock in anger. Peter cursed and denied the Lord. All the apostles forsook Christ for a while. Paul and Barnabas had a terrible fight over John Mark. And you can be sure every pastor will have many faults. Those who want to find fault with any can easily do so.
Yet every true pastor is God's ambassador, God's servant, God's messanger. He is to be loved, cared for, respected and obeyed as God's representative in his church. I often hear people say, 'I do not follow any man.' If you follow God, you will follow that man who speaks for God. You will not err by following a faithful pastor. God commands you to do so!
The name of God is profoundly sacred and God requires that all men reverence his name in heart, in action and in speech. 'Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.' This is the command of God's law to all men. Though we are not motivated by the terror of the law, but by the love of Christ, I call your attention to this commandment, to remind you that the majesty and sacredness of God's name forbid all contemptuous, irreverent and needless use of his name. And certainly those to whom God has revealed himself in Christ, who know the eternal God as their heavenly Father, because of their love for him, would rather die than profane his holy name. Our hearts' desire is 'Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name!'
It is a sad commentary on our society that the name of God has become a common byword, and jokes about God, about heaven and about salvation are acceptable among 'refined' people, even in the pulpit! flow often we hear men use the words 'My God!' 'O Lord!' 'Jesus!' 'God!', or some abbreviations of the name of our God, in common conversation, on television, or in song. It is so common that we think nothing of it! Father, forgive our callousness! Painful as this common blasphemy is, there is something even more grievous: I hear many of my friends, my brothers and sisters in Christ doing the same thing, taking the name of God in vain! This has got to cease! I do not care to hear people use four-letter words. I wish people would not talk in filthy language. But I would rather hear the most foul language of drunken men and have my family exposed to that than hear the blasphemous, irreverent use of God's holy name. Do not take the name of God in vain. His name is holy and reverend. Be certain that any time you use the name of God, Father, Son or Holy Spirit, it is your purpose and intention to honour him. Any other use of God's name is to take his name in vain.
Peter was a true believer, a disciple of Christ, a righteous and godly man. But in his hour of weakness he fell into grievous sin, denying his Lord and Redeemer three times. Peter was not the infallible Bishop of Rome, as the Catholics pretend He was a fallible, sinful man, like the rest of us. Peter was tempted and he fell but he was not forsaken. The Lord graciously restored his erring child.
Like Peter, we are all fickle, frail, sinful pieces of human flesh. Saved? Yes. Redeemed? Yes. Justified? Yes. Sanctified? Yes. In Christ all these blessings are ours, and more. But none of us is without Sin (I John 1:8-10). Far from it! Sin is mixed with everything we do. There is no evil in the world we would not readily commit, were not the evil passions of our hearts restrained by the grace of our God (Matt. 15:19). Let us not be proud, presumptuous, and self-confident (I Cor. 4:7; 10:12). Realizing our own sinfulness, we should never be severe with our brethren (Gal.6:1).
Salvation is entirely by the grace of God. Surely, this record of Peter's fall should convince all that salvation is not, in any measure whatsoever, dependent upon good works (Eph. 2:8-9). From start to finish, salvation is by grace alone. Our standing and acceptance with God are not determined by what we do, but by what Christ has done for us.
Peter also sets before us an undeniable proof that those who are saved by the grace of God can never be lost (John 10:27-29). Those who are in Christ are secure in him. We are kept and preserved by the power of God. Nothing can ever sever one of the Lord's own from him. As our Lord prayed for Peter, he prays for us, and God will not charge any with Sin for whom Christ undertakes to be an Advocate (I John 2:1-2; Rom. 4:8). None of us has reason to boast of our faithfulness. Who would dare? But we all have reason to boast of the faithfulness of God our Saviour, who will not let us perish!
Most of the people I meet are very concerned about the opinions which other people have about them. They want to impress men with their religious zeal and devotion. And most of their deeds of religious service, dress codes and restrictions of life are designed to impress men. They want the approval of men. They think that if they can win the approval of men they will have the approval of God. But our Lord tells us most plainly that it is not so: 'For that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God' (Luke 16:15). Those who seek the approval of men by their 'religious behaviour' are likely to attain the praise of men. It is not really too hard to impress men. 'Verily I say unto you, they have their reward' (Matt. 6:2).
Do not misunderstand me. It is important for believers to be blameless in their behaviour before men. 'Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven' (Matt. 5:16). But we must not be motivated by a desire to impress men and win their approval. Neither can we allow the customs and traditions of self-righteous religious people to govern our lives, bringing us into their bondage (Gal. 5: 1; Col. 2:16-23). I want to honour God, my blessed Father, in my life. I want continually to honour him in thought, in word and in deed. I want to represent my Saviour faithfully before men. And I want to live in a manner that will adorn the gospel of Christ. The way to do this, I am convinced, is to walk before God and men in love, honesty, integrity and faithfulness in all things, both earthly and spiritual (Col. 3:1-3; Titus 2:5-14). But I am not nearly so much interested in men and women seeing Jesus in me as I am in knowing that Almighty God sees me in Jesus. My heart's concern is not that I may win man's approval, but rather that I may have God's approval. And God's approval is won only by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. God approves of his Son and approves of all who are in his Son (Phil. 3:8-10).
Lot's wife is typical of those who profess to be followers of Christ, yet who love the world. She represents all who are convinced, but never converted; those who are persuaded, but never saved; those who flee from the wrath to come, but perish in the way. Lot's wife shows the deadly sin of loving the world. Our Lord holds her up as a beacon to warn all who care for their souls: 'Remember Lot's wife!'
1. Remember that Lot's wife enjoyed many great privileges. In the days of Abraham and Lot true, saving faith was a rare thing, limited to a favoured few. There were no Bibles, no churches, no preachers and no tract societies. But Mrs. Lot was among the chosen family of Abraham. Father Abraham was her uncle. Righteous Lot was her husband. She knew the covenant and promises of God. She worshiped at the same altar with Abraham. She had seen the angels of God and heard their message. Yet, in spite of all her privileges and associations, she perished!
2. Remember that Lot's wife went some distance towards being saved. Like Felix, she trembled. Like Agrippa, she was almost persuaded. She was aroused by the message of God's coming wrath. She fled from Sodom with her husband. She sacrificed much, leaving in Sodom two of her daughters, her sons-in-law, any grandchildren, her home, her wealth, her friends, her earthly security, everything for which she lived. She was within sight of Zoar, the place of safety. Yet she perished!
3. Remember the sin of Lot's wife. 'She looked back.' To us that appears only a small thing. But God looked beyond the act to her heart. Her look betrayed a heart of unbelief. Her look betrayed a heart of proud rebellion and disobedience. Her look betrayed a heart of base ingratitude for God's mercy. Her look betrayed a heart that loved the world. Her heart was in Sodom, and Sodom was in her heart.
4. Remember the punishment that God inflicted upon Lot's wife. 'She became a pillar of salt.' Her punishment was sudden, shameful, hopeless and eternal. Loving Sodom, with Sodom, she perished. She went to hell with the world she loved!
If you read the chapter carefully, you will observe that the apostle makes a clear and deliberate distinction between 'us' who believe and the 'scoffers' who believe not.
'The Lord is not slack concerning his promise.' Did he promise that Christ would come to judge the world and to gather his elect unto himself? Most assuredly he did. Let the wicked mock and scoff. We will comfort ourselves in the assurance that, at the appointed time, Christ will appear in his glory. Though the promise tarry, 'Wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.' 'Yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.'
The Lord 'is longsuffering to us-ward'. The promise and the longsuffering of God are to us - those who are loved, chosen, redeemed and called of God, those who believe on Christ for life everlasting. There is only one reason why God tolerates the enemies of Christ, only one reason why Christ has not yet come to judge his enemies, and it is this: God has a people in this world whom he has determined to save. He would not destroy the old world until Noah was in the ark. He would not burn Sodom until Lot was out of the city. And God Almighty, even in his strict holiness, will not send his Son to destroy this world until the last one of his chosen sheep has been brought safe into the Shepherd's fold! Indeed, 'The longsuffering of our Lord is salvation.'
Once more, it is promised that God is 'not willing that any should perish'. To whom is this promise given? Not to Pharaoh; God killed him. Not to Korah, Dathan and Abiram; God sent them to hell. Not to Judas; God sent him to his own place. To whom then is the promise given? To us! Not one of God's elect will perish in his sin. Not one of Christ's sheep will be missing from the fold. Not one soul redeemed by Christ will be cast into hell. Why? Because God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance'. And the will of God cannot be frustrated.
By 'the cross', Paul did not mean the material cross. That is offensive to no one. It is a piece of jewelry. It is a universal symbol of religious sentimentalism at best, and outright idolatry at worst. Nor does he mean the mere historic fact of the cross. The fact of the crucifixion is a part of history which everyone accepts. When Paul talks about the cross, he is talking about the doctrine of the cross: substitutionary redemption, blood atonement, free justification, complete pardon in Christ. He is talking about the preaching of the cross. By the preaching of the cross I mean the proclamation of its necessity, its nature and its efficacy.
The preaching of the cross was an offence to the religious, self-righteous Jew and to the proud intellectual Greek. If Paul had been willing to allow that man had any part in the work of salvation, both the Jew and the Gentile would have accepted his doctrine. Bt he would not allow any space for man. He declared that salvation was altogether the work of the triune God. It is a work of the grace of God, through the mediation of Christ and by the Power of the Holy Spirit. It is not a co-operative effort of God and man. It is it co-operative act of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
The preaching of the cross offends the pride and dignity of man. It is a vivid reminder of man's sin and hatred of God, In its profound simplicity, it offends the wisdom of man. The inventions of man's religion are declared to be vanity. It is offensive because it puts all men upon one level.! Princes and paupers, moralist and harlots, scholars and drunkards are all the same in the eyes of God. All are sinners. And if any enter into glory, they must all stoop down and enter in at the door of the cross, elbow to elbow. Indeed, God is no respecter of persons.
But there are some to whom the cross is no offence. To them who are called, it is the power of God and the wisdom of God! Has God removed from your heart the offence of the cross? Do you now see its wisdom and beauty? Have you entered in by faith through the door of the cross? If so, give thanks to God alone!
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