THE KING IS NOT ANGRY WITH YOU
Proverbs 19:12 - The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.
The Bible tells us that the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. (1 Peter 5:8) But have you ever wondered why he acts like a roaring lion?
It has something to do with a lion’s roar. In the Bible, the roaring of a lion speaks of the king’s wrath—“The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion”. So when the devil walks about like a roaring lion, he is trying to give you the impression that the King is angry with you. And when you believe that God is angry with you, the devil knows that he has got you.
When you think that God is angry or displeased with you, you will not be confident of His love toward you. Instead, you will expect and fear punishment from Him. And you will want to stay away from Him because you do not wish to incur His wrath any further.
But the truth is that God is not angry with you, even when you fail or blow it, because all your sins have already been judged in the body of His Son at the cross. As the Lamb of God, Jesus became your burnt offering. That is why He said, “I thirst.” (John 19:28)
Those who heard Him say that at Calvary that day thought that His thirst was physical. Actually, His thirst was spiritual because He was being “burnt” by the fire of God’s wrath. He was being judged for our sins. His body exhausted all of God’s wrath until every claim of God’s holiness was satisfied and His wrath appeased!
Now, there is a law called “the law of double jeopardy”, which states that the same crime cannot be tried twice. Today, the fire of God’s wrath will never fall on you as a believer because it has already fallen on His Son at the cross. He judged your sins then, but in the body of His Son.
So right now, you are not under the King’s wrath but His favor. And His favor rains down on you like dew on the grass every morning!
GIVING BACK TO GOD ...
And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s. It is holy to the Lord. - Leviticus 27:30, NKJV
Everything we have has been given to us by God. He entrusts us with His resources and wants us to be good stewards of what we have. In scripture, Jesus talks about some men who were entrusted with some resources. They all had different amounts but they were supposed to be faithful and increase what they had. How do we increase what we have? By sowing, by giving, by being faithful and obedient to Him. Just like planting a seed in the natural yields a harvest of increase, when you sow finances to God’s work, you’ll receive an abundant harvest in return.
Remember, God wants to bless you. He wants to increase you. When you give, when you sow, when you honor Him with your first fruits, that’s when you’ll see the windows of Heaven open. That’s when you’ll see His hand of provision and blessing in your life. Give back to God, be a faithful steward, and He will give back to you!
GOD’S FAVOR GIVES YOU REST
PSALM 5:12 For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield.
Do you remember the story of Ruth? Ruth was a poor Moabite widow who ended up meeting and marrying Boaz, one of the richest men in Bethlehem. Her life started to change for the better after she confessed favor upon herself. When she went out to glean heads of grain, she “happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz” (Ruth 2:2–3).
What God did for Ruth, He can do for you too. He can make right happenings happen for you. Simply believe and confess that you have favor with Him. Ruth confessed favor and happened to find herself in the field of Boaz. Who do you think was leading and guiding her?
With all our “wisdom” and high IQs, we are not always able to put ourselves at the right place at the right time to experience blessings or even escape disasters. Only God can do that supernaturally. That’s why favor with Him gives us rest. Because when you trust in the favor of God, even if you are not very smart in the natural, God can put you at the right place at the right time and prosper you!
Beloved, when you live life believing that you are favored by God, you don’t have to worry about the things that you don’t know. Believe that God will make known to you what you need to know. You don’t have to live life trying to make sure that you have everything covered. Rest in God’s unearned and unmerited favor and watch Him put you at the right place at the right time!
REMEMBER HEALING/PROSPERITY IS YOUR BIRTHRIGHT
1 Samuel 2:1 And Hannah prayed and said: " My heart rejoices in the LORD; My horn is exalted in the LORD. I smile at my enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation.
2 " No one is holy like the LORD, For there is none besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God.
3 " Talk no more so very proudly; Let no arrogance come from your mouth, For the LORD is the God of knowledge; And by Him actions are weighed.
4 " The bows of the mighty men are broken, And those who stumbled are girded with strength.
5 Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, And the hungry have ceased to hunger. Even the barren has borne seven, And she who has many children has become feeble.
6 " The LORD kills and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and brings up.
7 The LORD makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and lifts up.
8 He raises the poor from the dust And lifts the beggar from the ash heap, To set them among princes And make them inherit the throne of glory. " For the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, And He has set the world upon them.
9 He will guard the feet of His saints, But the wicked shall be silent in darkness. " For by strength no man shall prevail.
10 The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken in pieces; From heaven He will thunder against them. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth. " He will give strength to His king, And exalt the horn of His anointed."
Psalms 1:1 Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.
3 He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.
Psalms 103:1 Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:
3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases,
4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
6 The LORD executes righteousness And justice for all who are oppressed.
A HEALING TOUCH
"And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee". - Exodus 15:26 (KJV)
Are you concerned, about your spiritual, physical, or emotional health? If so, a timeless source of comfort and assurance is as near as your bookshelf. That source is the Bible.
God's Word has much to say about every aspect of life, including our health. When we face concerns of any sort, including health-related challenges, God is with us. So let your medical doctor do his or her part, but place your ultimate trust is the only One who can heal you.
Talk to God about your health, seek His guidance, and ask Him for the things you need. When you do, He will hear your prayers, and that's a comforting thing, because His healing touch, like Hid love, endures forever....
SEE GOD AS A GOOD FATHER
Luke 15:31 - “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.
Faith is believing that we have a good God, and that He protects and provides for those who trust in Him. Remember the parable of the prodigal son? (Luke 15:11–32) Jesus shared it to illustrate how good our heavenly Father is. The wayward son had squandered his father’s inheritance before he decided to go home to ask his father to make him a hired servant.
But before he could reach home, his father saw him from afar, ran toward him and embraced him. And instead of making him a hired servant, the father turned to his servants and said, “Bring out the best robe! Get a ring and sandals for my son! Let’s kill the fatted calf and celebrate!”
Now, when the older son returned from work and heard about the celebration, he became angry and refused to enter the house. When his father came out to ask him what was wrong, the older son complained, “Look, I’ve served you all these years. Yet, you never gave me a calf to celebrate with my friends. But as soon as this prodigal son of yours comes home, you kill the fatted calf for him!”
Notice what his father told him: “Son, you are always with me and all that I have is yours. We should celebrate because your brother was dead but is alive again. He was lost but is now found.”
Can you see how the older brother perceived his father? He saw his father as a hard and stingy man. He believed that he had to work to get something good from his father. He didn’t realize that he already had an inheritance! He could have killed the fatted calf any time for a celebration!
Like the father in the parable, God has already given you an inheritance in Christ. Don’t fail to enjoy it by doubting God’s goodness or by believing that you must work for it. See your Father’s heart of love and goodness toward you, and celebrate your inheritance today!
MORE THAN JUST SOWING AND REAPING
LUKE 6:38, "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."
This verse reveals one of God's cardinal laws that will work in the spiritual realm, as well as the physical world. Just as we "give" seed into the ground to receive back multiple seeds, so it is with everything we give. Whether it's money, possessions, an emotion such as love or hate, prayers, or our time, we will reap a harvest of whatever we give. We reap exactly what we sow and proportional to the same measure that we give (Gal. 6:7-8).
"He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully" (2 Cor. 9:6). This law works on positive or negative things that we sow.
Although this is an unchangeable law of God, it can be overcome by a greater law in much the same way that we can escape the law of gravity by using the greater laws of thrust and lift. The negative things we have given don't have to come back to us if we apply the greater law of forgiveness (1 Jn. 1:9). Likewise, the good things we have sown can be voided if we don't continue in well doing (Gal. 6:9).
God is our source, but God uses people. If we pray for finances, God is not going to make counterfeit currency and put it into your wallet. He will use people to get the money to you. So, it is not always as simple as praying for money and receiving it the next minute. We need to believe the Lord hears and answers our prayers, and then pray for the people He's going to use to deliver the answer. This could mean any number of people such as our employer and the people who buy our goods.
Ultimately God is your source, trust Him.
THE HOLY SPIRIT (1)
I am leaving you with a gift--peace of mind... - John 14:27 NLT
Life comes with surprises. Some of them you welcome, and some of them you don’t. One summer you take a trip to the beach, next summer the beach is covered with oil. One month your stocks are soaring and your investments are growing, then suddenly it all comes crashing down. And the ‘brains’ you thought were running the system sit at session of parliament and say, ‘We just never anticipated this.’ And in those rare seasons when you think the world has settled down, watch out! A malignant cell shows up in a colon, or a cyclone rips through a neighbourhood flattening a house. So what are you going to do? When Jesus told His disciples He was leaving them, they were in panic mode, so He said to them, ‘…When the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—He will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. I’m leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.’ (John 14:26–27 NLT) You need to recognise the presence of the Holy Spirit who lives within you, and build a relationship with Him. He’s not an ‘it’ or a ‘thing’ or an ethereal spirit that’s beyond your reach. He is Christ’s ‘representative’. He’s willing to teach you what you don’t know, and to remind you of the things you so easily forget. And best of all, He will give you ‘peace of mind and heart’, regardless of what life throws at you.
SIMPLY TRUSTING
Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. —Psalm 56:3
When our children were young, taking them to the doctor’s office was an interesting experience. The waiting room was filled with toys they could play with and children’s magazines I would read to them. So getting that far with them was no problem. But as soon as I picked them up to carry them into the appointment, everything changed. Suddenly the fun turned into fear as the nurse approached with the needle for the needed shot. The closer she got, the tighter they hugged my neck.
They would cling to me for comfort, probably hoping for rescue, not knowing that it was for their own good.
Sometimes in this fallen world we move from times of peace and tranquility into the painful realm of trouble. At that point, the question is, “How will I respond?” We can be fearful and wonder why God allowed this to happen to us, or we can trust that in the midst of this trouble He is doing something that in the end is for our best, even if it hurts. We would do well to remember the words of the psalmist who wrote, “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You” (Ps. 56:3).
Like my children, the tougher it gets, the tighter we should hug His neck. Trust Him. His love never fails!
Come quickly, Lord, to help me. Teach me to trust You in times of trouble. Remind me of Your presence and of the fact that You hold me in Your loving arms.
Cling to your heavenly Father; He is your only hope.
Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.—Isa 43:19, NKJV
God wants to give you a fresh start this day! He wants to do a new thing in your life. Trust in His goodness and expect to experience greater measures of favor, wisdom and divine health in the days to come.
Free Christian Ebooks http://walthope.tripod.com
http://walthope.wordpress.com
Proverbs 19:12 - The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.
The Bible tells us that the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. (1 Peter 5:8) But have you ever wondered why he acts like a roaring lion?
It has something to do with a lion’s roar. In the Bible, the roaring of a lion speaks of the king’s wrath—“The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion”. So when the devil walks about like a roaring lion, he is trying to give you the impression that the King is angry with you. And when you believe that God is angry with you, the devil knows that he has got you.
When you think that God is angry or displeased with you, you will not be confident of His love toward you. Instead, you will expect and fear punishment from Him. And you will want to stay away from Him because you do not wish to incur His wrath any further.
But the truth is that God is not angry with you, even when you fail or blow it, because all your sins have already been judged in the body of His Son at the cross. As the Lamb of God, Jesus became your burnt offering. That is why He said, “I thirst.” (John 19:28)
Those who heard Him say that at Calvary that day thought that His thirst was physical. Actually, His thirst was spiritual because He was being “burnt” by the fire of God’s wrath. He was being judged for our sins. His body exhausted all of God’s wrath until every claim of God’s holiness was satisfied and His wrath appeased!
Now, there is a law called “the law of double jeopardy”, which states that the same crime cannot be tried twice. Today, the fire of God’s wrath will never fall on you as a believer because it has already fallen on His Son at the cross. He judged your sins then, but in the body of His Son.
So right now, you are not under the King’s wrath but His favor. And His favor rains down on you like dew on the grass every morning!
GIVING BACK TO GOD ...
And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s. It is holy to the Lord. - Leviticus 27:30, NKJV
Everything we have has been given to us by God. He entrusts us with His resources and wants us to be good stewards of what we have. In scripture, Jesus talks about some men who were entrusted with some resources. They all had different amounts but they were supposed to be faithful and increase what they had. How do we increase what we have? By sowing, by giving, by being faithful and obedient to Him. Just like planting a seed in the natural yields a harvest of increase, when you sow finances to God’s work, you’ll receive an abundant harvest in return.
Remember, God wants to bless you. He wants to increase you. When you give, when you sow, when you honor Him with your first fruits, that’s when you’ll see the windows of Heaven open. That’s when you’ll see His hand of provision and blessing in your life. Give back to God, be a faithful steward, and He will give back to you!
GOD’S FAVOR GIVES YOU REST
PSALM 5:12 For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield.
Do you remember the story of Ruth? Ruth was a poor Moabite widow who ended up meeting and marrying Boaz, one of the richest men in Bethlehem. Her life started to change for the better after she confessed favor upon herself. When she went out to glean heads of grain, she “happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz” (Ruth 2:2–3).
What God did for Ruth, He can do for you too. He can make right happenings happen for you. Simply believe and confess that you have favor with Him. Ruth confessed favor and happened to find herself in the field of Boaz. Who do you think was leading and guiding her?
With all our “wisdom” and high IQs, we are not always able to put ourselves at the right place at the right time to experience blessings or even escape disasters. Only God can do that supernaturally. That’s why favor with Him gives us rest. Because when you trust in the favor of God, even if you are not very smart in the natural, God can put you at the right place at the right time and prosper you!
Beloved, when you live life believing that you are favored by God, you don’t have to worry about the things that you don’t know. Believe that God will make known to you what you need to know. You don’t have to live life trying to make sure that you have everything covered. Rest in God’s unearned and unmerited favor and watch Him put you at the right place at the right time!
REMEMBER HEALING/PROSPERITY IS YOUR BIRTHRIGHT
1 Samuel 2:1 And Hannah prayed and said: " My heart rejoices in the LORD; My horn is exalted in the LORD. I smile at my enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation.
2 " No one is holy like the LORD, For there is none besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God.
3 " Talk no more so very proudly; Let no arrogance come from your mouth, For the LORD is the God of knowledge; And by Him actions are weighed.
4 " The bows of the mighty men are broken, And those who stumbled are girded with strength.
5 Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, And the hungry have ceased to hunger. Even the barren has borne seven, And she who has many children has become feeble.
6 " The LORD kills and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and brings up.
7 The LORD makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and lifts up.
8 He raises the poor from the dust And lifts the beggar from the ash heap, To set them among princes And make them inherit the throne of glory. " For the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, And He has set the world upon them.
9 He will guard the feet of His saints, But the wicked shall be silent in darkness. " For by strength no man shall prevail.
10 The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken in pieces; From heaven He will thunder against them. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth. " He will give strength to His king, And exalt the horn of His anointed."
Psalms 1:1 Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.
3 He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.
Psalms 103:1 Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:
3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases,
4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
6 The LORD executes righteousness And justice for all who are oppressed.
A HEALING TOUCH
"And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee". - Exodus 15:26 (KJV)
Are you concerned, about your spiritual, physical, or emotional health? If so, a timeless source of comfort and assurance is as near as your bookshelf. That source is the Bible.
God's Word has much to say about every aspect of life, including our health. When we face concerns of any sort, including health-related challenges, God is with us. So let your medical doctor do his or her part, but place your ultimate trust is the only One who can heal you.
Talk to God about your health, seek His guidance, and ask Him for the things you need. When you do, He will hear your prayers, and that's a comforting thing, because His healing touch, like Hid love, endures forever....
SEE GOD AS A GOOD FATHER
Luke 15:31 - “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.
Faith is believing that we have a good God, and that He protects and provides for those who trust in Him. Remember the parable of the prodigal son? (Luke 15:11–32) Jesus shared it to illustrate how good our heavenly Father is. The wayward son had squandered his father’s inheritance before he decided to go home to ask his father to make him a hired servant.
But before he could reach home, his father saw him from afar, ran toward him and embraced him. And instead of making him a hired servant, the father turned to his servants and said, “Bring out the best robe! Get a ring and sandals for my son! Let’s kill the fatted calf and celebrate!”
Now, when the older son returned from work and heard about the celebration, he became angry and refused to enter the house. When his father came out to ask him what was wrong, the older son complained, “Look, I’ve served you all these years. Yet, you never gave me a calf to celebrate with my friends. But as soon as this prodigal son of yours comes home, you kill the fatted calf for him!”
Notice what his father told him: “Son, you are always with me and all that I have is yours. We should celebrate because your brother was dead but is alive again. He was lost but is now found.”
Can you see how the older brother perceived his father? He saw his father as a hard and stingy man. He believed that he had to work to get something good from his father. He didn’t realize that he already had an inheritance! He could have killed the fatted calf any time for a celebration!
Like the father in the parable, God has already given you an inheritance in Christ. Don’t fail to enjoy it by doubting God’s goodness or by believing that you must work for it. See your Father’s heart of love and goodness toward you, and celebrate your inheritance today!
MORE THAN JUST SOWING AND REAPING
LUKE 6:38, "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."
This verse reveals one of God's cardinal laws that will work in the spiritual realm, as well as the physical world. Just as we "give" seed into the ground to receive back multiple seeds, so it is with everything we give. Whether it's money, possessions, an emotion such as love or hate, prayers, or our time, we will reap a harvest of whatever we give. We reap exactly what we sow and proportional to the same measure that we give (Gal. 6:7-8).
"He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully" (2 Cor. 9:6). This law works on positive or negative things that we sow.
Although this is an unchangeable law of God, it can be overcome by a greater law in much the same way that we can escape the law of gravity by using the greater laws of thrust and lift. The negative things we have given don't have to come back to us if we apply the greater law of forgiveness (1 Jn. 1:9). Likewise, the good things we have sown can be voided if we don't continue in well doing (Gal. 6:9).
God is our source, but God uses people. If we pray for finances, God is not going to make counterfeit currency and put it into your wallet. He will use people to get the money to you. So, it is not always as simple as praying for money and receiving it the next minute. We need to believe the Lord hears and answers our prayers, and then pray for the people He's going to use to deliver the answer. This could mean any number of people such as our employer and the people who buy our goods.
Ultimately God is your source, trust Him.
THE HOLY SPIRIT (1)
I am leaving you with a gift--peace of mind... - John 14:27 NLT
Life comes with surprises. Some of them you welcome, and some of them you don’t. One summer you take a trip to the beach, next summer the beach is covered with oil. One month your stocks are soaring and your investments are growing, then suddenly it all comes crashing down. And the ‘brains’ you thought were running the system sit at session of parliament and say, ‘We just never anticipated this.’ And in those rare seasons when you think the world has settled down, watch out! A malignant cell shows up in a colon, or a cyclone rips through a neighbourhood flattening a house. So what are you going to do? When Jesus told His disciples He was leaving them, they were in panic mode, so He said to them, ‘…When the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—He will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. I’m leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.’ (John 14:26–27 NLT) You need to recognise the presence of the Holy Spirit who lives within you, and build a relationship with Him. He’s not an ‘it’ or a ‘thing’ or an ethereal spirit that’s beyond your reach. He is Christ’s ‘representative’. He’s willing to teach you what you don’t know, and to remind you of the things you so easily forget. And best of all, He will give you ‘peace of mind and heart’, regardless of what life throws at you.
SIMPLY TRUSTING
Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. —Psalm 56:3
When our children were young, taking them to the doctor’s office was an interesting experience. The waiting room was filled with toys they could play with and children’s magazines I would read to them. So getting that far with them was no problem. But as soon as I picked them up to carry them into the appointment, everything changed. Suddenly the fun turned into fear as the nurse approached with the needle for the needed shot. The closer she got, the tighter they hugged my neck.
They would cling to me for comfort, probably hoping for rescue, not knowing that it was for their own good.
Sometimes in this fallen world we move from times of peace and tranquility into the painful realm of trouble. At that point, the question is, “How will I respond?” We can be fearful and wonder why God allowed this to happen to us, or we can trust that in the midst of this trouble He is doing something that in the end is for our best, even if it hurts. We would do well to remember the words of the psalmist who wrote, “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You” (Ps. 56:3).
Like my children, the tougher it gets, the tighter we should hug His neck. Trust Him. His love never fails!
Come quickly, Lord, to help me. Teach me to trust You in times of trouble. Remind me of Your presence and of the fact that You hold me in Your loving arms.
Cling to your heavenly Father; He is your only hope.
Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.—Isa 43:19, NKJV
God wants to give you a fresh start this day! He wants to do a new thing in your life. Trust in His goodness and expect to experience greater measures of favor, wisdom and divine health in the days to come.
Free Christian Ebooks http://walthope.tripod.com
http://walthope.wordpress.com
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