James 2:1-13
Q. Has anyone ever showed favoritism to anyone ?
Intro/ (Now) The writer of this letter is not James, the brother of John (the apostle), but he was the half brother of Jesus….
Because that James, was killed by Herod in the Book of Acts, (12).
What is so special about this James is that he….(like most of his family) did not believe who Jesus said He was….until after the Resurrection.
I. Chap.2 v.1
Don’t be someone who has this type of faith that looks at someone & shows favoritism……
a.) Why ?....because, we are ambassadors for Christ…this is a high calling, saints !
b.) We shouldn’t look at people and say within yourself, (this person must be Highly Blessed…) look at the way they are dressed !!! (look at the money/car’s/homes..
c.) Because, if (they) are not being a wise steward of what the Lord has given to you…..it’s gonna be trouble…
d.) Because to much is given-much is required…
e.) In Luke 12: 34: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also…
II. (v.2-4)
Gold rings/ (not common, then) here, fine apparel, speaks about a wealthy, rich person….( Bill gates, Oprah) type of person…
a.) Just because your rich, doesn’t mean that you’re closer to God…..
b.) And there’s a flipside to that….just because you’re poor….doesn’t mean, you are closer to God, because you are poor, either…
c.) I heard a comedian say once….he thinks that Blacks and because of Slavery…should automatically….go to heaven…..(well, that contradicts the Bible) and if that was true, then ever Hebrew in the wilderness went to heaven even though they didn’t believe in God…..
d.) Now let’s also remember not to get this passage twisted either, because there is room for respect, honor to certain leaders in the church…
e.) I Timothy 5:17, says: Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor , especially they who labor in the word and doctrine.
III. (v.5)
In general (the poor ) of this world: meaning those that are generally considered poor to us…/more likely to be used to advance the kingdom.
a.) Now, this doesn’t mean, just because your poor, you will ingerit the kingdom….(No)….listen….
b.) look again at (v.5) last part of that verse….(to them that love Him)
c.) Cause, there are poor people who hate God, for different reasons…
- some because they look at the rich driving (the Bentley’s)/living good..
- someone like a drug dealer or someone who isn’t a God-fearer..
d.) It’s to those who endure the testing of our faith until the end….(amen)
e.) And this is not just someone entering the kingdom, but ruling w/ Christ… ( II Timothy 2:11,12 read)
IV. (v.6,7)
It is the rich that are mostly the oppressors…..
a.)
The poor is waiting for that blessed hope & better things in the Lord Jesus…
b.) So respecting a person of this (sinful) world on account of their riches or outward appearance is a sin…
c.) Why ?, because if you (we) have a misunderstanding of thinking that this World’s goods are what life is all about….then we are missing the purpose of the kingdom of God.
d.) Because, so many of the rich in our society….have No place for the Lord Jesus in their lives…
e.) He is the farthest part of their life..
f.) Look at who put’s the law’s in place that’s against almost every part of God’s Word….those in Power positions..
g.) So as ambassadors for Christ/ it makes us look exceedingly sinful and foolish to support & look up to those who are against the Word of God…..
h.) That name of Christ…..what does that name mean to you ?...
i.) Because that name reflects, Honor, gives worth to us that wear that holy name !!!!
V. (8-11)
Royal law….basically is the law of love/ a law superior to all other laws…
Read ( Leviticus 19:15)
a.) What did Jesus say was the 2 greatest Commandments ?
-Love the Lord your God w/ all your heart, soul and mind…
-and the Second is like unto it/
you shall love your neighbor as yourself.
b.) God isn’t in favor of selective obedience…
c.)We as Christians must (someone say must) practice the law of love the (agape type/unconditional)
VI. (v.12,13)
Everyone in the day of judgment will fall into 1 of 2 categories…
a.) Either you will be among the vessels of wrath or vessel of mercy.
Which will you be ?
b.) The Bible says: Blessed are the merciful, for they will obtain mercy…..
c.) So, what we must do for our own good is to show love and mercy to all people..
-Especially when they don’t deserve it, now, is that right ?
Q. How much love are we to have to our neighbor ?
- ok, well the reason I ask is this, Can you think of the worst thing someone can do to you ?...& then think of the worst/most hurtful thing someone can say to you….
The worst….got it?
Now, could you share the gospel to that person?....w/ loving intentions?!
Because, if you can, at that moment….then the Love of Christ is reigning in your heart….but if not, then maybe you are still a babe in that area of your life…..not all area’s…. But maybe in this area of your growth/maturity…
We must not be judges on appearance alone, but observe the character of a person, regardless of appearances… Let’s love God w/ all our heart & love our neighbor as we love ourselves...Amen?
The Test of Impartial Love…let’s not fail this test…
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
I once was a Muslim....
This is my conversion from Islam to Christianity.
I was raised in an A.M.E. Church, (African Methodist Episcopal) for the first 18 yrs of my life… But never really understood the Biblical story, I loved the church service, it was fun, the music was exciting, but still I never had any type of relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
One day in Sunday School class, I asked some hard question’s to the teacher, but my question’s were not satisfying to me…
Also around the same time, I was working part time at my mom’s job, and I met a guy, who was a Muslim…After watching him and talking with him for a couple of months, and also paying attention to a woman who said she was a Christian, mis-treat this guy, who always treated her with respect, it showed me something, that your behavior should reflect your
Faith..
So with a friend, I started to attend the Mosque’s in Brooklyn,N.Y. and their teaching sounded ok to me, then I started to read their material and didn’t know how to defend their own faith…..also the quran, after a couple of months, I took my shahada/in other words get born again (as far as Islam goes) and I told my mother/grandmother and they were not happy, but they themselves, were not grounded enough to show me their faith in Christianity…and like many other Christians,
What that did for me is make my new found religion even more sure to me, that I was following the right religion at first….
By the age of 19, I went into the military and met many Christians and again, they didn’t know how to defend their faith….(which just strengthened my religion to me) and some time in the U.S. Navy, I met my wife in Pascagoula, Mississippi. She was from Mobile, Alabama. She wasn’t saved but after some years later, maybe like the last couple of years, there was a difference in my wife…Suddenly she was going to Church more….but her life to me, changed little, until the last year or two (2001-2003). But around that time within me, I kept feeling am I really in the right religion ?.... Because this is my eternal destiny I am talking about here, I will only get one chance at this, and there are no do over’s…..
While at work, I met a preacher, and he asked me if I went to Church with my family….and I told him no, and he then said, a man should always go to Church with his family, so I told him, there are other ways of going to Heaven, then Church….
So, he basicly told me that if I didn’t believe in Jesus I was going to Hell, after he told me that I was hot, and searched in the Bible now I had disputed many other Christians before, so I looked in the Book of Revelations and tried to find a verse, that I wasn’t able to find….Instead I ended up reading the whole Book of Revelations, and by the time I got to the end, I was sure that God loved me and that Jesus was the Christ the Son of the living God,now you would think that by reading the Book of Revelations, that is what converted me…
But when I look back at that time in my life, it wasn’t just reading that Book, I had read the Bible before, (certain parts) also leading up to that point, that year in my spirit I had a deep feeling that I could not explain, that I wasn’t sure about my religion anymore, what was happening was God was causing the seeds in my heart from a child to grow….also what changed my life was that God showed His glory to me….and at that time, I had a choice to make, to either to accept God or continue to deny Him…..I don’t believe it was just the evidence alone…..God had changed my heart/ and also gave me the faith also that I needed.. ( Ephesians 2:8,9)
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
From the time I got saved about the third week of November 2003, until maybe a week later, I was sure God was putting in my heart to preach His Word.
So, I went back to the preacher that helped me see the gospel of Christ and asked him when do you know if the Lord is calling you to preach ?
So, he told me you won’t be able to rest, and the calling won’t leave, basically you will know….
He also told me that this isn’t something you want to play around with, you must be absolutely sure about that calling….and I knew it was….
Not too long after my conversion, I felt the need to ask the Lord for wisdom and also to understand the Scriptures so I would not lead no one wrongly, and then later I felt the desire to mostly listen to teaching and scholars/theologians as well…..
God had given me the gifts that I ask for and also the gift of teaching…. I can now understand why the Lord said, teachers will be judged more strictly, because people keep that teaching with them and it (the Word) guides them also….
By what has happened to my life, has also affected my wife, because she now reads and not just reads but studies the Word for herself, to God be the glory for what He has done…..
Amen….
I was raised in an A.M.E. Church, (African Methodist Episcopal) for the first 18 yrs of my life… But never really understood the Biblical story, I loved the church service, it was fun, the music was exciting, but still I never had any type of relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
One day in Sunday School class, I asked some hard question’s to the teacher, but my question’s were not satisfying to me…
Also around the same time, I was working part time at my mom’s job, and I met a guy, who was a Muslim…After watching him and talking with him for a couple of months, and also paying attention to a woman who said she was a Christian, mis-treat this guy, who always treated her with respect, it showed me something, that your behavior should reflect your
Faith..
So with a friend, I started to attend the Mosque’s in Brooklyn,N.Y. and their teaching sounded ok to me, then I started to read their material and didn’t know how to defend their own faith…..also the quran, after a couple of months, I took my shahada/in other words get born again (as far as Islam goes) and I told my mother/grandmother and they were not happy, but they themselves, were not grounded enough to show me their faith in Christianity…and like many other Christians,
What that did for me is make my new found religion even more sure to me, that I was following the right religion at first….
By the age of 19, I went into the military and met many Christians and again, they didn’t know how to defend their faith….(which just strengthened my religion to me) and some time in the U.S. Navy, I met my wife in Pascagoula, Mississippi. She was from Mobile, Alabama. She wasn’t saved but after some years later, maybe like the last couple of years, there was a difference in my wife…Suddenly she was going to Church more….but her life to me, changed little, until the last year or two (2001-2003). But around that time within me, I kept feeling am I really in the right religion ?.... Because this is my eternal destiny I am talking about here, I will only get one chance at this, and there are no do over’s…..
While at work, I met a preacher, and he asked me if I went to Church with my family….and I told him no, and he then said, a man should always go to Church with his family, so I told him, there are other ways of going to Heaven, then Church….
So, he basicly told me that if I didn’t believe in Jesus I was going to Hell, after he told me that I was hot, and searched in the Bible now I had disputed many other Christians before, so I looked in the Book of Revelations and tried to find a verse, that I wasn’t able to find….Instead I ended up reading the whole Book of Revelations, and by the time I got to the end, I was sure that God loved me and that Jesus was the Christ the Son of the living God,now you would think that by reading the Book of Revelations, that is what converted me…
But when I look back at that time in my life, it wasn’t just reading that Book, I had read the Bible before, (certain parts) also leading up to that point, that year in my spirit I had a deep feeling that I could not explain, that I wasn’t sure about my religion anymore, what was happening was God was causing the seeds in my heart from a child to grow….also what changed my life was that God showed His glory to me….and at that time, I had a choice to make, to either to accept God or continue to deny Him…..I don’t believe it was just the evidence alone…..God had changed my heart/ and also gave me the faith also that I needed.. ( Ephesians 2:8,9)
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
From the time I got saved about the third week of November 2003, until maybe a week later, I was sure God was putting in my heart to preach His Word.
So, I went back to the preacher that helped me see the gospel of Christ and asked him when do you know if the Lord is calling you to preach ?
So, he told me you won’t be able to rest, and the calling won’t leave, basically you will know….
He also told me that this isn’t something you want to play around with, you must be absolutely sure about that calling….and I knew it was….
Not too long after my conversion, I felt the need to ask the Lord for wisdom and also to understand the Scriptures so I would not lead no one wrongly, and then later I felt the desire to mostly listen to teaching and scholars/theologians as well…..
God had given me the gifts that I ask for and also the gift of teaching…. I can now understand why the Lord said, teachers will be judged more strictly, because people keep that teaching with them and it (the Word) guides them also….
By what has happened to my life, has also affected my wife, because she now reads and not just reads but studies the Word for herself, to God be the glory for what He has done…..
Amen….
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Is the Rapture of the Church real ?
Devotional thought from the messages of Adrian Rogers
BIBLE MEDITATION:
1 Thessalonians 4:16 - “For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first.”
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
I believe there will be seven years of terrible tribulation. It will be a time of tyranny and persecution. It will be a time when all nature will be out of joint and when demon spirits will infest the world. It will be a time when the Anti-Christ will rule and reign. But before the tribulation comes, the Church is going to be raptured out. You might find it interesting to note that the word “rapture” is not found in the Bible, but the word “caught up” is, and that’s literally what the word “rapture” means. We will be “caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thessalonians 4:17).
ACTION POINT:
Do your loved ones know what the rapture means? Why not ask them what they think this next week and open the door for a candid discussion about the future?
BIBLE MEDITATION:
1 Thessalonians 4:16 - “For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first.”
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
I believe there will be seven years of terrible tribulation. It will be a time of tyranny and persecution. It will be a time when all nature will be out of joint and when demon spirits will infest the world. It will be a time when the Anti-Christ will rule and reign. But before the tribulation comes, the Church is going to be raptured out. You might find it interesting to note that the word “rapture” is not found in the Bible, but the word “caught up” is, and that’s literally what the word “rapture” means. We will be “caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thessalonians 4:17).
ACTION POINT:
Do your loved ones know what the rapture means? Why not ask them what they think this next week and open the door for a candid discussion about the future?
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
What if you knew that Christ was coming back next week ?
Imagine knowing that Jesus was coming back in just one week. What would you do?
Is there a bad habit or sin you need to address?
Is there someone in your life with whom you need to make amends?
Is there someone you need to speak to about the things of God?
Is your spiritual life as vibrant as it should be when Christ returns?
Be ready for that reunion you are so looking forward to!
Is there a bad habit or sin you need to address?
Is there someone in your life with whom you need to make amends?
Is there someone you need to speak to about the things of God?
Is your spiritual life as vibrant as it should be when Christ returns?
Be ready for that reunion you are so looking forward to!
Monday, April 5, 2010
What is the Gospel ?
First read: Genesis 3:1-15 & Isaiah 53
What's the best news you have ever heard ? (maybe a new marriage,birth of a new born or maybe a new job ?)
To me it would be the Gospel or called the good news/glad tidings, which speaks about a messenger bringing victory of a war and he usually is running.....
If I asked you when did the gospel start,what would you say ?
My understanding of the Scriptures, I believe it started in the Garden of Eden, the beginning of the Promise...(Genesis 3:15)
Look with me at verse (v.15)- enmity between your seed & Her Seed...as you can see (in the New King James Version and some other translations) the first seed is not capitalized, but the second Seed is...
This is about none other than the Lord Jesus Christ...(The Seed that is in Cap's)
Let me break this story down in a story for you (paraphrase)...
God told adam (1st adam) because you disobeyed Me, your sin must be dealt with.
The Reason is, if you want fellowship with Me again, someOne will have to die...
God told adam, you will die adam(1st.), but not for the sin's of all mankind....(adam doesn't understand,still)
You see (1st.) adam, what you did had an effect on all mankind, but don't worry adam, I knew you would do that, so I made prior arrangements.
But in order for you, meaning mankind to have felloweship with Me again, I'm sending another Adam, a 2nd Adam,and He will live a perfect life & become the Savior of the world, so 1st. adam, don't worry I'm in total control of everything.
This is in the prophecy, in Isaiah 53,(v.3) the Bible tells us that He (The Christ) will be despised & rejected by men, (the same ones He came to save!)
That is called humility, when allow, those whom you created is crucifing...
It has been asked, who killed Jesus ?....and it is true that we all had a part in this, like the Jews, the Romans, and us....But......
Look at v.4, it says Smitten by God and afflicted....for us....what kind of Love is that ????
But why did Christ do this for us ?......look with me at: John 15:13.
No greater love than this, that a Man lay down His life for His friends.
So, next time someone talks about you, don't fight back...do what Jesus did....let God handle you battles.....
Why, did He do it ?....watch this: Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, (watch this) who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Philippians 2:9 says: God has highly exalted Him, and given Him a name that is above every name.
Why did He do it ? simply because of His love for us.....
Here is the plan of salvation:
In Mark 1:15, Jesus came preaching repent & believe in the gospel...
1st. to repent means: a change of mind, you agree w/ God that you are a sinner & you are wanting or desire to turn away from your sin life & turn to God's way....
2nd. believe in the gospel: That Jesus came from heaven, born of a virgin, lived a perfect life, died for all your sins (past,present and future sins) and was raised on the 3rd. day by the power of God and now sits on the right hand of God the Father.
If you truly repent and believe in the gospel w/all your heart you will start to bear fruit, of the Spirit of God (the fruit that every Christian bears is found in:
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Galatians 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Remember this last thing......You are responsible for your own salvation,not your parents,sis,bro,spouse....no one, but you....
So, what are you waiting for, accept the free gift of God, in Christ Jesus....
What's the best news you have ever heard ? (maybe a new marriage,birth of a new born or maybe a new job ?)
To me it would be the Gospel or called the good news/glad tidings, which speaks about a messenger bringing victory of a war and he usually is running.....
If I asked you when did the gospel start,what would you say ?
My understanding of the Scriptures, I believe it started in the Garden of Eden, the beginning of the Promise...(Genesis 3:15)
Look with me at verse (v.15)- enmity between your seed & Her Seed...as you can see (in the New King James Version and some other translations) the first seed is not capitalized, but the second Seed is...
This is about none other than the Lord Jesus Christ...(The Seed that is in Cap's)
Let me break this story down in a story for you (paraphrase)...
God told adam (1st adam) because you disobeyed Me, your sin must be dealt with.
The Reason is, if you want fellowship with Me again, someOne will have to die...
God told adam, you will die adam(1st.), but not for the sin's of all mankind....(adam doesn't understand,still)
You see (1st.) adam, what you did had an effect on all mankind, but don't worry adam, I knew you would do that, so I made prior arrangements.
But in order for you, meaning mankind to have felloweship with Me again, I'm sending another Adam, a 2nd Adam,and He will live a perfect life & become the Savior of the world, so 1st. adam, don't worry I'm in total control of everything.
This is in the prophecy, in Isaiah 53,(v.3) the Bible tells us that He (The Christ) will be despised & rejected by men, (the same ones He came to save!)
That is called humility, when allow, those whom you created is crucifing...
It has been asked, who killed Jesus ?....and it is true that we all had a part in this, like the Jews, the Romans, and us....But......
Look at v.4, it says Smitten by God and afflicted....for us....what kind of Love is that ????
But why did Christ do this for us ?......look with me at: John 15:13.
No greater love than this, that a Man lay down His life for His friends.
So, next time someone talks about you, don't fight back...do what Jesus did....let God handle you battles.....
Why, did He do it ?....watch this: Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, (watch this) who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Philippians 2:9 says: God has highly exalted Him, and given Him a name that is above every name.
Why did He do it ? simply because of His love for us.....
Here is the plan of salvation:
In Mark 1:15, Jesus came preaching repent & believe in the gospel...
1st. to repent means: a change of mind, you agree w/ God that you are a sinner & you are wanting or desire to turn away from your sin life & turn to God's way....
2nd. believe in the gospel: That Jesus came from heaven, born of a virgin, lived a perfect life, died for all your sins (past,present and future sins) and was raised on the 3rd. day by the power of God and now sits on the right hand of God the Father.
If you truly repent and believe in the gospel w/all your heart you will start to bear fruit, of the Spirit of God (the fruit that every Christian bears is found in:
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Galatians 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Remember this last thing......You are responsible for your own salvation,not your parents,sis,bro,spouse....no one, but you....
So, what are you waiting for, accept the free gift of God, in Christ Jesus....
Kings and Kingdoms: David
"For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption."
Acts 13:36
Recommended Reading
2 Samuel 7:8-9
It's human nature for us to focus, most of the time, on the wrong thing. If we're not regretting the past (wrong), we're worrying about the future (also wrong)--"wrong" in the sense that they divert our attention from the one thing that is most important: the present. Our focus should be on discerning and obeying God's will for us today rather than how we wish the past or the future might be different.
King David was, in the eyes of those who came after him, a man who recognized what God had called him to do during his lifetime: the two most important were being the king of Israel and building God a "house" (the temple, completed by David's son, Solomon). David's focus was on serving "his own generation" according to the will of God (Acts 13:36). And that's what we should do as well. The past is irretrievable and unchangeable. The future we can plan for but cannot control. The present, however, is what God has given us today.
Like David, our focus should be on God's will for today. The more each "today" is lived obediently, the fewer regrets about the past we will have in the future.
To obey God's will is to find the fulfillment of our lives.
Acts 13:36
Recommended Reading
2 Samuel 7:8-9
It's human nature for us to focus, most of the time, on the wrong thing. If we're not regretting the past (wrong), we're worrying about the future (also wrong)--"wrong" in the sense that they divert our attention from the one thing that is most important: the present. Our focus should be on discerning and obeying God's will for us today rather than how we wish the past or the future might be different.
King David was, in the eyes of those who came after him, a man who recognized what God had called him to do during his lifetime: the two most important were being the king of Israel and building God a "house" (the temple, completed by David's son, Solomon). David's focus was on serving "his own generation" according to the will of God (Acts 13:36). And that's what we should do as well. The past is irretrievable and unchangeable. The future we can plan for but cannot control. The present, however, is what God has given us today.
Like David, our focus should be on God's will for today. The more each "today" is lived obediently, the fewer regrets about the past we will have in the future.
To obey God's will is to find the fulfillment of our lives.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
The Trial of your Faith...
The Trial of Your Faith
Devotional thought from the messages of Adrian Rogers
BIBLE MEDITATION:
1 Peter 1:7 - “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.”
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
James 1:13 says, “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man.” Now, some people get confused between temptations and trials, and the difference between the two is this. Trials are sent by God to cause us to stand. Temptation to sin is sent by the devil to cause us to stumble. One is meant for our maturity. The other is meant for our misery. James used this word interchangeably. While God does not cause both kinds, God allows both kinds, and He will use both to make us more like Jesus.
ACTION POINT:
Are you in the furnace of affliction? Do you feel you’re being tempted? Trust in God to see you through.
Devotional thought from the messages of Adrian Rogers
BIBLE MEDITATION:
1 Peter 1:7 - “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.”
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
James 1:13 says, “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man.” Now, some people get confused between temptations and trials, and the difference between the two is this. Trials are sent by God to cause us to stand. Temptation to sin is sent by the devil to cause us to stumble. One is meant for our maturity. The other is meant for our misery. James used this word interchangeably. While God does not cause both kinds, God allows both kinds, and He will use both to make us more like Jesus.
ACTION POINT:
Are you in the furnace of affliction? Do you feel you’re being tempted? Trust in God to see you through.
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