Knowing God; April 24, 2022

Posted on April 26, 2022 by jgarrott

Isaiah 40:28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.

The verses following this, particularly 30 and 31, are dearly loved and often quoted and set to music, but all that depends on this. Many people do act like they don’t know there’s an omnipotent Creator, and particularly one who knows and cares about them and what they do. They claim to be wise and yet flaunt their foolishness and willful ignorance. As David said, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’” (Psalm 14:1) The NIV includes a note that says, “The Hebrew words rendered fool in Psalms denote one who is morally deficient.” Recently there has been a lot of uproar about a Twitter account called The Libs of Tiktok, that simply reposts things that others have put on the Internet proclaiming their position on various issues, particularly sexual/moral/political ones. Those so quoted certainly fit that definition in the Psalms! If there was any awareness of this verse, those people would at the very least not be proclaiming their foolishness! People don’t want to acknowledge an omnipotent God because they don’t want to go by His rules, not realizing that every one of His rules is for our good. It’s like Jesus said to Saul in his vision on the road to Damascus, “It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” (Acts 26:14) Rebelling against God doesn’t hurt Him, though it saddens Him, but it certainly hurts us! Because the devil wants to steal, kill, and destroy us, (John 10:10) he does his best to hide the truth of this verse from us. Once we really grasp this verse, along with John 3:16, we have entered a fortress the devil can’t penetrate. The problems come when we know this on one level but then act like we don’t on other levels. What we need is integrity, living out the truth we know and believe. The more we do that, the more we walk in the incalculable blessings God has prepared for us.

This of course applies to me. I was taught the reality of this verse from infancy, really, but I certainly can’t say I have walked in it 100%. I understand the mind games of those who deny God because I’ve played too many mind games of that sort myself. That sort of pride is always destructive! It is sad to see people destroying themselves, but it is angering to see them trying to take others with them. I am to speak the truth in love, understanding that sometimes love requires me to be very strong and forceful, even. That doesn’t fit the image most people have of Jesus, but at one point He made a whip of cords to drive the merchants out of the temple. (John 2:15) I’m not to look for such occasions, but I’m not to draw back from them either. I am never to think I am to oppose evil in my own strength, but totally depend on my omnipotent Creator. As James said, I am to submit to God and resist the devil, so that he will flee. (James 4:7)

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You that the tide of willful ignorance seems to be turning, in the US at least. I do pray for all who are choosing to submit to You and resist the devil, not just that they would be bold and strong but that they would discover You more and more in the process, coming to a clear, pure faith for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Suffering; April 23, 2022

Posted on April 26, 2022 by jgarrott

Isaiah 38:16-17 Lord, by such things men live;
and my spirit finds life in them too.
You restored me to health and let me live.
Surely it was for my benefit
that I suffered such anguish.

Once again differences in translation between the English and the Japanese impart a different feel to the passage. Where the NIV says, “You restored me to health and let me live,” the Japanese expresses it as a request that the Lord would do that. Where the NIV says, “it was for my benefit,” the Japanese says, “it was for the sake of inner peace.” The last is easily understood because of the famous Hebrew word, shalom, which can mean a wide variety of things but is most often translated as peace. All of that aside, the fundamental point remains, that suffering can actually do us good. We tend to set a goal of zero suffering, but in this world that can create more problems than it solves. Right now we see a whole generation of young people who have been raised with that attitude, and they are total wimps! The idea that someone could have a strongly-held opinion that differs from theirs, even, sends them into melt-down. Pampering feels good in the short term, but it is disastrous in the long term. Hezekiah was a king, and he was certainly used to getting his way in everything. The Lord very graciously dealt with that. The last two verses of this chapter give real insight into the advance of medicine over the centuries, because they tell us that Hezekiah’s potentially fatal ailment involved a boil. We don’t think of boils as that serious, but this was long before any sort of antibiotics, and boils can lead to sepsis, which can certainly be fatal. We have many reasons to be grateful!

I am grateful that my parents weren’t over-protective, and I experienced various hard knocks that were for my benefit. At this point I tend to take illness and injury very much in stride – which isn’t at all to say that I enjoy them! A risk for me is seeming to be callous toward the suffering of others, and that is certainly not desirable. My wife has a list of health issues, and the latest is a rotator cuff injury which, though not potentially fatal, is certainly painful. We don’t know why God allowed this, or what benefit He is going to bring about because of it, but we do have the assurance that He never allows anything to happen to us that He can’t use for good. (Romans 8:28) In the meantime, I need to be the support and comfort Cathy needs, recognizing that in the unity of marriage, anything that happens to her happens to me. She is not very adept at slowing down, and I need to have God’s wisdom and guidance in helping her do that as He intends.

Father, thank You for this timely reminder. As my mother used to pray, I ask that you keep Cathy from any unnecessary pain and give her the wisdom she needs to flow with Your Spirit on Your schedule, receiving Your healing for her blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Life; April 22, 2022

Posted on April 24, 2022 by jgarrott

Ecclesiastes 9:4 Anyone who is among the living has hope –even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!

Solomon’s cynicism really bothers me at times. He is to me one of the most tragic figures in the whole Bible, because he was given so much and threw it all away because of humanistic intellectual pride. He certainly had a powerful intellect and his writings do contain a lot of truth, but he benefitted essentially not at all from it. He had as much “creature comfort” as was possible in those days, with absolutely nothing being denied him. His mind enabled him to see the futility in all of that, but he failed to develop the personal relationship with his Creator that would have given meaning to it all. As a point of reference, the average American today has far more physical comfort than Solomon did, and the amount of knowledge that is instantly available to us on our cell phones totally dwarfs the entire volume of knowledge that was available in his day, not to mention what he knew personally. He indeed had more gold, jewels, and the like than we could imagine, but all of that together couldn’t have purchased what we take for granted. This particular verse of his is well known, and has been used by some as an excuse to run away from battle or other danger. The problem with it is that Solomon’s concept of “life” was limited to the physical, as is clear throughout this chapter and indeed, throughout all of Solomon’s writings. Someone who dies physically in a right relationship with his Creator, at whatever age, is far better off, and has far more hope, than someone who lives past 100 who doesn’t have such a relationship.

Naturally this applies to me. I’ve already outlived my father by over nine years, but “length of days” seems increasingly less important to me. I am “among the living” not because my heart is beating, but because I know and trust in my living Lord. When this physical life is over that will be a minor bump in my existence, because I already have eternal life. My intellect has presented me with some of the same temptations to which Solomon succumbed, and I am deeply grateful that the Lord has enabled me to avoid some and get over others. I do desire that others join me in the hope that I have, but I can’t force them to believe and accept it. However, I can speak the truth in love, and that is what I want to do consistently, for as long as the Lord leaves me here.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I still get tied up in temporal things all too often. Help me indeed rest, relax, and rejoice in the hope that I have in Christ, so that others may see that hope and desire and receive it for themselves, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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The Fear of Man; April 21, 2022

Posted on April 23, 2022 by jgarrott

Proverbs 29:25 Fear of man will prove to be a snare,
but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.

This is a timeless truth indeed. Verses 10 and 27 in this chapter mention how people who aren’t submitted to God are “out to get” those who are, but that’s still not reason to fear them. The past two years have been quite an example of this. The spread of COVID was used as an excuse by some to control others, cutting them off from one another in various ways, because isolation brings weakness. Recovery from that has been uneven across the world, but as I write, the mask mandate for public transportation in the US has just been struck down by a judge with common sense, and the videos that popped up of the reaction of crews and passengers on planes in flight when it was announced speak volumes. Meanwhile, the situation in Shanghai is tragic almost beyond description. Mankind is capable of incredible stupidity and cruelty, often at the same time. It is when those who are submitted first to God refuse to submit to tyranny, whatever label it bears, that things change. It has been astounding to see America, “the land of the free and the home of the brave,” submit so quickly and easily, but thankfully America seems to be waking up. Other countries don’t have the same traditions and framework, but there is hope there as well. The big issue hasn’t been the virus itself so much as the opinions of others if you don’t “toe the line.” All the protestations of “follow the science” were used as excuses to ignore the genuine science, actively suppressing various therapeutics that could probably have saved many, many lives, all for the sake of political control. As this verse says, the fear of man is a snare! Those who know God need to be active in trusting and obeying Him above all else.

Naturally this applies to me. Japan hasn’t had as many legal (or illegal) mandates as America, but social pressure is extremely strong in this society. Conformity is seen as a very high value. I have run into some strong reactions because of declining to get the mRNA shots, but that’s not something people can tell just by looking at me. I carry a mask and use it in stores, simply to avoid offending needlessly, but I don’t wear one outdoors, though many do. There are other issues that are actually more serious. I have failed to share the Gospel at times because of fearing an adverse reaction. That’s certainly listening to the devil! I am to decline the fear of man in all its various forms and indeed trust God fully, being obedient to Him for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. The fear of man indeed takes many different forms. Help me recognize them all and submit only to You, so that Your purposes many be accomplished in and through me for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Wisdom; April 20, 2022

Posted on April 23, 2022 by jgarrott

Proverbs 26:12 Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.

The Bible should always be read in context. This verse is the climax of a string of verses talking about how terrible fools are, and then on top of that we have this statement. Conceit is a terrible curse! I’m reminded of the line from the song, Everything is Beautiful, that says, “There are none so blind as those who will not see.” If you are convinced you personally are wise, then you won’t receive any input, no matter how wise and true it might be. It’s not that human beings can have no wisdom, but rather that genuine wisdom is humble. Genuine wisdom recognizes that God alone is the source of all wisdom and truth. As is proclaimed earlier in this same book, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” (Proverbs 9:10) That’s why James tells us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” (James 1:5) The genuinely wise person recognizes that compared to God, they definitely aren’t wise! As God famously told Isaiah, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9) Genuine wisdom asks God for His opinion on everything, and trusts Him to be right always.

This certainly applies to me. Conceit has been a snare to me all my life because I have been blessed with a high IQ. That’s not the same thing as wisdom! Mental gymnastics are a far cry from the wisdom of God. I need always to seek God and not presume on what He has already given me. It’s like manna: it needs to be gathered fresh every morning. One of the “grace gifts” mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12 is “the word of wisdom.” (1 Corinthians 12:8) I need to seek to operate in that, not discounting what I have been given but knowing that only God can respond accurately to every new situation. And presuming that one situation is like another can be quite a trap!

Father, I could write on and on about this, because I’ve experienced the limits of my own wisdom so many times. Thank You for those experiences. Thank You for Your faithfulness to break down my pride. It’s remarkably stubborn! Help me indeed be humble enough to allow Your wisdom to operate through me, for the blessing of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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The Work of Christ; April 19, 2022

Posted on April 22, 2022 by jgarrott

Acts 1:1-2 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.

I’m not sure how many years ago it was when I first realized that Luke was talking about this book of Acts being the continuing work of Jesus Christ Himself by the Holy Spirit. That one word began is of extreme importance! Luke himself came to salvation through that ministry, and of course he was the one who recorded the events of Pentecost, researching it after the fact. I personally think that a major reason God allowed Paul to be imprisoned in Caesarea for two years was to give Luke the time and opportunity to do the research involved in writing the Gospel that bears his name. How soon after that he started on Acts is open to conjecture, but there’s no question the whole world has been greatly blessed by the result of his labors. The point here, though, is that it was actually a work of Christ, by His Spirit operating in and through Luke. And the wonderful news is that Jesus is still working by His Spirit through His children across the world. We get caught up in the human instruments because they are visible, but the power and the glory belong to Jesus. When we realize that, it is much easier to relax and let Him use us, too. We may well be surprised at all the things He does through us, but we should never try to take credit. That won’t change what’s been done, but it will deprive us personally of whatever benefit God intended for us. As Paul said much later, “By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them – yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.” (1 Corinthians 15:10) We aren’t to be personally proud of things God does through us, but rather grateful. At the same time, drawing back because we don’t want to be in the spotlight can make us unavailable for Him to use. It can get complicated! I think the thing we need to remember is that Jesus is still working and teaching, and if we are submitted to His Spirit then He will use us in that process, for His glory alone.

This naturally applies to me, as it does to everyone. I have had problems with personal pride, failing to realize how little I had to do with whatever good results were produced. The longer I live the less pride I have left, because I mess up with remarkable frequency! At the same time, I have seen God use me to bless others and draw them to Him, and I am grateful even as at times I am amazed. As a pastor I desire that every believer come to the awareness that God can and will use them, too. Particularly in Japanese society people are taught not to “put themselves forward,” not to volunteer, essentially. That is a lie of the devil. I need to speak the truth in love so that the believers may be set free from that trap and flow with the Holy Spirit as God intends. He wants to do magnificent things in and through this church, and I need to be available to help people believe it.

Father, thank You for making it clear what I’m to speak on Sunday! Thank You for the good turnout for the children’s program on the 17th, and that the children and their parents all seemed to have such a good time. I think some of the believers were amazed! May we all genuinely get our eyes off of ourselves and onto Jesus Christ our Lord, (Hebrews 12:2) so that we will be fully available to You all the time, for the salvation of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Understanding the Bible; April 18, 2022

Posted on April 22, 2022 by jgarrott

Luke 24:44-45 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.

Two things here. The first is that the Messiah is thoroughly pro­phe­­­sied in the Old Testament. It was literally hundreds of years before the New Testament canon was settled, and the believers actively used the Old Testament as they shared the Good News of Jesus with both Jews and Gentiles. Churches and Christians who ignore the Old Testament do so to their great loss. The second thing is that our hearts have to be opened to receive the truth of Scripture. I know someone who has read through the whole Bible and still stubbornly refuses to commit to Jesus Christ as Lord. There are many who treat the Bible strictly as literature. It is that, and magnificent literature indeed, but if it is taken just as that it does us very little good. I’m sure the disciples were totally blown out of the water by all this, first that Jesus had risen from the dead and then to realize that everything had been prophesied long before. Even today we need to pray that God would open our hearts to understand the Word, not only as we read it but as we think of it through the day. The Bible can be very simple, and it can be extremely deep – sometimes in the same verse! Like the Ethiopian eunuch, we need someone to explain it to us. (Acts 8:26 ff) Who better than the Holy Spirit, who caused it to be written? John picked up on that very well in his first letter. “As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit–just as it has taught you, remain in him.” (1 John 2:27)

Of course this applies to me as much as it does to anyone else. I have slipped up by thinking otherwise! I have been familiar with the Bible since childhood and I have a high IQ, so at times I have trusted in that instead of asking God what He was saying, to me and to the particular situation. Sometimes He has surprised me! Reading the Bible is a joy and a privilege, and doing so in different translations and languages has been very enriching. However, I’ve always got to remember that it’s not just an academic exercise, it’s an opportunity to open my heart to hear what God is saying to me, and perhaps wants to say through me. If I can be used to open someone else’ heart, that is a high privilege indeed.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the blessed Resurrection Sunday yesterday. Thank You for all the children and their parents who came to the afternoon program. I pray that Your truth that they heard would remain in their hearts and minds and bear fruit for eternal life in the future, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Commission; April 17, 2022

Posted on April 21, 2022 by jgarrott

John 20:21-22 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

The whole Easter story is so glorious that every verse of the record is worthy of deep meditation. However, in some ways this passage takes the cake. I find it so meaningful I’ve even written a small book on it! This was the moment of the disciples’ commission­ing and empowering, whether they realized it or not. Some scholars have called it the “Johannine Pentecost,” because of Jesus breathing His Spirit onto the disciples, but it is clear from the record that they weren’t aware of the impartation and all it meant until after the actual day of Pentecost. The commission, however, I’m sure they thought about a great deal, from soon after the shock of Jesus’ appearing to them wore off a little. These men had been with Jesus for over three years, and they knew well what sort of lifestyle He kept. They had seen His expressions of love and of power, and realized He was sending them to do the same. What they didn’t realize, in all probability, was that He was empowering them for the task by the impartation of His Spirit. God never tells us to do anything that He doesn’t enable us to do. We often have trouble grasping or really believing that. We tend to think, this task is too big, or too hard, but that can’t be the case, because nothing is too big or too hard for God, and He is in us by His Spirit. A case in point is that of William Carey, whom a friend has been studying for seminary. William Carey was a cobbler, and neither a scholar nor a rich man, but God used him to spark what is called “the modern missionary movement” (though it was hundreds of years ago), imparting awesome intellect and wisdom and providing sufficient resources. Had he looked at himself and what he had, he never would have launched out and accom­plished all he did, but instead he looked at God who commissioned him, and the rest is history. We too need to receive and believe our commission, trusting not ourselves but the One who sends us, so that His will may be accomplished for His glory.

This is personal to me in many ways. In terms of William Carey, my mother’s sister-in-law, Saxon Rowe Carver, wrote a children’s book about Carey, called The Shoeleather Globe. She and her husband, not to mention my parents, were foreign missionaries from before WWII. Missions is very much in my blood! For myself, I have been given the vision of the city of Omura again becoming the foremost Christ­ian city in Japan, as it was 450 years ago. Humanly speaking that is clearly impossible, which is all the more reason I am convinced the vision is from God. After 40 years in Omura I see little if any movement in that direction, but again, I am to keep my eyes on my Lord and not on myself or my circumstances. I am to realize that here and in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) Jesus is imparting His authority, His power, and that is greater than anything that could stand against me – including my own weakness! I am to remember that the God who raised Jesus from the dead lives in me by His Spirit, and allow Him to do through me all that He desires, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this powerful reminder. Help me not slough it off, but indeed fulfill the commission You have for me personally, for the salvation of this nation and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Completion; April 16, 2022

Posted on April 20, 2022 by jgarrott

John 19:30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

We can imagine the incredible degree of relief Jesus must have felt in making this statement. The Japanese does a little better than the English in making it clear this isn’t just “over,” but “completed.” Jesus had fulfilled His commission, and He had done it perfectly. Less than 24 hours earlier He had literally been sweating blood over the anticipation of the events to follow, but He hadn’t faltered, and had done it all. What an absolutely magnificent example! We tend to back out of difficult circumstances, but Jesus went right on through, for our sake. Too often we are satisfied with an “almost,” but Jesus held absolutely nothing back. He is the ultimate example of the faithful servant in the parable He Himself told, who made full use of the things he had been provided. (Matthew 25:21) In thinking of that parable, however, we must remember that two servants received the same accolade, even though they had been given different amounts. No two people have exactly the same commission, so it is very dangerous to compare one person with another. The question is always whether we have done what God wanted us to do, and as I said, that is different for every person on earth, however many things we might have in common. We all need to aim to be able to say with Paul, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteous­ness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day–and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:7-8)

This of course applies to me, as it does to everyone. I’ve already outlived my father by over nine years, and I have no idea how much longer my Lord will keep me here – but then, no one does. My task is to be faithful each moment, for however many moments my Lord wants me here. I want to be able to join Paul in his affirmation! Tomorrow is Resurrection Sunday, and I will have multiple opportunities to share the Gospel in different ways with different groups. I am to rejoice in the occasion and the opportunity, not relying on my own ability but at the same time not holding anything back from whatever my Lord wants to do with it through me. The point is never my glory or satisfaction, but that of my Lord. I too desire to hear those words: “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for Wayne Cordeiro’s honest testimony the other day in the Zoom call. May I not set false goals for myself, but rather recognize what You have for me to do and do it with everything I have and am, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Forgiveness; April 15, 2022

Posted on April 20, 2022 by jgarrott

Luke 23:34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

Of all the things Jesus said from the point He was arrested until His death, this is perhaps the most earthshaking. There is a very remarkable line in Psalm 130 that came up in the readings not long ago: “But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared.” (Psalm 130:4) Other religions postulate gods of retribution and/or indulgence, but only the God of the Bible, while being perfectly holy and just, is big enough to forgive. That Jesus could ask the Father to forgive those who had literally nailed Him to a cross is absolutely monumental. We have trouble forgiving someone who cuts us off in traffic! The thing is, unforgiveness binds us, and Jesus was the freest person who ever lived, even while nailed to the cross. Jesus had nothing for which He needed to be forgiven, but He took our sins on Himself and died for them, so that we might be forgiven. That changed the entire course of history. It is no accident, and not inappropriate, that we base our calendar on Jesus’ birth. (Even though Pope Gregory had faulty data, so we’re probably a few years off.) The thing is, everything about Jesus’ life, from His conception by the Holy Spirit on throughout His ministry, led up to this moment. You could say that He was sent to earth to utter this prayer. It is when we receive the forgiveness He asked for here, recognizing fully that we need it, that we are set free from the chains of sin and death and are born again as children of God. (John 1:12-13)

This is certainly as true for me as it is for anyone else. People who know me now tend to think I’m some sort of saint, and indeed, the Bible speaks of all believers as saints, but that is entirely by the grace of God. As long as I thought I had earned or deserved any sort of “sainthood,” I was separated from God. My head knowledge of the Bible didn’t save me. It was only when I recognized my sinfulness and repented before God that I was able to receive His forgiveness. It would be nice if that were indeed a “once and done” transaction, and in a sense it is, but at the same time I have got to recognize that my flesh is in constant rebellion against God, and so walk in humble repentance. At the same time, I’ve got to remember that I indeed am forgiven, so that I may walk in the benefits of that forgiveness. (2 Peter 1:9) Knowing God’s forgiveness for myself, I must extend that forgiveness to others, just as Jesus said. (Matthew 6:14-15)

Father, thank You for Your forgiveness. Lord Jesus, thank You for extending that forgiveness even from the cross. Holy Spirit, thank You for working that forgiveness in and through me, for the salvation of all who will receive it, for the glory of God. Hallelujah!

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