1st March: Genesis 15:1-21
God
is greater than our circumstances. God had given great promises to
Abraham, yet there appeared no sign that His promises were being
fulfilled. The circumstances seemed bleak, and Abraham felt despondent.
Abraham was full of questions. In verse 2, he asks, 'What can you give
me...?'. This is the question of salvation. What does God give? He gives
salvation. In verse 8, he asks, 'How can I know...?'. This is the
question of assurance. We ask for assurance. God gives it - the
assurance of salvation, the assurance that salvation has been given and
received. Where are we to look for answers to these questions? Are we to
look to our circumstances? Are we to look to our feelings? No. We look
to the 'Almighty God' (2,8). Trusting in Christ, the 'Passover
Lamb...sacrificed for us', we receive a sure salvation (6:1; 1
Corinthians 5:7; John 20:31; 1 John 5:13).
2nd March: Genesis 16: 1-16
From
salvation and the assurance of salvation, we turn to Satan and the
activity of Satan. Sarai came with temptation (1). Abraham yielded to
temptation (2). Temptation becomes sin when we yield to it. In Abraham,
we see the conflict between 'the old man' that he was and 'the new man'
God was calling him to become (17:5; Galatians 5:17). He chose the way
of unbelief. Listening to the voice of Satan, speaking through Sarai, he
walked straight into immorality. Unbelief and immorality belong
together (Romans 1:18). We must guard our hearts with respect to both
what we believe and how we behave. We must not imagine that Satan will
win the victory over the Lord and His purpose of salvation. Satan will
try to overcome God's gracious purpose, but he will not succeed
(Revelation 20:10). 'Hallelujah!... the Lord our God the Almighty
reigns' (Revelation 19:6).
3rd March: Genesis 17:1-27
Amazing
grace - this is the marvellous theme of this chapter. Abram became
Abraham (5). Sarai became Sarah (15-16). What they were belonged to
their sinful past. What they became was the work of God's grace. What a
contrast there is between human sin and divine grace. We look at
ourselves. We see sin, and we lose hope. We look at the God of grace,
and we say, 'Sin shall not have dominion. Grace is victorious' (Romans
6:14). Abram and Sarai appeared to be hopeless cases. They had failed
the Lord, but He did not fail them. He made them new people. They became
the father and mother of nations. To those who do not deserve His love,
God still renews His 'covenant', His promise of love (2). He still
says, 'I have loved you with an everlasting love' (Jeremiah 31:3). In
the Cross of Christ, we have the greatest 'sign of the covenant' (11;
Romans 5:8).
4th March: Genesis 18:1-15
Is
anything too hard for the Lord? (14). We need to hear these words as
God's call to greater faith. Sarah, like Abraham, had heard God's
promises, yet 'she laughed to herself' (12). We can hear God's Word, and
still remain, in our hearts, men and women of unbelief. The Word of God
does not benefit us when we do not receive it with faith (Hebrews 4:2).
God knows what is in our hearts, just as He knew what was in Sarah's
heart (13-15). He knows the human heart, 'deceitful above all things'
(Jeremiah 17:9), yet He continues to love us. He does not give up on us.
He perseveres with us. He could have given up on Sarah as a hopeless
waste of His time, but He did not. 'The evil heart of unbelief' is
always with us, but God is constantly at work to create in us 'a clean
heart' ( Hebrews 3:12: Psalm 51:10). 'Soften my heart, Lord' (Mission Praise, 606).
5th March: Genesis 18:16-33
In
the face of the threatened judgment of God upon Sodom and Gomorrah, we
find Abraham engaging in mighty intercessory prayer. He is not concerned
only about himself and his own salvation. He is prayerfully committed
to seeking the salvation of others. This is a mark of spiritual maturity
- a deep concern for the salvation of sinners, leading to earnest
intercessory prayer for them. Abraham drew near to God (23; James 4:8).
He pleaded with the God of grace to have mercy on the city (23-25; 2
Peter 3:9; 1 Timothy 2:3-4, 1:15; John 3:17). With a deep love for the
people, Abraham prays with boldness and persistence (27,32; Hebrews
4:16). A great many people refused to honour God, yet His purpose was
not hindered. The remnant seemed impossibly small. It was the beginning
of blessing for all nations. 'To God be the glory, Great things He has
done' (Church Hymnary, 374).
6th March: Matthew 10:1-20
Jesus
gave authority to His disciples (1). He gives authority to us. It is
the authority of the Word and the Spirit - 'you will be given what to
say' by 'the Spirit of your Father speaking through you' (20). Christ's
disciples were being trained for a great work to be done in the Name and
the Power of the Lord (28: 18-20). If we are to communicate the Word in
the power of the Spirit, we need to see our life as life in the Spirit
and life under the Word. Scripture calls us to 'be filled with the
Spirit' (Ephesians 5:18) and to 'let the Word of Christ dwell in us
richly' (Colossians 3:16). To be filled with the Spirit is to let the
Word of Christ dwell in us richly. To let the Word of Christ dwell in us
richly is to be filled with the Spirit. We are to live in the power of
the Spirit. We are to live in accordance with the Scriptures.
7th March: Matthew 10:21-42
Jesus
tells us that 'a student is not above his teacher nor a servant above
his master' (24). Our Teacher is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is our
Master. Jesus emphasizes that 'it is enough for the student to be like
his teacher and the servant like his master' (25). This is the goal of
the Christian life - we are to be like Jesus. This will not be an easy
life. There will be persecution (22; 2 Timothy 3:12). In this situation -
going the way of the Cross with Jesus (38) - we need to hear and heed
the Word of the Lord: Do not fear man. Fear God (28). The fear of men is
to be avoided. The fear of God is to be treasured greatly. There will
be conflict with those who do not honour God (34-37). We must remember:
pleasing God is more important than pleasing people. Our prayer is that
our hearers will receive Christ as well as ourselves (40).
8th March: Matthew 11:1-19
Much
is said about John the Baptist here, yet the whole purpose is to draw
attention to Jesus the Saviour. Jesus is superior to John. He is the One
to whom John pointed. There are two responses to Jesus. We can take
offence at Him: 'Blessed is he who takes no offence at Me' (6). We can
hear what He says, receiving Him with faith: 'He who has ears to hear,
let him hear' (15). In His time, Jesus asked the question, 'To whom
shall I compare this generation?', giving the answer, 'We played the
flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not
mourn' (16-17). The promise of the Gospel is preached, yet many will not
rejoice. The warning of the Gospel is preached, yet many will not
repent. This is the story of our generation. May God help us to lead
people of this generation to Christ, the 'Friend of sinners' (19).
9th March: Matthew 11:20-30
In
John 16:8-11, Jesus speaks of the work of the Holy Spirit, convicting
the world of sin, righteousness and judgment. Before there can be
conversion, there needs to be conviction of sin. None of us can come to
the Saviour of sinners without first seeing ourselves as sinners who
need the Saviour. God uses the warning of judgment to send us to the
Saviour - there 'will be...judgment', so make sure that you 'come' to
Christ for salvation (24,28; Luke 3:7-8; Hebrews 2:3; 3:7-15). Before
there can be growth in grace, there needs to be conversion. Before we
can live a righteous life, learning from Christ (29; 1 Peter 1:15-16),
we must come to Christ for rest, being declared righteous by Him (28;
Romans 4:5-8). In Christ, we have salvation, set free from judgment -
'no condemnation' - and set free for righteousness - 'living according
to the Spirit' (Romans 8:1).
10th March: Proverbs 1:20-33
This
section begins with the words, 'Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she
raises her voice in the public squares' (20) and ends with the words,
'whoever listens to Me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear
of harm' (33). The Gospel is not to be kept to ourselves. Christ is to
be proclaimed. Why is it so important that we tell others about our
Saviour, Jesus Christ? - It is because He offers salvation to all who
come to Him: 'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved'
(Romans 10:13). Later on, in Proverbs, we read, 'he who wins souls is
wise' (11:30). Those who are wise will pray for a greater fulfilment of
the Lord's promise: 'you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes
on you; and you will be my witnesses...' (Acts 1:8). Filled with the
Holy Spirit, we will speak the Word of God boldly (Acts 4:31).
11th March: Genesis 19:1-29
In
Genesis 3, we read of humanity's fall into sin. Here, we see the
awfulness of human sin and the awesomeness of divine judgment. We must
take God with the utmost seriousness. If we refuse to take Him
seriously, He will continue to take us seriously - in His judgment! Sin
leads to judgment - that's the lesson of Sodom and Gomorrah. There is
sadness in the story of Lot. A compromised believer for whom the world
had no respect, he chose Sodom. This choice brought him nothing but sin
and shame - 'and now he wants to play the judge!' (9). The amazing thing
is that God did not give up on this 'backslider' - 'the Lord was
merciful to them...He brought Lot out of the catastrophe' (16,29). What a
great thing it is to have God's salvation: 'everything we need for life
and godliness' to 'escape the corruption in the world' (2 Peter 1:3-5).
12th March: Genesis 19:30-20:18
These
are stories of deception and deceit. Lot is deceived by his daughters
(30-38). Abraham deceives Abimelech (1-18). Even with the divine
provision for godliness, we need to be constantly on our guard. Even
those to whom we had looked for help can turn out to be a hindrance. Lot
was drawn into incest. This had drastic effects - 'the father of the
Moabites, the father of the Ammonites' (37-38)! Devotion to the Lord
needs to be renewed day-by-day. Otherwise, we will be vulnerable to the
attacks of the enemy and overcome by him. Abraham concealed the whole
truth by telling a half-truth (12). Abraham was regarded as 'a prophet'
(7). He ought to have lived the life of a prophet, a true life. We are
to be true - the people of God.
13th March: Genesis 21:1-21
We
have here the contrast between Isaac, the child of promise, and
Ishmael, the fruit of unbelief. Ishmael was born as a result of
impatience, the failure to wait upon the Lord. In the birth of Isaac,
the initiative belonged with God, and the glory belonged to Him. In
Christ, we are the children of promise - 'children born not of natural
descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God'
(John 1:13). God did not forget Ishmael. There were blessings for him
(17-21). The difference between Ishmael and Isaac is the difference
between common grace and saving grace. Many people know much of the
grace of God in 'the common things of life' (Church Hymnary,
457). There are so many blessings for them to count. Still they fail to
appreciate God's greatest gift - His Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Thank God for this and that and...Jesus!
14th March: Genesis 21:22-22:14
Here,
we see Abraham in his relationship with the world (22-34) and his
relationship with the Lord (1-14). Abraham deals honestly and wisely
with the pagan king, Abimelech, who acknowledges Abraham's closeness to
God - 'God is with you in all that you do' (22). We are to be honest and
wise in our relationship with the world (Romans 12:17; Colossians 4:5;
Ephesians 5:15; 1 Peter 2:12). Our relationship with the world is to be
grounded in our relationship with God. In the testing of Abraham, we
catch a glimpse of 'the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world'
(John 1:29). Christ is the Lamb whom God will provide (8). In
verse 14, we read, 'On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided'. On
Calvary's hill, Christ died to bring us to God, so that we might learn
to live for Him in this world (1 Peter 3:18; 2:24).
15th March: Genesis 22:15-23:20
After
the renewal of God's promise (15-18), Abraham went to Beersheba (19).
He returned to the place where he had 'called...on the Name of the Lord,
the Everlasting God' (33). This is a good 'place' to be, the 'place' of
calling on the Name of the Lord, the Everlasting God. As we read of the
death and burial of Sarah, we must remember this: the Lord is the
Everlasting God. The death of Sarah took place in God's time. Her death
signified that her work had been done. She had mothered the child of
promise. Beyond the death of Sarah, there was the continuing purpose of
God. The cave at Machpelah (23:19-20) became the burial place for Sarah,
Abraham, Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob and Leah. We see the continuity of
history, and we thank God for His continuing faithfulness down through
the generations.
16th March: Matthew 12:1-21
Much
of Jesus' ministry was carried out under the watchful eye of the
Pharisees. The controversy with the Pharisees was intensifying (2, 14).
The Pharisees were out to get Jesus. For all their religion, they had no
time for Jesus. Still, there are the critics, those who try to
undermine our faith in Christ, those who attempt to draw us away from
serving Christ. We must remain resolute in our faith, believing what God
says concerning His Son: 'Here is my Servant whom I have chosen, the
One I love, in whom I delight' (18; 3:17; 17:5). As we read of Jesus,
the chosen Servant of God, loved by the Father and bringing delight to
the Father's heart, we should give thanks for all that God has done for
us in Christ (Ephesians 1: 4-6), and we should commit ourselves afresh
to the service of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:58).
17th March: Matthew 12:22-37
Opposition
from the Pharisees was growing all the time (24). Jesus had to rebuke
them in very strong words (30, 32,34,36-37). This was not exactly a 'How
to win friends and influence people' approach! Nevertheless, this was a
time for strong words. Jesus' ministry illustrates the principle: 'a
time to tear down and a time to build' (Ecclesiastes 3:3). There was a
time for 'whoever is not against us is for us' (Mark 9:40). This was the
time for 'he who is not with me is against me' (30). There was a time
for speaking of the Spirit as 'the Comforter' (John 14:16,26). This was
the time for the warning about the 'blasphemy against the Spirit' (31).
The opposition was severe, but Jesus was victorious - He 'drove out
demons by the Spirit of God', in Him 'the Kingdom of God had come' (28).
In Him, we are victorious (Romans 8:37; Revelation 12:11).
18th March: Matthew 12:38-50
Jesus
did not 'mince His words' with the Pharisees. He described them as 'a
wicked and adulterous generation' (39,45). They were men who, by their
stubborn refusal to listen to Jesus, had placed themselves under the
judgment of God. The Pharisees may have had no time for Jesus, but there
were those who were eager to learn from Him. Out of 'the crowd' (46),
Jesus was calling to Himself those who were learning what it really
means to be related to Him (50). Jesus directed attention away
from His human connections to His divine authority. Sometimes, people
make too much of the wrong things - 'Blessed is the womb that bore
you...' (Luke 11:27). They need to be reminded of the things that really
matter: 'Blessed rather are those who hear the Word of God and keep it'
(Luke 11:28). As God's children we are to do His will (50; John 14:21).
19th March: Matthew 13:1-23
Jesus
spoke in parables. He spoke of everyday things, teaching lessons
concerning the Kingdom of God. He was a story-teller, and yet He was
more than that. His stories had a message, a life-changing message, a
message designed to lead His hearers into new life, the life of God's
Kingdom. The parable of the sower may be described more fully as the
parable of 'the sower, the seed and the soil'. Some respond to God's
Word in a shallow way. In others, there is greater depth of response.
Some 'enjoy' the preaching without really responding, in faith, to
Christ. Jesus says, 'He who has ears , let him hear' (10). Receive God's
Word in obedient faith, and your knowledge of God will increase (12).
This is the way of childlike faith and spiritual growth. Beware of proud
unbelief and spiritual decline (12; 11:25)!
20th March: Matthew 13:24 -43
Jesus'
parables are so rich in spiritual content. They speak with an
indirectness which is very direct! They may be parabolic in form, but
they do go right to the heart of the matter in a way that is very
challenging. The parable of the 'wheat and the weeds' (24-30, with
explanation given in 36-43) contrasts a real believing response to
Christ with an empty profession of faith in Him. There is also something
else - leave judgment to God. He knows those who are His and those who
are not. The parable of the mustard seed (31-32) is a word of
encouragement - Do not give up hope that the seed of God's Word is
growing, slowly and surely, in the hearts of those who do not appear to
be bearing much fruit. The parable of the yeast is also encouraging -
What a difference even a few believers can make to a whole community!
21st March: Matthew 13: 44-58
Be
patient. Do not doubt the power of God's Word. Once God's Word has
begun to exert its influence among the people, great things will happen.
The beginnings may seem small. Remember: nothing is insignificant when
God is in it! Some may be on the verge of the kind of joyful discovery
of Christ, described in 44-46! The parable of the net (47-50) is similar
to the parable of the wheat and the tares (24-30). The separation of
'the good' and 'the bad' comes 'at the end of the age' (48-49). The
Gospel is 'old' and 'new' (52) - we've known its teaching for years, yet
there are always some 'new treasures' for us to discover. It's sadly
possible to hear the Word of God without believing it and enjoying its
blessing. Don't let Christ be 'a prophet without honour' (57). Honour
Him in your heart and life.
22nd March: Psalm 4:1-8
There
is a great message of the Gospel here. By ourselves, we are sinners,
turning God's glory to shame, loving delusions and seeking false gods
(2). By grace, God has done something about this - 'the Lord has set
apart the godly for Himself' (3). When we pray, 'Answer me' (1), we have
this confidence: 'the Lord will hear when I call to Him' (3). The Lord
hears the sinner's prayer, 'Give me relief from my distress; be merciful
to me and hear my prayer' (1). Jesus Christ is God's Answer to this
prayer. Christ brings relief (salvation). This salvation arises from the
mercy of God. In Christ, we have a 'joy' and 'peace' which the world can
neither give nor take away (7-8). When the seeking sinner comes with
the question, 'Who can show us any good?' (6), the Gospel Answer is
always the same - Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
23rd March: Genesis 24:1-21
The
servant was sent on a mission. He was 'to get a wife for...Isaac' (4).
When Christ entered Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1-11), He was on a mission. He
had come for His Bride, the Church (Ephesians 5:25; Revelation 21:2-3).
The servant was not to 'get a wife...from...the Canaanites' (3). The
Church is to be made 'holy,...a radiant Church, without stain or wrinkle
or any other blemish, but holy and blameless' (Ephesians 5:26-27). The
servant carried out his mission carefully and prayerfully (12-14). Jesus
was careful to fulfil the words of the prophet - entering Jerusalem 'on
a donkey' (Matthew 21:2-7). In His journey to the Cross, Jesus was
concerned with this one thing - 'to do the will of Him who sent me and
to finish His work' (John 4:34). The servant prayed, and the answer was
given (15-16). Not my will but Thine, Lord!
24th March: Genesis 24:22-49
The
detailed account of Isaac's marriage highlights the guidance of God. He
directs the life of His people. This is our testimony - 'the Lord...has
led me on the right road' (48). The great lessons of this story are
stated in verse 27 - (a) the 'steadfast love' of the Lord; (b) the
'faithfulness' of God; (c) the guidance of God - 'the Lord has led me';
(d) worshipping the Lord - 'Blessed be the Lord...'. We are to seek
God's guidance, rejoicing in His love and trusting in His faithfulness.
Looking to Christ, who went to the Cross for us, we are to say, with
Him, 'I have come to do Thy will, O God', 'I will praise Thee', 'I will
put my trust in Him', 'Here am I, and the children God has given Me'
(Hebrews 10:7; 2:12-13). To those who do His will, praising Him and
trusting Him, God will give much blessing - 'an overflowing blessing'
(Malachi 3:10).
25th March: Genesis 24:50-67
In
verse 60, we read of the blessing of God upon Rebekah - 'Our sister,
may you increase to thousands upon thousands; may your offspring possess
the gates of their enemies'. This refers to the long-term fulfilment of
God's promise to Abraham. Through the death of Christ, the Lamb of God,
'a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation,' will
sing the song of salvation, 'Salvation belongs to our God...and to the
Lamb' (Revelation 7: 9-10). This is what we must pray for in our own
community. In homes where Christ has not been honoured, there will be
transformation. The Lord's messengers will be received - 'Blessed is he
who comes in the name of the Lord!' - and the Lord's Name will be
praised - 'Hosanna in the highest!' (Matthew 21:9). Such blessing will
be given to those who spend time with God (63; Joshua 1:8).
26th March: Genesis 25:1-18
What
will we leave behind us? What will we pass on to the next generation?
In this passage of many names, there is a challenging contrast between
the influence of Abraham and Ishmael on the next generation. In verse
11, we read, 'After Abraham's death, God blessed his son Isaac'. In
verse 18, we find that 'Ishmael's descendants lived in hostility toward
all their brothers'. In Isaiah 52:13-53:12, there is a great prophecy
concerning the death of Christ. We read of His suffering, as He becomes
'an offering for sin'. We learn also of His glorious future - 'He will
see His offspring and prolong His days' (53:10). Unlike Abraham (175
years) and Ishmael (137 years), Jesus did not live a long life on earth
(33 years), yet 'He shall see the fruit of the travail of His soul and
be satisfied' - 'many' will be 'accounted righteous' (11).
27th March: Matthew 14:1-14
John
the Baptist was 'arrested' and 'put in prison' (3). Shortly after this,
he was 'beheaded' (10). John was a faithful man. He was 'faithful unto
death' (Revelation 2:10). His death arose directly from his faithfulness
to God. He died as a 'martyr'. Following the death of John, news came
to Jesus, who was to die as our Saviour. How did Jesus react to this
news?- First, 'he withdrew...privately to a solitary place (13). Then,
having renewed His strength in the presence of His Father (Isaiah
40:31), He stepped out again into the sphere of public ministry. He
continued on His way, the Way that would lead Him to the Cross. What are
we to learn from John, the faithful martyr, and Jesus, the faithful
Saviour, who gave Himself in death for us? We are to be faithful to God.
If suffering lies ahead of us, He will make us strong.
28th March: Matthew 14:15-36
We
read of the feeding of the five thousand (15-21) and the walking on
water (25-33), and our thoughts go to Calvary. From the feeding with
bread and fish, we move to the bread and wine, symbols of Jesus' body
broken for us and His blood shed for us (26:26-28). From the confession
of faith - 'Truly You are the Son of God' (33), we move to the Cross to
hear the centurion's words of faith; 'Surely He was the Son of God!'
(27:54). We see Jesus, the Man of prayer (23), the Healer (35-36), and
we look to the Cross, where we experience the healing influence of His
prayer for us; 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are
doing' (Luke 23:34). 'Thank You for the Cross, The price you paid for
us, How You gave Yourself, So completely, Precious Lord, Now our sins
are gone, All forgiven, Covered by your blood, All forgotten, Thank You,
Lord' (Mission Praise, 632).
29th March: Matthew 15:1-20
The
Pharisees were preoccupied with washing the hands (2), yet they missed
out on the most important thing - the cleansing of the heart. They were
obsessed with 'correct' religious ritual, yet they sent Christ to the
Cross. They honoured God with their words, yet in their hearts they were
far from Him (8). We must pray for the cleansing of the heart: 'Purify
my heart, Cleanse me from within And make me holy. Purify my heart,
Cleanse me from my sin, Deep within' (Songs of Fellowship, 475).
When Jesus was buried, He was wrapped in a 'clean linen cloth' (27:59).
This was followed by His mighty resurrection. Without lapsing into
hypocritical obsession with outward appearances, we make this simple
comment: the 'resurrection' of God's work among us will come as we pray
earnestly for the cleansing of our hearts.
30th March: Matthew 15: 21-16:4
Above
all Jesus' miracles, we celebrate His mighty resurrection from the dead
(28:5-7). This miracle is referred to in 16:4 - 'the sign of Jonah':
Jonah was raised from 'the belly of a huge fish', Jesus has been raised
from 'the heart of the earth' (12:40). We are to 'remember Jesus Christ,
risen from the dead' (2 Timothy 2:8). In the girl's healing (21-28), we
see the risen Lord's great triumph over evil - evil men tried to put
Him down, but He did not stay down (Acts 2: 23-24). In the feeding of
the crowd (36-37), we see the risen Lord's ongoing ministry of feeding
His people. Here, we compare verses 36-37 with the Lord's Supper: (a) He
took bread; (b) He gave thanks; (c) He broke it; (d) He gave it to the
disciples; (e) The bread is shared with the people; (f) All are
satisfied. All glory to the risen Lord !
31st March: Proverbs 2:1-15
There
is a real call for spiritual growth here. We are to accept God's words,
storing up His commands, turning our ears to wisdom and our hearts to
understanding (1-2). If we are to grow in the fear and knowledge of God,
we must pray for insight and understanding. These blessings are greater
than silver and hidden treasure (3-5). In the Christian life, there is
both promise and warning. There is God's promise - you will be led in a
way that 'will be pleasant to your soul' (10). There is His warning -
make sure that you do not 'leave the straight paths to walk in dark
ways' (13). It is very important that we take time to read God's Word,
since it is 'the Lord' who 'gives wisdom'. We must listen for God's
Voice, speaking to us through Scripture (6). As we listen to Him, we
will be led in 'every good path' - protected and victorious (7-9).
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