Daily Bible Study for Friday October
28, 2016
By: Hanny Lynn Stearns
Fish N
Loaves Ministries, Inc.
“Multiplying
God’s Word Around The Globe”
Chapter Reading
for Today: Please read in
your Bible before proceeding. Note that most translations are considered
paraphrases. The Young’s Literal Translation provides a more accurate
translation since he is the one who authored a concordance. Others are helpful
for seeing a different perspective, but we cannot always depend on their
wording. I hope this is helpful to you. If you are studying in another version,
that is fine. I am studying from the KJV, but for the purpose of this study, I
will keep it with the New King James Version.
One final note: I will put the scripture in italics to differentiate from my
own writing. I am adding red to the letters when
it is Jesus talking – just like the Bible. Thank you.
Bible
Gateway Verse of the Day
1 Peter 1:24-25
because “All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as
the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, But the
word of the Lord endures forever.” Now this is the
word which by the gospel was preached to you.
Psalm 88
Separated from God to Witnesses for Jesus
The more I read this Psalm the more I began to say, “That’s
me! I’ve been there. I did that. This is a testimony of my life right here in
the agonizing cries of today’s chapter. Friends, I have experienced all of
these things. Join me as the Lord directs me to be a witness of how He can take
us from total darkness to His wonderful light, putting the enemy under our
feet! Let’s pray…
Heavenly Father:
Thank You for all You have done for me through Your Son Jesus
Christ! If it had not been for You Lord, I would be in the place of the dead
right now. In the grave my mouth would have been closed forever. I would not be
able to stand here, as Your victorious child to declare Your praises in the
land of the living! Father, I ask You to anoint every word in this message.
Give me the utterance to speak as You direct me. Open the eyes of the blind,
and set the captives free Lord. You said in Your word in Mark 16:17-18 that
these signs would follow them who believe…
And
these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out
demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will
take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt
them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
Father, just today we witnessed a man who looked like he was
about to die get revived and healed. They called 911, but when Your child
prayed for him, he was miraculously healed! Hallelujah! Lord, use my testimony
to show this world how powerful, merciful and full of loving kindness You
really are. Open their spiritual eyes, ears and hearts to receive a message of
hope regardless of what is going on in their lives. Bring the hurting and
desperate souls from all over the globe to hear this message. Cause them to turn
back to You if they have wandered. Grant them repentance to life that You may
be glorified in them throughout the earth. As always Father, we make it our
goal to be doers of Your holy and powerful word, and not just forgetful hearers.
Thank You for letting us know in Your word that no word that proceeds from Your
mouth will return to You without accomplishing what You sent it forth to do
according to Isaiah 55:11. Thank You Lord – You always watch over it and
perform it in our lives when we place our faith on it and do what it says.
Bring glory to Yourself around our world in this lesson today. We thank You for
the answers, as we believe we receive them right now in the mighty name of Jesus
– the name above all names! Amen.
I guess you could say it’s a lot like Paul’s calling – what the
Lord wants me to do. Paul was going from town to town telling others about his
life before his encounter with Jesus, and what happened afterward. Here is what
Jesus said about being a witness and a testimony…
John 5:31-47
31 “If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not
true. 32 There is another who bears witness of Me,
and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true. 33 You
have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. 34 Yet
I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things that you may be
saved. 35 He was the burning and shining lamp, and
you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light. 36 But
I have a greater witness than John’s; for the works which the Father has given
Me to finish—the very works that I do—bear witness of Me, that the Father has
sent Me. 37 And the Father Himself, who sent Me,
has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His
form. 38 But you do not have His word abiding in
you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. 39 You
search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these
are they which testify of Me. 40 But you are not
willing to come to Me that you may have life.
41 “I do not receive honor from men. 42 But
I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you. 43 I
have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in
his own name, him you will receive. 44 How can you
believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God? 45 Do
not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you—Moses, in
whom you trust. 46 For if you believed Moses, you
would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. 47 But if
you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”
Jesus Himself came to be a witness to this world. The Father
had testified openly about Him when His audible voice resounded with these words…
Mark 9:7
And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the
cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!”
This passage shows not one, not two or three, but four witnesses
to whom Jesus is and what His purpose on the earth was. The Bible says this about
the witness…
Matthew 18:16
But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the
mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’
Jesus made sure that what people heard and saw was witnessed
by many. No one can refute what God has done through His Son Jesus Christ.
There were many witnesses who saw it all unfold right before their very eyes. Anyone
who refuses to believe in Jesus and the words of His mouth are doing it because
they want to refuse Him. It is not because there is no proof. How many know
that when there is a witness in a trial to something that happened, it stands
before the judge as valid? Why? Because they actually saw what happened. The
same thing applies to Jesus. Many saw the miracles, signs and wonders that He performed
under the power of the Holy Spirit. He didn’t do them acting with all the power
of God on His own.
Remember, He was just a man. But, He was baptized with the
Holy Spirit and fire – like every believer should be. What He did, He did in
obedience to what the Father showed Him to do. The power that caused it to
happen was the power of the Holy Spirit. There were hundreds of witnesses to
these events. Nobody can tell Peter, Paul or John that what they saw didn’t
really happen, or that it was all in their minds. They saw it for themselves.
That’s why a witness is so powerful. What we see happen with our own eyes; what
we experience in our own lives is reality. It is not made-up. It is a very real
experience. Jesus had plenty of witnesses to what His purpose was – so did
Paul.
There were people who knew Paul before he became Paul. They
knew the Saul who went about persecuting anyone who was following after Jesus.
Let’s look closer…
Acts 9:22
9 Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder
against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and
asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any
who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to
Jerusalem.
3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and
suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. 4 Then
he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why
are you persecuting Me?”
5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?”
Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against
the goads.”
6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord,
what do You want me to do?”
Then the Lord said to
him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
7 And the men who journeyed with him stood
speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. 8 Then
Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But
they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And he was
three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus
named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.”
And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”
11 So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called
Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. 12 And
in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he
might receive his sight.”
13 Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from
many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. 14 And
here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your
name.”
15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a
chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children
of Israel. 16 For I will show him how many things
he must suffer for My name’s sake.”
17 And Ananias went his way and entered the house;
and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who
appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your
sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”18 Immediately
there fell from his eyes something like
scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.
19 So when he had received food, he was
strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus.
20 Immediately he preached the Christ in
the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.
21 Then all who heard were amazed, and said, “Is
this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and has
come here for that purpose, so that he might bring them bound to the chief
priests?”
22 But Saul increased all the more in strength, and
confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.
When we get to heaven, we will see Paul. And
nobody could ever tell him that what he experienced was not real. Look at what
he preached again and again to anyone who the Lord would grant him audience…
Acts 22:1-21
22 “Brethren and fathers, hear my defense before
you now.” 2 And when they heard that he spoke to
them in the Hebrew language, they kept all the more silent.
Then he said: 3 “I am indeed a Jew,
born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel,
taught according to the strictness of our fathers’ law, and was zealous toward
God as you all are today. 4 I persecuted this Way
to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women, 5 as
also the high priest bears me witness, and all the council of the elders, from
whom I also received letters to the brethren, and went to Damascus to bring in
chains even those who were there to Jerusalem to be punished.
6 “Now it happened, as I journeyed and came near
Damascus at about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me. 7 And
I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are
you persecuting Me?’ 8 So I answered, ‘Who are You,
Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are
persecuting.’
9 “And those who were with me indeed saw the light
and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me.10 So
I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Arise and go
into Damascus, and there you will be told all things which are appointed for
you to do.’ 11 And since I could not see for the
glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came
into Damascus.
12 “Then a certain Ananias, a devout man according
to the law, having a good testimony with all the Jews who dwelt there,13 came
to me; and he stood and said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at
that same hour I looked up at him. 14 Then he said,
‘The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see
the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth. 15 For
you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. 16 And
now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins,
calling on the name of the Lord.’
17 “Now it happened, when I returned to Jerusalem
and was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance 18 and
saw Him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for
they will not receive your testimony concerning Me.’ 19 So
I said, ‘Lord, they know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those
who believe on You. 20 And when the blood of Your
martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by consenting to his death, and
guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’ 21 Then
He said to me, ‘Depart, for I will send you far from here to the
Gentiles.’”
Friends, when someone tells us about what they
experienced personally with Jesus, we would do well to pay attention. He uses
every day people like you and me to be a witness to this world full of
perishing souls. So how could I relate so well to this chapter? In every single
verse I read, my mind went back to late 2003 and early 2004 when I had hit the rock
bottom of all time in my life. I had messed up so bad that I became certain
there was no way back from the darkness into the light. It was the absolute,
hands down, worst part of my experience on this earth – like a living hell.
Our Psalmist today started out by saying that he
was going to the Lord in prayer. In fact, throughout the chapter, we see him
mention crying out to God in prayer in five different places. The man was
seeking God – that was the good part. As soon as we get to verse 2, we see that
his life was filled with trouble. He was near death. He felt separated from God
according to these verses. Why do you suppose he was in this situation to begin
with? We are not given any details, but sin is what gets a person into such a
state, plain and simple.
When I went through my crisis back in 2003-2004,
that was exactly where I was at. I was walking in total darkness. I had left my
husband for a strange man because I thought I could find the love I never had
in the arms of someone else after almost 22 years of marriage. It was the worst
decision I ever made in my adult life. What I walked away from was two beautiful
daughters who were in the 11th and 12th grades of high school
at the time.
We had a large beautiful home, with a vacation
home in northern Michigan. We had a very busy, active life. The girls were
involved in music, dance and cheerleading. I had gone back to work and had a
wonderful career in a brokerage firm working with employment groups for their
employee benefits. I made good money. But my husband and I sure needed
improvement in our marriage. I could say a lot here about our issues, but I
will skip that part. It really isn’t necessary. What is important to know is
that as best he knew how, he loved me. We did a lot of fun things together
which was the only thing that really kept us together for as long as we were –
24 years altogether.
Leaving him, I thought the kids would come with
me. I had been very close to my daughters and was involved in everything they had
going on. I love them deeply, but the day I walked out and did what I did, I
was saying with my actions that I did not really love them. The truth is that I
never knew how to love anyone correctly because I had never received the right
kind of love. We can’t give away what we do not have.
I hurt them all terribly.
What I walked away from would seem like the difference between heaven and hell.
Our marriage could have been improved on. God was showing me all kinds of signs
that I should not go. He spoke through people and circumstances to try to stop
me, but I was determined to “do it my way.” And when I did, what little
relationship I had with the Lord at that point came to a screeching halt! The
lights grew dim.
From the time I left in March 2003, things went
from bad to worse. Like our Psalmist writes, loved ones were taken from his
life. And they were taken from mine. My children, our family, my work peers,
friends and neighbors all stood in shock at what I had done. No one could
believe I could do such a thing and the girls wanted nothing to do with me.
They were devastated. To them I might as well have just died in a sudden
unexpected car crash. And that is exactly what happened. I had an emotional
crash that stunned my world – myself included. Once I got into the mess, I was
like a lost, wounded puppy. I didn’t know where to turn and I could find no
easy answers to get out of it.
The Psalmist today talks about his vision
failing. At first I looked at this in the physical sense. But what came to me
was this: I had lost sight of reality. I could not see things for what they
were. I had walked into the arms of a stranger who literally was overcome with
the devil. His life had gone sour with his wife passing away, and things went
from bad to worse for him. And once we got together, God completely removed His
blessings from my life.
I was like a fish out of water and it was terribly dry
and dark. Everywhere I turned there was darkness and confusion. My behavior
reverted back to that of a rebellious 18-year-old. I started smoking again
after 17 years away from cigarettes, and I started drinking and using
prescription pain killers. I went right back to the behavior that God had rescued
me from when I was 20 years old.
By the end of 2003, I was homeless and at my all-time
bottom. In my mind, there was nowhere to turn. By April of 2004, after weeks of
careful planning, I attempted to take my own life. Taking more than enough
powerful painkillers, I came within minutes of taking my last breath. I was
rushed unconscious in an advanced life support vehicle to the critical care unit
of the nearest hospital where I remained in a coma for 18 hours of total
darkness. Upon waking, I was very angry
that I had survived the incident. I had not planned it that way. I asked God
why I was still alive after having made a mess of everything. It would take me
another year and a half to discover that answer.
I started trying to survive and do what I could
to put my life back together; but as long as I was with the new husband, things
continued to get worse. By the end of the year in 2004 I made a decision out
loud, saying, “We have to get back to God.” I started going to churches and
seeking help. I didn’t really know what to do. At that point I had never really
had an intimate relationship with Jesus. I did not know how to cry out to Him
like I should have known by then. I had spent years in church and listened to
countless hours of Christian radio. But I was so blinded back then.
I could relate to the chapter today when it
talked about being afflicted. While I was going through all of this, I was
having all kinds of sickness and various symptoms in my body. I was not eating
right because I had no money, often times resorting to the dollar menu at
McDonald’s or eating food that was handed to us by a church or local charity –
all of it very unhealthy stuff. But when one is hungry enough, they will eat
anything that can get.
The Lord saw my efforts to get back to Him. I
started giving money to Him, even if it was from a $6 check I received in the
mail. I was tithing, like the Bible tells us to so we can invite God into the
middle of our finances. One time someone had given me $20, and I gave it all to
the Lord by mailing it to the 700 Club. Something in me was willing to give Him
all I had and I have never regretted doing that since.
The reason I was so ill is because I was living
in sin. I had run from God. I had hurt a lot of people. I had messed up my
finances and my credit. I did so many things wrong that there wouldn’t be
enough room to write it all on paper. The wrath of God – like today’s
illustration, was heavy upon me. I was
suffering the consequences for my evil and childish behavior. God will not just
reach down and bless us anyway when we are walking in sin. Like the Psalmist
said, it felt like the Lord had completely turned away from me.
But the amazing thing was, that when I started
trying to seek Him again in 2004, He honored me. How so? He sent angels to
help. He made sure I had a place to stay even though I was homeless. He made
sure I could get around. He made sure I never went hungry. He sent people
across my path to speak His word to me. He kept leading me step by painful step
closer and closer to where He wanted me to get.
One day in July of 2005, He had a manger of mine
come and tell me about a certain church. As the Lord would have it, I was just
led to go there and check it out one Sunday. Once I walked in, I just sat in
the back and listened while I cried and cried. I really liked the place. I kept
going back. By October of 2005, the pastor had started preaching a message
about the Ten Commandments and by the second week, when we got to the part that
says we should not have any idols in our lives, I felt convicted.
I knew that I
had many idols. My daughters, food, etc. There were so many things in my life
that I had placed in front of God. By the time I got home from church that
night I just dropped to my knees beside the bed on the floor and cried out to
God. All those years I had gone to church, I had never once gotten on my knees
privately before Him and confessed any sins to Him.
This particular night, October 1, 2005 was
different. I knew I had made a complete mess of not only my life, but the lives
of those I had claimed to love the most – my daughters. All I could say to God
was this: “Oh God, I’m a mess. Will You fix me?” Friends, I have to tell you
that from that day forward, my life has never been the same. I didn’t hear
anything that night. I didn’t see anything unusual. I just laid down and went
to sleep. But the next day and in the days that followed there was something very
different.
I was more excited about Jesus than I had ever been. I continued
going to church and sat in the second row on the end with Bible and pen in
hand, ready to take notes, hanging on to every word from my beloved pastor’s
mouth. His feet will always be beautiful to me. He brought me the good news
that literally changed my life!
I learned things about God and the Bible I had
never heard in 24 years of going to a denominational church! God knew all of
this going to happen of course. He began to open my spiritual eyes, just a
little at a time. Like Saul on the road to Damascus, too much light at once
would have blinded me. I needed to have them opened at the right time so I
could clearly see the things of God. Little by little, things in my life began
to change.
It took another several months, but I finally left the “new husband”
for good. And the minute I did, it was as if the floodgates of heaven opened up
on me. The devil was trying his hardest to destroy me, but God, in His unending
mercy didn’t let him. Glory to His name forever!!!!! May I never forget what
the Lord has done for me! He is so good! There is no love like the love of God!
With everyone I loved and cared for stripped
away from my life, I was now walking alone with Jesus. He was all I had, but He
was and is more than enough. I discovered what a friend I have in Jesus. He
loved me when no one else would. He prayed for me when no one else cared. He
fed me and He comforted me. He dried my floods of tears. He healed my broken heart.
He corrected me and chastened me as a good father does his son.
He taught me
great and unsearchable things I had never known and He still does. He kept
leading me along a path of recovery and healing such as I could never have
imagined. I was burdened with food addiction, obsessive compulsive behavior,
sexual issues, and a lot of other abnormal things that are hidden deep in the
recesses of a wounded soul. But God knows the depths of our heart, yet He loves
us the same.
Moving me to Florida in 2007 was the best thing
that ever happened to me after my surrender to Him. I had to leave the
daughters who weren’t speaking to me and all the chaos behind to follow Jesus. The
minute I crossed the Florida state line, the blessings just started flowing and
have not stopped since. I still struggled hard (unnecessarily at that) with the
food addiction. The Lord has worked hard on getting me healed of that.
Today I
can report that He has brought me to a new level of healing and victory in that
area of my life – praise His name forever! My physical weight is the lowest it
has been since I was in my twenties. I am 60 right now. But the even greater
part is that the spiritual weight has been lifted. How many know that the
anointing breaks the yoke and removes every burden? Hallelujah!
God has placed an anointing on my life to preach
the good news to the poor; I myself having been poor and am now made rich
through Jesus Christ – hallelujah! I was called before I was born to come
through all of that junk so God could raise me up and set me as a sign and a wonder
to this hurting world. He called me to preach and teach His word to folks like
you. He has called me to be a witness - like our Master Jesus. We are to become
like the Master. He was a witness – so am I. I know what God has done for me. What
has He done for you?
The Lord brought the daughters back into my life
along with four beautiful grandchildren! He brought me a godly husband who is
the most amazing man I have ever met on the planet. Through him, the Lord has
shown me in the flesh what real love looks like in a marriage. The Lord has
helped me to understand and receive His love better by using my precious
husband. He has truly given me a good gift in him. Then, the Lord brought us an
anointed puppy. This particular animal, though tiny and so adorable, is used by
God as a ministering spirit to do great big things for Denny and me, along with
others who come our way. You would stand amazed at God if I had the time and
space to tell what we have seen God do through our little Jesse.
Signs, wonders and miracles are happening at our
house every single day. This is not an exaggeration friends. It is really happening.
I marvel at what the Lord does around here every day as He uses me to preach
His word to the world. He is reaching people all over this globe even as I type
this. Now He is starting a brand-new ministry for us to work, called “Fish N
Loaves Ministries, Inc.” The purpose of this ministry is to preach and teach
His word all over the world and to help build and equip churches and other ministries.
We are so excited. The Almighty has done great things for us, most certainly
for us it is truly marvelous in our eyes.
As we end this study on the sad but true verses
of Psalm 88, we know that we have a God is heaven who is bigger than our worst
mistakes. We have a Savior who will be our Friend when no one else really seems
to care. We have a Comforter and Healer who can satisfy our longing souls, and
fill our houses with wealth and riches of various kinds. No good thing does He
withhold from those who walk uprightly in Him. God is a giver – the greatest one
of all. He wants to shower people with His blessings.
But there are rules. We
have to do things His way. And can I tell you, I have been extremely stubborn.
Even after He had done marvelous and amazing things for me, I was still kicking
and screaming “so to speak” about giving certain things up in my life. I am not
happy to say this but it’s true. Over time however, He has turned my heart more
and more through His word and His Spirit to the things that matter most to Him.
Now I no longer count Hanny’s life drear to myself…
Galatians 2:20
I have been
crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I
live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Dear friends, no matter where you stand right
this minute in your relationship with Jesus, you can make a decision right now
that will change your life forever! I assure from my personal experiences (I am
a witness!) that you will not regret it. The kind of sufferings that we endure
as good soldiers for Jesus are far better than enduring hardship that is
birthed from sin.
There is no comparison between the ways of God and the misery
that this world will surely dish up for us. I would never want to go back to
that hellish life I was living back then. I finally found the love I have been
looking for. I have finally found a True Friend in Jesus. Today, you can ask
Him to be yours too.
Let’s
pray…
Heavenly Father:
Thank You for sending me a True Friend in Jesus!
Father, I ask You to forgive me for the things in my life right now that I know
are not pleasing to You. Help me to have the spiritual vision to see things the
way they truly are. Open my eyes to see Your light as You see fit. Lord I want
to be healed, comforted and set free of every yoke and burden, just like You
did for Hanny. I am calling on You now Lord. Forgive me, heal me and make me a
witness too. I ask this in faith and I believe I received my forgiveness
through Jesus Christ. Thank You Lord for loving me through the worst of things.
In Jesus name. Amen.
There are three main points to
consider from today’s study…
Separation from God brings great
darkness
Going to God in prayer is the first
step to getting back to Him
The Lord wants you to be His
witnesses too
Questions:
What does being a witness mean?
What is so powerful about a testimony?
What stood out the most to you in this chapter? Why?
In what way is the Lord changing your thinking after this
lesson?
Who can you share this study with?
Will
you turn to Jesus to find your True Best Friend and become a witness for Him?
And God Said… You fill in the blanks.
Acts 1:8
But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit
has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in
all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
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