Forbearance

"Let your forbearance* be known unto all men.  The Lord is at hand."

Philippians 4:5. American Standard Version

By Dr. David Mcgrew

Philippians 3:17 through 4:9 contains a treasure trove of truth and wisdom for helping to make awkward relationships work, and it doesn’t show up any more pointedly than it does right here in verse 5. 

The marginal note for verse 5’s forbearance* gives us an alternate rendering of ‘gentleness.’  Bible gentleness is not a weak expression of softness refusing to express strength.  Gentleness is more akin to a restrained strength that guards itself against being overly firm; bullying, we might say, but nevertheless remains willing to be as strong as may be required to express the order of the Lord. That draws a different picture than unbiblical passivity. 

It’s the second sentence of verse 5 that is so fascinating, though. ‘The Lord is near’ can be read at least two different ways. 

First, it can be read like the Lord’s return is imminent, so conduct your relationships knowing you will have to give an account. You’d better behave like a believer (and of course you should).  

But it’s the second that’s our thought for today. The Lord’s nearness can easily mean He’s with you and able to bring His presence, through the proper prayer (that Paul later mentions), into the relationships we pray for. Verse 6’s well-remembered exhortation, ‘in nothing be anxious,’ ties easily to the foundation of the Lord’s nearness as if it were a stand-alone admonition. The teaching on prayer follows that reminder of the Lord being near. 

Both of these verses follow Paul’s instructions for some workers, apparently in disagreement, to ‘agree in the Lord.’  He even went so far as to solicit relational help from an individual. 

But helping, without the Lord’s help, is often not helpful at all. And, as we all have learned, sometimes helping doesn’t stick the first time. When it doesn’t, anxiety is often a short-term fruit. 

In those moments of anxiety, let’s remember that the Lord is right here in the awkwardness and turn to him in prayer, asking him to restore what is beyond our abilities or circumstances.

More About the Will of God

Therefore do not be foolish, but understand the will of the Lord.”
Ephesians 5:17

When Paul writes in Ephesians 5:17, “understand the will of the Lord,” he immediately continues, “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery.”

Merriam-Webster defines debauchery as extreme, wild behavior that overindulges in physical pleasures such as heavy drinking, drug use, or casual sex. It often describes a messy, uninhibited lifestyle that people view as immoral.

HELPS Word-studies offers a particularly helpful insight into the word debauchery:

810 asōtía (from a "without" and sōzō, "to save") — properly, what cannot be saved; waste. Figuratively, it speaks of prodigality and spiritual wastefulness caused by excessive behavior and the destructive consequences it brings.

There is much to be said about today's church culture, where we sometimes see liberty carried to the point of excess, causing many to stumble. I am personally mindful of Paul's exhortation in Romans 14 not to promote anything that could cause another believer to stumble.

Paul then continues, showing us more of the Lord's will in Ephesians 5:18–21:

• “But be filled with the Spirit,

• giving thanks always and for everything...

• submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.”

There is another interesting word-study note concerning the phrase ‘for everything’.  HELPS Word-studies explains hypér (for) as expressing benefit—"for the sake of betterment," conveying the idea of improvement or extending benefit to another (see also 1 Thessalonians 5:18 and Romans 8:28).

The blessing of all three exhortations lies in our willingness to obey. Every moment of "wanting to" rests within our God-given ability to choose. God is not looking for sacrifice or offerings, but for a heart like Jesus'—a heart that delights to do His will.

John's Gospel reminds us of the authority Jesus received from the Father to lay down His life and to take it up again. He laid it down for the purpose of bringing us into oneness. Our hearts should reflect that same purpose.

Being filled with the Spirit maintains our fellowship with the Father and our unity with one another. Giving thanks always, in every circumstance, keeps us mindful that God is working something good even when we cannot yet see it. Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ, walking in humble obedience and the fear of the Lord, allows His blessing to flow freely among His people.

We do these things for no other purpose than "out of reverence for Christ." Proverbs reminds us that "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," and Isaiah tells us that Jesus Himself delighted in the fear of the Lord.

It is often in the small, daily choices that we find ourselves faltering. The pressure that comes from people who expect immediate answers can be difficult to navigate. As a new pastor, I learned a valuable lesson from a seasoned minister who asked, "Who is requiring this of you—God, yourself, or others?  Ultimately, your obedience must rest with God."

It is a broad statement, I know, but one that has served me well in times of uncertainty.

To know that God is at work in us, both to will and to do His good pleasure, gives us confidence that we can become everything He has created us to be and accomplish everything He has called us to do.

Living with the awareness that oneness is God's purpose leads us toward maturity and spiritual growth as we choose, day by day, to delight in doing His will.

The Will of God .2

So you must be very careful how you live, not thoughtlessly, but thoughtfully, and continue to make the most of your opportunities, for the times are evil. So stop becoming senseless, but understand what the Lord's will is.”  

Ephesians 5:15–17 Williams Translation

Faith flourishes where the will of God is sought, understood, and obeyed.  James warns that the man who doubts is of two minds, unreliable in every step he takes, and must not expect to receive anything from the Lord (James 1:7–8, Williams Translation).

Ellicott's Commentary notes on Ephesians 5:17  that "the word here, 'thoughtlessly', is stronger than in Ephesians 5:15; it is properly 'senseless,' used of 'the fool' (Luke 11:40; 12:20; 1 Corinthians 15:36; 2 Corinthians 11:16, 19; 12:6, 11). By it St. Paul emphasizes his previous warning; then he adds the explanation that to be 'wise' is to 'understand what the will of the Lord is'—to know His purpose towards us and towards the world, and so to know the true purpose of our life. Hence we are told in Job 28:28 that 'the fear of the Lord is wisdom,' or, more precisely, in Proverbs 9:10, that it is 'the beginning of wisdom.’"

Again, James reminds us that if we lack wisdom, we are to ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach (James 1:5). We are to discern what is pleasing to the Lord as we walk as children of light. We present our bodies to Him as a living sacrifice and are transformed by the renewing of our minds according to His Word. Through this process, we become able to discern the will of God—that which is good, acceptable, and perfect for our lives (Romans 12:1–2).

Ellicott's Commentary further notes:

"The 'will of God' is here , not the divine attribute of will, but the thing willed by God, the right course of action. Are we to take the adjectives 'good, and acceptable, and perfect'... as in agreement with this phrase, or are they rather in apposition to it, 'that we may prove the will of God, that which is good, and acceptable, and perfect'? Most commentators prefer this latter way of taking the passage, but it is not quite clear that the former is impossible—'that good, and acceptable, and perfect thing, or course of action which God wills.' 'Acceptable,' that is to say, to God Himself."
 

Jesus, our great High Priest, who ever lives to make intercession for us, now lives to pray that we may be perfect and complete in all the will of God. Our Father, who created us and foreordained all our good works, continually works in union with His Holy Spirit to lead us and guide us into all the good He has ordained. 

We are not looking for the grand moments of life, but for the simple next step required to live in a manner pleasing to the Lord. The journey may not always look the way we expect and the process may be difficult and confusing, but He never grows weary or abandons the work He has begun until it is finished.

Our responsibility is to live continually seeking Him and His will. "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" becomes the posture of our hearts. In that posture, we rest, knowing that as our lives are humbly submitted to Jesus Christ as Lord, our steps are ordered and established by our Father.

And we can begin right here:

• "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
  1 Thessalonians 5:16–18

• "For this is the will of God, your sanctification..."
  1 Thessalonians 4:3

• "...present your bodies as a living sacrifice..."
  Romans 12:1

The will of God is not merely something to discover, but a life to be lived—one surrendered step at a time.I

The Will of God

“For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.”
Philippians 2:13 NLT

For fuller context, our Scripture’s premise begins at verse 12 

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”
Philippians 2:12–13 NKJV

We all search for the will of God as we begin to understand that we have been created by God, and for God. His purposes being worked out in our lives, growing in the knowledge of Him, and bearing fruit to His glory becomes the motivation for our days.

John 6:40 — “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life…” ESV

2 Peter 3:9 — “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” NKJV

To know that God is at work in us, both to will and to do His good pleasure, brings the awareness that we can become all that He has created us to be. There is work assigned to each of us—work written by God for the days we have been given to dwell in the here and now. The Apostle Paul knew when he had finished his course, saying; “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” 2 Timothy 4:7 ESV

While we work out our own salvation, we are governed by so many clear instructions concerning the will of God.  

From Micah 6:8,  “What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

From Matthew 22:37-39, Jesus set before us the two greatest commandments: to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and to love our neighbour as ourselves. He then added a further commandment in John 13:34—to love one another even as He has loved us.

This requires every believer to go beyond self-interest and to love sacrificially. While Matthew’s Gospel highlights the commandment to love, the Apostle Paul reminds us that, “love does no wrong to a neighbour; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law” (Romans 13:10). As new creations in Christ, we are to live by this commandment to love, allowing it to govern all our activity.

Jesus embraced the body prepared for Him through the willing obedience He yielded to the Father. He presented His body to the Father as a living sacrifice for us.

“Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said:

‘Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,
but a body have you prepared for me;
in burnt offerings and sin offerings
you have taken no pleasure.
Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God,
as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’ ” 

Hebrews 10:5–7 ESV 

Knowing the Father’s will for our lives means living in daily alignment with the Word He has revealed to our hearts and trusting Him for the grace He imparts so that we may become doers of His Word.

For it is God who is working in us—both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

Show Me Your Glory

“…And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John 1:14

 

It would seem that much of the current charismatic church culture in North America, at least as I have experienced it, is focused on encountering God through intimate times of worship. On the other hand, there are those who seek to understand God primarily through reason and study—that is, through an understanding built by the careful study of Scripture. Left to their own extremes, both approaches can be dangerous.
 

Man is a created being, created to be creative. Every individual has been given an eternal spiritual drive to create, each with a unique expression of that creativity. It is through our personal experiences with God that we begin to understand, through rational reflection, who He is and how He works. Experience and understanding were designed to work together.
 

While we would all love to see the Lord in person, it is important to remember that every time we experience His grace, mercy, love, and faithfulness, we are seeing the glory of God manifested. We must have eyes to see these things in our daily lives, be quick to acknowledge God's workings, and give thanks to Him for them.
 

When God revealed His glory to Moses in Exodus 34, He did so not by displaying overwhelming power, but by proclaiming His own character—merciful, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.

From today’s verse in John's Gospel, we learn that God's glory, as revealed in Jesus, is full of grace and truth. These are both received through our experience, alongside the knowledge and understanding that comes through Scripture.
 

Jesus manifested God's will, His nature, and His purposes every day. His question to Philip in John 14:9 reveals this truth: "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?"
 

Peter, James, and John witnessed the transfiguration of Jesus. Theirs was an experience that lay within the sovereignty of God. While Jesus was the Word made flesh and could be physically seen, we are still able to "see" Him as we feed on Scripture and acknowledge that every tangible good thing we receive each day has come from Him.
 

Moses' encounter with God began with a bush that burned without being consumed. His journey to learn and know God began when he turned aside to look. His understanding was formed through very natural experiences touched by the supernatural workings of God, with God speaking words that both defined and refined his understanding.
 

Failing to see, failing to acknowledge, and failing to give thanks gradually creates a dullness that can lead to hardness of heart and unbelief.  As Scripture says, "the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving." There is great danger in refusing to acknowledge the goodness of God.
 

My prayer is always for eyes that see and a heart that gives thanks for the goodness He brings into my life. I want to see the glory of God in everything, always.

The Breath Of God

These all look to you,
to give them their food in due season.
When you give it to them, they gather it up;
when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.
When you hide your face, they are dismayed;
when you take away their breath, they die
and return to their dust.
When you send forth your Spirit, they are created,
and you renew the face of the ground.
Psalm 104:27-30

We see God's sovereignty in this psalm. The NICOT Commentary notes, "the entirety of creation... is ordered by the Creator God. Far from being a realm of chaos that falls outside of the Lord's providence, everything falls within the Lord's orderly creation... a trustworthy, discernible order in which food is provided in due season."

The psalmist rehearses the variety of God's creation, noting that all creation looks to God for its provision.  All of His created order seems to understand that He is the provider of every good thing required. His open hand fills His creatures with good. Yet mankind so often seeks other resources to help in times of need.

I'm thankful for the many forms of practical help God has provided, but I'm also aware of the danger—and our propensity—to put our trust in something other than Him. We become accustomed to relying on the arm of the flesh and forget to look to the One who is the author and finisher of our lives.

We breathe by His breath. In verse 30, the Hebrew word translated “Spirit” is also the word used in the scriptures for “breath”. 

“Then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature” (Genesis 2:7).

Every created thing has been made as God breathes out the word He speaks.   

"For from Him everything comes,
Through Him everything lives,
And for Him everything exists."

Romans 11:36 (Williams Translation)
 

‘When you send forth your Spirit, they are created. ’  As we consider the work of the Holy Spirit, we cannot separate Him from the activity of God's breathing. At the very beginning of creation, in Genesis 1, we find the Spirit hovering over the face of the deep as God breathes out a word, creating.  We find God breathing into the formed dust, and man becomes a living being. The conception of Jesus began with the Holy Spirit coming upon Mary. We learn from scripture that Jesus is the Spirit of Life.  
 

Perhaps this is why the psalmist joins creation and renewal together. The breath of God is not only the source of life; it is the means by which He continually renews what He has made. The same Spirit who hovered over the waters, breathed life into Adam, and overshadowed Mary is still at work today, sustaining, renewing, and giving life. Every breath serves to remind us that we live in continual dependence upon Him. 
 

May we never forget to look first to the One whose open hand provides every good gift and whose Spirit alone gives life.

Helpful?

All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything.
1 Corinthians 6:12

Amplified: Everything is permissible for me, but not all things are beneficial. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be enslaved by anything [and brought under its power, allowing it to control me].

HELPS Word Studies defines the Greek word translated dominated (exousiazō) as to exercise authority over, to have power over, to control.

The KJV translates it, “I will not be mastered by anything,” while the NLT says, “I must not become a slave to anything."

Each translation conveys Paul's warning that although believers are free in Christ, they are not to live under the control of anything other than the Lord.

Paul reminds us that Jesus has set us free from sin's mastery. Grace is not a license to sin; it is God's empowerment to overcome desires that do not lead us into His best.

‘What then shall we say? Shall we continue in sin so that grace may increase? Certainly not! How can we who died to sin live in it any longer?’
Romans 6:1–2

Paul continues this thought in Romans 6:13–16, urging believers not to present the members of their bodies to sin as instruments of wickedness, but to God as instruments of righteousness. Sin is no longer to be our master because we are under grace. Yet Paul also reminds us that whatever we continually yield ourselves to eventually becomes our master, whether sin that leads to death or obedience that leads to righteousness.

He echoes this same truth in Galatians:

‘For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.’
Galatians 5:1

And again,

‘For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh…'
Galatians 5:13

Christian freedom is never permission for self-indulgence. It is freedom to walk in obedience to Christ.

Paul's statement, "All things are lawful, but not all things are helpful," gives us a wise principle by which to evaluate our choices.

HELPS Word Studies defines the Greek word translated helpful (symphérō) as to bring together for profit, benefit, or advancement.

Not everything that is permissible is profitable. Not everything that is lawful contributes to spiritual growth. The question is not simply, "Can I do this?" but rather, "Will this help me grow in Christ?"

Paul understood that the body God had given him belonged to the Lord and was to be used in His service.

He also understood the threefold nature of mankind—spirit, soul, and body. In his spirit, he desired to obey God, while his flesh continually opposed that desire. The battleground was often the mind, where thoughts and desires competed for his attention. His daily choice was to yield himself to the Spirit rather than to the flesh.

To present our bodies as living sacrifices is to remember that we have been bought with a price. To bring every thought into obedience to Christ is to walk in the freedom He has provided. Lasting transformation begins as our minds are continually renewed by the Word of God.

Not everything available to us is sinful or evil. Many things are perfectly lawful, yet they may not strengthen our walk with Christ. Every believer benefits from honestly asking, Will this draw me closer to Christ, or distract me from Him?

One of the clearest indicators of our spiritual condition is found in our appetites and in the things that consistently occupy our thoughts. What captures our attention often shapes our affections.

If Paul saw the need to discipline his body and bring it into subjection, then we should pursue that same discipline through the grace God has supplied.

While every believer experiences temptation, becoming dominated by something reveals a measure of bondage. Addiction is perhaps the clearest expression of that bondage, but it begins long before addiction takes hold. Desires that seem harmless can gradually gain influence over our lives if they are left unchecked.

This is why Paul's words remain so relevant today. We are to guard our freedom carefully, refusing to allow anything—even something lawful—to become our master.

Jesus has already broken the power of sin and the flesh.

‘For sin shall not have dominion over you, because you are not under law but under grace.’
Romans 6:14

‘Behold, I have given you authority... over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means harm you.’
Luke 10:19

‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.’
Philippians 4:13

Paul concludes this beautiful theme in Galatians 5:16–25:

"Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh."

This is the freedom Christ purchased for us—not merely freedom from sin's penalty, but freedom to walk each day in the power of His Spirit.

Surely…certainly…truly

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows….”

Isaiah 53:4 

Surely, certainly, truly, absolutely, he has borne our…….

choli: sickness, illness, disease. From chalah; malady, anxiety, calamity—disease, grief, sickness.

makob: pain, sorrow, suffering......

Isaiah 53 is a "Servant Song" that speaks of God's redemptive plan for mankind. This chapter specifically reveals an individual as the Suffering Servant.  Jesus, the Servant, has become redemption to all who believe. As the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, our Heavenly Father was pleased to accept His sacrifice of life and blood as the payment for mankind's sin.

Isaiah 53:3 highlights His suffering: "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.”  As the Son of Man, Jesus experienced the full range of human emotions and is able to sympathize with our weaknesses (Hebrews 4:15).

As we consider Isaiah's prophetic words concerning Jesus, we gain a deeper understanding of God's purpose in sending His Son.  Genesis reveals God's original intent: heaven on earth, with mankind ruling and reigning over His creation.  Adam's disobedience— that is, failing to guard the garden and choosing to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil—transferred dominion to Satan, who became the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4). For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested: to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8).

"For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin..." (2 Corinthians 5:21).

"But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5).

Oswald Chambers wrote in his devotional My Utmost for His Highest, "Sin is the only explanation for grief and sorrow."

On this earth, we will continue to experience the effects of sin.  Through the new birth, however, our spirit is made alive unto God. Becoming one spirit with the Lord, we are no longer under the dominion of sin. Sin shall no longer have dominion over us (Romans 6:14). While this is a legal and spiritual reality, we are still affected daily by the fruit of sin—not only through our own temptations, but also through the choices and actions of others.

This may seem like an impossible situation to overcome, yet God's Word declares that every victory we experience comes as we agree with His Word and walk in obedience to His instruction.

"I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).  He makes the way of escape. 

He sends His word (and has sent His word), the word made flesh and the word written, that heals and delivers us from destruction. 

"Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:57).

The victory in life and over sin is found in and through Jesus Christ as Lord.

Weigh the Words #2

“A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.”
Proverbs 15:4 ESV

Dictionary.com defines perverse as: willfully determined or disposed to go counter to what is expected or desired; contrary.

The BSB renders our verse: “A soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.”

The NLT uses the phrase “a deceitful tongue.”

The interlinear Hebrew reads: “A healing tongue is a tree of life, but crookedness in it is a breaking of the spirit.”
 

A breaking of the spirit speaks to me of something that separates unity—a division.  Since Jesus’ words are spirit and life, we will take His words as the full measure of that tree of life. In this verse, perverseness would be a word that is contrary to God's declaration. Jesus reminds us that a house divided against itself cannot stand. Amos 3:3 asks, “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?”They cannot. First Corinthians 6:17 reminds us that the one joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. We guard our spirit by watching the words we speak.
 

I cannot overemphasize the necessity of weighing our words carefully. Sometimes we are our own worst enemy. Galatians 5 reminds us that self-control is a fruit of the Spirit. Paul wrote to Timothy, reminding him that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.
 

The following HELPS Word Studies entry shows that a sound mind is closely connected to discipline and self-control:

Cognate: 4995 (a masculine noun derived from 4998 /sṓphrōn, "truly moderate") – properly, safe-minded, issuing in prudent ("sensible") behavior that "fits" a situation, i.e. aptly acting out God's will by doing what He calls sound reasoning (used only in 2 Tim. 1:7).
 

This tells me that self-control is a choice. While we are given the ability through the power of the Holy Spirit, we must still choose to follow His leading. 
 

Growing up into Him in all things requires the exercise of spiritual disciplines—the repeated practice of those things that build and strengthen our lives spiritually. Habitual practice profoundly shapes character. Learning to restrain our words and align them with God can be as challenging as taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, but it is oh so necessary.
 

A gentle tongue is literally one that carries healing.

A gentle tongue holds back corrupt communication.

A gentle tongue is aware of the hearer and their need for grace.

A gentle tongue preserves oneness in relationships.

A gentle tongue is a tree of life.

Weigh the Words

 “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God….”

Ephesians 4:29 ESV

What makes our words corrupt?  Helps Word Study gives us insight into the original meaning of this Greek word translated as “corrupt": 

4550 saprós – properly, rotten (putrid), over-ripe; (figuratively) over-done (ripened); hence, corrupt. "4550 (saprós) is (akin to sēpō, 'to rot'), primarily, of vegetable and animal substances, expresses what is of poor quality, unfit for use, putrid" (Vine, Unger, White, NT, 49); sapros – "of poor or bad quality" 

Charles B Williams produced a New Testament translation, of which his publishers noted, “In the minds of many exacting Greek scholars, this is the best translation existing in the English language today. The significant contribution of this translation and the sphere in which it surpasses the majority of others is in its bringing out the revealing tense distinction in the Greek verbs.” I've really been appreciating his work.

When it comes to Ephesians 4, Williams rendered the passage as follows:

 “You must stop letting any bad word pass your lips, but only words that are good for building up as the occasion demands, so that they will result in spiritual blessing to the hearers. You must stop offending the Holy Spirit of God by whom you have been stamped for the day of redemption. You must remove all bitterness, rage, anger, loud threats, and insults, with all malice. You must practice being kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has graciously forgiven you.”

.

We see from this that grieving the Holy Spirit occurs through the words we speak - words spoken to others, and even words we speak about ourselves.  Where there is disagreement with God, there is disorder, and disorder breeds every evil work (James 3:16).

The Apostle James in 3:6  said the tongue was a fire and soils the whole body and sets on fire the course of one’s life.  Moses said death and life are in the power of the tongue.  We eat the fruit of what we love.  If you love an unrestrained mouth, we will eat that fruit.  If we love life, we will restrain our mouths from speaking evil. 

Since Jesus spoke only what he heard the Father say, we too can do the same.  “ Quick to hear, slow to speak,” is James 1:19's admonition and gives us the pause needed before speaking quickly.  

Because our words are simply an expression of what is going on in our hearts, it serves us well to pay attention to what is going on both within and without. After all, out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks….Matthew 12:34.    

Proverbs offers much wisdom when it comes to our words ~ 

• Proverbs 17:27 Whoever restrains his words has knowledge,

• Proverbs 10:19 When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.

‘Ready, aim, fire’, is the proper sequence for hitting a target.  Some of us are more prone to fire first, without taking the time to ready, and aim, ensuring that our words minister grace to the hearer. 

William's translation of Ephesians 4:30 highlights the ongoing action ‘stop letting bad words pass your lips’, ‘stop offending the Holy Spirit.’  

The Apostle Paul’s instruction is our daily reminder that we can please the Holy Spirit by guarding our hearts and the words we speak.  

Psalm 141:3: "Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips.”

Truth

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

John 16:13

Since it is impossible for God to lie, all His words are true; thus, His Spirit is the Spirit of Truth. 

Jesus said it was to our advantage that he left so the Holy Spirit could come.  

He has been poured out, and our lives are empowered by and through Him.  We are not to be ignorant of his working in our lives. He is the revealer.  He is our Help. He is our ADVANTAGE. 

Our advantage because he now dwells within us. Jesus came as the word of God made flesh. He revealed the heart and mind of God to all. Now, the Holy Spirit is always with us to do that. 

We can know what the Father is declaring now and the things that are to come.  Jesus prepared his disciples “to keep them from falling away”. The good, the bad, the ugly, he did not hide truth from them.   As Jesus did,  the Father is saying and telling us things to come. We can know too.  

For the Spirit of truth to benefit us, we must hold a love for the truth.  Jesus said his disciples would know the truth and the truth would set them free.  

It’s the truth I know and believe that brings me into freedom and liberty.  I’ve said, there are many things we know, but we live from what we believe.  

Second Thessalonians 2:10 reminds us that deception occurs where there is not a love for truth. It is a love for truth that saves us.

James wrote, " You have not because you ask not.  If you lack wisdom, ask God.  You don’t have because you don’t ask, or you ask amiss. You ask the wrong question. There is no right answer to a wrong question.

So.....

Ask God! 

We can’t fear the truth. 

We must love the truth. 

You shall know the truth and the truth will set you free.  

Ask the hard questions. 

He will tell us the truth.  

He will challenge the unbelief.  

He will dispel darkness with light. 

He will tell of things to come.  

We can know. 

He that has an ear let him hear what the Spirit is saying

The Law of Sin

The Law of Sin and Death ~ Romans 8:2

The law of sin and death stands in contrast to the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus. While the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus is available because we have accepted Him as our Lord and Saviour, the legal and vital work of salvation occurs as He translates us from the dominion, power, authority, and rule of the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of His dear Son — the Kingdom of Light.

Colossians 1:13 — “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the Kingdom of His beloved Son.”

Jesus came that we might have life, and have it more abundantly, by dwelling in His Kingdom of Light. This Kingdom of Light is a spiritual Kingdom. Jesus said, “My Kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). Therefore, while we live in this world, we must remain aware that the law of sin and death still operates in and through the Kingdom of darkness.

“For as by one man’s disobedience (Adam in the Garden of Eden) the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience (Jesus) the many will be made righteous. Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 5:19–21).

This law of sin and death will remain in effect until Jesus returns. It operates under Satan, who is called the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4). Through the flesh, the law of sin and death finds its power.

This is why it is essential for every believer to put off the deeds of the flesh by the Spirit and walk in newness of life. Every believer reigns in life through the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. The legal side — being made right with God — also carries a vital side: living right. This is accomplished through the empowering work of the Holy Spirit.

Paul wrote in Romans 7 about the war taking place within our members. In our inner man, we delight to do what is right. We desire to obey God, yet our flesh still holds earthly appetites. The flesh wages war against the law of our mind, and we must bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. The Holy Spirit directs us to the right word at the right moment, empowering us to “put off” the deeds of the flesh.

Paul asks, in Romans 6:16–19:

“Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness…..so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.”

These two laws are actively at work. One leads to life, while the other promises death through sin.

What a wonderful truth that God, in His wisdom, has set before us both life and death:

“I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live” (Deuteronomy 30:19).

The question then becomes: Which one will we choose?

The Spirit of Life

“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.”
John 6:63 ESV

We often know things intellectually that we do not fully believe in our hearts. What we genuinely believe is revealed in what we practice.

Last week, I wrote about the Word becoming flesh and how everything God created begins with His Word.  Jeremiah declared, “Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart” (Jeremiah 15:16). This is the ministry of the Spirit of Life.

The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing.

In Proverbs 4:20–22, we are instructed to attend to the Word continually. The Word is not to depart from our eyes, but remain in the midst of our hearts, for His Words “are life to those who find them and healing to all their flesh.” This is the working of the Spirit of Life within us.

The Word of God is alive and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, discerning between soul and spirit (Hebrews 4:12). Jesus said, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (John 15:7). His Word aligns us with the will of God. His Spirit refines our desires so that we no longer ask amiss. This is the power of the Spirit of Life.

The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set us free from the law of sin and death.

In Romans 8:2, Paul reveals that there is a law of the Spirit of Life, found only in Christ Jesus, and that this law sets us free from the law of sin and death.

The law of sin and death began in the Garden of Eden when Adam surrendered his dominion through disobedience. God had warned him, “In the day that you eat of it, you shall surely die.” Adam died spiritually before he died physically; sin separated him from fellowship with God, and spiritual death eventually produced physical death.

That law still works on Earth today. Creation groans under its weight. Sickness, disease, poverty, famine, war, and destruction are all manifestations of the law of sin and death operating in a fallen world.

But Jesus has redeemed us from the curse of that law. Through Him, a new law now works on behalf of every child of God—the law of the Spirit of Life. Because Christ destroyed the dominion of sin, sin no longer rules over the believer who walks in the Kingdom of Light.

Today’s passage reminds us that the words Jesus speaks sustain spiritual life and ministers  to our physical well-being. It is the Spirit of God who gives life to our mortal bodies. This is the law of the Spirit, at work within us.

Without daily reception of His Word and Spirit, the inner man cannot withstand the continual pressure mounted by the law of sin and death. Darkness presses in, but as we abide in the Light—as He Himself is in the Light—we overcome the pull of the flesh towards sin.

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh… is no help at all.

The Word made Flesh

The Word Made Flesh....

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said…”
Genesis 1:1–2

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made… and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…”
John 1:1–3, 14

All that God creates begins with a word. If we consider the realities in our lives, many of them have been shaped by what we believe and say, 2 Cor. 4:13.  It is a principle that God has established, governing all created things. From Genesis, we see the working of the Godhead in creation: God the Father, the Holy Spirit, and the Word.

From John’s Gospel, we see that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We beheld His glory, the glory as of the only Son from the Father.

So also, as believers, we have been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the Word of God (1 Peter 1:23). We believe because we heard someone preach the good news — words of life (Romans 10:14–17). “Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creation” (James 1:18).

We hear, believe, and bring forth fruit — the Word made flesh — that glorifies His name.

“In the beginning” reminds us that it all begins with God. All things are created by Him, through Him, and for Him (Colossians 1:16). From Genesis 1, we learn of the Holy Spirit’s involvement in creation: “the Spirit was hovering.” We see again the working of the Holy Spirit in the creation of “the Word becoming flesh” as the angel speaks to Mary in Luke 1:35:

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the child to be born will be called holy — the Son of God.”

In the birthing of all things created by God through His Word and by the power of His Holy Spirit, we learn the patience of the farmer, who understands that all things begin with the sowing of His Word — emphasis on His Word. Mark 4:28-29 explains it is first the seed sown, then the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear, but we wait until the grain is ripe, then at once we put the sickle in because the harvest has come. 

This involves the Holy Spirit's hovering as we feed upon Jesus, the Living Word (Hebrews 4:12). The Holy Spirit hovers, revealing, teaching, correcting, encouraging, and aligning us with His life.

May our lives hold a deep hunger for the Word. May we feed upon it and live.  May we not go a day without looking into this perfect law of liberty for His life.  May we speak it with conviction. May it continue to work within us and through us, conforming us in every way to His perfect will.

Bigger on the Inside

“But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the  Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for mercy…”  Jude 1: 18

First, let me express my appreciation to all the mothers reading this today. In whatever form your nurturing takes, you are deeply appreciated. Nobody labors for family quite like mothers, and sometimes—many times—we fail to acknowledge all we have because of another’s sacrificial giving. Let us all rise today and call them blessed!

Today’s Good Word ~ Bigger on the Inside, reminds me of what is required of us each day to keep the faith, run our race, and finish our course. It is only as we build our lives upon a foundation of absolute trust in God and dependence upon the enabling power of the Holy Spirit that we can stand strong. It is only by the power of the Holy Spirit that we can put to death the deeds of the flesh. If we do not, Paul wrote in Romans 8:13, we will die. We cannot escape the reality that sin pays wages—and those wages are death—but the Spirit gives life!

The Apostle Paul prayed that we would be “strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man” (Ephesians 3:16), and exhorted believers to “be strong in the Lord” (Ephesians 6:10), drawing strength from Him and being empowered through our union with Him and the power of His boundless might. He also encouraged Timothy to “be strong… in the grace that is to be found only in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 2:1).

It is wonderful to know that the Word tells us to strengthen ourselves, but the “how to” is found in today’s verse: we build ourselves up on the foundation of our “most holy faith” by praying in the Spirit.

Romans 8 tells us that the Holy Spirit helps us in our weaknesses because we do not know how to pray as we ought, yet He always prays God's perfect will for us and through us. It is by joining with Him in prayer that we are built up and become bigger on the inside.

The NLT of 1 Corinthians 14:14–15 states: “For if I pray in tongues, my spirit is praying, but I don’t understand what I am saying. Well then, what shall I do? I will pray in the spirit, and I will also pray in words I understand.”

When there is a lack of wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and the fear of the Lord (Isaiah 11), as we lean into alignment with the Holy Spirit and pray, we become filled with all that is necessary for the moment.

This is what is so absolutely wonderful about the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives: every need is supplied in and through Him. Wisdom is the principal thing. Sometimes I think I need something else, but wisdom and understanding speak to every situation and reveal the way of escape.

Being bigger on the inside assures me that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, because greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world.

Spirit of Life

This week’s Good Word has been written by  David McGrew

“And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the spirit is life because of righteousness.  But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwelleth in you, he that raised up Christ Jesus from the dead shall give life also to your mortal bodies through his Spirit that dwelleth in you.”  

Romans 8 :10 & 11, American Standard Version.

No matter which bible we prefer, we are all impacted by the religion and theology of those who translated or paraphrased our favourites.  Added to that, every Christian brings their own beliefs and biases into the process every time they pick up the book to read it again. It’s a testimony to the wisdom and grace of God that we’re able to get past all of that natural-mindedness and arrive at some awareness of the eternal truths of God, but thanks be to God, we do.

The above passage is no exception, and for that matter, neither am I.  I do want to say, though, that this particular Bible (ASV) was translated to the highest standards and by the most qualified scholars, in an era when such standards were well valued.

Disclaimer aside then: did you notice that the first use of ‘spirit’  in verse 10, where ‘the spirit is life,’ is with a small “s”?  The translators are trying to let the language do its work, and they’re telling us that it is the human spirit, our inner man, that brings life to us.  That’s a profound thought.

Our spirit is touched by righteousness, which we know to be true, because, failing as we often do, we all still try our best to live and do right.  It’s instinctive to us as Christians. As important as arrival at righteousness is, here, it’s the journey that proves the statement’s truth. Our spirit is the vessel God uses to pour life into us.

Verse 11,  starting with ‘But,’ graduates to an even larger thought.  Beyond what life lives within us, verse 11 says that the Spirit (big ’S’) is the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead and performs the same kind of resurrection within us.

Let’s get this straight.  I am alive. And somehow, God’s Spirit lives inside of my spirit. When the verse says that He gives life to our mortal bodies, he is not referring to eternal life on the great day of resurrection. He can’t mean that, because on that day, he won’t be living inside of me or you. This is a truth for today.

The Holy Spirit of God Himself, the great creative and resurrecting life of God Himself, lives within every born-again believer, and he does so for so many reasons that it’s not possible to touch them all here or now. 

What we can say now, from the verses above, is that He is ever-present and waiting upon our faith to invite Him, as the life-giving, resurrecting part of our life to keep us moving forward, to accomplish His work.

Grieving the Holy Spirit

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Ephesians 4:30

Paul exhorts believers in Ephesians 4 to put away behaviors that grieve the Spirit of God. Before going further, let us consider the meaning of the word grieve.

HELPS Word Studies
Cognate: 3076 lypéō (from 3077 /lýpē, “deep grief”) – to experience deep emotional pain; severe sorrow. This is an intense word.

With this in mind, we can read Paul’s instructions more fully:

…in comparison to the Gentiles who walk in the futility of their minds, darkened in understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance in them, due to the hardness of their hearts…
But this is not the way you came to know Christ. Surely you heard of Him and were taught in Him—in keeping with the truth that is in Jesus—to put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be renewed in the spirit of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one another. “Be angry, yet do not sin.” Do not let the sun set on your anger, and do not give the devil a foothold.
He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing good with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.
Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up others according to their needs, that it may give grace to those who listen.
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.    Ephesians 4:17-31

All of this “putting off” centers on our relationships with others. In the heat of emotion, we seldom pause to consider how the Holy Spirit is affected. His leadings are gentle and often subtle, coming in quiet moments of intentional reflection. It is there we experience the godly sorrow that leads to repentance.

This “putting off” is the transformation of character that occurs as we put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Our intentional pursuit of walking after the Spirit delivers us from evil.

The Holy Spirit is grieved by lying, sinful anger that gives the devil a foothold, stealing, corrupt speech, bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander, and malice.

All of these are expressed in how we treat others. Since we are part of the body of Christ, what we do to one another, we do unto Him. When we consider these actions, we see they are often rooted in fear. 

As 1 John 4:18 (Williams Translation) states:
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears has not been perfected in love.”

We are reminded of love’s expression in 1 Corinthians 13 and find that love sustains us through every relationship. Love never fails.

Paul concludes his exhortation in Ephesians 4:32 with a call to kindness, tenderheartedness, and forgiveness toward one another—all of which the Holy Spirit enables us to do well.

Reproofs

If you turn at my reproof, behold I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you. 

Proverbs 1:23

Identity plays a key role in how we hear and receive correction. If we are not secure in being beloved, our hearing can be filtered through a sense of rejection. Yet all correction comes from the Father—by the Holy Spirit, through the Word—and always, always, flows from His love and His desire for our well-being.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 2 Timothy 3:16.

Reproof from the Greek word ‘elegchos’ means reproof, conviction, evidence, proof.  Helps word studies indicates it is “an inward conviction; the internal persuasion from Him". 

This is what we often recognize as the still, small voice—the inner knowing that we have stepped out of alignment with God. It may come as a scripture quickened in our hearts after a word spoken or an action taken that does not reflect the nature of Christ. At times, it may also come through another person, prompted by the Holy Spirit, bringing a word of correction.

It is the Spirit of Truth who leads and guides us, always in harmony with the Word of God. In John 16:12–15, we see that the Holy Spirit takes what He hears and reveals it to us. All true revelation comes through His work (1 Corinthians 2:10–13).

The Spirit and the Word are always in agreement. Where we are out of alignment, reproof comes—by the goodness of God—to bring us back into that place of agreement. And when reproof is humbly received, it opens the way for an outpouring of grace and the enablement to do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

Therefore, receiving with meekness the engrafted Word—which is able to save our souls—takes on deeper meaning when we consider reproof and correction. Since the purpose of correction is realignment, to heed and submit is life to us.

Proverbs 10:17 reminds us:

Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who ignores reproof goes astray.

The book of Proverbs is rich with exhortations concerning reproof. As children of God, correction and instruction become a continual and necessary part of our spiritual growth.

Proverbs 6:23 says:
The commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life. (ESV)

The New Living Translation expresses it this way: corrective discipline is the way to life.

Reproofs are essential in shaping us into the will and character of God. Correction is both the way of life and the way to life. Discipline and instruction are ongoing elements of our growth as we mature in Him. They serve as loving guardrails along our path, keeping us from harm and guiding us in righteousness.

Correction not only addresses what is wrong but also trains us in what is right. Hebrews reminds us that no discipline feels pleasant in the moment, yet when it is received, it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

Reproofs of instruction are a good and necessary gift.

Eastertide

In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when He was taken up, after He had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom He had chosen. He presented Himself alive to them after His suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.
Acts 1:1–3 (ESV)

While Easter has passed, the period known as Eastertide continues. Eastertide is the fifty-day season that begins on Easter Sunday and concludes on Pentecost. This season marks Jesus’ resurrection, His ascension, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

In today’s Scripture, we see that after the resurrection and before Jesus ascended, He presented Himself alive by many convincing proofs. Over a period of forty days, He appeared to His disciples and spoke about the kingdom of God. In doing so, He confirmed and expanded upon what He had already taught them—now, perhaps, with a deeper understanding taking root in their hearts and minds.

Jesus would have reinforced that it was better for Him to go, so that the Holy Spirit would come and abide with them forever (John 16:7) by giving them commands preparing them for the work they were to continue.

The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost marked a new season for the Church. It fulfilled Joel’s prophecy and empowered these men and women to boldly proclaim the gospel accompanied by signs and wonders.

The final recorded instruction in Matthew’s Gospel reminds us that these signs will follow those who believe. The Church was both destined and commissioned to carry on the works of Jesus, with even greater works displayed. The Lord worked with them, confirming His Word through accompanying signs.

The book of Acts is not only a record of the acts of the apostles; it is a testimony to the active work of the Holy Spirit in and through their lives.

The purpose of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer is both enablement and empowerment—enablement to proclaim the gospel, and empowerment to bring forth life through salvation and deliverance.

As the Church in Canada may face increasing legal pressures that could challenge our ability to preach the full gospel, we may find ourselves in a position similar to the early Church—choosing whether we will obey God or man.

Yet Spirit-filled believers do not carry a spirit of fear, but  power, love, and a sound mind. This equips us with deep compassion for the lost and broken, compelling us to proclaim the name of Jesus. 

He is risen, and we are His witnesses—set and sanctified by His Spirit to carry His hope into the places we have been called, walking in these greater works for His glory.

Being Spirit-filled is not merely a doctrine within the Church; it is the lifestyle of a believer.

Resurrection Sunday 2026

I am the Resurrection and the Life, he who believes in me will live even if he dies.” John 11:25 

Resurrection; the promise fulfilled. From death comes life. The seed, fallen into the ground dies and brings forth much fruit unto great joy.  

Prior to the cross Jesus said to his disciples, “you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice and no one will take your joy from you, John 16:22.  How that joy is revealed to Mary Magdalene as she clings to Him at the tomb on that resurrection Sunday, John 20:17. 

A hope fulfilled with joy unspeakable, overflows in tears at the appearance of Jesus. 

She clings to Jesus as he tells her to, “go to my brothers and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father and my God and your God.”  

Jesus came that we might have life and have it more abundantly, John 10:10. His birth the beginning, His life demonstrating, His cross the finish and His resurrection achieving a new law of life forever, that sets the believers free from the law of sin and death, Romans 8:1-2. He conquered both sin and death, and now reigns supreme seated at the right hand of the Father.  Our God and Father, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist, is the God of Hope who fills us with all joy and peace in believing that we might abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit, 

Today marks a great day of joy and celebration for us, for all that has been purchased through Jesus Christ’s life, death and resurrection.  

My prayer for each of us, is that this day marks a day of newness of life, a strength and zeal for His purposes, a steadfastness in our pursuit of His presence and an ever increasing display of His glory through our lives. 

He is Risen!  …He is Risen Indeed!!