Month: May 2023

¹⁶ At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. 2 Timothy 4

We looked yesterday at Christian Craighead, the brave SAS soldier who single handedly helped rescue so many people from terrorist attack in the Dusit complex in Nairobi. He was prepared and equipped when the unexpected call for help came and like Paul he stood alone. (He was able to do all he wanted without other voices intervening.) There will probably be occasions for most of us when we’ll face trials without others beside us, but Paul gives us encouragement;

¹⁷ But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. 2 Timothy 4

The Lord knew Paul needed help, he was standing alone before the justices of Rome, with his life in the balance. The Lord Himself stood at Paul’s side so that the Gospel message might be shared with them as well. This had been the Lord’s word to Paul after he’d been rescued by the soldiers from the Sanhedrin;

¹¹ The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have TESTIFIED ABOUT ME IN JERUSALEM, SO YOU MUST ALSO TESTIFY IN ROME.” Acts 23

The Lord had called Paul to be His witness/testify about Him; it had become the reason for Paul’s life. The Lord rescued Paul from all sorts of calamities, including storms and shipwreck so that His purpose for him would be fulfilled.

Despite the fact that Paul had stood alone at his trial, he ends his letter with personal mention of some ten brothers and sisters, along with other unknown brothers. Paul was forced to stand alone at times, but it was never his intention to isolate himself. He always recognised the Lord’s people, one Body and did all in his power to serve them and strengthen them. Competition within the Body has never been the Lord’s will for His people.

¹⁹ Greet Priscilla and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus. ²⁰ Erastus stayed in Corinth, and I left Trophimus sick in Miletus. ²¹ Do your best to get here before winter (Perhaps to bring Paul his cloak). Eubulus greets you, and so do Pudens, Linus, Claudia and all the brothers.

A final blessing closes out this second letter to Timothy from his spiritual father.

²² The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.

² Preach the word; BE PREPARED IN SEASON AND OUT OF SEASON;  2 Timothy 4

What might Paul mean when he says to be ‘Prepared’?

On the 15th January 2019 there was a terrorist attack on a large, luxury complex in Nairobi, Kenya. Hundreds of people were trapped within the complex as the gunmen fired AK47 rifles and detonated explosives. Local people and international visitors alike had to hide in fear of their lives. An unknown person hiding in the Dusit D2 complex made a phone call to a man called Christian Craighead (Interesting first name!) and asked for help. That single call probably saved hundreds of lives. Christian Craighead was a Special Air Service (SAS) soldier in Kenya helping train their special forces.

Christian was nearby and drove immediately to the complex. He put on body armour, armed himself with several weapons from his car and entered the area. He had no intelligence about the number of terrorists in the buildings. I should also say that he requested permission from British Government officials to enter the complex and help the people trapped there. Believers should also seek permission before engaging our enemies!

He helped wounded civilians and multiple other people to safety, returning frequently to the area alone. Again we could draw parallels with the Church today.

A young American woman, Meyli Chapin was rescued after many hours hiding alone in her bedroom. She knew nothing about the lone SAS soldier who led the rescue of the hostages, but learned of him later from her husband. She then met him in a hotel in America a year after the event. Some of her comments on being interviewed about her experience, “You wouldn’t have known what he did, he was so humble and easygoing.” “My brother still has a sister, my parents a daughter and my now husband a wife and that’s just me. Think of the impact he had on so many others, 700 people escaped unharmed!” But perhaps her most telling remark was that, “If Christian hadn’t gone in (His Choice, he wasn’t ordered to do it) WE WEREN’T GETTING RESCUED! There was no one else coming to help us.”

David turned the tables on the Philistines the day he slew Goliath. His courage broke the fear of their enemy. Christian’s bravery in going in and out to rescue people changed the atmosphere to one of hope for those trapped by the gunmen. He was later awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal, second highest in the UK for his bravery. (He killed two terrorists while securing a building) Twenty Kenyan citizens died, one American and one British South African, but it could have been much worse.

Christian was nearing the end of his long army career when this happened. Meyli Chapin said it was as if he’d trained for it his whole life. But even at the end of his military service, Christian kept himself very fit and practiced with his weapons regularly. He was mentally and physically prepared for the unexpected task before him.

Could we say the same as Christian Craighead? Are we fit to serve the Lord today and do we know our weapons? Paul told Timothy TO BE READY in all circumstances! We live in uncertain times and the Lord needs a people who will stand for and with Him, even alone. Some food for thought today.

God bless and keep you.

⁹ DO YOUR BEST TO COME TO ME QUICKLY, ¹⁰ for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. ¹¹ ONLY LUKE IS WITH ME. 2 Timothy 4 

Paul concludes his second letter to Timothy and the future Church with a summing up of personal and other relationships within the body. His comments show a variety of outcomes, which may be instructive for us to note. He also makes personal requests to Timothy to provide practical help in some matters.

Demas is mentioned in Colossians and Philemon as a fellow worker, but now he has left Paul, ‘because he loved this world’. He’d probably given up a lot to serve with Paul and his companions but he’d been seduced by the things of the world away from Christ and we don’t know if he ever found his way back. We all have free will and even though we may serve and fellowship for a time with strong believers, we will ultimately decide our own destiny.

¹⁵ Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. ¹⁶ For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes, and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. ¹⁷ The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2

Others may simply have moved on, finding their own fields of service, but Luke the Gentile doctor and author had stayed on with Paul.

Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. ¹² I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. ¹³ When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments. 2 Timothy 4

Paul asks for Mark, or John Mark and he tells Timothy to bring him too because he can be of help to him. There’d been a major disagreement between Paul and Barnabas over this young man, but they must have become reconciled. There may be some occasions for us to be reconciled, even after strong disputes. We should welcome them and honour other members of the Lord’s Body.

Paul asks Timothy for practical help, a cloak before winter and some particular scrolls. Close friendships may often mean helping those we love in times of need.

¹⁰ Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your father,
    and do not go to your brother’s house when disaster strikes you –
    better a neighbour nearby than a brother far away. Proverbs 27

¹⁴ Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. ¹⁵ You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message. 2 Timothy 4

There were those who attacked Paul, ‘he did ME a great deal of harm’ and ‘opposed the message WE brought’. Paul trusted the Lord to repay this man for what he’d done and warned Timothy to be wary of him.

Paul had people who’d served with him and then deserted him. Others such as Mark had become reconciled and now helped him and some who’d attacked him and the message he carried. Above all he had a faithful spiritual son in Timothy, who always sought to help and serve him.

May we have some we can trust fully, who walk with us today. Amen

⁶ For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. 2 Timothy 4

Paul changes tack towards the end of his second letter to Timothy and the Church. He begins to speak of his own walk with the Lord and he recognises that his life in this world is drawing to a close. He uses the analogy of his life being poured out like a drink offering.

The Drink offerings are described in Leviticus 23 and Numbers 15 and there are some things to note about them.

15 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘AFTER YOU ENTER THE LAND (Your Inheritance) I am giving you as a home … Numbers 15

Drink Offerings could only be presented in the Land, the place of Rest and Peace from enemies. Israel had just disobeyed God and spent 40 years wandering in the desert, until a whole generation died, excluding Joshua and Caleb. There were No sacrifices to God in the wilderness, only in their God given Land.

Drink Offerings were to be presented with the sacrifices and the entire Offerings were burned up. With the meat a portion was kept by the officiating priests, but the Drink Offerings were for God alone.

Drink Offerings were part of the fruit of Israel’s labour in their land, the grain, oil and wine. (Again not possible in the desert) These Offerings were poured on the sacrifices made to God.

¹⁷ But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. ¹⁸ So you too should be glad and rejoice with me. Philippians 2

Paul saw himself as a Drink Offering being poured out on the service of the new Churches.

⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4

Another powerful statement in Paul’s letter to Timothy. Paul had almost finished his appointed task after huge effort and much opposition. He’d had to fight many battles, run a race with others and held onto his own faith while encouraging others in theirs. Then he speaks of the reward he’ll receive for his faithfulness;

⁸ Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. 2 Timothy 4

Derek Prince said that he didn’t believe any Church which had lost the expectancy for Christ’s return could maintain a true standard of holiness. When we lose that expectancy of Jesus coming again our own walk suffers and we lose out.

Paul endured everything for the sake of His Calling and the Lord who’d so miraculously met him and changed the course of his whole life. Jesus is just as faithful to us today, don’t give up, He will see us through, just as surely as He did Paul.

God bless and keep you today.

 

Honey is referred to seven times in the Book of Proverbs and only three times in the Psalms, the largest book in God’s Word.

³ For the LIPS of the adulterous woman DRIP HONEY,
    and her SPEECH is smoother than oil;
⁴ but in the end she is bitter as gall,
    sharp as a double-edged sword. Proverbs 5

The first mention is a Serious Warning, don’t be taken in or deceived by the HONIED words of the unfaithful. What looks and tastes sweet in the beginning WILL END IN BITTERNESS AND WOUNDING. Declare and Decree an end to wrong relationships for those we love, shut the doors which lead to painful suffering.

²⁴ Gracious or Pleasant words are a honeycomb,
    SWEET to the SOUL and HEALING to the BONES. Proverbs 16

Pleasant words are a blessing/taste sweet to our souls AND bring healing to our bones/physical bodies (unpleasant/bitter words often bring sickness! Life and death are in the power of the tongue Proverbs 18:21)

¹³ Eat honey, my son, for it is good;
    honey from the comb is sweet to your taste.
¹⁴ Know also that WISDOM IS SWEET TO YOUR SOUL:
    IF you find it, there is a FUTURE HOPE FOR YOU,
    and YOUR HOPE (It’s Your Personal Hope) will not be cut off. Proverbs 24

We looked at these verses yesterday, they begin in the physical realm with the sweetness of the honey and then state that Wisdom is just as sweet to our souls. But Wisdom – once again Christ is our Wisdom – gives us Hope for the future and also for eternity, beyond time.

¹⁶ If you find honey, eat just enough—
    too much of it, and you will vomit.
¹⁷ Seldom set foot in your neighbour’s house—
    too much of you, and they will hate you. Proverbs 25

The next reference to honey is regarding social relationships. It’s amazing how God’s Word can use a sweet food to teach us to be careful and not become a nuisance to those we know. Don’t spend too much time going to your neighbour’s house, or they may tire of you.

²⁷ It is not good to eat too much honey,
    nor is it honourable to seek one’s own honour. Proverbs 25

Later in the same chapter of Proverbs, we’re warned that the seeking of our own honour, self-promotion or inflating our egos, is like eating TOO MUCH HONEY, can also be sickening for those around us.

⁷ One who is full loathes honey from the comb,
    but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet. Proverbs 27

The hungry are grateful for anything that fills their stomach, but those who have plenty disdain tasty delicacies. The contrast between those who have an abundance and the impoverished is great and is revealed in a poor attitude. Only one leper came back TO THANK THE LORD for his healing (Luke 17) and he was a Samaritan, implies the others may have been Jews, spiritually blessed people. Good uses simple everyday things to teach us profound lessons in His Word and our BEING THANKFUL is important to Him.

God bless and keep you today and every day.

 

¹³ Eat honey, my son, for it is good;
    honey from the comb is sweet to your taste.
¹⁴ Know also that wisdom is sweet to your soul:
    If you find it, there is a future hope for you,
    and your hope will not be cut off. Proverbs 24

The writer of these verses starts off with the natural, honey is sweet to the taste (God made it for people to enjoy), but then he moves on to the corresponding substance for the soul, Wisdom. There’s a sweetness in Wisdom and people will often recognise when someone brings the right word in a situation.

¹¹ The right word spoken at the right time
is as beautiful as gold apples in a silver bowl [^Lsetting]. Proverbs 25 Expanded Bible (EXB)

The last part of the verse is a Double Emphasis on the word, ‘HOPE’. If you find this Wisdom (Christ is our Wisdom) there is a FUTURE HOPE AND YOUR HOPE WILL NOT BE CUT OFF.

A few verses following on from this we see a different picture regarding the Hope of the wicked.

¹⁹ Do not fret because of evildoers
    or be envious of the wicked,
²⁰ for the evildoer has no future hope,
    and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out. Proverbs 24

The Word urges us not to be envious of the wicked because there’s really nothing to be envious about. Once again the verses end with a Double Emphasis of their future, ‘No future Hope and their lamp (What guides them) will be snuffed out’. The snuffing out of a lamp results in darkness, quite a graphic picture. The wicked may believe that they’re having the best of things, but their ultimate destiny is in darkness.

Our Heavenly Father wants the best for all of us, finding His paths and walking in them is best we can have for this life and in eternity.

God bless and keep you today and every day.

4 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, 2 Timothy 4

Paul speaks to Timothy and us by the Spirit to remind us that someday we will stand before Christ and hear His Judgement of our lives here on earth. It’s easy to get so caught up in the material things of this world that we forget about spiritual reality.

I give you this charge: ² Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 

Paul told his protégée to faithfully preach God’s Word (¹⁶ All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 2 Timothy 3) and to be ready to instruct at all times. (Timothy had to always be ready to tell people about the Lord – always on duty, no goofing off!)

‘Correct, rebuke and encourage’, get the RIGHT BALANCE in what he said, people need to be encouraged as well as corrected. He also needed to have the RIGHT ATTITUDE, ‘being patient’ with believers and giving them good counsel.

For the TIME is coming when men will not tolerate wholesome teaching. They will want something to tickle their own fancies, and they will collect teachers who will pander to their own desires. They will no longer listen to the truth, BUT WILL WANDER OFF AFTER MAN-MADE FICTIONS. PHILLIPS

You’re going to find that there will be TIMES when people will have no stomach for solid teaching, but will fill up on spiritual junk food—catchy opinions that tickle their fancy. They’ll turn their backs on truth and CHASE MIRAGES. 2 Timothy 4:3,4 MSG

There are Times or Ages when people have been so deceived and so captivated by this world that they’re unwilling to listen to Truth, even believers. They actively pursue fantasies and mirages, they’re obsessed with things other than the Truth. Paul tells Timothy that this is going to happen, so don’t be annoyed and discouraged when it does.

For yourself, STAND FAST in all that you are doing, meeting whatever suffering this may involve. Go on steadily preaching the Gospel and CARRY OUT TO THE FULL, THE COMMISSION GOD GAVE YOU. PHILLIPS

But you—keep your eye on what you’re doing; ACCEPT THE HARD TIMES ALONG WITH THE GOOD; ‘KEEP THE MESSAGE ALIVE’; (Really like this phrase) do a thorough job as God’s servant. 2 Timothy 4:5 MSG

Timothy, there are times when you’re going to have to ‘go against the flow’, but don’t get upset, just keep going and being to your calling. All of us will experience hard times, but God is faithful, we should never give up.

²⁴ “‘“The Lord bless you
    and keep you;
²⁵ the Lord make his face shine on you
    and be gracious to you;
²⁶ the Lord turn his face toward you
    and give you peace.”’

²⁷ “So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.” Numbers 6

 

¹⁴ But as for you, CONTINUE IN WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED AND HAVE BECOME CONVINCED OF, (MADE YOUR OWN) BECAUSE YOU KNOW FROM WHOM YOU HAVE LEARNED IT, ¹⁵ AND HOW FROM INFANCY YOU HAVE KNOWN THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, … 2 Timothy 3

Paul reminds Timothy to CONTINUE in what he has learned, despite the times he’s living in, ‘going from bad to worse’. In these verses Paul reminds Timothy, his spiritual son, about two things, which he Timothy, Knows. We are all different and learn in different ways. Some people are academics and learn much in a college system. Others are more practical and gain more from a hands on approach. Jesus taught the disciples and demonstrated the Kingdom to them, but then after some time He delegated His Authority and sent them out in pairs to do what He’d been doing. Matthew 10, Mark 6:7-13, Luke 9:1

The first thing Paul reminds Timothy of is that he Knows FROM WHOM HE HAS LEARNED the things of the Faith, Paul and perhaps other apostles. I studied in University, but in the things of the Spirit, God set me with two spiritual fathers – I LEARNED BY ASSOCIATION WITH EXPERIENCED MEN OF GOD. I often visited the home of my first mentor who lived locally. My next spiritual Father was from the nation of Sweden and most of the time I spent travelling with teams he led  to various nations.

There seems to be an increased discussion today of the Fivefold Ministry being raised up in the Church, with the apostles and the prophets being the most recent offices to be restored.

¹¹ So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, ¹² TO EQUIP HIS PEOPLE FOR WORKS OF SERVICE, SO THAT THE BODY OF CHRIST MAY BE BUILT UP ¹³ UNTIL WE ALL REACH UNITY IN THE FAITH and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the WHOLE MEASURE OF THE FULLNESS OF CHRIST. Ephesians 4

The Lord has a vision for the body and it’s going to include people in all the different offices bringing the Church to full maturity. (Not fulfilling our own agendas, those days must end for the Lord’s purpose to prevail!)

¹⁶ All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the SERVANT OF GOD MAY BE THOROUGHLY EQUIPPED FOR EVERY GOOD WORK. 2 Timothy 3 

God’s inspired Word is the training manual for His people here on earth, but it’s also His Living Word. The Spirit of God teaches, then He also rebukes and corrects, and finally His Word trains us in righteousness.

The Lord has a vision for His Church and He’s going to fulfil it but the things Paul spoke of will have to be evident before that vision can come to pass.

²⁴ “‘“The Lord bless you
    and keep you;
²⁵ the Lord make his face shine on you
    and be gracious to you;
²⁶ the Lord turn his face toward you
    and give you peace.”’

²⁷ “So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.” Numbers 6

 

¹⁰ You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, ¹¹ persecutions, sufferings— … the persecutions I endured. YET THE LORD RESCUED ME FROM ALL OF THEM. 2 Timothy 3

God is a God who DELIVERS and He DELIVERS Us His Children.

Paul wants Timothy and us to know this. He’s withstood many trials, but God has been faithful and Rescued him from them all.

⁹ Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that WE MIGHT NOT RELY ON OURSELVES BUT ON GOD, who raises the dead. ¹⁰ HE HAS DELIVERED US from such a deadly peril, and HE WILL DELIVER US AGAIN. On him we have set our hope that HE WILL CONTINUE TO DELIVER US, ¹¹ AS YOU HELP US BY YOUR PRAYERS. 2 Corinthians 1

Paul could not be more emphatic, God HAS Delivered/Rescued us, WILL Deliver us and WILL CONTINUE to Deliver us – as you HELP US BY YOUR PRAYERS. Paul constantly ties the Prayers of the Believers with his Deliverance in times of trial.

³⁰ I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to JOIN ME IN THE STRUGGLE BY PRAYING TO GOD FOR ME. ³¹ PRAY that I may be Rescued from the unbelievers in Judea… Romans 15

Paul says that those who are Praying for him are joining with him in the struggles he’s facing. (If anyone gives a cup of cold water in My Name, they won’t lose their reward Matthew 10:42) Paul greatly values the prayers of the fellow believers while he’s working in the service of the Lord.

The last part of the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew’s Gospel is a call to God for His Deliverance from the enemy,

¹³ And lead us not into temptation,
    but DELIVER US from the evil one. Matthew 6

Jesus, in teaching His disciples the perfect prayer, included in it the petition for Deliverance to all believers in all ages.

The apostle Peter in his second letter to the Church gave the examples of Noah and Lot who had both been Rescued from the judgement of God on wickedness in their communities,

⁹ if this is so, (Peter had spoken of Lot in Sodom) then the Lord knows how to RESCUE THE GODLY FROM TRIALS and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment.       2 Peter 2

David was another man of God who endured many trials and he wrote this Psalm while feigning insanity in the court of Abimelech, the Philistine King.

¹⁹ The righteous person may have many troubles,
    but THE LORD DELIVERS HIM FROM THEM ALL; Psalm 34

No wonder James said,

¹³ Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray.

Many cry out in times of desperation for God’s help, but we as believers have a unique place before the throne of God.

“Saviour He can move the mountains, our God is mighty to save, mighty to save” as the chorus goes.

God bless and Deliver you from all harm today.

 

3 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. ² People will be LOVERS OF THEMSELVES, LOVERS OF MONEY, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³ without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, NOT LOVERS OF THE GOOD, ⁴ treacherous, rash, conceited, LOVERS OF PLEASURE RATHER THAN LOVERS OF GOD— ⁵ having a FORM OF GODLINESS BUT DENYING ITS POWER. 2 Timothy 3

We said before that Paul writing by the Holy Spirit lists 18 corrupt character traits which will be prevalent in the last days and three of them are the Loves of other things, which take our hearts away from THE LOVE OF GOD.

Love of Self, my wants and needs to be met before the Lord’s! Love of Money, how many people exhaust themselves and some quite probably shorten their lives to make more money? (Greed is idolatry Colossians 3:5). Love of pleasure, very common today, many people live for hobbies e.g. the golf course etc.

Perhaps the most surprising thing after listing so many marks of corrupt character is Paul’s remark, ‘Having a form of Godliness, but denying its power’. People crave Religious Respectability so long as it’s on their terms. They may follow certain practices, so long as they don’t get in the way of fulfilling their own agendas. Someone said, ‘an idol is anything which takes the place of Christ in our lives’. This is what is meant by having a form of Godliness, Religion is outward and performance based, but God looks inward at the heart.

Paul’s instruction to Timothy and us is very short and succinct, ‘Have nothing to do with them!’ God is not the least bit interested in outward show, something done for men to see, but only in the posture of hearts toward Him.

He warns against their urge to take advantage of vulnerable women and their apparent desire to learn, but NEVER WILLING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE TRUTH.

Paul’s final warning is to liken these men to two magicians, Jannes and Jambres, who opposed Moses. (They appear to have been named in other Jewish writings.) Just as the magicians opposed Moses, so they will oppose the truth.

… so also these men oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. ⁹ BUT THEY WILL NOT GET VERY FAR because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone. 2 Timothy 3

Once again Paul reassures Timothy that despite their opposition to the truth of the Gospel they are limited in what they can do. God will ultimately prevail no matter who or what comes against Him and His Church. Paul who endured much for the Gospel, gave Timothy the briefest of advice about dealing with the troublemakers. The primary thing for believers was to love and obey God and not be seduced by the temporary pleasures of this world.

God bless and keep you today and every day.