KEY SCRIPTURE: Joh 9:16 KJV” Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.”

Man’s confusion and challenges proceed from his refusal to accept God’s acts and revelations. Romans 1:18-30 teaches us about how men refused to accept the revelations and acts of God, and so God gave them over to confusion and a reprobate mind. Rom 1:24 KJV” Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:” The Bible says that is the wrath of God against humanity. That is to allow men to go into more confusion which is the path, they have chosen.

In our key scripture, the Jews were involved in a back-and-forth questioning of the man the Lord healed from blindness. They kept questioning how He opened your eyes. The man kept explaining, yet they could not accept his answer. These people could have just believed him and also benefited from the healing grace that was on Jesus.

We are living in a time with the most sophisticated level of technology and is also the fastest time for the acquisition of knowledge, yet men are more worried, fearful, and miserable than in any other period of human history. Man has become a very destructive instrument of himself and, his fellow men. 2nd Timothy 3:1-4 reveals that the last days would be characterised by perilous times, Why? Men have forsaken God and so are very confused.  The present global economic crunch is created by men. The result is man destroying his fellow man. Take it or leave it,  Men are really normal to the degree that they are ready to submit to God.

Just consider the following:

LGBQ+ cannot be accepted to be normal, yet because the world forsakes God, they are ready to punish anyone who opposes and refuses to acknowledge this miserable condition.

I watched a video of a girl who believes she is a dog and a gentleman placed a chain on her neck. As she goes, she would urinate at various points just like dogs do. Is this not confusing? Is it not an inhuman act to place a chain on another human and drag her about?

Dear one, if Jesus is not Lord of your life, then do not delay any further. Make a decision to surrender your life to Jesus.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, without you, we become a threat to ourselves.  I confess that you are my Lord and Saviour. I repent of my confused way to surrender to your Lordship over my life. Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul.

THOUGHT: MAN WITHOUT CHRIST IS FULL OF CRISES

FURTHER STUDIES

Rom 1:21-25 KJV” Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Joh 9:11 KJV” He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.”

Welcome back to our series of studies on a walk with Jesus through the gospel of John.

In our key scripture, the Jewish leaders encountered him and asked him how your eyes opened?  Opening blind eyes, especially one born from birth, is not something one can naturally or medically do. They were very much interested in knowing how it came about.

As Christians or children of God, our conversion into the faith is a great miraculous feat. The Bible calls it, being translated from death to life. In the case of the blind man, his healing and change were very evident and remarkable. If the Christian will put his newfound faith into action, the change in his life will also become very evident, and people around him will ask how did you get changed.

Dear child of God, are you living such that people will come to you and ask what has happened to you?

The power of God’s word is very potent and will cause that lead of change that will attract people’s attention. DECIDE YOU WILL SUBMIT TOTALLY TO THE WORD OF GOD.

If you have faithfully submitted yourself to the word of God, then it is your Christian duty to testify to the world about the change that has taken place. The blind man shared about what Jesus did. You have to share with others about the kind of person you were, how you encountered the word, and lastly, the change that has taken place in your life.

Personal testimonies have a greater impact on the lives of the unsaved. The testimony of the woman the Lord Jesus met at the well brought the city to see Jesus.  John 4:30. Let people hear how much Christ has transformed your life.

CONFESSION

Thank you, heavenly father, for your great salvation. My life is set free from the control of sin and the forces of this life. I am living to manifest the nature of my father. The glory of God is revealed in me.

THOUGHT: Your personal testimony would surely have an impact on others.

Further Studies:

Acts 1:8 KJV” But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

Mat 28:19 KJV Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

KEY SCRIPTURE: Judge 16:1 KJV “Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her.

Samson had a vow of a Nazarite over his life. Num 6:2 KJV” Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the LORD:” The law of the Nazarite demanded that he keeps himself from any unclean thing. He was not to drink any wine whether freshly pressed or fermented, that is alcoholic. His hair was his symbol of dedication meaning no razor was supposed to touch his hair. Unfortunately, Samson acted on a number of occasions as if he was an ordinary person. He was not supposed to touch a dead body, whether man or animal. He found honey in the dead body of the lion he killed and scooped some to eat. Samson, because of lack of discipline was eventually captured and his two eyes were plugged off.

Samson had not been cautious about the opposite sex. The Bible said one would become like a piece of bread if he aligns with a whorish woman. Pro 6:26 KJV” For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life.” Dear one these matters are very serious and every child of God must preserve his or her vessel against defiling it. Your status does not matter, you would be cast of your feet. Pro 7:26 KJV” For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her.” The anointing attracts lots of people to you. Remember Potiphar’s wife, who saw the great anointing on Joseph’s life which made her take amorous advances toward him. Joseph feared God and so He ran away from that error. May you flee from all appearances of sin.

What shall a man, do to keep himself from such pitfalls.? he anointed man must not visit certain places unaccompanied. He must have a special aide who stays and goes to certain places with him, or her. He must maintain a very strong devotional life. Ps 119: 9, 11.

Remember Apostle Paul’s precautionary measures.1Co 9:27 KJV But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. May you apply these suggestions and scriptural demands to keep yourself from error.

CONFESSION

Dear heavenly Father, thank you for your grace that has given me total victory over sin. My heart is focused on pleasing you, in all I do. I maintain a very committed devotional life and put my members under subjection.

THOUGHT: NO MATTER YOUR HEIGHTS OF GLORY MAINTAIN YOUR FEAR OF GOD

FURTHER STUDIES

1Th 4:3 KJV” For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:”

Psa 119:9, 11 KJV BETH. “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

KEY SCRIPTURE:1Sa 15:22 KJV” And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.”

God anoints his servants for His glory. The anointing never makes you a demigod. The anointing indicates God’s presence is with you. The anointing, therefore, put a demand on absolute submission to the will of God.

Unfortunately, some servants of God are carried away by the grace that has come on them. In our key scripture king Saul who was the anointed king decided to place his ambition before God. He became proud to the point that he was concerned about his image among men. After God spoke to him about his error, just consider what he said.1Samueĺ 15:30 KJV” Then he said, I   have sinned: yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD thy God.” Saul’s problem was his image that he wanted to protect. It was this very thing that made him disobey the voice of God.

Many anointed men who fell out of favour with God did so because of their ego. There are some who would get very offended, because they were put in a hotel that, they felt was below their standard. Dear servant of God, no matter how much you are anointed or no matter how people honour you, make sure you always give that honour to the Lord Please you are never the center of attraction, Jesus is. Some men of God get so offended because he was given an honorarium far lower than his status. They vow never to go to that place again. Please dear one, whose image are you honouring, yours or the Lord’s? Never allow the anointing to deceive you.

One thing you can do to protect yourself is to have the idea of the donkey carrying Jesus. Matt 21:1-10. So long as Jesus sat on that donkey, people laid their clothes on the floor for the donkey to walk on. Who was being praised, the Lord or the donkey? That donkey must keep carrying the master. If it turns its attention to itself and put the Lord down, it would soon realise no one would even look at it. Continue to keep giving the praise to the Lord. If you think an action towards you, is a disgrace to you, just remember all your reproach falls on Jesus. Always remember it is Jesus who does the miracles. He Jesus, own’s any glory and he also carries any reproach as well. We only carry Him and act in His name, every other thing is His business.

CONFESSION

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for your goodness towards me. Whatever I am is what you are in me through our Lord Jesus. I have no image to protect, but your image. I also don’t have any glory to maintain but God’s glory. I am very grateful to have such a relationship with you.

FURTHER STUDIES

Phi 1:20 KJV” According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.”

Rev 4:11 KJV  “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Rom 12:1 KJV: I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

This time we take a look at a woman who was mightily used by the Holy Ghost. Her story is one of the missed experiences, yet ultimately allowed Jesus to have total control of her life. Her level of impact was so strong that when she visited certain cities for a meeting on Sunday morning, many churches closed their Sunday morning service to attend her services. Some people listening to her on the radio were ‘slain by the Spirit’, that is they fell under the power of the Spirit. What were some of her experiences?

Kathryn Kuhlman was born on 9th May 1907. Her mother was an extreme disciplinarian, who showed less affection toward her.  Contrary, her father had a very loving relationship with her. This shaped her perception of her relationship with our heavenly father. Kathryn started ministry at an early age after she left the ministry of her elder sister’s husband. The Lord started using her but along the line, she came into contact with one evangelist Burroughs Waltrip. This man left his wife and children in another city and came to Denver, where Kathryn was. Over time, a loving relationship developed between them. They ultimately got married. The Lord prompted her to break that relationship but she did not. Everything the Lord started doing in her life came to a standstill. She had a difficult time breaking from that marriage, yet she finally decided to leave this man. She gave up every selfish pursuit to totally seek God’s glory. She spent a great deal of time in the presence of God, always crying on God to save and heal the oppressed. Anytime she closed any meeting she spent hours in God’s presence praying about those who were not saved or healed, She said she feels responsible for those who were not saved or healed. Kathryn indeed paid the price of dedication to have the impact she saw in her ministry.

The presence and power of God were so tangible in her meetings that people always left with unique feelings about the presence of God. She talked more about our relationship with the Holy Spirit.

Our key scripture says we must present ourselves as living sacrifices unto God.

Dear child of God, God is more desirous and prepared for yielded sanctified vessels to use. Would you be such a vessel?

CONFESSION

Father, I yield my life in total surrender to your Spirit. I  give my heart to seek your word and also commit my life to seek the salvation of men and their deliverance from Satan’s grip.

THOUGHT ACTS 10:34,35

FURTHER STUDIES

John 12:24 KJV “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.”

Gal 2:20 KJV “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Deut 28:1 KJV “And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:”

Reinhard Willie Godfred Bonnke was a German-born international evangelist who was called mainly to the harvest fields of Africa. Bonnke affectionately called by many held massive meetings across Africa. His meetings were characterised by great miracles and thousands receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit, with the evidence of speaking in tongues. Reinhard Bonnke recorded over 52 million conversions of souls in Africa over a ten-year period. He always said his mission was to depopulate hell to populate heaven.

What was the secret to this massive operation of the Holy Spirit in his life? Bonnke was converted at the age of 9 and by his tenth birthday, the Lord gave him a vision about a blood-washed Africa. He came to Africa in 1967 and pastored a small church in Lesotho, in the southern part of Africa. He had no miracles in his church. He heard of a Dutch evangelist with a miracle ministry. Because of his passion for souls, he organised a two-day crusade, asking the sick, maimed and what have you, to come. On the first night, the evangelist preached for about 20 minutes and asked him to close the meeting. He told him, that cannot be possible, yet he insisted and left. This man failed to come the next day after he went to pick him up for the meeting. The second day will definitely have more people coming. He was very disappointed yet, prayed and told the Lord, he was going to preach and He Jesus would heal the sick. He came back, preached, and for the first time saw an outbreak of miracles. That was the beginning of his massive, miraculous meetings in Africa.

In Bonnke’s case, the Holy Spirit had to place him in a very awkward situation, in which he must be courageous and trust the Lord to honour His word. One major factor that allowed the Spirit of God to function so effectively in his ministry was that he was very obedient and always trusted the Lord. He always kept his message very simple yet very, very enthusiastic about the delivery of His messages.

Now to all who have received specific prophecies about a work God will do with them in the future, please start acting towards fulfilling it. Do not let your ways or actions go in opposite ways to what you have received. As you work towards obeying the call, the Spirit of God would also create situations to fulfill that word concerning your life.

CONFESSION

Thank you, heavenly Father, for every prophetic word you gave to me. I joyfully follow God’s blueprints for my life. My joy is constantly made full as I see great progress in what God has spoken to me about.

FURTHER STUDIES

Jos 1:5 KJV “There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”

Isa 6:8 KJV Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Mat 5:6 WEB “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.”

For the next couple of days, we would be looking at men of God in our era, either living or dead how they received the anointing of God, to be a blessing to their world and generation. God has used so many men, just as He worked through men and women in the bible era.

For our consideration today, we would look at the evangelist Thomas Lee Osborne ( 1923-2013)or popularly known as “T L”. He was born in Dec 1923 on a small farm near the Pocasset township of Oklahoma. At the age of 19 years, he was married to Daisy Washburn who was 18 years. They were motivated to go to India as missionaries. (According to Matt 28:19,20) but could not prove to the Muslims, the truthfulness of the message they preached. After ten months they came back to America to find real answers to this challenge.

They fasted and prayed. They also read biographies and searched the bible. They prayed for power and tried to contact men who were been used by the Lord for the miraculous but could not make the connection. Men like Charles Price died before meeting him. The woman of God Amie McPherson could also not be contacted.  He said he cried bitterly about the departure of these men and women of God.  He asked who would fill the auditoriums with the power of God. His concern was the many who are sick, suffering, and molested by the devil. God will always tell the concerned. The hungry and thirsty would be filled. Matt 5:6.

He heard a lady preach about the great transformation that one receives when he sees Jesus in person. He desired it, and by the next morning, Jesus visited him in person at 6 am in his room. From then he knew he was not serving a dead God.

He also went to a meeting in which the man of God (William Branham) commanded demons to depart, and people were healed. He said he heard a thousand voices say to him you can do that. From then, he resolved to read the bible believing whatever it says, and doing whatever the Lord asked him to do. He would also expect Jesus to do what He promised to do.

From then he organised meetings calling for the sick, maimed, and diseased. He began to see miracles. Blind eyes were opened, lepers were cleansed, and all kinds of miracles that medicine had no answers to were wrought by him. He went back to India and could now show them that Jesus is alive. For over forty years he travelled the globe bringing the glad tidings of the gospel to over seventy nations with mighty miracles.

What brought him into this encounter of the anointing of the Holy Ghost?

1. He was desperate to have God’s power to set every oppressed man free.

2. He followed after God, in prayer, fasting, and searching the word.

3. He acted on the truth and God confirmed his words.

PRAYER

Thank you, Father, I desperately follow you to see your power, and to be a blessing to my generation. I submit fully to your word and place all my trust in it. Thank you, for blessing me with your power.

THOUGHT: SINCERE SEEKERS ARE ALWAYS SATISFIED.

FURTHER STUDIES

Mat 4:19 KJV” And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

Deut 11:13, 14  KJV” And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Acts 6:5 KJV “And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:”

We continue with our study of certain bible characters who walked under great anointings of the Holy Spirit. Stephen was called to serve food as a deacon, yet he became very outstanding among his fellow deacons. The bible made certain statements about Stephen. It said He is a man full of faith and the Holy Ghost. This statement speaks volumes. As a man full of faith, he was given to the word, studying to know it as well as yielding to its demands. Faith is a positive response to the word of God. Stephen was also full of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit fills those who fellowship Him. Scripture shows us one of the ways to respond with the Spirit. That is ” Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;”

Stephen was mightily used by the Holy Spirit to work great miracles. He took on some teachers of the law to discuss the law’s revelations about Jesus. Stephen has so much knowledge about the law that they could not stand his wisdom, so they raised false witnesses to accuse him, and stone him.

Stephen did not curse them when they stoned him. He rather pleaded forgiveness for them.

We see all that we have discussed what one needs to do to experience the anointing in the life of Stephen

1. Selfless pursuit of the master to please Him in everything.
2.  Commitment to seeking his face and the knowledge of His word.

Among all that we have discussed one basic ingredient for receiving the anointing is a heart of great love for the Lord. Love would always cause you to make any sacrifice to please the master. May you receive that heart of love in offering yourself as a living sacrifice unto Jesus.

CONFESSION

Thank you, heavenly Father, for your great power and love that you bestowed on me. I correspondingly yield myself in love and pursuit of you. Thank you for manifesting your anointing in my life.

THOUGHT: TRUE LOVE FOR GOD, ACCOMMODATES EVERY ACT, REQUIRED TO EXPERIENCE THE ANOINTING.

FURTHER STUDIES

Acts 6:8 KJV “And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.”

Acts 7:56 KJV” And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.”

KEY SCRIPTURE;1Co 2:4 KJV “And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:”

The anointing magnifies one’s ministry. It establishes the fact that God is with you. The anointing attracts others to partner with you to do the task God has given you. One such man, who was mightily used by God was, the apostle Paul.

Apostle Paul was described as those who have turned the world upside down. Acts 17:6 Apostle Paul through the grace preached to a number of the Gentile world. He wrote a greater portion of the New Testament. It was said of him, that special miracles were wroth by him in Ephesus. Acts 19;11. There were so many happenings about him that proved that God was indeed with Him.

What was the secret of Paul’s great anointing? He demonstrated that for him life meant living for Christ, and to die is gain. Phil 1:21. Once, the prophet Agabus took Paul’s girdle and demonstrated that the owner of that girdle would be arrested in Jerusalem and bound. The brethren came to him, pleading with him, not to go to Jerusalem. The apostle made the following remarks; Acts 21:13 KJV “Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine, heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” Paul had his life sold out for the course of Christ. He was like a sheep already slain lying on the altar of sacrifice. Fire will certainly come on such sacrifice to totally consume it. The anointing is the fire that comes on an individual to fulfill the work of God.

Paul spent a great deal of time seeking the face of God. After his conversion, he took some time to go to Arabia and then back to Damascus. What did he go doing there? I believe he waited on God and received most of the amazing revelations concerning the new covenant era. Gal 1:17 KJV” Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me, but I went into Arabia and returned again unto Damascus. Apostle Paul said that he fasted often and had night vigils often.2 Corinth 11:27″ In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.”

Paul was called for a special ministry, yet he sold his life for that course and so received divine approval to flow in God’s anointing.

CONFESSION

Thank you, heavenly father, for the stirrings in our hearts as we learn about the pursuit of anointing. I turn away from myself to commit my life as a sacrificed lamb on your altar of sacrifice. Lord, if you can use anything, you can use me.

FURTHER STUDIES

2Co 12:12 KJV “Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.”

Phi 1:20 KJV” According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Acts 5:15 KJV “Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.”

Apostle Peter was mightily used by God in the early days of the church. Our key scripture shows how many hearing of God’s power in Peter’s ministry, brought the sick, who waited on the path that, Peter would be using, so that his shadow may fall on them. The scripture said, Peter’s shadow, healed every one of these sick folks. What was the secret of Peter’s great anointing?

Note that Peter had a number of disappointing moments with the master. The Lord, on a number of occasions, said to him, “Why are you of little faith?” Peter walked on water but failed along the line. He answered Jesus on His real identity, but within the next moments, Jesus rebuked him as Satan speaking through him. He finally denied that he knew the Lord. All these shortcomings did not put him down, but rather made him love the Lord more. He was strengthened as a result.

Peter’s case was an example of one who never gave up. He was an ardent follower of the master, and although He made lots of mistakes he did not give up because of his many mistakes. Mistakes never disqualify one from getting what God has for him or her, so long as you do not give up. Peter’s mistakes rather refined him and caused him to resolve never to fail the Lord. Lastly, he made those mistakes because he was using the flesh to do the things of the Spirit. When the Holy Spirit came upon him, he had known enough, not to fail again.

The lessons we learn from the apostle Peter are still the same to enable one to receive the anointing. Love the Lord deeply, go after Him in obedience, prayer, and fasting, and you would surely be satisfied with the anointing.

CONFESSION

I go after the Lord with all my heart. I do not allow any shortcomings or setbacks to stop me from pursuing, till I get to my final goal. The Lord is always faithful, and will surely reward every diligent seeker.

FURTHER STUDIES

Joh 21:17 KJV “He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.”

Acts 10:34 , 35 KJV” Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.”