AFTER CONVERSION

Once a person becomes "Born-Again" , "Saved" or "Converted" there is usually a question in their mind about what to do next? Our attempt to answer that question is the reason for this article. As a fellow believer there are two things that come to mind instantly and after some forethought there are three things. To not keep you in suspense the major three things that each new believer (and all Christians) must attempt to do "After Conversion" are listed below:

  1. Find a Holy Bible for daily reading


  2. Develop your Love Walk


  3. Find a good local church

The answer for what to do next should be ordered in that specific sequence. When you become "Born-Again" your spirit is new and even though this new spirit is godly it still comes with an appetite. “Bon appetit” This is why you need to find a Holy Bible, not just any book but one of God's Books. It is stated in God's Word (A Holy Bible) according to John 6:63 that the words of God are spirit and they are life. It is also recorded in God's Word that His Word is our Bread of Life that came to us in the person of Jesus.-Refer to John 6:48-51 Also our Lord, who knows best, said in Matthew 4:4 that, "Man shall not live by bread (natural food) alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God”. This shows us that each believer needs a consistent diet of God's Word. You eat God's Word by reading, meditating, pondering, understanding and speaking God's Word. Notice Joshua 1:7,8

7 Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. NKJV

and Psalm 119:9-12

9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.
10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.
11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
12 Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes. KJV

and Deuteronomy 6:4-9

4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates. KJV

And Proverbs 6:20-23

20 My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
21 Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.
22 When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.
23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life: KJV

And let us look at 1 Peter 2:2

As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: KJV

As a new Believer your number one priority should be spending time in God's Word so that you can grow in the knowledge and understanding of God. Since you are new to the things of God it will be very difficult to know exactly which teaching are inline with God's Word and which teaching are contrary to God's Word. This is your first task because we can not direct you to find a good church home where the Word of God is taught unless you have some knowledge about God's Word. So the foundation you are suppose to lay for life is the saying (teaching) of Jesus and His Apostles, in other words the New Testament. Yes, the Old Testament is good but it is not glorified through the resurrection of Jesus. The Old Testament will give you a better understanding of the history of God's dealing with man upon the earth and His principles for mankind as a whole, but for specific details about how Jesus relates to you should be read (studied, meditated, pondered, understood) through the New Testament. Today we are living in the New Covenant of God, where Jesus is Lord of All, and the Holy Spirit is teaching the individual believer (and the Body of Christ) exactly how to understand God's Will. We understand God's Will for our life through His Word. Yes, line upon line, and precept upon precept, here a little and there a little is typically how we come into the knowledge of God.-Refer to Isaiah 28:9-13 This is simply saying everyday read something in your Holy Bible to gain a better understanding of God. Some will recommend starting with the Gospel of Matthew and reading up to the Epistle of Jude. Others might recommend reading the Psalms and Proverbs, then reading the New Testament (Matthew - Revelation). Still others will recommend a daily devotional like reading your Holy Bible through in One Year. Angela and I do this each year with our other biblical studying. Some have suggested reading a Proverb a day for practical living and at least one complete chapter in the New Testament a day for revelation understanding of the New Testament. If you are new to the faith walk as a Christian we have a New Testament and Proverb daily devotional already developed on the following link “Bible Reading New Testament & Proverbs”. If you have read through the New Testament a couple of times and desire to read the whole bible through in one year we also have a link available for that “Bible Reading Old & New Testament”. Angela and I only desire to firmly place in your mind the profound thought of feeding your spirit God's Word on a daily basis. It is not enough to just go to church on Sunday listen to a pastor and think you are properly feed for the whole week. No, child of God, your feeding must be on regular intervals just like a new born baby. When babies are not fed properly they experience severe problems that if left unfed for an extended period of time can produce death. So it is with a Christian, if one goes too long without any spiritual food from God's Word they will not properly represent Christ. They will live a life without God's heart because they simply don't understand what God is speaking to them. It is of the utmost importance to keep the Word of God in front of you.

Psalm 119:97-99
97 O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.
98 Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.
99 I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation. KJV

This will strengthen your heart because you will be in close fellowship with God through His Word. The Father God created you to have intimate fellowship with Him. Jesus came to the earth for the sole purpose of saving your soul. Our Loving Father did not do that for His sake alone but rather for your sake and His. The Lord needed to talk with you, He Loves you so much that He sent Jesus Christ into the world just for you. Once you received Jesus into your heart the Father God and the Lord Jesus both came into your heart to live with you because you keep His Word.

John 14:23
Jesus answered, If a person [really] loves Me, he will keep My word [obey My teaching]; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home (abode, special dwelling place) with him. AMP

And John 17:21-23
21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. KJV

The way you are able to perceive (acknowledge, know, sense) their presence is by doing His Word. The Holy Bible tells us that when we do (keep) His Word we show our love for God and this display of devotion to God causes Him to manifest (reveal, inwardly show) Himself unto us. That does not mean we will see Him physically what it basically means is that He (The Father and the Lord Jesus) will become more real to us. Yes, we will hear His voice more clearly because we know His Word. Yes, we will increase in our understanding of His Word because we have a sincere heart that is hungry for God to show us exactly how to interpret His scriptures.

John 14:21
Those who obey my commandments are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them, and I will love them. And I will reveal myself to each one of them." NLT

One of the beautiful things about being in the Family of God is that you have an ever present Teacher His name is the Holy Ghost, some call Him the Holy Spirit. He has many names but we must realize that He is always there and He is always God. Jesus sent Him just to help us on this earth. No one, I repeat no one, can do a better job of showing us the Love of God than the Holy Spirit. No one, I repeat no one, can do a better job of explaining to us how to understand the ways of God than the Holy Spirit. He was here from the beginning and He will be here after the end of this age, for He is God. As God He knows exactly what we need and He always knows which scriptures are necessary for successful application in our life. The key is will we include Him by seeking counsel from God's Word and will we follow His promptings when He is trying to lead us into all truth because He is also known as the Spirit of Truth.

John 16:13
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. KJV

The Holy Spirit is our Teacher according to John 14:26

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. KJV

This verse explains the whole sequence of knowing God. We first become born again, immediately "After Conversion" we start spending time in God's Word, then we slowly and steadily grow in our knowledge and understanding of God. We deposit God's Word in our heart while the Holy Spirit reminds us of what Jesus said in His Word. When you have been reminded by the Holy Spirit about a specific scripture that applies to your current situation this is known as divine guidance. Doing this on a consistent basis is known as Walking with God. Yes, some will say following God's word at the direction of His Spirit is walking in the Spirit as opposed to just walking a path of darkness based upon information without God. The scriptures tell us that when we acknowledge God in all that we do he will give us direction for our everyday life.

Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths. NLT

The Word of God has stood the test of time, His Words were just as good thousands of years ago as they are today. We notice that even in the Old Testament the Children of Israel enjoyed success when they chose to do God's Word. The wonderful thing about God's Word is that it really does not matter what nation (country, type of land, or continent) you live on God's Word will still work wonderfully, if you believe it and speak it in faith from a heart of love. God's success is not based upon a certain group of people but rather a certain type of person who simply believes God will do exactly what He said He would do. God is faithful to fulfill His promises to man if we are faithful to be doers of His Word in Jesus Name. Notice in Deuteronomy 11:18-22 the Lord gave commandment that putting His Word first place in your life will produce tremedous benefits, including longer life.

18 Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes.
19 And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
20 And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates:
21 That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth.
22 For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him; KJV

Now that you know spending time in God's Word is necessary for your personal growth and development we will list some different versions of the Holy Bible for your reference. When it comes to versions of the Holy Bible there are basically two types; transliteration and interpretation.

Generally speaking a transliteration version of the Holy Bible is when the translator tries to match the words (letters and characters included) exactly the way it was meant in the original language. So where the words are spelled exactly the same and mean the same thing, the same word is used. However, which is the case most of the time, the letters are different and the words do not always mean exactly the same thing. In those cases the translation will use a word that closely matches the same meaning of the original language. One problem the translator will run into is sometimes there is not a word that fits the original word. For example in the Greek language there are at least four words that the American language uses for the one word "love". So the translator used love but really the original language has different meanings than what is represented by our language. This is not a big deal in the Holy Bible because God is still in heaven and we firmly believe that God still placed in the Holy Bible exactly what you need to live successful on this earth. For this reason if you read the King James Version (KJV) you will see the words added by the translator in italics. Many believe the transliteration versions of the Holy Bible to be more accurate, Angela and I share their view. However, we also use interpretation versions sparingly to see if they can add any more clarity to the people we will addressing. Comment: As a rule of thumb whatever Holy Bible you are reading should interpret itself by using other scriptures on that same subject (topic) in another book (or chapter) of the same Holy Bible. God interprets Himself so men won't misrepresent Him. Remember in the multitude (plurality) of scriptures on the same subject is safety, clarity, and in-depth accurate understanding.

Isaiah 28:13
But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; .....KJV

Know that each book of the Holy Bible is a good counselor and every teacher, preacher and prophet of God should be a counselor sent from God to help us live successful in the earth today. The Holy Bible contains a great cloud of witness (recorders, voices, and partners) for our support and encouragement, but we need to pay close attention to their previous lessons learned that are recorded in the Holy Bible.

Proverbs 11:14
Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety. KJV

And Proverbs 24:6
For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety. KJV

Generally speaking an interpretation version of the Holy Bible is when someone reads the information in one language (it may be the same language), and he/she (or in some cases they, a team) interpret the information and re-write it based upon their single (or collective) interpretation. This is also entitled as paraphrasing in certain bibles. Interpretive versions attempt to update the information to a more current vocabulary. They also might cater the interpretation toward a certain sect of people. For, example if a Teenager version of the Holy Bible came out they might slant the vocabulary toward the vocabulary of teenagers for that day. This is different because certain phrases and words may be changed to suit certain individuals sometimes the original intent usually stays in tact, but sometimes it does not. If the Holy Bible is written using a vocabulary that even a child can understand Angela and I count it a good thing. Our position is that we generally support translations as a better general reading tool because we believe they paint a more accurate picture of God. There are enough translation versions of the Holy Bible that glorify God by exalting Jesus Christ as Lord in the earth today that you should not have a difficult time choosing a Holy Bible to read and study. These versions can be used for all age brackets, children, teenagers and adults so choose wisely and choose well.

King James Version (KJV) - 1611 Translated under King James I of England this version uses archaic English, some will say "old English" that was common for that era. This is also commonly known as the Authorized King James Version.

American Standard Version (ASV) - 1901 Translated from the 1611 KJV that reduced the use of archaic English this version reads a lot easier for Americans

Revised Standard Version (RSV) - 1952 Translated to with easy to read English and still has some older English terms that are that easily understood (thee, thou, etc..). This version is a revision to the American Standard Bible

Good News Bible (GNB) - 1976 Translated to help those who know the basic English language, this is a very easy to read version that is recommended for children and many who know English as a second or third language.

New International Version (NIV) - 1978 Translated by a collaboration of many denominations of Christianity across the globe this version seems to favor those who are looking for an easy to read English bible, and if English is not your first language this version seems to consider that in it's word selection.

New King James Version (NKJV) - 1982 This translation uses most of the King James I language but updates the "old English" terms like thee, thou, hearken, etc.. with more modern English terms for easier reading.

Amplified Bible (AMP) - 1987 This version of the bible uses alternative readings and amplifications of the English language to better aid the reader in a broader understanding of the scripture.

In my own personal walk with God I liked the C. I. Scofield Reference Bible (Authorized King James Version) because it had very good study notes with specific word translations for certain KJV words, then while attending a church that used another KJV I decided to stay with that version. I will admit that some of words are unique but I relished the opportunity to learn more about the English language old and new. This desire has kept me with the KJV, I typically read that version during my daily devotion and study. Angela and I primarily read the KJV but use many other versions as references for another interpretation of the scriptures. If we can gain a better (or easier) understanding of what God is saying we will use that version in our teaching. Angela being raised in church used the C. I. Scofield Reference Bible KJV edition for some of her classes and for her devotional reading. She currently uses a parallel bible of AMP and the KJV to broaden her understanding of the scriptures. We will not dare to suggest exactly what version you should read, but we will encourage you to spend some time in God's Word daily to keep your fellowship strong with God. If you just need some encouragement about what version(s) would be good to start with, we can say that the New King James Version (NKJV) and New International Version (NIV) are both very popular translations today. If you like the traditional English Vocabulary try the NKJV, but if you prefer the more contemporary sound of the modern English spoken by many nations of the world today try the NIV. As long as you are reading your Holy Bible on a daily basis we praise God for your efforts. We must be diligent when it comes to spending time with God because we have an adversary that will try to distract us from fellowshipping with our Heavenly Father. The enemy of our soul knows that the more time we spend with God the greater chance we have of becoming just like Him. This is not rocket science this is simple Christianity 101 - The more time you spend in God's Presence the more you we be changed into His exact image and likeness. Although we are born of God's Spirit this new heart does not make us instantly mature, it will be a process that is governed by your hunger for God demonstrated by you attention to His Word and your ability to yield to His Spirit. I know we made that sound pretty easy, but trust us you will be a lifetime perfecting it. The more you learn the clearer you see there is so much more to learn. For even those of us who are called to be teachers should spend much time being taught by the Master, Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Amen!

We have briefly examined some versions of the Holy Bible that are available today earlier in this article. This is not an exhaustive list but it does provide a flavor of the different bibles that are in circulation here in America. We have included a brief definition about each one to aid in your selection. Please consider each one prayerfully and practically to determine which one seems right for you. You may be like Angela and I by starting with one type and reviewing others as you walk with God. Just remember don't overcomplicate the selection of a Holy Bible. The key is to purchase one or receive one from someone you love because I am sure a Believer close to you would be happy to give you a Holy Bible if they knew you could not afford one. Comment: Only buy a Holy Bible that you can write in because God will show you truths while you are reading and studying His Word. Keep a highlighter with you also because inevitably you will see a verse that speaks (sticks) out to you, highlight it for further reference. Some disciples of the Word of God keep a pen and some paper close to them when they read to take notes. If you are taking notes be sure to look for the seven (7) W's.

  1. The Who - Who is doing the speaking and Who are they speaking to? (Is Jesus speaking or one of His Apostles? Is Moses speaking or one of the Prophets?)
  2. The Where - Where are they at? (Is Jesus in a boat on the water or sitting on a mountain side? Is this teaching in Jerusalem or in the wilderness?)
  3. The When - When are they speaking? (What dispensation is it? Is this conversation under the Law or Grace?)
  4. The What - What is the topic? (Is this topic or subject covered in another gospel? How many times have I read about this topic in the New Testament?)
  5. The Why - Why was this topic discussed? (Was Jesus answering a disciple or a Pharisee? Does this verse apply to all disciples or is it specifically for unbelievers?)
  6. The Within - Within my heart how does this effect my spirit? (Is this something that will benefit my spirit? Is this soul food? Does this effect my mind? Is this an In Him, In Christ, or an In Whom truth?)
  7. The Without - Without how do I put this into everyday practice? (Do I need to apply this truth to my life? Is this only something to know mentally and do not need to practice physically?)

The order of the questions is not important, what is important for all Christians is to train up our flesh and mind to seek God in context. What we are saying is that when you look for those seven items (question, thoughts) you are more likely to understand exactly what God is speaking. When one understands the whole framework around a conversation that is known as "context". To often many Christians are troubled or snared because someone told them a verse of scripture out of context. Sometimes even ministers can quote a verse of scripture out of context and change the meaning of what God originally intended. This is poisonous and should be avoided at all cost, when you are reading pay special attention to context to possess a more accurate understanding of God. You never want to take a scripture personally as a Christian that was intended for a condemned unbeliever. Just like you should never take a verse of scripture that is spoken specifically to women and apply it to men. Teaching, preaching or speaking the Word of God out of context is called wrongly dividing the Word of God producing error. 2 Timothy 2:15 tells us we must study God's Word to rightly divide His Truth.

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. KJV

It is through the answering of questions about God in our mind that we grow in our appreciation for all He Is and all He has done for us. We may not ever fully realize the complete wisdom or knowledge of God but we should purpose to learn as much as we possibly can to fulfil His calling upon our life in Jesus Name. Whatever knowledge you do gain of God will certainly be transferred to someone else. Your family, friends and associates will probably need at least some knowledge of God in the future. When you study and understand God's Word for yourself you will be somewhat confident about helping someone else. God's Word was sent to the world for edification, exhortation and comfort in a time of need. Jesus lives on the earth today inside of His Body, the Church, so if we don't speak His Word boldly in this lost and perverted world He loses His Voice, thus forfeiting His influence. As you can see it is not enough to do and understand God's Word for yourself but the Lord's desire is for you to teach His Word to your beloved children and others who are open to God's Ways. God's Will is for your children, spouse, relatives, friends, and associate to enjoy the goodness of God before they get to Heaven, yes right now while they are here on the earth. For even though we are in this world's system we are not of the world's wisdom. This will bring peace and blessing to your entire house and show your children and others how a real man and/or woman of God lives successfully in the earth today. Remember we teach by precept and example so reading God's Word, speaking God's Word and living God's Word should all be consistent in your Christian Walk. Speaking of your Christian Walk it is important to point out that people will not recognize you as a Christian by how much knowledge you have. Angela and I believe knowledge is critical and essential but it is not the most important aspect of God. The area to focus on when understanding God is His Word but to act just like God, or we could say to be just like God you must walk in the Power of God's Love. Notice John 13:34-35

34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. KJV

Here we notice that walking in Love is a requirement to identify with Christ Jesus. The Lord delights in us using His Word to find out how to develop His nature. Jesus is the Word of God made flesh, likewise, we as Christians, should be the word of God made flesh also. The word tells us to love others and many Christians know that they should love everyone but few are the Believers that know exactly how to love people. Jesus stated that we could show our love for Him and our Heavenly Father by keeping His Word. We can show our love for people by keeping His Spirit. Yes the Holy Spirit of God in full bloom is love personified. Repeatedly the Holy Bible tells us to love God first and then love our fellow man as we love ourselves. This order must be adhered to because whatever we do we are to do it unto the Lord first, knowing that if God's Love is our motive and His Word is our purpose it does not matter what others think about us. No Christian likes to be scorned and/or ridiculed but we will gladly endure such persecution when it comes to doing God's Will upon the earth. If we do not love God first there is no way on earth that we can effectively love other people. Yes, we know, many will argue the point that I love my mother or I love my child and we will answer yes and Amen. The issue is not whether or not men and women have the capacity to love the real question is, "Are you loving them exactly like God's Love them?" Who among us would be so foolish to think that they share the same measure of love as God does? Who can boast that their love is so pure and good that it is comparable to God's Love? Who is so mature in Christ Jesus that their love walk is fully developed? I doubt that anyone on this earth can say yes to all three of these questions. Angela and I dare not think that we are perfect in ourselves because if that were true would we depend upon Christ? Probably not. The walk of God's Love grows in direct proportion to your faith in God's Word. In other words the more you know about God the more you will be required to demonstrate His Love to others. Remember the scripture states, "To Whom is given much for them shall much be required" this is a paraphrase of Luke 12:48, the latter part of the verse. We will point out that even the exercising of your God given faith takes the foundation of love to properly operate. Notice Galatians 5:6

For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. KJV

and verse 2 in 1 Corinthians 13
And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. NKJV

We have stated that love is just as critical and essential to your walk with God as feeding upon His Word. Operating in God’s Love is a requirement for growth in Christ Jesus. However we do not want you to take our word for it, examine the scriptures for yourself. We will only give you a few references in this article but this truth runs all through the Holy Bible. Stories and examples of God’s Love run all the way from the beginning of the "Old Testament" unto the final chapter of the "New Testament". Since we are in a direct covenant with Jesus Christ as the Head of the Church of God today and Lord over all forever, let us examine a few verses that emphasize our commandment to operate in God's Love.

Matthew 22:36-40
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. KJV

And Mark 12:29-31
29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. KJV

And 1 John 3:23
And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. KJV

And John 13:34
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. KJV

And John 15:12
This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. KJV

Notice the last two scriptures state, “to love others as He (Jesus, God Himself) has loved you”. This is critical for accurate understanding of God's Will because where many could boast that they do love certain people they would be hard pressed to say that they love people the same way God loves them. To clearly understand what Angela and I are trying to convey one must know the many different faucets of God's Love. We will not even attempt to cover all that is wrapped up in God's Love because the scriptures tell us in 1 John 4:16 that God is Love.

1 John 4:14-16
14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. KJV

We can not cover all that Love encompasses in this article, we suppose that the Holy Bible is the best reference for that. However we can summarize for you a goal to work towards. We will start by looking at the Amplified Version of Paul’s description of love. This is the place (level, platform, atmosphere, or the heart) we should strive to operate in when dealing we people.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8
4 Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.
5 It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].
6 It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail.
7 Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].
8 Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. . . . . . AMP

We know that was a mouth full, or we could say a heart full, but please read those same verses again but this time out loud. This reference is shown to you from the New King James Version

4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8 Love never fails. . . . . . NKJV

Now after reading this verse twice do you think that you have some room to grow? Angela and I will both raise our hands because we know that we need God's help to display all of those qualities of Love. You may commonly hear these qualities expressed as God's Fruit or God's Nature based on Galatians 5:22-23

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. KJV

These verses are stating the very same message that we should operate just like God because we are born of the Spirit of God. Yes, we are the children of God therefore we should act just like our Heavenly Father and Lord Jesus. This is why we desired for you to read those previous verses on Paul’s description of love at least twice. For one in the mouth of two or three witness let every word be established according to 2 Corinthians 13:1 and for another reason faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God according to Romans 10:17. You should read those verses on a regular basis to remind yourself of how you should act. Remember our Lord Jesus told us in John 15:8 that is our Heavenly Father's will that we should bear fruit.

Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. KJV

The fruit that God is looking for is specifically the fruit of love and in the final analysis that, my faith friends, is the only fruit that will remain. Notice how much love and doing God’s Word surrounds the topic of bearing fruit unto God. Angela and I are convinced that showing Love toward others is the chief expression of being filled with God.

John 15:8-12
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. KJV

We know that many will use that verse for evangelism thinking that God is looking for other souls to be saved into Kingdom of God and we also agree that this is truth. However, we believe it prudent to start with the root not the result. If one walks in love and is a doer of God's Word they will produce the sweet fruit of God's Love. This sweet fruit of compassion will set the table for others to eat freely, once they have eaten they will desire more. Thus, producing new souls for the Kingdom of God, because conversion always follows a good diet of God's Love. As a new believer please do not concentrate on winning souls but rather concentrate on being just like God (Jesus led by the Holy Ghost). When you are growing more into His image and likeness winning souls will be a spiritual byproduct of your lifestyle. Angela and I do believe in evangelizing the world but we believe in fellowship with God first and foremost, then doing whatever He tells you to do, so that if a opportunity avails itself you are ready and equipped to love. Never think that God only saved you so that you can save someone else, no my faith friend, God saved you because He Loves you so much. Remember God desires your fellowship and worship, all the works that you do for God are good but the Lord desires the dedication of your heart over the works of your hands.

John 4:23-24
23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. KJV

For this reason we are compelled to encourage all men near and abroad to humble themselves under the mighty Hand of God so that He may exalt them in due season according to 1 Peter 5:6. When you humble yourself first the Lord will start preparing you for His divine work upon the earth and this divine assignment will put you in a position where your influence can affect many souls. Remember the Holy Bible states in Proverbs 15:33 that, “Before honor is humility”. So be patience in your walk with God, take one step at a time knowing that you will not grow into a spiritual giant over night. Just like it will take time to properly understand a variety of truths inside of God's Word, likewise it will take time to properly develop your reborn spirit to respond (yield to, submit to, follow) God's Love. We have found that God's Love is so pure that it will sometimes have you do things that cost your flesh some comfort, time or resources in order to enhance your spiritual growth within. This simply means if reading or praying to God is not in your daily schedule move something out of your schedule to make room for God. In the beginning your flesh may not want to spend time reading the Holy Bible, maybe your mind does not desire to pray for others but you must follow your heart and God's Word and do it anyway simply because it is right in the sight of God. This is all part of your love walk, the love walk does not start or stop with people. The Love walk definitely starts and stops with your love for God. Remember that God loved us first so that we could have the capacity to love God, ourselves and others.

1 John 4:19
We love him, because he first loved us. KJV

Therefore focus on love as you develop in God's Word and you will be on your way to a wonderful walk with God. The Lord is with you every step of the way because He Loves you so much. God's Love is always constant because His Love is never failing and His compassion fails not.

Lamentations 3:22-23
22 It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. KJV

Since God is Love you must understand and confess that God loves me just as I am. God loved you before you were saved and He loves you today no matter what spiritual condition you are in. God will always love you forever. Never question God's Love for you because Jesus is same today as He was when He physically walked the earth according to Hebrews 13:8

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. KJV

Jesus was and still is today doing good and healing all those who were oppressed of the devil.

As announced in Acts 10:38

How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. KJV

The first verse establishes the fact the God has, and does and shall always love you, while the second verse of Acts 10:38 show us God's actual manifestations of Love. Love is not some feeling or emotion, no my faith friend, Love is God and God is Love. This means you can see God's Love in action when we do the works of Jesus. Therefore purpose to treat your family, friends, neighbors and associates just like Jesus would treat them because He is with you and them in the middle of the conversation. This not only includes what you say, but also how you say it. Does your body language suggest something different than your words? Would you rather pray to God than help a hurting soul who listens to your words? The point is love is being godly on a consistent (regular, daily) basis to the point where all those around you know that you are a Christian. People should know you are a Christian first by your love shown toward them, and if they like the fruit they will probably be more open to the words you speak about Christ. If you don't live like Jesus, or at least try to live like Jesus you probably should not speak His words as though you are a authority on the subject. For even sinners know a hypocrite and those who say one thing but live contrary to what they say do not glorify God but rather bring a reproach upon Christianity as a whole. Remember John 13:34-35

34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. KJV

Now that we all know what we should be doing as individuals keep that in mind when selecting a church. It is God's Will for you to be in a blessed Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Selecting a good church is easy now because you know without any shadow of doubt that you should be fed God's Word and you should be loved on by God's People, the Body of Christ. Angela and I wish that all people in the Body of Christ always loved everyone in the love of God but that is not a reality today on this earth. Typically, you have few Christians who generate God's Love on a consistent basis. You never need to worry about what your brother or sister in Christ is doing concerning their love walk because your fellowship is with God Himself. The more mature saints in God know that people are hurting and some people are insensitive to the feelings (and emotions) of others so they don't expect other people to treat them right. Generally speaking you should only expect God to treat you right all the time and look to treat others right all the time. When looking for a good church be sure to listen to the heart of the Pastor. Good churches glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by preaching and practicing the Holy Bible in God's Living Spirit of Love. When visiting churches ask yourself some questions to determine what the church is all about. Ask for the statement of faith and the churches vision to see if it is consistent with the Word of God. If the church is on track or a head of schedule this it will help you to have some confidence that the leadership is going in the right direction. Does the Senior Pastor emphasize love consistently as an important biblical truth? Does the Pastor preach and teach from the Word of God with various scripture references? Does the atmosphere (the spirit) of the church breed God's Peace? Usually the atmosphere of the church is a direct reflection of the Leader, whether that is a board, a pastor, a priest or church elders. You must stay in the word of God to keep yourself growing in the knowledge of God and that will help you to stay away from being dependent upon men. Yes, pastors and teacher are good, but God's Word is better. The danger of being so focused on the leaders of church is that many will think that the man or woman of God is great and aspire to be like them. This is how younger Christians stumble and fall when the leader stumbles or falls. The desire to be as another man is an ungodly practice, if that man is not Jesus Christ. We are called to follow Christ Jesus and esteem to be just like God. If the main goal of a Christian is to be like Christ why would we set our sights as low as mere men. It is acceptable to follow the pattern of other godly people in our life, but they should never be our emulation. We are to follow the Way of the Cross. The only reason we even notice other people is because they are also on the same journey. Paul said be followers of God, as dear children in Ephesians 5:1. Paul also said in 1 Corinthians 11:1 (NLT) that you should follow his example, just as he follows Christ’s. The point is, if Paul is not following God we are not to follow Paul. We must be accountable to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So don't put all your stock in a certain church and don't expect the Pastor to answer all your questions about God. You have a Holy Bible and you have the Holy Spirit to answer all your questions about God if you will spend the proper amount of time with the Lord in faith and patience to receive your answers. Some questions about God will be better understood in God's timing, which may take a few years but there are some questions the Lord will answer immediately the only way to know is to ask Him (God, the Lord) personally. A good shepherd (a pastor) will point you to the word so that he/she is building your dependency upon God's Word instead of a man. This is a very simplistic approach to locating a good church but it will help to point you in the right direction. Start by looking for a consistent feeding of God's Word and a consistent drinking of God Love, those are the first two basic characteristics of a good church. Make sure the church you are visiting is interested in helping all people through a heart of compassion and a message of understanding God through His Word. If you believe in the vision of spreading the Gospel of Jesus through the knowledge of God's Word in the Spirit of God's Love than find a church that believes that too and that church will be a good church to you.

Here in lies wisdom, ever person on the face of the earth has a calling from God those who know a little something about their calling will favor a church that ministers to their gifting (calling) be sure not the substitute that church for your actually going out to fulfill the calling of God upon your life.

Example, if you are suppose to start a ministry for unwed mothers, joining a ministry like that is not the same as fulfilling what God put into your heart. Yes joining this already establish ministry that helps unwed mothers may be prudent at first and you may be happy and at peace to be there, but after several years if the joy and the peace are gone that is probably a sign that maybe it is time for you to go also, in order to fulfill your divine destiny with God.

We mention this because a lot of new believers already have something in their heart from God and yet they don't realize it until they become born-again Christians. So in those cases seek God's Word and His Love at first, then visit a church that believes in what you believe in. If you don't realize that your gift is probably your passion you will eventually expect the church you are at to do what God is calling you to do. This is unfair to the Pastor, the church, yourself and God. The Pastor of a good church will already have a vision, yes even before you visit them, so don't try to impose your vision on another who already has one. Simply decide if you can hook up with the already established vision of the Church and if yes, stay and support the church and help the people. If no, move on to a place that is more closely associated with your heart inside of God's Word. My faith friend, if you are looking for a good church for several years the problem is you, not the church. Many desire a perfect church when they should be desiring a perfect heart with God. This is why we emphasize you spending time with God first for growth and development and then using your talents to help others in the church and in the world. I have never been to a church that agrees one hundred (100%) percent with everything I do. Angela and I are both ministers of God's Word and we still do not agree on everything. Only carnal Christians leave churches for carnal issues like the color of the church, or the size of the church, or the friendliness of the Pastor's wife. If the church is feeding the people God's Word in the spirit of Love then it qualifies before God as a good work, we should be spiritual enough to agree with God. The Holy Bible tells us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves in Hebrews 10:24-25

24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. NKJV

This simply means find a good church and join it. Yes, be a member and get involved with helping others you will see it will make a positive difference in your life. People need other people, Christians need other Christians so don't think that you are the exception. Some Christian's think that they are so spiritual that they are their own Pastor, but the truth is a pastor of one's own self is nothing more than a sheep inflated with pride. The more we grow in Christ Jesus we understand that going to church is not just for ourselves but in reality we go to be a blessing unto others. If you can not find a church after several years you are probably being critical of the existing churches around you. Please be open and allow God to lead you into all truth, we are sure that if you rely on God He will guide your path. If you need to use a practical target purpose to find a church within one year and with God's help you shall not be disappointed. The Lord always has a ram in the bush the key is are you willing to walk up a mountain of sacrifice to find him.-Refer to Genesis 22:1-18 (where Abraham made the sacrificial walk and saw the ram to experience God’s great provision to fulfill His promise)

Since we just stated that people need people it is our firm recommendation that you purpose to find a church that believes in healing. This is mentioned as a separate item because healing is a vital part of what the Lord did on the earth when He walked amongst us. We saw this doctrine earlier in Acts 10:38 where a foundational truth of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ was stated.

How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. KJV

We have heard repeatedly by numerous bible teachers that Jesus primarily practiced three things in the earth. Preaching, teaching and healing. Some may place the emphasize a little differently but the fact of the matter is that the Holy Bible has record of all three in it's gospels. Some will say Jesus primarily taught, and He preached and He delivered people and that is fine. Angela and I know there is a difference between physical healing and mental or spiritual oppression but we are speaking generally here. Generally, we are saying try to find a church that believes in God's power to heal people. This is important because everyone in this earth today has to deal with sickness and/or disease in one form or fashion in their life. If you are blessed enough not to have ever been sick we can guarantee that you know someone who has been sick or still is sick. This is why we strongly encourage anyone reading this article to find a church where the leadership and the people attending the church believe in the power of God for healing in the Name of Jesus. Whether this power is ministered through the laying of hands, anointing with oil, the prayer of faith or another biblical method you need to be surrounded with Christians who believe in God's ability to heal. This has several applications for a Believer like for personal healing, family member healing, other church members healing, other fellow believer healing, perhaps a co-working healing, and the list goes on. The truth of the matter is this, if you don't hear about God's healing power on a regular basis you will probably not believe God for healing during a time of sickness. We all need to understand exactly how God heals and what is the proper way to minister healing to one another. This knowledge becomes more clearer with taught precepts and practical applications. You will need this information before the trial comes because it is always difficult to build a house in the rain according to Matthew 7:24-27. Since Romans 10:17 told us earlier in this article that, “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God” we think it profitable for you and your family to be in an atmosphere that breaths God's Power working in your everyday life. Healing is too important a subject to overlook or claim ignorance about. We are commissioned to follow the steps of Jesus when it comes to ministering His Love to the world and God’s Healing is apart of His Love. Therefore we are commissioned to heal others and encouraged to be healed by God. Angela and I are not saying that any church who does not believe in healing is a bad church sometimes this is just a lack of knowledge. What we are saying is if you are looking for a good church home make believing on healing a prerequisite on your list. Jesus healed and you should know how to receive healing from God and minister healing in the Name of Jesus to others who are hurting. The Power of God is wrapped up in the Name of Jesus and God is always ready to heal those who call upon His Name. The key is will you have enough faith in your heart about healing to pray for someone to receive their healing when the opportunity arises. We believe if you are given the proper knowledge and understanding of just how easy it is to pray for people to get healed you will use the Name of Jesus to heal all who will receive from His Name. Having experienced the healing power of God in operation because you have felt His touch or ministered to others who have received their healing from God, you will glorify God for this blessing to the church. There are still some churches in existence today that don't believe in God's healing power for today, they think that healing stopped with the original apostles, please avoid those types of churches. We also know that there are churches in existence today that will not take a position for or against healing choosing rather to be lukewarm on the subject. Jesus condemned this position of neutrality in Revelation 3:15,16

Revelation 3:15-16
15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. KJV

The reason the Lord disapproves of a lukewarm position is because those who are in this position know about the truth but refuse to embrace it. It is better for the people in those cases to of never heard about the gospel of healing in the Name of Jesus than to hear it and not stand with Jesus as the ultimate Healer for the people on the earth. If you don’t know about something God will always apply mercy, but if you know, then you have decided to ignore truth and are guilty of the sin of omission. God can not forgiven this type of willful sin without your confession of repentance about that sin. There are some churches that generally do not know how to minister healing in the Name of Jesus. In those cases how could we recommend a church in that state because what you don’t know yourself you can not teach others. Angela and I have taken a strong stand with Jesus to believe firmly on God's ability to heal and God's will to heal all that call upon His Name and we can only pray that you will stand with us in agreement with God's Holy Written Word. A good church of the Lord Jesus Christ believes in the ministry of Jesus upon the earth. Therefore, they must also believe that Jesus is still alive today and healing all those who are oppressed (sick, ill, diseased, etc..) when they receive His healing power in their heart. Many believers know that healing is not just something God does on the side, but rather being healthy and strong is exactly who God is. Remember Jesus bore all your pain, sickness and disease so that you could be in comfort, healed and at ease.

Isaiah 53:5
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. ASV

And 1 Peter 2:24
who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed. ASV

On purpose we did not give you a seven point list to look for in churches because we do not want to over complicate the joy of selecting a good church but we must add this comment. If you desire to be in an even better church look for a church that does all the things we just mentioned (Preach and teach God's Word in the Spirit of Love with an open invitation to healing) and does at least two other things. The two additional things to look for are speaking in tongues and walking by faith. Angela and I can not begin to tell you just how much of an enhancement these two major blessings of God's Spirit have been in our life but we can say both are incredibly wonderfully great. They both work together and compliment each other like a good husband and a good wife. I know some will say that I believe in the Holy Spirit and I also believe I have faith in God. Yes, and Amen, many churches believe in those basic truths, although their are some churches that don't believe in the person of the Holy Spirit. If you don't understand the ministry of the Holy Spirit or how He manifests Himself you will never speak in a different tongue, even though this new tongue is a gift from your Heavenly Father. Some believe that the Holy Spirit is for the church but speaking in tongues is not for everyone in the Body of Christ today. Speaking in tongues is for the church today and even though some people don't know about this Third Person, He is a free gift to all who desire to be filled with His Presence. We thought this article would be a good reminder that it is God's Will for you to speak in other tongues. The point we are making is that believing in the Person of the Holy Spirit is good but allowing yourself to yield to His Language is better. Yes, having faith in God is good but using the faith of God to remove mountains in your life and possess the promises of God is better. Try diligently to find a church that encourages their parishioners to speak in tongues on a regular basis because speaking in tongues is a gift from God for all His Beloved Children. If you are really hungry to know all about God and understand how He flows upon and through people speaking in tongues is a must. For more about the subject of speaking in tongue click on this link "The Baptism of the Holy Spirit".

The faith walk is just as important to learn because without faith it is impossible to please God according to Hebrews 11:6. We are also told in Hebrews 6:12 that through faith and patience we inherit the promises of God.

Hebrews 6:12
That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. KJV

The Lord Jesus and your Heavenly Father desire for you to partake of all His promises designed especially for you. This is the reason Jesus came to the earth and died for your sins that you might enjoy God's fellowship while you are living on this earth and when you go to Heaven. Jesus came so that you could experience His Love as you live the more abundant life here on this earth.-Refer to John 10:10 These promises are found in God’s Holy Word but there is some spiritual opposition present in the earth today trying to keep you from God’s Promises. The opposition, our adversary, is the devil. Since our flesh has a tendency to be ungodly it will sometimes yield to the selfish ways of the world. The flesh and the devil, both have a will that is contrary to God’s Word and that is one more reason why we need to be in a strong church. A strong godly church will keep you in remembrance that you must walk by faith and not by sight. It will also encourage you to pray in tongues on a regular basis to help keep your spirit man strong to overcome the nature of the flesh. In a strong church you will receive a lot of information about God’s Word keeping you from being deceived by the devil. Therefore you should be connected to a church that firmly believes in it’s members speaking in tongues and walk by God’s word no matter what they see in front of them because they live by their confessions of faith. A strong church will not hesitate to pray for anyone in your family who may need a healing touch from God. Remember healing is in the Name of Jesus blessed are His Children who trust in that Name. A strong church will breed strong members because strong members are what makes a church strong.

We know you can find a good church that feeds the people God’s Word in the Spirit of His Love that believes in the healing power of Jesus. This search will be a lot easier when you understand that you can not expect perfection from everyday people. We also hope that you can find a strong church that is better than good because the leadership understands how to walk by faith in the authority of Jesus Name. Throughout time some churches have refused to preach and teach in the Name of Jesus avoid these types of churches at all cost because if any man denies the Person of Jesus as the Son of God that church leadership is probably not saved. There are some churches in operation today that openly speak about God but they really don’t know Jesus personally. If you don’t know Jesus as your personal Savior then you need to be saved. Likewise, if a churches leadership (Pastor, elder, Bishop, Priest, etc….) doesn’t know Jesus as their Savior personally they need to be saved also. For more information about man’s need for Salvation refer to the link “How to be Saved”. Thanks to God, there are some strong churches that operate in the Power of God and those strong churches will always keep the central theme of Jesus Christ as an important (intricate) part of their message. For without the Name of Jesus and the sacrifice of His Blood there is not a Gospel of Good News. A church that believes and operates in visible demonstrations of God’s Faith and Lays Hands upon it’s members to receive the Holy Ghost is probably more likely to be a church that believe in the works of Jesus also. There will always be some things that will stand out to you about certain churches and those things may be good or bad but just remember that being in a church is part of God’s Plan for your life. Since the Lord told us to fellowship with other believers in a local church we all should consider this union (fellowship) a honor and a privilege. Remember we join a church to grow in God’s Word and experience His Love for people first hand. We also join a church to help others fulfill the plan of God for their life, which in return helps us fulfill the plan of God in our life. In all we do we do it unto the Lord simply because joining a church is right in the sight of God and our fellow Christians.

When looking for a good church believe the following scriptures in faith, because we believe God will do exactly what He said He would do in the Might Name of Jesus.

Jeremiah 3:15
And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding. KJV

And Psalm 37:23
The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. KJV

And Romans 8:14
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. KJV

Follow the principles taught in this article and look for your Heavenly Father and Lord Jesus to fill-in the missing details because we know God has the prefect church for you in His mind. We believe that you have the mind of Christ to transfer His Will into your mind according to 1 Corinthians 2:16. The Lord will lead you to the right church but don’t expect it to be perfect all the time. As we stated earlier all Christians must realize that no church on this earth is perfect to all people all the time, that is why we do all things unto Lord, not unto man, not even for ourselves. Amen!

In His Love, Eric & Angela Foster

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