Participants: John Bradshaw
Series Code: IIW
Program Code: IIW001393A
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00:04 [narrator] It has stood the test
00:07 of time. 00:11 God's book, the Bible. 00:16 Still relevant in today's complex world. 00:21 It Is Written, sharing hope around the globe. 00:35 JB: This is It Is Written. I'm John Bradshaw. 00:38 Thanks for joining me. One of the great problems 00:41 people wrestle with when it comes to faith in God 00:44 is the issue of God allowing bad things to happen to people. 00:47 Why does a child get cancer and die young? 00:51 Why did that car wreck take place that killed 00:53 or severely injured somebody? People die in wars and there's 00:57 ethnic cleansing and modern-day slavery and, and where is God? 01:03 We could take an entire program to discuss that, 01:05 and maybe still not get to the very bottom 01:07 of that question. The short answer is that there's 01:10 evil in the world. Satan rebelled, came 01:13 to this planet, and our original parents--Adam and Eve--chose 01:16 to ignore God and eat the fruit that they shouldn't 01:19 have eaten. And as a result, we have sin 01:22 in the world. And as a result of the choices 01:25 of human beings there's sin and evil and sadness 01:28 present in the world today. Is it God's fault? 01:31 No, it isn't. It began with Satan 01:33 and was carried forward by--us. Now, is it going to work out 01:38 well in the end? Yes, it is. 01:41 Jesus is going to return. Sin will be destroyed. 01:44 And those who have faith in God will live forever 01:46 in peace. But here's a question: 01:50 What about the in-between stage? How can a person go through 01:54 hardships and trials and so on and still have faith in God? 01:58 How do you do that? Some people feel as though 02:01 God has abandoned them. Does God abandon people? 02:05 There's a story in the Bible that deals with someone who 02:08 was repeatedly abandoned. The story occupies 14 chapters 02:12 of God's Word. It's one of the most 02:14 dramatic stories you'll ever read. 02:16 It's the story of great faith under incredibly 02:19 trying circumstances. It's the story of someone 02:22 who had everything that was precious ripped away, 02:25 rejected by his family, humiliated, falsely accused, 02:30 imprisoned. And yet it's the story 02:32 of someone who was steadfast, faithful and unwavering. 02:36 The person we're talking about is Joseph. 02:39 He lived at least 17 centuries before the birth of Jesus. 02:43 And his story is one of the most amazing, one of the most 02:47 inspiring of all time. The book of Genesis, 02:51 the very first book in the Bible, introduces us 02:54 to Joseph in chapter 37, and it describes him as the 02:59 favorite of the patriarch Jacob's 12 sons--which 03:03 didn't sit well with Joseph's brothers. 03:05 Let's read. "But when his brothers saw 03:09 that their father loved him more than all his brothers, 03:12 they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him." 03:16 That's Genesis 37, verse 4. Jacob's special gift to Joseph 03:21 of a tunic of many colors, which showed distinction 03:24 and favor, only made matters worse. 03:27 And then, not long after, Joseph related to his family 03:30 two dreams that he had had. He told them about 12 sheaves 03:35 in a field and how 11 of them bowed to down to his sheaf. 03:40 And his brothers said this to him: "Shall you indeed reign 03:45 over us? Or shall you indeed have 03:47 dominion over us? So they hated him even more 03:51 for his dreams and for his words." 03:53 Genesis 37, verse 8. Then Joseph told his brothers 03:57 about another dream. In this one, the sun, the moon 04:01 and 11 stars bowed down to him, which to them 04:05 sounded a whole lot like his father, mother and 11 brothers 04:09 bowing down to Joseph. As though Joseph expected 04:13 to rule over them one day. No, they weren't impressed, 04:17 not a bit. In fact, they were furious. 04:21 Now sometime later, Jacob sent Joseph to check on his 04:24 brothers' welfare some distance away. 04:27 When they saw Joseph coming their way, wearing that 04:29 hated coat of many colors, 04:34 they said to one another, "Look, this dreamer is coming. 04:38 Come, therefore, let us now kill him and cast him into 04:43 some pit, and we shall say some wild beast has devoured 04:47 him. We shall see what will 04:49 become of his dreams." Genesis 37, verses 19 04:53 and 20. Well, they didn't kill him, 04:56 but they ended up selling him as a slave when 04:58 a caravan of travelers came by, traders they were. 05:00 Joseph might have felt like he would rather have been dead. 05:04 What a horrible thing to have happen, and really 05:08 through no fault of his own. Now, I have four brothers. 05:11 I can't imagine this happening. Of course, being the youngest, 05:14 I never annoyed them. Not ever--not once. 05:17 Thankfully they never tried to sell me as a slave. 05:20 Now, there might have been times when they tried to give me 05:23 away, but they never did try to sell me. 05:25 The ugly truth is that long after the Emancipation 05:28 Proclamation was signed, slavery is alive and well 05:32 in our world today. Benjamin Skinner said in his 05:35 2008 book "A Crime So Monstrous" that there are 05:38 more slaves in the world now than at any time in history. 05:42 He defines slavery as people coerced by violence to work 05:46 for no pay. Domestic servants, forced 05:48 laborers, and women exploited for the worst 05:52 reasons through human trafficking. 05:54 Some estimates say there are as many as 27 million people 05:58 around the world being held in bondage right now, 06:00 against their will. Now, imagine how Joseph must 06:04 have felt as he rode in that camel train, shackled 06:06 and helpless on his way to Egypt. 06:09 The once favored son, pampered and privileged, 06:12 now captive. Wouldn't he have felt as though 06:16 God had forsaken him? Even if he did annoy 06:19 his brothers, he didn't deserve this. 06:21 How must it have felt to have been so completely 06:25 betrayed by one's own family, his own brothers. 06:30 In the United States there have been several 06:32 high-profile cases of people who have been taken 06:34 and held against their will, sometimes for years. 06:38 A 14-year-old girl was taken from her home in Salt Lake 06:40 City and held captive for nine months. 06:43 An 11-year-old girl in California was taken 06:45 and held for 18 years. Three females in Cleveland, 06:49 Ohio, were captured--aged 14, 16 and 21--and kept 06:55 in a house as prisoners for 10 years. 06:59 Utterly appalling. We probably can't imagine 07:01 what it would be like to have to go through that. 07:04 Joseph, on the other hand, could imagine. 07:07 Although I'm not suggesting he had to endure some 07:09 of the indignities that these young women were forced to go 07:12 through. But here's what we know. 07:14 God was watching over that apparently helpless, 07:18 hopeless young man. God had a plan, a purpose 07:22 for Joseph, that no one yet knew; that Joseph couldn't 07:27 possibly at that moment have imagined. 07:30 But through the darkness and despair that washed over 07:32 him, Joseph remembered God's mercy, and how God had led 07:37 his family and his ancestors through so much for so long. 07:41 Then there were those dreams of his. 07:44 Surely they must have meant something. 07:47 Could it be that God still had something of great 07:50 importance for Joseph to do? We'll find that out in just 07:54 a moment. [vibrant anthem] 08:13 JB: Here's today's Bible question. 08:15 I accepted Jesus into my life over 20 years ago, but after 08:18 a time I fell into sins of a moral or immoral nature. 08:22 I've asked over many years for forgiveness, but what I 08:25 read in the Bible about those who do what I have 08:27 done says that they're not able to enter 08:30 into God's kingdom. I committed these sins 08:32 after I became a Christian. Will God ever forgive 08:35 me for these awful sins? I ask God nearly every 08:38 day for these sins to be forgiven. 08:41 That's a meaningful question. Please listen very carefully 08:44 to this very simple answer. Here's what the Bible says. 08:47 I'll give you two verses. Write down these Bible 08:50 references if you need to, and never forget them. 08:53 First John 1, verse 9, and Matthew 12:31. 08:57 Firstly, Matthew 12:31. It says, "All" 09:00 [and this is Jesus speaking], "All manner of sin 09:01 and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men." 09:07 He goes on to say that the sin against the Holy Spirit 09:09 won't be forgiven, but that's not what you've 09:11 committed. Don't worry about that. 09:13 But I hope you got that. "All manner of sin 09:15 and blasphemy shall be forgiven," and that would 09:17 include what you have done. "Shall be forgiven." 09:19 First John 1 in verse 9 says, and I want you to mark 09:22 this down and memorize it. It says this: "If we confess 09:26 our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins 09:30 and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 09:33 You've sinned. Yes, you have. 09:37 But you have confessed sincerely, and based on God's 09:40 own Word, we know that He has forgiven you. 09:43 My advice to you is to stop asking God to forgive these 09:47 sins, because He has already done so. 09:49 Instead, thank Him that He has forgiven you, and ask 09:54 Him to keep you clean. Remember, Paul wrote that 09:56 where sin abounds, grace does much more abound. 10:00 It's right to feel bad about what you've done 10:02 --you should. But you should also rejoice 10:05 that you are forgiven. Don't worry about this 10:07 for even another moment. You've been forgiven, friend. 10:10 And that is good news. If you'd like me to answer 10:12 your Bible question on this program, 10:14 go to ItIsWritten.com. Send me a question, 10:16 I'll do my best to answer it on this program. 10:22 [music] 10:28 JB: Planning for your financial future is a vital aspect 10:31 of Christian stewardship. For this reason, It Is Written 10:34 is pleased to offer free Planned Giving and Estate 10:36 services. For information on how we 10:38 can help you, please call 1-800-992-2219. 10:42 Call today, or visit our special website, 10:47 www.hislegacy.com. 10:57 JB: This is It Is Written. I'm John Bradshaw. 10:59 Today, betrayal and blessing. 11:02 A young man is betrayed by his family, separated from 11:05 his father and sold into slavery. 11:08 That young man was Joseph. Arriving in Egypt, Joseph 11:12 was sold to a slave to a man named Potiphar, the captain 11:15 of Pharaoh's guard. And Joseph's presence 11:18 in Potiphar's house was a blessing to Potiphar. 11:21 The Bible says this: "The Lord was with Joseph 11:26 and he was a successful man, and he was in the house of his 11:30 master, the Egyptian. And his master saw that the Lord 11:33 was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did 11:36 to prosper in his hand. So Joseph found favor 11:40 in his sight, and served him. Then he made him overseer 11:44 of his house, and all that he had he put under 11:47 his authority." That's Genesis 39, 11:49 verses 2 through 4. But then a shadow fell over 11:53 Joseph's happy days in Potiphar's house. 11:55 The Bible tells us that Joseph was a good-looking 11:58 young man. And Potiphar's wife noticed 12:01 this and made inappropriate advances toward Joseph. 12:05 What could a young man do in the face of temptation 12:08 like this? Now, here's what 12:11 Joseph said. Genesis 39 and verse 9. 12:17 "There is not one greater in this house than I, 12:20 nor has he kept back anything from me but you, 12:24 because you are his wife. How then can I do this great 12:27 wickedness and sin against God?" 12:32 Now, notice carefully that God is the focus of Joseph's 12:35 allegiance. Yes, he knew that he would 12:37 dishonor his master by carrying on with his wife, 12:40 but most important to him was the fact that such 12:42 a course on his part would be a sin against God. 12:46 And this suggests a couple of things. 12:49 One is that when temptation comes, something you want 12:52 to consider is the honor of God; or, how God would 12:57 be dishonored by your poor choices. 13:00 You might not care about what you're going to do. 13:02 Your friends might not care. But it ought to matter 13:06 that God cares. When you consider 13:09 the honor of God in a situation, you've got the right 13:12 motivation to help you make the right decision. 13:16 Which leads me to that second point. 13:18 Do you think Joseph was tempted by Potiphar's wife? 13:21 Oh, no doubt he was. Do you think the temptation 13:24 might have been strong? More than likely very strong. 13:28 Yet did Joseph cave in to that temptation? 13:31 No, he didn't. When he was faced with 13:33 a serious temptation, Joseph remained faithful to God. 13:37 There are times when people make excuses by saying, Oh, 13:40 I couldn't help it. Oh, the devil made me do it. 13:43 Oh, what else could I do? Well, I'm a man? 13:45 what do you expect? Now look at two Bible verses 13:47 with me--and there are plenty others like them. 13:50 First Corinthians 10 and verse 13, first. 13:53 That's 1 Corinthians chapter 10 and verse 13. 13:56 And it says this: "No temptation has overtaken you 14:00 except such as is common to man. 14:04 But God is faithful, who will not allow you 14:07 to be tempted beyond what you are able; 14:09 but with the temptation will also make the way 14:13 of escape that you may be able to bear it." 14:17 Now, did you get that? Because if you did, it could 14:20 change your entire life. God will provide a way 14:23 of escape for every temptation. That means, you are not doomed 14:28 to repeat the same old mistakes or commit the same 14:31 old sins. That's good news. 14:33 There's a way of escape. Joseph was about to be put 14:36 in prison, but a lot of people on the outside 14:39 are prisoners of sin. But you don't have to be. 14:43 There's a way of escape. If you'll think to call on 14:46 God when temptation comes, you can be certain 14:50 that God will deliver you. Another verse, that is Jude 14:55 verse 24. Right before the book 14:58 of Revelation. Jude verse 24, where the Bible 15:02 says, "Now unto him that is able to keep you 15:06 from falling and to present you faultless before 15:09 the presence of his glory with exceeding joy." 15:12 God has the power to keep you from falling into sin. 15:17 He promises that. No matter what the sin, 15:19 there is powerful victory available to you, 15:22 right when you need it. Joseph learned that. 15:25 When temptation came to him, the power of God 15:28 kept him faithful. But the woman in question 15:32 was not happy. You've heard that saying, 15:34 "hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." 15:37 It was true in the case of Potiphar's wife. 15:40 She virtually threw herself at Joseph, and when he 15:42 refused again and again, and ultimately fled from her, 15:47 she cried out and accused Joseph of something 15:52 he hadn't done. Potiphar had no choice 15:55 but to act against Joseph. He didn't really believe 15:59 his wife's story. If he had, he would have 16:01 had Joseph put to death. Instead, in order to satisfy 16:04 his wife and to safeguard his own reputation, Potiphar 16:07 had Joseph cast into prison. Once again, Joseph found 16:12 himself a helpless captive. The Bible tells us just how 16:17 hard it was for Joseph during those early days 16:19 in Potiphar's prison. You read how they hurt 16:22 his feet with fetters. He was laid in irons. 16:24 That's Psalm 105 in verse 18. And again, we see Joseph's 16:29 true character revealed, even in the darkness 16:32 of a dungeon he kept his faith and refused to abandon 16:36 his patient waiting on the Lord. Now, you'd think he'd become 16:39 bitter, with all of those years of faithful service being 16:41 so cruelly repaid like this. You couldn't blame him 16:46 if he thought that God had abandoned him. 16:48 He'd been so faithful, and this was what he got 16:51 in return. In a moment, the story 16:54 of Joseph takes an unexpected turn, and we'll find out that 16:57 God knows how to bring blessing out of betrayal. 17:00 [music] >: In Matthew 4:4, 17:04 the Word of God says, "It is written. 17:07 Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word 17:10 that proceeds from the mouth of God." 17:13 "Every Word" is a one-minute Bible-based daily devotional 17:16 presented by Pastor John Bradshaw and designed 17:19 especially for busy people like you. 17:21 Look for "Every Word" on selected networks, or watch 17:24 it online every day on our website, ItIsWritten.com. 17:28 Receive a daily spiritual boost. 17:30 Watch "Every Word." You'll be glad you did. 17:33 Here's a sample: 17:37 [music] 17:44 If you're familiar with Handel's Messiah then 17:47 you'll recognize Malachi 3:3. "And He shall purify 17:50 the sons of Levi... that they may offer 17:52 unto the Lord an offering in righteousness." 17:54 Now notice the connection: God purifies us, so that 17:58 we can offer Him an offering in righteousness. 18:00 He allows difficulties to buffet us so that we can 18:03 learn to be more like Jesus. There are days you wish God had 18:07 another way of working this out, but He knows that if you've got 18:10 an anger problem then the only way you're going 18:13 to get over it is by learning to call on God for help when 18:15 that temptation comes. Same thing if you're impatient, 18:18 for example. God is doing all He can 18:20 to prepare us for eternity and trials come to purify us. 18:23 As bad as the medicine might sometimes taste, it's really 18:27 a blessing in disguise. I'm John Bradshaw 18:30 for It Is Written. Let's live today 18:33 by every word. 18:37 If you've lived very long at all, you've no doubt 18:40 discovered, probably through experience, that the ball 18:43 doesn't always bounce for you just the way you 18:46 with it would. But a game is never 18:49 over until it's over. The Boston Red Sox were down 18:53 three games and trailing 4-3 in the ninth inning of game 18:57 4 during the playoffs in 2004. 19:00 You can't win from there. It had never been done. 19:03 Yet Boston went on to win the World Series. 19:07 You can come back from a difficult situation. 19:10 Languishing in prison, things looked hopeless 19:13 for Joseph. But it's never over when God 19:16 is involved. Like Potiphar before, 19:19 the jailer where Joseph was imprisoned found that he 19:22 could trust Joseph, and soon he put all the other prisoners 19:25 under Joseph's care. Listen to what the Bible says. 19:28 Let's read this. "But the Lord was with 19:32 Joseph and showed him mercy. And he gave him favor 19:35 in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 19:39 And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand 19:42 all the prisoners who were in the prison. 19:44 Whatever they did there, it was his doing. 19:47 The keeper of the prison did not look into anything 19:50 that was under Joseph's hand, because the Lord 19:53 was with him, and whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper." 19:57 Genesis 39, verses 21 through 23. 20:02 Just like in Potiphar's house, Joseph proved 20:04 himself, even in a prison, to be worthy of the trust 20:08 of his superior. And so, as with his former 20:10 master's household, he's put in charge 20:13 of everything. Now, doesn't this tell you 20:16 that you can shine for God wherever you are? 20:19 In prison, at work, in school, when you're being 20:22 treated badly. Wherever you are, whatever 20:26 you're going through, you can be faithful to God. 20:28 And you know that that will bring glory to God. 20:33 The Bible goes on to tell us that in prison Joseph 20:35 interpreted the dreams of a couple of his fellow 20:37 inmates. He told one of the men 20:39 that his dream meant that he would die. 20:41 Now, that had to be a tough message to deliver. 20:43 And to the other, he said that that man would 20:47 be released from prison. And it happened just 20:49 as Joseph said it would. You'd think the chief butler 20:52 would have been so incredibly grateful 20:54 to Joseph for predicting his restoration to favor 20:56 that one of the first things he'd have done after getting 20:59 his old job back would have been to put in a good word 21:02 for Joseph to Pharaoh. But instead, the Bible tells 21:05 us something else. The chief butler did not 21:09 remember Joseph, but forgot him. 21:11 Genesis 40, verse 23. That's three strikes 21:14 against Joseph now. First, he's betrayed 21:17 by his brothers. Then, by his master 21:19 Potiphar. And now, by Pharaoh's 21:21 chief butler. In each case he'd done 21:24 his best to be loyal and true to God. 21:27 And in each case, he'd been rewarded with evil. 21:30 Would you have been ready to quit on God by then? 21:33 Now, if you say no, I'll say, praise the Lord! 21:36 But people do. I've spoken to people who've 21:39 quit on church simply because they thought 21:42 the people at church weren't being nice to them. 21:44 That's just making the devil's job easy for him. 21:47 If that's all it takes to discourage somebody, 21:51 a death in the family-- people get angry with God. 21:53 And God can take it. But really, it would be better 21:56 to act like Job did. Remember his story? 21:59 He lost almost all of his family, 22:01 virtually everything he owned, and Job said simply, 22:06 "The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away. 22:10 Blessed be the name of the Lord. 22:12 In all this, Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong." 22:16 Job 1, verses 21 and 22. Now, we'd say that we'd 22:20 expect Joseph had to have been distressed by what he 22:22 had to go through, and I think that's right. 22:25 But the Bible doesn't record any word of complaint. 22:29 Which means Joseph trusted God. 22:32 Even when things were going wrong, he trusted God. 22:35 In prison, he trusted God. Forsaken, falsely accused, 22:40 forgotten, Joseph hung in there with God and trusted 22:44 that God would somehow work it all out. 22:47 And remember, Joseph had had those dreams, and he never 22:51 forgot them. They were his assurance 22:53 that God would work in his behalf. 22:55 Now, you might not have had dreams of sheaves of grain 22:58 bowing down, but you've seen God work for you along 23:02 the way. The Bible is full of promises 23:04 that assure us that God is there for us. 23:06 If you can believe that, faith in God can see you 23:10 through some dark times. And in the end, God always 23:14 works it out for the best. Think of what it must have 23:17 been like that morning, when Jacob sent Joseph off 23:20 to find his brothers, to see how they were. 23:23 Neither the aged father nor the young man could possibly 23:26 have known what would transpire before they should 23:28 meet again. But life often works that 23:30 way, doesn't it? Great moments, decisive 23:33 turning points, often come without fanfare and without 23:35 warning. Each day, it's wise to commit 23:38 yourself to God's leading and to God's 23:40 purposes so that whatever happens in that day, 23:43 the vicissitudes of life will find you prepared, because 23:46 you're hanging on to God. Hang in there with God, 23:50 even when times look tough. If you read the rest 23:53 of the story of Joseph, you'll find out that it ends 23:55 well for our man. He was miraculously released 23:58 from jail, given his freedom, elevated to a position 24:02 of great authority in the Egyptian government, 24:04 and reunited with his father and his family. 24:07 About the unlikeliest ending you could ever imagine. 24:11 But what might seem impossible to you and me 24:14 is possible with God. The Bible says that the one 24:18 who endures to the end shall be saved. 24:20 The book of Revelation refers to the patience 24:22 of the saints, in Revelation 14:12. 24:25 God is always faithful. If you hang on to Him, 24:29 no matter how things look, you'll have eternity 24:33 to enjoy. And you won't give a second 24:35 thought to the hard times you went through down 24:39 here in this old world. "Promises of Power" is our 24:44 free offer for you today. This little book is a collection 24:47 of some of the most powerful promises found 24:50 in the Bible. It's handily sized 24:52 and you can take it with you anywhere you go. 24:55 You can carry it with you to read anyplace, and it's idea 24:59 for sharing with somebody else who needs to be encouraged 25:02 by the great promises in the Bible. 25:05 Now, to get your free copy just call 1-800-253-3000 25:09 and ask for "Promises of Power." There's no cost, 25:13 there's no obligation. It's absolutely free. 25:16 You can call 24 hours a day. Now, if the line is busy, 25:20 please keep trying. You can also request 25:23 "Promises of Power" by writing to It Is Written, 25:25 Box 6, Chattanooga, TN 37401, 25:28 and we'll mail a copy to your address 25:32 in North America. Now, please note, this free book 25:35 is limited to the supply on hand. 25:37 For immediate access, you can download a free 25:40 electronic version of the book "Promises of Power" 25:42 from our website ItIsWritten.com. 25:46 As you know, It Is Written is a faith-based ministry 25:48 made possible only by viewers like you. 25:51 If you would care to help the worldwide outreach 25:55 of It Is Written, your tax-deductible gift can be 25:58 sent to the same address, or you can make a gift online 26:01 at ItIsWritten.com. Thank you for your prayers. 26:04 Thank you for your gracious, continued financial support. 26:09 Our toll-free number is 1-800-253-3000, 26:12 and you'll find us online at ItIsWritten.com. 26:21 Let's take the time to pray together. 26:23 Will you pray with me now? Let's pray. 26:25 Our Father in heaven, You show us to be faithful. 26:27 It's true, there are times in our lives and in our 26:31 experience that things are just difficult. 26:34 We are confronted by trying circumstances, crushing trials 26:40 and weights. There are times when people 26:43 are tempted to think that God doesn't love them 26:46 or doesn't care or has abandoned them. 26:48 I'm thankful that in Joseph's story, and in so many 26:50 other stories, and even in our experience, 26:53 You demonstrate to us that You're with us always. 26:55 Please, Lord, when we are enfolded in gloom 27:00 and darkness and despair, remind us that through the dark clouds 27:04 the sun is shining. Remind us that You are God, 27:07 and that You are constant, and that You are good. 27:10 I thank You for Your goodness, for Your love, 27:12 and for Your grace. And I pray in Jesus' name, 27:17 amen. [music] 27:39 JB: Thanks for joining me today. 27:41 I'm looking forward to seeing you again next time. 27:42 Until then, remember, It Is Written: 27:46 "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word 27:50 that proceeds from the mouth of God." |
Revised 2016-04-14