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Posts Tagged with Pastor

Be Strong and Show Yourself A Man

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Visit and sign the online statements (after signing, be sure to check for a confirmation email, likely in your “spam” folder.)

King David left these words “Be strong and show yourself a man” with his son Solomon while he was near his death. I think King David understood that the path of a nation depended upon men being godly men. I think it is fair to say in our culture it is equally as vital that women show themselves to be godly women.

Unstable days call for a stable people serious about their God.

Yes, most of my blog posts in January, February and March are usually with a bit of political attention. These are some of the most active days in the shaping of what one can expect it to be like to live in the state of Idaho.

Recently, I’ve asked some men and women in my church to help me call the church across the state of Idaho to be strong. This is a day for God’s people to be ready to speak up, show yourself. This is not a day to fight for individual comforts, this is clearly a day to glorify the only Living, Triune God and give a report in the land of Him for all God image bearers in the land.

There are three statements (see below) I want to get into the hands of as many Idaho residents as possible and then to get them to be strong. I have a limited scope of influence throughout the state of Idaho. I’m not an event promoter, I’m not an activist organizer. I’m first and foremost a preacher. I need the help of God’s people to share this on every available platform you have.

My public figure Facebook page is likely not far from being restricted by Facebook from engaging in a “political cause”. I’m not bothered by that, it’s just a possibility. Because I have engaged in a politically charged arena, I am getting communication about my page and that I may not be authorized to promote such things of such politically charged topics. I’ll use the platform as long as I can keep it without compromising my own conscience on any other request from Facebook.

Here’s what you can do to help (this is not a formal petition) this is an agreed upon statement so that when I speak to the state legislators if this matter goes to debate I can speak with an agreed upon, unified voice from across the state.

  • Pray
  • Ask your pastor to print and make available printed versions of these three statements to your church family to sign. Contact me for a mailing address and send them to me by the end of February. (This is no day to fear what men might do.)
  • Post this to your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.
  • Send emails to your friends with a link to this post.
  • Visit and sign the online statements (after signing, be sure to check for a confirmation email, likely in your “spam” folder.)
  • Print versions (contact me with a mailing address)

I have only one interest in this. The Glory of God alone. My duty in this is to first and foremost be an ambassador of Christ’s reconciliation. It is to herald the Gospel and give a report of God. Join me in calling our state to look unto God and be saved. You may have another motivation, but this is mine and all who sign these statements.

His grace and mercy be upon us.

An Open Appeal to Every Biblical Pastor in the Magic Valley

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This is my submitted column for the Twin Falls, Times News this week. Look for it at www.magicvalley.com under “Pastors Corner”, due for publication on Saturday, January 26, 2018.

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I turn my attention this week to my fellow pastors in the Magic Valley. I know that not everyone of them read this weekly column so I’m depending on readers to pass this on to your pastors, or to a pastor you know.

If we are not careful, the modern pastor of the modern church will be lulled to sleep with dreams of being hoisted up on the shoulders of our communities as the greatest blessing to ever be in our beloved cities. It is a tragedy if we think we are relative because we give people only what they want, a little “chicken soup” for their soul. What  is needed most today is an honest people to deliver an honest message from the only reliable way to know God, the Bible. Not so we can boast about how loved we are by our community, but because we know we have just given what is needed most, the Truth that sets men free.

There are sins in all our churches that can only be removed by a blessed work of the grace of God. Our churches and communities are filled with thousands of people of both sexes to whom we have no voice; and they will never be authentically reached but by an movement of the Spirit of God raining down upon our homes, churches, and cities.

This kind of pouring out comes as a result of honest, humble, and compassionate men of God who will stand in their pulpits on the coming Lord’s day and preach once again “thus saith the Lord”. Then, when the man of God is faithful to his duty and the congregation of God is convicted of and repent of their sins by the work of the Holy Spirit, might the power of God rain righteousness upon the region.

Unless and until the Holy Spirit does this, we will soon lose any listening ear and/or any platform to address the growing population.

In 1838, American theologian Albert Barnes observed that “one form of sin is interwoven with another; one leads on another; and all (sins) stand opposed with a solid front to the Gospel of Christ.” In other words, the world will only increase in an emboldened hostility against God. Unless the church awakens from her slumber soon, this current generation of professing Christians will render herself irrelevant. Not because she refuses to try out new things but because she ceases to be a holy people.

You see, fellow pastor, our strategy of becoming like the world is a flawed strategy. Our hope to make ungodly people comfortable with a holy God without the work of the Holy Spirit is hoping God will not be true to Himself. Who in our churches will live holy lives when their shepherds lead them to be like the world?

There is a united front of sin in this world, how do we expect to stand against it while at the same time the professing church remains largely divided against the holy God and His congregation.

In the meantime, all things move along with a hope for status quo, the church cannot hope that God is pleased to continue being presented to the watching world with an unholy apathetic representation. But then again, it is a flawed hope that we think this kind of change or desire for holy living can be accomplished simply by emotional enthusiasm that has to be re-energized within a few days.

As Albert Barnes noted in his day; if this status of the church continues on as is, unchanged, unalarmed by the unconverted masses and the growing love for self and sin, we have no reason to be surprised that sin will continue to triumph, and “that the world moves on undisturbed to death.”

Hey, help me out and pass this column on to your pastor. Encourage him to remain steadfast and immovable on the blessed hope we have in Jesus, the Christ, as described by the Bible alone. Pastor, contact me and let’s pray together that the “Heavens will rain down righteousness and that salvation will bear much fruit in our day.” (Isaiah 45:8)

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Paul Thompson is the preaching pastor at Eastside Baptist Church in Twin Falls, Idaho. Eastside Baptist Church gathers on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. www.esbcTwinFalls.com You can email Paul at paul@esbcTwinFalls.com

When Debauchery Is Viewed As Normal

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In this current day more and more events are promoted as normal that historically would have been known as activities of debauchery. Just within the past few weeks some events, promoted as entertainment, filled with cross dressing, vulgar language, and laughter aimed toward righteousness and holiness have occurred within the city limits of Twin Falls. They have been happening from the beginning, they are just becoming more open and seen as acceptable forms of entertainment.

This kind of promotion is growing in popularity while at the same time hardly anyone within the Christian community speaks of it.

It is one thing to see the increasing boldness of corrupt morals and defaming of God’s creation. The beauty of His creation, humanity in general and male and female specifically is under attack on every front in our culture.

It is of another thing altogether to hear the silence from the Lord’s church. The work of the church is not to simply be an irritating noise amongst the community, it is to be that which God has intended for her to be, a reasonable caring voice based on the character of our Redeemer. Pastors, be a pillar and buttress of truth, churches, be a beaming lamp on a hill calling all sinners to repentance that they may find rest and joy in Christ.

My column this week is an aim to speak into the increasing lewdness and collapsing of decency at large. And appeal to you the reader to look to Christ for joy, rest, and peace.

For flourishing of any community to be of any lasting value from one generation to another there must be at the same time a respecting and valuing of Almighty God and his revealed order. If a church is to be considered a value to a community she must see that her primary duty is not to be entertained by the devaluing of morality or to stick her head in the sand and hope it all passes by without confrontation.

Any church within the valley that remains silent while immorality is hoisted up on the shoulders as the current hero of the day should be viewed as defective and void of truth. The church that silently watches the parade of depravity is part to blame for the growing confusion of what is right and wrong.

This said, obviously the church must exercise her bold speaking with kindness.

To be a truthful speaker one has to also learn that just pointing out how wrong everything is is a calloused act of great cruelty and adds no benefit to the hearer. The longer churches remains quiet on these matters the more complex it is when one does speak into the day. To encourage our congregants to participate in any “entertainment” that promotes what God forbids with silence only advances the hardness of heart of the would be lover of God. We benefit no one when we don’t speak into our day.

My encouragement to the church at large is to increase our compassion for the community enslaved by deadly sins. To speak from our pulpits of the grace of God only makes since when we also speak of the holiness of God. When there is no comparison of the righteousness of God to the depravity of man’s heart there will never be a revival of God’s church or an awakening of the Holy Spirit in our city.

Let’s arise together.

Churches in the city of Twin Falls, especially, we must speak into our city with love for God by warning those promoting wickedness or slightly laughing when we hear of professing Christians among those bold promoters.

This is my biblically reasonable appeal to pastors and churches of the Lord Jesus Christ.

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To be published in the Twin Falls, Times News on Saturday, October 20, 2018

This Age of Religious Complexity

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The simplicity which is in Christ is rarely found in the modern church of the western culture. In the place of this simplicity are complex program, methodologies, organization and a basket full of nervous activities that require time, attention, and a lot of money that cannot be seriously considered as honoring to God. Rather, much of what the western church has invented complicates our ability to loyally honor and obey our master because we have another god we’ve created that is always demanding our time, attention, and money.

The shallow, hollow and imitation of the world that marks our methods all testify against us that we, today, are more “this-worldly” minded rather than being, as A.W. Tozer put it, “other-worldly”, meaning heavenly minded. No wonder there is so little peace in God, so little rejoicing in Him. Many don’t even know God, much less are at peace or rejoice in and with God.

It was A.W. Tozer in his book, “The Pursuit of God”, where I was first introduced to the idea of how much of this world I had employed to do things I thought was pleasing to God. He was not the first to say it, just the first time I paid attention, that Scripture is sufficient, meaning all that is needed. If Scripture is inerrant and reliable, which it is, why employ so much of this worlds methods and simply behave like it is sufficient?

The voice of God, the word of God, is not merely the most powerful, most important component in nature, it is what sustains everything in nature, making God altogether different.

We’ve heard people accusing some Christians as “being so heavenly minded that they are of no earthly good”? I say it’s important the church be “other-worldly” heavenly minded so that we are of earthly good (salt and light).

It is the bible that puts the importance on words to advance the gospel, not entertainment, musicians, movies, games, or general silliness. The Bible even says that this duty of speaking words (preaching) is considered foolish by the unconverted. Yet the Bible calls out those who “have ears to hear, to hear what the Spirit says to the church”.

This may not be the day when men take kindly to an exhortation to listen.

Listening today is not part of the popular means because it implies another is speaking and we are of a worldview that celebrates the individual and even elevates his emotions and personality above truth, thus leaving him in a worse state than before.

Church, this coming Lord’s Day, come to hear a preached word from the word of God. Come prepared to listen. Then go and obey.

Preacher, this coming Lord’s Day, God’s people are expecting to hear what the Spirit says to the church, go to preach a word from the word of God. Away with your silly enticements and this-worldly mindedness. Be other-worldly minded so we may be of good to the sons of men.

Preacher – preach. Church – listen. All, go with authority from upon high into the byways of life advancing a gospel of a heavenly kingdom releasing the sons of men from the bondage of this world.

An Appeal to Fellow Preachers: It Is A Day For Preaching

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This coming Lord’s Day for the preacher (at least for this preacher) is an exciting moment. It is the one day of the year where the church house has the potential of being full to the brim. It is a day when everyone expects you to be on your “A Game” for preaching. (by “A Game” they mean funny, cool, and a short sermon) It is a day where everyone expects to hear of the resurrection of Christ. It is a day of potential new beginnings with people who may have become sluggish in their attendance or involvement. It is a day for preaching!

On the one hand, it is a day like none other. On the other hand, it is like every other Lord’s Day gathering. It is a day for preaching!

There has been a growing trend over the years for less preaching and more entertainment to take place on Resurrection Day. After all, there may be more unbelievers willing to attend a church service on this day and we don’t want to hit them with too much churchy preaching, so let’s give them a softer church experience. No preacher, it is a day for preaching!

I say to my fellow preaching preacher friends; Preach this weekend. Preach like a Richard Baxter of old when he said, “I preach as a dying man to dying men.”

Go home on Resurrection Day satisfied that you have preached. Don’t give the day over to softer things because it may win you the applause of men. Exhaust yourself of yourself and give them Jesus!

It is a day for preaching!

Who is Sufficient for These Things?

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Ian Hamilton of the Banner of Truth gives this important word to the church family concerning the preacher/pastor in his short column The Indispensable Support of the Ministry

“At their best, preachers/pastors are fragile, prone to be cast down, overwhelmed by the momentousness of their calling to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ. No wonder Paul cried out, ‘Who is sufficient for these things?’ Ministers are moment by moment in Satan’s firing line. I know this is true for all Christians, but I have no doubt it is especially true for Christ’s ambassadors, his weak, only too vulnerable and temptable servants. My aim in writing this is to encourage all who read it to pray for and support their ministers. I have known men in the ministry who have laboured faithfully for many years in the work of the gospel with a deep sense of aloneness. Perhaps they have been too unwilling to expose their, at times, overwhelming sense of weakness to their congregations. They have pressed on, but often struggling to do so.”

 

This Kind of Day Calls for Faithful Preachers

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A.W. Tozer called for a rejuvenation of the church by calling for faithful preachers.

If Christianity is to receive a rejuvenation, it must be by other means than any now being used. If the Church in the second half of this century is to recover from the injuries she suffered in the first half, there must appear a new type of preacher. The proper, ruler-of-the-synagogue type will never do. Neither will the priestly type of man who carries out his duties, takes his pay and asks no questions, nor the smooth-talking pastoral type who knows how to make the Christian religion acceptable to everyone. All these have been tried and found wanting.

Another kind of religious leader must arise among us. He must be of the old prophet type, a man who has seen visions of God and has heard a voice from the Throne. When he comes (and I pray God there will be not one but many), he will stand in flat contradiction to everything our smirking, smooth civilization holds dear. He will contradict, denounce and protest in the name of God and will earn the hatred and opposition of a large segment of Christendom. Such a man is likely to be lean, rugged, blunt-spoken and a little bit angry with the world. He will love Christ and the souls of men to the point of willingness to die for the glory of the One and the salvation of the other. But he will fear nothing that breathes with mortal breath.

(A.W. Tozer, The Size of the Soul, pp. 128-129)

The Intoxicating Cup of Sinful Pleasure

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It is not expected that a Christian who awakens an appetite for worldly pleasure is able to clearly see why God would forbid that which has inflamed their passions.

Lincoln Auditorium
January 26, 2015 – Lincoln Auditorium, Boise, Idaho

The prophet Isaiah gives strong warning in regard to this. I’ve just spent three days listening to testimony of “conservative” Idaho where the majority of those testifying are making argument to include what God calls sin be declared as natural and immutable rights.

This is no small matter. This does not deserve to be ignored, pastor. What is happening before our very eyes should call every God fearing parent to action, should cause every pastor to prepare his next sermon in fear and trembling reverence to Holy God, and should strike every citizen with a renewed interest in who they vote for.

What we’ve known was happening has happened.

An agenda promoting the normality of sexually deviant behavior has become an accepted norm. Sinful pleasure is an intoxicating cup.

Listen, this is not a new message. This has been the appeal of sin from the introduction of sin into the world.

Here is the warning from Isaiah: “Woe to those who…” (Isaiah 5:11-14)

  • Rise early in the morning to pursue what is forbidden.
  • Stay up late into the evening to feed a spiritually depraved apatite that seems to never be satisfied.
  • Participate in this atmosphere with mirth, excitement, and pleasure.
  • Consider the deeds of the Lord as silly, boring and useless.

The actual path of these actions do not deliver on the promise of a complete life. Isaiah warns…

  • People end up slaves and lack knowledge
  • Honorable men are famished.
  • The thirst for more is never satisfied and really delivers a parched condition.

The final result…

  • Hell is enlarged
  • Those who crave such an intoxicating drink of fleshly desire, as jubilant as it seems, descend into a pit that never gives what it (falsely) claims.

What do we do? I offer three considerations…

  1. Parents: Repent! You are the ones most responsible for what your children think of God. If God and his church is treated as lightly as many professing Christian parents do then there is little surprise that your children will embrace a similar opinion of God. You actually have tremendous influence upon your children. They indeed own their own opinion of God and responsible to respond to his holiness in light of their own depravity, but you have been purposely placed in the role of parent.
    1. Consider forms of entertainment that contradicts God and his word as an enemy of God. This is serious.
    2.  You are training your children in the way they will go when you whet that appetite of sensual cravings.
    3. Show your children your pleasure in God. Their sinful nature is a pursuer of pleasure.
  2. Churches/Pastors: Repent! I’ve listened to men representing churches and God speak silly, foolish things in the past three days. Will anyone in our culture hear a public word from you? Or are you going to continue to remain behind your safe fortresses you’ve built? Speak today with as much compassion, joy and delight in God as you can. The promoters of godlessness are. Why shouldn’t you who have tasted the goodness of God speak with more?
    1. Consider the forms of entertainment you are presenting. Then stop trying to entertain. Entertainment makes people numb. They think less and lack knowledge becoming slaves to the ones entertaining them.
    2. Stop trying to offer forms of “Christian” alternatives. Is there really anything more attractive in all of the created universe as the un-created God of the Universe? We only open an appetite for the alternative rather than a craving for God.
    3. Warn the nation of the wrath of God with an appeal to repentance and surrender to the lordship of Christ.
  3. Local, state, and national government: Repent! You do not have sovereign authority to behave against God. You are in an amazing place wielding with the least reaching jurisdiction of all. Do not legislate immorality. Do not declare “holy” what God calls sinful. The only way a people can be a self-governing people is when there is a freedom from a far reaching government.

It is possible for the favor of God to return to the land. But do not expect it until we humble ourselves, becoming passionate pursuers of the Holiness of God.

 

Isaiah 5:11-14 (NASB)
11 Woe to those who rise early in the morning that they may pursue strong drink, Who stay up late in the evening that wine may inflame them! 12 Their banquets are accompanied by lyre and harp, by tambourine and flute, and by wine; But they do not pay attention to the deeds of the LORD, Nor do they consider the work of His hands. 13 Therefore My people go into exile for their lack of knowledge; And their honorable men are famished, And their multitude is parched with thirst. 14 Therefore Sheol has enlarged its throat and opened its mouth without measure; And Jerusalem’s splendor, her multitude, her din of revelry and the jubilant within her, descend into it.

Interviews

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I was interviewed for input on the matter of marriage by the Twin Falls Times-News recently (the article was published yesterday.) I thought the article represented my response fairly and I was pleased with the outcome of the work of Tetona Dunlap.

Read the article here: (Gay Marriage: Taking the Pastors’ Pulse)

Here is the full content and context of the questions I was asked.

Question: What is your stance on gay marriage and why?

My Answer: If the trend across the United States is an accurate indicator then I am in the minority on this matter. I am in agreement with historical and orthodox teachings of the Bible on the definition of marriage being between one man and one woman until death.

Question: How will gay marriage becoming legal affect churches and religion in Idaho?

My Answer: The true church will continue to preach that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Even before same-sex marriage became legal, the church existed in communities where immorality and sinful establishments existed. Churches have historically called all sinners to repentance. I don’t see that this law will change the churches duty to God. Citizens in the community commit adultery; the church has never been stopped from preaching that adultery is a sin. Our community has alcoholics and drug addicts throughout her history; the church has never been hindered from preaching repentance from drunkenness. There are rebellious children in our homes and churches have always taught children to honor their parents. Even though same-sex marriage is legal, the church has a responsibility to love everyone enough to warn of the consequences of sin.

Question: If a gay couple wanted to get married at your church, would you have the right/power to turn them away?

My Answer: Where we are happy for our building to be used by others in the community and we do allow our community to use our building for civic events, we are grateful to God to live in a land with a constitution that protects the people from a government regulating religious practice. If a same sex couple wanted to use our building for a wedding we would not allow it to take place in our building. By doing so, we aren’t forbidding them from pursuing what they want. There are other places and people recognized by the state to do these ceremonies. We would decline such a request with respect.

Question: Have you ever had a congregation member, friend or family member open up to you about being      gay? What did you say? If not, what would you say to anyone who came to you?

My Answer: I speak to all in my congregation, family and friends the same. Homosexuality is a sin. I don’t shy away from saying that anymore than if a member in our church committed adultery, fornication, drunkenness, robbery, murder, etc, the bible calls these “sins”. I’m candid about these things and take advantage to even speak to all about the kind of grace it takes to save a sinner like me. It’s the kind of grace that called me unto repentance. It’s the kind of grace that tells me of a sufficient Redeemer, able to cover my sin by taking the wrath I deserve upon Himself. Jesus, the Christ, is that Redeemer. It’s the kind of grace that keeps me from being silent.

Question: Are you ever afraid of voicing your opinions? Why or why not?

My Answer: I would say I want to be careful because I want to be caring to all. I don’t want to offend by expressing my belief in arrogance. I attempt to speak boldly, with caring consideration.

Question: What are the benefits and downfalls of gay marriage becoming legal?

Answer: The way I see these things are based from my belief of marriage being between one man and one woman.

Question: Do you think churches today are successful in reaching out to the gay community? Is this something they should they doing?

My Answer: Churches are successful in reaching all when we stay true to our duty before God. When a church preaches truth, she is a blessing to her community. When a church stops calling all people to repent then the church ceases being a true church. When the church begins looking other places than the Bible to determine her success, she ceases being a blessing to the community. When this pursuit of success is to make any segment of the community comfortable in their sin for the sake of being popular then the church has lost her way and become irrelevant while trying to be relevant.

Question: Please add anything else you think is important.

My Answer: Thank you for asking for my input on this matter.

When Those Who Preach Don’t Know God

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Today (October9, 2014) at 5 p.m., mountain time, we will know what the courts will say in regard to Idaho’s defense of marriage. In the mean time I’ve received messages like this in response to my calling the church (Eastside Baptist) to prayer.

“OK, well in my place of worship my pastor fully supports gay rights. I’m a bisexual Christian I married a man when I was 19 and that man cheated on me and divorced me and with man or woman I’m happy and God is happy to call me his child and is proud that I spread love throughout the state.. So keep your rude remarks to yourself.. Same sex is here to stay and God is proud of his same sex children.”

When I’m in conversation with someone that goes here I recognize immediately that this person has found a church that will make them feel good about their sin. But the greatest tragedy in this conversation is when she said… “in my place of worship my pastor fully supports gay rights.” As a result of that kind of apostasy, the people begin to assert other lies about God being proud to have practicing bisexuals spread love throughout the state.

She has great capacity to spread love throughout the state as a converted repenter, no longer in the practice of depravity. When the grace of God rests on a persons life it is the result of a costly grace. Few people want to submit to that kind of grace, they want a cheap grace that doesn’t call them out of the sin they are in.

I don’t doubt that she believes what she’s saying. There is little doubt she is passionate about her belief, more so than many professing conservative “Christians”. The problem is that it is a belief based on lies.

In his sermon “Backsliding”, Richard Owen Roberts says:

“The religious leaders had joined the backsliding hosts. The priests failed to ask, “Where is the Lord?” Those responsible for handling the law did not know God. The pastors also transgressed against the Lord, and the prophets joined the forces of Baal. Thus, all the religious leaders engaged in activities totally devoid of spiritual benefit.”

7 “I brought you into the fruitful land
To eat its fruit and its good things.
But you came and defiled My land,
And My inheritance you made an abomination.
8 “The priests did not say, ‘Where is the LORD?’
And those who handle the law did not know Me;
The rulers also transgressed against Me,
And the prophets prophesied by Baal
And walked after things that did not profit.
Jer 2:7-8 (NASB)

Preachers, be sure this Sunday, when we speak the oracles of God that we don’t spew a spiritual poison that makes our hearers twice as fit for hell as we would be for such blasphemy.

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