(Ai-generated illustration for COJCOM)
We pray and hope that this article will help you better understand this question that many have.
The LORD God (the Elohim, the family of God – which at this time consists of our Heavenly Father and our loving Elder Brother, Savior, and soon-coming King of kings and Lord of lords, Jesus Christ) does not ignore the prayers of those who are obeying them. And anything we ask that is according to their will, they hear us and will answer. (cf. Jeremiah 7:16; 1 John 5:14-15).
However, the LORD God does not always answer our prayers the way we might expect.
Why?
Well … in the simplest terms, it’s not always according to the will of the LORD God, or within our best interest.
I gave a couple of examples that are personal in nature in my life, in one of our last Questions: II) Why Doesn’t God Intervene When People Desperately Seek Him? My friend in Gulfport, FL, was becoming increasingly ill after having had a heart attack. For months, I prayed for his recovery of his health. Then, one day, in prayer to Father God and our Lord Jesus, I asked why he wasn’t appearing to get any better. I know, beyond any shadow of doubt, that the LORD God could have healed him completely. When suddenly a thought entered my mind in prayer ─ he hasn’t asked. That answer shook me to my core! Hadn’t he asked?
So, even though a “fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16) ─ “’ … who has known the mind of the LORD? Or, who has become His counselor?’ … For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.” – Romans 11:34, 36. We MUST never forget that it is the LORD God that is the ultimate provider and or Judge of all that we have and need – cf. James 4:12-15.
The other personal example: The Eternal One has made many promises throughout His living word. But He has nowhere said that He will answer our prayers immediately, or in the way we necessarily want. I’ve been praying to the LORD God now for a little over a year for the removal of an evil and vile person from my family’s life. “Why,” I ask Father God and our Lord Jesus, “have You not removed this vile man from our lives?” Often, the LORD God doesn’t completely remove terrible people from our lives, certainly because there is something we must learn. I have even fasted before the LORD for weeks on end over this IMPORTANT subject.
There just might be an important or specific reason behind why our prayer hasn’t been answered ── yet.
King Solomon wrote most of Proverbs as Wisdom instruction addressed, actually, to the world ── to all who would listen and heed. This great and awesome Book opens with “my son” as a teaching style that was common in ancient wisdom literature of the time, where teachers would address their students as ‘sons’ ──
“When your terror comes like a storm, And your destruction comes like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you. 28) Then you will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.
29) Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the [reverent] fear of the LORD, 30) They would have none of my counsel And despised my very rebuke.
31) Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, And be filled to the full with their own fancies. 32) For THE TURNING AWAY of the simple will slay them, And the complacency of fools will destroy them.” – Proverbs 1:27-32. NKJV throughout, unless noted otherwise.
This is a powerful passage where Wisdom is speaking about the consequences of rejecting her call. In verse 27, it’s talking about the utter calamity that will come ‘like a storm and disaster like a whirlwind,’ and verse 28-33 is describing for us how THOSE WHO REJECT KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM will call out to the LORD God but won’t receive an answer, because they had hated knowledge and hadn’t reverently feared the LORD.
It’s showing us that the LORD God’s silence isn’t arbitrary but often reflects one’s relationship with them ── or lack thereof. When someone consistently rejects Wisdom and refuses to fear the LORD reverently, then they cry out only in a crisis; they find silence. And it’s not that the LORD God is playing favorites with ‘minor prayers’ versus ‘important ones,’ but rather that one’s heart posture and an ongoing relationship with the LORD God affect how they respond. God’s living word here is about seeing Wisdom as a Way of life rather than a last resort.
Sadly, I have heard people crying out in desperation unto the LORD God, apparently receiving no answer. Because, up to that point in their life, they had always ignored the LORD God ── hadn’t even spoken to them and certainly hadn’t feared them reverently.
When people live their whole lives turning away from Wisdom ── from the LORD God’s wisdom ── and then suddenly face a crisis, they discover that relationships cannot be built overnight, or in the blink of an eye. It’s not that the LORD God is unmerciful to their plight, but that genuine seeking requires more than just desperation ── it requires the reverent fear of the LORD God that they have been rejecting.
There have been times when my wife has said to me, “I believe in God, I know that He exists.” And my immediate response to her is, “Yes, that’s good, but does God know that you exist?” And it’s not that the LORD God doesn’t know that she exists, of course, but rather ── has He even heard from her? There is a huge difference between believing in God and actually having a relationship where they know you’ve reached out to them.
To help assist you with prayers, we do have a PDF online Bible study: A Morning Bible Study – How to Pray. Here are some excerpts ──
Question 6) What did our Lord Jesus tell us to pray for in the second half of Matthew 6:10?“ ... ‘Your will be done ON EARTH as it is in heaven.’”We should also ask our heavenly Father and our Lord Jesus to help us understand and do Their will. We need to ask the LORD God to help us study the living Word, Truth, and ultimate Plan. To study the Holy Bible with our Lord Jesus Christ guiding us into all the truth (John 16:13), such as this world’s ultimate and biggest questions. God’s living word has a right answer for them all: Why was I born? Who am I? Why am I here? What happens after death?We should also ask our heavenly Father and our Lord Jesus for Their inspiration and guidance in expressing the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Ask for meekness, humility, and the power of self-control over your emotions and temptations. “’ And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. ...’” – Matthew 6:13.Ask daily for the LORD God to ‘create in you a clean heart, And renew a steadfast spirit within you’ – Psalm 51:10. …Question 8) Are we also to ask daily the forgiveness of our sins?“’ And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.’” – Matthew 6:12.Truly, the word “debts” would have been better translated “sin.” The Jamieson Fausset and Brown Commentary writes, “A vitally important view of sin. ... directs us to seek” forgiveness of sins. Also note, “our” sins, not “my” sins, should be asked to be forgiven.Note that even though the sins of Sodom were very grave, the Prophet Abraham asked of the LORD, “Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked?” –Genesis 18:16-33. …Remember, the LORD God will forgive us only if we are willing to forgive others. If you cannot rid yourself of feelings of bitterness, jealousy, envy, and resentfulness (a negative manifestation of anger) towards others, then ask our heavenly Father and our Lord Jesus to clean up your heart and mind. Replacing those negative emotions with the positive ─ the fruits of the Spirit.
‘Worship In Spirit and Truth’
Sadly, millions of people do not properly understand WHO and WHAT God is. And because of this, they often do not pray to the true Creator God ── the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob ── the very Elohim of the Bible (cf. Genesis 1:26).
John 4:7-26 (Ai-generated)
It appears to be of the belief in this wannabe “interconnected ecumenical approach to religion” world, that praying to Mary, Allah, Shiva, Buddha, or even their so-called Trinity is the same as praying to the true Creator God. Yet, this is NOT TRUE!
Let us notice that our beloved Apostle Paul speaks of our true Elohim ──
“For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), 6) yet for us there is ONE GOD, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and ONE LORD JESUS CHRIST [here, notice two distinct separate beings!], through whom are all things, and through whom we live.” – 1 Corinthians 9:5-6.
Two separate beings!
Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, teaches us ──
“’ But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24) God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.’” – John 4:23-24.
Let’s walk through this wonderful and powerful conversation our Lord Jesus had with this Samaritan woman. Here, our Lord Jesus was breaking down social barriers by even talking with her, then offering “living water,” which symbolizes eternal life. When she questions Him, saying, “Sir, … our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that IN JERUSALEM is the place where one ought to worship,” Our Lord Jesus reveals that true worship isn’t about a location, a place, but connecting with the LORD God from our heart. He then boldly declares, “’ I who speak to you am [the Messiah].’” This conversation and meeting transform her whole life and spread throughout the town. This was revolutionary ── worship isn’t about religious rituals or customs, but genuine connection in spirit and in truth with the LORD God.
Millions of people think and or believe that it doesn’t matter how they worship, only that they attempt. Our Lord Jesus here says, ‘Father desires those who worship Him to worship Him in spirit and in truth, wherever you might be located.’
He went on to say, recorded by the Apostle Matthew ──
“’ HYPOCRITES! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: 8) ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. 9) And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’” – Matthew 15:7-9.
People the world over may be praying out loud or in silence, but notice that they can be worshiping in vain if they are teaching or following the imaginations of their own mind ── the ‘teachings as doctrine, the commandments of men.’ Such as intentionally or unknowingly praying toward the east to worship a false god ──
Ezekiel 8:15-16 (Ai-generated)
Ezekiel 8:15-16 – “Then He said to me, ‘Have you seen this, O son of man? Turn again, you will see greater abominations than these.’
So He brought me into the inner court of the LORD’s house; and there, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men with their backs toward the temple of the LORD and their faces toward the east, and they were worshiping the sun toward the east.”
Let’s set the scene: Ezekiel 8 is a powerful vision from 592 BC, about 14 months after the Prophet Ezekiel’s first vision. Ezekiel is being transported in a vision to King Solomon’s temple, where he sees shocking idolatry right in the sacred place of the LORD. Verse 15 shows us that the LORD God asks Ezekiel if he’s seen enough, then warns that he is about to see even ‘greater abominations than these.’ Verse 16 is describing sun worship right there in the sacred place of the LORD God!
These twenty-five men were practicing sun worship, a form of idolatry that had infiltrated the temple. They were likely priests who had abandoned their covenantal duties to the LORD God, turning instead to pagan practices that were common in the ancient Near East.
Certain worldly holidays cause you to unknowingly pray toward the east ── toward the sun, i.e., Easter and its Sunrise Worship. Then, there are religions in which they purposefully worship toward the east, i.e., several “Christian” traditions, especially the Oriental Orthodox churches, such as the Coptic and Indian Orthodox, that pray facing east. Hinduism also often faces the rising sun. Also, and I believe it's important to point this out ── because apparently not many brethren know this ── early true Christians also faced east while praying, which would often lead non-Christians to think they were worshiping the sun.
So, even though God’s living word doesn’t specifically say that the Apostle Peter was facing east when he went up on the housetop to pray around noon, he was in the city of Joppa, which is northwest ── he easily could have been facing northeast toward Jerusalem. He was following Jewish prayer customs at the time. This practice, called “ad orientem,” meaning ‘to the east.’
“The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour.” – Acts 10:9.
In my home, I pray to Father God and our Lord Jesus from all directions in spirit and in truth ── cf. John 4:23-24.
Let us notice something that our Lord Jesus prayed ──
“Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: ‘Father, the hour has come. … 16) They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17) Sanctify them by Your truth. YOUR WORD IS TRUTH. 18) As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19) And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by THE TRUTH.’” – John 17:16-19.
Sadly ── even though sales of the Holy Bible reached historic highs in both the United States and the United Kingdom in 2025 ── most of the world compromises with THE TRUTH and refuses to believe that the living word of God is TRUTH. Apparently, most, like what my wife often says to me, “Well, the Bible has been written by men, and has been translated over and over, and over again,” believe that it’s truly not inspired by an actual Creator of the heavens and of earth ── that it’s just merely “Jewish” ancient writings, especially the Old Testament, with all its “thees” and “thous.”
While many will play ‘lip-service’ to the idea of believing what the Bible says ── ‘the Book of Prophecy does have some insightful wisdom ── Books such as the Song of Solomon, surely must be some man’s fanciful romantic thoughts.’
Yet, the Lord our Savior tells us, “’ Man shall not live by bread alone, but by EVERY WORD that proceeds from the mouth of God.’” – Matthew 4:4.
The Holy Bible is God’s living word in print.
You Must Believe That He Is
God’s living word tells us that those who come to Him must believe that He exists. Well … in truth, I’ve heard people begin their prayers with, “If you’re really there …” Anyone who truly doesn’t even believe that the LORD God exists, certainly won’t get their prayers answered ──
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” – Hebrews 11:6.
Our Lord Jesus Himself teaches us that those who pray need to have faith ──
“So Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Have faith in God. 23) For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. 24) Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.’” – Mark 11:22-24.
We MUST have faith that the LORD God will answer our prayers ── again, if it is the LORD God’s will. True faith can indeed move mountains.
Now, where does faith come from? The Apostle Paul answers, inspired by the LORD God ──
“So then FAITH COMES BY HEARING, and HEARING BY THE WORD OF GOD.” – Romans 10:17.
It’s important to know whose prayers the LORD God hears ──
“ …’ But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word.’” – Isaiah 66:2b.
Again, those ‘who tremble at His word,’ meaning those who truly believe that what the LORD God says ── the LORD God means. God says what He means and means what He says!
Our Lord Jesus speaks of us having to have this poor and contrite spirit ──
“’ Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom [from] heaven.’” – Matthew 5:3.
We are told of the LORD God ──
“’ For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,’ says the LORD. 9) ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.’” – Isaiah 55:8-9.
Let us be humble enough to believe the LORD God above any of our own ideas or opinions, or feelings, or intuitions. All the time ── every time.
Continuing here in this subtitle ── even demons believe and tremble.
“You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe ── and tremble!” – James 2:19.
Of course, every single demon believes that God is ── and they also know that the LORD God “’ will render to each one according to his deeds.’” – Romans 2:6.
Our faith should go far beyond just believing that the LORD God exists. The Apostle James ── inspired by the living Spirit of God explains ──
“ … faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18) But someone will say, ‘You have faith, and I have works.’ Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. … 20) But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?” – James 2:17-18, 20.
“For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also” – verse 26.
Every single morning between 3AM and 11AM, I “work” on our ministries’ website. Yet is this what saves us? No. “For by grace you have been saved THROUGH FAITH, and that not of yourselves; it [faith itself] is the gift of God, NOT OF WORKS, …” So, our “works” ── our works being “the work of God, obedience to God, the keeping of His holy and righteous commandments, the helping of orphans and widows in their need and keeping oneself unspotted from the world” ── does earn a reward ── but it is not salvation. In the same respect, the “works” ── of our sin ── do earn something ── but it is not eternal salvation ── what they earn ── the WAGES they earn ── is ETERNAL DEATH!
So, even the demons have faith in God, yet do not obey. They have the “works” of their master ── Satan the Devil. One-third of all the righteous angels wholly gave in to their temptations and allowed themselves to be completely manipulated by the “evil one.”
Our beloved Apostle John recorded for us concerning those who truly know Him ──
“He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and DOES NOT KEEP His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5) But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6) He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” – 1 John 2:4-6.
Having the Right Priorities When We Pray
Matthew 6:26-30 (Ai-generated)
Our Lord and Savior of all mankind, Jesus Christ, laid out for us a prayer guideline ──
“’ And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.’” – Matthew 6:7.
Truly, vain repetitions aren’t just about saying the same prayer repeatedly. It’s more about the heart behind the words. Our Lord Jesus was truly getting at the idea of praying with genuine meaning rather than just going through the motions. The LORD God knows what we need, so we should have a real conversation, not just rattling off words.
As an example: The Jews praying (shuckling, rather) at the Western Wall, with their rhythmic swaying during their prayers ── is the same pattern our Lord Jesus was addressing about vain repetitions vs. genuine conversation.
During our Lord Jesus’ time, Jewish prayer practices were already pretty established. They prayed three times a day ── morning, afternoon, and evening ── and they used specific blessing prayers. Our Lord Jesus would have encountered these practices at the Temple and emphasized genuine, heartfelt prayer rather than just going through the motions.
And what is gloriously wonderful ── because of what our Lord Jesus did for us on the cross, the veil in the Temple was ripped asunder, which means that we don’t have to go to a priest anymore to speak with Father God ── we have an audience with our Heavenly Father directly through our Mediator, Jesus Christ! We have direct access, no more middleman needed! Our Lord Jesus tore down that barrier, so we can talk straight to the Big Guy anytime!
Sadly, what so many call the “Lord’s Prayer” they treat like some kind of a magic formula and not as the guide our Lord Jesus intended. It’s as if they miss the whole point about having a real conversation with the LORD God. It truly covers everything we need ── honoring the very name of the Eternal One, seeking His kingdom, asking for daily provision, forgiveness, and protection – Matthew 6:9-13.
I personally pray about three times daily. I pray to Father God and our Lord Jesus like I might be having a conversation with my own physical father and elder brother – with great love, reverent fear, and respect. My afternoon prayer is more lengthier ── details about the online ministry, daily needs of others, forgiveness not just for myself but forgiveness for others, details about daily needs for my family and others (the LORD God already knows what we are in need of), asking for protection of those who are leaders over us, and often a reminder concerning our true or perceived enemies ── ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.
Yes, we truly always want to do the LORD God’s will ── ‘Your will be done.’ So, our Lord Jesus teaches that His faithful followers should have the right priorities. Notice some of what He teaches us ──
“’ Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
26) Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
27) Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
28) So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29) and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30) Now if God so clothes the grass of their field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31) Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32) For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33) But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
34) Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.’” – Matthew 6:25-34.
Brethren, our prayers and our entire approach to this life need to have the right focus ── including first and foremost ‘seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness.’ The spiritual needs of others and ourselves are more important than our physical needs.
“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, he hears us. 15) And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.” – 1 John 5:14-15.
‘By Nothing But Prayer and Fasting’
Mark 9:17-29 (Ai-generated)
Some matters are more serious than others that require intense prayer and fasting.
Let us consider the following ──
“And when He [our Lord Jesus] came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them. 15) Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him. 16) And He asked the scribes, ‘What are you discussing with them?’
17) Then one of the crows answered and said, ‘Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. 18) And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not.’
19) He answered him and said, ‘O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me.’
20) Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth.
21) So He asked his father, ‘How long has this been happening to him?’ And he said, ‘From childhood. 22) And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.’
23) Jesus said to him, ‘If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.’
24) Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, ‘Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!’
25) When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, ‘Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!’
26) Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, ‘He is dead.’ 27) But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.
28) And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, ‘Why could we not cast it out?’
29) So He said to them, ‘This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.’” – Mark 9:14-29.
Now, there are a great many people in this world who will try to exercise Satan the devil, and his minions from others. There were, in the days of the apostle Peter, some of the itinerant (traveling) Jewish exorcists who took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus Christ over some who had evil spirits within them.
Well, we need to be especially careful! As our Lord Jesus Christ shows us here, more serious matters require intense prayer and fasting.
Acts 19:15 – “ … the evil spirits answered …’” – recall Regan MacNeil, possessed by Pazuzu in the movie The Exorcist, mockingly responded, ‘What an excellent day for an exorcism.
“ … ‘Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?’ … 16) … the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.”
They were beaten up and bloodied because they thought they had power over Satan the devil and his demons. We do not have power – in and of ourselves – over Satan the devil. It is only through JESUS CHRIST and through our faith in Jesus Christ – recall, even the archangel Michael “dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, ‘The Lord rebuke you!’ – cf. Jude 1:9.
Judges 20:18-26 (Ai-generated)
Also, there was once a grave situation with the tribe of Benjamin ── the children of Israel had taken military steps which the LORD God had approved (Judges 20:18-20). Yet, ‘on that day the children of Benjamin came out of Gibeah, and on that day cut down to the ground twenty-two thousand men of the Israelites!’ – verse 21. And then, on the second day, ‘the children of Benjamin cut down to the ground eighteen thousand more of the children of Israel!’ – verse 25.
Then, ‘all the children of Israel ── rather, all the people ── went up and came to Bethel and wept unto the LORD, they prayed and fasted that day until evening, offering burnt offerings and peace offerings unto the LORD.’ – verse 26.
And then came victory – verses 33-36.
So, there are times when our prayers unto the LORD God ── even though consistent with the will of God ── require fasting to help.
Now, we should indeed heed our loving and glorious Savior’s instructions on fasting ──
“’ Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 17) But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18) so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.’” – Matthew 6:16-18. □
If anyone has a question, please feel free to ask. Yours always in Jesus' name, Leonard.
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