https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vDqp_2n9Tc
Welcome to Covenant of Hope Ministries and our combined written and live Sunday sermon. You will normally see us posted in written and live form on Sunday. I am Rev. Laura A. Neff. Our ministry was built on the truth of God’s love and sharing the Word of God, the Spirit of Christ Jesus in a way that we believe embraces the ways Jesus taught us to manage. We bring His Word to the many as opposed to the few, in order to continue the legacy created by the ministry of Jesus Christ.
You will find us in the following location: http://www.covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com
Rev. Laura’s other sites: Facebook & Blogspot & Twitter & Linkedin & USAlife & YouTube
Wedding officiant page: Wedfolio
Prayer List: We have many on our prayer list. Some wish to remain anonymous, and others only wish to have their first names mentioned. Our prayer list grows or changes every week. This is our current list.
- Member JB asks for prayers for her husband, EB he is currently still very ill and in a lot of pain. JB has been suffering from exhaustion and desperately needs solid sleep after going through everything that has happened in the past few weeks.
- A woman came up to me a week ago Friday to borrow a pen, but noted that I would be a minister and asked that we pray for her grandson. He was in a serious accident earlier this past week and is in a coma in hospital in Alabama. Pray for the family, that they gather their emotional and physical strength for this difficult time.
- Hurricane Helene ripped a lot of land and more apart this past week, and many, many victims are homeless, injured, or dead as a result. Hurricane Milton made a royal mess in Florida where some family and friends would live as well. Pray that the recovery efforts in both locations progress well.
- Evangelist Cal Jennings is taking life day by day with his dog Scrappy. Cal has been having issues with his stomach and also with pain levels. They appreciate all the prayers as the two of them continue to take life one day at a time.
- My daughter has asked if we could add three people from her life onto our prayer list. One of them is named Ms. Ramona and works with my daughter, she was rushed to the hospital and has been ordered to be on bed rest until further notice. The second is her husband Douglas’s grandmother, who has a tentative diagnosis of dementia. The last is her husband’s grandfather, known to everyone as Papa John, who is suffering depression due to his memory issues.
- Please continue to pray for my Mama who has been going through a lot of out of the ordinary stresses where she is right now, the last few years have been very hard on her, and she just needs some spiritual support for the time being.
- Please pray for a friend of ours, Tyrone, who is still having issues with recovering from an injury managed at work that has affected his daily life in too many ways. Pray for his healing.
- Pray for Janice’s mother who is still having issues after a stroke last year and other medical issues.
- Please continue to keep my employer’s wife, Joy, in prayer as she has been diagnosed with stage 4 kidney disease.
- One of my sisters is going through some serious stresses that are affecting everything right now, let’s pray she gets relief from these issues.
- Pray for my niece, Autumn, who is having a lot of health issues relative to a head injury from a car wreck. The wreck caused her to now suffer from seizures with an epilepsy diagnosis.
- Continue to keep my Aunt Donna in your prayers. She is hanging on even with the cancer treatments and the many changes she is going through.
- Pray for a high school classmate of mine, her name is Kelly, who is finally done with her chemo. She has survived the loss of her hair and the debilitating results of chemotherapy. Let us pray that the evil disease of cancer is gone from her body forever. May God’s blessings wrap around her and protect her keeping her spirits high and her pain low.
- Pray for all of our outreach ministers and the work they do, Pastor Stephen Okoth, Rev. Lisa Tyler, one of my mentors, Pastor Simon Peter Javaji, and the family of Pastor Robert Nganwa from Uganda who passed away a couple years ago, but the church continues on. We are adding other outreach ministries in Kenya that include Felix Alfayo from Kisii, Kenya and the Christian Ministry Shepherd’s Home Orphanage. With him we add Pastor Amir Aneel from Pakistan from Light of Love Ministry, and Pastor Peter Nyamwembe from Nairobi, Kenya.
- Pray for those who are serving our countries around this world.
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for this peaceful, calm day. We have plenty to bring to you in prayer. We thank You for protecting us from what turned out to have been a pair of catastrophic hurricanes these past weeks, and that the people are banding together to recover whatever they can as a result of the wide path of destruction created by Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. We thank You for all the blessings You have presented for each of us. We thank You for friends and family and for answering their prayers, like Kelly, who survived the rigors of cancer treatment and post treatment surgery. We include Evangelist Cal with all of his health issues, Aunt Donna, still fighting her cancer, and so many others. We bring several up to You in prayer today, including Janice and her husband Ed. Ed has had serious health issues for several days and is currently recovering after the hospital ICU. Janice’s mother, who continues to heal after her stroke last year. She is starting a slow regimen of walks on her property to help with her mobility and coordination, and we thank You for those blessings bestowed. We pray for Autumn and my daughter’s colleague Ramona who is on bedrest still. We pray for my son-in-law’s grandfather and grandmother, both suffering from memory issues. We bring everyone to You for healing and health, faith and hope, peace and patience through our Savior Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, Amen and so it shall be.
Opening Song: Shackles ~ Mary Mary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V22rG6CNFeU&t=4s
Sermon: Today we are starting with the last chapter of this first letter Paul wrote to Timotheus and his congregation. Now again Paul addresses the subject of slavery. He points toward ethical treatment of those who worked the fields and homes and more in the world as they knew it back then. This is something that occurred worldwide for all colors, all nationalities, everywhere on this earth at that time and far too long, truthfully. Added to this Paul addresses something else that is very important for us to recognize. He points toward false teachers and greed, avarice, the love of money and material things. His warnings are as valid today as they were then. With that, we begin this chapter here.
1 Timothy 6:1 KJV –Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.
NIV –All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered.
Blasphemy, that’s a seriously egregious act to manage. It’s extremely evil and wicked because it, quite literally, destroys the relationship mankind has with God through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. This is something no true Christian ever wants to commit, and yet it happens, quite literally, every day, somewhere on this earth amidst the human race. Not all masters were kind and caring. Servitude in those times was never easy, but even being in servitude should have afforded them some form of faith and belief between the master and the servant. We have several points of reference from the Torah, the prophets, along with Paul’s letters to Ephesus and Titus. Added to those would be Peter’s first letter.
Deuteronomy 28:48 KJV – Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the Lord shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee.
NIV – therefore in hunger and thirst, in nakedness and dire poverty, you will serve the enemies the Lord sends against you. He will put an iron yoke on your neck until he has destroyed you.
Isaiah 47:6 KJV – I was wroth with my people, I have polluted mine inheritance, and given them into thine hand: thou didst shew them no mercy; upon the ancient hast thou very heavily laid thy yoke.
NIV – I was angry with my people and desecrated my inheritance; I gave them into your hand, and you showed them no mercy. Even on the aged you laid a very heavy yoke.
Isaiah 58:6 KJV – Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
NIV – “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
Ephesians 6:5 KJV – Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;
NIV – Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ.
Titus 2:5-9 KJV – To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.
In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,
Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again;
NIV – to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.
Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.
Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them,
1 Peter 2:18 KJV – Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.
NIV – Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh.
Paul continues laying out his reasoning on how masters and slaves should respect one another. This can be applied in today’s world between employers and employees of all forms and formulas, male and female, worldwide. It’s important to be respectful, to be just, honest, truthful, and kind in a world full of the opposite of all these traits. This is what Paul is pointing out, that these are the kinds of traits you want to teach, and you need to learn.
1 Timothy 6:2 KJV –And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort.
NIV –Those who have believing masters should not show them disrespect just because they are fellow believers. Instead, they should serve them even better because their masters are dear to them as fellow believers and are devoted to the welfare of their slaves.
Now, in this, Paul references several statements made by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the gospel written by Matthew, and also the writings of Luke in the Acts of the Apostles as well.
Matthew 6:24 KJV – No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
NIV – “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
Matthew 23:8 KJV – But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
NIV – “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers.
Matthew 25:40 KJV – And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
NIV – “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
Acts 1:15 KJV – And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)
NIV – In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty)
Paul continues with his references, this time with his letters to Rome, Galatia, and to Philemon as well.
Romans 11:17 KJV – And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
NIV – If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root,
Galatians 3:28 KJV – There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
NIV – There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Philemon 1:16 KJV – Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?
NIV – no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord.
Now, in this next pair of verses Paul points out the consequences of ungodliness, wickedness that occurred then, as much as this still occurs to this very day.
1 Timothy 6:3-4 KJV –If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
NIV –If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions
Now, I can almost hear someone in the audience asking why I stopped midsentence. Well, there’s a reason for that. It’s tough enough to get through the meaning of these two verses and adding another one too quickly will only serve to confuse people. Paul continues his warnings with methodology in teaching, note what he shares, controversies, quarrels, and look closely, very closely, because he’s giving a warning known as the seven troubles. Every single one is listed here. We have vanity, envy, lust, enmity, wrath, shame and doubt in full display. Paul references one of the most popular questions people have in this regard, and what our Savior Jesus Christ shared about the seven troubles, on many occasions, but this one is often quoted to this very day.
Matthew 22:21 KJV – They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.
NIV – “Caesar’s,” they replied.
Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
It is important to be watchful, but it is even more important to be a good teacher to others, helping them to become more watchful of the things they do, say, and more. As a child I was often told I wasn’t setting a good example for my younger siblings. It was tough for me to understand what that meant. In fact, I didn’t realize the impact that those lessons really had on me until I married and had children of my own. Wisdom comes through attempts, successes, and failures as the sum of all experience. This is something Jesus taught in a very well known moment in His teaching. Again, I am sharing the last verse of the Great Commission as Jesus preached toward His Apostles and Disciples before His full ascension into heaven.
Matthew 28:20 KJV – Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
NIV – and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
If we don’t pay attention to how we speak to each other, treat each other, on a moment to moment, daily, yearly, basis, we cannot truly embrace what being a true Scriptural Christian is all about. God’s love shows no partiality, and by extension, neither does the love of Jesus Christ. Our portion of His love is the same as all other believers, no matter the amount of time they’ve been an active Christian. From those who have been a Christian since understanding faith, or someone who has only just today accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. All of us are equal to God and Jesus, and all of us will be judged at the final judgment. Here are five perspectives on this concept.
Acts 18:15 KJV – But if it be a question of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it; for I will be no judge of such matters.
NIV – But since it involves questions about words and names and your own law—settle the matter yourselves. I will not be a judge of such things.”
Romans 16:17 KJV – Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
NIV – I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them.
1 Corinthians 8:2 KJV –And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.
NIV –Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know.
Titus 1:1 KJV – Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;
NIV – Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ to further the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness—
Godliness, do you remember the phrase “cleanliness is next to godliness”? It is actually referenced throughout Scripture, especially in the Torah for priests and those who worked in the temples. This is what Paul is reflecting on. We see this here in his letter to Timothy. There are different types of cleanliness. There’s physical cleanliness, like when Jesus washed the Apostles’ feet. Then there’s the spiritual cleanliness, like this which Paul references for Timothy and his congregation.
1 Timothy 6:5-6 KJV –Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. But godliness with contentment is great gain.
NIV – and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain.
Spirituality is a complex subject for some, but, truthfully, it is quite simple. Yet, often the simplest subjects are the toughest to teach. This is why Paul brings us back to the references of the poetic books here.
Proverbs 15:16 KJV – Better is little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith.
NIV – Better a little with the fear of the Lord than great wealth with turmoil.
Proverbs 28:25 KJV – He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the Lord shall be made fat.
NIV – The greedy stir up conflict, but those who trust in the Lord will prosper.
Jeremiah 35:9 KJV – Nor to build houses for us to dwell in: neither have we vineyard, nor field, nor seed:
NIV – or built houses to live in or had vineyards, fields or crops.
Paul also references the Ten Commandments, which Jesus points toward with this warning in the gospel of Luke.
Luke 12:15 KJV – And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
NIV – Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
Faith and belief are different for every person. We all come to believe in God in different ways, and then portray our faith, exercise our faith, although together at times, separately as well. It’s important to understand that faith is as much an individual experience as it is a collective necessity. I’ve seen this personally in the fact that once the seeds of faith are sown, the blossoms, the fruits of that faith, provide us with the ability to draw others toward this spiritual nourishment. That’s what Paul is bringing to Timotheus and his congregation. We see this in his references to the letters to Philippi and to Titus. Paul adds references to the Hebrew Prophets and to his fellow Apostle, Peter.
Philippians 4:11 KJV – I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.
NIV – I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.
Titus 1:11-15 KJV – Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.
One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, the Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.
This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;
Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.
Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.
NIV – They must be silenced, because they are
disrupting whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that
for the sake of dishonest gain. One of Crete’s own prophets has
said it: “Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.” This
saying is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in
the faith and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the
merely human commands of those who reject the truth. To the
pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe,
nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted.
Hebrews 13:5 KJV – Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
NIV – Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
2 Peter 2:3 KJV –And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
NIV – In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.
Years ago I was watching a movie that reminded me of a song sung by two of my favorite singers. It was a movie about a haunted house with two specific earthly spirits, or ghosts, who were trying to become human again. In the midst of their defeat, one of the good ghosts was dragging a huge suitcase across the floor and one of the main characters asks, “Don’t you know you can’t take it with you?” A song that connects to this in some ways is ”Stairway to Heaven”. Now, I’ve sung this song before, and I’ve both sung and heard it in both rock and country music versions. This is what Paul teaches Timothy in this regard.
1 Timothy 6:7 KJV –For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
NIV –For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.
It is important to realize that we won’t need anything earthly once we make it to the promised land that Jesus has created for us to be residents within. It’s something that we have to understand that, what we are heading for is better than everything we could ever find here on this earth as it is here and now. Remember, the phrase ashes to ashes and dust to dust? Well, Job sums it up this way.
Job 1:21 KJV – And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.
NIV – and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”
King David shares it this way.
Psalm 49:17 KJV – For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him.
NIV – for they will take nothing with them when they die, their splendor will not descend with them.
And King Solomon has this to share.
Ecclesiastes 5:15-16 KJV – As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand. And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind?
NIV – Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb, and as everyone comes, so they depart. They take nothing from their toil that they can carry in their hands. This too is a grievous evil: As everyone comes, so they depart, and what do they gain, since they toil for the wind?
Lastly, the Savior Jesus Christ has this to share.
Luke 12:20-21 KJV – But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
NIV – “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”
Luke 16:22-23 KJV – And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
NIV – “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.
We have a lot to learn even now with all the study we’ve managed in the letters that Paul wrote. He’s got a lot more to teach us. We have so much to explore within these letters, these scrolls of Scripture. The journey is as individual as it is collective. I hope you are willing to work with me to take this amazing journey into faith as Jesus wants me to share with you. And honestly, humbly, truthfully, we, all of us, need to show each other how faith and belief in God go hand in hand, and all of us have the opportunity to walk in the faithful steps of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The ability to do this requires us to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. If you are willing to do so, please leave me a note in the comments and I’ll be in touch. Now that’s something to think about as we pray in the prayer that Jesus taught us saying:
Our Father, which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the
kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13)
Closing Song: Stairway to Heaven ~ Dolly Parton’s version
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKD_oPzHRrQ
Sung by Cal Jennings https://m.starmakerstudios.com/a-vue3/playrecording?app=sm&from_sid=62172171219&guide_type=2&is_convert=true&pg_rf_ca_vn=15&pid=share_exp2&recordingId=8725724356264167&share_type=copylink
~ Shalom ~
Rev. Laura A. Neff
Facebook & Blogspot & Twitter & Linkedin
Evangelist Calvin Jennings
Covenant of Hope Ministries Main Site: http://www.covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com
Scripture Excerpts: The New Open Bible Study Edition: Copyright © 1990: Thomas Nelson Publishers, Inc.
Scripture Excerpts: Holy Bible: Copyright © 1982: E. E. Gaddy and Associates, Inc.
Scripture Excerpts: Holy Bible: Copyright ©circa 1890-1910: International Bible Press, The John C. Winston Co.; Philadelphia, PA, USA
Sermon or Study Copyright © 2024 http://www.covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com
Our mission for Covenant of Hope Ministries is not to
exploit fear, but to conquer it, and overcome all that is
created through fear
together as the bringers of the
light of Jesus found in the midst of darkness.
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