The Daily Dose

Be children of God

That you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.  Matthew 5:45

Have you ever thought about this?  Why does God let His sun rise on evil people just the same as it does on the good?  What about the rain?  He sends rain on the just and the unjust.   Have you ever considered that God doesn’t send different outward circumstance for different people.  That’s because He loves us all and He wants good for all people.  The truth is that all people belong to God, but His enemy stole them away from Him.  Now He has made a provision to get them all back.  The only problem is that we are the ones that have to choose to step into His provision to be saved from that enemy.

Today’s scripture is about loving people that are not God’s people, but they are God’s creation.  Jesus told His disciples to love their enemy and bless those who cursed them and do good and pray for those who hated and used them.  He said this is how you can be identified as a child of God.  Because if you only love those who love you, you are no different than everyone else.  If you only greet and associate with other believers, there is nothing different about you.  However, when you love all people because you are a child of God, not because of how good someone is, you are different because you love like God loves, unconditionally.

This message is the same for us today.  What sets us apart from the rest of the world?  It is the way we love all people.  Not just the nice and good looking ones, but all people no matter what race, no matter what their past is and no matter how bad they are.  They are still God’s created beings in His image and He wants them all back from His enemy.  That is what He has called each one of us to do . . . love them with the God kind of love, so they will know that the God of creation wants them to chose to come back to His love and goodness and save them.

Today I want to encourage you to love your enemies. Bless those who curse you and do good to those who hate you.  Pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you so that you can be seen by the rest of the world as a child of God.  Become the ambassador He has assigned you to be and show the world around you that the God of heaven loves them and want them back in the family.  The family of God!

Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 5:43-48

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 

44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,  

45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 

46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 

47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 

48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Be Generous

And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.  Matthew 5:41

Generosity!  It is the ultimate example of what our God is.  He is extreme generous in all the He is and does.  His love is overflowingly generous in that He didn’t even spare His only son to show how much He loves us all.  He never holds back and His desire is that we would be that kind of example to the lost world around us.

Jesus tells us in this section of Matthew 5, to give what we are asked for and beyond.  He encourages us to always go the extra mile.  Whatever you think you can do easily, stretch beyond that point to become excessive in all we do for others.

Whether it is helping someone out financially or giving of material possessions, always go above and beyond what is requested.  We should always have the mentality of exceeding the expectation.  You can even go as far as returning things in better condition after you have used or borrowed something.   This is the God way of doing things.

Here is the list of things that Jesus taught in these five verses:

1. Do not resist an evil person
2. When slapped on one cheek, offer the other cheek
3. If someone wants your shirt, offer your coat too
4. Anyone who wants to borrow from you do not turn them away or consider if they will pay you back

The way I approach this is with love.  I consider giving of any kind, a gift of love.  I don’t worry about if I will be treated right or appreciated.  Love is my motivation, so it doesn’t matter who or what the circumstances are.  It is not about who the person receiving is, it is all about who I am.  I cannot be offended because I expect nothing in return.  I like to use the verse in Romans 13 that says own no man anything but to love them.  I know this verse is talking about staying out of debt financially, but I believe it is relevant to consider that because of God’s great love for me and the world, I own that love to the world around me and therefore I choose to be a generous lover of all people!

Today I want to encourage you to be generous.  Be generous with your time. Be generous with your resources and be generous with your love for others.  Show the world around you how great and loving your Heavenly Father is by being that example of love to everyone you meet.  Let the love of God abound in your richly and be a generous giver to your world.

Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 5:38-42

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 

39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 

40 If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. 

41 And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. 

42 Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.

No smoke screen

But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.  Matthew 5:37

When I was young, other kids would often say, “I swear on a stack of Bibles.”  Meaning they were being as honest and authentic as they could possibly be.  Like one Bible was not enough to stress their point.  Today’s scripture says don’t swear by anything because you don’t even have the power to change any natural thing because it all belongs to God.  It goes on to say if you say “yes” when you mean yes and “no” when you mean no, others will trust your word when it comes to important things, because you were trustworthy in the little things.

I like the way the message translation breaks this passage down.  It says:

“And don’t say anything you don’t mean. This counsel is embedded deep in our traditions. You only make things worse when you lay down a smoke screen of pious talk, saying, ‘I’ll pray for you,’ and never doing it, or saying, ‘God be with you,’ and not meaning it. You don’t make your words true by embellishing them with religious lace. In making your speech sound more religious, it becomes less true. Just say ‘yes’ and ‘no.’ When you manipulate words to get your own way, you go wrong.

So, the passages is telling us don’t say things you don’t really mean or intend to do, just to make yourself look super spiritual or putting on the pretense of caring.  I know in my own life, I tend to want to excuse or justify my responses to ensure that I am clearly communicating without offending others or making myself look bad.  But the truth is, I only need to be clear and not misleading in my answer.  That doesn’t mean I have to be rude, I just give the answer “yes” or “no”.  No excuses, no flattery and no smoke screen. Simple as that.

Today I want to encourage you to be upfront with others.  Don’t but on a façade to pretend you are something that you are not.  That will only get you into trouble.  Be authentic and real with people and clearly communicate your intentions without being underhanded and sneaky.  Give clear and concise answers like yes and no, but don’t feel like you have to justify or excuse your response. Lastly, don’t make up and promise to do things for others that you don’t intend to do like praying for them or blessing them.  Just be honest and loving and you will stay far from the intensions of the evil one every time.

Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 5:33-37

33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ 

34 But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 

35 nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 

36 Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. 

37 But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.

Cut it off

_{And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.  Matthew 5:30}

This scripture has always been a little disturbing to me.  I mean, it seems so dramatic to cut of your right hand and cast it from you even extreme for that matter.  Why would you cut off a part of your body?  Why not just remove the sin from your life.  However, now that I come back to this passage after some time, it makes perfect sense to me.  In fact, that is exactly what the message of the verse is.  If you are struggling with a sin that you can’t seem to shake, cut it off!  Cut off all connections with that sin and get as far away from it as you possibly can.  The passage also says that if you are having trouble with what you are looking at, stop looking at it and get it out of your sight.

Whether it is a toxic relationship that always seems to influence you to activities that you do not want to be involved in or an addictive substance you can’t get enough of, cut it off! Break off that relationship and get far from it and give yourself no access to them. Stay far away from people who would try to lure you back in again..  Until you are strong enough and stable enough to say no to that undesired thing, flee from it to save your soul

It reminds me of Joseph, when he was cornered by Potiphar’s wife.  He cut that conversation, relationship and coat off as quickly as he could.  He ran out of the place because he knew that was the wrong environment for him to stay pure in.  This is a perfect example of how we should behave when approached with temptation.  Do not consider, do not count the cost just get away from it even if you have to leave something behind.

James 4:7 gives us the answer to any temptation that comes our way.  It says: Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.  When you acknowledge your Heavenly Father in all your ways, you are taking the first step in resisting the enemy and his plans to trap you in a sin that you cannot get away from.

Today I want to encourage you to first of all submit all your thoughts and ways to God.  Acknowledge Him in all your ways. Then He will strengthen you to resist the devil and his tricks to hold you in bondage to habits and addictions.  Next, cut off all relationships, activities and substances that cause you to stumble.  Cut them off and get far away from them.  The more you stay away, the easier it will be to keep away.  So, the next time your right hand tries to cause you to sin, cut that sin off before it ever happens.

Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 5:27-32

27 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.

28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 

29 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 

30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

31 “Furthermore it has been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.

32 But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.

Agree with your adversary

Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Matthew 5:25

We live in an extremely angry world.  People everywhere are ready to tell you what they are irritated and angry about.  Whether it is the government, their job and even home life, most people are unhappy about their surroundings and want everyone around them to know about it.  They look for the problem in every circumstance of life, never considering that there is a positive side to the issue.

Today’s verse instructs us to be agreeable.  To even agree with your enemy/adversary.  This is not a popular message, and no one wants to hear that the right thing to do is to find a place of agreement in every conflict.  This is not to say that you agree with their complaints, but the passage does say that if you end up in court, the judge has no personal stake in the argument, and he will hand you over to be thrown in prison.

This is extreme, I know, but I can relate to this because I was once in a predicament where I was in a court battle.  If was ugly and there was no being nice in that situation.  Going through the court system will bring the worst out in anyone.  I felt defenseless because I was not willing to be ruthless and callous through the process.  As I prayed and committed the procedures to the LORD, I knew in my spirit that He was telling me to get this argument out of the courts and settle peacefully.  I did, but it felt like I was giving up.  I didn’t feel like I was being treated fairly, but at least I was the one who made the decision to settle which put the control in my hands.  I had no idea of the long-term benefits that would come from that decision.  All I could see in the moment was that I was giving up my rights and letting the other party off the hook. 

Now years later, I am so thankful that I listened to God’s direction.  What could have been drawn out for years and hurt many innocent people along the way, was cut short with no lasting repercussions.  God took care of me and my rights after I surrendered them and got rid of the pride/anger that I was holding on to. 

Now when I read this scripture, it makes perfect sense to me.  When I agree with my adversary quickly and settle things in a peaceful way, it not only honors God, but it also gives Him an entrance into the situation to work thing out for good, every time.

Today I want to encourage you to put anger far from you.  Surrender all your hurts and offenses over to your loving Father.  Find a peaceful resolution in every conflict and look to you Heavenly Father for the wisdom and faith to do it. He will take care of you as you give Him entrance into all the conflicts that come against you in life.

Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 5:21-26

21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ 

22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. 

23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 

24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 

25 Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 

26 Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.

God’s law

“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.  Matthew 5:17

As a young person, I was always under the impression that God gave the law/commandments to keep the people from sinning.  Even though that is true, I now realize that there is so much more to it.  Yes, God established the law as a foundation for the government of His nation Israel, but in reality, God was giving His people the instruction manual for successful living.

Think about it.  God created the heavens and the earth.  Each part of creation knows their place and assignment.  They are constant and follow the directive they were given at the time they were made.  The sun rises in the morning and sets in the evening.  The moon goes through its phases the same way each month.  Plants form from their seeds and continue to produce more seed to grow the next season.  Even the solar system moves in the set course it was given at its beginning.

Then there are the laws of nature that never change.  You can depend on the law of gravity to work every time.  We know that what goes up is coming back down again.  Only the law of lift supersedes that law.  The law that everything produces after its own kind will also never change.

Even spiritual laws are the same for anyone who would live by them.  Things such as “you will reap what you sow”, “give and it will be given to you”, “seek and you will find,” “do not be anxious about anything” and “call on the name of the Lord and you will be saved.”

Looking at the laws of nature reveals to us that the commandments are God’s direction for people to peacefully live life with others.  God was not intending to control people, that is why He created us with the ability to choose.  In fact, we are the only part of His creation that was given that privilege.  God in His great love for us, did not leave us to figure out the road to success on our own, He gave us the guidelines to keep us in line with the way He created us to live at life of victory.  God comes before everything else, don’t worship idols, only God.  Don’t use God’s name in vain.  He even created us to require a day of rest and gave us the gift of the sabbath to shut down for a day each week.  Honor and respect your parents. Don’t kill people.  Don’t commit adultery or steal.  Don’t lie and gossip and don’t desire to have other people’s possessions.

When you look at God’s direction in the light of His love and the way He created us to be successful, you can easily see that His law is the way He created a society to work and to exist peacefully within His created world.

Thank goodness these concepts have been preserved through time so that we can know how to live in peace and flourish even in these chaotic times.  In today’s scripture, Jesus said He came to fulfill the law.  That doesn’t mean it is no longer something we need to follow.  On the contrary, He showed us that when we live life by the manual, we can fulfill every detail of the plan of God for our lives.

Today I want to encourage you to seek first the kingdom of God and the way He established us to live in this world.  He never intended for us to make it up as we go.  He clearly gave us the procedures that lead us to His perfect peace.  Get in line with God’s success principles today and watch how plainly He reveals all His goodness in your life.  This may require you to spend some time digging in and learning more about His supernatural love for you, but that time spent will be exceedingly more profitable than the hours you spend on social media or television.  Decide today that you are going to make 2022 the year that you line up with God’s laws of success and take the time to focus on all the love and goodness He is waiting to release on you as you go further down that path.

Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 5:17-20

17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 

18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. 

19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 

20 For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

Happy New Year

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.  Matthew 5:16

Happy New year!  I hope everyone had a wonderful time celebrating as we said goodbye to 2021 and welcomed in 2022! 

This is the time when we reflect back on our life in 2021 and ask the questions:  Did I accomplish everything I set out to do in 2021?  How did I do with the goals I set at the beginning of 2021?  What areas can I do better with in 2022?

This is also the time when we set new goal for the coming year.  Goals such as: Spend quiet time with God each day.  Get physically fit/healthier.  Make a conscience effort to connect with family and friends more.  Save money or learn a new skill.  The possibilities are endless.

If you have no idea where to start, learn from today’s scripture.  Jesus tells give us three things that we can do each day that will not only impact the coming year, it will also make a difference in the world around you like nothing ever has in your life before.  He said:

1. Let your light shine for everyone
2. Let it shine through doing good for others
3. Glorify your Father in heaven

These three things are connected and when you do the first one, the other two are the result.  For example, serving others at every opportunity, whether it is an act of kindness, an encouraging word or a gift to help someone who is struggling financially, is the way you shine God’s light in the world.  As you help others in love, you are showing them how important they are to you and also to God.  You are representing your Father in heaven as you reach into lives around you with your “good works.”  Sure, we share the message of the gospel with others, but even Jesus helped others with the physical needs before He told them the good news of salvation.  The truth is that helping others with their physical needs first, prepares their heart for the message that God loves them unconditionally and wants to rescue them from an eternal life separated from Him.

Today I want to encourage you to start 2022 with the decision to do good to others every day.  Become aware and look for those that you can bless.  Set a goal each morning that you are going to touch at least one person’s life today.  If you get to the end of the day and it hasn’t happened, send a message of encouragement to someone or give them a call.  Sure, these things take some of your time and effort, but the richness they will produce in your life is priceless.

Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 5:13-16

13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 

15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Hello Daily Dose Blog subscribers. I will be taking off the months of November and December because of several other writing projects I am currently working on. I will be back in the new year to continue going through the Gospels. Thank you for your faithful following and I will reconnect with you in 2022.

If you would like to continue to read the Daily Dose each day, please pick up my devotional book or one of my Journals at Amazon.com You can search my name: Lynette Lyden or the title of the books listed below to find them.

Have a great season of celebrating thankfulness and the birth of our Savior, Jesus! and a Happy New Year too!

This is a hard saying

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Matthew 5:10

This one is hard for me. It’s hard for me to understand how persecution can be a blessing. Sure, I can receive it by faith, but to write about it with conviction takes some revelation.  So, I am going to start with the second part and hopefully we will have a better grasp when I am done.

It says “for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”  Jesus talked about the kingdom of heaven all through His ministry here in the world.  I think Jesus gave the clearest explanation of the Kingdom of heaven when asked about it by the Pharisees in Luke 17.  He said:  “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”  (Luke 17:20-21)  Jesus plainly says that God’s kingdom or the kingdom of heaven is not something you will see when you die or not when He sets up His kingdom on Earth.  He told them that God’s domain is inside each one of us.  It is where He lives.  In our lives and in our hearts.  We release that kingdom in our lives when we receive Jesus as Savior and begin to walk out our purpose in this world.  We don’t have to wait until the sweet by and by when we are gone from this world, Jesus tells us that we can operate in the kingdom right here in the world right now.  By following His example and the leading of His Spirit, we can walk each day by heaven’s principles and God’s way.  Why else would He tell us to pray for His will to be done here in the world just as it is in heaven. (see Matthew 6)

This is great news and when we realize that we are living this life the kingdom of heaven way and in God’s love and direction, that becomes all that is important.  I am reminded of Stephen when he faced the persecution of the high priest and counsel, all he saw was the kingdom of heaven even until death.  Stephen said in the face of persecution and death: But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”(Acts 7:55-56)

Wow!  That truly is a blessing to be at the point of martyrdom and only see God in His kingdom watching what is going on and Jesus standing to welcome you home.  I do see that as a blessing.  I also know that when I am talking to someone about salvation, I am talking to them as someone who belongs to a different world than they do and I am willing to give my life so that they can escape this world of sin too.

Jesus was right when He said blessed are those who are persecuted because of their right relationship with God because they belong to a different kingdom, the kingdom of heaven. 

Today I want to encourage you to walk out your days knowing that you belong to a different kingdom, and you are a citizen of heaven.  You bring God’s kingdom here to this world when you received Jesus into your heart and life.  Now you understand that the world will try to come against you sometimes, but you are not of this world, this is not your home, so it doesn’t matter what they think of you, it only matters that they get the opportunity to receive Jesus and His kingdom into their life too.  It may not happen today, but it can still happen even after the persecution is over. 

Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 5:3-12

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Peacemaker

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.  Matthew 5:9

Imagine you were sent to this world to make peace.  Not with other people, but to connect other people with God.  An ambassador.  That’s what Jesus did.  The angels proclaimed His peace the night He was born into the Earth.  They said “Peace on Earth and goodness toward men” They were talking about peace with God.  Jesus came so that people of the world could be brought back to God through peace in the sacrifice of Jesus.

This is still our ministry today, but we don’t have to be the same sacrifice that Jesus was.  Our sacrifice is to give our life to show the world that they too can have peace with God, and be reconciled to Him. After we have first received salvation and a right relationship with Him, we fulfill the calling all of us were given to tell the world about His peace.

We bring the peace of God’s goodness, and we bring the peace of God’s grace.  We proclaim the message of the creator’s love and His desire to have all people in His family.  He created us to be people connected to each other and connected to Him.

In John 17:22-23 Jesus prayed: “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. 23I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.”  God’s planned for us to be connected to each other in unity, each of us doing our part in the ministry of being a peacemaker in the world.

And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness. (James 3:18) What truly makes us part of God’s family, His children, is when we represent His mission and His cause in the world.  We bring His message of peace and Salvation to all so that they can make the choice to become a peacemaker, too.

Today I want to encourage you to be a peacemaker.  Share the message of God’s peace brought into the world through His Son, Jesus.  Keep your focus on the One who gives you peace and don’t let the stress and anxiety of the world steal it from you.  Instead, give peace to the world by loving people in a way that best shows how your Father in heaven loves them.  We are called the children of God, because we are one of His voices in the earth.  Be the voice of peace into every conversation you enter today and bring with you the unity that Jesus prayed so earnestly for.

Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 5:3-12

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.