Can Christians Lose Their Faith?

 

CAN CHRISTIANS LOSE THEIR FAITH?

Introduction Joshua Harris, the author of the popular evangelical best-seller, “I Kissed Dating Goodbye.” He is known as a relationship guru. Days after announcing his divorce with his wife, denounced his Christian faith. He noted, “I have undergone a massive shift concerning my faith in Jesus. The popular phrase for this is ‘deconstruction,’ the biblical phrase is ‘falling away.’ By all the measurements that I have for defining a Christian, I am not a Christian.”[1]       

            Marty Sampson, a worship music writer, singer, and active member of Hill song, has publicly denounced his faith on social media. Time for some real talk. I’m genuinely losing my faith, and it doesn’t bother me. Like, what bothers me now is nothing. I am so happy now, so at peace with the world. It’s crazy. Christians can be the most judgmental people on the planet—they can also be some of the most beautiful and loving people. But it’s not for me.”[2]

            What a tragedy, two prominent Christian young ministers for whom a lot has been going on, now no longer call themselves as Christians.  These are certainly some of the signs of the end times. Mathew 24:10, “At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other.” In our Post-Christian world, it remains a challenge to maintain our faith.

            We have been on a journey to finding “greater things” from the book of Hebrews. This past week, we addressed the question, “Are you A Spiritual Babe or An Adult? We challenged ourselves to grow up and become spiritually mature. Today we look at another very troubling question, “Can Christians lose their faith”? Hebrews 6:4-12. I find these verses four through six, particularly challenging. Over the years, these verses fueled fires between Arminians (named after their founder, Jacobus Arminius) and Calvinists after John Calvin in the 1500’s AD.

            Arminians take them as proof that it is possible for someone who has once been a believer to fall away from faith irretrievably. Calvinists interpret them in such a way as to make that a practical impossibility. But they often forget the author’s purpose was not to deal with the Calvinist-Arminian controversy of “eternal security of the believer, “but to move his audience from the practices of animal sacrifices to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus the Great High Priest.[3]

I. BACKSLIDING IS A GRAVE CONCERN (Vs. 4-6)

            I have never been to treatment for any addiction.  But I am aware of the struggles of the addicts who are trying to quit their debilitating habits. Therapists would agree that for most people dealing with addiction, recovery is a long, winding path, with ups and downs, successes and disappointments and often instances of relapse, in which someone returns to using their substances of choice and to their problematic behaviors[4]

            When born again, Christians are resorting to their old sinful behaviors before they got saved; we call them they are backsliding. The word backslides implies a movement away from Christ rather than toward Him. What are the signs of a backsliding Christian?

            Remember, a backsliding Christian was once a fiery follower of Christ, but gradually, his love for the Lord begins to grow cold, as he reverts to his old sinful habits. He lacks the interest to read the Bible and pray, stops attending church, and in the end, some could even walk away from God, his marriage, family, and ministry. We see this backsliding happening everywhere.

            On the other hand, some might be attending church regularly yet may be backsliding in their faith.  A couple of months ago, I was saddened to hear that one of my former ministry friends in India is backslidden. He became an alcoholic, left his wife, family, and the ministry.

            I tried connecting with him, but I couldn’t reach him. I pray that he would get back to his faith, which he once held firmly. Let’s watch out! Backsliding could happen to anyone of us.   Vs. 4-5, “For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come and who then turn away from God.” By the way, the author speaks of people, and their character indicates that he was not addressing Pseudo-believers but true believers. He highlights four attributes of a true believer.

II. FOUR ATTRIBUTES OF A TRUE BELIEVER

            Firstly, “They were once enlightened.” The author here was referring to those who were once enlightened by God Himself. John 1:9, “There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.” In the process of salvation, God always takes the initiative. Salvation is a gift from God and not anything to be earned by us, but to accept it gratefully.

            Secondly, “they have experienced the good things of heaven.” Many Jews of that time experienced the good things of heaven, such as healings and deliverance from demons and eating the food that Jesus multiplied miraculously. Yet, many refused to accept Christ as their Messiah.        Similarly, many experience the goodness of God; it doesn’t mean that they all are saved.  Thirdly, “they have shared in the Holy Spirit,” It refers to the ministry of the believers by the power of the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit. Heb 2:4, “God also testified to it by signs, wonders, and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.”           

            Fourthly, “they have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come.” It is referring to the call of God to all his believers in Ps 34:8, “Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!” Power of the age is referring to the many Jewish people’s expectation of a coming age of righteousness, justice, and peace.

            Many Jews have expected that the Messiah will come and inaugurate that era of God’s reign. The good news is that Jesus, our Messiah, has already come. Therefore, His followers now experience a foretaste of what will be consummated at his second coming. The author raises a philosophical argument stating, what happens to a believer if he falls away from his faith?

III CAN CHRISTIANS LOSE THEIR FAITH?

            Vs. 6, “and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame.” These particular verses have stirred two theologians of the past to take different theological positions. Let me try to explain my understanding of this text.

            In NASB, “then have fallen away.” NIV, “If they fall away.” Whichever way you look at it, by the way, this text was grammatically constructed, one could draw to the conclusion that this was only a hypothetical argument, and the “falling away from faith may not happen.” However, it serves as a warning to immature believers to progress to spiritual maturity.

            Let’s look at this argument in detail. Suppose a person who has been enlightened by God, has tasted the gift of salvation, and the Holy Spirit came to dwell in him, he understood God’s word and demonstrated God’s power, what happens if he or she falls away or loses their faith?

            The author has an answer, “It is impossible to renew them again to repentance.” The Greek word means “to have a qualitatively new, or different repentance.” Why is it impossible to have qualitatively different or new repentance? For that to happen, Jesus Christ would have to come and die on the cross again. If that is so, then his earlier crucifixion is nullified.

            The hope of all those who believed in Jesus is in vain. Therefore, for these and many other reasons, it is impossible for those who fall away to renew them again to repentance. In Philosophical argument, it is called “reduction to an absurdity.”

            In other words, from a false assumption, we derive absurd conclusions. Just by merely looking at the text, it is incorrect for us to suppose that Christians could lose their faith because that would invalidate the great sacrifice of Christ on which our repentance of sins and salvation is based. Coming back to our question, can Christians lose their faith, this is what I conclude.

            This particular passage cannot adequately answer that question with a definitive yes or no. It is only addressing a hypothetical situation. After studying this passage and other scriptures, I am confident that what Christ has done on the cross to attain our salvation is final, complete, and once and for all. There is nothing we can do to be saved and sanctified. He did it all for us.

            The scriptures suggest that those who have been entrusted to Jesus, He can protect and keep them till the end. John 10:27-29, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand.” This should give all the believers a sure hope.

            My concern, however, is whether or not we will lose our faith, but about what can render us faithless, fruitless, and disqualify us from getting the prize in the end. This passage is a clear indicator of what could happen to immature believers. It also encourages us to keep on loving others as long as life lasts and not to become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance.

            We have examples of those who began a good race but could not complete it. Let’s learn from their mistakes. We also have examples of those who maintained their faith until the end. Let’s imitate their faith. Let me close with these words of Paul; “I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” Phil 3:13-14.

 

 

 

 

 

 

             

 

 

 

 

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[1] https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/entertainment/2019/july/author-joshua-harris-kisses-his-faith-goodbye-i-am-not-a-christian

[2]https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/entertainment/2019/august/im-genuinely-losing-my-faith-hillsong-worship-leader-rejects-christian-beliefs

[3] David H Stern, Jewish New Testament Commentary

[4] https://www.addiction.com/in-recovery/relapse/

Are You A Spiritual Babe Or An Adult?

ARE YOU A SPIRITUAL BABE OR AN ADULT?

Introduction: Have you wondered why some grown-up adults act like children? It is often a narcissist who acts like a child. One study says, "Narcissist's behaviors can be mystifying and disturbing if you expect them to act like adults consistently. Though narcissists can behave like adults much of the time, when they feel embarrassed, ignored, or inferior, they may revert to a childlike state, acting like children during the "terrible twos."

            Unfortunately, in our society, we see a lot of adult men and women who never seem to get past the stage of a two-year-old when it comes to getting their way. We call them immature, and we charge them to grow up. We see a similar pattern play out among those who are born again and call themselves Christians. We have been studying through the book of Hebrews.

            This past Sunday, we looked at Jesus being the Great High Priest. In conclusion, the author compared Jesus to Melchizedek. His audience couldn't follow this profound truth. Today we will see what leads them to their immaturity and how the author gently points them to their goal of "Spiritual maturity." How about you today, Are You A Spiritual Babe or An Adult?

            We will pick up where we stopped last week. Hebrews 5:10, "And God designated him to be a High Priest in the order of Melchizedek." It must have raised questions in the minds of the listeners regarding this strange character called Melchizedek. The author resorted to explaining.

In verse eleven, "There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don't seem to listen."

            The way the author answered their questions expose the state of mind of his audience. In a sense, it also reveals the state of mind of individual Christians in the 21^st century. It looks like the author had much more to say about Melchizedek, so he dedicated two entire chapters seven and eight to talk about who he was, and how Jesus, was more significant. In our passage, we will learn about some of the factors that contributed to their immaturity.

            By reading, verse eleven, we understand that the author had much more evidence to say about the high priestly role of Jesus, but was offering only a portion of the vast evidence that could be provided at that time. Why? Because the believers were spiritually dull and didn't seem to listen. Spiritual stagnation and indifference to sound teachings seem to be a problem of our time too. What makes a believer's spiritual growth stunted?

 I THE THREE BLOCKERS FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH

            The first blocker is a lack of desire to read God's word. When God accepts a person into His family, he or she is like a newborn spiritual baby. Well, we all know what is necessary for a physical newborn baby to grow and become strong; it is the mother's milk. Similarly, a new believer must crave the pure milk of God's word daily, an essential source of spiritual growth.

            I Peter 2:2, "Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment." When babies drink milk from their mother, they draw nourishment, feel secure, and learn to trust their mother.

            In the same way, when a new believer spends time in reading God's word daily, he draws strength, he feels secure, and learn to trust God who birthed him into His family. I cannot overemphasize the necessity of reading God's word daily, especially for new believers. There is nothing else that can replace the pure milk of God's word, not even listening to the best sermons.

            The second blocker is a lack of listening and practicing God's word regularly. It is one thing to read the Bible, but if we don't pay attention to what it says and apply it in our daily lives, it will do no good to us. Jesus, in one of his early teachings, said, "Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock." Matthew 7:24.

            As a young believer, I not only read the Bible eagerly and daily; I tried to practice it as well, which made me grow and become strong in my faith and the understanding of God.

            The best way to retain what we are learning is by practicing it. If you don't practice it, we will lose it. The same applies to the learning of spiritual truths. If you don't act accordingly and keep practicing them, you are in danger of losing them. Practice makes men and women perfect.

            The third blocker is unrepented sin. I want to compare the Christian life to a spiritual garden that God has planted in our hearts. In recent years we have learned a thing are two about weeds and how they hinder the growth of a garden. Similarly, in our spiritual garden, the weeds are the unrepented sins. They will suck up all the energy, blocking your spiritual growth.

            Consider these scriptures. Song S2:15, "Catch all the foxes, those little foxes,

before they ruin the vineyard of love, for the grapevines are blossoming." Any sin, either big or small, has the potential to destroy our spiritual garden. I Peter 2:11, "Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul."

            I am convinced that you may ask for all the prayers from your pastor and other believing friends for you to overcome your sins. As long as you don't take personal responsibility for your sin and repent and ask God for forgiveness, you will remain spiritually immature. Which are the little foxes of sin that you need to catch and kill? Coming back to our passage

            The Hebrews' spiritual lethargy and slow response to gospel teaching prevented additional teaching at this time. This is a reminder for all of us that the failure to appropriate the truth of the Gospel produces in us spiritual dullness, whereby it hinders our spiritual growth and further prohibits us from acquiring additional truth.

            Let me summarize the three blockers of our spiritual growth: The lack of desire for God's word, lack of obedience to His word, and unrepented sin. After pointing out their spiritual dullness and unwillingness to listen, the author explains the reason for it and exposes their current state of mind as believers, which was infantile and immature.

 II ARE YOU A SPIRITUAL BABE? (12-14)

            Vs. 12, "You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God's word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food." This can be the condition of some of us today.

            The believers that the author was addressing were not recent converts; they may have been under his teaching for a long time. He expected them to be teachers by that time; instead, they remained as spiritual babies still needing milk and not yet ready for the solid meat.

            What a sobering assessment of the believers of that time. Let me bring this to our context. Many of us have been seasoned Christians for years and attending Hope Church for a long time. We may have come under the solid Biblical teachings of many teachers. If the author were to assess our spirituality, I wonder what he would say about our maturity?

            The author's expectations of the believers of his time are in line with God's expectations of His followers of all time. God expects them to be teaching others about the truths of the Gospel.  Listen to the last command that Jesus gave to His disciples before He ascended to haven. Matthew 28:19-20, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." Jesus wanted this well-established tradition of teaching to be continued.

            What is the difference between a teacher and teaching? A teacher is explicitly gifted by God to equip the believers. (I Cor 12:27). Whereas teaching is a normal part of all believers (Col 3:16). This typical way of life has been commanded by God and been in practice for generations.

            Duet 6:6-7, "And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise."

            In other words, let the teaching of my commandments be a regular part of your life. Jewish homes religiously followed this command of God and passed on the truths of God to their children and their grandchildren. That is still the expectation of God for us in the 21^st century.

            That was surprisingly missing among the believers in the book of Hebrews. Many of them came from a Jewish background and had also been following Christ for a long time. Yet they were immature spiritual babies and expecting to be spoon-fed again and again.

 III SPIRITUAL MATURITY OUR LIFE LONG GOAL. (6:1-3)

            Hebrews 6:1-3, "So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding." The author urges them to move past six fundamental teachings. 1. Repentance. 2. Faith in God. 3. Instructions about Baptism. 4. Laying on of hands. 5. The resurrection of the dead. 6.Eternal judgment.

            What does this mean to us today? Whether you are a new Christian or a seasoned Christian, your goal is to increase in the knowledge of Jesus Christ so that we will be mature.  How do we know we are spiritually matured? Rick Warren notes the mark of spiritual maturity occurs when a believer "takes off the bib and puts on an apron." Immature children wear bibs and expect others to meet their needs. Those who don aprons have learned the joy of serving others. Which attire are you wearing? Are you a spiritual babe or an adult?

            Mature believers will be able to recognize the difference between right and wrong. Every wind of new teaching will not waver us. The lies of people will not influence us. We will speak the truth in love. (Eph 4:13). At Hope Church, we want all believers to become spiritually mature and be able to teach others. Parents must teach God's word to their children. Older believers need to come alongside and show younger believers the ways of God so that we all will grow together to spiritual maturity and become more Christlike. The teaching culture must continue. Amen!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

           

 

 

 

 

 

 

             

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jesus The Great High Priest

JESUS THE GREAT HIGH PRIEST

(Hebrews 4:14-5:1-10)

Introduction: His name was Joseph Damien, a Belgian Catholic priest, he was sent in 1873 to minister to lepers in Hawaii. As soon as he arrived on Molokai, he began trying to build friendships with the residents of the leper colony, but they rejected him. He poured himself into this ministry, building a small chapel and holding worship services. But hardly anyone came.

            After 12 long years, he gave up. While standing on the pier about to board the ship that would take him back to Belgium, he looked down at his hands. The white spots he saw could mean only one thing. He had contracted leprosy. So instead of going home, he returned to his work in the leper colony.

            The news of the missionary's disease spread through the community; soon, hundreds of lepers had gathered outside his hut. They understood his pain and despair. The following Sunday, when Damien arrived at the chapel, the small building was filled to overflowing. That was the beginning of a long and fruitful ministry. What made the difference?

            Now the lepers knew that he understood their condition, and he became one among them by contracting their disease." [1] We have been on a quest to discover greater things. Today we will learn about a great high priest who identifies with our situation and understands our weaknesses. He experienced the pain and frustration of earthly existence to give us eternal life.

            Many Americans might not be familiar with the role of a priest unless you grew up a Catholic. Though I was born into a protestant family, growing up in a religious Hindu culture, I understand the power of Hindu priests in India. But I am delighted to talk about someone more magnificent than all the priests in the whole world. His name is Jesus the Great High Priest.

I. PRIESTS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

            We don't often hear the word priest in our daily conversations except among Catholics and Episcopalians. In the O.T. period, not so much in the N.T. priests played a significant role in the day to do affairs of people. Priests acted as God's ordained mediators to receive gifts/offerings of the people. They officiated over ceremonies and annual feasts.

            The first appearances of priests were in Genesis 14:18 when Abraham offered his tithes to Melchizedek king of Salem and Exodus 18:1 Jethro, (who was also the father-in-law of Moses) the priest of Midian, who offers a burnt offering and sacrifices to God.

            At first, men functioned as their own priests (Gen 4:3, Job 1:5), but later the patriarchal head of the family performed the task. In a sense, all Israelites were priests of the Lord. Exodus 19:6, "And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation."

            The same concept we see in the N.T. where the Apostle Peter affirms the priesthood of all believers, I Peter 2:5-9, "for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God's very own possession." However, at Mount Sinai, God designated that the priesthood would be the tribe of Levi and the family of Aaron in particular.

            In a special ceremony, God sets apart Aaron and his sons to be priests. They were to represent the people of God whenever they entered into God's presence. They were to offer various offerings on behalf of people to God to seek his forgiveness of sins and His blessings.

            In the O.T., we also encounter corrupt priests who served false gods and those who served their self-interests instead of genuinely representing the needs of people before God. God often dealt with them severely.

            For example, Israeli's priest, Eli's two sons Hophni and Phinehas, earned a dubious title, "worthless men," through their corruption and adultery with the women who served at the tabernacle. God dealt with them by killing both of them. I Sam 2-3.

            The calling and anointing of a priest are not something one should take lightly. God holds them to a higher standard, and when they break the oath of their priestly office and indulge in unrighteous acts, they will face severe consequences, including being removed from that holy office. In Malachi's second chapter, we read about God's dealings with corrupt priests.

II. THE ROLE OF A HIGH PRIEST

            The high priest was the supreme religious leader of the Israelites. The office of the high priest was hereditary and was traced from Aaron, the brother of Moses, of the Levite tribe (Exodus 28:1; Numbers 18:7). The most important duty of the high priest was to conduct the service on the Day of Atonement, the tenth day of the seventh month of every year.

            Only he was allowed to enter the Most Holy Place behind the veil to stand before God. After offering sacrifices for himself and the people, he then brought the blood into the Holy of Holies and sprinkled it on the mercy seat, God's "throne" (Leviticus 16:14-15). He did this to make atonement for himself and the people for all their sins committed during the year just ended (Exodus 30:10). This high priestly ministry is compared to Jesus, the Great High Priest.

III. JESUS THE GREAT HIGH PRIEST

            Vs. 14, "So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe." Let me share how Jesus is more significant than the Aaronic high priests from the paper I wrote during my seminary time.

            In the O.T., the sins of people were symbolically laid on a goat and sent out to bear their sins to a solitary land. John the Baptist pointed to Jesus, saying, look the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. The high priest enters, once a year, offers a sacrificial lamb for himself and the sins of the people committed in ignorance.

            Christ as the great high priest entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. In the passage, we read the author explains the specific duties of a high priest. Hebrews 5:1-3, "Every high priest is a man chosen to represent other people in their dealings with God. He presents their gifts to God and offers sacrifices for their sins.

            And he is able to deal gently with ignorant and wayward people because he himself is subject to the same weaknesses. That is why he must offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as theirs." Let me unpack this passage. The O.T. high priests were men chosen from among many other men. In contrast, Jesus was sent from God. Lived on the earth for a while and after completing the high priestly duty of atonement, he went back to heaven. 

            The high priest presents people's gifts to God and offers sacrifices for the sins of people to God. Jesus gave himself as a perfect and pleasing sacrifice to God on behalf of the sins of the whole world. The high priest gently deals with ignorant and wayward people. Jesus was compassionate and caring. He loved all people, including those who hated him.

            He restored the dignity of the minorities and gently instructed sinners to repent and sin no more. Another unique character that sets Jesus apart from the rest is that He was sinless. 1 John 3:5, "And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him."

            1 Peter 2:22, "He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone." 2 Corinthians 5:22, "For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin so that we could be made right with God through Christ." Our text also speaks of His sinlessness.

            Hebrews 4:15, "This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin." Jesus, though He was God's learned obedience from the things he suffered. Jesus did not need to suffer to conquer or correct any disobedience. Instead, he humbled himself to learn. Why was then his suffering and obedience necessary?

            Christ's obedience was necessary so that he could fulfill all righteousness and leaving us an example to follow.  Take to heart that next time when you are going through any kind of suffering, remember the great high priest Jesus suffered much for you. Hebrews 12:3, "Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won't become weary and give up."

            All these characteristics and many more qualify Jesus as a perfect High priest, a source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him. God also designated him to be a High Priest in the order of Melchizedek. To know more about who Melchizedek is read chapters 7,8.

            In closing, how does having Jesus as our Great High Priest impacts our day to day lives? Knowing and trusting Jesus the Great High Priest gives us confidence. We can come into His presence boldly with all our struggles, and problems are assured that He understands our weaknesses. I want to encourage each one of you to make this a regular practice.

            Drawing near to the throne of grace helps us find mercy and grace to help in time of need. What an assuring and compelling invitation this is? Where do you go in your time of need? Do you go to Google for help? Or do you distract yourselves with constant social media? No!

            Go to a quiet room in your house and spend time with Jesus, the great High Priest. Talk with him about everything in your heart and everything that is bothering you and all your needs. Don't be in a rush, wait a little longer before the mercy seat of God to receive mercy and grace.

             In your suffering, when you cry out to Him for help, he will not turn you away empty-handed. He sympathizes with you because he identifies with you in your pain. During this COVID-19, there is so much pain, sorrow, and grief. Over 148,650 people in the USA have died in recent months. Can you imagine the grief and the searing loss of their loved ones who were left behind? Jesus, our great High priest who is alive in heaven and present here on the earth through His Holy Spirit, can heal all our diseases and forgive all our sins. Amen!

                       

           

           

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[1] [Adapted from Moments for Pastors by Robert Strand. New Leaf Press, 1994. Day 11.]