November (part 2 of 2)
When we receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour we must believe from our hearts that He Himself is our righteousness and has put away the old man on the cross. Then God will not allow ungodly people to harms us (Psalm 125:3). He Himself may punish us but He will not allow the ungodly men to touch us. We see in the case of Balaam in Numbers 23:1-9, how Balak the king had promised Balaam a great reward if he cursed the people of Israel. Even though they rebelled against the Lord, the Lord did not allow Balaam to curse them because, as a people, the children of Israel had come under the blood. The day the Israelites left Egypt, at God's command they had sprinkled the blood of the lamb which was slain, on their door posts and lintels. By the shedding of the blood and by faith they became righteous. So the Lord would not allow Balaam to curse them from even though they were disobedient.
Thus you find God will punish us for our folly and disobedience but He will not allow any ungodly people to harm us. They will try many ways to do so but God's people have the assurance that they will be well protected (Isaiah 54:17). God may chastise us as a loving Father in order to make us partakers of His holiness (Heb. 12:9-10), whereas the ungodly show their hatred and enmity against us by trying to harm us. Let us claim the righteousness of God as our righteousness, and at the same time thank the Lord Jesus for His precious blood by which we are cleansed, and say, "Lord! we are Thy people even though we have failed Thee and grieved Thee. We confess our sins. Please punish us Yourself, but do not allow the ungodly to do so." Our safety is in committing ourselves into God's hand. This is what David did (2 Sam. 24:14). He said, "let us fall now into the hand of the LORD; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man." What a great privilege we have as God's redeemed people when we become righteous in God's own righteousness. "THEY that trust in the LORD shall be as a mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever" (Psalm 125:1).
NOVEMBER 18
"For the love of money is the root of all evil" (1 Tim. 6:10).
Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, began his reign well in the fear of God. He was a good king who sought to walk in the paths of righteousness like his father David. Not satisfied with such personal devotion alone, early in his reign, he sent out his princes along with the Levites, into all the cities of Judah, to teach the people the statutes and commandments of the Lord. Because of this zeal to honour the Lord, the Lord blessed him abundantly. But slowly, Jehoshaphat began to turn his eyes from the Giver to the gift itself. Slowly, love for these same material things began to gain ground in his life. This is a snare about which we too have to be very careful. Love for worldly possessions will creep into our lives so subtly that we will hardly be aware of it.
There is a fort near Bellary designed and constructed many years ago by a French engineer for Tippu Sultan. When this fort was completed, the engineer took Tippu Sultan proudly around it. They came to a part of the fort from where Tippu Sultan noticed a hill just outside the fort. He rebuked the engineer and said, "You foolish engineer why did you leave that hill outside the fort? You should have included it within the walls. Now the enemy can mount that hill and from there attack the fort, and easily capture it". Much labour and money had been spent to build the fort, but because of one fundamental mistake, it was made practically useless. The engineer was so heart-broken at his lack of foresight, that he committed suicide. A few years later, from that very hill, the British forces captured the fort. The enemy of our souls also is watching to find the weak parts in our lives, from there he can gain entrance into us and destroy us.
Jehoshaphat was tempted to do more business to increase his wealth. Evidently love of money was his weak point, and through it the enemy gained entrance into his life. We see the same weakness-love for money in the many believers and some preachers also these days. They are not satisfied with what the Lord gives them, but wish to increase their income by doing some side business. They are very busy during the months of November and December selling calendars, for the discount they will receive from such sales. They profess to do it all as unto the Lord; but in their hearts they know that it is the money they are after. Love of money is the cause for the downfall of many.
NOVEMBER 19
"Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular" (1 Cor. 12:27).
"As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away" (Acts 13:2,3). Barnabas and Saul were being sent by the Church. They were not going on their own. By laying hands upon them, the elders were saying, "You are going on our behalf. We are going with you. We are standing by you in prayer and fellowship."
The laying on of hands is not a ritual. There is nothing in the hands. When we shake hands after baptism to greet people we show that we are good friends. To show our spiritual equality, oneness and identification, we lay hands on behalf of the whole Church scattered all over the world and declare that we belong to one family, the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are bought by the same precious blood, and so we are equally important and precious to Him.
In 1 Cor. 12:18-21 we read about the mystery of the Body of Christ. In the human body every little member and gland is necessary. Even the head cannot say to the feet, I do not need you. God has made us so. In the same way every believer in the heavenly family is equally necessary and equally useful in God's sight. The laying on of hands should not be taken as a ceremony but as a testimony. Baptisms and the laying on of hands go together. If we really follow God's order, after baptism we should lay hands and pray for those who obey in baptism. These days there is spiritual darkness everywhere and may ignore these divine truths.
NOVEMBER 20
"...God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them" (2 Cor. 6:16).
God wants a home where He can give and receive love, and that is why He said to the children of Israel through Moses, "Build me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst". You might be employed in a hospital, school or college, or in a Government office. Your office might be a grand building, and your seat very comfortable and convenient with electric light and fan, and occasional cups of tea; yet you would never call it your home. In spite of all its attractions, it is only your office, and as soon as the clock strikes you will say, "I am going home!" Actually, your home might be only one small room, which is sitting room, bed room, kitchen and bathroom all combined, without any space for a table or a chair; it might have only one tea pot with a broken spout: yet you call it your home! Why so? It is because your wife and children, or father and mother are there. Walls, tables and chairs do not make a home, love given and love received makes your home a very sweet place. God is love, and He loves us and He wants us also to love Him. In that sense God wants us to make a home for Him, and He says, "Let them build me a sanctuary that I may come and live among them".
The trouble is that even though God loves us, we do not know how to receive His love and love Him in return. There are many children who love their parents only for the sake of money and other good things which they receive from them. While I was in London I became a slave for many evils. Whenever I wanted money I would write a long letter of five pages or more for my father or mother and give them all the news in detail. Finally I would write, "Please send me Rs 500/-". After that money arrived I would not have time for even a letter of thanks for another two months, until all the money was spent. In the same way many people want God only for some earthly benefit. When they are in trouble, affliction or sorrow, they will pray much; but when they have no trouble they will never pray. Unless we pray, we will not enjoy communication with God, and God will not be able to pour out His love upon us. And then, God needs a house in which He can have communion with His people. So that is why God said to the children of Israel, "Let them build me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them".
NOVEMBER 21
"...be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord" (1 Cor. 15:58).
Eight days after His resurrection the Lord Jesus Christ appeared to Thomas. When the Lord first appeared to the disciples (John 20:19), Thomas was not with them. As soon as they saw him they told him, "We have seen the Lord" (v. 25). Thomas in disbelief replied, "Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe." So, for the sake of Thomas the Lord appeared again and said to him, when he was with the others, "Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing." And Thomas answering exclaimed, "My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." Thus we see that the power of His resurrection is experienced by us only as we believe His Word with simple child-like faith and do not depend on our own feelings or signs or dreams for our soulish satisfaction. A large number of believers depend upon signs for spiritual growth and for receiving the power of God, and as a result they remain barren spiritually. We shall have the privilege of enjoying His power as we exercise simple faith in claiming His promises, in reading His Word and obeying Him without question in every matter.
Then our Lord appeared to His disciples at Bethany before He ascended (Luke 24:50). He gave them the command to go into all the world and preach the Gospel. "...a cloud received him out of their sight, And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven" (Acts 1:9-11). And thus they were made the witnesses of His ascension and were given the promise of His second glorious appearance, when, according to John 14:3, He will return to receive His own to Himself. We can experience the power of resurrection day by day, by preaching the Gospel to the people all around according to God's plan. This power will also increase as we help other believers get ready for His second appearing, by taking part in the Sunday worship gatherings and Breaking of Bread regularly and faithfully.
NOVEMBER 22
"...in thy presence is fulness of joy" (Psa. 16:11).
Great joy comes to us as a result of continuously feeling God's presence. The more time we spend in His presence, the more of His Heavenly joy we will receive, by seeing God's presence always helping, and guiding us. By reading the Bible and praying sufficiently we receive Heavenly joy. If we have any sin in us such as jealousy or hatred, we lose the sense of God's presence and there by our joy departs. To regain this joy we have to truly repent of our sins and shortcomings. Then alone the joy will be restored. By worshipping the Lord, by reading God's Word, and by close communion with Him through prayer, we can have this joy which keeps on growing.
We read in Jer. 15:16, that by receiving God's Word and obeying it we get joy. God gave Jeremiah the very hard task of being a prophet to the people who hated him. They laughed at him, mocked him and even threw him into a pit. Even then Jeremiah received God's Word and obeyed it, and his joy continued to increase. Thus by obeying God's Word our joy multiplies.
In 1 Thess 2:20, Paul wrote to the believers in Thessalonica as follows, "For ye are our glory and joy." We read in Acts 17, how the people in Thessalonica received the Word of the Lord in the midst of persecution and remained faithful. Paul wrote from Rome saying that he was able to forget all his afflictions because of them. He said that they were his glory and his joy. He hoped that they would stand before God worthy of a crown.
In the same way, when after a very long time we meet people who are saved by our prayers, love, service, and sacrifice, our joy will be very great. We will see many in heaven who were saved through our life and testimony. That is why we should constantly pray for our friends, relations and loved ones who are not born again. Thus by enjoying God's presence, obeying His Word and willing souls, we will have heavenly joy.
NOVEMBER 23
"...the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1:7).
After the Israelites crossed the river Jordan, the Lord instructed Joshua to choose one man from each of the twelve tribes of Israel and to take out of the midst of the river Jordan twelve stones and these stones were pitched in Gilgal (Josh. 4:20).
Gilgal means "rolled away". The life in Egypt had been a life of reproach. Now in Gilgal their reproach was rolled away. God rolled away and removed all their past failures, defeats, shame and reproach. One of the strong weapons which the devil uses to keep us defeated, is to keep us reminded constantly of our past failures. He keeps saying to us, "What about that failure, that defeat, that sin?" Because of this we become discouraged and say, "How can a person like me ever think of possessing the inheritance in Christ?" In this way many believers come under judgment and condemnation. We need not remain under such guilt of sin: we can claim constantly the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ for cleansing the stains of our sins. By faith in His blood we can remain clean and pure. According to Acts 15:9, it is by faith that we can constantly be washed and cleansed from all our defilements. Every time we are defiled by thought, word or deed, we can say, "Lord Jesus, I am defiled. Please forgive me, wash me in Your blood and cleanse me". Then He will cleanse us. But if we do not come under His blood, we will remain under judgment and condemnation. Come to Him by faith and He will roll away your reproach. If we humble ourselves and confess our failures and bring ourselves under the precious blood, the Lord will forgive us and wash away all our sins.
NOVEMBER 24
"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when is old, he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22: 6).
We can see from Deut. 6:4-9 what responsibility parents have towards their children. Verse 4 says, "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD". This means that first of all the parents should have a definite personal experience of the loving Lord Jesus Christ and must have hunger for the Word of God.
"An thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and will all thy soul, and with all thy might" (v.5). After coming to know the living God, they should love Him with all their heart, mind and soul. "And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart" (v.6). They should keep the Word of God in their hearts by daily meditation.
They should read their Bible prayerfully, upon their knees, at least thrice a day. "And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shall talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up" (v.7). They should teach God's Word to their children, diligently, patiently, clearly and lovingly. They should teach them Bible verses and Bible stories little by little and also teach them how to pray for everything, how to use the Word of God in their conversation and activity. Besides in their talk also they should use the Word of God frequently.
In many homes children hear more of the worldly things on TV than the Word of God through their parents. Do not have a TV in your house. By having one, your children will be tempted to watch dirty and bad programmes. Generally parents say that they themselves do not like to have one but the children like it. In this way the parents become the enemies of their own children. Gradually the children get many evil suggestions and ideas, right in their early age. They begin to love worldly stories and worldly music. Afterwards they do not have hunger for God's Word.
"And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates" (vs. 8,9). All movements and all plans should be made according to the Word of God and children should be taught the Word of God from their early age.
November 25
"...Be ye holy... Be ye therefore perfect" (1 Peter 1:16, Matthew 5:48).
Every human being is composed of three things-body, soul and spirit. The body consists of blood, muscles and bones. Soul consists of intellect, emotions and will power. Spirit also has three parts-namely, conscience or the inward voice or the sense of discernment to know what is good and bad or right and wrong. Secondly, we have a desire to know the unseen. We have curiosity to know our Creator, where He is and how to find Him. Then there is the intuition, a sudden thought to do something. In Gen, 1:26 we read that God made man in His own image. God's glory and beauty could be seen in the first man's face. Because of sin man underwent a threefold downward change. The spirit became dead due to sin, the soul became darkened and the body became defiled. We read in John 4:24 that God is a Spirit, and He is living. We can feel Him, talk to Him and know Him, but we cannot see Him with our physical eyes. In our spirits we can talk to Him and feel Him. As long as we live in sin and remain in an unforgiven condition, none of us can feel God's presence or hear His voice because He is Holy God. God's Word says in Heb.12:14 that without Holiness no one can see God. Also we read in Matt.5:8, "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." We can see God provided we are holy. 1 Pet 1:16 says our God is Holy. No one can ever have such holiness by themselves. God wants us to have everlasting holiness.
In Matt 5:48 our Lord said, " Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." None of us by our own effort can have God's perfection and holiness. It is to make us righteous that our Lord rose again. In the Old Testament period, God used the Tabernacle to show His people how they should be holy. For example, the most holy place had divine light. God wants us to be filled with the same divine light. Only in that divine light can we see our real condition. There are some diseases which cannot be seen and diagnosed by ordinary examination. Some years ago X-rays were discovered. These reveal the condition of the internal organs of the body very clearly. Through X-rays it can be seen whether there is any fracture in the bones. Similarly, when the light of God comes into us it enables us to see ourselves as God sees us, and also helps us to see God's glory and beauty.
November 26
"... Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:29).
John the Baptist having baptized the Lord, prophesied what was to happen to Him afterwards. He saw the Lord coming to him the next day, and called Him by a new name: "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. He did not say, " Behold your Saviour," or "Behold your Messiah" even though they were eagerly waiting in those days for the Messiah to come. In the beginning he said," I knew Him not" though He was there in the crowd. Now he could say, "I know Him" and he called Him 'the Lamb of God.' The Jews were celebrating the Passover every year, killing thousands of lambs without knowing what they were doing. But that morning John had begun to see that Jesus Himself was 'the Lamb of God.' He saw now that the other lambs could not take away the sin of men, but this Lamb was able to take away the sin of the whole world.
You may do what you can; you may shed many tears, you may fast many days, and do any amount of charity and attend any number of meetings; but none of these things will give you the assurance of the forgiveness of sins. Look at the people who came to be baptized by John the Baptist. They were convinced and they began to confess their sins with tears. Yet if you had questioned them, "Now Mr. So-and-So, you have confessed your sins and shed many tears, can you tell me whether your sins are forgiven?" Then they would have said," No we still have a troubled and guilty conscience." It is terrible thing to have a guilty conscience.
You may silence your conscience for a short time saying to yourself, " It does not matter if I do this. Why am I so frightened? I am not the only one doing it." But a day will surely come when your guilty conscience will trouble you. The men who went to John the Baptist saw their sins and the coming wrath of God. But even though they confessed their sins, John the Baptist could not forgive them. He told them that the Messiah would come and He would bring forgiveness. The Lord Jesus, the Lamb of God, died for you to forgive your sin and to cleanse you and make your heart His dwelling place. For that purpose He is seeking you today. If you repent of your sins and receive Him. He will forgive your sins, cleanse you in the blood and come and dwell in your heart.
November 27
"... if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts " (Hebrews 3:15).
We believers have to learn to keep ourselves in subjection. "Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble" (1 Pet.5 :5). We have the same thought in Hebrews 13:17, "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you". We have to learn to live together in fellowship and in subjection, to pray for each other and to seek prayer fellowship of elders for our need, According to 1 Pet 5:6 if we humble ourselves the Lord will exalt us. As believers we have to learn the lesson of humbling ourselves and exalting the Lord (Matt.23:11,12).
The enemy can attack us in a fourfold manner. He attacks us as a roaring lion. "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8). Secondly, he attacks us as a ravening wolf (Acts 20:29). Thirdly, he comes like a flood (Isa. 59 :19), and fourthly like an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14). It is by being sober, watchful, and prayerful, and also by humility and perseverance that we can defeat the enemy.
In 1 Pet.5:10 we see how it is for a purpose God allows hardship in our life. "But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you". Through hardship God brings us into perfection. Secondly, He establishes us in faith. Thirdly, He makes us strong spiritually by taking us through suffering. It is by storms that trees on the mountains become strong and thick. Also God establishes us or keeps us steady so that we may not waver. Thus for a fourfold purpose, the God of grace allows afflictions in our lives. He is called the God of grace because we can claim His grace for every trial and every hardship.
November 28
"In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit" (Ephesians 2:22).
In Hebrews chapter three, we see how we enter into a spiritual partnership with the Lord Jesus Christ by receiving His salvation. Not only are our sins forgiven and we receive a place in heaven, but we also become spiritual partners with Him in all things. This partnership is a unique partnership. In other places in the Bible we are called God's co-workers, and partners (1 Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor.6:1). That privilege is not given to the angels. But we believers who are purchased by the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ have become His partners, so that we may build for Him, His everlasting habitation. This is a great mystery. God is so great that even the heaven and its fulness cannot contain Him. And yet He wants us, human beings, to build a sanctuary or a dwelling place for Him. With that purpose He brought His people from Egypt. He performed many miracles for them. But with all that He was not living among them. He is mighty God. He said, "...let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them" (Exo. 25:8).
The Holy Spirit has given different names to the House of God like sanctuary, God's dwelling place, God's temple, and spiritual house. The mystery is, for such an everlasting habitation, God needs you and me. However weak and foolish we may be, God wants us for such a house. When a wealthy man builds a house, he uses very costly material. When a king builds his palace, he uses the best material gathered from different parts of the world. But the Lord Jesus Christ chooses a filthy rag, an unclean thing and a faded leaf to build God's house. That was our condition when we came to Him. But because we were purchased by Him, we became so precious to Him. And the mystery is that every one of us however foolish and weak, can become a part of His everlasting habitation. God is love. In His habitation He pours out His love.
Just as a loving father wants to pour his love on his children. God's love is shed abroad in our hearts. A servant may be good and faithful. But the love which is shown to the wife and children is not shown towards the servant. So God's love is for those who are bought by the Lord Jesus Christ. God wants as everlasting dwelling place for Him. The apostle calls us God's dwelling place or God's habitation. We are built up to be God's habitation, "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ" (1 Pet. 2:5).
November 29
"I counsel thee to ... anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see" (Rev. 3:18).
In Mark chapter 8 the Lord speaks of spiritual blindness. He asked His disciples, "Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember:" (verse 18).
The first kind of blindness, which the Lord pointed out is in Mark 8:11,12. The Pharisees had seen many miracles performed by the Lord Jesus. Yet they were not willing to believe Him. The multitudes recognized Him, for He taught as One having authority (Matthew 7:29, Mark 1:22, Luke 4:32). They knew He was performing miracles in a way no prophet had ever done before. Yet these Pharisees were demanding a sign from Him. In spite of all that they had seen and heard they were unable to believe the Lord Jesus. They were utterly blind. This same condition can be found among people even today. In many cases miracles have been performed in their very homes and they have seen their prayers being answered; yet they are not willing to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour.
In John 6, we read that a great multitude followed the Lord Jesus Christ because of the miracles which He did on them that were diseased (verse 2). But when the Lord told them they must eat His flesh and drink His blood in order to obtain eternal life, they went back and would not walk with Him any more (verse 66). In the same way there are many people today who want to be healed of their sickness and pray to God to get the perishing things of this world, but have no interest at all in spiritual health or spiritual wealth.
The second kind of blindness referred to in Mark 8 is found in verses 14 or 21. Here we see that the Lord Jesus is warning His disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees. He pointed out to His disciples that just as a little leaven leavens the whole lump, one small doubt could bring much blindness into their lives. The leaven of the Pharisees then, was unbelief and doubt. Doubting God's word, and God's love and grace will bring blindness and darkness into our lives also. In this way many believers have lost their joy and peace and faith. Some begin to doubt God when their prayers are not answered in the way they want. In their foolishness they stop attending the church meetings, Bible reading and prayer, their tithing and their private devotions. Thus they allow one act of unbelief to bring darkness and blindness into their lives. That is why the Lord Jesus warned His disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees.
November 30
"... Ah Lord God!... there is nothing too hard for thee" (Jeremiah. 32:17).
At first God started working in the life of Nehemiah and through him many others were stirred up for God's work. In the history of God's people we can see how again and again God raised up a faithful servant or a small remnant of His people to restart His work. The Lord always performed great things for His people because of the faithfulness of a few. God desires each one of us to be a part of the remnant through whose faithfulness and intercession He plans to work out His divine purpose and plan.
Nehemiah was very sad because the city of Jerusalem was lying waste and the gates were consumed with fire (Neh. 2:3). In the same way those who are deeply concerned about the work of God cannot help but feel sad when they see the lean and spiritual weak condition in the lives of God's people. These days in many parts of the world we find among believers nothing but leanness and spiritual infancy. According to God's promises, His great power is at our disposal, our lives can be abundantly fruitful if we are concerned about the sad condition of God's people and if we are willing to do according to His desire (John 14:12; Rev 1:18). We have a living Saviour Who is the same yesterday, today and for ever (Heb 13:8). When we fail to obey God's Word fully, our lives become barren and we have failures, defeats and spiritual infancy in our experiences.
When the children of Israel were in Babylon there seemed to be no hope whatsoever of their returning to Jerusalem, because they were captives and also few in number. But God kept the promise He made to His servant Jeremiah. Thus through a heathen king named Cyrus they were given a chance to return (2 Chro. 36:22,23). After the proclamation was made by king Cyrus, they started to return to Jerusalem. They could finally see God's prophecy being fulfilled on their behalf. Things that were impossible had become possible.