The Spirit is Willing, the Flesh is Weak - Bob Jennings

Matthew 26 please I would like to try to speak briefly candy back there is a farmer from Northeast Iowa and he said his corn crop is pretty good and he filled his Marne a little bigger than normal and both hands broke out and so we don't want to overload but here we are dealing with matters of eternity if Paul were here and he heard me say that I would try to speak more briefly he might he might rise up don't do it Matthew 26 verse 36 the Garden of Gethsemane then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane and said it to his disciples sit here while I go over there and pray and he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee and began to be grieved and distressed then he said to them my soul is deeply grieved to the point of death remain here and keep watch with me and he went a little beyond them and a fell on his face and prayed saying father my father if it is possible let this cup pass from me yet not as I will but as you will and he came to the disciples and found them sleeping and said to Peter soul you men could not keep watch with me for one hour keep watching and the praying that you may not enter into temptation the Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak he went away again a second time and prayed saying my father if this cannot pass away unless I drink it your will be done again he came and found them sleeping for their eyes were heavy and he left them again and went away and prayed a third time saying the same thing once more then he came to the disciples and said to them are you still sleeping and resting behold the hour is at hand and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners get up let us be going and behold the one who betrays me is at hand will be concentrating on verse 41 keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation the Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak look at verse 36 then Jesus came with them the situation here the then the situation here is very unique very important very weighty very awful formerly up till now we see the Lord Jesus the Lord of glory very poised dignified in control calm and authoritative but now we find our Lord Jesus distressed it says here grieved and distressed distressed to the point of death we find the Lord on his face like a beggar destitute on his face it is a scene of blood sweat tears agony grief the Lord no doubt it it would it would appear he would he wanted out if it is possible take this cup for me likely he was tempted to call on 72,000 angels and get out of it the cup was being pressed to his lips soon he was to be spit upon and slapped and slugged and scourged and stripped and spiked and speared and sentenced by men and sentenced by God condemned by men and condemned by God and died what would appear to be a miserable failure we're so concerned about success I mean we can hardly play a casual game of basketball and miss a basket without having to make a comment about it and here's the Lord dying an apparent failure it was such a pivotal point it's an understatement even try to say it a pivotal point in the history of the universe Lord Jesus what would you have to tell us at such a time of deep distress what would you have to tell us at such a time of grief at such a time that is so crucial what would you have to tell us we us in the battle of the ages what would you have to tell us when sin is crouching when the masses of hell on the hosts of hell are gathering to try to upset us as they were him what would you have to tell us in this battle in fighting the good fight I'm centering in on verse 41 keep watching and praying let's look at first the word weakness and then secondly the word willing and then third the watch and pray those are the three key words as far as an outline here the Lord give this instruction we'll start from the back end of the verse and work forward he said the flesh is weak have you ever taken the position of weakness have you ever seen yourself as a weakling you know Paul says in Galatians 6 3 if anyone thinks that he is something when he is nothing he deceives himself and whatever strength we have mark it down it's likely to be it will be our greatest weakness are we strong and looks it's likely to be our weakness strong in musical abilities it's likely to be a danger to us whatever gift we have mark it down right there will be a danger that'll be a weakness for you watch out it says that Uzziah king uzziah was greatly helped until when until he became strong and then God had to knock him down I remember a preacher that I've respected he told a group one time as we were sitting around talking he says don't think highly of me if you do God will have to reduce me weakness how can it be that wah-wah in what way are we weak are we not inhabited as we heard this morning are we not a habitation of God through the spirit Christ in us the hope of glory a habitation of the Living God in what way are we weak I mean it sounds like if the Living God dwells in our heart it's it's a wonder we don't just strip gears like an overpowered tractor how is it we don't explode when we've got to deliver God abiding in our heart how can that be that we are yet weak in some sense well he says the Lord says the flesh is weak the flesh is weak sometimes the Bible talks about flesh as just the body you know flesh and blood God was manifested in the flesh sometimes it uses the word flesh with reference to all humanity Acts chapter 2 I will pour out my spirit on all flesh quite a dis way of describing humanity isn't it but another way at least three ways it describes flesh as fallen human nature that's why in Galatians chapter 5 it says now the deeds of the flesh are evident which are immorality and envy and jealousy and strife the deeds of the flesh and we know that Envy doesn't come out of our little finger it goes deeper than that and so it's man in his fallen condition and so here we have got a reference I think to the body I mean outer man inner man the flesh and the spirit I take it as little s and saw our bodies in our fallen condition in our body our bodies yet unredeemed are weak there is a part of us that has not yet redeemed a part of us that is not yet regenerated made new and that is our bodies our flesh and I am persuaded that the sin problem yet even for the creation goes deeper than the body but nevertheless in our embodied state there is a weakness our body is a vehicle for sin and for lost and so the Lord says the the John chapter 6 the flesh profits nothing Romans chapter 7 I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing in this word weakness here interestingly it sounds like you know yeah yes its weak it does have some benefit it does have some virtue it does have some strength but it's just weak that's not really an accurate translation you look the word up in the Greek and I don't know Greek but I see it does mean no strength ah such and such that means no strength it doesn't contribute a thing matter of fact as I say in our unregenerate condition it is a vehicle for powerful forces the lusts of the flesh the flesh lusts against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh the flesh is weak it is hindrance even it says that we cannot the flesh lusts against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh so that what you cannot do the things that you would like to do it's like somebody who wants to take a family wants to take a vacation and you've got some livestock then you can't it it's it you can't leave them neo you've got to take care of him you can't get away they've got to be fed and that's the way the lusts of the flesh are they they make it such that we cannot do the things that we would like to do as regenerates as born-again Christians they've gotta these these lusts are they're demanding to be fed wanting to be fed waging war against the soul first Peter 2:11 war against the soul and so they are quite a hindrance a hindrance really is a mild statement I mean it is a mighty continuous struggle there is not in this life any complete eradication of sin there is not in this life any perfect sanctification and so it is a struggle against old Amalek way to the end it says in exodus 17 the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation it is a fight to the finish a mighty struggle the lost the flesh lusting against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh you might live in a Muslim land with all this external adversity but that really is not that is not your main battle the main battle is still in the heart in the in our lives in this struggle against sin in this striving against sin that's where the real battle is is dealing with this you with this weak flesh I remember hearing a John MacArthur telling about a man who was converted on his deathbed I believe it was in a hospital at age 73 and one of the things that he said was that he still still ruled by lustful thoughts it doesn't matter how old you are that is no solution to the loss of the flesh it says in Titus that we were formerly enslaved by sinful lusts and slaving they enslave you cannot dabble in sin and think that account on the fact that you can walk away from it you don't touch sin without being affected by it you don't touch it without it hurting you they enslave us they affect us you see think of Daniel I'm sorry think of David David the godly David he fell Abraham fell Noah fell these men these testimonies are there to warn us watch out watch and pray the Spirit is willing the flesh as we watch out so you don't enter into temptation into a place we'd be tempted and then sin in it Paul says after I have preached to others i he says I keep my body I buff it my body left after I have preached to others i myself should be cast away these lusts I say they are mighty these fleshly lusts mighty powerful strong aren't they you know that seeking for a thrill so perverted always seeking for some thrill always seeking for some new adventure always seeking for some new feeding always seeking and coveting the forbidden not necessarily wanting the object but just wanting the want after getting the person I like Ammon he was not satisfied immediately was not satisfied and wanted something more we've seen these fleshly lusts they're like the leech they're like the open grave door like the the dry earth they're like the fire they they will not be satisfied they are always demanding more and they intend to kill us that is the latter end of fleshly loss they intend to kill us we either kill them or they will kill us they intend to drag us right down to hell there is only one solution and that is to mortify them to Christ how do we think that we will stand perfect Adam fell in perfect paradise how do we think that will walk the world in white how do we think that we'll make it through this waste howling wilderness how do we think that will move that will make it through but lambs we are in the midst of wolves let's look at this next phrase the Spirit is willing the flesh is weak but the Spirit is willing the Christian can say that the Christian can say that his spirit is willing before that his spirit was not willing you will not come to me that you may have life but now we have been wrought upon by the Spirit of God he has worked in us to will and to do of God's pleasure and so now we have a willing spirit that is wonderful that is priceless that is precious to have a willing spirit willing to do God's will you know David prayed in that prayer Psalm 51 we knew within me a willing and free spirit we we cannot talk about perfection in this life but do we can talk about direction we can talk about a willing spirit a person maybe a new convert and be doing better than an older convert who has gotten loose and sloppy and some hardness setting in his heart here's a new convert he's willing he's walking in all the light he's eager he zealous he's there he's willing and that is precious on the sight of God the Spirit is will we have been wrought upon by the grace of God and sin will not have dominion over us forever not under the law weak as it is through the flesh not under the law but under grace grace ruling and reigning in our heart his name will be called Jesus for he will save his people from their sin he has given us he has wired us up entirely differently so that we are Saints my nature not sinners wholly by Nature the deepest reality of who we are is a willing heart I was talking with a Baptist preacher up there in Missouri the other day and in the course of the conversation we got on to the matter of carnal Christianity and it was going back and forth and to try to define where he was out I asked him this question I said let's take a fellow that is a just a real gutter drunk and he gets arrested for some crime and he gets thrown in jail and they're in jail somebody brings him the gospel and he receives the gospel he believes on Christ and he's out of jail now and he lives a clean life a different life he leaves a lives a clean life for five years he free of drink but in the course of time I say after five years he falls back into drink and he lives the rest of his life a drunken SOT and dies that way I asked the pastor will he go to heaven or will he go to hell and he said you can't say we don't know a man's heart you can't judge but iced I quoted him 1st Corinthians 6 do not be deceived a drunkard will not inherit the kingdom man you're deceived you wouldn't be deceived about somebody that didn't even profess it's the professing Christians or living like children of the devil they're the ones you'd be likely to be deceived about so Galatians chapter 5 it says walk in the spirit and you will not fulfill the loss of the flesh the Spirit of God is he affecting our spirit and is the key to victory over the loss of the flesh the weakness of the flesh and we her brother bill brought out Ephesians chapter 3 this morning that he says I pray that you might be strengthened with might by God's Spirit in our inner man see there the spirit and the inner man the spirit working upon strengthening our spirit that is the key that is the secret to victory have you ever seen cattle out in the pasture swatting flies that flies are on them thick you feel sorry for them being bothered by those flies and there isn't any cow that's got a tail long enough or fast enough that can change all those flies away and so the farmer puts out an oiler and the and the cow gets all oiled up and the flies stay away and so you see that if ye through the spirit do mortify the deeds of the flesh you'll live we need the Spirit of God working on our spirit when the river is high that canoe doesn't drag stay fill for the spirit that is a secret to victory temptations lose their power when you're near I need you every hour stay nearby temptations lose their power when you are 9 third point is watch and pray watching and praying that is instrumental in obtaining the fullness of the Spirit of God affecting our spirit that we not give in to the weakness of the flesh watch and pray instrumental in knowing and having the blessing of the Spirit of God the fullness of the Spirit affecting our spirit there are other things admittedly this is not any any exhaustive treatment on sanctification there are other things like fasting there are other things that are mentioned throughout the Word of God that are affected instrumental in walking in victory but here the Lord is saying watch em three three times did you notice three times this word watch comes up it means vigil it means stay awake it means stay on the alert be on the alert watch and the pray that you may not enter into temptation this matter of watching it's woven in God is woven it into all of life I mean the farmer has gotta watch his crops the athlete has got to keep his heads ahead of watch be on the alert the coach says over and over again are you asleep the mother must watch her children I tell my children one by one as they start driving a car we've got a stay on the alert watch watch your speedometer watch what the other driver is doing watch the road conditions you've got to stay on the alert if you're gonna stay alive they must watch the Shepherd was watch his sheep they were watching over their flocks by night they watch for your souls a soldier must watch if he's assigned to guard duty and crucial times in certain nations anyway they if a man falls asleep on guard duty they'll kill him its death penalty watch stay alert we're in enemy territory the scriptures are replete with this exhortation to watch Matthew 24 watch 25 watch acts 20 watch 1st Corinthians 16 be on the alert 1st Peter 4 watch first Peter 5 watch be sober be vigilant your adversary the devil is prowling and so all over the Bible we've got this exhortation stay on the alert ittan it's real it hurts if you don't Eve if she had only watched and been on the alert David did not watch and he got fooled by Doh egg Jonathan was on the alert he watched he observed the countenance of his father Saul and probably saved David's life Nehemiah was on the alert he said I perceive that God didn't send him and so we have expectations like this in proverbs chapter 4 watch over your heart with all diligence how much stronger language could be given us watch over your heart with all diligence watch out for the choices you make watch out for inroads of seeing it's crouching at your door watch out for deceitfulness and lies why did you see it that way come on be honest watch over your heart with all diligence you see in Matthew 16 Satan whispered that's subtly in Peters ear but here it says watch and pray these two are often found together Ephesians chapter 6 watch and pray Colossians 4 watch and pray first Peter 4 watch and pray Luke 21 watch and pray these two go together watching is a partner with prayer it says in Luke chapter 21 watch be on your guard that your heart may not be weighted down with dissipation that is being spread too thin and drunkenness that is excesses and the worries of this life decisions is his keep on your alert and pray at all times that you may have strength to escape the things that are coming upon the world for it will come upon all those like a trap and Sjostrom pray and watch that you may have strength to escape in a football game if a fellow is strong enough he can break away and escape the tackle an animal if they're strong enough they can break away from the trap and escape pray that you may have strength to escape the things that are coming upon the earth so watch and pray let's think about prayer here I again they often go together even in the songs we see that put on the put on the gospel armor and watching unto prayer I hear the Savior say thy strength indeed a small child of weakness watch and pray find in me thine all in all think of the Lord Jesus in Matthew chapter 4 he was led about by the spirit to be tempted we're talking here about being tempted lest you enter into temptation he was led about by the spirit to be tempted by the devil and overcame those temptations but notice in the previous chapter he was praying and received a an anointing of the Holy Spirit and even here in the garden we find the Lord praying and then strengthened by an angel and thus he overcame in Acts chapter 4 they gathered together for prayer they cried out to God they lifted up their voices to God and it says that they were filled with the Holy Spirit and it was it was in a time of distress they were threatened their lives were in danger in Psalm 73 yeah the psalmist was being tempted alright he was tempted to think why should I try I've tried and I've tried I've washed my hands in vain I've shaved and chastened every morning and look at the world thing he's doing so good he was envious of the wicked until what until he God came into the sanctuary of God he had a meeting with God and his whole mindset was changed and he escaped that temptation watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation prayer bringing the Spirit of God the spirit of God strengthening our spirit is what I'm saying when the arms of intercession were held up Israel prevailed over Amalek when they went out in prayer and praise and second cross 2nd chronicles chapter 20 it says the Lord sent out set up ambush months against the enemy in the way it says in Psalm 138 in the day that I called on the law argh he hurt me and answered me and strengthened me with boldness in my soul David was feeling it and he found had a meeting with God and thus escaped the tempters snare one tie one time heard a woman reona Peterson was her name she gave her testimony how this was in Germany she went into communist Albania Albania back in 1975 and to smuggle vital Bibles and there she was caught and stuck in a room and sick and under a demonic attack they were choking her she could hardly get her breath and she was despairing and she began to eke out just a little bit of praise to the Lord and a little more and a little more and the powers that were choking her led off little by little by little she won the victory am doing gellick provision was able to walk out of Albania prayer ringing securing instrumental in obtaining help from the throne of grace in seasons of distress and grief my soul is often found relief and oft escaped the tempters snare by thy return sweet hour of prayer watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation how many how many professing even pastors are falling in the miserable sin we better watch and pray now in closing why is it that what are the hindrances what are the obstacles to keep us from watching and praying why the Lord says could you not watch with me one hour what why could they not watch and pray with him I mean there they were in that last moment it was as JC while says it was the last service they could have rendered for the Lord and yet they missed it they were why they were sleeping they were sleeping because of sleep they missed helping the Lord in his agony because of sleep they missed the Lord in his glory on the mound sleep in Luke's account it says it this way Rob why are you sleeping rise and pray lest you enter into temptation why are you sleeping rise and pray so often that is one reason that we fail to watch and pray as flatout we're just sleeping we're sleeping something's got to give in our schedule and and there's where you're going to find the relief there's where you're going to find the opportunity in the ill occasion to watch and pray is to sacrifice and sleep they were sleeping what a thing rise up why are you sleeping lest you enter into temptation Stonewall Jackson and Robert Dabney and two of his generals where hell were holed up in some farmstead with the army they were those four generals were staying in the farmhouse and Jackson told his three men that we will rise at such-and-such a time Jackson and Dabney rolls at the appointed time they were dressed and they were ready but the other two laid in and they were attacked with a surprise attack from the enemy army Jackson and Dabney escaped the other two got caught with her pants off and they were apprehended and put in prison there's an example it happens the same way in the spiritual realm it's that real get that real weather I mean I have seen it so many times in my own life that I gave an occasion to the devil an opportunity for the enemy come in and scratch me good because I laid in bed and didn't get up and have a meeting with God and spit it all out put out my letter my heart's burdens get unloaded to start today in prayer it's that real we're in a spiritual battle these are some helps I'm not trying to put anybody in bondage but it is written here what we can do another enemy to watching and praying adver I mean a hindrance to watching and praying is just old self-sufficiency Peter said just before this although all deny you not me I won't I can handle it you see prayer is an admission that we can't handle it when you don't pray you're saying I can handle it I don't need God I'm adequate self sufficiency it'll not happen to me and Peter after this went right ahead and did the very thing he said he wouldn't do he fell he denied the Lord the devil was out to sift him like wheat he had been raped bad the Lord prayed for him that his faith feel not what are some helps - watching and praying one thing that helps at least it helps me is to find is to have a place of prayer the Lord came with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane and it was his custom to go there the Lord Jesus had some customs he had some habits nothing wrong with some good habits I try to find every bit of routine I can wherever it's possible it helps some don't need it I do routine routine can help you and he had a place where he could get alone with God where he could cry out to God we could go to God we could lift up his voice to God he how to play it's a prayer have a place where you can get alone it will help you I remember when I use when I was driving truck for a couple years I made it my habit on the last load before coming home I made it my habit after unloading my last load to find a park to walk in and pray to unload my heart it was a great help to come as a fine at my own garden and unload my heart before I came home and was all spread out and thin it helps I like to go to cemeteries and seek to living among the dead it's pretty quiet there another thing that will help is to take others with you the Lord came to the Garden of Gethsemane with others he brought his disciples and Peter and James and John in a special in a special way being regular at the church pair meeting it will help you one will chase a thousand and two will put 10,000 to flight it will help you Mac has just given us a whole a whole load of examples regarding the church prayer meeting isn't it amazing that some churches do not even have a prayer meeting what on earth is going on someone told me about a big church out east oh they've got a prayer meeting but it's only a half an hour long for six hundred members you cannot do any business with God and a half an hour it's a joke it's a laughing stock of demons I remember Terry and I going one time we were visiting somebody and it was on a Wednesday night we went with them to their church prayer meeting the pastor spent about 20 minutes taking requests and I mean we could have used that 20 minutes putting our requests up to God rather than the pastor and finally it came time to pray and so things were quiet and then we've heard a little bit of mumbling and and I thought well if nobody else is gonna pray I'll pray and as I was about to open my mouth after five minutes we had been there all of a sudden two chairs rustled and everybody got up and the prayer meeting was over that is no prayer meeting it does not scare to hell at all or impress God we need a time where we as a church can get right down and do business with God where everybody can felt feel free to pour out their heart where there's Liberty John Wesley says at 3 o'clock in the morning as we continued instant in prayer the Holy Spirit of God fell 3 o'clock in the morning I don't know about that but but we need more than a half hour could you not watch with me an hour it takes a little time to do business was gone a hurried prayer is a it's a hindrance to real prayer it's a curse you the do of God doesn't fall when the wind is blowing you gotta settle in take others with you and prayer is it scriptural it's all over the Bible Acts chapter 1 they were meeting together for prayer before Pentecost after Pentecost they were continuing steadfastly in the Apostles doctrine fellowship breaking of bread and prayer Acts chapter 3 apparently they had a daily prayer meeting three o'clock in the afternoon Acts chapter four they were threatened and what did they do they got together with her own company and lifted up their voice to God in Acts chapter 12 they gathered together for prayer fervently on behalf of Peter and he escaped the edge of the sword chapter 13 it says they were ministering to God and fasting group prayer Acts chapter 14 they prayed together and fasted before the appointed elders Acts chapter 20 they meant for prayer after the pastors conference Paul to the Ephesians pastors Acts chapter 21 they got together for prayer knelt down the beach to say goodbye to Paul everywhere gathering together for prayer and yet we do it so little it seems to help in the economy of God he has set things up that way the Lord took with them disciple took with him some disciples another thing that will help us is to take the Word of God in prayer now admittedly that's not in our text or in our context this has been mentioned a little before I believe it was brother bill that mentioned that but I'll tell you what little I know I know that it helps it helps to know the Bible it helps to memorize all the scripture you can it helps to have the sword of the Spirit handy on your tongue it helps to have ammunition to shoot at the battlements of heaven it helps to know the Word of God and have it ready why can't we on sustain prayer very well I'll tell you one thing that will help and that's the know to memorize the Word of God be rich in the scriptures be mighty in the scriptures like Apollo's why not memorize young men young women memorize Ephesians memorize Romans memorize Hebrews get it down take it in write it on your heart sure it'll take some investment it takes some work but the rewards are so great it just takes a little diligence you know isn't it something where you've been to a certain location many times you've driven that road many times and yet when somebody you go to tell somebody how to get there you can't think how to tell them and the reason is is because you've never fixed it in your mind and the same way as reading the Bible you've read it a lot of times but you can't really say it you can't really repeat it because you've never fixed it in your mind it will help you to fix scriptures deep in your heart that we hide them in your heart have them ready to use against the hosts of darkness this is just practical some practical things that will help us to watch and pray that we might not enter into temptation that will strengthen our spirit by the Spirit of God and avoid the weakness of the flesh prayer is such a mystery isn't it such a mystery here we believe in a God that is sovereign has foreordained everything and yet listens to the voice of a man matter of fact in that prayer meeting in Acts chapter 4 when they gather together they lifted up their voice to God and what did they do they use scripture said Lord you said why did the heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thing in other words they realize this was full ordained of God this is that which God had Bourdin and told about ahead of time and yet they lifted up their boys they didn't just say well whatever will be will be they said Lord but you spit fought your hand to heal would you grant your servants with boldness we might be able to preach your word we go out and preach as little men were responsible uh turley responsible we go home and pray to a sovereign God it's a mystery Bingle samuel bengal he said when i've meet a man of god the one thing the most and the main thing that i want to find out from him is how does he keep up communion with god don't you feel it you'd like to ask how do you keep up communion with God do you watch and pray what are your secrets and they won't tell you because it's too personal and they realize each one's got to wear his own armor here we are talking about the weapons of our warfare mighty through God mighty through God we are the kings we are the true kings are able to control our spirit and conquer our fleshly lusts we are the real kings you look at the Philosopher's with all their philosophy and here they are believed by the masses of humanity ruling the world with their pen with their paper and yet you read the lives of these philosophers that everybody knows about Marx and Hegel and Kant and these fellows and they can't do a thing they're wicked rotten filthy men but here we're talking about mighty weapons that God has put in our hand for conquering sinful fleshly loss and ruling and walking the world in white now weapons of a warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds strongholds in our heart big sins Goliath Finn's pulling them down to the power of God watching and praying Peter watch and pray you're on dangerous ground you're in enemy territory we can never watch over our heart with too much jealousy we ought to take these words in verse 41 and let them be a trumpet in our ear the Lord bless you my dear fellow Saints my love to you you are here it's just I can't help but look out upon this congregation without thinking of Ephesians chapter 1 the riches of the glory of God's inheritance in the Saints it's just a foretaste of heaven hallelujah what a day when the Saints will be gathered from north south east and west a mass of redeemed humanity the Bride of Christ you

Channel: I'll Be Honest

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Keywords: bob, jennings, prayer, spirit, flesh, willing, matthew, commuion, christ, lord, fast, hc, conference, 2006, bride, love

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Length: 51min 38sec (3098 seconds)

Published: Wed Jun 23 2010