Good Morning,
It's Monday March 26th 2012 and before we fly back to the United Kingdom I wanted to tell you about Cafe Church which was held yesterday in Bergerac.
We had a full house for lunch with twenty people together. Three were friends of some of our regulars. One was a lady coming for the second time and bringing a friend and then there were a new young couple out from the U.K. seeking God's will for the future of their lives.
Even more joined us at the Cafe Church event.
There was a lot of rejoicing over answered prayer and some fervent prayer for areas which need God to intervene, but above all there was a sense of God's greatness and God's concern over the land of France which so desperately needs light amid the darkness.
On the Friday and Saturday before Cafe Church I had been digging nover the vegetable patch at Chaupine. It's an annual job and with a very chalky spoil it has sometimes been hard going.
This year there was a difference.
Maybe the extremely cold winter which this area has just been through has made a difference. It has been the coldest spell for some 65 years with temperatures down to minus 17 at one point. Perhaps that deep frost has done something to the soil. My experience in digging was that the usual large lumps crumbled to easy to work soil.
Could it be a sign, that the soil for God's Word in France, has also been changed by some deep work brought about by the prayers of God's people?
Will you pray with me for five more committed couples to relocate to this area to witness to the love of God.
Please keep on praying. May God bless you
Derek
Saturday, 24 March 2012
Before the Dawn
A SONG OF THE DAWN
I don't usually wake early anymore. Years ago I would be doing all my best work by 6:30 am, but nowadays, like many of you, there are waking times during the night and I no longer wake very early.
Except on Monday March 12th.
There was a noise in the bedroom. Now noises in the night are not good news. It wasn't a loud noise and no, I hadn't woken myself up by snoring!
As I concentrated I realised that the sound was actually coming from outside our slightly open window. The noise suddenly focussed into a song. It was a bird singing. I'm not good at spotting birds unless they carry a little sign saying which kind of a bird they are. I think it was a blackbird.
It was so early and so dark outside that at first I thought it might be a nightingale.
It was exactly 5:37am.
But then I realised that I was listening to a bird singing "The Dawn Chorus" and sure enough, although everything seemed totally black at the time of the singing, it wasn't long before the skies began to lighten.
Amid the darkness that little bird had sensed that light was on its way. It was the dawn of a new day. It was dark all around but the watchman of the night had seen that the day was at hand.
In our Western nations like the United Kingdom and France, we see Christianity in decline. Faith and morality are openly scorned and pressure groups compete to reduce the influence of the Ten Commandments and Christian principles.
But I believe that is going to change.
Derek
If you can then please join us to share Fellowship and sing praise to God.
Fourth Sundays of the month
Eglise Evangelique Libre de Bergerac 4 Rue Durou BERGERAC
Tea and Cake from 5pm Cafe Church from 5:30pm
"It's Church but not as you know it!"
More details from me
derekcook3@sky.com
I don't usually wake early anymore. Years ago I would be doing all my best work by 6:30 am, but nowadays, like many of you, there are waking times during the night and I no longer wake very early.
Except on Monday March 12th.
There was a noise in the bedroom. Now noises in the night are not good news. It wasn't a loud noise and no, I hadn't woken myself up by snoring!
As I concentrated I realised that the sound was actually coming from outside our slightly open window. The noise suddenly focussed into a song. It was a bird singing. I'm not good at spotting birds unless they carry a little sign saying which kind of a bird they are. I think it was a blackbird.
It was so early and so dark outside that at first I thought it might be a nightingale.
It was exactly 5:37am.
But then I realised that I was listening to a bird singing "The Dawn Chorus" and sure enough, although everything seemed totally black at the time of the singing, it wasn't long before the skies began to lighten.
Amid the darkness that little bird had sensed that light was on its way. It was the dawn of a new day. It was dark all around but the watchman of the night had seen that the day was at hand.
In our Western nations like the United Kingdom and France, we see Christianity in decline. Faith and morality are openly scorned and pressure groups compete to reduce the influence of the Ten Commandments and Christian principles.
But I believe that is going to change.
Derek
If you can then please join us to share Fellowship and sing praise to God.
Fourth Sundays of the month
Eglise Evangelique Libre de Bergerac 4 Rue Durou BERGERAC
Tea and Cake from 5pm Cafe Church from 5:30pm
"It's Church but not as you know it!"
More details from me
derekcook3@sky.com
Thursday, 8 December 2011
ANSWERED PRAYERS
ANSWERED PRAYERS AT CAFE CHURCH, BERGERAC
We would like to tell you
how prayers were answered at the November Cafe Church.
First of all Pam and I were given safety in travel back and forth. Indeed our trip home on Ryanair with a tail wind, combined with an empty Arrivals Hall meant that we were back
in Tunbridge Wells just four hours after leaving Chaupine.
We also survived the bump when someone ran into Peter Shire’s car in the Bergerac airport car park. No major damage but always unsettling.
There were (as we now expect) a number of enemy pokes – Broadband failure which always means a long wait in the Orange, town centre office. It was rewarded this time with a new
Wi Fi box and a visit from a telephone engineer. Pam suffered a steam burn from the oven (now healing) and we had a blackbird attacking our front door! He was feeding on a nearby
bush and caught sight of himself in the double glazing. So time and again he hammered at the door. Only giving up when it went dark.
There were (as we now expect) a number of enemy pokes – Broadband failure which always means a long wait in the Orange, town centre office. It was rewarded this time with a new
Wi Fi box and a visit from a telephone engineer. Pam suffered a steam burn from the oven (now healing) and we had a blackbird attacking our front door! He was feeding on a nearby
bush and caught sight of himself in the double glazing. So time and again he hammered at the door. Only giving up when it went dark.
But these minor inconveniences resulted in many blessings.
First there was the fun and fizz and fellowship of seventeen people for lunch. It would have been eighteen but sadly Suzanne had to travel to the U.K to be with her elderly mother who died the following Monday. Please pray for Suzanne.
Then a crowd of thirty fivecame for the Carols time. Some people brought friends, showing that they think Cafe Church is a safe place nowadays! We had the first visit from one new
family – the father and his two young boys. His wife is still in the U.K. finishing her contract. Please pray for them. Some folk had travelled over two hours to join us and there were many contributions in the meeting itself in prayer and with the reading of Scripture passages.
Then we welcomed two young believers we had not had any contact with previously. As a couple, they are looking to move into Bergerac. She is Dutch and he is French.
I spoke on how the birth of Jesus brought an end to death
and how the light of Jesus overwhelms darkness. Do you know the
poem by the Christian John Donne?
Death be not proud,
though some have called thee
mighty and dreadful;
I spoke on how the birth of Jesus brought an end to death
and how the light of Jesus overwhelms darkness. Do you know the
poem by the Christian John Donne?
Death be not proud,
though some have called thee
mighty and dreadful;
for thou art not so.
For those, whom thou
thinkest, thou dost overthrow,
Die not, poor death,
For those, whom thou
thinkest, thou dost overthrow,
Die not, poor death,
nor yet canst thou kill me
From rest and sleep,
which but thy pictures be
Much pleasure, then from thee,
From rest and sleep,
which but thy pictures be
Much pleasure, then from thee,
much more must flow
And soonest our best men
with thee do go
Rest of their bones and
souls delivered.
Thou art slave to Fate.
Chance, Kings and desperate men
and dost with poison, war
and sickness dwell,
and poppy or charms
And soonest our best men
with thee do go
Rest of their bones and
souls delivered.
Thou art slave to Fate.
Chance, Kings and desperate men
and dost with poison, war
and sickness dwell,
and poppy or charms
can make us sleep as well.
And better then thy
stroke; why swellest thou then?
One short sleep past,
And better then thy
stroke; why swellest thou then?
One short sleep past,
we wake eternally!
and death shall be no more: death thou shalt die!
So thank you for praying
and death shall be no more: death thou shalt die!
So thank you for praying
and please, now, say with us. “Thank you Lord, for victory, now and always.”
Have a Happy Christmas,
Derek and Pam
ps. If you want to hear one of the new carols try Immanuel-Songs
of Praise-YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iE_tuMpIOho&feature=related
ps. If you want to hear one of the new carols try Immanuel-Songs
of Praise-YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iE_tuMpIOho&feature=related
Monday, 21 November 2011
A SPECIAL CAROL SERVICE for 2011
I suppose that over the years I must have attended hundreds of carol services and organised many myself, but none have excited me as much as the one planned for Cafe Church Bergerac on Sunday November 27th.
I am excited for three reasons.
First of all, it is the start of Advent. The shops have been preparing for Christmas for weeks already. That is because of their commercial interest in making money.
But as Christians, we also, ought to start thinking about the wonder of Christmas before we get to Christmas Day. Sunday November 27th is Advent Sunday, the start of our Christian preparation time.
Second, the message is so incredible isn't it?
It is such an A....MAZ.....ING world which God has made. But it is a world which has gone mad because of man's sin and stupidity. Nowadays it is only fit for scrap - destruction-recycling to make a new one. But God doesn't recycle - He decides to REDEEM.
Forgive me for all the capital letters, but Christmas really contains an incredible theme which we need to understand afresh this year. You couldn't have written a script like this one.
God came into our eorld and He hasn't left it since then. So with the angels we sing "Immanuel - God with us".
The Third reason for being excited is that Brian and Peter have put together some terrific Christian songs and carols and videos for November 27th.
Do you know the carol "Joy to the World," I'm sure that you do, so we'll start with that one.
How about the carol "Immanuel" which starts "A sign shall be given"?
Maybe that will be new to you.
Have you ever sung the lovely, gentle, life affirmning Carol "All is well, all is well. Angels and men rejoice"? If not you can learn it with us. Then there are more, some that we know and some that we may not know so well.re.
So we start with mince pies and Marks and Spencer's Christmas cake at 5pm and then from 5:30 we remind opurselves of the real meaning of Christmas.
Eglise Evangelique Libre de Bergerac, 5 Rue Durou, Bergerac.
Can't wait!
Derek
I am excited for three reasons.
First of all, it is the start of Advent. The shops have been preparing for Christmas for weeks already. That is because of their commercial interest in making money.
But as Christians, we also, ought to start thinking about the wonder of Christmas before we get to Christmas Day. Sunday November 27th is Advent Sunday, the start of our Christian preparation time.
Second, the message is so incredible isn't it?
It is such an A....MAZ.....ING world which God has made. But it is a world which has gone mad because of man's sin and stupidity. Nowadays it is only fit for scrap - destruction-recycling to make a new one. But God doesn't recycle - He decides to REDEEM.
Forgive me for all the capital letters, but Christmas really contains an incredible theme which we need to understand afresh this year. You couldn't have written a script like this one.
God came into our eorld and He hasn't left it since then. So with the angels we sing "Immanuel - God with us".
The Third reason for being excited is that Brian and Peter have put together some terrific Christian songs and carols and videos for November 27th.
Do you know the carol "Joy to the World," I'm sure that you do, so we'll start with that one.
How about the carol "Immanuel" which starts "A sign shall be given"?
Maybe that will be new to you.
Have you ever sung the lovely, gentle, life affirmning Carol "All is well, all is well. Angels and men rejoice"? If not you can learn it with us. Then there are more, some that we know and some that we may not know so well.re.
So we start with mince pies and Marks and Spencer's Christmas cake at 5pm and then from 5:30 we remind opurselves of the real meaning of Christmas.
Eglise Evangelique Libre de Bergerac, 5 Rue Durou, Bergerac.
Can't wait!
Derek
Wednesday, 19 October 2011
How time flies!
Hello,
I have to confess that I am too often only concerned about the "here and now" of life and not enough about the future possibilities.
My "here and now" has been so busy that it is only when I decided to look at Blogs that I realised how long it is since I wrote anything at all!
So here is a suprise to any of you who are checking out the page today!
I've just been to a Bible Study Group talking about Prayer. We were telling one another about ways in which God has answered prayer in our own lives or the lives of others.
Now it is often hard to come up with a quick illustration of answered prayer. That is because we often don't write things down and our memories of God's goodness to us are allowed to fade.
So in what ways has God answered one of my prayers today?
Let me tell you. I checked into the Blog page and found that instead of two people who read it now and again there are now six.That has to be an encouragement. Maybe if I write more often the number will go up even more. But I have also been encouraged this past week by other Christian believers.
It was my turn recently to set the questions for the Home Groups Bible Study meetings for our Church. I asked God to help me and felt that He had done so. But it was only when several of the Group leaders came to tell me that their Group had had one of its best meetings and discussions ever, that I realised just how much God had helped.
So let's set a new trend amongst Christians. Let's take time to encourage one another.
God loves us so much. Because of His grace we can receive His love into our lives. The Bible speaks about God's COMPASSION.
Now here is how it works,, this revolutionary COMPASSION.
The more you receive of God's love for you, the more you can give away
and the more you give away, the more you receive.
The more you receive and the more you give away, then the more the world is changed
by the power of God's COMPASSION.
Worth thinking about.
Blessings
Derek Cook
Next Cafe Church events
Sunday October 23rd
Tea and Cake from 5pm at Eglise Evangelique, 5 rue Durou, Bergerac
followed by Praise, Prayer and Word from 5:30pm for about an hour.
Sunday November 27th
Worship early for Christmas!
Tea and Christmas Cake from 5pm at Eglise Evangelique, 5 rue Durou, Bergerac
followed by English Christmas Carols from 5:30pm for about an hour.
JOIN US IF YOU CAN. PLEASE PRAY FOR US IF YOU CAN'T
I have to confess that I am too often only concerned about the "here and now" of life and not enough about the future possibilities.
My "here and now" has been so busy that it is only when I decided to look at Blogs that I realised how long it is since I wrote anything at all!
So here is a suprise to any of you who are checking out the page today!
I've just been to a Bible Study Group talking about Prayer. We were telling one another about ways in which God has answered prayer in our own lives or the lives of others.
Now it is often hard to come up with a quick illustration of answered prayer. That is because we often don't write things down and our memories of God's goodness to us are allowed to fade.
So in what ways has God answered one of my prayers today?
Let me tell you. I checked into the Blog page and found that instead of two people who read it now and again there are now six.That has to be an encouragement. Maybe if I write more often the number will go up even more. But I have also been encouraged this past week by other Christian believers.
It was my turn recently to set the questions for the Home Groups Bible Study meetings for our Church. I asked God to help me and felt that He had done so. But it was only when several of the Group leaders came to tell me that their Group had had one of its best meetings and discussions ever, that I realised just how much God had helped.
So let's set a new trend amongst Christians. Let's take time to encourage one another.
God loves us so much. Because of His grace we can receive His love into our lives. The Bible speaks about God's COMPASSION.
Now here is how it works,, this revolutionary COMPASSION.
The more you receive of God's love for you, the more you can give away
and the more you give away, the more you receive.
The more you receive and the more you give away, then the more the world is changed
by the power of God's COMPASSION.
Worth thinking about.
Blessings
Derek Cook
Next Cafe Church events
Sunday October 23rd
Tea and Cake from 5pm at Eglise Evangelique, 5 rue Durou, Bergerac
followed by Praise, Prayer and Word from 5:30pm for about an hour.
Sunday November 27th
Worship early for Christmas!
Tea and Christmas Cake from 5pm at Eglise Evangelique, 5 rue Durou, Bergerac
followed by English Christmas Carols from 5:30pm for about an hour.
JOIN US IF YOU CAN. PLEASE PRAY FOR US IF YOU CAN'T
Wednesday, 27 July 2011
Answers to Prayers
Good Morning,
Thank you for continuing to pray for us, it really does make a significant difference.
I'm not sure what Bible verses would support the idea, but we can actually "feel" the difference when people are praying, even when we don't know who it is, or where you are, or why you have felt led to pray for us here at Cafe Church.
SUMMER CHURCH has seen new faces every week so far, with forty people attending on July 24th. Some are here on holiday and it has been a joy to have them worshipping with us and to pray for the churches they represent from around the world. Others are new contacts with people who live here permananetly.
I am increasingly feeling that the element of Praise at Cafe Church is one of the keys for the future in Bergerac.
Christians who come to live out here, can last for a long time on their spiritual reserves of biblical teaching and their years of reading. The thing that they cannot do on their own, is to be fully released to praise God. That is because "Praise", in its fulness, is a collective activity. One lady wrote to me to say that she hadn't realised (until after attending Cafe Church) just how much she really missed the fellowship of other Christians.
When I first heard God saying that He wanted a charismatic group of Believers praising Him in Bergerac to restore the witness of the Huguenots, I also heard Him say that Pam and I were to lay the foundations, which others would build upon. I was also given a time limit. Three years for the foundation work and then it would be time to build the walls.
Well we are almost at the two and a half year mark and I have been praying very hard for the "builder" to be sent soon! God, of course, had it all in hand and I believe that He is sending Bob and Jane Pearce to help us all to move forward.
At the moment they are members of the West Wiltshire Vineyard Church but until four years ago were in Pastoral leadership at the King's Church in Bordon in Hampshire. God blessed the work there and it grew from around thirty to over one hundred in a seven year period. Much of the growth was through Alpha Courses.
They have now been over twice to visit us. Miraculously (and I mean that) their house has "suddenly" sold and they expect to be back in France in September to stay for a six month period, to see how things work out and to listen hard to the Father heart of God. Please make them a centre of your prayers so that they are protected and please encourage others amongst your christian friends to "adopt" them and pray for them as well.
Oh, you've probably guessed it it already, but Bob is, by trade, a builder!
Blessings,
Derek and Pam
Guest Speakers at Cafe Church
July 31st. Kay and Glen Doney
August 7th Derek Cook
August 14th Brian Lincoln
Thank you for continuing to pray for us, it really does make a significant difference.
I'm not sure what Bible verses would support the idea, but we can actually "feel" the difference when people are praying, even when we don't know who it is, or where you are, or why you have felt led to pray for us here at Cafe Church.
SUMMER CHURCH has seen new faces every week so far, with forty people attending on July 24th. Some are here on holiday and it has been a joy to have them worshipping with us and to pray for the churches they represent from around the world. Others are new contacts with people who live here permananetly.
I am increasingly feeling that the element of Praise at Cafe Church is one of the keys for the future in Bergerac.
Christians who come to live out here, can last for a long time on their spiritual reserves of biblical teaching and their years of reading. The thing that they cannot do on their own, is to be fully released to praise God. That is because "Praise", in its fulness, is a collective activity. One lady wrote to me to say that she hadn't realised (until after attending Cafe Church) just how much she really missed the fellowship of other Christians.
When I first heard God saying that He wanted a charismatic group of Believers praising Him in Bergerac to restore the witness of the Huguenots, I also heard Him say that Pam and I were to lay the foundations, which others would build upon. I was also given a time limit. Three years for the foundation work and then it would be time to build the walls.
Well we are almost at the two and a half year mark and I have been praying very hard for the "builder" to be sent soon! God, of course, had it all in hand and I believe that He is sending Bob and Jane Pearce to help us all to move forward.
At the moment they are members of the West Wiltshire Vineyard Church but until four years ago were in Pastoral leadership at the King's Church in Bordon in Hampshire. God blessed the work there and it grew from around thirty to over one hundred in a seven year period. Much of the growth was through Alpha Courses.
They have now been over twice to visit us. Miraculously (and I mean that) their house has "suddenly" sold and they expect to be back in France in September to stay for a six month period, to see how things work out and to listen hard to the Father heart of God. Please make them a centre of your prayers so that they are protected and please encourage others amongst your christian friends to "adopt" them and pray for them as well.
Oh, you've probably guessed it it already, but Bob is, by trade, a builder!
Blessings,
Derek and Pam
Guest Speakers at Cafe Church
July 31st. Kay and Glen Doney
August 7th Derek Cook
August 14th Brian Lincoln
Tuesday, 26 April 2011
A LIVING SAVIOUR
Cafe Church spent their time on Easter Sunday praising the name of a risen Saviour!
See what a morning, In Christ Alone, How deep the Father's love for us, When I survey, There is a Redeemer and Come people of the Risen King were all sung with enthusiasm.
Brian Lincoln and Peter Shire did their usual thing producing video footage for the big screen. Words and pictures always increase the impact of any message and I told the story of a twenty year old Muslim man who came to faith after hearing the Christian message for the very first time at a Good Friday meeting.
One of the greatest proofs of all, that Jesus is alive, is the way in which He revealed Himself to the early disciples and the fact that He still does it today. So I asked permission of a friend of mine to quote from her recent experience.
Sue used to work with me on the Maranatha Ministries Team some years ago. She has always had the heart of an evangelist. Here she shares some of the way in which Jesus has been with her recently. She writes: "I have been praying about the forthcoming Graham Kendrick concert and trust that plans are going well for that and that many will attend and be blessed by it.
I've just come out of hospital, having had a pituitary tumour removed at the Walton Neurological Centre in Liverpool. I'm feeling amazing considering I only had the op. ten days ago and I feel a bit of a fraud as everyone knows I've been through fairly major surgery but don't have a visible scar on me and everyone is telkling me I look better than I have for ages! (they removed the tumour through my nose)
The experience I had leading up to the op. was truly amazing. So many people were praying for me and I could feel a tangible presence of God in a way I never have before. I literally felt as if I was being held in His arms and as I was being wheeled to the operating theatre I had an incredible sense of joy bubbling up insiode me. I was struggling not to laugh and I know I had a stupid grin on m y face. The staff were probably thinking "Ah, bless her, she's gone a bit odd because of the tumour."
When the surgeon came ouit to speak to me before I went into surgery, he held mny hand and said surgery is always a risky business, but he said "I think you and I both acknowledge that there'll be a greater hand than mine guiding me today". I couldn't believe what he had just said!
I have been told there's am 80% chance that I will need radiotherapy following the surgery and I will be re-scanned etc in a couple of months to confirm this, but I am praying for the 20%.
I am so grateful to God for the peace He gave me, as I met other patients in the hospital who were awaiting similar surgery to mine and were unbelievably fearful, one lady was writing her will the night before her surgery. I really believe that He will complete the healing that He has begun and I would ask you to join me in praying for this. I am determined my faith isn't going to waver even though the recovery process is going to be long and probably frustrating at times (I can't drive for 3 months now).
The experience of God's presence has been so real I've just loved it and basked in it and I don't want it to end!
Next Cafe Church event is from 5pm on Sunday May 22nd
Yes, Jesus is alive!
All our love
Derek and Pam
See what a morning, In Christ Alone, How deep the Father's love for us, When I survey, There is a Redeemer and Come people of the Risen King were all sung with enthusiasm.
Brian Lincoln and Peter Shire did their usual thing producing video footage for the big screen. Words and pictures always increase the impact of any message and I told the story of a twenty year old Muslim man who came to faith after hearing the Christian message for the very first time at a Good Friday meeting.
One of the greatest proofs of all, that Jesus is alive, is the way in which He revealed Himself to the early disciples and the fact that He still does it today. So I asked permission of a friend of mine to quote from her recent experience.
Sue used to work with me on the Maranatha Ministries Team some years ago. She has always had the heart of an evangelist. Here she shares some of the way in which Jesus has been with her recently. She writes: "I have been praying about the forthcoming Graham Kendrick concert and trust that plans are going well for that and that many will attend and be blessed by it.
I've just come out of hospital, having had a pituitary tumour removed at the Walton Neurological Centre in Liverpool. I'm feeling amazing considering I only had the op. ten days ago and I feel a bit of a fraud as everyone knows I've been through fairly major surgery but don't have a visible scar on me and everyone is telkling me I look better than I have for ages! (they removed the tumour through my nose)
The experience I had leading up to the op. was truly amazing. So many people were praying for me and I could feel a tangible presence of God in a way I never have before. I literally felt as if I was being held in His arms and as I was being wheeled to the operating theatre I had an incredible sense of joy bubbling up insiode me. I was struggling not to laugh and I know I had a stupid grin on m y face. The staff were probably thinking "Ah, bless her, she's gone a bit odd because of the tumour."
When the surgeon came ouit to speak to me before I went into surgery, he held mny hand and said surgery is always a risky business, but he said "I think you and I both acknowledge that there'll be a greater hand than mine guiding me today". I couldn't believe what he had just said!
I have been told there's am 80% chance that I will need radiotherapy following the surgery and I will be re-scanned etc in a couple of months to confirm this, but I am praying for the 20%.
I am so grateful to God for the peace He gave me, as I met other patients in the hospital who were awaiting similar surgery to mine and were unbelievably fearful, one lady was writing her will the night before her surgery. I really believe that He will complete the healing that He has begun and I would ask you to join me in praying for this. I am determined my faith isn't going to waver even though the recovery process is going to be long and probably frustrating at times (I can't drive for 3 months now).
The experience of God's presence has been so real I've just loved it and basked in it and I don't want it to end!
Next Cafe Church event is from 5pm on Sunday May 22nd
Yes, Jesus is alive!
All our love
Derek and Pam
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