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Day 229, or August 17. You can't decide for others. Our thoughts today come from Ezekiel

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chapter 14, verse 14. Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it—that's

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Jerusalem—they could save only themselves by their righteousness, declares the Sovereign

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Lord.

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The Big Picture Surrounding This Verse Ezekiel continues to faithfully relate God's

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message to his people. In particular, he condemns the false prophets of his day, who were denying

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what Ezekiel was saying, and giving false hope that judgment wouldn't come. Ezekiel

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was just scaremongering, many of them were saying. In these days of controversy over

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the ministry of women in the church, it's interesting that prophets in Ezekiel's day

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included women as well as men. Bearing in mind how male-centered ancient times were,

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this is worthy of a thought in the 21st century.

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And now today's action step. You have surely heard it said that God has no grandchildren.

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He only has children. If you ever try to trace your family history, one of the most visited

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websites is the one sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or as

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they're better known, the Mormons. Their official website enables you to check more

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than 750 million records as you search through your ancestors. Have you ever wondered why

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they keep such records? Mormons believe that even the dead can be baptized into the Mormon

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faith, and therefore many zealous believers trace all their ancestors and bring them into

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what they believe is the only true faith. That means I have probably been brought into

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the Mormon church, and so have you. Of course, it means nothing to me because I haven't

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made the decision myself. Ezekiel challenges his listeners by telling them that even if

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some of the greatest men in Judaism lived in their city, it would not survive simply

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because of them. They can only save themselves. You are responsible for yourself. So consider

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it now, and re-listen to Day 21. This may help you further.