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Day 238, or August 26. You never know who's watching.

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Our thoughts today come from Ezekiel 44 verse 23. They are to teach my people the difference

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between the holy and the common, and show them how to distinguish between the unclean

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and the clean.

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First of all, the big picture surrounding this verse. Ezekiel tells us about the closed

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gate which was facing east. This may be equated to the golden gate of today's Jerusalem,

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which is also closed. This is the same vicinity as the entrance by which Jesus entered the

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city on His triumphal entry, as confirmed by Ezekiel in chapter 44 verse 2. No one will

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ever open it and pass through, for the LORD, the God of Israel, has entered here. This

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is physical evidence that we can see today that confirms this word of prophecy and its

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fulfilment. Ezekiel also has a lot to say to the priests in the temple. He lays out

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for them very clearly what their duties are.

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And now today's action step. Before you brush these priestly instructions to one side

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as only being for leaders and therefore not for the majority of folk, it may be worth

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a look at 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 9, which tells all believers, But you are not like

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that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God's very

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own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for He called

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you out of the darkness, into His wonderful light. In other words, all believers have

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a direct responsibility to show God's best to the world. The story is told of a missionary

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who laboured for years but saw little fruit for his labours. He finally died a disappointed

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man. A replacement for him was sent to continue his work. And as he preached Jesus, his hearers

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told him that they had actually met this Jesus, but sadly he died, and they were missing him

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greatly. Then it dawned on the new missionary. They were talking about his predecessor. How

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would your neighbours describe you? Like me, I bet you have a lot of work still to do.