The good ol' boy

If I were the devil I would want everyone to see me as a good ol' boy, one of us. I would puff you up and blame someone else for your problems. I would help you out with bribes and false promises, while planning your destruction. I would be about my business to steal, kill and destroy you and the nation. Those who oppose the good ol' boy are weak and without power because the good ol' boy controls the news and the opinions of the world. The world loves him, because he is like them. The good ol' boy is popular with the ladies, especially those who are careless about lusts. He is a great speaker, in fact the world gave him the highest award as a man of peace for his words. If you look carefully the good ol' boy does the opposite of what he says. Most cannot see this because he has their eyes covered and their ears only hear what they want to hear. The only way to defeat the good ol boy is by returning to the real man of peace, the Lord Jesus Christ. He has defeated the ol' boy; that old dragon satan who controls the minds of the unredeemed. If you see the good ol' boy for what he is, do not be consumed with worry, do not hide yourself in activities or other entertainment. Give your concerns to the LORD, repent, pray and follow the LORD closely, only he knows what to do.

Jas 4:1 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?
Jas 4:2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask.
Jas 4:3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
Jas 4:4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
Jas 4:5 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, "He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us"?
Jas 4:6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
Jas 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Jas 4:8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Jas 4:9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.
Jas 4:10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
Jas 4:11 Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.
Jas 4:12 There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?

1Pe 5:6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,
1Pe 5:7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
1Pe 5:8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
1Pe 5:9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.
1Pe 5:10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
1Pe 5:11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

All praise honor and glory to God, through his son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Wall Builders

Eze 22:24 "Son of man, say to her, You are a land that is not cleansed or rained upon in the day of indignation. 

Eze 22:25 The conspiracy of her prophets in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing the prey; they have devoured human lives; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in her midst.
Eze 22:26 Her priests have done violence to my law and have profaned my holy things. They have made no distinction between the holy and the common, neither have they taught the difference between the unclean and the clean, and they have disregarded my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them.
Eze 22:27 Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing the prey, shedding blood, destroying lives to get dishonest gain.
Eze 22:28 And her prophets have smeared whitewash for them, seeing false visions and divining lies for them, saying, 'Thus says the Lord GOD,' when the LORD has not spoken.
Eze 22:29 The people of the land have practiced extortion and committed robbery. They have oppressed the poor and needy, and have extorted from the sojourner without justice.
Eze 22:30 And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none.

In the KJV it says:

Eze 22:30 And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.

I am not alone in my concern for the evil in our land. Ultimately the solutions are from God. The first verse I think of is:

2Ch 7:14 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Rebuilding our walls begins with ourselves, humbling ourselves, repenting and crying out to God. We must stand for what is right for we are given the responsibility to share the gospel with whoever will hear. We are to stand firm on the word of God. The wall is not just a wall to keep out aliens and terrorists, but that is a physical example of what is happening in the spiritual. God is our wall. He keeps out evil and is our protection. There is open hostility to God in our land. When the DMC voted to amend their party platform to include God and Jerusalem as the capitol of Israel, there were as many boos as there were yeas. Think about this? Is God really welcome in a platform that is for abortion and homosexual marriage? If God is to be included, he must be obeyed. There is the focus. Are we a nation of empty phrases, "In God We Trust"? Or do we mean what we say? There is a big gap in the wall that the people have torn open with empty promises, sin and lies. We have a gaping hole in the wall called sin and idolatry. The hole in the wall is ignored as much as some ignore the national debt. The monetary debt reflects the spiritual gap in our wall. 

Mat 12:25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:

In Jesus we are the people of God. His Spirit dwells in us. We are to stand fast in Him, as the angels are in the presence of the LORD, they also are in our presence to protect us. Fear not what may come. Pray and fill in the gap in the wall. Stand shoulder to shoulder in the Gap until the LORD repairs the wall or we are taken up to be with Jesus in His kingdom. God will be glorified in his people.

Dross

Eze 22:18 Son of man, the house of Israel is to me become dross: all they are brass, and tin, and iron, and lead, in the midst of the furnace; they are even the dross of silver.

Jerusalem was the city of silver, where the LORD's likeness was to be seen in his people. He is the master refiner and purifier of his people.

dross... moving back or away, being impure, mixed ...

1. Waste or impure matter: discarded the dross after recycling the wood pulp.

2. The scum that forms on the surface of molten metal as a result of oxidation.

3. Worthless, commonplace, or trivial matter

all are as brass...copper alloy, lust, harlotry, judgement of sin. 80% copper, 20% tin

2Ch_1:6 And Solomon went up thither to the brasen altar before the LORD, which was at the tabernacle of the congregation, and offered a thousand burnt offerings upon it.

and tin...alloy, dross, impure part of the silver. Used to coat other metals to prevent corrosion. Bronze,or brass is an alloy of tin and copper. Pewter is about 90% tin with copper, antimony and lead.

The Tin man in the Wizard of Oz, lamented that he had no heart. He is not alone, many have hearts hardened by sin that are not useful to the LORD.

Eze 11:19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:

and lead...melts at lower temperature, heavy, dense

Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

silver...money, refiners image seen in it. Also used for religious ornaments and vessels.

Pro 8:19 My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.

1Co 3:13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. 

2Ti 2:19  Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. 

2Ti 2:20  But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. 

2Ti 2:21  If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work. 

Our goal is to be refined in Christ, coming forth from the fire as pure gold or silver; to be the best vessel we can be for the Master's use. Jerusalem was about to be purged of it's people because of their sins. Jesus has purged our sins on the cross. We are to believe in him and to be useful to God as his dear children, reflecting his glorious image in an evil world. Take your dross to the cross.