Bourland Family Blog

“But the wicked are like the troubled sea, for it cannot rest, and its waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked.” Isaiah 57:20-21 ->me: Today I poured over these 2 small verses. I did a study on ‘the wicked’. Here are the characteristics of the wicked – There is nothing steadfast or trustworthy in their talk. They flatten and make smooth their speech. They plot against the righteous, they love to cut people down with their words. They aim venomous words like arrows and they shoot them from ambush at the blameless man. They do this without self-reproach or fear. They love evil more than good; they would rather lie than speak righteousness and justice. They are at ease and prosper in their worldly dealings – they increase their riches. The wicked do not seek or hunger for the statutes of God. They are restless until they have caused trouble, made someone else angry, or caused someone else to fail. They love themselves and their lives are self-centered. They love money and are aroused by an inordinate desire for wealth. They are proud, arrogant, and contemptuous boasters. They are abusive, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, and profane; without natural affection (callous and inhuman), slanderous, intemperate, and loose in morals and conduct; uncontrolled and fierce, haters of good. These people cannot rest, for their lives are tumultuous and cause a wake of fog, chaos, and destruction. The scary part is that these characteristics do not need to be complete in order to call someone wicked. Any one of these things on its own is damning- this is why we must heed Paul’s warning to the church at Corinth – “Examine and test and evaluate your own selves to see whether you are holding to your faith and showing the proper fruits of it. Test and prove yourselves [not Christ]. Do you not yourselves realize and know [thoroughly by an ever-increasing experience] that Jesus Christ is in you—unless you are [counterfeits] disapproved on trial and rejected?” 2 Corinthians 13:5

“If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I [or someone else] am speaking on my[their] own authority. The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him[the Father] who sent him[Jesus] is true, and in him there is no falsehood.” John 7:17-18 ->me: When you chose to make your will the same as God’s will, you will know the truth [or lie] when you hear it. You will have the discernment of the Holy Spirit reinforcing the truth within you. When I use my own words formed through my own authority then I am only working to bring glory to myself. When my goal is to be in the will of God (my will and His will aligned) I will have the knowledge of the truth in me. It has to be in this order -> seeking God’s will to be my will unlocks the truth living within me and seeing the truth in His word. Just reading the truth [the word] does not automatically put me into God’s will. I know people who can recite passages and know the bible way better than I do but they are not walking in the will of the Lord -> they are not aligned and therefore seeking to be viewed as if they are in the will of God but not actually surrendering their lives to His work in their lives.

“Because of the iniquity of his unjust gain I was angry and struck him; I hid My face and was angry, and he went on turning away, in the way of his heart. “I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and to his mourners, Creating the  praise of the lips. Peace, peace to him who is far and to him who is near, ”Says the Lord, “and I will heal him.” Isaiah 57:17-19 ->me: This is the Lord talking about His chosen people Israel but then in verse 19 He hits us with the inclusion of us into His healing. Through the bible in both the old and new testament – someone who is ‘a far’ is said to be non Jew and someone who is said to be near is God’s chosen nation. Acts 2:39 and Ephesians 2:17 use these distinctions as well. So, even way back here in the old testament God is talking about how we, as Gentiles, will be brought into His peace, praise, and inheritance. I don’t want to leave out the grace/mercy in the beginning of this passage. The ‘him’ is Israel – they went against God, and He would punish them by striking then down, but then when they got up they continued away from the Lord…what does the Lord do?? He says He will HEAL them, gives them peace, and brings praise to their lips. Throughout Isaiah I am continually blown away by God’s mercy and love.

“When you cry out, let your [rabble] collection of idols deliver you! But the wind shall take them all, a breath shall carry them away. But he who takes refuge in Me shall possess the land [Judea] and shall inherit My holy mountain [Zion, also the heavenly inheritance and the spiritual Zion].” Isaiah 57:13 ->me: In my mind I try to think of the absurdity of standing at the Day of Judgement (Revelation 20:12) and someone looking at their ragtag collection of things they put their trust in through their life (instead of the Lord) and hope they could save them. The ‘cry out’ here is likely the shriek that comes when everyone sees, first hand, the Judgement Seat of the almighty God and realize their wasted effort in earthly idols and pride. ‘He who takes refuge’ – does not say ‘He who works for refuge’. I just need to choose God as the shelter of protection over the earthly or self-sufficient options. The reward is in the ‘shall’. ‘He…SHALL possess the land AND inherit His Holy Mountain’ – TAKE and YOU SHALL.

“Of whom have you been so afraid and in dread that you lied and were treacherous and did not [seriously] remember Me, did not even give Me a thought? Have I not been silent, even for a long time, and so you do not fear Me?” Isaiah 57:11 ->me: This verse really struck me today while I was reading through each verse and taking notes. When we find ourselves tied up in the challenges and trials of worldly life, why do we not immediately cling to our God (which is what He wants)? Why do we cling so tightly to worldly solutions to our spiritual corruptness? 4 things shine through – 1) Unbelief is groundless: what is more to be feared than the Lord?? 2) It is sinful: To affirm that the Lord is our God but, in practice, to withhold the reverence due Him and give it to others or other solutions. 3) Inexcusable: to forget all the former mercies, the great acts of the Lord, and to use His name – the very thing He wished to be remembered by – and yet forget Him?? 4) Insulting: The practical ambivalence (really atheism to His rescuing power) of living without Him. Finally – can we seriously say that because we don’t see Him do any great wonders or miracles that we don’t fear Him??? We seriously meet the same criteria of the treacherous activity and audacious disregard of these rulers of Israel that Isaiah is lambasting…everyday. Yet, He loves us…everyday.

“Upon a lofty and high mountain you have openly and shamelessly set your [idolatrous and adulterous] bed; even there you went up to offer sacrifice [in spiritual unfaithfulness to your divine Husband]. Behind the door and the doorpost you have set up your [idol] symbol [as a substitute for the Scripture text God ordered]. Deserting Me, you have uncovered and ascended and enlarged your bed; and you have made a [fresh] bargain for yourself with [the adulterers], and you loved their bed, where you saw [a beckoning hand or a passion-inflaming image].” Isaiah 57:7-8 ->me: Isaiah goes into yucky detail about how the rulers of Israel have so badly strayed from the covenant of the Lord. The ‘lofty mountain’ piece speaks to their arrogance and openness of forsaking the God who has delivered their people from Egypt and exile. The rest of verse 7 and all of 8 have the tone of a defiled marriage bed. In Isaiah’s eyes they had deserted their spouse and not just left but paraded their mistresses in front, beckoning as many as wanted to come as a rubbing in the face. If that was not enough they turned all of their investment toward the empty love of unfaithful adultery; looking on their sexual subject with a sense of accomplishment and longing. This is such a judgement; and indictment of outright rebellion and childlike immaturity of an ‘I’ll show you!’ mentality. Unfortunately I believe this goes in hand with yesterday’s QTVOTD – these false churches and ‘those who do not belong to us’ run around frantic for security, running this way and that, paying any price for acceptance…all the time the acceptance and security is right there, without cost, with the rock-solid-unwavering-truth in the Lord.

“For the time is coming when [people] will not tolerate (endure) sound and wholesome instruction, but, having ears itching [for something pleasing and gratifying], they will gather to themselves one teacher after another to a considerable number, chosen to satisfy their own liking and to foster the errors they hold, and will turn aside from hearing the truth and wander off into myths and man-made fictions.” 2 Timothy 4:3-4 ->me: Today’s reading in Isaiah 57:3-4 was a stern rebuke by the Lord to those in Israel who had grown callused to the teachings of truth and had turned to idol worship of the gods of fertility…even to the point of sticking out their tongues at those who would still follow the Almighty God of Israel. God says “Are you not yourselves the children of transgression, the offspring of deceit?”[Isaiah 57:4] The margin references took me to today’s QTVOTD in the New Testament where the Lord was showing me that these are people in the church today who lower the standard of God’s truth to something they can stomach and that is acceptable to a fallen world. I not only know churches in our community today who deceive those who are genuinely searching but have also caught up those in our church who are so inwardly focused that they must find somewhere THEY ARE accepted for WHO THEY ARE rather than find their identity in the Holy Redeeming God who by grace alone came to save them from spiritual death for all eternity…I am so sorrowful for those who have fallen into satan’s ultimate trap. I have to ask myself – are these the ones 1 John 2:19 speaks of? “They went out from our number, but they did not [really] belong to us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us. But [they withdrew] that it might be plain that they all are not of us.”

“THE RIGHTEOUS man perishes, and no one lays it to heart; and merciful and devout men are taken away, with no one considering that the uncompromisingly upright and godly person is taken away from the calamity and evil to come [even through wickedness]. He [in death] enters into peace; they rest in their beds, each one who walks straight and in his uprightness.” Isaiah 57:1-2 ->me: This passage gives so much peace, comfort, and hope in just 2 verses. No one considers that God takes His beloved ones home to save them from the evil that is coming. The word for ‘devout’ is translated from ‘men of unfailing love’. The death of the righteous (those right with God) is never simply the inevitable end that comes to all; neither is it ever accidental or untimely; but always purposeful deliberate. A ‘taking away’ in order to be spared from evil and brought into His peace and rest; and entering into comfort. Those who are ‘right with God’ display an upright life as others watch them. At the same time I read these verses I think about those saints who suffer horribly or were martyred for their faith…either way there is comfort in knowing that you are right where God needs/wants you. If I am still here under persecution but strong in my faith and following the Lord in every way, then I can rest assured that I am still needed, and being used, by the Eternal God and that when the time is right HE will take me away into His rest.

“[Israel’s] watchmen are blind, they are all without knowledge; they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; dreaming, lying down, they love to slumber. Yes, the dogs are greedy; they never have enough. And such are the shepherds who cannot understand; they have all turned to their own way, each one to his own gain, from every quarter [one and all]. Come, say they, We will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink! And tomorrow shall be as this day, a day great beyond measure.” Isaiah 56:10-12 ->me: Isaiah is talking about the rulers of Israel here, not some sloth enemy; really taking them to task over being self-indulgent and reckless with their attention (lack thereof). The conviction I received today is a growing acknowledgement that I don’t do enough for my Savior; in worship of Him through taking care of others. I live the cushy life in a beautiful home, with a stable job/income, amazing family, and really not a need for anything more than the return of Jesus Christ to take me home. So what am I doing just sitting here in my comfy little life for anyone else? Am I as useless as a watchdog that doesn’t bark? Do I revel in my sleep while others are shivering on a street corner or under an overpass. Are you (Ben Bourland) any better than these blind watchmen Isaiah speaks of. I will do more.  Lord, as I start to strive to help others please guide me in how I can have the most impact for your Kingdom.

“Also the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord to minister to Him and to love the name of the Lord and to be His servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath so as not to profane it and who holds fast My covenant [by conscientious obedience]—All these I will bring to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; for My house will be called a house of prayer for all peoples. Thus says the Lord God, Who gathers the outcasts of Israel: I will gather yet others to [Israel] besides those already gathered.” Isaiah 56:6-8 ->me: Even though we read so much about God’s chosen people of Israel, Isaiah makes it clear that the people God will gather unto Himself are from all nations and types. Anyone who is a follower of Jesus, keeps the Sabbath holy, is a servant to God, and binds themselves to the truth of the bible will have not only a place in heaven but God will memorialize them on the walls of His house; they will be invited to where He is (the holy mountain) and be granted communication with God through prayer and have access to the saving and atoning power of sacrifice. Most importantly, the sacrifice of His Son the Lord Jesus Christ. While we can respect the position the Lord places on the children of Israel, He makes it clear that He is the God of anyone who calls Him theirs and worships Him. Paul covers this in detail in Romans 11.