Posts by Cody Westbrook

Posts by Cody Westbrook

Arise with Conviction!

To be convicted is to hold a strong persuasion or belief. It involves being convinced, compelled, and confident. The church is in great need of more Christians who will stand with conviction in a dark world. More who will say with the apostle Paul, “I am not ashamed” (Rom. 1:16). More who will stand as he did in locations all over the ancient world, boldly proclaiming truth in the midst of materialism, paganism, and all manner of godlessness. But, in…

The Wisdom of Listening & Learning

On the whole, American culture displays a tragic lack of wisdom. One could likely identify a number of reasons why such is the case but perhaps the greatest reason is actually quite simple–people refuse to listen and learn.    Wisdom desires to be heard. She “calls aloud outside; she raises her voice in the open square” (Pro. 1:20). She stands at the city gates and cries aloud for fools to listen to her pleading (Pro. 8:1-5). Wisdom is available to…

6 Things to Remember When You Give

Jesus said, “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom..” (Luke 6:38). We know that we should give of our means to the Lord, but in an economy that seems to demand more and more of us by the month, generosity may seem untenable and maybe even burdensome. Paul addressed giving in 1 Corinthians 16:1-2 and 2 Corinthians 8 and 9. Note 6 principles from…

The Pain of Death

I have taken part in a number of funerals through the years. Young and old, Christians and nonChristians, those I knew well and those I didn’t know at all, family members, friends, and the dearest friend to me in life. I am no expert but experience has taught me one thing for certain– death hurts. Bildad referenced the pain of death when he called it “the king of terrors” in Job 18:14, and Job himself spoke of “terrors of the…

Getting to Know God’s Word

One of Scripture’s most tragic statements is found in Hosea 4:6—“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…” God provided His people with everything that they needed to know in order to please Him. His Divine Will was clearly revealed in the Law  and proclaimed  by His servants sent time and again to plead with His people. But they continually rejected Him, and consequently He rejected them (Hos. 4:6b). Another tragedy is found in Amos 8:11—“Behold, the days are coming,…

“I Need Thee Every Hour”

The story says that as Annie S. Hawks was busying herself with her usual household chores, she began to think about the closeness that one ought to have with God. She then sat down to write the lines of the poem that would eventually evolve into the soul-stirring song we know today. After contemplating the lyrics of the song there are several lessons that come to mind. First, we must have a desire to have God in our lives. James…

How to Deal with Stress

“Americans are some of the most stressed out people in the world.” That was the conclusion of the Gallup Global Emotions report and it probably does not surprise you. What might surprise you is that the report was published in 2019. As can imagine, the problem is far worse today than it was a few years ago. Everyone experiences stress to some degree as part of the natural course of life. When events happen, like a major move, a wedding,…

The Two Roads of Life

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” The indelible ending of Robert Frost’s “The Road not taken” has inspired generations of risk takers to go against the grain in search of purpose and success. To be sure, many of the great success stories of the past relate tales of determination to defy expectation and convention in pursuit of triumph. It should be noted, however, that the…

Holding Up Our Hands

The event may seem out of place in the structure of the book but upon closer inspection one finds that it fits perfectly well. The Lord provided bread from Heaven in Exodus 16, water from a rock in Exodus 17:1-7, and in chapter 18 He will provide Moses with some helpful advice for effective leadership. How does a 9 verse narrative of a battle against the Amalekites in Exodus 17:8-16 fit in the middle of God’s reminders of provision? The…

In Remembrance of Me – Cody Westbrook

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier stands as one of the most revered places in the United States. It was instituted by the United States Government in 1921 as a symbolic place of burial for those who gave the ultimate wartime sacrifice for the cause of freedom–their lives and their identities. Thousands of Americans visit the Tomb every year to memorialize and show their respect to those who gave all to preserve our way of life. As important as The…

3 Reasons to Thank God

As surprising as it may seem, Psalm 100 is the only psalm in the psalter explicitly identified as “a Psalm of Thanksgiving.” The Psalmist exhorts us “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: Be thankful unto him, and bless his name” (Ps. 100:4). Such a response to God should not surprise us, and in fact should be “second nature” to His people. Consider three characteristics of our Father which should motivate us to thank Him:…

Basically a Christian Fundamentalist!

Recently the Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, said, “People are curious, what does Mike Johnson think about any issue under the sun? … Well, go pick up a Bible off your shelf and read it. That’s my worldview.” A prominent figure in Washington unashamedly holding up Scripture as the exclusive guide for life is a welcome breath of fresh air for those of use who are members of the Church. God instituted and has expectations for civil government (Rom.…