Posts by Cody Westbrook (Page 4)
Justification
It may be called, perhaps, the “Divine dilemma.” Jehovah is absolute in His holiness and therefore can have nothing to do with sin (Hab. 1:13). Sin, in fact, stands as a barrier between God and man (Isa. 59:1-2). It is a violation of God’s law (1 John 3:4) and, because God is absolute in His justice as well as His holiness, He must punish it (Rom. 3:23). And yet, this is not His desire. He “is not willing that any…
A Healthy Church Opposes Sin
Each February the medical community celebrates national heart health month. It is a time to raise awareness for heart disease and to encourage individuals to exercise, eat well, and do everything they can to promote good cardiac health. Regular health screenings are always a good idea for those who want a healthy heart and body. Spiritually, the same principle applies. Individual and congregational spiritual health should be our priority and it is good, from time to time, to allow God’s…
Arise and Overcome!
Satan’s attacks are relentless–present in every area of our society. Therefore, Christians must constantly engage in a spiritual battle for the hearts and minds of humanity, and the salvation of souls. We must arise and meet the challenges of the day with faith and conviction, knowing that victory belongs to our God. For this reason, the Southwest Eldership decided to create an annual event that would help promote spiritual growth for every member of the body of Christ. The Arise!…
The Greatest Compliment Ever Given
Recent studies have shown that taking the time to offer a simple compliment has a great impact on the mood and emotional well-being of both the giver and the receiver. No one should really be surprised by that information. Solomon said long ago “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver” (Pro. 25:11). “The tongue of the wise is health” (Pro. 12:18). Everyone appreciates a good compliment from time to time. Far greater than a…
A Healthy Church is Opportunistic
As we look to our own congregational health, we would do well to consider what Jesus said to the 7 churches in Asia Minor. Those ancient congregations mirror our own in many ways. Their struggles we’re similar, their strengths and weaknesses were similar, their needs were similar, and their work was similar. One positive characteristic discussed is the ability to see and take advantages of opportunities when they are presented. To the church in Philadelphia Jesus said, “See, I have…
A Healthy Church is Hardworking
Annual health screenings are vital to maintaining good health. Regular oil changes are necessary to keep a vehicle in good running order. Cleaning and maintenance play a large role in the longevity of a home. So many things in life cannot function properly without periodic evaluation to ensure proper operation. The same is true with individual and congregational spiritual health. Like a doctor runs tests to examine data indicating an individual’s level of health, so God’s Word furnishes us with…
New Every Morning
Thomas Chisolm was born in Franklin, Kentucky on July 29, 1866. At 16 he became a teacher and editor of a local newspaper. Poor health would force him to move and change jobs several times over the years. It also caused him to struggle financially. He was, however, a talented writer and wrote some 1,200 poems. In 1925 he wrote “Great is thy faithfulness.” There was no single event that prompted him to write it. He simply reflected upon the…
The Voice of Wisdom
Statistics fascinate me, particularly statistics regarding how we spend our time. A clear accounting of how we pass the minutes of every day can be terribly humbling. Often, we do not realize just how much time we waste. For example, a 2016 study determined that Americans spend over 1 year of their lives searching for something to watch on TV. Who could have imagined? Another point about our time is that it gives insight into who or what we choose…
My Favorite Bible Character: Abraham: He who Staggered not in Unbelief
The pages of scripture are full of men and women whose lives teach us so much. Some, like Ahab and Jezebel, revel powerfully sobering lessons of the reality and consequence of wickedness. But most illustrate vividly the blessing of serving God. Chief among the great examples of a holy life is Abraham—he who staggered not in unbelief. Abraham is an example of an obedient faith. It is said of him in Genesis 15:6, “And he believed in the Lord, and…
Good vs. Best
How easy it is to be distracted by the business of life! We go to work, take the kids to practice, clean the house, mow the lawn, and a dozen other items on our to-do list, almost daily. Our schedules are filled from top to bottom with so many tasks and chores it often becomes overwhelming. In truth, these things are not wrong in and of themselves. God expects us to work hard to provide a living; proper home maintenance…
We Have no King but Caesar!
The Kingship of Jesus is one of the themes of the book of John, particularly toward the end. In fact, the words “King” and “kingdom” appear 15 times in John 18-19, the two chapters describing His trial and crucifixion. Many of those occurrences, perhaps surprisingly, come from the lips of Pontius Pilate. The Jews delivered Jesus to Pilate for crucifixion. Because they had no legitimate accusation to raise against Him, and the law would not allow them to carry out…
Don’t Preach Politics!
“The Pulpit is no place for politics!” is a refrain we hear often, and it is true. The church of Christ is a soul saving institution and our purpose is to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). Thus preachers are commanded to “Preach the Word!”(2 Tim. 4:1-2). Preaching is the act of heralding a message from the King. As such we are obligated to preach the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27), to point people to the cross (1…