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The church celebrates the Confession of St. Peter on the 18th of January. Peter made his bold confession, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” after Jesus asked, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter, ever the student desiring to please his master, was the first one to speak, but I’m sure that all of the disciples were thinking along the same lines.
Friday, the Church remembers the Cappadocian Fathers. “Who,” you might be asking. The Cappadocian Fathers are St. Basil the Great of Caesarea, St. Gregory of Nazianzus, and St. Gregory of Nyssa. These fathers of the faith, whose cities are difficult to pronounce for us, were churchly men who proclaimed the faith when the Church faced persecution within and without.
Emperor Constantine, who declared Christianity an allowed religion within the Roman Empire, called an assembly that met in Nicaea, or Nicea if you prefer, to discuss matters of the faith. This council met in 325 AD and issued the Nicene Creed as a way of proclaiming the true faith amid controversy. There was a presbyter, Arius, who proclaimed that Jesus was not coeternal with the Father.
Job 8:7: "Although your former state was ordinary, your future will be extraordinary."
As we look to 2025 as a year to renew our goals, aspirations, and lives, let us look at these words in the book of Job.
This man went through losing his family, crops, animals, servants, and his own health, but yet he always looked toward God for renewal and deliverance. Even when the devil tried to turn him away from God, Job knew who he served.
Do you remember back in children's church when we would sing the song, “I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart?” Wow, talk about some good times! Well today we might find ourselves struggling to find joy in our lives due to loss, stress, and even depression. But why?
The question today is, “how often do we try to find “joy” in our life, but can’t seem to keep it once we get it?” I am a true believer that it is due to the fact that we are achieving the feeling of happiness and not obtaining true joy. Only God can give us joy through his word, and spending time with him daily in prayer.
Are you feeling stressed, busy, or like your world is in chaos? You are not alone! There are so many things going on at the same time. End of year quotas, Christmas shopping, students getting out for a few weeks, and the list goes on. So the question this week is, “How can we find “Peace” when the world around us is chaotic?”
John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (NIV)
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