Posted on by Christian Armetta

Created. Cried. Crucified.

~He created.

Genesis 1:1-3, “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.”

~He cried.

Luke 2:11-12, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

~He was crucified.

Luke 23:33-34, “When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals – one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’ And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.”

HE CREATED

In the beginning, there was silence—a silence that stretched over the vast emptiness, formless and void. Then, out of that silence came a voice, rich and resonant, breaking the stillness with a single command: “Let there be light.” And light burst forth, flooding the darkness, painting creation with its first brushstrokes. That voice spoke again and again through resonant rippling, calling stars to shine, oceans to surge, and life to spring forth in all its beauty and diversity. Each word was a masterpiece, a deliberate act of love shaping the universe.

God’s voice carried power, but it also carried intimacy. When He formed humanity, He didn’t just speak; He breathed. Yet even then, His voice continued to echo through the hearts of His creation, a melody inviting them into communion with Him.

One sound changed everything.

HE CRIED

Generations passed, and the world longed to hear that voice again. Oppression, war, and hopelessness overwhelmed fragile hearts. Then, one night, under the canopy of stars, the voice returned—not in thunder or flame, but in the fragile cry of a newborn. Jesus, the Word made flesh, had come.

His first cry pierced the quiet of the manger, announcing His arrival not to kings or empires but to shepherds and humble hearts. The sound of heaven lying in a manger. Heaven leaned close as the Creator entered His creation, and the voice that spoke the world into existence now spoke in the vulnerable tones of an infant, signaling hope and redemption. Darkness trembled and armies amassed at the break of the infant’s war cry. Heaven declared: The King has arrived!

One sound changed everything.

HE WAS CRUCIFIED

As Jesus grew, His voice healed, taught, delivered, conquered, commanded, forgave, and loved. But His ultimate mission would be fulfilled not in the sound of His teaching but in the silence of His suffering.

On a hill called Golgotha, the voice that had once cried in the manger was now silent, replaced by the chilling rhythm of hammers driving nails into wood. Each strike echoed through eternity, a horrific sound that continues to ripple into the far reaches of God’s creation. The nails that pinned Him to the cross signified humanity’s sin and God’s unyielding love.

The devil’s army salivated at the wounded Christ. When all hope seemed lost, Jesus declared, “It is finished.” The power of His voice, again, shattered the barrier between heaven and earth. The ground trembled, the veil in the temple tore, and death itself began to unravel. What seemed like defeat to the world was, in truth, a victory. The rhythmic sounds of those hammers proclaimed that sin had been conquered and death had lost its sting.

One sound changed everything.

And so, from the first word of creation to the final cry on the cross, God’s voice has spoken a singular message: love. It’s a voice that calls, comforts, and redeems. It’s a voice that invites us to listen, to respond, and to live in the fullness of His grace…EVEN TODAY…FOR HE IS ALIVE.

May you find God’s greatest gift this Christmas: love. You won’t find it under a tree; rather, love is the man who hung on one.

Merry Christmas.

Christian Armetta

Bible Bible Study Celebration Christianity Church Community Courage Daily Devotion Devotion Faith Focus Friends Friendship Glory God Gossip Grace Heart Holy Spirit Hurt Jesus Joy Lies LIfe light Love Mercy Miracle Path Peace Prayer Promises Protection Provider Reflection Religion Shelter Spirit Spiritual Warfare Storms thoughts Truth Victory Words worry

Posted on by Christian Armetta

Do Good

Galatians 6:10

10 Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.

do good

During the Christmas season, it isn’t hard to see and hear positive phrases and statements all around us. Some of these include the following: ‘Tis the Season; Merry Christmas; Merry and Bright; Peace on Earth; Joy to the World; Peace, Joy, and Love; and Making Spirits Bright. We teach that it is better to give than to receive, and many of us volunteer at soup kitchens or homeless shelters. Even more, we preach the real reason for the season – a Savior is born [Luke 2:11].

Yet, I cannot help but make an obvious observation. This “do good” season fades and life reprioritizes if you will. Schedules are flipped on end and life becomes more about checking off the to-do lists instead of “ministering to His sheep.”

The passage above does not suggest that believers should “do good” only at Christmas time. No! This passage clearly states…”Whenever we have the opportunity.” That statement alone is what you call soul-piercing. Soup kitchens, homeless shelters, schools, hospitals, and the widow next door need you all year round. It’s time that we stop making fitness goals for New Year’s resolutions. Instead, we should make spiritual commitments.

The second part of the passage above tends to sting a bit as well. Just as the enemy would have it, we, as a faith family, tend to be really good at judging one another and tearing each other down while the world sits back and observes. In our technologically advanced world, we can even judge in “silence” and not feel so guilty. This is true modern-day hypocrisy.

Instead of taking every opportunity to do good – especially to those in the faith family, we spend precious time strategizing how to delete friends from social media platforms or spending hours criticizing someone’s social media status. We turn anger and bitterness into false wisdom. The scariest part of it all is who is actually whispering in your ear!

It’s time that we take this passage to heart and ask God to stitch this deep within us. I encourage you this Christmas season to meditate on this “do good” passage in two parts: (A) “Whenever you have the opportunity, do good to everyone” and (B) “Especially to those in the faith family”

I know the Holy Spirit has prompted me to challenge you just as He has challenged me. May the Christmas season continue in and through us all year long, and may we not only do good to everyone but truly live in love with those around us. May your efforts be filled with peace, love, and joy. This takes active work and doing things that most certainly go against the flesh. Be encouraged, and I’m looking forward to hearing how the Holy Spirit speaks to you!

Thankful,

Christian Armetta

Posted on by Christian Armetta

When the King Dreamed

John 6:38-40; 51

38 I came down from heaven to do what God wants me to do. I did not come to do what I want to do. 39 I must not lose even one of those that God has given me, but I must raise them up on the last day. This is what the One who sent me wants me to do. 40 Everyone who sees the Son and believes in him has eternal life. I will raise him up on the last day. This is what my Father wants.”

51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh. I will give my flesh so that the people in the world may have life.”

baby jesus

[Narrative]

~When the King dreamed…His eyelids danced with excitement to the rhythm of an unconscious lullaby. Was He dreaming of the angelic choir that He watched joyfully sing God’s praises in Heaven above?

~When the King dreamed…His arms and legs jumped in enthusiastic applause. Was He dreaming of Father God rising from His throne in holy majesty?

~When the King dreamed…His mouth positioned the simplest of smiles in mirror reflection of joy. Was He reminiscing about long walks with the Father on the streets of gold?

The day the King died on a cross, His dreams were revealed…His eyelids danced with excitement for He saw the day I accepted Him as my Lord and Savior. His arms and legs jumped with enthusiasm because He saw me following His commands and leading others to Christ. He smiled because He saw me standing next to Him meeting God Almighty when He gets to say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

You see, when the King dreamed…He dreamed of meeting you and me because that was the will of the Father. For Jesus came to fulfill His Father’s will. He submitted Himself to the Father and gave us the greatest gift in all of the world – salvation. This Christmas, let us share the real reason why Jesus came and what He was dreaming about!

Thankful,

Christian Armetta