Faith – Page 9 – My Deliverer

Posted on November 27, 2017 by Christian Armetta

Things Above

Colossians 3:1-11

Living as Those Made Alive in Christ

3 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ²Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. ³For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. ⁴When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

⁵Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. ⁶Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. ⁷You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. ⁸But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. ⁹Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices ¹⁰and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.¹¹Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

walking in freedom

I’m walking in a minefield of worldly intentions! Each step marred with the grasps of evildoers. Jealousy, pride, and unforgiveness appear to cushion my gait one step at a time attempting to regain my focus away from Christ. The veil is lifted and the sense of sure-footedness is in fact deception. The pillow of lies masks the reality of treading on bones and nails – death! The environment quickly unravels into spiritual war.

The Holy Spirit assists me in tightly securing my feet with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. Laced with authority and a readiness that is strengthened through Christ’s promise, dry bones are made alive again. The deceived now becomes the warrior. As I set my gaze firmly on the cross, the things of this world begin to cascade off my joints freeing a once frozen soul. Spiritual freedom abounds and Christ is gloried throughout the land.

Dear friends, I strongly encourage you to read and meditate on this passage. How does this passage speak to you? Does the world still have a stronghold in your life? Most of us would say, “Absolutely not!” However, if we truly dissected our daily lives, most of us would find many examples of worldly living. In fact, we would find more than fragments of this world embedding into our soul, we would find large pieces that represent such things mentioned in this passage: evil desires, rage, greed, and filthy language to name a few.

Does this make us bad? Actually, this makes us a sinner in need of Christ’s redemption! We must take off the mask of deception. As believers, we must still take up our cross daily. We make choices every single day. These choices not only impact our witness but they either build up or tear down the temple of God. I encourage you to evaluate what you give permission into your life. Rebuke the excuses and set your feet firmly on the Rock!

Question: Is there anything in your life that you need to release to Christ?

Thankful,

Christian Armetta

Posted on November 23, 2017 by Christian Armetta

Salty

Matthew 5:13

¹³“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.”

salt and light

I had a dear friend return from a mission trip in Peru. Days after her return, these words rang loud and clear as she exclaimed, “I cannot readjust to the ‘luxury’ of this life we have!” This is someone who is describing living in a rural town lacking many amenities. Yet, my friend had an encounter. She saw the face of true poverty and need, and God melted her heart instantly. She used her spiritual gifts in a mighty way. She was uninhibited because she was set free! She tasted God’s presence and it wasn’t about the things of this life. Instead, it was about being His example.

The things we often complain about are in fact bathed in richness when we look at them through God’s eyes. This is exactly what happened to my friend. Her eyes were unveiled to a believer’s real purpose on this earth – to be the salt and light wherever we are.

You do not have to travel to a third world country to be needed nor do you have to travel very far to see the blessings around you. No matter where you are, you have a purpose. We are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus. I pray that we see His plans unfold through our lives as we touch those around us.

I am afraid that these “luxuries” have masked our perceptual reality. Everything is relative and Satan knows how to deceive us with this very thing. You may be looking at your neighbor who just purchased an expensive car and think, “That’s the example of luxury.” Yet, there is someone looking at you saying the same thing because you simply have running water, indoor plumbing, and electricity [think about it].

Satan has done a good job distracting you from the main thing – being the hands and feet of Christ – being salty. We spend an exorbitant amount of time comparing ourselves to others and to that I say -“Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” (Matthew 16:23).

Today, as we celebrate Thanksgiving. I am beyond thankful to my family and friends. Above all things, I am thankful for my Savior, Jesus Christ, who died on a cross to take away my sins. Even more, he walked out of His tomb three days later holding the keys to life and death – victoriously! There is no greater story! I pray we remain focused on Christ in order to be salt and light to those around us. You lose your saltiness and flavor when you start focusing on yourself and listening to the lies of the devil. Give thanks to the Lord for His faithfulness and mercy in forgiving us. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. (James 4:8)

Question: Are you salty for Christ?

Thankful,

Christian Armetta

Posted on November 18, 2017 by Christian Armetta

Full-Bodied Flavor

Revelation 3:15-22

¹⁵I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! ¹⁶So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. ¹⁷You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. ¹⁸I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

¹⁹Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. ²⁰Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

²¹To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne,just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. ²²Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

tea

According to Merriam-Webster, full-bodied means, “The general impression of substantial weight and rich texture; having importance, significance, or meaningfulness.” There is great significance in this definition when it applies to Christianity…in fact, the Bible says so!

My friends Sarah F. and Catherine P. have reignited my love for hot tea. There is nothing like sipping hot tea to reinvigorate your senses especially during the 3:00 p.m. slump. When brewed properly, one receives the full-bodied flavors in tasting notes such as sweet, nutty, citrusy, fruity, and malty just to name a few. Now granted…this is not a blog on tips for preparing tea; yet, there are amazing parallels between brewing tea and your Christian walk.

As believers, we have such potential. In fact, the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the grave lives in you and me. Romans 8:11 says, “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.” To that I say, we have more than “just potential”…we have an unimaginable destiny in Christ!

When you buy a box of tea, the teabag has such great potential. It has the ability to transform water into full-bodied flavor that changes the palate of the receiver. However, if the tea remains in the box (i.e., dark) then it will slowly waste away until expiration – unused, untouched – failing to reach its full potential as originally designed by the maker.

Some of us actually want to use the tea. We get it out of the box; we see the potential but we fail to heat up the water to the right temperature, and the tea sits in a lukewarm bath failing to extract all its rich benefits into the vessel. The tea is described as flat, tasteless, and thus spit-out. The receiver’s desire fades and thus remains untouched.

Then, there are those connoisseurs that have studied and prepared. They are masters at extracting the bull-bodied flavor of every type of tea. They know exactly what to expect because they are trained. They are bold in their approach because they know what works. They take every opportunity to talk about it even with people who have never even tried it before because they cannot contain their excitement. They describe how rich and satisfying it can be when completed properly, at just the right temperature, to extract all the right flavors.

Are we still talking about tea? I would say NO. In fact, we never were. This mimics our Christian walk perfectly. I encourage you this day to be a connoisseur of Christ. Study the Word and be bold in the faith. Take up your cross and crucify the flesh. Mark 12:30-31 says, “³⁰Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ ³¹The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

Friends, you cannot be lukewarm and follow these commands. If you present as lukewarm, then you are not giving your “all” as described in this passage. You are missing your unimaginable potential as designed by the Maker. I pray that God tastes and smells the sweet notes from our full-bodied flavor as we present our lives as a living sacrifice for Him!

[This blog was inspired by my friend Catherine Pabon who shared this word with me. Thank you Catherine.]

Thankful,

Christian Armetta

Posted on November 9, 2017 by Christian Armetta

Lens

Isaiah 1:18-20

¹⁸“Come now, let’s settle this,”
    says the Lord.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
    I will make them as white as snow.
Though they are red like crimson,
    I will make them as white as wool.
¹⁹If you will only obey me,
    you will have plenty to eat.
²⁰But if you turn away and refuse to listen,
    you will be devoured by the sword of your enemies.
    I, the Lord, have spoken!”

God's eyes

Obedience through faith allows freedom from sin. Only the Father can transform crimson into white. There is no magic involved for only Satan is the author of deception. This transformation occurs through the lens of God’s Son Jesus Christ. As the Father looks upon His children, He sees purity because His lens (i.e., Jesus) is perfection and sanctification. We should walk in victory daily knowing that God has removed this burden of guilt and shame.

Psalm 103:12, “He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.”

Psalm 32:1-2, “Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. ²Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit.

Therefore, resist the devil in Jesus name and he will flee from you so says the Lord (James 4:7). Satan is well aware that your mind is the battlefield. Remain strong, stand firm, and shelter in the Most High. “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).

When you begin to feel ashamed, silenced, and restrained by the thoughts of your past transgressions, use the Sword of the Spirit to claim your victory over the evil one and walk in triumph for your Father in heaven sees you beautifully cleansed through the lens of His Son as white as snow!

Question: Do you struggle with forgiving yourself? Release the evil spirits of guilt and shame by calling out to the Lord. He will rescue you.

Thankful,

Christian Armetta

Posted on November 8, 2017 by Christian Armetta

Hide and Seek

Proverbs 8:17-21

¹⁷“I love all who love me.
    Those who search will surely find me.
¹⁸I have riches and honor,
    as well as enduring wealth and justice.
¹⁹My gifts are better than gold, even the purest gold,
    my wages better than sterling silver!
²⁰I walk in righteousness,
    in paths of justice.
²¹Those who love me inherit wealth.
    I will fill their treasuries.

hide and seek

“Ready or not, here I come!” This phrase was often heard throughout our neighborhood as we all loved to play hide-and-seek. It was not uncommon to rush over to a friend’s house after school or spend countless hours during the summer break playing such games. Yet, God most certainly pierced my heart today relating His character to this game.

By definition, hide-and-seek involves a group of kids hiding while one person is designated to find them. The game starts off with the seeker counting with his/her eyes closed while countless children run purposefully to conceal their location within the environment. After announcing, “Ready or not, here I come!” the seeker sets out to find the camouflaged participants. The winner is usually the child who is found last…meaning, he did a superb job at hiding.

In reading through Proverbs 8 today, God taught me a simple and even humbling lesson concerning hide-and-seek. My Father loves those who love Him. He is the God of love and light. He wants to be found! Proverbs 8:17 clearly states, “I love all who love me. Those who search will surely find me.” Yes and Amen!

Dear friends, can’t you see it now? During the game of hide-and-seek, God is the one standing right in the middle of the field shouting, “I’m right here! I’m so glad you were seeking me! There is no need to look any further. Come and rest in my shadow.” What a true blessing. [Yes, He didn’t follow the rules of the game but PRAISE GOD!…that’s the point.]

Honestly, this is one of the most peaceful messages I could ever hear. God wants to be found! There may be times when He appears quiet, but “…in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

I am beyond thankful that I serve a God that wants to be found. Why do we make it so hard? “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” (Revelation 3:20). Again, Father God announces Himself in order to be known, “Here I am!” We are undeserving of such attention.

False religions will teach you that you must work to find God or ‘a god.’ The lost spend their time here on earth playing hide-and-seek with the devil! He pulls you away deeper and deeper by confusing you. Some believe their great works will open the last door which will reveal their god when in fact deception stares right back at them. The devil is the author of lies. In the game of hide-and-seek, the one and true God is out in the middle calling for you, “Here I am!” You just have to seek, He will reveal!

Thankful,

Christian Armetta

Posted on November 6, 2017 by Christian Armetta · 2 Comments

Wonderment

Acts 4:31

³¹After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.

Holy Spirit

We breathe you in like a mighty rushing wind. You are all powerful, mighty Father. Your people await your presence with hearts ablaze. Fear and doubt tremble at your name. Traditionalism and Ritualism flee at just the sound of your presence. Your church is ripe for the picking. Unleash your best gifts upon your people….Holy Spirit you are welcome in this place.

Prayer warriors have been called to the front line. The invisible war rages on. Legions upon legions of warrior angels amass in clear understanding and authority from the One whose name is above all names. Principalities strategically orchestrate their assault on God’s people.

Unfamiliar and unaware, the body of Christ blindly expects the ordinary. Worship rolls off their tongues out of traditional obligation…until…”the meeting place shook.” The spiritual realm severs the line between human reality and spiritual awareness. The fiercest battle ensues. Satan has been notified; the territorial demons have moved in to arrest the Godly movement.

With a rushing mighty wind and thundering foundation, the breath of the Holy Spirit washes over the community. The faces of the believers turn from unenlightened to kissed by the Spirit. All existence of evil vanishes. Although physical darkness encircles the believers, spiritual darkness flees while individual revival sparks the light. The altar fills with renewed hope, faith, awareness, prayer, and worship.

Lesson = What was meant for evil was transformed into spiritual empowerment through the Holy Spirit…never underestimate the power of prayer and always expect the unexpected!

Acts 4:31, “After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.”

Question: Do you expect your meeting place to shake with the presence of the Holy Spirit? — I DO! Dear believers, come into His presence with such faith and expectation for He can do far more than we can ever imagine…all for His glory, Amen.

Thankful,

Christian Armetta

Posted on October 26, 2017 by Christian Armetta · 5 Comments

Journey

Philippians 1:6

⁶And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

God at work

We are called to give God thanks in everything! Some experience a lifelong journey of trials and tribulation. Others “appear” to coast through this life without much turbulence. We are not called to compare or even judge. In fact, we are instructed to keep our eyes on Christ. Hebrews 12:2 says, “Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” So—what does your journey look like?

I couldn’t help but think about this passage while a physician was injecting medication to block nerves in my eye socket, temples, jaw, and forehead yesterday morning all while experiencing the worst migraine in my life. You see, I’m on a journey (and so are you!). I will give God all the honor and praise even when I’m severely nauseated and vomiting from migraine pain. I will lift my hands to the Father even when I can’t stand up on my own strength, and my wife has to guide my steps. I will call upon His name when the doctor says, “You need another surgery which most likely will leave more scars on your face.”

As my thoughts pondered enduring another migraine surgery and the very real possibility of facial scars, the world grew quiet. The doctor continued to speak but my thoughts drifted to [scars]. Have you ever, truly, thought about the excruciating pain Jesus Christ went through. What about His scars? The one to two inch scars that remain around my head, neck, back, and hip from a previous unsuccessful surgery are nothing in comparison to whips, thorns, nails, rods, and spears.

John 19:1-3, “Then Pilate had Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip. ²The soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they put a purple robe on him. ³“Hail! King of the Jews!” they mocked, as they slapped him across the face.”

This my friends represents pain, suffering, and scars! Even more, Christ willingly endured this torture, unimaginable pain, and death on a cross out of obedience to the Father’s will. This obedience resulted in our eternal salvation. His suffering, pain, and scars were used for our good! I truly try to apply this in my life. There is nothing happening to me that surprises God the Father. He is in complete control.

Psalm 34:17, “The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.”

My pain and scars are nothing in comparison to the enteral salvation given freely through nail-pierced hands. I pray not only for a physical healing in my life but for a testimony. I don’t want to be healed just for the sake of being pain free. No, my journey will be a testimony that will draw others to Christ.

What is your journey? When you feel like you cannot take another step or the scars paralyze you emotionally, focus on the One who endured such torture and has the scars to prove it. He sits at the right hand of the Father awaiting to see us face to face. What a glorious day that will be. Tears will be erased and scars will melt away as we receive a new body in His glorious space.

Thankful,

Christian Armetta

Posted on October 23, 2017 by Christian Armetta

Provider

Genesis 22:1-2; 7-14

Some time later, God tested Abraham’s faith. “Abraham!” God called. “Yes,” he replied. “Here I am.” ²“Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.”

⁷Isaac turned to Abraham and said, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “We have the fire and the wood,” the boy said, “but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?” ⁸“God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham answered. And they both walked on together. ⁹When they arrived at the place where God had told him to go, Abraham built an altar and arranged the wood on it. Then he tied his son, Isaac, and laid him on the altar on top of the wood. ¹⁰And Abraham picked up the knife to kill his son as a sacrifice. ¹¹At that moment the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”

“Yes,” Abraham replied. “Here I am!”

¹²“Don’t lay a hand on the boy!” the angel said. “Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son.” ¹³Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. So he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering in place of his son. ¹⁴Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means “the Lord will provide”).

walk