Posted on by Christian Armetta

Protection

Psalm 121

1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
    where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip—
    he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord watches over you—
    the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—
    he will watch over your life;
8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going
    both now and forevermore.

shade

~Prayer~

You meet us in reverent prayer. You welcome us with open arms as we kneel in our prayer closet and also in the center of a community led concert of prayer.

~Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

Your Spirit rebounds purpose as we lift Your name on high. You give meaning to language, and tongues leap with affirmation and praise, “YOU are holy; YOU are worthy!”

~Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

Your people are growing and the enemy is unsettled. The devil prowls around like a lion in our midst. The Spirit of the Lord cannot be shaken for there is only ONE Lion of Judah!

~The Lord watches over you—the Lord is your shade at your right hand.

You call out to your servant, Awake my child! The enemy draws near but I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, will protect the righteous – those who call Me King.

~The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life;

The prayers of Your people amass warrior angels to guard the innocent. A hedge of protection prevents the spirits of death, envy, and pride from entering.

~Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting? Thanks be to God, who give us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! 

Thankful,

Christian Armetta

Posted on by Christian Armetta

Awake, Oh Sleeper!

Ephesians 5:14

“This is why it is said: ‘Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.'”

Awake

~I see you spirit of insecurity…yet my God says awake, arise and stand behind the cross of security.

~I see you spirit of apathy…yet my God says awake, arise and stand behind My all consuming fire.

~I see you spirit of confusion…yet my God says awake, arise and bask in My awareness.

~I see you spirit of doubt…yet my God says awake, arise and know I give you peace.

~I see you spirit of worthlessness…yet my God says awake, arise and know that My Son says you ARE worthy enough to die for.

~I see you spirit of fear…yet my God says awake, arise and claim power, love, and sound judgment!

~I see you spirit of pride…yet my God says awake, arise and enjoy a life filled with humility.

Oh evil one, you walk in plain sight. I’m calling you out under the authority of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Eyes have been unveiled; chains have been broken; strongholds have returned to dust. You have lost. Mighty men have declared God’s victory and denounced your power in their lives. Collectively, we reclaim the ground you stole as Christ followers. In the true Spirit of the one and only God, we say – be gone in Jesus name.

[Dedicated to FWSL #27 FEARLESS! 2 Timothy 1:7]

Thankful,

Christian Armetta

Posted on by Christian Armetta

Arrow

Proverbs 3:5-6

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 
6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
arrow.jpeg
[Narrative] – My prayer for my dear friend K.T.
I thank God in advance for this blessing! Thank you Lord for faith.
“For I will form you in your mother’s womb my child, and you will fly like a mighty arrow to accomplish My will for your life,” says the Lord. The child replies, “But Father, here in heaven, there’s such great peace and wonderment as we revel in your glory.” The Lord replies with great authority, “Yes, my child, but much will be required of you as you walk the earthly sod. You will see My face in the mountains. You will hear the call of Yahweh in the rocks. You will smell the sweet fragrance of salvation in the rain. You will touch my heart when you willingly accept my Son, Jesus, as your own, and you will taste a sweetness greater than honey when you experience true faith without sight.”
The child rests upon God Almighty’s shoulder basking in thought. The Lord caused a deep sleep to fall upon the child. As the child rests, two young men approach. “Sleep tight my child; we will await your return with mom and dad,” they state without moving their lips. God’s light of familial connection immediately bonded the three before this child was sent into the womb. The eyes of the Lord pierced forward and addressed His target with perfection. The bow did not shake. As the arrow was drawn closer to His face, He kissed the child with protection. The arrow released with God’s speed…and an infant cry was heard as a mother and father held their precious child.
————————————————-
I am so thankful for God’s purpose! May we never forget that we came into this world with God’s precision as the master Archer. Be blessed this day! No matter how many times the enemy uses his fiery darts to disrupt your course, God will use all things for His good because He created your course from the very beginning. Praise God!
Thankful,
Christian Armetta
Posted on by Christian Armetta

Empathy

Psalm 56:8

“You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.”

Empathy

PRIDE manifests in many different ways. I recently had an experience with pride that was rooted in fear. You see, the evil one knows our weaknesses, and he also knows how to capitalize on our faults. As I walked into an unfamiliar life situation last week, fear appeared to accompany me. In a moment of weakness, pride sprung forth and stole a kingdom opportunity to “live like Jesus.” The blessing is in the conviction. I am thankful when the Holy Spirit immediately convicts us of our sins. We are then able to humble ourselves before the Lord and seek the Father’s forgiveness. 

~What does pride look like in your life?  

P – Pious 

R – Rebellious

I – Impolite

D – Domineering

E – Egocentric

Pride steals our ability to see others through the eyes of Jesus! Empathy is not just a “psychological” term if you will.  It embodies the life of Jesus as well. Luke 10:27 says, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind. And, Love your neighbor as yourself.” Frankly dear friends, you cannot fully love the Lord and love your neighbor when you are too in love with yourself.

Jesus provides us a beautiful example of empathy and truly “living like Jesus” through the parable of the Good Samaritan. Luke 10:33-35 says, “Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. 34 Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. 35 The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.'”

The Samaritan man exemplified the true heart of Jesus – empathy out of love. Empathy has nothing to do with feeling sorry for someone. Empathy, to me, is more of an action emotion. The good Samaritan not only felt compassion (i.e., empathy), he acted! How do you respond when you see your neighbor, friend, stranger, church member, etc. hurting? Do you judge them based on your own values and personal characteristics or do you act out of love?

Over the past several weeks, I have held in tears of the unknown. Yet, the Holy Spirit pierced my heart not long thereafter when He said to me, “I collect your tears!” Please don’t get me wrong…I was not shedding tears out of anxiety or fear for I truly believed God would carry me through my valley. Yet, God quickly reminded me that it is okay to be human!

How did Jesus respond when his dear friend Lazarus died, “Jesus wept.” [John 11:35] It is stated in this passage that those standing around Jesus saw how much he loved his dear friend. Was Jesus crying out of fear, worry, unrighteous anger? Emphatic NO!

I strongly encourage you to allow the Holy Spirit full access to your heart. Demonstrating true empathy when others are hurting can only grow out of humility. Please never forget that pride typically doesn’t stand alone. It loves misery and brings friends along. Therefore, pride sits at the head of the table with jealousy, judgment, anger, and fear.

Question: How do you respond to those around you? [Empathy vs Pride]

Thankful,

Christian Armetta

Posted on by Christian Armetta

It’s Not Over Yet

Isaiah 41:10

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

Psalm 27:1

The LORD is my light and my salvation–so why should I be afraid? The LORD is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?

strength

I wanted to share two powerful passages that I received from dear friends this morning. In times of uncertainty, we can be sure of one thing – God is always with us. In fact, I’m not even sure I like the phrase, “In times of uncertainty” anymore…because God is always in control and surefooted. As a child of the King, it truly doesn’t matter what situation we find ourselves in, we can be SURE that (A) it doesn’t surprise God and (B) He has a purpose if we just get out of the way! We are afforded many examples of faithful believers in God’s word that exemplify these very principles.

I have learned a great deal about waiting, being still, careful listening, God’s strength, and human limitations already this year. I genuinely desire for you to also understand God’s “Lamp upon my feet.” You too may be seeing darkened walls inches from your face truly unsure where to turn; yet you STEP! You step in the direction of God’s voice. You do not have to know where you are going – thus FAITH. God’s strength propels you despite inner weakness if you rely on Him. I love the visual in the picture above.

My inner strength has nothing to do with me! It has not one thing to do with any human measurable level. My strength comes from the Lord! I pray that in whatever situation I find myself in God will be glorified. I am reminded of wedding vows that state “…For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.” We appear to gloss over the negative yet James 1:2-3 clearly states that trials will come.

“2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.”

I pray that we all find God’s strength in the seasons that can be described as “worse, poor, or sick.” As believers, we must be Christ’s example on the mountaintop and in the valley. No matter what…HE IS VICTORIOUS! Stand firm on His solid rock and refuse for Satan to steal your joy wherever you are in this life. Seek Godly counsel from fellow believers and find rest under His wing.

Thankful,

Christian Armetta

Posted on by Christian Armetta

Battle

Psalm 34:1-4

I will praise the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips. 2 I will boast in the Lord; the humble will hear and be glad. 3 Proclaim Yahweh’s greatness with me;
let us exalt His name together. 4 I sought the Lord, and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears.

2 Timothy 1:7

For God has not given to us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and soberness of mind.

delivered.jpeg

Bondage is such an unnecessary self-imposed trap! Christ holds the keys to victory! In the Psalm above, David even stated that he sought the Lord and God delivered him from all his fears! Even more, we know that God does not give us this evil spirit but one of power, love, and sound mind!

Satan might be deceivingly clever but his attacks remain constant – kill, steal, and destroy! There are many avenues to accomplish this which include multiple spirits to impose doubt and fear – remember the battle is in the mind!

Therefore, we too can construct a battle plan. However, a believer’s battle plan is already written in God’s Word – Just as David said in this Psalm, we are instructed to simply seek the Lord. I say simply because God already holds the keys. The hardest part is to let go and let God…the rest is…well…victorious!

Therefore, rebuke fear in Jesus name and it will flee for the Word says to resist the devil and he will flee.

Thankful,

Christian Armetta

Posted on by Christian Armetta

I Shall Not Want

[Part Two: Continuation from yesterday’s post: “So I’ll Wait…”]

Psalm 23:1

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

psalm 23

From a world that teaches egocentrism…

-I shall not want.

From a flesh that rises up against all things holy…

-I shall not want.

From a weak mind allowing Satan’s playground…

-I shall not want.

From fellowship filled with dishonesty and lies…

-I shall not want.

From the word impossible…

-I shall not want.

From a life filled with worldly treasures…

-I shall not want.

From the feelings of inadequacy…

-I shall not want.

From the veil of confusion and division…

-I shall not want.

Psalm 34:8, “Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.”

Dear Lord, the shelter of the Most High is sweeter than honey on our lips. The strength in your mighty right hand is strong enough to protect us from evil yet gentle enough to wipe away our tears before they fall. We find rest in your arms. You alone are the great Shepherd and we praise you.

Thankful,

Christian Armetta

Posted on by Christian Armetta

So I’ll Wait…

Psalm 27:14

Wait for the LORD; be strong and courageous. Wait for the LORD. 

waiting

Lessons while I learn to wait!

W – Worship God Almighty because He alone is worthy

A – Armor of God is firmly in place to prevent the enemy from attacking my mind

I – Intercession from the Holy Spirit as He groans in my absent language

T – Truth is my foundation as I rebuke the lies of Satan

Adding to my 2018 spiritual goals:

  1. Discernment
  2. Teachable Spirit
  3. Waiting on the Lord

These all have a common theme – relinquishing control and allowing Christ to have His way! What are you learning early on this year?

Thankful,

Christian Armetta

Posted on by Christian Armetta · 2 Comments

Preparation

Galatians 5:16-18

16 I say then, walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

tough choices

Merriam-Webster defines preparation as, “The action or process of making something ready for use or service or of getting ready for some occasion, test, or duty.” In life, we are tempted by the evil one and by our sinful desires. James 1:13-15 says, “When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”

It is a known Biblical fact that we live in a fallen world. Evil appears to jostle for our devotion nearly every second of the day. How are we supposed to make the right choices and have the strength to follow through? The answers lies in Christ. Psalm 28:7 says, “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.” Our hope is in the One who has overcome the world! Therefore, the key to daily victory is preparation.

Refuse to let your guard down! I truly believe that one of Satan’s biggest attacks is during times of tranquility. What does this look like in your life: (A) missed quiet times (B) interrupted prayer time (C) detachment from faith family/friends. It is during these times when Satan and his armies ambush. Why, then, are we surprised?

I encourage you to prepare today…everyday! I talk a great deal about fighting the invisible war – frankly because God allows me to see it! Yet, our number one goal is our relationship with Christ! Prepare daily to build your relationship – first and foremost – then He will fight and equip you for battle when needed!

Question: Are you remaining prepared and building your relationship with your Father?

Thankful,

Christian Armetta

Posted on by Christian Armetta

Teamwork

James 5:16

16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

prayer for one another

“You can’t possibly tell anyone!” says the evil one. “You know what they will think of you if you tell them the truth,” the deceiver continues. The brokenhearted one sits in silence as he contemplates his actions. The pretender wraps his devious intentions into the weary one’s emotions. The poisonous gestures seep from the evil one’s nature. He strategically encircles the vulnerable soul. He leans in and whispers with heated breath, “You’re not who you think you are! You are a hypocrite, slanderer, gossip, and most certainly — lost!” The injured one slumps in his chair in a form of acknowledgement. He surrenders, “I guess you’re right.”

Dear friends, this might be your story. If not, it is most certainly the story of someone around you! As brothers and sisters in Christ, we cannot stand for this. We must fight for each other. The passage above says we need to confess our sins to one another. Why is this? I am far from a biblical scholar. However, I know two spiritual facts from this passage. First, chains break when sin is confessed. Secondly, evil scatters when the prayer of a righteous believer covers you.

Do not listen to the lies of the evil one any longer. You are a son and daughter of the King. You, my friend, are victorious over the evil one in the powerful name of Jesus Christ. Therefore, let us come together in unity with the Holy Spirit to confess our sins, grow in Christ’s likeness, and bask in His forgiveness.

Thankful,

Christian Armetta