Fran Trascritti gospel

Beyond the Natural

Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself, for emptiness will be his payment. Job 15:31 ESV

The world is full of those who have shut their eyes to the supernatural, seeing and trusting only the natural world that they see, hear, and feel. They trust in emptiness, temporary treasures that rust, rot, and fade away. Beauty that they cling to dissipates, physical strength weakens, and the numbers of a person’s days on earth becomes less and less. The emptiness that they trust in becomes their end.

Yet, there is hope! We have before us a greater way, the only way. Jesus, the One and Only, the path to eternity that goes beyond the natural, made us alive with Him before God. We receive Him and we live. We turn to Him and see the supernatural, the physical and the spiritual. We follow and we have eternity before us. We believe and we receive forgiveness and a new life in Him.

It’s not automatic. You must receive the Christ who paid the price for your sins. You can have hope by receiving Jesus as your Lord and Savior, make today the day everything changes!

Pastor Fran

PS- Need to talk more about your relationship with Jesus? Send me an email by going to my church page here.

Fran Trascritti bible, Devotional, ministry, Pastors

What Do you Do When Others Attack?

Then I sent to him, saying, “No such things as you say have been done, for you are inventing them out of your own mind.” Nehemiah 6:8 ESV

At this point in the building of the wall around Jerusalem, the enemies of the work resorted to threats, lies, and deceit against the city, the people, and especially, Nehemiah. They openly mocked the work, threatened the safety of the families, sent multiple letters to Nehemiah, and even hired a prophet to try to entice him to sin.

Yet none of these plots worked. At every new threat, Nehemiah resisted and relied on the Lord. Even when the enemies accused him of beginning a rebellion against the king, Nehemiah refuted it and plainly told them, “you are inventing these things in your own mind.” The work continued as he inspired confidence and encouragement in the people. Soon the wall was built, the Temple was protected, and regular worship and sacrifices took place again.

When we are truly doing God’s work in the Kingdom, the enemy is almost certainly going to attack. And it tends to come in waves of strikes, usually in the form of accusations, deceptions, and even attempts at personal smears of the leadership. Opponents of the gospel will devote hard work and energy to divide and discourage the people of God, and good, godly leaders will often experience great pain and suffering. Personally, I have experienced these attacks in the past and I expect that attacks will continue to occur until glory comes. That is, as long as I am not discouraged or dissuaded from preaching Christ.

But, as we did with my last post, let’s look again at Nehemiah’s responses to his opponents. When he was attacked, Nehemiah had a response of encouragement, a word from the Word. He was angry but did not sin. Instead, he stood firm, held to the task at hand, relied on the Lord and His people, and stayed pure as he avoided temptations to sin.

His example should be your example if you are under attack. Here’s a few practical responses you can take:

  1. Run to the Word. Check your motives and walk. Don’t let the accusations have any ground for truth by being in the truth of the Scriptures.
  2. Be confident in your calling. This does not mean to be self confident, but be “God confident.” Stay reassured that God’s calling in you is going to be completed, for “he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil 1:6).
  3. Stay free of temptations and sin. Everyone is going to sin, of course, but it is vital to avoid the intentional sins which so easily plague us. Nehemiah did just that, choosing to stay pure in God’s eyes, whether avoiding sin or even more importantly, being righteously angry and not sinning. You need to be no different in your lifestyle, but when you do blow it (and you surely will) repent and do better.
  4. Respond in a godly, firm manner. The best and only response is a calm, Christ centered response that places the gospel first and ego last. Let God work it out, because, well, He will. The means to again run to God, not standing on your own strength but on His power. This also means, of course, to stay connected with the Spirit in prayer and the Word.

Hope these are useful and helpful. Let me know if you have any other takeaways from this passage.

May the Lord use you greatly, suppressing the enemy and advancing His Kingdom. To God be the glory!

Pastor Fran

Fran Trascritti bible, Devotional, ministry

Got Wolves?

This morning while reading God’s Word, I came across this passage about the opposition that Nehemiah had when trying to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem:

And next to them the Tekoites repaired, but their nobles would not stoop to serve their Lord.
Nehemiah 3:5 ESV

Here’s the background behind this text: God gave Nehemiah a clear vision to rebuild the walls, and the Lord even made a way for Nehemiah to have favor and blessings from the king to do this task. So once he came to Jerusalem, the favor continued as the people as a whole followed him. However, not all were on board.

Along with the two riff-raff opponents, Sanballat and Tobiah, the Tekoite nobles didn’t want to be a part of this work. Whether it was pride or fear as the reason for their passive aggressive behavior, we don’t know for sure, but their opposition was big enough of an issue to be mentioned here in Scripture. We can guess, however, that the nobles (who lived in Jerusalem) probably benefited in some way from the exile. These “wolves within the gates” must have thrived on the instability around them and stood much to lose if the rebuilding failed. In other words, they favored the status quo in order to be in the best position to benefit themselves. Of course, the walls and gates were completed in a short period of time, the city was secure, and Nehemiah began to reform the city spiritually and morally once the city was secured physically.

Just as wolves were among the people, we can also see this taking place at times in the church of today. These sort of wolves are named in the New Testament as “waterless clouds” (Jude 12) or even “waterless springs” (2 Peter 2:17). Jesus, of course warned of those “who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.” (Matthew 7:15, ESV). People like this are not of the Spirit but of the flesh, and they see the world through the lens of the physical and the political. They seek to place themselves first, and worst of all, they look at God’s work in the church from a worldly, fleshly perspective. Such people harm and destroy ministries and lives. And yes, they are frustrating and discouraging for these leaders, and for good reason: many a leader has fallen victim to attacks by these sort of wolves, even causing some to leave their God given calling. This should not be so.

So, what should you do? Look at Nehemiah’s example. First, he sought the Lord and His vision. Second, he sought help, brining resources and godly people to implement the plan. He ignored critics, focusing on the work in front of him and praying in the Spirit for protection. When he discerned that there were evil people trying to distract them, he moved forward, knowing that a few fleshly opponents of God’s vision cannot be allowed to hijack God’s work before them. Instead, he prayed, focused, and brought entire families to help complete the work.

And complete it they did. His laser like focus remained until the work was finished. His dependence on God led him to further reforms after the walls were completed. And most of all, Nehemiah finished well.

Finish well. Stay in the Word. Bring others with you. Stay encouraged.

Blessings,

Pastor Fran

Fran Trascritti Devotional, Jesus, Judgment Day

Be Encouraged. Get Busy.

For the Lord will not forsake his people; he will not abandon his heritage; Psalm 94:14 ESV

In Psalm 94, there is a simple question being asked, “How long would the wicked prevail?” After all, injustice is everywhere, pain rules the day, and man has inflicted evil on man each and every day.

The immediate answer is also shown in this psalm: God knows all about the injustice. Don’t forget that He was the one who made the ear and created the eye, and He sees, hears, and knows it all. He hasn’t forgotten us or forsaken us. Instead, it is a matter of His perfect timing, because one day, His full righteousness will prevail and His judgment will take place as evil is destroyed. And at that time, His people will see that He has been with them all along, guiding them until His day of redemption. So we must wait.

Yet this waiting is not easy, because this fallen world has continued to exist for a very long time! Even today, we can easily see confusion, mayhem, destruction, and death in our culture. People are getting even horribly creative with committing sin, seeking pleasure and not purpose, seeking self love and not love for God and others. They are literally doing what is right in their own eyes, and even having the audacity and lack of shame to call it good. Sweet. Perfect.

But we know better, because Christ is better. We run to Him and His Word to stay encouraged and resilient. We look to His Spirit to strengthen us, to hold on to His promises, to look for Christ’s return. We stay focused on the truth that God will have the ultimate triumph over evil, over Satan, over sin. We embrace the fact that God will restore the earth to align with His will, and we hold on to that without wavering.

Christian, remain steadfast, remember that Christ will return one day to initiate the Day of the Lord. In the meantime, be encouraged and be busy: get out there, sowing and planting, working and harvesting, waiting for the final trumpet call and the glory of Christ to appear. Don’t be inactive but be active in your faith and life. Don’t be discouraged, but be encouraged. Jesus is coming, and we have much to do until He comes. And He alone will prevail with all of His glory. Amen.

Fran Trascritti bible, Devotional, gospel

Is That You, God??

And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.” —1 Samuel 3:10 ESV

Samuel was young, inexperienced, undiscipled, even innocent in many ways. So when God spoke to him at night, well, it makes sense that he thought that it was Eli speaking to him instead of God. After all, what does the voice of God sound like anyway? And why would God speak to him?

Today, we have to look at a passage like this and wonder, does God speak today? And if He does, how does He speak? Even more, what should we do about it?

First, a quick answer is, yes He does. God spoke then and He still speaks today, primarily through the Bible. And yet though His voice is not audible as it was with the boy, Samuel, it is still loud and clear today, and it is through His Holy Spirit that the words in His Word interprets and applies on you His will for your life. In other words, God’s here, God speaks, but we need to be open to listen to His will.

So if you want to hear from God, run to His Word. Read intently and fully as you seek His wisdom, because His will is waiting to be shown and understood. After all, in Romans 12, Paul tells us that we are to be “transformed by the renewing of our minds” (verse 2) so that we can know His perfect will (3). To the willing listener, God provides guidance, direction, and encouragement, and His precepts are all you need as you develop and grow in Him. All His wisdom is there for you to taste and enjoy as you respond to His direction and will.

But listening is not just a passive exercise. God expects His servants to be open and attentive so that it leads to action. Take the example of Samuel: once he realized that it was God speaking, he got into a posture to take action. He listened and obeyed. He heard and took action. God would soon shape Him to be a powerful prophet, in many ways the last judge in Israel, the one who would eventually guide them to David, the man after God’s own heart. Listening and obedience go hand in hand.

So where are you at right now? Are you spending time each day in His Word? If not, you’re missing out, because this is primarily how God is going to speak. Second, if you are in His Word, are you obeying Him? Are you looking at your life and making sure that the sin that has entangled you is dealt with? Remember that Christ is faithful and just, powerful enough to forgive and cleanse those who come to Him in faith. He will forgive you when you turn your sin struggles over to Him.

Last, be encouraged, because God has provided you a direction to accomplish His will. Trust in that and find ways to grow in Him through good, godly servants to teach you and prepare you to serve Him fully. Take heart, because as you do join God at work, He will use you in a way that will bring Him glory. He is able!

May you be attentive to the Lord speaking into Your life, changing you as you seek to change the world!

Blessings,

Pastor Fran

Fran Trascritti Devotional, Missions, purpose

Not IF but WHEN

And Manoah said, “Now when your words come true, what is to be the child’s manner of life, and what is his mission?” Judges 13:12 ESV

Manoah, the father of Samson, did not ask the angel of the Lord out of disbelief, but out of a sincere faith. The emphasis in his question is on the word “when,” and it seems that there’s no doubt in his mind that this birth would take place. The only question was how his son would serve God in His Kingdom.

Today, God speaks primarily through His Word and in prayer. And when His Spirit prompts us that He is at work, the only possible answer is not “if” it will happen, but “when” it will occur. Our only possible response, then, is to ask how we can join Him in His work.

This is why we must treasure every moment of time that we have as a holy moment from the Lord. After all, He has allowed us to experience these things so we can use it later for His Kingdom. Even more, every gift of the Spirit is from Him, a good gift that brings Him glory. What a blessing!

So, stay in His Word. Experience the joy of His work in your life. Be ready to see Him at work and join Him. Ask not if, but when God will use you, and find ways to, out of your joy, glorify Him daily, showing love to Him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Amen.

Pastor Fran

Fran Trascritti Daily Reading, Devotional, gospel, Jesus

There’s Hope in Your Cycle of Sin.

“But whenever the judge died, they turned back and were more corrupt than their fathers, going after other gods, serving them and bowing down to them. They did not drop any of their practices or their stubborn ways.” Judges 2:19 ESV

The cycle of Judges was a constant for Israel in the post-Joshua days. The cycle looked like this: as they turned from God to sin and idolatry, God released an enemy to suppress them, then, after crying out to the Lord, God raised up a judge to rescue them. After a period of peace, the people fell to sin and the cycle repeated again and again.

From our perspective, it seems obvious: how could they not learn from their mistakes? How could they not see their sinfulness? Yet, they in their stubbornness fell again and again. They paid what seemed to be an unnecessary price for an obvious lesson, a war of the flesh that occurred multiple times over.

Of course, we are not much different in our own wars of the flesh. And this is especially confusing for believers in Christ, because although we are free from the condemnation of sin, we still struggle with it on this side of glory. Our sins are clear and obvious, and when it becomes painfully obvious, we often turn back to God, confess, feel better, then commit them again. We can fall into a constant state of a sin cycle (or Judges’ cycle), leaning on God’s grace, even abusing it by taking it for granted.

Yet Christ didn’t die for a powerless people over sin. The same power that gives us God’s grace is the same power that gives us the ability to resist the temptations in the first place. In 1 Corinthians 10:13-14, Paul wrote, (ESV) “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

Paul’s point is this: we’ve all experienced it, and for those in Christ, we have a faithful God who gives us a way to escape from the temptation. This is the same point Jesus made in Matthew 6 when He taught us to pray some simple and truthful words to the Father, “lead us not into temptation, but deliver me from evil.”

Our freedom of the sin cycle is of course, through Jesus. We have to remind ourselves that we can be conquerors over the flesh through both a true repentance and dependence on God. Through a healthy practice of confession to Him and to godly, close friends. Through a rekindled faith in the blood stained cross, the sacrifice made through Christ’s death. Through life in the power of His resurrection, a daily reliance in the power of the Holy Spirit. Through all these things that God has given to us to fight the good fight for God’s sake in our lives.

Remember, if you are in a sin cycle, there is hope. You are saved by grace through faith. Nothing else matters and nothing else means anything but the eternal life that awaits you. Hold on to that. Focus on that. Let God’s power in you help you to break free.

May the Lord speak into you to give you a true, heartfelt repentance and confession to Him. I pray that He will provide you with a true reliance on the power of His Spirit, that you are transformed by His power, keeping you in His Word, will, and way. Praying for you today!

In Christ alone,

Pastor Fran

Fran Trascritti Devotional, Jesus, Missions, purpose

What’s Your Purpose?

I call to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me. Psalm 57:2 CSB

The attribute of God’s omniscience means that He is all knowing of the past, present, and future. He is and was and will be in all events and things. God is the One who brings purpose and fulfills it through His people.

God has the ability to interact with His creation. He speaks and the world comes into being. He moves and nations are born and destroyed, lives are changed, and souls are awakened to His presence. He is in full control of His universe.

With this in mind, our purpose is wholly dependent on God. The catch is that we are called to be obedient when He gives us the opportunity to do so. Yet we must be listening. We are in many ways, to be like the boy Samuel, who responded to God’s voice: “Speak Lord, Your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:9).

This is how God works through His servants. Like a perfect symphony of movements, God works: He calls. We listen. We obey. He fulfills.

Are you listening? If not, ask Him to speak through His Word, through prayer, through godly people as it aligns with His Word. Pray like this: “Lord, Your servant is listening. Speak to me as I follow You daily to fulfill my purpose in You. Amen.”

—Pastor Fran

Fran Trascritti Devotional, intimacy

The Sting of a Friend…

We used to have close fellowship; we walked with the crowd into the house of God. Psalm 55:14 CSB

Years ago, a close friend of mine hurt me deeply. When I was my most vulnerable emotionally and mentally, this person verbally attacked me, causing me more pain and angst. It was a dark time, a difficult time, and though I have since forgiven that person, I came away with some learning lessons.

The insults of a friend turned adversary stings and stings hard. This psalm is not much different than my own situation, where a friend acted treacherously. What I found was that the pain of a strained relationship haunts and hurts, and it even affected my worship of the Lord. It took a long time and many restless nights to get through it. And that only happened when I forgave.

But what did I learn? First, forgiveness is key. This is a forgiveness that is true and authentic. After all, as believers, we are called to fellowship, to reconcile our differences. We are to forgive, not once, not twice, not seven times, but seventy times seven (or infinitely). And yes, this is hard. Very hard.

But authentic, countless forgiveness is a radical concept, even counter cultural. That’s because it’s different than the world, since the throw away culture of today tosses relationships aside like trash in the interest of self preservation. As believers, though, we must treasure relationships as blood brothers and sisters in Christ. We preserve Christ, not self. We practice peace. We extend radical forgiveness based in the Spirit and truth, something that the world doesn’t normally see or experience.

I also learned through this experience that humility toward others is essential. When I forgave, I got healthy, but even more importantly, I learned more about myself and how I probably also hurt others around me. I realized that I had my own logs in my eye. And excuse the pun, but it was eye opening, for sure!

That said, forgiveness and humility go hand in hand. Paul wrote as much in Ephesians 4:32 (ESV): “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Being reminded to forgive as Christ did is in itself a humbling experience. When we have a posture of humility, forgiveness can happen and we are (hopefully) more careful not to hurt others, and instead look out for their interests (Phil 2:4). We treat others as we want to be treated (Luke 6:31).

We can all avoid being that friend who stings. Even more, all of us can do better in forgiving others. I pray that this is helpful for you.

For me, I am starting a new ministry this Sunday. And in this new ministry, I will commit to being an example to the preservation of loving, godly relationships that glorify Christ, uplift souls, and lead to worship of the One True God. May I be a peacemaker for Jesus.

Pastor Fran

Fran Trascritti Daily Reading, Devotional

Like a Vapor…

In fact, you have made my days just inches long, and my life span is as nothing to you. Yes, every human being stands as only a vapor. Selah Psalms 39:5 CSB

Life is a vapor and time is short. When a person is young, he or she has the mindset that there is plenty of time, but those who get older know better. Yet a life with a God-centered purpose is a life worth living.

And when we think of it, we have many choices throughout our lives to do one of two things: bring people closer to God or push them away. Our words, our conduct, our actions make a difference for eternity. Every step and every decision has a ripple effect.

Is this overwhelming? Maybe. But it takes a willingness to listen to God through His Word. As we grow in our relationship with Him, we prioritize Jesus, placing His will in the middle of our lives and impacting others for God’s glory. And it’s done one step at a time.

How often do I utter a careless, selfish word when I need to tame my tongue? How often do I go the wrong path that is not God’s way? Lord, lead me well to follow You and glorify You daily!

Fran