Fran Trascritti Devotional, God's Goodness, intimacy, Seeking God

Even in the darkest of times…

And after this Job lived 140 years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, four generations. And Job died, an old man, and full of days.        —Job 42:16-17 ESV

Above all, Job finished well. His horrific physical, emotional, and mental anguish did not destroy his spiritual walk with God. Despite his counsel to the contrary, Job never cursed God, never blamed God, and he never gave up. He ran the race, and he ran it well.

At the end of the day, Job lived a life full of days. He lived 140 years beyond his episodes of misery, and he enjoyed the blessings of seeing and interacting with four generations that came after him. A life well lived, a life that serves as an example to us even today.

But it wasn’t Job’s goodness that make this end so well, it was because of the grace of a comforting, faithful God. The test Job endured was because God knew Job could endure. God’s grace was made perfect in times of Job’s weakness, and times of his strength was made because of God’s presence and power. Though it may have felt like it, God never left Job, protecting his life from the evil one, softening each blow until the right time in order to demonstrate His sovereignty and might. This is why we can say that Job ended well because of the goodness of God.

You may be going through a test of sorts. It may be the darkest of times for you. Sure, it may not be a test to the extent of Job’s, but it may feel that way. If so, let me encourage you: Rest in the comfort of the Lord, draw on His strength, cry out to Him for comfort, and trust in His power. He brings joy in the morning, light in the darkness, and hope to difficult times. He is surely with you even today so you, too, can finish well.

Pastor Fran

Fran Trascritti Devotional, intimacy

What Marriage Means

Yesterday, my wife and I celebrated 40 years of marriage.

Everything was against us when we were married those many years ago. We were young, broke, and clueless. We had no real relationship with Jesus Christ, and we were two very different people from different cultures and social upbringings. We lived on opposing sides of the country: I was a Florida boy and she a westcoaster California girl. We were opposites in every sense. But here we were, young and in love, not knowing what was next but taking steps to be together for life.

And what a life it’s been. I literally watched my wife grow up, becoming an incredibly sweet soul, one who has constantly placed others before herself, one who has devoted herself completely to her family, to me, to her Savior. She’s been an amazing example of what it means to be a Christian woman, wife, and mother. Every day, she literally lives out Peter’s words that he gave to the wives of the church:

1 Peter 3:3-4 ESV [3] Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— [4] but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.

And for me, yet, despite my imperfections, she has loved me, a man who is a flawed individual. She’s patiently made me better over the years, not for myself, but for my Lord. Her love for me has been a picture of God’s grace for me, a human snapshot of what God does always for those who are His. And through it all, she never cared what I could afford for her, but only cared that I loved her for who she is. And even when I missed the mark, she has continued to love me without conditions.

And this is what marriage means. For us to be coheirs of the Kingdom. Together. For us to be encouragers to one another, to be one flesh, to be together as husband and wife to glorify Christ. Whether in the hills and the valleys, for richer, for poorer, in sickness, and in health, we’ve been united for Jesus. Together, we remember the past, live in the present, and look with a hope to the future. One in Jesus. An example for Jesus. Pointing to Jesus. Only Jesus.

And this is our example of our marriage. I pray that we have been that example to our kids, grandkids, and extended family. To the world. 🙂

I love you, M. Teresa Trascritti. What a ride it’s been. And we’ve only just begun. ❤️

Fran Trascritti Devotional, discipline, intimacy, Seeking God

Conquering the spirit

Proverbs 16:32 ESV‬ [32] Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

There are many conquerors of cities, states, and nations, but it is a rare few who can conquer the heart. The best of men are men at best, and even the greatest of kings were deeply, tragically flawed. The world is never enough, and the temporal things of this planet never satisfy for long. And when men pursue nothing but the temporary, they will leave this world empty, lost, and miserable.

This is why this proverb is so fitting. The world can see and count successes and failures, measured by their own standard. Yet God looks at the heart, and what might appear weak to the natural spirit is first in the Kingdom.

So how do your conquer your lawless spirit? It might seem easy to say that it’s about discipline. Yet self-control is impossible if not for God’s sanctifying work. In fact, self-control is the last fruit of the Spirit, a life long effort of focus, submission, and finally, surrender. Your spirit must submit to the Spirit.

Our loss of self-control is directly tied to our distance from God. When we draw hear to Him, He brings us close, but when we shut our eyes and ears to His workings, He keeps us at a distance, free to be disciplined by the fallen world, pressed until we return to His goodness, grace, and mercy.

You are more than a conqueror, turn to the Master of Your soul. Draw close to Him as you let go of the things of this world. Let God do His work as You seek first His Kingdom.

In Him,

Pastor Fran

Fran Trascritti culture, Devotional, discipleship, discipline

Men without Chests

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭16:13‬ ‭ESV‬‬, “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”

C.S. Lewis wrote that we are stuck in a tragi-comedy, a world where morals and virtue are not taught but expected, where ethics are relative to the eye of the beholder. What was true in his day is even more true today.

He wrote:

In a sort of ghastly simplicity we remove the organ and demand the function. We make men without chests and expect of them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honour and are shocked to find traitors in our midst. We castrate and bid the geldings be fruitful. —Lewis, The Abolition of Man, pp. 35-37.

Our world is in need of men. Real men. Men who know the Word and step out to change the world. Men who stand for life, for their families, who think not about themselves but the ones they are called to care for. Men who are men indeed, who lead with love and love those they lead. Men with chests.

This is where the church needs to step up. Men who are being discipled to disciple others. Men who are developed, who serve Jesus well, who stand for truth and express love in a balance that is seen in Jesus. Men who become our pastors, deacons, husband’s, and fathers. Men who change lives.

This is the cornerstone of our ministry at Beacon. We have opportunities to grow, to study in the Word personally and collectively. We have shifted to be all about making disciples of men and of women and to be a light to the community around us. As we grow more, we serve more, reach more, and teach more. We can change the world when we do this faithfully and with patience.

I’m excited to be at Beacon Church, yet we’re only getting started. Pray for us as we seek to make men with chests who live and love unselfishly, as we reach Cincinnati and beyond with the gospel.

—Pastor Fran

Fran Trascritti Devotional

Help is Here (a devotional for the heart)

Romans‬ ‭8:26‬ ‭ESV‬‬, “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”

Too deep from words.

The one who desires Christ but constantly suffers from the sins of the flesh is not beyond saving. The powers of sin over the individual is not sealed. It’s not permanent. The human is not beyond despair. There is no sin greater than His grace.

When a person sees the sinfulness of the flesh, the work of Christ, and the power of the Spirit, that individual has to only step out to submit. The Spirit at work inside him takes over, praying, groaning, convicting, and working in the heart to bring victory to a dark place. O, wretched soul, it is the Lord who saves you, who changes you: nothing else!

Yet we must submit. Our heart, our mind, our soul, should all be ready to let God be sovereign, let Christ be Savior, and let the Spirit work. It is the Trinitarian God that does the saving and more. It is the sanctifying work of the Spirit which makes us to be more and more like Jesus.

O God, You are King. Make us to live for You, in You. Amen.

Pastor Fran

Fran Trascritti bible, Devotional, gospel

Who are you trying to please, anyway?

Photo credit: https://unsplash.com/@gunnarro

It was a normal day in the life of King Herod, who was known as a consummate politician. But when he gave the command to slay James, the leader of the newest Jewish sect, The Way, by the sword, he didn’t expect was such a special reaction from his former critics, the Jewish leaders. As a result, he did more to please them even more:

...and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread.
Acts 12:3, ESV


What do we make of this? First, Herod was a slave to adulation from the people. He did anything that he could to earn this admiration, and killing James gave him extra points with the Jewish leaders who opposed Christ. As a result, he arrested Peter to earn more loyalty. He even did it during an important festival, the Festival of Unleavened Bread.

In contrast, Peter had a different view and result: his preaching and ministry was met with vile hatred by the leaders, and he was jailed multiple times for this, including this time. Yet he did not quit preaching Christ.

Ultimately, each man lived radically different and had different outcomes. Peter was freed, able to preach the gospel and share the story of Jesus to many people. Herod, well, he was quickly destroyed, eaten up by worms for accepting the false worship of his followers. This egotistical, power hungry false god fell short, destroyed by the God of the universe that he opposed.

Today, there are many temptations to please people and follow the crowd. It’s common to want to be well liked by people, even to be popular. This is true for anyone, no matter how old or how young the person may be. This can cause people to do things that are man centered instead of being God centered, including compromising truth. And while truth should be shared in love, truth should not be compromised, and truth cannot be changed to avoid hurting a relationship or worse, to be vainly admired by people.

Let’s remember the lesson of Herod: Our goal is to live, love, and walk in a way that pleases God, and sometimes in a fallen world that conflicts with the way of people. Yet we must be faithful, being careful to love and to speak truth. Because above all, God is the One that we please, and God is the One to glorify.

May God be honored with our lives, words, and actions!

Pastor Fran

Fran Trascritti Devotional

No Fear

The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?
Psalm 118:6, ESV

Photo credit: Valim Bogulov
on Unsplash

No power in the universe can ever overcome the power of God Himself. God’s work to accomplish His will can move mountains and change eternity. This is why no weapon can stand against Him, no barrier can prevent His will from occurring, and no force can overcome the one who trusts in Him.

If you are struggling with fear in your life, also remember this truth: in Christ, we are more than conquerors. We are coheirs of a land that we already own, because of God has given His eternal destination to His own as a rich blessing. Our future is secure when we in Christ are secure in Him.

The fact is that when we worry, it’s more a matter of being about us than being about Him. For example, when we fear, we obsess over our own insecurities rather than focus on the secure mercy of the God over all. When we are in anguish over the things of this world, we forget and cease thinking of the heavenly, uplifting, and edifying things.

Instead, the key to overcoming your fear is to refocus your heart and vision on Him. God gave you His Spirit, so listen to Him. God gave you His perfect love, so rest in it. After all, if perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18), run to God’s amazing love! Dig into His Word, spend time alone with Him, draw near to Him, make God your priority in your heart and mind. And as you do these things, the peace, the encouragement, and the glory of God’s grace will be revealed to you, no matter what the challenge may be in your life at this moment.

Do not fear, for He is with you.

Pastor Fran

Fran Trascritti Devotional, Thirsty Thursdays

Trust God. Even Now.

He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong.” Mark 12:27 ESV

God lives. He’s not a dead idol carved out of wood or stone, covered with gold or silver. He’s not a far off ethereal substance that never existed, so there’s no further interaction with the universe.

No. Instead, God is alive. He exists in three persons. He’s the creator and sustainer of all things. He is outside of time (transcendent) and is within time (immanent). And through Him, man received His breath of life.

And because of God’s unique nature, He is involved in our lives. He changes the course of history. He advances His Kingdom. And yes, He affects us. Deeply. Personally. Eternally.

So when we worry about the immediate, we forget about His attributes, His nature, His love for us. We fail to grasp that He is for us, that He knows the outcome of where we are in life, and that has already worked even these things for His glory.

Don’t miss this. God is the God of the living. He is alive. He is active. He is changing you to be more like His Son. No matter what you are feeling, thinking, and struggling with, He is here, present, ready to walk with you as you face whatever challenge is before you.

Trust God. Even Now.

Pastor Fran

Fran Trascritti Devotional, God's Goodness, gospel, Jesus, salvation, Thirsty Thursdays

The Great Rescue Story

Or do you think that I cannot call on my Father, and he will provide me here and now with more than twelve legions of angels? Matthew 26:53, ESV

It could have been a great rescue story of the Son. He could have called 35,000, 45,000, even 50,000 or more angels to remove Himself from the grasp of His accusers. Jesus could have avoided all of this pain, the mockery, the beatings, the crown of thorns. He could have been rescued from it all.

But this was not the rescue story of Jesus. It was the rescue story of the world.

Jesus made it clear that He was saving us willingly, righteously, and zealously. He willingly endured the hatred, strife, pain, mockery, and even torture at the hands of the Jewish and Roman leaders. He willingly exchanged His sinlessness for our sin, His punishment for our benefit, His death for our life. Jesus did it for us, we who were the ones who placed Him on the cross, we who rebelled against God, sinned against Him, He did it for us. Willingly.

But why? Because of His great love for us. He loved us, so He willingly went to the cross to save us.

He died. We lived.

He suffered. We triumphed.

He was held captive. We became more than conquerors.

Because of Jesus, you have been rescued.

And through faith in Him comes no condemnation, no death, no loss of life.

In Christ, you are rescued. Freedom. Forever.

Pastor Fran

Fran Trascritti Daily Reading, Devotional

This is How We Fight Our Battles

With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people took confidence from the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. 2 Chronicles 32:8 ESV

When Sennacharib attempted to invade Jerusalem, Hezekiah made ready his defenses. He stopped up the springs, he repaired the wall and built an extra wall, and he mustered the men of the city. Yet, ultimately, in the face of an overwhelming enemy, Hezekiah trusted in the Lord through prayer and supplication.

What happened next was nothing short of miraculous. An angel went into the camp of the Assyrian army and destroyed hundreds of thousands of men. In disgrace, Sennacharib returned to Assyria, and was soon killed by his own sons. The threat was removed and Hezekiah and the people of Judah got to watch God do it all, and He did it for His glory.

What Hezekiah realized and what we can see now is that the battles of earth go beyond the physical. The enemies of God, after all, only see and fight in the physical world, while God does battle in a much greater realm. And no earthly power would ever overtake the armies of the Lord.

Even more, our battles are not just in the flesh. The enemies of God in the spiritual world are on the attack as well. This is why we must fight a spiritual battle with a spiritual army, putting on the armor of God and relying on the Spirit of God to fight for us. The battle, after all, belongs to the Lord!

Praise God, that though we are weak, God is strong. Though we fail, God never fails. Though we get weary and tired, God remains ever vigilant.

Trust in God in complete faith. Let Him be your shield, your plate of armor, and your sword for battle. Abide in Him and His Word of truth. He will be your shield and strength.

This is how we fight our battles.

Pastor Fran