Fran Trascritti God's Goodness

Putting on the Full Armor of God

Eph 6:18 (NASB), “With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints…”

This week has honestly been one of the hardest weeks of my life. Without getting into the details, my wife and I have been shedding tears in praying for a solution to a crisis. We ceased to eat at times, cried spontaneously at others, dreamed dreams about it, got angry, got numb, even tried to put it out of our minds, and nothing has seemed to work. It feels like our life has completely changed since last weekend, and in many ways, it has felt like a death has occurred in our family.

Yet, in God’s great love and provision, He has given us a gift: a wonderful church family. Last night, my church gathered to pray for me, my wife and our family. I began the night by saying that this was not about me, but it was all about Christ and His Kingdom, and my wife and I felt like we should pray for other families as well. However, my church recognized the trials that we were undergoing were spiritual trials, and that the enemy is the source of this spiritual warfare. Satan and his demons will attack God’s people with fiery darts wherever he can, and the collateral damage that we have been feeling in this crisis is only a taste of how evil the devil is. Satan, after all, seeks to kill and destroy (John 10:10a).

Yet, God is greater! What we experienced last night was one of the most amazing, incredible outpourings of love that we have ever felt from a church. For an hour and a half, we had person after person laying hands on us, praying for us, crying for us, and interceding for us. In the middle of a month in which many churches celebrate “Pastor Appreciation Month,” there was no greater way that I have felt appreciated than last night. We experienced love in action by our church family, our blessed family, forever bonded to us by the blood of Jesus!

We feel that we have fully put on the full armor of God and are ready for battle against Satan and his minions. If God is for us, who can be against us? The gates of Hell cannot and will not prevail, and the trials of today will only mean more glory for God tomorrow. I pray that this lesson that I learned from my church will apply to you: be honest about your battles with one another, care for one another, and most of all, love one another with a fervent heart. And know this: whatever your trial, God is always going to provide His Word, His way, His people, but most of all (and without fail), His presence.

Be blessed,

Pastor Fran

Fran Trascritti Fran's Poems, God's Goodness, Jesus, salvation

A Prayer for the Prodigal Son

Dear Lord, I bow to You with all I have for this dear child,
My salty tears, my soul bitter and torn, I pray for this lost soul.

The truth has been taught, the love shown, and the life lived, though none of this seems to matter.
None of this has appeared to make a difference.

This soul has left, gone far from the land you have provided.
Covered in sin, focused on self, blinded by the god of this world.

Withering away in turmoil, this child suffers from the evil arrows.
Yet pride works, pleasure imprisons, and this soul wanders without aim.

Shake this earth, Lord, and bring this child home!
Home to the narrow path, the righteous path, the only path.

The examined life worth living
is only worth living in You.

And I will run at the sight of this child, yes, I will run to this soul!
I will embrace while trembling, I will open my home!

I will sing of Your purpose, I will shout of your grace, I will be humbled before You!
I will praise Your victory over sin’s effects, over the turmoils of life!

You are the God of light, the God of love, the God of salvation!
You are the God of a hope and a future!

You have made the difference, O Lord, You have mattered!
To live is Christ, and I know that Your love and truth reigns!

I praise You now with a renewed hope, an awe with tears of joy!
Dear Lord, I bow to You with all I have for this dear child!

See Luke 15:11-32

Fran Trascritti Devotional, God's Goodness, Jesus, ministry, Missions

The Love Chapter

1 Corinthians 13 is known by many as the “love chapter.” Often, when I perform weddings, I get requests for someone to read this passage in the service. It’s a wonderful passage, and it can be applied to marriage, parenting, anything in life, but the original intent was within the context of the church. Watch this awesome video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8F9_A7XIU6k

Life as the church is a life of love- we are better together! God has preordained His church of His people to good works, ministry that we do once we are His.

We begin with love, we share with truth, and we live with joy.

How are you loving others this week?

Pastor Fran

Fran Trascritti Devotional, God's Goodness

Devotion: Comfort in the Midst of Crisis

2 Corinthians 1:3-5, “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort.  He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.  For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ.”

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When tragedy strikes, people need comfort. Sometimes people need hugs, words of kindness, a smile, a tear, or just a sympathetic ear. There’s something to be said about the power of encouragement, as the loving presence of a loved one can change another’s overall outlook for hours, days, or even years.

Yet there is a greater comfort that is available for Christians: the comfort of the Holy Spirit. The Bible says that if you are a believer and are hurting, He groans, He prays, He brings peace to you. Comfort, true permanent comfort, is found through the healing touch, the cool refreshing water of the Holy Spirit. It is an internal joy that comes from Him, knowing that although the situation seems impossible and the hurt seems limitless, the presence of God is still with you.

King David wrote in Psalm 30:5 that “weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.” There is a joy promised, a hope before you, and a love around you. It may not feel like that right now, but God is surely with you, never to leave nor forsake you, never to forget your pain. Remember this as you suffer through the pain found in this fallen world.

May the power of God’s love surround you, and may the comfort of the Holy Spirit be with you in this time!

Pastor Fran

Fran Trascritti God's Goodness

“Thank you, God, for taking my truck.”

It could have been worse. Much worse. A few weeks ago, I gave my son my truck keys and offered to let him use it to go to the store. His van was covered in snow and was parked in front of my other son’s car. I was glad to loan my truck for a few minutes, and we even watched our granddaughter while he and his wife went to get some food.

No more than five minutes passed when I received a phone call: “someone pulled in front of us,” he screeched. “I didn’t even see her… the truck is wrecked.”

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I quickly got down to the scene of the accident and saw what he meant. Of course, it was very clear that the accident was not in any way his fault. The truck was surely going to be totaled, but I was worried more about the other driver and them. Thankfully, no one was seriously hurt.

As I later reflected on the accident, I continued to remind myself of several things:
   1- Everyone was fine
   2- I was fully insured
   3- Trucks can be replaced

However, one thing stood out above all else: when I was at the scene of the accident, one of the police officers told me plainly that if they were in something other than a big truck like mine, they probably would have been hurt. For that, I praise God.

Soon, my prayers to God over this has been to thank Him for taking my truck and saving my family from harm. God always knows better than us, and maybe, just maybe, this whole chain of events occurred so He has a new testimony of His providence and provision. If so, I thank God for that!

Psalm 138:7, “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life.”