Tag Archives: life

Devotional, ministry

I was once stuck on a Rollercoaster.

Leave a comment

I was once stuck on a rollercoaster. Backwards. In an almost vertical position. And what I thought was fun was not. Nope, not at all.

The people around me on the coaster car started to groan, first in a reaction to the delay, but then quickly groaned impatient ones as the minutes ticked by. We waited, hopeful that the unexpected expected drop would begin, but instead there we were, stuck, with blood beginning to rush to each of our heads. More impatient groaning. Now some cursing ensued (no, not me, from others). We can hear the clicking of the coaster resetting itself, but still nothing. So we waited. And waited. And waited some more. Backwards, at a steep angle, hoping that a change in our circumstances won’t take too long.

Suddenly, after what seemed like hours (it was only a few minutes), the coaster let off a loud click and it finally started up again. The potential energy of our hanging backwards in the almost vertical position was finally released (as designed). We dropped quickly down the track, still backwards, going down each slope and around each curve, not knowing what each next turn will bring. The groans became screams of joy, a happy terror, and after a thrilling rest of the ride, the journey on the coaster was soon over.

It was fun and at times, not fun, but either way, it was an experience!

Life sometimes has delays, slopes, curves, and unexpected surprises. There’s groans, screams, laughter, tears, thrills, and plenty of memories. We might be able to predict to a certain extent of what’s next but we definitely can’t predict the far-off future with a level of certainty. Only God knows the future, controls the future, and plans the future.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “There is an occasion for everything, and a time for every activity under heaven.” We have a finite amount of time and a whole life of experiences, and we don’t ever know what the future will bring. I mean, who would have been believed if they were to say a year ago that a worldwide pandemic would shut down nations, drive people indoors, and cause so much destruction? No one. And no, not even Bill Gates.

Our future is in God’s hands. David wrote that all of our days were written in God’s book, “planned before a single one of them began” (Ps 139:16). We don’t know the roller coaster that we are on, but we know the God who knows every twist and turn. And ultimately, when we devote our lives, our time, our gifts, and our passions to Him, we can be guaranteed that we will not be lost, but will be right where He wants us.

Fran

culture, Devotional, gospel

The Dark Side of Facebook: How to Redeem It

Leave a comment

Facebook, as we all know, has a dark side. In fact, it’s interesting to see how destructive it can be. We can all cite multiple examples of over dramatic, overindulgent attention seekers who want nothing more than to get “likes” or even “loves” to their postings.

FB cross outPersonally, I’ve seen people create fake realities on Facebook that in no way resembled their reality. I’ve counseled married couples in which one or the other engaged in an adulterous affair with an old flame that they became friends with on social media. I’ve seen countless debates over the issues of the day, multiple shares of “fake” news (the Babylon Bee is NOT a real news site, people), and drama, drama, and more drama over situations so they could try their case in the court of Facebook opinion. Selfies rule the day, and for some, selfies brutally altered by filters are, well pathetic. And, yes, whether it’s the snarkiness of Twitter or the drama of Facebook or anything else pertaining to social media, it’s ugly, it’s awful, and it’s, well, just not really social.

Yet I can’t help but want to dig deeper to find out the reason for this continuous move to the dark side by so many on social media platforms. And when you look at it, the true root cause, the core issue, is because we naturally desire to be fulfilled in something other than God. We are idolaters, fallen and depraved, lost without Christ. All of our self-righteousness, justification, name changes, and even new filtered images of ourselves will not change anything about us in our nature and our corrupt desire tries to replace God with a god. What we find, however, is that nothing will satisfy us, ever, except what we can get in our satisfaction in Christ.

This is why anything we touch, we have the potential to destroy it. That’s what sin does, it corrupts, and we need to remember that without Christ we are “children of wrath” (Eph 2:3) rather than God. Our nature comes back from time to time and fools us, wrecking our lives. This is why we can “play church,” or act as if everything is “fine” when it isn’t, because phony is easier to deal with than our harsh reality of our depravity. Our brokenness, then causes us to put on masks wherever we are, whether on social media or in front of others in real life. And the only way to mend this broken state is through a true, deep, growing, commitment to the truths of the gospel. We must have a committed relationship with the Savior of our souls.

And the gospel is where it begins. The life-changing power of the gospel of Jesus Christ will transform your thinking and your desires. You desire the things of Christ, not the things of the earth. This is how I believe that social media can be redeemed, not for the sake of being known, but so Christ can be made known in you. To be real on social media is refreshing, to be patient and kind in an anonymous environment is, well, unexpected these days. Jesus told us in Luke 9:23, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.” Maybe it’s time to kill that temptation for fakeness and honor Christ even in this environment instead.

Fran

culture, Jesus, ministry, Pastors

Relief is coming

Leave a comment

This morning, I continued my reading through Nehemiah and one thing that stuck out to me was his complete dependence on prayer. When he dared to approach the king of Persia, he prayed. When people tried to discourage him, he sent up a short prayer. When he saw injustices by the nobles towards the people of Jerusalem, he prayed a simple prayer that he is righteous with God and not self righteous. And when he called the people out on their sinfulness, he prayed a long prayer of confession and repentance. Nehemiah was one of the most successful leaders of his time and his prayers to the Lord are consistently recorded. The prayers were often nothing fancy, but they were usually simple, direct, and meaningful to his situation on a daily basis.

Even more, we can see how much he depended on God’s leading through his time in prayer. Praying for him was like breathing. As he prayed, God led, and as God led, he followed in prayerful obedience. As others attacked verbally and politically, he stayed focused and firm on the calling God had burdened on his heart. His principled leadership was only going to move in a different direction IF God moved him. Nothing more, nothing less. Either way, he knew that as he followed God, relief was coming to him in some way, shape, or form.

photo-1448550603489-a7e43b0da4d2Today, we have church leaders all over who are facing attacks. Some attacks have come from persecution and through threats. Others have come from some of the supposed sheep of the flocks they shepherd. I too have experienced this sort of man-centered garbage, yet I know that any response less than biblical is amounting to repaying evil with evil. Pastor, leader, deacon, friend, don’t respond with evil, respond to evil with good. Relief is coming, and it’s coming through the workings of the Lord.

You have a calling that God has burdened on your heart. Stay focused, stay firm, and stay prayerful constantly. The greatest tool you have is not your own words of wisdom or cunning man-centered politics, but your dependence on the One who fights your battles for you. Relief is coming, relief to continue your calling as you fight the battle for the souls of men. Stay encouraged, my friend!

Fran

culture, Devotional, gospel

What Does God Even Want??

Leave a comment

As I have enjoyed moving from winter to spring, I have been thinking a whole lot lately about the way that God has revealed Himself to us over the time line from His Creation to His New Heaven and New Earth. One question comes to mind: as we know God, what does He want from us? Let me explain…

He began with His general revelation, that is, the heavens and the earth. He spoke to and through the patriarchs, gave the Torah to Moses, and corrected the people of God through the Prophets. Finally, God spoke through Himself incarnate in the person of Jesus, followed by His Spirit-breathed Words from the Apostles and the early church. And what is remarkable is that every time He spoke, He spoke of the gospel, that grace from Him that is available to us all. The world and the Word reveals the glory of God! What a wonderful thought!

So what does this mean for you and me? Again, what does God want? Well, it means this:

  • Even though we cannot see Him fully, God desires our obedience.
  • Even though we may not understand Him fully, God desires our obedience.
  • Even though we are unable to live life Christ fully, God desires our obedience.

Get the picture? The key is that God wants us to operate on what we know. Jesus said,

“From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, even more will be expected” (Luke 12:48).

tom-ezzatkhah-103592-unsplash

We grow, and we obey even more with that in mind. We grow more, and we are expected to do more. It’s called sanctification, and this is an important part of being a follower of Jesus.

So grow. Grow in the Word, in prayer, in serving, and in sharing your faith in a real way.  And remember, as you go into worship this weekend, take what you hear and see and follow Him even more. Let His light shine from you to others as a sweet sacrifice of praise to Him. And as you do that, He will get all the glory!

Have a great Sunday!

Fran

 

discipline, Family

4 Lifehacks to Form Good Habits

Leave a comment

I never got it. I tried and tried and tried to learn how to juggle, but I. Just. Couldn’t. Do. It. photo-1502144696405-e84600828d73

For those of you who are able to do it, well good for you. But me, I just can’t seem to juggle anything- whether handkerchiefs, pins, or (gulp!) swords.  I’m told that to juggle, that it’s all about muscle control and concentration. Easier said than done, I guess.

I write this because there’s a spiritual application here. For example, I think that we all want to be healthy, effective, and God-glorifying in our lives. And to do that, we need to develop godly habits to help us to grow and stretch in our walk in Christ. Yet, I know, sometimes it’s like juggling, or spinning plates, or herding cats. It’s just hard.

But it’s not impossible. This is the time of year when New Year resolutions (remember those?) have long since been gone and guilt or denial has set in because we often missed the mark. It might have been goals spiritually, physically, socially, or something else, but it didn’t happen.

Now, I’m not writing this as a guilt trip but as an encouragement. You see, large goals cannot be done unless small, short term changes are made. I would even submit that this begins with your relationship with God, that it is to be growing and flourishing. Therefore, your time with God comes first, then the other areas can follow. When we are thankful for Christ and His goodness, then other things help work together as a way to worship him. Paul the Apostle wrote, for example, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thess 5:18).

So be thankful, and as you approach life with that in mind, consider these four lifehacks you might want to use to form good habits on a daily basis:

  1. Start with a quiet time. I know that this is difficult to maintain for some, but this is an essential to your day. There are some great resources available to you from LifeWay where you can go deep in your study. I even recommend using electronic resources such as the YouVersion Bible app, where you and a group of friends can go through short devotions together.
  2. Schedule exercise and log food. Your physical health is key to a happier, effective day. Put exercise in your calendar and stick to it, and log your meals on an app like Noom, MyFitnessPal, or another program. And by the way, some exercise (even 15-20 minutes) is better than no exercise.
  3. Keep track of your spending. Yep. That discipline is also important. I live by the 80-10-10 rule. I save 10 percent, give 10 percent (or more), and live on the 80 percent. I use apps to help me keep track of my spending and I try to watch where I am on an ongoing basis.
  4. Reevaluate your long term goals. You need to have goals in your life to remain on task. Whatever your goals are, write them down and revisit them every month on the same day. It’s a good thing to check your progress that your short term habits are going in the direction you want to go.

Most of all, have fun. Fun should come in whatever you do. When you have fun, you’ll be more relaxed, effective, and God glorifying. It doesn’t have to be a stressful set of tasks and it’s not impossible (like juggling is to me!). Try these and see what they can do for you. And if you have any other ideas, share them here.

In Christ,

Fran

discipline, gospel, ministry

The Breakfast of Champions

Leave a comment

I had a friend who loved to say years ago that “feedback is the breakfast of champions.” He was and is right- but to get good feedback is to become very, very vulnerable. In fact, it takes a good deal of humility to receive honest critiques of the state of things all around you, even about you. It’s common and natural, in fact, to be defensive when hearing some things that might even be less than desirable. This is because pride, ego, and even fear keeps us from hearing the sometimes painful truth. We shut it down because we don’t want to be brought down. 

However, Dr. Eric Geiger put it well when he wrote,

“Feedback fuels your leadership development. It helps you adjust what needs to be adjusted, builds confidence, and confirms areas of strength. Without feedback, your growth as a leader is stunted” (https://ericgeiger.com/2017/04/take-responsibility-for-your-own-feedback/).

baseball

Basically put, you need feedback, and in fact, this only makes you better. Take one example from a sport that I love, baseball. A pitcher cannot possibly develop by only relying on his raw talent. He must be coached, analyzed, pushed, guided, and pushed even more. Those who respond to critiques from pitching coaches and more experienced players have a better chance of success. The best pitchers are the best listeners. Good feedback is how champions are built. 

Paul wrote in 1 Cor 9:24, “Don’t you know that the runners in a stadium all race, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way to win the prize” (CSB). Strive to be better, run the race with all you got, and keep your eyes on Jesus. If it’s all about Him, then feedback from someone you trust only makes you better for an eternal purpose.

Until He comes,

Fran

Devotional, salvation, Thirsty Thursdays

…SDRAWKCAB

1 Comment

Ez 37:3, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I replied, “Lord God, only You know.” 

The entire scope of the Word of God was written so that you can see God’s story as one big act of grace. Yet we often don’t get that and reduce faith to do’s and don’ts, right and wrongs, and even shrink theological concepts to something that might fit on a bumper sticker (see WWJD). Even worse, when the Ten Commandments are seen and studied, there’s a sense that this is what one must do to be a “good” follower. Is this true?

Well, yes and no. The truth is, most have it backwards. Often, people look at the Ten Commandments (or the Beatitudes, Great Commandment, Great Commission, etc.) as the bar to strive for, when God meant it to be the opposite. Rather than simply raising the bar of the Law so that you and I can strive for and achieve it, God raised the bar so you and I can rest in the One who can. God’s grace is magnified in your failures, His strength is made perfect in your weakness.

boat-2333648_640Look at Peter walking on water. Could he have done this without Jesus? Not at all. But when He was focused on Jesus, even running to Jesus, Jesus made the impossible, possible. This same work of grace happened much later when 3000 came to Christ in Acts 2, or when the beggar was healed in Acts 3, or when Peter was released in prison in the chapters beyond.

The same for your salvation and daily walk. When you rest in the One who calls you, He gives you daily strength to do greater things in Him than you could ever do without Him. Rather than striving to fit some legalistic imperative in Him, then, how about doing all as an act of worship first, then let the work of the Spirit change you from the inside out?

You might have gotten it backwards. Don’t worry, repent and be restored. He’s got this. Your dry bones can live again.

Fran

Devotional, Jesus, Judgment Day

5 Reasons why Jesus is Better Than the World 

Leave a comment

Just a few words on why Jesus is always going to be better than what the world offers:

  1. He created the world and all in it (Gen 1:1, John 1:1-4, Col 1:16-17) 
  2. He loves the world (John 3:16, 1 John 4:9)
  3. He died for the sins of the world (Rom 5:8, 1 John 2:2)
  4. He will return again (Isaiah 62:11, Matt 24:30, Rev 22:12 & 20) 
  5. His glory will be forever (1 Cor 15:57, 1 John 5:12-13, Rev 21:7)

    There’s no comparison to the empty, 
    temporary things of the world. Remember that as you go about your day. 

    Be blessed, 

    Fran Trascritti 

    Devotional, God's Goodness

    When You Walk in the Desert…

    1 Comment

    He not only was old, he felt old. This man, crazy by some accounts, faithful by others, had set on this long journey to a land he had not seen yet. His throat parched, his skin burning, and his eyes stinging from the dry, dusty land, the old man still pressed. He remained steadfast through this desert journey.  

    desert-43209_640And not only him, but his family, too. After all, everything went with him on this journey. His youthful-looking wife with her soft skin and sparkling eyes gave a slight smile which encouraged him along the way. The familiar sounds of goats and camels trodding along helped him to remember that his possessions were still secure. His servants, faithful to him as he had taken them in as his family, stayed by his side. He took them all in pursuit of this call he once heard. 


    It was those words that he had heard which still kept him on this journey, the words that this     voice had once said:

    “Go out from your land, your relatives,
    and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.”

    These words were a powerful change of direction for his life, but doubt has begun to creep in. He left his moon god worship of his ancestors to follow this new voice, but did he hear Him correctly? He couldn’t help but wonder, was this really God? Day after day, week after week, cycles of thinking, pondering, doubting, wondering, and then more waiting took place while he walked. He tried to be patient, to wait for the next revelation, to receive the direction to stop once he reached the right place, but would he ever get there? Would he ever stop wondering? Yet his journey continued because there was no turning back now. 

    Today, you might be wondering, waiting, and even doubting about God’s direction for your life. You may be having doubts and fears of what took place of what could have been. But be encouraged: just as the Creator chose Abraham (then Abram) for a specific place and time, so has God chosen you (Jn 15:19). If you remain faithful to Him, He will bring clarity to a cloudy time (1 Cor 1:4-9).

    It’s clear from Scripture that everyone who is in Christ is called to a particular purpose in Him (Rom 8:28-30). Therefore, don’t lose heart. What Christ has started, He will finish, and what He has guided you to do, He will equip you. You might not understand why you are where you are, but He is strong and powerful enough to shower you with grace as you trust Him for your journey.

    Stay strong, stay faithful, stay humble, and stay focused. Whatever desert you might be walking in now will result in a testimony of His grace in the future. To God be the glory!

    In Christ,

    Pastor Fran

    Devotional, ministry

    Four Ways to Connect with God: 4) Love with All Your Mind

    Leave a comment

    How do you grow in your love for God? Sure, love Him with your heart, soul, and strength, but what about loving Him with your mind?

    It’s more than simple mental assent, to know the facts about Jesus, to understand the basics, to hold dear the concepts of the essential and even non-essential doctrines. But is this love? Hardly. Studying without heartfelt application is an academic exercise, not much different than the Pharisees of Jesus’ day or those that Paul explains in Rom 1 who “suppress the truth in their unrighteousness.”

    There is a sense, however, of knowing and doing God’s will. Romans 12:2 (ESV) says,

    “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

    We love God by being transformed by what we know of God to understand the perfect book-623163_640will of God. This means that bible study is to be applied for His Kingdom’s sake. We grow to show ourselves approved to Christ. We do this as a daily sacrifice to glorify Him.

    So read the Word, study it, devour it in fact, and always apply this not for the sake of knowledge, but for a greater glory in Christ.

    Until next time,

    Pastor Fran