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 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, 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