Local Church St. Pete Podcast

Will 2021 be the year of slowing down to hear God’s voice? Of listening, without moving on too quickly? How do we even do that? Where do we start? How do we know what to listen for? 1 Samuel 3 is the ancient story of God’s patient voice breaking through the noise of that day and finding someone with the humility to say “I’m ready to listen.”

The origin, intention, and guidelines for work as a follower of Jesus.

The whole world is waiting. Waiting for this pandemic to end, waiting for a vaccine, waiting for things to get “back to normal”. Waiting can be painful at times. The silence, the unknown, the lack of control. Then there’s the temptation to let our imaginations run wild with “what if” scenarios. A month after Jesus’ birth we’re introduced to two people who had been waiting a very long time - waitin...

An ancient prophecy that brings hope to every human heart. A poetic announcement of a great light for those in deep darkness - a light that brings freedom from burdens, deliverance from oppression, and a joy that can’t be lost. In these days of increasing isolation and despair, how can we experience this light? The answer to that is what Christmas is all about.

No one likes it when the power goes out. No lights, no AC, no internet. We eagerly wait for the power company to send a truck with the necessary person to get us up and going. Jesus told his disciples to wait for The Spirit, when he comes he will give them the necessary power they need. The Spirit still gives power and abilities to highlight Jesus and strengthen others – everything we need to get...

Presence matters. Whether you’re in trouble, could use some encouragement, or simply need a friend to talk with - there’s nothing better than having someone right there with you. That person’s presence brings life and strength you otherwise wouldn’t experience. In the same way, the presence of The Spirit brings life and strength, enabling followers of Jesus to live in a way that reflects the chara...

Is The Spirit an impersonal power or force, something to harness and control on the level of an “it” or “thing”? Or is The Spirit more personal and powerful than we could have imagined? Many people come from a background where The Spirit was overly emphasized or abused, while others have neglected to talk about it altogether. The Bible describes The Spirit as God’s personal presence with us and fo...

What do we do when loneliness, depression, anxiety, and fear are winning? What do we do when God seems far away? Psalm 42-43 is a refreshingly honest song about a troubled soul. Troubled by his own thoughts, complaining about the actions of others, frustrated with his circumstances, and questioning God in the midst of it all. If you’ve ever found yourself in a battle between faith and feelings, th...

Local stories are stories of God's grace at work in the lives of those who are a part of Local Church St. Pete. We want to highlight his activity and celebrate his grace. 

What are things in life you’re absolutely sure of? Maybe it’s your commitment to your children, love for your spouse, the responsibility you have at work or the sobering reality that one day you will die. The apostle John is writing about things followers of Jesus can know for sure with 100% certainty. He knows that certainty of life in Jesus produces new boldness and freedom before God, and a new...

I love a movie that ties things together in the end. The main character either solves a mystery or defeats a dark force of some kind in a way that surprises everyone. The Apostle John is starting to tie it all together - everything he’s said up to this point. We’re left staring at overcomers of a dark and corrupt power, who overcome in a way that surprises everyone.

Where do you run for refuge when things get crazy? What or who is safe and home? John wants us to see that those who follow Jesus find their home and refuge in God. If God is our home, our life will be changed by His love. We will be marked by love. By sincerity. By confidence in God.

Local stories are stories of God's grace at work in the lives of those who are a part of Local Church St. Pete. We want to highlight his activity and celebrate his grace.

Remember live concerts? Going to hear your favorite band with hundreds, maybe even thousands of other people? At the end of the show, after the band exits the stage, everyone’s hoping they come back to play one more song, the encore. Psalm 145 is the last of King David’s songs and I can’t think of a more appropriate way for the greatest songwriter in the Bible to end things. It’s like his encore t...

I like abstract art. An artist’s reason for doing it isn’t usually clear and so it invites us to arrive at our own interpretation of it. Unfortunately, the statement “God is love” is often treated like an abstract piece of art to be interpreted by each viewer. The Apostle John brings such clarity we’re left staring at a tangible love, a love that is for us and works through us. Here we find out wh...

Because of my art major, my eye was trained to see things I previously overlooked. The depth, color and form of an object came alive to me. The Apostle John sets love and hate in bold contrast–it’s his way of bringing to life the message of love. By describing what love isn’t, contrasting that with what love is and making sure we know what love produces, John brings out the depth, color and form o...

Whose love has marked and changed you? In 1 John 3:1-10, John invites us to see the out of this world love of the Father. It’s a love that changes us from spiritual orphans to children. It’s a love that gives us a hope worth living for. How do you know if you’ve received the love of the Father? Family resemblance. Children of God desire to live and love like their Father.

Local stories are stories of God's grace at work in the lives of those who are a part of Local Church St. Pete. We want to highlight his activity and celebrate his grace.

What friend would sit back and watch someone they care about buy into a lie? Or what parent would remain indifferent if their child was being deceived? Like a good friend and a loving parent, the Apostle John writes to warn and equip those he loves about the biggest lie of all time. He knows they already heard and received all they need to stand against this lie but he wants to make sure they know...

Love looks like devotion and loyalty, time spent, thoughts fixed. It looks like investment and sacrifice. The Apostle John holds up two loves that he says are completely incompatible. His warning is clear: They don’t mix. You can’t have both. One is passing, one is permanent. One will lead you away from God, one will draw you near.

How can we know if our faith is an optional add-on or the defining reality of our lives? How can we tell if it’s counterfeit or real? How can we know that we truly know God? Religious experience isn’t the answer, being raised to believe a certain set of values isn’t the answer, gathering enough people around us who sound like us isn’t the answer. John says, “ This is how we know” and lays out a te...

If something threatened the most important relationship in your life, would you be casual about it? If friends were entertaining beliefs you knew would wreck their lives, would you sit back and say nothing? The Apostle John refuses to sit back and say nothing, instead he holds up a message he received that God is light and goes on to help his friends learn what living in the light is all about.

Local stories are stories of God's grace at work in the lives of those who are a part of Local Church St. Pete. We want to highlight his activity and celebrate his grace.

With church communities shaken by the actions of one-time followers of Jesus who have now embraced something else, the Apostle John writes to bring a little clarity and a whole lot of assurance. Maybe you’ve been shaken by the actions of others. Maybe you’ve started to drift away from faith in Jesus. Regardless of your experience in the past or present, John invites us into the breathtaking wonder...