June 14, 2020 Most of you know Tana and I have quite the ethnically diverse family – Latino, Japanese and Chinese. I’m actually proud of that – but it has required learning different cultures. For example, there was a time we had to learn about Chinese New Year and little red envelopes stuffed with cash. With our Salvadoran […]
I PETER 5:8-11
May 31, 2020 There are many in the Bible who experienced direct attacks from the devil himself, or Satan: First, of course, was Eve, who was tempted by Satan to eat the forbidden fruit of the Garden. Remember, his was ultimately an enticement to pride – to be like God. Eve, and Adam, giving into that temptation […]
I PETER 5:5-7
May 24, 2020 It was the night before His crucifixion. The disciples – the Twelve – had gathered with Him in an upper room to observe the Passover. The last Passover. You see, it was there He introduced the first Lord’s Supper – this is My body, broken for you. This is My blood, shed for your forgiveness. Let’s […]
I PETER 5:1-4
May 17, 2020 So we have spent several months in the book of I Peter. It’s clear by now Peter was writing to Christians in Asia Minor who were suffering persecution. So he told them and us, make sure you live beautiful lives among unbelievers, even though they oppose you, so they see your good works, your […]
I PETER 4:12-19
May 3, 2020 If you have not heard it yet, you will. It is only a matter of time. While political parties are fighting, as if a certain party or certain governmental leaders are responsible for the COVID-19 outbreak, the fact remains that an unseen enemy – a virus invisible to the human eye – has brought […]
I PETER 4:7-11
April 26, 2020 This is now our seventh Sunday of live-streaming. Seven weeks in which we’ve tried to gather separately, to worship, pray and spend time in God’s Word. And maybe the first week or two you kinda liked it – you enjoyed sitting on the couch in your pajamas, eating a bowl of cereal. Scrolling through Facebook, […]
1 PETER 4: 1-6
April 19, 2020 Some of you have heard this statement, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.” The idea is every time a Christian’s blood is spilled, it becomes the seed by which more and more believe the Gospel. What is interesting is the context of the statement. Of course, it’s […]
1 PETER 3:18-22
March 29, 2020 Good morning, Alliance family. This is now our third week worshipping together virtually – that is, by live streaming. What is interesting is over the past two weeks, we’ve had more views of our worship service online than we have people who attend our church. I’m encouraged by that – it means […]
1 PETER 3:13-17
March 22, 2020 I have been saying it for some time now – and I don’t actually have to say it – you know it, likely have experienced it. We are living in an increasingly hostile culture. And by that, I mean increasingly hostile to the Christian faith – our faith. Peter has been telling […]
1 PETER 3:8-12
March 15, 2020 What is a Christian? The word is used so loosely, it’s largely lost its meaning. It is interesting to note it’s actually used only three times in the NT – all in sort of a negative sense. In Acts 11, the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. It was said in […]