The work of the Holy Spirit, in the life of Peter, was an amazing experience for Peter; just as the work of the Holy Spirit is also a vital lesson for the followers of Christ. We are following Luke’s view of Simon Peter, and may at another time look at Peter in the other three … Continue reading Partners with the Holy Spirit: Part #80 →

Luke did not conclude his Gospel in Galilee, but in Bethany and in Jerusalem. The women could not convince the disciples that Jesus had returned from the dead. And neither could the Emmaus men be convinced by the women. To back the Emmaus disciples witness, Jesus appeared Himself to them. And Jesus began to refresh … Continue reading Partners with the Holy Spirit: Part #79 →

The apostle Peter was not a close friend of Paul. And therefore Peter was very hard on Paul (Galatians 2:11-21); yet, he respected Paul for his spiritual insight (II Peter 3:15-18). Thus, we need to take to heart the need to be resurrected. Now if Christ is being preached as being raised from the dead, … Continue reading Partners with the Holy Spirit: Part #78 →

Why did Jesus have to die? And what was gained by Jesus’ death? Jesus left it to the Holy Spirit to explain. To the naked eye, the Jews could not grasp nor tolerate God being in a person; namely, in Jesus the Christ (Matthew 1:24). The Jews could not and they still can not stop … Continue reading Partners with the Holy Spirit: Part #77 →

 Mark was a realist and a very close friend of Jesus. We do not know when the two met and when their friendship began. It may have been when Jesus’ family made their annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem, or it may have been when Mark became a disciple of Jesus. What was and what still is … Continue reading Partners with the Holy Spirit: Part #76 →

Pilate understood the Jewish fanatical stubbornness and he gave them what they wanted. The witness of Mark’s Gospel saw no compassion in Pilate, in his soldiers, or even in Jesus’ accusers, except some in Simon of Cyrene. The witness in Matthew remembered that Pilate’s wife had a dream that her husband should have nothing to … Continue reading Partners with the Holy Spirit: Part #75 →

Jesus and his disciples were led to the Upper Room and ate the Passover after the sun had set on preparation day, which was two days before the Passover. It was night! And it stayed dark long after Jesus had died on the cross, when darkness covered the land. After Jesus and his disciples had … Continue reading Partners with the Holy Spirit: Part #74 →

The Evangelist Luke recorded how Jesus felt when He saw Jerusalem: And when Jesus drew near and saw the city he wept over it, saying, “Would that even today you knew the things that make for peace! But now they are hid from your eyes. For the days shall come upon you, when your enemies … Continue reading Partners with the Holy Spirit: Part #73 →

The idea of being spiritual or spirit filled was a trademark for the prophets and for a handful of priests, but not a public commodity that everyone could enjoy. The truth was and still is that they had the spirit to live, but it was blocked by their own interpretation and understanding, which stopped God’s … Continue reading Partners with the Holy Spirit: Part #72 →

Mark was a true partner of the Holy Spirit! Mark shared his knowledge of Jesus with the writers of Matthew, John, Luke, and even with Paul. The idea that Mark was Peter’s scribe has some credence because they were friends while they were in Rome, and before that in Jerusalem (I Peter 5:13). The brevity … Continue reading Partners with the Holy Spirit: Part #71 →