Musing – Is the Holy Spirit our Helper when words fail?

 Hebraic Musing – Is the Holy Spirit our Helper when words fail?

Have you ever felt that you didn’t know how to pray, words were insufficient?   The Lord has provided a solution to this Problem.  “We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.  And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.” Romans 8:26-27 NIV

Do Prayers fail because we have one of these Problems?

1. Ignorance.  We just ain’t smart enough to solve it.  How well do we know our Bible?

2. Impotence.  Our flesh doesn’t want to cooperate!   As Jesus told Peter - “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matthew 26:41 NIV

3. Interference.  Distractions distract us and we find ourselves fighting in the spirit realm.   “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:12

What are the Solutions?

4. Birthing or Labor pains.  In our struggles we need to be groaning and interceding to birth the solution. 
 “the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.  And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.” Romans 8:26-27   Therefore we might need to call on a Heavenly Language!

5. Building an edifice.  Just like home building,

  •  “But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.” Jude 1:20

  •  “He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.” 1 Corinthians 14:4

  •  “I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all” 1 Corinth.14:18, a glimpse into Paul’s prayer life!

6. Becoming more like Jesus.  The Holy Spirit is working on us until we “conform” to Romans 8:27,28,29:

  •  “And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.” v.27

  •  “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” v.28

  •  “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” v.29

Are we in Partnership?

7. Are we in a Supportive Partnership between God, Us, and His precious Holy Spirit?

  •  Who is praying for us?  “Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” Romans 8:34 

  •  Jesus is praying for us and the Holy Spirit is interceding for us.  “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.”  Romans 8:26

  •  Interceding is arguing or intervening for us.  We are co-workers with the Holy Spirit!  Hallelujah!  
And the Holy Spirit speaks with us with the Language of Heaven!  “For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.” Ephesians 2:18

Points to Ponder

How powerful is this partnership?

How to get a heavenly language?  ASK     Ask, Seek, Knock.

♫ Spirit of the Living God, Fall afresh on me. Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me,
      Spirit of the Living God,  Fall afresh on me.. ♫

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                           April 29, 2025            
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”     Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

Note – Inspired by Bill Wyatt’s 6/24/25 message to New Hope Assembly, “When Words Fail”

Musing – Why does the Bible mention prayer so often?

 Hebraic Musing – Why does the Bible mention prayer so often?

The Bible mentions “Prayer” – 158x in the NKJV; and “Pray” is mentioned 126x, and “Praying” appears 25x.  That’s over 300 specific mentions, so Prayer must be important to Almighty God!   Google claim there are 650 prayers in the Bible.  Our Sunday School class was asked to name from memory some “prayers of the believers” in scripture.  Our SS class quickly and easily rattled off these 27 examples:

Samson’s mom; Mary’s prayer; Hannah; Balaam, Jabez; Isac’s wife to be; Lord’s (or Disciples) Prayer; Rebekah’s prayer; High priestly (John 17); Jesus in the Garden; Hezekiah; Samson; Simeon in Luke 2; Job’s prayer; Thief on the cross; Joshua for sun to stand still; Psalms (almost all of them); Jacob’s stairway to heaven; Abraham’s; John in Revelation; Moses; Jonah in fish & in Ninevah; Intersession for Lot; David’s re God’s promises; Solomon’s dedication; Daniel et al; etc.

Webster’s definition of “Prayer” or “Pray” is “an address (such as a petition) to God or a god in word or thought; (2) a set order of words used in praying; an earnest request or wish”.   Webster’s definition sounds rather sterile considering that praying or prayer involves conversing with our Almighty God and Father, the Creator of the Universe!!!

How important is prayer?  Here are some classic answers to ponder:
1. Develops our Personal Relationship with God;
2. Provides Guidance and Wisdom;
3. Brings Peace and Comfort;
4. Increases Faith and Trust in God;
5. Allows opportunities for intercession for others;
6. Helps resist Temptation;
7. Aligns our will with God’s will.

BUT, as our SS Class processed the role of prayer, it became obvious that prayer needs to be recognized as a conversation with our Almighty Father God.  What a privilege!  Our Almighty God and Father actually wants to hear from us, His children, and He is standing by 24/7 to converse with each of us. 

Is the purpose of our “prayer time” to tell Almighty God what we want, OR should we stop and listen to what Our Father wants to say to us?  I must confess that all too often my prayers, and prayers of others, sound like “Gimme me, Gimme me”!  If God is not ready to give us the answer to our request that we want, might it be because we cannot handle it, or we’re not ready for the answer (yet), or might we be asking amiss?  “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.” James 4:3 NKJV

Does Almighty God want his children to come to Him for their needs?  And to call on Him for advice or His opinion?  Are we really seeking His answer, or are we wanting Him to give us the answer we want?

What does His Word tell us to do?  “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 1:16-18

Points to Ponder

Was Almighty God thinking of prayer when He gave us two ears and only one mouth?

How do you feel when your children come to you to ask you for your advice?

♫  Put on the garment of praise For the spirit of heaviness. Lift up your voice to God
        Praise with the Spirit And with understanding, Oh magnify the Lord.  ♫

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                         August 12, 2025      
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”     Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

Note – Inspired by Corey Corrick’s Sunday School lesson, August 3, 2025

Musing – How is the “Body of Christ” supposed to “Get along”?

 Hebraic Musing – How is the “Body of Christ” supposed to “Get along”?

Last week’s Musing pointed out that we are NOT to try to “get along” with the World; but Scripture has a lot to say to us Christians about “Getting along” with each other. 

How are the members of the “body of Christ” supposed to “get along”?  In 1 Corinthians, Paul depicts the Body of Christ, His Church, in a familiar parable using human body parts to represent types of church members.  “Now the body is not made up of one part but of many.  If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don't need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don't need you” 1 Corinthians 12:14-21 NIV   Meanwhile, some members want to rest and don’t want to be involved while others are prideful of their important “job” in the church!  Key point – All the parts of the human body are necessary, they all need to work together; just as the members of the Body of Christ are all necessary and need to work together!

Paul goes on in vs.22-26 “On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.”

Can some members of the church (Body of Christ) decide to rest and not contribute?  Or, can some members consider themselves so important that they can function without others?  If so, are they really being a part of the “Body of Christ”?  Each member is to fulfill their unique and important function in the “Body”?  Paul is demonstrating through this Word picture that everyone is important in the body of believers.  When Jesus said in Mark 16:15 “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.”, was Jesus speaking to all of us?  Or just the select few who consider themselves “called”?

In Phillipians 2:3-4 Paul set a standard that goes against the grain of human nature.  “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”   We are called to have an interdependence on one another in the body of Christ.  Inter-dependence is much more important than independence!

The idea that you can be self-sufficient and not need others is the philosophy of Satan, and exact opposite of God’s plan.  We need each other as God pointed out in Genesis 4:9 “Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?’”  By God’s design, we need each other.  In fact, God uses others to sanctify us. “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17   We live in the greatest technological age, yet in this day and age we have the loneliest and most isolated generation in American history. 

It’s time for us to heed Apostle Paul’s admonition to be united in deeper fellowship with one another.  If we are going to stand on the Word of God in the battle for truth, then we need others around us to hold us up while we hold the line.

Points to Ponder

What is your gift?  And how is it being used to build His Church?

Is the Church a trophy case for the righteous? Or a hospital for the sick?

Do Christians focus more on their independence than interdependence?

BTW – How and from whom did you hear the truth?  How did you grow?

♫  Go, tell it on the mountain…That Jesus Christ is born.  ♫

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                          August 5, 2025    2 of 2           
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”     Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

Note – Inspired by Jason Buss’ message “Against the Grain” - Imanuel Baptist on July 20, 2025