can you feel prayers?

Can you feel prayers?  This question keeps hounding my thoughts.  I honestly don't feel prayers.  Wouldn't you know the associate pastor and his wife were commenting on feeling prayers when they were visiting my Dad yesterday.  What?  Has my feeling meter bottomed out?  Is something wrong with me?  We have just gone through some major life and death stuff.  Am I numb?

I am a feeler.  When I see someone overcome with tears, I become a blubbering idiot.  Keep me away from funeral homes.  I know I am not numb to pain or heartache.  Is my spiritual radar not working?

With Dad's heart valve replacement and bypass surgery, I had and continue to make my requests known to God.  I have a lot of prayers answered.  My desires were meant.  Yes, Dad came through the surgery with flying colors.  I am overwhelmed happy about it.  However my top prayer has been answered which was to SEE God's handwriting all over this surgery and to continue to see Him through the healing process.  It didn't matter which way God was going to bring us through, I wanted to SEE HIM! Wow!  I SEE.

Dad's valve had only the space of the writing end of a pencil for the blood to travel through it.  Those times he had to stop and rest because he felt like he would pass out or those times he vomitted because his equilibrium was off were a heartbeat from an attack.  For the bypass surgery there was artery right by his heart they could use instead of using a vein in the leg.  By using this artery by the heart means they will never have to replace like you might with a vein from the leg.  (I do not have a medical license so I probably not using the right termology!).  We had two lake effect snow systems as well as just a normal snow system go through.   I was able to take off and be my Mom's chauffeur.  She loved it and I am glad I could use my snow eating jeep to cart her around safely.  Dad was grateful too.  Friday night was a doozy!!! The snow was super fine and coming down.  Little brother wanted to eat a certain restaurant which required a GPS.  He used his phone as well as a 'real' GPS.  He had us all over the place because the two were giving conflicting directions.  We didn't get to that restaurant but after a fast food joint, we made it home safely.  Poor Mom!  There are many more moments to come and I am excited to see.  

Do I really need to FEEL prayers when I can SEE God's Handwriting?  What do people mean by feeling prayers?  Is it because I am a visual person that I describe 'feeling' by sight and not a holy roller touched moment?  I don't think it is something to worry and fret over but it is a curiosity!

well wishers...

Taking a long weekend off garners a lot of questions to what you are doing or just simply 'have a great weekend off having fun.'  When you give the reason that your Dad is having heart valve replacement surgery, you are smothered in 'I will be sending you good thoughts' or more frequently used 'sending you good vibes.'  Others will say good luck.  Some will add that they will send prayers.  It makes me sad.  

I was about to have a little tweet rant about good thoughts, good vibes, and good lucks when I stopped because one person in particular could have by chance read and not fully understand.  She needs Jesus not a turn off.  Then as I was processing these pale empty well wishes, I released prayers requesting what you want to happen can be just as empty as these other well wishes.  

There are two types of prayers.  One that comes from fruit bearing believers.  One that are empty from unbelievers or just said as a lame way of wishing someone well.  With a serious surgery it is a very uncomfortable place.  What do you say?  Poor unbelievers!  My eyes speak and they probably were quite blank or stark when people gave their well wishes.  I know Jesus.  I know He isn't a candy dispenser.  I know His Wishes might be contrary to my own and would that devastate me?

I begun to have a serious think.  Why pray?  What is its purpose?  Don't freak out!  It is quite healthy for believers to challenge Biblical foundations every once in a while to see if things will hold up or if you need a little bit of fortifacation.  What did His Word say about the prayers of the righteous?  Let's find out!  

James 5:16 "... The effective fervent prayer of the righteous a avails much."

What is effective? Capable.  Successful.  Powerful.  Efficient.  Useful.  

But what does that mean Biblically?  It does NOT mean a prayer that goes my way is effective or successful.  It does mean prayer that shows off God's Glory is successful and effective to calm a heart in storm.  I think one must take time to ask if their prayer is effective...  I have had times when I have come away from prayer more frustrated and agitated than helped.  I hadn't left it in His Strong Hands.  It is usually when someone has made choices that I personally think is wrong and dragging their precious cargo into the fray.  Can I pray a more effective prayer?  God's Promises.  That is the answer.  Stop relying on my feelings and truly engage my faith.  Am I going to trust and obey?  Am I going to watch and wait, yielded and still?  It is the only way to have Victory in Jesus.  

What is fervent?  Keen.  Ardent. Eager. Passionate. Zealous. Fanatical.  

Whoa!  Not hard to understand that!!  Pretty straight forward!  

What is avails?  Benefits.  Helpful.  Useful.  

No, there is no 'you're prayers will be answered.'  So does prayer help the situation or help me or the does it help the person I am praying for?  I am thinking no, it doesn't help the situation in most cases.... !  It should help me or the person I am praying for.  Alas, we shall know more by and by and most definitely in Heaven. 

Proverbs 15:29 "... the Lord hears the prayer of the righteous."

What strikes me is that the Lord hears.  How often do we hear the Lord?   Do we listen as He listens?  Do we hear as He hears?  

Both verses are about our communication skills.  It is a give and take.  How often is it just one sided?  Am I doing all the talking?  Am I "talking back" Scripture?  Am I believing what God has declared in His Word?

I have thought through and yet there will be more thinking to do. For now though --

Why pray?  What's it's purpose?  Shouldn't prayer condition the heart and mind in God-Confidence?

                                       

what is faith?

Like always learning is a circling staircase.  I get little bits here & there ever building upon what I have squirreled away.  Last week after hearing a Family Life podcast (Feb 1-3, 2016) with Pastor Crawford Loritts's book "Unshaken", I was greatly encouraged.  Pastor Loritts described faith with 3 promises.  First promise is that God is in this.  He delivered me into this & He will deliver me out.  He is the Great I AM.  Fill in the blank for what you need →

I AM _______.  Need a Healer?  He is the Healer.  Need a Comforter?  He is the Comforter.  Need Help?  He is the Helper.  Need a Deliver?  He is the Deliver.  Need a Friend?  He is a Friend.  What a relief!!!!  I don't have to worry!  If I haven't removed myself from the palm of His Hand, I am in the safest place ever even when all around me is chaos.

Onto the second promise of faith.  God will substain me.  Substain means all my needs will be supplied.  If I am in a hard spot, I am not wanting.  There is no need to wallow in woes.  

The third promise of faith is that God will carry me through this.  The storm may rage & I might get wet & I might feel way out of sorts but I won't mind because Jesus is the Captain of my ship & the boat won't go down with Him in it.  

Having FAITH described as GOD-CONFIDENCE with 3 promises has help me to pray differently.  I am no longer worried about whether I am making my requests known to God in faith or not.  Instead the requests I bring to my Heavenly Father are now prayed through the three promises. 

Yesterday my Daddy had heart valve replacement & one bypass surgery for his heart.  With major surgery like this it could go either way.  I bring my requests like normal but I state: 'God has delivered my Dad into this & God will deliver him out.  God will substain my Dad.  Every need will be supplied.  God will carry Dad through this.'  

My Dad made it through the surgery safe & sound.  The size of the hole the blood was pumping through was no bigger than the writing end of a pencil!  What was keeping Dad from having a heart attack?  God's Hand.  There had been many close calls but we all were oblivious to those moments.  Now what if Dad didn't make it?  Would I be able to say he "safely arrived at Home"?  Two answers yes & yes.  Yes, my Dad is a believer & yes, it was ok for him to go ... maybe with some tears.  God has my Dad. God is in this. God will take care of me.  He is my Heavenly Father.  Dad was just a reflection.

God has sustained my Dad & us as this is happening to us as well.  A doctor who knows his craft well.  Nurses who are there 24 hours watching & caring & taking him through the process of healing.  There was 48 lake effect snow that has gone through & now we are having our second but even so it has not been bad.  If it gets bad, I am here with my Jeep & Mom doesn't have to worry.  My mother's brother, his wife, & daughter were able to make it to encourage my mom while we waited.  Our needs have been provided for by His Almighty Hand & I am looking forward to more sightings of His Almighty Hand working.  I actively ask for sight.  I don't want to miss out!!  

Dad was in major pain yesterday because they had to wait until he could breathe on his own before giving him a full dose of pain medication. I was thinking this could be the hard part watching him suffer pain.  Today he is doing well.  He still had pain but he is a trooper & getting through this.  He said his heart is feeling good!!!!  Wow!  We know we have to go through this in order for Dad to finally feel good.  He has forgotten how it feels to just to have a good day.  Imagine when this summer rolls around when the healing process is done!  He had to have this tough go in order to a day free of heart weakness!

We found out the second to the last day of 2015.  I have felt well taken care of by my Heavenly Father.  I am a thinker & I have thought through the good & scary side of things.  He has supplied me with courage through His Word.  Glory to God!  Victory in Jesus!