There were two women who lived in the same town. One woman lived on the East Side of town. In a brand new home. Two story Brick Victorian style house sitting on 5 acres of ground. Three car garage that housed a Lexus - a Mercedes coupe - and Cadillac SUV. She had two children and a husband. She worked in a large company and held a high position. She worked long days to make big money. Every morning when she Got up. She paused for a second and said "Lord I hate my job." Went into the bathroom and prepared for her day. Came down to the kitchen where the children were bickering.....and her husband seem oblivious to it all as he read his paper. She whispered under her breath, "Lord why me" She screams a few commands and storms out the door. Her stomach churning her head pounding she gets in her Lexus...slams the door.... and backs out the drive. As she drives to work, a person cuts her off. She mutters, "Lord there are some jerks out here!" She arrives at work - totally stressed and ticked completely off. She gets to her office only to find her secretary has called off sick. "Lord, just let me get through the day." After many meetings that totally frustrate and many persons who have gotten on her last nerve the work day concludes....the drive home ends.....her housekeeper has prepared dinner....she sits and begins consuming the food....watches the late night news....showers...lays down in bed....and closes her eyes and says "Lord, why is my life so hard."
The second woman lived west of the tracks. In a small frame home in the middle of what is considered a rough neighborhood. She has five children....no husband....she holds two jobs to try to make ends meet....she uses public transportation or the famous foot travel known as walking. Every morning she rose at 5:00 a.m. kneeling down by her bed - "Lord thank you for another day. Lord thank you for my children. Keep them safe in the comings and goings. Allow no hurt harm or danger to befall them. Lord keep the drug dealers away. Keep the molesters away. Keep accidents away. Keep alcohol away. Keep their minds stayed on you. Keep them focussed during class so that they may receive scholarships to attend college. Lord thank you for this home....keep my lights on that I don’t have the money to pay for right now. Keep the landlord away until my child support check comes in the mail. Lord anoint my cabinets so that my children will not go hungry. Lord thank you for the jobs you have given me = and I will continue to give you the praise and honor by tithing and praying and worshipping you continuosly. This I ask in Jesus name. AMEN!
She gets up prepares for work. She goes into the kitchen to prepare breakfast "Thank you lord for the food in this pantry that you allow to nourish us" She scrambles some eggs and fries some potatoes. The children awaken to the smell of food - as they enter into the kitchen the woman closes her eyes and says "Lord thank you for the children...allow the anointing to be upon them" When she leaves for he job...she says "father keep me safe on my journey" as she waits for the bus and the woman next to her begins to curse her out...she closes her eyes and says "Lord allow your peace to reingn" and the cursing woman goes away. She arrives on her job and the boss is ranting...she closes her eyes and whispers "Lord your will be done...just give me strength to endure" and the bosses words had no effect. After leaving her second job she had no cook === she began thanking God for the neighbor who brought over some stew. After dinner she read her bible with her children then prepared for bed. Before lying in her bed, she knelt and thanked God for all that had transpired during the day. Asked for safe passage through the night for her and her family. Thanked him for allowing her lights to stay on and the landlord to stay away. Thanked him for the child support check that was coming. And she laid down to slumber. What is the difference between these two. Well one is thankless and one is thankful. One prays generic prayers and the other prays with specifics. One prays out of pity - the other prays with power! I am here to tell you this morning...you pray a prayer that is generic in content...Lord send me a financial blessing....Lord bless me and my family.....Lord give me a new job. Well $50.00 when you needed $5000.00 will make you mad. A blessing can be just allowing you to wake up....and a new job might mean Mickey "D’s" if you don’t ask for something in particular. Somebody in here today is going through something....and your thought is well God is all powerful and all knowing so he already knows what I want. Well just like any parent...he is simply waiting for you to ask him for what it is you need. When your child wants a pair of tennis shoes - he or she ask you - and if they don’t tell you what type and you buy the wrong brand - your response would be "well you didn’t say so" Well God is saying the same thing to us when we pray generic prayers and complain about the generic results....
Prayer is communicating with God! It is the opening of the door or window of our blessings. The releasing factor of the grace he bestows. A mandate and yet a priveledge. But a prayer without particulars
is impotent. A prayer that is weightless is useless. A generic prayer gives generic results!
In order for your prayer to have substance you must first get to know him. Isaiah 55:6 tells us to seek him - in other words we must find ourselves in his presence. Do things that are pleasing to him. Because if we don’t know him - how could we be confident enough to believe as it is written in Matthew - :ask and it will be given - seek and you will find - knock and the door shall be open - If we don’t know God - how could we be confident enough in our petitions to believe that if we go to him he will answer! Once we get to know him we must watch and pray as Matthew 26:41 say....meaning don’t allow our sinful nature to block the blessing God is trying to give. We must pray for the empowerment of the Holy Ghost so that we may withstand temptation. So that our prayers are not petty but powerful. So that our prayers are not meek but mighty. So that we don’t pray generic prayers to receive generic results.
For once you commune and fellowship and you now know him. We can be bold enough in our prayers to believe Philipian 4:6 that we don’t have to worry about a thing - but simply be in prayer - but in order not to be fearful - our prayers must be purposeful.
A generic prayer is also one done without faith or trust or hope. You know - "Lord please take away this desire to smoke this cigarette or eat that extra pie or cheat on this test or talk back to my mom or dad or hit that crack pipe but in the back of your mind you are thinking I wonder if they really are going to increase the price of cigarettes or If I can get away with cheating on this test - or what remark will get the desired reaction out of mom and dad or what time my crack head partner is coming by. These things nullify the prayer. If your prayer is not sincere or earnest it is generic! You know just like some generic medications don’t do the job well generic prayers don’t get the job done. You know how some generic clothes wash out in the laundry...well generic prayer gives washed out results! But when you are confident in whose you are and you believe that because he said anybody who calls upon the Lord shall be saved. And because you are saved you are now reconnected into the family. And because you are a part of the family, and your daddy is rich and your big brother is the one who rescued you - it should not be difficult to believe that since all things come from Him - all you got to do is ask!
Generic prayers cause one to become disillusioned. Where as powerful prayer allows us to shout Why should I feel discouraged! Why should the shadows come. Why should my heart feel lonely. And long for my heavenly home. I don’t have to because Jesus is my portion - and he is a constant friend to me. And since his eye is on a sparrow...providing for his needs then I know for a fact that my needs are provided for because he watches over me. So after we pray a prayer of power for that job that allows us to attend church on Sunday morning - we can sing because we are happy. After we pray that prayer of power for the Lord to keep our sons and daughters safe from harm - our mind are at peace so we can sing because we are free. Because we pray a prayer of power to a God that sits high but looks down low with a great faithfulness - we can say His eye is on the sparrow and I know he watches me! Generic prayer - so many people wonder why their prayers go unanswered. Well examine the type of prayer. Examine the context of the prayer. Self edifying prayers are generic. Prayers for the demise of others are generic prayers. Prayers for selfish reasons are generic prayer. But when you pray to God purposefully - thanking him first for what he has already done. When you pray to God faithfully - asking for forgiveness of the sins you have committed. When you pray to God trusting - that he can do anything but fail. When you pray to God believing - that he is an on time God. When you pray to God in earnest - recognizing him as the great I am! Then generic results will not be the reaction to the action of your prayer. Imagine if Jesus while hanging on the cross didn’t say forgive them father for they know not what they do....but instead said well Dad...maybe you can forgive the ones down here who kinda stood up for me if you want to..but if you don’t - I understand! He would have nullified our salvation package. But He taught us how to pray and he instructed us to do so with faith. But if you ask in generic terms you will get generic result. So ask what you will of the father. I promise you it will not be in vain. Call when you need his assistance. I am a witness He will hear you every time you call up on His Name!
