Our flesh, our self-centered thoughts reads Jesus' words in John 14:12-13 ("I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in Me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in My name.") and think, Yes! OK Jesus, Send me a million dollars. I want a new car. Pay all my bills.
That's not the way it works.
That's not the way God works. God isn't here to do our bidding. He isn't here to take orders from us.
There are zillions (well, maybe not that many) of prayer programs out there that promise results.
God isn't a program. God's promises can't be accessed and used with a human's five-step program.
So, did Jesus lie?
No!
Well, He said whatever we ask in His name He will do for us.
Yes, but thinking the above way takes His promise out of context. In Teach Me to Pray Author Andrew Murray has a great explanation of this situation:
"The Lord gave the wonderful promise of the free use of His name before the Father in connection with doing His works. It is the disciple who gives himself wholly to live for Jesus' work and kingdom, for His will and honor, to whom the power will come to appropriate the promise."
Are your prayer requests more like a Christmas wish list or are they in line with God's word?
The writer of James says what Murray says:
"You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures."
If prayers don't get answered the fault doesn't lie with God.