What am I asking for?
Mark 11: 24 says, "Therefore I say to you, All things, whatever you ask, praying, believe that you shall receive them, and it will be to you."
What a great verse which supports the promise that God will supply all our needs according to His riches in Glory" (Philippians 4:14). Since His riches are limitless does this really mean that my desires are His command?
Firstly, our "greeds" have nothing to do with our "needs". In fact the lusts of this world are regularly spoken against throughout Scripture.
James brings the balance when he says, "You ask and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it upon your lusts" (James 4:3). As a Loving Father, our God is not simply going to indulge our whims which will ultimately cause us to stop looking to, or hearing Him. This however does not mean the He doesn't want us to commit out concerns and desires to Him; "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God" (Philippians p 4:6). The difference between a lot of modern Church teaching and what our Lord says ("And the peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7)) is that rather than giving us our desired outcome, He will give us the peace and insight to know that He is in control and that "all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).
I need to be warned though that there are times when God gives into my stubborn nag. Unfortunately when this happens, it is to my loss; "Then they believed His Words; they sang His praise. They hurried and forgot His works; they did not wait for His counsel; but they lusted greedily in the wilderness, and tested God in the desert. And He gave them what they asked, but sent leanness into their soul" (Psalm 106:12-15).
May my attitude rather be in keeping with 1 Timothy 6:8, "having food and raiment let us be therewith content." and my prayers be similar to David's "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Your presence, and take not Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit." Psalm 51:10-12).
Rather than seeking to build earthly wealth, let me invest in glory. After all, where my treasure is, is where my heart will be (Matthew 6:21).
As a conclusion with a twist, instead of having all my earthly needs satisfied, James says that if I want to be "perfect and entire, wanting nothing" that I then need to rejoice in my troubles (James 1:1-4).
Finally, there are many different examples of believers from all walks of life in Scripture. Some very wealthy and some so poor that they had to eats scraps that were thrown to the same dogs who licked the sores on their bodies (Luke 16:21). However despite their need or abundance, these people worshiped and served the Lord. And today they are part of the great cloud of witnesses (Hebrews 12:1) worshiping God and waiting without any regrets for the day when the trumpet shall sound, time will be no more and we shall all be with our Lord together in Glory.
Our God knows best; "Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus."