"Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." - Matthew 7:7-8
Do you ever ask yourself if you should pray about something? Have you ever felt like there's no point to praying because you think God would never give you what you're asking for anyway?
Jesus makes it perfectly clear in these verses that all we have to do is ask. That doesn't mean God works like a genie in a bottle and grants us every wish exactly how we want it, but it does mean that we have to ask to receive blessings.
James 4:2 tells us that we can go about many ways to gain what we want, but when we do it our own way, we still don't end up with what we're trying to get. Why? James tells us, "ye have not, because ye ask not."
While it's true that God knows our hearts and what we need before we ask for it, He wants us to talk to Him. He doesn't hold back blessings, but I think sometimes He waits for us to realize we want and need them (and then ask for them) before He sends the blessings our way.
So, can we pray for a million dollars? Sure, but again, God is not a genie in a bottle, and we can't forget the part of the prayer that says, "Thy will be done." Ultimately, God knows what's best for us, so much more than we think we know. If we had everything we ever wanted, we'd probably all be spoiled brats. Sometimes, we need the hardships to help us grow, and to help us grow closer to Him.
As far as praying for a million dollars, James 4:3 goes on to say, "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts." What would you do with a million dollars? How would you glorify God with it? Or would you buy yourself a nice little present first, like a new car or better house? What is your purpose for asking for a million dollars?
While we can always pray about things like finances, we need to remember that God will always give us what we need. Sometimes He will bless us with a little extra, sometimes it may seem like He blesses others more than us and it may not seem fair; we want what they have.
In the end, we need to focus on our relationship with Him. Thank Him for what He has given us. Prayer is important. Yes, God knows our needs, but we also need to realize we are relying on Him to fulfill those needs. We need to talk to Him so we can build a relationship with Him. He's not just some random person in the sky, He's our Father, our Friend, and so much more; so pray, talk to Him like you talk to those you are close to (and even more; you can even trust Him with your deepest secrets).
