Christians would say that those passages are interpreted wrongly. Is anyone here willing to attempt to explain the meaning of those passages?
The apostle Peter wrote something that qualifies Jesus' statements....
"I write you these things so that you may know that you have life everlasting, you who put your faith in the name of the Son of God. 14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that no matter what we ask according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us concerning whatever we are asking, we know that we are to have the things we ask for, since we have asked them of him."
Taken in context, John 14:10-14 says:
"Do you not believe that I am in union with the Father and the Father is in union with me? The things I say to you I do not speak of my own originality, but the Father who remains in union with me is doing his works. 11 Believe me that I am in union with the Father and the Father is in union with me; otherwise, believe because of the works themselves. 12 Most truly I say to you, whoever exercises faith in me will also do the works that I do; and he will do works greater than these, because I am going my way to the Father. 13 Also, whatever you ask in my name, I will do this, so that the Father may be glorified in connection with the Son. 14 If you ask anything in my name, I will do it."
To whom is Jesus speaking here?......It is to his faithful apostles, to who he promised a future role in heaven as kings and priests. (Revelation 20:6)
What would such faithful men be asking for? In line with Peter's words, they would be asking for those things that are in line with God's will. They would be asking for the same kind of faith and endurance that Jesus demonstrated. When you read the words of Jesus' prayers to his Father, it was always about doing the will of his Father.....even on the night before his arrest, he was concerned about how his death as a common blasphemer would impact on his Father's name and reputation. He then said "let not my will, but yours be done". Never once were his prayers selfish.
John 16:23, in context carries a similar meaning.
21-23:
"When a woman is giving birth, she has grief because her hour has come, but when she has given birth to the child, she remembers the tribulation no more because of the joy that a man has been born into the world. 22 So you also, now you have grief; but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. 23 In that day you will ask me no question at all. Most truly I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything, he will give it to you in my name. 24 Until now you have not asked for a single thing in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete."
The apostles were having difficulty comprehending Jesus' words about his approaching death and resurrection. The Jews had always been taught that Messiah would establish his kingdom on earth, but Jesus was speaking about going to heaven. They just couldn't grasp the concept. So Jesus put it into simple terms for them, likening their grief at losing him to a woman giving birth. The experience is not called "labor" for nothing. It is one of the most painful experiences a human can suffer, but once the baby arrives, the memory of the pain fades away as the love for her baby replaces any thought of the difficult process.
Hard times were coming for the disciples when their Master would be taken away, but he told them to concentrate on the future when they would be reunited and the joy would replace all the pain they had to go through to get there. What would these men be asking for? Obviously their prayers would be centered on the doing of God's will so that a joyful reunion with Jesus would be possible in the future.
If one is searching for God, they have to understand that he is not far away from any of us.
Paul said to the men of Athens....
"The God who made the world and all the things in it, being, as he is, Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in handmade temples; 25 nor is he served by human hands as if he needed anything, because he himself gives to all people life and breath and all things. 26 And he made out of one man every nation of men to dwell on the entire surface of the earth, and he decreed the appointed times and the set limits of where men would dwell, 27 so that they would seek God, if they might grope for him and really find him, although, in fact, he is not far off from each one of us. 28 For by him we have life and move and exist, even as some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also his children.’" (Acts 17:24-28)
The problem is, a defector (satan the devil) has made Christianity into a divided mess that makes it hard for the ordinary person to find the truth. We should not stress about this because it isn't only that we search for God....God is actually searching for us. He is evaluating us as individuals and seeing what we really are 'inside' as human beings. He also can read our hearts, so he identifies a genuine "sheep" when he sees one and makes the way for that one to come to know him. Unless one is drawn by the Father to the son, we will always be in the dark, spiritually speaking. (John 6:44)
Searching for a form of worship that only suits "us" is futile.....we must search for a form of worship that suits God. One that fits his criteria, not just ours. If we are only interested in pleasing ourselves by looking for things that fit what we desire, then God will not be interested in us at all. If we are living a life that is outside of his moral standards, with no interest in changing, he already knows it. We can "ask" till the cows come home.....but God will not answer. He is looking for humble and willing individuals who will put their own will aside to do the will of God. These will be the citizens he has chosen to live in his kingdom.