questions about praying

[princessJJ]

I have a few questions, and would love to hear others thoughts on them.

my question is about praying. I've always been one to just pray about anything that came to mind when it came to mind. say bob is not a christian and gets drunk all the time, i've always tened to pray like i pray for Bob that he won't drink ... and so on... but as i was reading in Ecclesiastes 5 verse 2 it talks about letting your words be few. Does this mean we shouldn't pray a lot? that we should just say I pray for Bob? I know God knows the situation, but i tend to go over it anyways... I did a post about just Ecclesiases 5:2 and someone brought up the verse that says we are to pray without ceasing.. so yah i am confused and i want to be doing whats right and so i am looking for advice and scriptural references as to what is right. i did a search and there was a post about how to have to fold your hands or stand up or do somethign special when praying? in church they always said bow your head and close your eyes. I understand that out of reverence we would do that, but is that necessary to do all the time? is it okay to just to say a prayer while you are driving or working or whatever?

so i would love for advice and if you have scriptural references that even better!

Thanks

 

[FriendofSpurgeon]

The verse that comes to my mind is to "pray without ceasing." To me that means pray all the time, any time, about any thing. God knows our hearts, which is much more important than "getting it right."

 

[PastorSBC1303]

It is helpful to look at the verses around the one you ask.

1 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.

2 Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. 3 As a dream comes when there are many cares, so the speech of a fool when there are many words. 4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. 5 It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it. 6 Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, "My vow was a mistake." Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands? 7 Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore stand in awe of God.

I don't think the above passage is dealing with prayer as much as it is an overall act of worship that is from the heart.

 

[mactx]

"Ecclesiastes 5 verse 2 it talks about letting your words be few. Does this mean we shouldn't pray a lot?"
Ecc is the OT. The NT says pray with out ceasing, and is what we today are to follow.
Now that doesnt mean we are to babble on and on in meaningless circles, but that we are to pray as you say you are doing now, about many things, and often!

 

[LeBuick]

I always love these verses...

I Jn 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
16 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.