Nice one. There are so many things that prayers would definitely not do as you have mentioned in this post.
I really want to emphasize your second point. I have a friend who kept going around to preach, and he loved praying so much.
I don't have something against that, but what I had against him was the fact that he would do all that and not read. When I queried him, he said he is working for the holy ghost and he would be compensated and made to remember what he does not know..
I would keep telling him that the holi ghost is not a magician and would not bring to his remembrance what he has not read, but he ignored me.
Right now, a lot of our mates are graduates while he is still battling with his extra in school.