Magical power vs. Pauline prayer power

What I find very telling is that during Islam’s “golden era,” when the Muslim empire spanned from Spain to India and reached down into Africa, adherents included some of the world’s finest philosophers and mathematicians.

Intellectuals tend to gravitate toward theological systems that hinge on self-discipline. What’s funny, though, is they foolishly fall for the most base superstition.

The numerous names that the Koran gives Allah, for example, are frequently on the lips of devout Muslims who believe them to have a nearly magical power.

 

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Most people know that the first basic article of faith for Muslims is “there is no God but Allah,” but guess what comes second in their list of six? Belief in angels and “jinn.”

“Jinn are spirit beings capable of both good and evil actions and of possessing human beings,” informs religions expert Rick Rood of the World Religions Index organization. “Above the jinn in rank are the angels of God. Two of them are believed to accompany every Muslim, one on the right to record his good deeds, and one on the left to record his evil deeds.”

The Koran, like Calvinism and other satanically-inspired doctrines, supports the idea that all things—both good and evil—are the direct result of God’s will.

“Those who conclude that Islam is a fatalistic religion have good reason for doing so,” writes Rood. “The paramount feature of Islamic belief, aside from its strong monotheism, is that it is a religion of human works. One’s position with regard to Allah is determined by his success in keeping His laws.”

Rood continues, “Though mankind is depicted as weak and prone to error, Islam denies that man is a sinner by nature and in need of a Savior, as the Bible so clearly teaches. People are capable of submitting to God’s laws and meriting his ultimate approval.”

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By contrast, Pauline prayer is the vehicle for the release of the power of God’s Word in the details of life for a dispensational Bible Believer. It’s praying according to the principle of grace: “The only response grace will accept is the response of faith.”

Jordan explains, “We take the truths of God and internalize them through that energizing ministry of God the Holy Spirit—through His enlightening and empowering ministry—and Pauline prayer is the catalyst to accomplish that. That’s why Paul prays so much.

“We talked repeatedly how prayer today focuses on spiritual issues. Our blessings today are ‘spiritual blessings in heavenly places.’ God’s blessings to us are designed to enhance our inner man, and good works come from the inner man, they’re motivated from there.”

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“Pauline prayer is aimed at producing peace and contentment that’s independent of the circumstances of life. Rather than just simply manipulating circumstances, it’s designed to enhance your spiritual perception, and your spiritual character, so that regardless of whom you are, or the circumstances that come upon your life, you’re able to function with stability and contentment; with empowerment and effectiveness.”

As Paul prays in I Tim. 2: 2-3, “For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour.”

 

(Editor’s note: Just returned from Dayton, OH--and Thanksgiving there with my family--in time to see Ohio State pull ahead of Michigan and go on to a decisive win. The drive through downtown Columbus on I-71 was a blissful breeze with the game already in progress at the Horseshoe. Working on new article to post tomorrow.)