The Salty Peanut Gallery

The Hollywood Prayer Network has celebrity train wreck, Britney Spears, at the top of their prayer list these days. With chapters in 16 U.S. cities and eight different countries, HPN is a group of more than 5,000 Christians that have committed themselves to praying for Hollywood stars. Their prayer list at times has included such notable personalities as Paris Hilton, Robert Downey Jr., Robin Williams and many other A-list celebrities.

Robert Johnston, a professor of theology and culture at Fuller Seminary in Pasadena explains, “The prayer network is the equivalent, and perhaps more important, than praying for our president… Just as churches have traditionally prayed for leaders, now we recognize that one of our primary sources of leadership is the entertainment industry.” HPN founder, Karen Covell tells people, “If you’re angry at a TV show or you’re switching channels because of content, stop and pray for the people on the show… If you really believe in God and you believe God has a transforming power, then leave it up to him.”

Not everyone appreciates their efforts, though. Celebrity publicist Michael Levine explains, “This kind of attitude comes off as very sanctimonious and a bit creepy, frankly.” Hollywood insiders agree that most stars aren’t much interested in being prayed for.

In some respects I’d have to agree with Levine on the “creepy” aspects of the whole thing. First off, the idea that the Hollywood crowd is “one of our primary sources of leadership” is not only a scary thought, but also represents what is for my money a gross misinterpretation of scripture. Beyond that I can’t help wondering how much of this Hollywood prayer is just another form of Hollywood fan worship. I have to tell you, if somebody were to pull me aside at church and say, “I really have a heart for Jennifer Aniston,” I’d find that pretty creepy. My initial response would be, “Ya, I’ll bet you do.”

But the biggest problem I have has to do with what I would consider to be one of the worst misconceptions that believers have today when it comes to prayer. In Matthew 6:9-10 Jesus says, “In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” You see, many people believe that prayer is about getting a hold of God’s heart in order to get our prayers answered. But that’s not it at all.

Affective prayer is all about surrendering our hearts to the will of God. Do we really believe that the sovereign Lord of the universe needs our prayers in order for His will be accomplished? Of course not. God has already stated in His word that His plans and purposes will be accomplished. “Indeed,” He says, “I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass” – Isaiah 46:11. The question then lies in whether or not we as believers are going to be willing to humble ourselves under His mighty hand (1 Peter 5:6-7). “Your kingdom come” is merely our acknowledgment of God’s will in our lives.

HPN believes that Hollywood is a powerful industry that may be the best vehicle for reaching our cultural and bringing revival. Again, this represents flawed thinking. God doesn’t need Britney or Jennifer or Robin on His team in order to affectively engage the culture. He is perfectly capable of accomplishing His Kingdom work without their help. The last time I checked Jesus Christ is still the hope of salvation for the world.

So should we prayer for celebrities? You’d better believe it. But not for the reasons HPN is endorsing. Britney Spears needs our prayers because her life is a shambles. We pray for Britney for the same reason we would pray for our next door neighbor, or a co-worker, or relative. They need Jesus.

For some time now my good friend, Byron, over at the No Kool Aid Zone has maintained that legalizing gay marriage is a slippery slope “to the eventual dissolution of marriage as we know it.” His point is this: “Once you change the definition of marriage from one-man/one-woman (which has loads and loads of moral, historical, and legal precedent) to something else, you’ve basically opened the door to all sorts of other arrangements.” What logical, ethical or moral argument could be made to prohibit, for instance, marriage between say a man and three wives, a woman and five husbands, four women and seven men, or possibly even…a man and his dog.

That’s right, you heard me. A New Delhi newspaper reported Tuesday that a man in southern India married a female dog in an attempt to circumvent physical maladies believed to be caused by a curse. The man claims that for the past fifteen years he has suffered with paralysis in his hands and legs and a partial loss of hearing, this after stoning two dogs to death and hanging their bodies from a tree (shades of Michael Vick).

Suddenly, Byron’s argument starts to look just a little bit more plausible, doesn’t it? Could this possibly be coming to a marriage chapel near you?

This was a subject of great discussion in a recent youth Sunday school class at my church. Historically the issue of election has been one of immense controversy. The problem lies in the fact that we want to believe we are captain of our own destiny. We are sentient, discerning beings capable of determining the difference between right and wrong, good and evil. It’s only fair that we be allowed to choose between salvation or destruction, right? How could a righteous and loving God choose some for heaven and others for hell?

John MacArthur has a great explanation on the subject Is the Doctrine of Election Biblical?

There are two undeniable truths that we must come to grips with when it comes to election. The first has to do with fairness. You see if it’s fairness you want, then we should all go to hell. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. For the wages of sin is death” – Romans 3:23; 6:23. It isn’t fair that any of us should be allowed to go to heaven. We’re all sinners deserving of hell.

The second undeniable truth has to do with choice. The fact is we have a choice. We may choose in what fashion we will sin against God, but according to scripture we do not have it within ourselves to choose righteousness. “There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God” – Romans 3:10. “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” – 1 Corinthians 2:14. So see we do have a choice. Unfortunately God’s Word expressly tells us that when given the opportunity we will not naturally choose to receive Christ. We will always choose to reject Him. Why? Because we are sinners. That’s what sinners do. That is our nature. Therefore, salvation is solely and completely a product of God’s divine mercy.

“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that NOT OF YOURSELVES; it is the gift of God, NOT OF WORKS, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which GOD PREPARED BEFOREHAND that we should walk in them” – Ephesians 2:4-10.

For years people in my denomination have been compelled to sugarcoat election fearing the controversy that it may cause. No one said understanding election was easy; however, we need not fear the truth. Jesus said, “…the truth shall set you free” – John 8:32. I say embrace the truth and praise the God from whom all blessings flow.

Nineteenth century American essayist and novelist Charles Dudley Warner once wrote, “Politics makes strange bedfellows.” That axiom was never more true then it was today at the National Press Club in Washington when televangelist Pat Robertson made a surprise endorsement of Rudy Giuliani for the Republican nomination to the White House. This comes on the heals of threats by Dr. James Dobson and a social conservative coalition that they would not support the Republican Party if a pro-choice presidential candidate like Giuliani is selected.

Robertson states that Giuliani is “a proven leader”, citing his success in reducing violent crime and administrating the City of New York during crisis. “To me, the overriding issue before the American people is the defense of our population from the bloodlust of Islamic terrorists.” He also states that he would set aside their differences over abortion in light of promises by Giuliani to appoint strict constructionist judges.

So what are we really saying here? Is it really more important to set aside your conservative core beliefs in support of a candidate because he appears to be the lesser of two evils? Are we really saying that it’s more important to do what ever it takes to keep Mrs. Clinton out of the White House even if it means voting for someone that clearly does not share your values on the most important social issues of our day?

I believe Christians need to be very careful how they approach the coming presidential election. First of all, we need to be very prayerful. We need to pray that God will bring a candidate to the forefront that believers can support without violating our consciences. But second, and I believe this is critical, believers need to be more interested in honoring the Lord with our vote rather than a political party. I will not allow anyone to browbeat me into making a choice simply to prevent a more undesirable outcome. Now more than ever, believers need to vote their consciences and let the chips fall where they may. Because when it’s all said and done God is still on the throne, and His purposes will be accomplished with or without our help.

Isaiah 46:9-11
Remember the former things of old,
For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like Me,
Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things that are not yet done,
Saying, “My counsel shall stand,
And I will do all My pleasure,”
Calling a bird of prey from the east,
The man who executes My counsel, from a far country.
Indeed I have spoken it;
I will also bring it to pass.