For the past several months my heart has been heavy as I have observed the political landscape of America.  I am deeply concerned that there are politicians who are hijacking the Bible to promote their own political ambitions.  I have given much thought and prayer about sharing my concerns through this blog.  Recently, I came across a blog written by Dr. Barry Howard, Pastor of First Baptist Church Pensacola, Florida that expresses the thoughts that have dwelled in my mind and heart for sometime.  

Dr. Howard points out that we are all aware that  the United States Presidential election is on the minds of millions of Americans.  He goes on to add that through the years he has developed a strategy to deal with this matter of political issues and the pulpit.  He observes that his strategy is based on four objectives.  I affirm these objectives:  

1.  WE MUST MAINTAIN A NON PARTISAN PULPIT. 
2.  WE MUST PROTECT THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE. 
3.  WE MUST RESPECT THE DIVERSE POLITICAL CONVICTIONS WITHIN THE CONGREGATION.  
4 . WE MUST BE QUICK TO HIGHLIGHT THE BIBLICAL TEXTS CONCERNING RESPECT  
     FOR OUR GOVERNMENT AND FOR OUR GOVERNMENT LEADERS.  

As a Pastor, I have never, nor will I ever, endorse a political candidate from the Pulpit.  I have also been very careful not to allow political candidates to use the pulpit for political means.  The Pulpit is the place from which the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ takes place.  It must be protected from political ambitions at all costs.  In the words of Dr. Howard, "When the church and state become intertwined the church always loses."  The facts of history prove that statement to be true.  

There are some very practical steps that I join Dr. Howard in promoting:  

1. First of all, I encourage church members to vote.  This is one of the great freedoms we have  
     in America.  For me, this is a private matter.  I study each candidate and seek the wisdom of  
     God in the decision I make.
2. Let us pray for all of our government officials already serving and those running for office and  
     their families.  Let us pray for their health and their protection.    
3. Let us give serious prayer that sanity will return to the political landscape and that hatred, 
     bitterness, and division will be replaced by respect for others.  God help us learn how to 
     disagree without being so disagreeable.  
4. Let us remember that the Bible clearly teaches us "to render unto Caesar the things that are  
     Caesar's and to God the things that are God's."

As the calendar moves toward November and the Presidential election, let us spend each day praying for those running for the highest office of the land, and for the blessing God has given each of us to live in the greatest country on earth.  

Valentine's Day is on the horizon.  It is a time of expressing love, through cards, gifts and other acts of kindness.  In a recent sermon, I shared a love story that has been requested by many people.  So as we approach Valentine's Day, reflect upon this story.  It is indeed a love story.  

It is the experience of Dr. Richard Seller, a Surgeon at Yale University Medical School.   Dr. Seller is also a creative writer.  Dr. Seller shares with us a Love Story that inspires, encourages and teaches us the meaning of real love.  The story is communicated in the words of Dr. Seller.  

"I stand beside the bed where a young woman lies her face post operative, her mouth twisted in a palsy, clownish manner. A tiny twig of a facial nerve, the one to the muscles of her mouth has been severed.  She will be thus from now on.  The Surgeon had followed the curve of her flesh.  Nevertheless, to sever the tumor from her cheek and to save her life I had to cut the little nerve.  Making rounds late in the afternoon, I walked into her room as the sun was going down.  I noticed that she and her husband were enjoying a moment of quiet intimacy as he sat on the bed.  I stopped as I entered the room not wanting to interrupt their time together.  I knew almost at once that I was standing on Holy Ground.  Her husband was now standing on the other side of the bed.  They seemed to dwell there in the evening lamp light isolated from me.  'Who are they',  I asked myself, he and this crooked mouth that I have made, who gaze and touch each other so generously, so greedily?  The young woman speaks, 'Will my mouth always be like this?' she asked me.  
'Yes, it will, because I had to cut the nerve'.  
She nods and is silent.  But the young man smiled and said, 'I like it'. 
Then he added, 'It's sort of cute like you'.  

All at once, I know who he is.  I understand and lower my gaze.  One is not bold in such an encounter.  Unmindful of me he bends to kiss her crooked mouth and I am so close that I can see how he twists his own lips to accommodate hers, to show her that their kiss still works". 

As I first read the story, I thought that is a powerful portrait of Jesus coming to us just like we are and sharing His unconditional love.  Dr. Seller shared a powerful love story but the greatest of all love stories is God clothing Himself in human flesh and coming not only to teach us but to show us what real love is all about.  "NOW ABIDETH FAITH, HOPE, LOVE THESE THREE, BUT THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE."   I ENCOURAGE YOU TO ATTEND CHURCH ON VALENTINE'S DAY AS WE CELEBRATE THE GREATEST OF ALL LOVE STORIES, THE STORY OF JESUS AND HIS LOVE.  

I am so blessed to have my best friend as my "Prayer Partner."  My heart is touched each time I hear her pray.  I have been moved to tears as she prayed for our family, our church, our community, our ministry and other prayer request that have been made known to her.  When she prays, I experience the presence of God in our midst and know that she is not a stranger to the One to whom she is praying.  Each time I hear her pray, I am touched by the prayer of my Prayer Partmer, my best friend and my partner in ministry.  I will always be grateful to God for the blessing of having my wife, Margaret as my best friend and prayer partner.  

Recently, Margaret was invited to give the invocation at Coweta County's "Citiizen of the Year" banquet.  I was so proud of her, and proud for her, as her many friends and colleagues expressed to  her the blessings they received from her prayer.  In a time when there is so much conflict in communities across the land, I asked Margaret's permission to share her prayer.  I ask you to reflect upon her prayer and in turn resolve to be an agent of reconciliation, bringing peace where there is conflict.  

           Our Father, from whom all our blessings are derived.  We praise You for Your touch  on all who serve because of Your guidance.  Make each of us an instrument of Your peace and continue to weave us into a community showing forth Your power and  tenderness for the good of all who dwell here.  

         Bless each person in attendance tonight- bless our differences and use them. Undergird us as we stand together for all that is good.  We ask that You gather us in your protective love and draw us into Your presence as we seek to bring all that we are to You, so that we may experience Your touch upon all aspects of our life. 

         We thank You, Father for all the countless opportunities You "wrap up' for us to serve in Your name and forgive us when we fail to seize these opportunities.  Help us to treasure in our hearts all that You have done for us and enable us to show our thankfulness by lives that are given back to You in service.

         We ask for all this in Your holy name.  Amen. 

I encourage each of us to join Margaret in praying that God will inspire us to show "thankfulness" for the communities He has given us, and each day we will be instruments of His peace, resolving to be part of solutions to the problems rather than part of the problems.  May God bless with His presence in the journey.