From the Pastor's Desk

November 8, 2008

Dear Believer,

As I have pondered this last election, I, like so many of you, wonder what will happen to this United States of America as we have known her today and what will be the future state of the Christian Church.

This election has brought forth different ranges of emotions from exuberant joy to the depths of despair. Like you, I too have many questions:

1. Will our new President-elect Barack Obama have the United States turn her back on her long-allied friend Israel?

2. Will our new President-elect Barack Obama push for laws to allow abortion on demand for any reason? Will partial birth abortion be allowed, adding to the already premature death toll of 50 million babies? And if a child should survive this barbaric procedure, will Congress pass laws to put this survivor to death, an individual who deserves the same unalienable rights our country was founded on, such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness?

3. Will laws that have been voted by the people of the United States against same-sex marriage be reversed, thus allowing public schools to teach our children that a marriage between man and man or woman and woman is just another alternative lifestyle and to be as accepted as good?

4. Will our freedoms to teach Biblical truths be taken from us as Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, and Teachers, to be forced to preach watered down, compromised sermons that will tickle ears and prophesy false security?

Yes, these are questions that will be answered as the next four years begin to unfold before our eyes. But you might be asking as you read these words, "What will you do, Pastors of Spirit of Life Church? What will be your stand as leaders in the Kingdom of God?"

We, as your Pastors, will always remain true to the written Word of God and have pledged our allegiance to Him and His cause. We must follow the Word and not be moved by emotions, especially fear. We will do what the Bible instructs us to do:

	First of all, then we urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. -1 Timothy 2:1-2
	We will not curse God, nor a ruler of the people. -Exodus 22:28
	We will pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you. May peace be within your walls, and prosperity within your palaces." -Psalm 122:6-7
	We will be those whom are called wall builders and gap breachers: "I searched for a man/woman among them who would build up a wall of righteousness and stand in the gap before me for the land, so that I would not destroy it." -Ezekiel 22:30
	We will pray for those who pass laws that "band themselves together against the life of the righteous and condemn the innocent blood." -Psalm 94:21
	We will pray and remind God of His Word, "The king's heart is like channels of water in the Hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes." -Proverbs 21:1
	We will pray for peace and love to be between the family of God and pray that we stay in unity and fight against darkness and not each other:
		So that there may be no division in the Body but that the members may have the same care for one another." -I Corinthians 12:25
		That they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me." -John 17:21
		May we as the Body of Christ be ever-minded of Jesus' words: "Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and a house divided against itself falls."-Luke 11:17
		Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity! It is like precious oil upon the head, coming down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard, coming down upon the edge of his robes. It is like the dew of Hermon coming down from the mountains of Zion; for there the LORD commanded the blessing-life forever." -Psalm 133


	As your Pastors, we pledge to you that as the man and woman of God, we will pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness, and that we keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. -I Timothy 6:11, 14
	We will fight the good fight of faith, taking hold of this eternal life to which we were called and send you (us) to make the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. -I Timothy 6:12
	We will stand upon the promise of God that clearly states that the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against His Church and that Jesus Christ has given us keys of the Kingdom of Heaven to bind and loose the will of God upon this earth. -Matthew 16:18-19

In these last days before His return, we will weather the tsunamis of judgment coming to the earth like I saw in my recent dream. In this dream, these tsunamis brought forth beautifully colored fish that are usually only found in the deep and far from shore. The fish represent the souls of men and women who had been previously out in the deep and too far from our reach but now God will bring to us. Now we will be able to catch them and bring them into the Kingdom of God!

I will close with the words of an email that Pastor and I received from Danyalle Youngers a few days ago. She said that God gave her a word-reprieve-which means, "to delay the impending punishment or sentence; to relieve temporarily from any evil."

We pray she is right and that God will grant us reprieve from the sins that have been permitted to continue in our land. She concluded her email with these words: "I love you both, and we are praying for wisdom for the Body of Christ in this time, but also for you as leaders of our Body."

Now, in closing, Pastor and I would like to leave these words with all of you:

"My soul, wait in silence for God only, for my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be shaken. On God my salvation and my glory rest; the rock of my strength; my refuge is in God. Trust in Him at all times, O people. Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah." --Psalm 62:5-8

Still believing,

Pastors Craig and Fran Schaub
Spirit of Life Church
Antioch, Tennessee