EVOLUTION OR INTELLIGENT DESIGN?
With a vote last month, the Dover Area School District school board in a rural south-central Pennsylvania community, is believed to have become the first in the nation to mandate the teaching of "intelligent design", which holds that the universe is so complex that it must have been created by an unspecified higher power. Dr. Kent Hovind (Dr. Dino) of Pensacola, FL, says, "For 2,000 years, nearly all Christians believed and taught that the earth was approximately 6,000 years old as revealed by God's Word. In the early 1800s, some unbelievers began to teach that the earth was "millions of years old." This old earth teaching laid the groundwork for the evolution theory, which became popular a few years later. In an effort to blend both beliefs, some theologians invented the "gap theory" which allowed "millions of years" to be placed between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2. As this new gap theory began to be accepted by the church in the early 1800s, the majority of Christians offered little resistance. This effectively "neutralized" them in the war between the Bible and the rapidly spreading worldview of evolutionism. This godless theory resulted in the rise of such philosophies as communism, humanism, and Nazism. The acceptance of the gap theory opened the floodgates for these ideologies, which have caused untold suffering as well as hundreds of millions of deaths in the last two centuries."
LINKS:
The Gap Theory by Dr. Kent Hovind
Creation Science Evangelism with Dr. Dino
News Article: Alternate Evolution Theory OK'd for Teaching - FOX News

Poland, Germany, and USA Flags
RECONCILATION THROUGH JESUS WHO IS OUR PEACE!
Today, we met with friends from our house church for breakfast at their home and we ended up worshipping the Lord and then praying. Then the prayers turned into asking forgiveness to one another for the past wrong doings of our countries - there were 3 from Germany, 2 from Poland, and me (USA) - and also saying "thank you" as well, along with prayers of blessing. This created lots of tears as the Lord brought healing to our hearts and is bringing healing to the nations - HALLELUJAH and MORE LORD! And may the LORD continue to break down all walls between His disciples all across Europe and the world. Paul wrote to the Ephesians in chapter 2 that, "Christ himself has made peace between us Jews and you Gentiles by making us all one people. He has broken down the wall of hostility that used to separate us." JESUS IS OUR PEACE WHO HAS BROKEN DOWN EVERY WALL - HALLELUJAH!

The Key representing Isaiah 22:22; Robert & Annette in front of Schloss Charlottenburg; Robert blowing the shofar in front of the Reichstadt
ISAIAH 22:22 says, "I will give him the key to the house of David--the highest position in the royal court. He will open doors, and no one will be able to shut them; he will close doors, and no one will be able to open them."

Yesterday, we traveled around the city of Berlin with Robert and Annette Stagmer, USSPN State Apostolic Coordinators for Maryland (they work with Chuck D. Pierce), interceeding on behalf of the city and the nation of Germany. The Lord sent them here from the USA and they will visit 12 cities in 8 days. BLESS YOUR SERVANTS, LORD JESUS!

THE FALL OF THE WALL
15 years ago today the Berlin Wall fell and the Iron Curtain opened up, allowing those out that was trapped in Communism. However, today, there still exists a wall in many hearts which are trapped by sin. It is only through the healing love of Jesus Christ that true freedom and hope comes to those seeking truth via the Cross.

click on photo to enlarge
GERMANY SUPPORTS ISRAEL
On September 11, Berlin had JESUS DAY which included a march downtown, speakers, prayer, music, and visiting with friends. Another activity occured in the former East at Alexanderplatz where a human Star of David was created - VERY COOL! This was photographed from a plane piloted by our good friend, Manfred Glimm, and then the photo was sent to Israel with a declaration saying Germany supports Israel. SHALOM and PEACE to you, Israel!

photos by Michael Macor
MARINES TURN TO GOD
Near Fallujah
With US forces massing outside Fallujah, 35 marines swayed to Christian rock music and asked Jesus Christ to protect them in what could be the biggest battle since American troops invaded Iraq last year. Men with buzzcuts and clad in their camouflage waved their hands in the air, M-16 assault rifles beside them, and chanted heavy metal-flavoured lyrics in praise of Christ late on Friday in a yellow-brick chapel. They counted among thousands of troops surrounding the city of Fallujah, seeking solace as they awaited Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's decision on whether or not to invade Fallujah. "You are the sovereign. You're name is holy. You are the pure spotless lamb," a female voice cried out on the loudspeakers as the marines clapped their hands and closed their eyes, reflecting on what lay ahead for them. The US military, with many soldiers coming from the conservative American south and midwest, has deep Christian roots.
Comforting
In times that fighting looms, many soldiers draw on their evangelical or born-again heritage to help them face the battle. "It's always comforting. Church attendance is always up before the big push," said first sergeant Miles Thatford. "Sometimes, all you've got is God." Between the service's electric guitar religious tunes, marines stepped up on the chapel's small stage and recited a verse of scripture, meant to fortify them for war. One spoke of their Old Testament hero, a shepherd who would become Israel's king, battling the Philistines 3 000 years ago. "Thus David prevailed over the Philistines," the marine said, reading from scripture, and the marines shouted back "Hoorah, King David," using their signature grunt of approval. The marines drew parallels from the verse with their present situation, where they perceive themselves as warriors fighting barbaric men opposed to all that is good in the world. "Victory belongs to the Lord," another young marine read. Their chaplain, named Horne, told the worshippers they were stationed outside Fallujah to bring the Iraqis "freedom from oppression, rape, torture and murder ... We ask you God to bless us in that effort."
Holy oil
The marines then lined up and their chaplain blessed them with holy oil to protect them. "God's people would be anointed with oil," the chaplain said, as he lightly dabbed oil on the marines' foreheads. The crowd then followed him outside their small auditorium for a baptism of about a half-dozen marines who had just found Christ. The young men lined up and at least three of them stripped down to their shorts. The three laid down in a rubber dinghy filled with water and the chaplain's assistant, navy corpsman Richard Vaughn, plunged their heads beneath the surface. Smiling, Vaughn baptised them "in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit." Dripping wet, corporal Keith Arguelles beamed after his baptism. "I just wanted to make sure I did this before I headed into the fight," he said on the military base not far from the city of Fallujah.

Asia, Jen, Judith, Can, Tabea, Daniel, Susan, & Cathy
HANGING WITH THE GLIMM GANG!
It was a great day in Spandau with the Glimms - first at Margots for pizza and the movie classic, "Sound of Music", then to the Glimm home for prayer & worship regarding God's will for the ministry together, finally at the Josuah church where we took the above photo - hallelujah!

TEACHING ENGLISH WITH CHRISTIAN SONG AND ART
This afternoon Maria, Asia, Jen and I worked together to teach English to a group of children along with some of their mothers. It was great fun and we will return in 2 weeks to do it again. Then after a time of coffee and cake, a couple of other adults came over. While the kids played upstairs the rest of us shared a bit ourselves, we sang, we worshipped the Lord, we prayed, and we read the Bible - this is church!

CATHY AND JEN
Jen Miller, a new FIRE missionary, is visiting Berlin for a few days while in Germany for a couple of months. She is staying in Minden with the Schmeuszer family and plans to move to Deutschland sometime next year. Jen is 23 years old and next to Jesus, she has a great love for the German people!

Jesus said, "And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free... So if the Son sets you free, you will indeed be free." - John 8
FREEDOM!
On the train traveling to meet Maria, I began talking to some students from Turkey and when their teacher asked what I was doing in Berlin, he was surprised when I handed him John 3:13-18 written in Turkish! One student asked if I was for Bush or Kerry. So in a crowded train where many understand English, I shared how I voted for President Bush. “Why?” the boy asked. “Well, for one reason he is pro-life” and then handed him my tract which tells about “My Pro-Choice Decision” (click here to read it). Then while walking to the bus, I was approached by a Hari Krishna selling “holy” incense. We chatted – him sharing his beliefs and me sharing freedom through Jesus – and finally I said, “Let’s pray that if you have the truth, that I turn to it but if I have the truth, that you will turn to what I believe.” He agreed that that was a good prayer! YEAH! Then Maria and I taught a Bible study to Mohammad, Bülent, Karin, and Bärbel who all have mental problems. I believe the Lord will heal these people and I told them my story how God set me free from paranoia schizophrenia over 30 years ago. Two weeks we prayed for Bärbel and she told us that the doctor was surprised that her blood was better - she told him that we prayed for her! THANK YOU, JESUS!

PEOPLE ARE PRAYING!
And the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, the God of all our ancestors who has brought glory to his Son and Servant Jesus, is listening and answering. President Bush is pro-life, Senator Kerry is pro-abortion and this is one of many determining issues in my mind that promoted me to vote for the incumbant. At this moment, it is all but final, but President Bush is the most likely victor as the next president of the USA. It is good to see that so many citizens took advantage of their right to vote this election. May the best man win and may God bless him!

click on picture to enlarge - right-click to copy
PICTURES FROM POLAND!

John, Neil, Sheryl, Andy, and Cathy
BACK FROM POLAND
We had a great time in Poland and drove back to Berlin today. Then we visited the Glimm family and had more wonderful fellowship! Thank You, Lord, for the family of God all over the world.

A CHEERFUL HEART IS GOOD MEDICINE - Proverbs 17
The Berlin University laughter expert Professor Gunther Sickl said: "Phrases such as laughing yourself sick should actually be turned around to read laughing yourself well. Up to 80 muscles are used to have a really good laugh. And the body gets a very healthy work-out. It is such good exercise that it sometimes even leads to cramps for those having their first good belly-laugh in a while. And possibly most important of all, endorphins, the brain drugs, are released -- they not only promote a feeling of well-being but are seen by most doctors as the best natural drugs of all." Something that brings GREAT joy to my heart, is telling people about Jesus, so today after church here in Poland, we went downtown with a large team, worshipped the Lord, and talked to several about the love of the Father for His children. And praise God, LOTS of seeds were planted, many received prayer, and four young people asked Jesus to forgive them of their sins and be Lord of their lives! HA! Take THAT devil... and on Halloween no less! HA-HA-HA-HA-HALLELUJA! THANK YOU, JESUS!

CROSSES IN BERLIN
Still in Poland, today when I checked the Berlin news, I found these photos of wooden crosses recently errected commemorating victims who died trying to cross the East German border to West Germany, next to a replica strip of the Berlin Wall. The section of the Wall, which divided Berlin for 28 years, and the 1,065 crosses were erected by a private museum next to the former border crossing at Check Point Charlie and the area will open as a temporary memorial from Sunday, October 31, 2004. Seeing ANY crosses in such an atheistic city surprises me but I am glad the victims are now being honored. THANK YOU JESUS FOR YOUR CROSS AND THE SACRIFICE YOU MADE FOR ME AND THE WHOLE WORLD TO TAKE AWAY OUR SINS - HALLELUJAH, YOU ARE RESURRECTED AND ALIVE TODAY!

ZIELONA GORA
Today we walked around downtown and enjoyed this beautiful city. I got to talk a bit with 5 little girls who said they were learning English in school and I handed one of them a paper with John 3:13-18 in Polish to read aloud to the others. Afterwards, I gave them each their own verse and one girl gave me a piece of candy along with a big smile! Then about 15 minutes later, she ran up to me again and handed me a picture she drew! It was so sweet! Then tonight we had a meeting here at the Boone family house and about 25 friends from the church came over for fellowship, worship, and hear a great message from John Cava. These are WONDERFUL people!!!

"AS THE FATHER HAS SENT ME, SO I SEND YOU." - Jesus
What is a Missionary? by Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest, October 26
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Jesus said to them again, ’. . . As the Father has sent Me, I also send you’ —John 20:21
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A missionary is someone sent by Jesus Christ just as He was sent by God. The great controlling factor is not the needs of people, but the command of Jesus. The source of our inspiration in our service for God is behind us, not ahead of us. The tendency today is to put the inspiration out in front—to sweep everything together in front of us and make it conform to our definition of success. But in the New Testament the inspiration is put behind us, and is the Lord Jesus Himself. The goal is to be true to Him—to carry out His plans. Personal attachment to the Lord Jesus and to His perspective is the one thing that must not be overlooked. In missionary work the great danger is that God’s call will be replaced by the needs of the people, to the point that human sympathy for those needs will absolutely overwhelm the meaning of being sent by Jesus. The needs are so enormous, and the conditions so difficult, that every power of the mind falters and fails. We tend to forget that the one great reason underneath all missionary work is not primarily the elevation of the people, their education, nor their needs, but is first and foremost the command of Jesus Christ—"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations . . ." ( Matthew 28:19 ). When looking back on the lives of men and women of God, the tendency is to say, "What wonderfully keen and intelligent wisdom they had, and how perfectly they understood all that God wanted!" But the keen and intelligent mind behind them was the mind of God, not human wisdom at all. We give credit to human wisdom when we should give credit to the divine guidance of God being exhibited through childlike people who were "foolish" enough to trust God’s wisdom and His supernatural equipment.

THANK YOU AMERICA!
'Thank you, thank you, America! Thank you, George Bush!' You most likely won't hear these words on the 6 o'clock news, but the Iraqi people are VERY grateful for their freedom. Joe Faustina, a volunteer American who has been working in Iraq, said the Army Corps of Engineers has been well-received by the Iraqi people because the group is rebuilding 412 schools, clinics, hospitals, water and waste treatment plants and other necessities the Iraqis never had before. “The Iraqi people are grateful we’re there,” he said. “Everywhere I go, there are signs saying, ‘We love you America’ and ‘Thank you America.’ This is what they needed.” Faustina said he and his co-workers are not concerned about terrorists because they pay attention to the awareness levels. He said the image of constant struggle in the country is a misconception put forth by the media, and the military does a good job of informing people about which spots to avoid. “It’s really not that bad over there,” he said. “There are a few hot spots, but everyone knows where they are. We’re told to avoid those areas, and most people do.” In fact, that misconception has led to a general fear among the American people about Iraq, which has hindered the Army Corps of Engineers’ efforts to rebuild. Faustina said he would encourage people to volunteer to come over. In much of Europe, there is growing dislike for America, which is amazing to me when one looks back only 60 years to a time when America again sacrificed many of her soldiers to bring freedom from another dictator. Jesus said the greatest love is shown when people lay down their lives for their friends and because we believe in freedom, we are willing to do this not only for America but also for our friends.
Links:
1. Thank You America
2. Two Give Accounts of their Duties in Iraq
3. Dawn of a New Day: Kurds Pleased with the New Irag
4. Bush will be remembered as “the president who brought us freedom”
5. Stand up for America

ENGLISH-ART-BIBLE LESSON!
Yesterday, Maria & I went to the home of Andre and Urlrike to teach their three children English using the Bible and my art skills while they drew pictures and wrote the words with me. It was fun! Then later, a few friends came over to their house and we had a wonderful time of worship and fellowship. We were all blessed by the Word and the prayers. Next time we meet in two weeks, Andre wants to invite other children from the neighborhood to come and learn English via the Bible too - child evangelism - AMEN AND GO GOD!!!

By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength.
WHAT IS FAITH?
Faith is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen and the evidence of things we cannot yet see. God gave his approval to people in the past because of their faith - read about them in Hebrews 11. Trials test our faith to show that it is strong and pure - as fire tests and purifies gold - and our faith is far more precious to God than mere gold. If our faith remains strong after being tried by fiery trials, it brings us much praise, glory, and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. Because God raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory, our faith and hope can be placed confidently in God. When we make every effort to apply the benefits of God's promises to our life, then our faith will produce a life of moral excellence. A life of moral excellence leads to knowing God better. Yes, faith comes from listening to this message of good news - the Good News about Christ!