Basic Biblical Principles from Genesis:

“The Bible tells the grandest story of all: God loves His children, established a way of salvation and a route to eternity.” ~Max Lucado

God’s Word, first written down thousands of years ago, is as relevant today as when first scribed - it is timeless truth.
"CREATE" is the first verb in Scripture. Creation is the first assertion, the first elemental truth of the Bible. Genesis 1-11 tells us that we are not the result of cosmic accidents and dumb luck – we are designed by a God who is present and personal.

Throughout the Scriptures, God does the unexpected. He chooses the least likely, probably the last person we would choose for His purposes.

My obedience does not insure my comfort; My comfort does not indicate obedience.

Merry Christmas!

² The people walking in Darkness

              Have seen a great light...
⁶ For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given,

             And the government will be upon His shoulders
 And He will be called

            Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,  Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9: 2, 6-7a niv

As Isaiah wrote those prophetic words, the people of God faced threats and challenges on every side.  Isaiah, more than anyone, knew the bleak reality of the immediate future.  But he also knew the promise of God!  He lived in the awareness and the assurance that God is sovereign over all the earth – and beyond.  May we live in that same confident knowledge this Christmas season – and all through the coming year!

Our Third Baptism Service!

On Sunday, 8 December, we celebrated our third baptism service of the year.  While all baptisms are a wonderful expression of God’s grace and the miracle of new life in Christ – this baptism was unique and special.  Aurelien, a student from Cameroon, was baptized by Venkat, a student from India!  Venkat has been mentoring and encouraging Aurelien, and when he felt compelled to be baptized, he asked if Venkat could do it!  What a blessing to hear Aurelien’s courageous and powerful testimony, and then to witness his public profession of faith and commitment!

Missions Trip to Sofia, Bulgaria

We received word in late October that there was a need for people to travel to Bulgaria to assist a missions organization there with their distribution of shoes and socks to orphans.  The Converge International Fellowship family jumped into action!  While only two were able to leave on such short notice, the rest of the church pulled together to fund their trip and send them.  Carol (USA) and Anok (India) cleared their schedules and joined a group from our sister church in Rome to assist with the mission to Sofia.  The team visited 9 orphanages in 5 days, distributing more than 700 pairs of shoes and new socks to needy people from pre-school age to young adult.  It was a blessing to all involved – the children, of course, but also the mission agency we assisted, the members of the team who travelled, and the “home church” that sent them!   

Christmas Devotional from Mel Lawrence

"So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David." (Luke 2:4)

It could have been called Anytown, because Bethlehem was like any town in the hills of Judea, except that the greatest king of Israel, David, was born there. And then, a thousand years later, the Messiah.

How does such honor come to the ordinary? Were the people of this town particularly worthy? Was there some great strategic advantage of where it lay? Were the people of Bethlehem politically savvy, having a long history of producing great leaders? Not at all. The little town of Bethlehem was in the shadow of great Jerusalem just six miles to the north. Even the meaning of Bethlehem, "house of bread," is unremarkable. What we know is that hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus the prophet Micah predicted the destiny of Anytown. "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times."

The townspeople of Bethlehem were surely proud to be the "town of David" and the home of his famous grandmother, Ruth. They must have been glad, too, that the tomb of Rachel, Jacob's beloved wife, was there. And they must have wondered what Micah's prophecy really meant. When would another prophet like Samuel come to town and anoint a new king just like he had done with the boy David?

But it didn't happen that way. On an ordinary day when men plied their trades and women baked bread and children played in the streets a traveling couple from Nazareth arrived looking for a room. They got no special treatment. No one offered their own room. Ordinary people were having an ordinary response to an ordinary looking couple.

Honor comes to the ordinary because of God's choice, whether it is God's choice to use a town, or a nation, or even a single man or woman, boy or girl. So if this is shaping up to be an ordinary day for you--be prepared. That's the stage on which the acts of God are played.

Prayer for Today: Dear God, it so easy for us to assume that nothing exciting will happen with the ordinary. Help us this Christmas to see the amazing things you do when you choose to use the ordinary.

 thebrookletter@me.com

Top Ten Reasons to Live in Germany

Check out this article.  The top 10 reasons for living in Germany...we share many of these as personal favorites....

#2 - Autobahn:  Put the pedal to the metal!  There is nothing like driving from one city to another at 130mph!


#5 - Closed on Sunday.  This took a little time to get used to (about two weeks), but we have come to love it.  We especially realized how nice it is when we were back in the US recently, and saw how hectic life is without any "down time".  It's like the entire nation of Germany takes a deep breath on Sunday - and relaxes.



Link to article:
http://www.thelocal.de/galleries/lifestyle/ten-reasons-to-live-in-germany

Pray for church in N. Korea

As many as 80 people were publicly executed in North Korea earlier this month, some for offenses as minor as watching South Korean movies or possessing a Bible.  

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/11/12/north-korea-publicly-executes-80-for-crimes-like-watching-films-owning-bible/