HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Well, we begin yet another New Year and as I preached last week, it is a time to look back. We need to check out the things we did outside of the will of God and compare it to the things we did within the will of God. Then we need to resolve ourselves to continue doing the latter and giving up the former.

Someone has said that the sign for being crazy is doing the same things over and over again, expecting different results. I pray we can all learn from last year and have a much more fruitful New Year.

This year has had some remarkable times. God has done so much. Most recently He supplied all that was needed to have �Christmas in Payatas� where we gave presents to over 550 children and we were able to feed 1,700 very hungry kids. What a blessing for us. It certainly is better to give than to receive.

We also were able to go out caroling and had 40 people singing songs to our neighbors.

Once again we had no money (seems to be our theme song) yet at just the last minute, some very faithful friends stepped up to the plate and did what was needed to be done.

We were able to have our Christmas party at Church and everyone had a wonderful time. We really have an appreciative Church and they are focused on bringing the Gospel to all around us.

I was able to buy a few presents for my kids. This is an interesting story as I went to the mall with my friend. We left from his house and took a jeepney. We spent much time as money was tight and I needed to get the best value that I could. After a long day we went back to his house and I tied the presents on to the back of my motorcycle and I proceeded home.

When driving through Ampid, I felt a tugging on the bike and when I looked in my mirror it looked like another motorcycle had caught it�s handlebar in my packages. I stopped the bike only to find out that some young guy tried to rip the packages off the bike.

I was a bit shaken up but continued to ride home and made it fine, presents intact.

I asked God, why, such a thing would happen. I mean it would have been very sad as I spent so long looking for the presents and then there would be none for my girls. Last year they were too young to notice but this year, Laura was looking for a present.

Anyway, God put it in my heart that He gives us many gifts and the devil would love to snatch them from us. Whether it is physical presents or joy and peace, Satan is ready to grab it. He also told me that if we follow Him closely it is the same as securing those presents to the back of the bike. There was a lot of cord and so, the devil couldn�t get the gifts.

How about you? Are you reading his word everyday? Are you seeking his face in prayer? Are you doing the things you know He wants you to do? If yes, your gifts are secure but if not, it will be easy to lose them.

Malou and I wish you all a very blessed New Year.
pastorjack@payatasbaptistchurch.org