Publisher's Note

Publisher’s Note
It was 22 years ago when I arrived in Canada and chose Calgary, Alberta to be my home. Leaving my family and friends behind, it was a new adventure for me to be in a new country without knowing anyone. That was the time I looked for a Filipino community paper and never found any, [...]
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Page added on January 20, 2017

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Gabay sa Buhay

Pastor Amor P. Ruba

The question that often being uttered this season is this, “Are you ready for the New Year”. Of course it depends. To those who are out of work, it is gloomy. To those who lost their love one, it is sad. To those who are sick and alone in the hospital, it is desperate and scary. To those who are going back to the old country, well, it’s a different story. It is well and good – “Philippines here I am. I want to see all of you – my loved ones, my old friends and the place I was born, places so memorable to me. How can I forget you!”

Going back to our topic, why did God become a man? I mentioned last time that the reason God became a man is to reveal Himself to men. Why is that? Don’t we know Him? Don’t we have an idea who God is? People might have an idea but they don’t act on it. The Bible is so clear about this. “Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. 22 Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. 23 And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles. (Romans 1: 21-23).

The Bible is saying that instead of worshipping the true God, they worship idols made to look like mortal human beings and or animals. In short, people become idolaters. They worship idols and saints. Idols are not God, they are false God. They look good in appearance but they are inanimate. They cannot love, and save. They cannot communicate. The Bible said, they have ears they cannot hear; they have eyes they cannot see; they have mouth they cannot speak; they have feet they cannot walk.

God clearly commanded to us not worship idols. He said, “You must not have any other god but me. 4 “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. 5 You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. 6 But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those[b] who love me and obey my commands” (Exodus 20: 4-6)

Why is it wrong to worship idols? You see, God created us because He loves us. God said, I love you. And because God loves us so much He wants us to love Him in return. God did not make you a tomato or an eggplant. He made you as you are so you also can love just like He loves us. Again the Bible said, “And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’[g] 31 The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[h] No other commandment is greater than these.” (Mark 12: 30-31). This is the first reason why idol worship is wrong.

Second reason, it is wrong to worship idol because you become what you worship. When I was a little boy in elementary grade, we play “Barilan” with the boys around. We make our own gun and try to shoot each other. We are trying to imitate and play acting the movie actors who are gangsters, and murderers and thieves. We become what we watch. You see this is true, the more we worship dumb idols we become dumb like they are. We have mouth we cannot speak. We have ears we cannot hear. This is the situation of our day.

God, in his infinite wisdom, mercy and love so deep said, I will become a man, I will become like they are so they can know me, believe me, and love me and I will save them from death. “For this is how God loved the world: He gave[g] his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3: 16-17). God wants to save you and me. He did it all. He longed for you to come to Him in His way not your own way. Why do you insist your way?

To know Jesus Christ is to know God. You can never know God without Christ. He is the embodiment of the true and living God because He is God. Don’t believe any religion that said, “Jesus Christ is just a man”. He is God. And if you accept Him as He is and believe in Him as He is in your heart and obey Him in His Word, He will give you eternal life. This is Christianity and it is about relationship and not religion.

And when you do that you will be like going back to old country especially if you’ve not been for a long time. To see your long lost love ones is like a new beginning, a new life, a new experience in a life time. There’s a great reunion that brings joy to the heart just like our true fellowship and relationship with the living God.

Note: If you have any question(s) or concern please phone me at 403-590-8445.

Gabay sa Buhay

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