 |
|
An
Outreach Publication of the Church of Christ at
Creekwood |
|
Two billionaire philanthropists, Microsoft founder Bill Gates and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, have jointly contributed $375 million in a global effort to cut smoking. Gates and Bloomberg have stated that the money they are donating will help curb smoking in developing countries where tobacco use is highest. According
to the Associated Press, “the $250 million from
Bloomberg and $125 million from Gates will support
projects that raise tobacco taxes, help smokers quit,
ban tobacco advertising and protect nonsmokers from
exposure to smoke, their foundations said.”
The money will be channeled toward
tobacco-fighting campaigns in countries such as “Tobacco-caused diseases have emerged as one of the greatest health challenges facing developing countries,” Gates said in a statement. * In addition to the successful financial ventures for which they are well known, Gates and Bloomberg are also philanthropists. Merriam-Webster defines “philanthropy” as “goodwill to fellowmen; especially: active effort to promote human welfare.” The word comes from a Greek word, philanthropia, which contains the root words philos (“love”) and anthropos (“man”), “the love of man.” By definition, therefore, philanthropists are those who promote human welfare out of love for mankind. Many wonderful philanthropic efforts have been made through the years, but none so great as one presented by GOD! “But when the kindness and the love [Gr. philanthropia] of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy...... HE SAVED US, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:4-5). The greatest problem of all humanity is SIN. “For ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59:1-2) and condemns us to DEATH (Romans 6:23). But God loved us so much that He gave us His Son, who went to the cross to pay the price for our redemption from sin (John 3:16; Ephesians 1:7). We become the benefactors of this great act of philanthropy when we: believe in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31),turn from our sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of our sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16). Then, as we “walk in the light” of His Word in faithful obedience, the blood of Jesus continues to cleanse us from all sin (1 John 1:7). For
the love of man, God sent His Son to die for
our sins so that we might have forgiveness and eternal
home with Him. Now, for the love of God, won’t YOU respond in trusting obedience? -- David A. Sargent, Minister Church
of Christ at Creekwood Information gleaned from Associate Press article: “Bloomberg, Gates Join to Fight Smoking” from CBS News -- http://www.cbsnews.com/stories and http://www.forthright.net/heavenly_connections/true_philanthropy.html To Subscribe to "Living Water" send a blank e-mail to:
HTML version: subscribe-livingwater@lyris.dundee.net Follow this link to locate the church of Christ nearest you: www.churchzip.com Archived issues of "Living Water" can be accessed from our website at: www.creekwoodcc.org
|