Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg Donates $992 Million to Charity Funding Planned Parenthood

It is eye-opening but at the same time expected in some measure for these companies are not moral neither Christian-based. We have never gone over-board with facebook and fought trying to even be involved with it for the first many years it started. In the end all of these platforms will become less used. That is why we have chosen to not fully integrate the website with these social media solutions.

At this point we have a link to Google+ on the bottom of every page simply because it helps with google rankings. We recently chose to automate all our social media platforms so we do not have to login in constantly to interact etc. We want to encourage all saints to email us directly through the SermonIndex website.

That's the problem. They think they are "moral" and we think they are not "moral".

We cannot play the game of "morality" because in this world it is relative.

We must stay on the higher plane of revelation. "The Word revealed." After the Fall, man began to define morality and became the arbitrator of morality. It is very precious to him to be able to define morality. He believes he has the power to define good and evil, even though he cannot keep his own moral rules. But man loves to have the power to stipulate what morality is and to exercise it. He cannot live without it. But what Christ calls us to is much higher than morality. He calls us to Himself, the Word revealed.

Trying to fight men on their plane of morality is like trying to provide all the evidence in the world regarding Creation in order to get an Atheist to change their mind and get saved. We cannot hope to trump them with "higher morality". They think their morality is the grandest.

The language of God is not morality, it is revelation, the Word revealed, a Person, Jesus Christ.

Blessings to you, Elizabeth.

Man is very adept at taking "revelation" and turning it into religion. Is Satan not a religious master? Just like morality, Christians like to show the world that their religion is better than others. Do we have religion or do we have Christ? Elijah had no religion, either.

Elijah did not battle the prophets of Baal with philosophy and theology.

1Ki 18:37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.
1Ki 18:38 Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.
1Ki 18:39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.

The prophets of Baal have no real power and we should not try to battle on their terms (carnal warfare). We always fight on God's terms.

(Senior devil Screwtape in a speech at the Annual Dinner of the Tempter's Training College for Young Devils) "It will be an ill day for us if what most humans mean by 'religion' ever vanishes from the Earth. It can still send us the truly delicious sins. The fine flower of unholiness can grow only in the close neighbourhood of the Holy. Nowhere do we tempt so successfully as on the very steps of the altar." (C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters)

Yes, Oracio and Sidewalk.

We would have to all stop paying any taxes that are used in our estimation for "immoral" things.

The tax that Jesus paid most surely was used for the continued oppression and occupation of Israel.

This is why we are not to live on the moral plane. Jesus did not live on it, either. We are called to live on a much higher plane that fleshly men do not understand.

Col 2:20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
Col 2:21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not;
Col 2:22 Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
Col 2:23 Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.

And the previous is contrasted with where we should be living....Holding fast to Jesus (the Head).

Col 2:19 And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.

Sidewalk, thank you for your encouragement. I will just say that God has unique (and painful ways) to keep one humble and I have a long way to go. But all His ways are merciful and loving. I have nothing or no one to boast in, but Him. Blessed be His Name, forever.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg Donates $992 Million to Charity Funding Planned Parenthood

The thread title is very mis-leading it makes it seem as if they gave all almost 1 billion dollars for abortions but they only gave a fraction of that. So I agree with the sister there can be some good from this. But in the end they are not the Church and we should be the ones that are helping the poor and dis-advantaged.

...we should be the ones that are helping the poor and dis-advantaged

What do you propose?

What do you propose?

It has been the success of the church over the ages to help the poor. Our Lord spoke about this often. So there are ways for us to be involved in our local areas even doing this that attaches and spreads the Gospel at the same time. The more secular groups that help without the church the less people will have the gospel shared with them together with these good deeds.

So in the end I don't think we can do much, all companies that are not Christian-based will promote and support things in the name of charity from a secular mind-set.

I think for us to support missions that are preaching the gospel while helping the poor is essential and important.

Hi Lysa,

Actually, my quote to Greg was "What do you propose".

It was Greg that said, "...we should be the ones that are helping the poor and dis-advantaged."

Hmmmm, how to answer your question? Like the morality thread we just had, why do we have to compare ourselves with the world and vice-versa and tell each other what to do? Am I detecting competition with the world? I don't know but I don't think we should always be comparing our efforts with the world's efforts. You know, "whatever they can do, we can do better". Is that what our Christian life is all about? Upstaging the world? (I am speaking rhetorically to anyone who is reading this).

Ok, now that I have that out of the way.

The apostle Paul tells us there is a form of giving that is not an expression of God's love. In I Corinthians 13:3 Paul writes, "if I give all my possessions to feed the poor...but do not have love, it profits me nothing." Today we see a lot of loveless giving and the motivations for this are varied. Pressure from others to prove yourself a Christian is at the top of the list. Giving out of compunction is void of love and loveless giving is not Christian giving. Through the years, I have observed not a few times that men who challenge other men to "do more", "give more" and "do it better than the world", actually desire to be the very recipients of your "love gifts". I call them "smooth operators". You have all been challenged many times to "prove your Christianity" and guess what? Many of you work very hard to meet the expectations put on you because you know that your "Christian love" is going to be evaluated either by the frequency of your giving or the size of your giving or maybe even your attitude of giving. And if you don't pass the test you receive ostracizing of some sort. Is it YOUR love that is giving, anyway? Is that what you want people to know? Or is it the Son of God expressing His love for men, through you? His love that is prompting you and me to give?

Now that we finally got to that all important thought, "His love prompting us to give"...SHOULD WE really be telling other brothers and sisters how they SHOULD give?

The world is not going to be touched by our giving, Haiti is proof of that. The Church has poured hundreds of millions of dollars into that tiny island. No, the world is going to be touched by letting the Living God function in us and express His love and character through us.

The Churches of Macedonia first gave themselves to the Lord then unto each other but only by the will of God (not man).
2Cor 8:5 And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.

Ahh, "not as we hoped". Love those Macedonians!!

The will of God is always that He might express Himself through us. We are not to be conditioned by men as if we are Pavlov's dog, to give at the drop of a hat (or the passing of a plate). We are to walk closely with the Lord so we can discern God's will in the matter of giving and what He would specify. He is the One who tells us when to give, what to give, to whom to give and how much to give.

"IF you see a need fill it". Have you ever heard that one? In my early Christian days some tried to condition me like Pavlov's dog to "meet the need everytime I saw one". That worked real good for the preacher who was always making known the needs of his church. Many Christians believe that Christian giving is responding to the need.

Right here on SermonIndex we read from brother Ian Thomas:
Reference:https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/articles/index.php?view=article&aid=24580

"The Lord Jesus Christ refused to be committed to the parochial needs of His own day and generation; He was not committed to the political situation in Palestine, or to the emancipation of the Jewish nation from the Roman yoke! He was not committed to the pressing social problems of His time, nor to one faction as opposed to another, any more than today He is committed to the West against the East, or to the Republicans against the Democrats (as though either were less wicked than the other!). Christ was not even committed to the needs of a perishing world; He was neither unmindful nor unmoved by all these other issues, but as Perfect Man He was committed to His Father, and for that only to which His Father was committed in Him exclusively!

The basis of His commitment to the Father is the basis upon which the Lord Jesus Christ claims your commitment to Him; you are committed to Him for all that to which He is committed in you exclusively!"

We don't respond to the need because it was the most emotional, compelling or persuasive one. We respond to what Christ wants to be and do in us. This is how we walk and this is how Christ walked. He responded to what the Father wanted to be and do through Him.

John 8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

May the Lord bless you all and have mercy on us.

Hi Lisa,

I always write for "whoever the shoe fits", so no it was not directed to anyone personally. Just like I could not have any insight into whether Greg asks people to give because he wants to be a recipient. How would I know that. But, what I do know is there are churches and pastors and leaders who purport to represent Christ who are in competition with the world and are looking to personally gain from yours and my giving.

And you experienced what you did because you touched "the holy grail". The money.

Whenever a sheep comes up with an idea regarding how to better use the abundance of finances that come in each Sunday, they will get a persona non grata response. And the leadership will not mind at all if you just disappeared. Remember, the mammon is holy, don't touch it, they'll take care of it.

Blessings to you and Greg.