關於 assemblies of god ，我們在網路上蒐集到這些相關的討論、資訊與評價

臉書出新招：與上帝結合

根據聖經記載，耶穌在升天前曾經對門徒說道「你們要去，使萬民成為我的門徒，奉父、子、聖靈的名給他們施洗，凡我所吩咐你們的，都教訓他們遵守。」門徒們也在日後踏遍全球，在中東、歐洲、東亞等各地都建立教會。只不過門徒可能沒想到兩千年後的今天，耶穌這番話在疫情下有新的詮釋。教會不再是街坊鄰居親朋好友一起聚集的地方，而是全球的陌生人都可以共襄盛舉的平台，比如我們在洛杉磯的線上聚會每個禮拜都固定有一拖群從倫敦連線的朋友們參加。以前坐在教會等著錢袋傳來傳去現在也會讓人質疑衛生，全放在網路上轉帳，好避免碰現金。至於耶穌提及的施洗，在疫情加持下，連線上施洗的橋段都能在Zoom上面推出。

臉書的崛起改變了群體關係，雖說看似讓建立關係更加方便，卻也因著演算法的推算，成就大家線下更加焦慮的事實，又加上臉書近期內被白宮攻擊，被認定沒有約束假訊息的傳播而導致疫苗接種率變慢。對此臉書的反應是一方面是，你白宮自己無法破70%大關別想甩鍋在我們身上，但是另一方面也努力擺脫負面形象，於是他們把「人與人的連結」先放一邊，聚焦在「人與神的連結」上面。

雖說大多矽谷天龍國菁英在我刻板印象中應該是對宗教信仰抱著嗤之以鼻的態度，但臉書在近年來卻悄悄和各類美國主流宗教團體合作，比如找來基督教界音樂長青樹Hillsong（只要踏進教會三次以內，包準至少會聽到一首Hillsong的歌）、或大多數基督徒不是用過就是聽過的YouVersion聖經App來指點。根據報導，臉書努力開發許多創意來向宗教團體靠攏，除了優化線上聚會和募款功能，還加入線上代禱事項、使用者可以直接點選「已代禱」的按鈕，第二天還可以選擇被提醒繼續為同件事情禱告。但我看到最搞笑的是講道一半時，可以置入廣告，幫助教會賺取經費（！？）

若經營得當，宗教團體比其他社團往往向心力異常強烈。去參加網球社還是高爾夫球俱樂部可能就是大家打個球，有錢的話加吃個魚子醬，可是教會小組裡，跟男朋友吵架、孩子功課不好、另一半外遇有等都能成為代禱事項，一不小心就迅速從陌生人晉升為感情深入的弟兄姊妹，凝聚成密不可分的關係。這樣的向心力群組正是臉書所需要也想拓展的對象。路透社報導，臉書APP負責人Fidji Simo表示，「臉書使用者當中，最大的族群之一是宗教信仰這塊…疫情來襲這段時間，宗教族群在臉書的活躍度有大幅度增長。」在疫情剛發生，許多宗教場所都隨之關閉時，臉書也送出線上聚會的相關器材和資源來幫助這些宗教團體，兜售的宗旨就是「你最想要觸及的人群就在臉書上，快來加入這平台吧！」

雖說不少宗教團體迫不及待擁抱臉書的懷抱，覺得這是發簍耶穌大使命的最佳捷徑和時機，但也有不少人態度表示懷疑，參與天主教婦女社團的Simcha Fisher說道「任何時候臉書有新的東西，都是因為他們某一天可以從中獲利…或是在不久的將來賣你某些東西。」其他人擔心放在網路上的代禱事項是否安全、也有人質疑臉書放任版上竄流的各項仇恨語言，和勸人為善的宗教宗旨相互牴觸。美國教會Assemblies of God的牧師Wilfredo De Jesús則表示線上永遠不能取代實體教會，並說「我們希望大家把注意力放在另外一本書上（意指聖經）。」

雖說我認為臉書不是吃素的，這目的除了希望和上帝靠攏，有助於改善冷冰冰的演算法形象，更希望從宗教群體熱烈的互動之中為他們賺取多於的廣告金（攤手）。但我卻也好奇，宗教團體真的會吃這一套嗎？還是日後會有更多的Seafood隨之冒出在臉書上流竄呢？留言來告訴我你的看法吧！

PS...你可以想到師父開示到一半、牧師講道到一半、修女念經到一半忽然置入廣告叫你買隔離霜或團購蘇打餅乾嗎？然後不要看廣告要付費加入會員之類的，但怎麼樣都讓人覺得怪怪的啊！

#DrP看時事 #誰知道有一天臉書居然會找上帝連結 #每周五早晨準時推出

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Where is Jesus Now?

“Father, I desire that they also whom you have given me be with me where I am, that they may see my glory, which you have given me, for you loved me before the foundation of the world.” (John‬ ‭17:24‬ ‭WEB‬‬)

The day is coming whereby Jesus’ prayer request in the verse above will be fulfilled.

We, the church (bride of the Lamb) will be received by our heavenly bridegroom into His Father’s house.

How amazing it will be to live where Jesus is, to see His glory in person.

Did you know that even the apostles who have since fallen asleep in death are not yet exactly where Jesus is?

“In my Father’s house are many homes. If it weren’t so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and will receive you to myself; that where I am, you may be there also.” (‭‭John‬ ‭14:2-3‬ ‭WEB‬‬)

Jesus resides with Abba God in the sanctuary that is on the Mount Zion in the Heavenly Jerusalem. That is the location of God’s throne.

The Jerusalem on earth is actually a miniature mirror image of the Jerusalem above. Even the layout is the same—God made sure this was so.

None of the saints are there in the sanctuary yet. Those who are dead in Christ are in a part of Heaven called Paradise which is the garden of God.

“I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I don’t know, or whether out of the body, I don’t know; God knows), such a one caught up into the third heaven. I know such a man (whether in the body, or outside of the body, I don’t know; God knows), how he was caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.” (‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭12:2-4‬ ‭WEB‬‬)

In the original Greek, the word is Paradeison which means “a pleasure garden”. In Hebrew, the name is translated as “Gan Eden”, which is literally the Garden of Eden. Eden also means “pleasure”. Both the Greek and Hebrew agree that it is the Garden of Eden.

So that is where the Garden of Eden and the tree of life went! It was translated up to Heaven, protecting the tree of life from the world-destroying flood, and is now used as a waiting area for the saints.

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of my God.” (Revelation‬ ‭2:7‬ ‭WEB‬‬)

We see that this is true. The Holy Spirit testifies that the tree of life is now in the Paradise (Garden of Eden) in Heaven. The cherubim with fiery swords who guard the entrance to the garden do not stop the saints there from accessing the tree of life!

The dead in Christ are still waiting for the Rapture so that they can receive their glorified bodies and finally be where Jesus is.

If what I’m saying is not true, then Jesus would not have said to the apostles, “I will come again, and will receive you to myself; that where I am, you may be there also.”

We know that the apostles who heard these words spoken by Jesus have already fallen asleep in death.

This promise will be fulfilled at the Rapture. The Lord will come back, and in the air, He will receive us to Himself. The apostles and all the saints will receive glorified bodies, and we will finally be with Jesus!

These days, I find myself reading and re-reading the four gospels a lot because I love to read Jesus’ words and read about Him in action. Such a perfect, wonderful God-Man, and He is our Lord.

Have you read my eBook bundle “Understand the Four Gospels Through the Lens of Grace”? It is packed full of revelations that will make difficult and confusing pieces of Scripture easy to understand. Every parable, miracle, and action is explained.

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What and Where is Paradise?

“I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I don’t know, or whether out of the body, I don’t know; God knows), such a one caught up into the third heaven. I know such a man (whether in the body, or outside of the body, I don’t know; God knows), how he was caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.” (2 Corinthians‬ ‭12:2-4‬ ‭WEB‬‬)

The original Greek word for “caught up” in the passage above is “harpazo”, same as the word describing how we will be caught up into the air to meet with Jesus when He returns for His church.

The third heaven is the realm of God, which exists above the sky and above the sea of the “waters above”.

Paradise is a specific location in the third heaven.

If you examine the Greek word for Paradise, you will find that it is Paradeison, and it means “a pleasure garden”.

Jesus used the same word when He spoke to the penitent robber who was crucified next to Him:

“Jesus said to him, “Assuredly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”” (Luke‬ ‭23:43‬ ‭WEB‬‬)

Now what’s interesting is to read how Jesus would have spoken it in Hebrew:

“And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said to him, Omein, I say to you, hayom (today) with me you will be in Gan Eden.” (Lukas‬ ‭23:43‬ ‭OJB‬‬)

Does that sound familiar? In the Book of Genesis, we find that God planted a garden in Eden:

“Yahweh God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate and keep it.” (Genesis‬ ‭2:15‬ ‭WEB‬‬)

And in the original Hebrew:

“And Hashem Elohim took the adam and put him in the Gan Eden la'avod (to till, to work) it and to be shomer over it.” (Bereshis‬ ‭2:15‬ ‭OJB‬‬)

Did you know that Eden means “pleasure”? So the Greek and Hebrew both agree. It is a pleasure garden.

Jesus couldn’t be any clearer. He said to the robber that “today”, he would be with Him in the Garden of Eden.

The Garden of Eden is no longer on earth. It was translocated into the third heaven.

When? It must have happened before God sent the flood in the days of Noah.

Why? One of the reasons is to preserve the tree of life that was in the Garden of Eden, so that it wouldn’t be wiped out in the flood.

The tree of life is now in the Garden of Eden in the third heaven. Notice how Jesus in the verse below says “which is in” (present tense):

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of my God.” (Revelation‬ ‭2:7‬ ‭WEB‬‬)

In eternity, we will live in the city of New Jerusalem, and because God preserved the original tree of life, the seeds from it will grow into new trees of life.

“in the middle of its street. On this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruits, yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” (Revelation‬ ‭22:2‬ ‭WEB‬‬)

A place greater than the Garden of Eden will be our final home, and we will live with God forever!

Did you know that the Bible gives us some of the layout of Heaven and important geographical aspects of it?

Knowing your eternal destination will give you a peace and confidence in your soul, enabling you to live life without the hovering cloud of uncertainty about what lies ahead.

Order and download my ebook “A Tour of Heaven and Eternity” to learn more about the third heaven and our final abode which is New Jerusalem: https://www.miltongoh.net/store/p15/a-tour-of-heaven-and-eternity-milton-goh.html