Welcome to Weekly Guest Post 1 of the book tour The Door is Open by Andrew Court. Watch for a weekly guest post for the next two months on my site!
WHERE EXACTLY IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN?
Perhaps the most famous of all of Christ’s quotations, as well as one of the most disregarded, is found in Luke:
Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ For, in fact, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke.17.20-21)
We, however, are held in thrall by the things of this world, our attention dispersed into the world around us, and we look for heaven and God precisely where Christ tells us not to look, turning spirituality into the superficial and formalistic worship of external objects and historical events.
As our focus becomes more and more external, the lower rational mind gains strength and becomes more and more affronted by the irrationality of spiritual and religious claims. This is when the champions of atheism become increasingly vocal and adamant – not without cause!
Jesus was aware of this problem. So he presented his Teachings about the kingdom of heaven through parables in which he paints a picture of the kingdom by using images and symbols that bypass the rational mind and sink directly into higher levels of consciousness.
Here is one example:
The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the heavens come and make nests in its branches. (Matt.13.31-32)
Here, the kingdom is likened to a tiny seed. It is the ‘smallest of all seeds’ because at our usual level of consciousness we give it the least importance! But if the man takes it, and plants it within (‘in his field’), it grows into a huge and magnificent tree – the symbol of enlightenment, thrusting upward through the levels of Being, from roots in the earth to branches in heaven. The ‘birds of heaven’ that nest in its branches are the angels.
Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ For, in fact, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke.17.20-21)
We, however, are held in thrall by the things of this world, our attention dispersed into the world around us, and we look for heaven and God precisely where Christ tells us not to look, turning spirituality into the superficial and formalistic worship of external objects and historical events.
As our focus becomes more and more external, the lower rational mind gains strength and becomes more and more affronted by the irrationality of spiritual and religious claims. This is when the champions of atheism become increasingly vocal and adamant – not without cause!
Jesus was aware of this problem. So he presented his Teachings about the kingdom of heaven through parables in which he paints a picture of the kingdom by using images and symbols that bypass the rational mind and sink directly into higher levels of consciousness.
Here is one example:
The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the heavens come and make nests in its branches. (Matt.13.31-32)
Here, the kingdom is likened to a tiny seed. It is the ‘smallest of all seeds’ because at our usual level of consciousness we give it the least importance! But if the man takes it, and plants it within (‘in his field’), it grows into a huge and magnificent tree – the symbol of enlightenment, thrusting upward through the levels of Being, from roots in the earth to branches in heaven. The ‘birds of heaven’ that nest in its branches are the angels.
Andrew Cort is an expert on the inner message of Spiritual Awakening that is always ready to be found in the wonderful stories of the Bible and Greek Mythology. To receive several FREE GIFTS from Dr. Cort (a copy of Chapter One, ‘Making the Decision’, form his new book, THE DOOR IS OPEN; a copy of his article on RECONCILING SCIENCE AND RELIGION; and a complete version of the Bible’s erotic masterpiece, SONG OF SONGS , adapted as a Poetic Dialogue to be read out loud by lovers; as well as a subscription to his SPIRITUAL GROWTH NEWSLETER) click here http://www.andrewcort.com/Gifts . You can also learn more on his blog, Spirituality and Religion.
Twitter www.twitter.com/andrewcort
Be sure to check out more from the tour:
9/12 My Cozie Corner Weekly Guest Post 1
9/13 Simply Infatuated Weekly Guest Post 1
9/13 Reading, Writing and More Weekly Guest Post 1
9/14 Crystal's Book Corner Spot light, First Chapter,
Guest Blog 1, and Giveaway
9/14 The Bunnies Review Weekly Guest Post 1
9/14 Fighting Monkey Press Review9/17 A Night's Dream of Books Weekly Guest Post 2
9/17 My World Weekly Guest Post 2
9/18 Nette's Bookshelf Reviews Guest Pos t2 and Giveaway
9/13 Simply Infatuated Weekly Guest Post 1
9/13 Reading, Writing and More Weekly Guest Post 1
9/14 Crystal's Book Corner Spot light, First Chapter,
Guest Blog 1, and Giveaway
9/14 The Bunnies Review Weekly Guest Post 1
9/14 Fighting Monkey Press Review9/17 A Night's Dream of Books Weekly Guest Post 2
9/17 My World Weekly Guest Post 2
9/18 Nette's Bookshelf Reviews Guest Pos t2 and Giveaway
To follow the entire tour, please click here.
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