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The kingdom of God is within you??

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posted on Jan, 17 2009 @ 01:45 PM
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Luke 17:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

Can someone explain this to me? I notice that kingdom of God and kingdom of heaven are used throughout the Bible. Are they one and the same kingdom? Does it mean that there is no literal heaven? After all most of us have been taught that when we die we will go to heaven. Is that not true? I don't understand!



posted on Jan, 17 2009 @ 02:05 PM
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reply to post by Greenize
 


Yes, the kingdom of God and/or of heaven is within you.

Find it and be awake.



posted on Jan, 17 2009 @ 02:06 PM
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Well, firstly, heaven will ultimately be what you expect it to be. If you expect it to be very pictorial, it will be. If you expect it to be rather dull and plain, much like earth, it will be. In that sense, heaven is very much within you.

The afterlife, at least from my understanding, will be largely determined upon personal preconceived notions. Many who expect to "go to hell" often find themselves in it... There have been a few NDEs where people have experience "hell...." Typically, these people, some admittedly, expected to go there after death.

Ironically, there has not been a single report of anyone who has had an NDE who has desired to come back to earth. They have all, uniformly, desired to stay where they were....

[edit on 17-1-2009 by SpeakerofTruth]



posted on Jan, 17 2009 @ 02:09 PM
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reply to post by SpeakerofTruth
 



Many who expect to "go to hell" often find themselves in it...


Also, those that wish it for others will, I believe, find themselves there too. What we wish for others is often what we wish for ourselves.



posted on Jan, 17 2009 @ 02:14 PM
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Originally posted by SpeakerofTruth
If you expect it to be rather dull and plain, much like earth, it will be.


Recycle


So it won't be...

Earth is beautiful



posted on Jan, 17 2009 @ 02:14 PM
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reply to post by L.I.B.
 



I'd tend to agree with that.... The threat of "hell" is a powerful tool used by TPTB to control and manipulate the masses.



posted on Jan, 17 2009 @ 02:16 PM
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reply to post by SpeakerofTruth
 

I actually know someone who had a NDE and found themself in hell. He certainly changed his life after that experience!



posted on Jan, 17 2009 @ 02:21 PM
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reply to post by SpeakerofTruth
 


We essentially go to where our consciousness takes us.

imo, of course



posted on Jan, 17 2009 @ 04:06 PM
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Jesus saying the Kingdom of Heaven is within you, is actually a super deep mystical statement that requires much meditation and seeking to find this within yourself.

When you look into the deeper, and often hidden, Christian Mystical teachings and techniques you'll find that the majority of Monks, Mystics, and Hermits knew that the Kingdom of Heaven was within your own heart.

So the technique that was either shown to one of these Monks thousands of years ago, or re-discovered or what have you ....

..... is to drop your consciousness into your heart area. For some it takes a day or two, for some years, but eventually you establish two sets of consciousnesses. One in your head as usual, and the other one in your heart. It feels like having 2 brains and its really crazy at first ...but you get used to it

With time you began to break open the layers of the Mystical heart and go deeper and deeper within this inner realm.

It's of important significance because many Famous Mystics and Theologians who themselves experienced this, described that your Soul and God are united in the secret heart chamber. So when you finally do get in there, you'll begin to enter and see aspects of God and Heaven and so forth.

I speak from experience of course..... it takes time, practice, and meditation. I had a friend I told this about and he got it in about a month, other friends gave up, lazy, distracted, etc.

I'll warn you though, once you get in there ...and finally see whats going on "spiritually speaking" it will change you forever..... you'll do whatever it takes to spend more time in meditation within the heart than anywhere else. Lose friends over it, girlfriends, jobs, etc ....seek solitude, and so forth. Your character will change, for the better, but you'll no longer like the things nor be the same way you were before.

It will force you to go through ego death, to always be in the "Now" which feels like there is no time and will be the result of you being late to many things, i.e. school, work, dinner, etc.

But its one of the best things there is and worth the sacrifices.

Not only that, there are cultures/religions/mystical paths around the world that discuss the secret of the heart area.

As far as heaven ......you can see this for yourself once you get into the heart area. But basically you have levels of the heavens ...and when you die whatever level your vibrating at or attracted to spiritually is where you will go.

SO if your In Love with God, and have the Holy Spirit indwelled in you and just on Fire with Spiritual Love, you'll go straight to the Oneness and Union of the Highest heaven.

But as you get lower in the levels, the union/oneness/love/mysticism becomes less and less pronounced to you ...then there's also schools to continue your growth. For example if you haven't learned patience while here, then you still go to classes for patience before you can progress any further.

Or if your in level 2 and want to go higher to level 3 there's tons of prep before you can go. Your soul has to learn to be able to handle the extra emanations and Love of God going into you in higher levels. SO if your not ready for it its too much and you cant handle it. Like when you deep see dive, you have to stay at certain depths for periods of time to depressurize and come up slowly in levels so your body adjusts ...same thing up there ...for those in heaven that is.

Then below the schools it gets more messed up, then you start seeing buildings and thought forms that people created that look just like here .....many souls dont even know they're dead. then as you go lower the thought forms start looking more ghetto, dirtier streets, crumbling buildings, more lower vibrating souls ...then little by little the hells begin.

There is also hell levels. It gets crazier as you go deeper in. I only saw to the level of where the crumbling infrastructures began or the doors to hell.... I never went past there because the feeling of it sucks, stinks, feels terrible vibrationally, and there are souls there that are operating on those levels. First the petty thiefs, hustlers, drug dealers, etc ...then it gets to lust fiends, molesters, addicts ....then killers, sickos, psychopaths ...then after that was some serious ish that I really dont even feel good discussing.

I don't know whats going to happen to those in hells, and inbetween heaven and hell ....but in heaven there is lots of advnacing toward higher levels and unconditional love ...no judgement, acceptance, etc.

Its a lot deeper than this......



posted on Jan, 17 2009 @ 04:33 PM
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Consciousness creates logic. There is no logic which can create or explain consciousness.

When you read the bible, take a peak in genesis. Can't remember the exact verses off the top of my head, but it goes along like this. God creates all this creation from his "word". All of creation exists. It is not until the "spirit of god" fills the creation itself that "life" comes. This spirit of god that fills creation is the consciousness.

So, it is your consciousness that is a part of god, or a part of the father. In this way, you are the son. Where as the sum of all consciousness within the creation and beyond what we see is the father. You and your consciousness within a limited perception = the son. We are all the son of god. And obviously the father is much greater than we are.

When you start to understand this, then you start to see god. Since your consciousness is within, then the kingdom of god is also within. The body itself is made up from the "dust of the earth". It is based on logic just as creation is. It operates on action and reaction. Thus, because of this it is said that your body is a temple of god. As your body is a vessel which carries that piece of god.

The first time I realized and seen this connection, the first words out of my mouth were - I am god, and I am arguing with myself. Thus, I am the son and I am arguing with other sons(YOU!).

John 14:20 - At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

The only thing that can create something out of nothing(big bang theory) is thought. A thought can only originate from consciousness. Consciousness is the part of you that says "I AM". "I think, therefore I am". And if you look into the bible, you will see a statement that says something along the lines of - I come in the name of that which is "I AM", aka god.

When you start to see yourself as only consciousness, not your body or environment, then you start to see truth. Then you start to see your spiritual self so to speak. You then also realize - death is not real. Consciousness is eternal and can not be created or destroyed.

When religions talk about understanding god and they say you need to remove thought and logic, it is because there is no logic that can create or describe consciousness. I've tried. For years I tried. It was that which kind of lead me in this direction. Logic is great for explaining the creation itself, but it doesn't even come close to understanding the creator.

Do you see yourself as consciousness? Or do you see yourself as being a body and mind? Are you from the spirit of god, or a part of the creation?

Hopefully these truths can help you see why the kingdom of god is within. I'll be happy to explain this further and answer any questions.





posted on Jan, 17 2009 @ 05:18 PM
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Thank you for the responses! Now I have read and re-read them and I have more questions...let me study for a bit and I will be back!



posted on Jan, 17 2009 @ 11:43 PM
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Ok, my first question is this... How does one go about meditating in the proper way? I have tried many times, but I find that I have a hard time clearing my mind of stupid insignificant thoughts.



posted on Jan, 17 2009 @ 11:47 PM
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Originally posted by Greenize
I actually know someone who had a NDE and found themself in hell. He certainly changed his life after that experience!


Well, I think belief has a lot to do with that. If you strongly believe in "hell" or believe that you are going there, I think that there is a strong possibility that after death, one may very well find themselves in such a place, at least for a period of time.



posted on Jan, 17 2009 @ 11:53 PM
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reply to post by SpeakerofTruth
 

It kind of reminds me of the movie What dreams may come. I recommend it if you haven't seen it!
Another question: Does this tie in with the scripture that says In my fathers house are many mansions, I go there to prepare a place for you....



posted on Jan, 17 2009 @ 11:55 PM
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reply to post by SpeakerofTruth
 


Hello Speaker of Thruth

I will have to add something for your summary of NDE. My mother had a profound NDE, the visions lasted 9 hours of our time, but she did many things. It is the most amazing NDE I have heard of and I witnessed it, along with my Father, a entire day of her waking up and telling us of new things she saw or did, down to details of the fruit she ate and even what the angels, Jesus, Michael and Cherubs looked like.

In the end, she was standing at the gate with Jesus and Michael, and Jesus told her, all you have to do is push on the gate, it will open.....she told them she had to come back, she had to come back for the love of her grandchildren. She said, Jesus and Michael just smiled at her, and Jesus told Michael....take her back. I believe, the fact that she wanted to come back for the love she held her for others, is the reason she came back. So there is at least one case where...the person wanted to come back, even while having their hands on the gate!

She traveled to Egypt and Petra with Michael during these visions and saw herself in a past life that she has often dreamt of of her living in the times of Jesus. She says Michael took her under the Sphinx and she was able to look at what seemed to be a place that holds all the histories of the world.

I was so moved by the whole thing, I made videos of her and I talking about her experience. You can find them on my profile under my thread "My mothers near death experience".

If NDE interests you, I think you will find this utterly interesting.

Also, agreeing with others that your afterlife is what you make it, what you are comfortable with....makes sense considering many children with NDE see Satan Claus *smiles*

My best,
LV



posted on Jan, 18 2009 @ 12:00 AM
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reply to post by Greenize
 

Yes, I have seen that movie. I personally think that it was an inspired production. I thought it was a great movie.



posted on Jan, 18 2009 @ 12:00 AM
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To the OP....

I think there has been some great advice here given about the question you had.

Understanding of things so deep are best sought through your own studies, but the ideas here give you plenty of starting places for this study. I agree with many comments made here on this thread and the explaining of how the kingdom is within.

My best,
LV



posted on Jan, 18 2009 @ 12:03 AM
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Actually, generally children's NDEs are similar to that of adults. This shows that the NDEs are not shaped by beliefs since children had little time to be influenced by religions and beliefs.

NDE experiencers tend to add religion flavor to their experiences according to their beliefs AFTER the experiences.



posted on Jan, 18 2009 @ 12:04 AM
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reply to post by LeoVirgo
 

Thank you. I sometimes feel a profound sadness because I can't seem to grasp alot of things spiritual. I want to understand and it gets frustrating for me sometimes...I have devoured numerous books and studied and prayed...I figured it couldn't hurt to ask for help and advice!



posted on Jan, 18 2009 @ 12:08 AM
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reply to post by Greenize
 


I think seeking your purest nature within yourself will show you what you need. When we realize our wrongs, the things we need to work on to be better service to others. Our purest nature, is truly love, compassion, mercy, forgiveness ect....but most cover this nature with the material riches in life, which leads to pride and greed.

Just sitting under the stars and knowing, the energy that makes those stars....is the same energy running through you. The Universe is aware....and knows when we seek with a humble heart.

We are material vessels carrying the Holy light.

Just thoughts,
LV







 
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