Today's Gospel (Mk 4:26-34): Jesus said, «In the kingdom of God it is like this. A man scatters seed upon the soil. Whether he is asleep or awake, be it day or night, the seed sprouts and grows, he knows not how. The soil produces of itself; first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when it is ripe for harvesting they take the sickle for the cutting: the time for harvest has come».

Jesus also said, «What is the kingdom of God like? To what shall we compare it? It is like a mustard seed which, when sown, is the smallest of all the seeds scattered upon the soil. But once sown, it grows up and becomes the largest of the plants in the garden and even grows branches so big that the birds of the air can take shelter in its shade». Jesus used many such stories or parables, to proclaim the word to them in a way they would be able to understand. He would not teach them without parables; but privately to his disciples he explained everything.
:confused:How do you understand these parables about heaven?:confused:
:)Peace and kindness,:)
Fred (arcura)

Heaven, in the teachings of many religions, is the place or spiritual state in which God, gods, or spirits abide. According to most of these religions, the souls of people who have been faithful to God go to heaven as a reward. Many scriptures describe heaven as a place of dazzling beauty and perfection.

The major Western religions--Christianity, Islam, and Judaism--teach that heaven is eternal and dominated by God's presence. Most Christians believe the supreme reward of heaven is the happiness of being close to God. For followers of Islam, heaven is a refreshing garden where the face of God is seen. Jewish writings refer to the highest heaven as the upper part of the universe and describe the grandeur of the heavens. Many Jews believe a future Messiah will establish a kind of heavenly kingdom on earth.

According to two Eastern religions, Buddhism and Hinduism, heaven has many levels. These levels represent degrees of spiritual purity. Buddhists and Hindus believe that if they perform good deeds, their souls will ascend to such levels. But heaven is not eternal. The most advanced believers pass beyond heaven to the eternal states of nirvana and buddhahood. The rest return and are reborn.

Source: http://photo.pds.org:5005/wb/article?id=ar250300&st=islam

Heaven is the eternal communion of those who have reached their destiny. They see God as He is and love Him and one another with complete joy. Purgatory is a temporary state for souls who die in God's love but must be purified of all unholiness. The Roman Catholic Church defines hell as the absence of God, which results in complete despair. It is the punishment people bring on themselves who have abandoned God and refused communion with Him.

Source: http://www.travelnet.co.il/CHRISTIAN/RomanCatho-index.htm

ROLCAM,
It is good to see you here again.
Thanks for your information on heaven.
I note that in both of Jesus parables things (grain seeds and mustard seeds) are growing.
Thus heaven is a growing place like a garden from which there is a harvest of fruits from that garden.
Question, if so do the saints in heaven now produce such fruits and if so what for?
Peaceand kindness,
Fred

Dear Fred,

Question, if so do the saints in heaven now produce such fruits and if so what for?

YES they certainly do.!
The reason is to make the garden big enough to hold all the repented sinners like me.

Rolcam

As you can see from your examples, Jesus taught that the Kingdom of God was on earth (as well as the Kingdom of God being Within). :)

ROLCAM
Thanks.
That's a thought.
Fred

The bible tells us a little about heaven. I Cor:29 Eyes has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him. 10. But God has revealed them to us though His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things. Yes, the deep things of God.
Rev.21:3, 4 "And God will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes;
there shall be nore death, nor sorrow, nor crying; and there shall be no more pain, for the former things have pasted away."
The bible also talks about streets of gold as clear as crystal and walls made of precious stones.We will have glorfied, incerruptible, spiritual bodies. Cor 12;4
Being in Gods presence will bring a joy and delight that will far exceed anything we could know here on earth. Our real self will live on in heaven, not some shadowy part of us.
We will be able to recongnize our loved ones in heaven, and we will experience great joy
Over being reunited with them.We do no want to miss out on heaven. It sounds so great
I can hardly stand it. This is just a small part of what I believe.

Mk 4:26-29 is known as the parable of the growing seed.
At that time people thought that the Messianic Kingdom would start in a flare of glory and power that would be so great that it would shake the world .

This parable means that it would be a matter of a very small beginning and a long slow
Growth, quietly, secretly, and irresistibly moving on to the day of harvest.

Maggie 3

Maggie 3,
Tjanks for your opinion on that.
Peace and kindness,
Fred