Living in the Kingdom of God by John Andrew Gallery

Jesus of Nazareth was an inspired spiritual teacher from whom everyone can learn regardless of religious affiliation. He defined his mission as "I am come that they might have LIFE and that they might have it more abundantly." He illustrated what he meant by this in his parables and sayings. Living in the Kingdom of God examines three well known parables based on two assumptions: first, the "kingdom of God" is not a place to go after death—it is a "state of being" that can be achieved in this lifetime. Second, the parables are to be taken literally as stories about people already living in the kingdom of God. About the Book The first section of the book examines the three parables and finds ten core characteristics of what it means to be a person living in the kingdom of God. The second section describes two incidents from Jesus' life and many of his sayings showing how these reinforce the ideas discovered in the parables. The third section discusses the implications of Jesus' invitation "follow me" and adds an eleventh core characteristic. The final section describes spiritual practices implied by the gospels that can help each of us live in the higher state of being that is the kingdom of God. By focusing on the words, the teachings of Jesus, and not on the theological issues of his birth, divinity, death, and resurrection, Living in the Kingdom of God makes Jesus' teachings more accessible to all who want to live a happier and fuller life, regardless of religious orientation.