On Earth As It Is In Heaven [Paperback]

Lee Woofenden (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 27, 2011

Heaven and Hell has always been Emanuel Swedenborg's most popular work, for good reason. Yet we all live on Earth, not in Heaven. What good is talking about Heaven if it doesn't make a difference for our lives here on Earth? Jesus responds, "On Earth as it is in Heaven." That one line from the Lord's Prayer says so much about the spiritual quest. What does it mean for God's will to be done on Earth as it is in Heaven? What is God's will, anyway? And how do we do it here on earth? In other words, how do we make Earth more like Heaven? In eleven reflections originally preached as sermons in the fall of 2003 at the New Jerusalem Church in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, the Rev. Lee Woofenden explores this question, drawing on Jesus's Parables of the Kingdom from the Gospel of Matthew for inspiration, and using Swedenborg's spiritual classic Heaven and Hell as a guide. On Earth as it is in Heaven takes deep and complex ideas from the Bible and the theological writings of Emanuel Swedenborg, and puts them into plain, practical language that spiritual seekers can understand and use on the journey of life.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Reflections on Jesus' Parables of the Kingdom and Emanuel Swedenborg's Heaven and Hell

Heaven and Hell has always been Emanuel Swedenborg's most popular book--and for good reason. Yet here we all are, living on earth, not in heaven. What good is talking about heaven if it doesn't make a difference for our lives here on earth?

Jesus responds with: "On earth as it is in heaven." You can think of this book as a commentary on that one line from the Lord's Prayer. What does it mean for God's will to be done on earth as it is in heaven? What is God's will, anyway? And how do we do it here on earth? Another way of asking these questions is: How do we make earth more like heaven?

In eleven reflections originally preached as sermons in the fall of 2003 at the New Jerusalem Church in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, the Rev. Lee Woofenden explores this question, drawing on Jesus' Parables of the Kingdom from the Gospel of Matthew for inspiration, and using Swedenborg's spiritual classic Heaven and Hell as a guide.

About the Author

Lee Woofenden is pastor of the New Jerusalem Church in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, and editor of Our Daily Bread, a monthly magazine of sermons, readings, and meditations published by the Swedenborgian Church of North America. He is married and the father of three wonderful children. He enjoys books new and old, computers, the Internet, and the great outdoors. His website is at http://www.leewoof.org

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Product Details

• Paperback: 116 pages
• Publisher: NCE Ministries (July 27, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1595261753
• ISBN-13: 978-1595261755
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,819,346 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars From the Author, March 13, 2005

By 

leewoof - See all my reviews

This review is from: On Earth As It Is In Heaven (Paperback)

This is my first published original book, and it is a labor of love. My wish is that it will help you deepen your spiritual life, and give you light on your journey toward eternity.

Here are the reflections included in the book, and the Gospel passage that each one is based on:

* Introduction: On Earth as it is In Heaven

Matt. 6:7-13: The Lord's Prayer

* The Kingdom of Heaven is Near!

Matt. 3:1-3: The kingdom of heaven is near

* Wheat? Or Weeds?

Matt. 13:24-30: The parable of the wheat and the weeds

* Littlest to Biggest

Matt. 13:31-32: The parable of the mustard seed

* Trials and Fermentations

Matt. 13:33-35: The parable of the yeast

* Finders, Keepers

Matt. 13:44-46: The parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl

* A Fish Story to End All Fish Stories

Matt. 13:47-52: The parable of the net

* Debits and Credits

Matt. 18:21-35: The parable of the unmerciful slave

* Buying Into Heaven

Matt. 20:1-16: The parable of the workers in the vineyard

* The Biggest Banquet Ever

Matt. 22:1-14: The parable of the wedding banquet

* Answering the Lord's Invitation

Matt. 25:1-13: The parable of the ten virgins

Enjoy! And may God richly bless you.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is such an awesome book!, March 11, 2005

By 

John Johnson (NW Montana) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: On Earth As It Is In Heaven (Paperback)

I've just finished reading this and it's just a gem! These are beautiful life lessons in how to become better people, and to help us find peace in our lives. The author speaks to us in ways we easily understand. It's a beautifully written book and I highly recommend it to people from all faiths!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars On Earth as it is In Heaven is a wonderful delight, March 9, 2005

By 

Judy Ebbe (So Cal) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: On Earth As It Is In Heaven (Paperback)

On Earth as it is In Heaven is wonderfully uplifting. The concept of bringing Heaven into our lives here on earth by reflecting on the parables of Jesus is inspiring. Rev. Woofenden's insights are gentle on the soul. Yet they challenge the mind to probe deeply to do the necessary spiritual work so that the earth may indeed be more like Heaven, and that we may be more like angels. I enjoyed On Earth as it is In Heaven immensely and have purchased several more copies to send out to friends and spiritual seekers.