If we eliminate all the controversial and confusing verses attributed to Jesus we will get the crystal clear truth from him because his source was (1) God which can be seen from his habit of early morning talking to God in prayer (Mark 1:35; John 8:1, 2) which would not have been for material blessings (Mathew 6:8; 16:24), and (2) also observance of people.
1) Jesus who said judgment is based on whether we acted humanely or not (Mathew 25:31-46) would not have spoken about God’s people and pagans (which means bulk of the things found in Gospel had not been spoken/done by Jesus).
2) Another important truth he said was about the real key to our happiness which he said is with each one of us. (Luke 17:21). From his observance of history, he knew there are people from adversities who made great contribution to the world; and there are people from all abundance who lived a life of wastage accomplishing nothing; and there are people who are mixed in varying degree. This shows some people had perfect control of their mind; some did have no control of their mind (like apostle Paul who lamented ‘what a miserable man I am who wants to do what is right yet does what is wrong’—Romans 7:19, 24-25); and others had some control of their mind in varying degree. This means one’s thinking creates his reality, as nicely put by Henry Ford: “Think you can, think you can't; either way you'll be right.”
Hence Jesus said: “the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21) because we are much more than our mind which is just a tool used by our very essence, the immaterial entity within, which is not in the time-space continuum. (If you resolve to live conscientiously you would find yourself firmly refusing to commit a mistake even in your dreams, which points to the existence of an immaterial reality still functioning even when your body is resting—this is a simple way you can find yourself the truth about yourself rather than depending on high-voltage debates of others). Life presents itself in present tense and we have control only on our current thoughts; hence when you live in the present tense fully focused on what you do now you enjoy it and you would not feel time passing as though you are living in heaven. But if you are torn between past and future worries over which you have no control, you would feel hours as days or months as though you are living in hell. Thoughts you choose to think create your experiences. If you believe it is possible to make changes in your wasteful habits, then your choice of this thought will make it true for you, and vice versa. Hence, it is you that decides whether you live in heaven or hell, now, here, on earth! What would happen in the future needs not be a worry as we did not worry about what would happen when we are pushed out of our mother’s womb!
When I practiced the essence of Luke 17:21 I found it is working in me, and I also find that there is an incredible power and intelligence within me constantly responding to my thoughts. It gives me comfort—the ultimate aim all scientists and psychologists are struggling to accomplish for us—which is already available within me, according to Jesus.
[Poor JWs who believe their GB who derails the understanding of Luke 17:21 saying Jesus as the head of the God’s Kingdom was ‘among or amidst of’ them without realizing that Jesus used the same Greek word, Έντóς (Entos), to refer inside the cup in Mathew 23:25, 26 when he said: “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within (έντός) the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.” These are the only two occurrences of this word in the whole NT; and unambiguously it means “within.” This ties in with the context also where Jesus says: “The Kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say: Behold here, or behold there. For lo, the Kingdom of God is within you.”—Luke 17:20, 21]
