The Way Of Contemplation – Dhyaana Yoga

The blessed lord declares that a person who does work without desiring for the result is a yogi as well as a sanyasi. Action alone is the means for a sanyasi who wants to be a yogi. When a person gives up all desires and is no longer attached to sense objects or actions, then he attains yoga.

The self is a friend to one who has controlled his body and senses but to a person who has no control, the self is the enemy. Only a person who has self control will be serene like a steady flame during happiness or misery heat or cold, and in honor or dishonor. To a real yogi who is spiritually realized, who is steady and who has senses under control, a stone and precious stone will be alike, a pebble and gold will have the same value.

A yogi will look upon equally on a friend, and enemy a neutral, a hateful person, a relative the good and the sinful. To the yogi, all are the reflections of the same whole. Lord Krishna says that the yogi should live alone and concentrate with his mind. He should sit in a clean spot, neither too low nor high on a seat made of kushagrass, skin, and cloth one on the top of the other, with the mind and senses under control, concentrating to practice yoga for purifying the mind.

The yogi should hold the trunk, head and neck erect and steady and look on the tip of his nose, without becoming restless and concentrate on God as the supreme goal. Thus the yogi if he constantly practices this form of meditation attains peace which will finally enable him to abide in god.

A person who eats either too much or nothing at all, who sleeps too much, or does not sleep at all, cannot be a yogi. A yogi is one who does not get distracted and who is self satisfied and one who sticks do the truth even when affected by great pain, eg: Saint Alphonsa.. The yogi with a steady mind, who is sinless and identifies with Brahman, achieves supreme bliss. Such a yogi is always absorbed in the supreme God and views the self in all beings in the self.

The lord says that the person who recognizes all beings as part of him does not forget god nor does God forget him. A Person who feels pains of others and joins in the pleasure of all is the best yogi, according to Lord Krishna.

Arjuna tells lord Krishna that he is unable to control his mind. To this the Lord replies that one can control the mind through practice and dispassion. Arjuna asks Lord Krishna about the fate of a person who fails in the path of yoga. Lord Krishna assures him that such a person will not be destroyed but will be born again in the house of the pure and prosperous or in a house of yogis from where he will strive to attain God. A yogi is perfected through many births and attains god. Lord Krishna says that the yogi is greater than the wise, and greater than the person who is devoted to work. According to Lord Krishna the yogi who is absorbed in God is the greatest, so Krishna asks Arjuna to become a yogi.

How can we remember God while we are engaged in work that needs our total attention?

Anything that we do in our lives needs full attention. We need to stay focused and concentrate to achieve our goal without other distracting thoughts. If so, how do we remember God when we are engaged in work that needs our total attention?

An example would be when I’m at wok on a project, however much challenging and hard it appears to be, I tell my peers and team to remember the pay check that we get at the end of the week, the mere thought of it motivates and keeps everyone going in dealing with difficult tasks.

In verse 5.6, Sri Krishna says in the case of individual who lives life’s battle to win righteous profits and constantly remember the Lord, while doing so, his “mind and intellect get absorbed in Me”, you shall come to Me.

The term death here should be understood clearly. It is not the mere death of the body but the emphasis is also on the death of the ego. Verse 8 confirms that even after the sublimation of the ego, one can continue to live in the body due to prarabdha and is jivan mukti.

It is quite normal to see people chanting the slogans, by habit, without thinking of God, as a routine chore while doing other thing. Mind has the capacity to act on things and manage the chanting. But this is not a focused attention on Lord. It is a monotonous repetition without focus.

As studied earlier chapters, if we perform all actions with Arpana buddhi, that’s everything is done for him alone, as an offering to him then the actions are done with utmost love and care with his thought in mind. He is in the thought constantly and continuously. By performing such karma yoga, over a period of time, it becomes a habit and the Lord is always in our thought in whatever we do, however much focus and attention is required of us for other tasks.

Describe the Karma theory to a common individual.

Karma theory is the core of Hindu philosophy. Few of the prominent principles of this there are:

Responsibility – Every action has a consequence it its own time. Every effect has a cause. Everything that we think, speak and act has its own merits and demerits. We alone are responsible for the given situation and peoples in our life in every birth. This is simply the law of nature. There is no one sitting somewhere, taking notes on what what we do or not. We bear the results of our thoughts and actions, now or later without fail.

Accountability – Good actions result in good results and bad actions give bad results. We call this as merits (punya), and demerits (papa). We are the product of our choices. We create the blueprint for our next life. This karma theory does not mean the destiny will take care of everything. We create our own destiny. This theory emphasizes that we should focus on mindful, conscious living. What we are today is based on our past and what we will be tomorrow is based on our actions today. As you sow, so shall you reap

Effort – The doer alone is the enjoyer or sufferer of those consequences based on his own actions. He cannot transfer the results to or borrow from others. This gives the accountability to each one of us to choose the life that we want in our next birth. This clearly proves that we are the product of our choices so it is better to stop blaming others and be accountable for our actions. As you sow, so shall you reap.

Dissolution (Pralaya) – This is the dormant phase, also called beeja avastha. Neither good actions cancel the results of bad actions nor the bad actions cancel the results of good actions. The doer (karta) gets to enjoy and suffer but the good actions help you to handle the results of bad action with dignity. During the maha pralaya, the merits and demerits are never written off, every Jivan is in dormancy during that time along with the merits and demerits that are simply frozen and all Jivan come back with the same merits and demerits. Sooner or later we pay the price for our own actions. The merits and demerits creates the body and the body accumulates them based on the actions. It is like which came first? The egg or the chicken? It is a natural law of cycle of samsara.

Liberation (Moksha) – When we read scriptures, follow rituals, perform upasana, we need to choose to move up higher in the spiritual ladder through jnana marga and enter into Self enquiry, attain knowledge towards being realized. The next step is to stay there forever with firm conviction, That’s nidhidyasana. This should culminate to ‘Ananya bhakti’, undivided Bakti, that take one to moksha which to be one with Brahman.

Creation-Dissolution Cycle – Pralaya

When we stop to look around, we would recognize that everything around us is in cyclical. The plants come out of the seed, grows, flowers, fruits and dies leaving behind the seed again. People and animals are born as babies, grow, achieve, accomplish, propagate and eventually die. The seasons are also cyclical as spring, summer, fall and winter, returns to spring. In some parts of the world it is distinctly visible while in other parts it is slight.

This cyclical process continues on again and again which confirms that this is neither the first nor the last birth for all of us.

Just as we unfold our day and fold our little world at the end of the day, Brahma manifests and unmanifests this universe at the start and end of his life span. All our merits and demerits are frozen only to continue at the same point when the universe starts again. This is called maha pralaya, great dissolution. This is called the Beeja Avastha, or the seed form when everything is in dormant stage with the potential for creation. Today’s scientists talk about the blackhole, Einstein proved that matter is neither created nor destroyed.

These cycles of creation and dissolution, birth and death go on and on continuously without an end. This is called samsara chakra. One who is tired of this endless coming and going, endless birth and death, develops dispassion from all realms of experience, seeks that which is permanent happiness. The only way out of this birth and death cycle is by Self knowledge.

This Self knowledge could be acquired only in earth (Bhu loka) and only in human form. Therefore it is vital recognize the grand opportunity that we have, to escape out of this creation-dissolution cycle, than merely be attracted to the impermanent fleeting attractions and waste the entire life rather than choose the right path for our next birth.

The difference between Jivan-mukti and Vidheha-mukti

When does a person realizes that he is dreaming? Once he is awake!!

Similarly when an individual realizes that God as his own Self, he is liberated here and now, instantaneously even though he is in the body in the human form living on this earth. Such a person is called Jivan Mukti.

On the other hand, a man of Realization, who has realized that the Self in the body is the same as paramatma and discards his mortal body, he is liberated for he does not identify with the body. For the onlookers, he still lives in that body and is liberated only when he leaves the body.

There are yogis who go through many health conditions but they’re totally unperturbed by it for they know that they are not the body, and it is normal for the body to disintegrate but others tend to do all kinds of treatments to that body which the yogi has already renounced it. Such a yogi is Videha Mukti.

Explain Rebirth Theory

There is life after death and we are reborn in a different form and place based on our actions in previous births. Our scriptures emphasizes this thought with facts.

Rebirth is the core of Hindu philosophy and karma theory is the basis of this which are listed below.

This is not our first birth or the last birth. We will be reborn again and again until liberated from the cycle of birth and death. This the samskaram, (samsara chakra-giant wheel). The body creates the merits and demerits and these choose a suitable body to experience them. It is like ‘did the seed came first or the tree came first? or ‘did the egg came first or the chicken came first’? This is simply the law of nature for all beings to be in the karmic cycle.

From our accumulated capital of karma (consequences of karma), also called ‘Sanchita karma’ (net fructifying results of our thoughts and actions) that decides the form and the place we are born in. When this prarabdha karma is exhausted, the individual jivan leaves the body and is reborn in a new body, again based on the accumulated thoughts and actions, including from the current life.

It is the most intense and strong vasanas that fructify first. That’s probably why it is also called vasanas, fragrance. The strong fragrance stays longer and deeper. Therefore as you think so shall you become. The last thought at the time of death will decide the form and place of an individual jiva goes to.

Again it is the strong vasanas, that we have accumulated by our own thoughts and actions that decides which form we take in the next birth so it might not necessarily be a human form again. We are now born as human, but we could very well be born as any other species in the next birth so we don’t want to miss this opportunity of human form to realize the Self in us.

Apart from the earth, there are many other realms of experiences, heaven is a realm of intense joy for an extended period of time, hell is the opposite, a realm of intense suffering. There are other realms of experiences besides these. Vedanta philosophy mentions 14 of them.

Higher lokas above the earth are.. Satya loka, Tapo loka, Jan loka, Mahar loka, Swargaloka, bhuvar loka, bhu loka(earth), the lower lokas are Atalata, Vitala, Sutala, Rasatala, Talatala, Mahatala, Patala

Based on the choices we make, in our thoughts, words and deeds, we experience in these lokas and come back to earth, to purge our vasanas for only from here and only in human body, one can attain liberation (moksha)

Gist of Chapter 8 of the Bhagavad-Gita.

This chapter starts with Sri Krishna’s explanation that there’s only One imperishable Brahman He is that supreme who operates the universe, He is that atman present in each individual body, Prakriti(maya) the perishable universe, He is the creative force that causes all being into existence all actions and their consequences, He is in the presiding deities of the sense organs in the living creatures and the eternal Self.

A popular example is six blind people are touching an elephant and describe the animal from what they have seen and felt. The one who touches the middle of the body says he sees a huge soft wall, the one who touches the leg says he sees a big, tall, cylindrical pillar, the one who touched the ears said he sees a fan that oscillates back and forth, the one who touches the trunk explains that it is hollow tube, the who touches the tail says it is thin rope with some tiny branches at the end and the last one who touched the top of the head said he is on the top of a slide. What does these mean? People see the same object from different angle. Everything is based on individual perception, but they all fail to see the whole.

So also God, Brahman is seen differently by different people based on their experiences, when in fact Brahman is the One whole, without a second. This is the summary of the first six questions by Arjuna. No single word should be taken as a complete one.

The time is not the physical death or the departure from this body, Lord also refers to the Jnanis who renounce their bodies, meaning the time when they do not identify with the body.

He also emphasized that at the time of death, one thinks about what one has been habitually thinking about, throughout one’s life time. It is really hard to think of something new suddenly when one is physically and emotionally weak. It is therefore recommended to make it a habit of thinking on the supreme presence early on, so it becomes a habit and one is able to think of God when the time comes effortlessly.

For everyone who is born death is inevitable, just don’t know when. So, it is advised to live a dharmic life and acquire Self knowledge to be able to easily remember Him. In this chapter Krishna refers himself as Nirguna Brahman.

Brahman is described as one changeless, who is present in all bodies, the creative force in everything that springs into existence, the imperishable appearing as perishable Jagat, as the indweller in each body as a presiding deity and the supreme presence which operates them all.

Just like we plan ahead when we move from one house or state, country to the other, we should also plan ahead for the departure from this body for death is inevitable. We pack our stuff and unpack after reaching. So also we should choose to accumulate our assets which we can carry.

What does this mean? When we leave this body, Stula Sarira, the Sushma Sarira leaves as a package (all the thoughts, actions and convictions).

There are two distinct paths people take as they leave the body. People who lead a disciplined life, doing good to others, following rituals proceed on to Swarga loka, and people who focus on upasanas, Japas and Yajnas but not attained jnana take the path to Brahma loka, where they have a chance to attain moksha after gaining Self knowledge.

In Swarga, Chandra loka, people enjoy their time based on their merits and once exhausted return to Earth to pay for their demerits. Whereas, they also have an opportunity to gain knowledge and moksha, though not guaranteed, would also come back to earth, bhu loka when they don’t gain the knowledge to be one with Lord.

The human life, earthly life is also described as Dukha loka as we need to go through all sorts of sufferings and sorrows. Only here by experiencing those we develop the love for God. If everything is fun all the time, as in Brahma loka we have no opportunity to get Self knowledge.

Then God describes the Jagat, universe as vikara, maya as ‘avikara’ and Brahman as ‘avikara’.

When the maha pralaya happens after one kalpa, the entire universe goes into dormant phase but resumes at the same point where it was left. All Jiva’s get their merits and demerits. Nothing gets erased for whatever reason. Every action has a consequence and it is a matter of when we face them. No one can escape from experiencing the fruits of their actions.

Jivan Mukti is the one who realizes Brahman while alive and his merits and demerits all erase the moment he realizes the Truth (Brahman), even while alive in the current body. Videha Mukti is the one who realizes Brahman but for others he is a realized soul, only after he leaves the body.

What are anya bhakti and ananya bhakti?

There are three types of Bhakti. The first two are ‘anya bhakti’, anya means ‘other than’, refers to duality.

~ First is where the devotee, Lord and the act of worship of the devotee to get something in the world like rain due to famine, flood, natural disasters.

~ Second is where there are two entities, the Lord and the devotee and God is worshipped for the personal benefit (one’s own health, wealth or relationships or growth, happiness),

~ the third is where there is only One and both the devotee and the Lord are one. The devotee is focused on Self realization.

This is Ananya Bhakti, undivided attention on God alone. Only through this Ananya bhakti, a jivan can be one with God.

Since the last thought of GOD, at the time of death results in attaining GOD, how can one make sure that it is feasible?

When we sow a mango seed, we get a mango tree, when we sow an apple seed, we get an apple tree, so is our life. If so what is our seed?

It is not the thought at the exact time of death alone that matters, especially for people who are in coma or who die in accidents but the conviction that they have at the time of death by the constant practice.

We are what our convictions are, not what our thoughts are… Thoughts are fleeting… Strong convictions will have habitual thoughts.

Therefore, it is the deepest conviction that we have, that takes us to the next birth. What we believed and what we practised will bear the result. That’s our seed with potential to bloom. For ex: the stronger the conviction to take and complete this class, the higher the probability to complete. That decision to join the class will take precedence over all the thoughts that come later, like my travel might hinder the study time, or I have guests flying in, or internet is not available, etc. If the conviction is strong we will get it done.

Similarly how strong the conviction of an individual that God exists and God alone exists makes the difference at the time of leaving this body. Such a person who has a life long of practice to this conviction will be the one who realizes the atman as Brahman.

There are no two things to merge but it is the recognition of the appearing to be hidden that has to happen. For this, one doesn’t have to go anywhere or become anything but recognize the Brahman from within. This is possible only by Self knowledge.

Once the knowledge is gained the ignorance is removed instantaneously, like the darkness is removed by the light. Knowledge alone can remove this ignorance and this conviction alone will take one to the future form and life.

…

Understanding the Term “Apostle”

One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also designated apostles… (Luke 6:12-13)

Anyone who has read any part of the New Testament has encountered the word apostle at some point. Most people, like me, during their first glance of this word probably did not understand its true meaning and significance. Just what actually is an apostle? What does an apostle do? Are they active in the church today? How can we recognize a true apostle from a false one? Before any of these questions can be answered one must go back into history to see the initial intent and the meaning of the word. An apostle is one who was (and is today):

• Appointed by a higher authority,

• Given gifts of grace to function in this capacity,

• Trained and anointed for a specific mission,

• Sent to overthrow an existing culture; an opposing form of government, and establish a new one in its place.

No one person can take this mantle by his or her own authority. The appointment and mandate of an apostle is given by a higher authority for the purpose of fulfilling that authority’s purpose. The apostle is vested with powers and carries the mantle of authority of the one who sends them. In turn they are accountable to that authority in all areas. Apostles were and are given a delegated responsibility to enact and establish someone else’s agenda. The term “apostle” is not just a New Testament term or idea, but one that has existed long before the first century. The apostolic concept is imbedded into the wisdom of the Old Testament literature.

An Old Testament Pattern

When the northern portion of Israel was invaded and defeated by the Assyrians, the Israelites were removed and transplanted to other parts of the Assyrian empire. The Assyrians then took people from their own culture and transplanted them in the northern parts of Israel. Their purpose was to destroy an existing culture by creating a whole new one in its place. This was done by exchanging and mixing people groups together, thereby, distorting the traditions and practices of one culture. The Israelites would be forced to learn the ways of their conquerors. The Assyrians would ensure a change in culture by planting their own people in the northern parts of Israel. Over time any remaining Israelites left in the northern parts of Israel became the mixed people known as the Samaritans. It says in the book of 2 Kings:

In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and deported the Israelites to Assyria. He settled them in Halah, in Gozan on the Habor River and in the towns of the Medes. (2 Kings 17:6)

Then it goes on to say:

The king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath and Sepharvaim and settled them in the towns of Samaria to replace the Israelites. They took over Samaria and lived in its towns. (2 Kings 17:24-25)

The concept of conquering people and changing their culture and customs are evident in the literature of the Old Testament. These foreign kings had an apostolic mindset and strategy to increase their kingdom domain and to spread their influence over the entire world by transplanting or mixing people groups.

Likewise, Israel was called to be an apostolic nation that would bring God’s light, wisdom, knowledge and the glory to the nations of the earth. As a people group they were to be a light to the Gentile nations. The prophet Jeremiah was given an apostolic call to:

• Uproot

• Tear down

• Destroy

• Overthrow

This first part of Jeremiah’s commissioning is negative in tone. The reason for this commissioning is that a worldly mindset settled within Israel and God wanted to confront it. Jeremiah was God’s approved and anointed prophetic apostle to do just that, to change the mindsets and hearts of His own people and bring them back to God. The second part of Jeremiah’s commissioning is positive in nature. God commissioned him to:

• Build

• Plant

Jeremiah received a calling with a ratio of two parts negative to one part positive. We can conclude from this ratio breakdown that more work is required to overthrow something than is required to build a new work or culture. Jeremiah was sent to a difficult place; a backsliding, adulterous Israel who was going into exile. Jeremiah was getting ready to face a sad and difficult situation, but with an apostolic call upon his life he was able to confront the dangers that faced him. The apostolic mission is laced with grave dangers but it also experiences great triumphs as we will see in the life of Gideon. In Judges 6, Gideon was commissioned with an apostolic call to fight, defeat and save the Israelites from the oppressive Midianites. It says:

The LORD turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” (Judges 6:14)

Gideon was sent to remove a foreign and oppressive form of government and re-establish their theocratic form of government. He was sent to change an anti-Israeli culture. The word “sending” in this reference is the Hebrew word shalach, a word meaning “to send out or to stretch forth.” According to Barnes’ commentary of this passage, “Sending implied a valid commission and sufficient powers and the term ‘apostle’, as applied to our Lord and to the twelve.” As you can see the concept of sending someone forth to establish a kingdom mindset and culture was not just reserved for the New Testament but a concept that is found throughout the Old Testament as well. The same word shalach is used twice for Isaiah’s commissioning in Isaiah 6:8:

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

Isaiah heard the call of God and responded to an apostolic call, which also included the office of a prophet. It was an apostolic / prophetic mantle. He was sent into a difficult situation, to be a voice for God between Israel to turn a stubborn and backslidden people back to God. Isaiah had some success under Hezekiah’s reign in keeping Israel aligned with God’s purposes. Throughout Israel’s history God sent the apostle-prophet to establish his culture in and among His people.

The Greek Paradigm

The Greeks were very familiar with the term “apostle.” As the Greeks conquered new lands they would appoint and send an apostle to plant the Greek way of life, which included their language, customs, literature and form of government. Their goal was to spread Hellenism (the Greek way of life) around the world. Guess what? It has worked to a large extent. Today, we live under their influence and have gained a refined language because of their apostolic vision and mission.

One of the prominent Greeks was a young man who was later known in history as Alexander the Great. Although he was a military apostle, he took with him historians, scholars, and educators to influence and conform the people that he conquered to reflect the Greek culture. In the article Between the Testaments, the Hellenistic Period it states, “Alexander began his career as an apostle of Hellenism. Completely convinced that the Greek way of life was superior to any other, he began his crusade with a missionary zeal.”

Nicholas Martis in his article Alexander and Christianity observes that “Alexander with his deeds transformed the shape of global history…with the propagation of the Greek language as the official language of his Asiatic and African Commonwealth; Greek became the formal tongue of communication between the multiethnic peoples of the East. Alexander and his Successors became not only the bearers of the Greek tongue, but they also offered to the world the Greek culture and knowledge, elements that further prepared nations to accept the teachings of the Savior of Nazareth on the Holy Mountain.”

In my opinion, Alexander was a military and cultural apostle. Alexander not only conquered places of the ancient world by military might, he also injected the Greek culture into these conquered regions thereby uniting them by a single language. He was able to connect estranged people groups by binding them together with a common language. These people groups may not have been connected since a cultural and linguistic divide existed between them. Alexander united the ancient world by a vision to conquer, subdue and recreate a whole new culture. This is the fundamental work of an apostle.

The New Testament Paradigm

The God of the Jews, Jehovah, understood the depravity of humanity so He sent forth His only begotten Son in the person of Jesus Christ to redeem them (1 John 4:14, Hebrews 1:1). Jesus came as the apostle of peace and war with a message of repentance that if humanity would turn from their evil deeds they would receive this new way of life. Instead of conquering people with military might, Jesus conquered people by His teachings, displays of supernatural power and His central message of love and forgiveness of sins. The Scriptures abound with sayings that “crowds followed Him everywhere” (Mathew 8:1, 14:13 and 19:2). Jesus was able to attract and move the masses simply by His message of salvation by grace alone; whereas, the existing religious culture held them in bondage to the Law, the traditions of men and certain ceremonial rites.

Jesus selected a term that was familiar in His day to convey the purpose of His mission. He used the word apostle to describe the type of mission and ministry that He and His disciples would carry out on the earth. In the New Testament, Jesus uses the Greek word apostello, a word meaning “to send out on a mission; set apart, sent forth, and sent out” to describe the term apostle. In the following Scripture we see references of Jesus’ apostolic mantle:

• Matthew 10:40 – He who receives Me receives the One who sent Me.

• Mark 9:37 – Whoever welcomes Me does not welcome Me but the One who sent Me.

• Luke 4:18 – He has sent Me to proclaim…

• John 8:42 – I have not come on my own; but He sent Me.

Each of the four gospel writers attested to Jesus’ commissioning as an apostle, for the very word apostle means “a delegate, an ambassador of the gospel, a commissioner of Christ with miraculous powers, one that is sent” to bring a change of culture. Jesus was known as heaven’s apostle, one who was sent to fulfill a specific purpose and mission statement. This statement encompasses a laundry list of items as stated in Luke’s gospel.

An Apostolic Mission Statement

The purpose of Jesus’ ministry on earth is found in Luke 4:18-19. He was to:

• Preach good news to the poor. This statement unveiled a prevailing worldview or mindset of that day that kept people in bondage to poverty. Jesus came to set them free of this “poor man’s” mentality.

• Proclaim freedom for the prisoners. Jesus came with a powerful message that convicted and freed the hardened captives.

• Proclaim recovery of sight for the blind. Jesus received and administered heavenly powers to reverse the curse of sickness, disease and human physical disabilities.

• Release the oppressed. Jesus invaded the realm of darkness and freed those who were oppressed and harassed by Satan and his hoard of demons.

• Proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. Jesus proclaimed a new revelation and ushered in a new dispensation; the fulfillment of the Old Testament Scriptures became a reality in the midst of Israel.

We can learn many things from Jesus’ apostolic mission statement. First, it speaks of His purpose. He was appointed and anointed to fulfill this specific mission statement. Second, the mission statement itself speaks of the type of ministry needed to change the existing culture; a culture held hostage by the prince of darkness. This culture was in dire need of salvation and deliverance. Third, the statement was proof of an authentic apostolic mandate, one that could overthrow an existing form of government and transplant a legitimate one in its place. Finally, His central message was one of freedom; a freedom that would bring a new and everlasting life full of the Holy Spirit. He shared the free gift of salvation and authenticated His teachings by demonstrating signs, miracles and wonders. As a result people were set free from their bondages and old mindsets. A new kingdom was being formed within the hearts of the people. Jesus, the apostle from heaven, legitimized His mission by fulfilling every aspect of His mission statement.

The Purpose of the Post Resurrection Meetings

After His suffering, He showed Himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that He was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. (Acts 1:3)

Jesus’ disciples entered into a “master-disciple” relationship where they lived with their Master for an undetermined period of time. John expounds on this experience in his epistle, “That which was from the beginning [Jesus], which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched-this we proclaim concerning the Word of life” (1 John 1:1). As first hand eyewitnesses John and the other disciples saw, heard, touched and experienced God in human form. Can you imagine experiencing God in this way? Did you know that Jesus is just as tangible today as He was in the first century? His works still manifest all around us, and we can still experience Him today in all His fullness through the Holy Spirit.

In the forty days of His post resurrection appearances, Jesus appeared to His disciples and discussed one important subject with them in order to reveal an important strategy. Throughout Jesus’ ministry He authenticated the kingdom of God to His disciples by demonstrating signs, miracles and wonders, and by teaching them kingdom principles. The disciples were now full of kingdom theology but lacked the strategy to execute it properly. In the last few days before Jesus’ ascension into heaven, He brought the disciples into alignment with God’s purposes by revealing a progressive strategy of world evangelism. There was one problem. Jesus’ disciples were still a bit clueless to the big picture. A brief description of Jesus’ post resurrection conversation with his disciples is mentioned in the first chapter of the book of Acts. In these few verses Jesus reveals a very important strategy.

Without a Clue

So when they [Jesus and his apostles] met together, they asked Him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6)

As Jesus spoke about this new strategy for their lives, the apostles had another vision in mind. They asked Jesus if He was going to “restore the kingdom to Israel?” They had developed a hindsight vision while Jesus’ vision was much more than they could ever fathom. Man gauges and guesses the future with a link to the past while Jesus knows the future. They had no clue whatsoever of what their role would be because their intentions were quite different from those of Jesus. One thing they desired for sure was for Jesus to take His rightful place on Israel’s throne and begin His earthly reign. In their natural minds they presumed a different vision from that of their leader. James Montgomery Boice, the author of Acts, an Expository Commentary states the following three presumptions in his book (1-3). I will elaborate on each of them.

1. The apostles presumed a political kingdom.

The Jews were proud of their past history, especially the 120-year period of King Saul, King David and King Solomon. These years were known as the golden years for Israel. It was a time of stability, security, expansion and prosperity. There was a time at the end of David’s reign when their enemies were subdued and at peace with Israel. The apostles looked forward to the restoration of this golden period. They believed Jesus to be this new king who would usher in a new age much like that of the early era of Israel’s monarchy. Little did they know that Jesus was going to do it in a different way.

2. The apostles presumed an ethnically restricted kingdom.

The Jews were proud of their heritage as God’s messianic nation. As the children of Abraham, they came under a covenant relationship with God, and became the people of promise. From this patriarch’s seed would come the promised Messiah, their Savior-King. However, sometime later they were put under a heavy bondage in Egypt. Over time God delivered them from this bondage and took them on a long journey into their Promised Land. They became His people and He became their God, as the messianic nation they were to glorify God and be a light to the Gentile nations. However, in the days of Jesus they repudiated the Gentiles. At this time the Gentiles, under Roman rule, occupied the land of Canaan. The Jews were looking for liberation from their captors and eagerly desired a kingdom that would be strictly Jewish.

3. The apostles presumed a geographically restricted kingdom.

The Jewish people were proud of their homestead under King David and Solomon, when their boundaries extended to the south toward Egypt, reaching the regions of Mesopotamia to the north, and Egypt to the south. It was the largest portion of land ever conquered and occupied by Israel in their history. They would not possess this portion of land again. They wanted to go back to this period of glory and grandeur. They wanted a geographically restricted kingdom that would conform to their brightest time in history; an epoch of their greatest expansion and economic growth. Can you blame them for desiring this? As Americans we are territorial by nature, and we are proud of our own country. The Israelites also had a love in and extreme pride of their own country.

Ah, Now We Get It!

God’s ways are always better and bigger than our tiny vision of what should be. God does not limit Himself to history. Instead He has eternity in view, after all history is about His-story. Soon after Jesus’ departure, and the descent of the Holy Spirit, the apostles became aware of the big picture that Jesus conveyed to them during His forty day, post resurrection appearances. After the day of Pentecost the apostles understood the three principles that Jesus attempted to convey to them. I then reinterpreted Boice’s original statements and added the following premise (mine are in italics):

1. His kingdom would not be political but spiritual.

Jesus established His kingdom on earth; it was not a political one but spiritual in nature. His kingdom would dwell on the inside of those who would believe in His name. They would take His kingdom wherever they went because the kingdom now resided on the inside of His people. It was to be a “kingdom on feet”, a mobile kingdom without boundaries and restrictions. This meant that wherever His disciples would travel they would take this kingdom with them; from the palaces to prisons, from the synagogue to the marketplace, and everything in between. A new age had emerged, and the kingdom would now live within God’s people. The people became the temple of the living God, they would move with God and God with them. It resembled God’s original design of the mobile tabernacle.

2. His kingdom would not be restricted to one ethnic race but would include everyone.

John 3:16 states, “For God so love the world that He gave His one and only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” God is inclusive of all races, while man is protective of his own kind and his own culture, norms and traditions. God’s kingdom would not be strictly Jewish but would include every person from every tribe, tongue and nation.

3. His kingdom would not be restricted to mere geographical boundaries but would have global implications.

Man, by nature, is a territorial creature. They are concerned about protecting their own boundary lines, but God is not limited by any boundaries. His wish is that no one should perish but that all should come to repentance. This inclusive attribute of God shows that God means to include everyone, everywhere and at all costs. God desires to penetrate every country in the world with the good news of salvation. If people would perhaps occupy the moon one day, then this gospel must even reach those who would live there. God has no borders, boundaries or restrictions. Wherever you have people living, you will have a need to preach the gospel. His kingdom reaches beyond national boundaries to global proportions. These post resurrection meetings had a strategic purpose. It was during these forty days that Jesus shared His last secret with them, an eight-point strategy to reach the world.

The chapters are the heart of your book. If they are unfocused, disorganized, have boring titles, lack headings, get off to a slow start or suffer from other critical defects, readers grow restless, begin thinking of other matters and soon abandon your book. The guidelines in this section will help you avoid these mistakes.

Failure to Make Chapter Titles Understandable and Interesting: dreaming up good chapter titles takes a bit of effort but this pays off big in terms of drawing readers into your book and helping them understand what it is all about. On the other hand, overly literal, academic, obscure, or trivializing chapter titles can turn readers off before they start reading. Remember, most books are still sold in bookstores, where most readers glance at a non-fiction book’s table of contents to determine whether it seems interesting.

Literal titles like “The History of Iraq” lack warmth and excitement. Re-title the same material, “From Ancient Babylon to Modern Baghdad,” and you lend the promise of colorful, engrossing material to your chapter title. Or combine the two versions for one that possesses both color and literalness: “From Ancient Babylon to Modern Baghdad: A Short History of Iraq.” In short, Do not call your first chapter, “What This Book Will Do.”

Instead call it, “Freedom from Nightmares at Last!” Academic-sounding titles truly confer the kiss of death on a book, as far as reaching a wide audience of typical readers. Consider the title “An Anthropological Consideration of the Growth of Nicotine Addiction Among Women.” Most readers will assume a book with weighty chapter titles like that is written only for academics and will look for another that seems written more on the level of the average person.

When the word “bankruptcy” comes to mind, people usually think of “Chapter 7” personal bankruptcy because this is the most common one. Under this type of bankruptcy, most of a person’s debts are cancelled. However, the person that is filing for bankruptcy may have to give up certain items of property.

How to File for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Relief

There were certain amendments to the bankruptcy laws that took effect in October of 2005, which consists of a two-part test. This will determine whether a person even qualifies for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

1: Determines Ability to Repay – The income of the debtor is examined under a certain formula, which exempts specific necessary expenses, such as rent and food, to see if the debtor can repay 25% of the “non-priority unsecured debt.

2. Income compared to State Median Income – The debtor’s salary is compared to median incomes around the state.

If the debtor happens to make more than the state median income, and found that the person can repay 25% of the “non-priority unsecured debt”, the debtor will NOT be eligible for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy and will have to look about filing Chapter 13 Bankruptcy.

The debtor must also have a meeting with a credit counselor at some time 6 months before applying for bankruptcy. He or she must also attend money management classes and must pay for these out of their own pocket.

The Automatic Stay

One the debtor has filed for bankruptcy, the estate of the debtor is protected by “automatic stay”. This means that debtors cannot try to collect debts without first having permission of the bankruptcy court. Therefore, the debtor does not have to worry about his or her house going into foreclosure, repossession of his car, eviction for an apartment, garnishment of wages or bank accounts, cutting off his electricity, or any other measures that creditors may try to take in order to recover any monies owed.

Although the stay may prevent the debtor from being evicted from his apartment, any new obligations that the debtor may incur would be payable to his creditors. For example, if a debtor continues to rent an apartment, if he does not pay any rent accrued AFTER the date that bankruptcy was filed for, then you may be liable to be evicted from the apartment.

The Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Process

A trustee is usually appointed by the court in a Chapter 7 bankruptcy case. The main duty of the trustee is to make sure that your creditors are paid as much as possible of the amount owed to them. The more of your assets the trustee is able to obtain for your creditors, the more the trustee gets paid.

There will be a short hearing called a “creditors’ meeting” which the debtor has to attend but the creditors usually do not show up at the hearing. The trustee asks the debtor questions concerning his assets and obligations. This hearing usually takes about five minutes.

After the trustee has exhausted the debtor’s funds obtained by liquidating his or her non-exempt property, most of the remaining debts that are unsecured are then discharged.

All in all, the Chapter 7 bankruptcy takes from four to six months to finish.

While it can be difficult to make the decision to hire a Chapter 7 attorney and move forward with bankruptcy filings, it is sometimes the only decision to make. What can be even more difficult, of course, is moving back from the brink. There are no two ways about it: filing for bankruptcy is not a great thing for your financial records. The repercussions to your credit report are serious and unavoidable. It will take several years for you to rebuild that credit, but it can be done. Your first steps will involve finding a new outlook on financial responsibility. Here are some of the ways you can move past this unfortunate period and beyond bankruptcy.

Emergency Funds

If you find a Chapter 7 attorney who is willing to provide you with advice on the future as he is helping your through the process, he may recommend starting an emergency fund. One of the easiest ways for an individual to get in trouble with credit cards is when an emergency pops up. The car breaks down, for instance, or medical bills suddenly demand your attention. After bankruptcy, you may not have a credit card to rely on anymore, so you need to make sure you have the money to take care of these incidents as they occur. Vow to put away a certain amount of money each month for just such an eventuality.

Budget

Any Chapter 7 attorney you talk to will tell you that most people have little idea how much they spend in relation to how much they bring in. They probably think they know, but unless you sit down and make a budget, you are walking a tightrope without a net. This is especially true once you have no credit cards on which to rely. Make your budget. Figure out exactly how much income you’re bringing in and then write out your expenses. You may realize quickly that you either aren’t bringing in enough or you are spending too much. If this becomes apparent, you’ll need to fix something on one side of the equation. It’s usually easier to cut expenses than it is to increase your income.

Rebuild Your Credit

A lot of people make the mistake of thinking that since bankruptcy is erased from your credit report in seven years, they will be eligible for a loan in exactly that time. That’s not always the case. You still have a large gap in your credit history that banks will not look on favorably. Try to close that gap. Apply for a secured credit card and begin rebuilding your credit history in the meantime.

Clients often find themselves in need of debt relief because of a car loan gone badly.

Modern day society necessitates owning and maintaining an automobile which sometimes evolves into a devastating financial burden. Lenders are quick in financing vehicles knowing borrowers highly prioritize automobile transportation over most other financial obligations. Even borrowers with bad credit are fitted into an automobile financing packages priced at high interest rates to compensate aggressive lenders for the added risk.

Financial difficulty often arises from auto financing. The happy car buyer drives their new vehicle off the lot financed nearly 100%. As the saying goes, almost immediately thereafter, the new vehicle depreciates in value several thousand dollars before it is even hits the highway.

Automobile transportation costs $4,000.00 to $6,000.00 annually including auto loan payments, liability and collision insurance, repairs and maintenance and gasoline.

Havoc begins when an unexpected car repair not covered by warranty, or a motor vehicle accident, unexpectedly and substantially decreases the value of the vehicle far below the outstanding loan balance owed to the bank. Or, perhaps more harmlessly, on a trade- in for a new vehicle where eager car salespersons and lenders agree to take in your old vehicle on trade, and throw the remaining outstanding balance from your old car loan (for a little higher payment) on the back-end of your new auto loan leaving the new car buyer considerably ‘upside-down’ on the new vehicle purchase.

These situations leave the borrower in a predicament where sizable portions of income are devoted towards covering an unsecured auto debt obligation that is of no use towards sustaining modest costs of necessities for family living.

Under certain circumstances relief from these devastating financial predicaments can be obtained through a bankruptcy filing.

CHAPTER 13 CRAM DOWN PROVISIONS

Under Chapter 13 of the United States Bankruptcy Code, Debtors are permitted to ‘Cram Down’ the unsecured portion of their auto loans to the fair market value of the vehicle securing the loan. This requires debtors to pay back only the secured portion of the auto loan, but the unsecured balance is treated as a general unsecured creditors providing substantial benefit for the Debtor, permitting Debtor to only pay a small fraction of the unsecured portion of the auto loan debt that is owed.

As an example, let’s suppose our debtor owns a car worth $10,000.00 and there is an auto loan with a payoff balance of $20,000.00. In this scenario, the loan is only partially secured. The auto lender is secured only to the extent of the value of the vehicle or $10,000.00. The remaining $10,000.00 balance on the loan is unsecured. In this situation the Bankruptcy Code affords the Debtor the right to cut off the unsecured portion of the auto loan and treat that portion of the loan as unsecured. So, if General Unsecured Creditors were only receiving a dividend of 20%, the auto lender would receive only $2,000.00 on its unsecured portion of the auto loan.

These situations become sticky between Debtor and Lender because often disagreements arise as to the correct value of the vehicle. Your bankruptcy attorney will need to negotiate a settlement over the valuation before confirmation of the Debtor’s Chapter 13 plan.

Valuation is guided under provisions of the United States Bankruptcy code, specifically 11 U.S. Code § 506 – Determination of Secured Status.

11 USC §506(a)(2) specifically states:

“If the debtor is an individual in a case under chapter 7 or 13, such value with respect to personal property securing an allowed claim shall be determined based on the replacement value of such property as of the date of the filing of the petition without deduction for costs of sale or marketing. With respect to property acquired for personal, family, or household purposes, replacement value shall mean the price a retail merchant would charge for property of that kind considering the age and condition of the property at the time value is determined” emphasis added

The Cram Down provision under the bankruptcy code also provides for a reduction of the interest rate on the auto loan. Often Debtors find themselves shelling out enormous auto payments used to cover exorbitant interest rates auto lenders often charge to risky borrowers.

An interesting exception was enacted under the 2005 Amendments to the United States Bankruptcy Code prohibiting cram downs where the purchase money auto loan was originated within 910 days (2 ½ years) of the filing date of the Chapter 13 bankruptcy [see 11 U.S.C §1325(a)(9)]. Debtors must consider timing of a Chapter 13 filing if they desire to escape the burden of a burdensome auto loan debt. Bankruptcy rules require car loans taken out within 2 ½ years of the bankruptcy filing must be paid as agreed.

CHAPTER 7 REDEMPTION

Cram downs are not permitted under Chapter 7 bankruptcy (or ‘straight bankruptcy’). But, Chapter 7 debtors are permitted to ‘redeem’ personal property under 11 U.S.C. §722.

11 U.S.C. §722 provides as follows:

“An individual debtor may… redeem tangible personal property intended primarily for personal, family, or household use, from a lien securing a dischargeable consumer debt, if such property is exempted under section 522 of this title or has been abandoned under section 554 of this title, by paying the holder of such lien the amount of the allowed secured claim of such holder that is secured by such lien in full at the time of redemption.” emphasis added

Redemption, however, can be difficult under Chapter 7 because debtors must pay upfront in full a lump sum of cash an amount sufficient to pay the secured portion of the auto loan measured by the fair market value of the vehicle at the time Debtor seeks to redeem the vehicle. Chapter 7 does not permit a restructuring of the loan, but sometimes the auto lender will accept payments over time, but usually within a short term.

CONCLUSION

If your vehicle is worth less than you owe on it, bankruptcy options can be advantageous towards affording you to retain your vehicle and move towards better financial health.

Chapter 13 can reduce or ‘cram down’ your loan balance and interest rates thereby lowering your auto payment making it affordable. Chapter 13 also enables you to restructure past due auto payments and spread them over the term of the Chapter 13 plan so you can afford to catch up the past due payments within your personal financial means.

Chapter 7 bankruptcy does not accommodate restructuring of loan repayments but the §722 redemption provisions allow debtors to purchase their vehicles out of bankruptcy for the fair market value of the vehicle, leaving the unsecured portion of the debt discharged under the Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

Bankruptcy is not an easy process but if financial matters are to the point of needing to file, then it is good to know the risks. Chapter 13 Bankruptcy rules are defined that as long as an individual debt is less than $336,900 for unsecured debt and less than $1,010,650. for secured debts they are eligible to file Chapter 13 Bankruptcy. There are several financial documents to be filed with the court along with fees. To prepare documents it is required to have lists of: creditors and their claims, income sources and frequency of income, all property listed and a list of everything the debtor has as a monthly expense. These are all considered since the debtor has to satisfy all debts within a three year period.

One major reason people file Chapter 13 Bankruptcy is to save their home. If a foreclosure has been completed before the bankruptcy is filed the home can still be lost. Under Chapter 13 Bankruptcy rules it is necessary for the home mortgage to be brought up to date within the three year period. If there is not enough evidence to support a debtor’s claim that they can catch up payments then Chapter 13 Bankruptcy laws may not allow for a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy to proceed.

Filing personal bankruptcy puts everyone involved on notice. Under Chapter 13 Bankruptcy rules a trustee is appointed and they oversee any financial matters. No new credit is allowed. Chapter 13 Bankruptcy laws have changed and it has been recommended to seek legal counsel to have an expert available who can interpret the laws. It is not possible to file bankruptcy online. It is possible to download forms and to seek legal representation through the Internet.

Risks of filing bankruptcy are different between Chapter 7 and Chapter 13. Chapter 13 Bankruptcy allows more ease in processing while Chapter 7 Bankruptcy has more scrutiny. Since debts can be paid and assets retained it serves more for the benefit of a good return to financial stability to file Chapter 13 Bankruptcy. In the event that it is not possible to carry out the terms of a bankruptcy then a case can be dismissed and other options pursued. Due to legal representation needed it is best to consult a bankruptcy attorney. Use of the Internet for information can be very helpful and a resource for listing questions to prepare for consultation with legal counsel.

Bankruptcy should be a last resort for people facing more debt than they can possibly repay. But stuck somewhere between people who can’t pay and those who can is another kind of debtor: the debtor who can pay if he or she can get payment terms adjusted.

Oftentimes, debtors work directly and successfully with creditors to negotiate new payment terms, but for those unable to negotiate feasible terms, Wisconsin has another option. It’s a debt amortization proceeding, commonly referred to as a Chapter 128, and allows debtors to amortize problem debts through a scheduled repayment plan. In a Chapter 128, debtors can choose which creditors they would like to include in the petition while continuing to pay creditors remaining outside of the petition. Additionally, a Chapter 128 stops interest and penalties from accruing on specified accounts and prohibits those creditors from continuing to collect on their debts, so individuals are capable of repaying debts in full.

In order to file, you must be a Wisconsin adult resident and wage earner. It’s not clear whether Social Security, maintenance or unemployment income count as wages, but judges generally want to work with debtors to be successful in paying their debts. Traditionally, judges have been inclined to confirm plans as long as there has been some sort of income stream. That trend may be changing, however, narrowing the types of income that constitute wages.

Upon filing a 128, an automatic stay goes into effect for creditors included in the petition, preventing interest from accruing and creditors included in the petition from taking any actions to pursue payment. With a Chapter 128, the debt must be repaid in full within 36 months. If the petitioner defaults on payments, the 128 petition is dismissed and interest and penalties begin accruing again. Additionally, interest that would have accrued during the proceedings becomes collectible, as if the proceedings had never been filed.

Once the repayment plan is approved, a trustee is appointed. The trustee will notify the creditors who will have a chance to object to the amount owed or the plan itself. The trustee will continue to serve as an intermediary throughout the repayment process. Debtors then pay the debt through the trustee, via direct payments or voluntary wage assignments. The trustee is compensated anywhere from 7 percent of the debt for a wage assignment to 10 percent for direct payments.

A 128 proceeding provides several benefits to debtors.

• Cost – The filing fee for a 128 is approximately $30, while a filing fee for a bankruptcy is $300 to $400. Additionally, attorneys’ fees for bankruptcies tend to be two to three times more expensive than those for Section 128 proceedings.
• Ease – Debtors in bankruptcy are required to submit a complex petition and schedules, including all of their assets, creditors and finances, along with a calculation of exemptions. They are also required to submit taxes and proof of secured debts to the bankruptcy trustee. A Chapter 128 is usually one to three pages of a petition where the debtor only list debts he or she wants to include in the repayment plan. So if you have five credit cards, but only one is a problem, you need list only the one where you’re seeking relief from interest and penalties.
• Stigma – For people who are concerned with the stigma or morality of filing bankruptcy, a 128 is considered “debt amortization” and provides a way for them to make good on their debts.

A Chapter 128 proceeding is a good option for people who are struggling to repay debt, giving them an opportunity to meet their obligations. But there are some instances where bankruptcy may truly be the only option. If you’re struggling with debt repayment, consult an experienced bankruptcy attorney. Many offer complimentary initial consultations to help you identify the steps that are best for you.

Every chapter consists of more than one section. Reserve the first section for a “mini overview” of what follows inside the chapter.

Here are the structural components of each SECTION (but all do not need to be present in every section):

1) Introductory section-overview sentence.

2) Description of a feature, component, or a system.

3) PROCEDURAL TASK(s). A set of NUMBERED STEPS to be followed to accomplish a task.

4) TABLE TITLE followed by TABLE(s).

5) FIGURE CAPTION followed (or preceded) by FIGURE(s) (read the HOT TIP below). A “figure” can be a photo, illustration, drawing, a chart or graph, a screen-shot, etc.

HOT TIP: If you will generate a PDF document out of your source file, any link pointing at the Figure Caption creates a usability problem. Why? Because when you click on a PDF link, it takes you to the linked page and displays the linked figure caption at the TOP of the page. That means you’ll be looking at a caption WITHOUT a figure! That’s because the figure itself is left outside the screen and to see it you need to SCROLL UP each and every time. If you click on a number of such figure caption links it gets annoying after a while to scroll up to see the figures.

That’s why I recommend placing your figure captions BEFORE a figure, just like you would with a table title, so that when the document is converted into PDF, those who click a link and go to a figure would not have to scroll up to see the figure. In such an arrangement, the figure would be right UNDERNEATH the figure caption, saving the readers from the trouble of scrolling up.

6) BULLETED list(s).

7) If you need to leave a page blank at the end of the chapter because the next chapter starts on a right-side and odd-numbered page, add this note to the blank page: “This page is left blank intentionally for double-sided printing.” If you don’t do that a number of your readers will write back to you to make you aware of your “error.”

8) If you have left a space after the TITLE for a mini TOC (Table of Contents), go back to the beginning of your chapter and generate the CHAPTER TOC.