Jesus:the antithesis to karma

Buddhist beliefs teach followers that suffering is life and in order to escape from this life of suffering is through a life of education, ascetic life, meditation, and living several lives of iteration to reach to a point where you can spiritually attain higher and higher levels up until nirvana...a heavenly experience where suffering does not exist... Budhha claims to have reached this, but he did not stay within that area.

In application, when bad things happen, often folks who follow the teachings of Buddha may be resigned to believe it ocurred because of their failure to live an enlightened, righteous life...whether it is in this iteration of life, or if it happened in a "previous" life.

As earlier shown in the bible, we have but one death, and then the judgment.

Jesus is the antithesis to this. He lived a perfect, righteous life. He in fact came from the Heaven state which He ruled and reigned and governed. He is the Creator. He judges on who will be there, and stay there. He is the truth, the way, and the life...that no man can come to the Father's home and stay, but through Him.

Buddha teaches that the question on whether there is a God who is Almighty and Created the Universe and instituted nature's laws is an irrelevant question...that whether there is a God or not, it is "okay" to believe, but that the question itself may lead to discomfort and a form of struggling...which ultimately keeps you away from peace...

Jesus,and all the scriptures in the old testament of the jews, which predicted His time coming before it happened, says that God is....That's the question answered. Period. That we can find the peace that surpasses all understanding when we ask God to come into our lives....That Jesus is the Prince of Peace, and that that He can bring you to the Father's glorious home. And that ALL will have to stand before this glorious God and sense his amazing Presence...but some will be condemned, and some will step into everlasting life with Him. The key question is whether you believed in Him...that He came to save you...all could be pardoned except your rejection of the truth He offered you. Jesus and the scriptures that testified about Him, and were correct (over 200 prophesies) claim you won't have another turn at getting to the eternal Heavenly state....you only have one life to do that...but that you can get there not by your own work, but by the work of the one who lived a perfect life for you...to die and suffer injustice to make the payment and suffering on your behalf, so that you can enjoy true enlightenment...that is God's perspective and words of wisdom, not man's.

This is undeserved..>This is GRACE...Undeserved merit.
The idea of karma incorrectly asserts anything bad is due to karma, deserved merit. Jesus says that He can make all things (even the bad) work together for the GOOD of those who love Him. This is the antithesis to karma.

Jesus reversed the Curse of this world, evidenced by His Power to change the lives of those who suffered a great deal... Blind folks,sickly, lepers were healed...
He had no fear of people who the Buddha thought might ruin your own karma.

Therefore, the God (whom Buddha had never met) who created the universe demonstrates love, and compassion, and mercy for those who seemed cursed, either by fate or by their own poor choices. When Jesus encountered those who admitted their need for a touch from God and their need of mercy, who were willing to receive Him...He reversed the Curse in immediate powerful fashion.

One Life To Live, Not Several

Hebrews 9:26-28 But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

----

The Word of God encourages us that we DO have hope in this lifetime to find enlightenment, peace, and divine revelation in THIS lifetime, and to be in the Creator's presence, fully accepted and loved as a child. The Word of God encourages us that yes, there is suffering and trials in this world...but that the Lord Himeself...God The Son, experienced those same trials and He can relate to you...He has compassion. And He has victory over those trials, and He'll give us victory as well, so that we don't have to suffer "many lives", but we can enjoy this life and then enter into the presence of the Lord to be with Him for eternity. And the promise for all who would receive Him is available to us immediately upon HEARING His Word and responding.. You can meet the Lord's Spirit right now!

Some have suffered a lifetime of loneliness. Jesus can meet you and bring you out of that misery. His promise to you, if you would only receive Him as your Lord, that He will come into your life in POWER, and He will never leave you.

If you have suffered great illness and disease and felt condemned in this life by "karma", Jesus says that He is the great Healer. Thousands of people after turning to Jesus, have been healed miraculous in their faith in Jesus. Not all, but many who have true faith in His Power. Even today!

If you have suffered through poverty...Jesus promises that you are precious in His eyes, and in His Father's eyes... that He is able to meet your needs... that if you have faith and stay faithful to follow Him and just ask, you will be taken care of.

God is eternal. He doesn't change... Yes, there are times of trials and tribulations... Great trials are coming for the entire world... But Jesus promises He has come to save you... HE can save your soul, eternally.. How? Ask Him to be your personal Savior and ask Him to come into your life... confess to Him you need Him, and watch what happens.

To Do List: Write and Translate in Thai

I'm a believer in writing down plans and praying over them, errrr.... writing down plans that come to you while you're in prayer... Likely the Lord is communicating something. I'm also a believer in getting busy as often when your about the business the Lord asked of you, it helps you stay on track...

So today I asked the Lord I need an assignment to get me going...I need a kick in the rear. Then I encountered a "to do list" that I wrote several months ago when I was in deeper prayer than I've been the past several weeks.

There were 25 topics I wanted to write short excerpts of, and to have translated in thai. The 25 I wrote down:

1. Not many lives: You have 1 life.
2. Jesus: The antithesis to Karma
3. Release me! (Isolation and meditation will not get you out of the prison)
4. Peace- God turning suffering into something good if you love Him
5. You cant ignore the bad/evil forever.
6. The most Important Question that leads to peace- Not the unimportant Question that leads to more suffering.

7. Who governs the Universal Laws If karma?
8. Don't isolate! You're not alone.
9. Righteous Anger
10. The Creator
11. Free Indeed
12. Ultimate destination-Nirvana? An encounter with God we all will have: The Judgement.
13. Scientifically disproving reincarnation by the numbers.
14. Stone carvings?
15. Where
16. Sovereign God
17. Good Smelling Worship
18. Born Again
19. Sin's Power vs God's Power...Sin powerless compared to God...it must not reign
20. How to Stay Thai in identity, but receiving the Identity of a child of God, while not conforming to ungodly rudeness characterized by "the West". (the difference between western "thought"/"ways" vs. God's true ways which originate from Him, not the West.
21. Adopted and Loved
22. The Power of the Holy Spirit
23. The Way, the Truth, and the Life
24. What about my dead ancestors?
25. Heaven

Resources, Building Houses, Software

Tammy and I had a fruitful weekend...
Our new friends from Horizon Rancho Santa Fe, Jose and Roxanna, invited us to their lovely home near the Ranch. They are such great hosts and they can cook up a storm! We had shrimp and halibut and delicious chocolate cheese cake. Our friends Janet and Leon tagged along, and they were a huge blessing for our hosts and their other friend Bob. Janet works in the prophetic gifts and in healing prayer.. She's so humble and she loves Jesus. We had a great time sharing testimony of what the Lord is doing in our lives, and ended the night in worship time and prayer. Janet share a couple things she felt the Lord impressed on her heart to share specifically for the hosts and for Bob...we will see what happens in the near future, with great anticipation of confirmation from the Lord.

After visiting with Jose and Bob, I was inspired to take the opportunity to go to Mexico in April to video tape and help the construction of a couple homes. I'm not the handiest person in the world, but this is going to be a great experience to learn from the machine.

Another great idea came in the next night. We had dessert with a great pastor from north coast evangelical free church sunday night. This is the church i was saved in back in 2000. They were of the very first mega churches that did video format through various venues. His teaching style is extraordinary, and I am always blessed by it. So much growth from his topical studies. Well he got wind that Tammy and I are headed out to Thailand and he offered to give us plenty of material for using in home groups in thailand for FREE! Wow! I know that stuff if often very expensive at the book store. Wow!
I love that church, but the Lord confirmed again that I belong somewhere in the middle of a horizon/calvary chapel and a vineyard. It's just where my convictions, our experierence/testimony, our theology, and our giftings meet.

Another cool idea came from my brother in law Nick... He reminded me that a great ministry opportunity comes at lemonade stands where prayer and testimonies could be shared. Thailand has a lively market at night, and this is where we could do a lot of ministry.

Lastly, I have an electronic bible software called the Word...all i need now is thai alphabet download, and I can translate any scripture into the thai language using their own unique alphabet. I got that compliments from Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa last week!

It's all coming together.