Come, Ye Thankful People, Come (song)

Forever With The Lord (poem)

Forever with the Lord!
Amen; so let it be,
Life from the dead is in that word,
'Tis immortality.

Here in the body pent,
Absent from Him I roam,
Yet nightly pitch my moving tent
A day's march nearer home.

My Father's house on high,
Home of my soul, so near,
At times, to faith's far-seeing eye
Thy golden gates appear!

Yet clouds will intervene,
And all my prospect flies,
Like Noah's dove, I flit between
Rough seas and stormy skies.

And the clouds depart,
The winds and waters cease,
While sweetly o'er my gladdend heart
Expands the bow of peace.

In darkness as in light,
Hidden alike from view,
I sleep, I wake, as in His sight,
Who looks all nature through.

Forever with the Lord!
Father, if 'tis Thy will,
The promise of that faithful word
Even here to me fulfil.

Be Thou at my right hand,
Then can I never fail,
Uphold Thou me, and I shall stand,
Fight, and I must prevail.

Knowing as I am known,
How shall I love that word!
And oft repeat before the throne,
Forever with the Lord!

Forever with the Lord!
Amen; so let it be,
Life from the dead is in that word,
'Tis immortality.

—Octavius Winslow

Victorious Christian Living book review

 I highly recommend Victorious Christian Living by James W. Knox. It isn't often that you read a book that will edify and encourage you while also reproving you! This book helps you to view some of the most popular Bible stories in a whole new light.

Below, I have taken just a few excerpts from various chapters in the first part of the book. I believe from just these small snippets that you will get a great blessing!

Each life is one of choices, and the smallest of those may well lead to the largest of circumstances. David, will you fall today? No. David, will you commit great crimes today? No. David, it is time to go to battle, will you go? No. Never did he think that the failure to do his duty would result in so much ruin.

We have a tendency to view sin only in the positive, the overt, the action. It is difficult for us to think of sin in terms of neutrality or idleness. David did not fall because of something he did but because of something he did not do. A failure to be where he should have been when he should have been there set the stage of one of scripture's great tragedies.

Can the man who allows himself a drink of liquor here and there be certain the lust for intoxicants will not consume him? Can the one careless with spending be sure a gambling habit or bankruptcy is not in the future? Can the woman who plays the flirt today rest assured she will not be an adulteress tomorrow? Wrath, bitterness, sloth, a wandering eye, stubbornness, fear... The list could go on and and. Yea, any sin allowed to abide has the potential to eventually grow into something hideous.

Oh that each of us could believe the word of the Lord when it warns of how near we are to ruin and how certainly we must depend upon Him every hour of every day. Let no reader say, "Such a thing could not happen to me." Our victories have not been as great as David's. our highs have not reached such lofty peaks. Our experiences with God have been miniscule compared to his. Yet down he went- so far and so fast.

But the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). If David is to escape death, then someone else must die. He is now so debased that he will carry out a plot to kill the husband of Bathsheba in order to spare himself the shame of exposure.

Uriah is seen in his nobility and his honor, but the Lord does not step in to protect or preserve him, for this was sin's hour, and it pays its wage in death so as to spit in the face of the God of life and love.

I thought I got away with it- BUT.

I thought God did not know or care- BUT.

I thought the way was clear- BUT.

I thought the scripture could be broken- BUT.

I thought God was love and would not judge- BUT.

I thought the Lord just wanted me happy- BUT.

But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD. (II Samuel 11:27)

So, the Lord did not send Nathan when David walked the rooftop. He did not send Nathan to interrupt the men when they were collecting Bathsheba. He did not send Nathan when Uriah slept on the palace steps. He did not send Nathan when David poured the strong drink. He did not send Nathan when the murderous orders were being issued to Joab. David is on trial. His life is not scripted. God sits back, watching to see what the man will do.

Therefore the Lord does not interfere with David's actions but allows them to play out and then rewards or disciplines accordingly.

It will be thus with each of us. We are to be fully conversant with the word of God, completely filled with the Holy Spirit, ever ready to deny the flesh what it craves because our love for Jesus Christ is fervent and genuine. When temptation arises, God will not force us to choose the right, nor can Satan compel us to embrace the wrong. We will manifest our love- for the Savior or for the sin. The triune God will watch us act. Then He will respond accordingly.

Despite all David's efforts to hide his sin from the eyes of man, the Lord beheld it all. Hebrews 4:13 may be a warning or a blessing. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

David unwittingly pronounces his own doom. The law did not demand death for taking a lamb (the story Nathan told to David), but it did for adultery, and it did for murder. Before his days are through, David will bury four loved ones in consequence of the blood he shed. When it is time for him to reap what he has sown, there will be no pity, for David had none for all those victimized by his transgressions.

How often could God say to some deluded man, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee (Luke 19:22). David knows a price must be paid for sins against God and man.

The New Testament says it this way: Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap (Galatians 6:7).

As referenced previously, Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death (James 1:15).

Note carefully that in none of these passages or similar ones are we told that God is punishing His people. What we find, rather, is that sin produces that which causes pain, heartache, sorrow, death, etc. God does not have to do anything. He withholds grace, mercy, protection, and blessing in measure and allows the consequences of sin to race into the life and fill the empty place created by the sinner when he chose to exclude the Lord.

Matthew 6:24- No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Here Christ destroys the modern nonsense that one can commit sin and love the Lord. Today's so-called Christian actually believes that living after the flesh and following Jesus are compatible. In reality, it is impossible to embrace both. David could not hold Bathsheba in his arms and hold God in his heart. He had to despise (to contemn; to scorn; to disdain; to have the lowest opinion of) one or the other, and he chose to despise God. Because thou has despised me (II Samuel 12:10).

Faced with the facts, the king finally tells the truth. And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD (II Samuel 12:13). The reply comes immediately from the throne, And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. 

Stunning! This must be understood and embraced. David confesses his sin. David will forsake his sin and not repeat it. The Lord puts it away. Though the king has committed two death-penalty offences, he will not be put to death. He is forgiven.

Thus it is evident that God is not going to punish the man but that things set in motion by his transgression will be allowed to play themselves out. We too often ask in our troubles, "Why is the Lord doing this to me?" He is not. He is merely allowing the master we chose to serve to give us our reward.

We seek to cover the wrongs we have done because we know that other men will despise us if they had known us fully. The One who already knows our every thought and deed has promised if we will just repent, He will not despise us.

I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD (Psalm 32:5). Then, at last, he chooses to repent. There is no intermediary. He does not go to the high priest. He does not seek out a departed saint. There are no hurdles to climb or hoops through which to jump; no candles to be lit or penance to be paid. He sinned against God, and he will go to God.His transgressions were of the Lord's commands, and to the Lord he will go for pardon.

How happy we are today with these words from Scripture, telling us that if we will confess our sins, He is not only faithful and just to forgive and to cleanse (I John 1:9), but to shelter, to guide, and to instruct us. We may have wasted and ruined many days past, but we may know songs of victory in days ahead. What wondrous love!

Titus 3:3-7 puts it thus: For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

We have taken a dark and painful journey down into the depths of David's transgression. We have known the joy of climbing out of that mire and rejoicing on the mountaintop of God's pardon. We now must leave that mountain to take up residence in the hill country where forgiven farmers patiently reap what they have sown beneath the sunshine of God's tender mercy.

Should the Lord declare that the wages of sin are death and then nullify the consequences of sin, He would both make himself a liar and embolden men to live wanton lives with no fear of judgment.

And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died (II Samuel 12:18) As we mentioned last time, when David prayed a prayer of repentance asking God to forgive his sin, the immediate answer was yes. When David prayed a prayer of supplication asking God to nullify the consequences of his sin, the answer was no.

The result of our repentance is that we are right with God. God's making everything right because we have repented is not part of the package.

There will be deaths and funerals and grief and setbacks and plots and betrayal and tears and sorrow, and the king will wash, dress, eat, worship, and take care of his family. This is the life he has made for himself. It could have been better, but sin... This is the road he must walk. It could have been smoother, but iniquity... This is the harvest he will reap. It could have been more pleasant, but he saw a woman...

Is it possible that God would use him again? Is it possible that there is still a place of service after such disgrace? Is it possible that he could once more know the joy of victory, the warmth of fellowship, and the exhilaration of accomplishment for the Lord? The answer each time is yes. Restoration! How sweet the thought!

He will never be the same, but he is not a castaway. He will ever carry the marks of his fall, but he can and will be used of Jehovah until the day of his death.

This is our God. This is grace, love, forgiveness, renewing, hope, and joy. This is the wonder of the Lord.

I encourage each person to get a copy of this book!

The Four Judgments (video sermon)

Physical Passover and Spiritual Passover

 The passover is a remembrance of the time the Death Angel literally passed over the houses of those who had the blood applied. Everyone will experience a literal passover when their lives end, however, the destination is different depending on whether or not you've experienced a spiritual passover while you lived.

In the Bible, we are told that the literal passover occurred when a family killed a lamb and applied the blood to the doorposts of their house. The Death Angel went through the country looking for the blood, and where he didn't find it, he spilled it.

Exodus 12:3,5,7,11-13- Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD'S passover. For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

The angel of the Lord went through Egypt and only those who were in a house with blood on the doorposts were safe. They lived to see the children of Israel leave Egypt.

This spiritual passover was followed by a physical pass over the Red Sea out of Egypt, and then later over the Jordan River into the promised land of Canaan. 

Exodus 14:13-14, 21-22- And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

Joshua 3:14-16- And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people; And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.

The children of Israel passed over into the Promised Land. This is sometimes an analogy that is used during a funeral- they passed over the Jordan River and are in Heaven.

The people who obeyed God's command in Egypt were safe regardless of the type of person they were. The Death Angel was not seeking to find worthy people. God had given specific commands that those who were behind the blood were protected from death.

There is a saying that is sometimes attributed to C. S. Lewis, "You don't have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body." I am not going to argue whether he actually said this or not; whoever said it, the sentiment is true. George MacDonald said  in "Annals of a Quiet Neighbourhood, And here let me interrupt the conversation to remark upon the great mistake of teaching children that they have souls. The consequence is, that they think of their souls as of something which is not themselves. For what a man HAS cannot be himself. Hence, when they are told that their souls go to heaven, they think of their SELVES as lying in the grave. They ought to be taught that they have bodies; and that their bodies die; while they themselves live on."

Everyone has a body that will die. But the soul will live on in one of two places- heaven or hell. What is the determining factor of where the soul will reside eternally? It is answered by what you did with Jesus Christ's sacrifice?

John 1:29- The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Jesus Christ, as the Lamb of God, shed His blood on the cross of Calvary. And all who believe that He has died for their sins, was buried, and rose again the third day proving that He was God manifest in the flesh, can apply this payment to their sin debt by obeying what God has told them to do.

This "blood on the door" of your life will protect you from the death of the soul in hell. God isn't looking for you to be worthy. Your works will never be enough. God wants you to believe in what He has already accomplished and confess that you are accepting His terms.

What are the terms?

During the church age, it is believing in what He accomplished on the cross of Calvary and confessing this belief to Him and asking Him for the soul's salvation through His sacrifice on Calvary.

I Corinthians 15:1,3-4- Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Romans 10:9-10, 13- That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

During the tribulation, it is faith in what He accomplished on Calvary (believing and asking Him to apply it to your sin debt) as well as not denying Him even if it means your death.

Revelation 12:11- And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

The promise to those who accept the terms is the eternal life of the soul.

 

Revelation 21:3-4- And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

John 3:36- He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

Those who do not accept the terms of this deal will, by default, have to pay their own sin debt. Just as the houses in Egypt had to give blood where no blood was found.

However, this is a debt no human will ever be able to fully pay. There is no timecard in hell. You will never be able to punch out and say, "I'm done".

Revelation 14:11a- And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night,

Matthew 25:41,46- Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

Revelation 20:10- And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

The choice is yours: accept Christ's payment or pay for your sin yourself.

Why Shouldn’t You Celebrate Halloween?

 

What Do You Mean By Bible Believer?

 What do you mean by "Bible Believer"? Well, it's a good question since there are more than 300 different English translations of the Bible in circulation since 1901!

That's right, Bible translation and publication is big business. And people are just suckers for anything that claims to be new and updated.

Think about it. Don't you buy the "new" toothbrush, the "new" razorblade, the "new" detergent, the "new potato chip, or the "new" air freshener? Why, if you slapped "new and improved" on turtle food, someone would buy it!

My personal favorite is this one: (You've seen it a million times) "Brand New Look; Same Great Taste". Which in a nutshell means that it is the same old stuff repackaged so that you will buy it.

This has happened with the new Bible translations. And many people are oblivious to the diabolical "new" changes that have taken place.

Acts 17:21- (For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)

Let's investigate and see what happened right under the noses of a majority of modern professing Christians.

II Thessalonians 2:2- That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

Satan is an imitator of God and was busy perverting the truth before the New Testament was completed. He has never had a shortage of willing accomplices in unregenerated mankind.

Romans 1:18,25- For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

II Corinthians 2:17- For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.

II Corinthians 11:14-15- And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

Jeremiah 23:30- Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that steal my words every one from his neighbour.

Proverbs 30:5-6- Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

Revelation 22:18-19- For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Satan is involved in stealing the pure words of God away from Christians and substituting the language of the New Age Movement in their place.

Consider these examples: Matthew 17:21, Matthew 18:11, Matthew 23:14, Mark 7:16, Mark 11:26, Mark 15:28, Luke 17:36, Luke 23:17, Acts 8:37, Acts 15:34, Acts 15:28-29, and Romans 16:24 are completely missing from the NIV and most "new" Bibles!

This isn't a question of making something easier to understand, but of completely stealing the word of God from people!

This is an incredible indictment against these new versions of the Bible which have done nothing to aid in the furtherance and understanding of the Holy Scriptures, but to the contrary have done untold damage to Christians everywhere. These are only a few samples of more than 35,000 changes that the "new" versions have made.

So is there an English translation of the Bible that doesn't have all of these Satanic omissions and additions? Is there a Bible that I can believe in?

Thank God, yes, there is!

It's your great Grandma's Bible- the King James Authorized Version of  1611! The King James Bible is the preserved word of God in the English language.

Psalms 12:6-7- The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.

• The KJV is the seventh English translation of the Bible from Syrian manuscripts, all new versions come from corrupt Egyptian manuscripts.
• The text of the KJV has no copyright, all others do.
• The KJV has been responsible for national revivals, millions saved, and sound doctrine.
• The KJV is the version that every "new" version compares itself to when they come out.
• The KJV gives the Lord Jesus Christ the preeminence that the other versions do not.

It is the Bible that God uses and that Satan hates.

Isaiah 9:3- Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.

Every other Bible version says that God has increased the joy! They can't both be right.

Every existing manuscript of Isaiah has the reading of the KJV, even the corrupt ones! You see, there is a worldly joy, and there is "the joy of the Lord" which is our strength. The new bible translators cannot understand how a nation could be multiplied without having the hoy increased. They think that gain is godliness.

Luke 12:15- And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

The phrase "be fruitful" is found in 9 verses: Genesis 1:22, Genesis 1:28, Genesis 8:17, Genesis 9:1, Genesis 26:22, Genesis 35:11, Genesis 41:52, Jeremiah 23:3, Hosea 13:15.

The word "planted is found 9 times in the New Testament: Matthew 15:13, Matthew 21:33, Mark 12:1, Luke 13:6, Luke 17:6, Luke 17:28, Luke 20:9, Romans 6:5, and I Corinthians 3:6.

John 15:5- I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

This is the 9th verse that has both "vine" and "branches in it: Genesis 40:10, Isaiah 16:8, Ezekiel 17:6-8, Ezekiel 19:10, Joel 1:7, Nahum 2:2, and John 15:5.

Numbers represent things in the Bible, and 9 is the number of fruitfulness.

A Christian cannot bear fruit without using God's methods and truths from the Word of God. This phrase "word of God (having 9 letters) is found 45 times (9 X 5) in the New Testament.

The only verse that uses it twice tells us that the Word of God works effectually in us!

I Thessalonians 2:13- For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

There are 9 fruits of the Spirit in the 9th New Testament book.

Galatians 5:22-23- But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Pentecost has nine letters. Holy Ghost has nine letters. Comforter has nine letters.

The KJV has been responsible for spiritual revivals and conversions, social, cultural, governmental, medicinal, linguistic blessings, and has been quoted on the moon!

Colossians 1:5-6- For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:

King James = 9 letters

Holy Bible = 9 letters

1+6+1+1 = 9

Matthew 24:35- Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

Now, ask yourself why would anyone want to change a perfect book? Who would want to change a perfect book? You know the answer.

It's not to make it easier to understand. As previously stated, the new versions all have copyrights, and to avoid copyright infringement, you need to make substantial changes to the original work.. If there are 300 different versions and all of them are different enough to be copyrighted, they cannot be saying the same thing!

It's time to ask yourself what you believe, and why.

-Adam Trosclair

A 360* View Of The Lord’s Supper (video sermon)

 

God Is A History Teacher

 Why is it that we want to treat God like he is our Math Teacher instead of treating Him like our History Teacher?

Let me explain - think about a high school math class: What does the teacher put on the board everyday? PROBLEMS! 

What is the math textbook filled with? PROBLEMS! 

What do student have for homework? PROBLEMS!

AND what is the goal with all of these problems? SOLVE THEM!

In contrast, think about a high school history class. What does the teacher discuss in class? FACTS! 

What is the history textbook filled with? FACTS! 

What do students memorize in preparation for quizzes? FACTS! and how do we approach history facts? 

Do we try to somehow "solve" them? Do we try to change Independence Day from July 4th to Aug 4th?

 
Of course not. We know that we can't "solve" facts. When it comes to facts, our goal is to accept them, understand them and learn from them.

Think about this: Everything is history to God... He said, "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last."(Rev 22:13 KJV) 

There is nothing about what God has done or will do in our lives that needs to be "solved." God wants us to learn the "FACTS" and accept HIM, understand HIM and learn from HIM...

Jeremiah 29:11- For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Thomas Wayne Willingham

Destined For A Fall (poem)

There was a people long ago
Who had great riches, wealth untold;
They built a city with a wall,
A kingdom they thought would never fall.

How they labored unceasingly
To lay up treasure increasingly;
They gave no thought to what lay beyond,
That their kingdom would someday be gone.

But one by one the stones came down;
The city was leveled to the ground,
No more fortune to be found,
No one left to wear a crown.

The mighty kingdom fell at last;
Its beauty's gone, its pleasure's past;
All was lost they sought to gain,
Their lives were wasted, their labor vain.

You can build a kingdom with a mighty wall,
But like the kingdom long ago, it is destined for a fall,
Unless Christ the Lord becomes your King
And ruler of everything.

—Perry Boardman

Be Thou My Vision (song)

The Tragic Death Of Naboth

 Meditating on the tragic death of Naboth, a clear example of a man who died on the principle that he would not sell out the heritage of his fathers. What I’m thinking about this morning, though, is not the wicked plot of Jezebel or the wicked passivity of Ahab.

I King 21:1-7- And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house: and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money. And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee. And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread. But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread? And he said unto her, Because I spake unto Naboth the Jezreelite, and said unto him, Give me thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please thee, I will give thee another vineyard for it: and he answered, I will not give thee my vineyard. And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.

Rather, I’m meditating on the wicked participation of the elders of the city.

I Kings 21:8-14- So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, dwelling with Naboth. And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people: And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die. And the men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who were the inhabitants in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them, and as it was written in the letters which she had sent unto them. They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people. And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died. Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead.

They knew the accusation against Naboth was baseless, for what was required was finding “sons of Belial” to bear false witness against him.

They knew that Naboth was a man of integrity and honor. Yet, so as not to incur the displeasure of the powerful king and queen, they saw his righteous cause as inconvenient and unworthy of defending.

They found the false witnesses.
They stirred up the city against Naboth, on account of his “blasphemy” against God.
They occasioned his death.
They destroyed his heritage.
They killed not only Naboth, but his heirs.
They erased a name in Israel. All because of fear that they would be next if they stood on principle with the defenseless one.

It’s easy to wax indignant against accusations of wrongdoing of a brother who has no connections, limited influence, and a position that adds no value to one’s own worth and ambitions.

It’s quite another thing to refuse to hide the sin and indiscretion of those more prominent.

May I remind you that the elders of this city had one duty, and that was to speak the truth, even if that put them on the wrong side of Ahab and Jezebel. God’s men have the same responsibility. They must speak the truth, even if it puts them on the wrong side of a wicked, yet prominent, figure. Certainly, it is not their duty to hide his sin, and join with him in destroying the inconvenient voices.

II Kings 10:11- So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his kinsfolks, and his priests, until he left him none remaining.

The elders of the city did not escape the judgment of Ahab. Jehu destroyed them the same. Naboth went home to his reward. Those who destroyed his name, reputation, and heritage received theirs as well.

I’d rather be with Naboth than Jezebel.

Johnathan Bach

The Judgment Of The Nations

This judgment is for those who survive the tribulation. This is not the Christian's judgment, nor is it the judgment at the end of time when everyone that has ever lived will be judged by God.

When Christ comes back and destroys the AntiChrist's kingdom, He will bind Satan and cast him into the bottomless pit. Then He will judge the nations according to how they helped or hindered the people of Israel. It is not based on faith, but on how they treated the Jews during the tribulation period.

Joel 3:1-2,11-14- For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land. Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O LORD. Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.

This will be a terrifying time for humanity. Standing before the Lord Jesus Christ after He's bound the AntiChrist who people thought was invincible, knowing that now they will be next.

Can you imagine escaping the holocaust that the AntiChrist propagates, and enduring the destruction and plagues that God has rained down on the earth, then to be ushered before the Conquering Savior to give an account of what you did while trying to survive?

Matthew 25:31-40- When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

This particular judgment isn't mentioned in any other gospel. Matthew writes his gospel from the view of Christ the King. And this judgment only occurs after He is crowned King during the Millennium.

Mark emphasized Christ's humanity. Luke regards Him as the servant. And, John points out His deity as the Son of God. None of these viewpoints show His kingship, and that is why this event isn't expounded upon in their writings.

Christ is the one who will be doing the judging at this time.

John 5:22- For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:

Notice how in Matthew, Jesus said it is based on how they treated his brethren, the Jewish people. How you treat the Israelites during the tribulation will seal your fate in the millennial kingdom.

Isaiah 58:10-12- And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.

Some will make it through to live in the renewed earth under Jesus as their ruler for the millennium. Others will be cast alive into a burning pit.

Matthew 25:41-45- Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 

This fire is not buried deep in the heart of the earth like hell. It's a pit that is on the surface of the earth where people can come and look at those who have been imprisoned there.

Isaiah 66:23-24- And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD. And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

This was prophesied back in the Old Testament. But many who read this passage believed it would occur when the Messiah came the first time. It didn't happen then because the first advent was all about Christ dying for the sins of the world. This recompense is for a specific time after the second return of Christ when He rescues the remnant of the Jews that survive the devastation of the AntiChrist during the tribulation period.

2 Thessalonians 1:7-10- And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.

When does He recompense this vengeance? When He is revealed from heaven as the true Messiah who has come to be glorified- the Second Advent.

Revelation 19:11-16- And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

Christ as King returning in flaming fire to smite the nations. Why is coming like the force of a nuclear bomb with the angels of heaven and the redeemed from the Church Age? To rescue the remnant of the Jewish people that have survived the captivity of the Tribulation.

Ezekiel 39:25-29- Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name; After that they have borne their shame, and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed against me, when they dwelt safely in their land, and none made them afraid. When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations; Then shall they know that I am the LORD their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there. Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.

When the time of Jacob's trouble ends, the time of the Gentile nations' judgment will begin.

Jeremiah 30:16,23,24- Therefore all they that devour thee shall be devoured; and all thine adversaries, every one of them, shall go into captivity; and they that spoil thee shall be a spoil, and all that prey upon thee will I give for a prey. Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; As yet they shall use this speech in the land of Judah and in the cities thereof, when I shall bring again their captivity; The LORD bless thee, O habitation of justice, and mountain of holiness. The fierce anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have done it, and until he have performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it.

Jeremiah knew there was a judgment coming. Even the disciple, Jude, speaks of the time when Enoch prophesied of this before the flood of Noah.

Jude 1:14-15- And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

Where does this judgment take place?

Zechariah 14:4-5- And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.

It happens just outside of Jerusalem, where Christ's grand entrance has split the Mount of Olives and has made a valley- the Valley of Decision, as Joel called it.

How does one avoid ending up in this place? By taking care of the Jews during the Great Tribulation when the AntiChrist is actively hunting them to destroy them. What you do could cost you greatly during the AntiChrist's rule, but it will definitely cost you during Christ's reign.

Numbers 32:23- But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.

Isaiah 3:10-11- Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.

Ode To Charlie Kirk (poem)

 A grain of wheat has fallen
Which once grew tall in truth
From a stalk of divine calling
A call to revive our nation's youth.

The assassin's bullet scythed min down
His blood then soaked into the ground
But from this ground of hearts will grow
A bountiful harvest the world will know.

Hoping to silence his voice of truth
With hate filled hearts they stopped the ears
But soon they'll hear a choir of America's youth
Singing Charlie's Song for many years:

Jesus saves! He purifies!
The peace He gives- it satisfies!
He gives us purpose. He gives us light.
Now rise up Christian! Join the fight!

Fight for freedom! Fight for truth!
Fight for our country! Fight for youth!
Trust in Jesus. Do not wait.
Fight with love instead of hate!

-Dee Dee Hall

Thoughts Regarding The Assassination Of Charlie Kirk

 

 I am not typically a "current events" guy...

I am not a "headlines preacher"...

Never been my thing...

That said, this week's events hit a bit different due to the fact that I have personally had threats on my life and safety, threats of lawsuits, threats of "destroying my church", and the list goes on, in 15 years of ministry...  

The bullet tore the air in half. A folding chair rattled. A Bible dropped. A young man slumped sideways beneath a white event tent, eyes wide with the weight of eternity.

It was supposed to be a conversation. A “prove me wrong” segment. But this time, rebuttal came not with words, but with a rifle.

Charlie Kirk didn’t get to finish his sentence.

WHY?

All because of words, ideas, beliefs, that were shared that someone else despised...

What was their solution to the problem? Kill the messenger.

The human tendency for violence isn't new - it's been around since Abel's blood cried from the ground after his brother, Cain, took him out, due to his envy & self righteousness and his hatred for what Abel stood for - that's been thousands of years.   

And guess what? THAT IS IN EVERY HUMAN BEING to this day... the only thing that can change a man or woman's hateful and bitter heart, is the LOVE OF GOD... the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which our brother in Christ, Charlie Kirk, often preached and mentioned.

Charlie isn't the only one they are trying to quiet. If you've taken any sort of stand that goes against what they believe, their "tolerance" becomes non-existent. They show their true colors- hate.

An attempt to shut me or my ministry down because their insecure minds were threatened with words from a Book that they claim are archaic, too hard to understand, and full of "fairy tales"... strange, indeed!

I have never seen someone get this upset over words shared from "the Brothers Grimm" or "Aesop's Fables", but for some reason, this Book and principles from it are a "threat to society", while also being full of "fairy tales". Not sure both of those can coexist simultaneously.

Do you know why people want others dead? This world IS THEIR KINGDOM - it's as close to heaven as they will come, and they see the need to fight with violence to maintain what they want, even if it means killing innocent people because of ideas they disagree with...

I got the news just before the prayer meeting. I contemplated this death as I prepared to lead the saints in prayer. But I didn’t feel like praying. Not tonight. My hands were still. My mouth was ready. But my soul was pacing. Angry. Grieving. Tempted.

Tempted to grow quiet.
Tempted to sit this one out.
Tempted to wonder if any of this, faith, boldness, public gospel witness, is still worth it.
Because hatred in this world isn’t simmering anymore. It is boiling.

Europe is trembling. Israel is burning. Rockets lit the sky over Gaza again. Drones rained fire down on Ukraine, again. And now, here on American soil, the blood of a Christian apologist paints the pavement of a university quad.

What do you do with that? What do you say when courage gets gunned down in daylight?

Charlie Kirk was no perfect man. None of us are. But he had a backbone where most Christians don’t anymore. He was a believer. Unashamed. Unafraid. He understood that real conversations only happen when truth is welcome at the table. And the truth he carried most was Christ.

He brought the gospel into public space on purpose. Because the gospel isn’t supposed to stay in church basements and private Bible studies. It is meant to confront. It is supposed to offend. It was not made for safety.

Christ didn't die to make your dreams come true. He died to save your soul from hell. How will people hear that good news if someone isn't out there telling them?

When someone speaks words I disagree with, I generally ignore it (social media has conditioned us that we have to speak on everything), or if I do feel compelled to respond for the betterment of someone else, I will, with different WORDS, IDEAS, and BELIEFS, but not with violence...

But that seems to be the dying world's only recourse.

The Word became flesh and they nailed Him to a tree.

So of course they came for Charlie. Of course they reached for a gun. This is what evil does when it runs out of arguments. It doesn’t reason; It kills.

That’s the part that catches in my throat. Not just the sadness, but the strategy of hell behind it.

The Enemy wants us afraid. He wants us to see what happened to Charlie and backpedal. He wants the rest of us to whisper, to soften the message, to believe the lie that faith should stay private.

But Christ never whispered. He preached in temples, on hillsides, in courtrooms, at dinner tables. And when they told Him to be quiet, He picked up His cross. Not a symbolic one.
A real one. Heavy. Bloody. Splintered.

When Jesus said, “Follow Me,” He didn’t hand out maps. He handed out crosses.

I have continued to see "WE ARE NOT THE SAME"... truth is, we aren't, but not for the reason many think.

I am not the same but it is because over 30 years ago, I asked the Creator of the Universe to be my Savior. I am not the same, not because I am better than my fellow man and am more "righteous" in and of myself, but because the Lord Jesus Christ made me a "new creature"...

For the believer, as beautiful as fallen creation can be, this world is as close to hell, as I will ever come... this world is NOT MY HOME... mine is waiting for me.   That’s what I remembered tonight.

2,000 years ago my Savior made a promise!

John 14:2-3
2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

I have HOPE, I have LIGHT, I have PEACE, regardless of your politics... and every sinner is called to have this hope if they will receive it. Put your politics aside, and know you have an eternal soul that God cares deeply for - so much so, He sent His Son to die FOR YOU!

The world doesn't need more violence...it needs more JESUS!

NOT more religion...

NOT more political movements...

MORE JESUS!

When He was attacked and ridiculed, mocked, beaten, and unjustly killed by sinners, He said, "FATHER, FORGIVE THEM FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO"... He said to a sinner who cried for mercy in his last moments "TODAY THOU SHALT BE WITH ME IN PARADISE"...

That is NOT how we typically respond to threats... we typically respond with more hatred...  

I sat in our prayer space, surrounded by saints who had brought prayer lists and worn Bibles. And I realized I didn’t want to lead them in mourning. I wanted to lead them into battle. Not with banners or fists, but with open Bibles and tear-stained prayers.

The kind of war that kneels in gravel beside the wounded, hands them living water, and refuses to leave. The kind that speaks both mercy and judgment without flinching. The kind Charlie died for.

They have NO HOPE, NO GOD, NO FAITH...

This world is not a friend to grace. But grace isn’t fragile.

JESUS is the solution...

Just know, we believers will not stop preaching Him, we will not stop preaching His truths, we will not stop going to college campuses, the streets, we will not stop preaching Him at work, around the dinner table, to friends, family, enemies, and in "ALL THE WORLD"...

His message - His death for sinners, His burial and His resurrection, has been saving souls and changing lives for 2000 years, and when the world seeks to silence Him & His people more, don't be surprised if more sinners are drawn to this HOPE and LIGHT, in the midst of the darkness!

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?”

Paul didn’t leave that question unanswered.

“Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?” —Romans 8:35

He piles up every fear you and I carry and then sets them on fire. “Nay. In all these things we are more than conquerors.”

That means bullets don’t win. Slander doesn’t win. Prison bars don’t win. Death doesn’t win.

You can lose everything in this world and still walk into glory with your head lifted high. Because the love of God in Christ Jesus isn’t suspended by headlines or gunfire.

Don't forget, the greatest "INFLUENCER" outside of Jesus Himself was a man named Paul who used to kill & incarcerate Christians... We all know how that turned out!

There are two worlds unfolding right now: The one you see. And the one you don’t.

One is filled with chaos. The other is filled with crowns.

I believe that when Charlie Kirk’s body slumped to the concrete, his soul stood upright in heaven. Not limping. Not silenced. Not stunned. But crowned.

He didn’t fall. He crossed, and the great cloud of witnesses gained another voice.

And I wonder if Stephen met him there.The first martyr. The man who got stoned for preaching what the crowd didn’t want to hear. The man who, in his final breath, saw the heavens open.
The only time in all of Scripture we see Jesus standing at the right hand of God, rising to receive one of His own.

I like to believe He stood again.

Are you afraid? Do you feel the tremble in your spirit? Do you wonder if it’s still worth it to speak boldly, to carry your Bible, to preach the gospel in a world that doesn’t just disagree but wants you gone?

You’re not alone. You’re not weak for feeling that.

But you are called to something stronger than silence. 

The cost is high. But the reward is Christ. And He’s not a concept. He’s a King. 

Heaven is not empty. It is filled with scarred saints who refused to bow to fear. Men who were stoned. Women who were burned. Children who sang while the flames climbed. And every last one of them arrived in heaven.

There is no difficulty that can cancel the promise of God. There is no persecution that can derail your destination. There is no sniper’s bullet that can separate a soul from Christ. Your life is not measured by how long you live on earth, but by how much of it was spent pointing to heaven.

Paul said, “I have fought the good fight. I have finished my course. I have kept the faith.” Then he looked toward the reward. Not a monument. Not a mention in history books. But a crown, handed to him by the One with nail marks still in His hands.

So let me say this clearly. We do not mourn like the world mourns. We do not write eulogies dripping with sentiment. We carry the banner of a Kingdom that does not tremble.

Charlie Kirk did not die for nothing. He died carrying the same message you and I must now carry forward.

The cross stands tall.
The tomb is still empty.
And the gospel has not lost one ounce of power.

So, Christian, pick up your cross. Wipe your eyes. And keep going.

WHY?

Because, the crown is worth it. The King is coming. And there’s still time to speak.

Even if they shoot. Let's keep shining, let's keep giving hope, let's keep telling the OLD STORY of redemption through Christ and restoration to a Holy & Loving God!

Lord, give us courage, Ffr we carry not just the message, but the marks. And You are worth every bruise.

This is a compilation of thoughts from Pastor Rich Bitterman and Pastor Adrian Dominguez 

Never a Time (song)

The Cross (poem)

In evil long I took delight,
Unawed by shame or fear,
Till a new object struck my sight,
And stopped my wild career.

I saw One hanging on a tree,
In agonies and blood;
He fixed His languid eyes on me,
As near His cross I stood.

Sure never till my latest breath,
Shall I forget that look!
It seemed to charge me with His death,
Though not a word He spoke.

A second look He gave, which said,
"I freely all forgive;
This blood is for thy ransom paid;
I die that thou mayest live."

Thus while His death my sin displays
In all its blackest hue,
Such is the mystery of grace,
It seals my pardon too!

-John Newton

Indian Madras Lentils recipe

 2 TBS unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, finely diced
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 TBS grated fresh ginger
1 (6-oz) can tomato paste
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp ground coriander seed
½ tsp cayenne pepper
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth,
1 cup dry black or brown lentils
1 (15-oz) can red beans or pinto beans, drained
1 (​13.66-oz) can coconut ​cream

Heat butter in a large pot or skillet over medium/high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, and ginger. Cook until onions are soft and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes.
Stir in tomato paste, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, coriander seed, and cayenne pepper. Cook for another 3 to 5 minutes.
Add vegetable broth and lentils. Cover and let gently simmer until lentils are tender, about 20 to 25 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in canned beans and coconut ​cream. Mix well.

Serve as is, or eat over rice.