”Pest” Control
If you’re a Christian or just want to learn about Christianity, c’mon and join us. Just to let you know what I usually do, I post a Bible chapter every day at any time between 5 and 11 A.M. U.S. central time, but we don’t have to stop there. We can make animations together, share Christian songs, parodies, comedy, sermons, and whatever else you want.
Now, just because I’m a little more light-hearted than some Christians doesn’t mean that this is all going to be fun and games. As a Christian, I have a responsibility to call out the things that God disapproves of. Some of the conversations we have might get a little hairy, and that’s okay, as long as we abide by the site’s community guidelines. 😊 You may ask, “If your goal is to draw people into God’s kingdom, why are you calling out things that He disapproves of? Wouldn’t that, for one, push people away from God and, for another, get you into fights that you don’t want to be in?” I will answer the first question with these verses:
James 5:20
“Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him”
Titus 2:15
“Let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins”
1 Timothy 5:20
“As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear”
2 Timothy 4:2
“Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage–with great patience and careful instruction”
Psalm 141:5
“Let a righteous man strike me — it is a kindness; let him rebuke me — it is oil for my head; let my head not refuse it”
Proverbs 9:8
“Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you; rebuke the wise and they will love you”.
And for the second question, Christianity is a sacrifice. I will take on challenges as a Christian that I wouldn’t as a lukewarm Christian, an atheist, a Buddhist, a Muslim, a Jew, etc. And when I encounter those challenges, I have to put my faith in Yahweh above my feelings and desires. I’m not supposed to store up treasures here on Earth, but in the heavenly kingdom. In order to do that, I have to be inconvenienced and mocked, and I’m fine with that. I’ve chosen to give up everything I want for my God.
If I post anything on here that has anything to do with my opinion or interpretation of a situation, 9 times out of 10, it’s because that is my interpretation of the Bible. I believe that that everything in the Bible is objectively true, there’s just debates on how to INTERPRET said truth. I try my hardest not to let my worldview effect my biblical view, though, it may seep through.
If you’re curious about the name, I had to think of something, so I came up with “Pest” Control (as atheists seem to think that the way we communicate our religion to them is annoying, so they could see us as pests, and we are all in one group so that we can contain the Christian stuff mostly inside the group for “control”).
Before I edited the description of this group, it said: “We can brainstorm to find out more ways to win atheists over to Christ.” Since I typed that, my beliefs have changed slightly. I believe that, yes it is great to have atheists have a change of heart, that’s one of our biggest goals is to have more people up in heaven, but we shouldn’t be intentionally TRYING to change their religion (both because it pushes people away from the religion, and it’s just not what any human needs to do to another human). We need to be ourselves around them, have them see how we are as a person, how Christianity (even if they can’t identify it as that) affects us, and if they want to, change. And we should never, ever, push them to change; the Bible even tells us this. I have made this mistake for years, and to all of the atheists and people with other religious beliefs that I have hurt by doing this, I’m so unbelievably sorry.
Thank you for your time. Have a blessed and wonderful day!
-
Happy New Year!
Psalms 148:1-14 MSG
[1-5] Hallelujah! Praise God from heaven, praise him from the mountaintops; Praise him, all you his angels, praise him, all you his warriors, Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, you morning stars; Praise him, high heaven, praise him, heavenly rain clouds; Praise, oh let them praise the name of God— he spoke the word, and there they were! [6] He set them in place from all time to eternity; He gave his orders, and that’s it! [7-12] Praise God from earth, you sea dragons, you fathomless ocean deeps; Fire and hail, snow and ice, hurricanes obeying his orders; Mountains and all hills, apple orchards and cedar forests; Wild beasts and herds of cattle, snakes, and birds in flight; Earth’s kings and all races, leaders and important people, Robust men and women in their prime, and yes, graybeards and little children. [13-14] Let them praise the name of God— it’s the only Name worth praising. His radiance exceeds anything in earth and sky; he’s built a monument—his very own people! Praise from all who love God! Israel’s children, intimate friends of God. Hallelujah! -
Psalms 147:1-20 MSG
[1] Hallelujah! It’s a good thing to sing praise to our God; praise is beautiful, praise is fitting. [2-6] God’s the one who rebuilds Jerusalem, who regathers Israel’s scattered exiles. He heals the heartbroken and bandages their wounds. He counts the stars and assigns each a name. Our Lord is great, with limitless strength; we’ll never comprehend what he knows and does. God puts the fallen on their feet again and pushes the wicked into the ditch. [7-11] Sing to God a thanksgiving hymn, play music on your instruments to God, Who fills the sky with clouds, preparing rain for the earth, Then turning the mountains green with grass, feeding both cattle and crows. He’s not impressed with horsepower; the size of our muscles means little to him. Those who fear God get God’s attention; they can depend on his strength. [12-18] Jerusalem, worship God! Zion, praise your God! He made your city secure, he blessed your children among you. He keeps the peace at your borders, he puts the best bread on your tables. He launches his promises earthward— how swift and sure they come! He spreads snow like a white fleece, he scatters frost like ashes, He broadcasts hail like birdseed— who can survive his winter? Then he gives the command and it all melts; he breathes on winter—suddenly it’s spring! [19-20] He speaks the same way to Jacob, speaks words that work to Israel. He never did this to the other nations; they never heard such commands. Hallelujah! -
Psalms 146:1-10 MSG
[1-2] Hallelujah! O my soul, praise God! All my life long I’ll praise God, singing songs to my God as long as I live. [3-9] Don’t put your life in the hands of experts who know nothing of life, of salvation life. Mere humans don’t have what it takes; when they die, their projects die with them. Instead, get help from the God of Jacob, put your hope in God and know real blessing! God made sky and soil, sea and all the fish in it. He always does what he says— he defends the wronged, he feeds the hungry. God frees prisoners— he gives sight to the blind, he lifts up the fallen. God loves good people, protects strangers, takes the side of orphans and widows, but makes short work of the wicked. [10] God’s in charge—always. Zion’s God is God for good! Hallelujah! -
Psalms 145:1-21 MSG
[1] I lift you high in praise, my God, O my King! and I’ll bless your name into eternity. [2] I’ll bless you every day, and keep it up from now to eternity. [3] God is magnificent; he can never be praised enough. There are no boundaries to his greatness. [4] Generation after generation stands in awe of your work; each one tells stories of your mighty acts. [5] Your beauty and splendor have everyone talking; I compose songs on your wonders. [6] Your marvelous doings are headline news; I could write a book full of the details of your greatness. [7] The fame of your goodness spreads across the country; your righteousness is on everyone’s lips. [8] God is all mercy and grace— not quick to anger, is rich in love. [9] God is good to one and all; everything he does is soaked through with grace. [10-11] Creation and creatures applaud you, God; your holy people bless you. They talk about the glories of your rule, they exclaim over your splendor, [12] Letting the world know of your power for good, the lavish splendor of your kingdom. [13] Your kingdom is a kingdom eternal; you never get voted out of office. God always does what he says, and is gracious in everything he does. [14] God gives a hand to those down on their luck, gives a fresh start to those ready to quit. [15] All eyes are on you, expectant; you give them their meals on time. [16] Generous to a fault, you lavish your favor on all creatures. [17] Everything God does is right— the trademark on all his works is love. [18] God’s there, listening for all who pray, for all who pray and mean it. [19] He does what’s best for those who fear him— hears them call out, and saves them. [20] God sticks by all who love him, but it’s all over for those who don’t. [21] My mouth is filled with God’s praise. Let everything living bless him, bless his holy name from now to eternity! -
Psalms 144:1-15 MSG
[1-2] Blessed be God, my mountain, who trains me to fight fair and well. He’s the bedrock on which I stand, the castle in which I live, my rescuing knight, The high crag where I run for dear life, while he lays my enemies low. [3-4] I wonder why you care, God— why do you bother with us at all? All we are is a puff of air; we’re like shadows in a campfire. [5-8] Step down out of heaven, God; ignite volcanoes in the hearts of the mountains. Hurl your lightnings in every direction; shoot your arrows this way and that. Reach all the way from sky to sea: pull me out of the ocean of hate, out of the grip of those barbarians Who lie through their teeth, who shake your hand then knife you in the back. [9-10] O God, let me sing a new song to you, let me play it on a twelve-string guitar— A song to the God who saved the king, the God who rescued David, his servant. [11] Rescue me from the enemy sword, release me from the grip of those barbarians Who lie through their teeth, who shake your hand then knife you in the back. [12-14] Make our sons in their prime like sturdy oak trees, Our daughters as shapely and bright as fields of wildflowers. Fill our barns with great harvest, fill our fields with huge flocks; Protect us from invasion and exile— eliminate the crime in our streets. [15] How blessed the people who have all this! How blessed the people who have God for God!-
Geneva Bible
[1] A Psalme of David. Blessed be the Lord my strength, which teacheth mine hands to fight, and my fingers to battell. [2] He is my goodnes and my fortresse, my towre and my deliuerer, my shield, and in him I trust, which subdueth my people vnder me. [3] Lord, what is man that thou regardest him! or the sonne of man that thou thinkest vpon him! [4] Man is like to vanitie: his dayes are like a shadow, that vanisheth. [5] Bow thine heauens, O Lord, and come downe: touch the mountaines and they shall smoke. [6] Cast forth the lightning and scatter them: shoote out thine arrowes, and consume them. [7] Send thine hand from aboue: deliuer me, and take me out of the great waters, and from the hand of strangers, [8] Whose mouth talketh vanitie, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood. [9] I wil sing a new song vnto thee, O God, and sing vnto thee vpon a viole, and an instrument of ten strings. [10] It is he that giueth deliuerance vnto Kings, and rescueth Dauid his seruant from the hurtfull sworde. [11] Rescue me, and deliuer me from the hand of strangers, whose mouth talketh vanitie, and their right hand is a right hand of falshood: [12] That our sonnes may be as the plantes growing vp in their youth, and our daughters as the corner stones, grauen after the similitude of a palace: [13] That our corners may be full, and abounding with diuers sorts, and that our sheepe may bring forth thousands and ten thousand in our streetes: [14] That our oxen may be strong to labour: that there be none inuasion, nor going out, nor no crying in our streetes. [15] Blessed are the people, that be so, yea, blessed are the people, whose God is the Lord.Douay-Rheims Challoner Revision 1752
[1] Praise, for David himself. I will extol thee, O God my king: and I will bless thy name for ever; yea, for ever and ever. [2] Every day I will bless thee: and I will praise thy name for ever; yea, for ever and ever. [3] Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised: and of his greatness there is no end. [4] Generation and generation shall praise thy works: and they shall declare thy power. [5] They shall speak of the magnificence of the glory of thy holiness: and shall tell thy wondrous works. [6] And they shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and shall declare thy greatness. [7] They shall publish the memory of the abundance of thy sweetness: and shall rejoice in thy justice. [8] The Lord is gracious and merciful: patient and plenteous in mercy. [9] The Lord is sweet to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. [10] Let all thy works, O lord, praise thee: and let thy saints bless thee. [11] They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom: and shall tell of thy power: [12] To make thy might known to the sons of men: and the glory of the magnificence of thy kingdom. [13] Thy kingdom is a kingdom of all ages: and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations. The Lord is faithful in all his words: and holy in all his works. [14] The Lord lifteth up all that fall: and setteth up all that are cast down. [15] The eyes of all hope in thee, O Lord: and thou givest them meat in due season. [16] Thou openest thy hand, and fillest with blessing every living creature. [17] The Lord is just in all his ways: and holy in all his works. [18] The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him: to all that call upon him in truth. [19] He will do the will of them that fear him: and he will hear their prayer, and save them. [20] The Lord keepeth all them that love him; but all the wicked he will destroy. [21] My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord: and let all flesh bless thy holy name for ever; yea, for ever and ever.Young’s Literal Translation 1898
[1] Blessed [is] Jehovah my rock, who is teaching My hands for war, my fingers for battle. [2] My kind one, and my bulwark, My tower, and my deliverer, My shield, and in whom I have trusted, Who is subduing my people under me! [3] Jehovah, what [is] man that Thou knowest him? Son of man, that Thou esteemest him? [4] Man to vanity hath been like, His days [are] as a shadow passing by. [5] Jehovah, incline Thy heavens and come down, Strike against mountains, and they smoke. [6] Send forth lightning, and scatter them, Send forth Thine arrows, and trouble them, [7] Send forth Thy hand from on high, Free me, and deliver me from many waters, From the hand of sons of a stranger, [8] Because their mouth hath spoken vanity, And their right hand [is] a right hand of falsehood. [9] O God, a new song I sing to Thee, On a psaltery of ten strings I sing praise to Thee. [10] Who is giving deliverance to kings, Who is freeing David His servant from the sword of evil. [11] Free me, and deliver me From the hand of sons of a stranger, Because their mouth hath spoken vanity, And their right hand [is] a right hand of falsehood, [12] Because our sons [are] as plants, Becoming great in their youth, Our daughters as hewn stones, Polished — the likeness of a palace, [13] Our garne…[Read more]
-
Psalms 143:1-12 MSG
[1-2] Listen to this prayer of mine, God; pay attention to what I’m asking. Answer me—you’re famous for your answers! Do what’s right for me. But don’t, please don’t, haul me into court; not a person alive would be acquitted there. [3-6] The enemy hunted me down; he kicked me and stomped me within an inch of my life. He put me in a black hole, buried me like a corpse in that dungeon. I sat there in despair, my spirit draining away, my heart heavy, like lead. I remembered the old days, went over all you’ve done, pondered the ways you’ve worked, Stretched out my hands to you, as thirsty for you as a desert thirsty for rain. [7-10] Hurry with your answer, God! I’m nearly at the end of my rope. Don’t turn away; don’t ignore me! That would be certain death. If you wake me each morning with the sound of your loving voice, I’ll go to sleep each night trusting in you. Point out the road I must travel; I’m all ears, all eyes before you. Save me from my enemies, God— you’re my only hope! Teach me how to live to please you, because you’re my God. Lead me by your blessed Spirit into cleared and level pastureland. [11-12] Keep up your reputation, God—give me life! In your justice, get me out of this trouble! In your great love, vanquish my enemies; make a clean sweep of those who harass me. And why? Because I’m your servant. -
Psalms 142:1-7 MSG
[1-2] I cry out loudly to God, loudly I plead with God for mercy. I spill out all my complaints before him, and spell out my troubles in detail: [3-7] “As I sink in despair, my spirit ebbing away, you know how I’m feeling, Know the danger I’m in, the traps hidden in my path. Look right, look left— there’s not a soul who cares what happens! I’m up against the wall, with no exit— it’s just me, all alone. I cry out, God, call out: ‘You’re my last chance, my only hope for life!’ Oh listen, please listen; I’ve never been this low. Rescue me from those who are hunting me down; I’m no match for them. Get me out of this dungeon so I can thank you in public. Your people will form a circle around me and you’ll bring me showers of blessing!” -
See @ralph, you’re even getting ad revenue from this stuff. LOL!
-
as long as the money is green
2023-12-31 13:32:58 UTC
-
Psalms 141:1-10 MSG
[1-2] God, come close. Come quickly! Open your ears—it’s my voice you’re hearing! Treat my prayer as sweet incense rising; my raised hands are my evening prayers. [3-7] Post a guard at my mouth, God, set a watch at the door of my lips. Don’t let me so much as dream of evil or thoughtlessly fall into bad company. And these people who only do wrong— don’t let them lure me with their sweet talk! May the Just One set me straight, may the Kind One correct me, Don’t let sin anoint my head. I’m praying hard against their evil ways! Oh, let their leaders be pushed off a high rock cliff; make them face the music. Like a rock pulverized by a maul, let their bones be scattered at the gates of hell. [8-10] But God, dear Lord, I only have eyes for you. Since I’ve run for dear life to you, take good care of me. Protect me from their evil scheming, from all their demonic subterfuge. Let the wicked fall flat on their faces, while I walk off without a scratch. -
Psalms 140:1-13 MSG
[1-5] God, get me out of here, away from this evil; protect me from these vicious people. All they do is think up new ways to be bad; they spend their days plotting war games. They practice the sharp rhetoric of hate and hurt, speak venomous words that maim and kill. God, keep me out of the clutch of these wicked ones, protect me from these vicious people; All boast and swagger, they plot ways to trip me up, determined to bring me down. These crooks invent traps to catch me and do their best to incriminate me. [6-8] I prayed, “God, you’re my God! Listen, God! Mercy! God, my Lord, Strong Savior, protect me when the fighting breaks out! Don’t let the wicked have their way, God, don’t give them an inch!” [9-11] These troublemakers all around me— let them drown in their own verbal poison. Let God pile hellfire on them, let him bury them alive in crevasses! These loudmouths— don’t let them be taken seriously; These savages— let the Devil hunt them down! [12-13] I know that you, God, are on the side of victims, that you care for the rights of the poor. And I know that the righteous personally thank you, that good people are secure in your presence. -
Psalms 139:1-24 MSG
[1-6] God, investigate my life; get all the facts firsthand. I’m an open book to you; even from a distance, you know what I’m thinking. You know when I leave and when I get back; I’m never out of your sight. You know everything I’m going to say before I start the first sentence. I look behind me and you’re there, then up ahead and you’re there, too— your reassuring presence, coming and going. This is too much, too wonderful— I can’t take it all in! [7-12] Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit? to be out of your sight? If I climb to the sky, you’re there! If I go underground, you’re there! If I flew on morning’s wings to the far western horizon, You’d find me in a minute— you’re already there waiting! Then I said to myself, “Oh, he even sees me in the dark! At night I’m immersed in the light!” It’s a fact: darkness isn’t dark to you; night and day, darkness and light, they’re all the same to you. [13-16] Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day. [17-22] Your thoughts—how rare, how beautiful! God, I’ll never comprehend them! I couldn’t even begin to count them— any more than I could count the sand of the sea. Oh, let me rise in the morning and live always with you! And please, God, do away with wickedness for good! And you murderers—out of here!— all the men and women who belittle you, God, infatuated with cheap god-imitations. See how I hate those who hate you, God, see how I loathe all this godless arrogance; I hate it with pure, unadulterated hatred. Your enemies are my enemies! [23-24] Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I’m about; See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong— then guide me on the road to eternal life. -
Psalms 138:1-8 MSG
[1-3] Thank you! Everything in me says “Thank you!” Angels listen as I sing my thanks. I kneel in worship facing your holy temple and say it again: “Thank you!” Thank you for your love, thank you for your faithfulness; Most holy is your name, most holy is your Word. The moment I called out, you stepped in; you made my life large with strength. [4-6] When they hear what you have to say, God, all earth’s kings will say “Thank you.” They’ll sing of what you’ve done: “How great the glory of God!” And here’s why: God, high above, sees far below; no matter the distance, he knows everything about us. [7-8] When I walk into the thick of trouble, keep me alive in the angry turmoil. With one hand strike my foes, With your other hand save me. Finish what you started in me, God. Your love is eternal—don’t quit on me now.-
I really needed this today!
2023-12-28 15:28:07 UTC
-
Psalms 137:1-9 MSG
[1-3] Alongside Babylon’s rivers we sat on the banks; we cried and cried, remembering the good old days in Zion. Alongside the quaking aspens we stacked our unplayed harps; That’s where our captors demanded songs, sarcastic and mocking: “Sing us a happy Zion song!” [4-6] Oh, how could we ever sing God’s song in this wasteland? If I ever forget you, Jerusalem, let my fingers wither and fall off like leaves. Let my tongue swell and turn black if I fail to remember you, If I fail, O dear Jerusalem, to honor you as my greatest. [7-9] God, remember those Edomites, and remember the ruin of Jerusalem, That day they yelled out, “Wreck it, smash it to bits!” And you, Babylonians—ravagers! A reward to whoever gets back at you for all you’ve done to us; Yes, a reward to the one who grabs your babies and smashes their heads on the rocks! -
Psalms 136:1-26 MSG
[1-3] Thank God! He deserves your thanks. His love never quits. Thank the God of all gods, His love never quits. Thank the Lord of all lords. His love never quits. [4-22] Thank the miracle-working God, His love never quits. The God whose skill formed the cosmos, His love never quits. The God who laid out earth on ocean foundations, His love never quits. The God who filled the skies with light, His love never quits. The sun to watch over the day, His love never quits. Moon and stars as guardians of the night, His love never quits. The God who struck down the Egyptian firstborn, His love never quits. And rescued Israel from Egypt’s oppression, His love never quits. Took Israel in hand with his powerful hand, His love never quits. Split the Red Sea right in half, His love never quits. Led Israel right through the middle, His love never quits. Dumped Pharaoh and his army in the sea, His love never quits. The God who marched his people through the desert, His love never quits. Smashed huge kingdoms right and left, His love never quits. Struck down the famous kings, His love never quits. Struck Sihon the Amorite king, His love never quits. Struck Og the Bashanite king, His love never quits. Then distributed their land as booty, His love never quits. Handed the land over to Israel. His love never quits. [23-26] God remembered us when we were down, His love never quits. Rescued us from the trampling boot, His love never quits. Takes care of everyone in time of need. His love never quits. Thank God, who did it all! His love never quits! -
This is a great conversation here! It is almost 3 hours long, but if you don\’t have time for the whole thing, at least go through the 1st 25-ish minutes.
Edit: Also, Playback Speed controls and skipping through the in-video ads also help, obviously. - Load More
