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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

Newsflash! You are not an accident. So, don’t believe or trust anyone who monkeys around with the facts. Because they have an agenda that leads to eternal loneliness and torment.

It should bring you JOY to know you are not an accident.

Because if you’re just some sort of trained ape, what hope do you have?

But maybe you wonder how I can confidently say humans aren’t just another ape or animal. Well, how about the example of “feral children?” They’re children raised without human contact. And there have been studies of 36 documented cases of these children. And guess what?

They don’t speak until they learn from another human. Gasp! But once they’re around other humans, they can understand and learn grammatical rules as early as seven months.

But hey…they train chimpanzees to talk. Don’t they? Short answer…no. Longer answer…

Some chimpanzee trainers have had success training their animals to recognize quite a few words, symbols, and even make some limited hand signs. But when the trained animal dies, the trainer’s hard work goes down the drain. Because these apes don’t pass on their “vocabulary” to their offspring.

And no apes in the wild have shown true vocabulary skills. True language requires vocabulary AND grammar Because that’s how you can use a few words to express a variety of ideas.

And you and I can communicate language in a variety of ways.

We can speak and hear. Read and write. Sign. Use Braille (touch). And we can even tap out a message (Morse code). When something prevents us from communicating one way, we use another. It’s hard-wired into us.

But, sadly, language and our ability to communicate aren’t getting more and more complex. You know…evolving? No, it’s all actually devolving. English, for example, is much less complex than even in the days of America’s founding fathers. When you get a chance, read some of their documents. Because even their personal letters to and from their spouses reveal a much more fluid and flowing use of mood, voice, verb form, syntax, tense, and inflection.

Yeah, we need each other in order to learn to speak. And this suggests that the first humans must have been endowed with a language ability. There just isn’t any evidence that language evolved. And that, of course, means humans didn’t either. And that’s why I say…

You are not an accident,
Or just an ape. You’re Heaven sent.
You were formed inside God’s mind.
And in His image you’re designed.
So speak up and share this word,
That evolution is absurd.

Stay tuned,

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

About this time of year, back in 2013, I wrote my replies to some discussion about a cake shop in Lakewood, Colorado. Maybe you heard of Masterpiece Cakes? And its owner, Jack Phillips? He’s the guy who, according to his Christian faith, chose to refuse service to a so-called “gay couple.”

And by “refuse service,” I mean he didn’t wanna bake their “wedding cake.”

Here’s what I wrote about it eight years ago. And I think this has even more relevance in 2021, going into 2022. Because Christian business owners and citizens are in danger of losing even more freedom now.

If you’re a business owner, I’d like to point out something I thought would have been blatantly obvious until recently. No one has a right to force you to serve their needs. Regardless of whatever inane laws vacuous government officials might conjure up…you DO have a right to refuse service to anyone.

And what if man-made laws take away your right to refuse service?

I completely understand how our federal, state, and local governments manage to make things like this a “legal” issue. But far too often in our system of government, “legal” parts company with “right and wrong”. Simply calling something legal doesn’t make it right. For example…at one time in our nation’s history only three-fifths of blacks were counted as citizens. It was constitutionally “legal”, but it was most certainly wrong.

I’m saying all this because recently, right here in my own home town, a “legal” issue has arisen as a result of a cake maker exercising a right to refuse service to a “gay couple”. They wanted him to bake them a cake for their so-called civil union ceremony. Jack Phillips of Masterpiece Cakeshop in Lakewood, Colorado informed the two men that his Christian worldview doesn’t support “gay marriage” or a “civil union”. The two men fired some insults at Mr. Phillips, left the shop, and eventually filed a discrimination lawsuit.

I found a report on this from a National Public Radio article that popped up in an app on my iPhone. I’ll paste in some of that article, and I’ll give my views in blue.

“…should they be allowed a religious exemption, like churches and some institutions?”

No…religion isn’t the issue. Freedom is.

Just because a guy bakes cakes doesn’t give you or anyone else a “right” to any of those cakes or to force him to bake you one.

“Or a First Amendment free expression to pass a sort of “conscientious objector” status if the job is at odds with their beliefs?”

This comes closer to reality. If a bar owner, who doesn’t give a hoot about Jesus, doesn’t want skinheads coming into his bar…he should have a right to refuse service to them.

~ In his Colorado cake case ruling, Administrative Law Judge Robert Spencer acknowledged that some may view the actions of baker Phillips as within his rights as a businessman.

“At first blush,” he wrote, “it may seem reasonable that a private business should be able to refuse service to anyone it chooses.

“This view, however,” Spencer added, “fails to take into account the cost to society and the hurt caused to persons who are denied service simply because of who they are.” ~

And Judge Spencer’s view (also any corresponding “laws”) fails to take into account the cost of lost souls and the hurt caused to persons who are forced to provide service simply because of who THEY are. 

“Colorado, like New Mexico, bars discrimination based on sexual orientation.”

In doing so, both states elevate the rights of some over the rights of others. Unjust.

~ For Laura Durso, the issue is one of basic rights.

“There is a steady drumbeat of people understanding fairness in the marketplace,” says Durso, director of LGBT research and communication at the Center for American Progress. “Open a business to serve the public? You have an obligation to serve everyone.” ~

Ms Durso unsurprisingly fails to understand basic rights. Basic rights can be defended equally for everyone. Basic rights are life, liberty, and a pursuit of happiness. No one has a “basic right” to force, coerce, or compel someone else to bake them a cake. And “fairness in the marketplace” is a remarkably childish concept. With all the “fairness” you can muster give 100 people the same tools and the same opportunities and the same freedoms. Then watch as, inevitably, some excel while others crash and burn. And no one has an “obligation to serve everyone”. That’s a senseless statement not well thought out.

~ So, what’s the fix? Where is the line, constitutionally?

“That’s the million dollar question,” Gottry says, and one that will have to be answered by state legislatures, or by the Supreme Court.”~

If state legislatures or the Supreme Court are unable to understand the difference between “right” and merely “legal” (which is the case the majority of the time now), we will continue to decline further and further into moral bankruptcy. And don’t deceive yourself into believing morality comes from people, places, or parchment. Morality comes from God…the same God who endowed us with “certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”.

In conclusion, I’d like to say that a free market will almost always determine the course of enterprise. If I determine not to serve a segment of society, and I see my business begin to fail, I should be able to and allowed to make the adjustments…if I’m willing. And If I’m unwilling to make those adjustments, and my business fails, so be it.

Also…If I decide to serve a certain segment of society while denying others…and I’m rewarded with a flourishing business, so be it. The point is…it’s my business. If you can see a better way to do it, and if you’re able to do it, go for it. You’ll either get my business or you won’t. But I won’t be mad at you for being different.

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

Did you ever attend a church where “In The Sweet By and By” was part of the praise and worship time? I did. And I think, if I close my eyes and listen real close, I can almost hear my Grandmother singing it in her kitchen.

In The Sweet By and By

There’s a land that is fairer than day,
And by faith we can see it afar;
For the Father waits over the way
To prepare us a dwelling place there.

In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore;
In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore.

We shall sing on that beautiful shore
The melodious songs of the blessed;
And our spirits shall sorrow no more,
Not a sigh for the blessing of rest.

To our bountiful Father above,
We will offer our tribute of praise
For the glorious gift of His love
And the blessings that hallow our days.

The words to the song were written by Sanford F. Bennett. He was a druggist in a small town in Illinois. Way back in the 1800’s. And I read an interesting article on how the song came about. I haven’t fact-checked the article. So, I’m not gonna repeat the whole story or link to it. But I liked how the article ended with this.

“There is no deep biblical truth expressed in the song. But it was not intended for that. It was emergency comfort and help for one who was struggling, assuring him that there was a fairer day coming when ‘our spirits shall sorrow no more.’ And that is God’s promise (Rev. 21:4).”

Certain combinations of words intrigue me.

I’m not sure why. But I’ve been that way as far back as I can remember. For example, what does “by and by” mean? Well, it appears to usually mean “at some point in the future” or “eventually”. And I’ve used it that way occasionally over my many years as a writer.

I even sneaked it into the lyrics I’m sharing with you today. It’s not hidden very well, so I’m sure you’ll quickly find it. And I say lyrics because I plan to use the words in a song. However, it’s not a song yet.

But I just felt like sharing this with you as a change of pace from my other heavier articles. Just like “In The Sweet By and By” there’s no “deep Biblical truth.” So, see what you think. Try to stay awake as you read…

The Dreamer’s Lullaby

In those seconds sliding into sleep…
There may be some time you’ll wanna keep.
Grab the minutes tightly in your hand.
Close your eyes and soon you’ll understand.

There’s a place you’re gonna wanna go,
Where it’s always free to see the show.
Colors in the sky will breathe you in.
Close your eyes and let the dreams begin.

Hear the lullaby and by
Way up in the sky so high
Every little sigh you sigh will fly and fly
Into the dreamer’s lullaby.

Dreams are hidden right behind your eyes…
Every night a new and bright surprise…
Fly across the Milky Way in bed.
Just lay down and rest your weary head.

© 2012 Tony Funderburk  (September 10)

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OK, for this meeting of Overeaters Anonymous, I’d like to pick up where we left off during the last meeting. And that, of course, is the ever-important issue. Dessert: before or after the meal? And while Albert reads the minutes of the last meeting, let’s all sample this excellent crab dip.

Mm..Mm. Overeaters Anonymous is my favorite group.

My only question is…why be anonymous? Why not go all out and live loud and proud. Overeat like there’s no tomorrow. Right? Because, let’s face it, there actually might not be a tomorrow.

Maybe you’ve heard this: “let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die”. Or maybe you’ve heard another version: “eat, drink, and be merry…for tomorrow we die”.

And “let us eat…” comes from the Bible. Did you know that?

Paul wrote that first version to Christian believers in Corinth. He was talking about the effects of denying the resurrection of Jesus. He was saying that if there is no resurrection, then this life might very well be all we have. And if that’s the case…we’d better party as much as we can possibly stand. After all, who knows how long anyone has.

(Definitely a check in the “dessert first” side of the debate)

Anyway…

Paul also shared with the Corinthians how the work he was doing in Ephesus (and anywhere else for that matter) would serve no reasonable purpose, if death is the end. Why should Christians bother to share anything about Jesus if we’re all gonna just die and that’s it? What a waste of time…right?

Well, everyone has his (or her) own flesh to contend with. Everyone deals with that voice, or notion, or thought that says “let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die”. The flesh wants what the flesh wants. And like Paul said, “I die daily”. It’s only by the Grace and knowledge of the everlasting salvation Jesus provided for me that I rise again daily.

Do you have that same assurance and hope?

Have you considered the possibility there might be some truth to this story Christians can’t seem to shut up about? Do you feel secure and confident about the choice you’ve made when it comes to how long your life will last?

I only ask because I know how much love you’ll miss out on when you deny the birth, death, and resurrection of your Creator. I’d hate to see that. Especially when it’s so avoidable. You simply need to choose. Life? Or death?

There are choices that we’re given freedom to choose.
But use wisdom; with your choices you could abuse.
Simple words could lead little lambs to slaughter,
And where that ends; you will always long for water.

(from the song “Do Right”)

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

If you’re a Christian, conservative type of person, you might be feeling enemies at the gate right about now. And if you’re not, it’s either because you keep your light under a basket, or they just haven’t gotten to you, yet.

But fair warning. There WILL be enemies at the gate.

Once you live beyond your childhood you acquire enemies. That’s a sad and pessimistic sounding commentary. But it’s true. It’s an occupational hazard of being alive, having opinions, and sharing your thoughts. You don’t have the same enemies as someone else, but the last enemy you will face is the same for everyone.

Death.

And, to be sure, the last enemy can sure be the worst.

Here’s what I’d like you to mull over for a minute or two…is it possible to overcome death? And if you think it’s possible, leave me a comment or email me and explain how you can overcome it.

If you don’t think it’s possible, tell me why not. But my faith, on this subject, is anchored in the terra firma of what Paul wrote to the Corinthians. He said “the last enemy that will be destroyed is death”.

But that doesn’t mean that if you somehow muster enough faith in God, you won’t die. Because, physically, you will die. There’s an exact 1:1 ratio of birth to death in all the history of the world. And you will be no exception. But the physical is only one of your three parts.

Your soul and spirit live forever, if you choose to be with God.

But if you don’t believe God exists, not so much. And if you don’t believe He sent His Son to take on the flesh of a man and die for your sins, not so much. And if you don’t believe His Son also rose from the dead to show us how we can also rise again, not so much.

So, in those cases, this article sounds like just another one of those annoying Christian “sermons” to you.

And you know what? It sort of is like that. Yeah, I’m actually sort of preaching to you. But I want you to get the full meaning of why I even bother to take the time to do so. Because those enemies at the gate would have you believe you have no hope beyond death.

I’m convinced that eternal life with a loving, living Creator is real and reachable. But I’m also convinced that there’s nothing you’ve done, on your own, that could get you to or keep you from that eternal life. Plus, I’m convinced that the love of God, shining brightest through His Son Jesus, is the key to paradise.

All the ridicule, scorn, and contempt the world can muster against me for my faith in God will never convince me otherwise. And when I’ve overcome the last enemy, my deepest hope is to be an eternal singer songwriter for my Heavenly Father.

Stay tuned,

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Sol was a songwriter. And way ahead of his time. But he could be SO negative. And that’s even after he basically had NO reason to be negative. At least as far as anybody could tell. But he toned down his negativity (a little) when he wrote some famous song lyrics that started with “To everything there is a season.”

Can you sing the next words after “there is a season.”

If you’re not at least a couple or three decades old, the song I’m talking about might just be a foreign language to you. But if you’re up on vintage songs from the 60’s, you might know the next line:

“And a time for every purpose under heaven.”

And if you can remember that much, you probably remember the next few (opposing) lines.

A time to be born,
And a time to die;
A time to plant,
And a time to pluck what is planted;

A time to kill,
And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
And a time to build up;

OK, then if you can remember that far, I’m sure you remember these lines…

A time to love,
And a time to hate;
A time of war,
And a time of peace.

Maybe you’re on to me.

Maybe you notice the subtle, little differences in those lyrics and what you might have heard on the radio. Or on YouTube or Apple Music.

If so, that’s because Sol, the songwriter, didn’t get final say over how those lyrics would be sung by The Byrds. But, way back in 1965 they had a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with the song, “Turn! Turn! Turn!”

Even though the whole band actually played on “Turn! Turn! Turn!,” (they didn’t get to do that with their first hit song), their songwriter never heard them sing and play it. Because he died about 2900 years before they recorded it.

Yeah, Sol…aka King Solomon…wrote the words, the Byrds sang, to express what he felt was his meaningless life. Imagine that. A guy who, by many accounts, was about the richest man who ever lived. And a guy who was King. A guy who had an endless supply of everything, including women. But a guy who ended up believing it was all meaningless.

So, if there IS a season for everything, then let’s include logic and reason.

I’m a guy who’s all about that. After all, “Rhyme and Reason” is part of the title to my podcast and my website. And I love the way God’s word is logical and reasonable AND poetic.

There’s even poetic justice.

But, for people who hate the truth, the Bible is full of hate. And those of us who love God are “haters.” And  the irony is…the world is currently entering “the season” of full-bore, pedal-to-the-metal hatred of Christians. They would love it if we would all just disappear.

And speaking of poetic justice…we WILL all disappear. In the twinkling of an eye.

In the twinkling of an eye
We’ll fly up into the sky,
And we’ll never, ever, ever die again.
Yeah, we’ll leave this world behind,
And I hope these words remind
You of Who will make this all happen.

Stay tuned,

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Way back in 1976 there was a popular band, from Sweden, who enjoyed something most musicians might only dream about. On December 3, of that year, somewhere around three and a half million people applied to get tickets to one of their concerts. And there were only about 11 thousand tickets available.

Yeah, I’d say that’s the epitome of a popular band.

And I’m talking about ABBA. Apparently the first non-English speaking band to have ongoing musical success. And they certainly enjoyed some huge success with hits like Waterloo, Take a Chance on Me, and Fernando. They sold over 300 million albums and singles. Wow. I’ve still got a little way to go to get there.

I found out the band’s name was actually an acronym of the letters of their first names. Agnetha, Bjorn, Benny, and Anni-Frid. That’s simple, easy to remember, and pretty cool. Especially since they became so famous.

But, Agnetha, Bjorn, Benny, and Anna-Frid weren’t the only ones called ABBA.

It also refers to someone even more famous. And if you’ve followed my blog or podcast for a while, you probably already know where I’m going with it.

Yep. Your Creator has also been referred to as ABBA. And that reference is right in Paul’s letter to the Romans. He talked about adoption. Can you believe it?! I’m not kidding. Paul was actually pro life. And he actually talked about adoption. But maybe not the way you might think.

It was a special adoption.

And not just reserved for little kids. It’s available to you. And me. And the Spirit of adoption is the awesome replacement for the spirit of bondage to fear.

When I think about how incomparable Abba, the Father, is, it’s sad to think how so many people give up their “tickets” to see Him. And be with Him forever. Instead, they lament the breakup of a temporary band on Earth.

Another one of life’s ironies…
How choices change so many destinies.

Yeah, I tend to think of such things, on this 3rd day of December, every year.

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I was part of a debate…uh…conversation about whether or not The Flood actually happened. And you know The Flood I refer to, right? The guy who started the debate…uh…conversation said there’s no evidence that a worldwide flood ever happened. But he’s a perfect example of how so many deny that facts are real. That’s why they’re called facts.

And facts are real despite how you “feel” about ’em.

Most people on our little, blue planet “feel” like there’s no ultimate Designer God. So they fall (or should I say leap?) into the category of “Don’t confuse me with the facts. My mind’s made up.”

To show you what I mean, I shared some flood facts with the guy who said there’s no evidence for a worldwide flood. Here are the bullet points…

  • Today two miles of water covers two-thirds of Earth, enough to cover the early lower mountains.
  • An average of more than a mile deep of sedimentary layers on the continents.
  • Trillions of dead things (i.e., hard-to-form fossils) laid down by water in strata all over graveyard Earth.
  • The documented Permian extinction event destroyed 90% of all multicellular marine species.
  • A documented genetic bottleneck for man and 90% of all animals far more recent than a million years ago.
  • All major mountain ranges have marine fossils atop them including on Everest, the Rockies, etc. (excepting volcanoes of course) These include fish, clams, marine mammals, sea lilies, even whales high in the Andes, etc.
  • The general pattern of fossil progression matches flood burial from the Precambrian layer’s seabed bottom-dwelling creatures like trilobites up through the Jurassic and higher layer birds.
  • Dinosaur soft tissue still exists preserving T. rex blood cells, blood vessels, and a dozen proteins from a dozen different kinds of dinosaurs and countless other organisms.
  • While NASA presumes there may have been a near global flood on virtually bone-dry Mars, secularists ignore the sufficient water in our own two-mile deep oceans which could easily cover the Earth (with lower pre-flood mountains).

 

And, naturally, the guy’s response was…

“The Bible is not evidence.” Or something to that effect. I don’t remember his exact words.

But the point is…where, in all of those bullet points, did I mention anything from the Bible?

Methinks the guy doth protest too much because the Truth is written on his heart. Sure, right now, that heart is a cold, dark stone. But if he would only open his eyes and mind to the possibility that there IS a God and that it isn’t him, he’d see facts are real. Even when they make you feel uncomfortable.

In awe of all creation, and how it all could be,
The fairy tale illusions increase with every year.
The wrinkled plans expand…exponentially,
Until one day, perhaps, a duck becomes a deer.

(from the song Fast Forward)

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When you think of the ocean, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? That it covers most of the planet? Or that it’s salty? Maybe you think of it as a fun place to go vacation. And maybe your first thought is how it’s so blue. That’s what I think. And the same is true with the sky. So blue. But have you ever noticed how blue is rare when it comes to the creatures on Earth?

With so much blue water and sky, why is blue so rare in creatures?

Well, I read an article that talked about how creatures’ feathers, fur, and skin colors almost always come from pigments. And those pigments are chemicals that absorb specific wavelengths of light and other reflections.

And animals get those pigments from what they eat.

Like a flamingo, for example. Flamingos start out gray. But they get their bright pink color from the pink beta-carotene that comes from all the algae and brine shrimp they eat. Pretty cool.

But here’s the deal with blue pigments. There are just about no truly blue pigments on our little, blue planet. So, most blue creatures get their color from the way the molecules on their body reflect light.

And even cooler than that is how the Blue Morpho butterfly has ridges in its wings that reflect light and use “optical effects, like interference, to create all that brilliant beauty.

But let’s bump up the coolness to the max.

Because the different ways creatures appear to be blue are all based on coded information. By the best information coder the world has ever known (or ever will). Yeah, I know it’s crazy talk to say it. But all that beautiful design you find out there on this beautiful planet was put here by a…gasp!…Designer.

And that’s why I wrote a song about it for kids when I was the music director at a church in Denver. Here’s the first verse of…

Why?

Why is the sky blue? Why is the grass green?
And Why is the sun gold? What does it all mean?
Why is the air clear? And why is the ground brown?
Why does the earth float and never fall down?

(The answer is in the song)

© 2010 Tony Funderburk

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There was an expression, that rolled around when I was younger, that expressed a superlative feeling for or toward someone else. If a guy was infatuated with a girl, he might say, “She’s the living end.” I’m sure that’s lost on anybody from the young love generations these days. But I always liked it. And it’s why I used that expression to describe the larger life available to every person on the planet.

And why just “live large” now when you can have a larger life forever?

I usually take the time to clearly lay out my logic and reason (my Rhyme and Reason) to answer a question like that. But today I’m just gonna share the lyrics to a song I wrote 30 years ago. And the words are gonna be foggy and vague. At least to anyone who’d rather not think about or hear about the benefits of a relationship with their Creator.

But for any and all ears and hearts that seek truth, maybe this’ll make sense.

I hope so. Because this kind of faith, hope, and love really is…

The Living End

How can I explain the numbers in the rain?
I’d like to help illuminate the pathways to your mind.
But I am just a man; I’ll do the best I can.
I’ll show you where to look, and I’ll tell you this:
It isn’t behind.

It’s a firecracker and a windchime.
It’s a loudspeaker and a street mime.
And it’s the friction of invisible wind…It’s the living end

I should write a book; give back what I took.
It’s the kind of thing that multiplies
When you give it away.
The knowledge and the lack;
The rails that make the track…
Tend to open doors and open hearts
To what they can say.

It’s a sand pebble and the fired glass.
It’s a skyscraper and a mountain pass.
And it’s the friction of invisible wind…It’s the living end

Oh, and I’m sure I can’t make you believe,
If it’s not within your will.
Oh, and it’s been around since Adam and Eve,
And it never stood still.

How can I extol the matters of the soul?
I was never one to shake my fist and preach in the square.
No, I just always knew that faith would lead me through,
And there has to be a larger life that lasts forever out there

(repeat 1st chorus)

© 1992 Tony Funderburk

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I know I’m not better than you if I say I’m a Christian and you say you’re not. I’m just better off than you because I know when I’m finally absent from this body, I’ll be “present with the Lord“.

So, at the very least, I have hope. Because I have a future. Jesus promised, if I believe and trust in Him, I’ll have eternal life. And that sounds like a mighty nice promise. So, I’m gonna take Him up on His offer. Because  I don’t want to die and disappear into blackness. And that’s not gonna happen for anybody, by the way. But I want to live with Him forever. So, I trust in that promise from God. And for that…

I’m Better Off

I think we can agree…I’m not better than you.
It isn’t very hard to believe that it’s true.
But let me say this now, and I hope you won’t scoff…
Though I’m not better than…I know I’m better off.

I’m better off…
If you say there is no Jesus and no Truth that ever frees us.
I’m better off…
If you say no bright tomorrow can erase all of your sorrow.
I’m better off…
For a multitude of reasons, an eternity of seasons.
I’m better off…
When I leave this dark theater, I’ll go live with the Creator.

So, I’m not better than any person who sins.
No, that’s an argument where no one ever wins.
But try to understand, and don’t grumble and cough,
When I say “trust the Lord“, and you’ll be better off.

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Imagine feeling drowsy all day. In fact, actually falling asleep at your desk right in the middle of work. And imagine, on top of all that, you’re dizzy, a little confused, and you can’t get rid of that nagging headache. OK, what if I told you that you might be suffering from Hypercapnia? Sounds serious, right? And it is. And another name for it is carbon dioxide toxicity. It’s bad. But here’s something even worse.

Carbon dioxide toxicity is forced on people every day.

And sure, that sounds bad, but sadly, it gets even worse.

Many of the people, forced to deal with carbon dioxide toxicity, are kids. Kids whose only crime is…they attend public schools. And they’re not willfully committing that crime. They just go where they’re told. And do what they’re told.

And those otherwise healthy kids have to deal with blocked airways. They have to breathe their own carbon dioxide exhalations. And that can seriously harm the development of their teeth, heart, lungs, and…BRAIN!

There are reports of kids who’ve experienced…

  • fainting,
  • hearing loss,
  • nosebleeds,
  • tooth decay and bleeding gums,
  • shortness of breath,
  • muscular tremors, and
  • increased heart rate and blood pressure

 

“But what causes all this?” you might ask (and I hope you would).

Masks.

Kids are forced to wear masks all day in places like public schools. But that’s particularly weird. Because kids are just about the least likely to catch and die from covid. For example, Dr. Ben Carson, former director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, said, “The fact of the matter is, the mortality rate for children from COVID-19 is 0.025, which is very similar to the rate for seasonal flu.”

Let that number sink in. Mortality rate from Covid-19 is 0.025 for kids.

That means their chance for survival, even if they’re infected (which is mostly unlikely), is 99.975 out of 100. And that’s what some would call a statistical impossibility.

But who cares about facts and figures? Especially when it “feels good” to tell other people how to live their lives. And when it “feels good” to attempt to shame those who would dare place facts and figures over feelings.

And it should come as no surprise that so-called adults would have no problem with kids suffering from carbon dioxide toxicity. After all, we live in an America where it’s “legal” to kill unborn babies when you don’t feel like having them. And that atrocity has destroyed tens of millions of lives for 50 years. What’s a few more kids added to the mix? Right?

But maybe I’m just too judgmental. And maybe I should just put on a mask and hide my eyes.

Yeah. No.

Make me to always understand
I’m only mighty in Your mighty Hand.

And I have to trust that my God is just.
And I feel my boldness increase.
I’m a dissident, and I’m an instrument
For the one true Way to peace.

(from my song “The One True Way To Peace“)

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I get it. You gotta do what is important to you. Because if you never do, or you’re never allowed to, it can mess with your insides. Literally AND figuratively.

But what is important to you might not be to anyone else.

And you could even be fooling yourself about what’s important.

It doesn’t matter how much you achieve in this life. And it doesn’t matter what you build, or attain, or receive. In fact, it doesn’t matter how many people you know. Yeah, none of those things go with you when you leave this planet. Because without a personal relationship with your Creator, you’re just fooling yourself to think all is well.

I shared this next section with some people a few years ago. And it’s still as true as ever or ever will be.

You were born a three-part person. Body – Soul – Spirit. And your body formed and matured in your mother’s womb as you were nurtured, fed, and watered.

Your soul, in a sense, is your unique software. It’s where the untouchable code of all you is. Your thoughts, memories, philosophy. Your spirit is where life resides…or at least it can reside if you’re willing.

Life doesn’t come from nothing.

It doesn’t come from rocks. And it doesn’t come from a magical, mystical combination of chemicals and sparks. Life comes from God. Because He’s the Source of Life. And being the righteous benefactor He is, He offers you eternal life. And He doesn’t force you to choose. Plus, He doesn’t force His decision on you. He makes the offer and allows you to accept or reject it.

God would love for you to live with Him in paradise forever. But He won’t make you, if you don’t want to.

If you prefer your own path, your own “kingdom”, your own universe, God has made a place where you can go and exist forever. Just one problem. You won’t be able to take your body or your spirit. Just your soul. (description above)

Your choice to be apart from God is a declaration that you’d rather He didn’t impart His Spirit of life into you. So your spirit will remain empty and unable to exist forever.

I think you can clearly see what happens to the bodies of every living person. They wear out and eventually fall away from their souls. And what happens after that depends on the choice you made. Eternal life. Or the eternal alternative.

If you think this life here on planet earth is all there is, you’re fooling yourself. And if you think you can sustain your own spirit for eternity, you’re fooling yourself. Figure out what is important to you while you still can. Because, if you think there’s any paradise apart from God, you’re…

Fooling Yourself

If you think life merely means
Leaving silver footprints in the grass,
You’re fooling yourself with fantasy…
Wasting away in dreams.
Oh, but there are times when all is simple…
When things are carefree.
These are the times you should cherish
And think of endlessly…
Because your life is but a fragment of time.
Will you allow yourself to overflow?
Will a daydream pass you by with just a glance?
Casting its shadow on your face?
Teasing you with a chance?
If you think life merely means
Letting every little chance pass you by,
You’re fooling yourself and letting go…
Wasting away…away.

© 1974 Tony Funderburk

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I remember driving across Kansas on I-70, headed to college in Manhattan (the little Apple, not the big one). And every so often I’d pass a sign that said something like, “One Kansas farmer feeds 27 people.” I can’t say, for sure, the number was 27. But it somewhere in that range. But nowadays those signs say something like 257 people. Regardless of the number, it’s nothing short of awesome how a farmer can exponentially multiply the seed he gets.

And it’s awesome so many farmers are still willing to multiply the seed they get.

Because, unfortunately, American farmers have more and more “powers” working against them.

But I think a lot, maybe even most, of those farmers understand the value of life much more clearly than the rest of the population. Because they tend to so much life on a daily basis. And not merely their own. I’m talking about the lives of their animals and crops. Yeah, there’s life in every cell of every living thing. From humans to cows to corn.

And farmers have to be much more keenly aware of the needs of those different lives. Like how much feed to give the animals. How to store enough to get through the winter. And how much water and soil additives for the crops. Because those farmers know that if they don’t do a good job, some people might not have enough to eat.

But enough about farmers, for now. Because as I recalled those signs next to the highway in Kansas, I thought about something even more important than how well those guys can multiply the seed they get.

Where do they get those seeds they multiply?

Sure, your first thought might be the local feed and seed store in the town where they live. And you’d be a little bit right. But that doesn’t explain where those feed and seed stores get their supplies.

And that could get us started in a vicious circle. Because some might say, “Well, the feed and seed stores get their seeds from farmers who grow them.” But then we’re right back to “Where did the farmers get ’em?”

So, how do you get out of that tautological conundrum? (my two dollar words for the day)

The solution is, as always, go to the source. Go to the one “who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food.”

There are tons of figurative and literal references to seed and seeds in the Bible. And that’s because life is found in the seed. But the life in a seed that can turn into wheat which can turn into bread which can sustain your life is no accident.

That life in an indescribable gift from God.

The moment you were conceived, you were given the indescribable gift of life.

Do you still ponder the age-old question, “What’s the meaning of life?” Well, ponder no more. Because without an uncaused first cause (aka: original source of life), the meaning would be whatever you decide. But that’s problematic because there are billions of other individuals who’d probably disagree with you.

And I probably don’t have to tell you where ideological disagreements lead. Right?

So, of course, the solution to that problem is to have an absolute standard.

Uh-oh. There’s that offensive word.

Absolute.

You’ve probably heard that old (stupid) quote: “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Or you’ve heard some version of that. But I called it a stupid quote because it’s not true.

And people who hate God love to use that quote. Because they believe it shows the danger in putting your faith in a God who has absolute power.

But power does NOT corrupt you. Your heart does. Or, at least, it can. And most often does. But God’s heart is holy, pure, and righteous. And He doesn’t wield His absolute power over life arbitrarily and capriciously. (oops, a couple more two dollar words slipped out) In fact, He gives us a choice to multiply the seed of life…or not.

So, what makes God trustworthy? One word.

Love.

His undying love for His creation. You. And me.

It’s that love that supplies the information needed to establish life in even the smallest of seeds. Because the eternal life of, and from, God can’t be contained. And He wants you and me to share that amazing fact with everybody.

So, grab yourself a piece of toast. Slap some grass-fed butter on it. Or sizzle up a sea salt and pepper, savory ribeye. Take a few seconds to be grateful to the farmers who grew the grains and cattle. And thank God for life and love.

Because without them nothing else would matter or even exist.

If you believe an afterlife,
Where someplace better is
Waiting for us all some day,
Then you might fail the quiz.
A test of faith and evidence
With questions for your soul.
I urge you to look into it.
False ideas take their toll.

© 2020 Tony Funderburk

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Have yourself a mighty safe and Happy Thanksgiving 2021. Here’s a list of what I was thankful for a few years back.

And it still applies for Thanksgiving 2021

I’m thankful…

  • That God saw fit to give me life and to make a way for me to have it forever.
  • For a wife who loves me and encourages my artistic endeavors.
  • For our health…it’s not perfect, but it’s far from as bad as it could be.
  • And happy for words and music…God’s sweetest personal gifts to me.
  • For a beautiful place to live, Colorado, where there’s more sunshine than gloominess.
  • For the technology that allows me to quickly and readily share my thoughts with anyone interested.
  • We have a country still free enough for me to voice an opinion that differs from the masses…and not be killed for it.
  • For the support of thousands of people who’ve bought and shared my songs through the years.
  • For the opportunities to continue to grow, be inspired, and connect.

 

It’s so weird to watch or hear programs where people talk about what they’re thankful for even though they don’t know who they’re thankful to. Or the ones who seem to be thankful to each other. Or “the universe.”

There’s only one reason you’re here. Only one reason I’m here. And only one reason anyone else is here, was here, or ever will be here. And that one reason is the one, true, living, loving Creator of the universe and all life.

Yeah, that’s right. God. And I’m thankful to Him for giving me so much more than I deserve.

May God’s manifold blessings flow down on you like gentle raindrops

Tony

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Eight years ago, at about this time of the year, I wrote about how an unselfish life is not illustrated and/or perpetuated in (or by) evolution. 

And the whole altruism philosophy can be summed up in a dictionary definition.

One dictionary defines altruism as the “selfless concern for the well-being of others”. And it’s very cool that we can even observe different species concerned for the well-being of other species. Who doesn’t love to hear the story of the dog that saved its master who fell in the frozen lake?

Or the story of a mother cat who nursed a stray guinea pig in addition to her kittens. And of course, we love to hear the stories of courage when people are saved from burning buildings, car crashes, and natural disasters.

But how in the world do those selfless acts tie in with “survival of the fittest?” Or the perpetuation of the species. Or what Darwin wrote in his famous book “preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life”?

The short answer is…they don’t.

If you cling to an evolutionary worldview, you’re holding onto a rope with no one and nothing at the other end to pull you from the quicksand. And ironically, if anyone did show up to pull you in, it wouldn’t be because they felt a strong need to perpetuate the species.

No, they’d be responding to that still, small voice inside them…that message written on the tablet of their heart…that this is the RIGHT thing to do.

Evolution doesn’t determine or clarify right and wrong.

In fact, it merely obfuscates the matter with billions of different opinions. And evolution doesn’t bring about an unselfish life. It doesn’t help perpetuate the altruism philosophy.

In fact, it does quite the opposite. If evolution were true, selfishness would have eliminated unselfishness long ago.

But it isn’t true. It’s a pitiful, untenable worldview that seeks to thumb its nose and shake its fist in the face of God. If you’re still clinging to the hope that you can be your own god, believe me…you will be…forever. But I don’t think you’re gonna like or enjoy your kingdom.

Please reconsider, it’s not too late.
If you see these words, don’t hesitate.
You don’t wanna be a foolish king
Who rules over one who has nothing.
Think about it soon, and I’ll be here
If you need a helping hand or ear.

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In case you haven’t noticed, there’s an mRNA controversy going on in the world.

Foreign DNA and RNA gets into your cells all the time. That’s exactly how viral infections work. But your body almost always fights them off. And since you’re actually bombarded with viruses literally every day, it should be clear that your body is designed to handle them. Very well.

And that’s why this mRNA controversy is important to understand.

But instead of me, a singer songwriter, explaining it to you, how about a well-know and respected doctor? Like Dr. Vernon Coleman, the guy in this video…

I love how Dr. Coleman starts out the video with “It’s the 22nd of November, 2021. And this is the moment when the jabbing has to stop.” Then, he adds, “I believe any doctor or nurse who gives one of the mRNA covid jabs, after today, will, in due course, be struck off the appropriate register. And arrested.”

Dr. Coleman then shows how the journal he read from is credible. With points like how it’s 71 years old. And the articles are peer reviewed. And the journal is number one in the world in the cardiac and cardiovascular category. After that, he says he’s gonna quote the last sentence from the “abstract” which appears at the beginning of the article.

Then he says this is “all I, you, or anyone else…needs to know.” Then he reads…

“We conclude that the mRNA vaccine dramatically increases inflammation on the endothelium and T-cell infiltration of cardiac muscle. And may account for the observations of increased thrombosis, cardiomyopathy, and other vascular events following vaccination.”

Keep moving people. No mRNA controversy to see here.

Dr. Coleman comments on that finding by saying, “That’s it. That’s the death bell for the Covid-19 mRNA jabs.” And then he gives a little explanation of endothelium (I talked about it, too, in one of my articles) along with some more commentary. It’s all good info to watch.

So, in case you only get your news from the typical TV and radio channels, I recommend checking out more information like Dr. Coleman’s. Because until you have more objective pros AND cons of medical treatments, you can’t truly make an informed decision.

As for me…I won’t take a jab that is OBVIOUSLY killing people. Especially people in my demographic. And I know I have a God-given right to life. And a God-given right to defend my life. Even from the jabs of juvenile delinquents attempting to pass themselves off as “leaders.” They take their marching orders from a very dark source.

Everyone has a right to life.
A gift from God before it even starts.
Everyone has a right to life.
Your right is wrong when it stops innocent hearts…
(from the Right To Life song)

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Six years ago to this very day, I shared a message in my own way. A rhyme time post about what I love most. And you might already clearly see what’s about to come from me. And for anyone who missed it the first time around…

Here’s the rhyme time about something sublime:

– I find it difficult to write anything without trying to make it rhyme in my head. Or without pondering the rhythm of the words. It isn’t obsessive. But it IS almost constant. And dare I make a mention of the need for this attention…to words? Oops. I did it again. Well, it’s no sin. Drat! There I go without even trying. You gotta believe I’m not lying when I tell you I don’t mean to. It’s just something that I do. And there’s no lasting purpose to it. I don’t know what makes me do it. When I asked my good friend, Emma to help me with this dilemma, she let out a snicker. Then I wondered “why’d I pick her?” I could solve this on my own and then leave the rhymes alone. But if you have a solution to my rhyming execution, would you send me a note and tell me? A little help, please.

Yep, I suppose everybody could use a little help now and then.

Maybe your problem isn’t as serious as mine. But when you lay it on the line, it’s important. We’re all here for each other…every sister, brother, mother…and father. But so much of the time we’re so disconnected, misdirected, and unaffected. What’s wrong? Where did we shift? What caused this rift?

It’s not a matter of some mystical, magical hocus pocus. It’s a simple shift in our focus. We follow our own hearts. And that’s where the trouble starts. Your heart is not a good leader. In fact, it’s often a bottom feeder going for the lowest common denominator. In doing so, it becomes a terminator of wisdom. And wisdom is the key. For you…for me…for anyone who’d rather benefit from lessons learned instead of getting burned over and over.

Is wisdom discovered? Uncovered? Or is it something you’re born with and have to practice? Please…please. It’s none of these. It’s knowing the difference between wrong and right…seeing the light of truth. OK. Where does truth originate. I don’t mean to agitate, but the answer is…God. Without Him, it’s a matter of opinion, and every little minion has one of those.

So, in my rhyming way…today, as I do most every day, I’d like to offer a little help. It would be more than nice if you took my advice, but I’ll leave it up to you.

Here’s what I suggest you do…

Look into God’s word. Don’t just go on what you’ve heard. Discover what He actually says. I believe you’ll find truth you never knew that can completely change you and your eternal destination. And to show my dedication, I promise to help you when I can because God says to help my fellow man.

If you have any questions, share them with me. I’ll do my best to help you see God’s love.

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Real Christian love isn’t about sugar-coated, ubiquitous forgiveness. And it certainly isn’t about all the so-called “gifts of the Spirit.” No, if you truly want to be more Christ-like (and you should want that), you should focus on what God’s word. His WHOLE word.

Yeah, real Christian love realizes the need to rightly divide the word of Truth.

Because the sugar-coated, ubiquitous forgiveness kind of Christian love cherrypicks Bible verses to make people “feel good” about themselves. It gives an unbelieving world a false sense of security. And there is NO security in this world apart from a relationship with the One who made you.

Here’s something I shared, a few years ago, about real Christian love. And it applies more than ever…

– True Christian love won’t lie to you about your own power. And Christian love will tell you the truth about yourself…even when it disagrees with your earthly sensibilities. You might hear a guy on TV talking about how “faith can move mountains.” Or you might gaze in amazement as another televangelist babbles “in tongues”…as you wonder what in the world it means. And you might hear yet another TV ministry boasting about how much they feed the poor, heal the sick, and tend to the needy. But a guy known as the Apostle Paul wrote about what a Christian’s greatest gift is…

LOVE

Paul said speaking in tongues without love is like making an obnoxious noise. He also said being able to prophesy and understand all mysteries…and having a faith to move mountains…without love…means you still amount to nothing. He also said that even if you give all your “goods to feed the poor” and even if you give your “body to be burned“, but you don’t have love…it amounts to nothing.

Wow. That’s pretty strong talk. And Paul used the word “nothing” twice within two verses. He must have known how important it is to emphasize what everything amounts to without love. Wouldn’t you agree?

So, here’s the good news.

Love can build inside you despite what you might feel this very moment. Maybe it has to begin with an act of your will. Maybe you don’t feel loved and you don’t feel much like loving. But the great thing about love is…it increases in you the more you give it away. You can be the starting point, and God will not allow you to go unloved as a result. Paul wrote “love never fails.” And it never does. You may see a small “battle” not being won in love, but the ongoing struggles in life are only won in love. Only in love.

If you’re feeling unloved today, I’d like you to know you’re not. Your Creator loves you, and He wants to be close to you. Will you let Him be the centerpiece and cornerstone of love in your life? Or do you prefer to struggle in doubt without love? The choice is yours. –

And here’s what I’ll add to what I said back then. Pay close attention to what’s required. Yes, required. Because, in spite of another ubiquitous phrase tossed around (which is also fake Christian love), God’s eternal love is NOT unconditional. There IS a condition. A requirement.

Your humble act of repentance.

But He doesn’t force you to repent. You have the freedom to choose between two choices. 1. To love Him. 2. Or not. And, out of real Christian love for my neighbor, I urge you to choose 1.

And, out of love for my Christian brothers and sisters, I urge you to not spread a false sense of security message.

Humble yourself and God will lift you up.
Worldliness won’t put sweet water in your cup.

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OK, this is for the guys. So, if you’re a woman, you can skip this one. And I’d like to start by quoting the most famous author of all. “Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. Exalt her, and she will promote you; She will bring you honor, when you embrace her. She will place on your head an ornament of grace; A crown of glory she will deliver to you“?

Notice how that passage uses feminine pronouns to describe wisdom and understanding?

But let’s separate getting wisdom and understanding from the rest, for now. And let’s take the rest and say it describes your wife or girlfriend. It’s important to do your best to understand her. Because it can make all the difference in how your day goes…or even your life.

Do you exalt your wife or girlfriend?

In other words, do you hold her in high regard or lift her up. Do you do that?

I hope so, because according to God, if you do, she’ll promote you. In other words she’ll speak well of you to others.

Do you embrace your wife or girlfriend?

And I don’t mean just those passionate embraces of physical connection. I mean a loving hug just because she’s near. Do you do that? I hope so because according to God, if you do, she will bring you honor. In other words, she’ll be yours in a way that speaks highly of your character.

God’s word also says she’ll give you grace and glory. Not a bad exchange for a little embrace. Right?

Don’t worry. I’m getting to the crown of glory part.

I know it’s not an accident that the author of Proverbs 4:7-8 used a feminine pronoun for wisdom and understanding. Because God designed women with a natural and abundant capacity for understanding. And the female form is much more beautiful in grace and glory than us guys.

So God shared a lesson about wisdom and understanding in a way we could relate to physically. We can actually wrap our minds around the idea because it takes the form of a “she.” Pretty cool. Right?

OK. Now go out and get wisdom. And with all your might get understanding.

Especially when it comes to your wife or girlfriend. Keep in mind that you’ll never feel what she feels. But trust God, and ask Him to help you understand her.

God made men AND women. He knows what works best.

And if He says wisdom is the principal thing, it must be extremely important. With wisdom you can get an ornament of grace or a crown of glory on your head. Without wisdom it might be a hammer. Which one do you expect today?

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