Category Archives: Luke

Tony Funderburk shares messages of faith, hope, and love found in the book of Luke

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I hope you’re not rockin the boat today. Because the world has enough troublemakers without you chimin’ in. And if you don’t know what I’m talkin’ about, then you probably shouldn’t even be reading this. Because you just won’t understand. And it’s probably a matter of your lack of education. Or enlightenment. Or esotericism.

Yeah, you just don’t get it.  

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All you rockin the boat do-gooders should be seen and not heard.

“Wow, Tony. Did you get up on the wrong side of the bed or what?”

Well, hopefully you’ve been reading my articles and listening to my podcast episodes long enough to detect my dripping sarcasm. But just in case you’re new to my wry Rhyme and Reason wit and wisdom, I’m not actually attacking do-gooders.

In fact, I are one. Or at least I aspire to be one.

“But what in the world are you talkin’ about then, Tony?”

Ok, I’ll get to that. But first, let me tell you a little story (one of thousands) about my full-time performing days. In my repertoire of cover songs I had a few personal favorites. Mostly I sang for the audience and what they wanted to hear. But some songs were on my list just because I liked ’em.

And one of those songs was called “Sit Down, You’re Rockin The Boat.”

It was written by Frank Loesser and published in 1950. And it was one of the songs featured in the musical “Guys and Dolls” and performed by Stubby Kaye. I talked about another song Stubby sang in that movie. And you can check that out here.

Anyway…

A much cooler version of that song was done by Don Henley. And you might remember him from the Eagles. Right? And apparently Henley’s version was on the soundtrack to a movie called “Leap of Faith” with Steve Martin. But I didn’t see that movie. And from what I can deduce, I’m glad I didn’t.

So…as you read the lyrics carefully…you might notice the subtle snub.

And I mean an oh so slight…well…slight. And I think most people miss it altogether.

But it takes a close look and listen. I’ll include the lyrics, and hopefully nobody’s gonna come after me for copyright reasons. And if you’ve never heard Don Henley’s version, you can check it out on YouTube. It’s sort of a reggae style, which I enjoy, and it’s the style I followed when I sang it live.

It has a little bit of the “plank in your own eye” message. But there’s also the hidden sarcasm toward people who would dare claim to know the difference between right and wrong. And the words mix in just a little bit of false doctrine to help prop up the straw man.

But, all that being said, I liked the “vibe” of the song enough to include it in my nightly repertoire. And I made sure to toss in some of my signature replacement lyrics when I sang it live.

So, there you go. A little backstory to an old song you probably never gave a second thought to before.

I dreamed last night I was on the boat to heaven.
By some chance I had brought my dice along.
And there I stood and I hollered someone save me.
But the passengers they knew right from wrong.

And the people all said sit down
Sit down you’re rockin the boat
The people all said sit down
Sit down you’re rockin the boat

Cause the devil will drag you under
By the sharp lapels of your checkered coat.
Sit down, sit down, sit down you’re rockin the boat.

Oooh Oooh Oooh (scat)

As I sailed with those passengers to heaven
By some chance
I found a bottle in my fist
And there I stood
Nicely passing out the whiskey
But the passengers were bound to resist

And the people all said sit down
Sit down you’re rockin the boat
The people all said sit down
Sit down you’re rockin the boat

Cause the devil will drag you under
By the sharp lapels of your checkered coat
Sit down Sit down
Sit down you’re rockin the boat

Oooh Oooh Oooh

As we sailed
On that tiny boat to heaven
A great big wave
Came and washed me overboard
And as I sank
Oh I hollered someone save me
That’s the moment I woke up, thank the lord

And I said to myself sit down
Sit down you’re rockin the boat
I said to myself sit down
Sit down you’re rockin the boat

Cause the devil will drag you under
By the sharp lapels of your checkered coat
Sit down, sit down, sit down you’re rockin the boat.
(repeat to end)

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Are you wishing your life away and you don’t even know it?

Maybe it wasn’t today. But maybe it was yesterday. And you got up still feeling sleepy. And before you even finished your first cup of sunshine you said “Boy, I’ll be glad when this day is over.” Sound familiar? Because if it does, it’s a form of wishing your life away. And I’m guessing you don’t really it mean it to be that way. But it’s true.  

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Wishing your life away should stop today

There’s something very selfish about wishing your life away, too.

Uh-oh. Now, I done did it. Went ahead and mentioned the “S” word. Selfish.

“Golly, Tony. How come you gotta judge me like that? I just wanted the day to be over so I could be past the crud.”

I know. And I understand how tempting it is to wanna be past the crud in life. Because, after all, who in his or her right mind would enjoy crud? Well, maybe somebody who owns a successful crud cleaning business. But besides that…probably nobody else.

But here’s the problem.

Even if you could skip all the crud, today, that doesn’t mean it’s gone. Because we live in a crud filled world. Wow, I don’t think I’ve ever written the word crud so many times in my whole life. Anyway…this world is broken. And we humans broke it. So, we gotta deal with reality. And that means dealing with the consequences.

And if it’s true that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger (and I’m not so sure that’s always true), then it’s better to brace yourself for the consequences. Instead of wishing your way past them.

So, how do you brace yourself?

Talk to God. He listens when you do.
The Bible says He loves to hear from you.
And He can still be moved. In fact, that truth is proved
When you read His own words through and through.

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Everybody has selfish desires

Yeah, it’s a fact. An unflattering fact. But a fact nevertheless. You have selfish desires. And I do, too. But they don’t have to rule over you. Trouble is…most people in the world allow that to happen. In fact, they prefer it that way. So, what’s a “good person” to do?

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First, acknowledge that you’re not a “good person”. Because of your selfish desires.

“What?! Me, not a good person? How dare you, Tony!”

Ooh…that’s a tough one, right?

Sure, you and I might get along and enjoy a conversation over a cup of coffee. And we might even have a lot in common. So much so that we could become lifelong friends. Even have each other over on holidays. But you’re still not a “good person.” Because of that darn selfishness thing going on inside you.

Now, easy there champ. You can say the same thing about me. And I won’t even hold it against you. Why?

Because the truth matters.

And if God, Himself, says nobody is good, then it’s gotta be the truth. Right? Right.

And He does say that. But what He also says…more times than once…is, you and I are redeemable. We don’t have to be selfish, little knuckleheads forever. But most of the people in the world don’t wanna hear about His solution for our problem. Because they wanna be their own king…or queen.

Sadly, they don’t realize their selfish desires lead to eternal fires. And whether those fires are literal or figurative doesn’t matter. What DOES matter is, they never burn out. And the souls caught in those flames will never find relief. So, here’s what I recommend.

Trust in the only good person who ever lived.

And get off your high horses.

Up on the mountains of self…
Looking inside of our hearts, we think we see.
Fallible searchers are we…
Without a standard to judge, how high we can be!

We’re riding our high horses.
We’re wearing our best leather and lace.
Yes, we’re riding our high horses…
Hoping to ride them away…
Ride them to favor and grace! © 1989

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Do you know which color is right?

Black and white issues, in the world, aren’t so black and white. And the main reason I say that is because I’ve never met an actual black man or woman. And I’ve never met an actual white woman or man. But I’ve seen lots of different shades of brown, tan, and beige. And I’ve never had a problem figuring out which color is right.

Which color is right? Red, yellow, black, or white?

So, “Which color is right?” is a trick question.

Because they’re all wrong. Unless you’re trying to pick a color for the trim in your house. But if you’re talking about human beings, they all tend to be wrong. And there aren’t any “good” colors.

Here’s an excerpt from something I wrote five years ago. Notice how it totally fits today’s news…

“Sadly, many people who claim to be “non-judgmental”when it comes to the color of a person’s skin are some of the first to bring skin color up when a heinous crime has been committed. I’m sure you’ve heard, over and over in the news, how white cops are killing black people. Or how blacks are attacking whites. And so on and so on. The point is”if you’re gonna be non-judgmental when it comes to skin color, why wouldn’t you just report one human being committing a crime against another? Why would you even think to make it a racial issue? If someone murders someone else, I don’t care what the skin colors were (other than to hunt down the perpetrator). I care that a precious life was snuffed out at the hands of a murderer.”

And here are some lyrics to a song I wrote even further back in 1987. Race/color was just as much an issue way back then as it is today. There’s nothing new under the sun. And humans will never make enough laws to change hearts. Because laws aren’t love.

Colorblind

Look in the mirror tell me what do you see
A person who’s as normal as a person can be
You watch your money right down to the last dime
You know that life’s a struggle but you’re gonna make the climb
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could all keep the pace
Instead of having to be judged by the color of our face”
And be colorblind”let’s be colorblind

Well we’re equal when we’re born; so some famous men have said
But there’s still some crazy notions in a lot of people’s heads
They don’t want to face the future while they’re living in the past
We’ve got to learn to live together and we’ve got to make it last
Do you think that God in Heaven would be proud of what he sees
I think He wants us all to stop and get rid of this disease
And be colorblind”let’s be colorblind

inst”

Colorblind; it’s just a state of mind
Why on earth can’t we believe it
Colorblind; a gift we give ourselves
So why on earth can’t we receive it and be colorblind”let’s be colorblind

We share the stars and the world keeps spinning round
We share the sun, and it never lets us down
Why can’t we share with all the peoples of the earth
Because colors don’t determine what another person’s worth
I’d love to see it but perhaps I never will
“˜Cause the devil’s doing damage and it’s hard to keep him still

© 1987 Copyright Tony Funderburk

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Man is good, except for most of the time

I saw a Christian, on social media, quoting Ronald Reagan. And the quote was, “I know in my heart that man is good, that what is right will always eventually triumph, and there is purpose and worth to each and every life.” I enjoyed listening to Mr. Reagan. He delivered engaging and entertaining speeches. But that time he was wrong. [powerpress_player]

Man is good except for most of the time

To say man is good is to totally ignore history.

And if you’re a Christian, you know (or should know) Jesus Himself said the total opposite. And who are you gonna believe? Ronald Reagan? Or Jesus? (I hope that’s a rhetorical question, but I’m not so sure.)

History books are laid out on the framework of man’s inhumanity to his fellow man. And day-to-day news is played out the same way. Human beings murder other human beings with heartbreaking ferocity. And the voracious lust for blood seems to be increasing with each new year.

How could anyone dare say man is good?

And yet, there are potentially redeemable qualities in each and every one. Otherwise, I don’t believe Jesus would have suffered such a tortured death. He created us. And His desire is that none of us should perish. So, He willingly allowed Himself to be nailed to a cross, high on a hill where everyone could see. And He endured an agonizing, humiliating death just so you and I could live forever.

But if man was truly good, that would’ve never happened.

Now, I get it. Maybe you want to choose to see the good in everyone. And if you’re doing that with the same motive as Jesus, fine. But I know most people who say man is good are just ignorant (willfully most times) of the truth. And remember, it’s the Truth that’ll set you free. Not what you feel like is true. But what IS true. Say that.

If I Didn’t Know Better

If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were right,
When you said what you said that dark and fateful night.
But you got it all wrong when you said, “man is good.”
And that’s a conclusion I’ve never understood.

If I didn’t know better, I’d say that you care.
But a person who knows the Truth would never share
Anything contrary to what our Maker said.
So, it’s vital to get the truth into your head.

If I didn’t know better, I’d leave it alone.
And I’d shelter myself inside my comfort zone.
But I know it’s essential to rightly divide
The Word of Truth with the world that just wants to hide.

© 2020 Tony Funderburk

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Tony Funderburk says man is good only if you don't believe Jesus

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Happy Resurrection Day 2017

For those of you who don’t follow the Christian faith and don’t understand the meaning of Resurrection Day 2017, let me say Happy Easter. If you do understand, I hope your day is blessed with loved ones, celebration, and a time to remember why we’re celebrating.

To outsiders, it sometimes looks like we’re celebrating a bloody murder. Nothing could be further from the truth, of course. Easter isn’t about death at all. Quite the opposite. Christians all around the world celebrate the fact (yes, I said “fact”) that about 2000 years ago God became man and suffered a horrible death in order to offer us eternal life. The man, Jesus, was mocked, ridiculed, persecuted, prosecuted, and executed by the very people He came to save.

It’s unimaginable the torment He suffered just so you and I could avoid eternal suffering. You can say it’s a fairy tale. But that doesn’t erase the Truth. You can say the story of Jesus was simply written by men with an agenda. But that only shows me you haven’t actually read the book. You can even say eternity doesn’t exist for anyone. But that reveals your personal agenda.

Resurrection Day is all about what happened after Jesus was killed.

He rose from the dead, and the Bible says He was the “firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.” Simply put…that means He’s tip-top and no other name or person can be or ever shall be higher. And that means He can (and does) offer His eternal life to anyone who will follow Him.

Every day I more clearly understand why Jesus said to follow Him you must hate your “father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters” and even your own life. People will always let you down, but Jesus will never leave you nor forsake you. That “hate” isn’t the kind you’re seeing tossed around the internet and media. Jesus was saying your love for Him needs to be so full that anything else is hate in comparison. When you understand He is the only way you’re ever gonna receive eternal life…

I believe your love for Him will increase all the time.

So, don’t let the big, bad world…or even the people to your left or your right rob you of your joy and your celebration of Resurrection Day 2017. Or, for that matter, any other day of life your Creator has given you. Would you do me a favor and send me a story of how you celebrated the day? I’ll share it here and maybe on my The Power of God’s Love Podcast if you’ll let me. And until then, here’s an Easter rhyme for you…

Happy Easter Day

There’s a story you might know
Of a man who was killed some time ago.
He did nothing that was wrong,
But some people made Him suffer for so long.

Still there’s good news you can learn
‘Cause He died to give you what you’ll never earn.
He was nailed up on a cross,
But the people didn’t understand the loss.

Then they took Him to a tomb,
And they laid His lifeless body in that room,
But the story didn’t end there.
There would only be three days He would spend there.

Happy Easter day…He arose!

© Copyright 2007 Tony Funderburk

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Do you have an abundance of love in your life? Or simply an abundance of things?

An abundance of love in your life doesn’t manifest itself in how much stuff you have. Or how much stuff you give to others. The things you can give others will never measure up to the love you give. And your Creator says your “life does not consist in the abundance of things…”

It’s vital to know what’s more (and most) important to God for your life. After all, He’s the source of life. He wants you to have life more abundantly. Living forever would be pretty abundant life…wouldn’t you agree? Well, if God is the only one who can see to it you live forever…and if Jesus is the only way to get to God…doesn’t it make sense to understand what’s important to God? Here’s what makes the Christian faith worth leaving everything else for…

God’s abundance of love

His love is true, and that’s the truth. And you might recall from the millions of times people have quoted Jesus when He said, “…the truth shall make you free.” God’s willingness to give you freedom forever is the ultimate illustration of his abundance of love toward you. Do you enjoy that freedom yet? Or are you working hard every day to get more things?

Freedom

Faith working through love…
Let’s praise God for our liberty…
Christ paid off our debt…
Only in Him are we truly free.

Love leads into joy…
Law leads back into slavery…
God gave us The Way.
Just believe, and we’re truly free.

Freedom from the law that kills,
And freedom with our own free wills,
Freedom from the world of sin…
Just let Jesus in, let the joy begin
Share a hopeful grin, with the Lord “We Win”!
Praise God for what we can become
With our freedom.

What law couldn’t do
Jesus did with finality.
He rose up from the dead
And promised the same life for you and me.

So we have…

Chorus…instrumental…chorus twice     © 2010 TF

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