Tony Funderburk's Christian articles loaded with rhyme and reason

Posted on September 18, 2018 by TonyAugust 3, 2024

I’ve Got Things To Do

I wouldn’t mind stopping all of the wars.
I’d be a diplomat,
If I could know for sure in my heart
That it was simple as that.
But peace will have to wait.
I can’t just change my life around.
I’m in the middle of something
That has me helplessly bound.
I’ve got things to do.
And I’ve got places to go.
I’ve got people to see
And savings to grow
And though I don’t know how to see this through
I know for sure I’ve got things to do.

I wouldn’t mind spreading love in the world.
I’d work it every day.
I know that someone’s life can be changed.
When you give love away,
But love will have to wait;
We’re gonna have to hold that thought.
I’m on a merciless mission…and though it hurts a lot

I’ve got things to do.
And I’ve got places to go.
I’ve got people to see
And futures to grow
And though I don’t know how to see this through
I know for sure I’ve got things to do.

I’m sure someone will come along
Who could easily fit the bill
And when they do, I’ll lend my support,
If I can ever get over this hill.

I’ve got things to do.
And I’ve got places to go.
I’ve got people to see
And dreams to grow
And though I don’t know how to see this through
I know for sure I’ve got things to do.

If you get the sense that those lyrics above describe you, it might be time to sit down and prioritize your to-do list. And even more important than knowing what to do, and when, is knowing Who gave you the ability to do.

Your to-do list should have an eternal perspective.

It would be a crying shame if you accomplished everything important on every to-do list you ever made…only to find out it was all for nothing when you died. That can happen if you put YOU at the top of your priorities.

So…what’s on your to-do list now?

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Posted on September 14, 2018 by TonyAugust 3, 2024

Your Life Means More

I read a short article, this morning, from a fellow musician who wants to motivate others. One of the main lines in the article said, “You matter. You matter. You matter.” I wonder if she even understands why she wrote it three times? But that’s something else I’ll talk about some other time. The point is…she’s right. You DO matter. Your life means more than anything else you have, or had, or ever will have. Because it came from God.

You’ve probably read or heard reports talking about the higher and higher rates of suicide among teenagers. And the frequent stories about how many military veterans kill themselves are gut-wrenching to say the least. By the way, if you or someone you care about, are contemplating taking your own life, I urge you to read “Teardrops That Tango“. It’s written by a woman who’s dealt with four family suicides and witnessed a violent suicide. It can help.

But contrast all those suicides against stories like Jeremiah Thomas. He was a 16 year old young man who just lost a valiant fight with cancer. And he fought for every day of life he could muster…even though the odds were against him. What’s the difference between Jeremiah and all those other people who decide to end their own lives. I believe it’s that he understood…

Your life means more than that because it’s not your own.

You and I wouldn’t even be here if a living, loving Creator didn’t exist. Evolution says dirt created itself and that everything has been getting more and more complex ever since. Well, evolution is partly right. (gasp!) We ARE made of dirt. But the secret ingredient for our existence isn’t billions of years. It’s the breath of life from God.

We all became “a living being” because God is creative, loving, and wants to have a relationship with us. He is able to make us live. Forever. And because you’re alive, you owe a debt of gratitude to Him.

But too many people thumb their noses at God and take life into their own hands. Suicide. Murder. Abortion.

Suicide is presented as a viable “way out” in movies, TV, and other media. Murder is like a giant video game, played out daily, on the streets. And ending the life of a little baby in the womb is called “your right”.

You and I don’t have the “right” to take the life of an innocent person. Whether that’s our neighbors, our babies, or even ourselves. There’s no excuse good enough to justify it. And there’s no reason strong enough to commit it. Not pain. Or guilt. Not financial burdens. Or even life-threatening diseases.

Your life means more than what’s on your plate today.

I’m always talking about life, here on my website, on my podcast, and my other social media channels because I want you to see the big picture. You’re an eternal being. You were made in the image and likeness of God. And if that’s not true, then ultimately no one needs to worry about or cry over lost lives.

But if it IS true, (hint: it is) then your life means more than any problems you’re facing right now. And every human life is more precious than any other thing on Earth.

Right To Life

When tiny seeds take root in tiny eggs,
Then you get tiny eyes, ears, arms and legs.
Then tiny babies form inside their mother’s womb,
And then the human life begins to bloom.

I was an unborn child until the day I was born.
I lived inside my mom until the cord was torn.
Then I began to grow and grew up “big and strong”
And learned to cherish life…and so I sing this song.

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…
Innocent hearts deserve a right to life.

(Repeat)

When you’re born, and someone lets you live,
You only take cause you’re too small to give.
But the joy a tiny baby brings
Is way beyond all those other things.

Give yourself some room to think about
What your “right”might do…who you’re leaving out.
Put yourself right there in that baby’s place.
Either way you “choose”you’ll see a baby’s face.

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.

(Repeat…modulate up then repeat twice more)

Let’s defend the innocent and life.

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Posted on September 11, 2018 by TonyMarch 2, 2025

Nobody knows you when you’re down and out

When my Dad was suffering from “terminal kidney failure”, back in the 80’s, I remember something he told me more than once. “When things go very bad, you’ll find out who your true friends are. And most people will be able to count, on one hand, how many friends show up for their funeral.” I was over 30 years younger then, and I thought that sounded overly morbid and sad because I had plenty of friends. However, I discovered his words to be truer than I figured. And I didn’t have to wait for my funeral. Nobody knows you when things aren’t going well. Rod Stewart even sang about it.

“But oh just as soon
As my money got low
I couldn’t find nobody
And I had no place to go
And if I ever get my hands
On a dollar again
I’m gonna hold on
Till the eagle wins” ~songwriter Jimmy Cox

There are exceptions to every rule.

And the rule of nobody knows you when you’re down and out has exceptions, too. Like Jeremiah Thomas for example. The young man who recently lost his battle with cancer. But you’ll almost always see lots of people rally around a teenager, or small child, when things like that happen. And you’ll almost always see a big funeral or memorial service for them, too.

But I’m talking about the average Joe or Jane Schmoe. The people who live typical lives, grow old, experience the tribulations of life, and suffer something that takes them down. Most of those people will discover they don’t have many true friends once things aren’t going so well.

It doesn’t even have to be a death thing. Like the song said, it can even be about money. Nobody knows you when you’re down and out. Busted. Broke. Have you ever experienced that? If so, I hope you took that experience to heart and learned a valuable lesson from it. And the way you turn it around is to rely on the Two Commandments. You know what those are, right? “You shall love the Lord with all your heart…” and…”You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Would you ignore your own needs?

Of course not. So, why would you ignore the needs of others when they’re down and out? Or discouraged? Or confused, sick, broke, or suffering from something they’re not even sharing?

It’s important for all of us to remember we’re not the king or queen. No way. No how. And it’s even more important to know and understand who IS King. King of all kings. Creator of Heaven and Earth. The one who died on a cross for you and me. The one who might have thought to Himself, as He felt even the forsaking of His Father, “nobody knows you when you’re down and out.”

Just something else to think about in your busy day.

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Posted on September 7, 2018 by TonyAugust 3, 2024

Open your mind to infinite possibilities

Open your mind to a train of thought

Have you ever been called close-minded? If you’re a Christian who rightly divides the word of truth, I wouldn’t be surprised, at all, if you have. I can’t tell you how many times an unbeliever has said something like, “You need to open your mind to all the scientific evidence out there instead of your Bible stories.” And that’s ironic, to say the least, because I’ve shared tons of scientific evidence for creation (as opposed to evolution) right here on my website. It’s in living color for all the world to see. I’m not close-minded. Narrow-minded, yes. But I’m consistently jumping on a free-thinking train of thought.

Open your mind to truth that will set you free.

I think the truly close-minded people are the ones who dogmatically stick to the atheistic, evolutionary worldview while insisting Christians are dogmatic. (side note: dogmatic sounds like a canine car to me, but I digress) One dictionary defines dogma like this: “a principle or set of principles laid down by an authority as incontrovertibly true: the Christian dogma of the Trinity” – Under that description, I have no problem being dogmatic about the Trinity. After all, it’s “laid down” by THE authority. God.

If the Bible isn’t true, then anything you care to believe…anything you choose to do is right. You can live any way you want, do anything you want, say anything you want, and it’s true. As long as it’s true for YOU. But if you believe the Bible isn’t true…and it IS…one day you’re gonna be in another world of hurt. Eternal hurt.

I’d like you to open your mind to a couple of thoughts today. Truly open your mind. Don’t read or listen to what I say with scorn or your mouth ready to blast me for even sharing these thoughts. Just let them enter your mind and simmer and marinate for a day or two. Are you willing to be that open-minded? Good. Here they are.

There IS a God. You’re not Him. And He loves you.

Ok, that’s three, but “a couple of thoughts” was a figure of speech anyway. The point is…if those three things aren’t true, or you don’t believe them, then do, live, and be anything and any way you determine is right for you. Live it up. Eat, drink, and be merry. Because you might die tomorrow…or even today. And you wouldn’t want to go to that infinite black hole without having done everything your little heart desired. Would you?

But keep it mind (you did open your mind didn’t you?) the possibility I’m telling you the actual truth. The Truth can either set you free or send you where you chose to go. To an eternal separation from your Creator…where you’ll exist forever with nothing more than your own train of thought.

Is it really worth the risk?

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Posted on July 22, 2018 by TonyAugust 3, 2024

Admonishing one another - when it's done in Christian love, it can change lives.

Hey Christians –
Are you admonishing one another?

And not only that, but are you doing it with a song? A little while back I wrote about how singing with grace in my heart is part of my “job description”. And I shared the Bible verse that backs me up on that. In that section of the Bible it also says we should be “teaching and admonishing one another” in those songs. Whoa! Admonish. Isn’t that a bad thing? Doesn’t it mean to be mean to someone? Well, to someone who doesn’t want to be admonished, it certainly can sound mean. But that’s not truly what it means. (If you’d prefer to listen rather than read, check out this episode of the The Power of God’s Love Podcast)

When we’re admonishing one another the right way, it shows love.

To admonish someone, in love, means you want to help them avoid something that can harm them or take them somewhere they shouldn’t go. Another dictionary definition says it can mean to “advise or urge earnestly”. Like when you tell a drunk friend he’s not gonna drive home. You admonish him or her to hand over the keys. And if you truly love your friend, you admonish him or her to never get drunk again.

Have you ever admonished someone? Or have you ever been admonished? I’ve been on both sides of it. And it was actually good from both perspectives. It’s an opportunity to grow. And isn’t every looking for and opportunity to grow and expand these days?

Christians should have no problem admonishing one another.

And the more like Jesus we are, the less admonishing needs to be done. It’s a pretty simple formula. Be like the One who made you. Love Him, and you’re probably gonna love your neighbor. And loving your neighbor means some things are not OK.

That’s all I’m gonna say about it right now because I like to keep simple things simple. I hope you’ll take it in the spirit it’s given and get out there and start admonishing one another. Only when needed. Sound good?

By the way, while you’re here, jump on the one-of-a-kind The TRUTH today and get my latest words, music, and voice delivered to your inbox instead of having to come looking for them all the time.

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Posted on July 9, 2018 by TonyAugust 3, 2024

Bugs and drugs – this ain’t gonna be pretty

Yeah, you know when the headline mentions bugs and drugs, the story is gonna be a little creepy. And toss in some foul-mouthed thugs, and you’ve got a story only a criminal could love. But I’m just makin’ a quick observation of what I saw in the news lineup today. It’s basically there every day. But today it really stood out. (If you prefer to read rather than listen, tune into this episode of the The Power of God’s Love Podcast)

Flying spiders and flying high

Apparently spiders have figured out ways to fly on electrical currents. And some weird wasps have figured out how to lay eggs inside spiders. So, maybe it’s no wonder so many humans are choosing to leave reality behind in a cloud of opioid dust. What an amazing and creepy world we live in…right?

And speaking of dope (one dope in particular), another so-called “musical artist” was in the news today for his behavior. Gasp! He was booked on assault charges. I know, I know. That hardly ever happens, right? I’m not gonna mention his name because I don’t wanna give him any extra personalized coverage. Guys like that use bad publicity as a tool to continue their bad behavior without accountability.

So…like I said, bugs and drugs and foul-mouthed thugs. Just another day of life on planet earth. Lots of people say we humans are “basically good”. Of course, nothing could be further from the Truth.

But the bad news doesn’t trump the good news.

Never will. (pun not intended by the way) The good news is, all these bugs and drugs and foul-mouthed thugs have an expiration date with destiny. Bugs have no control over their destiny. Drugs aren’t living beings, so they couldn’t care less. But the foul-mouthed thugs…now, that’s a totally different story. They can choose to change directions and look to their Creator for forgiveness, life, and love. But since most of them would rather try to rule the world than worship the world Maker, it’s not likely they’ll change.

It’s too bad, too. Because eternal life with God in Heaven beats ruling this bug-infested world any day.

Here are the lyrics to the song featured in this episode of the The Power of God’s Love Podcast:

Nothin’s Gonna Happen To You

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Posted on July 1, 2018 by TonyAugust 3, 2024

Liberty and freedom - What kind of people need 'em?

Who doesn’t love liberty and freedom?

I’ve been watching America decline into self-loathing and self-induced slavery for the past couple of decades. And I’m amazed at how quickly so many people are willing to sell their liberty and freedom to the highest bidder. (translate that into sleazy politician) – If you prefer to listen rather than read, check out this episode of the Rhyme & Reason Podcast:

This Independence Day think about what a gift your liberty and freedom are.

Consider how high a price many Americans have paid in order for you to gripe about not getting enough benefits from your employers. Or complain about how the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Brave men and women have given their lives so you can drink beer, drop f-bombs, and drag reputations through the mud.

How about taking a right turn off that superhighway to nowhere. And how about giving up your envy of someone else’s success. Focus on your own God-given abilities and see where you can go. You might be amazed at how high your dreams can lift you off that dunghill of doubt and depression you’ve allowed yourself to live on. Your success might never equal that elusive billionaire status. But keep in mind, most billionaires are not going to Heaven.

Liberty and freedom give you a head start over tyrannical governments.

We humans are funny creatures. Especially those of us who’ve had the good fortune to be born into a “free” society.
Yet…Americans tend to be very image-bound and sound-byte-gagged.

First, we see what seems to be the definition of success, and we measure ourselves against it. When the dollar amounts are staggering, or the beauty is beyond fantasy, or the “stuff” is piled up on TV, we feel pitifully inadequate.

But we are not the sum total of our dollars, beauty, or “stuff”. We’re not the sum total of the labels we wear through this life. We’re not the sum total of the varied opinions about us. Those don’t make us, and they shouldn’t break us. Here’s what I recommend…

Work to produce…not for the money.
Play to relax…not to escape.
Laugh to enjoy…not to cover up.
Love to give…not to acquire.
And live to be thankful…not to compare.

You are the sum total of where you position yourself for eternity.

And whether you like it or not, you’re one of those kind of people who urgently need liberty and freedom.

Here are the lyrics to the song featured in this episode of the The Power of God’s Love Podcast:

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, 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

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Tony Funderburk

Your Life Has Rhyme And Reason Because God Made You

Category Archives: Christian Articles

I’ve Got Things To Do

Your to-do list should have an eternal perspective.