Tony Funderburk Posted on by

When you look around, does it appear
that God is the ruler of this world?

I hope you’ve given your heart to Jesus. I hope you’ve trusted He died and rose from the dead for your sins. I hope your hope is in the one true, living, loving Creator of the universe. I hope you’re willing to lean on God’s understanding rather than your own. And I hope He rules and reigns in your heart. But I also hope you can look around and clearly see how God is not the ruler of this world.

The Ruler of This World - it isn't currently God

God blesses every person on earth every day. Every breath you take is a blessing. Every sunrise you see…every morsel you eat…etc. And in spite of every potential point of evidence pointing to the one true, living, loving God, the vast majority of humans thumb their noses, shake their fists, and turn their backs on Him. God’s not turning their backs…they’re doing it. They’re responsible.

And yes, if enough people, called by God’s name (Christians) humbled themselves, seeking God and His wisdom, then He not only could but probably would heal our land.  I’m not a pessimist, but I don’t see the tide turning in that direction. Instead I see Christians giving in and giving up on almost every single issue important to God.

Yes, God’s ways are higher than ours. But they’re not lower. He tells us not to do evil so that good may come of it. And how much more should He, being a righteous, Holy Father, not do evil that good may come?

Nothing evil in this world is of God. If you, being a loving father, wouldn’t murder or cause murder to happen, how much more so for your Holy Father? God is not orchestrating the evil deeds of this world. That would make Him an evil ruler of this world, and He’s not that…nor will He ever be.

I know, on the surface, it sounds like blasphemy to say God is not in control of this world. But I’m repeating what Jesus, Himself, said…three times at least: John 12:31  John 14:30  & John 16:11  Another verse, to that point, is found in 1 Corinthians 14:33 – God is not the author of confusion. He did not write, speak, or command the confusion we currently see in our world. And yet another verse indicating there is another ruler of this world is 2 Corinthians 4:4 where Paul writes “But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded“.

God has given His authority over, for a time, to the “ruler of this world” and to us. That’s why you see the world in the horrible, despicable shape it’s in. And it’s just like in the time before Noah…the world became so wicked that God was sorry He had made man. If they were just a part of His divine and chief orchestration, why would He have destroyed them…simply more of the perfect plan? Absolutely not!

Which is more important to God: Prophesy…or love?  Understanding…or love?  Knowledge…or love? Faith…or love?  Charity…or love?  I’m sure you each know the correct answer.

So when you see love exhibited in this world…in particular through the Body of Christ…you can KNOW it’s of and from God. When you see evil, hatred, rampant sexual misconduct, adultery, homosexuality, sodomy, stealing, covetousness, drunkenness, drug use, extortion, etc…you can be sure it’s not of or from God, but it IS of and from the current ruler of this world.

God does not, and never has raised up pagan rulers or kingdoms. God never does evil that good may come of it. And to raise up a pagan ruler would be evil.

God allows chance and circumstance to affect our lives…as you’ll see in 1st and 2nd Samuel and the Gospel of Luke. God’s the quintessential risk taker. He wishes that none should perish, but He also knows that to give us our “self-control”, means that to hate Him must be an option. He is willing to risk the hatred of many to cherish the love of the few. Praise God!

One day Jesus will come back and be the ruler of this world…first for a thousand years…then forever. When that happens, there’ll be a world of evidence of His rule. There will be justice. There will not be anarchy. There will be loving logic and rational reason. There will not be mass confusion. And there will be peace on earth. Would you like to see that day?

Stay tuned,

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

Does the sign on your front door say Love Lives Here?

I hope your life is going well, today. As I write this, it’s about to be a beautiful Sunday here in Colorado. As I look toward the West and see Pike’s Peak and the other parts of the Front Range, it’s easy to see the the majesty of God’s creation. Then it’s easy to think about Him and how much He loves me. And then I can walk back in the house and see how blessed I am to have the wife I have and the “things”. I know love lives here. Do you have that security?

I hope you can look around you and get the same feeling of love I’m talking about. If it isn’t immediately clear, think about it…pray about it. Ask God to open your heart and the eyes of your understanding. Ask Him to flood your heart with His love, mercy, and wisdom. Then, you simply need to believe He will. And when He does, be prepared to let that love flow through your heart and into the hearts of the ones you love. God’s love won’t empty out. There’s more than enough to go around. So, don’t be afraid to let it flow right through you. To get filled up, read 1 Corinthians 13:1-13.

There was an interesting picture in my news feed yesterday where a young man was kneeling next to an older man lying on the street. The young man had his hand on the older man’s knee, and his head was bowed in prayer. That’s love. It doesn’t have to be some great act of sacrifice or some giant financial gift to a charity. You can express God’s love for others simply by touching someone and praying for them. And you don’t even have to touch them. When you see someone who needs prayer…and that’s everyone by the way…pray for them.

In this mean ol’ world, there’s a massive amount of hate, contempt, and rebellion against God. But love lives here, too. How do I know? Because I’m here. And by that I mean…I count myself a Christian. I’m part of the Body of Christ. Since I’m part of the Body of Christ and I’m still here, it means the Holy Spirit is still here. And where the Holy Spirit is, there is love. Don’t miss out on your chance for everlasting life in the place where the sign on the door says

“Love Lives Here”

Before you go, share this link with everybody you know. Tell ’em to jump on the The TRUTH AND get some music and other good stuff, for Fa-Ree.

Stay tuned,

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

If your theory of how life began is only
filling in the gaps with guesses,
you need a new theory.

The first thing I’d like to say is how much I wish those who oppose the notion of a Creator God would come to know the saving Grace of Jesus. I don’t want you to die and go to hell. And neither does God. And I don’t want you to get the idea I’m mocking you or taunting you. That’s not my intention. If I write things down as facts, and it makes you uncomfortable or downright upset, please remember…I’ve gone through my whole life hearing your side told as though it were scientific facts. For the sake of meaningful dialogue, let’s just say we both have a theory for how life began. Mine says God created the Heavens and the Earth and everything in them. Yours says it all happened by chance, and your theory has been filling in the gaps with guesses. Oops…sorry, but I have to call ’em as I sees ’em.

Filling in the Gaps with silly guesses

I read this excerpt today by an evolutionist. Here’s how it was set up:

“Misconception: ‘Gaps in the fossil record disprove evolution.’ Response: The fact that some transitional fossils are not preserved does not disprove evolution. Evolutionary biologists do not expect that all transitional forms will be found and realize that many species leave no fossils at all.”
That’s what’s known as a “straw man” argument. The opposition view states something that’s either not your position or not a correct representation of your position…and then knocks it down easily…like you could knock down a straw man. The actual fossil gap argument is a bit more complex. Dr. Walt Brown, who wrote the book “In The Beginning – Compelling Evidence for Creation and the Flood” gives a much clearer and detailed account of the gaps in the fossil record. He points out how there are “many gaps or discontinuities…throughout the fossil record”. Not merely “some transitional fossils”. For example there’s a big gap “between forms of life whose cells have nuclei” like plants, animals, and fungi and those that don’t…like bacteria and blue-green algae. That’s not all.
There are also missing links between large groupings of plants and between single-celled forms of life and invertebrates. Then there are gaps among the insects and between invertebrates and vertebrates, between fish and amphibians, between amphibians and reptiles, between reptiles and mammals, between reptiles and birds, between primates and other mammals, and between apes and other primates.
That’s a lot of gaps. In fact, as Dr. Brown puts it, “chains are missing, not links”.
Scientists have been studying the fossil record for a long, long time. And the best the evolutionary scientist can come up with for filling in the gaps is silly guesses. They’re so selfishly attached to their foregone conclusion that they refuse to go where the evidence takes them.
If only they could see…the evidence takes them to eternal paradise with the one true, living, loving God.
What about you? Are you standing in the quicksand of evolution? If so, I recommend you give “In The Beginning” a good amount of your time. I believe you’ll understand it’s much better to stand on The Solid Rock of Creation.

Stay tuned,

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P.S.  Your support for my Words and Music means the world to me. Please share them with others. Here’s how”

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

This past week I shared thoughts, ideas, and truth about your rejection, God’s will for your life, hating sin but not the sinner, 3 parts of your singing voice, and a Peppermint Pony. And this podcast episode brings it all together for those of you who’d rather listen than read. Thanks for tuning in. Use 1 or more of the links I’ve provided to share with anyone and everyone you know. Oh yeah, when you get a minute, please leave me a review on iTunes. Here’s the easy link.

Play

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The Truth in Words and Music - Podcast Episode 140

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

Have You Seen The Peppermint Pony?

A few years ago I asked readers to send me lines they thought would be good to add to a new song I was writing. There weren’t a lot of responses, but the first three lines of the lyrics below were from contributors. Wanna hear the song (it’s part of my Lullabye Bye collection)? Great. Because it’s in a special coloring, drawing, songbook on Amazon. Yep. All the lyrics. Pages to color and draw on. And a secret link to download all the songs in the book.

And here are the lyrics about the one-of-a-kind horse you’ll only find in this song and a kid’s imagination.

The Peppermint Pony

I cast my gaze into the bright sky
That slowly fades into the night sky.
Stars like sparkling candy twinkle in my mind’s eye.

My pony’s red with a white stripe.
We’re riding down through a snow pipe.
Snowflakes flicker around me; the weather is just my type.

On the Peppermint Pony,
I can ride beyond the daylight into the twilight.
On the Peppermint Pony”
I can dream about the sweet flight into the safe night,
On the Peppermint Pony…on the Peppermint Pony

A lemon star is like a gumdrop.
We take a bite and do a flip-flop.
We find a watermelon mountain and land right on the tip-top

And then the world becomes a sweet dream,
And we can slumber on a moonbeam.
We fall asleep in swirls of chocolate and pure vanilla ice cream.

(repeat chorus)

© 2010 Tony Funderburk

Get the Lullabye Bye coloring and drawing songbook delivered to your inbox and start enjoying it with your special kid or kids or grandkids in just a few minutes from now. You’ll find the Peppermint Pony included in it. Here’s the link: https://www.TonyFunderburk.com/books

Click or tap on the link, and scroll down to about the middle of the page where you’ll find it.

Stay tuned,

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

Do You Pay Attention to These Three Parts of Your Singing Voice?

Do you just love to sing? I mean, is singing the first thing on your mind in the morning and the last thing at night? If you can answer yes to those questions, you might be what’s known as (cue the Star Wars theme music, maestro)”a singer. Symptoms may include: rocking your head to a favorite song as you sing along while driving down the road”or”an unbalanced addiction to karaoke parties”or”a tendency to sing along with songs you don’t even know just because you can. I’d like to encourage you to never stop singing. And I’d also like you to be aware of three vital parts of your singing voice, you might be neglecting, so you never have to stop singing.

Three parts of your singing voice you might be neglecting

I want you to imagine yourself singing five years from now. Can you see it? Good. Now imagine yourself singing 10 years from now. And 20 years. And maybe even 30 or 40 years from now. Don’t think about how old you’ll be. Think about singing. Can you see yourself with gray hair”singing like you did when you were young? Think it’s impossible? It’s not. And I’ll show you how and why.

I’ll list these three parts of your voice in reverse order of importance. I’m doing it this way to build you up. Ready? Good, let’s get started”

Number 3: Food

Yep, food is a vital part of your voice. What you’re feeding your body is also what you’re feeding your voice. And it’s extremely important to be aware of, if you want to sing as long as you can in your life. I know you’ve heard and seen how some rock stars seem to go on and on in their careers even though they guzzle alcohol, do drugs, and party all night. But for every one of those stories, you can find ten more who burn out (or worse) long before middle age. They didn’t take care of their health. They wasted their talents. Don’t be one of those.

Get plenty of fruits and veggies in your diet. Look for dark colors and go organic as much as you can. If you like meat, eat grass-fed beef. Find out your blood type and eat accordingly. Feed yourself well, and the reward will be a longer life and stronger voice.

Number 2: Water

Water could actually come in as a tie with number one (which we’re getting to). It’s that important. If you want to sing long and strong, you’re gonna have to drink lots of water. There’s no two ways about it. And I don’t mean what most people think is a lot of water. I mean a lot of water. With every breath you take your lungs exhale moisture. And that happens even more when you’re singing. Every note, every stanza, every song in the set means less moisture in your body. And less moisture means more risk of vocal stress or breakdown. But the good news is how easy it is to keep that from happening. Always have plenty of water around while you’re singing. Here’s a rule of thumb”

“for every 45 minute set you sing, have at least one 16 ounce glass of water. And do yourself a favor. Drink the best filtered water you can afford. Stay away from tap water. The chemicals found in tap water make it more difficult to quench thirst. How weird is that?! Look for a water filter that filters out chlorine, chloramines, heavy metals, and fluoride”while leaving in the minerals. And try to drink half your body weight in ounces of water per day. For example: if you weigh 100 pounds, drink 50 ounces of water a day.

Water is as important to your voice as oil is to the engine of your car. An engine breaks down without oil. Your voice breaks down without water. So drink up.

Number 1: Your Mind

Your voice begins in your brain. You need a clear head to think about what you’re singing, how to control the diaphragm, and how to stylize notes. You’ve got to clearly see yourself singing the song. If you can’t focus, your voice will suffer. That can lead to negative thoughts and those lead back to less quality singing. It’s a downward spiral, but it can be avoided with plenty of sleep, deep breathing, and following the advice found in Numbers 2 and 1.

If singing is important to you”and I bet it is”then practice your scales, sing with the radio as you’re driving down the road, and go shine some karaoke parties. But don’t forget or neglect the three parts of your singing voice that help you sing long and strong your whole life.

Stay tuned,

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P.S.  Your support for my Words and Music means the world to me. Please share them with others. Here’s how”

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

Hate the sin – love the sinner?
God doesn’t do that, so how can you?

How many times have you heard you should hate the sin love the sinner…and ask God to help you do it? I’m here today to tell you it’s physically impossible to hate sin apart from where it resides…in the sinner. Because sin doesn’t exist apart from your body and because sin isn’t what God is sending to hell…your goal shouldn’t be to separate sin from the sinner. It should be to get a better focus on sin, using God’s Word and wisdom. And you should ask God to help you judge rightly. Ask Him to help you see more clearly the sin in your own life and how you can help others with theirs. If you’re going to hate the sin, then love the sinner and tell him he needs Jesus. You can’t do that without first making a judgment call. Sorry, but you’re gonna have to judge, but here’s some help…

My recommendation to you, if you’re a Christian, is to dig in more deeply to Paul’s writings. This is good advice for an unbeliever, too. Start with Paul’s writings to the Galatians, then the Ephesians, then the Corinthians and Colossians. As you read his words, ask yourself if you’re like one of the Galatians, Ephesians, Corinthians, or Colossians. Do you find yourself in their troubled shoes? Are you walking and talking Christianity without realizing what it truly means? Do you parrot non-biblical clichés like “hate the sin love the sinner” or “cleanliness is next to Godliness” or “God is all about forgiveness” or “who am I to judge?”

Please don’t use those phrases anymore.

Read Paul’s writings and see if you find him saying any of those things. You won’t. Instead you’ll discover a man who fell deeply in love with the love, forgiveness, power, and judgment of Christ. You’ll discover words, inspired by God, telling you to judge. He says the “saints will judge the world“. And he asks if you’re “unworthy to judge even the smallest matters”. When you read that passage, you’ll discover how important it is to be able to judge rightly and wisely.

And here’s the kicker for why you should stay away from saying “hate the sin love the sinner”. Because not even God does that. He won’t be sending sin to hell. He’ll be sending people. You may have heard God is love. He loves with a love we can’t even fully comprehend. But have you heard God also hates? Here are 7 things God hates:

  1. A proud look

  2. A lying tongue

  3. Hands that shed innocent blood

  4. A heart that devises wicked plans

  5. Feet that are swift in running to evil

  6. A false witness who speaks lies

  7. And one who sows discord among brethren

I’d like you to pay special attention to what each of those things has in common. Know what it is? They’re all physical. A look is on a face. Physical. Tongue…physical. Hands…physical. Heart…physical. Feet…physical. And the last two are the whole person…somebody who speaks lies or somebody who mumbles and grumbles. God doesn’t merely hate the intangible, unseen “force of sin”. He knows it couldn’t exist apart from human flesh. So, He lists what He hates.

And God loves at the same time.

He loves you enough to make a way out of your sin forever. But He won’t force you to choose that Way…Jesus. And His love for you will lift you into eternal life when you choose Him. But He hates you if you choose “self love” over His love. And He’s made a place for you spend eternity away from Him and all of us who love Him. It’s your choice. Choose now. And don’t just hate the sin and love the sinner. Learn to love and hate with God’s wisdom and discernment leading the way.

Get all my really refreshing Rhymes and Reasons the easy way. Just jump on the The TRUTH. And I’ll send them directly to your inbox. Do it now, and you’re only a couple of clicks or taps away from some complimentary songs and some other surprises: https://www.TonyFunderburk.com

Stay tuned,

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

If you believe it’s difficult to figure out the will of God for your life,
I’ve got some good news

Lately I’ve heard several Christians (on the radio and in person) saying you need to seek the will of God for your life. Some have said things like “It isn’t always easy, but it’s so important”. Or they say, “Pray and ask God to show you His will for your life”. On the surface, there appears to be nothing wrong with this advice. But let’s dig a little deeper and see how we don’t have to dig so deep.

The Will of God for Your Life - it isn't difficult to figure out

First off…let me say, I’d never recommend not praying. Of course you should pray. You must pray! But your prayers should be more about thanksgiving and supplication…not always asking for things. It’s good to ask your Heavenly Father for wisdom and discernment. And it’s even OK to ask Him for the intangible things like more love in your life, or more fruit of the Spirit, or even a calm heart. However, you don’t need to ask Him for His will for your life. He’s already told you.

God wants to set you apart from this world. His word says ” For this is the will of God, your sanctification…”

Two words. Your sanctification. Simple. To the point. No long-winded, expansive, voluminous explanation. And only one mildly difficult word: sanctification. What does that mean? Like I said…to set you apart. Apart from what? All the dirty darkness so much of the world seems to prefer. God doesn’t want you to be weighed down, dragged down, or pulled down into that darkness. He wants you to stand up, reach up, and look up…to Him. Doing so sets you apart. It sanctifies you. The dictionary defines sanctify like this: set apart as or declare holy.

When you ask Jesus into your heart, God declares you holy. Wow! How cool is that?! And that, in a nutshell, is the will of God for your life…to declare you holy. And when you’re holy, you will live forever in a place so glorious your imagination can’t conjure it up.

All the day-to-day tasks, your job or career, whether you should buy the green shirt or red one, or where you’ll go for dinner…these are all decisions you’re free to make for yourself. God doesn’t need or want to micromanage your life. That isn’t His will. He certainly wants you to lean on His understanding, not your own, and that’s because His wisdom is infinitely deeper and higher than yours. But He doesn’t make your daily decisions for you. You’re fearfully and wonderfully made. God designed you with your own will, your own brain, and your own abilities. He delights in seeing what ways you’ll use them to declare Him to the world.

So…what ways are you declaring the good news of Jesus to the world? Use the skills or talents you have and tell somebody about Him today…or this week…or this month. And don’t be afraid. Remember, the will of God for your life is sanctification. Since He sets you apart and declares you holy, I guarantee you can do it. And when you send His Word out, it won’t return void. I’m pulling for you!

Stay tuned,

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P.S.  Your support for my Words and Music means the world to me. Please share them with others. Here’s how”

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

When you realize you are not good enough to live forever,
your life can change forever.

It’s tough, sometimes, to find out there’s something you love and enjoy, but you are not good enough to pursue it. Have you ever found yourself in that boat? I remember multiple things like for me. The first real letdown was when I wanted to be on the football team in high school. Family circumstances always kept me from being able to attend spring or fall training for sports. But during my freshman year I just knew I could somehow find a way to make the team. It didn’t happen, and I was extremely disappointed. Time passed, and I eventually thanked my lucky stars I never made the team. But at the time, it was hard to take. Do you have a similar story?

You Are Not Good Enough - and that's good to know

There’s another part of life you’ll come to terms with…one way or the other…and you’ll discover, once again, you are not good enough. But that discovery can have much more dramatic and dire consequences. It won’t be simply a matter of disappointment. It’ll be a matter of eternal torment versus eternal bliss.

Some people think they can make it to Heaven by being “a good person”. But here’s the thing…God has the key to Heaven. It’s in the hand of His Son, Jesus. And God’s standard for living eternally in Heaven with Him is 100% perfection 100% of the time. Can you say you’ve been that good? I can’t. I’m not even close. I don’t think I’m even in the top 80 percentile. You may be in the top 1 percentile, but you still miss perfection by a country mile. Only one person who ever lived on earth ever reached that unreachable mark of !00% perfection for 100% of His life. Yep…Jesus.

And since the key to Heaven is in the hand of Jesus, it’s important to know how to get Him to hand you the key. The secret is in your attitude. If you have an attitude of gratitude for what Jesus came to earth to do…and if you realize He came here to do it for you…you will find you are not good enough, and you don’t have to be. You can be a child of the one true, living, loving God by trusting that His Son took your eternal punishment. That’s all…believe and trust. Will you do it today? Don’t wait, because one day you’ll see Him…

Face to Face

When we’re born into this world,
We’re empty-handed.
We can’t speak, and we can barely even see.
As we grow we see this life,
In which we landed”
Is a thread of well-designed complexity.

Each and every one of us
Had a beginning…
And so very small a spark of life sufficed.
Then we turned away from God
And started sinning…
And that put us face to face with Jesus Christ.

Face to face with Truth…face to face with Life.
Yeah, the Way to paradise is face to face
With the One who died and who lives inside.
Jesus Christ even loves us face to face.

When we leave this world, we’re
Leaving empty-handed.
We can go to that eternal, perfect place.
When we make the choice of Life,
We won’t be stranded.
And we’ll get to see our Savior’s loving face.

© Copyright Tony Funderburk 2010

Stay tuned,

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P.S.  Your support for my Words and Music means the world to me. Please share them with others. Here’s how”

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

This past week I shared thoughts, ideas, and truth about burdens and blessings, how too many goodies might not be good, lawless deeds, how to fall fast asleep, and doing something about it all. And this podcast episode brings it all together for those of you who’d rather listen than read. Thanks for tuning in. Use 1 or more of the links I’ve provided to share with anyone and everyone you know. Oh yeah, when you get a minute, please leave me a review on iTunes. Here’s the easy link.

Play

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Truth in Words and Music Podcast - Episode 139

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P.S.  Your support for my Words and Music means the world to me. Please share them with others. Here’s how”

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

Are you willing to do something for God today?
I promise, it won’t be for nothing.

Play

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You may be asking what you can do for God. I hope that’s the question anyway…and not a question of why. The answer is simple, really. Consider what you’re good at. Then figure out how to use that in a way to spread the message of God’s love in your circle of influence. It doesn’t matter if you’re a singer, writer, illustrator, photographer, plumber, electrician, butcher, baker, or candlestick maker. The point is to use your gifts and do something. And like the old saying goes, “don’t put off till tomorrow what you can do today”.

When you put your trust in the Lord, He’ll never leave you nor forsake you. That means He’ll help you do what you do best. You don’t have to know how everything is going to work out. But you do have to know that eventually it will. That’s called faith. And faith is the evidence of things hoped for but not seen. So, stand on your faith and do something for God today. Here are lyrics to a song about it. If you’d like to hear the song, you’ll need to Get my Podcast.  🙂

Do Something

Lightning, thunder…got this feeling that’s pulling me under
Magic, voodoo…when it’s got you what can you do?
I feel like I’m not the master of my fate
I do what I must and everything else can wait
I’m rolling in and out more often than the tide
And I don’t wanna be content to let it ride

I gotta do something
“˜Cause doing nothing’s wrong
I gotta do something
To last my whole life long
Find balance with the hawk and dove
Keep living for the perfect love
I believe my God above will help me…
Help me do something!

Longing, yearning…got this fire that won’t stop burning
This existence takes the path of the least resistance
I don’t wanna waste the time that may remain
I wanna get all that I can out of my brain
And I wish that I could always see which way to go
But it’s up to me to pray…and God to know

chorus

inst…chorus to end

© 1988 Tony Funderburk

Stay tuned,

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Have you ever committed any lawless deeds? Or are you perfect?

Sounds like an old-fashioned expression, doesn’t it? Lawless deeds. What does it mean? Have you ever broken the law? Maybe even 1 or 2 you got away with? Have you ever committed a crime…even something as menial as stealing a piece of candy? Well, anything like stealing, lying, cheating, and a long list of others falls under the category of lawless deeds. There are those deeds which can cause you some discomfort in this life. And then there are those deeds which can keep you in eternal punishment. And…they mingle together. It can all become overwhelming to try and keep score. In fact, you can’t do it. When you keep your own score, it’s tempting to measure yourself against others in the world and feel pretty good about yourself. But…

Lawless Deeds - do you have any of those hanging around?

…when you measure yourself against a standard of perfection, you realize you’re pretty small. Literally and figuratively. So, the question pops up…what’s the standard of perfection? Is there one? Does anybody know what it is? OK…show of hands…can you think of any example of perfection? I can.

Of course, if you’ve been following me for any time at all, you know what answer I’m about to give. But for those of you tuning in for the first time…the answer is Jesus.

You don’t measure up to Jesus. But the good news is…He doesn’t expect you to. In fact, He knows you won’t. He’s been observing us for about 6000 years, and He knows us much better than we know ourselves. After all, He created us. You’re a creation of God even if you don’t believe in Him. And He saw how you and I could never live up to His standard of perfection. He saw how we failed time and time again. And He loved us so much, He made a way that all those lawless deeds we commit in our lives can be forgiven and forgotten as though they never happened. You just gotta do one thing…

…ASK.

I hope you will ask, today, if you haven’t already. If not, what’s holding you back? Time’s running out more quickly than you can imagine. And you might not get another full day to choose life. Be blessed. Be forgiven. Be intentional about asking…right now!

Stay tuned,

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P.S.  Your support for my Words and Music means the world to me. Please share them with others. Here’s how”

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Is it hard for you to fall fast asleep at night?

I wrote “Fall Fast Asleep” as a lullaby song for kids a few years back. It was part of a collection I called “Lullabye Bye”. And in the lyrics I said “leave the world and cares behind you”. But are you finding it difficult to fall asleep because you can’t seem to leave the cares of the world behind you long enough to sleep?

Fall Fast Asleep - It's easier when you trust God

You’re not alone. Lots of people are troubled…with good reason. Because we live in a shockingly troubled world. If you’re one of those people looking for, but not finding answers…there’s truly only one solution. Put your faith in Jesus. Not yourself. And certainly not your country. Not the president. Not even your parents, kids, husband, wife, or friends. Only Jesus can help you fall fast asleep. Because He let’s you know that not even tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril or sword can separate you from His love. Now that’s peace of mind to give you restful sleep. Try it today.

Fall Fast Asleep

Yes, my love…I do adore you.
Hear my heart…it’s beating for you.
Private memories we will keep,
But for now…fall fast asleep.

Leave the world and cares behind you.
I’ll make sure they cannot find you.
You’ll be safe in slumber deep…
So for now…fall fast asleep.

Fall fast asleep. I’ll sing to you,
And I will keep you near.
Fall fast asleep, and when you wake,
You’ll find me waiting here.

No, my love…there’s nothing frightful.
Close your eyes it’s so delightful.
When you do, you’ll take the leap,
And you’ll see you’ll…fall fast asleep.

© Copyright Tony Funderburk 2009-2020

And I hope this helps you relax, have courage, and remember life has Rhyme and Reason because God made you.

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Could a Lot of Goodies Be Bad For More Than Just Your Health?

Can you have too much of a good thing? Yes. Can you have too little of something and not even know it? Yes. Why is it important to know these things? Because they can make a difference in your life now”and even where you’ll spend eternity. God says having a lot of goodies without love is not as good as having a salad with love. Could that be true? Yes. I’ll show you”

A Lot of Goodies can be bad for more than just your health

The actual words God uses go like this: “Better is a little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure with trouble. Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a fatted calf with hatred.”

See that “dinner of herbs”? That’s basically what we’d call a salad. And if that’s all you have, but you have it with love, it’s much better than to have steaks and all the trimmings”if it’s served with hatred. Isn’t that a cool thing to know. What is it saying to you? That it’s important to know what food to put on the table? No. It’s showing you how important love is.

It doesn’t matter what you have”or how much of the cool stuff you have”if you don’t have love, you have nothing.

The next time someone invites you over for dinner, and they have a lot of goodies on the table, watch to see if everything is served with love. Are there smiles and laughter? Handshakes and heartfelt conversation? Pleasant glances and pats on backs? Those are all signs of love and compassion. And those are the goodies you should be glad to share.

How about sharing your love with someone else today”the way Jesus shared His love with you? Do you have love to share? Or just a lot of goodies?

Stay tuned,

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P.S.  Your support for my Words and Music means the world to me. Please share them with others. Here’s how”

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Need a bedtime story for kids?

What do these next sentences have in common? 1) Henry was a hippo. And I don’t know if you know this, but hippos are HUGE. So when a huge hippo has a problem,” it’s a huge problem. 2) Before there were created things like water and fresh air…No world or human beings were existing anywhere. 3) Daren was a dreamer. In fact, his name means “born at night.” 4) “C’mon Andy,”Danny grumbled to himself. “Where are you? This ain’t funny. If we don’t get this protein built super fast, our human could faint. Or worse. C’mon dude, I need your half of the code!”- You might have guessed…each one of those is an opening line to a bedtime story for kids?

Each bedtime story for kids is based on colorful imagination.

Filled with flights of fancy without much connection to reality. Just like dreams. In fact, that’s why I wrote them the way I did. So they’d sound like dreams. In dreams you can fly, swim underwater without coming up for air, and just about anything you can’t do in real life. Then, you get to wake up and use your imagination to make your dreams come true.

By the way, you can find these bedtime stories, and other books I’ve written for kids (adults too), below. Thank you for your support, and here’s to making dreams come true.

Stay tuned…

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No-cost, low-cost, and premium ways you can help me spread the Word…

Tell everybody you know to subscribe to Tony’s Daily Devotional
(emails with good stuff for Fa-Ree)

Get my Rhyme & Reason Podcast delivered right to your device. (also Fa-Ree)

Get digital Bible stuff from the same company I do.

My books are also on Amazon.com or Apple Books

Grab yourself an un-cool T-shirt

Or how about some music for believers, dreamers, and thinkers

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Have you gone from burdens to blessings lately?

Do you ever feel like Ol’ Man River? Just keep rollin’ along bearing the burdens of the world and unable to do anything about ’em? You got troubles? Big troubles? Well, here’s a news flash…so does everybody else. There’s not a person on the planet who isn’t dealing with serious problems. But there’s a way to go from burdens to blessings. Wanna know how? It’s not a secret. Here’s how…

No…I’m not recommending singin’ the blues till your troubles disappear. Just wanted to share a video from an old movie, “Showboat”, to get you in the mood to face burdens head-on. Now…here’s the secret, that’s not a secret, to going from burdens to blessings: Take the focus off YOU.

Yep, if and when you take the focus off you and figure out ways to help others with their burdens, you’ll do something the apostle Paul described as fulfilling “the law of Christ“. Take a closer look at that phrase…the law of Christ. Notice it doesn’t say “the ten commandments”…or “God’s law”…or “the Mosaic law”. That’s because there’s a distinction between those phrases and “the law of Christ”. How did Christ (Jesus) sum up the laws? He said, “You shall love the Lord your God…” and “love your neighbor as yourself”. Jesus said “on these two commandments hang all the Law and the prophets”.

So…the point is…is you can bear someone else’s burdens, you can fulfill the law of Christ, which is to love the Lord and love your neighbor. What do you think the most important commandment is to God? Not to murder? Not to steal? Not to lie about someone? Not to honor your father and mother? None of the above?

If you said “none of the above”, you win the prize. The most important commandment from the very heart of God is to love. Without love, nothing else much matters. After all, without love, anything and everything becomes just a matter of opinion. Think about that today. And as you do, see if there’s anyone you could help through some tough times. Whether it’s emotional, physical, financial, spiritual…or anything…makes no difference. Love your neighbor. And your neighbor might live in the same house as you. Find a way to help, to care, to love. That will turn your own burdens into blessings.

Have you already done that today or this week? Let me know about it. I’ll share it with others if you allow me. And if you have, enjoy the blessings and don’t forget to thank God.

Stay tuned,

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P.S.  Your support for my Words and Music means the world to me. Please share them with others. Here’s how”

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If you exist (and you do), you have to believe in something, so…

It might as well be the Truth. When all else fails, the Truth succeeds. When all else fades away, the Truth shines like the sun. When all else lets you down, the Truth lifts you up. And when all else imprisons you…body, soul, and spirit…the Truth will set you free. So, since you have to believe in something in order to have any kind of sanity in your life, let me suggest believing the Truth. THE Truth, of course, is Jesus. No one goes to live with God forever in Heaven without going through Jesus. But His love for you will sustain you throughout eternity. And His love is greater than all other love put together. Here’s how I feel about it…

(video no longer available)

Have To Believe

I can hear my heart, but I just can’t feel my life.
I can feel You cut, but I just can’t see the knife.
You slip Yourself inside of me
To show me what I’m meant to be;
Unlock me with Your golden key;
Protect me from the wizardry
Of this world far below.

I can feel Your love; though I never see Your face,
And whenever I’m alone,
You still fill the empty space.
I never have to reach for You.
You always seem to pull me through.
You do the things that I can’t do;
Not even if I wanted to…not even if I tried.

And I have to believe…You did everything for me.
“˜Cause what I have to believe
Is the truth that sets me free (repeat)

You must know my dreams
Because you’re making them all come true.
I know that You’re the One
Because no one could but You.
Your steady hand is always near.
With perfect love You conquer fear.
You brush away the dark veneer,
And suddenly it’s all so clear which way I should go.

Chorus

Well, I’m not sure if I deserve it.
I’m lighter than air and soaring like a bird,
And if I can love You any better,
Just say the Word!

Repeat Chorus to end

© 1996 Tony Funderburk

Yeah, you have to believe in something. What do you believe in?

Stay tuned,

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P.S.  Your support for my Words and Music means the world to me. Please share them with others. Here’s how”

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Who couldn’t use some confidence builders once in a while?

When you see others succeeding and you haven’t yet, it can be a challenge to stay positive…can’t it? Or when you have to stand up and talk to a crowd, and you’ve seen someone else do it so well, it can be tough to measure up…at least in your own mind. True? Don’t feel bad. Almost everybody experiences that feeling of not being good enough at least once or twice in a lifetime. But don’t let it get you down. In fact, I’d like to share 2 confidence builders with you today. I don’t guarantee they’ll change the course of your finances or your creative abilities or any such thing. But I DO guarantee they’re tried and true processes. How do I know? I’ll tell you in a bit…

2 Confidence Builders in times of trouble

Now, when I first show you these confidence builders, you may shake your head and wonder how you’re supposed to apply them to your life. After all, this is the real world. And doesn’t the real world require flash and glamour and technology? Well, that depends. Do you want your real world to last a few decades? Or would you like to see it go on forever?

The writer of Proverbs, in the Bible, shared the 2 things I’m about to share with you. And I’m gonna show you at least 7 ways those 2 things improve your life and confidence. Are you ready? OK…here’s the passage:

My son, let them not depart from your eyes””
Keep sound wisdom and discretion;
So they will be life to your soul
And grace to your neck.
Then you will walk safely in your way,
And your foot will not stumble.
When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet.
Do not be afraid of sudden terror,
Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes;
For the Lord will be your confidence,
And will keep your foot from being caught.

Ok, here are the 7 ways I see wisdom and discretion improving your life:

  1. They’re life to your soul
  2. They’re grace to your neck
  3. They’ll keep you safe
  4. They’ll keep you steady
  5. You won’t be afraid of the dark
  6. You’ll be able to sleep peacefully
  7. They’ll give you courage

Keep in mind these verses represent what’s known as “rule of thumb”. They aren’t saying you can simply use your wisdom and discretion to avoid all the problems this life has. It’s a passage to show you where to focus your faith…not on self, but on God, the source of wisdom. Ask Him to help you gain more wisdom and to use discretion in your daily life. I’m telling myself this as I share it with you. I need more wisdom and discretion. Each day is more and more a challenge for any Christian who would dare say there is one Truth and His name is Jesus. You’re not gonna win many popularity contests with that message anymore. So, I admit it…I love getting confidence builders…especially when they come directly from God.

How are you gonna put some wisdom and discretion to use today?

Stay tuned,

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P.S.  Your support for my Words and Music means the world to me. Please share them with others. Here’s how”

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It’s good to get wise to yourself

Have you ever heard this expression? Get wise to yourself – Usually when someone is telling you that, they don’t mean it as a helpful critique. It’s typically said with a sarcastic voice. And it usually means something more like: “you ain’t as cool as you think”. In one way, I agree with the statement. Most often you’re not as cool as you think. Neither am I. No one is. At least no one who raises himself or herself above the status of human limitations. What I mean is…when you start thinking more highly of yourself than your Creator, you’re in dangerous territory. You’re listening to the wrong voice. You’re believing a lie. Truth is so much better. Here’s why…

Get Wise To Yourself

Truth says you can live forever. Truth says you are more than an conqueror. Truth says you are loved beyond your ability to even imagine. Truth will set you free. And most importantly…Jesus IS Truth. He will never leave you nor forsake you. And He is your ONLY ticket to eternal, glorious life. So maybe it IS time to get wise to yourself and trust in the one true, living, loving God. The one who spoke words and the whole universe exploded into existence.

Here are some lyrics I wrote, based on passages in Proverbs, about how important it is to look past yourself and…

Get Wise

Don’t drink the wine of violence
Or eat the bread of hate.
You might just get away with it,
But can you afford to wait?

Don’t push and shove the simple.
Seek knowledge just like gold.
And in so doing you’ll lay up
Your treasures manifold.

A word to the confounded”
Pour light into your eyes.
If you expect more than neglect,
Get wisdom; yeah get wise.

Get wise to the deceiver.
Don’t harken to his lies.
Keep commanding understanding.
Get wisdom; yeah get wise.

Don’t walk, you, with the wicked.
Beware the scornful tongue.
Let never part your loving heart
And live forever young.

© 1995 Tony Funderburk

Stay tuned,

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P.S.  Your support for my Words and Music means the world to me. Please share them with others. Here’s how”

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This past week I shared thoughts, ideas, and truth about doing good, the best Valentine’s Day card ever, and clouds dropping down dew on the earth. And this podcast episode brings it all together for those of you who’d rather listen than read. Thanks for tuning in. Use 1 or more of the links I’ve provided to share with anyone and everyone you know. Oh yeah, when you get a minute, please leave me a review on iTunes. Here’s the easy link.

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Get The The Power of God's Love Podcast Delivered to Your Device Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Pandora | iHeartRadio | Podchaser | Podcast Index | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS | More

The Truth in Words and Music Podcast - Episode 138

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P.S.  Your support for my Words and Music means the world to me. Please share them with others. Here’s how”

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