Tony Funderburk

Posted on August 24, 2015 by TonyJune 27, 2024

When something happens that you don’t like, do you get mad real fast? Or do you try to figure out what went wrong and how to make it better? It’s a better idea to figure out what went wrong and how to make it better. That shows you know how to use your brain. And that’s better than yelling or getting mad and making someone else have a bad day, too. You know who’ll be happy when you do it that way? God. In fact, you know what He calls someone who gets mad real fast? A fool. Yikes!

Yep, God says not to be so quick to get mad in your spirit. He says that’s what foolish people do. He knows that when you’re mad, you don’t think clearly. And you even say things you might wish you hadn’t said. Things that could hurt somebody’s feelings for a long, long time. You surely don’t wanna do that, do you? Just remember, you wouldn’t wanna have somebody be that way to you. So, don’t you be that way.

When something happens you don’t like, instead of getting mad real fast, stop and think for a second. Say something like this to yourself:

Self, what you gettin’ so mad about?
Self, why you think you wanna be like that?
Just think about what the Lord would say.
Self, be a nice kid and not a dirty rat.

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Posted on August 23, 2015 by TonyJune 27, 2024

Here’s the simple secret of how to have joy in the morning. First, you get out of bed on the right side. Then, you go right to the kitchen, grab a blue bowl (not red, yellow, white, or green), fill it with sugary cereal and milk, and eat it as fast as you can. Does that sound like a great way to start the day with joy? I hope not, because that doesn’t really work. I was just kidding. The real secret…which isn’t a secret at all…to starting your day filled with joy is knowing where to look. Do you know where to look? I’ll tell you…

…look inside your heart. If your heart has the Holy Spirit in it, you have a good chance of starting your day…every day…with joy. If your heart doesn’t have God’s Spirit in it, you may have a lot of hurting and pain ahead…with no good way to get better.

Do you know how to look for joy in the morning inside your heart?

Do you think you need an X-ray machine? Or special goggles? Or help from Superman? Naaa…you don’t need any of those things. To look inside your heart, you don’t need to use your eyes. You use your mind. Think thoughts. You know how to do that, don’t you? Go ahead…think a thought right now. See, I told you. I knew you could do it. Now, pay attention to your thoughts. Are your thoughts about how much you love your mom or dad or your friends? Are any of your thoughts about God?

If you think thoughts about how much God loves you, that’s a good sign His Spirit lives in your heart. And it’s also a good sign that you can get up each day and know you’re gonna have joy in the morning. So, practice thinking thoughts about where you came from and who made you. Then, don’t forget to thank God for giving you His Spirit. Since He did, you’re gonna be able to see beautiful, joy-filled mornings forever.

Here’s a rhyme to help you remember…

Wake up with joy in the morning
And a wink and a smile.
Then show your love to your neighbor
As you walk every mile.
And show the light of the Spirit
Wherever you may go.
And when you wake in the morning,
Your joy will start to flow.

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Posted on August 22, 2015 by TonyJune 27, 2024

Would anyone be able to say they’ve seen you whispering behind backs about someone or something? Maybe everybody has done that at one time or another. But it’s a good way to lose friends. I’m sure you don’t wanna do that…do you? No. So, it’s a good idea to pay attention to what God says about that kind of whispering. And He says it “separates the best of friends.” Wow. Imagine losing your best friend because you whispered. Wanna know why it works like that?

Stop whispering behind backs, and keep reading.

The best thing you can do when you’re mad at or upset with a friend is to tell them. Don’t yell at them. Just tell them what they did that upset you. And then give them a chance to say they’re sorry. They might not say they’re sorry, but then again…they might. But if you whisper bad things about them to other friends, you’ll only make things worse. In fact, you’ll probably lose a friend. You know how I know this works? Easy…

…because it’s how God says to do it.

God says when somebody does something wrong to you, go and tell them. If they say they’re sorry, you just forgive them. That way you can have a good chance at staying friends. Wouldn’t that be better than whispering behind backs and losing friends? After all…you can’t have too many friends…can you? So, starting today…if somebody makes you mad…stop and think about what God says. Then, smile to yourself, walk right over to that person and say something like, “That was a mean thing to do”. Or…”that was a mean thing to say”. If they say, “I’m sorry”. You can say something like, “OK, I forgive you. Now, let’s be friends and not be like that anymore.” Sound good? Well, here’s a rhyme to help you remember…

Somebody said a mean thing to me,
And I just turned around and grinned.
I know that’s better than to yell right back
Or start a whisper whirlwind.

I wanna do what God wants me to.
I know He’s smarter than me,
Then, maybe I can keep all my friends
Through all eternity.

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Posted on August 21, 2015 by TonyJune 27, 2024

When you ask Jesus to love and protect you…you are never all alone…ever again. Does that sound good? I hope so. Because it’s not good to be all alone. And for little ones, it can be scary. Just imagine if you walked all around the world and never saw anybody. What if you were the only person on earth? Kinda spooky to think about isn’t it? But, guess what. When you’re a child of God, you don’t ever have to feel that way. In fact, you could walk all around the earth, not see anybody, and still know you’re never all alone. That’s pretty cool, don’t you think?

There’s a place in the Bible where God tells you He’ll never leave you. He wants you to know you can always depend on Him. He loves you so much that He made a way for you to never be all alone…and to live with Him forever. Wouldn’t it be great to know you’ll be in a beautiful place with God and your family and friends who love Him, too? And wouldn’t it be great to know it will never end? Well, you can know. Trust the One who made you. And here’s a rhyme to help you remember. It’s called “Music Pajamas” You can hear it in episodes of the The Power of God’s Love Podcast, too.

Music Pajamas

It’s time…to let the daylight fly
Away, but we don’t have to cry
Because…another day will dawn real soon.
So smile…and say a sweet goodnight.
Sleep well. Don’t let the bedbugs bite.
They won’t, if you’ll just slip into this tune.

And wear your music pajamas.
And sing the songs of your mamas
Because they gave you a life of your own.
Through all the cartoons and dramas…
Through all the triumphs and traumas…
Slip on your music pajamas,
And know that God is on His throne.
And you’re never all alone.

Night winds…float down from falling stars.
Lights blink…from Jupiter and Mars.
They bounce…across the water on the grass.
Inside…you’re in a soft cocoon
Of down…the color of the moon.
Dreams come…when you just let the sandman pass.

Chorus

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Posted on August 20, 2015 by TonyJune 28, 2024

You can guard your heart by trusting the strongest person there is. Do you know who that is? Not Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson. Nope, it isn’t Spiderman. And it’s not even Ironman. They all are like tiny flies compared to Jesus. He’s the strongest person there is. His hands are invisible to your eyes right now, but He can hold you with one hand, and no one in the whole world can take you away from Him. In fact, if everyone in the whole world tried at the same time, they couldn’t take you away from Jesus. And He can guard your heart…and your mind…if you trust Him.

Maybe you wonder why you need to guard your heart and mind.

Well, this world is a mean, mean place. There are too many people who want to tell everybody else what to do, when to do it, and how to live. They especially like to tell kids because they know you haven’t learned a lot about them yet. They want to own you. And they’re just like the devil who didn’t want to obey God. He told Adam and Eve some lies to make them believe the wrong thing about God. And he made them disobey God, too. Bad people like to make other people as bad as them. So, you need to be on the lookout for them.

The good news is…when you trust Jesus, and discover His promises for you, you can be smart enough and strong enough to know better. You won’t have to fall for silly and mean tricks. I hope you already know about Jesus, but if you don’t, be sure and ask your mom or dad. Or send me any questions, and I’ll do my best to help you with ’em. I call myself a child of the living God. And I’d love to know you’re one too.

Here’s a rhyme to help you remember…

You gotta guard your heart with the Love of God.
You gotta guard your heart and your mind.
And you can be real smart in the Word of God
And when you trust in Him, you’re not blind.
You gotta guard your heart in this mean ol’ world
That wants to tie you up with a rope,
Remember you can turn to the Lord above.
He is your living, loving Hope.

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Posted on August 19, 2015 by TonyMarch 25, 2023

When you do something special or good or nice, do you feel proud of yourself? If so, do you think it’s OK to feel that way? Or is it maybe better to thank God for helping you do good things? I think it’s better to thank God, and I’ll share some reasons with you why I think so.

But these are only aimed at you if you’re proud of yourself.

How many rocks have you ever made? And did you ever invent a tree? Have you ever made a river magically appear? A rock, a tree, and water seem like simple things. But there isn’t anybody on earth who can create any of them. In fact, you won’t find anybody who could make even a grain of sand, a seed, or even a tiny drop of water. That’s because only God can make those things.

That’s why when you do something like win a race, or paint a picture, or write a song, you shouldn’t be proud of yourself. You should thank the Lord He gave you strong legs, or good eyes, or an ear for music. After all, God was the one who created you. He designed muscles and bones and eyes and ears. He gave you a brain. And He gave your brain the power to think your own thoughts. Dream your own dreams. And even sing your own songs. But you wouldn’t have any of those things without God. He must love you a lot to make so many wonderful things for you to enjoy. Right?

It’s OK for others who love you to be proud of you. They want to see you do good and awesome things. That means you’re growing and getting better and better at what you know how to do. But don’t be too proud of yourself. You could end up hurting the ones you love. You don’t wanna do that, do you? Remember, there ARE some things God hates. And at the top of His list is “a proud look“. So, what do you say? Are you ready to do some great things and give thanks to God? I hope so. And here’s a rhyme to help you remember…

If you’re proud of yourself for the things you do,
Pretty soon no one wants to be around you…
‘Cause you’ll sound just like an old clanging bell
That is out of tune and doesn’t ring so well.
Give a nod to God with a thankful prayer.
Let Him know you’re glad that He’s always there.
And be glad for the gifts that He’s given you.
It’s because of Him you can do what you do.

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Posted on August 18, 2015 by TonyJune 30, 2024

The second you’re born you start learning about the world around you. In fact, you started learning while you were still inside your mom. You learned she loved you. You learned to know her heartbeat. And you learned to find your fingers and toes. Then you were born. And then the whole world was a place to learn about. But once you got old enough to understand words and what they meant, you started learning things like adding and subtracting…and spelling…and drawing. Out of all things you learn, what do you think is the best thing to start learning more about? I’ll give you a hint. It’s bigger than a breadbox, but it’s invisible. Know what it is?

The Bible says the best place to start learning is in “the fear of the Lord”.

Does that sound spooky? It shouldn’t because it’s not talking about fear like being afraid of wolves and bears in a dark forest. When the Bible says “the fear of the Lord“, it’s talking about knowing how God is the only one powerful enough to create the whole world and everything in it. It’s about knowing how God gives us life. We don’t give it to ourselves. We can’t. And since God is that mighty and strong, it’s a good idea to start learning as much about Him as possible. Don’t you think so?

There’s nobody in the whole world cooler to learn about than God. Just look at the very first 6 days He started creating the whole world. He said some words, and the earth popped into place. He said some more words and sun and moon and all the stars appeared. Think about that. If God can say words and make the whole world and us, too, then don’t you think He’s somebody you ought to get to know. Well, what are you waiting for? Start learning.

And here’s a rhyme to help you remember…

Start learning about the one, living Lord.
Put knowledge inside your head,
And when you read something He has to say,
Go back and read what you read.
As you get older you’ll see what I mean…
Go add and subtract and spell.
Then learn all about the one, living Lord.
He made you and loves you well.

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Posted on August 17, 2015 by TonyJune 30, 2024

You like it when somebody says something nice about something you did. Right? Sure, everybody’s like that. We all need to be encouraged. It helps us to want to do even more. Don’t you think so? Do you know how to encourage somebody? And do you know when? Is there really any way to know? Yes, there is. Read on, and I’ll share it with you…

Knowing how and when to encourage somebody should be easy.

Just tell ’em what a good job they’re doing. Or how pretty or handsome they look. Or just a simple thank you for a job well done. It’s not hard to come up with something nice to say if you think about it for a few seconds. But now I have another question for you. When should you encourage somebody? That might seem like an easy question, but I have a surprise answer for you. First, you tell me when you think you should.

Is it when they do something good? Or when they do something well? Or when they help somebody else? Or when they get dressed up? What do you think is the right answer. Well, all those answers are right. But none of them are the surprise answer I told you about. Can you think of one other answer for when you should encourage somebody? Give up? OK…I’ll tell you…

You should encourage while today is called “Today”.

Do you understand what that means? Well, how many days are called “Today”? Only today. Right? But how often do you see today? Every day…right? So, when should you encourage somebody? Today! And how often is that? Every day! Wow, isn’t that cool? You should find something encouraging to say to somebody today and every day. But never put it off till tomorrow because tomorrow isn’t called “Today”. Whew! Is it crazy? Or do you get it? I bet you get it, and I bet you’re ready to go tell somebody something good. Am I right? Well, here’s a rhyme to help you remember…

Tell somebody something good
And you could make their day.
But don’t wait till it’s too late.
Go say it now, today.
You could turn their day around.
So don’t you think you should
Go and find somebody now
And tell them something good?!

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Posted on August 16, 2015 by TonyMarch 19, 2023

Would you like to discover how to walk in the words of God? Does that sound funny? Maybe it’s easy to think about how you walk in the woods. Or walk in the park. Or walk in the mall? But walking in words? How does anybody do that? Well, you don’t do it with your feet? Uh-oh…now it really sounds funny, doesn’t it? Well keep reading.

When mom says you get to go to the park, you start imagining it right away…don’t you? You can see yourself there…playing in the sand, swinging on the swings, running across the grass. Your mom just says the words, “Hey sweetie, you wanna go to the park?” And those words make pictures dance inside your brain. Pretty coo, huh? That’s sort of what it’s like to walk in the words of God. You open up a Bible, read some of the words, and pictures start appearing in your head.

How about walking in these words?

Maybe you read the story of Noah building the ark, and you can almost see yourself helping him gather wood. Or you read of Daniel in the lions den, and you can see their big, hungry fangs. Or maybe you read about the apostle Paul traveling around to tell everyone about Jesus. And you can almost see yourself walking on the same gravel roads or dirt paths he walked. Each time your mind makes those pictures, it’s like you’re walking in the words of God. Here’s a secret you trust. Walking in the words of God is the best place to walk. You should go there everyday. In fact, you should stay there. Because that’s the only place that’s always good…God’s word.

I hope this pumps you up to discover what God’s word says to you and about you. If you read some of His words, today…and some pictures form inside your head, would you write to me and share them with me? I’d like that. And here’s a rhyme to help you remember…

Walking in the words of God
Is like walking in a clear, blue sky.
Truth is in the words of God
For all your questions, why.

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Posted on August 15, 2015 by TonyAugust 14, 2022

I wrote to you a little while ago about how you don’t need to be afraid of global warming. Remember? I showed you a place in the Bible where God promises that as long as the earth is around we’ll have our regular kinds of weather. Now, I’d like to share a video with you about some animals that got stuck in the ice and froze right where they were because it was so cold. The man in the video asks if we think freezing cold weather leads to global warming. Do you think freezing makes things hot?

I think it’s silly to think freezing can make things hot. But I’m just a dorky writer and singer. What do I know?

If you have a guess…send it to me. Until then, stay cool…or warm…or whatever you need to be where you are.

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Posted on August 14, 2015 by TonyMarch 19, 2023

What do you want to be when you grow up? A computer person? A robot builder? A jet rocket pilot? A singer? A painter? Whatever you want to be, I hope you’ll always want to do good things for people around you. And I hope you’ll do those good things with your whole heart. With all your might. You wanna know why? Good, I’ll tell you…

When you’re doing good things with your whole heart, it means you’re not just doing them because have to. It means you’re doing it because you want to. It shows you have the love of the Lord shining through you. And because you want to, you get a reward.

With your whole heart.

Who doesn’t like getting a reward? But this isn’t just any kind of reward. The reward you get for letting God’s love shine through you will last forever. It’s called an inheritance. That’s just a big word for something you get just for being a son or daughter. And you are a son or daughter of the one, true, living, loving God. What He gives you is eternal life. You get to live forever because you love the Lord.

Now, that’s what I call a mighty good reward. Don’t you?

So, how about doing something for somebody today just because you want to? And when you do, remember how much God loves you and let that kind of love shine through you. It’s easier to do things with your whole heart when you remember God helps you. Here’s a rhyme to help you remember…

Do good things with your whole heart,
Not just a little…and not just a part.
Right now is the perfect time to start
And share your love like a work of art.

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Posted on August 13, 2015 by TonyMarch 19, 2023

When I say that believing in nothing leads to nowhere, do you know what I mean? I’m talking about how we all got here. Some adults say everything in the whole universe came from nothing. They say once upon a time there was nothing but a tiny dot. And the tiny dot exploded. Then everything we know about came from that. To say that everything came from nothing is silly. It’s a fairy tale just like magical toys that talk. Or little boys and girls who fly. Or talking elephants. And even creatures that are part human and part horse. Those can be fun stories. But it’s good to remember they’re make-believe.

There are adults who’ll tell you there’s no such thing as God. That’s just as silly and foolish as saying everything came from nothing. Even worse, it’s sad. Because people who say that their whole lives will spend forever in a place all by themselves. We need to show those people how much God loves them, too. You can do that by learning all you can about God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit. That way, when somebody says there’s no such thing as God, you can show them that’s not true.

And believing in nothing is silly.

Ask your mom or your dad or someone who knows about God to tell you all about Him. Show how much you wanna know Him better. Find out about the things Jesus did while He was here on earth. And what He plans to do when He comes back. The more you discover, the more you’ll grow in God’s love. There isn’t a better thing in the whole world. Trust me, I know. I’m just like you. I started learning about Jesus before I even went to school. My Grandmother showed me how much He loves me. And she told me how I can live with Him forever in Heaven. But even though I found that out when I was still young, I had to keep learning more. And guess what…?

…I’m still learning. Everyone who loves God will get to live with Him forever. And we’ll never stop learning about how loving and wonderful He is. We’ll discover how believing in Him makes us healthy and happy. That’s sure better than believing in nothing. Don’t you think so? Here’s a rhyme to help you remember to believe and trust in your Creator…

Believing in nothing is no good.
It’s better when something’s understood
‘Cause nothing didn’t make you…and nothing doesn’t take you…
Where only your Creator ever could.

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Posted on August 12, 2015 by TonyMarch 19, 2023

Your life is very, very important to God. He wants you to have all of the best things He can give you. His love, mercy, righteousness, and eternal life. He won’t force you to take His gifts, but He sure hopes you want them. Do you know what that means?

It means you can be made perfect. It means one day you can go to a place where no one ever dies. A place where God’s love and spirit keeps everyone healthy, happy, and alive forever. Wouldn’t that be great?! Imagine no one ever being sad again. Or never having to say good-bye to anyone knowing you’ll never see them again. God’s love and Spirit can do that. And He wants to do that. You and me and everyone else in the world is a special person to God. So special that…

…He sent His Son, Jesus, to make a way for us to be perfect.

Don’t ever think you’re not good enough. Don’t ever think you’ve been too bad. And don’t ever believe when people tell you these kinds of things. Believe what God says about you.

Because children are important to God.

And He says He’ll never leave you. He’ll never forget about you. In fact, He says His love goes forever and ever. From your grandparents to your parents to you…and to your kids and their kids and their kids. On and on. Anyone who wants God’s love can have it forever.

Wow.

Do you want that? I hope so. If not, would you tell me why you don’t. I’d really like to know. Here’s a rhyme to help you remember you’re important to God…

You’re important to God in so many ways.
You can trust in His word through all of your days.
He listens real close to anyone who prays.
So, go talk to Him now and give Him your praise.

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Posted on August 11, 2015 by TonyMarch 19, 2023

Yesterday I talked to you about how to forgive and be happier. And you discovered there’s a right way to do it. It’s God’s way. It’s the way He forgives you and me and anyone who asks Him to. God is the one true, living, loving, and forgiving father of us all. He’s got riches waiting for you, if you love Him and want to be with Him. But His riches aren’t like the money and cars and computers you see here on earth. God’s riches are forever life and forever love. And when you choose to love and trust Jesus, you begin saving treasures in Heaven. Because He gives you the riches of Grace. He gives you forgiveness. He redeems you. Do you know what that means?

It means you can be rich.

And I mean the redeemed kind of rich. To be redeemed means that God takes your bad stuff and changes it into good stuff. How does He do it?

Simple…Jesus.

When you do bad stuff, you probably know you’re gonna be punished. Right? Well, the longer you live, the worse stuff you can do. And if there was never any punishment for it, everybody would do worse and worse stuff until the whole world would be a horrible place to live. Guess what? That happened a long time ago, and God saw that He needed to make a way for us to be better. So He came to earth as Jesus and grew up to be a perfect man. Then, as a man, He took the punishment you and I were supposed to get. Can you imagine if your friend took your spanking for you? Or if your friend took all the punishments you were supposed to get?

That would be a pretty awesome friend, wouldn’t it?!

That’s the kind of friend Jesus is for you. And because He took all the punishments for every one of us, He made a Way for us to live forever. We don’t have to pay for it ourselves. That’s called Grace. And the riches of Grace last forever. Aren’t you glad about that? Does it make you wanna stand up and sing? I hope so. Here’s a rhyme to help you remember…

You can have the riches of Grace
Living in a beautiful place.
Living with God above in His forever love
Shining like gold on your face.

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Posted on August 10, 2015 by TonyMarch 10, 2025

Did you know you’re not supposed to forgive everybody? It’s true. And it’s even in the Bible…that’s how I know it’s true. The only one who has the brain power to offer forgiveness to everybody is God. And as you already discovered, if you’ve been paying attention to my stories, you and I are not God. Here’s a secret, that’s not a secret. Even God doesn’t forgive everybody. Uh-oh! Does that sound right? Well, it’s true. He makes sure forgiveness is there for anyone who wants it. But here’s the key…you have to ask for it. Anyone who asks God for forgiveness can get it from Him. Now you know how to forgive and be happier. Right? Wanna know more?

Keep reading to understand how to forgive.

There’s a place in the Bible where it says you need to “be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another“. It sorta sounds like you’re just supposed to do it…no questions asked. Right? But it’s important to read the very next 7 words. They say, “even AS God in Christ forgave you“. So you’re supposed to forgive others the way God forgave you. Do you remember what you had to do for God to forgive you? Yep, that’s right. You had to ASK.

So, if somebody does something wrong to you, it’s a good idea to tell them. Let them know what they did that hurt you. Maybe they didn’t even realize they had done it. That’s why it’s good to go right to them and tell them. Then, you know what they should do? They should ask you to forgive them. And if they ask, you should forgive them. That’s how God, through Jesus, forgives you. Isn’t that cool? When we do things God’s way, they can work so much better. When we choose to do things our own way, we can get mean, bitter, mad, and downright evil. Not cool. Wouldn’t you rather be happier instead of meaner? Yeah, me too.

How about it? Do you think you could learn how to forgive someone today…the way God forgave you? Try it out and I think you’ll see how it’s a better way to forgive. When you do, let me know.

And here’s my rhyme to help you remember…

Learn how to forgive and be happy
Knowing it’s what God wants you to do.
Don’t go through your life being snappy
At the ones who love and cherish you.
Learn how to forgive and be happy.
It’s a way to make the good Lord smile.
Share this good idea with everybody.
Forgiving is what makes this life worthwhile.

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Posted on August 9, 2015 by TonyJune 30, 2024

God has always been around. He lived forever in the past. We don’t really know what that’s like because we all had a starting day. You and I didn’t live forever in the past. But you and I can live forever in the future because loves us so much. Did you know He loved you before you were even born? It’s true. He put you together inside your mom. And before you and I were born…before anyone was born, God starting making plans for us. He wants us to live forever, and because He’s so smart, He figured out a way to do that even if we mess up. Isn’t that cool?

And that started before you were born.

There’s a place in the Bible where it says God was working things out “before time began“. That means before YOUR time began. Before my time began. Before human beings began. But not before God. Time has always been here because God has always been here. He didn’t make it up. He made us. And our time began when He made us.

The main thing to remember is He made you because He loves you. He wants you to live with Him forever. You don’t have to be perfect. You don’t have to keep from making mistakes. All God asks is that you believe and trust in Jesus because Jesus lived a life with no mistakes. He is perfect.

Jesus always lived as God the Son in a spirit form until He became a man. Then He took a horrible punishment for you so you wouldn’t have to. Some people killed Him because He didn’t do things the way they thought He should. But guess what? Jesus came back from the dead and went up into Heaven. But not before He told His friends how we could all do that, too. So, do you see why it’s so important to choose Jesus? Do you see how much God loves you? He made you in His own image, and you were YOU even before you were born. Here’s a rhyme to help you remember…

Even before you were born
God was making a plan
For us to live in His love.
Jesus became a man
Whose life would pay the full debt
For all the bad things done.
God made a way for your life,
And that Way is His Son.

Before you go, jump on the The TRUTH. And join the growing band of believers who enjoy my books, daily rhymes, songs, and videos about the Rhyme and Reason and power of God’s love.

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Posted on August 8, 2015 by TonyMarch 19, 2023

You may be young now, but you won’t always be young. One day you’ll have to go out into the world and face the challenges. Every other person who ever lived had to do that, too. No matter what many people might say, you can look forward to a brighter future. And it doesn’t matter how dark and hopeless it seems right now. Your future can rest in God’s loving hands…if you follow these 3 easy steps…

Step 1 – Find out if there really IS a God like the one the Bible talks about. Maybe at first you have to talk to mom or dad or grandmother or granddaddy. But if you ask someone else who’s been around a little longer, you can find out some great things. I can tell you that God certainly is real. He’s just like the God the Bible talks about. I found out about Him when I was 13. And He’s been with me the rest of my life. Lots of people in this world will try to tell you He’s not real because you can’t see Him. But I’m here to tell you…they’re wrong. Once you look for God, He’s easy to find.

Step 2 – The next thing you need to do is easy when you do Step 1 first. Too many people try to skip to this step…or they start with this step. They either think there is no God because they can’t see Him…or they think they ARE God…or at least part of God. But since you started at Step 1 you understand Step 2 is knowing you’re not God. If you don’t know this yet, go back to Step 1. But if you do know you’re not God, it’s time for…

Step 3 – If you’ve gone through the first 2 steps, this one is the easiest. When you know there IS a God…and that you’re not Him…you can just bow your head and ask Him to come into your heart and change you forever. You can tell Him you’re sorry that you’ve hurt others, and maybe you’ve even hurt yourself. And you can ask Him to help you not be like that anymore. Guess what happens when you ask Him these things? He does it! Simple as that. He just wants to know you’re sorry, that you love Him, and that you’d like to live with Him forever. He loves it when you do. And when you do, your future will last forever in a place so beautiful you can’t even imagine it.

There you have it. 3 easy steps to a brighter future.

What do you think? Can you do ’em? I’m pulling for you. If you already have, send me a note and tell me. If you’re stuck on any part of it, let me know. I’ll try to help. And here’s a rhyme to help you remember the steps…

There IS a God, and He loves you.
There IS a God, and He’s not you.
He wants to hear you say you’re trusting Him today.
You’ll live with Him forever when you do.

Stay tuned,

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Tell everybody you know to subscribe to Tony’s Daily Devotional
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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

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Posted on August 7, 2015 by TonyMarch 19, 2023

Your mom or dad might have taken pictures or videos of when you first started learning how to walk. They were so proud to see you up on your own feet. They knew it was the very beginning of your journey through life. And they wanted to be sure they never forgot. They also knew you might have fun looking at those pictures or videos of yourself when you got older. It was a great day. Today, I’d like you know why you should never stop learning how to walk.

There are 5 important ways to walk. Did you know that? The first way is when your parents teach you how to use your feet and legs. You learn that when you’re very young. And you learn fast. Before you know it, you’re running and skipping and jumping. Your legs grow longer. Your feet get bigger. In fact, you grow so fast your mom or dad have to keep buying you new shoes. It’s so much fun to see where your feet and legs can take you. What an exciting journey!

But there are 4 more ways of learning how to walk.

They’re more important, and they don’t happen as fast as when your parents teach you to use your feet. Would you like to know what the other 4 ways are? Good…because I’m gonna tell you…

First: you gotta learn to walk together. You’ll be walking through your life with a lot of people around. It’s a good idea to learn how to care for others and look for ways to help them. You can’t do that very well, if you only wanna walk around in your own little world. That’s why you need to learn to walk together with others.

Second: you gotta learn to walk in love. This one is a little harder because a lot of people don’t make themselves very lovable. But you can do it when you remember how much Jesus loves you. He knows everything about you, and He loves you even when you make mistakes. And…He’d like to see you love others that same way. You don’t have to hang around somebody if they always treat you mean. But you can still love them and pray for their happiness. As you live your life that way, you’ll be learning how to walk in love.

Third: you gotta learn how to walk in light. I’m not talking about lamps and flashlights and spotlights. I’m talking about walking in the light of the Lord. God knows what a dark world you live in. But He also knows the darker it is the brighter your light can shine. Think about when you have a good idea. It’s like a light shining in your head, isn’t it? Well, as you learn to trust Jesus and listen to His words inside your head, you’ll learn to walk in His light. And that’s like a light shining inside you that people will see. Some of them might even wonder why you shine so brightly. You just tell ’em…”It’s Jesus!”

Finally: you gotta learn how to walk in wisdom. And this can be the hardest way to learn to walk. But as you walk in wisdom the coolest things can happen. Imagine walking around talking to people in songs…with melodies in your heart. Isn’t that awesome?! It’s what you’ll be doing as you discover how to be more and more like Jesus. He was the wisest man who ever walked on the earth.

There you have it. 5 ways of learning how to walk. Which one will you work on today? Here’s my rhyme to help you remember…

You gotta walk together,
Walk in love and light.
You gotta walk in wisdom,
In the Way that’s right.
And then you’ll walk forever
With the Lord above,
And drink the Living Water,
Of forever love.

Stay tuned,

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Tell everybody you know to subscribe to Tony’s Daily Devotional
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Posted on August 6, 2015 by TonyMarch 19, 2023

Way, way far above the earth, the moon, the sun, the galaxies, and even the universe you’ll find God. Anytime you’re having a bad day, it helps to look way up there where He is and thank Him for your life. Yep, even when you’re not enjoying your life…because it’s a gift from God. He created you, and He made you eternal. You know what that means? It means you’re gonna last forever. That’s why it’s important to look up to God and talk to Him, so you can discover all the wonderful things He has for you where He lives. And you wouldn’t wanna miss out on all that, would you?

There’s a place in the Bible where it tells you to “set your mind on things above“. That’s talking about God’s home. It’s also called Heaven. And where God lives there are no more aches and pains. No more crying. No more mad or mean people. And no more bad stuff…ever, ever again. So, doesn’t it sound like a great place to think about? When you compare Heaven to what’s going on down here on earth, it sounds like no competition to me.

So, look way up there.

When you think about Heaven, what do you see? Or do you hear something special like beautiful music? Send me a note and tell me. And I’ll share it with others if that’s OK with you. Now…here’s a rhyme about looking up and not down…

Look way up there…
Heaven is way above the sky.
Look way up there…
God lives above the clouds up high.
If you’ll just lift your eyes and smile,
All tears will dry in just a while.
Look way up there…
Then tell your troubles all goodbye.

Stay tuned,

No-cost, low-cost, and premium ways you can show your support…

Tell everybody you know to subscribe to Tony’s Daily Devotional
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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

Posted on August 5, 2015 by TonyMarch 19, 2023

Do you know what the difference is between good guys and bad guys? Is it the hat they wear? Or their clothes? Is it the cool weapons they use? Or maybe the car or space ship they drive? Nope, nope, and nope. It’s none of those things. Good guys aren’t always good. And bad guys aren’t always bad. But you still gotta know the TRUE difference because you’re gonna have to choose which one you’ll be.

First, you gotta know what good is. And then, you gotta know what bad is. Do you know what makes something good or bad? If you don’t, I’ll let you in on a secret…

…nobody on earth gets to make up what’s good and bad. God is the way to know if something is good or bad. He says something is good because it’s good for you. Something is good when it helps you…and when it helps you to help others. And something is bad when it hurts you and hurts others. Really bad things can cause people to die. And God hates that. So, He made some rules so we’d know how things are supposed to work. He did it for our own good, because He loves us. Not because He doesn’t want us to have any fun. God knows what’s good for us better than we do. After all…He made us.

So, do you wanna be one of the good guys?

Then, it’s a good idea to find out what God says.

Don’t worry about being good every minute of every day. God knows you can’t do it. That’s why He sent Jesus…because Jesus could do it. And Jesus lived a perfect life and paid the way for you to live forever. Imagine…you can go to Heaven and live forever, and all you have to do is trust that Jesus will get you there.

The worst of the worst…the ones who don’t want to trust and love Jesus…don’t go to Heaven. And that’s their choice. God doesn’t want them to choose that way, but He won’t force them to choose His way. He knows that wouldn’t be true love.

Now, do you understand the difference? If not, let me know what you don’t understand. I’ll try to help some more.

The world if full of good guys and bad guys.
Sometimes if feels like bad guys win the most.
But you can be a good guy, a winner…
You’ve got the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

They’re never gonna leave or forget you.
They wanna live forever in your heart.
Then you’ll always be one of the good guys
And God will keep the bad guys far apart.

Stay tuned,

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)

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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