Words And Music of Faith Hope And Love Podcast Episode 22

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Podcast Episode 22 is available for listening or downloading. Click the blue button to hear words and music of faith hope and love or follow links and read the articles.

As you start your week”

I want to wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving this week. I know most Americans get together with family and friends to enjoy some Turkey and dressing, and that’s an awesome thing to do. I’d like to encourage you to take at least a minute or two and think about what an awesome gift it is to be able to freely thank God for His many blessings of the past year.

Also…think about the Pilgrims who endured enormous hardships their first winter here in the new land…and yet felt grateful enough to give thanks to God for their blessings. Their circumstances didn’t determine blessings. Their belief and faith in the One who helps us endure all things did.

I’m thankful I can spend time at my computer keys and write all the stories, songs, and articles I do about the faith, hope, and love I have in the Grace of God. He’s given me so many things I’m sure I tend to forget more of them than I remember. But I never forget the one gift He gave me that will last forever…abundant, eternal life…through the saving grace of Jesus.

As you sit down to eat this Thanksgiving, remember…it’s not “turkey day”. It’s a day the Lord has made. Be glad and give thanks to Him. God bless you.

Now”here’s what you’ll find in this week’s podcast.
I shared articles about:

Stay tuned,

Tony Funderburk's signature can be found on almost all of his writing for kids.

Tony Funderburk Posted on by

An unselfish life is not illustrated and/or perpetuated in evolution.

Altruism is defined in the dictionary as the “selfless concern for the well-being of others”. It’s very cool that we can even observe different species concerned for the well-being of other species. We all love to hear the story of the dog who saved its master who fell in the frozen lake. Or the story of a mother cat who nursed a stray guinea pig in addition to her kittens. And of course, we love to hear the stories of courage when people are saved from burning buildings, car crashes, and natural disasters.

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

The short answer is…they don’t connect to an unselfish life.

If you cling to an evolutionary worldview, you’re holding onto a rope with no one and nothing at the other end to pull you from the quicksand. Ironically, if anyone did show up to pull you in, it wouldn’t be because they felt a strong need to perpetuate the species. No, they’d be responding to that still, small voice inside them…that message written on the tablet of their heart…that this is the RIGHT thing to do.

Evolution doesn’t determine or clarify right and wrong. In fact, it merely obfuscates the matter with billions of different opinions. Evolution doesn’t bring about an unselfish life. In fact, it does quite the opposite. If evolution were true, selfishness would have eliminated unselfishness long ago.

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

In Faith, Hope, and Love

Tony Funderburk's signature can be found on almost all of his writing for kids.

 

Love Restored My Soul

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Since I was 13 I’ve never really felt alone. That was the age I was when my Grandmother told me for the umpteenth time that Jesus was waiting to come into my heart if I’d just let Him. This time I let Him. And I know now what I didn’t fully realize then. His love restored my soul…and spirit…and gave me eternal life.

I guess it’s really hard for most people to accept that it truly is that easy. Just ask God to come into your heart and heal your spirit and He does. Yeah, that couldn’t be the answer. I must have to do something else. After all…I’ve lived a pretty hard life. You don’t know some of the things I’ve done.

Doesn’t matter.

“But Tony,” you say…”I’ve really done lots of awful things…even to people I care about…and I haven’t done many good things…maybe not any.”

Doesn’t matter.

“Yeah, but Tony…I’ve always been the kind of person who gets and does whatever I want. And I’ve always wanted what wasn’t good for me. I knew it wasn’t good for me, but it was just so darn fun.”

Doesn’t matter.

What does matter is that you’re still here. You’re still breathing. And you still have a choice to make. It’s simple…not difficult. God loves you and He’s made a way for you to have a completely clean slate. And not just for now…for all of eternity.

You just have to choose. Do you want to go on playing god? Or do you want to let the one, true God…the one who created you…restore your soul, spirit, and life?

His love restored my soul. And it can do the same for you. Today!

Your Love Restored My Soul

From my mother’s womb You have been my God…
Even if I didn’t always know it.
And I’ve loved You since my salvation day…
Even if…I didn’t always show it.

I believe Your Son is the only Way
To the life I know is never-ending…
So I cast my lot with the King of Kings
And His Truth I trust is never bending.

Jesus…Your love restored my soul.
You gave Your life to make me whole.
I’d be a lifeless lump of coal…oh
But Jesus…Your love restored my soul.

On my darkest days I am not alone.
You indwell me with Your Holy Spirit.
And Your “still small voice”is an open book
And Your grace is there if I draw near it…

And in that open Book is the one True God…
And the words revolve around His story.
And the words are turned into flesh and bone,
And He shares, with each of us, His glory.

Chorus twice

Your love restored my soul”.your love restored my soul
Your love restored…your love restored my soul.

© Copyright Tony Funderburk 2010

Here’s a clip of the song…

In Faith, Hope, and Love”

Tony Funderburk's signature can be found on almost all of his writing for kids.

 

The Reality of Faith

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I have faith. Faith in God, in His Son Jesus, and in the Holy Spirit. But if these three don’t truly exist, my faith is in vain. So, the question arises…can I know they exist? I mean…really know? Well, the Bible shares the story, from several perspectives, of the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus. If that story is true, then He is the reality of faith.

The resurrection of Jesus is the Reality Of Faith for anyone willing to believe.

If there really was, and is, a man named Jesus…who was, and is, God…then what He did for all of mankind clearly shows He is the reality of faith. Just imagine God, who has always existed, taking on human flesh to truly experience what we experience. Now, go beyond that. God, who exists as one God in three distinct persons, had never known anything but perfect life. He had always experienced perfect communion in the Godhead as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But He came to us and died for us and rose again for us.

I fully realize this is impossible for human brains to fully comprehend. But we can apprehend it even as we apprehend the petals of a rose…so delicate, soft, and delightfully scented…yet so incredibly resilient and potent.

Once God decided to create the universe, our solar system, Earth, and all of us creatures in it, He took a huge risk. And some would say it didn’t pay off for Him so well. He gave us our own will. We’re free to love Him. We’re not forced to love Him. And in order for us to be truly free to love Him…we must also be free to hate Him.

And billions do.

You think you’ve had it bad? Imagine never experiencing death and knowing you cannot be killed. Then imagine being willing to take on the form of those who hate you in order to take on the punishment they deserve. And that punishment is death.

For Jesus to be born, grow up and be killed on a cross, and then rise from the dead to show us what can look forward to if we choose Him…He must love us so much.

Is this a true story? Well, the Bible has stood the test of time and immense scrutiny for thousands of years. There were eyewitness accounts to the death and resurrection of Jesus. There’s an enormous amount of evidence that His story is true and that He really did take our punishment on Himself. And because He did that for me…He is the reality of faith for me. How about you? If this reality hasn’t found its way into your heart, while you still breathe, it’s not too late.

In Faith, Hope, and Love”

Tony Funderburk's signature can be found on almost all of his writing for kids.

 

Pursue Love

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In 1 Corinthians 14:1-40 the Apostle Paul goes in depth on the spiritual gift of tongues. My New King James Bible divides this passage into 4 sections…prophecy and tongues…tongues must be interpreted…tongues a sign to unbelievers…and…order in church meetings. On the surface it can seem a bit difficult to discern what Paul is talking about. But I believe all 40 verses are summed up in the first two words: pursue love.

I sense that Paul is still exhorting the Corinthians to stay focused on the message of salvation and love that has been given to them by the Grace from God. And, as a singer and musician, I like the musical references Paul uses to illustrate his points. He says “even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played?” You get that? If a flute sounds no different than a harp, what difference does it make which is played? And who would even know which one was being played?

We gotta pursue love first.

Because that’s how we get others to understand us. And that means speaking a language they can understand. Otherwise it’s just noise to them.

And this gets back to one of my earlier points…if we’re so focused on what’s on the Master’s table, and not the fact that we’re with the Master, we’ll merely make noise and look silly to unbelievers. I know, for me, I’d much rather spend 7 seconds with Jesus than to have a whole lifetime of spiritual gifts.

I want to pursue love and pass it on as best I can. And I’d like to encourage you to do the same. Not the all-you-need-is-love kind of love the Beatles sang about. But the love that comes from a heart full of gratitude for the Grace of God which surpasses everything. What do you think? Would you like to focus on that kind of love, too?

In Faith, Hope, and Love

Tony Funderburk's signature can be found on almost all of his writing for kids.

Night And Day

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Back in the 70’s, when I was a still a wide-eyed dreamer, I filled up lots of spiral notebooks with poems, stories, and lyrics to songs I’d write once I figured out a way around a piano. I’ve been going back over some of them in the past couple of days to see where my mind was. I’ve noticed that I wrote a lot of poems and songs with a romantic hue. And I don’t mean just lovey dovey romance, but the rose-colored glasses kind. One of my poem/songs popped up on my radar just now called “The Play of Night And Day”.

Next to the lyrics of the song I scribbled some chords to remind me of how the song would go. And as I read through it a few minutes ago, I could hear the tune in my head. It’s very light-hearted, optimistic, and a bit pushy at the same time. I’ll share the lyrics below, and you’ll see what parts night and day play in the play. Can I say “play in the play”? Whoops…I just did it again, so I hope so.

It’s funny to listen to the song in my head. It’s not a song I’d write nowadays at all. And it’s too silly to the older me. But the younger me was one of those guys who never missed a chance to laugh and look on the bright side. So, I’ll keep the tune in my head and see if I can get some of that bounce back in my spirit. See if it works on you…

The Play of Night and Day

And when the curtain falls again
Where will you be?
Will you be saying your lines to me?
Or will you take yourself to another play?
I don’t think I want to hear the things you say.
Oh sleepy sun won’t you get out of bed?
You’ve had the whole night to clear your head.
You’ve got a day of work that needs to be done.
Get out of bed, if you will, oh sleepy sun.
Fight off the clouds
I don’t think we need them around.
There’s plenty of water on the ground,
But ask them to say that they’ll come another day.
So surely they will go away today.
Let’s have a happy time.
Let’s laugh and sing and dance…
Throw caution to the wind,
And show the world our romance.
Hey happy moon…will we be seeing you tonight?
Will you be lending all the world your silver light?
Your generous love is hard to define.
Oh Heaven help me keep the love that I call mine.

Stay tuned,

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Tiny Boat

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The world is a very serious place to me now. I know my writing and songwriting reflect this serious perspective, but they didn’t always. And I don’t wanna let the doom and gloom dominate my thoughts. So I figured I’d just start tossing in a bunch of my carefree writing from recent days and yesterdays. I came across a little poem I wrote way back in April of 1974 called “Tiny Boat”, and as I read it, I began to see some of the same word pictures I saw the day I wrote it.

I remembered how one day in the spring of that year I had been lying down on some very soft meadow grass in East central Kansas. A feathery wind had whisked across my face, through my hair, and tickled my ears all afternoon. As fate (the fate I created each time I went out) would have it…I had my trusty 19 cent Bic pen and spiral notebook with me.

For some reason, as I closed my eyes to think, I remembered a Sunday drive with my Grandparents and Uncle and Aunt. I’ve shared a bit of that story on a podcast episode. On that drive we went out into the countryside in rural Oklahoma. We crossed a large steel spanned bridge, and I looked down through the metal beams and could swear I saw a tiny boat with tiny people on it.

Well, my family had quite a laugh out of it, but I knew what I saw. Fast forward about 20 years to 1974, and there I was lying on the grass with a poem forming in my head. It’s not an awesome poem. It’s a simple collection of thoughts from a more carefree time. And I thought I’d share it with you here, today. If you have thoughts from a more carefree time, I invite you to share them with me in the comments section below.

Tiny Boat

I laid in the meadow grass soft as feathers.
I let the wind blow through my hair,
And I didn’t try to get my thoughts together.
I whistled a song called “Tiny Boat”…
A pretty, little melody…
And then I remembered the words to it
And I sang it cheerfully:

“With sails so white…and wood so strong
You let the wind help you along.
Is it my love that makes you float?
If so, I love you Tiny Boat.
Tiny Boat, sailing rivers by the trees.
Pretty, tiny boat…
Take me with you please.”

Now, maybe you don’t know me well enough to buy something from me, yet. Ok, let’s change that. Get to know more about me and my worldview. Join the growing body of believers who’ve signed up for the Tony’s Daily Devotional . And bask in daily, delightful flashes of light from the power of God’s love.

Stay tuned…

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Words And Music of Faith Hope And Love Podcast Episode 21

Tony Funderburk Posted on by
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Podcast Episode 21 is available for listening or downloading. Click the blue button to hear words and music of faith hope and love or follow links and read the articles.

As you start your week…

I know you’re beginning to formulate plans for Thanksgiving next week. And I hope you take some time to stop and thank God for even being able to celebrate this holiday. And if you have some extra time and would like to know more about why we celebrate Thanksgiving, I encourage you to read the real story of what the Pilgrims went through to get here to America.

It’s an eye-opening and spirit-lifting tale of heroic proportions. Fortunately we can celebrate our faith, hope, and love without much worry of whether or not half our families will die this winter. That’s just one of the countless blessings we can be thankful for. And I’m thankful and grateful for my readers and listeners. Stay tuned, and I’ll keep sharing.

Now…here’s what you’ll find in this week’s podcast.
I shared articles about:

Stay tuned,

Tony Funderburk's signature can be found on almost all of his writing for kids.

Distinct Types

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When I use the term “distinct types” I’m not describing someone’s prowess, agility, or style on computer keys or a typewriter.

You're one of those Distinct Types so many scientists are talking about.

The world is full of distinct types of organisms…in other words recognizably different from other organisms. Scientists have a whole classification table where these distinctions are clearly illustrated.

What’s that you say? So what? Yeah, I agree it’s not the most exciting tidbit of information you’re likely to come across today…or this week…or maybe even this year. But it IS pretty exciting when you think about how wonderfully this ties in with what the Bible says on this subject: plants and animals and every living thing would yield more “according to its kind”. And that’s just what we observe in nature.

If evolution could explain our existence, we could expect to see living transitional organisms. If every living thing had the same origin, it wouldn’t be a stretch to expect to find all sorts of creatures progressing into other types of creatures. But we don’t see that…even though many evolutionary scientists hold out hope for those finds.

What we can observe in all of nature is that we always get dogs from dogs, cats from cats, deer from deer, and bats from bats. (couldn’t resist the rhyme)

Unless humans interfere, there are no gradual transitional types. And not surprisingly…when humans do interfere, the results are almost always freaky mutations that don’t survive.

What distresses me about this is how many decent people will perish for lack of knowledge and understanding. And I use the term “decent” from a worldly perspective only. Denying the existence of God isn’t decent. It’s foolish. Their own rebellion against their Creator will take them away from truth…away from a fuller, richer, knowledge of who we are  and why it matters.

You’re an amazing design of God. Not only does that make you a distinct type of organism…it also makes you a distinct type of individual. You’re the only one exactly like you the world is ever gonna see. So please don’t condemn your soul to an eternal existence apart from God. You’re given the freedom to choose. I urge you to choose Life. If I’m wrong, you can make fun of me all you want. If I’m not…it truly is a matter of life and death.

In Faith, Hope, and Love”

Tony Funderburk's signature can be found on almost all of his writing for kids.

Tony Funderburk Posted on by

1 Corinthians 13:1-13
The Greatest of These Is Love

I’m gonna show you how 13 is the luckiest number in the world. My proof is found in 1 Corinthians 13:13. There you’ll discover the core message of the whole Bible” “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three: but the greatest of these is love.”

If you don’t believe the message of the Bible, then I can see how it would sound like nothing more than a fairy tale. But the truth is, God created the world and offers salvation to every person through the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

And you might unfortunately stumble upon most TV ministries and get the impression that Christianity is all about prosperity and “spiritual gifts”. I know if I wasn’t a believer, I’d see those so-called evangelists and draw the conclusion that Christianity is just another snake oil scam.

There are many on TV and radio who spend 90% of their time talking about the life-changing gifts of speaking in tongues, or prophetic utterances, or being a “faith giant”and “moving mountains””and how you’ll receive these gifts too, if you’ll only sow some seeds into their ministries.

The other 10% of their time, they talk about all the good they’re doing with the seeds you’ve sown. All this strays away from the writings of Paul, the “apostle to the Gentiles”, whose words redirect the emphasis”

” “the greatest of these is love”

Paul says if I speak with the tongues of men and of angels but I don’t have love”I’m just making noise. Also, he said that even if I prophesy and understand all mysteries and knowledge and even if I have faith that can move mountains”if I don’t have love, I’m nothing. Paul goes on to say that even if I give all I have to feed the poor, but I don’t have love”it profits me nothing. Because all things without love become nothing.

Then, leading up to 1 Corinthians 13:13 Paul describes and defines love. It’s the most beautiful description of love you’ll find anywhere. I urge you to read that passage. It’s for everyone”believers and non-believers alike.

In a nutshell it says that love endures without envy and arrogance. Love isn’t rude or selfish. And love doesn’t wear its heart out on its sleeve and doesn’t sit around thinking evil thoughts. Love is moral and true. Love bears, believes, and hopes all things”and love never fails.

Paul clearly illustrates how our focus should be on love and not spiritual gifts. So, he says “whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.”

To come to Master’s table merely for what’s on the table is childish. It’s time to “put away childish things”. It’s time to love our neighbor even as we are loved by our Creator. I have faith in God, hope for His soon return, and love for Him and all He’s done for me. But the greatest of these is love.

Stay tuned,

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

If you hang out with kids long enough, you’re bound to get a question like, “Why is the sky blue?”

If and when you get a question like that, do you have a good answer? You could give a scientific reply with facts like how the blue light waves are shorter and therefore there are more of them visible as they get scattered on the air molecules all across the sky. That would be logical, reasonable, and sound.

Or you could give a fairy tale answer like…the angels dive into the ocean and get blue water all over their wings. Then they fly back back up and shake off the water and it floats all across the sky. Kids’ imaginations will do the rest of the work. There’s nothing wrong with this sort of explanation. It’s fun. It’s creative. And it gets little minds churning. Of course, it’s a good idea to give them a “better” reason as soon as you can see they’re able to understand.

But here’s a third (and I believe most important) answer. The next time you hear “why is the sky blue?”…think of this rhyme:

Why?

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

Cause God made skies. He made them blue.
He made the world for me and you
And all because it pleased Him to.
God loves us through and through.

Why is a horse fast? Why is a snail slow?
Why does it get cold when Northern winds blow?
Why is the sea green? Why is the sand white?
Why is the day day? Why is the night night?

Cause God made creatures big and small,
And sand and seas; He made them all.
And even if we trip and fall
God helps us to stand tall.

God’s love is always there.
His love will never die.
And so you can trust in Him
For all your questions why…

IYou should jump on the The TRUTH and be part of the growing band of ne’er-do-wells who understand that life has Rhyme and Reason because God made us.

Stay tuned,

Tony Funderburk's signature can be found on almost all of his writing for kids.

Tony Funderburk Posted on by

Tell me about your big ideas, dreams, and plans” and I’ll tell you about a more excellent way.

Tell me about your awards, scholastic achievements, and trophies”and I’ll tell you about a more excellent way.

Tell me about how you can speak three languages, programs computers, and engineer bridges”and I’ll tell you about a more excellent way.

Tell me about your philosophical meanderings, your cataclysmic discoveries, your geographical conquests”and I’ll tell you about a more excellent way.

Tell me about your keen eye for detail, your sharp ear for nuances, your acute awareness of your surroundings”and I’ll tell you about a more excellent way.

Tell me about your world-changing inventions, your modern machinery, your miracle medicines”and I’ll tell you about a more excellent way.

Tell me about your diplomacy, diversity, and democracy”

and I’ll tell you about a more excellent way.

Tell me about your physical prowess, your endurance abilities, and your driven personality”and I’ll tell you about a more excellent way.

Tell me how you can prophesy, or speak in tongues, or heal people with your hands”and I’ll tell you about a more excellent way.

Tell me you have all these things. Tell me you have these things and more. Tell me you have the world on a string”and I’ll tell you about a more excellent way.

If you have the whole universe at your disposal, and you don’t have love, you have nothing. Your things will come to no thing nothing.

Stay tuned,

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

Every day we face the cold, hard truth in this world. Whether we like it or not…whether we prefer to think positive or be negative…whether we see the glass as half full or half empty…the cold, hard truth is…

…it’s a mean world.

And this ain’t new stuff. If you’ve been alive here on planet earth for three decades or more, you’ve seen it year after year. In fact, I wrote a song about it over 22 years ago. The harsh reality is that the same stuff I wrote about in the song is going on now. In spades.

But I encourage you to look into the information found in the Bible. If it’s true and trustworthy (and it is), there’s a secret weapon you can get for yourself to be an ultimate winner. If you’d like to know what that secret weapon is, contact me. Till then…here are the lyrics to:

Cold Hard Truth

You face the future like a heart attack.
Your palms are sweaty; you’re a jumping jack.
Can’t believe the world has come this far,
And still we’re living on a dying star.

You put your faith into the promised land.
You feed the dog and still he bites your hand.
Maybe you decide you have no choice,
But you just need to learn to raise your voice.

Be unrelenting like the tiger’s tooth
And face the cold hard truth!

We hear the speeches; see the banners wave.
They sell the dreams of all the lives they’ll save.
But in between the lines are pretty lies.
They seem so right behind that straight disguise.

No reason it can never happen here.
This is the place and time to face your fear.
Financial plans end up rhetorical.
The errors made aren’t simply clerical.

Be never-yielding like the tiger’s tooth
And face the cold hard truth!

Spoon-feed the apathy and watch it grow into the cold hard truth,
And if you never care, then you will never know…

It’s such a cold hard truth…cold hard truth!

You see the party junkies everywhere.
Behind their buzz you’ll find a long, blank stare.
Their windows shut; another right goes by
Without them ever realizing why!

Live for the weekend and the gin and vermouth
And face the cold hard truth!

Endangered species aren’t the only ones who face the cold hard truth.
We’re gazing straight into the paper guns
Through all the cold hard truth…cold hard truth!

© Tony Funderburk 1991

In Faith, Hope, and Love”

Tony Funderburk's signature can be found on almost all of his writing for kids.

I Do Not Want You To Be Ignorant

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When it comes to the word of God, I do not want to be ignorant…and I do not want you to be ignorant.

That’s also something Paul said to the Corinthians in his first letter to them. 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 has a subtitle (in my NKJ Bible) that says “Spiritual Gifts: Unity in Diversity”. The “unity” part is of vital importance.

A lot of Christians like to use these verses to show how Paul extolled the “diversities of gifts”. And they like to spend a great deal of time on the matter of the gifts. But stick with me a moment. I believe Paul is actually leading up to something much better than speaking in tongues or getting a “word of knowledge” or “working of miracles” or power of prophecy.

If you simply take these 11 verses out of context and make a pretext for doctrine, I believe you’re missing a most beautiful point. In the verses that follow and lead into the next chapter Paul shares vivid illustrations I found so rich and compassionate that they form the foundation of my words, music, and this whole website.

I do not want you to be ignorant of the fullness of love Paul is sharing, and in my next couple of articles on 1 Corinthians, I’ll take you further down the path Paul laid out for us. I think you’re gonna love it.

In Faith, Hope, and Love

Tony Funderburk's signature can be found on almost all of his writing for kids.

Words And Music of Faith Hope and Love Podcast 20

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After a week off, Podcast Episode 20 is available for listening or downloading. Click the blue button to hear words and music of faith hope and love or follow links and read the articles.

As you start your week…

Think about how you can benefit someone else without expecting something in return. Of course, you can’t (and don’t need to) give away the farm, so to speak, but surely there are ways you can offer a hand or kind words. And your tender mercies will not be for nothing.

Maybe you could even do something for someone in memory of and to honor a service man or woman this Veteran’s Day. I’d like to personally thank everyone who has sacrificially served our country so that I could sit here at my computer and write my thoughts to you. It’s a great privilege to live in a society where we’re still free enough to express our opinions and worldview. Let’s not take that for granted and simply give it away.

Now…here’s what you’ll find in this week’s podcast.
I shared articles about:

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Tony Funderburk's signature can be found on almost all of his writing for kids.

Vital Organs Really Are Vital

Tony Funderburk Posted on by

Vital organs are, by definition, absolutely necessary.

You don't live long without your vital organs.

In other words, if you’re missing a vital organ, there’s a good chance you’re missing the rest of your life. And if that’s vitally important to you, read on…

Have you ever noticed how all species appear on the scene fully developed? Does it matter to you? I think it should, but maybe that’s just me. Anyway…
you never find a partially developed species…in the fossil records, or anywhere else on the planet for that matter.

Imagine if a lizard was evolving into a bird. The poor lizard would have to endure some considerable hardships while its legs developed into wings. In fact, how fit would the lizard be to survive if it was hobbling around on a leg that hadn’t evolved into a fully developed wing yet? If you ask me (and I realize you didn’t), the lizard would be a sitting duck for predators…so to speak. Please don’t quote me as saying a lizard is a duck.

And that example is just a leg. Humans and animals can survive without a leg or legs. So that makes them not vital to life. But vital organs really are vital. That’s why they’re called that.

Fortunately you were designed with all your vital organs…fully developed and ready for about 75 years (on average) of non-stop use. You’re an awesome feat of engineering…not merely a random string of events. You didn’t evolve, and you don’t have to evolve into anything better. Your designer loves you just the way you are.

In Faith, Hope, and Love”

Tony Funderburk's signature can be found on almost all of his writing for kids.

Tony Funderburk Posted on by

“If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home.” That quote from 1 Corinthians doesn’t sound very hospitable does it?

There are plenty of times in Paul’s writings where he sounds a wee bit harsh. At least if you take it out of context and try to apply what he’s saying to everyday life. But if you zoom out a bit and see what he’s actually talking about and why, it’s easier to understand the love in his heart for his fellow man. And it’s easier to see why Paul wants us to really pay attention.

In 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 Paul is talking to the people of the church about The Lord’s Supper. It appears the people weren’t gathering to share “The Lord’s Supper”. They seemed to be using the time as an excuse to merely dine and drink. Paul got a little irate and asked “What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in?” That’s like someone today saying “Dude! You should do this at home! Don’t party here.”

If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home.

This means…if you’re merely hungry for a meal, stay home and make a sandwich. But if you’re hungry for the Bread of Life, then by all means enjoy the Lord’s Supper together. But the Lord’s Supper isn’t about mere bread and wine that goes bad. It’s about the body and blood of the One who came to earth as a man…suffered and died for the sins of all mankind…and rose again to be the “firstborn from the dead”.

If you’re hungry for that Truth, you should be a part of that supper. But if you’re just hungry, order a pizza, stay home, and watch a movie.

In Faith, Hope, and Love”

Tony Funderburk's signature can be found on almost all of his writing for kids.

Tony Funderburk Posted on by

Complex molecules make up every little bit of your body. Your DNA is so complex it boggles the mind. And it’s so unique that you’re the only one exactly like you. Well…aren’t you something?!

Now, don’t get the “big head” full of complex molecules over this revelation.

The same could be true of every other person on the planet. So “you” means any person who happens to be reading this at this moment. Still…it’s an awesome thing to ponder.

And while you’re pondering that…eyeball this. Your eye. See if you can wrap your retinas around this: if you tried to simulate, on a computer, just 10 milliseconds of the complete processing of a single nerve cell from one retina, here’s what your computer would have to be able to do.

It would have to be able to solve 500 simultaneous nonlinear differential equations 100 times. Remember…that’s every 10 milliseconds…and it’s only one nerve cell in one retina. That would require a super duper supercomputer. Now…when you consider that there are “10 million or more such cells interacting with each other in complex ways, it would take a minimum of 100 years of [1985] Cray time to simulate what takes place in your eye many times every second.” *

And that’s just one eye. In case you hadn’t noticed…a lot of people have two.

Here’s a couple more little facts about complex molecules and organs…just in case that last tidbit didn’t impress you. An adult human brain contains 1014 electrical connections. That’s a hundred thousand billion, and it’s more than all the soldered electrical connections in the whole world. And that’s one brain. And take the heart…it’s only about 10 ounces, and it’s a pump that keeps pumping on its own for about 75 years. Now that’s complex.

But of course, you can still pass this off as serendipitous fate if you want to. But as I always say…give me God. I’d much rather take my “chance” with Him than mere chance and circumstance.

Get my Tony’s Daily Devotional . Because the flashes of light I share on my website come directly to your inbox. So you can spend your valuable time reading instead of searching. And, to show my sincere appreciation for your time and attention, I’ll send you download links to books and music, right away. Kids from 3 to 103 can enjoy these fun goodies.

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If A Man Has Long Hair

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If a man has long hair, is he disgraced in the eyes of God?

Is it disgraceful if a man has long hair?

No. In 1 Corinthians 11:1-16 Paul talks quite a bit about hair…on men and women. But is it truly the length of hair that Paul is concerned with? No. It’s actually our “covering”. In the New King James version of the Bible, you can see subtitles for sections, and the subtitle for this section is “Head Coverings”.

Do you suppose God truly cares about the length of hair a person has? Again, I say an emphatic “no!”. Read the verses and really pay attention to what Paul lines out, and you’ll see what I mean. He illustrates a hierarchy: “the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God”. A few lines down he adds “for a man…is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of man”.

Then Paul adds a point that backs up the creation of man and woman: “for a man is not from woman, but woman from man. Nor was man created for the woman, but woman for the man”.

OK, men…before you think this is a license to dominate the women, stop. Think for a moment about how God sees us. Men AND women were created by God. He loves us equally, and we have equal value in His eyes. But God knows that no relationship can flourish when everyone’s in charge. So, He put man “in charge” of woman (so to speak), and men are to have authority over women only inasmuch as men are willing to submit to God’s authority.

In other words…God is the covering for men, and men are to be the covering for women. And Paul adds a vitally key point: “nevertheless, neither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord“.

We need each other. And there isn’t one man or one woman who can thrive in this life apart from that truth. And when Paul mentions “if a man has long hair”, he doesn’t do it to say long hair is wrong or a sin. He’s telling us the man shouldn’t be the woman. And the woman shouldn’t be the man.

Of course, nowadays that’s neither politically correct to mention nor even tolerated by the beautifully tolerant. But “the world” doesn’t determine Truth. That’s a gift from God.

Now, pardon me while I go comb my hair and trim my beard.

In Faith, Hope, and Love”

Tony Funderburk's signature can be found on almost all of his writing for kids.

A Fruit Fly Is A Fruit Fly Is A Fruit Fly

Tony Funderburk Posted on by

Fruit flies have a very short life span. You probably already knew that. But did you also know that scientists have been breeding fruit flies for a hundred years or so? And that they’ve observed over 3,000 consecutive generations? And guess what conclusion they’ve reached after all that…yep…a fruit fly is a fruit fly is a fruit fly.

A Fruit Fly is a fruit fly is a fruit fly. Orange you glad I didn't say banana.

Through all those generations they never observed (or observe) any mutations leading to another organism in any way. In fact, scientist after scientist published findings that said things like “they have never yet seen the emergence of a new organism or even a new enzyme”.

In fact, the more mutations found in the fruit flies, the less viable that generation becomes. It reminds me of when we used to record cassette tapes directly from vinyl albums. (yes, I’ve been around that long) The first cassette was a decent recording, albeit not as high fidelity as the album. But if we took that same cassette and made a cassette copy, the quality was very noticeably deteriorated. And all that extra “hiss” lead to the invention of digital recordings and CD’s.

That’s an over-simplified example of how mutations are detrimental…not beneficial. And when you compare the simple design of a cassette to the complex design of even the tiny fruit fly, it shouldn’t take a geneticist to see where that leads.

No known mutation has ever produced something more complex than the organism in which it originated. And that’s why a fruit fly is a fruit fly is a fruit fly. And the same is true for you and I. (I know it should be “me”, but then it wouldn’t rhyme)

Fruit flies only live about 11 days. They’re yet another reason why God’s existence can so clearly be seen.

In Faith, Hope, and Love”

Tony Funderburk's signature can be found on almost all of his writing for kids.

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