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Just imagine if God said something like this: I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live…

Wow, that almost sounds like God says you can choose between life and death.

But there are a lot of people who call themselves Christians, who say that everything that happens is part of God’s plan. And they say that includes who will live forever and who won’t. And they say there’s nothing you can do to change it because it’s all part of God’s will. In other words, you can’t choose because God already chose your destiny for you.

But that statement, I said to imagine that God said, IS something God actually DID say. In the book of Deuteronomy in the Bible. And it shows a much more loving God who wants you and me to be able to freely love him. Because true love must be freely given. Otherwise, everyone is just a robot who can only do what we’re programmed to do.

But I don’t believe that for even a nanosecond. Because I’ve read too many beautiful passages in the Bible that completely contradict that kind of a creator. The power of God’s love is revealed on just about every page in every book of the Bible. Old Testament. And New Testament.

That’s why a few years ago I shared a bullet list of why I love life. Here’s what I said…

I love life and the opportunity to live it.

I love the:

  • smooth sailing,
  • trials and tribulations
  • growing up,
  • gaining knowledge,
  • gaining friends,
  • awards and rewards,
  • challenges and failures,
  • clouds and sunshine,
  • joy and laughter,
  • pain and redemption, and
  • words and music…

Those are all components that help make up this journey through life. It’s not a two part journey. It’s a two place journey. And I’m eager and privileged to participate in both. This place we’re in right now is amazing and difficult. The next place will be unfathomably kinetic, energizing, and joyous. More reasons why I love life.

But the next place won’t be like that for everyone.

That’s a shame because it’s really not difficult to achieve. You just need to believe. But here’s another bullet list of where you should not place your faith:

  • Dreams
  • Yourself.
  • a “force”
  • The “law of attraction”
  • Internal spirits
  • Mohammed
  • Confucious
  • Buddha
  • Allah
  • Oprah
  • Obama
  • and least of all, satan

Put your faith only in Jesus. I’m sure thankful I did that a long time ago. Because that one name is the key to choosing between life and death.

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

No doubt about it. It’s how you started in this life. Empty-handed. And no matter what you do or don’t do, with your life, it will end that very same way.

But empty-handed doesn’t have to equal branded and stranded.

Yeah, despite what some people will tell you, God did not already decide who will go to Heaven, and who will go to hell. In fact, He made the way (Jesus IS the Way) for anybody and everybody to go to Heaven and live forever. Well, I should clarify that, of course. Because there is a condition (sorry, not sorry, if that interferes with the silly notion of unconditional love). Anybody and everybody who believes in Jesus can look forward to living forever in Heaven.

Everybody else? Not so much.

So, it most definitely DOES come down to which you will choose. Life? Or the alternative?

When you reach that final empty-handed moment in your life, you prepare to meet your Creator…

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.   © 2020

Here’s why I bring it up.

Because you’ll even find Christians, all over social media, who will tell you that what I just said is incorrect. They will say clichés like:

  • God is sovereign in His decisions over life and death.
  • God’s plan was established before the foundation of the world
  • He never changes
  • You have no say over where you will spend eternity

But here’s the thing. All you have to do to find out those ideas aren’t biblical read the Bible. Just that simple. For example, Deuteronomy 30:19 clearly says: “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life…”

If you have no choice in the matter, why would God say something like that? Hmm…

I’ll leave you to ponder that until we meet again. In the meantime, if you haven’t already…

Get my Tony’s Rhyme and Reason 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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So, I’m sitting at my desk. And I found this in-depth review of my website. Part of it said:

Tony Funderburk’s website paints a picture of a man who is:

  • Boldly Convicted: Unapologetic about his Christian beliefs, he uses his platform to proclaim his faith and values.
  • Creatively Versatile: As a writer, musician, and illustrator, he blends media to craft a unique, engaging experience.
  • Emotionally Authentic: His heartfelt content reflects a genuine desire to connect with his audience.

In short, https://www.TonyFunderburk.com is a cozy, faith-filled corner of the web. And a space where Tony, the “#1 Righteous Rhymester,” shares his preacher-poet perspective through rhythm, rhyme, and relatable stories. Made for those who enjoy God-centric content with a playful twist.

Yeah, that defines why I’m at my desk alright.

Because I care about YOU. And I care about what’s gonna happen to you. Not just today. Every day. And that includes all the days that flow into an endless future. Because you DO have an endless future. And eternal life and death are yours for the choosing. So, I suggest this:

Choose Life

Well you hid your heart in a so-called safe place,
And you locked your love in a big, black box,
And you had no hope,
But you built your brave face,
And you ran your rat race…through the tics and tocs.

Well, the bluebells bloomed in ideal intentions
As you tilled the truth into lifelong lies,
And you dug in deep making many mentions
Of your pretty pensions…always alibis.

You can’t run away from real truth.
And every word of truth is a knife.
A captivating voice might pigeonhole your choice,
Cut free…and choose life.

When your daydreams die and you feel half-hearted,
And your love is lost in a soulless sky,
Try to train your thoughts when your brain’s bombarded
By the stuff you started, learn to love the lie.

Choose life…choose life…choose life  © 2013

If you wanna talk about it, I’ll probably right here at my desk. Email me.

Speaking of email, your email address is all it takes to get encouraging, regular issues of my Tony’s Rhyme and Reason Daily Devotional. It comes directly to your inbox so you 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 2 of my Christian books for kids and 2 songs, right away, that grownups AND kids can enjoy.

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

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Imagine yourself walking up to two big doors one cold morning in January. The door on the left is pure craftsmanship. It’s a rich, cobalt blue with pure silver handles and hinges. There’s a leaded crystal, mirrored window just high enough that you can only see the top of your head. The door on the right appears to be made of old, cracked, and peeling barn wood. The hardware is rusted, including large, bent nails protruding out next to the edges. There’s a clear window next to the top crosspiece with a fascinating red and white light glowing from within. You’re unsure which door to open to go inside and warm yourself, when suddenly a voice like a professional radio announcer says…

“Enter the door on the left, come inside, and relax. Everything your heart desires will be yours. Many servants await your arrival. Your comfort is their command. And your happiness is their pursuit.”

Your slightly hesitant hand turns the knob. But, then, another voice quietly whispers…

“Please, at least look inside the door on the right before you make your choice. There are no servants inside. But you’ll find someone who will walk with you and talk with you and listen to your problems day and night. He’ll ask you to work with him. But he’ll also bring you bread and wine, and you’ll never be hungry or thirsty again.”

So. Your choices are to work or be served. Which would you choose?

Well, the door on the left opens into a world made just for YOU.

And it’s a world where you’re more important than anyone else. Your needs will be attended to before anyone else’s. You will be a king, or queen (the only two choices). And there will be none like you. Interested? Come on, now. Be honest. You’re tempted, right? It’s OK to admit it. Everyone else who’s ever lived, lives now, or will ever live knows the same temptation.

Because it’s beguiling to believe the lies you concoct about yourself. And it’s alluring to allow yourself to experience every pleasure. It’s almost irresistible to invite those inner voices to seduce you to surrender.

Now, what if I told you the door on the right opens into the love of God? Yes, it’s a place where you’ll work if you want to eat. Sometimes you might have to work so hard you feel you can’t go on. But it’s also a place where you’ll find rest. A rest that brings you the eternal life that can’t be found anywhere else in the universe.

How do you decide which door to open and go inside? Think big picture. NO, bigger!

Think outside the box of your life here on planet Earth.

The years you spend inside your aging, dying body are but a vapor when compared to eternity. Yes, eternity is the big picture. Where do you want to be FOREVER?

Maybe you don’t want my advice. But I recommend you choose to walk into the love of God.

Because He’s your only source of eternal life. And here’s something crucial to understand. God loves you so much He gives you your own will. You get to choose. He knows you might not choose Him. But He also knows that if He didn’t give you the freedom to choose, it wouldn’t be true love. So what do you choose?

Like the whispering voice said, “please, at least look inside the door on the right”. It’s the right choice. If the love of God, and living forever, sounds good to you. Don’t enter the door on the left where, like Seals and Crofts sang, you’ll be the miserable “king of nothing.”

Instead…

Do Right and risk the consequences.
Do Right, and don’t you stand on fences.
Yeah, whatever you do, with all of your might…Do Right.

Take a second and join the growing body of believers who’ve already signed up for the Tony’s Rhyme and Reason Daily Devotional. When you do, I’ll send you some music and a book for kids right away. Then, I’ll send you daily flashes of light from the faith, hope, and the power of God’s love.

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

It’s not just weird. It’s a shameful commentary on the education system that people don’t understand there shouldn’t be a need for an “abortion ban.” Because it should be crystal clear that murder is wrong. Always has been. Always will be. And abortion is the murder of an innocent baby. It’s not a woman’s “right to choose” whether a baby lives or dies.

You don’t have a right to choose murder.

And every “successful” abortion kills at least one person. Sometimes two.

And every abortion seriously damages lives…or destroys them.

I know this is an uncomfortable topic. I thoroughly hate writing about it. Especially since I put it on a blog that publishes onto the world wide web where people far and wide can despise me. But we live in a time when most people won’t even talk about it in the privacy of their own homes.

So, there you go.

But here’s the thing. So many millions and millions of Americans (and people around the world) have experienced the extreme guilt and sadness of “a woman’s right to choose.”

But don’t expect an “abortion ban” to change the hardened hearts of millions of others. And those hearts are so hardened that people will actually cheer a presidential candidate because he’s willing to support the killing of fewer unborn babies than his opponent.

But that last statement doesn’t really represent the truth. Because when you say you’re against abortion with exceptions, it means you support abortion. At least enough to never ban it.

And that’s where we are in America.

The people who claim to be members of the most Christian political party support (and even applaud) many things God says are abominable. All in the name of “inclusion.” And all for getting enough votes to beat the opposing political power.

I left out the words democrat and republican on purpose. Because you could put either word in either part of those statements, and it would still be true.

Well, thankfully my JOY is not (and never will be) found in this world. True JOY only comes when you know Jesus Owns You. And His grace is sufficient for me to get through all the bad (and stupid) news of each and every day. And it’s my right to choose to believe that.

Now, my recommendation to you, if you’re not already doing it, is to…

Jump into Jesus JOY,
Every girl and every boy.
Let is splash over you.
Enjoy what His JOY can do.

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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From the moment you were conceived you took on the human form. Not that body you’re walking around in now. The body that has endured the harsh rays of sun, drops of rain, sheets of ice, and blasts of wind.

No, your human form started as one, tiny cell.

But here’s something you might not have thought about. Even before you were that one, tiny cell you were an idea in the mind of God.

Boom! Let that one sink in a second or two.

You. Were. Not. An. Accident.

But sadly, and shamefully, millions of people have bought into the everything-from-nothing fairy tale. And so, if some cell just happened to appear in a woman’s womb, that doesn’t mean it’s anything special. After all, that happens literally every day.

And every day, according to everything-from-nothing fairy tale believers, people just have to choose to leave the tiny cell alone and see what happens. Or NOT.

Yeah, this life is full of choices. And that tiny cell, inside a woman’s womb, is just one of them.

But we’re human beings. And we live in a world full of sin and temptation. So, we choose the stupid things. A LOT. Have you noticed this in your life. I know I have in mine.

Some bad choices have little or no consequences.

For example, you could wear a plaid shirt with striped pants. Sure, you’d look like a dork. But besides a little embarrassment, nobody gets hurt. Or you could have a third cup of coffee on an empty stomach, if you’re willing to deal with some backtalk from your stomach. But no big deal. Right?

Because nobody else is affected.

But when your choice causes someone else to suffer negative consequences, that’s a huge line you just crossed. And there’s NO justification for that choice when consequences include death.

Advocates of the so-called “pro-choice” movement are moving away from that label. Because they know it doesn’t measure up to the term “pro life.” After all, what does pro-choice mean in just about all circumstances? It means an unborn baby will be murdered with the mother’s consent.

In the vast majority of cases where a pregnant woman goes into an abortion clinic, a death occurs.

But the death is almost never the mother. It’s almost always an unborn baby who was given no opportunity for choice whatsoever. What’s “pro-choice” about that? And don’t even start to say “it’s a women’s health issue. Since when did it become necessary to kill an unborn baby, that tiny human form inside its mother’s womb, to assure a woman’s health?

Yes, life is full of choices.

Don’t you wish they were just choices about which job you take? Or what kind of car to buy? Or whether or not you’ll wear plaid with stripes?

If you’re reading this, you’re a person. You’ve been a person your whole life. And your whole life began at the beginning. And even if you can’t say for sure when that beginning was, you know, without a doubt, the human form you now inhabit, had a beginning.

Simple, easy logic. Someone I know would call that pure Rhyme and Reason.

Former President, Ronald Reagan, is quoted as saying something like: “I notice everybody that is for abortion has already been born.” Yeah, you’ve already been born. Because someone nurtured that tiny human form that turned into the one and only YOU.

Why not let others enjoy that right to life?

If you support abortion, I encourage you to stop being so selfish. You’re not more special than those other people who are being killed every day because horrible choices.

So, here’s a “crazy” idea.

Let’s make “choice” a beautiful word again. Choose to live. And to let live. Sure, life can be tough. But not as tough as what abortion does to tiny human forms.

Choose life. And that’s what I call a PRO CHOICE.

Everyone has a right to life, a gift from God before it even starts.
Everyone has a right to life. Your right is wrong when it stops innocent hearts.

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Whoa! The strawberry alarm clock just went off. And it’s a good thing, too. Because now the song “Incense and Peppermints” is wafting through the air. Psychedelic, man. We gotta get outta this place. If it’s the last thing we ever do. Hey, I just inserted the words “ignorance and selfishness” in the song. And I gotta say, I don’t hate it.

I’m glad I don’t hate it. Because I’d much rather talk about peace, love, and joy.

So, enjoy some incense and peppermints while I elucidate, illustrate, and annotate.

First, here’s the positive part of the news. God’s love is greater than all the hatred of the world. His love overcomes and endures forever. His love made a way for you to live forever, too. Now that’s awesome news!

Second, unfortunately the world is so full of hatred that most people could’t care less about God’s love.

From abortion to euthanasia to outright unbridled murder, there’s a bloodlust in this world that is unsustainable. Thankfully, God’s love will eventually put that to an end.

But, let’s say you don’t believe in God. And since you don’t believe in Him you certainly don’t trust Him. In that case, you’ve got some research to do. Because there’s an almost infinite amount of evidence that He’s real. And there’s a ton of evidence that He’s willing to love even YOU.

For example, you have your own will.

So, God didn’t make you one of His robots who can do nothing except His bidding. This is an important point for you to understand. Because it means you get to choose whether or not you want to live with God forever. And that’s why I said you’ve got some research to do. By the way, I recommend you don’t put that research off too long. It’s a limited time offer, so to speak.

He loves you and wants to show you eternal paradise. But He won’t force you there if you don’t want to go. And in spite of what some people might tell you, your fate wasn’t sealed before you were born.

I encourage you to at least consider the options I talk about. And I’ve talked about those options, in one way or another, thousands of times. And that’s just here on the website. I’ve talked about ’em way more times out there in the real world.

So get yourself some incense and peppermints and relax.

But then, choose life before the dark and dreary hatred of the world chews you up and spits you into hell.

Yes, Give me words…give me courage…
Give me time and a powerful voice.
And when many still may hate me,
Give me Your love and I’ll always rejoice.

(lyrics from my song: Give Me The Whole Jesus)

© 2010

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