Tag Archives: the grace of Jesus

Tony Funderburk Posted on by

Paul said Christians need to admonish one another. That might sound harsh. But he wrote this in his letter to the Colossians: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

But don’t misunderstand Paul’s meaning when he said to admonish one another.

On the surface, it might sound like he’s telling us to, according to the dictionary:

  • give someone a telling-off
  • give someone a dressing-down
  • bawl out
  • blow up
  • lay into
  • give someone an earful
  • rap over the knuckles
  • slap someone’s wrist

But check that verse again. Because Paul said to first let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom. Then he said, teaching AND admonishing one another. And then look at his recommended method. You should use psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. And you should sing with Grace in your heart to the Lord.

So, does that sound like you’re telling someone off? Or like you gotta bawl somebody out? Or give someone an earful while you slap their wrist?

Nay, Nay, I say.

I know when I sing with grace, it doesn’t mean I don’t convey a strong (and sometimes convicting) message. In fact, quite the contrary. Because words and music shouldn’t be just all about peace, love, and joy.

No, singing with grace sometimes needs to include rebuke.

For example, when you receive a critique on something you’ve written, you have an opportunity to review and improve your writing. While it’s true, the critic might be wrong (they often are), it’s still another set of possibly more objective eyes. And their perspective might give you a clearer way to get your message across.

That’s what I do when I sing with grace about the Grace I’ve received from Jesus.

I love to be creative. But I also prefer to tell it like it is. And that means, sometimes, I’ve gotta take that admonish one another part seriously. For example, I’ve sung against abortion with words fairly harsh words like these:

It should be so easy to just see we’re not free
As long as the innocent die.
To say that it’s legal we spit on the eagle
That stands for what we once held high.

Then there’s my song called “You Just Don’t Get It.”

It’s about trying to be your own king:

Well you idolize with your idle eyes.
Your body wants what it wants, and you let it.
You identify what you deify.
You’ll see the kingdom, but you just don’t get it.

You can admonish me with your own psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs if you truly believe I need it. Or simply drop me an email through the form, below. And tell me why you don’t agree with me. Or even why you do. When you do, I’ll send you some songs and a rhyming ebook for little kids. So, what do you have to lose?

Get my Rhyme and Reason Daily Devotionaldelivered to your inbox for free.

It’s good stuff based on the power of God’s love. And, I’ll send you download links to music and The Very First 6 Days (a rhyming book for kids about the creation week) right away. Kids from 3 to 103 can enjoy these fun goodies. Just add your email to the form and let’s connect right away.

Daily Devotional

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

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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.

Get Tony’s Rhyme and Reason Daily Devotionaldelivered to your inbox for free.

I share it with believers who want to focus on the power of God’s love and rightly divide the word of truth. Spend your time reading, listening, and watching good stuff based on the power of God’s love instead of looking for it. And, to show my sincere appreciation for your time and attention, I’ll send you download links to music and The Very First 6 Days (a rhyming book for kids about the creation week) right away. Kids from 3 to 103 can enjoy these fun goodies. Just add your email to the form and let’s connect right away.

Daily Devotional

Stay tuned,

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

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It grows from ignorance and selfishness. It spreads, like kudzu, in the minds of fools who claim that hate only exists in others. I’m talking about hypocrisy. Unfortunately hypocrisy tends to be invisible to the hypocrite. And that’s partly why hate grows, like a weed, in this world. OK, now that I’ve rained on the parade, I’ll share some positive 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 and me to live forever, too. Now that’s awesome news!

Need some proof He loves you like that? OK, He made you a person with your own will. You’re not His robot who can do nothing except His bidding. That’s important to keep in mind. Because it means you get to choose whether or not you want to live with God forever. 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 that’s just a tiny fraction His love.

It’s THE positive news that should help you shun the hate in the world.

But maybe you doubt God even exists. So, you develop a worldview bias based on what only your five senses can tell you. Or maybe you know someone like that. If so, I have a couple of questions. Which of your five senses contain love or hate? Which of your five senses contain your thoughts?

I encourage you to re-think your decision to turn your back on God if you have. As long as you have breath in you (and your brainpower) it’s not too late to change your mind and accept His love. He’s made it easily available. All you gotta do is ask. Because He already made the Way to receive it. And in the entire history of the world, that’s the most positive news EVER.

But, do it before the dark and dreary hate in the world chews you up and spits you into hell.

Give Me The Whole Jesus

Oh give me love…give me justice…
Give me Grace and the strength to endure.
When the world comes against me,
Give me Your Spirit steadfast and sure.

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.

Give me the whole Jesus;
The whole Good Lord…
The One who shields the child…
The One who wields the sword.
Give me the whole Jesus
Son of God and man…
‘Cause only Jesus saves…
And only Jesus can! Only Jesus can! Only Jesus can!

Then give me dreams…give me wisdom…
Give me peace at the end of my days.
And give me life…everlasting…
In Your world and in Your higher ways.

Chorus

© 2010 Tony Funderburk

Get Tony’s Rhyme and Reason Daily Devotionaldelivered to your inbox for free.

I share it with believers who want to focus on the power of God’s love and rightly divide the word of truth. Spend your time reading, listening, and watching good stuff based on the power of God’s love instead of looking for it. And, to show my sincere appreciation for your time and attention, I’ll send you download links to music and The Very First 6 Days (a rhyming book for kids about the creation week) right away. Kids from 3 to 103 can enjoy these fun goodies. Just add your email to the form and let’s connect right away.

Stay tuned,

Tony Funderburk signature logo

Tony Funderburk Posted on by

The meaningful things in life don’t come easy. I hope that doesn’t burst any bubbles for you. Because it’s the cold, hard truth. Even if it seems like someone else has it easy in life, I promise you they don’t. It might look like they do. And they might have some parts easier than you, but the things that matter most won’t come easy to anyone.

And because of this truth you need to find a source of strength you can always depend on. A source you know you can turn to again and again and again. That source is Grace. No, not some lady named Grace. I’m talking about the Grace your Creator provided for you…namely in the person of Jesus.

He provided the most meaningful things you’ll ever need.

If you’re struggling with where your life is taking you today, I have a suggestion. Make a conscious decision to trust God. Trust Jesus. And lean on His Grace. I can guarantee you’ll never regret it. Here’s a rhyme to help you remember…

You can be strong in Grace.
And be sure your life is worthwhile.
You can be glad for every moment you’re alive.
And when you’re strong in Grace,
You can face the day with a sure smile
Knowing one day soon the Savior will arrive.

Get Tony’s Rhyme and Reason Daily Devotionaldelivered to your inbox for free.

I share it with believers who want to focus on the power of God’s love and rightly divide the word of truth. Spend your time reading, listening, and watching good stuff based on the power of God’s love instead of looking for it. And, to show my sincere appreciation for your time and attention, I’ll send you download links to music and The Very First 6 Days (a rhyming book for kids about the creation week) right away. Kids from 3 to 103 can enjoy these fun goodies. Just add your email to the form and let’s connect right away.

Daily Devotional

Stay tuned,

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

Guess what others might not have more of than you. Before you guess, you should also keep in mind in they might have much less than you. And they might not ever have as much as you. Looks can be deceiving. And what you see in this world doesn’t last forever. But grace lasts forever. And God gives grace to the humble.

Yeah, God gives grace to anyone who admits they need it.

And that takes more humility than most people on the planet are willing to show. I know you’re not one of those people. But you probably know someone who is. And this is what I shared with those kinds of people about 10 years ago…

Do you think more of yourself than you should? It’s OK to be confident, but it’s not OK to be arrogant or envy someone else who is. It won’t get you anywhere good in the long run. Here are some key things to remember about God’s perspective. He says that…

  • the “perverse person is an abomination”
  • He keeps a secret counsel with upright people
  • He curses the houses of the wicked and blesses the homes of the just
  • Also, He scorns the scornful

Knowing all that, it would be a wise choice to choose to love God and His ways. It would be a wise choice to humble yourself. Because, like I mentioned before, God gives grace to the humble. And it would be a wise choice to realize you’re not God and that you need a savior.

So be wise when it comes to your eternal fate. When you are, you’ll inherit glory. When you aren’t, you can only leave behind a legacy of shame.

Now, you humble yourself before God today. Or you can foolishly decide to face the eternal consequences. I recommend door number one. Because God gives grace to

The humble and the wise
And the ones who choose truth over lies.

Get Tony’s Rhyme and Reason Daily Devotionaldelivered to your inbox for free.

I share it with believers who want to focus on the power of God’s love and rightly divide the word of truth. Spend your time reading, listening, and watching good stuff based on the power of God’s love instead of looking for it. And, to show my sincere appreciation for your time and attention, I’ll send you download links to music and The Very First 6 Days (a rhyming book for kids about the creation week) right away. Kids from 3 to 103 can enjoy these fun goodies. Just add your email to the form and let’s connect right away.

Stay tuned,

Tony Funderburk signature logo

Tony Funderburk Posted on by

Even Linda Ronstadt knew that you are no good. She’s saying it about you years and years ago. So, I know it. And Linda knows it. But do you?

Oh wait. Ms. Ronstadt actually sang “You’re No Good.”

And I just did a quick online check, and apparently she didn’t sing that song to let you know you are no good. I guess it was something about a lover or husband. Go figure.

But I think it’s still a good idea to recognize that, essentially, you are no good apart from God. In fact, you’ll never be good enough, on your own, to live forever. And the sooner you realize you’re not good enough to live forever, the sooner your life can change forever. Of course, if you are regular reader or listener of mine, you probably DO already know that. So, that little factoid is for unbelieving scanners who might end up here on my website by chance or curiosity.

Have you ever had this experience in life?

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

There’s another part of life you’ll come to terms with…one way or the other…

And you’ll discover, once again, you are not good enough.

But that discovery can have much more dramatic and dire consequences. It won’t be simply a matter of disappointment. It’ll be a matter of eternal torment versus eternal bliss.

Some people think they can make it to Heaven by being “a good person.”

But here’s the thing…

God has the key to Heaven. It’s in the hand of His Son, Jesus. And God’s standard for living eternally in Heaven with Him is 100% perfection 100% of the time. Can you say you’ve been that good?

I can’t. I’m not even close. I don’t think I’m even in the top 80 percentile. You may be in the top 1 percentile, but you still miss perfection by a country mile. Only one person who ever lived on earth ever reached that unreachable mark of !00% perfection for 100% of His life. Yep…Jesus.

And since the key to Heaven is in the hand of Jesus, it’s important to know how to get Him to Open the door for you. The secret is in your attitude. You got it have an attitude of gratitude for what Jesus came to earth to do. And if you realize He came here to do it for you, you will discover you are no good.

But you don’t have to be. You can be a child of the one true, living, loving God by trusting that His Son took your eternal punishment. That’s all…believe and trust. Will you do it today? Don’t wait, because one day you’ll see Him…

Face to Face

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

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

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

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

© 2010 Tony Funderburk

Get Tony’s Rhyme and Reason Daily Devotionaldelivered to your inbox for free.

I share it with believers who want to focus on the power of God’s love and rightly divide the word of truth. Spend your time reading, listening, and watching good stuff based on the power of God’s love instead of looking for it. And, to show my sincere appreciation for your time and attention, I’ll send you download links to music and The Very First 6 Days (a rhyming book for kids about the creation week) right away. Kids from 3 to 103 can enjoy these fun goodies. Just add your email to the form and let’s connect right away.

Daily Devotional

Stay tuned,

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

Only one can win and claim the number 1 spot.

Yeah, the team that wins the Superbowl gets to be called number 1. I get to be the number 1 Tony Funderburk on the internet. Yippee! But there is only one person who gets to be called number 1 of everything. Can you guess who it is? I’ll tell you. It’s Jesus. He’s the firstborn over all creation. Nobody else ever gets to be called that. Here are some reasons He gets to be number 1.

Jesus created everything. Yep, everything. And that includes things you can see AND things you can’t. Everything important comes from Him. In fact, everything was created through Him by God the Father. And not just through Him, but FOR Him. That means everything in the whole universe belongs to Jesus. And here’s another couple of cool things to think about.

There’s a place in the Bible where it says Jesus was around before anything else was. He has always been alive. If it wasn’t for Him, nothing else could even be here. True life is only found in Him. It’s only His eternal life that keeps things going. But that’s not all.

Jesus is the only one who wins the title of the ultimate number 1 of everything,

He gets to be the head of everything. After all, He’s smarter than all the rest of us put together. So why shouldn’t He be the head? I sure don’t mind trusting Him to think better than me. Do you?

Oh, one more thing. Jesus rose from the dead! He did it without any help from anyone. But what’s even more amazing is that He said He was only the first. He said we could rise from the dead, too. Guess what? When we do, we prove He’s number 1. That’s because He’s the one who raises us up. So, when we end up rising from the dead, the whole world will see how Jesus is our Creator.

Then they’ll know there is nothing and no one more important than Him.

I’m sure you have already discovered how Jesus is the tip top of everything and everyone.  And I bet that means He already has a place in your heart. If so, tell me about it. Here’s a rhyme to help you remember:

He lived before there was a universe.
And He is the end and the beginning.
He lived a life that overcame our curse.
He is the number 1 of everything.

Get Tony’s Rhyme and Reason Daily Devotionaldelivered to your inbox for free.

I share it with believers who want to focus on the power of God’s love and rightly divide the word of truth. Spend your time reading, listening, and watching good stuff based on the power of God’s love instead of looking for it. And, to show my sincere appreciation for your time and attention, I’ll send you download links to music and The Very First 6 Days (a rhyming book for kids about the creation week) right away. Kids from 3 to 103 can enjoy these fun goodies. Just add your email to the form and let’s connect right away.

Daily Devotional

Stay tuned,

Tony Funderburk signature logo