The Power of God's Love

I’m sure you’ll disagree with me when I say this. But I’m so not cool. And this might be the biggest reason… I’ve never done any cool drugs. Not even pot. OK, they say the first step to healing is admitting you have a problem. So, that’s a load off my mind. And I can see my audience dwindle as they run to find another much cooler dude to follow. G’bye everyone. It’s been real. And it’s been fun. Wait a sec… If you’re actually leaving, that’s so not cool, too. Aren’t you supposed to support me as I deal with the issues I’ve opened up my heart to you with? Sure, I know this one is not so cool. But, c’mon man. Where’s da luv? Yeah, this is all tongue-in-cheek. And I know you get the point. You catch my drift. You’re picking up what I’m laying down. But maybe you wonder why I never did drugs. After all, I was in the entertainment world full-time for years and years. And I probably could’ve gone much “bigger” if I had jumped on at least the pot bandwagon. Well, I can’t take all the credit for avoiding that nonsense. I give the credit to God. Fortunately I connected with Him when I was 13, thanks to my grandmother. And I wanted to do things and live life in a way that pleased Him. I wish I could say I succeeded all the time. But I failed more times than I care to admit. Then, again, during my teenage-mind-of-mush years I did do pretty well. At least well enough to stay away from the drugs that would have changed who I was and how my life might’ve gone. I made a living as a professional singer and keyboard player. During those years I had lots (and I mean lots) of opportunities to partake…especially pot and cocaine. In fact, I remember a time I was playing a very popular spot in Atlanta, Georgia. A very nice looking girl came up to me when I was on break, and said “follow me.” OK, I’m a red-blooded, American guy, so I did. We went into another room where she pulled out her cocaine and offered me some. And because I’m so not cool, it felt really weird. I said “no thanks” and that I had to get back to work. And lots of times guys would compliment me on a break. And they’d shake my hand and slip a doobie into my palm. Sheesh. If they knew how I’d go flush it down the toilet, who knows what might’ve happened. Back in the 80’s those things were commonplace in the circles I played. For all I know, musicians and singers might still experience the same things. But it was definitely everywhere back then. So, you might be asking why I keep saying I’m not so cool. Maybe you think it WAS cool of me to skip the drug scene. But the reason I say I’m so not cool is because the “world” sees anyone who doesn’t fall into the dark side as lame, square, nerdy, or whatever the derogatory term du jour is now. But it just goes with the territory of being a Christian, a follower of Jesus. He said that the world hated Him and that if we love him, they will also hate us. And He said they persecuted Him and would also persecute those of us who love Him. Maybe His followers thought He was cool. But the Pharisees and Roman officials certainly didn’t. Because He was… wait for it… good. Yeah, that’s definitely a worldly buzzkill. So, I’m not cool. But I’m cool with that. Sticking with Jesus is where it’s at. He’s always with me through thick and thin. He has a paradise I’ll live in With everyone else who chose what’s true. How ’bout it? Are you so not cool, too? And one of the easiest ways you can be on the uncool list is to… Get Tony’s Daily Devotional delivered 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...

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: 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: 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 Daily Devotional delivered 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. The form can be filled in the actual website url. Stay tuned, The post Life and death in the very same breath appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

“Everything has already been said a million times over!” “Not exactly the way you can say it,” he calmly replies. “Oh shut up,” I think to myself. I’ve never had that conversation while sitting alone at my desk. Well, not more than a million times over. When I finish one of those conversations, I get my hands back on my Macbook keyboard and start typing. And, actually, these days, if I want to write faster, I just use my voice and dictate to my computer. It does a very good job even though I do have to edit and make sure it isn’t autocorrecting incorrectly. Anyway… Even I sometimes need a nudge in the creative direction. Because sometimes the ol’ left-brain logical writer, you know and luv, comes out and makes an incorrect deduction about the wants, needs, and desires of the audience. This causes him to pause for too long and stifle his “flow.” Then the so-called logic becomes more and more inflexible and cautious. And the flow becomes a trickle and the trickle fades away. Then the reliable right-brain writer reminds me… “Use the trick I showed you to jump-start that flow again.” Of course, I can’t just freely share what that trick is. Because, in the wrong hands, it could be used for evil, villainous purposes. And I don’t want that on my conscience. So that secret stays with me. The point is, it works like a charm every time. And that’s how I’ve been able to be so prolific for all these decades. Just so you know, I give all the glory of it to God. Because without him, I’d just be wretched, poor, naked, and blind. In The House of the Lord Father God, You never leave me You never forsake me. And Your Word… Gives me courage to go where you take me. You are with me through each dire upheaval. With You in me I will fear no evil. As I walk through the shadow of death… I will sing till my very last breath… Green pastures, still waters… Goodness and mercy for your sons and daughters… True love dwells in the House of the LORD. Each person, each nation… Can be renewed through Your sweet restoration… True love dwells in the House of the LORD. Father God, You made a Way for my total redemption. I believe… Jesus died to provide that exemption. He’s my shepherd through thorns and thru clover. He’s my new wine, and my cup runs over. As I walk through the shadow of death… I will sing till my very last breath…Chorus © 2010 TF Get Tony’s Daily Devotional delivered 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. The form can be filled in the actual website url. Stay tuned, The post A million times over in this clever clover appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

So many so-called pro athletes, movie stars, musicians and other artsy fartsy freakazoids are full of angst and aggression these days. And I’m not saying they don’t have a good reason. But I DO say their angst and aggression sure sounds stupid most of the time. And I’m talking about the ones who make millions of dollars for just playing with a ball, or memorizing lines, or looking good on a screen, or for recording some lunatic lyrics with a catchy beat. Yeah, ironically, those who make the most money seem to do the loudest complaining about the free enterprise system we have here in America. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you. Sheesh. Sorry, but they just don’t have a good reason for being so full of dark angst and aggression. And don’t try to tell me they’re just looking out for the little guy, you and me. Puhleez. I know a lot of those pop icons would call me lame. Or a Bible-thumping-do-gooder. And I know a lot of them like to poke fun at Christians and say they have no grasp on reality. They love to attempt to condescend with statements, like, “Go ahead and pray to your little friend in the sky.“ But I really don’t care. I prefer to remain a hope-filled optimist. Because the Christian message is true (an overwhelming amount of evidence says it is). So, I’m already on the winning team. My so-called “little friend” just happens to be the Head Coach of all creation. And He will lead my team to victory over ALL other opposing teams. The leader of my pack is not only the True Alpha male. He’s also the Omega Man! And that helps me sing and write angst and aggression free. I gotta tell ya, that’s a huge boost to my endorphins and a significant reduction to any potential cortisol issues. In other words, Jesus is the ultimate stress reducer. He’s the cure. And I’m just a supplement. But I’m blessed to even be that. And here’s what I recommend for your health. Don’t watch the TV or cable news. Filter out the mainstream from all your social media and internet connections. Stick with me, of course. And, by all means, skip, the namby-pamby, ne’er-do-well, yada-yada rants made by privileged celebrities who think they’re all that plus the bag of chips. Your body, soul, and spirit will thank you. And don’t be surprised if you start smiling more. When I’m being optimistic I know I’ll be fine. Asking why is realistic; Knowing why, divine. © 1987 TF Get Tony’s Daily Devotional delivered 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, The post Angst and aggression from a privileged profession appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

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 Daily Devotional delivered 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, The post Positive news because of my views appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

“Gotta pay your dues if you wanna sing the blues. And you know it don’t come easy.” If you’re old enough, you might remember those lyrics from a song that Ringo Starr made famous. And another verse said, “I don’t ask for much, I only want trust. And you know it don’t come easy.” Those lyrics popped up in my brain this week when I thought about how God tells us to “love your neighbor as yourself.” Because I see Islamist people doing despicable Islamist things. And I see illegal aliens, also known as illegal immigrants, doing other despicable illegal things. Then I see black Americans doing despicable things to white Americans. And white Americans doing despicable things to black Americans. And I used the word despicable because it’s a very effective word to emphatically inflect audible disdain. Another great word is contemptible. So, I might use that as I continue. Because human beings seem hell-bent on making it impossible to love your neighbor these days. So, it’s more important than ever to know how. Love doesn’t mean you have to be a doormat, always turn the other cheek, or simply keep your mouth shut. In fact, most of the time, doing those things can show how you don’t love your neighbor as yourself as much as you think you do. Yeah, like I said, it don’t come easy. The main thing to focus on, when it comes to loving someone you don’t feel like loving is how your words, deeds, and actions will affect them. And you do that by keeping an eternal perspective first. Everything else is secondary to that. After all, what’s more important? 80 years of living here on earth, with all its chaos and confusion? Or an eternity of perfection with the one true, living, loving Creator of Heaven and life? (here’s a hint…go with the second choice) When you have an eternal perspective, you’ll understand how important it is to make sure your neighbor understands there IS a God, there IS a Heaven, and there IS a choice to be made here and now. If God wishes that “none should perish”, we should too. But to love your neighbor as yourself means you’re willing to share the whole Truth. Not just the peace, love, joy, and forgiveness. You don’t do your neighbor a favor to automatically forgive him of something. Not when he doesn’t even show remorse or ask for forgiveness. Remember, if Jesus doesn’t do it that way, you and I shouldn’t either. You don’t truly love your neighbor, when you watch him drink himself to death. don’t be selfish. Speak up when you get the opportunity. And you don’t truly care about your neighbor if you never say anything to him (or her)about Jesus? If you truly want to do what God asks you to do, you have to truly love your neighbor as yourself. You don’t want your self to go to hell. So you shouldn’t want that for them. But, as I said, it don’t come easy. Because there are so many, let’s call them people for now, who could not care less what the one true, living, loving God of creation says or requires. And that means they won’t care what you say either. So, you can fully expect to stir up the demon soup when you tell them there is only one way to live forever in paradise with God. Just say the name, Jesus, and it will be like you just dumped a box of hot coals on their head. But here’s the thing. When they stand before God one day, and they will, they will be fully aware that someone showed them compassionate love and they despised and rejected it. And you might hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” The truth is worth the risk. So go ahead and pay your dues. One day you won’t have to sing the blues. And from the song, Beat The world… Every time you see the morning news They talk about another killing. It’s beyond my power to comprehend How the taking of life could be thrilling. Banish the dark side; live in God’s light. Rise and shine and you can win this fight. That’s the only way to beat the world at its own game. Get Tony’s Daily Devotional delivered to your inbox for free. I...

I’ve been encouraging anybody who would read what I write and listen to what I say to remain optimistic in tough times. But I don’t just say the words. I also share why it’s not just good advice. It’s important to your health down to the marrow of your bones. Remain optimistic in tough times because the alternative should be unthinkable. The subject came up in my thoughts this morning for a particularly personal reason. Today, April 17, 2026 marks the one year “anniversary” of a stroke that challenged me to follow my own advice. But I believe I can honestly say that, despite challenges, I never dreamed I would face, I have remained optimistic in the tough times of the past year. I won’t tell you what all the challenges were/are. But they include a left arm and hand that won’t hold things very well without wavering in the air. And a left leg that refuses to take normal steps during a walk. Plus most things on my left side operate with much less efficiency than they did a year ago. That includes my left lung and blood circulation on that side. And probably the weirdest thing that happened was the development of a neurogenic bladder. Most of the information you’ll find on a neurogenic bladder deals with incontinence, urgency, etc. But what happened to me is something they call an under active bladder. And that means the nerves that alert you to the need to go and allow you to start a stream and go don’t work now. So, I have to insert a catheter four or five times a day, to empty out. Not my idea of a fun time. And I’ve only shared this personal information with you because I hope it helps somebody understand how crucial it is to remain optimistic, even during rough times like what I described. I know it isn’t always easy. But it’s always necessary. And it’s always doable when you remember that, if you believe and trust in Jesus, one day, sooner than you might imagine, you will 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. © 2020 TF 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. The form can be filled in the actual website url. Stay tuned, The post Remain optimistic in tough times and I show you how with my rhymes appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

Yeah, your life is your own, and it’s unique. No one else who ever lived, is living now, or will ever live will have the same life as you. But your life is no different from anybody else’s either. Confused? I’ll explain. The DNA found in every cell of your body is incredibly complex and singularly yours. The chances of it existing by chance are so small (translate that into nonexistent), you’d be more likely to win the powerball AND get struck by lightning on 3 birthdays in a row. No, random chance and mutations had nothing to do with the making of you. Your living, loving Creator made you. And He made only one of you. And He put a code inside you that makes sure no one else will be you. Now, I said all that because I want you to know that you can know this is true. And know that your life is your own. That’s mighty darn special. But having said that, I gotta also say this. You’re not special, unique, or one-of-a-kind when it comes to how your life plays out. Because you’ll experience awesome days and disappointing days. You’ll have to go through pain. And you’ll enjoy wonderful pleasures. You will. And so will billions of other people (unless they live under dictators, evil kings, and terrorists, etc.). So did countless other people throughout history. It’s life. But, just like everybody else in this life, you’ll come to a major fork in the road where you’ll have to choose a direction, an option, and make a judgment call. And your eternal fate will depend on your decision. Of course, the fork in the road I’m talking about is Jesus. He designed you. He formed you in your mother’s womb. And He installed that unique code inside you. He knows what makes you tic. And He’s available 24 hours a day. Every day of your life. And He’s as close as your breath. In fact, He’s closer. He’s the Spirit of Life…yours, mine…everybody’s. Without Him nobody would exist. But how do you get to know Him and discover what His advice might be for that fork in your road? His word. Your Creator’s word says you can plan your way. And it says He will direct your steps. That means He won’t make your decisions for you. And He didn’t plan your life for you. But when you trust Him, He won’t lead you the wrong way. He’ll lead you the direct way. That means you’ll get where you need to be. It’s kind of like the guy who put in the sidewalk that leads up to the front door of your house. He made the clear, easy way for you. But he can’t or won’t force you to walk on the sidewalk. So, here’s a challenge for you. Give up trusting in yourself today. Start reading God’s word…more…especially the writings from Paul in the New Testament. And find out how much more important and dependable actual truth is than your own truth. Sure, your life is your own. But if you want it to be the best, it can possibly be, humble yourself so God can lift you up. Worldliness; don’t let your joy turn into heaviness! Worldliness; don’t let it rob you of your righteousness! Humble yourselves and God will lift you up! Worldliness won’t put sweet water in your cup! Get Tony’s Daily Devotional delivered 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, The post Your life is your own but don’t live it alone appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

It’s true. Tomorrow is a concept. Not a reality. If someone came to you asking for a ride because their car broke down, would you tell them to come back tomorrow? Probably not. Right? What if they needed to borrow money, and you have plenty you could lend? Would you tell them to wait until tomorrow? Hmm, that’s a little different. Or is it? There’s a place in the Bible where it says if you’re able to help someone, don’t hold back. And don’t wait till tomorrow. Do your good deeds today. Because tomorrow is a concept. You never actually get to it. And it might seem like a small detail. But it’s important enough to be included in the Bible. When you’re able to help your neighbor, that’s a great way to “love your neighbor.” And if you’re a Christian, loving your neighbor is one of the main things God asks you to do. So, why would you wait till tomorrow? What’s gonna be different tomorrow? No, it’s important to live in today. Love in today. Act today. Don’t believe that nonsense that says “no good deeds go unpunished.” Because this world doesn’t want your good deeds. So, trust God to be faithful. He knows your heart. And He knows where your true treasures are. If someone asks you for help today, and if you’re able to give them that help, give it. Today if possible, since tomorrow is a concept. You won’t be able to give them the help tomorrow. And it’s not a matter of doing good deeds for the sake of deeds. It’s a matter of your heart. And it’s a great way to have a healthy heart. So, is your heart healthy toward others? Here’s a rhyme to help you remember… Give your help to someone who needs. Have a good heart. It’s love that feeds. What you do now is planting seeds. It’s so much more than just good deeds. Get Tony’s Daily Devotional delivered 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. The form can be filled in the actual website url. Stay tuned, The post Tomorrow is a concept about time that we can accept appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

Healthy life. Peaceful life. Wealthy life. Joyful life. Do any (or all) of those describe you in your life? If not, my first question is: Do you love your neighbor after you love yourself first? Yeah, I said after you love yourself first. I started thinking about something I wrote somewhere around 10 years ago after I read the second half of Paul’s letter to the Philippians this morning. It ties in very neatly to the letter he wrote to the Galatians, too. And it’s an ongoing thread through his writings. So, how did you answer the question? If you answered “yes”, then the next question is…do you serve one another? After all, it’s only when you serve others that you can achieve a healthy or peaceful or wealthy or joyful life. Sure, you can choose to serve yourself. And you can choose to expect others to serve you. But that kind of expectation won’t take you down the primrose path, to say the least. You probably don’t need my help on the subject. but, just in case, here are three things to focus on to help you serve others…particularly if you’re a Christian… Whatever things are pure Focus on them. There are several other areas of life you can focus on to improve your circle of influence. I’ve shared them here on my website. But I want you to know how your focus can change how well you serve one another. If you’re only focused on the mistakes other people make, you’ll never run out of them. And you’ll never be satisfied. Neither will they. That focus helps no one…serves no one. There’s a time for healthy critique. But never waste an opportunity to build someone up. Your soul will thank you for it. Because that’s how you love others. But you can only do that when you love God and then love yourself first. Get Tony’s Daily Devotional delivered 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, The post Love yourself first doesn’t make you the worst appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

Just because some authoritative power makes a rule doesn’t make the rule a good one, a just one, or a fair one. In fact, many rules, policies, and laws are downright bad. But you gotta think and ponder and examine to know which rules are good and which are bad. Before you decide to break rules you’d better be sure you’re on the right side. But is that possible? Short answer is yes. But before you break authoritative rules, check yourself. Maybe you have a lot of self-imposed rules for your life and/or the life of your loved ones. And maybe it would be a good idea to sit down, today, and re-examine whether they’re good ones or not. Here’s how you can know. If your rule shows your love for someone else, it’s a good one. If it doesn’t show love, or if it actually displays selfishness, it’s a bad one. That’s pretty much it. Simple. Right? Well, that depends on if you know HOW to show love. So, do you? If you’re not sure you’re any good at showing and sharing love, then I have another simple answer for you. Would you like the rules, you impose on someone else, imposed on you? If you conjure up a silly notion in your head for how someone else should live and treat you, are you willing to live that way and be treated that way? If not, you might’ve made up a bad rule. I remember this subject came up in a conversation with a nice couple. I met in Tulsa, Oklahoma years and years ago. I was on the road full-time. And I got a booking at a nice hotel in that area. And that couple came in several nights while I was there. They heard a song I wrote, which I’ll share the lyrics to below. And on my break, we all talked about it. In the end, we all agreed to come down to this: “If I don’t want that done to me, I shouldn’t do it to someone else.” Yeah, get together with the ones you love and talk over what’s going on. If you realize the rules aren’t working, somebody needs to say… Let’s Break Some Rules We play it all so careful. We live within our means. We don’t wear lots of jewelry or ninety dollar jeans. We do our own repair work. We water own lawn. We’ve minimized the risks we take, But now the thrill is gone So let’s break some rules tonight… Incite a riot in our hearts. Let’s break some rules tonight… Get someone else to play our parts. Let’s create some tension; Go out and grab some danger, And they make say we look like total fools, But at least for awhile…let’s break some rules. We curse those Monday mornings We gripe about our pay We say we’ll make some changes But it just can’t be today. Chorus… Well, who’s gonna do it if we don’t? Who’ll make it better if we won’t? I wonder…don’t it make you wonder?! chorus…etc. © 1987 Tony Funderburk (April 29) (psst…if you wanna hear an old recording of this song, Tune in to The Power of God’s Love Podcast) Get Tony’s Daily Devotional delivered 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. The form can be filled in the actual website url. Stay tuned, The post Break rules but not like fools appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

By the Grace of God I’ve enjoyed a life filled with music, singing, and songwriting. I’ve been all over the country because of my ability to carry a tune. And I say by the Grace of God because I’ve been a miserable failure in so many other ways…so many times. God never saw fit to take my gifts away. For some reason He still trusts me with them… Even though I’ve let Him down time and time again. So, my testimony of conscience, today, is this… I’ve tried to conduct myself with simplicity and godly sincerity in this world. But I freely admit my shortcomings and count myself in the Apostle Paul’s corner as a chief among sinners. So, does this mean there should be no boasting and I should throw in the towel? Well, if you take it that way, I wonder if you doubt Paul’s sincerity in 2 Corinthians 1:12-14 when he says “for our boasting is this…” And I wonder if you trust one of the follow-up statements “that we are your boast as you also are ours”. It’s key to know what Paul is talking about in that passage? Those 3 verses begin and end with words about boasting. But the key is in the middle…Grace of God. And shouldn’t that key always be in the middle of your life? Here are the lyrics to a song that describes my testimony. If you wanna hear the song, tune in to The Power of God’s Love Podcast You Are I’m not amazing. I’m no king. No, I’m not the God of anything… Oh but You are. Jesus…You are. I’m not a savior. I’m not pure. No, I’m not the One who has the cure… Oh but You are. Jesus…You are. You are…the start and finish You are…the Morning Star. Your love will not diminish. You’re the Life Everlasting. You’re the Rock of offense. And You’re the Only Source of Truth Who makes it all make sense. If they ask who’s gonna mend This broken world, I’ll commence To saying You are. Jesus…You are. I’m not perfection. I’m not near. No, I’m not the One anyone should fear. Oh, but You are. Jesus…You are. I’m not the True Vine nor The Word. No, I’m not the Amen that we’ve heard. Oh, but You are. Jesus…You are. Chorus 3 times © 2010 TF Get Tony’s Daily Devotional delivered 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. The form can be filled in the actual website url. Stay tuned, The post Grace of God for this guy who’s flawed appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

Yeah, maybe you never thought about it this way. Because maybe you don’t think about how God hates. I know most Christians wanna focus on how much he loves. And that’s fine. Well, ironically His love is why He hates. And here are 7 things God hates: A lying tongue See? it ain’t crazy talk. Even though it’s not your typical devotional material, it’s important to know. I’d like you to pay special attention to what each of those things has in common. Know what it is? They’re all physical. A look is on a face. Physical. Tongue…physical. Hands…physical. Heart…physical (although a physical heart doesn’t actually devise plans). Feet…physical. And the last two are the whole person…somebody who speaks lies or somebody who mumbles and grumbles. God doesn’t just hate the intangible, unseen “force of sin.” He knows it couldn’t exist apart from human flesh. So, He lists what He hates in a way you and I can understand. And, thankfully, God loves at the same time. He loves you enough to make a way out of your sin forever. But He won’t force you to choose that Way (aka: Jesus). And His love for you will lift you into eternal life when you choose Him. But He hates you if you choose “self love” over His love. so much so that He made a place where you can go and be separated from Him and those of us who love Him forever. I advise against that choice. And yes, you do have a choice. Choose now. And don’t just hate the sin and love the sinner. Learn to love and hate with God’s wisdom and discernment leading the way. Read Paul’s writings and you’ll discover a man who fell deeply in love with the love, forgiveness, power, AND judgment of Christ. You’ll discover words, inspired by God, telling you to judge. He says the “saints will judge the world“. And he asks if you’re “unworthy to judge even the smallest matters”. When you read that passage, you’ll discover how important it is to be able to judge rightly and wisely. Let’s love what God loves And hate what He hates. And be thankful and glad His enormous love waits. Stay tuned, Get Tony’s Daily Devotional delivered 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. The post God hates while His love waits appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

Let’s say you’re gonna write a book about what subject where you might be considered an expert. Or maybe you’re going to paint a work of art in a medium where everyone considers you the number one artist. In other words, you’ve got a project that you want to make as awesome as it can be. And you’ve got six days to get it done so you come up with your own six days of creation to-do list. Now, you might start out with something like get supplies. And follow that up with set up your desk, or easel, or other work surface. Then you might follow that up with setting up your outline, or sketching a drawing. And the rest of the list would naturally follow your own ideas and what it would take to accomplish them. OK, let’s compare that to what God might have had on his mind when he created the universe. It might have gone like this: Yeah, when you read the creation account in the book of Genesis in the Bible, that’s pretty much how it went. And that six days of creation list was completed for one main reason. Simply because it pleased God to do it. Now, the best you and I can do, in this broken, fallen world is to attempt to think and say God’s words after Him. And that’s what I attempted to do in a book I wrote, called the very first six days. I wrote the book in a way that’s easy enough for young kids to understand. Each day is its own poem, and all the poems are joined together to fill out the 6 days creation list in a rhyming and illustrated book for kids. OK, there are two ways you could get this fun book for your kids or grandkids. Actually, there are kind of three ways to get this book. But the main two I’m talking about today are as a paperback that sells for $20 on Amazon. If that’s your style, here’s your link: (https://www.amazon.com/Very-First-6-Days/dp/1515251330) But if you don’t need or want or gotta have the paperback version, which includes drawing and coloring pages and a link where you can access the audio of me narrating the book, here’s another option. Get it for no moolah at all. The digital downloadable version is yours for the taking. All it takes is for you to go to tonyfunderburk.com and add your email address to Tony’s Daily Devotional. That’s the email devotional I send to my subscribers to hopefully encourage and inspire them/you to be hope-filled in a hopeless world. With words I share, inspired by the power of God’s love found in His book. So, there you have it. There’s your choice. Because I believe America is still free enough for you and me to have at least these kinds of choices. You can pay $20 on Amazon for a very snazzy paperback version of The Very First 6 Days. Or you can let me know you want the free version, by adding your email address in the form on my homepage: tonyfunderburk.com And when you do that, I’ll send you some other free stuff too. Just because I wanna show you how much I appreciate your time and attention. Now, exercise your right to choose. And I look forward to connecting with you. Oh yeah, if you’re already an email subscriber of mine, and you became one before I made this offer, let me know that you would like the digital version too. I’ll be glad to send it to you. Because you’ve already shown your support, and I want to show you how much I appreciate it. Here’s a sample from the book: The Very First Day Before there were created things, and darkness filled the air… No world or human beings were existing anywhere. Then God created earth and sea and all the heavens too. There was no sun, no moon, no stars, and only God shone through. He looked down at the waters and the dark face of the deep. The earth was still and quiet just as we are when we sleep. He said, “Let there be light” the way a perfect, true God could, And then He saw the brand new light and knew that it was good. Then God divided light and dark, and darkness He called Night. The light would be called Day, and it was pleasing in His sight. That evening and that morning wouldn’t be the...

We’re all alone in the dark universe. When you read that, does it bring on anxiety, depression, and a deep, drowning sense of dread? Yeah, me neither. I’ve never felt that way a day in my life. Because I have a secret weapon. I bet you do too. And I know how special our little, blue planet is. Sure, we’re alone in the dark universe. But we’re not alone. And that’s not a contradiction. Of course, you’re free to choose to be completely alone. But I don’t recommend it. And it isn’t gonna happen by a random set of circumstances. And solitude is certainly not a predestined destiny (redundant on purpose). Because every person born is an eternal being. From the moment you and I were conceived, we became inhabitants of eternity. “Wow! That’s deep, man.” You bet it’s deep. And wide. In fact, there’s a fountain flowing deep and wide. A fountain of living water. But you don’t have to drink from the fountain. And you don’t have to enjoy the benefits of never being thirsty again. It’s all up to you. The choice is there. Life. Or death. Love. Or a total separation from the power of God’s love. But if you choose life and love, you will never (with a capital NEV) be alone in the dark. So, Relroy (nobody will get that reference) who do you choose? Alone Not Alone We are alone in the universe. But we’re never all alone, Unless we choose to reject design Like we got here on our own. We have a great place, this planet Earth. And it stands out here in space. It’s the world where the Creator was Sacrificed to give us Grace. Millionaires and even billionaires Spend their money just to prove Maybe brilliant, advanced aliens Paused here when they made a move. Sure, it sounds silly, but it’s just sad But the truth will take this tone. And if you trust aliens, not God, Get used to it, you’re alone. © 2020 Tony Funderburk Get Tony’s Daily Devotional delivered 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. The form can be filled in the actual website url. Stay tuned, The post Alone in the dark is a walk in the park appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

I read how some Finnish, American, and British researchers (I’ll call ’em the FAB team) used a technique called sonification to “hear” how certain proteins function. Those researchers believe “listening” to proteins, and how they work, might help doctors discover and treat diseases more effectively. Sonification occurs when composed music and mathematical algorithms interconnect. Have you ever listened to Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9? That link, I just shared, is to a video of a very recognizable section of the symphony. Not the whole symphony. But every bit of it is worth your time. By the way, Ludwig composed this beautiful music when he was nearly totally deaf. And that’s maybe one of the most inspiring examples of why you should remember you’re an overcomer. Because you’re a child of the living, loving Creator of the universe and all life here on planet Earth. You and I shouldn’t allow fears (and those who spread them) to take root. Instead, be a Beethoven. Make a daily note to yourself to stay composed. (pun completely intended) By the way, staying composed, with music like Symphony number 9, can also help reduce your heart rate (if it needs it) and help prevent hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Because it matches the natural rhythms of your body. So, your body actually physically responds to it. And that gets back to the power of sonification I already mentioned. A study, back in 2013, said heart disease patients can get great results with music. It said those who exercised and listened to music they enjoyed for 30 minutes every day had the highest rate of heart function improvement. Yeah, music and exercise can make your heart health rise. Who knew? Well, my bet is that the Inventor of music knew. That’s who. The healing power of music is still being discovered. Sure, some research might prove to be wishful thinking. But I don’t discard the potential. Because I know how much God loves us. And it would be just like Him to put healthful benefits in something that’s all around you every day. So, here’s my recommendation for you today. Get yourself some sonification. Listen to some music that matches the natural rhythms of your body. Because you can’t beat it. (yeah, another pun completely intended) And when you do… Your mind and your body will thank you For the sounds and potential healing. And what better way to be healthy? And what else could be more appealing? Except maybe living forever With the One who invented the way We can all live better with music. Yeah, that’s more beneficial, I’d say. Get Tony’s Daily Devotional delivered 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. The form can be filled in the actual website url. Stay tuned, The post Sonification is yet another indication appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

I’ve shared the story before how my younger brother and I lived with my grandparents, my dad’s parents, for a little while. This was way back closer to the middle of the last century. In Norman, Oklahoma. And my parents were getting divorced. So my dad made sure my brother and I had a stable home to stay in while they went through the process. And that’s where I first learned about peach preserves, as well as other kinds of fruit preserves. But peach preserves stand out above the rest. And I’ll tell you why. Because I’m a peachy kinda guy. OK, that’s not the real reason. True, but not the real reason. The real reason I remember, peach preserves, even more than the rest is because of my Grandmother’s peach cobbler and a little story she and I share. One time, as she was making one of her peach cobblers from scratch, she gave me one of the peach pits. And she told me to open it up and find the seed. Being the highly curious five year-old boy I was, I did that. I remember thinking how the pit felt like wood. And it even had sort of a crisscross lattice look. So, I was certainly surprised to find a somewhat soft seed inside the “wooden” pit. “Grandmother,” I blurted out. “Look! I found it!” “Do you know what that seed can turn into?” she asked. “No. What?” I replied. She said, “Take this old spoon outside and dig a small hole and plant that seed inside it and then cover it up with the dirt.” So, that’s exactly what I did. And that was that. At least that’s all there was to it for almost another 20 years. But it was about that many years that I was back at their house as an adult, with a lot of extended family, celebrating my grandparents 50th anniversary. And you know how it goes. The three sons, one of which was my dad, brought the families, and each family brought some goodies. So, plenty of good food, relative, seeing each other for the first time in a while, and one particularly delightful treat for me. Right there on the kitchen counter was a cobbler made with homemade peach preserves. As I was serving up a slice for myself, Grandmother came in and asked me how I liked it. Of course, I said I loved it. And she said, “Would you believe I got the peaches from that tree right out there in the yard where you planted a seed when you were a little boy?” I thought that was so cool. Still do. And I doubt that I’ll ever forget that story. What brought it to mind for me today was a line from the second letter. Paul wrote to his protégé, Timothy. It made me think about what God does that. Nobody deserves. He sort of makes us into some peachy preserves. Here’s the line from Paul’s letter: And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. That’s what I wish for you and me today. And here’s some more of… What I Wish There are people of the past And people of today… They’re standing in lines, And they’re passing away. But let’s not talk about that. Let’s go and find some fun… Burn our candles at both ends… Let our wild sides run. We don’t wanna hear it. We don’t wanna know why… ‘Cause then maybe we’ll feel near it, And we’ll break down and cry. Oh, I wish our world was better. I wish our world was fair. I wish we’d get together And end the grief out there. Yes, I wish our world was perfect. And I wish our world was sane. I wish there was no hatred Or quest for earthly gain… That’s what I wish. There are innocent children Who were living on dreams. Now their dreams have exploded Blown apart at the seams. And they look to their mothers And their fathers for help. But their parents can’t help them ‘Cause they can’t help themselves. We don’t want to hear it. We don’t want to know where… Just as long as it’s not us… Who are we to care? Oh, I wish our world was better. >I wish our world was fair. >I wish we’d get together And end the grief out there. Yes, I wish our world was perfect. And I wish our world was sane. I wish there was no hatred Or...

I saw this headline on a social media platform today: Podcast Host Calls White Evangelical Christianity a Cancer – And I could not believe how badly they misspelled the word blessing. I mean, cancer doesn’t even remotely look like blessing. So how could they mix those words up so badly? Because I’m sure they meant to say white evangelical Christianity is a blessing. At least if they really wanted to share the truth. But I know that’s a rare commodity in journalism these days. So, now that I think about it a little bit more, maybe they actually meant to write the word cancer. No. Could that possibly be it?! But could someone actually study the overwhelmingly positive influence of white, evangelical Christianity and actually come up with this illogical, incorrect conclusion? Absolutely they could. Because people who hate God, the one true, living, loving creator of the universe God, will say anything against Him and His followers. Jesus said that would happen, by the way. So, if you’re a Christian, and the color of your skin is what the world call white (even though it isn’t), and you share the truth of God’s word and the power of God’s love, you might as well face it. You, my friend, are a cancer in this world. But never worry, never fear. Your buddy Tony is here. And here are some white evangelical Christianity lyrics to help you deal with it: In This World But Not Of It I’m in this world but not of it. I like this life but don’t love it. My Savior rises above it. I’m in this world but not of it. This world can beat me up. But this world is not my home. I have a finer place where I will forever roam. This world’s no easy street. This world is not so nice. It costs a lot to leave, But my Father paid the price. So…Chorus This world has lots of love, But this world is filled with hate. One day it won’t be so, And so I can hardly wait. This world has moans and groans. This world has aches and pain, But soon even this shall pass, Jesus the King will reign. Chorus…inst…chorus 3 times © TF 2008 Get Tony’s Daily Devotional delivered 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. The form can be filled in the actual website url. Stay tuned, The post White Evangelical Christianity a blessing to humanity appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

Have you ever read the list of the perils of Paul? It’s an epic list, to say the least. And it was because he shared the unvarnished, hard truth. About the only peril preachers, in probably 99% of American churches, face these days is obesity. And my guess is, that’s not because they’re sharing that same unvarnished, hard truth in God’s word. Here’s the list of the perils of Paul, as he wrote it: …in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness, besides the other things, what comes upon me daily Dictionaries typically define peril as: serious and immediate danger So, Paul certainly found out how correct that definition is. But he didn’t let any of that stop him from delivering the message that Jesus gave him to share with the world. Of course, the world, most of it anyway, doesn’t want anything to do with the grace gift from Jesus. Because that would require the humility to acknowledge that He is the creator, the sovereign God, who has sealed the fate for anyone who denies who Jesus is. “But that’s so harsh, Tony.” I guess, in a way, that’s true. But you wouldn’t say that if you had read what they did to Jesus. An innocent person who went around healing people, sharing a message of hope and love, and performing miracles for mostly small-minded people. His own people falsely accused Him, had Him thrown in prison, and then had Him beaten and crucified. And all because they didn’t like His message. They preferred their tradition and visible pomp and circumstance. Hmm, that sounds like so-called Christian churches in America these days. Big stages, light shows, fog, machines, loud repetitive mantra music, and anecdotal stories (what I call Sunday TED talks) from the pulpit. Yeah, pretty much the only peril those so-called preachers face is obesity. There won’t be a “well done, good and faithful servant” for those actions. When you tell the actual truth in church today, it will be almost impossible to build a large church. Because most people who go to church fall under the itching ears category. And when you share the “harsh” truth with them, they’ll feel convicted. And they would rather feel good about themselves. So, they go to churches or the so-called pastor or preacher tells them they can live their best life now. I bet that’s not you. And I bet you would rather live… In The House Of The Lord Father God, You never leave me You never forsake me. And Your Word… Gives me courage to go where you take me. You are with me through each dire upheaval. With You in me I will fear no evil. As I walk through the shadow of death… I will sing till my very last breath… Green pastures, still waters… Goodness and mercy for your sons and daughters… True love dwells in the House of the LORD. Each person, each nation… Can be renewed through Your sweet restoration… True love dwells in the House of the LORD. Father God, You made a Way for my total redemption. I believe… Jesus died to provide that exemption. He’s my shepherd through thorns and thru clover. He’s my new wine, and my cup runs over. As I walk through the shadow of death… I will sing till my very last breath…Chorus © 2010 TF Cheers to your day free from shipwrecks and prisons. Get Tony’s Daily Devotional delivered 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...

Here are the links to the flashes of light, from the week of Dec 29 – Jan 2, 2025, I shared in Tony’s Daily Devotional and on the The Power of God’s Love Podcast Episode 1022: Harry Houdini loved magic and was still tragicGet wisdom and understanding and change where you’ll be standingPelican landing memory brought to you by me Get Tony’s Daily Devotional , my ongoing Devotional for believers who want to focus on the power of God’s love and rightly divide the word of truth. Enjoy the convenience of having these flashes of light delivered, for free, right to your inbox. Then, you can spend your valuable time reading and listening 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. Just add your email to the form and let’s connect right away. The form can be filled in the actual website url. Stay tuned, The post Houdini, the trace, and a pelican in the place – the power of God’s love podcast episode 1023 appeared first on Tony Funderburk.