Deuteronomy - discover rhyme and reason for your life in this old book

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…

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 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.

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.

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.

Cow secretions and bee vomit. Yum, yum. I don’t know about you, but I’ll be goin’ back for seconds. Oh yeah! But first, here’s my desire as I share a little something with you today:

Let my teaching drop as the rain,

I can’t (and don’t) take credit for that most pleasant prose. Because it was written by Mo very many years ago. And Mo was the one who put the dude in Deuteronomy. He was inspired, by God, to give an account of how the nation of Israel came to be. And how that nation was God’s chosen people who actually betrayed Him repeatedly. The prose I just shared comes from a section in Deuteronomy known as “The Song of Moses.”

What’s that? You didn’t know Moses was a poetic guy? A songwriter? Well, you learn somethin’ new every day.

And now you know he’s the guy I called Mo.

Especially when we’re talkin’ about cow secretions and bee vomit.

Well, imagine you’re in a desert land. And it’s quite the understatement to call it a terrible place. Because you have virtually no hope of getting out. No food or water or shelter. And no idea which way to go. Then, out of the blue, a ghost appears and leads you to food. In fact, you walk into fields of juicy, tasty produce. Not only that, but the ghost shows you how to get honey and good fats from the ground.

If all that happened, you’d probably think you just hit the best lottery ever!

OK, now imagine that the scenario I just shared isn’t make-believe. Because the “ghost” is a real person. And the story I just told is based on a true story found in the Bible. It’s about how God took a man named Jacob and made him into a nation. And that nation is Israel. The story I told you to imagine goes like this:

“He found him in a desert land and in the wasteland, a howling wilderness; He encircled him, He instructed him, He kept him as the apple of His eye. As an eagle stirs up its nest, Hovers over its young, Spreading out its wings, taking them up, Carrying them on its wings, So the Lord alone led him, And there was no foreign god with him. He made him ride in the heights of the earth, That he might eat the produce of the fields; He made him draw honey from the rock, And oil from the flinty rock…”

If someone did all that for you, would you betray him?

Because, on some level, we all have. And that’s because of the lowest common denominator we all have. Selfishness. Somewhere inside you is your desire to be your own king. To handle everything YOUR way. And you either fight against that desire or you give in. Most give in. Reminds me of these lyrics from The Who:

Out here in the fields

Don’t cry.

Yeah, that whole selfish concept of “I don’t need to be forgiven.” But, even though Pete Townshend didn’t realize it at the time, it’s actually that kind of selfishness that keeps you in the wasteland. Keeps you in the desert.

But there IS a Way out of that desert and into the land of cow secretions and bee vomit.

That’s their descriptions of milk and honey. Cow secretions and bee vomit. But God inspired Mo (aka: Moses) to call the “promised land” the “land of milk and honey. And that was a description meant to entice. Not repulse. And if God says something is good, it is good.

This is just one of the many reasons why the Bible is the bestselling book of all time.

And I’m convinced that, if you read it with an open mind and heart, it will change your teenage wasteland heart to one full of love, purpose, and focus. Plus, I believe you’ll love the amazing force of life you can feel, when you KNOW you’re gonna live forever in paradise.

And don’t be surprised, once you’ve discovered the truth I’m talking about, how you’ll want to go back for seconds. And thirds, fourths, fifths, etc.

Dig deep and find the treasures for your heart.

Now, jump on the The TRUTH. And be part of the growing band of believers who wanna show the world that life has Rhyme and Reason because God is Real.

Stay tuned,

The post Back for seconds because the bee beckons appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

When you take God out of the equation, the question of “right and wrong” is a moot point. It isn’t objective morality at that point. It’s opinion. And guess what? If your opinion differs from mine, all you have to do to win the day is be the stronger one. That’s the “beauty” of natural selection in process.

It’s interesting how often those who reject God have no problem using the word “absolute.” By whose authority would anything be absolutely true or right or acceptable, if not God? Well, the god of “self” of course.

But here’s the trouble with that notion.

That’s a lot of potential for differences of opinion. So whose opinion wins? The more educated? Or the more enlightened? And how about the stronger, more visually appealing of the races?

It’s a rabbit hole with no bottom when you erase the one true, living loving God from the equation. He doesn’t wish that any person should perish (exist apart from Him) forever. But He’s fully aware that the vast majority of humans want no part of Him and His “rewards and punishments” system.

And they don’t want that because it means objective morality doesn’t depend on their opinion.

So, you have your choice between two places where you can go and be forever. One of them is a place where you won’t have to listen to, watch, or read any words from us pesky Christians ever again. And you’ll never have to debate any of us ever again on ideas like objective morality, natural selection, or creationism.

Well, it’ll only be a relief if your atheist worldview is correct.

The other forever destination will also be a place where you won’t have to listen to, watch, or read any words from us pesky Christians ever again. And you’ll never have to debate any of us ever again on ideas like objective morality, natural selection, or creationism. But THAT will be because no one there will disagree on those topics. And not because it’s a place filled with automatons. Far from it. It’ll be paradise. A place where Truth is clearly seen from the apex of Life to the very center core of every cell of creation.

That place will be Heaven. Where you can live forever with the one true, living, loving Creator of us all. Good news is, it’s a free gift. And if even that doesn’t appeal to you, there’s still good news. No one will force you to go there. The choice is entirely yours.

So, my recommendation is to choose wisely. Speaking of wise choices…

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

Don’t drink the wine of violence

© 1995

Stay tuned…

The post Objective morality is an observable reality appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

Tucson, Arizona. Central New Mexico. Music. Moonlight. Dan Fogelberg. Storytelling. All parts of “the road” from a long time ago. And, early this morning, I thought about an incredible, singular experience I had during a full moon drive. Strangely enough, it was a motion-sensor light that triggered that full moon memory.

Yeah, I got out of bed and started to get dressed in the dark. Just as I always do. Because a beautiful wife should have all the beauty sleep she can get. So, flipping on the overhead light would just be rude and uncalled for. And I’m nothing if not considerate and called for.

Anyway…

As I dressed, the motion-sensor light in back of the house suddenly lit up and seeped through the window blinds. It wasn’t as bright as the overhead bedroom light would have been. But it definitely gave the room a sort of moonlit glow. And I peeked out the window to be sure there were no prowlers or ferocious animals I’d have to slay. No intruders in sight. Probably just a bird flying by that triggered the light.

So, I finished dressing and went to the kitchen to brew some wake up elixir, as I always do. And as I measured out the dark-roasted coffee beans, and drew the pure water from our gravity filter, I kept thinking of how that fluorescent light reminded me of that full moon drive, years ago.

The memory of the wavy road, in the wee winter hours, reminded me of when I first learned about metaphors and similes in school. My English composition book shared examples of each. And one of the examples of a metaphor was “the road was a ribbon of light.” I remember thinking, “Hey, I’m on that road all these years later.”

Dan Fogelberg released his eighth album, Windows and Walls, in 1984 (the year of my full moon drive). And one song was called “Tucson Arizona (Gazette). He said he wrote the song based on a story he read in that paper. And the song is a little over eight and half minutes long. But if you like Spanish-sounding guitar riffs and percussion (I DO), the song certainly doesn’t feel long.

And that’s the song I played several times over as I drove my little Toyota pickup through the cold, New Mexico night. On a secondary highway heading north toward I-40. The full moon reflected on the road. And there were basically no other cars. So, I turned off my headlights and skimmed across that ribbon of light.

I could see almost as easily without the headlights. Because the reflection from the road seemed to amplify and magnify the moonlight. It was exhilarating. And obviously a sensory experience I’ll never forget.

None of that experience, nor any others like it, could ever happen without the love of God. Because, without Him, there would only be darkness and void. In fact, he inspired Moses to describe the light He made for us. So, Moses wrote this:

“Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also. God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness.”

Think about that. Those lights RULE. You and I have zero control over whether the sun and moon will shine or not. So, in a sense, they rule their light over us. Day WILL be lit up by the sun. And the moon lights the nights. Well, the stars, too. But the main light is the moon.

And those lights in the sky are indicators of how important light is to God. Then, when you go to the other end of the Bible, you discover that, in Heaven, there won’t be a sun and moon. What? If light is so important to Him, why would Heaven have no sun or moon? Simple. Yet almost impossible to imagine. God will BE the light.

And that Ribbon of Light will wrap around anyone who chooses to be there. That includes you. Right?

If not, consider taking a full moon drive, out West, the next chance you get. Turn off your headlights. And think about what could happen if you accidentally ended up in a ditch because you missed something on the road. And think about if you ended up like Tony and Mary, in Dan Fogelberg‘s song. Where would you go or be?

But that could only happen if you had already chosen wisely. Otherwise, you could just be another side story in a small newspaper. And Dan won’t write a song about you. Because he left this planet years ago. And even I might not be around to write a song about you.

So, don’t put it off. Choose your Creator and you’ll feel (and be) more alive than you can imagine.

You’ll thank me later.

Stay tuned,

Share this link with everybody you know, so they can jump on the The TRUTH (My regular emails about the essentials of life, AND get some music and other good stuff, for Fa-Ree)

The post Full moon drive and feeling alive appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

“There are things that we’re not going to understand along the way. You have to trust that God knows what He’s doing and working out His plan for your life. His plan is bigger. His plan is greater.”

OK, that appears to be (I say appears to be because I found it on social media) a quote from the number one authority on God’s plan, Joel Osteen.

Let’s compare that with what the Bible (which is God’s Word) says about understanding and who’s in charge of your life. Now, keep in mind, I’m quoting from the New King James version of the Bible. So, it might be chock full of human bias. Come to think of it, maybe all versions are. Uh-oh.

Anyway…Bear with me. Let’s say, for the sake of time and effort, that there’s the slightest chance our English translations of the Bible are reasonably reliable. That being said, what does it say about understanding?

With barely a few strokes on my computer keyboard, I found six very interesting results when I searched for the term “get understanding.” I’m no rocket scientist (thank God), but it appears the writer of those Proverbs believed that being able to understand is a do-able thing. I mean, c’mon man. The implication is there. Because would God tell us to do something that’s not do-able? (My guess is No)

Over and over, in the Bible, you’ll discover (if you look) that God gives human beings the ability to think and decide for themselves. And then, He lets them. It would appear that God’s “plan” for your life is for you to use what He gave you to plan your own day.

You’re using it right now as you read this. Yep, God designed and gave you a brain. And then He took a HUGE risk. Because He let you think for yourself.

In other words, you don’t have to ask His permission to make decisions. Of course, you should always consult Him and ask for His help. But you can make decisions based on your own choices. Then you can enjoy the rewards or deal with consequences based on what you chose.

In “Biblical terms” that’s called sowing and reaping. A totally understandable concept.

But I’m sure you’ve heard this, when bad things happen. “Well, we trust God even though we don’t understand why He’s doing this or what His plan is”. If you’re a Christian, please don’t say that.

You should understand we currently live in “the age of Grace.” So, this isn’t a dispensation where God wrecks cars, burns down houses, makes your kids steal, crashes planes, or makes anybody shoot anybody else. God isn’t arbitrary. He isn’t fickle. And He doesn’t play games with your life.

God doesn’t (and never did) plan your day. He doesn’t make you rich. And He doesn’t make you poor.

You can be sure He’ll never leave you nor forsake you as you plan your own day. But He has the big picture view of your world and your life. Your view is more myopic and selfish (mine too). And that means allowing you to live your life with the freedom to love Him or not. The freedom to choose Him or not. So, here’s what I suggest as you plan your day today:

Choose to get more understanding of God’s word. Put that at the top of your to-do list.

And don’t buy into that whole “It’s just part of God’s plan” mantra. That takes His truth out of the frying pan and into the fire, so to speak. And that fire is the world’s increased hatred toward the kind of God who’d orchestrate all the chaos and evil in this world. And then say it all somehow follows a righteous plan.

If you never have, then choose to trust Him and His actual word. If you’ve already done that, then choose Him to continue to be the guiding force in your life. Choose to love God. Because His ultimate, overarching plan for you is eternal life in His Heavenly paradise. But He didn’t already preordain you to be there. And He won’t force you to be there. You’re in charge of that choice. Choose wisely.

Planning your day is part of your life…

Stay tuned,

Share this link with everybody you know, so they can jump on the The TRUTH

The post His plan for man has left the frying pan appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

You’ve heard this expression: The only thing that stays the same is change. Right? Well, it’s the only thing because there are two things that stay the same. Continuity and change. Wait! How can that be? Two things stay the same because there’s only one thing that changes? Ow…my head hurts. And I didn’t even have champagne last night.

And we just flipped that coin at midnight, last night.

Can you see where I’m going with this? OK, riddle me this. What constantly changes but stays the same? For those of you playing on the West Coast, where everything is more relative than anywhere else, here’s the answer.

Time.

And with time you’re guaranteed two things. Continuity…because time keeps flowing. And change…because everything changes as time passes.

But then again, time doesn’t actually “pass.” That’s just a figure of speech. It’s you and me. We pass through time. And it’s even become the “thing” to replace “She died” with “She passed.” (Side note: for some reason that annoys me.)

OK, I’m rambling on about things that maybe only a handful of people in the whole world will understand. Much less care about. But here’s why it’s important to contemplate. Because time is real. And you’re real. And there’s only one reason you’re connected to this space/time continuum.

I’ve heard Christians debate whether or not God is outside of time. But I’ve only heard a couple of them say something similar to what I’ve always said. Time exists because God exists. He can no more be “outside of time” than you or me. Because God also thinks one thought after another. And that shows sequential process. And sequential process is, by definition, time.

So, today, as you ponder a whole New Year, I hope you’ll take some time (which you can never give back, by the way) and think about the existence of time. And it’s way more important than just tearing off a sheet from a calendar to reveal another number and another day.

Each of those sheets represents another day closer to your chosen eternal destiny. Choose wisely.

And Happy New Year 2021! My hope for you is abundant life and blessings beyond measure.

Don’t drink the wine of violence

Don’t push and shove the simple.

A word to the confounded”

Get wise to the deceiver.

Don’t walk, you, with the wicked.

© 1995 Tony Funderburk

Stay tuned,

Get my Rhyme & Reason Podcast delivered (free) right to your device.

My books are also on Amazon.com or Apple Books

Grab yourself an un-cool T-shirt

Or how about some music for kids

The post Continuity and change as the numbers rearrange appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

The Christian faith is based on one thing and one thing only…the simple truth that Jesus is the only way to eternal life in Heaven. And His love wins out over all the sins of every person who ever lived or will live. A loving Christian will want you to know that truth, if you don’t already. But a loving Christian won’t try to force anyone to choose Jesus. Jesus doesn’t work that way. Why should we? Forcing someone into a choice isn’t loving. And it certainly doesn’t win you any new friends. No, it’s better to share how much our Creator loves us and how much He sacrificed for us. Love has a much better chance at winning hearts than brute force or anger ever will.

Human beings like to complicate things. Why stick with 10 laws, when we can make a million? Or why remember to eat real food, exercise regularly, and get plenty of fresh air, sunshine, and water…when we can create a thousand diets? It’s usually a matter of wanting to look more intelligent. Or else it’s the “control freak” in us. Whatever it is, it’s so unnecessary. After all, if God can write a book and make a point easy for us to understand, shouldn’t we be able to do that, too? Uh…yeah…if we follow His lead.

Here’s a simple poem I’ve shared before. I kept it simple so even kids could understand the love behind the Truth.

Take to heart the simple truth

If you read the words on this site and find yourself disagreeing, stop and consider what’s making you disagree? Before you decide to say something mean or full of anger, figure out what part of my words stirred that up in you. Was it the love part? Was it the part where I said we Christians shouldn’t try to force anyone to trust in Jesus? Or was it where I started rhyming things? If it’s not any of those things…and it sure shouldn’t be…then what in the world would make you disagree? I think I know the answer to that, but you can let me know what you think. The simple truth is…I care enough to ask. And I care about where you’ll choose to spend eternity.

Be sure to jump on the one-of-a-kind The TRUTH today, and I’ll send you some free rhymes and reasons right away. Music, a book, and lots of good faith, hope, and love stuff.

And share with everyone you know. Don’t keep these goodies all to yourself.

Stay tuned,

The post The simple truth wins more than anyone sins appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

Is there really such a thing as everlasting love? Well, if I tell you there is…do you want any part of it? Or are you afraid you’re not worthy of the whole idea of everlasting love? If so, you’re not alone. No one is worthy of it, but…

…the good news is…no one receives this kind of love based on his or her own worthiness or merit. Thank God. The whole world has been given direct access to the Creator of Heaven and Earth through prayer. You can talk directly to God and tell Him you want His everlasting love, and He’ll give it to you. All He asks is that you believe in…and on…His Son, Jesus, who came to Earth and took on human flesh and died a horrible death in your place.

Can you do that? Or does some part of you still think it’s a fairy tale? Do you think Christians are naive simpletons who haven’t reached a sufficient level of enlightenment? Well, I’d challenge you to actually read the Bible. It doesn’t read like a fairy tale. It reads like a history book. And the manuscript evidence, the archaeological evidence, the prophetic evidence, and the statistical evidence is overwhelmingly true.

But it still comes down to your will. You’ve been given the choice of life or death. The everlasting love of God has made everlasting life available to you…even though you’ve done nothing worthy of it. But you must choose. God said “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…”

I want the Everlasting Work Of Art;

Everlasting and everywhere…

I look for Everlasting holy clues

Chorus

You seek the answers to the mysteries of life

Chorus

I look to the Everlasting Guiding Star

Chorus…inst…chorus…bridge…chorus…

modulate up and repeat

2 verses and choruses to end

© 1992 Tony Funderburk

Stay tuned…

The post Everlasting Love appeared first on Tony Funderburk.