Category Archives: Colossians

Tony Funderburk writes and sings about the rhyme and reason found in the book of Colossians.

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Truly successful people will live forever.

It doesn’t matter if you can:

  • build empires,
  • become a trillionaire,
  • employ tens of thousands of people, or even
  • change the world for the better

Those things are fine. And if you’ve done, or are doing, any of them, then you’re one of the successful people. By worldly standards. But if you never trust your Creator, you will lose your soul. And that’s the complete opposite of success. That’s failure on a scale you can’t imagine.

Truly successful people also know what success isn’t.

And the main thing it isn’t is temporary.

That’s why I say the key to success can be found in 13 letters. It’s not like the DaVinci code using 13 special letters in an obscure alphabet. Far from it. In fact, no letters could be less obscure than these. You’ll find them in the bestselling book of all time.

I’m talking about the 13 letters Paul wrote to the Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Thessalonians, and Timothy, Titus, and Philemon. Over and over in those letters Paul shares the key to success. And it’s clearly trusting in Jesus to change you and give you eternal life. Not temporary wealth and influence.

Without eternal life all your efforts and influence lead to failure.

So, what are you doing to make a difference for now and forever? Do you think a new computer software, or so-called artificial intelligence, or self-driving car is gonna be a lasting legacy? Will you be able to create something so powerful the world will never forget your name? If so, I say…think again. But feel free to leave me a comment or send me a message showing me where I miss the point.

A word to the confounded,
Pour light into your eyes.
If you expect more than neglect,
Get wisdom; yeah get wise.

If you appreciate Paul’s letters, let’s stay connected. It’s super easy. Here’s how:

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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.

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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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When I was a young boy, my mom saved S&H Green Stamps. They were like rewards you get on your apps these days. Stamps a shopper received at stores, gas stations, or just about anywhere housewives shopped. Yeah, I know. “Housewives” is a politically incorrect term. But it wasn’t back then. Ah…the good old days.

Especially the S&H Green Stamps good old days.

Because when a woman saved enough Green Stamps, she could redeem them for all sorts of household items she found in the S&H catalog. It was like free money. I remember my mom talking with her friends and family about some clock radio or dish set she just got with her stamps. It made for fun, and sometimes lively, conversation. And they’d share the news of double stamps days at the local grocery store. Then, bam! Time to storm the grocery store.

Speaking of time, how is time like Green Stamps? And that’s not actually a trick question.

Answer. They can both be redeemed. Well, I don’t think Green Stamps can anymore. Because I don’t think there’s that kind of rewards program around anymore. But time can still be redeemed.

Dan don’t believe me? Don’t think you could redeem time and get something “for free?”

Well, you can. And guess what you get? OK, I won’t make you guess.

The answer is more time.

Yeah, I don’t mean you can turn 24 hour days into 30 hour days. But you can buy more time by making good use of the time you have here on planet Earth. In fact, you can buy time that never runs out. How cool is that?!

But you can’t just sit on your time. You gotta redeem it. Here’s how you do that. First, become a Christian. And if you’re already a Christian, you gotta “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.” That’s getting a lot harder to do. Because more and more the world doesn’t wanna hear the name Jesus mentioned under any circumstances. So, it’s important to emphasize the “grace” and “salt” part.

I do that here on my blog. I’m redeeming the time I have left by sharing the power of God’s love and His enduring message of eternal life with anyone who cares to listen and/or read.

Now, are you paying attention to the clock? Because there’s a lot more than green stamps at stake.

“All I need is some time to hold in my hands.
All I want is some time to hold in my arms.”  ~Tony Funderburk

If this landed somewhere good with you, let’s stay connected. It’s super easy. Here’s how:

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

It’s good stuff based on the power of God’s love. 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.

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Baby boomers, or boomers (spoken with great disgust in the tone of your voice, as you hear all around the Internet these days), or just too old to learn something new. Yeah, facts is facts. I mean, those must be the facts. Because there are so many brilliant young people these days who believe that. And what did they say about a lie? Oh yeah, if enough people believe it, it becomes the truth. Right?

Well, right there is an opportunity to learn something new.

The actual quote is more like, “A lie is still a lie, even if everybody believes it. And the truth is still the truth, even if nobody believes it”

See? Isn’t it liberating to learn something new? Yeah, makes you almost feel like a new man. Or woman.

Here are some real world examples of learning something new. See if you can relate.

Do you apply your creative mind or your analytical mind or your marketing mind to everyday situations? And do you dig deeper into information to find a story you can apply to your life, or your business, or your creative endeavors?

If so, then you discovered that you actually CAN teach an old dog (if that’s what you wanna call yourself) new tricks. And that’s true if your “old dog” self has a mindset to turn “new tricks” into productive habits.

I never fell for the idea that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks anyway. In the first place, most people, who use that phrase, apply it to people. And people aren’t dogs. And in the second place, I’ve seen actual old dogs learn new tricks. Now, I’ll be darned if I’m gonna let an old dog outlearn me.

And above all that is something someone said about putting on “the new man.”

Hmm, now let me see. Where did I hear that? Or was it something I read? No wait, I remember now. I know you’re gonna think this is crazy. But the author of the best selling book of all time inspired a guy named Paul to write a letter to the Christian church in the city of Colossae (it was in Phrygia which was southern Asia Minor… look at you learn something new). And God inspired Paul to tell the Christians there to put on the new man who is “renewed in knowledge (translate: Learn Something New) according to the image of Him who created him.”

I’m gonna make a wild guess and say God wouldn’t inspire somebody to write that if He knew it couldn’t be done.

So, think of it this way. Everyone eventually grows old, if circumstances and health permit. When you do, will you give up? Or will you look forward to and rise to meet the challenges? You ain’t no dog. You’re a human being made in the image and likeness of God. And since he says you can learn something new, all you gotta do is believe and make it so.

And the choir jumped in on the chorus singin’

I gotta get shakin’…ain’t no mistakin’,
Can’t be no fakin’ changes I’m makin’
And it can’t be proven while a mountain needs movin’
So, I’m gonna go move it. Yeah, I’m gonna go move it.

And while you’re movin’ move your cursor to the form below and…

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

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

As long as I can remember there have been “peace talks” and “peace agreements” and “peace accords” all over the world. Trouble is…I’ve never gotten the feeling that the world is at peace. Have you noticed that?

For as long as I can remember (and that’s a lot longer than it used to be) there have been wars. We’ve been fortunate here in America. We haven’t seen actual war on our soil for a long time. But I figure it’s only a matter of time. And I believe you can attribute the lack of peace to individuals not willing to allow the peace of God to rule in their hearts. Here’s what I mean…

The peace of God isn’t based on arbitrary human emotions and so-called peace talks.

It’s based on Truth and Life. When you understand you had a beginning designed by the Creator of all things, you can start to understand how important Truth and Life are. And it’s basic. It’s fundamental. It’s simple. Truth exists because God exists. And God is the source of all life. You can know that you know. And knowing can give you a peace you can’t find anywhere else. A peace you can really talk about.

Unfortunately, most people don’t give a rip about that peace. They’d rather zig-zag through their days looking for answers based on their preconceived notions. Or follow their flawed learning process (translation: public schooling) and live esoteric, experiential lives. The trouble with that path is…it leads to nowhere. And it often takes dark and dangerous turns.

You can call me “one of those wacky Christians” if you like. I’ve heard it before. But one thing a Christian has that no unbeliever will ever have is: the peace of God. It’s a peace beyond what you’re able to just imagine. And if anyone, who wants that peace, talks to God and asks Him for it, He’s willing to give it to them. Do you want it?

The One True Way To Peace

Judge me; I need to be judged.
Correct me;  whenever I’m wrong.
Save me from thinking my thoughts.
I’ve lived in them way too long.

Show me what I need to see.
Tell me what I have to hear.
Give me a voice of wisdom.
Thank You for taking my fear.

And I have to trust that my God is just.
And I feel my boldness increase.
I’m a dissident, and I’m an instrument.
For the one true Way to peace.

Search me for the deeper things.
Fill me from Your living well.
Free me from the ways of man.
Take me off the path to Hell

Listen to my fervent prayer.
Bless me so that I can bless.
Change me with Your mighty Word.
Spare me with Your tenderness.

Chorus

Make me to always understand
I’m only mighty in Your mighty Hand.
inst…Chorus to end    © TF

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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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,

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

Years ago, I wrote a song called Do Something. And a few years after that I wrote another song called Do Right. Obviously they’re both about doing. And that’s because it’s crucial to be active not passive in your faith.

Thankfully it’s easy to be active, not passive.

And the difference it can make can be massive, not only in your life, but in the lives of those you know and care about.

…put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts (Colossians 3:12–15,