Tag Archives: book of Psalms

Tony Funderburk Posted on by

In the valley of the shadow of death, apparently you will find enemies and evil. But one place you will never find those things is in the house of the Lord. And that’s particularly exciting, at least if you trust Jesus, because that’s the house you’re gonna live in forever.

By the way, my educated guess is it’s not the kind of house you and I are used to.

Yeah, I bet just about all typical houses, even in the good parts of town, are locked at night. At least they are if the residents are sensible. Because evil people, in search of evil things to do, lurk in the dark. That’s just how they operate. And so it makes total sense to lock your doors at night.

But thank God, none of that will be necessary in His house. Forever.

Back when I was the praise and worship leader at a small church in the Denver metro area, I wrote a collection of praise and worship songs based on the pastor’s teaching from a series, he based on the book of Psalms. And one of those songs I wrote is based on what is probably the most famous song. Psalm 23. Here are the lyrics to…

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

Tony Funderburk Posted on by

King David is a very famous guy. In fact, he’s one of the most famous men in the Bible. And there’s a place in the Bible where he’s described as “skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the Lord is with him.” Wow, it’s like looking in a virtual mirror.

Anyway…

That famous guy was also a poet and songwriter.

Maybe you’ve heard of the Psalms. Yes? Most of them were written by a good-looking man of war. Bam! Not some wimpy, modern-day, watered-down idea of what a poet is. And my guess is, although there’s no actual written account of it, that David didn’t sing like a soy boy. You know. That whispery, whiny stuff you hear these days.

But I progress…

The reason I brought up King David, and his prolific poetry and prose powers, is because I ran across a 47 year old poem of mine in my files. And sometimes, when I read an old poem, I recall the actual feelings I experienced that inspired me to write it. It might surprise some how the apparently obvious meaning didn’t originate as you’d imagine.

And that’s the case with this poem. It’s not about me. It’s an example of personification. Or symbolism. And I seem to recall that I wrote it after I saw a commercial that took place on a beach. This poem, that I also turned into a song (according to my 47 year old handwriting is in A flat) is in the verse-chorus-verse format. Each section has words that point to the main character. And the me or my or I mentioned is the object of personification.

Bet you can’t guess what or who it is. Hint: it’s not a famous guy.

Open Me Up

Open up my eyes.
Let me out of this disguise.
Let me burn up like a candle in the sun.
I wish to smell a rose
And feel sand between my toes.
Let me leave and go and say what’s done is done.

I can’t say a single word that’s not been said before.
And I can’t sing another song because there are no more.
I just hope there is no gloom
After saying I’m in bloom…
And that I wish…
Someone soon…
Would open me up.

Open up my eyes.
Let me see into the skies.
Let me fall into the ocean many times.
I wish to find a key
And then hope that it fits me.
Let me leave behind a poem with many rhymes.

© 1977

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

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Tomorrow is not the time to start something new. Because tomorrow is a concept. Because humans need that concept to help us understand the flowing of time. And even though it helps to include tomorrow in your understanding of time, it never actually gets here.

Then, on the other hand, tomorrow is already here. On the other side of the world at the international date line area. But those people who live on the other side of it don’t live in the future. To them, it’s today. It’s right now.

So, if they start something new right now, they start today.

It’s all so discombobulated. Except when you realize you absolutely DO have a future.

You can’t keep it from happening any more than you can keep the sun from shining.

And that’s why I talk about the power of love so much. Not the wimpy, limp-wristed, “tolerance and diversity” nonsense that attempts to pass itself off as love these days. Nope. I mean the love so powerful it makes the moon revolve around the Earth and the sun to shine with light and warmth.

And that all happens in a universe that’s logical, yet magical. Reasonable, yet unbelievably huge.

For that kind of expansive evidence to exist, there MUST be a Designer even more expansive. I’d be a fool to say otherwise.

Since the evidence points to a Designer, a Creator, it’s a good idea to see if there’s more we can know about that person. Turns out, there’s a LOT more. Yeah, He wrote a bestselling book. No, that’s wrong. He wrote THE bestselling book of all time. The Bible. Maybe you’ve heard of it?

And that book says God started something new several thousand years ago.

The “heavens and the Earth.” Maybe you’ve heard of ’em? And after He created a perfect living environment He created a couple of perfect people. And He showed ’em their paradise. And He didn’t do all that for funsies. It wasn’t just something to pass the time. It was an awesome act of love.

And because you can see love throughout the Bible, you can understand how and why you can love. At least if you’re willing to understand. Most people aren’t. But I’m willing. And that’s why I’m sharing this song…

Because I Can Love

What made You think
That I was worth the risk You took?
What made You take the time
To write Your Holy Book?
I don’t believe I’d give myself a second look,
But You did because You love.

You made a world
That was as perfect as could be,
But then I broke it
When You gave it all to me…
By going through the gate You made to set me free.
This You did because You love…me.

Because You love me so…in spite of all You know…
Because You did the most that You could ever do…
Because I clearly see…evidence of You in me…
Because I can love…I do love…You!

You put a life
And a will inside my soul.
You knew true love
Would be to give me full control.
But knowing You is all that ever makes me whole.
I trust You because You love…me.

I can live because You live!
I can love because You love!

© 2010

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

OK, I’ve got a line for you to sing to the tune of “If you’re happy and you know it.” Ready? Here you go. 🎶 If you’re worried and you know it, do not fret. 🎶 Now. Don’t you feel better already?

Three simple words. Do not fret.

But if they’re so simple, why do most people find the advice impossible to follow?

Because most people (I hope that doesn’t include you) don’t care to listen to what God tells them.

“What?! You mean God actually tells me to fret?!”

Yes. Yes, He does.

“But,” you might ask, “Does God understand how much evil is going on in the world?”

Yes. Yes He does.

And He still says “Do Not Fret.”

And just in case you think He must say it more profoundly…NO. Because God prefers for us to get it. And He wants as many people as possible to get it. So, it makes his most important points easy to understand. And that means when He wants us not to fret, He just tells us not to do it.

Of course, He might use a king to tell us. In fact, He DID use a king to tell us. King David. And David knew a thing or two about “evildoers.” But he still said not to worry because of them.

Yeah, but David wasn’t up against a world filled with people who want to prosper off the problems of others. Right? And he didn’t have to deal with schemers who went around planning wicked stuff. Right?

Wrong.

David was able to relate to what we have to deal with these days because he had to deal with those same kinds of things in his day.

But God inspired David to write: “Do not fret because of evildoers.”

I’ve said it before. But it bears repeating. Show the world how to be and stay positive in times like this.

Because”

If for no other reason, you know you’re truly blessed.
And you know you’ll live forever in the place that’s the best.
You know this world can never beat your spirit down for good.
So now you’ll give up worry, or at least you’ll know you should.

Stay tuned,

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I was thinking, earlier today, about how someone who knew me 30 years ago (or more) might come to my website and wonder if it’s really me. Because back then I had very long hair, played secular music for a living, and didn’t exactly embody the exemplary Christian life. And that’s even though I was a Christian for quite some time before my secular music life.

But now I don’t put my Christian life on the back burner.

Because it’s the only life that’s actually…well…life. Everything else is a shadowy attempt at life. And that description is probably too generous.

After a couple of crash-and-burn long-term relationships, I decided I’d use my celebrity status to “play the field.” No women of the female, opposite sex persuasion were gonna tie me down. No sir! Been there. Done that. And got the burn marks across the ol’ heart. (Too bad it wasn’t just a t-shirt.)

So, I went the King David, Bathsheba route. And before you chime in (you know who you are) that doesn’t include sending some unsuspecting husband off to die while I had my way with his wife. No, my wild oats didn’t go that wild.

But just as I’m sure God wasn’t pleased with King David’s lack of wisdom, I’m sure He wasn’t pleased with mine either.

Thankfully, I eventually met a sizzlin’ babe who helped me see the errors of my ways. It wasn’t automatic. In fact, she shot me down for three years before I could convince her I wasn’t just another musician with a notion to conquer. And even then, she wanted to be sure I wasn’t a serial killer.

And all these years later, I find myself going the King David route. But not the Bathsheba part. The gratitude and praise part, to the Creator who spoke words and the universe exploded into being. David talked about it Psalm 33. And here’s my take on his writing…

Your Word Is True

With a shout of joy
Let’s sing a brand new song
Praising God as we stand here in awe
And we worship Him”
He is our help and shield
Giving Grace where we once had the law.

With our instruments
And overflowing joy
Send the words to the heavens above”
God forever stands
And He forever lives
And He promised us forever love.

Lord, we hope in You…We trust in You”
And we live in You…”˜Cause Your word is true.
Lord, we sing to you”We cling to you”
And we pray to you””˜Cause Your word is true.

With our waiting souls
And optimistic words
Let’s remember that Jesus is right
All His work is done”
It’s done in perfect Truth,
And we’ll live, if we walk in His light.

© 2010 Tony Funderburk

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Today was the day. Friends and family spent time together, in the little town of Gardner, Kansas, celebrating Mom. She died on February 11 of this year (2021) and left the aches and pains of this world to go live in Heaven.

And I was thankful we were celebrating mom, and not just mourning.

For the past several years I called Mom just about every Sunday for our weekly “catch up.” And I remember, especially in the past couple of years, how she’d occasionally bring up things she wished she hadn’t done in her life. Because she knew, after gaining some wisdom, how choices have consequences.

And when she’d get emotional about some of her bad choices, I’d remind her that every other person on the planet had the same problem. You and I make bad choices. It’s in our nature. And we can’t wish it away. But we can wash it away. Not with tap water. Or even filtered water.

Nope. It’s gonna take Living Water. And that water washes away guilt as it grows eternal, green pastures. And we know that, right now, it’s where you’re celebrating, Mom.

So, a big Thank You to everyone who said nice things about her today. We were all blessed to have her be a part of our lives. I know she’s experiencing the fullness of what King David wrote…

The 23rd Psalm:

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
And He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.

Stay tuned,

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Have you ever prayed and asked God to help you to not be like the wicked people of the world? It’s a good prayer because a wicked person, who doesn’t ask for forgiveness, will spend eternity with his (or her) worst enemy. Self. And while, right now, they might think that would be utopia, I predict they’ll hate it. So, it’s a good idea to ask for God’s help to not be like them. And that answered prayer is more valuable than gold.

Recently I’ve seen Christians, online, talk about how we need to pray for our enemies. And I agree.

But the typical Christian prayer, for enemies, usually includes asking for God’s help to forgive. And asking for His help to love them. Because, they quote Jesus when He said, “Love your enemies. Bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you…”

So, you might think, “Well, Tony, that seems pretty clear cut. Jesus said it. And that makes it true. And that’s why I ask Him to help me. Because loving and praying for my enemies is one of the hardest things to do.”

OK, that makes sense. But I think there’s a good example of how to pray for your enemies, in the Bible. And it comes from the man God called “a man after my own heart.”

See if you’d like this to be an answered prayer…

“Do not take me away with the wicked and with the workers of iniquity, who speak peace to their neighbors, but evil is in their hearts. Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavors; give them according to the work of their hands; render to them what they deserve. Because they do not regard the works of the Lord, nor the operation of His hands, He shall destroy them and not build them up.”

Sure, you might argue that David was praying against his enemies and not for them. But take another look. Because David doesn’t ask God to snuff out people he doesn’t like. Or people who have been mean to him. No, he calls out the “wicked” and the “workers of iniquity.” And he says, “Give them according to their deeds.”

In other words, David asks God to give them what they deserve. Nothing more. And nothing less.

And that’s a good place to start when you pray for your enemies. Because if you love them, you don’t want them to do whatever they please and simply get away with it. God doesn’t even want that for those of us who love Him. So, He certainly doesn’t want that for those who hate Him.

That’s why, if you want an answered prayer, a fervent prayer that “avails much,” then let your love be without hypocrisy. Hate evil. And pray accordingly. I believe God will answer that kind of prayer. And has many times.

You’ll be strengthened in your faith when you pray
Because you’ll know God believes what you say.

Stay tuned,

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