Be Still and Listen

Posted on January 11, 2017 by billtonnis

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“Silence is God’s first language.” – St. John of the Cross

(Listen to my song “Turn Off the Noise” by clicking HERE)

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Mark 1:35-38

Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed. Simon and those who were with him pursued him and on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you.” He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come.”

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Notice how Jesus goes off to “a deserted place” and prays.

He gets away from any distractions to commune with God in solitude.

There he can immerse himself in the silent Presence of God.

Notice how Simon and the others find Jesus and try to get him to return to the people who have already experienced the power of his preaching and healing.

Does Jesus simply go along with what others want him to do? No! He doesn’t.

Jesus knows his mission is to move on to preach and heal elsewhere.

How does he know? Apparently through his heart-to-heart time in silent prayer with God.

How often do we do this?

Do we follow the quiet voice in our hearts or do we blindly follow the loud voices of pop culture and what others want us to do?

For us to know our calling and mission…we must take time for silence to open up a heart-to-heart communication with our Loving Maker.

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Listen to the song of the day “Turn Off the Noise” by clicking HERE.

Sample and/or purchase my songs on iTunes by clicking HERE.

CD’s available for purchase at BillTonnisMusic.com by clicking HERE.

Remember…God loves you!

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Restoration in Progress

Posted on January 10, 2017 by billtonnis

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Allow God’s Unconditional Love to bring you peace.

(Listen to my song “Heal Me” by clicking HERE)

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Mark 1:23-25

In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit; he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are–the Holy One of God!” Jesus rebuked him and said, “Quiet! Come out of him!”

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What unclean spirit has its grips on you today?

Is it fear? Worry? Envy? Jealousy?

Or are you caught in the grips of some unhealthy attachment whether it be a relationship, job, or material possession?

Or are you overly attached to nationalism, politics…or perhaps even to religion?

Or are you overwhelmed by an illness that you just can’t shake?

If God is love (1 John 4:8) and we are God’s children (1 John 3:2)…then what is there to fear?

Ground yourself in the foundation of God’s Unconditional Love.

Call on God.

Allow God’s love and acceptance to release you from any chains that are keeping you from living in the freedom and wholeness of your true self.

As Jesus showed us…God wants to heal and restore us.

While the healing may not come in our timing and may not be exactly how we want it…a healing is already in the works when we ask, let go, and trust.

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Listen to the song of the day “Heal Me” by clicking HERE.

Sample and/or purchase my songs on iTunes by clicking HERE.

CD’s available for purchase at BillTonnisMusic.com by clicking HERE.

Remember…God loves you!

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Restorative Justice

Posted on January 9, 2017 by billtonnis

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Love erases the lines of division.

(Listen to my song “Pour Me Out” by clicking HERE)

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Isaiah 42:6-7

I, the Lord, have called you for the victory of justice, I have grasped you by the hand; I formed you, and set you as a covenant of the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from confinement.

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The Prophet Isaiah foretold the Messiah’s mission 600 years in advance.

It would not be to crush the enemies of Israel…but instead be to heal all people and to free them from oppression and injustice.

It was a mission of restorative justice.

Lines of separation would be erased.

God’s plan is not to punish but restore.

God’s plan is that all be one…because all are one.

It is a human-made delusion that we are not.

Restoring to oneness was the mission that Jesus carried out even at the cost of his life. Especially at the cost of his life!

If you identify as “Christian” then you are called to pour out your life in the pursuit of oneness as well.

Why do we make it so complicated? Jesus told us to love God and our neighbor as ourselves.

The bottom line is love.

We are called to love as Jesus loved. We are called to heal as Jesus healed. We are called to free victims of oppression from injustice as Jesus did.

As Jesus said, “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these.” (John 14:12).

The time to start is now.

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Listen to the song of the day “Pour Me Out” by clicking HERE.

Sample and/or purchase my songs on iTunes by clicking HERE.

CD’s available for purchase at BillTonnisMusic.com by clicking HERE.

Remember…God loves you!

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Serve

Posted on January 6, 2017 by billtonnis

heart_fire

May your talents be used for the sake of compassion and justice.

(Listen to my song “Listen to Your Heart” by clicking HERE)

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1 John 5:5

Who indeed is the victor over the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

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The “world” (meaning the value system of materialism, power, prestige and the need to be first) leads to a dead end.

Following such a system will never satisfy the insatiable desires of the ego to build its own kingdom…not to mention the fact that all those worldly things are destined to disappear.

Jesus has a different philosophy…one of love and service…using your gifts and talents to build God’s kingdom. 

Following the world’s way leads to an endless grab for more…as well as an increase in anxiety and stress over holding onto what you’ve grabbed.

Following Jesus’ way leads to freely sharing your treasures for the common good…because you are no longer “attached” to them. His way also leads to inner peace and contentment.

There are two paths.

Which do you choose?

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Listen to the song of the day “Listen to Your Heart” by clicking HERE.

Sample and/or purchase my songs on iTunes by clicking HERE.

CD’s available for purchase at BillTonnisMusic.com by clicking HERE.

Remember…God loves you!

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Be the Change

Posted on January 5, 2017 by billtonnis

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Love has no meaning…unless it ignites action.

(Listen to my song “Salvation” by clicking HERE)

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1 John 3:16-18

The way we came to know love was that he laid down his life for us; so we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If someone who has worldly means sees a brother in need and refuses him compassion, how can the love of God remain in him? Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth.

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What more is there to say?

Jesus showed us what pure Unconditional Love is…by responding to persecution and even a torturous death…with love and forgiveness.

He showed us that death does not have the final say…but that it leads to transformation, resurrection and new life.

While on the cross…even though no one asked for forgiveness or deserved it…Jesus freely gave it!

Gaze for a moment upon Jesus hanging on the cross…while still extending unconditional love. This is how much God loves each of us.

You do not have to earn it.

It’s given.

It’s Grace.

Accept it.

Allow it to saturate your heart.

Allow it to change your life.

How can you resist sharing it with others?

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Listen to the song of the day “Salvation” by clicking HERE.

Sample and/or purchase my songs on iTunes by clicking HERE.

CD’s available for purchase at BillTonnisMusic.com by clicking HERE.

Remember…God loves you!

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True Self

Posted on January 4, 2017 by billtonnis

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What is your calling?

(Listen to my song “I Want to Follow You” by clicking HERE)

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John 1:38

Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, “What are you looking for?”

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Interesting question…isn’t it?

So…what are you looking for?

Are you looking for the things that connote success in this world…things like possessions, power and prestige?

Those things aren’t bad…in and of themselves…as long as you don’t get attached to any of them. That is the catch.

You can find a certain amount of pleasure from those things and need a certain amount of those things to get by in this world.

But none of those things will ever be enough to satisfy the deep yearning inside your soul.

Jesus said that you couldn’t serve both money and God.

It’s really a question of whether you are looking to build your own kingdom…or God’s kingdom.

Which is your main motivation?

When you look to build God’s kingdom you are using your gifts and talents to serve others in making the world a more loving, forgiving, compassionate and just place.

Jesus is a great model to follow.

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Listen to the song of the day “I Want to Follow You” by clicking HERE.

Sample and/or purchase my songs on iTunes by clicking HERE.

CD’s available for purchase at BillTonnisMusic.com by clicking HERE.

Remember…God loves you!

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Be You

Posted on January 3, 2017 by billtonnis

reflection_lake

The path of Love leads to the fullness of life.

(Listen to the song of the day “Show Me…Me” by clicking HERE)

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1 John 3:2

Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

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You are God’s beloved child.

This is true and yet…do you believe it?

Or are you endlessly trying to prove yourself worthy of God’s love?

Or do you think that perhaps you can never be worthy of it?

Fortunately, worthiness has nothing to do with God’s love! 

It is simply a free and undeserved gift. 

It’s Grace. 

God loves us into existence!

It’s a Love that does not change.

It is unconditional.

God’s only desire is that you receive this Love and then freely give it away.

In doing this…each of us becomes the full and unique expression of the Love that God intended to express in us.

We become mirrors of God and take part in the unfolding plan of creation.

Need a guide for your journey? Try following Jesus.

He will lead you on the path of awakening to your true self.

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Listen to the song of the day “Show Me…Me” by clicking HERE.

Sample and/or purchase my songs on iTunes by clicking HERE.

CD’s available for purchase at BillTonnisMusic.com by clicking HERE.

Remember…God loves you!

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Circle of Life

Posted on December 21, 2016 by billtonnis

earth_leaves_sprout

God invites each of us into the Great Flow of giving and receiving.

(Listen to my song “Seasons” by clicking HERE)

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Song of Songs 2:11-12

“For see, the winter is past, the rains are over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of pruning the vines has come, and the song of the dove is heard in our land.”

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God is perpetually giving life…pouring out love to fill all that is empty…to birth something new…to re-birth where new life is needed.

The cycle of the four seasons shows us this.

So do the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

Each of us receives the gift of life and is invited into the cycle of receiving and giving, gratefully accepting what is given…but then humbly letting it go…giving everything back.

The gifts are not to be hoarded…but shared.

It is a beautiful cycle of unconditional love…of participating in the very nature of God and the Trinity.

The invitation is always being given.

What do you need to let go of so God can give you something new?

Are you allowing yourself to be a part of this Great Flow of giving and receiving?

Just as God was born in the flesh in Jesus…how does God want to be born in a new way in your flesh this Christmas?

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Listen to the song of the day “Seasons” by clicking HERE.

Sample and/or purchase my songs on iTunes by clicking HERE.

CD’s available for purchase at BillTonnisMusic.com by clicking HERE.

Remember…God loves you!

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Let Love Lead You

Posted on December 20, 2016 by billtonnis

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New life begins now…if we say yes to it.

(Listen to my song “You’ll Lead Me” by clicking HERE)

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Luke 1:36-37

“And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.”

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Where in your life do you feel barren?

Where are you struggling and in need of new life?

Trust that God is able and willing to do the seemingly impossible!

Scripture tells us that God gave Elizabeth a son in her old age…a son who became John the Baptist. It also says a poor girl named Mary conceived a son through the Holy Spirit who became the Messiah.

The story tells us that through God’s power…Mary became a mother and yet remained a virgin.

How is that possible?

Allow this paradox of “virgin-mother” to open your mind to a deeper mystery and a deeper truth.

With God…all things are possible.

For positive change to happen…it must be given a chance to begin.

It starts now when we say to our Creator, “Let it be done to me according to your will.”

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Listen to the song of the day “You’ll Lead Me” by clicking HERE.

Sample and/or purchase my songs on iTunes by clicking HERE.

CD’s available for purchase at BillTonnisMusic.com by clicking HERE.

Remember…God loves you!

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The Gospel

Posted on December 19, 2016 by billtonnis

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Our Source is Eternal Love.

(Listen to my song “Pour Me Out” by clicking HERE)

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Psalm 71:5

You are my hope, Lord; my trust, God, from my youth.

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Let’s be honest.

When things are going well…we aren’t relying on God or even thinking much about God.

We pretty much think we can do it all on our own.

It’s only when things go awry…not according to our plans…when we slip and fall…when we get hit with pain and suffering…that we turn to God.

And when those times have come in my life…I have always managed to come through it to the other side…not without scars…but transformed.

And when I looked back from the other side…I always realized that a Higher Power had always been with me.

A Deeper Mystery…a Great Love…was literally carrying me through.

In this Advent time…why not open ourselves more to this Eternal Love?

Why not empty ourselves of our endless egocentric desires…so that there is a space for God to fill by Christmas morning?

More of God’s Presence in our hearts…would be the best Present we could possibly receive.

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Listen to the song of the day “Pour Me Out” by clicking HERE.

Sample and/or purchase my songs on iTunes by clicking HERE.

CD’s available for purchase at BillTonnisMusic.com by clicking HERE.

Remember…God loves you!

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