Glory Be

Posted on October 14, 2016 by billtonnis

sunrise_glory

Your life is a free gift from Love itself.

(Listen to my song Changed by clicking HERE)

(Find out more about my new album project and consider a contribution by clicking HERE)

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Ephesians 1:11-12

In him we were also chosen, destined in accord with the purpose of the One who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will, so that we might exist for the praise of his glory.

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St. Paul’s words are those of a transformed man.

He was changed from a man “breathing murderous threats” (Acts 9:1) to a man preaching the gospel.

His change came by way of Grace.

When Paul least deserved it…he had a mystical experience of God’s unconditional love.

He knew that this Love was freely given…and that it was freely given to all people.

Each one of us is God’s beloved daughter or son.

Each of us is chosen. 

How are you meant to exist for the praise of God’s glory?

By simply being you.

Accept that you are loved…just as you are.

Then live your life from that place of belovedness.

Be that Love to all people and every living thing. Be a channel of God’s love and peace.

What could be more glorious than that?

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

Sample and/or purchase my songs by clicking HERE.

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

Remember…God loves you!

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Rejoice and Be Glad

Posted on October 13, 2016 by billtonnis

golden_sunshine

We are created by Love that is eternal.

(Listen to my song God Is by clicking HERE)

(Learn more about my new album project by clicking HERE)

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Ephesians 1:3-5

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ…as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him. In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of his will.

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St. Paul never met the historical Jesus in the flesh…but he did have a mystical, life-changing experience of the resurrected Christ.

It happened as he walked on the road to Damascus where he intended to drag Christians in chains back to Jerusalem (Acts 9:2). Known as Saul at that time…he was a brutal persecutor of Christians.

But after the mystical encounter…he slowly became the most fervent follower of Christ.

He was the least deserving of such an unmerited transforming experience.

The Divinely-infused wisdom that St. Paul gives us in today’s scripture passage is that all people have been chosen before the creation of the world to be without blemish before God.

In Love we were destined for adoption to God through Christ…simply by God’s favor.

This is Grace beyond anything we can imagine! 

Is this your image of God?

If it’s not…please re-read today’s passage over and over.

Let it sink into your soul.

This is Good News!

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

Sample and/or purchase my songs by clicking HERE.

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

Remember…God loves you!

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Divine Calling

Posted on October 12, 2016 by billtonnis

cascade_flow_water

Go with the Flow.

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

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Galatians 5:25

If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit.

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Many times we try to make our spirituality all about me and God.

We spend our time practicing religion in pursuit of a spiritual high or as though the only thing that mattered was my own private prayer life.

However…Jesus showed us that it’s really a team effort.

It’s communal.

We can’t do it alone.

It’s not my “personal salvation project” as Thomas Merton put it.

In fact, we are all part of a bigger picture. We are part of a grand plan of Love.

Get in touch with the Divine Spirit that flows through all things.

Then go with the flow.

The Flow will no doubt take you out of your comfort zone to be with others. As we come to know our Creator as Love itself…we just won’t be able to not share that Love with others.

The Spirit will always lead us to reach out to be the hands and feet of Christ to others.

What yearning is the Spirit igniting inside of you?

Spend some silent time in the Divine Presence…and allow that yearning to grow.

Then follow where it leads.

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

Sample and/or purchase my songs by clicking HERE.

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

Remember…God loves you!

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Thankful

Posted on October 7, 2016 by billtonnis

landscape_roses

Another day arrayed in blessings.

(Listen to my song Give Praise and Thanks by clicking HERE)

(Find out more about and/or support my new album project by clicking HERE)

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Psalm 111:2-3

Great are the works of the Lord, to be treasured for all their delights. Majestic and glorious is your work, your wise design endures forever.

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Look around you at the glory of God’s creation.

Whether it be the beauty of the changing colors of the leaves on the trees…or the blue sky…or the brilliance of the sunrise or sunset…or the intricate design of a tiny flower…or the song of a bird…God’s glory is on display everywhere.

All of creation is giving God glory in its very being.

God’s glory is also in full display in you…just as you are.

You give your Creator glory…by just being yourself.

So awaken to God’s glory all around you…be present to it all…and give thanks!

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Listen to the song of the day Give Praise and Thanks by clicking HERE.

Sample and/or purchase my songs by clicking HERE.

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

Remember…God loves you!

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Awaken

Posted on October 6, 2016 by billtonnis

sunset_live_moment

Each moment is a gift. That’s why it’s called the “present”.

(Listen to the song of the day “The Spirit’s Alive” by clicking HERE)

(Learn more about and/or contribute to my new album project by clicking HERE)

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Luke 11:13

“If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the holy Spirit to those who ask him?”

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Who is the most loving person you know?

Well then…wouldn’t God have to be that loving…and infinitely more?

Jesus’ message to his followers was that God would never give us something that would harm us…no more than a loving parent would.

However, while like a loving father or mother to us…God is not like Santa Claus.

Just because we ask for something that we believe would make us happy…does not mean that what we ask for would in fact do so.

God wants us to experience Love, know Love and be Love.

When we are both receiving God’s love and giving it away…we are fully present to the moment.

This “free-flow” of giving-and-receiving love is basically the personification of the Holy Spirit. When we ask for more of that…get ready for life to the full.

We would then become the fully unique gift to the world that we were intended to be…right now…in this moment.

What could be a better gift than that?

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Listen to the song of the day “The Spirit’s Alive” by clicking HERE.

Sample and/or purchase my songs by clicking HERE.

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

Remember…God loves you!

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Being Christian

Posted on October 5, 2016 by billtonnis

stained-glass-_spiral

A more compassionate and just world…starts with you and me.

(Listen to my song Shall We Sing by clicking HERE)

(Learn about and contribute to my new album project by clicking HERE)

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Luke 11:2

Jesus said to them, “When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.”

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Jesus taught his followers to pray that God’s kingdom would come now…in this moment.

Have you ever given that some thought?

Jesus was concerned about what we do in the present. The future would take care of itself.

God’s kingdom would indeed be present if we all followed the example of Jesus.

But we must each ask ourselves, “Am I building my kingdom…or am I allowing God to use me as an instrument in building God’s kingdom?”

My kingdom will never last…but God’s will last forever. 

This is not really our story at all. It’s God’s story…God’s love story.

Love is being poured out…and it will come to fruition. But it all comes through dying…and rising.

Jesus said it in this profound statement: “Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit” (John 12:24). And then he demonstrated the process in his life, death and resurrection.

God’s kingdom is coming…right now. But we have a choice as to whether we will take part in the process.

It takes “dying” to my false self…created by my ego…so that my true self can “rise”.

Let go. When you do…you fall into God’s Presence.

Be present.

Then you will be a channel of God’s love, mercy, forgiveness and compassion to the world.

Take part in Love’s great outpouring.

May the peace and love of Christ flow through you…to all creation!

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Listen to the song of the day Shall We Sing by clicking HERE.

Sample and/or purchase my songs by clicking HERE.

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

Remember…God loves you!

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Requesting Help – Album Project

Posted on October 4, 2016 by billtonnis

mercy-reigns-cd-cover-bill-tonnis-final-1_1600x1600

Hi all

I’m working on completing my 4th original album project titled Mercy Reigns…to bring music of God’s unconditional love, mercy and comfort to a hurting world.

The title song is Mercy Reigns. Click HERE to listen.

I’m asking for your help! A contribution of any amount would be greatly appreciated!

To see more information and also to contribute…click on my Indiegogo page  or below.

Thanks!

Bill

Mercy Reigns Album Completion Fundraising Project

 

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Listen

Posted on October 4, 2016 by billtonnis

sunrise_horizon_silence

Love speaks in the silence of your heart.

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

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Luke 10:41-42

The Lord said to her in reply, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”

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Martha was upset that she was waiting on all the guests while her sister Mary was sitting beside Jesus listening to his teachings.

Why was she not helping?

Doing the work to make sure the guests are taken care of is a good thing…but what Jesus was getting at was Martha’s motivation.

Why was she “anxious and worried about many things”?

What was Martha’s motivation for her serving?

Was she serving from her sense of being an instrument of God’s love…or serving her ego’s need for recognition? Was she carrying out the call in her heart with joy or was she judging others with a critical eye?

Jesus seems to recognize that Mary was carrying out the call in her heart…which was to listen to him.

There is a time for action but there is also a time for listening…especially when the speaker is Jesus.

At that time…women would not have been welcome to sit at the feet of a teacher like Jesus. That place would have been reserved for men only. But Mary followed the calling in her heart…and Jesus was quite comfortable with it.

Serving is commendable and necessary…but it is critical that we spend time listening to the Inner Voice for direction so we know how to serve. 

What is God saying in your heart?

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

Sample and/or purchase my songs by clicking HERE.

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

Remember…God loves you!

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God Centered

Posted on October 3, 2016 by billtonnis

heart_hands_sun

Is your life’s mission motivated by Love?

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

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Galatians 1:10

Am I now currying favor with human beings or God? Or am I seeking to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ.

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Are we living our lives to please people or God?

St. Paul lived his life to please God by following Christ. He was so passionate about this pursuit that he called himself a “slave of Christ.” It was his all-consuming passion.

But that was not always so. At first Paul was a passionate persecutor of Christians…until his life was totally changed by a mystical experience of Light on the road to Damascus.

He did nothing to deserve this encounter with Love itself.

That’s what makes it Grace.

Paul had been so sure he was right and doing what God wanted! But after this Divine encounter of Light…his old way of persecuting the followers of Jesus suddenly ended.

Paul slowly became one of the greatest followers of Christ.

I bring you Good News today! This same Light is now shining upon you!

Open yourself to this transforming Presence.

It’s time to stop trying to please people…and focus on pleasing the One who created you.

How do you do this?

One way is to follow Christ.

Jesus proclaimed his mission when he read from Isaiah 61 in the synagogue: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free” (Luke 4:18).

This is now our mission.

In a world of peer-pressure, materialism, commercialism, legalism and bigotry…Christ calls us to be in solidarity with the poor, the sinner and the outcast.

We are called to bring to all people and all creation the message of God’s unconditional Love.

Are you ready to follow Christ?

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

Sample and/or purchase my songs by clicking HERE.

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

Remember…God loves you!

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The Lens of Love

Posted on September 30, 2016 by billtonnis

flowers_wild

In God’s eyes…everyone is a masterpiece.

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

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Psalm 139:1,13-14

O LORD, you have probed me, you know me. You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb. I praise you, so wonderfully you made me; wonderful are your works!

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King David is said to have written this Psalm in praise to God around 3000 years ago.

It’s the same God Who brought the universe into being…and Who wills everything to be…or it would simply disintegrate.

That includes you and me.

We are part of a larger Life.

Scripture tells us that we are made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27).

We have been created by Love itself (“God is love” 1 John 4:8).

You and I are children of this wonderful God.

And since God looked on all of creation as “good” (Genesis 1:31)…we are also then innately good.

If you don’t feel like a wonderful work of God…take heart. It is not based on your feelings, behavior or achievements.

It’s based on your belovedness as a child of God.

Nothing can change that.

Our goodness comes from God…not from anything we do.

So whatever it is about you that you feel disqualifies you from being loved…that is exactly the place where God wants to love you and be with you.

How else would you know and experience Love that is un-conditional?

Open your heart and believe it!

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

Sample and/or purchase my songs by clicking HERE.

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

Remember…God loves you!

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