Called to Compassion

Posted on March 14, 2016 by billtonnis

sunflowers_field_sun

We are meant to be agents of mercy.

~~~

John 8:10-11

Then Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She replied, “No one, sir.” Then Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you.”

~~~

Sometimes we gloss over the radical words of Jesus because they just don’t make sense to our rational minds. Sometimes his words challenge us to make such a drastic change in our thinking and behavior…that we don’t allow them to sink in.

We really don’t want to change.

Today’s scripture verse is from Jesus’ encounter with the woman caught in adultery. The law at the time was that such women should be stoned. There was no room to question. The religious leaders wanted to force Jesus into upholding the law…or break it and give them reason to accuse him.

However, Jesus headed off their vengeance by saying, “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”

Then…Jesus made the radical move of telling the woman who was caught breaking a Commandment…that he did not condemn her. Note that the woman had not even asked for forgiveness!

What we witness is vengeance and sin dissolving in the Light of radical unconditional Love.

I suggest to you that many lives were transformed that day.

How might we help God transform others by being agents of love, mercy, forgiveness and compassion?

***

Listen to the song of the day “Mercy Reigns” 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 Saves

Posted on March 11, 2016 by billtonnis

forest_stream

The Source of your life is Love.

~~~

Psalm 34:19

The Lord is close to the broken-hearted, saves those whose spirit is crushed.

~~~

Our culture teaches us from childhood that winning is all that matters.

Win, win, win…at all costs!

So if I lose…then I am a failure.

Of course when I win…others lose.

But Jesus says nothing about winning.

He tells us to love all people…as well as ourselves.

Jesus even tells us to love our enemies!

Jesus says that instead of winning…our objective in life should be to extend love, mercy, forgiveness and compassion.

Instead of a “win-lose” scenario…it is a “win-win.”

When we join the so-called losers, the outcasts, and the ones who are suffering…we know that Christ is near to us because those are the people that he spent his time with.

Jesus said, “Whatever you did for the least of these, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40).

And so if you are suffering or feeling rejected…if you are at the end of your rope…know that God is reaching out to you with a loving embrace.

Let go…and let God begin to heal and transform you with a love that is unconditional and unending.

***

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

Sample and/or purchase my songs by clicking HERE.

CDs available for purchase at BillTonnisMusic.com by clicking HERE.

Remember…God loves you!

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Main Motivation

Posted on March 10, 2016 by billtonnis

stadium_idol

What are our idols?

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Psalm 106:19-20
At Horeb they fashioned a calf, worshiped a metal statue. They exchanged their glorious God for the image of a grass-eating bull.

~~~

When we hear what God’s people did after God had faithfully freed them from oppression through the leadership of Moses…we shake our heads.

How could they actually worship a statue of a bull?

And yet, what golden idol takes center-stage in our lives?

Instead of a statue of a bull…is it our various media devices? Is it our computers and the internet?

What about our fancy cars or houses? Is it money, power, prestige, alcohol, sex, etc.?

Is our golden idol nationalism or perhaps the military?

Or could it be sports? Is our “church” a metal and cement structure called a stadium and do we glorify and worship the team on the field?

Jesus turned away from all the false gods and gave himself totally to the One God in the service of all.

Love took center stage.

May that be so for each of us.

***

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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Eternally Treasured

Posted on March 9, 2016 by billtonnis

mother_child_statue

Each of us is a beloved child of God.

~~~

Isaiah 49:15
Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you.

~~~

When you feel like you’re alone…like you’ve been rejected…take comfort during this Lent season that Jesus became the one totally rejected.

However, in this complete and total rejection…Jesus continued to respond with love to mirror for us the true nature of God.

God raised him to new life…breaking the bounds of death…filling all things with Christ.

God will do the same for you.

God is doing the same for you.

That is the Good News of salvation!

Through the Prophet Isaiah’s words God gives you a sacred message.

God is like a Mother and you are like her precious baby who is eternally treasured.

***

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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Do Not Fear

Posted on March 8, 2016 by billtonnis

sunrise_peace

God is always with you.

~~~

Psalm 46:2-3
God is our refuge and our strength, an ever-present help in distress. Thus we do not fear, though earth be shaken and mountains quake to the depths of the sea.

~~~

Even in times of darkness…God is always here.

God Is.

When Moses asked God for his name…God said: “I Am.”

God is “forever-present.”

Are you?

Are you focused on living in the now…or are you holding on to a past injury or worrying over something that is in the future? God is present to you now and wants nothing more than to be with you now because you are God’s beloved child.

As St. Paul said, “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).

Jesus showed us the extent of God’s love.

Rest in that.

***

Listen to the song of the day “I Will Give You Rest” 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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Team Effort

Posted on March 7, 2016 by billtonnis

spiral_creation

Each of us is invited to the great dance of creation.

~~~

Isaiah 65:17-18
Lo, I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; The things of the past shall not be remembered or come to mind. Instead, there shall always be rejoicing and happiness in what I create.

~~~

God is always loving and creating.

The hurts and the pains of the past are shadows. They are gone.

God has transformed all the struggles into goodness.

That’s what God does: redeems, restores and transforms.

Where there is pain and suffering…God is there to be a Loving Presence and to inspire compassion.

Those who are open to this Loving Presence are able to mirror that love to those in need. So in each moment, God is about the work of renewing all things.

Are we open to being channels of God’s loving creativity?

How are you using your gifts and talents to be a part of building God’s kingdom?

***

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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Bottom Line

Posted on March 4, 2016 by billtonnis

Dove_sky_one_love

Each of us has one grand purpose to fulfill: to love.

~~~

Mark 12:32-34
The scribe said to Jesus, “Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, ‘(God) is One and there is no other than he.’ And ‘to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself’ is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”

~~~

The scribe had asked Jesus to give him the greatest commandment.

Jesus told him that it was to love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself.

How’s that working for you?

When you boil it down to the basic tenet of how to live this life…it’s comes down to love.

God is not asking for “burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

We don’t need to convince or coerce God to love us.

God is Love.

We are already eternally loved as children of God.

The only sacrifice asked of us is to sacrifice our ego-centered desires so we can be free to fulfill God’s desires for us.

God loves all and asks that we do the same. This will require that each of us undergo a change of heart. Jesus showed us that God is interested in our transformation.

Each of us has to take this greatest commandment to heart.

If we lived it each moment…we would “not be far from the kingdom of God.”

***

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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Be Still

Posted on March 3, 2016 by billtonnis

lake_silent_still

God is speaking. Are you listening?

~~~

Jeremiah 7:23
This rather is what I commanded them: Listen to my voice; then I will be your God and you shall be my people. Walk in all the ways that I command you, so that you may prosper.

~~~

“This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15).

Jesus said this so that we would know that “God’s reign” (or God’s dream for you) is possible in this very moment…not just some distant time in heaven.

Our Loving Creator wants each of us to be a part of building the kingdom of God right now…using our gifts and talents to make a more compassionate world. But it’s not possible if we are holding on to past hurts or are constantly worrying about the future.

What are the “ways” God is asking you to walk in now so that you truly prosper…as in grow, feel vibrantly alive and become your true self?

There is no way you can know if you are not listening for God’s gentle, silent, inner voice.

To do this…we must “repent” which literally means, “to turn” or to “change directions.”

Turn to God.

God is always speaking…but are we listening?

***

Listen to the song of the day “Turn Off the Noise” 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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Eternal Perspective

Posted on March 2, 2016 by billtonnis

galaxy-universe_eternal

In the midst of turmoil…be a part of the Love evolution.

~~~

Deuteronomy 4:9
“However, take care and be earnestly on your guard not to forget the things which your own eyes have seen, nor let them slip from your memory as long as you live, but teach them to your children and to your children’s children.”

~~~

God’s constant message from the beginning of the bible to the end is: “I love you.”

There are no strings attached.

But people seem to have short memories…easily forgetting God’s fidelity and care…slipping away to worship other idols.

This continues today.

We all have our “idols” that we too often place first in our lives…whether they are money, sports, possessions, lust, power, control, our physical appearance…or even religion itself.

Whatever we put before loving God, neighbor and self…is an idol.

But God still does not abandon us…no matter how many times we turn away.

Just so we can’t miss the message…Jesus allowed Himself to be crucified and then while hanging on the cross…forgave us…even when no one had asked to be forgiven!

That’s Unconditional Love!

That is Who God Is. God’s love is constant.

Think of how many times you have experienced this redemptive Love.

Let us remember…and pass it on!

***

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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Be Free

Posted on March 1, 2016 by billtonnis

sprout_NewLife_green

Forgiveness is the key to new life.

~~~

Matthew 18:21-22
Then Peter approaching asked him, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.”

~~~

Jesus says we must forgive…always. There is no limit.

Forgiveness frees us from bondage.

That doesn’t mean we have to accept being treated unjustly or to accept others being treated unjustly.

Jesus confronted all the unjust systems of government and religion and worked at changing them…but he did it with love and compassion…not with hate and aggression.

We will also encounter resistance, struggles and persecution…just like Jesus who ended up on a cross. That’s where he gave us the ultimate example of forgiveness:

“Father, forgive them, they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).

This is the path we are called to follow.

It’s the path to transformation and new life.

Many who witness our walk will then be open to God’s transformative Love as well.

Jesus showed us that in the end…there will always be resurrection.

Love is victorious!

***

Listen to the song of the day “Salvation” 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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