Restorative Justice

Posted on October 30, 2015 by billtonnis

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Luke 14:5-6

Then he said to them, “Who among you, if your son or ox falls into a cistern, would not immediately pull him out on the sabbath day?” But they were unable to answer his question.

Jesus had just healed a man in front of the Pharisees, the religious leaders, on the Sabbath day. This broke the Jewish law, which banned any sort of work on the day of rest. However, Jesus tells them that Love takes precedence over the law. The Pharisees (and many people today) are stuck in an “either-or” mindset. Either you keep the law and are in…or you don’t and are out. Jesus is saying we need a non-dualistic, “both-and” mindset. I both keep the law as my foundation…and break it when Love requires it. Following the rules can make someone “right” but also quite harsh and heartless. Compassion and forgiveness require a transformed, non-judgmental heart. Think for a moment just how imperfect we all are and how often we have turned our backs on God. Then think how God loves us and forgives us without exception. Allow that thought to settle in your soul.

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

All my songs available for free sampling and/or purchase by clicking HERE.

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

Remember…God loves you!

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Love Prevails

Posted on October 29, 2015 by billtonnis

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Romans 8:38-39

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.

St. Paul at one time was a persecutor of Christians and most certainly was a collaborator in causing their deaths. As he carried out his persecution…Saul (as he was known at the time) thought he was doing God’s will. However, he experienced a total change through the unmerited grace of God. Saul had a mystical encounter with the risen Christ as he traveled one day on his way to capture more Christians (Acts 9:1-22). After the incident…his life slowly changed and became an amazing, inspirational adventure that continues to touch millions and millions of people. St. Paul as he became known…wrote much of the New Testament. How do we account for such a radical change? St. Paul experienced the overwhelming, unconditional Love of God in Christ. What he learned was that NOTHING (no matter what you’ve done) can separate you from the love of God in Christ. That is Good News! If you want to live an amazing, inspirational adventure…start following Christ.

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

All my songs available for free sampling and/or purchase by clicking HERE.

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

Remember…God loves you!

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Turn Off the Noise

Posted on October 28, 2015 by billtonnis

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Luke 6:12

In those days he departed to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God.

Jesus shows us the way to deep union with God. He set aside some time to withdraw from the noise of everyday life and go into isolation…or to his “inner room” as he put it (Matthew 6:6)…to pray to God. Praying is opening up the communication channel between you and your Loving Creator. It is quieting the endlessly babbling and judging mind…so we can hear God’s voice in our hearts. It is the practice of self-emptying…creating a space for God to fill. To many it would seem like a meaningless practice…like you are doing and accomplishing nothing. Paradoxically, it is a practice that will open you to the Presence of God and will utterly change your life for the better. God wants to be with you and transform you. But for that to happen…you will have to cooperate. That means actually setting aside some silent time in the presence of the Divine Presence each day. Since God is always with you…you can do this at any place and at any time. I promise you…this “doing nothing” will mean everything and bring you great peace and purpose.

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

All my songs available for free sampling and/or purchase by clicking HERE.

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

Remember…God loves you!

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Love Is Calling

Posted on October 27, 2015 by billtonnis

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Romans 8:22-23

We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now; and not only that, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, we also groan within ourselves as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.

Everything God has created shares in our yearning for something more. St. Paul says that not only is creation “groaning in labor pains” but that each of us also “groan within ourselves as we wait for adoption.” Our innermost being is yearning for completion and wholeness…which I think is the true meaning of “salvation.” God is drawing all things to a grand fullness. While our culture offers all kinds of things to satisfy our inner-groaning…like material possessions, power, prestige, celebrity, alcohol, sex, etc., the solution is not physical but spiritual. In an old Rolling Stone’s song…Mick Jagger sang, “I can’t get no satisfaction.” That’s because God is the only One who can satisfy this groaning for completion and wholeness. God is the only One who can fill the hole in your heart and tell you who you are. One way to cooperate in God’s plan is by following Jesus who told us that he was “the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6). But following Jesus will require making changes. It will require following him in how we vote, treat others, what we buy, what we watch on TV and social media, etc. It will result in a changed life. While this is not an easy road…it is one full of life, adventure and fulfillment!

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

All my songs available for free sampling and/or purchase by clicking HERE.

CD’s available through BillTonnisMusic.com by clicking HERE.

Remember…God loves you!

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Mercy Reigns

Posted on October 26, 2015 by billtonnis

Mercy Reigns CD Cover (Bill Tonnis) Final-1_1600x1600 (2)

Romans 8:16-17

The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

St. Paul’s message is such heart-warming news…until we get to that last part about having to suffer with Christ so that we may also be glorified with him. We are God’s beloved children and “heirs of God”! But we usually don’t know this in a deep, intimate way until we go through some form of suffering. Our childhood programs for happiness…the endless attempts to satisfy our egos…must be dismantled so that we come to know that God is at the center of our existence…not our egos. These selfish programs for happiness must die…so that our true selves can emerge. Then we can truly live. In the Christian tradition…this is known as “the way of the cross.” We are each called to follow Christ and respond to persecution, resistance and hatred with love, mercy and forgiveness. We are called to build the kingdom of God…a place of justice and compassion. As we take part in this process…we will begin to experience a joy that one day will blossom into the fullness of glory with God in heaven.

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

All my songs available for free sampling and/or purchase by clicking HERE.

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

Remember…God loves you!

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The Great Compassion

Posted on October 23, 2015 by billtonnis

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Romans 7:24

Miserable one that I am! Who will deliver me from this mortal body?

How often do we have the best of intentions but seem to get sidetracked? We feel the inner urge to call a friend or send an uplifting message, but instead we find ourselves watching a meaningless TV show or mindlessly surfing the internet. We give in to the temptations of our shadow side. Sometimes it seems our flesh is competing with our souls. Take comfort in knowing that the great St. Paul also struggled with fleshly temptations and failed over and over. Jesus also knew the pain of temptation. In his humanity he experienced a wide array of enticements during his forty days in the desert. Now the resurrected Christ is willing to walk with us and pick us up when we fall, not kick us when we are down. On the occasion of a particularly painful personal failure, I began to berate myself over it. But then I heard a gentle voice in my heart telling me that Christ does not reject me in my failures…but instead embraces me there. Such unconditional love is transforming. It was exactly at that time that I was inspired to write a song titled “Come to Jesus”…which ended up on my second album. Recently a man told me how he often uses my song in jail ministry…and I have performed it in my jail ministry visits as well! (Click HERE to listen to the song.) God transforms all our negatives into positives…if we cooperate. Allow this Great Compassion to do the same for you.

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

All my songs available for free sampling and/or purchase by clicking HERE.

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

Remember…God loves you!

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WWJD

Posted on October 22, 2015 by billtonnis

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Luke 12:51-52

“Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. From now on a household of five will be divided, three against two and two against three.”

Jesus is the master of saying things to unsettle us and upend the status quo. We know he taught that the most important of all commandments was to love God and to love your neighbor…so we know Jesus did not mean in today’s scripture verse that his mission was to cause division. His mission was to heal and repair divisions. As author and theologian Ilia Delio says, Jesus was a “whole-maker.” However, Jesus promised that following him would result in persecution and division. Why? Because following Jesus means standing up for the poor, those without power, the outcast, the forgotten…all those left out. It means promoting justice but also forgiveness and compassion in a world that calls for punishment and revenge. That would require all those with power, prestige and wealth to reach out in generosity to those with no power, status or possessions. It would require changing unjust systems that trample on those at the bottom. Following Jesus can sometimes take you down a lonely and unpopular road…but that road will lead you to true life, freedom and wholeness.

Listen to the song of the day “Take the Road Less Traveled” by clicking HERE.

All my songs available for free sampling and/or purchase by clicking HERE.

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

Remember…God loves you!

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Reign of God

Posted on October 21, 2015 by billtonnis

consumption_share_give

Luke 12:48

“Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”

We read Jesus’ words but do we follow them? Our culture espouses a philosophy of grabbing more and more for yourself…protecting it…and then perhaps sharing a few scraps with those in need. But Jesus said that the more you have the more you are expected to give. And that doesn’t just mean when it comes to wealth and possessions. Each of us has to examine our own hearts and ask the question: Am I sharing as best I can my time, talent and treasure with those in need? Each of us is being challenged by Jesus to change so that we are more and more generous. All that I have is gift. Everything I am and everything I have…has been given to me by my Creator. Christians see God as the Trinity…a perfect relationship of giving and receiving. How can I mirror that relationship and enter the flow of this same generosity? By sharing our gifts! So if you are an artist…be artistic. If you are musical…be musical. If you are a nurturer…be nurturing. If you are hospitable…be hospitable. If you are a teacher…be a teacher. If you are a manager…be a manager. But do everything with a loving, compassionate and generous heart.

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

All my songs available for free sampling and/or purchase by clicking HERE.

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

Remember…God loves you!

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Be Present

Posted on October 20, 2015 by billtonnis

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Luke 12:37

“Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.”

WAKE UP. That is what Jesus meant by being “vigilant” for the master’s arrival. His statement is not meant as a threat from a God who just can’t wait to punish us if we don’t have our acts together! Jesus said that if we know him…then we also know God (John 8:19 and John 14:7). Did you ever see Jesus inflicting pain and suffering on anyone? Did you ever see Jesus threatening sinners with punishment? If this was what God had in mind for such sinners…don’t you think Jesus would have been warning them every chance he could? Instead…Jesus spent most of his time reaching out in love to those who don’t have their acts together. The only ones Jesus verbally reprimands are the self-righteous religious leaders! God loves us right now unconditionally…which means God will love us just the same in the future. The question is…are you present to that Love? Are you mindful of the Love of God in this moment? This moment is the only one that is real…the only time you can actually encounter Love beyond love. Wake up! Be present to God in each moment. Then you will surely find that God is always arriving and always loving you. Then…”blessed” or happy you would be!

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

All my songs available for free sampling and/or purchase by clicking HERE.

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

Remember…God loves you!

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Live to Love

Posted on October 19, 2015 by billtonnis

sunset_woman_free

Luke 12:15

“Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.”

Jesus went on to tell the crowd a parable in which a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest goes on to build larger barns to store it all for himself. He then rejoices in his riches and says to himself, “Rest, eat, drink, be merry!” But God’s response is, ‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?” One of the false programs for happiness that is hard to shake is the belief that if we just gathered more stuff…just had a bigger bank account…a bigger 401(k)…just had the latest fancy car…just had that latest techno-gadget…then we would be perfectly happy. But as the saying goes, “You can’t take it with you.” As someone else said to me recently, “You never see a U-Haul being pulled by a hearse.” None of our possessions will last. They tend to stand in the way of the only thing that does last: love. Jesus shows us that if you have compassion and freely share it by way of your time, talent and treasure…then you are truly rich.

Listen to the song of the day “Make Me a Channel” by clicking HERE.

All my songs available for free sampling and/or purchase by clicking HERE.

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

Remember…God loves you!

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