God Is Love

mountain_lake_person

Luke 12:6-7

“Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins? Yet not one of them has escaped the notice of God. Even the hairs of your head have all been counted. Do not be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows.”

God knows all and is in all. God’s very name is “I Am” (Exodus 3:14). God is being itself. God Is. We cannot comprehend the One who created both the universe and the amoeba. Yet Jesus says that God knows you intimately down to each hair on your head. God knows each little sparrow intimately as well. God’s “is-ness” is woven in everything…and so is God’s love because “God is love” (1 John 4:8). So why do we fear this God of Love? Could it be all the years of being indoctrinated with the false teaching that you had to prove your worthiness for God’s love and acceptance? Where do we get this…when Jesus told us over and over, “Do not be afraid.” It was one of his most quoted phrases! That’s because each of us is a precious daughter or son of God. All people are God’s precious sons and daughters. That means you are included. Know that deeply…and remember…the same is true of everyone else.

Listen to the song of the day “God Is” 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!

Posted in Today's Contemplation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Be Not Afraid

galaxies_yearning

Psalm 130:1-2

Out of the depths I call to you, Lord; Lord, here my cry!

Do you experience a deep yearning…an insatiable craving for something more…something to fill a deep void inside? You cannot satisfy that craving with anything of this world. Many fall into the trap of thinking that if they just had more of this or that then they’d be satisfied: Just a little more money…just the right relationship…just a little more control or prestige. Not so! St. Paul said, “All creation is groaning in labor pains” (Romans 8:22). We all share in creation’s “labor pains” as we are drawn by a Great Compassion to the fullness of God’s plan. St. Paul went on to say that “we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit itself intercedes with inexpressible groanings” (Romans 8:26). St. Paul says the groanings we are experiencing are the Holy Spirit interceding for us according to God’s will. God is luring you…lovingly drawing you…leading you to wholeness, healing and completion. The pain comes from refusing to change…from clinging to things that won’t last that we have to let go of to be able to move on. So relax. Let go. Love is drawing you…and in love there is no fear.

Listen to the song of the day “Heal Me” 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!

Posted in Today's Contemplation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Lacking Nothing

still_waters

Psalm 62:2

My soul rests in God alone, from whom comes my salvation.

This sounds trite but is profound. It’s the key to life to the full. Only God will bring you to completion and fullness (salvation)…and it can happen now. Do not read this verse through the lens of “reward and punishment.” Read it through the lens of “unconditional love.” God is not out to get you…but to love you! God wants you to awaken into the fullness of the unique expression of God-self. Other than God, nothing…absolutely nothing…can lead you to the fulfillment of your purpose. How can you “rest in God”? Practice contemplative prayer…spending time in silence…allowing all distractions and thoughts to drift away…so that your soul will experience truly resting in the Divine Presence. The more you do this…the more that Silent Presence will manifest itself amidst the struggles and busy-ness of your day. “Be still and know that I am God (Psalm 46:11).” Be still and know that I am. Be still and know. Be still. Be.

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

Posted in Today's Contemplation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Saved by Grace

cup_dirty

Luke 11:38-39

The Pharisee was amazed to see that Jesus did not observe the prescribed washing before meal. The Lord said to him, “Oh you Pharisees! Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, inside you are filled with plunder and evil.”

Rituals and guidelines are all well and good if they are pointing us to God and making us more humble and compassionate. But when they are used to judge others as inferior, to cast-out others as somehow not worthy, or used to achieve “worthiness”…they are quite worthless. Jesus seemed to have no problem violating the religious rules because He knew the motives of the Pharisees were to use the rules to hold themselves above others as more worthy of God’s love. “Look how good I am as I follow these rules to the letter!” What good is that when at the same time you treat others with disdain and arrogance? Besides…it’s not about worthiness! God’s love is a free gift. The truth is…we all have more than enough inside of each of us that needs cleansing. Where is that place where you just keep messing up? That is not the place where God wants to condemn you…but it is precisely the place where God wants to be with you…and to love you. This is Good News!

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!

Posted in Today's Contemplation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Be Your True Self

Bird_singing

Psalm 98:1

Sing a new song to the Lord, who has done marvelous deeds.

Every day birds wake up and start singing as if to say, “I am me! I am me! I am me!” By their song they proclaim God’s creativity. By their very being they add beauty and music to our world. They don’t dwell on past disappointments or fret over future concerns. Take a moment to see all the wonders and blessings in your life. Each breath is a gift. All of creation…is a gift. It’s all gift. Everything is energized by the flow of God’s goodness. You do not have to prove your worthiness to receive the gifts that surround you. God already accepts you. You already belong. Your part is essential and can only be played by you. So be you. Sing your unique song!

Listen to the song of the day “Sing a New Song” 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!

Posted in Today's Contemplation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Alleluia

breathe_woman_beach

Psalm 9:2

I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart.

Stop for a moment.  Stop.

Slowly breathe in.  Slowly exhale.

Slowly breathe in.  Slowly exhale.

BreatheListen.

With  each breath you proclaim your oneness with God.

Breathe in, “Yah”…

Breathe out, “Weh”…

Yah-weh…Yah-weh…Yah-weh…”

A Great Love is sustaining you.

You are present to the great “I Am.”

God is with you now…and forever.

Give praise and thanks!

Amen.

Listen to the song of the day “Give Praise and Thanks” 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!

Posted in Today's Contemplation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Let It Be Done to Me

labyrinth_image

Luke 11:10

“For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”

Jesus assured us that God answers our prayers. After the above scripture verse Jesus went on to state, “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?” In other words…God wants the best for you. Do you believe that? It’s true. Jesus instructed us to pray to God, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). So instead of asking God for things that you want…why not ask God to give you the guidance (“holy Spirit”) to ask for what is best for you so that God’s kingdom would be more evident here and now? Why not ask that God’s will and desires for you become your will and desires. God’s desires will always lead you to fulfillment, peace and joy because you will experience all of that in the very process of following the Holy Spirit’s guidance. It’s in that process that you experience your wholeness and true self. When you ask for God’s will and truly open yourself to receiving it…you are receiving it. When you truly seek it…you are finding it. Trust the process.

Listen to the song of the day “You’ll Lead Me” 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!

Posted in Today's Contemplation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Be For Unity

team_dancing_unity

Luke 11:2 

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

Jesus told his followers that they should pray for God’s kingdom to come. Let’s face it. Our culture preaches that each of us should strive for my kingdom to come…not God’s. Jesus wasn’t talking about some future kingdom in heaven. He was talking about God’s kingdom coming here and now. How can God’s kingdom come now? Only with our cooperation! Jesus clearly showed us how to cooperate with God’s plan in the way that he lived his life. Jesus told us to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, care for the sick, visit the imprisoned and to welcome the stranger (Matthew 25:35-36). He said “whatever you did for one of these least of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:41). He said the greatest commandment was not one of the Ten Commandments…but one he made up himself: “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). And the second greatest: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). This is how we become Christ to others. This is how God’s kingdom comes now…through us working together and being channels of love, mercy, grace, forgiveness, compassion and justice.

Listen to the song of the day “Shall We Sing” 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!

Posted in Today's Contemplation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Stop and Listen

pier_quiet_prayer

Luke 10:40-42

Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” 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.”

If Martha had been serving out of the joy of following the calling in her heart…she would not have been “burdened”…and she would not have been concerned about what her sister Mary was doing. Besides that point, it’s no great revelation to realize that we all get caught up in too much busyness at times. And sometimes it can even be doing too many good and positive things like Martha. We get so caught up in the rat race that we don’t take time to simply be…to simply enjoy the moment and the blessings that surround us. We don’t take time to just be silent and to listen at the feet of Jesus…like Martha’s sister Mary. Perhaps if we took more time to rest in the presence of God in silence…we might hear in our hearts the message that would bring us peace…and set us free.

Listen to the song of the day “Listen to Your Heart” 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!

Posted in Today's Contemplation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Love Has No Boundaries

globe_unity_one

Luke 10:29

He said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

A scholar of the law told Jesus that he knew how to inherit eternal life: Love God and love his neighbor. But the scholar wasn’t quite sure all that the word “neighbor” encompassed. Jesus goes on to tell the scholar the parable of the Good Samaritan. In the story a Samaritan comes to the aid of a Jew who had been attacked by robbers. A Levite and a priest, two Jewish religious men, had ignored the victim because he was bleeding and would have been considered “unclean” by religious law. For them…the rules overruled compassion. But for the Samaritan, considered an enemy of the Jews at that time, compassion overruled anything that divided him from his fellow human being. Who is my neighbor? Of course it’s all people…and especially the person or persons who I really don’t want anything to do with! Who is that person or persons for you? Each of us must ask ourselves, “How can I change so that I can be compassionate to all people?” When we love unconditionally we are already tasting eternal life and the kingdom of God. Now is the time.

Listen to the song of the day “All Are Welcome” 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!

Posted in Today's Contemplation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments