You Are Invited

Posted on August 20, 2015 by billtonnis

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Matthew 22:9-10

“Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.” The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, bad and good alike, and the hall was filled with guests.

Jesus likened the kingdom of God to a wedding feast. Most of the people the king invited were too busy or simply didn’t care to come. The king (God) then invited all people…”bad and good alike.” Notice that the so-called “bad” people were not tested or rebuked in any way…they were simply welcomed to the feast. The only one who is escorted out is the one who refuses to wear a wedding garment…which, by the way, would have been provided. While he wanted the free party…he simply did not want to be with such a diverse bunch…you know…all those “bad” people. The kingdom of God is not an exclusive country club…but a place where all people are welcomed through the unconditional love and mercy of God. Are you ready to join such a table? Are you ready to be one with all?

Listen to today’s Contemplation Song “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!

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Love Restores

Posted on August 19, 2015 by billtonnis

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Matthew 20:4

“You too go into my vineyard, and I will give you what is just.”

Jesus told the parable of the landowner who hired laborers to work in his vineyard at the start of the day…during the middle of the day…and at the end of the day. But they were all paid the same wage which resulted in the ones who worked the longest to grumble in anger. It’s just seems unfair! Jesus likened the vineyard to the “kingdom of heaven.” This is the kind of world God wants…a place where we all work together for peace and justice…and all receive the same amount of God’s endless love. The landowner in this parable is God. The people invited to do God’s work in the vineyard are each of us. At the end of the parable the landowner asked the grumbling workers, “Are you envious because I am generous?” God’s love is free and abundant. There is no end. And it has nothing to do with our earning it or being worthy of it. We only are asked to accept it. This is Good News! We are all asked to rejoice for anyone who turns and accepts God’s love at any time in their life’s journey. God’s justice is restorative…not punitive. In the kingdom of God…all are loved equally and extravagantly. It has nothing to do with our goodness…but everything to do…with God’s. You are being invited into the vineyard. Will you accept the invitation?

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!

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Giving Is Gaining

Posted on August 18, 2015 by billtonnis

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Matthew 19:23-24

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

In scripture the “kingdom of heaven” is sometimes translated the “kingdom of God.” We are called to help build that Kingdom…the place God desires for us…here, now and always. Whenever we reach out to others in love, mercy, forgiveness and compassion…we are cooperating with God in bringing this kingdom into the present moment (“Thy kingdom come…on earth as it is in heaven”). Being rich is not a bad thing in itself. Rich people can do much good with their wealth. But wealth can entice people to immerse themselves in pleasures and ignore those in need…or perhaps to separate themselves from the poor and even be blind to their very existence. May you cultivate a servant’s heart so that if wealth comes your way…you will be generous to those in need. Give…and you will have inner riches beyond measure.

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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Cutting Attachments

Posted on August 17, 2015 by billtonnis

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Matthew 19:20-22

The young man said to him, “All of these (the Ten Commandments) I have observed. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to (the) poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

The rich young man wanted to be “perfect”…which is impossible! He falsely believed that it was up to him to be good enough for God…when God loves us as we are…in our imperfection. That is what saves us. He was on his own personal salvation project! Observing the Ten Commandments is a great idea to keep us in line…to give us boundaries so that we can have a strong moral foundation. But there isn’t a person who can keep them to the letter. The rich young man was very concerned about what he needed to do to “gain eternal life.” He didn’t understand that we are all imperfect and cannot possibly do anything to “earn” our way into heaven. That is a free gift! What Jesus calls each of us to do is to love God with all our hearts and to love our neighbor as ourselves. This is the path to wholeness and becoming our true selves. This is the path to taking part in God’s evolving plan of love. It is not through our doing…but through God’s. We receive God’s un-earned transforming grace and forgiveness…so we can pass it on. There is nothing innately bad about possessions if we remain detached from them. They can be used for much good. But many times they can become idols that stand in the way of us loving God and neighbor. Jesus could read the young man’s heart and see that his possessions were attachments and his top priority. The man mistakenly believed that he needed to be perfect to be accepted by God. What are your attachments? What do you need to let go of so that you can become your true self?

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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Good News

Posted on August 14, 2015 by billtonnis

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Psalm 136:1

Praise the Lord, who is so good; God’s love endures forever.

We all get caught up in a false premise that we need to earn God’s love. We get caught up in a worthiness contest…a game we play to win God’s favor. This is an illusion. Or should I say delusion. God loved you before you were born, loves you now, and will love you forever. In each moment God’s love is being poured out in and through all things. It cannot be withheld because that’s what God does…fills all things with love…even when it’s hard to see and feel it. Our “sinfulness”…our imperfection…does not diminish God’s ability to love us. That’s exactly how we come to know what unconditional Love is! (God made us imperfect, right?) It is through our imperfection that we come to know Love. It happens over and over and over throughout the bible. Despite the sinful people…God relentlessly pursues them. Then to make it quite clear…Jesus forgives and loves those who have nailed Him to the cross. What more proof do you need that God’s love never ends! That is Good News and reason to give thanks!

Listen to the song of the day “How Wonderful to 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!

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Forgiveness Frees You

Posted on August 13, 2015 by billtonnis

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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.”

Forgiveness is the key to freedom…and to the kingdom of God. It’s not optional but mandatory. There are things we make of prime significance that Jesus never seemed to mention that we know of. But forgiveness is something He definitely did speak about…and He made it a non-negotiable. It sets us free. Jesus’ message here is not a fear tactic or threat of punishment. It’s simply a reality that without forgiveness we are bound in chains. We are behind bars. Jesus came to show us how to be fully human…and if He can be persecuted, beaten, spit on, jeered at and nailed to a cross and still say, “Forgive them, they know not what they do”…then we have no excuses not to do the same. That doesn’t mean it’s easy. That doesn’t mean we have to be friends with someone who has hurt us. But it does mean being able to say from our hearts, “I forgive you.” As Jesus taught us in the Our Father…we receive what we give: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Who do you need to forgive? Do it now…and be free.

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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The Body of Christ

Posted on August 12, 2015 by billtonnis

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Matthew 18:19-20

“Again, (amen,) I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

God clearly wants us to be in communal relationships and not just on a personal salvation project. While Jesus did want His followers to pray in solitude at times (“When you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret.” Matthew 6:6) He also made it clear to His followers in today’s scripture verse that He wanted them to gather together to pray as well…and when they did…He would be truly present and that God would answer their prayers. God’s answer, however, might not be exactly what we want. We must remember that God sees the BIG picture. God is not Santa Claus or a genie ready to grant our every whim and wish. It seems to me that God wants nothing more than for each of us to become our true self…to be whole…the person we were created to be. God wants us to know Love, be transformed by Love, and to transmit that Love on to others. While we sometimes don’t understand why God doesn’t answer our prayers the way we want…Jesus says we must be like “children”…trusting that God has our best interests at heart…and is giving us exactly what we need.

Listen to the song of the day “Breathe On 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!

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Humble Strength

Posted on August 11, 2015 by billtonnis

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Matthew 18:1-4

At that time the disciples approached Jesus and said, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Our culture says the “greatest” is the one who wins…who comes out on top…who exults himself or herself above all others…who attains the most possessions and glory. Jesus, however, says the opposite. He says whoever reaches out to help those in need…who joins the so-called “losers”…who is humble and trusts and depends on God like a child depends on a parent…is the greatest in God’s Kingdom. Which kingdom are you working on? Are you building your own kingdom or are you humbling yourself, turning your will over to God and allowing God to lead you to be a part of building God’s kingdom? The more you humble yourself and die to your ego’s desires…the more Christ can grow and live in you. Then you will discover that your heart’s deepest desire and God’s desire for you…are one in the same…and the more you will discover your true self.

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!

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Divine Paradox

Posted on August 10, 2015 by billtonnis

wheat_grain_field

John 12:24

“Amen, amen, I say to you, 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.” 

This is one of Jesus’ most profound statements and expresses a core teaching. It is only through dying that we are born to new life. This is true all through our earthly lives…not just at the end. Whenever I let go of my ego’s desires…God’s desires for me can come to light. You can either live for your ego’s insatiable desires and be trapped in a never-ending cycle of wanting more and more…or you can surrender and let your ego…go.  The paradox is…that when you allow your ego to “die”…your “true you” will start to live. New life will sprout in abundance and you will be amazed at how little you had to do with it. What will you do with your gifts and talents? Your ego’s desire will be to use them to build its kingdom…which will lead you to a cycle of dissatisfaction. God’s desire is that you use your gifts and talents to build God’s kingdom…a place of love, mercy, forgiveness and compassion…leading you to deep joy and freedom.

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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Death Leads to Life

Posted on August 7, 2015 by billtonnis

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Matthew 16:24-26

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life?

This is a key message of Jesus. Unless you “deny yourself” (let go of your ego’s desires) and “take up your cross” (accept the hardships and unfair persecution that comes with following Jesus’ example of being a channel of love, mercy, forgiveness, compassion and justice for all)…you will not find the life that was meant for you. You could actually gain much power, prestige and many possessions in following your ego’s desires as well as our culture’s ideology…but never become your true self! How sad that would be! The more you uncover your true self…the more you will be living in the flow of God’s love. To figure out what God wants for you…you will have to do much listening to your heart in prayer and much discerning. It won’t be easy picking up your cross…but paradoxically…at the same time you will find inner satisfaction, peace and your true self.

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 for purchase at BillTonnisMusic.com by clicking HERE.

Remember…God loves you!

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