Celebrate

Posted on May 28, 2015 by billtonnis

concert_celebrate

Psalm 33:3, 9

Sing to God a new song; skillfully play with joyful chant. For he spoke, and it came to be, commanded, and it stood in place.

There is reason to sing for joy! God loves all of creation…and that includes you. God’s Word became flesh in Jesus and it is becoming flesh in you as well. You are God’s beloved son or daughter. God will never forsake you, never let you go, no matter how shaky the circumstance or how hard the struggle might appear. God, the Loving Source of all, embraces you always…even when times seem dark. It is only in the darkest of times that God’s light can make the most dramatic difference…and lead you to the most dramatic transformation. For when God’s Light breaks through your darkest night…you will have quite the story to share…a new and glorious song to sing.

Listen to the song of the day “Sing a New Song” by clicking HERE

All my songs available for download and purchase by clicking HERE

CD’s available for purchase by clicking HERE

Remember…God loves you!

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Rooted In Love

Posted on May 27, 2015 by billtonnis

stream_forest

Mark 10:43

“Whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant.”

The “world” (popular culture) would have us believe that to be “great” you would be served by many. You would have great power, much prestige and plenty of possessions. You would be “on top.” Jesus says the opposite. To be great, the Son of God tells us we must serve others.  We must go to “the bottom” and take the position of less power, little prestige and few possessions. It’s hard to serve others when you are attached to power, prestige and possessions. There is so much to “protect” and “hold onto.” So do you want to be great in the eyes of the world…or in the eyes of God? I believe God gives us an abundance of gifts that we might enjoy them…not renounce them. You don’t have to reject material things. Jesus clearly enjoyed Himself (“The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said, ‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is vindicated by her works.” Matthew 11:19). But we must not cling to any of these things. It’s not an “either-or” but a “both-and.” We can both enjoy what gifts flow into our lives and freely let them go…so that we might be channels of God’s free-flowing love to others and the entire world.

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

All my songs available for download and purchase by clicking HERE

CD’s available for purchase by clicking HERE

Remember…God loves you!

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Be Free

Posted on May 26, 2015 by billtonnis

woman_free

Mark 10:29-30

Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come.”

Spreading the message of God’s unconditional love, mercy, forgiveness and compassion…being that message to the world…is what we are all called to do. Jesus said that should be His followers’ top priority…even ahead of family. The paradox is that when we let go of all things…as in when we stop being “attached” to them and clinging to them…we receive back a hundred times more…not in some future reward…but in the here and now! He says the pay-off comes in both the present and in the future because “now” is the only time that is real. Letting go of the sense of security we get with all our attachments leads us out of our comfort zones…and into the realization of our true selves. Take note that Jesus also says you will be persecuted because you will be promoting a way of life opposed to the world’s consumer and materialistic philosophy that advocates being attached to more and more stuff. Ask yourself, “What do I need to let go of so that I can be free to be a more loving, merciful, forgiving and compassionate person?”

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

All my songs available for download and purchase by clicking HERE

CD’s available for purchase by clicking HERE

Remember…God loves you!

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Go Make a Difference

Posted on May 22, 2015 by billtonnis

Helping_hands

John 21:18

Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”

When the risen Christ addressed Peter here telling him to “Feed my sheep”…it is said Jesus was alluding to the kind of death Peter would suffer in following Him. Perhaps this is so. But on a deeper level, could this not be a message for each of us about our priorities depending on our level of consciousness or faith? When we are young, we tend to do whatever pleases our whims and physical desires. We serve our “false selves” if you will. But as we get older and wiser (usually the second half of life but sometimes sooner for those who are graced by spiritual enlightenment usually through suffering or loss of control)…we see that the “false self” is hollow. We realize that there is a deeper yearning. Our “true selves” are crying out to be heard and to grow. For this to happen…we have to “die” to our “false selves” and our ego’s empty desires…so that God can lead us and Christ can grow in us. It is then that we will find our true purpose in building a more just and compassionate world (God’s kingdom). But we will no doubt be led to places we at one time would never have dreamed of going when our “false selves” were in control. Then we will find our unique mission in feeding Christ’s sheep.

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

All my songs available for download and purchase through iTunes by clicking HERE

CD’s available for purchase by clicking HERE

Remember…God loves you!

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Love Remains

Posted on May 21, 2015 by billtonnis

Path_to_sunlight

Psalm 16:11

You will show me the path to life, abounding joy in your presence.

Isn’t that what we all want? We all want to be doing something with our lives that makes us fulfilled and happy. God wants the same thing for you. God, your loving Creator, is at the very ground of your being. Jesus, the perfect embodiment of God in human form, said that He came so that we might have life and have it more abundantly (John 10:10). God has shown us the path to life in the example of Jesus. He “emptied himself” (Philippians 2:7) of any self-centered, egotistical desires…and allowed God to fill Him and to lead Him. Jesus practiced “dying” to Himself knowing that this is the process to new life (“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). One sure way to get on the “path to life” is to follow Jesus who said, “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6). To do this…read His words, listen to His voice in your heart, and follow His example. Follow Christ and you will discover your true self and God…and you will experience joy in the process.

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

All my songs available for download and purchase through iTunes by clicking HERE

CD’s available for purchase by clicking HERE

Remember…God loves you!

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Missioned

Posted on May 20, 2015 by billtonnis

Candle_darkness

John 17:18

“As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world.”

Just as God sent Jesus into the world…so Jesus sends each of us. We are sent to be reflections of the light of God into the darkness of a “world” that idolizes power, prestige and possessions…a “world” of illusion created by egos gone wild. We are sent to follow Jesus and to die to ourselves…to die to our egocentric desires and false selves…so that God can give us new life and our true selves can emerge. How to do this? It’s more a “letting go” than a “doing” of something. Following Jesus is one way (the earliest name given to the Christian movement was “The Way”). Each of us is being sent to be the face of love, mercy, forgiveness, compassion and justice through non-violence to the world so the world might be transformed. Each of us is invited to be a part of God’s unfolding love story. What is your role in this magnificent epic?

Listen to the song of the day “You’ll Lead Me” by clicking HERE

All my songs available for download and purchase on iTunes by clicking HERE

CD’s available for purchase by clicking HERE

Remember…God loves you!

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Listen to Your Heart

Posted on May 19, 2015 by billtonnis

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Acts 20:22

But now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem. What will happen to me there I do not know.

Have you ever experienced a strong inner yearning that compelled you to carry out some mission or action of good will? The more you pray (as in listening in sacred silence and surrendering yourself to God’s Presence) the more I believe you will experience the Presence of God. Inner inclinations to take steps in new directions will begin to emerge. The same Holy Spirit who compelled St. Paul to preach “the gospel of God’s grace” (Acts 20:24) is ready to stir-up in you a desire to do the same…but in a unique way that fits your gifts, talents and situation. St. Paul was only able to tell people about the unconditional love and compassion of God because he himself experienced it. It came when he was a persecutor of Christians…so it has nothing to do with merit (because then it wouldn’t be grace!). God wants to pour out the same Amazing Grace on you. Ask…and you will receive!

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

All my songs available for download and purchase by clicking HERE

CD’s available for purchase by clicking HERE

Remember…God loves you!

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Compassion In Action

Posted on May 18, 2015 by billtonnis

Statue_St_Pedro

Acts 19:8

He entered the synagogue, and for three months debated boldly with persuasive arguments about the kingdom of God.

Paul understood that following Christ was about taking part in the building of the kingdom of God…right here…right now. But trying to “argue” someone into believing that will probably not be very fruitful. Arguments usually result in counter-arguments and resistance. From the very beginning…the followers of Jesus were already making Christianity into a left-brained, intellectual argument. In many ways we are still arguing over words and their meanings when it comes to religion. Funny…but Jesus never seemed to get into arguments with people over doctrines and dogmas. As far as we can gather from the gospels, Jesus spent His time living-out the Good News…extending love, mercy, forgiveness and compassion to all people…never seeming to care what their beliefs were. (The only people Jesus argued with were the Pharisees who held people to rigid religious rules without compassion!) Your brain can believe a lot of things…but if your heart is cold, judgmental and unloving…how can you help build the kingdom of God? Following Christ is not about being right…but being in right relationship. Following Christ is not about being correct as much as being connected to everything. An encounter with Christ leads to a transformed heart with a larger capacity for compassion. Instead of arguing…why not be the Good News that all are loved unconditionally?

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

All my songs available for download and purchase by clicking HERE

CD’s available for purchase by clicking HERE

Remember…God loves you!

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Vacation

Posted on May 11, 2015 by billtonnis

Taking a break this week to rest and refuel.

Peace,

Bill

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Love

Posted on May 8, 2015 by billtonnis

Christ_statue

John 15:12-13

“This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

There are all kinds of rules we humans make up that we say are necessary to be a “good” follower of Christ. But Jesus basically boils it down to one thing: love. And He defines what love is with his very life. He pours out His life for the good of all. Author Ilia Delio calls Jesus a “whole-maker.” In her book, The Emergent Christ, she writes that “Jesus’ whole-making is self-surrender for a greater good, and anyone who makes whole by self-surrender for a greater good is following Jesus, whether or not they are conscious of doing so” (p. 69). Jesus shows God’s mercy and compassion to everyone. No one is left out. Jesus loves even those who persecute Him and He refuses to respond to violence with violence. He shows us the ultimate unconditional love…laying down His life and forgiving His killers from the cross. The command (not suggestion) from Jesus is to do the same. Are we doing this as a Church? Are we doing this as a nation? Are we doing this as a community? Each of us has to ask, “Am I doing this?” It starts with you and me…and forgiveness is the key.

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

All my songs available for download and purchase on iTunes by clicking HERE

CD’s available for purchase by clicking HERE

Remember…God loves you!

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