The Great Compassion

Posted on December 19, 2014 by billtonnis

Psalm 71:5
You are my hope, Lord; my trust, God, from my youth.

Loving God…I thank You for all the blessings in my life. All my pain and difficulties I hand over to You knowing that with Your help You will lead me through them and transform my life. I can look back to my earliest days and see how you accepted me…gently and patiently led me and opened my eyes to who I am and who You are. You are my only true hope. You are around me and within me. I am so thankful! I put my life in Your hands!

Suggested song of the day– “God’s Love Is All You Need” on the Listen to Your Heart album.
Hear free clips of Bill’s songs by clicking on Bill Tonnis’ Music on iTunes to the right.
CD’s available for purchase by clicking “home” and then the “store” tab.
Remember…God loves you!

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Yahweh Saves

Posted on December 18, 2014 by billtonnis

Psalm 72:12
For he rescues the poor when they cry out, the oppressed who have no one to help.

God loves each of us unconditionally. Our loving Creator wants to rescue us. When you feel oppressed and in need…call out to God. The One who made you is the only One who can satisfy you and make you whole. How else would you know Unconditional Love? Open yourself to the peace God wants to bring you. As for the poor and oppressed around us…how will God lift them up and rescue them? How about through you?

Suggested song of the day– “Pour Me Out” on the Give Praise and Thanks album.
Hear free clips of Bill’s songs by clicking on Bill Tonnis’ Music on iTunes to the right.
CD’s available for purchase by clicking “home” and then the “store” tab.
Have a blessed day!

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Eternally Grateful

Posted on December 17, 2014 by billtonnis

Psalm 72:17
May his name be blessed forever; as long as the sun, may his name endure.

Jesus was described as the alpha and the omega. His reign is eternal. His love is everlasting. This is Who our God is…an Eternal Love. There is no beginning and no ending. It is a Love that never fails or depletes. Anchor your life on that foundation. You are from that Love…in that Love…and forever will be in that Love. May each of us be unique channels of that Love with our lives.

Suggested song of the day– “Make Me a Channel” on the Listen to Your Heart album.
Hear free clips of Bill’s songs by clicking on Bill Tonnis’ Music on iTunes to the right.
CD’s available for purchase by clicking “home” and then the “store” tab.
Have a blessed day!

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God Satisfies

Posted on December 16, 2014 by billtonnis

Psalm 34:11
The powerful grow poor and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

It’s a paradox. The more material stuff you collect…the more your ego wants and can never be satisfied. It will always want more. And so those who spend their time grasping for more stuff…grow poorer and hungrier spiritually. But when we put God first in our lives…when we seek God in each moment…what is lacking? Nothing. When we empty ourselves of our desires…and open ourselves to God’s desires…inner peace and contentment is ours. The kingdom of God…is then at hand!

Suggested song of the day– “Breathe On Me” on the Listen to Your Heart album.
Hear free clips of Bill’s songs by clicking on Bill Tonnis’ Music on iTunes to the right.
CD’s available for purchase by clicking “home” and then the “store” tab.
Remember…God loves you!

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Go With the Flow

Posted on December 15, 2014 by billtonnis

Psalm 25:4
Make known to me your ways, Lord; teach me your paths.

We always seem like we are on the fast-track to somewhere…but where? Are we pursuing possessions, prestige, position…or perhaps we are on a treadmill to nowhere? We each have to ask ourselves: Am I pursuing my plan…someone else’s plan for me…or am I open to God’s plan for me? God has a plan to bring you peace and contentment. It comes when we allow God to live through us. The Word became flesh in Jesus. How does the Word want to become flesh in you? Listen in your heart for the Spirit’s gentle voice and awaken to the Presence of God in each moment. Enter into the co-creative dance with your Creator. Then…you will always be on the right path…even in times of struggle.

Suggested song of the day– “Shall We Sing” on the Listen to Your Heart album.
Hear free clips of Bill’s songs by clicking on Bill Tonnis’ Music on iTunes to the right.
CD’s available by clicking “home” and then the “store” tab.
Remember…God loves you!

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Christmas Request

Posted on December 13, 2014 by billtonnis

Thanks for reading my daily devotional blog! I also have 3 albums of original music that I’m sure you would enjoy: Listen to Your Heart; Live to Love; and Give Praise and Thanks.
Please consider buying CD’s as Holiday/Christmas presents or downloading my songs through iTunes by going to this link through my website:
http://www.billtonnismusic.com/store.html

Peace and blessings,
Bill

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Turn Off the Noise

Posted on December 12, 2014 by billtonnis

Zechariah 2:17
Silence, all people, in the presence of the Lord! For he stirs forth from his holy dwelling.

The prophet’s advice from 500 years before Jesus remains a profound one today. How can we expect to hear God speak to us if we continuously bombard ourselves with endless noise…constant audio and visual stimulation not to mention our addiction to chronic busy-ness? God speaks in silence. Only God can tell us who we are and why we are here. Why would we not create a space of silence so we could hear what God is saying? It is really not our fault as the leaders of most religions of our time have failed to teach us this…despite the fact that most religions at one time were steeped in contemplative prayer or meditation of some kind. When Jesus was asked by His followers to teach them how to pray He said, “Do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words.” He also said, “When you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret” (Matthew 6:6-7). Our Creator is yearning to satisfy our inner craving for something more and fulfilling. Advent is the perfect time to stop…wait…let-go…and listen.

Suggested song of the day– “Turn Off the Noise” on the Listen to Your Heart album.
Hear free clips of Bill’s songs by clicking on Bill Tonnis’ Music on iTunes to the right.
CD’s available for purchase by clicking on “home” and then the “store” tab.
Remember…God loves you!

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Restorative Justice

Posted on December 11, 2014 by billtonnis

Isaiah 41:13
For I am the LORD, your God, who grasp your right hand; It is I who say to you, “Fear not, I will help you.”

The prophet Isaiah lived 700 years before Jesus but he made some incredibly accurate predictions about the coming Messiah. The line quoted here may have been written by one of Isaiah’s followers who carried on his prophetic call. God was truly speaking through these prophets who were passing on the messages they were receiving through prayer. This message says that the God of the universe is grasping your hand and is saying, “Fear not, I will help you.” Is this your image of “God”? Or do you have a fear-based image of a judgmental taskmaster? The reality is: God is intimately with you and for you…and yearns for you to experience unconditional love and acceptance. Open yourself to this God!

Suggested song of the day– “You’ll Lead Me” on the Listen to Your Heart album.
Hear free clips of Bill’s songs by clicking Bill Tonnis’ Music on iTunes to the right.
CD’s available for purchase by clicking “home” and then the “store” tab.
Have a blessed day!

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Good Shepherd

Posted on December 10, 2014 by billtonnis

Matthew 11:28
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Life is hard. There is suffering. Are you burdened with something…or struggling with something? Try sitting in silence and invite Jesus to be with you. He is the Good Shepherd…the one who pursues and comforts all the lost sheep. Jesus shows us a God…not of harsh judgment…but of compassion, forgiveness and mercy. Bring your burden or struggle to Jesus. He promises to bring you rest. This is unconditional love that disperses all fear.

Suggested song of the day– “I Will Give You Rest” on the Live to Love album.
Hear free clips of Bill’s songs by clicking on Bill Tonnis’ Music on iTunes to the right.
CD’s available for purchase by clicking “home” and then the “store” tab.
Remember…God loves you!

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The Great Compassion

Posted on December 9, 2014 by billtonnis

Matthew 18:12-14
If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray? And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray. In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost.

We have all at one time or another (or perhaps many times) strayed…and have made choices that take us away from God. Isn’t it wonderful that God does not hold grudges? Jesus says that God will always pursue us when we stray and will rejoice when we come back. There is no talk of retribution or punishment…only love. After all…God’s love is unconditional. It’s grace! How else would we ever experience what Grace is? Let that thought…settle into your soul!

Suggested song of the day– “God Is” on the Give Praise and Thanks album.
Hear free clips of Bill’s songs by clicking on Bill Tonnis’ Music on iTunes to the right.
CD’s available by clicking on “home” and then the “store” tab.
Have a blessed day!

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