Mary of Magdala

Posted on July 22, 2014 by billtonnis

John 20:18
Mary of Magdala went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and what he told her.

Isn’t it interesting that Jesus selected a woman to be the first witness to His astounding resurrection…and to be the first person who would announce the most amazing news that had ever or will ever happen? In a world dominated my men, where women were servants and had no rights, it was a woman, Mary of Magdala, who was given the honor to inform the other disciples of the Good News! I wonder how well that went over with the other disciples? In St. Luke’s account, two angels told Mary of Magdala and other women that Jesus had risen. When the women told the apostles, they did not believe them. It may be uncomfortable for each of us at times to announce that we have been touched by the risen Christ. On such occasions…take courage…and think of the example of Mary of Magdala.

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.
CDs available by clicking on “home” and then the “store” tab.
Remember…God loves you!

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Game Changer

Posted on July 21, 2014 by billtonnis

Micah 6:8
You have been told, O man, what is good, and what the Lord requires of you: Only to do the right and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God.

The Prophet Micah says that God is not interested in your sacrifices to prove yourself more worthy of God’s love. God is only interested in your heart. God already loves you infinitely…and that love is unconditional! We would do well to simply awaken to that fact and allow it to sink in and fill us. Doesn’t that kind of love make you fall in love with such a God? Doesn’t that kind of love make you want to “do the right and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God”?

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.
CDs available by clicking “home” and then the “store” tab.
Remember…God loves you!

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Building the Kingdom of God

Posted on July 18, 2014 by billtonnis

Matthew 12:7
“If you knew what this meant, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned these innocent men.”

The Pharisees condemned Jesus’ followers for picking the heads of grain and eating them on the Sabbath which was against the religious rules. This rule was made so people would set aside all their work to honor God on the Sabbath. The rule is good intentioned. But Jesus’ followers have had nothing to eat and are hungry…so mercy and compassion overrides the rule. Jesus quotes the prophet Hosea (6:6) to the Pharisees who just don’t get it. We do not have to prove ourselves worthy enough for God to love us! It’s not about how well we follow the rules or how well we do anything. It’s not about being “right”…but about being in “right relationship” with God and our neighbor. Are we motivated by laws or by love? We are called to extend mercy and compassion. But when we do this…we should not be surprised if we are met with criticism and ridicule.

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.
CDs available by clicking on “home” and then the “store” tab.
Remember…God loves you!

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Loved Unconditionally

Posted on July 17, 2014 by billtonnis

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

Rules and regulations are good to start with…like when we are children starting out on our spiritual journeys. They give us boundaries so we can be disciplined. But as we grow…our faith must grow as well…and that means acknowledging the “gray” areas where life isn’t so “black and white.” Jesus blasted the religious leaders of His time for strictly adhering to the rules and laying a heavy burden on people who needed compassion in their brokenness. Jesus invites you to let go of your need to control or to change others and to allow Him to handle the difficult and seemingly impossible situations. Take your troubles to the risen Christ, open your heart and find rest.

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.
CDs available by clicking on “home” and then the “store” tab.
Remember…God loves you!

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Listen to Your Heart

Posted on July 16, 2014 by billtonnis

Matthew 11:25
Jesus said in reply, “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike.”

Our egos are in such control that we are often quite unaware of God’s presence and communications. If a person is only motivated by his or her ego’s insatiable desires for power, prestige and possessions…that person will never truly become the “true self” that God intended…but only the “false self.” Simply observe your ego’s demands. This will begin the process of the ego’s diminishment. Jesus opened Himself totally to God’s will and allowed God to lead and define Him. For us to know who we truly are…we must put a childlike trust in our Creator…open our ears, eyes and hearts…and then begin to live the answer!

Suggested song of the day– “Listen to Your Heart” 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.
CDs available by clicking on “home” and then the “store” tab.
Remember…God loves you!

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Have Faith

Posted on July 15, 2014 by billtonnis

Isaiah 7:9
Unless your faith is firm you shall not be firm!

How often do we think that we have to have our lives totally together before we’ll be ready to take a stand in faith? The truth is…it’s not about our efforts to make ourselves worthy! It’s about the unconditional Love of God…a God who loves each of us infinitely just as we are…that makes us worthy! Allow that to sink in. It’s a foundation that you can stand on and have faith in no matter how badly broken you are. God wants to hold you…in your brokenness! Just look at all the broken people Jesus reached out to in the Gospels. Look at all the broken people that He chose to follow Him! Even if you are wrestling with many questions about your faith…the fact that you are questioning means that God is yearning for you to draw closer. Jesus wants to be with you and give you new life. Have faith in that!

Suggested song of the day– “God Is the Goal” on the Live to Love album.
Hear free clips of Bill’s songs by clicking on Bill Tonnis’ Music on iTunes to the right.
CDs available by clicking “home” and then the “store” tab.
Remember…God loves you!

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Being A Christian

Posted on July 14, 2014 by billtonnis

Isaiah 1:16
Make justice your aim: redress the wronged, hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow.

The prophet Isaiah said that God was not interested in the people’s sacrifices…their attempts to win favor…to somehow merit more of God’s love. God’s love is already given. There is nothing we can do to make God love us more. What God wants is for us to lay down our desires…the desires of our ego…so that God can more fully live in us. Jesus asks us to follow Him. He wanted us to be Jesus to others…reaching out in service to those in need. As He says in the gospel of Matthew: “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 10:39). When you let go of your ego’s insatiable desires and allow Jesus to grow inside of you…you will find the true life meant for you!

Suggested song of the day– “I Want to Follow You” 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.
CDs available by clicking on “home” and then the “store” tab.
Remember…God loves you!

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Both – And

Posted on July 11, 2014 by billtonnis

Matthew 10:16
“Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves.”

Being a Christian is not easy. It takes determination, guts and bravery. The early Christians were many times killed for their faith. Now days…it still happens in some countries. But many times we can expect verbal and emotional attacks more than physical ones. To follow Jesus we need to utilize the left part of our brains that can make distinct “either-or” type judgments…”fight or flight”…like a serpent. But…we must also use the right part of our brains that is capable of making “both-and” type judgments…that can enable us to accept people who disagree with us…that can enable us to love our enemies…that can enable us to extend compassion. This is the wisdom of a dove. How can we do it? Only through God’s grace!

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 on Bill Tonnis’ Music on iTunes to the right.
CDs available by clicking on “home” and then the “store” tab.
Remember…God loves you!

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Unconditional Love

Posted on July 10, 2014 by billtonnis

Psalm 51:3
Have mercy on me, God, in your goodness; in your abundant compassion blot out my offense.

We are all wounded. We have all done things we are not proud of. We are not perfect. We were made that way. Why would God do that? Perhaps so that we would allow God to forgive us…heal us…console us…comfort us…and love us back into wholeness! That’s what God yearns to do. How else would be experience compassion? God wants to love you exactly in the place that you feel nobody could! Is this your understanding of God? Jesus showed us the abundant compassion of God: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Come to Him just as you are!

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.
CDs available by clicking on “home” and then the “store” tab.
Remember…God loves you!

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God Bearer

Posted on July 9, 2014 by billtonnis

Matthew 10:7
“As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'”

Jesus gave this instruction to His apostles as He sent them out. This was the message He told them to deliver as they cured people of afflictions and basically restored them to wholeness. The ‘kingdom of heaven’ is not just some place we hope to reach one day…it is a state of being that Jesus told us to help bring about in the here and now. When we are instruments of God’s love, mercy, grace, forgiveness and compassion…the kingdom of heaven is at hand! How might you be such an instrument?

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.
CDs available by clicking on “home” and then the “store” tab.
Remember…God loves you!

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