Open Hands

Posted on October 11, 2012 by billtonnis

Luke 11:9, 11, 13
“Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? 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?”

If we open ourselves to the Holy Spirit and surrender our desires to the One who made us…then when we ask Him for something…we will also always say, “Your will be done.” Then when we “ask”…the “receiving” is already in progress. Jesus says that we can be sure that God will always answer. What we receive, however, may not be what we want…but it will always be what we need.

Suggested song of the day–“Heal Me” on the Live to Love album.
All songs available on iTunes. Click on the link under blogroll to the right.
CDs available by clicking on “home” and then the “store” tab.
Have a blessed day!

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

Prayer

Posted on October 10, 2012 by billtonnis

Luke 11:1-2
Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.” He said to them, “When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.”

The disciples of Jesus must have been impressed as they watched Him pray in quiet solitude. They wanted to know how they could have the same intimate connection with God. It takes time and commitment to sit with God in silence. For starters, Jesus gave His followers a prayer that has become known as the “Our Father” or “Lord’s Prayer.” While we can all rattle-off the words to the prayer, we might ask ourselves if we truly mean what we are saying. By the manner that each of us lives…are we building God’s kingdom…or ours?

Suggested song of the day–“Shall We Sing” on the Listen to Your Heart album.
All songs available on iTunes. Click on the link under blogroll to the right.
CDs available by clicking on “home” and then the “store” tab.
Have a blessed day!

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

Contemplative Living

Posted on October 9, 2012 by billtonnis

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.”

While Martha was running around trying to make sure everyone who had come to hear Jesus speak was fed…her sister Mary was calmly sitting by Jesus listening to him. Serving others is definitely what we are called to do…but without listening to the Lord…we will be lost as to our true purpose. Are you taking time each day to sit at the Lord’s feet…and listen to Him? Why not reflect on scripture…perhaps this reading…and then sit in silence…and just listen.

Suggested song of the day–“Turn Off the Noise” on the Listen to Your Heart album.
All songs available on iTunes. Click on the link under blogroll to the right.
CDs available by clicking on “home” and then the “store” tab.
Have a blessed day!

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

Mercy Required

Posted on October 8, 2012 by billtonnis

Luke 10:36-37
[Jesus asked,] “Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?” He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

Today’s Gospel reading is about the “Good Samaritan.” At that time Jews did not associate with Samaritans. So when Jesus was making a point to a Jewish scholar about the greatest commandment being to love God and to love your neighbor as yourself, He chose a Samaritan as His example of someone who loved his neighbor. Others passed by the robbery victim while the Samaritan stopped to help. This would have infuriated Jesus’ audience. How could the despised Samaritan be the good guy? No one is all good or all bad…but a mixture. We are all capable of making the loving response to the one we regard as the “other.” In the Body of Christ…there is no “other.” We are all God’s beloved children.

Suggested song of the day–“Love God” on the Live to Love album.
All songs available on iTunes. Click on the link under blogroll to the right.
CDs available by clicking on “home” and then the “store” tab.
Have a blessed day!

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

Radical Acceptance

Posted on October 5, 2012 by billtonnis

Psalm 139:1-2, 7, 13-14
O LORD, you have probed me, you know me: you know when I sit and stand; you understand my thoughts from afar. Where can I hide from your spirit? From your presence, where can I flee? You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb. I praise you, so wonderfully you made me; wonderful are your works! My very self you knew.

King David is said to have written this Psalm in praise of God around 3000 years ago. The same God who brought the universe into being…who wills everything to be or it would simply disintegrate…also willed you and me into being. Scripture tells us that we are made in God’s image and that our Loving Creator looks on all of creation as “good.” You and I are children of this wonderful God! How can we celebrate this and honor God…with our lives?

Suggested song of the day–“How Wonderful to Me” on the Live to Love album
All songs available on iTunes. Click on the link under blogroll to the right.
CDs available by clicking on “home” and then the “store” tab.
Have a blessed day!

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

Aspiring for Less

Posted on October 4, 2012 by billtonnis

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.

What patience Jesus must have had with His disciples who wanted to know the formula for becoming “the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Our egos all want to be “first” and “the best.” But Jesus said the most highly regarded in the eyes of God is the servant! “The last will be first and the first will be last” (Mt 20:16). Can you imagine his disciples’ shock when Jesus pulled the child over and said that they must become like children? What He meant was…they must be dependent on God as a child is on their parents. Are we being “humble servants” of God?

Suggested song of the day–“You’ll Lead Me” on the Listen to Your Heart album.
All songs available on iTunes. Click on the link under blogroll to the right.
CDs available by clicking on “home” and then the “store” tab.
Have a blessed day!

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

In the Now

Posted on October 3, 2012 by billtonnis

Luke 9:61-62
Another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say farewell to my family at home.” Jesus answered him, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Jesus was referring to a farmer pushing his plow. If the farmer turned to look back at what was left behind…he would not be focused on where he was pushing the plow and would get off line. It’s a great lesson in seeing that the kingdom of God is where God is present…and the only place you’ll find the living God…is in the present…the NOW. If we’re not paying attention to following Jesus in each moment of our lives…we’ll miss God’s Presence and the peace and joy that He wants to give us.

Suggested song of the day–“I Want to Follow You” on the Listen to Your Heart album.
All songs available on iTunes. Click on the link under blogroll to the right.
CDs available by clicking on “home” and then the “store” tab.
Have a blessed day!

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

A Better Way

Posted on October 2, 2012 by billtonnis

Luke 9:52-55
Jesus sent messengers ahead of him. On the way they entered a Samaritan village to prepare for his reception there, but they would not welcome him because the destination of his journey was Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?” Jesus turned and rebuked them.

Years of differences between the Jews and Samaritans resulted in the Samaritans shunning the messengers Jesus had sent ahead. Two of Jesus’ disciples asked Him if they could call on God to destroy the Samaritans in retaliation. Isn’t this the natural, human reaction…to attack someone who has wrongly treated us? It’s been going on for years…and years…and years…and years. Jesus’ answer to his disciples’ question was a stern “no.” If we all asked for the grace to respond in love and compassion to those who wrong us instead of seeking revenge…perhaps the world would change. BE the change that you want to see in the world!

Suggested song of the day–“May I Be Light” on the Listen to Your Heart album.
All songs available on iTunes. Click on the link under blogroll to the right.
CDs available by clicking on “home” and then the “store” tab.
Have a blessed day!

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

God-Centered

Posted on October 1, 2012 by billtonnis

John 1:47
Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Here is a true Israelite. There is no duplicity in him.”

Jesus could read people very well. Sure…He was God…but He was also fully Man. But since He was fully committed to loving and serving God He had the ability to see inside the hearts of others and to know their motivations. Jesus knew that Nathanael had pure motivations and was not “two-faced.” How often do we really examine our own motivations as to why we do the things we do? Am I motivated by loving and serving God? Or is my motivation to satisfy my ego and its desires? Before I can ever judge someone else’s motivations…I certainly need to be quite clear about my own. This will keep me busy for a lifetime.

Suggested song of the day–“Singing My Song” on the Live to Love album.
All songs available on iTunes. Click the link under blogroll to the right.
CDs available by clicking “home” and then the “store” tab.
Have a blessed day!

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

Transforming Question

Posted on September 28, 2012 by billtonnis

Luke 9:18-20
Once when Jesus was praying in solitude, and the disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” They said in reply, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, ‘One of the ancient prophets has arisen.'” Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Who do YOU say Jesus is? If He is the Son of God, “the way, the truth and the life,” then what effect does He have now on how you live your life? If Jesus was who He said He was…wouldn’t it make sense that following Him would lead us to inner peace and happiness as well as the freedom to discover who we were made to be?

Suggested song of the day–“I Want to Follow You” on the Listen to Your Heart album.
All songs available on iTunes. Click on the link under blogroll to the right.
CDs available by clicking on “home” and then the “store” tab.
Have a blessed day!

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