Bill Tonnis Ministries

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

We tend to beat ourselves up over mistakes and transgressions. But when we turn back to God…instead of punishment and chastisement…we receive loving acceptance. This encounter with unconditional Love is transforming! Just look at the parable of the prodigal son. He totally disrespected his father, runs off and spends his entire inheritance on an immoral life…and ends up in total depravity. So he goes home hoping his father might let him join the ranks of his servants. But instead…the father (who is the “God” figure) totally accepts him and throws him a party without a word of scolding or ounce of punishment! And the son actually never even says he’s “sorry!” This is how Jesus describes God. This is the Great Compassion Who created you from nothing as a beloved son or daughter, Who wants to draw you deeper and deeper into a Love that will fill you, complete you…and has no end! This is “Good News”!

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.
Have a blessed day!

2 Timothy 1:8
For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control. So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for his sake; but bear your share of hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God.

When you live the “Good News” of God’s unconditional love for all…when you spread that message…some won’t like it. When you follow Jesus in His call to include the outcast, to free the oppressed, to feed the hungry and visit the imprisoned…some won’t like it. Jesus lived God’s call all the way to the cross. We’re called to follow Him…so don’t be surprised if you are persecuted and crucified as well. To follow Jesus you need courage, strength and determination. To do so…you will have to listen to God’s call in the silence of your heart…and then act. You will no doubt have to take a new path that is less traveled…but one that will lead you to wholeness and freedom. In each moment along that path…the kingdom of God will be at hand. Christ will be walking with you!

Suggested song of the day—“Take the Road Less Traveled” on the Live to Love album.
All songs available on iTunes. Click on the link under blogroll to the right.
Have a blessed day!

Mark 16:15
Jesus said to them, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.”

Jesus is sending each of us to proclaim the gospel…but what gospel are you proclaiming? The Good News of Jesus was that God loves each of us regardless of our merit. It is an unconditional love that forgives, heals and makes whole. It reaches out to the outcast and includes them. It gives and gives even when persecuted and nailed to a cross. And even then…this Love forgives. This kind of Love transforms you…and calls you into being the same kind of Love to others. This is truly “Good News”!

Suggested song of the day—“Salvation” on the Live to Love album.
All songs available on iTunes. Click on the link under blogroll to the right.
Have a blessed day!

Mark 3:33-34
But Jesus said to them in reply, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking around at those seated in the circle he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers.”

Our dualistic, “either-or” minds like to look at everything and separate what’s in and what’s out. But at a deeper level of consciousness there is wisdom and enlightenment where opposites can remain together as one…as God holds all things without dividing. Jesus said that God makes the “sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust” (Matthew 5:45). We are called to look upon all people as brothers and sisters. The Body of Christ has no divisions. There is no “other” in the kingdom of God. All are one. Ask yourself this question: Who is the “other” in my life and how can I change so that I might accept this “other” as my brother or sister?

Suggested song of the day—“Breathe On Me” on the Listen to Your Heart album.
All songs available on iTunes. Click on the link under blogroll to the right.
Have a blessed day!

Psalm 89:21
“I have chosen David, my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him.”

David became a great king and also had a beautiful heart to care for God’s people. But he also had some rather dark flaws…and became an adulterer and murderer. Do you think God did not know that David had these “shadow” places in his character? God never turned away from David when David turned away from God. God kept loving him…and David returned again and again. What is your character flaw? What have you done to turn away from God? Whatever it is…it is probably not as serious as what David did! God has not turned away from you and continues to love you. As a matter of fact, the place of your “flaw” or “wound” will become the place where Christ will touch and heal you. The wound will become a “sacred wound” because it will be the very place that will lead to your transformation and ability to reach out and become a “wounded healer” to others. You are also chosen to serve.

Suggested song of the day—“Come to Jesus” on the Live to Love album.
All songs available on iTunes. Click on the link under blogroll to the right.
Have a blessed day!

Psalm 56:3
O Most High, when I am afraid, in you I place my trust.

God is always there for you even when it feels otherwise. Feelings of God’s presence are nice but a deeper, more mature spiritual level will come when you know God is there…even when it doesn’t feel like it. Mother Teresa and many other saints knew this feeling as the “dark night of the soul.” Even Jesus experienced this feeling on the cross when He cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” But God did not abandon Jesus. The resurrected Christ embraces all regardless of your worthiness or actions. You are the beloved of God. Place your trust in that.

Suggested song of the day—“Come to Jesus” on the Live to Love album.
All songs available on iTunes. Click on the link under blogroll to the right.
Have a blessed day!

Mark 3:4-5
Then Jesus said to them, “Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?” But they remained silent. Looking round at them with anger and grieved at their hardness of heart, he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out and his hand was restored.

The Pharisees were sticking to the letter of the law that forbade any work being done on the Sabbath. The law is a good one aimed at getting us to set aside the Sabbath day as a day to honor God. But Jesus gives saving life, restoring life and wholeness, a higher priority. For by restoring the man with the withered hand to health, Jesus is not only giving him new life…but is also giving great glory to God. When you blindly hold to the letter of the law…you can become very rigid, cold and hard-hearted. Ask yourself this question: Do I ever hold another to the letter of a law when circumstances dictate a more loving approach would be the choice of Christ?

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.
Have a blessed day!

Mark 2:23-24
As he was passing through a field of grain on the sabbath, his disciples began to make a path while picking the heads of grain. At this the Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?”

Jesus seemed to break many of the religious rules. The rules are good and a great place to build your “container” as you start out on life…a place of definite boundaries. But as you grow and experience more of life you will find yourself being drawn into the gray areas…where white and black rules become problematic. Jesus allowed His followers to pick heads of grain on the sabbath (when the religious rules did not allow work of any kind) because they were hungry. Jesus knew that doing the loving thing…always trumped following a rule. He still obeyed the rules…but just knew when it was okay to break them! Life is full of paradox and contradictions. When confronted with such situations, consult Church teaching, consult tradition, consult an expert…but at the end of the day…follow Jesus! Listen to the voice of Compassion…in your heart.

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.
Have a blessed day!

1 Samuel 8:6-7
Samuel was displeased when they asked for a king to judge them. He prayed to the Lord, however, who said in answer: “Grant the people’s every request. It is not you they reject, they are rejecting me as their king.”

It is the same story repeated throughout thousands of years. The sons and daughters of God reject the God who made them. They again and again choose a god of power, prestige and possessions. They…or should I say…we…choose to place ourselves at the center of the universe. Each of us mistakenly believes that we…our individual egos…are the center of all that is. God allows this…allows us to choose…not so we can feel God’s wrath and punishment…but so that we can experience the loving embrace of a God who loves unconditionally. So that we can experience being loved…when we are rejecting the very One who loves us. This is a Love that transforms…that causes our hearts to melt…and to want to serve such a wondrous 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.
Have a blessed day!

Mark 1:40-41
A leper came to him [and kneeling down] begged him and said, “If you wish, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him, “I do will it. Be made clean.”

Jesus wants each of us to be whole…complete…and included. A leper was seen as “unclean” and was excluded from the community. It was believed that the leper must have done something to be inflicted with such a disease. Jesus wanted all to know that this was not so. He touched the leper (something which in the eyes of the people would have made Jesus “unclean”) and was “moved with pity.” Jesus knows that in the kingdom of God…no one is excluded. We are all called to reach out to those who are the “outcast.” Jesus told the leper not to tell anyone about his miraculous cure…because He did not want the focus on Himself as some miracle worker. It was about restoring wholeness. It was about all of us looking past our differences…and seeing with new eyes…that all things are one in God.

Suggested song of the day—“Come to Jesus” on the Live to Love album.
All songs available on iTunes. Click on the link under blogroll to the right.
Have a blessed day!