Bill Tonnis Ministries

Psalm 17:6,8
I call upon you; answer me, O God. Turn your ear to me; hear my prayer. Keep me as the apple of your eye.

There has been much to pray about over the past few days. Many people I know have been suffering with illnesses. Sometimes it feels like there is nothing we can do…like we are powerless to help. Indeed we sometimes are powerless. It is only when we come to that place that we can turn to a Greater Power. That Greater Power is our loving God. Faith tells me that God does hear me when I call. Jesus said that when we go to our inner room and come into the presence of the Divine Presence…we are heard and answered. For each of us is the apple of God’s eye. Cling to that love and allow it to transform you…and to heal you.

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!

Luke 19:10
“For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.”

If you’ve ever felt lost…ever felt like you didn’t measure up…ever felt like you let someone down…ever messed up in a big way…did something hurtful or felt like no one could possibly love you…then you are exactly the one that Jesus is seeking out. You are the one that He wants to find and be with because God could not bear to see a beloved daughter or son lost. You see…God’s justice is not punitive…but restorative. Jesus showed us that He would even die to show us the love and forgiveness of God. This is 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!

Luke 18:39-41
The people walking in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent, but he kept calling out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me!” Then Jesus stopped and ordered that he be brought to him; and when he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” He replied, “Lord, please let me see.”

If you are in need of help…call out to the One who has your best interest at heart. The blind man did not listen to people who told him to be silent…but he persisted in calling out to Jesus. Notice that Jesus asked the man what he wanted Him to do. What is it that you want from Christ? Is it to heal you and make you whole and complete? Is it to be more fully an instrument of God’s love and healing to the world? Perhaps this is what God wants to accomplish with each of us. Let us ask Jesus, “Lord, please let me see.”

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!

Luke 17:20-21
Asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he said in reply, “The coming of the kingdom of God cannot be observed, and no one will announce, ‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘There it is.’ For behold, the kingdom of God is among you.”

Jesus never seemed to be preoccupied with some distant day when you “get to heaven.” He seemed to be much more preoccupied with “getting to heaven now.” Now is where you will find the kingdom of God if you are present to it. Christ is present in the person next to you and in nature that surrounds you. How are you present to that Presence? How are you present to the Presence of God within you? Last night I heard an amazing presentation by a college student about the five medical mission trips he has been a part of to Haiti, Honduras, and South Sudan. He said he used to be preoccupied with video games and other idle pursuits of fun…until going on a mission trip that he really didn’t want to go on. But when he met face to face with an impoverished child in need…his life’s pursuit changed. Now his mission is to help people. No one announced the kingdom of God to him…he simply encountered it in the face and the need of a child. Meeting Christ will transform your life.

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!

1 Corinthians 3:9
For we are God’s co-workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.

This life is not about carrying out our ego’s desires. We begin our lives mistakenly believing that we are at the center of the universe. The painful part is coming to the realization that we are not. We all start out believing it is all about “me.” The sooner we realize in our hearts that it’s really about God and how God wants to live in us…the more peace and joy we can truly experience. Then we become co-creators with God in building God’s kingdom. This is the purpose of our lives. When we cooperate with God we become part of the sacred song…the divine dance. God became human in Jesus. How does God want to become human in you? Follow Jesus…allow Christ to grow in you.

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.
Have a blessed day!

Wisdom 2:23
For God formed man to be imperishable; the image of his own nature he made him.

Well this is Good News! You and I are made in the image of God’s nature…and we were formed to be “imperishable.” So why worry? The unknown nature of our mortality usually leads us to avoid this topic…but we all will die one day. It may be today…tomorrow…in 50 years or in 80 years…but it will happen. Even those whom Jesus physically healed…later died. But we have faith that while our bodies will die…our souls will never die. The Risen Christ assures us of this! God is leading us to wholeness and completion in each moment, which is the only time that is real. God is loving us now. Each of us is God’s beloved son or daughter. Open your heart to this message that I’ve been given especially for you.

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!

Psalm 139:5
Behind and before you encircle me and rest your hand upon me.

The psalmist goes on to write, “Where can I hide from your spirit?” We cannot. God is everywhere. God is like the very air we breathe. God is like our breath. To speak God’s ancient name “Yahweh” is the very act of breathing, “Yah” (inhale)…”weh” (exhale). God is there in our joys and in our sorrows…celebrating with us during the highs and mourning with us during the lows. “All are one in You. You are all that’s true. May I find You in all I see…breath of God breathe on me.”

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 98:2
The Lord has made his victory known; has revealed his triumph for the nations to see.

We see dying and rising all around us. Each day ends in the darkness of night…but then comes the dawn of a new day. Each year ends in the dead of winter…but then somehow new life appears again in the spring. Someone dies…while a baby is being born. We are surrounded by examples of this cycle where God is constantly telling us…death is not the end. God showed us in Jesus the ultimate lesson…that death does not win. It’s a passage way into something better. The crucifixion was followed by the resurrection! In each of our lives we experience many deaths and resurrections…many struggles that lead to new life if we have faith and cling to Christ who will never abandon us.

Suggested song of the day—“Seasons” 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!

Luke 15:4-6
“What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep'”

Jesus tells us to pray in the “Our Father” that God’s will be done. But truth be told, don’t we most of the time pray for our will to be done? I think sometimes that the worst pain that we go through in life is when our will gets thoroughly thwarted. Could it be that in reality this is the time of a great beginning when finally we can start to see God’s will for us? It’s a humbling place where all we can do is take the next step in the direction of what we think is God’s will. If you’ve strayed from God or in some way feel lost…you are not alone. And as Jesus says in today’s scripture…you can trust that God has not given up on you! For Jesus says our Loving Creator is just like a shepherd who would leave all the self-righteous people behind and do anything…ANYTHING…to find you…and will “with great joy” set you on His shoulders and bring you home with much rejoicing!

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!

John 6:37-38
“Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me, because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me.”

Jesus gives us words of great comfort. He says that He will not reject anyone who comes to Him! We find this hard to believe because when we wrong others usually they do reject us. But not God Who loves unconditionally! Where are you broken? What have you done that you regret or where are you afflicted with inner turmoil? While most think these are the places that God despises us…they are actually the places where God wants to embrace us, heal us and make us whole. These are the places where we can’t do it on our own…the places we need God! Jesus, the Christ, wants to show you the unconditional love of God. Accept it! Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). The most Unbelievable Love…is true.

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