Compassion Counts

Posted on January 19, 2021 by billtonnis
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

“Instead of putting others in their place, put yourself in their place.” – Amish Proverb

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Listen to my song “Radically Okay” on YouTube by clicking HERE.

Support my ministry by purchasing my songs and books below. Thanks!

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Mark 2:23-24

As Jesus 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?”

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Many today are awakening to the concept of “both-and”.

However, probably most are still stuck in a knee-jerk “either-or” response to stimuli.

Our brains seem to be wired for a binary response.

It’s either this or that.

It’s either in or out.

It’s either good or bad.

I’m either on this side or that side.

A number of years ago, I was debating a topic with someone who said to me, “You really ought to consider “both-and.”

My mind kind of went into a conniption.

I remember thinking, “What kind of nonsense is that?”

However, a “both-and” view slowly became a revolutionary concept that changed my life for the better.

Jesus was demonstrating this to the religious rules-enforcers of his day in today’s scripture.

For the Pharisees, Jesus’ disciples were breaking the law against working on the sabbath when they were picking the heads of grain.

It was black and white to them.

Jesus could see the gray area in between.

For Jesus in this instance, his disciples’ hunger took precedence over the law.

For him, the rules always needed to be tempered by love.

He could both follow the law and make exceptions when compassion demanded it.

Love was the top priority.

As the Dalai Lama stated in his book The Art of Happiness: “Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.”

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Listen to the song of the day “Radically Okay” on the Mercy Reigns album by clicking HERE.

Stream and/or purchase my songs on Amazon Music by clicking HERE.

Purchase my new book “Listen to Your Heart: A Daily Devotional of Calling, Purpose and New Life” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Purchase my book “Mercy Reigns: A Daily Devotional of Compassion, Comfort and Healing” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Remember: God loves you!

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Honoring Martin Luther King Jr

Posted on January 18, 2021 by billtonnis
Image by John Hain from Pixabay

“An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

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Listen to my song “Mercy Reigns” on YouTube by clicking HERE. Support my ministry by scrolling down past the reflection to purchase my songs and books. Thank you!

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Mark 2:21-22

Jesus said, “No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak. If he does, its fullness pulls away, the new from the old, and the tear gets worse. Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the skins are ruined. Rather, new wine is poured into fresh wineskins.”

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Jesus knew that old structures where the powerful oppress the marginalized needed to go.

He confronted the oppressive religious leaders and governing leaders of his time.

But he didn’t confront them with force.

Jesus confronted them with nonviolence.

This is the way of God.

Sometimes old systems need a complete overhaul, not just patching up rips and tears on the surface.

When love is your motivation, you must work to change what is bringing oppression and injustice.

Justice in Jesus’ eyes was not retributory but restorative.

He specifically nullified the Old Testament’s “eye for an eye” justice. Please read Matthew 5:38-48 if you need proof.

All forms of violence must be rejected.

We need to uplift the sacredness of life in all forms and have dignified and respectful conversations about it.

The death penalty is clearly not in line with Christianity.

We must also address racism which is often hidden beneath the surface of systems that continue to have a double-standard in dealing with people of color.

We must come together in peace and harmony and build anew.

This was the dream of Martin Luther King Jr. whom we honor today.

He was a prophet walking in the steps of Jesus in confronting injustice with nonviolence.

Today, new wine is being poured.

Let us work together in the compassionate spirit of MLK to forge new wineskins.

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Listen to the song of the day “Mercy Reigns” on the Mercy Reigns album by clicking HERE.

Stream and/or purchase my songs on Amazon Music by clicking HERE.

Purchase my new book “Listen to Your Heart: A Daily Devotional of Calling, Purpose and New Life” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Purchase my book “Mercy Reigns: A Daily Devotional of Compassion, Comfort and Healing” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Remember: God loves you!

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Christianity?

Posted on January 15, 2021 by billtonnis
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

“We do not need guns and bombs to bring peace. We need love and compassion.” – Mother Teresa

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Listen to my song “Salvation” on YouTube by clicking HERE. Help support my ministry by scrolling down past my reflection to purchase my songs and books. Thank you!

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Psalm 78:8

They were not to be like their ancestors, a rebellious and defiant generation, a generation whose heart was not constant, and whose spirit was not faithful to God.

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I have hope in the latest generation of young people.

I have to.

My generation has been a great disappointment.

Not all, of course, but many.

I see their outrageous posts and comments on Facebook and other social media.

These people who identify as “Christian” somehow think that Christianity is consistent with calling for violent, armed-actions against people they disagree with.

They somehow think it’s consistent with waving Confederate flags.

They somehow think it’s consistent with the execution of mentally ill people on death row like Lisa Montgomery – or executing anyone for that matter.

They somehow think it’s consistent with turning desperate people back into the desert to die who are facing no hope.

Do they not know that Jesus showed us the face of God (John 14:7)?

Jesus said the greatest commandments were to love God and your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:34-40).

He commanded us to love your enemies (Matthew 5:44).

He said whatever you do for the least of these you do for me (Matthew 25:40).

Do the actions of armed militias and white supremacists have any resemblance to that Jesus?

Each of us needs to examine our hearts and determine if our spirit, our true self, is being faithful to God and the example of Jesus.

The Christianity that espouses violence is not Christianity.

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Listen to the song of the day “Salvation” on the Live to Love album by clicking HERE.

Stream and/or purchase my songs on Amazon Music by clicking HERE.

Purchase my new book “Listen to Your Heart: A Daily Devotional of Calling, Purpose and New Life” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Purchase my book “Mercy Reigns: A Daily Devotional of Compassion, Comfort and Healing” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Remember: God loves you!

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Purpose Driven

Posted on January 14, 2021 by billtonnis
Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay

“Love is our true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone – we find it with another.” – Thomas Merton

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Listen to my song “Pour Me Out” on YouTube by clicking HERE.

Support my ministry by purchasing my songs and books. Info follows this reflection. Thank you!

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Mark 1:45

The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter. He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere.

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Jesus had just healed a man who was inflicted with leprosy.

He told him to return to the priest and show himself.

Jesus knew the man would then be allowed to return to his village and faith community.

Not only would he be restored to wholeness physically but also communally and spiritually.

But Jesus wanted no credit.

He wanted no attention.

He told the man not to say anything about what had happened.

But the newly-healed man could not help but sing Jesus’ praises.

This is a classic example of Jesus’ dedication to his purpose and mission and not to his own ego’s pursuits.

He was not looking for “superstar” status.

He had emptied himself of any self-centeredness.

Jesus’ mission of compassion and justice for the marginalized was his top priority.

As St. Paul put it: “He emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:7-8).

How counter-culture!

Deep inside each of us is the same burning desire to serve a Greater Good.

For that desire to manifest, our egos must relinquish control and become a servant to our mission.

Spending some time in “deserted places” – as in a regular practice of silent meditation or Centering Prayer – would be very helpful.

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Listen to the song of the day “Pour Me Out” on the Give Praise and Thanks album by clicking HERE.

Stream and/or purchase my songs on Amazon Music by clicking HERE.

Purchase my new book “Listen to Your Heart: A Daily Devotional of Calling, Purpose and New Life” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Purchase my book “Mercy Reigns: A Daily Devotional of Compassion, Comfort and Healing” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Remember: God loves you!

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Edging God Out

Posted on January 13, 2021 by billtonnis
Image by Helga Kattinger from Pixabay

“Letting the ego-illusion become your identity can prevent you from knowing your true self.” – Wayne Dyer

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Listen to my song “I Want to Follow You” on YouTube by clicking HERE.

Support my ministry by scrolling down past the reflection and purchasing my songs and books. Thank you!

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Mark 1:35-38

Rising very early before dawn, Jesus left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed. Simon and those who were with him pursued him and on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you.” He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come.”

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Jesus’ actions were informed by his contemplative prayer.

The actions sprang from his communing with God in the silence of a deserted place where he prayed.

In today’s scripture, Jesus had just healed many in Capernaum and “everyone” was looking for him.

He could have stayed in the comfort of his successes and adulation from those he had healed.

But through his time of silence with God, Jesus realized in his heart that it was time to move on to bring his ministry of healing, compassion and wholeness to other villages.

It was his purpose.

Jesus has given us a blueprint for conducting our lives so that we are carrying out God’s will and not our ego’s.

Each of us would do well to follow Jesus’ prayer practice and do the difficult work of discernment.

What is your purpose?

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Listen to the song of the day “I Want to Follow You” on the Listen to Your Heart album by clicking HERE.

Stream and/or purchase my songs on Amazon Music by clicking HERE.

Purchase my new book “Listen to Your Heart: A Daily Devotional of Calling, Purpose and New Life” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Purchase my book “Mercy Reigns: A Daily Devotional of Compassion, Comfort and Healing” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Remember: God loves you!

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Big Picture

Posted on January 12, 2021 by billtonnis
Image by Octavian A Tudose from Pixabay

“We are one, after all, you and I, together we suffer, together exist and forever will recreate one another.” – Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

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Listen to my song “Glorify You with Me” on YouTube by clicking HERE.

Support my ministry by scrolling past the reflection and purchasing my songs and books. Thank you!

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Psalm 8:2

O LORD, our Lord, how awesome is your name through all the earth!

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There have been many names for our Creator including God, Most High, Elohim, El-Shaddai, Yahweh, Jehovah, Adonai, Abba, and in Islam Allah.

But the name I really like is the one God gives when asked by Moses: “I am who I am. Then he added: This is what you will tell the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you” (Exodus 3:14).

“I AM”.

Beingness.

Of course the name is awesome and glorious through all the earth!

All things share in “beingness” with the Great I AM.

The whole universe shares in this I Am.

You and I share in this awesome, impossible-to-speak Name of Names.

And scripture also tells us, “God is love” (1 John 4:8).

The Eternal Creator is Love.

We are each unique expressions of this Love.

We are here to express Love.

Each of us needs to ask ourselves: How am I doing with this?

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Listen to the song of the day “Glorify You with Me” on the Give Praise and Thanks album by clicking HERE.

Stream and/or purchase my songs on Amazon Music by clicking HERE.

Purchase my new book “Listen to Your Heart: A Daily Devotional of Calling, Purpose and New Life” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Purchase my book “Mercy Reigns: A Daily Devotional of Compassion, Comfort and Healing” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Remember: God loves you!

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Whole-making

Posted on January 11, 2021 by billtonnis
Image by Gordon Johnson from Pixabay

“In God’s eyes our words have only the value of our actions.” – St. Ignatius Loyola

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Listen to my song “All Are One” on YouTube by clicking HERE.

Support my ministry by scrolling down past the reflection and purchasing my songs and books. Thank you!

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Mark 1:16-17

As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

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You don’t have to have a theology degree or be some big shot in the eyes of the world for Jesus to want to work with you.

Jesus picked quite the motley crew.

They were largely not an educated bunch.

They also were clueless most of the time Jesus was preaching to them and I’m not so sure many didn’t remain relatively clueless after he was crucified.

The moral of the story is that you don’t have to have yourself all together, you don’t have to achieve some sort of worthy status, before you are ready for God to call on you.

As a matter of fact, God is calling on you right now.

And right now.

Now is the only time.

Jesus requested that these fishermen followed him, meaning: Do what I do and live like I live.

And then Jesus said they would be “fishers of men”.

Of course, this doesn’t just mean men but people.

And what was Jesus’ main message that he wanted to be delivered to all people?

You are loved unconditionally.

You are forgiven.

And as Jesus told Peter after forgiving him for denying him: “Feed my sheep” (John 21:17).

And, “Follow me” (John 21:19).

In other words: Tell all people that they are loved and forgiven.

Don’t just tell them but feed them.

Nurture them.

Even the people who don’t like you.

Especially them.

This is the Christianity that G.K. Chesterton said has been found difficult and left untried.

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Listen to my song “All Are One” on the Mercy Reigns album by clicking HERE.

Stream and/or purchase my songs on Amazon Music by clicking HERE.

Purchase my new book “Listen to Your Heart: A Daily Devotional of Calling, Purpose and New Life” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Purchase my book “Mercy Reigns: A Daily Devotional of Compassion, Comfort and Healing” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Remember: God loves you!

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Love Unites

Posted on January 8, 2021 by billtonnis
Image by Trajan61 from Pixabay

“I think that’s what it means to be saved: to be healed and to be whole and to be sent on our way to be whole-makers ourselves.” Ilia Delio

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Listen to my song “Make Me a Channel” on YouTube by clicking HERE.

Support my ministry by scrolling down past the reflection to purchase my songs and books. Thank you!

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Luke 5:13-14

Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I do will it. Be made clean.” And the leprosy left him immediately. Then he ordered him not to tell anyone, but “Go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.”

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The man inflicted with leprosy asked Jesus to be made clean (Luke 5:12).

While the end result is also healing, his request to be made clean was because his illness was seen as something that made him “unclean” in the eyes of his culture.

Such people were cast-out of their villages.

By healing this man, making him clean, Jesus restored him to his village, family, and religion.

As theologian and scientist Ilia Delio puts it, Jesus was a “whole-maker.”

He wanted us to see that we are all one in God.

The reality was that the man with leprosy was always one with his village, family and religion but it was human delusion that made him not so.

There are many today who are “whole-breakers.”

They go about dividing through their words and actions.

They need to be called out for this behavior in Jesus-like, non-violent fashion.

To follow Jesus requires love of God and neighbor.

It requires being a whole-maker.

Each of us needs to ask ourselves: How am I doing with this?

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Listen to my song “Make Me a Channel” on the Listen to Your Heart album by clicking HERE.

Stream and/or purchase my songs on Amazon Music by clicking HERE.

Purchase my new book “Listen to Your Heart: A Daily Devotional of Calling, Purpose and New Life” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Purchase my book “Mercy Reigns: A Daily Devotional of Compassion, Comfort and Healing” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Remember: God loves you!

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Universal Calling

Posted on January 7, 2021 by billtonnis
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

“If you light a lamp for someone else it will also brighten your path.” – Buddha

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Listen to my song “You’ll Lead Me” on YouTube by clicking HERE.

Support my ministry by scrolling down past the reflection and purchasing my songs and books. Thank you!

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Luke 4:17-19

Jesus unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.”

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After reading this passage from Isaiah in the synagogue of his hometown of Nazareth, Jesus told the people that this scripture passage “is fulfilled in your hearing.”

In other words, Jesus said that he was the one that the prophet was speaking about.

This passage is sometimes referred to as Jesus’ mission statement.

If you identify as Christian, then as a follower of Jesus, his mission would also be your mission.

Some might have a more intensive involvement in his mission than others, but all Christians would take part to some extent.

We are all called to “bring glad tidings to the poor” and “to proclaim liberty to captives and recovering of sight to the blind” and “to let the oppressed go free.”

And in following Jesus’ example, this is all accomplished with non-violence.

This is absolutely essential.

We might take a few moments to assess how we are doing in these areas.

If you were to die today, would people be able to remember you as someone who stood up for the poor and helped those who were in need of being freed from oppression…all through non-violence?

In union with you, I am asking for the Spirit to come upon us and open our eyes to how we can better carry out Christ’s mission.

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Listen to my song “You’ll Lead Me” on the Listen to Your Heart album by clicking HERE.

Stream and/or purchase my songs on Amazon Music by clicking HERE.

Purchase my new book “Listen to Your Heart: A Daily Devotional of Calling, Purpose and New Life” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Purchase my book “Mercy Reigns: A Daily Devotional of Compassion, Comfort and Healing” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Remember: God loves you!

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Finding Balance

Posted on January 6, 2021 by billtonnis
Image by Susan Cipriano from Pixabay

“Your Heart is the size of an ocean. Go find yourself in its hidden depths.” – Rumi

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Listen to my song “Breathe On Me” on YouTube by clicking HERE.

Support my ministry by scrolling down past the scripture reflection and purchasing my songs and books. Thank you!

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Mark 6:45-46

Then he made his disciples get into the boat and precede him to the other side toward Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. And when he had taken leave of them, he went off to the mountain to pray.

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Following what must have been an exhausting experience for Jesus and his disciples when five-thousand people were fed, Jesus finds solitude.

He heads off for silent prayer.

He didn’t simply power-on in doer mode.

After much doing, he retreated to rest.

Jesus shows us the importance of a balance between action and contemplation.

Too much of either can throw us out of balance.

Only you and God know the right balance for you.

If you often feel stressed-out due to constant busyness, know that you are in need of down time.

Set aside a regular time of silent, meditative prayer. (Centering Prayer is a wonderful Christian form of meditation.)

Try getting up 20-minutes earlier and starting your day by sitting quietly in a place set aside for these special times alone with God.

Perhaps light a candle and set up a small altar with special icons that are meaningful to you.

It will likely not be easy to get your mind to settle and end its non-stop chatter, but the point is that you give it a try.

Each thought that you gently let go of underlines your intention to open yourself to a Higher Power.

Let go and allow the Silence to minister to you.

You will come to realize one day that your life is changing in wondrous ways.

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Listen to the song of the day “Breathe On Me” on the Listen to Your Heart album by clicking HERE.

Stream and/or purchase my songs on Amazon Music by clicking HERE.

Purchase my new book “Listen to Your Heart: A Daily Devotional of Calling, Purpose and New Life” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Purchase my book “Mercy Reigns: A Daily Devotional of Compassion, Comfort and Healing” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Remember: God loves you!

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