Glorious

Posted on November 15, 2019 by billtonnis

Life is a Mystery with Love at the core.

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(Listen to my song “How Magnificent, Wondrous and Glorious” by clicking HERE)

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Wisdom 13:2-3

Instead either fire, or wind, or the swift air, or the circuit of the stars, or the mighty water, or the luminaries of heaven, the governors of the world, they considered gods. Now if out of joy in their beauty they thought them gods, let them know how far more excellent is the Lord than these; for the original source of beauty fashioned them.

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God created the world…and is continuing to create.

We know this because of what science has taught us about the universe.

It’s still expanding.

The vast size of it is mind-boggling.

Looking through a microscope at the tiniest of organisms reveals the same vast, mind-boggling size of a micro-world.

We are left speechless in awe and wonder.

And to think we are a part of this masterpiece!

It is all evolving through a never-ending process of birth, death and then birth.

Dying and rising is built in to the DNA of the universe.

We are invited to take part in this process.

Physically…we have no choice.

Our bodies are born, grow…and then one day die.

But spiritually…we have a conscious choice as to whether we will die to our egos’ desires so that our true selves’ desires can be born.

When we do this…each of us will be inspired to take part in the Creative Process in the unique way that only each of us can.

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Listen to the song of the day “How Magnificent, Wondrous and Glorious” on the Mercy Reigns album by clicking HERE.

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

Remember…God loves you!

Posted in faith, inspiration, progressive Christianity, religion, spirituality, Today's Contemplation | Leave a comment

Sacrament of Presence

Posted on November 14, 2019 by billtonnis

The incredible unconditional love of God is available right now.

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

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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.”

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The kingdom of God is already here for those who are awake to it.

If you are present to the Divine Presence…then in that moment…you are free.

You know you are loved by the Love that made you.

Nothing is missing.

Nothing more is needed.

When you live from that place of Divine acceptance and pass it on to others…especially those who are oppressed and rejected…you are experiencing the reign of God.

And everyone else has the opportunity to experience it as well.

When you are totally present to everyone and everything…you know that God includes it all and loves it all.

Love is all that matters.

It is then that you will hear Jesus say to you, “You are not far from the kingdom of God” (Mark 12:34).

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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.

Remember…God loves you!

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Sacred Unity

Posted on November 13, 2019 by billtonnis

May we all work for the wholeness of each person and all creation.

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

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Psalm 82:3-4

“Defend the lowly and fatherless; render justice to the afflicted and needy. Rescue the lowly and poor; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”

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For anyone reading the bible…the call to help those in need cannot be missed.

It is repeated all throughout the scriptures.

We are all in this together.

We are all part of one human family.

We are all called to live in harmony with each other…as well as with creation itself.

When we restore others to wholeness we are taking part in restorative justice…the justice that Jesus espoused in his non-violent activism.

This, too, is our call.

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

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

Remember…God loves you!

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Action Required

Posted on November 12, 2019 by billtonnis

Faith without works is dead. James 2:17

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

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Psalm 34:16

The LORD has eyes for the just, and ears for their cry.

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God clearly cares for those who are unjustly treated.

Jesus said if you knew him…then you would know God (John 14:7).

And when you look at Jesus…you see someone who reached out to all those on the margins.

His mission was to bring glad tidings to the poor, proclaim liberty to captives, recovery of sight to the blind and to free the oppressed.

His actions were demonstrations of his love and compassion.

Jesus didn’t ask for worshipers…but followers.

That means we must do as he did.

How else will those crying out for justice be heard…and be helped?

It happens through you and me.

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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.

Remember…God loves you!

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Ultimate Mystery

Posted on November 11, 2019 by billtonnis

Let us give thanks for the Love that sustains us and everything.

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(Listen to my song “How Wonderful to Me” on YouTube by clicking HERE)

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Psalm 139:7

Where can I go from your spirit? From your presence, where can I flee?

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How do we describe God?

How can we describe the indescribable?

How can we define the undefinable?

How can we put into words that which is beyond words?

As St. Paul said of God, “In him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).

God is everywhere.

We can only use metaphors to attempt to understand God.

God is like this or that.

And we are told in scripture that “God is love” (1 John 4:8).

We are immersed in Love that is eternally loving us and continues to eternally create.

We are part of this wonder.

Live from that place of wonder…and channel it through your being in all that you do.

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

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

Remember…God loves you!

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Sweet Surrender

Posted on November 8, 2019 by billtonnis

When we let go of our egos’ agenda…God’s agenda can begin.

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

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Romans 15:17-18

In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to boast in what pertains to God. For I will not dare to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me…

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St. Paul understood that his ego needed to decrease so that he could make room for Christ to live in him.

That was how he was able to say, “I have been crucified with Christ; yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:19-20).

There was nothing to boast about…except to boast of what God had done.

Do you relate to that?

I do.

Since I switched professions into ministry back in 2007 (which came after much ego-anguish over letting go of my radio career)…I have had too many amazing things happen to me than I can count.

It was as though I was carried on a Wave…was part of a Flow…that took me places I never dreamed of going…whether it be the ICU, Emergency Room, nursing homes, or jails.

I sang before big crowds in churches, handfuls of inmates in jail or for an audience of one in a nursing home bed.

I produced four albums of original songs and am finishing a second devotional book…all thanks to God’s work in me.

It has all come out of nowhere…and the little me can’t claim it.

The blessings have been immense…not worldly blessings…but spiritual.

All I can do is humbly thank God…because none of this would have happened without letting go…and allowing Christ to lead me into the unknown.

This is the path to discovering your true self.

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Listen to the song of the day “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.

Remember…God loves you!

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Free Grace

Posted on November 7, 2019 by billtonnis

God’s love is unconditional…meaning no conditions.

(Listen to my song “Salvation” on YouTube by clicking HERE)

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Luke 15:4-5

“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 find it? And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy.”

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Actually…I’m thinking Jesus is wrong.

Well…at least when we look at his scenario from a human perspective.

What rational person would leave all those other sheep unprotected and run off to pursue a sheep that was stupid enough to wander away?

Whatever happens to that irresponsible sheep…it’s its own fault…right?

Well…that’s how humans think…not God.

God is so gratuitous in love, mercy, grace, forgiveness and compassion…that no one is forgotten.

God doesn’t base loving you on whether you deserve it.

God’s love is free and abundant.

That’s what Grace is.

Bask in that awareness.

Pass that grace along to someone else through your words and actions.

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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.

Remember…God loves you!

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Make Peace

Posted on November 6, 2019 by billtonnis

May we each channel the love that our Creator continually gives us.

(Listen to my song “Love God” on YouTube by clicking HERE)

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Romans 13:10

Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.

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St. Paul was a transformed person.

That’s how he could say today’s scripture verse.

When he was at his worst…he had a transformational mystical encounter with the risen Christ.

He met face to face with Unconditional Love.

Paul would later be instructed on many of the teachings of Jesus…including when Jesus said that the most important Commandments were to love God with your whole heart, soul and mind and to love your neighbor as yourself.

Love is all that matters.

It’s that easy…and that hard.

When you are confronted with difficult situations and difficult people, take a few moments to pause…and ask yourself what the loving response would be.

Even when confronted with evil acts…we must do our best to respond out of love…not retribution.

If more people did this…the world would change for the better.

Violence perpetuates violence.

Non-violence transforms.

Be a transformer.

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

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

Remember…God loves you!

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Delusion of Division

Posted on November 5, 2019 by billtonnis

Let’s open our hearts and attempt to build bridges.

(Listen to my song “Listen to Your Heart” on YouTube by clicking HERE)

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Romans 12:5

We, though many, are one body in Christ and individually parts of one another.

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St. Paul seemed to mystically know things that were beyond his time.

Science is now confirming the connectedness of all things.

As Thomas Merton told a conference of Asian monks in 1968 shortly before his death, “We are already one. But we imagine that we are not.”

Jesus knew of the connectedness between God and everyone: “So that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us. And I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may be brought to perfection as one” (John 17:21-23).

This is how Jesus could demand that we love our enemies (Matthew 5:44).

And it’s how Paul could go on to say, “Bless those who persecute [you], bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:14-15).

The delusion is that it’s all about me.

That’s the result of egos gone wild.

Thomas Merton went on to say, “What we have to recover is our original unity. What we have to be is what we are.”

Use your creativity, talents and interests…to serve.

Be who you are!

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

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

Remember…God loves you!

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Solidarity of One Human Family

Posted on November 4, 2019 by billtonnis

We are called to reach out to all people…especially the marginalized.

(Listen to my song “Mercy Reigns” on YouTube by clicking HERE)

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Luke 14:13-14

“When you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

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This is about as counter-intuitive as you can get.

I dare say…very few of us think this way naturally.

You want me to go out and invite those people to my party? (And actually…I’m thinking the word “banquet” might mean a really fancy, expensive party at that!)

What will I have in common with them?

Will they be…well…you know…unsightly?

What will my neighbors think?

Jesus calls us to do what is not culturally acceptable.

He calls us to reach out to those at the bottom of society and invite them into our homes…not just write an occasional check to help them.

The people Jesus mentioned in today’s scripture verse were the outcasts of that time.

Who are today’s outcasts?

There are many…such as the poor, the immigrant, the refugee, the LGBTQ person.

Jesus calls us into relationship with all those who’ve been rejected.

And what happens when we do this?

If we truly do enter into relationship…our hearts will soften.

We will see that we share the bond of humanity.

And we will relate to the saying, “But for the grace of God go I.”

If we look closely…peering deeply into the eyes of one of these ‘least of these’…we just may detect it is Christ who is looking back at us.

It’s happened to me many times.

And I can tell you what will happen next: your heart and soul will be filled with joy.

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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.

Remember…God loves you!

Posted in faith, God, inspiration, progressive Christianity, religion, spirituality, Today's Contemplation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment