The Way of Jesus

Posted on November 1, 2019 by billtonnis

Justice + Compassion + Non-violence = Kingdom of God

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

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Matthew 5:9

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”

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You seldom hear people harp on the Beatitudes.

It’s much easier to avoid them and go with the egocentric desire of wiping out those who attack you.

Jesus was a promoter of non-violence.

That doesn’t mean to run away from trouble.

It means to confront injustice with truth…but in a non-violent way.

This means trying to work for a peaceful resolution of disagreements.

This requires making an attempt to enter into a relationship with those who are against you.

Of course…you have to protect yourself from harm…but that doesn’t let you off the hook from Jesus’ command to love your enemies (Matthew 5:44).

To love…means more than just saying the word.

It takes action.

Jesus said that people who do this “will be called children of God.”

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Listen to the song of the day “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.

Remember…God loves you!

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Gospel

Posted on October 31, 2019 by billtonnis

The Love that is energizing the universe…regards you as the beloved.

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

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Romans 8:31

If God is for us, who can be against us?

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God has been creating for a long, long, long time.

Science tells us that the universe is at least 13 to 14 billion years old.

I said billion!

Everything has been evolving since the big bang…which seems to be the ingenious way that God is creating.

And as scripture tells us in the story of creation, God found it all to be “very good” (Genesis 1:31).

We are off-spring of God…as is everything else in the cosmos.

And since God is Love (1 John 4:8), we are existing in this Love.

St. Paul put it this way when speaking of our relationship with God: “In him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).

Since Jesus said that if we knew him…then we know God (John 14:7), and since Jesus told us to forgive an infinite number of times (Matthew 18:22), and he told us to love our enemies (Matthew 5:44)…then I think you can understand why St. Paul could state the scripture line above.

Do not fear!

God loves you infinitely!

Live in the knowledge of that love…and spread the message with your life.

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Listen to the song of the day “God Is” on the Give Praise and Thanks album by clicking HERE.

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

Remember…God loves you!

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Serve

Posted on October 30, 2019 by billtonnis

Enter into the great on-going Dance of Creation.

(Listen to my song “Shall We Sing” on YouTube by clicking HERE)

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Romans 8:28

We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.

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St. Paul wrote this scripture out of his experience.

He knew he was the least worthy of anyone to see any good come from his life.

When he was known as Saul…he was a persecutor of Christians.

But a Higher Power, a Love Beyond Measure, transformed him anyway.

“Worthiness” didn’t matter.

Paul’s life was changed over time as he allowed his transformation to unfold.

His love of God then led him to places he never would have dreamed of going…and to doing things in the name of Goodness that he never would have imagined.

Each of us has a part to play in this grand epic of life.

Thanks to science, we can now witness how Creation is ongoing throughout the grand expanse of the universe.

Each of us is part of this great dance with the Creator of all.

Our purpose is to allow this Great Love to create through us…and thereby serve others and the world in this way.

What an amazing gift to be alive!

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Listen to the song of the day “Shall We Sing” 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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Transformation

Posted on October 29, 2019 by billtonnis

Cultivate an interior awareness of God’s love for you.

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

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Luke 13:18-19

Then he said, “What is the kingdom of God like? To what can I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that a person took and planted in the garden. When it was fully grown, it became a large bush and ‘the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.’”

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Mustard was apparently something that spread pretty much on its own like a weed.

Its seeds got into the ground and then sprouted under the surface…out of sight…much like Jesus’ message about the kingdom of God that he spread as he traveled about.

You might not notice any major changes happening…but his message was taking root and having an effect in people’s hearts.

With the mustard seeds, in time there would be a large bush giving birds a place for shelter.

Similarly, the sprouting of the kingdom of God would give free comfort to all…especially those in need.

Jesus’ message needs to get planted into our interior…under the surface of our consciousness.

We need to nourish it with contemplative practices like meditation, Centering Prayer or Lectio Divina…as well as reflection.

Spend some time reading the words of Jesus.

Mull them over.

Ruminate upon them.

Let his sacred words take root…and have effect.

Watch your life blossom.

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

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

Remember…God loves you!

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Grace

Posted on October 25, 2019 by billtonnis

Forgiveness transforms faults and failures.

(Listen to my song “The Way You Are” on YouTube by clicking HERE)

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Romans 7:19

For I do not do the good I want, but I do the evil I do not want.

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Well…how’s that for stating the human condition.

St. Paul was not perfect…and he admitted it.

How refreshing!

We can all share in making that same confession.

I truly believe that our purpose here has nothing to do with being perfect or proving ourselves worthy.

God already loves each of us as we are.

Period.

That is so hard for us to fathom as everything in our culture seems to be set up the opposite: You must prove yourself worthy to be accepted, liked and loved.

But that is not so with God.

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).

Jesus said to love your enemies (Matthew 5:44), so we are assured that God does the same!

What God wants of us is to learn compassion…and to do that, we have to know what it feels like to fail and to be forgiven.

That’s pretty much the only way!

That, my friend, is Grace!

You don’t know grace simply by following the law.

It seems counterintuitive…but we must fail to experience the joy and freedom of forgiveness and Unconditional Love.

So…have compassion on yourself…and extend it to those around you.

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Listen to the song of the day “The Way You Are” 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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Listen to Your Heart

Posted on October 24, 2019 by billtonnis

When you follow the path of love, life may be difficult…but always energized and abundant.

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

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Luke 12:49

“I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!”

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The key teachings of Jesus were to love God with all your heart, soul and mind and to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:36-39).

He also said you must love your enemies (Matthew 5:44).

Jesus knew that such teachings would not be popular because many people don’t want to love their neighbor much less their enemies.

This kind of talk would divide people…as Jesus went on to say after today’s scripture verse how families would be divided against each other.

This doesn’t sound very peaceful!

Well…that’s because people refuse to follow the teachings.

If they did follow these teachings…there would be great unity and harmony.

Jesus wants us to be on fire for such teaching…ready and willing to love all people as well as all creation.

But to do that…you must practice another of his teachings: “Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it (Matthew 16:25).”

In other words, you must let go of your ego-driven life to follow the ways of Jesus…then you will find your true life.  

When your ego is no longer in charge…you are free to be your true self in the service of others.

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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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Love Is the Way

Posted on October 23, 2019 by billtonnis

We are all in the midst of a Benevolent Creative Flow.

(Listen to my song “Love Will Always Lead You Home” on YouTube by clicking HERE)

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Psalm 124:7-8

We escaped with our lives like a bird from the fowler’s snare; the snare was broken, and we escaped. Our help is in the name of the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth.

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Did you ever feel like you narrowly escaped disaster?

I have…whether it was my ruptured appendix adventure, or when my car suddenly spun off an icy road and overturned but I was not hurt, or when I slowed down before entering an intersection after “something” told me to hesitate…just before a car came barreling through the red light right where I would have been had I not stopped.

I think if we paid closer attention…were more awake to the Divine Presence…we would be seeing more evidence.

We are living in a connected-web-of-relationships…all sharing energy from the One Source of life.

This Source never tires…and is always giving Love.

This Love carries us through tribulations, sorrows, good times and celebrations.

If we are present to Life…amazing things happen even if the situations are not ones we would choose.

As Paula D’Arcy said, “God comes to you disguised as your life.”

Trust that you will be led to exactly where you are supposed to be.

Allow Life to lead you over hills and through valleys…as you channel compassion and goodness to the world.

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Listen to the song of the day “Love Will Always Lead You Home” 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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Enjoy

Posted on October 22, 2019 by billtonnis

When you awaken to the now…you find peace.

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

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Psalm 40:9

“I delight to do your will, my God; your law is in my inner being!”

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When we are in sync with our inner voice…we are truly “in the Flow.”

It seems to me that when I am truly present to whatever is before me at the moment, I am contented.

The moment may not even be pleasant…but as long as I am present to that moment…there is contentment.

But being truly present is not so easy!

Our minds are on a never-ending-commentary-spree…so that we are usually completely distracted from what’s at hand.

Try being present to someone without having any thought of what you are going to say and without any judgments.

See what happens.

Be in the moment…with an attitude of gratitude and compassion.

Then…you will experience delight in your heart…because this is exactly what God wants of you: Compassionate presence to what is.

You will find yourself being a channel of love and goodwill.

You will be being your true self.

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Listen to the song of the day “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.

Remember…God loves you!

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Purpose in Life

Posted on October 21, 2019 by billtonnis

As a spiritual being having an earthly experience…what’s your mission?

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

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Luke 12:15

“Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.”

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It’s hard to take this teaching of Jesus to heart in a culture that basically says, “Greed is good.”

Our culture says life is all about getting more and more.

The objective of advertising is to make you believe you need to buy something else to be happy.

I dare to say that many people do define their lives as successful by their number of possessions.

Jesus says…not so.

Greed can also manifest as the ego’s desire for not only possessions but more power or prestige.

Death is the great equalizer. As the saying goes, “You can’t take it with you.”

When you depart this earthly life…possessions, power and prestige are all left behind.

But our culture also pretends that death doesn’t exist…as if ignoring it will make it go away!

Why are you here on this earthly plain?

I guarantee you…it is not to gain possessions, power and prestige.

Love has placed you here to learn to love more deeply…to learn to forgive…to learn to care for the other…especially the other who has been marginalized or thrown out.

Immerse yourself in these matters and pour yourself out in the service of love.

Then…when you exit this life…you will be ready to let go as you will have had plenty of practice.

And you will be rich indeed.

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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.

Remember…God loves you!

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Homeward Bound

Posted on October 18, 2019 by billtonnis

When you let love lead you…even in adversity you are free.

(Listen to my song “Take the Road Less Traveled” on YouTube by clicking HERE)

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2 Timothy 4:16-17

At my first defense no one appeared on my behalf, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them! But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the proclamation might be completed and all the Gentiles might hear it.

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Sometimes…life is hard.

There are times when you are called to do the right thing…to follow your conscience…even when you know it won’t be popular.

The world may turn its back on you…or even attack you.

Your family and friends may not support you.

But…each of us is called to follow our conscience…our inner voice…after careful discernment and consideration.

Jesus said that his followers could expect persecution.

When you are promoting what Jesus stood for…love of neighbor, love of enemy, forgiveness, solidarity with the poor and those unjustly treated…you will face adversity.

St. Paul said that “everyone” deserted him.

But did you catch what he said next? “May it not be held against them!”

Be a channel of Christ’s message and mission.

Nothing else is more important in this one, precious life.

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Listen to the song of the day “Take the Road Less Traveled” 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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