Go Forth

Posted on October 3, 2019 by billtonnis

Each of us is being called to be compassion to all.

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

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Luke 10:1-2

After this the Lord appointed seventy[-two] others whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.”

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Jesus obviously wanted his followers to not just passively listen to him but to go out and actively take his message to others.

He sent many…and in pairs.

So it would seem Jesus knew the importance of having a helping hand and to not be a lone ranger.

Jesus also knew that many people were primed to hear his saving message that…despite what they might feel like and despite the oppression they might be under…that God loved them unconditionally and that they didn’t have to do anything to earn God’s love.

God sent his followers to uplift the downtrodden and to heal the broken…not to condemn them or lay heavy burdens upon them.

Christ is still calling laborers…including you.

First…hear that you are God’s beloved child and are accepted just as you are.

Now…go and let others know as well.

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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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Eternal Now

Posted on October 2, 2019 by billtonnis
When we open our hearts to this moment…we come to life.

(Listen to my song “I Stand in the Light” on YouTube by clicking HERE)

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Matthew 18:3

“Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

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Do you remember what it was like to be a child?

I can’t say that I do.

Of course I do remember various happenings…but I really don’t think I remember what it was like to simply go outside and play without a care in the world.

I’ve been able to recreate similar experiences as an adult when on retreat…walking in wooded areas and simply enjoying all the surroundings with a quiet mind.

Children can at times be totally present to what’s happening with a sense of awe and wonder.

I think that is what Jesus was getting at in today’s scripture verse.

This reminds me of a poem by the 14th century poet Hafiz: “Every child has known God, Not the God of names, Not the God of don’ts, Not the God who ever does anything weird, But the God who knows only four words and keeps repeating them, saying: “Come Dance with Me.”

The kingdom of heaven is available now…when you are actually present to the now…even in times of trouble when you are able to totally accept what is and allow your awareness to simply be without judgement or commentary.

There is a simple joy in each moment when you are present to it in the complete openness of your heart.

It’s such times that each of us can also be a sacrament of presence to someone else who is in need.

Practice being like a child again.

Open yourself to each moment with a child-like wonder.

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Listen to the song of the day “I Stand in the Light” 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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Love Wins

Posted on October 1, 2019 by billtonnis

The Christian response to injustice is non-violent, compassionate confrontation.

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

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Luke 9:51-52

When the days for his being taken up were fulfilled, he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem, and he sent messengers ahead of him.

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Jesus saw where his mission was leading.

He was no coward.

He could have avoided Jerusalem.

But he knew he needed to confront the powers that be, government and religious, over their injustices.

He could’ve come covertly…but he sent messengers ahead so his arrival would be obvious.

Jesus was not a military warrior coming to violently overthrow those powers.

He was preacher of peace coming to non-violently confront those powers.

He had to know how this would end.

So why did he do it?

Many have their opinions.

Mine is that he wanted to show us quite clearly that injustice…especially the oppression of the poor and marginalized…is wrong.

But he wanted to show this non-violently.

He wanted to continue to practice what he preached…to love your enemies.

That is the path of transformation and new life.

It is the path that ends the cycle of violence.

It led him to the cross and to make the ultimate demonstration of God’s unconditional love: “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).

This is the ultimate expression of Christianity…to respond to hate with love.

That’s the kind of love that never dies…and can never be defeated.

The peaceful movement Jesus started…is on-going.

Each of us is called to take part.

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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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Divine Success

Posted on September 30, 2019 by billtonnis

Serving others is the fruition of self-emptying.

(Listen to my song “God’s Love Is All You Need” on YouTube by clicking HERE)

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Luke 9:48

Jesus said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. For the one who is least among all of you is the one who is the greatest.”

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Jesus turns the world’s idea of success upside down.

The world says the one who is the most accomplished and has achieved the most is the greatest.

Jesus says…no…the greatest in God’s eyes is equivalent to a child.

A child has accomplished or achieved nothing.

The child already is the greatest in that without doing or achieving anything…the child is an offspring of God.

God’s love is unconditional from the start.

The child is already perfectly loved…already the true self before ever buying into the idea of “success” as amassing power, prestige and possessions.

Unlike us adults who have wrapped ourselves in masks of every kind and created a false self of massive proportions, the child has not succumbed to the human delusion.

The ego has not had its chance yet to edge-God-out.

So strip away all those masks.

Strip away your medals, trophies, titles and bank accounts.

What’s left is the perfect child of God you always were…your true self…the one God always loved and always will.

Receive all people as the children of God that they are.

For when you receive them and serve them…you are serving Christ.

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Listen to the song of the day “God’s Love Is All You Need” 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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Christianity 101

Posted on September 27, 2019 by billtonnis

Are you a fan…or a follower?

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

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Luke 9:20

Then Jesus said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

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How you answer this question…will shape how you live your life.

If Jesus means nothing to you…then your philosophy on life will likely be vastly different than if he was your guiding star.

Jesus called us to serve the poor and not ask whether they deserve help.

We have no record of him ever asking that question before extending a healing hand.

Jesus called us to be peacemakers, to love our enemies, and to forgive always.

That would seem to make it very difficult to be supportive of war or the death penalty.

And when you stand up against these things…guess what?

You will be persecuted by many…which is also what Jesus said would happen to you:

“Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you [falsely] because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:10-12).

With that in mind…fear not!

You are in great company!

So…who do you say that Jesus is?

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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!

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The Magic of Music

Posted on September 26, 2019 by billtonnis

When we share our gifts and talents…the universe rejoices.

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

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Psalm 149:3

Let them praise his name in dance, make music with tambourine and lyre.

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There is something about dance and music that touches the Transcendent.

We are moved into a realm that is Mystery…that we can’t explain.

We are raised to a place of praise for all that is in the moment when we are dancing, or sing, or playing music.

As a musician and singer, I can tell you that it’s impossible to explain the deep resounding of Grace upon Grace I experience when singing…especially when others are listening.

There is a beautiful connection that occurs…as if I am the channel through which God…or Love…pours through.

Dance and music seem to be keys in bringing all people together.

Take part in the song and dance!

And as Wayne Dyer once said, “Don’t die with your music still inside you.”

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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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Radical Trust

Posted on September 25, 2019 by billtonnis

Blessed, broken and sent.

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

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Luke 9:3

Jesus said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, and let no one take a second tunic.”

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Jesus sent out his followers to proclaim the good news and cure diseases everywhere (Luke 9:6).

The “good news” is that God loves you unconditionally…just as you are.

Jesus sent out his disciples to proclaim that message…with nothing.

As you see in today’s scripture verse…his followers were instructed to take no food, money or walking stick. Apparently they could be clad in one tunic…but no other.

They were to have a radical reliance on God.

Because…what else really matters in life?

For me…I know the times when I was most seemingly forsaken…when I had no one else to turn to…something…or should I say, Something carried me.

When I surrendered myself to God’s providence…some truly amazing things occurred.

I knew I couldn’t take credit for it.

I knew there was a Transcendent Love invested in me…that would not…could not give up on me.

I am forever changed.

I am able to proclaim the good news because I experienced it.

It requires no material wealth.

You are also loved eternally.

So go out…proclaim the good news…and rely only on the Love that created you.

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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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Compassion Required

Posted on September 24, 2019 by billtonnis

Faith without action is dead (James 2:17).

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

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Luke 8:20-21

Jesus was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside and they wish to see you.” He said to them in reply, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.”

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Jesus wasn’t being rude to his family.

That was not his character.

This was another one of his teaching moments.

He was trying to make a point that simply hearing the word of God was not enough.

That’s just halfway.

After hearing the word…we must then take action.

Without action…what good is it?

You can hear the word of God day after day and you can believe in this or that…but what difference does that make?

What about carrying out the mission of Jesus?

What is that mission you ask?

Jesus made it quite clear in the synagogue in Nazareth when he read to all from a scroll of the prophet Isaiah: “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” (Luke 4:18-19).

Jesus then sat down and from that teaching position…he told the people that the scripture passage was “fulfilled in your hearing.”

In other words…Isaiah was speaking about him and his mission.

As followers of Jesus…we also must respond to that mission.

We must work to unbind those who are unjustly bound and heal those who are afflicted.

We must “bring glad tidings to the poor.”

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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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Let Your Life Shine

Posted on September 23, 2019 by billtonnis

Be a beacon of the love of God.

(Listen to my song “May I Be Light” on YouTube by clicking HERE)

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Luke 8:16

Jesus said, “No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel or sets it under a bed; rather, he places it on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light.”

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Jesus was and is seen by his followers as the light of the world.

Scripture quotes him as saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).

Those who profess being a Christian are then expected to shine the light of Christ to the world.

Jesus called his followers to action.

The Light is God’s unconditional Love.

It seems that the world has many fans of Jesus…but not so much followers.

There are many who profess Jesus as “Savior” – but that’s as far as it goes.

They fail to see that Jesus didn’t ask for fans…he asked for followers.

That demands action…on behalf of those who don’t have power…on behalf of those who are poor, left out or in need of healing.

Let your light shine on them!

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Listen to the song of the day “May I Be Light” 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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Women in Ministry

Posted on September 20, 2019 by billtonnis

The Spirit calls everyone to serve.

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

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Luke 8:1-3

Jesus journeyed from one town and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God. Accompanying him were the Twelve and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their resources.

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It seems amazing to me that for years whenever I read scripture like this today…I missed the part about the women who accompanied Jesus.

Of course…I was always reading from my male-centered viewpoint.

I was raised in a patriarchy dominated culture and the scripture I read was written by men from a male-dominated position.

It’s fairly amazing that the gospel writers actually included the women…but if they hadn’t, they wouldn’t have been true to reflecting what actually happened.

When women were mentioned by name…we know they must have been prominent in the story!

I can’t help but believe that describing them as having been “cured of evil spirits and infirmities” was just another way of making them inferior.

The bottom line is that women traveling with Jesus in his band of disciples would have been scandalous in that society.

But it happened.

How brave these women must have been to follow their call!

And yet…we have paid them little if any tribute.

Despite Jesus being inclusive of women in his followers…the Christian tradition pretty much relegated women to second class (or third class) status for hundreds and hundreds of years.

Due to being raised in the Catholic tradition…I have not been exposed to women in leadership positions in the Church.

That’s why I sometimes go to other churches where women preach…and I can tell you that the experience has greatly enriched my life.

Women have always been called to be in Christian ministry…and they continue to be called.

Let us open our hearts to this…and also to others who are not being included…and allow the Holy Spirit to lead us in transformational dialogue.

If you feel you are not being included…know that I support you in following your calling.

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Listen to the song of the day “All Are Welcome” 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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