True Peace

Posted on June 21, 2019 by billtonnis

When your focus is on loving…you are rich indeed.

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

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Matthew 6:21

“For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.”

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Where is your treasure?

What in your life is the most precious to you?

Jesus says that is where your heart will also be.

If your treasure is something material, it will leave your heart empty…because all material things will wither and decay.

Jesus said that the most important commandments are to love God and your neighbor as yourself.

Love is the most important thing.

And love, my friend, never ends.

If I loved all of God’s creation and all people as if they were me…then I think it all would be precious to me.

It would all be my treasure.

My heart would be filled and brimming with gladness.

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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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Peacemaker

Posted on June 20, 2019 by billtonnis

We are called to use our creativity to unite…not divide.

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

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Matthew 6:10

“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.”

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Scripture tells us that Jesus taught his followers to pray this.

What is this “kingdom” of God that we should be praying to come?

It’s the place where God’s way reigns.

And what is God’s way?

It’s the way of love…as in unconditional love.

How can this way of living in unconditional love come to earth…if not through us?

Each of us is responsible for doing our part in passing along love to others…as well as to all of creation.

Each of us does this uniquely with our individual gifts and talents.

Use your creativity.

That’s what God is always doing: creating in love.

Will you take part?

The time to act…is always now.

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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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Universal Law

Posted on June 19, 2019 by billtonnis

Giving is the key to receiving.

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

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2 Corinthians 9:6

Consider this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

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St. Paul reminds us that you reap what you sow.

Give and you will receive.

As Jesus put it, “Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.” (Luke 6:38)

St. Paul had more to say about this topic: “Keep in mind the words of the Lord Jesus who himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20:35)

Paul pointed out that Jesus gave us the ultimate example of giving: “Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus, Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself.” (Philippians 2:5-7) 

Jesus showed us that this is the blueprint for our lives.

Pour yourself out in love for others…and that love will be poured back to you.

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Listen to the song of the day “Pour Me Out” 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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Universal Calling

Posted on June 18, 2019 by billtonnis

God’s love has no boundaries…so ours shouldn’t either.

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

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Matthew 5:44-46

“But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same?”

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Here is one of the direct commands from Jesus that Christians roundly ignore.

This is a hard teaching!

But it was not a suggestion.

Jesus made it quite clear that this was the level of love expected of us.

It calls each of us to wrestle with all our viewpoints and what we support and fail to support.

All people are one in the eyes of God.

There are no divisions.

Jesus is calling us to get beyond the delusion of separation.

Love is more than words.

Love requires relationship.

Jesus showed us this by confronting the oppressive power of the Roman Empire as well as the religious leaders of his day.

But the key is…Jesus confronted in love.

It was a non-violent confrontation.

That’s what got him crucified.

But his act of love created massive ripples that continue to this day.

We are called to do the same.

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

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

Remember…God loves you!

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Radical Generosity

Posted on June 17, 2019 by billtonnis

Grace is free and flowing. It’s our choice whether to participate.

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

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Matthew 5:42

“Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.”

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How hard it is to come face to face with someone asking for money!

I always feel an inner conflict…a part of me that wants to help and a part of me that wants to run the other way.

My ego says, “What if they take my money and buy drugs or alcohol?”

Jesus seems so unreasonable in telling his followers to simply give to the one who asks of you!

That’s because Grace does not depend on rationale.

It doesn’t depend on worthiness.

God gives to us whether we deserve it or not because that’s what Unconditional Love does.

It gives unreservedly because there is a never-ending reservoir of Love available.

The problem is…we don’t really believe it!

I know that sometimes I worry that I won’t have enough.

My ego asks, “What if something happens and I need all the money I have?”

Then the words of Jesus come to me: “Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?” (Matthew 8:26)

He spoke those words to his disciples who were terrified when a violent storm ravaged their boat.

It’s easy to trust in God’s providence when everything is going well…but not so easy when things aren’t!

Jesus calls us to a radical love…a radical mercy…a gratuitous generosity.

For what we give…we will receive back in great abundance.

As Jesus put it: “Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.” Luke 6:38

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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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Resurrection

Posted on June 14, 2019 by billtonnis

If you are struggling…know that each moment is birthing of new life.

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

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2 Corinthians 4:8-10

We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body.

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St. Paul got the underlying message of Jesus and the Paschal Mystery.

The blueprint Jesus left us is that death leads to life.

It wasn’t just his physical death and the resurrection.

He showed us that this dying-and-rising pattern happens all through our lives.

We are constantly met with afflictions and persecutions.

They are like little deaths if you will.

But when we go through each struggle trusting that Love is leading us…we find we are being transformed with new life.

It’s like the caterpillar struggling in the cocoon to free itself…and finding at the end of the struggle it has wings and can fly.

Trust that whatever struggle you are going through now…it’s going to be integral to you discovering in an ever deepening way…your true self.

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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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Free

Posted on June 13, 2019 by billtonnis

Allow Grace to change you.

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

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2 Corinthians 3:17-18

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. All of us, gazing with unveiled face on the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as from the Lord who is the Spirit.

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The Spirit of God is alive.

It is in the fabric of the flow of life.

When we are able to let go and let this Flow take us…we will no doubt have experiences that we could never have imagined.

It happened and continues to happen in my life.

When I allow the Flow to direct me…my life changes for the better.

When we are in this space of the Spirit…we are truly free.

We are being the unique masterpiece that God always intended.

This is what it’s like to be saved by Grace.

Stop…and listen to the gentle voice of the Spirit directing your heart to freedom.

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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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Reborn

Posted on June 12, 2019 by billtonnis

Mercy and forgiveness transforms hearts.

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

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2 Corinthians 3:4-6

Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. Not that of ourselves we are qualified to take credit for anything as coming from us; rather, our qualification comes from God, who has indeed qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of letter but of spirit; for the letter brings death, but the Spirit gives life.

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St. Paul never met Jesus of Nazareth in the flesh.

He met the risen Christ in some mystical encounter on the road to Damascus that changed his life.

The encounter happened when Paul, known at the time as Saul, was a brutal persecutor of Christians.

He knew that all the credit for his life-changing-experience went to God…not to him.

Saul was reborn as Paul.

It was Unconditional Love that he received…pure Grace.

As the saying goes: “God doesn’t call the qualified. He qualifies the called.”

Trying to follow the letter (or the law) without the guidance of the Spirit will make you a harsh enforcer of rules like Saul was.

Paul knew through the example of Christ that God always transforms death to life.

Allow this Spirit of redemption and new birth to be your inspiration.

You are called to be a missionary of mercy.

Allow God to qualify you each moment…starting now.

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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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Shine

Posted on June 11, 2019 by billtonnis

When we are compassionate and just…we reflect the glory of God.

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

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Matthew 5:14-16

Jesus said to his disciples, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.”

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When Jesus was teaching his followers…he just about never talked about beliefs.

Did you ever notice that?

Jesus usually talked about taking action.

He told his disciples that they must love, forgive and heal others.

By doing so…they would be “the light of the world.”

You can be the best believer in a set of beliefs…and at the same time be the most hateful, unforgiving and selfish person around.

There is nothing wrong with beliefs…as long as they lead you to being compassionate.

Following Jesus is primarily a way of life…not a set of beliefs.

May your way of life shine the Light of Love.

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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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Solidarity

Posted on June 10, 2019 by billtonnis

Love erases lines that separate and divide.

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

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John 19:25

Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala.

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Women were very close to Jesus.

They were with him at the crucifixion when most of the men had run away.

They were living in his traveling community.

It would have been quite scandalous for women at that time to be part of this itinerant preacher’s posse.

Women were far, far from equal to men.

Their place was in the home bearing children.

The Gospel of Mark also specifically cites the presence of women at the crucifixion and as followers of Jesus: “There were also women looking on from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of the younger James and of Joses, and Salome. These women had followed him when he was in Galilee and ministered to him. There were also many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem (Mark 15:40-41).”

Jesus was very inclusive when it came to women and all those who were seen as outcasts at the time.

St. Paul seemed to have understood what Jesus was doing when he said, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).

When it comes to inclusion in today’s Church…what would Jesus be telling us about women…as well as LGBTQ people?

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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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