Live Your Life

Posted on May 22, 2019 by billtonnis

Letting go is the path to abundance.

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

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John 15:8

“By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”

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Before saying today’s scripture verse, Jesus said that he is the vine, God is the vine grower, and we are the branches.

Sometimes using metaphor is the only way to communicate such spiritual truths.

It is impossible for us to truly sever ourselves from the vine…but we can be completely unconscious of our connection.

When we let go of our ego’s need to control and open ourselves to our eternal connection with the Source of Life (God or Love itself)…we can then live as our true selves.

The lives we were created to live can then flourish.

We will then “bear much fruit” indeed and will be able to walk the path that Jesus modeled.

This will truly give glory to God!

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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 iTunes by clicking HERE.

Remember…God loves you!

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Compassion Calls

Posted on May 21, 2019 by billtonnis

Beneath the turbulent waves is an infinite ocean of tranquility.

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

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John 14:27

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.”

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Jesus was a channeler of peace.

He did not respond to hate with hate or to violence with violence.

Jesus responded with truth but also compassion and forgiveness.

He didn’t just talk about peace.

He didn’t offer peace with strings attached as people in this world might.

Jesus was a living sign of peace that dispelled all fear.

He knew that a deep peace was available at all times even in the middle of stressful situations.

As he told the Pharisees, “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 (Luke 17:20-21).”

Or as it is sometimes translated, “The kingdom of God is within you.”

St. Paul experienced this all-pervading-peace.

He said we should have no anxiety at all. “Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).

This inner peace is available now.

If you are a Christian…then you are meant to root yourself in this interior peace and then be it.

Be a peace-maker…no matter the cost.

Let us begin 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 iTunes by clicking HERE.

Remember…God loves you!

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Good News

Posted on May 20, 2019 by billtonnis

Unconditional Love is the wellspring of creation.

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

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Acts 14:16-17

“In past generations he allowed all Gentiles to go their own ways; yet, in bestowing his goodness, he did not leave himself without witness, for he gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, and filled you with nourishment and gladness for your hearts.”

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A man said to be crippled from birth had just been healed after Paul saw that “he had faith to be healed.”

Paul had called to the man to stand up…and he did.

This man did not believe in the God that Paul believed in.

He did not believe in Jesus.

His beliefs were in Greek Gods.

But Paul saw that the man still had “faith to be healed.”

God is beyond beliefs.

As Paul stated in today’s scripture verse above, God had not abandoned the people he was preaching to because they did not have right beliefs.

God still loved them and bestowed goodness on them.

This is what Unconditional Love does!

God is not somewhere out there…but is intimately present with us and everything.

Always has been…always will be.

That is the nature of Love.

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

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

Remember…God loves you!

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Be

Posted on May 17, 2019 by billtonnis

Fear is created when our minds start making up a story about the future.

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

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John 14:1

Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.”

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Fear.

It can be paralyzing.

Yet Jesus tells us not to worry: “Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they?” (Matthew 6:26) 

Usually fear is caused by a narrative in our minds.

The story is always that something unpleasant will happen.

If you can catch the narrative as it begins…you will suddenly be aware of what is happening.

Your mind is making up a story!

Who is observing your mind’s activity?

Your true self…that’s who!

When your mind begins to go down that rabbit hole…simply notice it…and let it go.

You can simply say to yourself, “This is a fictional narrative that I don’t need.”

End of story.

Now…ask yourself: What in this moment right now is wrong?

Nothing.

Accept the moment as it is.

If you don’t like the situation…then start to work on changing it.

But first and foremost…be present.

Your soul is safe in the Flow of God’s Love.

That cannot change now…or ever.

Allow this awareness to change your life!

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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 iTunes by clicking HERE.

Remember…God loves you!

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Relational Flow

Posted on May 16, 2019 by billtonnis

We are all connected to the Creative Source of Everything.

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

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John 13:20

“Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”

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There is much in the Gospel of John about our oneness.

Note what Jesus said above.

If you receive the one whom Jesus sends to you…it’s the same as receiving Jesus.

And if you receive Jesus…you receive God.

The truth is…we are all being sent by God.

We are all meant to share the good news of God’s unconditional love.

If we only open our eyes to the oneness of us all!

Yes…we are different…yet one.

Everything is in relationship.

Many live in the delusion that we are not connected.

We are each called to wake up to our communion with everyone and everything that God created and continues to create.

We are part of the fabric of this Loving Relationship…of Being itself.

And at the core of it all…is Love.

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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 iTunes by clicking HERE.

Remember…God loves you!

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Shine

Posted on May 15, 2019 by billtonnis

To love is the main objective of life.

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

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John 12:46

“I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness.”

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Jesus is the Light that reveals truth…truth like love is the bottom line.

He said the two greatest commandments were to love God with all your heart, soul and mind and to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:36-39).

He said whatever we do to for those considered the “least” in society…we do for him (Matthew 25:35-40).

Jesus also gave us his main teaching known as “The Beatitudes” (Matthew 5:3-12) which begins, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs in the kingdom of heaven” and goes on to say, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”

The Light that Jesus shines is meant to be a light that we do our best to reflect.

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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 iTunes by clicking HERE.

Remember…God loves you!

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Pour Me Out

Posted on May 14, 2019 by billtonnis

Compassion for another awakens your true self.

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

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John 15:12-13

“This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

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When you love someone…there is nothing you wouldn’t do for them…including laying down your life.

When my mom was in the hospital a number of years ago recovering from appendicitis…I’ll never forget what I heard my father say as he, my brother, and I were walking to the parking lot at night after a visit.

My dad said to himself very softly under his breath, “I’d give anything to trade places with her.”

I know he didn’t think I could hear him…but I’m glad I did.

What an example of love poured out.

Jesus showed us what love poured out looks like in a most dramatic way.

He told us that love is the most important thing at all times…even when persecuted.

Remember Jesus also told us to love our enemies (Matthew 5:44). (Everyone ignores that one.)

So he gave us the most extreme example of what pure love poured out looked like as he stood up for the oppressed knowing it would lead to crucifixion…and then forgave his killers.

This is the kind of love that you and I are called to emulate.

Do not fear…love cannot be defeated.

As St. Paul put it: “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).

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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 iTunes by clicking HERE.

Remember…God loves you!

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Be Here

Posted on May 13, 2019 by billtonnis

This moment is filled with blessings beyond measure.

(Listen to my song “Slow Me Down” on YouTube by clicking HERE)

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John 10:10

“I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”

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When Jesus said this…was he talking about amassing more money, more flashy cars, bigger mansions with swimming pools and tennis courts, perhaps having second and third homes on the beach?

No…there is nothing in the entire body of Jesus’ teaching to back that.

Nothing.

So what is this “life” that he came to give us “more abundantly”?

Look around you.

Really look.

Take a moment to look at the sky…to listen to the birds…to see the trees and green grass.

Take a deep breath…and then slowly exhale.

Feel the energy of life pulsating in your body.

As Jesus said, “Behold, the kingdom of God is among you” (Luke 17:21) or as it is sometimes translated, “The kingdom of God is within you.”

The first words Jesus is quoted as saying in the Gospel of Mark are these: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand” (Mark 1:15).

This is the time.

When we are present to the Divine Presence in each moment…we experience Life that has no end.

Wake up!

Spend time in the now.

Then lovingly share your abundant life with someone near you.

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

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

Remember…God loves you!

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One Body

Posted on May 10, 2019 by billtonnis

We’re all on the same team but many don’t realize it.

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

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Acts 9:1-4

Now Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, that, if he should find any men or women who belonged to the Way, he might bring them back to Jerusalem in chains. On his journey, as he was nearing Damascus, a light from the sky suddenly flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”

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Saul was zealous about doing what he thought was pleasing to God: Rounding up the “men and women who belonged to the Way” so he could bring them back to Jerusalem in chains.

“The Way” was the name given to the original followers of Jesus because he indeed did demonstrate to them a way of life that would lead them to wholeness and inner peace.

Saul’s actions led to the execution of many of these early Christians.

But then one day Saul had this mystical experience of a light suddenly flashing around him and the voice that followed.

The person speaking identified himself as Jesus.

Note that Jesus specified that Saul was persecuting him personally by persecuting his followers.

The followers…as one body…were equated to Jesus himself.

My friends…we are all the body of Christ.

When you persecute anyone…you persecute Jesus himself.

This message threw Saul’s world upside down.

Have you ever been so thoroughly convinced you were right only to find out you were so thoroughly wrong? I have.

Saul underwent such a transformation that one day he became known as St. Paul who would proclaim: “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).

Amen.

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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 iTunes by clicking HERE.

Remember…God loves you!

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Road to Resurrection

Posted on May 9, 2019 by billtonnis

There is an Eternal Love permeating all things.

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

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John 6:44

“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him on the last day.”

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God is the pursuer.

God is the wooer.

We are the ones who respond.

But to be able to respond…we must be awake.

We must be present.

One way to practice presence is to have a contemplative practice like Centering Prayer or other form of meditation.

This opens the heart so you can “hear” on a spiritual level or frequency.

We are given an example of this kind of “listening” in a reading from The Acts of the Apostles (8:26): “Then the angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, “Get up and head south on the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza, the desert route.”

This may or may not have been actually hearing words.

Many times it’s simply a wordless nudge deep inside.

Philip honored that nudge and went.

I can’t tell you how many times I have had amazing experiences after following these spiritual prompts.

Such wondrous occurrences happen not due to anything we have orchestrated.

God has drawn us and will always draw us.

And just as Jesus was raised to new life…so will we.

Now and always.

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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 iTunes by clicking HERE.

Remember…God loves you!

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