Called

Posted on October 18, 2018 by billtonnis

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Go where your heart leads you.

(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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Just because you do the right thing…doesn’t mean you’ll be rewarded by this world.

Many times you will be persecuted by the powers that be.

For instance: When children are forcibly removed from their parents who are legally seeking asylum at the border and separated from them indefinitely…this is an atrocity.

When you see an injustice…a Higher Power will touch your heart to do something.

How else can God’s will be done?

In today’s scripture, St. Paul tells us of a time when everyone deserted him.

Sometimes we have to go it alone.

Sometimes the road to fulfilling your destiny will be a lonely road.

It may look dark and dangerous.

But when you follow your calling…you will feel an inner strength, comfort and peace.

The Love that made you is leading you to fulfill a compassionate purpose greater than you could ever have devised on your own.

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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 iTunes by clicking HERE.

Remember…God loves you!

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Grace

Posted on October 17, 2018 by billtonnis

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Love, mercy and forgiveness…changes hearts.

(Listen to the song of the day “Mercy Reigns” on YouTube by clicking HERE)

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Luke 11:46

And Jesus said, “Woe also to you scholars of the law! You impose on people burdens hard to carry, but you yourselves do not lift one finger to touch them.”

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Jesus seemed to have little patience with the religious leaders who wielded the law like a whip.

They held people to the “letter” of the law and did nothing to lighten their loads.

Jesus seemed to prefer hanging out with those who were failing in keeping the laws but were humbly trying.

He knew that love and mercy would transform people…not laws.

Life is not about being perfect…but being perfectly loved.

Jesus hung out with all those who were in need of help…all those who were left out or thrown out and marginalized.

He did not hang out with the elite crowd of rules-keepers.

If you identify as a Christian…then you are called to do the same.

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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 iTunes by clicking HERE.

Remember…God loves you!

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Saved

Posted on October 16, 2018 by billtonnis

birds_flying_goldensky

Let go…love…and live.

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

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Galatians 5:1  

For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.

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The “yoke of slavery” that most of us grapple with is the attachment to possessions, beliefs, and unjust systems.

St. Paul experienced freedom in Christ.

Following the ways of Jesus gave him new life.

He realized that death would not be the end. There would be resurrection.

Paul saw this pattern of dying and rising repeated throughout life in all our struggles.

The valley of darkness would be followed by glorious mountaintops.

Paul also realized that Jesus showed him how to live his life by giving it away…serving others…letting go of attachments to things that don’t last.

This also set him free daily.

Paul realized that Christ revealed that there is eternal life and that God loved all people with an infinite love that could not be defeated.

You did not have to earn salvation…but it was a free gift.

It was all Grace!

Paul’s message to the Galatians and to us is to accept these revelations…live them…and be free.

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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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Glory Abounds

Posted on October 15, 2018 by billtonnis

flowers_red_sunset

May our lives be a song of thanksgiving.

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

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Psalm 113:3

From the rising of the sun to its setting let the name of the LORD be praised.

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What if we started each day in gratitude to God?

With the opening of our eyes after a night of sleep…what if we said, “Thank You for another day. What a gift!”

What if as we turned on the shower and the warm water flowed on our heads…we said, “Thank You, what a gift!”

With the first bite of breakfast, “Thank You, what a gift!”

Driving to work, “Thank You, what a gift!”

Doing our work, “Thank You, what a gift!”

Driving home, “Thank You, what a gift!”

First bite of dinner, “Thank You, what a gift!”

Watching the sunset, “Thank You, what a gift!”

Talking to a loved one or friend, “Thank You, what a gift!”

Laying our head down on the pillow at the end of the day, “Thank You, God, for this day, what a gift!”

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

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

Remember…God loves you!

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Amazing Love

Posted on October 12, 2018 by billtonnis

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Beyond the human-created delusions…a magnificent creation continues.

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

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Psalm 111:2-3

Great are the works of the LORD, exquisite in all their delights. Majestic and glorious are his work, and his justice endures forever.

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Take a look at nature.

Really look.

Look at a forest.

Look at the beauty of the changing leaves on the trees.

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Look at a breath-taking sunrise or sunset.

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Look at a starry night sky.

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Look at a photo from the Hubble telescope of the vast expanse of space.

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Pause…and ponder it all.

Contemplate the majesty.

Creation is on-going.

While some things die…new things are born.

All are parts of a grand plan that is building to a magnificent finale of wholeness.

Each of us is included.

Gaze upon the glory of it all.

Amen.

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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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Awaken

Posted on October 11, 2018 by billtonnis

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Love is the way and destination.

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

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Luke 11:9

“And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”

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There is a Divine Goodness drawing us…luring us to wholeness.

We actually are already whole and complete…but we haven’t awakened to that reality.

We mistakenly believe that we need something in this world to complete us.

But all we really need is to wake up to the reality that God is Love and that we are loved.

So God draws us…woos us.

Accept that you are loved just as is.

When you live from this place of love…God will also draw you to share this Love with others.

That is the yearning you feel inside.

Nothing of this world will satisfy that yearning…only God…or Love.

So when you seek this…you can’t help but find it.

God is already drawing you.

The door will be opened for you.

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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 iTunes by clicking HERE.

Remember….God loves you!

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Love Unites

Posted on October 10, 2018 by billtonnis

earth_space_oneness

“We are already one. But we imagine that we are not.”

– Thomas Merton

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

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Psalm 117:1

Praise the LORD, all you nations! Glorify him, all you peoples!

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Human-made divisions are just that: human-made.

They aren’t real.

Many times astronauts had life-changing experiences in looking back at the Earth and seeing all the countries without any lines drawn to separate them.

The Earth itself in its circle shape is a sign of oneness.

It is only our refusal to see this oneness that causes the separation.

It is a delusion.

It’s the same with skin color, religious differences and any other difference that we perceive. They are only on the surface.

At our core, we are all brothers and sisters.

Where are the people who are calling attention to this?

Where are the peacemakers?

Where are those working for understanding and diplomacy?

It begins with each of us in how we treat each other.

Jesus calls us to love our neighbors. That’s for starters.

He also calls us to love our enemies (Matthew 5:44).

Right now…nations are failing miserably in this regard.

We are all sons and daughters of one God…who is love itself (1 John 4:8).

Perhaps one day humanity will awaken, realize this and give praise to the God of all.

It begins with you and me.

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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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Give All

Posted on October 9, 2018 by billtonnis

leaves_autumn_colors_bluesky

Following the way of Love leads to a transformed life.

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

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Galatians 1:22-24

And I was unknown personally to the churches of Judea that are in Christ; they only kept hearing that “the one who once was persecuting us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” So they glorified God because of me.

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With these words, St. Paul was giving witness to his amazing transformation.

He had gone from being a brutal persecutor of Christians to being a passionate preacher of the way of Christ to all people.

Paul’s turnaround began with a mystical experience of the risen Christ while on the road to Damascus (Acts 9).

His transformation didn’t happen all at once…but over the next few years as he spent time with the apostles.

We are all works in progress.

Everyone is on a unique spiritual journey.

God will use all our experiences for our good.

A perfect model to follow on your spiritual journey is Jesus.

Following him will lead you to life to the full…but it will not be easy.

When you try to love all people and stand up for those who are oppressed and left out…many times you end up being persecuted yourself (as was Paul).

But Love wins…if not in this life, certainly in the eternal realm.

Jesus showed us that death leads to resurrection.

This is true not only in death but all through life in the many “dyings” and “risings” that we experience in the light of Love.

Letting go of the false selves our egos have created and then allowing Love to transform us…will lead us to our true selves.

What a perfect way to 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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Listen to Your Heart

Posted on October 8, 2018 by billtonnis

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May our words and actions be motivated by love.

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

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Galatians 1:10

Am I now currying favor with human beings or God? Or am I seeking to please people?

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Many times we get lost in a world that tells us we must conform to its ways to be somebody.

Our culture dictates certain criteria that defines “success” in its eyes…usually involving power, prestige and possessions.

While those things bring “success” in the world…they have nothing to do with success in the eyes of God.

Love is God’s measuring stick.

When we love…we are discovering our true selves.

Many times we can get side-tracked from being our true selves by seeking to please our parents…our friends or our culture.

When you are disconnected from your true self…you are also disconnected from your Source.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus likens God to the “vine grower” and himself as the vine: “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

In reality, we can never truly be disconnected from God…but consciously we can be.

And when that happens…you will never bear the “fruit” that you were meant to bear.

We must be able to be silent enough to hear the gentle whisper of God in our hearts.

That whisper is also from our true selves yearning to emerge.

Listen for the Voice that tenderly tells you that you are loved fully and completely as is.

Rest in this knowledge.

Experience it.

Let it warm your heart.

How do you wish to respond?

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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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Find Peace

Posted on October 5, 2018 by billtonnis

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To those who are awake…God’s love is palpable.

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

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Psalm 139:1-3, 5

LORD, you have probed me, you know me: you know when I sit and stand; you understand my thoughts from afar. You sift through my travels and my rest; with all my ways you are familiar. Behind and before you encircle me and rest your hand upon me.

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Find comfort in these words.

The psalmist is trying to explain the unexplainable.

The One who made us…the Great Mystery of Love itself…knows each of us intimately through and through.

Bring your pain, bring your sadness, bring your anger, bring your anguish, bring your loneliness, bring your doubts…to the One who knows you…and accepts you…just as you are.

The Great Mystery of Love encircles you…and holds you…with no condemnation…but total compassion and acceptance.

That’s what Love does!

Sit quietly while contemplating this in your heart.

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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 iTunes by clicking HERE.

Remember…God loves you!

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