What the World Needs Now

Posted on September 7, 2018 by billtonnis

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Let fear dissolve in the Light of Love.

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

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1 Corinthians 4:5

Therefore do not make any judgment before the appointed time, until the Lord comes, for he will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will manifest the motives of our hearts, and then everyone will receive praise from God.

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St. Paul, who received an amazing revelation of the Resurrected Christ that completely changed his life, gives us a very uplifting message here.

He tells us not to judge others or ourselves…but to rely only on God’s judgment. 

This life is not a contest.

It’s not some kind of life-long SAT test.

We are taking part in God’s creation in progress.

It’s a love story.

The question is: Will we awaken from the delusion of trying to prove ourselves worthy of God’s love when God is Love (1 John 4:8)?

Will we awaken from the delusion and madness of ego-generated hate?

Accept that you are loved by the One that created you!

We are in desperate need of more people living from the awareness of being unconditionally loved by God.

We need more people expressing that Love with their lives.

When our time is finished in this life, God will embrace us and “bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will manifest the motives of our hearts, and then everyone will receive praise from God.”

But you say, “How can this be? No punishment?”

When we are held by Love itself and together review and experience the things we did that hurt others, we will feel those hurts…but God will not hurt us.

We will feel the pain we caused…but God will not inflict pain upon us.

God will love us. That’s what Love does.

Step into the Light of this Love right now…and reflect it.

The world is in desperate need.

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Listen to my song “I Stand in the Light” 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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Go with the Flow

Posted on September 6, 2018 by billtonnis

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If you want to come to life…change is required.

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

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Luke 5:11

When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.

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When seasoned fishermen had caught nothing all night…they were almost certainly just humoring the itinerant rabbi who advised them to put out into deep water and lower their nets one more time.

But when this resulted in their nets being so full of fish that they nearly broke, these fishermen were shaken.

They were so amazed…not only by this feat…but by the inspiring way Jesus had been preaching about God…that they “left everything and followed him.”

There comes a time in life when we are given the opportunity to wake up.

We come to a crossroads.

We realize that there is a greater purpose in life.

The earlier this happens the better!

Your career, your house, your car, your money, your beliefs…all will fade to oblivion.

What are you living for?

Why did God love-you-into-existence?

Why are you here?

As scripture tells us, “God is love” (1 John 4:8). You and I are meant to experience Love and to share that Love with others.

But to do so…your ego needs to relinquish control and release all the attachments that will never provide lasting peace.

We are being invited to immerse ourselves in God’s eternal out-pouring of love in an on-going, unfolding act of creation.

What are you willing to leave…to do so?

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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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Missionaries of Mercy

Posted on September 5, 2018 by billtonnis

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May we all be messengers of God’s love in word and action.

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

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Luke 4:42-43

At Daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place. The crowds went looking for him, and when they came to him, they tried to prevent him from leaving them. But he said to them, “To the other towns also I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God, because for this purpose I have been sent.”

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Jesus knew his purpose.

I’m thinking he came to this knowledge through the time he spent in deserted places in prayer.

He had to go off by himself, clear a quiet space, and commune there in spirit with God.

This was how he came to truly know himself and his mission.

And what was that mission?

As he stated: to “proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God.”

And what was this good news?

Jesus had earlier quoted the prophet Isaiah when he said specifically what the kingdom of God was about: bringing glad tidings to the poor, proclaiming liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, and freeing the oppressed (Luke 4:16-19).

The good news was that we are all one in God, that God loved all people equally…even those who had been rejected and placed in bondage.

Jesus demonstrated God’s love through the compassion he showed to those in need and by healing them of their illnesses.

Jesus welcomed all people. But those who held the power did not welcome him.

They were threatened by his words and actions.

Eventually…this led to the crucifixion.

We are called to follow Jesus.

Following means more than simply having a private practice of rituals and obligations.

It means taking action on behalf of those in need. 

It means actively standing up for the poor and vulnerable and also for all of God’s creation.

Who are those in need of hearing and receiving the good news this day…through you?

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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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Have Faith

Posted on September 4, 2018 by billtonnis

sunset_field_blueskies

The Creative Force of the Universe…is Love.

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

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Psalm 145:9

The Lord is good to all and compassionate toward all his works.

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Do you believe that?

Many of us were raised with a toxic image of God…as a judgmental ruler on a throne looking down on us in condescension.

Throughout the bible, we see how the people slowly came to see that our Creator was not a God of wrath…but a God of compassion.

Jesus said this: “If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him” (John 14:7).

Did Jesus smite people? No. Was he compassionate and merciful? Yes!

Jesus forgave his persecutors and killers while hanging on the cross. This is the perfect reflection of God!

While we tend to treat others only as well as they treat us…God pours out love on all things no matter how good…or bad they are.

That’s because in God’s eyes…all is good. However, our actions are not always good.

But at each person’s core is goodness.

Each of us has been created in God’s image (Genesis 1:27).

Each of us is on this journey to experience love and then to be love…just like God is.

All Life is precious and is created with love and by Love (“God is love.” 1 John 4:8).

So…in times of darkness and pain, know that God is enduring it with you.

Nothing can keep us from the loving embrace of God!

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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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Listen

Posted on August 30, 2018 by billtonnis

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Stop!

(Listen to my song “Turn Off the Noise” on YouTube by clicking HERE)

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Matthew 24:42

Stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.

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How often are you awake?

I’m not talking about when you’re not sleeping…but how often you are consciously awake…aware of the present moment.

God is present in all of creation.

God is present now.

Are you?

Are you fully alive and experiencing this moment and what is happening around you?

Or are you lost in thought?

Are you completely distracted by your mind’s constant chatter and commentary?

As Richard Rohr is fond of saying, “Your mind isn’t you!”

Take a moment to witness your stream of endless thoughts.

Who is the witness? The real you!

Your true self is many times lost in the barrage of sensory input that we are subjected to…and that we subject ourselves to.

Are you fully present to this moment?

(I highly recommend a daily practice of 10 to 20 minutes of silent meditation.)

The Holy Spirit is ready to show up in your life. The question is…are you awake enough to notice?

Or are you dwelling on something from the past or worried about something in the future?

The Holy Spirit also wants to show up in someone else’s life today…through you.

So wake up!

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Listen to my song “Turn Off the Noise” 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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Divine Presence

Posted on August 29, 2018 by billtonnis

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When your mind’s commentary stops…peace begins.

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

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2 Thessalonians 3:16

May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.

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When the risen Christ returned to see all of his followers who were hiding in fear…the same people who abandoned him at the crucifixion…he did not scold or criticize them.

Instead, he offered them peace.

“When the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you” (John 20:19).”

Jesus was always a peaceful presence to those in need.

Remember how he calmed the seas when he and his followers were tossed about on a boat in a violent storm (Matthew 8:23-27 or Mark 4:35-41)?

Remember his calm presence with the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11)?

When you become very present with what is…and let your mind’s fearful commentary dissolve…you come to know the peace of the Divine Presence.

In Hebrew, the meaning of Emmanuel, the name given to the coming Messiah, is “God with us.”

In Jesus, we experience God’s peaceful presence.

It’s a peace available each moment.

As St. Paul said, “Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

This is a peace Paul found even as he awaited his own execution.

May this same peace…be with you now and always.

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Listen to my song “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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Alive

Posted on August 28, 2018 by billtonnis

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When you are rooted in Love…your true self blossoms.

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

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Psalm 96:11-12

Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice; let the sea and what fills it resound; let the plains be joyful and all that is in them.

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All things give glory to God in their being-ness.

All that has form is simply being itself to the full…and thereby praising God’s wondrous creativity.

We humans seem to be the only living creatures that have a choice as to how we will be ourselves.

We have a conscious choice in how we will live in the form we’ve been given.

God loves everything and everybody.

In your belovedness, how do you respond?

How do you express God’s love for you to the world?

What do you enjoy doing with your creative talents?

Joyfully live this question and you will discover your true self!

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Listen to my song “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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No Strings Attached

Posted on August 27, 2018 by billtonnis

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Salvation is a free gift to all those who humbly accept it.

(Listen to the song of the day “There Is Three” on YouTube by clicking HERE)

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Matthew 23:13

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You lock the kingdom of heaven before human beings. You do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter.”

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We hear Jesus once again sharply criticizing the scribes and Pharisees.

They were the religious leaders who apparently were more harsh rulers than caring pastors.

They held people to the letter of the law without compassion…thereby locking the kingdom of heaven.

In refusing to attend to their needs, the religious leaders also locked the kingdom of heaven to themselves.

No one experienced the transforming love that God was yearning to give.

The laws are there to help guide us but not as iron rods to beat us.

The law will not transform anyone.

It’s only through receiving undeserved and unmerited love, mercy and forgiveness that we can actually experience transforming grace and know who God is.

This is also the pathway to wholeness and the kingdom of heaven.

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Listen to my song “There Is Three” 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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God Saves

Posted on August 23, 2018 by billtonnis

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As long as you are breathing…you are being transformed by Love.

(Listen to my song “I Will Give You Rest” on YouTube by clicking HERE)

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Psalm 51:12

A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me.

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There are times when life deals us a bad hand…when one thing after another seems to go wrong and we can’t catch a break.

These times are a certainty in life.

These are exactly the times when a Higher Power seems to carry us.

We will sometimes look back later and say that we don’t know how we got through it.

But we somehow did.

And we came out on the other side stronger and more assured that there is an Amazing Love leading us.

We are here to grow and be transformed by Love so that we too can be agents of goodness and mercy.

So if you are in the midst of turmoil and hardship, take a deep breath, be present, and trust that an Eternal Love is in the process of renewing you.

Your life is not about your goodness…but about God’s.

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Listen to the song of the day “I Will Give You Rest” 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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Homeward Bound

Posted on August 22, 2018 by billtonnis

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A Great Compassion is leading us safely to new life and wholeness.

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

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Psalm 23:4

Even when I walk through a dark valley, I fear no harm for you are at my side; your rod and staff give me courage.

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In life…we all share the walk “through a dark valley.”

It’s part of the human experience.

Life is wonderful when all is going our way. But when we are in the middle of struggles or losses…life can be not so much fun.

However, these are precisely the times when we can best surrender ourselves to a Higher Power.

For me…these are the times when despite the seeming hopelessness…there was hope.

Something…some Great Love…carried me.

The path of Love will lead us through many a dark valley.

Love responds to those in need with compassion. And since God is Love (1 John 4:8), then this is what God does.

Jesus showed us this quite clearly.

We are called to follow Jesus in doing the same.

He also showed us that all dark valleys eventually lead to beautiful, bright mountaintops.

Transformation and new life are assured if only we trust.

The dark valleys teach us that we cannot do it on our own. The Good Shepherd comes to us no matter how far we have strayed. He will never give up on us.

This Great Love comes to us through the actions of others; through scripture and other inspired writings; through creation itself; and also through the silence of our hearts.

When all else fails us…this Shepherd will still be there to lead us.

“The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack” (Psalm 23:1). How could I want for anything when I already have the total unconditional love and acceptance of God?

We are all part of God’s wondrous, unfolding plan of creation. 

There is nothing to fear!

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Listen to my song “Love Will Always Lead You Home” on the Mercy Reigns album by clicking HERE.

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

Remember…God loves you!

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