Fool

The Bible is pretty strong when it talks about that;  Matthew 5:22, "And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell."
When was the last time you were treated like one?  Your response reveals pride or wisdom.
When was the last time you felt like one? Your response reveals pride or wisdom.
When was the last time you called someone that?  Your response reveals pride or wisdom.
Ecclesiastes 7:9 Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.
Fool seems like a very simple word but the connotations that it presents are damning for yourself and an outright curse to others.  Apparently God doesn't like that. 

Why not start some new good clean habits today?

Do you have a question about your life, or a story to share? Email us at helpingmeheal@live.ca.

Confidentiality will be respected

Released

Jesus opened the prison doors and let you out, but a lot of times we just don't feel the love as a result of that, so we contain ourselves where we are the strongest, and that is usually back where we are the most vulnerable.

Questionable behavior sprouts out of what we plant.  If we are given grape seeds and throw them away in favor of planting thistles, then this is a replica of our life.  The grape seeds are anything to do with the Word of God and the thistles are anything to do with the world.

Matthew 7:16  By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?

Thistles may have beautiful flowers but you have to approach them carefully, whereas grape vines are very approachable and the fruit is very nourishing.   When we lock ourselves back up in our selfish thinking then we are telling Jesus that what He did for us just doesn't matter.  So we lose out out on a magnificent gift.  

Why not start some new good clean habits today?

Do you have a question about your life, or a story to share? Email us at I Have a Question!

Confidentiality will be respected

Graceless

What is the purpose of us being on this planet? Why are we supposed to live a law biding life and always follow the rules?  Why can't we just do what makes us feel good and forget about everyone else?  Lets look at life in a Petri Dish for a moment.  Mold and bacteria grow in there because there is something to feed on, and there's enough sweetener or Agar in the dish to allow the micro organisms to flourish.  When the sweetener is gone the organisms die.

Our spiritual life can be just like that too!   We can take on these sweeteners that seem to make us a better person and spiritual person, but in the long run they are spiritual anchors.

Matthew 5:19  Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven

That's not the kind of people God wants in Heaven, one's that only feed on sweetener.  God wants people that can flourish on the word of God without the sweeteners, the one's with bravery to withstand the world's taunts for choosing what is right later instead of cheap immediate sweeteners.

Why not start some new good clean habits today?

Do you have a question about your life, or a story to share? Email us at I Have a Question!

Confidentiality will be respected

Grace

When you are void of grace, the world appears to be your own personal canvas, a place where you can change and manipulate anything and anyone without recompense.  Others emotions are simply an action of their own doing and not related to anything that you're doing. People appear 2 dimensional and if you wreck one then "its okay because they are not real anyway".  You basically have no feelings for others except what they can do for you only.

It's when we suddenly become aware of this, how we have been treating others and then our conscience is activated that we experience grace for the first time.

Romans 6:14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.

Grace grants us peace in the midst of turmoil, gives us patience when we see ourself reflected in others, and opens our eyes when the real truth finally breaks through the dichotomy we have been surviving in.

Why not start some new good clean habits today?

Do you have a question about your life, or a story to share? Email us at helpingmeheal@live.ca.

Confidentiality will be respected

Variables

Looking at a very deep spiritual life with Christ is a daunting endeavor and filled with variables.  You need to strip away anything that doesn't magnify the message that He gives you.  You need to remove all aspects of the world in order to increase the depth of the relationship that He so desires.  You need to understand that when He calls you that there can be no hesitation in your step, no pondering whether it is worth the risk.  When you speak, you must be in full adherence to the doctrine and teachings in the Bible.

Titus 2:1 You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine.

Avoiding that commission, teaching anything that is false, and trying to steer clear of a single truth is only a path that leads you away from that relationship with Christ. 

The hardest thing in the world is to say yes to a truth, something that will drag you through pain and hardship, but the reward is so much greater when you surrender to that truth, all the while walking away from those things that will trap you in the past. 

Why not start some new good clean habits today?

Do you have a question about your life, or a story to share? Email us at helpingmeheal@live.ca.

Confidentiality will be respected

Transparency

What is the fear about being transparent with people?  I've heard that it is a flaw of character when you reveal your weaknesses to people, I've heard that it is a private matter and shouldn't be revealed, and I've heard that it means that you can be taken advantage of.

Transparency reveals the truth about you, it shows that you can be trusted because. . . yes . . .you too have mistakes in your life.  We all have mountains of mistakes that we can spend the rest of our life covering up and losing ourself in those onion-skin wrappings, to other people it stinks and we spend money, effort, and self worth spraying it with pretend deodorants to try to make it smell pretty.

John 3:21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

Just knowing that you don't have to carry all of those facades around with you for every situation, releases you to be a much happier relaxed person.

Why not start some new good clean habits today?

Do you have a question about your life, or a story to share? Email us at helpingmeheal@live.ca.

Confidentiality will be respected

Accuracy

Accuracy is one of the things that is so easily forgotten about or missed all together in the heat of a confrontation  and we sometimes blurt out misconceptions or even lies when we are put on the spot.  We some times encounter the well of resentment rising up in us when we feel the least bit slighted or challenged in the image of our self.  We can even get agitated and very aggressive when talking about religion!

If you feel that you are bested or corrected when ever you try to share the word of God and feel like giving up, then the only thing you can do is just keep doing it.  God loves our determination and cares much less about our mistakes.

Phil 1:18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

Last time I looked in the Bible, I didn't read anything about Jesus condemning people for saying the wrong thing, but I have read about him encouraging everyone to just do it.  Besides if you're talking about Jesus then you're not really focusing on your problems.

Why not start some new good clean habits today?

Do you have a question about your life, or a story to share? Email us at helpingmeheal@live.ca.

Confidentiality will be respected

Calling

Most people these days are furthest from spiritual teaching and for the most part lack any real direction in their life.  Oh they know their career choices and retirement needs or their next meal, but spiritually they are dead.  They buy a wooden thing or hang a picture on the wall of an ideology and claim that is their belief system, but truly lack any depth or meaning.

Luke 10:42  "but few things are needed - or indeed only one.  Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken from her.” 

 But 2 verses earlier Martha says, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

Mary was absolutely taken by Jesus' teachings and couldn't get enough, whereas Martha was so overwhelmed with protocol that she couldn't stand taking the time to hear Jesus until the deeds were done.   Isn't that like us with our spiritual life most of the time, only talking to God when we are hurt or want something or when we have time? 

Mary realized the urgency in getting that teaching while she could and craved something better in life, while Martha was burdened with obligation and political correctness.

Let me ask this question; if Jesus came to your house only once, would you spend your time trying to please Him through service to Him, or please Him with your undivided adoration towards Him?  It's a difficult mix to find the balance between service and adoration.

Basically, are you the prize or is He?

Why not start some new good clean habits today?

Do you have a question about your life, or a story to share? Email us at helpingmeheal@live.ca.

Confidentiality will be respected

Young Adult

When I was young; I knew everything, my ideas were all original in my mind, my actions were necessary, and I was the most just person I knew back then.   Nobody could tell me I was making a mistake because I wasn't. . . . at the time!!  It's funny how the older you get and the more kicks you take in life, the more you realize that wisdom is just a collection of hurt feelings, black eyes, cuts and bruises.  

Ecclesiastes 11:9,  "You who are young, be happy while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth.  Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment."

Every questionable action, frivolous thought and comment, are all necessary in order to be judged for our actions.  So why would we purposefully do that, when we know full well that we will be in trouble later for it?  Because we don't have enough emotional damage in order to think clearly about things.  Our carnal desires have NO consequences . . . right now, but they will and its going to hurt!!  

Best to clear the air right now by confessing your sins so the damage will be less later.  It's time to think ahead.

Why not start some new good clean habits today?

Do you have a question about your life, or a story to share? Email us at helpingmeheal@live.ca.

Confidentiality will be respected

Plateau

Whenever something doesn't go our way we can assume it is defeat, but in reality it is just a change in our direction.  Our plans morph over time as we live our life and most times we don't even notice the change.  Or maybe we do and think everything will be fine.  Then the bottom falls out of our world and we are devastated.  At least that's our view....

But it's just a plateau!  God sees the whole picture of our life and knows when it's time for us to move on.  To grow in our thinking, expand our small world, meet new people, & experience greater things.  If we can't stand change, then it can be tough to take, and if we don't know God then it can be hell.

Psalm 71:14 "As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more."

A series of unfortunate events is not a curse and certainly no reason to fall off the rails into addictive and compulsive behaviours.  It's simply designed to get us off the plateau and onto greater and higher  things.  But more importantly, to teach us how to stay secure with God.

Why not start some new good clean habits today?

Do you have a question about your life, or a story to share? Email us at helpingmeheal@live.ca.

Confidentiality will be respected

Petri Dish

What is the purpose of us being on this planet? Why are we supposed to live a law biding life and always follow the rules?  Why can't we just do what makes us feel good and forget about everyone else?  Lets look at life in a Petri Dish for a moment.  Mold and bacteria grow in there because there is something to feed on, and there's enough sweetener or Agar in the dish to allow the micro organisms to flourish.  When the sweetener is gone the organisms die.

That's not the kind of people God wants in Heaven, one's that only feed on sweetener.  God wants people that can flourish on the word of God without the sweeteners, the one's with bravery to withstand the world's taunts for choosing what is right later instead of cheap immediate sweeteners.

Matthew 5:19  Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

You can blindly fall for the fake worldly sweeteners RIGHT NOW and get nothing later, or you can wait for the best Heavenly sweeteners you could ever imagine when you finally meet God IN HEAVEN.

Why not start some new good clean habits today?

Do you have a question about your life, or a story to share? Email us at helpingmeheal@live.ca.

Confidentiality will be respected

Instruction

Following instructions should be a way in life as long as the directives are in the best interests of everyone concerned.  However when those requests lack substance or virtue then problems arise.  People fall victim to teachings and doctrines that do not have their best interests at heart, but more over only acknowledge their shortcomings and actually promote them as a completely acceptable way of life.  We are then told, "as long as it doesn't hurt anyone then its okay".  The Bible warns us that we are treading on thin ice when we fall for that.

Proverbs 13:13 Whoever scorns instruction will pay for it, but whoever respects a command is rewarded.

The things the Bible tells us about life are focused around the truth and are all based on whether its  legal, moral, and ethical.  If you notice, the world's interpretation always leaves out moral and ethical, because without out those 2 directives then absolutely anything is legal to do.

If all we do is just accept what somebody tells is okay to do then we are blinding our self to the truth. Because that's really all the Bible does; is tell the truth.

Why not start some new good clean habits today?

Do you have a question about your life, or a story to share? Email us at helpingmeheal@live.ca.

Confidentiality will be respected

Preaching

It's hard to listen to someone who appears to be preaching directly at you or down to you and making you feel guilty.  It's easier to criticize them and avoid them than it is to actually listen to them.  To be fair there are people who beat you with the teachings in the Bible or any other religion for that matter, but if you are even slightly offended at the mention of what's right and wrong then maybe it's not the teacher!!  Maybe it's your conscience talking to you?  Maybe you don't realize you're breaking the law.  That's why we get speeding tickets.

Romans 7:7  What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. 

Well ... maybe you don't want to change and listen to rules, or maybe you're just not used to listening to rules and you're always making your own way in life?  People break Biblical laws and still go to Heaven but your reward is much smaller when you get there.  The fundamental difference is this: 

1. you can live like hell on Earth right now and maybe you'll get to Heaven v/s
2. following the rules now and see how BIG your reward is when you DO get to Heaven! 

The Bible also says that you're simply giving in to temptation and you are receiving your reward right now and none later!

Why not start some new good clean habits today?

Do you have a question about your life, or a story to share? Email us at helpingmeheal@live.ca.

Confidentiality will be respected

Projection

We all have a past that can haunt us if we let it, but there's another side to this where we can become so over confident because we think we know it all because of what we went through to the point of projecting our biased opinions on others.  This can happen with a traumatic event, our job, raising a family, or anything we become very proficient at.

Projection is the belief that because of what we experienced, then we are the ruling authority.  This may be true but we can unknowingly project all those beliefs on others, even when it doesn't fit the situation surrounding that person.

Hebrews 10:22   let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

This is how False Profits start, but the bigger concern is that we are still sinning by judging others through our own hurts.  All this means is that we haven't let go of our past and haven't accepted the forgiveness that God has granted us.

Why not start some new good clean habits today?

Do you have a question about your life, or a story to share? Email us at helpingmeheal@live.ca.

Confidentiality will be respected

Peace

It's not something that can be manufactured or created, but it is something that can be believed.   The very act of having peace is so ethereal that the only real way to experience it is through a quiet mind.  You can experience it through someone else and that can rub off on you, but that usually only lasts as long as that person is around.  Some people think that when a stressful situation goes away that you can finally experience some peace, which is true in a superficial way, but if the problem happens to  return the peace is replaced by the stress.

Peace is simply a byproduct of something greater, having complete joy in your heart is the only way to defeat stress and maintain peace.  There are thousands of ways to get stressed out, but only one way to have peace in stressful situations, and that is to have a peaceful mind.

You can try it on your own, but giving your problems and your life to Jesus Christ is the simplest way to release all that stress at least from your mind.  The problem may still be there but you view things differently now and are at peace with it.

Why not start some new good clean habits today?

Do you have a question about your life, or a story to share? Email us at helpingmeheal@live.ca.

Confidentiality will be respected

Idolatry

Ever wonder why you think the way you do and get into situations you never thought you would?

Well in reality, an idol is something that steals all your time, uses up your brain power with you trying to get more of it.  It can be anything: our hobbies, striving for money or fame, crime, thought life, addiction, co-dependency where you can't be away from someone, and even things like worshiping the moon.

So let's look at what the 1st commandment is talking about?  Exodus 20:3 "You shall have no other God's before me"

The Bible gives us clear instructions on how to live a stress free life, but if we don't take the time to understand that it is there for us to grow with, then we will fall into strange habits and thoughts.

 

Colossians 3:5  "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry."

I know it sounds easier than doing it because our pride can get in the way!  But I promise that if you do try it you will be rewarded.

Why not start some new good clean habits today?

Do you have a question about your life, or a story to share? Email us at helpingmeheal@live.ca.

Confidentiality will be respected

Fruitless

Knowing that we should be clearing out the destructive idols, habits, and thoughts in our life, and not doing it are basically slapping God in the face. Each of us cannot deny that we are prompted consistently to live an upright Godly life.  That some of the things we are doing, we know are wrong, but we do them anyway.  We may even trick ourself into feeling good about our erroneous decisions saying, "I did it my way".   This is fruitless and will not last!

Ephesians 5:11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.

What will happen when it all comes down to the decisions you make on a moment by moment basis?  If you can't see it already, this world is coming to an end!  We will each be held accountable for every decision we made, for every questionable action we committed, and for every person we led astray by ignoring those promptings. 

We don't know the time or the hour when we will face our life of questionable choices, but the time is coming, so give your life to Jesus Christ now.

Why not start some new good clean habits today?

Do you have a question about your life, or a story to share? Email us at helpingmeheal@live.ca.

Confidentiality will be respected

Spirit Led

It's easier to convince yourself that you are "led by the spirit" than "not led by the spirit". 

When you think you are being led by the spirit, then you physically have to ponder all the events leading up to a decision you must make.  It's like performing a checklist or following a bunch of laws in order to have something happen.  This can have disastrous results.  This is because the goal is about "me".  You question if God even hears you!

Galatians 5:18  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

When you truly are led by the spirit, events happen and have remarkable results, and you wonder how it all took place.  You didn't have to do anything, no checklist, no book of laws, and no real thinking about it.  You just followed a small voice in your head that led you on a good and rightful path.  The goal, as it turns out, was to help someone else.  You walk away dazed yet amazed!

Being Spirit Led is more about acting in the moment, and less about large plans well in advance.

Why not start some new good clean habits today?

Do you have a question about your life, or a story to share? Email us at helpingmeheal@live.ca.

Confidentiality will be respected

Cover Up

When you live a life of questionable behaviour, going against societal norms, in defiance to others, breaking the law, and putting yourself first, you are the opposite of truth.  Truth exists to guide us in the right ways, but by living those ways and professing to be the opposite is like simply covering over filth with a beautiful rug.  Eventually the filth will stain and ruin the rug.

When you live like that you become critical of others.  Your own guilt becomes the filth under the rug.  You try incessantly to heap guilt on others in order to avert other peoples gaze on your own debauchery.  And occasionally you can trick others into seeing that you are an angel of light and they will willingly do your dirty work for you.

Exodus 23:1 “Do not spread false reports. Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness."

False prophets must cover over everything about them because their life is usually a sham.  This is why the Bible talks about wisdom and to test everything.  It doesn't say heap guilt and ask others to lie for you.

But soon the veil will be torn.

Why not start some new good clean habits today?

Do you have a question about your life, or a story to share? Email us at helpingmeheal@live.ca.

Confidentiality will be respected

 

Legal

Everyone has a theory about the Bible, people on both sides say either the Old or New Testament no longer apply or cancel each other out.  Reality is, those people that avoid religion are judged by the Old Testament and those that accept the New Testament want to live their life by the Old Testament.  If you're avoiding it, then you've heard about it!

Galatians 5:18  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

If you live under the Old Testament only then you will never live up to the list of rules in it, so you are under the law.  If you accept Jesus Christ & the Holy Spirit as the head of your life then Grace fills your world and suddenly living according to the Old Testament becomes much easier, simply because you want to try, not because you have to.  Then, if you fail any of the laws, you know you are forgiven.

Incidentally, those people who have never heard that there is an Old or New Testament cannot be judged, because they have never had the opportunity to accept or avoid the Holy Spirit.

Why not start some new good clean habits today?

Do you have a question about your life, or a story to share? Email us at helpingmeheal@live.ca.

Confidentiality will be respected