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

Fear

When you don't know whats' coming next, when you see a facade that looks soo threatening standing in front of you, when others you love and admire are in trouble of some sort, those are some of the times when we experience the greatest amount fear.

So when we hear statements like "Fear the Lord", what goes through your head?  When I was 10 or 12 years old I always thought to myself, "Why do I need to fear Him".  He is a loving God!  So I was confused.  But over the years I've come to realize that if people are living a questionable lifestyle then that fear is a very present factor in their lives and something I've experienced personally.

Deuteronomy 6:13 Fear the Lord your God, serve him only and take your oaths in his name.

So what I've learned is that that "Fear" we are talking about for me personally, is that I fear not doing His will, so I fear the outcome of my wayward thinking and I fear how that will affect my relationship 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 I Have a Question!

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

Truth

Truth they say is completely of your own making, it's something you devise to suit your own purposes. In reality, that is the world's view as the real truth that is hidden in the Bible has far reaching effects into our life and our interactions with others.

However, there are a lot of perspectives on whether the Bible is true and accurate, or is it just a book written by old men with nothing else to do and trying to manipulate us?  Some think the Old Testament and New Testament have no correlation with each other.

Psalm 80:17  Let your hand rest on the man at your right hand, the son of man you have raised up for yourself.

The Old Testament carries with it all of the descriptions for the New Testament, just as the whole Bible carries with it the description that our life could take should we make the effort to follow it, or just continue on our merry way and hope that the Bible is not true.

But . . . . what if it is true, right down to the last letter?  Where will we be then if we continue on our merry way?

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

Fearless

Do you know the difference between being fearless & smart v/s fearless & stupid?

The 2nd one shows a person who is fearless by their own might, where they are determined to do things their own way, force their way through, create their own world.  That's fine you can do that, but the longevity factor is a bigger hindrance to all that you do.

Fearless & smart is having a plan, bringing it to God to ask if it falls into the way God wants you to live your life.  You can still be determined about it and continue to pray to God for his blessing over it.  When you believe that it fits into God's word, and believe in your heart that it is so, then God will grant you the desires of your heart.

God isn't a mean God, he's not looking for ways to destroy your creativity.  He wants you to excel, just bring it to Him first so He can bless it!

1 Corinthians 12:31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts. [ Love Is Indispensable ] And yet I will show you the most excellent way.

Happy Easter Jesus Has Risen

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

Consistent

It's nice to know that when you are experiencing hard times and you turn around to see someone who has your back, someone you never knew was there but was brushing aside deceitful work raged against you and stamping out flaming arrows aimed at your back.  Someone who consistently has your better interests in focus and can see your future and knows the full plan for your life.

Psalm 5:11  But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.

When you are living a pure and clean life and show your commitment to God and then put your complete trust in that premise, it releases you to do your best work.  Just knowing that expands your thinking capacity because now you don't have to worry about anything except what your good at. 

It's true: your creativity, freedom of thought, and your love of God all expand with the more He gives you.

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

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

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

Gaslighting

Ever worked with someone who found fault with everything you did?  Tried to condense you and your efforts into a smaller container?  You are the victim of something called gaslighting!  If every addict was to look deep into their history they would probably find traces of this behaviour that was manipulating them due to their open honest lifestyle.

People with little sense of a societal norm prey on the unsuspecting as it bolsters their confidence that they are truly in control of their ever-so-small world.  In reality, they are small children in big people shoes.  School yard bullies!  The Bible tells us about them in:

2 Peter 2:9 ...the Lord knows how to rescue the Godly from trials, and hold the unrighteous accountable... NIV

Realizing that gives the open and honest person who may have compulsive or addictive behaviours the power of knowledge to defeat those who try to impose their compulsive and addictive behaviours on you.  You are no longer the victim of a victim.

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

Sanctify

Most people don't know what that is!  It's when you believe in something, finally understand it completely, and give your whole life over to it.  It's doing everything in your life to live according to the teachings of Jesus Christ.  You might still fall at times but your heart is in the right place and want to live wholesomely.  People respect your commitment and you become sanctified.

The opposite of that is an addictive or compulsive behaviour that runs your life, you have no say, basically out of control, and death or destruction is near you all the time.  Your loved ones suffer the most.

1 Thessalonians 4:4-5  Learn to appreciate and give dignity to your body, not abusing it, as is so common among those who know nothing of God. (MSG)

The difference is obvious;  living for God and serving others v/s serving self over all others and ignoring God.  The first one leads to life and the other leads to death.

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

Restoration

We can walk around blinded to the truth in all situations if we are willing to avoid anything that resembles the truth.  If we are afraid to even approach revealing our weaknesses, then darkness is our comfort, because we avoid the light.  Concealing the truth is simply lying, as avoiding healing is simply lying.  Living in darkness is living the lie.

Acts 9:18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, ¹⁹ and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

Finally realizing that most of our actions are based on living the lie, is when the light of the truth starts to creep in.  It can be emotionally painful, but when the light of God becomes greater, than the darkness we surrender to in every situation, is when we are truly released.

Suddenly joy replaces gloom and our smile becomes more genuine.

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

Appearance

We may not see anything wrong with the sketchy things we do in public or in front of our family and friends.  They may be questionable behaviours, out right illegal, or completely morally deprived.  It doesn't seem to matter to someone with an addiction or compulsive behaviour, because the feel-good-temporary-fix seems to be enough to get us through the day.  We look like a fool to everyone with common sense, but to us that doesn't matter.

That thinking can only come from selfish motives, or thinking we are less than everyone else around us.  We deceptively tell ourself that we "don't care what other people think"  or "it doesn't matter because I'm not worth it anyway". 

Both of these statements are straight out of the pit of hell.  Tricks to get us to believe we are destined to be what we currently are and not what we could be!

Proverbs 18:14 The human spirit can endure in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear?

If you believe the voices in your head, that you are less than a magnificent creation of God, then your spirit is crushed. . . . but only as long as you believe that.   

 

You see; what you believe you are is what you are.  The key is believe!

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

Oppression

People try to be more important than everyone else.  It's not really greed, it's more like envy or fear.  People with a strong demeanor who are weaker in communication skills can oppress others very easily and they may not even know why themselves. 

The mind gets excited when it receives a Dopamine shot from our metabolism and this happens when we achieve something.  Like athletes or actors, or when everyone applauds you for a job well done.  That shot basically affirms who we are and what we do.  Problem is, people can become addicted to it.  That's when we need to stand up for ourselves to stop their Dopamine fix at our expense.

Titus 2:15 "These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you."

That's what Jesus did!  He didn't let anyone trample on Him or talk down to Him.  He stood His ground in the face of adversity all while respecting His opponents.  Mind you He is God incarnate and has all the answers, but it is a beautiful example of what we can do simply by following Jesus' teachings.  And stopping oppression against 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

Trickery

Being tricked does not feel good, but truth be told, every person with a bad habit, hang-up, or addiction, is being tricked daily, hourly, minute by minute.  That's what keeps you doing what you are doing.  If you hate your disorder then you are believing the lie that is keeping you there.

Maybe you don't believe you're worth anything, or you think your habit is actually good for you, or you can't see a way out, or you've given up trying, Jesus Christ thinks you are cool but just a bit messed up right now.  Whatever the reason you have, it is the perfect lie that you are continuing to believe.  God deals harshly with lies, but also heals those afflicted by them.

3 John 11  ".....Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God."

Making a physical choice to step out of your situation and step toward God is a solid first choice and a big one, especially if you can't trust anyone.  Despite what others say, God would much rather see you healed His way, rather than you to see you perish your way.

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