KERRYKAY PUBLICATIONS
A Better Me Volume 1, Issue 2
Newsletter Date: 18, February 2012
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Grace sees the best 2 in us when others don’t...
About three years ago, I got so excited in the Lord my Faith was so high it was like I had already reached heaven. Expectancy filled my belly and the anxiety of it all just magnified the situation. As time went on all that I expected to be great were seemingly not, and it was as if my entire life was put on hold. The things I hoped for came in such a destructive manner that I felt like God was punishing me. I remember thinking and saying, “God if I’m doing what you told me to do, why is it so hard? Why am I so frustrated? Why am I going crazy?” Little by little my strength and zeal turned into hurt and despair and before I knew it, I was so num I could be pierced with a sword and not feel it. Everything I did was basically going through the motion. I would smile and talk to everyone but had these crazy emotions locked up inside of me that I felt I couldn’t express because no one could understand.
Grace that Restores 2
In all of this God was near and
Inside this issue:
Defining Holiness
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Grace is Needed in 3 Our Christian Walk Looking Beyond Now...
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He was blessing me immensely but all I could see was the thing that was wrong. The past! Not until I accepted that God was not trying to punish me and all things work together for my good, that I was able to escape the traps the enemy placed in my mind. God brought me through the story of David and the process he went through to become king. How Ruth’s hurt turned into joy. How Joseph’s suffering brought him to mighty places. I thought to myself—I didn’t even go through anything compared to what these individuals did and I was ready to give up. I started counting my blessings by literally writing them down, what was going good and what was going bad. The good things outweighed the bad. To God be the glory! And the bad things when evaluated were not really issues as God was in control. This brought me to a place of gratefulness. I apologized to God for doubting Him. And my spiritual life was revived. The Lord started calling me into praying more- but now the constraints of
everything else in my life made it difficult to do so. Work became so overwhelming that all I wanted to do when I got home was jumped in my bed and sleep. This thought me a valuable lesson, that there will always be situations to distract us from God. As Christians, we have to be deliberate in involving God in every aspect of our lives. By doing this we are no longer struggling to find time for God. He deserves the first of our everything. This is the way to finding true peace. Giving God our best gives us perfect peace. A peace where its not too hard to let go of anything. A peace that makes us walk through any storm unworried. It gives us a constant feeling of new love. Somewhat like the zeal of a new convert or the enthusiasm expressed by newlyweds. I am grateful that I’m getting to that peace and hopes that this testimony is a blessing you. ——Kerry-Ann Barrett
Holiness Part 2— Continued from Issue1 Before Jesus- the priest had to make atonement for the people but now- through Christ that lives within us there is an advocate who allows us to go boldly before the throne of grace. Our bodies are the temple of the living God- Thus it should be consecrated and not given to
ungodly things. “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. (2 Cor. 7:1)” If someone or something is holy or hollowed it should be devoted to God solely. Just like the articles
that were used in the temple which had written on them “Holiness to God”- consecrated to God. Not for use in common manners- they played specific roles. Is it possible for a Christian to then maintain a life in this world and be holy, when you have to work and go to
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A Better Me
Holiness defined..cont’d school in a society that seems distant from God? Sure one can. The word of God says“Occupy till He comes” (Lu. 19:12-13). He also speaks of how we should operate with our earthly rulers…. Christ by no means derailed the systems of His time but followed the law as it was that all things might be fulfilled. “Give unto Caesar what is due unto him. (Mk 12:17)” Was not Christ sanctified above all? The Beloved Son? But He maintain all things--- He did not come to destroy the law—“God is a God of order” (1 Cor. 14:33) but He came that it might be fulfilled. We must do the
says. “Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy”-Ex.20:8 is in the Bible . “Let no man judge you in day of worship” Col.2:16 is also in the Bible. So from this I get that in my life there should be a daya holy day- a consecrated day of rest and same. We have in our society today- the worship. This does not mean just going to clash of the denominations. Who is right church and not working--- but seriously in and who is wrong. But one has to be dialog with the Lord and His people. For very careful in getting themselves tied the word says, “forsake not the assemup in this debate—to the extent that they bling of yourselves together” (He. 10:25). shone the very Word of God. We need If this is so then I cannot judge a man to move from wanting to be right to because he worships on a Sunday or a being true to what the Word of God Saturday.
Grace Sees the Best in us When Others Don't. Mary Magdalene. Perhaps the most perfect example of grace is found in this woman’s story and how Jesus embraced her. Here we have a woman who was living an ungodly lifestyle whom in that time period could not openly communicate with any religious leader yet she anointed Jesus’ feet in public for all to see. What a God! His hands are opened to whomsoever may come. Jesus did not just come for those who were righteous but, He came for those who recognized they were in a bad state and needed to move from that place. Through Jesus, our slate is wiped clean
without us paying the price. “The vilest offender who truly believes that moment from Jesus a pardon received.” The Woman at the Well said “Come see a man” Even though before she met Jesus she lived a sinful life, she was now given an opportunity to salvation, and wanted to share it with everyone.
many times you did it. He is still calling you.
The Tax Collector was seen as a thief but Jesus dinned with him. God has opened the door to forgiveness so that we may enter before its too late. It doesn't matter what you did, or how
Grace that Restores…... “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. ” 2 Cor. 12:9
2 Cor. 12:9: And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Many times as Christians we are confronted with situations that cause us to feel that we can’t over come or we have really lost this time. But the word of God assures us that God’s power is made perfect in
our weakness. This is through grace my friends. When we submit our burdens. “The battle is not ours it is His.” If we let go and let God. How refreshing it is to know that even when you are weak you are presented strong. We have so much to glory about this free gift called grace. When you do an interview for a job one of the most common questions asked is what are your weaknesses. Now having weaknesses don’t automatically
expel you from the desired position but not having a strategy to overcome it does. But here we see where Jesus does the opposite. He covers our weaknesses with grace and where we fall short His perfect strength will be shown. What a Mighty God! It is through this grace that women can walk away from prostitution when they meet God. It is through this grace drug addicts and alcoholics give up their habits. It is not easy to
Volume 1, Issue 2
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Grace the Restores…...cont’d break immoral cycles in the physical , but God can do it just like that. It is also necessary for Christians to be mindful and not judge new members that join the body of Christ by looking at their pasts. They are new creatures and their sins are under the blood of Christ The blood of Christ that was shed on Calvary represents grace in its purest sense. He was the ultimate sacrifice Whose blood covered our sins. “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Ro.3:23. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in
that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Ro.5:8“And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” 1Jn.2:1 Someone may say “I wasn’t around when Christ died, so he didn’t die for me. But history has in itself declared Jesus as the perfect sacrifice that died once and for all. There are the testimonies of many of us who have accepted this free gift of Grace from Christ and know that it works. Through the grace of God we are able to walk away from immoral lives and backgrounds. We are transformed into new creatures in a miraculous way.
I remember seeing a particular lady coming to church and getting saved and it drew in all her children and her husband as they could see the literal transformation in her. I invite you to submit to God today, let him keep and restore your life to one of Glory. We all have a role to play through our testimony. We overcame men, women, drugs etc. We overcome by our testimony. God bless!
Grace is needed in our Christian Walk…... “Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also. I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love. For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not
only to do, but also to be forward a year ago. Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.” 2 Cor. 8:7-11
believe that God saved them and now they are better than everyone else, and hence separate themselves from others, even other Christians. They are blinded to the fact that they are not giving back what they have received. This is like getting a talent and digging a hole and burying it thus it The church was told to abound in doesn’t grow or multiply. grace. It is good to thrive in faith, None of us on our own is perfect. It is utterance, knowledge and love- but through the love of God that we are it is through grace that we will beautified by grace. We must then show these things, Grace is not likewise show this grace by loving and just one sided. Many Christians forgiving others as Christ did for us. take the approach whereby they
Looking Beyond Now– Being encouraged. Sometimes our present needs cause us not to see our future glory! Look beyond your now and see your tomorrow!
Many times we develop a tendency to focus solely on our present situation that we totally ignore the future repercussions to the actions we take in the now. The good ones and the bad ones.
A common scenario is someone spending all their income on a luxury item not fully considering that they wont have anything to eat later. We must count all costs when we make decisions because even the simplest situation can lead to epic failures in our lives. Let’s not get caught up in self gratification, but through
prayer and consecration seek God for direction and purpose. Remember, what we do today affects our tomorrows and no section of our life is in total isolation from the other. Let’s be wise.
The Focus Message:
KERRYKAY PUBLICATIONS
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 Many times we get discouraged by our situations, and it becomes hard for us to see the good that God is doing for us. The Bible gives us numerous examples, but when faced with the challenges of life, it just seems like all we have learned is just a fantasy and not applicable to us. Today I want to declare to you this is not so. God loves you. Your situation is a molder to get you to your finished product.
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We only need to trust God and maintain our integrity, as He always comes through for His people. We should take on the attitude of the three Hebrew boys, who believed that God would save them and even if He didn’t, that He was still God. We all have purposes; however we are not exempt from harsh situations. Christ Himself had to endure hardship to fulfill His purpose: “…Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again…” (Acts 17:3). Some of us, will suffer more than others, but be assured your later shall be greater. Use the lessons that you learn from your negative situations, to make yourself, your environment and those around you better. We are all a work in progress. Everyday is a new day to be better. The Focus of the A Better Me Newsletter is to do just that, encourage through our bad times. Bad times will come as there is a season to everything, but we were born with the ability to overcome such. Be strong and know that God is with you.
Kerry-Ann A. Barrett Photo Credits: Shellie-Ann Anderson
About A Better Me! Is a social arena for young Christians who want to fellowship outside of the traditional church setting. The aim is to create a showground where we can testify, seek prayer and basically have fun together. We not only want to be an online community but a group that reaches each other in everyday life. Add us Facebook by searching: A Better Me and clicking the like button. The A Better Me News Letter is a Kerrykay Publication marketed and Sponsored by Judah House Marketing.