KERRYKAY PUBLICATIONS
A Better Me Volume 1, Issue 4
Newsletter Date: 18, April 2012
This Time I Will Praise Thee! Add us on Facebook: Kerrykay Publications
Inside this issue:
Holiness Part 4
2
Holiness not a Mere 2 Inheritance We are Complete in HIM
2
We are Complete in HIM
3
Be Happy for the Success of Others
3
Positive Change
3
Many times in our everyday life we have to dig down deep within us and be grateful to God despite. We are sometimes so bombarded with life in general that we feel as if God has forgotten us. This is where a Christian needs to press and thank God for even the very bad things that are happening to us. It may be on the job. There is a level of uncertainty, you have problems with fellow workers , you may be mistreated or maybe you were cheated in your pay. It might even well be that you were really depending on this money. Give God praise. Its easy to praise God when everything is good, but true faith is shown when things get rough. Do we still believe God? Or do we backslide? No, the Christian thing to do is to hold fast to God’s unchanging hand in integrity less we take on the ways of our oppressors. I was going through some issues at work recently, and like many other times I
went to church and the word of God came from the preacher’s mouth directly for me ministering to my situation. I remember these words vividly, “The devil does not want your job, he wants your soul.” This got me to think. Whether or not I’m employed the devil will find tools to get me to stray from the will of God. Your situation might be in a relationship with a spouse, family member or friend. You have done everything possible in your power to fix it and nothing has work. I beg you to “this time praise God.” Leah in competing for the love of Jacob focused her emotions and being around pleasing him. She was married to Jacob seven years before her sister but yet she didn’t conceive. Could it have been that Jacob didn’t want any children with her? Because she was hated, the Lord made her fruitful. One would have thought that when she had the first child that she would have given God the glory.
This was not so. In the first instance the birth of Rueben she acknowledged that God saw her affliction. Her focus was on her situation. In the second instance, at the birth of Simeon- she said because I was hated. She was still focusing on her pity party. She had yet another son Levi, her focus was now on her husband that he would be joined unto her. Something happen when she birthed Judah, she said, “Now will I praise the Lord.”(Gen.29:22) She now found peace and the bible says she left child bearing. Now, her sister whom she was jealous of was now jealous as she was barren and decided to give her handmaid to her husband so as to give him a child. Likewise sometimes our situations seem destitute, and we are blinded by it that we can’t see that through it all, God is blessing us. Let us continue to praise God despite our situations.
Holiness Part 4— Continued from previous issues. Holiness is being sensitive to the Word of God and His move. In St. Luke chapter 13 we read the story of how Jesus had to rebuke the leader of the synagogue, as he objected to Jesus healing the woman on a Sabbath
day. Many times we get so legalistic and simplistic that we don’t listen to hear what God is saying. We take the attitude that we know enough to be saved and it has kept us so far. We then impose it on others because if it is good enough for me, it is good enough for you.
We are so paranoid that we lock our self in a box because anything that seems different is from the devil. Because of this we also shut down great opportunities to minister onto those that need ministering. And we minister in our churches to ourselves. We no longer go out
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A Better Me
Holiness Part 3...cont’d into the world as we were commissioned. We are comfortable with what we have. This might have been the reason why persecution caused the early church to be disbursed from Jerusalem.
in the beginning, where you can know what He expects of you in everyday life. If the Lord were to appear in our rooms tonight as a homeless person, would we know it’s Him? The word says, “My sheep know my voice”(Jn. 10:27). If you are holy- you should know His voice. Let us all pray that we don’t condemn others only to condemn ourselves. “What you do to
But how can we be holy or consecrated to God and not do what we are here to do. Consecrated onto God does not mean you don’t talk to the lease of these- you do it unto me” (Mt.25:45). anyone else. But your relationship with God should be one of constant communication as it was with Adam
Holiness Not a Mere Inheritance In St. Luke Chapter 3:7-14 we see how John had the people to know that they won’t be saved simply because they were children of Abraham. “Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then? He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath
none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise. Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do? And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you. And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.” We have to bear fruits of holiness. How can you be holy and live an evil life? It doesn’t work like that. The bible also warns us, “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are raven-
ing wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.” Matthew 7:15-17 Let us sow in holiness so we can reap good fruits. Let us be kind and fair to others—it is ok to not think only about ourselves all the time. Let us hold to God has he takes us to a Godly inheritance greater than what our natural fathers can give.
We are Complete in HIM…...
“Its All In HIM”
“And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power” Col. 2:10 Where ministry is concerned, God always prepares the people whom He calls. Some individuals will go through formal training which enables them to effectively work within their area of Ministry. Saul/Paul is a perfect example of this. He was perfect for contending the faith
as he was trained in Hebrew doctrine knowing the law inside and out. Other times live experiences are used to transfer knowledge for effectiveness in supreme matters. For example King David was prepared for war from raring sheep.
We are all prepared for our purposes in the way God wants us to be as we are complete in
Him. In Him we live, move and have our being. Whatever our calling is God will ensure that overtime we have all the attributes to carry out our function. Romans 8:28 states that, “all this work together for good to them that love God to them that are the called according to His purpose.” Sometimes we go through trying times, but it is a part of the process to get to where God wants you to be. God has power over every-
Volume 1, Issue 4
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We are Complete In Him…...cont’d thing--- nothing can harm us if He says no. We must submit to His will.
Sometimes the Lord uses that which was our weakness to create waves in the world and bless many. As we overcome by our testimony. But not only that, but when we are weak, if we trust in HIM, His strength is shown. We might not have all the answers, but when the anointing starts working, the Holy Spirit tells and
complete in Him. The man that is in Christ lacks nothing- as the cattle on a thousand hills are His. If we ever as saints get to the place of who the word says we are—we would then fearlessly and boldly carry out the mandate of God. We are complete in Him. No man can operate complete in life without God. Until one has found Christ He is incomplete.
shows us what to say and do. We are
Be Happy for the Success of Others “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”
When others achieve great things we should celebrate with them rather than be jealous. Christians are not called to envy and jealousy. So let go of all forms of covetousness. As we are admonished in the word of
God we ought to be “content with such as we have,”(he.13:5), this is because the Lord will always be there to provide for us. In this we will truly know and understand that God is our helper and are less likely to be bribed into immoral activities. My prayer today is that I learn to be content and praise God in whatever my situation thereby proving my faith in God. When God miraculously provides, I will vividly see the invisible God. Thank you Lord for your loving kindness.
Positive Change…. “Many times we hurt and cry as we go through different situations not knowing that God is using it to give us a platform to create positive change. A church sister that went through teenage pregnancy is a perfect teacher for teenage girls to not engage in sexual activity. The same can be done with individuals that were murders, drug addicts and prostitutes. There is also another aspect, your situation might be to
bring about some greater good. Joseph was sold by his brothers so that he could later save them. Lazarus died to show forth a great miracle. Jesus died on the cross to save us. Be encouraged despite your situation. I look around and I see people just getting sick around me. Sometimes when they cry I feel so powerless because only God can stop their pain. I have heard countless testimonies of how people were healed in miraculous
ways so I known that God can do it. It’s a matter of us trusting Him. David called it right in Ps.57:1, when he stated that we can make God our refuge, He will become our strength and whatsoever the weakness or sickness we have we can then overcome in HIM. Many of the turmoil that enter our lives – are there that we can impact the world in a very positive way.
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.