A SONG OF LOVEA SONG OF LOVEA SONG OF LOVEA SONG OF LOVE Psalm 92

The Lily of the Valley

In Gratitude,In Gratitude,In Gratitude,In Gratitude, Honor and MemoryHonor and MemoryHonor and MemoryHonor and Memory

OOOOffff MothersMothersMothersMothers

And And And And AAAAll Wll Wll Wll Women, omen, omen, omen, Uniquely designed by God!Uniquely designed by God!Uniquely designed by God!Uniquely designed by God!

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The Best of Greetings!

At dawn on the first day of the week,

Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went

to look at the tomb. But instead of grieving for Jesus, they became participants in an amazing, life-changing event!

There was a violent earthquake, for

an angel of the Lord came down from

heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back

the stone and sat on it. His appearance was

like lightning, and his clothes were white

as snow. The guards were so afraid of him

that they shook and became like dead men.

God’s angel calmed the women’s fears and assured them of Jesus resurrection…I know you are looking for

Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here;

he has risen, just as he said. Come and see

the place where he lay. Then go quickly

and tell his disciples: He has risen from the

dead and is going ahead of you into

Galilee. There you will see him. Now I have

told you.

God entrusted this incomparable announcement to Mary and Mary Magdalene - a message which not only

changed their lives, but the eternal existence of millions of other individuals throughout the centuries!

As they happily ran to tell the disciples the angel’s words, suddenly

Jesus met them with this welcome:

GREETINGS!

Contents:

In His Own Time…………....…......2

Don’t Waste the Blessings ..……… 3

Poem by Byrum…………….....…...4

When Time Ends..…………......5,6,7

I Love My Family…………………7

*Volume 79 *No. 05 *Published by Christian Triumph Co. *Permit # 695 * MAY 2015

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Continued from Page 1: THE BEST OF GREETINGS!

Other translations read:

Good Morning! (TLB)

Rejoice! (NKJV) Greetings! (NCV)

The terrifying nights were over!

The beautiful morning had come! And Jesus was alive!

[Mary and Mary Magdalene] came

to him, clasped his feet and worshipped

him. Then Jesus said to them, Do not be

afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to

Galilee; there they will see me.

It was God’s point in time – then - as it is TODAY, to spread the Good News of His Amazing Grace: therefore, there is

now no condemnation for those who are in

Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1 (NIV)

Every unique woman, child, teen or man is immeasurably precious to God and is invited into His Presence. – the

same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses

all who call on him – (Romans 10:12)

Editor: This above article was inspired by a late

night call from a young woman to whom God had

revealed His Presence, His message and His Peace. (Scriptures from Matthew 28 are found in NIV The Living

Insights Study Bible Charles R. Swindoll General Editor)

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IN HIS OWN TIME

AmaryllisAmaryllisAmaryllisAmaryllis

By Anita

We have some Amaryllis bulbs that we enjoy;

most are red, but one was red and white striped.

The House Plant book warns that parts of the

Amaryllis plant are poisonous.

The bulbs require a very bright, warm

place to grow. With patience, care and time,

clusters of glorious huge trumpet-shaped flowers

in warm colors make a dramatic sight.

The bulbs may be unattractive, and with

first planting, half of the bulbs must show above

the soil, but given a little time, the tiny blade-like

leaf begins to emerge and more appear as time

goes by, becoming very long, even reaching over

2 feet.

Another stub that emerges is somewhat

thicker, and as it grows, it has a more round-like

portion upon which the flower pod forms; then a

small bulge begins to form on the end – a slight

crack appears on the pod, eventually opening with bits of the flower showing. A little more

time and the bloom is in full view! What an enjoyable experience to watch

the changes as the unattractive bulb eventually

sends up beautiful long stems, then adds to this

the stalk that holds the adorable flower.

How we can liken our lives to this growth

pattern! Though unlike the flower that fades,

every human being can choose to go to God’s

Heavenly Home where eternal existence will be

enjoyed forever by those who accept God’s plan

of salvation.

Whoever calls on the name of the Lord

shall be saved. Romans 10:13

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Don’t Waste the Blessings

By Pastor Israel Hernandez

1 Timothy 4:12 (ESV) Let no one despise

you for your youth, but set the believers an

example in speech, in conduct, in love, in

faith, in purity.

Hebrews 2:3 (ESV) How shall we escape if

we neglect such a great salvation? It was

declared at first by the Lord, and it was

attested to us by those who heard.

On February 8th, my wife and I traveled to the town of Zacapu in the state of Michoacán, Mexico, with the goal of attending the graduation of 27 students of Christian Triumph’s correspondence Bible course.

But I was saddened to see the

pastors of a church where I once was pastor for two months. Pastor Abel and his wife Elena were bed ridden. A sudden sickness had left Abel without use of his left leg and arm, and without the ability to speak. He was able to communicate

with me in writing. One month after Abel’s illness, Elena was struck by the same illness. Her right side is paralyzed, but thank God, she is able to speak. They are just 56 and 62 years old—which seems young to me. They have been taking medicines and undergoing therapy

for six months, but they are still not well. Seeing this need, I want to return

and help to organize their church, the Church of Sharon. They have suspended Sunday school and other activities, including for a time, the graduation of

those correspondence course students. If God permits, we hope to return to Michoacán after the inauguration of the

new Christian Triumph church building in Corpus Christi, scheduled for the July 4

th weekend. We ask that you pray for

Able and Elena Hernandez. Seeing their

situation makes me really want to take advantage of my time, money and my youth—although I am already up in years. I can say that God has taken care of me until now—I was saved at age 16, and I gave my youth to God and to my

family. Not everything in Mexico was

sadness though. I also met a young couple with a little boy and a little girl, a pastor of the Congregational Church where I attended for some years. This couple wants to plant a church from ground

zero, and they have the call and desire to work for God. They are helping the pastors who are ill in Zacapu, but their desire is to plant new churches in Michoacán. A family has placed in my hands a property in another city and

plans to build a church with a parsonage; and with the help of this family, the project will advance. We are just praying for God to supply the materials and we will begin after the inauguration of the church in Corpus Christi.

Please pray for us, for God to give us strength and supply our needs. Dear readers, I leave you with these words:

Don’t waste your time,

your youth or your money.

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Editor: Deciding how to live one’s life is a

challenge. How do I make good decisions is a question asked by many throughout the centuries. Thankfully, in 2015, there continues to be an interest in personal identity, purpose and self-worth. P4

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The Spirit of God assures us of guidance for answers needed. In fact, a sincere heart which communicates often with The Creator opens wide the door to His

supreme wisdom based on His Word. And yet, there are adults - who as

children and teens - grew up, abused and disrespected, even by religious persons. How difficult it would be to then trust anyone! Consequently, making wise

choices, even though hearing about God’s love, often requires professional or Christian counseling, learning from one’s mistakes or, at times, God’s direct intervention.

Communication with God is offered to each of us because of Jesus’ sacrifice on

the Cross for our sins. The following scripture describes the Glory of that gift, through the New Covenant in 2 Corinthians 3: Even to this day when

Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts.

But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the

veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the

Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is,

there is freedom…. God’s desire is to “free us” while

blessing us with a unique relationship, created in love as He heals and restores

us: And we, who with unveiled faces all

reflect the Lord’s Glory, are being

transformed into his likeness…2 Cor.3 God knows every single thing about

us, and He longs to help us discover our God-given identity. He wants to help us make the best decisions which will then

empower our wonderful purpose on this earth. Editor - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Psalm 118:1-4, Thank GOD because he’s

good, because his love never quits. Tell the

world, Israel, “His love never quits.” The MESSAGE

Who Am I?Who Am I?Who Am I?Who Am I?

YOU CAN'T BE SOMEBODY ELSE

There's nobody else who is quite like you,

So to your own self you need to be true.

You have no need to be somebody else—

Don't put yourself aside on a dusty shelf.

If there's somebody else whom you admire,

And by whom you may have been inspired,

Tho' some of his traits, you could acquire,

To be exactly like that person, don't aspire.

No two people are ever exactly the same—

Even if they’re twins or have the same name.

You must live your life within your own skin,

Even if you have developed a double chin.

Your real self you might prefer to smother,

And some things you wish you could cover;

But all such efforts, in the end, are in vain—

And from trying to do so, you should refrain.

You must live your life one day at a time,

Realizing you can’t always stay at your prime.

The years that are gone you can never recover,

But that, for yourself, you’ll one day discover.

Some things I've learned in ninety-six years,

Byrum C. Lee, Sr., 02/19/2015

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Editor’s note:

The accompanying article, “When Time Ends and Eternity Begins,” is a reprint of a manuscript of the personal experiences

of Pastor Byrum Lee, delivered to his church following the death of his wife, Genevieve, in June of 1977. It was made available at that time, to his congregation, family and friends, and was recently sent to Christian Triumph by Judy Chesnut,

with the belief that its publication would be beneficial to the readers of the Faith

Messenger. It is reprinted here, with the consent of Pastor Lee. Not yet established at the time of this message, a memorial school in honor of Genevieve Lee was constructed in Managua, Nicaragua in

January of 1978.

WHEN TIME ENDS AND ETERNITY BEGINS

(A message delivered by Pastor Byrum C.

Lee to the Midwest City Church of God Sunday morning, July 10, 1977, copies of which are provided to the church and to friends across the country.) This is my first message to the

church since the death of my dear wife, Genevieve, on June 24, and my first communication with many others by mail, some of you learning for the first time of her death. You, and hundreds of others, have been so kind to my family and to me since her death, even as you were to her

during her many months of suffering, which is over now. For, she is in the presence of her beloved Jesus, and is, as she said, “free.” Although Genevieve endured much pain, she did so with dignity and patience.

Her spirit throughout her long illness was

an unfailing inspiration to all who knew her. She had known for nearly six years that the disease which ravaged her body was life-threatening, yet she never gave

up hope. Life was precious to her. While she knew that God could heal, if it was within His plan for her and us, she knew also that He doesn’t always choose to heal. She often spoke of others whom she considered more useful than herself who

were not healed, and she did not expect any special privileges for herself. For the last several months, she was concerned about being a burden to those who cared for her and felt that her life was of small benefit, afflicted as she was. She never quite realized just how much she helped

others throughout her lifetime, and even during her illness and death. Although she was genuinely concerned about becoming a burden, let me assure you that it is no burden to care for someone you love. And God undoubtedly provides

special strength to those who serve them who cannot help themselves. Because, God only knows why, her life was spared for as long as it was, even to the continual amazement of the medical profession who unhesitatingly

called it a miracle, she bore a beautiful witness to scores of people which, I pray, will bring forth fruit for eternity. Many of us can never be same again. This is particularly true for those of us who were privileged to be near her during her last twenty-four hours. For the presence of

Jesus was so close and precious to her, as she talked with Him more than to us, that it made Him more real to us also. She wanted someone to hold her hand, and most of the time, two of us were sitting beside her, holding her hands. A few

hours before her death, as I sat with her

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hand in mine, she said, “Jesus, I’m ready to go with you. Take my hand and lead me… and take care of my family.” On another occasion as death

seemed near, our daughter Barbara, and nurse Wylodean Kimsey both witnessed to hearing what could only be described as heavenly music. Wylodean heard it first as she bent down to check her vital signs with her stethoscope. What she

heard startled her. Then, as she rose up, the sound began to come through to Barbara who was holding her mother’s hand. It was like an ensemble of trumpets, at times, growing stronger, and then fading as she seemed to hover between life and death. It was during this

time that they heard her say clearly, “I just died; I’m free!” after which she was completely relaxed. Although she lived a few hours longer, it seemed that the spirit was ready to depart but the body wouldn’t give up. But for those last hours

she was as much a part of eternity as she was of time. Never one to seek the easy way, many times during her illness she commented about how she didn’t want to cop out if God had a further purpose for

her here. And she had so hoped to live to see Byrum, Jr. and Lynn’s baby, a little girl, whom they named Brenan, born July 3, just a few days after Genevieve’s death. The fear of copping out must have been on her mind during those last hours when she was heard to say, “Jesus, forgive me

for ending time.” Although time continues for you and me, for her it was being swallowed up in eternity. As I have mused on her mention of “ending time” these words come to mind: “When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound and time shall be

no more, and the morning breaks eternal

bright and fair…” I think the song writer was anticipating the same transition from time to eternity which Genevieve experienced, with the angelic trumpets

heralding her entrance to the heavenly portals where night is swallowed up into eternal day. Were the experiences which accompanied Genevieve’s death unique? Probably, only to the extent that rather

than dying at the hospital, she was at home among those she loved, and who were united with her in spirit. And because she was without medication, her mind was clear. She always had a fear of taking so much medication for pain that it would cloud her mind, and chose to bear

pain as much as possible rather than to have her mind confused. But of even greater significance, Christ was with her to the end. We rejoice in her victorious death. And though she is no longer with us in the flesh, her spirit remains with us,

and we are not left without her sweet and gentle influence. Someone once said, “So live that when the time comes for you to die, all you have to do is die.” It would be impossible for me to overemphasize the

importance of this admonition. For the way each of us dies is no accident. Not that the immediate cause of death is necessarily providential. But it ought not to be expected that those who have lived like the devil will die like saints. By our own choices, usually made early in life, we

determine what our reception into eternity will be. Not to make early preparation to die in the Lord is the greatest folly any man will ever make. Those who take Christ as their Savior and Lord have the assurance that when time

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ends for them, they will have a Friend to welcome them home. Whether time for any one of us will be short or long, time is surely passing

away for us all. Let me call to your attention the words of St. Paul in II Corinthians 4:16-18, 5:1, “But though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction which is but for a moment,

worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. For we know that if our earthly house of this

tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” For the Apostle, for Genevieve, and for myriads of others in between, their afflictions, whether heavy or light, are

past. And even though while going through them it may have seemed they would never end, now it seems they were for just a moment as “death is swallowed up in victory.” Hallelujah! Of greater importance now is the

continuance of time for us, accompanied as it is by sorrows and joys, trials, afflictions, defeats and victories. Time didn’t end for us when it did for Genevieve. But time for each of us is swiftly passing, and the manner in which we face life day by day will pretty much

determine our own destiny when time ends and eternity begins. If you trust Jesus as your Savior and serve Him faithfully, you too can be assured of a royal welcome into eternity. Yes, the pearly gates will open wide for

you as they did for her. By God’s grace, I

expect to join her some day. And I pray that you will make whatever decisions may be necessary in your life to do the same.

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I LOVE MY FAMILY

By Donna

When I was in my early teens, one Sunday after dinner at the grandparents’ house, I was a little sore about not being able to spend that day with my friends. I told my grandmother in a very sincere,

inoffensive manner, “I love my friends more than my family.” I really felt that way and for some years, I believed it. I think it is normal for a young person to prefer to be with people her own age over spending time with her parents and siblings. But those words haunt me now

and I hope never to hear them from my own daughter.

A few decades later, friends have come and gone but who is still in my life? Who is there for me in the worst of times? My family. I have two wonderful friendships outside my family that have

lasted about 20 years. I know what a true friend is and the unique and essential role they play as well.

Lucky for us, we don’t have to choose between friends or family. We can have and love them both. There may be more times now that we prefer friends over family, but a time for appreciating

family is coming around some day soon. Grab the opportunity to spend quality time with both.

Hold this thought: I love my family!

By author, Donna Schillinger: ON MY OWN NOW

Straight talk from the Proverbs for young Christian

Women. (Page 14)

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