Telling The TRUTH
090812 Telling The Truth 28 Minute Program
[music] You're listening to "Telling the Truth" from Triple T. Christian Youth Ministries, "Telling the Truth to and Through Teenagers." Here is Triple T. Founder and President George Dumes. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ." Jesus didn't pull punches. He was straightforward, and he was explicit. Listen to Matthew 23, 23, New King James Version. "Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, "for you pay tithe of mint, and anise and chlamen, "and have neglected the weightier matters of the law, "justice and mercy and faith. "These you ought to have done without leaving the others undone." What Jesus is saying here is in essence, it's okay to pay attention to the little things. They are important, even though they're just little seeds, little things that are seemingly insignificant. But the big things are justice, and mercy, and faith. Don't leave these out. Put them in the middle of everything else, especially the faith factor. Without faith, it is impossible to please God. God wants us to give to Him. He wants us to give a percentage of everything that comes our way. He wants us to invest our time, our talent, and our treasure. But He wants us to know that putting our faith implicitly in Him is the ultimate gift. So have you done that? Is your faith in the Lord Jesus? Are you sharing your faith with those who don't know Him? If you aren't, you can, and you should. Jesus is not only omnipotent, he is omniscient. He knows everything. Mark 2, 5, New King James Version says, When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven you." Jesus saw faith. You and I can't see faith. We can see the effects of faith. But Jesus saw the faith that people had. So He said, "Your sins are forgiven you to a person in need." God will forgive your sins if you will ask Him. If you will turn to Jesus from your sins. If you will believe on Him with all of your heart. Believe that Jesus Christ is who He says He is. Son of God, God the Son. Now we need to share that story to put our faith into effect by letting other people know that they too can go to heaven if they will trust Jesus. Tell them to admit that they have sinned. To believe, to confess Christ publicly. When we turn to Jesus from our sins, He forgives and He gives eternal life. It's the gift of God. Somebody is waiting for you to tell them. Will you go to them? Will you do it now? Will you tell someone today? Jesus' disciples were perplexed when they watched Him do something remarkable. Listen to Mark 11, 22, New King James. So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God." He went on in verse 23 to talk about mountain moving faith. And then in verse 24, He says, "Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you will receive them and you will have them." It's the faith factor that makes all the difference. And when we put our faith in the Lord Jesus, when we ask, we believe that we are going to receive. Do you have someone that needs to know Him? Are you willing to go to Him or Her and tell them how they can go to Heaven? Are you willing to get other people to pray with you and for you as you go and for the persons or persons with whom you are going to share? When you do this, believing God's Word, wonderful things happen. God will make you usable and use you to impact another person or many persons. It's totally up to you. Is your faith strong, strong enough to tell someone? God loves them. The house was crowded and there was no easy way to get a man who was a paralytic before Jesus except through the roof. So they did it. Luke 5, 20, New King James Version says, "So when He saw their faith, He said to them, "Man, your sins are forgiven you." You see, what we do for others counts for eternity. There are people out there you can help, people who have problems, people who are facing great needs. But when your faith goes into effect and you get others to work with you and pray with you and go with you, the gospel works wonderfully well and it changes hearts and lives and rearranges circumstances. So first of all, pray, believing. And secondly, read the Word of God, believing the Scriptures are true. Thirdly, get other people to work with you. Don't try to do it all by yourself. Fourthly, go. Go with the gospel with friends who are also believers and tell someone the truth. And together, you can make an impact. An impact that will last forever. Will you do this prayerfully, carefully? Will you do it now without hesitation? Someone is waiting for you. Have you known someone who has had all the privileges and powers that anyone could possess and yet was humble? Such a one was a centurion who had a sick servant and he said to have Jesus come and heal his servant. When Jesus got close to his house, he said, "No, Lord, you don't have to come. I am not worthy to have you come into my house. Just say the Word and my servant will be healed." Listen to Jesus' response in Luke 7-9, New King James. When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him and turned around and said to the crowd that followed him, "I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel." So when they went to the house, they found the servant was okay. The healing had happened. When you trust Jesus to do whatever you ask him to do, you don't have to strut your stuff and say, "Look how important I am." But know that he is the Son of God and he is capable of doing anything. What we do need to do is to surrender to him and ask him to do what we know he can do. Is there someone you know who has a need? Ask Jesus and watch him work. Jesus chided his disciples because they did not even offer him something to wash his feet. But woman came in and she anointed his feet with oil and wiped them with her hair and didn't stop kissing his feet and letting him know that she really loved him. God is love. Jesus understood this and he wanted his disciples to know also what she had done. Luke 750, New King James Version says, "Then he said to the woman, 'Your faith has saved you.' Go in peace. Faith in Jesus will save you and your friends and your family and anyone who will trust him. But someone has to tell them the truth. So will you read the Word of God? Will you pray? Will you get other people to pray with you and go with you and then will you tell someone how to get to heaven by trusting Jesus? Tell them to admit they are sinners. Tell them to turn to Jesus from their sins. Tell them to trust him with all of their heart. Tell them to believe that they are going to receive the gift of God eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. Someone is waiting for you. To tell them how to get to heaven. So will you? Mir humans have difficulty understanding the power of God. Jesus was walking and the crowd was surrounding him and he asked a question, "Who touched me?" Woman who had gotten close enough to touch his garment and she wanted him to heal her but she didn't want to be detected. And then she knew she had been found out. And he said to her, "Daughter, be of good cheer. Your faith has made you well. Go in peace." Luke 848, New King James Version. God is willing to help those who reach out to Him. Touch Jesus through your prayers, through your faith, and watch Him do exceedingly abundantly above all that you can ask or think. The Bible tells us this, "But our faith must be intact. We can't doubt. We've got to believe and believe Jesus will hear and answer our prayers. Someone wants you to pray for them. Will you? Someone wants you to tell them the truth of the gospel. Will you go to them? We get other people to pray with you and to have the faith to believe that God's going to make you usable and use you to communicate Christianity to someone who needs to go to Heaven." Every Saturday at 7.27 p.m. You are invited to attend a live youth event at Triple T, 13,000 US-41 North at Booneville and Harmony Road, midway between I-64 and Evansville Regional Airport. Every first Saturday, a good news club for ages 6 to 9 is available in a separate room. For more information, call 812-867-2418 or visit www.tripletchristianyouth.org. Every Saturday night, teenagers and some preteens get together at Triple T. We're located near Evansville, Indiana on US-41 North at Booneville and Harmony Road, just four miles north of Evansville Regional Airport, four miles south of Interstate 64. Since Mary and I returned to the tri-state in mid-December 1965 to establish a Christian Communication Center designed to teach and train talented teenagers to share their faith, it's been an intriguing 46-plus years. During a prayer time at Camp Reveal, the property was claimed. On December 21, the papers were signed and the first steps taken to occupy the initial building. Named the Triple T, telling the truth, there has been a session for teenagers every Saturday night since the doors first opened on February 5, 1966. Every week since, Triple T has been the scene of staff, volunteer staff and teenagers planning, preparing, promoting and producing the Saturday night sessions. Just two teenagers came that first Saturday night but soon the living room was packed to capacity. Next, the basement became the Teenatorium and finally bulged the walls with 400 crowding in one Saturday night. Then the three-car garage became the focal point with kids spilling over into the driveway. Then came 26 Saturdays in a different church auditorium each week. The next summer, it was back to the driveway. Then a Presbyterian gym one winter, a Lutheran gym the next, and a Baptist auditorium the next. A verbal option was taken on the surrounding acreage and on December 18, 1974, that land option was exercised. There were many trials and errors in building plans. By September 1977, I was going through a very thorough self-examination and it seemed like everything was going wrong. But Mary and I took us our life-verse Romans 828 while we were still in high school dating. And we know that all things work together for good, to them that love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. A former staff member, by this time was directing a Youth for Christ rally in Iowa. He invited me to challenge His board and to speak at the Saturday Night rally. The soloist at the rally was Kathy Walters. And when she sang her own composition, "Dreams," the Lord used it to minister directly to me. I left Iowa for Evansville the next day, determined to build the triple T for the glory of God and to continue communicating Christianity to teenagers. Here are the lyrics from the song, Kathy sang that night, "Dreams." When the dreams that you've made seem to crumble and slowly fade and everything seems to go wrong, just remember through Him in your weakness you can be strong. Don't give up on singing your song. Look to God for He cares. He has plans that will take you there to make your dreams come true. Don't give up on your tries. Through your dreams, you will be surprised. Keep dreaming and singing your song. When you pray about dreams and sincerely believe through Him that all things are in His control, then you'll find rest and peace and the happiness within by singing the song in your soul. Through persistence and patience on the part of the architect, Jack H. Kinkle, the executive board and the building committee, David Engel, Jr., H.S. Barger, Lowell Holder, John D. Hearn, Jean McConnell, Jean Coleman, and Wendell Dixon, and myself. Contracts were signed March 22, 1978 to construct the Triple T. Christian Communication Center. The building was dedicated November 4, 1978. Al Metzger, Director of Kansas City's for Christ and President of Youth of Angels Association, was the special guest speaker along with his wife, Vidy. The first Saturday night of every month is called Super Saturday. Outstanding musicians and speakers are provided. And a platform to present the gospel is utilized at Triple T. In between Super Saturdays, there is an event for teenagers every single Saturday evening. But Triple T is more than just Saturday nights. Triple T is churches with young people formerly absent now attending. Once nonchalant teens are now totally involved in Bible believing churches all over. Triple T alumni who accepted Christ or dedicated their lives to the Lord through this ministry are scattered everywhere. Several are now serving as pastors, youth pastors, large and small churches, missionaries, business people, accountants, lawyers, involved in the media and serving the Lord in all kinds of ways. One of those teenagers who came to Triple T one Saturday night after being suspended from school for a few days for fighting had an encounter with Christ. It changed his life. He is now involved with one of the largest local churches in the tri-state. His name, Dave Swambach. He says, "This is to express our gratitude for the ministry of tri-state youth for Christ, Triple T. There is so much to say and yet attempting to form into words what is on our hearts is very difficult. For this ministry has meant so much to us personally. As a teenager, it was hearing George say, "Believing that Christ through me could change the world that made me believe that God could actually use me. Being trained and taught under my parents, the church and George, I began to see Jesus use me." The Lord showed me too, under George's leadership, the ministry for my life, that of reaching, winning and teaching youth. Of course, it was through tri-state youth for Christ, Triple T, that Chris and I met and began dating. I can recall many counseling sessions with George and Mary about Chris and my plans. The direction that we were privileged to give, Dave says, has been spoken repeatedly to teenagers who now come to us with these same questions. Jesus used Triple T to reach me with the message that I too had a job to do in building the kingdom. Chris and I have the ministry of teenagers on our hearts today because of the way our lives were touched by George and Mary. To say thanks is not enough. We respond with praise the Lord for George and Mary dooms. It's my privilege to continue as Executive Director, President of Triple T. Christian Youth Ministries. Mary is still the Executive Secretary. When we built the building, we had two teenagers, Tammy and James. They were very involved in the ministry and they still are as of this moment. Scott Rasko went to coordinate a ministry in Vincennes and Scott is now a pastor in Knox County and is reconnecting in all kinds of ways to work together. Triple T is not limited to the 100 mile radius of Evansville. Triple T has taken tween tours to Washington, D.C. to Texas, to Florida, to Virginia, to the Old South in the summer time to Tennessee, Ohio, Missouri, Michigan, and Florida. It's a wonderful thing to watch God do special things to see people completely committed to Christ in dedicating their lives to Him. A growing group of partners, we now call them Tiger Teammates. Pray and give regularly, form a support base for this ministry. And from these dedicated people come volunteer staff, sponsors, members of the Executive Board, and those who keep the doors open Saturday by Saturday as we reach out to see what God wants us to do next. We're excited because of what God has already done. But more excited now about what He's going to do in the days ahead. With the Apostle Paul, as he stated in 2 Corinthians 10, 13 through 16, New King James Version, but we will not boast beyond measure, but within the limits of the sphere which got appointed us, a sphere reaching even to you. For we are not extending ourselves beyond our sphere as though not reaching you, for we came even to you with the gospel of Christ, not boasting of things beyond measure, that is in other men's labors, but having hoped that as your faith is increased, we shall be greatly enlarged by you in our sphere to preach the gospel to the regions beyond you. If you're a teenager living in 100 miles or so of Evansville, come any Saturday at 727 to triple T. Bring a bunch with you from your school, from your church. If you live beyond this sphere, you too are invited to plan a trip to Evansville some Saturday soon. Meanwhile, write for information on how you can have a vital ministry to teenagers where you are. Stay tuned for the address, the website, and the phone number. We want you to know, even though you're not still a teenager, you can pray, and you can be a tiger teammate. Again, we hope you will. Please stay tuned because we have more information to share with you that I believe you will like. We're excited to share with you the New Life Drama Company. America's leading skit drama ministry will be in the tri-state, September 12-23. The Triple T team, a New Life Drama Company, will be at a different local church facility each evening, and a Triple T, September 15-22, and at local church morning services, September 16-23, the Lord willing. Please pray for doors to open, to host Triple T, the New Life Drama Company, at the right place and right time. On Thursday, September 13, the Sanborn Baptist Church, where Scott Rasko, his pastor, will be hosting the team at 6.27 p.m. We're excited about working again with Scott and the people there. Wonderful things are happening just in the last six months. Scott and the people from his church have gone out to reach people who are on work release, who've been imprisoned, and they have shared the gospel with these people one-on-one, and collectively, and over 100 of them have said yes to Jesus. It was my privilege to speak at Camp Arthur for John DeSanto at a very special event called Commitment Camp. I was the speaker for three Labor Day weekends in a row. And on one of those, a 14-year-old young man named Scott Rasko had come reluctantly. He stayed and listened to the gospel and he gave his heart to Jesus Christ. Later, he would marry one of the very pretty girls from Vincent's Lincoln High School. And together, they moved to Florida where Scott attended Florida Bible College. Then for a while, he was on staff here, established a ministry in Vincent's. And then he joined the army, became a chaplain. His second year at Fort Hood, he prayed that at least one person a week average would come to know Jesus. That year, over 52 did say yes to Christ. The next year, his third year at Fort Hood, he doubled the goal and saw over 104 come to Christ. Then he was in Korea for a year and 152 accepted Jesus there. Then he got transferred to Fort Knox, Kentucky to reach the recruits, to be a chaplain for those brand new soldiers coming into the army. He was there for two and a half years. He continued to share the gospel, the plan of salvation, to admit that you have sinned to believe on Christ to confess him publicly. He asked them to do those things. And during that two and a half years, over 2,500 servicemen, soldiers in Uncle Sam's army said yes to Jesus Christ. Hundreds, after that, spanning from North Carolina, South Carolina, Hawaii, Panama, and other locations, Scott was a soul winner and still is. He's being used of God to reach people for Christ. He's been privileged to write numerous articles and scores of training sessions all across America in the United States Army. He retired as a chaplain, a captain, and is now pastoring a church. But he's also working behind the scenes, front and center, out where people are. And he's put together this tiger team impact advance happening there in Sanborn on the 13th of September. One week later, the teams, the life drama company in Triple T, will be in Mount Carmel, Illinois at the first General Baptist Church, Jim. We're thrilled about the doors. God is opening. We're delighted about where we're going and we're asking God to put us exactly at the right place at the right time. We're also thrilled about what God is going to be doing as we are training more and more teenagers in youth evangelism. The next tiger team training at Triple T begins at 11.30 a.m. Saturday, September 22. You can visit the Triple T website, tttchristianyouth.org for registration and scholarship details. And on the 22nd, it's free pizza following the rally. We hope that you'll be praying with us and for us and prayerfully consider being a tiger teammate. $20 makes you an encourager. $20 a month and enlarger. A hundred dollars or more a month gives you the privilege of being an expander as we reach out to more and more counties, more and more teenagers, more and more youth for Christ. I hope that you'll let us know how we can pray for you. Just write us or call us and we'll be delighted to take your prayer requests directly to the throne of grace. Know this Christ through you can change the world. Every Saturday at 7.27 p.m. You are invited to attend a live youth event at Triple T, 13,000 US 41 North at Booneville and Harmony Road, midway between I-64 and Evansville Regional Airport. Every first Saturday, a good news club for ages 6 to 9 is available in a separate room. For more information call 812-867-2418 or visit www.tripletchristianyouth.org. For your free copy of the "Telling the Truth" newsletter, call 812-8672418, 812-8672418 or write Triple T, 13,000 US 41 North, Evansville, Indiana 47725. Tune in to "Telling the Truth" next week at this same time on this same station. [MUSIC]