Telling The TRUTH
030312 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 Dooms. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. But be doers of the Word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. James 1.22, New King James Version. To be a doer is necessary to accomplish God's will for your life, and to communicate the gospel to others who need the Lord. It's one thing to hear. It's another thing to heed what you have heard. God's Word is quick and powerful and sharper than a two-edged sword. God wants us to take that sword and to use it for His glory. The sword, of course, is the Word of God. There are people who need to know who Jesus is. God's Word needs to be shared and you can share it. Do you really know the Word of God? Have you memorized Scripture? Do you know Romans 3, 23? Romans 6, 23? John 3, 16? Romans 10, 9, and 10? Those are the biblical nuggets of what we call God's ABCs. Admit you have sinned. Believe on Christ. Confess Him publicly. Be a doer. Learn God's Word. Take God's Word to people who need the Lord. The Bible can be your tool, can be your sword. Have it with you wherever you go and use it. God used people to plant the Scriptures. Listen to James 1, 23, 24, New King James. For if anyone is a hear of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror. For he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. Isn't that intriguing? Have you looked at yourself in the mirror and then forgot some things? Who are you? What are you doing? Are you a doer of what you have heard in the Word of God? There are people who are waiting to hear the truth. But someone like you needs to tell the truth to those folk who need the Lord. You need to fellowship with other believers. Pray together, read God's Word, and then go with the gospel. Do it. God holds you responsible, not just for what you do or do not do, but for what you could do if you would do what you should do. So what should you do? What will you do to bring honor and glory to the Lord Jesus Christ? Pray about it. Think about it. And then do it. Someone is waiting for you to be the doer of the Word. Will you? I hope you will. Now, there is a reward for doing right. Listen to James 1.25, New King James Version. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it and is not a forgetful here but a doer of the Word. This one will be blessed in what he does. There you have it. What you do counts. Read. He'd God's marvelous, changeless Word. People need the Lord. You can be the catalyst. You can be the communicator, the connector. You can be the one to take the gospel to people individually, one by one, and share the good news of the saving power of the Lord Jesus Christ. Have you trusted the Lord? Are you trusting Him today? Are you willing to do His work? If you will, understand that God will bless you in special ways. God wants you to be in fellowship with other believers. He wants you to read His Word. He wants you to talk with Him, to pray, to thank Him for all He has done, for what He is doing. In fact, for what He is doing right now. Connecting us. I'm glad that you've tuned in today because this message is totally biblical. It is straight from God's Word. Do you have a religion or do you have a relationship? Listen to James 1.26, New King James. If anyone among you thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless. Wow, to be useless isn't a good lot in life to have, is it? God wants us to know that He has a plan, a perfect plan, a plan of redemption for everyone who will trust Him, who will admit that He or she has sinned, who will turn to the Lord Jesus Christ, who died, was buried and rose again. And then when we understand that truth, then we can share it effectively, either person to person or even in public settings. God will use His Word. His Word will not return void. We know that when we tell the truth, God blesses. So watch your tongue, bridle it, the Word of God says, and use it to glorify Him. Make certain that your words are pleasing to the Lord. Make sure that you are truthful in all that you say and do. Would you do that? I hope you will. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is to visit orphans and widows in their trouble and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. James 127 to King James. Do you understand what God is saying here? There are some things to do to accomplish His purpose, to visit orphans and widows in their trouble. A wonderful ministry we are involved with is Teen Missions International and the AIDS orphans and street children across Africa. These throwaway kids are being ministered to and nurtured in God's Word. What a thrill it is to know that just by making an investment, we can reach out to people we will never see this side of eternity. People on the other side of the world. God wants us, however, right here where we are, to do what we need to do, to visit orphans and widows in their trouble. Trouble prevails in all kinds of circumstances and situations. So pray. Read the Word of God and then go with the love of Jesus to people who need Him. Will you do that? Do you have some prayer partners who are believers? Are you praying for God's guidance? Listen to James 2-1, New King James. "My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality." What does partiality mean? It means to just have a part of something and not the whole. We need to know that the whole gospel is necessary. The whole Word of God is inspired. And to be a whole Christian, don't be partial. Don't say, "I'll accept this, but I'll reject this." This is okay, but this is not for me. Know that God has a plan for you and He wants you to hear and heed and follow His Word. We are not to hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, in part, but in whole. Will you? Will you share God's glory as gospel with people who need the Lord? Are you praying with other believers? Are you in fellowship? Are you letting the Word of God penetrate your heart? Are you going to people who need the Lord in sharing God's marvelous plan of salvation? His way of redemption with them, telling them who Jesus is and what He will do for them? You can, if you will, be a doer and go. You can't earn your way to heaven. You can't buy salvation. Listen, my beloved brethren. Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? James 2.5, New King James Version. Yes, God is love and we are to love Him. We are to place our faith implicitly, completely, unreservedly in the cross of Jesus Christ. For it was on that cross that Jesus shed His blood to wash away your sins and my sins. There is no other way to heaven than through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Christ died for our sins. He was buried and the wonderful news, the great, glorious story, is that He rose again. Jesus Christ is alive and He wants us to put our faith totally in Him. And then we will be heirs, heirs of God, joint heirs with Jesus Christ. He has promised this in the Scriptures. Do you believe it? What we need to do is to believe it and to share it. Will you? It's your decision. No one will force you. You make the determination. But what wonderful things happen when you do what God wants you to do. 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 those in first through fifth grades is available in a separate area. For more information call 812-867-2418 or visit www.tripletchristianyouth.org. And when Jesus went out, He saw a great multitude and He was moved with compassion for them and healed their sick. When it was evening, His disciples came to Him saying, "This is a deserted place and the hour is already late." Send the multitudes away that they may go to the villages and buy themselves food. But Jesus said to them, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat." And they said to Him, "We have here only five loaves and two fish." He said, "Bring them here to Me." Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples. And the disciples gave to the multitudes. So they all ate and were filled. And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragrance that remained. Now those who had eaten were about 5,000 men besides women and children. Matthew 14, 14 through 21. Multiply your ministry was demonstrated at Triple T last Saturday. Tammy shared Matthew 14, 14 through 21, as I just quoted to you, on the big screen. She used a comedy video of a perplexed Peter and Andrew. She quoted Matthew 15, 29 through 38. That Scripture says, "Jesus departed from there, scurted the sea of Galilee, and went up to the mountain and sat there. Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others. And they laid them down at Jesus' feet, and He healed them. So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel. Now Jesus called His disciples to Himself and said, "I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on their way." Then His disciples said to Him, "Where could we get enough bread in the wilderness to feed such a great multitude?" Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?" And they said seven, and a few little fish. So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground, and He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks, broke them, and gave them to His disciples, and the disciples gave to the multitude. So they all ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets full of fragments that were left. Now those who ate were four thousand men besides women and children, and He sent away the multitude, got into the boat, and came to the region of Magdalia. Four thousand, seven loaves, five hundred and seventy-one pieces each, almost twice as much available. Isn't it great to see how God works? How wonderful things happen when we trust the Lord. We had seven students each place a loaf of bread on the stage Saturday night, and then seven fair share barrels representing the seven baskets left over were placed behind each loaf. Mission possible goes through Hosanna Highway April 5, 6, and 7. The challenge is to have three hundred different people attend during the three evenings. The goal of three hundred was demonstrated by having twenty-two youth and one leader each try to set up twelve chairs in addition to their own. It was interesting, it was intriguing, and it certainly communicated. Cafe Tiger Banana Night is tonight. It'll feature building banana splits. We have special guests coming to next two Saturdays. It'll be Tiger-themed training days, too. March 10, the great trumpeter, Chia's writer, will be back. And March 17, Cowboy Lee Homoke. Pastors and youth leaders are invited for a complimentary key, K-E-Y. Let's keep evangelizing youth action luncheon at their choice of either March 10 or 17. And at 3 p.m. every Saturday, the Hosanna Highway Construction crew, adult coaches and youth, are planning and preparing for Hosanna Highway. In advance of Hosanna Highway at Triple T, April 5, 6, and 7, the Triple T team and guests will be available to go to Tri-State congregations all during March. Please pray for open doors. Hosanna impact April 1, 2, 3, and 4. We'll be events with Lee Homoke in the Triple T team. Sunday, April 1, Faith Bible Church, all in Illinois. Monday, April 2 is still open. Tuesday, April 3, Scott Township, General Baptist, just down the road from Triple T. Wednesday, April 4, Hal, General Baptist on Evansville's West Side. Please pray for these outreaches. And begin praying for fair share, taking teams and tents to Tri-State County Fairs and Street Festivals in July and August. Traveling Tiger Training Camps will be Thursday through Saturday, the first three weekends in June. A team from Teen Missions International is coming for several days, in fact, about three weeks. And then, all of this continues as we thank the Lord for what He has done and what He is doing and what He wants to do. We had a great time on February the 23rd. It was Tammy's birthday, and all of the Loom's family celebrated with her. It was a special evening. Tammy's brother James and his wife Yvonne, Catherine, Bennett, Drennan, and Mailey. They are their children and our grandchildren. And Mary and I had a very pleasant gathering in a Texas atmosphere. We're glad that we have that opportunity from time to time. To have neat things happen. Celebrating birthdays and special occasions can be very meaningful. Since Triple T turned 46, one week after the 2,400 consecutive Saturday, we have been reconnecting with many alumni and special friends. Phone conversations with pastors have been resulting in excellent possibilities. Every time alumni, pastors, youth workers, Triple T board members, tiger teammates, stop by or call, it's very encouraging. Calls from Stan Lambert and alumnus now living in Texas are really uplifting. And by the way, you are invited to come tonight to Triple T for banana split night. You'll see some very comical videos called bananas. And you're also invited. And I want you to write this down, if you will, please. It's a family night. 6.30 Friday, March 16. His writer will be bringing his trumpet. Amokis may also be with us, and it's going to be a delightful evening. And you're invited. We'd like you to see what's happening here. We'd like you to take the tour of the place that here in the building has the whole story of youth evangelism, the continuing story from 1931 to present and projecting forward to 2020 and beyond. Back to the story of the loaves and the fish and the 4,000 being fed. Listen to Matthew 16, 5 through 17. Dumb and his disciples had come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. Can you imagine? Then Jesus said to them, "Take heat and beware of the 11 of the Pharisees and the Sadducees." And they reason among themselves saying, "It is because we have taken no bread." But Jesus being aware of it said to them, "Oh, you of little faith." Why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread? Do you not yet understand or remember the 5 loaves and the 5,000 and how many baskets you took up? Nor the 7 loaves of the 4,000 and how many large baskets you took up? How is it you do not understand that I do not speak to you concerning bread? But to beware of the 11 of the Pharisees and the Sadducees, they then understood that he did not tell them to beware of the 11 of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees. When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah and others Jeremiah are one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon?" "Bargeona, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven." Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them because they were weary and scattered like sheep having no shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest." That's our prayer presently at Triple T Christian Youth Ministries. We need people. Laborers. Adults who will be trained as coaches. Teenagers who will learn the plan of salvation and be trained in pure evangelism and leadership. We hope that you'll be praying and even be with us. You are invited to come tonight 727, Triple T. Stay tuned for more info. Across the years and across the miles, wonderful things happen as we meet people, connect and reconnect over the years. One of my friends that I really learned to appreciate when I was with Youth for Christ International in Wheaton, Illinois. My office was just a table outside of the office of Warren Wiersby because we didn't have room. A new building was in the offing, but meanwhile that's all I had. Warren became my mentor. Warren Wiersby, in case you don't know the name, is the author of the Bee Series, one of the great, great Bible scholars of our day, one of the great Bible teachers and Christian communicators. Warren, as a teenager, walked into a meeting when Billy Graham was speaking way back in the early days of Youth for Christ. In his town in the Hammond, Indiana area, across from Chicago, and that night he heard the gospel, believed on Christ, was born again. Warren then became the editor of Youth for Christ magazine, and I was invited to be the circulation and advertising director. When we moved from Florida to Northern Illinois, Warren was the one that picked me up at the hotel and took me to a meeting with the other staff so that I could get acquainted with them and determine whether they wanted me and whether I wanted to join them. Of course, the answer was yes after lots and lots of prayer and heart searching. Warren has said this, and I want you to listen to this message from him. Tammy shared this Saturday night at Triple T. It takes little imagination to picture the embarrassing plight of the disciples. Here were more than 5,000 hungry people, and they had nothing to feed them. Certain disciples knew that Jesus was powerful enough to meet the need, yet they did not turn to Him for help. Instead, they took inventory of their own food supply, a lad had five barley loaves and two fish, and their limited treasury. When they considered the time evening in the place, a desolate place, they came to the conclusion that nothing could be done to solve the problem. Their counsel to the Lord was, "Send them away." Jesus still has compassion on the hungry multitudes, and He still says to us, "Give them something to eat." How easy it is for us to send people away to make excuses to plead a lack of resources. Jesus asks that we give Him all that we have and let Him use it as He sees fit. A hungry world is feeding on empty substitutes while we deprive them of the bread of life. When we give Christ what we have, we never lose. We always end up with more blessings than when we started. The word translated "baskets" in Matthew 1537 means "a large hamper." It's the same kind of basket that was used to lower Paul over the Damascus wall, as is recorded in Acts 9, 25. The word for basket in Matthew 1420 means "a wicker basket." The kind of person carried with food or other goods in it. Well, I hope that you understand that that really communicates a lot better than some people could do it. And Warren is a great wordsmith, a person who really knows to talk it out and share it effectively. There's a church down in Georgia that has been producing a lot of Christian movies, unbelievable for one local church to do what they've been doing. And they have been doing it very effectively. And Warren Wearsby is the Bible teacher and the mentor for the pastor of that church. Their most recent movie that's been on screens and movie theaters across America is called Courageous. And Warren is the one that really befriends the pastor, encourages him. And he certainly was an encourager to me as we met together every morning for a little break from the office. And Warren would open the Word of God and share it with us. He recommended to me a book by Dr. J.B. Phillips. Your God is too small. How big is your God? Is he big enough to meet your needs? I hope so. We want you to have a copy of the New King James Bible. It's free. It's yours for the asking. All you have to do is come by a triple T and we'll give it to you. Or you can call us or write us. The number to call is Erykod 812-867-2418. Repeat 867-2418. Or you can listen to the end of the broadcast and you can write for your copy. Better still come tonight. Christ through you can change the world. Every Saturday at 727 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 those in first through fifth grades is available in a separate area. For more information call 812-867-2418 or visit www.tripletchristianyouth.org. Or your free copy of the telling the truth newsletter call 812-867-2418 or write Triple T, 13,000 US-41 North, Evansville, Indiana 47725. Tune in to telling the truth next week at the same time on this same station. [Music] (dramatic music)