Telling The TRUTH
102211 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." Abraham had another conversation with God. This time negotiating down one more time, endeavoring to save Sodom. Listen to Genesis 1831, New King James Version. Then he said, "Indeed now, I have taken upon myself to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty should be found there." And he said, "I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty." God is a just God, and God is always willing to listen to us when we make our petitions known to Him. Have you talked with the Lord lately? Are you concerned about other people? Are all of your prayers about you? Or are they for those for whom you are concerned? What God wants to do is to hear and answer your prayers, and He wants you to go to Him in behalf of others. Will you? I hope you will. I hope that you will be praying with other believers for those people who do not know the Lord. Do you know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior? Have you admitted that you have sinned? Have you believed on Christ? Have you confessed Him publicly? Have you shared and are you sharing your faith now? Will you do that? Will you make certain that you are together with the Lord, and then will you reach out, first praying, and then going with the gospel? Pray with others who are believers and go. Abraham was still burdened and concerned as he approached God one more time. Genesis 18, 32, Nukin James says, and he said, "Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak but once more. Suppose ten should be found there." And he said, "I will not destroy it for the sake of ten." Just ten righteous people, it's what Abraham was asking God to save. And yet, he had not found ten, at least not that Abraham knew. So we find that no matter what we ask God for, He will listen to us if we will put feet on our prayers and if we will do something about our relationship with the Lord. Are you right with God? Are you really in tune with Him? Are you reading God's Word? Are you listening to what God has to say to you? The story of Abraham and God is a true story. It really happened, and all of the Bible is totally true. Read it and heed it and understand that God wants you to have fellowship with other believers and to gather, to go and tell the story of salvation, the plan of redemption to those who are lost, that Christ died for our sins, that He was buried, that He rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures. That's the gospel. Take it and tell it to someone today. Every encounter with God has a beginning and an ending. Listen to Genesis 1833, New King James. So the Lord went His way as soon as He had finished speaking with Abraham, and Abraham returned to His place. There you have it. The departing of the ways of God and Abraham. Abraham had gone to the Lord. He had made his petitions known and now God was leaving. God will never leave you nor forsake you permanently, but sometimes He will distance Himself from you. When you have gone as far as you need to go, then God will take everything into consideration that you have requested from Him. What are you requesting? What do you want God to do for you? Is there something on your heart, someone on your heart? Do you burn with compassion for other people? Are you really, really petitioning the Lord to do something special for someone for whom you are very concerned? I hope so. We can bear one another's burdens, and God wants us to do precisely that. He wants us to have prayer partners, people who also know the Lord, who will listen and carefully, prayerfully talk to God, and then go with the gospel to those people who need to hear the truth about who Jesus Christ really is. What He has done, what He will do. There is someone you can tell. The scene is changing. We've had God and Abraham in conversation, and now something else is taking place. Listen. Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gates of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them, and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground. Genesis 19-1, New King James Version. Yes, another situation is developing. Angels have come, and Lot is seeing them, greeting them, and is about to present an invitation to them. Have you ever seen an angel? I probably have, but didn't know it at the time. I know that God has sent people into my life who have been very special at specific times for specific purposes to help me be more of what I can be, and should be, and want to be, for God's glory. When we involve ourselves in Scripture reading and heating, God hears and answers prayer. Talk with Him. He wants us to be in fellowship with Him, and with other believers. He wants us to be concerned, too, about other people. Are you? For whom are you concerned? Are you reading the Word of God, consistently? Are you talking to the Lord on a regular basis, faithfully sharing your faith? Angels had come to sod them, and Lot met them at the gate. Listen to Genesis 19-2, New King James Version, and he said, "Here now, my lords, please turn in to your servant's house, and spend the night, and wash your feet. Then you may rise early and go on your way," and they said, "No, but we will spend the night in the open square." Lot was concerned, and he was endeavoring to be the congenial host. But there was far more than just being a nice guy. He knew that there were problems lurking in the very atmosphere, and he wanted to protect these angels and bring them into his house. Sometimes you and I entertain angels unaware. We never know what is really going on in the lives and hearts of those persons with whom we come in contact. Sometimes they are friends we have known a long time. Sometimes they are strangers that we have never seen before. But always, God has a purpose in every encounter. God wants you and me to be concerned about other people. He wants us to reach out to them, and to share the love of God with them in a very special way. Do you care about others? I hope you do. I hope that you are praying with people who are Christians. I hope that you are concerned about those who are not. Go with the truth. Light was not only concerned. He was persuasive. Genesis 19.3, New King James says, "But he insisted strongly so they turned into him and entered his house, then he made them a feast and baked unlevered bread, and they ate." Hospitality is a gift and some people have it and some don't. I am so delighted that the wonderful person to whom I have been married for a lot of years has the gift of hospitality. And I am so glad that we have been privileged to entertain a lot of folk across the years of our time together. What about you? Do you reach out to others? Do you care about people? Have you really done something a little bit out of the ordinary? Done the extra mile to be helpful to someone else? I hope you have and I hope you will. And I hope that you will understand that God can make you usable and he can use you in the life of another person if you get concerned and show compassion. Everybody needs the Lord and there are people in your world that you can reach, that no one else can reach quite as effectively as you can. So what will you do about those people? Are you praying for them? Do you have other people that are praying with you? Are you reading God's Word and then are you taking the gospel directly to someone else? Lot was perceptive. He knew that he needed to reach out to the two men who were really angels, who had come to sod them and he was able to persuade them to stay at his house. Genesis 19-4, New King James says, "Now before they lay down the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both old and young, all the people from every quarter surrounded the house." Even before they were able to get tucked in for the night, evil-minded people surrounded that house that night. Know this, Satan lurks in the dark and he wants to destroy even friends of yours. He wants to mess up the lives of people. My compassion is for youth, for those people who are really capable of doing wonderful things for God in the days before them, who right now need our prayers and need to be taught the truth. Do you know someone who is young, who may not know Jesus yet, but who could, if someone would tell them, how they could, by admitting they've sinned, believing unChrist, confessing Him publicly, become members of God's forever family. Go to someone now. 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 Boone Building 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. Harvesting Evangelism, planting, watering, harvesting. He continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him, some 126-6 New King James. Seed time and harvest, sowing and reaping, is a very biblical concept. The word harvest is used a total of 68 times, 55 in the Old Testament and 13 in the New Testament. The first time is Genesis 822, while the earth remains, seed time and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night, shall not cease. The first time in the New Testament is Matthew 9, 36-38. But when he, Jesus, 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 labors into his harvest." Lack of labors was the problem then, and it is the problem today. Jesus' solution, pray the Lord of the harvest to send out labors into his harvest. Lack of labors is the need of the hour today, and the answer is the same, pray. The book "Reaching Youth for Christ" by Tori Johnson and Bob Cook was first distributed in October 1944. At the Chicago Stadium Victory Rally, just 13 weeks after Chicago Land Youth for Christ began. The chapter "Getting Started in Your Town" says the first, second and third things to do in getting started are in the order of their importance, one, pray, two, pray, three, pray. Organization is not the prime factor, as you might suppose. It is important, but more well-intentioned schemes have gone adrift upon the rocks of organizational prayerlessness than anywhere else. Triple T was born through Bible-based prayer power. Again and again, God has heard an answered prayer for over 45 years now. It began in December 1965, praying Joshua 1-7-8-9. "Only be strong and very courageous that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses, my servant, commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. May not commanded you, be strong and of good courage. Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." A few years later, in 1973, Youth of Management Association began by prayer. YEA is a network of ministries to teenagers using a biblical approach in ministry, methods and standards. Each affiliate is locally governed with the right to develop programs of evangelism as God directs, holding high standards of Christian separation, Bible teaching, and victorious Christian lifestyles. Local churches and interdenominational ministries to teenagers affiliated with YEA use a variety of ideas and methods in a constant endeavor to reach teenagers effectively. The plan of salvation and an open invitation to publicly profess personal faith in Jesus Christ is included in public meetings. The inspiration, infallibility, and inerrancy of the Bible as the Word of God is the foundation on which Youth of Management Association is built. Local Bible-believing churches are recognized as God's choice institutions worldwide. Involvement and cooperation with such churches is vital. Prayer has kept YEA going, and the 2011 Convention and Youth Worker Intensive Training started and ended with prayer, with much prayer before the opening session, Tuesday, September 20, and more prayer through and following the climactic event Thursday evening, September 22. The purpose to impact community after community for Christ. The how-to presentations, beginning with evangelism leadership by YEA President Tammy Dooms, provided insights and biblical inspirations. The council delegates elected members for one year, two year and three year terms, and they have elected the officers for 2011-2012, Tammy Dooms President, Bob Bland Vice President, Linda Mahar Secretary, Zach Slater, Treasurer. The 2012 YEA Convention and Youth Worker Intensive Training is scheduled for October at Teen Missions International, Merit Island, Florida, just a little more than a year away. Triple T's hosting the 40th anniversary of YEA is going to be exciting in October of 2013. Each person who attended YEA 2011 will receive a Tiger Team Impact Key Action Packet. It is also being sent and prayerfully implemented in at least 40 states and four Canadian provinces. More than 200 of the hundreds trained at the Lord's Boot Camp this summer made a commitment to get a Bible Club going or growing back at their school following their mission service someplace in the world with Teen Missions International, and/or to have a Tiger Team Impact in their home communities. Triple T and YEA Distinctives from the very outset are one, aggressively evangelistic, two, Bible believing, three, church connected, aggressively evangelistic. After these things, the Lord appointed another seven day also and sent them two by two before his face into every city and place where he himself was about to go. But he said to them, "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out labors into his harvest. Go your way, behold. I send you out as lambs among wolves," Luke 10, 1 through 3, New King James. Evangelism always starts with prayer. Pray for people who need the Lord, all who have not yet believed on the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus followed John 3, 16, the Gospel in a nutshell, with verses 17, and then 18 saying, "He who believes in him is not condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already because he is not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." Evangelism is telling the good news that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures. Due to the work of an evangelist is to share the Gospel personally and/or to bring the person for whom you are concerned to a place where you know he or she will hear the truth clearly presented and be invited to personally believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Just taking someone to church doesn't suffice. It must be a gathering of believers where God's love will be shared concisely and invitation extended to receive the gift of God eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. Bible believing. Jesus shares the harvest principles in Matthew 13, 1 through 52, using several parables. Jesus again speaks on the harvest theme. John 4, 34 through 36, New King James. My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. Do you not say there are still four months and then comes the harvest? Behold I say to you lift up your eyes and look at the fields. They are already white for harvest. And he who reaps receives wages and gathers fruit for eternal life that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. Paul provides several evangelistic insights in 1 Corinthians 3, 6 through 8. I planted a polished watered but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything nor he who waters but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. He is connected, that to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us, to him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end, Amen, Ephesians 3, 2021, New King James. Working with and through pastors, youth workers and concerned Christians affiliated with local churches has always been triple T and YEA Distinctives. April through September 2011, Triple T co-labored with many Tri-State congregations and their pastors and leaders. We've taken teams to minister in 17 of these local church facilities and youth and adults from 43 local churches have attended Triple T events since April. Harvest happenings began Saturday October 1 and are to go through Saturday December 31, New Year's Eve Light the Night. The focus will continue to be communicating Christianity to and through teenagers. Proverbs 6, 6 through 8, New King James paints a picture that should serve as a marvelous motivator. "Go to the aunt, you sluggard. Consider her ways and be wise, which having no captain, overseer, or ruler provides her supplies in the summer and gathers her food at the harvest. When more adult coaches and youth come to Triple T for peer evangelism training, the harvest can be ongoing. Triple T is the Christian Communication Center training and sending gospelizers into all the world. It happens every single Saturday and once a month we have what we call the Tiger Team 3G Challenge. That next one is today. The following verses let us know it's time to get up and get going with the gospel. We then as workers together with him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says in an acceptable time, "I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you. Behold now is the accepted time. Behold now is the day of salvation." 2 Corinthians 6, 1 and 2, New King James. Encouraged by my parents, my pastor, and his wife, and some other very special people as a teenager, I was afforded many opportunities to communicate Christianity. Today, working with some of the world's greatest teenagers, it is an honor and privilege to challenge each one to develop their God-given talents to creatively communicate Christianity. Opportunities are provided every Saturday for youth to be on stage or behind the scenes learning and sharing God's good news with their peers. The very special dynamic of Triple T. Christian Youth Ministries is the constant influx of ten-year-olds entering the ten-year target spectrum and those exiting their teenage years as they celebrate their 20th birthday. The vision? Every youth to hear the gospel with an invitation to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ before turning twenty. The beautiful part of all of this is thousands reached and trained as youth are continuing to communicate Christianity wherever the world God leads them. Now they are involved as witnesses to Jesus in their Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. They are currently in reality world-changers from all walks of life, here, there, and everywhere, investing their time, their talent, their treasure for the glory of God. You can receive keynote online every week real soon. Contact us at Triple T, 13,000 US Highway 41 North, Evansville, Indiana 477-25. When you pray and give the Lord through Triple T. Christian Youth Ministries, you can help keep the harvest happening. I want you to know that former Triple T teenagers, trained as tigers, teens involved, going evangelizing regularly, have responded to the constant challenge and are responding all the time. I want you to know that you have the opportunity to help the harvest possibilities take place. Again, we've said we'll repeat every Saturday at 7.27 p.m. Highway 41 North at Booneville and Harmony Road, four miles north of the airport, four miles south of Interstate 64. November 5th, illusionist John Lewis is coming to Triple T. God willing, and it's going to be free nacho night, an exciting time for all who can come and you are hereby invited. Then on Friday, 11-11-11, at 6.30 p.m. the harvest evangelism dinner, and this is by reservation only. Then on November 12th, the harvest movie, November 19th, 10.30 a.m. through the Tiger Team 3G Challenge happening and the rally that night. November 26th, Thanksgiving celebration with turkey bowling. December 3 will be a very special happening as we get ready for the Christmas season. And then Monday through Friday, December 5, 6, 7, and 8 in Boundsports Outreach in Tri-State Church gyms across the area each evening with Coach Todd Burton and the Triple T teen. And then on December 10, in Bounds at Triple T with Coach Burton. December 17, another Tiger Team 3G Challenge Day, 11.30 a.m. through the rally. December 24, Christmas Eve candlelight, a free gift for everyone. And then December 31, light the night, a lock-in, beginning at 7.27 p.m. on New Year's Eve, a standing to 7.27 a.m. New Year's Day, limit 100. And everybody who comes will be asked to pledge to be at their local church in Sunday School on time on New Year's Day. January 7, an indoor beach party. February 4, Triple T's 46th birthday celebration, and on it goes. We'd like to give you this calendar to get yours free. Just contact me, George Dooms, TTT Christian Youth Ministries, 13,000. That's 1-3-0-0, U.S. Highway 41 North, Evansville, Indiana, 4-7-7, 2-5. And check the website www.ttchristianyouth.org. We're looking forward to hearing from you. We invite you to be a Tiger, Teammate, and to be involved in helping reach youth. 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 U.S. 41 North at Booneville, New Harmony Road, midway between I-64 and Evansville Regional Airport. Every first Saturday a good news club for those in 1st through 5th grades is available in a separate area. For more information call 812-867-2418 or visit www.trippletychristianyouth.org. For your free copy of The Telling the Truth newsletter call 812-867-2418 812-867-2418 or write Triple T, 13,000 U.S. 41 North, Evansville, Indiana, 4-7-7, 2-5. Tune in to Telling the Truth next week at the same time on The same Station. [Music] (dramatic music)