Telling The TRUTH
100811 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, do you have the gift of hospitality?" Abraham did. Some men visited him. Now listen as he sends them on their way. Genesis 1816, New King James. And the men rose from there and looked towards Sodom, and Abraham went with them to send them on their way. See them to the door, bid them adieu, and pray for anybody that comes across your threshold. Note that God does not make mistakes. He connects people, and there are people that are coming your way some day soon. Maybe today, maybe tomorrow, but someone is coming who needs to know you care. Someone is coming who needs the Lord. Someone is coming that you can help spend eternity with God. Will you? Are you praying? Are you reading the Word of God? Are you in fellowship with other believers? And are you really praying that God will make you usable and use you to reach out to those in your world who need to know him? I hope you are. I hope you will. I hope that everything that happens in your heart and in your life in your circumstance will bring honor and glory and praise to the Lord Jesus. And the Lord said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing? Since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him." Genesis 18, 17 and 18, New King James Version. What do you think? Actually, God was probably a little bit perturbed because he had shared with Abraham the wonderful blessing that was going to come very shortly. And when Sarah heard it, she laughed. God wants us to know that when he promises something, he will fulfill the promise. God has promised to every one of us that life will last forever if we admit we have sinned. Turn to Jesus Christ from our sins, believe in the Lord Jesus and confess with our mouth that we believe in our heart that God did indeed raise Jesus from the dead. The gospel needs to be shared. The message needs to be heard and there are people who could heed it if they could hear it. Will you be the truth teller to someone real soon? Will you take God's glorious gospel from its hiding place in your heart and tell someone Jesus saves? Who are you concerned about? Then go now and tell them. When God reveals his plans, there are procedures that need to be followed. Listen to Genesis 18-19 to King James. For I have known him in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord to do righteousness and justice that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has spoken to him. Yes, God really has divinely designed plans and procedures for you and for me. Maybe not that it agreed that he did for Abraham, but certainly with precision. What will you do with Jesus who is called the Christ? Will you acknowledge him? Will you lift him high? Will you tell other people that he died for them, that he was buried, that he rose again on the third day, and he is now living at the right hand of God the Father? That he will take our prayers when we pray in Jesus' name, directly to the throne of grace, and we can have our prayers answered because of the price that Jesus paid. Pray for people, and then tell them the truth. Make certain that you are approaching God with reverence and that you end every single request in Jesus' name. And the Lord said, "Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, because their sin is very grievous." Genesis 1820, New King James Version. When God is disgusted, after disappointment, then he goes into action. Sodom and Gomorrah had done things that displeased the Lord. Oh, not the cities, but the people in the cities, and so destruction was going to come. Know that you cannot outsmart God. You cannot sin and win. God will always be the victor, so it becomes your real opportunity to get in tune with Him. It's the smart thing to do. It's the wise thing to do, to stop sinning and start serving the Savior. Jesus loves you. God cares about you, and God wants you to have compassion for people who really need to get right with God. Will you pray and then share? Only you can determine what you should do. So what is it? Are you willing? Are you ready? When will you go? To whom will you go? Rumors were flying, but the story is true. Listen to Genesis 1821, New King James Version, as God speaks. I will go down now and see whether they have done all together according to the outcry against it that has come to me, and if not, I will know. The most sinful people imaginable were inhabiting Sodom and Gomorrah, but God knew what was going on. You cannot, under any circumstance ever, hide your sins from God. God is all knowing. God is omniscient. God is omnipotent. He has the power to do whatever he wants, whenever he needs to do something. Fear God. Understand how awesome he is, but understand he really loves you. And he sent Jesus to die for your sins and mine. And if we will trust him, we will live forever. Have you trusted him personally? Have you told others you believe? If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. With the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made to salvation. Then the men turned away from there and went towards Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord. Genesis 18, 22, New King James Version. Stand fast. Don't yield the temptation, and don't move in the wrong direction. Make certain that your heart is in tune with God. Pray. Ask God to show you his will. Read God's Word to discover his will. Fellowship with other believers, and together go. Accomplishing the purpose that God has set before you. Know that people are waiting to hear the truth, to know how much God cares. That he loves him implicitly, without reservation, so much so that he allowed his son, his only begotten son, the Lord Jesus Christ to die, to be buried, and to rise again. That's the gospel. You need to tell people how much God cares for them. Will you go today? Someone is waiting. Who is it? whom you know? Who needs the Lord? Are you praying? Are you willing to go? Will you go now? Sodom and Gomorrah were about to be destroyed. And Abraham was aware of what could happen, so he began to make a plan. Listen, Abraham came near and said, "Would you also destroy the righteous with the wicked?" Genesis 1823, New King James Version. There is always someone out there to plead your cause. Someone who cares, and Abraham was a very caring person. Abraham had been chosen by God to do something absolutely astonishing. He was going to be the father of many nations. Abraham was going to go the way God would have him to go. But he was also going to do his best to try to defend and protect the people who loved the Lord. Some are lost, and some are saved. How about you? How about your family? How about your friends? How about your neighbors? How about your classmates? How about your fellow workers? Are they saved? Will they spend forever with God? Have you told them how to go to heaven? If you haven't, who will? If you don't do it today, when will you? 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 in 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. Seek God's will, but seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Matthew 633. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise as some count slackness, but is long-suffering toward us. Not willing that any should perish, but that all should come through repentance. 2 Peter 3.9. Flashback. 1941. 1950. My family served as leaders in our local church. My granddad was deacon chairman and Sunday school superintendent. My dad was a deacon and Sunday school teacher. My mother and double aunt were Sunday school teachers, and my double uncle was church custodian and head usher. Because of their involvement, our family began getting a little monthly magazine called The Sunday School Promoter, later shortened to Sunday magazine. The articles and information opened new insights and inspired me. I got more and more excited about serving the Lord. Jack Wertzen took a page from Percy Crawford's book and began using radio. By October 25, 1941, Wertzen was ready to conduct a live radio rally from the Christian Missionary Alliance, Tabernacle, from Times Square, New York. After 13 weeks, they moved to a victory rally in a much larger auditorium for one special night. Two Christian Missionary Alliance pastors caught the vision for their cities. Roger Mallsbury was first in Indianapolis to call it Youth for Christ. It was May 1943. Dick Harvey followed in St. Louis in February 1944. And on June 19, 1943, Al and Vidy Metzger began a Saturday night ministry in Kansas City. They called Singspiration, the forerunner to Kansas City Youth for Christ. George Beverly Shea, who witnessed first-hands the beginnings and effectiveness of Jack Wertzen's Youth Ministry in New York, had a burden and desire to see a similar ministry develop in Chicago. From his vantage point on the WMBI staff, he was told that Torrey Johnson, pastor of Midwest Bible Church, was the man for the job. Shea kept approaching Johnson but seemingly to no avail. Too busy Torrey kept saying, but providentially, Bev Shea, Doug Fisher, and Torrey Johnson were all invited to Kansas City for a youth rally. On the train back to Chicago, Torrey said, "Yes, he would try to get something going in Chicago." When I became a teenager, the scripture press monthly publication Sunday began a weekly Sunday school paper called Power. The stories, especially personality portraits, introduced me via the printed page to the movers and shakers in the evangelical world. Articles included, "Singing I Go," the George Beverly Shea story, the grand old man of fundamentalism about Dr. W. B. Riley, the Jim Rayburn young life story, young man on fire about Torrey Johnson, and the story of some military pilot's dream to use small airplanes to transport missionaries in a remote jungle locations. On April 1, 1944, Jack Wurtson moved his "Word of Life, Youth for Christ" rally and live radio broadcast of Madison Square Garden. It electrified the evangelical world. According to Mel Johnson in his book, "Youth for Christ, 20th Century Wonder," following Wurtson's Madison Square Garden rally, the results were stupendous. No less than 20,000 young people came to the garden for the rally April 1, 1944, and about 10,000 were turned away. News of the rally spread like wildfire, and vision-filled Wurtson found himself deluged with inquiries in regard to starting a rally similar to his. The Lord used this great rally to awaken youth leaders in all parts of the land to the possibility of establishing a powerful youth evangelism program. Larson says, "The general moral life of the world in the 1940s was at a tremendously low ebb. Moral decadence was visible on every hand and even touched to a small extent the sturdy confines of rural life. Conditions in the armed forces did not tend to improve men morally. Liquor flowed freely on all fronts, home and abroad, and in degrading spirit we don't care about anything seeped into the lives of many professing Christians. This hampered the effectiveness of the Church. These lamentable conditions were a matter of concern for leaders around the world. Unless there is a moral regeneration throughout the whole world, there is no hope for mankind, so general Dwight Eisenhower, into such a situation came Youth for Christ. At the National Association of Evangelicals Convention in Columbus, Ohio, in April 1944, Torrey Johnson got glowing reports from Salisbury in Indianapolis and Harvey in St. Louis. Youth for Christ is going great in both our towns. From Ohio on April 13, Torrey called Doug Fisher on the WMBI staff in Chicago and said, "Doug, turn in your notice to Moody and get ready to go full-time in a couple of weeks." It was at that very same NAE convention that the National Religious Broadcasters began, and Torrey was involved in that also. The last Saturday of April 1944, George Wilson, produced the first packed singspiration at the 3,000-seat First Baptist Church in Minneapolis. Torrey Johnson, in town to speak at another church, visited the rally and stood in the back amazed. On May 27, 1944, Torrey, Doug, and others began their first 13 weeks of Chicago Land Youth for Christ rallies at the 3,000-seat Orchestra Hall. The speaker for that initial rally was Billy Graham, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Western Springs, Illinois. Billy had taken over songs in the night Sunday evening radio broadcast from Torrey and began calling his church the Village Church of Western Springs. In fact, it was Torrey who recommended Billy as pastor to Robert C. Van Campen, businessman and leader in the church. That first Chicago Land Youth for Christ rally was the largest crowd Billy Graham had addressed up to that time. Wertzen, Mallsbury and Johnson were flooded with letters from interested people everywhere. Roger Mallsbury was invited to speak at Winona Lake that summer by Arthur W. McKee, director. They hosted several Youth for Christ leaders informally. They agreed to meet again in Detroit in November. The month before, October 1944, Chicago Land Youth for Christ sponsored a rally at the Chicago Stadium. 30,000 people attended, again, news spread nationally. The book "Reaching Youth for Christ" by Torrey Johnson and Bob Cook, published by Moody Press, was first distributed at the October Chicago Stadium rally. The chapter "Getting Started in Your Town" says, "The first, second, third things to do in getting started are in order of their importance." One, pray. Two, pray. Three, pray. Organization is not the prime factor as you might suppose. It is a important matter, but more well-intentioned schemes have gone adrift upon the rocks of organizational, prayerlessness than anywhere else. At the Detroit meeting in November, Torrey Johnson was named temporary chairman of a conference to be held back at Winona Lake in July 1945. The decision was made for correspondence to go to Torrey Johnson, and he was to set up a temporary office in Chicago, February 1, 1945, until the forthcoming Winona Lake Convention. In his autobiography "Just as I Am," Billy Graham says, "Other 79th Youth for Christ rallies were springing up, and I was asked to go." When I filled in for Torrey Johnson on short notice in Detroit, I took my very first plane ride. Billy had been accepted into the Army chaplaincy program, but was three pounds under weight. Then in September 1944, he got the mumps on both sides that turned into serious illness. A radio listener sent $100 to finance a recovery vacation in Florida in December. He and Ruth stayed in an inexpensive hotel in Miami. Torrey Johnson and his family were staying in another hotel on the same street. Torrey took Billy fishing and explained the idea that he had been chewing on for weeks. The early success of Chicago and Youth for Christ had accelerated his dream. During the war, Torrey told Billy, servicemen and women on weekend leave from their bases often went for a fling in nearby cities. Many Christians wanted to give them an alternative to the taverns and honky tonks. Saturday night youth rallies had begun in several cities, independent of each other, large crowds gathered. Exciting gospel music, interesting testimonies, and short youth-oriented sermons were utilized. Thousands of lonely, insecure, and frightened teenagers and young adults attended. Billy writes, "As we sat in the boat, Torrey began selling me on his blueprint for evangelism and my part in it. He wanted to help organize youth rallies throughout the United States, Canada, and eventually the world. He planned to call the movement Youth for Christ International. I almost immediately agreed with him that this plan was of God. Stay tuned as this fascinating story continues to develop and present what God has done is doing now and can do in the future for you and others who love little. In his autobiography, Just as I Am, Billy Graham writes, "But how could I say yes to Torrey Johnson?" In an informal way, independent Youth for Christ groups were already flourishing. Roger Mallsbury had charge of the group in Indianapolis. Walter Smith was coordinating in Philadelphia. George Wilson was responsible in Minneapolis and Jack Wertzen handled New York. You could hear him on radio opening with the words "from Times Square." "But there was no real coordination among these groups," said Torrey. Jack had sprung up independent of each other and were only loosely connected. Torrey wanted to bring them together and have a national organization with lots of affiliates. I think you're the man to be our first full-time employee, Torrey Challenge Billy. Would you pray about becoming our national and international organizer? As 1945 began, Billy Graham became the first staff member of what was to be called Youth for Christ International. He was soon preaching all over the Midwest and even went to Atlanta, Jackson, Mississippi, and Norfolk, Virginia. Billy explained, "At that time, the military had priority on everything. To civilians like us, planes were available only on a standby basis." A very generous businessman, Mr. Walter Block of Kenosha, Wisconsin gave an air travel card to Torrey and one to me. "As long as I was with Youth for Christ, I had that card and could charge a ticket to his account. Sometimes I traveled by air, but mostly I went by Greyhound bus or by train. Because the railroads gave clergy of all denominations, half-priced tickets, I could take the Northwestern Railroad anywhere, have a bunk and get some sleep for half of what the others were paying. I traveled across the country in those days, stopping in cities of all sizes." Preparations were immense, getting ready for the first anniversary of Chicago land youth for Christ at Mammoth Soldier Field, scheduled for Memorial Day, 1945. Four teams of speakers and musicians were booked during the month of May in 100 cities and towns within 150 miles of Chicago. A 5,000 voice choir and a 50-piece band were featured along with a giant missionary pageant. Young People's Church of the Air Percy Crawford was the main speaker, 70,000 attended. During the first 13 weeks of Chicago land youth for Christ at Orchestra Hall, one of the speakers was Clifford Lewis, President of the Young People's Fellowship Clubs. In Chicago's Orchestra Hall on June 16, 1945, Torrey Johnson stated the four-fold plan of youth for Christ. One, to reach every city, town, village, and rural community in North America with the good news that Jesus saves. Two, to promote and encourage great citywide revival meetings. Three, to lift up our eyes and see the world that needs the gospel. Four, to go into all the world in this generation. The intertwining personalities, the criss-crossing of circumstances that puts key players together could only be God-ordained and Holy Spirit-directed. Nearly one year before Youth for Christ International officially began, I entered the eighth grade in September 1944. My parents urged me to be in the band. I chose the trombone as my instrument, inspired by hearing about Billy Sunday's famous song-leader, Homer Rodehiefer. When he came to the Evesil Rescue Mission, my granddad, Homer Jones, took me to hear him and meet him. That trombone took me lots of places and gave me magnificent opportunities. I especially appreciated being in the marching band and what a delight it was to travel with the band across the tri-state, having the opportunity of meeting people, of seeing things, and of being places I would never have dreamed of being able to do without that trombone in my hands, including my time at Greenville, Illinois College. I played in the pet band, and Jim Taylor played baritone, and we marched side by side trying to get one of our seniors elected as president of the student body. Later, much later, I learned that Jim Taylor was actually James Hudson Taylor III, the grandson of the famous missionary, Jay Hudson Taylor. Connecting and reconnecting with people is my very, very special desire right now. I would like very much to either connect, first time, or reconnect if we've already known each other with you. I want to invite you to be a part of the Triple T team. It takes a team, you know, and if you would become a team mate, what a pleasure, what a delight, what a joy that would be, just contact us, write us or call us, and be a part of everything. We want you to know that you can make a difference if you'll be a Tiger team mate. Tiger means teens involved, going, evangelizing regularly, as a teammate, 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 U.S. 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. 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, 477-25. Tune in to Telling the Truth next week at this same time, on this same station. [MUSIC]