Telling The TRUTH
070211 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, the Princess of Pharaoh also saw her and commended her to Pharaoh, and the woman was taken to Pharaoh's house." Genesis 1215, New King James Version. Of course, this scripture is talking about Sarai, Abram's beautiful wife. Abram was very nervous because he knew that this beautiful lady to whom he was married would be very attractive and that Pharaoh would be attracted to her. And so we find the scenario continuing. Always be truthful, honest, upright, forthright, and trusting. Though the God will take care of you, no matter what the circumstance might be. Always delight yourself in the Lord and give yourself the opportunity to praise Him in every situation. Praying always. Continue to read God's Word. Fellowship with believers and together work out ways to share God's good news with people. Whatever your lot in life may be, whatever your circumstances are today, know that God can be trusted and you can be a faithful servant of His in sharing the good news of the saving power of Jesus Christ. Go with the gospel today. Someone is waiting. Someone can receive. God's gift of eternal life. Tell them how. Listen to Genesis 1216, New King James. He treated Abram well for her sake. He had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male and female servants, female donkeys and camels. Lots of things. Lots of responsibilities. Lots of opportunities. God wants us to know that what we have are of what we are in charge and what we do with what we have, we need to be responsible to the Lord. What are you doing with what God has entrusted to you today? Are you using your assets for His glory? Are you doing something specifically with what you have to get the gospel to people who don't know the Lord Jesus? I believe that God wants every one of us to take an inventory consistently. He wants us to do a checkup on what we have and what we are doing with what we have. What about you? Do you have something that you would like to use to glorify the Lord? Are you doing the right thing with what you have? Are you sharing your faith in Jesus Christ with people who need to know Him? Are you praying? Are you reading God's Word? Are you fellowshipping with other believers? Are you taking the gospel from its hiding place in your heart and exposing it to those who are lost? Be sure your sin will find you out. Be forthright, be honest, and be straightforward. That's not what happened with Abram and now Pharaoh has a problem because Abram had lied. Listen to Genesis 12-17, New King James Version, "But the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai," Abram's wife. Again do the right thing at the right time under the right circumstance and don't try to cheat and deceive and lie. God wants each one of us to represent the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Jesus Christ, effectively, wherever we go, whatever we do, whatever we say. There are people out there who are watching you. You are the best Christian somebody knows. If indeed you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, and if you are a believer, then you need to be doing the work of an evangelist. What's that? That's sharing the good news of the saving power of Jesus Christ with people who need the Lord. Praying always, reading the Word of God, and then taking the gospel with those other believers you know who also know the Lord to those who don't know Him. We do that today. Will you pray diligently and deliberately for somebody who needs Jesus and will you tell them personally about Him? Deceit is always going to cause problems. Listen to Genesis 1218, New King James Version, and Pharaoh called Abram and said, "What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife?" Pharaoh was about to get in trouble. He was about to do something that was not going to please the Lord, but he didn't know he had been deceived. But he found out, and then he became furious with Abram. How would you feel if somebody lied to you and you were about to do something very, very wrong, even innocently? And then when you found out, you would be very, very upset, would you not? That was the case with Pharaoh. There are people out there who need to have the truth told to them in a loving manner, without compromise. So why don't you today determine who you are going to tell about Jesus Christ? Who you are going to let know that Christ died for their sins? He was buried, that he rose again in the third day, and if they will trust Him, they can have life that will last forever. Read in heed God's Word, pray diligently, and then go with the gospel today. There is someone to whom you should tell the truth. Today, will you do that? I hope you will, I know you can. Furious Pharaoh told Abram to skedaddle. Yet every reason to do so. Listen to Genesis 1219, New King James Version. Why did you say she is my sister? I might have taken hers my wife. Now therefore, here is your wife, take her and go your way. Sometimes we have results that we are not going to really appreciate because we have done the wrong thing and especially trying to deceive people. Lying is never the way to go. When you sin, you never win. Know this though, that when you do mess up, God is willing to forgive you if you will go to Him and ask for forgiveness. If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. That's the pledge to every Christian from the Word of God. But first we have to admit we have sinned. Turn to Jesus from those sins we have committed. Believe personally on the Lord Jesus and then be willing to stand up and be counted for Him. Have you done this? If you have, wonderful. Share your story. Someone is waiting to hear. God's good news. They will listen to you because you have a story to tell. Go today. Don't delay. Are you where you are supposed to be today? Have you been sent away because of your own wrongdoings the way Abram was? Genesis 12-20, New King James says, "So Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him and they sent him away and his wife in all that he had." Abram had gone to a specific place being directed by the Lord. But then he lied. And because of his deceit, he was ultimately exposed. Because he was found out to be a liar, he was sent away. God wants you and me to be at the right place at the right time accomplishing his purpose. And to be honest, open, and forthright. Let me ask you, do you know someone who doesn't know the Lord? Are you concerned about Him or her? Are you working on a way to share God's glorious gospel with that particular person for whom you are burdened and concerned? Are you praying? Are you asking God to give you direction? Are you reading His word? Are you willing to take the gospel to that person? Are you fellowshipping with other believers working out the right time to perhaps go together? Why not go today with God's good news? Somebody is waiting. You can make the difference. When you sin, you are never isolated. It affects other people. Listen to Genesis 13-1, New King James Version. Then Abram went up from Egypt. He and his wife, and all that he had, and lot with him to the south. Yes, when Abram had to go because of his lie to Pharaoh, he had to take his whole family with him. He had to leave it once. No time to arrange anything. It was an immediate departure. Sometimes the abrupt turning in a different direction than where you were going causes all kinds of problems for all kinds of people. But God has a perfect plan for your life. If you will be in tune with him, if you will trust in the Lord with all of your heart, not trying to figure it all out for yourself, God will direct your paths. He wants you to serve him. He wants you to really understand that there are people that you could reach that nobody could reach quite the way you could, if you would. So will you pray? Will you read God's Word? Will you go with the gospel today? Will you pray with somebody else who knows the Lord and will you go together to reach people that need to know him? I believe that God can give you a specific plan of attack. Somebody out there is waiting, and you can be the one to tell them the truth. 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 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. There is immense evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ. First, the empty tomb. Historical credibility of the burial story, the sight of Jesus' tomb would have been known had it not been true. It would have been impossible for the resurrection story to survive if there was a tomb containing Jesus' body. Graves of Jewish holy men were carefully preserved. Why were women going with spices to the grave? Mark's account of the empty tomb is simple and straightforward, not embellished. The empty tomb was discovered by women. Women had a low status in Jewish society. They were not qualified to be legal witnesses. The male disciples were hiding afraid only reason to report this as if it were true, and then Peter and John went to see for themselves. The resurrection story, the gospel of Jesus Christ, the death, the burial, and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. After his death, as it is explained in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, Jesus was seen after the resurrection by Peter and the disciples by more than 500 others by James, all the apostles, and then on the Damascus road by Paul. The changed lives of the disciples really underline and underscore the evidence of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Their belief in the resurrection was the basic motivation for taking the gospel to the world. Remember what Jesus said to them as he was just about ready to ascend, to be with the Father? And you shall be witnesses unto me. The power of the Holy Spirit will come upon you. Witnesses to me in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, to the ends of the earth. Then he said, "Go, go into all the world and preach the gospel to everyone everywhere." The lives of the disciples were transformed by the resurrection because they didn't know what had happened. After the death of Jesus and they saw him die, they cowered, and they covered themselves, and they went over in corners. And then they learned that it was real. Then they saw Jesus, they talked with him, he talked with them, and they were ready to go with the gospel everywhere. The forgiveness of sins is apparent for those who are believers in Christ. We've been talking about Abram and Sarai and their predicament. But then we're going to fast forward right now, and I want you to listen to the New Testament presentation. The Old Testament, it is said, is the gospel concealed, and the New Testament is the gospel revealed. Listen to Romans chapter 4, "What then shall we say that Abraham, our Father, has found according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. To him who works the wages are not counted as grace, but as debt. But to him who does not work, but believes on him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness. Justice David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works. Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered, blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin. Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. How then was it accounted? He received a sign, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had, that he might be the father of all those who believe, that righteousness might be imputed to them also. And listen carefully. For the promise that he would be heir to the world was not to Abraham or his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of no effect, because the law brings about wrath. For where there is no law, there is no transgression. Therefore, it is a faith that we might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of faith. The faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. As it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations, in the presence of him whom he believed, God also gives life to the dead, and calls those things which do not exist as though they did, who contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations according to what was spoken. So shall your descendants be." Not only being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body already dead since he was about 100 years old and the deadness of Sarah's womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what he had promised he was also able to perform, and therefore it was accounted to him for righteousness. Now if it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him, but also for us, it shall be imputed to us who believe in him, who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification. Therefore, how he been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we also have access to faith, by faith, into this grace in which we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance and perseverance character and character hope. Now hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been presented to us. God's word in the book of Romans is absolutely magnificent as we see what has happened after the resurrected Jesus was seen by and observed by, and then shared by those apostles, those disciples, those followers of him. Forgiveness of every sin is available to anyone who will say, "God, I've sinned in him, sorry, please forgive me." A new life to live is made available also, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to God's mercy, he saves us. This new life to live is given to us by the power of the resurrected Jesus Christ, power of God in our human lives. Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. The gospel presents limitless life to all who believe. Are you a believer? Have you trusted Jesus Christ as your own Savior? Have you admitted that you are a sinner? Have you turned to Jesus from your sins? Have you confessed with your mouth the Lord Jesus? Believing in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, and are you sharing that faith in him with those folks who don't know him? If you aren't, you can. This is your moment of truth. This is the time when you identify with those folks who actually saw the risen Jesus eyeball to eyeball. Now we have to do it by faith, believing the Bible, believing those stories of those folks who walked and talked with Jesus Christ after his death on the cross of Calvary. After his burial, after the bodily resurrection of God's Son, the Son of God Jesus Christ. And so now it becomes our responsibility to continue to tell the story of the good news and the saving power of the Lord Jesus. The greatest need in the world, and I've shared it before, I want to share it again, but if our gospel be hidden, it is hidden to those that are perishing, those that are lost. Jesus said go. Go into all the world and preach proclaim, proclamation, publicize, promote the gospel to everyone everywhere. And then there's a result, and the word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region. That's why we're going with the gospel to county fairs. We're going to this fair, that fair, the other fair, giving cold cups of water in Jesus' name, sharing the gospel, inviting people to come to know Jesus Christ personally, and offering them a copy of the New King James Bible, free, if they will take it, and read it, and heed it. What about you? If you don't know Jesus, pray this prayer. God, I've sinned and I'm sorry, forgive me. I receive your gift of eternal life right now. Thank you, God, for saving me today. [music] Have you received your copy of the summer issue of telling the truth? If not, we have one ready for you. The headlines say encourage, enlarge, expand. Acts 11 refers to Barnabas known as the encourager. When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart, they should continue with the Lord. Acts 11, 23, New King James. Every person that provides a $20 leading youth scholarship is a tiger teammate encourager. Youth 10 to 19 are trained in peer evangelism and challenged to go with the gospel. Each tiger, teens involved going evangelizing regularly, can help implement Triple T's vision. Every youth to have the opportunity to hear the gospel with an invitation to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ before turning 20. The book of Deuteronomy tells the story of Joshua, but command Joshua and encourage him and strengthen him, for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which you will see Deuteronomy 8, 28, New King James. And then, enlarge, expand. Isaiah 54, 2 and 3, New King James says, enlarge the place of your tent and let them stretch out the curtains of your habitations. Do not spare, lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes, for you shall expand to the right and to the left. Your descendants will inherit the nations and make the desolate cities inhabited. We've had this opportunity this year in April, May, June, and soon in July to go with the gospel across the Tri-State area. We've already gone to 13 counties, directly presenting the plan of salvation. Inviting people to come to know him whom to know are right is life eternal, and in almost every occasion, in almost every set of circumstances. We have had people respond saying, "I know I'm a sinner. I'm sorry. I want to turn to Jesus from my sins. I want to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm willing to step and be counted for him." And it's happened again and again and again in this circumstance, and that circumstance, this situation, that situation. And now we're going again with the gospel to as many people as we possibly can, as quickly as we can, as effectively as we can. We're praying right now for labors in God's harvest field. The harvest truly is plentiful, but the labors are few, therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out labors into His harvest, Matthew 9, 37, and 38. We want you to know that we have opened doors before us in county after county, especially during the week of the 11th through the 15th of July. To go to Davies County, Kentucky, to Richland County, Illinois, to Warwick County, Indiana. And we need labors to give free ice water, a cup of cold water in Jesus' name, to take a survey about teenagers, to present opportunities to respond to the gospel of Jesus Christ, to offer a new King James Bible, to anyone between the ages of 10 and 19 who will accept one, and then to let them know that if they will admit they've seen, believe on the Lord Jesus, confess Him publicly, they can have a place forever with God in heaven. Shunhal and go to be in glory with God. And so, as you pray with us and for us, help us to go through those open doors that God has provided. Will you pray for labors? Please do. We really have an urgent need right now, and we would like for you to pray. We'll be wrapping up the summer, the first week of August, and we'll be going God willing to Lawrenceville, Illinois, that is Lawrence County, Illinois, and we'll be going down to White County at Carmi, and in between, to Mount Carmel, to Ag Days. And we're hoping and trusting and praying that we'll be able to get the gospel to lots and lots of people between the time that we start. Our next training day is on the 9th of July, and it goes all the way through Big Splat on August the 6th. So pray with us, and if you would like to send at least $20, you can help us have a training scholarship for one more 10 to 19 year old. Will you do that? Our address is TTT, 13,000 U.S. Highway 41 North, Evansville, Indiana, 47725. Christ through you can change who. [Music] 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 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 812-8672418, 812-8672418, or write Triple T, 13,000 U.S. 41 North, Evansville, Indiana, 47725. Tune in to Telling the Truth next week at the same time on this same station. (upbeat music) (dramatic music)