truth at the core

tonite i was workin the bookstall at an event where Josh McDowell and Roy Crowne (YFC) were speaking. it was really interesting, the main message being that a child's relationship with their father has the most significant impact on how they turn out. they had a lot of statistics, many of which surprised me, incl. a scientific study which found the most significant predictor of 5 diseases was the person's lack of closeness to their parents - it related to stress and the findings that those who had a close and secure relationship coped much better with stress, which in turn reduced the risk of these diseases.

an interesting point made was that nowadays a lot of parents attach more value and worth to education than on their child's spiritual development and relationship with God. this is a sad reflection, perhaps not specifically of our times, but of the state of our world. there's always something more important or more pressing, that is given too much weight and can have an adverse impact on a relationship, causing it to strain and become weaker and even to end. over something which in the grand scheme of things has no great bearing on the important issues and relationships in life. like little fights over small stupid things, which build up and begin to trickle into every encounter with that person, whether its with a parent or sibling or friend or b/g friend or colleague. don't let the sun go down on your anger is a pearl of wisdom from paul there in his letter to the folk in Ephesus. (eph 4:26)

one of josh mcdowell's key points he returned to and built on was that:

our beliefs form our values, which drive our behaviour, and these initial beliefs are grounded in relationships and ultimately, truth.

Absolute, or universal, truth is that which is true beyond yourself. one of my friends at uni asked me out of the blue a few months ago if i had absolute faith. at the time i said yes without hesitating, but to really consider absolute faith in relation to absolute truth is a bit mind-boggling! tonite the meeting began with the speaker asking who could really give true reasons for their faith, why they believe the Bible to be true and the Word of God... what are we basing our beliefs on? how do we know what is real and absolute truth?

i have seen and experienced God working in my life, and the lives of others. i have prayed and seen and heard God answer. i have asked for help and guidance and received so many that i cannot call it coincidence. i have questioned and doubted 'christianity', but my doubts returned void because there is too much proof to deny the existence of God, and the resurrection and hope to be found in the person of Jesus Christ. i am now trying to help other young people ask the challenging questions and not to become comfortable with church, and God, because when we get comfortable we get lazy and complacent and we stop pursuing God with a passion and risk becoming happily settled rather than good or honest or Christ-like. Happiness and comfort have become core to who we are, rather than looking to reach others with the truth of Jesus, if it means becoming uncomfortable or doing things we don't particularly like.