First they hear it from their friends.
Next they hear it from The Source.
Finally they hear it from their most sacred text.
And they still don’t believe it.

“Jesus has risen!” say their best buds (from next Sunday’s Gospel Luke 34:26-48).
“Look at my hands, my feet, see that it is myself,” says the Christ.
Examine the Scriptures, is the final instruction.
And finally they do get it.
But only after Jesus spent a whole lot of time and effort trying to convince his closest friends that he was who he said he was.

Then, as is now, Jesus continues to spend a whole lot of time and effort trying to convince his closest friends that he is who he says he is.

We just don’t seem to be able to wrap our heads around the truths that Jesus continues to communicate to us regarding who we are and who he is.
Sure, we buy into the elemental convictions that define Christians, but what about the more difficult truths?

Do we have any idea how much God loves us?
Psalm 18 says, the Lord “…delights in me.”
Do we have any idea how forgiven we are?
Luke 24 says declaring repentance and forgiveness was the disciples’ first job.
Do we have any idea how everything that has, is, and will ever happen to us is not only known but served amidst the clamoring of the house band’s ever-new rendition of ‘All Right Now’? Here's a cool rendition from the archives...



This last one seems to be the most challenging.
We are constantly worried.
Anxiety levels have never been higher.
Since stress is the number one cause of cancer, this is literally killing us.

So, while keeping in mind that faith is not just a noun, but a verb, here are a few tips that may help us believe more fully in the promises of the resurrected Christ:

Cultivating a Spirit of Hope in Tough Economic Times

1. Clear out the media clutter. Turn off the TV. Don’t read every newspaper. Cut off the radio. We are inundated with far more influences than we need pay attention to. Get in the habit of filtering and editing the media clutter. Why not give silence a try on the ride home?
2. Connect with God. Are we reading inspirational books? Are we cultivating our prayer time? When was the last time we went on a retreat? We were created to connect with God. We are sure God is talking, but how well are we listening?
3. Tend to our bodies. Exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep and eat right. It’s hard to be hopeful when we’re tired, ill or just plain out of shape. These are some of the most important things we can do to keep our spirits up. We always feel proud of ourselves when we’ve taken care of our bodies, and are often rewarded with more energy and sharper focus.
4. Go to church. The Good Book reminds us that good company inspires good morals. If we want to do the next right thing, let’s hang around people who share the same goals. Going to church connects us with a caring community of people who love us for who we are not what we do. We need to be constantly reminded that there is purpose to our lives and that nothing happens by accident.

Check out these blogs:
www.michaelhyatt.com
www.brianmcclaren.com
www.shanehipps.com