by Pastor James Bell

The word, “selah” is used often in the Psalms. There is not a direct translation that scholars can agree upon, but it comes from another word, “celah” which means “to hang”. Now it gets complicated. The manner in which the “celah (to hang)” word was spoken indicated measuring weights used to determine  value.   It appears that the use of “selah” at the end of the beautifully inspiring songs, which we know now as Psalms, were to instruct the reader “to reflect upon, weigh or measure what had been said”. This opens a wonderful door of opportunity!

How often do we rush right past what God is saying? In our hurry-up world, we don’t have many selah moments. Could it be that God wants to continue the conversation and we rush off with just a part of it? What if we took some time to meditate (don’t cringe, it’s a good word) about what we read or hear from God’s word?  A few moments of focus on a God thought will provide an explosion of positive, creative, faith-filled solutions to some of your most perplexing problems.

We are now giving you a potential selah moment right after our Sunday services. Altar ministry will start right at the end of the message after the dismissal prayer and blessing. The altar area and the front rows of the Sanctuary will be cleared for people who want to have that selah moment before clouding their minds with other things and the activities of the rest of the day.  You will have an opportunity for a “Selah” before visiting with friends and/or heading home. You can kneel or sit as you reflect on the message and what God might be speaking to you.

A time of fellowship will be happening in the coffee area and in the halls and foyer. Friends and family will wait or maybe even join you for a few minutes. Even if you have to pick up children from the childcare areas, we have shortened our services a little to give you five minutes or so before you have to go. Of course, our ministry teams will be available in the altar area for as long as they are needed.

By the way, DO try this at home. After you read a chapter of the Bible or a Christian book, lean back, close your eyes, and have a selah moment. Focus on what you felt as your read that passage. Let the Holy Spirit plant it in your heart. Reflect, weigh, and measure the value of it to your life.

Now, I don’t want to unravel your spiritual tapestry, but be aware of another kind of selah moment. You see your kid hit a double at the Little League game or watch a Mockingbird making a nest in your backyard or sense the smell of newly mowed grass right before it rains. Make those moments selah moments by focusing on them for a few minutes, thanking God for your life right here in Texas.

I remember certain wonderful moments from years ago because I stopped long enough to collect them. Selah moments contribute to peaceful lives. Try some.

Reflectively,

James

by Pastor James Bell

“God didn’t call you to be happy! He called you to be faithful!”

Sitting on a really hard pew in a pretty hard church, I heard this loud and clear, with big eyes and a weary posterior. Only 13 years old, I already recognized that statement as one of our key definitions of spiritual maturity.

“This isn’t about being happy! (insert amplified, open-mouthed, breathing-in right here) It’s about suffering for the Lord as an unworthy servant….”

The blustery, red-faced preacher seemed strangely fulfilled by impressing upon us the difficulty of living for Jesus. I remember silently praying,

“Jesus, if I’m going to serve you all of my life, I sure hope it gets better than this.”

It does. A lot better. In fact, Jesus started his famous “Sermon on the Mount” with a series of statements about being happy, or blessed. Jesus was always doing things that made people feel better, not worse. He healed so many who were sick, encouraged sinners to find a better way to live, and even improved the quality of the wine at a wedding feast. He exhorted people to not fear, to have faith, and to believe on him as he did the work of his father.

In our new sermon series, “Blessed Are”, we will examine these “happiness” statements, now known as the beatitudes. You will probably be surprised at how Jesus defines happiness. Of course, Jesus often changed people’s perspectives and shattered more than a few paradigms when he spoke such absolute truth.

The word “blessed” means characterized by happiness. There is an interesting difference in the greek word for blessed, makarios, and the word we know today as happiness. Makarios means “independently joyful with a happiness not altered by circumstances outside of itself”. Our word, happiness, has the hap part of the word, meaning that it depends on whatever luck or circumstances that might occur.  So you might say we are talking about a higher level of happiness in this series.

Fortunately for you, lots of things have changed since I was 13. Padded chairs instead of wooden pews, and the preacher doesn’t preach as long. And the perception of blessing has changed, which is a kind way of saying the theology isn’t as twisted. It’s okay to be happy!

Life has taught me, and many of you, that there can be joy even in the midst of trouble. This is definitely Houston, and not heaven. But even in our counter-cultural progression, it is a joy-filled journey. This series will clearly explain why there is happiness in serving Jesus in spite of anything that we might face. See you Sunday!

Blessings,

James

by Pastor James Bell

GOD WHISPERS TO THE SENSITIVE BEFORE HE THUNDERS TO THE UNBELIEVING

Zacharias was old and disappointed. Mary was young and filled with hope. Gabriel had a message for each of them. That message was the long awaited announcement of the Messiah. It was first whispered gently to a priest and and a young girl about to be married. Messiah! Not only would they be alive at his coming, they would also participate in the occasion.

Jewish teachers gathered around a 12 year old. How does he know these things? From where does the depth of understanding come? Galilean parents arriving to pick up their son didn’t provide a clue to clear up the situation. In fact, they clouded it even more. Galilee?

Jesus looked in the face of an excited Galilean fisherman, “Peter, your understanding of this didn’t come from human knowledge. It’s from the Father”. Others in the group of disciples listened and wondered, “Is this….is this the…Messiah?

A mother, a soldier and a thief would never forget Golgotha. Neither would a disciple who watched, weeping, from a safe distance. But the fullness of it’s meaning would come through the silence of an empty tomb. The angel’s simple explanation, “He is risen!”, would eventually thunder across continents and affect generations of people.

This Christmas Sermon Series will be “Messianic Moments”. When we celebrate the birthdays of famous leaders and noble men and women, we don’t just remember them in their infancy. We celebrate and remember their lives. We will visit the manger this December, but we will continue on to the purpose and focus of Jesus’ life on this earth. Each week we will explore a Messianic moment.

Christmas is the perfect season for the gospel to illuminate the hearts of people who have yet to discover the joy of knowing Jesus. Bring your friends and relatives to our services this Christmas season. It could result in the best present a person could ever receive!

Oh, and there is something else I want to make sure you know. Christmas is sometimes lonely, frustrating and even depressing to folks who are struggling through difficult times in their lives. Will you brighten things up for those around you?  Come a little early and have a cup of coffee or tea. Meet and greet people, being sensitive to what you see and hear.  Be Jesus to someone this Christmas.

At the Bell household, we are moving boldly into the season with lots of activities at church, Suz’s parents hanging out with us until their new home is finished, four dogs adding their unique personalities to the blend, and finally the kids and grandkids arriving on Christmas Eve.

Joy to the world!