Every now and then, a message arrives in our E-mail box that just calls out to be shared … not because it praises enLighten, but because it confirms that the Lord’s music which we play here does have a positive impact on the lives of those who listen. This note is from Seth, who lives in Mount Wolf, Pennsylvania:
I thought that I would share this, because I really appreciate this station and the message that it brings to all of North America. Last month, on May 14th … I was given the news that my grandmother, who was 79, had passed away earlier that morning (it was afternoon when I found out). I was driving home from work and listening to enLighten. As I was driving “Amazing Grace” came on (I believe it was the version sung by the Booth Brothers). Well, that was all it took for me to finally be able to express my loss. Driving up the road, I was crying my eyes out, realizing that my grandmother, who had been suffering for a number of years, was now with Jesus, free of pain, suffering, and all the worries of the world. Since then, I have not stopped listening to enLighten, and I am so glad that it remains on Sirius XM!
Your Thoughts?
Once again, we are pleased to share with you an inspirational message from the pen of Reverend Mark Adams, Senior Pastor of Redland Baptist Church in Rockville, Maryland:
One of the simple pleasures in life is choosing what to eat at our favorite restaurant. When we are seated and the waiter gives us that menu, we leaf through its pages and our mouths water as we think:
“Will I get the burger or the steak…the chicken or the fish?”
“What about that yummy looking pasta entrée?”
“Should we start things off with a few appetizers?”
“What about dessert?”
“Should I order coffee with the meal or after?”Given the choice, I don’t know of anyone who would decide to order something like cold gruel or moldy toast when there’s gourmet meal entrées on the menu.
And who would choose a shack when they could live in a mansion at the same price? Why live with a leaky roof with no heat or air conditioning if we could enjoy room after room of wall-to-wall carpet with central heat and air for the same mortgage payment? Given the choice, we would all take the better of the two.
But it’s different when it comes to our thought life. The sad fact is we often choose to dwell in the worst “mental neighborhoods” and draw “nutrition” from the worst “thought diet.” Think of it! At any time you want, you can be thinking pleasant, empowering thoughts, offering words of praise, solving problems, remembering happy times, or dreaming new dreams. Yet, many of us prefer to spend our thoughts reliving old hurts and thinking the worst about everything. For some sad reason, we choose to embrace mental nightmares, when we could dwell on truths that bring us great joy and peace.
In Ephesians 4, Paul reminds us that as Christ-followers, we are called to live in better “mental neighborhoods.” He writes, “You were taught…to be made new in the attitude of your minds.” (4:21-23) In Philippians 4:8-9 he goes so far as to give us a spiritually healthy mental menu to choose from. He says, “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable … if anything is excellent or praiseworthy … think about such things … and the God of peace will be with you.”
You can live in mental luxury today. The choice is yours. What are you deciding to think about these days? © 2012 Mark Adams
As always, we appreciate your comments, questions, thoughts on these or any other relevant subject. We read and listen to all messages and attempt to respond when appropriate. Why not send a note right now!
