Coming at Midnight or early in the morning hours of Thursday, May 9th … enLighten will finally be moving to its “permanent” home on Sirius XM Radio … Channel 65!
And … that is scheduled to take place in . . .
Most XM and Sirius receivers will make the channel switch automatically, but in case one of yours doesn’t … make note of this date and the channel number.
And, if some of your listening is via Dish TV … you’ll need to remember to go to Channel 6065 as of May 9th!
A Pastoral Word . . .
Another thoughtful message from Reverend Mark Adams, the Pastor of Redland Baptist Church in Rockville, Maryland:
In his book, This American Gospel, Ethan Richardson tells about a time when NPR’s popular radio show, This American Life featured an episode entitled “The Devil Inside Me.” The show asked various people if they ever felt like they were under the spell of an “inner voice” that held them in bondage to unwanted thoughts. According to the show’s host, “It was like people had been waiting all their lives for somebody to ask them this question.”
Here are some of the responses from the people who participated in the interviews:
- A man said, “I certainly know the voice you’re talking about.”
- Another man said, “The voice is irresistible, always. I’m in the thrall of that voice.”
- A woman said, “Totally out of control. The voice has got this life of its own, and I can’t tame it anymore.”
- Another woman commented, “I actually have a name for the voice. I call it Stan. Stan is the guy who tells me to have the extra glass of wine. Stan is the guy who tells me to smoke.”
- A man said, “I remember somehow realizing just how finely calibrated the voice was to every nuance, every part of my feelings, including the feeling that I didn’t want to smoke cigarettes. And it’s like, ‘[You] might as well have another cigarette, because this is it.’”
- A woman who just got engaged says she heard her voice say: “You better try your hardest to make sure he doesn’t take [the ring] away, because he’s going to find out the truth about you and your flaws. So you better distract him with a really thin body.”
At the end of the episode the host asked someone, “Do you feel like the voice is winning?” A woman replied, “Right now, yeah. I think I’m in some serious trouble, to be honest.”
These radio interviews serve as a reminder that we all deal with that “voice.” Paul says, “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12) And Peter warns, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)
But for Christians, the voice doesn’t have to win. We don’t have to be “in serious trouble.” It’s our choice. Quoting Paul and Peter once again: “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God…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.” (Colossians 3:2ff, Philippians 4:8) “As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.” (1 Peter 1:14)
© 2013 Mark Adams
