Hardwired with Jeff Wickwire

It's good for us Christians to be engaged in our society. While we don't belong to this world, we are still living in it, and we should live lives that bring glory to God in our communities. However, Pastor Jeff reminds us that our citizenship in this world isn't our priority! Scripture teaches that we are citizens of the Kingdom of God, which we received the moment we accepted Christ into our hearts. The kingdoms of this world will all crumble one day, but the Lord will reign forever and ever!

Following God requires you to be patient. It's so easy to want to be in the right place right now and to try to rush God's plans for your life. But Pastor Jeff teaches you today that there is value in the moment you are in. Life isn't just about the destination; it's also about the journey you take on your way to that destination. God can work in you in those moments of waiting, so that you can be better prepared to receive the blessing that is coming. But all of this requires you to be patient and to wait on the Lord.

When you get in your car, you need fuel in the tank to get going, and you need the key to start the engine. Without either of these vital components, the car won't start. Pastor Jeff teaches you today that in order to endure and overcome the temptations of the world, you need God's wisdom as your fuel, but you have also been given the key to unlock it as an adopted child of God. Because your sin has been covered by the blood of Christ, you have been granted access to the wisdom, knowledge, and joy that He provides.

When you visualize all of the choices you make in life, it can feel like an endless spiderweb of possibilities and hypothetical “what-if” scenarios for how your life will turn out. But in God's eyes, those paths only have two possible outcomes: life with Him or life without Him. Pastor Jeff warns you today to prioritize your life with God while you still can, because all of the earth's pleasures and treasures are temporary. When they all fade away, what will you be left holding at the end? Be sure you're holding on to the Lord.

If you have a dog or a cat at home, have you ever wondered what they think when you leave for work? Some people will set up cameras in their homes and capture images of their beloved pets waiting by the door for hours for their owners to return home. But that pet cannot possibly understand why you are gone for so long! Pastor Jeff reminds you that mankind is incapable of fully understanding God's plans. All you can do is be patient and wait on His timing to accomplish His Will.

Finding a river in the middle of a desert seems pretty unlikely! But so did the prospect of rebuilding Israel when the Israelites were returning from captivity. But just as God provided for the Israelites when they couldn't see a way forward, the Lord can do the same for you today. In today's message, Pastor Jeff encourages you to have faith in the impossible. Because if God is the one ordaining your steps, He will tear down the roadblocks in front of you. Faith in the Lord can accomplish the impossible.

If you were packing for a long hiking journey, would you rather have a map drawn on the back of a napkin? Or would you rather have a detailed map of the trail, complete with information about rest stops and camping sites along the way? In today's message, Pastor Jeff wants to make sure that you're taking advantage of the most useful map you have available to you. God's Word is the map that will guide you through this life, no matter what kinds of challenges you face along the way.

Listen, dating is a complicated process! It can take years for you to find someone that you feel comfortable dating, and by the time you get to that point, it can become difficult to let that relationship go. But in today's message, Pastor Jeff reminds you that even your romantic relationships should build you up in your faith, not tear you down or distract you from following God. So if your potential partner isn't going after God in their own life, that relationship has the potential to be destructive for both of you.

Have you ever used GPS to navigate an unfamiliar area, and the directions told you to make a turn onto a road that just wasn't there? Well, it turns out that even with our advanced technology, we can still be led astray by human knowledge. That's why Pastor Jeff is reminding you today how important it is to live your life with God as your true compass. The ways of man are liable to get it wrong more often than not. But God's truth is perfect, and His Word will never lead you down the wrong path.

When you buy a piece of furniture or equipment that requires assembly, it usually comes with an instruction manual that gives you the steps needed to complete the project. If someone else tried to look a the finished product and write their own manual, the instructions would be incomplete and unreliable. Pastor Jeff wants you to ask a big question today: why do people look at the instruction manuals that men write for themselves, when you have access to God's Word, given to you by the Creator himself?

How long would you be able to hold on if you had no hope for a better future? The world is full of broken people living broken lives: people who are looking for any reason to keep holding on. Pastor Jeff lays out the structure of the book of Ecclesiastes in today's message and shows you how true faith in Jesus can give you the hope you need to hold on through this life. No matter how difficult life's challenges may get, you have a God who cares for you and has prepared a better place for you.

The rearview mirror in your car is useful for lots of reasons. It gives you a way to see if there's a vehicle behind you, but it also serves to remind you of where you're coming from. Pastor Jeff teaches us today that we need a rearview mirror in our own lives, to remind us of how God has provided for us so far. It becomes easier to trust Him in the present when we reflect on what He has done for us in the past. But when we forget to look back, it can be easy to get locked up in fear and lose faith in the Lord.

Sometimes we just want God to take the wheel, to take control over our lives without having to put in any effort ourselves. Wouldn't it be easier that way? But in Pastor Jeff's message today, he reminds us that following God isn't some passive activity, where we get to play passenger as He drives the car. We still play an active role in our lives on this Earth, but what God does is gently guide us, showing up in ways we don't expect, so that we can gain wisdom even in the difficult trials we face in this life.

The Middle East has always been a region full of tension. The Israelites weren't able to just walk into the Promised Land after leaving slavery in Egypt, they had to fight to take possession of what had been given to them. But Pastor Jeff warns us today that the most pivotal conflict in that region has not happened yet, and it may be coming sooner than we think. Despite the coming violence, we will see God move to intervene on behalf of His people like we have never seen before.

How good are we at predicting the future? For the most part, we don't even know how the next two or three days are going to play out. But yet, the prophet Ezekiel received a vision from God that allowed Him to predict the rebuilding of the nation of Israel, twenty-six hundred years before it came to pass! In today's message, Pastor Jeff reminds you that not only does God know how this story ends, He knows the beginning and the middle of the story as well. Nothing comes as a surprise to Him.

The Bible teaches us that from God's point of view, a thousand years is like a day, and one day is like a thousand years. God doesn't see the world on the same timeline that you and I do, but that doesn't mean that He isn't faithful to fulfill His promises. In today's message, Pastor Jeff reminds you how God's faithfulness to Israel continues to this day, as He brought His people back to the land of their ancestors after nearly two thousand years of exile. The Lord's promises endure forever.

One of the ways that God proves his might to mankind is by using unusual people to fulfill His plans and purposes. He doesn't pick the strongest or smartest people from the population; he goes after those who society has passed over. The humble shepherd boy, youngest and smallest among all of his brothers, became the warrior that none of them could be on their own, and Pastor Jeff shows you today that it's all because of his faith in God. That faith gave him the strength of a whole army.

When you're reading an epic story of good versus evil, it can be hard to resist the urge to skip to the final chapter and see how it ends. There's that small part of you that wants to know if good will prevail, or if evil will win the day. Well, when it comes to the spiritual battle that the church is facing, the ending has already been written in Scripture! But Pastor Jeff has to temper your expectations today, because there are some facets of the modern church that act like the end of the story is unknown.

The conflict between the Arabs and Jews in the Middle East can be traced back all the way to the time of Isaac and Ishmael. From a childhood rivalry between two sons of Abraham, the conflict has turned bloody and violent, with millions of innocent people caught in the crossfire. Pastor Jeff teaches you today that this conflict we see today in the Middle East is by no means a new thing, and it is liable to get worse before it gets better. But no matter what happens, remember that God is still in control.

The uncomfortable truth of God's Law says that the penalty for sin is death. That's a price that you can literally only pay once, and it's something you can't get back once it's gone. But in today's message, Pastor Jeff reminds you that God has provided another option for those who are guilty of sin, and that is to follow Jesus! He becomes the mediator between mankind and God, and allows the relationship that was broken in the Garden of Eden to be restored, bringing Creation into the presence of the Creator.

Living in sin is like living with a negative balance in your bank account. Every transgression is another charge that puts you a little bit further into the hole. Eventually, that bill is going to come due, and you won't have enough money in the whole world to pay for it! But Pastor Jeff reminds you today that the death of Jesus on the cross made a way for you to live a life with no sin balance at all. By accepting Jesus' gift of salvation, your past sins are wiped away, and your future is secured in Him.

Jesus doesn't just want to be someone you call on when you need spiritual guidance. Living in the way of Jesus means that you rely on Him for everything you need! Pastor Jeff reminds you that there are thousands, even millions of voices that you can listen to as you make your way through this life. But if you quiet your mind and distance yourself from the noise, you will hear the still, small voice of Jesus calling out to you. He will provide you with what you need to endure and overcome this world.

The light that comes straight from a light bulb can often be harsh, even blinding sometimes. That's why people use lampshades or filters to help diffuse that light and let it spread out more evenly. Pastor Jeff teaches you today that when Jesus revealed His divinity to Peter, James, and John, it was like taking a lampshade off to reveal the true light underneath. That light was always present when Jesus was around, but His human form served to shield people from the full force of His Glory.

The first step in forgiving someone is letting go of your grudge against them. You're allowed to recognize the hurt that their actions may have caused you, but follow that acknowledgment with another one: that you can't seek vengeance on your own. Today, Pastor Jeff uses the example of Jesus to illustrate this point: He could have brought down literal fire and brimstone on Peter in retaliation for his betrayal, but instead, Jesus surrendered Peter's treachery and responded in love and compassion for His friend.

A lot of healing can take place over a meal. Sitting down to eat with someone is a very human experience, where all involved are taking care of their physical need for food. In the case of Jesus and the disciples, they had an opportunity to eat together after Peter returned to his life of fishing. Pastor Jeff shows you today how the breaking of bread between Jesus and Peter mended the relationship that had been previously strained. Peter's denial of Jesus was forgiven, and the bond between man and God was restored.

Pastor Jeff reminds us today that people are always watching us. Maybe it's those we pass on our way to work every day, the cashier serving you at the grocery store, or it can even be members of your family. In today's message, Pastor Jeff wants us to be inspired to build a habit of prayer so profound that it becomes noticeable to the people around us. Not so that we can look holy in front of others, but so that people can see the Holy Spirit living inside us, as He makes us into new creations.

Bible Prophecy is kind of like a roadmap. Not only does it tell us where the world is going, it also serves to remind us of what has happened before! Pastor Jeff reminds us today that there are many things prophesied in God's Word that have already come true, and more things that have yet to happen. But because we've seen those prophecies come true in the past, we can also have faith that the prophecies that have yet to happen will eventually come to pass! We have to wait on the Lord's timing.

When you go to get into a pool, it's hard for your body to adjust to the temperature of the water. Some people lower themselves into the water slowly because they're afraid of the cold. But sometimes, in order to acclimate to the water quickly, you just need to jump straight into the water! In today's message, Pastor Jeff reminds you that you need to be fully committed to following Jesus if you want to see Him do great things in you. He won't do much in your life if you keep second-guessing His calling.

You may think that you're safe from the sin of idolatry because you don't bow down to a little statue of Buddha in your closet. But Pastor Jeff reminds you today that idolatry isn't just about worshipping other gods; it's about letting things get between you and your worship of the one true God. Anything can become an idol if you let it take precedence over your relationship with Jesus. Your favorite sports team, that new show that's on TV, and even your closest friends can become idols.

Jesus did the one thing that is impossible for an ordinary human to achieve in this life: He lived a life fully without sin! Pastor Jeff teaches us today that even though Jesus faced temptation just like you and I do every day, He was able to hold fast and avoid giving in to His human impulses. It's because of that perfect record that His sacrifice was able to cover the sin debt of all mankind. You and I have the opportunity to be forgiven of our sins, all because Jesus was the fulfillment of the Ten Commandments.

In baseball, pitchers dream of throwing the “perfect game”: a game where not a single opposing player gets on base across all nine innings. It's an extremely rare occurrence and requires great skill from the pitcher and his teammates to accomplish. If you think a perfect game is hard to pull off, wait till you see how hard it is to live a life without sin! Pastor Jeff wants you to realize today that everyone has sinned in their lifetime, and the only way to avoid the punishment for that sin is to surrender your life to Jesus.

Not one person on Earth is guaranteed tomorrow. You never know when your number will be called, and you'll find yourself standing face to face with God, to give an account for your life. The rich man in Luke 12 did not understand this, and instead, he was worried about building his personal wealth. Pastor Jeff implores you today to not get your priorities twisted. Rely on God to provide for your material needs, and ask Him to draw you closer to His presence. That is something money can't buy.

When you're driving on a windy mountain road, and you see a metal guardrail along the side of the road, do you get mad that the guardrail is stopping you from doing what you want to do? Or do you recognize that the guardrail is there to protect you from danger? In today's message, Pastor Jeff reminds you that the Ten Commandments weren't meant to limit the Israelites' behavior; it was meant to give them healthy boundaries to create a society that honored God and respected each other.

If you live in a big city, there's usually a few different routes to get to any given place in that city. Maybe there's a freeway that gets you there faster, while the route that goes through neighborhoods is a little more peaceful. Well, if you're trying to get to Heaven, there is only one road to take! And that is the road that you gain access to by accepting Jesus' gift of salvation. Pastor Jeff reminds you today that none of the world's religions or spiritual figures can get you into Heaven. Only Jesus can.

Have you ever watched people that make trick shot videos online? While their clips may only show times that they successfully made a basketball shot from the upper deck of a stadium, or they made a hole-in-one golf shot from five hundred yards away, the truth is that there are countless takes where they failed to meet their target. Pastor Jeff reminds us today that all of us have fallen short of God's target, but our God is a merciful God! Jesus' blood is able to cover over all of our sins.

In The Fellowship of the Ring, Frodo's friend Sam stops as they're leaving the Shire on their long journey, saying, “If I take one more step, it'll be the farthest from home I've ever been.” Sam may have taken one step in that moment, but it would take countless more steps for him and Frodo to reach their destination. Pastor Jeff teaches today that the Holy Spirit's transforming work doesn't happen all at once. It takes thousands of tiny steps and lots of time to make you into a new creation.

Every piece of pottery in the entire world starts out as a lump of clay, harvested from the earth itself. It takes the work of a craftsman to transform that piece of clay into a vase, a plate, or any other object that you can imagine. Pastor Jeff reminds you today that while you and I are products of this world, we are meant to be shaped and formed into completely different beings. That's where the Holy Spirit comes into play, because as we faithfully follow Jesus, He renews us from the inside out.

So many stories that are in the Bible are there to be instructive to the Christian life. The reason that the Bible spends time looking at Jesus casting out demons is because you and I have the task of fighting Satan's forces in our time as well! Pastor Jeff will show us today how to recognize demonic influences in our world, and how we can call on the name of Jesus to cast out those evil spirits. It is not by our strength that we can do this, but it is through the power of Christ that is already in us.

When we go to see a stage play, we are usually only seeing part of the cast and crew on stage at any given time. Behind the scenes, there are all sorts of people making the show happen. Although these people work together to create an enjoyable experience for the audience, Pastor Jeff teaches us today that there are dark forces behind the curtains of our reality. Satan is real, and his objective is to push humanity further away from the love of God. But with Jesus' help, we can fight back against the enemy.

There may be some of you listening to this program today, and thinking that you're too small of a target for Satan. Maybe you're not involved in ministry, and you're not really doing anything to grow God's Kingdom. Pastor Jeff reminds you today that since you have a unique and special calling on your life, that does make you a target in the enemy's eyes! But God isn't going to leave you exposed to danger. Satan and his forces cannot harm you, but they will do everything they can to lead you astray.

The book of Proverbs warns against pride, reminding us that it leads to destruction. Well, we also learn in today's message that pride is the sin that turned Lucifer against God. Pastor Jeff doesn't want us to indulge in pride, because when we think we're the smartest people in the world, we put our own opinions over God's. The wisest thing we can do as followers of Jesus is to be willing to die to ourselves every day so that we can follow the Lord better. That's how we set ourselves apart from Satan.

The Bible teaches that all of life is precious. From the people you pass on the street every day, to unborn children around the world, every person on this planet is uniquely designed by God. But Pastor Jeff teaches you in today's message that not everyone holds that same view of human life. One of the easiest ways to forget about the sanctity of human life is to ignore the One who created humanity in the first place. God made the entire universe, but humanity is His most prized creation.

Everything in this world has a beginning, especially the world itself! Pastor Jeff reminds you today that there are people who deny that there is an intelligent design to this world, and instead believe that it is the result of random chance. But if you're going to have a Biblical worldview, you need to believe that God was involved in the Creation of the world! The Bible teaches that God created the entire world and called it good, and you are called to glorify God's name by glorifying His handiwork in the world.

Aren't you glad that there is a source of absolute truth in this world? It seems like that for every thing you hold to be true, there is a complication or an argument to be made against it, however minor it may be. However, Pastor Jeff teaches you today that the Word of God is a source of absolute truth, and it is still relevant today! While modern times are vastly different from Biblical times, Scripture gives you a solid worldview through which you can understand the world in the way that God sees it.

If you were to go ziplining, wouldn't you trust a braided steel cable versus a ragged nylon rope? The stronger the material making up the rope, the more tension it will be able to withstand. And just like that zipline, you need the strongest materials, in order to get through the challenges of life. Pastor Jeff encourages you today to recognize God as the ultimate source of strength for your life. If you build your life on His principles, you won't need to worry about what the world puts in your way.

When you're in the Kingdom of God, there is no going back to the way things used to be! You can't just turn back the clock and go back into a life of sin. Pastor Jeff reminds you today that just like the Israelites were taken out of slavery and left Egypt behind, Elisha left his former life behind when he chose to follow Elijah. His old line of work was left in the dust because Elisha had chosen to pursue the things of God. What is the Lord asking you to leave behind, to pursue His will for your life?

With today's technology, you have no shortage of pastors and teachers to listen to! And with that variety of voices comes a wide spectrum of ideas. Pastor Jeff teaches you today that, unfortunately, there are many pastors out there who teach more like motivational speakers than like messengers of God. Those weak pastors will produce weak fruit, people who aren't truly living in the way of Jesus. If you want to grow in your faith, find a pastor that will teach straight from God's Word.

When you are feeding an infant, you have to give them soft food that they don't have to chew. But as they get older, they need to be able to eat solid food, so that they can grow strong and healthy. Well, Pastor Jeff teaches you today that there are many Christians today who are stuck in that infant stage. They worship Jesus but don't believe that God's Word is absolute truth. A follower of Jesus needs to believe in the absolute truth of God's Word, because otherwise their witness will be empty and meaningless.

If your phone or your computer starts to run slowly after a few years, one step you can try to fix the issue is to do a factory reset! By restoring your device to the way it was when it was brand new, you can clean out some of the junk files that have built up over time. In today's message, Pastor Jeff teaches you that God wants to reset your mind because renewing your mind will make it easier for you to follow God's will for your life instead of constantly giving in to your own desires.

Daniel and his friends didn't just have to say “no” to Babylonian influence once. Instead, they had to say “no” every day, even multiple times a day! Every meal with indulgent food, every lesson taught from a Babylonian perspective, every conversation with a fellow student or a teacher was an opportunity for the young Israelite men to give in. But Pastor Jeff teaches you today that as you grow stronger in your faith in Jesus, it starts to become easier to say “no” to the things of this world.

There are some trees that, as they get older, will grow massive root systems that anchor them into the ground. They can get to the point where not even a tornado can rip them out! Well, in today's message, Pastor Jeff is going to teach you that in order to withstand the pressures to conform to this world, you're going to need to place deep roots in God's Word! When you know what God wants for your life, inside and out, you will be able to resist the temptations of earthly pleasures that surround you every day.