Hardwired with Jeff Wickwire

There is an ancient Japanese pottery technique called kintsugi, where a potter will take a chipped or shattered piece of ceramic and repair it using precious metals instead of simple lacquer. The repaired piece doesn’t hide its imperfections; instead, they are highlighted in gold, silver, and platinum. In today’s message, Pastor Jeff encourages you by reminding you that God has a plan for you, even when you’re stuck in a dark valley. He can take that broken time in your past, and turn it into a symbol of hope! 

I’m sure you can think of a time when you’ve felt isolated from God because of your sinful behavior. Despite our best efforts, we as humans are prone to giving in to the desires of our flesh from time to time. But Pastor Jeff is here to remind us today that that separation isn’t permanent. All that God asks of us is to repent of our sin and turn back to Him. Even if we are walking through a difficult valley, God will be faithful to turn that darkness into a wellspring of hope when we return to His loving arms! 

What is something that you worship in this life besides God? Some of us worship our favorite musical artists, our favorite sports teams, or even our favorite hobbies. Honestly, anything that can be worshipped has the potential to get between us and God. Pastor Jeff reminds us today that we will end up worshipping something. We can worship God, our Heavenly Father and the Creator of the universe, or we can worship the things of this world that will inevitably turn to dust. 

Psalm 19 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” God has left His fingerprints all throughout this world He created, and the wondrous things we see in this world point towards His divine purpose. Pastor Jeff teaches you today that God has revealed Himself to humanity through creation, but that alone cannot bring you into a relationship with Him. Creation can point you in the right direction, but you must choose to answer His call.

Did you know that you have the tools to save someone’s life? Pastor Jeff reminds you today that the Gospel is a message of good news for all people, and it is literally a matter of life and death! It’s your responsibility to share the Good News with people who need to hear it, without worrying about the consequences you may face in this world. Have courage, because this world cannot take away your salvation or compromise your relationship with Jesus if you are obedient to Him! 

When a home inspector is preparing a report on a home, they will check for signs of rot or water damage that warn of a huge problem! You can cover up small stains with paint, but they will only cover over the deeper problem. In this message, Pastor Jeff teaches you that sin is an evil form of rot, and it works its way into the core of your soul. The sacrifices of the Old Testament were only able to cover the stain of sin, but the blood of Jesus can fully cleanse and restore what has been corrupted by sin.

When you rent a car, you are expected to return it in the same condition it was in when you rented it. That means you shouldn’t leave trash behind, and any scratches or dings on the body of the car may be held against you. Pastor Jeff teaches you today that you are also technically a rental! Your entire being belongs to God, and that includes your physical body! By taking care of your body and not corrupting it with unhealthy substances and habits, you bring glory to your Father in Heaven!

Before we came to know Jesus, our default human nature tended to be more selfish. Sure, we might have moments of sympathy and compassion, but our first impulses are usually to serve our own interests first. Well, Pastor Jeff is going to teach us today that when we come to know Jesus, we become filled with the same compassion that He has for us. Now we are able to share the love that Jesus first shared with us. Even the hardest and most stubborn of hearts are softened by His compassion.

In order to make pure gold, a refiner will heat impure gold, or gold ore mined from underground, to extremely high temperatures, and then use a chemical process to make those impurities float to the surface so that they can be scraped away. In today’s message, Pastor Jeff teaches you that God doesn’t put you through storms and trials to punish you for your sins. Instead, that difficult process is intended to strengthen you and to produce a purer faith. The Lord wants to make you stronger!

Throughout the Bible, God has judged people for their sinful ways. He has used floods, fire, brimstone, and earthquakes to cast down those who stand in defiance against His authority. But Pastor Jeff reminds us today that God will cast one final judgment on the Earth during the last days, and the things of this world that don’t glorify Him will be destroyed and reduced to dust. If we don’t follow the Lord, we risk getting cast aside in that final judgment, and losing out on His presence forever.