Hardwired with Jeff Wickwire

The Bible teaches us that the Holy Spirit is our constant guide and counselor. He is the one who speaks to us in the quiet and still moments of our lives. But today, Pastor Jeff reminds us that He is also there to help us in times of trouble. When we are facing a difficult storm, we are supposed to focus on what the Holy Spirit is trying to tell us. If we can drown out the noise and listen to His still, small voice, we will be able to resist fear. We won’t get lost in the turmoil and chaos of the storm.

The most important person at any public pool or beach is the lifeguard. While they will spend 99% of their time doing nothing but watching the waters, they are always vigilant to save someone if they start to sink below the surface of the water. Pastor Jeff wants you to recognize today that God is the ultimate lifeguard for your life! When things get difficult, and you start to look at the waves around you and start to sink, He will be right there to pull you out. He will never let you drown in the storm!

Whenever you lay a trap for an animal in the woods, you need to leave some sort of bait to attract your target, or the trap may never be triggered. And just like a piece of meat is attractive to a wild animal, the pleasures of the world are the bait that the enemy uses to lure humanity into sinful behavior. But Pastor Jeff reminds you to be on your guard, because even though the temptation of sin has a sweet and pleasant aroma, it becomes dangerous and painful if you draw too close to it.

Have you ever seen a lightning strike? It can change the whole landscape around you in moments if it causes a fire or an electrical outage. And just like a lightning strike, the circumstances of your life can dramatically shift with no notice. Pastor Jeff teaches you today that you shouldn’t wait for the right opportunity to do good deeds in the world; the time is now! Before you go to bed tonight, try and bless one more person, or do one more good deed to spread the love of God on Earth.

Have you built your life on the solid foundation of Christ, or is it built on the shifting sands of the world? Pastor Jeff reminds you today that you are inevitably going to face storms in this life. Maybe your career won’t pan out in the way you planned, or you’ll face a difficult illness, or relational strife. Whatever happens, it is better to be firmly rooted in God’s Word, so that you can stay strong in the middle of the toughest situations. Jesus wants you to be able to stand tall in the midst of your storm.

When a bridge is being built, a team of engineers will usually perform a stress test to ensure the structure will be able to safely support the loads it is designed for. After that bridge is subjected to an increased load during the test, the engineers can be assured that the bridge is safe to use. Well, Pastor Jeff reminds you today that Jesus prepared His disciples in the stormy water, so that they could be ready to minister to a demon-possessed man. That storm was the disciples’ stress test!

A good home inspector can be your best friend. While things may look good to you at first glance, a home inspector is trained to spot problems that may seem small at the moment but can quickly escalate and become massive headaches down the line. In today’s message, Pastor Jeff teaches you that the storms you face in this life are meant to highlight areas that you may need to work on. You may be facing trials now, but God will give you the wisdom you need to patch up those weak points in your heart.

Even the most talented musicians can play a wrong note every once in a while! But few things in life will ever be truly perfect, and that is especially true for us in our struggle with sin. Pastor Jeff teaches us today that we will slip back into sin every once in a while. But the sign of the Holy Spirit working in us is that even when we sin, we don’t give in to a sinful lifestyle. We make a mistake, we pray to God in repentance, and then we continue following along in the path set before us, one step at a time.

There is a battle raging inside you every single day! Two natures are competing for control over your life: the sinful nature that you were born with, and the new nature that you have been given in Jesus. Pastor Jeff will teach you today that to fully embrace your new nature, you must put the old nature to rest. You have been freed of your slavery to sin, but you still need to immerse yourself in God’s Word to break free of the last remaining shackles on your life and begin your new life in Christ.

Whenever God provides for your needs, He doesn’t usually make that provision manifest out of thin air. Instead, He calls people and moves in their hearts to be generous and share the blessings they have received with the one in need. Pastor Jeff wants you to examine the blessings that you yourself have been granted and see where you can give just a little bit more to your fellow man. Is there someone in your life that is in need of a blessing that you are uniquely equipped to provide?