Hardwired with Jeff Wickwire

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.