Hardwired with Jeff Wickwire

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.