Hardwired with Jeff Wickwire

The forces of the devil are always trying to get in your way, trying to ruin your life just because you are a follower of Jesus!  Pastor Jeff reminds you today that the devil has been given a level of control over this world and that he uses every resource available to him to create stumbling blocks and pitfalls for the community of believers worldwide. But the power that the Holy Spirit gives can help you overcome those roadblocks and live a fulfilling life in spite of the enemy’s attacks against you!

In the legal system, laws need to be very specifically written out to avoid problems with their interpretation. Loopholes can be taken advantage of to avoid paying taxes, avoid providing a safe workplace, or even to avoid food safety standards. But Pastor Jeff reminds you that God’s system of laws and regulations can be wrapped into one commandment: to love others as God loves you. If you apply that commandment to your entire life, He will bless your life in ways you couldn’t dream of!

How often do you hear the phrase, “kill two birds with one stone”? It means that one action can solve multiple problems at once. And God is someone who excels at multitasking! His plans for humanity are like a giant tapestry, with threads weaving and crossing over each other in unexpected ways, but Pastor Jeff teaches you that the overall goal of God’s plan is to bring glory to His name! So even the blessings that God has given you in this life serve a bringer purpose, and that is to glorify the Lord!

When you have a well-stocked toolbox, you are ready to handle any kind of problem you may have around the house. The right tool can be the difference between a quick fix and an expensive call to a handyman or repair person. Pastor Jeff teaches you today that the Holy Spirit provides the toolbox that every believer needs to follow Jesus in this broken world. Your exact set of tools may differ from everyone else’s; that’s because God has a unique plan for your life that isn’t exactly like everyone else’s.

Jesus set a high bar for Christians when he was confronted with the failure of His disciples to stay awake with Him in the garden of Gethsemane. He could have brought down righteous anger, knowing that there was horrible suffering coming His way, but instead, Jesus prayed for His friends. Pastor Jeff reminds you today that you should always be in prayer, especially in seasons of depression. The enemy may try and tear you down, but the Lord is the one who will bring healing to your mind.

When a boat starts taking on water, the crew has to spring into action to bail the water out of the boat, if they want to have any chance of saving the boat from sinking. And that’s exactly what you have to do if you want to prevent your mind from sinking into the pit of depression. Pastor Jeff teaches you today that negative thoughts can accelerate your descent into depression, so the best thing you can do is capture those negative thoughts before they begin to make you sink.

Scientists estimate that only 20% of the world’s oceans have been explored. That means that there are millions of square miles of territory that are a complete mystery to human understanding! But the nature of God is a far greater mystery that mankind will never be able to truly comprehend. Pastor Jeff reminds us today that God does not have human characteristics, but what we can understand is that God’s love for the human race is so great that He sent His Son to save us from our sins!

Is there a celebrity that you know a lot about? Maybe it’s an athlete whose career you’ve watched for years. Maybe it’s your favorite movie star, or the lead singer of your favorite band, and you know some obscure detail about their life! But you don’t really know that person; you just know about them. Pastor Jeff reminds you today that just because you know what God’s Word says doesn’t mean you truly know Him. If you don’t have the love of God in your heart, it’s like you’ve never known Him at all.

False teachers don’t have to use fancy language to lead people astray! Instead, many of those false teachers use words that are easy to understand, luring people into a false sense of security. Pastor Jeff warns you that your greatest enemy isn’t going to present himself with red horns and a pitchfork. Instead, you will be tempted by those who claim to have a different road to Heaven, one that is easier than following the way of Jesus. But those teachers are liars! Jesus is the only way to the Father.

The devil is so dangerous to humanity because he’s an excellent liar! Not only is he able to make the path of destruction seem appealing to mankind, but he is also able to pinpoint specific areas of temptation to deceive people on an individual level. But Pastor Jeff reminds you to hold the devil’s false promises accountable to the words of God’s Word! If God’s Word represents absolute truth, the devil is the complete opposite of that. He sits on a throne of lies, and his power fades away in the light of the Word.