Hardwired with Jeff Wickwire

It’s pretty embarrassing when you introduce yourself to someone, only for them to say, “Actually, we’ve met before!” You might feel terrible because you forgot your previous interaction with that person. Well, God introduces Himself to us many times in our lives, but we don’t always remember Him. Pastor Jeff reminds us today that King Nebuchadnezzar had already encountered the one true God, but his pride kept him from being transformed by the truth Daniel was sharing with him.

A gemologist has all kinds of tools to determine whether a jewel is real or fake. But one of the simplest tests when examining a gem is to test it with a refractometer. You might be able to make an inferior material look like a real diamond or emerald to the naked eye, but the refractometer reveals the true nature of the gemstone. Pastor Jeff teaches you today that God sees right through your actions and into your heart. He knows if you are truly following Him, or if you are chasing after your own pursuits.

A valuable lesson for us to learn is that our actions have consequences. When you throw a baseball at a window and break it, you are responsible for replacing it. When you get distracted while driving and rear-end another vehicle, your insurance will find you liable for the accident. Pastor Jeff wants us to realize today that our actions have eternal consequences. Whether or not we accept Jesus’ salvation can mean eternity in God’s rest, or eternal separation from His presence. 

Sometimes it seems like being a Christian is like a book sitting on a shelf. You may wait your entire life waiting for someone to take you off the shelf and read what you have to offer! But Pastor Jeff reminds you that it’s vitally important to be ready for the time when people around you are ready to look towards Christ! When that moment comes for your family member, your coworker, or your neighbor, will you be ready to be the light of Christ for them? Or will your flame be hidden under a lamp?

No one said the fiery furnace is a fun experience! But just like raw ore is smelted to purify the valuable metals within, God allows us to be burned sometimes so that our souls can be purified. Pastor Jeff teaches us today that when we go through a fiery furnace, God causes the things that aren’t of Him to be burned away. If we hold on to those things that should be burned away, we will be burned ourselves. But if we allow God to purify us, we will look more and more like Him with each passing day. 

Even though we face opposition every day, we shouldn’t assume that every person we encounter has evil in their heart! Pastor Jeff reminds us today that many of the people around us are just resentful because they’ve been following the ways of this world. People can see that we are walking in the freedom of Christ, and sometimes that causes a negative reaction! We should always remember that the people we meet in the world are lost souls in need of God’s love and treat them with compassion, not resentment.

I’d dare to say that none of us listening to this message today have been commanded to bow down in front of a false idol, under threat of being thrown into a fiery furnace! However, Pastor Jeff reminds us today that we are surrounded by a culture that wants us to conform to be accepted. We should not bow down to the world’s pressure, but instead, let us stand strong in the name of Jesus! We know from God’s Word that He will deliver us from any punishment the world tries to hit us with.

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus warns us that we will hear about wars and rumors of wars in the last days, but we should not be afraid, because God is with us! Well, sure enough, it seems like every few months, a new conflict is starting somewhere in this world, and other parts of the world feel like a pressure cooker waiting to explode! But Pastor Jeff reminds us today that when we look at the Bible’s prophetic words, we can find peace, because none of today’s chaos comes as a surprise to God!

Whenever I’m on a long road trip, the hardest part of the journey is usually in the last couple of hours before I reach my destination. I’ve been going for so long, but my destination feels so far away! But then, something clicks, and I get a second wind as I begin to think of the rest that awaits me! Pastor Jeff reminds us today that when the hope of Heaven takes place in our hearts, we become equipped to endure this world! The Gospel gives us that second wind, as we look forward to our eternal reward!

What happens to a flower when you pluck it from its roots? It may stay in bloom for a short amount of time, but before long, it will dry up and die, unless you provide it with water and nutrients from a different source. In today’s message, Pastor Jeff reminds you that you are one of God’s flowers, and the only source of life that can truly sustain you is the vine of His Word. When you become separated from the vine, you seek sustenance from other sources, but they can’t give you lasting fullness.