Hardwired with Jeff Wickwire

Understanding that you are not under the condemnation of sin doesn’t give you a blank check to keep living however you want. Because if you fall back into a life of sin and disregard your need for forgiveness, the influence of sin can creep back into your life. Make no mistake, without God’s influence in your life, sin will destroy you. Pastor Jeff warns you today to not let complacency push you back into a sinful lifestyle, but allow yourself to be transformed by the work of the Holy Spirit in you.

How do you know if you’ve been filled with the Holy Spirit? Pastor Jeff teaches you today that you will recognize the Holy Spirit’s presence in your life when you begin to be convicted regarding the sin in the world around you. Unfortunately, the world is a dark place, and the corrupting influence of sin is everywhere you look. But when you are guided by the Holy Spirit, you’ll begin to see the presence of sinful activity and sinful desires in your own life, and the lives of those around you.

The laws of nature state that things cannot go from disordered to ordered without an outside influence. Buildings don’t form on their own without builders, trees don’t grow without energy from the sun, and children don’t grow without food from their caregivers. Pastor Jeff reminds you today that relationships aren’t strengthened without forgiveness. You won’t be able to completely avoid conflict in your relationships, but a spirit of forgiveness can help you reverse the damage done over time.

A common phrase that people use to describe someone lashing out in anger is to say “Well, that was the straw that broke the camel’s back”. The truth of the matter is that every human has a limit to how much they can endure before buckling under the pressure. But what Pastor Jeff teaches you today is that you should have a strong will, and not allow yourself to easily give into anger, because being quick to anger can often result in you alienating those around you, pushing them away permanently.

In the midst of your trials, how do you find a renewed sense of hope? When you navigate the depths of your suffering, do you ever get out of your rut? In today’s message, Pastor Jeff shares that within your pain lies an opportunity for hope to blossom. It’s in these trials that you find hope, born out of endurance by way of God’s grace. Regardless of the hardships you face, hope can rise from barren ground. Allow your suffering to become a catalyst for God’s version of hope and experience a brighter tomorrow.

Have you ever contemplated the impact of moving on from your past? Have you ever fully embraced God’s perfect grace? When you surrender to His boundless grace, do you feel the change in your life? In today’s message, Pastor Jeff emphasizes that through the perfect grace of God, you can experience fresh renewal that enables you to move beyond your past. Allow God's grace to work within you to bloom into the person you were always meant to be. Let God’s love shine through to the world.

Even among the body of Christ, there can be instances of conflict or bitterness that are too great to be resolved via human intervention. But something even greater than human intervention is divine intervention! Pastor Jeff encourages you today that if you have a brother or sister that has offended you, and refuses to reconcile, you can bring that burden to the Lord! Just like you’ve learned to cast your anxieties on Him, you must also learn to take your grudges and leave them at His feet.

You’re never going to find a perfect church! For better or for worse, every church is made up of human beings. And even though every person is made in the image of God, the curse of sin has marred the Lord’s original design for the human race. Pastor Jeff encourages you today to continue going to church despite the obstacles that may be in your way. As he says, the Church isn’t just meant for spiritually mature people. It’s a place for people to grow as they begin to follow the way of Christ.

There are some burdens that are simply too heavy for you to carry on your own. Unfortunately, since humanity lives in a world rife with sin and suffering, it is all too common for people to carry burdens greater than what they can take. However, God is a merciful God. He will take whatever burdens you lay on him, and give you rest. Pastor Jeff encourages you today to cast every burden and anxiety at the feet of the cross and leave them there. Don’t take them back with you into your normal life.

Have you seen how a group of fans react when their favorite film franchise releases a trailer for the next entry in the series? Even just a title and release date can cause cheers of joy and excitement. Well, shouldn’t Christians be just as excited to see God working in their lives? Pastor Jeff encourages you today to have a childlike faith, one that looks at the works of God with anticipation and excitement. The Lord never does things exactly the same way twice, and you’ll never know what to expect!