Advertise on podcast: Hardwired with Jeff Wickwire

Have you ever been betrayed by your closest friend? It can feel like a dagger to the chest, seeing the person who you trusted more than anyone turn away from you, and treat you like their enemy. Well, Pastor Jeff reminds you today that Peter did exactly that when he denied Jesus three times! But yet, the Lord was still ready to forgive His disciple and friend. After Jesus’ resurrection, He restored Peter to be by His side once again, and He will do the same for you, even when you backslide into sin.

By studying history, we can see how the kingdoms of this world rise and fall. And even though the nations of our day have more power than the world powers that came before, we can have certainty that every nation we know of today will come to an end! Pastor Jeff reminds us today that the kings and kingdoms of this world are mortal and impermanent, but the Kingdom of God is the only kingdom that will last forever! You and I get to be citizens of that eternal Kingdom because of our identity in Christ.

When one king conquered another in ancient times, it would be customary to parade the defeated king through the streets as a form of humiliation. It was important for everyone to know that the power dynamic had changed, and there was a new ruler in charge! Well, Satan is going to be on the losing end of that exchange one day soon! Pastor Jeff reminds us today that even Lucifer will be defeated one day soon, and we will all get to witness our Heavenly Father sitting on the throne of Creation.

Every cartoon hero needs their cartoon villain; someone so obviously evil that you can’t help but cheer for the hero to beat them every single time! Well, even though the Antichrist is as close to pure evil as a man will ever get, he is no cartoon villain! Pastor Jeff wants to remind you today that the Antichrist will be a real person, not some government entity or fantasy monster. If you understand the threat the Antichrist poses to the world, you’ll understand how important it is to warn people about him!

Many of us have felt a moment where we’re singing a song of worship to God, and the words of the song start to seem repetitive and stale. Well, we won’t have to worry about that in Heaven! Pastor Jeff wants us to know today that while we will be worshipping the Lord forever in Heaven, our song won’t get boring or worn out. Instead, that song will be constantly refreshed, because only in the Father’s presence will we realize that a thousand years of praise is not enough for our Creator!

One of the reasons we can trust in God’s Word to be true is that it predicted events before they happened! In today’s message, we’ll learn about the four beasts rising out of the sea in Daniel’s vision. These beasts correspond to the four kingdoms we learned about earlier in the book of Daniel, and Pastor Jeff wants to point out to us how some of the details about the beasts were prophecies of how the world’s kingdoms would rise and fall. Reading the book of Daniel is like reading a world history book!

When I started seeing a new counselor, one of the first things that stood out to me was the different certificates he had on his wall. Not only did he have his college degrees displayed, but he also had other certifications that demonstrated his experience with various issues. Pastor Jeff wants to teach us today that Jesus has the ultimate certification to be our high priest. He mended the gap between God and man by taking on the sins of the world and dying on the cross. That certificate is written in His own blood!

What would you think if you paid to go on a tour of Paris, only to find out your tour guide had never been to Paris before and thought that the official language of France was Spanish? Your guide should have a deep understanding of the place they are giving you a tour of. Pastor Jeff wants to remind you today that the tough experiences he has faced in his own life allow him to empathize with your situation! He has learned to rely on God’s grace and will teach you how to do the same.

It sure would be convenient if I didn’t have to go through difficult times in this life. After all, I’m a child of God! Shouldn’t I have some sort of a badge I can flash whenever things get tough, so that the Lord’s enemies know to back off? Well, Pastor Jeff teaches us today that things don’t exactly work like that. Sometimes, God allows us to go through trials so that we can learn and grow from the struggle. He will still deliver us, but He wants to build a strong character within us so that we grow stronger.

Do you remember those old Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner cartoons? Every time the coyote tries to catch his prey, his schemes backfire on him, sometimes literally! Well, Pastor Jeff teaches you today that those who engage in schemes out of jealousy are setting themselves up to be just like that coyote. The Lord says that their plans will backfire because He shows favor on those who obey His will. The men who plotted Daniel’s downfall will learn that lesson the hard way in this story!

If you spend just a little bit of time reading the news, you’ll probably find a few stories about people who died unexpectedly. Whether it’s a freak accident or a health issue that remained hidden until it was too late, people never know exactly when their time in this world will end. Pastor Jeff reminds us today that every breath we take is a gift from the Lord, and another chance to glorify His name. What’s a way that you can live for the Lord today, so that you can honor the precious gift He has given you?

Some of the most depraved sins are the kind that happen behind closed doors, when people think nobody is watching. But Pastor Jeff reminds us in today’s message that even if it’s just you at home by yourself, there is still a God watching you. He doesn’t just know what you’re doing right now, but He knows what you’re going to do next, because He knows your thoughts before you do! So before you begin to give in to your temptations once again, remember that nothing you do is a secret to God!

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.