The Wake-Up Call

Latest Episodes:

Why It's All Your Fault Jul 30, 2026

Show notes

This episode centers on Mark 15 and a theological reflection on the crowd’s cry to crucify Jesus. J.D. argues that the real danger of a crowd is shared power without personal responsibility, and uses Barabbas and Pilate to show how injustice can be diffused into everyone and therefore no one. The message then turns personal: salvation by grace through faith begins when a person steps out of the crowd and owns the guilt as if it were fully their own, only to receive the astonishing truth that Christ has already borne that blame.

The second half moves into worship and encouragement. J.D. and David Walt sing “Nothing but the Blood of Jesus,” reinforcing the theme that cleansing, pardon, and righteousness come only through Christ. The episode closes with a journal prompt about whether accepting total responsibility for Jesus’s death feels like injustice, followed by a preview of the next week’s Bible study on James with guest teacher Luann Riley and an invitation to continue waking up to the gospel each morning.

CHAPTERS:
00:04 The Eternal Now: Meeting with Jesus
02:08 Understanding Collective Responsibility
05:54 The Personal Journey of Grace
10:08 Owning Our Responsibility and Accepting Grace
13:19 Singing Our Way to the Cross
17:19 Introducing Luann Riley and Her Bible Study
20:02 Wrapping Up and Looking Ahead

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Sing along with us! ► https://seedbed.com/hymnal/

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Get the Wake-Up Call in your email each day ► https://seedbed.com/wakeupcall ⛪️ Are you a pastor? We'd love to connect ► https://seedbed.typeform.com/to/dymjFhUB Join the Field Team and help us sow the Wake-Up Call into new hearts ► https://seedbed.typeform.com/fieldteam Join the conversation: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/seedbedwakeupcall/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewakeupcall/ Listen to the podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-wake-up-call/id1040184070 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7t5qb5dpC7n0yxdyNsTKzTsi=e87495c982f145f6

The Three Kinds of People You Meet on the Way to the Cross Jul 29, 2026

Show notes

If you've ever wondered why carrying the cross feels lighter with faith, this episode reveals the divine promise that Jesus’s yoke is easy—and how love, service, and prayer are the keys to carrying it with joy. This episode is a testament to the timeless message: when we embrace the cross with love and service, burdens become blessings and joy becomes contagious.

J.D. breaks down the spiritual significance of the cross in our daily lives, emphasizing how carrying it is less about weight and more about love, community, and prayer. Learn how inviting Jesus into your daily walk turns heavy burdens into opportunities for compassion—reminding us that the cross isn't heavy when you carry it with Him.

CHAPTERS:
00:04 The Importance of Each Day
02:27 The Three Types of People on the Way to the Cross
08:23 Self-Reflection and Personal Growth
12:55 The Fragrance of Love and Devotion
14:02 Introduction and Hymn Singing
16:50 The Wonderful Cross and Its Impact
20:05 Carrying the Cross in Daily Life

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Sing along with us! ► https://seedbed.com/hymnal/

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When It's Time to Build Something More Than Buildings Jul 28, 2026

Show notes

This episode centers on Mark 13:1–2 and Jesus’s warning that the temple, despite its grandeur, will be torn down stone by stone. J.D. reflects on how easily people, communities, and even churches can turn buildings into idols, confusing impressive structures with the real purpose behind them. He connects the temple warning to Jeremiah’s critique of empty religious confidence, arguing that what matters most is not the building itself but justice, faithfulness, and a living relationship with God.

The second half of the episode turns that idea into a practical invitation: stop defining life by what we own or build, and instead invest in people. The closing hymn, “Standing on the Promises,” reinforces the theme of reliance on Christ rather than on outward appearances or human effort. The episode ends with a simple challenge to listen for who Jesus might want you to encourage today and to act on that prompting right away.

CHAPTERS:
00:04 Introduction to the Series and Upcoming Topics
02:20 When It's Time to Build Something More Than Buildings
10:57 Reflecting on Our Values and Priorities
14:27 Introduction and Hymn Singing
17:39 Prayer and Spiritual Growth
19:36 Encouragement and Community Support

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Sing along with us! ► https://seedbed.com/hymnal/

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When Two Cents Is Worth More Than A Million Dollars Jul 27, 2026

Show notes

This episode is a Monday morning devotional centered on Mark 12:41–44, the story of the widow’s two small copper coins. J.D. uses that passage to show how Jesus measures value differently than the world does: the widow’s tiny gift is greater than the rich people’s large offerings because it comes from total surrender, not abundance. That theme is connected to the larger call of discipleship — not just believing in Jesus, but abiding in him, fixing our minds on him, and learning to think with the mind of Christ.

The second half of the episode focuses on Philippians 2:5–11 and the idea of becoming more like Jesus through the renewal of the mind. J.D. contrasts ego-driven living with a life surrendered to God, using memorable wordplay and prayerful language to encourage listeners to let God reshape their identity. He closes by inviting the audience into worship, reflection, and practical application, while also previewing a guest teacher who will lead the show the following week.

CHAPTERS:
00:04 Introduction to the Week and Theme of Consecration
02:17 The Value of Sacrifice: The Widow's Offering
10:04 Understanding the Mind of Christ
15:33 The Process of Discipleship and Renewal
20:16 Encouragement for Community and Bible Study

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Sing along with us! ► https://seedbed.com/hymnal/

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Get the Wake-Up Call in your email each day ► https://seedbed.com/wakeupcall ⛪️ Are you a pastor? We'd love to connect ► https://seedbed.typeform.com/to/dymjFhUB Join the Field Team and help us sow the Wake-Up Call into new hearts ► https://seedbed.typeform.com/fieldteam Join the conversation: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/seedbedwakeupcall/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewakeupcall/ Listen to the podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-wake-up-call/id1040184070 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7t5qb5dpC7n0yxdyNsTKzTsi=e87495c982f145f6

A Prayer on the Side of the Road (with Katie Zettle) Jul 25, 2026

Show notes

This episode centers on everyday obedience to the Holy Spirit and the idea that interruptions can become moments of ministry. Dan introduces the theme with a reflection on staying attentive to God’s prompting in ordinary life, then shares Katie Zettle’s story as a living example of what it looks like to “keep your sails up” and respond when God nudges you to pray for someone. The message is simple but powerful: God may be inviting listeners to pause, notice, and partner with him in blessing the people already around them.

Katie’s story is the heart of the episode. While driving to church, she saw a woman and two small children walking along a busy road and felt the Holy Spirit prompt her to pray for them. She turned around twice to reach them, asked to pray, learned their names, and even helped connect them with resources. The encounter reminded her that faithfulness often looks like interrupting your schedule to serve someone else, and Dan closes by encouraging listeners to carry that same posture into their own communities, families, and daily routines.

CHAPTERS:
03:16 Introduction to the Holy Spirit's Influence
04:10 Katie's Transformative Encounter
06:54 Understanding the Prompting of the Holy Spirit
08:51 The Impact of Obedience and Service
09:53 The Power of Prayer and Community
12:49 Listening to God's Guidance in Daily Life

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Sing along with us! ► https://seedbed.com/hymnal/

The Difference between the Power of Prayer and the Power of God Jul 24, 2026

Show notes

This episode centers on Mark 11 and the difference between the power of prayer and the power of God. The speaker argues that Jesus’s teaching on faith is not a blank check for “name it and claim it,” but a call to trust God’s sovereignty, live in constant prayer, and understand prayer as a relationship of receiving rather than begging. He ties the lesson to discipleship, saying followers of Jesus learn who God is by watching Jesus and by allowing the Spirit and the Word to shape their prayers.

A major emphasis is forgiveness, which he presents as the one thing that can block the life of faith and prayer. He explains forgiveness as choosing not to retaliate or nourish bitterness, then urges listeners to examine where they need to trust God most in real life. The episode closes with a practical, encouraging challenge to receive God’s provision by faith, give generously in anticipation, and live as people being awakened and strengthened by Christ.

CHAPTERS:
00:04 The Power of Prayer and God
01:24 Understanding Faith and Prayer
07:29 The Role of Forgiveness in Prayer
10:14 Shifting from Asking to Receiving
15:21 Recognizing the Authenticity of Faith
18:43 Taking Practical Steps in Faith

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Sing along with us! ► https://seedbed.com/hymnal/

How Jesus Kicks Our Value System to the Curb Jul 23, 2026

Show notes

This episode centers on Jesus’s teaching from Mark 10 and the challenge it presents to ordinary ideas about success, wealth, and spiritual worth. J. D. Walt reflects on how Jesus overturns the common belief that wealth signals God’s favor, instead showing that the kingdom of God cannot be entered by human achievement or merit. The message is that what seems impossible for people is possible for God, and that following Jesus means entrusting everything to him rather than trying to bring our own credentials.

From there, the episode turns personal and devotional, emphasizing humility, dependence, and the idea that “nothing” offered to Jesus becomes “everything” when it is surrendered to him. J.D. shares stories, journal reflections, and prayers about ego, poverty of spirit, and learning to live in daily reliance on Christ. The episode closes with a hymn sing of “I Need Thee Every Hour” and a warm reminder that Jesus is not only needed but wanted, reinforcing the heart of the episode: a life of ongoing trust, surrender, and intimate relationship with God.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction and Morning Prayer
01:39 Understanding Wealth and the Kingdom of God
09:13 The Journey of Nothingness and Ego
14:42 Embracing Poverty of Spirit
15:11 The Need for Divine Presence
18:00 Desiring a Relationship with Jesus
21:03 Community and Connection in Faith

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Sing along with us! ► https://seedbed.com/hymnal/ -

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The Problem with Lazy Faith and the Way Beyond It Jul 22, 2026

Show notes

Most of us live in a space between belief and unbelief, unsure if we’re fully trusting or still doubting. But what if embracing that messy middle—that honest, raw honesty about our doubts—could actually deepen our faith? JD Walt explores the radical truth that faith isn’t about perfect belief but about bringing our doubts into the light and surrendering fully to Jesus. In this episode, you’ll discover how Jesus responds not to perfect faith, but to authentic honesty—like the father in Mark 9: “I believe, help my unbelief.” We break down why living in that tension is crucial and how prayer isn’t just a practice, but a radical way of living that disrupts cycles of dependency and doubt.

JD shares insights about divine revelation, how the Holy Spirit convinces us of truth we can’t grasp on our own, and why prayer stands at the heart of genuine faith. You’ll also hear inspiring stories of those who have wrestled with disappointment and disbelief, yet found hope in abandoning perfection and embracing honesty. If you’ve ever felt the weight of doubt or struggled to trust again, this episode is a hopeful call to surrender all—belief and unbelief alike—and to live in a faith big enough for both.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 Morning Reflections and Gratitude
02:18 The Problem with Lazy Faith
10:55 Honesty in Unbelief and Prayer
18:12 SB25.EndingTag.V1.mp4

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Sing along with us! ► https://seedbed.com/hymnal/

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On the Difference between Faith and Risk Management Jul 21, 2026

Show notes

This episode centers on the difference between faith and risk management. Drawing from Mark 8:11–21, J.D. Walt contrasts the Pharisees’s demand for a sign with Jesus’s call to trust, arguing that faith is not about demanding certainty or collecting endless data. Instead, faith is described as a deep inner confidence in God’s goodness, power, and faithfulness—a willingness to lean in even when the outcome is not fully visible.

The second half turns that teaching into an encouragement for daily life. J. D. invites listeners to examine what holds them back from faith—fear of failure, looking foolish, disappointment, or a wilderness wound from past hurt—and to take a practical step back toward trust, including reconnecting with church community. The episode closes with a hymn sung as a prayerful reminder that real faith means trusting Jesus more, choosing courage over caution, and returning to relationship with God with an open heart.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction and Morning Prayer
01:27 Exploring Faith vs. Risk Management
07:59 The Nature of Faith and Risk
09:11 Overcoming Barriers to Faith
11:43 Call to Action: Reconnecting with Faith
12:27 Introduction to Faith and Risk
15:42 The Power of Trust in Jesus
18:32 Leaning In: Overcoming Disappointment

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Sing along with us! ► https://seedbed.com/hymnal/

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The Problem with the Rules . . . or the Possibilities Jul 20, 2026

Show notes

This episode centers on Mark 7 and Jesus’s challenge to religious legalism. J. D. Walt contrasts a “gotcha” mindset with a God who is “for us,” arguing that the heart of the law is not rigid rule-keeping but love, protection, and flourishing relationship with God and others. He emphasizes that what defiles a person is not external conformity but what comes from within, and he connects that message to the need for deep internal transformation through the Holy Spirit rather than surface-level obedience.

The second half moves from teaching into reflection and application. J. D. shares how his own legal training shaped his understanding of the difference between law and legalism, then asks listeners to examine the brokenness that causes people to defend themselves, prove others wrong, and wound others in return. He closes with prayer, a hymn focus on turning our eyes to Jesus, and a program note promoting new women’s Bible studies from Seedbed, especially a study on James, while also previewing an upcoming week of Wake-Up Call leadership from Luann Riley.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction and Morning Prayer
02:08 Understanding the Law: Letter vs. Spirit
08:08 The Role of Legalism in Faith
12:07 The Journey to Wholeness and Healing
16:03 New Initiatives and Community Engagement

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Sing along with us! ► https://seedbed.com/hymnal/

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