The Wake-Up Call

Latest Episodes:

The Problem with Speed Limits and the Problem with Me Nov 10, 2026

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P.S. Taco Tuesday Zoom Meeting Come join us for another Taco Tuesday on November 17 at 11:30 a.m. CST! We had so much fun last month that we just had to do it again. Grab your favorite taco and RSVP HERE (https://zoom.us/meeting/register/8AdYLpKoTPeNlGnaY1wjzA#/registration) to hang out with us as we celebrate our Fall Harvest Campaign.

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John David Walt reads Romans 13:8–10, "The Problem with Speed Limits and The Problem with Me." He says the chapter break makes the turn from taxes to love feel abrupt. Paul has been talking about love since chapter 12, and paying taxes is a test case for it. JD uses speed limits as an example. He used to obey only when his parents or police were watching, but the law exists to protect other people from him. The real problem is his self-interested self-righteousness, and the gospel replaces it with love for others. "Love does no harm to a neighbor," so love fulfills the law. He closes with a prayer, a journal prompt, and a confession about a speeding ticket he got in Alabama. In the second half, his father joins him for a conversation about the lesson. They talk about the speeding ticket, how laws help people love each other, and why slowing down is worth it.

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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

On Theology and Taxes Nov 09, 2026

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P.S. Last Chance to Get Early-Bird Special on New Room in 2027

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John David Walt opens with prayer and works through Romans 13:6–7, "On Theology and Taxes." He treats paying taxes as a spiritual act of obedience. He sings the preamble of the U.S. Constitution to the Schoolhouse Rock tune, and he argues that governments serve under God's delegated authority, so they are ultimately accountable to God. He admits he dislikes paying taxes, but he says submitting to authority is faithfulness to God. If obedience to government ever meant defying God, the real question would be "what shall be the manner of our obedience to God?" and not how to defy the government. He closes with a prayer and journal prompt. He adds that he won't give more energy to toxic political debate, and that people should serve in government only if they are called, since God calls people to every sector of life.

David Walt joins J. D. to sing verses one and four of "Battle Hymn of the Republic," which they describe as deeply theological and not just patriotic. They encourage listeners to go out and share God's love, because God can use them to meet someone's need.

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On Jesus, His Church, and the Government Nov 07, 2026

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P.S. Behold, Advent!

Have someone on your heart who would be blessed by journeying with you through the Behold Advent series? Use our Buy One, Sow One offer to make it happen: 1. Visit seedbed.com/behold 2. Add two copies of Behold to your cart. 3. Enter promo code BOSO at checkout to get the second book on us! (Note: Offer applies exclusively to orders containing exactly two copies.)

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J.D. Walt opens with a short call to prayer, then works through Romans 13:4–5 on the church and government. Walt says that "Jesus is Lord" makes Christ the head of the church and the authority over earthly governments. The church is not the head of the government on Jesus's behalf. He calls the mistake of installing the church over the state a recurring disaster for the church, the government, and the people. J.D. lays out eight observations. Christians can and should serve in government for the sake of righteous leadership, merciful laws and just courts, not religious indoctrination.

Walt tells how he once planned a political career, working for Senator David Pryor and aiming for the presidency. He talks with his father, David, about that path, about knowing Bill Clinton, and about the surprise of his call to ministry, which their town supported. He adds that people called by Jesus, not merely ambitious, are what government needs.

CHAPTERS:
00:04 Introduction and Call to Worship
01:09 Exploring Romans 13: Authority and Governance
03:04 The Role of Jesus in Church and State
07:55 Observations on Church and State Relations
10:18 Prayer and Reflection on National Needs
13:47 Personal Reflections on Government and Calling
16:39 Navigating Politics and Faith
19:57 The Call to Ministry
22:18 The Advent Behold Challenge

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Why We Must Pay Our Taxes Nov 06, 2026

Show notes

P.S. Behold, Advent!

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J. D. Walt opens with a prayer of surrender and then turns to Romans 13:1–3, under the title "Why We Must Pay Our Taxes." He acknowledges that it feels like a hard turn from the Jesus Manifesto. He uses Nero, the emperor who persecuted and killed Christians, to show how hard the passage is. He stresses that Paul is not laying out a theology of church and state. Paul is telling Christians to be subject to governing authorities, which means paying taxes. It does not mean obeying the government in everything. Christians obey Jesus alone, and if they choose to disobey unjust laws, they must accept the penalties, as Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego and the martyrs did. Governments also answer to God.

JD explains that Paul is addressing the problems of first-century churches. Interpreting Scripture means asking what it meant in its original context, not starting from today's politics. He says he is not afraid of politics and calls Jesus fiercely political but never partisan, and he looks for theology rather than ideology. He then hands off to his father, David Walt, for the closing hymn.

CHAPTERS:
00:04 Introduction and Morning Prayer
01:09 Understanding Romans 13: Authority and Submission
07:25 The Role of Government and Christian Responsibility
10:19 Interpreting Scripture in Contemporary Context
12:24 Politics, Theology, and Partisan Ideologies
14:07 Singing Together: A Family Tradition
17:02 Reflections on Age and Legacy
19:02 The Meaning Behind the Song

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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

On Keeping the Cart Behind the Horse Nov 05, 2026

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P.S. Behold, Advent!

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The episode centers on Romans 12 and the idea of keeping “the cart behind the horse.” J. D. Walt explains that the many practical commands in the chapter—serving, giving, encouraging, showing mercy, practicing hospitality, and living at peace—can’t be sustained by effort alone. They flow from the earlier call to offer ourselves to God and allow our minds to be renewed. The central aim is “real love”: sincere, unselfish love shaped by Jesus rather than performance, manipulation, or self-interest.

The reflection closes in prayer, inviting the Holy Spirit to form that kind of love in daily life. It then turns to the hymn “The Deep, Deep Love of Jesus,” with a conversation about how faith means walking one another home. J. D. encourages listeners to invite someone else into the Advent series, sharing a book and the daily practice of waking up to Jesus together.

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Why the Mind Must Lead the Heart in the Matter of Transformation Nov 04, 2026

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P.S. Behold, Advent!

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J. D. Walt reflects on Romans 12:2, arguing that lasting transformation begins with a renewed mind rather than self-improvement or emotional effort alone. He connects the daily prayer of consecration—heart, mind, eyes, and body—to a life increasingly centered on Christ and oriented toward loving others. Transformation, he says, is fundamentally receptive: showing up before God ready to receive grace, not striving to earn it. He encourages listeners to identify people whose lives embody that spacious, compelling love and to pursue the same kind of faithful presence.

The episode then becomes a warm conversation with J. D.’s father about worship, singing, and the influence parents have through the example of following Jesus. Together they sing “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” and “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus,” emphasizing that worship is about sincerity rather than musical perfection. They close by encouraging listeners to invite someone to join them during Advent, framing discipleship as the simple, ongoing practice of following Jesus in a way others can see and be drawn toward.

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The Jesus Manifesto Nov 03, 2026

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P.P.S. To Date or Not to Date . . . That Is the Question Take a moment and let us know your preference: Should I say the date again or keep our videos evergreen? Take the survey here: https://seedbed.typeform.com/DatesWUC?typeform-source=www.google.com.

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J. D. Walt reflects on returning to date-specific introductions for the daily Wake-Up Call, inviting listeners to weigh in through a short survey. He then opens Romans 12:1—his “Jesus Manifesto”—to explore what it means to offer our bodies together as “a living sacrifice.” He emphasizes that God’s people are one family, not isolated individuals, and that this kind of transformed life is possible only when lived continually in view of God’s mercy.

The episode closes in prayer and turns the central idea into a personal reflection: keeping God’s mercy as a forward-facing vision rather than something left in the past. J. D. and his father sing “Be Thou My Vision,” invite listeners to share hymn requests, and encourage the audience to share the Wake-Up Call with others. J. D. also introduces an Advent reader called Behold, offering a buy-one, share-one invitation as a way to help more people join the daily practice.

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On Lighting Fires in the Sky Nov 02, 2026

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P.S. Behold, Advent!

Have someone on your heart who would be blessed by journeying with you through the Behold Advent series? Use our Buy One, Sow One offer to make it happen:
1. Visit seedbed.com/behold
2. Add two copies of Behold to your cart.
3. Enter promo code BOSO at checkout to get the second book on us!
(Note: Offer applies exclusively to orders containing exactly two copies.)

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J. D. Walt reflects on the purpose of daily worship and the power of doxology—praise directed wholly toward God. Drawing on Romans 11 and memories of singing the Gloria Patri and Doxology in church, he describes praise as “lighting a fire in the sky”: a practice that forms people to look beyond themselves and carry worship into ordinary life. He invites listeners to cultivate that same spirit throughout the week, not just on Sundays, through prayer, reflection, and spontaneous praise.

Later, J. D. is joined by his father, David, and together they sing a medley of familiar worship songs, reinforcing the message that singing can be part of everyday faith. J. D. then shares an invitation for the upcoming Advent season: listeners can participate in a “buy one, sow one” offer for Behold, an Advent reader by Shelby Shutt, purchasing one copy and sharing another with someone who may need encouragement and a renewed focus on Jesus.

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Why God Is Not Fair Is a Good Thing Oct 31, 2026

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P.S. Behold, Advent! Advent is the season of preparation and expectation leading up to Christmas. This year Shelbi Shutt will be walking us through the season of Advent. Shelbi is an amazing witness to Jesus and has an incredible story to share with us. Beginning December 1, Shelbi will be leading us on the Wake-Up Call. It's a great time to start planning and extending the invitation to others to join in. Check it out and order your copy of Behold here: https://seedbed.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=109381&action=edit&classic-editor

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This devotional explores why God’s mercy is better than human fairness. Drawing from Romans 11 and Jesus’s parable of the vineyard workers, J. D. Walt argues that grace cannot be earned through birthright, good behavior, effort, or religious credentials. God’s kingdom is built on gift rather than entitlement: no one has a claim on God, yet everyone is invited to receive mercy through faith in Jesus.

J. D. then connects that theme to the older brother in the prodigal son story, showing how resentment often reveals an entitlement mindset. He contrasts the “economy” of fairness with the deeper reality of grace: people deserve neither mercy nor restoration, but Jesus meets humanity’s debt and offers new life. The episode closes with an invitation to respond humbly, lean into God’s love, share the Advent journey with others, and live out that grace in the world.

CHAPTERS:
00:04 Awakening to Christ's Presence
01:27 Understanding God's Mercy and Fairness
06:19 The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard
11:38 The Prodigal Son: A Lesson in Grace 18:39 The Debt We Could Not Pay
19:30 Invitation to Transformation

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Halftime with the Apostle Paul Oct 30, 2026

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This devotional episode centers on Romans 11 and Paul’s call for humility between Jewish and Gentile believers. Using the image of a halftime talk, JD Walt explains that neither group has grounds for pride: the Gentiles have been grafted into a faith rooted in Israel, and everyone stands by God’s mercy rather than entitlement. The core message is that God’s kindness and severity should produce reverence, gratitude, and a deeper commitment to unity.

The reflection then moves from theology to practice, urging listeners to examine conflict, arrogance, and unforgiveness within their own communities. JD connects Christian unity to the credibility of the gospel, emphasizing that love and reconciliation are the clearest witness to the world. He closes with prayer, an invitation to sing “Spirit of the Living God,” and an encouragement to prepare for Advent by sharing the upcoming Behold study with others.

CHAPTERS:
00:04 Wake-Up Call: Meeting with Jesus
01:07 Halftime with the Apostle Paul
08:22 The Importance of Unity in the Church
13:04 Forgiveness and Relationships
19:58 Advent Awakening: Invitation to Community

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