The Wake-Up Call

The episode centers on the tension between law, legalism, and true spiritual transformation. JD argues that focusing on endless rules and behavior management misses the heart of the gospel: the capital-L law of love, which calls people to love God and neighbor rather than merely manage sin. He opens with a consecration prayer, reads from Romans 2, and uses the passage to show that hearing the law is not enough unless it leads to actual obedience and change. He then connects that spiritual lesson to his own weight-loss journey, explaining that years of dieting, tracking, and self-control strategies did not solve the deeper issue. The breakthrough came when he understood Romans 12:1 as a call to offer his body to Jesus as a living sacrifice. He describes that surrender as a turning point that helped him lose weight over time, and the episode closes with a worshipful reminder from JD Walt Sr. that Jesus is the key to Scripture, freedom, and wholeness. CHAPTERS: 00:04 Introduction and Morning Prayer 01:30 Understanding the Law and the Gospel 04:28 Personal Journey with Weight Loss 10:35 Offering the Body as a Living Sacrifice 12:24 Conclusion and Reflection 14:04 Introduction and Worship 18:38 The Power of Focus on Jesus 19:44 Offering Our Lives to Jesus - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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

JD Walt reflects on “Sin Swamp” through Romans 2, arguing that sin is deeper than bad behavior or breaking rules. He frames it as a failure to love God, ourselves, and others—a relational breakdown that damages people, creation, and our connection with God. In this view, God’s wrath is not vindictive anger, but righteous opposition to whatever destroys the love and life he created. He then turns to the hope of the gospel: God does not hate sinners, but loves and saves them through Christ. The episode invites listeners to reconsider repentance as turning fully toward Jesus rather than merely trying to improve behavior. Through prayer, journal prompts, a personal example about family conflict, and a worship song, he encourages listeners to see righteousness as restored relationship and love rather than moral performance. CHAPTERS: 00:04 Introduction and Context of Labor Day 01:39 Prayer and Consecration 02:09 Understanding Sin: The Concept of Sin Swamp 05:54 The Nature of Sin and Its Impact 09:50 God's Wrath and Love for Sinners 10:56 The Role of Repentance and Understanding Sin 17:15 Worship and the Importance of Heart Posture 20:17 Conclusion and Reflection on Sin and the Gospel - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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

This episode centers on Romans 2:1–4 and the idea that God’s kindness, forbearance, and patience are what lead people to repentance. Rather than treating repentance as mere behavior management or “trying harder,” the message reframes it as a change of mind and a turning of the heart toward Jesus. J.D. uses the story behind Chris Tomlin’s song “Kindness” to illustrate how surprising and transformative that verse felt to him, especially because kindness and repentance are usually not words people connect. The deeper point of the episode is that repentance is Jesus-centered, not sin-centered. J.D. emphasizes that the goal is not just to turn away from wrongdoing, but to turn toward the face of Jesus, allowing his love to realign our focus and reshape our lives. He closes with prayer, singing, and a call to let God’s kindness shine through us so others can see Jesus in us. CHAPTERS: 00:04 Introduction and Overview of Romans 02:58 Reapproaching Repentance 10:24 The Kindness of God and Repentance 14:16 Shifting Focus: From Sin to Jesus 15:42 Turning Our Eyes to Jesus 17:43 Experiencing His Kindness and Love 18:50 Radiating His Light in the World - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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

This episode centers on a devotional reading of Romans 1:24–32, where J.D. Walt draws a strong distinction between “sins” and “sin.” He argues that the passage is not just a list of individual moral failures, but a diagnosis of a deeper condition: humanity’s exchange of the truth about God for lies and created things. From there, he frames the gospel as beginning with God, not with sin, and says the real issue is the disease itself rather than just its symptoms. The main takeaway is a call to shift our focus from sin’s many visible manifestations to Jesus, who is presented as the cure for both the root problem and its effects. Rather than letting outrage, fear, or fixation on particular issues dominate, the episode urges listeners to keep Christ at the center, “turn their eyes upon Jesus,” and seek transformation through him. It ends with prayer, reflection prompts, and a pastoral encouragement to stay rooted in this gospel-centered perspective. CHAPTERS: 00:04 Introduction and Call to Consecration 01:27 Understanding Sin: Capital S vs. Lowercase Sins 04:08 The Gospel Begins with God, Not Sin 08:36 The Focus on Jesus as the Cure for Sin 10:17 Addressing Difficult Topics with a Broader Perspective 14:22 Turning Our Eyes Upon Jesus 16:11 The Shift from Symptoms to the Source of Sin - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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

This episode is a wake-up call from Romans 1:18–23, contrasting the “burning house” of sin with the “burning bush” of God’s presence and the power of the gospel. J. D. Walt emphasizes that while sin is real and destructive, Christians should not let it dominate their attention; instead, the true focus must remain on Jesus, whose salvation is comprehensive and life-renovating. Through prayer, Scripture, and the hymn “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus,” Walt invites listeners to shift from a mindset of sin management and self-improvement into one of beholding Christ and becoming like Him. The central message is that when believers fix their eyes on Jesus, the problems of the world and their own hearts lose their power and the gospel becomes the lens through which everything is seen. CHAPTERS: 00:04 Introduction and Context of Romans 01:54 The Wrath of God and Human Wickedness 04:27 The Dilemma: Focus on Sin or the Gospel? 08:35 The Shift from Sin Management to Love Unleashed 12:48 Beholding Jesus: The Key to Transformation 16:14 The Gospel: Reconciliation and Hope - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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

This episode centers on a warm, devotional gathering built around Romans 1:16–17 and the hymn “Amazing Grace.” J.D. Walt opens by welcoming family and guests, framing the day as a “red letter” morning of worship rather than a performance. He emphasizes that the gospel is not about being a “good” person, but about the deeper reality of being dead and made alive, broken and restored, lost and found. That theme is reinforced through the singing of “Amazing Grace,” which serves as both the emotional and theological centerpiece of the episode. The second half turns into a reflective teaching on the “hard and beautiful truth” of the gospel: that human worth is not earned by goodness and is not erased by failure. Using examples like the Pharisee and the tax collector, the host argues that Jesus dismantles the usual moral calculus of good versus bad and replaces it with grace, mercy, and faith. He also shares a poem about a reunion with an old friend, using it to underline the message that people are not defined by moral performance but by being loved by God. The episode closes in prayer and with a call to go out into the world and “sow” the grace of God. CHAPTERS: 00:04 Introduction and Morning Prayer 02:38 Understanding the Gospel's Power 08:43 The Hard and Beautiful Truth 11:15 Journal Prompt and Reflection 12:05 Crushing the Good vs. Bad Dichotomy 16:03 Introduction to Choir and Guests 17:33 The Message of Amazing Grace 20:48 Closing Thoughts and Sending Forth - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Get your physical copy of All The Things ► https://my.seedbed.com/product/all-the-things-wake-up-call-workbook/ 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

- - - - - - - P. S. ❗️ Follow Along with Us . . . If you would like to order the book, I'll send you an additional copy at no charge so you can share it with a friend and invite them to join our journey—BUY ONE SOW ONE. Use the code BOSO. Get the book HERE: https://my.seedbed.com/product/romans-from-sin-management-to-love-unleashed-daily-seeds/ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - What happens when a tiny church of 100 people starts shaking an empire? This Romans 1 episode makes the case that faith spread through ordinary obedience, and it still can. JD Walt opens with a charge to wake up, pray, and lean into Romans 1:8-15, then unpacks how Paul's words to the church in Rome land with fresh force in a world that feels just as chaotic. From first-century Rome, ruled by Nero and filled with house churches, to modern-day upheaval, JD traces the power of a small community whose faith was "reported all over the world" without internet, platform, or influence. CHAPTERS: 00:04 Introduction and Context of Romans 03:10 The Power of Faith in Early Christianity 06:11 The Relevance of Romans Today 08:49 Prayer and Awakening 12:07 Personal Reflections and Family 13:57 Conclusion and Hymn Singing - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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

- - - - - - - P. S. ❗️Follow Along with Us . . . If you would like to order the book, I'll send you an additional copy at no charge so you can share it with a friend and invite them to join our journey—BUY ONE SOW ONE. Use the code BOSO. Get the book here: https://my.seedbed.com/product/romans-from-sin-management-to-love-unleashed-daily-seeds/ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - This episode launches a thirteen-week journey through the book of Romans, beginning with Romans 1:1–7 and the question, “What is your calling?” J.D. Walt argues that calling is not mainly a job, role, or career path, but first and foremost belonging to Jesus Christ. He frames the daily Christian life as consecration, transformation, and demonstration: offering yourself to Jesus, being changed by his word, and then carrying his presence into the world. The episode also sets a warm devotional tone through prayer, journaling prompts, and a sung hymn with David Walt, JD's father. Their conversation reinforces the idea that God is not done with people at any age, and that retirement does not apply to a life of calling. Overall, it’s an inviting first episode that blends teaching, worship, and encouragement to start the Romans series with a heart of surrender and trust. CHAPTERS: 00:04 Introduction to the Journey through Romans 03:00 Understanding Your Calling 09:39 The Importance of Consecration and Transformation 12:58 Living Out the Gospel in Daily Life 13:36 Welcoming Back and Setting the Tone 16:25 The Power of Hymns in Worship 19:25 Aging Gracefully and God's Ongoing Work - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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

What does it look like when ordinary people actually live as witnesses of Jesus? Dan Wilt closes out Holy Spirit Story Summer with a commissioning message that turns everyday moments - coffee shops, hospital rooms, roadside prayers, grocery stores, and senior living hallways - into evidence that the Holy Spirit is still moving powerfully through normal lives. Dan reflects on more than 100 stories submitted by Sower Nation and shares a deeply personal moment of his own: a simple hallway prayer that felt, in his words, like heaven opening. From there, he lays out the heart of this episode's challenge - you do not need a stage, a microphone, or spiritual-superhero status to participate in the ministry of Jesus. You just need attentiveness, gentleness, and a willingness to say yes when the Spirit prompts you. CHAPTERS: 00:04 Introduction to Holy Spirit Stories 02:56 Commissioning and Empowerment in Ministry 05:50 Personal Stories of Faith and Witness 09:10 The Heart of Evangelism and Ministry 12:02 Invitation to the New Room Conference 14:36 Closing Prayer and Reflection - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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

This special edition of the Wake-Up Call presents a direct invitation to follow Jesus. It frames the gospel through John 3:16 and retells Jesus’s life, ministry, death, resurrection, ascension, and the birth of the church. The message emphasizes that the central human problems are sin and death—and that Jesus offers forgiveness, restored relationship with God, and eternal life. J.D. invites listeners to respond personally through prayer, trusting Jesus as Savior and following him as Lord. He reassures those still exploring that they are welcome to keep learning through the daily Wake-Up Call, then offers a journal prompt about their own decision to follow Jesus. The episode closes with songs of faith and an encouragement to carry God’s love into the day and share the invitation with others. CHAPTERS: 00:04 The Great Invitation to Wake Up 10:05 Understanding the Gospel of Jesus Christ 14:09 The Journey of Following Jesus - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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

J.D. Walt introduces a three-day on-ramp to the upcoming thirteen-week journey through Romans. Centering on Romans 12, he frames the Christian life as a daily movement of consecration—offering ourselves to God, transformation—renewing our minds through Christ and Scripture, and demonstration—living God’s love out in the world. He calls Romans 12 “the Jesus Manifesto,” describing it as a picture of what the gospel looks like when it takes root in everyday people. He invites listeners to join the “Jesus Manifesto Challenge” by slowly committing Romans 12 to long-term memory, adding a small passage each week rather than trying to memorize it all at once. The episode closes with prayer, journaling prompts about the passage and the challenge, and a simple worship moment with “Spirit of the Living God,” sending listeners into their day ready to live out the love of Christ. CHAPTERS: 00:04 Introduction to the Journey through Romans 02:47 The Jesus Manifesto Challenge 05:54 Consecration, Transformation, and Demonstration 11:47 The Call to Rememberize Romans 12 14:39 Daily Practices and Journal Prompts - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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

Romans is not just a book to study. It is a letter meant to awaken a people. J.D. Walt opens the doorway to a thirteen-week journey through Paul’s most consequential writing and shows why reading Romans as relationship, not just theology, changes everything. As the Wake-Up Call shifts into a new season, J.D. invites listeners to see the church in Rome not as a tiny house-church in a massive city, but as a living letter to the world. He explains why Romans has so often been flattened into doctrine, commentary, or “Roman’s Road” shortcuts, and why that misses the pulse of Paul’s message entirely. CHAPTERS: 00:04 Introduction to the Wake-Up Call 03:00 Preparing for Romans: Context and Significance 11:52 Understanding Romans as a Letter, Not a Book 15:03 Intentions for the Journey Ahead 20:00 Living Out the Message of Romans - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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

- - - - - - - P.S. Are You Coming to the New Room Conference? I’d love to see you at the New Room Conference, coming up next month on Sept 30–Oct 2 in Montgomery, Alabama, at Frazer Church. New Room is always an inspiring, refreshing gathering where we get to connect with fellow sowers. It is a meeting with Jesus, where we are equipped, empowered, and sent out to sow for a great awakening. Today, the Wake-Up Call and Seedbed are offering a special discount code for registration. If you have already registered, pass it on to someone else who needs to get there. I look forward to seeing you there! Register here (https://seedbed.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=108622&action=edit&classic-editor) and use the promo code: NRCWAKEUP P.P.S. Order Your Banding Book If you would like physical copies of Discipleship Bands: A Practical Field Guide, you can find that here: https://my.seedbed.com/product/discipleship-bands/ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - This episode focuses on the idea that Jesus modeled deep, life-giving community by having an inner circle—Peter, James, and John—and that we, too, are made for that kind of belonging. Using the Transfiguration as the central example, Mark Benjamin argues that we need to be known and loved not just in our strengths, but also in our struggles, and that healing often begins when we risk letting a few trusted people in. The message then turns practical with the concept of a “band,” a small group that meets weekly for honest questions, prayer, and mutual support. It also explores the difference between public, social, personal, and intimate belonging, encouraging listeners to build intentional relationships that can help carry shame, foster growth, and deepen their walk with God. CHAPTERS: 00:26 The Importance of Community in Jesus' Life 07:00 Understanding Our Need for an Inner Circle 14:13 Cultivating Deep Relationships for Healing - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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

- - - - - - - P. S. ❗️ Are You Coming to the New Room Conference? I’d love to see you at the New Room Conference, coming up next month on Sept 30–Oct 2 in Montgomery, Alabama, at Frazer Church. New Room is always an inspiring, refreshing gathering where we get to connect with fellow sowers. It is a meeting with Jesus, where we are equipped, empowered, and sent out to sow for a great awakening. Today, the Wake-Up Call and Seedbed are offering a special discount code for registration. If you have already registered, pass it on to someone else who needs to get there. I look forward to seeing you there! Register here: https://seedbed.com/newroomconference2026/ and use the promo code: NRCWAKEUP. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - This episode is a pastoral wake-up call about the danger of trying to do life alone. Mark Benjamin opens with a story about getting lost and dehydrated on a mountain in Haiti, using that experience to anchor the main message: human beings are not built to carry hardship, temptation, or pain in isolation. Drawing from Ecclesiastes 4, he argues that community is not optional but essential, especially when life becomes difficult and dangerous. He then connects that lesson to his own spiritual formation, explaining how honesty with a few trusted men led to the development of band meetings and, eventually, deeper transformation in his life. The episode is both personal and practical: it calls listeners to admit their need for help, invite others in, and resist the urge to “climb mountains alone.” It closes with a prayer for courage, journal prompts for reflection, and a hymn, reinforcing the theme of dependence on Jesus and one another. CHAPTERS: 00:04 Introduction and Setting the Stage 02:50 The Importance of Community 10:34 Personal Story: A Lesson from the Mountain 18:53 The Journey of Transformation and Invitation - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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

This episode tells the story of Cheryl Willoughby, a church volunteer in rural Georgia who helps serve a monthly free community lunch. One day, she met a young woman living with stage four cervical cancer who opened up immediately about her diagnosis and her fear of death. Cheryl prayed with her, but left the encounter feeling burdened that she had not asked more about her faith. When the woman returned the next month, Cheryl asked if she knew Jesus, and learned that she had come to faith years earlier. Soon after, Cheryl later read her obituary and came to believe the encounter was a “Holy Spirit appointment” — a divinely timed moment of prayer, reassurance, and grace. The episode reflects on how God works through timing, not just through actions, and how believers are often called to play only a small part in a much larger story. Dan Wilt emphasizes that we do not have to do everything perfectly; we simply need to be available when God prompts us. The closing prayer and journaling prompt encourage listeners to notice people around them who are hurting, to pray for discernment, and to take one loving action in response. Overall, the episode is a gentle reminder that God’s grace is present. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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

P.S. Are You Coming to the New Room Conference? I’d love to see you at the New Room Conference, coming up next month on Sept 30–Oct 2 in Montgomery, AL, at Frazer Church. New Room is always an inspiring and refreshing gathering where we get to connect with fellow sowers. It is a meeting with Jesus, where we are equipped, empowered, and sent out to sow for a great awakening. Today, the Wake-Up Call and Seedbed are offering a special discount code for registration. If you have already registered, pass it on to someone else who needs to get there. I look forward to seeing you there! Register here (https://seedbed.com/newroomconference2026/) and use the promo code: NRCWAKEUP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - What if the Great Commission is not a burden to carry, but the next step into the story Jesus is already writing? This reflection on Matthew 28 reframes disciple-making as invitation, not obligation, and shows why you are never sent alone. Walking through Jesus's final words to his disciples, Matt LeRoy connects the resurrection to a bold, practical call: receive the good news, then give it away. He unpacks the subversive meaning of "gospel" in the Roman world, contrasts Caesar's counterfeit good news with the kingdom of Jesus, and shows how the early church turned a political slogan into a radical declaration that Jesus is Lord. CHAPTERS: 00:04 Introduction and Community Reflection 02:02 Exploring the Great Commission 05:09 The Invitation to Join the Story 09:52 Empowerment and the Ripple Effect of Discipleship 10:52 Closing Thoughts and Community Engagement 15:00 Introduction to Faith and Belief 17:48 Exploring the Nature of Jesus 19:06 Personal Reflections on Spirituality - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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

Join Matt LeRoy as he takes listeners through this controversial story involving Jesus and a Canaanite woman. Our story today appears to show Jesus insulting an outsider and comparing her to a dog. What did Jesus mean? Are readers supposed to assume that there are outsiders in God's kingdom, like the original Christians believed? Matt LeRoy gives a thoughtful alternative theory to what is really going on. Might Jesus be using this story to illustrate wrongness in his disciples' hearts and our own hearts today? CHAPTERS: 09:17 Understanding Jesus' Controversial Words 12:11 The Canaanite Woman's Insight 15:02 Miracles of Abundance: Twelve and Seven 18:17 Wrestling with Difficult Passages 21:01 The Love of God: A Hymn Reflection - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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

Will you answer the call when Jesus asks you to lay everything down to follow him? Join Matt LeRoy as he gives a thoughtful explanation on the response Jesus gives that, at first glance, appears cold, but upon further explanation gives the clearest explanation of the commitment we must make as followers of Jesus: to surrender all. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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

This episode centers on Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5, with a focus on the Beatitudes and the call to be salt and light in the world. Matt LeRoy presents the sermon as a revolutionary vision of kingdom life—one that upends worldly power, challenges status quo thinking, and invites listeners into a countercultural way of living marked by humility, mercy, purity, peacemaking, and courage under persecution. It also connects that teaching to real-world witness, drawing on the imagery of the civil rights movement and the everyday influence of ordinary people who quietly bring change. The episode ends by emphasizing practical discipleship: becoming a visible sign of God’s kingdom through daily faithfulness, and it frames the hymn “Be Thou My Vision” as a fitting response to that invitation. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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

Matthew 4, where Jesus calls Peter, Andrew, James, and John to leave their nets and follow him. He connects that passage to a story from his own life about a friend whose repeated “not yet” became a public yes through baptism, using it to show how surrender can become faith in action. The main message is that discipleship is not just believing ideas about Jesus, but reorienting your whole life around him. Matt emphasizes the cost of following Christ, the need to loosen our grip on the things we trust more than Jesus, and the invitation to live with courage, trust, and obedience. The episode closes with a prayer, journal prompts, and a hymn selection, “I’d Rather Have Jesus,” chosen to reinforce the call to choose Jesus above everything else. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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