The Wake-Up Call

- - - - - - - This episode centers on the message that Jesus is calling people home, especially those who feel weary, far away, or like they’ve used up their chances. Through hymns like “’Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus” and “Softly and Tenderly,” the J.D. Walt emphasizes trust, repentance, and the invitation to return to God now rather than putting it off. The tone is pastoral and urgent, with a strong sense of compassion for people living in spiritual exhaustion or distance. The second half shifts into a teaching from Romans 5:7–8, where the J.D. argues that the key word in the gospel is not just grace, but love. He explains that grace is an idea, but love is personal—shown in the fact that Christ died for us “while we were still sinners.” The episode explores agape love, the parable of the prodigal son, and the idea that God is actively looking down the road for people to come home. It closes with a prayer and reflection prompts that challenge listeners to consider whether they are willing to be known and loved by God. CHAPTERS: 00:04 Introduction and Call to Worship 01:18 The Word of the Day: Love and Grace 07:33 Understanding Love in the Context of the Gospel 10:10 The Nature of Agape Love 12:18 The Prodigal Son: A Story of Redemption - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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. Can't Make it to the New Room Conference? Join Us Online for the New Room Conference! Can’t make the trip in person from Sept 30–Oct 2? You can experience the entire New Room Conference right from home. Join us online for an inspiring time of connection and worship as we are equipped to sow for a great awakening. I’d love to gather with you virtually—register for the livestream here: https://seedbed.com/nrc26-livestream/ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - This episode centers on the idea of gravity as a spiritual metaphor for the forces shaping our lives. Using Romans 5, it contrasts the pull of sin, death, and despair with the far greater pull of grace, life, and heaven. The message is that through Jesus Christ, believers are not just forgiven but actually moved into a new center of gravity—one grounded in peace with God, hope, and the power of the Holy Spirit. The episode also blends teaching with a warm, devotional tone and a family-hymn moment. JD and his father David reflect on farming and harvest imagery, connecting sowing and reaping to the gospel and to Jesus’ call to gather people into God’s kingdom. They then sing “Love Lifted Me,” underscoring the main theme: when nothing else can save or sustain us, the love of Christ lifts us up and carries us into life with God. CHAPTERS: 00:04 Awakening to Presence 01:37 Understanding Gravity: A Spiritual Metaphor 07:09 The Power of Grace Over Sin 10:04 Living in the Gravity of Heaven - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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

Come hear from Amy at the New Room Conference Sept 30 - Oct 2 In-Person Tickets: https://seedbed.com/newroomconference2026/ Virtual Livestream Tickets: https://seedbed.com/nrc26-livestream/ - - - - - - - This episode is a wide-ranging conversation between JD Walt and Amy Orr-Ewing about public theology, awakening, and the holiness of God. Amy explains her work as a preacher and public theologian, describing how she brings Christian truth into public spaces like universities, government, and business settings, with the aim of answering real questions and pointing people toward Jesus. The conversation quickly turns to spiritual awakening, and Amy argues that genuine awakening is not about making faith easier, but about encountering the overwhelming holiness and authority of God. She suggests that many people today, especially younger generations, are not looking for a lowered standard, but for something true, costly, and worthy of their lives. The second half focuses on themes of the image of God, transformation, and forgiveness. JD and Amy explore how human dignity explains why people care so deeply about injustice, anger, and harm, and how the Christian story gives a deeper account of those realities than secular materialism can. Amy then unpacks forgiveness as something far more substantial than “letting it go,” arguing that real forgiveness does not minimize evil but entrusts justice to God through the cross and final judgment. She connects this to healing, freedom, and even national redemption, making the case that forgiveness is one of the most powerful and consequential Christian practices. CHAPTERS: 00:00 Introduction to Amy Orr-Ewing 02:49 The Role of a Public Theologian 06:01 Awakening and the Holiness of God 08:52 Cultural Context and the Image of God 11:59 The Search for Meaning in a Secular World 15:01 The Call for Transformation vs. Self-Improvement 17:49 Understanding Forgiveness in a Cancel Culture 21:01 The Cosmic Scale of Forgiveness 24:02 The Impact of Forgiveness on Society 26:54 Conclusion and Future Directions - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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. ❗️ Check Out the Revival Town Podcast Some months back I was graced to be a guest on one of my favorite podcasts—The Revival Town Podcast hosted by Chuck Tate and Andy King. We talked about Romans. As a hat tip, I wore the hat Chuck recently sent me with the number 41. I speak in the podcast today of what that is all about. Anyhow I link the podcast here where you can watch on YouTube or listen on Apple or Spotify. I’d encourage you to subscribe as these are two wonderful (and hilarious) men of God. To listen on YouTube, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuX4uORLicE To listen on Podcast, click here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jd-walt/id1533381156?i=1000745685268 To listen on Spotify, click here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1khZo9QdE0Tgp9thmcnAwh - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Amazing Grace is bigger than bad behavior. JD Walt cracks open Romans 4 and shows why the real human problem is not just what we do, but what we are - and why that changes everything about how you hear the gospel. Using Abraham’s faith, the line “saved a wretch like me,” and the life-changing logic of the cross, JD presses into the deeper diagnosis most people miss: the issue is not simply outward sin, but a corrupted nature that needs resurrection, not just self-improvement. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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 focuses on Romans 4:13–17 and uses Abraham and Sarah’s story to show that God’s promise comes by faith, not by law or human ability. JD emphasizes that Abraham and Sarah were, in practical terms, beyond hope—old, childless, and “as good as dead”—yet God chose them anyway to demonstrate that He is the God who gives life to the dead and calls things into being. The episode reframes salvation as much bigger than a legal transaction: it is resurrection life, transformation, and participation in God’s new creation.The message then broadens into a call to live as people who have already been awakened by Jesus. JD encourages listeners to move beyond thinking of salvation only as “going to heaven when you die” and instead see the Bible’s bigger story as creation to new creation. He ties that vision to Romans 12, urging believers to offer their bodies as living sacrifices, be transformed by the renewing of their minds, and live as one body in Christ. The episode closes with a strong note of encouragement: it is never too late for God to work, and Jesus can manifest His life through anyone, at any age. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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