The Wake-Up Call

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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 2 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 2 copies.)

P.P.S. Join Us for Taco Tuesday

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John David Walt opens with the consecration prayer and reads Romans 14:10–12. He says Paul has narrowed the church's quarrel over meat, wine and the Sabbath to its real issue, which is judgment and contempt. He ties this to psychologist John Gottman's four "horsemen" that predict divorce: criticism, defensiveness, contempt and stonewalling. Paul's remedy is an examination of conscience before God first, because we will each give an account to him. JD says that if he were a marriage counselor, he would have each spouse do this for a week or two before working on the relationship together. His prayer and journal prompts ask for a spirit of repentance and humility. Afterward he warns that self-righteousness is an unreasonable need to be right. He says humility means being honest and willing to be broken, and that childish ways often come from old wounds that need healing.

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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

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P.S. New Room Early Bird This is the last week to lock in early-bird pricing for the New Room Conference 2027. Join us next year in Nashville, TN, Sept 16–18 to "Be Transformed." Secure your spot now at just $239 for individuals or $229 for groups before prices go up. Get tickets here: https://seedbed.com/newroomconference2027/

P.P.S Join Us for Taco Tuesday 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 opens with the prayer of consecration and reads Romans 14:5–9, "When the Conflict Is Not About the Conflict." He says Paul does not ask either side in the Sabbath dispute to compromise their convictions. Paul tells each person to be fully convinced and to stand before the Lord, and that shifts the argument into a question of personal devotion to Jesus. Because "we belong to the Lord" in life and in death, and Christ died to be Lord of both, the cross becomes the level ground where people can find each other again. JD's prayer says our deepest conflicts come from brokenness, and he asks to be healed so we can be "beacons and bearers of belovedness." He explains that Romans 1–11 is coming to the cross and Romans 12 onward is living through it.

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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

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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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JD Walt explains that the Roman church was split between Jewish believers, who held to Sabbath and dietary laws, and Gentile believers, who felt free of them. Paul wrote the letter to settle that dispute. JD argues that the small things turn out to be the big things, and that the real issue was never meat, wine or Sabbath but the relationships between believers. He ties this to Jesus's prayer in John 17 that his followers be one so the world will believe. His thesis for the week is "our relationships are the mission." He also speaks openly about the pain of his divorce and of other deep relationships in his life that broke.

In the second half, his father, David Walt, joins him. They encourage listeners from difficult families that God is "even better than the best family," and they sing "They'll Know We Are Christians by Our Love." JD then announces the Advent series, which is next after Romans. Shelby Shutt's reader Behold will be on the wake-up call, and he promotes the "buy one, sow one" offer: order two copies with the code BOSO, pay for one, and give the second to a friend.

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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

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John David Walt uses the phone's snooze button as an image for believers who have drifted into a half-awake state. Paul is writing to followers of Jesus, not the unbelieving world, and tells them to "rise from the dead" and put on the armor of light. JD warns that a principled, respectable life can be the worst form of snoozing, because it hides self-righteousness and image management. The remedy is to clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ. That means receiving God's love as a son or daughter, not trying harder to be better. He ends with a prayer and journal prompts about self-deception and honesty. He also says that waking up has to happen again every day.

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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

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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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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

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

This is the last week to lock in early-bird pricing for the New Room Conference 2027. Join us next year in Nashville, TN, Sept 16–18 to "Be Transformed." Secure your spot now at just $239 for individuals or $229 for groups before prices go up. Get tickets here: https://seedbed.com/newroomconference2027/

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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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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

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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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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

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 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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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

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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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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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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

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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 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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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