What if the biggest obstacle to following God isn’t a lack of time, money, ability, or opportunity—but a lack of willingness?

In this episode of The Wake Up Podcast, Eric explores the building of the tabernacle in Exodus and the simple but challenging phrase describing those who joined the work: they were equipped by God and willing to come and do it.

We’ll look at how busyness, financial pressure, comparison, and the desire to maintain appearances can quietly crowd out our availability to God—and why willingness doesn’t mean burnout or saying yes to everything. Instead, it means making room to faithfully offer God the life, gifts, relationships, and resources he has already entrusted to us.

The question may not be, “Do I have enough?” but, “Am I willing to join God in what he is already doing?”

What do you do when following Jesus makes you look foolish?

In this episode of the Wake Up Podcast, Eric explores Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 1:18–31 and the surprising wisdom of the cross. What looks weak, unimpressive, or even foolish from the world’s perspective is exactly where God reveals his power.

We’ll talk about why the cross challenges our ideas of strength, success, and sophistication—and what it means to follow Jesus without needing the approval of the culture around us.

The question isn’t whether the cross looks foolish. The question is whether we trust God enough to believe that his wisdom is greater than ours.

We’re surrounded by voices—but not all of them deserve your allegiance.
In this episode, we look at 1 Corinthians 1 and ask a hard question: Who are you really following?

What does the Bible actually say about depression? In this episode, we explore how Scripture is honest about the reality of depression while offering something deeper than quick fixes. Through the Gospel, God reshapes our relationship with Him, others, and ourselves, calling us into community, mission, and a hope that rests in the finished work and future reign of Christ.

This is one of the most common—and emotionally loaded—questions Christians ask: Can I lose my salvation? In this episode, we walk through the tension between assurance and warning in Scripture, explore two major Christian views, and land where the Bible seems to land—not in easy answers, but in a deeper, more transformative tension that shapes how we actually follow Jesus.

Summary

In this episode of the Wake Up Podcast, Eric explores the second reason why he believes in God, focusing on the significance of moral instincts. He discusses the deep moral outrage he feels towards various injustices and the internal conflict of guilt over personal failures. Eric examines different perspectives on morality, ultimately concluding that a moral law exists that points to a higher authority—God. He emphasizes the importance of understanding God’s nature, particularly through the lens of the cross, where justice and mercy converge, providing a resolution to both moral outrage and personal guilt.

Summary

In this episode, Eric Diewald discusses the reasons for his belief in God, focusing on the order present in creation and the implications of disorder in the world. He reflects on the beauty of the seasons, the complexity of life, and the significance of the incarnation of Jesus, emphasizing that even in a disordered world, there is hope and purpose through faith.

In this episode, we explore Paul's journey to Athens, where he encounters a city filled with idols and engages with the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. Paul delivers a compelling message at the Areopagus, challenging the Athenians' beliefs and introducing them to the concept of a single, knowable God revealed through Jesus Christ. This episode discusses the importance of understanding the nature of God and the implications of faith in a diverse cultural landscape.

In this episode of the Wake Up Podcast, Eric Diewald explores the question of what makes God God, diving into both the communicable and incommunicable attributes of God. He discusses how God's nature is revealed through Scripture and creation, emphasizing the importance of understanding God's character in relation to our own lives. The conversation highlights God's goodness, love, mercy, justice, and peace, as well as His self-existence, immutability, infinity, and holiness. Ultimately, this episode encourages listeners to seek a deeper knowledge of God and to reflect His attributes in their own lives.

Does it matter what we believe? Don't beliefs tend to divide us rather than unify us?

In this episode, Eric briefly discusses the importance of clarifying and explaining what we believe and why.