The Wake-Up Call

How Does Gravity Work?

The Wake-Up Call

Show Notes

- - - - - - - 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

More from The Wake-Up Call

Oct 23, 2026

- - - - - - - J. D. Walt reflects on Romans 10, emphasizing the gospel’s simple core: confess that Jesus is Lord and believe that God raised him from the dead. He frames this not as a formula or a test of perfect behavior, but as an invitation to trust a living, present Christ who walks with believers through their everyday lives. The message moves into prayer, journaling prompts, and worship, using “In the Garden” and “He Is Lord” to deepen the theme of abiding with Jesus throughout the day. It closes with encouragement to carry that faith beyond the morning devotion—living in the joy, freedom, and companionship of Christ in every part of the day. CHAPTERS: 00:04 Awakening to the Presence of Christ 02:03 The Essence of the Gospel 07:43 Faith and Declaration 12:20 Abiding in Christ 16:24 Living in the Garden of Faith - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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

Oct 22, 2026

- - - - - - - J. D. Walt reflects on Romans 10’s warning about “zeal without knowledge”: religious energy and good intentions can become harmful when they come from insecurity, control, and self-righteousness rather than a real, surrendered relationship with Jesus. He contrasts working for God with living and serving with God, arguing that faith rooted in knowing God produces love, while zeal rooted in fear can damage people, relationships, and communities. The message then becomes a prayerful invitation to self-examination. Listeners are encouraged to acknowledge their own need for control, bring their insecurity honestly before God, and seek humility, repentance, and support from trusted community. It closes by emphasizing that freedom comes from being one’s true self in God’s love—a security that replaces performance and false identity with grace, peace, and genuine connection. CHAPTERS: 00:04 Waking Up to the Soul 03:05 The Danger of Zeal Without Knowledge 09:01 The Need for Control and Insecurity 15:02 The Role of Community in Growth 18:02 Embracing True Identity and Humility - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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

Oct 21, 2026

- - - - - - - JD Walt reflects on Romans 9 and contrasts Jesus with Paul before Paul’s conversion. Though they were near contemporaries with a shared longing for Israel to fulfill its calling, Paul pursued righteousness through rigid legalism while Jesus fulfilled the law through overwhelming love. The turning point comes on the road to Damascus, where Jesus transforms his fiercest opponent into a devoted follower—showing that no one is beyond redemption. The message then turns personal: anyone who feels too far gone is invited to “come home.” Using Paul’s past and the parable of the prodigal son, JD emphasizes that Jesus offers unending grace and calls believers to become ambassadors of second chances. The episode closes with JD and his father singing and reflecting on “Softly and Tenderly,” framing faith as walking one another home and inviting the weary, lost, and hurting to join. CHAPTERS: 00:04 Awakening to Jesus 03:06 The Contrast Between Jesus and Paul 05:46 The Transformation of Paul 08:51 The Call for Second Chances 15:06 Introduction to the Hymn and Its Purpose 16:12 The Prodigal Son: A Call to Return 18:10 The Message of Grace and Forgiveness 22:23 Walking Each Other Home: A Journey Together - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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

Oct 20, 2026

- - - - - - - P.S. Join Us for Taco Tuesday Today! Come join us for Taco Tuesday today at 11:30 a.m. CST! RSVP HERE: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/ojlMT1ZMQnicKTmCLQruoA#/registration. Bring your favorite taco and hang out with Shelbi Shutt, the host of our Behold Advent series. Order your books here: https://seedbed.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=108956&action=edit&classic-editor. Bonus: Use code 30OFF today to get 30 percent off of an order of three or more Behold books! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - JD Walt reflects on Romans 9 and frames “What if God?” as the essential posture for approaching difficult questions about faith, suffering, and God’s purposes. He encourages humility over certainty, arguing that Scripture should shape how believers understand the world—like stained-glass windows that both filter light and give us a lens for seeing life. The message closes this teaching portion with a prayer to live a “what if God” kind of life. He then expands on the stained-glass image, describing how churches tell the larger story of creation, Jesus, redemption, and new creation through their art and architecture. The episode shifts into a warm conversation with his father, David, about perseverance and hope in Jesus, followed by their singing “My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less.” They end by encouraging listeners to offer support, encouragement, and second chances to people they meet. CHAPTERS: 00:04 Awakening to Jesus 01:37 The First and Last Question of Theology 10:06 The Power of 'What If God?' 11:19 Interpreting Life Through Scripture 15:01 Finding God in Tragedy 16:10 Introduction and Personal Reflections 20:40 Building on Solid Ground 22:01 Encouragement and Support for Others - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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

Oct 19, 2026

P.S. Join Us for Taco Tuesday Tomorrow! Come join us for Taco Tuesday on October 20th at 11:30 a.m. CST! RSVP HERE: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/ojlMT1ZMQnicKTmCLQruoA#/registration. Bring your favorite taco and hang out with Shelbi Shutt, the host of our Behold Advent series. Order your books here: https://seedbed.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=108956&action=edit&classic-editor. Bonus: Use code BEHOLD30 today to get 30 percent off of an order of three or more Behold books! P.P.S. Again, here’s the link to the Romans 12 Jesus Manifesto PDF in case you missed it: https://seedbed.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Romans-12-The-Jesus-Manifesto.pdf - - - - - - - J.D. Walt reflects on Romans 9 and the tension between God’s sovereignty, mercy, and human understanding. Using Paul’s transformation from persecutor to champion of Jesus, he argues that our lives are not the main story—they become part of the greater story of Christ. The central invitation is to stop trying to fully explain God before trusting him: faith begins with trusting God’s goodness, justice, and mercy even when his ways exceed our understanding. The message turns to the image of God as the potter and people as clay. Joined by his father, David, J.D. connects Jeremiah’s potter’s-house vision with the hymn “Have Thine Own Way,” emphasizing surrender, healing, and the hope of endless second chances. They close by encouraging listeners to carry that hope to people who are wounded, weary, and looking for Jesus in the world around them. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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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