Who Needs the Weather Channel When You've Got Jesus?

Summary

The Wake-Up Call — Episode Summary

Podcast: The Wake-Up Call
Host: John David Walt (with David Walt and Sam)
Title: Who Needs the Weather Channel When You've Got Jesus?
Date: July 15, 2026

---

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the story of Jesus calming the storm in Mark 4:35-41, exploring themes of peace amid chaos, faith in adversity, and the transformative presence of Christ during life's turbulent moments. John David Walt draws parallels between the biblical story and his own life experiences, inviting listeners to discover and cultivate a supernatural peace—one that’s not about changing external circumstances but about finding calm within them through Christ. The episode concludes with practical spiritual reflection, community encouragement, and the singing of "Be Still My Soul."

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Entering by Consecration and Setting the Theme

• The episode opens with a consecration prayer, inviting listeners to orient their hearts and minds toward Jesus for the day.
• Main theme introduced: How Jesus' calming of the storm reveals his authority, his peace, and his presence with us in our storms (00:04–03:15).

2. Scripture Reading: Mark 4:35-41

• The story of Jesus calming the storm is read aloud, emphasizing Jesus' bold command over the wind and waves, and his peaceful sleep amid chaos (03:15–05:10).
• "Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, 'Teacher, don't you care if we drown?'" (Mark 4:38; read at 04:30).

3. Reflection: Peace in the Storm

• John recounts a personal story from a college gathering in Texas plagued by a fierce storm, likening it to the biblical squall (05:10–08:25).
  • Despite praying for the storm to cease, the storm worsened instead of calming:

    "You thought I was going to say that the whole thing just dissipated? Nope, didn't happen. In fact, a couple of kids were struck by lightning that night and miraculously, their lives were spared... the bottom line though, we failed miserably in our role as storm stillers." (06:45)

• Insight:

  "For my money, the big miracle that night was not that Jesus stilled the storm. The big miracle was that Jesus remained unflinchingly still in the midst of the storm." (08:42)

• Emphasis that true peace is not the absence of storms, but remaining at rest even in their midst.

4. Faith, Anxiety, and the Fruit of the Spirit

• John asserts that Jesus' peace comes from the Holy Spirit, and believers can possess the same inner calm (09:50–11:35).
  • "What if it's our quality of peace within the storm that determines the capacity of our faith to calm the storm?" (09:05)
• References to Paul’s teaching:

  "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4; paraphrased at 10:55)

• Encouragement to find Holy Spirit-inspired stillness that radiates to others.

5. Visualization & Practical Application

• John invites listeners to imagine Jesus napping in the storm as a model for their own peace:

  "Fix in your mind's eye the image of Jesus sleeping... curled up in the stern of the boat, pulling that cushion right under his head and sleeping like there's no tomorrow." (11:50)

6. Worship and Prayer

• The hosts transition into singing "Spirit of the Living God," a prayer for renewed peace and presence (12:51–13:34).

7. Journal Prompts for Listeners

• Listeners are encouraged to examine the source of their anxiety and to seek Jesus’ insight on it through journaling and prayer (13:34–14:27).

8. Community & Family Reflections

• John and his father David reflect on the blessings of being together in Gillette, Arkansas, and of their community drawn together by faith (14:48–16:39).
  • Light-hearted banter and gratitude for community visits to their church; highlights the grounding of faith in relationships.

9. The Lesson of the Calm: Jesus in the Boat

• Further application of the gospel story:

  "A lot of people... are facing storms, squalls, wind, waves and waters coming over the side. And they're like, we're going to drown... But we're here to say that. Who's in the boat with them? ... Jesus Christ. He's in the boat with you." (16:58–17:27, paraphrased)

• Jesus’ peace is something believers can tap into, even when circumstances remain threatening.

10. Hymn: "Be Still My Soul"

• The team sings the hymn “Be Still My Soul” (#346 in "Our Great Redeemer’s Praise"), emphasizing themes of trusting God in all circumstances and singing peace to one's own soul (18:03–21:29).
  • Notable lyrics: "Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side. Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain."
• John notes:

  "Sometimes a hymn... you're singing to your own soul. Be still, my soul." (18:23)

11. Final Encouragements and Benediction

• Emphasizes the importance of letting God’s peace flow through us to others:

  "Because when you've got the stillness of the goodness of God in you, it touches other people, doesn't it?" (21:35)

• Call to readiness and attentiveness to God’s movement (21:57–22:18).
• Joyful acknowledgment of their family and communal journey.

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Jesus’s Miracle:
  "The big miracle was that Jesus remained unflinchingly still in the midst of the storm." (08:42 — John David Walt)
• On Anxiety and Peace:
  "Maybe that’s why the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to instruct us: do not be anxious about anything." (10:30 — John David Walt)
• On Jesus in the Boat:
  "He was not worried about nothing... That just tells me he was committed to the nap." (16:48–16:57 — John David Walt and David Walt)
• On Sharing Peace:
  "The stillness of the goodness of God in you touches other people, doesn't it?" (21:35 — John David Walt)
• On Jesus’s power:
  "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him." (04:54 — Gospel Reading)

---

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:04–03:15 — Opening prayer and introduction to theme
• 03:15–05:10 — Scripture reading: Mark 4:35-41
• 05:10–08:25 — Personal storm story & reflection
• 08:42–09:50 — Insight: Jesus' peace is the true miracle
• 09:50–11:35 — Encouragement: Peace as fruit of the Spirit
• 11:50–12:48 — Visualization of Jesus sleeping in the storm
• 12:51–13:34 — Song: "Spirit of the Living God"
• 13:34–14:27 — Journal prompts: Examining anxiety
• 14:48–16:39 — Family/community reflections
• 18:03–21:29 — Song: "Be Still My Soul"
• 21:30–22:18 — Final encouragements and practical application

---

Tone and Takeaway

The tone is gentle, practical, and faith-filled—blending scriptural teaching with honest storytelling and accessible spiritual exercises. Listeners are left with the encouragement to become, with Christ’s help, the peaceful presence in whatever “boat” they find themselves—and to let that peace ripple out to others.

---

For listeners in a time of trouble, or anyone seeking deeper peace, this episode is an invitation to find the presence of Jesus not in the promise of calm weather, but in the assurance of his unflappable peace and faithful companionship through it all.

Transcript

[David Walt]

Foreign.

[John David Walt]

Sower Nation it is Wednesday, July 15th, in the year of our Lord 2026. I'm John David Walt and this is your wake up call coming to you live from Gillette, Arkansas and the Seed House. And so happy to be just getting to meet with you and Jesus together every morning now. So we're in Mark's gospel. But before we go there, let's enter in by way of consecration. Wake up, sleeper. Rise from the dead and Christ will shine on you. Jesus, I belong to you. I lift up my heart to you. I set my mind on you. I fix my eyes on you. I offer my body to you as a living sacrifice. Jesus, we belong to you. And we're praying. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Well, today's entry is entitled who needs the Weather channel when you've got Jesus? And our text is Mark, chapter four. I want you to read the whole chapter. Remember, we're going to read these 16 chapters of Mark roughly 16 days in a row. But there's grace because we're doing Holy Spirit stories on Saturdays. We're taking Sundays off, we're going chick fil a on Sundays. And we're just doing these entries five days a week, which feels like just cake to me. It's good. Our text is Mark 4, 35, 41. So hear now the word of the Lord. That day, when evening came, he said to his disciples, let us go over to the other side. Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along. Just as he was in the boat, there were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up and the waves broke over the boat so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, teacher, don't you care if we drown? He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, quiet, be still. Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith? They were terrified and asked each other, who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him. The word of the Lord. Now consider this. Who does that? He doesn't run for cover, as though that could be done in a boat. He speaks to the storm. In fact, he speaks to the storm in the same way. He will soon be speaking to demons sternly. Quiet. Be still. I remember some years back, I was part of a weekend outdoor gathering of college students in North Texas. It was a solemn assembly. It was one day, in fact, this Goes back more than a few years, back to like 23 or 22,000. Three or four. It was one day, the second gathering. My friend Louie Giglio was leading that. Louie and Shelley and of course Chris Tomlin, all our friends were involved in it. But on the first night of that gathering, a massive storm blew in. Now, this was camping, okay? Like there's probably 30,000, 40,000 college students camping out on the hillsides. And that storm definitely was in the tradition of, quote, a furious squall came up and the waves broke over the boat so that it was nearly swamped. That was the way that storm felt. I myself had been charged with pastoral leadership of the team of speakers and worship leaders who would be leading the gathering. I was the pastor to the leaders and of course I mentioned there were about 30,000 college students camping in tents. That would be the next worst thing to being in a boat in the midst of such a storm. Lightning was popping all around us. We were frantic. I gathered the leaders close and reminded them of Jesus calming the storm. And I urged us together to go for it. And we did. I've never spoken so sternly to a storm before or since. And to my and the group's chagrin, the storm only worsened. You thought I was going to say that the whole thing just dissipated? Nope, didn't happen. In fact, a couple of kids were struck by lightning that night and miraculously, their lives were spared. So maybe we did some good, but it was traumatic. The bottom line though, we failed miserably in our role as storm stillers. So in response to Jesus, three word command, we get this response. Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. So what's the big difference in these two scenarios besides the fact that Jesus is God and we were not? You know, by now that I am convinced that as it was with Jesus, so it is with his followers, I do believe it is possible for a human being filled with the Holy Spirit to take authority even over the weather and command it to cease. Okay, I've never seen it happen, but I still hold out the possibility. I believe now, upon further reflection on this story, I have another insight I'll run by you. For my money, the big miracle that night was not that Jesus stilled the storm. The big miracle was that Jesus remained unflinchingly still in the midst of the storm. It's actually better than that. In the face of a furious and obviously life threatening storm, Mark gives us this tidbit. Jesus was in the stern sleeping on a cushion. Oh my gosh, he was Committed to that nap, he had a cushion. Looking back on that stormy night in Texas, one of the big differences between our group and Jesus was that we were absolutely frantic. Jesus was unfazed by the storm so much that he could have slept right through it. In fact, he did. And that, my friends, is what they call peace, like a river. What if it's our quality of peace within the storm that determines the capacity of our faith to calm the storm? If I'm honest, in the face of life's many storms, I'm typically not napping. I'm doing my best to keep the lid on my anxiety. Maybe that's why the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to instruct us. Do not be anxious about anything. But in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, right? Present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. I don't know why I left that full verse out in the text today. Maybe I can go back and get this worked out, but I thank God I happen to know it. Peace is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. Love. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace. The Holy Spirit was Jesus. Peace not only beyond understanding, but beyond measure. And he will do the same thing in us, right? If Jesus is the peace of God and Jesus is in us, we carry the peace of God. In fact, the peace of God carries us. We may never enjoy the opportunity to calm a hurricane, but in the midst of a furious squall like cancer or divorce or some other tragic circumstance, we may find it's the Holy Spirit empowered stillness of our Spirit that calms the winds and raises the faith of everyone in the boat around us. Talking to you right now, you know, I'm talking to you and what you're dealing with. In the midst of that difficult thing you're in. Say, come, Holy Spirit, peace of God, hold me. And you'll find that not only will he hold you, he'll start holding others around you. Amazing. It's what he does. I know people like that. A lot of you, that's. That's. That's who you are. That's who you're becoming. Many of you, you know, these people, too. Let's become one of them. Fix in your mind's eye the image of Jesus sleeping in the midst of that furious squall. It's like that moment, you know, I. I keep doing this on this on the video. You can see it. But I'm telling you what I'm doing. I'm putting I'm putting on my chin just like it were Jesus and just tilting my head a little to the right. It's like I'm. I mean, I'm looking at the waves this way, but when I tilt to the right, guess what I see? I see Jesus curled up in the stern of the boat, pulling that cushion right under his head and sleeping like there's no tomorrow. That's the. That's the little shift. I want you to ask the Holy Spirit to raise your faith to the

[David Walt]

level

[John David Walt]

of that possibility.

[Sam]

Now let's sing Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.

[John David Walt]

We're praying.

[Sam]

Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me and melt me, mold me, fill me, use me. Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.

[John David Walt]

Amen. Journal prompts what do you think lies and lives behind the anxiety in your life? What is its source? It's a good question to ask Jesus. Have your pencil or pen ready with your journal. Say Jesus, what do you want me to know about my anxiety and what's behind it? You may be surprised. You will be surprised at what he might say. Just capture it. You don't gotta fix it. We're just. We're letting him lead an exploration of our soul. And then what might it look like for you to start dealing with that anxiety at a new level? At a Jesus level? What might it look like to bring him into it in a new way? All right, Dad's here today and we're ready to sing. We got to dive right in. It's going to be good.

[Sam]

So. All right.

[John David Walt]

It's Wednesday and it's another day. That's going to be a good day because we got dad with us.

[David Walt]

Amen.

[John David Walt]

And I better straighten up. You sit up straight now. Come on, let's get up here where we can see you.

[David Walt]

Okay.

[John David Walt]

But you know, it's just a blessing, dad, to have you here and to get to sing these songs.

[David Walt]

Well, it's a blessing to me and I certainly appreciate it.

[John David Walt]

I never knew that I would be moving to Gillette.

[Sam]

We didn't either.

[John David Walt]

This has been a surprise. We just crossed over Sunday.

[Sam]

The last.

[John David Walt]

The third year of being here.

[David Walt]

But you know, Gillette was a place you hear of but never go there.

[John David Walt]

You don't go there. But we do now.

[Sam]

Yeah.

[John David Walt]

You know, dad, that every, almost every Sunday someone from the Wake up Call comes to our church in Gillette.

[David Walt]

Is that right?

[John David Walt]

It's amazing. And most of them coming to meet you.

[David Walt]

I better start being there.

[John David Walt]

You're there every Sunday. I mean What a joy it is for me. You know, I left Arkansas over 30 years ago.

[David Walt]

That's hard to believe in it.

[John David Walt]

And now I'm back and I get to be in the same church as you and mom. And I look out there and you're right there on the right side.

[David Walt]

Right.

[John David Walt]

And I think, what a blessing. And it's a blessing for us too. And then the fact that we get to do these songs together for the wake up call.

[David Walt]

Yeah, that's just, that's added.

[John David Walt]

It's just a bonus. So who knew? Jesus knew. And we're going to sing a song today in our wake up call. Today we, we dealt with the story. I believe it may be Mark, chapter four, if I'm remembering right. But I know the story is Jesus calming the storm. And those disciples, they were convinced they were about to die.

[David Walt]

They were scared to death.

[John David Walt]

And do you know what Jesus was doing while they were about to. They thought they were going to die. He was sleeping in the boat.

[David Walt]

He was not worried about nothing.

[John David Walt]

He was asleep. The Bible tells us he brought a cushion. That just tells me he was committed to the nap.

[David Walt]

Right.

[John David Walt]

He was sleeping in the boat. And you know, a lot of people that are listening right now, and certainly a lot of people that aren't listening that we know in our worlds are facing storms, squalls, wind, waves and waters coming over the side. And they're like, we're going to drown. We don't know if we're going to make it. But we're here to say that. Who's in the boat with them?

[David Walt]

Jesus Christ.

[John David Walt]

He's in the boat with you. And it might just be the moment for you to go over and say, jesus, could you wake up and help us? He doesn't mind that. That's what prayer is saying, Jesus, could you come over here and help us with this?

[David Walt]

Yeah.

[John David Walt]

And Jesus wants to bring us into his peace.

[David Walt]

Right.

[John David Walt]

We don't need to be afraid, even though things are fearful.

[David Walt]

That's right.

[John David Walt]

We don't need to have anxiety, even though things can be anxious. It's okay. Where are we going to sing today? Tell them what we're singing.

[David Walt]

Be Still My Soul.

[John David Walt]

What's our number?

[David Walt]

346.

[John David Walt]

This is a great song. What's our hymnal?

[David Walt]

Our great redeemer's praise.

[John David Walt]

Okay, we're going to sing Be Still My Soul and sometimes a hymn, a lot of hymns you're singing to God, sometimes you're singing to yourself.

[David Walt]

That's right.

[John David Walt]

This is a song where it says you're singing to your own soul. Be still, my soul.

[David Walt]

You're thinking about in here.

[John David Walt]

The Lord is on thy side Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain Leave to thy God to order and provide in every change he faithful will remain. Well, we're going to sing all three verses, and let's sing them with faith and with confidence and a kind of a deep soul calmness. Are you ready?

[Sam]

Be still, my soul the Lord is on thy side Bear patiently the cross of reach for pain Leave to thy God to order and provide every change Ye faithful will remain Be still, my soul Thy heavenly. Thy heavenly friend through thorny waves Leads to a joyful end Be still, my soul. Thy God does undertake to guide the future as he has the past. I hope thy confidence Let nothing blaze all now my delirious shall be brought at last Be still, my soul. The waves and wind shall know O his voice who revealed him while he dwelt below.

[John David Walt]

Last verse.

[Sam]

Be still, my soul. The hour it's hastening on when they shall be forever with the Lord when disappointment, grief and fear are gone Sorrow for God Love's purest lights result. Be still, my soul. When change and fears are past

[John David Walt]

all

[Sam]

safe and less and we shall meet at last.

[John David Walt]

That's a word.

[David Walt]

That's a good one.

[John David Walt]

And a lot of people are needing to sing that today.

[David Walt]

That's right.

[John David Walt]

And even more so, there's a lot of people that we're coming across in our lives who need to know that song. And they don't necessarily need to know the words and the hymn. And they need to feel it coming out of you. Because when you've got the stillness of the goodness of God in you touches other people, doesn't it?

[David Walt]

That's right. They see it and they want it.

[John David Walt]

They know it when they see it.

[David Walt]

That's right.

[John David Walt]

That's why Jesus. He's always moving through you to another person. He comes to you and then he moves through you and he just. He's. He does it. You just have to show up.

[David Walt]

Yeah, we just gotta be ready.

[John David Walt]

Pay attention. This psalm is readying us for the. For the fields today. All right, dad. It's time to let him go for The Awakening. I'm J.D. walt.

[Sam]

And I'm David Walt. We'll see you on the field.

[John David Walt]

See you on the field,

[Sam]

Sam.