Garth Heckman

The David Alliance

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Why the follow him.

How Did David attract and train these men?

   -  The first men to join David were from his own family.

?? Does this shock you?

He was the reject.

He was not accepted as a true son of Jesse

Now they rally around him? 

In fact Eleazor son of Dodo… may have been son of David.

- **Spiritual Reorientation and Praise**: In Adullam, David shifted their mindset from grumbling and self-pity to collective worship. Psalm 34 (attributed to this period) records him teaching them to "bless the Lord at all times" (Psalm 34:1), exalting God together instead of complaining. This built resilience and unity, turning pessimists into praisers who saw God as their deliverer.

David's appeal lay in his visionary leadership and unshakeable faith in God's promises.

Garth Heckman

The David Alliance

[email protected] 

Keep me running

Keep me moving

Keep me always on the go

David is on the run… 1 Sam. 22

it is his throne but King Saul is after him.

Hiding in the cave of Adullum…

Its been almost 7-15 years between being anointed king by Samuel and fighting Goliath. 

He builds 400 mighty men.

   - He attracts the unattractive   

He had 3, 30, 400 and 600

distress, in debt, or simply discontented with life under Saul's increasingly paranoid rule. These were societal rejects—failures by worldly standards—from diverse backgrounds, including obscure rural towns like Bethlehem and Tekoa, various Israelite tribes, and even foreigners like Uriah the Hittite.

What drew them wasn't wealth, power, or promises of glory, but David's personal magnetism as a God-anointed leader (1 Samuel 16:13) who embodied hope amid rejection. David didn't recruit the strong; He attracted the poor, broken, betrayed etc… he embraced the weak, transforming societal discards into a cohesive band through shared exile and purpose.

Men were tired of King Sauls agenda of seeking the life of David over protecting the Kingdom. 

As a warrior-poet, he painted a vision of victory over Saul's enemies, appealing to men's sense of adventure and redemption.

**But what attracted them would not keep them if David would not have been a man after Gods own heart!

Garth Heckman

The David Alliance

[email protected] 

What Separates Us From the Animals

Do you know how biologists evaluate life? It is in terms of the capacity to experience pain, the more the pain, the higher the life form. A worm experiences little pain, but a dog can actually experience moods. Have you ever noticed that? Haven't you ever seen a dog pout. Dogs can actually grieve over people, and I understand that over at the tracts in West Memphis there are some people who grieve over dogs. I'm not sure. Scientist say that man is at the top of the biological scale because he has the keenest ability to experience pain. What separates us from the animals, I would suggest, is not only our ability to feel pain; rather, it is our ability to feel pain vicariously for others.

But not only that but feel the possibility of pain if we do not change our ways. Have you ever seen an obese parent sitting there at a restaurant and their child is pounding down cookies, soda and ice cream. And you feel sorry for them… The question is not “do you know then well enough to speak into their life… even if you felt tremendous pain for them… the question is would they be willing to listen to you? 

Psalm 144:Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth;

5 Let the righteous [thoughtfully] strike (correct) me—it is a kindness [done to encourage my spiritual maturity]. It is [the choicest anointing] oil on the head;

Crazy that David would ask God to send people into his life that would be willing to speak into his life things that he may not want to hear. But don’t miss the point… he sees this verse in comparison to the previous verses… i.e. God make sure there is someone who speak boldly and bluntly into my life so that I do not end up like the wicked. 

Maybe the ultimate betrayal is someone who sees the trail of pain and regret you are starting out on and they say nothing, they do nothing they just let you walk off into emptiness… And if that could be true, why wouldn’t you pray a prayer like David and ask for Godly voices in your life. It would be a great prayer… think about it. 

Garth Heckman

The David Alliance

[email protected] 

If I sit here and talk about all the people I have prayed for and have seen healed, people God has given me words of knowledge for, people I have led to Christ… it can make you think I am bragging…Hold that thought.

  *if we were sitting in a group and I told you about all the weight I lost and showed off my abs…what would you think?

   **what if I was sharing about all my exploits in war and all the men and women I saved and the battles I was in.

      ****What if I told you how much I benched, squatted deadlifted…

**-**-**What if I told you about all the times I tithed and didn’t have money to tithe but I did, and how God has blessed me and how important it is to tithe….

   ***what If told you about all the stories about my kids

(Would these conversations irk you, bother you, fire you up, bore you?)

THE RESPONSE GIVEN BY INDIVIDUALS IN ANY OF THESE SITUATIONS DEPENDS ON THE CIRCLE I AM IN. 

 - If im at a weight watchers you would get excited and marvel

 - If I was at a Vietnam vet reunion 

 -  If Im sitting at Westside Barbell you would all add your own stories and think cool… no but no biggy

  -  If Im with other business people, groups of entrepreneurs who all have sacrificed and seen God bless them… fire us up

  -  with other parents, we would laugh and share pictures and stories

Are there circles that make you uncomfortable? 

WHO PUSHES YOU?

You have heard it said “show me your circle and I will show you your future”. It will also show you your money habits, your marriage, your spiritual depth or lack of, your kids attitudes, your health… etc…

Right CIRCLE:

* Encourage your goals, not mock them.

* Challenge you to grow, not settle.

Wrong CIRCLE:

* Normalize mediocrity or bad behavior.

* Drain your energy and blur your values.

* Distract you from your purpose.

Garth Heckman

The David Alliance

[email protected] 

Do you remember Bob Hayes, the man who was named "World's Fastest Human"?

He was a hero of 1964 Olympics, bringing home the Gold Medal in the 100 meter run, and being clocked at incredible 8.5 seconds in the final 110 yards of 400

meter relay run. After the Olympics, he became an all-pro wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys. His college coach said that if there had ever been a kid he wished was his, it

was Bob Hayes. Then, in April 1979 Bob was convicted of selling narcotics to an undercover agent. He received two 5-year prison sentences. He went from the pinnacle of

success to prison. Then terrible health issues due to drug abuse and the wrong lifestyle. According to Hayes, and those who cared most about him, his downfall was caused by his inability to choose the right circle.

Mark 2

2 Jesus returned to Capernaum, and a few days later the news went out that He was at home. 2 So many people gathered together that there was no longer room [for them], not even near the door; and Jesus was discussing with them the word [of God]. 3 Then they came, bringing to Him a paralyzed man, who was being carried by four men. 4 When they were unable to get to Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Jesus; and when they had dug out an opening, they let down the mat on which the paralyzed man was lying. 5 When Jesus saw their faith 

**Thats the whole sermon right there!!

Let me see your friends faith - That will tell me everything I need to know! 

ITS NOT ABOUT THE CHOICES YOU MAKE… ITS ABOUT THE CIRCLE YOU MAKE! 

You don’t need the right friends you need the right circle.

You can’t choose your family - but you can choose your circle. You can’t always choose your classmates, coworkers, neighbors or those who share your pew at church -  but you can always choose your *circle of influence*.

AND YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL BECAUSE WITHOUT KNOWING… 

   **I was training a young man in my gym. He came in one day all concerned. He said he thinks he has a skin disease… something is really wrong with his hands. - They were callouses. But it happened so slow he did not realize it.

The work of our circle is slow at first… but in time it becomes who we are. 

Garth Heckman

The David Alliance

[email protected] 

Not a bad friend, but bad company. 

Ever ask someone the question “so what kind of company do they hang with?” 

Oh don’t mess with them, they hang with some bad Mamma Jamma’s.

That woman there keeps the wrong kind of company… she’s broke dried up and used.

That Dude… the kind of company he hangs with … they are all super successful or there all gear heads or they are all musicians…

*Corrupts = waste away, shrivel up… to square ones potential. 

  -  ** Character = life-style (moral habits, behavioral patterns

So it means the people you circle yourself with can shrivel up your potential because they instill in you poor life habits and patterns…

Verse 34 which leads to sin! 

THEN THE OPPOSITE IS ALSO TRUE: GOOD COMPANY CAUSES CHARACTER TO THRIVE! 

A FRIEND WHO IS A PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY PLAYER… HIS BROTHER EVEN BETTER - WOULD OUT PERFORM THE OTHER STARS ON THE ICE… BUT HAD THE WRONG CIRCLE.

JUST THE OPPOSITE FOR HIMSELF: He was average at best, but loved Hockey. He knew he had to get into circles that pushed him beyond what he thought was capable of himself.

AND YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL BECAUSE WITHOUT KNOWING… 

   **I was training a young man in my gym. He came in one day all concerned. He said he thinks he has a skin disease… something is really wrong with his hands. - They were callouses. But it happened so slow he did not realize it.

The work of our circle is slow at first… but in time it becomes who we are. 

Garth Heckman

The David Alliance

[email protected] 

Rog and surround sound… he had watched the movie a million times, but now with Surround sound he was going to really enjoy it… it was the bats in the background of the movie… He finally heard what was really going on. 

" "Then Moses climbed the mountain to meet with God. God shouted to him at that.."(Exodus 19:3)

 - He calls out to remind us of what he has said and what he has done… that we may not forget and that it may build our faith.

There are miracles that I have happen in my life that I routinely remember knowing God still does miracles today. 

-God still calls out to people today.

MAYBE YOU don’t hear from God because you simply do not believe that he still wants to talk to you today. If you don’t expect it you won’t be listening for it and you won’t hear it.

-He calls each one of us to come closer and to be with Him.

-God is not finished with us yet – it is not over.

-Respond with a willing heart and be ready to hear what He has to say.

Garth Heckman

The David Alliance

[email protected] 

Psalm 103

1 Bless the Lord, O my soul;

2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,

3 Who forgives all your iniquities,

3 He who forgives all your iniquities and heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the Pit and crowns you with loving devotion and compassion, 5 who satisfies you with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.…

-God redeem our life from destruction .

Gives us more than what was taken from us. 

-God crown us with loving kindness… people see us coming. Crowns are noticeable, they are gaudy, they are beautiful, they are a sign that we are royalty!

-God tender us in mercies… he does not just give in… oh fine I forgive you, you can have a second piece of cake… NO NO NO he WANTS to show us mercy.

-who satisfies you with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.…

Ever feel down in the dumps, discouraged, dissapointed… and a gift is dropped into your lap. Or a financial blessing? Or a great relationship… and it changes your state of mind, your head space… you feel better, more energy, you feel young again. This is what God does. 

A youthful eagle… competitive intensity of their high-energy lifestyle. Overall, a young eagle's energy level is like a high-octane engine in overdrive—voracious, explosive, and transformative, turning a fragile hatchling into a majestic predator in just months. This is adapted from observations of bald and golden eagles, the most studied species.

Garth Heckman

The David Alliance

[email protected] 

Psalm 139:7 Where can I go to escape Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence?  8 If I ascend to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol- the grave, You are there. 9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle by the farthest sea, 10 even there Your hand will guide me; Your right hand will hold me fast.…

No matter what gets thrown at us. 

No matter where we end up in life.

No matter the ups and the downs the ins and the outs.

No matter how backwards things end up or how the ending greatly and vastly is different from the beginning…

He is always there.

If we end up as far from home as we could possibly be, if we are hopelessly alone, separated from family, friends, loved ones… if our job ends up being the worst thing in our life, or our marriage or our health. If everything we dreamed of, expected and even put our time and energy into… if it all blows up in our face and actually goes completely backwards from what we had planned… God is there. 

You know what happens sometimes in life is that life happens sometimes. It happens to all of us. We tend to think that if bad things happen it was God who let it happen and if he let it happen then he surely can’t be there with us… right? He is punishing us so why would he stick around to comfort us - what a terrible lie to believe in. 

God took the punishment of sin and shame on the cross and he took it so that not only do we not need to take the brunt of it, but he took it so that he could comfort us during those times. I love this Psalm - much like I love Romans 8:35-39. Nothing can separate us from the love of God. But Psalm 139 says it like this - surprise im here. You find yourself in your bosses office losing your job and God says - hey Im here. You hear the dread words You have cancer… God says Im here! God is already there -  more than you might realize. I remember (and I’ll admit this probably a terrible example) but an old corny horror flick when I was in High School where this woman kept seeing the eyes of a demon everywhere she went. Her day job, her car, her kitchen, her kids soccer game… they were everywhere… I know stupid, but thats God. He is actually waiting on you in your bosses office when you lose your job. The worst thing going on in your life…he is waiting there for you… he knows when it will take place and he is there just waiting. So don’t forget to reach out to him. He is there! 

Garth Heckman

The David Alliance

[email protected] 

1 John 4:4 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess [a]that Jesus [b]Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. 6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

1 Thess. 5:21 Test all things and hold on to what is good.