The David Alliance

www.TheDavidAlliance.com 

 

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webstix.com Tony Herman - the coolest cat on the net

 

Well Built Kettlebells 

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WHAT IS DOUBT?

QUESTION: differentiate between a question (I am trying to understand who God is), The mind wrestles.

DOUBT: doubt (I don’t understand and I am uncomfortable with it) The heart and mind wrestle.

UNBELIEF: unbelief - a choice, its a matter of the will and not the mind. (you abandon God)

 

1) Many people think doubt is the opposite of faith, but it isn’t. Unbelief is the opposite of faith. Unbelief refers to a willful refusal to believe, while doubt refers to inner uncertainty.

2) Many people think doubt is unforgivable, but it isn’t. God doesn’t condemn us when we question him. Both Job and David repeatedly questioned God, but they were not condemned. God is big enough to handle all our doubts and all our questions.

3) Many people think struggling with God means we lack faith, but that’s not true. Struggling with God is a sure sign that we truly have faith. If we never struggle, our faith will never grow.

 

REMEMBER:Doubt

Satan can sound very reasonable, but he is never reliable. Gary Zarlingo

 

Doubt zaps joy, obedience, effectiveness

A Loss of Blessings:

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

 

THE CURE IS NOT TO CHOOSE TO NEVER DOUBT AGAIN… Doubting everything and believing everything are two equally convenient solutions that guard us from having to think.

 

 

Mark 9: 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”

 

MAYBE THE MOST HONEST HUMBLE VULNERABLE AND HUMILIATING CONFESSION IN SCRIPTURE… YES I BELIVE BUT…. I HAVE DOUBTS.

 

 

 

SOMETIMES THE GREATEST ACT OF FAITH IS HONESTY REGARDING OUR LACK OF FAITH!

 

 

 

Do you doubt? Tell God about it. Ask him to help your unbelief… its maybe the greatest act of faith you will ever have.

www.TheDavidAlliance.com 

 

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overcomer… my son and beautiful daughter-in-law just had the sale of their house yanked. Here they are ready to move, two U-hauls packed and another house waiting for their down payment and signature and poof… it all walks away. Today I will be loading those 2 u-haul trucks back into their garage… 

So it makes me think of overcomer. 

 

I have 3 people in my life who are the overcomer you read about.

 

One was 13, raped by her brothers friend, pregnant, growing up already with a challenging learning disability. She is black, there was a lot of racism in her town, lots of judging and oh yea, her mom and dad were pastors. She is now an amazing woman of God, has an incredible ministry and has forgiven the man who raped her and even built a relationship with him.

 

Another friend who came from another country… it was one of those countries. He and his brother were run aways with his mother. A few years later their father found them and kidnapped them and took them back to that country. She did not see them for 13 years. He was beaten by his father and soon by his brother. He contracted polio and had numerous health problems. He was raped by a man who was a friend of the family… and even after his mother rescued him and brought him back to the states he became an alcoholic. 

He is now an amazing father, husband, business owner and Loves jesus like a mad man.

 

Finally, a young kid in my youth group years ago. Black, wrong side of Chicago, not much going for him. Dad died at an early age, gangs etc… he now is the CEO of a Billion dollar company.

 

 

They all practiced a life of catch and release

 

Ok more like

Confess, forgive and release but still the same premise.

 

Look guys as soon as you can get over that life is unfair and mean and hateful and evil and everyone gets a bad taste in their mouth… the faster you can realize that we live in a sinful world with a terrible satanic force that is out to ruin out lives. Just confess all the bad that has happened to you and don’t try to cover it up…

So bad things will happen. I caught a few bad things in my life. But the key is forgive.

You can’t forgive… yea thats why we ask God to help us. Its a process, but so worth it. 

EVERYONE of my friends had trouble forgiving at first, but they worked on it and even now thank God for the past because of how much it has taught them… they have had the experience of Gods grace to a mightier degree than most.

They also rely on the release. Once they forgive they release, yes it again is a process. I have had to give up offenses 2, 3 sometimes 649 times. But it is my way of saying ok God, You are bigger than this so you take it…

 

Now here is the amazing thing in my friends lives. They did not start to experience all of Gods goodness for them until they did this process. In fact my one friend said “it was like everything I tried was self sabotaged until I went through this process and once I did… the windows of heaven opened up. There was just no other way to explain it - her words not mine.

www.TheDavidAlliance.com 

 

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webstix.com Tony Herman - the coolest cat on the net

 

Confusion is rampant, sometimes funny… ever see a smoking hot chick from the back and its a dude from the front - awkward.

Ever a pickle and it was a Jalapeño?

Ever choose a hero and find out he was a zero?

 

 

We confuse Role Models with Heros.

 

RM vs. Heros

Hero’s conquer the enemy, RM understand who the enemy is

Hero’s do great things, RM teach great things

Heros heighten our emotions, RM teach us to manage our emotions.

Heros do the amazing, RM equip you for the amazing results

Michael Jordan is an amazing hero… but make no mistake, It was Phil Jackson who was the role model.

 

Heb. 11 It is called the Heros of the faith chapter in the bible. Just about everyone in that list you can name their role model… and the ones you can’t- it was God himself who was their role model.

 

Todays challenge is simple. 

Find a role model… but hold on. Don’t confuse RM with Hero. I like what Franklin D Roosevelt said, “Judge me by the enemies I make”. I think this strangely applies to RM. We often look to hero’s  and everyone likes them but typically they make bad RM. RM are awkward, unruly, driven, bullish and kid of tunnel vision. They don’t really care much what others think with in their field of study. 

 

You know I have studied the greatest Preachers from the past to present in signs and wonders. Most people had a hard time getting along with them. They were amazing Role Models, but not real likable.

 

Also, you need to be a RM for someone. It is your call to influence others towards Christ. So step out, don’t worry about knowing it all, that is the best part of being a RM, it makes you learn more and more every day. 

 

The greatest RM were once students who were asked to lead and that began their race to role modeling.

www.TheDavidAlliance.com 

 

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It was never about the card.

 

 

I have a feeling that as we get older we are going to repeat that same line form the movie but in more of an Ah-ha moment. Like… It was never about the job, It was never about the money, It was never about the fame, prestige, the marriage, the image, the winning. 

 

So what really does matter? 

 

How much in life really matters? Unfortunately we can ask ourselves that question but the weight of it only catches us on our toes and actually makes us think -once we begin to really feel our age. When I was 25 only what I wanted mattered. When I was 35 only what my family wanted mattered. When I was 45 only what my career wanted mattered and now that I am 55… I am truly feeling that what really matters is very little, very little at all. 

 

 

Listen to these words from Richard Koch

The Unimportance of Practically Everything

MOST OF WHAT EXISTS IN THE UNIVERSE-OUR ACTIONS,

AND ALL OTHER FORCES, RESOURCES, AND IDEAS

HAS LITTLE VALUE AND YIELDS LITTLE RESULT; ON THE

OTHER HAND,A FEW THINGS WORK FANTASTICALLY

WELL AND HAVE TREMENDOUS IMPACT.

Richard Koch

 

 

 

The overwhelming reality is:we live in a world where almost

everything is worthless and very few things are exceptionally valuable. As John Maxwell has written,"You cannot overestimate the

unimportance of practically everything.”

 

Ecclesiastes 1 King solomon spends quite some time building a case that everything under the sun is meaningless. So what does that mean? it means that if you do not have God at the center of your job… its meaningless, if you do not have him at the center of your marriage it is meaningless, if you do not have him at the center of your goals, finances etc… it means nothing. 

 

And what is “that” that is supposed to be at the center? Its simply making God look good. Seeking him first in everything you have your nose into.

 

Ever get a new car… you love this car and you can find a way to get this new car into any conversation to let people know you just got a new car.

…Guy at the gas station… you need a Sunday paper… uhm no… well you know what I just bought a brand new Corvette and I am looking for some places to detail it so… uh yeah, maybe I will take a paper in case they have some listed in the classifieds.

 

That is the attitude with making God look good in every situation. You just find ways, make ways to give him attention and how awesome he is.

www.TheDavidAlliance.com 

 

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I was never a fighter until that fateful day in 6th grade.

 

2 things happened. 

I laughed, I was so excited I did the right thing I couldn’t wait to tell my Dad when I got home… or limped home.

Secondly… I went back into school, My teacher Mr. Sprague told me to go clean up and I went to the far end of the school to the grade school bathroom to clean up to stay away from anyone ( I knew I could beat up grade schoolers) and of all the crazy things… I walked in to Todd Harget splashing cold water on his fun muffins) He looked up at me and smiled and laughed - he even laughed and said “you got me good”. What was I thinking.

We became friends…. how does that even work? Hey look we don’t really get along, but If I can kick you in between the legs we are going to really hit it off.

 

Look, as uncomfortable as it may be in the time being, always do what is best. 

Don’t want to open up your mouth for Jesus… do it.

Don’t want to pray for that guy in the store?… do it.

DOn’t want to give money… do it anyway.

Don’t want to share a biblical perspective at work fearing backlash from your boss or other employees? Who cares… do it! 

 

Here are things I think on constantly when trying to live all out for God. 

 

When in doubt do what’s right.

 

What would the best Garth do?

 

What would the best person in this situation do?

 

What is Gods best?

www.TheDavidAlliance.com 

 

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webstix.com Tony Herman - the coolest cat on the net

 

Why worry?

 

Isn’t it condescending to have someone tell you not to worry…. sounds like it anyway. But that is exactly what jesus tells us in Matthew 6. Read the last 20 verses. 

 

 

LEAN INTO IT

Is. 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.

WOMAN SITTING ON THE ROCKS ON THE OCEAN… READING A BOOK WITHOUT A CARE IN THE WORLD.

WAVES CRASHING INTO THE ROCK POUNDING IT… NO WORRIES. 

She was steadfast - leaning into that rock- trusting it.

 

 

CALM THE HELL DOWN

Be still and know that I am God. PS. 46

Starts out sounding like the earth is going to hell in a hand basket!  

Be still means calm down… Do want to know what this looks like?

Give me a back rub or massage! 

 

 

 

2 Kings 7 - by this time tomorrow 6 quarts of the finest flour will sell for only a shekel and 12 quarts of barley will sell for a shekel.

 

King Jehoram trusting his advisor over Elisha

www.TheDavidAlliance.com 

 

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What do you live by? What are your unchangeable core beliefs that will guide your life?

If you don’t know them you will not live by them.

 

 

Have you ever wondered how do men live such great lives and make such great impacts on their families and life around them? They have core values… It sounds simplistic, but the truth is that if you write down your core values, you will reflect on them and start to live by them. You must know what you are shooting for- right? 

 

So today here are some of my core values. And yes I have them written down on my phone… and these are only a few of them… but trust me- less is more. 

Core Values

 

I will not be motivated by money

I will not be motivated by fear

I will not be motivated by peer pressure, whether its bullying by the elite educational system, the rich and famous, the popular thought and opinion of the day or the tsunami of social media etc..

 

I will only be motivated by Love for God, his mission and my family. 

Matt. 6:33 Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and everything else will fall into place. 

 

I will respond in love when confronted in hate. My only retaliation would not really be retaliation at all but rather violence only to the degree of keeping my loved ones safe. 

 

 

I don’t whine nor will I hang with people who whine. 

I find it draining to be around people who whine. 

 

 

I will keep a ratio of 4 healthy people to one unhealthy person in my circle. 

 

I will discipline my life so that I have freedom to enjoy it. 

Get up early, read a book a week, have a date day with my wife, work out daily. Discipline means action.

(“Roosevelt, more than any other man living within the range of notoriety showed the singular primitive quality that belongs to ultimate matter, the quality that medieval theology assigned to God:  ‘he was pure act’.”  Henry Adams  Theodore Rex – Desmond Morris).  

 

Relentless. Its on my arm… it runs my life. 3 cancers, a brain tumor, a broken neck, failed business, failed church plant, friends betrayal. 

(“The difference between one person and another, between the weak and the powerful, the great and the insignificant, is energy – invisible determination . . .  This quality will do anything that has to be done in the world, and no talents, no circumstances, no opportunities will make you a great person without it.”   Thomas Buxton – Philanthropist).  

 

I will always try the impossible, the unthinkable and the foolish. I will never be afraid to fail. 

“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world: the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.”

 

― George Bernard Shaw,

www.TheDavidAlliance.com 

 

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Luke 5:16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

 

Frequently GK = was who he was, his lifestyle. 

 

But notice what is before this verse…

15But the news about Jesus spread all the more, and great crowds came to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses.

 

how many of us when things are going great, things are taking off, we are hitting our goals… We pull away from our quiet time and Jesus time and we hear his voice less and less and we no longer are grounded in our faith.

 

We must pull away.

www.TheDavidAlliance.com 

 

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Drop dead legs… drop D, pulled back on the distortion for the intro… then lets the brown sound unwind and kick in.

Not a whammy bar insight on this song and everyone thinks there is… NOPE. Just pure Edward giving everyone a lesson in cool. 

 

Little guitars, crazy crunch and brown tone. and it just lies in the pocket with Alex drumming like they are the same instrument. I actually put a multi media presentation in high school using this song and it killed! I took second place in the school! 

 

Amazing guitar player, changed the world…

Chuck Berry, Jimmy and then Eddie. 

 

My joy in seeing them play this last time was the joy he had on his face playing with his son. They both were having the time of their life. Made me think of the times My boys and I do things together. 

 

My son texted me the news story and I was literally in shock. I know that sounds strange if you have listened to this podcast for a while, I guess to some I seem a little unshakeable. But the truth is… I have admired Eddie for more than 2/3’s of my life. I don’t know if I have gone a few days without listening to Van Halen. I saw them in concert twice and was rocked always. When I heard he died from cancer it was an extra kick in the gut… I should have died from cancer.

But I cried all day long… yep, all day long, I came home and cried in my wife’s arms. Why? Great question… My wife asked me if it hit me so hard because it was cancer and was so close to home… I told her something I had never voiced to anyone ever at that moment. Yes the little boy inside of me let out the truth… in sobs I said “I don’t think he knew Jesus, and I kept thinking God would somehow put me in front of him so I could share Jesus with him”. There I said it, I was heart broken because unless I have other insight… Eddie is in hell. It’s one thing if someone had shared jesus with him and he chose not to follow it… but did he have it shared in a way he would understand a way that was not religious. A way that emphasized how crazy Jesus was about him and what an amazing life you can have with Jesus… He gives peace, life, fulfillment and joy… Did anyone share these with him? I literally sat here and got mad at myself thinking you could have at least sent him a letter… something. But I did not- I literally believed I would see him someday in persona and have a chance to share Christ.

 

So what is today about? Share Jesus, with everyone… it may be too late after today. Take nothing for granted. Your neighbor, your friends, co-workers, people at the gym, wherever you go trust God to work through you. You may be witnessing to the next Eddie Van Halen but regardless everyone deserves the chance to hear the gospel.

www.TheDavidAlliance.com 

 

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webstix.com Tony Herman - the coolest cat on the net

 

 

Why can’t you bench 315? Why can’t you squat 500? Why can’t you deadlift 600? The same reason you can’t live a holy life.

 

 

Why are you offended? Why do you fall so easily? Why do you mess up so regularly? 

Because you are prone to it. Because you are weak spiritually. 

 

This past week I was training a client and I was kneeling down and above me at the top of the power rack was a cable with a heavy iron grip attached to it. Now it somehow came off and dropped about 7 feet onto the back of my neck. Luckily I have a thick head connected to a thick neck. It bounced off and we moved on. 

… Hey Im ok, I am 6’3 and weigh 290 pounds right now… the most I have weighed in a long time.. .and proud of it. Lifting more than I have in years.

But the point it, I have a friend who is 5”5 and weighs about 175 and he is solid muscle. If the same thing would have happened to him he also would have shrugged it off. He is in shape! 

 

So I repeat…

Why are you offended? Why do you fall so easily? Why do you mess up so regularly? 

Because you are prone to it. Because you are weak spiritually. 

 

 

1 Peter 4:1,2 Arm yourself so you will not be offended… so you will not sin! 

 

NIV 4 Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. 2 As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. 3 For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. 4 They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. 5 But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.

 

The message

4 1-2 Since Jesus went through everything you’re going through and more, learn to think like him. Think of your sufferings as a weaning from that old sinful habit of always expecting to get your own way. Then you’ll be able to live out your days free to pursue what God wants instead of being tyrannized by what you want.

3-5 You’ve already put in your time in that God-ignorant way of life, partying night after night, a drunken and profligate life. Now it’s time to be done with it for good. Of course, your old friends don’t understand why you don’t join in with the old gang anymore. But you don’t have to give an account to them. They’re the ones who will be called on the carpet—and before God himself.

 

 

My Mom says remember the first three rules when dealing with people: People are stupid, People are stupid, People are stupid.

 

* i.e. people are immature spiritually and then wonder why they are offended! 

 

 

Look, can I be honest with you? We as men are really good at making excuses as to why we slip up and sin and make mistakes and keep failing… etc… etc… etc…

THE TRUTH? You are just weak.

I follow a lot of powerlifters and one of my favorites is a guy by the name of Brandon Lilly… I do not think he is a Christ follower, but I love him just the same- he is a great dude. But in one of his instructional videos on his social media he was answering questions. One question that came in was from someone who wanted to know how to bench 315. (That is something many people shoot for…the old 3 plates a side) He reads the question and says as deadpan as you can get. “Get stronger”. and moves on to the next question.

 

How do you keep from sinning? Get stronger. 

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Risk in faith more…

GET STRONGER!