The David Alliance

Garth Heckman

The David Alliance

[email protected] 

Awaken the Spirit 

Christina walking past my door

The river of God…

The Mississippi River

John 7:38 He who believes in, out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water.

The very next verse (John 7:39) explicitly identifies this river: "But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive..."

John 4:14 a fountain of living water - the Holy Spirit

Why does the spirit dry up - how do we awaken the spirit?

1 Cor. 2:14 But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. 15 Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. 16 For,

“Who can know the Lord’s thoughts?

But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.

    **Here Paul talks about how the sinful man/unspiritual can’t understand the spiritual realm. 

BUT HE GOES ON IN CHAPTER 3…

Stating that there are some Christians that cannot understand the spiritual realm due to living in their flesh. 

Chapter 3 3 Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in Christ. 2 I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready, 3 for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. 

CONTROLLED BY THE FLESH….

VS. CONTROLLED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT

Garth Heckman

The David Alliance

[email protected] 

**What You Love Determines Where You’re Headed**

At EAST Town Mall in Madison… Reese is 3.5 yrs old. We are all at the food court… he disappears - everyone panics except my mom. There is a series of stores around us - everyone starts dashing through the chairs and tables of the food court - Grandma walks over to the candy store and sees him in there. 

HIS LOVE DETERMINED HIS DIRECTION. 

**Scripture:** Matthew 6:19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

WHATEVER YOU VALUE - IS LEADING YOU

Jesus doesn’t say *“Where your duty is…”*

He says, *“Where your treasure is…”*

Because love always leads.

Illustration: The Compass

A compass doesn’t tell you where you *want* to go—it tells you where you *are going*.

Your spending, your schedule, your thought life, your words, your daily choices—those are spiritual compasses.

Application:

* Eternity isn’t shaped in one big decision—it’s shaped in daily affection.

**Eternity follows affection.**

---

Finally Eternity gives illumination to the true value of life. 

Lobsters: From "Sea Cockroaches" to Luxury (History/Economics)

When you stand in heaven and see Jesus, see the Father, see those that are saved and see those that are lost in Hell…. How will that reframe how you understand life on earth?

Wouldn’t it be wise to see that way now?

Garth Heckman

The David Alliance

[email protected] 

11,000

Paul says,

“We fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen… what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Cor. 4:18)

* Feelings are real—but they aren’t final.

HOWEVER

* God’s promises are unseen—but they are eternal.

**Eternal thinking stabilizes emotional living.**

Maybe the best question we can ask when at the crossroads of a decision is this “what is the eternal consequence of this?”

**The old saying “if consequences were immediate there would be very few bad decisions”. 

One donut, 200 pounds

One cigarette, cancer

One charge, in debt beyond control

One quiet time skipped, backslidden

One temper tantrum, in prison

One drink, alcoholism

One drug, addiction 

WARNING: The eternal is not immediate but the consequences are!

2 Your Life Is Short, 

But It Is Not Small

**Scripture:** Psalm 90:12

Moses says, “Teach us to number our days.”

Not to depress us—but to **focus us**.

22,116 days… that is how many days I have been alive! 

So realistically I only have about 11K days left to live. 

The Bible says life is:

* a mist

* a vapor

* a breath

But it never says life is meaningless.

Illustration: The Dash on the Tombstone

On every gravestone there’s a birth date, a death date, and a dash in between.

That dash represents:

* your choices

* your faithfulness

* your obedience

THAT DASH EQUALS THE AMOUNT OF ETERNITY YOU HAVE SOWN YOUR LIFE INTO. 

Short doesn’t mean insignificant.

Application:

* Ordinary obedience has eternal weight.

**A short life lived for God becomes a long story in eternity.**

Garth Heckman

The David Alliance

[email protected] 

Paul says,

“We fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen… what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Cor. 4:18)

“We fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen… what is seen is temporary,

Temporary - pros-kee-ross 

Fleeting, non important for the task,

WHEN I WAS 22 YEARS OLD SHOPPING FOR A CAR. MARRIED 3 YEARS, BUT NEVER BOUGHT MY OWN CAR.

… I was looking at sound systems

… I was looking at paint color

… I was looking at rims and stance

MY DAD WAS LOOKING AT

… mileage

… monthly payment

… accident history

… gas economy

… the dealers reputation….

I WAS LOOKING AT THE FLEETING. 

If eternity is real—and the Bible says it is—then living only for the moment- THE FLEETING is the most dangerous way to live.

1  Eternity Is More Real 

Than the Moment

**Scripture:** 2 Corinthians 4:18

Paul doesn’t say the visible world isn’t real—he says it’s **temporary**.

Temporary doesn’t mean unimportant. It means *not ultimate*… NOT THE PURPOSE

Going on a cruise in 2 weeks… my wife “what are you going to pack”.

My wife packs for a month if we stay 3 days in a hotel…

Illustration: The Hotel Room

You treat a hotel room differently than your house.

You don’t remodel it.

You don’t get a bigger TV for it

You don’t hang family portraits.

You don’t panic if something breaks.

Why?

Because you know **you’re not staying long**.

Many of us are rearranging furniture in a world we were never meant to settle in.

Garth Heckman

The David Alliance

[email protected] 

I realized the past few weeks why I am so worn down… im not doing what I am supposed to do. I understand that I have a few things in my life that motivate me and give me energy.

I am solar powered

I need a good book

I need music to play or listen to

I need affection from my wife

AND… I need to be actively sharing the gospel.

The past few weeks I have not been 

***WHICH MEANS I HAVE BEEN LIVING IN THE TEMPORAL!

Living Like Forever Is Real

THE RUBIKS CUBE HAS OVER 4 QUINTILLION CHOICES BEHIND SOLVING IT. 

But it can be done in 3.08 seconds if you make the right choices. 

Life is filled with choices… but its not the choice itself its the why behind it that matters. 

Are your choices eternal? 

Big Idea: Eternity is not just where we’re going—it’s how we’re meant to live.*

THOUGHT 1:

THE PROBLEM WITH MOST CHRISTIANS IS SIMPLY THIS: 

SHORT-TERM THINKING

We live in a culture obsessed with *now*.

Same-day delivery. Instant downloads. Microwave patience.

We’re trained to ask:

* “How does this make me feel right now?”

* “What do I get immediately?”

* “What’s in it for me today?”

But the Bible keeps interrupting us with a different question:

The child who asks a 1000 questions: why why why why why…. 

The Bible asks the same question over and over.

    -  Is it eternal? 

**“What lasts forever?”**

Paul says,

“We fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen… what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Cor. 4:18)

Garth Heckman

The David Alliance

[email protected] 

Matthew 14:22 Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. 23 After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone.

24 Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. 25 About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!”

27 But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!”

28 Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”

29 “Yes, come,” Jesus said.

So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.

31 Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”

32 When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. 33 Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.

The power was in the word from God… not in Peter, or his hopes or aspirations, NOT EVEN HIS OWN PERSONAL BELIEF… it was in the word of God. 

Peter understood authority and submission to it. 

Peter is saying, if you command it, I will submit to your authority and follow your words. 

**But Peter didn’t just walk out of the boat, he didn’t just take anyones word… he said “Jesus if it is you command me”. 

Look, there are waves, wind, spray, its night time, maybe one lantern, shadows everywhere… who is this? A ghost? A shadow? A demon? A…a…a… is it Jesus. 

Before you jump ship - make sure you are following Jesus - and following his command. 

The Goal was Intimacy, not Magic Notice the full phrase: "Command me to come to You." 

The original phrase in the greek is “if it is you Command me to come to you” - he did not ask to walk on the water, he did not say Jesus I want to walk on the water… he knew safety was with Jesus! 

Peter didn't want to walk on water for the sake of a thrill; he wanted to walk on water because that was the only way to get closer to Jesus. The miracle was just the method of transport; Jesus was the destination.

Garth Heckman

The David Alliance

[email protected] 

A few times I will get an email about all the things I miss in a podcast over a topic or a portion of scripture… Look I only get 7 minutes before you lose your attention… so focus on the seven minutes… and don’t get distracted. It’s Gods word, focus on that and not on what is not being said…and that’s where we are going today! 

Matthew 14:22 Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. 23 After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone.

24 Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. 25 About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!”

27 But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!”

28 Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”

29 “Yes, come,” Jesus said.

So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.

31 Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”

32 When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. 33 Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.

PETER DID NOT SAY “LORD LET ME WALK ON WATER” HE SAID COMMAND ME TO WALK ON WATER…. Touch the heavens, speak from the throne of God and make it happen by your words and your words alone. 

Peter doesn’t know much… but at this point he does know one thing: If Jesus commands it- it will happen. If he speaks the word- it will fulfill its purpose. **THIS IS WHY HE NEEDED TO HEAR JESUS SPEAK THE WORD. 

It is important to note that Matthew also includes several "summary verses" (e.g., Matthew 4:23, 14:14) stating that Jesus healed "many" or "all" who came to Him, implying the actual number of miracles was in the hundreds or thousands.However, the specific, detailed accounts recorded up to Matthew 14:28 are as follows:

You don’t need to come just say the word

He commands it to be calm

He commands them into the pigs

Speaks take up your Matt and walk

Jesus commands the disciples you feed them.

**THIS WAS THE SET UP FOR PETER!

He knew that all authority was subject to his voice, his words, his authority. Nature, Supernatural and Physical. 

Things we learn: Peter did not jump out of the boat on emotion… any emotion he felt would have been fear, uncertainty in the storm. 

Garth Heckman

The David Alliance

[email protected] 

Matthew 14:22 Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. 23 After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone.

24 Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. 25 About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!”

27 But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!”

28 Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”

29 “Yes, come,” Jesus said.

So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.

31 Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”

32 When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. 33 Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.

WHUH? 32 When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped.

WHAT IS THIS TELLING US? 

NO TEST, NO TESTIMONY

NO MESS, NO MESSAGE

NO STORM, NO STORY

…SURE YOU ARE IN THE CALM OF THE BOAT WITH JESUS… BUT WOULDN’T IT HAVE BEEN BETTER IN THE STORM?

I had a man in my office a few years ago trying to push a multi level marketing program on me (no problem with those) but I asked him “what are the biggest tests and challenges you have had in life”. 

He said I am very blessed I have had none…

IF THATS TRUE… WHAT A NON BLESSED LIFE, BORING LIFE!

GIVE ME THE STORY OF THE STORM! 

World Series of Poker

Jack Straus one chip one chair. 

Garth Heckman

The David Alliance

[email protected] 

OT Expectation 

Psalm 36:7 (The Hebrew word for expectancy)

7 How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God!

**Covenant Culture**

The phrase *“LOVING KINDNESS/steadfast love”* translates the Hebrew word **ḥesed**, which refers to **covenant loyalty**, not mere affection. In ancient Israel, ḥesed described God’s faithful commitment to His people despite their failures.

UNDER YOUR WINGS

* **Intimacy** – closeness, not distant protection

* **Nurture** – like a mother bird covering her young

* **Divine Presence** – God is actively involved, not passively watching

Protection

**Key connection:**

* Psalm 36 describes what God *is*

* Jesus reveals what God *does*

* Humanity’s problem is not access, but **unwillingness - LACK OF TRUST/ OR EXPECTANCY to come under His covering**

The David Alliance

[email protected]

Garth Heckman

Expectations

Craig Randall drives a garbage truck in Peabody, Massachusetts. in a garbage container one day, he noticed a Wendy's soft drink cup bearing a contest sticker. Having won a chicken sandwich the week before, Randall checked it, hoping for some french fries or a soft drink.

Instead, he peeled a sticker worth $200,000 toward the construction of a new home, reports U.S. News and World Report (11/6/95).

What we get out of life depends a lot on what we look for. Are we more likely to see each experience as trash or a potential treasure?

Maybe you’ve played this game before… Look around and find everything green. Now close your eyes and tell me what is blue.

**What are you looking for?

Puppy watching is a life of expectation… is he going to chew my chair, poop on my chair, pee on my chair, jump from my chair… every move he makes is a move of expectation on my part. 

Christmas is a time of EXPECTATION 

Children expecting… waiting… knowing there will be presents under the tree.

I used to get up Christmas morning at 4am! 

**have you lost that loving feeling… of expectation

FAITH, HOPE, EXPECTATION

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Faith… you have faith that in the future you will get married and have a family.

YOU GET MARRIED: You now hope to have a baby.

YOU GET PREGNANT: you are expecting. 

There are signs/evidence you are pregnant.

**Living in a state of signs… building expectation. 

Eager Anticipation of the Future

Earnest expectation--A single word in the Greek, and a very striking one. It means, literally, a straining forward with outstretched head, just as we might imagine the crowds outside a race-course straining over the ropes to catch a sight of the runners; an eager, intent expectation. The same word is used once again in the New Testament (Philippians 1:20).

God expects us to expect! 

Matthew 7:7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! 12 Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Expectation creates participation…

Expectation creates participation in Gods plan

If I claim to trust God for provision, favor, and breakthrough, but refuse to be a vessel of those same things to others, then I am not operating in expectation—I am operating in self-interest.

If my faith stops at “God, do for me,” but never reaches “God, flow through me,” then I am not trusting God—I am trusting my own control. Real faith doesn’t just ask; it allows.

Option 4: Illustrative and Relational

The Golden Rule is not just about behavior—it’s about belief.

Faith that only receives but never releases isn’t faith at all—it’s spiritual entitlement. But when I allow God to use me for others, I demonstrate that I truly trust Him to take care of me.

Expectation without participation in Gods plan is not faith.

**Remember whatever you look for you see, you find- and you can enter into - expectation is looking through Gods spirit.

VERSE 12 “For This Is the Law and the Prophets”

This is massive.

Jesus is saying:

…can be summed up in this one relational principle.

In other words:

If you get this right, you are living out the heart of God’s law.

This aligns with Jesus’ later words:

“Love the Lord your God… and love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matt. 22:37–40)