The David Alliance

Wake the Faith up Slayer… This is Garth Heckman with the David Alliance and you can reach me at

[email protected] 

 

Brought to you by wellbuiltbody.com Gym Apparel for men and women that rocks and shocks and ain’t for everybody - but just might be for you. wellbuiltbody.com

 

 

How many people have no time for religion, Jesus, church or anything of that matter… so many times the attitude is Hey thats fine for you, but right now what I really need is a job.

 

You might say… hey Im glad you are into Jesus, but right now I gotta know wether to marry Lisa or Nancy, Wether to go to college or a trade school, wether or not to buy a house or keep renting… or should I trust my father in law or not…

Ok so lets magically say that I can answer all of those correctly. Mary Nancy, Go to trade school, keep renting for a few years, DO NOT TRUST YOUR FATHER IN LAW. THERE… so now what… no, really now what? You have the answers and life seems less complicated.. but now what? You are still empty, searching, looking… so who cares if you have the answers but don’t know the test giver?

 

Listen to these nimrods! 

The meaning of life is not simply to exist, to survive, but to move ahead, to go up, to achieve, to conquer.” ―Arnold Schwarzenegger.

 

 

“Whatever we are, whatever we make of ourselves, is all we will ever have—and that, in its profound simplicity, is the meaning of life.” ―Philip Appleman

 

“Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.” ―The Dalai Lama

 

 

Hey you took the course, you made the grade, you got the house and the career, the woman of your dreams, the lambo’ and the sick cottage out in the woods of Montana, the killer high rise apartment and the friends in high places. You are the best at your field, the top athlete, the best musician, the smartest and most looked up to…. and so now what? 

 

 

Hey you got a hole in your pants… 

Hey you got a hole in your soul… everybody’s born with 1

You cannot fill the hole inside of you with anything other than the perfect match… close enough isn’t good enough, almost is still empty and more and more won’t work either. You have to find the exact match for that hole in your life… and that exact match is Jesus.

 

He is the way the truth and the life. 

We are all looking for the way… what should I do in my life, relationships, investments, with my talents… He is the way… he will guide you

He is the truth… no one wants to feel gullible or fooled. But how many die with all the toys and still feel duped… like this is not what life is about. Freddy Mercury of the band Queen at the end of his life admitted to having it all and still feeling lonely and empty. and I can share a 1000 more people who had it all and said the same thing. But Jesus is the truth. YOu will never feel duped living for Jesus. 

He is the life. He gives so much passion, purpose and Zoe… life abundant that it makes anything and everything the best.

What is life ultimately about? the meaning of life? it is to KNOW God and make him known. 

Yes, I am a pastor, but I am also a personal trainer, a business owner and an entrepreneur and more, but in all of these my fulfillment comes from knowing my purpose- knowing God and making him known in all of these. 

My last thought… there may be someone who stumbles on this podcast and says…yeah I tried Jesus… but it didn’t work for me. My guess is you either tried Religion.. and tried to keep rules hoping to find meaning… when it really is about a relationship… so try that instead. OR you thought by “being” a Christian you would have the secret formula for all you ever wanted, dreamed or desired…and when life went sour, your wife left you, your business failed, your kid got on drugs… you thought, well this Jesus stuff doesn’t work. Again, he is not a life coach or a steroid to get you what you want - rather he is God who wants you to know him and serve him… not your wants.

and believe it or not- that is true fulf

Wake the Faith up Slayer… This is Garth Heckman with the David Alliance and you can reach me at

[email protected] 

 

Brought to you by wellbuiltbody.com Gym Apparel for men and women that rocks and shocks and ain’t for everybody - but just might be for you. wellbuiltbody.com

 

Proverbs 26:4-14

 

4 Don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools, or you will become as foolish as they are.

5 Be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools, or they will become wise in their own estimation.

6 Trusting a fool to convey a message is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison!

7 A proverb in the mouth of a fool is as useless as a paralyzed leg.

8 Honoring a fool is as foolish as tying a stone to a slingshot.

9 A proverb in the mouth of a fool is like a thorny branch brandished by a drunk.

10 An employer who hires a fool or a bystander is like an archer who shoots at random.

11 As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness.

12 There is more hope for fools than for people who think they are wise.

13 The lazy person claims, “There’s a lion on the road! Yes, I’m sure there’s a lion out there!”

14 As a door swings back and forth on its hinges, so the lazy person turns over in bed.

 

How to argue with a fool.

First rule and most important rule is always stay calm. The more loud they get the more agitated they get, the more calm you are. You don’t need to soften your voice, just remain calm. You will actually see them getting worn out. They typically feed off of others peoples anger… when you don’t respond they typically peter out and just walk away.

I believe we see this when Pilate was questioning Jesus in John 19

"Do you refuse to speak to me?" Pilate said. "Don't you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?" Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin."

 

Next is break their train of thought. Tony Robbins taught me this one years ago. He was in the middle of an argument and he stopped the person and said have you ever eaten a large bowl of crickets and urine? The guy stopped and was like… what???? But what it did is it created a new pathway of thought to manifest in that mans mindset. Jesus told a lot of parables around the pharisees. He told many that were just completely confusing to people… but it did do one thing. It created a new pathway of thought in many of those who were not necessarily agreeing with him, but listening to him

 

Here is a weird but fun one. When someone wants to argue with you don’t look at them in the eye, but rather look at their forehead and just over one eyebrow. It will cause the person to feel awkward and lose concentration and it also makes them feel like you know they are lying and they in turn many times stop lying. 

 

In the middle of an intense exchange it is important to compliment someone or even hug them. You gotta remember that you don’t know if they are arguing because they truly disagree or if they just had a bad day and are taking it out on you. I love the fact that everyone was quick to judge Mary for sitting at Jesus feet, quick to judge the harlot who was caught in adultery, quick to judge the women who poured perfume on Jesus feet etc… but Jesus knew what was going on behind the scenes. 

 

Next one. Agree with the person in simply saying you are a very smart and educated person who has a lot of insight, so I know you are smart enough to see this for what it really is. Many times they realize they will be calling themselves stupid by choosing to argue with you rather than agreeing with you that they are smart and they do really see what is going on. They may talk themselves into is slowly, but let them have that out. 

 

Finally sometimes just staying quiet is the best way to make a point. Jesus in front of his accusers said nothing. Even while they hit him, spit on him and beat him… he said nothing… and in turn made the

Wake the Faith up Slayer… This is Garth Heckman with the David Alliance and you can reach me at

[email protected] 

 

Brought to you by wellbuiltbody.com Gym Apparel for men and women that rocks and shocks and ain’t for everybody - but just might be for you. wellbuiltbody.com

 

 

On Mercury, a day is two years long.

 

What you think of as a day – how long it takes the Earth to rotate – isn't 24 hours. It's 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4.2 seconds. The reason it's 24 hours from sunrise to sunrise is because every day the Earth moves further in its orbit round the sun – and the change in its position lengthens the day slightly.

 

A second isn't what you think it is. Scientifically, it's not defined as 1/60th of a minute, but as "the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium 133 atom".

 

speaking of time -lightning strikes Earth 6,000 times every minute.

 

There are total 31,557,600 seconds in a year.

1."Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin." - Mother Teresa

2."Don't be fooled by the calendar. There are only as many days in the year as you make use of. One man gets only a week's value out of a year while another man gets a full year's value out of a week." -- Charles Richards

Statistics have revealed that an average employee spends 2 hours per day recovering from distractions.

Also, according to RescueTime, on average, we spend 3 hours and 15 minutes a day (49.4 days per year) on our phones.

BusinessFirstFamily has stated that poor communication has also been responsible for the loss of 280 hours per year.

 

Isaiah 40:31 Those that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. teach me Lord teach me lord to wait. 

 

  - The wait is the process. The process is painful. The hebrew word for wait is Kawvaw… it means to be drawn under tension. You are not just waiting like sitting in your lounge chair watching espn surfing your phone, there is a tension… when will this happen, how will lit happen, is it going to happen. 

And that is the process. The process is learning how to deal with the Fathers tension… every person in scripture who was used by God had to wait with tension…

Joseph… had a dream and had to wait under tension to see it manifest, David was anointed King and had to wait years under tension to see it manifest. The apostle Paul was saved and had to wait under tension 13 years before he started his ministry… the list goes on and on. 

Enjoy the wait! it will build your faith

 

The wait is the purpose… not the outcome.

So many times we think that what is coming will be worth the wait… but the truth is simply this: the wait is worth the wait. In what other situation will you be put in where you have no control, you have no idea when, you are not sure if ever it will happen… and you don’t know if it will be a bust or not. This is all wrapped up in the process of waiting. So you have to wait 4 months to get that new job.. but are you using the wait time to become the best employee. Waiting is waiting for you to assign its purpose. And trust me God will also assign his own purpose if you are careful enough to watch for it. 

I can’t tell you how many times I have waited for things from God only to look back after receiving them and thanking him more for the wait then the blessing I received. I love what Jim Rohn says that ties into this so nicely “why make a million dollars? because of what it will make of you for you to make a million dollars. I would add, why wait? for what it will do to you in the waiting process. 

 

The wait is the promise- it is where the seed of faith lys, every promise has a built in waiting period. If I tell my son I am giving you a new bike, and just hand it to him… that is nice, but it builds up zero trust and faith in my son betwee

Wake the Faith up Slayer… This is Garth Heckman with the David Alliance and you can reach me at

[email protected] 

 

Brought to you by wellbuiltbody.com Gym Apparel for men and women that rocks and shocks and ain’t for everybody - but just might be for you. wellbuiltbody.com

 

just got back from this Muskie trip… and I found myself asking a lot of questions… why this rod, why this reel, what this bait, how should I reel , where should I cast, what happens if it bites, what if it swims up to the boat following my lure?… and you know what asking questions is a great way to live your life….

 

I don’t want you to waste your life… it would be tragic if you did, or didn’t realize it until it is too late. 

 

I want to challenge you with a few questions that I hope you truly chew on and use as a litmus test for your life. First question is does it matter in the long run? Is what you spend your time on, whatever your life goal is, where you put any type of energy be it financial, mental, time, etc… does it really matter at the end of your life.

Let me explain what we call the law of diminish returns… it is best understood in dating, you hold hands, you kiss, you french kiss, you fondle, you have sex… that is the short course. It is an eating away of levels that should be there to protect. But the longer you let the little foxes in, pretty soon they spoil the whole vineyard. 

So you have some things in your life that to you matter, but maybe they are harmless except for the fact that they are step one to diminishing what is truly important in life. 

You have a hobby… you play baseball as an adult male in the mens league… nothing wrong with that but it takes up time, money and you have no interest whatsoever being a light to the other players or trying to win them to Christ.

But it is just the tip of the iceberg. Because it steals time away from your church attendance and maybe your tithing, it gives a bad impression or the wrong impression to your kids… in time they don’t go to church at all and now your grandkids don’t even find the thought of God at all appealing… its old fashion. And you say… well that didn’t just happen because I played baseball as a hobby as an adult… I disagree- I think it had everything to do with it… while maybe only one of the pieces, they all played a part into your diminishing returns as a follower of Christ. Is your life and your life choices really matter in the long run?…. 

NEXT 2 QUESTIONS HAND IN HAND

What are you doing? Great question? No matter what you are doing - what are you doing? Why are you doing it?

 

Here is the surest test of this question… no matter what you are doing answer these 2 in light of what you are doing. 

Does it lead to actionable transformation in your life?

Does it advance the kingdom of God?

**I mean really take time and look at the music you listen to, the church you go to, the people you hang with, the hobbies you participate in, the food you eat, the schedule you keep, the words you use, the places you surf on your phone, the words and conversation you have… EVERYTHING YOU DO, GO, THINK - What ever makes you- you… is it leading to transformation in your life? 

Are you going to be more like Jesus in a noticeably marked way in a few months,,, and even more so in a few years… 

look we just don’t have time to mess around with things that don’t translate in transformation in our lives.

Finally does it advance the kingdom of God.

What is the kingdom of God? It is doing things Gods way. It is living, believing and acting as if heaven is here on earth. We demand in prayer and faith for Gods will to be done here on earth… and we see results. 

It is simply living in such a way “with Christ as our model” that the non believer believes and the weak Christian is strengthened, and our walk promotes who Jesus is. We live in such a way that we make Jesus famous! 

 

Look what you have filled your life up with..well… 

It might feel good, it might even be good… but does it

Wake the Faith up Slayer… This is Garth Heckman with the David Alliance and you can reach me at

[email protected] 

 

Brought to you by wellbuiltbody.com Gym Apparel for men and women that rocks and shocks and ain’t for everybody - but just might be for you. wellbuiltbody.com

 

Have you ever blown it and felt bad and asked someone to forgive you and they do… but uh, it just doesn’t feel right or complete? I have been on both ends… and that is where we are going today. 

 

Repent and be Baptized… we have heard sermons about this, we may have read these scriptures in the bible and we think we may actually done this exact command… but have we? 

What is repentance? Is it forgiveness…? Hey I blew it please forgive me of my sins Jesus. Ta Da… all take care of… maybe its not the simple.. well actually it is not that simple. So what is true biblical repentance.

 

Before I get to a scripture, lets look at a playing field we can all relate to. Someone hurts you, they really do something or say something that cuts you to the core. It has left a major mark in your relationship with them… maybe mark it to light of a word… they have left a car crash in your heart and soul… you feel like it will never be the same.

AND YET… in a few days they come and ask for forgiveness. They say they realize what they did was so wrong and it hurt you. In this rehearsed dialogue somewhere they ask you to forgive them… and you do… but… it just doesn’t feel right… no on your part - you really do want to forgive them and you mouth those words… but its not sitting right.

I would like to throw out the idea that maybe that person thought forgiveness was the same as repentance. 

Lets make it simple: Forgiveness is the act of reconciling (just the mind mouth connection.)

But repentance is the heart asking for forgiveness. You can tell they feel bad, distressed, they hurt for you. They are actually grieving in the act of asking for repentance… it truly bothers them. (I think every person married knows what I am talking about) 

 

So what marks true repentance? 

Joel 2:12–13, the Lord calls to Israel, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” In the Old Testament, people commonly expressed great grief and anguish by tearing their cloaks. But more than caring about the proper “signs” of being upset about their sin, God cared that they actually grieved over them in their hearts — grieved to the point of weeping and mourning.

The tearing of garments you might say in todays world is just an outward form of forgiveness… it is an act to some degree. But God wants repentance… a heart move. 

In his famous psalm of repentance, David reminds us that God does not delight so much in the outward signs of repentance (which included making a sacrifice), but “the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise” (Psalm 51:17). We’re not talking about the shame and condemnation the enemy wants to heap on us, but a godly grief.

When you ask someone for forgiveness it is important that you ask God to prepare your heart with the understanding and impact of what repentance is. Simply “God let my heart be broken like yours is broken when I sin”. 

1 Tim. 2:25 says God grant me a true heart of repentance so that I may have a knowledge of the truth. 

That is how I truly hurt that person or yes, even how I hurt God.

See the truth is this… when we hurt others we hurt God. So in turn when we ask for forgiveness from others we are asking for forgiveness from God… he can smell out a rat… that is someone just tearing their garments. So ask God, if you have the guts to reveal his heart of repentance to you so that you can truly have forgiveness from others and from the almighty.

Wake the Faith up Slayer… This is Garth Heckman with the David Alliance and you can reach me at

[email protected] 

 

Brought to you by wellbuiltbody.com Gym Apparel for men and women that rocks and shocks and ain’t for everybody - but just might be for you. wellbuiltbody.com

 

I heard a great line by Jocko Willink on the Joe Rogan podcast this past week. He was talking about Ju jitsu and how hard it is to truly master it and you never really master it. Jocko said he trains people for a few days in some intensive course that helps their mind will and spirit and they end up also learning some basic moves in ju jitsu. He explained to them after they all felt truly accomplished that what they just learned was more or less like almost… almost learning how to write one letter in the alphabet and yet not knowing how to read… Then he went on to say and if you learn the alphabet and learn to read you open up another door and see a french word… ahhh its never over. There are thousands and thousands of words and languages to learn how to read and write and speak. He again said this is what trying to learn Ju Jitsu is like. Then Joe Rogan added, this is why you have to stay humble… you don’t know it all and there is someone out there who doesn’t know it all, but still knows more than you. 

I see a lot of arrogance today in our Christian world - most likely do to media. People are quick to call out pastors and evangelists on predominantly petty stuff… ok I get it - they are trying to build an audience… but still the thought of some Christ followers coming across like they know everything OR can at least sit in the seat of judgement is a little crazy. Even if you have know Christ your whole entire life and you know him well… adn you know your bible and you know the greek and the hebrew and the aramaic and the history… all of that is still just basically learning how to write one letter in the alphabet and still not knowing how to read or write or speak english… and again thousands of more words. 

So how should one respond to those we disagree with.. and yes even if it is a blatant sin. 

Well lets suppose you don’t know the person that well or maybe not at all. 

Always always speak in love. Speak in truth… but in love. I like starting my sentences with… hmmm that is an interesting take. And then I will follow up with a statement that contradicts what they are saying, but with love humility and using scripture. I will say something like “and how would you respond knowing what you know with the verse that says…, and regardless of what they say, again I respond in love. 

Think of it this way. When people are in sin or you feel in error, use the word of God as a reflection pool. Help them see their beliefs compared to who God is and what his word says. You job is not to correct them first, but rather steer them first and let the word of God correct them. Now I am not afraid of pointing out the  facts and the fallacies of people… but if I do it in a prideful way I am creating the wrong reflection. If I do it in an angry way, I am creating the wrong reflection. If I do it in a superior way I again am creating the wrong reflection. 

Lets read James 1:22Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves. 23For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror, 24and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.…

Again we must help people see a reflection from Gods perspective. 

Do you remember Snow white and the 7 dwarves… every day the nasty witchy queen would ask the magic mirror on the wall who is the fairest of them all. the mirror would say you my queen are the fairest of them all… was snow white not around at that time? yes she was, but still growing up…. it took time for the mirror to finally break the bad news to the queen… you are no longer the fairest of them all. It gave a new reflection… but it took time

Wake the Faith up Slayer… This is Garth Heckman with the David Alliance and you can reach me at

[email protected] 

 

Brought to you by wellbuiltbody.com Gym Apparel for men and women that rocks and shocks and ain’t for everybody - but just might be for you. wellbuiltbody.com

 

Which is it? Either and or both. Have you ever asked someone a  two part question and they answered yes to both. Maybe a question like “do you love your son Ryan more or do you love your Son Reese more”. and I would answer yes.

 

Today is not a long one… but it runs deep!

 

If you change the truth of the Gospel you are claiming to be God. What do I mean. If I reinterpret scripture to meet my own agenda and my own personal sins then I am saying Gods word is no longer truth. I am in fact saying I am more of an authority than God… thus I am God.

Christ says to worship him in spirit and in truth. John 4:24 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” What is the spirit? Well we know the Holy Spirit has gifts like meekness, kindness, gentleness, long suffering, mercy, love etc… so if we reinterpret scripture to promote the spirit over the the truth we are in fact saying I am in charge of the truth. I will tell people that God loves you no matter what you do, believe or your behavior. Yes you have sex before marriage but you love each other, yes you were born a homosexual and God will still allow you into heaven, yes you can steal or cheat or lie if it is for a good cause… Because God is love and mercy and gracious… By this belief we devalue the truth emphasizing only the spiritual  facets of his nature. 

1 John 4:20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.

Hey news flash, if you don’t love God, you aint going to heaven… just saying. And how many people I have met who say they are followers of Christ and can’t even live up to this one simple verse. 

 

But they go hand in hand. And when we do this -again we have become the authority and not Gods word. 

 

It is so important to find out what scripture meant to that culture, to that church and in those times… what was the true intent - and when you can assuredly know this you can know what it means for us today and how to apply it. You can no longer just say a certain lifestyle or sin is now ok because times have changed. Gods word is timeless and his nature, character and holiness is never changing. 

Psalm 119:89-96 God reigns, He is timeless, limitless in power, knowledge, and space. As a result, His Word is timeless. God would as soon cease to be God his word was not timeless. 

It is like being in a marriage and telling your spouse, you must let me sleep around because you love me and you said you would never leave me or forsake me… this is compensating your sins by serving only the attributes of his spirit and not the truth of his word, but the truth is on the other side of the fulcrum, if a man commits adultery his wife can leave him… the spirit is balanced by the truth and the truth is balanced by the spirit.

 

This is a crucial flaw in a lot of the younger Christians… they may actually mean well by thinking well we don’t want people to feel judged or unloved by God… it is actually the opposite - Love is Holy and truthful. 

When I went through all my cancers I am glad a doctor balanced the truth… “you have cancer” with the spirit… I am going to give you the best care I can. Rather than… hey you are going to be fine, you are the best, you are healthy as a horse… I would feel great about my tests but I would be dying inside. I am glad he told me the truth balanced with the spirit of love and grace.

Wake the Faith up Slayer… This is Garth Heckman with the David Alliance and you can reach me at

[email protected] 

 

Brought to you by wellbuiltbody.com Gym Apparel for men and women that rocks and shocks and ain’t for everybody - but just might be for you. wellbuiltbody.com

 

What would be the best way to trap someone? For me it might be my appetite… some baked goods, like an apple pie or maybe a piece of my wife’s cheesecake. And I would just saunter up there to have some and you could drop a net on me… I probably wouldn’t mind to much as long as I could finish the treat… 

 

So if your enemy was going to trap you and get you to give in… what would he use?

OR

Better question if you are honest is what would you use to trap you to get you to sin?

I think we often times don’t truly appreciate the lengths satan will go through in order to trap us and get us to fall into sins. he might bring up a memory of someone who hurt you and right at the exact moment have a family member talk about how great that person is… and you stew over it for a few days… and then lo and behold someone comes up to you and starts to gossip about that person and there you go, the trap has been set - you join them in the gossip. spilling little untrue or slightly bent half truths about them… It was a set up and you fell for the strategy.

Or your wife is getting nasty, she bites your head off, you are sexually frustrated and then a day later a co-worker tells you how you are such a great person and so wishes her husband was like you… you go home that night to a wife who is still critical and cold… You stay up late to surf the net… next thing you know you are on your coworkers facebook page and lusting and committing adultery in your head with her…. It was a set up and you fell for it.

What does scripture say about this… does it just leave us hanging … uhm be careful don’t fall for it….

 

Ephesians 6:11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.

What is his armor? The helmet of salvation, the sword of the spirit, the shoes of peace, the breastplate of righteousness and the belt of truth.

the helmet - think saved, act saved, know what a saved person does and says in the times of temptation before it happens.

I love the line “what would the best me do in this situation”.

The Sword of the spirit. Look a really cool sword is just a flashy knick knack if you don’t know how to use it. How would you use the sword in advance if you knew how the enemy was going to tempt you? How would you pray in the spirit knowing temptation is coming?

The Breastplate of righteousness. You are sinless in Gods sight. Don’t fall for accusations or sinful pouting or the lies you may believe to justify a sin.

And the belt of truth. What does Gods word say about your temptation, your power to escape and your ability to stand against it. Do you know in advance before the enemy comes at you. 

 

The word Scheme literally means

A predictable well thought out scheme or method to trap someone. 

So why not have a predictably well thought out scheme or plan to get free from the temptation and strategy… 

That is the best plan of all!

Wake the Faith up Slayer… This is Garth Heckman with the David Alliance and you can reach me at

[email protected] 

 

Brought to you by wellbuiltbody.com Gym Apparel for men and women that rocks and shocks and ain’t for everybody - but just might be for you. wellbuiltbody.com

 

To be a neurosurgeon and to be able to be the best of the best, in fact be able to be the first one to separate conjoined twins at the back of the head… They have to have an incredible background, family and raise with some major elitism… but not Ben Carson. Born a poor inner city kid in Detroit, raised by a single mom and had a nasty temper… he had everything going against him including what other thought of him. 

 

Acts 2

2 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 

(Galileans - a group of nobodies, normal everyday people… The group that changed the world??? They are from New Prague??? What?) 

8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 

(We see elsewhere in scripture where Paul went to other lands and churches had already been started… most likely from the those who were in this group.)

12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”

 

What does this mean… aren’t they all Galileans? 

They are the wrong people… they are nobody’s

- I will never forget the first time I was really moved to want to heal someone (and definitely not for the right reasons) But a young kid my age, weird, super spiritual and fresh out of the drug culture and was very sexually permissive. He had healed a woman’s leg. He prayed and had it grow out a few inches. He had many people from church as eye witnesses… and I was like “YOU”… wait a second you are a dimwit (and he was) But I began to think thats not fair- he is the wrong person to use. But God uses nobody’s.

 

In fact 

God can use anybody. He used an ass to speak to baalam. He used an old prophet to speak to David, He used a a whisper to speak to Elijah, he used a little girl to speak to Peter, he used a couple dead fish and pieces of bread, he used spit and dirt to heal a man…. God can use anybody and anything. 

 

They did not have the intellect or educational pedigree to be considered to be effective.

What is your reputation among those who are very mature spiritual believers…

What is it among your stupid sinner friends?

What is it among your coworkers? 

IT DON’T MATTER FOR CHATTER. God does not care what your reputation is, he just wants to fill you and use you. I used to pray this prayer, God kill me, fill me and spill me. Just ask God to continually fill you with his spirit and take a run at it.

Wake the Faith up Slayer… This is Garth Heckman with the David Alliance and you can reach me at

[email protected] 

 

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Psalm 54 

Why do you boast about your crimes, great warrior?    Don’t you realize God’s justice continues forever?

2 All day long you plot destruction.    Your tongue cuts like a sharp razor;    you’re an expert at telling lies.

3 You love evil more than good    and lies more than truth. Interlude

4 You love to destroy others with your words,    you liar!

 

5 But God will strike you down once and for all.    He will pull you from your home    and uproot you from the land of the living. Interlude

6 The righteous will see it and be amazed.    They will laugh and say,

7 “Look what happens to mighty warriors    who do not trust in God.They trust their wealth instead    and grow more and more bold in their wickedness.”

8 But I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God.    I will always trust in God’s unfailing love.

9 I will praise you forever, O God,    for what you have done.I will trust in your good name    in the presence of your faithful people.

 

4 You love to destroy others with your words,    you liar!

The war starts in your head with the words you believe. 

 

 

6 The righteous will see it and be amazed.    They will laugh and say,

Why are we afraid to point out the foolishness of the wicked? Why don’t we laugh at the wicked? Our society has watered down reactions to Gods judgement because we are afraid of being judged as uncaring and out of touch… not just by non christians but also by christians. I think its time to get back to laughing at the absurdity of those who turn their hearts against God. 

 

I reposted open social media yesterday a piece that mocked the liberal sinful world mindset… I will read it.

“So proud of your 6 YO son. He’s come out as a pirate. we have known since he was 2 months old. Children’s hospital agreed to pop out an eye for his patch, slice off a hand for his hook and saw off a leg for his piglet. His pronouns are P and Irate. We arrrrrgh so proud of him. #hischoice

 

8 But I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God.    I will always trust in God’s unfailing love.

An olive tree is symbolic of a fragile plant that is affected by the elements. Pointing to the fact that we are fragile and affected by the elements around us… UNLESS you are planted in the house of the God.

 

When we plant our life, our goals, our families, our finances, our health, our hopes, our future, our faith in Gods word… we will thrive. We are protected. We may trust his unfailing love.