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

 

Who do you want to be when you grow up? Fireman, Rock star, NFL player, UFC fighter, Doctor, Homemaker, Mother or even a veterinarian….

But I don’t ever remember as a kid being asked “what do others want you to be like when you grow up… 

 

Charlie Chaplin - 26TH place 

it might be a myth…

But what is not a myth is in todays world more than ever we feel a pressure to promote our best version of ourself which in fact is not the real version of ourselves. Even people who truly are the hardest working, the most successful and seem to have it all together may in fact be driven by horrible motives. They are adopted, they are trying to prove their worth to their parents, they have an axe to grind with those who hurt them… whatever the case- even in success you may be a failure in your foundation that produced that success. 

 

Some people won’t like you for being you

some people won’t like you for being someone else

Some people just won’t like you

So why don’t you be the person who doesn’t care and just be who God created you to be.

 

When you get to heaven God is not going to ask you why you were not more like this person or that person… he is going to ask why you were not like who he created you to be.  

 

Psalm 139:14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.

Praise = confess you made me spectacular. 

Marvelous = distinguished.

YOU MUST LEARN TO CONFESS THAT YOU ARE SPECTACULAR AND DISTINGUISHED! LIKE NO ONE ELSE.

 

Eph. 2:10 We are a masterpiece…

 

what does that truly mean? Well yes we are exquisite, and beautiful (and not by the worlds standards) but what it truly means more than anything is we are one of a kind, The only one of its kind. When we talk about the mona lisa we don’t compare it to other Mona Lisa’s… because it is one of a kind. 

There are no duplicates of the Mona Lisa… now you may argue and say surely someone has painted a Mona Lisa… yes for sure… but when you ask a true master artist who is also a professional art critic they will laugh at any such suggestion that you can create a duplicate. As one might suggest - you can paint a mona lisa, you can call it a mona lisa, but it is not only a fake but a piece of trash which should never even have the title Mona Lisa mentioned in the same breath as this caricature. 

There are no duplicates for you. Be who God created you to be in him and in his word. Do you truly want the formula for happiness? Be the YOU God created YOU to be.

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

 

 

 

 -  Xn Fellowship

 

Heb. 10: 23 Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. 24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

 

 

Matthew 24:12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.

 

 

We are sheep! We have a shepherd. The wolves do not run straight into the fold… they sneak around and wait for a sheep to start to stray from the fold… then they attack!

 

STay in the fold. Stay in church. Stay in bible study. Stay in Christian centered friendships. 

 

You will find rest, encouragement, protection from the body. 

I have been there. Wiped out, tired, spiritually beat up and I walk into a service (no one knows me) and the worship, the word, the kind conversation by other believers… it sweeps me into the spiritual world. 

 

 

COVID - Barna - those that were affected the least Emotionally, mentally and physically were those who kept meeting in Christian fellowship during COVID.

 

Don’t neglect meeting together… You know in China it is against the law to meet together… but they still do. They risk their lives secretly meeting because they know more than most how important it is for their lives to stay hot for God. 

 

When I was in Seattle I was not in a good place. I did not like my church, my pastor, the weather, I was burned out and depressed. I took my youth to a seminar with about 4000 other kids…

 

How cool. You don’t even have to know those in the body of Christ to be fired up, lifted, and filled with life. Just be in a body of believers.

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

 

 

 

“if people only sought basic services, Caribous double cappuccinos would cost less than Taco Bells burritos, because the raw ingredients and labor cost less. /but consumers buy more than things, they purchase connections. They purchase by their gut… they purchase passion. 

 

The world may tolerate mediocre Christianity and luke warm living but they will never buy into it.… Worse yet they won’t love it or hate it. And if you try to preach true Christianity with a passive lack luster lifestyle or attitude… as if you are talking about Jesus with just a hunch…. you will turn people off even more. People are not lining up for a religious Christianity… but they will at least have a peaked interest in a person who is passionate about Jesus. 

DO you have time for boring people? I don’t. Talk to me about coat hangers or hair scrunchies Or even packing tape - talk passionately and I will listen. Talk to me about the grizzly bear in my closet- as if I’m an inconvenience and you will have to wake me half way through the conversation. 

I truly believe that most people reject Christianity due to the delivery and the personality behind it. People get a feel for you, and then reject jesus and walk away justifying it due to your presentation of him.YOUR PRESENTATION OF HIM - NOT FOR WHO HE TRULY IS.  You can see it in the disciples lives from Pre- cross and Pre- Holy Spirit filling to the Post Cross and Post HS filling. The difference is astounding. 

So what is one to do? Do you just become phony and ramp up your excitement when sharing jesus hoping that they are sold on your enthusiasm and don’t actually smell your barely smoldering Christian walk?

I think sometimes we just need to check our hearts and lives about what we are thankful for and what Jesus did for us. If one truly began to meditate on what the cross did, and on who jesus is and why he would die for me… passion starts to rise.

Many times in my prayer life I imagine someone breaking into my house and storming off with my granddaughter shouting she must die for all your sins. It would hurt me deeply, it would wound me, I would beg the intruder to take me and not her… she is sweet, innocent, her emotions break easily when she sees others hurt, she cares with great compassion… she is the last one to pay a price for my sin. And why do I play this narrative in my mind? Because it helps me connect with what Jesus did… as sweet as my grandkids are, they still don’t even come close to Jesus and the price he paid out of our sin and from his intense and pure life.

I can get passionate about that Jesus, I can tell others about that Jesus. I can gladly be rejected for sharing that Jesus.

The more I focus on the cross, his price, my sin and his grace and forgiveness the deeper my passion grows for him. It quickly becomes evident in my attitude, my smile, my love and my personality. 

Remember Rev. 3:16 I threw up, I blew chunks because you were luke warm… meaning you were just like everybody else. 

People are not hoping to fill the void inside of them simply by being like everyone else… They are looking for someone to show them a life worth dying for.

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 name do they call your ethnicity or your type?

White trash, or a reject? Slick willy as a slimy preacher, and even Religious phony… 

what about Dog? In todays world its used as a compliment. “thats my dog, he got my back he’s my dog”. 

Well it wasn’t always that way!

 

Matthew 15: 21 Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Gentile woman who lived there came to him, pleading, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! For my daughter is possessed by a demon that torments her severely.”

23 But Jesus gave her no reply, not even a word. Then his disciples urged him to send her away. “Tell her to go away,” they said. “She is bothering us with all her begging.”

24 Then Jesus said to the woman, “I was sent only to help God’s lost sheep—the people of Israel.”

25 But she came and worshiped him, pleading again, “Lord, help me!”

26 Jesus responded, “It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.”

27 She replied, “That’s true, Lord, but even dogs are allowed to eat the scraps that fall beneath their masters’ table.”

28 “Dear woman,” Jesus said to her, “your faith is great. Your request is granted.” And her daughter was instantly healed.

 

A dog. This is a cut down, a slam to the gentiles… 

This woman did not defend who she was… She was completely honest in who others thought she was and in who she thought she was.

Wether Jesus thought this or not (which we know he did not) was not her issue- she just knew that Jesus was the answer and that even the smallest amount of grace was enough for what she needed.

Her righteousness… her good deeds… her personal reputation was not what she put her stock in, her hope in. 

She simply trusted that Jesus could heal her daughter. 

 

The disciples… such compassionate fellows… are like “look this woman is a gentile, she’s not clean, right, from our party or the right side of the tracks… just tell her to go. 

And Jesus sits silently for a few minutes

 

Awkward…

But she waits.

What do you do when God doesn’t talk back? You wait. others scoff, want you to give up… but you know- you wait! 

What are you waiting on God for today? Don’t give in, don’t give up, don’t let the voices in your head call you names, or even let so called “friends” give you well meaning advice to just give up… Keep waiting and know that even a crumb is enough… but remember the very next few verses Jesus multiples bread… 

With Jesus there is alway more than enough to those who are willing to wait!

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

 

Not only has the IRS been granted funds to hire 87,000 new agents, they have also been the biggest buyer of ammunition in the past few years… Ah pencil pushers and popguns… it’s time to get serious about your money. 

 

Are you tithing? God can’t grow what you don’t plant. 

 

Check your rates on everything. Insurance, cable, groceries, mechanic, transportation, online subscriptions, Sams club

EVERYTHING IS NEGOTIABLE. 

 

Maximize your benefits. Will your company match investments and are you maximizing your contribution?

 

Change your work or your work schedule. 

I have friends right now who are getting paid less but making more because they no longer have to drive to work. Pay for parking, buy lunch, drive home. 

 

Cut out one essential item. Coffee? Movie night? Spotify? 

Whatever it is, then bank it or put it into your investments. 

 

Sell your skills. Teach math, guitar, art, coding, baking, You are not going to live off of this most likely, but an extra $100-200 a month helps.

 

Start an online business selling anything. You can use amazon, eBay, facebook, AGAIN you may not make a living off of this, but you can make a comfortable bonus activity. 

 

Check if your company or business offers money towards ongoing education. 

 

Part time job with tips… especially if you have a great personality and are good with people. 

 

Write a book and speak on it using social media to your best advantage. 

 

Residual income… books, music, inventions, 

 

Rent out a room or basement… much caution and preparation on this. Get a solid contract and great lawyer. 

AirBNB 

 

Sell your goods. Lyrics, music, art, ideas, scripts, photos

 

Rent your garage for storage.

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

 

3 challenges I didn’t expect in following Jesus.

 

Keeping the mission the mission #1. You have probably heard the quote Keeping the main thing the main thing. 

I sometimes feel like we are the only soldiers that sign up for duty, take the pledge, read the commands, give our oath to our Leader and then completely just ignore the mission. 

 

four commands of the Great Commission as found in Matthew 28:19-20 and Mark 16:15-18. In the Great Commission, Jesus commands us to:

1. Preach the gospel to all nations and people

2. Work miracles in Jesus’ name to testify to the gospel

3. Baptize new believers, and

4. Disciple those who receive Christ.

 

preach the gospel

According to Barna, “Almost half of [practicing Christian] Millennials (47%) agree at least somewhat that it is wrong to share one’s personal beliefs with someone of a different faith in hopes that they will one day share the same faith.”

 

We wouldn’t want to offend anyone… 

2 Cor. 2:15, 16 The gospel is like perfume to some and the smell of death to others. Its our job to say it… not spray it. What do I mean? I will speak the gospel in love, how they smell it is up to them. 

 

But again- don’t forget the mission. 

 

signs and wonders

In Mark’s record of the Great Commission, Jesus makes a shocking promise: “These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover” (Mark 16:17-18 NASB). Yes, Jesus promises that as we go he will flow! 

 

baptize

The truth is clear—if we don’t baptize new believers, we’ve failed to obey the Great Commission fully. Water cannot save you; only blood—the blood of Jesus. But in baptism, we make “an appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 3:21 NASB). Baptism is the biblical “sinner’s prayer.”

 

In some countries they don’t bat an eye for you to accept Jesus, but if you get baptized you are stepping over the line and it is offensive… even causing your family to denounce you. 

How many of you think a pastor has to baptize? Yep thats part of the problem. You preach, you baptize, you do it all. YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A PASTOR! 

 

disciple

In the late 1800s, Evangelist William Booth warned, “The chief danger that confronts the coming century will be religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God, heaven without hell.” Booth sure got it right.

 

It is up to us to disciple people in the word of God in all areas of life. not just theology. Do you know verses to share and teach new believers on politics? Health care? Money? Forgiveness? Sex? Marriage? Business? 

Study to show thyself approved in all areas of life. 

 

 

"There is an old story about a lighthouse keeper who worked on a rocky stretch of coastline. Once a month he would receive a new supply of oil to keep the light burning so that ships could safely sail near the rocky coast. One night, though, a woman from a nearby village came and begged him for some oil to keep her family warm. Another time a father asked for some to use in his lamp. Another man needed to lubricate a wheel. Since all the requests seemed legitimate, the lighthouse keeper not wanting to offend anyone  of course tried to please everyone - 

late one night a northeaster whipped up like no other… when the lighthouse keeper went to light the massive lamp… it was out of oil. That night ships ran into rocks and into the shore and hundreds of lives were lost…. The next day the state authoriti

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

 

3 challenges I didn’t expect in following Jesus.

 

I have been married 37 years and this one thing I know… Once you know everything there is to know about women, you never have to worry about figuring them out ever again. - You just have to know everything about them… right???

 

My 2nd biggest challenge that would hit me between the eyes, that I was not ready for was… Your theology will always be challenged and you will never quit learning if you want to grow in spiritual matters. 

 

Matthew 13:11-23 Speaks of those who are willing to receive Gods word… and if they do they will hear and understand even more. 

 

2 Timothy 2:15 Study to show thyself approved unto God, workman that needeth not to be ashamed. Rightly dividing the word of God. 

 

So I thought that when I was out of Olivet Nazarene with my Masters I would not exactly know everything, but for the most part on things that i believed in and understood would never be challenged, because…well lets face it, what I believe is right AND QUITE OBVIOUSLY SO!

 

But thats just not the case. 

My father used to say a persons spiritual beliefs were 45% personality, 45% who they accepted Christ under (ie. denomination etc…) and only 5% actual unbiased personal study and 5% of life events mostly based on their family. 

 

I have learned the beauty of putting myself in friendships of people who love Jesus but have very different views than I do on scripture. Many of my friends are once saved always saved, some of my friends don’t believe in the gifts of the spirit anymore, some of my friends are earth is flat people, some of my friends are strong catholic believers, some of my friends are Jehovah witness or Mormons… They love Jesus, just not the way I see him. 

On top of that I have many friends who share the same exact theology, but are completely different in practice…

And I have learned from all of them… and quite a few have changed my beliefs… now hold on, I still believe my theology and beliefs line up with scripture, but I think I see things differently. 

 

J.I Packer who wrote knowing god, a brilliant and beautiful scholar and theologian - was at a conference that my then one time brother in law was at. He tells a wonderfully unscript story where during lunch in downtown Chicago he runs into Packer- who was there to speak and asked if he could have lunch with him. He politely obliged and they had an amazing conversation. Now my Brother in law at the time was no slouch in theology, very very smart… and he challenged Packer on some thoughts… Packer listened oh so politely and at the end of the conversation he smiled and said “well thats at least where I am now in how I see things…  but how I see and understand God is always changing”. David added in a conversation to me, that isn’t it so true that a God that never changes must demand that we do in how we perceive him. 

 

So I want to challenge you to challenge YOU. Ask some hard questions on why you believe what you believe. 

Why are the gifts for today? Why are they not? Why can’t you personally see signs and wonders? Why do you not share the gospel? Why i speaking in tongues wrong or right? Why is it once saved always saved? Can you abuse Gods grace - I would love to hear what you come up with on that one… you might be shocked at my answer… 

But the point is you only grow by challenging what you think you know. 

When you pick up the bible asking God to challenge what you think you know.

I will leave you with one quick example: I used to amen people who would say Jesus would never shame anyone… I mean he wouldn’t right? Jesus wouldn’t do that - he is full of grace and love and compassion and I could just never see Jesus shaming anyone…

o

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

 

3 challenges I didn’t expect in following Jesus.

 

I thought as a young man in his teens and twenty that being a good strong Christian was pretty simple. You ready your bible and you pray… the more you do those the better of a Christian you become. Sure there is some truth to this, but honestly I know a lot of people who read and pray a lot and they really actually come across as arrogant, self righteous snot balls. 

 

I have friends who post on social media people who are false prophets… they list all types of pastors, teachers and the like that I listen to. They speak of these people with disdain… as far as I know - the people they speak of believe the same tenets that they believe in as far as the gospel is concerned - but they get called false prophets because they don’t agree with them on all of their theology… but my point is this- I see a lack of love in their hearts for those who are different. 

 

HBR lists being able to work with those you don’t like as one of the keys to long term success regardless if you are the boss or the employee. 

In fact they state that one of the benefits is that it causes you to look for the good in those situations. I agree completely. or as Helem Green said “do not judge your walk by your disciplines or your education but rather by how you see those who hate you”. Its a great reminder to me when I feel the nudge to lash out or even hate… well… that Im not all there yet when it comes to being the disciple I should be. Its a good reminder of what I need to work on. 

 

Struggling to love others the way Christ loves.

No matter how sinful someone is, no matter how lost they are, no matter how vindictive they are and no matter how much they hate all things Jesus…

God still loves them and wants them to know his love. 

WE do know that God is a patient God and long suffering. Our sin is just as bad as anyones… and we must learn to love like Jesus loved. 

This isn’t something that you clench your teeth and grimace through… this is something that only comes when you ask God to do a work in your life and give you his heart for the lost. 

John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

 

Its a command, not a suggestion. And that word there for love is based off of the root word Agape- Gods love. I will need Gods love to love like God. 

As a serious follower of Christ you will be pushed more than ever to love those you can’t stand- expect it, embrace it and ask God to help you love them. 

Growing up as a pastors kid I was in the presence of some amazing men and woman of God. Fantastic preachers, teachers and some of the most supernatural gifts I have ever seen… and I used to think that these were the signs of a great Christian… 

As I have gotten older what I see in scripture and what I critique someone by is completely different… I now go by really only 2 of Christs commands: 1. Do you actively share the gospel. Because this is heart test #1, and secondly Do you LOVE those that hate you… in fact Jesus said that is how the world will know that we are truly his disciples. 

Do you want to be known as a true disciple… then we must follow the command of loving those who hate us.