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Making men MEN again. The David Alliance will help you slay your giants.
Episodes
Sunday Jun 08, 2025
Sunday Jun 08, 2025
Garth Heckman
The David Alliance
3 Then the king instructed Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, to bring some of the children of Israel and some of the king’s descendants and some of the nobles, 4 young men in whom there was no blemish, but good-looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand, who had ability to serve in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the language and literature of the Chaldeans.
NOTE…
They took the best of the best… not dummies.
THATS WHY I WOULD BE SAFE… THATS A JOKE
They would entertain them, feed them the best, meet their every need and put them with others who were also captured… take the best and the brightest, give them elite instructors, privileged education, New network and friends, New authorities over them, re-naming them… wearing them down. Many probably thought…
… I deserve this
…everyone is doing it
… God has forgotten me
… I will go back to God later
… This is so much better than my previous life
NOW IN A CULTURE THAT SERVED BAAL AND ASHERAH. THE GOD OF MONEY and POWER AND SEX
- THEY ARE TEENAGERS!!!!
This sounds a lot like our universities.. take the best and the brightest, give them elite instructors, privileged education, New network and friends, New authorities over them, re-naming them…
V. 6 But even out of the best of Judah, only 4 boys are mentioned. Only four stood the test.
Remember…
3 Then the king instructed Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, to bring some of the children of Israel and some of the king’s descendants and some of the nobles, 4 young men in whom there was no blemish, but good-looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand, who had ability to serve in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the language and literature of the Chaldeans.
The others must have caved. V.6 Now from among those of the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah who stood out
Train them for 3 years.
Give them a royal role for service.
NOTE: The Assyrian nation dominated by fear and intimidation. They would skin their enemies alive and wall paper their houses with their skin…
BUT THE BABYLONIANS… They were far more subtle… Change your surroundings
Change your diet - the best to eat
Change your friends
Change your role - you are important
Change your name - identity
Change your education - mindset
FEED THE FLESHLY DESIRES FOR 3 YEARS
Be careful for the enemy prowls…. Seeking whom he may devour…. Prowling is sneaky… and then WHAM. You are dinner.
Are you allowing satan to pull your strings subtly?
Thursday Jun 05, 2025
Thursday Jun 05, 2025
Garth Heckman
The David Alliance
What do twirling a baton, turning handsprings, eating with chopsticks, spinning plates, playing the violin and Marriage all have in common?
Want to have a great life? Be more like Jesus… and have problems that make you want to pull your hair out? Get married.
As they say….
Marriage isn’t for a good time.. its for a long time.
But lets look beyond just marriage…
Relationships wether BF/GF
Besties, Marriage, engagement
Boss/employee
Pastor/attender
Neighbor…
It does not matter - all relationships have one thing in common, one purpose. To cause you to grow.
Bluntly - to push your buttons so God can reprogram you. Right, thats what you do in testing coding… you write it, you test it, you find the flaws and you rewrite it.
Relationships push our buttons, that tests us, we see where we are lacking…where the bugs are in our software/brain and attitude and then ask God to rewire us… or transform our minds.
And if thats really the case… and it is
- why do we not look forward to it?
My marriage many times in my own life was a draaaaaag. I hated it. It drained me… I have had friendships like that as well…
But why? Well because I thought that relationships were about what I got and rather than who I become.
The single greatest factor in spiritual growth is tied to relationships and how we handle them.
Imagine you want to get stronger in the gym but you don’t want to lift weights… ain’t gonna happen captain.
As someone said “we are designed to grind” or better yet Opposites attract, then attack, then hopefully act like Christ.
MARRIAGE
EIGHT STAGES OF CHRISTIAN GROWTH -- Philip A. Captain (p 165)
For example, in a marriage, we seem to assume that just because two people get married they must love each other. In reality, people do not get married because of love but in order to learn how to love. To have love in a marriage requires that the couple have intimacy and to have intimacy the two people must psychologically and spiritually grow up and quit being children. Most couples getting married today are doing so while still in states of emotional dependency, which means the marriage is based on neurotic need and not love. To have love and intimacy in a marriage requires that both people first must become adults.
Ahhh yes that whole become an adult thing… its hard adulting. But its even harder adulting as a follower of Christ… or maybe we should coin a new phrase “Christing… its tough Christing!” You’ve probably seen t shirts that say “not adulting today” if many were honest they would wear shirts that say Not Christing today… or most days.
So rather than complain about relationships… ask God what is THAT YOU need to learn in that grind?
Probably to me the most important thing I see in the counseling I do… and I don’t do much any more.. is that most don’t see relationships with a Growth Mindset (within relationships): This refers to the belief that relationships are not fixed entities but rather something that can be developed, morphed, evolve, shift and improved through effort and learning. Instead of viewing challenges as insurmountable obstacles, individuals with a growth mindset see them as opportunities for growth, understanding, and adaptation. They are willing to work through difficulties, learn from mistakes, and invest in developing communication skills, conflict resolution strategies, and mutual understanding. This contrasts with a "fixed mindset" where people might give up easily when faced with relationship issues, believing that compatibility is predetermined.
Wednesday Jun 04, 2025
Wednesday Jun 04, 2025
Garth Heckman
The David Alliance
ESTHER - SHE’S GOT THE LOOKS THAT KILL
*Even your good looks are for Gods purpose. Don’t hesitate to understand that your looks are God given and maybe not so much for your social media following, or landing the right husband, but for Gods purpose.
Supermodel Cameron Russel said she won the genetic lottery…
I believe there was a greater draw TO ESTHER beyond her beauty and virginity… there was a innocence to her.. the virgins from Persia were hardened by the lifestyle…They had a different mindset… Esther was not.
HOW DO YOU STAND OUT FROM HUNDREDS OF BEAUTIFUL WOMEN?
- Esthers beauty went beyond just looks. There was a purity an innocence that is by far more attractive than just looks.
HER VIRGINITY YES
BUT ALSO No bitterness
No fear
No mixed motives
No World influence
No pride/arrogance
But how do you stand out if you are obese, deformed, or in your words “the wrong skin color”. Well very much the same way… A beautiful woman more than once has thought “I am not going to let my good looks get in the way of what I really want and deserve”. I want this because I am qualified, and not because I am a genetic freak. I am going to believe what I believe about myself because of who I am in Christ and not who I am in the mirror… you can tweet that. I BELIEVE WHAT I BELIEVE ABOUT MYSELF BECAUSE OF WHO I AM IN CHRIST, NOT WHO I AM IN THE MIRROR.
If you were obese and I called you a fat pig… you would get mad. If others heard me they would scold me, they would reprimand me and think I was a person full of hate… but the truth is that obese person gets up every morning and speaks those things over their life… and no one cares, no one gets upset… and why -simply because they say them in their head… but still because of what they see. Get your head in the Bible and out of the mirror.
Monday Jun 02, 2025
Monday Jun 02, 2025
Garth Heckman
The David Alliance
Have you ever trusted someone, only to have that person turn in to someone you don’t trust to someone you actually hate… so much so you even call them wicked… even wishing them to go to hell? Thats where were going today.
Matthew 25:24 “Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. 25 I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’
26 “But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, 27 why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’
GK: Sklay Ros
A Harsh man… A stubborn man who expects above and beyond without apology!
It can even be emphasized to mean “violently expects things to happen”.
But lets take a step back and look at this master… why was he so mad? Just because the servant didn’t invest? I think it goes deeper than that. The Master gave the talents according to each servants ability.
V. 15 He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.
He would not have given this wicked servant talents if he had not known that he could yield a return. He is mad not just because he did nothing, he is mad because he (the servant) in doing nothing is calling the master a liar. The master believed in him… enough to give him not just talents… but the Master gave him HIS TALENTS.
Can this thought shake you for a second.. the talents you have are not your talents. They have been given to you by God - they are actually his talents.
Now here is where I think it gets interesting.. he says to the servant “you could have at least put them in the bank”. What does this mean to us in todays world. God is saying… yes you could have used them with my gifting entwined with your work and the talents I gave you… but even if you didn’t use those talents for me, you could have at least used them in the worlds system… but you didn’t even do that.
You didn’t use them for God, you didn’t use them for the world… YOU DID NOTHING! IT WASN’T JUST A SWING AND A MISS… NO IT WAS YOU NOT EVEN SWINGING AT ALL. That is a wicked servant.
But it also tells me that God talents that he gave us are just as powerful in the world as in the church. Lets not waste them.
GOD BELIEVES IN YOU. DO YOU BELIVE IN YOU? TRY HIM OUT FOR SIZE AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
Sunday Jun 01, 2025
Sunday Jun 01, 2025
Garth Heckman
The David Alliance
Ever have a moment when you don’t see it and then you see it? The classic picture of an old women or a young beautiful woman depending on what you see?
Here's a more detailed look at the reasons:
1. Lack of Historical Evidence:
- Missing Persian References:
.
Some scholars questioned the book's historical accuracy, pointing to the lack of mention of the characters and events described in Esther within Persian historical records. - Not Found at Qumran:
.
The Dead Sea Scrolls, a collection of Jewish texts dating back to the period when the Book of Esther was thought to have been written, did not include the Book of Esther, further fueling skepticism about its authenticity.
2. Theological Concerns:
- Absence of God's Name:
.
The most significant theological issue was the complete absence of God's name in the Book of Esther. This was seen as unusual compared to other books in the Old Testament. - Interpretations of Divine Providence:
.
While some argued that the book implicitly suggests divine providence through the actions of the characters, others felt the lack of explicit mention of God undermined its theological purpose.
3. Jewish Canon Formation:
- Delayed Inclusion:
The Book of Esther was not included in the earliest forms of the Jewish canon, and it was debated whether it should even be included at all. - Nationalistic Pride:
Some suggest that the book's inclusion in the Jewish canon was influenced by a desire to celebrate the Jewish people's triumph over Haman and to provide a sense of national identity.
4. Christian Canon Formation:
- Deuterocanonical Status:
The Book of Esther was not universally accepted by Christians from the beginning. Some Christians, like Jerome, considered it canonical, while others, like Athanasius, classified it with the Apocrypha, a collection of books considered useful but not part of the official canon. - Influence of Jewish Canon:
Ultimately, Christians largely adopted the Jewish canon, which included the Book of Esther, leading to its inclusion in Christian Bibles as well.
5. Additions to the Septuagint:
- Greek Version: An alternate version of the Book of Esther in Greek, which included references to God and additional passages, was also debated. The Eastern Orthodox Church uses the Septuagint version of Esther, while the Roman Catholic Church preserves the Greek additions as "Additions to Esther"
God is not mentioned in Esther ANYWHERE…
SO WHERE IS HE?
HE IS EVERYWHERE!
- Queen Vashti won’t give it up
- From Vashti's defiance to Mordecai's sleepless night, seemingly random occurrences contribute to the ultimate deliverance of the Jews.
- Esthers beauty over 25 million women
- Jew chosen to be queen
- Mordecai hears about a plot
- King can’t sleep and they read Mordecai’s story
- Haman used like a puppet in Gods hand
- 2 parties to set up Haman’s demise
- Haman’s advance on queen Esther
- The Pole set up for Mordecai used for Haman
- The Jews enemies are identified and then killed due to the timing and they get the take of those they kill
Wednesday May 28, 2025
Wednesday May 28, 2025
Garth Heckman
The David Alliance
Years and years of bodybuilding and now look at you? What happened… more importantly how fast did it happen?
No matter how healthy you are… and BTW Bodybuilders are some of the most unhealthy people in the world. What they eat in nutrition is destroyed by the amount of drugs they put in their system…. Don’t get me wrong, you can do steroids and other enhancers and still maintain a safe healthy physique if you are willing to cycle on and off with enough time in between - but most don’t. Anyway…. You can be in the best health possible… eat, exercise, drink plenty of water, take supplements, cardio etc… and in only 2 short months lose it all and be extremely unhealthy… I have seen it happen… You have probably seen it happen.
Have you ever heard the saying…
“what have you done for me lately”
We usually use it in a negative way… like Man I have done so much for that guy the past 10 years… but it does not matter, its always what have you done for me lately….
BUT it is actually a biblical concept.
Your past will not make up for your present.
A good beginning is not a guarantee of good ending.
Ez. 18:23, 24
23 “Do you think that I like to see wicked people die? says the Sovereign Lord. Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live. 24 However, if righteous people turn from their righteous behavior and start doing sinful things and act like other sinners, should they be allowed to live? No, of course not! All their righteous acts will be forgotten, and they will die for their sins.
You do have a personal responsibility!
Your past will not make up for your present.
Its not about Loyalty or brownie points… or God owing you… it is about Holiness.
First lets get one thing straight… God only owes us one thing… judgement and death for being a sinner. We only get what we get because of what God did, not because of what we did.
Hebrews 6:4-6 and 10:26-27 speak of what have you done for me lately…
My point today is this…
We see the weakened and sinful in scripture turning around from the disciples to the apostle Paul… they all had diverse sinful backgrounds… but were all marked by getting older and bolder and not older and colder.
What was their prescription for such a faith as this?
Very simple, in fact John G Lake spoke of it often.
4 things:
Constantly prayed
Read Gods word
Shared the gospel
Prayed in tongues and prophesied over their own lives.
Listen I know we all are thankful for Gods grace and his mercy… I know I need it. But I don’t want to casually assume a life based on that for entrance into heaven. I want to walk in Gods power over sin and evil. I want his grace to empower my life so that I can live above sin. 2 Cor. 12:9 God tells Paul his grace is sufficient to overcome his weakness and his suffering. That phrase there actually means more than enough. And we often forget that last sentence in that verse…. - Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
What have I done today for Christ? I have rested in his power over my weakness.
Tuesday May 27, 2025
Tuesday May 27, 2025
Garth Heckman
The David Alliance
Im gonna bring the Jesus Hammer! Garth Heckman Ryan
What do you put your stock in? Look if I knew back in 1983 that for every $1000 in Microsoft would end up being 3 million dollars… I would have put stock into Microsoft… but who would have believed in that years ago…
I think I learned a lesson and I did put a chunk into Bitcoin and it is doing extremely well… but here is the point -
Some people put more stock in peoples rejection then in the affirmation of God in their life.
That doesn’t even make sense… but we do it.
WE GIVE MORE CREDIT TO PEOPLES OPINIONS AND REJECTIONS THAT WE DO IN WHAT GOD SAYS IN HIS WORD.
You know what that really is right? Its calling God a liar. You are saying… I don’t believe you God, but I do believe the media, the work place, the current of peer pressure…
Faith comes by hearing so you if you fill your head with medical science or witch craft of whatever, then that is what you have faith in. Todays major obstacle is that we have non stop input from a thousand voices every day… every day… every day. Truly when I was a kid I had the voices of my teachers, my sisters, my parents and about 8 close friends… those were the only people I put some stock in… and not a lot of stock in my teachers as I got older.
On my phone everyone is an expert… literally by education, resume, popularity - however you qualify it… experts everywhere buy the thousands.
I officiated a wedding 10 years ago… very wealthy couple… they had one reception for adults, with a live band that played at the Dakota club here in Twin Cities… amazing food, and beautiful decor…
But they had another whole reception for kids. Candy bar, ice cream bar, hot dogs, cheese burgers, Fries, chicken nuggets… milk shakes, rooter fountain… And basically no supervision. Just a band for kids… it was mayhem.
Thats what social media is like today… no supervision and nothing but crap.
Romans 10:17 faith cometh by hearing and by hearing the word of God… What is the key word in this verse? Faith? Word of God? Hearing? NOPE… its cometh… meaning it is a process over time. It doesn’t just happen when you hear… you feed your mind again and again what ever you feed it… will surely come.
Every choice you make is making you!
But way before that choice there was a voice.
Be careful who you listen too… for it surely will cometh!
Monday May 26, 2025
Monday May 26, 2025
Garth Heckman
The David Alliance
How do you get good at anything? You practice… that seems obvious. But how do you get really good at something… like expert level. Well you practice but you practice under duress.
Doctors who came back from war were far better at their jobs having practiced under war time conditions. The Benefits of Military Medical Experience include….
- Trauma and Emergency Care Expertise: Military doctors, especially those who have served in combat zones, gain unparalleled experience in managing severe trauma, critical injuries, and mass casualty events under high-pressure, resource-limited conditions. This experience can be invaluable in civilian trauma centers and emergency departments.
- Adaptability and Resourcefulness: Military physicians are often trained to work in diverse and sometimes austere environments, using whatever resources are available. This fosters a high degree of adaptability, problem-solving skills, and the ability to remain calm in chaotic situations.
- Leadership and Teamwork: Military medicine emphasizes strong leadership, teamwork, and a clear chain of command. These skills are highly transferable to civilian healthcare settings, particularly in managing teams and coordinating care.
- Exposure to Diverse Patient Populations: Military physicians often change stations frequently and may be exposed to a wide variety of patient populations globally, broadening their clinical perspective.
- Focus on Pure Medicine (less administrative burden): In some military settings, doctors can focus more on patient care without the same concerns about insurance or billing that civilian doctors often face, allowing them to hone their clinical skills.
- Innovation: Many medical innovations and practices, such as triage systems and specialized surgical teams, have originated or been refined in military settings and have had a significant impact on civilian healthcare.
When you don’t let anyone in your emotions, your faith or your mind… you build your Spiritual strength or should I say your spiritual armor.
Wether it is a person or a circumstance or even a physical health issue - these aren’t just proving grounds, they are paving grounds for your life. You are learning to pave your walk in life in a straight and narrow.
When emotions, doubt, anger, bitterness… when these emotions attack you it can cause an uphill and uneven walk… with pitfalls and roadblocks… but they are of your making because you don’t choose to the right response.
Silence is your Protection
Scripture is your weapon
Faith is your push back into the darkness
Silence protects you a few ways…
You do not give your adversary any more ammo to pull your strings or trigger you.
You keep them guessing
You ultimately make them give up
You create a sense that you know something they don’t and it makes them feel vulnerable, more likely to expose their motives and their faults.
Scripture is your weapon. I just had a conversation with a young man who said he does not believe in speaking in tongues and the HS gifts for today… I said show me in scripture where it says that. He started to say “well I think…
I cut him off immediately and told him he was either incredibly stupid, naive or arrogant or he was God. Because no one who serves God should care what another man thinks if it does not line up with scripture. My life is lived according to scripture… not my circumstances, not my upbringing, not what others think… even if they seem smarter than me… My life and how I view my life is totally based on scripture.
If the rest of my life I pray for people to be healed and they are not… Im still believing God heals for today because that is what Gods word says.
My aikido sense was John Barr- I have talked about him a few times on my podcast. He was the best, well known, on magazine covers, fought with Steven Seagal… his wife tells a story of when they went to a restaurant that had a bar…. (Story)
No change in emotion, no anger, no change of demeanor… just a calm statement of faith.
John knew what he knew, he believed what he knew and he knew it was true. THATS FAITH.
When you pray a prayer of faith or live a life of faith… you don’t have to pray loud, live brash, but if you just know what you know, believe what scripture says, and live the truth. Thats faith.
Authority self esteem, self control, inner strength… self respect… its a muscle. And as they say… use it or lose it!
Sunday May 25, 2025
Sunday May 25, 2025
Garth Heckman
The David Alliance
[Verse 1]
What have I gotta do to make you love me?
What have I gotta do to make you care?
What do I do when lightning strikes me
And I wake to find that you're not there?
[Verse 2]
What do I do to make you want me?
What have I gotta do to be heard?
What do I say when it's all over?
And sorry seems to be the hardest word
[Chorus]
And it's gettin' more and more absurd
That sorry seems to be the hardest word
The life of Allan
The life of Mitch
The life of Bill
The life of Lief
The life of Connor
The life of Londa
The life of Dane
The life of Shane
The life of Chris
And finally the life of Joash in 2 Chron. 22-24
He was the king of crash and burn… started out right but ran off the tracks in a hurry… Let me catch you up to speed.
Two kingdoms.
Judah and Israel
Jehoshaphat Ahab and Jezebel
Jehoram (reigned 8 yr) Marries Athaliah
Ahaziah - Murdered @ 1 yr
Athaliah kills her grandsons and takes the throne
Joash is saved by Jehosheba (Ahaziah’s sister) Wife of the priest Jehoiadah
Ahab and Jezebel had a daughter Athaliah
She marries Jehoshappaht.
Jehoshaphat dies and his son (Jehoram) becomes king (Athaliahs son)
Jehoram gets killed
So his mother kills all her grandsons and assumes the throne.
BUT… one of the grandsons is spared - Joash!
2 Chronicles 24:Joash was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother was Zibiah from Beersheba. 2 Joash did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight throughout the lifetime of Jehoiada the priest.
17 But after Jehoiada’s death, the leaders of Judah came and bowed before King Joash and persuaded him to listen to their advice
PERSAUDED HB Shaw-Maw
Using the persons appetites and weaknesses they gave him consent to do what would be easiest and best for him.
A young girl or boy has appetites to be liked, to be loved, to be accepted… if you just go with the crowd, if you just give in to sexual urges or peer pressure to do what will make you liked… If you are told your parents don’t understand…
YOU CAN BE PERSUADED.
All of us have physical appetites/fleshly appetites
Lust, sex, greed, apathy, laziness, anger, Gluttony
We have emotional appetites
To be needed, feel wanted, accepted, loved, cared for. We also have emotional needs to want to hate, strike back, hurt those who hurt us, to distrust, to be and stay bitter.
There will always be people who will persuade or feed those desires…
And if you listen you will cut short your blessings and maybe even your future in heaven.
2 Chron. 24: 20 Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood before the people and said, “This is what God says: Why do you disobey the Lord’s commands and keep yourselves from prospering? You have abandoned the Lord, and now he has abandoned you!”
Thursday May 22, 2025
Thursday May 22, 2025
Garth Heckman
The David Alliance
Medevil times had a torture where they tied each limb of a person to a horse. So there were four horses and each one had a rope tied from the horse to one of the arms or legs. Then they would command the horses to all run as fast as they could all in opposite directions. It was truly barbaric as arms and legs were ripped off.
What was the name of the torture called?
It was called distraction.
Which distractions in your life have become disguised as priorities?
When was the last time you sat down next to someone or talking to someone at a party and asked them what they did and they said “Im a professional Bull rider”. I have never had it happen…. Now maybe if I lived in Texas, but still it would be rare!
Being a man of God is as about as rare today as being a professional bull rider.
Why? I believe the main reason is because of distraction. Sin isn’t any more or less than any other time in todays world… Men didn’t just recently start noticing beautiful women. Drugs have always been around. There are no new sins… Satan has always been around… but distractions are at an all time high.
The biggest danger in distractions is you don’t see them as distractions.
Let me ask you a very simple question. If you took all the time you have spent on your phone in the past 2 years… and simply practiced the piano - how good would you be? I asked AI this and here is what they said.
You would likely reach an intermediate level much faster than 3-5 years, potentially within 6 months to a year, assuming quality, focused practice.
In 3 to 3.5 years you would be an advanced pianist.
How long would it take to read the whole bible. If you read at an average pace or listened to it on an app…
In summary:
- Non-stop reading: 2-3 days
- Daily reading (typical pace): 1 year
- Daily reading (fast pace): 3 months (90 days)
- Daily listening: 2 months
Let me break it down into a realistic day to day… you would read 3.3 chapters a day.
So why are you not the man of God you want to be? Its not sin… its really not. Its distractions.
Being a man of God is as about as rare today as being a professional bull rider. Ride the Bull! Daily!