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Making men MEN again. The David Alliance will help you slay your giants.
Episodes
Jul 6, 2026
Jul 6, 2026
7 min
The David Alliance
Garth Heckman
The digital world is explicitly engineered to capture and fragment our attention. Dr. Gloria Mark, a leading informatics researcher at the University of California, Irvine, tracked digital behavior and found that the average attention span on a single screen has plummeted from 2.5 minutes in 2004 to just 47 seconds today.
When your focus breaks, it doesn’t just snap back. It takes an average of 23 minutes and 15 seconds to fully return to a deep focus state after a single interruption because your brain gets caught in "intervening tasks."
To train your brain to resist this friction and rebuild sustained focus, apply these three science-backed strategies:
Yes, absolutely. While the ancient world didn't have smartphones, the human struggle with a scattered mind, anxiety, and competing priorities is timeless. The Bible addresses the concept of focus extensively, using ancient terminology like singleness of heart, guarding the gates of the mind, and fixing one’s eyes.
Scriptural wisdom aligns remarkably well with modern cognitive science, framing focus not just as a productivity tool, but as a discipline of the mind and spirit. Here are three distinct clues and frameworks the Bible provides on how to focus.
1. The Principle of the "Single Eye" (Eliminating Divided Attention)
In the New Testament, Jesus explicitly addresses the danger of a divided mind. The ancient concept of focus was often tied to vision—what you allow your eyes to linger on dictates your internal state.
- The Scripture: In Luke 11:34, Jesus states:
"Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy [single/focused], your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy [bad/divided], your body also is full of darkness." - The Clue: The original Greek word used for "healthy" or "good" in many translations is haplous, which literally means single, uncomplicated, or unfolded. Conversely, the word for "unhealthy" or "bad" (poneros) in this context implies being double or divided.
- The Takeaway: The Bible warns that if your vision is fragmented by too many competing inputs, your internal world becomes chaotic. It tells us that true focus requires a single, undivided gaze.
2. Guarding the Gates of the Mind (Active Filtering)
Just as modern psychology tells us to limit notifications to protect our working memory, Biblical wisdom commands us to set up strict boundaries around what we allow into our consciousness.
- The Scripture: Proverbs 4:25–27 provides direct, actionable instructions on attentional control:
"Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left..." - The Clue: This is a classic Stoic-like scriptural command for attentional filtering. The Bible recognizes that distractions ("the right or the left") are constantly pulling at us. Proverbs 4:23 pairs this with the ultimate reason for focus: "Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life." In ancient Hebrew psychology, the "heart" (lev) represented the mind, will, and intellect.
- The Takeaway: Focus is a defensive act. You must actively filter out the noise of the periphery to protect the trajectory of your life.
3. Capturing Thought Loops (Taking Cognitive Control)
A major enemy of focus in a digital age is the endless loop of mental chatter, comparison, and anxiety. The New Testament provides a aggressive model for dealing with rogue thoughts rather than letting them run wild.
- The Scripture: In 2 Corinthians 10:5, Paul writes about the mental discipline required in leadership and faith:
"...we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." - The Clue: The phrase "take captive" (aichmalotizo) is a military term meaning to capture at sword-point or take as a prisoner of war.
- The Takeaway: The Bible instructs us not to be passive consumers of our own thoughts or digital feeds. When a distracting, anxious, or irrelevant thought enters your mind, you are told to arrest it immediately, evaluate it, and intentionally redirect your mental energy back to what matters.
The Ultimate Biblical Focus Filter: If you want a modern-day checklist for what should pass through your attentional filter, Philippians 4:8 lays it out perfectly. It tells us exactly where to anchor a scattered mind:
"...whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
Jul 2, 2026
Jul 1, 2026
Jul 1, 2026
8 min
The David Alliance
Garth Heckman
Here are ten things most people don't know about the real Colonel Sanders:
1. He was not a military colonel
The title "Colonel" was strictly honorary. It was bestowed upon him twice by the Governor of Kentucky—first in 1935 and again in 1950—as a recognition of his contributions to the state's cuisine. He took the title seriously, though, eventually bleaching his beard white and adopting the iconic string tie and white suit full-time.
2. He got into a fatal shootout with a business rival
While running a standard gas station in Corbin, Kentucky, Sanders got into a fierce dispute with Matt Stewart, a rival station owner who kept painting over Sanders' highway signs. When Sanders caught him in the act, a shootout commenced. Stewart shot and killed a Shell gas company executive who was with Sanders. Sanders shot Stewart in the shoulder. Stewart was convicted of murder, effectively eliminating Sanders' local competition.
3. He was fired from a dozen different careers first
Before finding success with chicken, Sanders had a chaotic resume. He was a railroad blacksmith, a steam engine stoker, an insurance salesman, a ferry boat operator, and even practiced law in Arkansas. He was ultimately barred from his own legal practice after getting into a physical fistfight with his own client inside the courtroom.
4. His first restaurant success was ruined by an interstate highway
By the 1940s, Sanders had built a highly successful physical restaurant and motel concept in Corbin. However, in the early 1950s, a new interstate highway bypassed the town entirely, obliterating his customer traffic. He sold the property at a massive loss, was left broke, and lived off his 105-dollar monthly Social Security check while reinventing his business.
5. The pressure cooker was his secret weapon
In the 1930s, pan-frying chicken took about 30 minutes—far too slow for a restaurant service. Deep frying dried it out. When the commercial pressure cooker was invented to cook vegetables, Sanders brilliantly modified it to fry chicken using oil under pressure. This reduced the cook time to just 9 minutes while keeping the meat incredibly juicy.
6. He was legendary for his explosive profanity
Despite his grandfatherly appearance, Sanders had a notoriously fiery temper and a mouth like a sailor. He was known to unleash massive, incredibly creative streams of swear words if things weren't done to his standards. He once admitted, "I used to cuss something terrible. I was a master at it.”
7. He fiercely sued KFC after selling the company
Sanders sold the American operations of KFC in 1964 for 2 million dollars but stayed on as a brand ambassador. As corporate executives began tweaking the menu to cut costs, Sanders grew furious. He famously went on late-night talk shows calling the new gravy "wallpaper paste" and the chicken "a damn fried dough ball." When he tried to open a competing restaurant named after himself, corporate sued him, and he countersued them for 122 million dollars. They eventually settled out of court.
8. He delivered his first child himself
During his early, cash-strapped marriage to his first wife, Josephine, they could not afford a doctor when she went into labor. Sanders successfully delivered his firstborn child himself at home.
9. He wore the white wool suit year-round
Once he adopted his famous look, he committed to it entirely. He wore a heavy white wool suit in the winter and a lighter white cotton suit in the summer. He refused to be seen in public wearing anything else for the last 20 years of his life.
10. He was a massive philanthropist who gave away his fortune
Because he knew what it was like to be destitute, Sanders spent his later years giving away the vast majority of his wealth. He funded massive scholarships, bought medical equipment for hospitals, and adopted dozens of orphaned children overseas through charities, right up until his death at age 90 in 1980.
Sermon: Unfinished Business
Text: Joshua 14:6–14
Focus: The life of Caleb
Introduction: The Tragedy of the Settled Life
There is a massive difference between finishing a task and quitting out of exhaustion.
Too many people wrap up their lives, their careers, their callings, and even their faith long before God ever intended them to stop. They settle into a comfortable valley because the mountain looks too steep. They trade their calling for a couch, confusing the end of a season with the end of their purpose.
But the Kingdom of God has no retirement plan. It only has a graduation plan.
Dog
Impetuous is an adjective describing someone who acts quickly and impulsively, without thinking carefully about the consequences. It refers to rash, spur-of-the-moment actions often driven by sudden emotion rather than thoughtful planning. In a more literal or literary sense, it can also describe something moving with great force or violence
Numbers 13: (the first half of this chapter is all true… even the part about the enemies… its all true - But why does God say about their report?
29The Amalekites live in the land of the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live by the sea and along the Jordan.” 30Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “We must go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly conquer it!” 31But the men who had gone up with him replied, “We cannot go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are!”…
How do you maintain that kind of raw, kinetic power after forty-five years of hardship?
Numbers 14:24 But my servant Caleb has a different SPIRIT/attitude than the others have. He has remained loyal to me, so I will bring him into the land he explored. His descendants will possess their full share of that land.
DIFFERENT = HB Ak-aihr - follower of the Lord, “other mans spirit”
They gave a bad report… it was the truth..
STAY HEALTHY… THE BEST IS YET TO COME AND YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO FIGHT.
Jun 24, 2026
Jun 24, 2026
7 min
Garth Heckman
The David Alliance
th grade… lets make a snowman… just a huge snowball… we push it up a large hill… lets roll it down and see how fast it can go… Im going to let it roll over me at the bottom… BIG MISTAKE. IT PICKED UP MOMENTUM, SUCKING UP EVERY PIECE OF SNOW IN ITS PATH… FASTER, BIGGER, FASTER, BIGGER….
Introduction: God Has Always Been Moving
Momentum. It is the principle that a body in motion tends to stay in motion.
In physics, it is a law.
In the kingdom of God, it is a promise.
God Is the Source of All Momentum
The Spirit Moved First
The very opening of Scripture shows us a God in motion:
"In the beginning-MOMENTUM- God created-MOMENTUM- the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering-MOMENTUM- over the waters." — Genesis 1:1–2
The Hebrew word for 'hovering' is rachaph — it means to flutter, to brood, to move with energy and intention. This is our God. He does not wait passively. He moves first. He initiates. Momentum in the kingdom always begins with Him, not with us.
You did not choose momentum. Momentum chose you.
Once the world was formed it was called to multiply and be fruitful = momentum!
In him is the momentum… where is his Spirit leading?
"You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself." — Exodus 19:4
WHAT IS GOD SAYING… I BUILT MOMENTUM TO CARRY YOU OUT OF EGYPT.
The build can be hard, the waiting, the build up…
But when they left - they were begged to leave, given treasure, given favor, provided miracles of crossing the red sea!
The eagle does not flap its wings furiously —
it spreads them wide and rides the thermal currents. The question is not: 'How hard am I working?' The question is: 'Am I in alignment with what God is already doing?
An eagle will carry its young on its wings after pushing them out of the nest…
Not only that they will remove the soft lining of the nest to get them to step out…
IF THEY DON’T THEY WILL PUT THORNS IN THE NEST…
The eaglet will be forced out only then to have the mother fly with it, catch it if need be and teach it to catch the thermal waves of momentum.
Maybe things are uncomfortable because God is trying to move you into momentum.
Jun 18, 2026
Jun 18, 2026
7 min
TDA
The David Alliance
Corinthians 1:27-29:
"But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him."
Right after using these three words, Paul caps off his thought in verse 28 with a fascinating Greek phrase: ta mē onta, which literally translates to "the things that are not" or "the non-existent things."
God literally takes people and things that the world treats as if they don't even exist—social ghosts, invisible people, tiny crumbs—and uses them to bring to absolute nothingness (katargeō) the heavy hitters of society.
It is the ultimate biblical paradox: God uses the "morons," the "powerless," and the "nobodies" to rewrite human history.
Jun 17, 2026
Jun 17, 2026
7 min
The David Alliance
Garth Heckman
Common Patterns Across Preparation for the ultimate purpose.
OR AS I LIKE TO THINK OF IT
WHAT THESE WAVES PRODUCE AS MY FREQUNCY
- Obscurity and delay built character: Long "preparation seasons" stripped self-reliance and taught waiting on God.
- Suffering produced empathy and reliance:
- Skills and context were strategic: God repurposed their vocations/cultures (shepherding, fishing, scholarship, administration, tentmaking) rather than erasing them.
- Failures were not disqualifiers: Denial (Peter), murder plot involvement indirectly (Paul, Paul shouting at the High Priest), family dysfunction (Joseph/David) became part of their testimony.
- Positioning: Experiences placed them exactly where needed (Joseph in Egypt, Daniel in Babylon, Paul on Roman roads, Ruth in Boaz’s field).
- Ultimate purpose was bigger than comfort: Their lives advanced God’s redemptive story—preserving Israel, establishing kingship, prophesying, building the Church, and pointing to Jesus.
Purpose
Disruption follows purpose.
ie. God created the earth and sin entered. God calls a person and disruption enters,
If our purpose does not end in people it’s empty of true fulfillment!
1 — Purpose is simple. It is given to us by God. But is fulfilled thru your gifts, talents, passions, abilities, (these are different waves that create the frequency of your life)
2. Purpose has nothing to do with perfection - but rather in motion - continually moving forward in Gods purpose.
3. The sum of your interruptions, roadblocks and daily grind fulfill your purpose more than the grand scheme, dream or goals you achieve.
4. "Your unique gifting, passion and quirks were engineered for friction and addiction.
What do I mean?
Your purpose will cause friction for some.
Your Purpose will be your addiction… you can’t give up.
Joseph told his brothers his dreams. This wasn’t just a young boys blunder, but a confidence and stubbornness born out of his purpose.
5. "Your purpose might look entirely invisible to the world."
Culture tells us that impact is measured by volume, dollars, visibility, likes and applause. A divine perspective, however, measures weight differently.
Jun 16, 2026
Jun 16, 2026
7 min
The David Alliance
Garth Heckman
So what am I talking about today?
But we get our gifting, our passions our talents and our purpose all confused.
What is what?
Gifting is a natural ability. Athletics, singing, math, Art
Passion is something we love doing. Performing, creating, teaching, playing
Talents are typically something we have practiced to achieve.
And sometimes these all weave together for the perfect storm.
But none are the sum total of our purpose!
The Bible doesn't give just one single sentence for a person's purpose;
it unfolds it like a grand narrative with a few core pillars.
OT and NT a person's ultimate purpose is generally broken down into three main relationships:
- your relationship with God,
- your relationship with others,
- and your relationship with the world around you.
1. To Know God and Bring Him Glory MGLG
At the very foundation, the Bible states that humans were created by God and for God. Your primary purpose is to be in a relationship with Him and to reflect His character to the world.
- Reflecting His Image: In Genesis 1:27, it says humans are made in the "image of God." Think of this like a mirror—our job is to reflect His love, justice, kindness, and creativity into the world.
- Bringing Him Glory: MGLG -The prophet Isaiah quotes God as saying, "Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made" (Isaiah 43:7).
BOTTOM LINE: LOOK LIKE GOD AND MAKE HIM LOOK GOOD
2. The Twin Pillars: Love God, Love People
When Jesus was asked what the most important commandment in the entire scripture was, He simplified the entire Old Testament law into two direct actions. This is often looked at as the "Ultimate Summary" of human purpose.
MATTHEW 22:37 The first commandment Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and spirit. Second greatest is to lover your neighbor as yourself.
3. Cultivate the World (The Cultural Mandate)
Purpose in the Bible isn't just spiritual; it's also practical and action-oriented. Right at the beginning of the human story, God gave mankind a specific job description regarding the earth itself.
In Genesis 1:28, humans are told to "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it." This is often called the Cultural Mandate. It means humans are designed to be stewards—caretakers of creation. Your purpose includes taking raw potential (whether that's land, a business, a family, or a talent) and cultivating or literally squeezing everything out of it to help life thrive.
4. Walking in Unique, Prepared Good Works
the Apostle Paul writes about how Gods purpose intertwines with our purpose which is good works. We are uniquely crafted for specific contributions to this world.
"For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." — Ephesians 2:10
The word used for "handiwork" or "workmanship" in the original Greek text is poiema (where we get our word poem). The Bible views your life as a unique masterpiece designed to carry out specific good deeds that match your exact strengths, personality, and experiences.
Does "Handiwork" Tie into "Good Works"?
Thematically yes, strongly: The verse's logic flows from identity (we are God's crafted masterpiece) to purpose (created for good works God pre-planned). Being God's poiema equips and orients us toward the erga agatha. Good works are the outworking and goal of His creative work in us—not the cause of salvation, but its fruit (tying back to vv. 8–9).
Picture this: His work in us, created us for his works through us to fulfill his purpose.
Handiwork vs. Good works in Eph. 2:8,9
Two different words.
Gods work is a masterpiece
Our work is a labor.
ONE IS OUR IDENTITY
THE OTHER IS OUR ACTIVITY
Life experiences we see in scripture and the real world.
Their life experiences were not random or wasted but formed the precise preparation, character development, skills, relationships, and credibility God used for their callings.** The Bible shows a consistent pattern: God shapes people through seasons of obscurity, suffering, failure, cultural exposure, and incremental faithfulness long before the "big moment." These experiences built humility, dependence on God, specific competencies, empathy, and strategic positioning.
David (1 Samuel 16 – 2 Samuel)
- **Key experiences**: Rejected by His father born illegitimate, Shepherd boy overlooked by family, given menial jobs, trials by lion/bear protecting sheep, anointed privately as future king, served Saul as musician/warrior, faced Goliath with past faithfulness as proof, 13 plus years as fugitive hiding in caves from Saul, attracted misfits and losers, forced to work with the Philistines his enemies.
- **How it prepared him**: Learned how to deal with rejection and turn to God. Shepherding taught leadership, courage, and reliance on God (Psalms reflect this). Defeating Goliath came from tested faith in small battles. Wilderness years forged trust in God’s timing (refusing to kill Saul), developed military strategy, and created a loyal following. These equipped him to unite Israel, establish the kingdom, write worship that endures, and prepare the way for the temple/Solomon. His "rejection" years were kingship training.
Jun 14, 2026
Jun 14, 2026
7 min
Garth Heckman
The David Alliance
Can opener
What is it?
How do I use it?
Where do I use it?
Why do I use it?
My Natural gifts are leadership, communication,
(Preached when I was 14, spoke for Mayor Pawlenty, spoke infant of 20K- never nervous)
My physical gifting is balance, strength, I could skate, ski, snowboard great for a husky kid
My Spiritual gifting is Evangelism, Apostleship, Preaching/teaching, giving
My Soul gifting is creativity, music, poetry - written 100’s songs, books for Hal Leonard
My Mental gifting is prolonged focus, grind, discipline AND AN IDGAF ATTITUDE
These are all waves… but when they tune into the frequency that God has for me it intensifies my life in His purpose.
**BUT HANG 3 PICTURES ON A WALL… NEVER!
Liars club and old show - What’s this for? What is its purpose. David Letterman got his start here…
When I tested in high school it said you should be a professional clown, a comedian or an actor/singer. I guess I’m all three today.
I took a test when I was in my late 20’s at a conference. Basically it took questions and pictures of your formative years and helped you weave insight into your gifting…
My Storie board growing up helped me understand that I was doing exactly what I should be doing…
But none of these told me my purpose.
Mark Twain is widely credited with the famous quote: "The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.
a 1970 sermon by the Rev. Ernest T. Campbell at the Riverside Church in New York.
Jun 11, 2026
Jun 11, 2026
7 min
Garth Heckman
The David Alliance
Gravity - You can’t beat it.
Client lost 265 pounds…
Box jump 2 inches… to 20 inches.
You can’t beat gravity… but you can improve.
Eph. 3
17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
Look at the dot of an “I” in your bible.
That is the sun, it holds 1 million earths
Our current earth is the galaxy it lives in
THERE ARE PLANETS OUT IN OTHER GALAXIES THAT ARE BIGGER THAN OUR GALAXY.
Paul is essentially praying that his listeners will do the impossible: to intellectually comprehend something that is inherently beyond intellectual comprehension, all so they can be entirely consumed by the divine.
He is telling you to try to beat gravity… you won’t but you can experience it greater and greater.
A teacher in bible college put it this way… Describe to someone what the ocean is who has never SEEN THE OCEAN AND NEVER experienced anything liquid.
God calls us to grasp how wide, long, high and deep his love is… knowing we never will fully grasp it.
But the attempt is clear: ALWAYS FOCUS ON GODS LOVE FOR US!
When you focus on Gods love 3 things happen in your life!
- 1. Sin
We don’t have a sin problem,
we have a knowing God problem.
Knowing His Supreme love keeps us tender and sinless - think of the time you were most whipped in love. I can. Kim and I were dating and she was in the car leaning forward fiddling with the radio. I was outside standing behind my car filling it up with gas. I looked at my buddy Pele and said can you believe that girl loves me? I literally
could not fathom it… He looked at me in disbelief and said “it makes no sense”. **But what if he then said “how many times do you think she will let you fool around
with other girls… how many times will she let you smack her around, lie to her, steal from her, gossip about her… etc… I would have had a mental breakdown and sparks shoot from a short circuit in my head… that would make no sense to me. Knowing God’s love keeps us from asking how far can I go in the world...
Satan will take your sin, your past, your guilt and try to make you feel like a servant.
ITS CALLED SIN CONCIOUS
John 14:31 If you love the father you will obey his commandments.
Love God = the fruit is obedience.
*if you focus on the commands you will be religious and guilt ridden and sin conscious.
You will fall into the trap of trying to push yourself away from your sin
Using willpower
Discipline
Rules
Accountability
What did Joseph say when he was tempted by Potiphar’s wife?
He remembers the 7th commandment: Thou shalt not have adultery…
NOPE!
Jun 10, 2026
Jun 10, 2026
7 min
Garth Heckman
The David Alliance
Gravity - You can’t beat it.
Client lost 265 pounds…
Box jump 2 inches… to 20 inches.
You can’t beat gravity… but you can improve.
Eph. 3
17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
Look at the dot of an “I” in your bible.
That is the sun, it holds 1 million earths
Our current earth is the galaxy it lives in
THERE ARE PLANETS OUT IN OTHER GALAXIES THAT ARE BIGGER THAN OUR GALAXY.
Paul is essentially praying that his listeners will do the impossible: to intellectually comprehend something that is inherently beyond intellectual comprehension, all so they can be entirely consumed by the divine.
He is telling you to try to beat gravity… you won’t but you can experience it greater and greater.
A teacher in bible college put it this way… Describe to someone what the ocean is who has never SEEN THE OCEAN AND NEVER experienced anything liquid.
God calls us to grasp how wide, long, high and deep his love is… knowing we never will fully grasp it.
But the attempt is clear: ALWAYS FOCUS ON GODS LOVE FOR US!