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Making men MEN again. The David Alliance will help you slay your giants.
Episodes
Monday Aug 08, 2022
Monday Aug 08, 2022
Wake the Faith up Slayer… This is Garth Heckman with the David Alliance and you can reach me at
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…
oh but wait… Luke 13:17 and Jesus shames the pharisees… the word there is politely sometimes shared as “humiliated”
but the true greek word “Kahtee-uh- skoo-no” means to not just shame, but to vehemently shame, to shame to disgrace!
So now how do you wrestle with that? Can You shame? Can I shame? is shaming right? Can only Jesus shame?
I let you figure it out- and if you don’t ??? SHAME ON YOU!
Friday Aug 05, 2022
Thursday Aug 04, 2022
Thursday Aug 04, 2022
Wake the Faith up Slayer… This is Garth Heckman with the David Alliance and you can reach me at
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.
Wednesday Aug 03, 2022
Wednesday Aug 03, 2022
Wake the Faith up Slayer… This is Garth Heckman with the David Alliance and you can reach me at
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
It doesn’t have to be true. It doesn’t have to be 100% true, it doesn’t even have to make sense… all it has to be is an accusation.
You may be able to prove it wrong, with facts, figures, video and credible testimonies… but if you don’t have the access then you will be the acceptor. What do I mean? Well lets look at
Rev. 12:9-11
Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.
Satan is the accuser, Jesus is the access and we are the acceptors.
What do we have access to?
Salvation - a one time event
Sanctification - A process while on earth
Glorification - A proven forever fact, total change in your whole life- body soul and spirit.
The problem is many people get accused and there are people who believe the accusations. So what do we do?
It’s not your problem. Your only concern is to continue to walk the path of sanctification. What other people think of you does not block your access to what Christ has done for you. (I REPEAT!!)
Garth is a pervert, Garth is an arsonist, Garth is a phony, Garth is a thief, Garth is liar, Garth is an arrogant SOB,
Garth is uncaring, Garth only cares about himself, Garth preaches other peoples sermons… those are just a few of the accusations… what if some of these are true? Guess what some of these are true… in context. but does that mean I do not have access to forgiveness, sanctification, to the throne of God? NOPE!
Yes intimacy plays a role in all of this, but lets be clear- we are sinners and we are in need of forgiveness, grace, mercy and his power at work in us.
The only thing that stops Gods work in us is not the accusation - but rather believing that the accusation stops Gods grace.
Satan is the accuser, Jesus is the access and we are the acceptors.
If you choose not to accept it Christ finished work in you and you accept the the accusation you forfeit what Jesus did on the cross.
Rom. 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Even while accusations could be made, and proven and true… Christ still died for us giving us access to forgiveness.
If someone came up to Christ and said “look I know for a fact that Garth is a sinner- Jesus would say… uh, yeah, thats why I am dying for his sins.
But then they say “yeah, but he is going to continue to sin…. Jesus would say - yes he will and that is why I am dying for him…
Look these accusations are true- and Jesus still offered up his life for us so that we could have access to all the father has for us!
Don’t believe the lie… or the truth… just believe in Jesus blood!
Tuesday Aug 02, 2022
Tuesday Aug 02, 2022
Wake the Faith up Slayer… This is Garth Heckman with the David Alliance and you can reach me at
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
Jeremiah 29:11
These words probably did not sooth and sit well with the Israelites. They were in exile and pretty much had nothing. And God was the one who put them there… Yes on part because of their own actions… but the point is… what we might think is bad, may actually be good… and visa versa.
James makes it clear in his book that we will face trials (James 1:2) and Peter tells us not to be surprised by the trials that come our way (1 Peter 4:12). Although they faced many trials, these disciples of Jesus had the bigger picture in mind.
Life seems like chance, it seems unfair… and guess what- it is unfair, but its not by chance. God knows each one of us and he wants his will done in our lives. We can work with him or we can work against him, but he won’t give up. and we may not gain the reward that was meant for us… but it was not by chance.
There are many foes in our life, satan, family, and ourselves… but its not by chance. God told us we are in war, he told us people will hate us because they first hated him, he told us to find joy in tribulation and he even exhibited a life of problems while here on earth. But his life was not by chance.
So it looks like there is no rhyme or reason to your life… trust God and know that there is. Seek to work with him… Look we all know the Karate kid, wax on wax off… made not sense at the time, but when the need arose, he was wax’n more than cars he was wax’n kids off the mat.
Monday Aug 01, 2022
Monday Aug 01, 2022
Wake the Faith up Slayer… This is Garth Heckman with the David Alliance and you can reach me at
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
its not the starting that matters, it is the finishing. Can you close the deal? can you complete the task? Can you get the whole job done? Can you check off every box? Can you finish what you started?
For many of us life is like a diet. We have a great thought, and a pretty good plan and we see a few pounds drop, but we never quite follow through to that last pound. We still have a few notches left on the scale to hit, but we just lose our mojo… our passion.
Jesus at the beginning of Revelation and at the end says he is the Alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end. He also says in Hebrews 12:2 he is the author and finisher of our faith. And he goes on to say that he John 17:4 I have finished the work you have given me.
The greatest of tasks as a follower of Christ I believe is not raising someone from the dead or healing the sick or preaching a beautiful eloquent sermon, but rather is simply finishing what God has for us to do?
Jesus faced things in life that were tough. 40 days in the wilderness being tempted by satan… the intense pressure in the garden sweating drops of blood, the whipping the crucifixion… he had lots to deal with, but he finished the work. His last words on the cross … IT IS FINISHED!
I hope and pray I might be able to say the same words as Jesus. Oh I can quote scripture with the best of them, and I love quoting scripture in the time of need… but hopefully this is a verse I can quote in the first person… as someone who has actually finished what he started, as someone who has actually done Gods work and will in their lifetime. oh to have it all but not finish Gods work is utter failure and foolishness.
Friday Jul 29, 2022
Friday Jul 29, 2022
Wake the Faith up Slayer… This is Garth Heckman with the David Alliance and you can reach me at
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
Go into all the world and preach the gospel making disciples of them… The Disciples knew that this was not going to be easy, and in fact it would be a little bit of hell on earth, it would be a war, it would be a struggle… They saw what Jesus went through, they saw the opposition, the hate the hard work…
So I ask you, what is worth fighting for? Your reputation? Do you feel it necessary to fight over your status, how others view you or judge you? Are you going to fight over getting cut in front of at the bank or shop? Will you fight over your right to not be cut off in traffic, will you fight over what lies people tell about you?
There is only one thing I am willing to really truly fight over… and let me clarify- I will protect my family by any means necessary. But I mean when someone is going to come at me, disagree with me, hate on me, lie about me… when will I choose to fight?
You know a few weeks ago I lit up my facebook page with a few posts about Roe vs. Wade. And the hate just kept on coming. But what cracked me up where the comments about ‘well your willing to take away the rights of women who need abortion but you will never be there to help them with the child they are now stuck with”…. So just between you and I - I have worked for more than 25 years ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY in the field of pro-life and have done everything from speak, teach, raise funds, collect goods for unwed mothers from cribs to formula to diapers… and I currently serve on a Right to Life action center board where we have a mobile unit that gives out free stuff to unwed mothers, gives ultra sounds, all kinds of stuff…. now my first reaction years ago would have been to pound my chest and defend and fight… but that was about me. Today I laugh it off… I don’t need to defend me. But I will always defend the gospel. I am always willing to fight - in love, in love - regarding the gospel. And I am willing to fight over my heart and my actions toward the gospel.
You can attack me- I probably give you lots to work with LOL, You can attack my ministry, my hair, my choice in music, you can call me out on anything and I just don’t care. But if you tell me to not share the gospel - well we is gonna fight. Tell’m we coming and we swinging the gospel hammer - in love.
Years ago I had a younger man who knew me from my days in Madison as a youth pastor get all in a huff over something I said - I actually was NOT trying to stir things up. But he called me out in public on social media with some pretty strong words… saying I was not really into the gospel, and I should know and act better than that as a Christian and as a pastor… and it made it sound like I wasn’t really a follower of Christ in my example to sharing the gospel. So I PM’ him. And said listen up skippy, I will pay your way here, I will cover your week of salary and I will give you an extra $200 if you can hang with me in sharing jesus and praying for people. I told him, I dare you where ever I go and you go with me, to ask people there if I have shared the gospel with them, If I have prayed for them, If I have cried with them. Wether it be the bank, they gym, the grocery store I frequent, the Kwik Trip by my house my neighbors… you see if I am or not a follower of jesus. And then if you think I am not about the gospel- you can call me out. And I added OR I can come to your place on my dime, and follow you around and ask everyone if YOU have prayed, shared, cried…
WHY DID I DO THIS? well yea I was ticked, but I want people to know how important the gospel is. its worth fighting for.
Thursday Jul 28, 2022
Thursday Jul 28, 2022
Wake the Faith up Slayer… This is Garth Heckman with the David Alliance and you can reach me at
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
Ever live in a home where they called their Dad by his first name? Weird right? I mean sir is still a little perfunctory, but by your first name? Imagine your mom saying your in trouble with Dennis… you mean Dad… we call him Dennis - You are going to get spanked by Dennis?
Matthew 6 The Lords prayer
The disciples had been with Jesus a little.. they had seen some miracles and some pretty crazy stuff… and now they finally ask God how do you pray.
They simply wanted to learn the secret formula for getting and doing what Jesus did
- Probably not the best intentions, but in any case Jesus waited until they asked to teach them how to pray. Now imagine you on your own away from the other disciples trying to heal or curse a fig tree or tell the weather what to do… and your prayers are just simply words falling flat.
And if you are a disciple you are thinking “well why wouldn’t they fall flat… why would YWHA answer my prayer… I don’t even know how to pray”.
So now Jesus says “oh you want to know how to pray?” Start like this Dear ABBA, or heavenly father - actually rendered Daddy.
We probably can’t understand the cosmic shift in the disciples when Jesus says this…. Daddy? Dada? First of all it seems foolish, and of course our tradition is that we can’t even utter the full name of God because it is so holy so we will just say “YWHA”… the Jews took out the vowels so as not to actually say Gods name because it was to Holy… and now Jesus shreds that tradition into pieces.
Have you ever asked yourself why we are to call him Daddy?
You know every name has a connotation or a meaning beyond just the name. If I mention Joe Biden, we all have a connotation or meaning behind it. If I say Chuck Norris, or Michael Angelo or even Garth Heckman… we all have certain connotations, meanings and feelings tied to that word.
Maybe Jesus chose those 12 bumbling disciples because he knew they all had good examples of fathers and not just because they were the cream of the crop. Because I know this, we see God the father a lot like we see our earthly father… of course I still can’t explain Judas, but thats for another podcast.
But the point is we were not told to come to him in prayer with a “Dear Holy and Magnificent stupendous Lord of the highest of highs and creator of all powers and eternity in the cosmos of our Savior for ever blah blah… Do you think a God like that would actually listen to you?
I would imagine that the greater the title the more isolated most people would feel trying to crack threw the sky in prayer.
Jesus says pray like this “Daddy I know you are Holy, I know your ways are best and your will is best. Please meet my needs today, and help me to not hate others so that they don’t hate me, Help me not sin and give me a way out, for you own all things, know all things and control all things. Make it happen.
Thanks Daddy.
Wednesday Jul 27, 2022
Wednesday Jul 27, 2022
Wake the Faith up Slayer… This is Garth Heckman with the David Alliance and you can reach me at
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
Years ago I had a friend Milt… who was OLD… he was in his 80’s and still drove a van for Busse flowers in Mt. Prospect Illinois. But he was so old that every time people would talk about problems in our city, or state or country… no matter what it was he would always say “those bloody commies… its their fault”. He literally still thought after all this time hat the communists were at the heart of his high electric bill and the cost of vegetables… etc… I can’t find my sock… those bloody commies.
Some people see their world view through their democratic mantra, others the same with their republican association. Others from a view of anarchy, or socialism, others still from bitterness of life, or hurt. Some people see life through their inward lack of power to feel like they matter or have any control… And others still see life from the way they were programmed by their families…
The point is this: we all must choose the keyhole we want to look at life from. yes I believe some see things through rose colored glasses - and yes We all wear some type of glasses in which to try to gain a better understanding of life and what is going on.
So here is a thought today… I am choosing more and more to see things through the lens of the end times. Why? Not just because we are entering the end times - you would be hard pressed to convince me otherwise especially after this past weeks alliance with Russia Iran and Turkey - coming against Israel- that is straight out of Ezekiel 38. But I digress… Seeing things through the lens of the end times just makes things make sense.
The love of Christians growing cold
Those calling evil good and good evil
The growth of transgenderism
A world currency and crypto currency
A world banking order
Disease and sickness
Rampant earthquakes, floods and other weather related craziness…
Crop failures and food shortages
Families against families, nation against nation
and again all of the prophecies that have been fulfilled in detail
AND ALL OF THIS IS GETTING WORSE NOT BETTER!
So here is a real life example of a conversation I just had with a well meaning right wing hard nosed republican who is a blue collar hard working man and is a strong Christian… but again seems to check things by his political beliefs more than the bible - and again we are all guilty of this in some way. But the point is he told me about all the heresy and here say regarding climate change and Al Gore is a lying blah blah blah… you get the point. He says to me “Pastor can you believe people are so gullible to believe in global warming?”. I simply smiled and said well the bible does talk of global warming… he looked puzzled and said “it does”. Yes in fact in detail. In talks of global warming from comets, storms, famines, scorching heat. but it also speaks of 100 pound hailstones and darkness and cold…. the end times speaks of everything we are starting just now to go through.
But because I don’t just see the weather through my end times glasses I also see what we are to do about it. Love others and tell them the truth and share the gospel of jesus Christ. I of course believe that we will be raptured before the start of the tribulation… and that makes Christs words ring out even more clear when he said “be aware, be on guard and don’t fall asleep”. Stay in tune with the times for time is short and share the gospel.
Look if you knew a tornado was going to come through your town and rip open and destroy an orphanage. Would you waste time talking about weather patterns, building codes, cost of replacing the building, hospital costs of caring for any of the orphans who are still alive… or would you run down their and tell them “EVERYONE OUT, NOW A STORM IS COMING AND IT WILL DESTROY EVERY ORPHAN IF YOU DON’T SEEK SHELTER”.
Until you know God as a father you are an orphan… until others know the Father they are orphans.
Tuesday Jul 26, 2022
Tuesday Jul 26, 2022
Wake the Faith up Slayer… This is Garth Heckman with the David Alliance and you can reach me at
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
Joe Bezotte is a bad man… anyone with the initials JB is a bad mama gamma you got James Bond, Jason Bourne and of course Justin Bieber…
But we were talking and he did a survey amongst law enforcement from CIA, FBI, Sherif departments, police departments etc… across the country and found out that when it came to scuffles or run in’s with people who did not want to cooperate and of course you had to get hands on.. that very few of these ever went to the ground and in fact more than 90% stayed on their feet. But he was surprised at how much training people received with grappling, jiu jitsu etc… and that is all good when you are in the octagon, but in real life it was not transferable to what was going to keep you alive.
I kept thinking about us in our world today. There is so much chatter out in the world be it sermons and pastors or social media or even worship songs and the like that don’t really train us for what we really need.
So what am I saying… well I just like you read and pray and believe for Gods best in my life. Yes I believe God wants to bless me, keep me healthy strong, to have my family flourish and my finances increase and I can pray for those and believe in those and its all good, but its all a ground game.
Lets not forget we are in a spiritual battle and my war is not with those but with greed, pride, lust, insecurity, doubt and I think we could fill in a whole podcast with more, but you get the picture.
So what is my real life spiritual stand up game when it comes to warfare. How should one train….
Well first and foremost in real fighting you understand that it is the unexpected you must train for. You must keep your distance from the threat and be ready at all times… just like in my real spiritual battle.
I get in a tizzy with my wife and I go to work and the hot underdressed assistant is hanging over my desk…
Or I am stressed with finances and its Sunday and the offering plate is fastly approaching, or Bill at work starts spouting off with his accolades and i want to point out he is on his 3rd marriage and can’t even hit a months goals of business in a year…
Yep, my war is real, it is a real ground game… and I am guessing yours is as well. So what to do?
I prepare with scripture that I can use right now.
Lust, greed, insecurity, stress, lack of passion for Christ, bitterness… The bible is full of verses that I can read, memorize and even write down on sticky pads and put in my car, my desk, my mirror, my phone etc…
In fact right now the desk I am sitting at has about 10 verses taped on my desk with clear packing tape so i can always see it, or should I say never miss it.
The ground game is were the real battle and the real victory is at. Yeah, I want to pray for health, blessing, honor, increase… and there is nothing wrong with that- but that my friend needs less attention than what I really need. So go to the bible, or even google if you have a hard time, but find scriptures that train your mind and your heart for battle.