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Making men MEN again. The David Alliance will help you slay your giants.
Episodes
Monday Mar 14, 2022
Monday Mar 14, 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
Our world feels like an overheated radiator, a pressure cooker and pair of shoes 2 sizes too small and worn for 8 hours…
Emergency: a sudden, urgent, usually unexpected occurrence or occasion requiring immediate action.
Crisis: A stage in a sequence of events at which the trend of all future events, especially for better or for worse, is determined; turning point.
A sequence… you see it and feel it coming! An emergency catches you off guard, but not a crisis!
The Affects of Crisis
Fear
Trauma
Depression
Dispair
frustration
anxiety
loneliness
abandonment
Worry
hopelessness
Sense of loss
sense of death
sense of survival
abuse
crime
domestic violence
What makes a crisis a crisis… you feel like you don’t have the power to change it, correct it, deal with it. And you feel like you don’t have anyone to turn to who can deal with it.
Total loss of control…
THEREFORE
Might I submit to all listening to this sermon that if that is what makes a crisis a crisis - we as followers of Christ are never in a crisis!
Is what we are seeing today in the world a crisis?
Not if you understand what scripture says about the end times.
Matthew 24:7 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.
Luke 21:
8 And he said, “See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them. 9 And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once.”
10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven.
Did you know yesterday there were 2 earthquakes in Indonesia, one in the Philippines that was a 6.2,
2 weeks ago there was an earth quake in Syria and in Iran.
Now here is what is shocking… there has been a major earthquake almost every week in the world in the past few years. In fact if you go to earthquake.usg.gov you will see hundreds of earthquakes in just this year… thankfully most not massive… but their building.
But its not a crisis. Remember what a crisis is… when you don’t have the power to change it, correct it, deal with it. And you feel like you don’t have anyone to turn to who can deal with it.
What I do know in a crisis. Jesus told us to expect hard time, he told us to expect the end of the world… yes the end times are starting right now before our very eyes. He said to expect wars, earthquakes, upheaval of all sorts - So we are prepped. But what else did he tell us? He have given us all power and authority to deal with life problems, he will walk with us in his peace and power in all situations.
Listen to Psalm 46 a prophetic scripture
Psalm 46
- Trust God as our unshakable refuge in trouble (vv. 1-3).
- Trust God as our undying river of life (vv. 4-7).
- Trust God as our unbeatable ruler over all (vv. 8-11).
1
God is our refuge and strength,
always ready to help in times of trouble.
2
So we will not fear when earthquakes come
and the mountains crumble into the sea.
3
Let the oceans roar and foam.
Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! Interlude
4
A river brings joy to the city of our God,
the sacred home of the Most High.
5
God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed.
From the very break of day, God will protect it.
6
The nations are in chaos,
and their kingdoms crumble!
God’s voice thunders,
and the earth melts!
7
The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
the God of Israel is our fortress. Interlude
8
Come, see the glorious works of the Lord:
See how he brings destruction upon the world.
9
He causes wars to end throughout the earth.
He breaks the bow and snaps the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
10
“Be still, and know that I am God!
I will be honored by every nation.
I will be honored throughout the world.”
11
The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
the God of Israel is our fortress. Interlude
Thursday Mar 10, 2022
Thursday Mar 10, 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
If I pray hard enough, God will supply my needs and bless me…. uhm not so fast skippy!
I don’t have to be smart, intelligent or educated to be successful, I just have to be willing to think hard and work hard… and working hard is THE HARD PART! Garth Heckman
My boys growing up used to bring kids into the house and they would say “tell-em Dad, tell them how strong you are… they don’t think you can bench, or squat or deadlift…
And I would tell the kids and they would be impressed… (hey its not to hard to impress a kid)
But No one has ever bragged on me as someone who is super smart…
My boys never ran into the house and said tell them Dad, tell them just how smart you are….
Typically very few of us will have have the opportunity to out wit someone, To be smarter or more intelligent… but we have many opportunities to outwork them!
We sometimes fall into this fallacy as followers Christ that if we pray hard and trust him he will bless us… no work necessary.
Maybe you heard the joke about the young girl who comes home from Bible college for the summer… this is the boy I am going to marry…
After dinner the father takes the boy into his office and says…
So what do you do for work… oh I don’t have a job… I trust God
Well where will you live when you marry my daughter… Oh I will just trust God
Well what will you do for food so my daughter can eat… I will just pray and trust God.
The husband later that night is in bed with his wife and she asks him what do you think of our daughters boyfriend. The husband says… well good news and bad news. She asks him what is the bad news…Well he has no job, no house and no money for food…The wife nervously asks…well what is the good news. He thinks Im God.
Wether you want to believe it or not the Bible has a lot to say about work!
Col. 3:23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,
Prov. 13: 4 The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.
Prov. 14:23 In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.
2 Thess. 3:10-12 For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.
Prov. 12:24 The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor.
Ecc. 9:10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.
1 Tim. 5:8 But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
AND BELIEVE ME… THERE ARE A FEW DOZEN MORE VERSES ON THIS SUBJECT.
So we are called to do our part, and God will do his part… but we gotta do our part.
There was a man who inherited an old irish garden with stone walls, and statues and at one time tons of rich flowers, shrubs and greenery with beautiful paths and columns … but now it was all run down, overtaken by weeds, walls had toppled, statues were green with moss… it was ugly.
So the man got busy and busted his tail for a few years and turned it back into it’s once beautiful garden. Pretty soon everyone wanted to come visit, people would want their weddings there, and graduation pictures taken there, people from out of town would come and see it.
One day the man was walking around with some tourists when a man in the group said… you know this is all wonderful but lets be honest its God who gave the seed, brings the rain, makes the sun shine and even causes things to grow. The owner of the garden said I can’t agree with you more!… but just between you and me… when just God was in charge of this place it was a mess
Wednesday Mar 09, 2022
Wednesday Mar 09, 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
Sometimes you just need to tell them to shut up… seriously just shut your freaking mouth… Really just look at that person in the mirror and say shut your mouth and mind!
Ghostbusters… Im not saying its a christian movie… but its got some pretty strong christian themes… like this one…
“Choose your destroyer….” and then Bill Murray says Oh my God… what did you do Ray? and poof or should I say Puff the marshmallow man appears.
Prov. 23:7 whatsoever a man thinketh so is he.
What consumes my mind is what fills my future.
What fills your belly? You get to choose and it doesn’t matter what it is… if you feed it enough it will fill it.
What fills your mind?
Well first we should ask who fills your mind? Who is the gatekeeper to your mind?
YOU, You choose, you feed and you are full between your ears.
Therefore your future is all you… or should I say all up to you.
Now we typically think of this as a bad thing…but if it was seen as a fatalist… yes then its bad. But its not stated as a fatalist… it is stated as a choice by the reader.
So I get to choose my future by what I put in my head!
BTW this is not a Christian spiritual Jesus Godly principle. this is a truth, a law in the universe regardless of who you are.
God says whatsoever a man sows (puts into his head) he shall reap. God will not be mocked on this. The verse in Galatians is not saying “whatsoever a Christian person” puts in their mind or life… You just have to be human for this to work.
Advanced attraction: when you know what you want your eyes will see things that will help you get what you want. Your heart will feel things that will help you get what you want, your mind will think things that will help you get what you want, your life will attract things that will help you get what you want.
You can test this while listening to this podcast - test this law and try right now to find all the things that are red. I bet you didn’t realize all the red things around you… and what if you were asked to see all the red things through out the day… you would see hundreds… but what if I said I would give you a thousand dollars for each and every red thing you saw today while out and about… You would be on high alert. Your mind would literally alter its perception to see as much red as possible. You in fact might actually rewire the brain to become hyper sensitive to red.
Again let me read what advanced attraction is:
Advanced attraction: when you know what you want your eyes will see things that will help you get what you want. Your heart will feel things that will help you get what you want, your mind will think things that will help you get what you want, your life will attract things that will help you get what you want.
Now lets put some practice into this for today…
what if you were asked to see all the things that you could pray about today… just silently in your head. And even ask God to speak to you about it and teach you something from it. You would pray over your job, family the red light, the car in front of you, the weather, your finances, your sister, your pastor, your sore right leg…it would never stop. You would begin to see all things as possible ways God is trying to speak to you.
Lets get even more practical… one thing a lot of us have trouble with is basing our value on what other people think.
Another persons opinion is a terrible place to put your happiness.
But again, what if you decide to think of all the ways you add value to your life, your families life, to the world, to your church, to yourself… what if you began to see the talents God gave you, the gifts, the passions, the skills… what if you saw yourself the way a little boy sees a grown up…”wow, they are so smart, strong, free, cool”….
Believe it or not, your mindset as to how you see yourself is all based on what you put into your mind.
What if you saw yourself the way God sees you… what if you put that in your mind…
Tuesday Mar 08, 2022
Tuesday Mar 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
Ive been hearing a lot lately about a Growth mindset vs fixed mindset
The fixed mindset says this is probably as good as it gets. I will never truly be smarter or in a better place financially. I will always be tethered to problems that I am unable to truly navigate and fix. I only have the possibility of things changing by luck or simply through years of time. I am stuck with the same intelligence, talent and gifts and cannot expect any more than that. My life is mostly dependent on others and circumstances beyond my control.
The growth mindset is simply the opposite, it says I can always get smarter, better, I can always make more money. I can change my life, my circumstances my future. I am continually adapting to make life better and more fulfilling.
Followers of Christ understand this more as a Fear mindset vs. Faith mindset
I like to think of it as fishing glasses… years ago I was going on a fishing trip with a great friend who is a Musky guide and fantastic fisherman. We had everything packed to fish for days - including food. But he said I should get some polarizing fishing sunglasses… we stopped at a fishing store and they had dozens to choose from. He suggested pair A over Pairs B C D etc… But they were most expensive, I chose pair W… the cheapest ones the store had. And for a week I had to look through crappy, frustrating, loose easily scratched glasses…. that is how I saw everything….
Faith is choosing the right glasses to see things through.
I choose to see life’s problems and promises and good days and bad days through faith.
Romans 10:17
Faith comes by hearing and hearing the word of God… so its not a choice of I do have faith or I don’t have faith. It is an understanding of growing in faith according to how much of gods word you hear and act on.
I put on the glasses of faith by continually reading and listening to the word of God.
2 Tim. 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly studies and handles the word of truth. 16 Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. 17 Their teaching will spread like gangrene.
study to show thyself… “not yet”. Meaning, that you don’t know everything now… not yet anyway, but you will. You don’t have all understanding or faith for this problem but you will… not yet, but I will… as you study Gods word the faith will come.
here is a secret -
The more you fully engage - the more you learn. You say I will never learn another language… maybe because you just downloaded an app or watched a few videos… but trust me, if you moved to another country were no one spoke english, you would learn that language. you are fully engaged in their culture and would almost be forced to. Milton Pope a great friend an missionary tells a story of when he and his wife moved to Argentina. Her name was Macky… she moved from the states with him to Argentina and said to her husband and others “Im not going to learn spanish, I will be fine with English”. And after 6 months she was speaking fluent spanish… why? She hadn’t planned on it, but she was immersed in spanish. she had to learn how to speak just to survive mentally and emotionally. She was full engaged even though she didn’t want to be at first.
Soooo… Fully engage in your faith.
John G. Lake probably one of the greatest faith healers in history used to take his students and send them out to different areas of the country to pray over people who were dying from various diseases - he would simply say “don’t come back until they are healed”. He fully immersed them in their journey of faith.
What if we choose to immerse ourselves in faith the same way… I am going to choose to give a million dollars to help rescue children in sex trafficking… now I will push myself and fully engage in my faith to do just that… I will not stop praying, trusting and trying until by Gods grace and my faith in him I make and give a million dollars to this cause.
How will you fully engage your faith in order to supersize your faith?
Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
THINK OF IT THIS WAY… transformed mind by renewing MEANS You didn’t fail, you were transforming.
The faith mindset is always under control in the form of growing. What do I mean by that? Growing my faith can seem chaotic until I realize its sometimes chaotic so therefore I don’t see it as chaos anymore. Renewing is continued growth… and that means things will never be good enough- and aren’t I glad. I would hate to have the same level faith I had 10 years ago, or even 2 years ago. It is transforming… moving, evolving, changing, morphing… which might seem like little steps of failure, but its actually failing forward, or transforming. When the caterpillar dips himself into the cocoon, it it because he failed as a caterpillar? No - its because he is transforming into a butterfly.
But let me add one final point - faith isn’t blind, its not stupid and it doesn’t act brash to those who know God. You can have a positive mindset and still jump off a building and fall to your death, no matter how much you believe you can fly. So it is with faith. Unless your faith is backed up by Gods word and his spirit leading in you to walk that out… you may fail with all the faith in the world.
Faith does not mean foolishness… now it may seem foolish to others in what I say and what I do… but that is as far as it goes. To me, its not foolishness because I have heard Gods voice and have acted on it. I have been tested, tried and morphed into a new level of faith.
Monday Mar 07, 2022
Monday Mar 07, 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
The enemy is so crafty that he will get people who are being deceived by the media and other influencers - he will get the deceived to stand up and defend the right of those who are deceiving them!
Everyone likes affirmation, but what we need is validation. You can be told your a good driver (wether you are or are not) (maybe they are just manipulating you to get a ride to the mall… oh I don’t trust David to drive me… but you’re a great driver) but validation comes from authority. You get a drivers license and you are now validated. Every movement outside of being a Christ follower - in todays world clamors for validation (BLM, LGBQT, Feminism, global warming pick a topic etc…) But they will never get the fathers validation UNTIL THEY KNOW HIM.. so they will forever be mad at those who do not affirm them… because once you have the fathers validation you don’t care who affirms you.
HERES A T SHIRT IDEA: God loves me… I don’t care if you do.
So know that wether someone loves you or not… don’t fall to the lie, do not allow the enemy to deceive you… and don’t clamor for the worlds validation… they can’t give you the real thing. Remember its from the authority… the ultimate authority.
Does it mean something to you when the your enemy says you are no good and of no value… what about if your Mom says you are good… what if Michael Jordan says you are good at something….
What am I getting at? If someone on the opposite team tells you that your jump shot is lacking and you need to try harder… he’s just getting in your head. If your mom says you are such a good basketball shooter… your shooting is so basket bally… ok, its nice but it still does not mean much. If you coach says nice shot… ok now were talking, but if Michael Jordan comes down from the stands after the game and says… I have seen a million jump shots in my lifetime, but you have one of the smoothest strokes, one of the cleanest shots… its fantastic. NOW THATS VALIDATION… I DON’T CARE WHAT ANYONE AFTER THAT SAYS… MJ JUST GAVE ME THE ULTIMATE AUTHORITATIVE COMPLIMENT.
Someone once asked me What is your GPA? I was a little embarrassed it wasn’t good - not because Im not smart, but more because I just didn’t care or try in high school… B UT THEN HE ASKED what is your GPA in life? The goal is to be able to answer that honestly… every day and then push harder! AND I GET WHAT HE IS SAYING… AND I AGREE TO THAT POINT… but what if are GPA stood for Gods Passion Applied
Meaning how much he gave to forgive us and how much he loved us.
Once we understand that - and its depth, we stand approved, confident and unmoved by the worlds opinion.
Eph. 3:16-20 seek to understand Gods unfathomable love for us.
Friday Mar 04, 2022
Friday Mar 04, 2022
Some people think its nuts jumping out of planes, some think its nuts free soloing or climbing, others think jumping off of cliffs into water at huge heights is…
Today i will tell you what is the most nuts of all…
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
Some people think its nuts jumping out of planes, some think its nuts free soloing or climbing, others think jumping off of cliffs into water at huge heights is…
Today i will tell you what is the most nuts of all…
You gotta be nuts if you want to have friends…
Yep, certifiably crazy, just foolish…
Here’s why…
You have to look, test, search, test, spend time… and then so many times find out they are not the type of friend you were hoping for. And this will happen hundreds of times, maybe even thousands over a lifetime. You give someone huge parts of your life and expect the same type of love or friendship in return… but alas, they walk away from you, they use you, they tell lies about you, they gossip, they steal from you, they create a selfish one way relationship and call you out as phony when you set up boundaries. They can taint and poison a whole other groups of friends that you were around. They can keep you from getting that job, that raise or even that marriage partner. They can invite the scorn and ridicule on social media by others who don’t even know you or know the whole story…
You gotta be nuts to risk having a friend.
I read a great quote in the book Skin in the Game by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
To be free of conflict you simply must have no friends.
But maybe friendship is not what we think it is… so maybe we set ourselves up to get burned because we simply don’t understand it, or how it works.
I am going to say something crazy… and trust me, I have always considered myself as one who has thousands of friends… but sitting here at 56…almost 57, I’ve learned a few things.
You really can’t have more than 2 or 3 close friends… and you really can only have 1 best friend (outside of your spouse and immediate family)
I have always liked being popular and having lots of friends… but now more than ever I more in tune with just having a few amazing friends. Quality over quantity.
Prov. 18:24 One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
*what does this verse tell me? Well get rid of unreliable friends… but most importantly… a great friend is as rare as a brother. Now I have a friend who has a big family and he has 7 brothers… but still 7 is a tiny amount if you are thinking of how many true friends you can have.
I don’t think this verse is talking about the Jesus or the Holy Spirit, I think it is talking about how rare a good friend is.
What about this verse…
Prov. 17:17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.
Well I don’t have a brother… and maybe you don’t either, so does this leave us out of having a great friend during hard times? No, again it is stating that a close friend who will stick with you during thick and thin times is rare.
My best friend… wow, I could brag on him for a long time. He and I just hit it off… Now I have a few, very few amazing close friends, but only one best friend. But here was an acid test on our friendship… he called me and said “hey we are thinking of adopting and I would love for you to give the agency that is looking at us your name for a reference. I said you can but I won’t give you a good reference. He asked why… fair question right? I said, well you just moved back to the states, you have switched jobs a few times, your own family is a little stressed and disjointed, you are not sure where you are going to move or what you are going to do for work… it just seems like a chaotic environment to bring a child into. I would have to imagine there are families in more secure situations that should get that child… what do you think he said?
He said “I love you Garth Heckman”. I trust your honesty even though I don’t agree. We talked a little more, we laughed and in time he and his wife did adopt. But he never wavered on his commitment to me as a friend… or even best friend.
In certain parts of the world there are nations, cities and people groups that are terrorized by suicide bombers who wear suicide vests. These are vests loaded with explosives. They go into the most populated areas of the city and trigger the device killing themselves along with killing and injuring dozens, sometimes hundreds of people. The problem lies within trying to detect who these people are and stopping them before they detonate the bomb. There have been instances where people report suspicious activity and a soldier will shoot them without notice to save lives… only to find out that they are not wearing a vest at all. Families get upset, people are torn at what to do… so here is the step many are taking in these cities. When someone notices unusual activity or dress in another person they will run up to them and hug them yelling bomb or bomber - so that people will scatter. They hug them because they know the suicide bomber will still trigger the explosives but it will not kill as many or have as much of an impact because the person hugging him absorbs most of it… in dying… but they will also save lives. BUT If the person is not wearing a vest, the other person will thank them for their bravery…and many times seek them out as a true friend… as will everyone else. But most of the time… it is a real vest and that person will lose their life.
I think that is the best picture of what it is like to find a best friend. You find someone… You run up to them… willing to give your life to this friendship. And they may in turn kill you, your reputation your time you network your dog… and it might not end well… but there are others who might just see you as the most loyal person in the world… willing to give their life for your life.
If being nuts is having friends… than call me crazy… and pull the pull the trigger.
Thursday Mar 03, 2022
Thursday Mar 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
Todays world is filled with Recreational outrage. Joe Rogan Episode #1256 February 28, 2019 with David Lee Roth
Entitlement… its not fair.
Social media makes it look like anyone and everyone has the perfect life.
The guy who sold rings made out of spoons and made hundreds of thousands of dollars… why not me?
But it tricks you into thinking you are unlucky, unnoticed by God, forgotten.
But what is the truth?
Growth is the secret to the life you want… wether it is spiritually, financially, mentally, relationally… pick an area you want to succeed in and you gotta learn to grow in it.
There is NO growth without resistance. This the first law of sowing and reaping. Garth Heckman
When we pray we move into God‘s presence. When we praise he moves into ours. Here is the secret to watering your growth… when you learn something, begin to praise God for it and for the future that it brings… the future you don’t have quite yet, but know that with your effort and your growth plus faith… it will come to be.
Kenneth Copeland
Wednesday Mar 02, 2022
Wednesday Mar 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
Do you have a habit of breaking any traditions… you know eat pizza for Thanksgiving, open your presents on Christmas eve instead of Christmas morning… eat dessert first… well of course I am in agreement with that tradition… how about if you are a Christmas baby celebrating your birthday in the middle of the year instead of Christmas… Scandalous… and thats where we are going today.
Matthew 15:3 Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?
[When asked why his disciples didn't do the ceremonial hand washing,] Jesus replied, "And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God? For instance, God says, 'Honor your father and mother,' and 'Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.' But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, 'Sorry, I can't help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.' In this way, you say they don't need to honor their parents. And so you cancel the word of God for the sake of your own tradition.”
The problem comes when we begin to see our traditions as God’s requirements or use them as excuses.
In Matthew's gospel, Jesus confronted the interpretation of the law that added human traditions, rituals, and restrictions that were superficial and even directly contrary to God's will. Jesus, as Immanuel ("God is with us," Matthew 1:23), used both words and actions to show what God intended in his law. He challenged many of the accepted traditional practices and interpretations. He moved directly back to God's heart and will behind the law.
Otherwise, those who are hungering to find God get left out and those who know all the little rules and traditions can feel smug and self-righteous. Jesus came so the last could be first and the first, last. When tradition crowds out the will of God, the truth is lost, from first to last!
The word traditions isn’t just a “well thats the way we have always done it”… but has a basis of someone who gave in to pressure and now it has just become that way.
Some traditions back then Jesus just simply broke, he healed on the sabbath, he touched the leper, he spoke to a gentile scandalous women, he taught women, he applauded the heart over the act in giving…
Some traditions seem good…
Don’t listen to worldly music
Don’t see movies
Must be of this denomination or theology
Must speak in tongues
Must not speak in tongues
Don’t believe that healing is for today
Must have a priest pray over the sacraments
Must confess your sins to a priest
What about other traditions that have crept into the church….
Traditions… sleep with your girlfriend/boyfriend before you are married… well its a tradition, thats just the way it is.
Don’t really tithe…maybe a few dollars here and there… but thats just the way it is.
Don’t really read, pray or meditate on the word of God… I’m busy and well no one really does that anymore…
Don’t go to church every Sunday…
Don’t tell others about Christ…
Don’t stand up for the unborn
Dabble in pornography….
You cuss or curse or have obscene talk
You enter into gossip
For us to be true disciples, we must learn from Jesus and his word what God's will is. He reminded us in this passage that NOTHING, no teaching or tradition, should be allowed to replace the clearly stated will of God.
I was reprimanded by a church leader for giving out the sacraments when in fact I was not ordained by that denomination and it in fact was a sin to do just that… why? because that is their tradition…
Our goal as followers of Christ is to know what to follow… to know what his word says… to know what is worthy to be lived out and what is worthy to be thrown out.
You have maybe heard the story of the Young mother who is making dinner and her daughter asks why she cuts the end of the ham off before cooking it. She says, well thats what my mother did… the young girl asks her grandma… why did you cut off the end of the ham before you cooked it… she said oh dear thats so it will fit in my pan…
Look at what you are doing, and why you are doing it and ask yourself, does it line up with Gods word.
Is there a possibility that you are following some rule or tradition handed down to you by your parents, or friends or society that is slowing your walk with Christ. Its at least a worthy conversation to have with yourself.
Tuesday Mar 01, 2022
Tuesday Mar 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 called the helicopter… powerlifters and olympic lifters know it all to well. It is where the weight comes up and due to imbalance - wether in your body or in your actual balance the bar starts to turn you. the bar starts turning like a helicopter blade…
Forgive -
Luke 11:4 Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’”
interesting fact…
*There is no comma in the greek (between sentences). This is a structure in the greek that emphasizes that if we do not forgive, we feed the flesh and it becomes a heavy weight… the weight causes us to lean towards sinning/falling.
Like I said at the intro “the helicopter” the weight starts to cause you to bend and move a certain direction… thats what unforgiveness does to us when we hang on to it. The weight of hanging on to the sin… yes I said sin of unforgiveness is just teetering waiting to slowly topple us over.
My last official powerlifting meet I was in masters division 1, drug free and no gear (meaning no deadlifting suit to help) I was pulling near 700 pounds and it started to helicopter and twist in my hands turning my upper body to the right (typically due to a stronger left leg) Let me tell you, once that weight starts moving in the wrong direction it is hard to control.
And here in the Lords prayer it says it will cause us to fall into temptation. It will literally pull us into temptation… that doesn’t mean we will necesarrily sin, but I get enough temptation without making it harder on myself… so Im good with forgiving and at least cutting off that element of temptation.
But check this out… it says lead us not into temptation.
Lead = look ahead to what it will cause- announce this is what I am doing, and this is where I am heading. When my prof had us write down what would happen if we had an affair.
If consequences were immediate would we so easily fall into temptation? Twinkie = obese, drink = alcoholic,
sarcastic remark = divorce
Forgive, and look for what temptation might bring… and keep slaying giants!
Monday Feb 28, 2022
Monday Feb 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
ARE YOU SURE!
Satans scheme!
Matthew 4:3,4 Satan says “if you are the son of God”… What did satan say to Adam and eve? Did God say you really can’t eat this, he does not want you like God. temptation starts with satan questioning your position in Christ.
Matt. 4:4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
- 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
Gen. 3:4 5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
This honestly can only be described in one word… Ballsy. Satan is calling out Jesus… well if you are the son of God.
IF… ??? If I was Jesus I would have said… IF I wanted to just blow some lighting hot lava at you and destroy you…
If I wanted to call down all the angels in heaven and have them escort you to destruction…
If I wanted to I could turn you over my knee and spank you like your a seven year old.
IF? IF? IF?
temptation starts with satan questioning your position in Christ.
If you really were a Christian…. you wouldn’t have these thoughts, You wouldn’t be tempted, you wouldn’t fall, You wouldn’t sin, you would be more spiritual, you wouldn’t doubt your walk or your testimony…. if if if if
The story of Jesus temptation in Luke says he was tempted the full 40 days.
Jesus was tempted 40 days… 40 days of IF IF IF
Doubt will intensify temptation!
Doubting who you are in Christ will intensify temptation!
Or you might call it a lack of faith or even a lack of belief.
Romans 8:
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
This verse has no IF in it. The mindset is you are more than a conqueror.
Let me explain actually how the greek means this…
First say out loud right now “I am more than a conqueror”. Ok, that sounds pretty bold… but now say it like this.
I AM CONQUERORING SIN. IT HAS A DIFFERENT FEEL TO IT. It speaks with faith, boldness and assurance.
ARE YOU SURE YOU ARE A CONQUEROR?
of course you are!
I am conquering!
Next time satan tries to tempt you, just remind him through Gods word that you are conquering temptation, you are a conqueror!