Advertise on podcast: The David Alliance

The David Alliance [email protected] Garth Heckman YOUR FAITH WALK IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE A HEALTHY AMOUNT OF “WHAT IFS”    XNY is supposed to be hard. That causes us to be dependent on God!    "A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles." -- Christopher Reeve **A faith walking power filled Christian is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming WHAT IF’S.     What if - is always asked in a negative lens. But what if… (see what I did there) what if we looked at it in a Godly mindset. What if God has something better for me, What if God is preparing me for something better, What if God wants me to fully realize how in control he is, What if God is keeping me from harm or pain.        Scripture is full of people who had every reason to quit right before their breakthrough.  ***the obstacle MAY HAVE came from Jesus/God directly, from other people, or from circumstances.   The Syrophoenician/Canaanite woman (Matthew 15:21-28) — you already have this one. Told her miracle wasn't for "dogs," but she reframed her request instead of walking away, and Jesus called her faith “great.”   She does not allow her standing or her reputation keep her from pushing in.   Jairus (Mark 5:21-43) — while he was leading Jesus to his dying daughter, messengers arrived saying she was already dead: "Why troublest thou the Master any further?" Jesus told him not to fear, only believe — Jairus could have stopped right there, assuming it was too late.   He does not let reality of the situation keep him from pushing in.   The nobleman whose son was dying (John 4:46-53) — Jesus initially responds almost dismissively ("Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe"), before the man presses his request again — and his son is healed at that exact hour.   He did not let second guessed motives keep him from pushing in.    People discouraged by the crowd   Blind Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46-52) — the crowd told him to be quiet; he cried out louder. You've got this one too, but worth noting there's a parallel account of two blind men in Matthew 20:29-34 with the same "crowd rebuked them, they cried out more" pattern.   They did not let the crowd deter them from pushing in

The David Alliance [email protected] Garth Heckman What if when conquered does not follow a natural growth pattern.The pattern isn't linear, it's exponential — the breakthrough FROM WHAT IF is slow and doubted and mocked, but once it actually happens, everything after it moves faster than anyone predicted. The years of ridicule aren't proof it won't work — they're often the price of admission for something that changes everything once it finally lifts off.     YOUR FAITH WALK IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE A HEALTHY AMOUNT OF “WHAT IFS”    XNY is supposed to be hard. That causes us to be dependent on God!    "A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles." -- Christopher Reeve **A faith walking power filled Christian is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming WHAT IF’S.     What if - is always asked in a negative lens. But what if… (see what I did there) what if we looked at it in a Godly mindset. What if God has something better for me, What if God is preparing me for something better, What if God wants me to fully realize how in control he is, What if God is keeping me from harm or pain.        Scripture is full of people who had every reason to quit right before their breakthrough.  ***the obstacle MAY HAVE came from Jesus/God directly, from other people, or from circumstances.   The Syrophoenician/Canaanite woman (Matthew 15:21-28) — you already have this one. Told her miracle wasn't for "dogs," but she reframed her request instead of walking away, and Jesus called her faith “great.”   She does not allow her standing or her reputation keep her from pushing in.   Jairus (Mark 5:21-43) — while he was leading Jesus to his dying daughter, messengers arrived saying she was already dead: "Why troublest thou the Master any further?" Jesus told him not to fear, only believe — Jairus could have stopped right there, assuming it was too late.   He does not let reality of the situation keep him from pushing in.

The David Alliance [email protected] Garth Heckman What if…they gave up What if after succeeding but being doubted they gave up What if after being called liars they gave up What if?    But here is the beauty of the story!  The Acceleration   Here's where it gets powerful for your "how fast things take off" point:   1903: The Wright Flyer's first flight covered 120 feet in 12 seconds — a distance shorter than the wingspan of a Boeing 747.   1969 — just 66 years later: Apollo 11 landed men on the moon. Within a single human lifetime, humanity went from a 120-foot hop on a beach to walking on another world.   2026 — about 123 years later: SpaceX's Starship, the largest and most powerful rocket ever built, is in active development toward an uncrewed Mars landing attempt as early as the end of this year, with Musk targeting a self-sustaining city on Mars within about 20 years after that. Musk himself has said the flight rate will "grow exponentially" once the core technology is proven.   What if when conquered does not follow a natural growth pattern.The pattern isn't linear, it's exponential — the breakthrough FROM WHAT IF is slow and doubted and mocked, but once it actually happens, everything after it moves faster than anyone predicted. The years of ridicule aren't proof it won't work — they're often the price of admission for something that changes everything once it finally lifts off.     YOUR FAITH WALK IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE A HEALTHY AMOUNT OF “WHAT IFS”    XNY is supposed to be hard. That causes us to be dependent on God!    "A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles." -- Christopher Reeve **A faith walking power filled Christian is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming WHAT IF’S.     What if - is always asked in a negative lens. But what if… (see what I did there) what if we looked at it in a Godly mindset. What if God has something better for me, What if God is preparing me for something better, What if God wants me to fully realize how in control he is, What if God is keeping me from harm or pain.

The David Alliance [email protected] Garth Heckman What if?   The press called it before they even tried. On October 9, 1903 — just 69 days before the Wright Brothers and the Kitty Hawk —  New York Times published an editorial titled "Flying Machines Which Do Not Fly," declaring that a working flying machine might be developed "by the combined and continuous efforts of mathematicians and mechanicians in from one million to ten million years." That editorial was actually a response to the very public failure of Samuel Langley, a Smithsonian scientist whose government-funded "Aerodrome" project had just crashed — twice, publicly, humiliatingly — using taxpayer money.  The Wright Brothers weren't just fighting skepticism about flight in general; they were flying directly into the wreckage of someone else's very public, very credentialed failure.   69 days later…Even after they succeeded, almost nobody believed them — for years. This is the part most people don't know: the Wrights flew successfully in December 1903, but the press largely ignored or dismissed it. When they invited reporters to watch a 1904 flight, mechanical problems limited it to a short hop, and the press left more convinced than ever that the brothers were exaggerating. A local beekeeper who witnessed real flights in 1905 tried to get Scientific American — a serious, credible publication — to cover it. They turned him down. The Wrights spent roughly five years being doubted, ignored, or dismissed by the same institutions that should have celebrated them, and they didn't get real public credit until they demonstrated flights in Europe in 1908.   What if…they gave up What if after succeeding but being doubted they gave up What if after being called liars they gave up What if?    But here is the beauty of the story!  The Acceleration   Here's where it gets powerful for your "how fast things take off" point:   1903: The Wright Flyer's first flight covered 120 feet in 12 seconds — a distance shorter than the wingspan of a Boeing 747.   1969 — just 66 years later: Apollo 11 landed men on the moon. Within a single human lifetime, humanity went from a 120-foot hop on a beach to walking on another world.   2026 — about 123 years later: SpaceX's Starship, the largest and most powerful rocket ever built, is in active development toward an uncrewed Mars landing attempt as early as the end of this year, with Musk targeting a self-sustaining city on Mars within about 20 years after that. Musk himself has said the flight rate will "grow exponentially" once the core technology is proven.   What if when conquered does not follow a natural growth pattern.The pattern isn't linear, it's exponential — the breakthrough FROM WHAT IF is slow and doubted and mocked, but once it actually happens, everything after it moves faster than anyone predicted. The years of ridicule aren't proof it won't work — they're often the price of admission for something that changes everything once it finally lifts off.

The David Alliance [email protected] Garth Heckman Psalm 127:3-5 — "Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.”   We can see this verse from two different perspectives: You as a father and you under your father.  Let me start with the first…   I AM THANKFUL FOR MY FATHER  -  Dad reading praying every day.. still does.     -   My Dad at Spencer Lake youth camp       -   My Dad Turing himself in to the DNR   I was forged in the hands of a warrior… it is now my job to forge my sons so that they may forge their sons!        Young men are more lonely than ever before.        So we have a divide in our country today in Gen Z. Men are coming back to Jesus Women are opting out Men want marriage and families  More women then ever do not   One thing I do know: Scripture says family is a priority. And that makes it a target for satan our enemy.  Satan will attack not just the family       **but every element of it. Kids, husbands, Wives, young women meant to be wives, young men meant to be husbands.   #1 Thing men need to understand about the game of women and marriage.    Women love dangerous men… but wait there’s more   You become unbelievably attractive when you know God, his word, hear his voice and obey.            SINNERS IN THE HANDS OF AN ANGRY GOD Arrows in the hands of an angry God!    It is in a woman’s DNA to want a man of God!  Which is why many women do not want a man in todays world… there is a shortage of dangerous men.      So how does a young man grow, mature and lean into being a man of God.     #1 You will hang with who you hang with   Shad Shack and Benny - Don’t miss the foundation to their decision: They did it together.    David and his mighty men.    Jesus had 1 best friend, 3 close friends, 12 solid friends, 72 like minded friends,  Jesus sent out the disciples in 12 and 2. Again, don’t miss the point - you must have a ride or die crew for Jesus!      One of the biggest influences in my life as a young man in High School and my first year out of high school was hanging out with some college and career guys from my church. Tim Kruse, Brian White, Steve Wetzel, Tom Alexander, Sean O’Hearan. I would go down to the UW campus and watch and listen to them preach open air to the college students walking past from classes. They would get mocked, ridiculed and they would also see a lot of kids come to Christ. This group of about 12 guys were unstoppable.        #2 Understand you are an instrument of war.    Psalm 127:3-5 — "Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.”   Are you ready to be a man of God? A Father? A Warrior? All men must be willing to prepare to be a warrior who has children they are ready to unleash on the world for God. You may never have kids, but God will most definitely put young men in your life through out your faith walk to help launch into warfare. Are you ready to do that?   Notice the Psalm is written from the perspective of the father being the warrior, and his children (particularly sons, in the ancient near-eastern context) being the arrows he shoots into the future — meaning the original picture is about legacy and generational impact,  Now lets lip the metaphor — asking "what makes a good arrow, and who has to shoot it"        An Arrow Has No Power of Its Own — It Must Be Shaped   You can have a razor sharp broad head, a powerful bow… but if the arrow shaft is compromised it will never hit its target.    Before an arrow is ever shot, it has to be made: straightened, weighted, fletched. A crooked arrow, however sharp its tip, flies wildly off target no matter how strong the archer is.   There has to be disruption, challenge, pain and time. None of those can be skipped in order to be worthy of being in the hand of warrior.  Disruption breaks self-reliance. As long as a man's life is running smoothly on his own terms, he has little reason to depend on God. Disruption — losing a job, a relationship falling apart, a plan collapsing — tends to be what exposes how much a man was actually trusting in himself. Moses spent 40 years as a nobody shepherd in the wilderness before God called him; Joseph was sold into slavery and imprisoned unjustly before he was elevated. The disruption wasn't punishment — it was the thing that stripped away what he was leaning on so he'd have to lean on God instead.   Challenge builds endurance, and endurance builds character. This is almost verbatim what James 1:2-4 says — trials test faith, and that testing produces perseverance, and perseverance, if you let it finish its work, makes you "perfect and entire, wanting nothing." Romans 5:3-5 says something similar: suffering produces patience, patience produces experience, experience produces hope. The logic isn't "pain is good" — it's that character can't be built without resistance, the same way muscle can't be built without load.   Pain refines. Scripture repeatedly uses the image of metal being purified by fire — the heat doesn't destroy the metal, it burns off what doesn't belong (1 Peter 1:6-7, Malachi 3:3). Pain has a way of burning off performance, image management, and comfort-seeking, and revealing what a man actually believes when the stakes are real.   Time is what makes it real rather than manufactured. You can't compress spiritual maturity into a weekend. David was anointed king as a boy but spent years as a fugitive before he actually sat on the throne — the anointing came first, but the readiness came from time. Even Jesus, fully God, "learned obedience by the things which he suffered" (Hebrews 5:8) — there's something about lived, tested time that a single moment of decision can't substitute for.   What I'd add — a few things that change the picture, not just add to it:   Suffering alone doesn't guarantee godliness — the response does. Two men can go through the same disruption; one comes out bitter, hardened, and self-protective, the other comes out humble and more dependent on God. The pain isn't what transforms — how it's met is. Without humility and a willingness to actually submit to God in it, hardship just as often produces cynicism as character.   It's not meant to be walked alone. "Iron sharpens iron" (Proverbs 27:17) exists for a reason — a man processing pain in isolation is far more likely to either numb out or spiral than one who has other men actually in it with him. Community isn't an accessory to the formation process, it's usually the difference between suffering that shapes and suffering that just wounds.   The Word has to be the anchor, not just the pain. Scripture is what gives suffering meaning and direction instead of just being chaos a man survives. Psalm 1 and Joshua 1:8 both tie a man's fruitfulness to meditating on God's word — the trials do the breaking, but the Word is what rebuilds him toward something rather than just leaving rubble.   It's grace, not achievement. This is worth holding carefully — the goal isn't "suffer enough and you'll earn godly character." Galatians 5:22-23 calls maturity "fruit of the Spirit," not fruit of hardship. God does the actual transforming; the trials are the context he often works through, not a formula a man runs to produce holiness on his own effort.   So I'd say your instinct is right, but I'd reframe it slightly: it's not disruption, challenge, pain, and time that make a man godly — it's how he responds to those things, in community, anchored to the Word, surrendered to God, over that stretch of time. Take away any of those and the suffering can just as easily harden a man as shape him.               Application: The straightening process isn't punishment; it's what makes the difference between an arrow that flies true and one that veers off no matter how hard he's "launched" into life.   Scripture tie-in: Proverbs 27:17 — "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." An arrow doesn't sharpen itself; it's sharpened by something harder than itself pressing against it — mentors, fathers, Scripture, correction.     2. An Arrow's Power Comes From the Bow, Not Itself   Alex Revells video: waiting for my gun to kill someone… LOL.    Straight, precise, sharp, weighted, tested… but powerless with out the weight of the draw behind it.    An arrow, no matter how well made, has zero propulsion of its own. All its force comes from tension stored in something else — the archer's drawn bow.   Application: A young man's strength for life doesn't originate in himself — it comes from abiding in Christ, the source of real power. Self-reliance is like an arrow trying to launch itself; it goes nowhere.   Scripture tie-in: John 15:5 — "Apart from me you can do nothing." There are two parts to this… don’t miss it!   The garden that was given to the man… run down, falling apart, walls broken down, weeds, overgrowth, birds and animals feces…  “You absolutely right… but just between you and me… you should have seen this place when it was just Gods”.      3. An Arrow Must Be Aimed — Direction Matters More Than Speed   A powerful shot with no aim is worse than useless — it can actually cause harm. The strength of the draw means nothing if the target is wrong.     Targets. White, black, blue, red, gold.  The overall target Matt. 6:33 seek ye first the kingdom Each circle is a greater focus in your life. My inner circle is the gospel shared with others   Application: Raw ambition, drive, and tale

The David Alliance [email protected] Garth Heckman Psalm 127:3-5 — "Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.”   We can see this verse from two different perspectives: You as a father and you under your father.  Let me start with the first…   I AM THANKFUL FOR MY FATHER  -  Dad reading praying every day.. still does.     -   My Dad at Spencer Lake youth camp       -   My Dad Turing himself in to the DNR   I was forged in the hands of a warrior… it is now my job to forge my sons so that they may forge their sons!        Young men are more lonely than ever before.        So we have a divide in our country today in Gen Z. Men are coming back to Jesus Women are opting out Men want marriage and families  More women then ever do not   One thing I do know: Scripture says family is a priority. And that makes it a target for satan our enemy.  Satan will attack not just the family       **but every element of it. Kids, husbands, Wives, young women meant to be wives, young men meant to be husbands.   #1 Thing men need to understand about the game of women and marriage.    Women love dangerous men… but wait there’s more   You become unbelievably attractive when you know God, his word, hear his voice and obey.            SINNERS IN THE HANDS OF AN ANGRY GOD Arrows in the hands of an angry God!    It is in a woman’s DNA to want a man of God!  Which is why many women do not want a man in todays world… there is a shortage of dangerous men.      So how does a young man grow, mature and lean into being a man of God.     #1 You will hang with who you hang with   Shad Shack and Benny - Don’t miss the foundation to their decision: They did it together.    David and his mighty men.    Jesus had 1 best friend, 3 close friends, 12 solid friends, 72 like minded friends,  Jesus sent out the disciples in 12 and 2. Again, don’t miss the point - you must have a ride or die crew for Jesus!      One of the biggest influences in my life as a young man in High School and my first year out of high school was hanging out with some college and career guys from my church. Tim Kruse, Brian White, Steve Wetzel, Tom Alexander, Sean O’Hearan. I would go down to the UW campus and watch and listen to them preach open air to the college students walking past from classes. They would get mocked, ridiculed and they would also see a lot of kids come to Christ. This group of about 12 guys were unstoppable.        #2 Understand you are an instrument of war.    Psalm 127:3-5 — "Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.”   Are you ready to be a man of God? A Father? A Warrior? All men must be willing to prepare to be a warrior who has children they are ready to unleash on the world for God. You may never have kids, but God will most definitely put young men in your life through out your faith walk to help launch into warfare. Are you ready to do that?   Notice the Psalm is written from the perspective of the father being the warrior, and his children (particularly sons, in the ancient near-eastern context) being the arrows he shoots into the future — meaning the original picture is about legacy and generational impact,  Now lets lip the metaphor — asking "what makes a good arrow, and who has to shoot it"        An Arrow Has No Power of Its Own — It Must Be Shaped   You can have a razor sharp broad head, a powerful bow… but if the arrow shaft is compromised it will never hit its target.    Before an arrow is ever shot, it has to be made: straightened, weighted, fletched. A crooked arrow, however sharp its tip, flies wildly off target no matter how strong the archer is.   There has to be disruption, challenge, pain and time. None of those can be skipped in order to be worthy of being in the hand of warrior.  Disruption breaks self-reliance. As long as a man's life is running smoothly on his own terms, he has little reason to depend on God. Disruption — losing a job, a relationship falling apart, a plan collapsing — tends to be what exposes how much a man was actually trusting in himself. Moses spent 40 years as a nobody shepherd in the wilderness before God called him; Joseph was sold into slavery and imprisoned unjustly before he was elevated. The disruption wasn't punishment — it was the thing that stripped away what he was leaning on so he'd have to lean on God instead.   Challenge builds endurance, and endurance builds character. This is almost verbatim what James 1:2-4 says — trials test faith, and that testing produces perseverance, and perseverance, if you let it finish its work, makes you "perfect and entire, wanting nothing." Romans 5:3-5 says something similar: suffering produces patience, patience produces experience, experience produces hope. The logic isn't "pain is good" — it's that character can't be built without resistance, the same way muscle can't be built without load.   Pain refines. Scripture repeatedly uses the image of metal being purified by fire — the heat doesn't destroy the metal, it burns off what doesn't belong (1 Peter 1:6-7, Malachi 3:3). Pain has a way of burning off performance, image management, and comfort-seeking, and revealing what a man actually believes when the stakes are real.   Time is what makes it real rather than manufactured. You can't compress spiritual maturity into a weekend. David was anointed king as a boy but spent years as a fugitive before he actually sat on the throne — the anointing came first, but the readiness came from time. Even Jesus, fully God, "learned obedience by the things which he suffered" (Hebrews 5:8) — there's something about lived, tested time that a single moment of decision can't substitute for.   What I'd add — a few things that change the picture, not just add to it:   Suffering alone doesn't guarantee godliness — the response does. Two men can go through the same disruption; one comes out bitter, hardened, and self-protective, the other comes out humble and more dependent on God. The pain isn't what transforms — how it's met is. Without humility and a willingness to actually submit to God in it, hardship just as often produces cynicism as character.   It's not meant to be walked alone. "Iron sharpens iron" (Proverbs 27:17) exists for a reason — a man processing pain in isolation is far more likely to either numb out or spiral than one who has other men actually in it with him. Community isn't an accessory to the formation process, it's usually the difference between suffering that shapes and suffering that just wounds.   The Word has to be the anchor, not just the pain. Scripture is what gives suffering meaning and direction instead of just being chaos a man survives. Psalm 1 and Joshua 1:8 both tie a man's fruitfulness to meditating on God's word — the trials do the breaking, but the Word is what rebuilds him toward something rather than just leaving rubble.   It's grace, not achievement. This is worth holding carefully — the goal isn't "suffer enough and you'll earn godly character." Galatians 5:22-23 calls maturity "fruit of the Spirit," not fruit of hardship. God does the actual transforming; the trials are the context he often works through, not a formula a man runs to produce holiness on his own effort.   So I'd say your instinct is right, but I'd reframe it slightly: it's not disruption, challenge, pain, and time that make a man godly — it's how he responds to those things, in community, anchored to the Word, surrendered to God, over that stretch of time. Take away any of those and the suffering can just as easily harden a man as shape him.               Application: The straightening process isn't punishment; it's what makes the difference between an arrow that flies true and one that veers off no matter how hard he's "launched" into life.   Scripture tie-in: Proverbs 27:17 — "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." An arrow doesn't sharpen itself; it's sharpened by something harder than itself pressing against it — mentors, fathers, Scripture, correction.     2. An Arrow's Power Comes From the Bow, Not Itself   Alex Revells video: waiting for my gun to kill someone… LOL.    Straight, precise, sharp, weighted, tested… but powerless with out the weight of the draw behind it.    An arrow, no matter how well made, has zero propulsion of its own. All its force comes from tension stored in something else — the archer's drawn bow.   Application: A young man's strength for life doesn't originate in himself — it comes from abiding in Christ, the source of real power. Self-reliance is like an arrow trying to launch itself; it goes nowhere.   Scripture tie-in: John 15:5 — "Apart from me you can do nothing." There are two parts to this… don’t miss it!   The garden that was given to the man… run down, falling apart, walls broken down, weeds, overgrowth, birds and animals feces…  “You absolutely right… but just between you and me… you should have seen this place when it was just Gods”.

The David Alliance [email protected]  Garth Heckman Psalm 127:3-5 — "Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.”   We can see this verse from two different perspectives: You as a father and you under your father.  Let me start with the first…   I AM THANKFUL FOR MY FATHER  -  Dad reading praying every day.. still does.     -   My Dad at Spencer Lake youth camp       -   My Dad Turing himself in to the DNR   I was forged in the hands of a warrior… it is now my job to forge my sons so that they may forge their sons!    Young men are more lonely than ever before.    So we have a divide in our country today in Gen Z. Men are coming back to Jesus Women are opting out Men want marriage and families  More women then ever do not   One thing I do know: Scripture says family is a priority. And that makes it a target for satan our enemy.  Satan will attack not just the family       **but every element of it. Kids, husbands, Wives, young women meant to be wives, young men meant to be husbands.   #1 Thing men need to understand about the game of women and marriage.    Women love dangerous men… but wait there’s more   You become unbelievably attractive when you know God, his word, hear his voice and obey.    SINNERS IN THE HANDS OF AN ANGRY GOD Arrows in the hands of an angry God!    It is in a woman’s DNA to want a man of God!  Which is why many women do not want a man in todays world… there is a shortage of dangerous men.    So how does a young man grow, mature and lean into being a man of God. #1 You will hang with who you hang with   Shad Shack and Benny - Don’t miss the foundation to their decision: They did it together.    David and his mighty men.    Jesus had 1 best friend, 3 close friends, 12 solid friends, 72 like minded friends,  Jesus sent out the disciples in 12 and 2. Again, don’t miss the point - you must have a ride or die crew for Jesus!    One of the biggest influences in my life as a young man in High School and my first year out of high school was hanging out with some college and career guys from my church. Tim Kruse, Brian White, Steve Wetzel, Tom Alexander, Sean O’Hearan. I would go down to the UW campus and watch and listen to them preach open air to the college students walking past from classes. They would get mocked, ridiculed and they would also see a lot of kids come to Christ. This group of about 12 guys were unstoppable.

The David Alliance [email protected] Garth Heckman Psalm 127:3-5 — "Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.”   We can see this verse from two different perspectives: You as a father and you under your father.  Let me start with the first…   I AM THANKFUL FOR MY FATHER  -  Dad reading praying every day.. still does.     -   My Dad at Spencer Lake youth camp       -   My Dad Turing himself in to the DNR   I was forged in the hands of a warrior… it is now my job to forge my sons so that they may forge their sons!        Young men are more lonely than ever before.        So we have a divide in our country today in Gen Z. Men are coming back to Jesus Women are opting out Men want marriage and families  More women then ever do not   One thing I do know: Scripture says family is a priority. And that makes it a target for satan our enemy.  Satan will attack not just the family       **but every element of it. Kids, husbands, Wives, young women meant to be wives, young men meant to be husbands.   #1 Thing men need to understand about the game of women and marriage.    Women love dangerous men… but wait there’s more   You become unbelievably attractive when you know God, his word, hear his voice and obey.

The David Alliance  [email protected] Garth Heckman Accuser     Do you inhale or exhale when you putt?      THE ACCUSER - THE RATT      START WITH A WARNING… **If you do not understand how the accuser works you will be used by him and for his purpose without even knowing it.       Here is how it works:  People play the VICTIM - Why me, me oh my, waaa waaa waaa, poor me.     Then they turn into the VILLIAN - They attack people who they feel have it made, had it easy, they think they are arrogant simply because they are successful in some area of life.   They they become Victors and they fight on behalf of the other “VICTIMS”… Jeff Karow “I shudder thinking about the 11 year old little girl who could not get an abortion after being brutally raped.        The worst thing about being deceived is you do not know you are deceived. You operate in the mindset of fact, but its not fact at all. Remember when cigarettes did not cause cancer.          John 8   Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, 2 but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. 3 As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd. 4 “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” 6 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” 8 Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust. 9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” 11 “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”                   The historical background of this passage—traditionally known as the Pericope Adulterae—is shaped by a clever political trap, a clash between competing legal systems, and a fascinating journey through ancient manuscripts. [1, 2, 3, 4]    peh-RIK-oh-pee - It’s from Greek, meaning "a cutting out" or "a selected passage,” Adulterae = ah-dul-TAIR-eye   1. The Legal Trap: Roman Law vs. Jewish Law The religious leaders weren't just asking Jesus for a theological opinion; they were trying to force Him into a dangerous political and legal corner: [3, 5]      The Roman Constraint: Under Roman occupation, the Jewish authorities (the Sanhedrin) were stripped of their power to officially execute anyone. If Jesus agreed that the woman should be stoned to death, He would be encouraging an illegal vigilante execution, breaking Roman law and setting Himself up as a rebel leader against Rome. The Mosaic Constraint: If Jesus said she should go free, He would appear to be breaking the Law of Moses(Leviticus 20:10), which prescribed the death penalty for adultery. This would instantly ruin His credibility as a Rabbi among the Jewish people.    What is really going on here? Judging Jesus response - while they themselves do not hold themselves accountable to the same standard.    *they are not willing to make a call on this - but judging Jesus on his response.   People will call you out - all the while never talk about their own lack of character in the same manner.       Where was the man? The Mosaic law explicitly stated that both the man and the woman caught in adultery were to be put to death.   **Missing information: Accusers will never share the whole story.          OOOOO         2. The Location: The Temple Courts The text explicitly states this encounter took place in the Temple courts (John 8:2).     The sprawling courts of Herod’s Temple were not dirt roads or sandy paths; they were grand, public plazas paved with massive, polished stone tiles. If there was loose dust blown onto the stones, Jesus could have been writing in the dirt. However, if He was pressing His finger directly against the smooth, hard flagstones of the Temple floor, a mere human finger would leave no mark. For Him to "engrave" or "write" a visible record there would require a miracle. [7, 8]    3. The Theological Parallel: The Finger of God By highlighting that Jesus wrote "with his finger," John uses a very rare phrasing that immediately points a Jewish reader back to the Old Testament. [7, 9]      In the entire Bible, there are only a few times where God is described as physically writing something. The most famous is Exodus 31:18: "He gave Moses the two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God."     Jesus was silently saying: "You are trying to lecture Me on the Law? I am the one who carved it in stone in the first place." [1, 10]        OOOOOOO   The phrase "the finger of God" appears only a handful of times in the entire Bible. Each instance represents an irresistible, sovereign display of divine authority and judgment on those who try to play God.  When you connect these other passages to Jesus in the Temple courts, they paint a staggering picture of who He was claiming to be.     1. The Plagues of Egypt (Exodus 8:19)   The Context: During the ten plagues, Pharaoh's court sorcerers try to replicate the miracles Moses performs. When God turns the dust of the earth into swarms of gnats, the magicians fail to copy it. Terrified, they tell Pharaoh: "This is the finger of God."     2. The Ten Commandments (Exodus 31:18 & Deuteronomy 9:10)   The Context: God delivers the moral law to humanity not by dictating it to Moses, but by physically carving it Himself. The text notes the tablets were "written with the finger of God" on stone.   3. The Writing on the Wall (Daniel 5:5)   The Context: King Belshazzar of Babylon throws a blasphemous feast, drinking out of the sacred gold cups stolen from God’s Temple. Suddenly, the fingers of a human hand appear and scratch a mysterious message into the plaster of the wall (Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin). Daniel interprets the writing: God has weighed the king's deeds, found him wanting, and his kingdom is finished.   4. Jesus Driving Out Demons (Luke 11:20)   The Context: Jesus is accused by His critics of using the power of Satan to cast out demons. He fires back: "But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you."         This is a great teaching device — pastors use this "voice of the accuser" framing often to expose the enemy's tactics. Here's a biblically-grounded list, treating it as an exposé of strategy rather than actually voicing that persona.   9-16-26 Start here for TDA 10 Ways the Accuser Attacks Faith 1. Rehearsing Your Past He whispers your worst moment on repeat — the affair, the addiction, the abortion, the thing you did at 19 — long after God has already forgiven it, hoping shame will convince you that grace has an expiration date. (Revelation 12:10 — he accuses "day and night") 2. Redefining God's Character "Did God really say...?" He doesn't usually deny God exists — he reframes who God is: distant, disappointed, keeping score. (Genesis 3:1) 3. Comparison He points you at someone else's marriage, ministry, body, or blessing, and lets envy do the rest of the work — convincing you God has been unfair specifically to you. 4. Isolation Disguised as Privacy He convinces you that no one can know the real struggle — that if your small group or spouse knew, they'd walk away. Isolation is where accusation grows unchecked, because it's never tested against truth spoken by someone else. 5. Weaponizing Other Believers' Words He takes a real hurt — something someone at church actually said or did — and repeats it in your mind until it becomes "this is who the church really is" or "this is who God really is." 6. Delayed Answers as Proof of Abandonment When prayer isn't answered on your timeline, he suggests silence means absence — that unanswered prayer is proof you're not really heard, rather than proof you're being asked to trust. (Compare Job's friends' theology vs. God's actual response in Job 38-42) 7. Perfectionism Disguised as Conviction Real conviction from the Spirit is specific and leads to repentance and freedom (2 Corinthians 7:10). Accusation is vague, global, and leads to paralysis — "you'll never get this right," "you're always like this." One brings you to the cross; the other just buries you. 8. Identity Theft He tries to get you to answer to a label — addict, failure, fraud, unworthy — instead of the one Scripture actually gives you: forgiven, adopted, righteous in Christ (Romans 8:1, Ephesians 1:5). Whoever answers the accusation has already accepted the label. 9. Success as a Trapdoor Ironically, he accuses through pride too — convincing gifted, "successful" believers (especially leaders) that their platform, growth, or following is proof of their own righteousness, setting up a fall through self-sufficiency rather than obvious sin. (1 Timothy 3:6 — the danger of being "puffed up with conceit") 10. Truth Without Grace This might be the subtlest one: he loves using real Scripture, real truth, real standards — just stripped of the gospel's grace and hope, so truth becomes crushing weight instead of a path to freedom. (This is actually what he tried on Jesus in the wilderness — quoting real Scripture, Matthew 4:6, but twisting its application.)   THREE  "Dirty Little Secrets" Worth Naming   1-  If there's one un

The David Alliance [email protected] Garth Heckman THREE  "Dirty Little Secrets" Worth Naming   1-  If there's one unifying tactic underneath all ten, it's this: the accuser rarely needs to invent new material — he just recycles truth without context, timing, or grace. Most of his accusations contain a kernel of something real (a real failure, a real hurt, a real Scripture) — which is exactly why they're so effective. Outright lies are easy to reject. Half-truths delivered at the right moment, with real pain attached, are much harder to resist.     2-  The second secret: he almost never announces himself. Nobody hears an accusing thought and thinks "that was Satan." It just feels like "being honest with myself," or "just being realistic," or "this is just how I am." The accusations feel like your own internal voice of reason — which is precisely what makes Revelation 12:11 significant: believers overcome him "by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony" — meaning the antidote isn't cleverness or willpower, it's actively speaking a different word over yourself than the one he's whispering.       3-  If a thought pushes you toward confession, prayer, and community — that's likely conviction. BUT WITH THAT - ACCUSATIONS MAKE YOU START TO MAKE EXCUSES FOR THAT WHICH YOU ARE BEING ACCUSED OF… THEN HE MAKES YOU FEEL GUILTY FOR THE EXCUSES YOU MADE.      The weapon against accusation isn't willpower or cleverness — it's actively speaking a different word over yourself than the one being whispered. Silence lets the accusation stand unchallenged. Testimony — speaking truth out loud, even just to yourself — interrupts it.

The David Alliance [email protected] Garth Heckman 10 Ways the Accuser Attacks Faith 1. Rehearsing Your Past He whispers your worst moment on repeat — the affair, the addiction, the abortion, the thing you did at 19 — long after God has already forgiven it, hoping shame will convince you that grace has an expiration date. (Revelation 12:10 — he accuses "day and night") 2. Redefining God's Character "Did God really say...?" He doesn't usually deny God exists — he reframes who God is: distant, disappointed, keeping score. (Genesis 3:1) 3. Comparison He points you at someone else's marriage, ministry, body, or blessing, and lets envy do the rest of the work — convincing you God has been unfair specifically to you. 4. Isolation Disguised as Privacy He convinces you that no one can know the real struggle — that if your small group or spouse knew, they'd walk away. Isolation is where accusation grows unchecked, because it's never tested against truth spoken by someone else. 5. Weaponizing Other Believers' Words He takes a real hurt — something someone at church actually said or did — and repeats it in your mind until it becomes "this is who the church really is" or "this is who God really is." 6. Delayed Answers as Proof of Abandonment When prayer isn't answered on your timeline, he suggests silence means absence — that unanswered prayer is proof you're not really heard, rather than proof you're being asked to trust. (Compare Job's friends' theology vs. God's actual response in Job 38-42) 7. Perfectionism Disguised as Conviction Real conviction from the Spirit is specific and leads to repentance and freedom (2 Corinthians 7:10). Accusation is vague, global, and leads to paralysis — "you'll never get this right," "you're always like this." One brings you to the cross; the other just buries you. 8. Identity Theft He tries to get you to answer to a label — addict, failure, fraud, unworthy — instead of the one Scripture actually gives you: forgiven, adopted, righteous in Christ (Romans 8:1, Ephesians 1:5). Whoever answers the accusation has already accepted the label. 9. Success as a Trapdoor Ironically, he accuses through pride too — convincing gifted, "successful" believers (especially leaders) that their platform, growth, or following is proof of their own righteousness, setting up a fall through self-sufficiency rather than obvious sin. (1 Timothy 3:6 — the danger of being "puffed up with conceit") 10. Truth Without Grace This might be the subtlest one: he loves using real Scripture, real truth, real standards — just stripped of the gospel's grace and hope, so truth becomes crushing weight instead of a path to freedom. (This is actually what he tried on Jesus in the wilderness — quoting real Scripture, Matthew 4:6, but twisting its application.)

The David Alliance  [email protected] Garth Heckman Accuser   Do you inhale or exhale when you putt?    THE ACCUSER - THE RATT  START WITH A WARNING… **If you do not understand how the accuser works you will be used by him and for his purpose without even knowing it.   Here is how it works:  People play the VICTIM - Why me, me oh my, waaa waaa waaa, poor me.   Then they turn into the VILLIAN - They attack people who they feel have it made, had it easy, they think they are arrogant simply because they are successful in some area of life.   They they become Victors and they fight on behalf of the other “VICTIMS”… Jeff Karow “I shudder thinking about the 11 year old little girl who could not get an abortion after being brutally raped.    The worst thing about being deceived is you do not know you are deceived. You operate in the mindset of fact, but its not fact at all. Remember when cigarettes did not cause cancer.    John 8 Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, 2 but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. 3 As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd. 4 “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” 6 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” 8 Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust. 9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” 11 “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”   The historical background of this passage—traditionally known as the Pericope Adulterae—is shaped by a clever political trap, a clash between competing legal systems, and a fascinating journey through ancient manuscripts. [1, 2, 3, 4]    peh-RIK-oh-pee - It’s from Greek, meaning "a cutting out" or "a selected passage,” Adulterae = ah-dul-TAIR-eye   1. The Legal Trap: Roman Law vs. Jewish Law The religious leaders weren't just asking Jesus for a theological opinion; they were trying to force Him into a dangerous political and legal corner: [3, 5]    The Roman Constraint: Under Roman occupation, the Jewish authorities (the Sanhedrin) were stripped of their power to officially execute anyone. If Jesus agreed that the woman should be stoned to death, He would be encouraging an illegal vigilante execution, breaking Roman law and setting Himself up as a rebel leader against Rome. The Mosaic Constraint: If Jesus said she should go free, He would appear to be breaking the Law of Moses(Leviticus 20:10), which prescribed the death penalty for adultery. This would instantly ruin His credibility as a Rabbi among the Jewish people.    What is really going on here? Judging Jesus response - while they themselves do not hold themselves accountable to the same standard.    *they are not willing to make a call on this - but judging Jesus on his response.   People will call you out - all the while never talk about their own lack of character in the same manner.   Where was the man? The Mosaic law explicitly stated that both the man and the woman caught in adultery were to be put to death. **Missing information: Accusers will never share the whole story.    2. The Location: The Temple Courts The text explicitly states this encounter took place in the Temple courts (John 8:2).     The sprawling courts of Herod’s Temple were not dirt roads or sandy paths; they were grand, public plazas paved with massive, polished stone tiles. If there was loose dust blown onto the stones, Jesus could have been writing in the dirt. However, if He was pressing His finger directly against the smooth, hard flagstones of the Temple floor, a mere human finger would leave no mark. For Him to "engrave" or "write" a visible record there would require a miracle. [7, 8]    3. The Theological Parallel: The Finger of God By highlighting that Jesus wrote "with his finger," John uses a very rare phrasing that immediately points a Jewish reader back to the Old Testament. [7, 9]      In the entire Bible, there are only a few times where God is described as physically writing something. The most famous is Exodus 31:18: "He gave Moses the two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God."   Jesus was silently saying: "You are trying to lecture Me on the Law? I am the one who carved it in stone in the first place." [1, 10]    OOOOOOO   The phrase "the finger of God" appears only a handful of times in the entire Bible. Each instance represents an irresistible, sovereign display of divine authority and judgment on those who try to play God.  When you connect these other passages to Jesus in the Temple courts, they paint a staggering picture of who He was claiming to be.     1. The Plagues of Egypt (Exodus 8:19)   The Context: During the ten plagues, Pharaoh's court sorcerers try to replicate the miracles Moses performs. When God turns the dust of the earth into swarms of gnats, the magicians fail to copy it. Terrified, they tell Pharaoh: "This is the finger of God."   2. The Ten Commandments (Exodus 31:18 & Deuteronomy 9:10)   The Context: God delivers the moral law to humanity not by dictating it to Moses, but by physically carving it Himself. The text notes the tablets were "written with the finger of God" on stone.   3. The Writing on the Wall (Daniel 5:5)   The Context: King Belshazzar of Babylon throws a blasphemous feast, drinking out of the sacred gold cups stolen from God’s Temple. Suddenly, the fingers of a human hand appear and scratch a mysterious message into the plaster of the wall (Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin). Daniel interprets the writing: God has weighed the king's deeds, found him wanting, and his kingdom is finished.   4. Jesus Driving Out Demons (Luke 11:20)   The Context: Jesus is accused by His critics of using the power of Satan to cast out demons. He fires back: "But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you."   This is a great teaching device — pastors use this "voice of the accuser" framing often to expose the enemy's tactics. Here's a biblically-grounded list, treating it as an exposé of strategy rather than actually voicing that persona.

The David Alliance [email protected] Garth Heckman Accuser Do you inhale or exhale when you putt?  THE ACCUSER - THE RATT    START WITH A WARNING… **If you do not understand how the accuser works you will be used by him and for his purpose without even knowing it.   Here is how it works:  People play the VICTIM - Why me, me oh my, waaa waaa waaa, poor me. Then they turn into the VILLIAN - They attack people who they feel have it made, had it easy, they think they are arrogant simply because they are successful in some area of life.   They they become Victors and they fight on behalf of the other “VICTIMS”… Jeff Karow “I shudder thinking about the 11 year old little girl who could not get an abortion after being brutally raped.    The worst thing about being deceived is you do not know you are deceived. You operate in the mindset of fact, but its not fact at all. Remember when cigarettes did not cause cancer.

The David Alliance [email protected] Garth Heckman Luke 11

The David Alliance [email protected]  Garth Heckman ASK   John F. Kennedy - ask not what your country can do for you, but rather what can you do for your country…. Great line, too bad it wasn’t his… but it still screams the idea of asking….   JFK’s head schoolmaster in catholic chapel actually came up with that line… and JFK modified it.    Title Idea: "The Divine Exchange: What Asking Reveals”   Im going somewhere with this question…   A simple question: What is your theology? Simple answer: I believe in Jesus as the son of God. I believe he died for my sins. I believe He rose again. I believe I am a sinner, I have asked him to forgive me of my sins, and I have chosen to live my life for him. My Basic theology: Right?     NOT EXACTLY what your theology is based on…. ITS IN THE QUESTIONS YOU ASK AND THE QUESTIONS YOU ANSWER?     The tension in scripture is in the questions: BUT NOT IN WHAT YOU ask, BUT IN HOW YOU ACT!     QUESTIONS - “ASK” - DEMAND BEHAVIOR!    Gods questions to us demand alliance Our Questions to God reveal compliance    How far is too far… ahhhh that question reveals your lack of compliance and your lack of heart for alliance.  The real question is “What is the best way to honor this person in you and in their future marriage?”       CFNI - PINK ELEPHANTS  Special speaker - asks again and again =who is in rebellion, refusing to repent and be used by God.       We wait….. Finally a man in his 30’s stands up - its me. We pray for him. The speaker says you have a word for someone - The man says yes - someone here is afraid of pink elephants      We wait…. A young man bursts out of his seat.. it’s me, it’s me   IT WAS… A SERIES OF UNCOMFORTABLE QUESTIONS!      Jesus asks impossible things ("you feed them"),    -  and people ask Him impossible things (water-walking).       Jesus asks us uncomfortable questions (Why give to the dogs what was meant for the children)    -  We ask him questions we can rationalize (God I know you understand, I know you are a forgiving God)   Jesus asks improbable questions: (Why would you call me good?, do you want to get well?)    -  We ask self serving questions (Isn’t everybody doing it? But isn’t it just easier this way)     Pose the question: What if the way we ask, and the way we respond to being asked, exposes our actual theology—not our stated one?   Because it does.          THOUGHT: Jesus's Questions Expose What We Believe, Not What We Know     LUKE 5     Jesus first ask of a disciple - makes no sense. Peter objects but obliges.   **What Jesus exemplified - He stood in the boat and preached, and it drew a multitude of fish to him.  APPLICATION: Jesus: “Follow my ask and watch what I can do.”       5 YEARS AGO I WAS FILLING OUT PAPER WORK FOR PATENTS… GOD SAID GO FOR IT.     Now understand everything that I want to go after will cost me a lot of money. I was explaining to God why this is a dumb idea - I don’t have the money… but he said “be greedy, go for it”. I objected, but obliged… it paid off!          12,000 HAPPY MEALS Text: Matthew 14:16 — "You give them something to eat.”   This isn't a logistics question. Jesus already knew what He was going to do (John 6:6 says as much—He asked "to test" Philip, "for he himself knew what he was going to do"). The command wasn't functional; it was diagnostic. He's not asking the disciples to solve a math problem (5 loaves ÷ 5,000 people); He's asking them to locate their trust.   Theological insight: When God gives an "impossible" instruction, He's rarely asking you to be sufficient. He's asking you to bring what's insufficient to Him. The miracle happens in the disciples' hands, not before them—they distribute what they don't yet have enough of, and it multiplies in the giving, not before it.   Application: Every "you feed them" moment in our lives (a marriage we can't fix, a ministry we can't sustain, a grief we can't carry) is less about capability and more about direction—will we hoard the five loaves in fear, or hand them over in obedience?     A young man comes to Christ. He was a fun, crazy partying teenager, then 20 year old… now 25 and he comes to Christ. He slept around… but now knew if he was going to call him self a Christian he had to practice abstinence… no excuses -  But he was admittedly unsure - to him it seemed impossible. He could do it for a few dates…but then what. I EXPLAINED TO HIM - you bring your 3% and God will cover the other 97%.      To most people - especially the 15-30 year olds that seems like an impossible ask:      Point 2: "Why So Little Faith?" — The Question That Isn't Really a Question   Text: Matthew 8:26 The storm, Jesus asks this three times in Matthew, always after the disciples have witnessed power but respond in fear or doubt   Oli-GO-pistos - “you do realize I have the power if you have the faith”.    Application: The question isn't accusatory—it's an invitation to memory. When we're afraid, Jesus isn't asking us to defend our fear; He's asking us to recall what we already know about Him.   HE IS ASKING SO WE REMEMBER!      Point 3: When People Ask Jesus — The Syrophoenician Woman's Bold Request - what about the crumbs!    Text: Mark 7:24–30 / Matthew 15:21–28     Jesus Is Testing/Drawing Out Her Faith, Not Insulting Her     Her response wins the exchange trusting in his character and goodness with humility and cleverness.   She asks - and does not get the answer she wants. She asks - again with humility and candor