The David Alliance

Garth Heckman

Making men MEN again. The David Alliance will help you slay your giants.

  1. 1d ago

    It's Gott'a die!

    The David Alliance TDAgiantSlayer@Gmail.com Garth Heckman Insight C: The Necessity of Falling and Dying (Kokkos) In John 12:24, Jesus states: "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain (kokkos) of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit." The Sermon Point: Burial is not the end; it is the beginning. The Greek Nuance: A kokkos is a singular, isolated kernel. Unbroken, it has a shelf life of years but remains entirely alone. Only by being "buried" in the dark, breaking open, and surrendering its structure can its inner life be released. Application: This is Jesus predicting His death, but it's also a template for discipleship. Our greatest impact doesn't come from protecting our lives, but from our willingness to lay them down. What feels like "burial" in our lives is often God "planting" us for a harvest.   WE HAVE A DREAM - a seed - we don’t just let it die… we understand the process. In the real world, we get the seed, we find fertile ground, we dig a hole, we bury it, we water it, we expose it so sun, we keep bugs away, we fertilize it…  but in that process is still death - it has to die! The seed surrenders unto death - it must die. We must die to ourselves. We must be willing to say “ok God I have done everything I can, plant, water, fertilize, weed… but I also trust you to do whatever you want… if it dies, I trust you”.     Deep inside the Arctic Circle, carved into a frozen mountain on a remote Norwegian island, sits the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. It is built to withstand earthquakes, nuclear war, and rising sea levels. Inside, there are over a million seed samples from every corner of the earth. They are kept in airtight, triple-ply foil packets at a constant temperature of minus 18 degrees Celsius. Why? To keep them perfectly safe. To keep them from changing. To keep them from dying. It is a masterpiece of human preservation. But here is the paradox of a seed: As long as a seed is kept safe, dry, and preserved, it is completely useless. A seed is not designed for a high-tech vault. It is designed to be thrown into the dirt, rained on, broken open, and utterly destroyed. Its safety is its starvation; its burial is its birth. The Transition: "Many of us live our lives like spiritual seed vaults. We spend all our energy keeping ourselves safe, comfortable, and controlled. We avoid the dirt of sacrifice, the darkness of suffering, and the pain of breaking. But Jesus did not call us to be preserved; He called us to be planted. Today, we are going to look at why God often takes what we love most and buries it—not to destroy it, but to unlock its true potential..." You can’t just simply hang on to a seed, a dream, a goal, a vision and just expect God to use it. You have to take a step of faith, plant it and hope it dies so that only God can make it grow!

  2. 2d ago

    I'm Flaky? Greatest compliment ever!

    The David Alliance  TDAgiantSlayer@gmail.com Garth Heckman   The Singular Seed of Promise (Sperma) In Galatians 3:16, Paul makes a massive grammatical and theological argument based on a singular noun: "The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say 'and to seeds,' meaning many people, but 'and to your seed,' meaning one person, who is Christ." The Sermon Point: The Old Testament was not pointing to a demographic, but a Deliverer. The Greek Nuance: Paul uses the singular sperma. In Hebrew, zera (seed) can be collective (like "sheep" or "hair"), but Paul utilizes the Greek singular to show that the entire covenant of Abraham was funneled into a single focal point: Jesus. ONE PERSON - ONE SEED - ONE DEATH - “ONE MULTIPLICATION” = FOR ALL Application: Because we are "in Christ," we inherit the promises not by genetic pedigree, but by being joined to the ultimate Sperma. Furthermore, 1 John 3:9 says God’s sperma (divine seed/DNA) now abides in us, meaning we carry the family likeness of heaven. The Hook: If you’ve ever stood at the base of a Giant Sequoia in California, you know it is a humbling experience. These trees can grow to be nearly 300 feet tall, 30 feet wide, and can live for over 3,000 years. They are absolute titans—so massive that a single branch can be larger than the trunk of a standard city tree. But if you were to hold the seed of a Giant Sequoia in your hand, you would be shocked. It looks like a tiny, papery flake of oatmeal. It is about a quarter of an inch long, and it weighs a fraction of a gram. It is almost weightless. If you dropped it on the ground, you would never find it. Yet, wrapped inside that microscopic, fragile speck of dust is the genetic blueprint for a giant that can withstand wildfires, outlast empires, and tower over the landscape. The Transition: "The Kingdom of God works on the exact same principle. God loves to hide massive, landscape-changing futures inside microscopic, easily overlooked packages. Today, you might feel small, unnoticed, or insignificant. But you need to understand that the power of your future is not determined by the size of your current starting point, but by the design of the Seed inside you..."

  3. 4d ago

    The Dirt Don't Care!

    The David Alliance Garth Heckman TDAgiantSlayer@Gmail.com   In the Parable of the Sower (Luke 8) and the lesser-known Parable of the Growing Seed (Mark 4:26-29), Jesus uses sporos. The Sermon Point: The power is in the seed, not the dirt. The Greek Nuance: In Mark 4:28, Jesus says the earth produces crops "by itself". The Greek word used there is automati, from which we get our word automatic. Application: The farmer’s job is simply to plant and get out of the way. We often exhaust ourselves trying to "produce" spiritual growth, but spiritual transformation is an automatic, organic result of God's Word being allowed to dwell in a healthy heart. Some seed was eaten, some burned up, some choked out, some on good soil. It’s not your job to choose which soil… its your job to plant.  And point 2…  THE DIRT DOESN’T CARE WHAT YOU PLANT.   In the 1960s, archaeologists excavating Masada—the ancient mountaintop fortress in Israel—discovered a small jar containing a handful of date palm seeds. Carbon dating revealed they were 2,000 years old. They had survived the Roman siege, the fall of Jerusalem, and two millennia of scorching desert heat. They looked like shriveled, dusty, dead pebbles. In 2005, scientists decided to do an experiment. They took those ancient seeds, hydrated them, treated them with organic fertilizer, and planted them in the soil. To the amazement of the scientific world, one of those seeds sprouted. Today, that plant—named "Methuselah"—is a thriving, fruit-bearing palm tree. For 2,000 years, the life inside that seed didn't rot, didn't evaporate, and didn't expire. It was just waiting for the right soil. The Transition: "When Peter says we are born of 'incorruptible seed' through the living and enduring Word of God, he is telling us that God’s truth has an eternal shelf life. It doesn't matter how dry your life feels, or how many years you think you’ve wasted. When the living Word of God finally hits the soil of a receptive heart, life willbreak through

  4. 5d ago

    The Seed is the Process

    Garth Heckman The David Alliance TDAgiantSlayer@Gmail.com  The seed is the Process   Working for Harold Busse at Busse flowers… Hyacinths bulb… I did what he said and it actually grew. When I told him a few weeks later he looked at me as if I was the dumb kid!    Harold Busse THERE IS ALWAYS A PROCESS YEAR AFTER YEAR   A process is simply a predictable, repeatable series of steps designed to achieve a specific outcome.   The Bible talks about processes… there is always a process behind biblical principles.    But we can miss the idea behind process when we read scripture because it uses words like SEEDS. SEEDS IN SCRIPTURE are seen as The word of God - planted Faith  The Kingdom Giving and Tithing The Covenant of Christ body Our personal body and spirit AND THERE IS GOOD SEED AND BAD SEED     3 Types of Greek words used for Seed Sporo - the actual physical seed Sperma - the actual DNA of a seed as in the lineage Koh-Kos - The single seed with massive potential    2. Three Deep Theological Insights for Your Sermon Insight A: The Mystery of Automatic Growth (Sporos)   18th and 19th centuries, wooden sailing ships left European ports to pick up heavy cargo (like tobacco, cotton, or sugar) from the Americas. To keep the empty ships stable on the journey to America, sailors filled the hulls with "ballast"—tons of local soil, gravel, and river stones dug up from European riverbanks. When the ships arrived in ports like Philadelphia, Boston, or Portland, sailors dumped the ballast onto the waterfront to make room for the cargo. Hidden inside that soil were millions of European seeds. This accidental conveyor belt introduced famous weeds like the Common Dandelion,

  5. Jul 16

    From Adulthood to Manhood- 5 things you need!

    TDA The David Alliance Garth Heckman   The transition to adulthood has changed dramatically. Between the rapid rise of digital technology—which often replaces face-to-face community with screens—and the shifting structures of family and labor, the traditional "scripts" for how to grow up as a man have largely been dismantled. To build a healthy, successful, and purposeful life today, young men should focus on five critical areas of awareness, backed by sociology, psychology, and modern research. 1. Redefining Purpose Beyond the "Sole Provider" Role For generations, the default script for masculinity was simple: be the primary financial provider and protector. As women have rightfully achieved rapid economic and educational progress, that old script has evolved. Many young men now struggle with feeling obsolete or "optional" when they are no longer expected to be the sole breadwinner. Young men need to understand that their value in a family and in a relationship is deeply personal, emotional, and cooperative—not just a paycheck. "The state of feeling unneeded is literally fatal. The best protector against despair is realizing that the world needs you." — Richard Reeves, President of the American Institute for Boys and Men (AIBM) Modern success means learning to be an equal, emotionally present partner and co-creator of a stable home, rather than holding onto an outdated, isolating provider model. 2. Transitioning from "Digital Retreat" to Real-World Agency With the rise of smartphones, immersive video games, online pornography, and social media, it has never been easier to escape the discomfort of real life. Researchers note that while young women struggling with mental health often report higher rates of internal anxiety, young men are more prone to "checking out" entirely—retreating into virtual worlds where they feel a false sense of control. To combat this, young adults must cultivate a mindful, active relationship with technology. The Wise Use Tech Plandeveloped by mental health professionals suggests the Three T's for managing tech: Tracking: Consciously observing how much you use your devices and how you feel afterward. Telling: Sharing your habits and feelings with trusted friends or mentors to build real-world accountability. Tuning In: Asking yourself if you are using screens to escape boredom, social anxiety, or the hard work of building a life. Success in the physical world requires stepping outside the screen, embracing the discomfort of real-world interactions, and taking active ownership of your daily life.

  6. Jul 16

    It was a GUSHER!

    THE DAVID ALLIANCE TDAgiantSlayer@Gmail.com Garth Heckman CATCH THIS:  Because the Holy Spirit indwells the believer, you become the mobile temple of God. The cosmic river of life no longer flows from a building in Jerusalem; it flows out of the deepest, most central part of your converted being.     Rheousin (ῥεύσουσιν) – "Will Flow" The Literal Meaning: This is a continuous active verb meaning to stream, to gush, or to flood heavily… ALWAYS FLOWING ALWAYS FRESH       The theology here is clear: Believers are not meant to be reservoirs that store up grace; we are meant to be pipelines that distribute it.   4. Practical Applications: Living the Outflow If the koilia (the core) is filled with the Spirit, it must result in a rheousin (a gushing flow) into our everyday environments. Here is how that applies practically:     WHAT THIS MEANS 1. Shift from "Consuming" to "Overflowing"   2. Radical Environmental Transformation (The Ezekiel Effect) WHERE EVER WE GO THINGS ARE GONNA GET WET!    3. Cultivating Emotional Integrity at the Core (Koilia) Because the river flows from the koilia—the seat of our emotions and deepest hidden spaces—it means our inner world matters immensely. If our inner core is clogged with bitterness, unexpressed anger, or anxiety, the outflow gets restricted.         James 3:11,12 can bitterness and fresh water come    Inconsistency reveals a problem - not with the source, but within the choice of which source to work from.  Its all about control - not the source The tongue… the mind - must be renewed. The river of life …the inner being of a man.    So we see two things at work in us… We can block the River - choosing to not obey We can poison the River - thought life   How to poison a river? Satan can’t read your mind…  I can… every time. - you are going to think about chocolate ice cream…  NOW: I bet you are thinking about chocolate ice cream!  THEN: I attack you for thinking of chocolate ice cream. That’s how satan works.        Practical Application from Scripture To keep the River flowing freely: - Walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16, 25). - Be filled with the Spirit continually (Ephesians 5:18). - Obey His leading, pursue holiness, and fan into flame the gift of God (2 Timothy 1:6). - Repent quickly when we grieve or quench Him.

  7. Jul 15

    RIV-Uh... or River?

    TDAgiantSlayer@Gmail.com  The David Alliance Garth Heckman The New Testament / Messianic Connection In Christian theology, Jesus directly applies this imagery to himself and the Holy Spirit. In John 7:37-38, he stands up at the Feast of Tabernacles—a festival focused heavily on water rituals—and cries out: "Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them." The ultimate fulfillment is seen as the Gospel and the Holy Spirit starting as a small movement in Jerusalem and swelling to bring spiritual life to the "dead" places of the entire world.     John 7:38 reads: “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” To fully capture the weight of this verse, we have to look at the explosive cultural context in which Jesus said it, the radical imagery of the original Greek, and what it actually looks like when this "living water" breaks out into daily life.   1. The Theological Context: The Water Libation Ritual Jesus doesn’t whisper this statement in private; he shouts it on the final, greatest day of the Feast of Tabernacles(Sukkot). During this 7-day festival, the High Priest led a massive procession down to the Pool of Siloam, filled a golden pitcher with water, and marched back to the Temple. As the crowds waved palm branches and sang the Hallel (Psalms 113–118), the priest poured the water out onto the altar.   On the eighth day, the water pouring stopped—symbolizing that the desert wanderings were over and they had reached the Promised Land. It is precisely at this moment of silence, when the water ritual ends, that Jesus stands up and shouts that He is the true source of that water. He is claiming to be the rock in the desert, the fulfillment of Ezekiel’s temple, and the source of the prophetic river.   2. Deep Dive Into the Greek Text Two specific words in the original Greek completely change how we visualize this verse. Koilia (κοιλία) – "From Within Them" The Literal Meaning: In older translations (like the KJV), this is translated as "out of his belly." Koilia literally refers to the abdomen, the womb, the innermost core, or the seat of human appetite and emotion.   IT WILL CHANGE YOU DEEPLY FROM THE INSIDE OUT… **The man who hit his thumb with a hammer who was filled with joy “I didn’t swear… I didn’t swear..!    The Theological Depth: Jesus is making a startling anatomical shift. In Ezekiel's vision, the river flowed from the physical threshold of the Temple. Jesus says that for the believer, the river flows from their koilia—their absolute innermost core.     CATCH THIS:  Because the Holy Spirit indwells the believer, you become the mobile temple of God. The cosmic river of life no longer flows from a building in Jerusalem; it flows out of the deepest, most central part of your converted being.

  8. Jul 12

    Let it FLOW to GROW

    GARTH Heckman TDAgiantSlayer@gmail.com The David Alliance  1. The Message in a Bottle from the Canadian Wilderness In the early 2000s, a young boy living near a small, unnamed tributary stream in the remote wilderness of northern Alberta, Canada, dropped a plastic bottle containing a note into the water. The River Highway: The small stream trickled into the Athabasca River. From there, the current carried it into Lake Athabasca, which feeds into the Slave River. The Slave River then flows into the massive Mackenzie River—the longest river system in Canada. The Ocean Arrival: The Mackenzie River emptied the bottle into the Arctic Ocean, thousands of miles north of where it started. The Final Twist: But the journey didn't stop there. Caught in the Arctic's churning currents and shifting pack ice, the bottle traveled through the Northwest Passage, drifted down past Greenland, and entered the Atlantic Ocean. The Discovery: Nearly 15 years later, the heavily weathered bottle washed ashore on a rugged beach in Scotland, roughly 4,000 miles away from the quiet Canadian stream where it began.       Ezekiel’s temple river vision, found in Ezekiel 47:1–12, is one of the most powerful and visually vivid passages in Hebrew prophecy. Writing while exiled in Babylon after the destruction of Jerusalem and Solomon's Temple, Ezekiel is given a visionary tour of a magnificent, restored future temple. The climax of this tour isn't a piece of furniture or a ritual, but a miraculous, life-giving river that alters the geography of the land.   1. The Trickle from the Threshold Ezekiel sees water trickling out from under the south side of the temple threshold, flowing eastward past the altar. It starts as a mere trickle, an unlikely source for a massive body of water. 2. The Supernatural Expansion The divine guide leads Ezekiel eastward alongside the water, measuring the distance and checking the depth at four distinct intervals: 1,000 cubits (~1,500 feet): The water is ankle-deep. 2,000 cubits: The water reaches the knees. 3,000 cubits: The water is up to the waist. 4,000 cubits: It has become a massive, deep river that cannot be crossed on foot—a river deep enough to swim in. THOUGHT: The MORE the River grows the more it is in control. The River is going to go where the River wants to go… you ain’t going to stop it.    The Miracle: What makes this expansion supernatural is that no tributaries or feeding streams are mentioned. The river grows exponentially entirely on its own, flowing straight out from the presence of God.

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Making men MEN again. The David Alliance will help you slay your giants.

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