Thursday, January 31, 2013

Are You Ready For Some......Prayer?

This coming Sunday a new NFL champion will be crowned, and it will be either the Baltimore Ravens or the San Francisco 49ers. And, if you are one of more than a quarter of Americans, you believe that God will actively decide the winner of the game.

According to a recent survey by the Public Religion Research Institute, 27 percent of Americans believe that God “plays a role in determining which team wins a sporting event.” However, the numbers get even more specific than that. About 40 percent of minority Christians and white evangelical Protestants believe God determines outcomes, while only 19 percent of mainline Protestants do.

Thirty-six percent of Americans living in the South agree that God plays a role in sports. However, in perhaps a twist of expectations, 28 percent of Democrats agree, while only 25 percent of Republicans think that God plays a role.

But in addition to God’s overall role in the outcome of games, a majority of all Americans — 53 percent — believe “God rewards athletes who have faith with good health and success.”

So, that ought to work out well for Ray Lewis this Sunday.

borrowed from yardbarker.com
ET This I Believe


Sunday, January 27, 2013

Notable Idom of the Day 1/27/2013

"Add insult to injury"
To further a loss with mockery or indignity; to worsen an unfavorable situation.

Friday, January 25, 2013

Living the Life

I talked with a guy on the phone at work the other day who lives down in Georgia. Never met the guy before but we have chatted several times about a project we are working on together. It's always the normal greeting, "How are you doing?" I am not sure when we ask that question that really want their honest answer. We are just being polite. We really want to hear. "Just fine and how are you?" For which we respond in kind, "Just fine, thanks for asking" and then we are about our business.

My response depending on who I am talking to is usually, "I'm fine just trying to stay out of trouble......which I am having a hard time doing." It always gets a chuckle but it is the truth. Overall I am doing pretty good, life, health, work and family are all well. And yes it is true, I am consistently trying to stay out of trouble with.....well, life, health, work and my family! Everyday. Some days more successfully than others.

However this gentleman responded to my normal phone cheer with his very unique response. "Oh I'm just living the life that dreams are made of." Now that is the short version. I have to remember to right down his extended one because it has to be a memorized speech that he offers up often. But he said it with such a joyful voice that it made me laugh. Of course he could be just saying this in a sarcastic way but I didn't hear that in his voice.

I started thinking about his response in more detail. JUST LIVING THE LIFE...aren't we all. Unless you are a zombie which seems to be going around a lot lately. That and vampires! I'm just living the life. The one I have here. The one that God has blessed me with. There really isn't any complaints because if I didn't like it then I would move on. So since I am fine with it then I should just embrace it and rejoice in what I am fortunate to have. There could be more....but there could be less too.

How about THAT DREAMS ARE MADE OF? Kind of a Disney or movie magic ending thought that ends like that for maybe half of the 1% of the 1% of us. Okay that was pessimistic. But I think most of us FEEL that we don't live the life of our dreams. Okay maybe some of us have lots of nightmares. That would be terrible. If you have read some of my blog posts you know that I always have very vivid weird dreams. 3 or 4 a night. No there isn't any rational for them....I'm just deranged.

Example in care you don't believe me: Last night I was an architect doing an inspection at a construction site. Normal so far. It was a wooden tower that had a wooden ladder to get to the top and the contractor was John Walton.... Yes that John Walton. He was wearing his blue coveralls too. He was showing me the damage that a giant bird had caused when it dropped a large stone bolder inside the structure. The rock had rolled off and went on down the cliff into the rain forest but Mr. Walton was taking care of the repairs necessary to get the project back on track.......okay figure out how to put that down in your field report!

Dreams and Life. It is what we make of them. Usually our life consists of the decisions we have made and the consequences from those decisions.
First rule: Make good decisions.
Second rule: Don't be afraid to dream.
Third rule: Just do it and stop worrying about it.

Living the life my friends. That is what we do. See you on the other side of the dreams.

Et this I believe
Eugene Thompson

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Way back Machine

Remember Mr. Peabody's Wayback Machine in that silly cartoon? I think there were some loose moments in each of those cartoons that taught a little history to the boy. I did say loose. The boy and his super smart dog, how silly. I would love to have a Wayback Machine. An opportunity to visit either serious far back in time or maybe just a few years within your own lifetime.

Would you use it for good or evil? For remembering or to change things? Would it make you happy or just realize missed opportunities? There are always the what if's in our mind. What if I had done this? Or What would have happened if I took that job? Talked to that girl? Said the right thing? I love all those SCI-FI movies that have twists of time in them. Sometimes it is only the very little things that make significant changes in our lives. It doesn't always have to be profound life altering events. Just the small stuff.

"Don't sweat the small stuff." is what they say but I think all the small stuff, when added up, is what makes the biggest difference. Not sure I can move a mountain in one giant push or eat an elephant in one big bite. But little by little I hope I make a difference. A difference to me and a difference to others around me.

Go back in time to change the course of major events? Stop a tyrannical ruler before he gets started or save a president from an assassination? Sure all good but how about just go back and see what I said or did on high school, college or as I started IONIC, little changes that over all make a big difference when they are all added up.

Alas, until my dog develops a super computer to transfer me back to the 70s I guess I just need to keep on thinking about what I do right now. Each day. A little decision that will alter the course of time. Mmmmm maybe a little too intense! Okay, today.....maybe I won't eat that convenience store burrito. It might just save the world.

What if ...... My friends. What if?

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Giant Rubber Ducky

Wouldn't love to have a giant rubber Ducky anchored in your marina?

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

The World of Imagination

I wish that I could live in the world of imagination everyday. Dream constantly without waking up to the world's harsh reality. To fantasize on a piece of paper with my pencil and then see it materialize right before my eyes. To go to work (but it isn't called work but play) with a whistle and a song. To not have a concern about bills, debt, deadlines or the such. Where you start out a description of each of your projects with"Once upon a time..." And end with, "and they lived happily ever after. Wouldn't life be grand if it was all Disney endings?

Friday, January 18, 2013

Don't Worry, Be Happy

So I have been told that I can never be happy. That I refuse to allow happiness to be part of my life. I will never be that way until I decide to make it so. Those words were pretty harsh. Cut to the bone. But are they true? Do I prevent myself from joy in my life?

I am told that nothing is ever good enough. That I am never satisfied. Never satisfied with my accomplishments, never satisfied with work, with those around me, with my spouse, with my kids, with my house, with my car etc. It seems from others perspective that the Giant: Discontent has me by the throat. Sure I am a perfectionist. Sure I look at each accomplishment as not an achievement but only step to "what is next". Does that make me discontent or unhappy? I didn't think so.

Is perfectionism a disease? Maybe so. I grew up setting my goals high. Not for the purpose of arbitrarily placing a benchmark and then forgetting about it. If a goal is set then my purpose is to achieve that goal. So maybe instead of pushing myself and sharing my goals with everyone, I need to set lower expectations. Lower ambitions. Lower benchmarks that everyone can see. Then when I easily reach those marks I can jump and down in false excitement so that at least others benefit in seeing success, even though it isn't real for me. Is that the definition of happiness? I grew up playing sports and only got a trophy if you won first place, maybe a second and third were given out occasionally. When my kids played sports, everyone got a trophy. Just for participating. Even if you didn't win a single game. Why? Did someone decide that we might hurt their feelings...if we told them that lost? A trophy for participation...just for showing up. Go figure?

So what is the definition of happiness? Actually I thought I was a pretty happy individual. I have never been a gleeful soul that just smiles constantly. Dang my face would hurt all the time if I had to smile. Yeah I have heard about the number of muscles in your face to make a frown vs a smile. Maybe that is why I scare small children. Lol. Not true. Love kids. Maybe that is why I scared my kids. Too demanding of a dad. Too high of expectations. Of course I want them to be successful. Again, you can ask the question, What is the definition of success? It is different for every person. It isn't what society places on us. Only if you subscribe to that.

Fact of the matter is I am very happy. I am happy with where I am in life. Do I want more, sure I do. More time to play, more money to spend, more places to go and see. But don't we all? I am good right now. I am proud of my kids. I am happy with my wife and all of her energy she shows and shares. I have a nice little business, and I enjoy the people that we work with. And I enjoy the projects that we do. Do I want more? Sure I do, bigger projects, more exciting projects, more adventurous projects, I want it all. Who doesn't?

There is nothing wrong with have ambition to be successful and do more, the problem is when those things become a priority and takes your focus from where it should be. It isn't money that is the evil.....it is the LOVE of money that is the root of ALL evil. So am I guilty of this......probably. I have often allowed the striving of SUCCESS become a heavy four in my life.....not intentionally but just happens. Doesn't it always?

I just watched a silly movie this weekend that was called "The Big Year". It was about three guys all from a different background that were set out to have what they referred to as a big year.....being seeking out and finding the most wild birds in North America. Owen Wilson had the record of seeing 732 birds and the record held for a long time. Apparently the addiction of the love of bird watching (and maintaining the record) took its causality on two previous marriages. It left no time for his wife or the possibility of them starting and having a family.

Steve Martin was a highly successful business man that had achieved just about everything he could imagine. His career had ran its course and his son was married and they were getting ready to have their first baby.....which meant his first grand baby. They had a new home built in Colorado with all the comfort needed however after all these years he hadn't been able to do one of the things that he enjoyed the most......go bird watching on a big year.

Then there was Jack Black playing the newbie that really enjoyed the whole bird watching thing but didn't have much money, didn't have a very successful job and didn't have a strong relationship with his parents...mostly his dad. His dad expected a high calling for his son and wanted to see a better EFFORT put forth by his son. He too probably lost his first marriage to birds but there was a lot more than that causing his relationship to suffer.

The story goes on about all three seeking to achieve the big year as you can expect. Focus and responsibilities are about each of their lives. Ambition is high for all. I won't ruin the story for you if you haven't seen it but just let me say that Steve takes care of his business responsibilities before me retires and he stops everything to go and see his new grandson named after him. Jack does everything he can to win but makes good life long friends with Steve and finds true love with another bird watcher met along the way. More importantly he bonded with his father during the chase of the record. His father went with him to see an owl and both finally connected. Yes, Owen didn't disappoint......or rather he did....gone every moment away from his wife and neglecting all for the record. Was it worth it?

So back to the beginning here....I have AMBITION. I am a PERFECTIONIST. And I am HAPPY! For all those that have to be around me on a daily basis, I will try and smile more often.....just not all the time.

Remember my friends.....Be Happy.....Don't Worry.

Eugene Thompson
Et this I believe

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Artwork


My wife.....she looks a bit devilish




Did a few pictures for gifts this year.

Notable Idom of the Day

"Achilles' heel" [3]
A metaphor for a fatal weakness in spite of overall strength.[note 1]

Saturday, January 12, 2013

Butterfly Kisses

Never thought all those years ago that my baby girl would ever grow up and get married. Well of course I knew there was a chance that she wouldn't stay 4 years old forever. Lol. I can remember all those years ago at the hospital when she arrived. I was a bit surprised because after 3 boys I just expected another boy. I guess he fooled me! It was Sunday afternoon in Pennsylvania. Actually it was Easter Sunday and we had (as we always did) had gone to church that morning. We went back home that afternoon to our countryside one room school house for a lunch consisting of a bunch of colored hard boiled eggs. The boys loved them.

I think my wife had maybe a few too many eggs because she wasn't feeling so good. But was it the eggs or......we better head into the hospital just in case because I don't want to deliver this baby by myself out here in the country. So off we went. We were at the hospital for only a short time before our daughter was born. Probably the easiest delivery my wife had out of all the kids. Probably the only time my daughter made it easy on us as parents too. Lol. I think daughters are like that. She came in time for us to call the church and announce it before evening services. They all cheered because we got our little girl after all those boys. She made her debut one week later at church.

Not only was she the hit with all of our friends but she was pretty exciting to brothers. They loved their new sissy....for a while at least. After all....she was a girl! They did their best over the years to toughen her up but she has always been daddy's little girl.

Memorable moments were many. Like the time when all the brothers got a buzz cut for the summer and she didn't understand why she couldn't have one too. Yep she tried. Her self performed hair cut broke her mommy's heart.

Mommy got to dress her in a lot of dresses over the years to make her cute however I am not sure that was always her desire. Her brothers helped with her becoming a Tom boy. However before that took I got the opportunity to coach her at age 5 as well as her brother at age 6 on the PeeWee T-ball team. Her brother followed right along with their older brothers and took ever moment of the sporting moment as a serious challenge. No time for fun. It was about winning. Okay so maybe dad taught them that as well. So now you know where they all got it from. However at that time my daughter thought that fashion was to be the first priority in sports. Daddy broke her heart when I wouldn't allow her to wear her cowgirl boots and denim shirt to practice. She didn't see the problem since she still had on her jersey and hat. Big tears.

She tried cheer leading for a few seasons for her brothers team but that just didn't have the right competitive (or should I say combative spirit.) Horseback riding, Gymnastics both not enough grit.

Or how about the time when daddy had to step in and help coach beginning girls basketball at age 7. Dad always coached the boys in football so little girls was not his thing. But they needed him as an assistant. So he helped. Being so sweetie sweet is not my thing but I did the best I could when talking to all the girls. However when the head coach wasn't there I made them all run drills and PR. In a game, I took my little girl to one side where no body else could hear and told in somewhat a gruff voice, "take it to the basket! Drive down and shoot! Be aggressive! Quit throwing those lollipop passes to the other players." And that was the start to a wonderful dominating basketball career through high school.

Daddy turned her down when asked to play flag football with the boys even though there were a few other girls that did.

Injuries....same thing I told her I told the boys...."You're okay, Walk it off!"

Softball was great as well. A bit aggressive and always fun to watch. She did well getting down and dirty playing pitcher, in field (mostly first base) and catcher. I think she secretly liked catcher the most because she could wear all the gear mostly resembling football pads.

Sending her out into the world wasn't ever a great idea. I would prefer to keep her close beside me a never leave. Always under my protection. Always for safe keeping. Boys will never be good enough. I think her three brothers probably feel the same. That is just the way it is in our family. I should have designed that castle tower on the house and add the mote around the house. I would have been a good medieval times. Alas that is not how we know it will inevitably work out. She has found that boy. That boy that makes her happy. That boy that makes her smile so big. That boy that makes her heart swell.

So here we are. The big day has arrived and we are preparing for the final pieces of this celebration. For the last few months daddy here has helped with the color scheme (after all, I do know colors), helped with the dress (even did a sketch of what we should look for), decorations, invitations, guiding towards a great photographer friend, guiding towards a great floral friend, (dad knows people) a tweak here a tweak there but all in all it is her day. Something for her to remember for the rest of her life.

Last night we had the rehearsal walk through at the church and realizing I have to walk her down that aisle. It seems like a long aisle but I know it will be only a short walk to where I place her hand in his. I know I am not losing a daughter but gaining a son. Life changes. And this is part of life. I have always hoped that our children find someone that they will enjoy the rest of their life with and will be their best friend. I believe they all have.

Butterfly Kisses. This is our song. Okay dad.....hold on. No tears. You're okay, walk it off!

Love you forever little girl!



Tuesday, January 8, 2013

They Might Be Giants - 10. The Subtle Giant: Discontent

What does a giant look like?
·         Muscle
·         Armor
·         Declares war on us
·         Too big to sneak up on us – we read what Goliath looked like in 1 SAM 17

This Giant doesn’t roar

“He knows how to kill us slowly, from the inside out by feeding us one lie after another until we are robbed of energy, our joy of life, our purpose for existence.”

This Giant, Discontent mocks us. And honestly we deserve it! We are a people that live a life of discontent. We are not satisfied with our position in life. We look for more and more to add to what we already have. There is never enough money. We have crazy debt in credit cards, home loans because we need a bigger and bigger house, car loans because we always need the newest car, and it is never enough.

We think it is our right! Our right to have all of these things…even though it took our parents years to reach this status. If our parents didn’t have the money we didn’t get it. However we are impatient…..we have to have it know.  This is the delusion that the giant of Discontent gives us.

2 Thessalonians 2:9-12
New King James Version (NKJV)
The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

1 Samuel 22
New King James Version (NKJV)
David’s Four Hundred Men
22 David therefore departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. So when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him.

Luke 3:7-14
New King James Version (NKJV)
John Preaches to the People
Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
10 So the people asked him, saying, “What shall we do then?”
11 He answered and said to them, “He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.”
12 Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?”
13 And he said to them, “Collect no more than what is appointed for you.”
14 Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, “And what shall we do?”
So he said to them, “Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.”

Philippians 4:10-13
New King James Version (NKJV)
Philippian Generosity
10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. 11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ[a] who strengthens me.

1 Timothy 6:5-7
New King James Version (NKJV)
useless wranglings[a] of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself.[b]
Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain[c] we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.

Hebrews 13
New King James Version (NKJV)
Concluding Moral Directions
13 Let brotherly love continue. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also.
Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.
Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”[a] So we may boldly say:
“The Lord is my helper;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me?”[
b]

3 John 1:9-11
New King James Version (NKJV)
Diotrephes and Demetrius
I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us. 10 Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church.
11 Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but[a] he who does evil has not seen God.

Perspective: When I used to draw perspectives by hand….the old fashion way, I needed to have the correct vantage point. If I didn’t, the whole thing looked off. Pride becomes a big part of discontent. When pride comes ahead of us it leads to us not being content in our lives.  We need to start with the correct perspective.

Romans 12:1-3
New King James Version (NKJV)
Living Sacrifices to God
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

How did the Pharisees do on this?

1 John 2:15-17
New King James Version (NKJV)
Do Not Love the World
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

James 4:16
New King James Version (NKJV)
16 But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.

1 Corinthians 1:31
New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)
31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”[a]



Luke 14:7-11
New King James Version (NKJV)
Take the Lowly Place
So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them: “When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; and he who invited you and him come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place. 10 But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you. 11 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Luke 18:9-14
New King James Version (NKJV)
The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ 13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Philippians 2:3
New King James Version (NKJV)
Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.

1 Peter 5:5-6
New King James Version (NKJV)
Submit to God, Resist the Devil
Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for
“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”[
a]
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,

1 Samuel 17: 12-15; 1 Samuel16:6-7
1. Giant-killers have a heart that longs to pursue God. They have the capacity and develop the desire to allow God to own their heart.
·         Their heart is all out for God. Psalm 63:8
·         Their heart is fully devoted to God. 1 Kings 11:4
·         Their heart is easily broken by God. Psalm 51:17
·         Their heart longs to see God. Matthew 5:8

The Story of David, and How to Be a Giant Killer

1 Samuel 17:1-26
2. Giant-killers have a giant love for God. It is their love and respect for God that motivates them to stand up to giants.

1 Samuel 17:28-31
3.Giant-killers don’t give up when others don’t believe in them; it is enough for them to know God believes in them.

1 Samuel 17:32-37
4. Giant-killers have giant faith in their giant God. They believe that God will do the impossible and come through when they take the step of faith in obedience.

1 Samuel 17:38-40
5. Giant-killers use the gifts and abilities God has given them to make a difference in their world. They do it their own special way, not the world’s way.

1 Samuel 17:41-47
6. Giant-killers don’t give in to the fear of failure or defeat. They will face any fear and overcome any difficulty to reach the objective to bring glory to God.

1 Samuel 17:48-51
7. Giant-killers finish the job, they don’t stop until they have seen the giant they are fighting dead on the ground.
It's hard to imagine such a thing as a subtle giant. Giants are supposed to look and behave like Goliath. Rude, crude, and socially unacceptable. They're supposed to be ferocious, merciless, and overwhelming. They're supposed to have muscles, thick armor, hard hearts, and they use all this to declare war on you and I. Giants are too big to sneak up on anyone. They rely on brute strength, superior weaponry, and a knowledge of warfare to overwhelm and take what they want, even our lives if they so chose to. They don't approach us with humility either. They know they will win--in a rout. They look on us with disdain as if we annoy they, and they know they won't work up a sweat in defeating us. Goliath wasn't subtle. He stood over nine foot tall and was armored from head to toe. He made fun of his enemy, the Israelites, and challenged them daily for 40 days to send just one man to fight him. Unlike Goliath, merciless killers don't always roar with such thunder. There is a subtle giant in our midst. He is big and strong, and he has all power he needs, if we give it to him to destroy us. Scripture says, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8). This subtle giant we're about to speak of knows how to kill us slowly, from the inside out, by feeding us lie after lie until we are robbed of our energy, our joy, and our purpose for existence. This giants name is DISCONTENT. He is subtle because he is overgrown, out of control version of what can be a wise, sound approach to life--the approach that tells us that we can be successful, even wealthy, if we work hard and honestly to attain the appropriate handle on what we have. Discontent will mock us and say that we deserve what we don't or cannot have. He makes us believe that somehow life hasn't given us what we have coming to us and we've been treated unfair. This giant overtakes us by whispering in our ear that if what we have is good, more would be better. He focuses our attention on those who have what we want but don't have. He inspires within us every form of jealousy, resentment, and selfish ambition. Discontent is a subtle giant, but he's every bit as deadly as Goliath. Discontent is at the heart of so many human problems. The insatiable desire for more and better ruins lives, destroys families, stops businesses, and sends nations to war. David had to square off with Goliath because the giant named discontent had already infected the entire Philistine army. The discontented Philistines wanted to take from the Israelites the land that had been divinely appointed to them. We have to deal with the giant named discontent with finality. He's not a giant that can be controlled or put in his place. On the contrary, if we are to live full, rich victorious lives, we must slay this giant once and for all. Don't believe the lie that if you attain great wealth that all will be okay. You may not need anything in the physical sense, but there is always the danger of becoming disconent with what you have. Remember Solomon, David's son and successor to the throne? He was the richest man alive. He had many wives and concubines. Later in his life, he drifted to some of their gods. What happened? He lost focus. No matter how much you have, it's never enough to satisfy. No matter how much money you have in the bank, no matter how many employees you have at your disposal, if your love is places with those riches, your existence is meaningless. Scripture says, "He that loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loves abundance with increase: this is also vanity (futile)" Eccesiastes 5:10. We're talking about being possessed by possessions, being controlled by things we are called to control. There is nothing wrong with attaining wealth, but when we become servants to wealth, we have fallen prey to the giant called discontent. Satisfication can only be measured by what is inside a person. If what lies inside is discontent, envy, jealousy, and the love of money, that person's life will be an exercise in futility. Enough will never be enough. It is futile and pure foolishness to tie our lasting happiness and peace of mind to anything that cannot possibly last. When we do, we build our lives on what is at best an unstable, untrustworthy foundation. That is because the wealth of even the richest is temporal and can be gone in a moment. "Every good and perfect gift comes from above, even the ability to produce wealth" (Deutrononomy 8:18) This is not to say we're not to seek after honest work. Also there is nothing wrong with admiring other's achievements, gifts, or abilities. It's great to admire and respect what our friends, relatives and neighbors have accomplished. When that simple admiration turns to resentment or envy, it becomes another weapon in the hands of an assasin called discontent. Goliath was a belligerent giant. For forty days, he roared and bellowed curses at the Israelites, yet no one dared challenge him. He grew bolder and bolder with each day. He was not going to go away. Discontent inflicts on us greed and envy. He'll grow more stubborn by the day if we don't face him and defeat him. The weapon of choice to defeat disconent is to have a heart full of gratitude. You need to realize that everything you have, not just your wealth, but your ability to produce wealth; not just your position but the influence your promincence affords--is a gift. When you recognize that, you can develop in your heart a deep gratitude for all you have and believe it or not, for what you don't have. What if Noah and his wife displayed the attitude that is prominent with most people today, Rather than being thankful they had been spared in a great flood, they would have gotten off the ark and said: "What a lousy cruise--it rained for the first month and half." That's how the giant named discontent operates. In his grip, he will make your entire journey through life a miserable trip. Remember, not so much as one cent of what we possess will follow us to the grave. When we die, it will not matter what we possess. We are born with nothing, and after we die we will stand before God with nothing. "As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shallhe return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labor, which he may carrry away in his hand" (Ecclesiastes 5:15). Work hard to accomplish things in this life, but be content with what you have. You've been given a promise that you will never be forsaken. Embrace the spirit of humble thanksgiving, and you will soundly defeat the first giant on your path to total victory. When you've done that, the good news is that you are now an official giant conqueror. The bad news is this: "now you've just made the remaining giants very angry."




They Might Be Giants - Background Information

This is a study I am doing in class at church for the battle of the Giants that are in our lives. I have copied just the data/outline information from my outline so you will have to fill in the gaps. There will be 10 giants that we discuss through out the class.  I will present each one of the outlines as I complete the study.

Background information as we set up the methodology of studying and defeating the giants.

Setting the tone

What this class is not:
                It is not a sermon or a lecture…it is meant to be interactive.

We just finished up in Hebrews looking at the Faith scriptures and the race. I really like the scriptures that talk about “our” race. The neat thing about racing (at least for me) is that you don’t have to compete with everyone else.  It is about finishing the race. The only person you complete with is yourself.
·         When you train for a run, you beat yourself into submission.
·         You tell yourself in the morning that you need to get up and go run (even though you are so tired).
·         You stop eating junk food (even though that cheese burger and fries smells so good).
·         You overcome the pain in your knee so you can meet the challenge.
Each of these little obstacles are called “trials”. And even though (a few weeks ago at the communion table) I talked about “Who likes a good challenge?” but “Who likes a good challenge?” doesn’t sound so appetizing. James talks a lot about the trials we are supposed to face and rejoice in. In sports, we always called it “No Pain No Gain”. Powerlifting was a great example because we would press our bodies, our muscle into use and by lifting break them down (you actually tear them). And then you allow for the recovery to make them grow.

Recognizable goal.  A measureable goal. Do we have something like that where we can measure our growth as easily? Is there a graph that we can follow to see our performance? Not really. In running I have the Run Keeper APP.  There is an app for that! You can see how long I ran each day, how much time, how much distance.  There is even a calorie count. There are even enough details that tell me how fast I was running each minute.
·         Can you see faith?
·         Can you see the wind?
·         We cannot see these things but we can see their effects on us and/or the surroundings.
·         During our “workouts” do we or will we encounter setbacks to our training? Of course. In sports, we call it hitting a wall. An imaginary barrier that stops us and prevents us from obtaining our goal.
·         For our purposes of this class we are going to call OUR WALL…..OUR GIANTS.
o   We face invisible giants everyday and they are all different.  The giants are our enemy and they seek out the weakness in our armor to attack us. If one weakness does work, then another is sought out until it is something that found that impedes our progress.
o   We cannot see these giants, but we can see their effects on us.
o   Probably need to define a Giant.
§  Initially we are going to look at 10 different GIANTS
§  There maybe many more relatives of these giants that we can also touch on if desired.
§  We will look at how these giants are depicted within the bible examples.
§  We will look at these same giants within our own battles.
§  Then we will look at biblical scriptures of how we are to face and challenge these giants.
o   In order to better understand these invisible giants we need to maybe first study an actual giant.

1 Samuel 17
New King James Version (NKJV)
David and Goliath

We are going to review the story of David and Goliath and understand the components of that story so we can utilize and develop an outline to compare and analyze the other giants that we will face in our lives. It isn’t likely that we will encounter a 10 foot tall giant but it is more than likely that we will face larger spiritual giants regularly in our life. Regularly: Seemed like every spring Israel was at battle. They prepared themselves for battle, therefore we must also prepare ourselves for battle and to know our enemy.

THE SITUATION:
Now the Philistines gathered their armies together to battle, and were gathered at Sochoh, which belongs to Judah; they encamped between Sochoh and Azekah, in Ephes Dammim. And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and they encamped in the Valley of Elah, and drew up in battle array against the Philistines. The Philistines stood on a mountain on one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side, with a valley between them.
This is a physical battle with the opponent facing us. The Israelites could see and count the enemy. The Philistines drew together in a line….hence battle array. They could weigh the costs of this battle. Did they want to go to battle? What was the point of battle for the Philistines? What was the point of the battle for the Israelites? They were told by God to destroy all but didn’t.
DUET 20:16-18 16 “But of the cities of these peoples which the Lord your God gives you as an inheritance, you shall let nothing that breathes remain alive, 17 but you shall utterly destroy them: the Hittite and the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite, just as the Lord your God has commanded you, 18 lest they teach you to do according to all their abominations which they have done for their gods, and you sin against the Lord your God.”
Joshua 23 talks about the consequences of not following through with God’s command of removing all the other people. Judges 1:27-36, Judges 2:1-3,

Samuel was the last judge. Saul was the first king. Did that have anything to do with the situation?

What is our situation? Are we faced with battle lines drawn in front of us? Readying ourselves for war? Do we constantly fight? Why? Is it just inevitable? Did we not drive out the enemy entirely? There are obstacles that we read about in Job that are the consequences in life.  They are trials for us to face.  We do invite the enemy in at times because we sin. God will fight for us but if we leave stuff in ourselves, then it is our fault.

THE OPPONANT: (opposition)
And a champion went out from the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. (9 feet 9 inches) He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze. (about 125 pounds);  And he had bronze armor on his legs and a bronze javelin between his shoulders. Now the staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and his iron spearhead weighed six hundred shekels; (about 15 pounds)   and a shield-bearer went before him.

Compare possibly Saul at 2/3rds the size. 6’-6”? Still pretty big. We were told that he was a head and shoulders above all others. 85 pounds of armor. Why did the Giant wear all the heavy armor? I am going to guess that the giant couldn’t necessarily move real quick. I am pretty sure that the leg armor was because most of his opponents were lower to the ground to begin with. Why bronze? He was their champion.

Our opponents are all different and attack differently.  They attack our different weaknesses. We will need to examine each of them separately to fully understand them and learn how to defend against them.

THE CHALLENGE: (antagonize)
Then he stood and cried out to the armies of Israel, and said to them, “Why have you come out to line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and you the servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.” 10 And the Philistine said, “I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.” 11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.

What was the challenge? One man fight all win or loose. Would this appeal to a king? Would the looser truly submit to the winner? Was this really ever done? Successfully? What was the giant’s strategy? FEAR.  Do you think he ever fought much? Probably didn’t need to……people would just give up. Right? Why would we try to combat such an obvious opponent that would surly win? What does fear do to a man? Freeze, immobilize, reduces his self confidence, his faith.

Are we froze with fear?  Fear can be crippling. Do we have a giant yelling at us? Challenging us? Do we just surrender?
FEAR has a few aspects of it: 1. We fear, 2. what others fear, 3. who fear us

Webster definition:
Pronunciation: fērd
n.
1.

1.
- Locke.
- Milton.

2.
- Jer. xxxii. 40.
- Ps. xxxiv. 11.
- Rom. xiii. 7.

3.
There were they in great fear, where no fear was.
- Ps. liii. 5.
- Shak.
For fear
- Shak.

v. t.
1.
[imp. & p. p. Feared (fērd); p. pr. & vb. n. Fearing.]
- Ps. xxiii. 4.

2.
- Milton.

3.
- Shak.

4.
- Shak.

5.
- Robynson (More's Utopia).
Tush, tush! fear boys with bugs.
- Shak.
v. i.
1.

Related words:
abulia, agitation, all-overs, angst, anticipate, anxiety hysteria, anxiety neurosis, anxious bench, anxious concern, anxious seat, anxiousness, apprehend, apprehension, apprehensiveness, attack of nerves, awe, back down, balance, be afraid, bete noire, bogey, bogy, buck fever, bugbear, cankerworm of care, care, case of nerves, chicken-liveredness, chickenheartedness, cold feet, cold sweat, concern, concernment, cowardliness, cravenness, debate, deliberate, demur, diffidence, discomposure, disquiet, disquietude, distress, disturbance, esteem, excessive irritability, expect, eye askance, faintheart, faintheartedness, faintness, falter, fearfulness, feeblemindedness, feebleness, fidgetiness, fidgets, foreboding, forebodingness, forebodings, foresee, frailty, funk, hang back, have qualms, hem and haw, henheartedness, hesitate, hesitation, hover, hum and haw, imagine, infirmity, inquietude, jib, lily-liveredness, malaise, milksopism, milksoppiness, milksoppishness, misgive, misgiving, morbid excitability, nerves, nervosity, nervous stomach, nervous strain, nervous tension, nervousness, nightmare, overanxiety, panickiness, pause, perturbation, phobia, pigeonheartedness, pins and needles, pliability, ponder, presentiment, pucker, pull back, qualms, quiver, respect, retreat, revere, reverence, scruple, second thoughts, shilly-shally, shrink from, shudder at, shy, sit upon thorns, softness, solicitude, spell of nerves, spinelessness, stage fright, stand aghast, state of nerves, stew, stick at, stickle, stop to consider, straddle the fence, strain, strain at, suspect, suspense, tension, think twice about, tic, timidity, timidness, timorousness, trepidity, trouble, twitching, unease, uneasiness, unmanfulness, unmanliness, unquietness, upset, vellication, venerate, veneration, vexation, weak will, weak-mindedness, weakheartedness, weakness, withdraw, worry, yellowness, yield, zeal

Our God can roar too.  But he doesn’t have too. Other ways to show power….and fear.

1 Kings 19:11-13
New King James Version (NKJV)
God’s Revelation to Elijah
11 Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.
13 So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
John 3:8
New King James Version (NKJV)
The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
John 4:24
New King James Version (NKJV)
24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
Acts 2
New King James Version (NKJV)
Coming of the Holy Spirit
When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord[a] in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
We should have some peace over these giants we face because God tells us that he will deliver us from those that are too strong.

Psalm 18:16-17
New King James Version (NKJV)
16 He sent from above, He took me;
He drew me out of many waters.
17 He delivered me from my strong enemy,
From those who hated me,
For they were too strong for me.

WHO WE ARE:
12 Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem Judah, whose name was Jesse, and who had eight sons. And the man was old, advanced in years, in the days of Saul. 13 The three oldest sons of Jesse had gone to follow Saul to the battle. The names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. 14 David was the youngest. And the three oldest followed Saul. 15 But David occasionally went and returned from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.

Son of Jesse, not really anything dramatic just a shepherd boy that happened to be somewhat small and was also the youngest of eight brothers. What made David special? Faith. Unwavering in his faith that God would protect him. He had no fear. Did being a shepherd provide him with an advantage or disadvantage? Do you think he envied his brothers? Yes, he felt left behind being the younger brother. What do you think his age was? Teenager feeling a bit over confident? Invincible?

Compare with Christian Thompson. There has always been competition with his older brothers.  Eat more, better in football, grow facial hair faster….it is all about competition. I believe we need to understand exactly who we are, what we are, where we are (strong, faithful, enduring individual etc) so that we can determine our strategy for the battle.  It does you no good to pretend you are someone you are not. We need to be realistic. Set realistic goals and realistic means of accomplishments.

More antagonizing
16 And the Philistine drew near and presented himself forty days, morning and evening.

OUR WORK:
17 Then Jesse said to his son David, “Take now for your brothers an ephah of this dried grain and these ten loaves, and run to your brothers at the camp. 18 And carry these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand, and see how your brothers fare, and bring back news of them.” 19 Now Saul and they and all the men of Israel were in the Valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.
20 So David rose early in the morning, left the sheep with a keeper, and took the things and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the camp as the army was going out to the fight and shouting for the battle. 21 For Israel and the Philistines had drawn up in battle array, army against army. 22 And David left his supplies in the hand of the supply keeper, ran to the army, and came and greeted his brothers. 23 Then as he talked with them, there was the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, coming up from the armies of the Philistines; and he spoke according to the same words. So David heard them.

OTHERS WORLDLY VIEW:
24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were dreadfully afraid. 25 So the men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel; and it shall be that the man who kills him the king will enrich with great riches, will give him his daughter, and give his father’s house exemption from taxes in Israel.”
26 Then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
27 And the people answered him in this manner, saying, “So shall it be done for the man who kills him.”
28 Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger was aroused against David, and he said, “Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.”
29 And David said, “What have I done now? Is there not a cause?” 30 Then he turned from him toward another and said the same thing; and these people answered him as the first ones did.
31 Now when the words which David spoke were heard, they reported them to Saul; and he sent for him. 32 Then David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”
33 And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.”
OUR FAITH: (Our determination)
34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, 35 I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. 36 Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.” 37 Moreover David said, “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”
And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!”
OUR WORLDLY WEAPONS: (false hope)
38 So Saul clothed David with his armor, and he put a bronze helmet on his head; he also clothed him with a coat of mail. 39 David fastened his sword to his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. And David said to Saul, “I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them.” So David took them off.
OUR UNCOMMON WEAPONS: (Weapons of faith)
40 Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine. 41 So the Philistine came, and began drawing near to David, and the man who bore the shield went before him. 42 And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him; for he was only a youth, ruddy and good-looking. 43 So the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 And the Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!”
45 Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. 47 Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.”
OUR UNCOMMON VICTORY:
48 So it was, when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, that David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. 49 Then David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone; and he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth. 50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David. 51 Therefore David ran and stood over the Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it.

OUR EXAMPLE:
And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. 52 Now the men of Israel and Judah arose and shouted, and pursued the Philistines as far as the entrance of the valley[a] and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell along the road to Shaaraim, even as far as Gath and Ekron. 53 Then the children of Israel returned from chasing the Philistines, and they plundered their tents. 54 And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent.
55 When Saul saw David going out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the commander of the army, “Abner, whose son is this youth?”
And Abner said, “As your soul lives, O king, I do not know.”
56 So the king said, “Inquire whose son this young man is.
57 Then, as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand. 58 And Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?”
So David answered, “I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.”
Footnotes:
  1. 1 Samuel 17:4 That is, about 9 feet 9 inches or about 3 meters
  2. 1 Samuel 17:5 That is, about 125 pounds or about 58 kilograms
  3. 1 Samuel 17:7 That is, about 15 pounds or about 6.9 kilograms
  4. 1 Samuel 17:17 That is, probably about 36 pounds or about 16 kilograms
  5. 1 Samuel 17:18 Or some token; or some pledge of spoils
  6. 1 Samuel 17:52 Some Septuagint manuscripts; Hebrew of a valley
GIANTS in the promised land.

Numbers 13
New King James Version (NKJV)
Spies Sent into Canaan
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel; from each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, every one a leader among them.”
So Moses sent them from the Wilderness of Paran according to the command of the Lord, all of them men who were heads of the children of Israel. Now these were their names: from the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur; from the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori; from the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh; from the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph; from the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea[a] the son of Nun; from the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu; 10 from the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi; 11 from the tribe of Joseph, that is, from the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi; 12 from the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli; 13 from the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael; 14 from the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi; 15 from the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi.
16 These are the names of the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Hoshea[b] the son of Nun, Joshua.
17 Then Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said to them, “Go up this way into the South, and go up to the mountains, 18 and see what the land is like: whether the people who dwell in it are strong or weak, few or many; 19 whether the land they dwell in is good or bad; whether the cities they inhabit are like camps or strongholds; 20 whether the land is rich or poor; and whether there are forests there or not. Be of good courage. And bring some of the fruit of the land.” Now the time was the season of the first ripe grapes.
21 So they went up and spied out the land from the Wilderness of Zin as far as Rehob, near the entrance of Hamath. 22 And they went up through the South and came to Hebron; Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, were there. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) 23 Then they came to the Valley of Eshcol, and there cut down a branch with one cluster of grapes; they carried it between two of them on a pole. They also brought some of the pomegranates and figs. 24 The place was called the Valley of Eshcol,[c] because of the cluster which the men of Israel cut down there. 25 And they returned from spying out the land after forty days.
26 Now they departed and came back to Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the children of Israel in the Wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh; they brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 Then they told him, and said: “We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28 Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the South; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan.”
30 Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.”
31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.” 32 And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. 33 There we saw the giants[d] (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”

etthisibelieve
eugene thompson