Friday, June 24, 2011

Hebrews 11 Rewritten

What if Hebrews 11, instead of "by faith" everything said "by fear?"
I believe that fear is the polar opposite of faith. If we didn't have these heroes to turn to, where would we be? Let's check it out:

1 Now FEAR is NO confidence in what we hope for and NO assurance about what we do not see.

7 By FEAR Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, KNEW HE SHOULD OBEY BUT THE CROWD INTIMIDATED HIM. HE AND HIS FAMILY DIED IN THE FLOOD AND THE WORLD ENDED.

8 By FEAR Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, IGNORED GOD, BECAUSE IT WAS TOO STRESSFUL TO NOT KNOW where he was going.

11 And by FEAR even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, FORFEITED THE OPPORTUNITY to bear children because she DID NOT considered him faithful who had made the promise.

23 By FEAR Moses’ parents DID NOT hide him FROM THE EGYPTIANS EVEN THOUGH they saw he was no ordinary child, and they WERE afraid of the king’s edict. MOSED DIED ALONG WITH ALL OF THE OTHER HEBREW CHILDREN. NO ONE CAME TO THE ISRAELITES' RESCUE.

BUT EVEN IF ANOTHER SAVIOR CAME, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN WITHOUT FAITH?

29 By FEAR the people FAILED TO pass through the Red Sea as on dry land so, they were drowned.

32 And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through FEAR FAILED TO conquer kingdoms, administer justice, and gain what was promised; who WERE DEVOURED BY the mouths of lions, 34 CONSUMED BY the flames, and DID NOT escape the edge of the sword; whose weakness was NEVER turned to strength; and who DID NOT become powerful in battle and route foreign armies. 35 Women DID NOT receive back their dead, raised to life again.

Jesus is our savior, no doubt, but had any one of these heroes of the faith decided not to be courageous and righteous and trade fear for faith, over and over the people of God would have perished and we would not be here. Most of them faced terrifying circumstances and terrible odds, but decided to believe and overcome. I am inspired! We never know the impact we will have in the big picture by choosing faith.

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