Beautiful Phrases of the Bible #2 & #3

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

James2:18 Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

How beautiful are these two scriptures, especially when considered in light of each other. To say that we have faith is worth little if our actions do not prove that we have faith. We must act on what we believe in order to know that we have faith.

In the beginning of the Book of James, it says that the trying of our faith brings patience. Interesting in light of the first Beautiful phrase that my brother started with in #1.

Beautiful Phrases of the Bible #1

Certain phrases in the bible strike deeply at the core of your being... they have an unmatched eloquence and depth that inspires you.  This is when words become more than words.  They begin to take on a life of their own, firing unexpected neurons in a chain of discovery...

James 1:4 - "But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."

This anthropomorphic interpretation of patience is stunning in its direct simplicity.  The idea that patience requires an active investment, patience strives just as we strive, patience seeks its own perfection.  "LET patience have her perfect work..."  Beseeching you to do what you would not ordinarily do ... give in to your better nature that asks you to persevere during suffering, to continue with a fruitful life while you push through hardship, to overcome.  The summation of the sentence is buddhist and zen-like in its exhortation against greed.  Patience, that being within yourself ("her"), works as a counter-weight against the natural lusts that flesh is heir to.  Let patience be your guide, your strength against those wants that resurface time and time again.  Let patience be something for which you deliver time to.  Something which you work for.  Deliver her your perfect work.  Then you will be fulfilled in your entirety.  You will be entire.  Beautiful.