Lay aside all overflow of wickedness

This week, I started doing my morning Bible study a different way so that I can understand it and remember it throughout the day better. Since I started, it has been even more of a joy and blessing to study God's Word deeply. I've been going through the book of James since our church is encouraging people to memorize a chapter of it each month. I thought I'd share my notes that tell exactly what stood out to me and what I've been learning from James 1 and 2:1-13. I encourage you to read those chapters so that you will understand where I'm coming from with my notes. Some of my notes are based on portions of Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on James.

Having joy in troubles is sent from God's love. Have patience all the way through trials even with all the explaining and talking that resolving conflict involves. It's for my good so that I will be complete, lacking nothing.

• Pray for wisdom to use the trial.

  It will regulate my spirit and manage my affairs.

• When discouraged, go to God with a sense of weakness and folly.

• Be fervent in devotion.

No condition of life should hinder our rejoicing in God.

It is not everyone who is blessed, but he who with patience and constancy goes through all difficulties in the way of duty. Every soul that truly loves God, shall have its recompense in the world above. As the sun is the same in nature and influences, though the earth and clouds often come between, make it seem to us that it varies: so, God is unchangeable and our changes and shadows are not from any changes or alterations in Him.

Lay aside all overflow of wickedness: all the excessive foolishness, teasing and fighting. It stresses receiving good character with meekness. How? Look into the perfect law of liberty as a mirror of the truth and it will guide you.

Don't be ready to speak about the faults of others. True religion teaches us to do everything as in the presence of God (cause we are! God is all around us.) True love and charity go with an unspotted life. True religion is only equal to the position that these things have in our hearts.

Mercy triumphs over judgment. Mercy will not be shown in judgment to those who do not show mercy. We should question ourselves to see if our lives are holy. A lowly state is most favorable for inward peace and for growth in holiness. Don't think that our good deeds will stone for our bad deeds. One breach of any of god's commands puts us under condemnation from which no good deed, past, present or future can bring us out of. God deems it His glory and joy to pardon and bless those who might justly be condemned at His judgment. His grace teaches those who partake of His mercy, to copy it in their conduct.