The Making of James the Just, brother of Jesus, author of the Epistle of James in the Bible

Posted: 10-May-2026

Would you like to know more about James, Jesus’s brother by birth (a.k.a. James the Just, not to be confused with James the Apostle, who was among Jesus’s closest disciples, along with Peter and John), who became a historical figure by authoring the Epistle of James in the Bible? He was the least likely disciple to rise to the position he did in the early Church.

Like most of the disciples, he had denied Jesus at the crucifixion and run away. Although he had worked alongside Jesus in their father’s carpentry shop, he never believed what Jesus said about himself: that he was the Messiah and the savior of humankind. Rather, he believed Jesus had a deluded mind. While honest, he needed evidence before he could believe, earning him the moniker “the one who measured everything twice before acting” from Jesus.

Yet he rose to the position of head of the ancient Church in Jerusalem, created a family for the persecuted early Christians, and shielded and shepherded them. How?

It turns out that James the Just didn’t do anything special by himself: although he “measured everything twice,” he made himself available to God. He stayed put in Jerusalem and consistently did the small things he could every day for around 31 years. The rest of his accomplishments were the work of God through his hands.

Read this book to discover the making of James the Just and the author of the Epistle of James in the Bible: a consistent commitment that shaped his personality and also nurtured a fledgling church of frightened and troubled Christians in Jerusalem (30 – 62 CE).

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From seed to fruit-producing tree: the painful steps of Christian growth from receiving Jesus as Savior to maturity

Posted: 08-Feb-2026

Although all are welcome to read it, this book is primarily aimed at committed, practicing Christians—those who have welcomed Jesus into their lives as Savior and are determined, at all costs, to persevere to maturity.

While receiving Christ as one’s Savior is a decidedly great thing, it’s only a beginning. From that beginning, God wants to grow the believer into a strong, self-reliant tree that produces fruit (note: not just fruit, but sweet fruit!) for anyone to taste and see.

But that can’t happen unless the Gardener labors over it after the seed is planted: watering the young plant daily, ensuring sufficient sunlight, providing nurturing and nourishment, protecting it from pests, pruning it for growth… and so on over some years until the day it becomes a lovely, self-reliant tree, that produces naturally sweet fruit!

That’s God’s work, and he’s happy when he completes it!

Read this book to learn more about the seed-to-tree growth process based on real-life experiences the author and his family underwent.

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The only cure for human evil

Posted: 28-Nov-2025

Something is wrong with us. Life isn’t satisfying—there’s something missing always. We are intrinsically evil and the depressing “human condition” is due to our evil... God alone offers salvation from it.

Science has been doing its bit to break humanity free from this “stuck” condition, but without success. Enter Face Value, a novel by Russell N. Jarvis. In this story, a psychologist promises to usher in an era of world peace by curing humans of evil.

His hi-tech project combines nanotechnology, biotechnology, and information technology. Nanotech intervention is the means used to achieve the goal. Briefly explained, specialized nanobots are designed to enter the brain and alter the intensity of destructive emotions, reducing them to harmless or negligible levels. Consequently, the subject becomes disinclined to harmful behavior—thus, effectively becoming free of hatred or even "good."

Evil cured and God rendered irrelevant? Hardly! This solution is superficial and flawed, and God destroys the harmful project, preventing it from spreading.

Enjoy this gripping techno-thriller that happens at the intersection of the 2003-2011 US-Iraq war, the hi-tech project (above), and Jesus Christ, the Christian God.

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