James, the author of the book of James and half-brother of Jesus, was a powerful firsthand witness of the joy and suffering of Jesus.
Did you know James was martyred? He was thrown off a temple in Jerusalem by the Pharisees and didn’t instantly die. The scribes and Pharisees said he prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they know what they do” (sounds very familiar). The Jews then stoned him. To ensure his death, a fuller rushed in and struck him on the head with a rod used to beat clothes clean.
“Count it all joy…” (James 1:2)
He was also nicknamed “old camel knees” because of the way his knees looked from kneeling so much in prayer. He lived what he wrote about prayer (James 5:13-18).
The world isn’t worthy of him (Hebrews 11:38).
stephen R Harrison 
Leave a comment