After Greg Delmain graduated from college, but before he could start his new job, he had to bring evidence of his U.S. citizenship to a clerk at the company. The clerk took his driver’s license and jotted down some notes in his file. She gave it back to Greg and took his birth certificate. For the longest time she looked at it and didn’t do anything, until Greg asked, “Is there something wrong?” “Yes,” she replied, “I can’t find the expiration date.”

Though our Birth Certificates don’t come with expiration dates, from the moment we are born, we are old enough to die. And die we will. Everyone of us. The only question that remains is, will we be prepared to meet our maker when we do?

Hebrews 9:27 KJV “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment”

Dustin Hoffman’s breakout role was in the Graduate in 1967. Since then he’s taken home a couple of Oscars for his performances in the 1979 film, Kramer vs. Kramer and again in 1988 in Rain Man.

Now, Hoffman is a Senior Citizen and recently made a comment about what he wanted to see on his Epitaph when he dies: “I knew this was going to happen.”

—Biography, September 2002 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson

Hebrews 9:27 NASB “And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,”

George Carlin says, “I’m always relieved when someone delivers a eulogy and I realize I’m listening to it.”

—Reader’s Digest, September 2003, p. 61 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson

There will come a day though, when Carlin and the rest of us for that matter, will attend a funeral, but will be unable to hear the eulogy. I just pray that the people giving it won’t have to lie about me, but that I will live my life in such a way that they will have plenty of good material to choose from, and that their words will bring glory to God.

Matthew 5:16NASB “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

DEATH/RESURRECTION

When Jesus rose from the dead, he had to convince his followers that He was really alive. Something Raju Raghuvanshi can relate to.

An Indian man is having trouble proving to his family and friends that he really is alive. Raghuvanshi was recently released from a short jail stint. When he entered his village, he was greeted by the sounds of neighbors locking their doors and shouts of "Help! Ghost!" If you ask his family and friends they will tell you the person they just spoke is a ghost sent to haunt them.

Raghuvanshi's problems began when he was sent to prison for a minor tax infraction. While serving his time, Raghuvanshi fell ill and was transferred to a prison hospital in another district. Some sort of clerical error occurred and word spread back to the man's family that he had died and his body had been cremated because no one claimed it.

The people in rural India follow an ancient system. They believe that if all the proper ceremonies are not performed a ghost of a person who dies will haunt the family. In a phone interview, Raghuvanshi says that is why his hometown is afraid of him. He says, "My family thinks I am dead. They will not permit me to enter my home because they think I am a ghost."

Raghuvanshi is currently living in another nearby village while he tries to convince his family that he is alive. He has enlisted the help of local police who are trying to convince Raghuvanshi's family that he is alive. Raghuvanshi says the best evidence he has is that his feet are still properly attached. Local beliefs state that the feet of ghosts turned backward. So far, none of his arguments have been effective.

—Associated Press, Villagers Shun man They Believe Is Dead, January 16, 2005. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Luke 24:37-40 ( NAB) "But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost. [38] Then he said to them, 'Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? [39] Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.' [40] And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet."

Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich is quoted as saying, “The last thing that I’ve been unable to control in my quest to control everything around me is death.”

—Newsweek, June 9, 2003, p. 23 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson

Ironically, death will continue to haunt the person who is “in control.” The only way it loses its sting is by surrendering control and allowing Jesus to be our Lord.

1 Cor. 15:55-57 NASB “‘O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?’ [56] The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; [57] but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

DEATH/RESURRECTION

Velusamy, an eighty-year-old Indian man startled his family when he came "back to life" after being doused with cold water as part of the funeral preparations. He had not been sick, but when his sister-in-law came to wake the man for dinner, he was unresponsive. She described him as lying "like wood" and got no response to her frantic calls or after sprinkling water on Velusamy's face and chest. The family assumed the man had died of old age.

The family prepared a traditional Hindu funeral pyre. Moments before the funeral fires were lit, the family performed the traditional bathing of the body in cold water. When Velusamy was doused with cold water, he "woke up." As he got up from the ground the man muttered, "It's very cold."

The family's initial surprise quickly turned to joy. The United News of India quoted the family as being overjoyed at having "got back grandpa back (sic) from the other world."

—http://news.com.au, Man comes 'back to life' at burial., October 13, 2003. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Stories like this remind us that there is a day coming when a real resurrection will take place for those who have died knowing Jesus. It will not just be waking up a man who is soundly asleep; it will be a resurrection from the dead.

1 Thessalonians 4:16 NIV "For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first."

Given the choice, how would you like to die? At home in bed or surrounded by medical personnel in the hospital. A new website, engagewithgrace.org gives us five questions we could use to talk about dying.

1. On a scale of one (at home without medical intervention) to five (Don’t give up on me no matter what) where do you fall?

2. If there were a choice, would you prefer to die at home or in a hospital?

3. Could a loved one correctly describe how you’d like to be treated in the case of a terminal illness?

4. Is there someone you trust whom you’ve appointed to advocate on your behalf when the time is near?

5. Have you completed any of the following: written a living will, appointed a health care power of attorney or completed an advanced directive?

--USA Today, Dec. 1, 2008, p. 4D Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

When health care providers or lawyers speak about advanced directives, they are referring to making decisions before an illness incapacitates the patient. Recently, on the day of a surgery, I filed my advanced directives with the hospital so they’d know what I wanted them to do in the case of my incapacitation. As a child, I filed another advanced directive. It wasn’t with a lawyer or with a hospital, it was with my Lord. It was a decision that prepared me for death, but more than that, it prepared me for life.

Have you communicated your “advanced directives” with God?

Romans 10:9-10 (KJV) “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

The cover of Time magazine for June 22, 2009 has the photo of a hospital bed with the caption above in a bold red box, “How Not To End Up Here.” The subtitle at the bottom of the page says, “It’s All About Prevention.”

The cover story is about avoiding getting sick, thus preventing the cost of expensive treatments. The truth however is this, while we may delay the sick bed or the deathbed, no one can avoid them forever.

--Time Magazine, June 22, 2009, Cover Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Hebrews 9:27 (NKJV) And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,

Robert Jones from Atlanta, Georgia was in South Carolina on business when he decided to go for a run on the beach. Later he was planning to head home to celebrate his daughters third birthday with her, his wife, and their other child. Donning his iPod and running along, an airplane making an emergency landing on the beach suddenly snuffed out his life when it struck him from behind.

--The Week, March 26, 2010, p. 9. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

James 4:14 (HCSB) “You don’t even know what tomorrow will bring—what your life will be! For you are ?like? smoke that appears for a little while, then vanishes.”

Fans of the late pop musician Michael Jackson are vying for the opportunity to spend a night among the late star’s favorite possessions. The Japanese promoter of a collection of Jackson’s belongings on display in Tokyo says he wants to make the dream come true for some fans. Randomly selected fans will receive the opportunity to pay up to $1,000 for a one-time chance to enter the Tokyo Tower venue from 10:30PM to June 25 and stay until 8AM the morning of June 26th to remember the anniversary of the star’s passing.

The promoter, Hiroyuki Takamura says the tradition of being with the belongings of a loved one on the anniversary of their passing is an important ritual in Japan. One fan, Mamiko Morii, says he hopes to be chosen for the special night. Morii said, “The chance to spend the anniversary of Michael’s passing together with things like the clothes he wore, things from his home, countless awards, and iconic video and stage sets will be an unforgettable experience. He added, “I have been to this exhibition more than eight times already and each time I feel more connected to Michael’s legacy.”

Jackson fans to spend night among his possessions, http://ca.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idCATRE64K1UF20100521; May 21, 2010. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

This story reminds me that everyone, even the King of Pop, can’t take it with him. We leave everything behind when we pass from this life and those things become a memorial of who we were.

Job 14:2 (ESV) “He comes out like a flower and withers; he flees like a shadow and continues not.”

Norman Cousins explains the fear of death. “Death is not the enemy, living in constant fear of it is.”

--The Week, November 26, 2010 p. 25 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Paul gives us the key to overcoming our fear of death. The resurrection of Jesus Christ has removed the sting from death.

1 Corinthians 15:57 (NASB77) but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Until the time of our death, we live, sometimes even if we don’t want to. Vangelis Kapatos, a 26-year-old New York City man, decided he didn’t want to live anymore. He jumped from a ninth-story window to kill himself. It must not have been his time. He landed on his back in a pile of uncollected garbage bags. The trash bags responsible for saving his life, were higher than usual, after a snowstorm interrupted garbage collection.

--The Week, January 14, 2011, p. 14 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Ecclesiastes 3:2 (NASB77) A time to give birth, and a time to die; A time to plant, and a time to uproot what is planted.

Vangelis Kapatos, a 26 year old New York City man, decided he didn’t want to live anymore. He jumped from a ninth-story window to kill himself. It must not have been his time. He landed on his back in a pile of uncollected garbage bags. The trash bags responsible for saving his life, were piled much higher than usual, after a snowstorm interrupted garbage collection.

--The Week, January 14, 2011, p. 14 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Ecclesiastes 3:2 (ESV) a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;

18-year-old Anthony Johnson had worried a little about Harold Camping’s prediction that the world would end on May 21, 2011. When midnight arrived, Johnson celebrated with friends by jumping into the Kalamazoo River. He never came out of the river. The world ended for Anthony early on May 22.

http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2011/05/kalamazoo_river_drowning_victi.html Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

There is an end of the world for everyone. It can happen at any time for any person.

Most people assume that their appointment with death is far in the future. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. For example, each year in the United States 27 people meet their end in an elevator accident. Who knew?

--The Week, December 30, 2011, p 18 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Something as simple as entering an elevator for a ride to another floor is the last decision those 27 people make.

We should always be ready for our appointment. Don’t attempt to wait until the last moment to get your life right with God. The next moment could be the last one.

Hebrews 9:27 (ESV) And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,

Woody Allen does not like getting old. “It’s a bad business,” he says. “It’s a confirmation that the anxieties and terrors I’ve had all my life were accurate. There’s no advantage to aging. You don’t get wiser, you don’t get more mellow, you don’t see life in a more glowing way. You have to fight your body decaying, and you have less options.”

Allen believes there is only one way to handle the horror of mortality: distraction. It was the same when he was 20. “You are always walking with an abyss right under your feet; they can be hoisting a piano on Park Avenue and drop it on your head when you’re 20.”

Allen’s solution to worrying about death is to distract himself with work and play. The Christian solution is to prepare oneself for the inevitable. --Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Hebrews 9:27 (HCSB) And just as it is appointed for people to die once—and after this, judgment—

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is a story set during WWII about a poor German family. While the book is a beautiful picture of the tenacity of life, the narrator of the book is Death. He writes,

From Death's Diary: 1942
***A SMALL PIECE OF TRUTH***
I do not carry a sickle or scythe.
I only wear a hooded black robe when it's cold.
And I don't have those skull-like
facial features you seem to enjoy
pinning on me from a distance. You
want to know what I truly look like?
I'll help you out. Find yourself
a mirror while I continue.

Isn't this what our lives are like without Christ? Without Christ we walk a path that leads only to death. With Christ we no longer reflect death, but life. —Jim L. Wilson and Abigail Davis

Have you ever heard of Thomas Jonathan Jackson? You may not recognize the name, but I’m sure you’ve heard of him. You probably know him better as General “Stonewall” Jackson. A newspaper reporter described him as immovable as a stone wall in battle. He was fearlessness drew the attention of many.

After Battle of Manassas, a newspaperman asked him, “What is the source of your unusual bravery.” Gen Jackson replied, “My religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as I feel in bed. God knows the time for my death; I do not concern myself about that but to always be ready no matter where it should overtake me. That is the way all men and women should live, then all would be equally brave.”

After one of his own soldiers accidentally shot him, General Jackson instructed his wife not to pray for his healing, but rather that God’s will would be done. --Jim L. Wilson and Steve Long

Psalm 27:1 (ESV) The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

On February 13, 2013, over 4,000 people gathered to mourn a Riverside, California officer killed in a shooting rampage by Christopher Dorner, a former Los Angeles police officer.

Michael Crain, described as a model officer, also had a father's heart, coaching his young son's baseball team and dancing at ballet classes with his 4-year-old daughter. Crain, only 34 years old, killed by gunshots in his squad car on Feb. 7, 2013 while working overnight patrol.

The officiating pastor for Michael Crain’s funeral service, Tom Lance, said, "When you meet someone who's just happy and loves life, who do you think of? That's Mike.'' Senseless rage struck down a model citizen, cop, and father. --Jim L. Wilson and Steven Lennertz

— http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/02/13/riverside-officer-funeral-dorner/1917573/ (accessed 2-28-13)

James 4:14 (ESV) yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.

David Kime was a WWII veteran. After his funeral at age 88, his funeral cortege slowly passed through the drive-thru lane at Kime’s favorite Burger King. Each of the 39 mourners had a burger and a 40th burger was placed on Kime’s casket and buried with him.

When I reach the final judgment I hope my life stands for something more than my loyalty to a fast food restaurant. --Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Hebrews 9:27 (ESV) And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,

Tylenol thinks it may have an answer for the fear of death. A new study shows that the main ingredient in Tylenol can help calm existential dread in the same way it reduces the physical pain of a headache. In the study, those given Tylenol stated they were less upset by thoughts of death than those given a placebo. --Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

The effectiveness of Tylenol, notwithstanding, the only permanent relief from the fear of death comes through Christ.

Hebrews 2:13-15 (ESV) (13) And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again, “Behold, I and the children God has given me.” (14) Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, (15) and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.

Psychiatrist Mark Epstein writing an opinion piece for the Sunday Review of The New York Times reminds us, “Trauma is not just the result of major disasters.” Trauma is a part of ordinary life. “One way or another, death (and its cousins: old age, illness, accidents, separation, and loss) hangs over all of us. Nobody is immune. Our world is unstable and unpredictable, and operates, to a great degree and despite incredible scientific advancement, outside our ability to control it.”
Because we all have an appointment with death we need to establish an after death plan. We could face the judgment seat any day, and undoubtedly we will face it eventually. --Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/04/opinion/sunday/the-trauma-of-being-alive.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

The oldest man in modern history died on June 12, 2013. At 116 years old he was the last person living who witnessed the 19th century. Jiroemon Kimura was born on April 19, 1897 and died of natural causes.

Some people don’t receive many years, others do. Some even get a 116, but in the end there is death. Be prepared for the end. --Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell
World, July 13, 2013, p. 7

Hebrews 9:27 (NASB) (27) And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,

Scientists are starting to unlock the secrets of aging and believe we are on the threshold of greatly lengthened life spans. They are holding out the possibility of 150 years. Some scientists just refuse to accept that death is beyond human control. “It’s such a profoundly sad, lonely feeling that I really can’t bear it,” says Ray Kurzweil, Google’s director of engineering. “So I go back to thinking about how I’m not going to die.”

Death is the result of sin. The way to live past your 80 years is to allow the Lord Jesus to pay for your sins, and then live in eternity. Living without faith is not a happy position to be in. --Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Hebrews 9:27 (HCSB) And just as it is appointed for people to die once—and after this, judgment —

In 2002 Belgium legalized euthanasia for adults. 12 years later they have “extended the right to die” to include children even though “a group of 175 pediatricians urged lawmakers to take longer considering the consequences and said medical advances prevent terminally ill children from suffering before death.” --Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

Matthew 18:10 (HCSB) (10) “See that you don’t look down on one of these little ones, because I tell you that in heaven their angels continually view the face of My Father in heaven.

Andrew Lloyd-Webber was suffering intense pain in his leg. Fourteen surgical interventions left him in such agony he wanted to die. In his own words he said, “I went through a moment of deep depression—that awful moment when you think you must find a way out.”

From there he descended to contemplating assisted suicide, contacting an organization that helps people end their suffering lives. Today he believes that thought was “stupid and ridiculous, but I just couldn’t think what else to do.”

When life becomes miserable and death looks to be the only solution, God can give us the strength to carry on. Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

2 Corinthians 12:9 (HCSB) But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me.

Great Britain is debating the legalization of Euthanasia. Professor Theo Boer of Utrecht University in the Netherlands, once a prominent supporter of euthanasia, has changed his mind after seeing its implementation in the Netherlands. He thought the practice would be rare, used only as a last resort.

“I was wrong,” he said. “Terribly wrong, in fact. In the Netherlands it is no longer a last resort but a normal procedure.” God is the author of life. He determines when the life should leave a body. -- Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (HCSB) Don’t you know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, (20) for you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body.

Cancer is on the verge of overtaking heart disease as the No. 1 cause of death. Heart disease and cancer are primarily diseases of aging. As we continue to make progress on treating heart disease the reason for death has shifted. Fewer people succumbing to heart disease means more people living long enough to die from cancer.

A century ago average life expectancy at birth was in the low to mid-50s. Now it is almost 79, and if you make it to 65 you’re likely to live into your mid-80s. The median age of cancer death is 72. More and more of us are living long enough for it to get us.

As we continue to try to defeat the diseases that end our lives, a never-ending procession of funerals reminds us that eventually something will get us all. Our only hope for eternal life is in Jesus Christ. --Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/05/sunday-review/why-everyone-seems-to-have-cancer.html?
WT.mc_id=AD-D-E-KEYWEE-SOC-FP-NOV-AUD-DEV-ROS-1101-1204&bicmp=
AD&bicmlukp=WT.mc_id&bicmst=1414728000&bicmet=1451538000&ad-keywords=
KeyweeCampaign&kwp_0=4659&kwp_1=97109&kwp_4=33049&_r=0

Hebrews 9:27 (NKJV) “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,”

In the 1970‘s and 80’s Jack Nicholson dated a string of glamorous actresses, and was always surrounded by his adoring fans. The relationships invariably came to an end because Nicholson couldn’t keep from fooling around with other women. Today, Nicholson is 77 and lonely. He wishes he could have ‘one last romance.’ His one big fear is dying alone. --Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Numbers 32:23 (HCSB) “But if you don’t do this, you will certainly sin against the LORD; be sure your sin will catch up with you.”

A German undertaker received the shock of his life when a coffin lid at his funeral parlor slid open and the supposedly dead woman inside asked, “Where am I?” The man passed out in shock.

The 92-year-old woman had been pronounced dead just hours earlier after staff at her retirement home found her unresponsive, apparently not breathing. After awakening from his swoon, the undertaker approached the casket and saw the woman lying inside, groaning, and with both eyes open. He called for an ambulance to take her to the hospital.

The woman did not escape death however. She went the way of all humankind the next day in the hospital.

None of us will escape that final moment. We must make sure we are ready. -- Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Hebrews 9:27 (HCSB) And just as it is appointed for people to die once—and after this, judgment—

Death

Theologian Wayne Gruden has announced that he has Parkinson’s and is at peace. He wrote that “he is experiencing diminished fine-motor control, and a neurologist confirmed the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease.” Gruden hopes to finish two current writing projects and plans to keep teaching as long as he is able.

In his comments, he refers to Psalm 31:15 where King David said to the Lord, “My times are in your hand.” Gruden says he feels a deep peace from the Lord about this and the Psalm expresses the way he feels.

A strong faith in the sovereignty of God keeps the believer strong in the midst of tragedy. —Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Psalm 31:15 (HCSB) The course of my life is in Your power; deliver me from the power of my enemies and from my persecutors.

Death

Andrew Smith played basketball for the Butler Bulldogs, and was part of the two final four Butler teams. After he married his high school sweetheart, Samantha, and moving to Lithuania to continue his basketball career, he was diagnosed with cancer. Samantha blogged the struggle the couple had with the disease, their fight for his life, and their faith.

“It has rattled our faith,” she wrote. “It has made us question the purpose in the past two years. It has left us feeling completely helpless. We have screamed and cried. I can’t eat or sleep. We struggle to believe that God has pulled us through the last two years to only have it end here.”

Andrew told CBS Sports just before he died, “I’m not on this earth to go out and play basketball games. I’m on this earth to share a story people can hear.” And share it they did. Samantha wrote for the thousands readers of her blog, “Truly, Andrew exudes and shines the light of Christ.”

Somehow, these two young people have a faith in God that withstood the final enemy. — Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Psalm 115:16 (HCSB) The heavens are the Lord’s, but the earth He has given to the human race.

A death simulator called Xinglai is open in China. When you “die,” you lay down on a conveyer belt through a dark tunnel that simulates cremation and then being “reborn” out the other side through a latex womb. The experience “gives you the chance to calm down, give in to some deeper thoughts, and think about some of life’s problems,” said Lu Siwei, one of the first participants. “I think this (feeling) is different. When you walk through that door, you will experience changes in your mentality, and it will be different from what it was before you entered. I think this is really great, and very worthwhile.”

Perhaps a chance to meditate a while on death and its cost is a good thing. But there is no rebirth at the end of the death sequence without the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. For $68, the rider can simulate the death experience, for free the believer can look forward to the death experience as a transition from this world to the next. –--Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

Hebrews 9:27 (HCSB) “And just as it is appointed for people to die once—and after this, judgment — “

We are all going to die of something. Cancer and heart disease are the two leading cause of deaths in the U. S. The third leading cause might surprise you. 251,454 people every year die because of a medical error making this the third leading cause of death.

Even in attempting to heal, doctors and nurses sometimes cause the death of their patient. It reminds us that each of us is appointed to die. Are we ready for the judgment? –Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

Hebrews 9:27 (HCSB) “And just as it is appointed for people to die once—and after this, judgment — “

While human life expectancy has increased significantly since the nineteenth century, a new study by researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, indicates that there is a limit to human lifespan. “Our results strongly suggest that the maximum lifespan of humans is fixed and subject to natural constraints.”

Try as we might to live forever, it is appointed to each of us to die once. We need to put emphasis on life beyond the earthly existence. --Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

Hebrews 9:27 (HCSB)“And just as it is appointed for people to die once—and after this, judgment —“

A hospital in Barrie, Ontario has apologized for an advertisement on their parking garage gate for cancer patients. Cancer patients entering the cancer ward for treatment saw the ad for the funeral home. A patient with cancer needs to see and hear words that are uplifting, not an appeal for their service if the treatments fail.

This is the good news of the gospel. There is life after death for those who choose Jesus Christ. --Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

John 3:16 (HCSB)“For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”

DEATH

When a person dies there are laws covering how their property is passed on to relatives. The growing use of social media has made some issues of inheritance more confusing. Companies like Google and Facebook contend laws approved decades ago prevent them from releasing electronic memories unless the account owner grants permission. Newer laws allow these companies to release basic information, but still require a person to specify which people can inherit their electronic information. Senator Jamie Pederson helped passed a law in Washington state to help relatives gain access to their loved one’s information. He said people still need to begin planning how to deal with their social media assets. He added, “This is one of those many examples were the law gets its power by giving people knowledge that it exists.”–By Jim L. Wilson & Jim Sandell

Hebrews 9:27 (HCSB) “And just as it is appointed for people to die once—and after this, judgment —“

On November 11, 2016, many users logged onto Facebook only to find out they were dead. A message at the top of their Facebook page read, “We hope people who love [insert name here] will find comfort in things others share to remember and celebrate [his/her] life.”

Some users went to twitter to show that they were still alive, while others wondered if Facebook knew how they really felt inside. —Jim L. Wilson and Jeremiah Cannon

http://abc7.com/technology/are-you-dead-according-to-facebook-you-might-be/1602840/

Romans 6:11 (HCSB)“So, you too consider yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

DEATH

In the first eight months of 2016, 73 people around the world have died while taking “extreme selfies.” The new activity of seeing how you can take pictures of yourself with a smart phone has proved dangerous to many. Most deaths came from people who fell from buildings or mountains while attempting to photograph themselves. Others were posing with firearms or on train tracks.–Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

Revelation 14:13 (HCSB)“Then I heard a voice from heaven saying, ‘Write: The dead who die in the Lord from now on are blessed.’ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘let them rest from their labors, for their works follow them!’”

James warns his readers about being presumptuous about tomorrow. We don’t know that we will have a tomorrow. On April 14, 2018 astronomers in Arizona spotted a warehouse size asteroid headed toward a close encounter with our home planet. There was no time to prepare as the asteroid passed the earth the next day at a distance less than the distance from the earth to the moon.

Its closest point to Earth was just 119,500 miles compared to the 250,000 mile distance to the moon flying through space at 66,174 miles per hour. With an estimated diameter of 157 to 361 feet, the asteroid, named 2018 GE3, is about three to six times larger than the space rock that penetrated the skies over Chelyabinsk, Russia in February 2013. That collision caused 1,500 people to seek treatment for injuries, mostly from flying glass.

If GE3 had hit the earth it would have caused significant damage. If it would have hit close to you, your days could have come to a sudden end. There is any number of ways we could meet a sudden end. We should be prepared every second to pass into the presence of a Holy God. The only successful preparation is a relationship with Jesus Christ. —Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring—what your life will be! For you are like vapor that appears for a little while, then vanishes.

69-year-old television personality Emile Ratelband is petitioning a court in the Netherlands to grant him a new birthday and make him 20 years younger. Ratelband said he thinks age is just a number, and he would prefer to be 49. Ratelband said he want to avoid age discrimination, especially on dating websites. He said he has the freedom to choose many things in life and wants the opportunity to choose his age too. Ratelband said this is not a publicity stunt, and shaving twenty year off his age would save money because he would set aside his monthly pension of $1,200 Euros a month. He estimated that would save the government over 340,000 Euros over the next twenty years. He said, now he is an old man and added, “"But If I have that age again, I have hope again. I'm new again. The whole future is there for me again."—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

1 Timothy 5:1 (CSB) “Don’t rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers,”

Leonard Durkin was suffering from heart failure. The Englishman was a huge Burger King fan and told his kin he wanted them to bury him with his usual order. He got his dying wish. On leaving the funeral the hearse carrying his corpse stopped at a Burger King drive-through, and a double bacon cheeseburger was then placed atop his coffin, where it remained for the cremation.

Many people have strange requests for after they die. One thing we all need to ask ourselves is not whether we will have Burger King or Wendy’s, but where will we spend eternity. Jesus invites us to spend it with him. Do you receive the invitation?

In my Father’s house are many rooms; if not, I would have told you. I am going away to prepare a place for you. If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also.

Judy Cashner received a letter from her bank recently. It was addressed to her estate saying, “We are sorry for your loss and understand this is a difficult time for you.” When she checked into it she was told by Wells Fargo that she had died. The bank couldn’t tell her how they decided that she had died but it caused no little difficulty since Wells Fargo had reported her death to three credit reporting agencies and she and her husband were in the process of refinancing their home. She was required to fill out and send a form called “a declaration of life.”

I wonder if this incident caused Ms. Cashner to think about her real death. Since death is something, we all have in our future, we might want to make some preparations for it. — Jim Wilson and Rodger Russell

And just as it is appointed for people to die once—and after this, judgment—

One thing that is on every calendar is the time of our death. Many news outlets prepare obituaries of famous people ahead of their deaths so they will be prepared to go to print early when they do die. A French public radio station mistakenly published some of those obituaries, including Queen Elizabeth II, Clint Eastwood, Pele, Yoko Ono, Jimmy Carter, and Sophia Loren. The Queen’s obit caused quite a shock until it was discovered to be a mistake.

Mark Twain responded to such an erroneous report about his death by saying “The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.”

It may be too soon, but an obituary is in their future. Everyone dies, and should be prepared. —Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

And just as it is appointed for people to die once—and after this, judgment—