"Aging Gracefully"

"Imagine, if you will, being able to know first hand what it feels like to be 20, 30 or even 40 years older than you are right now. Well, thanks to new technology--you can.

Genworth Financial, Inc. has developed an "age suit" that simulates old age.

The Genworth R70i Aging Experience uses state-of-the-art technology that allows people to experience the physical effects of aging, such as:

• vision and hearing impairments
• muscle loss
• mobility limitations
• speech and mental confusion

Talk about walking a mile in some one's shoes! Donning the R70i Age Suit = instant empathy.

The Genworth R70i Aging Experience--watch the Age Suit in action!

Geoffrey Fowler of The Wall Street Journal wore the suit and said, "The unforgettable, and at times distressing experience shed light not just on aging, but also on how virtual reality equipment can teach empathy and shape our perceptions on the world around us."

Amazing, isn't it? But even more amazing, a little over 2,000 years ago, God put on a "man suit". "Jesus, who is wholly God, also became wholly human," says Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship.

"It is extremely important to note that Jesus did not cease to be God when He came to earth," says Laurie. "He simply laid aside His divine privileges and walked the earth as a man.

"In doing so, He was personally able to experience the gamut of human emotions, ranging from happiness to deep sorrow. He felt what it was like to be tired, cold, and hungry.

"Moreover, He came to this earth with a clear objective in mind: to bridge the gap between a holy, perfect God, and unholy, imperfect man.

"The truth is, we all suffer from a terminal condition called sin, or falling short of God's perfection. Sin is not just an act but the actual nature of our being. In other words," contends Laurie, "we are not sinners because we sin. Rather, we sin because we are sinners!

"When the Israelites of the Old Testament sinned, they would have the high priest go into the Temple and offer an animal sacrifice to God to atone for their sins. In a symbolic sense, this was a way of putting one's sins on the animal, which stood in the place of the guilty person. The Bible teaches without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins (Hebrews 9:22).

"These sacrificial rituals were only a foreshadow, or symbol of what Jesus would do when He came to this earth. He took the sin of the world upon Himself, once and for all time when He suffered and died on the cross."

In other words, Jesus put on our sin-defiled "man suit" and died in our place.

A wise man once said: "To have your sins forgiven, you must admit you are a sinner, turn from your sins, believe that Jesus Christ died in your place and rose again from the dead" --Greg Laurie, pastor.

"The free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23).

Find out "How To Go Heaven"

News:

• Fox News Channel: New poll reveals: Fewer Americans believe Christmas is a religious holiday; 26% see December 25 as a "commercial holiday"
• Gallup News: Eight in 10 Americans afflicted by stress; just 17% say they rarely feel stressed
• The Wall Street Journal: Drug And Alcohol Deaths At U.S. Workplaces Soar; deaths jumped more than 30% in 2016, as the struggle with a deadly opioid epidemic migrates to the workplace.