For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” 1 Cor 15:53-55 (NKJV)

In a remarkable series of trades, one 17 year old Californian. Steven Ortiz, was able barter a cell phone all the way up to a Porsche. Source: CNN News.

The cell phone was traded for an IPod Touch. The IPod begat a dirt bike. The dirt bike begat a laptop computer. The series of trades eventually led to a Toyota 4runner, a Ford Bronco SUV, and ultimately, the coveted Porsche. It’s all very impressive.

Taking something of lessor value and trading it up for something of a greater value is what the gospel of the Kingdom of God is all about. We trade our sin-filled life for a life of grace and mercy. We trade our mortal lives for that which is immortal, we trade our temporary home for one which is eternal. We trade death for life, and hell for heaven.

Now that’s a deal worth shouting about! Yes, Lord! You have to credit young Steven Ortiz for his savvy and persistence. How much more shall we give to God for His loving exchange of our depravity for his lavish grace!

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1 Corinthians 9:24-27 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

During the 1990′s in an NCAA Division II national championship cross-country race in California, a bizarre twist of events took place. Mike Delcavo and 127 of the best runners in the country were battling for glory over the 10,000 meter course. About three miles into the race, Delvaco was somewhere in the middle of the pack, when he realized that the runners had made a wrong turn. So he yelled out, “You’re going the wrong way,” but they didn’t listen. Only 4 others followed Mike when he turned in the right direction… and suddenly, he found himself in the lead.

However that lasted only about a mile, since Mike and the runners who followed him soon reunited with the larger pack who, having gone the wrong way, actually shaved about a half a mile off the course, and were now in the lead again. The final blow came when, because so many of the runners had gone the wrong way, the officials changed the official course route to accommodate their error. So when Mike Delcavo finally crossed the finish line, he was number 103 overall.

At the end of the race, some of Delcavo’s competitors “thought it was funny that he went the right way.”

This article was sent via worthynews.com as part of their daily Worthy News email service, I would highly recommend you sign up for this mailing list. I have heard this story repeated several times over the years and find its application appropriate for the times in which we live.

America has taken a wrong turn, however it did not happen in 2008 but many years earlier with the introduction of Social Security and public welfare programs. These social programs took liberty and private property away from the American citizen and gave it to the federal government to redistribute as it deemed proper.

At the time FDR proposed his “new deal” there were many crying out loudly in opposition to the direction the country was headed, but those voices got drowned out and the courts ruled the misdirection was actually acceptable and the rest is history.

I am not going to take the time to recant the history of this misdirection again for I have alluded to it many times on this blog and there are other sources you can check to affirm the information if you really care to check it out but I am going to say that just because the officials declared the runners who ran off course where legal does not change the fact that they actually did not run the course that was originally laid out for them to run. In a just society the runners who ran the wrong course would have been eliminated from the race and those who ran the proper course would have been rewarded with the win. However because so many made the wrong turn they were able to force the judges to rule in their favor by indicating that the runners who ran the proper course were the ones who ran the wrong way.

As our country rushes full-speed ahead to financial and societal ruin, anyone who opposes the course, now sanctioned as official, are demonized and called illegitimate, although they are pointing out the proper course our country should take, the one laid out by our founders.

Because too many have run the race improperly it has become acceptable that the wrong course is now considered the right course, and the right course has been abandoned and ignored. Irregardless of what others may say I will continue to point out the error of our ways and even though I may be dismissed, ridiculed, or even ignored, I shall continue to declare the road we are taking is wrong and we need to make a course correction.

Just because the majority are running in a different direction does not mean that the direction in which they are all running is the right direction to go.

Go in by the narrow door; for wide is the door and open is the way which goes to destruction, and great numbers go in by it. For narrow is the door and hard the road to life, and only a small number make discovery of it. Matt 7:13-14 (BBE)

Following the crowd is usually not the best course to take when running the race of life. The Lord has set a course for us to follow and He does not reward those who run off in a different direction. Ignoring God’s provision in our life and the life of our country has set us on this wrong course and it will not end well. There is not going to be a judge standing at the finish line willing to bend the rules to accommodate our misguided choices nor will He ignore the fact that we strayed from the proper path to follow our own. There are consequences to making the wrong choice. Are you following after the crowd or the Lord? Are you willing to bet your life the path you have chosen is the right one? Is winning at all cost more important then running an ethical and honest race?

I am afraid ethics and honesty are virtues long ago lost in our ruling class. I pray it has not been lost in the private sector, but only time will tell the true tale.

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