Blog

Filthiness

Submitted by Leland Maples on Thu, 09/14/2006 - 23:00

Why do God’s people sometimes do bad things? Most of us know someone who used to walk in the Spirit (as best as we could tell) and now they are openly walking in the flesh. Since most religionists think people are saved by their good deeds, it is no problem to brush them off as becoming lost again. We do know that there are counterfeits and that some people have never been saved, such as those in Matthew 7:21-23. I want to discuss those who have been genuinely saved and then turned aside.

Paul admonished God’s saints at Corinth:

Twice Lost

Submitted by Leland Maples on Sat, 10/14/2006 - 23:00

The LOOPS newsletter Reflections goes to 36 states and 6 foreign countries. We have over 300 students (mostly inmates) enrolled in our Bible correspondence courses. Needless to say, our little office handles a lot of correspondence. Much of our time is used in answering questions. These questions range from deeper theological questions to inquiries about the contemporary church movement. Many people seem to think all inmates are backward and stupid, but believe me, that is not the case.

This Thing Called Love

Submitted by Leland Maples on Wed, 11/15/2006 - 00:00

What is this thing called “love?”

One of the signs of the last days is “misplaced love.”

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves…” 2 Timothy 3:1-2.

The Gospel at Christmas

Submitted by Leland Maples on Fri, 12/15/2006 - 00:00

I love this time of the year. It is one of two times that the populated world is brought to face some facts about Jesus Christ. The other time is Easter. I am fully aware of all the unspiritual and unscriptural things that surround these times, but they surround every day. Every year for centuries, men are reminded that God came to earth to die for the sins of men. Every year for centuries, men are reminded that Jesus Christ arose from the dead to guarantee the believers in Him a better home in heaven.

Looking at the Church

Submitted by Leland Maples on Mon, 01/15/2007 - 00:00

Time does fly, but only as you look back on it. 2006 has been like most years, both bitter and sweet. We have buried some loved ones, including my Mother. We have seen good friends stumble and fall back into the prison system. We see truth continue to be sacrificed for profit, power and prestige. We keep reading about the masses leaving the ministry, churches going hip-hop trying to stave off their failure.

The Church in Disguise

Submitted by Leland Maples on Thu, 02/15/2007 - 00:00

I have been thumbing through my Bible trying to find verses that instruct us to sneak up on lost people. Today’s mainline churches are going incognito and wearing camouflage! When a law enforcement officer goes undercover, he does so to impersonate the bad guys. Why would a Christian do that? As best I understand it, God wants us to “come out from among them,” not imitate them.

Praise and Worship

Submitted by Leland Maples on Thu, 03/15/2007 - 23:00

Much is being written and spoken today about “praise and worship.” I am bad about accepting things, especially things issuing from Christian friends and reputable Christian leaders. It usually takes some traumatic event or conflict before I research anything on my own. It is obvious that “praise and worship” means different things to different people, but it is just as obvious that everyone seems to think it involves music of some kind.

Christ Prescense and Absence

Submitted by Leland Maples on Sat, 04/14/2007 - 23:00

Easter is here! Christ has risen! Everything worthwhile is tied to Christ’s resurrection. Paul said,

“And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain…If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” 1 Corinthians 15:14, 19

There are two events in scripture that point to drastic mistakes we can make about Jesus Christ. Both of these mistakes were made by people who were close to Him, who loved Him and were dedicated to Him.

1. FAILING TO RECOGNIZE HIS PRESENCE

Money Makers

Submitted by Leland Maples on Mon, 05/14/2007 - 23:00

A pastor friend of mine related this story. On their way home from church one Sunday, his ten year old daughter quizzed him. She said, “Daddy, that story you told today…was that really true or was it just preaching?” A little girl, wise beyond her years; for so much of what we hear as preaching may be just that…preaching, not truth!

Saul's Greatest Enemy - David

Submitted by Leland Maples on Thu, 06/14/2007 - 23:00

We live in unusual and interesting times. Never have things moved so fast around us. It took right at 5900 years for transportation to advance from animals to automobiles. In a 100 years man has achieved speed faster than sound, traveled to destinations as far as the moon and changed the English Bible over 200 times. In less than 50 years we have seen the most prosperous and advanced civilizations legalize murdering innocent babies, approve same sex marriages and strive to remove God and the Ten Commandments from our society. Man keeps contradicting himself.