Blogs by Leland Maples

Valentine's Day is a religious holiday that only one religion connects any religion to it. The background and research is so flimsy that Valentine could have been one of three saints or no saint at all. The holiday is depicted by boxes of candy, red hearts, little make believe angels called cupid (angels in the Bible have no wings.) Nothing about salvation, heaven, hell, resurrection, the cross, etc., are connected to this day. Even though Valentine Card sales are only #2 in regard to Christmas cards, the day does not leave much impression outside of erotic, romantic or frivolous.

"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." 1 Thessalonians 5:18

What an odd scripture to chose in the times in which we live. Good is being called evil; right is being called wrong; sin is abounding on every hand… and we are to be thankful? There is probably more paganism, demonism and more devilment going on today than has been since America was formed. The big difference between America's first Thanksgiving and this year's is the fact that those first settlers who observed Thanksgiving knew that socialism would not work because they...

"The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever." Psalms 12:6-7

In my lifetime, I have seen America's leadership begin to "…hate the good, and love the evil…" (Micah 3:2.) This hate of good and love of evil seems to parallel with the changing of one Bible translation right after another. Like the Athenians on Mars' hill, today's religious (not necessarily Christian) crowd seem to spend "their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear...

"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God." 1 Corinthians 6:9-10

The Bible has always been fairly specific when it comes to naming sin. Today we have crafted euphoric terms to define sin. We have the "unauthorized use of a motor vehicle" instead of car theft. Whether the speaker be Paul, Jesus or another, they called sin...