Paul W. Powell Legacy Library

D.L. Moody, one of America’s greatest evangelists, weighed a hefty 280 pounds. He once made a visit to Charles Haddon Spurgeon, the great preacher from London, England. When Spurgeon came to the door he had a cigar in his hand. Moody was taken aback and reportedly said to him, “How can a man of God like you smoke like that?”  Then Spurgeon poke...

I loved the 2010 movie “True Grit.” For one thing, I liked the music, “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms.” But the main reason was the acting of then fourteen-year-old Hailee Steinfeld who played the part of Mattie Ross. When they started filming, Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon used a lot of curse words. So, little Hailee started a “bad boy ja...

A man once asked the Lord, “How long do I have to live?” He answered, “Long enough to make a difference.” Here are some lessons that will help us make a difference: Life starts and ends with God. Establish priorities to do the important things first. Don’t give your best to life’s second best. Give your best to God. &nb...

A San Francisco psychiatrist once made an interesting observation about the young ladies who followed Charles Manson, the convicted orchestrator of the murder of Sharon Tate. He said, “Most of Charlie’s girls were hysteric, wishful thinkers, seeking after some absolute.” I think much of the turmoil and confusion of our age is due to the fact that pe...

The old proverb says, “It’s an ill wind that blows no good.”  When the storm winds of life blow your way, when trouble comes, when you experience suffering, look for the good in all of it. It is not always easy to see, of course. When Winston Churchill, the man who led England safely through World War II, was then defeated in the election of 19...

One of the hardest teachings of Jesus is, “Love your enemies, bless them who curse you, do good those who hate you, pray for those who despitefully use and persecute you.”  You say, “I could never do that.” You not only can, you must. If we don’t forgive others who hurt us, God will not forgive us of our sins. As has been said, by r...

When Billy Curry was drafted by the Green Bay Packers it was the fulfillment of a lifetime dream. He had always wanted to play for the famed coach Vince Lombardi. At the first training camp Lombardi said to the players, “Men, around here, our priorities are three and in this order:  God, family, and the Green Bay Packers.”  Then, Curry remembers,...

The first emotion of the first man born on earth was anger. Cain, out of a fit of jealous rage, killed his brother. Anger was not just a problem for the first mortal man born on earth but for every man. It expresses itself in countless ways: road rage, spousal abuse, security guards, having to have metal detectors at schools, airports, and athletic events, and scores...

One of the greatest blessings of life is a Christian home. It is a source of strength and help for all of life. An essential ingredient in a Christian home is a family altar. You cannot have a Christian home in the fullest sense of the word without it. What is a family altar? It is not a piece of furniture or a place. It is an event. It is a time when the family join...