Paul W. Powell Legacy Library

During the Bobby Baker hearing in Washington in 1963, charges were made that a certain witness was a “character assassin.” A character assassin is a person who attempts to demolish the character of someone else by slander, lies, gossip, or half-truths. The chief weapon of the character assassin is his tongue. With it he injures innocent people. The tongue...

The Christian life is difficult. The person who says otherwise hasn’t tried it. As difficult as it is, it can be much easier if you follow some simple rules. It is virtually impossible if you neglect them. Here are four of the most important rules for Christian living. 1. Read your Bible daily. Your spiritual life needs food—spiritual food. Where do you f...

Joe Louis complained to his manager, Mike Jacobs, when he lost the world’s heavyweight boxing title: “You can’t do it when you don’t got it.” It’s as true in living the Christian life as it is in boxing—you’ve got to have power to be successful. God never intended you to live the Christian life in your own strength. I m...

The motto for every Christian’s life should be, “Thy will, O God, nothing more, nothing less, nothing else.” Behind this motto is the assumption that God has a will for every life. Both Jesus and the apostle Paul lived their lives under the conviction that God had a will for them, and they died with the satisfaction that they had accomplished it. As...

There are three courts before which we must all be tried sooner or later. These are the court of public opinion, the court of conscience, and the court of God. None of these judgments should be taken lightly. The court of public opinion convenes daily in our town. Sometimes it meets in the cafe, sometimes on the street corner, and sometimes over the telephone. There...

Jesus said “Ye are the salt of the earth; but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men” (Matthew 5:13). He reminded all of his followers for all time that it was their task to save the world from moral and spiritual decay. “Salt is natur...

There is much talk today about the generation gap—that invisible chasm between parents and their children. While there has always been a gap between one generation and the next, there are many who feel that it is deeper and wider today than ever before. Several factors, like the rapid changes that are occurring all over our world, improved communications throug...

Many years ago when the Baltimore Ravens were the Baltimore Colts I saw them play the Houston Oilers in a thrilling exhibition game. The score seesawed back and forth until, with one minute and 15 seconds left to play, the Oilers got the ball and methodically moved down the field to score and go ahead. Only 30 seconds were left when they kicked off and it looked as if...

A minister who was conducting worship services in the White House quoted a maxim of Augustine: “I will work as if everything depended on me; I shall pray as if everything depended on God.” Prayer and work naturally go together. Jesus said, “Men ought always to pray, and not to faint” (Luke 18:1). Prayer is important but prayer is not a substit...