Paul W. Powell Legacy Library

Religion, the wrong kind of religion, is at the root of many of the problems in our world today. It has always been true that the wrong kind of religion does more harm than good. Even Jesus warned us about this. In fact, Jesus gave us three marks of the wrong kind of religion in Mark 12:38-40.  First, it is wrong for people to use the church to promote themselve...

One of the towering questions of our day is “Are the gospels true?” Without them we would know little more than that Christ existed. Their validity is imperative in the Christian life. How can we be sure they are true? 1. They have the ring of truth. A careful study of the four gospels reveals their amazing nature. Strictly speaking, the gospels are not b...

George E. Jones, former deputy editor of U.S. News, once raised the question, “Whatever became of belief in America?” He went on to point out that belief in America is being replaced by pessimism, distrust of leaders, and laxity in standards. The old certainties are passing away and skepticism and cynicism abound everywhere. Then he called belief “th...

A little boy wrote a four-sentence essay on Socrates. “Socrates was a Greek. Socrates was a great man. Socrates told people how to live their lives. They poisoned Socrates.” Telling other people how to live is hazardous work. Yet this is precisely the task of every minister. The true pastor is a God-appointed man to proclaim a God-given message to the wor...

When God called Moses to lead the children of Israel out of Egyptian bondage, Moses tried to excuse himself by saying that he didn’t know enough to do the job adequately (Exodus 3:13). He pled ignorance in the first degree. Moses was afraid to undertake the challenge God gave to him because he was afraid someone would ask him a question that he couldn’t a...

A good self-image is important if we are ever going to be successful. This is just as true in God’s work as it is in any other area of life. When God called Moses to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt, Moses tried to excuse himself by saying, “Who am I, that I should go unto the Pharaoh?” (Exodus 3:11) Mark that question “Who am I?&rdquo...

28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? 29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and...

38 And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, 39 And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: 40 Which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation. Introduction  Religion&mdas...

There was once a group of Bible society trustees who could not decide what material to use to bind a new issue of the Bible they had just printed. Should they bind it in paper? Cloth? Persian leather? Moroccan? One of the trustees rose and said, “Mr. Chairman, I move that we bind these Bibles in shoe leather and walk out their teachings into everyday life.&rdquo...