Paul W. Powell Legacy Library

1 And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. 2 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. 3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. 4 And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way. 5 And when...

There are two ways of salvation known to men—the way of merit and the way of mercy. Most people everywhere believe that they are saved either by their own goodness or by God’s grace. The basis of every world religion, except Christianity, is that man is saved by his own goodness. Through the years some people, not understanding the Bible, have tried to int...

Man has always examined his plight and tried to determine what was wrong with him. Karl Marx studied man and concluded that his problem was rooted in economics. He taught that if we would take the money and power away from the capitalist and give it to the working man we could establish the classless society and utopia would come. Sigmund Freud studied man and conclu...

Newspaper accounts told of a famous playwright (who had given the entertainment world some of its most filthy literature) joining a church. He explained his actions by saying, “I wanted my goodness back.” There are many people like him today. We start our lives with such innocence and purity, but gradually, through our sins and mistakes, there comes over...

Thoughts of a new beginning appeal to every one of us. Everyone can begin again at the foot of the cross of Christ, and any person wanting to begin life anew must come to him in repentance and in faith. Paul expressed it this way: “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5...

Ancient Sparta was a warlike nation that emphasized discipline and hardship and sacrifice. A king once wrote the Spartans a threatening letter, saying that they had better do what he told them to do, for if he came and took their country he would destroy their city and make them all slaves. The Spartans sent a messenger back with their answer, and when the letter was...

The question of the ages was posed by Job when he asked, “But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?” (Job 14:10) The answer to that question, I believe, is that man lives on after death. Why do I believe in life after death? 1. I believe it instinctively. A well-known atheist in France honestly confessed a deep-seate...

Many people in and out of the church think of the Christian faith as gloomy, sad, and dismal. I do not know where this idea came from, but it certainly didn’t come from Jesus. The Pharisees didn’t think of him that way. They called him a glutton and a wine-bibber. He had a reputation for enjoying life. Tax collectors didn’t see him as dull either. H...

I visited with a young lady to invite her to church. We had talked for only a few moments when tears welled up in her eyes and she became very emotional. It was clear that she was deeply distressed. I shared with her what Christ meant to me and how through faith in him I had found peace and happiness in life. She replied, “I really could use some of that.&rdqu...