Paul W. Powell Legacy Library

One of the greatest needs, but most difficult disciplines to establish in the Christian life, is the habit of daily Bible study. I once read what Leland Wang, a dedicated Chinese Christian, said helped him develop this discipline. He wrote: 1. Carrying a Bible or New Testament in my pocket wherever I go. Verses can be read in spare moments. I always have the word of...

Discipline is both positive and negative. Another devotional listed the five do’s of discipline. This week presents the five don’ts of discipline. 1. Don’t compare. Every child needs acceptance for who he is. Comparing children often crushes the spirit. Encourage each child to be his best self. 2. Don’t overprotect. The ultimate result of pro...

The New York City Youth Board once released a report that attracted a good deal of attention. The board had sent some highly experienced social workers and psychologists into the homes of 500 six-year-old boys. After studying the home environment, the researchers made predictions about the future of each of the boys. For the children from homes with a notable lack of...

One day a tall middle-aged man pushed his way through the Christmas crowd and asked a clerk for a compass. She led him to the counter displaying mechanical drawing sets and laid out several instruments. “Oh, I don’t want one that draws circles,” the customer protested. “I want a compass that gives directions.” “Sorry,” came...

Jesse Jackson said some time ago that we sometimes allow our children to “eat junk and to watch junk and listen to junk and to play with junk and to talk junk, and then we wonder why they grow up to be social junkies.” To that I would add that we sometimes allow ourselves as well as our children to think junk. If we are continually focusing on junk in ever...

One of the greatest athletes who ever lived was the legendary Bobby Jones, the golfer. One of the things that characterized him was his absolute honesty in playing the game. In fact, on one occasion in a crucial match, he accidentally moved the ball as he was addressing it with his club. Though he moved it just a fraction, and though he was out in the rough and no one...

Several years ago, I read with great interest a book by Elmer G. Letterman entitled How Showmanship Sells. It is one of those success motivation books with a lot of good philosophy in it. He said, “People come to me oftentimes and ask me for the secret to success.” He continued, “There is no one simple answer to that, but there is one necessary first...

One man said concerning his wife, “My wife has a terrible memory. She never forgets anything.” Another one said, “Every time we argue my wife gets historical.” His friend said, “No, you mean hysterical.” He said, “No, historical. She always brings up the past.” Learning how to forget is important in getting on with being...

The Bible does not say, “Spare the rod and spoil the child,” but it does say, “He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes [early]” (Proverbs 13:24). Unquestionably, the home is the place for discipline. The God-ordained purpose of parents is to give guidance and training to children. But today many pa...