Paul W. Powell Legacy Library

A young man once came to talk to me about his spiritual life. In years gone by he had tried it all—pot, alcohol, sex. You name it. But he was beginning to look at life more soberly and maturely. He told me some things that he is doing to improve his life. I was so impressed with them that I thought they were worth sharing with others.       1. He...

Someone asked John D. Rockefeller how much money it would take to satisfy a person. He wisely replied, “Just a little bit more.” Every one of us must be on guard constantly against that greedy, selfish spirit that makes money a god and things the supreme desire of life. To save us from the slavery of materialism, the Lord commanded us to use our possessio...

It has been said that the average American’s life can be summed up in three words: hurry, worry, and bury! We are all busy people. We are pulled in a thousand different directions, and a multitude of causes bid constantly for our time, energy, and influence. We are drawn by civic, social, domestic, charitable, and religious demands. In the midst of this busy ag...

Bob Gibson, star pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals (1959–75), once spoke about the rough and rugged life of a famous athlete. After telling of many unpleasant experiences with the fans, he said, “I don’t like crowds—and fans, except for a very few, are all fair weather.” I suppose every famous person knows how fickle the crowd can be. J...

The Bible warns us against presuming on tomorrow when it says “Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knoweth not what a day may bring forth” (Proverbs 27:1). We are not forbidden to plan for or to think about tomorrow, but we are told not to presume upon it. Instead we are told we should live each day with the consciousness that tomorrow may not be ours....

One of the secrets of the great life of the apostle Paul was that he learned how to forget. He did not spend his time looking at his successes or his failures. Rather, he kept focusing on the future and pressing toward the mark of Christian maturity (Philippians 3:13). This is one of the secrets of any great life. It was the brilliant mind of Aldous Huxley that came...

With the New Year coming up, most everybody is getting in on the act of making a few New Year’s resolutions of their own. Here are some of my own sideline suggestions for New Year’s resolutions. Be it resolved: To Get More Out of Church: That you won’t try to call playing golf on Sunday your “church time” any more than you would call...

It has always been true that our greatest saints and our greatest sinners are made of the same material. The difference in the best and worst of people is not in their instincts and impulses but rather in the goals and ends to which these are directed. The desire to get ahead, to excel, to have more and be more than others is a driving force. We call this desire ambi...

The flipping of the calendar does not really change anything. If you find happiness this year, it will be because of what you put into your life. What are the essentials to a happy life and a happy New Year? 1. A self to live with. Is life worth living? Yes, if a person can find a self to live with. Unless you like yourself, there is little chance of your liking life...