“Apart from a direct calling from God, any man who was gone from his family as much as I, would be in sin.”  My dad, Bill Bright, who traveled 80% of the time during my growing up years, imparted that to me after I got married and started a family of my own. The amazing thing is, I don’t remember him being gone that much. I think it was largely due to three factors. 

Vladimir Putin is a hero, if….

Win or lose, Vlad is the poster boy for Darwin’s “natural selection.” In a world birthed and incubated in the nurturing ooze of “survival of the fittest,” Putin epitomizes evolutionary virtue. The struggle for power helps guarantee that the strong survive, while the weak die and exit the gene pool. In this manner humanity continues its ever-evolving upward journey. That’s good, isn’t it? We want humanity to continue evolving, don’t we? Weren’t we taught in school that “survival of the fittest” is the way of the universe?

What would you say is the greatest mistake a follower of Christ can make?  Pride?  Greed?  Sexual impurity? Unforgiveness? Bill Bright’s answer may surprise you. It cuts to the heart of every struggle we face.

My dad, Bill Bright, recognized although you cannot lose your salvation once you place your trust in Christ, you can lose your first love for the Savior—with devastating consequences. 

How can you tell if you are a functional atheist?  For starters, ponder the following question: 

Do my circumstances determine how I see God, or does my view of God determine how I see my    circumstances? 

Here are a few more questions to help you drill down further. Think of them as a mirror: