Courageous Faith

Amos 3:3 poses one of the most important questions in all of scripture: “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?” (NKJV). The obvious and logical answer to the question is no, two cannot walk together unless they agree. In the context of walking with the Lord, however, the deeper question is who is supposed to agree with whom? Everyone has desires; they are innate to the human condition. God, the creator of all life, understands the human condition. He also understands that what is innate to us is not necessarily beneficial to us. God, in His great love, seeks only the best for all of His creation. The problems in the world do not exist because of a complacent or passive God, but because of the willfulness of men — believer and unbeliever alike. God says, “Behold, the LORD's hand is not so short that it cannot save; nor is His ear so dull that it cannot hear” (Isaiah 59:1). God has taken action to save and bring His blessing to the world through Jesus. Man, however, has ...

I think engineering is a fascinating field. I’ve had the pleasure of working with engineers on a number of public works projects during my years in local government. From street construction and flood control, to water lines and sewers, I was always amazed at how the engineers would consider the variables surrounding a project, run the calculations and come up with a final design to build something that actually worked. Engineers combine experience with industry standards to account for every foreseeable situation that could affect the construction process as well as the long-term use of whatever they are designing. Projects are always designed to withstand the maximum potential use of the finished product, such as the maximum weight that a bridge must bear at any given point. While the focus of architecture is on aesthetics, functionality and other design elements, engineering brings “exactness” into the creative process. The engineer makes sure a building can withstand the forces ...