✝ Daily Encouragement (10/31/22) "How Firm A Foundation!"
Published: Mon, 10/31/22
A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber.
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Monday, October 31, 2022
 The Golden Gate Bridge was covered in fog yesterday
afternoon when we returned to the city and went to the Marin headlands viewing points.
(Click to
enlarge)
"How Firm A Foundation!"
Note: I have been in San Fransisco since Friday afternoon visiting my oldest brother Michael. My other older brother, Pat, is also here with us. This is a time for just the three of us brothers to spend time together apart from our families.
Message summary: Rest in this blessed assurance: God and His Word provide the steady anchorage and sure foundation for the soul.
Note: Due to travel a podcast will not be available for this message
 "God’s solid foundation stands firm" (2 Timothy 2:19).Stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge can be seen throughout the San Francisco area. Today's photo shows the fog coming in under the bridge from Fisherman's Wharf. There are views where all you see is the top of the towers. But to get a real sense of the immensity of the bridge you need to walk across it, which I did Saturday afternoon. It's about 3 miles to go from the parking lot on the San Francisco side to the other side and then walk back.
The bridge has many visually impressive features, most prominently the huge towers and the cable holding the bridge up. Likely though, for the typical pedestrian, let alone drivers crossing the bridge, very little attention or appreciation is given to the four huge concrete blocks, two on each side of the bridge.
 These are known as the cable anchorages, which form a vitally critical role in the foundation of the structure. There are 182,000 cubic yards of concrete in these anchorages, along with the pylons and cable housing. The function is to anchor the massive main cables that hold up the bridge. You can see in the photo above the main cable going into the anchorage. The cable anchorage serves a vital role in securing this cable. If the
cable slipped out there would be catastrophic consequences.
Today let us consider the anchorage for the soul. All last week we considered the anchor for the soul based on one of my favorite Scripture passages from Hebrews 6:19. Of course the allusion has been to a ship's anchor, not the anchorage for a bridge cable, but the principle is the same. The anchorage provides firm foundation for the much more visually prominent cables. If these anchorages were not solid everything else would be vain. The bridge would not stand. Our daily text is from 2 Timothy. Five words which are incredibly assuring for God's redeemed people, "God’s solid foundation stands firm." Firm means that which is solidified, unyielding or inflexible in contrast to that which is soft or liquid.
"The solid foundation" - What does this phrase refer to? The two most frequently mentioned interpretations are:
(1) the church composed of genuine believers
(2) the Lord Jesus Christ, the Solid Rock upon which the church rests.
To an extent these two possibilities are virtually impossible to separate for the church is composed of those who are members of His flesh and one flesh with Him. As Paul explained the "church...is His body, (and is) the fullness of Him who fills all in all" (Ephesians 1:22-23). (Precept Commentary)
Symbolically, the Hebrew word for "foundation" refers to principles on which people build their lives, whether they be faulty or sound.
I will build my life upon Your love
It is a firm foundation I will put my trust in You alone And I will not be shaken Be encouraged today, (Hebrews 3:13)
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
 Daily prayer: Father, much like we prepare for a ravaging storm by anchoring valuables to a firm foundation, help us to
anchor our souls in the firm foundation of Your Word that will help us to withstand the testings and trials of life that are certain to come our way. Even as the huge cable anchorages of the Golden Gate Bridge have stood the test of time, may we have an assurance of Your absolute reliability, not for the years of time alone, but for all eternity. Amen.Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"Build My
Life" Video Pat Barrett
"How Firm A
Foundation" Video Sovereign Grace Music
The Golden Gate Bridge takes a pretty picture from anywhere
you see it! This is from the Marin Highlands on the north side of the bay where our foggy photo was taken yesterday. This is higher up from a trip 4 years ago.
(Click to
enlarge)
 Will and Martha Nelken
Yesterday the three Weber brothers went to church together at the Trinity Community Church in San Rafael where Pastor Nelken has faithfully served for nearly 40 years. We met about 25 years ago when my mother had a bad fall while visiting my oldest brother Mike. Mom recovered in a rehabilitation facility over a six week period and he stepped in to provide pastoral care. What a blessing to join them for lunch after the
service.
 Negar is from Iran and shared a testimony of coming to Christ. She shared of the Christian movement in Iran which is a reminder I needed!
 Tino is from the Yucatan and joined us for lunch with his vibrant smile.
 There's a lot of research in the San Fransisco area. Driving through the city Saturday afternoon we saw these self-driving cars practicing. I suppose if they can manage to get around a busy city without crashing they will work anywhere!
 This research has already been done (see Proverbs 20:1)
Finally today:
 Back in Lancaster County.
Ester joined with friends on Saturday to visit the Cherry Crest Farm!
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