Thoughts for Life: From The Cradle To The Cross

The star shone bright over Bethlehem,

Above the cradle of the King;

From where His path led to Calvary,

His gift of salvation to bring.

The wise men came to honor this Child,

With gold, frankincense, and myrrh,

This Sovereign of the universe,

The Incarnate, living Word.

Lawyers were astonished in Jerusalem

By the wisdom He had of God’s will.

Which controlled His life, even though He knew

It would lead Him to die on yon hill.

He preached to the people repentance,

Not far from the place of the cross;

Giving forgiveness through His blood

He would shed there freely for the lost.

He grew in favor with God and man;

In flesh, He was the Great I Am.

He was born to die, to save mankind,

God’s spotless redemptive Lamb.

His life was so brief, His work was soon done,

Golgotha was now just ahead;

The Babe that was born in Bethlehem

Would now die as the prophets said.

Nails were driven through His hands and feet,

And with a spear his side was torn;

Life was now over for Jesus the man,

Who was the baby that to Mary was born.

There was no light on Calv’ry those hours,

When deep darkness covered the earth;

As the Son of God was sacrificed,

Who once lay in a manger at birth.

From the humble cradle to the Cross,

From Bethlehem to Mount Calvary;

Christ’s birth is celebrated at Christmas,

For He was born to die for you and me.

From The Cradle To The Cross by James H. Cagle

Pray with me:

Father, I'm thankful that You sent

Christ Jesus to us, to be our Savior!

May I be careful to give You the praise

for this miracle, and to remember why He came that cold, crisp morning in Bethlehem's stable.

A humbler birth no one could have, so You chose it for Jesus, knowing full well that Mary and Joseph would take good care of Him.

We know that the Good News is past along to us now, so may we honor Him with our lives, and be faithful to You each day.

I ask this in Christ's name. Amen.

Today’s Bible verse: Is. 59:1 "Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear."

Today’s quotes: Dr. Charles F. Stanley - "True wealth isn't measured by your bank account or automobile. As fellow heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17), believers have access to God's riches, which include unspeakable joy, unconditional love, and peace beyond understanding. Invest in your spiritual life, and enjoy these blessings of grace."

Bob Gass Ministries - "The Devil is real, but you don't have to be afraid because Jesus has already defeated him. Bottom line: When your heart is set on seeking for He will guide you, protect you, and reward you." (From Daily Devotional Dec-Jan-Feb 12/25/14)

Some thoughts today: Sometimes, we don't know the blessings that we have, as we may not be watching for them. There are times we do see and know God's blessings, and we should be ready always to give thanks for His kindnesses.

- Phil. 4:6 encourages us to add thanksgiving to our prayers to God.

- Look past the garbage in others and remember that each of us is a "diamond" in the rough.

28th- Sunday evening’s post: With God, All Things Are Possible

Debbie McEwen

30th- Tuesday's post: #29 Can We Identify With This?

C. Peter Wagner

1/1st- Thursday's post: #30 The Meaning of Jesus' Temptation

C. Peter Wagner

3rd- Saturday's post: Rooted in Love
Joe Stowell

A popular post: Prophetic Declaration Note #105 Dutch Sheets tells us: “Let’s look at some biblical examples of prophetic words that precede God doing something.

In Jeremiah 6:18, 19, Jeremiah prophesied and said, “Therefore hear, O nations…Hear, O earth.”

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