Freely Speaking Audio Devotion

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Freely Speaking Audio Devotion

Jessica Gerth (Writer) - Tyla Yauk (Narrator)

December 4, 2024 • Jessica Gerth • John 1:14

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Welcome to Freely Speaking, an OHSOFREE devotional ministry where we share our hearts and trust God for transformation.

Today’s devotional is written by Jessica Gerth.

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14 NIV).

Memories of childhood Christmases flood my mind as we approach this season each year. Family traditions, dragging countless boxes of decorations down from the attic, and the children’s nativity play at church - complete with wisemen, sheep, and angels. The final touch was a plastic doll named “Jesus” wrapped in a blanket.

Rejection. Mockery. Pain. No one asks for these things; most of us would avoid them if we could. If someone came to me and predicted in detail every physical and emotional battle I would face, I’m honestly not sure that I would be strong enough to willingly step into that life.

But God so loved the world…

Isaiah prophesied Jesus’ coming hundreds of years before His birth in that little town of Bethlehem (Isaiah Chapter 53). Predicted was Christ’s suffering, affliction, and being wounded for our transgressions. Still, He came.

“The Word became flesh”. The significance of those four words from today’s focus scripture is soul-changing. My God chose to take on human form, humbling Himself and fully experiencing every physical and emotional feeling we do - hunger, thirst, sadness, joy, and finally death.

The Message translation of this scripture reads, “The Word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood”. Jesus didn’t have royal beginnings as one might expect. God often does the unexpected, and our Savior arrived in the form of a tiny, helpless infant.

As we prepare our homes this Christmas and dress our children as shepherds and livestock for the children’s nativity play, let our hearts remember the gift we should celebrate all year.

Jesus chose to dwell with us. He moved into our neighborhood. Thank God for revealing His incredible glory to us in a way we can grasp. Grace and truth were born in a manger and called “Emmanuel”.

Thank you for joining us today. If you would like to learn more about OhSoFree Ministries, please visit us at www.ohsofreeministries.com/

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December 18, 2024 • Marge Webb • Luke 1:46–47, Luke 1:49

Welcome to Freely Speaking, an OHSOFREE devotional ministry where we share our hearts and trust God for transformation. Today’s devotion is written by Marge Web. “...My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior… For the Mighty One has done great things for me and holy is His name.” (Luke 1:46-47, 49 NRSV) I love Christmas music. My former employees will tell you when they rode to a lunch event in my van; they expected two things: I would drive fast and undoubtedly listen to Christmas music. Did you know singing worship songs at Christmas is evident in the Bible? Of course, the era wasn’t called Christmas, but the angels were bringing the good news of the Savior, and Mary and Zachariah responded with singing. Mary’s beautiful song says in part, Sing out my soul the greatness of the Lord. My spirit rejoices in God my Savior. This song is often called the Magnificat and has been used as the basis for choral music and hymns for centuries. What beautiful praise as Mary reacted to all the events happening in her young life sharing the news of the promised Messiah with her aunt Elizabeth. This Christmas let’s not just sing Christmas carols for fun but also worship the newborn Savior through these beautiful hymns. From the daunting melody of O Come, O Come, Emmanuel to the more familiar Silent Night, focus on the lyrics of each song. Maybe we can start with this one. It’s not worshipping a town, but a Savior born there as prophesied in Micah 5:2, “But thou Bethlehem, out of thee shall a ruler of Israel come forth.” (KJV) “Oh, Little Town of Bethlehem, how still we see Thee lie! Above Thy deep and dreamless Sleep The silent stars go by. Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light: The hopes and dreams of all the years, Are met in Thee tonight.” Let Jesus meet your hopes and dreams this Christmas. Thank you for joining us today. If you would like to learn more about OhSoFree Ministries, please visit us at http://www.ohsofreeministries.com

Freely Speaking Audio Devotion

December 16, 2024 • Karen Wardle • Mark 12:30, Zechariah 9:9

Welcome to Freely Speaking, an OHSOFREE devotional ministry where we share our hearts and trust God for transformation. Today, Karen Wardle encourages us to love Jesus with our whole being. “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9 ESV). “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30 ESV). In Zechariah, we are called to rejoice and celebrate the arrival of our King, Jesus Christ. The fulfillment of this prophesy is exciting and is a reason to celebrate! Jesus’ humility, righteousness, and salvation make us more aware of His love and grace. Yet, a true celebration of Jesus is more than outward expression; it is a posture of the mind. Jesus teaches us to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. This is a call to mindfulness, to be fully present in our relationship with Him. Loving Jesus with your mind means intentionally focusing on His goodness, sacrifice, and presence. It means celebrating Him with words, songs, and every thought that passes through your mind. In my family, Christmas time is buzzing with events and fun activities. There are Christmas concerts and plays to go to. There’s cooking to be done. There’s shopping and package wrapping. In our fast-paced world, we can easily get distracted and lose sight of Jesus, but mindfulness brings us back to the truth that He is always with us, guiding us with His grace. To celebrate Him during this Christmas season (and always) is to fix our thoughts on His love, to meditate on His word, and be aware of His hand in every situation we face. Take a moment today to quiet your mind. Reflect on Jesus' humility, who entered Jerusalem not on a mighty steed but on a humble donkey. Think of His unwavering love for you, a love that led Him from his birth to the cross and resurrection in payment for your sins. Let your heart rejoice, not just with shouts of praise but with a deep, mindful awareness of Jesus. As you love Jesus with your whole being—heart, soul, mind, and strength—you’ll find that every moment becomes an opportunity to celebrate Him. In doing so, you fulfill the command to love God completely and experience the peace and joy that come from living in His presence. Merry Christmas. Thank you for joining us today. If you would like to learn more about OhSoFree Ministries, please visit us at http://www.ohsofreeministries.com/

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December 12, 2024 • Angela Vandagriff • Matthew 2:11

Welcome to Freely Speaking, an OHSOFREE devotional ministry where we share our hearts and trust God for transformation. Today, Angela Vandagriff encourages us to always seek Jesus relentlessly. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshiped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh (Matthew 2:11 KJV). I had to travel nine hours to see the birth of my grandchild. Frantically racing to get there before she was born, I still missed her birth. Upon arrival, I walked slowly into the room, my eyes locked on this dark-haired, tiny, beautiful bundle of life, and my heart opened. Tears began to flow down my cheeks, dampening my shirt. I held her tight, snuggling her close to my face. I inhaled the smell of life. The Wise men journeyed through harsh conditions but did not make it in time for the birth of Jesus. No one knows exactly how long their 1200-mile journey took, but it was anything but luxurious and quick. Did their conversation center around the magnificent star leading them? Did they discuss the swirling emotions that filled their hearts over finding Jesus? We are not sure. Picture the wise men finally arriving. They entered the house where young Jesus played on the floor, His mother Mary beside Him. Their eyes gazed upon the Christ Child, and they fell to their knees and worshiped Him. No one knows how long they worshipped. Did tears fall from their eyes and wet the floor? Possibly. They opened their treasures and gave Him gifts fitting for a King of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Close your eyes and imagine holding the Christ Child. Breathe in deeply and inhale the smell of the life that saved yours. As we celebrate the birth of our Savior this Christmas season, I encourage you to do as the Wise men did: seek Jesus relentlessly, no matter how hard the journey. Fall down and worship Him. Allow your tears to wet the floor. Open what holds your treasures and heart, and give it to the King of Kings, Christ Jesus, and live changed! Thank you for joining us today. If you would like to learn more about OhSoFree Ministries, please visit us at http://www.ohsofreeministries.com