Winter 2009
Dearly Beloved of Our Lord:
Greetings in the mighty name of Jesus Christ our risen Lord, Savior, and King! This is the time of year to proclaim clearly His Kingdom and the great joy we all share in His love and in His presence. We usually read various Christmas carols out loud from time-to-time when we are in downtown Portland. Some of them contain words which can easily be expanded upon to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and His Kingdom. From “God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen:
“God rest you merry, gentlemen, Let nothing you dismay,
Remember Christ our Savior Was born on Christmas day,
To save us all from Satan’s pow’r When we were gone astray;”
“O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy, O tidings of comfort and joy.”
This verse says that we have gone astray and that we need to be saved from Satan’s power. Here we are encouraged to be at rest, be at peace and to be joyful. We are not to dismay which means we should not be afraid, filled with dread, apprehensive, disheartened, or lose courage in the face of trouble or danger. This verse says that we are in deep need and are reminded and encouraged that Jesus Christ came into this world to rescue us.
We take great comfort that the seed of everlasting life came into Mary’s womb and was revealed to all the heavens and the earth in the birth of our Lord, Savior, and King. When we read the events surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ we immediately are made aware of the warfare involved. Satan, who holds the fear of death over the earth, knew that his earthly domain was being invaded by everlasting life. And he knew that this Everlasting Life would threaten his dominion and power.
The birth of our Savior has to do with Eternal Life invading earth where everything dies. Eternal Life came into this world and was invisible. The Holy Spirit entered the womb of Mary and there Eternal Life became an embryo, still invisible to the eye. But Satan knew that his realm had been invaded and he quickly moved against Eternal Life. Joseph had to take Mary and flee to Egypt. The baby boys in and around Bethlehem were killed after Herod found out from wise men that a King had been born. We read in the Gospels that Satan did whatever he could to try and stop Jesus as He advanced His Kingdom of Everlasting Life. But Jesus defeated Satan at the cross where he took upon Himself our sins and carried them to judgment as the last Adam. “O tidings of comfort and joy!”
Another Christmas carol we use is “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” Here we read:
“How silently, how silently The wondrous gift is giv’n!
So God imparts to human hearts The blessings of His heav’n.
No ear may hear His coming; But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive Him still, The dear Christ enters in.”
At first Everlasting life came into this earth silently and hidden in Mary’s womb. The birth of Jesus Christ was announced by angels but was not heard by the rich and powerful, the rulers of the earth. Meek and humble souls are the ones who receive Him and this Eternal Life enters into human hearts by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. The next verse has this line in it:
“Cast out our sin and enter in, --Be born in us today.”
Even though the Christmas carol does not mention it, this line leads us directly to the work of the cross where Jesus carried our sin, sickness, sorrow, and pain. He loves us so much that He knows all about us and calls us to receive His Eternal Life when we are born from above by the Holy Spirit. When we are born of the Holy Spirit, this Eternal Life lives in us wherever we go. Jesus comes to abide in us and reveal His presence, His love, and His victory in and through our lives. We carry the victory of the empty tomb because Jesus rose from the dead. Death is swallowed up in the victory of Eternal Life which is Christ in us, the hope of glory.
New Year’s Greetings in the mighty name of Jesus Christ our risen Lord, Savior, and King! The New Year 2010 is a special year for me (Ron). Forty years ago, in mid-January of 1970, I received Jesus Christ as my Lord on the street corner of Telegraph and Bancroft at the entrance to UC Berkeley where I had just received my master’s degree. Karen was pregnant with our first child, Matthew, who was to be born on Easter Sunday in late March. As I walked home down Telegraph Avenue I had barely walked four blocks before sharing Jesus with someone chanting “Hare Krishna” on a Telegraph Ave. street corner. Now I have been doing this for forty years.
As the year 2009 was drawing to a close I was blessed to be downtown on the Square after Christmas and before New Years. While heading home and crossing the Hawthorne Bridge on the #14 bus snow flakes started falling as a surprise snowfall hit all of the Portland area. The fresh, white snowflakes soon were sticking to the trees and bushes displaying a beautiful winter wonderland. This was a refreshing way to end 2009 and to look forward to a very fruitful 2010.
Update on our Son Matt
In our November newsletters we shared that our oldest son Matthew had been diagnosed with stage four non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma B. He has now had four of six chemotherapy treatments which he gets every two weeks. He is in need of a healing and deliverance miracle and we are praying that our Lord Jesus Christ will be glorified through his life and witness. He continues to work in his HVAC business as a way to support his family. We, and our family, are thankful for everyone who has sent us cards, letters, notes, and emails. We, along with Matt and his family, are especially thankful for your prayers and for the financial gifts sent to Matt. These have been a great encouragement to us and to Matt and his family. We have even received notes and gifts from brethren we have not personally met. We look forward to meeting each of you in the new heaven and new earth, if not before. Please continue to pray for Matt, his family, and his business. Also would you please contact us if you get a word for him, any insight that would be helpful, or are able to help him in any way.
A Most Blessed Christmas and A Fruitful New Year
Thank you for your prayers, your encouragement, and your support as we continue to bring the good news of the Kingdom of Heaven to this earth. We so appreciate your love for us and we carry it with us wherever we go. May you walk in His Kingdom and be very fruitful. We pray: “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done in earth as it is in heaven.” May we encourage many to open up their hearts so that “the dear Christ enters in” and imparts “the blessings of His heaven.” May many hearts become humble and meek so that they can receive Him.
And we thank you for your prayers for us and for our family. And to those who have contacted us, thank you for your notes of encouragement saying that you are praying for us and for our family. We desire that our Lord would be glorified in all that takes place in our son’s life and in and through his family.
May you have a most blessed Christmas and a joyful and fruitful New Year!
~ Ron & Karen
E-mail: awakening1s@comcast.net
Home Page: awakening1s.net
church @ 24/7
Ron & Karen Rohman
PO Box 14292
PORTLAND OR 97293