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Jim Frantti | The Voice of Zion September 2025 - The Sabbath Word 2 Article --   Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?  – Micah 6:6-8  The prophet Micah lived at the same time as Isaiah. The book of Micah was written about seven centuries before the birth of Christ. It was a time in which many of the people had fallen away from God. Micah rebuked the people because of their idolatry, self-righteousness, and treatment of others. Yet, the Word of God was preached – a Word of rebuke but also of repentance and God’s goodness.  Through Micah, God reminded the people that He had delivered them from the bondage of Egypt and redeemed them from servitude. In reminding the people of this, the question was asked, “How can one become God’s own again?” Micah asked, can one offer burnt offerings, year-old calves, thousands of rams, or even rivers of oil? Finally he asked if God would be appeased if one offered his firstborn, his own child, as a sacrifice.  God Is Forgiving  The prophet makes it clear that humans cannot offer anything to appease God. After all, everything that we have comes to us as gifts of God; even our children are God’s creation and gifts. Micah reminds the people that God is forgiving and gracious. “Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? He retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:18,19).  This message of forgiveness is still the message of God’s kingdom today. In His kingdom, Jesus left the keys of the kingdom (John 20:21–23). Martin Luther wrote in his time that in God’s Christian Church “He daily and richly forgives me and all believers all our sins.” God brings a person into His kingdom through the hearing of His Word, a Word of forgiveness. He gives the power to remain believing through the message of the gospel. When a person is thus able to receive faith and to preserve faith through the message of forgiveness in the Name and Blood of Jesus, God’s Word becomes dear. God’s child wants to continue to endeavor in the hearing and believing of God’s Word and to be a doer of it.  Walk Humbly before God  Micah showed that God does not demand anything more from a person. He wrote that God has shown us what He requires: “To do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God.” Faith and God’s forgiving love bring this fruit of love: that a person loves God, His congregation, and all people. Faith brings forth the desire to do justly toward all people and to treat others with the same mercy that God has shown to us.  A child of God endeavors in the hearing and believing of God’s Word, accepting rebuke, instruction, and the teachings of God’s Word with the faith of a child. Thus, it is our desire to travel in faith with a humble heart. God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble (1 Pet. 5:5). A believer acknowledges, as Apostle Paul, that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief” (1 Tim. 1:15). We place our trust in God’s gracious care. By the power of the gospel, the child of God will one day reach the destination of heaven.

The Voice of Zion September 2025 - Home & Family Articles -- In God’s kingdom, none of us walks alone. Each believer faces seasons of need – whether adjusting to a new congregation, carrying heavy trials, enduring medical struggles, or battling temptations of faith. At other times, we are given the opportunity to support and encourage one another. The writings that follow remind us that being a help often begins with small acts of love: a greeting, a visit, a listening ear, or a prayer. In noticing the needs of those around us and stepping forward in faith, we strengthen not only our neighbor, but also ourselves, as together we travel heavenward. Helping Others in Need  Rebecca Byman  The Bible teaches us to help one another and to also accept help in our time of need. “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets” (Matt. 7:12). All of us will find ourselves in need many times during our lives, as well as in a supporting role. Our mutual goal is to support all, to prevent the devil from using a trial to undermine anyone’s faith, and instead to foster love and encourage believing. With that goal in mind, it’s good to consider that God made us with various temperaments, strengths and weaknesses. None is better than the other, and all complement each other to accomplish God’s work.  We All Have Needs   At some time in our lives, we all have needs. We notice first the needs of close friends and family, and those of local congregants whose hardships we have been made aware of through diaconate work or simply word of mouth while we are visiting one another. Sometimes the needy one is close to someone in our congregation, but we’ve never met them. Sometimes, they are not part of God’s kingdom but known to the congregation in another way. And, sometimes, they are the person we are visiting, and prior to the visit they perhaps haven’t had the strength to ask for help.  Many Types of Needs  These needs can be temporal or spiritual, as well as visible and invisible. Any of us can find ourselves struggling with temporal afflictions: perhaps our health takes a turn for the worse. Maybe our finances cause intense stress. Addictions can try our faith. Grief may sap our joy. Without doubt, we all can confess that in our endeavor we have daily spiritual needs of the gospel.   And, of course, all who have left faith or have never found themselves in God’s kingdom have a great need of repentance and the forgiving gospel.  Who Can See Our Needs?  Do our escorts see our needs? Many needs are not public knowledge. For example, most people tend to keep their financial situation private. Or, addiction comes with stigma attached, and it may seem prudent to hide it from the public. Maybe our relationships are in distress, but we feel we can figure it out on our own. Certainly our spiritual battles can be invisible. We fall prey to the devil’s sermon to not discuss our confusion with others, lest people judge us.   Others can’t help us if they don’t know of our needs. We must humble ourselves and heed God’s instruction to ask for help in our time of need. “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16).  Pride, Humility and Personality  Perhaps most people struggle to ask for help. Our God-given temperaments can dictate whether we immediately cry for help or stoically suffer in silence. Different people seek different types of support. We read about someone’s journey through their trial on an online social network platform. Here, an afflicted person may receive love and encouragement from a vast population of caring people. Someone else, on the other hand, who doesn’t like being the center of attention, will request privacy. That doesn’t mean they prefer no help, however.   Also, there are those who don’t know they need help. Some mental illnesses cause the afflicted one to reject help that they feel they do not need. In addition to mental health needs, many with spiritual needs do not see themselves as in need of care.  Why Do We Care for Our Neighbor?  Jesus’s command is to “love thy neighbor as thyself” (Matt. 22:39). Our neighbors are all people we encounter in our lives.  In God’s kingdom our neighbors are special. Our goal is to encourage each other in times of need, lest the devil find a vulnerable spot to attack and gain a foothold. We are taught to be our brother’s keeper, not just to admonish him when we see his error, but also to strengthen his faith in his time of trial, as Aaron and Hur held up Moses’ tired arms during a battle (Exod. 17:12,13). The tempter can come from any angle.  Perhaps we feel jealousy and fixate on why there is such an enormous outpouring of love for certain people and not others? Or, we fail to notice someone who is yearning for friends and becomes bitter when, week after week, so few acknowledge them at services until they eventually stop coming. Definitely in our own time of trial, we may doubt and ask why God has allowed this to happen to us. Sometimes we fail to do as God has asked, instead thinking someone else will help. Or, in our pride, we struggle to ask for help as God instructed. These things are part of our battle and it is important to again and again renew our love for one another and humble our own pride and ask for help, God’s grace, for ourselves from our believing escorts. We need each other to reach our goal of heaven.  How Can I Help?  All of us have some type of God given gift to offer. Not all of us are capable of laboring over various acts of service for another. Some of us are impressive listeners who may relieve someone’s burden because they feel heard. For others, it feels natural to give gifts. Our personalities cause us to prefer to show care to another in a certain way. Likewise, we may appreciate one type of help for ourselves over another. In the case that we feel helpless – with no gift to give, or because our would-be recipient is not interested in physical gifts, we are fortunate to all have a gift from the heavenly Father: prayer.  Whatever strengths and weaknesses we find in ourselves, let’s share with each other freely and heed the wisdom in Proverbs 11:25, “The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.” In this way we both bolster our own strength, as well as our neighbors’, and together we help each other get to heaven.   Help for the Struggle  Lance Clarke  A medical struggle can be one of the heaviest crosses a child of God endures in life. And whether it starts as a mental or a physical condition, these tend to intersect with time. Coming from a quadriplegic who has carried a medical issue for twenty years, I know firsthand the burdens that come with physical disabilities. This condition does not just affect me personally, but all my loved ones are affected by it too.  The best way to make a medical struggle into the best-case scenario possible is to avoid thinking of it as a burden or as something that makes your loved one’s lives’ harder. There are also many joys and blessings that come with a medical struggle.  After my car accident, I did not know how I would have the mental fortitude to live the rest of my life in a wheelchair. I prayed constantly to our heavenly Father for strength and guidance. God answered my prayers by sending me brothers and sisters in faith to lift my spirits. People came to my arms with love and compassion. I did not know it at the time, but the support from my fellow travelers in faith took me from a dark place and breathed life back into me.  Believers picked me up and brought me to where I could hear the Word of God or join social events. When I say that they picked me up, I literally mean that they physically lifted me out of my wheelchair and put me into the passenger seat. During the transfer, my buddies would give me a whisker rub on my cheek and say that I was the luckiest man in the world to be tickled by their whiskers. Laughter would ensue and the feeling that I was a burden was quickly extinguished. Some of those rides are my fondest memories. We visited about life and what mattered most, keeping faith number one and preaching the gospel to each other.  As the years rolled by, friends came and went, but there was always a believing friend or relative in my life ready to help me out. There is one brother in faith who I had a special kinship with. We talk on the phone on a consistent basis, and I often think I’d not be a child of God if not for him. He knows me inside and out and during the roughest moments in my life, God always gave him words to guide me back to the flock.  When I was stuck in bed with a pressure sore for over a year and literally going out of my mind with cabin fever, the devil quickly made himself at home in my mind. I went down rabbit holes researching the Bible to justify the sin that was on my conscience. My dear friend in faith listened to me and pointed out how the devil was leading me to misinterpret the Bible. He reminded me that I needed to understand faith like a little child, with humility and trust. “Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein” (Mark 10:15).. We would get into arguments and deep discussions, but we always washed our sins away by preaching the forgiveness of sins to each other.  There is a piece of Scripture that has brought me comfort over the years and answers any questions that I might have: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and He will make your paths straight” (Prov. 3:5,6, NIV).  If you or a loved one are currently going through a medical struggle or facing an obstacle, remember these words of wisdom, “Good days give happiness, bad days give experience, and the worst days give lessons.”   Welcome Others  Guy Shulda  Moving to a new congregation can be exciting but also a struggle. Some may wonder, am I going to fit in, will I make friends?   After Emily and I got married, we moved from Cokato, Minn., to my home congregation of Longview, Wash. We were excited to start our life together in Longview, but we had doubts and questions. I was very nervous my wife Emily would not find a group of friends and would not have others to talk to.   My doubts were quickly subdued after a few weeks. Many of the women at church were welcoming and invited Emily to their homes and to do some activities with them. I was filled with joy to see a smile on my wife’s face, to see her with new friends and to see her active with the congregation.   This was a good lesson for me. I’ve often thought after this experience about the times I’ve seen a new face at church, perhaps a Finnish kid visiting for the summer, and have not said “Hi” or invited them to go do something. These small acts of kindness can make a world of difference in someone’s walk of faith. You can build a lasting friendship with someone just by that small action.   We all have heard the Golden Rule and try to live by these words: “And as ye would that men should do to you do as ye would also” (Luke 6:31). Yet, so many times we see a new face at Sunday services but do not have the strength to go and introduce ourselves.   Remember the times you were in a new place with no one to talk to? Maybe an individual came up and talked to you. That individual might have felt hesitant, but God gave them just enough strength to extend a hand and say “Hi.” You probably remember that person and may have become good friends with them.  These are examples for us to remember when we see that person who doesn’t have anyone to talk to or a new member of the congregation. Find the strength to go visit with them. And, if you are a person new to a congregation, sign up for shifts and duties at church. This can be a great way to meet other members of the congregation. It feels good to help out. The Bible teaches us that there is joy in the work. “In the same way let your light before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your father in heaven” (Matt. 5:16). These are all lessons that I have learned since I moved back to Longview with Emily. There were many good reminders to be a brother’s keeper.  New couples have moved to Longview in past months. Often I think of our experience and am reminded to invite them over. I try to make it a point to go visit with them to help them feel welcome.   Discussion Questions  What are some simple ways we can notice and welcome someone new in our congregation?   Why is it sometimes difficult for people to ask for help, and how can we gently encourage openness?   How can trials – such as medical struggles, grief, or financial difficulties – become opportunities for strengthening faith?   What role does humility play in both giving and receiving help?   How can prayer serve as a gift of help, even when we feel we have little else to offer?   Reflect on a time when someone’s support made a lasting difference in your life. What can we learn from those experiences for how we support others?

The Voice of Zion September 2025 - Editorial -- We live in a culture that prizes control. We’re told we can design the life we want, chart our path, and shape who we want to be however we please. From daily decisions to long-term goals, it’s easy to fall into the mindset: “If I work hard enough and plan carefully enough, I can make life go my way.”  But what happens when it doesn’t?  The illusion of total self-determination eventually breaks. A relationship falters. An illness arrives. A plan fails. We realize that not everything bends to our will – and that can feel disorienting. Yet for the believer, this truth can be freeing. We’re not in control of everything – and we’re not supposed to be.  Many things in life are beyond our control. We do not choose the day of our birth or the day of our death. We cannot prevent every sorrow or orchestrate every success. Part of living in faith is learning to make peace with this reality: that God is God, and we are not – God is in control, and we are in His care. Scripture gives us comfort in this mystery: “In thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them” (Ps. 139:16). Our days are not random; they are known to Him before we live them. This doesn’t mean that our choices and actions don’t matter. Rather, it means we live under the watchful care of a Father whose wisdom is higher than ours. In that knowledge, we can release our need to control and rest in His providence.  Still, this doesn’t mean we’re powerless. Scripture encourages us to live wisely and faithfully in the responsibilities given to us: “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might” (Eccl. 9:10). Martin Luther agreed. In matters of daily life – what he called civil righteousness  – we do have freedom. We choose how to treat others, how to spend our time, what to say or remain silent about. In The Bondage of the Will , he writes, “In external things which pertain to this life, a person is free and has the power to choose… to labor or not, to speak or to keep silence.” And these choices matter. Whether we do what is the right choice or a poor choice or even a fall into sin, our actions can leave a lasting mark on our earthly lives and the lives of others.  God has also given humankind remarkable knowledge and skill – not in opposition to faith, but as part of His ongoing care for creation. Luther affirmed that God works through means: through builders, farmers, teachers, doctors and public servants to serve and protect. “God gives every good thing,” he said, “but not just by waving His hand. He uses instruments, people, and means to do it.” We benefit daily from gifts He gives through others.   As stewards of our lives and others’ wellbeing, we are called to make informed, humble and loving choices. While we are free to weigh advice and act according to conscience, rejecting sound guidance out of pride or the assumption we know better can become a form of self-reliance that turns us away from trusting God. Scripture warns, “Be not wise in thine own eyes” (Pro. 3:7). Living under God’s care means recognizing that our choices carry responsibility and consequence – and also that God’s mercy meets us wherever we fall short.  But what about spiritual things – like choosing God, repenting, and believing?  Here, Lutheran teaching draws a clear distinction. In spiritual matters, we are not free. Without faith we are spiritually dead (Eph. 2:1), unable to turn toward God on our own. Jesus says plainly: “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him” (John 6:44).  This can be hard to accept, especially in a world that celebrates self-made success. But in reality, it’s a source of deep comfort. Our salvation does not depend on our strength or effort. It depends entirely on God’s grace.  Faith is not our decision – it is God’s gift. The heart that believes has been awakened by the Spirit. And once awakened, our will is renewed. We begin to want what is good. We desire to live according to God’s Word.  So we do what we can. We make plans, live honestly, and speak truth in love. And then we let go – entrusting the unknown to God, who sees all, knows all, and loves us still.  Faith doesn’t mean we never struggle. But it gives us a place to rest when our limits come into view. In God’s hands, even what we don’t control is not out of control. Even what we don’t choose is not random. And even when we feel weak, His grace remains strong.

Brainerd Laestadian Lutheran Church Contacts Pastor: Howard Parks 1501 South 8th Street, Apt 26 Brainerd, MN 56401 Phone: 218-831-1490 Email: hneparks@gmail.com Chairman: Steve Kallinen 1501 South 8th Street, Apt 2 Brainerd, MN 56401 Phone: 218-833-9037 Email: stevekallinen@gmail.com Service Schedule Sunday School 9:40 a.m. on 1st and 3rd Sundays at the church. Sunday Service 10:30 a.m. Communion Service on 1st Sunday Sunday Evening Song Services/Devotion 6:00 p.m. in Lee Square Wednesday: Online Devotion Service 7:00 p.m. Address 1501 South 8th Street Brainerd, MN 56401 Phone: 218-829-5745

< Back Confirmation Day 3: Jesus, the Son of God Day 3, Lesson 1: Jesus, the Word Made Flesh Objective Jesus was born God and man; The fulfilment of God’s Promise Learning Outcome Write down a scripture verse to support that Jesus was both God and man. (Example, Matthew 1:18-25) Confirmation Exercise Questions None Reference Material Booklet Song: The Son obeyed His Father’s will, / Was born of virgin mother, / And God’s good pleasure to fulfill, / He came to be my brother. / No garb of pomp or pow’r He wore, / A servant’s form, like mine, He bore / To lead the devil captive. (SHZ 272 v. 6) Booklet Text: And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (John 1:14) Additional Reference Material SCRIPTURE Matt. 1:18-25, 3:13-17, 4:1-11, 16:13-16, 28:18; Luke 2:41-50; 3:21,22; 4:1-13; John 1:14, 3:16; Acts 13:28-39; Eph. 1:19-23; Phil. 2:5-11; Heb. 4:15-16; 1 Tim. 3:16 CURRICULUM Lessons 2.4, 2.5 ADDITIONAL LESSON POINTS Some of the major prophecies concerning Jesus that are in the Old Testament. The main phases and work of Jesus’ life God's salvation work climaxes in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Jesus’ origin was unique: He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. Jesus, as true man, like us experienced pain, hunger, sorrow, joy, fear and so on, but was nonetheless without sin. Jesus spoke of himself as the Messiah and God's Son. Jesus, as true God, had a unique relationship with the Father and that the Father has given Him all power in heaven and on earth. Explanation to the 2nd Article of the Creed, Luther’s Small Catechism RESOURCES By Faith 19b; Christian Doctrine 29 -38; (p1 By Faith 19b; Christian Doctrine 29 -38; (p2) VZ: The Birth of Jesus Christ, Q. Ruonavaara, Dec. 1991, page 275. Unto You a Savior is Born, J. Stewart, Dec. 2008, page 11 (p1) VZ: The Birth of Jesus Christ, Q. Ruonavaara, Dec. 1991, page 275. Unto You a Savior is Born, J. Stewart, Dec. 2008, page 11 (p2) Previous Next

< Back December 14, 2024 Click the audio link below to hear a poem titled There Was No Room. To read the poem, click the link. There Was No Room There Was No Room Previous