Roger Plough | The Voice of Zion September 2022 -- Bow down thine ear, O Lord, hear me: for I am poor and needy. Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily. Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive: and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. Give ear, O Lord, unto my prayer: and attend to the voice of my supplications. In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me. – Psalms 86:1,3–7 This psalm of King David is a prayer of living faith. David begs God to hear his prayer and acknowledges that he needs God’s care. He begs for mercy and trusts that God will hear and answer him. We join with this prayer of David, trusting in God’s good care in all phases of our lives. We Need Care Our text begins, “Bow down thine ear…I am poor and needy.” Jesus gave us the example of a child as the greatest in the kingdom of God. Why is a child the greatest? In a temporal sense, a child is in need of parents’ care. The child cannot care for himself or herself. As we grow past childhood and become independent, we often find it more difficult to ask for help from others. We think we should be able to figure out life’s difficulties on our own. As children of God, however, we are in continuous need of our heavenly Father’s care. We do not want to become wise in faith and chart our own path based on knowledge and understanding. We desire to always remain in the place of God’s good care, asking God to continue to teach us the ABCs of faith. Apostle Paul exhorts to “[Cast] all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (1 Pet. 5:7). We can freely and without worry for future days place all our trust in God. We Need Mercy Our text continues, “Be merciful unto me, O Lord, for I cry unto thee daily.” Luther teaches that we sin in thought, word or deed every day. Therefore, we are in need of God’s mercy every day. God does not tire of our cries but loves us. His mercy is so abundant for His children. John writes, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). God knows our frame and prepared salvation for sin-fallen humankind through His Son, our Lord Jesus. Further in our text, David says, “For thou, Lord, art good and ready to forgive.” How fortunate we are that God is always ready to forgive us our sins. The gospel is available whenever we are in need. How has your experience been? Is it now so that when we are able to humble ourselves unto repentance, the gospel is readily preached and we can believe all sins forgiven. Forgiven sins are drowned in the sea of grace. God no longer remembers them. Our soul rejoices that God’s mercy is so abundant and we can believe unto peace, freedom and joy. We Can Trust Our text concludes, “In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: For thou wilt answer me.” Here David voices his confidence in God’s care. We too can trust in God’s care. In our difficulties, when we do not know where to turn, let us remember that we are not alone. God knows our troubles and helps us. He will not give us greater burdens than we can bear. In a time of difficulty, we may wonder whether God is yet caring for us because the matter in question is not going the way we wanted or expected. We may doubt whether God even knows what we are experiencing. Nonetheless, dear child of God, remember to trust as David did, “for thou wilt answer me.” The writer of song of Zion 357 writes, “The will of God is always best and shall be done forever; and they who trust in Him are blest, He will forsake them never.” Let us trust in God’s good care! Jesus promises, “I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” (Matt. 28:20).

The Voice of Zion September 2022 -- When Jesus was confronted by the High Priest, He was asked, “Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” Jesus answered, “I am.” His response affirmed His identity as the Son of God, the Savior of the world. For this, He was put to death. We also, as brothers and sisters in the kingdom of God, are His children. We share the priceless identity. While around us we observe difficulty around discussions about identity, we find that owning – acknowledging and affirming as Christ did His – our identities as children of God brings both liberation and humility. Religion scholar Amanda Porterfield in 2001 explained that religion in America was still important, but that the trend has been, since the 1960s, to personalize faith rather than to belong to an established congregation. This movement, which she carefully traces in her book The Transformation of American Religion (Oxford University Press, 2001), is one where the dominant forms of Protestantism in North America has taken on the 1960s cultural trend of individualism or “do your own thing.” Personal spirituality replaces trust in the Biblical teaching of one faith, one kingdom. Today, believers’ identity contrasts sharply with this kind of self-determined Christianity that depends on the individual conscience as a moral compass. We wish instead to remain with a conscience connected to God’s Word whose interpretation is heard in God’s kingdom through His Spirit. While we know that faith is personal, we also know that we cannot of ourselves attain salvation. We wish along with all listeners at Jesus’ feet to “Seek first the kingdom of God.” As we identify as believers first and foremost, we also acknowledge our earthly existence and its many facets – blessings for us as family members, professionals in the workplace, personalities of vibrancy and substance, an ethnic and racial identity and our gender and its role in serving our lives, the lives of others and God’s kingdom. In these as in all things, the magnificence of God’s creation work is hidden from our view. Our lack of understanding does not require judgement; we can trust that most perfect Judge who never makes a mistake. We can simply accept God’s creations as given from His loving hand where variation abides according to His plan – we trust that we each were created as we are for a purpose. We needn’t demand that each person conform to a narrow description. God has made all things beautiful in His inscrutable ways. In encountering those whose identity differs from ours, it is good to remember we are called to be a light, to invite and share our grace gift. The Bible instructs that is not our place to categorize, judge and shun (e.g. Luke 6:37). May we see in all humans the touch of their Creator, an undying soul. May we remember that within any person can exist sorrow over sin, a longing for God, a need for grace. We want to lovingly call all people into God’s kingdom. What words might God allow us to utter to spark in another the hope of eternal life? For our own part, we acknowledge that there is nothing intrinsically redeeming in any part of our earthly identity. Only faith, a grace gift from God, saves us and brings us to our next life. The 2022 class of confirmands have studied God’s Word and the doctrine of God’s kingdom. In this world of vast knowledge and information, they find that simple childlike faith will suffice and carry them. Together with them, we can marvel and wonder over God’s goodness and grace. As we together view the pluralistic world around us, we can ponder what God is preparing us for. In unity with our young ones, we need the blessing of the gospel as we endeavor. Indeed, our desire is to retain the most precious identity: that of a child of God. What a gift it is to have this heavenly identity!

Johannes Leppänen, Translation: M. Keranen | The Voice of Zion September 2022 -- God created the world and all that is in it by His Word. God also created human beings in His own image, but in the fall into sin, God’s image in humans was corrupted. God Himself gave the first human couple a promise of the Savior (Gen. 3:15). Believing in this promise, God’s children of Old Testament times owned righteousness of faith. By faith, they were acceptable to God. Righteous by Faith The author of the letter to Hebrews describes in many examples how the former saints were victorious by faith (Heb. 11). The phases of Abraham’s life show in a very concrete way what righteousness of faith meant to him. His life included many major changes and uncertainties. God tried Abraham’s faith, but Abraham was still obedient to him. “Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness,” Paul summarized (Rom. 4:3). Abraham is called the forefather of faith, an example to learn from. Abraham obeyed God by faith. This is the only possible order. It is important to remember that one cannot become a believer through obedience. Paul describes extensively in the letter to the Romans the essence of righteousness of faith. A person becomes righteous – acceptable to God – only through faith bestowed by God (Rom. 3:21–31). True faith that is in accordance with God’s Word brings joy and freedom to the believer’s heart. Faith gives birth to love that joins believers to Christ and each other. This is the love we continue to experience today in the kingdom of God. Mutual love is the hallmark of believers. After all, the Savior said to His disciples, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:35). Love is especially evident when we encounter the inhabitants of God’s kingdom from other countries. When the Holy Spirit unites hearts, cultural differences, skin color or any other outward differences have no meaning. So strong is the love of God which comes from heaven, the love that unites believers. Reason Does Not Comprehend the Righteousness of Faith Righteousness of faith that is acceptable before God is not comprehensible to human reason. Human beings have always wanted to acquire righteousness or even some part of it for themselves. However, no human work is acceptable to God no matter how valuable it may be by human standards. Everything a person does to be acceptable to God is mere self-righteousness. Before the face of God it is like a stained rag or an unclean garment (Isa. 64:5,6). Although God has given humankind a lot of wisdom and astonishingly advanced scientific developments, it nonetheless cannot research or understand the righteousness of faith. Righteousness that is acceptable to God has been and always will be the same. That is what we are content with, and that is what we endeavor to display, so that seeking ones may find the kingdom of God and receive the gift of faith. We have been given the task of carrying this message to the ends of the earth. In miraculous ways, God has opened the way for the gospel in people’s hearts. Righteousness of Life Does Not Just Mean a Good Life Righteousness of faith results in righteousness of life. Faith effects in a person’s heart the desire to live so that he or she does not transgress God’s will. We have experienced how a person who has received the grace of repentance rejects lifestyles that do not belong to a believer. When Jesus in His time preached repentance and people believed, He instructed them, “Sin no more” (John 8:11). Most people want to live a good life as a good person. I have often had to lower my head when I have met a friend whose life is exemplary, even if she or he is not a believer. The enemy of the soul has tormented me: here you see that he or she is a better person than you and lives better than you. In such a situation it is easy to doubt whether I am correctly believing. To a good person who lives an outwardly flawless life, it is difficult to talk about God’s mercy toward a sinful person. A good friend of mine once said when we were discussing the gift of faith that he has no sin, he does not feel that he has transgressed against God. However, a good life does not make anyone acceptable to God. Personal faith, or lack thereof, is what counts. God awakens people to feel their sinfulness. It is God’s work alone. God’s work is also this when he leads one to the gospel fountain. As such, it is more accurate to say that a person received the grace of repentance, rather than saying that he or she repented. Faith Effects Righteousness of Life Those outside the kingdom of God often think that believers live according to prohibitions and commandments. They appear to be looking for lists of what can and cannot be done. Certainly believers talk to each other about the dangers of our time and also warn each other about these dangers. After all, this is what God’s Word clearly urges us to do (Rom. 12:2; 1 Thess. 5:21,22). It is a living reality that the enemy of souls walks around like a roaring lion and seeks to deceive people into sin (1 Pet. 5:8). No one can escape the temptations of sin, and all will fall. Fortunately, our faith is based on God’s grace, not our own successes. God’s grace also teaches us to forsake sin, wickedness, and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly (Titus 2:11,12). When one has been able to believe that all one’s sins are forgiven because of Christ’s merit, the desire to live as a believer and walk in light as Christ is in the light is kindled in the heart (1 John 1:7). Personal faith thus influences a person’s life. A believer has a different teacher in his or her heart than an unbeliever. When considering righteousness of life, it is important to remember that what matters is personal faith, which begets the desire to live in a way that suits a believer and not the appropriate lifestyle per se. The latter alone will not make a person saved if faith is extinguished. It is dangerous if the focus is solely on outward things, on living as a believer. The counsel of the kingdom of God on life-related issues is a safe signpost on the endeavor. The life of a believer involves many different phases, but at all times we have a battle against sin and its effects. The endeavor is personal to everyone. We are in a state of war against the threefold enemy: the world, the enemy of the souls, and our own corrupt flesh tempt us away from our portion as a child of God. Jesus encouraged His disciples to fight evil. He promised, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). My uncle Toivo Leppänen, who has gained the rest of the righteous, often said in his sermon, “We have salvation in faith and we have strength in the gospel.” Those few words sum up the “constitution” of a person’s life as a believer. We Need Obedience of Faith There are many dangers in our time that are necessary to discuss. We ask for a humble and obedient mind in order to maintain a common understanding and mutual love. Believers should not have a wide range of opinions about phenomena of our time that are sinful. We cannot turn a blind eye to statements that reflect a different state of the heart. They destroy and tear apart God’s congregation. Living faith guides one to examine what God’s Word says about a matter. However, we do not find a direct answer in the Bible to all modern questions. We can discuss such things together, discuss different opinions, and use God’s Word to try to examine what would be pleasing to God. After all, this is what the Apostles did in their time (Acts 15). Then when, through the Spirit of God, we come to a common understanding, we can be content and accept it. In the Bible we find many examples of obedience, above all others of which is our Savior, Jesus Christ. The Bible describes how He wanted to fulfill the heavenly Father’s will even when it seemed insurmountably difficult to Him (Luke 22:42). If Jesus had not been obedient to His Father’s will, we would not have redemption through His blood. Then we would be left without gift righteousness. Through faith, we partake in the same obedience that Jesus also had (Rom. 1:4,5). However, our obedience is broken by our weakness, by our own human nature. Therefore, we must over and over again learn obedience of faith and strengthen it with the gospel. Disobedience is a sin (1 Sam. 15:23), and that is why the Bible warns against it. God has promised to bless His obedient children, and His promise is true. Our only refuge is the love and patience with which our Savior nurtures, refreshes, and comforts us in His kingdom. Even now the gospel holds the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes it. Believing in the gospel, we wish to endeavor toward the goal of faith, the heaven of glory. Originally published in Finnish in the SRK’s yearbook Vanhurskas elää uskosta, Ajankohtaista 2017 (SRK, 2017). Translated and published with permission.

Arvin Pirness | The Voice of Zion October 2022 -- Over many centuries, philosophers have debated humankind’s true nature – are humans inherently good or evil? To begin to ponder such a question, one needs to determine the standard by which good and bad is measured. In a secular society this moral standard remains elusive and vague, and it changes with the times. Sometimes attempts are made to justify the good in an earthly human as a good that leads to salvation. However, we know and we believe we can do nothing to merit salvation. We keenly feel the effects of sin in our lives. The child of God must lament with the apostle and rejoice in the justification prepared in the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus (Rom. 7:18–25). Through faith the child of God understands that the only way we can become acceptable to God is through God’s righteousness, a gift owned by faith. Righteousness is being right – a state of absolute moral correctness and completely justifiable. Righteousness and justice are two words that go hand in hand. God is righteous. He is so right that there is no darkness or wrong in Him at all (1 John 1:5). Being void of any unrighteousness, our Creator sets the standard or the justice of right and wrong for His creation. God presented His standard to His people through Moses because a righteous God leaves no space for sin nor a place to accept it (Hab. 1:13; James 1:15). To become saved humans needed to fulfill the whole law down to the last letter. The fulfillment of the law required and still requires us to govern our thoughts and actions. Anyone who violates the law in one point is a transgressor of the whole law. Who among us can fulfill the law? No matter how hard we try to do right in daily life, we cannot succeed because we have inherited sin from Adam and Eve. It is a part of us. It causes human beings to intrinsically do wrong or be unrighteous (Rom. 7:17–21). In sending His Son to redeem us, God prepared righteousness for every human being, a righteousness that is owned by faith. Paul writes about this to those believers in Galatia straying into following the law: “When the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” (Gal. 4:4,5). The righteousness prepared in God’s Son is called gift righteousness. This gift can be owned by faith. The supremacy and exclusivity of this gift – God’s righteousness – is only comprehended through faith. Faith is also gifted by God. Paul writes about this to the Ephesians: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8,9). This describes how what is in question is the perfect work of God. Nothing is required of us. When God's holy law awakens a person’s conscience, as a gift he or she can own prepared righteousness in the gospel by faith gifted by God. Paul writes of this to the Romans: “Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe” (Rom. 3:22). We can own forgiveness when we believe Jesus paid for our sins, namely that we have permission to believe our sins and wrongdoings forgiven in Jesus’ name and blood.

Allen Pirness | The Voice of Zion October 2022 -- Sometimes, especially if we are part of the planning group, we go to a lot of effort to arrange services gatherings. We are often shown that even with our efforts, services are truly arranged by God. I remember the effort one lady made to arrange services at her location in Togo. She told me after services she had invited everyone she knew and the only people who came were a couple of random people she didn’t know. The sermon had spoken to her and reminded her that it is God who arranges the services and calls His own unto Him. She was very comforted by this and was able to rejoice that those who came to services were granted grace to believe. Perhaps you, with me, have experienced how it can be uncomfortable to be in a new or unfamiliar congregation. Maybe you have gone there by yourself or with a small group of friends, without any connections there or anyone knowing you’d be coming. It has taken a certain amount of courage to do this but it has also taken trust. Trusting an unfamiliar situation is not easy. But if we have experienced something similar we already have an expectation of how it should go. We trust that the atmosphere at services in an unfamiliar congregation will be similar to what we have experienced in our home congregation. This familiarity is partly what gives us enough courage to go, but mostly we desire to go because we expect to receive the same message of hope and forgiveness that brings us comfort and encouragement to stay in faith. We wouldn’t want to go to services where we weren’t sure that we would hear that message. Sometimes we have visitors we do not recognize at our services. Sometimes it becomes quickly obvious that this is their first time at the services of the believers. What is our reaction to this? I know what I want my reaction to be, but I must admit that it isn’t always that. I am not immediately trusting of new people that I encounter. I find the services of God’s children to be a refuge from the world so sometimes I feel more guarded when I encounter someone new at our services. It has been important for me to consider my reaction and make purposeful changes so that I wouldn’t be unwelcoming. God’s kingdom is a spiritual kingdom, whose members are joined heart to heart. We rejoice when our family can remain in faith, yet we especially notice the nature of God’s kingdom when faith and unbelief divide our family. It hurts that spiritual fellowship cannot be shared with our closest biological relatives. This helps us to consider that we do not own God’s kingdom, rather we are a spiritual citizen of this kingdom. We also do not own the gatherings of God’s kingdom and wish to remember that God can send whom He will to where His living gospel is preached. The living gospel’s core message is the preaching of the forgiveness of sins. When we consider what this has done for us, we want to invite everyone to come and hear the proclamation of forgiveness for their own sins. It has given into our heart righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. The answer of a clean conscience before God is the most pleasant state of being that a human can experience in life. Consider that an unbelieving guest to the services is being invited by God to experience this peace also. We would do well to consider that the visitor had to trust deeply that everything would be okay when they entered the building or event where the services are happening. They had to get the courage to come and remain courageous all the way through to the arrival. It’s useful to consider all the obstacles that they have overcome to be standing in front of you in the foyer. It’s almost as though someone from a long and difficult journey has finally arrived at what they hoped is their intended destination. I’m sure for many it hasn’t been easy to sit and listen to the services. God has needed to undress them of their own righteousness and leave them feeling sinful before His Word, just the same as we experience. We hope that the gospel found a place in their heart also. It would be important to find a chance to visit with them after services and ask them, “What message did you hear today?” or “Do you have any thoughts or questions about the message?” We hope that they would want to come again, but it’s perhaps better to make sure that they know they are welcome to come again. God’s Word reminds us that faith comes by hearing the Word of God. The listener has done well to come to the hearing of the Word of God, also the same service guest has done well to consider how they can create a welcoming atmosphere for all who would come to hear. The words of Jesus remind us “Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” (Matt. 25:40). Allen Pirness, along with his wife Jessica and four children, recently moved to Minnesota. A former commodities trader in Lethbridge, Alberta, he is now full-time pastor for the Rockford congregation and also serves the LLC Communications and Mission departments.

Lars Anderson |The Voice of Zion October 2022 -- Being then made free from sin ye became the servants of righteousness. – Romans 6:18 These words from the book of Romans are Paul’s instruction to newly converted believers. Not only is this loving instruction about their newfound faith, but Paul says there is an obligation regarding how they should live. Now that they have received the grace of God, and being free from sin, their hearts should turn to serving in righteousness. When we look at this text, we can see there are two concepts to consider. First is being free from sin. The second is being servants of righteousness. Whether we are born and raised in living faith or we’ve received the grace of repentance, we understand the concept of being made free from sin. We understand the simple message that Jesus died for our sins and through His grace we are made free from sin. As we look at the second concept of this verse there are two words that strike us: servants and righteousness. A servant is someone who serves another person and may be viewed as belonging to a lower class of society. In the English Standard Version (ESV) of the Bible the word “slave” is used. While interchangeable in some respects, the word “slave” is stronger; we get an image of someone who does the bidding of the master all day and night without end. What is righteousness? Simply put, the word means just and right, or in other words, God. God has reserved true righteousness for Himself and His Son Jesus Christ only. Isaiah wrote in this way: “But we are all as an unclean thing and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isa. 64:6). Since the fall of Adam and Eve, we cannot attain righteousness on our own. God promised the first human pair to send His Son to save them from sin. Through that perfect sacrifice we were able to be made righteous. Even when Jesus was among us the Pharisees didn’t believe on Him and continued to try to obtain righteousness through their strict interpretation and execution of the law. Jesus often rebuked these Pharisees and pointed out their hypocrisies. They were not able to believe. In this, we can see how faith is a grace gift of God. Through the work of Jesus’ death and resurrection, we can believe sins forgiven. Therefore, we are sinful yet righteous. This is one of the mysteries of faith. We are partakers of Christ’s righteousness, yet we are sinful. Our human nature would want us to take the easy path and do what we please. I think Paul recognizes this, so he addresses this matter in this same chapter. He addresses this thought when he said, “What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? God forbid” (Rom. 6:15). Paul expounds on this thought in the verse that follows. “Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves you are slaves of the one whom you obey either of sin which leads to death or of obedience which leads to righteousness? (Rom. 6:16 ESV). Paul knew that we cannot continue doing what is pleasing for our flesh and living in sin if we are servants of righteousness. Paul was human just like all of us and he knew the battle that we fight daily. He lamented this in the seventh chapter to the Romans, when he said, “For I know that in me (that is in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not that I do” (Rom. 7:18,19). As children of God, we feel this same struggle that Paul felt. When we have the Holy Spirit our conscience convicts our wrongdoing. We want to put away the sins and offenses that come on our daily journey. If we ignore those convictions our conscience becomes hardened and we become servants to sin. We lose sight of that grace that God has given us, and we begin to only see the law. Thankfully we have the grace gift of the proclamation of absolution. By the work of the Holy Spirit this grace flows freely from heart to heart of each believer in that core message of the gospel. Sins can be believed forgiven in Jesus’ name and precious blood. Through this gospel we can make those new promises to God to remain servants of righteousness so that we can one day join Paul and all other saints in heaven.

Wendy Simonson | The Voice of Zion November 2022 -- To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. – Ecclesiastes 3:1 Consider the geese as they begin their fall journey to open water and warmer climates. There is something impressive and compelling about these large birds as they settle on Saskatchewan sloughs and lakes in the thousands, in search of food to sustain them on the long flights they will soon undertake. I stop my car to watch. As the geese rise from the water, the sound of beating wings, rushing air and honking voices surrounds my car and unfolds onto the open prairie. I have observed this migration year after year, a stunning reminder of the cycle of seasons and of life. It is only one example of the wonders of God’s creation plan to which our Bible verse alludes. As the geese prepare for winter, they follow their instincts and the migration route of generations of geese before them. In a similar way, believers follow the “old paths” that generations of believers before travelled, right since biblical times. According to His Plan The lives of most of us will follow a cyclical pattern through birth, childhood, adulthood, old age, and ending in death. These concepts of earth and life cycles are illustrated also by the words of the preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem, in Ecclesiastes 1: “What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh, but the earth abideth for ever. The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose. The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits. All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again” (v. 3–7). These cycles of life, bird migration, and the recurrent patterns of nature’s elements bring a sense of familiarity and comfort. They demonstrate God’s power and guidance throughout the ages, with earth’s events unfolding, as He wills. This passage also reminds us not to overvalue earthly things; we will eventually leave this world, and all will be left behind. Our goal is to reach heaven where these earthly things will not go. Through Obstacles and Trials As we travel through life’s seasons, we confront obstacles, just as migratory birds do. They suffer hunger, strong winds and storms, predators, disease and even death as they make their long journey. We can compare this to our own lives, where we meet with the challenges that life brings to each one of us. These can be temporal, such as caring for large families, facing illness, or losing a job. They can also be spiritual challenges, where the storms of life threaten to knock us from our foundation of faith. We remember one Bible traveler, Job, who was “perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil” (Job 1:1). Despite this, Job experienced a set of trials that is difficult to comprehend. How might we react in the same situation? The Bible tells us how Satan had come before God, saying, “Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?” (Job 1:8). Satan told God that He had protected Job and blessed the work of his hands, “but put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face” (Job 1:11). God then allowed Satan power over all Job had, instructing him only not to put his hand on Job himself. Job went through a series of heavy trials over the course of one day, losing his livestock, servants and children. After these events, Job yet trusted God: “The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. In all this, Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly” (Job 1:21,22). There is powerful instruction for us in reading about Job’s life and how he remained obedient to God. Even through extreme trials, he continued to trust that God would take care of him. Trust in God’s Guidance All of us in our lifetime will witness the end of the life cycle, as we experience the death of loved ones. As I write, I contemplate news of a childhood friend’s death, and the second verse in this Bible chapter of Ecclesiastes, “A time to be born and a time to die” comes to mind. Everything unfolds according to God’s good and perfect plan, including birth and death. We do not understand God’s ways, but in time, we may come to see how He has indeed directed and guided the path of each life. In reflecting on a death of someone near us, we face the crucial factor of life: reaching heaven when we die. Through death, we are reminded that this is our goal. We want to continue to hold faith precious and pray for that outcome at the end of our life. God teaches us through His Word. It is important for each one of us to follow the path God has laid out for us, trusting in His guiding hand in our lives and believing our sins forgiven. As he guides even the birds, how much more will He guide His created people? We can trust in His promises.

Carly Lampi | The Voice of Zion November 2022 -- When I was four years old, a believing family moved into our neighborhood. Luckily for me, they had a girl my age with whom I made fast friends. We spent the majority of our days together. On hot summer days, we created the most elaborate imaginary worlds out of old cinder blocks and fallen trees, making up silly songs and marching to them, or trying to sell warm lemonade on our road that had very little traffic. On rainy days, we walked up and down that same road, carefully escorting the washed up worms to safety from the pavement to the muddy grass. All the while, we talked about nearly anything and everything. It was a friendship that greatly enriched my childhood. I come from a loving family that has a lot of dysfunction. My parents have both struggled with mental health and their own personal addictions. Their financial, marital, and mental stresses seemed to darken our home, and my brothers and I were witnesses to a lot of their conflict. Although we also had many good days, I battled with a lot of anxiety and anger at home. From an early age, I was drawn to the believers’ home. It was a calming break from what was happening at my house. I was the neighbor girl who was always calling the landline or knocking on the door to come and play. I don’t remember thinking much about the lack of a television in their home or about any other religious differences. I do however remember the peace I felt there as I played amidst beautiful music, the smell of fresh baking, and the loving banter of their family. Looking back on this, it is clear to me that what I was feeling was the presence of the Holy Spirit in their home and the peace that radiates from children of God who have their sins forgiven. Since I spent so much time with them, they began offering to take me to church. I went to services many times with their family from the time I was six to the time I repented at age thirteen. My own family attended a Lutheran church occasionally throughout my childhood. My brothers went to church without a hitch, but I always resisted going as much as possible. I would lay in my bed long after I had woken up, pretending to sleep in hopes that my parents would leave me home. At times it felt like the only reason we went to church was to convince ourselves that despite our issues, we still were “good people.” Attending this church likely helped my parents cope with their hardships, but it seemed disingenuous to me as a child, as we nearly never spoke of faith or God in our home. For one reason or another, attending services with the believers never struck me the same way as my family’s church. Perhaps it was the liveliness of all the large families, getting to go there with a friend, or being in the presence of that same peace I sensed in their home. All the same, I loved going to Minneapolis church with my neighbors so much that I attended some Sunday school and even sang in a Christmas program during my early elementary school years. I still remember the excitement of lining up with the other children in the overflow room, feeling like twins with my friend in our matching red velvet dresses. There were definitely periods of time when I lost interest in going to church with the believers, but by the time I was twelve, I was going with them nearly every Sunday and Wednesday. At the time, my dad was happy with this arrangement. He is the son of two Lutheran speakers and felt it was important for his children to be confirmed. While I had gone a few times to confirmation school at my family’s church, I refused to continue. I had made more believing friends and was back in Sunday school. At this time, I was still chasing the wonderful feeling I felt around the believers, while not really listening to the sermons or thinking much about faith. On October 31st, 2009, a couple of girls from church were over at the neighbors’ house. The plan was that we would spend all day together and go to church that evening. That afternoon, the girls and I walked to the nearby coffee shop. On the way back, one of them took me aside. I wish I remembered her exact words, but I remember them being beautifully blunt and to the point. Something like: “So do you want to be a believer or what?” This caught me off-guard, and I really didn’t understand the question. Instead of seeking clarification, I just guessed that the right answer was “yeah” and went with it. She then explained that I needed my sins forgiven, and preached the gospel to me. This is one of my favorite memories, as it details just how simple faith is, and how children can plainly and easily put it into words. The rest of the day was so bright and felt surreal. Even though I don’t believe this is when I truly repented in my heart, it was the day I realized that the peace I saw in the believers could be extended to me. From there, I focused on figuring out what being a believer actually meant. At first, I thought of sin very simply. By this, I mean that I thought of sin as mostly outward actions, like watching inappropriate television shows or purposely hurting others. It seemed like changing my lifestyle to be “mostly sinless” was going to be pretty easy: “I will stop watching television, I won’t lie, I’ll work to respect my parents.” However, it wasn’t long after that I realized that all my doubtful, hateful, and envious thoughts were also sin before God. In other words, it dawned on me that I can’t fool God by my outward appearance, He knows and sees all. After this realization, I felt like I was never safe and feared God and how much He knows. I began to stress over all the bothersome thoughts and feelings I experienced each day; every time I felt envious of someone else, every time I thought I hated a girl at school, every time I accused God of forgetting to bless me. How could I be a “good believer” if I have such a loose grip on my sinful thoughts? Although I thought I repented earlier, I now think my true repentance occurred at this time, when I became deeply troubled and scared of my own untamable corruption. I discussed this with my dear friend, and then I was given to grasp the true meaning of the gospel. When the gospel was then preached to me, I felt all this fear and discomfort with myself lift from my heart. I was free and happy like I couldn’t recall ever feeling before. My spirit is imprisoned by my weak and corrupted flesh; the holy dove of heaven in this vessel of clay doth rest. There trembling in his corner, oh, how often the dove doth wail; the winds of earth are biting through the walls that are thin and frail! At times this dove of heaven is uplifted from fear and woe when warming rays of mercy in his vessel of clay do flow. These words from song of Zion 592 speak so thoroughly to the feelings in my heart. Our own corruption is troubling and scary. This purity of our faith resides in flesh that is weak in the fight against sin and is inherently corrupt on its own. The gospel finds its way from God into our souls and gives nourishment to our faith, encouraging us to continue this journey, and reminding us that eternal life in heaven awaits. When I first began spending time with believers, I was under the impression that believers are as content and happy as they are due to a nearly “sinless” lifestyle. However, after I partook of the gospel that day, I understood that this contentment comes from being counted as sinless by God, rather than being strong and committed enough to not fall into sin in the first place. Partaking of this gospel message is what it means to believe as a child of God. We are faulty, blind, and foolish, full of sin, like other men, yet we’re counted wise and sinless through the works of Christ, Your son (SHZ 203:1). Following my repentance, the Minneapolis congregation became a whole new kind of family to me. I was thoroughly taken care of in many ways. I received many rides to and from church and friend’s houses, and adults would consistently check in with how I was doing and offer guidance when I needed it. I loved visiting the elders and would occasionally help myself to a spot at the elder’s table after Wednesday night Bible class. Still today, when the words “mother congregation” are used, I feel that warmth in my heart of how precious and caring God’s Kingdom was to me then and still is today. God has since preserved me in faith. He has blessed my life in ways that my childhood self would have never imagined. I am now a mother in a believing home with a loving husband, three children, and a fourth baby on the way. The beautiful music I recall at the neighbors’ home is now playing in the background of my own, and the gospel is preached here often. While the devil continues to tempt and try me each day, I simply pray that I will continue to travel on this narrow path of God’s children and make it to the heavenly home one day. All the while I am thankful to God and the way He has carefully directed my life and will continue to do so according to His plan.

Harri Vähäjylkkä, Translation: Sam Roiko | The Voice of Zion November 2022 -- Approximately every two years representatives from the SRK, LLC and SFC gather in person to plan our joint work and so workers can get to know one another personally. In September, LLC board members Jim Jurmu, Sam Roiko and Petri Hotari, along with LLC staff Adrian Pirness and Arvin Pirness went to Finland to participate in the latest such joint meeting. Throughout the week, representatives of the SRK, along with SFC and LLC worked to prepare a news article about the meetings to convey the abiding unity of faith and understanding that God lovingly provided. While in Finland, the LLC received a request from the SRK asking to consider sending two brothers to their Pastors Camp. This camp is for believing brothers who are ordained pastors and others who work in the national church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. Jon Bloomquist and Sam Roiko attended and experienced there also the unity of faith and understanding. Situation in North American Zion Discussed at Meetings of Sister Organizations Representatives of three central organizations of our Christianity, SRK, LLC and SFC, gathered for a cooperative work meeting in Oulu the week of September 19, 2022. A central topic in the discussions was the division that has happened amid North American Zion, which has resulted in a heresy. The anticipated meeting of the sister organizations occurred in September after a pause due to COVID. Early that Monday morning, the coffee table at the SRK office was bustling with activity. Believing friends greeted one another in three languages; some had not seen each other for a long time, and some had never met face to face. There have been retirements and personnel changes in sister organizations. However, during COVID, contact was maintained through many messages, e-mails and remote meetings. Greetings Contained Joys and Sorrows Monday’s discussions focused largely on the situation in the Zion of North America. The representatives of the LLC’s administration and office spoke about the events of the last few years and also of very recent happenings in North America. Their greetings contained joy that God has blessed the work and protected His obedient children in faith. Meanwhile, sorrow was felt because many signs were evident which demonstrate that the long-standing division has resulted in a heresy. Representatives of the Finnish and Swedish sister organizations related greetings from their own countries. These greetings noted that the situation in North America and its difficulty have also been evident in various contacts and discussions in Finland and Sweden. They brought up that in the week’s joint meeting, it is necessary to also talk about difficulties and the spiritual battle. These are part of the life of God’s congregation; God’s congregation is also a battling congregation. Meeting representatives of the different countries noted that it is important to share this matter with believers. “It is necessary to reveal what the situation is and what types of issues are behind the sorrowful situation,” many stated. God’s gracious and calling nature was spoken of in the discussions. It was stated that acknowledgment of a difficult situation, even a heresy, is not harshness, but also through this God calls those who have gone astray (1 Cor. 11:19). Repentance is God’s work from beginning to end, and through it one can return to God’s kingdom. The Division Has Developed over a Long Period of Time LLC representatives described the background of the current situation. The situation has not developed overnight but rather over the course of many years. Questions of faith, doctrine and life have been discussed in one-on-one visits, and more broadly within individual congregations, for example at congregation discussion evenings. Regional and continent-wide discussions have also been convened so that matters could be cared for. The most recent continent-wide gathering was held on May 7–8, 2021. At that meeting, there was concern expressed that a different understanding of the doctrine of the congregation existed in the midst of the believers of North America. It was also openly acknowledged on both sides that there were two groups within North American Zion and that we cannot continue as a divided flock. Discussions on Doctrine Discussions of doctrinal questions have taken place among congregation speakers, board members and congregation members in North America for nearly ten years. The matters have also been discussed at the large LLC service events and other gatherings. Discussions have also been arranged at local congregation events. However, the end result of the discussions has been that the mutual understanding and love of believers has not returned but rather that the division has deepened and become stronger. At the meeting of the sister organizations, questions arose concerning what kinds of matters have been discussed among believers in North America over the years, and where different understandings have been observed. Others wanted to know what signs and fruits of division have become apparent. LLC representatives shared that over the years there have been many discussions on various doctrinal questions. Discussions have taken place regarding justification, the position and significance of God’s Word, the relationship between the written Word of God and the Word of God preached by the Holy Spirit, the relationship between God’s Word and the congregation, the office of the Holy Spirit, and, in connection with that, the essence of the congregation and its significance and duty, forgiveness of sins, confession, and servants of the congregation. Meeting participants had experienced that to some extent, doctrinal matters have also been examined as if they were diametrically opposed. For example, discussion speeches brought out how the perfect righteousness prepared by Christ and the grace owned by faith seem to have cast their shadow on the importance of watchfulness, the endeavor and confession. Representatives of the North American central organization said that in doctrinal discussions there have not always been big differences. However, this has not removed division nor restored unity of faith. LLC representatives felt that in the current situation the strongest disagreement between the two parties was the perspective of God’s congregation and the work of the Holy Spirit in the congregation. Discussion participants noted that the power of God’s Holy Spirit always affects both in the preaching of God’s kingdom and in its gospel. If some hear the gracious voice of the gospel in a sermon and others hear the demand of the law in the same sermon, it cannot be that the hearts of the listeners are in the same condition. And if the gospel of forgiveness brings joy, peace and freedom to some, but does not free others from burdens, a critical mind, and accusations, the fault is not in the living gospel, but in the heart of the listener. In the discussion it was brought out that the view of some is that in North America, in LLC congregations, the law is preached to the believers, while in Finland grace is preached. The meeting representatives did not agree with this observation. Faith Creates Unity, Sin Breaks It In their speeches, the meeting attendees brought out the fact that unity between believers is born of God’s Holy Spirit. This unity cannot be achieved or maintained by humans. Sin, meanwhile, breaks this unity. True unity can only be achieved by mutual faith and the Holy Spirit. That unity and also the other fruits of the Holy Spirit are lost if living faith is extinguished. The works of the flesh replace them, one of which is heresy, as Paul writes to the Galatians (Gal. 5:19–21). God’s grace also belongs to those who have fallen into the sin of heresy. Acknowledging the existence of a heresy does not mean that God’s grace has ended. Those who have fallen into heresy are called unto repentance. Repentance and personally owning the forgiveness of sins renews love and restores a living unity with God, His kingdom, and the other children of God. There is joy on earth and in heaven over every one who repents (Luke 15:10). There Is Security in God The representatives of Finland, Sweden, and North America related in their speeches how the contacts with other believers have brought joy even in the midst of difficult times. In various discussions with the LLC, a connection and common understanding that is created by the same faith and the Holy Spirit have been felt. There has been no doubt that we believe exactly the same way. In Finland and Sweden, the understanding has remained that the congregation of God is also present among believers in North America. God Himself cares for His congregation even during times of spiritual battle. The discussion culminated in this, that the essence of God’s kingdom and the foundation of faith will never change. The mystery of faith is still owned with the faith of a child. Jesus set a small child as an example of faith to His disciples, who were considering their own position and competing for a place. God’s children still do not need to fear, even though they may encounter different messages and accusations. God cares for each of His children and rules His own kingdom. Sidebar: In the discussion, a presentation kept by Juhani Uljas in 1998 was quoted: “A heresy always grows within the congregation of God. There comes a fracture in the love among God’s children. The internal unity of faith and spirit breaks. An “inner circle” or a “group within a group” is formed that has a tight mutual unity, which also begins to separate from the congregation of God. “Understandings of faith change. Some fall away from the foundation of the righteousness of faith to be under the law without realizing it. They drift away from the freedom of the children of God into the bondage of traditions, the letter of the law and rules. In this phase the fruit of heresy becomes more clearly evident. “When the separation from the love of the children of God has taken place, a battle arises against it. The altered understanding of faith and doctrine raises war against the congregation of God. In this way a group that has internally separated also separates outwardly.”

Marv Wittenberg | The Voice of Zion December 2022 -- It is once again the Christmas season in which we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus. As a child of God, you experience a peace not known by the world – the true peace of Christmas which is the peace of God. Long ago on the first Christmas night, the shepherds were watching over their sheep when an angel approached them with the heavenly message of the birth of the Messiah. “Fear not for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10,11). After sharing with the shepherds where they could find the baby Jesus, the angel was joined by a great throng of heavenly beings: “Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:13,14). In the world, we long for temporal, outward peace. The Hebrew word for peace is shalom and it conveys the idea of completeness and well-being. As an individual, one can be at peace with a decision or an outcome in his or her life. Between people and families, peace exists when individuals get along and are not at odds with one another. Temporal peace also exists between nations when they are not at war. Relatively speaking, we live in a peaceful time, though there are places where restlessness and even war exist. We can remember in prayer those who suffer; may they feel the call to seek salvation, to gain peace in their lives and hearts. Peace amongst nations is a blessing to be thankful for, but in life a child of God has a far more important peace, the peace of God, God’s peace. God’s peace is different from this temporal peace, for it is spiritual. It is owned only by faith, through believing the gospel and living of God’s grace. Such peace is a gift only from God – it doesn’t come from human endeavors. This peace comes when one’s sins have been forgiven and one can freely believe. It brings a joyful and happy heart, and with eyes of faith, God’s kingdom is seen as beautiful and God’s children as fellow travelers and escorts. It is a matter beyond human comprehension and difficult to describe with words. Apostle Paul used these words: “The peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:7). What are the contours of God’s peace in our lives? Peace resides in our daily environment – a spiritual home in our home congregation. The congregation cares for us, instructs us and provides escorts on the journey. We can follow the age-old pathway that has been set before us from the beginning. And God in His Holy Spirit lights that pathway for us, a piece at a time. God provides a place to rest our sorrows and cares. We are assured that our petitions are heard. Above all, we own the grace altar, on which we can deposit our sins when we ask to hear the gospel of the forgiveness of sins. All these elements create a refuge of holy peace in our lives and bring the promise of everlasting peace in heaven. By faith, through the power of the Holy Spirit, the child of God can own in his or her heart the true joy of Christmas, our Lord Jesus. He has shared with His own: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). He further relates: “These things I have spoken unto you that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Be uplifted yet as another Christmas approaches to continue believing. Traveling in faith, one can have Christmas every day of the journey – by believing all sins forgiven in Jesus’ name and precious blood. God’s Word promises that one day we will be free from the trials and tribulations of this life and be able to celebrate the eternal Christmas in heaven with all the saints. “They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes” (Rev. 7:16,17). The songwriter has also preciously written: “You hear it, O children, each Christmas, how one day our way doth lead from trials to Christmas eternal and heavenly Christmas peace!” (SHZ 28:3). It is worthwhile to yet believe!