Planning is generally perceived as being a good thing; Benjamin Franklin once said, ‘If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!‘ Planning has formed the heart of many a government (perhaps the most famous being Joseph Stalin’s 5-year plans) and individuals are often encouraged to make such long-term plans in order to be focussed and achieve goals. Nonetheless, whilst in principle it can be good to make plans (most of what we do needs a certain amount of preparation and planning!), we need to understand that there is a limit to our knowledge and therefore to our plans. God’s plans, on the other hand, last a lot longer than five years and because He knows everything, are never derailed by circumstances! (see Gen 3:14-15, Rom 8:28-30, 1 Cor 2:6-8).

Our planning is often limited by our inability to see far, but God does not have this problem. In Gen 39:20-23 we see that God’s hand was on Joseph, even in adverse circumstances; this period in his life demonstrates very clearly the truth of Prov 19:21 (‘Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.’) So often, we see God accomplishing great things through ordinary people who may not have had any ‘grand plan’ to change the world but whose obedience and willingness to journey by faith meant great things were accomplished (e.g. Jackie Pullinger’s ministry in Hong Kong and David Wilkerson’s ministry among the gangs in New York.) This reminds us of Abram, who was called by God to journey to destinations unspecified (Gen 13:14-17). We may feel that such ‘wanderings’ showed a lack of planning and therefore a lack of faith, but in actual fact, one of the key things in our walk with God is being willing to be led by the Spirit at all times. As Isaiah reminds us,’walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts.’ (Is 26:8) Sometimes, we have to be willing to let go of our plans in order to follow God’s plans; we have to be willing to wait and walk in humility before Him.

Living by faith will always involve periods of not knowing and periods of testing. While we wait, we are called to do what we know we should: to worship, to serve, to listen and to obey. Living this way means we don’t always have to anticipate what is around the next corner. Living this way, we don’t have to make provision for the unknown. Living this way we have very little investment in future plans, so we have no plans to change. Living this way requires being close to God. Living this way makes us very dependent on Him. Living this way makes Him our only safety net. Living this way can be a wild adventure – but it means letting go so that only God is in control of our lives and for most people, that’s a very scary thought. It’s the way of faith, however, down the ages, and since God’s plans can’t ever be thwarted, it’s the best place to be!

Today, on the eve of Halloween, members of Dearne Churches Together went out (initially in the pouring rain, but thankfully that stopped!) to distribute our candles and pictures of light in Goldthorpe, Thurnscoe and Bolton-on-Dearne. Our thanks to all who helped, and our prayer is that the Light of the world becomes known in more households through these symbols of light.

Goldthorpe

Bolton-on-Dearne

Thurnscoe

One of the privileges of working in the Dearne area is the relationships we form with other groups. It was great to have staff from the local Family Centres with us today at our fun day, promoting the Rose Vouchers scheme which enables local families to have access to fruit and vegetables:

We were also pleased to have Lindsey from TADS with us, talking to parents about how to help children and young people manage their emotions and mental health.

We also had students from Sheffield University who are working with the Dearne Playhouse on developments to the building and to the Welfare Park talking to us to find out what local people want in these areas.

We are very grateful for our links in the community and thank the Co-op in Bolton-on-Dearne and Darfield for contributing food to this fun day and to members of local churches (GPCC, St Helen’s, Salvation Army, Furlong Road Methodist Church) who helped us today.

Tonight we looked at the question God asked Jacob (‘What is your name?’) in probably the most famous wrestling match in the Bible. (Gen 32:22-32) This was a ‘pivotal point incident’ (as Mark Burgin once described it) in Jacob’s life, an encounter with the ‘angel of the Lord’ (probably the Lord Jesus in His pre-incarnate form) which changed the scheming, devious manipulator into ‘Israel’, one who struggled with God and overcame.

Names are incredibly important, especially in the Bible, and Jacob’s name (‘the grabber’, figuratively ‘he who deceives‘) had defined his life up to this point. Now, however, he is given a new name by God. We have all been given new identities in Christ, and it’s important that we understand we are now new creations in Him. (2 Cor 5:17) It’s easy for us to feel defined by other people’s expectations and to feel useless and inadequate because of other people’s assessments of us, but we need to understand that how God defines us is what matters.

God says we are:

• made in His image (Gen 1:27)

• His beloved children (John 1:12, 1 John 3:1)

• chosen by Him to bear fruit (John 15:16)

• redeemed, cleansed and forgiven by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Eph 1:6-7)

• heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ (Rom 8:17)

• new creations (2 Cor 5:17)

• reconciled to God (2 Cor 5:19)

• His friends (John 15:15)

• more than conquerors through Christ who loved us (Rom 8:37)

• fearfully and wonderfully made (Ps 139:14)

We don’t have to be defined by our old names, by the person others told us we were. We don’t even have to be the person we thought we were! We can be new creations in Christ; we can live in a different way, for ‘the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.’ (Rom 8:3)

Andrew from Open Doors spoke to us today about the work of the charity (begun by Brother Andrew in 1955 to help distribute Bibles to the persecuted church in Poland and Russia) and how our prayers and support can help Christians persecuted for their faith throughout the world.

He brought a map of Korea (North Korea is the country where the most persecution of Christians takes place) and a map of Afghanistan as well as artefacts from those two countries (which are no. 1 and 2 on the ‘Watch List’ of countries where persecution of Christians is rife.)

Other countries which particularly need our prayers are Somalia, Libya, Pakistan, Eristrea, Yemen, Iran, Nigeria and India. In North Korea, it is illegal to witness to Christ and many Christians are put in labour camps which are effectively extermination camps, as most people die there. Christians in these camps are forced to meet in cess pits because these are the only places to which the guards will not go.

Afghanistan has been in the news recently, and the natives are suffering terribly at present, yet despite this, many are coming to faith in Christ and there is revival going on in that country as people attest to the power of the resurrection of Jesus. In China, the Communist regime still insists that churches do not have crosses in them but put up portraits of Communist leaders instead. Video cameras are used to record services and the movement of Christians.

Despite appalling persecution, however, Christians in these countries prove the truth of Matt 5:10-12. They may be forced to live in degrading and humiliating circumstances, but they hold on to eternal truths and testify to the presence and power of Christ with them in all circumstances.