Christmas IQ?

/0 Comments/in /by

Last Sunday at Redefine we started our ‘Advent’ series. Studying about the coming of the King of kings.

We are going to be looking at the ‘Incarnation’. God becoming man.

This really is the crux or centre of the Christmas message. God stepping down into history to take on human flesh and live amongst us.

In preparing for this series over advent, I came accross a really interesting ‘Christmas IQ’ quiz that I thought was really great at challenging the misconceptions that we can have about the ‘Nativity’ due to traditions we’ve grow up with; from school Christmas plays and the lyrics in Christmas Carols and from other sources outside the Bible.

I’ve added the quiz and the answers as a PDF to this blog post.

Take the quiz, and see for yourself how your Christmas IQ fares (no peeking at the answers beforehand).

Then afterwards, as part of your preparation for the celebration of Jesus’ arrival on Christmas Day; why don’t you revisit the nativity in the early pages of the gospels of Matthew & Luke.

Have a great advent.

Christmas-IQ-quiz

 

Paint it Black

/0 Comments/in , /by

This Friday ‘Black Friday’ was unleashed!

Traditionally Black Friday is the day following Thanksgiving Day in the United States (the fourth Thursday of November). It has been regarded as the start of the Christmas shopping period in the USA since 1932. many shops open up early and offer promotional discounts.

This shopping trend is now not limited to the USA & Canada, but has crossed the pond and is now becoming part of our culture in the UK with deals not only in shops, but also online; after-all, who doesn’t love a good bargain?

However, the downside to this crazy shopping day is that it focusses us on getting, buying and having more stuff. As if our lives revolved around the accumulation of wealth. It’s quite ironic that this day marks the start of the ‘Christmas’ shopping period.

Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus. The celebration of God becoming man to live amongst us and die upon a cross to pay the price for all our sins. All our mess.

The King of Heaven came and humbled himself. He wasn’t born in a palace as the son of a King; but was born to a carpenter and his young wife and placed in an animal’s  feeding trough.

Black Friday gets us focussing on the wrong things; that’s why I chose the title ‘Paint it black’, like the Rolling Stones song which is about suffering from depression and seeing everything as black and somber despite it being jolly or happy.

Also, if our focus in life is to just get more stuff, that can lead to depression.

God has made us for relationship with Him, and everything in life is meant to flow out of that place.

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? ‘And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you – you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” – Matthew 6:24-34.

The God who made everything; loves us more than we can imagine and wants us to cultivate and grow in a relationship with Him.

Let’s not get depressed by Black Friday, rather, let us look forward to Christmas and remember God coming to earth. Born as a baby. Born to save.

Building Bridges

/2 Comments/in /by

On the 21st November in 1964 the Verrazano–Narrows Bridge was completed. It was at the time the longest suspension bridge in the world, with its central span of 4,260 feet, surpassing the Golden Gate bridge by 60 feet. It held this title until 1981 when the Humber Bridge surpassed it by 366 feet. It still has the title of being the 13th longest main span bridge in the world and the longest in the american continent.

The bridge is named after Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazano who, in 1524 became the first European to enter New York harbour and the Hudson river.

This bridge is a massive feat of engineering and it took a total of 5 years and 3 months to complete; costing $320 million to build, which equates to $2,446,000,000 today. Many men were involved in the building of the bridge; and 3 lost their lives in the process.

This was a difficult and dangerous build, like Nehemiah and the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. They were surrounded by enemies that were angry at them rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem and had to arm themselves whilst they were doing the building work. Everyone was involved, from the oldest to the youngest, and every family took responsibility for building a section of the wall. No-one was exempt and everyone played their part. Not only were they building a wall, they were building community.(Read the book of Nehemiah to get more details; its really great).

Working together.

Building bridges between families, generations, social classes, work groups.

It was a great work God was doing.

God is in the business of building communities and building bridges between people.

Like when the deacon Philip encountered the Ethiopian eunuch  on the road; he heard him reading a portion of Isaiah and explained it to him (Read the full passage here). Philip was building a bridge for the gospel into Africa.

The eunuch took the love of God with him to Africa.

The most important bridge building we see in the Bible is Jesus on the cross; building a bridge between man and God and restoring their broken fellowship, their broken relationship.

“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Saviour, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people.” – 1 Timothy 2:1-6

At Llandudno Youth for Christ we; like Nehemiah and the people of Jerusalem, like the builders of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, like Philip; want to build bridges between people.  Build bridges into communities in Llandudno and beyond.

Building bridges for the gospel.

Taking the love of God into Llandudno and beyond.

To do that we need more volunteers; like Nehemiah and the people of Jerusalem, everyone doing their part to see God’s purpose fulfilled in their generation.

If you feel God calling you to be part of all that we do, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

“..bread of heaven feed me till I want no more..”

/0 Comments/in , , /by

“Guide me, O thou great Redeemer,
Pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but thou art mighty;
Hold me with thy powerful hand:
Bread of heaven, bread of heaven
Feed me till I want no more.
Feed me till I want no more.” – Peter Williams

Today, the 17th of November 2016; marks the start of Llandudno’s Christmas Fayre, The fantastic feast for the senses will be held over the next several days; ending on Sunday 20th.

This year is special, because it marks the inauguration of the ‘World Bara Brith Championships’.  This is being held by the organisers of the Llandudno Christmas Fayre in conjunction with Jones Crisps. The judging of the Bara Brith’s will take place today, with the winners being announced tomorrow (Friday 18th November).  The prize giving is being held at Holy Trinity Church on Mostyn Street.

One of the organisers of this event had this to say; “Not only will the winner get the coveted title of the Best Bara Brith maker in the world, which by the way is far more prestigious than winning the Great British Bake Off, he or she will also get the opportunity to see their very own Bara Brith being produced by artisan bakers to be sold to the public.”

There will also be a “Cake Trail” around Llandudno’s array of retail businesses for people to follow.

When I read about this, I couldn’t help but think of the above Hymn; originally penned in Welsh by William Williams Pantycelyn (1717 – 1791); and translated into English by Peter Williams (1722 – 1796).

With the whole Christmas feel of the event too, it made me think of Jesus, of course. “Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” – John 6:32 & “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” – John 6:36.

Jesus is our bread of heaven.

He is the only one who truly satisfies. It is He who will feed us till we want no-more; in the sense of not lacking anything.

When we have Jesus, we have all that we need.

“Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” – Jesus (John 6:49-51)

So as you walk around the Christmas Fayre and sample the tasty treats and the Bara Brith; think of the bread that came down from heaven.

Think of Jesus; God in the flesh; God with us; Emmanuel.

Born in Bethlehem; the ‘House of Bread‘ and wrapped in cloths, lying in an animals feeding trough.

Think of Jesus; God’s greatest gift to us.

Llongyfarchaidau! – Congratulations!

/0 Comments/in , /by

Tim Dewi St Davids DayA great cheer of “congratulations!”, or more appropriately for a charity based in Wales “llongyfarchaidau!” to our centre director Mr Tim Gough and one of our mainstay volunteers at Llandudno Youth for Christ, Mr Dewi Thomas.

Both Tim & Dewi recently attended evening award galas in London for their endeavours in Christian youth work. Tim Gough was nominated for the Premier Digital Award’s ‘Most Inspiring Leadership Blog’ for his Blog ‘Youth Work Hacks‘. Dewi was nominated for the award of ‘Volunteer Youth Worker of the Year’.award-winners-including-timBoth attended swanky evenings with food and music preceding the main event of the awards. Tim won the ‘Most Inspiring Leadership Blog’ award and Dewi won an honourable mention for the ‘Volunteer Youth Worker of the Year’ Award.

dewi-volunteer-of-the-year-award-certificateYou can view the information about the Premier Digital Awards here; and the Youthwork awards here (Dewi’s nomination is mentioned from around 45mins in on the video at the top of the webpage).

Congratulations to both of them!

Well done, and its great to see them receiving recognition for the hours they have given praying for and working with young people in Llandudno and beyond to relevantly share the good news of Jesus.

Dewi is currently attending Nexus ICA; “Europe’s leading faith-based music institute”. Where he is working hard to hone and expand his giftings in music and teaching the Bible.

It’s great to see God taking him further along in his journey of faith, and for Dewi to have the opportunities to grow in the amazing gifts given to him; gifts that blessed the work at LLYFC so much.

We pray that he will be as much a blessing at Nexus as he has been here in Llandudno.

It’s also great to see that the work that Tim puts into resourcing other youth workers is being recognised. He is so passionate about seeing the youth workers and church leaders empowered and resourced to take the gospel to the young people in their communities and see lives impacted and changed for eternity.

Not only does Tim regularly put interesting, stimulating and resource-rich blog posts up for people to read, but each month he hosts a youth work training evening that is a real boon to those who attend. The ‘Monthly Meet’ is held (normally) on the third Monday of the month during term time. For more information, please check out the Facebook page.

As well as congratulating them. I want to equally say congratulations to everyone who has faithfully supported this ministry in prayer, with finances and with their time. Tim & Dewi would not have had the opportunities to do what they have done without all of you; so ‘THANK YOU!’

PS: Please continue to pray for both Tim & Dewi, that God would continue to use them and that lives would be changed as a result.

PPS: If you are interested in, like Dewi, being a volunteer at LLYFC, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Touching heaven, changing earth.

/0 Comments/in , , /by

The above blog title is the song title and indeed the album title for Hillsongs 1998 church worship CD.

The lyrics to the song go: “We will seek Your face, Almighty God;
turn and pray for You to heal our land. Father, let revival start in us
Then every heart will know Your Kingdom come. Lifting up the name of the Lord, in power and in unity; we will see the nations turn; touching Heaven, changing earth.”

The whole focus of the song is to prayer.

Prayer and how it changes things.

How in pray we touch heaven and change earth.

If you want to hear the whole song, click here.

I chose this song for the blog post as next week at YFC, both locally & nationally, we are having a week of prayer; running from Monday 14th through to Friday 18th of November.  The prayer is going to be 24hr prayer, with people taking 1hr time slots throughout the period to pray.

This is a mini pre-cursor to 2017’s ‘Year of Prayer’ focus at YFC UK. Check out this video for more information.

Prayer is powerful; it changes not only the circumstances that are being prayed for, but also the person praying.

When Paul & Silas were thrown into prison, this is what happened when they prayed.

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.” – Acts 16:25-26.

Let’s be bold in faith like Paul & Silas. Let’s pray earnestly to God and see the prison walls in people’s lives and in circumstances come crumbling down.

So, next week, please lift up the work we do at Llandudno Youth for Christ in prayer.

Thank you.

Climbing up the mountain with God…

/3 Comments/in , /by

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
    where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip—
    he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord watches over you—
    the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—
    he will watch over your life;
8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going
    both now and forevermore. – Psalm 121

Over the past two weeks and with one more week to go; we have been looking at the gospel of Mark at Redefine, our Sunday evening Bible Study. The title of the Bible Study Series has been ‘Climbing Mt. Mark’

It’s all based around the first 9 chapter of Mark being about Jesus’ ministry leading up to his transfiguration on the mountain; and then the last 7 chapter after coming down from the mountain leading to his sacrifice on Golgotha; or Calvary.

Last night we looked at Jesus’ transfiguration; you can read the passage here.

As always it was a great night, with fun games, times of prayer, our Bible Study, some worship and good food and fellowship. We also had a special guest visitor. Our chairman of trustees Paul Hadley came and told us about a time that he had to rescue some climbers from a very high mountain in the Andes, whilst he and his family were working as missionaries in Bolivia. It happened up a high peak called Mt. Tunari (for a more detailed story of the event than I will give here, check out Paul’s blog post); which is about 5,023 m (16,480 ft) high.

Paul’s talk was epic and inspirational. It really demonstrated God’s faithfulness to His people. Paul mentioned the above psalm as one that God spoke to Him during His night-time ordeal to rescue the two trapped climbers. God kept on assuring Paul that He was with Him on the mountainside. Paul also said how He could see God’s hand in everything that happened during that day to not only keep him safe, but also keep the rest of the rescue team safe, and bring the lost climbers back home safely.

 

In the Bible we often see a lot of people called by God who meet their Creator on mountain tops; Moses, Elijah, Abraham are just some examples. Each time in the Bible, they don’t stay on the mountain-top; but come down it with renewed purpose, vision and direction. They  are on a mission for God.

That mission always involves saving people.

Jesus too came down the mount of transfiguration with a mission. His mission was to go to the cross and be the perfect sacrifice to pay for the sins of the world.

His mission was to bring salvation to the whole world.

God, in Christ, calls all believers to also get involved in this mission. A mission where we do spend time on the mountain-tops with God; but a mission where we do not stay there, but rather we go down the mountainside into the valley where the lost, the lonely, the least are.  Where the dying, the desperate, the downcast are and bring them the good news about Jesus.

That’s what our mission here at Llandudno Youth for Christ is; our goal is to relevantly bring the good news of Jesus to the young people of Llandudno and beyond. As part of this mission, we are looking for more people to get on board with us in this great mission. People to pray with us. People to help in our different events. People to help us financially with all the work we do.

Do you think you are one of those people?

Is God calling you down the mountain to join us in the mission of reaching the least, the last, the lost with the good news?

If you feel God’s prompting, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

S.O.S

/0 Comments/in , , /by

“Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”

He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!” – Matthew 8:23-27

On the 3rd of November in 1906 at the second International Radiotelegraphic Convention in Berlin, it was decided that Germany’s ‘Notzeichen’ (distress signal) be accepted and used as the international standard. It was explained as; “Ships in distress shall use the following signal: · · · – – – · · ·  repeated at brief intervals”. The first ship to actually use the S.O.S was Cunard Line’s RMS Slavonia on 11th June in 1909, when she ran aground off Punta dos Fenais in the Azores. Everyone onboard was saved by two other ships that responded to the distress call.

Like the disciples in the passage above who cried out to Jesus to save them; the distress call went out, was heard and responded to, and lives were saved as a result.

When God speaks to Moses out of the burning bush; He demonstrates how He hears our cries for help when He says “I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.” – Exodus 3:7-8.

“He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honour him.” – Psalm 91:15 is even more direct in letting us know that God hears our cries for help and answers.

He hears our cries of S.O.S.

“For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” – Romans 10:12-13

At Llandudno Youth for Christ, we want to be used by God, like the two ships that rescued the passengers aboard the RMS Slavonia. We want to be part of His S.O.S plan for the young people of Llandudno and beyond.

To better do that, we need to partner with Christians in our local area; people who will support us faithfully in prayer; cheerfully in finances and generously with their time. In 2016 & 2017 we want to…

Reach further to connect with every young person at Ysgol John Bright.

Reach further to ensure that no young Christian feels isolated and alone.

Reach further to provide a weekly space for any young seeker to hear and respond to Jesus.

Reach further to develop and train a whole generation of young Welsh leaders.

Reach further and call every church in this area to pray regularly for the young people in the community around us.

If you want to partner with us in Reaching further with the good news of Jesus to Llandudno and beyond, then please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Grace & Peace.

LLYFC

Let it Shine!

/0 Comments/in , /by

“Light has dawned that ever shall blaze
Darkness flees away
Christ the light has shone in our hearts
Turning night to day
We proclaim Him King of kings
We lift high His name
Heaven and earth shall bow at His feet
When He comes to reign” – Graham Kendrick

Today is October 31st; and like in our previous blog post; I am well aware of the fact that tonight lots of children will be dressing up as ghouls & goblins etc.

Whilst doing some research for last week’s blog post, I came across the video that I have posted below.  It was created by Glen Scrivener and can be found via the Christian resource website: https://www.10ofthose.com

I really loved the message that it brought; one that really declares the truth of how great and powerful our God and Saviour Jesus is; and how darkness is no match at all for the Light. That is why I put the lyrics of Graham Kendrick’s song ‘Light has dawned that ever shall blaze’ from 1988 at the top of the post. As it says; ‘Darkness flees away’.

So tonight is not a time to hid our light under a bushel, or be fearful of this ‘spector-full spectacle’ that ‘All Hallows Eve’ (Halloweeen) has become. ‘Christ the Light has shone in our hearts, turning night to day’. So there is no-room for darkness and fear, where love and light have taken up residence.

Be a light in the darkness around you; not with the voice of judgment or the finger of condemnation; but with words of truth and love (See Isaiah 58:9-12).

Shine!

Love!

Be Fearless!

Enjoy the video.

Here is the transcript of the words used in the video:

“Vast armies undead do tread through the night and
In hordes march towards hapless victims to frighten.
They stumble in step with glass-eyes on the prizes;
Bunched hither, hunched over in monstrous disguises;
In sizes not lofty but numb’ring a throng;
To unleash on their prey the dreaded DING DONG.
Small faces with traces of mother’s eye-liner,
Peer up to the resident candy provider.

And there to intone ancient threats learnt verbatim;
They lisp “TRICK OR TREAT!” Tis their stark ultimatum.
Thus: region by region such legions take plunder.
Does this spector-full spectacle cause you to wonder?
Just how did our fair festive forebears conceive,
Of this primeval practice called All Hallows Eve?
The answer, if anyone cares to research,
Surprises, it rises from old mother church.

On the cusp of the customary All Saints Day
The Christ-i-an kinsfolk made mocking display.
These children of light both to tease and deride;
Don darkness, doll down as the sinister side.
In pre-post-er-ous pageants and dress diabolic,
They hand to the damned just one final frolick.
You see with the light of the dawn on the morrow,
The sunrise will swallow such darkness and sorrow.

The future is futile for forces of evil;
And so they did scorn them in times Medieval.
For this is the nature of shadow and gloom;
In the gleaming of glory there can be no room.
What force is resourced by the echoing black?
When the brightness ignites can the shadow push back?
These ‘powers’ of darkness, if such can be called,
Are banished by brilliance, by blazing enthralled.

So the bible begins with this fore-resolved fight;
For a moment the darkness…. then “Let there be Light!”
First grief in the gloom, then joy from the East.
First valley of shadow, then mountaintop feast.
First wait for Messiah, then long-promised Dawn.
First desolate Friday and then Easter Morn.
The armies of darkness when doing their worst,
Can never extinguish this Dazzling Sunburst.

So… ridicule rogues if you must play a role;
But beware getting lost in that bottomless hole.
The triumph is not with the forces of night.
It dawned with the One who said “I am the Light!” – Glen Scrivener.

“Fear-Less, Love-More”

/0 Comments/in , /by

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” – 1 John 4:18

As we are coming up to the annual celebration of Halloween; a time where we now traditionally dress-up in costume as scary monsters such as vampires, zombies, ghosts, witches & werewolves. People decorate their houses with cobwebs, spiders, bats and other things to give it that ‘haunted house’ look, and hold ‘Halloween’ parties with food and drink to match the occasion.

On the TV and in the Cinemas there are a plethora of films and programmes all designed with one thing in mind, to give us a fright. To shock & to scare.

To make us afraid.

Fear.

Fear is the watchword of October 31st.

Fear; that feeling of dread that comes upon us when we perceive a danger of threat and gets us ready to fight or flight. However, unwarranted fear or irrational fear, which is called a phobia, can negatively impact our lives, and today, so many people are crippled by so many different phobias ranging from Ablutophobia- Fear of washing or bathing, through Logizomechanophobia- Fear of computers, to Zoophobia- Fear of animals.  There is even Phobophobia- Fear of phobias.

Thanks be to God who has given us the solution to our modern world with all of its fears and phobias.

In the Bible, God says to us ‘Fear Not’ on several occasions; although not the 365 as is sometimes erroneously quoted to state that there is a ‘fear not’ for every day of the year; but it is still a command God encourages us with, knowing that fear will come into our lives and that He has not called us to live in fear, but to be brave and courageous.

Listen to God’s encouragement to Joshua before he took the children of Israel into the promised land; “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.“

God calls His people to NOT fear, but be strong and courageous.

How do we do this?

The scripture at the top of this post is the key.

‘All you need is love.” or more accurately “All you need’s His love.”

God’s perfect love casts out ALL fear. There is not a single phobia that God’s love cannot overcome and cast out of our lives.

The more we allow the truth that God loves us to permeate our thinking, the more we are freed from Fear.

This Halloween, let’s not let Fear have the rule of the roost, but let’s boot Fear out with God’s anti-dote; ‘Love‘.

“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” – 1 John 4:10

“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” – 1 John 4:16

“For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.” – Psalm 100:5