Over the years I have come to LOVE Brighton. It will always hold a special place for me, since it was here that I came to know Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. Not only that, but it’s a fantastic place to live, and I will be very sad to leave  in summer, when (hopefully!) I will start my job in Lancashire. I don’t know what the future holds though, maybe I’ll be back here someday!

This video started to appear on my facebook feed yesterday, as more and more people saw it, commented on it and posted it for others to see. It is a fantastic representation of Brighton. The person who shot this is a very talented 13 year old boy.

(Picture courtesy of James)

In our household it is traditional on Christmas afternoon to go for a walk. This means that the Queen’s Speech is almost always missed. However, this year, due to us being slightly slower than normal, we watched the speech just as we were getting ready to leave the house. BBC and Sky both reported it as ‘Queen’s message focuses on family’, but failed to mention the most important part – the gospel message that made up the last couple of minutes. It reads like this:

Finding hope in adversity is one of the themes of Christmas. Jesus was born into a world full of fear. The angels came to frightened shepherds with hope in their voices: ‘Fear not’, they urged, ‘we bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

‘For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour who is Christ the Lord.’

Although we are capable of great acts of kindness, history teaches us that we sometimes need saving from ourselves – from our recklessness or our greed. God sent into the world a unique person – neither a philosopher nor a general, important though they are, but a Saviour, with the power to forgive. Forgiveness lies at the heart of the Christian faith. It can heal broken families, it can restore friendships and it can reconcile divided communities. It is in forgiveness that we feel the power of God’s love. In the last verse of this beautiful carol, O Little Town Of Bethlehem, there’s a prayer:

O Holy Child of Bethlehem,

Descend to us we pray.

Cast out our sin

And enter in.

Be born in us today.

It is my prayer that on this Christmas day we might all find room in our lives for the message of the angels and for the love of God through Christ our Lord.

It’s so wonderful that the Queen used the opportunity she has to speak to so many all at once to tell people of the good news of Jesus Christ, even missionary friends in Madagascar listened to the speech on the BBC World Service radio!

It has been about 3 and a 1/2 months since I last wrote a blog entry… the longest time I have gone in between posts since I started ‘A New Beginning’ almost 2 years ago.

It’s not a case of me wanting to stop blogging, it’s more of a case of life getting in the way! Medical finals (part 1) are coming up in January, and things have been very busy. After being in nice, (relatively) lazy 4th year, 5th year has hit hard, with long days, regular assessments and lots of work to do.

Trying to keep Jesus at the centre of everything I am doing is proving to be quite a challenge, and I am currently struggling somewhat with the stress of impending exams. I have been feeling quite distant in my relationship with God, and although I know He is ever-present and never-changing, the absence I feel is making me miss the security, love, comfort and peace I have in Jesus. In this case, although absence isn’t making the heart grow finder exactly, it is making me want to be closer to Jesus.

I’m not sure any of you actually noticed my absence (I don’t know exactly who reads this?!), but I am going to try and blog more regularly again!

And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Saviors blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

He left His Fathers throne above
So free, so infinite His grace—
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adams helpless race:
Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!

Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and natures night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray—
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine;
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach the eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

It has become the soundtrack to my life at the moment – the lyrics are so incredibly powerful, and every time I am stressed or worried about the dissertation I am currently frantically trying to complete, I listen to this to remind me of the insignificance of my work.

Hallelujah, all I have is Christ,

Hallelujah, Jesus is my life.

One night in the main meeting, a guy came on stage and recited an incredible poem. I loved it, and I’ve just found a recording of it, so thought I’d share it here for all of you to enjoy!

Health benefits of Christian faith <– the original report.

‘Doing God’ is good for your health <– this is a really interesting article published on the CMF blog about the above report.

Faith ‘good for you health’  <– and this is the Telegraph newspaper article about said blog post.

I was really not very pleased about this, and had not been looking forward to it at all. I dread the long, sung prayers, the sermons that don’t seem to mention Jesus and the lack of numbers in the congregation. However, I was firmly put in my place this morning, when we arrived 10 minutes before the start of the service to find the place absolutely packed, with around 400 people crammed into the church. We had to make do with some chairs put right at the back of the church – better than those people who arrived a bit later than us, who ended up sitting in the entrance porch! We did have our fair-share of sung prayers, but much less than normal, and thankfully, the vicar did a really good sermon. He aimed it at the children in the audience, which meant his puppets came out, (which always instantly winds my dad up!) but managed to address the adults in the congregation as well.

His message was really gospel centred, with 3 main points:

• Joy! Today we celebrate the empty tomb.
• The end of fear of death. We have certain hope in the resurrection and eternal life in the presence of Jesus.
• Sharing our faith with others. He challenged us to tell people when back in our day to day lives next week that we believe.

I have been well and truly challenged, and humbled in my attitude that this church wasn’t as good as ‘my’ church. Today, thanks to that parish vicar, 400 people heard the gospel message, and the wonderful news Easter brings because of his message.

So, to all of you, whoever you are, Happy Easter!!! I hope you have had the opportunity to hear the wonderful news of the gospel today, and can celebrate with joy the truth that the empty tomb brings.

The reason that it is ‘good’ is because of what that death means. Jesus lived a perfect, sinless life, one without blemish, and yet he took our punishment and wrath from God by dying, in our place so that we may look forward to everlasting life with him. The bible says, in Romans 6:23, that ‘the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.‘ It is the greatest gift that anyone can ever receive; eternal life in the presence of our loving, saviour God and through no action of our own. That is why today is ‘good’!

A year ago I posted about watching the film ‘The Passion of the Christ’ with a friend. It was amazing to see the words written in the bible come to life on screen. This year on Brighton seafront on Easter Sunday is a Passion Play (4pm, West Pier). If you happen to be in Brighton this weekend – go and see for yourself what Jesus endured for you.

http://www.passionofchrist.co.uk/