Why do we pray?

As a church we believe that the need to pray stems from when Adam and Eve, the first humans, disobeyed God. Genesis 3 describes how they were tempted by the devil, cunningly disguised as a snake, and ate the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. Because they gave into temptation the good and perfect world God had created became tainted with sin which created a barrier between God and Human beings. Consequently, the entire Human race would experience pain, suffering, illness and death in their bodies and there would be jealousy and conflicts in families and wars between nations vying to rule the world.

Sound at all familiar? It is through these everyday difficulties that prayer became and continues to be necessary. Prayer is like having a telephone conversation with God and when we pray, we speak to God and He listens. You don’t have to select from one of the following options or wait in a queue – you are put straight through!

In the Lord’s prayer given to us by Jesus, we ask Our Father in heaven to give us this day our daily bread – to provide for our needs and for others like food and other resources to sustain life and to bring healing, peace and an end to suffering, pain and stress and anxiety. We also ask God to forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us and not to lead us into temptation and deliver us from the evil one. God is sometimes blamed for all the earthly suffering, but God is not to blame. Suffering is caused by all the evil that exists in the world. God doesn’t want anyone to suffer. He loves us and suffers with us. And it is in these times we also pray for His Kingdom to come and for His will to be done. 

Amen. 

Best wishes and prayers, 

Pastor Robert and all at Headcorn Baptist Church.

Photo by Payton Tuttle on Unsplash

Have you heard the story of the auld empty tomb?

"Have you heard the story of the auld empty barn?” Fans of the much-loved BBC TV comedy series, Dads Army, will remember with fondness and laughter Private Fraser’s dour question to captain Mainwaring and his hilarious suspense laden quip about it.... 

“Well....there’s nothing in it!!” 

It still makes us laugh decades later. But have you heard the Bible story of the auld empty tomb and its significance as we approach Easter? 

Like Mainwaring and the platoon discovered with Fraser’s story, Simon Peter, and John the beloved disciple, who had run to the tomb on that first Easter day because of what Mary had told them, also discovered that there was nothing in it! It was empty - Jesus’ crucified body, laid there just three days earlier, had gone! (John 20:2-6 NIV Bible.) 

What had happened? Jesus had died on the cross, but He rose again so that we may have the fullness of life now and the promised future eternal life to come. 

This is why we celebrate Easter. It’s not just about fluffy yellow chicks, cute Easter bunnies or even yummy chocolate Easter eggs, it’s really about Jesus and what He did for us. 

Want to know more? Then please join with us on:

• Maundy Thursday 17th April 2025 at 7pm (including Communion)
• Good Friday 18th April 2025 at 10:30am
• Easter Sunday 20th April 2025 at 10:30am. 

A warm welcome awaits you. 

Easter blessings, 

Pastor Robert and the HBC family.

Photo by Pisit Heng on Unsplash

People do not live by chocolate alone

The season of Lent is now upon us. Lent is the 46-day period between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday.   It is an opportunity to pause, reflect and spend time with God in the lead up to Easter when we remember Jesus’ death on the cross and celebrate His resurrection. 

It is also a time when we can give something up like chocolate or Facebook; (except on Sundays which are exempt) and focus on helping others.  Lent was inspired by the 40 days that Jesus spent in the wilderness being tempted by the devil (Matthew 4:1-11).     During that time Jesus fasted, and it was in his hunger that the devil came and tried to tempt Him to turn stones into bread for him to eat.   Resisting temptation, Jesus replied: “It is written people do not live on bread alone but by every word that comes from mouth of God.”  (Matthew 4:4.)  

Jesus is saying that although it is important for us to eat solid food to sustain our bodies, it is far more important to have spiritual food for our souls and this comes from God through His word – the Bible.  So, when we feel tempted to eat that bit of chocolate, why not reflect on Jesus’ words and replace the word “bread” with that thing we have given up to help us overcome our withdrawal symptoms: “People do not live by...[Maltesers (Hmm I love them) or Facebook]...alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” It worked for Jesus, and it can work for us.   

Blessings Pastor Robert and the Headcorn Baptist church family 

Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash