WHY????
This has to be the most pressing question on our minds lately.
With the death of Pastor Pollack, his son and Steven Curtis Chapman's daughter I have noticed a number of people asking why.
Why did this happen to them?
Where was GOD in this?
What is GOD's plan for this tragedy?
These are questions we will never get an answer for.
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Psalm 33:11 But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.
Proverbs 16:9 In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.
Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.
These are just a few verses from the Bible that state GOD is in control. It is natural to ask questions but we must not take the focus off of GOD, we must remember that GOD has a plan for everything. We must not turn our questions into sin.
What do I mean by not turning our questioning GOD into sin?
Read the book of Job and you will understand.
Here was a man that GOD pointed out to Satan for him to test. He killed all of his children, servants, flocks, gave him boils all over his body and left him with a wife that was against him. In everything Job went through he questioned GOD and wanted to know why this was happening but he never sinned against GOD. In the end GOD restored him with the exact same number of son's and daughters and made him even wealthier than before. Job kept his focus on his faith in GOD and not on the trials that Satan was using.
When Mark Wynn died I remember so vividly the sound of his wife screaming "NO" over and over when the doctor told her he didn't survive the surgery. I can see the room I was in and all the furnishings, exactly where people were sitting and feeling like my heart was being ripped out of my chest. My immediate reaction was Why Mark? If I had been with them would it have been me? Should it have been me? If it had been me how would my family survive? Where was GOD? Why didn't he save him? How could GOD take him from his wife, son and unknown to Mark a yet unborn son?
Was I allowing Satan to distract me from GOD's will? Yes...
Satan knows our weaknesses. He knows how to use any and every incident to turn our focus from GOD to the "distraction". We must be careful how we reply to every "distraction" to ensure we are not sinning. That is what Satan wants, to get a little wedge between ourselves and GOD. Once that wedge is in there he will gradually keep spreading this gap wider and wider until we are no longer connected to GOD. We are still Christians and bound for heaven but we lose that personal connection to GOD. When something happens in our lives the only place we need to turn it toward our LORD and SAVIOUR. We must also lean on our fellow christian brothers and sisters.
Ephesians 1:22-23
22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,
23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
To this day when I think of Mark it still causes me pain but I know that he has finished his earthly race toward heaven. Each of us will finish this race and it is up to us how we finish. Do you want to finish your race and hear CHRIST tell you "Well done good and faithful servant" or do you want HIM just to let you in the gates of heaven? Think about this because like I said ALL OF US WILL FINISH THE RACE OF EARTHLY LIFE. No human is immune from this. Only JESUS CHRIST was able to defeat death and finish HIS earthly race on HIS terms.
My gracious HEAVENLY FATHER, I pray that each and every person I come into contact with will see your light shine through me. YOU seem to be bringing your flock home and it makes me wonder if you are about to return. Put a fire in our hearts to put aside our worries and selfish desires and to work toward finishing our earthly race in a way that YOUR SON will tell us "Well done good and faithful servant". Thank you for always being there. Thank you for always being in control. Thank you for loving me even though I don't and never will deserve it.
Amen
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Pastor Pollack and son found, no survivors.
Pastor Pollack and his son Preston were found in the mountains outside Asheville, NC.
Please pray for his wife and 5 remaining children. Especially the oldest daughter in NC with her grandmother.
Prayer:
Lord we want to lift up the Pollack family and the lives that they came in contact with. Please take Forrest and his son Preston into your arms, we know YOU will love them like the children they are to YOU. GOD open everyone's eyes that we never know when our last day on this earth will be and that we should be growing closer to you each and every day and live each day like it is our last.....AMEN
Please pray for his wife and 5 remaining children. Especially the oldest daughter in NC with her grandmother.
Prayer:
Lord we want to lift up the Pollack family and the lives that they came in contact with. Please take Forrest and his son Preston into your arms, we know YOU will love them like the children they are to YOU. GOD open everyone's eyes that we never know when our last day on this earth will be and that we should be growing closer to you each and every day and live each day like it is our last.....AMEN
Pastor Pollack, 13 yr old son Preston missing
My previous message was from a new source and the Bell Shoals website. But I wanted to share my thoughts on this.
My prayers and thoughts go out to his wife, 5 other children and for Pastor Pollack and Preston's safe return.
The is a great time of testing for the members of Bell Shoals and people who know the Pollack family. GOD is in control of every situation whether the results are what we want or what GOD has planned.
In the past few years I have lost my Uncle Jay, my best friend and some close friends and know the pain of losing someone. When we become close to someone we open our hearts to become intermingled with each other. You give a piece of your heart to that person and a part of theirs replaces what you gave away. When you lose that person that piece of your heart is torn from you with nothing to replace it until it heals itself over time which of course will leave a scar. That scar on your heart constantly reminds you of them. Over time it gets easier and less painful but it is always there.
We as humans want our friends and family to live forever so we don't have to experience this pain. As Christians we are to rejoice at the passing of another believer because they have crossed the finish line of life and are now in our HEAVENLY FATHER's arms, no more pain, no more suffering, no more sin, but the simple joy of praising GOD for eternity.
In my opinion rejoicing at the loss of someone close is the most difficult thing to do. Our hearts ache so much, past thoughts flood our minds, regrets of not spending more time with that person, not telling that person that we love them, places that we go remind us of them, an aroma will bring a flash of a memory of a time with that person, it goes on and on and on. You feel like you will never get your life back to normal.
When Mark died he was on his motorcycle and whenever we rode I was always in front because I had been riding longer and knew some good roads to ride. The day he died I was too busy working around the house to go with them so Mark was in the front when a person turned in front of him. At the time we all thought he was saved by GOD because his brother in law is a fireman/paramedic and was only 1/2 mile from the scene. Mark made it to the hospital with a severed spleen which was repaired but his aorta was bruised. The spleen surgery went fine and they were going to repair his aorta the next day. Unknown to the Dr's his aorta was so badly damaged that they could not get a stitch to hold and in using 18 liters of blood to try to save him they were unable to. When they took his wife into another room and I heard her scream "NO" I thought I was going to die myself, that part of my heart had just been ripped from my chest. Mark and I used to joke around that we were "Brothers from another Mother". We worked out everyday at the gym, same interests, were going into business together, etc. We pretty much saw each other on a daily basis. I tried to go to the gym but as soon as I sat down to work out I lost it and had to leave. To this day it is still difficult to work out. Even though I am a member of a different gym I just want to get in and get it over so I can get away from that memory.
In one of my previous Blogs I wrote about forgiveness. I had to forgive Mark for leaving, I didn't realize it but through prayer GOD showed me that I had some anger toward him for leaving. I had decided after the anguish I went through losing him it was easier to be mad at him then to continue to hurt.
How many of us have done this? Tried to replace the pain with another emotion.
When you run into someone who is bitter in life do you ever wonder what has happened in their life to make them this way?
When you see someone like this immediately pray for this person. You may be the only person who has ever prayed for them. Ask GOD to be with them and to help them through this difficult time or help them to deal with what has happened to them and to know that GOD is always with us no matter the circumstance.
As I write this I just received a message that Pastor Pollack's plane has been found and we should have an update soon as to whether he and his son are still on this earth or in heaven.
Jeremiah 29:11
11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
The key word there is "future", with GOD no matter what happens to us on this earth as long as we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Saviour and believe he was raised from the grave and lives we will have an eternal "future" in heaven.
As you read this if you are not saved I would search your heart now. If you question whether you are saved or not I would recommend asking JESUS into your heart.
Say this prayer:
"GOD, I recognize that I have not lived my life for YOU up until now. I have been living for myself and that is wrong. I need YOU in my life; I want YOU in my life. I acknowledge the completed work of YOUR SON JESUS CHRIST in giving HIS life for me on the cross at Calvary, and I long to receive the forgiveness you have made freely available to me through this sacrifice. Come into my life now, LORD. Take up residence in my heart and be my king, my LORD, and my SAVIOR. From this day forward, I will no longer be controlled by sin, or the desire to please myself, but I will follow YOU all the days of my life. Those days are in YOUR hands. I ask this in JESUS' precious and holy name. Amen."
If you said this prayer you are now in GOD's family, you are now my brother or sister in CHRIST.
You now have no reason to fear death because life is simply a race to the finish line to be in our SAVIOR's arms for eternity.
My prayer: My GRACIOUS HEAVENLY FATHER, if anyone has prayed the above prayer and accepted your SON into their heart I am filled with joy and want to thank YOU for opening their hearts to YOU. As Christians we are your disciples and our job is to lead others to you. Please use me to win as many souls to CHRIST as I can as long as I am on this earth.
YOU are our reason for living and are always in control no matter the situation. The result may not be what we wanted but you have a plan for each and everyone of us, allow us to be used by you for your purpose.
GOD please be with Pastor Pollack and his son Preston as we selfishly ask for a miracle in this time of need. Please be with his family as they are waiting on news of their status.
I also lift up my Mom and Dad as they are sick with a virus and my Dad is in the hospital. LORD I ask for healing to get them home as we hope to see them in 3 weeks.
Each day is a gift from you as we don't know when our time will come to be with you. Let us live our lives as though it were our last. AMEN
My prayers and thoughts go out to his wife, 5 other children and for Pastor Pollack and Preston's safe return.
The is a great time of testing for the members of Bell Shoals and people who know the Pollack family. GOD is in control of every situation whether the results are what we want or what GOD has planned.
In the past few years I have lost my Uncle Jay, my best friend and some close friends and know the pain of losing someone. When we become close to someone we open our hearts to become intermingled with each other. You give a piece of your heart to that person and a part of theirs replaces what you gave away. When you lose that person that piece of your heart is torn from you with nothing to replace it until it heals itself over time which of course will leave a scar. That scar on your heart constantly reminds you of them. Over time it gets easier and less painful but it is always there.
We as humans want our friends and family to live forever so we don't have to experience this pain. As Christians we are to rejoice at the passing of another believer because they have crossed the finish line of life and are now in our HEAVENLY FATHER's arms, no more pain, no more suffering, no more sin, but the simple joy of praising GOD for eternity.
In my opinion rejoicing at the loss of someone close is the most difficult thing to do. Our hearts ache so much, past thoughts flood our minds, regrets of not spending more time with that person, not telling that person that we love them, places that we go remind us of them, an aroma will bring a flash of a memory of a time with that person, it goes on and on and on. You feel like you will never get your life back to normal.
When Mark died he was on his motorcycle and whenever we rode I was always in front because I had been riding longer and knew some good roads to ride. The day he died I was too busy working around the house to go with them so Mark was in the front when a person turned in front of him. At the time we all thought he was saved by GOD because his brother in law is a fireman/paramedic and was only 1/2 mile from the scene. Mark made it to the hospital with a severed spleen which was repaired but his aorta was bruised. The spleen surgery went fine and they were going to repair his aorta the next day. Unknown to the Dr's his aorta was so badly damaged that they could not get a stitch to hold and in using 18 liters of blood to try to save him they were unable to. When they took his wife into another room and I heard her scream "NO" I thought I was going to die myself, that part of my heart had just been ripped from my chest. Mark and I used to joke around that we were "Brothers from another Mother". We worked out everyday at the gym, same interests, were going into business together, etc. We pretty much saw each other on a daily basis. I tried to go to the gym but as soon as I sat down to work out I lost it and had to leave. To this day it is still difficult to work out. Even though I am a member of a different gym I just want to get in and get it over so I can get away from that memory.
In one of my previous Blogs I wrote about forgiveness. I had to forgive Mark for leaving, I didn't realize it but through prayer GOD showed me that I had some anger toward him for leaving. I had decided after the anguish I went through losing him it was easier to be mad at him then to continue to hurt.
How many of us have done this? Tried to replace the pain with another emotion.
When you run into someone who is bitter in life do you ever wonder what has happened in their life to make them this way?
When you see someone like this immediately pray for this person. You may be the only person who has ever prayed for them. Ask GOD to be with them and to help them through this difficult time or help them to deal with what has happened to them and to know that GOD is always with us no matter the circumstance.
As I write this I just received a message that Pastor Pollack's plane has been found and we should have an update soon as to whether he and his son are still on this earth or in heaven.
Jeremiah 29:11
11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
The key word there is "future", with GOD no matter what happens to us on this earth as long as we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Saviour and believe he was raised from the grave and lives we will have an eternal "future" in heaven.
As you read this if you are not saved I would search your heart now. If you question whether you are saved or not I would recommend asking JESUS into your heart.
Say this prayer:
"GOD, I recognize that I have not lived my life for YOU up until now. I have been living for myself and that is wrong. I need YOU in my life; I want YOU in my life. I acknowledge the completed work of YOUR SON JESUS CHRIST in giving HIS life for me on the cross at Calvary, and I long to receive the forgiveness you have made freely available to me through this sacrifice. Come into my life now, LORD. Take up residence in my heart and be my king, my LORD, and my SAVIOR. From this day forward, I will no longer be controlled by sin, or the desire to please myself, but I will follow YOU all the days of my life. Those days are in YOUR hands. I ask this in JESUS' precious and holy name. Amen."
If you said this prayer you are now in GOD's family, you are now my brother or sister in CHRIST.
You now have no reason to fear death because life is simply a race to the finish line to be in our SAVIOR's arms for eternity.
My prayer: My GRACIOUS HEAVENLY FATHER, if anyone has prayed the above prayer and accepted your SON into their heart I am filled with joy and want to thank YOU for opening their hearts to YOU. As Christians we are your disciples and our job is to lead others to you. Please use me to win as many souls to CHRIST as I can as long as I am on this earth.
YOU are our reason for living and are always in control no matter the situation. The result may not be what we wanted but you have a plan for each and everyone of us, allow us to be used by you for your purpose.
GOD please be with Pastor Pollack and his son Preston as we selfishly ask for a miracle in this time of need. Please be with his family as they are waiting on news of their status.
I also lift up my Mom and Dad as they are sick with a virus and my Dad is in the hospital. LORD I ask for healing to get them home as we hope to see them in 3 weeks.
Each day is a gift from you as we don't know when our time will come to be with you. Let us live our lives as though it were our last. AMEN
Pastor Pollack, son Preston and his small plane are missing.
Bell Shoals Baptist Church minister Forrest Pollock, his son Preston and his small plane are missing, according to the church.
"They're in an intense search, even tonight," the Rev. George Thomasson said Monday night. "Other than that, we don't know. Our real appeal is to the Tampa Bay area to pray for our pastor" and their family.
On the Brandon church's Web site, Thomasson and ministerial staff encourage people to pray.
Pollock flew his plane to North Carolina on Sunday afternoon.
"He reached his destination in North Carolina; however, after leaving from there early Monday morning for Texas, we have learned that Pastor has not yet reached his destination at the time of this writing," a message posted late Monday on the Web site states. "Everything humanly possibly is being done to locate Pastor's whereabouts. We are, however, appealing to all of our church family to pray earnestly for God's supernatural intervention. The new Worship Center is open for prayer and will remain so until further notice."
Search teams are examining the area near the Rutherfordton, N.C., airport where Pollock departed about 4:10 a.m. Monday en route to a conference in Texas, according to the site.
Bell Shoals has about 6,000 members, and about 3,000 people attend services each week.
Pollock came to the church with a background in television production.
He became interested in TV production while in high school in Oklahoma, working as a volunteer intern at a TV station. He went on to start his own TV production company and work as a TV reporter and anchor and print reporter "before God called me into ministry," he told The Tampa Tribune in 2007.
After graduating from Southwestern Baptist Seminary in 1994, Pollock served churches in Fort Worth, Texas, for three years and Baton Rouge, La., for five years before joining Bell Shoals.
"They're in an intense search, even tonight," the Rev. George Thomasson said Monday night. "Other than that, we don't know. Our real appeal is to the Tampa Bay area to pray for our pastor" and their family.
On the Brandon church's Web site, Thomasson and ministerial staff encourage people to pray.
Pollock flew his plane to North Carolina on Sunday afternoon.
"He reached his destination in North Carolina; however, after leaving from there early Monday morning for Texas, we have learned that Pastor has not yet reached his destination at the time of this writing," a message posted late Monday on the Web site states. "Everything humanly possibly is being done to locate Pastor's whereabouts. We are, however, appealing to all of our church family to pray earnestly for God's supernatural intervention. The new Worship Center is open for prayer and will remain so until further notice."
Search teams are examining the area near the Rutherfordton, N.C., airport where Pollock departed about 4:10 a.m. Monday en route to a conference in Texas, according to the site.
Bell Shoals has about 6,000 members, and about 3,000 people attend services each week.
Pollock came to the church with a background in television production.
He became interested in TV production while in high school in Oklahoma, working as a volunteer intern at a TV station. He went on to start his own TV production company and work as a TV reporter and anchor and print reporter "before God called me into ministry," he told The Tampa Tribune in 2007.
After graduating from Southwestern Baptist Seminary in 1994, Pollock served churches in Fort Worth, Texas, for three years and Baton Rouge, La., for five years before joining Bell Shoals.
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