7 Aug, 2008
Hot gossip!
Nine feared dead in US air crash
Nine people are missing feared dead after a helicopter carrying 
firefighters crashed on its way to a forest fire in northern California.
The helicopter went down on Tuesday night about 35 miles (56km) north-west of Redding in a remote area.
The cause of the crash of the Sikorsky S-61 was not immediately known.
The helicopter was carrying 11 firefighters and two crewmen. Four people are being treated in hospital for burns.
Two are said to be in critical condition and two serious.
Ian Gregor, spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration, said the helicopter was destroyed in the crash.
The firefighters had been tackling a blaze that was covering 27 sq miles (70sq km) of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest.
story courtesy bbc.com, 8/06/08 & photo mediacomtoday.com 9/29/06
James 3:5-10
5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.
How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. (ESV)
What does today's God's Story teach us about our speech problem?
Interesting. James compares the damage our tongues can do to a raging forest fire! Maybe this is the basis for "hot gossip or the hot talk"?
Perhaps James uses the fire metaphor because he says that hell is the source of the tongue's wickedness.
When our tongue/mouth/words are not under God's control, Satan uses them to get people upset and hurt. Gossip behind the back or verbal put downs to the face spread hate and destruction very quickly. When we're careless with our words, we can destroy a friendship. When we speak what is not true about someone, we can destroy reputations and lives. Even if we apologize later, the effects have spread like a forest fire out of control.
Our speech can be a problem or it can be pleasing to God. What's it going to be for you?
How can you connect today's God's Story to your life?
- Talk to God right now. Confess the ways that your words have been so not like Jesus. Ask God's Spirit to give you the faith and discipline you need to abide in Jesus every hour of every day. Thank Jesus that He will help your mouth to be a tool of praise and love rather than a weapon of pain and destruction.
- Keep a written journal every day for thirty days that records the good and the bad use of your mouth. This exercise may seem like too much work, but Jesus will use it to change your speech patterns for the better - guaranteed!
- Whenever you see a fire in the next month, let Jesus remind you to let His power control your tongue.
- Pray for the firefighters who were injured and the families of those who may have died.
How can you connect today's story, God's Story and your story to others?
- Ask Jesus to help you recognize situations in which you have hurt someone with your words. It might be a friend, someone at school, a co-worker, a family member. Go to them and apologize and ask for forgiveness. Their response might be anger, pain, or it may be forgiveness, or a combination! No matter what, you will have done the right thing and you may have the opportunity to communicate your story and God's Story without using more words.
- This one may be just as hard or harder to do. When someone hurts you with words or gossip, don't fight "fire" with "fire". Let Jesus douse your anger, calm your spirit, and speak only Christ-like words, which can include no words at all. You will be communicating love rather loudly.
- August 2008 [19]
- July 2008 [22]
- June 2008 [13]
- May 2008 [20]
- April 2008 [22]
- March 2008 [21]
- February 2008 [19]
- January 2008 [20]
- December 2007 [19]
- November 2007 [16]
- October 2007 [20]
- September 2007 [18]
- August 2007 [12]
- July 2007 [12]
- June 2007 [10]
- May 2007 [12]
- April 2007 [10]
- March 2007 [11]
- February 2007 [14]
- January 2007 [7]
- December 2006 [4]
- November 2006 [13]
- October 2006 [17]
- September 2006 [11]
- August 2006 [16]
- July 2006 [11]
- June 2006 [3]
