August 2021
The Plan—God’s desire for us: So, God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27) You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. (Psalm 16:11) Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10) Jesus said, “In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (John
14:2-3) … we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1)
“If you’re a Christian.. this is useful .. as you share your faith. If .. not ..,this tells you straight from God’s Word why you need to be and how you can be.” The Problem—Our sin separates us from God: But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. (Isaiah 59:2) All have sinned and fall short of the
Sharing the Gospel- Jesus Style by Greg Laurie
Page 14
glory of God. (Romans 3:23) For the wages of sin is death . . . (Romans 6:23)
… the way of peace they [men] do not know. (Romans 3:17) Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart. (Psalm 24:3-4) You have hidden your face from us
and made us waste away because of our sins. (Isaiah 64:7) Without holiness no one will see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:14) The Solution—Christ’s death and resurrection for us: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1,14) For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever
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Pray for Our Nigerian Brothers & Sisters
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INSPIRATION
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Sun and Shield by Paula McBride The dermatology appointment is nearing its conclusion, and I brace myself for the dreaded question: “Do you use sunscreen?” For me to tell the whole truth would require a lengthy explanation, and I do use sunscreen when needed, so my answer is just a mumbled, “Sure.” The longer explanation is that I believe there are benefits to be had from exposure to natural sunlight. For instance, when I was in Mexico, the mother of a jaundiced newborn brought her baby to lie in the light streaming in my trailer window. Exposure to sunlight brought healing to little Cynthia in just a few days. Appropriate exposure to sunlight is also associated with improving sleep, reducing stress, maintaining strong bones, fighting depression, and even aiding weight loss. On the other hand, I am also aware of the damaging effects of overexposure to the sun. In addition to my own sunburns, I remember when my student was overlooked by chaperones monitoring sunscreen application on a Sunsplash field trip. Steven was not protected with sunscreen and came to school the following Monday with second degree burns on his shoulders. In my way of thinking, then, we need both exposure to natural sunlight and wisdom in using the “shield”
sunscreen provides. Perhaps the sun was shining brilliantly during a pilgrimage by the Sons of Korah when they wrote Psalm 84. In verse 11, the writer expresses, “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor: no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.” Then, as now, the reader of these words can apply what we know of a literal sun and shield and their uses and effects to the metaphor that God is our sun and shield. As our Sun, God is light. He is our sustenance, our healer, our joy, our burden bearer. Yet, as our righteousness, God is just. Misusing the gift of His light can bring correction, just as sunburn brings blisters. For the ancients, disobedience brought sun
without rain and the discipline of drought. As our shield, God is our protection, refuge, and help. The Sons of Korah needed both the sun and the shield as they journeyed toward the temple— the sun to show the way and a shield to ward off its perils. “Blessed are they who journey with such a convoy; the sunny and shady side of life are alike happy to them,” says one Bible commentary. As we navigate the rest of our sunny summer, may we be mindful of the benefits of the sun, and of the Son. The Son of God is our All-In-One provision for both health and protection. The benediction that concludes Psalm 84 is for us, too. “Lord Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in you (vs 12)”.
THE AMBASSADOR ? ? ? ? ? ?
The Ambassador is a free, monthly publication promoting unity and revival among the local Yuba-Sutter area Bible-believing churches. The Ambassador has a circulation of 5,000 - 6,000 and is distributed in local churches and businesses in the community. The purpose of The Ambassador is to pursue the great commission of Christ by making disciples and to encourage, inform, challenge and connect the local body of Christ. We believe in the inspiration and authority of the Bible as the written word of God. We believe that God exists as One, in three distinct persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe that the atoning work of Christ (His death) on the cross and His resurrection is the ONLY means of salvation and the only way to Eternal Life in Heaven. We welcome editorial content from anyone wishing to promote the mission of The Ambassador. All articles and advertisement content is subject to the approval of the editor. View expressed in The Ambassador do not necessarily reflect those of our sponsors or advertisers Editor/Publisher - Seth Halpern
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Missing The Boat
Are you like me, afraid of “missing the boat?” For some reason I have this deep-seated fear of missing God’s path or plan for my life. I think that I will be too busy doing laundry or chasing kids to hear that still, small voice that shows me which way to go. I was sharing this fear with a friend recently and she pointed out that Jonah, in the Bible, literally missed the boat and God still found him and gave him the opportunity to go the way God had planned for him! This made me laugh, but it also helped me to feel relieved. Of course, God is not going to hide His plans that He has for us. Yes, part of His plan is that we do spend time with Him, quietly listening, but He will also make
His voice plain to those of us who are truly seeking His way for our lives. I think another wrong way I think about this concept, and again you might be like me in this, is that I think there is only one set plan or opportunity for my life. When I think like this, I am forgetting the free will that God gave all of us. In reality, I think God usually puts lots of opportunities in front of us and is eager to see which one we will choose. This is where the relationship part comes in. We get to have a conversation with our Creator about His ideas and plans for our life! When I look at it this way, I get excited and all fear that my ship has sailed disappears completely.
WILLIAM HOON GARDENING
“You have made known to me the paths of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence.” Acts 2:28
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Olympic Swimmer Tatjana Schoenmaker Gives Glory to God in Tokyo An Olympic swimmer from South Africa is attributing her success to God after setting a new record in the women’s 200-meter breaststroke on Wednesday. Tatjana Schoenmaker, 24, finished the preliminary round with a time of 2:19.16, with the final being slated for Thursday, Faithwire reports. The new record, however, was just .05 short of the world record, which was set in 2013. She also broke another record during the preliminary rounds as she completed a 100-meter breaststroke with a time of 1:04.82. On Monday, Schoenmaker won a silver medal from the 100-meter event. Throughout all her competitions in the Tokyo Olympics, Schoenmaker has worn a green cap with a white cap underneath proclaiming her Christian faith. The white cap features an image of a blue Jesus fish and the phrase “Soli Deo Gloria,” which means “Glory to God Alone” printed on the side of it. In a post on Instagram last week, Schoenmaker posted a prayer ahead of her travels to Tokyo for the Olympic games. “Father God, may Your will be done, may Your peace fill us up, may we praise You no matter what the outcome, may we be empowered by Your strength to give our all and may we forever be in awe of Your goodness!” she wrote. “Thank You for bringing us to this very moment.”
Tatjana Shoemaker The swimmer added, “Ps. Wow this is still so unreal! There are no words to describe how we are feeling.” According to Swim Swam, Schoenmaker has won a variety of championships in recent years. In 2018, she won gold twice in the 100-meter and 200-meter breaststroke. A year later, she would go on to set records for her country in the 2019 World University Games and the 2019 World Championships. In 2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Schoemaker continued to make strides as she broke four out of six South African records in breaststroke events, with three out of six being African records. Schoemaker has also won the 2018, 2019, and 2020 Slammy Awards for African Female of The Year. Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer. He is also the co-hosts of the For Your Soul podcast, which seeks to equip the church with biblical truth and sound doctrine. Visit his blog Blessed Are The Forgiven.
I Can Do ALL Things Through Christ Who Strengthens Me.
Philippians 4:13
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Stop Misrepresenting Jesus Christ! I thoroughly enjoy and benefit from listening to Christian music. I listen to it when I drive, when I ride my bike, when I work outside in the yard. When I’m in church, I worship Jesus singing to Christian music. Now with that disclaimer out of the way, it is important that I address some concerns with certain lyrics that I believe misrepresent Jesus Christ. The first is a song from Casting Crowns titled “Jesus friend of sinners” Jesus, friend of sinners, the truth's become so hard to see. The world is on their way to You, but they're tripping over me. It is true that the way we (Christians) live our lives can have an impact on a non-believer’s pursuit of Jesus. However, I take issue with the following: The world is on their way to You, but they're tripping over me. Sorry, not true! Let’s start with this verse: Matthew 7:13–14 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” We have this “nicer than Jesus crowd” that believes if we just behave better and not publicly (or one on one) condemn sinful behavior, then more people will give their lives to Christ. Not true. When Jesus walked the earth, he loved, forgave, healed, taught, fed, AND addressed sin and hypocrisy. Despite all he did, he was rejected by
the masses when they called for him to be crucified. The next song is titled “Truth be told” by Matthew West. And in it he says, “There's a sign on the door, says, "Come as you are" but I doubt it, 'Cause if we lived like it was true, every Sunday morning pew would be crowded.” Again, there is an assumption that if we just did a better job representing Jesus, the churches would be full. Well maybe there would be more in attendance if we were representing Jesus correctly. That means loving people enough to tell them the truth, but Jesus said something interesting in John 7:7 “The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil.” Now we are often silent when it comes to addressing the issues of the world. And yes, I know there is a right way and wrong way to do this. But if we really love people then we can help them by letting them know that many of their choices are destroying their lives. I conclude with the words of Jesus from John chapter 5. Jesus just healed a man who had been an invalid for 38 years. After the man was healed, Jesus confronted him in the temple with these words in John 5:14 “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” Something to think about for sure. Jesus, help us all do a better job representing you, starting with me!
David Kugelman is the president of the Christian Business Alliance which meets each Tuesday at noon at various locations. Dave welcomes your questions or comments on this article at drkug@comcast.net
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Ongoing Events ROAD TO RECOVERY Sundays, 7:00pm Christian 12 Step support group Crossroads Community Church 445 B. St. Yuba City GRIEF SHARE; GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP Wednesdays, 6:30pm, For those dealing with the loss of a loved one. Crossroads Community Church 445 B. St. Yuba City LADIES BIBLE STUDY Tuesdays 5:30PM Church of Glad Tidings 1179 Eager Rd (Building 500, Rm 206 Live Oak, CA 95953 (530) 671-3160 info@churchofgladtidings.com Join us for Ladies Bible Study as we dig deep into The Word. Check out our GT Calendar for events at www.churchofgladtidings. com PARENTS OF ADDICTED LOVED ONES SUPPORT GROUP Tuesdays @ 7 pm First Lutheran Church 850 Cooper Ave. Yuba City Look for the signs “PAL meeting” For info. call Sandy 530-743-8782 PRAYER FOR THE NATION Every Tuesday Night 7PM - 8:30PM Church of Glad Tidings 1179 Eager Rd (Building 200) Live Oak, CA 95953 (530) 671-3160 info@churchofgladtidings.com
EMBASSY HOUSE OF PRAYER (EHOP) Every Thursday Night 7PM - 8:30PM Church of Glad Tidings 1179 Eager Rd (Building 200) Live Oak, CA 95953 (530) 671-3160 info@churchofgladtidings.com "My house shall be called a house of prayer." (Matt. 21:13). The church today is in an all-out war against the evils of darkness. The body of Christ is called to step up and be aggressive in their prayer life. GT LIFE RECOVERY & SUPPORT GROUP Every Friday Night 6PM - Bldg 500 Church of Glad Tidings 1179 Eager Rd Live Oak, CA 95953 (530) 671-3160 info@churchofgladtidings.com Discover the road to recovery, paved with God's promises through this Biblically based program. BETHESDA HEALING WELL 3rd Saturday of the Month 10AM - 12PM Church of Glad Tidings 1179 Eager Rd (Building 200) Live Oak, CA 95953 (530) 671-3160 info@churchofgladtidings.com Come to receive prayer and be refreshed while soaking in an atmosphere of worship and praise. Sorry, No Childcare.
SPECIAL EVENTS LISTED ON PAGE 15
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• Prayer List for August 2021 •
Economic Recovery- for the ability to recover and for businesses to reopen Pray for the vaccines to be effective with only minor side effects! Race relations in our nation- Pray for understanding and collaboration between races and an ease of racial tension LIFE- pray that abortion clinics would close due to lack of business! And that babies would live Unemployed/small business- Pray for financial stability and resources Veterans- Let's pray for, honor, and thank all of those who served our country in the military Restore America! Pray against the divisiveness and violence in this nation Seniors and Elderly- Pray for renewed physical and mental strength Mental Illness- Pray for those who dealing with Mental Health issues or suicidal thoughts First Responders- Pray for safety Israel- Pray for God's wisdom in the change of leadership, for safety from violence, and for the Peace of Jerusalem Singles, Single Parents, Divorced , Widowed- pray for those experiencing loneliness Revival- Pray that our global chaos would lead multitudes to repent and follow the Lord!! Unity of Churches/Global impact- Pray for churches to unite and influence the world! Marriages- Pray that relationships would grow and families would seek the Lord together President- Pray that God would speak to him and that he would lead according to the Bible! Local Ministries- Pray for continued financial support and volunteers to meet needs Gov. Newsom- Pray that he would turn His heart to the Lord and receive divine wisdom Sex Trafficking- Pray for the freedom, healing and restoration of survivors and for traffickers to repent Local city/county leaders- Wisdom for leading our community back to "normal" Disabled- that they would receive the assistance and support they need Discipleship- Pray that believers would seek to follow Jesus and become more like Him every day! Father's and Household Leadership- Pray for dads and single moms or grandparents to be the family leaders that God calls them to be Homeless- Safety, health and provision- REST program, Twin Cities Rescue Mission, other local homeless ministries Addicted- pray for those under the control of substances that they would surrender and get the treatment they need Health Care Workers- Pray for physical protection and endurance Pastors- That God would give them strength and wisdom to speak the truth from the pulpit
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
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LIFE MATTERS presented by Yuba-Sutter Right To Life “40 Days For Life Fall Campaign” We all know that Planned Parenthood (PP) does far more than plan families for the young unmarried female she can get her Birth Control Pills and then have sex with her boyfriend free of the worry of pregnancy. That is, if she takes them carefully at the same time each day. Most of the time, she is doing this without her parents’ knowledge, and she could be as young as 12 or 13. If not taken correctly, she just might end up pregnant. Not to worry – Planned Parenthood can take care of that. They can arrange to get her an abortion, by either giving her the RU 486 pill or send her to Sacramento PP for a surgical abortion – all without the consent or knowledge of her parents. The RU 486 pill is given in 2 doses. The first pill she takes before leaving PP. This pill cuts off the nutrition to the baby. The second pill taken at home puts her into labor. Often with much pain and blood loss, she aborts her dead baby. This is our tax dollars at work here. Too bad if we are morally against this act. In California, our tax dollars support PP. This gets to my second bit of information from Planned Parenthoods very own 2019/2020 annual report.
The leading abortion provider reports that while abortions are up, legitimate healthcare is down. According to their report the number of abortions performed increased by almost 10,000 from the 354,871 in the previous year while adoption referrals decreased 38% And the abortion chain has made lots of money. Their net assets were $2,040,500,000. Yes, that is 2 billion! $55.4 Million dollars of which was spent to influence public policy. 38% of their total revenue came from the taxpayer in the sum of $618.1 Million. Planned Parenthood also calls for defunding the police and redirecting funds according to their report for “community -based solutions, health care and education.” But mostly sex education. Planned Parenthood affiliates indoctrinate many of our children with perverse sex education programs. This information introduces the idea that having sex at their age is no big deal if it is safe
sex preventing pregnancy by using condoms or other types of birth control. I encourage you to go to this website and click on the “consent video”. Explore PP’s Sex education and see if this is what you want your children to learn. It is like putting the Wolf in the hen house. https://www.plannedparenthoodaction. org/issues/sex-education/how-plannedparenthood-teachessex-education Lastly, reports are out that PP facilities in 31 states also have a new service, providing hormones to simulate a “sex change” for clients suffering from gender dysphoria. Now PP has new life added to their business – which will keep them around for more destruction. (Not sure if Yuba City has this service yet) If this news doesn’t shock you…. Then what will? Don’t you understand, PP is not ONLY killing babies, but they are also ruining our children and turning them away
from Godly morality. PP “educates” and then kids experiment. Those that believe they should wait until married have so much pressure on them. We need to shut down this evil business! Please, won’t you get involved and come pray to end abortion? The next 40 Days for Life begins September 22 and goes to October 31st. We peacefully hold signs and pray in front of PP at 430 Palora Avenue, Yuba City. We pray for those going in and we pray for the workers inside that they will realize what they are doing and seek another job. And we offer resources that can help them do that. 40 Days is a positive ministry. We help women find help in Yuba City at businesses that do not perform abortions. We encourage young women to re-think their decisions. And of course, we call upon A Woman’s Friend. They are a wonderful support for these women. Believe me, PP is making a killing off our children. No pun intended. May God help us! This article was extracted by Maureen Guth from the 40 Days for Life magazine: Day 41 Summer publication.
David A. Shaw and Susan P. Growney. Securities offered through HD Vest Investment ServicesSM, Member: SIPC, Advisory services are offered through H.D. Vest Advisory ServicesSM, 6333 North State Highway 161, Fourth Floor, Irving, Texas 75038, (972) 870-6000. Shaw & Associates is not a registered broker/dealer or registered investment advisory firm. Official voting results based on Appeal-Democrat online public survey conducted in July, 2018.
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Grief, Abuse and Homelessness: A Redemption Story by Philip Long
lic#452975
In Norfolk, Virginia a little girl sat amidst a swirl of chaos at her mother’s funeral. Ashley Stewart was 11 years old when her mother died of pancreatic cancer, but that wasn’t the only difficulty in her family. Her father was abusive. Ashley says her mother would escape to her prayer closet, praying for her children while Ashley’s father would kick the closet door, yelling at her. Despite the abuse, Ashley’s mom continued to seek and trust God. She would sometimes take Ashley to hand out tracts and share the Gospel with neighbors. Even though she didn’t know it, Ashley believes her mother was preparing them for her death. “My mom used to put oil on our foreheads before we went to sleep and when we woke up,” Ashley said, “and she’d do it again and give us a kiss.” The day finally came when cancer overtook Ashley’s mom. At the funeral reception though, things erupted. Ashley’s older sister ran down the street and told the neighbors about their father’s abuse. As the community swept in with caseworkers and awkward questions, Ashley’s father, pastor and
family members argued over her sister’s abuse accusation. “They [her father’s family] gave it to my sister, and she just buried her mom,” Ashley said through tears. “It’s sad because my dad was very abusive to my mom, he beat her up a lot and she couldn’t even die in peace. Her kids couldn’t even say goodbye.” A week later, her father brought home his mistress who cut off communication between Ashley and her sister. The family moved to Florida, but Ashley’s sister stayed in Virginia. That was the start of nine years of isolation between Ashley and her family, and her older sister. One day, Ashley found her sister’s number scribbled on a scrap of paper. She called the number and the two reunited. Overjoyed, they talked for a couple of hours. Her sister drove from Virginia to Florida (where Ashley was living) and the two moved in together. Ashley watched her sister’s children and went to school while her sister worked. But things continued to be difficult. Work dried up for her sister and the family was evicted from their home. Eventually they ended up in transitional housing. The transitional home was a
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dehumanizing experience, according to Ashley. Social workers would rifle through donations to the home, picking out what they wanted before allowing the occupants to receive the items. “You felt shamed,” Ashley said. “People are already coming in hurt, you didn’t need the extra hurt.” Eventually Ashley’s situation did improve, but the transitional home experience was formative for her. What she experienced ignited in her a fierce passion. Ashley decided, through that experience, that she wanted to run a transitional home for aged-out foster children. “When a foster kid turns 18 they’re no longer the government’s responsibility,” she said. “So a lot of the youth get escorted to a homeless shelter.” To pull it off, Ashley’s working two part-time jobs (one at Cru headquarters) and is in school full-time at the University of South Florida earning a master’s degree in social work. Ashley says her story is particularly painful and she’s still processing it today. “I should be really mean,” Ashley said joking. “But I have the opposite… now I’m really sensitive to everyone else.”
“How I got here, to Cru, (previously Campus Crusade for Christ) nobody but God could do it... From down to finding my sister, to moving down to Orlando. Even being homeless for a time, I know that it was destined. If I didn’t do that I wouldn’t understand what foster youth go through.” God’s provision and presence fuels Ashley’s dream. “I can relate to these youth,” she said. “I know what it feels like, and I know they are capable of making it with God’s help. God’s hands have held me through life; He’s continuing to take care of me and I want to share this with them.” One of the most difficult, but crucial, parts of Ashley’s healing process is forgiveness. “You can talk about God’s grace and you can read about it, but only God can enable you to give it to others, especially when it’s been so hard.” Today, Ashley works towards that dream one day at a time. She hopes one day soon, as a result of her experience, she can help bring comfort and peace to people who really need it and show them that for God, redemption is never impossible. Source: https://www.cru.org/us/en/ how-to-know-god/my-story-a-lifechanged/my-story-ashley-stewart.html
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5835 Clark Road, Paradise, CA (530) 762-4920
www.westsidepizza.com/locations/paradise The Christian Business Alliance would like to invite you to our midweek meeting. Rich Fellowship, Powerful Prayer, Refreshing Presence of God! We meet at the Bride Church the first Tuesday of the month from noon – 1pm.
Current members:
Business Members ---------------------------------
ACIP Energy - David & Michelle Vincent - (530) 777-ACIP After Hours Notary - Bill Sluder - (530) 777-8667 Caldwell’s Custom Countertops, Inc. - Kathleen Caldwell - (530) 821-5845 David Greenetz Construction - Dave Greenetz - (530) 682-9602 Elite Group - Pat & Doreen Maher - (530) 713-9420 Gaiser Pets - John Gaiser - (530) 751-8155 Ed Han - “The Aflac Man” - (209) 298-6102 Hilbers, Inc. - Kurt Hilbers - (530) 673-2947 Holycross Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc - David Holycross - (530) 751-7000 Jenine L. Tanabe, MD Dermatologist- Jenine Tanabe - (530) 743-0301 Proforma by Kug - Dave Kugelman - (530) 742-2423 Richard’s Tree Service - Fred Cox - (530) 673-7993 Shadd Janitorial Supply - Roger Shadd - (530) 673-0083 Ultimate Building Maintenance - Maria Paras - (530) 671-1564
Ministry Members ---------------------------------
A Woman’s Friend - Kristen Bird - (530) 741-0556 Adventure Church of Yuba City - Greg Mansur - (530) 632-1779 Agape Lighthouse Church - Letty Wilson - (530) 682-2488 Band Together for Christ - LaDonna Curteman - (530) 933-5960 CaliforniasForLife.org - Wynette Sills - (916) 955-1577 Cornerstone Church - Jason Poling - (530) 674-3087 Faith Christian School - Amanda Meyer - ameyer@fcs-k12.org Operation Christmas Child - Connie & Dennis Gabel - (530) 695-1495 The Ambassador Newspaper - Seth Halpern - (530) 933-1385 Twin Cities Rescue Mission - Kevin Carlson - (530) 743-8777
Individual Members --------------------------------Rachel Aleman JC Carpenter Rita Collins Chuck David Fredricka Dahlander Assembly James Gallagher
John Guth Bill Lindholm Clay Maynard Vic Savage Robert Stark Diane Weaver
For weekly reminders, updates, or to join email editor@ambassadornewspaper.com
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It’s all about the pizza!
Finding Freedom in God’s Perfect Peace
Attention Christian Business Owners/Managers There are many choices for promoting your business
The local daily newspaper - Coupon magazines - Local community magazines
There are many ministries to support to build God’s Kingdom Homeless ministries - Pro-life organizations - Christian recovery programs
There is one choice that allows you to do both. We call it … ADvangelism! Promote Your Business while building up the Kingdom of God The Ambassador allows you to let the Christian community (and others as well) know about you, At the same time supporting the ministry of The Ambassador to encourage, inform, challenge and connect the local Body of Christ We distribute in more than 300 churches and businesses in Yuba/Sutter/Butte Counties (residential delivery beginning soon!)
ADvangelism- “the business deduction with eternal rewards!”
If you would like to experience the peace and transformed life that God can provide through Jesus Christ and you are willing to commit your life to the only one who can truly set you free from your sin, you can pray to the Lord right now and ask Him to forgive you of your sins. Because of what His Son, Jesus, did by dying on the cross, your sins will not be held against you by God anymore. You can experience freedom for the rest of your life on earth and then have a life in Heaven with God for eternity. God’s part of the deal is already done. Your part is to confess your sins, repent (or change your ways) and believe that He is Lord. If your life is out of control, let Him take over control. For help, questions, or more information, contact us at The Ambassador or any of the churches listed on page 3.
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FROM THE ARCHIVES
10 Ways You Can Help The Ambassador Ministry
Originally published in The Ambassador - (August 2008) by Lee Roberts
A “Puzzling” Reminder
A few years ago, when high school graduation was fast approaching, my daughter made a list of colleges that she would consider attending. One of the schools on the list was Azusa Pacific University in southern California. Since I am an alumnus of that school, I wanted to encourage her in that direction. So, we scheduled a “let’s go visit” trip. We flew down and spent a day on campus, and since Kaela is artistically inclined, a good deal of time was spent in the art department. For a small university, that department was quite impressive, especially when we toured the art gallery. What an amazing collection of artistic pieces by students, both past and present. In the middle of that creativity, one piece will always stay with me, primarily because I was not initially drawn to it. On the six-by-six canvas, the artist painted a random collection of letters. All I saw was a word search puzzle. Now, I hate word searches! The words do not jump out at me, and I do not have the patience to diligently search out the hidden words. So, I spent just a few seconds looking at this piece of art and said, “Okay”, and moved on. Then Kaela said, “No, no, no, dad!
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Come here! Look at this!” She then pointed at one spot and read the word “sinner”. Another spot and said, “liar”. Another spot and said, “thief”. Then I started seeing them! “Faithless”. “Pride”. “Selfishness”. “Deception”. In all, we found over a dozen such words hidden on the canvas. Then the artist’s message was clear. In the center of the canvas one word was circled in red… “beautiful”! Never have I f o u n d a word search to be so beautiful because the hidden w o r d s described me too well. I am a sinner. I am full of selfishness and pride, desperately wanting to keep the ugly hidden. But for God, it is clearly visible. No denying the fact that with all we try to do in looking “good”, God is still very much aware of what we are trying to keep out of sight. We may fool everyone else, but there is no fooling Him! Which brings me to an amazingly liberating passage. “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:57) He may clearly see what is “hidden”, but through our Lord Jesus and His red blood, we are spotless, blameless, and yes, “beautiful” in His sight.
1. Pray with us and for us to not only sustain but to grow in impact. Pray for our health and for spiritual protection 2. Read it yourself – You will be enriched by reading it. 3. Share a copy or an article with someone- you will have someone in your life benefit from an article in every issue, cut it out and send it to them, or send them the whole issue 4. Leave a copy of The Ambassador when you’re having coffee or a meal or waiting for your car. Use it like a tract. It may be less intimidation. 5. Monitor The Ambassador at your church: assure their presence and visibility
6. Subscribe for a friend or family member (or yourself) 7. Find new locations- ask businesses that you frequent to take some papers, deliver and monitor them 8. Deliver a small route- 1 to 2 hours each month 9. Give financially as an Individual partner, business partner, churches/ ministries partner (every dollar helps to impact the community) 10. Talk to your like-minded Christian friends, family, business associates and church leadership, about helping as well.
If you would like to help, please contact Seth Halpern at 530-933-1385 or email editor@ambassadornewspaper.com
The Ambassador Ministry
would like to thank the following people for their Individual Sponsorship
Lucy Campbell Charles & Rita Collins Donald & Concetta Cotter LaDonna Curteman Chuck David Paul & Pam Duey Dennis & Connie Gabel Bob Gilbert MaryAgnes Gobel Rich & Joan Hackney Allen Halpern
Tom Harris April James Cale & Merlene Judd Sandi Juri Clay Maynard John Nicholls Dale & Susan Nieschultz Sarah Pryor Mimi Robarge Roberta Spear Robert E. Stark Jim Weintraub
God Bless Each Of You For Your Support Of This Ministry And Our Community •••
If you would be interested in supporting The Ambassador as an Individual Sponsor ($20/month) please contact Seth Halpern at: editor@ambassadornewspaper.com or call 530-933-1385 or visit us online at www.ambassadornewspaper.com
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Bible Trivia
Word Search
Minor Bible Characters 1.
Who asked God to bless him and enlarge his territory? a). Job c). Jeremiah b). Jabez d). Isaiah
2.
Who bought Joseph from the Midianite traders? a). Potiphar c). Hobab b). Pharoah d). Raguel
3.
Who lied to the Holy Spirit and an apostle and died with her husband? a). Mary Magdalene c). Sapphira b). Sarah d). Juniper
4
Who refused to appear before her husband, the king, at his command? a). Esther c). Queen of Sheba b). Vashti d). Candace
5.
Who climbed up into a sycomore tree to see Jesus? a). Matthew c). Simon, the Pharisee b). Joseph of Arimathaea d). Zacchaeus
6.
Who offered the people a choice - Barabbas, or Jesus to be released? a). Herod c). Caesar b). Pilate d). Herodias
7.
Out of whom did Jesus cast seven devils? a).Pilate's wife c). Mary Magdalene b) Martha d). Simon's mother
8.
What prophetess told Barak to defeat Sisera and Jabin's army? a). Deborah c). Rahab b). Abigail d). Jael
Answers on Page 16
Answers on Page 16
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Sharing the Gospel – Jesus Style by Greg Laurie I recently came across a Gallup Poll that has surveyed Americans on their views of religion over the decades. While I was not necessarily surprised by some of the results, I was sobered by them. Of those adults surveyed in 2020, 27 percent indicated that religion was “not very important” in their own lives, 20 percent indicated that they did not identify with any denomination or religion, 64 percent indicated that religion is “losing its influence” on American life and 35 percent indicated that religion is “largely out of date.” While the reasons for these answers are complex and varied, what are we to make of this data if we follow Jesus Christ? I think it is time for us to reevaluate our approach to sharing the Gospel. Before I came to faith, I thought Christians and religious people were weird, but I gathered up the tracts they offered me, trying to make sense of life’s biggest questions — and then one day I surrendered my life to Jesus Christ while eating lunch on the grounds of my high school. I am so grateful to have been mentored by Chuck Smith, who invested in me and took a risk on me when he allowed me to lead a Bible study group when I was just 19 years old. I have been preaching hope ever since. All around us, people are looking for healing and relief, which is why it is critical we share the Good News of Jesus Christ with others. But how we do that is just as important. I would like to offer an acronym to help us
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share the Gospel with our friends, neighbors, family members, coworkers and everyone else we come in contact with — Jesus style — “B.L.A.S.T.” BUILD A BRIDGE. Throughout his three years of earthly ministry, Jesus overcame man-made religious and cultural barriers in order to reach those who were hurting. He was, in a sense, the ultimate bridge builder. We are commanded in Scripture to take the Gospel to all people. There is no room for bigotry or prejudice when it comes to sharing hope with others. Moreover, God often calls us to engage with people whom we may not be comfortable with or who may be different from us. But that’s exactly what Jesus did: he was a friend to people he was not “supposed to” be friends with, according to the cultural and religious dictates of his day.
LISTEN WITH LOVE. When engaging others, Jesus used something many Christians in America today seriously lack: tact. Jesus did not begin conversations with questions like “Are you saved?” or “Did you know you’re going to hell?” That was not Jesus’s style and it should not be ours either. I have seen Christians armed with memorized Bible verses and clever arguments completely overwhelm a person in a “Gospel barrage.” They might feel as if they have “won” their argument — sharing the Gospel should never be an argument — but they have more than likely turned off the person to whom they were speaking.
We must begin our conversations by listening carefully to the other person and praying to the Lord for his wisdom. Then, we can ask appropriate follow-up questions based on what we have heard.
ADAPT TO THE CONVERSATION. This should go without saying, but since every person is different, there is not a “one size fits all” approach to sharing the Gospel with someone. Jesus never dealt with any two people in exactly the same way. Just as we change our approach depending on who we may be speaking to in our day-to-day life — a boss, a friend, a child, a parent, a coworker — we have to listen, learn and be willing to adapt if we are trying to engage with another person.
SHARE YOUR STORY. Telling your own salvation story is meaningful and nonthreatening. There is a lot of power in the simplicity of a changed life. But, as you share, keep in mind the following: Do not glorify or exaggerate your past, do not boast of what you’ve given up for Jesus Christ but of what he gave up for you. And do not be long winded in telling your story.
TELL THEM HOW TO COME TO JESUS. If whomever you are sharing the Gospel with seems open to Jesus, you can gently and respectfully ask them, “Would you like to invite Jesus Christ into your life right now?” If they say “Yes,” then offer to pray with them or listen as they pray. When they are finished, you can offer to help them get connected to a church family if they are ready. And if the person you are speaking with is not receptive, that is okay. God will use your conversation as a “seed” in that person’s life. The key to sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ is humility. We share our hope because we know who and what we once were — scared, unhappy, lonely, guilty, confused — and how Jesus has transformed our lives. And remember: We are all works in progress. Greg Laurie is the pastor and founder of the Harvest churches in California and Hawaii and of Harvest Crusades. He is an evangelist, best-selling author and movie producer. His new book Billy Graham: The Man I Knew (Salem Books), released on April 13.
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3,462 Christians Murdered In Nigeria In 2021: It's The 'Biggest Killing Ground Of Christians' In The World Share Tweet Contributor: Michael Foust ChristianHeadlines.com More than 3,000 Christians have been killed in Nigeria this year by Muslim militants amidst a massive wave of persecution that also has resulted in 300 churches being threatened, attacked or destroyed, according to a new report. The report by the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law says 3,462 Christians have been killed by Muslim militants in the first half of 2021 – a shocking number that is nearly as many as the 3,530 killed in all of 2020. International Christian Concern cited the report this week and urged the world to take notice. "Nigeria is the biggest killing ground of Christians today, but few are aware of it," ICC said in a July 19 news release. The Fulani Herdsmen – described as the fourth deadliest terror group in the world by ICC – is responsible for the majority (1,909) of murders, the report
says. Boko Haram, ISWAP and Muslim Fulani Bandits killed a total of 1,063 Christians, the report added. "Christian farming villages are repeatedly attacked in Nigeria's Middle Belt region, and tens of thousands have died over the last 20 years. In addition, hundreds of thousands of Christians have lost everything and are living as refugees," ICC said. The surviving victims often are not assisted or protected by the government from further harm, the report says. "It is deeply saddening that till date those responsible for the antiChristian butcheries in the country have
in a village during the night, kill the men, rape and murder the women, and kidnap the children," Pompeo, who now serves as senior counsel for global affairs for the American Center for Law and Justice, wrote in an online analysis. "The Nigerian government thus far has sought to downplay the attacks, characterizing them as conflicts between herders and farmers rather than as religiously motivated acts of terror. These terrorists must be held accountable for such preposterous characterizations. And given that Nigeria has the largest Christian population of any African country – over 80 million, nearly half of its people – it is essential that this persecution is snuffed out before it becomes even worse." Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
continued to evade justice and remained unchecked, untracked, uninvestigated and untried; leading to impunity and repeat-atrocities," the report says. "The surviving victims and families of the dead victims are also totally abandoned by the Government of Nigeria." An estimated 300 churches have been threatened, attacked, closed or destroyed this year, with at least 10 priests or pastors abducted or killed, the report said. Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says the situation "warrants serious action." "Armed radical Islamic groups arrive
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Continued From Page 1: "THE Most Important Thing You'll Ever Hear..." believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16) For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23) But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time …(1 Corinthians 15:3-6) For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. (1 Peter 3:18) The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Matt 20:28) With your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. (Revelation 5:9) Christ sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. (Hebrews 7:27) We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ
Continued From Page 13: "Job" Answers 1. (b)..Jabez
once for all. (Hebrews 10:10) God’s Offer of forgiveness and righteousness based on Christ’s sacrifice: As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him. (Ps 103:12-13) You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea. (Micah 7:18-19) God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2
Corinthians 5:21) There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1) False solution #1: Thinking we can work our way to heaven: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:8-10) He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. (Titus 3:5) Since we have been justified
False solution #2: Thinking we can come to God through any means but Christ: Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) Salvation is found in no one else [but Jesus], for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12) For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 2:5) The Choice—Accept or reject God’s gift of salvation in Christ: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9) Yet to all who received him [Jesus], to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. (John 1:12)
Continue on page 17
Continued From Page 13: "Wordsearch" Answers
1 Chronicles 4:10
2. (a)..Potiphar
Genesis 37:36
3. (c)..Sapphira
Acts 5:1-11
4. (b)..Vashti
Esther 1:12
5. (d)..Zacchaeus 6. (b)..Pilate 8. (a)..Deborah
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through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1) There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. (Proverbs 14:12)
Mark 16:9
Judges 4:10-16
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Continued From Page 16: "THE Most Important Thing You'll Ever Hear..." Jesus says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” (Revelation 3:20) If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. (Romans 10:9-10) Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. (Romans 10:13) He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 John 5:12-13) The brevity of life and the need to repent and accept now God’s gift of salvation in Christ: The length of our days is seventy years—or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away. Who knows the power of your anger? For your wrath is as great as the fear that is due you. Teach us to number our days aright, that we may
gain a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:1012) You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man’s life is but a breath. Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro: He bustles about, but only in vain; he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it. But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you. Save me from all my transgressions. (Psalm 39:5-8) No man has power over the wind to contain it; so no one has power over the day of his death. (Ecclesiastes 8:8) The Lord is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9) Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment. (Hebrews 9:27) I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:2) Final Thoughts to Consider: When I kept silent [about my sin], my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions
to the LORD’—and you forgave the guilt of my sin. (Psalm 32:3-5) Jesus said, “He who is not with me is against me.” (Matthew 12:30) He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy. (Proverbs 28:13) The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life. (Revelation 22:17)
(Editor’s note: If you’re a Christian, I hope this is useful to you as you share your faith. If you’re not a Christian, this tells you straight from God’s Word why you need to be and how you can be. If you place your faith in Christ after reading this, please let us know. We’d like to help you get connected with a church in your area.) Compiled and written by Randy Alcorn, director of Eternal Perspectives Ministries (epm.org)
HERE IS A RECENT COMMENT FROM ONE OF OUR READERS: I just wanted to say thank you for a story in the (July) edition of your paper. "The Three Worst Bibles You Already Own" really hit home! I feel like dropping everything and picking up my bible right now!!!! Thank you!
Genia Bursack
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ONE WORLD RELIGION: Is this Christianity’s goal? Rev. Dan Prout Sierra Ministries International Recently, I published an article* making the point that Jesus prayed that those who believe in God “would be one”. The question then arises, what does oneness look like? Is it the goal of Christianity to make everyone into believers in Christ? Would not that make us all one and, therefore, equate to Christianity being one world religion? A reasonable concern has been raised that the idea of all Christianity “being one” sounds very much like attempting to frame “a new world order” which would bring all aspects of human life under one geopoliticalphilosophic/religious structure. Does this description match what Jesus has in mind? For hundreds of years, Christianity has sought to follow the Lord's mandate, “Go into the whole world and make disciples of the nations (ethnic groups, literally) baptizing them in the (one) name of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them all that Jesus has commanded.” Missionaries have
sacrificed to go where no one has gone before to present the remarkable claims of biblical faith in Jesus Christ. Givers have sacrificed to send Goers. For centuries, whole lives have been devoted to Jesus’ monolithic mandate. Christian missions is an appropriate illustration of what Jesus means by “oneness”. While thousands of missionary organizations have had the same purpose and goal, they have functioned independently under their own leadership with their own focus of ministry, following the biblical strategy in the manner and method each chooses. This model is unity with diversity. Unity does not require uniformity. It is clear God likes variety. After all it is God who created every nation and tongue, every people and tribe. God loves it all, especially different elements or members working together. Remember the Apostle Paul’s illustration of the human body being one with many parts. It is institutional oneness of which God is suspicious. God saw the inherent danger of human unity when the people in the Old Testament attempted to build the tower of Babel. In the same way, God would not want all Christians to move into one institutional, organizational,
corporation-type oneness. A quick review of church history demonstrates God never intended one framework of rules to be imposed on all. Early in the life of the Church, the Apostles met in Jerusalem to address an issue brought by Paul and Barnabas. They argued new, non-Jewish Christians (Gentiles) were not to be bound by Old Testament dietary requirements. The circle of Apostles debated and then agreed with Paul and Barnabas, with some warranted exceptions. Thus, from thereafter, Christianity has lived with this model of deliberated decisionmaking. While holding firmly to central truths of biblical Christianity, we may choose distinctive interpretations,
understandings, and practices without being alienated from other Believers. The matter is not new. Around 400 AD., Augustine wrote his simple summary, “In essentials, unity, in non-essentials, liberty, and in all things, charity.” Unfortunately, church history often demonstrates a heavy handy intention to make everyone believe and practice the same way which resulted in persecutions, wars, and atrocities. We must be vigilant guardians against a return to such behavior. We must as vigorously defend against a universal institutionalism of the Christian family. We do not need it. God does not want it.
Being Right, Again! (Following is a short editorial that I wrote 10 years ago titled “Being Right”. Although much has happened since then, and our lunch was not recent, my perspective has not changed since then) I had lunch with a friend recently who is in a season of renewal in his life. When I asked him what he wants in life, he said that he wants simply to “be right”. I questioned him as to whether this means to be correct in
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an argument. What he meant was to “be right with God”; to be able to lay his head down in bed and know that he had not sinned against his Lord” This got me thinking. Am I going through life trying to be right about what I believe and what I say and what I think, or should I really be more concerned with “being right” with God. I know that the blood of Jesus on the cross gives me forgiveness of my sins and the righteousness of Christ is applied to me by His grace. But am I right with God today? Have I sinned
against Him? His grace does not nullify my responsibility. Although I cannot be righteous enough to earn His love, His Grace is not my opportunity to live a sinful life. Paul said “May it never be!” One of my favorite quotes comes from Phillip DelRe who says “If I’m right ABOUT God and I’m right WITH God, then I don’t need to fear man, the world or the devil himself and it’s ok to get excited about Jesus” Yes, we need to be theologically correct. Zeal alone can lead people astray. But we need to
Seth Halpern - Editor be Right With God, following his Will according to His Word and being led by His Spirit. If we do that, we will be able to lay our heads down at night and get a good night’s rest!
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