December 2018
by Seth Halpern/Editor My heart aches and I’m sure that yours does too. The tragedy of the Camp Fire is almost surreal. Haven’t we been here before? Our Nor Cal region seems to be continually ravaged by fire. Two years ago, I wrote the cover story about the Cascade Fire which displaced thousands of our neighbors in the Yuba foothills. I wrote about John Gaiser who just now moved back into his Loma Rica home. Last year, the Carr Fire devastated the Redding/ Shasta area and beyond. But the Camp Fire, well that is on another level. I’m not in the business of comparing tragedies, but oh my. To think that we will never think of the fun, warm, smores-making “campfire” in the same way again. The
Tribute to Paradise Page 10-11
statistics bear this out during the constant television news reports, newspaper articles, and Facebook newsfeeds. The MOST DESTRUCTIVE fire in California history! We’ve heard it again and again. As of this writing- 84 lives lost with 600+ people missing, 18,733 structures have been reported destroyed in the blaze, including 13,672 single-family homes., more than 150 thousand acres burned, upwards of 200,000 people evacuated. Add to those numbers, the thousands of firefighters and other first responders coming to help from most of the western half of the nation. What I don’t like about statistics is that the cold, raw numbers represent people. People who died leaving loved
Assemblyman James Gallagher
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ones to grieve. Each of the more than 1,000 homes was more than a place to live but the necessary items within it. Some people say “It’s only stuff”, which while that is technically true, it is “someone’s stuff” But there are many things that are not just “stuff” but memories of their lives. Pictures, videos, rings, gifts, mementos from loved ones, etc, Many are not “replaceable”. Don’t forget that many who escaped with their lives lost their business or other means of living. One family from my church had a business in Paradise. Interestingly, their business survived; unfortunately, their customers didn’t. Since most of the town was destroyed, so was their business. Paradise was a favorite day trip of
Please Excuse the Smoke Page 16
mine. I enjoyed the antique shops, restaurants, and overall charm of the town and its people. I restrained myself from titling this article “Paradise Lost” since it was a cliché that would be used by many news outlets. Instead, I chose, “Beauty from Ashes”. I wanted to focus on the astounding outpouring of love and support from neighboring communities including our own community of Yuba -Sutter. My Facebook newsfeed was filled with posts responding calls to help, support, volunteer, give and everything else they could do. Several shelters were setup as well as churches offering their space for evacuees. Friends, ministry leaders and others led outreach efforts. Countless
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INSPIRATION ••• HOPE ••• By Christy Boals www.GraceFilledPurpose.com Spring is coming! Probably not what you expect to read in December, but my little boy just came in all excited to tell me spring is coming because he just saw green grass beginning to grow. Well, here in California the only time we have green on our hills is in the winter. So even though I know we still have all of winter ahead of us, I think it fits in perfectly because just as we have hope that spring will come after winter, the birth of Jesus is based on hope. This hope is two-fold. We remember the longing and anticipation for a Messiah who would save the world from the sin that began with Adam and Eve, which was fulfilled in Jesus’ first coming. And we look forward to when Jesus returns in His second coming. Hope is such a powerful thing because it can carry us through our present suffering like nothing else can. So many people in our community especially need this hope this holiday season. After the kind of devastation the Camp Fire caused, we need this hope to lift our eyes from the sadness, grief and problems we are struggling with right in front of us, to God and His glorious power to comfort us and overcome those difficulties. Hope opens up possibilities where none existed before and it encourages us to take one more step in faith, even in the darkest times. God promises that those of us who have experienced suffering have a deeper
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hope. In Romans, the Bible says that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character; and character, hope. Just as Christmas lights push away the darkness, so hope can push away doubt and fear. Then we in turn can share the light of hope in Christ with others. Romans goes on to say that hope does not disappoint us, because of the love that God has poured into our hearts. I pray that this Christmas season you will be able to accept the love that God offers you and that you will be filled with hope by the Holy Spirit. “And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, and perseverance character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.” Romans 5:2-5
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Human Kindness by April James As the Camp Fire in neighboring Butte County ravages everything in its sight leaving a path of destruction and countless individuals fleeing for their lives, a friend couldn’t sit by as evacuees drove past our church. He wanted to fix them breakfast and headed to the church with a griddle and pancake mix in hand; another friend and I signed on bringing the oatmeal. We changed the marquee to invite evacuees to breakfast, giving them a chance to catch their breath, receive comfort and prayer before pushing on. That was the beginning of an adventure in operating an evacuation shelter. We didn’t have a clue what we were getting into. We just had a big building and a heart to help. But God…God knew what we needed. Contact was made with the CA State Militia who at their own expense came and set up camp, literally; their organization skills and experience was a godsend; they got us going then moved on to help elsewhere. We only had food from our homes to begin with when the miracles began. We received a call from a church offering food, then night and day the community began dropping off supplies we didn’t even know yet we needed. It did not stop there; quickly those
from other areas started showing up with provisions. Jesus was asked “who is our neighbor” - we saw the answer in action. If I listed every individual and business that came forward there would not be room to contain it. We witnessed pure hearts and motives with people giving who did not want to be recognized or receive tax credit; they simply identified themselves as someone who cared. There were times we had just prayed for something or mentioned it would be nice to have and it showed up; our words barely out of our mouth and the Lord provided. We put out a call requesting prayer, a very tall gentleman said he was driving by when the Lord told him to pull in and pray, he placed a very large hand on the leader, walked through the building and around it praying, then slipped away; we were left in awe wondering – if he was a human or an angel! Others said if we need anything just ask and we did, admittedly some request I didn’t have much faith we would receive, yet we did! Much needed free Wi-Fi lines were dropped into the building. Hot prepared meals came from as far as Turlock, or cooked on site. Volunteers arrived in droves to help in every area. A church we didn’t know
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INSPIRATION
Dressed in Flesh by Paula McBride I’m sitting at my laptop, gazing at the smoky sky outside, and whispering prayers for those affected by the California fires. For so many, devastating loss came in a matter minutes that will alter the course of their lives forever. Many are risking their personal safety in fire containment and search and rescue. Others are selflessly serving in distribution centers and shelters. How can I imagine where they will be when this issue of The Ambassador reaches their hands? So many stories of miraculous rescue, heroism, and sacrifice have flooded my news feeds. Will hope still be the central theme of these accounts, or will reality and desperation creep in during the advent season? What can I say that will encourage faith in our God who is altogether good even in tragedy—that He was there—and is here-- dressed in flesh, even in the most desperate of times? I guess I’ll say what God says through His inspired writers. The Bible reveals that God is not unfamiliar with tragedy. It grieves Him so much that He instituted a relief plan that began with the prophesied birth of His Son, whom He named Immanuel which means God with us (Isaiah 7:14). I don’t know how long it
took Immanuel to leave the comfort of His heavenly home, but it could have been the speed of light. He entered the womb of a teenager who was evacuating her home due to a census and was born without
medical aid in a shelter. He fled with His earthly parents to another evacuation center in Egypt before ever returning to Nazareth, where He would grow to manhood. Even as a man, Immanuel was homeless. “Foxes have dens,” he said. “and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head (Matthew 8:20). As an itinerant preacher, He set out on a search and rescue mission to offer a place in the kingdom of God to all who would put their trust in Him. He was largely rejected, though, and ultimately murdered as a blasphemer. The Apostle Paul wrote
of Him: “(Jesus) did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross (Philippians 2:68). Why? Why did heaven’s darling, this beautiful holy Child, come into the world poor and destitute? “Because I love you,” is God’s answer. Jesus, Immanuel, God with us, was born to wash away the ugliness of sin (the root of tragedy) and replace it with beauty. The Baby in the manger came dressed in flesh to show that our humanity is not shabby and that by adorning it with His own righteousness, we become children of God. Immanuel came because He saw our wounds, our pain, and the burdens we carry. He came to be our hope that we are never alone. All this, and the promise of heaven, too! Truly the best gift of Christmas is knowing that Jesus, though dressed in flesh for a little while, will come again in splendor. He will take us by the hand and lead us to an eternal home that will never pass away.
Happy Birthday
Jesus
Happy Birthday, Jesus the candles are for You: the carols, decorations the celebrating, too. Happy Birthday, Jesus Yours is the brightest flame so when we light the candles we light them in Your name. Happy Birthday, Jesus each time the season starts we share the love You gave us that burns within our hearts. Happy Birthday, Jesus we hope that every day this love will keep on burning and You will light the way.
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Ongoing Events
SUNDAY
WEDNESDAY
AWANA CLUB - Sundays 5:30-7:00 pm. Check in is at 5:15 pm. Grace Baptist Church - 1980 S. Walton Ave. (Bogue & Walton) Awana is an amazing children’s program for ages 3-grade 6. Our club runs from September to May. Come join anytime. Kids memorize Scripture, play games and learn lots! Call 530673-6847 for information. CELEBRATE RECOVERY - Sundays 6:00 p.m.-8:30p.m Sutter Community Church, 2900 Acacia Ave, Sutter We are a Christ-Centered recovery group that provides a safe place to share your struggles experiences, victories, and hopes with others who are also going through to a Christ Centered recovery. For more info call 530.632.4166 LIVING WATER CHRIST BASED 12 STEPS - Sundays 6-7:30pm The Bride Church -1321 Peach Tree Ln, YC We use a Christ-centered workbook (provided for free), which walks us through the problem and solution. For info call 530-300-6751.
HARMONY OF THE GOSPELS - Wednesdays at 10:15am FUMC – YC, 3101 Colusa Hwy, Yuba City This class offers a comparative study for Matthew, Mark, Luke and John’s Gospel accounts. Categorized by subjects, this study also offers side-by-side review of what each apostle recorded in each of the four Gospels AWANA Wednesday 5:45-7:45 p.m. during school year Evangelical Free Church - 3785 Olive Hwy. Oroville Awana is a boys & girls club consisting of small group time, games, large group time. For information please call 533-6866.
ROAD TO RECOVERY - Sundays 7:00pm Crossroads Community Church - 445 B St, Yuba City A Christian support group for anyone who has been involved in drug or alcohol addiction.
MONDAY KNIT & CROCHET WOMENS FELLOWSHIP - Mondays 10:00 a.m. - Noon First Baptist Church - 1777 8th Ave. - Olivehurst Practice your yarn craft or learn a new one with us. Knifty Knitters are welcome. Bring your own project or work on a charity item that we donate to those in need in the community. Email yarncraftersforchrist@hotmail.com for info. FOUNDATIONS - Mondays at 5:30pm FUMC – YC, 3101 Colusa Hwy, Yuba City You are invited to invest in your spiritual walk as we explore the necessity of prayer, witnessing to others, the meaning of discipleship, who we are as Methodists, and membership at First United Methodist Church.
TUESDAY CHRISTIAN BUSINESS ALLIANCE First Tuesday of Every Month, Noon - 1:00 p.m. The Bride Church - 1321 Peach Tree Ln, YC Join us for a time of fellowship, prayer & encouragement. All are welcome! FREE KARATE CLASSES Tuesday 6:00 pm - FREE karate classes taught from a Christian perspective. First Baptist Church - 1777 8th Ave. - Olivehurst, 530-701-5131 for info, Pastor Miguel. CRAFTSMEN FOR CHRIST Meets every Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. The Bride Church - 1321 Peach Tree Lane, YC Men’s fellowship around the word and worship. All in the Body of Christ welcome! SAMARITAN VILLAGE MONTHLY MEETING The 3rd Tuesday of each month at 6:30p.m. This meeting is open to all who are interested in helping with an orphanage in Tanzania. For info call Victor Savage at 671-2219. FRIENDS FOR SURVIVAL SUICIDE LOSS SUPPORT GROUP 4th Tuesday of the month, 6:30 PM - 715 King Ave., (off Clark Ave.) Yuba City_ Support for people who lost loved ones to suicide. Contact person, Becky Reimers (530) 454-7698, ffs.ysc@gmail.com PRAYER FOR THE NATION - Every Tuesday Evening @ 7PM Embassy of Heaven Campus - Church of Glad Tidings- Bldg 200 1179 Eager Road, Yuba City Info: Stephanie Steele 530-870-6906 www.churchofgladtidings.com Join us as we intercede for our region and our nation
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GRIEF SHARE Wed 6pm at Crossroads Community Church - 445 B St, Yuba City For those dealing with loss of a loved one. For more info call 530-632-7087
THURSDAY HEALING STEPS WITH JESUS - Thursday at 6pm FUMC – YC, 3101 Colusa Hwy, Yuba City A Christ-centered program with foundations firmly established in Biblical truth. The 12 steps with accompanying Scriptures and the 8 principles based on the Beatitudes offer participants a clear path of salvation and discipleship This program addresses all types of habits and hurts, not just recovery from alcohol and/or drug issues. EHOP PRAYER - Thursday 7:00-8:30pm Embassy of Heaven Campus - Bldg 200 - 1179 Eager Road, YC Info: 530-671-3160 - www.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. TUESDAY
SATURDAY
BETHESDA HEALING WELL - Third Saturday of each month Embassy of Heaven Campus - Bldg 200 - 1179 Eager Road, YC You are invited to come and receive special prayer for divine healing or prophetic guidance. Our prayer teams will pray with you for your needs. For more info.,Ed Han 209-298-6102 HOUSE OF PRAYER - Hope Point Nazarene Every Saturday Night from 6pm-7pm Join us on Saturday nights as we gather to worship and pray for our community and our world!
multiple days of the week WOMENS CLOTHES CLOSET Every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday from 8:00 a.m. - Noon Twin Cities Rescue Mission- 940 14th Street, Marysville We now have a womens clothes closet at the mission! It is free and available to everyone. We accept donations Monday - Sunday of women’s men’s, and children’s clothing! CROSSROADS CLOTHES CLOSET Open Mon - Fri 10am - 4pm -Shop at our - FREE Clothes given away! Crossroads Community Church, YC PRAYER VIGIL FOR LIFE! Yuba-Sutter Right to Life is hosting peaceful, prayerful vigils in front of the Yuba City Planned Parenthood. All you need to participate is one hour and the desire to pray for LIFE. Please contact Heather Pugh at 751-9349 for date and time if you are interested.
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Special Events ADVENT BY CANDLELIGHT First Lutheran Church, 850 Cooper Ave, YC Friday, Dec. 7th , 7pm Advent by Candlelight is an annual event at First Lutheran. Our hosts and hostesses decorate tables with candles and greenery - every table is unique. They also provide desserts for their guests. Once everyone has eaten their desserts, we present a 45-minute devotional program with music and Scripture. Space is limited so you will need to call the church at 673-8894 to reserve a seat. DAVID HOGAN Dec 7th - 9th Friday and Saturday 7pm Sunday 10am Embassy of Heaven Campus Church of Glad Tidings - Bldg 200 1179 Eager Road, Yuba City Info: 530-671-3160 www.churchofgladtidings.com Freedom Ministries was founded in 1981 by David Hogan starting off with nothing but a word from God and a vision. David travels and continues to preach the Gospel that radically changes the way Christians think about the possibilities of God for their lives and the lives of those around them.
Celebrate Christmas. Celebrate Jesus' Birth.
FAITH CHRISTIAN SCHOOL CHRISTMAS CONCERT AND STUDENT ART SHOW FCHS Gym -3105 Colusa Hwy, YC Monday, Dec 10th - Art Gallery Doors open at 6:30pm , Concert begins at 7pm Free community event - all are welcome! Get a festive start to the Christmas season while you enjoy student artwork and refreshments. Musicians from Concert and Intermediate Bands and FCHS Choir will delight the audience with carols and traditional Christmas favorites! fcs-k12.org "THE UNITY OF HANUKKAH & CHRISTMAS" Cornerstone Church 700 Washington Ave., YC CornerstoneYC.com Dec. 16th – 6pm "In an age of disunity & hate, come learn how Jesus unties ALL peoples by His love." a FREE event for ALL people Guest Speaker, Rich Robinson, Ph.D. -Jews For Jesus. CHRISTMAS EVE CANDLELIGHT SERVICE Adventure Church of Yuba City 1100 Garden Highway, Yuba City 95991 Monday, December 24, 2018, 5:00 pm & 7:00 pm Please join us for our Christmas Eve Candle Light Services, as we celebrate the birth of our Savior.
CALENDAR
Prayer Calendar for December 2018 4-Dec Global Persecution-Safety/Courage of Believers 5-Dec Children and Children’s Ministries 6-Dec Ambassador - Please pray for this ministry, its impact and God’s provision for it 7-Dec Continued prayer for the Camp Fire survivors 8-Dec Middle East - For the peace of Jerusalem 9-Dec Pray for Dads to be Godly leaders in their home and give thanks for those who are! 10-Dec Homeless/Poor - Twin Cities Rescue Mission, A Hand Up, Salvation Army, REST 11-Dec A Woman’s Friend - Unborn children/Pregnant Women 12-Dec Orphan children- Samaritan Village (see p. 3) and other orphanages 13-Dec Continued prayer for the Camp Fire survivors 14-Dec Missionaries -Fruit, Provision 15-Dec The Ambassador Newspaper-Increased readership and Impact 16-Dec National unity 17-Dec First Responders-Police, Firefighters, EMT, TIP 18-Dec Missing Teens & children 19-Dec Addicted, Rehab ministries- Feather River Mens Center, Joshua House, Celebrate Recovery 20-Dec Continued prayer for the Camp Fire survivors 21-Dec President Trump- God’s Wisdom in decisions & communication 22-Dec Immigration- Pray for the border crisis, the families and the legislators to solve problems 23-Dec Seniors and Elderly 24-Dec Hollywood- May God to touch influential people 25-Dec CHRISTmas- Joy to the World, the Lord is Come! Let Earth Receive Her King! 26-Dec Local officials and community leaders 27-Dec Continued prayer for the Camp Fire survivors 28-Dec Local Pastors and their families 29-Dec Military, All armed forces & their families. 30-Dec Struggling Women- Pray for Lydia’s House, Casa Esperanza 31-Dec Singles, Single Parents, Divorce healing
FREE BIBLES
Crosspointe Christian Books is giving away Bibles to any victims of the Camp Fire. Contact them at 530-673-6188. Church of Glad Tidings Warehouse Volunteers working to help Camp Fire Victims.
Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7
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LIFE
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LIFE MATTERS presented by Yuba-Sutter Right To Life Abortions in the United States Hit New All-Time Low, More Babies Saved From Abortion Than Ever By Micaiah Bilger LifeNews.com The abortion rate in America continues to decline as the work of pro-life advocates empower more women to choose life for their unborn babies. A new report by the Centers for Disease Control showed abortions at an all-time low since 1973, the year when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Roe v. Wade, according to the Washington Post. The report, released Wednesday, recorded 638,169 abortions in 2015, a 2-percent drop from 2014. The abortion rate declined to 11.8 abortions per 1,000 women of childbearing age. That is a 26-percent decline since 2006, Newsmax reports. Among teenagers, the rate declined even more drastically - a full 54 percent since 2006, according to the CDC. In comparison to live births, the CDC reported 188 abortions per 1,000 live births, a 19-percent drop from 2006. Comparing racial demographics, the CDC found the highest abortion rate was among black women at 25.1 abortions per 1,000 and the lowest was among white women at 6.8 per 1,000. Age comparisons indicate women in their 20s had the highest abortion rate.
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Other interesting statistics in the report showed a rise in first-trimester abortions and the use of abortion drugs, rather than surgical abortion procedures. In addition, a full 86 percent of women who had abortions were not married, according to U.S. News and World report. It must be noted, however, that the CDC report is incomplete. Reporting abortion numbers to the CDC is voluntary, and California, Maryland and New Hampshire did not provide their numbers to the agency. Several other states provided limited data. Therefore, the number of babies lost to abortion certainly is higher than 638,169. The Guttmacher Institute, a proabortion research group, reported the total number of abortions in the U.S. was 926, 200 in 2014.Though higher than the CDC numbers, this number still represents a significant drop from the late 1980s and early 1990s when the U.S. saw about 1.5 million a year.
Abortion activists claim greater access to birth control and sex education are reasons for the decline, but even they admit that pro-life laws and other efforts also are causing fewer women to have abortions, the Washington Post reports. This means pro-lifers are successfully saving unborn babies and moms from abortion through laws, pregnancy resource centers, education efforts, sidewalk counseling and more. Abby Johnson, head of the pro-life organization And Then There Were None and a former Planned Parenthood director, expressed cautious optimism about the report. "It's always good news when abortions decline but these numbers are hard to take seriously when the state that performs the most abortions [California] is not included in the report," she said. "There is also no record of the many complications of abortion that women experience, likely because those instances are shoved under
the mat in many abortion clinics." She urged pro-life advocates to continue reaching out with love and compassion to abortion-minded women as well as abortion clinic workers. "By our work helping abortion workers quit their jobs and find life-affirming ones, we are hopeful abortion rates will continue to drop as abortion clinics close their doors because no one will work for them," Johnson said. Reacting to the decline earlier this year, National Right to Life President Carol Tobias said pro-lifers are having a tremendous impact on America. "Sixty million unborn children have died as a result of the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton decisions," Tobias said. "However, through the rightto-life movement's determination to protect mothers and their children, we continue to see evidence that our efforts to educate America about the unborn child's humanity, and our efforts to enact protective pro-life legislation, are having a tremendous impact in moving our nation away from Roe and Doe's deadly legacy." NRLC estimates 60,069,971 abortions have been performed in the U.S. since 1973.
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“I Like My Way Of Doing It Better Than Your Way Of Not Doing It.” D. L. Moody was once criticized for his methods of reaching people with the gospel. His reply was ‘I agree with you, I don’t like the way I do it either. Tell me how do you do it?’ The woman who had criticized replied ‘I don’t do it.’ To which Moody responded ‘I like my way of doing it better than your way of not doing it.’ Over that last 20 years, I have heard numerous opinions where certain methods of witnessing (sharing Jesus Christ with others) have been criticized. Some who are reading this know that
God led me to a Bible tract at a low point in my life where I was experiencing and pondering the futility of life. Reading through that tract along with praying to receive Jesus was the most significant event of my life. Many know Roger Shadd who has given out thousands if not tens of thousands of Bible tracts over the last 30 plus years. More importantly he has also heard many transformational testimonies from recipients of those tracts. Another of my personal favorites is wearing witness shirts. Shirts that
display a message about salvation, hope, forgiveness and a variety of other topics that convey a powerful Christian message. Again, another method which has been criticized by others. I think the following verse sums it up quite well as it relates to sharing our faith. “To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.” 1 Corinthians 9:22 (NIV) I just created a new witness shirt (shown below) for myself to wear. However, I wanted to showcase (debut) it here to see
if anyone else would like to have one (No, they are not free). Regardless, I would encourage you to reflect on two things from this article. 1. Moody’s quote. 2. 1 Corinthians 9:22. The bottom line is this; The world is rapidly moving the wrong direction. People are destroying their lives at an alarming pace. Proverbs 4:19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble. Their only hope Jesus Christ and that hope needs to come from us!
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David Kugelman is the president of the Christian Business Alliance which meets each Tuesday at noon at various locations. Dave welcome your questions or comments on this article at drkug@comcast.net
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As we sat holding the candles and each other’s hands, we grieved with those who have lost everything. Loved ones. Many loved ones. There are no words to describe the weight of the loss of these precious souls. One couple shared with us that one of the hardest parts for them, aside from losing their home and their business, was to lose their community. But know, Paradise, that you have surrounding communities who will help you and help you bear the tremendous weight that you are carrying. We are with you, Paradise. - Jana Gallagher
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Firefighters getting some much needed rest
For PARADISE
remains as The church is gone but the cross within the not is God that r a simple reminde within held be not can and walls of a building de a insi it spir his tain con one. Nor can you matter the Tabernacle and or a Cathedral no t it and buil who en tsm craf hands of the master ent on gem jud n dow cast when. God has not ains rem he and you n ake you, he has not fors e of tim this in s side our by strongly right here that say each can we that is need. My prayer in this time same towards the father not only d and bad. of need but in all times both goo God bless. - Mark Anthony Carter
I don't know what to say about this picture other than it was my home - Brandy Wilson
Guy Fieri Serving Food
Finally home after an incredibly emotional afternoon/ evening with our “neighbors to the north.” Spent a few hours with the Paradise EV Free Church as they gathered in Chico, and then joined in helping our Share the Love Food Pantry partners in the parking lot of the Chic o Walmart, where there are SO many people. In both places we heard stories of struggle, survival, and HOPE. We talked, prayed, hugged, listened, and provided food, clothes, blankets, and more. It was nothing short of amaz ing to be among these people whose lives have been turne d upside down. I learned much from their perspective, am grateful for the opportunity, and am committed to helpi ng in any way I can. Be on the lookout for further info, and please continue to pray. And after you’ve prayed, find something to DO. Blessings. - Pastor Greg Mansur
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Continued From Page 1: "Cover Story" people asking how they can help were directed to a location or need they could fill. Almost everyone was doing something. Of course, even those who couldn’t physically help, were praying that our Gracious Lord would send His healing and comforting provision for those in need. We know that this will be a long road back for these families and though the initial support was awe inspiring, they will need help, support and prayer for a very long time. However, I want to dedicate this issue to those who survived the fire as well as those who stepped up to helped them survive. That includes (as I’ve mentioned already) the firefighters and first responders, the churches and non-profit organization (including the Red Cross and Salvation Army), the businesses who gave generously in both finances as well as goods and services, and of course the thousands of unselfish people who helped in whatever way was necessary, from housing evacuees, to serving meals, walking dogs, sorting clothes, receiving and organizing donations and everything in between all while dealing with dangerously hazardous air quality! Throughout this issue, you will find stories of hope, stories of bravery, stories of God’s grace and I pray that each of you reading will see Beauty rising from the
ashes. It is reasonable to give a moment to address the “elephant in the room”. Some
one of those much smarter than me) says that there are many perspectives on the question of suffering and the sovereignty
Paradise Camp Fire Destruction would question “Where was God during the fire?” The question comes up often in every tragedy. “If God is all-powerful why didn’t He stop the fire?” The more general question is “Why does God allow suffering?” This is an age-old question that has been asked since the time of Job (considered the oldest book in the Bible). I’m not going to try to answer that because much smarter people than me have not answered it to the satisfaction of skeptics. I just want to address it briefly. Dr. Michael Brown (a scholar who is
(or authority/control) of God. Some say that God is judging those that suffer. Others think that God allows free will and can’t do anything about it. Still others believe that God does things or allows things for a purpose. While all of those may have a piece of truth in it, none of those answers satisfy. So, what then is the purpose of why God allows suffering like this? Dr. Brown in his article “Where was God when California Burned?” says “it is Jesus Himself who shows us the way to move forward.
We read in John 9 that, when Jesus’ disciples saw a man born blind, they asked Him who sinned, the man or his parents. (In some ancient Jewish teaching, it was believed that you could sin in the womb, explaining how the disciples thought that, perhaps, the man was responsible for his own blindness.) How did the Lord reply? “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,”Jesus answered. “This came about so that God's works might be displayed in him.We must do the works of Him who sent Me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (John 9:3-5; see also John 11:1-4 for a parallel perspective.) Do you grasp the significance of His words? While Jesus does say that neither the man nor his parents were responsible for his blindness, He does not give a clear explanation of why the man was born blind. Instead, He states that this happened “so that God's works might be displayed in him.” The blindness was an opportunity for the Lord to be glorified.Sickness, whatever its cause, was an opportunity
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Assemblyman James Gallagher: Thoughts On The Fire The devastation of the Camp Fire in Butte County has been truly overwhelming. The lives that have been lost, the stories of terror as people fled the flames, and the decimation of homes, businesses, schools, and places of worship and gathering overwhelm us with a great sense of loss. But I have also been overwhelmed by the giving that has been poured out in the midst of this tragedy. Donations have come in from everywhere, so much that people are running out of room to store it all. The administrative talents of several are being utilized as of this writing to manage all of the donations.
Churches like Neighborhood Church in Chico and Nazarene Church in Oroville, immediately opened their doors to those taking refuge from the fire. Salvation Army as always has been tremendous in providing meals and managing donations to provide for evacuees. Habitat for Humanity has moved in to the fairgrounds and is helping get much needed items to families. Here locally a non-profit known as 4G Foundation (4G stands for “For God”) has been feeding evacuees at various shelters. Combining with Rolling Stone Pizza, they are giving those who have lost everything some comfort and home-
James Gallagher cooked nourishment. A local man, Vish Sharma, started gathering goods to help some families and within days found himself with a fleet of truck trailers from Legend Transportation and was able to
fill them with an overwhelming number of new blankets, clothing, toiletries, and food. Non-profit charitable foundations run by North Valley Community Foundation, Golden Valley Bank, River Valley Community Bank, and Sierra Central Credit Union have received millions of dollars in just a few short weeks that will provide vital funding to help victims in the coming weeks. My office conducted a spontaneous gift card drive and our community responded with over $35,000 in gift cards! In short, I am reminded of God’s amazing grace in the midst of this terrible disaster. We have seen proof that God literally gives beauty for ashes. I am proud of the people I represent, the care we have for one another, and I know that in time together we will rise again.
Continued From Page 4: "Human Kindness" in another county took an offering and brought it. Donations came from every religion and ethnic group. We ran the gamut of emotions at the outpouring, often choking up and wanting to weep; it was overwhelming. The outpouring was not from just adults and businesses. One little girl brought peanut butter and jelly sandwiches; her own idea and she used
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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:
A-1 Carpet Cleaning - (530) 673-3634 - www.a-1clean.com Kristen Bird - A Woman's Friend - (530) 741-0556 Ron Brasier - A Hand Up Ministry - (530) 671-1360 Pastor Elaine Briefman - iM publications - (530) 713-9919 Marty Brown - KCYC-LP FM - (530) 674-5296 Dave Burrows - True North Real Estate- (530) 632-3822 Kathleen Caldwell - Caldwells Custom Countertops - (530) 695-2112 JC Carpenter Brandon Carter - Signarama - (530) 763-4286 Mark Anthony Carter - Photos by Mark Anthony- (530) 774-5968 Rita Collins Fred Cox - Richard's Tree Service - (530) 673-7993 LaDonna Curteman - Band Together for Christ - ladonna.curteman@gmail.com Chuck David Dennis & Connie Gabel - Operation Christmas Child - (530) 695-1495 John Gaiser - Gaiser Pets - (530) 751-8155 Assemblyman James Gallagher - (530 ) 671-0303 Steve & Cash Gilliss - Crosspointe Christian Books - (530) 673-6188 Dave Greenetz - Dave Greenetz Construction - (530) 682-9602 John Guth - Guth & Changaris, A Prof Law Corp - (530) 674-9841 Seth Halpern - Ambassador Newspaper - editor@ambassadornewspaper.com Randy Heckley - Window of Heaven - (530) 391-6344 Kurt Hilbers - Hilbers Inc - www.hilbersinc.com David Hobbs David Holycross - Holycross Memorial - (530) 751-7000 Bill Jens - Yuba Sutter Healthy Marriage Project - (530) 671-6069 Janet Johnson Rhonda Langley Dave Kugelman - Proforma by Kug - (530) 742-2423 Bill & Sonja Lindholm Doreen Maher Greg Mansur - Adventure Church - (530) 632-1779 Clay Maynard - Consultant - (530) 790-6611 Jason Poling - Cornerstone Church - (530) 674-3087 Victor Savage - Samaritan Village Orphanage - (530) 682-5282 Michael Schubarth- Church of Glad Tidings- 530-363-5752 Roger Shadd - Shadd Janitorial Supply - (530) 673-0083 Wynette Sills - CaliforniasForLife.org. - (916) 955-1577 Bill Sluder - After Hours Mobile Notary - (530) 777-8667 Robert Stark - Retired Auditor/Controller - robertandpamstark@gmail.com Dwayne Tanabe - Taylor Accountancy Corp - dktanabe@yahoo.com Jenine Tanabe - Jenine L. Tanabe M.D. Dermatology - (530) 743-0301 Linda Vaca Roger Vaca - Twin Cities Rescue Mission (530) 743.8777
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This is a picture that I took of the Honey Run Bridge from a few years back. It's a foot bridge only, but a neat place to stop and look around. It's on another way to Paradise from Chico, CA If you didn't feel like taking the Skyway. I'm sad to say but it's just one of many things that now only remain in stories, memories and pictures. Please remember this community the people and their needs, even after the flames of the fire are out and the smoke has cleared. - Mark Anthony Carter
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Marty Brown John Nicholls Bob Gilbert Warren & Lucy Campbell Rich & Joan Hackney Dale & Susan Nieschultz Rita Collins Carrie Pederson Tom Harris Donald & Concetta Cotter Mimi Robarge Allen Halpern LaDonna Curteman Jeff Royce April James Chuck David Mike Sherman Cale & Merlene Judd Dennis & Connie Gabel Robert E. Stark Clay Maynard
God Bless Each Of You For Your Support Of This Ministry And Our Community •••
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Continued From Page 11 - "Praying For Paradise" Tribulation, a dark word for trouble, is not in short supply. Peace seems much harder to find. Amid the news about deadly fires and senseless mass killings, tragedy and trials on a smaller scale abound. The woes are striking friends and families I've known for years and countless others nearby and around the globe. Sunday evening, I joined my pastor and two other men to meet with "refugees" from Paradise, the foothill town ravished by the wildfire that destroyed more than 6,000 homes and killed dozens of people. "It's gone" was the most common refrain among folks from a sister church in Paradise when asked about their home. A handful held out hope that somehow their home survived, like their church building escaped the flames. Ten of the 15 churches in their town burned to the ground. Earlier in the day, we prayed with families in our Yuba City church who had two of their relatives murdered in Louisiana. Another friend lay in a hospital intensive care unit still battling to live after a month of treatment. Yet another friend, already struggling with job and relationship issues, was asked to vacate his rented room, He was there only three days and had expected to last through Christmas. That same day my daughter's family stood with thousands in Napa as the body of one of the mass
shooting victims in Southern California, an 18-year-old college freshman, returned to her hometown. Troubles. Tribulation. It crosses our path so many times. What do we do with it? How should we react? Why? So many questions. We are often unable to see it coming. But, once it arrives, we decide how to react. One of the oldest examples of a positive reaction to multiple trials and afflictions shows up in the story of Job. He lost his children, became so sick that his wife suggested he "curse God and die," and was counseled by "friends" that he must have sinned to be in such a terrible situation. His response: "Though he slay me, yet I will trust him." The source of his trouble is attributed to Satan, who was given permission by God to test Job to the limit of taking his life. The Bible also tells how Satan tried but failed to persuade Jesus to take another path, rather than journey to the cross to pay for our sins and give all people the chance to have life everlasting. Jesus said, "I have come that you might have life." But he also warned us about the troubles of this earthly trek. "These things I have spoken to you that in me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." -- Jesus from JOHN 16:33
Continued From Page 12: "Cover Story" for divine healing to be displayed. The darkness of human pain only highlighted the light of God’s grace. And so, we can look into the eyes of the suffering and grieving and say, “I can’t
The heroism of many, the prayers of the church united, and the love of God poured out on those in need shows the Glory of God to a needy, hurting, hopeless world. We are the hands of feet of Jesus and
tell you why this happened, but I can tell you that, in the midst of the agony and devastation, God can be glorified. Let’s work together with Him to bring light out of darkness, life out of death, and hope out of despair.” As impossible as it seems, as acute as the pain may be, and recognizing that nothing will bring back those who have perished, with the Lord greater good can come out of these tragic fires. Let us pursue that greater good with Him.
although we can’t stop all tragedy, God can use us to bring His light to each one’s soul. It is my prayer that you and your loved ones (whether directly or indirectly impacted by this tragedy) will find hope and comfort in Jesus Christ and be blessed by the words and pictures within this issue. God bless each of you! Dr. Michael Brown “Where Was God When California Burned?” (https:// askdrbrown.org/library/where-was-godwhen-california-burned)
- Dan Crawford
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Please Excuse the Smoke by Krystalynn Martin A poem I wrote the other night while grieving the loss of my hometown of Paradise: I’m sorry – Please excuse the smoke. It’s just the dreams and hopes of 27 thousand yesterdays. It’s just the minuscule evidence of That one baby picture, That painting of the sea captain by my brother, And those family portraits of the past 40 years. It’s just the piano from my grandmother who passed away years ago that my brother just brought back from Iowa. Excuse the hazardous air quality. It’s just the thousands of saved kid’s drawings and crafts, books, children’s
toys from years gone by that had been unpacked for grandchildren, wedding certificates, diaries, the favorite pillows, that favorite teddy bear from baby years, the 1960s records and the VHS tapes of birthday parties and graduations. It’s just the houses of my childhood friends where we would play in the late summer evenings and spend nights dreaming of what our grownup years would bring. Not knowing that our futures would all hold this moment in time as our collective yesterdays ascend to the sky. Please excuse the falling ash. It’s just the church where I grew up attending with all the children’s songs, VBS programs and the baptismal where I chose to dedicate my life to God. It’s just the aisle where I stood and looked at the
Newcastle Yuba City
man on the day that I said “I Do”. The falling ash – It’s just Paradise. A little non-destination town that’s not on the way to anything important. It’s just that end-of-the-road town where people settle and know each other and roots run deep. It’s just a place where the biggest news was that Taco Bell came to town 20 years ago – until Starbucks finally made it 4 months ago. Paradise – it’s just the place where everyone is your neighbor, as backyards are shared and simple icons are known and loved. Icons that are now ashes falling around you (sorry about that). Icons like Fosters Freeze. Gold Nugget Days. Honey Run Road Covered Bridge. That one antique store, just to name a few.
Icons like Kalico Kitchen where my dad and I had breakfast on the day of my wedding, just the two of us. Icons like Darlene’s Frozen Yogurt and Round Table Pizza where many birthday parties growing up took place, not to mention the take home pizzas to mom and dad on weekends we would visit. Personal icons like the Lucas’s house where many days and nights were spent as we grew up from toddlers, to grade school, to junior high, taking care of animals, watching movies, going trick-rtreating, and discovering our first crushes together. Icons like the Muth house, where we made brownies and talked about boys and got
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Continued From Page 16: "Please Excuse the Smoke" ready for banquets and wrote songs, and led out in different high school student leadership opportunities. Icons like the youth room at the church where we discovered so many amazing things together and planned mission trips and prayer conferences and learned what it meant to be used by God right here and right now. Icons like Rankin Way house where we would watch different phases of our family’s life every year as we gathered for potlucks, game nights or just hear some good music. Or Country Club where huge gatherings would take place like the 4th of July party for the neighborhood, or just coming together for brunch, or talking about religion and politics.
Or Peterson’s house where we would eat the most delicious Swedish treats and have a visit from Santa. Or all the houses around town that we lived in since age 2, (that are now all gone) and finally settling on what would become home: Boquest Blvd. Boquest, where breakfast was late, like nights, and eras of my life passed within those 4 walls – from preteen, to high school, and as the walls of my room changed their decor as they held my changing eras like a quiet, constant friend. The early mornings getting ready for school, the late nights studying or dreaming of tomorrows that are now todays. The Christmas eves and mornings where my brother would wake me up to go open our stockings. The night I spent in that room with my sister before
the day of my wedding, our conversations waning into the early morning. The years and eras fleeting now in hindsight, as most recently these four walls had been a refuge for my aging parents. And not knowing that 1 month ago would be my final farewell to my constant silent friend – my room – where I spent a few nights with my infant son as we cherished time with family. Icons like Billie Park where I would go on hikes with my friends as a preteen
and teen, and then later take my hubby as we dreamt of the future, and then most recently would take my own 2 children to play and romp and just be…in Paradise. … And not to mention all the lives that were lost: mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, grandparents, beloved pets … But please, once again, excuse our smoke. It’s just what’s left of what was one of the most unique little settlements in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains: what was Paradise.
Finding Freedom in God’s Perfect Peace 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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OP/ED
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The Not So Good Samaritan by Jon Skillman The other day, while stopped at a traffic light, my wife noticed a man lying by the side of the road. He was across the way and my limited vision could only make out a dark spot on the embankment. As cars passed by the man I wondered; is he sleeping, is he hurt or is he…deceased. My wife said she saw him move which eliminated that worst case scenario. I began to think of what I should do, if anything, but the light changed and we too, drove by him. As we passed I saw the man in a loose fetal position lying among the litter and weeds beside the road. We drove home in silence, the image of the man lingering until the things of the day pushed him from my consciousness. A few days later, during my quiet time, the image of the man came back to me, accompanied with feelings of disobedience and failure. It was like God was saying “Apparently, the lessons of The Good Samaritan were lost to you!” Well it wasn’t as if the man had been set upon by thieves, robbed, beaten and left for dead, I rationalized. I mean the guy is obviously a victim of his own illadvised life choices I reasoned. Besides, what could I have really done for him? There is really no reason I should have gotten involved…I didn’t have the time or resources to make a difference in his life…
what was I supposed to do? I guess we could have offered him a ride to the Rescue Mission, but past experience tells me he wouldn’t go, ‘they have an awful lot of rules there, don’t you know.’ In other words, he really didn’t want any help, I convinced myself. “Did you not have any sympathy toward this man…did you not have compassion?” Well yes, I had sympathy and compassion for him. “Well sympathy and compassion without action are like shoes without soles.” But what was I to do? I asked, but there was no response and once again the man was forgotten. This morning, in my daily devotional I read, “Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him.” Mark 1:41. The writer of the devotional put it this way: “As God gives us opportunities, we can extend grace and show compassion with a gentle touch that conveys dignity and value. The simple healing power of human touch goes a long way to remind hurting people of our care and concern.” Jesus reached out and touched a leper…something people were afraid to do back then. Could it be that the man at the side of the road was my leper? I sure treated him as such.
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Heros & "Zeros” This issue has been chock full of images and articles about both the victims and the heroes (the first responders and the volunteers) of the Camp Fire. We’ve shared their grief, thanked their rescuers and had our hearts full of pride at the outpouring of love from their neighbors. There is one group that has not been mentioned and frankly I wasn’t sure I wanted to mention them now. That group is the minimal group of thieves who stole (or try to) from the suffering victims. This small group tried to steal from their cars while they were in a shelter. Others looked for opportunities in the burned out town of Paradise and surrounding areas. I would not usually give any press to these “horrible” people. People who would take advantage of others at their worst time. Those who would kick others while they’re down and distraught. I wrote a Facebook post saying that I hope they would get prosecuted to the full extent of the law. I think that the Lord would be in agreement as demonstrated by multiple Old Testament verses including Prov 29:7 (“The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern) and Is. 61:8 (“For I the Lord love justice; I hate robbery and wrong; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them”) It is not wrong for God’s people to be indignant at those injustices done to the innocent. But God continues to remind
Seth Halpern - Editor me of my sin (comparison is not usually a good thing). I fall short of God’s Glory and when I think of how terrible it is for people to do something like that, I am also reminded of Saul of Tarsus who made it his mission to persecute and kill those who followed Jesus of Nazareth. As angry as I was when I first heard of the cowardly acts of these thieves, I have to remember that we all are in need of the forgiveness of God through Jesus Christ. There is only One who was above the need for forgiveness of their sin and we celebrate His birth this month. Jesus alone lived without sin. Jesus alone came in the form of human being so that He could be as one of us, yet without sin and then die a horrible death to pay the debt of our sin against God. God then sees our sin no more but cancels the debt of sin that we owe because Christ’s death fulfills that punishment. Yes, those “bad” people should get the consequences that their crimes deserved. But just as you and I need His forgiveness that we don’t deserve, so do they! Merry CHRISTmas!
The Ambassador accepts opinions and editorials (op-ed’s) as long as they are well-written and less than 450 words. Oped’s will be published purely at the discretion of the editor. If you would like to submit your op-ed, please email it (written in MS Word) to editor@ambassadornewspaper.com. The deadline for submission is the 15th of the month for the next issue.
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