by John Carpenter | Jul 19, 2023 | Camp News
Well, dear ones, our 2023 camp season has been filled up with family camp days — which means that our ministry has reflected a little different complexion than just our foundational camp weeks with the children. We have experienced some very positive results and feedback from the families that have participated this year. Everyone seems delighted with what we are doing and what they are experiencing. Please continue to be in prayer that the Lord would be glorified in this additional ministry opportunity as we rebuild our summer camp program for the children.
PRAYING TO FILL OUR STAFFING NEEDS
Please continue to be in prayer for our staff needs. We are seeking from the Lord five male and five female staff workers — truly motivated by the Holy Spirit — with a desire to declare what “great things the Lord hath done” in their own personal lives. We want those whom God has groomed to serve Him — in touching the lives of the children that He sends to Del-Haven.
Here on our Del-Haven website, you can submit an online application for these crucial volunteer staff positions, and also submit information on camper candidates. It is our prayer that the Lord will lead some to us through this means. Maybe He will use some of you to help us in this way. Please pray with us about this urgent need.
We also want to remind everyone that we plan to stop sending out our monthly newsletter by mail and start sending them out by email to help defray our mailing costs. If you want to continue to receive our latest camp news and devotional, please go to our Homepage to sign up for email delivery. Also, if you have time, please reacquaint yourself with our content and specifically our mission statement and the scriptural foundation that reflects the Word of the personal testimony of this ministry which God has sustained for over seven decades.
Lastly, we want to thank all of you who have been led to send your financial support. You would be surprised to see how we continually witness the faithfulness of the Lord in His allowing us to meet each month’s expenses and bills. It is miraculous! We give Him all the thanks, praise and glory — for all of you!
by John Carpenter | Jul 19, 2023 | Devotional
“Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me — for my soul trusteth in thee — yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast. (2) I will cry unto God most high — unto God that performeth all things for me!” [Ps.57:1-2]
“Lord, thou wilt ordain peace for us — for thou also hast wrought all our works in us. (13) O Lord our God — other lords have had dominion over us — but by thee only will we make mention of thy Name.” [Is.26:12-13]
“For it is God that worketh in you — both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” [Phil.2:13]
“I am the vine – ye are the branches; he that abideth in me and I in him — the same bringeth forth much fruit — for without me ye can do nothing!” [Jn.15:5]
The reason we say: “If it’s not all Christ — it’s all wrong” — is because it’s true! God — who cannot lie — affirms this as being eternal Truth. Jesus, the incarnated God/man — was sent into this fallen world in the likeness of our sinful flesh — and being the eternal Son of God — He came to tell us the action-quickening Truth of Jn.6:37> “All that the Father gives to me – shall come to me – and him that cometh to me – I will in no wise cast him out!” Praise His Holy Name!! This — is what is divinely designed to motivate us — so that without hesitation — we do completely come to Him! And, to completely come unto Jesus means that we have been awakened and quickened to — first of all — fulfill that which is written from verse 2 of Ps.57 shown above — which says: “I will cry unto God most high — unto God — that performeth all things for me!” And, when we act — we don’t even think about the “calamities” that we face — that seem to surround us on every side. We just trust in our God, Jesus our Savior — and act! This will prove the reality of our having been truly quickened by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God!
Then this, in turn, leads us right into truly — living out the activity of understanding the reality of Is.26:12-13 which declares for us what the Lord, our God has ordained for each one of His true sinner/children to be and to do — who are still here — travelling through all the calamities — of this world — “the valley of the shadow of death”. He has ordained “Peace” for us — by His having com-pletely worked out “all our works in us!” For He — and He alone — is our Lord and Savior! We can’t even mention His Name — without Him! By His doing we “cry” unto Him — and He hears and answers our cries!
Phil.2:13 descriptively declares — with bold assurance — that it is “God that actively and efficiently works in and through us — both to will and to do — of all His good pleasure!” Praise His Name!
And, all of this is completely culminated in the Pure Gospel Truth Words of Jesus, Himself, from Jn.15:5> “I am the Vine — ye are the branches; he that abideth in me and I in him — the same bringeth forth much fruit — for without me ye can do nothing!” He is the source of all our action — all our strength — and all our results. Hence, He gets all the Glory! Ro.11:16 tells us: “If the Firstfruit be holy — the lump is also holy — and if the Root be holy — so are the branches!” Christ Jesus is the “Root” and the “Firstfruit” — we who are “in Him” are “His branches”. He fills us up with Himself — and we bring forth the fruit of His eternally abiding presence in our lives. Hence, we are clothed with His comeliness — His fruit – His obedience and — praise God — His righteousness.
For Christ’s Glory Only! — John Carpenter
by John Carpenter | Jun 26, 2023 | Camp News
Well, dear ones, we are definitely in the midst of spiritual warfare – in our world today! Our whole land is under an horrific attack of the devil! We need to be in earnest prayer for our government and against the enemies that have been allowed to infiltrate our schools – our churches – and our homes. Let us call on the King of kings and Lord of lords and the Head of all principality and powers – that He deliver us from the snares and destruction of the Evil One. After all – he is already a defeated foe — by the person and work of our sovereign Savior!
In addition, we have developed a real immediate crisis where our staff for camps is concerned. Our staff training week (June 5-7) uncovered that our staff members were totally unprepared to be able to minister the Word of the Truth of the gospel to the campers. This means that we have been thrust back to shifting our whole approach to scheduling family camp days as a way to minister the gospel – until we can replace our staff with well taught and thoroughly trained male and female cabin and camp program leaders. Please be in prayer that our Lord God will lead us to – or draw unto us the quickened, awakened believers that we need in order to recover from this setback.
We have already contacted and scheduled five families that are now on the calendar to come out to Del-Haven for a block of time to experience what goes on all week in camp. Pray with us that these folks will come having ears to hear and eyes to see and hearts to receive and believe the gospel of the glory, only – of our Lord Jesus Christ.
This situation has never ever exactly happened before in our history. But, we know that the Lord is still on the throne and He is still completely in control! From Ps.50:15 He still says: “Call upon me in the day of trouble – I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorify me.” Praise His holy and faithful Name!
Also, due to the fact that we need to cut back on the rising expenses of life in this present world – we are planning to transition from sending our monthly newsletter by mail and sending it instead by email. If you want to keep receiving our newsletter, please send your name and email address to: jeff@campdelhaven.org or go to www.campdelhaven.org/newsletter-signup to subscribe online. If you don’t have an email account or you rely on receiving our return addressed envelopes to facilitate your faithful, regular financial support, then please contact us about making other arrangements. Hopefully, this change will eliminate the rising printing costs and postal fees – which will really help us out.
We are saddened to report that Sheri DeSchepper felt like she had to resign from Del-Haven. She has for almost a decade now been involved with – and settled into – an active part of the ministry of Sycamore Hills Baptist Church. Please pray for her that she be led of the Lord in her continued service according to His perfect will and good pleasure.
We want you all to know how much we appreciate your support of us – along with all your prayers. We thank our Lord God for you — and we pray for you as well.
“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts
and be ready always to give an answer to every
man that asketh you a reason [or, a Word]
concerning the Hope that is in you
with meekness and fear.” [1Pe.3:15]
by John Carpenter | Jun 26, 2023 | Devotional
“And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven – Now is come salvation and strength and the Kingdom of our God – and the power of His Christ – for the accuser of our brethren is cast down – which accused them before our God day and night. (11) And they overcame him by the Blood of the Lamb – and the Word of their Testimony – and loved not their lives unto the death.” [Rev.12:10-11]
“Of His own will – begat He us – with the Word of Truth – that we should be a kind of first fruits of His creatures.” [Jas.1:18]
These two texts reveal to us grace-quickened and awakened sinner/children – eight realities while we are still here in this fallen-in-sin world. First of all – right now in the present, it says – we have God’s eternal salvation, strength and a place in His Kingdom! This is a wonderful thing!
Second, all of this is ruled over and strictly maintained by the sovereign authority and power of Christ Jesus our Savior. Third, Satan – the accuser is defeated and cast down. Even though he is in a rage against God — and us – he is absolutely subservient to the will of Christ, our God! Our spiritual warfare goes on all around us – day and night – non-stop – but, by grace we stand and see the salvation of our Lord!
In fact, Fourth, we have overcome all his evil endeavors against us – by the “Blood of the Lamb” – having been shed for all of our sins at Calvary! Praise the Name of the Lord!
And, Fifth, we have overcome the devil by – it says – the “Word of our Testimony”! That’s the Word (the logos) of God that was instrumentally used by the Holy Spirit of God to awaken us unto the reality that we truly are one of His chosen-sinner-saved-by-grace-children! This refers to our genuine born again (or, more lit., born from above) experience. Just like Ro.8:16-17a says: “The Spirit beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God (17) and if children – then heirs – heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ…”.
This brings us to the Sixth reality that also descriptively declares the fact of our spiritual birth from Jas.1:18> “Of His own will (not our will) – begat He us…”; or, He caused us to be begotten of Him.
The Seventh reality serves to substantiate the all important role that God’s Word plays in providing us with a true testimony from God unto us personally that we are one of His children – He communicates it to us “with the Word of Truth…”!
In fact, all three persons in the Godhead participate in an ongoing communication with each of His elect throughout their entire earthly walk – all the way to glory land! Jesus says that none of us can come to Him for His abundant life – except they be drawn by God the Father! [Jn.6:44]
And, He describes how that drawing process is worked out when He says from Jn.6:45> “It is written in the prophets – And they shall be all taught of God (or, more lit. taught by God the Father). Every man therefore that hath heard and learned (lit.) from the Father – cometh unto me.”
And, finally, Eighth, our Lord Jesus is not left out of this scenario: Eph.4:20-21 plainly says, “But you have not so learned Christ; (21) if so be that ye have heard Him, and have been taught by Him, as the Truth is in Jesus.” Indeed, Christ Jesus – is – the Truth!
For Christ’s Glory Only! — John Carpenter
by John Carpenter | May 22, 2023 | Camp News
We are still busy in all that needs to get done so that we are ready for another blessed season of Del-Haven Camps. The lake has been treated to clear it up of all the lake weeds and moss that every year builds up in it. The ongoing mowing process has already begun – which takes up a lot our time to stay on top of the campgrounds upkeep. Dead trees are being ear marked for cutting down and cutting up. This means brush piles on top of brush piles are being formed to burn up. I relate all this in hopes that you remember to pray for us to get all of this done without injury or any major mishaps along the way. All of this requires the use of equipment and supplies that right now in our economy is much more expensive to operate. But, our Sovereign God is still on the throne – and His coffers are always full! Praise His Name!
We would be remiss to not request from you all that prayers be made for all the children that have already requested a place in the camp schedule. And, this means that we need prayers for our Lord to send to us the helpers (male and female) that want to serve Him by filling a place on our Del-Haven Staff. The Lord has always provided – and we expectantly look for Him to do so again this year. This is where your support is most vital(!) – your Prayer Support – for which we wholeheartedly love and thank you!
Thank you to Sycamore Hills Baptist Church and the Rusher family for adding a Gaga Ball pit to our recreation area. This game has become popular in recent years, and the campers will surely enjoy this new addition.
