by John Carpenter | Apr 18, 2022 | Miscellaneous
Well dear ones we are moving closer and closer to holding – once again – regular camp sessions at Del-Haven – Praise the Lord! We are seeing the signs of the Lord – the Holy Spirit’s moving in that direction. Two different groups are coming out this weekend to help us get repairs done on the camp buildings – and also to help us clean up the campground for having camps. Once again, Praise the Lord! Please pray that these things get done safely and completely.
Also, the following is our 2022 camp schedule so that you may continue to pray us through our whole season:
June 6-8 Staff Training
June 13 – 16 6 to 8 yr. old boys and girls
June 20 – 23 9 to 12yr. old girls
June 27 – 30 9 to 12yr. old boys
July 11 – 14 9 to 12yr. old girls
July 18 – 21 6 to 8 yr. old boys and girls
Aug. 01 – 04 9 to 12 yr. old boys
The Lord has also met the need of our getting our trash picked up – Praise His Name! The only thing is – it is going cost us almost twice as much. Please pray with us where meeting the camp expenses is concerned. His coffers are never exhausted!
Dear ones, even though we will once again have our trash picked up – we still need for someone with earth moving equipment to come out and help us get our trash dump and burning pit redug, renewed and expanded. So, in all your praying for our needs – please put this on your list as well. Thank you…we love you.
by John Carpenter | Apr 18, 2022 | Miscellaneous
(2)“For the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus – hath made me free from – the law of sin and death.(3)For what the law could not do – in that it was weak through the flesh – God – sending His own Son – in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh. (4) That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us – who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” [Ro.8:2-4]
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked. For whatsoever a man soweth – that shall he also reap! (8) For he that soweth to his flesh – shall of the flesh reap corruption – but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap Life Everlasting!” [Gal.6:7-8]
Before we finish our perusal of these two texts – let’s look a little bit at what it means to “walk after the Spirit” and to “sow to the Spirit”. Why? Even because it is the result of doing these things that we “reap Life Everlasting”.
First of all, we know that “walking” and “sowing” after the flesh is a purely Carnal enterprise that reaps only corruption, or spontaneous decay. And, “walking” and “sowing” after the Spirit is actually being led through this world by the Holy Spirit of God. Ro.8:14 tells us that “…as many as are led by the Spirit of God – they are the sons [or, the children] of God.
From 1Cor.2:14-15 we see the “flesh” and the “Spirit” accurately described and contrasted: (14)“But the Natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God – for they are foolishness unto him – neither can he know them, for they are spiritually discerned. (15) But he that is Spiritual discerneth all things – yet he, himself, is discerned of no man.” The “Natural man” is, in essence, a Carnal man. He is of the flesh. He is definitively unregenerate and spiritually dead! Ro.8:5-6 also contrasts the flesh and the Spirit by this more complete description. It says: “For they that are after the flesh – do mind the things of the flesh – but they that are after the Spirit – the things of the Spirit. (6) For to be Carnally minded is death – but to be Spiritually minded is life and peace.”
So, we are not at all addressing something insignificant and unimportant! What we are looking at literally defines us – as to whether or not, we are genuinely born from above and truly quickened by the Holy Spirit into being true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ! God’s Word clearly says from Ga.5:16: “I say then, Walk in the Spirit – and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh!” There’s no other way – except by the Holy Spirit — to keep from sowing and following the dictates of our fallen-in-sin flesh.
But, what then is it to “Sow to the Spirit”?
It is indeed to follow the words and dictates of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus says from Jn.6:63: “The flesh profits nothing! It is the Spirit that quickens! The Words that I say unto you – they are Spirit and they are Life! And, remember, it is the Holy Spirit of Christ (our God) that has inspired the whole Bible! Lk.18:1 says: “And He spake a parable unto them – that men ought always [meaning: “at every when” and “at all times”] to pray, and not to faint.” Does not this echo 1Thess.5:17 which says: “Pray without ceasing.” Also, this exhortation is in the midst of vs.14-22 which verses encourage us to live according to the workings of the Will of God. Read it! All of which is the practice of “Sowing to the Spirit”…from which we’re assured by the Spirit of God to “reap Life Everlasting”.
For Christ’s Glory Only! – John Carpenter
by John Carpenter | Mar 15, 2022 | Miscellaneous
Well, dear ones, we are beginning once again on another new camp season here at Del-Haven. Please keep urgently praying with us that we have no problem(s) in going forward with having regular camp sessions. Sheri consistently has inquiries from some children in regard to exactly this! We have been working hard at getting the campground cleaned up and ready regular camps as well. Please pray that our Lord and Savior will open the door and lead the way for His choice as to what children He will send – and as to whom will be willing to help out on our Staff (both male and female).
We will once again be having regular Saturday Work Days – beginning in April – and running all the way to Saturday the 4th of June. That being the case, of course, we will be happy to accommodate anyone, or any group, that can come out at any time to help us get the buildings and grounds fit and ready for camp. Just give us an advance call…our number is at the top of the previous page.
Also, we have lost our regular connection to a Van rental company. So, if any of you know of any Church or person that can help us with transportation of children – to and from camp sessions – please let us know. Our camps begin on Monday morning and end on Thursday afternoon. We have the Monday morning pickup at 10 AM and the Thursday drop off at 2 PM. We typically have camps beginning the 3rd week of June (Mon. through Thurs.) every week except the week of the 4th of July. This means we could fit 6 camps in by the end of July. If any person or church could help us with transporting children on any of those Mondays or Thursdays – that would be wonderful! Please pray with us for the meeting of this need. Thank you.
To put it mildly – We are excited at the prospects of being able to have regular camp sessions once again! If things work out to this end – you just might hear a very hardy Praise to the Lord(!) coming from the area of Lone Jack, MO!
by John Carpenter | Mar 15, 2022 | Devotional
(2)“For the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus – hath made me free from – the law of sin and death.(3)For what the law could not do – in that it was weak through the flesh – God – sending His own Son – in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh. (4) That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us – who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” [Ro.8:2-4]
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked. For whatsoever a man soweth – that shall he also reap! (8) For he that soweth to his flesh – shall of the flesh reap corruption – but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap Life Everlasting!” [Gal.6:7-8]
Due to that which the Lord Jesus has accomplished on our behalf through His atoning work as our eternal Surety and Substitute – let us now meditate on what impact the Word of God declares this wonderful work of Christ will have in our walking through this fallen-in-sin world. Once again, let’s go to the Word of God to get the explanation; after all, “Scripture does interpret Scripture”.
Ro.6:4 plainly describes: “Therefore, we are buried with Him (i.e. Christ Jesus) by baptism into death – that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father – we also should walk – in newness of Life!” What is this “newness of Life” talking about? It is talking about Regeneration! It is talking about having been born from above – by the Word of God and the Holy Spirit of God – whom Jesus, the eternal Son of God incarnate prayed to God the Father for Him to send unto us. Just as Jn.14:16-17 says: “And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter (viz. the Holy Spirit) that He may abide with you forever; (17) the Spirit of Truth; whom the world cannot receive because it seeth Him not – neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him – for He dwelleth with you and shall be in you.” This is the personal — true and genuine spiritual quickening experience that all the elect of God will have! The Holy Spirit of God bears personal witness with the spirit of His true children that they, indeed, are in and a part, of His Holy Family! [see: Ro.8:16-17; 1Jn.3:23-24 and 4:13] The “newness of Life” that is spoken of in Ro.6:4 is the same as what the Holy Spirit inspired Peter to write about in 2Pe.1:3-4> “As His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto Life and Godliness – through the (full-) knowledge of Him (Christ Jesus) that hath called us to glory and virtue: (4) whereby (or, through whom) are given (or, have been bestowed) unto us exceeding great and precious promises – that by these ye might be partakers (or, sharers) of the Divine Nature (of Jesus Christ) having escaped the corruption (or, the spontaneous decay) that is in the world through lust.” This is the “exceeding greatness” of the promises of our Lord Jesus Christ!
Walking in the “newness of Life” in Christ and being “partakers of the Divine Nature” of Christ is what it means in the Gal.6:7-8 text above when it describes “he that soweth to the Spirit – shall of the Spirit reap – Life Everlasting”. And, this is all actively accomplished for us — by and through the Lord Jesus Christ – because we are His “called and chosen and faithful”! [see: Rev.17:14] All of this teaching from the Word of God portrays for us the true believer’s active following of the Lord Jesus Christ – and not the Law! As Gal.2:16 says: “knowing that a man is Not justified by the works of the law – but by the Faith of Jesus Christ; even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the Faith of Christ – and Not by the works of the law – for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” Praise His Wonderful Name!
-For Christ’s Glory Only!
John Carpenter
by John Carpenter | Feb 18, 2022 | Camp News
Well, dear ones, we are definitely in the midst of “winter-in-the-woods” here at Del-Haven! It is beautiful – and quiet! God’s glorious creation magnificently manifests itself in all of its different seasons…and that includes winter. The sense of solitude with its silence invites meditation upon the greatness of our absolutely sovereign creator God. Praise His Holy Name!
1Cor.:15:58 encourages us by saying: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord – forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain – in the Lord.” With that in mind, dear fellow prayer warriors, please do not become complacent in remembering to pray for all our camper/children – along with all of our staff and their helpers. Do not ever forget that God’s Word teaches us that pure gospel preaching is made effectual through our constant saturation of it with all our prayers! We pray for our staff and campers before we even see the boys and girls that our Lord sends to camp for us to present to them the wonderful news of the gospel of God’s grace. And, we continue to pray for them after they leave us and return to their different home and school environments. This is what they really need! In fact, this is what we really need as well.
Please do not forget to pray that we may be able to once again be allowed — without restrictions, to return to holding regular camp weeks once again! Our sovereign God can do anything! Things seem to be loosening up a bit. We hope to be able to venture back into a regular camp program. We pray that we will successfully be able to do so. Your faithful prayerful support is much appreciated. We love you – and we pray for you all as well. We thank our Lord for all He does for us through you!
Also, for all of you that have faithfully donated to Del-Haven in 2021 – annual receipts have been mailed out. If any of you have not received a receipt for what you have given – or, if you have — and there is an error of some kind – please do not hesitate to bring it to our attention so we can get the matter corrected. You can call us at (816) 425-0460.
