by John Carpenter | Mar 23, 2021 | Devotional
“And He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
- 3.“Blessed — the poor in spirit – for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
- 4. Blessed — they that mourn – for they shall be comforted.
- 5. Blessed — the meek – for they shall inherit the earth.
- 6. Blessed — they that hunger and thirst after righteousness – for they shall be filled.
- 7. Blessed — the merciful – for they shall obtain mercy.
- 8. Blessed — the pure in heart – for they shall see God.
- 9. Blessed — the peacemakers – for they shall be called the children of God.” [Mt.5:2-9]
“Blessed is the man whom thou choosest and causest to approach unto thee – that he may dwell in thy courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house – even of thy Holy Temple.” [Ps.65:4]
Of the seven blessings that our Lord God has bestowed upon us through the person and work of His incarnated eternal Son, Christ Jesus – we have briefly touched upon in previous newsletters, only the first two, viz., “Blessed are the poor in spirit” and “Blessed are they that mourn”. We have also noted that both of these blessings pertain to the Righteousness that God requires in order to be approved and accepted into God’s holy and heavenly presence! Of which – none of us naturally have – nor can we perform, or attain. This is why Jesus tells us from Jn.14:6: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life – no man cometh unto the Father – but by me.” The Lord Jesus Christ, by God’s great grace, is our approval and acceptance with holy, holy, holy God Almighty! The Lord Jesus Christ – indeed — is our eternal Salvation and Life! [see: Rom.6:23, 1Co.1:30-31 and 2Co.5:21]
We now come to the third divinely pronounced blessing: “Blessed are the meek – for they shall inherit the earth.” This blessing – like all of them – is a spiritual blessing – and must be received, believed and understood in a strictly spiritual sense. It has been said that “meekness” is the mark of sinner who has been mastered by God. To be meek — for the most part – in this world – is mocked by a false humility. This is hypocrisy! But, what this verse is referring to is produced in a sinner’s soul that has been blessed with God’s grace of true repentance. “Meekness” according to God’s grace is a true regenerating realization of who you are – as a sinner – before Holy God. This regenerating realization is completely wrought out because the Holy Spirit of God bears witness with your spirit that you have been placed in Christ before the foundation of the world – or, in other words – before the creation of the world – completely forgiven, cleansed and made whole by the atoning blood of He, who is the Lamb of God! “The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world”! [Rev.13:8] It is this Truth of the person and work of Christ that causes you to stand silent, humble and thankful – in a state of true worship — before holy God. And, in this true state of contrition – you know that you do not deserve — in the least bit – for this to be eternally true. Moreover, God promises all who fill this scriptural description – that it is they – that will inherit the “New Heavens and a New Earth – wherein dwelleth Righteousness”! [see: 2Pe.3:13] “Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift!” [2Cor.9:15]
Now the question may be asked: “How can I attain this blessing?” And, the answer is we can’t! No one “attains” any of God’s blessings. If they are possessed – it is because they have been given by His grace. Jesus commands – He does not invite – “Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest! (29) Take my yoke upon you and learn of me – for I am Meek and lowly in heart – and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (30) For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” [Mt.11:28-30] This is the only way that we can obtain God’s holy “Meekness”.
For Christ’s Glory Only! – John Carpenter
by John Carpenter | Feb 22, 2021 | Camp News
Dear ones, the Psalmist is inspired to write from Ps.116:17: “I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving – and will call upon the Name of the Lord!” And, we certainly do have much thanks that we need to give unto our Lord for His answers to our prayers!
The Lord has answered our prayers for brother, Pastor Larry Tennant of Pleasant Grove Bible Church! He is back at home and making real positive progress — having survived a severe stroke. He was able to attend church and even to walk (with his wife, Mary Ann, at his side) to the front of the church and read a Psalm! Praise the Lord! Let’s continue to lift them both up before our Lord for his full recovery!
Also, Samuel Waghmare – a 21yr. old college student – and missionary/pastor Prem Waghmare’s son – was shot seven times in an attempted car jacking incident. However, he has – by the grace of our Savior God (in answer to our prayers) not only survived the attempted murder, but is also back at home with his family! Please put him on your prayer list for his continued recovery as well. None of us are finished in this world – until God says so!
Please put our Sheri D. on your prayer list. She has recently been diagnosed with the Covid as well – and is currently having to go through the mandatory period of quarantine. We need to pray that she comes through this without incident.
Then there’s the report of the status with Jeff’s parents, Jerry and Marsha Hall, (who served faithfully on Del-Haven’s Board of Directors for many decades). Both were in the hospital at the same time having been diagnosed with the virus. Our Lord has seen fit for Jerry to have recovered enough to be back home – thanks to the Lord – whereas, our dear sister, Marsha, has gone on to be with the Lord. Please continue to lift Jerry up to Lord for His Holy Spirit’s wonderful comfort and strengthening at this time. May the peace of God – rule his heart and mind.
Ps.116:15 says: “Precious in the sight of the Lord – is the death of His saints.” The blood of Christ is described as being “Precious” – for by it we have been redeemed and cleansed from all of our sins [see 1Pe.1:19; 1Jn.1:7]; the gift of God’s grace of Faith to believe in the Lord Jesus is described as being “Precious” [see 2Pe.1:1]; and here in Ps.116 – when all of our times finally come to an end – God has declared and made all of our passings away from this sin and trouble filled world – to be “Precious in His sight”. Praise His Wonderful Name!
Of course, in all of your praying, please remember all the Del-Haven campers — and our faithful staff workers and helpers. And, please be praying that we can, once again, have regular camp this year. Dear friends and family in Christ – you all know – that we all need one another’s continual prayers for support as we follow our Savior through this rugged wilderness of a world. So, let us continue to persevere in our praying for one another! We love you all!
by John Carpenter | Feb 22, 2021 | Devotional
“And He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
3.“Blessed — the poor in spirit – for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
- Blessed — they that mourn – for they shall be comforted.
- Blessed — the meek – for they shall inherit the earth.
- Blessed — they that hunger and thirst after righteousness – for they shall be filled.
- Blessed — the merciful – for they shall obtain mercy.
- Blessed — the pure in heart – for they shall see God.
- Blessed — the peacemakers – for they shall be called the children of God.” [Mt.5:2-9]
“Blessed is the man whom thou choosest and causest to approach unto thee – that he may dwell in thy courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house – even of thy Holy Temple.” [Ps.65:4]
All those that are “poor in spirit” – are all those that been blessed with God’s grace of Repentance. And a true Repentance occurs in a chosen sinner’s life when God’s Holy Spirit of grace reveals unto them – the pure and plain truth about themselves as being sinners! It is He – and He, alone – that can convince them that they are indeed a condemned sinner before God and have nothing in themselves, or even that they can make up their minds to call forth to exercise from themselves that will equal what God requires in order for Him to eternally save them. The sad reality of Is.64:6-7 is revealed unto them: “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags – and we all do fade as a leaf – and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away, (7) and there is none that calleth upon thy Name – that stirreth up himself – to take hold of thee – for thou hast hid thy face from us because of our iniquities!”
This despicable reality is why the Savior describes the next blessing bestowed upon His saved ones. He says: “Blessed are they that mourn”. Living life is this fallen-in-sin world produces many sad reasons for us to mourn – but what our Lord is teaching us here is a most particular reason. The real reason the blessed sinner-saved-by-grace-children truly mourn – is the same reason why they are considered to be “poor in spirit”. It is because they are totally bankrupt of the perfect righteousness that they need in order to be eternally saved! And, they “mourn” because the righteousness that they need – can in no way be attained by them – from themselves! And, it is the Holy Spirit of Christ, alone, that gives them an understanding of this reality about themselves. Nevertheless, the message of the Gospel of the glory, only, of the Lord Jesus is: “Blessed are they that mourn – for they shall be comforted! Praise the Savior! So, from where does the Spirit of God deliver unto us eternal comfort from the foreboding reality of our not being able under any circumstances to manufacture and maintain a righteousness that could possibly be approved and accepted by holy, holy, holy God?
He delivers to us everlasting comfort through the person and work of our Substitute/Savior – the Lord Jesus Christ! He points us to the Gospel of His Glory! He gets us deep into the scriptures where it has been recorded! Ro.15:4 tells us: “For whatsoever things were written aforetime – were written for our learning – that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” We are “poor” – because we have no righteousness that we need to get into heaven! We, therefore, “mourn” – because we are nothing in ourselves before our God – nothing but condemned sinners! But, we are blessed because through Christ – and Him alone — we have been given the Kingdom of heaven…and this is what completely comforts us!
For Christ’s Glory Only! – John Carpenter
by John Carpenter | Jan 18, 2021 | Miscellaneous
Donation/Gift receipts will be mailed out before the end of January 2021. Please let us know if you did not receive yours or if you have any questions.
by John Carpenter | Jan 18, 2021 | Camp News
Dear ones, by God’s gracious sustenance and all governing rule over His ministry here at Del-Haven – we are embarking on our 69th year of service unto the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ! And, His sustenance and all governing rule has included all your prayers that have undergirded this work all along the journey that we have come — so far. We continually thank our Savior for all of you – each and every one! We love you – and we pray for you as well.
Please do not forget to keep in your prayers the children whom the Lord has graciously sent to go through the Del-Haven Camp program. Everyday that they are in camp – they continuously hear God’s Word of truth – in song and in general conversation. Pray that the pure and incorruptible Seed of the Word be blessed to bring forth “the fruit” of eternal life in Christ Jesus. And, please remember to pray for our staff of young adults that give of their time and effort to work out all the daily supervisory tasks of Del-Haven Camp life. They, too, need the encouragement and strength of the Holy Spirit to persevere through this fallen-in-sin world – for Christ!
Pray that we be able to once again be allowed to even have camp this year. If the wrong people get into the leadership of our nation – ungodliness in our whole society will run even more amuck than it already is. But, dear friends and family in Christ, whatever our Sovereign God has in store for this year – we here at Del-Haven will press on in whatever way we can do to minister the truth of the Gospel of the glory, only, of the Lord Jesus Christ – the only Sovereign Savior Substitute that there ever was – is – or, ever will be! All praise and glory unto His Wonderful Name! As the first two phrases of the Del-Haven theme song declares: “We will fight for the right at Del–Haven – Reaching Youth for the Truth is our goal”!
In your prayers – we also have some special requests. Please remember Pastor Larry Tennant of Pleasant Grove Bible Church who has recently suffered (but, praise God, has survived) a stroke. He – and his wife, Mary Ann — needs all our prayers in this trying circumstance. He, and the whole church, have been a faithful source of prayer and support for Del-Haven right from the beginning of the Lord’s ministry here – over 68 years! Lord willing – our prayers for Larry will be instrumental in the raising our brother back to complete recovery.
Also, we want to issue an urgent call to prayer for Jeff’s parents: Jerry and Marsha Hall. They are both in the hospital – having tested positive for the coronavirus. We dearly love them very much. Jerry and Marsha served faithfully on the board of directors of Camp Del-Haven for over three decades! Please lift them up in your prayers for their complete recovery as well. There’s no god, but our God – and He doeth all things well! Again, Praise His Name!
