by John Carpenter | Apr 10, 2018 | Camp News, Miscellaneous
Praises and Prayer Requests
Well dear ones, we are now only a couple of months away from the launch of our 66th annual camp season. We are committed and dedicated to serving the Lord in ministering the gospel of the glory, only, of the Lord Jesus Christ unto 6 to 12 year old children. This has been, and still is, the primary purpose of the existence of Camp Del-Haven. God has sustained us all these years. We truly do need your continual prayers for the spiritual fruitfulness of our faithful endeavors. God has ordained it for prayer to be a means of His accomplishing what He wills.
That being said, we humbly ask for you to please seek the Lord with us in His provision for willing men and women to help us to minister directly to the boys and girls that the Lord will send to us this year. Thank you all for your past faithfulness to provide. We love you and your persistent prayerful support. We praise our God for each and every one of you!
Pray also that the Lord will continue to lead in the completion of the renovation of our kitchen and shower house facilities. It is looking very good! Prayers of joy and thankfulness fill our hearts and our voices over what we see has happened – and is happening. How we long to see the completed outcome!
We still need to put everything back together. We still need someone who is an experienced spray painter to help us with the kitchen cabinets. We have got them sanded – please pray for someone to help us get them primed and painted. If you can be of service in this way, please do not hesitate to call us at: 816-690-8465 or 816-277-7071.
Thank you all for the way in which you have responded to our ongoing needs. We can’t tell you how that encourages us. We see it as a manifestation of God’s faithful leading and providing!
We have listed a few expense items that make our summer months a little more financially straining. You may notice that the list is half the size as last year due to the fact that we were able to paint the dining hall and begin the projects in the shower house and the kitchen. We are so thankful to the Lord and to those of you who have prayed with us and even given toward meeting the extra needs we had last year.
Van Rental to transport campers from Kansas City ($200/week x 6) = $1,200
Chemicals for the swimming pool ($200-300/week x 10) = $2000-$3,000
Recreation/Craft/Program Supplies = $400
by John Carpenter | Apr 10, 2018 | Devotional, Miscellaneous
“And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power, (20) which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, (21) far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named – not only in this world, but also in that which is to come…” [Eph.1:19-21]
This is the month in which we celebrate the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, this text is indeed a good one to examine. Of all the different scriptural contexts that describe the genuine faith of the true believer who is still in this fallen world – this is one of the most amazing! For this portion of scripture plainly declares that true saving faith is all of God!
In these three verses, “power”, is being alluded to from five different original sources – and all of which are describing the power of our Lord God. It is no wonder that Jesus, Himself, declared from Jn.6:29: “This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent.” In Eph.1:19, the Spirit of God through Paul declares that it, “is the exceeding greatness of God’s power to us who believe…”.The word used here for “power” literally means: miraculous power. This is a divine supernatural “power” that is not of this world at all! This is the same word for “power” that is used in Ro.1:16: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. For it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth…” And then, the rest of Eph.1:19 really nails it when it goes on to describe of those who truly do believe – that they believe “according to the working of God’s mighty power”!
The original word that is translated as “working” is uniquely used in the New Testament, in that, it is used only in reference to supernatural power – whether of God, or of the Devil. We get our English word “energy” from this Greek word. It describes supernatural power in exercise. In this context where genuine faith in Christ is concerned – it is God’s supernatural power in exercise. Check out the way that it is used as the word for “operation”, when describing “faith” in Col.2:12: “the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised Jesus from the dead. Next, there are the two words: “mighty power”. “Mighty” is from a word that connotes “strength” as it is used in Mk.12:30: “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart – soul – mind – and strength”. But, in Eph.1:19 it is in direct reference with God’s “strong and mighty power”! The word that is inspired here — by the Holy Spirit — is a word that denotes a manifested “power” as being a specific act of God. Hence, all of these words connote the powerful and gracious work of God on our behalf – making us to be His true believing children while we are still in this tribulation filled world.
Eph.1:20-21 tells us that He completely wrought all of this out for us “in Christ”. According to Eph.1:3-4, this is where He chose us and placed us before the foundation of the world. Then it says that this was all completely worked out for us, “when He raised Him from the dead and set Him at His own right hand in heavenly places, (21) far above all principality and power [This fifth word for “power” means sovereign authority] and might and dominion – and every name that is named – not only in this [fallen-in-sin] world – but also in that which is to come” [the glorious new heavens and new earth wherein righteousness dwells]. In short, the sovereign power that God exercises and demonstrates in bestowing upon us the grace of His true saving faith is the same strong and mighty power that He gloriously manifested when He raised His beloved, incarnated and eternal Son from the dead! Praise His all-powerful Name!
For Christ’s Glory Only,
John Carpenter
by John Carpenter | Mar 28, 2018 | Camp News, Miscellaneous
Email sheri@campdelhaven.org for more information.
by John Carpenter | Mar 28, 2018 | Camp News, Miscellaneous
2018 Summer Camp Schedule
If you or someone you know may be interested in a summer ministry opportunity, have them contact us at 816-690-8465 or sheri@campdelhaven.org. Volunteers must be at least 14 years old. You may also refer to our camp website www.campdelhaven.org.
| Staff Training |
June 4-6 |
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| Boys and Girls 6 to 8 |
June 18-21 |
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Boys and Girls 6 to 8 |
July 16-19 |
| Girls 9 to 12 |
June 25-28 |
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Girls 9 to 12 |
July 23-26 |
| Boys 9 to 12 |
July 9-12 |
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Boys 9 to 12 |
July 30 – Aug. 2 |
by John Carpenter | Mar 28, 2018 | Devotional
“I am the good Shepherd: the good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep.” “I am the good Shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me – even so know I the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold; them also – I must bring. And they shall hear my voice – and there shall be one fold – one Shepherd. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down – and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.” “I and my Father are one.” [Jn.10:11,14-18,30]
This teaching is directly from Jesus. This is where He declares Himself to be the “Good Shepherd”. This is both a very simple and yet a profoundly solemn truth. For it specifically deals with the eternally covenanted atonement of all the sins of all His sheep. It is the carnal and perverse spin of fallen men that has propagated so much confusion concerning this portion of God’s Word. E.g., in vs.11 Jesus announces in no uncertain terms that He is the “Good Shepherd”. Then He immediately adds: “the Good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep.”
The word that Jesus uses for “life” is the same word for “soul” in Mt.10:28 – from where Jesus declares: “…fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the SOUL: but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both SOUL and body in hell!” In other words, dear ones, Jesus says that we should fear only God – for He is the only one who can do that!
Then the Lord Jesus continues in vs.14-18 by giving us some strong clues as to who truly are His sheep. The first of which is that there is an intimate relationship between Him and His sheep. He says from vs.14 that He intimately knows His sheep. Secondly, He says that He, Himself, is also intimately known by them. The loving intimacy of this relationship is made plain by the literal way that vs.15 describes it. Jesus says that the relationship between Him and His sheep is “Just as the Father” knows Him – and He knows the Father. The loving relationship between the Father and Jesus is Biblically famous! Vs.15 closes with Jesus restating that He, the “Good Shepherd,” gives His (soul) life for the sheep.
Next the Lord Jesus makes a remarkably wonderful statement. He says that there are other sheep that He owns – which are not of this fold; and them also He must (lit.) lead. These others come from every race – kindred – tongue – tribe and generation! Praise the Lord! Every single individual one of them will hear His voice! They hear the gospel of the glory, only, of the Lord Jesus Christ! And, Jesus goes on to descriptively declare that there will be one fold – with one primary Shepherd!
Then Jesus brings up yet again – His eternally atoning sacrifice for all of His sheep throughout the whole history of fallen-in-sin humanity. And, He declares that the everlasting love of God permeates all of it. He says, “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my (soul) life, that I might take it again. (18) No man taketh it from me – but I lay it down of myself. I have power (lit. I have sovereign authority) to lay it down, and I have power (lit. I have sovereign authority) to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father!” This is the commandment of the New Covenant – which is the covenant between God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit – which was entered into before the very foundation of the world. This is the foundation of God which is firmly and eternally sealed in that He intimately knows those that are His. These are His sheep for whom He sacrificed His soul in order to eternally save all theirs. (2Ti.2:19)
For Christ’s Glory Only!
John Carpenter
