by John Carpenter | May 20, 2025 | Camp News
Dear ones, as I put forward in last month’s letter — an urgent prayer request for our Brother – Jeff Hall – let me give you all an update on his health. He had to go through open heart surgery. And, in addition, because he also had a great need for some serious dental work to be performed – that had to come first!
Now at this point I must give first of all – our great Lord and Savior thanks – and then next also for all of you that obviously prayed for Jeff even before you knew of His dire need! I say this because the dentist and the doctor acted so quickly! They performed the much needed dental work on a Wednesday – and then – did the more serious open heart surgery – on the immediate next day (Thursday)! This seemed to me to be a very risky proposition, to say the least! But God (two great words of our Bibles) intervened for Jeff beautifully — in answer to all our hopes and prayers! Jeff came through the crisis – because of Christ his Savior! Thank you, Lord – thank all of you who were moved to intercede on his behalf.
Now, because of the immediate season upon us — of Jeff’s recovery (which should be at least 6 weeks) we will most likely be working on some much needed renovation of our buildings and grounds that we know we need to give some much needed attention. It is our hopes to be able to minister and do some family camping ministry before the end of the Summer. Please be in prayer with us to this end – and please keep Jeff in your ongoing prayers – for his thorough and complete recovery.
Don’t forget to be praying for the Lord’s replacement of our Staff! We want the ones that He provides. Please pray for us – that we may patiently seek Him to hear and answer our prayers.
by John Carpenter | Apr 22, 2025 | Devotional
[Heb.7:25-26]
[Col.2:6,7]
“I am crucified with Christ – nevertheless I live – yet not I – but Christ liveth in me – and the life that I now live – in the flesh – I live – in the Faith of the Son of God – who loved me and gave Himself for me.” [Gal.2:20]
“Know ye not, that – so many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus – were baptized into His death? (4) Therefore – we are buried with Him – through baptism into death – that like as Christ was raised up from among the dead – through the Glory of the Father – even so we – should Walk in Newness of Life.” [Rom.6:3-4]
We have now come to the last two contexts of holy scripture – as listed above – that further de-scribes the spiritual relationship between the Savior and His saved ones – even as they continue their own personal and individual journey of Grace — in and through this fallen-in-sin world. Gal.2:20 delivers to us — the apostle Paul’s description — and personal testimony — of that exact reality. And, even though – the circumstances concerning his personal testimony are diverse from ours – the wonderful outcome — of having been saved-by-grace — is exactly the same! Paul literally says: “I have been crucified with Christ – nevertheless I live – yet not I, – but Christ liveth in me and the life that I now live – in the flesh – in the faith – of the Son of God – who loved me and gave up Himself – for me!”
In this “Light” “of the Word of the Truth of the Gospel” [see Col.1:5] we must not forget, nor overlook the exact words – which our Lord God told Abram and Jacob – from Ge.12:2-3 and 28:13-15 – when He first — Covenantally Called them — and manifested Himself unto them!
This, too, substantiated and confirmed to them — the way that God’s own Word – relates and reg-ulates – the walk of Abraham and Jacob – throughout their whole lives in this world. Unto Abra-ham, from Ge.12:2-3 – God tells him “and I will make of thee – a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great and thou shalt be a blessing (3) and I will bless them that bless thee, and I will curse them that curseth thee, and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed!”
Now look at Ge.28:13-15 when God reveals and confirms unto Jacob — the same Covenantal Re-lationship that He has with him! The circumstances that encompasses this — is through his dream of a Ladder that connects both heaven and earth. The scripture says: “And behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac! The land whereon thou liest – to thee will I give it – and to thy seed. (14) And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth and thou shalt spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south – and in thee — and in thy seed – shall all the families of the earth be blessed! (15) And behold – I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land – for I will not leave thee — until I have done — that which I have spoken to thee of!”
It is significant that we understand that neither Abraham nor Isaac and his son, Jacob were in actuality Jews…since all Jews came from Jacob’s son, Judah. But, what about Jacob’s other 11 sons – from 3 other women? And, Christ our Lord Jesus is to be considered a Jew because both Mary – His virgin mother – and Joseph – His earthly care-providing father – were also of the tribe of Judah. Even the first century Jews that hated the Lord Jesus – considered Him to be a bastard! Neither most of them – nor even those of the household of Mary and Joseph — became True Believers —until after Christ’s resurrection. Which is what we celebrate in this very month!
The meat of this message is truly glorious – and it is what we will be addressing in our next letter. From where we will attempt to conclude the scriptural answer to the question – How do we truly follow our Lord Jesus Christ – while we are still in these sin-producing bodies – where everything we think – say – and do – is, in reality, only always imperfect – sinful? The answer to this question will totally glorify our great Savior and God, the Lord Jesus. Amen.
— John Carpenter
by John Carpenter | Apr 22, 2025 | Camp News
Well, dear family in Christ, we are coming closer and closer to the time where we will begin a spring and summer season of once again – inviting families of the children to come out and spent a few hours of a day participating in Del-Haven Camp activities like swimming, fishing, hiking, crafts and, of course, campfires (along with cooking marshmallows). We also will have a Bible Study time where the pure Truth of the Gospel of the glory, only, of the Lord Jesus Christ will be boldly presented – unto the whole family. We covet your earnest prayers that this will be spiritually productive in bringing forth eternal fruit – according as our Lord wills and is pleased to do.
In order to most effectively accomplish these things – we have to put forward to you – a pressing prayer request where our Brother in Christ, Jeff Hall, is concerned. He has been experiencing a few chest pains lately. And, he has a doctor’s appointment coming up. Please remember to be lifting him up before our Lord in your prayers. Pray that they can detect exactly why he is having these pains – and what exactly he needs — in order to remedy the situation. We need Jeff – and we need him to be alright! So please – let’s keep him in all of our prayers!
Plus, we are still seeking the Lord to lead us to – or lead unto us – some good and capable staff – both male and female – that will be able to lead – both physically and spiritually – where the activities of a camp week is concerned. This is a need that we are praying the Lord, Himself, will supply.
We thank and praise our Lord for all of you that have continued to show your love for Him and us – in His work out here. Your prayers and your gifts have been – and always are – an evidence of — His and your love for this ministry. We love you – and we do pray for you as well.
by John Carpenter | Mar 25, 2025 | Devotional
“Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost – that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them. (26) For such a High Priest became us – Who is Holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners – and made higher than the heavens…” [Heb.7:25-26]
“As ye have – therefore received – Christ Jesus the Lord – so walk ye in Him: (7) rooted and built up – in Him – and established – in the Faith – as ye have been taught – abounding therein – with Thanksgiving.” [Col.2:6,7]
“I am crucified with Christ – nevertheless I live – yet not I, but Christ liveth in me – and the life that I now live – in the flesh – I live – in the Faith of the Son of God – who loved me and gave Himself for me.” [Gal.2:20]
“Know ye not, that – so many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus – were baptized into His death? (4) Therefore – we are buried with Him – through baptism into death – that like as Christ was raised up from among the dead – through the Glory of the Father – even so we – should Walk in Newness of Life.” [Rom.6:3-4]
We are once again looking at the same scriptural references as last month’s devotional. And, have already from there focused upon the He.7:25-26 text – that pertains to our Eternal High Priest – the Lord Jesus Christ. He is our High Priest – because He alone is Holy, Harmless, Undefiled, separate from sinners (all of us) and made to be Higher than the Heavens! We also noted that the pure Truth of what is scripturally stated as being the “Everlasting Gospel” in Rev.14:6-7 – necessarily must include “All” whom Triune God the Father has – “before the foundation of the world!” [see Eph.1:3-7] chosen and placed in Christ (our Eternal High Priest, Redeemer and Holy Substitute).
Now let’s examine how this relates to us – right now – where we presently are in this fallen-in-sin world. The Col.2:6 text first tells us: “As ye have therefore – Received – Christ Jesus the Lord”. A key word, here, is the word, “Received”. Hence the descriptive phrase here concerns – in the same manner — that we have Received Christ – Jesus – the Lord – we are likewise to —“walk” – through this world – (as it says) “in Him”. It is critical that we truly do understand what this means! God the Father having placed us in His incarnated Son – for Him to be our sin — and cause us to become His righteousness so as to save our souls by His great grace. He made us to be approved and accepted in Him! This means that everything that is being described – has been done – in Christ! He is our Vicarious Substitute! This is how we have “Received” Christ Jesus the Lord. The whole Great Triumvirate has a particular work of grace toward us – in order to eternally save our lost souls! The Father placed us in His Son – His Son has historically lived a Holy Righteous Life (for us) – and His Holy Spirit (of both the Father and the Son) has been sent by them to take up eternal residency in us – even while we are still here in this sinful and fallen-in-sin – worldly age. This where Ro.8:14 so appropriately says to us: “As many as are led – by the Spirit of God – they are the sons of God.” He leads us through this world – right out of it – and right into — the eternal blessed presence of our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus! All glory to Him!
This brings us immediately to Col.2:7 – where it literally – and more fully explains: “having been rooted – and being built up – in Him – and being confirmed (or, being eternally established; made firm and sure — that we truly are) – in the faith (which is His Faith) [see Gal.2:16]. “Even (it goes on to say) as ye have been taught (by the Spirit’s teaching and preaching) abounding in it — with Thanksgiving!” All of these verbal participle phrases are performed through us – and for us — by God – and not us. They have been all completely worked out – “in Christ” – our Sovereign Savior Substitute! In whom we have been chosen and placed by God – “before the world began!” [2Ti.1:9] Praise His Holy Name! If it’s not all Christ – it’s definitely all wrong! The last phrase of Jn.15:5 is – and always will be – absolutely true! This is where our Lord Jesus tells us: “for without me – ye can do nothing!”
The center of influence of all the contexts of these particular scriptures – is what has been concluded from Gal.2:20 and Rom.6:3-4! We will examine these texts in next month’s Newsletter… which is actually a Prayer Letter. While we are still in this fallen world – in these frail mortal bodies – we need to continually be praying and seeking our Savior for our own protection and strength. We follow Him by walking in His Holy footprints all the way out of this age and right into glory
— John Carpenter
by John Carpenter | Mar 25, 2025 | Camp News
Well, dear family in Christ, Del-Haven is at this moment riddled with blown down trees and limbs all over the place. But, praise the Name of the Savior there are no buildings or structures that have sustained any damage! God has showed us that His presence and power has preserved us. And, thank all of you that have faithfully prayed for us – and sent gifts to aid in meeting our expenses. Our God does hear and answer all our prayers. We pray for all of you as well.
And, that being said – please continue to lift up our need for male and female staff help! We will train anyone and everyone that wants to serve our Lord with us in ministering to boys and girls that want to come to Camp Del-Haven – where they will experience our camp activities and adventures – and hear the Gospel of the glory only of the Lord Jesus Christ – around the clock each day that they are here. Please pray for us in this regard.
In all your praying – do not forget to pray for our country – and our leaders! Pray that our Lord will move our leaders – to lead us – into “a quiet and peaceable life in all Godliness and honesty”.
