by John Carpenter | Jan 19, 2017 | Camp News
To inform you all of just where we are financially — we ended 2016 and have begun 2017 in arrears $53,444.72. Our present arrangement with the bank is one of having to make at least an interest payment on the outstanding balance each month. That is an amount of around 200 to 250 dollars a month. We were able reduce our loan principle by $100 last month. This goes slowly because this expense is over and above our regular expenses each and every month. Plus, we have two other very necessary projects on our list that include a much needed renovation of our kitchen and rest room facilities. We have established a separate account with the bank just for the specific funds to meet the expenses of both these tasks. We feel that we need the rest room redone before the kick off of the 2017 camp season. The amount we need for the rest room renovation has not yet been nailed down, but it looks as if it will run about $4000. Please be in prayer with us about the meeting of this need.
As always, please be in prayer for all the children that we have already ministered to and, as well, the ones that the Lord will be sending new to us in 2017. We are already receiving applications for this summer’s camp sessions. And, please be praying for the Lord’s choice where our staff is concerned. We had a wonderful summer this last year and want the Lord’s leading again for this year.
Thank you for being there. We love you and we pray for our Lord’s blessing upon you all!
by John Carpenter | Jan 19, 2017 | Devotional
“Men ought always to pray and not to faint.” [Lk.18:1]
“Pray without ceasing.” “Brethren, pray for us.” [1Th.5:17,25]
“Continue in prayer; watch in the same with thanksgiving; (3) withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance to speak the mystery of Christ… (4) that I may make it manifest as I ought to speak.” [Col.4:2-4]
The Word of God contains many texts that contain descriptive phrases of the general way that things should be for any and every true Christian existing or living in this fallen and cursed world. The three texts above are examples of this.
The first of which comes to us directly from the lips of the person and being of the incarnated eternal Son of God, Himself. He issued this specifically to His disciples. The general plural term for man is not used. Therefore, He is really saying this unto any one of His true disciples that it behooves them to always be making the noun “prayer” into an active verb — and not to become weary of doing this in the troubled environment of this fallen and cursed world!
The second text comes to us from the Holy Spirit inspired pen of the apostle Paul. This phrase is included among a whole list of descriptive mandates and exhortations for true believers to follow in their daily walk by faith through this sinful world. And, it is important to also note that both of these texts are urging for prayer to be practiced in a broader way than when we worship in private. This text is not suggesting that we drop to our knees and pray at all times, but that when we walk in the Spirit, He will make us mindful of our sovereign Lord even when we find ourselves in the immediate presence of worldly trails and circumstances that we face in this world every day. We have a blood paved path via the eternally accomplished atonement of our Savior, Christ Jesus, that has consecrated for us access at any time into the very throne room of Almighty God! Praise and glory unto our Savior!
The third text is a more pointed and focused exhortation for us to ever be mindful that we need to be engaged in prayerfully seeking from our sovereign, all governing Savior and Lord that He ever be faithful to lead us into viable opportunities to proclaim the pure gospel unto this lost and perishing world all around us. This is the kind of praying that we here at Camp Del-Haven continually covet from all of you. This kind of praying — we hope and pray takes place when you gather together in church, or in groups of yourselves for genuine Christian fellowship. This is true even though in this Colossians context it is encouraged by the Holy Spirit inspired apostle (in regards to his particular ministry) to be performed, as he says, “withal”, or, “at the same time” that he commands them to earnestly persevere in the holy habit of prayer. The apostle, by the Holy Spirit, is seeking prayerful support for his continued perseverance in presenting the gospel of the glory, only, of Christ. And, this is what we desire from all of you — more than anything else.
For Christ’s Glory Only
-John Carpenter
by John Carpenter | Dec 12, 2016 | Ministry News
Here is another entry from our 2016 Del-Haven Journal:
“Well this whole week has not gone as I planned. Coming out to camp was not even on my radar till Jeff got a hold of me. He expressed the need for another man to help out. I had planned to be at home resting from my long trip, but God had other plans.
As of today camp has gone so well. No fights or rough situations. Most boys even say, ‘Yes mamm’, and ‘Yes sir’ when being asked to do something. Jeff could not get through his whole Bible study that he had prepared for the second time because they had so many questions. Jeff and I were talking about it on the way to dinner, then we thought about today’s memory verse: “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” [Pr.16:9]
It’s just been great seeing the hand of God active and using us to speak into these boys lives. I look forward to the next two days and seeing what our Lord will do.” John Norris
John was a surprised addition to our staff help this last summer. We were so thankful that the Lord provided him the time and the inclination to fill such a vital need in our staff and camp schedule. We do serve a truly great Savior!
by John Carpenter | Dec 12, 2016 | Ministry News
Well, dear friends, we have come down to the end of another year. 2016 has been endured and survived by the grace and goodness of our sovereign God. It is by His enabling power that we trust in Him, and Him alone. The grace of genuine faith manifests itself in all our prayerful petitions for all His strength, supplies and sustenance that continually gets us through each day. That being the truth, we wish to thank and praise Him for all of you that have faithfully and prayerfully journeyed with us for however long you that you have. We love you, and we do not neglect to lift you up in our prayerful pleas for our God to abundantly bless you.
You all have a wonderful and a very Merry Christmas!
As we undergo the transition into 2017 – Please remember all the campers and staff that have played a vital role in 2016. Those that have just been introduced to Camp Del-Haven as well as all those that become out steady regulars year after year. Pray with us that the Lord will bless them and keep them and cause His face to shine upon them – and give them peace. And, especially where our staff help is concerned, pray that if it is the Lord’s will, that He will bring them back to help us in 2017.
Praise the Lord, He has provided the full amount for us to be able to be able to replace the motor for our gate. We thank and praise Him for hearing and answering our prayers.
by John Carpenter | Dec 12, 2016 | Devotional
“For unto us a child is born; unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (7) Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end — upon the throne of David, and upon His Kingdom – to order it , and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.” [Is.9:6-7]
This prophetic utterance was granted to Isaiah by the Holy Spirit around 741 years before the actual birth of the incarnated eternal Son of God into the historical timeline of fallen humanity. It truly is an amazing and an inspiring thing to contemplate the actual context of what this portion of God’s Word tells us, especially considering when it was written. It is obvious that Is.9:6-7 points to a substantiation of what God, Himself, announced in the hearing of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden when He also foretold unto that wicked serpent, the Devil: “…and I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed – He shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel.” [Ge.3:15] It is the promised seed of the woman that is to be the fulfillment of God’s Word of eternal victory and deliverance over sin — to which Is.9:6 refers.
The apostle Paul refers to this same eternally victorious seed when he is led of the Holy Spirit to speak of God’s promise unto Abraham in Gal.3:16: “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, ‘And to seeds’, as unto many, but as unto One, ‘And to thy seed’ – which is Christ!” Once again, it is unto God’s sure and certain fulfillment of His holy Word to which this refers. The connection between Ga.3:16 with Gen.3:15, is obvious, the seed being referred to is ultimately the God/man, Christ. He is the promised seed even where Abraham was concerned when in his lifetime there occurred the miraculous birth of Isaac through his aged wife, Sarah. Hence, it is also written: “So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.” “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” [Ga.3:9,29] From here we come to Gal.4:4 and the wonderful declaration of God’s sovereignty: “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son – made of a woman – made under the law…” Praise the Lord! This is what we sinners-saved-by-God’s-grace really celebrate! “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse. For it is written: Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.” And then it also states: “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law – being made a curse for us…” [Ga.3:10,12] Praise and glory unto the fufillment of the eternal purpose of the birth of our blessed Savior!
It is no wonder that John the apostle starts his gospel account by declaring: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (2) The same was in the beginning with God. (3) All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made!”[Jn1:1-3] Then from vs.14 we are told: “And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father – full of grace and truth.”
Beloved, the “Living Word of God” was the seed that our heavenly Father promised would come and prove that sin and death and that old serpent, the Devil, has been defeated through Him — who is, has been, and always will be – our eternal sovereign Savior/substitute! We have been chosen and placed and blessed with all spiritual blessings in Him – from eternity – in eternity – and for eternity! Hallelujah and Amen!
For Christ’s Glory Only!
-John Carpenter
