by John Carpenter | Mar 7, 2017 | Camp News
Well, dear ones, the mild and comfortable weather we’ve been having has all our trees and bushes confused. They don’t know if it’s Winter or Spring(!)…but I like it. The birds are all singing and everything. Of course, it is March in MO and anything can happen. I must say, I have seen it snow pretty good in May. So, we shall see what the sovereignty of our Lord unfolds.
Praises and Prayer Requests
Plans are being laid for the much needed renovation of our Restroom and Shower Facilities. We really do need to get this done before camp begins. Lord willing this will happen. Please be in prayer in regards to this project. Also, pray for us as well where our kitchen is concerned. This is a task that we plan to seriously tackle after our camp season ends this Fall. As the Lord leads and supplies in answer to our constant prayers – we will continue to persevere.
As always, dear friends, remember to pray for the children that our Lord sends to us this year. We want to have their way here and their way back to where they came from paved with prayer for the Lord to make His Word a lamp unto their feet. And, pray also for whomever the Lord sends to be on our staff this year. This is always a real need in this ministry. Please be in earnest prayer for the ones who will be ministering on the front lines in this spiritual battle!
by John Carpenter | Mar 7, 2017 | Camp News, Ministry News
2016 Camp Journal
Now, another entry from our 2016 Camp Del-Haven Journal:
07/21/2016
The last little kids week has been great! It’s so hard to believe that the camp year is almost over! At staff meeting this morning, Sheri made a remark about how we really haven’t had any “bad kids” this whole year, and boy was she right! Almost all of the campers I’ve met this year have been such a blessing in the way that they’ve had good attitudes, learned the verses and songs and participated in the activities.
On one hand – it’s sad that camp is almost over – but it is so amazing and inspiring to see God’s work in the lives of children. Isaac Richardson
Dear ones, please pray for Isaac. He has been such a positive asset to our staff. Pray that the Lord continues to use him for His glory out here at Del-Haven. The children just love him.
by John Carpenter | Mar 7, 2017 | Devotional
“In whom also we obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will.” “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” “For by one offering He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.” [Eph.1:11; Heb.10:10,14]
According to the Word of God, each person of the Trinity is directly involved in eternally assuring the success of the true believing sinner’s sanctification. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit each have their own personal and unique involvement in the sanctification of all the eternally loved, chosen, placed in Christ and blessed: In short, all the saved.
First, they have been sanctified (or set apart) by the eternal purpose and will of God the Father. The Word of God says from Is.14:24: “The Lord of hosts hath sworn saying, Surely as I have thought so shall it come to pass, and as I have purposed, so shall it stand.” Hence, everything about the saved sinner is divinely determined and even predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the Triune Counsel of His own will.
Second, the saved one has been sanctified (or set apart) by the eternal Son of God. It is He that was covenanted from eternity to enter by incarnation into our fallen world where we were lost – in order to become the eternal Lamb of God and give His own life and to shed His own blood — to save us. Therefore, the Word of God describes that we are sanctified in the willingness of the eternal Son of God through the offering that He made of His body as being the Lord Jesus Christ, the only sovereign/Savior substitute that there ever was, is or ever will be. All this was accomplished: “according to the eternal purpose which He (God the Father) purposed in Christ Jesus (His beloved Son) our Lord.” [Eph.3:11]
Third, all the saved have been sanctified (or set apart) by the Holy Spirit of God. He it is that reveals to our hearts and minds the secret purposes of God’s great grace. He it is that also applies the eternally accomplished atonement of Christ very powerfully to our souls, and even to our conscience. He it is that seals to us the intimate and personal and eternal relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ as being our Lord and Savior – our substitute – that, in turn, regenerates us. He it is that continues to progressively unfold the riches of God’s Word to us. He it is that satisfies our hunger and thirst after righteousness – renewing our minds – and centering all our thinking and longing on Christ our Savior.
The Holy Spirit’s entrance into the equation of the saved sinner’s life and being brings forth the quickening — that, in essence, brings forth the life and walk of the faith of the Son of God who loved us and gave Himself for us. It is His dwelling in us that causes us to fill the Biblical description of 2Thess.2:13: “…brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.”
Therefore, all three persons of the Godhead – the Great Triumvirate – have fulfilled the prayer of the Lord Jesus Christ (the incarnated eternal Son of God) when He prayed in the garden the night before He went to the cross: “Sanctify them (lit.) in thy truth – thy Word is truth.” The very tense of the word, sanctify, in Christ’s statement to the Father suggests an already completed action by God upon all those for whom He prays. Praise His Wonderful Name!
For Christ’s Glory Only!
– John Carpenter
by John Carpenter | Feb 16, 2017 | Camp News
**Online registration will open soon for staff and campers**
Our 2017 Camp Schedule is as follows:
Staff Training – June 5-7
Session 1- 6 to 8 Boys and Girls – June 19-22
Session 2 – 9 to 12 Girls – June 26-29
Session 3 – 9 to 12 Boys – July 10-13
Session 4 – 6 to 8 Boys and Girls – July 17-20
Session 5 – 9 to 12 Girls – July 24-July 27
Session 6 – 9 to 12 Boys – July 31 – Aug. 3
(Contact Sheri DeSchepper at 816-690-8465 or sheri@campdelhaven.org if you, or someone you know, is interested in volunteering this coming summer.)
by John Carpenter | Feb 16, 2017 | Ministry News
Well, dear friends, at this particular time we are only 7 weeks from our first work Saturday to prepare for our 2017 Del-Haven Camp season. We are embarking on our 65th year of bringing the gospel to children! All glory and thanks be unto God our Savior!
Our 2017 Camp Schedule is as follows:
Staff Training – June 5-7
Session 1- 6 to 8 Boys and Girls – June 19-22
Session 2 – 9 to 12 Girls – June 26-29
Session 3 – 9 to 12 Boys – July 10-13
Session 4 – 6 to 8 Boys and Girls – July 17-20
Session 5 – 9 to 12 Girls – July 24-July 27
Session 6 – 9 to 12 Boys – July 31 – Aug. 3
Please use this as a guide as you continue to faithfully lift up in prayer everything that is involved in this pure gospel announcing endeavor. Pray for all the children whom our Lord will send to us to hear the gospel and pray for all the staff – the soldiers that He will have recruited to engage in all the rigors of meeting the enemy head-on every day throughout the camp season. Pray for the Lord to be our strength, our patience (endurance), our shield and our buckler – just as His Word says. Finally, pray that He will be eternally glorified through it all. Thank you, dear ones for being there.
