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
by John Carpenter | Nov 18, 2016 | Ministry News
Now for another tidbit from our 2016 Camp Journal. Here are two entries from our own Sheri D. that was entered at approximately the end of June:
“I received an encouraging email from one of the parents who sent her daughter to camp for the first little kids camp. She thanked us, but also expressed how happy it made her to be able to hear her daughter sing her camp songs…‘songs of faith’ as she referred to them. She said she sang them all over the house: in the shower — in her room, etc. It’s a wonderful thought to know that the adults in this house are hearing what this little girl went home with in her heart.” Sheri
“One morning during the girls camp we were sitting around the tables for our morning staff meeting, and as we got ready to start our prayer time, I looked around and suddenly realized that many of our girl staff members were former campers. These campers I used to pray for each morning and I am now praying with them. To God be the glory for the great things He has done!” Sheri
by John Carpenter | Nov 18, 2016 | Ministry News
Praises, Prayer Requests, and Projects
Well, dear ones, by the time you receive this month’s news and prayer letter we will have had an election in our country for the leadership of our nation. May our Lord be pleased to deliver us from a corrupt and oppressive environment. Whatever will have happened in this regard — we need to be in continual, earnest prayer! And, especially, in this particular regard, please continue to remember Camp Del-Haven in all your praying. Be assured that we will be praying for you as you pray for us.
Pray for our children that, for the most part, are completely oblivious to the importance what this election means where they are concerned. The “god of this world” is busy blinding unbelieving and unwary eyes from beholding the light of the gospel of the glory, only, of the Lord Jesus Christ. Pray that the power of God will protect and preserve all these youngsters from being overwhelmed by the ways of this fallen world and the Evil One and his seed. Pray for us as the battle intensifies.
Remember, if you will, the projects that we are saving for to be able to accomplish. Like the renovation of our restroom and shower house for the campers; and, also, the remodeling of our kitchen. We have yet another prayer request where our gate into the camp is concerned. When we installed the gate a few years back be put in place a solar powered gate that conveniently opens and closes via an opener. Well, the motor for the gate went bad and we are faced with an inflated cost as to replace it. It will take right at $500. We have received $250 from our dear friends at Pleasant Grove Bible church designated to go toward the total cost (Praise the Lord). Please pray with us that our Lord will send in the necessary remaining balance so that we can install a new motor for our gate. Thank you.
by John Carpenter | Nov 18, 2016 | Devotional
“Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” Rom.6;6
This text begins by saying, “Knowing this”. Which obviously refers to that which has just been laid down by the apostle immediately before it. Ch. 6 begins with two questions: “What shall we say then? “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?” To which is immediately replied, “God forbid!” The reason given is because we who have been immersed in Christ — have also died with Him when He died paying the penalty for our sins — and since we died with Him who died for our sins, then how is it that we should live any longer in this world enslaved to them? This leads right up to the wonderful message of Ro.6:4 which concludes by saying: “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism unto death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”
What a wonderful Savior the eternal Son of God incarnated into being the Lord Jesus Christ truly is! He is, indeed, our propitiation — the one who has satisfied all the holy requirements in obtaining eternal remission and redemption from all of our sins. Praise the Savior! He is our sovereign Savior/substitute — our eternal Surety! Where sin’s losing its reign over us is concerned, Ro.6:6 comes directly into play when it declares: “Knowing this”. When by grace the Holy Spirit reveals this truth regarding the eternal person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ, and it having been eternally accomplished for each of us personally, intimately and completely — then we understand what it means that we are eternally secure in knowing the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Savior.
All the remaining aspects about us still being sinners in this sinful world suddenly take a back seat to the glorious fact that although sin still remains as an immediate and dreadful part of our animated being — it does not reign over us as it once did before we came to the wonderful gospel truth concerning the eternal Savior Son of God (who is, indeed, our own personal Savior). The text says: “…our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed [or, lit., rendered inoperable] that (we who have been immersed in Christ; in His death for us; in His being buried for us; and in His being raised from the dead on our behalf) henceforth we should not serve sin.”
How totally marvelous that no longer will we religiously serve as a bond-slave our sins! No, rather, we become bond-slaves of Him who has bought and paid for us with His own holy body and blood. He is our strength; our peace with God; our hope for eternal life. He is our all and all; we follow Him; we totally trust in Him. To grow in this grace is to grow in the ever increasing knowledge of this truth.
For Christ’s Glory Only!
-John Carpenter
by John Carpenter | Oct 11, 2016 | Ministry News
And now, another entry from our camp journal:
06/23/2016
“First camp of the summer…done!
This is my 10th summer serving as a counselor. I remember my friend, Sam, bringing me out here when I was 15…you could have never told my younger self I would be there this long. Over the years, Del-Haven was used by the Lord to fill a hole in my home, to draw me closer in love and knowledge of our dear Savior; to refine me to His likeness and grow me from a shy country girl. I’m so glad the Lord saw fit to keep me here this long. I feel so blessed to be able to serve and know others who love the Lord here.
Kamora told me (I asked the girls what scared them) that she was afraid of being kidnapped, shot or hurt – where she lives. She occasionally goes to church (described with great, dramatic, Kamora-style words), but it sounds like they rarely have scripture focused time at church, and that it is based on feelings. Keep her safe, Lord. Save her soul, and lead her to have her focus on knowing you; not just knowing how you apply her life, but how you want her to live for you – and that knowing and loving you intimately is the greatest treasure of all!
These children (and all of us in this world) need so much grace and mercy and truth that is only found in Christ in their daily lives. Teach us to flood their week with that when they are here.
Kendle L.
Please remember to pray for Kendle. Pray that the Spirit of God continue to use her for the glory of Christ. Pray for her needs – both of this world and more importantly, her spiritual needs.
