by John Carpenter | Mar 9, 2015 | Devotional
“One thing have I desired of the Lord — that will I seek after! That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life: to behold the beauty of the Lord — and to inquire in His temple.” [Ps.27:4]
This text is an incredibly explicit description of every truly regenerated and converted child of God. The first line of verse one of this great Psalm declares: “The Lord is my light and my salvation — whom shall I fear?” When it says that the Lord is his “Light” — it points to His being the light of the truth concerning Himself unto him — personally. The Spirit of the Lord — Jesus tells us from Jn.16:13-14 — is the revealer of the truth concerning Christ unto us. He uses the Word of God as the main instrument in accomplishing this revelation. That’s why Ps.119:105 tells us that the Word becomes a lamp unto our feet — and a light unto the path of each and every one of His eternally loved and chosen ones. And, when it says that the Lord is his “Salvation”– it means that the Lord is becomes to him — his personal Savior. Obviously, if this be true — then there is no need to fear.
A large part of the Lord’s being the “Light and Salvation” of the true believing sinner is in the evidence that the regenerated sinner becomes a “seeker” after God as he passes through this world. This is a wonderful and remarkable transition. For the Word of God describes of every fallen and unregenerate sinner — that in their lost estate — without exception — “there is none that seeketh after God” [Ro.3:11]. The saved sinner has become something that he absolutely was not! He has become a seeker after God — and the things of God. God — through His incarnated eternal Son, the Lord Jesus Christ — has sought out from among the population of the masses of fallen and lost sinners — the sinner that He has eternally loved and chosen to be one of His eternally saved ones — and found him — and transformed him into being His loving, seeking dear child. It is a marvelous truth of God’s great grace! Hence, does verse four describe the desire of the sinner saved by grace. Ps.37:4 aptly states: “Delight thyself in the Lord — and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” Ps.27:4 declares one such desire that the quickened seeking sinner seeks. And that is that he may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of his life in this fallen world. The word so used for “desire” in this verse connotes “asking”. So this becomes the substance of his continual cries unto the Lord.
The verse eight divulges the reality of the source of the searching of the true believing sinners heart and life throughout the days of his life in this world. The Word says: “When thou saidst, ‘Seek my face!’ My heart said unto thee, ‘Thy face, Lord, will I seek’.” Praise His gracious Name! And, we are assured of receiving this that we desire from God — for the scripture goes on to bear testimony from verses 13-14: “I had fainted — unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord! Be of good courage, and He will strengthen thine heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord.”
For Christ’s Glory Only!
John Carpenter
by John Carpenter | Feb 17, 2015 | Ministry News
Don’t forget — our Del-Haven Banquet is scheduled for Saturday, March 21!
It will once again take place at Pleasant Grove Bible Church — 4916 Lee’s Summit Rd. in Kansas City, MO. We will be having it over the noon hour from 11:30 AM to 2:00 PM. As always, there will be fine food — friendly fellowship — and good music. Plus, you will get first hand information on what the Lord is continuing to do in and through the ministry of Del-Haven. We hope — the Lord willing — that you plan to be with us! Tell someone new about us — and then bring them to the banquet.
by John Carpenter | Feb 17, 2015 | Ministry News
Camp Dates for 2015:
Staff – June 8-10
Session 1 – June 22-25
Session 2 – June 29-July 2
Session 3 – July 13-16
Session 4 – July 20-23
Session 5 – July 27-30
Session 6 – Aug. 3-6
If you, or anyone you know, is interested in serving the Lord with us this summer, please call Sheri at 816-690-8465 or email at sheri@campdelhaven.org.
by John Carpenter | Feb 17, 2015 | Ministry News
Greetings, dear friends and fellow prayer supporters of this gospel declaring ministry of Camp Del-Haven! Thanks be unto our Lord — for His leading through you all in His sustaining us in this true gospel evangelistic endeavor. We truly thank the Lord for you all — for every bit of support that you afford to us in every form in which it comes unto us. Praise and glory unto His great Name!
Well, dear ones, the God and governor of all providence draws us nearer and nearer unto another camp season of ministering the glorious gospel of God’s sovereign grace unto boys and girls. Of all the things that need to be done — Holy Spirit led prayer is the most needed! It is tried and proven to be the most effectual way for us to prepare for the battle that we face. The invisible enemy and murderer of souls ever vies to disarm and disrupt by keeping us off of our knees before the throne of grace — and seeking from the Captain of our eternal salvation the wisdom, strength, protection and leading — that we need in order to serve Him, both, honorably and successfully. And, this is where your support is most keenly felt and realized! We are so thankful for your faithful prayers. Please keep us in your prayers! Pray for the children the Lord sends to us, as well as, pray for the staff of young men and women that He provides to serve each camp session. Our 2015 camp schedule is herein provided so you can pray specifically for each camp.
by John Carpenter | Feb 17, 2015 | Devotional
“Oh how great is thy goodness — which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men! (20) Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man; thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion — from the strife of tongues.” [Ps.31:19-20]
That which is being communicated here — from this portion of Ps.31 — concerns an attribute of God — His abundant Goodness. God’s Goodness has been, and is being reserved for — and completely worked out — in all of God’s eternally saved ones. This text is describing, in particular, the Goodness that the Lord is for all those that fear Him and that trust in Him — as they live and walk with Him — before this fallen world. They — their very lives — are living testimonies of God’s great Goodness.
According to Ga.5:22, God’s Goodness is a part of the holy fruit of God the Holy Spirit who quickens us and dwells in us and guides us through this world. Rom.2:4 declares that it is “the Goodness of God that leadeth thee to repentance”. True repentance is, itself, a distinguishing grace that our Lord bestows upon His loved and chosen unto eternal salvation. It is as essential to our regeneration and conversion as is the grace of faith. With faith — “of the operation of God” [Col.2:12] — we lovingly embrace the Lord Jesus Christ as our righteousness — our hope — our peace — and our everlasting Savior unto eternal life. Whereas, with repentance — as having been graciously “granted” unto us by God [Ac.11:18] — we are made aware that we are sinners before holy and almighty God, and we are turned from our sin unto Him [Ac.20:21]. All of this is performed — not according to any Goodness in us [Ro.3:12] but completely and solely by the holy Goodness of God!
This is why the Psalmist says: “Remember not the sins of my youth — nor my transgressions — according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy Goodness sake, O Lord.” [25:7] And: “Blessed is the man whom thou choosest — and causest to approach unto thee — that he may dwell in thy courts! We shall be satisfied with the Goodness of thy house — even of thy holy temple.” [65:4] And again: “My Goodness, and my fortress; my high tower and my deliverer; my shield, and He in whom I trust…” [144:2]
Isaiah prophesied concerning all the true children of God: “I will mention the loving-kindness of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us — and the great Goodness toward the house of Israel — which He hath bestowed on them according to His mercies and according to the multitude of His loving-kindnesses!” [Is.63:7]
Even so, we should be in constant prayer for one another according to the example of the apostle Paul as written in 2Th.1:11: “Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His Goodness and the work of faith with power.” Amen
For Christ’s Glory Only!
-John Carpenter
“Oh that men would praise the Lord for His Goodness
and His wonderful works to the children of men!” Ps.107
