by John Carpenter | Jul 5, 2014 | Devotional
“Whereunto I also labor — striving according to His working — which worketh in me mightily!” “For it is God that worketh in you — both — to will and to do of His good pleasure.” Col.1:29; Phil.2:13
Any and every true ministry and service for Christ is literally performed in complete accordance with the enabling grace of God by virtue of the indwelling Spirit of God.
The first text above comes from a context that directly involves preaching the pure truth of the everlasting gospel. Preaching, warning and teaching — in all wisdom — so that there may be presented many wonderful souls that have been found to have been made “perfect in Christ Jesus” ! It is to this end that the faithful minister “strives” — or, struggles, contends, or endeavors to accomplish. That’s why we strive after this manner — “according to His working — which worketh in us mightily!” He does it! The second text serves to echo this very same reality. In fact, it is the same word in the original that is translated as “worketh” that is used in both descriptions. This outward working — of willing and doing the good pleasure of the Lord God — is the evidence of His divine, soul quickening, life transforming — indwelling presence in our lives.
It is His performance — in us and through us — that does it all! It is His efficiency that continues to maintain the ministry that He has placed us in — even for the meeting of all the endless, mundane tasks that need to be routinely accomplished in and throughout its entire operation in this fallen world. It is in conjunction with His divine strength and power that provides all the ability for His servants to be able to endure all the hardships — all the troubles — and all the difficulties that become an integral part — of all the demands that are involved in the ministry we are called to do while we are here. And, all these demands — and all that’s a part of their accomplishment — will indeed be many! For God’s true servants — are also His true soldiers upon the blood soaked battlefield that this world represents.
So we press on in our labors — realizing that our God, our Savior, the Captain of our faith — has positioned us — at any given moment — precisely where He wants us on the battlefield of this world. That which He wills for us to be — and that which He wills for us to do — will ultimately be exactly what He has ordained for us to be and do. It is coming to know and realize this truth — which keeps us humble before Him and which also gives us strength to carry on until He — and He, alone, changes things — or, takes us home to be forever with Him.
Only then may we be able to boldly say along with the apostle Paul: “But by the grace of God — I am what I am! And, His grace which was bestowed upon me — was not in vain — but I labored more abundantly than they all — yet not I — but the grace of God which was with me.” He gets all the glory — that’s the way it should be!
For Christ’s Glory Only!
John Carpenter
by John Carpenter | Jun 20, 2014 | Camp News
Well, at the time of the writing of this newsletter — we are just days from the first camp of 2014. Please be in earnest prayer to our Lord Jesus for His direct involvement in the presentation of the gospel of His glory. He is the true evangelist!
Thank you so much for your continual support of Del-Haven through your prayers and help and gifts. You all know who you are — and you are loved and appreciated! Without your help — we could not do this. You are an answer to our continual prayers! We praise the Lord in a special way for you!
We have a wonderful staff of young people that the Lord has sent to us to be a part of the labor of love that this ministry truly is. Our staff training week was a rich time in planning, fellowship and getting into the Word. “Storm” the throne of grace on their behalf — beseeching the Almighty for their protection, provision and guidance! The enemy will attack. We are not ignorant of his devices. They…we… need your prayerful support to be delivered from the fiery darts of Satan.
Prayerfully lift up, also, all the boys and girls that are divinely slated to enter into the hearing of the gospel. How wonderful it is to understand that the Word of God reveals that Jesus said, “All that the Father giveth me — shall come to me — and him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out!” — also — “And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me — that of all which He hath given me — I should lose nothing” Pray that our heavenly Father will perform this — His Word and His will — in this coming camp season. Praise His all glorious Name!
by John Carpenter | Jun 20, 2014 | Devotional
“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” Jn.16:33
Jesus spoke this wonderful word of encouragement shortly before He went to the Calvary. When He suffered the affliction of the cross – He endured the worst of conditions for those He came to save.
Although His outward condition was about to become one of unbelievable agony, yet His position was one of unshakable security. Earlier from Jn.14:10-11 He told the disciples that He was “in the Father” and that the things He said and did were not in accordance to His own will, but of the will of the Father. Even so do we have a like relationship with Christ. According to Eph.1:4, we were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world!
In Jesus (who is our peace) we have peace; whereas in this world we have tribulation. But, praise His name, Jesus has “overcome the world”.
God’s grace of faith readily receives this Word from God. What an understatement it truly is — that in the world we will have tribulation. Everyday in this world proves the veracity of this declaration, and it is certain that our Lord knew this to be true — more than anyone — when He said it. What He means to convey for the strengthening of our faith is that — although we must endure the tribulation that fills up the conditions of this world — we who are positioned in Him will have peace…because He, the Prince of peace, has overcome this world of tribulation.
“Tribulation” connotes the pressures that we are under on virtually every level of our life. Whereas the word for “peace” communicates the “rest” of our being in union with our Lord. We are, therefore, by grace united with the only one who has indeed “overcome” the world. That is to say that He has subdued it and brought it completely under His reigning control…Hallelujah! It is no wonder, then, that He also encourages us to “be of good cheer” — which literally means that we are to, in Him, be brave and courageous in the presence of all the world’s trials and pressures.
Is.48:10 declares that the Lord has literally chosen and tried His people “in the furnace of affliction”. We are reminded from this passage of the experience of the three Hebrew boys in the midst of the fiery furnace…with the Son of God. They came out — they came through it — without even the odor of smoke on their clothes.
And finally, Acts 14:22 relates to us how Paul and Barnabus went back through Lystra, Iconium and Antioch “strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, ‘We must through much tribulation enter the Kingdom of God’.” And, having been positioned in Christ — we cannot fail.
by John Carpenter | May 15, 2014 | Ministry News
Do not forget to lift up our front line warriors for the Lord — our staff. These servants are the ones who must face the rigors of the day in and day out ordeals — that can involve the most unexpected situations that a ministry such as this entails. Therefore, they need daily strength and encouragement that only Christ our Lord can provide. So, therefore, please pray for them without fail!
God bless you for your continual prayers and support. We love you all very much.
It is mind boggling to think that just one month from today — we will have already had our first Del-Haven camp of the 2014 season! It is only true saving faith that beholds that which cannot be seen with physical eyes — and that also tightly embraces all the promises of our almighty and sovereign Savior/God. And, truly, the ministry here at Del-Haven is a work — of the faith of the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, who loved us and gave Himself for us. [Ga 2:20]
We still have room for more campers in our first session, June 16-19. So, if you know of any 6 to 8 yr. old boys, or girls — that would like to go to camp — then go to our website: www.campdelhaven.org and fill out an application right away! Please pray that the Lord sends to us the children whom He wills to hear the gospel of the glory of our Lord Jesus. It is this prayer that He has answered for us – now – for over six decades!
Preparations are being completed in order to make the camp ready for the season. We are so appreciative of all who have participated — and who are yet planning to participate — in this much needed labor. We could not do it without you all! Again, continue to pray with us that the Lord guide us — and provide for us — and protect us as we press on in service to His Kingdom — for His glory only!
by John Carpenter | May 15, 2014 | Devotional
“He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief — but was strong in faith — giving glory to God — and being fully persuaded that what He had promised, He was able also to perform — and, therefore, it was imputed to him for righteousness.”
This wonderful text from Ro.4:20-22 is written in reference to the faith experience of Abraham concerning the birth of his promised son, Isaac, by Sarah. And, anyone who knows the circumstances surrounding this incident realizes the impossible odds that were naturally against such a thing ever even happening. Why?– simply because Abraham was 100 years old — and his wife, Sarah, was 90! In fact, the scripture says that Sarah was passed the age of being able to have children. So, when it says that Abraham “staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief” — it is bearing testimony to a rather remarkable aspect in itself. For how could Abraham not doubt in the face of such obvious physical obstacles? After all — this is the same Abraham that just a few years earlier — when traveling with Sarah through Egypt — was so afraid that if Pharaoh knew that he was Sarah’s husband — that he would probably kill him so he could steal her for himself. So, what did this mighty man of faith do? He concocted a scheme to be disguised as his wife’s brother in order to have a better chance of staying out of harm’s way with the Pharaoh! Of course, our gracious and almighty God then intervened for Abraham and delivered him from the Egyptians. Nevertheless, there certainly was some serious “staggering” going on at this particular time in Abraham’s life!
Now — where our text is concerned — the physical aspects of the unlikelihood of being able to bear a firstborn son with his aged wife — were very much pronounced to say the least! But, as it says, even in the face of all the impossibilities he did not demonstrate any wavering unbelief. In fact, it says that he “(1) was strong in faith — (2) giving glory to God — (3) being fully persuaded — that what He had promised, He was able also to perform”. Oh, that we might exude these three Godly traits as well!
There were three miracles that occurred simultaneously around the birth of Isaac:
1. The actual birth of Isaac (which only God by His grace could have done)
2. The unshakable faith of Abraham that stood so strong through all the praying and waiting for the birth of Isaac to finally take place (again, performed by God)
3. Then there is the righteousness that through this whole faith experience that was, by God’s grace, imputed unto Abraham — making him totally acceptable with Him!
This is the miracle of the grace of faith, my friends! For it, alone, is this kind of faith — true saving faith — that is as un-natural to fallen human contrivance as it is for a barren, 90 year old woman to give birth to her first child! There can be no doubt about it — that the very faith that was so remarkably exercised from Abraham — in the face of such impossibilities — was the Col.2:12 kind of faith…“faith of the operation of God — who raised Him [I.e. Jesus] from the dead.
For Christ’s Glory Only,
John Carpenter
