As always, dear ones, please do not forget to pray for those that God will send us as staff in order to minister with us this year. This is an ongoing need that must be filled with just the right persons whom the Spirit of the Lord prepares! And, then there is all the children in whose lives the seed of the Word of God has been planted — and is being continually cultivated. The times we are living in are fraught with danger and sinful degradation. Commit these boys and girls unto the preservation and protective power of our Lord Jesus Christ for their safety and development in Him. They are precious in His sight — and in our hearts as well.
“According as His divine power — hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness — through the (full) knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue; (4) whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises — that by these — ye might be partakers of the divine nature — having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” 2Pe.1:3-4
The grace of God that makes a new creature of the true believing sinner is, indeed, a marvelous and wonderful thing! It is a divinely powerful thing! It affects everything that pertains to the life that is bent toward Godliness. The scriptures dogmatically declare from Rom.3:10 — that because we are born in sin — “there is none righteous -no not one”. This means that man from himself — by himself — is left completely unjustified before holy God.
How then can this be changed? Well, frankly, by us — it can’t! But, where the gospel of the glory of the divine power of God’s grace is concerned — things can be, by His doing — entirely different! Ro.4:5 delivers the wonderful news — “but to him that worketh not — but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly — his faith is counted for righteousness!”
This is what Peter is telling us when he says that through God’s divine power and His exceeding great and precious promises we have become partakers of His divine nature! It is in this way — we have escaped out of the awful grip of the corruption that is in this world through lust!
Of course, how all of this takes place in our lives and experiences is by virtue of the gospel truth that we have been placed by God — in His eternal Son, the Lord Jesus Christ — from before the foundation of the world! And, being a branch in Christ, the Vine, the justifying righteousness that we own — is His righteousness — because we are in Him. Being found in Him — God can find no fault in us! There are no accusations that can be truthfully made against us. Why? Because: “there is, therefore, now — no condemnation — to them that are in Christ Jesus…” “We are His workmanship — created in Christ Jesus — unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
Pr.11:23 says: “The desire of the righteous — is only good!” Why is this the case? Even because as Ps.37:4 says: “Delight thyself also in the Lord — and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” By grace, His desires become our desires.
Whatever it may be that we have — that is good and Godly — we have because it has been graciously given unto us by God. 1Co.4:7 rightly asks it: “…what hast thou — that thou didst not receive? Now if, also, thou didst receive it — why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it?” This is good rich food for thought — for the new year!
For Christ’s Glory Only –
John Carpenter
Please remember that the reality is — that many times — for many of our children — this time of year can be a bitter/sweet experience. Many of these boys and girls must deal with a less than desirable set of circumstances in this lost and fallen world. We earnestly pray that those who have become a part of our camper family will be led of the Holy Spirit to remember the love and salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ — that has been faithfully presented to them out here at Del-Haven. Pray for these dear ones.
“And I will put enmity between thee — and (lit.) between the woman — and between thy seed — and (lit.) between her seed! He shall bruise thy head — and thou shalt bruise His heel.” Ge.3:15
“Therefore, the Lord, Himself, shall give you a sign — the virgin shall conceive — and bear a Son — and shall call His name — Immanuel!” Is.7:14
“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise — (lit.) For as His mother, Mary, was espoused to Joseph — before they came together — she was found with child of the Holy Ghost!” Mt.1:18
“Now all this was done — that it might be fulfilled which was spoken (lit.) by the Lord through the prophet, saying: (23) ‘Behold — a virgin shall be with child — and shall bring forth a Son — and they shall call His name, Immanuel!’ Which being interpreted is: God with us.” Mt.1:22-23
What is it — really — that true believing Christians celebrate at this time of year? The true celebration of Christmas — is a celebration of the history of the eternal reality of the incarnation into the fallen human race — of the eternal Son and Christ of God! It is a celebration of the divine and loving provision of God — of an eternal propitiation and substitute — for all of His lost and sinful children! And, only a loving and gracious God could make such a provision.
The elect and holy angels of God appeared — or, revealed — themselves unto the shepherds and were heard by them to declare: “Glory to God in the highest — and on earth — Peace — good will toward [Or, lit., “in and among”] men.” Lk.2:14
They declared on this trial ridden, tumultuous earth — peace — because He who is called the “Prince of peace” Is.9:6 had finally arrived. He had arrived to ultimately fulfill the eternal purpose and decree of God to provide — through His life and death and resurrection — everlasting peace — between God and all those that He has loved and saved throughout the history of fallen humanity!
There is no peace in this world. Jesus said that in this world we will have trial and tribulation. But, there is an eternally accomplished peace — in Christ — the one and only God/man! A peace that transcends time and eternally exists between holy God and all those that intimately are a part of that which the Bible refers to as His Bride — His Building — His true Church! Praise His Name!
We celebrate the birth of Christ — even because we who are saved realize the He, Jesus, is our peace! Eph.2:14 He, by Himself, as our eternal Savior and Surety — has eternally secured a completely wrought out standing of peace with God — for us.
He brought with His coming a loving reconciliation with God — so that nothing but God’s good will would be realized in and among us — to the glory of His great grace.
May all of us here at Del-Haven wish all of you who receive and read this newsletter — a very wonderful and joyous Christmas celebration!
For Christ’s Glory Only!
John Carpenter
