by John Carpenter | Feb 19, 2024 | Camp News
(Shown above, a recent February sunrise over the Camp Del-Haven dining hall.)
“My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord, in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee and will look up.” [Ps.5:3] “As for me, I will call upon God, and the Lord will save me! (17) Evening and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice.” [Ps.55:16-17]
Well dear ones, already the days seem to be getting longer – and a little warmer…at least warmer than the frigid cold we have recently had to endure. What is right upon us as camp season is concerned – is our intention of contacting our camper families to see about scheduling them for a day of Family Camp Activities. Please be in prayer with us in this regard – that we will get a good reception. There were many great times that we had last year – with encouraging responses from the children and their parents and care providers.
We are still seeking the Savior to send us male and female staff help. What we are asking for is for truly awakened and quickened folks to fill the bill of being cabin and camp leaders – so that, Lord willing, we can resume having boys and girls camp weeks like we had before. Let us keep this matter before our Lord – in accordance with His sovereign will and good pleasure.
Dear family in the Lord, please include Jeff Hall, our longtime camp assistant, in your prayers. He has been having pains in his chest, and after seeing a heart specialist – he has been prescribed some mild medication – as well as put on a schedule for further tests. Jeff will be 57 on his next birthday. Please pray that the Lord continues to strengthen and sustain our dear Brother Jeff!
Also, as a “heads up” to our supporters – our traditional first Work Day is coming up. It will be the first Saturday in April. We do have quite a bit of outside campground work to do if any of you – or a group from your church – feel like lending us a hand. Our camp number is (816) 425-0460.
Thank you all for continuing to pray and financially-support our efforts in presenting the pure Word of the truth of the gospel of the glory – only – of the Lord Jesus Christ. We love you – and pray for you. — John Carpenter
by John Carpenter | Jan 17, 2024 | Devotional
And He spake a parable unto them – that men ought always to pray, and not to faint. (2) Saying: ‘There was in a city — a judge – that feared not God – neither regarded man. (3) And there was a widow in that city – and she came to him, saying: Avenge me of mine adversary! (4) And he would not for awhile, but afterward he said within himself: Though I fear not God – nor regard man (5) yet because this widow troubleth me – I will avenge her – lest by her continual coming – she weary me.’ (6) And the Lord said, ‘Hear what the unjust judge saith! (7) And shall not God avenge His own elect – which cry day and night unto Him – though He bear long with them? (8) I tell you that He will avenge them speedily! Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh – shall He find faith on the earth?” [Luke 18:1-8]
The Lord Jesus Christ – the eternal Son of God incarnate – is our eternal Savior. We have been eternally saved — according to the perfectly performed merits of His obedient righteousness; and the eternal efficacy of His sin-atoning shed blood; and the omnipotent power of His sovereign Grace! As being our great Savior – He was, is and always will be – in all things – our excellent example. Although He is much more than just our example – and always will be – we who are truly His chosen sinner/children – will – by His grace seek to pattern our lives after Him.
1st Peter 2:21-24 plainly says: “For even hereunto were ye called – because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps. (22) Who did no sin – neither was guile found in His mouth. (23) Who, when He was reviled – reviled not again – when He suffered – He threatened not – but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously. (24) Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree – that we – being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness – by whose stripes ye were healed! (25) For ye were as sheep going astray – but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.”
From Jn.13:15, Jesus says: “I have given you an example – that ye should do as I have done…” Jesus shows us by example how to walk according to His faith through this sinful, fallen and passing away world. He shows by example what it means to truly love – both – Him and one another. And, He demonstrates for us how to suffer patiently by committing ourselves to the sovereign care of our heavenly Father! He shows us that just by living in this world of trial and adversity – walking by His faith and believing in Him – we are, in fact, serving Him by being reflections of Him!
In the matter of prayer, for instance, our Lord is an absolutely exemplary example for us to imitate. From His Word, He tells us to “continue in prayer” [Col.4:2] and “pray without ceasing” [1Th.5:17], which surely means that He has willed for us to do just as He has done! As such, this Godly activity of prayer, along with many other disciplines, is a living example of a true close relationship with Christ!
And, when you think about it – if ever there was a man who might not have a need to pray – it would be the God/man! After all – He did no sin. He knew no sin. He had no sin. But, it was He who became sin for all those for whom He died! He had a Holy Soul! The lusts of the flesh that in this world always wage war against all the fallen-in-sin souls of God’s chosen sinner/children – absolutely could not even come close to subduing the Holy Soul of our Savior! That ever constant daily battle was bravely fought by Him — and through His faith in the Word of His heavenly Father – He was overwhelmingly victorious over sin! And, through Him – so are we!
by John Carpenter | Jan 17, 2024 | Ministry News
It is indeed our prayer for you all – that you have experienced – and are experiencing – a truly Blessed New Year of 2024!
Our diligent seeking from God for a staff of awakened and quickened cabin and camp program leaders (both male and female) – ever continues. Please be in earnest prayer with us in this very important matter! We are living in not only spiritually oppressive times – but also financially trying times! The costs of living in this present economy have considerably increased the ongoing day to day burdens of food, fuel and utilities. All of which tends to make it more difficult for anyone of us to be able to pay attention to anything other than our being able to keep up with these particular personal needs. Nevertheless, our Great Shepherd – the Lord Jesus Christ – can lead us through these dark and difficult days victoriously! Let’s seek Him first – and follow Him each step of the way. Amen(?)…Amen!
The Word of God from the gospel of Isaiah declares to us the only circumstances where God, Himself, waits – for anything. Is.30:18 plainly says: “And therefore will the Lord wait – that He may be gracious unto you – and therefore will He be Exalted – that He may have mercy upon you! For the Lord is a God of Judgment. Blessed are all they – That Wait For Him!”
This is a profound portion of holy scripture! Our absolutely Sovereign God – is a God of Judgment! And, His Judgment can be either favorable or unfavorable. David wrote in Ps.119:20 “My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy Judgments at all times.” I hardly think that he confessed here that his soul longed for God’s unfavorable judgments at all times! No. His longing was for God’s sovereign providential good and favorable judgments. Circumstantial judgments of victory, peace and deliverance from the Evil One! Which judgments he experienced – as well as God’s unfavorable ones – in this fallen-in-sin world. And, beloved, so do we! We are the ones – in the here and now — that make up the Church Militant – still in this world; we look forward to becoming the Church Victorious – in heavenly glory! All praise and glory be unto God our Captain and Savior!
Until then – by God’s enabling grace – we have to continue to wait patiently for Him to unfold before us His leading us in that which is His will and good pleasure. Your continued prayerful support of us during this particular time is greatly appreciated! We love you all.
by John Carpenter | Dec 5, 2023 | Devotional
(5) “Wherefore – when He cometh into the world – saith He: ‘Sacrifice and offering – thou wouldest not – but a Body hast thou prepared me! (6) In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin – thou hast not had pleasure.’ (7) Then said I: ‘Lo, I come (in the volume of The Book – it is written of Me) to do thy will, O God.’
(8) Above when He said: ‘Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin – thou wouldest not – neither hadst pleasure therein – which are offered by the Law.’ (9) Then said He: ‘Lo, I come to do thy will, O God.’
He taketh away the first – that He may establish the second! (10) By the which will – we are sancti-fied through the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ – once for all.” [He.10:5-10]
Whenever in this fallen-in-sin world – we chosen sinner/children of God are asked – “What is the one thing for which we are the most thankful unto God?” The answer to this question is purely and simply found in this exceedingly grand scriptural context! For this is an explicit explanation of why the gospel of the glory, only, of the Lord Jesus Christ is declared from Rev.14:6 to be “the Everlasting Gospel”! Praise His Name! For the context of this passage descriptively declares that the eternal salvation of all the souls of all the Seed of the only sovereign Savior substitute that there ever was – is – or ever will be – made it His purpose — and decreed – to come into our fallen-in-sin world – garbed in the likeness of our sinful flesh (see: Ro.8:1-3) – explicitly — to be our “Kinsman Redeemer”! And He – as being the Living Word of God and, as well, the Eternal Son of God – is the One in whom God placed us! All who are truly His sinner/children He placed “in Him before the foundation of the world” (see: Eph.1:3-4). He chose us and placed us in Him – for Him – to be our one and only Savior and Mediator to reconcile us sinners with holy, holy, holy God (see: 1Ti.2:5). Hence, He came into the age of our world of sin and death to justly and eternally set us free from our bondage to our sin and to save our souls from certain eternal death! The Lord Jesus Christ – is our eternal approval and acceptance with God – all to His glory and for His glory!
This He did by the sacrifice of His Body – His Blood – and even His own eternal Soul! This is said clearly and accurately by God – through His Word – from Is.53:11-12 when He describes what really happened with Christ – for us – at the cross. He tells us: “He shall see the travail of His Soul – and shall be satisfied! By His knowledge (or, more lit. “by the knowledge of Him”) shall my Righteous Servant justify many – for He shall bear their iniquities. (12) Therefore will I divide Him a portion among the great – and He shall divide the spoil among the strong – because He poured out His Soul unto death! And, He was numbered with the transgressors. He bare the sins of many – and made intercession for the transgressors.”
Hence, is the Person of Christ and His eternally accomplished works — so aptly described from He.2:11-14: “For both He that sanctifieth – and they who are sanctified – are all of One! For which cause – He is not ashamed to call them brethren, (12) saying, I will declare Thy Name unto my brethren! In the midst of the Church – will I sing praise unto Thee! (13) I will put my trust in Him. And again, Behold – I and the children which God hath given me. (14) Forasmuch then – as the children are partakers of flesh and blood – He also Himself – (lit.) in like manner – took part of the same – that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death – that is the devil.”
Therefore, dear ones, Christ Jesus truly is the Kinsman Redeemer! Thank you, Heavenly Father, for sending us your Eternal Son – to be — our Eternal Savior!
by John Carpenter | Dec 5, 2023 | Camp News
Well, dear friends and family in Christ – as we continue to seek the Savior for the staff that we need to fill the positions of cabin and camp program leaders for our summer camp season – we must not lose heart and become faint. I truly hope that you also are in league with us in searching for – and from – the Lord in this regard. It may very well be the hardest thing for us — whom He has from His “Word of the truth of the gospel” – awakened and quickened – regenerated by the Holy Spirit – to have to simply stand and wait for His leading and provision. Our sovereign Savior is still the One who sits in His all governing control over all things that are presently happening in our circumstances. And, He tells us to trust Him – and Him alone – through all of our walk through the desolate wilderness of this present world. He has not left us to fend for ourselves.
From Jn.14:18 Jesus has told us: “I will not leave you comfortless (or, more lit. “I will not leave you as orphans”) I will come to you”! His Word of Truth tells us plainly from Jer.29:12-14a: “Then shall ye call upon me – and ye shall go and pray unto me – and I will hearken unto you. (13) And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. (14) And I will be found of you – saith the Lord.
Do you see something out of the ordinary concerning what the Lord tells us about ourselves in the context of what is written here in Jer. 29? Is any sinner in this fallen-in-sin world a true seeker after God? No – not really. Look what God says about all of us in Ps.14:1-2: “The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand – and seek after God. (3) They are all gone aside. They are all together become filthy. There is none that doeth good – no – not one!” This same sentiment – this same divine diatribe concerning fallen human depravity — is repeated by the Holy Spirit from Ro.3:11: “There is none that understandeth – there is none that seeketh after God.”
So, what are we to conclude? Scripture interprets scripture…and the Lord Jesus tells us from Jn.15:5, “For without ME – you can do nothing!” Therefore, in the Light of the Truth of His own Word – we can conclusively believe and expect – that the Will of the Lord – will unfold exactly according to that which He has sovereignly willed to take place! Praise His all knowing – His all present – His all powerful – and His all Holy Person and Eternally Accomplished Work! So, let us unite in the Faith of Jesus Christ and lay hold to that which the Lord, Himself, tells us about Himself – that when we call out to Him – and go and pray unto Him – we can expect that His Will – will be accomplished – all for His Glory! We love you – and thank the Lord for you – and we pray for you!
“And an highway shall be there, and a way,
and it shall be called the Way of Holiness!
The unclean shall not pass over it – but it shall be for those.
The wayfaring men – though fools – shall not err therein. No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon – it shall not be found there –
but the Kinsman Redeemed shall walk there.
And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs and
everlasting Joy and Gladness –and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”
[Is.35:8-10]
