by John Carpenter | Dec 12, 2011 | Camp News, Ministry News
Please be in prayer for us as we close out 2011 — and make the necessary plans and
preparations for 2012. Pray that God’s wisdom from up above be diligently sought for — and that we be not distracted with all that is going on around us. We need continual guidance and provisions from the Lord for everything — as usual — but especially for the sustaining of our staff of young people. We never know what hindrances the world will work into the equation of their lives. Only the coming months will tell. They are ever upon our hearts and in our prayers that they may be “kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation”.
By the same token — please remember all the children who have gone through the camp program. Pray that the work of the Holy Spirit will be manifest in their young lives. Causing them to grow in grace and knowledge of their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Giving them strength to meet each of their days in this dark and dangerous world. Teaching them to pray — and the importance of God’s Word in their lives.
by John Carpenter | Dec 12, 2011 | Devotional
“But when the fullness of the time was come — God sent forth His Son — made of a woman…” “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.” Gal.4:4; Jn.1:14
These two texts describe the one and the same event within the appointed and decreed providence governed by sovereign almighty God. This grand event — marked the crowning moment of the fallen world — the whole age of sin and death! It marked the beginning — for all those of both time and eternity — of the fulfillment of God’s promise of ultimate judgment upon the deceitful, evil head of the devil — and of the ultimate bestowal of grace and truth that saves — upon the souls of His fallen and lost children. It marked the coming of the promised Christ of God — who is none other than the Lord Jesus — the only begotten — and eternal — Son of God!
In the garden where mankind plunged himself headlong into sin, God said unto the deceiving serpent: “and I will put enmity between thee and between the woman — and between thy seed and between her seed — it (or, lit., He) shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel.” (Gen.3:15) And, there is written in scripture from 1Jn.3:8 the grace/truth of the matter that says: “He that committeth sin is of the devil — for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose — the Son of God was manifested — that He might destroy the works of the devil.” And, for our eternal assurance there is explained from He.9:11-12, “But Christ being come an High Priest of good things to come — by a greater and more perfect tabernacle — not made with hands — that is to say, not of this building (or, lit., creation)…by His own blood He entered in once for all into the holy place — having obtained eternal redemption for us.” And, then it is further declared from He.10:5-7, “Wherefore, when He cometh into the world — He saith…Then said I — ‘Lo, in the Volume of the Book it is written of me — to do thy will, O God’!” And, what He said He would do — He has done!
Even so, the Christ of Christmas came into this world according to the eternal will and purpose of God to effectually undo the deception and death of the devil — and to effectually save His people from their sins. This is what it means when it says that “the Word was made flesh and dwelt — or, tabernacled — among us and we beheld His glory.” The only begotten Son of God — in human flesh — was born of the seed of a woman — in order to be unto us an eternally effective display of God’s saving grace as a perfect propitiation for all His children. His coming into this — our fallen world — in order to perform this divinely ordered feat of eternal glory is what is worth a great celebration! Heaven and earth rejoice in the glory of His accomplishment!
Oh that there would genuinely be a worldwide restoration of the pure truth of this good news — this gospel of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ! May all of our lives be so lived to the accomplishment and maintenance of this very thing. Amen.
by John Carpenter | Nov 17, 2011 | Ministry News
It is with sincere love and joy, dear ones, that we here at Del-Haven do wish you all a very blessed and Happy Thanksgiving for 2011!
We have enjoyed some mild and wonderful — even beautiful — days recently. Fall is such a marvelous time of year. There are tons of leaves on the grounds…everywhere we step! If one somewhat mild day any of you want to help us — come on out and rake up and burn some leaves. We have an abundance! And, it won’t be long before we must batten down the hatches for winter.
The place always seems so quiet and uninhabited at this time of year. Nevertheless — we must not at all cease to be diligent in prayer — petitioning the Lord God to ever continue to sustain us in this ever changing and corrupt world. I am sure that we all know — that we are all aware — of the onslaught that the Evil One is launching against the Kingdom of Christ. The oppression and the pressures that he has been waging against us — have been on the increase all about us — in order to stifle — in order to prohibit — the proclamation of the gospel of God’s grace. More than ever we must band together and stand together in the good fight of the faith!
by John Carpenter | Nov 17, 2011 | Camp News, Ministry News
The month to month necessities of Del-Haven still need to be met on an ongoing basis. And, we still have a balance of $56,000 with the bank that we need to — Lord willing — pay off and retire. Please resume your earnest prayers with us in this matter. God has brought us through financial difficulties like these in the past — and He can do it again. Please pray that He will.
Most of all, ever be in prayer with us for all the children that have passed across these camp grounds this last summer. And, that have heard and embraced the truth of the gospel of the glory and grace of Christ, our God. They are for the most part — so much like sheep for the slaughter in that they are being herded back into the untoward environments of an ungodly school system. They, indeed, need our prayers — for God to keep them in the safety and security that comes from being rooted and grounded in the knowledge and understanding of His word. Pray that they remember their memory verses and gospel choruses and find in them comfort and strength and protection that can only come from the Lord. Please, dear ones, persevere with us in this Godly endeavor. We love you and thank you for doing so.
by John Carpenter | Nov 17, 2011 | Devotional
“Be careful [or, anxious] for nothing — but in everything by prayer and supplication — with thanksgiving — let your requests be made known unto God. (7) And, the peace of God, which passeth all understanding — shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Phil.4:6-7
This text is indeed a wonderful communication from the Lord unto all of His people. It is more than just an exhortation to them — to not worry — but it describes how it is that they will avoid the worries of this world, or the worries of being in this world. The wasted time worrying and being anxious over the things and the pit falls of this world — is much more wisely spent in prayer — making supplications for the Savior to enter the equation of their experience and deliver them from all their anxieties.
It is said that the Roman warriors of Bible times would intentionally exercise with all their armor on in order to keep their muscles conditioned to being able to move with dexterity in it. In this way, they would be most fit for the fight — when it would happen. Even so does the true believing sinner saved by grace exercise himself rather unto Godliness — so he, too, can be prepared to engage the spiritual battles that ever and always are dreadfully looming about his soul.
It is interesting in contrast to that comparison with the Roman soldiers — that the word so used in 1Ti.4:7 for “exercise thyself rather unto Godliness” — that the warriors for Christ are to do — literally means to practice completely naked where it pertains to Godliness. And, that would be completely naked of self-righteousness and pride and anything remotely related to the boastful thinking self reliance.
What better posture is there for doing this — than the posture one puts themselves in when they pray. Our Lord resists the proud — and gives the victory of grace unto the humble. When the child of God and soldier of the Lord supplicates, or petitions the Lord for anything — they do so in complete humility — understanding their utter unworthiness. We can by Christ’s righteousness come boldly to His throne of grace, but we dare not approach holy and almighty God brashly and presumptively!
Therefore, also, we come before Him “with thanksgiving” — because it is only by His doing that we are even allowed and empowered to do so. And, it is His “peace” that makes it all possible. The “peace of God which surpasses all understanding” — even because it is so undeserved by all those who by grace have been granted it! It took Christ’s coming from eternity into a lost and fallen world — and living and dying and being raised again in order to conquer sin and death — in order to secure peace for all those He came to save. And, this is what guards-as-with-a-garrison the hearts and minds [or, lit., thoughts] of all who are in Christ Jesus! All of whose requests will ultimately center upon this Godly goal. Praise the glorious Name of the Savior!
For Christ’s Glory Only!
John Carpenter
