Fear not the angel said
Fear sidetracks us
Claims our attention
Takes the focus off of Jesus
Jesus meets us at the point of our fear

Mary faced the fear of inadequacy
Unmarried, unwed, a virgin
Pregnant, maybe 14 or 15, skepticism, Son of God
What was she to do? What was happening?
This precious child to be Messiah? Do not fear!

Joseph faced the fear of disapproval
Fiancé pregnant, a virgin? No relations!
It’s God’s child? How can you explain?
I’ll break off the engagement, that’ll fixit
In a dream-Joseph do not fear! The child is from God

What faith these two had. They believed God
Their belief was an action belief
Doing as the Angel said-do not fear
Continuing the engagement
Joseph went to Bethlehem where Christ was born. Do not fear!

Unexpected change for the shepherds-suddenly an angel appeared
A scary sight, a scary night, Shepherds guarding their flock
Do not fear, we are from God, we’ve brought you good news-A Savior is born
They were not looking for God-He showed up – Remember God is Sovereign-
He is working out history before our eyes-do not fear

All is calm, all is bright-NOT- the angel had to declare do not fear
Surrender your life completely, let Jesus have control-begin each day this way
Take your fear to the Lord-fear is sin-surrender your sin
Praise God-develop an attitude of gratitude-do with what you have
Claim every one of those 7,000 plus promises in the Bible-they belong to you

In all things we are more than conquerors through Christ who loves us
Claim His love and love those you are with
Be God’s love in this world, gracious and quick to forgive
Let Jesus work in your mind and in your heart – know that the world is a hard place
Jesus is Lord and Creator – He knows all things – He knows you – FEAR NOT

Clay Corvin – December 23, 2017

O the JOY!

A joyful noise, praise ye the Lord
Singing praises, lauding His Holy Name
Head lifted up, enemies set aside
We do in Him and through Him
Our aim honor His name

Jesus born in Bethlehem, praise ye the Lord
Shepherds were the first to hear, praised His name
Came to Bethlehem to see the God child
Worshipped Jesus and shared what they had seen far and wide
They went with joy and peace, they saw salvation

Why did the announcement come to the Shepherds? Praise ye the Lord
They were not wise by any one’s eyes
No power there, just lonely shepherds
No privilege, no titles, no academic accomplishments
They were just shepherds, the world had overlooked them

Everyone counts with the Lord, praise ye the Lord
All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God
Jesus died that all might have access to the forgiveness of God
If you choose Jesus, He chooses you, a free gift from the Father
Let us go to Bethlehem and see what God has done

God chooses everyone who responds in faith, praise ye the Lord
Herod, the wise, the nobility, the religious all ignored God
The lowly, the meek, the misfit, the disenfranchised-good news
God chooses you, listen to Shepherds call, the Lord has come
Choose freely all and one, Jesus God’s son was born in Bethlehem

Born that you might have forgiveness, praise ye the Lord
Bringing healing in His touch, access to the Father
Membership in God’s family, everything about your life changed
Father, Son and Holy Spirit One, the angels praise the Son
Jesus is God’s everything, He has come for you

Clay Corvin December 16, 2017

CAROL: KIND – FORGIVING

Another birthday-I know you don’t want to be reminded
We owe you big time-for a multitude of things you do every day
Thank you for partnering with me these 49 years
I never thought I would lived that long-but we have together

Kindness is your strong suit
You care for me, our children and grand-children without a second thought
No matter how grumpy we are, how difficult
You move through your day with grace
Making us feel value and worth by your consistent kindness

Sacrifice is a close second
I’ve traveled all our married life and it has been tough on you
You’ve never complained, never shirked taking 100% of the responsibility
We are truly partners but so often you pull my share too
I am so blessed by you, thank you, thank you, thank you

Love for me and each of our family members runs deep
You express it in so many ways
By the meals you make, washing clothes
Organizing our household, keeping the house running in good order
I am overwhelmed at times with the work pace you keep

Peace and joy undergird your day
I feel it, I need it, I am grateful for it
Jesus in you, shared with me and all of us
It’s who you are
Precious to the Lord and me and our family

Wise and caring, forgiving and understanding
I am so blessed to be with you
To have a wife like you
The recipient of your devotion
HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAROL – HAPPIEST OF BIRTHDAYS!

CLAY CORVIN 11/29/17

A PILGRIMAGE TO ISRAEL – NOVEMBER 12-25, 2017
PSALM 85:4  WHAT JOY FOR THOSE WHOSE STRENGTH COMES FROM THE LORD,
WHO HAVE SET THEIR MINDS ON A PILGRIMAGE TO JERUSALEM

SOME PICTURES FOR YOU TO LOOK AT FROM OUR MAY 2017 PILGRIMAGE

HE IS COMING BACK

Christ followers died for their faith
Believing in Jesus, believing his return not far away
At the stake, wild animals or just an evil crowd
They died with their belief intact, Jesus was Lord and they followed Him to their end

It wasn’t the end for death was a threshold
Life eternal begun at salvation, death a momentary space
Between this world and His world
A place of standing, seeing Jesus face to face, life now like His

Christ is coming back, hard for our minds to grasp
It has been 2,000 years where is He?
The Word makes it clear, a thousand years is as a day to the Lord
Now evil is completing fullness, its reign drawing to a close, gasping and ranting
Jesus has all things under control-He is coming back

It will happen suddenly, everyone will see
Finality at last, judgment executed
Christ on the scene, every knee will bow
Lord of Lords and King of Kings, Jesus for all to see

Satan revealed and slain by our conquering king
The forces of evil banished forever
Jesus here, we are with Him
The kingdom complete, all the saved will be with Christ

My life counts and so does yours, the Lord is on your side
Don’t surprised at His amazing, great and unrelenting love for you
Keep at the faithful Christian life
That involves stumbling and strife, for sin is all around us and many of us weak
Remember His love never ends, His mercies never cease
Great is His faithfulness, mercy renewed each day

Yes you can do this, spend time with Jesus
Read His Word, claim His promises, do the next right thing
When you fall repent and get up, repent and get up, repent and get up
Never, never, never give up, for Jesus never gives up on you

Today I know a few things
Jesus is Lord
He is coming back
He will never abandon me, never
I belong to Him, He is my righteousness

Clay Corvin November 4, 2017

A heavy heart, I list my sins, appalled to see their depth, woe is me
I’ve sinned and I can’t get up, weak and foolish, I’ve sold out to selfishness
I, I, I; my life is filled with my needs, my way, O foolish heart hear God’s cry
Come to me you that are heavy laden, turn from your wicked ways and return to me

God will not let me go, thank you Lord for my actions and my goals lead me from you
I do not have the will to overcome evil, only by the blood of Christ do I find salvation
I want to be yours Lord, I want to surrender, Help me turn my eyes to you, O Lord I hurt
Give me eyes to see and ears to hear Lord Jesus, my days are filled with the blood of the innocent

I choose you Lord, You are my salvation, You are my pardon, I need to change, change me
No longer seduced by the leaders and hypocrites of the world; the, they them are of no use to me
Walking away from sin, following Jesus, He is the life, He is the light, No darkness in my Christ
God gave the Law, Jesus came to save us, The Lord is always dealing with our sin, thank you Lord

I face a daily existence, until that day I’m face to face, my day is always filled with challenge
You to face those same challenges, how do I, we, deal with our sinfulness and our push against God
The Word dwells in us richly, a mirror to our soul, calling us to account, nursing us at our core
Today, tomorrow and each day help me Lord spend time with you as I let your Word nourish me

So today I change, people count with me, love one another becomes my raison de’tre
Jesus fills me with joy, I share that joy with all I meet, as I share my joy grows
Giving joy fills my soul, reaching out, caring, listening, being their anchor as I hold on to Jesus
Today I will submit and obey, Christ in me changing me, equipping me to love others

Clay Corvin September 23, 2017

It’s 49
You are still here
I am so blessed
Thank you Carol, you are the best

It’s 49
Children, grandchildren blessing us
It has passed so fast
Your stands for Jesus continue to change me

It’s 49
Another year ahead
Together we stand
Thank the Lord you are here

It’s 49
I love being married to you
You complete me
You fix the glaring errors in me

It’s 49
The best year yet
Many more ahead
Before we rest

It’s 49
Hip hip hooray
Carol I’m praying for you to have a great day
That the year ahead is as wonderful as all that have passed

Clay Corvin in honor of our 49th Anniversary

God is complete – Knowing the end from the beginning
He has a plan – His plan includes us
Sinner beware – Our God is a burning flame
Bend the knee – Repent of your self-centered ways
Our God is an exclusive God – Jesus claims all of us

God is love – His love knows the results of our sin
Disastrous world for mankind – Jesus stepped into our world
He lived a perfect life – To the Cross, To His death, For our sin
Christ paid our price – Once and for always, His death created our life
Now we are alive in Jesus – He is Lord of us and Lord of all, praise God for His love

God is not fooled – Man’s laws do not change God’s Word
Sin is always sin – Adultery, homosexuality, transgenderism, addictions, self
Jesus calls us to know – He will give us His strength to change and succeed
Christ gives the church – His church not the man made civil religion of our day
We are to quit our unfaithfulness – Stand with Jesus and He will stand with us

God is here – every day we face pain, anguish, sickness, death of loved ones
There is a constancy of evil that we ward off – It is tough and it is tiring
In this world we will face all the heartache of life – Jesus is with us, caring for us
Do not weary brothers and sisters – God is not mocked and He sees what is happening
He cares for you – He will never leave us or lose us – One day soon He is coming back

Clay Corvin   August 26, 2017

OUR CALL – JOSHUA 1

Our walk begins in Jesus-He is God’s everything
In Him our future – In Him our function
We live and breathe and are in Jesus
Dealing with each issue we face by His Word and in Him

We are called to a moment by moment experience of life
Everything we do in the now, this moment-the present quickly done
The future beckoning – the past accusing
Know this-God says “trust me-move on”

Joshua directed to cross the Jordan-leading Israel into the “promised land”
The Lord calls us to live our life-don’t back down-don’t give up-be
We belong to Him-each of us has promise and value-Jesus is Lord
We are His, He is ours, every step, every breath, every thought –Jesus

Conflict is part of life-this world is a place of chaos and sin-evil abounds the World reigns
Our call-change—change our self—change the world—be a broker of peace, love, forgiveness
It pleases God to give us strength therefore we can stand in the midst of a perverse generation
Knowing we will not be dragged down, knowing the victory is won, we belong, we count

Be strong and courageous, each one of us is called to ministry
All of us are gifted, some with one gift some with ten gifts but each one of us qualified
We can share about what Jesus is doing in our life, living a life of lavish forgiveness for people
We know God’s will – We know God’s Word – we do what we must and never never quit

Life is hard for everyone-every person you meet is facing significant challenges
They may not have Jesus-you may be the only Jesus they ever meet-care for them
Too often we will not get a redo-life is fast-be kind-be Jesus now
We follow the Lord-we mature-we suffer for Christ-we grow and we do it over and over and over

Daily we seek the Lord’s face, daily we read His Word, daily we speak His care and concern
People need the Lord, they need Jesus more than anything else but they don’t know it
Only those that love them can communicate the love of Christ and it takes courage to share
We are now creatures, we struggle with fear, share Jesus and let Him do the rest

We are challenged to walk in the promised land, to stand with Jesus to serve Him
It will take courage to do this but the Lord is in the business of strengthening His servants
Ask Him and He will give you what you need to minister-share what Jesus is doing in your life
Be confident in His love, love one another, have faith in Him, Jesus is Lord of all

Clay Corvin
July 1, 2017

CHANGE IS A PROCESS

Change is a process, difficult, elusive and hard to do
The universe is aligned against us, it’s called sin, we lose
Yet there is a way before us, hard but profitable
It begins with Jesus, He is God’s everything, He is calling you

We all have a lost façade, formed by sin, no one is exempt
The walking dead, that’s who we were, far from God
But now in Jesus, we have been brought near, He is our salvation
Forgiveness for our sin, provider of our righteousness

No longer at the mercy of the world, we are new creatures in Christ
So, change is what we do, it is a process, difficult, elusive and hard
But, we can do it, if we put our soul to it, surrender ourselves to Jesus
Keep what we do simple, make it heartfelt, knowledge never changes us

Identify your problem, make an action plan, get busy
If you are on your own, find someone you admire, what did they do
Emulate their plan, our heart follows actions, do it, do it
It takes 30 days to make a habit, work you plan, work your plan

Everyone who calls upon the name Jesus will be saved, that means you
Failure is ever present no matter how well you’ve made your plan
But the Lord declares that we must not fear for He is with us
And He declares that it pleases Him to make us strong

What is the process? What must I do beyond a plan?
Focus on the future, why you’ve put this plan in place
Keep on working your plan, never stop, never stop
Success is always the next moment away, the Lord is here, follow Him

Write this plan down, it’s important
The dullest pencil is sharper than the brightest mind
When you’re hip deep in alligators, victory lies in knowing why you drained the swamp
A simple plan, well executed over a period spells success for you

Cleaning up your life takes time, make sure you plan covers at least a year
Build it out in small steps, it takes a while to eat an elephant, one bite at a time
Repetition wins the day, courage helps you stay the course
When you are sick and tired of being sick and tired, stay with Jesus

Good habits are built daily, read God’s Word as if your life depends on it, it does
Claim every one of the 7,000 plus promises you can find, hold them close
Pray, pray, pray – prayer works, because prayer changes you
It’s your life, change comes, Jesus is in charge, He loves you

Clay Corvin 5/13/17