Thank you for today
I thought I moved away
I caught myself in second guess
Thinking I was in charge
Commending myself to Thee
My righteousness is as filthy rags

Because I’m flesh and bone
The Spirit seems unreal
I cannot see across the divide
Eternity enshrouds me
Jesus set me free
I live this life IN CHRIST

I do have faith
Lord strengthen my faith
My hope grows strong
I now belong
Thank you for loving me
IN CHRIST I live and breathe

In Christ
In the Church
In the family
Living in victory
I bend my knee
Jesus be Lord over me

Clay Corvin 2/13/10

A letter to the saved
You must love one another fervently
It is hard to love the unlovely
This is required of you as an act of obedience
Love is not an emotion
It is a full time activity
In our surrender to God it is genuine

You are born again; a new heart beats in your body
Within you is a seed of the Lord Jesus Christ
Obedience provides the ground for this likeness to grow
It is Christ-like to love; it is an act of our new will
Jesus is Lord of our life; we live for Him
We choke out fleshly actions
We cultivate a new life of love day by day

Cultivate this Godly love
Carefully walk under the guidance of the Holy Spirit
Turn your sin over to Jesus; stay confessed up
Do not tremble but walk proudly in your close relationship with Jesus
Jesus will guide your actions every moment
Spend time with Him in His Word and talking with Him
Give Jesus your heart and your devotion for He loves you

Change is the requirement; become more like Jesus
Seek to know your weaknesses and let the Lord control them
Know yourself; constantly let His Word search through you
The Lord will touch your failures with victory
Each day you will become more like Jesus
Fervently love one another from your heart
Jesus is alive in you and you represent Him

Clay Corvin  2/6/10

I worked I slaved to be renowned
Gave all that I had
Just to achieve
The accolades of man
What more could I have done?

Along the way
My family died
Children I didn’t know
Times I was away
I did it all for God

Today I stand before my Christ
I survived my sacrifice
Although many others didn’t
I know that I have victories
I did it all for God

Jesus looked so hurt and pained
“All I wanted was obedience
For you to be a slave
Meet the needs of those you knew
Care for the hurting, search for the lost”

“Following me brings life
All around are those in need
I don’t love sacrifice
My call was to serve family, others and ME
What you did was for you!”

Jesus forgive me
I got it wrong so many times
When I am weak you are strong
“I forgive you of your wrong
Come into my rest you are home”

We have a living hope
Christ our Lord and King
He knows and cares
Our life is precious to Him
His love for us will take us to Him
He provided a cure for our sin
It was Him, His life for our life
Jesus is alive in me

We have a living hope
He knows everything we face
He faced and defeated sin and loneliness and limitations
All of those things that we let get us down
Jesus faced them and overcame them
We have Him as our example
The Father fought His fights
Christ’s faith was in our God, His Father, He was the Son

He is our future hope
An act that is yet to be
My life is pure in Him
He cleanses my heart
He is Lord and He will be Lord forever
By our faith we grab hold of our life
Christ is all we need
Jesus is able to save us forever

He is our future hope
My sin is so very big
I do sin so well
Even when I declare my innocence
Sin has a hold on me, whispering “I’ve got you now!”
I declare in Christ who is my hope
Destroy that sin in me and set me free
Jesus cleanses me and cleanses me

He is my sure hope
No on can take Him away
His peace and grace fade not
His kingdom is for now and forever
He is alive and well in me
Jesus is here to stay
His glory is perfect
He gives me just what I need-courage to be free

Jesus is my sure hope
He protects me He hears my plea
His protection heals my soul
Yea though I walk through the valley of death
Jesus is here for me I am to glorify Him
When I fail miserably
Jesus is still here
His power protects me, Christ is in control

Clay Corvin 1/30/10

All would be peace if left to me
A life of ease filled with glee
Joy enough for every day
No one hurting, just sunny day
It’s obvious to me almost every day
It’s not left to me to design my way

Suffering occupies so much of my time
My bones, my muscles, each step I take
Adding to my tale of woe
The heartache and grief of a life on hold
Tomorrow we will do this
If only I didn’t face this I would do great

This vale of tears is but for a short time
We are training for eternity
When all things will be beautiful
This alien land I live in seeks to swallow me whole
But I refuse to be defeated
Jesus Christ is in control

In suffering my faith is tried
I reveal my sinful side
Christ is able to tutor me
Preparing me to be the one He created
Helping me to look up and step out
When I am weak He is strong

I rejoice not because my life is easy
His life lives in me, Jesus alive setting me free
Every step of suffering lets me see Jesus at work
His world refuses to know Him but I know Him
He is working each instance of suffering
Shaping me into His image, I see His face from the cross

So I am suffering with Him
Knowing the pain and emotion that Christ felt for me
I am partnering with Christ so that everyone might know Him
As I suffer the spotlight of heaven shines on me
Angels look with awe at His amazing grace
Once again His grace renews me and keeps me free

CC January 16, 2010

Every Israel Pilgrimage has a character of its own. This is my 27th trip and the first time my wife, Carol, has come with me to Israel. This is also the first time I’ve been sick on an Israel trip, that is sick enough that it knocked me out for a whole day. Tough stomach virus and it affected my wife and me. We missed the first day in the Galilee. I’m looking for the lesson.

Today sure made up for our lost day. We began the day at Kursi, the place of the demoniac, then on to Chorazin, Sepphoris, Nazareth Overlook, En Harod, Bet Alpha (6th century synagogue) and ended our tour day at Bet Shean. It was a torrid pace and I’m worn out.

I think the thing that impacted me the most were our devotionals. Dr. Dukes spoke on the Lord’s Prayer as we began our day. Students spoke at most of the sites. It was a day of teaching, touring and praying. I noted at the end of the day as we turned towards Maagan there was a lot of laughter and joy. Praise the Lord. Thank you for today. Blessings to you from the Galilee.

Rejoice in Christ
We have the favor of God
Christ has paved the way
We receive His grace and peace

Do not worry for things you need
His grace is sufficient each day
He is actively giving His peace
This will change the way we live

No longer prisoners of darkness
We live in the light of His love
Our fellowship with Christ
Equips us to love one another

Do not fear or slink away
Face each day with confidence
You can be like Jesus
Look to Him for your strength

Rejoice in your life
Live it with love
Fellowship where you are
Christ in you is your hope

The Lord is near
He has placed His favor on you
Your life is real and worth a lot
Shine like Christ where you are

Clay Corvin 12/26/09

Pray for those you know
Pray for their peace and joy
Pray that they will have a good life
Pray they will grow in Christ
Pray for their health and well-being
Pray they will be partners in spreading the Gospel

People count with Jesus
He died to set us free
He lives to serve and help us grow
Gratitude for our life is a start
We stand upon what we are
Thank you Lord for the life you give us

Rejoice for our Lord has come
He lives to give us life
He has a plan that we can work
He has called us to a partnership
We are fellow workmen in the Garden of God
The Lord chooses you to be His agent

Rejoice in victory
Rejoice in defeat
Rejoice when your feet hurt
Rejoice when your life isn’t neat
In all things and every way rejoice
Jesus is Lord and He is Lord of us

Clay Corvin 12/26/09

Know Him more each day
Read the Bible
Think about what you read
Put what you read to work in your life
Apply His wisdom to everything you do
Bend the knee to Jesus and He will guide you

Let the Holy Spirit guide your steps
Be sensitive to Him
Knowing that He will always lift up Jesus
You will too if you follow Him
As you love Jesus more and know Him better
He will put those around you on your heart

People need Jesus
They will see our Godly life
They will get to know us
We will love them and help them at every opportunity
The Holy Spirit will guide our Words
When people trust us they will try Jesus

Be prepared each day
Jesus is coming back soon
Live a life that will lift up Christ
Be ready for His return
Live as if He is coming today
Even though it may be many days from now

When we love the Lord
Grow in knowledge daily
Let His wisdom guide us
We will love Him more
We will love people around us more
Christ will be proclaimed in all we do

Clay Corvin 12/26/09

Shepherds are often lonely
No respect for what they do
Caring for the Temple’s sheep
Cold, wild, trying their very soul
They took care of the sheep

Shepherds didn’t fear anyone or anything
They were struggling
In the world and full of it
Many dark nights they were as scared as their sheep
Strange how our mind works, fear respects no one

A young man appeared out of nowhere
Brightly shinning, lighting up their place
Fear was their immediate reaction
The young man, an angel, spoke to their hearts
Do not fear, I bring you good news

A Savior is born in Bethlehem
Wrapped in cloths lying in a manger
He will save you from your sin
You will no longer fear
Your redeemer is alive, He has come for you

The Shepherds heard the young man, an angel
They believed his words A Savior is born in Bethlehem
The responded by going to see the Christ Child
They believed, it changed their life
They rejoiced glorifying and praising God

CC 12/19/09