Roman, Byzantine, Crusader
Choose your age of study
Caesarea was important to each
Today it is ruins and sand

Don’t be fooled by its look
Once it stood graceful and rich and cruel
The wealth of the world flowed through here
Making this country work

Herod, what a despot
Built and built and built
Safer to be a pig in his household than a child or a wife
Named his new port city after Caesar, seeking to curry favor

Paul came here under guard
Accused and abused Paul claimed Caesar’s review
The Holy Spirit sometimes leads us through tough times
The end result was Paul’s great ministry in Rome

Caesarea we are here to look at you
Remembering those persecuted by Rome
Claiming the power of Jesus as Christians have through the ages
Life is in God’s hands and we have seen His work right here

Clay Corvin March 24, 2008

What do you see from Carmel’s heights?
Pharaoh’s conquering army?
Assyrians marching to Jerusalem?
Babylon taking Israel to captivity?

Ancient civilizations all came by here
Everyone knew this place
Elijah came so all would know
His wonderful Lord reigned

The march up Carmel was arduous
Folks walked a few abreast
Elijah was confident
The fire destroyed Baal

I’ve always wanted to do something big for God
Fire from heaven would be fine
In the privacy of my prayer closet
The Lord reminds me of His cross I can bear

Wanting to do the things we can
Always seem so mundane
Today reclaim the cross and its bane
This is what Christ calls us to do

Clay Corvin March 24, 2008

Fifty-five hundred years ago, when urbanization began
Megiddo dominated the countryside, its history begun
Occupied through the ages, everyone stopped to fight
Including the British General Allenby

A powerful Canaanite city, defeated by Thutmose III
Later Joshua fought Megiddo
Defeating the pagan king
Adding it to his list of cities taken by Israel

All through the ages
Megiddo was a wealthy place
Seized the imagination of the Biblical writer
By the hand of God declared to be an end time place

It doesn’t look too formidable
Everything appears peaceful and calm
That’s the way of evil, lulling us to distraction
But the Lord knows where the stand will be

Quiet times are for us to refocus our hearts and minds
Giving the Lord time to root out our evil ways
Letting the Holy Spirit identify and reveal
What we should confess and change

Be quick to kneel-Slow to judge
You can’t see the activity of evil swirling everywhere
But you can spend time with Jesus
Christ is our strength and joy and in Him we are wise

Clay Corvin March 24, 2008

(as you travel through the Golan you will be near one of the cities of refuge-Golan-the six cities are listed at Joshua 20:7-8)

The Lord calls us to peace and gave a place for refuge
Kadesh, Shechem, Hebron, Bezer, Ramoth, and Golan
Everyone was near a city of refuge
We partner with God for peace

The gates were open for the wrongly accused
Provisions for their stay were always stocked
Peace was important to God
This refuge was available for all who lived in the land

Jesus is our refuge, He is God’s everything
In Him we have God’s peace and provision
His gift to us is His right standing with God
Jesus makes us free and brings us into God’s kingdom

Clay Corvin March 23, 2008

Baal and Panias both ruled here
People through the ages
Stood at the gates of hell
Worshipping man made gods

Cool and inviting in the summertime
Jesus brought the disciples all the way here
Who am I Jesus asked?
Peter replied you are the Christ!

We declare Christ by the way we live
Either Jesus is in charge or we are
We cannot worship the world
When we are sold out to Christ

When you stand at the gates of hell
Ask yourself “who do you love”
Be about the master’s business
Let Jesus have control of you

Clay Corvin March 23, 2008

“they called the name of the city Dan after the name of Dan their father (Judges 18:29)

DAN THE PLAN

Ancient Laish, captured by Dan
The northernmost boundary of the Promised Land
Dan dishonored God by their graven image
This city started out bad and got worse

People get the best from the Lord
Then ruin it by their selfishness and greed
Instead of serving they think they can manage
The Lord isn’t an errand boy for you and me

One day all of this fell apart
Evil was destroyed
Notice that Dan is a nature preserve today
The people that lived here disappeared 2,800 years ago

We can’t fool the Lord
He is interested in our obedience not our control
He calls us to be servants not masters
In Christ we have life

Clay Corvin March 23, 2008

Pharaoh had an ally in Hazor
Joshua called it the head of the kingdoms they fought
He put it to the sword and burned it to the ground

Today the site we see is 200 acres
The largest of the ancient cities in Canaan
Sitting astride the Via Maris

Hazor was powerful for 2,000 years
Doing as it pleased
An important city at its peak had 40,000 inhabitants

The people were rich and thought it would last
After Joshua came and conquered
The people never changed-Money was their game

God determines our days-people and cities and states
It is important for us to lay up treasures in heaven
Walking with Jesus day by day

Clay Corvin March 23, 2008

The Galilee captures my imagination as I sit on the shore
Quietly contemplating Bible verses
All of those events happened here
This small arena of God’s activity among mankind

The sweep of Genesis touches upon the Galilee
Jesus lived the majority of His ministry around these shores
The Mount of Beatitudes, Capernaum, Bethsaida, so many more
I’ve seen them all and walked along the shore

How can the Lord use this in my life?
Change comes to mind first-I must change
I can begin to let Christ work out of me
Making a difference in the person you see

As I sit on the shore I recognize the opportunity
The Lord values who I am and what He has called me to do
I will recognize that too
Lord I will be me and let You express your power in me

Clay Corvin March 22, 2008

Jeremiah 31:16-17. Thus says the LORD, “Restrain your voice from weeping And your eyes from tears ; For your work will be rewarded,” declares the LORD, “And they will return from the land of the enemy. “There is hope for your future,” declares the LORD, “And your children will return to their own territory.

DO NOT WEEP (Luke 7:11)

Walking from God’s victory-straight way to Mount Tabor
Observing a funeral-the widow of Nain’s sweet son
Felled in early life-death’s evil complete
This poor woman was going to bury her son

Do not weep dear mother, young man arise
Conquering death with one quick word
A gift of compassion and a gift of love
Jesus stunned disciples and all raising one from the dead

He gives this gift to us, undeserved and free
Conquering death by His great power
Setting each one of us free, giving us what we need
The power to live a life of worth, Jesus sets us free

Every time I visit Mt. Tabor, with all of the other events that happened here I am mindful of the widow of Nain and the wonderful picture of the gift of life that Jesus demonstrates for us. Be sure to note where this small village is located and as you drive by there note that it is just an ordinary place that was changed by the power of God in Christ.

Clay Corvin 3/22/08

John 21:15. So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter,

Jesus revealed himself for the third time to the disciples
This time on the shores of Galilee
Reaching out to teach them
The truth that would set them free

Christ is all and in all and He is our need
When our focus is on pleasing Him
Our life will be to set mankind free
His love will be what people will see

Evil comes so quickly unbidden
Confused hearts do many things
Jesus calls us to do this one thing
Love Him in all we do

Obedience to Christ by our actions
Results in care for others
People count with Jesus
He uses us to proclaim His gift

Clay Corvin