POEM – PSALM 82 – JUDGING FOR GOD

Judges are required by God to judge justly and fairly.
God cares for the poor and orphans. The judges were criminals.
The judges offended God with their bribes and unjust judging.
It’s bad form to cheat the Lord God. He knows everything.
A judge’s lack of belief in God doesn’t set aside his guilt.
God intends for us to care for the poor and the orphan.

One day Jesus is coming back. He came with compassion and love.
His return will be a time of judgment.
The Lord is in control. We need His righteous right hand to guide us.
We desperately need His mercy and grace.
As we receive mercy and grace in abundance, let us give freely what the Lord gives us.
We will be measured by the way we care for people. Just like judges.

Clay Corvin
Northport, North River, Alabama
1/5/2022

POEM – PSALM 83 – THE WORLD HATES GOD

Hating the Jewish people is an art form in many parts of the world.
Anti-Semitism has destroyed millions of people over the years.
These are God’s people. A people He has covenanted with for eternity.
Yes, they failed on His purpose to evangelize the world. But they are still His people.
And that is why the world hates the Jewish people. They are God’s people.

God rules. God conquerors. God is not irrelevant.
He is the Creator and rules over all nature.
His purposes will always prevail. He knows the end from the beginning.
Nothing surprises Him. No one can outsmart Him.
God is our loving Father. But He has established how we should live.

Love one another. Bend the knee and help the poor.
God loves you. He isn’t interested in a co-regent.
Our ways are not His ways. He offers us mercy right now.
He would that all would come to know Jesus. The God-Man.
But one day, those who spurned God will stand before His wrath.

Clay Corvin
Northport, North River, Alabama

POEM – PSALM 84 – COMING HOME

We seek the Lord. We yearn for His presence.
To see Him. We are His beloved.
When we see Him, we will be overwhelmed for He is so proud of us.

We are blessed to live in God’s house. We are with Him.
Even though we cannot see Him we know He is there.
Our heart bears testimony to His loving presence.

We are pilgrims on a journey home to God the Father.
Jesus Christ our Advocate walks with us, guiding us.
The Holy Spirit quickens our spirit to be sensitive to the needs of those around us.

Pray for one another. Be kind to one another. Cherish family.
We trust the Lord today and one day that trust will bear fruit.
We will be with Him forever. Face to face. Praising Him. Adoring Him. Jesus is Lord.

Clay Corvin
Northport, North River, Alabama

PSALM 23 – THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD

We come into this world with great need. You don’t have to teach want. 
Every day we face new challenges, wants and needs are always there. 
My Father sees to my wants. He makes all things new. He fills my soul.
Life with Him is always, forever-His love so deep and so wide he meets all my needs.

It’s hard for me to get it right in my mind. God loves me. 
The Creator of the universe is so caring and concerned about me.
He knows everything about me and still loves me. 
He came to Earth and died for me so that I could live.

My Father provides times of refreshing for me. 
Whatever else is going on My Shepherd provides rest for me. 
Nothing can separate me from His love. Nothing can throw me down and destroy me. 
Right there where I need it, the Lord has a place for me to rest in His presence.

When my world falls apart, He is with me. Evil attacks, my Father protects. 
Right in the face of evil the Lord leads me the right way. 
Righteousness is His gift to me in Jesus Christ. I live in Him. He lives in me. 
Every day I walk in victory. The Lord is my Shepherd.

He calls me to focus on Jesus. He is my strength. He is my protection. My rock. 
The Lord is here, right now, and I belong to Him forever. 
I do not fear because His hand is on me. I will sin but my Father will correct me. 
He is with me, and no fear can destroy me. His promise. My confidence.

Anxiety affects all that I do. Restless nights and fearful days. Evil is always active. 
Yet my Father deals with my anxiety. He will make a way to heal me. 
I do not fear the future and will daily walk in Jesus, my peace. 
Evil beware. God is active yesterday, today and tomorrow always protecting me.

My life is sanctioned by the Good Shepherd. I have value and worth.
He will not let my feet stumble nor will evil overwhelm me. 
Peace and security are His Word to me. He is here and lives in me.
His call to me is to live in peace and joy. The Lord is with me every moment of my life.

Clay Corvin

As you begin thinking about 2022, don’t get sidetracked by huge goals. Keep your focus on step by step changes, small increments, all things you can do.

1. BE WHERE YOU ARE- Life is never livable where you are not or cannot be. Own your current situation and begin there. You are who you are and that’s the person you have to work with. One step. Next step. Keep stepping. That gets you ownership of each day. You count. Your life counts. Be usable. Be the change you have always been working on and never seem to accomplish.
2. THIS IS THE BEGINNING – Don’t look back, you can’t change what has gone before. Don’t give up, this is now and now is where you can change and become what you have always seen yourself to be. Remember that 4,000 weeks is probably the best that anyone has in this life. Seize your weeks, all 52 of them and grab hold of your life. Move forward this counts. Remember you count.
3. HOW YOU RESPOND GIVES YOU POWER- This is your life. You are the only one that can organize the steps that you need to take. Own your life. Start each day fresh. Be that change that you are seeking. OWN 2022!
4. GOD LOVES YOU – God doesn’t love the idealized you. He isn’t in love with your accomplishments. He isn’t looking for you to be someone else. God created you. He chose you. He will equip you.
   a. Study your Bible- You study your Bible personally and daily. God has a Word for you each day
   b. Find a group of people to study with. Your church would be the best place but a small group works.
   c. Ask God to give you wisdom, mercy and grace for each. Live today. Knowledge isn’t wisdom. Doing your life you will need wisdom from God. Live it.

MAKE 2022 YOUR YEAR

POEM PSALM 79 – ANGUISH AND DESPAIR

You said it Lord, I believe it, that settles it, so I thought.
The truth is the Lord said it and whether I believe it or not, it is truth.

Such was the journey for Israel. In their sanctified, cantankerous way,
They always quibbled with God, redefining what God said.
Along the way, over the centuries, they modeled their sin, it destroyed them.
Jesus said the clergy of his day were whitewashed tombs.
That’s harsh. Hard. Who would say such a thing?
God did because of Israel’s national life and direction.

Israel chose to walk away from obedience to God.
They chose idol worship, then self-centered worship.
Never built that Father-Son / Father-Daughter relationship.
They were God’s people after all, and the rules didn’t apply to them.
Their priests and rabbis said so. Over the centuries they rewrote the rules, ignoring God.

God is not in a box. We cannot maneuver God and manipulate Him with our words.
When our hearts are far from HIM. When hate fills our minds.
Jesus said love the Lord with all thy heart and thy neighbor as thyself.
Even a school child can understand that. Jesus came for people. Not for religion.

Be careful how you live. We are deeply flawed creatures.
Too quickly we find ourselves on the lonesome journey, no friends, by ourselves.
Stop. Get before the God of Israel, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Father forgive me. Come into my heart and save me.
If you are saved remind God that you know where you are.
Father I need your help to get back to where I should be with you.

Start today. Give God all the praise, honor, and glory due Him.
Rejoice in the wonderful gift of His son Jesus and the gift in Christ of eternal life.

Clay Corvin
Henry Hall
New Orleans, LA
December 22, 2021

PSALM 80 – SOUR GRAPES

One day we woke up and the Lord was gone. We were looking for Him everywhere.
We had wobbled away and, in the process, turned our back on Him.
Oh, we knew our sin, and it was vast, but we couldn’t see God.
The fact is that we had turned our back to Him.

Desperately we tried all the old formulas, except changing.
We detailed our lists, cried out to God.
Where are you? Why have you done this?
Then went home to our idol worship and broken homes.
Sin is what I define. I forgot that God said He defined sin.

I struggled in my disease, in my famine and in me pain.
Withstanding God’s demands. Demanding that God change.
I continued to slip into more grievous sin. Societal sin.
Even to the point of approving desperately wicked acts of hate and evil.

I still cried out to God. A great deal of my time was before Him.
He just wasn’t listening.
I’m on my last leg Lord. Our grapes have turned sour. Our crops destroyed.
Our national condition is overwhelmed with evil and hate.
Why won’t you take care of us?

Jesus is coming. He will save us from our sin.
He will revive us again and we will walk with the Lord, Abba.
Jesus will restore us. Christ will comfort us. Life will refocus on God.
In that day everyone will say I belong to Jesus, He is the lamb of God, Lord of all.

Clay Corvin
December 22, 2021
Henry Hall, New Orleans, LA

PSALM 81 – THE TRAGEDY OF LOST OPPORTUNITIES

This is a heart break story.
How God claimed a people for Himself.
They were to be His evangelist.
They saw the proclamation as a privilege. Heart break!

The story unfolds in the Bible. So many times, Israel was rescued.
They never learned. As a nation they became more self-centered.
Even while acting like the pagans around them.
In fact, God’s Word said they outdid the pagans in sin.

They changed their festivals. They added a few.
Priests and rabbis considered their national life,
As a call for seclusion, they were special, other people weren’t.
Jesus said everyone counts or no one counts.

Go tell it on the mountain. Jesus Christ is born.
God has stepped into our world and is providing for our relationship.
A personal, eternal relationship with Him.
An enduring relationship with people. Everybody counts. Love one another.

Hear O Israel, God is one and people count.
Love your neighbor as yourself.
Focus on obedience to God and service to people.
When you do that, everything works. Jesus is Lord.

Clay Corvin
HENRY HALL, New Orleans, LA
December 22, 2021

Psalm 143:7 “Hear me speedily, O Lord, my spirit faileth; hide not thy face from me lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.”

UP AND DOWN

It’s a rip, roaring day Lord. So much to be up for.
I’m good. Feel good. Spirit good. Thank you.

Another day. This morning, my heart is heavy. I didn’t do it.
It seems a grey cloud has invaded my mind.
The burdens of life bringing me down.
All around I see pain and anguish, indeed, I feel pain and anguish.

Life can be like carrying a heavy weight. It’s just hard to move.
You are my only hope Jesus.
You pick me up when I am down.
You carry me when I cannot move forward.

The world, the flesh and the devil work against my joy and peace.
It’s just too easy Lord to lose sight of thee.
Even when praying and reading Your Word, darkness seeks a hold on me.
Holy Spirit lift me up that I might see Jesus. He is all the world to me.

All around are dead people walking. They need Jesus.
Help me see their need. Help me care for them.
Give me Your strength and wisdom that I might be.
Claim Your joy and peace and Your faith in me.

Jesus has me. He loves me. I am free in Christ.
Do not let the world tear me down.
Build me up with Your Holy Spirit and set me free to serve.
I am Yours Lord. Slave, servant, usable.

Clay Corvin
December 9, 2021
North River, Northport, Alabama

THANKSGIVING – NOVEMBER 25, 2021
“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness, come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God, it is he who made us, and we are his, we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise, give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good; his love endures forever, his faithfulness continues through all generations.” Psalm 100:1-5

This is the day for family and friendship. Food, gathering. Fun. Thank you, Lord, for family.
Thank you, Lord, for friends. Our lives need others.
Gratitude brings joy and peace. Come Lord Jesus, bless us.

Focus our hearts on others. People are hurting and need help. Loneliness, heartache, disappointment, failure.
So many desperately seeking to survive.
Father, help us in our joy to remember the needs of those around us.

We pray for healing. We pray for the well-being of all the hurting. Help us maintain an attitude of gratitude and a helpful hand.
We love You, Lord. Bless this day. We need You.
Thanksgiving. We are grateful. Give us peace and joy.

Clay Corvin
November 25, 2021
North River, Northport, Alabama

PSALM 64 – PROBLEMS

Everyone has problems, some severe.
People think that problems define us.
Gratitude defines us. Prayer equips us.

Spending time with God. Telling Him our plans and pains.
Asking for His protection. Shepherding us through the maze.
Lots of evil people everywhere we look. Lord don’t let us meet them.

I want to be useable and useful. Only the Lord can keep me.
I want to have victory over temptation. Focus on Jesus. He will help me.
Everything I need to lead a life of faith I will find in Jesus. He is Lord.

Thank you, Lord, for my life. It’s the only one I will have.
You, Lord, help me to make the very best of what I am given.
I seek to make You a part of everything I do. I want to know You better.

People on their own make dreadful choices. Look around. Evil abounds.
I will be careful that my choices honor and glorify You Lord.
I know that all things exist in You Lord Jesus. Thank You.

Clay Corvin
November 2, 2021

BEGIN
What stops you, from being the holy creature God created you to be?
Which excuse are you using today?
The Father created you for fellowship. Time with Him.

Time is something no one has too much of.
No one gets to the end of their life and thinks, wow I had too much.
Here today and gone tomorrow. Like grass in the sun. Done.

Do you really want to be Holy? Is that foremost in your imagination?
Or like me do you ridicule your mind’s eye and discount your ability?
You see the evil one is seeding your life with failure, heartache and pain.

Life deals us such vivid blows that it’s hard to get our head around holiness.
Begin today. Don’t look back. Get alone with Jesus and ask him.
What is stopping me from being who You want me to be?

Jesus: “You are!” Your response: “Please explain?”
Jesus: “Your journey to holiness begins with repentance.
Sit with me and I will detail what I want you to do.”

Time to choose. Jesus or lose. Always our choice.
The Lord desires your presence, but He will not make you be holy.
All of the distractions of life pull us away. It breaks my heart my own laziness.

Step one today is repentance. Our lives are covered up with sin.
We try to judge our sin by others. I’m not as bad as…
But the truth is our sin is what is limiting our spiritual growth.

Step two is to take responsibility for your sin. I did it Lord and I’m truly sorry.
Step three is to turn to God and accept His grace and mercy.
Step four is to reorganize your life. Jesus number one.

Wickedness is defined as ignoring God. We all do it. We are all sinners.
Holiness is a gift from God as a result of our life lived for Him.
I want to be a world changer; therefore, I must change first. Begin.

Clay Corvin
October 23, 2021
North River

PSALM 51 –

Sin like failure is contagious.
It blinds us. Makes us stupid.
Throws a blanket over our conscience.
Encourages lying, deceit, bad behavior, pride and generally any other kind of evil.
Tragically so many around us are dead in their trespasses that sin becomes the norm.
Don’t let yourself excuse your sin. Sin is still sin no matter what you think.

Only Jesus can handle our sin. Go to Him. Confess your sin. He will cleanse you.
Jesus will give you a new heart and a new song, praising Him all day long.
Your walk with change. No more burden.
Jesus will cleanse you of your unrighteousness and give you His righteousness.
You will find that He heals your spiritual relationship with the Father.
The Holy Spirit will reside in You and will guide you in the way you should go!

Jesus is God’s everything. We approach God the Father in Jesus Christ. He is Lord.
We are not the authors of our faith, it comes from Jesus. He is seeking you.
We cannot stand on our own resources, Jesus brings light and life to us.
Stand up for confession and walk in His righteousness. Jesus will deal with your battles.
Turn everything in your life over to Him and He will do it.
Today is the day, now is the time. Jesus heal me of my sin and bring me into God’s family.

He will not turn you down.
He will give you entre to the Father.
Your life will change.
Stay close to Jesus by prayer, reading God’s Word and surrender to His use of you.
People count. Forgive one another. Listen to the Lord.
Walk in Him. Jesus is Lord. Let Him cleanse you, equip you and use you.

Clay Corvin
http://www.claycorvin.com
September 22, 2021

ISAIAH 50:10-11

I pray and NOTHING. No response. No emotion. No light.
Emotionally feeling lost. What did I do? How did I get to this place?

We had such warm fellowship. The mountain top. Your sunlight.
I felt like a world conqueror. You and me together Lord.

Every step I took every move I made You were there. Guiding. Shining.
Walking me through the mess of my life. Assuring me we were going in the right direction.

I woke up today. No one was there. I felt myself alone. How would I face the world.
There was a bottle I lived in. There was a drug of choice. It helped me face the world.
It destroyed me. Pushed me one step closer to death. It enabled me to face the darkness.
Now I’m not sure. You were with me. A bright light showing my future. Now dark. Nothing.

Your call to me: man of faith, keep walking. My child, learn to walk in the darkness.
One foot in front of the other. One day at a time. Keep praying. Don’t wait on the light.
Life is for living. You’ve got this. Keep walking. Keep praying. Don’t wait on the light.
Life is happening. Get with it. You can hear me, based on what I said. Keep praying.

Do the next right thing. Darkness all about, just keep walking. Your life counts.
It’s important that you understand this is a test. A test of you. Keep walking.

Obedience is better than sacrifice. My Word to you. Keep obeying. You know what to do.
Trust in the process. Jesus is Lord. Trust in Jesus. He will see you thru the dark night.

Do not light your own fire to see your way. Trust me. Walk in obedience.
The darkness will equip you to see Jesus even better. He is the light.
Our relationship isn’t an emotional high. It’s reality. Jesus is the way. He is the light.
Keep focused on Him. Get to know Him better. Read the Word. Pray. Walk.

In the darkness lean on Jesus. Now is the time to study His Word.
Claim all the promises you can find. There are 7,000 plus promises in the Bible.
Trust God no matter what. Do not turn to your old ways. Don’t try to be independent.
Jesus is God’s everything and He is here for you.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding.
Jesus is the light, follow Him. Pray. Search God’s Word. Keep on walking.

Clay Corvin
October 16, 2021
North River