Cowboy Church #224

 Hello my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church.


Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans singing Sweet Hour of Prayer. This is another song about the importance of prayer. Many Christians (me included) will sometimes take prayer for granted without realizing what an amazing blessing it is to be able to talk directly to God. Not only this but he listens to everything we say and cares about us each as individuals is simply hard to even fathom but it is also completely true. 

This is followed by Moe Bandy singing What a Friend We Have in Jesus. Despite being Joseph Medlicott Scriven's most famous composition, when he made a collection of his writings entitled Hymns and Other Verses it did not appear. It has been assumed that the reason for this is that he probably wrote it for his mother when she was sick and not for the public. It is believed that it is through his mother that the hymn reached the public. It first appeared in 1865's Social Hymns, Original and Selected credited as anonymous.

Then comes Eddy Arnold with Open Thy Merciful Arms. 

Next is Lorretta Lynn with Old Camp Meetin' Time. This song comes from Lorretta's 1965 gospel album, Hymns. This is a song about the joy of following the Lord. Being a Christian should not be some solemn thing. God has given us so many blessings and continues to do so each and every day. The fact that there is a God who loves us so much should be something that gives us incredible joy. 

Next up is The Sons of the San Joaquin with Ridin' Up the Glory Trail. This song comes from the group's 2005 album, Way Out Yonder. This song states that as you ride the Glory Trail, God will be riding with you the whole way. This is completely true and there is nowhere we can go in this life where God won't be with us. No matter how hard things get in this life God is right beside us through each heartbreak as well as each blessing.  

Afterwards comes Arizona Dranes with her 1928 recording of God's Got a Crown. 

Now for The Sons of the Pioneers with The Mystery of His Way. This song was written by Bob Nolan, who was one of the founding members of the Sons of the Pioneers and one of my all-time favorite song writers. The song comes from the group's 1963 gospel album, Hymns of the Cowboy. 

Today's musical selection ends with George Jones with Softly and Tenderly.  The song was written by an Ohio businessman named Will Thompson in 1880.  As well as writing gospel songs Thompson also wrote quite a few secular songs and parotic songs. When the songs he wrote were rejected by publishers he created his own company, Will L. Thompson & Company. This company would not only publish music by sell musical instruments. Softly and Tenderly first appeared in 1880's Sparkling Gems, Nos. 1 and 2, a collection of songs from the company. When evangelist Dwight L. Moody was on his death bed he told the songwriter, "Will, I would rather have written ‘Softly and Tenderly Jesus Is Calling’ than anything I have been able to do in my whole life." This was appropriate as Will decided to make songwriting his career while at a meeting held by Moody


 

Now for a sermon from the Rev. Billy Graham.

Now for the next chapter of Gene Autry's movie serial, The Phantom Empire (1935). 

And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. Exodus 33:19

So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 1 John 4:16

They refused to obey and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them, but they stiffened their neck and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them. Nehemiah 9:17 

And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his throne this day." 1 Kings 3:6

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. Revelation 21:4

As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life. 1 Timothy 6:17-19

Know therefore today, and lay it to your heart, that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other. Deuteronomy 4:39

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isiaih 41:10

Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy trails to you until we meet again.