Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans singing May the Good Lord Take a Likin' to You. Next is Johnny Cash singing At the Cross. This song was written by Issac Watts. Issacs was a church pastor in the 1700's and often wrote hymns and poems to go along with his sermons, and some of the hymns (including this one) are still known today with the most famous being Joy to the World. Though little is know about the origins of these songs, we do know that Issac was an influence on another one of the great hymn writers, Fanny Crosby (Blessed Assurance, Draw Me Nearer), who after hearing one of Issac's hymns at a revival meeting in 1851 gave her life to the Lord and began writing her great hymns. This version of At the Cross comes from Johnny Cash's 1975 album, Johnny Cash Sings Precious Memories. The album was dedicated to Johnny's brother Jack, who died at the age of 14 in a saw mill accident. Jack would always remain a major influence on John's life. Johnny often stated that he would have dreams where would talk to Jack and the Jack would always age in these dreams just like he was still alive. The notes on the back of the album say "This album is I was twelve years old. Some of these songs were the songs we sang at your funeral. When you were dying you gave us a description of heaven and singing angels. Could these be some of the songs the angels were singing? See you later. Your little brother, J.R." Afterwards comes The Hee Haw Gospel Quartet (Buck Owens, Grandpa Jones, Roy Clark and Kenny Price) singing Unclouded Day. This song was written by Josiah Kelley Alwood in 1879. Josiah would later describe the origin of this song saying “It was a balmy night in August 1879, when returning from a debate in Spring Hill, Ohio, to my home in Morenci, Michigan, about 1:00 a.m. I saw a beautiful rainbow north by northwest against a dense black nimbus cloud. The sky was all perfectly clear except this dark cloud which covered about forty degrees of the horizon and extended about halfway to the zenith. The phenomenon was entirely new to me and my nerves refreshed by the balmy air and the lovely sight. Old Morpheus was playing his sweetest lullaby. Another mile of travel, a few moments of time, a fellow of my size was ensconced in a sweet home and wrapped in sweet sleep. A first-class know-nothing till rosy-sweet morning was wide over the fields. To awake and look abroad and remember the night was to be filled with sweet melody. A while at the organ brought forth a piece of music now known as 'The Unclouded Day.' A Day and a half was bestowed on the four stanzas.” Willie Nelson is of course everybody's favorite hippie-cowboy and up next is a very hippie-cowboy style song, The Troublemaker. This song points out that Jesus didn't simply fit the way many people conform him to be to support or views and to remember that hatred of those we don't agree with is something very unchristian, even if we hate their sin. Though this song is in many ways very much of its time, there are ways in which it is still relevant to us today. Afterwards comes Skeeter Davis singing Do You Know My Jesus. Next is a Sons of the Pioneers original, The Seawalker written by one of the group's founding members Tim Spencer. Today's musical selection ends with The Million Dollar Quartet (Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins) singing Just a Little Talk With Jesus. For those of you not familiar with The Million Dollar Quartet, this was a legendary jam session. It was not planned as the four just all wound up in Sun Studios on the same day and ending up playing and singing together. Jack Clement was also in the studio and felt that he simply had to record this. The session consisted mostly of old gospel songs and country tunes. Marty Stuart would later refer to the four as "misplaced preachers." I agree with this, the four all had the charisma that simply demanded attention and when any of them stopped to talk about God or sing a gospel song everybody listened. The song was written by the preacher Rev. Cleavant Derricks in 1936.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Colossians 3:15
The Lord is my light and my salvation- whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life- of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1
May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones. Thessalonians 3:13
Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13
The wicked flee though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion. Proverbs 28:1
A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man. Proverbs 6:10-11
For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them; but whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster. Proverbs 1:32-33
Psalm 121
1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord watches over you—
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.
When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan. Proverbs 29:2
A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot. Proverbs 14:30
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. Romans 10:9-10
Thank you for joining me come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy trails to you until we meet again.
-Michael J. Ruhland
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