Cowboy Church #112

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

Today's musical selection begins with Ray Price singing Precious Memories. Though this is a sweet uplifting song, it was based upon a tragedy. In 1922, John Wright lost his five year old son. Wright would later say about this song, “’Precious Memories’ was born in the midnight hours as I bathed by pillow with tears, likewise all my songs came through life’s severest tests.” Though this is a very famous hymn, John Wright only received $36 for writing it. He would remain a janitor that was always struggling to make ends meet for his entire life. This is the title track of Ray's 1976 gospel album. Next up comes George Strait singing I Saw God Today. This song reminds us that though we often forget, proof of God's love is constantly around us, even in the smallest things. We too often forget to feel thankful for the blessings God has filled this world with. This song is from George's 2008 album Troubadour. It was written by Rodney Clawson, Monty Criswell and Wade Kirby. Clawson would say that the song came from Criswell who would often have unsuccessful hunting trips and come back and when asked how the trip went say, "I saw God today." Up next is Roy Rogers and Dale Evans singing The Lord is Counting on You. This song was written by another legend of cowboy gospel legend, Stuart Hamblin, who also wrote This Ole House, It is No Secret (What God Can Do), and Open Up Your Heart (And Let the Sunshine In). Hamblin was also an actor and had played the villain in one of Roy's movies, The Arizona Kid (1939). This version of the song comes from Roy and Dale's 1959 album, Jesus Loves Me. Up next is Willie Nelson with Uncloudy Day. This song was written by Josiah Kelley Alwood in 1979. Alwood described why he wrote this song stating, “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 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.” This version comes from Willie's first (and best) gospel album, 1976's The Troublemaker. This recording features Willie at his best as this is one of the most fun and energetic versions of this song and Willie's voice and guitar playing are in top form. Gospel means "good news" so it is no wonder that so much of it is so joyful and this is about as joyful as it gets. Next comes Alan Jackson with Standing on the Promises of God. This hymn was written by Russell Carter in 1886. Carter had worked as a sheepherder (as well as a Professor) who developed a heart condition while sheepherding. This caused him to feel that he would not have much longer to live. He prayed to God to heal his condition and when God did, Carter vowed forever  “to stand on God’s promises.” This feeling lead to him writing this classic hymn. Up next is the Sons of the Pioneers with their 1934 recording of Open Up Dem Pearly Gates. Today's musical selection continues  with The Chuck Wagon Gang with their 1941 recording of He Set Me Free. This song was written by Albert E. Brumley and first published in 1939. Many consider this song to be the inspiration for Hank William's I Saw the Light and anybody familiar with that song will surely notice the similarities. Today's musical selection ends with The Charlie Daniels Band performing Walkin' in Jerusalem Just Like John. This song opened one of the band's best post-1970's albums, 2005's Songs From the Longleaf Pines. This was one of the band's Christian albums. However unlike the first two Christian albums from the group (1994's The Door and 1996's Steel Witness) instead of a Christian rock sound this album is 100% bluegrass. Bluegrass was always a type of music that Charlie and the rest of the band had a true fondness for and one that meant a lot to them personally. That can truly be felt in this album as this album is one of the most energetic, fun and passionate albums to come from them during this late period of their career.  

Exhibitor's Herald, 1944

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. Zechariah 9:9

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless you. Psalm 118:26


Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” Mark 10:27

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. 1 Timothy 1:15

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die. John 11:25

Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. Isaiah 53:12

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 4:16

Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. 3 Mary therefore took a pound[a] of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, 5 “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii[b] and given to the poor?” 6 He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. 7 Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it[c] for the day of my burial. 8 For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.” When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus[d] was there, they came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, 11 because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus. The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” 14 And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written, “Fear not, daughter of Zion;

behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt!” His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him. The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness. The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.” Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks.  So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.  And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. So the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them. Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him, so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “Lord, who has believed what he heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” Therefore they could not believe. For again Isaiah said, “He has blinded their eyes

    and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn,

    and I would heal them.” Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him.  Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God. And Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.” John 12:1-50

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. Mark 16:16

Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3

Thank you for joining me remember to come back next week for a special Easter service of Cowboy Church. Happy trails to you until we meet again.