Hello my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church.
Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with Thank You God. This song is the A-side of a 1956 Little Golden Record (with Let There Be Peace on Earth as the B-side). Roy and Dale are joined on this song by The Ranch Hands & Mitch Miller and His Orchestra. This is followed by another 1956 country gospel recording. This time it's George Jones singing his self-penned Taggin' Along. Next comes Johnny Cash singing Redemption. This song was written by John himself and comes from his 1994 album, American Recordings. Despite being so late in John's career this album was very important to his career. Though John was still considered a musical legend before this album, like many musical legends his career was often looked at in the past tense. The music he had been currently making was failing finically and critically, while many simple paid no attention to it. He even briefly considered to permanently becoming an act in Branson. If it had played out Branson would have worked heavily against him ever being cutting edge or a force to be reckoned with, as he would simply be reliving his past glories in an act that would revolve around nostalgia for the good old days. If that This was all to change when John meet producer Rick Rubin. At first glance this seemed like an odd pairing as Rubin did not produce country records. He was best known for producing young rock, hip-hop and rap acts. However he saw something in John that no other record producer was seeing at the time and saw that John could just as easily connect with the young audience that these young stars did as well as the older country artists. For the first album they made together, Rubin asked John to simply bring his guitar and play and sing whatever he wanted to (from any genre or time period). This self-penned song was one of the songs he sang. The album did just what Rick Ruben wanted it to do, create something that would be just as popular with teenagers and young adults who listened to punk and rap as to John's longtime country fan base and this was done by simply having John be himself. John was once again on the cutting edge of the music scene. Next comes Randy Travis singing Shall We Gather At The River. This hymn was written in 1864 by Robert Lowry. Lowry later described writing this song, “One hot afternoon in July 1864, I was resting on his sofa, visions of heaven pervaded his senses. I saw the bright golden throne room and a multitude of saints gathered around the beautiful, cool, crystal, river of life. I was filled with a sense of great joy. I began to wonder why there seemed to be many hymns that referenced the river of death, but very few that mentioned the river of life. As I mused, the words and music to Shall We Gather at the River came to his heart and mind.” This is followed by The Monroe Brothers with their 1936 recording of What Would You Give in Exchange For Soul. This song was originally written by James H. Carr and F. J. Barry and first appeared in the 1911 songbook, Hosannas to the King. Afterwards is The Sons of the Pioneers with their 1937 recording of Lord You Made the Cowboy Happy. Next is Charley Pride with Whispering Hope. This beautiful hymn comes from the pen of Alice Hawthorne (the pen name for poet Septimus Winner), who is best known for her contributions to children's music with songs like, Where, Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone? and Ten Little Indians. We continue with Tennessee Ernie Ford singing Take My Hand, Precious Lord. This song was written by Thomas A. Dorsey after the passing of his wife and newborn son in 1932. Though Dorsey had given his life to the Lord and was moving away from his career as a blues singer instead writing gospel songs and even pastoring churches. Still after the death of his beloved wife and child, he began to question his faith. Instead of giving up his faith he turned to prayer. He prayed that God would lead him through all the troubles of life. He put his prayer to music (George Allen's Maitland) and this turned out to be one of his most popular songs. Today's musical selection ends with Andy Griffith singing a medley of The Old Rugged Cross and Near The Cross.
Up next is an episode of Gene Autry's Melody Ranch Radio Show that aired September 20, 1953.
Next is C.S. Lewis reading his essay, The Decline of Religion.
Whoever gives to the poor will not want, but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse. Proverbs 28:27
Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed. Proverbs 19:17
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27
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
David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the LORD is finished." Chronicles 28:20
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 10:28
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Romans 10:17
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God. Ephesians 2:8
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. James 1:5-8
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20
Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9
You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. Deuteronomy 6:5
And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness. Genesis 15:6
Thanks for joining me, come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy trails to you until we meet again.
Resources Used
Johnny Cash: The Redemption of An American Icon by Greg Laurie and Marshall Terrill
https://dianaleaghmatthews.com/shall-we-gather-at-the-river/#.YWw3p_rMJPY
https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-precious-lord-take-my-hand
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