Cowboy Church #156

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

Today's musical selection begins with Marty Robbins singing Where Could I Go (But to the Lord). This song was written by James Buchanan Coats in 1940. The hymn was inspired by his neighbor Joe Keyes. When Keyes was dying, Coats asked him if he knew where he was going to spend eternity. Keyes responded, “Where could I go but to the Lord?” This is followed by Bobby Bare with his 1966 recording of Just a Closer Walk With Thee. Next is The Carter Family with their 1929 recording of Diamonds in the Rough. The group had recorded this song on February 15th, 1929, along with 4 other songs. The other songs recorded that day included Engine One Forty-Three, Bring Back My Blue-Eyed Boy to Me and The Foggy Mountain Top. This song has an important message for all of us. There are none of us who have ever been too rough around the edges to be saved by Jesus. He wishes for every one of us to come to him and be saved and his great power and mercy he can make even the roughest of us shine even brighter than the diamonds for him. When I look at how stubborn I have been in my own life, I am sure glad that Jesus has never stopped working on me and I hope I become more like him each and every day.    Johnny Cash worked harder on The Man Comes Around, then any other song he had ever written. It is also one of the most ambitious songs he ever wrote. It is lyrically and musically complex with an intensity that leaves one with being unable to feel neutral about what he/she just heard. This song talks about God's grace and love but also offers a stark warning of what lies ahead for those who reject God. The song's origins first came from a dream of John's where he met the queen of England who told the singer, "Johnny Cash! You like a thorn tree in a whirlwind." He knew he had heard this phrase before and looking through his Bible he found it was from the book of Job. After this he began an extensive study of Bible verses dealing with prophecies and the end times. The result of this study is this song which deals with what will happen when Jesus comes back. Sound engineer David Ferguson would later remember, "We cut it a few times. We cut it first with Marty Stuart and Johnny as a tick-tock sort of thing. Then he worked on it again with Randy Scruggs. It was then edited to make it meter out. The way Johnny laid it out, only he knew where the changes were going to be in the instrumental parts. It was something you had to learn. Rick [producer Rick Ruben] would take a bar out here and a couple bars out there to make the whole thing uniform." The result of all this is one the finest songs John had ever written and a musical masterpiece on every level. Pastor and Johnny Cash Biographer, Greg Laurie wrote about this song, "Personally, I think this is the greatest song that Johnny ever wrote It is both biblical and personal, powerful and poetic. From its first rapid strum of his guitar to the pounding piano chords, it is a picture of complexity and simplicity. The deft production skills of Rick Ruben, who understood that 'less was more' in this case, added to the familiar voice of the American icon Johnny Cash, and the result was a match made in Heaven." This is followed by Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with their version of the southern gospel classic, I'll Fly Away. Afterwards is Red Steagall with I Ride for the Brand of the Man with the Nail Scarred Hands. This is followed by Bill Monroe with I've Found a Hiding Place. This song reminds us, that there is no trouble the world can give us, that is beyond the power of Jesus Christ to help us overcome. Nothing this world can do can take away the salvation Jesus has given us. While things won't stop going wrong until we find ourselves in Heaven, through Jesus we have comfort through every storm and difficultly. Today's musical selection ends with The Sons of the Pioneers with their 1937 recording of Leaning on the Everlasting Arms. This hymn began creation with a man named Anthony Showalter. As a fan of gospel music and an elder in a Presbyterian church, he held many "singing schools" at various churches in the south. One day he received two letters from former students who were struggling after their wives had passed. To respond to these letters, Showalter consulted scripture. He came across Deuteronomy 33:27, "The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms." After reading this verse lyrics for a song chorus went through his head and he wrote down, "“Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms; Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.” After using this in the letters to his former students he sent this chorus to his friend hymnist, Elisha Hoffman. In the letter he also wrote, “Here is the chorus for a good hymn from Deuteronomy 33:27, but I can’t come up with the verses.” Hoffman then wrote the rest of the lyrics to which Showalter put to music. The hymn was published in 1887.

Up next is Charlie Daniels talking about Merle Haggard. 

Next is Cowboy Kent Rollins with his poem, Horseshoes in Heaven.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:38

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 Peter 1:3

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1 Corinthians 13:6-7

Do to others as you would have them do to you. Luke 6:31

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:14

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 4:29

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11

A voice cries: In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. Isaiah 40:3-4

 You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord. Leviticus 19:18

 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

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