Cowboy Church #194

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

Today's musical selection starts with The Sons of the Pioneers with their 1937 recording of Lord You Made the Cowboy Happy. It is too often in life that we take the little things for granted. God has given us more blessings than we could ever count, and it is good to take a little time every day to thank him for those blessings. 

This is followed by Hank Williams and his wife Audery Williams with their 1948 recording of I Heard My Mother Praying for Me. This song was credited to being written by Audrey Williams, yet on an episode of the Mothers Best radio show a few years later, Hank Williams introduced the song saying he wrote it. Audrey was very adamant about wanting to record some religious songs with her husband and kept bringing it up to Hank until Hank finally agreed and then convinced his manager Fred Rose. Though Audrey often gets a lot of criticism for her singing voice, the truth is it is not too bad here and there two voice match quite well on this duet at least. This gospel songs the two recorded together were heavily inspired by the husband and wife evangelists that both were very familiar with.

Next comes Anne Wilson with Hey Girl. This is what she calls her "Kentucky Version," and although all of her music is very country inspired, this version is even more country than the original version. Hey Girl comes from Anne's debut album, 2022's My Jesus. 

Afterwards is Tennessee Ernie Ford with Blessed Assurance. This hymn came about when songwriter Fanny Crosby visited composer Phoebe Palmer Knapp. Knapp played a tune for Crosby and asked what came to her mind with that tune. Crosby said, "Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!" She then immediately followed it with more lyrics that would be in the finished song. The song was published in 1873 and first appeared in a monthly magazine for which the editors were Joseph Fairchild Knapp and Phoebe Palmer Knapp (who were husband and wife). When it later appeared in 1887's Gospel Songs, No. 5 by Ira Sankey, this we lead it to greater fame as it would be commonly sung in the revivals of Dwight L. Moody and Sankey. By 1889, the hymn commonly appeared in Methodist hymnals. 

Next is Glen Campbell with a song he wrote himself, Less of Me.

Now for Roy Rogers with Peace in the Valley.  The hymn was written by Thomas A. Dorsey who later explained the origins of this song, “Peace in the Valley,” “It was just before Hitler sent his war chariots into Western Europe in the late 1930s. I was on a train going through southern Indiana and saw horses, cows and sheep all grazing together in this little valley. Everything seemed so peaceful. It made me question, “What’s the matter with mankind? Why can’t men live in peace?” Out of those thoughts came “Peace in the Valley.” 

It is time to join Willie Nelson and his sister Bobbie Nelson with Are You Washed in the Blood. This comes from their 1996 album, Just as I Am. This was an album made up of old gospel songs that the two had grown up with since childhood.  

Today's musical selection ends with the late Jerry Lee Lewis with My God is Real. 



 

Today's movie trailer is for The Lone Ranger (1956) starring Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels. The 1950's Lone Ranger TV series was such a sensation that it spawned two full color theatrically released feature films. This is the first of those movies and it is simply a lot of fun. A couple of years later it would be followed by The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold (1958). The Lone Ranger marks the last film appearance by Bonita Granville. My fellow B movie fans might know her from playing Nancy Drew in a series of four films. She also had a good sized role in the brilliant Bette Davis romantic film, Now Voyager (1942). 

Now a message from Pastor Greg Laurie. 

Now therefore, may it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue forever before You. For You, O Lord God, have spoken; and with Your blessing may the house of Your servant be blessed forever. 2 Samuel 7:29 

 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. Isaiah 12:3

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. 1 John 3:18

But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 1 Peter 4:13

Blessed is the one whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. Job 5:17

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Matthew 6:25
Proverbs 
Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit. Mark 13:11

Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Luke 12:24

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love. Ephesians 3:16-17

He who gives to the poor will never want, but he who shuts his eyes will have many curses. Proverbs 28:27

Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor. Proverbs 14:21

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